Michael Jackson: 1958-2009
"King of Pop" Was Entertainment World's Most Influential Performer - And Tabloid World's Most Disturbing Celebrity
Michael Jackson: 1958-2009
The "King Of Pop" had a life full of number one hits and personal scandals
Stories
NJ Promoter Sues King Of Pop
Jackson Recruits Old Pal For Tour
(CBS/ AP) Michael Jackson, the moonwalking former child star who became known the world over as the "King of Pop" before his life and career deteriorated in a freakish series of scandals, has died. He was 50.
A person with knowledge of the situation says Jackson died Thursday in a Los Angeles hospital. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity.
His death brought a tragic end to a long, bizarre, sometimes farcical decline from his peak in the 1980s, when he was popular music's premier all-around performer, a uniter of black and white music who shattered the race barrier on MTV, dominated the charts and dazzled even more on stage.
Jackson's 1982 album, "Thriller" still is the top-selling album of all time, and Michael Jackson was the top performer in the world through much of the 1980s. But somewhere along the way, Jackson went from the king of pop to wacko Jacko.
Some say it started with an accident during the filming of a TV commercial that burned his scalp severely and led to a dependence on prescription pain killers. He became an increasingly reclusive and odd figure.
He was married briefly to Elvis Presley's daughter, then to his skin doctor's assistant. Jackson was a father of three, despite ongoing speculation that they could not be his natural children. He sparked one of his many scandals when he dangled one of the children over a balcony, causing concern of his parenting skills.
All of those scandals paled to the ongoing suspicion of child abuse. He paid one boy more than $20 million to make his allegations go away, but it happened again one day in November 2003.
The charges stemmed from a documentary in which Jackson stated again his belief that having young boys in his bed was completely natural.
"It's very right. It's very loving. That's what the world needs now," Jackson said at the time.
Much of the world saw it differently. Jackson was arrested, handcuffed, booked and eventually stood trial. The court case was a surreal spectacle befitting Jackson's bizarre way of life, including dancing on top of SUVS, pajamas worn to court, and a string of celebrities walking in and out of the courthouse in Santa Maria, California.
"Please keep an open mind and let me have my day in court," Jackson said.
But the inconsistent testimony from the boy and his family members, including a truly bizarre five days on the stand from the boy's mother, convinced the jury Jackson was not guilty. Still, the acquittal never completely put to rest the questions surrounding Michael Jackson., a curious figure who leaves behind a legacy of staggering musical genius, and stunningly bad judgment.
Jackson has kept a largely low profile in recent years but in March, he announced he would perform a series of London concerts scheduled for July.
Jackson was a master of memorable performances and a man whose real life remains a mystery. Michael Jackson also leaves legions of fans with an ongoing fascination with the one-time and some would say forever king of pop
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Hmm, so last Thurs MC kindly suggested that I should take a chill pill at least one day per week (DC reiterates this point, as does everyone who knows me, I'm sure). Well, I'm embarrassed that I still have to be told this sort of thing - I'm a grown woman!! IV thought this last phrase was hilarious... =(
Well, I don't want to be the stresser or the sad one, or generally show any weakness, because history has shown that our lab does not take 'weakness' lightly. No, in all fairness the lab is very supportive and understanding, but it's just scary to watch people drop out of a PhD or not get offered one. It's scary shit. I guess that in general, people prefer extroverted, witty, clever/skilled at many things, humble, easy-going, deep, involved, logical and compassionate types - just like von Neumann.
I know about von Neumann from Chapter 5 of "Who Got Einstein's Office?", which talks about people who have been through the Institute of Advanced Study in (not of) Princeton. I read that chapter last night. And Chapter 4 the night before, 3 the night before and 2 the night before that... Yes, you're quite right, I was offered this book at the meeting with MC. I can look at brief biographies of people like von Neumann in three main ways: (1) a goal I can never attain; (2) a goal; (3) a goal I used to achieve. Depends on the day, I guess.
Chapter 4 was about fractals (see also) and set theory. I am fascinated by fractals, simply because I don't really understand them and I cannot imagine these extra dimensions in my mind. In fact, I couldn't get to sleep because I was probably thinking about transcendental numbers and I couldn't stay asleep for very long so I could look them up online in the morning. I hate that. The subconscious OCD-ness, despite conscious self-discipline... most of the time.
Chapter 1 was boring - about the Institute's beginnings and Flexnor, the guy who visioned and ran it for a while. Chapter 2 was on Einstein I think and it was disappointingly scarce on detail. 3 was on Godel and I found it sad that he thought he had not given enough to the Institute, the world, nor God. The writer goes on tangents sometimes, it's a bit weird and ever so slightly annoying.
