My Favourite Places on Vancouver Island: Ridge Trail to Jocelyn Hill, Gowlland Tod Provincial Park

Ridge Trail outlook at Gowlland Tod. Stunning views even on a foggy day.

Trailhead location: Gowlland Tod, Caleb Pike trailhead on Caleb Pike Road about a half hour drive west of Victoria

Note: It's also possible to approach Jocelyn Hill from the McKenzie Bight access point at the north end of the park. This section of the trail has longer inland stretches.

Hike length: 8km

Hike duration: 3-4 hours

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Whenever I've mentioned Gowlland Tod  to locals on Vancouver Island, I've noticed there's about a 50/50 chance the name of this hidden gem of a park will be recognized.  Considering the beautiful views to be seen from it's hiking trails it's a mystery to me why it isn't more popular.  If I had to take a stab at the cause of it's lack of renown, I would guess it might have something to do with poorly marked trails.  When I first began visiting the park, it took numerous false starts before I could confidently navigate the series of looped paths near the Caleb Pike trailhead to successfully reach Jocelyn Hill. Happily, I noticed on my most recent visit that numerous new sign posts have been added.

The Ridge Trail hike from Caleb Pike to Jocelyn Hill overlooks one of the area's most impressive fjords, Finlayson Arm.  The 8km trek (4km to the the summit of Jocelyn Hill and 4km back) includes a few strenuous sections, but numerous scenic outlooks provide plenty of  opportunities to stop for a rest along the way.  Of course, the struggle is more than worth it.  Once you reach the summit of Jocelyn Hill, with it's stunning views of Saanich Inlet and the Gulf Islands, you'll know what I mean.

Exploring New Technologies at SIGGRAPH 2011

Emerging Technologies displays at SIGGRAPH 2011

I've been lucky enough to attend past SIGGRAPH conferences in Boston and Los Angeles, and having traveled a fair distance from my home base on both counts, I thought it was wonderful this year's host city was nearby Vancouver. A fantastic opportunity to rub elbows with an amazing array of world class digital researchers, artists and developers right in our own back yard.

Anyone would jump at the chance to go to SIGGRAPH. Right?

I especially appreciated having the opportunity to share the experience with many SIGGRAPH newbies, though admittedly, enticing friends to join me in attending the conference was more of a struggle than I had anticipated.

SIGGRAPH stands for Special Interest Group on GRAPHics and Interactive Techniques, and the subjects covered in the presentations highlight the mind-boggling scientific methods and theories developed by leading thinkers in the field. In past years I've mainly stuck to taking in the layman-friendly presentations but I've also made it a point to try to struggle through a few advanced level sessions. Memorable  moments include the MIT Lab's Ramesh Raskar and Jack Tumblin's 2006 course on computational photography, and Mine Özkar and Sotirios Kotsopoulos's 2008 course on spacial grammars.

What SIGGRAPH offers everyday folks (with an interest in technology), like me

But I digress, or rather, perhaps I should digress! The reason I love attending SIGGRAPH is, when it comes to exploring forward thinking concepts in technology, in my books this event is the bomb!  I've repeatedly observed those seemingly abstract new developments eventually mature into more mainstream interfaces, tools and services. It was at SIGGRAPH that I first encountered early examples of micro-blogging systems (like Twitter), augmented reality gaming interaction (like Wii), and new ways of interacting with devices (like your new smart phone). Along with discussions on the science of these technologies I've also heard early rumblings on the social and legal implications that go along with these developments.  Questions on privacy, morality and ownership that might surface down the road.  Then of course there are the artists who use the technologies to comment on current issues in society.  Much food for thought.

SIGGRAPH 2011 did not disappoint.  Some of my favourite offerings included Jack Stenner and Patrick LeMieux's augmented reality installation, Open House, an exploration of the results of the U.S. housing collapse; and the PocoPoco musical interface developed by Tokyo Metropolitan University and IDEEA Lab.

Hope to see you at SIGGRAPH 2012!

Trying out new gaming interfaces in The Sandbox at SIGGRAPH 2011

My Favourite Places on Vancouver Island: East Sooke Park, Coastal Trail

View from the Coastal Trail, East Sooke Park

Location: East Sooke Road, East Sooke, BC, 1 hour drive west of Victoria (download a map on the Capitol Regional District, East Sooke Park webpage)

Hike duration: 5-8 hours

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For my two cents, of the trails to be found on Vancouver Island, the most spectacular day hike by far is the 10km Coastal Trail at East Sooke Park.

You can access the trail from numerous spots along East Sooke Road but if you want to hike the entire trail, you’ll need to park either at the east end at the Aylard Farm entrance off Becher Bay Road, or at the west end at the Pike Bay entrance at the west end of East Sooke Road. Whichever end you choose to start at you’ll need to make arrangements to drop a vehicle off at the far side (expect this to add about half an hour to your trip).

I’ve encountered various views on which side of the park is best to start at and why. Whether you start at Aylard Farm or Pike Bay, you’re in for amazing vistas complete with views of the Olympic Mountain Range across the Strait of Juan de Fuca, wildlife viewing, rest stops at quiet pocket beaches, and a long, challenging hike. Heaven on earth!

