John Thomson

Check out my real blog

2006-08-23T18:59:00.000-07:00

OK, I know this is low...but here's another plug for my real blog. Read it at:

http://johnthomson.org/blog/

Sorry blogger. I don't want me or anyone else making money off of my blog.

Success!

2006-02-15T16:55:00.000-08:00

Finally moved over to my own site on wordpress: http://johnthomson.org/blog

Click the link above to go to the new site.

Hearing on "Net Neutrality"

2006-02-09T10:39:00.000-08:00

The Senate committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation recently held a hearing on the neutrality, or end to end, principle as it will apply to new laws regulating broadband Internet access. Perhaps not surprisingly, Vint Cerf and Larry Lessig both showed up to defend the end to end principle. What struck me was the fact that, watching this video archive of the hearing, on a non-neutral internet it might be possible that invaluable modern access to government such as this may be lessened on a non-neutral net. If the regulatory infrastructure is changed so that certain entities or applications are given priority over others, it's conceivable that even a government could have diminished access. What's worse is that citizens who lack Internet access are deprived of the ability to view resources such as this in the first place.

Linus, GPL, and DRM Hardware

2006-02-03T18:15:00.000-08:00

Linux kernel creator Linux Torvalds is clarifying his opposition to GNU 3.0 (which is a new version of the license which protects many open source software applications). He offers an interesting perspective that DRM of content is more dangerous than that of hardware because (it seems) people will want to be able to manipulate content and will find DRM protected works overly restrictive.

If enough interesting content is licensed that way, DRM eventually becomes marginalized. Yes, it takes decades, but that's really no different at all from how the GPL works. The GPL has taken decades, and it hasn't "marginalized" commercial proprietary software yet, but it's gotten to the point where fewer people at least _worry_ about it. As long as you expect Disney to feed your brain and just sit there on your couch, Disney & co will always be able to control the content you see. DRM is the smallest part of it - the crap we see and hear every day (regardless of any protection) is a much bigger issue.

The argument then takes a problematic turn towards why DRM for software is OK: because hardware locks are essentially not a software problem. The fact that a system may technologically ensure that rights management is present and enforced is an issue on which to fight with hardware vendors.

Sure, DRM may mean that you can not _install_ or _run_ your changes on somebody else's hardware. But it in no way changes the fact that you got all the source code, and you can make changes (and use their changes) to it. That requirement has always been there, even with plain GPLv2. You have the source. The difference? The hardware may only run signed kernels. The fact that the hardware is closed is a _hardware_ license issue. Not a software license issue. I'd suggest you take it up with your hardware vendor, and quite possibly just decide to not buy the hardware. Vote with your feet.

The problem in this argument is that he forgets the power of law. Previous legislative attempts to mandate the use of DRM in all hardware would make it impossible for consumers to "vote with their feet" and select non-DRM hardware.

WordPress, not yet

2006-02-03T11:47:00.000-08:00

An attempt to migrate my Blogger posts to WordPress on my site (without backing up) has killed my template as well as some time. Interestingly enough, Google cache and archive.org don't have backup copies either, so some of my template links and blog features are gone for the moment.

Copyright to restrict competition

2006-02-02T08:40:00.000-08:00

A recent remark from the Microsoft VP of the Windows Media division reveals copyright's growth into an anti-competitive tool:

The intention is to reduce the number of licensors to a manageable level, to lock out "hobbyists" and other entities that Microsoft doesn't want to have to trouble itself with.

Essentially, the licensing of their copyrighted Digital Rights Management is knowingly being used to keep developers from developing innovative uses based on their product. Yes, this is perfectly within their rights under the law. But one has to wonder how this is "promoting progress for the useful arts." Old school Microsoft might have realized that these hobbyists were just the types that used to drive advancing the features of their product (even if was through buy-outs).