Well, since Chapter 4 (and installing bloody CS3, which took 5x more time than what I allocated) gave me only 3.5 hours of sleep on Sun night, I think all of the new information from various people in my life was teetering me like a Jenga tower and I got horrendously upset last night and in fact, this morning. Don't get me wrong, I feel privileged to be in the know, but I guess there are many things to think about now and my brain bled some tears. It's also why I'm not talking to people, because there's a traffic jam into the Broca's. Hm... I know I don't have any control over the family worries, but at least I can offer my ears and money. I guess.
Well, I made a worry pie. I won't make a happy pie, simply because too many things make me happy and I'm easily amused, anyway. It's sort of funny that IJ's worry is over whether or not he wants to stay in science, moreso than whether or not he has the ability to do well, whereas I am definitely the other way around.
12 months from now, 7 people in my life are expected to no longer be in "reachable" distance. Well, why not.
It's over, it's over. :(
Luckily, I still have my reflections before I pop this bubble
and breathe reality's air again.
Disclaimer: ~ 5 hrs sleep for ~ 7 consecutive nights didn't lend to real-time blogging, as I intended. But you know I'm more of a retro-blogger... Anyway, you have been warned: (1) This is long; (2) I am crazy; (3) Pick and mix - the bits you skip won't cry - I promise; (4) the Boxes are tangents. Hell, I feel like a tangent at times. :P
BACKGROUND
This was the 5th Asia-Pacific Microsoft Regional Innovative Teachers’ Conference, with participants fromNew Zealand, Philippines, Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, to name a few. It was sponsored byMicrosoft Corporation, with support from the Ministry of Education Malaysia, UNESCO and TakingITGlobal.org (TIG), to bring together teachers from Asia-Pacific to showcase innovative approaches to teaching that involve technology.The teacher attendees were chosen within their own countries as the best (don't ask me about this process, I don't know) and presented postersthroughout the short Teachers' Forum (2 days) to each other and to a panel of judges who graded using the following criteria: level of innovation, effect on student participation and involvement, extent of student autonomy, relevant use of technology, in the context of available resources (e.g. funds, equipment, skill and connectivity). One winner from each country will have the privilege of competing at the global Teachers’ Forum in Brazil in November.
This year is the first time that Student Voices have been present at this region’s forum.Though it may seem like an obvious idea, its acceptance requires a leap from many educators, particularly in areas where education is still highly disciplinary and learning is assumed with teaching.TIG played a key role in finding and engaging students who would best represent the student body of the Asia-Pacific region. Students were invited to participate in online discussions over a period of ~ 3 weeks to discuss the state of education in their countries, as well as ideas about what the ideal or the future of education may look like (cf. Student Voices 20051).15 students were chosen to attend a ‘Student Forum’ (ISF09) that occurred alongside and at the same venue (Le Meridien) as the Teachers' Forum, immersing the students in ~ 4 days of intense development and voice.
THE ISF09 PROGRAMME included:
discussion with local students about education: 57 students from a local KL school (who had to write an exam immediately following the meeting!) met with the student delegates and answered questions about education in groups for about 2 hours - I thought this was a good idea, at least to get more students thinking about their education and for them to know that this sort of work goes on "behind the scenes"
brainstorming workshop by Bernise Ang and Shaun Koh of Syinc.org: a session to help the students think more deeply about issues surrounding education and what they can do to help inspire change - I thought this was timely, especially since all of the student delegates had already talked a lot about their ideas online and it was a great time to explore them a bit more deeply and to think about their ideas in more realistic terms
presentation by Joel Neoh on entrepreneurship: he shares his experiences and thoughts after winning Malaysia's version of The Apprentice, 'The Firm', modelling and co-founding YouthSays.com, Malaysia's largest for-profit network of youth opinion - sort of like what 18tracker was, bu obviously better model since they have a larger contact base and also hold real events to retain and attract new members) - I think his "for-profit" model turned a lot of the students off, but nevertheless I thought it was very clever of him to harness the power of a contact list - he is obviously a very resourceful person and pragmatic about what he wants.
presentation and personal help by Brian Lariche on project management: Brian shares his experiences as a teacher/tutor, working with NGOs and life in general! He generously gave up his time to come back and give priceless one-on-one advice and support to the students' projects - Brian is a very interesting person, who is generous with his time and opinions - I would have liked to battle some of the topics that were raisedt if I had not felt that I might have overshadowed the students' opportunity.
