tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76123302024-03-19T11:19:18.634+01:00Victoria Carrington's bl0gVictoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.comBlogger152125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-52051572971916942922010-07-21T12:19:00.001+02:002010-07-21T12:21:22.318+02:00Going off line for a while<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhE9F5d692fOg3uP5T6r9K6-Kr85DQCfF8EVLc8KOkh85xSjj_867vYLRpCWlZm9mvmN4ZH8lO-PXjRMcjRyHkZRj7Cj5f65a34dK3rFBQTR3HqVJ6jDSTc1DqFjb7dncpWUWy/s1600/burnout+career+adjustments+return+to+work+program.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 138px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhE9F5d692fOg3uP5T6r9K6-Kr85DQCfF8EVLc8KOkh85xSjj_867vYLRpCWlZm9mvmN4ZH8lO-PXjRMcjRyHkZRj7Cj5f65a34dK3rFBQTR3HqVJ6jDSTc1DqFjb7dncpWUWy/s200/burnout+career+adjustments+return+to+work+program.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496302465686871442" /></a>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-88709645125750340052010-06-28T16:54:00.003+02:002010-06-28T17:00:52.689+02:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUf6BI6yWX5CychYp9Aj6c1oIkfKOKN6OG2pAhRP1zLwtr8i4WKX1QkYTNv_4s7raqdPaXTazvnxje0DFBuDb6bze2P5sBHjp15TPzOdHmD6xk32luJZb-LCRVxLzBp_49kAu1/s1600/Picture+1.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 108px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUf6BI6yWX5CychYp9Aj6c1oIkfKOKN6OG2pAhRP1zLwtr8i4WKX1QkYTNv_4s7raqdPaXTazvnxje0DFBuDb6bze2P5sBHjp15TPzOdHmD6xk32luJZb-LCRVxLzBp_49kAu1/s200/Picture+1.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487839077242219554" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2010/06/24/risky-behaviors-and-online-safety-a-2010-literature-review.html">dana boyd has just released the draft of Risky Behaviors and Online Safety: A 2010 Literature Review </a>for public feedback. The review was produced for <a href="http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/research/digitalnatives/policy">Harvard Berkman Center's Youth and Media Policy Working Group Initiative.</a><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/research/digitalnatives/policy"></a>Rather than rely on the rantings of the conservative media or pandering to technoutopianism, this document draws together and synthesizes a large range of recent research focused on youth and online behavior. This is an important publication for those of us interested in digital media, digital literacies and youth online.<br /><div><br /></div></div>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-60467636892786430262010-05-25T17:36:00.002+02:002010-05-25T17:49:03.560+02:00More on the Facebook privacy debate<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHrK5vkOvVhomMFbi9b2gPNYvf0xI6YN_7gRRtR3ujOKRO87tFni2eNvKZ7oqNEFgaoJRVUijBMGk_6J3E0hGiLDLw2qlFJIUE3_4qHVSDD6zNxx8-znl1Yv1n5BdnP7B-Qdp/s1600/Picture+5.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHrK5vkOvVhomMFbi9b2gPNYvf0xI6YN_7gRRtR3ujOKRO87tFni2eNvKZ7oqNEFgaoJRVUijBMGk_6J3E0hGiLDLw2qlFJIUE3_4qHVSDD6zNxx8-znl1Yv1n5BdnP7B-Qdp/s200/Picture+5.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475235132644916722" /></a>I've been following the Facebook privacy debate (circa May 2010) pretty closely. I'm kinda interested in issues around privacy, identity and how kids are using social networking and this has coincided with the most recent concerns about the way Facebook treats user information. Moving away from issues of selling information and buying privacy, the most thought-provoking piece i have read to date is this one by <a href="http://www.buzzmachine.com/2010/05/08/confusing-a-public-with-the-public/">Jeff Jarvis on BuzzMachine</a>. I am very interested in his suggestion that Facebook has been at the receiving end of a backlash because it has crossed a particular line. This is the line he has in mind:<div><br /><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">In Facebook, we get to create our publics. In Twitter, we decide which publics to join. But neither is the public sphere; neither entails publishing to everyone. Yet Facebook is pushing us more and more to publish to everyone and when it does, we lose control of our publics. That, I think, is the line it crossed</span></i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>There is a difference between 'the public' and 'publics'. Nissenbaum's new book <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0804752370/?tag=ddcomp-20">Privacy in Context </a></i>is also interesting in this respect<i>.</i> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-14299211598359080072010-05-25T17:24:00.003+02:002010-05-25T17:29:02.141+02:00London Zine Symposium<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirggKnhpBy8SErafQXmsYOBi1y7wVzJZgELhLsjykqD6E5MMZSxCs5PCJ2UNQXU2_81cA14zZR0oJUn6BXAeljhYao7zlQbunkFAVRa4VedR3zur8Fs3rbEg3VauB15f8UHeA0/s1600/Picture+4.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 106px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirggKnhpBy8SErafQXmsYOBi1y7wVzJZgELhLsjykqD6E5MMZSxCs5PCJ2UNQXU2_81cA14zZR0oJUn6BXAeljhYao7zlQbunkFAVRa4VedR3zur8Fs3rbEg3VauB15f8UHeA0/s200/Picture+4.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475229382389710146" /></a>The 2010 <a href="http://www.londonzinesymposium.org.uk/">London Zine Symposium</a> is on this weekend. Lucky you if you are in London this weekend!<div><br /></div><div>In a celebration of DIY and zine culture, the symposium brings together zones, small press writers, radical press and comic creators. <div><br /></div></div>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-77453472259941006472010-05-25T17:21:00.001+02:002010-05-25T17:23:45.031+02:00The pedagogies of disney princesses<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQXTTCmchO0qM1Tn95Rfw4veoSB-scYiaXBkrAw75BQ-MOxs94tLW4ZDGnZfgnHMqZxYpBnYmjsIzHksXebYotbbsgg3f3EdfYscj5ZrRiOfaOlPwRzF_Td8DiQorEH3941cA/s1600/s3Pro-thumb-600x495-32442.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 165px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQXTTCmchO0qM1Tn95Rfw4veoSB-scYiaXBkrAw75BQ-MOxs94tLW4ZDGnZfgnHMqZxYpBnYmjsIzHksXebYotbbsgg3f3EdfYscj5ZrRiOfaOlPwRzF_Td8DiQorEH3941cA/s200/s3Pro-thumb-600x495-32442.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475228565567005954" /></a><br />This from <a href="http://boingboing.net/">Boing Boing</a><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-78749649330023882502010-05-25T15:52:00.003+02:002010-05-25T15:56:24.941+02:00Social Media Revolution<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sIFYPQjYhv8&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sIFYPQjYhv8&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre;font-size:12px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><a href="http://socialnomics.net/">Socialnomic</a>s pulled together a range of interesting information about social media to create this video. Watch it. Go to the website to read the lists of information from a vast range of sources. </div><div><br /><br /></div>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-59070533888897591362010-05-10T12:42:00.005+02:002010-05-10T14:33:42.605+02:00Facebook owns you<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiZmPsuVsbhwNs8aERdqBbElWLJcuzt9FrtZh3hQQnruSIYrB_xQZKjda3svSLuf_k-n4dRXLVrCks8gysQj62qrA8v9HQvS9K19k2UVPHP6szb2OYPVPaHICP812aoeddJXJ/s1600/Picture+1.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiZmPsuVsbhwNs8aERdqBbElWLJcuzt9FrtZh3hQQnruSIYrB_xQZKjda3svSLuf_k-n4dRXLVrCks8gysQj62qrA8v9HQvS9K19k2UVPHP6szb2OYPVPaHICP812aoeddJXJ/s200/Picture+1.