Edu_RSS
Catharine Munro - Vandalism and Violence - Sydney Morning Herald
This article has begun making the rounds of the discussion lists. In this semi-literate copy we read, "An informal subcategory of school fights and graffiti-spraying are attracting tens of thousands of users to the site." What is most interesting, I think, is that anyone familiar with YouTube will know that while the videos are of dubious quality, they do not in the main feature vandalism and violence. So why the attacks on YouTube, especially when you can find worse, much worse, watching CSI or Cold Case? So why is the site "impossible to access at public schools" in Australia? If they'r From
OLDaily on October 16, 2006 at 9:45 p.m..
Yahoo Music Exec: DRM Is a Total Failure
In a
Reuters article published yesterday, Yahoo Music general manager David Goldberg offers this choice quote: "The notion that a track I buy in DRM is protected and one without DRM isn't is a fallacy.... It's all nonsense. Music is never going to be protected, and anybody who tells you that is not being honest.... [Y]ou're just making it hard for people who From
A Copyfighter's Musings on October 16, 2006 at 7:48 p.m..
Study: Stem Cells Could Treat ALS
Research on rats shows preliminary evidence that stem cells implanted into the spinal cord could treat Lou Gehrig's disease. In Bodyhack. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 7:46 p.m..
Another P2P Lawsuit Evaporates
The RIAA drops its complaint against another individual, punching holes in the standard protocol for suing file sharers. In Listening Post. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 6:45 p.m..
A Vision of GooTube's Future
What will happen to YouTube once Google's in charge? One YouTuber posits a theory, which of course is expressed as a YouTube video. In Table of Malcontents. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 5:46 p.m..
Frak Parties: Couches attracting social potatoes
The audience formerly known as the audience is now meeting up and having parties. This YouTube explains the basic idea. Four Internet activists—Zack Exley (who ran the Kerry Internet campaign), Josh Hendler, Mave Gibson and Madeline Stanionis—created FrakParty.com where fans of BattleStar Galactica could organize parties for watching the season premiere. ("Frak" is an expletive used in the show.) Strangers got together in over 100 parties, in part because the series' producer noticed the blogging about it and promoted it in his blog. So, one of the surprising twists of the dig From
Joho the Blog on October 16, 2006 at 4:49 p.m..
600,000 dead
A WSJ article reports that a John Hopkins study says that 600,000 Iraqis have died violently since the war started. That's 2,5% of the population that would have been alive if there were no conflict. Granted, they would have been living under the control of a homicidal dictator who Human Rights Watch estimates killed up to 290,000 people in twenty years. Everyday when I read about the latest slaughter in Iraq, I think what our reaction would be if dozens of people in Boston were being blown up and shot every day. My imagination fails. This morning, though, I choked... From
Joho the Blog on October 16, 2006 at 4:49 p.m..
The price of principle
So, now we see how well the Bush policy on North Korea has worked out. The world is a step-function more insecure, not only because North Korea is a nuclear-tipped loonocracy, but because it well may decide to arm stateless groups that cannot be deterred from nuking us. Nice going, George. This is the price you pay for being a stubborn jackass, um, I mean, standing by principles. The principle of not negotiating with bad guys has a pragmatic justification: Negotiating encourages others to adopt bad guy tactics. But, that means the no-negotiating principle is really dependent on the practicalit From
Joho the Blog on October 16, 2006 at 4:49 p.m..
No Wikipedian left behind
So, Libya has ordered 1.2 million computers from the $100 Laptop initiative, formerly known as One Laptop Per Child. Excellent! 1. OLPC has more revenue to do good things with. 2. A generation of Libyan kids maybe will become computer literate. 3. A computer literate, networked generation will further integrate Libya into the life of nations, AKA peace. 4. We have 1.2 million more potential Linux hackers. 5. Since Wikipedia comes loaded on the laptops, now we see what happens when 1.2 million Libyan kids decide to spend the afternoon editing. [Tags: olpc libya wikipedia ]... From
Joho the Blog on October 16, 2006 at 4:49 p.m..
Timo Hannay of Nature to talk at Berkman
I'm looking forward to Timo Hannay's upcoming Tuesday lunch talk at the Berkman Center. Timo is Director of Web Publishing at Nature magazine and has been involved in some of Nature's forward-looking projects. He's going to talk about what the Web means to science. This should nicely complement Dan Burk's talk on open science, which was more concerned with legal issues about patent and copyright than Timo's is likely to be. If you want to attend, you should rsvp at rsvp@cyber.law.harvard.edu. The talk will be on Oct. 17, 12:30-1:45, at the Berkman offices at 23 Ev From
Joho the Blog on October 16, 2006 at 4:49 p.m..
