Category Archives: Data

Sherry Turkle: Connected, but alone?

Posted on March 27, 2013 by macca

As we expect more from technology, do we expect less from each other? Sherry Turkle studies how our devices and online personas are redefining human connection and communication – and asks us to think deeply about the new kinds of … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Computing, Data, Education, Family and Friends, Media, People, Resilience, Social Media, Sustainability, Telecommunications, The web | Comments Off

Climate change misinformation drowns out the facts on the ABC’s The Drum Unleashed forum

Posted on January 28, 2013 by macca

I can’t tell you how sick I am of seeing comments from misinformed amateurs, like “there has been no statistical global warming for the last 16 years”, in the ABC’s The Drum Unleashed forum (see garyM, a denialist troll of … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Data, Emissions, Energy, Environment, Government, Investment, Limits to Growth, Media, Politics, Pollution, Renewables, Science, Sustainability | Comments Off

Gen X & Y: Suffering a Narcissism Epidemic?

Posted on November 4, 2012 by macca

Poor attention span. Lack of concentration. Poor writing skills and dysfunctional spelling. You’ll find these problems – and many more – amongst the kids of Gen X & Y, and that curious planet populated by the “digital natives”. Digital technology … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Comprehension, Computing, Data, Education, Media, Politics, Science, Social Media, Telecommunications, The web | Comments Off

Apple drops CD/DVD drive in new “slim” iMacs

Posted on October 25, 2012 by macca

Most of the desktop publishers, photographers, designers and web designers working on the Mac are not going to be particularly impressed by Apple’s move to drop the CD/DVD drive in the new “slim” iMacs. Personally, I think Apple is starting … Continue reading →

Posted in Apple Mac, Computing, Data, Environment, Pollution, USA | Comments Off

The Julian Assange Show: Noam Chomsky and Tariq Ali

Posted on October 23, 2012 by macca

Julian Assange interviews both Noam Chomsky and Tariq Ali on his short-lived TV Show on Russia Today. Mac laptop journalism from our embassy-bound wayward son; faked fairly badly in sections of the video. My favourite quotes are from Chomsky, commenting … Continue reading →

Posted in Computing, Data, Inequality, Media, Politics, Social Media, USA | Comments Off

Spammers flaunt their criminality on ABC TV

Posted on September 21, 2012 by macca

This is a very strange piece from Ticky Fullerton on the ABC’s The Business program. It’s been illegal in Australia to send unsolicited commercial electronic messages to consumers since 2004, yet here are a bunch of people admitting to it, … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Computing, Data, Government, Humour, Media, Politics, Social Media, SPAM, The web | Comments Off

Backing up your files

Posted on September 17, 2012 by macca

ABC Radio Local recently interviewed Mildura computer business owner Gerry Sturre on the issue of backup. As Gerry points out, many people rely upon CDs and DVDs for backup, hoping that what they have stored is safe, when it is … Continue reading →

Posted in Apple Mac, Computing, Data | Comments Off

Government’s data storage plans to impact all Australians

Posted on September 5, 2012 by macca

From the ABC’s Lateline program: Data-retention plan likened to Gestapo tactics Critics of the Federal Government’s plan to store the internet and phone data of every Australian say it amounts to constant surveillance. Attorney-General Nicola Roxon yesterday announced the controversial … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Computing, Data, Government, Inequality, Law, Politics, The web | Comments Off

Web 3.0 – Good or Evil

Posted on August 19, 2012 by macca

Authors Andrew Keen (#digitalvertigo – how today’s online social revolution is dividing, diminishing, and disorienting us) and Nick Harkaway (The Blind Giant: Being Human in a Digital World) debate whether the Internet and social media are positive or negative forces … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Computing, Data, Education, Media, Politics, Social Media, USA | Comments Off

Education: More computers = less literacy

Posted on August 6, 2012 by macca

Michael Callanan, a high school teacher from Brisbane, discusses whether computers in schools have a beneficial effect on academic achievement. He finds that as computer saturation levels in the Australian Education system have risen, literacy and numeracy scores amongst students … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Computing, Data, Education, Media, Science, Social Media, The web | Comments Off

Women Warriors for the Environment

Posted on August 3, 2012 by macca

Naomi Oreskes, Anna Krien and Amanda McKenzie discuss climate change, environmentalism and the battle for Tasmania’s forests. From the 2011 Sydney Writer’s Festival, via the ABC’s Big Ideas program. More info on my YouTube Channel.

Posted in Climate Change, Coal, Data, Emissions, Energy, Environment, Investment, Limits to Growth, Pollution, Renewables, Resilience, Resources, Science | Comments Off

Larry Lessig: How creativity is being strangled by the law

Posted on June 5, 2012 by macca

Larry Lessig, the Web’s most celebrated lawyer, cites John Philip Sousa, celestial copyrights and the “ASCAP cartel” to argue for a creative cultural revival.

Posted in Advertising, Communication, Copyright, Data, Investment, Law, Media, Politics | Comments Off