July 2009 - Air-L - lists.aoir.org

Who to UnFollow
by Barry Wellman 11 Jul '09

11 Jul '09

Bernie/Blurky, Thanks for your thoughtful post re twitter. I have often stopped following things such as what you ate for dinner. One famous guy who did this a lot got mad at me about my not reciprocally following him. I explained why politely, and never heard from him again. I assume he's still mad. My first experience with Twitter Politics. I try to keep almost all of my tweets to my ideas or RTweeting others -- lotsa pointers to longer discussions. However, every once in a while I am bursting that was important to me that I just have to share it -- such as Bev/my recent Rafting down the Grand Canyon or you (Blurky/Bernie) coming to town. I also use such Tweets (as NancyBaym does) to promote my friends'/students' work. One thing hard to solve is people I usually learn from but who also point their daily stuff ("in the garden, painting my shoes"). I've half-seriously thought we could have Tweet1 and Tweet2 for ideas vs self-reporting posts. I'm also mystified why so many people (500+) follow me. I don't think I give very good value. (One of the first things we learned in the early days of computerized conferencing is that people have less useful things to say to each other on a daily basis than when they save it up for annual conferences.) Some do follow because others have suggested. Others I think are collectors of "names", even though no one would accuse me of being Ashton Kushner. I know in a few cases I myself am following a famous social scientist because he is famous (and verbose). There seem to be disciplinary clusters (when George Siemens of e-learning suggested following me, there was a surge) and geographical clusters (in my case: Brasil and Australia) which I assume is word of mouth. I can't believe that people who are following 500 have time to read them, even if they use Tweetdeck to prioritize. I have barely time to skim the 100 I do follow. As I tweeted yesterday, "frittering my time away" has been replaced by "twittering my time away". There are a whole bunch of research projects here, plus the social network stuff on who follows whom. Certainly I'm cross-linked with a bunch of AoIRish people. I know this because when someone Follows me, I check out who else they're following. Happy Canada Day! Barry Wellman _______________________________________________________________________ S.D. Clark Professor of Sociology, FRSC NetLab Director Department of Sociology 725 Spadina Avenue, Room 388 University of Toronto Toronto Canada M5S 2J4 twitter:barrywellman http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~wellman fax:+1-416-978-3963 Updating history: http://chass.utoronto.ca/oldnew/cybertimes.php _______________________________________________________________________

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EAM cfp + book
by William Bain 11 Jul '09

11 Jul '09

Hello All, The following cfp of the European Network for Avant-Garde and Modernism Studies may be of interest to the list (with apologies for xposting). Also hopefully of interest is a book partially dealing with Modernism which includes a chapter of mine (most chapters at least mention genetic criticism, a methodology which could relate to website history). Details below. Best regards, William Bain PhD Candidate University Autonoma de Barcelona Comparative Literature/Literary Theory book: Left Out: Texts and Ur-Texts => http://www.lcdpu.fr/livre/?GCOI=27000100829030 (or go to Presses Universitaires de France and search by title) eam conference: http://www.eam2010.amu.edu.pl/ (searchable via "EAM Conference Poznán 2010" without quotes)

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OII New Position: Survey Research Fellow
by William Dutton 11 Jul '09

11 Jul '09

Apologies if you've seen other notices, but the Oxford Internet Institute has a new position opened for a survey research fellow to work primarily with the Oxford Internet Surveys (OxIS). See: <http:// www.oii.ox.ac.uk/people/newpositions.cfm> Thanks for considering this personally, or passing this on to potential candidates. Bill Dutton William Dutton william.dutton(a)oii.ox.ac.uk http://people.oii.ox.ac.uk/dutton/

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CFP: Audacity of Hope? /thirdspace: a journal of feminist theory and culture/
by Georgia Gaden 10 Jul '09

