MSNBC’S Logo for the DNC
Apparently the Democratic National Committee decided to use Obama’s graphic designers to do the signage for the convention in Denver. According to many, it’s good, good stuff. But what struck me as particularly interesting is that MSNBC has mimicked Obama’s design choices as well. (This is a crappy photo I took of my TV because I couldn’t find it anywhere on the MSNBC site.) My jaw dropped when I saw it. I suspect MSNBC has made the decision that they’re seeking the “Anti Fox News” niche. If they run the same logo next week with an elephant head in the middle of what is clearly Obama’s logo, I’ll be 100% convinced of MSNBC’s “liberal media bias.” Not that there’s anything wrong with that, imho.
I’m having a blast following the convention this week. The spectacle of it all is really fantastic, but most of all I love the way that politics contradicts itself all over the place. For all we hear about elitism and the “ethnic working class,” at the end of the day, each of our votes carries the same weight, no matter who we are.
Also, I am totally in love with the way Michelle Obama says her husband’s name. There is no doubt she’s from the South Side when you hear her say “Buh- RAWK.” Of all the things I love about her, I think I love that the most. Oh, and apparently Charles Barkley is no longer a raging Republican. He gave an interview to CNN earlier today (I’d put a link up if I had one), during which he expressed his deep love for Obama and the Democratic Party in its current state. See? That’s what I love about politics. You can’t make this stuff up. It’s that good.
Neat Tricks with iPhones
Tonight while video-iChatting with my Cambridge friends Drew Harry and Joshua Green, I started messing around with the camera on my iPhone and discovered this neat little trick you can do. It’s kind of like the Transparent Screens group on Flickr. Well, sort of. Judge for yourself– I posted a few more on my Flickr page. Thanks to Drew for snapping the quick screenshots while Josh and I were horsing around.
i can haz checking account?
While wandering around the ASU Memorial Union this afternoon, I walked past this sign. I then reversed myself and went back to inspect the sign and was a bit horrified when I realized that it is an ad for the Arizona State University Credit Union.
It’s becoming clear to me that digital culture is an entire discourse deserving of study. The other day I heard an AP radio news report about the number of hits a video on YouTube had received. Today I saw this integrated into an ad for a University credit union. I’d love to see more, I think, no matter how much I cringe when I do.
I Drove to Arizona
And along the way I saw lots of interesting things. In Holbrook, New Mexico, along Route 66, I came upon this gas pump and laughed.
Loads to do over the next few days but everything is going swimmingly so far. Er, not everything. Before I could even pick up my new computer from the English department, it was stolen. Right out of my locked office. Not good.
Aside from that, I continue to be amazed at how friendly Phoenicians are. A very pleasant change from Boston. Though I do feel as though I’m being rude all the time because I’m not quite adjusted to the friendly factor.
More culture shock tales to follow.
And Finally, an iPhone
Been packing and wrapping things up in Cambridge these past few weeks, and right now I’m in Kansas City for two days before driving to Phoenix tomorrow. To say that it’s been an intense few weeks would be an understatement, but I’m glad to be looking forward.
And I finally got an iPhone! I join the ranks of people bragging and chatting about this amazing little device. I’ve got lots to say about it but right now I’m just trying to sort through my favorite apps and games. I’m looking for recommendations, too, so if you’ve got them, I’m all ears.
Will post more frequently once I’m settled in AZ, but for now I’m looking for good recommendations! Send ‘em along.
Kitchen Bowels
I’ve been off-the-grid lately so that I could pack up my house in preparation for my move to Phoenix. As usual, if it weren’t for the help of my unbelievably awesome parents, I would not have been able to accomplish all that packing so quickly. It was miraculous. Truly.
At one point my roommate came home. She had been in New Jersey helping her sister move and graciously brought back boxes. I went to tape one up and discovered it had already been labeled “kitchen bowels & plastic.” Since I have no kitchen bowels, I loaded it up with plastic.
I’m back online now and today I registered for my new Arizona State University email. So now I feel all official and stuff. I imagine MIT will kick me off their network soon so make a note: alice dot robison at asu dot edu. I tend to cringe when I have to use my last name in my email address because I worry that lots of emails will get returned when people spell my name wrong. Turns out that’s a good thing– it forces folks to get it right! Very exciting.
Foodcam
Wondering what this is?
It’s where the magic happens. A few months ago, a friend of mine who works at the MIT Media Lab showed me the live feed for their Foodcam.
Foodcam was set up to help folks in the Lab find out what leftover food is in the kitchen without having to actually go there. The Lab is a big building and there’s only one main kitchen that I know of (though I wouldn’t be surprised if there were stealth hidden kitchens hidden throughout the building). Because the Media Lab is funded by corporate sponsors, there are a lot of meetings with said sponsors, and those meetings are usually catered.
