"Information is not air," I remember reading in an article for my New Media class this semester. I stopped reading in surprise. "What do you mean it is not air?" I thought.
Then I realized that with the abundance of free information online I tend to think of it as air. In addition to my most visited web pages, I am actively using bookmarks, RSS feeds and Google alerts to keep up with latest news and emerging trends. Information on the Web is free and necessary. It is exactly like air.
Yet some sources limit that air. A couple of days ago I found a Wallstreet Journal headline featured in my Google Alerts. The link redirected me to the WSJ page and I saw the story's lead. But to read on, I had to subscribe.
Some reliable Web sources like the WSJ and Encyclopedia Britannica require paid subscription. When I encounter such a challenge, I just close the page and look for the same information elsewhere. The chances are that I will find it on the NY Times or Wikipedia.
Information is not air because one has to be selective when choosing sources. But the choice becomes easy when one of two competing sources is free and the other one paid. So despite your high-quality content, WSJ, I guess I will have to pass.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Lock your rooms, girls
If a friend called you crying to say that someone had gotten into her college room and gone through all of her belongings, you would think the economy is in bad shape. At least, this thought came to my mind when I heard the news.
Yesterday I learned that someone had entered my classmate's room on the first floor of our dormitory in search of valuable items. The burglar had gone through all her suitcases scattering jewelry, family pictures and underwear all over the floor. After a brief discussion with the college's public safety officer, we decided that the violator must have been an outsider. At this time of the year students prop the dorm's doors open to move in and out of school. That must have given the robber a perfect opportunity to sneak in and look for valuables.
Today I found out another friend's belongings violated. This classmate had left her sealed and labeled cardboard box in front of the student storage area where international students are allowed to store during the summer. Two days after she had placed the box there someone had decided to help themselves to her clothing and computer monitor.
These incidents, together with the many student emails announcing thefts, scare me. Stealing has definitely been on the rise on campus and the most obvious reason for it seems to be the economic downfall. Right?
Yesterday I learned that someone had entered my classmate's room on the first floor of our dormitory in search of valuable items. The burglar had gone through all her suitcases scattering jewelry, family pictures and underwear all over the floor. After a brief discussion with the college's public safety officer, we decided that the violator must have been an outsider. At this time of the year students prop the dorm's doors open to move in and out of school. That must have given the robber a perfect opportunity to sneak in and look for valuables.
Today I found out another friend's belongings violated. This classmate had left her sealed and labeled cardboard box in front of the student storage area where international students are allowed to store during the summer. Two days after she had placed the box there someone had decided to help themselves to her clothing and computer monitor.
These incidents, together with the many student emails announcing thefts, scare me. Stealing has definitely been on the rise on campus and the most obvious reason for it seems to be the economic downfall. Right?
Monday, May 25, 2009
Best things in life are free
I had spent the whole day helping people to pack, carry suitcases and move out their dorms. It hasn't been my first time doing it and, I hope, it won't be my last time. After all, this is what friends are for--to sit on suitcases while you zip them and to push cardboard boxes down the stairs while you catch them from underneath.
Late in the afternoon a graduating friend needed my assistance moving out. Only she didn't put it this way. She wanted me to help her track down a pair of brand-name boots she had lent someone. The boots were worn only three times, forgotten in the room and probably thrown away by the cleaning staff. She went berserk when she didn't find them. We looked through about seven trash bags full of rubbish and liquid wastes. The expensive boots were nowhere to be found.
Then, she decided, it would be funny but plausible to find the boots in the basement of some other dorm. So, she dragged me from dorm to dorm in search of the pair of boots while picking up other abandoned items there. Soon she acquired a fancy scarf, Armani Code perfume and a pair of black shoes. I went home to take a shower and wash away the dirt from the trash dive.
Less than two hours after we had parted, she asked me for help again. Only she didn't put it this way. She offered to meet me in one of the dorms because it had lots of new and expensive things. There was this brand new CD player that I needed to check out. Oh, and also, she was almost done packing and ready to move out. Although I was not interested in the CD player, I was still interested in helping her move out. So, I went, sat on her suitcase while she was zipping it, and carried her bags across the college campus.
A couple of minutes ago she thanked me for all I had done and offered me a bag of scarves. "I really don't need any of this," I responded and my heart sank as I realized she really didn't get it. I needed no objects to be her friend.