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469592098966317618" /></a><a href="http://www.eff.org/about/staff/kurt-opsahl">Kurt Opsahl</a>, writing for the <a href="http://www.eff.org/">Electronic Frontiers Foundatio</a>n, has constructed a timeline of Facebook's privacy policies. He's mapped out the shifts from 2005 to April 2010. He begins with:<div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Since its incorporation just over five years ago (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Vic: can it only be that long?</span>), Facebook has undergone a remarkable transformation. When it started, it was a private space for communication with a group of your choice. Soon, it transformed into a platform where much fo your information is public by default. Today, it has become a platform where you have no choice but to make certain information public, and this public information may be shared by Facebook with its partner websites and used to target ads. </span></i></div><div><br /></div><div>Read "Facebook's Eroding Privacy Policy: A timeline" <a href="http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/04/facebook-timeline">here</a>. If you're yet feeling slightly meh about what happens to your data when you join Facebook you should read Ryan Singel's <a href="http://www.wired.com">Wired</a> article <a href="http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/05/facebook-rogue/">"Facebook's gone rogue</a>" which gives you a more detailed overview of what happens to your profile information. </div><div><br /></div><div>If any of this alarms you, then go<a href="http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/04/how-opt-out-facebook-s-instant-personalization"> here</a> and read how to opt out of the bits you still can. </div><div><br /></div><div>For an alternate view, read <a href="http://www.itif.org/publications/facebook-not-right">this.</a> <a href="http://www.itif.org/people/daniel-castro">Daniel Castro</a> has a point, "Facebook is neither a right nor a necessity". If don't like it, don't use it. </div></div>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-77809683089148682732010-04-14T16:25:00.011+02:002010-04-14T17:29:57.126+02:00Zombie chain<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxIvpC_sW8B9nFmDhhv_QC6DrELloBHuHfZ61l07L8-2DDOeXdV6gaUuc9eWu1laQiGEIny0zj4guyt-49ZyQdcRWXeamxQEnDU9REjI_igL2OnDqw94dCD6HJPZ3h1w0xpDCY/s1600/Picture+1.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxIvpC_sW8B9nFmDhhv_QC6DrELloBHuHfZ61l07L8-2DDOeXdV6gaUuc9eWu1laQiGEIny0zj4guyt-49ZyQdcRWXeamxQEnDU9REjI_igL2OnDqw94dCD6HJPZ3h1w0xpDCY/s200/Picture+1.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460000765390633714" /></a>I am a big fan of zombies. There's something appealing about their mindless shuffling and refuse-to-stay-dead attitude. I give you: <i>A chain of zombies!</i><div><br /></div><div>We begin with <a href="http://boing.boing.net/">Boing Boin</a>g (they have some great entries lately) and the <a href="http://boingboing.net/2009/08/28/annotated-walking-de.html#previouspost">Annotated Walking Dead Google Map</a>. It maps the action from the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&x=0&ref%5F=nb%5Fss&y=0&field-keywords=walking%20dead&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks">Walking Dead Comic</a> onto a map of the real site.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 158px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJuoJeDsHwNg2BrquY0uhbSwQarvssb41RN-NJvQ9YrTLXvE7OQr82XJkd1YO7qrCpEqcI7Ocve1uuexvQvsBHgWeRVDmhTeJW51ygmVx224uwsX5UHG_x600VbM-QZA2GOfu1/s200/Picture+2.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460001110131392354" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Then, we move on to <a href="http://www.trendhunter.com/photos/72591">Trendhunter</a> and Undead Movie Apparel which includes living and dead movie stars. They call this one 'Zombie at Tiffany's'</div><div> </div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 93px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Fnvny7n4KPDBtEg70WFjOgNV13pGCccL7uhDez2qopJWPB3I-vzpSzopppuh7AtozhkUPl__D02dQXrckBuFKg79kPudndn5yk00eFwOe8yOq_ZG9P7J-NCwfCw06I3Oxynd/s200/images.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460008325155766914" /><div>Next, armed with our map and t-shirt, we move to literature and the zombie-ification of classic literature at <a href="http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/behind_the_deal/zombieification_of_literature_shambles_onward__138355.asp">mediabistro.com </a>You will all be familiar with<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pride-Prejudice-Zombies-Romance-now-Ultraviolent/dp/1594743347/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271255877&sr=8-2"> Pride and Prejudice and Zombies</a> (and once you have enjoyed this new classic, you can move on to<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sense-Sensibility-Monsters-Jane-Austen/dp/1594744424/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271256153&sr=1-1"> Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Abraham-Lincoln-Vampire-Seth-Grahame-Smith/dp/0446563080/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271256130&sr=1-1">Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter)</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>As we come to the end of our chain, some zombie movie greats: </div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 87px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjgqbmyXv89mw0A8Q8aywZnEtsCCgrrfbiBSOHbLkCNWwK0G1rYdNtWTHegD6aD-VC5telZKtTFw9PGlPyucR_d6gn1jk3C05jWVFU3MioyBUv5MK6qRiW2tbTSiiBjRaR2GhF/s200/MV5BMTU2NjA0NDk0NV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwOTA0OTQzMw@@._V1._SX87_SY140_.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460005624783851826" /></div><div><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365748/">Shawn of the Dead (2004)</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0439815/">Slither (2006)</a></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 94px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42T923hmksj-WkCDMvZh5_hoBBwsCFXfCEquPcOKB5UKOjedz9p8LumQW08wykwnVouTms5PkLcxjRWLfeoeyfn8P80korbCAAy-_oQJn3MLabvO5wEcqfVJzGxv5aD0G5kQt/s200/MV5BMjEyNTE0NDI2OF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwODcwODMzMQ@@._V1._SX94_SY140_.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460005847896729986" /></div><div><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1156398/">Zombieland (2009)</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 99px; height: 139px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6JYjyqzDmKI12a3R22LQwXATOFWcSuhDew6amxXSDLx9Pcmt2mvIPXFD1lXZwcPj41VIznfIRqlt3QaXDtj30FhiaT3zvK7WgnsR3Yrud4x-Mogpu_69V2UAzP9lwwshIrccx/s200/MV5BMTU5MDg0NTQ1N15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMjA4Mjg3Mg@@._V1._SX100_SY139_.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460006027150453346" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And finally, because you know you want to - a video game: <a href="http://www.popcap.com/games/pvz">Plants vs Zombies</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 102px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9iqXdBa5UqMorr5hPkGNXPf-TNUhG9XtzOMHJWF0PUyaO9LYm_631eoaxrLTgr9JpcWzi7rSKCyihbpMd6mN_pRbCKFZokG0XdodChXBPy3HdKJlVgLWQQOwMVlQR-OV7PWj1/s200/Picture+3.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460007360741158050" /></div><div><br /></div><div>We are being overrun with zombies. For dead ghouls, they're surprisingly active. </div><div><br /></div><div>Why am I so interested in zombies? They are a key theme in a range of Gothic literature and popular culture and this is an area of fascination for me at the moment. The Gothic's engagement with the past, the provisional and slippery notion of the incomplete or fractured self, constructions of the 'other' as monstrous and fearful, its fascination with the grotesque, its attention to the boundaries of life and death, space and place and claustrophobia and control. These themes have resonance.