May 19, 2021

Courage

May 19, 2021/ Stephen Goforth

The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart. -Robert G. Ingersoll

May 18, 2021

59 video tools

May 18, 2021/ Stephen Goforth

Looking for some ways to help you shoot and edit video? Here are 59 available tools.

8mm Vintage Camera
Add retro colors, flickering, and light leaks for a vintage look to your movie. A variety of filters (like 1920, Noir) and a sound projector option. $2.99.

Adobe Connect
Video conferencing.

Adobe Spark*
A wide range of video & photo editing tools with templates and flexibility. Soundtracks and themes. Mostly free. $14.29 a month.

Amnesty International YouTube DataViewer*
Takes a URL for a video and provides background info.

Awesome Screenshot
This Chrome extension is a screen recorder with no extra features that will save up to :30. Free

Camtasia
Screen-recording application that’s adequate for its intended purpose: eLearning videos. Easy to use for quick videos but limited. Can be used for podcasting. Mac & PC. $249.

Clips
This Apple app let's you add text, filters, emoji, music, and opaque transition cards to your photos or videos. Intended to be fun, though the menu layout is not entirely intuitive and it does take some time to create. Free.

CuePrompter
Turns your browser into a television telepromoter.

Cute Cut
Easy-to-use video editor. Free.

Disco Videos
A way to add cool effects like music and filters to your videos. $3.99.

DesignLab
Basic video editing tool for social media posts with many templates. Three-day free trial then $9.49 a month.

DSCO
Pronounced ‘disco’, this app is for GIF creation. Animations up to 2.5 seconds long. Free. Video example.

Ecamm
App that records Skype and Facetime. It lets you convert your calls into MP3 files for podcasting or easily move the video to YouTube and Vimeo. Split the audio tracks after a call for easy editing. $39.95.

Final Cut Pro
Video editing program.

Filmic
High definition mobile cam for videography, photography. Lots of bells and whistles probably too much for the average person or even for what a professional journalist would need. $14.99.

Filmmaker Pro - Video Editor*
Video editing program for filmmakers. 19 transition options and 30 filters. Many fonts and animation stickers. Sound effects and a robust number of tools. Free.

GoToMeeting
Video conferencing. 14-day free trial. $14-$39 a month subscription.

Google Hangouts On Air (no longer available)
Live streaming platform and automatic HD video capture.

GorillaPod tripod*
Joby GripTight PRO. Flexible legs wrap around objects for unlimited angles. From .7 - 11 pounds. Rubber foot grips provide stability on any surface.

Hippo Video
This Chrome extension is a screen recorder with some advanced features such as changing the resolution, aspect ratio, etc. Free.

HouseParty (formally Meerkat)
Group video chat app where users get a notice that friends are online. Snap Stories are integrated.

Hyperlapse
Instagram’s timelapse video. No audio option.

IBM Cloud Video* (formerly Ustream)
Desktop broadcasting of live video to the world from a computer or iPhone (or watch thousands of shows). 30 day free trial, then monthly plans from $99 to $999 for pros, top subscription $2k and up.

iMovie*
One of the best video-making apps, it offers two tracks of video and audio for editing on your phone or laptop. Filters and templates. Free.

Inshot
Video & image editing app. Simple-to-use & all-in-one with basic functions. Free version with ads $2.99 to remove them and the watermark.

InVID
A free Firefox plugin to debunk fake video news and verify videos and images.

Loom
This Chrome extension is a screen recorder with some advanced options. No limit on the number of videos you can make. Free.

LumaFusion*
A multi-track video editor with 3 video/audio tracks for photos, videos, titles, and graphics. $19.99.

Lumen5
An easy-to-use video creation platform that attempts to turn a limited number of photos and text into video for you. Free.

Magistro
Load your video clips or images, pick a style, then the AI software automatically edits them into a video. You give up some editing control for speed. There’s a free version but $60 a year gets you everything.

Meograph
3D animation of people from 2D video of people. Video explanation.

Moment*
Cases, lens, batteries, lights, gimbals, etc. to enhance photos and videos taken with a phone.

Movavi
Video editing for casual users. Easy-to-use interface. Limited effects. $39.95.

MoviePro*
Video recording app that lets you listen live to your sound, includes manual controls for exposure, focus, and white balance. Shoot stills while recording. Has a built-in single-track video editor. Includes a wide range of video resolutions and aspect ratios, adjustable video quality, $9.99.

Narrative
Wearable camera that takes a photo or video every minute and creates a video at the end of the day (without using the repetitive shots). No work for the wearer. $199.

pCloud Transfer
Like WeTransfer, quickly transfer files up to 5GB. No account required. Free.

PowerDirector 365
Perhaps the best Android video editor app with special effects. Similar to iMovie in ease of use. $4.33 a month.

Nimbus
This Chrome extension is a screen recorder which also allows users to shoot a video with a webcam or take screenshots. Free.

Quik*
Video editor by GoPro. Easy-to-use. Templated themes and useful filters. Add up to 200 photos and video clips. Free.

Quicktime
Use to record video from your webcam and Skype interviews.

