Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Cell Phone Couture

Cell phone use has taken a new spin as Bluetooth recently introduced the vibrating Bluetooth Bracelet. Forget the headset worn around the ear, that is so 2007 and is sure to confuse the not so technologically advanced passerby.

According to Techie Diva, "If you hate wearing a Bluetooth headset wherever you go, but can't live without one since a wired headset is way too inconvenient, then perhaps the Vibrating Bluetooth Bracelet is the right cellphone accessory to own. It will give you a vibrating alert whenever there is an incoming call or text message, and works within 5 meters of your handset. Since it is compatible with Bluetooth versions 1.1, 1.2 and 2.0, you can rest easy knowing that just about any cellphone with Bluetooth connectivity will be able to work with it perfectly. A charge time of 3 hours will yield a standby time of 100 hours. Great for those who don't want the inconvenience of having a Bluetooth headset hanging off their ears in public, but you will still have to stick to that modus operandi if you want to take the hands-free route while driving. The Vibrating Bluetooth Bracelet retails for $48."

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Sunday, December 2, 2007

$15 Billion Things To Know

Online group discussions are questionable in this day and age and hey, so is this blog. So why do we continue to put our two cents in on everything from reality television to Cricket? The answer may only be reflected on a person to person basis, but as we continue to do so we must not forget or for some understand the unwritten rules of the World Wide Web.

Cornell University Office of Information Technology's Thoughts on Facebook has reasonable expectations for its students expressed in a sensible manner. Thoughts include "Five Things to think about when using Facebook." The concluding "thing to know" features "The Law."

V. The
Law


Most of the time when we talk about Facebook it is a very individual matter. There
is yet another angle to consider: the privacy of others. "Privacy" is a
complicated matter in American law. It evokes everything from the right to
family planning through Fourth Amendment search and seizure to torts, or civil
rights, "to be let alone" in our person.


Watch what you say! If you post an
alleged fact about someone that proves incorrect, you may be liable for damages
under either defamation or libel. Moreover, if you post photographs or
information about someone that can be construed to be an "invasion of their
privacy" (say while they were sleeping in their own bed), or "false light" (say
suggesting that they are of one sexual persuasion when they are of another), or
"misappropriation of likeness" (a claim usually reserved for celebrities, but
then again we have them here at Cornell too!) then you may be liable for a tort
under the broad rubric of "privacy."
If you are interested in joining Facebook or have been "logging-in" since your first day of college, either way do yourself a favor and check out what being a "Facebooker" is really all about and what this $15 billion dollar social utility (Read BBC News Online's 15 reasons Facebook may be worth $15bn) has in store next.

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Wednesday, November 28, 2007

On The Verge

Journalism students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst will benefit from the departments newest course offerings in the upcoming spring semester. The latest additions include Multimedia Convergence Journalism, Feedback Journalism and Politics, Journalism & the Web.

Stephen Fox is also new to the department. A full time lecturer, Fox instructs the Multimedia Convergence Journalism and Journalism Sports Writing courses. Fox is a former employee of The Washington Post where he served in various editing and sports reporting roles both print and online for ten years. During his years at The Post he also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland’s journalism school. Fox’s latest venture as project manager alongside New York University’s Jay Rosen and others introduced NewAssignment.Net - where "open-source reporting gets tested - to the Web before packing his bags and moving to the Pioneer Valley.

Just shy of one semester under his belt at the largest public university in Massachusetts, Fox has already been designated as the department’s “media guru” guiding faculty and students in to the world of convergence where old media meets new media.





It was right around this time last year that University of Massachusetts Amherst adjunct lecturer and Daily Hampshire Gazette reporter Mary Carey entered the "blogosphere."

With the support of the Gazette, Carey created her blog, AboutAmherst, which she considers to be both personal and work-related. Carey chronicles her life, family and friends connected to the Pioneer Valley in her daily posts. Since 2007, Carey has also introduced her journalism students to blogging, requiring individuals to create and actively maintain a blog.

AboutAmherst has made it a long way since Carey's first post in December 2006 and now features stories and snip-its accompanied by original photo and video content.


University of Massachusetts Amherst students are applying what they learn in class to the student-run newspaper The Daily Collegian. As convergence becomes a "newsroom" name, Collegian editor Nick Belanger recently hired Web staff members to create one solid product.

Former editors, journalism and communication majors with a background in multimedia make up the newly hired Web staffers who are responsible for bringing the Collegian's print readers online to explore the Collegian's videos, podcasts and photo slide shows.

With new staff and equipment, the Collegian's online transformation is underway but revenue remains low. Belanger and his staff don't let minimal profits get them down and instead focus on improving the site's content, increasing advertising and an eventual break from their content management support company College Publisher.


Monday, November 26, 2007

Oh My My MySpace

Since my last post I have overheard or participated in numerous conversations about the unfortunate circumstances regarding the death of young Megan Meier. Meier who committed suicide in her suburban Missouri bedroom has her parents still looking for answers one year later.

As we approach the year 2008 it may not come as a surprise to many that what Meier's mother and father have discovered is that the social networking website MySpace may be partially to blame.

As this story continues to make headlines worldwide, US News reports that Meier's hometown of Dardenne Prairie is taking big local steps to put a stop to cyberbullying and online harassment.

A Missouri town has passed a law to prevent cyberbulling in response to last year's suicide of 13-year-old school girl Megan Meier after receiving intentionally hurtful messages on MySpace.

The new law passed for Megan is prompting more state and federal laws to stop cyberbullying and online harassment.

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Sunday, November 18, 2007

Oh My MySpace

From behind the computer screen, yet another gruesome story makes headlines on CNN.com's most emailed story list today. A young girl from Dardenne Prairie, Missouri is found dead in her bedroom after her hanging herself.

