Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Emanuel Goldstein - You've Been Made Redundant, Old Chap

It is remarkable the amount of privacy we are willing to give up with our online presence; we open our homes, intimate relationships, and business dealings for all the world to see. (Privacy settings or not, the info will always be found outside the environment if you know where to look and want to put the effort in). 

This over-exposure for the sake of desired recognition in an increasingly congested world is a new phenomenon brought on by the advent of Facebook and Twitter. There is a long history of groups and individuals exposing the salacious and mundane of their daily lives for all to see on the internet as part of what is now called lifecasting. Some of the early provocateurs:


Jennicam – a 7-year project where Jennifer Ringley started with one camera in her, often empty, dorm room to life with cameras in every room of the house, documenting every aspect and function of her life. As a work-from-home ‘web designer,’ she provided both free-(a picture update every 10 seconds) and paid –(update every couple of seconds and eventually live streaming as broadband became more widely available) access, garnering nearly three million viewers a day.  Jennicam was among the first to create and broadcast video blogs, recapping the week or covering events she attended. 

 
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AnaCam- unlike Jennicam, where the rhythms of everyday life played out without much planning, AnaCam incorporated daily life into a surrealist dada-inspired performance.  Sexuality and the act of playing a major role in anacam, but to combine it with later sex cam pornography sites is missing the point.  To Ana Voog, art is as messy as life, and life (in a situationist-like philosophy) is art.  The mundane moments of life are here but Ms Voog strives to fill them, sometimes desperately, often with confounding absurdum.  


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Josh Harris – Josh Harris was an internet pioneer and creator of Pseudo.com, the first internet broadcasting company. Possibly taking his lead from Jennicam and AnaCam, Mr. Harris created a project where he, his girlfriend, and a collective of like-minded internet aficionados lived every moment on camera.  The “We Live in Public” project started with much hoopla and promise and ended with devastating financial and emotional results for all involved.  The project shows just how unprepared society was for the implications of a life where privacy is not expected.




For some, the ability to live in public is a revelation that forces self-examination of values and social mores.  I, for one, entered into this world only after being assured in the comfort of my beliefs (or lack thereof) and, more importantly, the conversations and debates they generate.  Social exposure can be beneficial to others seeking to find kindred spirits, to know that they are not alone. It can also be a tool of the dictatorial, a force for overzealous parental paranoia (it will destroy ya’) and unrepentant theocrats.  


The English have a long and inbred fascination with Huxley and Orwellian foreshadowing’s as Clearly evidenced by the BBC series ‘the Prisoner’.   The Prisoner is a continuation of the show ‘Secret Agent Man’, except now our intrepid hero has decided to leave his profession, only to be kidnapped and sent to a special island.  The Island has a strict hierarchy where every movement is watched and recorded.  Our now captive agent looks to escape but also enjoys confounding and twisting his interrogator's tricks upon themselves. Often, we are left to wonder if he really desires escape or just the challenge.  Perhaps the whole series is a rebellion against the stricture of over-ambitious social rejections and the outrage of enforced boredom.


The band ‘The Get Out Clause’ came into the breach with their video ‘Paper.’ Whether intentioned or not, the video is a nifty encapsulation of my above ranting.  To understand why this video is so remarkable it may be helpful to note that England has the single most extensive network of CCTV ‘public safety’ cameras and street microphones of any country.  The system intends to cut down the time the police take to identify trouble and send units to restore order.  The English public is, as you would expect, both dependant on and frightfully fearful of the big brother in the sky.  In an effort to give the public a feeling of control and assuage fears, lawmakers insisted on making all films on demand.  One must request tapes for a specific location, time, date, and duration.  The result is the following video:


 



 


 


 




Saturday, October 23, 2010

8-bit Nostalgia and Miss September 63's Influence on Tactile Controls.

I love my wife’s new nano, the slickness of the interface, its ease of use and the fluid movement of pages on such a small screen is pretty darn cool.  I almost wish Apple would release a developer’s kit to add a control interface capability. Aww, com’on you know you agree, this would be the ultimate key fob.


Yet, am I alone in feeling that the new nano and even the iPad is well, soul-less? I am troubled- only somewhat mildly mind you (I DO work in the belly of the beast)- by the frictionless gloss of icons.  In fact, in the spirit of true disclosure I have to admit that I do not get surround sound, having compared it to overblown quad some years back on a pro AV forum on AOL.   I still, mostly, stand by that assessment today. 