Placeit
Easy-to-use video editing tool with pre-designed video templates. Add music, graphics, animations. There is a cost to downloading the final design. Pay as you go ($9.95) or subscription ($14.95 a month).

PickPlayPost (Mixcord)
Video editor that lets users create slideshows, split screens, video collages, etc. adding music, voice, gifs. Best for short videos. Free.

Powtoon
Animated infographics web tool for creating videos. User-friendly. The free version has company branding on it.

Preceden (formally Time Glider)
Create web-based timelines using images & videos.

Premiere Pro*
An Adobe professional-level product that has become the industry standard. Easy-to-use interface. Support for 360 VR and other features, but some techniques require additional applications (such as After Effects). $19.99 a month.

Reduct
Edit the video by editing the text. For instance, you can upload a long interview and the site (using machine learning) will transcribe the speech and tag each word to a visual frame allowing you to quickly generate a highlight reel or other edited videos.

Reel Director
Creates movies and lets you edit on phone similar to iMovie. $2.99.

Rock Content (formally Scribble Live)
Live-streaming. Create, curate and publish content to provide real time coverage and storytelling. Fee.

SMOVE smartphone Video Stabilizer
This smartphone stabilizer that doubles as a charger. Portable, fits in your pocket. $200.

Steadicam Smoothee*
The Smoothee gives you a steady, gliding shot by a balanced weight system that holds your phone on a frictionless ball joint. Simple to use, though the size could interfere with other attachments on you iPhone. $90.

Steller*
Create photo and video stories on an iPhone with an emphasis on mobile design. Create collections and share on social networks. Free. Sample.

TechSmith (formally Jing)
A free, easy-to-use screen capture application. Snap a screenshot or record a video, save and share. capture a presentation, lecture, or event.

Thnk Link
Make images interactive. Sample.

TiltShift Video
Create the tilt-shift effect for photos and video. No in-app camera to shoot video and no sharing options. $3.99.

Transcriptive
Digital Anarchy’s plugin to create automated transcriptions of video in Premiere Pro. Free Trial. $299.

TubeMogul
Upload your video and TubeMogul will send it to many social media sites at one time-though you'll have to set up accounts with all the sites on your own. Tracks viewership. A part of Adobe's Marketing Cloud.

Veed
Easy to use templated video editing options for creating social media posts. Use to add captions. Free watermarked version available. $20 monthly.

Video Scribe
Create animated videos, replicating the popular whiteboard-style tutorial. 7 day free trial. $16.50 a month.

VideoShop (no longer available)
Lots of useful features to edit video on phones. $.1.99.

Videolicious*
App for easy photo and video editing on your iPhone. Sort of a stripped-down version of iMovie to make videos with narration and music. Filters, too. Free.

Vimeo
Video hosting and editing.

VSCO*
Great start-to-finish photo/video app. Easy to use filters and helpful tutorials. Manual controls like focus lock, exposure lock, and white balance. Edit images and share them on social media. IOS. Free version. $19.99 a year for 170 presets.

Vyond (formally GoAnimate)
Make animated videos. Free 14-day trial. Subscription plans: $39 a month or $299 each year.

YouTube Creator Hub
Resources to help create better video content and bigger audiences. An online community for serious YouTube creators.

Wave Video
Video editor for social media posts with many templates including free music and video extras. Intuitive interface. Free with more options for $49 a month.

Webex
Cisco’s video conferencing software. Easy-to-use, nothing to download. Several pricing plans-but not cheap.

WeTransfer*
A file transfer service, though Dropbox has more options for the price. WeTransfer is free for individual users, but $12 for companies needing more.

WeVideo
Collaborative online and mobile video editing.

Wondershare
Video editing app. Easy-to-use with standard effects though not the more advanced effects. $59.99.

Xtranormal
Create animated movies.

Zamzar
Video and audio file converter.

More Tech Tools

May 17, 2021

Articles of interest about higher ed - May 17

May 17, 2021/ Stephen Goforth

***COVID-19

How a Colorado Campus Became a Pandemic Laboratory ($)

Is It Covid or the Flu? New Combo Tests Can Find Out ($)

Covid-19 vaccine passport questions, answered

Parents should get their children the COVID vaccine, says St. Jude pediatric virologist

Employment, workforce participation of college grads fell amid COVID-19

Fauci says pandemic exposed 'undeniable effects of racism'

***LAYOFFS & CUTS

Declining enrollment, course demand causes layoffs in Liberal Arts at Central Michigan University

City College of San Francisco Approves Plan to Avoid Layoffs

***COLLEGE FINANCES

4 ‘new normal’ priorities for higher-ed finance leaders

California state audit criticizes Calbright College for mismanagement

***HIGHER ED

Study finds that public research universities recruit out of state at private high schools

What Will College Look Like This Coming September?

Two Colorado colleges plan to remove "junior" from their names

***HUMANITIES

The Shift from Liberal Arts to STEM Comes at a Cost (opinion)

Most of the skills that companies are increasingly focused on developing are social, emotional, and advanced cognitive

***HIGHER ED IN COURT

Colleges and Universities Battle Insurance Companies Over COVID-19 Losses

Penn State Professor Errol Henderson Accuses University Of Racial Discrimination In Federal Lawsuit

***HIGHER ED & POLITICS

How critical race theory became Enemy No. 1 in the battle against higher ed ($)

***ONLINE CLASSES

Elite Colleges Started EdX as a Nonprofit Alternative to Coursera. How Is It Doing?

