If you live in Sacramento, Roseville, Rocklin, or Rancho Cordova, you've seen the signs: Smallish, neon, always in the same handwriting and proclaiming the same unexplained message: Repent CA. One of the signs is constantly torn up in the grass near Hwy 50 and Bradshaw. One blogger termed this "evandalism." Sometimes you can even see a man holding the sign on various traffic- heavy corners of the Sacramento area.
I've always been curious. What does it mean, exactly? I finally googled the phenomenon today to discover RepentAmerica.com--an evagelical, anti-abortionist, anti-gay marriage movement based out of Philadelphia. Near as I can tell, people who donate to this kind of thing end up paying for the jail fines of the founder, more often than not. He's a protester at heart and revels in the conflict between "lawless sinners" (people who disagree with him--sometimes known as cops) and the "righteous."
I'm not a fan of any anti-homosexual propaganda, and this movement's founder in particular seems fairly evangelical, which also rubs me the wrong way. Most evangelics ARE "Evandalists"--so willing to spread their message and so disrespectful of other people's opinions that they will deface public buildings to support their message. These types consider Hell the ultimate threat, but true Christians are not in the religion to avoid eternal punishment. They love God for better reasons.
Human rights are a big thing for me. I choose to support homosexuality rather than discriminate against it. If that makes me a sinner, so be it. God himself couldn't make me change my mind. So instead of repenting... Let's Revel CA!
I don't know if I want to make up my own neon signs... As a joke, it's fine (actually, important) to use the same tactics Mr. Hellfire uses; personally, I dislike them. But neon signs are fairly harmless. And it's just... funny to put up a counter-sign. Much better, in fact, than tearing down the original offending sign.
Come on, California. Revel with me!
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Blogs as investigative news tools, PR mouthpieces, and freedom fighters
I know Rep. Mark Foley is old news by now. I thought I knew everything about it until I saw Poynter's article reflecting on the investigative story. Did you know ABC broke the news on Brian Ross's Blog? According to an interview with Brian Ross, ABC got the story by calling for sources on their Web site. More than one former page came forward with IM chatlogs hours after the appeal was posted. When ABC confronted the Rep? He didn't even squirm. He resigned a few hours later.
Though I think he made the right choice, I am a little disapointed he chose not to fight the legality of these charges. I have no idea how something like this could be proved in court. They'd have to ascertain that 1) Foley's screen-name of "maf54" was indeed representative of Foley's virtual self and 2) that no one else had access to the Rep.'s screen name... Right? I mean... these chat logs are three years old, some of them. Chat logs are easy enough to fake and the Net is anonymous. I guess I just worry that flimsy virtual evidence can be used in court. In this case, I'm not doubting his guilt, and I'm glad I don't have to. But computer crimes are still pretty new in court. What presedence has been set?
Another interesting Blog tidbit: Sac State has a blog "for students" that has turned out to be just a PR mouthpiece about "why I chose Sac State." Can I trust a student blogger who has agreed to ty to make Sac State look good? No! It's another example of an industry trying to be hip and they really do it all wrong. Grr! Arg! It makes me want to rebel and proclaim to the world how much Sac State does wrong.
In further blog news, Gutterblog from China has begun to blog again. She's a "reporter without borders" and she's the voice of freedom in that often-censored part of the world; check her out sometime!
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Casual vs. priorities, and yay for the online world
I spent this last weekend in Sequoya with my husband, neighbors, friend, and three people I met online. We rented a cabin in the middle of nowhere, cooked about five times as much food as we needed to, played on the big trees, roleplayed with our dice, and stayed up at least until 2 in the morning each night just talking to each other.
It was fantastic. And none of us got axed to death!
I have been interacting with these folks online for almost two years. To see them face-to-face was fairly incredible. We've probably eaten more virtual food together than we could ever in real life. We managed to try to meet once a week online (sometimes more than that!) for almost two years. I don't even see my little sister that much! But the form of our hanging out--that is, hopping online for a few hours--is so much easier than driving anywhere. It was a casual game, so scheduling conflicts weren't so much of an issue. And unlike email or letters, our chatting was immediate... no waiting around for someone to remember to write back.
Mr. Althouse recently blogged about making social interactions a priority. And contact with other humans does have to be a priority. That priority is so much easier to follow thorugh if it's casual. What does that mean? Am I more likely to speak to the random person in my class than I am to speak to my own mother? And why should that be true of me? ...I don't think it should be.
This fabulous trip down to a cabin in the middle of nowhere really made me think... why can't I do this with my family? The answer really is, I can. Giving the gift of time and social interaction is probably the best I can give. Times like these are precious, and create more fond memories than anything I can buy. For some reason, though, doing something as simple as calling Granny for a quick "hi" is intimidating. I find I'm "too busy"or "not in the mood."
I spent this last few days thinking about my relationship with my parents. How, in a few short years, they've had to go from providing me with food to being a distant figure in my life. What I expect and hope of our relationship is for us to be friends--to give advice, to check up on each other, and most of all, to just spend some casual time together.
It's so hard to be casual with those who are closest to us. My best friends are my neighbors; we've discovered we can spend casual time together, by just watching half an hour of TV together. My other best friends come to visit me each weekend, and we lounge in the hot-tub. The fabulous friends online we have made, are available casually through a game. But my parents don't have time to drive down each week. I can't drive up each week. If they would just use Trillian each evening...
We really reveled in our geekiness this weekend. We shared in-game stories and hilarious mistells. We had so much common ground based upon the cumulative hours--days--likely, months--we've spent interacting together. All that time seemed like nothing at the time... it was so easily spent, a few hours at a time.
I've got a new goal for communicating with those around me, and that is to make regular phone calls and visits, to make them so regular they become casual, and easy to do. Shy little me will be stepping out a bit. Wish me luck!
It was fantastic. And none of us got axed to death!
I have been interacting with these folks online for almost two years. To see them face-to-face was fairly incredible. We've probably eaten more virtual food together than we could ever in real life. We managed to try to meet once a week online (sometimes more than that!) for almost two years. I don't even see my little sister that much! But the form of our hanging out--that is, hopping online for a few hours--is so much easier than driving anywhere. It was a casual game, so scheduling conflicts weren't so much of an issue. And unlike email or letters, our chatting was immediate... no waiting around for someone to remember to write back.
Mr. Althouse recently blogged about making social interactions a priority. And contact with other humans does have to be a priority. That priority is so much easier to follow thorugh if it's casual. What does that mean? Am I more likely to speak to the random person in my class than I am to speak to my own mother? And why should that be true of me? ...I don't think it should be.
This fabulous trip down to a cabin in the middle of nowhere really made me think... why can't I do this with my family? The answer really is, I can. Giving the gift of time and social interaction is probably the best I can give. Times like these are precious, and create more fond memories than anything I can buy. For some reason, though, doing something as simple as calling Granny for a quick "hi" is intimidating. I find I'm "too busy"or "not in the mood."
I spent this last few days thinking about my relationship with my parents. How, in a few short years, they've had to go from providing me with food to being a distant figure in my life. What I expect and hope of our relationship is for us to be friends--to give advice, to check up on each other, and most of all, to just spend some casual time together.
It's so hard to be casual with those who are closest to us. My best friends are my neighbors; we've discovered we can spend casual time together, by just watching half an hour of TV together. My other best friends come to visit me each weekend, and we lounge in the hot-tub. The fabulous friends online we have made, are available casually through a game. But my parents don't have time to drive down each week. I can't drive up each week. If they would just use Trillian each evening...
We really reveled in our geekiness this weekend. We shared in-game stories and hilarious mistells. We had so much common ground based upon the cumulative hours--days--likely, months--we've spent interacting together. All that time seemed like nothing at the time... it was so easily spent, a few hours at a time.
I've got a new goal for communicating with those around me, and that is to make regular phone calls and visits, to make them so regular they become casual, and easy to do. Shy little me will be stepping out a bit. Wish me luck!
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Fair Trade Trick-or-Treat: End Child Slavery
Halloween is likely my favorite holiday of the year. I get to dress up (you're never too old to dress up!), kids get yummy candy, and the spooky/gothy/arcane is IN in a fun way!
Global Exchange has just made it even more special with its "Fair Trade Trick or Treat" package. It's a campaign designed to promote Fair Trade awareness. It comes with Fair Trade chocolate and postcards to hand out. How awesome is that?
The chocolate industry is a pretty scary one. We're used to thinking of slavery as a thing of the past--let alone child slavery! Yet on cocoa farms in the Ivory Coast, children between the ages of 5 and 14 are stolen from their homes and forced to work on plantations that harvest cocoa . That cocoa is then bought by companies such as Nestle, Hersey's, and M and M's. (You can read a PDF of Global Exchange's 2005 report here.)
Fair Trade chocolate isn't easy to find. Global Exchange has a list of online vendors. Trader Joes may also sell fair-trade chocolate. (I'll have to double-check that. It's a good excuse to go chocolate-shopping.) ;) But if you plan to be passing out the goods this Halloween, please consider offering Fair Trade treats!
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Third Time's the Charm?
Vrooooom!
I like my car. It gets me to work and school; mostly it's great because I can listen to music instead of trying to avoid catching the gaze of other people on public transit.
Sometime last night it was stolen.
Now, this makes the third time someone has stolen a car that I drive.
My best friends were cool enough to give me a ride to school. Then to get home, we walked ten miles uphill (well, ok, maybe half a mile across flatland) to the lightrail station. On the way home we were forced to delay (for drinks and a sandwhich). When we were finally on our way again, we had to listen to the obligatory madman rant. (Sometheing about the apocalypse and how to bug old people with bad French and racism all rolled into one.)
My friend and I found it this afternoon in the very same parking lot from which it had been taken. It was missing change, but the radio, CD player, CDs, etc., were all still intact... as was the engine. Whew!
All in all it was an adventure... An adventure I've repeated three times before. My Saturn got stolen and found twice. What I --almost--enjoyed about this time was how in control I felt.
I knew I could take public transit and still be able to get to work and school. I could still control my life and my livelihood without too much extra pain. That's a nice feeling!
But not having to listen to madman rants is definately a huge plus. Vrooooom!
I like my car. It gets me to work and school; mostly it's great because I can listen to music instead of trying to avoid catching the gaze of other people on public transit.
Sometime last night it was stolen.
Now, this makes the third time someone has stolen a car that I drive.
My best friends were cool enough to give me a ride to school. Then to get home, we walked ten miles uphill (well, ok, maybe half a mile across flatland) to the lightrail station. On the way home we were forced to delay (for drinks and a sandwhich). When we were finally on our way again, we had to listen to the obligatory madman rant. (Sometheing about the apocalypse and how to bug old people with bad French and racism all rolled into one.)
My friend and I found it this afternoon in the very same parking lot from which it had been taken. It was missing change, but the radio, CD player, CDs, etc., were all still intact... as was the engine. Whew!
All in all it was an adventure... An adventure I've repeated three times before. My Saturn got stolen and found twice. What I --almost--enjoyed about this time was how in control I felt.
I knew I could take public transit and still be able to get to work and school. I could still control my life and my livelihood without too much extra pain. That's a nice feeling!
But not having to listen to madman rants is definately a huge plus. Vrooooom!
Sunday, September 03, 2006
The King's Arena
The Bee has a very interesting opinion piece on the attention their columns have gotten, particularly on one issue: should the city of Sacramento help fund the construction of a larger arena? This was a look at whether or not the paper was being fair on the issue.
Columnists "are paid to have an opinion," the editor said. The news stories were all fair and balanced, but columnists were largely critical of building an arena.
The question that comes to my mind is this: is the paper required to publish the opinions of both sides? Prosper Magazine has blogs on both sides of the issue. That seems balanced. Should the Bee have done that?
I don't have an answer, but I do know this: if I were the editor, I'd like to say we had printed a point-counterpoint piece like that. I can defend that much more easily than "columnists are paid to have opinions." Isn't the paper supposed to be the voice of all?
Despite that, I'd have to agree with the Bee columnists... a city-subsidized sports arena where we already have the adequate Arco Arena is asking too much of us. I do NOT want to pay for a new stadium.
What do you think? I know more than just Michael read my blogs, so POST!
Columnists "are paid to have an opinion," the editor said. The news stories were all fair and balanced, but columnists were largely critical of building an arena.