By the way, for sake of reference, my favourite multi-day hike is the North Coast/Cape Scott Trail, but that’s another story :)

Coastal Trail, East Sooke Park

Beach at the Aylard Farm entrance

The Olympic Mountain Range across the Strait of Juan de Fuca

Back Alley Jams finale show: Why I heart local campus radio

Versa performing on Back Alley Jams, Jan 23, 2011

This week marks the last official episode of Back Alley Jams which has been broadcasting from The University of Victoria’s campus radio station, CFUV 101.9 FM for little over a year. The show, created and hosted by Ali Lopez in support of the local music scene, features live performances from local bands and musicians every week and was affiliated with the University of Victoria New Music Club.
Since BAJ’s pilot broadcast in May of 2010, I’ve had the pleasure of participating as one of the show’s volunteer techs on a number of live concert broadcasts. To commemorate the show’s finale, below is a list of my favourite BAJ performances (this is in no way meant to be a list of best performances by the way, just a few that for one reason or another I found to be personally memorable).

• Live On-air Jam 1 (May-16-10)
  First one!
• Live On-air Jam 4 (Aug-8-10)
  At the end of this jam I was a little taken aback when I noticed the musicians introducing themselves to each other. Listening to this show again, it’s hard to believe many of these songs were made up on the spot. Magic!
• The Loose Cannons (Dec-5-10)
  I didn’t work the board on this one, but I tuned in. Glad I got to join in on the fun along with the rest of CFUV’s listeners.
• Quoia/ Mindil Beach Markets/ David Ross McDonald – Rifflandia Jam (Sep-12-10)
  One of the numerous shows where an impractically large number of musicians crammed onto CFUV’s little closet of a studio floor (which has a grand total of six inputs). Everyone made the best of the less than ideal conditions and the result was this great show.
• Vital Hands (Feb-6-11)
  Really enjoyed the performance put on by these friendly and talented musicians.

For a full listing of Back Alley Jams episodes visit the BAJ website.

Tune into Back Alley Jams' finale episode on CFUV's website at 5pm PT, Sunday, June 12, 2011.

Being a somewhat recent transplant to this area of the country, BAJ has offered me a unique way of getting acquainted with Vancouver Island’s fabulous local music scene. It’s also been a rewarding counterpart to the other hat I wear at UVic as a member of the university’s web team, allowing me to work closely with some of UVic’s amazing students. For these reasons and many more, I’m sad to see this amazing show come to and end. So long, BAJ. I miss you already!

Support your local campus radio station!!

Sasquatch 2011: Memorable moments

I trust you won’t be too surprised to hear that our recent Sasquatch weekend didn’t quite go as planned. By no fault of our own, of course. This year, we even went as far to draw up a concert wish list.

Of course we missed out on a few concerts, happened upon a few shows unexpectedly, and generally wandered off course repeatedly. And thank goodness we did! Otherwise we would have seriously missed out on those special, unexpected moments and revelations…

We're definitely doing this again next year moment

We reached the gates half way through Friday night’s lineup and finished setting up camp as that night's closing act, the Foo Fighters, were wrapping up their set on the main stage.  As a consolation prize we discovered there’s more to arriving late to this party than just being fashionable. In the interest of not letting the cat completely out of the bag on this well kept secret I’m going to (overflow camping!) stop here.

WTF moment
   
We left the City and Colour concert early hoping to catch an artist signing at the Easy Street Records booth and wandered into this…

In case you can’t figure out what’s happening in this picture, this is a sky full of toilet paper and Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears performing a rocking cover of Surfin’ Bird.

What music festivals are all about moment

I believe everyone who had the privilege of witnessing the Other Lives concert on the Yeti stage on Sunday afternoon will understand what I’m talking about when I say this concert was the epitome of what music concerts are all about.  Hands down my favourite musical performance of the entire festival.  The five piece band, each member playing multiple instruments, sometimes simultaneously, put on one of the tightest, richest sounding shows I’ve heard in a while.  I’d originally planned to leave a little early to try and claim a good spot at a following concert on another stage.  Once they started up though, I just couldn't tear myself away.
   
What was I thinking?! moment
   
Having caught Local Natives in a small club at SXSW earlier this year I had assumed I didn’t need to see them play again at Sasquatch.  As luck would have it, I ended up at their show anyway. Boy, was I wrong!
   
Double rainbow moment
   
A colleague of mine asked about The Flaming Lips show on Sunday night. My description went something like this: At the start of the show, the band members emerged one by one from the centre of a giant eye projected into the middle of the stage. Then Wayen Coyne appeared in a giant plastic ball and walked on the crowd.  The sky was filled with streamers, coloured confetti and giant balloons.  Then the Teletubbies appeared. Oh yes, it was AMAZING!

Giant eye

Wayne Coyne walks on the crowd in a giant plastic ball

Streamers, coloured confetti and giant balloons

Teletubbies

 See more pics in my Sasquatch Festival 2011 Flickr set.