10 Jul '09

The journal and theme are not particularly Internet-focused but I thought that the theme might be of interest to some here especially given the significance of online communication in Obama's campaign and in U.S. political discussion during this presidential race. The editors of /thirdspace: a journal of feminist theory and culture/ invite submissions for our forthcoming issue ‘Audacity of Hope?’ We are seeking submissions that critically engage with the notion of hope as it was used by a diverse assortment of constituents in the 2008 American presidential election. As a key theme in Barack Obama’s campaign (and his book ‘Audacity of Hope’), the term evokes the possibility of transformational change. How does this version/vision of hope frame debates about gender and equity issues, struggles for equality and the recognition of difference? To what extent has the ‘hope’ agenda impacted on politics, policy and popular media during Obama’s presidency to date? This issue invites contributions that consider: • Obama's first months as president and the hope and/or reality of social change • the catchphrase ‘yes we can’ and its appropriation, as well as what it might mean in terms of gender, race, sexuality and other parameters of difference • that controversial Ms. cover and discussions of Obama as a “feminist savior.” • the global currency of Obama’s hope rhetoric (i.e. Cairo speech) • hope for policy and social change around issues such as abortion (the possibility or desirability of a "Common Ground" approach, the global gag rule), health care, economic equality • the hope of LGBTQ people in the Obama campaign and subsequent disillusionment (i.e. Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and the brief defending DOMA) • the opposite of hope: despair, disillusionment, cynicism • critical responses to the USA’s embrace of hope and its global implications • the significance of gender and race in the presidential race and subsequently (such as the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor and the media's response to it, Obama's handling of information about sexual abuse by members of the U.S. military) • media coverage of the election in terms of constructions of gender, race and sexuality (Obama, as well as John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin) • the merchandising of the image of Obama and his family, including the gender and racial implications of “selling” Michelle Obama as First Lady, the marketing of products associated with Sasha and Malia Obama, etc. and links to gender/difference We welcome submissions from a wide range of disciplinary and geographical perspectives. Submissions from researchers working within, or among, the disciplines of geography, sociology, literature, area studies, cultural studies, film/media studies, art, history, education, law, and women’s/gender studies are particularly encouraged. We accept the submission of work from scholars of any rank or affiliation, and encourage submissions from emerging feminist scholars, including graduate students. All submissions to the journal must be submitted electronically through our online submission process. All submissions are peer-reviewed by established, senior feminist scholars. For more information on our publishing policies see: http://www.thirdspace.ca/journal/about/editorialPolicies To submit: Please follow our online submission process at http://www.thirdspace.ca/journal/about/submissions ** Deadline: September 15, 2009 ** For more information, please contact us at info [at] thirdspace.ca

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Engaging Data Forum | Extended submissions deadline: July 20, 2009
by Marcus Foth 09 Jul '09