Friedman on Civil Society in the Middle East

2006-02-01T17:19:00.000-08:00

I don't always agree with NY Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman, but in a piece today on Addicted to Oil he made a brief, but very insightful remark about the development of civil society in the middle east:

The mosque became an alternative power center because it was the only place the government's iron fist could not fully penetrate. As such, it became a place where people were able to associate freely, incubate local leaders and generate a shared opposition ideology.
That is why the minute any of these Arab countries hold free and fair elections, the Islamists burst ahead.

So the theory goes, in a repressive society which does not allow much in the way of freedom of speech, ideas will begin to flow in the places where government power is weak. Absent an open coffee house or town hall, civil society may begin to form around a more closed and perhaps radical place of worship. This really highlights the importance of place in the creation of publics. Perhaps this is why China is going to such great lengths to control speech on the Internet.

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Song sites face legal crackdown

2005-12-09T13:26:00.000-08:00

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Song sites face legal crackdown It was only a matter of time before the public education of copyright law required that people start being thrown in jail. I guess you have to break a few eggs... What is even more interesting is that this article is about lyric and guitar tabulature posting. The actual market value of these printed materials is evidentally irrelevant when compared to the audacity of fans putting in the work of listening to someone's music and putting in the effort to transcribe the lyrics or guitar chords. One might think that there was a rule that brute-force (not carbon) copying like this was a fair use; but they'd be wrong.

Blogger Help : Advice

2005-12-06T10:24:00.000-08:00

Blogger Help : Advice

Check it out: Blogger offers some interesting advice on using their service.

E-tracking, coming to a DMV near you | Perspectives | CNET News.com

2005-12-06T10:20:00.000-08:00

E-tracking, coming to a DMV near you | Perspectives | CNET News.com

Declan is concerned about the privacy implications of tracking cars on the road. This is a valid concern, but a little-researched knee-jerk reaction of mine is that efforts such as this may compromise one of our greatest assets: the open network of roadways.

When you think of it, roads are a lot like the Internet. Once you pay for a car and gas (or public transporation) you have subsequent free access to the entire network. This is a good analogy to the Internet, where once you have a computer and pay for net access, you have unbiased access to the network. Sure, there are pay sites, toll roads, speed traps, and carnivores along the way; but the point is that the majority of the network is free (as in beer), and that we all (individuals and corporations alike) benefit from the network.
I think it deserves to stay that way.

Edit
Another opinion in favor of "toll roads."

Attack of the Career-Killing Blogs - When academics post online, do they risk their jobs? By Robert S. Boynton

2005-11-18T08:02:00.000-08:00

Attack of the Career-Killing Blogs - When academics post online, do they risk their jobs? By Robert S. Boynton

Here's a rather pessimistic view of blogging in academia (better read it before it expires)...stories of blogging assistant professors being denied tenure, arguably because of things said online.

Free Speech: I've been hearing lately about the lack of protection for the speech of untenured educators. It seems odd that a few years of proving oneself earns them the right of free speech.
Identity: Blogging and other means of creating online identity are becoming the norm (rather than an exception...take a look at the latest Pew Report). It may be that Google offers the means to more efficiently get to know someone, but this could have been also done by spending time together in the real world. This hasn't traditionally happened, so why change because of efficiency.
Education: Good thinkers who aren't afraid to take an intellectual risk (and who aren't shy when it comes to technology) may be an asset to an institution. Having the courage to think on your feet and put words out for the world to see shouldn't be considered a weakness.

These are more fleeting thoughts than firm arguments, I realize. Perhaps it's time to start editing blog posts more closely.

Are U.S. Innovators Losing Their Competitive Edge? - New York Times

2005-11-13T13:31:00.000-08:00

Are U.S. Innovators Losing Their Competitive Edge? - New York Times

Inventors have always held a special place in American history and business lore, embodying innovation and economic progress in a country that has long prized individual creativity and the power of great ideas. In recent decades, tinkerers and researchers have given society microchips, personal computers, the Internet, balloon catheters, bar codes, fiber optics, e-mail systems, hearing aids, air bags and automated teller machines, among a bevy of other devices.

