NSW KM Forum: Social Software: Knowledge Management Panacea... or Technology Fad? Thu 7th July

"WHY: So you've heard people talking about them but are blogs, wikis and other social software tools just another technology fad? Social software lets people rendezvous, connect or collaborate using a computer network. Learn about social software on Internet, what this means for enterprise knowledge management systems, and discuss how this will affect knowledge management within organizations.

WHO: James Dellow is the Principal Consultant of Chief Technology Solutions and member of the NSW KM Forum's committee. James has a decade of experience in the knowledge and information system space, including time spent within Ernst & Young's award winning Center for Business Knowledge. He recently completed a Master of Business &Technology at UNSW and is expected to graduate in October 2005. James also writes his very own blog.

WHEN: 5.30pm for 6pm, Thursday 7th July 2005.

WHERE: Standards Australia, 286 Sussex Street, Sydney NSW 2000. Call James Digges on 0414 191 009 for after hours entry to the building

HOW MUCH: Free

Further Links: The ChiefTech blog http://chieftech.blogspot.com/"

Monkfly & The Frequency Lab

Interview in Cyclic Defrost with Chris Hancock. Chris and his mates started the Frequency Lab, an artist-run space which features: "improvised music nights, drum‘n’bass parties, spoken word events, film talks and gallery openings."

Interesting insight into the development and vibe of artist-run spaces.

W: http://www.cyclicdefrost.com/article.php?article=833#

Tech tinkering weekend

Spent some time defragging the computer, doing a disk cleanup, backing up digital video files onto dvd, trying to solve downloading from digital video camera to computer via usb problems ie the micro hard drive often wasn't recognised in explorer, also having problems with reading files on the external hard drive. Sometimes, you don't know what piece of software or hardware is causing problems and then you're off searching Google in the hope that some forum post will give you the answer. Fun, fun, fun not.

Australian Craft Network

If you're into crafts, this website is a good place to start.

W: http://www.auscraftnet.com.au

Knitters Guild of NSW

"Knitting and Crochet are very popular and easy crafts, enjoying a huge resurgence of interest.

The Knitters' Guild is very active in promoting and encouraging these crafts amongst its members and the wider community. Please browse through our site and discover for yourself what this great organisation can do for you!"

You can find a group close to you. There's one in Glebe and one in Epping for example.

W: http://www.knittersguildnsw.org.au

Neon exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW

Neon: Janet Burchill and Jennifer McCamley

"Two of Australia's best-known contemporary artists Janet Burchill and Jennifer McCamley are set to exhibit one of their latest collaborative works using neon lights and sculpture.

An essentially 20th-century phenomenon, neon is largely associated with advertising and the glitter of big-city retail. It's also a medium Burchill and McCamley have used together extensively in the past and they are well aware of its visual impact, particularly in Sydney.

For this exhibition Burchill and McCamley are proposing to exhibit a new neon sculpture built around a 'found' sentence. Yet in contrast to the pop, bold lights of Sydney's cityscape, the artists aim to create a fragile site sensitive experience, which communicates the visual power of language. Perhaps there is something uncanny about glass tubes flooded with a poisonous inert gas, contorted into odd shapes, shuddering with electric current.

Language and the language of art have often been central to their work. Their neon sculptures constitute part of an ongoing series and a major new strand of their collaborative activities. The language that comprises the neon is 'found', with most phrases coming from literature or film. The titles, however, do not relate to the content of the film but are chosen for their poetic attitude and ability to condense many ideas into something succinct.

About their choice of title and process, Burchill and McCamley have said: While there is often an element of homage in the choices, the pieces aren't primarily meant to invoke the original work. Titles are chosen because of the tenor and sentiment that they evoke and, in a way, our selection constitutes a new type of genealogy of art. The titles we choose have a hard poetic tenor, a tenor which is carried through in the materiality of the artworks. We aim to make our works highly condensed, both materially and conceptually.

Burchill and McCamley who live and work in Melbourne both acknowledge that while neon is an older technology than digital or video it is by no means defunct. Burchill believes neon signs have a pop element that is appealing. Jennifer McCamley says to her 'Sydney is like a neon city. It's everywhere.' "

25 June to 14 August 2005
Level 2 Contemporary Project Space
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Art Gallery Rd, The Domain, Sydney, Australia

P: 02 9225 1744 or recorded info 02 9225 1790
National Toll Free 1800 679 278

Hours 10am to 5pm 7 days a week
Art After Hours to 9pm every Wednesday

Admission: Free of charge

W http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au

Trade a Plant

"Trade A Plant allows you to Buy & Sell Backyard plants online. Homeowners have the mature plants that Professional landscapers need. Turn your unwanted backyard plants into Cash!

It is Free to Browse or Search, and it costs $25 AUD to advertise a home growing plant or backyard tree for sale..."

It's a good idea!

W: http://www.tradeaplant.com.au

Store wars: Join the Organic Rebellion

A nice flash movie based on the Star Wars concept, made to persaude people to choose organic fruit and vegies.

