Media Dietician Noah shares this "more pervy" Web resource: Mobile Asses. Perhaps not the most inspiring application of moblogging, the site claims that it is the "real reason mobile phones have cameras."
Basically, it's a Hot or Not?-style rating site in which you can grade cell phone snaps of people's hind quarters. The photos are of varying degrees of quality and resolution, and the occasional horizontal shots will bring on a crick in your neck if you're not careful. Despite the silly fun of the idea -- they even offer T-shirts! -- I won't be revisiting the service. Still, it's nice to see the photographer credits, locations of the shots, and other information.
Thursday, July 10, 2003
Wednesday, July 09, 2003
From the In Box: Music to My Ears XXXIX
Special thanks to Media Dieticians Joe Germuska, Andre Torrez, and Sean Kennedy for the dub pointers. Andre even asked, "Reggae dub or like techno trip-hop dub?" There's a techno trip-hop dub? Let the learning begin!
Technofetishism XL
It's been a good PowerBook day. I downloaded and installed Eudora 5.2.1 so I could access my personal email in OSX instead of using Classic. I started running a mail server on my laptop so I could do email without depending on the off-and-on auxiliary mail server at work. And I installed Fugu, a fun little GUI SFTP client that's been helping me snag all sorts of wonderful dub music from a friend.
Music to My Ears XXXIX
Lately, I've been jonesing for some dub, but I don't really know where to start. If any Media Dieticians can recommend any necessary dub recordings, let me know.
That said, a friend in Chicago suggested I check out Urban Funk Ordinance. Listening to their song "Da Da Da," I'm stuck by memories of other largely white funk bands: the Red Hot Chili Peppers and their copycats, natch; Billy's Sandbox; and Uptighty (which doesn't really fit this list). UFO's no Trouble Funk, and there's a little Digital Underground thread running through their music, but it's fun stuff. Perfect for a slightly rainy Wednesday.
That said, a friend in Chicago suggested I check out Urban Funk Ordinance. Listening to their song "Da Da Da," I'm stuck by memories of other largely white funk bands: the Red Hot Chili Peppers and their copycats, natch; Billy's Sandbox; and Uptighty (which doesn't really fit this list). UFO's no Trouble Funk, and there's a little Digital Underground thread running through their music, but it's fun stuff. Perfect for a slightly rainy Wednesday.
Corollary: Conferences and Community IV
I decided not to go to the first international moblogging conference in Tokyo earlier this month so I could take some vacation time in northern Wisconsin. Luckily, Justin Hall and others helped document the event. Yesterday in the Feature, Justin reported on the proceedings.
Among the Literati XLIII
Dude. Ben Weasel, former frontman for Screeching Weasel, a wonderful Chicago-area punk band, slags Norman Mailer in his blog this past weekend.
This is neat on several levels. One, I had no idea Ben blogged -- I'll have to add him to my frequent reads. And two, while I've yet to read his book's Like Hell or Punk Is a Four-Letter Word, I'm quite delighted that the author of such lyrics as "Why don't you beat it? Why don't you go away, you smelly butt? Why don't you go away? You're just a turd. Why don't you go away? Sit on it, nerd? Why don't you go away? Dummy, dummy, dummy, dummy, dummy, dummy," is ripping into Mailer.
"Why don't you write properly?" Pot. Kettle.
Thanks to Dr. Frank's Blogs of War.
This is neat on several levels. One, I had no idea Ben blogged -- I'll have to add him to my frequent reads. And two, while I've yet to read his book's Like Hell or Punk Is a Four-Letter Word, I'm quite delighted that the author of such lyrics as "Why don't you beat it? Why don't you go away, you smelly butt? Why don't you go away? You're just a turd. Why don't you go away? Sit on it, nerd? Why don't you go away? Dummy, dummy, dummy, dummy, dummy, dummy," is ripping into Mailer.
"Why don't you write properly?" Pot. Kettle.
Thanks to Dr. Frank's Blogs of War.
Magazine Me XXXVII
A former CNN reporter and producer is launching a new magazine aimed at women who travel. Atlanta-based Stephanie Oswald's title Travelgirl hits the stands this week, entering a niche crowded by heavy hitters already reaching a sizable female readership. How will Travelgirl stand out?
Media Life quotes Oswald characterizing the new magazine as a lifestyle title with a travel bent. I'll have to check it out!
Travelgirl attempts to lighten the load with articles on how to survive a road trip with small children and how to travel safely and comfortably during pregnancy. There are also stories on planning a bachelorette party, financing a child’s college education, and cooking exotic meals. Each article falls into one of five core areas: family, finance, health, humor and spirituality.
Media Life quotes Oswald characterizing the new magazine as a lifestyle title with a travel bent. I'll have to check it out!
Virtual Book Tour V
Jessa Crispin of Bookslut has some valid criticism of the Virtual Book Tour to date.
Some of her comments hit rather close to my own responses so far as a participant, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow, when Mary Roach, author of Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers contributes to Media Diet.
Roach will also be "taking over" Jason Kottke's blog for a day later in the tour. I think those two tour stops will shine. Yes, Kevin is still working out the process and format for the tour. Stick with us! And Jessa's instinct to start her own virtual book tour is right on in fine DIY style.
Some of her comments hit rather close to my own responses so far as a participant, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow, when Mary Roach, author of Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers contributes to Media Diet.
Roach will also be "taking over" Jason Kottke's blog for a day later in the tour. I think those two tour stops will shine. Yes, Kevin is still working out the process and format for the tour. Stick with us! And Jessa's instinct to start her own virtual book tour is right on in fine DIY style.