</div><div><br /></div><div>UPDATE. See <a href="http://trendhunter.com">Trendhunte</a>r for a just posted list of <a href="http://www.trendhunter.com/slideshow/zombified-finds">zombie stuff</a>: "Forget werewolves - zombies are for sure the biggest contender against vampires for pop culture domination...the undead have invaded every facet of mainstream life, from lingerie to plush toys".</div><div><br /></div>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-68828526562282150382010-04-14T10:47:00.005+02:002010-04-14T10:56:23.615+02:00More mappings<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3VN2sZ20-7DpfmpXVzLZuV99jPxJ537CTkII-Yfp2ZxyrF6ylAxJmVixM4jbM58AmwRZ2ARdL7hFOtm639h4lVIYYH0huIp4PPLJydwmUwYWNQq7oTIJXlcTt_g-JksxHMjV/s1600/Picture+3.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 155px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3VN2sZ20-7DpfmpXVzLZuV99jPxJ537CTkII-Yfp2ZxyrF6ylAxJmVixM4jbM58AmwRZ2ARdL7hFOtm639h4lVIYYH0huIp4PPLJydwmUwYWNQq7oTIJXlcTt_g-JksxHMjV/s200/Picture+3.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459913327069020354" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEoVkqpajfWQlwetHdWehRQc-tJ5iA9n9hd3n3C2SZjZY9c610X9xkv249efhjyDOXyEWxMZXwuosIqgKebZh0jOW_HekvKynZuSWTd71JrLdlJW7SC1N3upVO5WIXRX3EBL1l/s1600/Picture+2.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEoVkqpajfWQlwetHdWehRQc-tJ5iA9n9hd3n3C2SZjZY9c610X9xkv249efhjyDOXyEWxMZXwuosIqgKebZh0jOW_HekvKynZuSWTd71JrLdlJW7SC1N3upVO5WIXRX3EBL1l/s200/Picture+2.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459912485325481586" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEoVkqpajfWQlwetHdWehRQc-tJ5iA9n9hd3n3C2SZjZY9c610X9xkv249efhjyDOXyEWxMZXwuosIqgKebZh0jOW_HekvKynZuSWTd71JrLdlJW7SC1N3upVO5WIXRX3EBL1l/s1600/Picture+2.png"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEoVkqpajfWQlwetHdWehRQc-tJ5iA9n9hd3n3C2SZjZY9c610X9xkv249efhjyDOXyEWxMZXwuosIqgKebZh0jOW_HekvKynZuSWTd71JrLdlJW7SC1N3upVO5WIXRX3EBL1l/s1600/Picture+2.png"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; ">More on the theme of maps and how we represent the world around us. </span></a><a href="http://www.boingboing.net/2010/04/09/great-maps-of-comicb.html">Boing Boing</a> pointed me towards the brilliant blog <a href="http://comicbookcartography.posterous.com/?page=1">Comic Book Cartography</a>.<div><br /></div><div>This stuff is <i>awesome</i>! </div>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-15289066466609863652010-04-12T13:48:00.005+02:002010-04-12T13:59:32.801+02:00Vampire conference in the UK<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWpKO7pUr_Pqw8Jabgz4G4ebZH__moiSSf8YkOb1a-L6E4MzWc2YzjM6EBEXyZAFZ24eIYtpMFvKgM_dFq2Lf9OK0H6bAUE4FB8ADf1ZVSHdoAEL2PRxdGHms23X6HBy_nTDco/s1600/images.jpeg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 112px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWpKO7pUr_Pqw8Jabgz4G4ebZH__moiSSf8YkOb1a-L6E4MzWc2YzjM6EBEXyZAFZ24eIYtpMFvKgM_dFq2Lf9OK0H6bAUE4FB8ADf1ZVSHdoAEL2PRxdGHms23X6HBy_nTDco/s200/images.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459218183235212882" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaP6_pQXnmpEbjoqdi0H35pjXWETlGj9xhBfnWivjHbZHL_vL-w4yZhnrqt_viu7u0dBCsMUitRWEVc0Z0iNVP_GUizNT_JCFHyryqMU0WE75ZTvwytJ2IHkb8tL4S4ffcArO/s1600/images.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 112px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaP6_pQXnmpEbjoqdi0H35pjXWETlGj9xhBfnWivjHbZHL_vL-w4yZhnrqt_viu7u0dBCsMUitRWEVc0Z0iNVP_GUizNT_JCFHyryqMU0WE75ZTvwytJ2IHkb8tL4S4ffcArO/s200/images.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459218083328197794" /></a>The <a href="http://www.herts.ac.uk/home-page.cfm">University of Hertfordsh</a>ire's <a href="http://web-apps.herts.ac.uk/uhweb/about-us/profiles/profiles_home.cfm?profile=41C5F207-DE13-11D1-D02DB0322A8A53E3">Dr Sam Georg</a>e is convening the first UK Vampire Conference <i>'Open Graves, Open Minds: Vampires and the Undead in Modern Culture</i>' (16th & 17th April 2010) in response to the Americanization of contemporary vampire narratives. <div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fass/english/profiles/Catherine-Spooner/">Catherine Spooner</a> (whose work i have coincidentally been reading this week - see for example <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=p4fnEHOuZ6UC&printsec=frontcover&dq=spooner+gothic&source=bl&ots=NoJcRJxhWi&sig=8zf2tcDb3HrNxEkksFXaXPo18Ig&hl=en&ei=5tjCS9LCJ4-iOLzHnJcE&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CBgQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q&f=false">The Routledge Companion to Goth</a> & <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=B5SaIMicyxQC&printsec=frontcover&dq=spooner+gothic&source=bl&ots=pwJDb1gOmx&sig=zXZWKkmk1ukak3Q7tFYfxyH0w5w&hl=en&ei=5tjCS9LCJ4-iOLzHnJcE&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CA8Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false">Contemporary Gothic</a>) - is giving a keynote (yay!!) and the conference themes look spectacular: 'undeed teens', 'politics of the undead', 'undead in the new media', 'appetites of the undead' to name a few. </div><div><br /></div><div>For more information, contact <a href="http://web-apps.herts.ac.uk/uhweb/about-us/profiles/profiles_home.cfm?profile=41C5F207-DE13-11D1-D02DB0322A8A53E3">Sam George</a>.</div><div><br /></div>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-58358964664113775812010-04-09T20:53:00.004+02:002010-04-09T21:08:48.219+02:00Feed your inner Goth<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzQxfNbr4ZA-ViPPugwLArk833VjM3eezaenY90zXH50gb-GZJRKJSxsfpm71wq1DFrRe6LsTKoeZmkbdICjJNZ-fc8yFHe7JwnGtiI3jV22GmxhMqWyProU9Gokm9qLH1Z0G/s1600/Picture+3.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 142px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzQxfNbr4ZA-ViPPugwLArk833VjM3eezaenY90zXH50gb-GZJRKJSxsfpm71wq1DFrRe6LsTKoeZmkbdICjJNZ-fc8yFHe7JwnGtiI3jV22GmxhMqWyProU9Gokm9qLH1Z0G/s200/Picture+3.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458214108420045714" /></a>I see you admiring my gothic masterpiece 'untitled'. Make your own deeply gothic poem with <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="http://www.deadlounge.com/poetry/created.html">The Goth-O-Matic™ Poetry Generato</a></span><a href="http://www.deadlounge.com/poetry/created.html">r. </a><div><br /></div><div>It's soooo much fun.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.deadlounge.com/offramp.html">Lots of other Goth stuff to do as well...</a>.</div>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-11968694965816164492010-04-09T14:05:00.004+02:002010-04-09T14:33:57.411+02:00Mesofacts<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8I4ani3pOQZO6VHrLMmRmZkze2ROvFcZ2Oy5u9MYiMGWaUzqZJZqU_gazIrjbShOo3oxqWB3sL58MC0of8_eXl14WI0zSGlMgcxNTSsRdJ3sMASICtr4wdXlAaqGD1ukgZubx/s1600/gorosaurus1.JPG.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8I4ani3pOQZO6VHrLMmRmZkze2ROvFcZ2Oy5u9MYiMGWaUzqZJZqU_gazIrjbShOo3oxqWB3sL58MC0of8_eXl14WI0zSGlMgcxNTSsRdJ3sMASICtr4wdXlAaqGD1ukgZubx/s200/gorosaurus1.JPG.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458111953287094498" /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Remember when Pluto was a planet? Did you grow up being told that dinosaurs were slow, cold-blooded dull lizards (in my own defense, i never believed this one)? Remember when the moon had no water? Name the countries that make up Africa. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The things we know as 'fact' change. Knowledge is not a constant. This is very exciting albeit a little inconvenient for school text book publishers. It is also slightly inconvenient for those amongst us who fondly remember the good old days when schooling was about learning facts and useful stuff that you could demonstrate your mastery over via direct recall. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">S</span></span><a href="http://arbesman.net/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">amuel Arbesman</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> introduces the concept of the </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">mesofac</span></span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> In the </span></span><a href="http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/02/28/warning_your_reality_is_out_of_date/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Boston Glob</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">e, he writes: "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When people think of knowledge, they generally think of two sorts of facts: facts that don’t change, like the height of Mount Everest or the capital of the United States, and facts that fluctuate constantly, like the temperature or the stock market close. But in between there is a third kind: facts that change slowly. These are facts which we tend to view as fixed, but which shift over the course of a lifetime". Read the article </span></span><a href="http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/02/28/warning_your_reality_is_out_of_date/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">here.</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Visit mesofacts.org </span></span><a href="http://www.mesofacts.org/index.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">here.</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> I very much like the concept although i'm not sure that his example of a capital city and a mountain are good examples of facts that don't change. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-71248404924455163792010-04-06T12:39:00.002+02:002010-04-06T12:54:08.599+02:00Google's Model Your Town Competition<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCmjvxhNRMlSRlgRuQp2r0byQ-ua1eMIlrycEW9BLnspRicBtQAcEBZ7GmcBI7X2JelsUDw8FgsJeInbffrhic7Yw48yEKsn0voxOBSffpYSewFEw6bD-RMKCtKaZhU-uaQ4M/s1600/index-earth_lg.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCmjvxhNRMlSRlgRuQp2r0byQ-ua1eMIlrycEW9BLnspRicBtQAcEBZ7GmcBI7X2JelsUDw8FgsJeInbffrhic7Yw48yEKsn0voxOBSffpYSewFEw6bD-RMKCtKaZhU-uaQ4M/s200/index-earth_lg.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456975792687554210" /></a><div>Maps, geolocation, studies of place and space are all the rage. The popularity of Google's mapping software, particularly <a href="http://earth.google.com/">Google Earth</a> and <a href="http://maps.google.com/">Google Maps</a> (who can live without '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Street_View">street view'</a>?) are testament to our fascination with where we are in relation to everyone else.</div><div><br /></div><div>The <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/model-your-town-competition-cast-your.html">Google Model Your Town Competition</a> has been running since December 2009. The competition was about creating detailed 3D models of communities (and demonstrating the power and beauty of Google's <a href="http://sketchup.google.com/">SketchUp</a> and <a href="http://sketchup.google.com/3dwh/buildingmaker.html">Building Maker</a>). While all the entries can be seen <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Google%203D%20Warehouse%20collection.">here</a>, the five finalist towns have been selected (Barranco (Lima, Peru), Braunschweig (Niedersachsen, Germany), Donostia-San Sebastian (Gipuzkoa, Spain), Dursley (Gloucestershire, UK) and West Palm Beach (Florida, USA) and the competition has now opened for public voting. If you're interested and want to vote, voting closes May 1 with the winner announced by May 15. <div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Z4J_FZcyH6o&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Z4J_FZcyH6o&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre;font-size:12px;"><br /></span></span><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div></div></div></div>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-23223580642741177962010-03-30T10:59:00.006+02:002010-03-30T12:36:53.405+02:00Women in science & technology<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjImGx0kuLFD5tZegs-74nceMGLBbibXd8M-gU3T2Oz-8K2q0FCLUdYA77rLEkKsyyo_CmknAdUzkqIFOtgt3HP4N-q-uO1S53H62_CMoPxPk-pS_Syz18W1GQR6gtMG7U1FnzX/s1600/200px-Ada_lovelace.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 145px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjImGx0kuLFD5tZegs-74nceMGLBbibXd8M-gU3T2Oz-8K2q0FCLUdYA77rLEkKsyyo_CmknAdUzkqIFOtgt3HP4N-q-uO1S53H62_CMoPxPk-pS_Syz18W1GQR6gtMG7U1FnzX/s200/200px-Ada_lovelace.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454353378390153938" /></a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ada_Lovelace" style="text-decoration: none;">Ada Lovelace</a> worked with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Babbage">Charles Babbag</a>e in the 1800s and between them they laid the foundations of modern computing. Ada, in fact, wrote the world's first ever computer program (October 1842). March 24 has been set aside as <a href="http://findingada.com/">Ada Lovelace Da</a>y, an international day of blogging to celebrate the achievements of women in technology and science. Ada remains one of our enduring science and technology heroines.<br /><div><div><div><div><br /></div><div>But, just in case you were worried that women are not getting enough acknowledgement for their contributions to science and technology, fear not. The two latest Barbie careers have been <a href="http://newslite.tv/2010/02/15/new-barbie-jobs-computer-engin.html">released</a>: computer engineer and television host! </div><div><br /></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">With thanks to Naghmeh for pointing out the computer engineer Barbie!</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRFmOWyQgCdQhRp9DwUFEPUnro2r8GO1S2iOtYorcZbRl6YUmD0x3c_WJziV9XxnqpenIfLLfzrIcVPptxvM2zjLFDPFawSQgcyd-tmuFI8h5mVKuVG6m6gXwI9Qwzdeekc_H/s200/100215_barbie2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454353770753761314" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-76325638961798521892010-03-29T17:58:00.007+02:002010-03-29T18:46:57.182+02:00Urbanisation is unstoppable<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">This is the Urban Age. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><div><br /></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#6666CC;">This ...</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The newly released UN report "</span></span><a href="http://www.unhabitat.org/pmss/listItemDetails.aspx?publicationID=2562"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">State of the World's Cities 2008/2009: Harmonious Cities</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">". Its preamble: "Half of humanity now lives in cities, and within two decades, nearly 60% of the world's people will be urban dwellers. Urban growth is most rapid in the developing world, where cities gain an average of 5 million residents every month. As cities grow in size and population, harmony among the spatial, social and environmental aspects of a city and between their inhabitants becomes of paramount importance. This harmony hinges on two key pillars: equity and sustainability"</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#6666CC;">leads to this ...