History’s angriest chest cold

Yeah, this is what my cough often feels like.

Whatever bug was ransacking my health last week, whether the dreaded spek griep or history’s angriest chest cold, has been dissipating over the last few days.  I’ve been left with a phlem-spewing cough that would make a xenomorph proud, but I’m feeling better.

I’ve taken set several of my recent Belgium posts to “private” status in preparation for a larger reflection in this space.  I now consider them to be something like rough drafts, albeit angry and despondent ones, of a much more serious but thoughtful post.  Stay tuned. 

I’m always thinking of what I should do with my blog.  Got an idea?  Add it to the suggestion box.

New haircut, new neweurasia.net site, new Twitter account, new student visa, new editorial direction (?)

I am officially a let-down of a blogger. The last time I posted was May 16?! Ugh. Well, it has been a busy time.  Let’s review…

#1 I’ve gotten a haircut. Or, to be more precise, a trim. Behold:

Before: monastic Jesus.

After: sexy Jesus.

So long, Philly

Well, today is my last day in the City of Brotherly Love.  I’ve spend the better part of the last decade here.  So many memories.  My first love, my second and third (haha), La Salle University, the City Paper, East Passyunk, the Bahai community… 

Insha’allah, I will return.  But I’m leaving the future open, trying to embrace uncertainty.  I believe that existence and faith are the same; what binds them together — indeed, what defines them — is courage, the willingness to embrace change.   To sacrifice our fears as much as our hopes, to surrender our anxiety as much as our attachments, this is the quintessence of faith; if nothing else, it is the only way to evolve, survive, and thrive.

As I was with Moses, so shall I be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.  Be strong and courageous…

– Joshua 1:5-6

No man shall attain the shores of the ocean of true understanding except he be detached from all that is in heaven and on earth.

– Baha’ullah, Kitab-i-Iqdas

It’s time to step away from the shore and swim, let the waves and winds guide me where they may.

“Leaving on a jet plane…”

…so goes the song. Next Friday, April 24th, is the big day: ready or not, Europe, here I come!

I’ve been extremely busy preparing for my move to Europe.  As you can see by the photo, dismantling my life in Philadelphia has been a process not too dissimilar from the eruption of Vesuvius that destroyed Pompei (and don’t even get me started about all the paperwork I’ve had to complete on this side of the Atlantic).  The plan is for the book to be completed once I’m in the Netherlands with Ben; will keep you all posted.

Meanwhile, barcamp Central Asia 2009 has been a resounding success.  Check out our round-up on the event (ENG).

“Sons of my ancient mother, you riders of the tides, / How often have you sailed in my dreams.  And now you come in my awakening, which is my deeper dream. /Ready am I to go, and my eagerness with sails full set awaits the wind.”  — Khalil Gibran, The Prophet

Rocking the casbah @ barcamp

Above: Talking about neweurasia at the Almaty barcamp.  Click here to see the photos in full size.  Read coverage of the event by Mursya (ENG, RUS) and Elena (ENG, RUS).   The powerpoint presentation is available via SlideShare (ENG), and to view more photos, check out the barcamp blog (ENG, RUS).

Mursya reports on regular media coverage of the event (ENG, RUS).  Meanwhile, Musa reports on the Caspian region’s own barcamp event (ENG, RUS).

I’ve become a spreadsheet master…

…and by extension, I’ve also become a terrible blogger.  Since my promotion to managing editor of neweurasia, when I’m not busy dealing with human resource crises, budgetary disasters, deadline catastrophes, and preparing to relocate to Europe, I’ve been working to completely reboot the way our organization manages its data. Google Docs has become my new best friend, especially its rip-off Excel spreadsheets.  You should see some of the wizardry I’ve been pulling off!

So, it’s been nigh two months since I last posted; this blog’s beginning to feel a bit mummified.  Lord knows, I’m afraid to look at my stats.  They’re probably grinning like a pharonic death’s head — How forlorn and forsaken hast thou left thy digital soul. But fear not, O precious blog, forsooth a resurrection is imminent… and hopefully one with a little more editorial focus…

Return from South Africa

Me on Signal Hill, looking rather dashing with the sunlight and wind in my hair. Behind me is Lion's Head Mountain, and below to the left is Capetown overshadowed by Table Mountain.

Hey everybody!  I have returned from South Africa.   I’m in New York City right now visiting my parents; will return to Philly tonight.   The difference in weather is remarkable — from breezy, sunny Cape of Good Hope to rainy, dreary northeastern United States.