Mr. West stands firmly in this tradition - a tradition that he said may soon be upended. He fears that corporate and public nurturing of inventors and scientific research is faltering and that America will pay a serious economic and intellectual penalty for this lapse.

This is an issue I've been thinking about for quite some time: the structure of creativity and innovation in America. My wife recently had to read the article version of Thomas I. Friedman's book The World Is Flat, which as I understand (I need to read this one) explains the consequences of outsourcing in a global networked economy. If anyone actually read this blog, they would know that I am concerned with the creative process... this article does a great job of explaining some of the structural components of innovation in Corporate America.

While I've never worked in any creative capacity in a corporation, I've often wondered about how much R&D is being fostered in organizations which are so focused in the short-term bottom line. It seems to me that if innovation is not supported in a focused way, we put ourselves (as a society) at risk for stagnating or "resting on our laurels." If intelligence or jobs can now be moved anywhere in the world, what are we left with in American society. I would like to think that we have, and still can, corner the market in creativity and innovation.

In the end, it's all about progress.

Protecting Parody

2005-10-25T12:29:00.000-07:00

The white house has asked the Onion to not use the presidential seal on its website. Evidently, there's a law (signed by Nixon, I believe) that the presidential seal can only be used:

Use by way of photographic or electronic visual reproduction in pictures, moving pictures, or telecasts of bona fide news content

...among other accepted exemptions. This seems to be an exceptionally odd case, as parody and the use of government materials is permitted in cases where there isn't a law like this. It sounds like the Onion is playing along for now, but I for one think this would make an excellent First Amendment case--at least it might make a fun hypothetical to discuss in class. There are just so many interesting ways to look at this case:

does the Onion contain bona fide news content?
What is the role of First Amendment exemptions for laws like this...is it news or parody?
(What context was this law passed in the first place)

More on University Networks

2005-10-24T18:18:00.000-07:00

It looks as though the new FCC rules on wiretaps are being primarily fought by Universities (Colleges Protest Call to Upgrade Online Systems). At issue is the fact that Internet hardware must be upgraded at great cost to allow for authorities to monitor the traffic of those who are under subpoena. While it looks like the Universities are not overly concerned with civil liberties violations (they contend the cost is unjustified, since the existing system of monitoring works adequately), but perhaps there is some element to be concerned about. The Times reports:

...the federal law would apply a high-tech approach, enabling law enforcement to monitor communications at campuses from remote locations at the turn of a switch. It would require universities to re-engineer their networks so that every Net access point would send all communications not directly onto the Internet, but first to a network operations center where the data packets could be stitched together into a single package for delivery to law enforcement, university officials said.

This has the potential to undermine one of, what I believe to be, the greatest characteristics of the Internet: end to end architecture. By placing a machine between the user and the Internet, the free and open nature of the net could be put at risk. Even with the barrier of a judge/subpoena in the way of the "switch," there is little telling what is stopping the operations center from becoming a communist-style firewall. Even if this possibility is a gross exaggeration, I would argue that any move away from content-neutral packet routing is out of sync with the spirit of the network.

G-Men in the Ivory Tower

2005-10-20T20:01:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the British news media (with a little help from the Google desktop news ticker), I learned of a meeting between the FBI and higher-ed representatives to exchange "advice on the culture of higher education." Included in the talks, and quoted in the article below was UW-Madison's own chancellor Wiley. At the moment, local and student media don't appear to be interested. I'm not quite sure what to make of it either. FBI Works on Its Image on College Campuses (Guardian Unlimited)

Flockin browser

2005-10-20T19:43:00.000-07:00

I just received access to try out a new web browser called "Flock." While it's built on Firefox (my browser of choice), it is enhanced by a number of "social" features such as blogging, photo and bookmark sharing. Being on a social-networking kick lately, I'm glad that I'll get the chance to check it out. So far, it's crashed whenever I've tried to post to my blog. In its defense, it is only on version 0.5 :)