</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Justin McQuirk's design focused </span></span><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/mar/29/urban-age-cities-design"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">blog</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> in </span></span><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The Guardian</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> outlining the role that designers must play in creating livable urban spaces. He writes, "By 2050, three quarters of us are expected to be urbanites. But here's the scary part: most of this growth is happening in places where millions of people already live in slums: Mumbai, Delhi, Karachi, Shanghai, S</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666666;">ã</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666666;">o P</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666666;">aolo, Kinshasa: these are the fastest-growing cities in the world, most of them destined to have populations of more than 20 million by 2025". In additional already large cities will over-run each other, becoming 'mega-regions'. Some of these will swell across national borders. The endless city.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#6666CC;">leads to this ...</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Meanwhile, an article by Simon Romero for the </span></span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">NYTimes</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> draws us back to the scene of a large-scale urban crisis: the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake. He describes the chasm between wealth and absolute poverty that has been exacerbated since the earthquake. He writes of the "surreal contrasts along the streets above Port-au-Prince's central districts. People in tent camps reeking of sewage are living in areas where prosperous Haitians, foreign aid workers and diplomats cone to spend their money and unwind. Often, just a gate and a private guard armed with a 12-gauge shotgun separate the newly homeless from establishments like Les Galeries Rivoli, a boutique where wealthy Haitians and foreigners shop for Raymond Weil watches and Izod shirts".</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Equity and sustainability?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div></div>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-85998111936477211822010-03-26T14:30:00.002+01:002010-03-26T14:36:38.905+01:00I use 'The google'Interesting, funny, slightly scary You Tube video called 'What is a browser' filmed by a Google employee. <div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; white-space: pre; "><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/o4MwTvtyrUQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/o4MwTvtyrUQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object></span></div><div><br /></div><div>If you find it a little worrisome that so many of us don't actually know how we get online and stay there, reading Adam Engst's TidBITS Opinion piece <a href="http://db.tidbits.com/article/10493">"Have we entered a post-literate technological age?"</a> will make you shudder. I am as guilty as anyone. I just want stuff to work!<div><br /></div></div>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-50741096160245797132010-03-24T21:29:00.004+01:002010-03-24T21:42:46.051+01:00Identity jigsaws<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL22rPxwx6O4pVKSiFS2HQ5eKtFFghOG0Zhn3jvGIt2MWSf-j1plE7c_VOValvm2JlcCt3WhSjmfZbhJ24fwMievnlg_p8Wgb2yzPc-hCy4F_lSOaINoQccaSvusGaAaOvAVva/s1600/jigsaw.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL22rPxwx6O4pVKSiFS2HQ5eKtFFghOG0Zhn3jvGIt2MWSf-j1plE7c_VOValvm2JlcCt3WhSjmfZbhJ24fwMievnlg_p8Wgb2yzPc-hCy4F_lSOaINoQccaSvusGaAaOvAVva/s320/jigsaw.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452303383703074274" /></a><br />According to the <a href="http://global.nytimes.com/">NYT</a>'s <a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/author/steve-lohr/">Steve Loh</a>r, "Services like Facebook, Twitter and Flickr are oceans of personal minutiae - birthday greetings sent and received, school and work gossip, photos of family vacations, and movies watched. Computer scientists and policy experts say that such seemingly innocuous bits of self-revelation can increasingly be collected and reassembled by computers to help create a picture of a person's identity, sometimes down to the Social Security number". <div><br /></div><div>Given how many of my colleagues, relatives and young people have close online relationships mediated via Facebook this is fascinating. Read the complete article <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/17/technology/17privacy.html">here</a>.</div>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-72108874265627821012010-03-22T09:48:00.003+01:002010-03-22T09:53:51.219+01:00Goodbye Margaret Moth<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNebJipZJBL1g1Y-DRFkBl1VZCCJQ2GC_FRkaW3YjR7bCZF5EViLli0OirVY1JLJ6_3nTGnKZbHB6fJfLoa_eLJ1iE1BwYcRua5zmqjf_Ou0-kAZu5bw1KgJCG6xih3FsT6qJ/s1600-h/t1larg.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNebJipZJBL1g1Y-DRFkBl1VZCCJQ2GC_FRkaW3YjR7bCZF5EViLli0OirVY1JLJ6_3nTGnKZbHB6fJfLoa_eLJ1iE1BwYcRua5zmqjf_Ou0-kAZu5bw1KgJCG6xih3FsT6qJ/s320/t1larg.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451378343740955330" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Margaret Moth died yesterday. The world is smaller. <div><br /></div><div>Go <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCTMrx8ZyfA">here</a> to start watching "Fearless: The Margaret Moth Story" and <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/03/21/margaret.moth.obit/index.html">here</a> to read Jessica Ravitz's moving piece remembering her. </div>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-55499465822230918252009-01-15T02:41:00.002+01:002009-01-15T03:00:05.075+01:00<div><object width="420" height="339"><param name="movie" value="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x72eqm"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x72eqm" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="339" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br /><b><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x72eqm">World of Goo Trailer 2 Director's Cut</a></b><br /><i>by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/2dboy">2dboy</a></i></div><br /><div>Lately I've been really interested in some of the games coming out from indie developers. World of Goo is one example, in the tradition of games such as Lemmings or even The Lost Vikings, but with its own unique twists. I played it compulsively for a few days and could only stop once I had completed it. It's the kind of game that reminds me of Nintendo's approach to game development: it has a strong emphasis on simple yet engrossing gameplay rather than all the extras that are often packaged into a game, especially when this central element is missing. In recent months I've found Boing Boing sister blog <a href="http://offworld.com">Offworld</a> to be a good place to keep up with the indie game scene...</div>Sam Sellarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10618706256211468502noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-48784411681590539712008-12-15T22:04:00.005+01:002008-12-16T04:17:04.340+01:005 minute interview with Dr Jennifer Rowsell<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPinHQbDYj36wty_5uz-LhuaOn3EsdWQx5U64ikqnOqhCqctlhMIAELD_nKXsO24rGwKjxZiPVqVlzhOuGZVim_NoSDdJSW9O4qHHOI0LNumFYooDECMVmnANuqEEaK1fgDJVU/s1600-h/genImage~ImageFieldName~Photo~ContentItemID~fac_1083~TableName~vwFaculty~VersionNumber~17.