student projects: students were given time and mentorship to brainstorm and present their ideas for improving an aspect of education through use of technology. The aim was to submit these projects for a chance to receive funding from a pool of USD5000, provided by Microsoft. These 'Micro-Grants' are intended to give the students a taste of what it takes to develop, plan and execute projects on a small scale and more importantly, provides an opportunity for their models to be tested before application for further funding and expansion. On top of this prize pool, there was also the opportunity to win free enrolment into TIG's e-course 'Sprout' for youth professional development - I think these projects were the most enjoyable part of the forum for the students - they felt like they were contributing something. However, with perspective, these will just be small stepping stones and I hope the students will remember lessons from side-conversations in years to come, as I will, no doubt.
student-teacher interaction: a formal session for students to address teachers was provided, as well as informal gatherings during poster presentations and breaks - to be frank, I don't think there was enough opportunity for the students and teachers to talk. Even at the Gala Dinner, I felt that the student presence was being side-lined. However, I realise that this is the first time students has been at this forum and I think it was a good first effort. Hopefully, it will continue to grow in creative ways in the future.
mentors and TIG staff: to help enable Student Voices on the ground, Michael Furdyk (co-founder and Director of Technology of TIG), Kat Walraven (Education Program Manager, TIG), along with 3 mentors, Bernise Ang, Shaun Koh and I basically tailed the students at every waking hour. :P Although the 3 mentors were initially designated 3 groups of students, I found that we all got along so well, it was basically one big happy group - I very much enjoyed observing and learning from this interesting group of people, with amazing skills and ideas. I only wish that I had more time with each of them to talk about our thoughts and experiences!!! I think at this age, it is difficult to find people who you connect with because everyone is moving in their own directions so rapidly. I thought we all got along extremely well.
PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS
Projects and Hope
In my opinion, the one theme that resonates with all of the student project ideas is equality.The students wanted others to receive the same opportunities they had/have, regardless of their socio-economic status, locality, teacher/school system or temporal-residency.I made this last term up to describe some students’ focus on sustainable development and ecological preservation, which in essence ensures that future generations have the same opportunities as we do.
Observing young people of diverse background/opportunity share a unified desire for equality makes me think about all of the families, teachers and communities that are successfully teaching (instructing and demonstrating) compassion. I think that the ability to place ourselves in others' shoes is a fundamental ingredient in achieving sustainability. However, teaching compassion is not easy, particularly when basic selfishness is confused with greed, and when young people are difficult to reach.I imagine thin golden threads wavering from a small child’s inner eye, attracted to and caught by larger threads that are coloured and tarnished from experience. Each cable can spark a connection that transfers love, understanding and knowledge. Together, all of the cables caress and shape this child's potential. However, the ability to spark is contextual and each community needs to establish and understand its own values and find its own way in engaging its youth and citizens.Without this, no community or society has a positive future (Box 1).
Box 1:
Building Communities
Of course, not only are cultural behaviours important, societies must also reconsider its behaviours that are biologically suicidal. For example, if we continue to pummel through our limited resources, then we are essentially killing our chances of survival. I don't really want to go into all of the arguments about 'climate change', but I think the basic idea of sustainable development makes sense. See, perhaps, Jared Diamond's Collapse: How Societies Choose To Fail Or Succeed. I have yet to read this, but have heard Diamond talk about it when he visited the University of Auckland a few years ago.
Society is More than The Sum of the Individuals
I was staring at the night-scape of Kuala Lumpur, marvelling at the lights whenI suddenly saw that we can solve everything by understanding each other, so that we are able to unite our individual efforts. The problem is engagement and one can only spark passion in others by first understanding the way they view the world. For example, it would be ideal to reduce the number of city lights turned on at night to reduce power consumption. However, lighting is considered important for safety (though the validity of this is disputed in some places), so basically, we need to reduce crime. To stop raising criminals, we need equal distribution of resources and responsible communities that work to raise children together. We need more holistic/inclusive thinking/planning, for example, using ramps instead of short escalators, adjustable thermostats, smarter water cycling. The narrow thinking evident in various facets of society may be a result of an education system where the world is arbitrarily segregated and consumed in a well-pre-processed manner. Where are our integrators? Where are our high NA lenses with large fields of view?
Youth
I have learned a lot from each individual of our 20-strong crew.Every person was interesting, with their own talents, idiosyncracies, ways of thinking, stories and passions. I think one characteristic that defines youthfulness is agility. They are open-minded and open-hearted. They are eager to learn and unafraid to be optimistic.
I enjoyed observing: their faces light up at the chance to talk about their passions, at the making of new friends, at the seeding and germination of new ideas; their features break into smiles and laughter at wit, irony and fun; their eyebrows furrow at difficult concepts, tight deadlines and lack of sleep.I watched the TIG team work: listening to the students and offering insightful/motivating suggestions and stories when necessary, while I tried to do the same. I was inspired by everyone’s dedication and rapid connection with each other - TIG continues to catalyse precipitation of like-minded youths. =P
My favourite moments were the one-on-one conversations. I hope I imparted some useful "wisdom", but at the same time clear that I am learning, too - I don't claim to know everything, if anything! If only I had more time to get to know everyone and learn about their stories and ideas, not just about education.
