I love Cameron. Today, he announced his new art project: Radio Vox Populi. Blog entries are turned into speech, which is broadcast in a fun way. It’s pretty surreal to tune in and let it play in the background.

As many know, i have an amazing talent at breaking all technology. This week, i broke AIM.

I got this bright idea to start adding new pictures on top of people’s pictures that bothered me via iChat. This required me adding them to my Addressbook. Something went wrong. When i fired up AIM on my Sidekick, they multipled. Some people in the Addressbook were in every ‘group’ including ‘Blocked Buddies.’ When i first sent a message to someone that was in both a group and the Blocked Buddies list, things went haywire. AIM on my Sidekick crashed.

I went to my computer. By this point, iChat was royally pissed. They weren’t in doubles there, but they started deleting themselves. I’d go to write a message to someone and i would get an error message (not a pretty one…) and the window would close and the buddy would disappear from my list of buddies. Hrmfpt.

So, i went to Fire. They were really really gone. ::grumble:: I tried to add the person back. That was a bad idea. Apparently, there’s a cap on number of friends in AIM. I believe that it is 150. Since a lot of my buddies were inserted many many times, everything got mixed up. I think my buddylist overwrote itself. Basically, my AIM is FUBAR.

And i’m once again reminded as to why technology hates me and why i hate anyone who abuses the number 150.

I decided that it’s time to start over. With a new screenname. Unfortunately, i no longer have everyone’s screen names. And i feel guilty once again spamming everyone (having lost my phone only a few months ago) so i figure i’ll post it here and hope that those who were in my AIM list will see it and remind me.

I’ve always been a bit obsessed with tangible networks. When i was mapping out hypertext stories that i used to write, i used to use index cards, punch holes in them and tie strings between the different cards. Thus, when i wanted to read parts of the story, i’d pick up the mess of cards and just arbitrarily choose strings to follow. It was fantabulous.

Thus, when Stewart pointed me to Mark Soo’s exhibit, i was thrilled. Balloons to represent people!?!?! Ribbons to tie them together! What fun!!!

And just think of the trouble that can be caused by running through the gallery with a pin and a set of scissors. The easiest way to wreak havoc on someone’s network… Moohahaha. I wonder if it’s voodoo doll like…

Another thing lost in my lack of blogging is my absolute joy and love towards San Francisco right now (regardless of the hilarity of those who despise my beloved city).

While Gilmore and Lessig discuss the legal implications of gay marriage, i just keep watching all of the smiling and joyous couples. I can’t take the discussions seriously because i’m all teary-eyed every time i see the grins of newlyweds.

I understand the long-term implications… I understand that this will be a dividing discussion during the election… I understand that this might not be legal… I understand that this doesn’t solve the problems with marriage… But damnit, i’m soo fucking proud to live in a city that stands up for equality in the face of hatred. And i’m sooo happy for my friends who’ve gotten married and for those who can in the future.

I’ve always despised marriage because of its religious implications, but more personally, horrified that i may not be able to have the rights to support my partner. I still don’t like the religious nature of marriage and the underlying assumptions, but i certainly support equality under the law. And i’m proud of San Francisco for realizing the importance of that.

I’m falling further and further behind. All social and non-required professional activities are on hold. Email is dying. Blog reading/commenting is a month behind. Eeeek. Of course, i continue to blog to procrastinate things or to get my head out of my toosh.

But, alas, i have a stack of blog entries that i wanted to comment on. Instead, i’m just going to list them since this blog is in-part my journal of interesting found objects/ideas and i’m not going to be up for air until late April at the earliest.

YASNS:

Explaining social networks to non-techies (lack of sustainability concerns)

Managing your Orkut Celebrity (really good reflection on Justin’s reflection that hi-profile digi-people don’t need these services to create an online identity)

Auren reflects on his LinkedIn data (Offline, i challenged him with thinking about how this technology is making his introduction rituals more time consuming and less helpful)

Social Software Weblog – too much goodness from them in February to link to specific entries.

Chris Allen’s advice to YASNS folks

Blogging:

How to Network with Blogger (and ScottAllen’s Part 2)

Blogging and Habermas

Live Journal:

Live Journal is producing FOAF right now. Personally, i’m frustrated with FOAF because it fails to address the social problems… it just focuses on the transparency of information problems. Everyone’s rallying behind it but not realizing that their rally cry makes it harder to do sociably good social networks. More on that when breathing.

LiveJournal is trying to unpack the concept of friends – this should be fascinating to watch

Other:

Socio-technical shifts wrt broadcasting

I don’t know why, but lately, i’ve been getting more email from the type of corporate folks that drive me nuts with their “this is private” sig. I know it’s not their fault, but their companies.. but still – it’s not even legal. Anyhow, it reminded me of Cory’s old sigfile which i thought i’d repost to make everyone smile in light of the random C&D requests as of late.