My Favourite Places on Vancouver Island: Cathedral Grove

Cathedral Grove, Vancouver Island

Living Forest Trail, MacMillan Provincial Park

Location: Vancouver Island, Hwy 4 between Qualicum Beach and Port Alberni (map)

Parking along either side of Highway 4

Time: About two (leisurely) hours, could be shorter if you’re in a rush

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Cathedral Grove!  A pretty, lyrical name that I think suits this little gem of a spot very well. True, not everyone loves Cathedral Grove. To placate the naysayers and to keep everything on the level, I thought it might be apropos to start things off with a quick run down of what Cathedral Grove is not:

1. While hiking is listed as one of the activities to be enjoyed in MacMillan Provincial Park page on the BC Parks site, I believe it’s fair to suggest this is based on a somewhat broad interpretation of the concept of hiking. I expect most will see this as more of a ‘stretch your legs’ kind of experience and not a hiking destination.
   
2. A visit to Cathedral Grove isn’t a ‘get away from it all’ kind of experience, unless your interpretation of getting away from it all includes encountering people.  Possibly lots of people.  To be more precise, possibly lots of tourists. Depending on the time of year you visit the grove, the parking lot and trails will likely be moderately busy to crawling with people.  Furthermore, you should be aware that at most points along the trails winding their way through the grove you’ll be within eyeshot and/or earshot of Highway 4.
   
3. Cathedral Grove is not the only spot on Vancouver Island to view stands of tall Douglas Fir…though it is one of the most accessible spots. I believe taller samples of Douglas Fir can be found in the Nimpkish River Ecological Reserve

Cathedral Grove, Vancouver Island

 Per aspera ad astra

Now, let’s cut the doddling and get down to the nitty-gritty with the stellar details! These trees are massive and they’re 800 years old!!! 800 years old!!! To us colonials, 800 years is virtually ancient.  Practically before the universe began. Nay, for intensive purposes, truly before the universe began! America had yet to be discovered, after all.

Beyond being massive and ancient, the trees of Cathedral Grove are beautiful. In my books beautiful enough to warrant the two hour plus trip up Island from Victoria to spend a couple of hours checking them out.  If you’re going to make the trip I’d recommend stopping at the Old Country Market in Coombs, BC (a.k.a ‘Goats on the Roof’) to pick up some snacks and/or taking a side trip a little ways off the highway to the best pub on the Island, The Crow and Gate Pub in Cedar, BC. Order the Cheddar Ploughman. YUM!

Sasquatch checklist: A few music festival packing tips for my friends

Crowd shot of the terrace at the Gorge during the National concert at Sasquatch 2010, a photo by theotherlondon on Flickr.

One week to go to the Sasquatch 2011 music festival and the excitement is almost too much to bear! While the big draw at Sasquatch is, of course, the stellar line-up, a close second is the opportunity to take it all in whilst surrounded by the majestic glory of the Columbia River Gorge. Gobsmacked I tell you!! As with all experiences in the great outdoors, one must be prepared.

If you're wondering what to bring, here's a few things I'd suggest:

• Sunscreen
• Warm clothes for chilly evenings
• A small backpack to bring your stuff to the festival grounds in
• A blanket to sit on...no chairs allowed
• A point and shoot camera...no pro cameras allowed
• Snacks
• Rain gear (just in case)
• Earplugs (if you’re planning on sleeping in the campground)
• Hand sanitizer and wipes

Sasquatch 2010 photos by theotherlondon on Flickr.

Things I learned at SXSWi 2011, part 4: Optimizing content for mobile

Things I’ve learned about making pies

My first strawberry rhubarb pie.

A while back my friend Andrea came up with the awesome idea to get a group of our friends together  on a regular basis so we could teach each other things.  It’s of course also an excuse for us to meet up to enjoy a few beverages and some conversation, but that’s not the main point (at least that’s our story and we’re sticking to it).

Anyway, Andrea started us off with a flower arranging party (if this perks your interest and you live in the Victoria, BC area, check out the workshops at the floral shop Andrea co-owns with her mom, Poppies Floral Art). Next, our friend Carole introduced us to the art of making wontons. Yum!!  We’ve also gotten together to decorate mirrors and dye Easter eggs.  For my contribution, I promised everyone I would organize an evening of group pie baking.

That was over a year ago.

An explanation in my defense

I most recently proposed holding my pie baking soirée in June, but I don’t think anyone, least of all me, is overly serious about the idea that this will actually happen. 2 months ago, I proposed a spring date that has since come and gone.  Yes, this is a recurring pattern. Now before you go passing judgment and blaming me for being a serial friend-disappointer, I want to point out, in my defense, that it has proved extremely difficult to coordinate a night that works for everyone during a week when I have time to make enough pastry dough for 10-15 pies. 10-15 pies!!

Anyway, I fear the time has come for me to rethink my skill-swap strategy.  That said, in the interest of not completely dropping the friendship ball where passing on pie making skills are concerned, I thought I’d offer this post:

How to make pies

Notice I’ve titled this section, ‘how to make pies’, not ‘how to make A pie’.  If you’ve resigned yourself to being a one-off pie baker, I can tell you right now, your pie will probably suck.  How can I be so certain? Well, one of the innate qualities of pie pastry is it’s ability to recognize undedicated novices. Seriously.