"Night,
Field of stars above us.
You pick one, we frame it with our fingers intertwined.
Seeds, of every generation, between our hands and
I promise to teach you the little I have learned,
So far..."Seeds, Brooke Fraser
I am so excited about what these young people may experience. Many of them are moving through school and entering college and indeed, the world, with a lot of hope. They will face challenges and disappointments and I would like to be a source of support and friendship, if they will let me. But already, I feel that this experience has been a privilege, for I am young, too. I am excited about my future, too.
Box 2:
West Vs. East
There may be an interesting and not necessarily sharp contrast between students schooled in Eastern and Western countries.Of course, this is not surprising if you listen to stereotypes, but it should surprising if you consider that most, if not all, of the education systems and curricula in South-East Asia are based on Western (e.g. Cambridge) systems. This leads me to yet another rant about community values (Box 1), where the culture of school and wider communities (including upbringing), more than the school system itself, shapes a child's attitudes towards formal education. No doubt, the lack of formal credit towards non-academic endeavours will also play a role in student motivation, but this are also reflect community values. I am always ranting about values, simply because I don't think many people know what their own are and why.
As a group,I was impressed with their diligence, aptitude and dedication in listening and completing tasks to a high standard. But they also giggled and whispered during boring presentations and you knew when they lost respect for someone. I would really like to dispel the myth that all Asian students possess an academic advantage. In all of the students that perform well, I think the common theme is that education is held in high esteem. They have been taught that only a sound education will allow them to get ahead, get out of poverty, realise their dreams, in life. Not just a pass or a piece of paper, but a good education. It is not just the family unit either, it is the entire nation - yes, I am actually saying that NZ does not value intellect as a nation. It doesn't. It seems like even intellectual people put themselves down or try to prove themselves by excelling in a lot of other areas. Do the same pressures fall on sports people? I think the tell-tale sign is to ask children what they think are cool or worthwhile - they are the values of that society, hmm?
Honesty
Most of the teachers and students at these conferences have English as their second language.Though it is a barrier for participation, I think it enables honesty. I guess it is a balance between being able to express yourself and being able to spin your expression. I am profoundly attracted to honesty.
Teachers and StudentsStudents wanted their teachers to listen to them and respect their questions and suggestions. Students wanted mentors, not instructors - guided autonomy? Students liked teachers who are able to admit their mistakes/weakneses and try to improve them. Most students already have information at their fingertips - they need help digesting it. Students have lots of ideas - they need help formulating it against existing knowledge and presenting it in a logical manner.
OTHER 'FIRSTS' AND NOTES
La
Malaysians and Singaporeans end their sentences with 'la', a lot. It is interesting as a rapport-creating rhetorical device, blah blah blah - but you know what is MORE interesting about it? It is the perfect platform to launch into song, e.g. "Don't worry, la... la la la la la la....l-l-l-l-la x 2.... LA..LA..LA...heee taught me hooooow toooo waaash...." (Oh Happy Day, Sister Act)Icecream Teppanyaki
Icecream + toppings + chopping = good, nutritious meal. Video here (2x speed).
Fish on Feet
Dr. Fish were in the house (Central Markets) and forNZD2.5, they entertained me for 10 mins.I think they enjoyed it, too (see image - that is one content fish). YouTube video (warning: squealing).
Serama- Smallest Chickens in the World
A tiny chicken, it's true! OK, at first I was sad (because they had strange posture and vocals, see video), but they are a naturally-occurring species, which means they are less likely to have problems associated with breeding (e.g. pure-bred dogs).
Batik Painting
(1) Pencil; (2) wax; (3) water-colour; (4) remove wax. Stoked I got to try it. Trying is always a win.
Movies On Planes
Last Chance Harvey:bad script + good actors = still bad movie.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: interesting idea - creativity = moving Brad Pitt gallery = still boring.
I Am Sam: interesting story + great acting (except Michelle Pfeiffer's dramatic scene) = balling eyes out on the plane = good. Being moved is always a win.
FlyingSaw another plane flying by while in our Boeing... first time EVER!!! Wow, it was so fast - I knew but never grasped visually how fast it was until now. And for the first time, I noticed our plane's shadow and enjoyed watching us meeting it on the ground and seeing how fast our land speed was (ignoring the movement of the sun and our approach to the ground, etc.). Image shows tail of the other plane (bright streak) - I was too slow to capture the plane itself - and video shows the shadow.
Things in a Box/Game of Things
Great game that we played after a night at the pool. Great introduction by Kat! Will remember for the future. Also thought of a PostSecret game we could have played. Oh well, next time.