09 Jul '09

The deadline for submissions to the Engaging Data: First International Forum on the Application and Management of Personal Electronic Information has been extended to July 20, 2009, 5:00 p.m. EDT (New York). Please visit http://senseable.mit.edu/engagingdata for further details on author guidelines for submissions. As a reference, our Call for Papers is below, in the attachment, and on our website. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * CALL FOR PAPERS * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ENGAGING DATA First International Forum on the Application and Management of Personal Electronic Information Hosted by SENSEable City Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Oct. 12-13, 2009 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA USA http://senseable.mit.edu/engagingdata CALL FOR PAPERS Over the past decade, the development and use of digital networks has produced an increasing wealth of new data. Handheld electronics, locative media, telecommunications networks, and a wide assortment of tags and sensors are constantly collecting a rich stream of real-time information on various components of our lives and the environment we inhabit, including our movements, purchases, social interactions, Internet activities, and many more. These data afford a wide range of research opportunities in the social and natural sciences that will create a multitude of beneficial information and services. Affected areas range widely and include, among others, workplace efficiency, traffic management, tourism, marketing, logistics, e-commerce, entertainment, urban and architectural planning, disaster response, security, environmental sustainability, and social interaction. Advances in this field are progressing cautiously, however, as the public, commercial and social entities, and the government are only just beginning to understand this new condition of pervasive sensing and data mining as well as the associated framework required to manage it. Conflicting standards on privacy and fear of entering upon uncharted territories hinder companies, researchers, and others from engaging in activities that make responsible use of potentially sensitive data. Moreover, regulation has not kept pace with the changing digital infrastructure, and as a result different stakeholders currently face different restrictions on data usage. In short, we still lack a complete understanding of the societal value in this data and the influence on society by its use, and much still remains unexplored. It is becoming imperative to develop a new framework of standards and best practices for collecting, storing, analyzing, reporting, sharing, and protecting valuable electronic data created by new technologies and services. The Engaging Data: First International Forum on the Application and Management of Personal Electronic Information is the launching event of the Engaging Data Initiative, which will include a series of discussion panels and conferences at MIT. This initiative seeks to address the above issues by bringing together the main stakeholders from multiple disciplines, including social scientists, engineers, manufacturers, telecommunications service providers, Internet companies, credit companies and banks, privacy officers, lawyers, and watchdogs, and government officials. The goal of this forum is to explore the novel applications for electronic data and address the risks, concerns, and consumer opinions associated with the use of this data. In addition, it will include discussions on techniques and standards for both protecting and extracting value from this information from several points of view: what techniques and standards currently exist, and what are their strengths and limitations? What holistic approaches to protecting and extracting value from data would we take if we were given a blank slate? These issues and questions will be addressed through invited talks, paper presentations, and panel discussions. The forum will serve as a platform to exchange ideas, discuss the latest developments in this field, address significant issues, and create visions for the future. The forum is seeking original contributions in the form of both position papers and technical papers. Of particular interest are papers that open new paths for research, express a creative vision for the future, and contribute to a lively debate. TOPICS Papers are solicited that propose principles and approaches to building a viable social ecosystem for using information mined from human interactions with digital networks. Each paper must touch on the technical, security, social, legal/political, and financial aspects of the issue, although it is expected that papers will concentrate more on some aspects than on others. Topics of interest within these aspects include, but are not limited to, the following: --Technical-- Uses and concerns associated with data collection and mining: 1. Information mined by an endpoint party to a communication, including: -Types of information mined from consumer devices by endpoint parties (e.g. VoIP routers and radio handsets) -Accuracy and use of location analyses based on IP addresses, Internet traceroutes, etc. -Sharing of mined data with third parties -Methodologies to analyze and visualize this data 2. Collection, storage, and use of information gathered from wireless networks, including: -Location-based tracking and other forms of mobile sensing -Mobile phones, cordless phones, walkie-talkies, wireless microphones -Femtocells -RFID systems -Wi-Fi Networks -Implications for "white spaces" signal-sensing devices -Increased personalization of communications (i.e. device is commonly unique to a particular individual) -Sharing of data with third parties 3. Collection of information on traffic flow patterns in fixed networks, including: -How uses and concerns vary