Digital Life – Page 5

2014120820141208

Gotta love these frank-speaking tekkies

How’s this for plain speaking? We don’t want your opinion, dude. Answer the poster’s question or STFU:

Please refrain from discussing your opinions on design and “why” the poster is asking the question, unless it pertains directly to the answer (or expands on it). In this case, it serves no purpose. We like to see direct answers, not monologues on what they should (or shouldn’t) be asking the question. This place is about getting answers. I hope you can appreciate how frustrating it can be to ask a question and have dozens of people respond with their opinions rather than simply supply the answer (as is found on many online forums). Thanks again for participating, but please, keep it on point. – cksum Jan 31 at 22:53 read more

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Using Gmail filters

I know I’m behind the 8-ball with Gmail use. Reason being, I prefer a client-side (runs on my computer) email application, but my trusted friend Eudora is not ever going to work with Mavericks, so I have to make a switch. I’m using Gmail while I choose a new app and learn how to convert Eudora emails over to it without losing the valuable data associated with it (like, dates, for instance).

Found this good tutorial on setting up Gmail filters. It’s well written, easy to understand and has graphics that assist with that. Maybe you’ll like it too. Or when you’re reading an email, use the more pulldown menu option “filter messages like this” to get to step 1 of the setup process. read more

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Free press defender Joe Torres speaks at BCC Oct 2

There are times in history when the story of current events – what we know as news – enters a state of flux. New voices emerge to tell the stories of people and our world that are happening in real time. Today, we see this with YouTube, blogging, social media, community radio and TV. Periods of change can also be times of danger. People’s right to know must be protected and reporters must hold themselves responsible for present facts and truth without embellishment as far as they are able to discern them … in other words, the principles of expository journalism must be upheld. read more

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Can we have those laptops & iPads you schools/companies don’t want?

Schools and companies buy laptops and iPads. Later, they upgrade or just don’t want them any more and they get thrown away. How can we get that technology into the hands of community members who can use them?

Share a comment if you have an idea about how we can acquire equipment that is earmarked to be discarded and dismantled.

Please understand, I have no equipment to give away 🙁

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Did Facebook illegally try to depress users?

I learned today that Facebook is under an FCC consent decree that will last 20 years (until 2032) to protect user’s privacy. Also that privacy advocacy group EPIC has filed a formal complaint against Facebook for violating it. Facebook recently attempted to influence the mood of 700,000 users by filtering posts in their News Feeds to show either more good or more bad news, and then monitored individual users’ posts for words known to reflect emotional state. This was a research project that involved Cornell University but users were not informed that it was taking place. read more

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Take control of your privacy & end surveillance

Jon Fox, Global Advocacy Manager for Access points out that we have the power as individuals to curtail mass surveillance and data collection and comments, “Here are four things you can do today to keep your online activities private and secure from snooping eyes.”

1. Secure Browsing: Access recommends using the Tor Browser Bundle which provides access to blocked websites, and prevents others from tracking you online or watching what sites you visit by obscuring your online communications. Tor also prevents websites and others from collecting data on you – most importantly your physical location. read more

20140317

Time lapse: watch European borders change over 1000 years

Watching country sizes and borders change is fascinating and the video is surprisingly short – at just a tad over three minutes long. What is now Poland was Lithuania for quite a long time … During a period of several hundred years, much of Europe between today’s France and Poland were very small but individual countries which have either expanded or been absorbed by other nations. Spain has mostly been a single country but changes color on this time lapse portrayal – I don’t know what that means in the context of changing national borders.
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MotoX battery life, care & unlimited plans from $5

The MotoX is an awesome phone. I’m using and loving it on Republic Wireless’ $25/month unlimited talk, messaging & 3GB plan. You can get unlimited talk & messaging with a $5 wifi only plan too or pay $40 on the unlimited 4G phone network. No contract required for any plan and the MotoX sells for $300 (or get a Defy for $100).

Here are some good tips on how to care for its battery and make sure you get the optimal length of time between charges.