The CircleSo at the beginning of this trip, I was pondering about the self. I think Brian Lariche sums it up very well:
If you will think about what you ought to do for other people, your character will take care of itself. Character is a by-product, and any man who devotes himself to its cultivation in his own case will become a selfish person.
I suppose things like this are supposed to be transient. The precipitate is created and then shaken into solution again to maximise the surface area for reaction.
I am waiting for my 12:50 flight and thinking about what I need to be to be a good mentor for Student Voices and person in general.
I need to listen.
I need to be more intellectually and emotionally flexible so that I can live more in the moment (i.e. be available). I need to move from quick understanding (passive) to quick debating (active). I need to be emotional agility to better respond to others. That is, discard any emotional baggage, so that I am not living in my head, so that I can look people in the eye and receive a compliment, notice and respond when somebody needs me and listen to and consider criticism to ask questions right there.
I’ve slowly come to realise that this availability is required for me to understand where I stand with people. That is, if I gauge the meaning of a relationship on an absolute scale, I will fall short of a correct measurement. I need to compare how people treat me versus how they treat others to gauge how they regard me, if not at a similar time (best comparison), then over a longer observation period to try remove the confounding day-to-day variation. In other words, I need to consider my relationships with people (simplistically 3 entities: me, the other and the connection) in a context of a network. That is, whatever they feel towards me has to be viewed simultaneously with their other connections, because they are constantly being pulled in those other directions.
I say this because I worry a lot about what others’ (whom I respect) think of me, but have little idea, because I am good at explaining away any positive signs of respect or affection. And with this sort of "weakness" in mind, I want to formulate a way to examine the world for feedback without imposing my need and without becoming self-centered or naive about the idea of self-improvement.
I can't wait to meet these students. I can't wait to meet the other mentors and the 'new' TIG Education programme manager and I can't wait to see Mike again! I worry about my relevance. I worry about my social skills, given my current passion/obsession is not really a topic that anybody else has an interest in. But - get on with it! Just do it!
Am going to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia in just over 4 hours. The flight will cover ~ 8713 km in ~ 12.5 hours 1. I am going for the Microsoft Regional Innovation Teachers' Conference 2009 (Twitter #isf09) with MF and other TakingITGlobal.org members - I should probably try to remember that before I get there. I'm excited, but nervous!!! More about that later if I have time. I have spent too much time doing data analysis as opposed to preparing for this. Still - 12.5 hrs left to prepare...
The Segment Thing
Maybe I will try record at least one interesting and/or entertaining conversation from each day, along with one photograph/video depending on how good the internet is.
Is waiting for questions that will allow me to view my life in new light.
In other notable and possibly related news,
"So... have you got a boyfriend, yet?" - YKJ, at AM's dinner.
Me + boyfriend? Isn't that one of the signs of the apocalypse?
But god I almost had a heart attack from the mixture of emotions:
shock at her blunt approach
embarrassment at the audience
shame at my innocence
relief that finally someone has brought up one of my major torments that I think needs to be talked through
fear that if we started talking about it, I would just break down and resulting 2) and 3)
But in the end, I just muttered a quiet "no," and that was that.
But hey, it's OK. I wasn't born, I was made a robot.
Yes I am aware there are multiple interpretations of that sentence. Correction, PJC just told me about Cherry 2000. Ew!
This is the point where I wish it was OK to hug you without it being weird.
But in the mean time, I can listen and try to make you feel better. I'm good at it! I guess you have to ask my conf... what do you call people confiding to a confidant? ... In all honesty, it's a relative thing. :P
But - it'll be OK!
Hope this makes you smile, like it made me smile:
But it sort of just occurred to me that while I consider that many of my bad feelings can be alleviated with a hug, it might be the same for other people, too! I always sort of assumed that other people only got bothered with real problems, whose resultant bad feelings cannot be alleviated with a hug.
OK, I watched Large Impact Simulation (1) and you know how I reacted? I thought, no, I felt that if the world is to be destroyed tomorrow, _we_ will be together. The strength of this feeling was such that I am still in shock and I can retrieve it at any time. But _we_ don't and cannot exist. Maybe I just want to someone trust like that. Maybe I want to be bold and take what I want like that.
Power Trips
I really refuse to participate in the power games that some people seem to play. It's not about dominance at all - it's about trust and being comfortable with yourself, isn't it? Or should I learn to play the game, too?
Evidence that Effort Influences Outcome
Danny MacAskill shows in Inspired Bicycles (2) that determination can bring about stunning results. Further, he shows he can innovate while respecting current norms.