The suspected cause? MySpace.
Megan, a 13-year-old who suffered from depression and attention deficit disorder, corresponded with Josh for more than a month before he abruptly ended their friendship, telling her he had heard she was cruel.

The next day Megan committed suicide. Her family learned later that Josh never actually existed; he was created by members of a neighborhood family that included a former friend of Megan's.

Now Megan's parents hope the people who made the fraudulent profile on the social networking web site will be prosecuted, and they are seeking legal changes to safeguard children on the Internet.

The girl's mother, Tina Meier, said she doesn't think anyone involved intended for her daughter to kill herself.

"But when adults are involved and continue to screw with a 13-year-old, with or without mental problems, it is absolutely vile," she told the Suburban Journals of Greater St. Louis, which first reported on the case.

Click: Parents say fake online 'friend' led to girl's suicide to continuing reading.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Price Chopper


BBC News online provides readers with an exquisite interactive guide to the latest worldwide technology developments involving laptop computers. Not only are these laptops innovative they are inexpensive. At $100 each the demand is on the rise for these cute and consumer friendly systems.

Computer manufacturer Quanta has started building the low-cost laptops at a factory in Changshu, China.

One Laptop per Child (OLPC), the group behind the project, said that children in developing countries would begin receiving machines this month

Last month, OLPC received its first official order for 100,000 machines from the government of Uruguay.

"Today represents an important milestone in the evolution of the One Laptop per Child project," said Nicholas Negroponte, founder of OLPC.

To continue reading, click here.

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Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Posers

To regualar Facebook users it's a typical week when your roomate's identity or Profile Picture alternates between Borat and Jonathan Papelbon, but word on the street is some users are taking this too far, creating accounts and posing as these famous faces online. An October 26, 2007 article published by CBC News reports on the latest Facebook outrage, Ottawa Senator faces off against Facebook phonies.

Some NHL players are worried about the number of people posing as them on the popular social networking site Facebook. Ottawa Senators forward Mike Fisher says he discovered through friends that someone on Facebook — a website where people set up profiles and exchange messages and photos — was posing as him. "You know, they were e-mailing people, saying they were me and it wasn't," Fisher said. A number of other NHL players have also complained that people are subbing for them on Facebook.

What other pro-athletes feel they are getting "played?" Click here
to find out.

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Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Colin RULES


Beside that he is a Red Sox superfan, Colin Rule, Director of Online Dispute Resolution for eBay/PayPal can answer almost any question you may have when it comes to these two online powerhouses. Here are some highlights from today's online lecture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst with Colin:


  • PayPal has a lot more ability to enforce because of less disputes, access to money and can do things that eBay cannot

  • On PayPal, there are no unpaid items disputes, but you have 45 days after you make a payment to file a dispute

  • PayPal and eBay have full-time staff comprised of former law enforcement that work very closely with cities and towns experiencing conflicts

  • eBay has become so global, the need to start designing tools for the "big guys" is evident

  • On eBay, counterfit items are becoming harder and harder to distinguish and take an expert to determine whether they are indeed real or fake

  • eBay's advisement to buyers: "If you see a deal that's too good to be true, it probably is!"

Check out Colin Rule's blog to learn more

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Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Eco-Craft

If we put our minds to it everything in this country can be turned from not so environmentally kind to the latest and greatest eco-friendly. The following article from Conita.com explains what is next in this exciting movement.

Nobody tells you this, but using and disposing of a computer has negative effects on the environment. Computers are not very energy efficient and are even less so when they have a large monitor screen. In addition, the substances including cadmium, mercury and arsenic that are found in most computers are toxic which makes the discarded computer into toxic waste.

Throw Away Computers are Toxic Waste
Discarded computers are also making a huge pile in your local dump too as people abandon their old computers for the latest models. During the manufacture of computers, more water is wasted, more energy consumed and more toxic waste is created than that created by the manufacture of automobiles.

Wooden Computer will Use Less Energy
There is good news for anyone who uses a computer and who is interested in reducing his or her ecological footprint. PC World, UK manufacturers, is set to release their wooden computer to the market in October 2007. Their wooden computer, which is not named yet, uses up to 87% less energy than the conventional plastic computers use yet offers the same power and price of conventional computers. This wooden computer will be less expensive to run than a conventional computer because it will run on only 40 watts instead of other computers that use 300 watts. Another feature that cuts down on energy use is from the replacement of the LED power lit buttons with plain buttons. By using the wooden computer, it will be possible to save money on your energy bills.


Recycled Casing
The eco friendly computer will not use a fan, which will make the computer quieter than its all-plastic counterparts, and this cuts down on energy consumption. The reason it does not need a fan is that the power pack will be on the outside of the computer tower and thus will not need cooling. Also, related to the unnecessary fan issue is the fact that its recycled case will transfer heat away from the computer chip. The case will be made from recycled aluminium such as from soda pop cans and recycled plastic. Sustainable ash, beech or sapele will be used to make the casings for the screen, keyboard and mouse. These wood types were chosen for this purpose because they are sustainable woods.


Eco Friendly Computer for Eco Friendly Computer Nerds
Every aspect of the wooden computer is meant to save the planet. The computer is only about one quarter of the size of an average computer. The computer will come in packaging that has been recycled. Instead of coming with printed instructions, the computer will come with its information as provided on a CD. To compensate for the pollution released in the manufacture and delivery of the computers, the manufacturers will give buyers an energy efficient light bulb.

If the wooden computer is a hit, this will set a standard for other computer manufacturers. Manufacturers of the conventional computer types will have to consider the importance that saving our environment holds for many computer geeks. This is a good thing.

