Anyway, while I was passing time in the waiting room I flicked through this book of photography and bible quotes.
It amused me to see this single raised digit among the otherwise banal contents of the book.
Birdwatching
A few weeks ago I had to wait an hour at the medical centre to see a doctor, which isn't too bad considering when I made an appointment again recently I was told it would be a four-week wait.
Anyway, while I was passing time in the waiting room I flicked through this book of photography and bible quotes.
It amused me to see this single raised digit among the otherwise banal contents of the book.
Anyway, while I was passing time in the waiting room I flicked through this book of photography and bible quotes.
It amused me to see this single raised digit among the otherwise banal contents of the book.
Facing up to Facebook
What follows is an article I wrote for the Local Government Web Network that was printed in their Stories publication for 2010.
According to a survey by Sensis of 1500 people from across this country, 90% of Australians can access the internet from home. It is not surprising then that many community discussions are moving online and the most popular location is Facebook.
In July 2009 the Online Community Engagement blog claimed there are more than six million accounts on Facebook which identify Australia as their home country, around 28% of the population (although some people have more than one account). Data suggests that Facebook users are more concentrated within cities, for example a search showed that about 400 Facebook users identify Wagga Wagga as their location – only around 1% of the town’s population but possibly 1% that consume less media from other sources.
More recently, The Nielsen Company reported there are 9,895,000 Australians using social media websites (although, again, many of these users may have mutliple accounts). Nielsen claim our country leads the world for the average time per person spent on social media sites, with the average Australian spending nearly seven hours logged-in during December 2009. No wonder Facebook is second only to Google as the most popular website for Australians.
One of the key recommendations in IBM’s 2008 report Leveraging Web 2.0 in Government is to “meet citizens where they are online.” Leeton Shire Council, where I work, has Facebook profiles for The Roxy Theatre and the Leeton Library. Locally, other councils are also using this approach, notably Wagga Wagga City Council’s Riverside project, which uses Twitter and Facebook to befriend locals and raise awareness of the consultation process and release of draft plans.
An increasing challenge for councils will be responding to criticism on social network sites, where the debate is public yet proponents can hide behind pseudonyms. No wonder there’s a recommendation in the Government 2.0 Taskforce’s 2009 report, Engage: Getting on with Government 2.0, that ''engaging with the tools and platforms of social networking should be accepted as a valuable and productive way for public servants to share and develop their expertise.''
Social network users are already having an impact within Australia with criticism of Ipswich’s Bell Street by a group of about 900 on Facebook leading to the establishment of a taskforce and the announcement of a safety audit for the street which features two methadone clinics, a sexual health clinic, a taxi rank, bus and train station and pub.
In a sign that not all public servants understand how to engage the community, Rockhampton Mayor Brad Carter claimed to have been so disgusted by comments from the ‘Rockhampton Sucks’ Facebook group users that he decided to quit social media all together.
So how should one best engage the community via Facebook? You could spend hours responding to criticism from a ‘troll’ – internet slang for someone who posts controversial, inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages – yet reading these angry criticisms can be a great way to quickly research opinions on local subjects and evaluate the level of interest among others on the social network. An online presence doesn’t have to be interactive, like the approach of Wagga Wagga’s Riverside project mentioned earlier, by befriending locals they could draw attention to materials located elsewhere online, ensuring ownership of the content – an important consideration in light of the recent defacing of Facebook pages.
Social media is a new frontier for community engagement and it will be interesting to see what is successful. In recognising this new field, I think the Australian Broadcasting Corporation have established a useful set of guidelines that are worth considering for anyone representing a council online:
References:
http://www.onlinecommunityconsultation.com/2009/07/is-facebook-community-engagement-tool.html
http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/global/led-by-facebook-twitter-global-time-spent-on-social-media-sites-up-82-year-over-year/
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,26749456-952,00.html
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/facebook-vandal-complaints-futile/story-e6frgakx-1225834303404
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/05/2733929.htm
According to a survey by Sensis of 1500 people from across this country, 90% of Australians can access the internet from home. It is not surprising then that many community discussions are moving online and the most popular location is Facebook.
In July 2009 the Online Community Engagement blog claimed there are more than six million accounts on Facebook which identify Australia as their home country, around 28% of the population (although some people have more than one account). Data suggests that Facebook users are more concentrated within cities, for example a search showed that about 400 Facebook users identify Wagga Wagga as their location – only around 1% of the town’s population but possibly 1% that consume less media from other sources.
More recently, The Nielsen Company reported there are 9,895,000 Australians using social media websites (although, again, many of these users may have mutliple accounts). Nielsen claim our country leads the world for the average time per person spent on social media sites, with the average Australian spending nearly seven hours logged-in during December 2009. No wonder Facebook is second only to Google as the most popular website for Australians.
