Harbin ethnography:
... The choice to actually visit both actual and virtual Harbins, reflects choices to engage easy-going, Harbin culture, to participate in the life there, if only to ease into the Harbin warm pool, there, or at home in the bath tub, visiting virtual Harbin from afar.
A PERSONAL, VIRTUAL, HARBIN HISTORY
In 2005, upon returning from Edinburgh, Scotland, where I had studied for a year in the School of Celtic and Scottish Studies at the University of Edinburgh, and written a paper on virtual St. Kilda (MacLeod 2004), I applied to work at Harbin because I wanted to live in community, and also with the idea of writing an ethnography, in the back of my mind. I was hired as operator, providing information about Harbin, and taking room reservations. Before that I had studied anthropology with an interest in information technology at both U.C. Berkeley and U.C. Santa Barbara, having developed a specific interest in studying the social effects of information technology, networks and the network society, partly from a course with Professor Manuel Castells at Berkeley. I had also written two academic papers at UC Berkeley, one on tourism and the internet (MacLeod 2001a - http://scottmacleod.com/anth250v.htm), exploring partly the enjoyment of travel, both touristically and via online surfing, and the other on science in Malinowski, Bateson and sociocultural anthropology, including a focus on anthropological epistemology vis-a-vis computing (MacLeod 2001b - http://scottmacleod.com/anth250x.htm). I had long been attracted to living in community, - at least since my undergraduate, college years at Reed College in the early 1980s, where I lived in collective houses with other Reed students – a kind of student, hippie life style - for many of those years. After this I considered living at Alpha Farm, a secular (the four founders of Alpha Farm left the Philadelphia Quaker world to living in community with Quaker process, but without Quaker religion), consensus-based, intentional community in the Oregon coast range, which began in 1973. After wanting to study yoga to become a teacher with senior Iyengar Yoga teacher Mary Dunn, I spent, instead, about 4 years at Pendle Hill, at that time called 'A Quaker Center for Study & Contemplation,' near Philadelphia, in order to live in community. My interest in living in community probably emerged from ideas of the 1960s, including the idea of freedom-oriented, ecologically sensible, harmonious communes, that shared resources equitably, and lived well with the earth, as well as from having heard about the back to the land movement; community was an attractive to me. As an anthropologist whose field site is actual Harbin Hot Springs, related ideas of community, in particular, inform conceptions of the emerging virtual Harbin, which, in turn, come from 1960's influences at actual Harbin in multiple ways. As an anthropologist, I add this personal history to situate, and make transparent, my personal interests while engaging in the social science practice of writing ethnography, now with the addition of the building of virtual Harbin, in a virtual world, for ethnographic study.
The concept and experience of community at Harbin is virtual in two ways here. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/rosa-gymnocarpa-upon-returning-from.html - August 31, 2010)
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Natural bathtub: Human agency of individuals shape all of these narratives & representations of Harbin, by envisioning, & especially writing, Harbin
Harbin ethnography:
... But Harbin's 'actual' histories, as prehistories for the virtual, are many and varied, both written, talked about and remembered, and thus richly informative of the virtual.
The human agency (choices) of individuals shapes all of these narratives and representations of Harbin, by envisioning, living, talking, writing, and digitally representing virtual Harbin, - most recently since Ishvara bought the property in 1972, and then sold it to Heart Consciousness Church in 1975. But actual Harbin virtuality finds its 'nowness' in the pools and hanging out on the Harbin sundeck, massaging, reading, doing Watsu-in-the-pools with, or talking with friends there, who are also mostly naked. These aspects of actual Harbin's virtuality – its nowness and the freedom there to explore what one wants, especially informed by the milieu of the 1960s, in this interpretation – is what will be so fascinating to learn about as virtual Harbin in Second Life develops, and as people start to hang out, head into the pools, and create things there digitally and communicatively. As avatars in virtual Harbin, individual end users will engage virtual world technologies to build virtual Harbin in newly imagined and unanticipated ways, as well as to type chat and talk with one another, from anywhere around the world with internet access. The choice to actually visit both actual and virtual Harbins, reflects choices to engage easy-going, Harbin culture, to participate in the life there, if only to ease into the Harbin warm pool, there, or at home in the bath tub, visiting virtual Harbin from afar.
A PERSONAL, VIRTUAL, HARBIN HISTORY
In 2005, upon returning from Edinburgh, Scotland, where I had studied for a year in the School of Celtic and Scottish Studies at the University of Edinburgh, and written a paper on virtual St. Kilda (MacLeod 2004), I applied to work at Harbin because I wanted to live in community, and also with the idea of writing an ethnography in the back of my mind. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/natural-bathtub-human-agency-of.html - August 30, 2010)
... But Harbin's 'actual' histories, as prehistories for the virtual, are many and varied, both written, talked about and remembered, and thus richly informative of the virtual.
The human agency (choices) of individuals shapes all of these narratives and representations of Harbin, by envisioning, living, talking, writing, and digitally representing virtual Harbin, - most recently since Ishvara bought the property in 1972, and then sold it to Heart Consciousness Church in 1975. But actual Harbin virtuality finds its 'nowness' in the pools and hanging out on the Harbin sundeck, massaging, reading, doing Watsu-in-the-pools with, or talking with friends there, who are also mostly naked. These aspects of actual Harbin's virtuality – its nowness and the freedom there to explore what one wants, especially informed by the milieu of the 1960s, in this interpretation – is what will be so fascinating to learn about as virtual Harbin in Second Life develops, and as people start to hang out, head into the pools, and create things there digitally and communicatively. As avatars in virtual Harbin, individual end users will engage virtual world technologies to build virtual Harbin in newly imagined and unanticipated ways, as well as to type chat and talk with one another, from anywhere around the world with internet access. The choice to actually visit both actual and virtual Harbins, reflects choices to engage easy-going, Harbin culture, to participate in the life there, if only to ease into the Harbin warm pool, there, or at home in the bath tub, visiting virtual Harbin from afar.
A PERSONAL, VIRTUAL, HARBIN HISTORY
In 2005, upon returning from Edinburgh, Scotland, where I had studied for a year in the School of Celtic and Scottish Studies at the University of Edinburgh, and written a paper on virtual St. Kilda (MacLeod 2004), I applied to work at Harbin because I wanted to live in community, and also with the idea of writing an ethnography in the back of my mind. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/natural-bathtub-human-agency-of.html - August 30, 2010)
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Sea Horse Courtship Dance: Cultures of learning, of flourishing learning, besides Ancient Greece and the Italian Renaissance?
Scott:
What are historical examples, cross culturally, of people wanting and developing a culture of learning, of flourishing learning, besides ancient Greece and the Italian Renaissance?
RC:
Scott, I was making reference to the historical roots of American education. Prior to that there was no universal education. Start with Jefferson and move forward. The next big moment was the work of the Committee of Ten in 1898. It forms the basis for current thinking in curriculum. http://tmh.floonet.net/books/commoften/mainrpt.html
It resolved that all student should received a classic liberal education. Is that correct? Should education be one size fits all, as is the current practice. Should content take precedence of core enabling skills? Is it really possible that "No Child Gets Left Behind (as is the Law)? Is that a realistic expectation or an oxymoron? Should we give more weight to individual differences as social science suggests?
Is the testing really formative?
Scott:
In oblique response to your histories, I'm curious of American examples of cultures of learning? Some New England experiments? Mass movements, culturally? Where did people rise up and say we want to learn, and we need open schools? The Scottish diaspora in the U.S. (viz. Arthur Herman's book "The Scottish Enlightenment")? Just asking related questions ...
BW:
This is probably the ur-text on the subject: http://www.amazon.com/Anti-Intellectualism-American-Life-Richard-Hofstadter/dp/0394703170
I think one of the more recent problems of having a "culture of learning" is that those who would succeed... financially must move away from home ... which is to say that a nascent "culture of learning" can hardly be self-sustaining.
That said, consider that various movements started *outside* the school setting, including the free public library movement, the Chautaugua movement, etc. There have been some successes, but this has only been for the minority of people who participate (though sometimes, as with public libraries, a majority in some communities).
Scott:
B, Please explain further ... in your view, are families generators of cultures of learning (examples?), which then gets interrupted because of dispersal for financial reasons? Here families would generate culture ... makes sense ...
RC:
I love your questions but have to speculate at some of the answers. :-)
I would assume the Puritan culture with establishment of Harvard would be a candidate. Jamestown/Williamsburg with William and Mary is another. Jefferson's jewel of public higher education at the University of Virginia is another.
Harvard and W&M were elitist. (still are) UVA really formed the first colony of public learning at Charlottesvile.
I live in the west and in frontier towns one of the first public institutions to be created was the community school. These were the expression of the public will to be educated. In an agrarian economy the 9 month school year was created to allow the children to participate in planting and harvesting. These schools were embodiment of the Jeffersonian thinking (3Rs) for all. High schools came later.
With the advent of High Schools came the call for standards. Standards for admission to college were the order of the day. The committee of 10 was formed and staffed primarily by academics. The president of Harvard for example. Therefore current curriculum is about a "College" bound mentality.
BW:
Families are certainly an important part, but so are the small-group dynamics and peer expectations found in schools.
Consider small town life in Iowa or Minnesota. I'd posit that they form a limited "culture of learning" inasmuch as learning is valued (really high average SAT scores in those states), but when the kids go off to college they seldom come home.
Add to that the pervasive "culture of entertainment" epitomized by broadcast television (and accentuated by the economics of entertainment in our culture) one gets, in my view, a "flattening" of what can be meant by a "culture of learning."
Scott:
Here are NYT's Tom Friedman's thoughts (from August 24, 2010) on improving American education today: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/25/opinion/25friedman.html No easy answers ... he's suggesting cultural interventions.
Here are some World University and School links that focus on education: http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Education and http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Theories_of_Learning to which I added Friedman's article and Hofstadter's book :)
BW:
A lot depends upon how you define learning ... it's culture dependent. It may also, I think, have little to do with education as a formal discipline and would, most often, apply to only a subset of the general population.
London in Shakespeare's time. New York in the 30s, 40,s and 50s (full of European intellectuals fleeing Germany). The Paris of Moliere or the Encyclopedists. The many Jewish communities that dotted Eastern Europe and studied Torah. The Baghdad of Harun al-Rashid.
There are thousands more. The above are some of the brighter lights. (And I apologize for ignoring eastern traditions.)
JSQ:
Other cultures of learning: China, obviously, due to Confucius, continuing to this day.
In Africa, Timbuktu was a center of education a thousand years ago.
In India, the University of Naropa goes back farther than that.
Even in Europe, education was more widely available than is often realized:
"Free education for the poor was officially mandated by the Church at the Third Lateran Council (1179), which decreed that every cathedral must assign a master to teach boys too poor to pay the regular fee; parishes and monasteries also established free schools teaching at least basic literary skills. With few exceptions, priests and brothers taught locally, and their salaries were frequently subsidized by towns. "
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_education#Europe_overview
In the U.S. there were pockets of educationists all long; my patrilineal culture group (The Only Puritan Colony in the Southern States) was always big on education, and was involved in the founding of the Universities of Georgia, South Carolina, and California.
Here's an interesting current educational experiment:
http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/23/technology/sal_khan_academy.fortune/index.htm
Scott:
Here are some World University and School - open, free, editable, like Wikipedia with MIT OCW - links that focus on education: http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Education and http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Theories_of_Learning to which I added Hofstadter's book :)
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/sea-horse-courtship-dance-cultures-of.html - August 30, 2010)
What are historical examples, cross culturally, of people wanting and developing a culture of learning, of flourishing learning, besides ancient Greece and the Italian Renaissance?
RC:
Scott, I was making reference to the historical roots of American education. Prior to that there was no universal education. Start with Jefferson and move forward. The next big moment was the work of the Committee of Ten in 1898. It forms the basis for current thinking in curriculum. http://tmh.floonet.net/books/commoften/mainrpt.html
It resolved that all student should received a classic liberal education. Is that correct? Should education be one size fits all, as is the current practice. Should content take precedence of core enabling skills? Is it really possible that "No Child Gets Left Behind (as is the Law)? Is that a realistic expectation or an oxymoron? Should we give more weight to individual differences as social science suggests?
Is the testing really formative?
Scott:
In oblique response to your histories, I'm curious of American examples of cultures of learning? Some New England experiments? Mass movements, culturally? Where did people rise up and say we want to learn, and we need open schools? The Scottish diaspora in the U.S. (viz. Arthur Herman's book "The Scottish Enlightenment")? Just asking related questions ...
BW:
This is probably the ur-text on the subject: http://www.amazon.com/Anti-Intellectualism-American-Life-Richard-Hofstadter/dp/0394703170
I think one of the more recent problems of having a "culture of learning" is that those who would succeed... financially must move away from home ... which is to say that a nascent "culture of learning" can hardly be self-sustaining.
That said, consider that various movements started *outside* the school setting, including the free public library movement, the Chautaugua movement, etc. There have been some successes, but this has only been for the minority of people who participate (though sometimes, as with public libraries, a majority in some communities).
Scott:
B, Please explain further ... in your view, are families generators of cultures of learning (examples?), which then gets interrupted because of dispersal for financial reasons? Here families would generate culture ... makes sense ...
RC:
I love your questions but have to speculate at some of the answers. :-)
I would assume the Puritan culture with establishment of Harvard would be a candidate. Jamestown/Williamsburg with William and Mary is another. Jefferson's jewel of public higher education at the University of Virginia is another.
Harvard and W&M were elitist. (still are) UVA really formed the first colony of public learning at Charlottesvile.
I live in the west and in frontier towns one of the first public institutions to be created was the community school. These were the expression of the public will to be educated. In an agrarian economy the 9 month school year was created to allow the children to participate in planting and harvesting. These schools were embodiment of the Jeffersonian thinking (3Rs) for all. High schools came later.
With the advent of High Schools came the call for standards. Standards for admission to college were the order of the day. The committee of 10 was formed and staffed primarily by academics. The president of Harvard for example. Therefore current curriculum is about a "College" bound mentality.
BW:
Families are certainly an important part, but so are the small-group dynamics and peer expectations found in schools.
Consider small town life in Iowa or Minnesota. I'd posit that they form a limited "culture of learning" inasmuch as learning is valued (really high average SAT scores in those states), but when the kids go off to college they seldom come home.
Add to that the pervasive "culture of entertainment" epitomized by broadcast television (and accentuated by the economics of entertainment in our culture) one gets, in my view, a "flattening" of what can be meant by a "culture of learning."
Scott:
Here are NYT's Tom Friedman's thoughts (from August 24, 2010) on improving American education today: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/25/opinion/25friedman.html No easy answers ... he's suggesting cultural interventions.
Here are some World University and School links that focus on education: http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Education and http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Theories_of_Learning to which I added Friedman's article and Hofstadter's book :)
BW:
A lot depends upon how you define learning ... it's culture dependent. It may also, I think, have little to do with education as a formal discipline and would, most often, apply to only a subset of the general population.
London in Shakespeare's time. New York in the 30s, 40,s and 50s (full of European intellectuals fleeing Germany). The Paris of Moliere or the Encyclopedists. The many Jewish communities that dotted Eastern Europe and studied Torah. The Baghdad of Harun al-Rashid.