The question that comes to my mind is this: is the paper required to publish the opinions of both sides? Prosper Magazine has blogs on both sides of the issue. That seems balanced. Should the Bee have done that?
I don't have an answer, but I do know this: if I were the editor, I'd like to say we had printed a point-counterpoint piece like that. I can defend that much more easily than "columnists are paid to have opinions." Isn't the paper supposed to be the voice of all?
Despite that, I'd have to agree with the Bee columnists... a city-subsidized sports arena where we already have the adequate Arco Arena is asking too much of us. I do NOT want to pay for a new stadium.
What do you think? I know more than just Michael read my blogs, so POST!
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Issues Facing America
Prosper magazine is sponsoring a blog team to go to the event "All About Us." Cheech Marin, Tom Daschle, Dave Barry, Bob Dole (!) , Soledad O'Brien (CNN) and Thomas Ridge (Homeland Security) will be speaking on the issues that face America's future. I get to go... and blog!
For my first blog, I'll be discussing what I feel the important issues facing America are. So I thought I'd ask my readers: What are they?
I know what you're thinking. Lacey, come on, our steps to making this country better are obvious!
1. Get Dubya out of the White House.
2. Keep the Bushes out of the White House.
3.
4. Profit!
What would make this country successful is if we actually practiced the democracy we're so gallantly forcing on everyone else. No Diebold voting machines. No Supreme Court picking the president. Our forefathers may have been afraid of the popular vote, but folks today are educated. Let's treat them that way!
...Wait... is one man The Issue facing America's future? I'd like to think the world will move on after 2008. In 2008 we'll have far more noble concerns than whether or not our president was "really" elected. Like, promoting fair trade in a largely capitalist world economy. Or maybe having a foreign policy that doesn't make us pretend to be Canadian when we travel. What do you think? What is The Issue we face?
My blog will be judged based on the quality of traffic I attract to the Web site, so please practice giving me feedback now. ;) Thanks!
For my first blog, I'll be discussing what I feel the important issues facing America are. So I thought I'd ask my readers: What are they?
I know what you're thinking. Lacey, come on, our steps to making this country better are obvious!
1. Get Dubya out of the White House.
2. Keep the Bushes out of the White House.
3.
4. Profit!
What would make this country successful is if we actually practiced the democracy we're so gallantly forcing on everyone else. No Diebold voting machines. No Supreme Court picking the president. Our forefathers may have been afraid of the popular vote, but folks today are educated. Let's treat them that way!
...Wait... is one man The Issue facing America's future? I'd like to think the world will move on after 2008. In 2008 we'll have far more noble concerns than whether or not our president was "really" elected. Like, promoting fair trade in a largely capitalist world economy. Or maybe having a foreign policy that doesn't make us pretend to be Canadian when we travel. What do you think? What is The Issue we face?
My blog will be judged based on the quality of traffic I attract to the Web site, so please practice giving me feedback now. ;) Thanks!
Friday, August 25, 2006
YouTube War
What could be more fun than a web service that allows everyone to post their home-made movies? What could be funnier, sexier, or more entertaining?
Images of the war in Iraq, of course!
I'm being sarcastic (hard to tell in print, I know). According to this ASAP story, videos of the war in Iraq (or at least, what *appear* to be videos of the war in Iraq) are viewable on YouTube, the share-all, do-it-yourself video storage site of America. They're graphic and sickening--everything from targets getting blown up, to American or Brittish soldiers teasing or harrassing Iraqis.
Of course, there's no context for these videos, and there's no way to verify that these images are authentic. That's one of the problems of the Internet/blogger age--everyone suddenly becomes published without a gatekeeper to edit or fact-check. I care about the truth. I want to know if these images are real.
But what I found perhaps the most disturbing is that these images, if they are real, may be illegal. According to the article:
"The Pentagon wants the worst videos off the Internet. It has banned "photographing or filming detainees or human casualties, as well as the possession, distribution, transfer, or posting, whether electronically or physically, of visual images depicting detainees or human casualties, except as required for official duties," the military said in e-mailed response to questions."
I don't approve of censorship. It rankles me. The fine line between censorship and gatekeeping is that one is aimed at controlling information--the other is aimed at verifying it!
If these images are real, then YouTube has suddenly become the tool of the people; a grassroots way to spread the truth. The article ends noting, "The Pentagon, burned by public outcry over TV images of Vietnam, now tries to limit media coverage to reporters "embedded" with troops. But there is no censoring the trophy videos. We're all embedded now."
What do you think? Please share your comments!
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Stay out of my hoola hoop!
That's right. I want my personal space, buddy, and I'm not afraid to use Jr-high-school terms to get it!
Only now, you can *force* people to stay out of your hoola hoop. (This cracks me up!) An ASAP story led me to this beautiful dress designer's page. YES it's inflatable. Meant to be used in crowded places like the NY subway. I've never taken the subway--maybe that's why I don't see its appeal--but the infusion of technology with clothing is something I highly approve of. Maybe the next iteration will have electro-shock personal defense options for the *really* edgy feminist. Sweet!
Only now, you can *force* people to stay out of your hoola hoop. (This cracks me up!) An ASAP story led me to this beautiful dress designer's page. YES it's inflatable. Meant to be used in crowded places like the NY subway. I've never taken the subway--maybe that's why I don't see its appeal--but the infusion of technology with clothing is something I highly approve of. Maybe the next iteration will have electro-shock personal defense options for the *really* edgy feminist. Sweet!
Friday, August 18, 2006
Snakes on a Plane!
Yes, it's out in theaters today.
No, I'm not going to see it. (Snakes are scary!)
But I support this movie 100%.
I am tickled pink by the internet philosophy that's grown from one Hollywood screenwriter's blog on this very film. Fanatical internet fandom has 1) kept the silly title alive and 2) got New Line a bigger budget and an R rating.
Further, I am deeply satisfied to know that Samuel Jackson does his own thing, to the horror of his agents (and, perhaps, to the horror of the country).
There's an interesting article on the snake handler hired for this movie here. And Jon Stewart's interview just says it all.
I hope this movie does well, because I'd like to see the blogosphere affect the entertainment industry. I want the power given to the people, brothers! But if Joss Whedon's Serenity showed us anything, it's that fanatical internet fandom doesn't guarantee you a box-office smash.
Then again, SoaP *does* have Sam Jackson. That alone may fix the winnings.
What can I say, man? Snakes on a plane.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Oh, the fun of violence...
StreetWars is a game in the UK wherein people use brightly-colored supersoakers to assassinate each other. Once you take down a target, you try to assassinate their intended target. Whoever's left by the end of next week participates in an instant-death match. Sounds like a good time!
And it reminds me more than a little of that X-box commercial online. (Anyone know if it ever aired?)
Also, science makes life worth living. I feel imensely cool surrounded by good technology. Liquid armor is possible. What more can I ask for in life?
Monday, July 24, 2006
Spam: the worldwide problem
Net-security.org has an interesting article on spam by country. Summarily, the US is the leading source of spam materials, followed by China. What I found most particularly interesting is the "pump-and-dump" scam, which is designed to quickly and temporarily boost a company's stock value.
Spam *designed* to affect the economy, and not just for penis-enlarger purchases.
A spammer will purchase penny stock in a company, promote the company and encourage others to buy quickly, then sell off when the price peaks. This causes stock value to roller-coaster.
According to the Wikipedia, pump and dump scams became a major source of income for Organized Crime in the 90s.
While I was researching spam, I also came across this bit in the Wikipedia:
Spam *designed* to affect the economy, and not just for penis-enlarger purchases.
A spammer will purchase penny stock in a company, promote the company and encourage others to buy quickly, then sell off when the price peaks. This causes stock value to roller-coaster.
According to the Wikipedia, pump and dump scams became a major source of income for Organized Crime in the 90s.
While I was researching spam, I also came across this bit in the Wikipedia:
Hobbit Spam
In early July 2006 there has been a massive increase in an unsolicited message from a spoofed address with a half dozen or so random letter subject which contains nothing but three lines of text from JRR Tolkein's The Hobbit. This follows fairly closely another similar form dubbed "discordian poetry" that appeared to used a random word generator dubbed "discordian poetry." In both of these there was no apparent attempt to sell anything and was theorized it was a skriptkiddie ineptly running a spamsuite, confirmed when shortly afterward the same format messages began appearing with image files overlaying the text (a common spam technique). It is suspected to be a variation from the same source and image overlays will begin appearing. [[5]]
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Paying it forward
... To a classmate of mine whose blogs I enjoy, Michael Althouse. There are times when he expresses perfectly in words something I've only felt, or thought about, but never tried to express. Here is one of those blogs.
Magic is a fascinating fantasy. But the "Harry Potter"-type magic that Mike discusses is the kind that is really... easy. It's the people or inventions who can make mundane things sparkle that can truly weild magic.
There are many words for a good writer... Philosopher, author, storyteller, wordslinger. I think we can safely add one more: Wizard.
Magic is a fascinating fantasy. But the "Harry Potter"-type magic that Mike discusses is the kind that is really... easy. It's the people or inventions who can make mundane things sparkle that can truly weild magic.
There are many words for a good writer... Philosopher, author, storyteller, wordslinger. I think we can safely add one more: Wizard.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Gaming + Activism: Darfur is Dying
AP's youth news organization ASAP has a very fascinating story on "Darfur is Dying." It's a video game based on the real-life Sudan region in which 250,000 refugees have been slaughtered by Janjaweed militiamen. Players manage their refugee camp in which death is a stark reality and survival is the goal.
From the article:
The game can be passed from friend to friend via e-mail, helping spread the message about what's going on in Darfur. And while playing the game, agitated gamers can send a letter to the president or a local legislator urging them to take action -- a move that automatically improves the "health" of the player's virtual camp, increasing his or her chance of survival.
"Any tool, any game, any video, anything that gets one more person involved in opposing the Darfur genocide makes a contribution," said New York Rep. Steve Israel, who recently hosted an online town forum on Darfur. "And if this game helps a single person raise his or her voice, then 3 million people in refugee camps have at least some hope."
I tried to play the game for a bit. It was depressing, because there is no way to forget that such a lifestyle is reality in some distant country. But it IS a new way to spread awareness, and I firmly believe that awareness is the first step if any cause is to have hope.
From the article:
The game can be passed from friend to friend via e-mail, helping spread the message about what's going on in Darfur. And while playing the game, agitated gamers can send a letter to the president or a local legislator urging them to take action -- a move that automatically improves the "health" of the player's virtual camp, increasing his or her chance of survival.
"Any tool, any game, any video, anything that gets one more person involved in opposing the Darfur genocide makes a contribution," said New York Rep. Steve Israel, who recently hosted an online town forum on Darfur. "And if this game helps a single person raise his or her voice, then 3 million people in refugee camps have at least some hope."
I tried to play the game for a bit. It was depressing, because there is no way to forget that such a lifestyle is reality in some distant country. But it IS a new way to spread awareness, and I firmly believe that awareness is the first step if any cause is to have hope.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Updated Star Wars: New Republic character blog
I have begun a blog for my Star Wars character over at LiveJournal. This is just a little exersize to get me thinking like my character.
Chissa Noana is a green-skinned, dark-haired Mikoan. There's not a whole lot of cannon on the planet Miko or Mikoan culture, according to the Wookiepedia, so I will attempt to build an entire culture for my character.
Chissa has a snug place in the lives of some New Republic celebrities. She was the daughter of a governor and mercenary woman known as the Watcher. At a young age she was shuttled off her homeworld to study the art of political leadership. At this school she became freinds with Mon Mothma's daughter, Leida. Not long after leaving home, Miko was brutally taken over by the Empire. Freeing Miko has become Leida and Chissa's true cause.
But the friendship is rocky now. Chissa is working with a Bothan senator (Fey'lya, who happens to be indebted to the Watcher) who has promised he will work towards getting New Republic troops to free Miko. But this senator is a political enemy of Mon Mothma and her cabinet. Chissa is motivated by goodness, but she's a politician at heart, and this was her first backstab. The first of many, perhaps? Dun dun DUN!
This game will likely be short and whatever stunts Chissa will pull in it may be minor. But I'm proud of having a non-Jedi concept that has captured my imagination. That is mostly thanks to the gentle prodding of my esteemed storyteller. He has the hard job of building a little world for us to play in, and a plot to follow, and NPCs with character. It is a far more daunting task than mine, which is to build one single character.
