ryan griffis
Since 2002
Works in United States of America

ARTBASE (3)
PORTFOLIO (1)
BIO
Ryan Griffis currently teaches new media art at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He often works under the name Temporary Travel Office and collaborates with many other writers, artists, activists and interesting people in the Midwest Radical Culture Corridor.
The Temporary Travel Office produces a variety of services relating to tourism and technology aimed at exploring the non-rational connections existing between public and private spaces. The Travel Office has operated in a variety of locations, including Missouri, Chicago, Southern California and Norway.

Is MySpace a Place?


Networked Performance pointed me toward an interview (download in PDF)with Networked Publics speaker Henry Jenkins and Networked Publics friend danah boyd about Myspace. The site, popular with teenagers, has become increasingly controversial as parents and the press raise concerns about the openness of information on the site and the vulnerability this supposedly poses to predators (Henry points out that only .1% of abductions are by strangers) and the behavior of teens towards each other (certainly nothing new, only now in persistent form). In another essay on Identity Production in Networked Culture, danah suggests that Myspace is popular not only because the technology makes new forms of interaction possible, but because older hang-outs such as the mall and the convenience store are prohibiting teens from congregating and roller rinks and burger joints are disappearing.

This begs the question, is Myspace media or is it space? Architecture theorists have long had this thorn in their side. "This will kill that," wrote Victor Hugo with respect to the book and the building. In the early 1990s, concern about a dwindling public culture and the character of late twentieth century urban space led us to investigate Jürgen Habermas's idea of the public sphere. But the public sphere, for Habermas is a forum, something that, for the most part, emerges in media and in the institutions of the state:

The bourgeois public sphere may be conceived above all as the sphere of private people come together as a public; they soon claimed the public sphere regulated from above against the public authorities themselves, to engage them in a debate over the general rules governing relations in the basically privatized but publicly relevant sphere of commodity exchange and social labor. The medium of this political confrontation was peculiar and without historical precedent: people's ...

READ ON »


SWITCH: Issue 22



Carlos Castellanos:

HI everyone. Just wanted to announce the new issue of SWITCH:

SWITCH : The online New Media Art Journal of the CADRE Laboratory for
New Media at San Jose State University

http://switch.sjsu.edu switch@cadre.sjsu.edu

SWITCH Journal is proud to announce the launch of Issue 22: A Special
Preview Edition to ISEA 2006/ ZeroOne San Jose.

As San Jose State University and the CADRE Laboratory are serving as
the academic host for the ZeroOne San Jose /ISEA 2006 Symposium,
SWITCH has dedicated itself to serving as an official media
correspondent of the Festival and Symposium. SWITCH has focused the
past three issues of publication prior to ZeroOne San Jose/ISEA2006
on publishing content reflecting on the themes of the symposium. Our
editorial staff has interviewed and reported on artists, theorists,
and practitioners interested in the intersections of Art & Technology
as related to the themes of ZeroOne San Jose/ ISEA 2006. While some
of those featured in SWITCH are part of the festival and symposium,
others provide a complimentary perspective.

Issue 22 focuses on the intersections of CADRE and ZeroOne San Jose/
ISEA 2006. Over the past year, students at the CADRE Laboratory for
New Media have been working intensely with artists on two different
residency projects for the festival – “Social Networking” with Antoni
Muntadas and the City as Interface Residency, “Karaoke Ice” with
Nancy Nowacek, Marina Zurkow & Katie Salen. Carlos Castellanos,
James Morgan, Aaron Siegel, all give us a sneak preview of their
projects which will be featured at the ISEA 2006 exhibition. Alumni
Sheila Malone introduces ex_XX:: post position, an exhibition
celebrating the 20th anniversary of the CADRE Institute that will run
as a parallel exhibition to ZeroOne San Jose/ ISEA 2006. LeE
Montgomery provides a preview of NPR (Neighborhood Public Radio)
presence at ...

READ ON »


Art & Mapping



The North American Cartographic Information Society (NACIS) has released a special issue of their journal, Cartographic Perspectives:
Art and Mapping Issue 53, Winter 2006 Edited by Denis Wood and and John Krygier Price: $25
The issue includes articles by kanarinka, Denis Wood, Dalia Varanka and John Krygier, and an extensive catalogue of map artists compiled by Denis Wood.

READ ON »


[-empyre-] Liquid Narrative for June 2006


Christina McPhee:

hi all, I am not sure we got this message out to Rhizome!

Please join our guests this month, Dene Grigar (US), Jim Barrett
(AU/SE), Lucio Santaella (BR), and Sergio Basbaum (BR) , with
moderator Marcus Bastos (BR), for a spirited discussion of "Liquid
Narratives" ----- digital media story telling with a dash, perhaps,
of 'aura' .

