If you are interested in becoming an Urban Semiotic Author today is the day to make contact!
Please read our Writing Tips page first to make sure what we require is something you are interested in providing.
If you’re ready to take the step into writing posts, here’s how it will all work:
1. WordPress 2.0 allows us to assign Roles to registered users. The two roles that interest you are Author and Contributor. There are two differences between those roles: Authors can publish their own work at will and also upload files. Most new writers will start as Contributors where their articles will be reviewed before publication.
2. Express your interest in writing via the Contact page and explain what type of articles you plan to write and what topics you plan to explore.
3. You will then provide a brief bio for our Authors page. You may also provide an 80×80 Avatar to accompany your bio if you wish. You will have to email the Gravatar because the code to call the Gravatar from Gravatar.com won’t work on the Author’s page. If you do not use a Gravatar, the default Gravatar image here will be provided for you. Authors will generally be listed in alphabetical order by last name.
4. We will add your blog to our Blogroll.
If you have any questions, please post a reply to this message.

17 Comments

  1. I’m looking forward to seeing all of the new authors.
    David, are you still going to do a daily post once you get authors lined up?

  2. Hi Chris —
    Yes, my name is on the blog and my intent is to continue to post a daily something here — but I also don’t want to unfairly compete with other Authors so we may need to shake things out a bit to see how it all works.
    The ultimate great goal here is to have new posts published around the clock from all sockets of the world. That would be truly great having an ongoing, breaking, international flavor on issues addressing the urban core.

  3. Hi David,
    Sounds like a great plan!
    I like the international flavor, as well. Too often, we are focused just on the problems in our neighborhoods and forget that there are solutions that might be waiting for us to discover. The vice versa is true as well.
    I have a topic that I haven’t thought too much about, but that might make an interesting topic one of these days since it was mentioned in a local news article not too long ago.
    Would bussing solve the problems of the decaying urban schools? Not necessarily to integrate schools based on race, but on academic achievement. Would this idea fly when parents are moving to suburbs seeking better schools?

  4. Hey Chris —
    Yes! The world is getting smaller and the internet is helping crush borders and blend nationalities is a really good way.
    I LOVE YOUR BUSSING IDEA! Fab! Write it up now. I changed your access here to “Author” so you can login and publish whatever you wish at will.
    I also think another interesting topic would be cultural sexuality. You seem to span several different cultures in your private life and on your blog celebrating Black women.
    Is there such a thing as a universal ideal of beauty?
    Is something sexually alluring in one culture offensive in another?
    How do we resolve the cultural conflicts between beauty and passion?

  5. I’d love to write on prompt. That is to say, I’d love to be an author for this blog, writing on prompt. Surely you have at least once had a thought cross your mind only to think, ‘what would Gordon say about xyz…” or the jewish viewpoint, or the living in western washington viewpoint?
    if that would be okay with you, that is…

  6. I like the idea of writing about cultural sexuality. There are differences in what is attractive, what different groups think about sex, and religious differences. The larger gap is between Filipino and American sexual mores as opposed to African-American and Caucasians, from what I’ve observed.
    The bussing issue is interesting. I don’t think there would be a political will to impose any such plan. To be implemented, it would have to be ordered by a court — I don’t see that happening either. It’s worth exploring since bussing was a major issue in the past.

  7. Hi Gordon!
    You were caught in moderation because your “username” changed and WordPress gets sticky when the name and the email address do not match.
    Yes, I love assigning stuff for people to write and having you write some good stuff on prompt would be a delight!
    I have given you full Author access here so you can write and publish at will. Don’t forget to send me your bio and stuff for our Author’s page.
    Here are some prompts:
    Explain in detail the argument you had with your mother concerning the mixing of meat and dairy. You’ve explained it to me. I still don’t understand it. Explain it from a cultural POV, a health, POV and your “lawful” POV.
    Explain in detail why Jews are not allowed to be tattooed. What if they are tattooed? What if that tattoo is removed with a laser? Were the Holocaust Jews given a “pass” on their tattoos so they could have a proper burial? Take the historical view and the modern view of ink and – the next step – into body modification like spikes and embedded metal objects beneath the skin.
    Explain to me again about the time you were dating a woman and if you touched her – of if she touched your ring – you were considered immediately married under Jewish law. LEAVE NO DETAIL UNBLEEDING!
    :mrgreen:
    Write about your Prep School experience. How did it compare with your public university education. Did you meet the powerful and the wealthy? How much did it cost? Are you still in touch with your school? Do you feel tethered to them and their philosophy forever?
    BONUS PROMPT:
    Analyze Starbucks from the inside. Why are they popular? What are the weaknesses of the company in the long run? Do they pay a fair wage that people can live on for the rest of their lives without being on salary?

  8. Hi Chris!
    Yes, you have a unique vision into several cultures and just the bit you just shared here about the relationship between cultures and sexuality is already fascinating!
    Bussing is a must topic for your mind to explore here. It is a tough situation and there are hard feelings on all sides.
    The posts here that get the most comments are always the most controversial cultural touchstone topics: Abortion, Religion, The War, Homeschooling…

  9. All of those sound great… though the touching of a woman has nothing to do with marrying her. 🙂 I’m looking forward on working on some of those pieces and… am a little afraid of some of the immediate feedback I will surely receive!

  10. Hi Gordon!
    Your usual honest charm cannot be used against you when you write!
    Write whatever moves you the most even if it means coming up with something else entirely!

  13. There’s just one thing I want to change before I start writing – I’d like my name to appear, not gordond – but it isn’t saving the update when I change the display name on my profile and that makes me sad. 🙁

  14. Sometimes if you log out, clear your browser cache and then log back in you can change it. I can try to change it for you on my end. Do you want your first and last name or only your first name?

  15. I’m all about the full name. For some reason I seem to be the only Gordon Davidescu in the world. It could be because it’s a distinctly english name and a distinctly romanian last name that nobody has thought to put the two together. 🙂 Either way I love being the only Gordon Davidescu in google searches. 🙂

  16. Hi Gordon Davidescu!
    I’m with you on the full name. It indexes better in search engines and it shows you have nothing to hide!
    😀
    I’m glad you were able to change your name. I have had the same trouble with things not entirely “sticking” when you try to change them in the Admin area here. I’m not sure if it is a local browser cache problem with Firefox or with WordPress 2.0.2 or with the K2 beta or something else but it is freaky to try to fix!
    I love it you’re the only GD in the entire world! I hope no maniacs read this thread and decide to challenge your throne with a legal name change.

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