There is an art to roleplaying and storytelling. Games are essentially interactive stories. It occurs to me now that though I spend a lot of hard-earned cash on my media (books, movies, games, music), the best by far is free. It's the people that make the difference.
Chissa Noana is a green-skinned, dark-haired Mikoan. There's not a whole lot of cannon on the planet Miko or Mikoan culture, according to the Wookiepedia, so I will attempt to build an entire culture for my character.
Chissa has a snug place in the lives of some New Republic celebrities. She was the daughter of a governor and mercenary woman known as the Watcher. At a young age she was shuttled off her homeworld to study the art of political leadership. At this school she became freinds with Mon Mothma's daughter, Leida. Not long after leaving home, Miko was brutally taken over by the Empire. Freeing Miko has become Leida and Chissa's true cause.
But the friendship is rocky now. Chissa is working with a Bothan senator (Fey'lya, who happens to be indebted to the Watcher) who has promised he will work towards getting New Republic troops to free Miko. But this senator is a political enemy of Mon Mothma and her cabinet. Chissa is motivated by goodness, but she's a politician at heart, and this was her first backstab. The first of many, perhaps? Dun dun DUN!
This game will likely be short and whatever stunts Chissa will pull in it may be minor. But I'm proud of having a non-Jedi concept that has captured my imagination. That is mostly thanks to the gentle prodding of my esteemed storyteller. He has the hard job of building a little world for us to play in, and a plot to follow, and NPCs with character. It is a far more daunting task than mine, which is to build one single character.
There is an art to roleplaying and storytelling. Games are essentially interactive stories. It occurs to me now that though I spend a lot of hard-earned cash on my media (books, movies, games, music), the best by far is free. It's the people that make the difference.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Help make censorhip impossible
Amnesty International is leading a website devoted to reposting political Internet content that is censored elsewhere. Blogspot does not support Javascript, but if you run your own webpage you can post a quotebox whose content will change with each page reload.
Get your own content here!
“… Early statements from government officials suggested that the killings had been motivated by Mr. Sarsenbaiuly's business dealings. …”
This is an excerpt from: http://eurasia.org.ru/ The site belongs to The Information-Analytic Center Eurasia, and has been censored in Uzbekistan. Independent political analysis of Central Asia.
Friday, May 26, 2006
Diavlogs
BloggingHeads has developed the "diavlog," a kind of talk radio on a blog, essentially. It's two folks in an audio dialogue. Not that new, except it's being sold as a blog. It strikes me that if blogging providers such as Blogspot or Livejournal would provide an easy way for us to include our own audio, talk radio may suffer the same fate newspapers have when it comes to the Internet. Ultimately the content is only as good as the creator.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Fun with Dubya ragdoll
There has never been a more awesome website. EVER.
If he gets stuck just toss 'im with your mouse.
Many thanks to my friend Aron for sending this link my way!
If he gets stuck just toss 'im with your mouse.
Many thanks to my friend Aron for sending this link my way!
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Stirring words by a marine home from Iraq
This is the last in a series of blogs written by a marine in Iraq for ASAP, which is the Associated Press's youth site. I found his words particularly stirring. Here is Rory Quinn's last blog. At the end of the story is a list of his previous blogs. I recommend reading them.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Celebrating a bitter victory
Star Wars ORIGINAL DVDs to be released...
Gotta quote Slashdot poster Joe the Lesser here.
Ben Kenobi: For almost two decades the star wars movies were enjoyed by all. Before the dark times. Before the Edits.
Luke Skywalker: How did the movies die?
Ben Kenobi: A film producer named George Lucas, who was an idol of mine until he turned to evil, helped the industry change the scenes. He betrayed and murdered the Star Wars movies.
=-=-=-=---=-
Anakin Skywalker: "Luke, help me take these edits off."
Luke Skywalker: "But you'll die."
Anakin Skywalker: "Nothing can stop that now. Just for once, let me look on you with my original film."
(Luke disconnects and releases the original films on dvd.)
Anakin Skywalker: "Now, go my consumer. Leave me."
Luke Skywalker: "I won't leave you here; I've got to save the movies!"
Anakin Skywalker: "You already have, Luke. You were right, you were right about me. Tell your fellow consumers you were right..."
Gotta quote Slashdot poster Joe the Lesser here.
Ben Kenobi: For almost two decades the star wars movies were enjoyed by all. Before the dark times. Before the Edits.
Luke Skywalker: How did the movies die?
Ben Kenobi: A film producer named George Lucas, who was an idol of mine until he turned to evil, helped the industry change the scenes. He betrayed and murdered the Star Wars movies.
=-=-=-=---=-
Anakin Skywalker: "Luke, help me take these edits off."
Luke Skywalker: "But you'll die."
Anakin Skywalker: "Nothing can stop that now. Just for once, let me look on you with my original film."
(Luke disconnects and releases the original films on dvd.)
Anakin Skywalker: "Now, go my consumer. Leave me."
Luke Skywalker: "I won't leave you here; I've got to save the movies!"
Anakin Skywalker: "You already have, Luke. You were right, you were right about me. Tell your fellow consumers you were right..."
Captain America vs.... America?
Marvel Comics is releasing a new miniseries called "Civil War," which pits G.W. and the Patriot Act against some superheroes, including Captain America. According to this review, Congress has passed a bill requiring all superheroes to register as human weapons of mass destruction and to work for the White House.
To quote the write-up: "Hero is pitted against hero in the choice of whether or not to side with the government, as issues ranging from a Guantanamo-like prison camp for superheroes, embedded reporters and the power of media all play in the mix."
Sounds cool.. in fact, it sounds like just the right mix of politics, media issues, and superheroes for me. These are the hot issues of our time. To those of us who care, at least, we can live vicariously through the heroes as they battle it out. (Don't you just wish you had superpowers sometimes?)
I'll be interested to see if Marvel can deliver on their promise of remaining un-biased and still be able to deliver a political commentary that might spark discussions. Er... did I say discussions? I meant patriotism. Yeah.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Edited warcraft feature story
Forget ever trying to get in contact with Blizzard. They suck, and they don't have time for cute little students like me. I remember the days when I collected game developers' cards like candy. Why oh why didn't I save those??! This story would be professional with more sources.
That's it. I'm never throwing away a single business card. Ever.
Though come to think of it, didn't Blizzard do a large round of firing after I got those cards? Heh.
Feature: MMOs
Lacey Waymire
He looms seven feet tall. He has shaggy brown fur across his muscular shoulders and two cruelly-pointed horns above his fierce snout. Clenched in his hooves is a massive, bonk-up-Godzilla kind of staff. The armor on his shoulders alone probably weighs more than your grandmother… and he’s coming for you.
He is a Tauren, a sort of bull that stands on his back hooves, named Amurko. But really, he is the virtual appearance of 23-year-old JJ Deng of Davis. Amurko lives in the online game World of Warcraft.
It’s a world that 5.5 million are playing in, and it’s changing the social and economic lifestyles of its players. Once installed on any computer with online capabilities, players can send text messages to interact with thousands of other players who exist in the same virtual world. They can create their own characters with unique stories. Those characters in turn have their own virtual lives—they can trade items, gain power and reputation, fight enemies, make friends—and even get married.
In real life, Deng is a hard-working graduate student at UC Davis, where he is studying applied science after graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in engineering science.
Though he is not studying this Sunday afternoon, his one-bedroom apartment in downtown Davis shows every sign that he works hard for his grades. On his computer desk, sitting amongst scattered sheets of complicated-looking math homework, is a worn copy of “Modern quantum mechanics.”
Deng gently moves aside some sheets of homework as he logs into WOW.
“My friend in the Bay Area got me hooked,” he says. “Playing together in the game—this is how we’re keeping in touch.”
His friend was playing a druid—a kind of character who can change into several different animals. The idea intrigued him, and now Deng has found he enjoys playing a druid more than any other class.
Deng used to be part of a guild—a group of players who roleplay together and help each other complete quests. But now, he says, most of those players have migrated from the game, and he has no way of keeping in contact with them. He is looking for a new guild.
Online economics
When he is not playing in the battlegrounds, Deng may complete quests in the world that earn him gold, armor, and reputation. He can spend his hard-earned gold in the Auction House – a place where players trade their virtual money for virtual goods.
The economy is booming in Warcraft—in fact, it is comparable to the economy of a small country. And while it is strictly forbidden by Blizzard (the company in charge of Warcraft), real-money trades are being made for these virtual items.
1,000 gold is typically advertised on eBay for $60. That’s an exchange rate of roughly $1 for each 16 gold.
But 1,000 gold is hard to earn for the casual player; it takes a lot of time. Not spending that time is appealing to many gamers, according to “flam3on,” a San Diego player who tries to make money selling his characters on eBay. He asked not to be identified because Blizzard could terminate his account for selling characters.
“Blizzard fails to realize how many of their customers bought accounts on eBay, which is why WOW is a top-played game still,” he writes via e-mail. “To me, that’s more money for both sides.”
Buying items online is not a practice Deng likes.
“I never spend real money on virtual property,” Deng says. “I like to earn everything myself, even if it’s with other people helping me.”
For the economy of Warcraft, Deng’s attitude is a good thing; it helps keep gold rare. Just like in any other market, the more common the currency is in a populace, the higher prices rise. To stave off inflation, Blizzard designers had to design ways to take money out of the economy. Thus players have to repair their armor and pay for new training as they grow in level.
Player vs. Player in the battlegrounds
He says he enjoys fighting in the battlegrounds against his fellow Warcrafters for the challenge. Today he is going to join a match in Arathi Basin.
In order to enter the game, his Tauren speaks with a battle commander, who gives him a place in line and a portal that lets him travel straight to the battlefield. The virtual world is large, and travel can be time-consuming. Without the portal, he might not have made it to the battlefield on time.
The game-within-a-game has one goal: to gain the most resources. Resources are virtual gold, food, lumber, and metal—but essentially here they equal points.
There are five resource nodes on the battlefield that need to be protected from the other team at all times: the smithy, the farm, the stables, the mine, and the lumber mill.
The gates open, and Amurko rushes onto the battlefield. Players seem to be running everywhere, and no one is telling them where to go or what to do.
Deng smiles a bit as he explains. “I usually play in a pick-up group, so we don’t have a lot of time to build a strategy,” he says. “Lately the games haven’t been real organized. There’s no clear leader.”
This doesn’t seem to bother him. All the players on the field are level 60, which is the highest level in the game. It took Deng nine months to reach level 60—these players must know the drill by now.
Onscreen, his Tauren rushes towards a resource node known as the “lumber mill.” Amurko is a druid, which means he can transform into different animals while he fights. When he spots a group of three enemies ahead of him, he slows, transforms into his lion form, and stealthily creeps up behind the unsuspecting group.
He waits to ambush them until they are already engaged in a fight with a tall green Orc and a small Forsaken. He jams on the mouse button, rapid-fire, while dodging wildly around his enemies with the keyboard arrow keys. Aside from his quick finger-strokes, his posture gives no indication of the flurry of activity onscreen. He looks almost relaxed.
It does not take long before he and his teammates have secured the lumber mill for themselves. Seeing this, Deng’s avatar rushes down the virtual hillside through virtual foliage to the next resource node: the smithy.
Here the battle does not end so well. Though Amurko charges with some teammates, he is quickly surrounded by enemy players. A human mage launches a barrage of spells his way, and suddenly Deng’s screen goes gray. He has died.
While he waits 30 seconds for the spirit healer to bring him back to life, he pulls up a chart of game statistics. His team is losing. It only takes one glance for him to see the problem.
“No wonder,” he says calmly, assessing the numbers like an old army commander. “We are outnumbered.”
Sometimes, button-mashing skills just aren’t enough.
Meanwhile, chat on the screen from his teammates has turned to strategy. Players are typing messages to each other, and their text appears at the bottom of the screen, similar to an instant messaging program.
“We should rush the stables,” someone suggests.
Amurko has been resurrected; he sprints into the fray once again, and hurriedly types his agreement as he runs: “Yeah, let’s go stables.”
It’s a daring move. The target is close to the enemy’s base, and the long field they must cross will offer no cover. Yet if they can pull it off, they will have a chance at winning despite the skewed odds.
Their charge of five is intimidating. Two green orcs wielding heavy battle axes lead the way, followed by the looming Tauren with his hefty staff and two rotting Undead in black robes. They rush across the field and are met by an equally intimidating force of humans, night elves, and gnomes.