Which brings me to my main point; I miss the tactile feel of a physical interface.  Perhaps it is simple nostalgia but I long for the clickty-clack-clunk of an 8-track tape, the solid mechanical ka-chunk of open reel tape decks, and the tactile feel and response of weighted gain knobs. I am not sure just why I love these knobs so much, the sheer pleasure of them in my hand – they just feel right, perfectly balanced in my fingers and against my palm.  I could make an innuendo here, which would be apt and very Miss September 63, but I think you get the gist.  So deep is my love for the classic high-end gain knob that I argued vehemently to include a version on a product, I was asked to do some preliminary concept work on. (I also wanted it to have a more ‘retro’ look with a maple or cherry wood front. Perhaps I do have too many vintage Playboys with their Cutty Shark ads).  The product got its gain knob but the front is basic black and silver.  


Additionally I tend to gravitate toward older looking games. I still watch in awe at the offerings G4 reviews and get that reflexive itch when I am near new game consoles but I am drawn by a greater gravitational pull – the text based Zork.  If you have ever played this game, you know what I am taking about.  It is a simple game really; it is a treasure hunt with fighting trolls, endless caverns, singing demons in hades and an abandoned dam.  All of this, and your action commands, are in text for which you have to draw maps if you are to get through it all.  It is work, hands on paper and brain imagining in 3 dimensions. Do you know the old saying, that things are far more provocative when a little is left to the imagination, yeah – Sophia Loren like.


So, why I am blathering on about all this? What point could I possibly be trying to make?  I really dig this video by HOLLERADO:


 The Video is a one shot, one chance to get it right, human analog of effects.  'There was a time when we made things with our hands'


 










 


 





Monday, October 4, 2010

Team True Blue Rides for a Cure or No Man is an Island

Originally Posted October 1st, 2010


Team True Blue, a charity riding team are riding in the 2010 Bike MS NYC to help raise funds to find a cure for MS. The team- Jeff Singer, Glenn Pernick, Steve Swartzentruber, and Randy Surovy are participating in their second Bike MS NYC event, completely topping their previous fund raising goals. Congratulations guys!  



The National Multiple Sclerosis Society really needs your help to fund the research, to find the cause, provide education, programs and services to those who have been diagnosed and their families.  The  research  funded by these MS events have helped to make some incredible medicalMS_Ride 001advances  in the understanding of MS, yet we only have better drugs and therapies not a cure forr the 400,000 people living with MS in America-(some of whom I work with).


Giving back, whether riding in a charity event, helping out at the local food bank or volunteering as a mentor – knowing that you helped make things just a little bit better, it’s the best feeling.


Sunday is expected to be sunny and crisp, perfect weather to enjoy the ride and the fun of a BBQ lunch, live music and camaraderie of friends in raising awareness.  Last year’s event was a hoot and this year is expected to be even better! If you are in NYC on October 3rd join us to cheer on Team True Blue and all the Bike MS NYC participants, or if you cannot make, it follow them at http://bit.ly/cj70up
 


 


UPDATE:  Oct, 4th 2010


MS_Ride Donna_Allen Team True Blue  had a great day at the Bike MS NYC  on Sunday.  So far Team True Blue has raised over $2500.00, but the chance to donate is still available to you - just click on the link above.   


Who do we ride for?  We ride for a family member, neighbors, associates and co-workers, in short for everyone as we all know someone who has been affected by MS.  Wether you are diagnosed, related to, or friends with someone who suffers - everyone has someone.   


 This year True Blue Rides for Donna Allen, Crestron client Representative in the Rockiegh NJ office. When you talk to Donna you would never know that she is fighting MS as she is always upbeat   and happy to see you.  Donna, in her 30's now walks with a cane and stairs can be tricky.  What you and I may see as a road block  only motivates Donna to work harder.   Because Donna will not stop moving forward, neither can we.  Even the riders took motivation from Donnas’ struggle, Glenn Pernick summed it up for the whole team: “There were a couple of times we were going up these killer hills and my legs were burning.  I was in pain and I just thought about Donna and all the struggles she lives with.  She was a real inspiration and gave the ride purpose and meaning.”


Join us in the fight by participating  in fund rasing events,  donating or volunteering at your local  Multiple Sclerosis Society office.


If you are still not convinced that all this really does help, I will let Donna have the final word:  "I have been living with Multiple Sclerosis just over 10 years now and find the best therapy is having a positive attitude, but most of all, having a huge support system. I am so proud and honored that the True Blue Team rode for me. I cannot thank them enough."