• Is ChatRoulette the Future of the Internet or Its Distant Past? — New York Magazine

  Excellent article by Sam Anderson, “The Human Shuffle,” about chatroulette.

  tags: chatroulette, socialmedia, socialtheory, sam_anderson, nymag

• JP Rangaswami: thoughts from Davos Part 3 – Telegraph

  JP Rangaswami on what’s good about the World Economic Forum at Davos. Excellent article, with links for social media sites that bring WEF activity into the public sphere.
  QUOTE
  “People who come to Davos have an incredibly rich array of options as to what they could participate in. In every case, they can pretty much be guaranteed access to some of the world’s experts on the issue. Whatever the issue. And it’s a broad range of issues addressed, far richer than the regular media fare of doom-laden politics and economics. Dismal sciences both of them.

  Davos is about bringing an eclectic group of enthusiastic people together for a high-intensity burst of activity, providing them access to expertise and to empowerment, and giving them an environment where stuff happens. ”
  UNQUOTE

  tags: confused_of_calcutta, jp_rangaswami, davos, world_economic_forum, activism

• Using a skin graft to give city eyesores an eco-friendly face-lift

  I’m really not sure that putting the equivalent of a high-tech textile paper bag over an ugly building can really “fix” an ugly building. On the other hand, maybe it’s an idea whose time has come, especially since it’s an alternative to wasteful demolition & rebuilding?
  QUOTE
  “The “Tower Skin” concept is a transparent cocoon made of high performance composite mesh textile that is wrapped around an existing structure to act as a high-performance “micro climate”. Surface tension allows the membrane to freely stretch around walls and roof elements achieving maximum visual impact with minimal material effort. The skin is also easily repairable, is removable and upgradable and features a self-cleaning coating.”
  UNQUOTE

  tags: architecture, facadism, retrofit, skylines

• Business for the Arts

  “Formed in 1974, Business for the Arts is a national business association dedicated to increasing the quantity and quality of partnerships between Business and the Arts through a cohesive set of programs that foster and promote business leadership in the Arts, facilitate funding relationships and connect business volunteers to the Arts. Founding members include Great West Life, London Life & Canada Life and Royal Bank of Canada – businesses that have set the standard for arts support in this country.

  We are committed to enhancing the quality of life in Canadian communities by increasing private sector support of the arts.”

  tags: arts, arts_development, arts_funding, canada, business

• Recommissioning the Occupant — Cascadia Region Green Building Council

  Love the sound of this panel (for a 2010 May conference in Seattle):
  QUOTE
  Occupant behavioral change is key to the success of high-performance buildings in all areas, including energy, water usage, and livability. This session will focus on strategies to “recommission” occupant behavior. Participants will be tasked with imagining the future for occupants and providing creative solutions to solve the framed problems. Some examples of discussion questions: Should tThe changing nature of work, including increased capability to work in a multiplicity of spaces throughout the day with remote connection to people and information, . s. How should this impact the way we condition, furnish and use office space? ? Should conditioning be based on occupancy levels? 2. Should the building’s heating system always be required to keep the building at 72 to 75 degrees, or should the indoor temperature fluctuate with the seasons? Does occupant knowledge about the building’s performance lead to behavioral change to reduce energy or water use? What are other assumptions about ‘the way things are done’ that are increasing a building’s environmental burden? This will be aThe session is intended to be creative, foreword-thinking session, with an emphasis on out-of-the box ideas.
  UNQUOTE

  tags: judith_heerwagen, seattle, conference, cascadia, living_future, environmental_psychology, green_buildings

• Google Introduces Social Networking to Gmail – Google Buzz

  My friend and co-instigator at JohnsonStreetBridge.ORG, Mat Wright, posts his thoughts on Google Buzz. I left comments.

  tags: gmail, buzz, mat_wright, comments

• Portland City Art » About

  This sounds like a great initiative:
  QUOTE
  Portland City Art is a public charity 501(c)(3) non-profit, whose mission is to serve the art community of Portland, by building upon the aspirations, vision and mission of the greater Portland art community and the businesses, organizations and individuals who support them, through organizing, creating and implementing solo and group art shows, art events, art forums and community art venues for the advancement of the arts and art community here in Portland.

  The vision of Portland City Art is to bring together a diverse array of both local emerging and professional artists, in an environment and dynamic which positively facilitates their individual career paths and goals through art display, art sales and a community supported social function. Portland City Art will create an environment for which artists may successfully and easily connect with one another, share ideas, pursue collaboration and merge resources for which to sell their art and further their art career.

  With the support of local businesses, charities, corporations, organizations and individuals who sponsor and contribute to Portland City Art events, we will successfully implement tangible, sustainable and comprehensive art shows, art sales and art careers for artists and the Portland art community at large, while also advancing, securing and investing in the future operations of Portland City Art as a charitable and resourceful non-profit organization.
  UNQUOTE

  Something to model…

  tags: portland, art, arts_development, reference

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Posted: 02|14|10 at 1:31 am. Filed under: comments, links.

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