One of the key recommendations in IBM’s 2008 report Leveraging Web 2.0 in Government is to “meet citizens where they are online.” Leeton Shire Council, where I work, has Facebook profiles for The Roxy Theatre and the Leeton Library. Locally, other councils are also using this approach, notably Wagga Wagga City Council’s Riverside project, which uses Twitter and Facebook to befriend locals and raise awareness of the consultation process and release of draft plans.
An increasing challenge for councils will be responding to criticism on social network sites, where the debate is public yet proponents can hide behind pseudonyms. No wonder there’s a recommendation in the Government 2.0 Taskforce’s 2009 report, Engage: Getting on with Government 2.0, that ''engaging with the tools and platforms of social networking should be accepted as a valuable and productive way for public servants to share and develop their expertise.''
Social network users are already having an impact within Australia with criticism of Ipswich’s Bell Street by a group of about 900 on Facebook leading to the establishment of a taskforce and the announcement of a safety audit for the street which features two methadone clinics, a sexual health clinic, a taxi rank, bus and train station and pub.
In a sign that not all public servants understand how to engage the community, Rockhampton Mayor Brad Carter claimed to have been so disgusted by comments from the ‘Rockhampton Sucks’ Facebook group users that he decided to quit social media all together.
So how should one best engage the community via Facebook? You could spend hours responding to criticism from a ‘troll’ – internet slang for someone who posts controversial, inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages – yet reading these angry criticisms can be a great way to quickly research opinions on local subjects and evaluate the level of interest among others on the social network. An online presence doesn’t have to be interactive, like the approach of Wagga Wagga’s Riverside project mentioned earlier, by befriending locals they could draw attention to materials located elsewhere online, ensuring ownership of the content – an important consideration in light of the recent defacing of Facebook pages.
Social media is a new frontier for community engagement and it will be interesting to see what is successful. In recognising this new field, I think the Australian Broadcasting Corporation have established a useful set of guidelines that are worth considering for anyone representing a council online:
- Do not mix the professional and the personal in ways likely to bring the ABC into disrepute.
- Do not undermine your effectiveness at work.
- Do not imply ABC endorsement of your personal views.
- Do not disclose confidential information obtained through work.
References:
http://www.onlinecommunityconsultation.com/2009/07/is-facebook-community-engagement-tool.html
http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/global/led-by-facebook-twitter-global-time-spent-on-social-media-sites-up-82-year-over-year/
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,26749456-952,00.html
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/facebook-vandal-complaints-futile/story-e6frgakx-1225834303404
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/05/2733929.htm
Summer nights
Thinking of summer nights -- and I am thinking of them longingly as it's the middle of winter -- this is one of the sights among the many bugs on a warm evening at Pindari.
The hawkmoth is truly a wonder.
Wind-powered music
This is one of my favourite recordings of 'the wires' at Pindari, a large-scale aeolian harp. (Click here to learn more.)
It was a summer evening and the gentle pulsing was created by a light breeze and the temperature slowly dropping. Warm nights are glorious with the light of the stars and the sound of 'the wires' joining the cicadas and occasional rumble of a train or truck.
041207PM by bassling
Thinking of Kay Hull
Many have described retiring Riverina MP Kay Hull and her efforts. It's been said that she knocked back promotion from the backbench so she could focus on the needs of the Riverina. Charles Sturt University Vice-Chancellor Ian Goulter described her as like a terrier when he opened a veterinary lab named after her.
Anyway, I was particularly impressed with how she handled a request from my mum to transport cutlery from Canberra to Leeton.
Anyway, I was particularly impressed with how she handled a request from my mum to transport cutlery from Canberra to Leeton.
A Riverina view of the federal election
Below is an overview of how the federal election is playing out locally that I wrote for Crikey.
While Crikey reckon the Nationals will keep the Riverina, it will be interesting to see what effect the retirement of longstanding National Kay Hull has. The Liberals must think they have a chance as I've had three communications, including two addressed letters from candidate Andrew Negline, so far.
The Nationals have sourced a strong candidate in Michael McCormack, former editor of Wagga's Daily Advertiser newspaper, while Labor's Robyn Hakelis has run afoul of the "born and bred" cliches in the local media because she's only lived in the region for a few years. Vocal One Nation candidate Craig Hesketh is running again, while the Greens have a new face in David Fletcher. There's also Tim Quilty of Liberal Democratic Party, Sylvia Mulholland of the Christian Democratic Party and independent Matthew Hogg, who's been doing a lot of work to raise his profile. A late addition is Rhonda Lever representing Family First from her home in Sydney. It's been reported that she's a reluctant candidate who agreed to run as long as she did not have to campaign, answer questions or participate in any way.