Amurko is a blurr of action. He attacks first as a spry yellow lion. His health starts to drop fast, so he changes into a bear—the bear’s claws are slower, but the fur has more armor. He kills off a night elf, and notices a teammate is in trouble. He changes back into a lumbering Tauren to cast a quick healing spell before jumping in as a lion once again.
The fight is hard. The team lasts for a while, but Amurko dies again, and they do not manage to steal the stables from Alliance control. The game is lost before it is over.
The stories
Aside from battlefield challenges, the game also offers a world rich in lore and hero-driven stories. Deng plays on a roleplaying server, which means the characters are expected to speak and act as though the world around them were real.
Though he may look fierce, Amurko has his own reasons for fighting and exploring the world. Deng’s expression is unreadable as he tells me that Amurko’s parents were killed by centaurs when he was young, and that Amurko has been searching for his twin brother, who went missing years ago.
Deng controls what happens to Amurko, but that doesn’t mean he’ll spoil the surprise: Will Amurko ever find his brother?
His tan face breaks into a knowing, enigmatic smile. “That’s a very interesting question,” he says. “There have been rumors lately that his brother is a rebel against the Horde. Who knows who he’s working for? It could be any hostile group—not the Alliance, but maybe the Grimtotems.”
It may be that Amurko would have to fight his twin brother if he is found. Clearly, it is a mystery our hero will have to solve…
Though it isn’t real-life contact, his time in the virtual world does keep Deng in contact with his Bay Area friend. And it is fun, but it can be frustrating.
“Ironically I get frustrated when other people, especially friends, take it too seriously and forget it’s just a game,” he says.
Taking a game seriously is not hard for Deng to avoid.
“I have no obligations in-game,” he says, “so I can go on whenever I feel like playing.” He tries to prioritize his time between school, homework, and the game, so that he won’t get addicted.
For 10-12 hours a week and $10.99 a month, Deng can go from being a hard-working student to being a heroic druid.
“It’s definitely worth it,” he says.
That's it. I'm never throwing away a single business card. Ever.
Though come to think of it, didn't Blizzard do a large round of firing after I got those cards? Heh.
Feature: MMOs
Lacey Waymire
He looms seven feet tall. He has shaggy brown fur across his muscular shoulders and two cruelly-pointed horns above his fierce snout. Clenched in his hooves is a massive, bonk-up-Godzilla kind of staff. The armor on his shoulders alone probably weighs more than your grandmother… and he’s coming for you.
He is a Tauren, a sort of bull that stands on his back hooves, named Amurko. But really, he is the virtual appearance of 23-year-old JJ Deng of Davis. Amurko lives in the online game World of Warcraft.
It’s a world that 5.5 million are playing in, and it’s changing the social and economic lifestyles of its players. Once installed on any computer with online capabilities, players can send text messages to interact with thousands of other players who exist in the same virtual world. They can create their own characters with unique stories. Those characters in turn have their own virtual lives—they can trade items, gain power and reputation, fight enemies, make friends—and even get married.
In real life, Deng is a hard-working graduate student at UC Davis, where he is studying applied science after graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in engineering science.
Though he is not studying this Sunday afternoon, his one-bedroom apartment in downtown Davis shows every sign that he works hard for his grades. On his computer desk, sitting amongst scattered sheets of complicated-looking math homework, is a worn copy of “Modern quantum mechanics.”
Deng gently moves aside some sheets of homework as he logs into WOW.
“My friend in the Bay Area got me hooked,” he says. “Playing together in the game—this is how we’re keeping in touch.”
His friend was playing a druid—a kind of character who can change into several different animals. The idea intrigued him, and now Deng has found he enjoys playing a druid more than any other class.
Deng used to be part of a guild—a group of players who roleplay together and help each other complete quests. But now, he says, most of those players have migrated from the game, and he has no way of keeping in contact with them. He is looking for a new guild.
Online economics
When he is not playing in the battlegrounds, Deng may complete quests in the world that earn him gold, armor, and reputation. He can spend his hard-earned gold in the Auction House – a place where players trade their virtual money for virtual goods.
The economy is booming in Warcraft—in fact, it is comparable to the economy of a small country. And while it is strictly forbidden by Blizzard (the company in charge of Warcraft), real-money trades are being made for these virtual items.
1,000 gold is typically advertised on eBay for $60. That’s an exchange rate of roughly $1 for each 16 gold.
But 1,000 gold is hard to earn for the casual player; it takes a lot of time. Not spending that time is appealing to many gamers, according to “flam3on,” a San Diego player who tries to make money selling his characters on eBay. He asked not to be identified because Blizzard could terminate his account for selling characters.
“Blizzard fails to realize how many of their customers bought accounts on eBay, which is why WOW is a top-played game still,” he writes via e-mail. “To me, that’s more money for both sides.”
Buying items online is not a practice Deng likes.
“I never spend real money on virtual property,” Deng says. “I like to earn everything myself, even if it’s with other people helping me.”
For the economy of Warcraft, Deng’s attitude is a good thing; it helps keep gold rare. Just like in any other market, the more common the currency is in a populace, the higher prices rise. To stave off inflation, Blizzard designers had to design ways to take money out of the economy. Thus players have to repair their armor and pay for new training as they grow in level.
Player vs. Player in the battlegrounds
He says he enjoys fighting in the battlegrounds against his fellow Warcrafters for the challenge. Today he is going to join a match in Arathi Basin.
In order to enter the game, his Tauren speaks with a battle commander, who gives him a place in line and a portal that lets him travel straight to the battlefield. The virtual world is large, and travel can be time-consuming. Without the portal, he might not have made it to the battlefield on time.
The game-within-a-game has one goal: to gain the most resources. Resources are virtual gold, food, lumber, and metal—but essentially here they equal points.
There are five resource nodes on the battlefield that need to be protected from the other team at all times: the smithy, the farm, the stables, the mine, and the lumber mill.
The gates open, and Amurko rushes onto the battlefield. Players seem to be running everywhere, and no one is telling them where to go or what to do.
Deng smiles a bit as he explains. “I usually play in a pick-up group, so we don’t have a lot of time to build a strategy,” he says. “Lately the games haven’t been real organized. There’s no clear leader.”
This doesn’t seem to bother him. All the players on the field are level 60, which is the highest level in the game. It took Deng nine months to reach level 60—these players must know the drill by now.
Onscreen, his Tauren rushes towards a resource node known as the “lumber mill.” Amurko is a druid, which means he can transform into different animals while he fights. When he spots a group of three enemies ahead of him, he slows, transforms into his lion form, and stealthily creeps up behind the unsuspecting group.
He waits to ambush them until they are already engaged in a fight with a tall green Orc and a small Forsaken. He jams on the mouse button, rapid-fire, while dodging wildly around his enemies with the keyboard arrow keys. Aside from his quick finger-strokes, his posture gives no indication of the flurry of activity onscreen. He looks almost relaxed.
It does not take long before he and his teammates have secured the lumber mill for themselves. Seeing this, Deng’s avatar rushes down the virtual hillside through virtual foliage to the next resource node: the smithy.
Here the battle does not end so well. Though Amurko charges with some teammates, he is quickly surrounded by enemy players. A human mage launches a barrage of spells his way, and suddenly Deng’s screen goes gray. He has died.
While he waits 30 seconds for the spirit healer to bring him back to life, he pulls up a chart of game statistics. His team is losing. It only takes one glance for him to see the problem.
“No wonder,” he says calmly, assessing the numbers like an old army commander. “We are outnumbered.”
Sometimes, button-mashing skills just aren’t enough.
Meanwhile, chat on the screen from his teammates has turned to strategy. Players are typing messages to each other, and their text appears at the bottom of the screen, similar to an instant messaging program.
“We should rush the stables,” someone suggests.
Amurko has been resurrected; he sprints into the fray once again, and hurriedly types his agreement as he runs: “Yeah, let’s go stables.”
It’s a daring move. The target is close to the enemy’s base, and the long field they must cross will offer no cover. Yet if they can pull it off, they will have a chance at winning despite the skewed odds.
Their charge of five is intimidating. Two green orcs wielding heavy battle axes lead the way, followed by the looming Tauren with his hefty staff and two rotting Undead in black robes. They rush across the field and are met by an equally intimidating force of humans, night elves, and gnomes.
Amurko is a blurr of action. He attacks first as a spry yellow lion. His health starts to drop fast, so he changes into a bear—the bear’s claws are slower, but the fur has more armor. He kills off a night elf, and notices a teammate is in trouble. He changes back into a lumbering Tauren to cast a quick healing spell before jumping in as a lion once again.
The fight is hard. The team lasts for a while, but Amurko dies again, and they do not manage to steal the stables from Alliance control. The game is lost before it is over.
The stories
Aside from battlefield challenges, the game also offers a world rich in lore and hero-driven stories. Deng plays on a roleplaying server, which means the characters are expected to speak and act as though the world around them were real.
Though he may look fierce, Amurko has his own reasons for fighting and exploring the world. Deng’s expression is unreadable as he tells me that Amurko’s parents were killed by centaurs when he was young, and that Amurko has been searching for his twin brother, who went missing years ago.
Deng controls what happens to Amurko, but that doesn’t mean he’ll spoil the surprise: Will Amurko ever find his brother?
His tan face breaks into a knowing, enigmatic smile. “That’s a very interesting question,” he says. “There have been rumors lately that his brother is a rebel against the Horde. Who knows who he’s working for? It could be any hostile group—not the Alliance, but maybe the Grimtotems.”
It may be that Amurko would have to fight his twin brother if he is found. Clearly, it is a mystery our hero will have to solve…
Though it isn’t real-life contact, his time in the virtual world does keep Deng in contact with his Bay Area friend. And it is fun, but it can be frustrating.
“Ironically I get frustrated when other people, especially friends, take it too seriously and forget it’s just a game,” he says.
Taking a game seriously is not hard for Deng to avoid.
“I have no obligations in-game,” he says, “so I can go on whenever I feel like playing.” He tries to prioritize his time between school, homework, and the game, so that he won’t get addicted.
For 10-12 hours a week and $10.99 a month, Deng can go from being a hard-working student to being a heroic druid.
“It’s definitely worth it,” he says.
Friday, April 28, 2006
The Wikipedia fails...
...when a large number of editors have decided they'd like to skew things.
I'd like to say the page under scrutiny here for bias is a political candidate; that's understandable and expected. But it's not... it's a corporation.
According to Richard Demsyn, Wal-Mart lobbyists work very hard to keep any controversy about Wal-Mart off of its main entry page. Discussions about its labor policies, connections with sweatshops, union controversies, benefits, protests, etc., are moved to the "Criticism of Wal-Mart" page, and there, discussion reads more like an advertisement at times. From the conclusion:
"The only conclusion I can make is that Wal-mart has used its economic power to hire lobbyists who as part of their job use Wikipedia to spread disinformation for the benefit of Wal-mart. This stands as a powerful strike against the very integrity of Wikipedia."
We already know Wal-Mart has found bloggers to be PR mouthpieces. But blogs are already admittedly biased. The wikipedia is known for attempts to be fair-minded. I'm sure these things must affect stock prices.
I tell you one thing, if I'm ever running a misinformation campaign, I'm hiring Wal-Mart.
I'd like to say the page under scrutiny here for bias is a political candidate; that's understandable and expected. But it's not... it's a corporation.
According to Richard Demsyn, Wal-Mart lobbyists work very hard to keep any controversy about Wal-Mart off of its main entry page. Discussions about its labor policies, connections with sweatshops, union controversies, benefits, protests, etc., are moved to the "Criticism of Wal-Mart" page, and there, discussion reads more like an advertisement at times. From the conclusion:
"The only conclusion I can make is that Wal-mart has used its economic power to hire lobbyists who as part of their job use Wikipedia to spread disinformation for the benefit of Wal-mart. This stands as a powerful strike against the very integrity of Wikipedia."
We already know Wal-Mart has found bloggers to be PR mouthpieces. But blogs are already admittedly biased. The wikipedia is known for attempts to be fair-minded. I'm sure these things must affect stock prices.
I tell you one thing, if I'm ever running a misinformation campaign, I'm hiring Wal-Mart.