Technofetishism XXXIX
Awesome. After two months of frustration trying to figure out why they couldn't get the Ergo Audrey I sent them to work again, my mom and dad decided that it was their ISP. When my dad dials in from the desktop, it can take several tries before a connection is made. Because Audrey doesn't indicate the status of your dial in or connection, they had no way of telling what was happening -- or whether they needed to try again. Then, their ISP announced that it was shutting down its local office and that no local dial-in numbers would be available any more. So they switched ISP's. And the new service provider rocks.
Audrey works. My mom's back online in the kitchen. And she's been peppering me with emails -- one chastising me when I suggested she tweak her settings somewhat. "Give me a break!" she wrote. "I'm lucky to do Audrey at all!" I'm lucky to get emails like that. Audrey rocks.
Audrey works. My mom's back online in the kitchen. And she's been peppering me with emails -- one chastising me when I suggested she tweak her settings somewhat. "Give me a break!" she wrote. "I'm lucky to do Audrey at all!" I'm lucky to get emails like that. Audrey rocks.
Nervy, Pervy XVII
Media Dietician Richard Lawrence turned me onto a new "public art apparatus" titled I Shot Myself.
Think Suicide Girls by way of Hot or Not?. Think the Mirror Project via Natacha Merritt's Digital Diaries. The concept of selfploitation is interesting. On one hand, it's a new way to seek microstardom. On the other, it's a nice experiment in DIY media making and self-documentation, albeit on the softporn tip.
With just over 100 "artists" -- read: models -- submitting more than 1,500 photographs in almost 60 folios, the service is still relatively young. I had some trouble accessing the site using Explorer, and I can't log into the discussion forums with my username and password, so there might still be some technical kinks Richard needs to work out. However, based in Australia, the project was inspired by American photographer Spencer Tunick's visit to the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Tunick photographs people naked in public places. The project has an intriguing lineage and shows promise.
Besides, it's nice to see so many people uncovered down under.
Each day we exhibit a new folio in which the artist presents herself in a bold statement about nudity, fame and the Internet. This is Selfploitation. It can make you look, make you think, make you jelly-kneed, and if you want, it can even make you famous.
Think Suicide Girls by way of Hot or Not?. Think the Mirror Project via Natacha Merritt's Digital Diaries. The concept of selfploitation is interesting. On one hand, it's a new way to seek microstardom. On the other, it's a nice experiment in DIY media making and self-documentation, albeit on the softporn tip.
With just over 100 "artists" -- read: models -- submitting more than 1,500 photographs in almost 60 folios, the service is still relatively young. I had some trouble accessing the site using Explorer, and I can't log into the discussion forums with my username and password, so there might still be some technical kinks Richard needs to work out. However, based in Australia, the project was inspired by American photographer Spencer Tunick's visit to the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Tunick photographs people naked in public places. The project has an intriguing lineage and shows promise.
Besides, it's nice to see so many people uncovered down under.
Virtual Book Tour IV
Mary Roach, author of Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers -- and the Virtual Book Tour -- have moved on to their third stop.
In her blog Rogue Librarian, Carrie Bickner considers the contributions that cadavers have made to automobile safety research -- and offers a personal comment on the impact of the book: "I'll never look at my own flesh quite the same way."
On the T this morning, I reached page 92, just into the fourth chapter that Bickner discusses in her post today. I've been making ample notes on the books, magazines and journals, and other media mentions that Roach makes throughout the book. There are some fascinating resources available. And Monday evening, while reading on the T ride home, I saw a woman sitting across from me reading Michael Paterniti's Driving Mr. Albert: A Trip Across America with Einstein's Brain. While Roach doesn't include the book in her bibliography, I'm sure it'd be an interesting parallel read. From Amazon.com:
I'll continue to follow the tour as it progresses, and this week Thursday, July 10 -- tomorrow! -- Mary will join me as a contributor to Media Diet, offering pointers to and commentary on magazines, books, movies, music, and other media items and artifacts related to the subject of her book.
In her blog Rogue Librarian, Carrie Bickner considers the contributions that cadavers have made to automobile safety research -- and offers a personal comment on the impact of the book: "I'll never look at my own flesh quite the same way."
On the T this morning, I reached page 92, just into the fourth chapter that Bickner discusses in her post today. I've been making ample notes on the books, magazines and journals, and other media mentions that Roach makes throughout the book. There are some fascinating resources available. And Monday evening, while reading on the T ride home, I saw a woman sitting across from me reading Michael Paterniti's Driving Mr. Albert: A Trip Across America with Einstein's Brain. While Roach doesn't include the book in her bibliography, I'm sure it'd be an interesting parallel read. From Amazon.com:
After Thomas Harvey performed Einstein's autopsy in 1955, he made off with the key body part. His claims that he was studying the specimen and would publish his findings never bore fruit, and the doctor fell from grace. The brain, though, became the subject of many an urban legend, and Harvey was transformed into a modern Robin Hood, having snatched neurological riches from the establishment and distributed them piecemeal to the curious and the faithful around the world.
I'll continue to follow the tour as it progresses, and this week Thursday, July 10 -- tomorrow! -- Mary will join me as a contributor to Media Diet, offering pointers to and commentary on magazines, books, movies, music, and other media items and artifacts related to the subject of her book.
Tuesday, July 08, 2003
Virtual Book Tour III
While I thought I was participating in the first ever Virtual Book Tour, it turns out that there's a precedent. Last spring, Jason Kottke participated in a virtual book tour to promote Greg Knauss' book Rainy Day Fun and Games for Toddler and Total Bastard.
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