Saturday, October 6, 2007

Metalosis Maligna




Ha ha! So you thought it would be cool to be a cyborg huh? Just found this insightful, Orwellian esque comedy doco by Floris Kaayk on You-tube. Although seemingly utterly ridiculous, you do here horror stories about nanobots able to reproduce themselves out of any matter, where if let loose they could quickly take over the world. You also have people nowdays who must almost have as much metal in their bodies as some of those cyborg freaks. I'm sure there would be some freestyle motocross riders out there with limbs more metal than bone. I also read in a snowboard magazine a while back that said the majority of pro snowboarders nowdays have had knee surgery by the time they're 25. After a lifetime of abusing my knees I could use a carbon pair round about now.

On the other hand, the human body is pretty amazing if you think about it. Unlike bones metal doesn't just re-weld itself if you break it. Also, who would want to end up like cybernetik pioneer Professor Kevin Warwick? He claims to have become the worlds 'first cyborg' and has written all about it in his book I Cyborg. Kevin reckons that "In the years ahead we will witness machines with an intelligence more powerful than that of humans. This will mean that robots, not humans, make all the important decisions. It will be a robot dominated world with dire consequences for humankind." I reckon he's watched Judgement Day a few too many times.

The future is nigh. (isn't it always nigh?)

Further to our theme of cyborgs and whatnot this week, I thought I'd share this little story with everyone. The idea of thought controlled prosthetics isn't exactly a new one, but it may be closer than anyone really first thought...
Bionic arm.

where are we headed?

as this whole semester is based mainly on the discussions of technology, culture and us, we always wonder where we fit in, how we fit in and why we should fit in. about 2 weeks ago, i had an interesting conversation with my brother the other night about the future of communications and technology.

one thing i should mention, it had nothing to do with the fact i just finished an essay about online/virtual communities or that i am enrolled in this class. he just wondered out loud, because my sister was lamenting about not being able to check her Facebook account (because she was going on holiday)

Jeremy's theory was that the generation of today (meaning kids under the age of 15) have no clue what Sunday dinner means, they only understand text language, they are glues to either the computer or the TV and they talk in 'geek' language. he facilitates a small group of boys every weekend and he notices that the boys in the group (and even some girls) are only are of the Internet, whats showing on TV and what games are the best to play. admittedly, give a child under the age of 12 any mobile phone, they would know how it works instantly. he was also against the idea of how online communities would be the future, whereas i said that it will most probably be heading in that direction. we continued to argue back and forth on the pros and cons of children living in today's world. he claimed he was a family values traditionalist, and i agreed. he can be such a romantic at times..

i guess the generation of today will communicate through Facebook (although my sister is 23, but sometimes i think she's 12) and soon the idea of kicking a ball around the soccer field would be something of the past. my point of online communities is that people are getting more and more reclusive and some of them just feel more comfortable chatting online, using emoticons and nudges or pokes rather then meeting face to face. even the online games like WOW use microphones to communicate now, instead of typing text messages like before. in some ways, the technology has to constantly upgrade itself to keep up with the fast lane of today's generation.

we ended our discussion with my sister exclaiming that the computer had froze and can someone come and fix it please.. now.

ah, such is life. you whole world stops because the computer died..

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Friday, October 5, 2007

Cellphones....

cell fones, not just for communication, also an accsessory, 'fashion'. with the diffrent styles, colours. in Jim McGuigan's reading he notes that there is diffrent behaviours between men and women.. He notes that boys are more competitve then girls are and tend to show off their phones more and tend to have newer models.

mong a lot of my guy mates I've noticed that they do do this, always wana have the 'better phone' and when they're sitting down they put it out on the table where all can see. show off bout them, duno culd just be my mates...

Girls just seem to use there fone and put it bak in there bag, though they still want pretty fones. I guess there is a diffrence with boys and girls in terms of cell phones though when you think bout it.

Mc Guian also talks about diffrent body movements and gestures, talking bout 'speakeasy' and 'spacemaker'.. can't say i really understand why they call people these though? 'speakeasy' are ppl big on gestures and body movements.. but why call them speak easies...? Though there are ppl like that that swing their arms round and are reallll loud.

Text has taken over talking in person, especially if ur to shy to say it, so much easier to write a text then be put on the spot. Kind of a bad thing sometimes though as some people can't talk to people in person as they talk to much via text...

hmm.. Never really thought too much into cellphones before or taken much notice to these things.. Still, i dont remember what life was like without one!

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Ban the Blog!

Alright, I'm going to be perfectly honest with everyone here and admit that the last thing I want to be doing right now is writing a god damn blog. I have had three assignments due in the last week and a half which have taken up all of my free time. I spent all of today at work behind a desk selling tickets. It is Friday night and all I want to do is go and have a drink.


But NO! When I got home and saw my computer I realised that I had forgotten to make my weekly entry into the class blog. Then an even more disturbing thought entered my mind - "What the f%!#$ am I going to write about???" I had not found any interesting websites or new media recently and because I failed to attend last Monday's lecture I couldn't really contribute to the discussion.


As I sat down and opened up internet explorer my trusty homepage Google popped up. In despair I typed in the first thing that crossed my mind which just happened to be: I hate blogs. Apparently I'm not alone as there were around 10,500,00 results. Some of these were suprisingly interesting..


The first match was written by a man named Ted Gross who systematically details why he hates blogs, bloggers and blogging. AlthoughI found the most interesting part of his rant to be where he points out the irony of how blogs began;
"Blogs seemed to be nothing more than sophisticated "diaries". Indeed, many web sites offered what were called live journals, originally started as a place for kids to keep their diaries. What was interesting is that they kept it up on the web so their parents would not get a hold of it, but the whole world was allowed access to these diaries."
To me the greater irony was the fact that Ted was writing about his hatred of blogs in a blog (this is a bit of a hypocritical observation for me to make I know).


The second match was the I Hate This! Blog on a website called http://www.ihatethis.org/ which is a blogging site dedicated to people who feel like bitching and moaning about anything and everthing under the sun. I only had a brief look at this but some of the topics were really funny, others even bordered on insightful.


Through further sifting I discovered this cartoon about blogging which I thought was kind amusing.


