Kevin debuted the SciFi Dept on the SciFi Scanner blog over at AMC in August. This is definitely going into my queue of things to view. Thanks, Kevin!

I post the link to the camera here. I would buy the argument that, by posting this, I am violating privacy even more than whoever installed the camera. I would respond that the content is fully accessible to anyone in SecondLife. Further, I hope this shames the responsible individuals into removing the offending device permanently.

A number of years ago, students taking a course in the Media Studies Development Project approached me about performing "open and transparent surveillance" of the Media Cloisters. My understanding was that the camera would be set up in the space with clear signs outlining when and how the camera would be used. It was also made clear that the footage would be used for in-class presentation. All footage not used for the presentation would be destroyed. This idea was shot down, justifiably, because the Media Cloisters was a space set aside for unfettered use of technology. Surveillance of users of the space, it was felt, would create an unfriendly atmosphere.

I won’t go into the use of SecondLife at Vassar beyond stating that I am skeptical of the pedagogical value. The Vassar MOO and MOOssiggang engage students much more dramatically in the building of space, the writing of text, the display of imagery, and computer-mediated communication than SL currently can. Yes, the technology of the mid-90s doesn’t have the whiz-bang factor of SL, but the pedagogy was sound.

I hope that faculty, students and administrators at Vassar look carefully at what they are allowing with this ongoing filming of the campus. Yes, I know that the images are from a great distance, that they are of fairly low quality, and that some may argue that Vassar is a  public space. I think these arguments area slippery slope and fallacious. Cheaper, higher quality cameras will become available. Vassar is a private institution, and has a commitment to protect the privacy of its faculty, staff, and student.

If I go to reunion this year, I will be staying away from the Library Lawn.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

The signal:noise problem on YouTube comments means that things get missed. So I am reposting my comment here.

in all fairness, at least the clip ends with the celebutard saying, "baby, we have to go to the library". proper respect for that move. and its true. take yourself and your kids to the library. often. nothing else to it. the more your read, even if its tripe, the more you think, the more you will be able to think critically about the information that gets pushed at you every day.

I barely caught her final statement at the end, and I’m glad the original poster did not cut that out, and that I was listening so passively that I wasn’t completely incensed by her ignorance. No, this does not redeem her totally by any stretch, but it does go in the right direction. Read, folks. Read with your kids. Take them to libraries. Take them to bookstores. Donate time or money to libraries. Have your kids donate time or money. "Think of the children." Take them reading.

You better watch it. (Found on Lessig’s blog.)

One of the coolest things these folks are doing is soliciting content and remixes from the community of viewers. Have a camera and computer? Film your thoughts on the subject and post them GooTube (that is, Google Video or YouTube) with the tag “net neutrality”. Or download the video for Final Cut Pro and create your own mix.

Puppy Pi’s first birthday is March 14. My parents, going above and beyond, ordered a Grand Carpet Mill, which they brought up on Saturday morning. As I assembled it, Pi kept walking all over the parts and standing on the running surface. He explored every aspect of the device, henceforth known as the “puppy-torture9000″, and was curious to see what happened next. His favorite parts were, of course, the box in which the thing was shipped. It wasn’t hard to assemble, but conversation, pup, and events conspired to make the total assembly time about one hour. Before we went for lunch, I placed him on it and held his collar while he ran for a little. After lunch, I took this video with the work MacBook Pro:

Please don’t call the ASPCA on me. He really seems to enjoy it.