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 110px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPinHQbDYj36wty_5uz-LhuaOn3EsdWQx5U64ikqnOqhCqctlhMIAELD_nKXsO24rGwKjxZiPVqVlzhOuGZVim_NoSDdJSW9O4qHHOI0LNumFYooDECMVmnANuqEEaK1fgDJVU/s320/genImage~ImageFieldName~Photo~ContentItemID~fac_1083~TableName~vwFaculty~VersionNumber~17.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280126789859228610" border="0" /></a>The latest in our series of mini interviews with key researchers in the New Literacy Studies: <a href="http://www.gse.rutgers.edu/faculty/genFacultyProfileBiography%7Ecguid%7E%7BE5F52B0A-B82F-4771-9514-3AD9EC5E0D80%7D%7Eciid%7Efac_1083.asp">Dr Jennifer Rowsell from Rutgers Graduate School of Education</a>. Jennifer is an Assistant Professor of Literacy Education at Rutgers where she teachers undergraduate and graduate courses in multimodality, multiliteracies, and New Literacy Studies. She is all-round fabulous.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">What digital technologies do you have in your handbag/satchel?</span><br />I always have my blackberry and a tape recorder just in case I suddenly have to interview someone (which has never happened incidentally).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4Pbp_gvsjZkByLNFD1kpUzOgQ74dtfX_sf_e8GkWJhxoazVLQoQ5WRFPLoyuSebOyxX9cbNX7szRxuNEWMSFA_MTasQOCtWDXKkBPVYmS_LgxdcK3Hc_vj86ofS-KcXeYlXI/s1600-h/DSC00411.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4Pbp_gvsjZkByLNFD1kpUzOgQ74dtfX_sf_e8GkWJhxoazVLQoQ5WRFPLoyuSebOyxX9cbNX7szRxuNEWMSFA_MTasQOCtWDXKkBPVYmS_LgxdcK3Hc_vj86ofS-KcXeYlXI/s320/DSC00411.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280221254853573474" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Which one/s can't you live without and why?</span><br />Clearly, I can live without the tape recorder, but I love my blackberry.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">What's your current favourite blog/website/virtual world?</span><br />I really like YouTube. I go to it often when I miss big events like Obama's Acceptance Speech or Tina Fey impersonating Sarah Palin. Also, I go onto YouTube with our daughter when we want to look up goofy things like Funny Animal Videos or Funny Fart Animal Videos.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">What are you finding fascinating in relation to technology/literacy/text at the moment?</span><br />When I think about technology and literacy these days, I focus on production and such questions as (currently): how do digital spaces create communities and communities of practice? For example, what happens when CNN develops a partnership with another digital space such as YouTube - especially given that CNN is quite conservative and YouTube is quite liberal. Or, Facebook developing a partnership with Vonage or Sprint - how do these partnerships shift the content of a website? How do partnerships impact users? Or, a war videogame partnering up with The History Channel?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">What do you predict will be a key issue/s in digital technologies/literacy over the next 5 years?</span><br />1. New writing pedagogy - that accounts for multiple genres and using different modes to create these genres (and maping out what goes into our thinking).<br />2. New reading pedagogy - that accounts for reading multiple texts at once and closing the gap between reading and writing (because there is less of a gap between reading and writing when working online).<br />3. Assessing what modes best fit a text and having students explain their preferred choice of mode. In other words, how do we assess what goes when we use 'new literacies'?<br />4. An account of the material and artifactual nature of meaning-making instead of a focus on written accounts or more traditional technologies.<br />5. Looking outside of education broadly and literacy education particularly to explain what it means to make meaning with contemporary communicational systems (because the marketplace creates texts, practices, and digital environments).<br />6. Being greedy I will do a sixth point because I believe that there is a need to understand networks of information as well so that we have far more meta-knowledge of discourses and ideologies when we make meaning with texts (this will involve geosemiotics and multimodal-discursive understandings).<br /></div><a href="http://editthis%21/"></a>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-30952758486378573172008-12-02T03:00:00.007+01:002008-12-02T03:41:56.289+01:00Mobile-based health education<div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQulSUHjKvErzHGpKI7ofdqDvA4k0i1QTiUOJOwfrmTzj6WyUI7aEjYWKvAiGFUfTVktR5tuNcM-xPftlOeu2f_f2xUd3Pa4czgWsRD9qAX8vq9Ft8P4Kaaeo1EC_EN8MGNSi/s1600-h/2668407647_232d3f988c.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQulSUHjKvErzHGpKI7ofdqDvA4k0i1QTiUOJOwfrmTzj6WyUI7aEjYWKvAiGFUfTVktR5tuNcM-xPftlOeu2f_f2xUd3Pa4czgWsRD9qAX8vq9Ft8P4Kaaeo1EC_EN8MGNSi/s320/2668407647_232d3f988c.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275009182607124306" /></a><br /></div>I stumbled across a description of Project Masiluleke in the World Aids Day supplement of this weeks <a href="http://www.guardianweekly.co.uk/supplements">The Guardian Weekly</a>. According to <a href="http://www.poptech.org/project_m/">Pop!Tech</a>, one of the funding partners, Project Masiluleke:<div><span class="Apple-style-span"><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" >is a path-breaking effort that harnesses the power of mobile technology to address one of the world’s gravest public health crises. This ambitious initiative will leverage the ubiquity of mobile devices in South Africa to help fight the country’s crippling HIV/AIDS and TB epidemics.</span></blockquote></span>Because nearly every South African has access to mobile phones they have become a most effective method of private mass communication. There is more detail about the project and the confluence of community health and mobile technology at <a href="http://www.praekeltfoundation.org/">The Praekelt Foundation...</a></div><div><br /></div>Sam Sellarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10618706256211468502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-10465258750245494782008-11-20T00:18:00.006+01:002008-11-20T00:40:47.735+01:005 minute interview with Professor Jackie Marsh<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPjymg0yE3XwXMNusNQZr_jmF10oHHpTDf5kd4cQmGwgHfnPH-VuNcIeQPXLbNDlTE7C-rwmAntg-qkEiLujLJwqENnqBrvUmK69fNHov50fNMPpz8d8TEOwrmocurYn1k-j1V/s1600-h/DSC_0459.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPjymg0yE3XwXMNusNQZr_jmF10oHHpTDf5kd4cQmGwgHfnPH-VuNcIeQPXLbNDlTE7C-rwmAntg-qkEiLujLJwqENnqBrvUmK69fNHov50fNMPpz8d8TEOwrmocurYn1k-j1V/s320/DSC_0459.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270514014040852050" border="0" /></a>The second of our 5 minute interviews with key people in the field of digital literacies. Meet Professor Jackie Marsh. If you haven't read Jackie's work, you need to.<br /><br /><br />Jackie is Professor of Education at the University of Sheffield, UK, where she is involved in research exploring the relationship between young children's use of popular culture, media and new technologies and their literacy practices both in- and out-of-school. Her blog is:<br /><a href="http://digitalbeginnings.blogspot.com/">http://digitalbeginnings.blogspot.com</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">What digital technologies do you have in your handbag/satchel?