The copyright commons

2005-10-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

I was contemplating the nature of copyright as a commons today (not that I'm the first), and it occurred to me that it might make more sense to think of copyright as a technology policy. This may make it possible to equate it to other cases of information/transportation commons structures. If copyright is thought of this way, perhaps we can re-think how our we might transform the subsidizing of creative work. Taxing the gas that goes into cars (and the cars themselves) might be equated to mandatory licensing or taxes on blank media. Users and creators both benefit from this commons, and questions of lost revenue and easy/cheap access to entertainment media might be answered if we think of how information can be best fit to our media landscape. Technological locks are a possible way to enforce the law, but this idea seems eerily like putting speed regulators on our cars. We could try to change the norms of copying, so that the law is more respected, but this could be nearly unworkable given current technology and copying habits. My first thought is that this leaves only the tax option. It's not one that anyone would like, but at least it's a compromise. This issue certainly deserves some creative thinking.

Burden of multitasking

2005-10-13T20:35:00.000-07:00

I take it back... A couple of posts ago, I partially retracted my feelings on the effects of computer-mediated distractions in light of greater research (finally got that link too). I've come to a point where I can't deny the fact that the news scrolling by on my Google Desktop 2.0 sidebar, the urge to peak at e-mail, the urge to start a chat, the need to check a random fact I'm wondering about on the web (or do ALL of these at the same time) is still putting a crimp in productivity. And there is at least one study on the ill effects of multitasking to back it up. And yet, with Expose on a Mac, multiple desktops on Linux, and well, whatever on Windows, our operating systems just make it easier to fall into the trap. If anyone is interested in writing a multi-platform "lock" on multitasking (something to make it harder to switch applications or fire up the web browser), my switch to paperless could desperately use it. Edit One way that appears to work fairly well in Windows is to do an "end process" on explorer (start explorer again by using "new task" and typing in "explorer"). I'm thinking in KDE, one could just collapse the panel (not the same as quitting it altogether, but perhaps enough to put one in the mental mode of not multitasking). And for OSX, it looks as though it's also possible to quit the Finder. While these solutions are by no means perfect, it may be enough to just remove initial temptation. It seems as though putting the mind in a context of concentration (like you might when sitting in a comfortable chair with an engaging book) may be possible...perhaps there are additional technological answers.

Apple Store Genius Bars: the best support out there

2005-10-02T09:58:00.000-07:00

Regular readers (are there any) might know that I've had a lot of trouble with my iBook in the past. A recent "repair" fixed a hard drive crash, but weakened wireless reception. I decided the other day that this was worth the hour drive to the Milwaukee Apple Store, knowing that the Genius Bar people are always happy to solve a problem (that's been my experience any way). Well, after all of this trouble, I'm finally getting a new iBook. Leaving the other one is like loosing a member of the family, but hopefully the new one will have less trouble. The Genius Bar folks are one of the reasons why, even after all the headaches, I'll stick with a Mac. The support is second to none!

First Podcast

2005-09-28T12:58:00.000-07:00

I just created my first podcast (for work) which includes a presentation I did on blogging technology. Check it out, and subscribe to hear future sessions (which I'm involved in, but not presenting).

e-Pedagogy session homepage

Click on Blogs: Uses in an Educational Setting for info on the session I presented at.
See the e-Pedagogy Podcast section for directions to subscribe.

e-Pedagogy podcast URL (right click and select "copy link location")

Guardian Unlimited Technology | Technology | Emails 'pose threat to IQ'

2005-09-26T20:25:00.001-07:00

Turns out all that business about IM and e-mail distractions lowering your IQ wasn't quite right after all. Might be true, since I remembered blogging about it in the first place. (it looks like Blogger's "Blog This" doesn't include the link in Safari...sorry it's gone)

Google's vision of the net

2005-09-22T09:05:00.000-07:00

Here's a good read about the increasingly important role of Google on the Internet (oh, the irony of where I'm posting this). Among the things potentially in the future of Google are a variety of Internet-based applications which would allow a user to free himself from his desktop, or to essentially use "his computer" at any computer. The article does a good job of pointing out the importance of WiFi and Dark Fiber to their plan. There's an appealing ambition in this plan of greater net access, but of concern to me are how central it would make Google to the operation of the Internet.