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Saturday, October 13, 2007

Could've? Should've? Would've?

I recently blogged about a U.S. jury's decision regarding Minnesota Mom, Jammie Thomas who was penalized for illegally downloading music.

The latest news is brought to us straight from some of the case's jurors-via the Associated Press and what they could have, possibly should have or maybe would have done.

Some of the jurors who levied a $222,000 penalty last week against a Minnesota woman for illegally sharing music online would have liked her to pay the maximum $3.6 million penalty, one juror said.

Jammie Thomas, 30, is one of about 26,000 people the music industry has sued for copyright infringement and the first to take a case to trial.

The six record companies that sued her accused her of illegally dowloading songs and offering 1,702 for other people to download from her Kazaa file-sharing account. She denied ever using file-sharing software.

The jurors quickly agreed unanimously that Thomas, a mother of two from Brainerd, had infringed the copyrights of all 24 songs examined in the trial, juror Lisa Reinke told The Associated Press Wednesday.

The deliberations then turned to how much Thomas should pay the six record that sued her, with the jurors settling on an award of $9,250 per song. They could have awarded the companies as much as $150,000 per song.

To continue reading, click here.

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Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Apple Forgets To Lock Their "Doors"

I first heard about the iPhone's unlocking capabilities in August when news spread of of 17 year old George Hotz's and "the hack." Although not an iPhone owner myself, I found this topic an interesting one and just two short months after its unlocking capabilitie were released to the public, today the method appears to have become even simpler.
Slate.com's Tim Wu chronicles the "legal, ethical and fun" aspects in The iPhone Freedom Fighters:

Apple is not happy with its customers. Disobedient iPhone owners are unlocking their iPhones (modifying them to work with carriers other than AT&T) and installing "unauthorized" third-party apps. Last week the company struck back with a software update that acts much like a virus. It wrecks the operation of third-party applications and can turn unlocked iPhones into "bricks." Is Apple on the right side of this fight? Is it really wrong or illegal to unlock your iPhone? Well, I figured, there's only one way to find out.

Unlocking works, is doable, and improves the iPhone. But while unlocking can be fun, it's still a vaguely scary process, a little like installing your own car brakes. My project began at the giant Apple Store on New York's Fifth Avenue. I needed to buy the iPhone and figure out how to unlock it, and I had imagined that Apple's sales staff might be ambivalent or even helpful—"You really shouldn't, but …." I know that there's even discontent inside Apple headquarters, that some of the company's own employees have unlocked their phones and are complaining about Apple's Empire Strikes Back mentality.

My hopes were high as I approached a typically chipper Apple salesman, clad in
black with spiked hair. "I'm purchasing an iPhone," I began, "but I'm a T-Mobile
customer, and so I was just wondering, I read that you can unlock the phone—"

To continuing reading, click here.
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Tuesday, October 9, 2007

First And Hopefully The Last

Jammie Thomas, a 32 year old Minnesota woman was the first, and hopefully the last, to fight illegal file-sharing charges in court.
At a rate of $9,250 per song, according to BBC News Thomas was ordered by the jury to pay for offering to share 24 specific songs online at a grand total of...$222,000.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst's Office of Information Technologies Copyright Infringment as the unlawful use of any material protected under copyright law, violating one or more of the copyright owner’s exclusive rights. OIT also warns, downloading and sharing files which contain copyrighted material is against the law. A single unauthorized download or upload of copyrighted material can put you at serious risk for criminal consequences such as fines and imprisonment. The responsibility to restrict sharing and monitor the legality of your downloads lies solely with you.

In order to avoid Thomas' current situation-copyright violation, OIT recommends the following:
  • Download all music, movie and other types of files from authorized sites.
  • Turn off file sharing in your peer-to-peer application.
  • Keep your computer password protected and never share your OIT account information with anyone.
  • Do not connect personal wireless routers to the campus network.
To read the full BBC News story, click here.

Dot-Asia

A project that is eight years in the making is proposed to wrap up by March 2008 and introduce a new twist for online users and big firms seeking domain names. According to a report in today's online BBC News:

Governments and companies can now register interest in specific domain names, such as http://www.yournamehere.asia. Companies will be able to register domains for which they own a trademark and governments will get a chance to earmark those on a reserved list. The general public will get a chance to snap up their own .asia domain when the landrush starts in February 2008.
--To read the full story, click here.

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Converge!

Patrick Stiegman, Executive Editor of ESPN.com spoke at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Journalism lecture series Monday evening addressing the topic of convergence in the media.

As we all begin to converge, popular and highly trafficked sites like Stiegman's ESPN.com is already ten steps ahead of their competition. Their latest venture reaches out to bloggers anywhere interested in putting their "sports cents" in from athletic legal struggles to the teams of cricket. But with all things there are rules. The following is not specific to ESPN.com's new blogging forum, but touches upon the overall terms of use according to the Walt Disney Internet Group.

You are and shall remain solely responsible for the User-Generated Content submitted and/or posted under your user name or otherwise by you in any Public Forum and for the consequences of submitting and posting same. You acknowledge that the use of User-Generated Content posted in any Public Forum is at your own risk. For example, we are not responsible for, and we do not endorse, the opinions, advice or recommendations posted or sent by users in any Public Forum and we specifically disclaim any and all liability in connection therewith.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007

The North Shore Spirit Is Laid To Rest

Thanks to Facebook.com I recently caught wind of a petition, in both paper and online form established to save Fraser Field. Located in Lynn, Massachusetts, Fraser Field is currently home to the minor-league baseball team the North Shore Spirit of the independent Can-Am League for the 2007 season.

