Your OneStop for Beer, Bait, and Ammo, since 2010
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Cultivated Play: Farmville
http://mediacommons.futureofthebook.org/content/cultivated-play-farmville
The secret to Farmville’s popularity is neither gameplay nor aesthetics. Farmville is popular because in entangles users in a web of social obligations. When users log into Facebook, they are reminded that their neighbors have sent them gifts, posted bonuses on their walls, and helped with each others’ farms. In turn, they are obligated to return the courtesies. As the French sociologist Marcel Mauss tells us, gifts are never free: they bind the giver and receiver in a loop of reciprocity. It is rude to refuse a gift, and ruder still to not return the kindness.[11] We play Farmville, then, because we are trying to be good to one another. We play Farmville because we are polite, cultivated people.
One wonders if this is a good thing. It is difficult to imagine Aristotle or Caillois celebrating Farmville as essential to citizenship. Indeed, when one measures Farmville against Roger Caillois’ six criteria for defining games, Farmville fails to satisfy each and every one. Caillois stated that games must be free from obligation, separate from ‘real life,’ uncertain in outcome, an unproductive activity, governed by rules, and make-believe.[12] In comparison:
(1) Farmville is defined by obligation, routine, and responsibility;
(2) Farmville encroaches and depends upon real life, and is never entirely separate from it;
(3) Farmville is always certain in outcome, and involves neither chance nor skill;
(4) Farmville is a productive activity, in that it adds to the social capital upon which Facebook and Zynga depend for their wealth;
(5) Farmville is governed not by rules, but by habits, and simple cause-and-effect;
(6) Farmville is not make-believe, in that it requires neither immersion nor suspension of disbelief.
The secret to Farmville’s popularity is neither gameplay nor aesthetics. Farmville is popular because in entangles users in a web of social obligations. When users log into Facebook, they are reminded that their neighbors have sent them gifts, posted bonuses on their walls, and helped with each others’ farms. In turn, they are obligated to return the courtesies. As the French sociologist Marcel Mauss tells us, gifts are never free: they bind the giver and receiver in a loop of reciprocity. It is rude to refuse a gift, and ruder still to not return the kindness.[11] We play Farmville, then, because we are trying to be good to one another. We play Farmville because we are polite, cultivated people.
One wonders if this is a good thing. It is difficult to imagine Aristotle or Caillois celebrating Farmville as essential to citizenship. Indeed, when one measures Farmville against Roger Caillois’ six criteria for defining games, Farmville fails to satisfy each and every one. Caillois stated that games must be free from obligation, separate from ‘real life,’ uncertain in outcome, an unproductive activity, governed by rules, and make-believe.[12] In comparison:
(1) Farmville is defined by obligation, routine, and responsibility;
(2) Farmville encroaches and depends upon real life, and is never entirely separate from it;
(3) Farmville is always certain in outcome, and involves neither chance nor skill;
(4) Farmville is a productive activity, in that it adds to the social capital upon which Facebook and Zynga depend for their wealth;
(5) Farmville is governed not by rules, but by habits, and simple cause-and-effect;
(6) Farmville is not make-believe, in that it requires neither immersion nor suspension of disbelief.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
WORLD MAP OF TOURISTYNESS
http://maps.google.com/maps/mpl?moduleurl=http://www.bluemoon.ee/~ahti/touristiness-map/touristiness-map.xml
"World map color-coded by level of touristiness, based on analysis of photos on Panoramio. Yellow indicates high touristiness, red medium touristiness, and blue low touristiness. Areas having no Panoramio photos at all are grey."
"World map color-coded by level of touristiness, based on analysis of photos on Panoramio. Yellow indicates high touristiness, red medium touristiness, and blue low touristiness. Areas having no Panoramio photos at all are grey."
DataSF, free raw data for San Francisco
http://datasf.org/story.php?title=crime-incident-data
What is DataSF?
DataSF is a clearinghouse of datasets available from the City & County of San Francisco. Our goal in releasing this site is:
(1) improve access to data
(2) help our community create innovative apps
(3) understand what datasets you'd like to see
(4) get feedback on the quality of our datasets.
What is DataSF?