Choosing a pastry recipe

I don't believe it really matters which pastry recipe you choose. I’ve tried a few different ones with fairly consistent levels of satisfaction – in the beginning, every recipe I tried produced somewhat miserable results and, with those false starts behind me, every recipe I’ve since come across has been pretty all right. As of late, I most often use the recipe printed on the label of whichever brand of shortening I’ve purchased. The only additional recipe-related comment I would offer is that, despite any claims you might come across, ‘no-fail’ pastry is a pipedream.

Tips for making pies:

• Keep your shortening in the freezer and when you’re ready to use it, cut it into sugar-cube sized cubes before adding it to the flour.
  
  
• When cutting the shortening into the flour, don’t worry about making sure the ingredients are well and uniformly mixed. The less you fiddle with the mixture the better. As outlined in most recipes, stop when the mixture begins to resemble crumbs and small peas. I’ve learned that stopping a little sooner- when the mixture begins to resemble flour with crumbs and peas of various sizes - works too.
  
  
• Wrap your pastry dough in plastic wrap and allow it to rest in the fridge before rolling it out. I usually let dough rest a 1/2 day or overnight.
  
  
• Wrap your rolled out pastry dough around your rolling pin and unroll it into the pie pan.
  
  
• Unless the fruit you’re using is super tart, use 1/2 to 3/4 the amount of sugar the recipe calls for.
  
  
• For fruit pies, assemble the ingredients for your pie filing and let the mixture sit for a bit (at least 15 minutes), then drain off the juice before placing it in the crust.
  
  
• Add a little additional flour, corn starch or tapioca to your pie filling. I usually put in an extra teaspoon or two if the fruit seems very juicy.
  
  
• In my experience, the easiest kind of pie to make is apple.  If you’re trying to decide what type of filling to put in your first pie, go for apple.  Strawberry rhubarb is pretty easy too, but don’t forget to drain the juice before placing the fruit in the crust.

Links to pie filling recipes I've tried and liked:

• Apple pie 
• Apple berry pie
• Strawberry rhubarb
• Strawberry
• Peach
• Lemon meringue pie
• Chicken pot pie

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With thanks always to pie baking superstar, Corrie Huys and her son Baasje who gets the first slice of every pie I make.

Things I learned at SXSWi 2011, part 3: The game layer

I really enjoyed attending Josh Williams’, CEO of Gowalla, game-mechanics themed presentation, Chasing Virtual Good in the Real World at SXSWi 2010. That said, I was pleased when Seth Priebatsch’s, Chief Ninja of scvngr, SXSWi 2011 keynote, The Game Layer on Top of the World, was announced. I was keen to see how the inside conversation on game mechanics in the real world had progressed over the past year.

SXSWi 2010: Chasing Virtual Good in the Real World, Josh Williams:
Through discussing his experiences developing PackRat and Gowalla, and sharing some of his observations on user behaviour, Williams provided great insight into what compels people to participate in game type activities online. Williams went on to point out that game play mechanics were not just limited to location based services, but were becoming more and more prevalent in behaviour all over the web, and in the real world, too.

Some of the info Williams' included in his presentation at SXSWi 2010 is covered in this blog post by Andrew Mager on zdnet.com.

SXSWi 2011: The Game Layer on Top of the World, Seth Priebatsch:
I expect this is a bit of a moot point but, what a difference a year makes! Over the past year, it seems game mechanics have gone well beyond ‘creeping into real world behaviour’. In his keynote at SXSW 2011, Priebatsch proposed the game layer might provide solutions for 5 pretty large problems facing our world today, including issues with education systems and global warming.

Things I learned at SXSWi 2011, part 2: Rey Junco's Twitter research

Things I learned at SXSWi 2011, part 1: Updates from Google's Marissa Mayer

Food friends cook for friends when they’re feeling under the weather

Since moving from the east to the west coast a few years back, I’ve observed a few notable cultural differences. Attitudes toward eating, for one. As you might expect on the ‘left’ coast, food choices are generally lighter and healthier than those you’d find out east, though I’ve recently learned there are exceptions to this rule. When I fell ill a short while back, my amazing friends dropped by with dishes that it appears are tried and true standbys no matter what part of the country you live in. Soups and casseroles that make for great stick-to-your-ribs dinners and also reheat well for lunch the next day. As a little thank you, I promised to post links to a few of the recipes for others to try out and share. Call me sentimental (or perhaps, a sentimental little piglet) but in my books, nothing makes a person feel as loved as a gift of food.

Maclaren's Imperial Cheese and Macaroni (thanks, Carole)
This is like mac and cheese turned up to 11 especially if you’re a fan of Maclaren’s Imperial Cheese, the crumbly cheese spread in the red container with the black lid. If that’s not enough to perk your interest, perhaps the addition of mushrooms and bacon will up the drool factor. Where has this recipe been all my life (minus the years I was vegetarian, of course)? Maclaren's Imperial Cheese and Macaroni recipe.

