Chuck Smith’s home on the web.
I found this video on YouTube by a toxicologist who discusses how many chemicals there are floating around us - in our bodies and in our environment. There’s certainly a lot to chew on, but it makes sense to try and minimize our exposure to chemicals. And, with what he said about fats and PCBs, I could be in some serious trouble when I get older!
Enjoy!
Huh?… What the heck is Digital Ethnography? Basically, it’s ethnography in the digital age. Not sure what that means, but the video from the folks at Kansas State University is a thought-provoking look at what words will mean as we move forward in a digital age.
Check it out and let me know what you think.
Don’t know if you’re familiar with the popular online “world” called Second Life, but it’s a pretty big deal, with millions of “residents” and lots of real dollars flowing through this virtual world. Now, Darren Barefoot, a Vancouver-based writer and technologist, has created a satire site called “Get a First Life“. Here’s a screenshot:
I particularly like the comments about “using your actual genitals.”
I just read this post on Seth Godin’s blog. It’s all about Web 4, or at least Seth’s vision of what Web 4 could be. Now I’ve been talking about Web 2.0 over the past few months with some of my friends and family. But Web 4 goes beyond the social networking aspects of Web 2.0 and brings the Internet and converged service to a whole new level.
Imagine (if you will) a world where your phone knows where you are, and has the intelligence (or at least the ability) to tell you that there is a sale on your favorite brand of coffee at the little boutique you are about to pass. Or, that one of your friends is at the movie theater you are about to walk in to. Or, your search engine learns about your habits, and introduces you to other people with similar tastes.
Bits and pieces of this are already happening. And it’s just a matter of time before a lot more of the puzzle is ready to go. The pace of technological innovation is accelerating, and a lot of it is due to people opening up and sharing information so that others can build on their work, instead of keeping all the innovation to themselves.
Check out Seth’s blog, and be prepared to have a rather pleasant awakening.
Later,
Chuck
I just found this video of a new touchscreen interface. Without a doubt, this is the coolest thing I have seen in quite some time. Check out the video at the Fast Company web site by clicking on this link.
This is where human/computer interaction is going, and I for one am ready for it.
I went to a film expo at Northeastern University the other day to check out the break-out sessions and to meet up with Kevin Anderton of Midnight Chimes Productions. Andy Grant (of AFGrant.com) and I had a great meeting with Kevin, and we’re looking forward to working with him in the near future. We should be able to make some funny short films, and it seems like he’s got the right sensibility for our sense of humor (or is it senses of humors).
I’ve also been wrapping up a long visit from my parents. They were in town for my nephew Geran’s graduation, and stayed to enjoy our company (right, really the kids and Michele), and also to set my Dad up to do some work with me. I don’t think I’ll be winning any training awards in the near future, but we got our first site up - Drive Copier. It’s a site dedicated to copiers and office equipment.
It’s been hazy, hot, and humid - the typical New England summer - over the past week, which is big change over the crappy weather we’ve been having. Luckily, the pool is open and we’ve been enjoying the cool water. The kids love it, and it cools off my largely bloated body.
Have a great weekend!
Chuck
After the last post, I have been shaken out of my “funk” and am ready to face the summer with renewed energy and enthusiasm. I sound a little like some kind of funked-up milquetoast (look it up, Richie), but it’s amazing what a little bit of outside activity and getting a few things done will do for the psyche.
And, I started taking a Stand-Up Comedy course at Mount Wachusetts Community College. At this point, don’t know that I’ve learned a tremendous amount since I had already done open mike stand-up (way back when in the early 90s), but it has started the creative juice flowing. I went back and pulled out the old jokes, and discovered that I didn’t write a lot of stuff that was out of date. The teacher of the class, Jerry Carruso, holds a lot of benefits and has a monthly cable access show, so I’ll probably try to do a little stand-up at one of his gigs to see if I still enjoy being on the stage. Who knows… this could be the start of a new phase in my comedy career.
I’m also trying to work on some stuff with my buddy Andy Grant. We have a couple of ideas for movies, and we’re working on treatments. We’re also both working on our own scripts, which is pretty cool. I’ve also got some renewed vigor for my novel, “Act of Remembrance.” People seemed to really respond to the work-in-progress, so I’m going to finish the damn thing within 4 months (and you can hold me to it).
In addition, I’ve decided to pull something out of the archives and get it going as soon as possible (probably within the next 6 weeks). It will be a new web-based comedy site, and I’m going to be leaning on friends (and friends of friends) to create a viral phenomenon that has the site all over the ‘net within days. Should be fun, a I think people are going to respond to it.
Finally, I’m running a contest to see if anyone is “listening” to the chuckbutt.com page. For the first 3 people who send an email to chuckbutt@chuckbutt.com, I will give them their choice of items from the chuckbutt.com store. Just put “Hello, is there anybody in there” in the Subject line of your email, and I’ll post the 3 winners (if there are 3 people looking at this piece of offal) at the end of the month.
Peace. Out.
Chuck
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