DataSF is a clearinghouse of datasets available from the City & County of San Francisco. Our goal in releasing this site is:
(1) improve access to data
(2) help our community create innovative apps
(3) understand what datasets you'd like to see
(4) get feedback on the quality of our datasets.
If San Francisco Crime were Elevation
http://dougmccune.com/blog/2010/06/05/if-san-francisco-crime-was-elevation/
"Ahhh... the great outdoors.
It's quite awe-inspiring to stand on the top of Mount Narcotics on a crisp spring day and look down at the shroud-covered bay down below, or wander Assault valley with a nice breeze blowing in from the rolling Larceny hills."
- Beanbonez
"I’ve been playing with different ways of representing data (see my previous night lights example) and I decided to venture into 3D representations. I’ve used a full year of crime data for San Francisco from 2009 to create these maps. The full dataset can be download from the city’s DataSF website."
"Ahhh... the great outdoors.
It's quite awe-inspiring to stand on the top of Mount Narcotics on a crisp spring day and look down at the shroud-covered bay down below, or wander Assault valley with a nice breeze blowing in from the rolling Larceny hills."
- Beanbonez
"I’ve been playing with different ways of representing data (see my previous night lights example) and I decided to venture into 3D representations. I’ve used a full year of crime data for San Francisco from 2009 to create these maps. The full dataset can be download from the city’s DataSF website."
Locals VRS Tourists
http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkingsf/sets/72157624209158632/
photo Geo-tagging used to map photos taken and uploaded by tourists vrs locals...
"Some people interpreted the Geotaggers' World Atlas maps to be maps of tourism. This set is an attempt to figure out if that is really true. Some cities (for example Las Vegas and Venice) do seem to be photographed almost entirely by tourists. Others seem to have many pictures taken in piaces that tourists don't visit."
photo Geo-tagging used to map photos taken and uploaded by tourists vrs locals...
"Some people interpreted the Geotaggers' World Atlas maps to be maps of tourism. This set is an attempt to figure out if that is really true. Some cities (for example Las Vegas and Venice) do seem to be photographed almost entirely by tourists. Others seem to have many pictures taken in piaces that tourists don't visit."
Did Jesus die on a cross?
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/features/view/feature/Jesus-Died-on-a-Tree-Trunk-1495/
A Christian scholar says crucifixion was not an execution method in the time of the New Testament.
A Christian scholar says crucifixion was not an execution method in the time of the New Testament.
apatheism-We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apatheism
Apatheism (a portmanteau of apathy and theism/atheism), also known as pragmatic atheism or (critically) as practical atheism, is acting with apathy, disregard, or lack of interest towards belief, or lack of belief in a deity. Apatheism describes the manner of acting towards a belief or lack of a belief in a deity; so applies to both theism and atheism. An apatheist is also someone who is not interested in accepting or denying any claims that gods exist or do not exist. In other words, an apatheist is someone who considers the question of the existence of gods as neither meaningful nor relevant to his or her life.
Apatheism (a portmanteau of apathy and theism/atheism), also known as pragmatic atheism or (critically) as practical atheism, is acting with apathy, disregard, or lack of interest towards belief, or lack of belief in a deity. Apatheism describes the manner of acting towards a belief or lack of a belief in a deity; so applies to both theism and atheism. An apatheist is also someone who is not interested in accepting or denying any claims that gods exist or do not exist. In other words, an apatheist is someone who considers the question of the existence of gods as neither meaningful nor relevant to his or her life.
Faith-based atheism?
Faith-based atheism? Yes, alas. Atheists display a credulous and childlike faith, worship a certainty as yet unsupported by evidence—the certainty that they can or will be able to explain how and why the universe came into existence. (And some of them can behave as intolerantly to heretics who deviate from their unproven orthodoxy as the most unbending religious Inquisitor.)
pin your old photos on "streetview"
http://www.historypin.com/
Historypin uses Google Maps and Street View technology and hopes to become the largest user-generated archive of the world's historical images and stories. Historypin lets you layer old images onto modern Street View scenes, giving a series of peaks into the past. Upload and pin your own old photos, as well as the stories behind them, onto the map.
