Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Creativity On The Web

Creativity uses imagination rather than imitating something else. It is essen-tially a generation of new ideas, images and/or solutions. 

This animation created by Alan Becker manages to achieve a principle of art that is concerned with the sense of stability of the visual elements in a consistent yet chaotic way. 

The visual elements Becker deploys consist of  two-dimensions: height and width. It is a space with a defined or implied boundary containing only two basic groups: geometric and organic. The visual element, the basic ingredients he uses to create works of art on the Web that includes line, shape, form, color, texture and space (in this case, the ‘stick man’), has been ingeniously transformed in space – an area between, around, above, below and within objects. 

Becker’s technique, method and approach to working with materials when creating his works of art, is superb. It combines information, communication and technology in a neat visual package. It also manages to highlight another principle of art that is concerned with the sense of wholeness or completeness. In this case, it adheres to basic principles of design by organising the visual elements of art that include balance, emphasis, contrast, unity, movement, rhythm, proportion, scale, repetition, pattern, and variety while managing to entertain us as it delivers its message. 

The message is simple as it is direct. It manages to transfer visual information from him to you in a two-way process characterised by an exchange and progression of thoughts, perceptions and ideas. That, in essence, is what communication is all about.

Click Image To Activate

Click Image To Activate

Learn more about what the author of this blog does in the field of social media, information, communications and technology through Digital Summit.

Bookmark and Share

The greatest wisdom is to recognize one’s own ignorance – Nicoleus Cusanus

Digital Summit Logo-NewTHE PACE OF CHANGE

I have been involved in most aspects of ICT for a number of years and in a number of projects large and small. During that time, I’ve been fortunate enough to have met and inter-acted with a number of leading edge technology-related firms and groups of people who have made significant contributions to progress and knowledge we all often take for granted these days. 

The pace of change over the last 100 hundred years is something mind-boggling, especially if you measure it against a specific point of time in the past. 

The year is 1909. Here are just a few statistics I picked up randomly from an American Almanac for that year:  

Sugar cost four cents a pound
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound
Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen

The average life expectancy was 47 years
There was no Mother’s Day or Father’s Day

Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone
Two out of every 10 adults couldn’t read or write

The average wage in 1909 was 22 cents per hour

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph

More than 95 percent of all births took place at home

Ninety percent of all doctors had no college education

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower

The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year

There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea hadn’t been invented yet
Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were available in over-the-counter drugstores

Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo

Nothing much progressed in the world during the first half of the 20th Century, not at least with the kind of pace we see it running today. Relatively few jobs had much to do with computers and computer-related technology. 

AGE OF INFORMATION

But by the mid-1950s, researchers noticed that the number of people holding “white collar” jobs had just exceeded the number of people holding “blue collar” jobs. These researchers realised that this was an important shift. It was clear that the Industrial Age was coming to an end and as it ended, the newer times adopted the title of the “Information Age” Why that term, you ask? 

Well, it’s largely because large frame computers, computerised machinery, fiber optics, communication satellites, the Internet, and other ICT tools became a significant part of the growing world economy. 

Then, microcomputers were developed and many business and industries were greatly changed by ICT in essentially a form that transformed products made of atoms to products made of bits which can be produced very cheaply, make a copy of it quickly and ship it across the world instantly at very low cost. 

Then of course, with the invention of the World Wide Web in 1989, is when the Internet truly became a global network. Today the Internet has become the ultimate platform for accelerating the flow of information and is, today, the fastest-growing form of media. 

But with all this now available at the touch of our fingertips I sometimes wonder if any information acquired is actually being transformed into knowledge leading the more enlightened of us to gain some institutional wisdom that can perhaps be applied to improve humanity and the world it lives in. 

Since ICT covers any product or service that leads to storing, retrieving, manipulating, transmitting or receiving information electronically in digital form, I decided to ask a more well-versed associate of mine who runs an ICT-based company called Digital Summit. It is a company that specialises in providing professional service that helps healthcare and educational institutions in New Zealand transform themselves into knowledge-based organisations.  

DEFINING KNOWLEDGE

After a long and fruitful discussion, I learned something more about what knowledge is and how it can be organised intelligently using ICT approaches so that users of the information systems this company builds can actually get more bang for their buck, as the saying goes. He calls both the approach and methodology behind the flow of work they do the Trident Solution™. 

First of all, I learned that there are actually two forms of knowledge: 

1) tacit knowledge, which is possessed by people and not generally recorded; and, 

2) explicit knowledge, which is recorded information and usually stored in form of databases. 