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Make battle for Newark Public Schools visible with #saveNPS hashtag!

These days, every important cause needs a hashtag to be visible in the world of social media, and with the Christie administration announcing its intention to close 15 more schools in Newark as the next step in its attack on public education in urban communities, cause visibility is greatly needed.

A hashtag is the # symbol when it’s used in tweets or Facebook posts. Short hashtags are great because Twitter gives you only 140 characters to express whatever you want to say. #saveNPS is not actively being used for any other campaign, so how grabbing it for the Save Newark Public Schools Campaign? read more

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There will be free wifi for 95 blocks in Harlem, but only outside

In a move seemingly designed to make Harlem more appealing to gentrifiers, Mayor Bloomberg announced that the Harlem WiFi network will be completed by May 2014 and it will be the largest continuous free outdoor public wireless network in US. But, residents without broadband access still probably won’t have it, since availability is going to be zoned for outdoor only use.

The coverage area is 95 blocks: 110 to 138 Streets between Frederick Douglass Blvd & Madison Ave.

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Steve Kardynal does Miley Cyrus better than herself

Steve Kardynal‘s brilliant new Chatroulette video of Cyrus’ Wrecking Ball features him in undies atop a wrecking ball – and eventually, even less clothed – in his own living room. No, I can’t say any more. You’ve got to see Steve in action to understand how funny he is. Look! People sharing his chat session (pictured on left) are definitely having a blast watching his silly antics.

This by the way, is good, clean fun. Steve is the only woman-portraying, bearded, socked and booted man I’ve ever seen who can do full skin on a wrecking ball without even a hint of x-rated sexuality. 1.5 million views only a day after being posted.
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Kmart’s Joe Boxer ad may be in poor taste. Is it also racist?

Katie McDonough of Salon dislikes Kmart’s Joe Boxer male underwear ad #showyourjoe because it’s too overtly sexual for her taste, and she wonders about metal testicles. The booty shaking didn’t bother me – most popular musicals have way more spice in their dance routines.

When I watched the 1 minute commercial, what I noticed was that the only dude with speaking lines and the guy with the most shakes, was the single Black man out of a field of 6. Naturally, I asked myself – is this commercial racist? I’d love to know what you think. read more

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Have we become a society of grandmotherly news clippers?

My grandmother and aunt used to read several newspapers each day and clip out articles they wished to share with friends and other family members. I would occasionally open up an envelope delivered by the postal service and find an article inside with a very brief note written on or paper-clipped to it …

“Isn’t this a fascinating development? Love, Aunt June” or “Thought this would interest you. Love, Nana”.

This morning, I realized that the internet and social media have turned us into a society of article-clipping grannies and aunts. The cost and ease of tech enables article sharing on a scale and volume that neither Nana or Aunt June dreamed possible. I do this myself, many times every day. Wouldn’t they have loved Facebook and Twitter? read more

2013082820131213

Be vigilant in the twilight against oppression & loss of privacy

As nightfall does not come at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there is a twilight when everything remains seemingly unchanged. And it is in such twilight that we all must be most aware of change in the air, however slight, lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness.

Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas

On 23 August 2013, UK’s Mail Online reported

Newly published top-secret documents show that the United States government has reimbursed tech companies like Google, Yahoo, Facebook and Microsoft millions of dollars each year for their participation in the National Security Agency’s clandestine Prism surveillance program that was made public earlier this year by NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden. read more

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The Discuss Race Group is open for membership (& discussion)

The Wei announces the opening of the Discuss Race Group. We will discuss books and issues related to racism, privilege and justice in face to face and virtual meetings (via teleconference, Skype or Google+ Hangout). In August 2013, we kick off with readings and discussion of The New Jim Crow by Michelle West Alexander.

To make it easy for people reliant on public transportation to attend f2f meetings, we hope to hold them in urban centers. In between times, communication will happen through a private email list, and meetings will be announced through this list as well. read more