~ Eric Knutson, Life is a journey...

Coming home from a long journey (kind of a Walkabout) I visited Lori and Fam. in her Antioch home last summer. It was a fine warm sunny afternoon, kids playing on the swing and swimming in the water. It was Jacqui's (the friend across the street) birthday and Eric, her husband, had planned for friends to just start showing up until she figured it out that this was all for her special day.
Eric cooked burgers on the BB-Q, girls gabbed about this and that, kids ran around in their crazy frenzy - the way kids are when they're gathered as a pack. I had to get on the road just before sunset to make it home by dark.
That was the happy family picture that I left, and will always remember.
It was just about a half an hour before sunset when I had to go. Seems like moments after being on the road... Eric manned the swing that arced out over the water. We didn't know it, but the wheels of fate were already in motion.
Soon came an accident that transformed everything - It was a bad choice. Eric's destiny would reorder that day.
Weird and freaky things happen - we say 'Why me?' -
The fickle finger chooses... we know not who or why.
It then becomes our mystery until we die.
His intentions were for a happy day and he had done a great job.
Now, everything is different.
There are new priorities on the horizon.
The paths, the lessons, the experiences, the love of family and friends will all take on deeper meanings. It will be a harder life; paths turned by fate need more attention and study. But, come the trail's end the work done could become clearer as to what it was really all about.

This is a note in a bottle tossed into the vast Cyber-ocean

and if it reaches you, it was a fated thing.

Check out Eric's web. Help out if you can.

"Everyone for Eric"

Change and the Information Age

There was one last task to be performed in our 'Emerging Media Practices' class.
Three from nine Final Essay questions needed thought, attention, and responses.
These were the lucky ones I decided on.

Q#1 I chose was: “Lessig (reading 11-3) claims that digital tools ‘dramatically change the horizon of opportunity for those who could create something new.” Do you agree? If so, in what way do you believe your horizons may have changed because of the ideas and tools you have acquired in this class?

The Changing Media Producer

“…Changing the horizon for opportunity…” now there’s a meaty piece of statement. That can be defined by a Grand Canyon of choices given. We as people sometimes have difficulty with too many choices. As young people (little ones), if the choices are limited, we can be guided to which ones suit and define our levels of interest. Yet we have no (or very little) experience on what to base that final decision on other than simple pleasure. As we grow, the knowledge base grows, comfort levels fluctuate, interests become focused, and hopefully we move toward choices that motivate us for reasons of skill, participation and social acceptance. Or, at the very least acknowledgment…and then we grow some more. Soon the thing called ‘priority’ comes higher in to play. Rational thinking argues about ‘Cost and Benefit’ and they also become part of the deciding factors.
It might have been Einstein who said, “The knock of opportunity is not often answered because it sounds like too much work.” To some, “…changing the horizon of opportunity…” may cause one kind of person to spin on their heels and head completely in another direction. Those are not the kind of people that will be discussed here. They are mostly boring anyway; their parts in any continuing story will most likely end long before the tail gets interesting. Change is usually not on the side of the past. It’s actually the leading cause of extinction. What existed before ‘the change’ will without a doubt be dramatically effected by ‘the change.’ So, depending on what side of the ‘change’ fence you stand on, will influence your opinion of it. The impact can be a small, a simple alteration…or, all encompassing, dramatic and metamorphic. Speaking to the latter, the Internet is not just a series of events leading to a new outcome; the digital age has ascended down like the book of Genesis. The apple has been divvied up. All who nosh on the quanta, all who have shared and contributed to this now infinite range in information - are changing (threatening) facts and tradition with each new digital erudition.
I have found the first bite to taste quite good actually, in a “Vegetables are good for you.”

kind of way.
The digital age arrived a short while ago. Whether this is a good or bad occurrence is debatable. The past speaks from wise old eyes. The hereafter is right now enjoying its moment in the on-deck circle, swinging a weighted bat. What’s to come it is not incapable of falling to this simple fact, (the future will also be ‘changed’ by its heirs) it is simply getting ready to catch the wave. Courageous and free, enjoying its autonomy, the ‘Entity Internet’ is the new fate.
In speaking earlier about tradition; restrictions, control, regulation; these kinds of standards successfully structured society as we know it today. The big Q is, if we stand on the backs of any of those values, could we see over the fence, or would the back break under the stress? This commentator simply worries about the quality of out-put. It’s only as good as the in-put. Pray for a balance. Crap, and quality, misleading, and meaningful, genuine, and junk, specious and substantial, in hopes that the artistic and creative cream will always rise to the top. Cultural systems are not supposed to be creative, it’s habitual practice, but it can set a standard to things that want to venture above and below the line. Then, we ask, “What is the line?” Is it intellectual, is it chronological? Is it political? Is it a line of process and examination? And who but I think these lines have more value than other lines? And how would the ‘Masters’ feel about it?
Returning to the original consideration, “…digital tools changing opportunity for those who could create something new.” To disagree, would be fall in line with one of those boring people I alluded to at the beginning of the story – and highly resistant to a relocation of values. Therefore, I agree.
I polled a few kids I know (not really enough to place in the annals of Gallop poll history) but enough to be surprised by the commonality of the answers.
Mainly, ‘That would be cool!”
They would say to the idea that the net could figure out the kind of music they like and not bother them with other junk tunes not of interest. To that I say; “Exposure kiddies!”
Perspective is what rounds you out, deepens your appreciation, and rewards you with more information. In my time, we called it “Food for thought.”
Creativity in its purest form is a very large unit of our total essence - in my growingly humble opinion. It is in harmony with evolution. To look at something new and see opportunity, to listen quietly and hear an idea, this is what lights up this writer’s human spirit.
In viewing creativity for the sake of its ‘bottom-line, embracing these new
‘digi-techno-tools’ will be exciting. They also will be numerous, complicated, aggravating, frustrating, as well as, joyful and accomplishing, (kind of like math.) And Viva the choices!

They will continue to delight and confuse me - well into the future.

Change And The Information Age

Q2 that I chose ~ Conventional wisdom assumes that media audiences are generally passive. What is the evidence that members of the media audience are, in fact, quite active?