There are thousands more. The above are some of the brighter lights. (And I apologize for ignoring eastern traditions.)
JSQ:
Other cultures of learning: China, obviously, due to Confucius, continuing to this day.
In Africa, Timbuktu was a center of education a thousand years ago.
In India, the University of Naropa goes back farther than that.
Even in Europe, education was more widely available than is often realized:
"Free education for the poor was officially mandated by the Church at the Third Lateran Council (1179), which decreed that every cathedral must assign a master to teach boys too poor to pay the regular fee; parishes and monasteries also established free schools teaching at least basic literary skills. With few exceptions, priests and brothers taught locally, and their salaries were frequently subsidized by towns. "
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_education#Europe_overview
In the U.S. there were pockets of educationists all long; my patrilineal culture group (The Only Puritan Colony in the Southern States) was always big on education, and was involved in the founding of the Universities of Georgia, South Carolina, and California.
Here's an interesting current educational experiment:
http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/23/technology/sal_khan_academy.fortune/index.htm
Scott:
Here are some World University and School - open, free, editable, like Wikipedia with MIT OCW - links that focus on education: http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Education and http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Theories_of_Learning to which I added Hofstadter's book :)
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/sea-horse-courtship-dance-cultures-of.html - August 30, 2010)
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Taravisio: A Music Library WIKI with ALL Scores in the Public Domain!, Petrucci Music Library, International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)
Added the FREE, public domain, MUSIC SCORES' web site - International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP), also known as the Petrucci Music Library - to World University and School's "Music" Subject, "Library Resources" page, as well as to the WORLD UNIVERSITY MUSIC SCHOOL - http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/World_University_Music_School#Select_References. Project Petrucci wants to add ALL Public Domain music for FREE ... this is so great!
International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP), also known as the Petrucci Music Library:
http://imslp.org/wiki/Main_Page
They'd like to add here ALL musical scores in the public domain :)
I haven't yet seen the Scottish Highland Bagpipe Ceol Mor - Piobaireachd (Pibroch) - music online in the public domain. When I find some, I'll add it to this Petrucci Music Library wiki :)
Found one Pibroch piece at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP) - http://imslp.org/wiki/Pibroch,_Suite_for_Violin_and_Orchestra,_Op.42_%28Mackenzie,_Alexander_Campbell%29
And the Bagpipe Subject at World Univ & Sch is growing - http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Bagpipe_Tutorials
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/taravisio-music-library-with-all-scores.html - August 28, 2010)
International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP), also known as the Petrucci Music Library:
http://imslp.org/wiki/Main_Page
They'd like to add here ALL musical scores in the public domain :)
I haven't yet seen the Scottish Highland Bagpipe Ceol Mor - Piobaireachd (Pibroch) - music online in the public domain. When I find some, I'll add it to this Petrucci Music Library wiki :)
Found one Pibroch piece at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP) - http://imslp.org/wiki/Pibroch,_Suite_for_Violin_and_Orchestra,_Op.42_%28Mackenzie,_Alexander_Campbell%29
And the Bagpipe Subject at World Univ & Sch is growing - http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Bagpipe_Tutorials
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/taravisio-music-library-with-all-scores.html - August 28, 2010)
Friday, August 27, 2010
Scottish Thistle with Butterfly: Bagpipe Lesson, Pleasanton Highland Games, Musical Sociality, Improving Piping, World Univ's Bagpiping Subject
To my bagpipe teacher,
Greetings. I hope your summer is going well.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow, Saturday, and piping with you (30 minutes only, from 2-2:30).
(Here, by the way, is World Univ & Sch's Bagpipe subject: http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Bagpipe_Tutorials).
Here are a few questions beforehand.
In addition to an ongoing, monthly lesson with you, I'm thinking about joining a piping group on a weekly basis, for more opportunities to pipe, both musically as well as in terms of learning great tunes.
Who are great pipe band majors / leaders / teachers in the Bay Area in your view? The Piedmont Pipe Band is pretty close geographically to where I live, and is thus convenient, but it's a grade 4 band, I think, and I think I'd prefer more challenge and higher standards. The Prince Charlie Pipe band is a grade 2 band, but a big time commitment all weekend, and a farther commute for me to South San Francisco. But I think mostly I'd like to play more, and socially, with an emphasis on musicality.
Is a quartet happening that you know of?
I may try to get a read on great piping / learning opportunities in the Bay Area at the Pleasanton Games, by meeting and seeing pipers there.
Do you know of a good drummer, or 'privy piper,' in the East Bay who might just like to jam sometimes?
I'm also looking for ideas for a practice chanter carrying case, for the car, for example, perhaps with space for music, beyond a mailing tube. :) I'm curious about your thoughts about this.
I'm planning to play the Piobaireachd (Pibroch) "Lament for Captain McDougall" for you tomorrow by memory as we talked about, and, if it's o.k. with you - with the intermediary step (a kind of 'goose,' a bagpipe for learning in the stage between the practice chanter and full highland pipe) of playing WITHOUT the music, but WITH Donald MacLeod's recorded version on ear phones - he plays all variations. He also plays significantly faster than your recording ... a good exercise for me .... just a head's up.
It would be great to play my pipes for you just briefly, so you can get a feel for them, and for their tuning. I think you may have only heard them briefly.
Let's see what we have time for... :) Looking forward to the lesson.
See you soon,
Scott
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/scottish-thistle-bagpipe-lesson.html - August 27, 2010)
Greetings. I hope your summer is going well.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow, Saturday, and piping with you (30 minutes only, from 2-2:30).
(Here, by the way, is World Univ & Sch's Bagpipe subject: http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Bagpipe_Tutorials).
Here are a few questions beforehand.
In addition to an ongoing, monthly lesson with you, I'm thinking about joining a piping group on a weekly basis, for more opportunities to pipe, both musically as well as in terms of learning great tunes.
Who are great pipe band majors / leaders / teachers in the Bay Area in your view? The Piedmont Pipe Band is pretty close geographically to where I live, and is thus convenient, but it's a grade 4 band, I think, and I think I'd prefer more challenge and higher standards. The Prince Charlie Pipe band is a grade 2 band, but a big time commitment all weekend, and a farther commute for me to South San Francisco. But I think mostly I'd like to play more, and socially, with an emphasis on musicality.
Is a quartet happening that you know of?
I may try to get a read on great piping / learning opportunities in the Bay Area at the Pleasanton Games, by meeting and seeing pipers there.
Do you know of a good drummer, or 'privy piper,' in the East Bay who might just like to jam sometimes?
I'm also looking for ideas for a practice chanter carrying case, for the car, for example, perhaps with space for music, beyond a mailing tube. :) I'm curious about your thoughts about this.
I'm planning to play the Piobaireachd (Pibroch) "Lament for Captain McDougall" for you tomorrow by memory as we talked about, and, if it's o.k. with you - with the intermediary step (a kind of 'goose,' a bagpipe for learning in the stage between the practice chanter and full highland pipe) of playing WITHOUT the music, but WITH Donald MacLeod's recorded version on ear phones - he plays all variations. He also plays significantly faster than your recording ... a good exercise for me .... just a head's up.
It would be great to play my pipes for you just briefly, so you can get a feel for them, and for their tuning. I think you may have only heard them briefly.
Let's see what we have time for... :) Looking forward to the lesson.
See you soon,
Scott
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/scottish-thistle-bagpipe-lesson.html - August 27, 2010)
Dangleberry: Actual Harbin is an utopian, virtual 'vision' which has been instantiated as actual, with an historical rootedness, As Place, 1960s roots
Harbin ethnography:
... And the Harbin pools and actual Harbin, as a kind of actual, virtual world, where its “free,” “clothing-optional,” hippie roles, coming out of the freedom-seeking movements of the 1960s and early 70s, are ongoing pre-histories of Harbin.
In many ways, actual Harbin is an utopian, virtual, communal, 1960's 'vision' which has been instantiated as actual, with an historical rootedness, – both in the actual Harbin valley as place, and emerging out of the countercultural richness which was the 1960s, as another virtual Harbin prehistory. In this sense, Harbin is, of course, today, a Hot Springs' retreat center with guest rooms, camping, and clothing-optional pools, and has offered some of this for some of the past 160 years since the Gold Rush (Klages), and Harbin was visited before that by Lake Miwoks, native Americans in the area. Since I started to visit Harbin around 1993, residents have occasionally referred to themselves as part of a tribe (Harbin photo from 2005), and in many ways Harbinites are a tribe. What people 'see into' Harbin, however, is very diverse, partly due to its relatively large numbers of visitors over the years from northern California and all over the world, as well as to the large number of fantasies which people dream up in any cultural context, here, emerging out of the remarkable milieu of the 1960s. But Harbin's 'actual' histories, as prehistories for the virtual, are many and varied, both written, talked about and remembered, and thus richly informative of the virtual.
The human agency (choices) of individuals shapes all of these narratives and representations of Harbin, by envisioning, living, talking, writing, and digitally representing virtual Harbin, - most recently since Ishvara bought the property in 1972, and then sold it to Heart Consciousness Church in 1975. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/dangleberry-actual-harbin-is-utopian.html - August 27, 2010)
... And the Harbin pools and actual Harbin, as a kind of actual, virtual world, where its “free,” “clothing-optional,” hippie roles, coming out of the freedom-seeking movements of the 1960s and early 70s, are ongoing pre-histories of Harbin.
In many ways, actual Harbin is an utopian, virtual, communal, 1960's 'vision' which has been instantiated as actual, with an historical rootedness, – both in the actual Harbin valley as place, and emerging out of the countercultural richness which was the 1960s, as another virtual Harbin prehistory. In this sense, Harbin is, of course, today, a Hot Springs' retreat center with guest rooms, camping, and clothing-optional pools, and has offered some of this for some of the past 160 years since the Gold Rush (Klages), and Harbin was visited before that by Lake Miwoks, native Americans in the area. Since I started to visit Harbin around 1993, residents have occasionally referred to themselves as part of a tribe (Harbin photo from 2005), and in many ways Harbinites are a tribe. What people 'see into' Harbin, however, is very diverse, partly due to its relatively large numbers of visitors over the years from northern California and all over the world, as well as to the large number of fantasies which people dream up in any cultural context, here, emerging out of the remarkable milieu of the 1960s. But Harbin's 'actual' histories, as prehistories for the virtual, are many and varied, both written, talked about and remembered, and thus richly informative of the virtual.
The human agency (choices) of individuals shapes all of these narratives and representations of Harbin, by envisioning, living, talking, writing, and digitally representing virtual Harbin, - most recently since Ishvara bought the property in 1972, and then sold it to Heart Consciousness Church in 1975. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/dangleberry-actual-harbin-is-utopian.html - August 27, 2010)
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Mesa: What is the 'cello bow stroke' of loving bliss neurophysiology elicitation, naturally, Let's go here now, like ecstasy, Magic Flute
What is the 'cello bow stroke' of loving bliss neurophysiology elicitation, naturally? Turn on Mozart arias, listen to the Grateful Dead ... go contra dancing ... and as duet with a friend?
Let's go here now, like ecstasy, and with the ease of being in the Harbin.org warm pool ... so here I turn on Mozart's Magic Flute and voila ... away we go :) ... and for you?
The Magic Flute is one of the greatest, most easily accessible bliss journeys 'out there,' in my experience ... and accessing bliss neurophysiology for you?
Check out, with an invitation to add to, the Loving Bliss (Eliciting this Neurophysiology) subject at World Univ & Sch - http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/ ... there's a great interview with Stanford philosopher Richard Rorty, plus some great Raga music plus more ... and we can all develop this subject together ... 'tis sweet :)
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/mesa-what-is-cello-bow-stroke-of-loving.html - August 26, 2010)
Let's go here now, like ecstasy, and with the ease of being in the Harbin.org warm pool ... so here I turn on Mozart's Magic Flute and voila ... away we go :) ... and for you?
The Magic Flute is one of the greatest, most easily accessible bliss journeys 'out there,' in my experience ... and accessing bliss neurophysiology for you?
Check out, with an invitation to add to, the Loving Bliss (Eliciting this Neurophysiology) subject at World Univ & Sch - http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/ ... there's a great interview with Stanford philosopher Richard Rorty, plus some great Raga music plus more ... and we can all develop this subject together ... 'tis sweet :)
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/mesa-what-is-cello-bow-stroke-of-loving.html - August 26, 2010)
Buck Moths: Science fiction, fantasy & film have been important to the emergence of virtual worlds & the virtual, - at actual & virtual Harbin
Harbin ethnography:
... These prehistories of virtual Harbin, in the form of narratives and imagination, are many and diverse.
Science fiction, fantasy and film have been important to the emergence of virtual worlds and the virtual, - at actual Harbin and virtual Harbin, particularly. Tolkien's “Hobbit” and “Lord of the Ring” trilogy (1954) were very important creations of fantasy, - in how many people they touched, and how vivid and meaningful these worlds were - to the remarkable emergence of fantasy worlds. With Tolkien's work and influence, for example, “creating a fully realized make-believe world was shown to be actually possible” (Bartle 2004:61, in Boellstorff 2008:37). People were able to richly explore such secondary worlds as Tolkien's, into which their minds could fully enter into. And Harbin can be seen, for example, as a Rivendell (J.R.R. Tolkien's beautiful, elven kingdom), a Shangri La (a Tibetan utopia in James Hilton's novel Lost Horizon (1933); a place regarded as an earthly paradise, esp. when involving a retreat from the pressures of modern civilization – Apple Dictionary), a Kubla Khan (Colerdige 1895), with its stately pleasure domes, or Lewis Carroll's 'wonderland' in “Alice in Wonderland” (1865). This list of wonderful place comparisons is potentially very long vis-a-vis virtual Harbin. And role playing games, such as Dungeons and Dragons (1974), developed from such fantasy worlds significantly (Boellstorff 2008:37). And the Harbin pools and actual Harbin, as a kind of actual, virtual world, where its “free,” “clothing-optional,” hippie roles, coming out of the freedom-seeking movements of the 1960s and early 70s, are ongoing pre-histories of Harbin.
In many ways, actual Harbin is an utopian, virtual, communal, 1960's 'vision' which has been instantiated as actual, with an historical rootedness, – both in the actual Harbin valley as place, and emerging out of the countercultural richness which was the 1960s, as another virtual Harbin prehistory. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/buck-moths-science-fiction-fantasy-film.html - August 26, 2010)
... These prehistories of virtual Harbin, in the form of narratives and imagination, are many and diverse.
