Let’s stomp out these ugly reports comrades …

It is easy to blame only the evil communist in China for all the censorship and blatant disregard for Tibet’s Freedom.

But Chinese Nationalism is as rampant as the state controlled suppression of the Tibetans. One only needs to remember the extreme rage against the Japanese during the last years. Japan has a lot to apologize for to China and Korea - and never has done so - so some of the outrage was “just”. But it was mostly insanely angry and fueled by Nationalism instead by a call for justice.

Chinese people - like the Russians, Iranians and North Koreans - live in a mental vacuum. They have no real news, only glints of reality and they don’t really know what’s going on in the world. Freedom of speech, public discourse and social experiments are absolutely limited and controlled by the state.

That is why many Chinese people defend their countries “actions” in Tibet as “just” and “fair” on the intranets. They are simply blind and ignorant. Patriotism is an ugly political disease, doesn’t matter if you scream “China! China!”, “USA! USA!” or “Heil Hitler!”.

Stage6.com has been killed. It was the best video site so far, because it over high-quality viewing (based on the great DIVX codec) and - let’s be honest - tons of excellent pirated stuff.

What attracted me was the fore mentioned quality and many great user groups full with documentaries and arty stuff. It’s all gone now. So I have to do some housekeeping and delete the video links on my blog as well.

Goodbye Stage6 - you will be missed.

PS: I am pretty sure all that stuff will come back on another site.

Another excellent documentation from Frontline (which you can view online). This time about the first generation (of Americans) who grew up with the Internet, cell phones and computer games.

It covers all important topics: the ‘Always-on’ generation, ego surfing with MySpace and other sites, the new global ‘we’, web slutism, stalking and cyber bullying.

Highly recommended - even if you don’t have kids - because it gives you a better understanding in the psyche of the coming generation and the impact of technology on our society.

Homemade video, talking … or rather singing to youself and the world. Perfect! Geo’s song "The Assumption" from the album Interrobang.

Thanks Edosan.

It is amazing how much Kitsch animations like that are on the web. I can understand when a little girl likes such crap, but when so called grown up woman indulges in such little dream worlds it becomes a case for a therapist.

Still waiting for your knight in shining armor too?

After many years if waiting and technical development video is finally sweeping the Internets. It’s not just download little bits here and there, but massive streaming, downloading complete movies and ‘blogcasting’. We are used to get small video clips in our emails or watch important as well as ‘funny’ stuff via Websites like Crooks & Liars as well as YouTube.

The BlogCasting is a sort of Clip-O-Mania which has also grabbed the mainstream media’s attention: news shows include Internet clips as well as those many funny video shows. Videos of people torturing each other were cell phone videos, a lot of ‘funny’ stuff is from cheap camcorders. The video revolution is in full swing.

Since the medium is still part of the message those short clips will only ‘deepen’ the short attention deficit disorder of modern people. Since the introduction of mass media in form of TV and radio the speed and visual presentation of ‘content’ has increased. If you watch a newscast or report from the 1960’s you be surprised how slow and static it is. Today’s presentation hardly leaves any space for thinking. Everything is presented in ever faster image sequences, booming voices and action music. This is no longer just the stupid idea of edutainment, but actiontainment.

The faster, the more impressive and the shorter - the better.

A new generation of clones taking over the world!

Similar to the inability of many modern students to understand or write complex texts this will Clip-O-Mania will contribute to the ignorance of complexity. Contrary to popular believe I say that modern youngsters are NOT stupid, but they simply lack the training and challenges to train their brains to ’solve’ complex mental tasks as well to train patience.

As much as I like gaming myself almost ALL digital adventures only train a very limited set of challenges, which only get harder with every level but not more diversified or complex. The effects of hours of videogaming are very similar to brainwashing, because the same mental paths / messages are hammered deeper and deeper into the brain. Playing is meant to explore different approaches and experiment with different combinations. Videogames lack the variety - they present a very limited set of elements and solutions - under a huge pressure to proceed and win. Similar to the speedculture of actiontainment and videoclubs there is little time and mental space left to develop your own ideas and grow at your own pace.

Slowness has it’s own merits as well as patience and complexity.

Newspapers have a hard time in the digital age. The readership numbers are sinking while the Internet sucks away their audience. Will they die?

TV and Radio already were serious competitions - why didn’t these inventions kill off the Newspapers a long time ago? Because there was still some space left for newspapers to fill.

But the real killer of Newspaper is their own ignorance. They - like the Recording Industry - ignored all the predictions and than trends way too long. Instead of going with the changed market they tried to fight it.