The Changing Media Consumer

Conventional wisdom was correct in its day – a viewing audience may not have had a voice – however, they were indeed listening. Advertising told that story. So, given the opportunity to share in the headlines, to grab the limelight, to pop up onto the podium…what human wouldn’t spring at the chance to be heard? No matter how little they may have to say!

A residue of voices now smear across millions of ‘My Space’ pages. Billions of blogs have grayed the line between professional, journalistic and armchair observer – who happen to have a knack for entertainingly writing what they happen to see or think. And how many faces flood the U-Tube server hourly? We’re drowning in insecurity. The need for attention, to shock the nation, to win the ‘Outrageous’ competition, this is a force to be recognized and somehow dealt with. Though that’s not why I speak today.

The media audience has become not the audience of the past, it is quite active today and the evidence is in the above examples. Added to those are the gabby chat-rooms and the endless e-mails. “The longer you sit on them, the higher they pop.” Dauntingly we have a lot to say, and the platform is the whole planet.

We, the evolutionary children of mass-communication, like a restless youth, would grow weary of non-participation, suspicious of limited content, and anxious to play a bigger role. These irritants were bound to grow as an audience evolved. As technology developed, we asked more out of our youth, out of ourselves, and more from our entertainment. This kind of ‘reaching’ will cause restlessness to passive involvement.

Eventually.

That mark has been met. Applied science is the proverbial serpent in the garden. From the Telegraph to T-ivo, we feed the curious spirit. And now, it has come into its own, as the fated “Information Age.” So, what’s the media doing about that? It does what it has always done, try to control it, own it, and direct it. It conducts studies. Whole institutions have evolved from thoughtful examination on the posture of the media audience. Scholars have made their life’s work out of surveys, research, polls, even incubators of controlled environments. How fascinating it is to study how we tick, and what floats our boats.

Media is a wonder wheel, a voluptuous vehicle, which is transporting human kind as a species through the stretch of time.

If the item creates pleasure – well then by all means, and quickly, patent it, bottle it, and market it. If the monkey brain decides it cannot live without it – whatever ‘it’ is at that time, it will be acquired. New Item: ‘E-bay!’ another example of your average consumer getting a charge out of interactivity.

The evidence is all around, depending on your ‘POV’ (point of view.) Our special needs and interests are about as different as our opinions. Whether personal or social, passive or interactive, the media or the market, the audience or the anchors, the viewer or the viewed, they are all symbiotic in their very nature. If we listen we can learn. If we learn we can grow. If we’ve grown, then it’s been a good day.

Change And The Information Age

Q3 that I chose ~ Why is the fact that the Web is “profoundly unmanageable,” in Weinberger’s view, so crucial to its success as a communication and information medium?

The Changing Media Industry

The human experience parallels our wild childhood. The parental influence is simply our past. But when that child has come to young adulthood, when that mind has ideas of its own, which differ from the parent, it is useless to quarrel or oppose. It ultimately means it is time to release the grip. The parent must be confident that the best job was done. Question your work only once, cross your fingers, close your eyes, hold your heart and let go. For all the differences we possess, religious and political, from cultural to artistic, our destinies lay in the hands of how well we raise the child.

‘The unmanageable Web’…with babies at the helm poses questions of our eventual course. The navigation tools have been investigated, but they are new, and still out gathering information on this maiden voyage into ‘Absolute Connectivity.’ These tools also hold a reflective quality. Because of the need to put behaviors so openly into Cyberspace, if the earth could collectively mirror human kind as a united image, as a whole, what would the universe see?

I wonder.

What conclusion would the universe draw from our collection of voices and actions? Much of the identities spread on the Web are untrue. The anonymity factor is another human failing, though the core of us hasn’t changed very much at all from aught-one. I remember many moons ago asking a cute guy at a bar who he was and what he did. Eight out of ten times I did that, their responses were, at best, misleading.

So, this guy and this girl at a bar reached only a tiny piece of space around them. Put that load of malarkey on the net and you get some far-reaching potential. The basic premise remains: to have a platform that allows us to be bigger than we are, and infinitely more attractive.

So, what’s the up-shot? Now that the web is here, and here to stay, what will its contribution be? Creativity without control, imagination minus restriction, free speech, free thinkers, no fences, no borders. My God, that sounds like heresy! That is the age-old reason why conflicts abound.

To leave the Net unleashed, to allow its activity to remain limitless, and to keep it liberated is a fight for all people. What about the crazy ones? There have always been nuts, psychos and lunatics out in the world, as well as thieves and cons. Our world population was very tiny, comparatively, in days past. There are far more zeros in our population number today than in days of yore. Hence, per capita, the numbers of insane neurotics only rises proportionately.

Concurrently, there has always been war, poverty, and greed . . . controlling the Net, harnessing its direction would be a waist of time and money, and would not solve any of the above world issues.

In the words of a Beatle, “Let it be.” The net may be the largest collection of people and writings in the history of the world. So, how’s the quality of the content?

To say there is enough to keep an individual entertained, informed and educated, I’d say that particular quality is monitored well enough. What’s mind blowing is the fact that no ‘One’ person owns it, OUTRIGHT. The ‘Entity Internet’ has no ‘One’ boss, no ‘One’ owner, yet it’s monolithic as a unit. To control the content, monitor its copywriting material, and track the stealing of songs and ideas, these issues will get their day in (and out of) court. But, to lose the creative flow that every individual wants to share in, would truly be a crime.

Voice Against Tagging

~*~*~*~

Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA.
Hey A-holes, don't you have anything better to do? It’s like you think the world is your trashcan, your personal property. This is a really nice amphitheatre and it was built for everybody! If everybody in town tagged their stupid logo on it, your trivial insignificant writing would be meaningless. But you happened to be the only one selfish enough to deface what belongs to the community. If your board, look inside, that’s where that emotion comes from. If you’re so insecure that you need validation, well, “It sucks to be you.” My guess is you’re angry about something, like maybe you don’t feel you fit in society. Again, “It sucks to be you.” I know you have brain. You’re probably a pretty smart person, so think about other people. We all live here and want to share the public areas. You’re welcome to sit, talk, sing, dance, play… Just leave it the way you found it.
Think next time, be smarter.
Mahalo (thanks)