based on whether flows are segregated by endpoint, time-of-day, bandwidth usage level, application type, etc. -Optical and non-optical networks -Broadband networks -Personal area networks (PAN), Local-area networks (LAN), Wide-area networks (WAN), etc. 4. Information collection inside the network -Packet inspection, e.g. collection of IP addresses, HTTP cookies, etc. -Significance of IPv6 in providing static IP addresses that may be specific to particular devices and/or their locations 5. Soundness of data -Veracity, completeness, etc. of data collected from multiple perspectives, e.g. multiple sensors and/or points inside the network -Algorithms and other tools to deal with incomplete, contradictory, and incorrect data 6. Data protection -Effectiveness and adequacy of encryption, anonymization, aggregation, hashing algorithms, and level of accuracy of information at ensuring customer privacy -Metadata standards and preservation formats --Financial-- 1. Business and incentive models/structures --Security-- Social issues associated with data collection and mining: 1. Consumers and Privacy -Privacy concerns and countervailing interests concerning the authentication of electronic identities and transactions -Consumer awareness, e.g. how common it is for people to read privacy policies -Consumer access to, control of, and awareness of information collected about them -Ethical considerations and implications of data mining for both individuals and society -Social norms and expectations of privacy Legal and political issues associated with data collection and mining: 1. Standards for protecting and extracting value from data -Strengths and limitations of existing standards -"Blank slate," holistic approaches to protecting and extracting value from data -Applicability of set standards, e.g. EC Data Protection Directive, to the US, developed vs. developing countries, globally 2. E-government services -Appropriateness of permitting private entities preferential rights of access or redistribution of such data -Conformity with citizen expectations and assurances of the privacy of such data 3. Legal and regulatory concerns -Requirements, if any, for prior review and approval of proposed collection and use of data (IRB, etc.) -Acceptable methods of obtaining consent for the use of various types of information -Requirements of consent from parties related to the information, e.g. from only one party related to the information or from all parties related to the information -Responsibilities to disclose mining of information (who must disclose such activities and to whom must disclosure be made, e.g. direct customer of service, correspondents of direct customer, etc.) -Role of regulation in the exposure of information collected on network activities 4. Risk and Mitigation -Evaluation and mitigation of risks of research, government, and commercial activities involving data collection and mining -Methods of risk avoidance AUTHOR GUIDELINES Position papers must be 4-6 pages in length, technical papers 6-8 pages in length. Papers must be written in English and follow the standard IEEE format (two-column, single-spaced, 10-point font, on US Letter size paper). Please submit papers in PDF format. Templates can be found under: http://www.ieee.org/web/publications/pubservices/confpub/AuthorTools/confer… Each submitted paper will be peer-reviewed in a double-blind fashion. Please remove any mention of author names and affiliations in the entire submission, and if referencing previous work of the authors, use the third person. Papers will be evaluated according to originality, relevance, technical soundness, significance, and clarity. At least one author must register for the conference to have the paper published in the proceedings. The most exceptional papers in each category will be presented at the conference and published in the conference proceedings. All papers will be handled electronically and should be submitted online via EDAS. Please visit senseable.mit.edu/engagingdata for further details. IMPORTANT DATES Deadline for submission of full papers: July 20, 2009 Notification of acceptance: August 14, 2009 Camera-ready papers due: September 4, 2009 Early registration: September 4, 2009 Conference dates: October 12-13, 2009 GENERAL CHAIRS AND PROGRAM COMMITTEE General Chairs Carlo Ratti, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Assaf Biderman, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Technical Contributions Co-Chairs Alex (Sandy) Pentland, Massachusetts Institute of Technology David Lazer, Harvard University Program Committee Ben Adida, Harvard University Albert-László Barabási, Northeastern University Dirk Brockmann, Northwestern University John Clippinger, Harvard University Alissa Cooper, Center for Democracy and Technology Simon Davies, Privacy International Laura DeNardis, Yale University William Dutton, University of Oxford Deborah Estrin, UCLA Marcus Foth, Queensland University of Technology Dean Gallant, Harvard University Myron Gutmann, University of Michigan Gary King, Harvard University John Krumm, Microsoft Research William Lehr, MIT Marc Rotenberg, EPIC Karen Sollins, MIT Rebecca Wright, Rutgers University Jonathan Zittrain, Harvard University For questions regarding paper submissions, please contact Caitlin Zacharias: czachar(a)mit.edu. SENSEable City Laboratory Massachusetts Institute of Technology Suite 10-400 77 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 USA T ++1-617-2537926 F ++1-617-2588081 W senseable.mit.edu/engagingdata E senseable-data(a)mit.edu -- Dr Marcus Foth Senior Research Fellow Institute for Creative Industries and Innovation Queensland University of Technology (CRICOS No. 00213J) Victoria Park Rd, Brisbane QLD 4059, Australia Phone +61 7 313 x88772 - Fax x88238 - Office K506, KG m.foth(a)qut.edu.au - http://www.urbaninformatics.net/