Computerworld review of Office 2007
Richard Ericson has a very useful review of Office 2007 in Computerworld. It sounds like a user like me will get nothing of real value out of it, except that I'm a power-user of PowerPoint, so I'll likely have to make the switch. The review doesn't mention whether Microsoft has managed to fix the Word revision tracking bugs that have been there for the past ten years. And not just the bug that causes files to go corrupt if they're too heavily revised. I mean things like not handling paragraph joins correctly; after backspacing two paragraphs together, the only way... From
Joho the Blog on October 16, 2006 at 4:49 p.m..
DOEP (Daily Open-Ended Puzzle) (intermittent): Microwaves
Instructions for cooking in a normal oven tell you how long and how hot. But microwaves rely on unscaled buttons for "power" that vary from machine to machine. Why isn't there a standard unit of cooking energy for microwaves so instructions could say "Cook in your microwave for ten minutes at 350 joules" (or ohms, watts, newtons, pounds per square inch, parsecs, francs, or whatever the right unit of measurement is...I'm a humanities major, dammit!)? [Tags: doep puzzles]... From
Joho the Blog on October 16, 2006 at 4:49 p.m..
Nokia's Marketing 2.0
The problem with marketing is that it's trying to get us to do something we don't want to do. In fact, we generally don't even want to hear about why we should do the thing we don't want to do. As Doc puts it so pithily, there's no market for messages. As a result, marketing has engaged in a Hundred Years War against its markets. So, what do you do? For one thing, maybe what Nokia has done: Produced a YouTube video that's just damn entertaining. (It was produced by the consistently hilarious Brian Millar.) Since this "ad" has nothing... From
Joho the Blog on October 16, 2006 at 4:49 p.m..
A question for Kerry Healey
Lt. Gov. Healey, do you believe that absolutely everyone currently in jail is guilty? If yes, then do you oppose analyzing DNA evidence in cases brought to trial before that technology was available? If no, then what do you think is your obligation if you have reason to think that someone may have been convicted wrongfully? (I like John Palfrey's post about Patrick's strongly worded condemnation of this type of nasty, irrelevant, deceptive, lizard-brained compaigning.) [Tags: deval_patrick kerry_healey massachusetts politics]... From
Joho the Blog on October 16, 2006 at 4:49 p.m..
I don't believe in Richard Dawkins, but I do believe in AKMA
I'm an agnostic, but I find Richard Dawkins an embarrassment for my side, so to speak. In his interview at Salon (either subscribe or watch an ad), conducted by Steve Paulson, the British biologist goes through his highly marketable outrage about religion. But, while he thinks he's arguing against all "Abrahamic" religions, he's in fact arguing against one branch of one religion. He seems to have not the slightest idea that not all religions think of faith as he characterizes it, and some "Abrahamic" religions don't really much care about faith in the first place. He has no From
Joho the Blog on October 16, 2006 at 4:49 p.m..
Why is my PC crashing?
About 10-15 minutes into graphics intensive games, my machine is crashing and crashing hard: No blue screen of death, just the blackness of heavy blow to the head. Windows Event Viewer gives me an error #1 for Disk 1. That error message indicates a problem with the disk controller or the cable. But here's the fun part. I disabled Disk 1 via Windows disk manager (i.e., I did it through software, not by changing the hardware), and not only does the system still crash, it gives me the exact same error for the new Disk 1. So, I'm thinking it's... From
Joho the Blog on October 16, 2006 at 4:49 p.m..
Deval Patrick: Just Words
Steve Garfield captured Deval Patrick talking today about words. [Tags: deval_patrick words steve_garfield politics]... From
Joho the Blog on October 16, 2006 at 4:49 p.m..
I see dead people
My sister took me to the Body Worlds 2 exhibit at the Museum of Science in Boston. That's the one where dead bodies have been plasticized (plastinated, technically), dissected and posed. I found it interesting, impressive, awesome, creepy, creepy, and obscene. Interesting because you get to see how we're put together. Impressive because the craft requires such meticulous work. Awesome because some of the exhibits make us seem so improbable. In particular, one exhibits shows nothing but the feathery lattice of the head's blood circuitry. Creepy because they're dead people. O From
Joho the Blog on October 16, 2006 at 4:49 p.m..
Teaching: Your Thing
Summary: My move into teaching was propelled by my first reading of Martin Buber[base ']s I and Thou .One core, resonant idea at the center: our transactions with others glow with moral purpose. Buber notes that if we treat others as an instruments in our own, self-centered life plan, we are [OE]it[base ']-ing those others, reducing each into a set of qualities that are valued only as far as they help in our own
life plan
, like puppets in a Punch and Judy play. Buber offered a deeply argued other approach.There is, he suggests, also the possib From
Connectivity: Spike Hall's RU Weblog on October 16, 2006 at 4:48 p.m..