Podcast Script/Format below

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PodCast Script and Format

General PodCast Format

:10sec. Open – music sound-effects
:30sec. Intro – Date, Hosts, Episode #, Reviews of Segments, …
:30sec. Intro short history of next segment
5min. Sound bites “Tails From The Trail’ audio tapes from 7 day trail ride in ’98 New Zealand
5-7min. Interview – John Brown, singer, songwriter, filmmaker, father… (plowing straight ahead, come what may…) We’ll talk about: your dog-mushing days with Arley, songwriting, parenthood…
5-7min. Interview – Steve Gladman: Poet, artist, and documentarian. . . We’ll chat with Steve about his life as a starving artist, and how he keeps his spirits up while life keeps coming at him.
:20sec. Thank-you, to our guests and any info. If any they may wish to share.
2:30min. A few excerpts from the ‘Book of Dead Ideas’
:20sec. Rap-up. What to expect on the next show, program info, and thank-yous’ . . .
:10sec Music close.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Welcome, & Q's for the interview:

"We come now to our interview portion of the show and today we’re talking with John Brown, in Austin Tx. John is many things, including: a singer, songwriter, filmmaker, and father. “How are you today JB?” Wow, you have the same initials as Jimmy Buffett! Cool! So, you are all those things I fore mentioned but let’s start with the 80’s. "
John Brown Q’s: ~ I would like to kind of get a timeline from when you were ‘growed-up’. We met in Chi-town in ‘88.
1. I met you in the Sears Tower Studio, in the TV/AV Dept. back in the late 80’s. You were working for them doing studio and location video work, (lighting, right). Was that your start in film? What really hooked you into visual storytelling world?

2. Where did that take you? How did your interests shift to … film, music, mushing, songwriting…

3. You’ve also lived up in Minnesota for a spell. Tell us a bit about ol’Mr. Arley. Who is Arley? How did you meet him?
Do you still go up there? What’s dog-mushing like? How many dogs are up there? Have you made a film about that lifestyle? Where can we see it?

4. About your songwriting career…When did you start writing songs? What have you produced? Who are some of the famous musicians that you’ve played with? Where can our listeners find work? Do you have any upcoming venues that the folks can come and hear you play?

5. Shifting gears a bit…You’ve also become a dad not too long ago, what’s that like? Tell us about them. ~Has it balanced you, How has that directed your life, do you feel your path is more defined?

6. And lastly, you’re also becoming a minister!? What made you decide to go in that direction?
What are your ‘peeves’ about humans and their predicted course? Do you have ‘visions’ about what might give us a chance, for our future, as a species?

~ Well I thank you JB for taking time out of your schedule to join us. Is there anything else you’d like us to know about, any future endeavors…: upcoming venues, films, this is where you get plug yourself . . .
~ Okay kiddo, thanks again for sharing on the D’Tours PodCast Pilot show. I hope we have widened your listening base a bit. Good luck!

We are going to end this segment with one of your songs – do you have one about life up in the Tundra? …The excitement of dog-mushing days? …Arley? POV of ‘A dog’s life’…?
If you have anything you would like covered in the interview, by all means bring it on…
My blog: D’Tours

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Open Script

Music
"Aloha, Kai-ora, Bulla, Bon-jour, Hola… everybody!
…how many ways there are to say ‘Hi’ and welcome! We are so glad you’re loaning us your ears for awhile, and happy you decided to choose ‘D’Tours for your listening enjoyment.
This happens to be our ‘Pilot’ program. But, this episode # will be 101. Just because even my banks will start me off with checks beginning at 100 (it’s seems less green that way) so even though this episode may be the first, we didn’t want it to appear that way.
My name is DLN and I’ll be you emcee today.
U R listening to “D’Tours” podcast episode 101 – today’s date is November 5th 2007

Introduction of show content: ~ What’s it all about?
Segment #1. “Tales from the Trail” Sound bites from the road, pieces of recordings I've gotten while traveling.