W: http://www.storewars.org/flash/index.html

Flash movie made by: http://www.freerangestudios.com

How To Be Idle: An Interview with Tom Hodgkinson

Mother Jones has this article up on their website titled: 'How To Be Idle: An Interview with Tom Hodgkinson' which is "on the insane hustle of modern life and the virtues of kicking back."

It's a v.well written article. It's not about lazing around, but more having time to think about what you're doing, to have time to be creative, and to enjoy life and to spend quality time with your friends and family etc.

It's an article worth reading anyway.

W: http://www.motherjones.com/arts/qa/2005/06/how_to_be_idle.html

Book Kitchen cafe, Surry Hills

Have driven past Book Kitchen in Surry Hills a few times and it always looked busy. So went in there a couple of weeks ago and the food was good, the atmosphere was good and the prices were reasonable.

Address: 255 Devonshire St, Surry Hills
W: http://www.thebookkitchen.com.au

Slow down, you move too fast

Article in The Age about the Slow movement which "says you should slow down, put the emphasis on quality, not quantity, and most of all, be happy now, not later."

The article discusses the ideas in two books.

1. In Praise of Slow — How a Worldwide Movement is Challenging the Cult of Speed, by Carl Honore is published by Orion, $49.95.

2. Leaving the Rat Race to Get a Life — a Map for Charting Your Sea Change, by Philomena Tan is published by Wrightbooks, $29.95.

W: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/08/16/1092508362957.html

There's also a website for 'In Praise of Slow' at:
http://www.inpraiseofslow.com

The Next Evolution of the Personal Workspace

Article in Steelcase's 360 ezine about research showing that most work happens when people are working together in groups of two.

"The Proven Power of Pairs

The power of dyadic work lies in the nature of how people work in pairs. When pairs collaborate, they build on each other's thoughts and ideas in a process that psychologists call “laddering.” This process starts when we're young and is critical to how we learn. Dr. Charles Crook, a British psychologist and researcher, notes that how much people can learn is limited when they work alone, and that learning can be taken farther if people work and learn together. “Collaboration is critical to learning,” he says..."

V.interesting article.

W: http://www.360steelcase.com/e_article000410431.cfm?x=b5307c2,b2c5cFV7

Birds on a wire

There's a bird convention happening every afternoon at 4.30pm outside. Photo taken with the Motorola A835 phone on the 31/5/05.

Sydney Design 05: 6-21 August 2005

Sydney Design 05: 6-21 August 2005
9th international design festival

"Hosted by the Powerhouse Museum – Sydney ’s own design museum – Sydney Design is also made possible through the contribution of the supporters and stakeholders who give the program the diversity and vitality that makes it an event of such international standing...

In this year’s program you will see and hear extraordinary design talent, from the up-and-coming to international design superstars."

More info will be available in the coming weeks at: http://www.sydneydesign.com.au

Young blood designers market - 13 August

8.00 am – 5.00 pm Saturday 13 August 2005
Part of Sydney Design 05, 9th international design festival, 6 -21 August 2005

"For one day only during Sydney Design 05 Australia’s best and brightest designers converge to sell their wares at the inaugural Young blood: designers market. The Powerhouse Museum’s Level 3 courtyard will come alive with over 60 stalls, plus food, refreshments and all day entertainment. Young blood showcases original design, from fashion to furniture, jewellery, graphic, product, landscape and lighting design, and gives visitors the opportunity to meet the makers and talk about their work.

Designers who wish to apply for a stall at this market can download a form from the website.

W: http://www.sydneydesign.com.au/youngblood

Soundbyte - digital media courses at the Powerhouse Museum

The Powerhouse Museum are offering courses in the following areas: 3D graphics, motion graphics, digital video editing, digital imaging and photoshop, and sound.

W: http://www.soundbyte.org

Australian designers at work

The Powerhouse museum has put together a feature of six Australian designers.
They talk about their design process, how they evaluate success, show examples of their work and more. It's been designed to inform high school students of what it's like to be a designer. There are video snippets of interviews with the designers on the website, as well as images and text.

Designers interviewed are: Peter Adcock - wetlands designer, Toby Grime - visual effects designer, Angelo Kotsis - product designer, Dinosaur Designs - jewellery and homeware designs, Alison Page - interior designer and Ray Parslow - graphic designer.

W: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/designersatwork

Cutting Edge: Beating Vegas documentary

Beating Vegas was a really interesting doco. The casinos spend so much money and resources on their business to ensure their continuing profits. The show reported how each table at the casino is expected to make a certain profit, and if it falls short, then they start to investigate.

The casinos now get the MIT students' yearbooks and scan them into their databases and use facial recognition software to identify these card counter players, and then when they're spotted, they're asked to leave even before they reach the table.

It mentioned an area of the face (I think it was the cheekbone area generally) that can't really be changed so they use that to identify people so they don't even have to worry about wigs, clothes, or any other disguises the people come up with.

The documentary reported that casinos have the highest levels of security and surveillance anywhere, and that when the 9/11 event happened, the casinos were consulted for advice on how airports etc could improve their security systems.

At the end of the day, gambling is designed to benefit the house, not the patrons. Everything is designed and geared towards profits to the casinos. You never see any windows to the outside world and you never see any clocks...