Then, there are also three kinds of knowledge: 

1) subject matter knowledge, which identifies the location of knowledge but requires a broad level ontology to evolve as knowledge is developed; 

2) collaborative knowledge, which defines the best way to carry out activities within an organisation. It supports tasks in getting any related information, finds the best ways to get consensus and reach agreement; and, 

3) organisational knowledge, which defines objectives of workspaces and tasks needed to achieve them. It also contains information of the location of any tacit knowledge. 

By becoming a knowledge-based organisation using Digital Summit’s Trident Solutions approach, my associate explained, it then becomes possible to provide organisation members access to both tacit and explicit knowledge using client databases and computers in a Web environment. 

I think Digital Summit is on sound ground and even on a more solid one if their incorporate social media using Web 2.0 into their service models. To that, my associate already hinted that it’s in the works and just to wait for their new website to be completed and published in due time.  

POWER OF COMMUNICATIONS

In the meantime, I also invite you to view a fascinating video clip below of U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown as he delivers a talk on web-based technologies and about how we all can use today’s interconnectedness to develop a shared global ethic and work together to confront the challenges of poverty, security, climate change and the economy. 

In this video, Brown suggests what modern technology is capable of – harnessing the power of our moral sense allied to the power of communications and our ability to organise as a community to fundamentally change the world. 

If anything the pace of change has wrought over the last 100 years that we can now use for the good of our species, then perhaps it is what companies like Digital Summit and others like it around the world may be doing, in small part, to make that happen maybe a little sooner. May the force be with them. 

Learn more about what the author of this blog does in the field of Social Media on Web 2.0

Bookmark and Share

The Ancient Art Of Decoding Hieroglyphics

Karlquirino WordPress Image-HieroglyphicsSymbols represent a concept and were first used by cavemen for recording events and some-times, their thoughts. 

Cave paintings are the oldest known form of symbols and were originally very simple and easily understood. They slowly developed into depicting much more complex information and progressed from the walls of cave into carvings in rock and stone. 

Pictographs were the next form of symbols to develop and they represented concepts, objects and activities by illustration. More advanced forms known as “hieroglyphs” refer to the characters made by graphical figures, be it animals or objects.

Sumerians invented picture-hieroglyphs that developed later into cuneiform, the earliest known pictographic writing system in the world adopted by other cultures. 

Being able to decipher and read hieroglyphs provides fascinating insights into the land, lore  and minds of an ancient people. Understanding their hiero-glyphs illuminates meaning and removes some of the mystery behind their ancient languages and inner thoughts. 

In one such example, written across the wall of the cave somewhere along the steep banks of the Dead Sea, were the following symbols:

Decoding Heiroglyphics

It was considered a unique find at the time. The writings were said to be at least 3,000 years old by some estimates. 

The piece of stone where it was engraved on the cave wall was carved out and carefully removed, brought to the museum, and eminent archaeologists from all over the world came to study the ancient symbols months on end. They then held a huge meeting after several conferences had taken place to discuss the possible meaning of the markings.

An Esteemed Estimation? 

In this meeting the President of the society pointed to the first drawing and said,

“Evidently, this is a woman. We can see these people held women in high esteem. You can also tell they were intelligent, as the next symbol is a donkey, so they were smart enough to have animals help them till the soil. The next drawing is a shovel, which means they had tools to help them.” 

“Even further proof of their high intelligence is the fish which means that if a famine hit the Earth and food didn’t grow, they seek food from the sea. The last symbol clearly appears to be the Star of David which means they were evidently Hebrews.” 

The audience applauded enthusiastically. 

Bringing The House Down

As the applause died down, an old Jewish scholar in his 90’s stood up slowly in the back of the room and said, 

“Idiots, Hebrew is read from right to left…… It says: ‘Holy Mackerel Dig the Ass on that Chick.’ “

Writing has come along way from its early scribbles on the wall of a cave. The purpose for writing though, probably remains the same as it was then – to record, pass and share information. But some things apparently, never change!

Related Topics:

Uh, I Forget? (Why Hilarity Has Its Uses) 

Kiss Me! (Why Hilarity Has Its Uses)

Why Conversations and Stories Matter

Learn more about what the author of this blog does in the field of Social Media on Web 2.0

Bookmark and Share

“While there’s life, there’s hope.” – Cicero

The Worst Is Yet To Come?

Since posting my blog entry ‘Typhoon Ketsana – Bigger Than Katrina’ yesterday morning I received nearly 300 emails, mostly for more information about and images detailing the human aspects of the natural disaster that struck the Philippines over the weekend. 