Now don't get me wrong guys, personally I don't have a problem with blogs. Sometimes I even enjoy writing them. The problem is I just really really could not be arsed doing one today. Oh well hopefully I'll be in a better mood next week and back on form. But until then BAN THE BLOG!!

Web vs mainstream

this came out a while ago, but i thought it was a pretty good example of youtube influencing the makers of mainstream cinema as its famous line appeared in the third x-men movie

Ah cellphones....

Well now with the advent of mobile technologies and phones in particular there has arisen a new problem for educators...

This one is fake...


But this one is real...


Moral of the story? Whoever invented the vibrating cellphone should get a medal, and anyone stupid enough to not use it? Well, maybe they deserve what they get. But personally I've felt like doing that to my own phone on many occasions, let alone having someone take it from me and smash it..

Mobile

With the current rapid growth of technology, it can now emphatically be said that the objective of today’s communication engineers to achieve a future wireless personal communication system. A future wireless personal communication system, defined as being the ultimate goal of today’s communication engineers, will provide communication service from any person to any person in any place at any time without any delay

Mobile phone became essential parts in our lives, not as selective options or temporary fashions but as the main communicative media. Mobile phone enables us to contact with someone anytime anywhere we want. When we are in emergency, it is very useful and necessary to get through the situation

The number of users is increasing. On the contrary, mobile etiquette is still the same as in past days. We can see the cultural lag through mobile user's etiquette today. In other countries, it is natural that the mobile's mode be changed to the vibrating mode in public places. Unfortunately, most Koreans don't notice that their mobile games and ring tones make noises anywhere, anytime. It shows that they don't care about other's privacy.

Hye-In

Fonejacker

this is perhaps, not entirely relevant to the conversation of mobile media, but in the new day and age our telephones are being invaded with telemarketers, wrong numbers, and other such clutter. People, to my shock and horror are using the new mobile phone generation to find, and locate unsuspecting victims of text pick ups, take indecent photos of women, men and more disgustingly small children, and are suddenly capable of destroying peoples reputations by hacking phones, and sending to all.
Call me paranoid, but I don't really trust any one, and I certainly don't trust people with a technological advantage (and as I hate technology, and have yet to learn how to "trick it into working for me as my boyfreind so wonderfully puts it, I am always at a technological disadvantage).
If poeple have cameras, and the ability to mass send on them at all times, no one is safe! but then again it is a matter of morals, I SUPPOSE. but as stated, I don't trust anyone, especially not a pervert with a camera phone.
telecommunications fair enough. telecopulation, sure if that is what you are into. BUT Teleconspiring, telecabaret, and teleconfusion are a big no no.
do some thing good with your phone like this guy...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=372Ah0Z_L1w&mode=related&search

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Media Technology

This week's topic really interested me as there is lots of interesting debates about micro chips inserted into human’s ears, media prosthetics and cyborg.
The discussion micro chips inserted into human's ears is really hard for me to accept in many ways. Maybe it will be very handy for people that are forgetful and don't have to worry about mobile phone running out of battery. However, I don't see the positive side about inserting micro chips into human's ears. It is better to keep mobile technology separate from human bodies as I strongly believe that being natural is very important. As for mobile phones, it gives out radiation that could be harmful to humans, for micro chips, it is very likely that it will have a greater effect on human bodies. Not to say technology is bad, but I strongly believe that there must be a borderline between human body and the technology so that complex problems will not occur and humans will not become cyborg. The usage of mobile phones has increasing become so popular that almost everyone owns a mobile phone. The mobile phone was first invented for the convenience of people contacting another while being away from home, then more and more features have been added and thus allowing us to do more than just calling.
Using mobile phone and ipod in the public sphere allows one to spend their time enjoying the pleasure that technology offers and it is not seen as anti-social as we rarely communicate with strangers in the public sphere. Technology is seen as a medium for us to spend our time more efficiently as it is handy to be carried around anywhere.

Cyborg Upgrade - Prosthetics in the Military


With the discussion surrounding surrounding cyborgs this week I looked in to some of the technology in prosthetics available to the US army. One exciting opportunity for amputee soldiors is German firm Otto Block's has C-leg. The c-leg runs off a lithium ion battery for a total running time of 30 hours. A microprocessor looks after sensors and servos which measure a wearers gait 50 times a second and make the nessesary adjustments needed to allow unhindered movement. At a cost of US$40,000 they are standard issue for all US soldiers who lose a leg above the knee.


The amazing thing about it is that this prosthetic is almost as good as a real leg and still allows those who are unfortunate enough to need them to do whatever they did before the accident. This product can turn the loss of a leg into the smallest disability one could hope for in that situation and lets people live a life as close as possible to the one they had before they were injured.
Advances such as this are available in many areas of body restoration and enhancement such as arms and ears. I think we are still very far off putting consumer technologies into our bodies as medical grade products have much stronger quality grades and reliability than we recieve from the corporations but we will steadily see more people with computer enhanced limbs and senses. Many of these technologies are on the cusp of crossing the line of being better than what they are intended to replace and as we move a few years doen the line they will likely pass that line. The person with the 'disability' of being deaf in one ear may end up hearing better than you or the guy with one leg may beat you to the last taxi. By mixing our bodies with high technology and microprocessors a 'disability' will not mean the same in 20 years that it does today.

The Jim McGuigan reading on mobile phones

I've just read his views on the sociology of the mobile phone and I completely agree with most of what he said.

The reading is a few years old and he mentions the "fad on picture messaging", and I whole heartedly agree. I don't think it ever really did take off. I never got into it majorly. I mean sure, sometimes I take a picture but it wouldn't be more than 10 times a year, and thats a fairly accurate amount. I mean the quality of pictures on a mobile has never been, and never will be that great.

He mentioned how mobiles were changing how young people were interacting with eachother and how the mobile can break down barriers ie// shyness etc. It is true, but what is the point in breaking down barriers (via texting) if those barriers are going to be up when people meet up in person? It just seems like it gives those who are socially inept more of an opportunity to dodge face to face relations.