"To compress the mission of our existence will be difficult but I’ll try.
D’Tours is a philosophy. It’s a way of traveling through life. By developing this laid-back style I’ve enriched the experiences I've had while visiting these places. By needing more information...by having to go out and hunt for it, and meet someone, and ask questions, it has deepened the meaning of the trip, and embedded the culture into a memory far more significant than say the ‘package deals’ with too much info, too little time, and too many extraneous photos at the end.
What you’ll hear are some excerpts from these travel recordings I’ve done while on the road.

~~~~~~~(This segment will be one or, the other depending on availability) ~~~~~~~~
Segment #2. Phone poems: These are people I’ve met along the way of life. Smart people, enlightened people, crazy people sometimes, famous sometimes. Sometimes they may not seem, at first, to have much to offer, however, their words are very extraordinary if one stops long enough to listen.
Interviews: These are also people I’ve met along the way of life. Smart people, enlightened people, crazy people sometimes, famous sometimes. We'll talk to them about life...What are their ‘peeves’ what are their ‘visions.’ Sometimes they may not seem, at first, to have much to offer, however, their words are very extraordinary if one stops long enough to listen.
(Why on the phone? …because these are many bright and creative people. Our comet-tails pass through one another’s orbits oh-so briefly; we elapse quickly and then travel on and away to our other unique destinations; to match latitudes regularly, becomes quite infrequent.)
. . .So, we’re callin’ ‘em up!”

Segment #3.
“Excerpts from the “Book of Dead Ideas”, or, (‘POTT’ ~ Philosophy of Travel Tips.)
** “Dead Ideas” ...Everyone has had an Idea that might (or not) have gone somewhere famous. Given more time, money, more information, dedication, it could have, would have, been Great! And, much of it is about opening that flap in your face and spitting it out into the universe. ‘Poohoowee’ “Here-ya-go! . . . Take-it! . . . Run! "You're Welcome!” Here, is where we share some of those folk’s ideas, like yours and mine who are willing to give’em-up ...to the Cyber-Cosmos.
* In POTT, I’ll share some Natural Logic, from past travel training, which has had positive effects on embracing the travel experience. ‘Attitude is Primary my friends.’ When talking about the value of a journey, one’s approach should ebb-and-flow as all things organic do everyday. If your head is in the right place, what happens next is magic.


Rap-up: “Thanks for joining us. We are pleased to have shared our ‘Alpha’ show with you today. Check-in now-and-again for more: Tales-from-the-Trail, ‘Phone-Poems’ and Interviews, as well as tips for the Traveling Head. Let’s hope that this is the beginning of more exciting contributions to the big and beautiful web-world, and, your awesome and evolving MP3 players.
Thanks to: our guests, sponsors, contributors, . . .
. . .and we’ll end with a Cool-Quote.

This one’s from Bill Maher – “Question. All the time, question –if we didn’t, it would become …Religion.

15sec Music close. (Pipes from musicians at FaerieWorld, Eugene Oregon, 2006)

End Program~

WebSite Theme ~ Art Gallery and Travel Philosophy

Theme of the website
(Topic, tone content, etc.) This theme will be of' Pro-personal interests. I've wanted to put together a website like this for almost 10 years! Thanks EMP.
" D’Tours", is an attitude for traveling through life. It’s a philosophy. It’s a heady place to visit. Topics that we'll cover:
* Art Galleries and thoughts from the artists. Tour a virtual gallery, see their work, and choose to look or shop. ~ The tone could be somewhat cluttered, interestingly so, much like an artists studio. ~ Content will have images of their work and interesting viewpoints about how they live and labor.
* The traveling side will explore the art of traveling: "Embracing the land and its people and being embraced back" are words to live and travel by. By following the D’Tours travel map, one will be able to trek across America, through a developing thread of ‘out of the ordinary’ locations to stay. Those who have the nerve to venture out of the comfort zone will find a great journey. They will be working and staying on these property's, visiting with the wonderful people that live there, sleeping in unexpected places and learning surprising things – about their hosts - and even about themselves. ‘Techno Hippies’ could be a connection-place for smart, bio-event and sustainable-living people. Sales and seminars would be listed regularly, Y-fy connection locations, tips & tricks for assisting the ‘old dog’ to join in on the wave of the future. D’Tours could also have ideas on ways to ‘Walk gently in the earth’. This old hippy goes techno. Yet continuing an appreciation of harmony w/ nature, and, the value of - often in getting lost to find things, is a necessary talent to obtain and maintained if one is to be good at it.
Title Ideas ~ ~ ~ Traveling Heads ~ ~ ~ “D’Tours” “Tales From The Trail” “OzArt Gallery”
Design notes:
As I talked about in the Gallery idea, it will be cluttered in an interesting fashion. Keeping with crisp gray tones, D’Tours, Techno Hippies,… will be have earth tones, kind of like -vegetable colors: pumpkin, mustard, sage, eggplant…. creating an ‘earthy’ mood. Not sure of the fonts, though I’ve always liked the ‘serf’ look for any writing, otherwise I would use Comic Sands.
I’d also like to use a 'Rune' symbol somewhere: ‘Radio’ This is to reflect the physical and spiritual journey we’re all on. This character also represents transformation and personal development.
Ideas for flash animation:
I've looked at various flash openings on different websites. I think keeping it simple at first: Titles fading and zooming out to place, A slide show where pix change, maybe the subtle movement of a feather falling from one place on the page to another.
Ideas for Pod-cast:
I had an old idea for pod-casting former Honolulu morning radio shows I recorded, back then, to play in the car when I was in mainland rush-hour - it kept me many times from going nuts and dying a slow death in Chgo. traffic. Also, could be former recordings from NewZealand trail rides in '98. Anyway: here's the show (rough-draft) format:

“No Beast In My Village”

We were asked to verify our opinion on the 'Strengths & Weaknesses of the web as a medium of communication.
*~*~*~*~*

Here is my response. This writing actually goes with the Remediation reading from 'Living in The Information Age' read Critique / to sample chapters, Understanding New Media. Personally, the whole reason that I took this class was to get, just a tiny bit, caught up with a world that was quickly passing me by. In just ten years I have gone from owning a would-be computer machine (5megs of ram) never connected and seldom got played with, to being connected everywhere! I'm wired in dozens of coffee shops across the country. Having infinite information, literally at your fingertips is a truly mind-boggling occurrence. The elderly would never have regarded it, and, the next generation couldn’t live without it.
~ Writer's Definition of 'Beast':
It's big for one thing! It’s dangerous, cunning, uncontrollable, consuming and it’s banging on my door. The Internet is a beast.
Now, there's intention, for one thing, to want to get all mid-evil in this characterization and have 'The Beast' drool and smell. But, we all know what this is really about. It’s one of the biggest meanest ‘baddest’ mothers of the ‘global’ valley and it needs to be respected for those Goliath-like reasons alone. When something really big is in your neighborhood the appropriate action would be to never let it out of your sight. Study it. Know its habits, what it likes to eat and if it’s looking for you in particular. I cannot control this beast, I wouldn’t even want to, however, to be educated to it would be the smart thing. The irresponsible thing here would, to be the libel ostrich and pay no attention to the hot breathing on the back of my neck.
“No Beast In My Village”
A story by Dln