***ONLINE CHEATING

The Dartmouth cheating scandal raises questions about data mining and sowing mistrust ($)

***ACADEMIC LIFE

University of Minnesota group to investigate abusive faculty

Penn State Professor Accuses University Of Racial Discrimination In Federal Lawsuit

Northeastern professor leaves his post after scrutiny of dozens of his studies

Vietnam National University academics dismissed for plagiarism

Former UGA professor gets more than 7 years in federal prison for having child porn

***COLLEGE ADMINISTRATORS

Ex-Cal State San Marcos Dean Under Criminal Investigation

Students demand resignation of Cypress College president for failing to support professor in viral video

***ADMIN APPOINTMENTS

Former Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell selected to lead University of Alaska Anchorage

Howard University has appointed Phylicia Rashad as dean of the College of Fine Arts

DePaul trustees appoint Salma Ghanem as provost

Evergreen State re-evaluating after three president finalists drop out

Lafayette College president headed to Carleton College in Minnesota

***RESIGNATIONS & REMOVALS

Ronald Graham has been removed as president of Haskell Indian Nations University

Ohio University President M. Duane Nellis resigns, will remain a professor

Santa Clara University President Kevin O’Brien resigns after ‘inappropriate behaviors’

Northwestern athletic director resigns following protests

Univ of South Carolina president resigns following plagiarism controversy

Colorado president stepping down

Western Colorado University President Resigns

Lincoln University President leaving after 2020-21 academic year

***CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS

Moravian College gets official approval to become “Moravian University” effective July

Christian Colleges Seek to Defend Title IX Religious Exemption

Biden will not address Notre Dame commencement, was invited by the university

Baptist Pastor becomes president of Carver College

17 psychological groups call for greater protections of LGBTQ students at religious schools

Fire rips through Southern Baptist Theological Seminary apartments

***RESEARCH

How BYU scientists struck pharmaceutical gold — and the fight over who keeps the money

Two surnames, no hyphen: Claiming my identity as a Latin American scientist

Identifying Patterns and Motivations of ‘Mega’ Peer-Reviewers

An XKCD comic—and its many remixes—perfectly captures the absurdity of academic research

***STUDENT LIFE

Bates Students Condemn College's Response to Anti-Israel Graffiti

Bloomsburg University eliminates fraternities, sororities

Lewis' Memoir Describes Being A Teen Mom In College While Raising A Daughter

Athletes sue Stanford over plan to eliminate 11 sports by end of school year

Handshake, A Job Search Platform For College Students, Valued At $1.5 Billion After New Funding Round

Delaware State University canceling more than $730K in student debt

More college students gain access to relief grants ($)

Elmhurst University student made false report of gunman after buying meth, police say

***SEXUAL HARASSMENT & ASSAULT

Former Univ of Central Oklahoma students allege sexual harassment by theater department head

USD students protest lenient punishments for campus sexual assaults

Report: Michigan coach Schembechler knew about sexual assaults at Michigan and did nothing

***RACIAL ISSUES ON CAMPUS

Univ. Texas at Arlington renames building that honored former school leader who supported eugenics, segregation

Wingate University in North Carolina acknowledges its namesake sold slaves

May 17, 2021

Choosing Your Way

May 17, 2021/ Stephen Goforth

We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms -- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.

Victor Frankl

May 16, 2021

Every person

May 16, 2021/ Stephen Goforth

Every person has a story--and if you look hard enough you'll find a dark place.

May 15, 2021

Articles of interest about journalism, social media, language & more - May 15

May 15, 2021/ Stephen Goforth

***COVID-19

How to be around people again: A guide for back-to-office anxiety and awkwardness

Is it legal for an employer to ask if you are vaccinated?

The Teeny, Tiny Scientific Screwup That Helped Covid Kill

CDC Advisers Recommend Pfizer Vaccine For Adolescents

COVID-19’s impact on Asian Americans in the workplace

Honor system, paper cards won't cut it for COVID vaccine verification, experts say. 'Vaccine passports' are coming.

***JOURNALISM

What is Journalism: The existential issue

New Study Shows Local TV Crews ‘Under Attack’

Women journalists face escalating violence online

There can be no free press unless journalists are able to do their jobs safely

A new tool called allows you to make annotations on live webpages

***REPORTING

5 things journalists should know before covering research

Covering marijuana

Covering hospital mergers of physician practices: 3 tips from experienced health care journalists

How student reporters investigated their campuses

***THE BUSINESS OF JOURNALISM

A record 44% of the 'New York Times'' subscription growth came from non-news products in Q1

More NYT subscriptions coming from non-news products in the Biden era

***JOURNALISM & RACISM

National Geographic faced up to its racist past. Did it actually get better?