This is motivating, because a lot of the time I feel as if no amount of effort can make up for my deficiencies in characteristics necessary to a good academic (problem-solving, networking information, perseverance, teaching, people management) or to handle 'politics' or withstand inevitable betrayal of my trust (diplomacy, cleverness, boldness, strength).
Other Questions
Surely, I don't deserve the wonderful friends and family I have? =)
Do PhD students really think the world revolves around them? Am I like that? =(
Do women really claim men and leave them for dead once they have them? I wouldn't do that, right? When men and women degrade each other, it's only in humour, right? They really love each other, right? =(
Song of the Post
Your Body Is A Wonderland
John Mayer
Hey all. Still alive, yes, yes. CQ Reunion at Auckland Zoo on the weekend. Spent a solid 3 -4 hours painting people's faces. Loved studying their contours and applying colour. Loved asking the kids what they wanted to be and enabling it. Love playing with kids. Loved seeing AP, who is turning 12 next month.
I turned 23 today. So much gratitude for my friends and family. So many kind words from far and wide, from unexpected corners. Thank you so so so much. Every word, every action, every smile and hug. Everything. So much impact on me right now. I needed this right now. I only hope I can be a source of light, too.
Found this a couple of weeks ago when answering a questionnaire about the quality of PhD supervision. It asked me how confident I was in the items below:
Train and supervise research assistants
Perform research procedures to collect data
Identify and report limitations of a study
Attend to all relevant details of data collection
Effectively edit your writing to make it logical and succinct
Analyze research data
Synthesize results with regard to current literature
Write method and results section for a research article or similar publication
Ensure data collection is reliable across trial, raters and/or equipment
Effectively write a research article or similar publication on your own
Organize your proposed research ideas in writing
Write an introduction and literature review for a research article or similar publication
Choose appropriate data analysis techniques
Identify implications for future research
Incorporate feedback to improve your research design or write-up
Develop a logical rationale for your research idea
Generate researchable questions
Interpret and understand data analyses
Synthesize current literature
Choose an appropriate research design
Identify areas of needed research, based on reading the literature
Utilize criticism from reviews of your ideas
Write a discussion section for a research article or similar publication
Obtain approval to pursue research (e.g., approval from appropriate Ethics Committee)
Holy fudging crap cakes. But damn that's me in the intermediate-future. I hope.
Meanwhile, V addiction is creeping up on me. So, none of that tomorrow.
Songs of late: Something's Missing and Split Screen Sadness. Both by John Mayer:
Eurgh I can't check their quality for you, because Telecom is being a floater.
I've been listening a lot to Coldplay and John Mayer lately. I like listening to people talk about things they care about, I suppose that's why I like listening to songwriters sing their songs*. It's the same and almost guarantees honesty.
In Repair John Mayer
Bigger Than My Body John Mayer
I know I enjoy the present, I don't want to go back to the past - I'm just seeking confidence. I am finding signs that people believe in my abilities, e.g. if they are willing to have open-minded, informative discussions with me about controversial topics and if they are willing to talk to me and seek advice. I may not have all the solutions, especially regarding serious issues like schizophrenia and abuse, but I'll do my best and what I think is most appropriate.
I am reminded to be grateful that these two issues are not closer than they already are.
Bus 189 from Brent Cross towards Oxford Circus, London.
April 11th 2009, 3:30 a.m.
Sitting with my wife at the bus upper deck, front left seats. A while after Carlton Vale station, a British-accent old long-white-haired man sat behind me, and started murmuring with words. At the first while, my wife whispered at me that the man sitting behind us is "talking to himself". Actually after some time, both of us noticed that he was speaking to us:
What are you Muslim scam bags doing in this Christian country?
Beggars…free food…free accommodation…
Beggars….shit…scam bags…
You're fucking dead nigger…
You're fucking dead…
Islam is the world's scam…
Church Street beggars…
Coming from your country to sit in front of me…
Muslim scam bags…fucking beggars….
Go back to your fucking country…
Quietly, we descended to the lower deck, and reported the incident to the driver. While the driver was asking me about where the man was sitting, I saw the old man leaving the bus, anxiously…
The reason why I'm sharing this story with the public is to address the danger of having such dangerous –minded people wandering in the streets, and not to leave the incident unreported. The old man seemed to be homeless; wearing dirty jeans, with long untidy hair, drunk, and carrying a hand bag. He might have been a madman, or suffering from a psychological disorder, however, he threatened me personally. At least, those people should be policed…
Today people live in a society where transformation of information and knowledge based on the opportunities for individuals and communities to be information producers as well as consumers, where socialization of knowledge exists. As information and communications technologies (ICT) continue to spread into all sectors of social and economic life, it became a vital tool for creating knowledge based society, building and sustaining human development. It has transformed our world from the industrial society into an informational one.