Mobiles have made it a lot easier to plan, but they have also taken away our ability to have privacy and personal space. While I personally screen my calls and hardly ever answer my phone, many people don't. I work for a market research firm and we've started calling mobile phones if there are no land lines and for some reason it feels that much more intrusive like its not right to contact someone on their mobile and yet that is the purpose of mobile phones. It's a very odd situation. Mobiles also make dating very annoying. Lets think about this right. 10 years ago if you had a date and it went well you wouldn't wait by your mobile, you wouldn't expect them to contact you straight away if they had a good time and you wouldn't constantly be checking to see if they had texted you. Yes texting is very quick (especially if you are using predictive) but whatever happened to thinking someone may actually have a life?!

I love my mobile. A while ago I had a mobile die to liquid damage and I felt naked. I felt lost without it and had to buy a mobile the very next day. I now have a back up one just in case. isn't that sad? Isn't it sad that we live in a day and age where we are so attached to our mobiles and as Jim says in his article, that it becomes a part of our body.

On the other side of the story, mobiles give us privacy that we just don't have with land lines. there is less chance of someone else answering a call meant for you and there is more chance you can keep your conversations private (because of texting rather than having to phone).

I think thats all I really want to say on the matter of mobiles other than that I really want us to get the Iphone over here. Okay okay so vodafone have said no to it but what about telecom? (I had a dream the other night and even though I only owned it for about 20 seconds in a fantasy world it was awesome) Vodafone aren't the only network and telecom could certainally improve their reputation if they were to support it on the network.

Computers suck! Okay for the last while my lap top has taken about half an hour to load a simple programme such as microsoft word and its fricken annoying to put it politely. Don't use net cafes in the city and don't use your ipod in them. You will get a virus and it will stuff up your computer. I'm probably going to have to buy a new one.aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

Litigation costs RIAA millions

ArsTechnica reports that the 20,000-plus anti-downloader lawsuits filed by the RIAA have ended up costing the organisation substantial amounts of money, because they've had to pay the snoops who they hired to check out defendants' online activities in addition to paying various legal fees.

"As [Sony BMG's head of litigation Jennifer] Pariser admitted under oath today," the article states, "the entire campaign is a money pit."

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

The Problems with the Technological Advancements of the Cellphone

Cellphones are ubiquitous in modern life, as theorist McGuigan explains. This is obvious as in today's tutorial, all of 6 people present had cellphones turned on and in their bags. This tally proves McGuigan point that cellphones are just like an essential extension to the body. The technology associated with phones is complicated, but I have a few points to discus in relation to the tutorial on this technology.

Cellphone cameras have been associated with inappropriate sexual misconduct. Robert Sullivan of Virginia attempted to defend his actions of "upskirting" a woman in a public shopping mall. He explained the this woman was in a public place, so her actions (of wearing a thong) should be made available to the public. However, there is an obvious boundary that he crossed, which was him believing that a woman fully clothed in public can be exploited to be portrayed as something that she did not intend. A law has now been passed in many American states that prohibits "upskirting" and "down-blousing", however the problem may be encountered in all countries as there are countless websites that are devoted to these hobbies.

Another example of misconduct is more serious, which involves pedophiles taking pictures during dance recitals. Cameras have since been banned inside recitals due to the fear that any criminal can pose unnoticed as a doting parent taking family album snaps of their little child. To combat unwarranted conduct, new phones with cameras attached have a permanent click sound when a picture is taken which is unable to be disabled.

A new phenomena of "Beeping" has been established in Africa. Although it has always been the informal practice involving children calling their parents and hanging up after a few seconds with the intention of parents calling back when they need to get in touch, scientists are only now realising it as the fastest-growing phenomena within the worlds poorest nation. Studies quoted in Jonathan Donner's paper estimate between 20 to more than 30 percent of the calls made in Africa are just split-second flashes which are empty appeals across the cellular network. Its roots come from a strategy to save money. The etiquette involves the poorer friend beeping the richer with the expectation of a call back, never the other way around. The reason for this is that most Africans spend all their money on a headset with very little left for pre-pay credit. This tactic born out of ingenuity and necessity is taking off, whether the cellphone networks have the capacity or willingness to handle these free spit-second beeps or not.

The technological advances of this extension to the body is overtaking the capacity for regulation, which may not be the best thing for society.

Mobile Technology and How Far We Are Prepeared To GO????



I want to put as an example of how far some scientist are prepared to go and how much they are convinced that they are born to be machines or part machines infact Cyborgs.I am fascinated to see innovations and breakthrough like this ,but never will do something like this unless is absolutely necessary. If my arm was cut of I will say yes. If some of my organs failed I will say yes, just because of the simple reason:” I Don’t Want To DIE”. The following article is written by Professor Kevin Warwick.
http://www.kevinwarwick.com/Cyborg1.htm
Kevin Warwick (kw@cyber.rdg.ac.uk) is a professor of cybernetics at the University of Reading in the UK (www.cyber.rdg.ac.uk).
I was born human. But this was an accident of fate - a condition merely of time and place. I believe it's something we have the power to change. I will tell you why.
In August 1998, a silicon chip was implanted in my arm, allowing a computer to monitor me as I moved through the halls and offices of the Department of Cybernetics at the University of Reading, just west of London, where I've been a professor since 1988. My implant communicated via radio waves with a network of antennas throughout the department that in turn transmitted the signals to a computer programmed to respond to my actions. At the main entrance, a voice box operated by the computer said "Hello" when I entered; the computer detected my progress through the building, opening the door to my lab for me as I approached it and switching on the lights. For the nine days the implant was in place, I performed seemingly magical acts simply by walking in a particular direction. The aim of this experiment was to determine whether information could be transmitted to and from an implant. Not only did we succeed, but the trial demonstrated how the principles behind cybernetics could perform in real-life applications.
Eighteen months from now, or possibly sooner, I will conduct a follow-up experiment with a new implant that will send signals back and forth between my nervous system and a computer. I don't know how I will react to unfamiliar signals transmitted to my brain, since nothing quite like this has ever before been attempted. But if this test succeeds, with no complications, then we'll go ahead with the placement of a similar implant in my wife, Irena.
When the new chip is in place, we will tap into my nerve fibers and try out a whole new range of senses.
We will then attempt this exercise with emotional signals. When I'm happy, we'll record that signal. Then, if my mood changes the next day, we'll play the happy signal back and see what happens.
I am most curious to find out whether implants could open up a whole new range of senses. For example, we can't normally process signals like ultraviolet, X rays, or ultrasound. Infrared detects visible heat given off by a warm body, though our eyes can't see light in this part of the spectrum. But what if we fed infrared signals into the nervous system, bypassing the eyes? Would I be able to learn how to perceive them? Would I feel or even "see" the warmth? Or would my brain simply be unable to cope? We don't have any idea - yet.
Will we evolve into a cyborg community? Linking people via chip implants to super intelligent machines seems a natural progression - creating, in effect, superhuman.
We are not the first group to link computers with the human nervous system via implants. Dr. Ross Davis' team at the Neural Engineering Clinic in Augusta, Maine, has been trying to use the technology to treat patients whose central nervous systems have been damaged or affected by diseases like multiple sclerosis, and has been able to achieve basic controls over, for example, muscle function.
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.02/warwick.html