It probably will go to the Nationals again though as they have enjoyed a huge majority of votes in previous years. However, it's great to see the largest number of candidates ever running for the Riverina.
A key election issue here is the release of the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) plan, which has been tipped to include cuts to irrigated farms. With the region contributing to 38% of NSW's vegetable production with a lot of this exported, the trade off for environmental flows will be felt by consumers and in reduced exports. The Australian Farm Institute says every Griffith farmer feeds 150 Australians and 450 foreigners each year.
The MDBA have pushed back the release of their plan and this has been widely viewed as way of avoiding water becoming an election issue. While the MDBA protest that they're working to produce a "plain English" version of the plan, it would seem the delay fits with Labor's approach of deferring discussion about climate change.
While Crikey reckon the Nationals will keep the Riverina, it will be interesting to see what effect the retirement of longstanding National Kay Hull has. The Liberals must think they have a chance as I've had three communications, including two addressed letters from candidate Andrew Negline, so far.
The Nationals have sourced a strong candidate in Michael McCormack, former editor of Wagga's Daily Advertiser newspaper, while Labor's Robyn Hakelis has run afoul of the "born and bred" cliches in the local media because she's only lived in the region for a few years. Vocal One Nation candidate Craig Hesketh is running again, while the Greens have a new face in David Fletcher. There's also Tim Quilty of Liberal Democratic Party, Sylvia Mulholland of the Christian Democratic Party and independent Matthew Hogg, who's been doing a lot of work to raise his profile. A late addition is Rhonda Lever representing Family First from her home in Sydney. It's been reported that she's a reluctant candidate who agreed to run as long as she did not have to campaign, answer questions or participate in any way.
It probably will go to the Nationals again though as they have enjoyed a huge majority of votes in previous years. However, it's great to see the largest number of candidates ever running for the Riverina.
A key election issue here is the release of the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) plan, which has been tipped to include cuts to irrigated farms. With the region contributing to 38% of NSW's vegetable production with a lot of this exported, the trade off for environmental flows will be felt by consumers and in reduced exports. The Australian Farm Institute says every Griffith farmer feeds 150 Australians and 450 foreigners each year.
The MDBA have pushed back the release of their plan and this has been widely viewed as way of avoiding water becoming an election issue. While the MDBA protest that they're working to produce a "plain English" version of the plan, it would seem the delay fits with Labor's approach of deferring discussion about climate change.
Apple praise snap
Call me cynical but I'm suspicious when I see three positive reviews for a product that's only just been announced -- especially when they're three positive reviews that are doubled-upped.
My former neighbour
This is one of the brown snakes that lived outside my last house. I'd just stepped over it walking out the door before these pics.
As it slid away it zigzagged down this staircase.
Wandered
Wandered by ShowcaseJase
Above is a draft of a tune I've written called Wandered. It's a demo recorded quickly with my BFF Jo and the lyrics could flow better.
Below is an instrumental version of the tune in an electronic style. It's a bit glitchy and reminds me a little of Boards of Canada -- although it doesn't have their awesome drum sounds. (I was listening to their earlier albums today and noticed their distortion and sometimes delay on the drums.)
Wandered by bassling
The opening drone reminds me of the wires a bit. It could use some birdsong to reflect the theme of the lyrics in the original.
Above is a draft of a tune I've written called Wandered. It's a demo recorded quickly with my BFF Jo and the lyrics could flow better.
Below is an instrumental version of the tune in an electronic style. It's a bit glitchy and reminds me a little of Boards of Canada -- although it doesn't have their awesome drum sounds. (I was listening to their earlier albums today and noticed their distortion and sometimes delay on the drums.)
Wandered by bassling
The opening drone reminds me of the wires a bit. It could use some birdsong to reflect the theme of the lyrics in the original.
Can women sell cymbals?
Previously I've commented on the use of sexy women to sell keyboards and speakers. It's awesome to see this theme expanded to sell cymbals.
It reminds me of an experiment I read about while studying psychology. They found that by showing men photos of naked women wearing high heels they could train blokes to be aroused by shoes.
BTW the ads aren't working because I'm flaccid while looking at my cymbals.
Bearded dragons
Bearded dragons are kept as pets in some parts of the world but when I was living outside Wagga Wagga I'd often see them in the wild.
They're quite social animals for lizards. As pets they seem to really like being stroked on the neck.
Sadly a lot seem to end up run over on the road. Below is one I rescued from a fence.
Below is one I didn't get to rescue.