What one newsroom learned from introducing paid positions for low-income student journalists of color

***PRODUCING MEDIA

How Apple’s new audio subscriptions are upending podcasting

***WRITING & READING

Neural Interface Lets Man Type On Computer By Imagining Handwriting

Engaging With Asian American And Pacific Islander Heritage Month: A Reading List

***FAKES, FRAUDS & SCAMS

To navigate the dangers of the web, you need critical thinking – but also critical ignoring

How journalists can avoid amplifying misinformation in their stories

The Real Reason Behind the Misinformation Epidemic in Online Moms’ Groups

Psych professor: anger motivates anti-maskers, they’ll likely reform around the next divisive issue

***COVID FRAUDS

Just 12 People Are Behind Most Vaccine Hoaxes On Social Media

How COVID-19 conspiracy theories reach millions of people online

The unwitting are the target of COVID-19 falsehoods online

***SOCIAL MEDIA

Why Reddit is building an in-house agency to work with brands

Most U.S. social media users rarely or never post about politics, social issues

Twitter acquires news tech startup Scroll

A 28-year-old woman dressed like teen and walked into a high school to promote her Instagram

On Spotify, an Arranged Marriage Between Music and Podcasts ($)

***TIKTOK

Branding on TickTok

How TikTok personalities are making a name for themselves by delivering news to Gen Z

How TikTok Is Changing Starbucks

***PRIVACY & SECURITY

It turns out no one wants to be tracked all across their iPhones by Facebook (or anyone else)

Colonial Pipeline paid close to $5 million in ransomware blackmail payment

How private is your Gmail, and should you switch?

***LANGUAGE

Why We Speak More Weirdly at Home

Irish language ‘definitely endangered’ as linguists predict it will vanish in the next century

Beautiful or handsome? Neural language models try their hand at word substitution

The way your name or a word rolls off the tongue can have some surprising effects

***LITERATURE

A Jane Austen museum addressing Regency-era slavery? (opinion)

***POETRY

The incredibly complicated question of how to translate inaugural poet Amanda Gorman

Poetry Foundation hires new president

Poem drops stock price of China’s largest food delivery platform

Maya Angelou to be among first women to appear on the quarter

May 14, 2021

Even when

May 14, 2021/ Stephen Goforth

Even when strength fails, there is perseverance. And even when perseverance fails, there is hope. And even when hope fails, there is love. And love never fails. -Michael Gerson

May 13, 2021

The Beginner's Mind

May 13, 2021/ Stephen Goforth

A child does not know what is not possible and so was open to exploration, discovery, and experimentation. If you approach create tasks with the beginner's mind, you can see things more clearly as they are, unburden by your fixed views, habits, or what conventional wisdom says it is (or should be).

One who possesses a beginner's mind is not burdened by old habits or obsessed about "the way things are done around here" or with the way things could have or should have been done.

If you approach a task with a beginner's mind, you’re not afraid of being wrong. The fear of making a mistake, of risking an error, or of being told you’re wrong is constantly with us. And that’s a shame. Making mistakes is not the same thing as being creative, but if you’re not willing to make mistakes then it is impossible to be truly creative.

Garr Reynolds, Presentation Zen

May 12, 2021

Early in your career

May 12, 2021/ Stephen Goforth

Especially when you are early in your career, one of the worst things you can do is sacrifice learning opportunities, growth, and valuable connections for ego. You owe it to your future self to make decisions today for the right reasons and the long term. -Clara Shih

May 10, 2021

Everyone

May 10, 2021/ Stephen Goforth

Everyone you meet in life is fighting a battle you know nothing about.

May 09, 2021

Articles of interest about religion - May 9

May 09, 2021/ Stephen Goforth

***COVID-19

Workers Refusing Covid Vaccine Could Lose Their Jobs

Are weddings safe to go to or plan in a pandemic? A guide

What Are No-Vaxxers Thinking?

Most U.S. companies will require proof of Covid vaccination from employees, survey finds

What we know and don't know about Covid-19

***RELIGION & THE VIRUS

74 sickened in COVID outbreak at Peoples Church in Oregon

Pastor's wife advocates for vaccines and receives death threats

Wisconsin Catholic priest warns congregants against Covid vaccine, defying pope and his bishop

Connecticut Gov. signs bill ending religious vaccine exemptions

For evangelical leader Jamie Aten, advocating for vaccines led to a death threat

Religious Leaders Had To Fight Disinformation To Get Their Communities Vaccinated

Francis Collins urges evangelicals: ‘Love your neighbor,’ get COVID-19 vaccine

***BIBLE

New museum tells American history through the Bible

***RELIGION AND POLITICS

Virginia GOP won’t let Orthodox Jews vote absentee in Sabbath-day convention

A Pennsylvania Lawmaker and the Resurgence of Christian Nationalism

***RELIGION & SCIENCE

Evangelicals are losing their climate skepticism

***RELIGION & BUSINESS

Religious Discrimination Complaints Hit 10-Year Low

***RELIGION & RACIAL ISSUES

Episcopal Commission urges removal of Sewanee theologian from calendar of saints over white supremacist writings

A new report offers church leaders tools and training to help their congregations address racial injustice

153 years later, Christian fraternal group started by slaves still thrives

***DENOMINATIONS

Christian and Missionary Alliance Considers Calling Women Pastors

Most Black Protestants say denominational affiliation is less important than inspiring sermons

First Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale implodes over challenge to pastor’s iron rule

***CATHOLIC

Coalition' of Catholics Protest Music Format of Seton Hall's student radio station

***MEGACHURCHES

Another Hillsong Pastor Quits Following Scandal After Sharing Revealing Photos and Cites 'Infidelity'

Dallas Megachurch Pastor Resigns after Confessing to the Sin of Pride

Georgia megachurch votes to disaffiliate from UMC after lead pastor was reassigned

***RELIGIOUS SERVICES

Plagiarism in sermons among pastors

Is Praise And Worship Music Driving Guitar Sales?