OXFORD, England -- A British university professor has been fitted with cyborg technology enabling his nervous system to be linked to a computer.
The ground-breaking surgery on Professor Kevin Warwick effectively makes him the world's first cyborg -- part human, part machine.
Although a long way from fictional characters The Terminator or the Six Million Dollar Man, it is hoped that readings will be taken from the implant in his arm of electrical impulses coursing through his nerves.
These signals, encoding movements like wiggling fingers and feelings like shock and pain, will be transmitted to a computer and recorded for the first time.
Similar experiments have previously only ever been carried out on cats and monkeys in the United States.
Surgeons implanted a silicon square about 3mm wide into an incision in Warwick's left wrist and attached its 100 electrodes, each as thin as a hair, into the median nerve.
Connecting wires were fed under the skin of the forearm and out from a skin puncture and the wounds were sewn up.
The wires will be linked to a transmitter/receiver device to relay nerve messages to a computer by radio signal.
It is possible that the procedure could lead to a medical breakthrough for people paralyzed by spinal cord damage, such as Superman actor Christopher Reeve.
On Friday, Warwick, 48, denied claims that the surgery, which was carried out at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, England, was just a publicity stunt. http://archives.cnn.com/2002/TECH/science/03/22/human.cyborg/

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

One McVideoGame, please...

An Italian videogame company infamous for creating un-PC computer games has created one which simulates running a fast-food restaurant. I don't know why this exists; to me it seems utterly bizzare.



Snip from the "Why This Game?" page — which includes a section entitled 'People who hate us,' with links to Naomi Klein's "No Logo" and Morgan Spurlock's "Supersize Me":

"For decades McDonald’s corporation has been heavily criticized for his negative impact on society and environment.There are inevitably some glitches in our activity: rainforest destruction, livelihood losses in the third world, desertification, precarization of working conditions, food poisoning and so on...

Denying all these well founded accusations would be impossible so we decided to create an online game to explain to young people that this is the price to pay in order to preserve our lifestyle.

We’ll continue on our way, with our well-known determination. Join us and have fun with us!

Ronald McDonald
"

The site and the game are produced by an Italian outfit called Molleindustria and, interestingly, it is CC-licensed. In the legal preamble to the game, the site states that "This game, site and the creators of them are in no way affiliated with McDonalds Corporation or its affiliates..."

The same company has also produced the rather absurd, somewhat gross Operation: PedoPriest, the description of which runs thus:

"Once again the Church is in the midst of controversies for the sexual abuses committed by the priests. The Vatican created a task force to prevent sinners from being captured and put on trial according to the secular states' laws. You have to control the operations: establish a code of silence and hide the scandal until the media attention moves elsewhere!"

TechnoCursed part 2..

Hey Bloggy from blogspot.com,

haha, as i type this up.. i can not help but think back to the fairly humourous (i guess) article on how being online or actively surfing the internet can be a form of stress relief. The article is titled, "Internet Addiction May Be Form of Stress Management" by Excerpt By E. J. Mundell, Reuter's Health... Keyword? HEALTH..

Here's the link, http://preventdisease.com/news/articles/internet_addiction_stress.shtml

Hahaha, hmmmm i knew i felt more light headed as the minutes (cough'HOURS) passed by..

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TechnoCursed.. part 1

Hey people and Bloggy,

I found this article, in letter form, for Bill Gates (that billionare guy) after googling (yes....googling!) the term 'technology challenged'..A site named, www.technocursed.com popped up and i discovered some quite interesting articles and stories. Very humourous might i add. There was also one about a certain female author who actually writes her novel/ short stories in the nude...ONLINE... The things people DO for publicity huh? Really kind of disturbing.. But if youre wondering, i fought the urge to look in on it. lol. Curiousity kills the cat? or is it beast? I dont know, leave me alone!!!!


Anyhow, i might as well give the url that leads straight to the Bill Gates letter, so here it is; http://www.mddavis.homestead.com/TechnoCursedarticles2.html


Now, now, fellow students of FTVMS 203..dont hurt yourselves rushing to check it out!


Buh bye Bloggy!!!

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Cyborgs...WOW....I like the movies,but..........




I like watching sci-fi movies,but i dont know that i amprepared to live with cyborgs around me when all my life the movies tell me that in some point this machines are turning bad and kill a lot of people,and so happens that everything is getting back to normal just like is suppouse to happen in the film.
I just dont know how it will look like to live in a world like this..And a just a bit history from the net about the concept man-machine....:
The concept of a man-machine mixture was widespread in science fiction before World War II. In 1908 Jean de la Hire introduced Nyctalope (perhaps the first true superhero was also the first literary cyborg) in the novel L'Homme Qui Peut Vivre Dans L'eau (The Man Who Can Live in Water). Edmond Hamilton presented space explorers with a mixture of organic and machine parts in his novel The Comet Doom in 1928. He later featured the talking, living brain of an old scientist, Simon Wright, floating around in a transparent case, in all the adventures of his famous hero, Captain Future. In the short story "No Woman Born" in 1944, C. L. Moore wrote of Deirdre, a dancer, whose body was burned completely and whose brain was placed in a faceless but beautiful and supple mechanical body.
And as always the military gets the best and all the fun gadgets to play with....