Bearded dragons were featured in my film clip for bassling's tune Hazmat.
Gently borrowed
Gentle Borrower by ShowcaseJase
This is Gentle Borrower from the 2008 RPM Challenge. It's the first recording of the track I wrote about copyright and musical inspiration. It was inspired by one of the most potent essays I've read about music -- Bettered by the Borrower by John Oswald. As I read it I jotted down ideas and later thought they would make good lyrics.
Here is a version of the song we recorded live using the wires as a reverb on the vocals by singing into a can, like one of the telephones you'd make with two cans and a string.
Below is my bassling remix of Gentle Borrower. If you click on the downward arrow you can download it.
Gentle Borrower (basslingspulsingwiresmix) by bassling
This is Gentle Borrower from the 2008 RPM Challenge. It's the first recording of the track I wrote about copyright and musical inspiration. It was inspired by one of the most potent essays I've read about music -- Bettered by the Borrower by John Oswald. As I read it I jotted down ideas and later thought they would make good lyrics.
We share in ears
vibrations in air
it's more primal than blues
this form we share
I am a sound
a song that is true
this music that flows through me
can flow through you too
Gentle borrower
transform me
gentle borrower
transform me
Brainstorm elation
marks transformation
save condemnation for
straight imitation
There are more than these notes
there are more than these keys
an infinite soundscape
needs your diversity
Gentle borrower
transform me
gentle borrower
transform me
Here is a version of the song we recorded live using the wires as a reverb on the vocals by singing into a can, like one of the telephones you'd make with two cans and a string.
Below is my bassling remix of Gentle Borrower. If you click on the downward arrow you can download it.
Gentle Borrower (basslingspulsingwiresmix) by bassling
Curious review
Just saw this in the Sydney Morning Herald Spectrum section from Saturday, an album review without text. (You can tell it's the Spectrum because it's got that weird pie chart they use. I think the pie chart is weirder than a review without words but it's there every week.)
At four stars I wouldn't have thought the reviewer would be lost for words. Either they're a novice -- and, to be honest, I've read a few reviews lately that seemed like the sorta PR you get with the album as a reviewer -- or it is an album that I'm intrigued to hear for myself to form an opinion.
Once in a blue moon?
Previously I quoted Tim Rogers saying that no one knows how to write a hit song. Which soothes the pain of never getting Tim's opinion of my tune Blue Moon.
This is the version I might've performed for him:
Blue Moon (Jase's single take) by ShowcaseJase
And this is the version I recorded with my BFF in 2007:
Blue Moon by ShowcaseJase
And this is a slower instrumental version:
Blue Moon by bassling
Anyway, I've reconsidered the role of songwriting in producing a hit after this quote from Sia Furler in the SMH Spectrum section last month:
Guess it could be any number of things. These opinions segue to my surprise at the popularity of this tune I knocked out quickly and didn't like much. If I were marketing my own music, I wouldn't have picked this track as a single yet it's been heard more often than any of my other recent work.
trip-hop by bassling
Maybe it's the name? Trip-hop might be a search term as a genre.
Then again, maybe I'm obsessing over numbers instead of my own enjoyment of music.
Maybe Prince was right when he said:
(BTW this Prince quote is a very popular topic at present. I like the discussion here lots, especially the bit about carrying a church instead of a reverb unit.)
This is the version I might've performed for him:
Blue Moon (Jase's single take) by ShowcaseJase
And this is the version I recorded with my BFF in 2007:
Blue Moon by ShowcaseJase
And this is a slower instrumental version:
Blue Moon by bassling
Anyway, I've reconsidered the role of songwriting in producing a hit after this quote from Sia Furler in the SMH Spectrum section last month:
"You can market poop. You just have to listen to the radio to hear the poop being marketed."
Guess it could be any number of things. These opinions segue to my surprise at the popularity of this tune I knocked out quickly and didn't like much. If I were marketing my own music, I wouldn't have picked this track as a single yet it's been heard more often than any of my other recent work.
trip-hop by bassling
Maybe it's the name? Trip-hop might be a search term as a genre.
Then again, maybe I'm obsessing over numbers instead of my own enjoyment of music.
Maybe Prince was right when he said:
"The internet's completely over. I don't see why I should give my new music to iTunes or anyone else. They won't pay me an advance for it and then they get angry when they can't get it.
"The internet's like MTV. At one time MTV was hip and suddenly it became outdated. Anyway, all these computers and digital gadgets are no good.
"They just fill your head with numbers and that can't be good for you."
(BTW this Prince quote is a very popular topic at present. I like the discussion here lots, especially the bit about carrying a church instead of a reverb unit.)
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