***TELEVANGELIST

Televangelist Ernest Angley dies at 99

Great-grandson of televangelist Kenneth Copeland drowns in swimming pool accident

***ISLAM

American Airlines CEO Fasts For Ramadan To Honor Muslim Employees

Yale University student body elects first Muslim president

**NONRELIGIOUS

Nonreligious Americans Are A Growing Political Force

***RELIGION & CRIME

D.C. pastor misused $1.5 million in pandemic relief loans

***RELIGION & SOCIAL MEDIA

The Rise Of Christian TikTok https://www.bustle.com/life/christian-tiktok-influencers-gen-z-evangelicalism

May 08, 2021

Articles of interest about higher ed - May 8

May 08, 2021/ Stephen Goforth

***COVID-19

Only a small portion of law enforcement officers have been vaccinated against COVID-19

How COVID-19 is changing the world of beauty

***HIGHER ED & COVID

Rutgers professor, doctor dies of COVID while helping family in India

100 U.S. colleges will require vaccinations to attend in-person classes in the fall ($)

College Health Group Recommends Requiring COVID Vaccines

***LAYOFFS & CLOSURES

Judson College closing amid enrollment and debt woes

Becker College Will Lay Off More Than 300 When It Closes

Laurentian University's financial insolvency leads to 110 faculty layoffs

***COLLEGE FINANCES

USF St. Petersburg student journalists dive into university’s finances in yearlong investigation

College leaders praise Biden’s free-tuition plan

Pennsylvania higher ed system releases consolidation plans

***HIGHER ED

Ohio Community Colleges Cancel 2021-22 Sports

No College, No Problem. Some Employers Drop Degree Requirements To Diversify Staffs

Colleges slowly bringing back study abroad programs after pandemic

***HUMANITIES

UVM approaches record enrollment in the liberal arts

Is it the end of history in universities?

***HIGHER ED IN COURT

Courts view COVID-19 tuition refund lawsuits skeptically

In Lawsuit Doctor Alleges U of Rochester Robbed Her of Research Time

Yeshiva students sue, seeking recognition of LGBTQ+ student club

Supreme Court to Hear Debate Over Houston College Board’s Censure of Trustee

Lawsuit accuses VMI of racial discrimination

***TEACHING

Contrasting programs that are “skills based” with those that aren’t presents a false choice (opinion)

The Controversial but Useful Practice of ‘Ungrading’ in Teaching Writing ($)

Will a Rise in Online Learning Open Remote Teaching Opportunities for Faculty?

***ACADEMIC LIFE

Northwestern Faculty Oppose New Athletic Director Selection

Oregon Tech faculty strike ends

Cypress College instructor on leave after interrupting, objecting to student’s pro-police argument

Oregon Institute of Technology asks state agency to declare tentative faculty strike unlawful

***ACADEMICS & CRIME

Professor at Northern Oklahoma College arrested, accused of sexually abusing students

Former Southern University band director booked into federal prison

Kansas lawmaker asked to resign from board seat at Missouri college following arrest

***LINDFIELD

Complaint against 4th Linfield trustee alleges inappropriate touching, comment

Linfield Univ fires professor who spoke out against sexual misconduct, raised allegations against president

Linfield Cuts Off Mass Faculty Emails Amid Controversy

***FACULTY VS PRESIDENTS

University of Colorado Boulder Faculty Assembly censures system President

Monmouth College faculty votes "No Confidence" in school President

***COLLEGE ADMINISTRATORS

LSU picks new leader, naming system’s first Black president

Five new college presidents reflect on their first years in pandemic

Collin College candidates address concerns of free speech, retaliation

***CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS & COVID

Catholic colleges, universities debate COVID-19 vaccine requirements

Kentucky Christian College requiring students to be vaccinated to be on campus for fall semester

Pacific Lutheran to require mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations

***CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS

Dr. Wayne D. Lewis, Jr. to Become Sixth President of Houghton College

Why Nathan Cartagena teaches critical race theory to evangelicals

Houghton College names new president

***LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

Liberty University’s lawsuit against Falwell is an admission of guilt (opinion)

Jerry Falwell Jr. cancels graduation event due to respiratory emboli symptoms

The Ohio Lawmaker Caught Zooming & DRiving is a Liberty U Graduate

***RESEARCH

How to navigate authorship of scientific manuscripts

Battling predatory publishing

Good research begins long before papers get written

Which Scientific Disciplines Cite Philosophy of Science?

Covid-19 and the evolution of scientific publishing

Do senior faculty members produce fewer research publications than their younger colleagues?

