Week 3

#5) Flickr

I used the geotagged feature on Flicker to locate a picture of my favorite place (so far) in the world. Here's a picture of Big Sur, a place where I'd take everyone I love, if there was time http://www.flickr.com/map?woe_id=2364159.

And here's an image of a location in the US, where I'd very much like to visit but have yet to get to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/75736915@N00/306180994/. Crater Lake is located in Southern Oregon. Have you been here?

One thing's for sure, Flickr's fun and even more fun if you can participate. Definitely makes me want to get a digital camera (yup, I'm the last gal standing without one!).

#6) Flickr Mashups?

#7) Second Life (creeps me out)

I watched an episode of Law and Order with my roommate the other night (she's a lawyer and apparently, a faithful viewer of the show). The episode revolved around a young woman's disappearance; it quickly became evident that there was a connection between her involvement in the virtual world and her disappearance. I started learning of Second Life (and similar virtual worlds) at ALA in Washington DC in June. A forum on new technologies discussed the increasing interest in virtual worlds, where people could create online personalities, run businesses, and commune with other individuals all in a simulated world. The speaker addressed the common phenomenon of people becoming addicted to the game and "dropping off," as he described it, after becoming too intensely involved. The recent episode of Law and Order further served to creep me out, as the disappearing woman had acquired a stalker who had sought her out in the real world and taken that to which he felt entitled, or her. Creepy.

Here's an article describing Second Life: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/10/061017-second-life.html

and here's an article discussing crime in the virtual world:
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/nov2006/tc20061121_727243.htm