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CRC, Feminist Media Studies, Concordia Univ., Montreal
by lshade＠alcor.concordia.ca 09 Jul '09

09 Jul '09

FYi and feel free to pass along! Thanks, leslie --Leslie Regan Shade, Associate Professor Concordia Univ., Dept. of Communication Studies Concordia University Canada Research Chair in Feminist Media Studies Department of Communication Studies Concordia Universitys Faculty of Arts and Science is the third largest academic faculty in Canada. Home to 27 academic units, the Faculty is leading Montreals Concordia University to the forefront of research and graduate education in Quebec and Canada. Recognized for innovative research in the sciences, humanities, and social sciences, the Facultys Department of Communication Studies invites applications for a Tier II Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Feminist Media Studies. This position is directly linked to priority areas in Concordia Universitys Strategic Research Plan (2008-12): http://oor.concordia.ca/formsandreferencedocuments/strategicresearchplan/ Communication Studies seeks a dynamic and visionary researcher who will engage in cutting-edge scholarship and/or research-creation. The CRC in Feminist Media Studies will play a vital leadership role in stimulating interdisciplinary research and/or creation within the contemporary climate of globalization, transnational migration, pervasive economic inequities, the widespread production, circulation and cross-national consumption of cultural commodities, and amidst rapid shifts in technological mediation. Candidates of interest will have a promising record of scholarly/creative achievement within the broad area of feminist media studies, an ability to articulate and realize an exceptional, long-term research agenda, and have a demonstrated commitment to interdisciplinary and collaborative research. The ideal candidate will develop an exemplary scholarly and creative presence, complement and enrich research and scholarship among faculty and graduate students, and participate in local and international research networks. Potential research areas include: diasporic identities and migratory experiences; media democracy and community practices; transnational media; social justice issues; indigenous media; media and health; new media technologies; photography and visual culture. The goal of the CRC program is to ensure that Canadian universities achieve the highest levels of research excellence to become world-class research centres in the global, knowledge-based economy. Concordia Universitys academic culture celebrates research, creativity, and the transfer of knowledge in many ways that are ideal for todays innovation driven society. The strategic deployment of CRCs is an integral part of Concordias overall plan to promote and develop its research enterprise. (Please refer to the CRC website for detailed information about the program: http://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/) In order to successfully compete for a CRC award candidates are expected to have an outstanding and innovative research program, and the ability to attract excellent graduate students. Tier II CRCs will be exceptional emerging researchers who at an early phase of their careers (i.e., within 10 years of completing their PhD), have demonstrated the promise of a strong research profile and the potential to be leaders in their field. Tier II CRCs are awarded for five years and are renewable once. These positions offer an attractive salary, an annual research stipend, reduced teaching loads, and the opportunity to apply for start-up infrastructure through the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) Leaders Opportunity Fund (LOF). The successful candidate for the CRC position in Feminist Media Studies will, in the first instance, be offered an unconditional tenure-track appointment at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor, as appropriate. The candidate will be required to work with the Department and the Faculty to prepare the formal CRC nomination according to the CRC program guidelines. The University will submit the nomination to the CRC Secretariat at the earliest opportunity. Founded in 1965, the Department of Communication Studies at Concordia University is Canadas oldest degree-granting department in the discipline. The Department offers programs leading to the BA, Graduate Diploma, MA, and PhD degrees. The undergraduate degree in Communication Studies is highly regarded for its integration of media production and critical theoretical perspectives. We are the only institution in Canada to offer an undergraduate program in Communication and Cultural Studies, and a graduate diploma in Communication. Our MA in Media Studies is unique in its structure and focus, and our bilingual, inter-university PhD program offers access to a wide range of resources and expertise. In keeping with Concordia's mission, the Department fosters inclusivity in its research, curriculum, and teaching practices, and is committed to serving the needs of a diverse student population. Montreal, where both Concordia campuses are located, is a world-class city of over 3 million people, offering a rich and diverse cultural life, and the intellectual stimulation of four major universities. In addition, the city is a major site of innovation and excellence in emerging digital media technologies, with significant government and private industry support. Candidates are encouraged to visit our departmental website for additional information concerning our programs and priorities: http://comm.concordia.ca/. Applications must consist of a cover letter, a current curriculum vitae, copies of recent publications, a statement of research achievements as well as a detailed research proposal appropriate to the goals and objectives of the CRC program, a statement of teaching philosophy/interests, and evidence of teaching effectiveness. Candidates must also arrange to have three letters of reference sent directly to: Prof. Rae Staseson, Chair, Department of Communication Studies, Concordia University, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd., Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3G 1M8 This tenure-track position, linked to the CRC appointment, will begin July 1, 2010. The University will nominate the successful candidate to the CRC Secretariat at the earliest opportunity according to the guidelines of the CRC program. Candidates for the position must have a completed PhD. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. All applications should reach the department no later than November 2, 2009. No electronic applications will be accepted. All inquiries about the position should be directed to Professor Staseson (Rae.Staseson(a)concordia.ca) All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority. Concordia University is committed to employment equity.