Wikipedia tale shows China’s love-hate approach to change
Well, I know this is an old news story, but it is a really neat one, and I include it here in all its text so it won't dissappear into the bowels of paid-only archives. (Sorry, Washington Post. No dime for you.) Freedom isn't free, but information should be, right? --Lacey
Wikipedia tale shows China’s love-hate approach to change
Wikipedia tale shows China’s love-hate approach to change
PHILIP P. PAN; The Washington Post
Published: February 26th, 2006 02:30 AM
| ||
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BEIJING – When access to Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia that anyone can edit, was disrupted across China last October, a lanky chemical engineer named Shi Zhao called his Internet service provider to complain.
A technician confirmed what Shi already suspected: Someone in the government had ordered the site blocked again.
Who and why were mysteries, Shi recalled, but the technician promised to pass his complaint on to higher authorities if he put it in writing.
“Wikipedia isn’t a Web site for spreading reactionary speech or a pure political commentary site,” Shi, 33, wrote a few days later. Yes, it contained entries on sensitive subjects such as Taiwan and the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, but users made sure its articles were objective, he said, and blocking it would only make it harder for people in China to delete “harmful” content.
Shi hoped the government would agree. When the site was blocked in 2004, he had submitted a similar letter, and access had been quickly restored. Since then, the Chinese-language edition of Wikipedia had grown, broadening its appeal not only as a reference tool but also as a forum where people across China and the Chinese diaspora could gather, share knowledge and discuss even the most divisive subjects.
But today, four months after Shi submitted his letter, Wikipedia remains blocked.
The government has declined to explain its actions. But its on-again, off-again attempts to disrupt access to the site highlight the Communist Party’s deep ambivalence toward the Internet: The party appears at once determined not to be left behind by the global information revolution and fearful of being swept away by it.
Officials tolerated Wikipedia at first, perhaps because it seemed to be exactly what the party had in mind when it began promoting Internet use 11 years ago – an educational resource that could help China close its technological gap with the West, encourage innovation and boost economic growth.
But as the Chinese Wikipedia flourished, the authorities apparently came to see it as another threat to the party’s control of information and an example of an even more worrying development. The Internet has emerged as a venue for people with shared interests – or grievances – to meet, exchange ideas and plan activities without the party’s knowledge or approval.
With 111 million people online and 20,000 more joining them every day, the landscape of Chinese cyberspace resembles a vast collection of new and overlapping communities. Although Chinese write less e-mail than Americans, they embrace the Internet’s other communication tools – bulletin boards and chat rooms, instant-messaging groups and blogs, photo-sharing and social networking sites. A popular feature of the Chinese search engine Baidu lets users chat with others who have entered the same keywords.
Studies suggest this digital interaction is changing the traditional structure of Chinese society, strengthening relations among friends, colleagues and others outside family networks. In a multinational survey, a much larger percentage of Internet users in China than anywhere else said online communication had increased their contact with people who shared their hobbies, professions and political views.
The Communist Party polices these emerging Internet communities with censors and undercover agents and manages a Web site that it said received nearly a quarter-million anonymous tips about “harmful information” online last year.
But the methods the party uses to control speech and behavior in the real world have proved less effective in cyberspace, where people get away with more, and where the government is often a step behind.
When authorities catch up, citizens often have already weakened the party’s grip on public life and succeeded in expanding civil society. They have organized charity drives for rural schoolchildren and mobilized students for anti-Japanese protest marches. And they learned to work together to write an encyclopedia.
“Wikipedia is special because other places don’t have this kind of discussion, at least not such an intellectual discussion. It’s a place where people with different backgrounds interact,” said Shi, a prolific contributor to the Chinese Wikipedia. “But that wasn’t even our goal. Our goal was just to produce an encyclopedia.”
Created by volunteers who write and edit articles in a collaborative process, Wikipedia is the Web’s largest reference site, and it boasts editions in more than 200 languages.
To many educated in China, the governing principles of Wikipedia – objectivity in content, equality among users, the importance of consensus – were relatively new concepts. Yuan said he consulted the work of philosopher John Rawls and economist Friedrich Hayek to better understand how a free community could organize itself and “produce order from chaos.”
“We had heard of these ideas, but they really didn’t have much to do with our lives,” said Yuan, now a computer programmer. “In school, we were taught an official point of view, not a neutral point of view. And we didn’t learn much about how to cooperate with people who had different opinions.”
In early 2004, state-run newspapers began writing positive articles about the Chinese Wikipedia, and the coverage fueled further growth. By February, more than 3,000 people had registered as users and there were more than 5,000 entries.
By April, the site was getting nearly 100,000 page requests per day. By May, the number of definitions on the site had climbed past 10,000.
Then, on June 3, 2004, people in China who tried to visit Wikipedia saw an error page instead. The government had blocked the site on the eve of the 15th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre.
But after Wikipedia was blocked on the eve of the Tiananmen anniversary, Shi – who describes himself as a supporter of the Communist Party – was among the first to call his Internet service provider to complain. He also submitted an appeal.
Then without any explanation, the government restored access to the site.
The 19-day disruption caused Chinese Wikipedia use to drop and prompted hand-wringing in the community that built it. Some suggested that the site practice self-censorship to avoid being blocked again. But most opposed the idea on principle.
“It would have violated our policies, because Wikipedia is independent of any government,” Shi said. “We aren’t publishing political editorials, just providing information from a neutral point of view.”
Instead of backing down, the site attracted more users, and the debates intensified as people tried to hammer out their differences on subjects such as the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement, the one-child policy and even the Chinese Communist Party.
Because users hailed from Taiwan as well as the mainland, the most-passionate fights were related to the status of the self-governing island. At one point, there was even talk about splitting the site in two, because residents of Taiwan and the mainland write Chinese with different sets of characters.
Technology bridged that divide. A student wrote a computer program to automatically convert text from one set to the other.
Slowly, a community was consolidating outside the party’s purview, one that was learning to settle its own disputes, that crossed borders and tolerated those who contradicted the party’s views and that began organizing get-togethers in the real world as well as cyberspace.
It must have been disturbing to some in the party, which has long sought to dominate all organized social activity in China. In September 2004, the government blocked access to Wikipedia again.
Some blamed the decision on an influx of Internet users who were upset that the censors had shut down a popular university Web site. Others linked it to a message posted by a disgruntled Wikipedian on the losing side of an argument two days earlier.
“I have already called the police, and told them there is a lot of Taiwan independence, Falun Gong and other reactionary content here,” the user wrote. “I even gave them many entries as examples. After a few days, they will come for an inspection. You’d better get ready. … Ha, ha.”
To the community’s relief, the second block lasted only four days. Then, for more than a year, Wikipedia operated free of any government interference.
The encyclopedia flourished, passing the 40,000-entry mark in September, and the community thrived, growing more stable and mature. Users continued to discuss and write about sensitive subjects, branching into current events, but the rancor of the debates seemed to subside. When newcomers resorted to overheated language, veterans stepped in and cooled things down.
So the government’s most recent decision to block Wikipedia was a deep disappointment. Shi Zhao submitted another appeal. Cui Wei, 25, a graduate student at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, wrote one, too.
“By blocking Wikipedia, we lose a chance to present China’s voice to the world, allowing evil cults, Taiwan independence forces and others … to present a distorted image of China,” he said. “We lose a chance to share academic knowledge with the world, and as users, a channel to gain information. …
“Such an act is no different than cutting off our tongues and shutting our eyes and ears. It is closing and locking up the country in the age of the Internet.”
As the weeks passed, many concluded Wikipedia had been blocked for good.
In December, a message appeared on a Wikipedia page alleging the site had been “conducting anti-China activities under the flag of being neutral” and accusing its senior users of being “running dogs for American imperialism.” Some suspected the note was posted by a government agent.
The number of people using the Chinese Wikipedia site has dropped, but devoted users are finding ways to access it. The community now boasts 45,000 registered users, most from the mainland. Among the site’s 56,000 entries is one that explains how to get around the government’s firewall.
Researcher Zhang Jing contributed to this report.Monday, April 24, 2006
Rough draft feature
This is the rough draft of my Feature assignment for Capital Campus News. Many thanks to JJ Deng, who let me interview and observe him playing the game.
I didn't particularly like my introduction, and I HATE my conclusion. I just can't figure out what is missing though. This will get a rewrite before it's published, I'm 100% sure, so if you have suggestions, let me know! Thanks.
I didn't particularly like my introduction, and I HATE my conclusion. I just can't figure out what is missing though. This will get a rewrite before it's published, I'm 100% sure, so if you have suggestions, let me know! Thanks.
Feature: MMOs
Lacey Waymire
He looms seven feet tall. He has shaggy brown fur across his muscular shoulders and two cruelly-pointed horns above his fierce snout. Clenched in his hooves is a massive, bonk-up-Godzilla kind of staff. The armor on his shoulders alone probably weighs more than your grandmother… and he’s coming for you.
No, it’s not a nightmare. It’s the virtual appearance of 23-year-old JJ Deng of Davis. He is a Tauren, a sort of bull that stands on his back hooves, named Amurko. Amurko lives in the online game World of Warcraft (WOW).
It’s a world that 5.5 million are playing in already, and it’s changing the social lifestyle of its players. Once installed on any computer with online capabilities, players can send text messages to interact with thousands of other players who exist in the same virtual world. They can create their own characters with unique stories. Those characters in turn have their own virtual lives—they can trade items, gain power and reputation, fight enemies, make friends—and even get married.
In real life, Deng is a hard-working graduate student at UC Davis, where he is studying applied science after graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in engineering science.
Though he is not studying this Sunday afternoon, his one-bedroom apartment in downtown Davis shows every sign that he works hard for his grades. On his computer desk, sitting amongst scattered sheets of complicated-looking math homework, is a worn copy of “Modern quantum mechanics.”
Deng gently moves aside some sheets of homework as he logs into WOW.
“My friend in the Bay Area got me hooked,” he says of why he started playing WOW. “Playing together in the game—this is how we’re keeping in touch.”
Deng used to be part of a guild—a group of players who roleplay together and help each other complete quests. But now, he says, most of those players have migrated from the game, and he has no way of keeping in contact with them. He is looking for a new guild.
Player vs. Player in the battlegrounds
He tells me he enjoys fighting in the battlegrounds against his fellow Warcrafters. Today he is going to show me a player-versus-player fight in Arathi Basin.
The game-within-a-game has one goal: to gain the most resources. There are five resource nodes on the battlefield that need to be protected from the other team at all times.
The gates open, and Amurko rushes onto the battlefield without wasting a second. The first thing I notice is that players seem to be running everywhere, and no one is telling them where to go or what to do.
Deng smiles a bit when I mention this. “I usually play in a pick-up group, so we don’t have a lot of time to build a strategy,” he says. “Lately the games haven’t been real organized. There’s no clear leader.”
This doesn’t seem to bother him. All the players on the field are level 60, which is the highest level in the game. It took Deng nine months to reach level 60—these players must know the drill by now.
Onscreen, his Tauren rushes towards a resource node known as the “lumber mill.” Amurko is a druid, which means he can transform into different animals while he fights. When he spots a group of three enemies ahead of him, he slows, transforms into his lion form, and stealthily creeps up behind the unsuspecting group.
He waits to ambush them until they are already engaged in a fight with a tall green Orc and a small Forsaken. He jams on the mouse button, rapid-fire, while dodging wildly around his enemies with the keyboard arrow keys. Aside from his quick finger-strokes, his posture gives no indication of the flurry of activity onscreen. He looks almost relaxed.
It does not take long before he and his teammates have secured the lumber mill for themselves. Seeing this, Deng’s avatar rushes down the virtual hillside through virtual foliage to the next resource node: the smithy.
Here the battle does not end so well. Though Amurko charges with some teammates, he is quickly surrounded by enemy players. A human mage launches a barrage of spells his way, and suddenly Deng’s screen goes gray. He has died.
While he waits 30 seconds for the spirit healer to bring him back to life, he pulls up a chart of game statistics. His team is losing. It only takes one glance for him to see the problem.
“No wonder,” he says calmly, assessing the numbers like an old army commander. “We are outnumbered.”
Sometimes, button-mashing skills just aren’t enough.
Meanwhile, chat on the screen from his teammates has turned to strategy.
“We should rush the stables,” someone suggests.
Amurko has been resurrected; he sprints into the fray once again, and hurriedly types his agreement as he runs: “Yeah let’s go stables.”