The images you are about to view below are but just a small but graphic examples of what this very recent calamity has done to the lives of hundreds upon thousands of displaced people in the Philippines. But the worst is probably yet to come. After the massive flooding that hit this country health officials expect a rise in cholera, dengue and other water-borne diseases related to exposure from scattered debris, lack of protective dwelling places, and possible instances of starvation in the poorer areas of Luzon Island which suffered the brunt force of this catastrophic typhoon. Roads and bridges have been destroyed.

………………………………………………………….   

Flood-01

Flood-02

 

 

 

 

 

 

……………………………………………………...…. 

Flood-03

Flood-04

 

 

 

 

 

 

………………………………………………………….

Flood-05

Flood-06

 

 

 

 

 

 

 ………………………………………………… 

Flood-07

Flood-08 

 

 

 

 

 

.……………………………………………….. 

Flood-09Flood-10 

 

 

 

 

 

.………………………………………………..
Flood-11

Flood-12

 

 

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………Flood-13Flood-14   

 

 

 

 

 

………………………………………………… Flood-15 Flood-16 

 

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………

Flood-17

Flood-18

 

 

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………  Flood-19 Flood-20 

 

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………

Flood-21Flood-22

 

 

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………Flood-23Flood-24 

 

 

 

 

 

……………………………………

Expressions of Hope

One of the many proactive comments that emerged from some of these emails is that disaster relief efforts are more effective if your giving (in cash or kind) is channeled directly through more established nonprofit organisations that have experience in these matters. This ensures that the goods and funds received from you go directly and quickly to affected victims and their families who need it most, rather than official government channels that are far less efficient in handling such matters of relief because of bureaucratic crawl and the consequent dissipation of valuable resources that result. 

People in the Philippines are now exposed, hungry and homeless, dislocated and frightened not knowing what the next hour of their lives will bring. As a result, many lives are wrenched and disrupted. If you were in their place, what thoughts of despair would cross your mind? Give them hope. 

In Their Hour Of Need

The last image you find above contains a link. If you hover and click it your action will transport you to the website of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC). This site has a section containing some very helpful information about How You Can Donate regardless of where you are in this world.  Donations in cash or credit card are accepted by the PNRC in US Dollars, Euro, Yen and Philippine Pesos.  SWIFT codes are also included. SWIFT Codes are also included. PNRC’s National Headquarters’ Hotline Number is: +632 5270000 if you’re calling from overseas, or 143 if calling through a local line.

If your own circumstances do not allow you to donate, however, then at least pass this information to people you know who can. The SHARE button found below allows you to distribute the message to almost all the better known social networking websites around the world where you or your network of friends might have an account. Put it to good use.   

In this day and age of the Internet on Web 2.0 and the inherent power it brings to your fingertips to communicate with blinding speed across vast distances, your acts and those of others you may know will surely mean something to many who are now in dire need of your valuable help.

In their hour of need, this is one case where haste does not waste.

Bookmark and Share

S.O.S

Eye-of-the-TyphoonThe rainfall brought by Typhoon ONDOY (internationally, Tropical Storm KETSANA) to Metro Manila, Philippines and nearby areas in a span of 6 hours on Saturday, 26 September 2009 was the most devastating in recorded human history. 

With winds of up to 100km/h, Typhoon ONDOY hit the Philippines early on Saturday, crossing the main northern Luzon island before heading out toward the South China Sea. 

Hurricane Katrina poured over an inch of rainfall in Louisiana for 3 hours and another 0.5 inches per hour over the next 5 hours on 29 August 29, 2005. 

Typhoon Ketsana/Ondoy’s devastation in the Philippines dumped an average of 2.24 inches per hour for 6 hours (equivalent to 900 ft. at sea level) or the equivalent 6 typhoons over the 3-week period of this September 2009 – in just 6 hours! 

The country’s defence secretary, Sec. Gilbert Teodoro, has put the number of those displaced at 435,000, nearly double previous estimates and still counting. 

IMAGES

 

Rescue efforts are intensifying as the weather continues to clear, but there are estimates that 80% of the capital is still under water. MANY are still in need of RESCUE and RELIEF. 

VIDEO

 

For us who have been entrusted with much, spared and are safe, may we be grateful for this amazing grace by reaching out to those who are suffering from loss of property & loved ones … from homelessness and hunger now, and water-borne diseases and the sickness that will certainly come during the aftermath of this disaster. 

Please share the information posted below to your network of friends over the Internet and ask them to also pass it along to their friends who may be able to help in one way or another. 