Once upon a time, there was a simple community on the East Cape of the north island in very rural New Zealand. Māori society has traditionally been one based on rank. That particular village had a female at the helm. She was a big, straightforward woman married, weirdly enough, to a red-headed X-film director from Hollywood. Who incidentally had been out of the loop for a very long time, he appeared happy, yet seemingly starving for information about the world outside his current situation. “What’s happening out there?” “Who’s in charge - how’s society doing? …any new discoveries?” He wanted the scoop from the outside world. What could I possible tell him that he might need to know there in a nowhere New Zealand paradise? His wife, we’ll call her ‘Mrs. Chief’ became quite guarded, started throwing rank and prejudice around till there was little room for much else like ‘The News.” It was visibly clear that she was the editor and ‘chief’ of all reports that come to this quiet village. If she did not deem the information worthy, or it would be harmful to her power, it would not be allowed. There was no radio in the house. Television and newspapers had no place either on the property. All current events went by her first. She would decide how much weight to put on them, and she had ‘heaps of heavy’ to go around. The community, the director’s wife and kids and their home were all in a wonderfully scenic spot about 30 miles or so south of Gisborne. While that is understated dramatically, it was a lost piece of heaven on earth. And, the Big Mama’ wanted to keep it that way. I couldn’t have blamed her for that. Making myself aware to her defensiveness I laid subservient and respectful throughout the visit. Trying to stay off her toes wasn’t an easy task. She let me know repeatedly how I was out of line with their ways. I understood her disdain at my messenger-like presents, with news from the outside world –Big City Info and all - and slept on the beach that night. Thinking about her feelings of power, her ownership of the village, her position, it wasn’t hard to see the way she viewed it: “If I don’t know about it, it’s not worth knowing.” "It's existence is insignificant and therefore denied."
Well, that kind of stand will get you just so far, and in that world, that was far enough. The personal effect this had was of humbled awakening. I understood her fear cloaked in dominance. Yet, what I got out of that power struggle was this. It’s OK to deny the beast access to your home. It’s fine to forbid him to even speak in your presence. It’s even suitable to believe in your own welfare and safety for the village. But, don’t pretend that ‘The Beast’ doesn’t exist… that he’s not nearing your door, and otherwise lives on your island, moreover, will eventually grow larger that you given enough to eat. Know the creature called technology. Don’t live in ignorant resistance. Educate yourself on the habits and tendencies that come with the territory.
The Information Age is upon us. It will be a part of the future, sooner or later - probably sooner in my world than later in hers.
. . .And they all lived and died happily ever-after.
The up shot... -the deal, you know there’s always a deal. My dad sent me an article cut from the Honolulu Star Bulletin ‘On the Net’ Inventive visuals reign in this site. There are some pretty phenomenal sites out there. These are a must to check out!

"Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can."

~Danny Kaye

Worlds Highest website
Circoripopolo goes Artistque
The Human Brain Cloud
Light Bright

and more at the 'Artful Web'!!!!

podcasting – Hawaiian style

~ Remediation ~

‘Remediation’

Def: The Reproducing or Refashioning of old media with new.

I’ve done the reading on Remediation in our “Living in the Information Age” The New Media Reader -and I have to say it was probably the most confused that I’ve been this semester yet. I read, I highlighted -sentences were underlined, many passages were remarked even notes were attempted in my journal. After much anguish and a clear avoidance to the assignment, I’ve instead come up with a story. Last summer I took my once-in-ten annual road-trip across America, visiting friends and family. I hadn’t seen my cousins in Seattle in seven years. Arriving there in mid-September the weather was optimal for the Great North East. One of my cousins, Kay Kline - has 'Therapist' on her shingle, yet she is far to the other side of your standard shrink. Kay married to Jim and they've raised two great kids, Mason and Mattie. Mason is off at collage thousands of miles away. 'Mattie' has hit a bit of a rough patch. She's currently at living at home -figuring out in which direction to next through her Stone. (A term I use often – though some say ‘Dart’.) The two kids were together, the summer before, visiting in Boston where Mason is attending the University. On a stellar day one particular afternoon, they were sitting in an outdoor café having lunch. The two of them had just gotten off the phone talking with their mother and thought it a fun idea to take a shot of this moment with Mason’s photo phone. They got their faces as close as they could and snapped a self portrait electronic image. Cheek to cheek they smiled and clicked. In a flash of the send button, my cousin had instantly received it thousands of miles away back on the West Coast.

I have to apologize now for failing to mention earlier -Kay is also quite the artist. She dabbles in quite a few different artistic mediums. After receiving the photo her spontaneously and creative mind went right to work. She took the two digital figures that flew through the air, across terrain and time zones, downloaded them and brought them up on her computer. After working the visual in Photoshop she printed the pair onto paper at first and began the process of washing, etching, and maybe stamping it to a kind of tappa-cloth. I don’t know, ironing it and inking it. Over weeks, there were many failed attempts but, she kept at it. Burning, pressing, using different intensities and kinds of paper or cloth, until, she got the look and texture that had for so long been her artistic quest. All these processes though were old-ways in the art world. Yet, anything can be found and figured out on the Internet today.

Anyway, it took a few months to perfect the look and quality she sought. By Christmas it was framed and wrapped under the tree for their holiday gift. Bringing back their fond memories of a great summer trip, they were delighted. Brother and sister now edged and blazed in art, their youthful sibling bond beautifully mixed. That moment in the café was ‘metamorphic’ now beautifully recreated, hanging on the wall for all the years and tears and memories to come.

. . . That’s Re-mediation!

WIP (work in progress) reports for class

In this posting, Prof. Cooke asked her students to look around on the net and find what we think might be a good example of 'Good' & 'Bad' websites. Here's what I found:
Bad
Silvana's web on symbols. Why you wonder? My guess is she is still learning about her site. It seems unfinished. Her text runs outside the designated area. She has picked yellow lettering on white background and that's painful on the eyes. There is also annoying advertisement on the site that detracts to the mistier of her site.

Good
I won't say this one is good, yet it's simple and maybe something I would do. Hallmark Welsh Ponies. I could get around, I know what I was looking at, they had a pleasing and appropriate background. It didn't fit and it tiled and I now know what and how that happens. This is a site that I will try to emulate just because I understand the elements of simplicity.

What is the solution to the file-sharing issue?