I’ll be posting photos and videos in this space and on Flickr.  Also, the fourth and final part of my blog series on veganism will run next week, so stay tuned!

Blog battleplan 2008 and beyond

Well, it’s off to South Africa with me!  I’m going to be seriously “AFK” for those two weeks, too busy soaking in the sun and contracting malaria and ill-placed shark bites.  And by God, do I ever need a break.

What can you expect to see in this space for the remainder of 2008 and beyond?

Parts two and three of my post series on Veganism will be on auto-publish while I’m gone.  Part I will run this Friday, Part II next Wednesday.  These will be followed by some more items, also on auto-publish.  Additionally, this current post will remain in its headlining position on the blog while I’m in South Africa.

In the new year I will be starting my position as managing editor for the English edition of neweurasia.  In real terms, that means a 25% increase in my workload, soooooo…

Since I’ll be busy editing a legion of other people’s blogs, I’ll be reducing the amount of time I actually spend on my own.  But don’t worry, I won’t be leaving.  I’ll simply be experimenting with more time-conserving methods.

First thing that comes to mind will be relinquishing epic posts in favor of shorter, sweeter, and snippier posts.  I might even try to be pithy.  After all, I’ll be drilling my Central Asian recruits in the ways of “KISSing” (“Keep it simple, stupid”) blogging; I might as well try practicing what I preach.

Also, I’m going to try to take some aspects of blogging a little less seriously… as in myself.  *cough  Along those lines, everyone, check out these two blogs: Notions Capital and Heaven, Hell, & Humor.  They may be at opposite ends of the American political spectrum, but by God, they are hilarious!  (And also, check out Loquacious D and The Expatriate.)

With that, happy 2009 everyone!

Cyberjournalism: a (re-)definition

“Cyberjournalism.”  It’s a term rarely used in journalistic and academic parlance, but one I’d like to promote as the world’s first ever International Cyberjournalism Congress approaches (click the link to go directly to the ICC website; click the image above to read Javier Díaz Noci’s post on the event).

“I don’t get it,” you say.  “What the heck is ‘cyberjournalism’ and how is it distinct from ‘online’ or internet-based reporting?”  The answer isn’t so much that “cyberjournalism” is distinct from online journalism as much as online journalism falls within its rubric.  “Cyberjournalism” is a re-definition, a new category and lens through which we may come to understand the evolution of reporting in computerized mediums.

In other words, all forms of computerized journalism qualify as “cyberjournalism.”  That includes…

• “online” or “digital,” the most famous medium of which is the ubiquitous blog and its many variations (journalistic, contemplative, artistic, literary, and whatever else the heart desires), but also e-zines and online forums, as well as the online wings of “physical” news services (and vice versa, e.g., Slate.com);
• networked forms of reporting, such as e-mail listservs, text message alerts and newsletters, and even many kinds of communications that occur within closed intranet systems like Sega Dreamcast, Microsoft X-Box, or the United States Department of Defense; and,
• alternate or virtual reality, such as Wirtland (e.g., The Times of Wirtland) or Second Life (e.g., New World Notes and the AvaStar).

But what of content?  Like their counterparts in the “old media” of print and broadcast journalism, the varieties of cyberjournalism are reciprocally influenced by the new cybernetic modes of expression.  Cyberjournalists are not constrained to report on matters wholly “RL” (“real life”); they can and do report upon matters wholly “VR,” as well.  For examples of what I mean, click on the various links above.

A successful lecture, a new LinkedIn group, and a new look

I’m pleased to report that my lecture, “Log on, tune in, blog out: citizen-journalism, New Media, and subversive activity,” presented at Saint Joseph’s University, was well-received.  I’ve made it available for download in four parts (click on the thumbnail to the left).  I invite academics and journalists, as well as friends and readers, to make use of it and pass it around!

The lecture is a general survey of the darker side of Web 2.0-enabled New Media.  In particular, I explore some of its frightfully hilarious/hilariously frightful uses by subversive and revolutionary groups on the fringes of contemporary global society.  My case studies:

• the French National Front on Second Life;
• the Stormfront White Nationalist Community;
• the global anticapitalism movement (specifically, the IndyMedia Network);
• radical Islamism (specifically, AqsaTube);
• and the Second Life Liberation Army.

I lightly get into some of the theoretical issues, in particular the nature of New Media and today’s internet, and the role culture plays in determining the extent to which a subversive or revolutionary organization goes “high tech.”

The lecture is decidely “low tech,” intended for non-specialists and all-around end-users.  However, it may also be of value to those with technical or journalistic backgrounds who may not be aware of the various fringe subcultures forming around the new technology.