Science fiction, fantasy and film have been important to the emergence of virtual worlds and the virtual, - at actual Harbin and virtual Harbin, particularly. Tolkien's “Hobbit” and “Lord of the Ring” trilogy (1954) were very important creations of fantasy, - in how many people they touched, and how vivid and meaningful these worlds were - to the remarkable emergence of fantasy worlds. With Tolkien's work and influence, for example, “creating a fully realized make-believe world was shown to be actually possible” (Bartle 2004:61, in Boellstorff 2008:37). People were able to richly explore such secondary worlds as Tolkien's, into which their minds could fully enter into. And Harbin can be seen, for example, as a Rivendell (J.R.R. Tolkien's beautiful, elven kingdom), a Shangri La (a Tibetan utopia in James Hilton's novel Lost Horizon (1933); a place regarded as an earthly paradise, esp. when involving a retreat from the pressures of modern civilization – Apple Dictionary), a Kubla Khan (Colerdige 1895), with its stately pleasure domes, or Lewis Carroll's 'wonderland' in “Alice in Wonderland” (1865). This list of wonderful place comparisons is potentially very long vis-a-vis virtual Harbin. And role playing games, such as Dungeons and Dragons (1974), developed from such fantasy worlds significantly (Boellstorff 2008:37). And the Harbin pools and actual Harbin, as a kind of actual, virtual world, where its “free,” “clothing-optional,” hippie roles, coming out of the freedom-seeking movements of the 1960s and early 70s, are ongoing pre-histories of Harbin.
In many ways, actual Harbin is an utopian, virtual, communal, 1960's 'vision' which has been instantiated as actual, with an historical rootedness, – both in the actual Harbin valley as place, and emerging out of the countercultural richness which was the 1960s, as another virtual Harbin prehistory. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/buck-moths-science-fiction-fantasy-film.html - August 26, 2010)
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
West Virginia Wilderness: Harbin residents who read science fiction, Harbin's films, Virtual Harbin, Harbin's theater
Harbin ethnography:
... And the play at actual Harbin can develop in multiple ways in virtual Harbin and between the two, giving new expressions to cybernetic theory.
Harbin's films which are shown 2-4 times a day, for decades now, probably contribute to Harbin residents and visitors' experience of actual Harbin's virtuality in unique ways, as another prehistory of virtual Harbin. In quieter, rainy, winter months, and during slow times for Harbin, for example, possibly at times in winter in the mid-1970, 80s and 90s (?), films in Harbin's great, pillow-strewn, stepped, 'hippy' theater probably offered an antidote to boredom. Fantastic narratives from science fiction and film, and science fiction in film, create far-reaching kinds of virtuality. And in the past few years, on the weekends, films that are spiritually oriented are shown; films, for example, focusing on the Dalai Lama or Pema Chodron and similar spiritual teachers, in the context of northern California, post 1960s. And all of these films are streamable into virtual Harbin, as well, so that as virtual Harbin develops, anyone around the world, may be able to go into the virtual Harbin theater in Second Life and watch a film being shown at actual Harbin, or watch a film of their own choosing. Films that are significant, for example, to the founder, Ishvara, and that may have influenced the Harbin vision include Frank Capra's film “Lost Horizon” (1937) and George Bailey's “It's a Wonderful Life” (1946). There are also a number of Harbin residents and visitors who read science fiction abundantly. And all of these expressions of Harbin virtuality as narratives – in science fiction and film, for example – take place in the context of a very relaxed way of life, where people seeing these films, are in and out of the Harbin pools a few times a day, hanging out here and there - on the sun deck, in the Fern community kitchen, in the health food store - then heading to the theater in the evening, after visiting the restaurant, all of which has gone on for decades, as well. These prehistories of virtual Harbin, in the form of narratives and imagination, are many and diverse.
Science fiction, fantasy and film have been important to the emergence of virtual worlds and the virtual, - at actual Harbin and virtual Harbin, particularly. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/west-virginia-wilderness-harbin.html - August 25, 2010)
... And the play at actual Harbin can develop in multiple ways in virtual Harbin and between the two, giving new expressions to cybernetic theory.
Harbin's films which are shown 2-4 times a day, for decades now, probably contribute to Harbin residents and visitors' experience of actual Harbin's virtuality in unique ways, as another prehistory of virtual Harbin. In quieter, rainy, winter months, and during slow times for Harbin, for example, possibly at times in winter in the mid-1970, 80s and 90s (?), films in Harbin's great, pillow-strewn, stepped, 'hippy' theater probably offered an antidote to boredom. Fantastic narratives from science fiction and film, and science fiction in film, create far-reaching kinds of virtuality. And in the past few years, on the weekends, films that are spiritually oriented are shown; films, for example, focusing on the Dalai Lama or Pema Chodron and similar spiritual teachers, in the context of northern California, post 1960s. And all of these films are streamable into virtual Harbin, as well, so that as virtual Harbin develops, anyone around the world, may be able to go into the virtual Harbin theater in Second Life and watch a film being shown at actual Harbin, or watch a film of their own choosing. Films that are significant, for example, to the founder, Ishvara, and that may have influenced the Harbin vision include Frank Capra's film “Lost Horizon” (1937) and George Bailey's “It's a Wonderful Life” (1946). There are also a number of Harbin residents and visitors who read science fiction abundantly. And all of these expressions of Harbin virtuality as narratives – in science fiction and film, for example – take place in the context of a very relaxed way of life, where people seeing these films, are in and out of the Harbin pools a few times a day, hanging out here and there - on the sun deck, in the Fern community kitchen, in the health food store - then heading to the theater in the evening, after visiting the restaurant, all of which has gone on for decades, as well. These prehistories of virtual Harbin, in the form of narratives and imagination, are many and diverse.
Science fiction, fantasy and film have been important to the emergence of virtual worlds and the virtual, - at actual Harbin and virtual Harbin, particularly. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/west-virginia-wilderness-harbin.html - August 25, 2010)
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Warbling Vireo: ROUGH DAY? 8-11 hours of sleep? 5-9 servings of fruits, grains, veggies & grains?, Beings Enjoying Life, Psychotherapy, Loving Bliss
Rough day?
Did you get ...
8-11 hours of sleep?
5-9 servings of fruits, grains, vegetables and grains?
an egg or two?
30 minutes of dancing/walking/movement?
Flax seed oil for omega fatty acids?
Antioxidants (Green Tea? And see Dr. Andy Weil's "What's So Special About Antioxidants?" - http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400535/Whats-So-Special-About-Antioxidants.html)?
Ginseng (Yogi tea?) for vitality (See Dr. Andy Weil's "Fighting Fatigue" - http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400057/Fighting-Fatigue.html)?
a multivitamin?
And did you ease into the relaxation response (http://www.relaxationresponse.org/steps/)?
Here are the "Beings Enjoying Life" and "Psychotherapy" SUBJECTS at World Univ & Sch:
http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Beings_Enjoying_Life
and
http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Psychotherapy
And here's Loving Bliss Eliciting, as well, at WUaS :
http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Loving_Bliss_%28eliciting_this_neurophysiology%29 :)
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/warbling-vireo-rough-day-8-11-hours-of.html - August 24, 2010)
Did you get ...
8-11 hours of sleep?
5-9 servings of fruits, grains, vegetables and grains?
an egg or two?
30 minutes of dancing/walking/movement?
Flax seed oil for omega fatty acids?
Antioxidants (Green Tea? And see Dr. Andy Weil's "What's So Special About Antioxidants?" - http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400535/Whats-So-Special-About-Antioxidants.html)?
Ginseng (Yogi tea?) for vitality (See Dr. Andy Weil's "Fighting Fatigue" - http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400057/Fighting-Fatigue.html)?
a multivitamin?
And did you ease into the relaxation response (http://www.relaxationresponse.org/steps/)?
Here are the "Beings Enjoying Life" and "Psychotherapy" SUBJECTS at World Univ & Sch:
http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Beings_Enjoying_Life
and
http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Psychotherapy
And here's Loving Bliss Eliciting, as well, at WUaS :
http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Loving_Bliss_%28eliciting_this_neurophysiology%29 :)
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/warbling-vireo-rough-day-8-11-hours-of.html - August 24, 2010)
Fibonacci phyllotaxis:As prehistories of virtual Harbin multimedia & interactive representation, New feedback loops for exploring Harbin play, Bateson
Harbin ethnography:
... To participate in soaking in the Harbin warm pool, from one's own bathtub at home would allow for new developments of the Harbin experience.
As prehistories of virtual Harbin multimedia and interactive representation, all of the above virtual world examples make possible new feedback loops for exploring play at Harbin. Cybernetics - 'the science of communications and automatic control systems in both machines and living things' (Apple Dictionary) – a term coined in 1947 by MIT mathematician Norbert Wiener, as well as information processes and communication have all informed concepts of virtuality from their inception (Boellstorff 2008:34). The anthropologists Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson both engaged concepts of cybernetics as important ways to 'theorize' anthropology. Bateson begins to formulate some theoretical elements of this anthropological domain in ‘Naven’ (Bateson 1958). Since it isn’t possible to examine the whole of culture in a ‘single flash,’ Bateson says he arbitrarily selects a paradigm defining culture as “an elaborate reticulum of interlocking cause and effect, [presenting it] not with a network of words but with words in linear series” (Bateson 1958: 30). In particular, Bateson explored questions of play vis-a-vis cybernetics. The building of virtual Harbin in Second Life involves play, and feedback, in multiple ways, now in a form which complements writing – virtual world building – and allows for ongoing ethnographic research. And individuals could build new aspects of virtual Harbin that potentially interact between actual life and actual Harbin, for example, in the actual/virtual interactive Second Life holodecks, as prehistories of Harbin virtuality. And the play at actual Harbin can develop in multiple ways in virtual Harbin and between the two, giving new expressions to cybernetic theory.
Harbin's films which are shown 2-4 times a day, for decades now, probably contribute to Harbin residents and visitors' experience of actual Harbin's virtuality in unique ways, as another prehistory of virtual Harbin. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/fibonacci-phyllotaxisas-prehistories-of.html - August 24, 2010)
... To participate in soaking in the Harbin warm pool, from one's own bathtub at home would allow for new developments of the Harbin experience.
As prehistories of virtual Harbin multimedia and interactive representation, all of the above virtual world examples make possible new feedback loops for exploring play at Harbin. Cybernetics - 'the science of communications and automatic control systems in both machines and living things' (Apple Dictionary) – a term coined in 1947 by MIT mathematician Norbert Wiener, as well as information processes and communication have all informed concepts of virtuality from their inception (Boellstorff 2008:34). The anthropologists Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson both engaged concepts of cybernetics as important ways to 'theorize' anthropology. Bateson begins to formulate some theoretical elements of this anthropological domain in ‘Naven’ (Bateson 1958). Since it isn’t possible to examine the whole of culture in a ‘single flash,’ Bateson says he arbitrarily selects a paradigm defining culture as “an elaborate reticulum of interlocking cause and effect, [presenting it] not with a network of words but with words in linear series” (Bateson 1958: 30). In particular, Bateson explored questions of play vis-a-vis cybernetics. The building of virtual Harbin in Second Life involves play, and feedback, in multiple ways, now in a form which complements writing – virtual world building – and allows for ongoing ethnographic research. And individuals could build new aspects of virtual Harbin that potentially interact between actual life and actual Harbin, for example, in the actual/virtual interactive Second Life holodecks, as prehistories of Harbin virtuality. And the play at actual Harbin can develop in multiple ways in virtual Harbin and between the two, giving new expressions to cybernetic theory.
Harbin's films which are shown 2-4 times a day, for decades now, probably contribute to Harbin residents and visitors' experience of actual Harbin's virtuality in unique ways, as another prehistory of virtual Harbin. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/fibonacci-phyllotaxisas-prehistories-of.html - August 24, 2010)
Monday, August 23, 2010
Dove: How to weave nonharming, as principle & practice, deeply & richly into WUaS so that abundance, flourishing, goodness, skill & excellence emerge
nonharming:
How to weave nonharming, as principle & practice, deeply & richly into http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/ so that abundance & flourishing, goodness, skill & excellence can emerge in full measure & over millenia? The Peace & Social Justice Studies - worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Peace_and_Social_Justice_Studies - subject is one of many ways in this WUaS teaching & learning wiki ... and by conversing about these and everyone making WUaS together.
This will happen fulsomely when we all engage WUaS together in the fun ways that teaching & learning make possible, as well as invent new ways ...
Examples of societies where nonharming as principle obtains? There are many small groups - but here are some places and groups: south India & Hinduism (in general?), Society of Friends (Quakers), War Tax Resisters, historic Peace churches ...
The NAACP - National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples (http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/NAACP.htm and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NAACP).
yoga
And in the wild, among other (nonhuman) primates? Bonobo chimpanzees? (There are around 376 species of higher primates).
I sometimes wonder whether / hypothesize that all these human primate peace group orientations have emerged in response to something that is Pan troglodytes-ish (like Common chimpanzee behavior) in human behavior, as primatological (the science of studying higher primates) stories or narratives, in contrast to something that is Pan paniscus-ish (i.e. like Bonobo chimpanzee behavior - which are peaceable, compared with common chimps), also as primatological stories or narratives.
Here are more peace oriented groups: the Nobel Peace Prize community (1901), which is around 100 yrs old ... American Friends' Service Committee (1917) ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/dove-how-to-weave-nonharming-as.html - August 23, 2010)
How to weave nonharming, as principle & practice, deeply & richly into http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/ so that abundance & flourishing, goodness, skill & excellence can emerge in full measure & over millenia? The Peace & Social Justice Studies - worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Peace_and_Social_Justice_Studies - subject is one of many ways in this WUaS teaching & learning wiki ... and by conversing about these and everyone making WUaS together.
This will happen fulsomely when we all engage WUaS together in the fun ways that teaching & learning make possible, as well as invent new ways ...
Examples of societies where nonharming as principle obtains? There are many small groups - but here are some places and groups: south India & Hinduism (in general?), Society of Friends (Quakers), War Tax Resisters, historic Peace churches ...
The NAACP - National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples (http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/NAACP.htm and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NAACP).
yoga
And in the wild, among other (nonhuman) primates? Bonobo chimpanzees? (There are around 376 species of higher primates).
I sometimes wonder whether / hypothesize that all these human primate peace group orientations have emerged in response to something that is Pan troglodytes-ish (like Common chimpanzee behavior) in human behavior, as primatological (the science of studying higher primates) stories or narratives, in contrast to something that is Pan paniscus-ish (i.e. like Bonobo chimpanzee behavior - which are peaceable, compared with common chimps), also as primatological stories or narratives.
Here are more peace oriented groups: the Nobel Peace Prize community (1901), which is around 100 yrs old ... American Friends' Service Committee (1917) ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/dove-how-to-weave-nonharming-as.html - August 23, 2010)
Langley Miter: 'Holodecks' in Second Life are much more realistic than the current, somewhat cartoon-esque 'style' of SL
Harbin ethnography:
... This “Making of Harbin Hot Springs as Ethnographic Field Site” machinima characterizes most aspects of how virtual Harbin will emerge, currently, but doesn't explore in too much detail potential innovations.