Starting with why Public domains are never as desirable as Private ones. Public vs. Private, it has been a feud the rich will always triumph over; parks, homes, golf courses, clubs, schools, are all supposedly better when privately managed, at the least they are more expensive. Why is it that across the board private, controlled territories have more value? Is it the input – is it the quality? And if so, why is that? With anything educational, if it’s privately owned, and funded – it lends to a higher caliber. Its standards will be excellent; the rules will be strict and well-enforced. We have come to expect the nature of private controlled groups of power as worthy of our time and dedication. So, why don’t publicly owned and operated groups nearly capture the respect and regard for their output? Money! Coin my friends, capital, cash, dinero. Income must be generated - and at great levels. A collection of taxes can never, or has yet to, amount to the needs of all who preside in the public domain. Public service workers, though mostly dedicated, don’t get the big bucks to work for the people so, the problem will not be solved by them anytime soon.
I will not address the issue of power today, that 'human-failing' is big enough on its own. What I will discuss is, in most societies, respect walks with worth, always has, always will.

There is also a saying: “You get what you pay for.” Though it’s not really about receiving quality product for the dollar paid, where I'm coming from is about an appreciation and regard of the thing rendered. ~ It’s an attitude people!

My father paid me very-well for babysitting – at the time I didn’t know or care why. When it came time in my life for a good 10-speed, I had the money to pay for it. “You don’t expect me to use my money!” says I. “If you buy it yourself, you’ll appreciate it more,” says he. When something is free we tend to value it less. Its worth lacks a bit even though someone else paid greatly for it. You pay - the joy is yours. You own it.
I would like to see the day when we move away from actual paper currency altogether – it’s one of the two organized entities that breed greed and hypocrisy. (But we are far from that day right now.) I’ve always admired the philosophy in Gene Rodenberry’s world: - personal growth and achievement constituted the value in a person. The need for payment of labor was a fine idea, and necessary for markets and communities to grow and prosper.

Industries like the entertainment business are having a particular go-of-it. Music, beat-making, movies, gaming ideas, are all being ransacked out of millions in lost revenue. Dollars are not going back into the pockets of the artist who labored over their work. What is the solution for requiting costs of equipment, talent, energy and the time it took away from an artist’s life to create their work? Entertainment is a Business, and, the business mind runs over the playful artistic spirit with a coldly detached force; though both groups may be genius in their fields, with the very nature of each, the ruthless one lays obvious doom to the more free and flexible one. Yet one could not survive without the other. They are unmistakably symbiotic. Their relationship is beneficial in that – great organization is needed to harvest the benefits of great aesthetic works. The business end, shrewd and clever, leaves the art up to the artist to muse and inspire.
What we are currently lacking is a system that shares the credit and success. Goods and services are what I’ve been pondering in the above paragraphs. Having access to the use of a product as a resource, however, is a canyon of a gray area. Taking copyrighted material and reworking it as your own, adds still more complications to this new wrench-in-the-works called: P2P, (peer-to-peer) a popular and contagious file-sharing process. This is an activity that makes files from one computer available to other users on the Internet. The computer data is then shared with other networks. One way to ‘get a handle’ on what goes out and who’s involved, is to have different levels of access privileges to different clients. Hey, “New Rule!”
Free exchange of information and musical product is the philosophy of youth. Some say it’s all in the marketing – a direction I will always concur. (People weren’t starting fights over the shortage of new VW Bugs or PT Cruisers - that was some ad guy’s bright little campaign idea.)
As far as ideas for fixing the file-sharing piracy issue:

* Keep and demand superior quality. - Bootlegs are facts of life; they have their place but are far from running the world.

* Live and let live. - Follow the document. Compile the data. Create a company to keep the ‘other’ guy honest.

* If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. - It is said that this activity stimulated social interest in music, a positive action; this effect generates more, not less, fans.

* Encrypt the material; what ever happened to copy-guard?

* Sample Material: Former employers of mine would cut holes in apparel products, so associates would not take them home or profit from the retail they displayed.

My guess is a Private Company, ‘L&CFSA’ will legalize it, legitimize it, market it and sell it.
It will have amazing data collection software, a vast document library, high quality, friendly customer service and guaranteed satisfaction - all in an affordable little package.
There will always be a variety of both private and public institutions. It’s part of the balance. This too will work itself out, time will pass, and, the next phase of exciting problems will originate out of the ever evolving Internet.

Also, an interesting and informative blog spot on this topic: Shuman's.com

Social Responsibility used to be taught in church

On a simian note:
Without a face people, can be utterly rude. Without identity, they can be obnoxious and bold. The coward can be courageous. People can be by nature, more boorish when driving in their cars than say on the beach or at a crowded mall. Put the he's and she's behind car-horns and tinted windows and their mothers might wilt in shame at the very notion of the asinine behaviors their offspring have grown to own. Anonymity is a vast and illusive place to hide. There are no faces on line; accountability doesn’t have to be personally owned. These are the flaws of cyberspace. Compassion comes with close experience and physical interaction. We simian beings, however, haven't done such a good job face to face so, maybe I over emphasize the issue.
Perhaps we could have an open platform of “New Rules”. Not just Bill Maher’s but, everybody’s. We would contribute to these ‘New Rules’ as ongoing Internet Principles with which to abide, argue or defy.

And there they’d be for all to see.
And they would ebb and flow
and come and go
and grow.

I have no answers other than to say: ~ Social Responsibility! Yet depending on your social circle, your ‘tribe’ so changes your version on responsibility. The average ghetto kid, I guarantee you, has a different spin on what’s responsible. The Maori has a whole other set of priorities than the Kiwi does. And the Spammer has intentions of an entire other sort. But I think, deep inside, people have an able idea of how far one can push the envelope before damage is done.

So, play nice everybody. Take care and heed at least one rule, the Golden Rule:
"Treat others only in ways that you're willing to be treated in the same exact situation." We are fast becoming a global interacting community. It will be important that we grasp this simple awareness, and, apply it soon!
This may just be the divide from our simian self that we have so long been working towards.

New Rules

When the surf’s up, and, a wave is walling-up, there is never much time to think about it. Get the ride or get out of the way for somebody else to have a crack.
And like surfing or driving or any other mass transit operation (this evolving Internet entity) for that matter, there cannot be function and achievement without some basic ground rules. For living, some call them the Commandments. There’s also your basic Golden Rule. For SCUBA divers, it’s to: “Always, always, always, follow your bubbles.” There are simpler (common sense) ones too: Don’t piss into the wind or eat the yellow snow. All games, driving, flying and most supermarkets all have rules too.