Whither Online Poker? PokerStars Says Business to Continue as Usual
Cyberscholar Tom Bell
argues that the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act won't stop most Americans from playing poker and placing bets as they did before. He makes a solid argument, but color me
skeptical in light of PartyGaming's and 888's massive stock price drops and public statements about blocking US customers. At the very least, investors think the future is highly uncertain, and that will impact the trajectory of online poker and betting. From
A Copyfighter's Musings on October 16, 2006 at 4:48 p.m..
1.2 Million Libyan Kids With Laptops
(via David Weinberger) Libya has become the fourth country to make a sizeable order of the $100 laptop to the tune of $250 million. Interesting vision here: It is possible that Libya will be the first nation in the world to connect all of its children to the Web via computers provided by schools, Negroponte said, [...] From
weblogged News on October 16, 2006 at 4:48 p.m..
Blog Buddies and Bagpipers
So we’re carrying four steaming hot biodegradable plates full of barbecued tofu chicken, oraganic mashed squash and other Earth-friendly foods at the Green Festival in Washington, DC on Saturday, looking for a table to plop ourselves down at, and we finally find one where four kids are sitting with books and notebooks out looking like [...] From
weblogged News on October 16, 2006 at 4:48 p.m..
Good Blog News
Nice article from a few days ago in The Seattle Times: Living: Teachers are reaching out to students with a new class of blogs “Never in 25 years of teaching have I seen a more powerful motivator for writing than blogs,” [Mark] Ahlness said. “And that’s because of the audience. Writing is not just taped on [...] From
weblogged News on October 16, 2006 at 4:48 p.m..
Male: defect!
Male: defect! I don't think this was the intended message when the sign was taped to a lavatory door in the World Trade Centre in Rotterdam...... From
Column Two on October 16, 2006 at 4:47 p.m..
Daniel [Flickr]
owrede posted a photo:
The alcohol meters (eyes) tell me that this smile is an uncontrolled one.... - Taken at 1:11 AM on September 02, 2006 From
owrede_log on October 16, 2006 at 4:47 p.m..
Do you remember early assignments in study projects?
One of the important things you need to work out as a design educator is what you will give out as first assignment in a seminar or project. It is like a warm-up for a project, something that helps you to move into the problem domain quickly. Of course there is usually plenty of material to research, collect and talk about almost everytime — but while these things help with orientation in the subject matter, it does have the tendency to cast a damp over experimentation and form-giving. So in early assigments I seek to propose a task that is technically easy to do on the From
owrede_log on October 16, 2006 at 4:47 p.m..
iPod killers? I don't think so...
Here is a very detailed article about concurrent products for the Apple iPod called "
iPod Killers for Christmas 2006" (and
an older one for Summer 2006). And I think to some extent the article exhibits, why all those vendors remain unsuccsessful to decrease the market share of the iPod. It is not a question of the style of the object. Even the feature set will not do it. The secret to the success of the iPod i From
owrede_log on October 16, 2006 at 4:47 p.m..
Bully for You
The high-school-themed Bully is the ultimate Rockstar game, but probably not for the reasons you think. Commentary by Clive Thompson. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 4:45 p.m..
It's All About the Hamiltons
Writing those ubiquitous pay-per-click ads is thirsty work. Good thing the wages cover the martinis. The diary of a wannabe ad man. By Tom McNichol from Wired magazine. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 4:45 p.m..
All Business, No Boobies
The Mobile Adult Content Congress bans foul language and explicit images in the name of presenting a professional image. But the powers that be are forgetting the most important professionals of all. Commentary by Regina Lynn. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 4:45 p.m..
Soapbox Needs a Little Sparkle
Microsoft's entry into the wonderful world of video sharing takes most of its cues from everybody's favorite clip joint, YouTube. And that's precisely the problem. Review by Michael Calore. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 4:45 p.m..
Digital Doodads Debut in New York
The latest products featured at the DigitalLife show aren't going to change the world, but some sure are fun to play with. Seán Captain reports from New York. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 4:45 p.m..
U.S. Growers Fear Biotech Rice
Small amounts of experimental strains of genetically engineered rice are discovered in storage facilities with food crops. The Japanese and European rice markets react, and farmers sue a German company responsible for the mistake. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 4:45 p.m..
Eco Concern: Coal Plant Boom
Scores of new coal-fired plants are on drawing boards to boost the U.S. power grid. Pollution, energy costs, energy demand and proven vs. unproven technology all weigh in on whether they should be permitted. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 4:45 p.m..
Stem Cells' New Role: Kingmaker
A veteran political fund-raiser hopes to harness the public's growing support for stem cell research in an effort to sway congressional elections in several states. By Kristen Philipkoski. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 4:45 p.m..