Historypin uses Google Maps and Street View technology and hopes to become the largest user-generated archive of the world's historical images and stories. Historypin lets you layer old images onto modern Street View scenes, giving a series of peaks into the past. Upload and pin your own old photos, as well as the stories behind them, onto the map.
Chinese companies 'rent' white foreigners
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/06/29/china.rent.white.people/index.html?fbid=ImJQ6zweZUo
"Face, we say in China, is more important than life itself," said Zhang Haihua, author of "Think Like Chinese." "Because Western countries are so developed, people think they are more well off, so people think that if a company can hire foreigners, it must have a lot of money and have very important connections overseas. So when they really want to impress someone, they may roll out a foreigner."
Or rent one.
"Face, we say in China, is more important than life itself," said Zhang Haihua, author of "Think Like Chinese." "Because Western countries are so developed, people think they are more well off, so people think that if a company can hire foreigners, it must have a lot of money and have very important connections overseas. So when they really want to impress someone, they may roll out a foreigner."
Or rent one.
Games Use 'Skinner box' methods to addict you
http://www.cracked.com/article_18461_5-creepy-ways-video-games-are-trying-to-get-you-addicted.html
If you've ever been addicted to a game or known someone who was, this article is really freaking disturbing. It's written by a games researcher at Microsoft on how to make video games that hook players, whether they like it or not. He has a doctorate in behavioral and brain sciences
If you've ever been addicted to a game or known someone who was, this article is really freaking disturbing. It's written by a games researcher at Microsoft on how to make video games that hook players, whether they like it or not. He has a doctorate in behavioral and brain sciences
interactive Map: Where Americans Are Moving
http://www.forbes.com/2010/06/04/migration-moving-wealthy-interactive-counties-map.html
Besides the continued exodus from Ghost town, Detroit, much of Southern California is also being vacated
Besides the continued exodus from Ghost town, Detroit, much of Southern California is also being vacated
Monday, June 28, 2010
Strength in naughty or nice | Harvard Gazette Online
Strength in naughty or nice | Harvard Gazette Online
New research from Harvard University suggests that moral actions may increase people’s capacity for willpower and physical endurance. Study participants who did good deeds — or even just imagined themselves helping others — were better able to perform a subsequent task of physical endurance.
New research from Harvard University suggests that moral actions may increase people’s capacity for willpower and physical endurance. Study participants who did good deeds — or even just imagined themselves helping others — were better able to perform a subsequent task of physical endurance.
US ranks 13th in Human Development Index
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic used to rank countries by level of "human development" and separate developed (high development), developing (middle development), and underdeveloped (low development) countries. The statistic is composed from data on Life Expectancy, Education and per-capita GDP (as an indicator of Standard of living) collected at the national level using the formula given in the Methodology section below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Development_Index#2009_report
Each year since 1990 the Human Development Report has published the human development index (HDI) which looks beyond GDP to a broader definition of well-being. The HDI provides a composite measure of three dimensions of human development: living a long and healthy life (measured by life expectancy), being educated (measured by adult literacy and gross enrolment in education) and having a decent standard of living (measured by purchasing power parity, PPP, income)
Life expectancy at birth, as an index of population health and longevity
Knowledge and education, as measured by the adult literacy rate (with two-thirds weighting) and the combined primary, secondary, and tertiary gross enrollment ratio (with one-third weighting).
Standard of living, as indicated by the natural logarithm of gross domestic product per capita at purchasing power parity.
http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/country_fact_sheets/cty_fs_USA.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Development_Index#2009_report
Each year since 1990 the Human Development Report has published the human development index (HDI) which looks beyond GDP to a broader definition of well-being. The HDI provides a composite measure of three dimensions of human development: living a long and healthy life (measured by life expectancy), being educated (measured by adult literacy and gross enrolment in education) and having a decent standard of living (measured by purchasing power parity, PPP, income)
Life expectancy at birth, as an index of population health and longevity
Knowledge and education, as measured by the adult literacy rate (with two-thirds weighting) and the combined primary, secondary, and tertiary gross enrollment ratio (with one-third weighting).