For that reason, knowledge has become an essential key for production, and a basic determination for creativity. The Info-Technological revolution which is led by advances in ICT is restructuring the global social economic equation— moving from income divide to knowledge divide. The revolution is spearheading the growth of knowledge societies in developed countries and raised much interest among civil society, markets and the agents of change.
While more than 850 million people in developing countries are excluded from a wide range of information and knowledge tools, the poors in those developing countries remain much isolated economically, socially and culturally from the burgeoning information and progress in arts, science and technology. In addition the global economy of capital investment is flowing to where the potential opportunities for reward can be found. These opportunities will be located in these places or regions where new values and creative ideas can be realized.
Information and Communication Technologies broadly refer to set of activities that facilitate—by electronic means—the capturing, storage, processing, transmission, and display of information.[1]
Information and Communications Technology is "an umbrella term that includes computer hardware and software; digital broadcast and telecommunications technologies as well as electronic information repositories such as the World Wide Web or those found on CD-ROMs (Selwyn 2002). It represents a broad and continually evolving range of elements that further includes television (TV), radio, mobile phones, and the policies and laws that govern these media and devices"[2]
Information and communication technologies are the tools that underpin the emerging “information society.” While no universally accepted definition for Information Society exists, it can be defined as "society in which the creation, distribution, and manipulation of information has become the most significant economic and cultural activity. An Information Society may be contrasted with societies in which the economic underpinning is primarily Industrial or Agrarian” (TechTarget 1999). "information" exchange between people and through networks of people has always taken place. The ICT enablement of information exchange, however, has radically changed the magnitude of this exchange, and thus, factors such as timeliness of information and information dissemination patterns have become more important than ever"[3].
As "information" is "the data that has been organized and communicated"[4] while "knowledge" has been described as "the set of statements, facts or ideas; presenting a reasoned judgment or an experimental result, which is transmitted to others through some communication medium in some system systematic form"[5]. In addition, both of the "information" and "knowledge" both considered being main pillars in achieving the "socialization of knowledge" in order to build “information society.”
Information Society has been one of the key terms used to describe today’s world, as ICT have brought revolutionary changes impacting every aspect of our society— connecting cultures, creating new opportunities for education, restructuring employment, generating new economies, and changing citizens' relation to government. Recognizing these and other paradigm shifts are typically seen as the natural development of the modern liberal tradition. Information and Communication Technologies/ICTs represent to today’s world what industrial machines represented during the industrial revolution; they have revolutionized ways of working, transformed the economy, had an irreversible impact on the way people live, and have shaped a new “information society".[6]It is about a second industry revolution but this time based in the information and communication arena.
on the other hand, the term of "socialization of knowledge" is used to "express the idea of transforming the private and individual knowledge to public and collective knowledge"[7].
Within the context of ICTs and Information Societies; we should refer to:
"environmental information systems" and "eco-efficiency"
"environmental information systems": The definition of environmental information is very wide and many researchers link between sustainable development and the information society focusing on the potential for information systems to assist decision-makers "to monitor and evaluate the state of the environment" using computer and information management technology to solve environmental problems and improve environmental stewardship. Environmental information system (EIS) programs seek “to increase the quality, efficiency and accountability of decision-making processes through applications that systematically use environmental information. In this regard EIS development seeks to enhance the use of harmonized environmental data sets through improving data availability; facilitating access to data; ensuring that data is internally consistent; and ensuring that different data sets match each other.” .
While the term eco-efficiency was coined by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in its 1992 publication: "Changing Course". It is based on the concept of creating more goods and services while using fewer resources and creating less waste and pollution. The 1992 Earth Summit endorsed eco-efficiency as a means for companies to implement Agenda 21 in the private sector, and the term has become synonymous with a management philosophy geared towards sustainability.
According to the WBCSD definition, eco-efficiency is achieved through the delivery of "competitively priced goods and services that satisfy human needs and bring quality of life while progressively reducing environmental impacts of goods and resource intensity throughout the entire life-cycle to a level at least in line with the Earth's estimated carrying capacity.” This concept describes a vision for the production of economically valuable goods and services while reducing the ecological impacts of production. In other words eco-efficiency means producing more with less.
In 2002, the book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things was published by Michael Braungart and William McDonough about the ideas of eco-efficiency and its practical applications.
"Eco-efficiency in the production and consumption of goods and services-environmentally is benign to alleviate the impact of further economic growth on world ecosystems.”
