The internet is changing our brains
More evidence, as if we needed it, that we need to make more of an effort to balance our work and personal lives.
Erkan's academic interests
Facebook activities against the Blogger ban!
[this post will be developed with news and more announcements…]
A facebook group against the Blogger ban (in Turkish)
Another group against censorship.
Another one:
Blogger / BlogSpot Yasağı Kalksın
A Facebook cause: Stop Internet Censorship in Turkey!.
A group I had founded:
Net freedom in Turkey!
Some related news:
Prof. George Marcus spotted in Oslo:)
Lorenz talks to Prof. Marcus who is a major member of my dissertation committee. The post includes links to Marcus’ recent activities…
George Marcus: "Journals? Who cares?"
When George Marcus, one of the most influential anthropologists, was in Oslo recently, I asked him what he thinks about Open access. His answer surprised me. He said: “Journals? Who cares?” There is little original thinking in journals, no longer exciting debates, he told me. “Maybe it’s because I’m getting older. I don’t care.” He explained that “journals are meant to establish people". They are more important for one’s career.
George Marcus offered similar pessimistic views in an interview he gave for the journal Cultural Anthropology (subscription needed) in spring. Among other things, he said, that there are no new ideas in anthropology………….
Turkey is not a country to live like a civilized human…
Blogger is censored today. There is no access to Blogger accounts from Turkey…. Personally, I am now looking for an opportunity to leave this country… World’s largets blog hosting service banned in TurkeyEarthtimes (press release), UK – 4 hours agoAnkara – A court in south-east Turkey on Friday banned Turkish internet users from accessing Blogger, the world’s … Read more
"The First Annual Savage Minds Awarding of teh Excellents
Savage Minds, the most significant multi-authored anthropology blog starts anthropology blog awards! The First Annual Savage Minds Awarding of teh Excellents almost has a full slate of candidates (only a couple of nominations came in by email). I’m shooting for 6 nominees in each category. We need a few more before we can move on … Read more
"Global Survey: Blogging journalists, two cultures collide
Global Survey: Blogging journalists, two cultures collide
In a recent survey, 200 blogging journalists from 30 different countries were interviewed about the effects of blogging on the process of journalism. According to the survey, respondents came from all sectors of the news industry; almost half worked in the newspaper industry, and one third were online-only or freelance……..
Andrew Sullivan / The Atlantic Online:Why I Blog The truths of blogging are provisional, its ethos collective and messy, says Andrew Sullivan. It brings writer to reader in a way that is visceral, even brutal…
New antropologi.info at your service!
NEW: antropologi.info call for papers and job announcements (beta)
I have installed a new bulletin board for job announcements and call for papers. Announcements are now easier accessible.
Gorgous is right word for these four posters made by Favianna for CODEPINK. found in CODEPINK: Make Out Not War
Turkish Establishment attacks Taraf altogether.
PM Erdoğan actively supported Gen. Başbuğ yesterday and today. Mr. Erdoğan was very offended by today’s Taraf headline: "His Pasha’s Prime Minister". He is probably just too happy to be seen as an ally of the army now. Establishment journalists today worked hard to attack Taraf.
To the chief of staff
Where do you get the courage to speak so recklessly, so impolitely and so threateningly? Do you even hear what you are saying?
Who are you trying to scare? Do you really believe you can scare us? Let me tell you something in a friendly manner, general, please stop making such threats, such gestures full of hatred and anger. These do not scare us. Don’t you understand that some people will do anything to make their country a happy and free one? Please try to understand this and abandon these efforts to frighten us.
"Preparing the EU for the future internet
Preparing the EU for the future internet
Source: European Commission
+ Commission Communication on future networks and the internet
Full Document (PDF; 84 KB)
+ Indexing broadband performance
Full Document (PDF; 157 KB)
+ Internet of things
Full Document (PDF; 75 KB)
the AAA way in Open Access!
Open Access or Faux Access?
The headline on Monday’s announcement seemed impressive: “AAA Creates ‘Open Access’ to Anthropological Research.”
The announcement starts off by calling the new policy of the American Anthropological Association “a groundbreaking move” that would provide “greater access for the global social science and anthropological communities to 86 years of classic, historic research articles.” The problem, critics say, is that the emphasis should have been on the word “historic,” because those 86 years worth of articles aren’t the most recent 86 years. Rather the association will apply its new policy for its flagship journal, American Anthropologist, only 35 years after material was published. The association has created open access to the scholarship of the ’50s and ’60s.
"Chris Kelty on academic practices and the blogosphere
Money for Money and the study thereof.
Bill Maurer, of Mutual Life, Limited fame will lead a new institute at University of California, Irvine called the The Institute for Money, Technology and Financial Inclusion which has been funded in part by a $1.7 million grant from the Gates foundation. A recent workshop launched the whole thing, with lots of interesting looking panels, and some papers and pointers to more resources. For those interested in the anthropology of money,
Marc Quinn: SIREN 2008 (detail)
Statuephilia: Exhibition by Contemporary Sculptors Opens Today at the British Museum
Marc Quinn’s Golden Fetish
Marc Quinn’s golden sculpture of Kate Moss has finally been made public at the British Museum as part of its Statuefilia exhibition. As expected, Quinn’s statue of Moss is in a similar pose as his bronze sculpture of the British model titled Sphinx. Apparently the golden version of Kate Moss was to be titled Siren, but has been renamed Aphrodite. According to the museum the piece is the largest gold sculpture to be made since the days of ancient Egypt. Quinn created the sculpture with over two millions dollars worth of gold. It has been suggested that the piece will earn six times that once sold.
"2,459 newspapers, 258 TV stations in Turkey AND hundreds of websites are closed…
2,459 newspapers, 258 TV stations in Turkey
Statistics released by the Prime Ministry Directorate General of Press and Information (BYEGM) indicate that Turkey has 2,459 newspapers and that 258 television stations are based in the country, in addition to providing a wealth of other information on electronic communications and entertainment in the country."
When You Have A Hammer, Everything Looks Like A Nail
On Turkish web censorship, a Financial Times article from August 22:
A law passed in 2007 gave judges the power to ban websites for inciting suicide, drug use, paedophilia, immorality, illegal prostitution or insulting Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the architect of modern Turkey.
"Principles for sound Internet policy: Internet for Everyone
Principles for sound Internet policy: Internet for Everyone
The Internet For Everyone project is a set of motherhood-grade principles for Internet access in the US; they’re collecting signatories to present to Congress: 
Access: Every home, business and civic institution in America must have access to a high-speed, world-class communications infrastructure.
Skype Cannot be Trusted, Period
As Salon notes in “Skype sells out to China“, the eBay-owned service has collaborated with a Chinese company to enable spying on the allegedly encrypted messages that Skype users send each other to and from, and within, China. This disgusting sellout should surprise no one.
"AAA proposes changes to code of ethics
AAA proposes changes to code of ethics
The AAA Public Affairs blog has a long post by AAA president Setha Low on proposed changes to the AAA code of ethics that deals with the hue and cry raised at the AAA meetings last year. Why not give the AAA blogs some love, head over, and comment over there?
Google's phone; Technorati's State of Blogosphere report…
Technorati’s State of The Blogosphere 2008 Is Out
Almost one year passed since the last State of the Blogosphere report, but the new one is finally here. Not only that, but apparently this one is bigger and more comprehensive. So big they are breaking it down in 5 parts, one released each day of this week.
The first part of the report is titled “Who Are the Bloggers?”……………..