'Holodecks' in Second Life are much more realistic than the current, somewhat cartoon-esque 'style' of SL. In imagining the development of, and a related set of choices in the building of, virtual Harbin as ethnographic field site, as another prehistory of virtual Harbin, I was asking myself how we might make the Harbin pool area have realistic, not cartoon-esque, landscape, scenery or 'backdrops.' In Second Life, you might imagine a holodeck as a circular, virtual platform, say, roughly, 20 SL meters in diameter, with realistic photos 'connected' together around the circumference of this platform, to create a very photo-realistic landscape, 360 degrees around. At this point, however, clothing-optional avatars would still be cartoon-esque, contrasting with the realistic scenery as background. And I was also envisioning in 2008, hypothetically, the possibility of video cameras in 4 corners of the Harbin pool area, so that avatars from around the world, might mingle with the representations of the people visiting Harbin, but not only is this technology not yet existent, but cameras also aren't allowed at Harbin in any form. As an expression of virtual Harbin, however, this kind of avatars-people interaction on real-time web cameras may well emerge, making possible fascinating, new, developing expressions here of virtual Harbin. Ethnographically, the lack of possibility to use cameras at Harbin gives rise, then, to the use other forms of representation, particularly writing, in the context of the ethnographic genre. I haven't yet begun to explore drawing, by hand, the pool area for example, although, I did see for the first time, I think, this past weekend , on Sunday, August 22, 2010, someone drawing the Harbin pool area, while sitting on the bench near the warm pool. As another prehistory of virtual Harbin ethnographic representation, hypothetical, expanding holodecks (e.g. the Harbin pool area, the Harbin Domes, the temple) of virtual Harbin would allow for rich forms of cartoon-esque, avatar interaction against a backdrop of photo-realistic scenery. And I suspect that eventually virtual worlds will all become interactive and photo-realistic. To participate in soaking in the Harbin warm pool, from one's own bathtub at home would allow for new developments of the Harbin experience.
As prehistories of virtual Harbin multimedia and interactive representation, all of the above virtual world examples make possible new feedback loops for exploring play at Harbin. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/langley-miter-holodecks-in-second-life.html - August 23, 2010)
... This “Making of Harbin Hot Springs as Ethnographic Field Site” machinima characterizes most aspects of how virtual Harbin will emerge, currently, but doesn't explore in too much detail potential innovations.
'Holodecks' in Second Life are much more realistic than the current, somewhat cartoon-esque 'style' of SL. In imagining the development of, and a related set of choices in the building of, virtual Harbin as ethnographic field site, as another prehistory of virtual Harbin, I was asking myself how we might make the Harbin pool area have realistic, not cartoon-esque, landscape, scenery or 'backdrops.' In Second Life, you might imagine a holodeck as a circular, virtual platform, say, roughly, 20 SL meters in diameter, with realistic photos 'connected' together around the circumference of this platform, to create a very photo-realistic landscape, 360 degrees around. At this point, however, clothing-optional avatars would still be cartoon-esque, contrasting with the realistic scenery as background. And I was also envisioning in 2008, hypothetically, the possibility of video cameras in 4 corners of the Harbin pool area, so that avatars from around the world, might mingle with the representations of the people visiting Harbin, but not only is this technology not yet existent, but cameras also aren't allowed at Harbin in any form. As an expression of virtual Harbin, however, this kind of avatars-people interaction on real-time web cameras may well emerge, making possible fascinating, new, developing expressions here of virtual Harbin. Ethnographically, the lack of possibility to use cameras at Harbin gives rise, then, to the use other forms of representation, particularly writing, in the context of the ethnographic genre. I haven't yet begun to explore drawing, by hand, the pool area for example, although, I did see for the first time, I think, this past weekend , on Sunday, August 22, 2010, someone drawing the Harbin pool area, while sitting on the bench near the warm pool. As another prehistory of virtual Harbin ethnographic representation, hypothetical, expanding holodecks (e.g. the Harbin pool area, the Harbin Domes, the temple) of virtual Harbin would allow for rich forms of cartoon-esque, avatar interaction against a backdrop of photo-realistic scenery. And I suspect that eventually virtual worlds will all become interactive and photo-realistic. To participate in soaking in the Harbin warm pool, from one's own bathtub at home would allow for new developments of the Harbin experience.
As prehistories of virtual Harbin multimedia and interactive representation, all of the above virtual world examples make possible new feedback loops for exploring play at Harbin. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/langley-miter-holodecks-in-second-life.html - August 23, 2010)
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Wilderness Bliss: Prehistory of virtual Harbin in Second Life, Ethnographic Machinima
Harbin ethnography:
... Since OpenSim shares the same library of assets with Second Life, it's possible to connect the two virtual worlds via their grids.
Another prehistory of virtual Harbin in Second Life took form in the 14 minute, ethnographic Machinima I created in 2009 to characterize how the building of virtual Harbin works. One definition of Machinima is “a video of virtual world, particularly Second Life, action; it's a kind of 'machine animation.'” In “The Making of Harbin Hot Springs as Ethnographic Field Site in Second Life and Open Simulator” machinima, two avatars in a pool of water in the “Gardens of Bliss,” a beautiful 'build' (Second Life 'builds' can be creations of virtual terrain, in this instance made to resemble a mountain path with pools of water along the way), that no longer exists talk about Harbin Hot Springs as virtual field site and how to make it, and explore Second Life to see how this would work. With clothes on, Aphilo Aarde talks to Lizzy about how virtual Harbin will be built, and work, in Second Life as a field site. 'Builds' in Second Life can be constructed and taken down very quickly, and most builds allow most avatars to visit them, even if they didn't build them, so the making of virtual Harbin could happen very quickly. These two avatars then fly out over the, almost Yosemite-like, beautiful valley, constructed by Luna Bliss out of prims, or primitives, which are geometric shapes the size of which the builder can 'program,' and onto which the builder can add texture or color, to make, for example, this mountain terrain. This “Making of Harbin Hot Springs as Ethnographic Field Site” machinima characterizes most aspects of how virtual Harbin will emerge, currently, but doesn't explore in too much detail potential innovations.
'Holodecks' in Second Life are much more realistic than the current, somewhat cartoon-esque 'style' of SL. ....
*
The Making of Virtual Harbin Hot Springs as Ethnographic Field Site in Second Life and Open Simulator - by Scott MacLeod in April 2009
Aphilo Scott MacLeod Virtual Harbin Introduction Apr 09
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nhvcHw54GE
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/wilderness-bliss-prehistory-of-virtual.html - August 22, 2010)
... Since OpenSim shares the same library of assets with Second Life, it's possible to connect the two virtual worlds via their grids.
Another prehistory of virtual Harbin in Second Life took form in the 14 minute, ethnographic Machinima I created in 2009 to characterize how the building of virtual Harbin works. One definition of Machinima is “a video of virtual world, particularly Second Life, action; it's a kind of 'machine animation.'” In “The Making of Harbin Hot Springs as Ethnographic Field Site in Second Life and Open Simulator” machinima, two avatars in a pool of water in the “Gardens of Bliss,” a beautiful 'build' (Second Life 'builds' can be creations of virtual terrain, in this instance made to resemble a mountain path with pools of water along the way), that no longer exists talk about Harbin Hot Springs as virtual field site and how to make it, and explore Second Life to see how this would work. With clothes on, Aphilo Aarde talks to Lizzy about how virtual Harbin will be built, and work, in Second Life as a field site. 'Builds' in Second Life can be constructed and taken down very quickly, and most builds allow most avatars to visit them, even if they didn't build them, so the making of virtual Harbin could happen very quickly. These two avatars then fly out over the, almost Yosemite-like, beautiful valley, constructed by Luna Bliss out of prims, or primitives, which are geometric shapes the size of which the builder can 'program,' and onto which the builder can add texture or color, to make, for example, this mountain terrain. This “Making of Harbin Hot Springs as Ethnographic Field Site” machinima characterizes most aspects of how virtual Harbin will emerge, currently, but doesn't explore in too much detail potential innovations.
'Holodecks' in Second Life are much more realistic than the current, somewhat cartoon-esque 'style' of SL. ....
*
The Making of Virtual Harbin Hot Springs as Ethnographic Field Site in Second Life and Open Simulator - by Scott MacLeod in April 2009
Aphilo Scott MacLeod Virtual Harbin Introduction Apr 09
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nhvcHw54GE
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/wilderness-bliss-prehistory-of-virtual.html - August 22, 2010)
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Anteater: Measured the actual Harbin Gate House, With permission of American Anthropologist editor, Built Harbin Gatehouse on Anteater Isl
Harbin ethnography:
... Around the same time (March 2, 2008 journal entry), I was measuring some buildings and parts of the actual Harbin pool area (in the 'steps'/'pace' unit of measurement), to later translate into OpenSim.
Around this time, I measured the actual Harbin Gate House in some detail, and with Tom Boellstorff's permission, the editor of American Anthropologist as well as the person responsible for the AAA's virtual island called Anteater Island, and built the beginnings of the virtual Harbin gatehouse – as virtual island gatehouse - on Anteater island, with the intention of inviting virtual Harbin visitors to travel from this virtual island to wherever I would have built virtual Harbin, - either in OpenSim or in Second Life, or both. Since OpenSim shares the same library of assets with Second Life, it's possible to connect the two virtual worlds via their grids.
Another prehistory of virtual Harbin in Second Life took form in the 14 minute, ethnographic Machinima I created in 2009 to characterize how the building of virtual Harbin works. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/anteater-measured-actual-harbin-gate.html - August 21, 2010)
... Around the same time (March 2, 2008 journal entry), I was measuring some buildings and parts of the actual Harbin pool area (in the 'steps'/'pace' unit of measurement), to later translate into OpenSim.
Around this time, I measured the actual Harbin Gate House in some detail, and with Tom Boellstorff's permission, the editor of American Anthropologist as well as the person responsible for the AAA's virtual island called Anteater Island, and built the beginnings of the virtual Harbin gatehouse – as virtual island gatehouse - on Anteater island, with the intention of inviting virtual Harbin visitors to travel from this virtual island to wherever I would have built virtual Harbin, - either in OpenSim or in Second Life, or both. Since OpenSim shares the same library of assets with Second Life, it's possible to connect the two virtual worlds via their grids.
Another prehistory of virtual Harbin in Second Life took form in the 14 minute, ethnographic Machinima I created in 2009 to characterize how the building of virtual Harbin works. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/anteater-measured-actual-harbin-gate.html - August 21, 2010)
Friday, August 20, 2010
Yosemite Fall: During this learning-to-build-time in OpenSim with Harbin in mind, I made a box which corresponded to the Harbin warm pool
Harbin ethnography:
... As a prehistory of virtual Harbin, this was an exciting event and creative moment. Here was a community of two given form by this OpenSim virtual world technology around the building of virtual Harbin using digital technologies.
During this learning-to-build-time in OpenSim, with Harbin in mind, I made a box which corresponded to the Harbin warm pool, into which, like at Harbin, many avatars could fit and soak, and filled this pool with virtual water. I eyeballed the size of this pool to correspond with Harbin's warm pool. It stood on top of virtual ground, in a knoll of rolling hills and grassy knoll-like land, very different in appearance from the actual Harbin pool area. I / my avatar, with its wobbly legs which is what avatars have in OpenSim, got in to the waters and soaked virtually. In subsequent months, working alone on my own hard drive on the virtual virtual regions making up this beginning virtual island Harbin sim, I planned out the placement of virtual Harbin, raised virtual hills, beginning to create a valley, and played around on the beginning island. However, the OpenSim tools were too rudimentary, the sim (i.e. island) too buggy, and the lack of avatars to communicate with, learn from, and ask how to do things made doing this work unfruitful. Around the same time (March 2, 2008 journal entry), I was measuring some buildings and parts of the actual Harbin pool area (in the 'steps'/'pace' unit of measurement), to later translate into OpenSim.
Around this time, I measured the actual Harbin Gate House in some detail, and with Tom Boellstorff's permission, the editor of American Anthropologist as well as the person responsible for the AAA's virtual island called Anteater Island, and built the beginnings of the virtual Harbin gatehouse – as virtual island gatehouse - on Anteater island, with the intention of inviting virtual Harbin visitors to travel from this virtual island to where I built virtual Harbin, - either in OpenSim or in Second Life. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/yosemite-fall-during-this-learning-to.html - August 20, 2010)
... As a prehistory of virtual Harbin, this was an exciting event and creative moment. Here was a community of two given form by this OpenSim virtual world technology around the building of virtual Harbin using digital technologies.
During this learning-to-build-time in OpenSim, with Harbin in mind, I made a box which corresponded to the Harbin warm pool, into which, like at Harbin, many avatars could fit and soak, and filled this pool with virtual water. I eyeballed the size of this pool to correspond with Harbin's warm pool. It stood on top of virtual ground, in a knoll of rolling hills and grassy knoll-like land, very different in appearance from the actual Harbin pool area. I / my avatar, with its wobbly legs which is what avatars have in OpenSim, got in to the waters and soaked virtually. In subsequent months, working alone on my own hard drive on the virtual virtual regions making up this beginning virtual island Harbin sim, I planned out the placement of virtual Harbin, raised virtual hills, beginning to create a valley, and played around on the beginning island. However, the OpenSim tools were too rudimentary, the sim (i.e. island) too buggy, and the lack of avatars to communicate with, learn from, and ask how to do things made doing this work unfruitful. Around the same time (March 2, 2008 journal entry), I was measuring some buildings and parts of the actual Harbin pool area (in the 'steps'/'pace' unit of measurement), to later translate into OpenSim.
Around this time, I measured the actual Harbin Gate House in some detail, and with Tom Boellstorff's permission, the editor of American Anthropologist as well as the person responsible for the AAA's virtual island called Anteater Island, and built the beginnings of the virtual Harbin gatehouse – as virtual island gatehouse - on Anteater island, with the intention of inviting virtual Harbin visitors to travel from this virtual island to where I built virtual Harbin, - either in OpenSim or in Second Life. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/yosemite-fall-during-this-learning-to.html - August 20, 2010)
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Brassica campestris: Virtual Harbin Histories, The first making of virtual Harbin as ethnographic field site took place using Open Simulator
Harbin ethnography:
... And in the course of my building of the beginnings of virtual Harbin in Open Simulator, the theft of my knapsack in San Francisco in June 2009 with the computer that had this on it, and “The Making of Harbin Hot Springs as Ethnographic Field Site in Open Simulator and Second Life” (MacLeod 2009), the history here of actually building a virtual, anthropological Harbin interactive field site, which corresponds with actual Harbin Hot Springs informs new ways of understanding virtuality, with great potential for ongoing research, as well as, especially, exploration and creation of Harbin life online.
VIRTUAL HARBIN HISTORIES
The first making of virtual Harbin Hot Springs as ethnographic field site took place using Open Simulator (OpenSim), a virtual world which shares its library of assets with Second Life, but operates on its own grid, which connects the islands together, and allows avatars to move back and forth between them. With a friend who has a background in programming and network technologies, we got together 4 regions each to make two separate islands on his computer and on my computer. From my field Notes from April 30, 2008:
“Here I am in the program OpenSim on B’s machine, and want to start building a Harbin/Harbin Hot Springs in this virtual world. Where to begin?
Curiously, I stepped into what looks like a puddle in this unformed, virtual landscape, with its water and terrain. And I jump to the sky and come down. How? I’m familiar with Second Life, and this usually doesn’t happen without the user at the keyboard doing something. Did B, on whose computer this OpenSim application is, in Massachusetts, do this? (I'm physically located near Monterey, California, when I writing this journal entry).
And how can I expeditiously make a Harbin in this simulation, and then connect it to the Multiverse/Metaverse/Second Life?
I have a regular island to build on. Do I put the warm pool in the center? Looking at Google Earth and the USGS site for topographic maps, to see the boundaries of the property. What’s my plan?
I’ve taken some snap shots of this virtual world, and it will change a lot in the weeks to come.