Standard of living, as indicated by the natural logarithm of gross domestic product per capita at purchasing power parity.
http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/country_fact_sheets/cty_fs_USA.html
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Medicinal Benefits of Soursop
Tropical fruit with health benefits, can it cure cancer?
http://hubpages.com/hub/Medicinal-Benefits-of-Soursop
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Stop SPP Protest - Union Leader stops provocateurs
Claim:"Peaceful protesters stop police provocateurs from starting a riot at the Stop the SPP protests in Montebello Quebec.2007
black bloc @ G20 summit
http://watch.ctv.ca/news/latest/summit-protest/#clip318869
A black bloc is a tactic for protests and marches, whereby individuals wear black clothing, scarfs, ski masks, motorcycle helmets with padding or other face-concealing items and often carry some sort of shields and truncheons.[1][2] The clothing is used to avoid being identified, and to, theoretically, appear as one large mass, promoting solidarity or creating a clear revolutionary presence.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_bloc
A black bloc is a tactic for protests and marches, whereby individuals wear black clothing, scarfs, ski masks, motorcycle helmets with padding or other face-concealing items and often carry some sort of shields and truncheons.[1][2] The clothing is used to avoid being identified, and to, theoretically, appear as one large mass, promoting solidarity or creating a clear revolutionary presence.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_bloc
Police try to restore order after violent G20 protests
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20100626/summit-protests-100626/
What is G20?
The Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (known as the G-20 and also the G20 or Group of Twenty) is a group of finance ministers and central bank governors from 20 economies: 19 countries plus the European Union. Their heads of government have also periodically conferred at summits since their initial meeting in 2008. Collectively, the G-20 economies comprise 85%[3] of global gross national product, 80% of world trade (including EU intra-trade) and two-thirds of the world population.[2]
The G-20 is a forum for cooperation and consultation on matters pertaining to the international financial system. It studies, reviews, and promotes discussion (among key industrial and emerging market countries) of policy issues pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability, and seeks to address issues that go beyond the responsibilities of any one organization. With the G-20 growing in stature since the 2008 Washington summit, its leaders announced on September 25, 2009, that the group will replace the G8 as the main economic council of wealthy nations.[4]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-20_major_economies
What is G20?
The Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (known as the G-20 and also the G20 or Group of Twenty) is a group of finance ministers and central bank governors from 20 economies: 19 countries plus the European Union. Their heads of government have also periodically conferred at summits since their initial meeting in 2008. Collectively, the G-20 economies comprise 85%[3] of global gross national product, 80% of world trade (including EU intra-trade) and two-thirds of the world population.[2]
The G-20 is a forum for cooperation and consultation on matters pertaining to the international financial system. It studies, reviews, and promotes discussion (among key industrial and emerging market countries) of policy issues pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability, and seeks to address issues that go beyond the responsibilities of any one organization. With the G-20 growing in stature since the 2008 Washington summit, its leaders announced on September 25, 2009, that the group will replace the G8 as the main economic council of wealthy nations.[4]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-20_major_economies
Anarchist mayor is comical
REYKJAVIK, Iceland-- Mayor promises "free towels" and a drug free Parliament by 2012:
Comedian wins election because of "protest votes", but maybe the change bankrupt Iceland needs.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/26/world/europe/26iceland.html
Grocery Store Musical
Six undercover actors burst into song in a grocery store in Queens. Three minutes and lots of silly choreography later, they returned to their roles as shoppers and stock boys. The mission was filmed with hidden robotic, lipstick, and wearable cameras.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Kid with oil stuck on her! Destin Beach, Fl. June 23rd, 2010
Families in Florida Frolic in oil tared beach. Is it dangerous? maybe for children...Crude oil contains Benzine which is carcinogenic, and heres a list of other dangers of crude. https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/05545.htm
Beyond The Obvious: TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD
In 1984 a chemical leak from a US pesticide plant killed at least 8 thousands, and as many as 35 thousand in Bhopal India. This June, 2010, 7 of the employees responsible were sentenced to 2 years in prison, and $2000 dollars fine, (thats the max possible). This article points out the hypocrisy when compared to the recent BP disaster.
Monday, June 21, 2010
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