So do all successful systems. Yet, who is going to decide about the 'Net' and how it's run? What will be the rules placed on the people of the truly Global Internet? Should it be the users that determine policy? Should it be the teachers? Should it be the inventors, programmers, corporate moguls? Who’s to choose how we interact and use this creature called World Wide Web? These are questions that are being discussed and answered as we speak. If you want a voice in this decision, you better speak up and speak soon. In the Lake Charles American Press last week there was an interesting short piece in: “Tech Bits” about Japan to research Internet replacement!
This article is in its entirety at the Washington post:

Is The Internet Organic?

To use the words ‘Tribe’ and ‘Internet’ in the same sentence never would have occurred to me even a year ago. And now it strikes me as an almost natural phenomenon.
In warming-up to an appreciation for ‘micro-content’ I’m seeing the picture change right before my eyes. It’s exciting to see, more than just outrageous behavior and self-absorbed megalomaniacs. With a positive side to the net, we as a species may in fact still have a chance. There’s real opportunity here, and, room for the balance of minds to collaborate and cohabitate in cyberspace. And the tribes man, "they are a formin'". ‘Like’ attracts ‘like’. Thank you too, the ‘filtering’ process. That has made the big difference in focusing information. It’s even fun; those with a specified interest can easily find similar thinking communities, even nations of people with paraelle persutes. There are groups out there that communicate for hours on end, relating solely through the keyboard and mouse, never meeting, yet they have this commonality, this event that connects their allied interests. It is tribal in the sense that social groups form and interact with scores of things, from a fundamental or multifaceted game to a thought, or opinion, or belief. These mind clusters move and shift, ebbing and flowing almost organically as the evolution of the Internet advances.
Distinguished by the Yin and Yang of minds, the gray area is what separates where you and I might fall.
So, where do you fit in all this techno progression my elevated friend? Where is your head? How do you interact on the Net, out in the epic web between craft and perversion?

Second Entry in Blog Phylosophy

How do overly restrictive controls cripple creativity?

The operative word in the former sentence is ‘overly’ restrictive. Can’t we just call some of them guidelines? ‘Them’ being the things that protect the creator and his original work. But then the argument could be, when the creation was original to begin with? Some say that everything has been re-done, re-told, re-formatted, and derived from the Greeks. Though the Internet is no by-product of anything, except maybe some great science fiction writers of the day. But they again probably commandeered it from some by-products of the Greeks.

Some governing is good. If it is done honestly, fairly, justly and for the good of the people it would be a good system. Then we argue what is good for some people is not good for another. Yet I’m not so sure we have done well so far. There will always been a ‘Human Factor’. As a species are we ready for self-governing. If it didn’t work well with a ‘human-factor’ at the helm what makes us think with no one at the helm but the ‘collective’ and the money makers that we’ll be fine now? And picture millions of ships at sea all sailing around without rules. It could get quite dangerous out there. All corrupt, greedful captains operating out there saying “My way or the highway.” The question still remains: “Are we ready to self govern? Can we handle the responsibility?”
Wise-up people! To read more about a Free Culture
to read more: by Lawrence Lessig: 'Free' Quotes

Blog sites and other interesting places to visit

The following sites are borrowed from the 'net. Browse and benefit: ...weird, outrageous, collaborative, curious, intriguing ... and other sites of interest:
_______________________________________________________
* Travis visited my blog in '06. I visited back and now share with you. BlankSlate

* Dln-D'Tours from the writers previous blog: DLN blog created 2006

* What is 43 Things?
43 Things is a place where you can write down your goals, get inspired by others, and share your own progress.

* ...and what's this about "Tiny Mice"? About TinyMCE Version: 2.0.9
TinyMCE is a platform independent web based Javascript HTML WYSIWYG editor control released as Open Source under LGPL by Moxiecode Systems AB.

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

Posted 9/2

There is a battle forming out on the cyber horizon. We quietly surf the virtual ‘net unaware of the relentless conflict beneath the surface, those who need to own and control,
and, everybody else.
We, part of the ‘everybody’, who play and create, communicate and learn, and share, are at odds in our thinking with the owners of systems and monies that run a lot of it, and it probably won’t be a fair fight. So, about what will succeed? The many of us that practice and benefit by putting into action the boundlessness of the technological world just by clicking a mouse…artists, writers, poets, photographers, storytellers, NEED TO HEED! We all sail freely through this ocean of information. For the moment this is at no cost.
All internet users will be affected one way or another by how the ‘net is run and modeled in the near future. We could continue to enjoy our limitless resources found in the global web of mega-data, and pay no attention to the ‘Privet vs. Public Internet’ issue. We could also soon wake to a decision that has been made for us on how we are allowed to use and interact with the World Wide Web and all its occupants. The mere fact that this networking entity is global and approximately 1.4 billion people are ‘at once’ on line at any given time, this is not just a Washington argument.
In my class (EMP) Emerging Media Practices, we have been given a ‘heads-up’ on this crucial issue and the weight of these conflicting of philosophies is evident. The campaign for control is closer that we think. It’s here.
The task at hand for the next class was to find interesting ‘Weblogs’ on preferred topics of choice. Of course where my interests usually wonder is always: the rebel related issues, rooting for the underdog, defending the endangered species, backing-up all things free-thinking. I didn’t like it when they took away my public access to the beach. I’m mad that cable gives so little to Public Access Television compared to their profits in their pockets. And does anybody care that clever untold chunks are being bitten out of our treasured freedom everyday and it’s being blindly overlooked.

~ Proprietary vs. Open Source ~
There are places to visit on the net that give an education on this issue. Follow them. Click the links to get information, and, if you would pass one or two on to me, I’d be grateful.

VHS / Beta
Red or White
Lite / Regular
Dogs or cats
. . .

First entry on Blog Philosophy

We (being me, who often talks in the 2nd or 3rd person) are in research for new and interesting blogs filling the web today. Let's see what all the hoopla is about. It is being said that the public platform of ‘blogging’ is the (not necessarily new anymore, but) a gaining popular approach of communication. It’s an open forum, truth in communication, free thinking, creative and honest opinions, and, there’s no stopping it!
That is if legislation can keep their greasy capitalist paws out of it. As soon as I heard that this platform and the free internet as a whole is being discussed in Washington. "Ahhhhhhhhh"...and has proprietary enemies that want to suppress open speech and thinking, I saw the battle lines being drawn. We must stay on the side of free expression, right and honorable communication; argue for harmony and for the earth. We do that, we’ll grow well. The idealist in me has always given the people of the planet more credit than they may be worth. In my defense, that cannot be helped, there is more ‘better’ than ‘bad’ in the world ~ there has to be. All mothers want peace and happiness for their children. They want them to have the opportunity to play on green grass, climb tree-houses, and swim in pure waters of rivers, ponds or oceans. The world is full of tests and lessons, hardship and hurdles, obstacle and setbacks. Challenges, great discoveries are also tricky.