"Please find a way to bring the North Shore Spirit back to Lynn next year. We're all big Spirit fans. A lot of us kids have spent almost every summer for the last five years at Spirit games. We'll miss going to the games with all our friends and seeing the new friends we made at the Fraser Field. The Spirit is the best part of living in Lynn and the city is taking it away from us. It'll be so sad for the kids that won't have anything to do. We love the Spirit! The city and Mayor Chip Clancy HAVE to find a way to bring the North Shore Spirit back to Fraser Field next season."


I would not have thought twice about submitting my name on the online petition forum powered by iPetitions.com and supporting this local cause headed by young Lynn resident, Victoria, had it not been for University of Massachusetts Professor Ethan Katsh's words of wisdom: "Do you really know what you are signing up for?" It made me curious enough to take the time before clicking the "I agree" box and find out what signing my name actually entailed.

Unfortunately on September 20, 2007, Victoria's 400 plus signatures were not enough to "Save Our Spirit." Team owner, Nick Lopardo posted a letter to fans on their official website announcing that the team would no longer be playing baseball in 2008.

"We have enjoyed many successes both on and off the playing field, none of which would have been possible without your support, for which we are forever grateful. The success of a ball club is not measured in just wins and losses or in strictly business terms, but rather on the faces of our fans, young and old alike. We look out on our field and see children running the bases with our mascot ‘Slugger’ and fathers and sons enjoying a game of catch on our outfield. You can’t put a price on that kind of joy. These are opportunities to teach good lessons of life, family, and community. The North Shore Spirit fan friendly experience has left us knowing all the good that can be accomplished in minor league baseball. We will take that with us. Once again we thank you for your support of North Shore Spirit Professional Baseball and for “Catching the Spirit” here at historic Fraser Field."


Victoria who grew up on Spirit games plans to continue her campaign in order to get the team back on the mound for next season. This morning, Victoria reported 508 signatures both off and online and is eager for more. Check out Victoria's online blog and do your part-after reading what you are signing up for of course and support this good cause.

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Monday, September 17, 2007

YouTube In The Classroom?!


Here's a dream come true for Web addicts: college credit for watching YouTube.

Pitzer College, part of the Claremont Colleges consortium, this fall began offering what may be the first course about the video-sharing site. About 35 students meet in a classroom but work mostly online, where they view content from the San Bruno-based site and post their comments.

Class lessons also are posted and students are encouraged to post videos. One class member, for instance, posted a 1-minute, 36-second video of himself juggling.

Alexandra Juhasz, a media studies professor at the liberal arts college, said she was "underwhelmed" by the content on YouTube but set up the course, "Learning from YouTube," to explore the role of the popular site.

Students control most of the class content and YouTube watchers from around the world are encouraged to comment, Juhasz said.

She hopes the course will raise serious issues about YouTube, such as the role of "corporate-sponsored democratic media expression."

YouTube is "a phenomenon that should be studied," student Darren Grose said. "You can learn a lot about American culture and just Internet culture in general."

YouTube class: www.youtube .com/group/learningfromyoutube

Source: AP
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Thursday, September 6, 2007

MySpace.com: 200 Million And Counting


MySpace.com's online community rose to 106 million users during the Fall of 2006 and has been on the incline ever since, but not without a few bumps along the way.

With more and more "tweens" and aspiring muscisians worldwide accessing MySpace daily-an estimated 200 million in recent weeks, the amount of legal work for its creator and everyone's friend, Tom is on the rise as well.

PCWorld.com reported that in 2005, a North Carolina's State Bureau of Investigation arrested a police officer for the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl he lured using MySpace.

In 2006, MySpace took measures to avoid future scrutiny for incidents of this kind by hiring a technical company.

Through this innovative technology, we're pleased that we've successfully identified and deleted these registered sex offenders and hope that other social networking sites follow our lead.

Upon reaching this stage in online life when extreme legal action must be taken in order to protect ourselves and importantly our children, alarms should ring loud and clear in households worldwide.

Southwest News Herald's online columnist Ray Hanania pins the tail on the donkey in his August 27, 2007 column, Big Problem on MySpace.com is not pedophiles

The real problem is not the pedophiles and con artists trying to steal your money. The real problem is us, the regular people, who let this happen by running away from the problem – and then sitting back at home and allowing ourselves to be entertained by shows like "To Catch a Predator." We need to take back the system. We, as a society, need to impose the correct morality and the right principles and restore common sense to our lives, instead of always only reacting after-the-fact. Because responding after-the-fact results in an over-reaction. Take back the Internet. But more importantly, take control of your children. Your child, whether an adolescent or a high school or college student should be on the Internet using MySpace and FaceBook., but they should be doing it the right way. And, the right way is with parental supervision. Know what your child is doing. Get involved. Understand the Internet. And the best way to understand the Internet is to get involved and use it. If you have a child and you have not checked these web sites to see if your child is already there posting obscene photographs, then yes, we can blame the pedophiles and the con artists. But really, the bulk of the blame belongs on you.


A simple click and "Signing Up!" for MySpace will take users inside a big bad world of people, people they do not even know or will probably never know and access to their personal information and inappropriate activites. Despite cautionary warnings, users continue to keep their front doors wide open. Exposing themselves to hundreds of millions of strangers and countless risks each day.

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Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Criss-Cross Applesauce


My summer internship with the University of Massachusetts Extension
Nutrition Education Program has enlightened me on a variety of topics
since its June 1 start.

After
teaching in several kindergarten classrooms in Lynn, Massachusetts, I
picked up on something I was never taught nor heard of growing up. "Criss-cross applesauce."

This
21st century, politically correct version of sitting "Indian style" is
a popular tool used by teachers at the elementary school level to get
their students to sit and be quiet.