Another term commonly used to describe the changes produced by information technology is the "digital divide" term which refers to the gap between those who benefit from digital technology and those who do not. While the term digital economy; this expression emphasizes the new opportunities created by transforming information into a binary digital code. The digital economy refers to more than the boom and bust cycle of many new ventures that aim at tapping the potential of the Internet for commercial purposes. The more profound effect of ICT is likely to be in improving the efficiency and reach of the mainstream production of goods and services, in both the public and private sectors of the economy. Based on this we can defined the The "global digital divide" is a term used to describe “great disparities in opportunity to access the Internet and the information and educational/business opportunities tied to this access … between developed and developing countries” [8] (Lu 2001 p. 1). Unlike the traditional notion of the "digital divide" between social classes, the "global digital divide" is essentially a geographical division.
Cleary the development of the Information and Knowledge Society shows outstanding differences between individuals, places, cities, countries, and regions, thus leading to the existence of the so-called digital divide. However, how individuals utilize ICT to access equal opportunities differ from country to another and from person to person due to economic, physical, geographical, and other reasons.
Despite the potential benefits that can be offered by Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) developing countries face significant obstacles to ICT access due to a wide variety of reasons including technical, economic, legal and educational factors.
Different degrees of access to technology and connectivity mirror the social and economic divides within countries and between countries. Increase in access to ICTs will not, by itself, reduce poverty or secure freedoms on a sustainable basis. But there is a real danger that lack of access to ICTs, and to the spaces where decisions are made about information and communications infrastructure, content and services, can deepen existing social exclusion and create new forms of exclusion. Academic studies on ICT and society show that there is a range of issues which make clear that the Information Society like any society will have winners and losers, beneficial consequences of ICT and harmful applications. A review of these academic studies shows that there are no simple and straightforward effects of ICT on society. Mostly effects are multiple and contradictory. New positive developments are accompanied by neutral and negative effects.
To benefit the world community, the successful and continued growth of this new information world of today requires global cooperation and harmonization in different business and social domains.
Since there are still governments that are not able yet to fulfill the basic demands to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), then it is even harder to join the ICT revolution for their nations. Thus, the digital divide will remain and the gap between develop and the developing world will continue to be increasing.
For sustainable development (SD) to be achieved, it is a must, to promote the tools of the information society. And in order to have a sustainable information society; it is a must to consider the socio, economic, and the environmental needs, besides the local content of nations.
Then, Governments are exhorted to make greater use of both new and traditional information and communication technologies as a tool for development, as well as are encouraged to implement strategies references to the UN Millennium Development Goals. ICTs can create unknown opportunities for generating sustainable livelihoods. This could be easily achieved by building strategic partnerships among all parties in societies. As governments alone won't be able to achieve this objective.
There is a role for both of the private and non-profit sectors in helping governments to achieve the MDGs -each is dependent on the cooperation of others to accomplish its goals and further enhance sustainable development processes.
Many developed countries' future and economic and social developments depends to an increasing extent on their innovation performance.
Today, research and development (R&D) – intensive industries in some of these developed countries account for more than half of all industrial production. Here comes the role of the civil society and international agencies in raising awareness of the local communities about the important of such kind of businesses that invest more in research and development.
Youth should be aware that ICT is not about providing technology alone to areas devoid of the modern machines and equipments. Simply, ICT is a way of living. Also, young people should know that using ICT is not that hard. ICT could be simple as using pens and papers. ICT is for all; it could be for young and old, it could be for poor and rich.
[1] OECD definition cited by Cynthia Hewitt De Alcántara (2001): The Development Divide in a Digital Age: An Issues Paper, UNRISD, Technology, Business and Society Programme Paper Number 4, August 2001, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, Geneva , p. 3.
[2] Steve Vosloo: Willard, Terri, and Maja Andjelkovic. A Developing Connection: Bridging the Policy Gap between the Information Society and Sustainable Development.. '1st ed'. Canada: IISD , 2005
[3] Steve Vosloo: Willard, Terri, and Maja Andjelkovic. A Developing Connection: Bridging the Policy Gap between the Information Society and Sustainable Development.. '1st ed'. Canada: IISD , 2005
[4] Romer, P., "Endogenous Technological Change", Journal of Political Economy, 98:5 (1990)
[5] Daniell Bell (1973:175)
[6] Sarrocco, "ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES OF THE INFORMATION." www.itu.int. 19 Jul 2007
[7] Diogo André de Assumpçăo, Willard, Terri, and Maja Andjelkovic. A Developing Connection: Bridging the Policy Gap between the Information Society and Sustainable Development.. '1st ed'. Canada: IISD , 2005
[8]Lu, Ming-te (2001). Digital divide in developing countries. Journal of Global Information Technology Management (4:3), pp. 1-4.
[9]Willard, Terri , and Michael Halder. The Information Society and Sustainable Development- Exploring the Linkages. Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada: IISD, 2003.
[10]Information Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. “About EIS.” http://www.grida.no/eisssa/about/eis.htm