Mom’s Shepherd’s Pie (thanks, Steve)
This dish made frequent appearances on the supper table of my childhood, so I was extra pleased to savour it’s yummy goodness while I was convalescing. A pretty standard recipe with all the usual suspects – potatoes, ground meat and a few additional ingredients for flavour. To me, shepherd’s pie is all about the condiments, so you really want to keep it simple. In addition to gravy, I like to apply a sprinkling of mint sauce AND Heinz 57. Mmmmm! Mom's Shepherd's Pie recipe.

Cocoa Chili (thanks, Cara)
I had no idea you could put cocoa in chili, but apparently a lot of people do and you know what? It makes for pretty fantastic tasting chili. Cocoa Chili recipe.

Chicken Noodle Soup (thanks, Baasje)
Of course. Chicken soup recipe.

Hot Cocoa
One of my favourite rainy day treats. You might be as surprised as I was to hear that hot cocoa is exceptionally good for you. Add a little chili and cinnamon to make it exceptionally delicious. Hot Cocoa recipe.

Great treats and boredom tools (thanks Andrea, Bob and Terra!)

My Top 5 Fave Digital Media/Social Media Researchers

Inspired by an experience I had at SXSW Interactive a few weeks back, below is a list of my top 5 fave digital media/social media researchers – scientists, artists and teachers whose ideas and theories have made the biggest impact on my professional values, changed my life, and oh yes, rocked my world.

Michael Wesch
Associate Professor of Cultural Anthropology, Kansas State University

Why I think Michael Wesch is awesome: From my point of view, if digital media research has a pop superstar, it’s Michael Wesch. Wesch conducts cutting edge studies on the effects of new media and then, to leave no doubt he’s got his finger on the pulse, he produces viral content about his research. Having started out on my career path in the mid-nineties, my knowledge and understanding of the Internet was, at first, pretty much limited to pure mechanics. Wesch was one of the first researchers I encountered whose work made me consider what was happening beyond the tools and code.

Research interests: The effects of new media on society and culture

Big accomplishment(s): Several major awards for his work, including a Wired Magazine Rave Award; recently named an Emerging Explorer by National Geographic

I recommend: Michael Wesch’s Digital Ethnography YouTube Channel; don't miss Wesch’s 2007 classic, The Machine is Us/ing Us

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Tim Berners-Lee
Director, World Wide Web Consortium
Senior researcher at MIT's Computer Science and AI Lab

Why I think Tim Berners-Lee is awesome: I don’t think I’d be alone in suggesting the world would be a very different place if Tim Berners-Lee wasn’t one of the good guys. As the inventor of the web, Berners-Lee was/is uniquely positioned to influence the user experience. Where others might have focused on leveraging potential business opportunities, Berners-Lee has concentrated  his attention on championing the protection of human rights and spearheading initiatives related to accessibility, standardization, open access data, and net neutrality.

Research interests: Continued development of the web

Big accomplishment(s): Inventing the World Wide Web

I recommend:

• Follow recommendations laid out by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), founded and headed by Tim Berners-Lee
• Read Weaving the Web: The Original Design and Ultimate Destiny of the World Wide Web by its inventor, Tim Berners-Lee, ISBN 0-06-251587-X. Though many things have changed since this book was published in 1999, I’d still suggest it as a necessary read for everyone who works with or on the web (which, these days, could be just about everyone, I guess)

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Florian Thalhofer
Guest Professor and Lecturer University of Leipzig
Inventor of the Korsakow System (software for creating database narratives)

Why I think Florian Thalfhofer is awesome: I expect it might be easy to assume German artist/scientist/inventor Florian Thalhofer to be a token wild card entry on this list, but that isn't the case. I attended a workshop on Thalhofer’s database cinema software, the Korsakow System at a SIGGRAPH Conference in 2006. As you know, at the time the web was as bit of a different place, static content was king, web 2.0 was in pre-explosion mode, the popularity of personal blogs and podcasts were starting to gain steam, YouTube was just coming out of it’s infancy. In this environment, the Korsakow System was, and still is to some extent, a precursory exploration of non-linear, user driven narrative taken to the extreme. A tool designed to deliver all the necessary components of a narrative with minimal structure, where the user can navigate a story in whatever random way preferred. My introduction to the Korsakow System was the first time I considered how much and how little influence the content creator truly has on the audience - an audience with the ability to control their own experience…or so it would seem. As a little additional tit for tat, Thalhofer chose to name his system, invented way back when in 2000 by the way, after Korsakoff’s Syndrome, an affect of extreme alcoholism characterized by apathy, an inability to maintain focus, memory loss and invented memories. How’s that for visionary?