Some people speculate the company will use the dark fiber to build a massive nationwide network that would rival those of some of the largest Internet backbone providers such as MCI and AT&T. As that theory goes, Google would use this network to shuttle traffic across the country between its data centers. Then it would use a wireless network to distribute the content locally to end users.

This could have the potential to hinder one of the Internet's greatest (and underappreciated) strenghts: it's decentralized and non-discriminitory network architecture. To make matters worse, the system is built on a series of patents which may lock control in Google's hands. Google is arguably one of the most interesting and innovative tech companies to come out since Apple, but perhaps we need to spend more time keeping a closer watch on Google.

The Media and Katrina (as told by the BBC)

2005-09-09T11:21:00.000-07:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4214516.stm If nothing else, this tragedy has highlighted the importance of the news medias' watchdog role: to be critical of the government, no matter who is in power or how tragic the times may be.

Progress needs copying

2005-09-05T08:40:00.000-07:00

I haven't had the chance to examine the philosophical basis of the last post yet, but now that this thought is in my mind I feel that I'm seeing evidence of it everywhere. To me, it makes perfect sense that to fully understand something one needs to take it apart and reassemble it--to see "what makes it tick." Thus, by definition, understanding requires some kind of a copy. Perhaps if this idea has some psychological basis, and can be measured in some meaningful way, we can form a new understanding of what types of copying are permissible. Rather than look at the technical means of copying, we might look at motives or outcome. This may gel better with common conceptions of what a law like copyright might protect: piracy for profit would be seen as wrong, while borrowing to understand and improve would be encouraged.

Copying and Cognition

2005-09-03T22:18:00.000-07:00

An interesting direction of practical and theoretical research in communication would be an examination of the extent to which the human mind relies on copying to make sense of things. For example, it's common to see people repeat things they've heard in the news or on talk radio, it's common for musicians to borrow from the music which influences them in their own compositions, or even for researchers to borrow ideas or methods of other research (perhaps this already is acknowledged in psychology and I just don't know it). Certainly borrowing and outright copying are different things, but under some circumstances (like in my interest area of copyright and perhaps others) only a small amount of copying can be punished. If it is true that we as humans naturally engage in borrowing and copying in order to make sense of our world, it would seem that it would open up numerous avenues of research. Finding this strong tie might give greater arguments to the strength of media messages (be they slanted news or violent video games). If we need to borrow in order to enhance our creativity, it would seem that strong owner rights in copyright may hinder future creativity (thus giving firmer grounding to the arguments of Lessig). If we now have greater power to choose the kinds of messages we're exposed to, and these messages are increasingly numerous, how would this affect the strength or direction of our ideas? Many questions for a hopefully interesting idea, however certainly in need of research to back it up.

Nonbudsman?