Today the they are all online: New York Times, Telegraph, L.A. Times, International Herald Tribune and The Independent. Most of these online editions are brilliant - constantly experimenting with new ways to report and engage the readers - something that was long forgotten in the print editions.

But competing with the information overkill on the net is hard. Buying several international newspapers is cumbersome and sometimes hard to do. But on the web the they all compete just a mouse click away from each other.

I often prefer newspaper website over other news sites like from TV channels (like CNN or MSNBC - and even the BBC). Their reporting is often deeper, their writers provide smarter and better commentaries. I would only compare Keith Olbermann as the only TV journalist able to write and perform longer commentaries that can match most print essayists.

The Revolution of the Bloggers has shown that people want good writers on the net. But they also want interaction and community style feedback loops. If newspapers can find their way back to their audiences they should survive in the 21st century …

The Internet is Dante’s new inferno - a Hell Hole without escape. We will never be able to watch all videos on YouTube, click all Stumbles, dig all links on Digg and enjoy all the Billion image on Flickr … not to speak of terabytes of terabytes of links that haven’t been officially classified as cool.

So is your thirst for more only a hunger for entertainment, stimulation for your own thoughts or simply boredom?

Overall a dedicated surfer will encounter the same topics, meme and styles again and again. How many cute dogs will really touch you? How many times do you want to read that George Bush is a disaster? How many times do you want to see mad people filming themselves doing funny, but stupid things?

Are we all became pavlovian Dogs - reacting with the right reflexes? With a nice ‘Awwww’ for the nice doggy. With a ‘Buuuh’ for stupid politicians. With a ‘Cooooool, Dude!’ when people try to kill themselves in a entertaining way.

You are not what you click, you are what you do.

Do something real.

The Internet is all about communication. It’s first great breakthroughs were eMail, Chats and Newsgroups - places and mechanism for people to talk to each other, share stories and moments. The Web - with it’s rich multimedia mix of text, images, animations videos and loads of interaction came later.

The first Internet years were pure ‘Text’ - no fancy graphics, no weird interfaces, no flash movies. It was a writers paradise - and boy did people work that keyboard. That is why all those handy acronyms were invented in the first place - because they were used a lot and people got sick and tired of typing it all out. It was intended to speed up the conversation and develop some simple forms of ‘communication blocks and codes’ to ritualize reoccurring situations like ‘ROFL’ or ‘ttyl’.

eMail and chats were already different from formal letters and meeting in the office. But people tried to keep grammar, expression and context intact. It was fascinating to exchange loads of text & context in real time or almost instantly. eMail was like a speed drug for communication and brainstorming. Communication processes that often took days and weeks could be shortened to seconds, minutes or just a few hours. Brains were on fire.

This trend was pushed even further with the cell phone revolution and the invention of the web - which brought texting and web surfing to the masses. Further down the road broadband and multimedia transformed the pure ‘text-only’ online cosmos into a ‘disney-compatible consumer experience’.

Happiness is more then just an emoticon …

Websurfers and companies alike tried to make it short and sweet. Online portals developed the art of content management and squeezing as much tiny headlines and articles on their homepages. Instant messaging and texting on cell phones was the next craze - conversations were chopped up into even smaller bits. The old text emoticons were immediately translated into graphical ones - and a flood of new acronyms and Internet ‘talk’ took over the world.

The use of acronyms and rituals become even deeper entrenched in Internet communication - and it swapped over into the mainstream. Suddenly you could see web URLs in advertising and Internet slang jumped into ‘meatspace’.

But it also ritualized the always on lifestyle and communication even further. Sending jokes, images, videos, URLs or short blurbs became a substitute for describing yourself, your emotions or what you had experienced in YOUR OWN WORDS. Instead of self expression we used ‘blocks of code’ or ‘canned emotions’ to reflect ourselves - but not EXPRESSING our own state of mind.

I love your pixelation!

Instead of encouraging someone with a personal note - we send a picture of a cute doggy. Instead of saying how we feel about a sad moment with some nuances we send a sad emoticon. Instead of describing our vacation to our friends we send them a link of our Flickr gallery of snaps without context.

In all these cases we get shorter and shorter in our self expression. By breaking up complex situations or moments into simple symbols or unrelated bits we loose the complexity. The complexity of what has happened. The complexity of what we think and feel about it. And the complexity of different layers of self expression. Instead of many colour we mix ourselves with words, sentences, long expression - we use static rubberstamps of self expression. Easy and simple to use - but limited in their emotional and mental range - and shallow compared what really might be inside of you.