The "cyborg soldier" often refers to a soldier whose weapon and survival systems are integrated into the self, creating a human-machine interface. A notable example is the Pilot's Associate, first developed in 1985, which would use Artificial Intelligence to assist a combat pilot. The push for further integration between pilot and aircraft would include the Pilot Associate's ability to "initiate actions of its own when it deems it necessary, including firing weapons and even taking over the aircraft from the pilot. (Gray, Cyborg Handbook)

Military organizations' research has recently focused on the utilization of cyborg animals for inter-species relationships for the purposes of a supposed a tactical advantage. DARPA has announced its interest in developing "cyborg insects" to transmit data from sensors implanted into the insect during the pupal stage. The insect's motion would be controlled from a MEMS, or Micro-Electro-Mechanical System, and would conceivably surveil an environment and detect explosives or gas.[8] Similarly, DARPA has developed a neural implant to remotely control the movement of sharks. The shark's unique senses would be exploited to provide data feedback in relation to enemy ship movement and underwater explosives[9].

Other proposals have integrated the mechanical into the intuitive abilities of the individual soldier. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have set out to "create an exoskeleton that combines a human control system with robotic muscle."[10] The device is distinctly Cyborgian in that it is self-powered, and requires no conscious manipulation by the pilot soldier. The exoskeleton responds to the pilot, through constant computer calculations, to distribute and lessen weight exerted on the pilot, allowing hypothetically for soldiers to haul large amounts of medical supplies and carry injured soldiers to safety

The Rest Is Noise

Alex Ross, music editor for the New Yorker, speaks about his new book The Rest Is Noise, and about the blog he runs which shares its name. In particular he talks at length about the global reach of the Internet and the way it allows for anyone to voice their opinion about, for example, new music or concerts they've recently attended.

He goes on to discuss the future of music and the influence of technology and the creation of the global village in which we now live; the ways that reading other blogs has changed his views on classical music and modern composers, many of whom put up mp3s or entire scores for audiences to peruse. His blog is also interesting as a chronicle of the production of his book, which he started back in 2001.

Monday, October 1, 2007

Mobile Media

The discussion in the lecture today regarding weather it might be possible to imagine a time when people walk around with micro chips in their ears as cell phones bought to my attention a few ideas. Even if eventually people did decide to get micro chips implanted into their ears it posses several possible problems. Unless there was some sort of holograms there would be no aesthetic pleasure. Often it is the appearance of the latest cell that first grabs our attention. Possible long term hearing damage? Encouragement of inappropriate phone convocations at the dinner table? Difficulty with sleeping? What happens if it gets stuck? Or the phone becomes faulty- into the lab for a check up every 6months?People thinking your crazy talking to yourself…although potentially beneficial to those who already do talk to themselves. I think I’d still rather have a phone or any other piece of technology separate from my body, although the extremes people go to with plastic surgery these days I wouldn’t be surprised if some people jumped at chance to get a phone implanted. As for using new technology to pass the time in the public sphere and some considering it anti-social, the reason I bought an Ipod originally was to pass the time on the train to uni. No one likes the uncomfortable glare of strangers in small spaces! With an Ipod I felt in a ‘safe bubble’ and more relaxed making the lovely experience that is public transport- squished on a seat with (sometimes smelly) strangers and not quiet knowing where to look a little more…relaxing. Although on second thoughts Ipods to bring new problems; why won’t someone tell that guy in the end part of the carriage (or Bus) to turn his music down? Not everyone in the carriage wants to hear your unnecessarily extreme loud/aggressive metal buddy. (Surely I’m not the only one irritated by this?) Think of the eardrums!

Somewhere Over In Rainbows

Radiohead will be self-releasing their new album In Rainbows in nine days' time, allowing customers to choose how much they want to pay. You can pre-order the album in both digital form and as a lavishly-adorned ‘discbox’ (pictured below), featuring two heavyweight vinyl records, two compact discs, artwork and a coupon to download digital copies of the tracks. The digital download will comprise only the first CD/LP; the second discs are bonus material only available in physical form. Only the digital downloads are priced by the market; the discboxes are being made to order for £40 ($108 NZD).

By trusting consumers (and the market) well enough to set a reasonable price, and in publishing the ablum themselves, the band is essentially giving the entire record industry the fingers. Xeni Jardin of BoingBoing has lots more coverage, discussion and links: “Radiohead lets fans pick price for new album”; click the picture below to visit the site and pre-order the album.

Dreaming Androids, Format Wars



Ridley Scott's Blade Runner, released in 1982, is one of the most popular science-fiction films of all time. Based on Philip K. Dick's masterful novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", the film was originally released in theatres with a gratuitous voice-over track implemented at the request of film executives who thought the public wouldn't understand the narrative without being told exactly what was happening. Ridley Scott, along with many true fans and some critics, abhorred the instigation of the voice-over device, seeing it as unnecessary and detracting from the dark introspective nature of the bleak future in which the novel is set.

The director and other members of the original crew — including producers and financiers Bud Yorkin and Jerry Perenchio — have recently completed restoring the original print in preparation for a limited theatrical release this week at the New York Film Festival and in LA, and ahead of a major high-definition DVD release akin to what was done with the Matrix ten-disc box set a few years ago.

The December release will span five discs and will be released in both HD-DVD and BluRay, two digital formats which could both be said to define state-of-the-art in digital video production and distribution. The formats are currently locked in a war competing for market share, with BluRay being backed by Sony and implemented in its upcoming PS3, and HD-DVD being ostensibly backed by Microsoft; more on the format war over at Wikipedia.

The re-release of the film on optical digital discs prompted by the massive advances in digital formats in recent years has allowed for the meticulous re-touching and re-working of key scenes, especially those involving digital SFX. From the New York Times article by Fred Kaplan:

"For the new director’s cut, the special-effects footage was digitally scanned at 8,000 lines per frame, four times the resolution of most restorations, and then meticulously retouched. The results look almost 3-D."

The re-release will feature the original theatrical cut as well as the new "final cut"; numerous special features and documentaries including Channel 4's spectacular 2000 documentary On The Edge Of Blade Runner.

