This is the 3rd installment in an ongoing series to make up for my otherwise humdrum dissertating life. Here’s part 1 and part 2.
This installment: Online satire.
Someday I’m going to do some kind of research project on how satire is sometimes more true than anything else. I’m not going to include that in my job market future research plan, but someday I’ll do it. Maybe when I have tenure.
Here are some of my favorite online satire sources. They’re brilliant, funny, and sometimes more true than anything you’ll see on CNN.
- The Onion: Imagine my surprise when I first visited Madison and discovered it is given out for free here!
- … and the Onion books are hilarious too. If someone ever needed an idea of something to get me as a gift, I’d love a copy of this. My favorite line from the book is the one about Maine: “The people of Maine can be found on pages 67-70 of the L.L.Bean catalog.” Simply brilliant.
- … and of course, the new Onion News Network. My favorite is this one. Or maybe this one.
- Things White People Like: I’m guilty of well over half of these things, but the website is just hilarious.
- Black people love us: Even more hilarious than Things White People Like, IMO.
- Urban Prankster: A recent discovery and I’m a fan. Among my favorite pranks are this, and this, and of course this. If I were in the area I would have participated.
- Jibjab: How could you not love classics like “Good to be in DC” and “Nuckin’ Futs“
- Landover Baptist Church: I especially love the quizzes, and also the free gifts. Some readers might remember I used the Christmas gift tags last year on my holiday presents.
- While on the subject of cards, I also love Someecards.com. Classic.
- And the wonderful de-motivational posters at despair.com I have some hanging up at work. This one seems especially relevant for academia, particularly academic administration.
- South Park online: I fully plan to use episodes of South Park in the classroom when I’m a professor.
Next up (unless interrupted by something actually interesting in my life): Amazing online ephemera (posters, photos etc.), my addiction to RSS feeds, and my love of social networking sites.
