The RSS Affair and Daily Lit - Thang No.9

Daily Lit was a joy to use - easy to search for books. I decided to receive RSS installments of Jane Eyre, Bronte's classic novel that I have never read. I liked being able to choose how often my RSS was delivered and bopped around in Daily Lit's book forum, where nothing recent was being discussed. My plan is to read Jane Eyre on RSS and then read the Eyre Affair again. Only 261 RSS Bronte feeds to go!

Then I wondered - is fan fiction alive for the classics? We all know about Harry Potter fan love and Sherlock Holmes homages, but is there a Eyre world beyond Jasper Fforde? Back to the Technorati searches. My survey found luscious fan fiction for Jane Austen (no Bronte so far). But there is [drum roll] a new graphic novel version of Jane Eyre. Will it help struggling readers learn the classics or is it a "dumbing down" of a masterpiece? Genteel bloggers want to know.

It's positively reviewed on the Other Stories blog - and here's a sneak peek.
Jane Eyre The Graphic Novel

RSS Simplicity - Thang No 8.

So I started out thinking I was really simple Selwyn (RSS), mostly because I have once again allowed my RSS feed to reach 1000+ in Google Reader. I'm much better at adding feeds than actually checking them. As a hedonist, I consider it my duty to indulge all kinds of things - techno toys (Lifehacker or Boing Boing), my 23ers (you guys), and Reader's Advisory (Give 'em What they Want). I'm also testing Evanced feeds at the moment - that's what I'm on top of most of all at the moment, along with the reader's advisory feeds.

I do like RSS coming to me instead of bopping around 20 websites or so. The only downside is sometimes it's akin to the Sunday NYTs - too much to examine in one sitting. Just need to develop my skimming skills a little more and a little more often.


Photo credit from Flickr Commons - NYT by Mezzoblue

Technology and Ads - Thang No. 7

There's a whole lotta connectivity with web 2.0, and I'm not just talking about Internet speed. Here's a couple of weird aspects of networking I've noticed - involving ads.

1) Facebook: most pleasant surprise, discovering an old friend, who teaches in Australia. Unpleasant surprise: the new design has even more ad traffic. Also, any other women in the 30's demographic sick of generic diet ads?

2) Reflections on the Wired article: is the Internet one large, flexible learning brain? If so, why are some of the synapses (individuals) feeling a disconnect? Are things growing faster than our ability to process them?

As the Internet grows (and we come producers of information as much as consumers) it has the impact to transform our traditional advertising (for products) but not our basic desires (wealth, sex, forming relationships, fame). I think that Internet banner advertising is going the way of the dinosaur, and in a few years products will be embedded even more in more of our YouTube videos, and eventually in our virtualities. This election was, after all, the first time that political ads were added into billboards in a video game.

What to do with a synapse wraps truth and fiction into our thoughts? A brave new world indeed. It's not all about a buck, but the Wired writer is joking if he thinks it's all free.

Viral Video - Election Day

Here's my attempt at improv for the electorate. It's only on half a lung, but still a decent try. It's called "Getting Out the Sick Vote."

Flickr Fun - Cooking up Thang No. 6th

I've long been a fan of Animoto (for personal and work videos) and I've used Qoop to make gifts for family. So, it's down to the Montagr or the Librarian Trading Card for me. As a gamer, I couldn't neglect playing a trading card. So here goes...

I hope the rest of you are having fun playing with Flickr and creating mashups!

I also invite you to create a reading map based on a photo of your reading interests. All you do is take a picture in Flickr and add notes above each book. You can do this for one of your mysapl Flickr book displays or for your personal Flickr account. Tips on how to do this are on the Intranet Flickr cheat sheet.

Here's an example of a home reading map on cookbooks: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bibliosopher/1452933675/in/set-72157603568878046/

Romancing the blog - Thang no. 4

One of my pleasures is to read from a different point of view. Those who know me know that I have a hard time with "happy endings." Romance books I struggle with (and struggle I do) but this reader's advisory blog gives me great pleasure:

http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com

The romance reviews are funny, sarcastic and give this gal a thrill. You can search the archives by "grade" - finding an A-line romance or (for laughs) an F that falls flat on its plot.

The language can be on the gritty side, but oh so witty! I have found several book recommendations have made me a romantic reader. but I digress... Read more for more.

Flickr - San Pedro Builds Tall - Thang No. 5

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We're exploring Flickr on 23 things next. Needless to say, this is one of my favorite tools of the 2.0 trade.

Here is one of the playful photos emailed to our mysapl Flickr account. It's from San Pedro, where teens built mock architecture from marshmallows & pasta. Obviously, they have having a fabulous time - with math, no less! Maybe math would have stuck for me if it was edible and involved less chalkboard madness.

San Pedro's photo makes me want to go into my neighborhood branch and see what's going on. Thanks for sharing this event with us. You have a great eye for photography, Hondo!

I hope all the 23ers have a fun time exploring Flickr with me. Let me know any Flickr questions you have by making a comment to this post. Your Flickr lesson will be posted soon, so stay tuned...