Thinklings blogger, Philip posted similar sentiments regarding "Criss-cross applesauce" in an August 2006 post. Check out the article, Criss-Cross Applesauce and the comments that follow.

What do you think about "Criss-cross applesauce give a little clap. Criss-cross applesauce hands in your lap. Criss-cross applesauce quiet as can be. Criss-cross applesauce eyes on me?"

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Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Bada Bing, Bada BOOM!

The Sopranos' slices its last piece of prosciutto this Sunday on television's HBO and viewers still remain in the dark regarding Tony Sopranos' fate and the rest of his gangs.

Although, Office Pools are commonly used during college basketball's March Madness, GraphPaper.com created a pool of their own. Instead of predicting which team will make it to the final four, GraphPaper.com allows you to predict the fate of your favorite Sopranos' characters. You decide if A.J. Soprano dies, gets arrested, kills someone else or if Paulie Walnuts prospers, leaves or quits.
The long awaited Sopranos series finale is now in your hands. Choose wisely or be wary of the "lead belly."

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Female Genital Mutilation Awareness

A local movement in the Pioneer Valley has begun against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) by New Salem, Massachusetts resident MaryAnne Mohamoud. MaryAnne is originally from Somalia in East Africa where 98% of girls and women undergo genital mutilation. This overwhelming number has driven MaryAnne to encourage others to assist in putting an end to this traditional cruelty across Africa and around the world as well as raise awareness in the United States about the lifetime effects of FGM.

For more information, please click the following link to learn more about the cause and effects of Female Genital Mutilation and what you can do to help prevent and spread awareness in your area.

Monday, May 7, 2007

Boing Boing Boing Boing


Boingboing.net truly lives up to its mantra as a directory of wonderful things. With numerous daily updates of endless conversation-starting topics, I always leave the site learning at least something useful and sometimes even useless, but entertaining of course.

I have rounded up a list of my all time favorite topics from Boingboing's April posts. If they don't shock you, make you really think, debate, research, invest in, converse with others about, above all I hope they make you laugh.

Boingboing's Most Valuable Posts, April 2007
  • Coke skin cream? Link
  • Fossilized rain forest found in Illinois Link
  • Funny coffee mugs to animalize your face Link
  • Nike transformer - sneaker robot Link
  • Man and horse nap in bank Link
  • Fascist America, in 10 easy steps Link
  • Timelapse - video of cheese aging Link
  • Pack your bagel in a CD spindle Link
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Thursday, May 3, 2007

UMass Reacts To Shorter Academic Yearhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

UMass students are starting to get itchy. And no it's not because mosquitoes are biting. It's because, as usual, UMass students want summer NOW.

According to an April 2 article in the Daily Hampshire Gazette, Michael Gargano, UMass chancellor of student affairs and campus life, suggested a change in the academic calendar last academic year. He has proposed starting the spring semester around Jan. 15 instead of Jan. 29, which is about the time the semester has begun for at least the last three decades.

The change would allow UMass students to finish final exams at the same time as other area college students, thus putting them on a level playing field when it comes to applying for summer jobs and internships, officials say.

At the very latest, UMass students now complete their final exams six to 13 days after students at the other four area colleges.

"I've already started packing my stuff up for the summer," said UMass sophomore Jake Dann. "But it's frustrating having weeks of school followed by exams to finish knowing your friends that go to nearby schools like Westfield are already home making money and having fun."

A UMass staff member, who would like to remain anonymous, agrees with Gargano's suggestion. "I think it's a great idea, but the only thing is, you need to look back to the 1970's and the reason why this decision of a longer year was made. Heat was the reason," he said. "During UMass' winter session, we turn the heat off. The expense is so high and it's only going to get worse. If UMass was planning to minimize the year, heat costs in the buildings might be the major reason it doesn't fly."

UMass officials are highly interested in faculty and student reactions or proposals to the suggestion at hand and report that changes to the academic calendar will not go into effect until the 2009-2010 academic school year.

If you are interested in learning more about UMass' proposal to shorten the academic year or the chance to offer your own suggestions, contact the man who will make the final decision himself, Chancellor John Lombardi and let him know what you think. Chancellor Lombardi can be contacted via email: Lombardi@UMass.Edu.

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

UMass Practicioners Take Leaps And Bounds

I had no idea what Parkour was until a friend suggested checking out some online footage. Who has time for this was my initial reaction, but I kept an open mind in order to learn more about the latest adventure trend to hit the Pioneer Valley.

UMass sophomore Jackie Hai founded the program this past year and a quick conversation with her and her excitement about Parkour becomes electric. I couldn't help but wonder after speaking with her,what I could jump over or crawl through on my way back home that afternoon.

The following is what Parkour means to Jackie Hai. A short video clip about how she came to love Parkour, her motivation to start the UMass program and her future plans for Parkour and its members can be viewed by clicking this link.

Hopefully her enthusiasm will rub off on to you too!

Parkour is the art of moving efficiently from point A to point B by treating objects in the environment as an obstacle course. Parkour is as much a mental discipline as it is a physical one. Where some people might see a
railing or a wall and be forced to go in to the direction that they’re “supposed to go," with Parkour you instead make your way by going over, under, through or in any creative way you can in order to surpass the obstacle at hand.

Parkour is a physical conditioner and in earlier years before civilization and technology developed, running, jumping were people's means of survival and unfortunately they have become lost today.

Parkour is like going back to your roots.


This Saturday the UMass Parkour Program will host a meeting for students and residents of Western Massachusetts interested in learning more about becoming practitioners of Parkour also known as Traceurs. The meeting will begin at 1pm at the Haigis Mall on the UMass Amherst campus.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

University Newspaper Covers VA Tech Shootings

The Daily Collegian a student run newspaper at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is located approximately 750 miles north of Blacksburg, Virginia.