The potential for creation is in front of me, and I’m a little discomfited. I have a number of things to learn. There’s a grid, and I can make anything imaginable, and I’m not sure how to proceed . . .
Can I create a space, a virtual social context for loving bliss vis-Ã -vis Harbin or Harbin Warm Pools?”
This was the beginning of the first virtual Harbin, and the possibility for my avatar to be on the virtual island on B's machine via internet protocol over the web, felt a little like my experience of man's first walk on the moon to me at the time. (B had worked in mission control on space missions in the past). At this point, I had been in Second Life for a little less than two years, and had first been on B's computer on an Open Simulator virtual island on April 11, 2008, and B's skill at trouble shooting the networking, and then connecting these virtual islands made my whole experience of virtual worlds fresh, and novel. He also controlled his IP address, which was important. In many ways B and I did what computer hackers (see Himanen, The Hacker Ethic 2001) have done through the decades in making buggy, existing software work. Although, from California, my avatar walked on this virtual island on his hard drive on his computer in Massachusetts, we never took the next networking step where his avatar would walk on a virtual island on my machine. OpenSim is different from Second Life in that the virtual spaces can be hosted on your own hard drive, whereas Second Life's virtual islands, or sims, are hosted on their computer servers, and thus controlled by them. OpenSim is also relatively buggy, compared with Second Life, and, at the time, OpenSim was much buggier software with much less functionality than Second Life. As a prehistory of virtual Harbin, this was an exciting event and creative moment. Here was a community of two given form by this OpenSim virtual world technology around the building of virtual Harbin using digital technologies.
During this learning-to-build-time in OpenSim, with Harbin in mind, I made a box which corresponded to the Harbin warm pool, into which, like at Harbin, many avatars could fit and soak, and filled this pool with virtual water. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/brassica-campestris-virtual-harbin.html - August 19, 2010)
... And in the course of my building of the beginnings of virtual Harbin in Open Simulator, the theft of my knapsack in San Francisco in June 2009 with the computer that had this on it, and “The Making of Harbin Hot Springs as Ethnographic Field Site in Open Simulator and Second Life” (MacLeod 2009), the history here of actually building a virtual, anthropological Harbin interactive field site, which corresponds with actual Harbin Hot Springs informs new ways of understanding virtuality, with great potential for ongoing research, as well as, especially, exploration and creation of Harbin life online.
VIRTUAL HARBIN HISTORIES
The first making of virtual Harbin Hot Springs as ethnographic field site took place using Open Simulator (OpenSim), a virtual world which shares its library of assets with Second Life, but operates on its own grid, which connects the islands together, and allows avatars to move back and forth between them. With a friend who has a background in programming and network technologies, we got together 4 regions each to make two separate islands on his computer and on my computer. From my field Notes from April 30, 2008:
“Here I am in the program OpenSim on B’s machine, and want to start building a Harbin/Harbin Hot Springs in this virtual world. Where to begin?
Curiously, I stepped into what looks like a puddle in this unformed, virtual landscape, with its water and terrain. And I jump to the sky and come down. How? I’m familiar with Second Life, and this usually doesn’t happen without the user at the keyboard doing something. Did B, on whose computer this OpenSim application is, in Massachusetts, do this? (I'm physically located near Monterey, California, when I writing this journal entry).
And how can I expeditiously make a Harbin in this simulation, and then connect it to the Multiverse/Metaverse/Second Life?
I have a regular island to build on. Do I put the warm pool in the center? Looking at Google Earth and the USGS site for topographic maps, to see the boundaries of the property. What’s my plan?
I’ve taken some snap shots of this virtual world, and it will change a lot in the weeks to come.
The potential for creation is in front of me, and I’m a little discomfited. I have a number of things to learn. There’s a grid, and I can make anything imaginable, and I’m not sure how to proceed . . .
Can I create a space, a virtual social context for loving bliss vis-Ã -vis Harbin or Harbin Warm Pools?”
This was the beginning of the first virtual Harbin, and the possibility for my avatar to be on the virtual island on B's machine via internet protocol over the web, felt a little like my experience of man's first walk on the moon to me at the time. (B had worked in mission control on space missions in the past). At this point, I had been in Second Life for a little less than two years, and had first been on B's computer on an Open Simulator virtual island on April 11, 2008, and B's skill at trouble shooting the networking, and then connecting these virtual islands made my whole experience of virtual worlds fresh, and novel. He also controlled his IP address, which was important. In many ways B and I did what computer hackers (see Himanen, The Hacker Ethic 2001) have done through the decades in making buggy, existing software work. Although, from California, my avatar walked on this virtual island on his hard drive on his computer in Massachusetts, we never took the next networking step where his avatar would walk on a virtual island on my machine. OpenSim is different from Second Life in that the virtual spaces can be hosted on your own hard drive, whereas Second Life's virtual islands, or sims, are hosted on their computer servers, and thus controlled by them. OpenSim is also relatively buggy, compared with Second Life, and, at the time, OpenSim was much buggier software with much less functionality than Second Life. As a prehistory of virtual Harbin, this was an exciting event and creative moment. Here was a community of two given form by this OpenSim virtual world technology around the building of virtual Harbin using digital technologies.
During this learning-to-build-time in OpenSim, with Harbin in mind, I made a box which corresponded to the Harbin warm pool, into which, like at Harbin, many avatars could fit and soak, and filled this pool with virtual water. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/brassica-campestris-virtual-harbin.html - August 19, 2010)
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Lophocolea heterophylla: U.S. Chief Technology Officer at Computer History Museum, U.S. Goal to Increase Number of College Graduates, World Univ & Sch
Dear World Universitians,
I heard U.S. Chief Technology Officer speak at the Computer History Museum last night near Silicon Valley.
Aneesh Chopra is very PRO Technology, Innovation & Education, not surprisingly, and likes worlduniversity.wikia.com which we talked about afterward for about 2 minutes. I'd like to explore how he might let people know about WUaS - he's a very engaging and enthusiastic politician - as well as possibly even teach a class online, (for the time after he stops working closely with Barack Obama?) ... I'll inquire.
Another friend says: went to hear Aneesh Chopra, Obama's new CTO at CHM lastnite... smart and enthusiastic... 'policy entrepreneur' is how he defines his job.
The government is trying to increase the number of college graduates in the country, and in our brief conversation, FREE degrees seemed to have appeal to him.
This federal government is making a lot of monies available for education and technology, too.
I think it was a good meeting.
Sincerely,
Scott
*
Dear Aneesh,
It was very nice to meet you yesterday evening at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, and thank you for your fascinating presentation, as well as your promotion of information technologies in so many spheres as a policy entrepreneur.
World University and School - like Wikipedia with MIT Open Course Ware, Berkeley Webcast, and facilitating people-to-people teaching and learning - is moving toward free, online degree-granting. Here, for example, is World University & School's free PH.D. section with the free, Harvard, doctoral degree in education for 25 students in 2011 and 2012, for which any student would have to move to Cambridge, MA: http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Courses#Free_Ph.D.s WUaS. World University and School seeks to partner with great universities in multiple ways for teaching and learning content, as well. And World University and School would gladly help facilitate free, online AA degrees, for example. (As I mentioned yesterday, WUaS incorporated as a nonprofit, educational organization in California this spring, and is moving toward accreditation). Like free K-12 public education in the U.S., and the free library system here, WUaS thinks that the Executive Office of the President, and you as Chief Technology Officer, will much more readily achieve your goal of 8 million college degrees in some years by making them available on the world wide web for free, perhaps as a small experiment to begin, which is also World University & School's mission.
World University and School's wiki (editable web pages) with a course-, and eventual degree, focus, makes it unique among online, open, educational projects. And as a kind of meta-directory, WUaS has already aggregated much of the best, free, online, educational content available.
WUaS presently needs funding, with some urgency, actually.
And World University and School would also like to explore ways in which you, in your role as CTO, might let people know about WUaS. WUaS already makes so many, open, free resources available here: http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/World_University. Click through WUaS to explore all of it.
To give you an idea of how WUaS works, World University and School would also like to explore whether you personally might like to teach a class online, perhaps in preparation for a career in academia (at Harvard?) after your current career in government. World University and School makes it easy for anyone to teach a course they would like to teach to their web camera, or interactively in a virtual world, like Second Life. Here are some open, individual courses at World University and School, some taught by Harvard faculty and others taught by knowledgeable individuals: http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Courses#Individual_courses.
I found your talk inspiring yesterday evening. Let's continue the fascinating conversation you began yesterday evening at the Computer History Museum about technology and open education, by developing World University and School as a resource to help the American people, and, indeed, people around the world.
What ways would you suggest we further carry on this conversation?
Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Scott
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/lophocolea-heterophylla-us-chief.html - August 18, 2010)
I heard U.S. Chief Technology Officer speak at the Computer History Museum last night near Silicon Valley.
Aneesh Chopra is very PRO Technology, Innovation & Education, not surprisingly, and likes worlduniversity.wikia.com which we talked about afterward for about 2 minutes. I'd like to explore how he might let people know about WUaS - he's a very engaging and enthusiastic politician - as well as possibly even teach a class online, (for the time after he stops working closely with Barack Obama?) ... I'll inquire.
Another friend says: went to hear Aneesh Chopra, Obama's new CTO at CHM lastnite... smart and enthusiastic... 'policy entrepreneur' is how he defines his job.
The government is trying to increase the number of college graduates in the country, and in our brief conversation, FREE degrees seemed to have appeal to him.
This federal government is making a lot of monies available for education and technology, too.
I think it was a good meeting.
Sincerely,
Scott
*
Dear Aneesh,
It was very nice to meet you yesterday evening at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, and thank you for your fascinating presentation, as well as your promotion of information technologies in so many spheres as a policy entrepreneur.
World University and School - like Wikipedia with MIT Open Course Ware, Berkeley Webcast, and facilitating people-to-people teaching and learning - is moving toward free, online degree-granting. Here, for example, is World University & School's free PH.D. section with the free, Harvard, doctoral degree in education for 25 students in 2011 and 2012, for which any student would have to move to Cambridge, MA: http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Courses#Free_Ph.D.s WUaS. World University and School seeks to partner with great universities in multiple ways for teaching and learning content, as well. And World University and School would gladly help facilitate free, online AA degrees, for example. (As I mentioned yesterday, WUaS incorporated as a nonprofit, educational organization in California this spring, and is moving toward accreditation). Like free K-12 public education in the U.S., and the free library system here, WUaS thinks that the Executive Office of the President, and you as Chief Technology Officer, will much more readily achieve your goal of 8 million college degrees in some years by making them available on the world wide web for free, perhaps as a small experiment to begin, which is also World University & School's mission.
World University and School's wiki (editable web pages) with a course-, and eventual degree, focus, makes it unique among online, open, educational projects. And as a kind of meta-directory, WUaS has already aggregated much of the best, free, online, educational content available.
WUaS presently needs funding, with some urgency, actually.
And World University and School would also like to explore ways in which you, in your role as CTO, might let people know about WUaS. WUaS already makes so many, open, free resources available here: http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/World_University. Click through WUaS to explore all of it.
To give you an idea of how WUaS works, World University and School would also like to explore whether you personally might like to teach a class online, perhaps in preparation for a career in academia (at Harvard?) after your current career in government. World University and School makes it easy for anyone to teach a course they would like to teach to their web camera, or interactively in a virtual world, like Second Life. Here are some open, individual courses at World University and School, some taught by Harvard faculty and others taught by knowledgeable individuals: http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Courses#Individual_courses.
I found your talk inspiring yesterday evening. Let's continue the fascinating conversation you began yesterday evening at the Computer History Museum about technology and open education, by developing World University and School as a resource to help the American people, and, indeed, people around the world.
What ways would you suggest we further carry on this conversation?
Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Scott
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/lophocolea-heterophylla-us-chief.html - August 18, 2010)
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Verticillata: Fieldwork, Harbin as a kind of virtual world itself, Especially vis-a-vis its pools
Harbin ethnography:
... Harbin residents and visitors may explore this in fantastical and wondrous ways.
During the history of my actual Harbin Hot Springs' fieldwork thus far, I have found actual Harbin to be a kind of virtual world itself, especially vis-a-vis its pools, as well as its hippy-informed thinking and ways of life. My research thus extends contemporary understandings of the virtual vis-a-vis digital technologies and virtual worlds, in new directions to include sociocultural processes informed by counterculture's 'flourishing' – with free speech, for example, in 1964 in Berkeley – in the 1960s. And in the course of my building of the beginnings of virtual Harbin in Open Simulator, the theft of my knapsack in San Francisco in June 2009 with the computer that had this on it, and “The Making of Harbin Hot Springs as Ethnographic Field Site in Open Simulator and Second Life” (MacLeod 2009), the history here of actually building a virtual, anthropological Harbin interactive field site, which corresponds with actual Harbin Hot Springs informs new ways of understanding virtuality, with great potential for ongoing research, as well as, especially, exploration and creation of Harbin life online.
VIRTUAL HARBIN HISTORIES
The first making of virtual Harbin Hot Springs ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/verticillata-fieldwork-harbin-as-kind.html - August 17, 2010)
... Harbin residents and visitors may explore this in fantastical and wondrous ways.
During the history of my actual Harbin Hot Springs' fieldwork thus far, I have found actual Harbin to be a kind of virtual world itself, especially vis-a-vis its pools, as well as its hippy-informed thinking and ways of life. My research thus extends contemporary understandings of the virtual vis-a-vis digital technologies and virtual worlds, in new directions to include sociocultural processes informed by counterculture's 'flourishing' – with free speech, for example, in 1964 in Berkeley – in the 1960s. And in the course of my building of the beginnings of virtual Harbin in Open Simulator, the theft of my knapsack in San Francisco in June 2009 with the computer that had this on it, and “The Making of Harbin Hot Springs as Ethnographic Field Site in Open Simulator and Second Life” (MacLeod 2009), the history here of actually building a virtual, anthropological Harbin interactive field site, which corresponds with actual Harbin Hot Springs informs new ways of understanding virtuality, with great potential for ongoing research, as well as, especially, exploration and creation of Harbin life online.
VIRTUAL HARBIN HISTORIES
The first making of virtual Harbin Hot Springs ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/verticillata-fieldwork-harbin-as-kind.html - August 17, 2010)
Monday, August 16, 2010
Golden Shower Tree: Harbin Hot Springs itself has emerged out of the West, of California, of Philosophical & Spiritual Traditions, Avatars
Harbin ethnography:
... in what ways might new forms of ethnography emerge in relation to such developments, vis-a-vis the virtual and the actual?
Harbin Hot Springs itself, both actual and virtual, especially since 1972 when Ishvara bought the property, has emerged out of the context of Western traditions, of California, of philosophical and spiritual traditions of both West, East and all over (hippies went all over the place and explored a lot of spiritual traditions – e.g. the Goa Hippy Tribe), all of which, as narratives, give form to kinds of virtuality, as well. Prehistories of ways in which each of these trajectories informs Harbin virtuality, for individuals and groups, include, significantly, primarily hippie explorations of the spiritual on Harbin property. Multiply, 'New Age,' spiritual traditions, explored anew at Harbin, give form to new readings of the concept of avatar, which in Second Life and Open Simulator, refers to the movable figure displayed in virtual reality graphics, which represents end user who can be anywhere in the world with broadband internet access, but which, in Hindu and Buddhist traditions, is a representation of a deity, or released soul in bodily form (Apple Dictionary 2007, v. 2.0.3), which is a spiritual teacher, often depicted in the plastic arts such as painting and sculpture. Harbin Hot Springs has explored avatar-ness in so many varied hippie-informed ways since the 1960s. Another key research question includes exploring ways in which virtual Harbin avatars articulate with New Age spiritual tradition-informed avatars. Harbin residents and visitors may explore this in fantastical and wondrous ways.
