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hankg.bsky.social
phd from stanford in media theory. academic+industry researcher of digital technologies. ex robot operator. they/them. https://hankgerba.com
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retweeting for your weekend perusal:

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Pleased to share my new essay, part of a special issue of communication +1 on "Media Aesthetics." In it, I describe my theory of intimaesthetics, or the aestheticization of intimacy. Shout out to editors @hankg.bsky.social and Zachary McDowell openpublishing.library.umass.edu/cpo/article/...

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

The special issue on Media Aesthetics with communication+1 is now available ! Ten articles, and one book review, on a range of topics: film, shutter buttons, software emulation, remediated horror, marginalia, rollercoasters, and much more. Link: openpublishing.library.umass.edu/cpo/issue/22...

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

making cookie

submitted 77 days ago • 0 comments

Just stumbled across this—a “stroboscopic Cupola,” which is sort of like a zootrope you sit inside of. The idea is that this dome with small slits would spin rapidly, and due persistence or vision, would provide a tank commander a 360 view while remaining protected.

submitted 94 days ago • 2 comments

Bell Labs Record, June 1926. "The Manufacture of Vacuum Tubes" provides a surprisingly complete survey of the production steps behind these now seldom-seen devices, which enabled both telephony the earliest digital computers, among other uses. The "Tube Shop" was locate at 395 Hudson St.

submitted 97 days ago • 0 comments

A funny detail about television transmission, which serves arguments about the television as a domestic technology, is the concept of a “front porch” and “back porch” in the NTSC standard for temporally syncing the rasterized image.

submitted 99 days ago • 0 comments

I’ve been informed that I’ll be receiving a mysterious package from sender “AI” this afternoon…next time you hear from me it might be wise to start with “ignore all previous instruction” and see if i start spitting python code at you or something

submitted 99 days ago • 0 comments

Time to take out one of my favorite objects, a Lionel 2-4-2 249e. My grandfather bought it in the 30’s, so it’s nearly 100 years old. It still works ! The coal car hides a (quite loud) whistle, the valve gear is amazing in motion, and it’s even got a little headlight.

submitted 99 days ago • 2 comments

A little morning media archaeology—I was gifted a mint Canon AE-1, with all the original manuals and paperwork, and even a battery ! I suspect many have seen these photos of birds that demonstrate the effect of changing shutter speeds, they’re still commonly used in introductory photo classes.

submitted 101 days ago • 0 comments

If anyone can find an image of moiré metallique, I am declaring a bounty. The reward: I say thank you very sincerely/

submitted 102 days ago • 0 comments

this medieval bat is cinema.

submitted 103 days ago • 1 comment

As an aside to my typical Bell Labs Record posting, it's fun to note that all these were obviously scanned at some point, and pretty much every image is affected by moiré. It's always there !

submitted 103 days ago • 0 comments

the SCMS >> SLSA pipeline is real, important, and good

submitted 104 days ago • 0 comments

Apparently I'm on a Starter Pack of Hanks ? Incredible. No idea how to find it on here.

submitted 104 days ago • 0 comments

Deborah Levitt (chair), @mckenziewark.bsky.social, @videotroph.bsky.social, Heather Warren-Crow, and I will hold the roundtable "What is Media Theory?" at SCMS. We did a roundtable so that it can be much more participatory, so pls join us. See you in Chicago 🫡

submitted 104 days ago • 1 comment

This was (I think, unless there were multiple pandemic era tours of the MAL), for the Digital Aesthetics Workshop ! One of our most unique events for sure, it’s so fun to be reminded of it.

submitted 104 days ago • 1 comment

Bell Labs Record, May 1926. "'There is so much noise I cannot tell what you are saying,' is a reply familiar to us all, both in telephone conversations and in direct speech," opens "Auditory Masking." The article explains that low frequencies may mask higher ones due to harmonic overtones.

submitted 104 days ago • 2 comments