New study says more abstract, jargony articles get cited less

What I learned writing a science paper for a 10-year-old

Big-name scientists surprised to find themselves on journal board

***RETRACTIONS

Mask study was “misleading” and misquotes citations, says Elsevier

Academic Journal Retractions and the COVID-19 Pandemic

***STUDENT LIFE

How Marriage and College Switched Places

As Campus Life Resumes, So Does Concern Over Hazing

Pomona College student government passes sweeping anti-Zionism bill

International Students See Visa Struggles As Colleges Return To In Person Learning

I graduated from San Diego State University without student debt, but it nearly killed me

No Change in Guidance on Foreign Students and Online Learning

***FREE SPEECH

Boston College student organization protest delayed due to COVID-19 policy

University of San Diego: Professor's comments in blog protected by academic freedom policy

***SEXUAL HARASSMENT & ASSAULT

Marist students call for increased Title IX funding, transparency in claims of abuse

LSU conspired to cover up sexual misconduct, seven women claim in suit

LSU changes Title IX policy, says it will fire employees who don't report violations

***RACIAL ISSUES ON CAMPUS

Faculty union: Cypress college failed to be ‘anti-racist’ by not defending professor in viral video

Eastern NC colleges release statement on Andrew Brown Jr.

Tensions at UT-Austin over "The Eyes of Texas"

Debate Erupts at N.J. Law School After White Student Quotes Racial Slur ($)

NYU Politics professor denies anti-Asian sentiment then asks for retraction

College football coach fired over tweet mocking Stacey Abrams fights back with lawsuit

Morehouse leaves debate tournament following anti-Black mockery

TCU confronts its history with the Confederacy, racism on campus

***CRIME ON CAMPUS

Fontbonne University accused of failing to warn students over repeated residence hall break ins

U of Oregon Sue’s one of its former police officers for unlawful arrest of a Hispanic man

Third York College student now charged with robbery and conspiracy

May 08, 2021

A pessimist & an optimist

May 08, 2021/ Stephen Goforth

A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties. -Harry Truman (born May 8, 1884)

May 07, 2021

Enemies

May 07, 2021/ Stephen Goforth

Enemies are people whose story you haven't heard, or who's face you haven't seen. -Irene Butter

May 06, 2021

Making a living

May 06, 2021/ Stephen Goforth

Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life. -Dolly Parton

May 05, 2021

The Way of Transition

May 05, 2021/ Stephen Goforth

Life fishtails its way across an undulating landscape. If you want to live, you need to give yourself over to the way of transition—to let go when life presents you with a time of ending, to abandon yourself to the neutral zone when that is where you find yourself, to seize the opportunity to make a new beginning when that moment presents itself.

William Bridges, The Way of Transition

May 04, 2021

83 Audio Tech Tools

May 04, 2021/ Stephen Goforth

The list below includes links to a variety of audio tools—from podcasting helps to recording phone interviews, from microphones to audio editing software. Find more Tech Tools here and this list in particular here.

Ableton Live
Audio editing program especially for music.

Acast (formally Pippa)
A podcasting platform focused on ease of use. Doesn’t include some of the extras of other sites but low learning curve. Monthly fees from $12-50,

Acoustica
Audio editing program. Basic version is free and includes MP4 and AAC import and export filters.

Alitu
Edit podcasts. Automates things like editing out mistakes and silence, adding and fading music, etc. This also means there is a lack of control over some details of the process. Does not record the audio so your file must be uploaded. Online, no phone app. For those who want to focus on content rather than editing. Free trial then $28 a month.

Amadeus Pro
Multi-track recorder. Can pull audio off of videos. Includes options for cleaning up noisy audio. No mobile option but easy to use. $59.99

Anchor
An app for recording short-form audio snippets and podcasts. Similar to Alitu. Free but Anchor changed its terms of service to claim ownership of any material published on the site.

Audacity*
Audio editing software. Free and open source.

Audio Hijack*
Record video conferences on your Mac with this long-time favorite. It can record from designated applications, or simply record any system sound coming through your computer. Total Recorder does the same thing for Windows.

Audioboom
Podcast hosting service with monetization options. Starts at 9.99 a month.

AudioNote*
Searching for a section of audio corresponding to a note is easy to find. The recording time is insertedat the beginning of each line oftext. $9.99.

Adobe Audition*
Audio editing program. Formerly Cool Edit Pro. $349 but it can be purchased as part of Creative Suite.

Avid Pro Tools*
An industry-standard, studio-grade audio editing tool. $699 for the base version.

BlogTalkRadio
Using phones, you can interview someone and it both streams and records downloadable MP3 of the interview.

Bobler (no longer available)
App for creating shareable audio packages of up to two minutes in length. Ad text, images and geo-tags. Use the app to search for audio uploads from a specific location. Not embeddable (as is audio uploaded on Soundcloud or Audioboo).

Cast
All-in-one podcast solution: Record, edit, and publish. Great interfaces. No free account. Only works in Chrome. Starts at $10 per month.

Cogi*
Mobile app to record meetings, interviews. Records and sincs audio (from news conferences, for instance) with typing so you can find quotes easier. Allows for tags and annotations. Always recording so picks up the 15 secs before you turn on recording. Enables recording calls, highlighting key parts of the conversation, and transcription. Free. $5 for more features.