Word is that until Foodcam was set up there was a lot of food going to waste, rotting in the Media Lab’s kitchen fridge. Plus, the food is usually in large foil catering dishes or unmarked boxes. So those grubby Labbers would always open stuff up and close it and generally get kinda gross with it. Now that Foodcam is there, it’s easier to see what’s for lunch. Less food goes to waste, and everyone’s happy and well-fed.
One of the cool things about Foodcam is that whenever someone leaves food on the counter and hits the wall-mounted Dinner Bell, an email is sent to everyone in the Lab, letting them know that food is there. Folks can then check the Foodcam feed and see what’s for lunch. There’s even a Twitter feed now, which is extra cool. Even though I don’t work at the lab, I follow the Media Lab Foodcam on Twitter. No reason for it except that I like to see what people are eating at the Lab. Weird and creepy, I know. But I’m like that sometimes.
In other news… for those of you in my Facebook and Flickr networks, you already know the good news: I found a place to live in Phoenix! I’ll be renting a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house in the south Arcadia neighborhood (I plan to head out during the week of August 11th). The house is owned by an economics professor who’s taking a 2-year sabbatical. Photos here. I’m hoping to get lots of visitors, especially in the colder months. I can pretty much guarantee that no matter when you visit it will be warm and sunny. Plenty of vitamin D for everyone.
I Went Here.
Last night at twilight I found myself walking back from Austin’s Clay Pit for dinner. I was on the way to the Austin Folk House B&B when I spotted this not-so-ordinary McDonald’s.
Ordinarily I wouldn’t post this but the photo turned out great so now I have to. Heh.
Good day at the conference, particularly enjoyed Aaron Delwiche’s presentation on propaganda and the unique characteristics of videogames. Lots of interesting people. Also got to meet Clay Spinuzzi for the first time IRL. Great guy, super nice of him to come to my talk. Hope to see more of him in the Twitterverse.
Off to dinner at Ruby’s BBQ down on 29th and the drag. Jim is craving a beer and I’m craving brisket. I miss being in cattle country.
French Toast in NYC
On the eve of Hillary Clinton’s race-ending speech, I mention another thing that made me happy this week.
As some of you know, I enjoy going to brunch with friends. There’s not much to dislike about brunch. And for the most part, people are fairly agreeable to brunch when I invite them.
For many months I’ve been trying to find my favorite brunch spot in Boston. Trident Booksellers on Newbury Street ranks way up there, as do the Plough and Stars and Sunny’s Diner in Cambridge.
This week, I was in New York City for the Games for Change conference, which was held at Parsons The New School. Jim was due to give a keynote with Henry there but Henry got sick and couldn’t come, so Eric Zimmerman stepped in. Liveliness ensued. Oh, and Sandra Day O’Connor was there to announce the Our Courts project that Jim is spearheading. I’m excited to get to work on that next year. Very cool.
But the best part of the week was the French toast I had at 202 Cafe in Chelsea. I am now totally convinced I’ve found the best French toast ever, or at least in the Northeastern United States. According to New York Magazine (thanks for the tip, yo), the folks at 202 soak this bread overnight. I just can’t get over the fact that they top it with bacon. It’s perfection. Seriously. Per FEC tion. Go. Eat. Now. I mean, seriously. Bacon.
Libraries, Games, and Writing
Last week I had the pleasure of addressing the Colorado Academic Library Consortium‘s Academic Summit in Denver, Colorado. I nearly didn’t make it, though, because there was a terrible tornado just north of Denver that struck down that night. JetBlue held me at JFK for a while so with the time difference and delays, I was a wee bit tired. But I’ve got to say that it’s truly energizing to hear from folks working in and around academic libraries. I’ve said it before: librarians and information science scholars have got their fingers on the pulse of technology-related services on college campuses.
The goal of the talk was to introduce the audience to some of the current research on videogames’ usefulness for learning. I also wanted to help them think about how learning has changed, how we now think differently about literacy, and what the implications are for post-secondary university settings. The video of the talk will be posted eventually but for now feel free to take a look at my slides, which are available here. I have also posted several resources on my del.icio.us page with the tag “calc08.”
I’m here in Boston this week working on several things, not the least of which is preparing for the media literacy meeting I’ll be attending next week in Austin, Texas. But before I go to Texas I’ll be heading to New York for the Games for Change festival, which is always good times. I won’t be speaking there (however Jim and Henry are giving keynotes), but I’m thrilled to just be there as a participant. It’ll give me a chance to learn some new things while reconnecting with friends and colleagues working on games-related projects in the area.
Also, I was sorry to miss the Computers and Writing conference last week, which was apparently good times! But I’ll be there next year (fingers crossed) and by then we will have established a more focused effort in games research as it grows in composition studies. Thanks to Doug Eyman, Annette Vee, Rik Hunter, Jamie Bono, Zach Waggoner, Corey Mead, and many other up-and-comers, I think this will be the year for setting the standard in games-and-comp/rhet. We will be working together to establish initiatives in the area, so stay tuned.
