Jamiroquai took the feel good seventies funk vibe and ran with it.  Last June they set up their own web site: http://www.jamiroquai.com/ with lots of funky stuff to check out.  On the top right they have some new songs to listen to.

I saw the Live in Montreaux concert on TV and was blown away.  Jay’s voice is very easy to listen to with incredible range and subtlety.  He’s fun to watch and makes you want to get up and dance too. It looks like they are just wrapping up a Japanese Tour.  

Play (press play on the media box) or download Space Cowboy for free from Archive.org

Check out all the related links, clubs and fun things to do at Jam Party People.  Have a great weekend everyone!  

I created a new look for the DharmaZine and it’s coming along nicely.  Any suggestions would be welcomed. Anything related to the site or our goals would be good.

Known issues:

1. it appears slightly different in IE than in Firefox but either way it’s presentable.

2. load time is slightly longer than I’d like but that can’t be fixed until the new script is installed.

I can begin promoting it now and add anything you suggest along the way.  

On the same server there is a small search engine which you can add your sites to.  And there’s an event calendar which I’ll be promoting.  It’s only accepting submissions for politics, art and music.  But if your site(s) or blog(s) fall into those categories please head on over and fill out the form.  You can even skip the email part of the form as I’m not sending out verifications.  Access all of the above here.  No registration is required or even allowed.

Also on the same site is the News Engine.  I’ve been plugging away at the look of that as well.  If you’d like your blog included in the news being served up just comment here or send an email to info [at] howod.com.

Thanks for helping with the development of these projects.  They are meant to push as much traffic to your blogs as possible.

Recently NewsCorpse decided to start posting on Docudharma.com.  NewsCorpse runs a site by the same name http://newscorpse.com/ and I’ve been a fan for a while.  The site combines amazing original graphics with hard hitting important stories.  So I took the opportunity to request an interview and this is the result:

Thanks for your reply and invitation to get in touch.  I’m a back-end developer mostly and am interested in who links to what and why…recently I signed Docudharma up on Blogburst and that system has been placing our headlines onto sites like the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Reuters etc.  

I saw your headlines from another Wall Street Journal story and when I did it reminded me of other times I saw your news on Google News and places reserved, usually, for News Sources not mere blogs.

Until we registered on Blogburst I thought it was nearly impossible to get linked from the top dogs.  You were able to do it much earlier than most.  Until recently I was just submitting links anywhere possible, hoping that would raise the site’s rankings.  Once I got into news feeds I realized there is a lot of hidden potential on the development side.

You appear to understand the concept of a blog/website as a dot com….I am just getting to that point now so here are some questions (below the fold):

Scotch-Mist

r a d i o h e a d

Well, I tried writing something about the above video but I am sure you’ll all understand what I was trying to write just by watching.  Something about Doing it Ourselves and the joy that that brings. And the attraction of the studio where the artist can be left alone to invent and discover then release items for public consumption when the time is right and not a moment sooner.  Add on to that the inclusion of the mystic and absurd so that we steer clear of idle sincerity.  Intermingled with a desire to yell, scream and cry all in tune and without dropping a beat. No this isn’t important but it is, like your last exam before summer vacation.  Would you prefer a more refined video with fire and ladies dancing?  Be honest.  Would you prefer to see filled glasses of alcohol and some severe rump shakin’?  Or is the experience of creating something new what a music video could and should be about?

 

Just a quick note,

Commonscribe pointed out FinishtheJobFund.org a while back as being a reputable place to send donations.  They are directly assisting the rebuilding in Mississippi.  

At the time I took the opportunity to email the program and give them some advice on their website.  It looks like they took the advice to heart because their redesigned site is exactly what I had envisioned.  Photos, testimonials, background information, all the things a donor wants to see in order to feel like they are a part of the effort.

So if anyone has a buck or two kicking around their wallets…consider putting it in a place that will have a real impact on people tomorrow.  Thanks!  

While searching for information and sites related to Science I stumbled across the International Society for The Systems Sciences.  In July they’ll be holding a conference on the following topic which I found very intriguing:

Systems that Make a Difference

Location: University of Wisconsin, Memorial Union, 800 Langdon Street, Madison, Wisconsin

The title for this conference borrows from Gregory Bateson’s definition of information as “a difference that makes a difference.” The question for systems researchers and practitioners is, “what difference are we making?”

What difference are we making and is our information and our information system a difference that makes a difference?

We need to start from a very basic perspective…you at a computer, connected occasionally to Docudharma.com, producing content which is presented to the group, the readers of the site and readers in other places via the news feeds, blog comments, directories and community sharing sites.

Well it was an interesting evening piecing together the bare bones of an alternative news source.  First I found a host that uses wind and solar power to run their servers, then picked out a domain with a little help from the people on Kos. The registration took a little longer than usual simply because it was a Holiday.  I was emailed my confirmation letter with all of my passwords and login information.

If you are signing up with a host for the first time be sure to save your confirmation emails and print them out, you may need them in the future.  Then read all of the helpful information about how their system works.  Most will have an online file manager, script installation system, database management, email system, and a few other tools in their control panels.  

I’ve been playing around with various content management systems looking for one that had both sidebars and the ability to enter raw html and javascripts into static pages.  It also had to have the ability for people to register and post their own bits of coding and development ideas.  

So on the same server as the e-zine demo I installed Geeklog.  The installation isn’t perfect, I’ll most likely be re-installing it but wanted to use this imperfect installation as an example to people.  Setting up a new CMS, blog, ad system can take time and you won’t always get it right.  Each server has their own security protocols and ways of arranging the information.  So don’t get discouraged if you have an issue.  Visit the user forums for your particular system, re-read the instructions on your host and try another installation.  Simply delete the existing one using your script installation tool on your server.  Then begin again.

The following petitions are important ones. We ask that you consider taking a moment to sign the ones you agree with.  Most are linked up to government representatives who are sent the results and lists of names at or about the time legislation is to be considered on the issue.

Stop Bush Admin Plan to Shoot

Wyoming and Idaho Wolves

Stop Aerial Wolf Kills in Alaska

Stop the EPA’s California Waver Denial

Stop rape in the Congo

Stop Japan’s Whale Killing Fleet 1

Stop Japan’s Whale Killing Fleet 2

Save the Endangered Species Act

Education for Children of Darfur

Snow Leopard Trust

End the use of plastic bags in L.A.

Thank you!

This list will change as new issues are brought to our attention and others are resolved.

I have a tendency to think others efforts are pointless until I discover otherwise. I have a tendency to try and help people that do not think they need help. My typing sucks. I don’t always research important stories before posting them.  I don’t like being on stage but love being backstage. Since I’ve been away traffic has increased…. :\

In addition to my occasional successes online I’ve started a number of websites that went nowhere fast.  If left to work alone, I will quickly tire of the task.  If working with a group I will tend to have personality conflicts.  So yes…I suck too.