Research interests: Non-linear, interactive narration

Big accomplishment(s): Inventor of the Korsakow System; numerous international awards and exhibitions

I recommend: Download the open source Korsakow System software and give it a try

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Rey Junco
Associate Professor, Lock Haven University

Why I think Rey Junco is awesome: I’ve repeatedly experienced first hand the difficulties associated with introducing social media tools and services in a higher education environment. In fact, it’s been the bane of my existence for the past six or seven years. I am indebted to Junco whose research appeared as a light at the end of a long, dreary tunnel when I had the pleasure of attending his presentation at SXSW Interactive 2011. Junco uses quantitative methods to assess the effects of social media on student development, engagement, and success. His revealing studies are the first I’ve encountered to reliably bridge the gap between the rigid ideals and expectations of academia and the pragmatic, laissez-faire attitudes that permeate online culture. Not an easy feat.

Research interests: Social media in higher education

Big accomplishment(s): The best higher ed related presentation I’ve ever attended at a digital media conference; numerous awards and publications

I recommend:

• Check out Rey Junco’s blog, Social Media in Higher Education
• Follow @reyjunco
  

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Tim Blackmore
Professor, Faculty of Information and Media Studies

Why I think Tim Blackmore is awesome: For many current and former Faculty of Information and Media Studies (FIMS) students at The University of Western Ontario, Tim Blackmore is that memorable professor who wakens enthusiasm and kindles interest enough to make all the years of struggle and hardship worthwhile. When I decided to return to school in 2004, I’d already worked in the web industry for almost a decade and I felt I had a pretty good grip on how things were put together on the web. It was a huge eye opener for me when I began the 3-year MIT program in FIMS. Blackmore’s introductory course, then titled MIT025, was the first course I took. The material we covered helped me gain a much broader perspective of the web and other digital technologies, a stronger understanding of why and how the web had evolved to it’s present state, and a better idea of where things were going.

Research interests: Ways that culture and cultural products revolve around each other

Big accomplishment(s): In my books, Blackmore is the most awesome professor ever; numerous awards and publications

I recommend: Blackmore’s introductory Media, Information and Technoculture course offered at The University of Western Ontario.

While composing this list, I realized it would probably be appropriate to put together a corporate counterpart ‘My Top 5 Fave Digital Media/Social Media Business Leaders’. Stay tuned…

Fast, Cheap and Out of Control: An Errol Morris Inspired Take on Hot Topics at SXSWi 2011

SXSWi Display Screen. Photo originally
posted in my SXSWi 2011 Flickr set.

South by Southwest (SXSW) is a set of film, interactive and music festivals and conferences that take place every spring in Austin, Texas. In 2011, SXSW commemorated it’s 25th year and was held  March 11 to the 20th.

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Hot Topics at SXSWi 2011

There were three main ideas I took away from SXSWi this year. Themes which are coincidentally paralleled in the title of my favourite Errol Morris documentary, Fast, Cheap and Out of Control:

1. Fast: Publishing content to multiple platforms
   
   Many sessions this year focused on methods and best practices for designing for multiple platforms and devices. Of the talks I attended, the folks who seemed to have the best grip on the situation were the technology design team at NPR, their basic approach summed up in a handy acronym for their content publishing strategy: C.O.P.E., Create Once Publish Everywhere
   
   
2. Cheap: The benefits of giving it away for free
   
   From Julie Cohen's polished and info packed presentation, Radical Openness: Growing TED by Giving it Away to Blake Mycoskie’s keynote address to the many discussions regarding new models of education, it seemed everyone was up for promoting 'free' as a worthy business strategy this year.
   
   
3. Out of Control (kind of): Curating content
   
   A fair portion of the sessions at SXSWi 2011 focused on the ins and outs of curating online content. Notable sessions I attended included:
   

• NYT reporters, Brian Stelter and Jennifer Preston's core conversation on social media and the Middle East
• Margo Bloomstein's presentation, Creation, Curation, and the Ethics of Content Strategy
• Social Ranking: Finding Interesting User-Generated Content

I’d be remiss not to mention what appeared to be this year’s catch phrase du jour, ‘The Game Layer’, huge in the spotlight of hot topics at SXSWi this year and subject of Seth Priebatsch's March 12th keynote address . That said, I can’t realistically list it as one of my take away highlights as I work in an industry where we’ll probably guffaw over this one until the 11th hour is upon us.

As a surface summary, I'll also offer that my second year at SXSW Interactive was way less overwhelming, and subsequently a bit more illuminating, than my deer-in-the-headlights initiation last year. I should point out that I’m still every bit as worn out - any energy I saved through planning and foresight was quickly folded into a ramped up social schedule centered around reconnecting with people I’d met last year.  Well, I've got plenty of time to recover before SXSW2012. Can't wait!

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart performed a set so smokin' hot at Sapient Nitro's Mix at Six, SXSWi 2011, one of the stage monitors caught fire during the finale. Photo originally posted in my SXSWi 2011 Flickr set.

My Favourite Places on Vancouver Island: McKenzie Bight, Mount Work Regional Park

McKenzie Bight, Mount Work Regional Park
Originally uploaded by theotherlondon

Location: Mount Work Regional Park. Trail head for the McKenzie Bight trail can be accessed near the Mount Work parking lot

Distance: About 3km

Time: 1 - 1.5 hour(s)

Parking: Parking lot/street parking Mount Work Provincial Park

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If you've only got time for a quick outing close to the city, I'd say this is an excellent choice. All the usual suspects are here, gorgeous dense green vegetation, a breathtaking seaside vista (a bit on the brief side), bubbling brooks, pretty waterfalls plunging over cliffs steps from the trail, a grind of a climb (mercifully on the brief side), etc., etc. It's also a great walk to enjoy with a group of friends as most sections of the trail are fairly wide.