Here's the Final Cut trailer:


Sean Young as Rachael Rosen in Ridley Scott's Blade Runner (1982)

Technology in general

A few weeks ago my Ipod broke. It physically broke after I'd taken it in for repair 4 times in the space of the year. I'm pretty annoyed because now whenever I catch buses I'm forced to listen to crap music that the driver chooses. I could get a newIpod, but the new ones, the new shuffles that is are too physically small and I don't really want to be carrying something that small. I could get one of the nanos but I don't need all that storage space so it just seems a waste of money. Maybe I'll take my old one in eventually.

Now onto cellphones, ten years ago if someone was out at night or whatever and they didn't answer the phone, nobody thought "what if something has happened to them?". They were just unreachable, big deal. I think mobiles are great coz you can always be reached but I also think they create a sense of paranoia when people can't be reached. Also what the hell is up with video phoning? I don't see it as being something appealing. I mean why would you use video phoning when you have your phone pressed up against your ear? Yes, there is speaker phone, but again, because of the size of mobile phones it is just impractical and a waste of time.

I do like DVDs, but they are always getting scratched. It isn't coz I don't look afer them well, I do. it's just that its almost like they are designed to be scratched. I do love how DVDs have features that videos don't and that they are compatible with many forms of technology (computers, playstation and dvd players) compared to vhs which had to be played in a video recorder.

In short, I'm mostly pissed off witch technology this week.

comics and video games

The censorship war rages on as video games push the limits of our realities and our attention span and anti-gaming comities ask for total collapse of the industry. This brings to our attention several conflicting moral dilemmas and media investigations. The arguments have all been heard; video games are killing simulators, video games breed violence, video games objectify sex, video games are addictive. All the arguments projected by anti-gamming comities seem to rely on the old fashion hypodermic model of audience reception; we are passive consumers soaking in poison like a sponge, and reacting like mindless drones. And once again the researchers are trying to identify if gamers’ uses and gratifications are a self fulfilling prophecy; do violent video games make people violent or do violent people seek out violent video games? Chicken, egg. Egg, Chicken. The end result regardless seems to be violence, or so we are told. Thus the world is responding as it always has; with White, Middle America burning things and telling us to think of the children. Thing is, kids aren’t meant to be getting their hands on violent video games. Hmmm. Video game production to blame? I think not. Parental ignorance or disinterest? Me thinks yes. But who am I, some chump kid who never played video games. But I have a theory.
Let me take you, if I may, into the histories of some of our most predominant media; film and comic books. Both of these started as family entertainment with peep shows and double spreads, both showcasing technology and attempting to entertain and extort money from the masses. As they grew and developed, their audience also grew out as well as up. Suddenly, not all movies were okay for children, and comic books were dealing with issues of war, sex, and the supernatural. ‘America” gets angry, once again “think of the children”. So the government does, and Hays Code and the Comic Book Code are born. Sex shall never be shown, blood shall not be shed, law enforcement will never be undermined. In response the film world created its own code to keep telling the stories, but comic books cleaned up their act to the point that they became bland, mockeries of their former selves. Artists of both the screen and strip struck out; if they were going to break the code and get a high censorship rating they were going to go all out. The content being show caught on and over time the code was dissolved, allowing film makers and cartoonists the freedom to tell their stories their way. The censorship in regards to distribution was tightened and thus the real culprit for the “children’s” corruption was curbed.
So let return to the history of the video game. Does it look familiar? The only difference is that the code is their own, in attempts to learn from past mistakes. The production companies will not allow themselves to lose control of their content, but the constant pressure is driving producers and artists to push the content limits (see manhunt 1 and 2, or postal 1 and 2). If you are going to break the rules go all out. Is the video games industry falling prey to history repeating or are they working out the kinks in the censorship system before its too late?

Technology & me: a love hate relationship

My eternal struggle with the trappings of modern technology continues. To be honest, with out my ipod keeping me sane with excellent podcasts and what not during the day i'd probably go postal. My cellphone keeps me in touch with drunk mates around the world when we ring each other a strange times of the day or night and my xbox, 42" plasma and home theater with sky digital keeps me entertained for many many hours.
However, also loathe certain aspects of all this excellent technology with a massive passion. My cellphone ensures that i can never really dissappear off the map and people can ring me at any time. anywhere. seriously. I mean its starting to give me a bit of a complex to be honest.
My ipod never has enough space left over for all my music and now im gonna spend money i dont have to get a bigger one.
But it is my home pc that really is the target of my wrath this week. I know i shoulda started contributing to this blog earlier, and probably not have left it to last night to do my weekly contribution. But i had strategically left some time open before the NRL grand final to write a rant. However, just to be difficult my pc decided to hang itself and give me the big finger. Again, in general i would be completly screwed without this 'marvel' of technology. But seriously its like it decided to throw some kind of power trip just to let me know whose in charge. Although its was really like self immolation just to prove a point. Real inconvinient to others at the time but overall pointless. I hate this technology that i now rely on everyday to get through. Yet still love. i think. but not really. or do i?

One Million Dollars

Social video site Revver has paid its users and affiliates in excess of $1m over the past year. It's the first time that users of such a site have reaped financial rewards from participating in Internet culture by way of uploading personal videos. The company makes profits mostly through advertising. According to TechCrunch, "Revver splits revenue 50/50 with video creators after paying 20% off the top for video distributors (sites that embed the video become distributors). [...] Metacafe currently has a producer rewards program where they pay $100 per 20,000 views."

That same TechCruch article puts forward the idea that Dailymotion and other such sites — YouTube being the obvious one — will soon follow suit and reward their users for making popular videos which attract viewers to the site. Being as it is owned by Google, I would assume that YouTube would use a payout model similar to how AdWords works.

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Goodies in Virtual World


1. A virtual house which as luxurious as possible is available for anyone to possess without any cost. There is no material limitation to restrain your creativities. There is no one interfering your ideas. You can as greedy as possible to decorate it or visualize your dream house on screen.

2. A virtual relationship with a virtual person. You can perfect you virtual lover as possible as you can and having a virtual sex life with the one who can also be your soul mate. You can also have a responsibilities-free marriage if you like, or even ‘kids’ , ‘friends’ and ‘pets’.

3. Traveling around the world on your screen. It is also cost free to go to anywhere you want, even shopping or gambling.