Here's the intro from Marcus:

The topic of June at the - empyre - mailing list will be Liquid Narratives. The concept of 'liquid narrative' is interesting in that it allows to think about the unfoldings of contemporary languages beyond tech achievements, by relating user controlled applications with formats such as the essay (as described by Adorno in "Der Essay als Form", The essay as a form) and procedures related to the figure of the narrator (as described by Benjamin in his writings about Nikolai Leskov). Both authors are accute critics of modern culture, but a lot of his ideas can be expanded towards contemporary culture. As a matter of fact, one of the main concerns in Benjamin's essay is a description of how the rise of modernism happens on account of an increasing nprivilege of information over knowledge, which is even more intense nowadays. To understand this proposal, it is important to remember how Benjamin distinguishes between an oral oriented knowledge, that results from 'an experience that goes from person to person' and is sometimes anonymous, from the information and authoritative oriented print culture. One of the aspects of this discussion is how contemporary networked culture rescues this 'person to person' dimension, given the distributed and non-authoritative procedures that technologies such as the GPS, mobile phones and others stimulate.

READ ON »


state of the planet infographics


stateoftheplanet.jpg
a small collection of beautiful information graphics documenting the current state of the planet.
see also gapminder & 3d data globe.
[seedmagazine.com]

READ ON »



Discussions (909) Opportunities (8) Events (16) Jobs (0)
DISCUSSION

soldiers as avatars (and action figures)


War vets feature in US army game
By Alfred Hermida
Technology editor, BBC News website

The US military is putting soldiers who fought in Iraq and
Afghanistan into its video game in an attempt to put a human face on
its operations overseas.
The soldiers' stories are part of a new version of America's Army, a
game which is part of its recruitment strategy.
The US military denies that the project is a way of selling an
unpopular war to the American public.
Instead the free game is designed to inspire young people by relating
the real-life experiences of the troops.
"The majority of the public is not touched by the war," said Major
Jason Amerine, who served in Afghanistan and is one of the nine
soldiers appearing in the game.
"It is dangerous to have an army overseas fighting and for a public
to become so disconnected that they don't realise that we are not
automatons over there. We're real people," he told the BBC News website.
'Real heroes'

America's Army was first released in July 2002 and has gone on to
become one of the top online games, with seven million registered
players.

It taps into the popularity of military and war simulation titles
among predominantly young men.

It shows we are not robots, that we're not trained killing machines.
We're just people
Matt Zedwick, National Guardsman
It was developed by the Army to simulate combat and life in the
military and reach young people for whom video games are a part of
everyday life.
In the latest version of the game, called America's Army: Special
Forces (Overmatch), the military is adding the experiences of nine
soldiers who served in Afghanistan or Iraq.
The title has a so-called real heroes section when players can learn
about the real-life troops.
In a virtual recruiting room, gamers can click on a soldier to hear
them tell their story. They can also compare their achievements in
the game to those of the GIs.
"It gets our stories out there about what the army is doing," said
Sergeant Matt Zedwick, who served and was wounded during a tour of
duty in Iraq in 2004.
"It is a good communications device to introduce people to what is
really going on, rather than what you see on the news."
"It shows we are not robots, that we're not trained killing machines.
We're just people," said the 25-year-old who is now studying graphic
design at a college in Oregon.
Reaching the public

The US military sees America's Army as an information, rather than as
a recruitment, tool.

The latest version was showcased at last week's E3 games expo in Los
Angeles and is due to be released in the summer.
It comes at a time of growing unease in the US about the war in Iraq.
And last year, an official US government study warned that the
military was falling behind in its effort to recruit troops for
combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But the people involved in the title say there is no connection
between the new game and America's troubles over its combat operations.
"We're not talking about the war, we're talking about people in the
war," insisted Major Amerine, who served in Afghanistan in 2001
during the initial invasion.
"We are not attempting in any way to sell a war to the people, that
has nothing to do with our agenda.
"We're trying to create awareness about the people doing the
fighting, and that is a very apolitical agenda," said the major who
now teaches at West Point.
Toy soldiers

As part of "real heroes" campaign, figures of the soldiers featured
in the game are to go on sale.
The Army says these are not designed to be toys for children but
items for collectors who wish to express their support for the troops.
Seeing themselves as little plastic soldiers is a strange experience
for the troops involved.
"It is kinda funny and a little creepy. Unbelievable in a way," said
Sergeant Zedwick.
"It is kind of funny to think there are going to be millions of
people buying little dolls of you in the stores."