RELIEFSHELTERDONATIONS

Red Cross donation through SMS: text RED<space>AMOUNT to 2899 (Globe) or 4483 (Smart)

Relief Goods can be sent to Caritas Manila Office (Philippines) at Jesus St., Pandacan Manila near Nagtahan Bridge (Tel No: +6395639298 | +6395639308). 

If you live in New Zealand, you can also contact Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand

Relief goods can also be brought Radio Veritas (Asia) at Veritas Tower West Ave. Corner EDSA (Tel No: +6399257931 to 40). 

Roxas volunteers: donations for flood relief can be brought to Balay, Expo Centro, Edsa cor. Gen, MacArthur, Araneta Center, Cubao. 

Victory Fort is opening its doors to those affected by the typhoon. Call 813-FORT

Posted below is a list of specific items needed and where to donate them:

Water, blankets, shoes, and clothes etc. are being accepted at the Hillsborough Village chapel for families whose houses were washed out in the nearby sitios. 

Junior Chamber International Manila: is accepting donations at the Baypark Tent on Roxas Blvd. starting today (28 September 2009) to help the victims hit by Typhoon Ondoy. Volunteers are welcome to join the packing of goods. 

Donations of any kind for Payatas communities affected by Ondoy accepted at ARANAZ stores in Rockwell & Greenbelt commercial centres in Makati City. 

TeamManila stores in Trinoma, Mall of Asia, Jupiter Bel-Air and Rockwell are accepting relief goods (i.e., canned Goods, ready-to-drink milk, bottled water and clothes) for distribution by Veritas to displaced countrymen due to Typhoon Ondoy. 

Caritas Manila Office and Radio Veritas (see above) are publicly appealing for the following goods: canned food, rice, used clothes especially for children, milk. 

HOW TO DONATE FROM AMERICA: 

Generous souls in the US who wish to help in the rescue and relief operations, you may donate through the American Red Cross. Call 1-800-435-7669.

HOW TO DONATE FROM NEW ZEALAND: 

You may also send your donations to the ABS-CBN FOUNDATION via: 1-800-527-2820. Whatever you send will get to those that need it most. 

INFORMATION OF PEOPLE WHO NEED RESCUING: 

http://spreadsheets.google.com/lv?key=tohu9kthNU6anlf21Low08g&f=true&gid=1

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/173248/list-of-addresses-of-flood-stranded-people-needing-rescue-with-interactive-map

All Petron gas stations now accept relief goods. 

AREAS OPEN TO DONATION:

ALABANG: Water, blankets, shoes, and clothes etc. are being accepted at the Hillsborough Village chapel for families whose houses were washed out in the nearby sitios.

MAKATI: Donations of any kind for Payatas communities affected by Ondoy accepted at ARANAZ stores in Rockwell & Greenbelt commercial centres.

LUCA Stores: Send your old clothes & donations (no cash please) to any LUCA store: Rockwell, Shangri-la or Eastwood. 

TeamManila: Stores in Trinoma, Mall of Asia, Jupiter Bel-Air and Rockwell are accepting relief goods (canned goods, ready-to-drink milk, bottled water, clothes) for distribution by Veritas. 

PANDACAN, MANILA: Relief Goods can be sent to Caritas Manila Office at Jesus St., Pandacan Manila near Nagtahan Bridge (Tel No: +6395639298 | +6395639308). Goods required are: canned food, rice, used clothes especially for children, and milk. 

WEST AVE/EDSA: Relief goods can also be brought Radio Veritas at Veritas Tower West Ave. Corner EDSA (Tel No. +6399257931-40). Goods required are: canned food, rice, used clothes especially for children, milk. 

CUBAO: NoyMar relief Operations: You may get in touch with Clare Amador at Mobile: 09285205508 re: the NoyMar relief efforts. You may also get in touch with Jana Vicente at Mobile: 09285205499. Drop off for relief donations is at Balay Expo Center across Farmers Market Cubao. 

KATIPUNAN/LIBIS: From Kuya Ed Ramirez: The Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan Task Force Noah (SLBTFN), a disaster response arm is accepting donations. Please drop it off at the Ateneo Cervini Dorm. Then they will work with groups around the area to assess which evacuation centres needs help immediately. 

Ateneo de Manila Business School is accepting donations for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy. Donations may be dropped at the MVP LOBBY. 

CAMP AGUINALDO: For donations of relief goods, please deliver them to CRS Office, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City or call Mobile: 0915-1162853. Food, medicine, clothes and other relief items are much needed. 

ORTIGAS: The LUCA store in Shangrila. 