During the history of my actual Harbin Hot Springs' fieldwork thus far, I have found actual Harbin to be a kind of virtual world itself, especially vis-a-vis its pools, as well as its hippy-informed thinking and ways of life. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/golden-shower-tree-harbin-hot-springs.html - August 16, 2010)
... in what ways might new forms of ethnography emerge in relation to such developments, vis-a-vis the virtual and the actual?
Harbin Hot Springs itself, both actual and virtual, especially since 1972 when Ishvara bought the property, has emerged out of the context of Western traditions, of California, of philosophical and spiritual traditions of both West, East and all over (hippies went all over the place and explored a lot of spiritual traditions – e.g. the Goa Hippy Tribe), all of which, as narratives, give form to kinds of virtuality, as well. Prehistories of ways in which each of these trajectories informs Harbin virtuality, for individuals and groups, include, significantly, primarily hippie explorations of the spiritual on Harbin property. Multiply, 'New Age,' spiritual traditions, explored anew at Harbin, give form to new readings of the concept of avatar, which in Second Life and Open Simulator, refers to the movable figure displayed in virtual reality graphics, which represents end user who can be anywhere in the world with broadband internet access, but which, in Hindu and Buddhist traditions, is a representation of a deity, or released soul in bodily form (Apple Dictionary 2007, v. 2.0.3), which is a spiritual teacher, often depicted in the plastic arts such as painting and sculpture. Harbin Hot Springs has explored avatar-ness in so many varied hippie-informed ways since the 1960s. Another key research question includes exploring ways in which virtual Harbin avatars articulate with New Age spiritual tradition-informed avatars. Harbin residents and visitors may explore this in fantastical and wondrous ways.
During the history of my actual Harbin Hot Springs' fieldwork thus far, I have found actual Harbin to be a kind of virtual world itself, especially vis-a-vis its pools, as well as its hippy-informed thinking and ways of life. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/golden-shower-tree-harbin-hot-springs.html - August 16, 2010)
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Evening Light: How to re-ignite PLAY in learning, in teaching, in idea-sharing, OPENLY? An open school?
How to re-ignite PLAY in learning, in teaching, in - dare I say - work, in idea-sharing, OPENLY? An open school? http://worlduniversity.wikia.com Here's worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Finding_/_creating_a_job_you_really_love and check out the budding Music School with jamming possibilities worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/World_University_Music_School ... Teach about this topic here at the open, free, editable WUaS.
*
A World University and School conference? And at MIT, possibly, with MIT OCW?
Great idea ... :)
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/evening-light-how-to-re-ignite-play-in.html - August 15, 2010)
*
A World University and School conference? And at MIT, possibly, with MIT OCW?
Great idea ... :)
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/evening-light-how-to-re-ignite-play-in.html - August 15, 2010)
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Goldenrod: Play with ANY ideas ... Play with poetry ... Make Music ... Check out the Poetry & (new) Haiku subjects
Play with ANY ideas ... Play with poetry ... Make Music ...
Check out the Poetry, and
(http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Poetry),
(new) Haiku subjects,
(http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Haiku)
as well as the budding Music School, at World University & Sch -
(http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Courses#Music_School)
All at http://worlduniversity.wikia.com ...
Teach a class -
Open Learning Here ....
Add some poetry :)
WUaS is a wiki (editable web pages:) with a lot of creative possibilities ... enjoy ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/goldenrod-play-with-any-ideas-play-with.html - August 14, 2010)
Check out the Poetry, and
(http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Poetry),
(new) Haiku subjects,
(http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Haiku)
as well as the budding Music School, at World University & Sch -
(http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Courses#Music_School)
All at http://worlduniversity.wikia.com ...
Teach a class -
Open Learning Here ....
Add some poetry :)
WUaS is a wiki (editable web pages:) with a lot of creative possibilities ... enjoy ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/goldenrod-play-with-any-ideas-play-with.html - August 14, 2010)
Bearberry: Philosophical Histories of Actual and Virtual, Important questions - Might virtual Harbin give rise to other actual Harbin Hot Springs?
Harbin ethnography:
... Virtual Harbin, as ethnographic field site (MacLeod 2009), and as it develops and grows, especially with new information technologies and innovative virtual world builders, will provide multiple opportunities to explore and engage related questions.
Philosophical dualism has a long history vis-a-vis materialism, and mind (C. McGinn, The Character of Mind 1982), including ideas, symbolizing and language, in the West. From Aristotle and Plato to DesCartes to contemporary philosophical expressions of dualism, such as substance dualism, to critics of dualism such as Gilbert Ryle with making fun of dualism by calling mind the 'ghost in the machine,' to sexologist John Money's view that dualism problematically informs vernacular or folk metaphysics (Money 1988: 116) in relation to sexuality. And Harbin Hot Springs explicitly explores expressions of 'oneness' (Ishvara 2002), emerging from much eastern philosophy/1960s thinking and New Age Spirituality, perhaps in response to the disjunctions from Western dualism, and the alienation of modernity, and as expressions of Harbin truth. This ethnography of actual Harbin will characterize its unique fabric of life, or 'culture,' emerging from its now nearly 40 years of history, and juxtapose it with social networks that emerge in relation to the development of virtual Harbin as ethnographic field site. This distinction between actual and virtual Harbin will both highlight the significance of plural spheres of Harbin life, as well as explore through participant observation ways in which such spheres are similar and dissimilar.
Emerging out of the context of historical examinations of the actual & the virtual (Boellstorff 2008: 34), important research questions in this history of emerging Harbin 'nowness' include the following. In what ways might virtual Harbin give rise to other actual Harbin Hot Springs in other parts of the world (similar valleys), emerging from the virtual Harbin model, or constructed, Disney-like, materially, from this, in other parts of the world? In what ways might virtual Harbin give form to new water dance forms, like Watsu (water shiatsu), perhaps in virtual space while flying (like in Second Life), which then give expression to actual therapeutic, movement practices, both in the Harbin warm pool, as well as at home, as well as, perhaps, in actual space. In what ways might we re-conceive the ontological relationships between the virtual and the actual/physical? And ethnographically, in what ways might new forms of ethnography emerge in relation to such developments, vis-a-vis the virtual and the actual?
Prehistories of this actual/virtual Harbin ethnography ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/bearberry-important-research-questions.html - August 14, 2010)
... Virtual Harbin, as ethnographic field site (MacLeod 2009), and as it develops and grows, especially with new information technologies and innovative virtual world builders, will provide multiple opportunities to explore and engage related questions.
Philosophical dualism has a long history vis-a-vis materialism, and mind (C. McGinn, The Character of Mind 1982), including ideas, symbolizing and language, in the West. From Aristotle and Plato to DesCartes to contemporary philosophical expressions of dualism, such as substance dualism, to critics of dualism such as Gilbert Ryle with making fun of dualism by calling mind the 'ghost in the machine,' to sexologist John Money's view that dualism problematically informs vernacular or folk metaphysics (Money 1988: 116) in relation to sexuality. And Harbin Hot Springs explicitly explores expressions of 'oneness' (Ishvara 2002), emerging from much eastern philosophy/1960s thinking and New Age Spirituality, perhaps in response to the disjunctions from Western dualism, and the alienation of modernity, and as expressions of Harbin truth. This ethnography of actual Harbin will characterize its unique fabric of life, or 'culture,' emerging from its now nearly 40 years of history, and juxtapose it with social networks that emerge in relation to the development of virtual Harbin as ethnographic field site. This distinction between actual and virtual Harbin will both highlight the significance of plural spheres of Harbin life, as well as explore through participant observation ways in which such spheres are similar and dissimilar.
Emerging out of the context of historical examinations of the actual & the virtual (Boellstorff 2008: 34), important research questions in this history of emerging Harbin 'nowness' include the following. In what ways might virtual Harbin give rise to other actual Harbin Hot Springs in other parts of the world (similar valleys), emerging from the virtual Harbin model, or constructed, Disney-like, materially, from this, in other parts of the world? In what ways might virtual Harbin give form to new water dance forms, like Watsu (water shiatsu), perhaps in virtual space while flying (like in Second Life), which then give expression to actual therapeutic, movement practices, both in the Harbin warm pool, as well as at home, as well as, perhaps, in actual space. In what ways might we re-conceive the ontological relationships between the virtual and the actual/physical? And ethnographically, in what ways might new forms of ethnography emerge in relation to such developments, vis-a-vis the virtual and the actual?
Prehistories of this actual/virtual Harbin ethnography ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/bearberry-important-research-questions.html - August 14, 2010)
Friday, August 13, 2010
Milkweed: Virtual Harbin's unfolding 'realness,' and thus virtuality's realness, characterized ethnographically
Harbin ethnography:
... Virtual Harbin is an expression of such technologically produced virtuality, emerging from symbolic processes in the form of digital technologies, as well as from actual Harbin's place and culture.
Virtual Harbin's unfolding 'realness,' and thus virtuality's realness, characterized ethnographically, vis-a-vis actual Harbin will emerge with study over time. In Plato's 'allegory of the cave,' an early, significant philosophical example of virtuality (see Hayles 1996b:34; Heim 1991:64, 1995:69; Hillis 1999:39; Ropolyi 2001:172; and Wark 2007, in Boellstorff 2008: 34), for example, the shadows of the puppets on the wall from the light of the fire, and from the cave opening, can be read as an allegory for the material world being a shadow of the realness of ideas or forms. [Plato cave quote: (& Lattimore?)]. In one reading of this, these dancing, shadow forms are more real than the enchained humans, who can only see in one direction, perceiving the reality of these moving forms. Similarly, idea of triangle (Boellstorff 2008: 34). The real, in the context of virtual worlds and this actual/virtual Harbin ethnography, often can refer, for example, to actual Harbin, to the Harbin valley as place, as well as to the Harbin waters, all subjectively characterized ethnographically, vis-a-vis the fabric of life, or culture, which has emerged at Harbin since the 1960s. In a Lacanian sense, the 'real' here, too, is distinct from the imaginary, the symbolic, as well as the digitally interactive. But Plato's allegory of the cave, an early, philosophical example of virtual worlds, inverts the significance of the 'real,' to lead to the presumption that the virtual, that is, the idea or the form here, subsequently informs the material (Boellstorff 2008:34). Virtual Harbin, as ethnographic field site (MacLeod 2009), and as it develops and grows, especially with new information technologies and innovative virtual world builders, will provide multiple opportunities to explore and engage related questions.
Philosophical dualism has a long history vis-a-vis materialism, and mind (C. McGinn, The Character of Mind 1982), including ideas, symbolizing and language, in the West. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/milkweed-virtual-harbins-unfolding.html - August 13, 2010)
... Virtual Harbin is an expression of such technologically produced virtuality, emerging from symbolic processes in the form of digital technologies, as well as from actual Harbin's place and culture.
Virtual Harbin's unfolding 'realness,' and thus virtuality's realness, characterized ethnographically, vis-a-vis actual Harbin will emerge with study over time. In Plato's 'allegory of the cave,' an early, significant philosophical example of virtuality (see Hayles 1996b:34; Heim 1991:64, 1995:69; Hillis 1999:39; Ropolyi 2001:172; and Wark 2007, in Boellstorff 2008: 34), for example, the shadows of the puppets on the wall from the light of the fire, and from the cave opening, can be read as an allegory for the material world being a shadow of the realness of ideas or forms. [Plato cave quote: (& Lattimore?)]. In one reading of this, these dancing, shadow forms are more real than the enchained humans, who can only see in one direction, perceiving the reality of these moving forms. Similarly, idea of triangle (Boellstorff 2008: 34). The real, in the context of virtual worlds and this actual/virtual Harbin ethnography, often can refer, for example, to actual Harbin, to the Harbin valley as place, as well as to the Harbin waters, all subjectively characterized ethnographically, vis-a-vis the fabric of life, or culture, which has emerged at Harbin since the 1960s. In a Lacanian sense, the 'real' here, too, is distinct from the imaginary, the symbolic, as well as the digitally interactive. But Plato's allegory of the cave, an early, philosophical example of virtual worlds, inverts the significance of the 'real,' to lead to the presumption that the virtual, that is, the idea or the form here, subsequently informs the material (Boellstorff 2008:34). Virtual Harbin, as ethnographic field site (MacLeod 2009), and as it develops and grows, especially with new information technologies and innovative virtual world builders, will provide multiple opportunities to explore and engage related questions.
Philosophical dualism has a long history vis-a-vis materialism, and mind (C. McGinn, The Character of Mind 1982), including ideas, symbolizing and language, in the West. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/milkweed-virtual-harbins-unfolding.html - August 13, 2010)
Circæa (C. alpina): American Friends' Service Committee - a service model with an endowment using consensus decision-making for World Univ & Sch
Dear World Universitians,
World University & School is incorporated & has the very beginnings of resources for open teaching & learning, is engaging American Friends' Service Committee (e.g. a service model with an endowment using consensus decision-making) as organizational model in moving toward free, online degree-granting. worlduniversity.wikia.com
Here's American Friends' Service Committee's Annual Report 2009, which you can download: http://afsc.org/document/building-peace-fostering-justice-annual-report-2009. AFSC's narratives of helping others here are inspiring, and these narratives highlight ways in which WUaS may characterize its foci.
The AFSC report is a model for WUaS's annual reports, as I see it. Its budget focuses on transparency (summarized on page 14). AFSC has a fairly large board (with 42 people in 2008-2009), which is something WUaS would like to head toward, - for knowledge and financial reasons. AFSC has $ 69 million in assets, with about a $15 million annual operating budget, and I admire their service focus.
AFSC is also a model for World University and School with its endowment, its practice of consensus decision-making, and its long term developing mission and organization, as a whole.
WUaS plans to mail an annual appeal around November 2010, hopefully having received tax exempt status. I've developed a fundraising letter using one of AFSC's as a basis, as well. Please let me know what you think.
The taping for Dan Kottke's "The Next Step" show went well last night in Palo Alto, I think. I'll let you know when it's posted online.
Sincerely,
Scott
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/circa-c-alpina-american-friends-service.html - August 13, 2010)
World University & School is incorporated & has the very beginnings of resources for open teaching & learning, is engaging American Friends' Service Committee (e.g. a service model with an endowment using consensus decision-making) as organizational model in moving toward free, online degree-granting. worlduniversity.wikia.com
Here's American Friends' Service Committee's Annual Report 2009, which you can download: http://afsc.org/document/building-peace-fostering-justice-annual-report-2009. AFSC's narratives of helping others here are inspiring, and these narratives highlight ways in which WUaS may characterize its foci.