Alfred.Hermida-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/technology/4991306.stm

Published: 2006/05/18 07:57:58 GMT


DISCUSSION

Fwd: Opening on Saturday, May 27th


Begin forwarded message:

Track 16 Gallery
Bergamot Station
2525 Michigan Ave., C1
Santa Monica, CA 90404
310.264.4678

To view invitation, please click on link below:

http://www.track16.com/eventlinks/t16\_embedded\_invite.html

Track 16 Gallery presents

em/bedded

A multi-media installation by Alan Sondheim
with Leslie Thornton

Guest curated by Tyler Stallings

May 27-June 24, 2006
Reception: Saturday, May 27, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Performance: 8:00 p.m. Free

About the installation

In his first solo exhibition in California, Alan Sondheim, along with
filmmaker Leslie Thornton, will transform Track 16 Gallery

DISCUSSION

Fwd: HEADQUARTERS OPENING :: SUNDAY :: CONTEMPORARY MUSEUM


Begin forwarded message:

> HEADQUARTERS:
>
>
> INVESTIGATING THE CREATION OF THE GHETTO AND THE
> PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
>
>
>
>
>
> Opening
> Day Open House:
> Sunday, May 14, 2
>

DISCUSSION

Fwd: EYEBEAM, NYC, May 24: CAE BOOK RELEASE, TALKS & SCREENINGS: AN ANTI-WAR EVENT


Begin forwarded message:

For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Perry Lowe
212/937.6580 x222
perry@eyebeam.org
www.eyebeam.org

MARCHING PLAGUE FROM CRITICAL ART ENSEMBLE
BOOK RELEASE, TALKS & SCREENINGS
Wednesday May 24, 2006 - 6:00-8:30pm

May 11, 2006 - Please join us for a book launch and an
evening of conversation concerning contemporary
warfare: an anti-war event.

Critical Art Ensemble present their latest book,
Marching Plague: Germ Warfare and Global Public Health
published by Autonomedia and coinciding with the
inclusion of their film 'Marching Plague

DISCUSSION

Fwd: HALLIBURTON SOLVES GLOBAL WARMING


Begin forwarded message:
>
May 9, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: mailto:EPDU@halliburtoncontracts.com
Photos: http://www.halliburtoncontracts.com/EPDU/

HALLIBURTON SOLVES GLOBAL WARMING
SurvivaBalls save managers from abrupt climate change

An advanced new technology will keep corporate managers safe even
when climate change makes life as we know it impossible.

"The SurvivaBall is designed to protect the corporate manager no
matter what Mother Nature throws his or her way," said Fred Wolf, a
Halliburton representative who spoke today at the Catastrophic Loss
conference held at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Amelia Island, Florida.
"This technology is the only rational response to abrupt climate
change," he said to an attentive and appreciative audience.

Most scientists believe global warming is certain to cause an
accelerating onslaught of hurricanes, floods, droughts, tornadoes,
etc. and that a world-destroying disaster is increasingly possible.
For example, Arctic melt has slowed the Gulf Stream by 30% in just
the last decade; if the Gulf Stream stops, Europe will suddenly
become just as cold as Alaska. Global heat and flooding events are
also increasingly possible.

In order to head off such catastrophic scenarios, scientists agree we
must reduce our carbon emissions by 70% within the next few years.
Doing that would seriously undermine corporate profits, however, and so
a more forward-thinking solution is needed.

At today's conference, Wolf and a colleague demonstrated three
SurvivaBall mockups, and described how the units will sustainably
protect managers from natural or cultural disturbances of any
intensity or duration. The devices - looking like huge inflatable
orbs - will include sophisticated communications systems, nutrient
gathering capacities, onboard medical facilities, and a daunting
defense infrastructure to ensure that the corporate mission will not
go unfulfilled even when most human life is rendered impossible by
catastrophes or the consequent epidemics and armed conflicts.

"It's essentially a gated community for one," said Wolf.

Dr. Northrop Goody, the head of Halliburton's Emergency Products
Development Unit, showed diagrams and videos describing the
SurvivaBall's many features. "Much as amoebas link up into slime
molds when threatened, SurvivaBalls also fulfill a community
function. After all, people need people," noted Goody as he showed an
artist's rendition of numerous SurvivaBalls linking up to form a
managerial aggregate with functional differentiation, metaphorically
dancing through the streets of Houston, Texas.

The conference attendees peppered the duo with questions. One asked
how the device would fare against terrorism, another whether the
array of embedded technologies might make the unit too cumbersome; a
third brought up the issue of the unit's cost feasibility. Wolf and
Goody assured the audience that these problems and others were being
addressed.

"The SurvivaBall builds on Halliburton's reputation as a disaster and
conflict industry innovator," said Wolf. "Just as the Black Plague
led to the Renaissance and the Great Deluge gave Noah a monopoly of
the animals, so tomorrow's catastrophes could well lead to good - and
industry must be ready to seize that good."

Goody also noted that Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society
was set to employ the SurvivaBall as part of its Corporate Sustenance
(R) program. Another of Cousteau's CSR programs involves accepting a
generous sponsorship from the Dow Chemical Corporation, whose general
shareholder meeting is May 11.

Please visit http://www.halliburtoncontracts.com/EPDU/ for photos,
video, and text of today's presentation.

# 30 #