Late in the afternoon a graduating friend needed my assistance moving out. Only she didn't put it this way. She wanted me to help her track down a pair of brand-name boots she had lent someone. The boots were worn only three times, forgotten in the room and probably thrown away by the cleaning staff. She went berserk when she didn't find them. We looked through about seven trash bags full of rubbish and liquid wastes. The expensive boots were nowhere to be found.
Then, she decided, it would be funny but plausible to find the boots in the basement of some other dorm. So, she dragged me from dorm to dorm in search of the pair of boots while picking up other abandoned items there. Soon she acquired a fancy scarf, Armani Code perfume and a pair of black shoes. I went home to take a shower and wash away the dirt from the trash dive.
Less than two hours after we had parted, she asked me for help again. Only she didn't put it this way. She offered to meet me in one of the dorms because it had lots of new and expensive things. There was this brand new CD player that I needed to check out. Oh, and also, she was almost done packing and ready to move out. Although I was not interested in the CD player, I was still interested in helping her move out. So, I went, sat on her suitcase while she was zipping it, and carried her bags across the college campus.
A couple of minutes ago she thanked me for all I had done and offered me a bag of scarves. "I really don't need any of this," I responded and my heart sank as I realized she really didn't get it. I needed no objects to be her friend.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
You say goodbye and I say hello
Tonight I said my first goodbyes to the graduating seniors from the Class of 2009 and realized the time for Kleenex tissues has come. Tomorrow morning they are all leaving to London, France, Germany, Spain and other faraway corners of the Globe. And we don't know if life will meet us again.
Graduation is a time to celebrate education, successes and friendships. Yet this graduation for me is a difficult and sobering experience. It marks the moment when everyone takes her path in life and jumps into new adventures individually. It marks a goodbye to the past I was part of and a hello to a future I will be absent from. What can be more difficult to accept than this reality?
A friend told me tonight she didn't understand why I was crying. She said I should be happy I got to meet all those people. But that is exactly my point. I can't help holding back the tears because of memories full of happiness and togetherness. Indeed, I am happy I got to have such classmates but I also understand the extent to which I will miss them.
Now they are off to a new beginning away from the college life that we shared. And I can only repeat the words of Mary McAleese, the President of Ireland, told at the Commencement speech today to the Class of 2009: "A good start is half the work. Enjoy the start of the other half."
Graduation is a time to celebrate education, successes and friendships. Yet this graduation for me is a difficult and sobering experience. It marks the moment when everyone takes her path in life and jumps into new adventures individually. It marks a goodbye to the past I was part of and a hello to a future I will be absent from. What can be more difficult to accept than this reality?
A friend told me tonight she didn't understand why I was crying. She said I should be happy I got to meet all those people. But that is exactly my point. I can't help holding back the tears because of memories full of happiness and togetherness. Indeed, I am happy I got to have such classmates but I also understand the extent to which I will miss them.
Now they are off to a new beginning away from the college life that we shared. And I can only repeat the words of Mary McAleese, the President of Ireland, told at the Commencement speech today to the Class of 2009: "A good start is half the work. Enjoy the start of the other half."
Monday, May 18, 2009
Rock The Shocker
"Cuz I wanna take you downtown," sings Peaches in her first single from the album Impeach My Bush. And she definitely took us downtown with her show last night at the Paradise Rock in Boston.
Our tickets indicated 7 p.m. as the time when doors opened for the long-waited Peaches performance. Yet we were not allowed in before 9:30 p.m. Opening for Peaches was the London beatmaker Drums of Death wearing intense black and white make-up. By the time he started playing, the public was ready to rock on and welcomed his electro-pop mixes.
It wasn't until sometime after 10 p.m. when Merrill Beth Nisker got on stage. But what an appearance that was. Dancing on top of the stereo equipment and jumping on and off the stage, she infected the whole crowd with her energy. Peaches changed several times into insanely elaborate costumes. For photos please check out my friend's blog.
Our tickets indicated 7 p.m. as the time when doors opened for the long-waited Peaches performance. Yet we were not allowed in before 9:30 p.m. Opening for Peaches was the London beatmaker Drums of Death wearing intense black and white make-up. By the time he started playing, the public was ready to rock on and welcomed his electro-pop mixes.