Blacksburg, home of Virginia Tech's university campus with 26,000 students is now recovering following Monday's fatal shootings where 33 people were killed.

UMass' newspaper coverage of the fatal events began Tuesday with Tragedy strikes Virginia Tech: UMass students react to campus massacre focused on engaging UMass student's reactions.

Today's headline, Preventative measures: In wake of shootings, UMass police, administration discuss emergency preparedness continues the Collegian's local coverage with a story on health counseling available at the UMass campus to follow.

More information on this topic from the perspective of UMass students can be viewed here.

Friday, April 13, 2007

The Annenberg Surveys


Some uncomfortable statistics I thought I would share from the public's view vs. the journalist's in a 2005 survey for the Annenberg Foundation Trust prepared by Princeton Research Associates International.

--In general, do you think news organizations get the facts straight or do you think their stories and reports are often inaccurate?

Of 1500 polled, 45% of the public believe that news organizations get the facts straight, while an alarming 48% believe that they are often inacurate. Of 673 polled, 86% of journalists believe that news organizations get the facts straight while only 11% feel their findings are often inacurate.

--When there is a serious mistake made in a news story, do you think most news organizations quickly report they have made a mistake, do they try to ignore the mistake, or do they generally try to cover up
the mistake?

Of 1500 polled, a vast 41% of the public, almost half surveyed yet again, believe that news organizations try to cover up the mistakes made. Predictably, 673 journalists surveyed believe that in a situation such as this news organizations are quick to report 74% of the time.

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Thursday, April 12, 2007

The Colorful Bowels Of DuBois

The University of Massachusetts Amherst is home to an astounding 23,000 students. During a typical school week it is estimated that 20,000 of those students visit UMass' W.E.B. DuBois library.

The DuBois library stands at 297 feet, making it the tallest library in the United States and some even claim the world. Throughout the stairwells of the W.E.B. student artwork cascades up and down all 26 floors. Offering walkers the opportunity to see many different styles of beautiful murals when struggling up the intimidating stairwell.

According to a November 22, 2006 story from UMass Advancement Communications, during the late seventies on, students have created art for the W.E.B. DuBois Library. Much of the artwork in the stairwells bears signatures of the student artists, and date from as recently as 2005.

Links to related material from UMass Journalism majors:
Interested in learning more about the history of the W.E.B. DuBois library and the murals seen here? Contact UMass' Arts and Exhibits Director Barbara Stewart via email: Stew@Library.UMass.Edu

Circling The Square

I have finally discovered an online blogging site about my hometown of Danvers, Massachusetts hosted by Topix. According the their website, Topix is the leading news community on the Web, connecting people to the information and discussions that matter to them in every U.S. town and city.

Beginning this month, Topix opened up their site, allowing anyone with the power to discuss, edit and share news that is important to them. With links to news from 50,000 sources to 360,000 lively user-generated forums, Topix may feature an area of interest for you as well.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

The Heat Is On: Warming Affects Summer Plans

Summer is fast approaching and the time is right to hit the road and travel. Unfortunately, motor vehicle travel is the largest single contributor to air pollution. In a United States Environmental Protection Agency 2005 series it was found that one gallon of gasoline is assumed to produce 19.4 pounds of CO2. At almost 20 pounds, the amount of CO2 produced is equivalent to 64 feet of rope, the average weight gain of a pregnant women or a package of laser printer paper. With an increase in the number of vehicles purchased and the number of miles traveled, the U.S. has the green light toward global warming.

According to the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA), transportation alone uses 67 percent of the country's oil and produces one-third of the air pollution and greenhouse gases, which develop into key chemicals that cause smog and over time, lead to health-related problems including birth defects and cancer.

Traveling via airplane is also responsible for two to three percent of carbon dioxide emissions.

A Feb. 12, 2007 Time magazine article, "Greenhouse Airlines," read that on an individual level, a single long-haul flight can emit more carbon dioxide per passenger than months of SUV driving.

There are different approaches to take to summer travel that may limit your environmental impact. If public transportation and bicycling don't fit into your itinerary, check out some alternative ways University of Massachusetts students are arriving at their destinations.

Drive in style - hybrid style. Petroleum Electric Hybrid Vehicles (PEHV) use a combination of fuels and electric batteries to power electric motors, providing better fuel economy and efficiency. In March 2007, the Green Car Congress reported February's hybrid sales rose to 54 percent. This economically and environmentally friendly mode of transportation is popular on the West Coast. In 2004, the state of California registered 25,021 hybrid vehicles and in the same year the city of Los Angeles accounted for 10,399 of those vehicles.
UMass sophomore Becky Moschini traveled to Los Angeles during spring break and drove her brother's Toyota Prius hybrid while sight seeing throughout the city.

"There are so many hybrids out there," said Moschini. "When you buy a Prius, you receive a tax break and free parking anywhere in L.A., if you apply for a 'Clean Air' vehicle sticker. My brother and I would play a game to see how far we could drive without using any gas. He won," she added.

A UMass sophomore duo, which would like to remain unidentified, opted out of concrete travel plans altogether for their spring break trip to Miami this year. Instead, they chose to hitchhike.

"Hitching wasn't that hard and, if more people did it, we would save the environment," said one unidentified sophomore. "We cut costs in transportation and met some cool people along the way."

Hitchhiking, a travel trend that is gradually making its way back to being socially accepted in our society has online Web sites such as digiHitch.com and StiffarmingSociety.com supporting it. The local movement Communi-GO in the Pioneer Valley, led by well-known activist Frances Crowe, also has people trusting each other for short- and long-term transportation once again.