Deepgram
Transcrption service uses artificial intelligence to transcribe large audio files and allow users to search them using keywords. Free.

DivShare
Post your audio here link to it from your blog or embed it into your blog.

Dragon Anywhere
Voice to text app for iOS. Have to finish dictation before seeing the text. Free.

Evernote*
Access notes on any computer, tablet or phone. Search function lets you find a note in either text or audio format. Free for iOS and Android. For more options there is Evernote Plus $2.99 a month, while Premium is $5.80 per month.

Final Cut Pro
Video editing program from which you can rip the audio.

FL Studio
Digital audio workstation formally known as FruityLoops. Create multi-track music projects. Can be used for vocal projects as well. Bit of a learning curve. Starting at $99.

GarageBand
Intended for music editing. Only 5 minutes of audio can be edited.

Giant Squid Audio Lab Omnidirectional Mic*
Great quality sound but requires an adapter for it to work with a phone. $49.99.

Google Docs Voice Typing*
This free Google Docs tool under the drop-down menu for 'tools', (the 'voice typing’ icon) will transcribe your dictation or the audio you are playing in real time.

Google Voice
Your own phone number. Can be used to record interviews but sometimes not reliable and they have to call you. Free.

Hindenburg Journalist*
A multitrack audio editor designed for podcasters, audio producers and radio journalists. The design and features are tailored spoken-word productions. Set markers and add notes as you record interviews with uncompressed sound to give you the best audio quality. Drag any audio file into Hindenburg and start editing. There are some great features. However, there are also some limitations (read more here) which makes other options more attractive. Overpriced at $95 and $375 for the pro version.

Horrorli
Background horror noise generator.

Hokusai
iOS audio editing app for interviews, podcasts, or voiceovers. Can import clips from other applications and export directly to Dropbox and iTunes. Free.

iAudition (no longer available)
Record high quality audio using external mic for better quality. Includes easy-to-use single-track audio editor. Export audio file as as MP3 or WAV. Free.

iRig Handheld Mic*
A handheld microphone with a built-in headphone socket allowing users to monitor audio and control levels when paired with the iRig Recorder app. $59.99.

iRig Mic Studio*
Professional studio mic that comes with many adaptors including a lightning port plug so it will work with the iPhone 7 (which is it smaller than). Includes gain control, level indicator, and headphone output (with its own level control). Tripod stand included. $179.

iRig Pre*
A preamp which allows you to plug your quality mic into an your iOS device. It takes an XLR input and turns it into a 3.5mm jack. A built in headphone socket allowing users to monitor audio when paired with the iRig Recorder app, which also gives audio control levels. Very simple to use. Uses 9-volt battery. $39.99. If you want better sound quality, and control, try the iRig Pro or even better theiRig Pro Duo.

iRig Pro Duo*
User can plug two XLR microphones into an iPhone through the lightning port. You and the person you are interviewing can be mic’ed with separate gains. A headphone port allows you to monitor the audio. Uses two AA batteries so it does not draw power from your iPhone. $199.95

Keep Vid
Post your audio here and then link to it from your blog or embed it into your blog.

Krisp
App that reduces noise on both ends of a phone call on your phone or when recording audio. There’s a free version.

Launchpad
This Novation creation allows users to make and remix music on the go. Simple enough for non-musicians to use. The Launchpad Mini is a smaller and much less expensive version and the Launchpad Pro is more sophisticated. $299.

Libsyn*
Podcast Hosting Services. Starting at $5 a month.

Listen Notes
Podcast search engine.

Logic Pro
Audio editing program, especially music.

Loopback
Rogue Amoeba’s Loopback 2 will rout any audio on your computer from one application to another. For instance, take the output from audio playing in Safari and record it with QuickTime. Or on a podcast, you can play background music or snippets so everyone (or only you) hears it. And many more options. Easy-to-use but only for Macs. The Windows alternative would be VoiceMeeter. Pricey but meant for professionals. $99.

Miro
Post your audio here and then link to it from your blog or embed it into your blog.

MixCraft
Audio editing program, especially music. $75.

Mixlr*
Live internet audio app. Share in social media, text with listeners, embed player on your website. Free.

Mp3DirectCut
Audio editing program.

MP3Gain
Audio editing program designed to normalise MP3 files so that they all have the same loudness in a more effective way than other programs.

MP3 Quailty Modifier
Audio editing program to adjust the quality of your MP3 files so you can save disk space.

Music Editor Free
Free audio editing program. You'll need a converter since it can only save WAV files.

Ocenaudio
Simple audio editor made for users who do not need all the options offered by Audacity free.

oTranscribe
Transcribe recorded interviews.

pCloud Transfer
Like WeTransfer, quickly transfer files up to 5GB. No account required. Free.

Podomatic
Podcasting made easy. Some users have said it rather clunky.

Reaper
Audio Editing program. $225 full commercial license. $60 for discounted license.

RecordiaPro
Record your incoming and outgoing phone conversations on any phone without needing equipment. Works for interviews.