It's Big Brother's Space, Too
A 14-year-old pacifist is pulled out of class and interrogated by Secret Service agents in Sacramento after she vents her anger at Bush's Iraq policies on her MySpace page. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 4:45 p.m..
Green Party Animal
A dose of gamma rays produces entirely believable effects on David Banner in The Credible Hulk. In Table of Malcontents. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 4:45 p.m..
No Internet Explorer? You Lose!
Some websites continue to live in the virtual dark ages, blocking any request from a browser that isn't made by Microsoft. Cast your vote for the worst offender. In Monkey Bites. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 4:45 p.m..
Will Plug-In Hybrids Kill the EV?
If you can drive on electricity most of the time and still get a range of 500 miles or more, why bother with an electric vehicle? In Autopia. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 4:45 p.m..
Waleli Doorbell Rings You
Visitors can be screened and granted access to your home through your mobile phone. In Gear Factor. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 4:45 p.m..
Minimal Surfaces, Maximal Bricks
Most topologists work by manipulating stretchy, imaginary rubber. Andrew Lipson prefers to use Lego bricks. By Greta Lorge for Wired magazine. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 4:45 p.m..
Gone Fishing
In June, Wired magazine lost an extraordinary editor and human being, William Goggins. This month we remember his impact and legacy. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 4:45 p.m..
All the Virtual News That Fits
Aching for news from the parallel universe that is Second Life? Reuters is betting you are, and is opening a bureau in the popular virtual world. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 4:45 p.m..
The Good News About 'GooTube'
As users fret about what YouTube/Google's label deals mean for the site's copyright-protected content, the silver lining goes unnoticed: Anyone can now legally make music videos using copyright music and upload them to GooTube. Commentary by Eliot Van Buskirk. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 4:45 p.m..
MySpace Predator Caught by Code
Serial child molester Andrew Lubrano was looking to hook up with underage boys on MySpace, when a computer search by Wired News picked him out of the site's million-plus user base, along with over 700 other registered sex offenders. MySpace says it can't do the same. By Kevin Poulsen. From
Wired News on October 16, 2006 at 4:45 p.m..
Aqua America, Drexel University Launch Online Educational Partnership
Drexel University Online recently announced an educational partnership with Aqua America, the nation’s largest U.S.-based, publicly-traded water company, providing water and wastewater services to approximately 2.5 million residents in 13 states. (PRWeb Oct 16, 2006) Trackback URI: http://www.prweb.com/zingpr.php/SGFsZi1IYWxmLUNyYXMtRmFsdS1JbnNlLVplcm8= From
PR Web on October 16, 2006 at 9:43 a.m..
Younger Workers View Career Change as Necessary for Professional Advancement
When asked, "What is the most important to you in regards to your career?" 30 percent of respondents voted for advancement opportunity in a survey at LearningAndLife.com (http://learningandlife.com), which features career tips, education advice and school listings. A flexible schedule, competitive pay, and friendly co-workers also filled out the list of responses. These results underscore the trend of "job hopping" and career change among younger, college-educated workers. (PRWeb Oct 16, 2006) Trackback URI: http://www.prweb.com/zingpr.php/WmV0YS1F From
PR Web on October 16, 2006 at 9:43 a.m..
EQSQ.com Suggests Workers Changing Jobs Benefit from EQ and SQ Scores
In efforts to meet a demand for career change guidance, EQSQ.com offers free personality quizzes for individuals to determine their empathizing and systemizing abilities to help match their skills with their career choices. Frequent job changing has become a mainstay in many workers' careers, and surprisingly, this fact even includes older generations like the baby boomers. The EQ and SQ tests and a Career and Education section offer much needed help for workers trying to find the right career fit. (PRWeb Oct 16, 2006) Trackback URI: http://www.prweb.com/zingpr.p From
PR Web on October 16, 2006 at 9:43 a.m..
Expert Analysis Meets Vigorous Debate
Most debate and political commentary websites seem to have an agenda or are plainly slanted. These sites make it nearly impossible to debate the most important issues such as U.S. policy in the Middle East and the morality of stem cell research. So what would happen if you were to put leading contributors to these debates (authors, scholars, pundits) across the table from the general public? In the case of PublicSquare.net, a civilized and balanced debate. (PRWeb Oct 16, 2006) Trackback URL: http://www.prweb.com/chachingpr.php/Q3Jhcy1TdW1tLVNpbmctQ3Jhcy1JbnNlLVplcm8= From
PR Web on October 16, 2006 at 9:43 a.m..
Life after E3
Leaders of the video game industry's best-known conferences discuss what a scaled-down version of the giant E3 will mean. From
CNET News.com on October 16, 2006 at 9:42 a.m..