UMass domestic exchange student Alicia Stockman is one of approximately 100 students each year participating in the exchange program. Stockman traveled by car - a 1990 Honda Civic - from Utah and landed in Amherst last September. With a month of classes left, Stockman has already begun planning her return trip home with global warming in mind.

"My car gets really good gas mileage - 40 miles to the gallon - if I avoid the mountains," said Stockman. "Through Kansas and the Midwestern states, they had gas stations that used alternative fuels [renewable energy]. It was much cheaper at $1.85 per gallon. On my drive home I plan to stay with friends in states along the way," said Stockman. "Even though I'm taking my car, I'm looking for ways to be even more environmentally focused this time around."

Photo: Becky Moschini

Climate Control You Can Rent

Global Warming Films
An Inconvenient Truth: Former Vice President Al Gore's campaign to make the issue of global warming a recognized problem worldwide.

Too Hot Not To Handle: An HBO documentary on the effects of global warming in the United States.

11th Hour: A look at the state of the global environment including visionary and practical solutions for restoring the planet's ecosystems.

Global Warming: The Signs & The Science: A PBS series that profiles people whose lives have been affected by global warming and explores efforts of scientists, individuals, and communities to make the planet safe for future generations.

Compiled by: UMass journalism major Sophia Bruneau

Global Warming By The Numbers


UMass journalism major Sophia Bruneau captures global warming from a professional perspective as UMass professor stresses urgency of immediate action in the series The Heat Is On.


"The future is going to look quite grim. Glaciers will melt, sea ice in the Artic will continue to recede, snow cover will decrease, dry periods will increase," said Frank Keimig, geosciences professor and manager of the Climate System Research Center at the University of Massachusetts. He notes that the mean temperature of the globe has been rising dramatically and has been changing over the past 20 years.


In a recent interview, Keimig discussed the world impact of global warming. He talked of some alarming developments affecting everything from the Arctic ice cap to migrating birds in New England. And he called for the public to get educated and take action for change.


"In the United States and other Western nations, when it gets hot, we just put more air conditioning," Keimig said. "However, in underdeveloped regions, they tend to be less adapted for climate change and many of the time they have no infrastructure to help become adapted.


"The United States is the top emitter of carbon dioxide, per capita from a study in 2002, followed by Saudi Arabia, Australia and Canada," Keimig said.

The Milk Man

While researching Mexican milk that does not require refrigeration prior to opening (hopefully more to come), I stumbled upon a March 17, 2007 article by Stan Freeman of The Republican about local dairy farmer Ted F. White from Hawley, Massachusetts.

Ted F. White doesn't have cable, the Internet or a car. The reason, he says, is that he's a Massachusetts dairy farmer.

The seventh generation of his family to milk cows, the Hawley dairyman said the price he is paid for his milk is so low and his operating costs, including for fuel, feed and fertilizer, are so high, that he and other dairy farmers in the state can no longer make a living.

"The existence of the remaining dairy farms in Massachusetts is in question," he told a panel of state agriculture officials yesterday during an emergency hearing held by the state Department of Agricultural Resources at the University of Massachusetts Campus Center.

"We live just as frugally as we possibly can. But even with doing all that, I can't pay my bills," said White, who borrowed a car to get to the hearing.

Faced with what they say are unprecedented financial losses, the state's dairy farmers petitioned the Department of Agricultural Resources to determine if emergency action should be taken to aid their industry. Acting Agriculture Commissioner Scott J. Soares said that he will take comments on the issue until March 29 and then make a decision, which can include raising the minimum price paid Massachusetts farmers for their milk, a price that is set by the federal government monthly.


Follow up: A March 25, 2007 editorial in The Republican, State's dairy farmers the cream of the crop provided recent activity by White and other local dairy farmers and also cited that in 1982 there were 812 dairy farms in Massachusetts. Today there are only 187.

April Showers (Snow?) Bring May Flowers


With snow in this week's forecast, it's possible that we may have jumped the gun sporting new sparkling flip-flops and crisp cargo shorts.


Could this be just another unpredictable New England winter weather season or could it be...global warming?


If you are interested in learning more about global warming, its short and long-term effects and what you can do to help, take the time and read The Heat Is On-a series of articles, featured in The Daily Collegian, written by University of Massachusetts Amherst journalism majors just in time for Earth Week.



By: Lauren Modisette


Global warming seems to be the last issue on the minds of the American college student. But a recent report by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found two things: one is that global warming is real, and two is that our generation is likely to see big changes in the world in the next century.


They estimate a 90 percent probability that humans are the cause of the climate change, and it is doubtful it is occurring due to known natural causes.


University of Massachusetts Resource Economics Professor Barry Field said that college students have a good reason to learn all they can about global warming.


Already the global temperature has increased a degree or two. But the IPCC predicts that if it increases by 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, up to 30 percent of the planet's species are at risk of dying out and will be forced to relocate in search of more suitable environments. Out of the top 12 warmest years that have been recorded with scientific instruments, about 92 percent of them have occurred in these past 12 years.


Al Gore's film, "An Inconvenient Truth," also mentions potential hazards that global warming and climate change can instigate. It is mentioned that the current running from the African coast and up by Northern Europe will begin to slow and eventually stop. Rising sea levels will cause the currents from the equator to stop and, in turn, will discontinue the warming of the northern oceans. The decrease in temperature in the northern hemisphere could cause a new Ice Age.

Thursday, April 5, 2007

Drink Up!


A March 15, 2007 report by Columbia University's National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, found that about half of full-time college students abuse drugs and alcohol.

This type of abuse, specifically in alcohol, is considered to be the consumption of five or more drinks consecutively by a 2005 survey by Cornell University.

So one must wonder, what are college students sipping on when it comes to beer and mixed drinks?