When you are on MySpace Google will make sure you have no privacy … 

Especially the new world of social networking is ’shrtr’. Instead of messages you send ‘funny’ games or emoticons. Instead of telling a person you like them or you ignore them you ‘rate’ them by giving them stars or declaring them your friend. Symbolism over true friendly dedication or exchange. Instead of socializing we extend our social networks by inviting the highest ranking and rated members of the database. Instead of getting to know someone and exchanging personal stories we explore their personal links, lists of favorite websites and online galleries - plus we Google their names and see if something nasty comes up.

It is no longer about what you have to say and what you are - it’s all about the right links, ranking and cool ’statement blocks’ others can recognize as greatness. You link the right political articles on your blog or stumble, you know the funniest videos, one big celebrity is your friend on MySpace.

I have friends - therefore I am! 

The art and exploration of yourself through self expression and deep thoughts has been substituted by the cleverness of self linking and self promoting. The Google PageRank of your homepage, profile or profile has become a social indicator.

The art of making friends with your personality and what you have to say and stand for. Instead of exploring one’s own inner world and building it by thinking and expressing it - we only reflect only tiny aspects of our self via links, phrases and other people’s work like videos and images.

The modern phrase and lifestyle statement ‘express yourself’ - which can be seen in so many commercials and new age books - is a challenge. It is hard work and it is a personal and social effort to express yourself, to understand yourself, to think for yourself and define yourself.

A complex personality and emotional depth can only come from complex self expression. You are the builder of your self …

Dedicated to Judefa - who inspired me to write this.

Here Americans can leave an apology for the rest of the world. Some of these statements may break your heart or boil your blood with anger. Most of the time I want to give these people a hug and tell them it’s all just a bad dream - but it isn’t.

I only hope that this mousetivism will result in some political action as well?

More? www.sorryaboutourpresident.com

Ppostsecret.blogspot.com is now an established fixture of the globally shared net psyche. It is amazing - it opened the floodgates for endless confessions. Lurkers come to read emotional porn, dark and funny secrets of others - while the ’sinners’ try to lighten their burden by sharing some secrets of their existence.

Good thing it has already turned in a book - so the makers can rip off so money from the social porn. Secrets are no secret today - not for the media exhibitionists and web heads all around us.

Thanks to RichM for sending this one.

Most companies just want to create a caring, green and socially responsible image. But FreeRice.com is so much better: it’s basically a word game to win something for the poor.

For each word you guess correct they donate 10 grains of rice. Doesn’t sound much - but so far it has been enough to feed 50.000 people for one day (see totals so far here).

I also like the educational effect for the ‘rich’ people. You get to train your brain and expand your vocabulary. Excellent!

Companies should support more ideas like that. And donating has hardly been more easier and fun than this …

When you visit this gallery - it might freak you out in some ways. It is simply strange to a western mind to which extend Japanese fans and otakus jump into your fantasies and passions. Dressing up as a Manga character is a strange thing indeed, especially if guys are doing this.

But masks and masquerades have strong traditions in many societies. Also gender changes are nothing unusual in Carnival and Fasching.

Also androgynous looks and behavior have become mainstream since the early 1980’s - and also trends like the metrosexual guys are blurring traditional lines.

So yes, it new and strange - but it’s also an old thing and not unusual.

More? Sabrina.jp

I am a proud polit-blogger, listen to me …

Thanks to blogging finally everybody has it’s little media outlet. Media democracy at least - so it seems. Time to celebrate? Nope. Overall you just find more of the same instead of a greater variety of ideas, reflections and inspiration.

Tribalism

First and all people love to form tribes and hordes - the liberal bloggers, the conservative bloggers, the gay bloggers, the farting bloggers. Stickers and links are the new medals and flags of the blogosphere.

Conformists

It is amazing how conform each tribe reports and argues it’s cases. It’s like the Reagan’s trickle down economy in the blogosphere. The A-list bloggers and media outlets fill the pot and it all trickles down to the lower sites. With each report, trackback and linkback the actual facts get more and more distorted - and more and more blabla added.

Hate

Even more amazing is the spiral of hate and anger that seems to drive the battle. Comments and actual postings are often full of profanity as well as insults and personal attacks. I can understand this confronting political figures - which one can’t touch. But how about some respect for your fellow blogger? So much about civilized discussions and cooperation.

