Henry Jenkins is my academic hero in large part because he busts out 3,000 word essays for breakfast. Check out his recent post on Harry Potter as the “last gasps of the old mass culture” or the “emergence of new forms of niche culture.”

Also, there will apparently be a Harry Potter theme park.

Also also, I really regret that I won’t be around to shoot some video of Enlightening 2007, an event that will have families gathering at my own university to dress up like wizards, attend magic classes, and participate in all kinds of other Harry Potter fan activities.