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Major New Additions To _The Mobile Libraries_ Blog | June/July
by McKiernan, Gerard [LIB] 08 Jul '09

08 Jul '09

Major New Additions To _The Mobile Libraries_ Blog | June/July Colleagues/ I am pleased to announce the addition of a number of major postings to the _Mobile Libraries_ blog /Gerry >>> The Mobile Library: Public Domain English and German Language eBooks http://tinyurl.com/lyfo4w >>> Orange County Library System > OCLS Mobile http://tinyurl.com/l4se5p >>> OSU Library Labs: WorldCat Mobile http://tinyurl.com/mrn7yh >>> Apple iPhone3GS For Physicians http://tinyurl.com/lf6ere >>> EQ >The Revolution No One Noticed: Mobile Phones and Multimobile Services in Higher Education http://tinyurl.com/l4ktup >>> EDUCAUSE Handheld and Mobile Computing Constituent Group http://tinyurl.com/lrfbqt >>> SMS Library Reference Service Options / Beth Stahr http://tinyurl.com/n669vm >>> SMS Reference: Keeping Up With Your Clients / Sonia Herman http://tinyurl.com/n5dady >>> Text Messaging Reference: Enhancing Reference Services with SMS Webinar / July 2 2009 http://tinyurl.com/ofr4ea >>> Joe Murphy / Yale University Library > Librarian Extraordinaire http://tinyurl.com/npnghp >>> Text a Librarian: Text Message Reference Solutions for Libraries http://tinyurl.com/l28ce8 >>> Pubget > Like Pubmed, Except You Get PDFs Right Away http://tinyurl.com/mpwkn4 >>> TXTING LIBRARIANS @ CURTIN http://tinyurl.com/lwypg2 >>> "Reference by SMS" / AltaRama http://tinyurl.com/mzw6c7 >>> Mobile Technologies In Libraries: A Perpetual Bibliography http://tinyurl.com/kulzeq >>> M-Libraries / Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki http://tinyurl.com/nbnqex >>> Amazon's Kindle(tm) Wireless Reading Device: Is It The Future Of Interlibrary Loan? http://tinyurl.com/nj3xum >>> Handheld Online Conference / June 3 2009 http://tinyurl.com/ljpnx9 >>> Infoquest: Alliance Library System Text Message Reference Service http://tinyurl.com/ny4z8b >>> Libraries Using Twitter: Academic / Research / Special Libraries http://tinyurl.com/llq8j2 >>> Who You Gonna Call?: Mediated Phone Reference Services For The CellPhone User http://tinyurl.com/lkmpp5 >>> The Handheld Librarian Blog http://tinyurl.com/kny8jq >>> Twittering Libraries Wiki http://tinyurl.com/p7cnf4 >>> Report: M-Libraries: Information Use On The Move http://tinyurl.com/kj46mv >>> DukeUniversityMobile http://tinyurl.com/lwem7y >>> The Evolution of Mobile Teaching and Learning http://tinyurl.com/m79s9m Enjoy ! BTW: If You Are Aware Of Any / All Significant and Substantive Mobile Libraries Activities, Please Do Share With Me And I Will Profile In The _Mobile Libraries_ Blog Regards, /Gerry Gerry McKiernan Associate Professor Science and Technology Librarian Iowa State University Library Ames IA 50011 gerrymck(a)iastate.edu There Are No Answers, Only Solutions / Olde Irish Saying The Future Is Already Here, It's Just Not Evenly Distributed / Attributed To William Gibson, SciFi Author / Coined 'Cyberspace'