4. Being a virtual hero ( virtual self ) in game. There is no safety concern at all and you can enjoy your virtual power as much as you can through experiencing virtual violence, even you may be actually a coward in reality.

Youth and Internet

The characterization of internet contents interactivity, autonomy, freedom, timeliness, multi-media, and individualization, and it also provides a new sphere for youth studying.
People who are born in the age of internet, their learning methods and the way they receive the education have changed already. Regard the essential function and the impact to the society of internet, many countries appreciate to develop the internet moral education and establish a socialized life-long educational system.

The youth should not only learn the practice process of internet in the class, but also get to know the cultural and moral aspects of internet. Internet community does not have much pressure same as face to face communication. These people on the one hand, fully express their emotions though the way of internet communication, their behaviors could be well self-disciplined; on the other hand, some could have less pressure, they hide their real names, and they do something disobey the law, moral and ethics via internet. Comparing with the real social community, the virtual community has more freedom of speech, within different speeches; people’s value will be influenced by each other as well. Most of virtual communities held the some aims and values; hence, the value is strengthened and conceived. And such a function of internet seems more useful. Focusing on the teamwork to develop the internet moral education discipline is very necessary to the young people.

Slavery

I was watching Mary Full of Grace on Maori TV and I remembered the class we had on Music. On that class two of our classmates mentioned something that left me a little puzzled; one of them said that there is no slavery nowadays and the other one said that the modern type of slavery is “voluntary”.

I wrote this article to share a bit of what I know about two types of modern slavery.

The first one relies on people’s humility, lack of education, and most important of all, their poverty. The second one relies on people who once were members of the middle class, people who use to have professional careers but because of the many economical problems are now forced to live in poverty and under extreme conditions.

The first group experiences an illegal and more traditional way of slavery. They fall under the hands of human traffickers. What these people do is travel to these remote areas of the country promising people that they will give them a better future in countries such as Brazil. They tell them that they won’t need to worry about anything, everything will be done for them, and all they need to do is work as seamstress and they will be paid a promising amount of money. Many people feel tempted by the idea and accept the challenge believing that they will be able to help their families back in Bolivia. So the human traffickers sort out every thing for them, passport, bus fares, and pocket money for the trip.

Most of the time they are sent to big metropolitan cities, like Rio or Sao Paulo. Once they get there they are placed in huge warehouses and only then they are told the bad news. That they won’t get paid until they paid off all the money spent on them, bus fares, passport transactions… But that’s not the worse thing, once they get there their passports are taken away from them and are told that because they are illegal immigrants and they look like indigenous people and can’t speak Portuguese they are easy target for the Brazilian Federal Police and they will be sent to jail if caught walking on the streets. Now these people live in constant fear and because of their humility find it hard to complain or protest. They live under these conditions for months and sometimes years, without ever stepping outside these factories, working from 6:30am to 2:00am. They share small rooms and need to share a single toilet they live with very little food. Many times some of these people die of very easy to cure diseases.

These modern slaves spent years making clothes that will later be sold in various markets at very high prices. They live inconstant fear and live a life bordering death. This is a very common problem nowadays and is very hard to control.

Now the second type of slavery is a more legal one but equally problematic. Those Bolivian professionals who are having a hard time to find a means of making a living need to rely on extreme circumstances in order to survive. They do not choose to go and work “illegally” in countries such as Spain or the US, they don’t have a choice.

Here is how it works. I do not need money for an airplane ticket; I can get a loan from the travel agency. They will provide me with a return ticket for me to show at customs in the US. Under Bolivian law, if I would like to borrow money, I need a guarantor, and if I don’t pay he will be prosecuted. That is why once they are in the US they need to work at all costs to make money in order to pay for the money they borrowed. Because these people normally do not speak English and do not hold any visa they don’t care how much they get paid, they work 18hrs per day for $5 per hour, and live in extreme poverty trying to save every cent since they are the last hope for their families back in Bolivia.

If you understand Spanish I recommend you this article that exposes the problem very clearly.

I've got a few Bolivian movies that are very hard to get that explore many social problems, they are quite good, if someone wants to wacth them I can make you a copy. Just drop me an email and I will give them to you.

radio.zumbi@gmail.com


How i want you to see me.....

Was originally going to talk about the emergence of the DVD and how much it had 'really' matured as a technology, but to be honest when loading my photos from a 21st last night, i thought id share my thoughts on how we construct out personal profiles online with these social networking sites i.e. facebook, bebo, myspace.

My essay focussed precisely on this, considering i answered the question on how virtual identites are constructed online.

I was loading my photos from last night and realised that with the photos that had me in them, i would make a conscoius decision as to whether id upload it or not. However with the other photos of just friends, id upload them straight away. It was obvious that this was my attempt to put myself in the best possible light and frame the particular image that i wanted my profile to have.
I want you to think of when you start your profile and also when you modify it. Undoubtedly, you'll do the same. in fact every aspect of our profiles is carfeully constructed and chosen to show people not who we really are but who we want them to think we are. You may disagree. No doubt most of your profiles and your friends profiles will replicate quite closely the real persoanlity of the person, however there wil always be the subtle changes and adjustments that are made behind the scenes to shape it into a particular image. This is done through mainly what photots u upload, your choice of song to have playing, what you state under your interests and also which friends you choose to communicate with online. Essentially what you are doing is creating your virtual identity as one that you see showcases an ideal version of yourself....

Anyway i can hear the legend that is Ray Warren commenting on the League Grand Final currently showing on Sky Sport so ill be ff to catch that, would love to know if anyone furiously disagrees with the issues raised...

take care, Dave.

Fun Fun

Warning: Not suitable for children under 17. I thought this would be especially interesting for people already bitter about videogame violence. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGuhX5AmjuA This is a clip from the famous Manhunt, and this is what has been influenced by it: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/3934277.stm

Hanging (myself) on the telephone

One the things I enjoy most about going to west coast beaches like Bethells and Karekare is the fact that there’s no cellphone reception out there. Whenever you’re contactable you don’t feel like you’re entirely able to relax. There’s still that chance you might be called by one of those undesirables such as work, the landlord, Baycorp or an annoying ‘mate’ who has the cellphone fixation of a 14 year old girl. You could argue that cellphone reception in such an area may be very useful. For example, what if you got stuck in a rip and your mate on the beach (who has the swimming ability of a triple amputee) was unable to phone the Westpac rescue chopper? Honestly, I’m happy to sacrifice my safety in remote areas for the chance to isolate myself from the world. I have a friend who was staying at his bach with no landline and cellphone coverage back in 2001. He didn’t find out about 9/11 until four days afterwards. I envied him.