The information contained in this communication is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed[1] and others authorized to receive it[2]. It may[3] contain confidential or legally privileged[4] information. If you are not the intended recipient[5] you are hereby notified that any disclosure[6], copying[7], distribution[8] or taking any action in reliance on the contents[9] of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful[10]. If you have received this communication in error[11], please notify us immediately by responding to this email[12] and then delete it from your system[13]. OpenCola is neither liable for the proper and complete transmission of the information contained in this communication[14] nor for any delay in its receipt.[15]

—

[1] Unless it’s something funny that I found on a blog and I’m just forwarding it

[2] I.e. Just about anyone

[3] Or not

[4] IANAL. But I *am* an ordained Minister of the Universal Life Church. So while you don’t get no attorney privilege with me, you may be able to claim some kind of confessor confidentiality. Step into the box and tell me your sins!

[5] I.e., Just about anyone

[6] Except to your SMTP host

[7] Except to your hard-drive as part of your mail-spool

[8] Except from your SMTP host to your mail-spool

[9] I.e., Helping Nigerian generals launder their fortunes, sending postcards to possibly fictitious dying British children, or forwarding bogus but terribly urgent virus warnings

[10] Hey, everything’s illegal somewhere!

[11] In other words, if *I* made a mistake, I plan on somehow coercing *you* into doing something about it

[12] Send all such notice to our special “oops” account: diaper-fetish-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

[13] Also, please write random bits to every sector on your drive seven times, dissolve your RAM with sulfuric acid, gouge your eyes out and get a prefrontal lobotomy

[14] Our server has been having problems with overlong .sigs lately

[15] There is no fifteenth footnote

Apophenia has always been one of my favorite words. I like quirky “worthless” words. What makes me even happier is when my friends remember my quirky appreciation for these things and send me fun things, like this Atlantic Monthly article on Word Fugitives.

The first word sought was for “a situation in which you refuse to accept that the occurrence of two events is merely coincidental but there is no evidence to link them together.” For this the neologisms included fauxincidence, coincivince, coincidon’t, duperstition, and wishful linking.

Clement J. Colucci, of the Bronx, wrote, “The word apophenia was coined for that condition in 1958.” The Skeptic’s Dictionary, by Robert Todd Carroll, bears Colucci out (“Apophenia is the spontaneous perception of connections and meaningfulness of unrelated phenomena”). Standard dictionaries, however, do not list the word.

I do think that it’s funny that apophenia is usually considered a “condition.” I’ve even heard of it in reference to a “medical condition.” I guess it’s kinda like ADD – you can call it a condition; i call it a fantastic opportunity.

Oh, backstory on why i love apophenia. People often ask me how my research happens and it reminds me of people who ask me how i play Set – i stare at a problem long enough and something pops out. This was much more relevant when i was doing weird things like making connections between depth perception and sex hormones. But, my research still comes from this weird state where all of a sudden, two things get placed together in my brain – often in little mental visualizations. And then i obsessively try to determine if there really is a connection, if my hunches are at all valid. This is why methodology fascinates me. I’ve never been able to stick to one methodology because i see so many different ones as useful depending on what connections come together in my head. Luckily, i’m obsessed with proving myself wrong so my favorite task is to try to figure out what confounding variables are connecting disparate things in my head. Of course, it’s that criticalness that drives others nuts because i’m trying to tear apart everything around me. Tehehe.

ASSA is back by popular demand! Last year, i helped organize a fantastic cross-generation conference on altered states and spirituality. We will be doing it again this May (and my dear friend Barlow will be keynoting!) So, join us!

Here’s the official invite:

Last year the first Altered States and the Spiritual Awakening (ASSA) conference was amazing, surpassing all of our hopes. Inspired by that great success, Organization for the Exploration of Spiritual Consciousness is announcing that ASSA 2004 is coming up May 14-16 in San Francisco. The conference includes lectures and workshops, opening and closing ceremonies, catered meals, yoga classes, and more. Lectures and workshops will be led by a number of luminaries in the fields of transpersonal psychology, parapsychology, and entheogens.

Like last year’s conference, ASSA 2004 will be welcoming and financially accessible to everyone with an interest in consciousness and spirituality, including people who have not yet been able to connect with a spiritual community.

For more information and to register for the conference visit: http://www.assacon.com

Presenters:

Ann Shulgin
Beverly Rubik
Delvin, Naasko, and Sijay
Dennis McKenna
Erik Davis
Jean Milay, Ph.D.
John Perry Barlow
Leslie Gray, Ph.D.
Myron Stolaroff
Ram Dass
Sasha Shulgin, Ph.D.
Shabda Khan
Stephen LaBerge, Ph.D.
Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.

For more information about Organization for the Exploration of Spiritual Consciousness visit: http://www.explorespirit.org

If you haven’t logged into Friendster in a while, you should check it out. The new little announcement suggests that new things are coming. In the meantime, you can control who all can see you and send you messages. Very interesting.

So, i’m helping out with judging in the Webby Awards this year, in the Community category. I’m hoping that some of you might have some good suggestions of sites that should be considered. In particular, i’m curious to see some of the more quirky niche community sites nominated (not just the big tool sites).

I’d love if you could help me think of different sites. To do so, just click here for a Webby Awards form and make your suggestions. (Oh, and don’t bother nominating a YASNS – they’re all nominated… and not even by me.)