It wasn't until sometime after 10 p.m. when Merrill Beth Nisker got on stage. But what an appearance that was. Dancing on top of the stereo equipment and jumping on and off the stage, she infected the whole crowd with her energy. Peaches changed several times into insanely elaborate costumes. For photos please check out my friend's blog.
Eurovision without vision
If your TV screen is showing half-dressed performers juggling fire clubs and singing “everybody move your body” to Armenian folklore beats, then you must be watching Eurovision.
Eurovision has been around since May 24, 1956 with ABBA as its most successful contest winner so far. The purpose of this international show is to celebrate diverse cultures and talents. Yet, by the end of the show, spectacular special effects and exotic costumes seem to be the only things celebrated. Aside from recent kitsch trends, through Eurovision viewers can't learn much about the musical heritage of the represented countries.
On May 17 Norway's Alexander Rybak became this year's winner at Eurovision with his song Fairytale. Rybak sang "She is a fairytale even though it hurts," while dancers around him performed a traditional Norwegian halling dance. This song perfectly exemplifies the unwritten rules of Eurovision--to win artists need to combine upbeat music, English pop lyrics and some native folk elements.
"You make me feel so special," sang Turkey's Hadise, "no one can kiss like you do." Her song Düm Tek Tek ranked 4th and incorporated sexual belly dancing moves accompanied by fire effects. Similarly enough, Azerbaijan's Always performed by AySel & Arash ranked 3rd in the contest. "Always on my mind, always in my heart," repeated the fast pace chorus of their song. The performance included a short instrumental segment busy with folklore rhythms as if to compensate for the sugar-coated lyrics.
The one country that presented a simple and catchy tune, Georgia, wasn't allowed to participate in this year's Eurovision. Artists Stephane & 3G performed "We don't want to put in" which was interpreted as a protest against the Russian government of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The word play in the song title and Russia's former President's name was not welcome in a politically correct show like Eurovision. According to the European Broadcasting Union's terms no political lyrics or gestures are allowed at the Eurovision Song Contest. As a result, Georgia did not partake in the show.
As the world's most watched singing contest, Eurovision aims at celebrating the diverse cultural mosaic of Europe. What its structure ends up producing, however, are homogeneous and cliched performances.
Eurovision has been around since May 24, 1956 with ABBA as its most successful contest winner so far. The purpose of this international show is to celebrate diverse cultures and talents. Yet, by the end of the show, spectacular special effects and exotic costumes seem to be the only things celebrated. Aside from recent kitsch trends, through Eurovision viewers can't learn much about the musical heritage of the represented countries.
On May 17 Norway's Alexander Rybak became this year's winner at Eurovision with his song Fairytale. Rybak sang "She is a fairytale even though it hurts," while dancers around him performed a traditional Norwegian halling dance. This song perfectly exemplifies the unwritten rules of Eurovision--to win artists need to combine upbeat music, English pop lyrics and some native folk elements.
"You make me feel so special," sang Turkey's Hadise, "no one can kiss like you do." Her song Düm Tek Tek ranked 4th and incorporated sexual belly dancing moves accompanied by fire effects. Similarly enough, Azerbaijan's Always performed by AySel & Arash ranked 3rd in the contest. "Always on my mind, always in my heart," repeated the fast pace chorus of their song. The performance included a short instrumental segment busy with folklore rhythms as if to compensate for the sugar-coated lyrics.
The one country that presented a simple and catchy tune, Georgia, wasn't allowed to participate in this year's Eurovision. Artists Stephane & 3G performed "We don't want to put in" which was interpreted as a protest against the Russian government of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The word play in the song title and Russia's former President's name was not welcome in a politically correct show like Eurovision. According to the European Broadcasting Union's terms no political lyrics or gestures are allowed at the Eurovision Song Contest. As a result, Georgia did not partake in the show.
As the world's most watched singing contest, Eurovision aims at celebrating the diverse cultural mosaic of Europe. What its structure ends up producing, however, are homogeneous and cliched performances.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Really? We don't need no education?
A couple of days ago I had a dream in which I owned a school in Varna. I had hired the brightest international professors to teach. My students were occupied with various extra-curricular activities. It felt great until I woke up in the morning and checked my e-mail.