The trip is actually comprised of two trails - the McKenzie Bight Trail and the Cascades Trail. And, as you may now be suspecting, old friend, the Cascades Trail is the reason I've included this spot as one of my favourite places on Vancouver Island. Not just because of 'the cascades', which are beautiful, of course! We are such sentimental creatures...




Yann Tiersen-live aux eurock rue des cascades, Eurockéennes de Belfort, 2001

“There are hundreds and hundreds of dollars to be made in the Canadian music industry”: Making it count when purchasing music online

Brasstronaut at Market Square, Rifflandia 3
Originally uploaded by theotherlondon

I’d like to send this one out to the person who burst my bubble this week. You know who you are. We had a conversation during which you pointed out the Internet has broken the music industry and there’s no money to be made in it anymore for anyone. If I remember correctly, your main arguments were that iTunes and other au current music distribution platforms are a colossal disaster, at least terms of potential for generating any semblance of an income for artists – though not for facilitating the sale of iPods – and that musicians can’t make money from selling concert tickets or merchandise.

The gory details

Further investigation led me to the following articles (by the way, if you’re at all interested in the impact of digital technologies on the music industry the second article in particular should be an interesting read):

• The iTunes Effect and the Future of Publishing, Scott Berinato, The Harvard Business Review, January 12, 2010
• Three bits of bad news for the music business. And it's not improving, Charles Arthur, The Guardian, February 8, 2011

Pop

or rather, pfffffffffffffffffffft.

Yes, this is terrible news for musicians…and might I offer, a little deflating for someone who regularly lists ‘music' amoungst her largest monthly expenditures. Terrible news.

A case in point implicating yours truly

The comment I’ve quoted in the title of this post was made by a member of Canadian band, Brasstronaut at their performance at Rifflandia 2010. Though I’ve attended a couple of their concerts, regularly include their music in my Blip.fm stream, voted for their entries in online contests and have interacted with @Brasstronaut on Twitter, I admit, I haven’t purchased any of their music (yet). Before continuing I’d also like to point out that I’ve never illegally downloaded any of their music either. But that’s beside the point, isn’t it?

I can hear you tsk-tsking from here.

I do buy music. Quite a bit of it, I might add. In fact, all the albums on my top 10 of 2010 are albums that were recommended to me online that I eventually purchased…though yes, the total number of albums I purchased last year, amounts to just a fraction of the bands I listen to online.

Does it matter that I probably wouldn’t have heard of the majority of the bands I listen to had it not been for the Internet? Didn’t think so.

Support your favourite artists...for real

Anyway, all I can offer is this – music buyers, if you really want to support your favourite artists I’ve learned the best way to do this is to buy CDs directly from the artist or from CD Baby. MP3 downloads don’t really amount to squat in terms of revenue for the artist. For the purchaser, there are additional benefits to buying a CD you may or may not care about - read more in ZDNet’s geek tome Ed Bott's Microsoft Report, Who owns your digital downloads? (Hint: it's not you).

For a better understanding of what to do/avoid when purchasing music, check out this great graph on Information is Beautiful for a pretty, visual representation of how much money musicians get paid in the new digital marketplace.

One little tip I might offer to CD Baby, it would probably be good on you to up your marketing efforts for your download cards. Being a music lover, I regularly get iTunes gift certificates from friends and family, many of whom are conscious consumers who would probably choose you over iTunes if they understood the difference. Just sayin’.

Update, February 20, 2011 - Seems I forgot when I was writing this post that there are two sides to every coin. See article below. Thanks @dbarefoot.

• Infographic Does A Great Job Misrepresenting Opportunities Of The Digital Era, techdirt, April 14, 2010
  

My Favourite Places on Vancouver Island: Niagara Trestle, Goldstream Provincial Park

Niagara Trestle, Goldstream Provincial Park
Originally uploaded by theotherlondon

Location: Goldstream Provincial Park. Trail head for the Arbutus trail can be accessed from the Goldstream campground.

Distance: About 5km

Time: 2.5 hours with lots of time at the trestle for sight seeing and picture taking.

Parking: Day use parking adjacent to the campground and additional parking on Sooke Lake Road.

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I feel so guilty! I do! Paired with the title above, I'm sure you can guess where this is going. You in the throws of winter, and me, marveling at the returning but forever new, tender growth that accompanies the first signs of spring. I'll at least spare you a plea for forgiveness, though I'm afraid I'm helpless to refrain from reporting that the snowdrops and tulips have begun to bloom.

But enough of that.