2005-08-30T12:05:00.000-07:00

This is a little late, but it looks as though CBS News has created a somewhat independent ombudsman position in the form of a blog called "The Public Eye." The hopes are that the blog will:

create a candid and robust dialogue between CBS News journalists and the public [through the moderation by] veteran reporter and media writer Vaughn Ververs...

evidently the name "nonbudsman" was chosen to make the position seem more independent. Yet it's not clear how CBS will avoid the previous problems with ombudsmen (sans non). Often an ombudsman offers the public someone within the organization to complain to, and those within the organization someone to ignore. While the idea of an internal watchdog sounds excellent (and is perhaps desired by the public), it's difficult to give ombudsmen the teeth needed to make a more responsible organization. As we saw in the case of Dan Rather, competition (and PR) can often do the most effective job. Perhaps rather than going with "nonbudsman" they could have chosen "ombudsperson." :) Links:

Wireless access in America

2005-08-30T11:51:00.000-07:00

August has been a traveling month for me: the AEJMC conference in San Antonio and also a family trip to Washington DC. I had hoped to blog about both trips, but unfortunately wireless access is difficult to come by in many American cities. Even a search for free access points in San Antonio didn't offer any help (except for sending me on a long, hot walk). Perhaps my expectations of "ubiquitous wireless access" are a bit unreasonable, but it seems to me as though the need to create a national information must be addressed.

iTunes Japan

2005-08-05T08:14:00.000-07:00

Apple just opened an iTunes music store in Japan. As I said in a previous post, this is awesome. Now if I could only purchase some of this great, non-American music. Guess they don't want my money.

Privacy

2005-07-28T10:03:00.000-07:00

Two amazing articles jumped out at me the other day: Government Uses Color Laser Printer Technology to Track Documents If you have a color printer, you may notice tiny yellow type--the serial number of your printer. This strikes me as nothing short of amazing, considering that anonymous speech has been a cherished American ideal since the time of the early colonial press (anonymous letters and columns were commonly printed and carried some weight with the public). From corporate scandals, to underground newspapers, to private mailings...the ability to use the modern press absent the fear of retribution (from the government or any other body) should be an essential feature of our modern communication landscape. Homeland Security To Launch RFID Systems At Border Crossings Non-citizen visitors (even those with visas) who cross American borders will be required to post a card on their dashboard containing a chip which allows the vehicle to be tracked when entering/leaving the country. Yet this may allow the chips to be tracked anywhere within the country (perhaps by a highway patrol person). The safety of our country is indeed a concern (especially at the borders), but it should not come at the cost of infringing on individual liberty to freely move about our lands as long as they do so within the law. To me, this sort of rule falls under the "do unto others..." principle. General Comment Modern technology gives us the potential to manage a vast amount of the data in our lives. Yet when this data is created in an individually-identifyable way, convienence may turn into danger. When data is collected covertly, under federal requirement, or in an opt-out manner, it removes one's right live and express his or herself in an environment without fear of criticism or punishment.

A favorite (favourite?) thing to do

2005-07-19T20:02:00.000-07:00

Try this out: start iTunes and go to the music store... scroll to the bottom and select another country. Take a look at the top 10 (or 100) from other lands. For the most part, the songs are popular for a reason. This truly is globalization in a good way... ...well, there is the whole Apple and record labels thing.

Stand against popups

2005-07-17T08:23:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/17/technology/17spy.html People are throwing away their computers, rather than spend the time to disinfect them (a chore I'm all too familiar with). One person remarked that "she no longer clicks on pop-ups." What?!? I didn't know that anyone was still clicking on popups! The time has come for browsers to eliminate the pop up as a browsing option; kill spyware through the technology which enables it. Web applications which rely on this "feature" should all be reprogrammed. Popups are costing the world too much money and time--we sunk a bunch of cash into the Y2K change, this one should be easy.

Curious?

2005-07-15T13:00:00.000-07:00

Were you ever curious why I didn't use johnthomson.blogspot.com? Trust me, there's no relation.

"The things you Google for define you"

2005-07-14T18:15:00.000-07:00

This CNet article talks about the potential personal tracking ability of Google corporation. An interesting contrast is found when the depth of their info gathering abilities (from e-mail to everything you search) is compared to the public trust in the company. This isn't the first comparison between Google and Microsoft, but it is perhaps more clearly laid out than most. There's something about surfing the net that seems so personal and innocuous that my guess is many do not think twice about the types of searches they do. Google does not (to my knowledge) explicitly state their log-retention policy--meaning that Google (or someone who was able to get their data) might be able to match personal to web data, perhaps with questionable results. Perhaps this post is just being paranoid, but the article's point that the public's trust in Google may possibly be misplace is well taken. PS: thanks Google for the free e-mail space, blog, picture software, search software, ...

