Television Black Out :(

Posted on August 26th, 2007 by gail helen.
Categories: Omnia Vanitas, Technology, Random, Television.

Well, I’m back in the dorm, and of course all is not as expected.  I thought I’d have free basic TV, but alas, the coaxial jack appears to be cable-only, and does not lead to a rooftop antennae as hoped.  For all I know, that’s not even a possibility, but it never hurts to fantasize, until you find out that the minimum cable package costs $50 a month, which is a little beyond my purse at the moment.  Luckily, I think I can wire something up to improve my in-room reception, and I’m looking into some computer-based solutions that might allow me to harness the power of my room’s high speed connection (limited as it may be) . . . Lord knows, I’m grateful for the DVR I have installed at my mum’s house, so at least I can have a catching up smörgåsbord of tube time when I head back south . . .

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iWant!

Posted on June 29th, 2007 by gail helen.
Categories: Personal, Omnia Vanitas, Technology, Current Events, Money, Random.

It is the release of the decade with all who hold (true) geek credentials.  I have several collegues and friends who have been waiting all day (for some, night & day!) for the chance to drop $600 for the iPhone. iWant, iWant, iWant!!!  But alas, I have a contract with TMobile that I simply can’t afford to break.  Plus, they are the only phone company to offer me a truly great service experience — I have no complaints about them whatsoever, and few people can say that about their cell phone carrier.  But still, I’d almost be willing to carry both contracts just to own that little piece of Apple beauty . . . La sigh, I say, La sigh . . .

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How I Know I’m Getting Old . . .

Posted on June 10th, 2007 by gail helen.
Categories: Personal, Omnia Vanitas, Technology, Random, Television.

I just saw a commercial on TV for those Zwinky avatars, where you design and clothe a virtual representation of yourself or who you’d like to be . . . when I was sixteen and first got the Internet, I was all about things like that, especially because of the customization. I could give myself the blue hair and combat boots I don’t get to wear now, since I have to be oh-so-mature and responsible. Lord, but I am tired of dress slacks and twin sets. Unfortunately, as an adult, I have come to the realization that Zwinky and all such things are for the kiddies. Nowadays, all I can think is who has the time? Who can afford the effort? Ah, the joys and luxuries of youth! :)

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Everything You See Is Fake

Posted on June 5th, 2007 by gail helen.
Categories: Omnia Vanitas, Technology, Random, Television.

The other day, I was talking to a friend about the absence of realistic expectations in our world — everything is supposed to taste better, look better, be better, then it actually is. We got very grandiose in our thinking, discussing the human impulse toward greatness and expansion that is foiled by physics and biology, the influence of overly praise-full child-rearing on our ability to judge the success and failure of our own actions, and of course the simple and inevitable decline of civilization back into the primordial ooze. No, we hadn’t been drinking, just watching too much TV, which is probably why we forgot to include one of the true perpetrators of unreality — digital technology and the empty gods of advertising and entertainment it serves. I “StumbledUpon” something that made this very clear, this lovely video: Everything You See Is Fake. Watch it, and then go outside and stick your hand in the dirt for awhile. That might quell the shaking in your guts.

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University Tech

Posted on June 5th, 2007 by gail helen.
Categories: Education, Technology, Sponsored Posts, Random.

One of the few things that disappoints me about my college is how limited it is in terms of technology. They have gained a lot of good equipment since my initial enrollment in ‘98, including computers & digital projectors in just about every classroom, but things that are considered standard on most campuses — including WiFi — are absent. There’s only one area where students can hook in their laptops, and the school’s computers are still on Windows 98. Most disconcerting is the fact they do not have Firefox installed, a tidbit that makes all the tech people I know roll their eyes. Even their website — one of the primary means of securing enrollment at schools today — is outdated, and rarely updated in a meaningful way. My boyfriend jokes that it’s because I go to a women’s college, which infuriates me, but I have to agree that the state of things sends a very bad message.

Take, for example, Capella University. Obviously, as an online school, they’re ahead of the curve. But now I hear they are part of the New Media Consortium (NMC), a community of hundreds of leading universities, colleges, museums, and research centers dedicated to “exploration and use of new media and technologies for learning and creative expression.” One of the ways Capella University meets this mission is by conducting weekly podcasts featuring interviews with select Capella students, faculty members, and staff who share the experience of online education from a first-person point of view. What an excellent marketing tool! Their most recent “Inside Online Education” podcast featured Carla Chladek, a PhD student who is also going for her master’s in education (yay! a fellow wannateach! :) ). She works as Program Manager for the Joint Staff Training Program at the Pentagon, and is responsible for ensuring that the training needs are met for the 2,000 military members who support the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. By featuring such accomplished students, Capella University adds more shine to its already-reputable name, encouraging enrollment. You should check these podcasts out to see just how effective they are — of course, they’re available on iTunes. I would love to see my college start doing something like this!

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