The AFSC report is a model for WUaS's annual reports, as I see it. Its budget focuses on transparency (summarized on page 14). AFSC has a fairly large board (with 42 people in 2008-2009), which is something WUaS would like to head toward, - for knowledge and financial reasons. AFSC has $ 69 million in assets, with about a $15 million annual operating budget, and I admire their service focus.
AFSC is also a model for World University and School with its endowment, its practice of consensus decision-making, and its long term developing mission and organization, as a whole.
WUaS plans to mail an annual appeal around November 2010, hopefully having received tax exempt status. I've developed a fundraising letter using one of AFSC's as a basis, as well. Please let me know what you think.
The taping for Dan Kottke's "The Next Step" show went well last night in Palo Alto, I think. I'll let you know when it's posted online.
Sincerely,
Scott
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/circa-c-alpina-american-friends-service.html - August 13, 2010)
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Wild Sky Wilderness: DELICIOUS Subjects (practices, all) at World University & School
'Relaxation Response' at World Univ & Sch?
Open 'Music School' with jamming possibilities?
Eliciting 'Loving Bliss' neurophysiology?
All can be delicious ...
Search on these at worlduniversity.wikia.com - like Wikipedia with MIT OCW
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/wild-sky-wilderness-delicious-subjects.html - August 12, 2010)
Open 'Music School' with jamming possibilities?
Eliciting 'Loving Bliss' neurophysiology?
All can be delicious ...
Search on these at worlduniversity.wikia.com - like Wikipedia with MIT OCW
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/wild-sky-wilderness-delicious-subjects.html - August 12, 2010)
Koala: Virtuality, itself, in this actual/virtual Harbin ethnography, Millennial-old, sophisticated communicative processes among other species
Harbin ethnography:
... Numerous individual visions (expressions of subjectivity) of the freedom of the 1960s have given form to life at actual Harbin, as well as the information technologies of virtual Harbin. I engage a variety of these Harbin histories in this chapter.
Virtuality, itself, in the way I'm exploring it here in this actual/virtual Harbin ethnography, may have emerged at least since the development of language, possibly 150,000 – 200,000 years ago, after the evolutionary adaptation of the larynx developed (Deacon). In exploring the relationship between virtual worlds as technology and virtuality, I'd like to suggest here that the larynx itself is a (biological) technology for sound and phoneme production, which made it possible, eventually, for language, and thus symbolization, to emerge, also, in a broad sense. Hoot communication among non-human primates, as well as millennial-old, sophisticated communicative processes among other non-primate species, such as whales, dolphins, and canines, are perhaps early forms of pan-species virtuality (Deacon), made possible by the technologies of bodyminds, e.g. vocalizing and sonar processes. I draw my definition of technology from Professor Manuel Castells, who in turn draws it from Harvey Brooks, who draws his from Daniel Bell: "technologies allow people to manipulate information through replication." ('The definition of technology for this course that I use is that it's the use of scientific knowledge to specify ways of doing things in a reproducible manner.') Writing's emergence in the Tigris-Euphrates valley area (Schmandt-Besserat 2007) around 5500 years ago, represents another key technological emergence giving new form to symbolic processes, that then have effects, through narrative, on human bodyminds, virtually. Memory, too, informed by narratives, in both cultures with and without writing, as well as among other species is an expression of virtuality as I understand this concept, as well (Boellstorff 2008: 33). Virtuality is produced by the technologies of communication. Virtual Harbin is an expression of such technologically produced virtuality, emerging from symbolic processes in the form of digital technologies, as well as from actual Harbin's place and culture.
Virtual Harbin's unfolding 'realness,' and thus virtuality's realness, characterized ethnographically, vis-a-vis actual Harbin will emerge with study over time. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/koala-virtuality-itself-in-this.html - August 12, 2010)
... Numerous individual visions (expressions of subjectivity) of the freedom of the 1960s have given form to life at actual Harbin, as well as the information technologies of virtual Harbin. I engage a variety of these Harbin histories in this chapter.
Virtuality, itself, in the way I'm exploring it here in this actual/virtual Harbin ethnography, may have emerged at least since the development of language, possibly 150,000 – 200,000 years ago, after the evolutionary adaptation of the larynx developed (Deacon). In exploring the relationship between virtual worlds as technology and virtuality, I'd like to suggest here that the larynx itself is a (biological) technology for sound and phoneme production, which made it possible, eventually, for language, and thus symbolization, to emerge, also, in a broad sense. Hoot communication among non-human primates, as well as millennial-old, sophisticated communicative processes among other non-primate species, such as whales, dolphins, and canines, are perhaps early forms of pan-species virtuality (Deacon), made possible by the technologies of bodyminds, e.g. vocalizing and sonar processes. I draw my definition of technology from Professor Manuel Castells, who in turn draws it from Harvey Brooks, who draws his from Daniel Bell: "technologies allow people to manipulate information through replication." ('The definition of technology for this course that I use is that it's the use of scientific knowledge to specify ways of doing things in a reproducible manner.') Writing's emergence in the Tigris-Euphrates valley area (Schmandt-Besserat 2007) around 5500 years ago, represents another key technological emergence giving new form to symbolic processes, that then have effects, through narrative, on human bodyminds, virtually. Memory, too, informed by narratives, in both cultures with and without writing, as well as among other species is an expression of virtuality as I understand this concept, as well (Boellstorff 2008: 33). Virtuality is produced by the technologies of communication. Virtual Harbin is an expression of such technologically produced virtuality, emerging from symbolic processes in the form of digital technologies, as well as from actual Harbin's place and culture.
Virtual Harbin's unfolding 'realness,' and thus virtuality's realness, characterized ethnographically, vis-a-vis actual Harbin will emerge with study over time. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/koala-virtuality-itself-in-this.html - August 12, 2010)
Perseids: NETWORK NEUTRALITY on video-capable, handheld computers
World Univ & Sch is for everyone potentially in all 3000 - 8000 languages, especially in One Laptop Per Child countries and the developing world - and on video-capable handheld computers - so NETWORK NEUTRALITY is important (vis-a-vis the current talk of a Google-Verizon possible move away from Network Neutrality) ...
*
See, too, the FREE Harvard doctoral degree in education for 25 in 2011 and 2012 at World University and School ... worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Courses#Free_Degree_Programs ... #netneutrality
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/perseids-network-neutrality-on-video.html - August 12, 2010)
*
See, too, the FREE Harvard doctoral degree in education for 25 in 2011 and 2012 at World University and School ... worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Courses#Free_Degree_Programs ... #netneutrality
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/perseids-network-neutrality-on-video.html - August 12, 2010)
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Meteor Shower: Evening lights delight at Harbin
Evening lights delight at Harbin
Self portrait art in the restaurant,
by Harbin artist residents, illuminates
Ritual, with so many people, in the Temple,
priest-ess-ed by Afro-Canadian Harbin resident
Dance in the conference center rocks out in its different space-ness
The pools are serene & beautiful, comfortably full
Harbin is alive with people mid-week these days
Harbin bought another nearby ranch,
someone told me in the warm pool,
and there's a meeting about this, this evening.
*
The blackberriea are abundant, sweet & cool in the morning.
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/meteor-shower-evening-lights-delight-at.html - August 11, 2010)
Self portrait art in the restaurant,
by Harbin artist residents, illuminates
Ritual, with so many people, in the Temple,
priest-ess-ed by Afro-Canadian Harbin resident
Dance in the conference center rocks out in its different space-ness
The pools are serene & beautiful, comfortably full
Harbin is alive with people mid-week these days
Harbin bought another nearby ranch,
someone told me in the warm pool,
and there's a meeting about this, this evening.
*
The blackberriea are abundant, sweet & cool in the morning.
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/meteor-shower-evening-lights-delight-at.html - August 11, 2010)
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Macaque Baby in Water: Harbin Hot Spring's Community dating back to Native American use, Personhood, Virtual Harbin
Harbin ethnography:
... This tripartite schema of actual, envisioned, and digitally instantiated emerges due to virtual world representation, and differs from textual production, in that words can express fantasy, but can't create interactive representations (Packer and Jordan) that include multiple voice or typing communication (up to around 40 avatars can communicate on a virtual island in Second Life or Open Simulator, at present) on a worldwide distributed communication network.
Harbin Hot Spring's community has throughout its long history - dating back to Native American use over centuries (Klages), and in many ways since the 1960s - significantly formed in relation to its geothermally-heated waters in the place that is the Harbin valley. People have lived at actual Harbin exploring life there over years, and Harbin has thus influenced personhood, significantly, as well. As much virtual world and social networking academic research has shown, communities form in new ways around digital technologies, just as they have around material technologies through the centuries, e.g. ships, clocks, printing (Boellstorff 2008: 32). And virtual Harbin, group-built and also visited by Harbin residents as well as other visitors from around the world with internet access, gives rise to new kinds of Harbin communities. Virtual Harbin thus gives form to new technologies, influenced by actual Harbin and its waters. In other words, the social and cultural contexts of Harbin, these histories, and these milieus, influence how we humans engage Harbin. Technologies thus emerge (exclusively) from social and cultural processes, but do so, I suggest in this book, in relation to place, in this instance, that is in relation to actual / virtual Harbin Hot Springs emerging from the 1960s and countercultural processes. Numerous individual visions (expressions of subjectivity) of the freedom of the 1960s have given form to life at actual Harbin, as well as the information technologies of virtual Harbin. I engage a variety of these Harbin histories in this chapter.
Virtuality since language's emergence, possibly 150,000 – 200,000 years ago, since the evolution of the larynx (Deacon)? Before? Primate literature ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/unknown-primate-harbin-hot-springs.html - August 10, 2010)
... This tripartite schema of actual, envisioned, and digitally instantiated emerges due to virtual world representation, and differs from textual production, in that words can express fantasy, but can't create interactive representations (Packer and Jordan) that include multiple voice or typing communication (up to around 40 avatars can communicate on a virtual island in Second Life or Open Simulator, at present) on a worldwide distributed communication network.
Harbin Hot Spring's community has throughout its long history - dating back to Native American use over centuries (Klages), and in many ways since the 1960s - significantly formed in relation to its geothermally-heated waters in the place that is the Harbin valley. People have lived at actual Harbin exploring life there over years, and Harbin has thus influenced personhood, significantly, as well. As much virtual world and social networking academic research has shown, communities form in new ways around digital technologies, just as they have around material technologies through the centuries, e.g. ships, clocks, printing (Boellstorff 2008: 32). And virtual Harbin, group-built and also visited by Harbin residents as well as other visitors from around the world with internet access, gives rise to new kinds of Harbin communities. Virtual Harbin thus gives form to new technologies, influenced by actual Harbin and its waters. In other words, the social and cultural contexts of Harbin, these histories, and these milieus, influence how we humans engage Harbin. Technologies thus emerge (exclusively) from social and cultural processes, but do so, I suggest in this book, in relation to place, in this instance, that is in relation to actual / virtual Harbin Hot Springs emerging from the 1960s and countercultural processes. Numerous individual visions (expressions of subjectivity) of the freedom of the 1960s have given form to life at actual Harbin, as well as the information technologies of virtual Harbin. I engage a variety of these Harbin histories in this chapter.
Virtuality since language's emergence, possibly 150,000 – 200,000 years ago, since the evolution of the larynx (Deacon)? Before? Primate literature ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/unknown-primate-harbin-hot-springs.html - August 10, 2010)
Monday, August 9, 2010
Myriophyllum spicatum: Harbin Hot Springs since 1972, Multiple visions of 1960's, History of nowness in the pools
Harbin ethnography:
... Harbin's clothing-optionalness, its pools, its milieu, and its natural beauty significantly influence remarkable aspects of the 'Harbin experience.' (http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2008/11/bubbles-brief-history-harbin-hot.html - November 18, 2008)
Harbin Hot Springs, since 1972, has given rise to multiple visions of 1960's possibilities and hippie creativity, that emerge from a wide variety of versions of its history of nowness in the pools, many of which are forms of virtuality. This richness of vision, informed by history, has given rise to fascinating expressions of life at Harbin, too. And virtual Harbin digitally instantiates a wide variety of creative explorations of this recent Harbin history, as well, some of which may be only imagined, while others may be instantiated digitally only, but not acted out in actuality. This tripartite schema of actual, envisioned, and digitally instantiated emerges due to virtual world representation, and differs from textual production, in that words can express fantasy, but can't create interactive representations (Packer and Jordan) that include multiple voice or typing communication (up to around 40 avatars can communicate on a virtual island in Second Life or Open Simulator, at present) on a worldwide distributed communication network.
Harbin Hot Spring's community has throughout its long history - dating back to Native American use over centuries (Klages), and in many ways since the 1960s - significantly formed in relation to its geothermally-heated waters in the place that is the Harbin valley.
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/myriophyllum-spicatum-harbin-hot.html - August 9, 2010)
... Harbin's clothing-optionalness, its pools, its milieu, and its natural beauty significantly influence remarkable aspects of the 'Harbin experience.' (http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2008/11/bubbles-brief-history-harbin-hot.html - November 18, 2008)
Harbin Hot Springs, since 1972, has given rise to multiple visions of 1960's possibilities and hippie creativity, that emerge from a wide variety of versions of its history of nowness in the pools, many of which are forms of virtuality. This richness of vision, informed by history, has given rise to fascinating expressions of life at Harbin, too. And virtual Harbin digitally instantiates a wide variety of creative explorations of this recent Harbin history, as well, some of which may be only imagined, while others may be instantiated digitally only, but not acted out in actuality. This tripartite schema of actual, envisioned, and digitally instantiated emerges due to virtual world representation, and differs from textual production, in that words can express fantasy, but can't create interactive representations (Packer and Jordan) that include multiple voice or typing communication (up to around 40 avatars can communicate on a virtual island in Second Life or Open Simulator, at present) on a worldwide distributed communication network.
Harbin Hot Spring's community has throughout its long history - dating back to Native American use over centuries (Klages), and in many ways since the 1960s - significantly formed in relation to its geothermally-heated waters in the place that is the Harbin valley.
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/myriophyllum-spicatum-harbin-hot.html - August 9, 2010)
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Tidepool Sea Life: MIT Open Course Ware team with online paper in "Science Magazine" about MIT OCW, Jump into a music jam online with a friend
Here is the MIT Open Course Ware team with an online paper in the journal "Science Magazine" about MIT OCW:
d'Oliveira, Cecilia, Stephen Carson, Kate James, Jeff Lazarus. 2010. MIT OpenCourseWare: Unlocking Knowledge, Empowering Minds. 30 July. Vol. 329. no. 5991, pp. 525 - 526. Science. - http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/329/5991/525
www.webnographers.org/index.php?title=Papers#Education.2C_Open_Access_and_Internet_Ethnography .
*
The editable World University & School - worlduniversity.wikia.com like Wikipedia with MIT Open Course Ware - keeps growing.
Jump into a music jam online with a friend exploratorily via the World University Music School - worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/World_University_Music_School.
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/tidepool-sea-life-mit-open-course-ware.html - August 8, 2010)
d'Oliveira, Cecilia, Stephen Carson, Kate James, Jeff Lazarus. 2010. MIT OpenCourseWare: Unlocking Knowledge, Empowering Minds. 30 July. Vol. 329. no. 5991, pp. 525 - 526. Science. - http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/329/5991/525
www.webnographers.org/index.php?title=Papers#Education.2C_Open_Access_and_Internet_Ethnography .