Recup (formally DropVox)
Records audio and sends it directly to your Dropbox account. $1.99.

Rev Voice Recorder*
Quality voice recorder and editor for both iPhone and Android. Includes Dropbox and Evernote integration. Free but voice-to-text human transcriptions in 12-hours for $1 a minute.

Ringr
App to record conversations on your phone for podcasts and interviews. Guests receive an email and just click a link to join the call. Uploads separate files to the cloud, then syncs them to avoid long distance glitches. Unlimited calls, storage. Both iOS and Android apps. $8 basic plan has some limitations. Premium plan includes conference calling, better sound quality, and split tracks.

Rode i-XLR*
A broadcast quality XLR adaptor that lets you connect it to the lightning port of the iPhone. The cable is about 10 feet long in order to reach an interview subject. You can adjust the headphone volume but there is no preamp or gain control. $149.

Shotgun Mic*
Popular RodeVMGO Video Mic GO Lightweight On-Camera Microphone SuperCardiod. Lightweight directional microphone. Adaptor and extension cord needed as well for it to work with a iPhone 7. $99.

SlideShare*
Popular resentation tool owned by LinkedIn. Use documents, PDFs and video to create webinars, audio presentations, for online lectures etc. Solid analytics for free. Watch a slide show about SlideShare here.

Smart Voice Recorder
Android recording app. Good for memos and group meetings. Decent audio quality. Allows users to skip silences, test the mic, determine where recordings are saved, etc. Free.

SoundCite
A project of Northwestern University's Knight Lab, it lets users embed audio into posts. So, for instance if you write "..thick, one-note guitar riffs shuffle and stomp with a heavy beat" you can make it so that when someone clicks on "thick, one-note guitar riffs" they will hear a short example. Watch a video explanation here.

SoundCloud*
Post your audio here and then link to it from your blog or embed it into your blog. Limited space free, more for a fee.

SoundForge
Free. Audio editing program. Especially for music.

SoundGecko (no longer available)
Convert text story into an MP3 audio file.

SoundSlides (no longer available)
Creates audio slideshows. Basic $40, Plus $70. There's a free version but it will display "demo" at the beginning. resizes your images for you, can reorder them, etc. but doesn't edit photos.

Steller*
Create photo and video stories on an iPhone with an emphasis on mobile design. Create collections and share on social networks. Free. Sample.

Shure Mic for iOS*
Shure MV88 Digital Stereo Condenser Microphone for iOS. Stereo and mono options. Small and portable, it plugs directly into the iPhone’s Lightning Port. A 90-degree hinge allows you to adjust it to different angles to capture the best sound. Comes with an app that controls the gain, EQ, and stereo width. $129.

TapeACall*
Record cell phone calls and export the audio for editing, to email or upload to Google Drive or Dropbox. IoS and Android. Dial the TapeACall line, then dial the person you want to talk to, and merge the two calls into a conference. The recording is saved on the app. $24.99 a year. Watch a video here.

TalkShoe
For call-in podcasts. Samples.

Temi*
Speech to text transcription in 5 minutes Advanced speech recognition software. 10 cents a minute.

TinyVox (no longer available)
Allows users to record, store, listen and share MP3 audio files in social media. Can be used to record interviews as well.

TLDR
A scientific search engine that generates one-sentence summaries of research papers.

Total Recorder
Record video conferences on your PC with this long-time favorite. It can record from designated applications, or simply record any system sound coming through your computer. Audio Hijack does the same thing for Mac.

Transom*
All things audio. A performance space, editorial session, an audition stage, a library, and a hangout. How to guides for podcast beginners.

TwistedWave
Audio editing program (Mac only). $80.

VoiceBase*
Transcribes audio to text.

VoiceMeeter
Rout any audio on your Windows computer from one application to another. The Macs alterntive is Loopback.

VideoMic ME*
Compact and lightweight, directional microphone for smartphones. Adaptor and extension cord needed.

Voice Record Pro*
Professional voice recorder. Record audio from events, voice memos and on-site sounds at unlimited length, add markers, share or upload. Will transcribe the audio into text if there’s little background noise. iOS. Free though the paid version ($6.99) has no ads. An explanation for journalists here.

WavePad
Free audio editing program.

WaveShop
Free audio editing program. Bit-perfect, minimizing the loss of quality by altering files only when absolutely necessary.

Wavosaur
Free Audio editing program.

WeTransfer*
A file transfer service, Dropbox has more options for the price. WeTransfer is free for individual users, but $12 for companies needing more.

Zamzar
Video and audio file converter.

Zencastr
For recording podcasts. The interviewee doesn’t need to download and install an app, they can just click on a link, and run it in a browser. No editing, hosting, and publishing, however. Limited free version or $20 a month for the pro version.

Zoom iQ7 Mic*
This compact condenser mic is portable. Can be set to record a source from the front with or without the surrounding ambiance from the sides. $99.

May 04, 2021

Good Samaritan jumps into water from bridge to save toddler

May 04, 2021/ Stephen Goforth

#GOODNEWS

A man who is choosing to remain anonymous jumped into the water after a multi-vehicle crash on a bridge in Ocean City, Maryland, in order to save a child who fell out of a car. Read the story here.