Our copy of 'Hiking Trails I, Victoria & Vicinity' (which I would encourage anyone living on or visiting Vancouver Island to pick up), rates Goldstream's Arbutus Loop Trail as 'easy' and the Gold Mine Ridge Trail as 'moderate'. As I am additionally apt to measure the difficulty of a trail by comparing it to the hellishness of the three days we spent hiking 46km of mud-slide chaos on the Juan de Fuca in April 2009, I will include that these trails are also dependably dry. The only-slightly-muddy-even-in-the-springtime route ascends and descends through shadowy, mossy stands of Douglas fir, fantastic in the spring fog. While there's a notable lack of viewpoint vistas (uncharacteristic for a ridge top hike in this part of the country) I must say it is, in my mind, one of the most scenic hikes on the south end of Vancouver Island.

To perk up the monotonous glory of the forest glades, points of interest appear at regularly spaced intervals along the journey. Not just one, but two springs, 'Hidden Spring' and 'Miner's Spring', are located close to the trail. Though I'd expect it's unlikely you'll need to replenish your water supply at all on a 5km hike, both sites are worth a stop to appreciate the pretty, little (and I do mean little) water falls. As if that's not enough, there's also an abandoned gold mine on the trail - also little, so keep your eyes peeled or you might miss it.

The money spot on this hike is the reason this is one of my favourite spots on Vancouver Island. The trestle! I'm not going to go on too much about it because you really must see it for yourself, and I'm also going to insist that you do your best to go on a foggy day. One glimpse between the railway ties into the mist shrouded 125m drop below and you'll see what I mean. Gobsmacked I tell you!

You could help me out,
You could slow me down,
You could show me things,
That otherwise I would just pass by.
- Breathe Owl Breathe, House of Gold from Magic Central (2010)

A few of my favourite albums in 2010

To begin, I’m hoping you can answer me this (oh, goddess of literary terminology): How does one refer to this decade? ‘The ‘10s’? Doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, does it?  Well, if this year was any indication of what’s in store for, um, the next ten years, I believe we’re in for a bit of a treat musically speaking, but enough dilly-dallying.

New albums in heavy rotation on my iPod in 2010

10. Leif Vollebekk, Inland
9.  Avi Buffalo, Avi Buffalo
8.  J. Tillman, Singing Ax
7.  Arcade Fire, The Suburbs
6.  Raised by Swans, No Ghostless Place
5.  Beach House, Teen Dream
4.  Fredrik, Trilogi
3.  Mimicking Birds, Mimicking Birds
2.  The National, High Violet
1.  Horse Feathers, Thistled Spring

The house concert experience or why I love the Internet

Okay, I'll admit, the title is a bit of a stretch, but being the good, old friends that we are, I hope you will bear with me as I recount my recent initiation with the house concert experience and coincidentally relate a little folderol in the cannon of my come-on-the-Internet-isn't-that-bad arguments.  I promise by the time this post wraps up, all the dots will have been connected...in a round about way at least, and isn't that just the way we like it?  But, I get ahead of myself.

To start, or rather, jump back, to the beginning, I went to my first house concert about a month ago and it was every bit as unforgettable as the initiated (myself, now included) claim. In case you're not familiar with the house concert experience,  I'll clarify before we go any further that the moniker is pretty much self explanatory - house concerts are musical performances that take place in someone's home.  On the bill that night was an Australian musician named David Ross Macdonald. You should check out his music if you get the chance (*well meaning and earnest promotional plug: you can download a free EP if you sign up for his mailing list on his website*), I know you're going to like it.  The concert took place in a lovely, old home in the Fernwood area of Victoria, which is the city's equivalent to our favourite bario, Wortley Village.

Now, where to start with the stellar details? Oh yes, they have yet to begin! You, being every bit the music lover that I am, can well imagine the joy of listening to music well played in an intimate setting. It's slightly akin to those times you and I would sit in your apartment passing your guitar back and forth while warbling to each other's musical stylings, only with music of a much higher calibre (at least where my input was concerned as you are, of course, a fantastic musician). Yes, it's like listening to a friend tell stories and give an amazing musical performance, except you've most likely never met the musician before and, as with my experience, may also be newly acquainted with the homeowner. But still and all, the illusion of familiarity is pretty darn convincing. I was hooked, and you know how hard it is for me to get carried away where music is concerned.

And this is where my little tarradiddle, as the case may prove to be, comes back around to my original suggestion. Being a newcomer to this city, there's no way I would have been drawn into an event like this had it not been for the Internet.  On a semi-related note,  I stumbled across an interesting article, The punter is the star on these nights out, in the Independant about  'immersion experiences'.  It would appear, at least from my back-water point of view, that the popularity of the grassroots participatory experience is on the rise.  I suppose we could extrapolate as to how these things might be advertised without the use of the Internet - printing press perhaps? 

If you'd like to learn more about house concerts by the way, I came across a great resource on a site produced by a musician named Bob Bossin. Though I've learned that the related logistics - ticket prices, split of the proceeds, concession arrangements, etc. - can vary based on the artist's agreement with the homeowner, the basic idea is that arrangements are kept pretty simple and most or all of the proceeds raised go to the musician, just as it should be.

Gobsmacked, I tell you!

The fantastic John Mann (Spirit of the West) 

house concert I attended just this past weekend.