It’s a daring move. The target is close to the enemy’s base, and the long field they must cross will offer no cover. Yet if they can pull it off, they will have a chance at winning despite the skewed odds.
Their charge of five is intimidating. Two green orcs wielding heavy battle axes lead the way, followed by the looming Tauren with his hefty staff and two rotting Undead in black robes. They rush across the field and are met by an equally intimidating force of humans, night elves, and gnomes.
Amurko is a blurr of action. He attacks first as a spry yellow lion. His health starts to drop fast, so he changes into a bear—the bear’s claws are slower, but the fur has more armor. He kills off a night elf, and notices a teammate is in trouble. He changes back into a lumbering Tauren to cast a quick healing spell before jumping in as a lion once again.
The fight is hard. The team lasts for a while, but Amurko dies again, and they do not manage to steal the stables from Alliance control. The game is lost before it is over.
Online economics
When he is not playing in the battlegrounds, Deng may complete quests in the world that earn him gold, armor, and reputation. He can spend his hard-earned gold in the Auction House – a place where players trade their virtual money for virtual goods.
The economy is booming in Warcraft—in fact, it is comparable to the economy of a small country. And while it is strictly forbidden by Blizzard (the company in charge of Warcraft), real-money trades are being made for these virtual items.
1,000 gold is typically advertised on eBay for $60. That’s an exchange rate of roughly $1 for each 16 gold.
But 1,000 gold is hard to earn for the casual player; it takes a lot of time. Not spending that time is appealing to many gamers, according to “flam3on,” a San Diego player who tries to make money selling his characters on eBay. He asked not to be identified because Blizzard could terminate his account for selling characters.
“Blizzard fails to realize how many of their customers bought accounts on eBay, which is why WOW is a top-played game still,” he writes via e-mail. “To me, that’s more money for both sides.”
Buying items online is not a practice Deng likes.
“I never spend real money on virtual property,” Deng says. “I like to earn everything myself, even if it’s with other people helping me.”
For the economy of Warcraft, Deng’s attitude is a good thing; it helps keep gold rare. Just like in any other market, the more common the currency is in a populace, the higher prices rise. To stave off inflation, Blizzard designers had to design ways to take money out of the economy. Thus players have to repair their armor and pay for new training as they grow in level.
The stories
Aside from economic challenges, the game also offers a world rich in lore and hero-driven stories. Deng plays on a roleplaying server, which means the characters are expected to speak and act as though the world around them were real.
Though he may look fierce, Amurko has his own reasons for fighting and exploring the world. Deng’s expression is unreadable as he tells me that Amurko’s parents were killed by centaurs when he was young, and that Amurko has been searching for his twin brother, who went missing years ago.
Deng controls what happens to Amurko, so I thought I might ask for a preview. Will Amurko ever find his brother?
His tan face breaks into a knowing, enigmatic smile. “That’s a very interesting question,” he says. “There have been rumors lately that his brother is a rebel against the Horde. Who knows who he’s working for? It could be any hostile group—not the Alliance, but maybe the Grimtotems.”
It may be that Amurko would have to fight his twin brother if he is found. Clearly, it is a mystery our hero will have to solve…
Though it isn’t real-life contact, his time in the virtual world does keep Deng in contact with his Bay Area friend. And it is fun.
“I have no obligations in-game,” he says, “so I can go on whenever I feel like playing.”
So for 10-12 hours a week and $10.99 a month, Deng can go from being a hard-working student to being a heroic druid.
“It’s definitely worth it,” he says.
Friday, April 14, 2006
Creative funks are like X-Wings in swamp water
I just realized today I hadn't blogged this week. Faced with writing this blog and yet another one next week, I find myself stuck in a black void of anti-inspiration.
Lately my creativity has been dry. I'm supposed to write several fiction snippets for my various creative hobbies. I'm going to play in a Star Wars game this summer. I LOVE Star Wars. Coming up with a character concept should be as easy as failing a midterm! But I'm stuck. I feel a bit like Luke Skywalker trying to raise his X-wing up from the swamp in Degobah.
I often find inspiration in ice cream and oil paintings - the ice cream is to change my brain chemistry just a little, and the art gives me visual stimuli which my brain interprets creatively. Deviant Art helps feed my need for paintings. But lately... my creative methods are stagnating.
Maybe you can help me escape this horrible mucky swamp. How do you get out of a creative funk?
Lately my creativity has been dry. I'm supposed to write several fiction snippets for my various creative hobbies. I'm going to play in a Star Wars game this summer. I LOVE Star Wars. Coming up with a character concept should be as easy as failing a midterm! But I'm stuck. I feel a bit like Luke Skywalker trying to raise his X-wing up from the swamp in Degobah.
I often find inspiration in ice cream and oil paintings - the ice cream is to change my brain chemistry just a little, and the art gives me visual stimuli which my brain interprets creatively. Deviant Art helps feed my need for paintings. But lately... my creative methods are stagnating.
Maybe you can help me escape this horrible mucky swamp. How do you get out of a creative funk?
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
When I rule the world..
Things to remember if I'm in a leadership position. This was taken from a Poynter article on young managers who work over veterans of many years. This is what the empolyees want to know about their managers:
# How well do you really know me and my work?
# How much respect do you have for my skills and contributions?
# Do you want to motivate me or manipulate me?
# What do you stand for? How will I know?
# What are you good at? How can it help me -- and others?
# Can I trust you?
# What have you done for me lately?
# How well do you really know me and my work?
# How much respect do you have for my skills and contributions?
# Do you want to motivate me or manipulate me?
# What do you stand for? How will I know?
# What are you good at? How can it help me -- and others?
# Can I trust you?
# What have you done for me lately?
Monday, April 03, 2006
Toy Room Gallery
For our feature project, my group went to the Toy Room Gallery downtown. (I was, as a few others here, lost on my way in. Isn't downtown lousy that way?)
It's a "pop surrealism" art store, with T-shirts that look like tags and strange stuffed octopi-bunnies. I have to admit, as my eyes slid from shelf to shelf of merchandise, I scrambled to find something I could understand. I don't know anything about urban culture at all. Ren and Stimpy's "Shaven Yak" toy was the closest I could come. I've never actually seen an episode, but I know it's a Nickelodeon cartoon. Or something like that.
The art in the gallery was something I really enjoyed - especially the robots. They're metallic angels with sad gothy eyes. Simple and profound. Moreover, they were about $50 for the small ones - something I could purchase, unlike the rest of the art. There's a great painting of a woman pepper-spraying some punk who gets a little too grabby - for half a million sheets of dough...
Talking with the co-owner was really a lot of fun. I enjoyed his story, and I enjoyed his point of view on life. His main complaint was that out-of-towners bought the most stuff. Sacramento doesn't like spending money on art; our pocketbooks do not match the caliber of those Bay Area folk.
I can see, because of talking to him, that the store is something special - something SF and LA folks don't have. But I wish I could experience for myself why any of that merchandise was cool. I know I don't get it at all.
If his customers walked into a dice shop they'd have that same lost feeling, I'm sure. Is there a cultural rift here? I feel like I need an anthropologist to explain an era of pop culture I've missed. I can hear myself begging, "What about the bunny with tentacles? Is there no context?! For the love of God, show me the context!!" But as I have rejected pop culture, I don't think I'd even understand the context.
It's a nightmarish feeling for a journalist. I should have watched a few episodes of Ren and Stimpy as my research for this place.
It's a "pop surrealism" art store, with T-shirts that look like tags and strange stuffed octopi-bunnies. I have to admit, as my eyes slid from shelf to shelf of merchandise, I scrambled to find something I could understand. I don't know anything about urban culture at all. Ren and Stimpy's "Shaven Yak" toy was the closest I could come. I've never actually seen an episode, but I know it's a Nickelodeon cartoon. Or something like that.
The art in the gallery was something I really enjoyed - especially the robots. They're metallic angels with sad gothy eyes. Simple and profound. Moreover, they were about $50 for the small ones - something I could purchase, unlike the rest of the art. There's a great painting of a woman pepper-spraying some punk who gets a little too grabby - for half a million sheets of dough...
Talking with the co-owner was really a lot of fun. I enjoyed his story, and I enjoyed his point of view on life. His main complaint was that out-of-towners bought the most stuff. Sacramento doesn't like spending money on art; our pocketbooks do not match the caliber of those Bay Area folk.
I can see, because of talking to him, that the store is something special - something SF and LA folks don't have. But I wish I could experience for myself why any of that merchandise was cool. I know I don't get it at all.
If his customers walked into a dice shop they'd have that same lost feeling, I'm sure. Is there a cultural rift here? I feel like I need an anthropologist to explain an era of pop culture I've missed. I can hear myself begging, "What about the bunny with tentacles? Is there no context?! For the love of God, show me the context!!" But as I have rejected pop culture, I don't think I'd even understand the context.
It's a nightmarish feeling for a journalist. I should have watched a few episodes of Ren and Stimpy as my research for this place.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
I've been meaning to make a new post for a while.
Recently a rather large score of friends has contacted me via MySpace; two cousins, a high school friend, and my best friend. I had gotten out of the habit of checking MySpace.
I took the time to look up a few of my old friends, like they did. I found people who I have missed so much! I find it strange to suddenly see them at my fingertips. What do we say? Should we try to "hang out" on MySpace? MySpace fosters such a different community from a typical blog community. I think it would be a very real challenge to have any sort of meaningful contact. Let me explain what I mean.
MySpace is full of music files, pictures, "comments," kudos, and the ever-growing "friends" list. It's a high-school popularity contest all over again. Every blog you write will be seen by everyone else (or at least everyone who is on your friend's list). All their comments are seen by all your friends too. To get any privacy on MySpace, you have to send messages, which are sort of pseudo-emails.
It's easy to get graphicy with that site, so the tendancy is NOT to get intellectual. It's full of smilies and "kudos" and personality quizes.
A few of these people I used to be close with. We lost touch along the way. Picking it back up with emoticons just -- cheapens that relationship, I think. I could move the conversation to email; at least there I'd feel there was some legitamite effort to contact the real person. MySpace isn't real.
I can't really define why that is.
Recently a rather large score of friends has contacted me via MySpace; two cousins, a high school friend, and my best friend. I had gotten out of the habit of checking MySpace.
I took the time to look up a few of my old friends, like they did. I found people who I have missed so much! I find it strange to suddenly see them at my fingertips. What do we say? Should we try to "hang out" on MySpace? MySpace fosters such a different community from a typical blog community. I think it would be a very real challenge to have any sort of meaningful contact. Let me explain what I mean.
MySpace is full of music files, pictures, "comments," kudos, and the ever-growing "friends" list. It's a high-school popularity contest all over again. Every blog you write will be seen by everyone else (or at least everyone who is on your friend's list). All their comments are seen by all your friends too. To get any privacy on MySpace, you have to send messages, which are sort of pseudo-emails.
It's easy to get graphicy with that site, so the tendancy is NOT to get intellectual. It's full of smilies and "kudos" and personality quizes.
A few of these people I used to be close with. We lost touch along the way. Picking it back up with emoticons just -- cheapens that relationship, I think. I could move the conversation to email; at least there I'd feel there was some legitamite effort to contact the real person. MySpace isn't real.
I can't really define why that is.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Because democracy matters
According to Penny Arcade, "This Is What Democracy Looks Like." Please click on the link; Tycho's opinion piece is pretty interesting.
I realize our age demographic typically doesn't vote. But if there were ONE banner you would stand under... if there were ONE group that could really get you fired up about voting, who would it be?
I'd have to go with the "lesser of two evils" campaign myself...
Speaking of democracy, I'd love to be this reporter:
REPORTER: "And the second question--can you promise a year from now that you will have reduced the number of troops in Iraq?"
BUSH W. : "Uhh, the second question is a trick question, so I won't answer it."
--Oct. 28, 2003 in the Rose Garden.
I realize our age demographic typically doesn't vote. But if there were ONE banner you would stand under... if there were ONE group that could really get you fired up about voting, who would it be?I'd have to go with the "lesser of two evils" campaign myself...
Speaking of democracy, I'd love to be this reporter:
REPORTER: "And the second question--can you promise a year from now that you will have reduced the number of troops in Iraq?"
BUSH W. : "Uhh, the second question is a trick question, so I won't answer it."
--Oct. 28, 2003 in the Rose Garden.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
More brain pain
I'm masochistic, aren't I?