Confessions of an info-maniac?

2005-07-12T20:06:00.000-07:00

It turns out that using e-mail, IM and other communication tools too much might lower your IQ. Research sponsored by Hewlett-Packard found that our addiction to checking our e-mail may cause a significant reduction in IQ. "Me fail English, that's unpossible!" Well Ralph, it looks like the distractions of multi-tasking and communication technologies may harm one's ability to focus--a feeling I expressed to some degree in blog posting number one. If these findings find more support (especially across generations), one must begin to wonder what technology is doing to us. Imagine an inverse relationship between productivity and IQ, or perhaps a world where a cut-paste-reply culture replaces hard-earned creativity. ...How many times have I been distracted while composing this post; how many good ideas were lost? Could there be a technological answer for a technologically-created problem? [I've often thought that a "lock" application (meaning: only let me use MS Word for the next hour) wouldn't be such a bad idea.] Perhaps better focus on my part could make for a less-rambling post...

I'm still thinking about the role of editors in the world...

2005-07-11T18:13:00.000-07:00

As anyone who has an iPod, or any other large library of material, knows: sometimes valuable material can get buried. In the iPod example, chances are that unless a playlist is created, a song you like may get played only rarely. The methods of getting a favorite song to play more often include creative uses of metadata, some kind of search, playing a file directly, as well as using a playlist. In other words, short of somehow knowing what file (or kind/attribute of a file in a search) you're looking for, there needs to be some kind of active step taken to make the item more prominent. So what does it mean? There needs to be some person or technology which plays a role of helping us know what we may potentially be interested in. Not only does the model save us time, but it also helps create personal connections of interest. From iPods to social cohesion; who'd have guessed.

Data Retention

2005-06-16T10:40:00.000-07:00

I knew it was comming... I wrote a paper on the issue about a year ago which I'll try to post

No Internet?!?

2005-05-08T21:11:00.000-07:00

Charter broadband is down right now, so I'm dialed in to the campus network. I never thought I'd be going back down to dial-up. I'll bet there are a lot of angry students tonight!!

Meaningless Blogs

2005-05-06T13:10:00.000-07:00

It occurs to me today that I read a lot of interesting, but overall meaningless blogs. It's great to keep up on news and technology, but what about advances in science and academia? Are people blogging about this also, and I just haven't found it? I've blogged in the past about how hard it is to keep up with all of the various media we have available today, especially in the context of having too many books to read ;) Maybe the blog/rss model could be extended to the academic world, where we can all quickly and easily see what new ideas and findings are out there. Perhaps this would make academic progress less predicated on "who you know" and more on "what you have to say.

Addicted to Green Day

2005-05-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

After years of being a Green Day hater, I'm absolutely addicted to American Idiot. No, I mean it's serious! I listen to the entire album nearly every day. Something like this hasn't happened since Garbage Version 2.0 (not in the iTunes store?!). I can't remember the last good concept album...or for that matter, a popular song with a catchy tune and chord progression. Give it a listen, or better yet give it two. You might be singing for days or even weeks.

Brand X arguments

2005-03-30T19:42:00.000-08:00

I almost completely missed that the Brand X arguments occurred yesterday. In my usual blog trolling, here's the best I found (OK, they're more from news sites than blogs):

In Broadband Case, Justices Seem Attuned to Internet Services' Arguments (law.com)
FCC Ruling Limits Competition, ISP Tells Justices (washingtonpost.com - a first rate analysis)

I'm in the midst of writing a paper on this very topic for AEJMC. Perhaps more on that later.

iBook back

2005-03-30T18:09:00.000-08:00

I finally got my iBook back today. I think this is the 5th time it conked out on me. This time, the fine DHL driver left my machine outside when we were under a tornado warning (2 out of 6 where they didn't require a signature). Needless to say, I'm getting sick of having problems w/ this machine... yet I'm so attached to it. Me and my iLife.