Aimless

Polit bloggers are way to willing to continue dogmas and phrases. Instead of controlling and checking political agendas and programs they loose track of their own interests as voters. Instead of a war of ideas any society should concentrate on finding the best solution. So what happened to common sense and consensus?

Nothing is left alive …

Overall polit bloggers remind me of several different ant armies - aggressively devouring anything in their way down to the bones. Very short sighted, very selfish, very hysterical. Therefore they fulfil a role in the political ecosystem: to ‘check’ for errors and take away the garbage.

But so far I have only seen a few blogs of ‘enlightenment’, who add something to the process apart from word wrestling and dogmatic masturbation.

Image: The great Eadweard Muybridge

Real kids should have real campfires. It’s much more fun. And real geeks will always prefer staying at home.

Just in case you can’t show off your muscular body or titties or penis or butt … there is always your Turban - groar!

RateMyTurban.com - endless ours of fun.

Is this a joke? Sadly it isn’t.

I already find the concept of real life speed dating pretty horrid: you meet in a big crowd in a restaurant and each person gets a few minute to introduce themselves to the next person. Then the guys rotate to another place and the next round of speedy first impressions starts …

Now you’ll do it all over the net or just leave a video resume via webcam. I presume having sex and splitting up is also done via a cool web interface?

I am no stranger to Internet dating myself, but I am afraid that people get more excited about all the tech and the huge ’selection’ of partners - instead of really getting into making new friends and dedicating some time to getting to know someone better.

Friendship takes time. Relationships even longer. There is no such thing as speed as for good love or lovemaking. Only mental mouseturbation works well with speed …

I am so glad that these CompuServe Avatars never set the standard for all future chat programs.

I think mass media rightfully portrays the net as full of pr0n. Usually the discussion centers around porn mongers, porn sellers, porn buyers, pedophiles and sexual predators - mostly male and eager to get the easy kick.

But who talks of webbased sluttism like ‘flickr’s finest females‘, suicidegirls.com and those many webcam whores? These - often very young girls and woman - are not forced by pimps or poverty to sell themselves. Many do it for personal kicks and some extra luxury money.

All the old concepts of pornography and prostitution fail when confronted with webbased slutism: there is no physical contact involved, the woman do it themselves, there is a lot of technology involved and so much of it is for free or very little money for the buyers. Most interesting of all is the female networking: woman recommending other ’slut friends’ or running whole networks all by themselves.

As much as I am for a liberated sexuality and female empowerment but often unlimited ‘hotness’ smells of stupidity and a very egoistic, greedy or even obsessed mindset. And you hardly can call that liberated, but rather a case for serious therapy.

Everybody can be famous with a good ‘leaked’ porn video.

I also have noticed a growing social pressure for web exhibitionism for young people (MySpace.com is only the current tip of the iceberg). Many online communities and single sites over the years have developed into ‘hot zones’ instead of ‘just’ social meeting places. I guess ‘leaked’ videos by big stars like Pamela Anderson, Paris Hilton and absolute nobodies like ‘Tammy‘.

I guess the sexual revolution is not eating it’s children, but well connected grandchildren. The pressure to public slutism, to look cool and sexy and do horny stuff has risen to new levels. Slutism on the web or mass media are hard to ignore, neither are the gazillion of young girls who get plastic surgery at an alarmingly early age.

Sexuality should be explored, but it should be a personal and intimate thing. Especially when you are young. So ladies go and explore yourself and your talents, but don’t ‘bless’ the rest of the web with it.

More? Love the spoof Paris Hilton Video

I use Wikipedia on a daily basis - so I donated €50 today to keep this brilliant source of shared knowledge working. I think this is one of the few web projects that appeals to everyone - so I ask you humbly to donate some of your hard earned cash to keep it running as well.

Wikipedia is an open and very international effort with a huge infrastructure behind it (servers that eat a lot of bandwidth). Although many companies support Wikipedia as well - it’s still down to us mere mortals to keep the torch of knowledge burning, either by participation or donation.

Bitte donate some of your money as well! 

Vielen Dank my friends.

Since 2000 there has been an explosion of good pixels on the intranet. Thank you cheap DSL and digital cameras! JPG Magazine is a peer made topical collection of excellent images from all over the world. You can participate with your own artwork, download all them as PDF or simply watch all old issues online.

Or you can simply support the project by subscribing to a proper printed edition.

Love art? Go and knock yourself out: www.artdaily.org. But bring some time with you - this website has some depth!

Sometimes sketches are better than fine art. Go and look into artists sketchbooks at the Moleskin Project.