"This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous. And having said that, all options are on the table." --Good ol' G. W., Feb. 22, 2005 in Brussels, Belgium.
On the topic of contradictions, don't worry; we can't deny India the right to Nukes. Iran's a different story...
"This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous. And having said that, all options are on the table." --Good ol' G. W., Feb. 22, 2005 in Brussels, Belgium.
On the topic of contradictions, don't worry; we can't deny India the right to Nukes. Iran's a different story...
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Late nights, coffee, deadlines, and Darth Vader
I'm running on three hours of sleep.
My beat is the Rancho Cordova city council. The city is friendly and young--it's like a lamb in the sunshine, really. Enthusiastic, almost bouncy. Helpful to the extreme. It wears a perfect white shiny coat, and it bounds all over the place.
But the city council members are too enthusiastic. I left that meeting last night at 1:40 a.m. and it still was not done! Their discussions are laboriously off-topic. They get bogged down in details that do not pertain to the city policy before them. Worst of all, they are unused to making decisions as a team! I can't tell you how many times last night two council members talked over each other purposely--for at least fifteen seconds--before having to repeat themselves because no one can hear anything when two mics are battling.
One of the councilmen was in Florida during this time. He had to stay up talking on the phone until 4 a.m. his time, then he had a meeting in three hours. (Anecdotally, he was hooked to a mic, and the whole time was Darth Vader-breathing onto the speakers. No one said anything to him, but everyone laughed about it.)
I sat next to Sac Bee reporter Molly Dugan, who has also been very helpful. She said not to give up on journalism because of this council. "I've covered fifteen other councils, and this one is the worst by far," she told me.
The poor lady had a deadline of 1 a.m. She had to call in to say the deadline wouldn't be made. Worse, she had to teach a class at 8 a.m. She was drinking coffee.
The council's late-night deliberations not only are rude and inconsiderate, they do NOT seem conductive to local democracy. The people are not all able to participate in such a long-winded discussion. Half the commenters left before they were able to speak on the issue they came to speak about!
As a result, my story smells worse than a field of cows. I couldn't get any reaction to their final decision... I don't fully understand what that decision means--and to be fair, they don't either. They left their decision vague on purpose! I did not even stay to see the complete final decision. And why should I have? I kid you not when I say they spent ten minutes debating whether or not to put the word "and" into their policy. I came home at 2 a.m., spent an hour on the story, only quoted people whose names I knew how to spell, got up three hours later and rushed to class. I'm in class now, typing this - if I didn't have class, I'd be on the phone getting reactions to the events of last night.
So there you have it. I feel more than a little like I've set myself up to fail this time around. I'm really hoping that all future deadlines are on Thursday, not Tuesday! And when it comes time for me to really be hired at a paper... I won't schedule anything for the morning after a meeting. I'll use stims and get that story right the first time. Until I'm paid to lose sleep, I'll leave the meetings early and just read about it in the Bee!
My beat is the Rancho Cordova city council. The city is friendly and young--it's like a lamb in the sunshine, really. Enthusiastic, almost bouncy. Helpful to the extreme. It wears a perfect white shiny coat, and it bounds all over the place.
But the city council members are too enthusiastic. I left that meeting last night at 1:40 a.m. and it still was not done! Their discussions are laboriously off-topic. They get bogged down in details that do not pertain to the city policy before them. Worst of all, they are unused to making decisions as a team! I can't tell you how many times last night two council members talked over each other purposely--for at least fifteen seconds--before having to repeat themselves because no one can hear anything when two mics are battling.
One of the councilmen was in Florida during this time. He had to stay up talking on the phone until 4 a.m. his time, then he had a meeting in three hours. (Anecdotally, he was hooked to a mic, and the whole time was Darth Vader-breathing onto the speakers. No one said anything to him, but everyone laughed about it.)
I sat next to Sac Bee reporter Molly Dugan, who has also been very helpful. She said not to give up on journalism because of this council. "I've covered fifteen other councils, and this one is the worst by far," she told me.
The poor lady had a deadline of 1 a.m. She had to call in to say the deadline wouldn't be made. Worse, she had to teach a class at 8 a.m. She was drinking coffee.
The council's late-night deliberations not only are rude and inconsiderate, they do NOT seem conductive to local democracy. The people are not all able to participate in such a long-winded discussion. Half the commenters left before they were able to speak on the issue they came to speak about!
As a result, my story smells worse than a field of cows. I couldn't get any reaction to their final decision... I don't fully understand what that decision means--and to be fair, they don't either. They left their decision vague on purpose! I did not even stay to see the complete final decision. And why should I have? I kid you not when I say they spent ten minutes debating whether or not to put the word "and" into their policy. I came home at 2 a.m., spent an hour on the story, only quoted people whose names I knew how to spell, got up three hours later and rushed to class. I'm in class now, typing this - if I didn't have class, I'd be on the phone getting reactions to the events of last night.
So there you have it. I feel more than a little like I've set myself up to fail this time around. I'm really hoping that all future deadlines are on Thursday, not Tuesday! And when it comes time for me to really be hired at a paper... I won't schedule anything for the morning after a meeting. I'll use stims and get that story right the first time. Until I'm paid to lose sleep, I'll leave the meetings early and just read about it in the Bee!
Monday, March 06, 2006
Buying gold for virtual worlds
This opinion piece discusses paying real-life currency for in-game gold. From the article:
Other critics claim that buying from companies like IGE supports "gold farming" sweatshop operations run primarily in China. IGE executives have denied such connections. Along those lines, popular game blog Joystiq (www.joystiq.com) reported recently that South Korean fans of the popular online role-playing game Lineage have engaged in a border war of sorts with Chinese players who they suspect are working for gold farmers. Roving vigilante groups of Korean players have been attacking characters who cannot respond to their online questions in the Korean language.
Really? Wow. (That's a feat of... well... cross-faction communication. Aside from that logistical problem? YIKES!)
I have to admit I've been tempted to buy gold before. Whooee, some of that 600-gold gear looks spicy! But no virtual possession is really worth my money... especially if it supports a sweatshop, or a gang.
Here's one of the sweet/fascinating things about the online world. Everyone starts out equal. There are no disadvantages to be born with, no class, no real social structure. As soon as players can pay real money for virtual wealth, all that inherant equality is taken away. Instantly, your rich players sit at the top in PVP ranks, and look cooler than the rest of us.
I understand not having the time nor desire to farm up gold. I'm totally there. I'm also a bit of a hardcore roleplayer. If your character wouldn't be down with spending the time... then she's not going to be rich!
There is definately a work aspect to gameplay in WoW. You do have to grind away at the levels and at your professions. That is crappy. It takes time which equals money. And for those of us who don't have the time, but have the money, it seems like a viable solution.
I'd totally go for it, if the money went to a player who was having fun. But sweatshops and farmers really do get on my nerves. That's not just. Especially for something as trivial as online goods! Outside of that ONE program, you realize, those possessions won't do me any good!
Human decency and respect FTW.
Other critics claim that buying from companies like IGE supports "gold farming" sweatshop operations run primarily in China. IGE executives have denied such connections. Along those lines, popular game blog Joystiq (www.joystiq.com) reported recently that South Korean fans of the popular online role-playing game Lineage have engaged in a border war of sorts with Chinese players who they suspect are working for gold farmers. Roving vigilante groups of Korean players have been attacking characters who cannot respond to their online questions in the Korean language.
Really? Wow. (That's a feat of... well... cross-faction communication. Aside from that logistical problem? YIKES!)
I have to admit I've been tempted to buy gold before. Whooee, some of that 600-gold gear looks spicy! But no virtual possession is really worth my money... especially if it supports a sweatshop, or a gang.
Here's one of the sweet/fascinating things about the online world. Everyone starts out equal. There are no disadvantages to be born with, no class, no real social structure. As soon as players can pay real money for virtual wealth, all that inherant equality is taken away. Instantly, your rich players sit at the top in PVP ranks, and look cooler than the rest of us.
I understand not having the time nor desire to farm up gold. I'm totally there. I'm also a bit of a hardcore roleplayer. If your character wouldn't be down with spending the time... then she's not going to be rich!
There is definately a work aspect to gameplay in WoW. You do have to grind away at the levels and at your professions. That is crappy. It takes time which equals money. And for those of us who don't have the time, but have the money, it seems like a viable solution.
I'd totally go for it, if the money went to a player who was having fun. But sweatshops and farmers really do get on my nerves. That's not just. Especially for something as trivial as online goods! Outside of that ONE program, you realize, those possessions won't do me any good!
Human decency and respect FTW.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
OMG Scary Kill It!!!!11
He unleashed the beast on the people
When it hit no one cried or screamed
They all went about their business
Getting back to the front of the TV screen
Now the thing, he's part of you
He'll keep your pride alive
And who are they to accuse you?
I guess they think that thing's a lie!
--The Thing in the Bass Amp, by the Aquabats
This song has always reminded me of the fear that comes with something or someone that is poorly understood. For example... MySpace!
In Poynter's look at what was over-covered in the media this week, it's mentioned that most major TV networks ran a bit about MySpace, throwing it in a scary light and warning parents to keep an eye on this social evil.
Scary predators are out there. Children online are targets. Kids can post hurtful comments about each other. You know, it IS scary. But it's nothing a little caution and dialogue can't control.
The hype about MySpace reminds me of a number of things my parents had irrational fears of when I was growing up, because they didn't take the time to really understand those things... Dungeons and Dragons, because roleplaying made kids kill themselves... Teen magazine, because it was playboy for girls... Hotmail, because it sounded BAD!
Parents need to stay aware of the new dangers that come with each new technology and use of technology. They need to be aware of "fads." But they need to understand these issues too, before they can judge them. Obviously hotmail wasn't any more dangerous than the family email host... Obviously, MySpace is as dangerous as ANY site online.
Internet responsibility everywhere means your kid will be safe anywhere. Dialogue between parents and kids will help both parties to truly understand what's happening. Us media junkies, we get to help that along by deciding what light to play something in.
As Poynter's Scott Libin said: I think we'll be talking for quite a while to come about MySpace.com, similar sites and the social trends they reflect. The question is not whether journalists should be covering them, but how.
When it hit no one cried or screamed
They all went about their business
Getting back to the front of the TV screen
Now the thing, he's part of you
He'll keep your pride alive
And who are they to accuse you?
I guess they think that thing's a lie!
--The Thing in the Bass Amp, by the Aquabats
This song has always reminded me of the fear that comes with something or someone that is poorly understood. For example... MySpace!
In Poynter's look at what was over-covered in the media this week, it's mentioned that most major TV networks ran a bit about MySpace, throwing it in a scary light and warning parents to keep an eye on this social evil.
Scary predators are out there. Children online are targets. Kids can post hurtful comments about each other. You know, it IS scary. But it's nothing a little caution and dialogue can't control.
The hype about MySpace reminds me of a number of things my parents had irrational fears of when I was growing up, because they didn't take the time to really understand those things... Dungeons and Dragons, because roleplaying made kids kill themselves... Teen magazine, because it was playboy for girls... Hotmail, because it sounded BAD!
Parents need to stay aware of the new dangers that come with each new technology and use of technology. They need to be aware of "fads." But they need to understand these issues too, before they can judge them. Obviously hotmail wasn't any more dangerous than the family email host... Obviously, MySpace is as dangerous as ANY site online.
Internet responsibility everywhere means your kid will be safe anywhere. Dialogue between parents and kids will help both parties to truly understand what's happening. Us media junkies, we get to help that along by deciding what light to play something in.
As Poynter's Scott Libin said: I think we'll be talking for quite a while to come about MySpace.com, similar sites and the social trends they reflect. The question is not whether journalists should be covering them, but how.
Friday, March 03, 2006
Blond periodic table!
This slideshow makes fun of the many blond newscasters we see on TV. According to Slate's Jack Shafer, 20% of the adult female population is naturally blond, while 33% look the part. That number is thrown way out of proportion on the tele. We blonds rule the world, according to TV!
Tha part that really cracks me up is at the very end: Fox lips. I'm a natural blond, and discovered that no lip color other than pink looks good on me. Now that I'm associating that color with the conservative arm of American TV, I think I'll pass...
In typing this, I discovered a struggle within myself: how should I spell "blond" - with or without the e? Certain connotations come with being a "blonde." A blonde is romantic, exotic, and wears Greek sheets. A blond just has ... hair. In desiring not to oversex myself, I'll go with "blond."