</span><br />iPhone<br />USB pen drive<br />Digital voice recorder<br />Creative Vado Pocket Camcorder<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Which one/s can't you live without and why?</span><br />iPhone - music, email, web access, maps with GPS, alarm clock, phone, voicemail and txt messages all in one piece of Apple-produced hardware - need I say more? I only wish it made tea...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3IpfR5hNvJFDzWBlMuEkh1UJc5HVuxKQ-p3paqfLZ16l4xWSpWSGryvuxTCkUNwTpo2GlpEVyvtfh951XLiqlETzaJmdNcd4eyuMeXmEXdne5k0ITfDMwkpxFILawxYRGFSG/s1600-h/iphone.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 296px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3IpfR5hNvJFDzWBlMuEkh1UJc5HVuxKQ-p3paqfLZ16l4xWSpWSGryvuxTCkUNwTpo2GlpEVyvtfh951XLiqlETzaJmdNcd4eyuMeXmEXdne5k0ITfDMwkpxFILawxYRGFSG/s320/iphone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270517341470203138" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">What's your current favourite blog/website/virtual world?</span><br /><a href="http://secondlife.com/">Second Life</a> - I find it a creative environment for teaching, research and, increasingly, art.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">What are you finding fascinating in relation to technology/literacy/text at the moment?</span><br />I am currently researching young children's use of virtual worlds (<a href="http://www.clubpenguin.com/">Club Penguin</a> and <a href="http://www.barbiegirls.com/home.html">Barbie Girls</a>) and I am fascinated by the integration of literacy, identity and play in the children's use of the worlds. This combination is of course important in 'RL' also, but the affordances of virtual worlds do enable the creation of potentially interesting texts e.g. machinima, which not only combine modes in skilful ways but serve as a key identity work and are used ritualistically to promote social cohesion in-world.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">What do you predict will be key issues in digital technologies/literacies over the next five years?</span><br />This is an interesting question for me at the moment as I have been involved in writing a paper on this with Victoria Carrington for the Futurelab/DCSF 'Beyond Current Horizons' project. In the paper, we have predicted the following as being key issues: ubiquity (which can mean access to texts at point of need); convergence (leading to new kinds of texts); personalisation (intensifyng the focus on identity and self-representation in textual practices); mobility (enabling meaningful textual engagement across formal/informal learning spaces). In my own area of interest, early childhood literacy, I think a key issue will be the acceleration of the blurring of boundaries across online and offline, 'real' and 'virtual' spaces - this is already occurring with, for example, the use of 'clickable' technologies linked to virtual worlds such as <a href="http://pixiehollow.go.com/">'Pixie Hollow'</a>. There are many implications for early literacy in the development and I look forward to exploring them.<br /></div><br /><a href="http://editthis%21/"></a>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-62825782947816052282008-11-17T08:11:00.007+01:002008-11-17T08:22:45.061+01:00Game review: Ninja Gaiden II<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWWaqqeY9vjVl5O3etokIi4Sa_zEYxq5LGSHAl7srpvN9Rx-C_BZK23BsubCzBcURQH8umufrMmQCgRJ-0b-VhB2es7H-XlzFkRfbhvJXNtd9V0XqSWPJjlzhOxKMbLjXQdWuk/s1600-h/Picture+1.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 201px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWWaqqeY9vjVl5O3etokIi4Sa_zEYxq5LGSHAl7srpvN9Rx-C_BZK23BsubCzBcURQH8umufrMmQCgRJ-0b-VhB2es7H-XlzFkRfbhvJXNtd9V0XqSWPJjlzhOxKMbLjXQdWuk/s320/Picture+1.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269522986567850930" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Game Reviewed by Tom</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />− Title: <a href="http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/n/ninjagaiden2/">Ninja Gaiden II</a><br />− Platform: Xbox 360<br />− Creator: Team Ninja<br />− Company: Tempco<br />− Genre: Action/Adventure<br />− Players: 1<br />− Rating: 4/5<br /><br />“In this action packed sequel to Ninja Gaiden you are Ryu Hayabusa, the ultimate ninja action hero. Destroy everything in your path as you embark on a quest to avenge your clan and prevent the destruction of the human race from a brutal and relentless enemy.” Doesn't that just say it all...<br /><br />When you first turn on you 360 and pick up your controller you find yourself entering the life of Ryu Hyabusa, quite literally a modern day super ninja, while playing you are directed through a miriad of visually appealing levels, each with their own intrigue and dangers... Venice and Rome have become home to lycanthropes whilst Tokyo has become infested with black spiders and New York with fiends, so I guess you could say that it's your responsibility as a ninja to remove these threats to humanity. The combat control system in NGII (Ninja Gaiden II) is quite simple and thus allows the player to perform spectacular combos that blur your blade, send showers of blood and sparks through the air and leave you foes twitching and almost always limbless. And as if the intense fighting isn't enough to create suspense and drama throughout the plot, music is integrated so very well, offering much and aiding in the creation of a quickened pace and pulse. The visual quality of the movie sequence's is quite impressive with each one bringing I guess a break to the fighting, a moment to reflect on the story and some time rest your thumbs and be amazed at the detail of NGII's character design. Where would a ninja be without the teachings of ancient scrolls? In short... lost, you are constantly presented with the opportunity to read further into the plot and characters whilst progressing though the story. This information takes the form of scrolls and is quite interesting and helpful. Patience is a virtue as throughout the game levels become longer, enemies become harder, bosses become craftier and stronger and just plain cool. More often than not you will find yourself overwhelmed by copious quantities of foes, sometimes you will succeed, sometimes you will be devestated by them, however patience and reasoning will aid you well in your quest.<br /><br />Anyway NGII with its flashy effects, intense fighting, impressive movie sequence's and enticing story gets a 4/5 from me... Great game.<br /><br /><a href="http://editthis%21/"></a>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-51136765807830593462008-11-17T05:00:00.004+01:002008-11-17T08:10:28.277+01:005 minute interview with Dr Julia Davies<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5NyKhZvMdcq0ztSKZNg44NEiN1ltpcPPfZ1KiJtVA1WkaTAqKX8VuLYgXOJ_u9-sXxtgUDJg6Gi-QCR-FYDDqcrw35HobEHysF0Gr0_hu_KFlfc-Fy9R72KExZpUXuCv3Tm7o/s1600-h/overview-hero20080909.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5NyKhZvMdcq0ztSKZNg44NEiN1ltpcPPfZ1KiJtVA1WkaTAqKX8VuLYgXOJ_u9-sXxtgUDJg6Gi-QCR-FYDDqcrw35HobEHysF0Gr0_hu_KFlfc-Fy9R72KExZpUXuCv3Tm7o/s320/overview-hero20080909.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269518906346795570" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Sam and I are conducting 5 minute interviews with interesting and famous people working in the world of digital literacies. Our first interview is with the wonderful <a href="http://www.shef.ac.uk/education/staff/academic/davies.html">Dr Julia Davies</a> from the <a href="http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/">University of Sheffield</a>.