The following is a beverage menu compiled of favorite libations from undergraduate and graduate students from the University of Massachusetts Amherst-ranked number seven party school in the United States by the Princeton Review in 2006.
  • IPA

  • Sea Dog's Whole Wheat Apricot

  • Budweiser & Bud Light

  • Blue Moon

  • Steel Reserve

  • Captain Morgan & Coke

  • Stoli Raspeberry, Seltzer Water and Cranberry Juice

  • Jack & Coke

  • Dirty Martini

  • Rum Punch

  • Bloody Mary

  • Cape Verdean Rum

  • Margarita

  • Gin & Tonic

  • Mount Gay XO

  • Sex On The Beach: Peach Schnapps, Pineapple Juice and Cranberry Juice

  • Pearl Harbor: Pineapple Juice, Midori and Vodka

  • White Russian

  • Red Headed Slut

  • Car Bombs: Guiness and Bailey's
For a more local feel on this story, click this link

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Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Wicked Good and Wicked Bad Podcasts

Check out BostonBehindTheScenes.com for an in-depth look at some of Boston's hot spots and local celebrities through podcasting. Although this site fails to produce podcasts on a daily basis, episodes that do appear on the site every month or so are done well.

In September 2006, Boston Behind The Scene's Adam Weiss, a podcast consultant, took listeners on a 30 minute tour of the Samuel Adams Brewery in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. Even though I was simply listening, I could still smell the barley, taste the beer and hear the machines brewing.
In a more recent March 2007 episode, Weiss covered the popular Boston Accent in a fifteen minute podcast. I learned about accommodation-something I accuse my mother of every time we get a manicure.

According to Boston College professor of linguistics, M.J. Connolly, accommodation occurs for example when you go overseas to Germany. You'll come back speaking with a German accent. In other words, depending on who you are talking with you will take on their accent unconsciously.

Weiss' interest in the topic and material is evident in his thorough coverage and reporting. BostonBehindTheScenes.com also offers free subscription to their episodes as well as automatic updates to your personal iPod.

A Boston related podcast that I DO NOT recommend is The Wicked Good Podcast. Hosts, Steve and Maureen's "witty observations and wacky misadventures from the heart of New England" are wicked bad. The topics are scattered and uninformative as I caught myself surfing through other podcast options while forcing myself to keep my headphones in my ears.

My Sentiments Exactly

ABC's latest Bachelor, Lt. Andy Baldwin, M.D., 30, has handed out the first of many roses and ESPN.com's The Sports Gal and I share similar sentiments about Monday's premiere episode.
ABC wants the new "Bachelor" to remind people of Richard Gere in "An Officer and a Gentleman." We know this because they're calling this season, "The Bachelor: An Officer and a Gentleman." At least they came right out and said it. Lt. Andy Baldwin isn't as sexy as Richard Gere in that movie, but I liked him immediately and thought he was the cutest bachelor yet. He works as a doctor in the Navy's dive unit with Ashton Kutcher and Kevin Costner, does charity work and Ironman triathalons and even has a hot body. Of course, Bill (my husband) was suspicious as soon as we learned Andy's alma mater was Duke -- he kept saying, "You watch, you watch, he's going to end up being a [bad word]."


Not even 30 seconds later, we watched Andy get into his fancy sports car, which looked like a DeLorean (do they still make those?) and had those dorky doors that open straight up. I hate when Bill's right. You should know that my friend Terera and I have a list of things that instantly bother us about guys -- like guys who wear man sandals (those leather ones that look like the ones girls would wear, only they're for guys, I call them "mandals"); guys who wear black jeans or black tennis shoes; guys who wear Speedos at the beach; guys who drink daiquiris or frozen mudslides; guys who tuck their sweaters into their pants; and especially, guys who drive weird sports cars (like Miatas or Corvettes). I don't know the name of Andy's car, but it should be called "The Overcompensator."

Monday, April 2, 2007

iPod Dock


Call me crazy, but I recently learned what it meant to "dock" my iPod and that there are so many different ways to dock.

I still have yet to dock my own but that will come with time as I learn more about the advantages to podcasting, uploading music, news stories, books, photos, movies, sound bites, answers to last night's homework assignment, you name it and you can probably dock, upload and have the latest and greatest additions to your very own iPod in minutes.

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Massachusetts Congressman/Professor Is On-The-Go


Today, Massachusetts Congressman and University of Massachusetts Amherst Professor Richard Neal skipped out on class, The Politician and the Journalist, with a valid excuse.

Congressman Neal departed for Ireland as a part of the congressional delegation traveling to Dublin, Belfast, and London.

As the Boston Globe also reported today, the trip comes at a critical juncture in Northern Ireland's peace process. Protestant and Catholic leaders recently announced a power-sharing deal in hopes of ending decades of hostility.

Another "on-the-go" Massachusetts Congressman mentioned in today's Globe was North Shore native John Tierney. Tierney will be traveling to the Mid-East where he will speak with government officials on terrorism , specifically in the countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Even Baseball Players Blog


Red Sox 2007 opening day in Missouri is only four days away. For a sneak-peak into the Sox Clubhouse, check out Curt Schilling's Official Blog: 38 Pitches.

In a March 18th post following a AAA game verses Louisville, Schilling said, "Typing this on the plane as we head back to Boston. Going to spend the off day with Shonda and the kids and get some things done at 38 Studios as well. The game today went well. 6 innings, 98 pitches, 74 strikes and I felt stronger in the 6th than I did in the 1st." This particular post was popular with viewers, receiving 120 comments.

Schilling, the right-handed starting pitcher for the BoSox is known for his good work-ethic on and off the field. This blog is just another example.

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