*
The editable World University & School - worlduniversity.wikia.com like Wikipedia with MIT Open Course Ware - keeps growing.
Jump into a music jam online with a friend exploratorily via the World University Music School - worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/World_University_Music_School.
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/tidepool-sea-life-mit-open-course-ware.html - August 8, 2010)
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Night is starry, dark and quiet here above Canyon's redwoods, as crickets play
Night is starry, dark and quiet here above Canyon's redwoods, as crickets play
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/night-is-starry-dark-and-quiet-here.html - August 7, 2010)
Friday, August 6, 2010
Sassafras fruit: Singing in a family, non-religiously, for enjoyment and bliss elicitation? Duets, Harmony, as Metaphors, Also, for Relating
Singing in a family, non-religiously, for enjoyment and bliss elicitation? Duets, harmony, and other forms as metaphors, also, for relating {besides the pleasure}?
The singing would probably come first (or the talking?).
Someone would have to begin it, if it isn't already a practice - probably a parent - and with song books?
Which ones?
"Rise Up Singing"? Other books? Let's add these to subjects at World University and School ... :)
(Some 'religion' does offer a rich, remarkable repertoire of music). Innovation is fun ...
And how would World University and School allow people in this hypothetical family to improve their singing, and explore new avenues?
Virtual Choir at World University and School?
http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Virtual_Choir
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/sassafras-fruit-singing-in-family-non.html - August 6, 2010)
The singing would probably come first (or the talking?).
Someone would have to begin it, if it isn't already a practice - probably a parent - and with song books?
Which ones?
"Rise Up Singing"? Other books? Let's add these to subjects at World University and School ... :)
(Some 'religion' does offer a rich, remarkable repertoire of music). Innovation is fun ...
And how would World University and School allow people in this hypothetical family to improve their singing, and explore new avenues?
Virtual Choir at World University and School?
http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Virtual_Choir
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/sassafras-fruit-singing-in-family-non.html - August 6, 2010)
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Red huckleberries: Informative Talks, World Univ & Sch's FREE Video Hosting Sites, Historical Societies' Open Teaching and Learning Resources
Cáit and Cuttyhunkers,
Thanks for your informative Cuttyhunk talk today. If your father is up for it (or you:), please encourage him to post the video of your presentation to youtube.com or similar video hosting site (here are some at World University & School's FREE Educational Software subject: worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Educational_Software#Video-Streaming_Hosting_Services), and then send the link to H.G., who is the Cuttyhunk Historical Society's (cuttyhunkhistoricalsociety.org) webmaster.
And please add courses, references et al. to WUaS's History subject, if inclined: http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/History :) or anywhere else at WUaS, such as at World University and School's Historical Societies Open Teaching and Learning Resources - worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Historical_Societies_Open_Teaching_and_Learning_Resources.
There are a lot! of open resources at WUaS already.
Looking forward to keeping in touch.
Regards,
Scott
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/red-huckleberries-informative-talks.html - August 5, 2010)
Thanks for your informative Cuttyhunk talk today. If your father is up for it (or you:), please encourage him to post the video of your presentation to youtube.com or similar video hosting site (here are some at World University & School's FREE Educational Software subject: worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Educational_Software#Video-Streaming_Hosting_Services), and then send the link to H.G., who is the Cuttyhunk Historical Society's (cuttyhunkhistoricalsociety.org) webmaster.
And please add courses, references et al. to WUaS's History subject, if inclined: http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/History :) or anywhere else at WUaS, such as at World University and School's Historical Societies Open Teaching and Learning Resources - worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Historical_Societies_Open_Teaching_and_Learning_Resources.
There are a lot! of open resources at WUaS already.
Looking forward to keeping in touch.
Regards,
Scott
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/red-huckleberries-informative-talks.html - August 5, 2010)
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Locust tree: Chapter 2 - Histories of Harbin
Harbin ethnography:
... Actual and virtual Harbin contrast as that which is place-based and that which is digitally mediated as multimedia (Packer and Jordan 2001) as name and representation of place and culture.
Chapter 2: History
Prehistories of Harbin: From actual to virtual – Histories of Harbin – A personal Harbin history – Histories of Harbin research - Challenges of Developing a Virtual Harbin and Writing this Harbin ethnography - Harbin as dream, ethnographically, in actuality.
Harbin Hot Springs is a nonprofit hot springs retreat and workshop center in Lake County in northern California, near the wine-producing Napa Valley region, about 2 hours northeast of the San Francisco Bay Area. Significantly influenced in its current form by the 1960s and 1970s, Robert Hartley (AKA Ishvara), its founder who still lives on property, bought the land in 1972 to be a Gestalt Center with hot springs. Sold to Heart Consciousness Church (H.C.C.) in 1975, Harbin is also a kind of visionary, hippie commune where 150-180 residents live and operate the retreat center for visitors from all over the world. Harbin's New Age Church of Being (NACOB) was incorporated in 1996. Harold Dull and the Water Dance Family created and developed Watsu (water shiatsu) and Waterdance, two new forms of water dance movement therapy, at Harbin. Located on 1700 acres, much of which lies in a beautiful, remote valley, Harbin is a leading expression of the 'New Age,' and attracts an eclectic and colorful variety of visitors and residents. Harbin's clothing-optionalness, its pools, its milieu, and its natural beauty significantly influence remarkable aspects of the 'Harbin experience' (http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2008/11/bubbles-brief-history-harbin-hot.html - November 18, 2008).
Harbin Hot Springs, since 1972, has given rise to multiple visions of 1960's possibilities and hippie creativity, that emerge from a wide variety of versions of its history of nowness in the pools, many of which are forms of virtuality. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/locust-tree-chapter-2-histories-of.html - August 4, 2010)
... Actual and virtual Harbin contrast as that which is place-based and that which is digitally mediated as multimedia (Packer and Jordan 2001) as name and representation of place and culture.
Chapter 2: History
Prehistories of Harbin: From actual to virtual – Histories of Harbin – A personal Harbin history – Histories of Harbin research - Challenges of Developing a Virtual Harbin and Writing this Harbin ethnography - Harbin as dream, ethnographically, in actuality.
Harbin Hot Springs is a nonprofit hot springs retreat and workshop center in Lake County in northern California, near the wine-producing Napa Valley region, about 2 hours northeast of the San Francisco Bay Area. Significantly influenced in its current form by the 1960s and 1970s, Robert Hartley (AKA Ishvara), its founder who still lives on property, bought the land in 1972 to be a Gestalt Center with hot springs. Sold to Heart Consciousness Church (H.C.C.) in 1975, Harbin is also a kind of visionary, hippie commune where 150-180 residents live and operate the retreat center for visitors from all over the world. Harbin's New Age Church of Being (NACOB) was incorporated in 1996. Harold Dull and the Water Dance Family created and developed Watsu (water shiatsu) and Waterdance, two new forms of water dance movement therapy, at Harbin. Located on 1700 acres, much of which lies in a beautiful, remote valley, Harbin is a leading expression of the 'New Age,' and attracts an eclectic and colorful variety of visitors and residents. Harbin's clothing-optionalness, its pools, its milieu, and its natural beauty significantly influence remarkable aspects of the 'Harbin experience' (http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2008/11/bubbles-brief-history-harbin-hot.html - November 18, 2008).
Harbin Hot Springs, since 1972, has given rise to multiple visions of 1960's possibilities and hippie creativity, that emerge from a wide variety of versions of its history of nowness in the pools, many of which are forms of virtuality. ...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/locust-tree-chapter-2-histories-of.html - August 4, 2010)
Hardhack: Green Energy, the Catamaran 'Arabella,' a model of very low emissions, public, ocean transportation, Cuttyhunk's Windmill in the 70s
The "Arabella," a passenger, catamaran, sail boat from Martha's Vineyard to Cuttyhunk Island in southeastern Massachusetts worked for decades, was a successful small business, and is a model of very low emissions public transportation suitable for traveling between Cuttyhunk, the Vineyard Sound and Buzzard's Bay, Boston even, as well as many places around the world.
And Cuttyhunk's windmill which was built around 1977 and stood for decades could have worked for clean energy generation ... but the hook up and storage of wind-generated electricity were too expensive at the time.
And people walk on Cuttyhunk a lot - which generates wellbeing - as well as travel in golf carts (and the electric ones could be charged from wind-generated energy.
All are great models for what is possible on and around Cuttyhunk, as well as in many other places around the globe.
And Cuttyhunk Island is also a kind of model for thinking about the local - place - and energy autonomy.
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/hardhack-green-energy-catamaran.html - August 4, 2010)
And Cuttyhunk's windmill which was built around 1977 and stood for decades could have worked for clean energy generation ... but the hook up and storage of wind-generated electricity were too expensive at the time.
And people walk on Cuttyhunk a lot - which generates wellbeing - as well as travel in golf carts (and the electric ones could be charged from wind-generated energy.
All are great models for what is possible on and around Cuttyhunk, as well as in many other places around the globe.
And Cuttyhunk Island is also a kind of model for thinking about the local - place - and energy autonomy.
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/hardhack-green-energy-catamaran.html - August 4, 2010)
Sweet-scented life-everlasting: The waters were warm at Jetty Beach yesterday, wonderfully relaxing & nearly as warm as the Harbin heart pool.
The waters were warm at Jetty Beach yesterday, wonderfully relaxing & nearly as warm as the Harbin heart pool, with lovely sand underfoot.
Friends sat in the little sail boat talking, as one swam off the boat to shore, rousted some Terns unexpectedly, & then swam back, and then did this again, this time with his boy on father's back.
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/sweet-scented-life-everlasting-waters.html - August 4, 2010)
Friends sat in the little sail boat talking, as one swam off the boat to shore, rousted some Terns unexpectedly, & then swam back, and then did this again, this time with his boy on father's back.
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/sweet-scented-life-everlasting-waters.html - August 4, 2010)
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
cricket voices sing cool evening to the nearby ocean
cricket voices sing
cool evening
to the nearby ocean
.jpg)
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/cricket-voices-sing-cool-evening-to.html - August 3, 2010)
Monday, August 2, 2010
Bidens Beckii: Harbin culture vis-a-vis representation, simulation, fiction and design to move toward an anthropology of actual and virtual Harbin
Harbin ethnography:
... Harbin ethnography:
... In chapter 8, on political economy, I examine this business emerging from the 1960's and early 1970's counterculture, Northern California as political economy, money, property, governance, and life in the Harbin Valley.
In Part III of this ethnography on virtual Harbin, I explore Harbin as a virtual world. In chapter 9, I explore Harbin culture at virtual Harbin, virtual Harbin residents, vis-a-vis questions of representation, simulation, fiction and design to move toward an anthropology of actual and virtual Harbin. In chapter 10, on virtuality and Harbin, I examine Harbin as a kind of unfolding hippie vision apart from history.
In conclusion, actual, on-the-ground, 'real' Harbin's countercultural, pool-centric milieu informs virtual Harbin's developing digital milieu. The pools reshape questions of ethnographic 'field work' into pool work. Sociocultural anthropological questions, emerging from this discipline, are most helpful in seeking to understand and interpret Harbin Hot Springs today, ethnographically. Actual and virtual Harbin contrast as that which is place-based and that which is digitally mediated as multimedia (Packer and Jordan) as name and representation of place and culture.
Chapter 2: History
Prehistories of Harbin: From actual to virtual – Histories of Harbin – A personal Harbin history – Histories of Harbin research - Challenges of Developing a Virtual Harbin and Writing this Harbin ethnography - Harbin as dream, ethnographically, in actuality.
...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/bidens-beckii-harbin-culture-vis-vis.html - August 2, 2010)
... Harbin ethnography:
... In chapter 8, on political economy, I examine this business emerging from the 1960's and early 1970's counterculture, Northern California as political economy, money, property, governance, and life in the Harbin Valley.
In Part III of this ethnography on virtual Harbin, I explore Harbin as a virtual world. In chapter 9, I explore Harbin culture at virtual Harbin, virtual Harbin residents, vis-a-vis questions of representation, simulation, fiction and design to move toward an anthropology of actual and virtual Harbin. In chapter 10, on virtuality and Harbin, I examine Harbin as a kind of unfolding hippie vision apart from history.
In conclusion, actual, on-the-ground, 'real' Harbin's countercultural, pool-centric milieu informs virtual Harbin's developing digital milieu. The pools reshape questions of ethnographic 'field work' into pool work. Sociocultural anthropological questions, emerging from this discipline, are most helpful in seeking to understand and interpret Harbin Hot Springs today, ethnographically. Actual and virtual Harbin contrast as that which is place-based and that which is digitally mediated as multimedia (Packer and Jordan) as name and representation of place and culture.
Chapter 2: History
Prehistories of Harbin: From actual to virtual – Histories of Harbin – A personal Harbin history – Histories of Harbin research - Challenges of Developing a Virtual Harbin and Writing this Harbin ethnography - Harbin as dream, ethnographically, in actuality.
...
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/bidens-beckii-harbin-culture-vis-vis.html - August 2, 2010)
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Cordyceps: In what ways might we listen to music, etc., and experience changes in bodymind neurophysiology to elicit loving bliss?
In what ways might we listen to music, see something beautiful, etc., and experience these, such that, with awareness, our own bodymind's neurophysiology changes, and so that we might also elicit qualities of loving bliss, for example?
What 'inputs' (I hypothesize sometimes that our bodyminds are input/output systems, just as computers are input / output systems which run programs) and what kinds of awareness, can get us there {to qualities of the neurophysiology of loving bliss} as individuals?
I find the relaxation response {relaxationresponse.org/steps} helps release me in ways that sometimes opens possibilities for receptivity to such loving bliss neurophysiology, which occasionally bubbles up. I'm looking for, but haven't found the metaphorical 'cello bow stroke' to elicit loving bliss, when and as one wants these qualities, as a focus of inquiry, about which I'm interested in coming into conversation.
How might one do this as an individual in the context of evolutionary biology, and by thinking through various approaches.
Here's one approach:
scottmacleod.com/GuidelinesPracticingLovingBlissvavMusicalInstrument.htm
*
Exploring the above, what's the 'chamber music' of being in love?
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/cordyceps-in-what-ways-might-we-listen.html - August 1, 2010)
What 'inputs' (I hypothesize sometimes that our bodyminds are input/output systems, just as computers are input / output systems which run programs) and what kinds of awareness, can get us there {to qualities of the neurophysiology of loving bliss} as individuals?
I find the relaxation response {relaxationresponse.org/steps} helps release me in ways that sometimes opens possibilities for receptivity to such loving bliss neurophysiology, which occasionally bubbles up. I'm looking for, but haven't found the metaphorical 'cello bow stroke' to elicit loving bliss, when and as one wants these qualities, as a focus of inquiry, about which I'm interested in coming into conversation.
How might one do this as an individual in the context of evolutionary biology, and by thinking through various approaches.
Here's one approach:
scottmacleod.com/GuidelinesPracticingLovingBlissvavMusicalInstrument.htm
*
Exploring the above, what's the 'chamber music' of being in love?
(http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2010/08/cordyceps-in-what-ways-might-we-listen.html - August 1, 2010)
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