My friend had forwarded me a link to a YouTube video of Bulgarian high school students in an English class from March 2008. They were yelling, insulting and even beating their female teacher. They were, what seemed to be, celebrating the cultural decadence and lack of values of their generation. The video was more than shocking.
I browsed through YouTube only to find an abundance of similar videos. During high school classes, students were demonstratively talking on the phone, dancing and playing games. By the teachers' faces, I could see this was the routine and not an exception.
I went back in time to remember my personal experiences in high school. Yes, students were chatting, passing notes or eating in class. Yes, they were napping, arriving late or leaving early without any valid excuses. Yet to me it seemed they were not paying attention in a respectful manner.
The student behavior that I saw online, however, exceeds all norms. After watching the video, I instantly put the blame on the students. Then, I decided, it was the home environment that played a major role in shaping such identities. Parents, who work until late at night (or even abroad) to provide for their families, don't exactly have the chance to be role models. More often than not, what they bring home is bitterness and anger. So, when it comes down to it, the governmental inefficiency is to blame the most for the current state of the next generation of young people in Bulgaria.
Naturally, this is no surprise for anyone remotely familiar with the Bulgarian government. But what I, personally, found surprising in my realization was its possible universality. I can easily picture the same situation taking place in other countries in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. Another YouTube browsing and I discovered similar aggressive and degrading behaviors in schools in Romania, Russia, Serbia and Greece.
The implications of a such broader trend are truly scary. They even make me dream of not getting into academia but in politics.
My friend had forwarded me a link to a YouTube video of Bulgarian high school students in an English class from March 2008. They were yelling, insulting and even beating their female teacher. They were, what seemed to be, celebrating the cultural decadence and lack of values of their generation. The video was more than shocking.
I browsed through YouTube only to find an abundance of similar videos. During high school classes, students were demonstratively talking on the phone, dancing and playing games. By the teachers' faces, I could see this was the routine and not an exception.
I went back in time to remember my personal experiences in high school. Yes, students were chatting, passing notes or eating in class. Yes, they were napping, arriving late or leaving early without any valid excuses. Yet to me it seemed they were not paying attention in a respectful manner.
The student behavior that I saw online, however, exceeds all norms. After watching the video, I instantly put the blame on the students. Then, I decided, it was the home environment that played a major role in shaping such identities. Parents, who work until late at night (or even abroad) to provide for their families, don't exactly have the chance to be role models. More often than not, what they bring home is bitterness and anger. So, when it comes down to it, the governmental inefficiency is to blame the most for the current state of the next generation of young people in Bulgaria.
Naturally, this is no surprise for anyone remotely familiar with the Bulgarian government. But what I, personally, found surprising in my realization was its possible universality. I can easily picture the same situation taking place in other countries in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. Another YouTube browsing and I discovered similar aggressive and degrading behaviors in schools in Romania, Russia, Serbia and Greece.
The implications of a such broader trend are truly scary. They even make me dream of not getting into academia but in politics.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Finish college in diapers
You are standing in the middle of the piazza, dressed in an absurd superhero costume or stripped only to your underwear and diapers. You are reading a scroll that tells a parody of your life in a poetic form. The public is throwing eggs and flour at you. Congratulations, you have just graduated from the University of Padova in Italy!
The graduation ritual of the University of Padova is one of a kind. The moment after their thesis completions, the students are officially exposed to all types pranks from friends. They include hyper-sexualized scrolls, singing, public embarrassment, alcohol and, undoubtedly, a great deal of laughter. Aside from the fun part of this unique graduation ritual lies something fundamental-the ability to laugh at oneself. In the end of the day, a degree in agricultural biotechnology, comparative law or technical physics doesn't guarantee life will treat you seriously. Continue reading
The graduation ritual of the University of Padova is one of a kind. The moment after their thesis completions, the students are officially exposed to all types pranks from friends. They include hyper-sexualized scrolls, singing, public embarrassment, alcohol and, undoubtedly, a great deal of laughter. Aside from the fun part of this unique graduation ritual lies something fundamental-the ability to laugh at oneself. In the end of the day, a degree in agricultural biotechnology, comparative law or technical physics doesn't guarantee life will treat you seriously. Continue reading
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