And completely unrelatedly, 20 students have been arrested in the latest school crackdown of MySpace. One kid wrote up some threats; 20 classmates were suspended for VIEWING those threats. Poor Costa Mesa. Sorry, kids: do your surfing at home lest you click on a friend's web site and discover by accident that he likes to put babies on spikes.
Freedom of speach for minors is an issue that will explode! How much responsibility can minors truly take for publishing their thoughts, when they may not realize those thoughts are public? In the above case, the boy's blog was for registered friends only. You had to have permission to see it. Therefore the threats were not directed at the person. Does the school have any right to punish him for his private thoughts?
Tha part that really cracks me up is at the very end: Fox lips. I'm a natural blond, and discovered that no lip color other than pink looks good on me. Now that I'm associating that color with the conservative arm of American TV, I think I'll pass...
In typing this, I discovered a struggle within myself: how should I spell "blond" - with or without the e? Certain connotations come with being a "blonde." A blonde is romantic, exotic, and wears Greek sheets. A blond just has ... hair. In desiring not to oversex myself, I'll go with "blond."
And completely unrelatedly, 20 students have been arrested in the latest school crackdown of MySpace. One kid wrote up some threats; 20 classmates were suspended for VIEWING those threats. Poor Costa Mesa. Sorry, kids: do your surfing at home lest you click on a friend's web site and discover by accident that he likes to put babies on spikes.
Freedom of speach for minors is an issue that will explode! How much responsibility can minors truly take for publishing their thoughts, when they may not realize those thoughts are public? In the above case, the boy's blog was for registered friends only. You had to have permission to see it. Therefore the threats were not directed at the person. Does the school have any right to punish him for his private thoughts?
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Once again, my brain is hurt.
And I must share that hurt with the world...
"I believe that people whose skins aren't necessarily, or, you know, different color than white can self govern."
--G. W. Jan. 30, 2004 at the Oval Office.
On that note, I'm tired of voting for the lesser of two evils! No hidden agendas! Even if it means going with the Republican candidate.
"I believe that people whose skins aren't necessarily, or, you know, different color than white can self govern."
--G. W. Jan. 30, 2004 at the Oval Office.
On that note, I'm tired of voting for the lesser of two evils! No hidden agendas! Even if it means going with the Republican candidate.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Tech news: NYT and MySpace
If you already read Slashdot regularly, I'm sorry--this post will be old hat for you. But two stories on today's news digest grabbed my attention, and I feel they directly impact us J130 folk!
First is a story from yahoo news. The New York Times has sued the Pentagon over its domestic spying. I'd be very curious to see exactly who they spied on, and I'm willing to bet money that political opponents to GW will be predominant on that list. More amusing /. posters say the entire NY Times staff is on that list...
Next is a Wired story on MySpace. Learning that MySpace has been catagorized by NBC as "a cyber secret teenagers keep from tech-challenged parents" was very amusing. Doubly amusing but peppered with injustice is the tale of a high-school student who made a mock 'space blog of his principal, which made fun of his size. The gate-level student got suspended for 10 days and dropped into a special ed class that is far beneath his own skill level...
First is a story from yahoo news. The New York Times has sued the Pentagon over its domestic spying. I'd be very curious to see exactly who they spied on, and I'm willing to bet money that political opponents to GW will be predominant on that list. More amusing /. posters say the entire NY Times staff is on that list...
Next is a Wired story on MySpace. Learning that MySpace has been catagorized by NBC as "a cyber secret teenagers keep from tech-challenged parents" was very amusing. Doubly amusing but peppered with injustice is the tale of a high-school student who made a mock 'space blog of his principal, which made fun of his size. The gate-level student got suspended for 10 days and dropped into a special ed class that is far beneath his own skill level...
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
News from the Ladies - Rough Draft II
Arab Co., White House had secret agreementWASHINGTON - The Bush administration secretly required a company in the United Arab Emirates to cooperate with future U.S. investigations before approving its takeover of operations at six American ports, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. It chose not to impose other, routine restrictions. Full story at Comcast.net.
State executions may be on hold for most or all of 2006
The postponement of Michael Angelo Morales' execution has created a de facto moratorium on California's death penalty for much of this year, perhaps longer, the state attorney general's office said Wednesday amid new calls for action ensuring even longer delays. Full story at the Sacramento Bee.
Allen makes first court appearance; prosecutors to seek death penalty
MODESTO, Calif. -- Five days after a California Highway Patrol officer was gunned down along Highway 99, the man accused of killing him appeared in court Wednesday to face a murder charge that could lead to the death penalty. Full story at KCRA.Health concerns limit wireless Internet at Lakehead University
TUNDER BAY, ONTARIO - There are many benefits to studying at Lakehead University. Ubiquitous wireless Internet access, however, isn’t one of them. That’s because president Fred Gilbert won’t allow it until he’s satisfied EMF (electric and magnetic fields) exposure doesn’t pose a health risk, particularly to young people. Full story at IT Business.
No googling Perfect 10's nudes
Google's image search service violates the copyrights of Perfect 10, an adult magazine and web publisher, by displaying thumbnail-sized photographs, a federal judge has ruled. Full story at Wired.
Downtown plaza deals with uncertain future
Several vacant store fronts can be seen at Sacramento's Downtown Plaza, but is mall business on the decline or just in a state of transition? Shoppers have taken notice that a collection of stores has moved out of the mall. Full story at KCRA.Sectarian violence surges after shrine bombing
BAGHDAD, Feb. 23 -- A wave of sectarian strife and recrimination swept Iraq Thursday after Wednesday's bombing of a revered Shiite shrine in the city of Samarra. The interior ministry said that more than 100 people have been killed in the violence. Full story at the Washington Post.
Net video explosion triggers traffic jam worries
The amount of video online is skyrocketing, whether it's "Lost" episodes or movie trailer mash-ups. The phenomenon is putting new stress on ISP networks, which are seeing the demands on their bandwidth burgeon.
Now a new wave of companies--some newcomers, some with familiar faces--are stepping up to play the role of traffic cop, arguing that they have ways to manage this surge in video traffic and keep networks healthy. Full story at ZDNet.
Web site offers revenge for women scorned
Slash his tires. Burn his clothes. Stalk him. Hire a hit man to beat him up. Put rat poison in his oatmeal.
Sounds appealing to a woman scorned.
But you don't want to land in the slammer, do you?
Well now instead of plotting revenge with your closest girlfriend, you can visit http://www.manhaters.com and tell thousands of people how he cheated on you with your best friend, dumped you after sex, didn't give you a thing for Valentine's Day, missed your birthday, and berated you for burning his steak. Full story at ASAP.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Sticks and stones
I'm not posting this on the J130 news blogsite, because I don't want it in the face of two sections of J130.
But I'm a little--well--dissapointed in that class. The blogs make it plain that some students, in a journalism major, have a down attitude about learning the basics. I think they're standing on thin ground.
Mike Althouse wrote a blog about this, and really called the shots, and was fun to read. But it offended some, and blogs defending the complainers popped up. The defenses just reminded me of another forum flame... tearing Mike's blog up line by line. I wrote an anti-flame blog before I really saw the dialogue in the comments, which was much more mature than the original responses. He apologized without backing down. I think the short-lived flurry is over.
But there are several things to learn from this. First, apologizing without backing down seems like a great way to do it and still reinforce your message. It felt professional.
Second... Sticks and stones. Commentary needs to be kept in the "words will never hurt me" category. Is that mostly a lesson for the readers or the writers? I don't know. Both, I guess. How do you stir a reaction without making someone take the writing personally? With this particular issue it's hard. Someone's going to look foolish because the message is that someone is behaving foolishly!
If Tom were alive, I'd ask him how he managed to write about the City Council in his editorials and still get the councilors to talk to him. It must be a feat of subtlety and .. good humor, perhaps?
But I'm a little--well--dissapointed in that class. The blogs make it plain that some students, in a journalism major, have a down attitude about learning the basics. I think they're standing on thin ground.
Mike Althouse wrote a blog about this, and really called the shots, and was fun to read. But it offended some, and blogs defending the complainers popped up. The defenses just reminded me of another forum flame... tearing Mike's blog up line by line. I wrote an anti-flame blog before I really saw the dialogue in the comments, which was much more mature than the original responses. He apologized without backing down. I think the short-lived flurry is over.
But there are several things to learn from this. First, apologizing without backing down seems like a great way to do it and still reinforce your message. It felt professional.
Second... Sticks and stones. Commentary needs to be kept in the "words will never hurt me" category. Is that mostly a lesson for the readers or the writers? I don't know. Both, I guess. How do you stir a reaction without making someone take the writing personally? With this particular issue it's hard. Someone's going to look foolish because the message is that someone is behaving foolishly!
If Tom were alive, I'd ask him how he managed to write about the City Council in his editorials and still get the councilors to talk to him. It must be a feat of subtlety and .. good humor, perhaps?
NY Times: CIA reclassifying documents
... that the State Department's historians have already published. This is an ORLY? moment for the ACLU...
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 — In a seven-year-old secret program at the National Archives, intelligence agencies have been removing from public access thousands of historical documents that were available for years, including some already published by the State Department and others photocopied years ago by private historians.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 — In a seven-year-old secret program at the National Archives, intelligence agencies have been removing from public access thousands of historical documents that were available for years, including some already published by the State Department and others photocopied years ago by private historians.
The restoration of classified status to more than 55,000 previously declassified pages began in 1999, when the Central Intelligence Agency and five other agencies objected to what they saw as a hasty release of sensitive information after a 1995 declassification order signed by President Bill Clinton. It accelerated after the Bush administration took office and especially after the 2001 terrorist attacks, according to archives records.
Read the rest here.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Building a community...
This Poynter article and what few comments there have been on this J130 blog site got me thinking about communities.
Communication is the key to any group's success. I had never really tried to build a community until some friends of mine started a guild in World of Warcraft. My guildmates and I struggled to communicate our intentions, hopes, and critisisms clearly and respectfully in order to keep the game FUN and lighthearted for everyone.
There is an ever-present need to clarify your meaning in a text-only communication model, such as online chatting or blogs, where tone of voice and facial expressions are absent. Sarcasm needs that extra tone of voice to be recognized. Emoticon smilies don't convey any of the subtleties we see when someone smiles. Even face-to-face we know communication isn't clear.
But once we get past those barriers, communities make an environment much more enjoyable. A crop of co-workers that are fun to hang with can make a bleak job colorful.
Building that community means chatting about politics, news, sports... and complimenting and critiquing others in a positive way. It means working with your fellow employee on the "work" and embracing their human side, too.
I think this class could use some of that co-worker community feel. We'll all need help on our beats; we're all trying to learn. We're all here to publish blogs once a week. Why not share our thoughts on the daily news digests and blogs? Post a comment on what was done well, and what you would have done differently? We'd all benefit from that kind of dialogue, and I know I want to hear what other students - our "target audience" - think about the stories.
Then again, maybe some people think this is just another tuck-your-head-in kind of class, and community feedback isn't possible in our busy lives.
I think it's worth the time. Do you?
Communication is the key to any group's success. I had never really tried to build a community until some friends of mine started a guild in World of Warcraft. My guildmates and I struggled to communicate our intentions, hopes, and critisisms clearly and respectfully in order to keep the game FUN and lighthearted for everyone.
There is an ever-present need to clarify your meaning in a text-only communication model, such as online chatting or blogs, where tone of voice and facial expressions are absent. Sarcasm needs that extra tone of voice to be recognized. Emoticon smilies don't convey any of the subtleties we see when someone smiles. Even face-to-face we know communication isn't clear.
But once we get past those barriers, communities make an environment much more enjoyable. A crop of co-workers that are fun to hang with can make a bleak job colorful.
Building that community means chatting about politics, news, sports... and complimenting and critiquing others in a positive way. It means working with your fellow employee on the "work" and embracing their human side, too.
I think this class could use some of that co-worker community feel. We'll all need help on our beats; we're all trying to learn. We're all here to publish blogs once a week. Why not share our thoughts on the daily news digests and blogs? Post a comment on what was done well, and what you would have done differently? We'd all benefit from that kind of dialogue, and I know I want to hear what other students - our "target audience" - think about the stories.
Then again, maybe some people think this is just another tuck-your-head-in kind of class, and community feedback isn't possible in our busy lives.
I think it's worth the time. Do you?
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