I also completely agree with McGuigan when he claims that modern 18 year olds assume that it’s impossible to have a social life without a cellphone and states when he was this age, he had mates and always managed to meet up with them. I would go so far as to argue that the increasing reliance on new technologies such as cellphones and social networking sites is causing ‘kids’ today to become more introverted. Always knowing where your mates are actually means that people leave the house less (or at least later) because they know they are able to hook up later at their leisure. I have raised this issue with numerous friends between the ages of 28-35 who all agree. When we were younger we would go out without fail each Friday and meet up with our crew same time, same place. If we didn’t get there in time it could mean a night playing scrabble with the olds so everyone made the effort. It also meant that if you arranged to meet a friend somewhere you couldn’t just flick them a text and cancel if they weren’t home.

I managed to prolong getting a mobile until I was 22 and still have friends who are sans-phone. They have great social lives and are some of the most popular people I know. People used to drop around at least two or three times a week for an après work/skate beer, as this is how you would catch up on gossip and find out what they are up to. Now they just send you a text. The next song I write is going to be the antithesis of that Blondie number AKA “Don’t call me!”

online dating service for................THE AMISH!!!!!!!!

Wow…. Now this is really something!! Not surprisingly this site went bankrupt, but the fact that it was even created in the first place is mind boggling to me! In my last blog I commented briefly on how some Amish traditions are being comprised in order to survive in a world that is increasingly reliant on technology…. But this is just….well I have no words!!!

I was supposed to have a pic of the website but I couldnt figure out how to upload it. Life isnt all roses for the technically challenged you know!! If you google Amishdate.com and click on the first result you can see it.

Halo3: From a sisters viewpoint

I am a self-confessed video-gaming retard (excuse the un-PC phrase) but I don't know how else to succinctly say it. My limit of interest ends with anything in the 3D world. I mean don't get me wrong, I could spend hours on tetris, puzzle bobble and the like but as soon as figures can perform 360 degree moves, I'm out!
So this week saw the release of the much anticipated Halo 3 video game. I have three brothers so I couldn't escape the hype associated with this game. So why am I interested in this subject seeing as video games are totally alien to me. Well, I couldn't help but notice the change in my brothers identity as he awaited the release of Halo 3. So they are relatively normal boys but in particular I will talk about my older brother who is 23. He surprised me the most. Ok, so he's a somewhat well rounded individual, you know, he gets out and about, and he's not the stereotypical "pasty, geeky male" who sits and plays video games all day, and he always makes a statement of pointing this out to the rest of the family, "I just can't see how people can get so addicted?", and statements alike. However, the release of Halo 3 in some way allowed my brother to accept this stereotypical personae and also allow his friends to get away with similar actions.
It first began with the official Halo 3 invites that were sent in the mail by one of his friends. I actually couldn't stop laughing. I have known these guys for years and yet I still couldn't believe they were so caught up that they actually were having a Halo 3 'party'. The invite was complete with a Halo 3 watermark background. Oh how my heart sank. Well, my brother opened up the invite in front of my sisters, his girlfriend and me and although he didn't really say anything, I could see the delight in his eyes. Oh that delight was undeniable. As a sister, I felt somewhat happy to see him so full of joy, but as a little sister who had looked up to her older brother all her life, I was suddenly hit by the truth that even he didn't manage to escape that video gaming demon.
So, the Halo 3 "party" involved eight invited guests having a sleep over on the night of the Halo 3 release which involved them waiting in line to be one of the first people to get the game. After this they went back to the hosts house, and had set up 4 television sets in which they would all play simultaneously through the night. When my brother finally returned home, I was curious and asked him about his 'party'. "Awesome" was all he said and then he was off to bed. When he woke back up I grilled him about his experience. I was especially interested in trying to get him to take a look at his actions from an outsider point of view and reflect on them and boy did I do that. My brother especially got a wake-up call so to speak when he was reflecting of lining up at midnight to get the game. He said he kind of felt awkward because it was just a group of similar aged men huddled together to get a game. The only thing that seemed to make it alright was that there were some mothers in the crowd getting games for their sons. He then went on to separate himself from the other men in the line, saying how they were so geeky, but I pointed out his actions and how they were the same as those so-called geeky men. He just look bewildered as if he'd just realised his actions.
So what is my point about my brothers 'geeky' video gaming actions? Well it is not to bag on those men who fit into the same category nor is it to stereotype the video gamers of today. It is the opposite of that. Although there are vast prejudices against these video gaming addicts, most of them are healthy people just like you and me. The interesting thing is that they separate themselves and their friends from the others. Theories such as the halo effect, no pun intended, could be the explanation for these actions. Their actions are not so extreme because they know themselves. So who is anyone to judge that 30 year old man standing in that Halo 3 line at midnight? Not my brother, that's for sure!

"Violent video games are training children to kill"?!

Some social psychologists argue that playing violent video games causes aggressive behavior, among other things (“desensitization to violence, disinhibition of violence, belief in a ‘scary world,’ acquisition of cognitive schemas supportive of aggression”) (Goldstein Jeffrey, 2001). And also Pam Willenz indicates that “may be more harmful than violent television and movies because of the interactive nature of the games” in his article “VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES CAN INCREASE AGGRESSION”. In Bill France’s editorial in 2003, he bring out a surprising statement, which is “violent video games are training children to kill”, and he also pointed out that “games are not movies, nor are they spectator games, rather, they are simulations”. Many social researchers and social psychologists consider the violent video game is simulated aggression and different from the real thing in countless ways, and those games may have harmful effectiveness on the youth, since they are not able to understand or recognize what the reality is and what the fantasy is. As a result, the average age of the criminals is falling recently, and many young criminals attack or even kill others, just because they are confuse about the real world and the games.

New musical instrument

Video demonstrations etc. of a new musical instrument