So does the saying go: "With great freedom comes great responsibilities." "Can we handle it?"
Richard Bach said it in a little book called “Illusions” … “There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hands. You seek problems because you need their gifts.”
Other quotes from this book and Jonathan...
Seagull,
Illusions...

New article in “The Beacon News” somewhere out of the Mid-west.

Candidates today have to be careful with what they say during their soap-box performances. With the elections rounding the corner and soon headed for the barn, anything can and will be misconstrued and taken out of context by the opposition. What you say in the morning can be overtly splashed across the wires instantaneously. A reputation can be destroyed by lunch. With just a few clicks of a mouse, in no time at all really, a fair and rational politician can get bulldozed right out of the race. The conservative Paparazzi of U-Tubers are dogging the liberals and vice-versa. Reporters are the ‘in-touch’ people today, and they’re just waiting for the chance to be the one that caught the big fish in a blunder-net on their cell phones. Up-loaded to the web and ‘that’s all she wrote folks.’ Web-loggers on the other hand have their opinions. Tracking the speeches, word-for-word, the ‘people press’ are in relentless pursuit of even one verbal mishap, while blogger’s write about what they heard in the speech or how they interpreted a particular statement. Depending on the popularity of the writer, influences can be made. What is said can easily be taken out of context and rewrapped or spun in a negative way that can harm the original message.The up-shot: It gives choice of information to the people. We are no longer fed what the NEWS wants us to eat... This is the New Media.
So, be careful kiddies, the ‘New Media’ is out there in force and ready to pounce on your every word. With instant broadcast of any live event, not only speech conferences or political figures are fair game. No matter the topic, everyone has a different opinion, perception, and agenda. What you say or do will mean something to someone. Depending on whose side you’re on, the personal ‘slant’ can be for or against the original or sincere pitch. (William Goldman) The Princess Bride, (1987) Westley: “Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.”

For the story: go to the article from the Beacon.

Mod’ularity

Speaks

Mod Squad

Thoughts on modularity and the future.

These are some thoughts on the New Media, and, Frances Cairncross's predictions about its impact on society, the future and our role in it all.
Some highlights of the 30 manifestoes are: ‘Death of Distance’, ‘More Customized Content’, 'Proliferation of Ideas', 'Loss of Privacy', 'Redistribution of Wages', and,

'Communities of Culture'.

Coming from someone of Time-Distance by shear perspective (age) alone, I personally find much of new technology awfully frightening to say the least. I had said for many years that we are re-wiring the brains our youth. …and actually I've been saying it long enough that it is not an 'are' anymore but a 'have'. That previous statement has successfully and officially been placed in the past. We've done it! The new technology has been assimilated. Resistance was futile!

Now, on with the (Task Question): What makes the New Media Revolutionary?

The invention of Fiber-Optics in the ‘80’s, to me, was the pivot point. Once we learned how to compress a signal, the proverbial Genie was out of the bottle so to speak. Affordability then, became the new challenge.

Soon after that it was about compressing computer power. Enter next phase in the NMR (New Media Revolution) Silicon came into great demand. Apparently, again, size does matter! Make it compact and affordable and everybody will want one.

When the first satellite went up through the atmosphere, the world instantly became smaller. Heck if you hold a mirror just right you can see around a corner. When satellites, Telstar and PanAmSat went into orbit in the early 60's, we could see around the globe! The more information the more ideas; the more ideas the more concepts; “Hey, what if we could connect all the computers in the world so they would talk to each other?” someone said. “They could share information altogether!” said the collaborating voice in the room. Tah-dah! The Internet was born!

Of course this 60 years I speak of is all in this nut-shell report. In the perspective of the overall ‘big-picture’, and the duration humans have been milling around on the planet, we’d all have to agree that was pretty flippin’ fast.

So, to capsulate: Fiber-optics, signal compression, Silicon, smaller & more powerful, Mirrors in the sky and digitizing transmissions, these main factors shaped the computer-world we know today and will continue to form and reshape our thinking hereafter.

Other contributors to the ‘Techno-Age’ where we would not be without: ‘the all mighty mouse’, and of course demand, affordability, and mobility. And, the fact that we already had preceding wondrous inventions, called the Telephone and the Television. Both were contribution marvels by themselves. Yet, their inventors have not been noted and I apologies. With out question their credit is necessary. Thank you ‘Alex G. Bell’, and, ‘John Logie Baird’ if Google is indeed correct and you really did invent Television.

However, that brings up the Q: radio and T.V is about frequency (which is magic in itself) so, is it really the Television that helped bring this new age about, or, was it simply “Programming”?

Part II

The up-side and the down-side of all this electronic digital hocus-pocus has not yet been discussed here which will now be done in brief. These are all simply the writer’s opinion so no boo’s and hiss’s please. 6 of 30 predictions from Frances Cairncross (The Trendspotter's Guide to New Communications) From the book: The Death of Distance

• The Good: #17, 22, 27. Distance learning and on-line classes will be of definite benefit to remote locations. And it does stick the knife in the back of Distance, leaving it to a sad demise. (I’m a believer in time and perspective.) Though, when you are trying to tell someone about how other people and cultures live and then are able show them, or better yet talk with them, it can reveal to us that we are different and what we experience is not all the same. #22 is a toughie. Moving money, and occupations around the globe, some might say this will even-out the economic playing field. I think the Right would not like that, and, the Left would be all for it. Since I don’t get the lion’s share of corporate dollars anyway, I’m for good days pay for good days work. There should be plenty to go around. And if not than there’s a glut somewhere and a little cage-rattling might be just the thing for humanity. #27 Giving indigenous peoples a voice and sharing that voice with the world might give us the perspective that we are losing with Distance dying. Community must endure. Survival of culture is distinctly necessary. As long as truth is priority we should be okay. There, the little ideaist monster just peeked over my shoulder again.

· The Bad: #5 What in the world will Nielsen do for work? Though I jest…unless we get better programs, the personal programming will still be bad; it will just cost to watch it. What might the down side be? Instant-gratification has long been a thorn in the side of patience. And much of human nature is far too comfortable with the word “Want” anyway. Now, you know my cynical side.

• The Ugly: #21 Loss of Privacy. How much more needs to be said? The monitoring of people’s movement cannot be okay for some and not for others. I do think if one does business outside the law, they’re an outlaw, and therefore the law should not apply? ‘Judge not let ye be judged.’ But, that’s a different argument. There has been heaps of futuristic lore in writings and film that warn against the monitoring of people and I fear there is no stopping it. “Be careful the freedoms you give up in the name of security.”

I think I said that.

~ End report ~