A rundown of the Grokster argument

2005-03-29T21:18:00.000-08:00

I've been looking for a good overview of the Grokster arguments all day...no luck with the news media. Best yet has been a blog posted by Timothy Armstrong.

Small Tables

2005-03-23T07:49:00.000-08:00

How much does table size matter in your choice of coffee shop. I like to study and hang around, so big tables are fine with me... yet I understand how it might be more profitable to squeeze more (smaller) tables into a small coffee shop. Yet, there's a statement of American culture in these big-table coffee shops that I like so much. Even when they're crowded, nobody ever asks if they can join you at your table-- they'd rather take the coffee for the road. In my experience, this wouldn't be the case in many European countries. Perhaps we're so used to having "our space" here, that we're unwilling to take the chance of being anywhere near another's space---especially when they're a stranger. Maybe "public spaces" don't matter that much here unless there's some sort of structure (like a club) to force interaction.

Laziness...

2005-03-20T20:50:00.000-08:00

My first couple of posts were about the proliferation of media choices, and the possible need for an editor. I've been thinking more ... maybe we're (I'm) too lazy in this respect. Rather than pick up something difficult or "worthwhile," it's easier to plop down and watch something I've Tivoed. Rather than take the time to search for an awesome song, it's easier to be lazy and have the radio select the music. Maybe, maybe ... being lazy isn't such a bad thing.

Consumerism, Commons, and the Public Sphere

2005-03-20T20:41:00.000-08:00

I just had an interesting thought (I'll admit, while reading A Consumers' Republic by Cohen). A typical argument for privatizing a commons, like a road, hospital, network, or a public space, is that it will improve if someone can a buck off of it. For example, while the post office once was a place for people to meet and discuss issues of local importance (see John, Spreading the News), another more modern equivalent might be the coffee house or book shop (or WalMart, or Barnes and Noble). Yet, it stands to reason that people hanging around a place like this talking for hours on end will not result in the establishment earning a maximum profit. Instead, the emphasis on "buying things" at locations may tend to divide people rather than bring them together -- thus preventing much of a public sphere from forming. To clarify, the profit motive of consumerism seems like it runs so counter to the ideals of a commons, that it may have an impact on the formation of the modern public sphere. I'm struggling for a defense of public commons here. Looks like it's back to Bowling Alone in the Offentlichkeit.

A choice or a suggestion?

2005-03-19T15:29:00.000-08:00

Another thing about "too much media" to experience. Browsing through iTunes looking for some music that's appealing can be a tiring job. To what degree is it easier/better to get "suggestions" of what's cool from a radio station (or even MTV)? Sure, there are playlists and podcasts that can help one dig up music, yet again they are nearly as numerous as the songs on them. Perhaps this is the essence of why editors are important. Even if a lot of truly good material is lost, it may be that an even greater amount of trash is filtered out. Something must be said for the "thrill" of the hunt, but maybe I just want to experience only what matters to me.

Digital Media Proliferation and the Advancement of Man

2005-03-19T10:00:00.000-08:00

When I think about how plugged in my day is, it’s amazing I can get anything of value done. Between the Tivo, iPod, Blogs, Newspaper, and DVDs I barely have time to really advance my mind by taking in something really stimulating. With all of this media around us, are we being distracted from reading or talking about something that has meaning to ourselves and to society. To make matters worse, the last 50 years have been an accumulation of so much material to read. As an academic, it seems like there is so much material from so many disciplines to read that there will never be a way to catch up and still keep current. Will we have to become so specialized that there won't be any way to do valuable cross-discipline work anymore?