<br /><br />For more, visit her blog:<br /><a href="http://digital-literacies.blogspot.com/">http://digital-literacies.blogspot.com/</a><br /></div><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><br />What digital technologies do you have in your handbag/satchel/pocket?</span><br />1. Flip video camera<br />2. Sony cybershot<br />3. Mobile phone – has camera and mp3 palyer built in<br />4. Ipod touch– wireless connection; music player. Dvd player; stores images<br />5. Palm pilot – has diary, addresses, camera, note book & memo pad<br />6. 2 USB memory sticks<br /><br />This is just in my handbag – I also always take my laptop to and from work.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Which one/s can't you live without and why?</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This is VERY difficult as different ones are more important at different times. But on balance, it is the least technologically advanced item, and also the oldest. It is my palm pilot – because this is my diary and tells me what to do, where to be all the time. I can take a picture with it if I have not got my camera – but would rarely use it for this. I would rather use the ipod touch for my diary– but I cannot synchronise that diary software with the one work uses and so I stick with the Palm pilot. (My University likes to keep track of our whereabouts at all times and they do this through an electronic calendar – I suppose that actually tagging us might seem a wee bit too invasive of privacy). So the diary is not just a personal technology it is also about networking – people being able to book my time.<br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">What's your current favourite blog/website/virtual world?</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I am glad you specify ‘current’ as it changes a lot … but at the moment I love YouTube as I like to see the wide variety of people using this space for so many different reasons. To me it seems to house the most diverse set of users – and that is without even seeing the probably even greater diversity of those who merely view rather than upload or comment.<br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">What are you finding fascinating in relation to technology/literacy/ text at the moment?</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Hmmm difficult to pick out the MOST fascinating – but I am thinking a lot about what motivates people to participate online and am interested in how more and more groups of people as seeing it as including them – there is much less of a notion that there are those who do and those who don’t go online. People are beginning to incorporate the web into their lives and seeing it as part of what they do normally – whether it is ebay, instant messaging, facebook stuff or Youtube. People are seeing it as a social resource and as a channel of communication. In relation to this I am staggered at how often speak out against the dangers of our use of the Internet – so that whole more and more people are realising the usefulness of the Internet as a way of facilitating normal activities, this is triggering fears around social change. I think it is odd as in fact people seem to be using the Internet really to make what they normally do more efficient. I see all these issues as revolving around ideas about literacy as a social practice and about identity.<br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">What do you predict will be a key issues in (digital technologies/literacy/) over the next 5 years?</span><br />I think issues are likely to include:<br /><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The need to educate people for critical literacy – managing vast amounts of data and being able to wade through it and read it carefully;</li><li>Convincing schools that the above is the case;</li><li>I think that more and more publishing companies will supply schools with software that can be run separately from the Internet and provide a ‘safe arena’ – equivalent to reading schemes of the past – these may not be all bad, but are not the best way forward in my view;</li><li>The Internet is getting increasingly ‘busy’ - different spaces will increasingly acquire social meanings that will attract different types of people to them – and which will have ways of gatekeeping to ensure that the ‘right people’ get in – I think we will see this increase and a different kind of digital divide happening online – to do with social and cultural capital; We will need to educate for this. What do I mean? I see that for example, Bebo and Facebook attracts different demographies – these are usually based on local ‘real world’ social groupings – such as who at my school uses facebook – who do I want to be with? This influences choice of software and then locks you into groups – unless you decide to keep up a range of gateways into your wider social frame. As these networks grow (and as the young Bebo users grow up) these I think will translate and transfer into career groupings and so on. Probably class based? At the moment you can already choose to pay to use software that is also available free through other providers – e.g. you can have a free blog, or pay for one. Obviously paying is a simple form of gatekeeping. I think this will be one way of gatekeeping, but then there will also be password protected spaces that will be powerful to belong to. This is different to the utopia some have described, seeing the internet as a great leveller and as a way of hiding identities and so on.<br /></li></ul><br /><a href="http://editthis%21/"></a>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612330.post-48096007745532351432008-09-17T14:25:00.005+02:002008-09-18T01:31:07.533+02:00International Conference on Popular Culture and Education in Asia<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsDViXq3nKbDUsVWJ8y8ex1Db1xgdkN6cXhnlsa3WaLXlYwouWYuMLpEIFzK1vlfRZf0IA6nSVICNEs-EopoAkqotjEEj9kAwKvE-vc2f_ar1OkdxQZoi9j4CGacc4TnPz0Vaq/s1600-h/Picture+4.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 433px; height: 117px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsDViXq3nKbDUsVWJ8y8ex1Db1xgdkN6cXhnlsa3WaLXlYwouWYuMLpEIFzK1vlfRZf0IA6nSVICNEs-EopoAkqotjEEj9kAwKvE-vc2f_ar1OkdxQZoi9j4CGacc4TnPz0Vaq/s320/Picture+4.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246965516720314146" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Go if you can. It will be major.<br /><br />The <a href="http://home.ied.edu.hk/%7Ehkpop/conference.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">First International Conference on Popular Culture and Education in Asia</span></a> will be held at the Hong Kong Institute of Education 11-13 December 2008.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >The conference will bring together researchers from a variety of disciplines to focus on the implications of intra-regional flows of popular culture in East and Southeast Asia for educational practices and youth development. We welcome papers that elucidate changing patterns in Asian popular culture as well as papers that explore implications and applications of youth engagement with popular culture inside and outside the classroom.</span> </div><p style="font-style: italic; text-align: justify;" class="fonts"><span style="font-size:85%;">We welcome researchers and scholars from Sociology, Cultural Studies, Media Studies, Anthropology, Language and Literacy, Music, Visual Studies, Asian Studies, Education and other disciplines that take popular culture seriously to join us in this event.</span></p>Victoria Carringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075151845691918889noreply@blogger.com0