FORT BONFACIO:

Drop your donations at the Philippine Army Gym 

Aranaz Stores (for Payatas communities) 

Rockwell Centre and Greenbelt will accept donations 

Balay Expo Center across Farmers Market Cubao will accept relief donations 

Team Manila Trinoma, Mall of Asia, Jupiter Bel-Air and Rockwell are accepting relief goods for distribution by Veritas. 

TXTPower.org will forward donations to Red Cross Paypal Smart Money: 5577-5144-1866-7103 

Other Options:

  1. Call Clare Amador (+63928-520-5508) or Jana Vicente at +63928-520-5499). Drop off for relief donations is at Balay Expo Center across Farmers Market Cubao.
  2. Drop off points: One Orchard Road Building in Eastwood, or, for more details message: http://www.twitter.com/miriamq
  3. Donations for Ondoy Victims to be distributed at the Philippine Army Gym inside Fort Bonifacio or GHQ Gym in Camp Aguinaldo starting now. 
  4. Donations for Ondoy Victims to be distributed at the Philippine Army Gym inside Fort Bonifacio or GHQ Gym in Camp Aguinaldo starting now. 
  5. Relief Goods: Caritas Manila Office (+632-5639298, +632-5639308) or Radio Veritas @ Veritas Tower West Ave.. Cor EDSA (+632-9257931-40). 

This website is also a useful guide where you can send donations: 

http://burymeinthisdress.com/blog/2009/09/where-to-send-donations-for-victims-of-typhoon-ondoy/

CDRC will accept relief goods. 72-A Times St., West Triangle, QC. Tel No: +6399299820 to 22.

Manor Superclub Eastwood City will accept goods and other emergency items.

All Petron Gas Station branches will accept relief goods

Caritas Manila Office, Pandacan, MANILA accepts relief goods esp. milk, dry clothes, food

Philippine Army: Gym Fort Bonifacio accepts relief goods. Camp Aguinaldo CRS Office, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City Mobile: 0915-1162853 will accept food, medicines and other relief items. 

MORE VIDEOS:

Typhoon Ondoy hits Metro Manila, Philippines on 26 September 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_BLXyzoFdw&feature=related

Typhoon Ondoy Demolishes Eastwood!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnqU-BhIsM0 

EMERGENCY HOTLINES  

NATIONAL DISASTER COORDINATING COUNCIL NDCC EMERGENCY NUMBERS: 
912-5668 | 911-1406 | 912-2665 | 911-5061 

HELP HOTLINES: 734-2118 | 734-2120 

BAGYONG ONDOY PHILIPPINE HOTLINE: 734-2118 | 734-2120 

COAST GUARD: 527-6136 

MERALCO (Power Supply): 16210

PLEASE SHARE AND PASS THIS INFORMATION ON TO YOUR ONLINE NETWORK OF FRIENDS ALL OVER THE WORLD AND DO KEEP THE FILIPINO PEOPLE IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.
 

Bookmark and Share

3 Minutes | 6 Seconds

All I know is that I know nothing.” – Socrates

Everything we experience is actually a figment of our imagination. 

Even if your sensations feel accurate and truthful, they do not necessarily reproduce the physical reality of the world outside of you. 

Many of the things you experience during the course of your daily life reflect only the physical stimuli that enter the brain, with the gift of sight probably being the most ‘trickable’ of the five senses you might have. 

3D Mural-1What is even more remarkable is that the same neural ma-chinery that interprets actual sensory inputs is also respons-ible for our dreams, delusions and failings of memory. In other words, the real and the imagined share a physical source in your brain. 

Over the course of human history, visual artists as well as illusionists have used visual illusions to develop deep insights into the inner workings of the human visual system with many having devised techniques to “trick” the brain into thinking that a flat canvas (such as the image you see above)  is three-dimensional, or that a series of brushstrokes is actually a still life. 

Visual illusions are defined by dissociation between the physical reality and the subjective perception of objects or an event. When you experience a visual illusion, one of three things can happen – 1) you see something that is not there; 2) fail to see something that is there; or, 3) see something different from what is there. As a result of this disconnect between perception and actual reality, visual illusions demonstrate ways by which your brain can fail to recreate the physical world.  All is not what it seems.

Take for example the video clip you are about to view below. It is an illusion which tricks you to think you are watching a movie-like progression of 85 beautiful faces of women when actually – it is nothing really more than static photos cleverly stitched together and morphed seamlessly lasting a duration of 3 minutes and 6 seconds by use of software written code.

And here too, as an additional treat for you, is another video clip I think you might enjoy watching because it shows you exactly how one illusion is actually created.

Learn more about what the author of this blog does in the field of Social Media on Web 2.0 

Bookmark and Share

Older Posts »