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Introducing myself
by Mariana Matos 08 Jul '09

08 Jul '09

Hello there! I've been on the list for almost 2 months, but, until now, I've just read what people were writing. And I must say there are many interesting topics being discussed! However, I'd like to introduce myself and share with you all information about my research subject. I'm a psychologist from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a PhD student at PUC-Rio (the Catholic University). I'm part of a group of researchers who have been studying the psychological and social impacts of the use of technology such as the Internet, cell phones, games, and some others. The group is leaded by Professor Ana Maria Nicolaci-da-Costa, who's been researching on this subject since the very beggining of the use of Internet in Brazil. My research in on the habit of writing scraps, on Orkut (the most popular social network site in Brazil), to people who died and left their profiles active. As you should know, if someone dies, the profile may still be active, what happens if no one deletes it or asks the site to delete it. I've been observing that a substantial number of dead people's profile receive a great amount of messages, writen often by close friends and family. In these messages, they "talk" about their feelings, tell the dead about their quotidian (i.e. what they did in the weekend), talk about their memories etc. I have the impression that this is a brazilian phenomenon, and I'd like to ask you if you see something similar in your countries, even if people use other SNS, like Facebook or any other. Do you know people who died and let their profiles? Do you know if they still receive messages, even if more than one year have passed since the death? Best regards, Mariana Matos-Silva PhD Student PUC-Rio Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

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Internet Festival at Liverpool John Moores University (Registration)
by Akthar, Iqbal 08 Jul '09

08 Jul '09

Internet on the Move: Mobility, Technology and Everyday Life <mailto:I.Akthar@ljmu.ac.uk> Friday, 17 July 2009 10am - 3pm Liverpool John Moores University, UK Confirmed Speakers Frauke Behrendt (Visiting Assistant Professor at Rhode Island School of Design) Fiona Torrance (Liverpool John Moores University) Deirdre Hynes (Lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University) Jean-Christophe Plantin (University of Paris) Karenza Moore - Keynote Speaker (Lecturer at Lancaster University) Nickianne Moody (Principal Lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University) Registration To register please email your details (name, post, institution, email and phone number) to Iqbal Akthar at I.Akthar(a)ljmu.ac.uk ( Last day of registration is 15 July 2009)

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Systems Officer
by Alex Halavais 07 Jul '09

07 Jul '09

Hello, all, I will also renew a call for a Systems Officer. This is an appointed member of the Executive, free from the meddling influence of lobbyists and special interests that are a part of "politics as usual." Or something. Oh, and it's been me for the last few years, and Jeremy Hunsinger for the many years before that. So, here's a little bit about what I do. Mostly, I try to make sure the website is working, things get backed up, new systems are implemented, and generally respond to the needs of the executive and the membership. Oh, and if you've ever emailed "help(a)aoir.org" that's me--so I guess I am the point of contact that makes sure that emails get to the right place. If you would like to take this on, you should have *some* technical abilities. That is, FTP should not scare you, and you maybe have built or maintained a website before. If you are able to do that, and you are willing to learn while on the job, I think you'll be fine. (If you have a bit of experience administering Wordpress and Drupal, and maybe are OK with dealing with MySQL, even better!) Of course, you also should be ready and willing to help with the overall governance of the Association and participate in the activities of the Executive Committee. If you are interested, please drop an email to Sabryna (sabrynac(a)niu.edu) or to me (help(a)aoir.org) If you aren't sure if you are interested, talk to me, and I'll try to convince you that you are. Best, Alex -- // // This email is // [x] assumed public and may be blogged / forwarded. // [ ] assumed to be private, please ask before redistributing. // // Alexander C. Halavais, ciberflâneur // http://alex.halavais.net //

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