Colin Rhinesmith

Vanessa and I bought a Flip Mino this week. It just came in the mail today. I haven’t been feeling very well over the past few days. So it was a nice treat to have the camera arrive.

The Mino is surprisingly easy to use from start to finish. It doesn’t seem to jitter like the Flip Video does (i.e., that “warbly” picture effect). Plus I didn’t even have to install any software or fancy codecs to get the video onto my G5 and uploaded to the web = very cool.

This short vid above is a quick test recorded in our living room. I also bought the flip which is nice to have for shooting talks at conferences. I am really looking forward to using this camera.

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I’m really looking forward to presenting at the Grassroots Use of Technology conference at UMass Lowell next weekend with a few of my fellow Boston Action Tank cohorts, Marie Celestin, Aliza Dichter, Denise Moorehead, and Ada Robinson. Here’s a description of our panel, entitled “Strategies for Shaping the Media/Tech Future: Policy, Funding & Organizing“:

The media/communications environment is rapidly changing. Who will control the networks and tools that social justice activists use? How can we work pro-actively for media & technology systems to better serve our communities? The purpose of this workshop is to generate strategic thinking about how we can improve the media/communications system and to share some strategy-building tools. We will talk about the types of policies, technologies and economics that can create a better media future, and we will strategize ways to win and protect what we need and want. This workshop will build on the goals generated in the prior session “Organizing the Organic Internet,” where participants will collaboratively write an Internet Justice Bill of Rights. (The sessions are designed to work together, and also independently. We welcome you to join us whether or not you attend both sessions.) This workshop is presented by members of the Boston Action Tank– a new, experimental “think tank” of people who work at the community level using media & technology. We are aiming to have conversations, do research and analysis, and form a sort of strategy lab for projects that can help build the media movement. We’ve created this workshop to help us learn from you, and to help you position your current work in a long-term strategic framework.

Read more or register online at Grassroots Use of Technology 2008.

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Click to play video (QuickTime)

On Monday, June 16 CCTV is hosting an event featuring the work of the citizen journalists involved in our NeighborMedia program. The first year is coming to a close and we’ll soon be accepting applications from Cambridge residents interested in getting involved in the program for ‘08-’09. More info online here.

More info about the event here.

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From Zip Docs:

“Odd Fellows Hall and Dance Complex: a video on the history and use of a historic old building in Central Square, Cambridge. A production by members of the ZIPDOCS class at CCTV: Inéz Eizmendi, Liza Zvereva, Irina Danilova and Laureano Batista. Music by Brazilian Touch.”

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It’s been an amazing couple of months working in my new role at CCTV as Community Media Coordinator. I’ve been involved with an amazing project to connect people with the tools, skills and knowledge to become empowered within a network society. I’ve taught two really fun classes on blogging and participatory media. And I’ve met some incredible people from Cambridge and beyond who have volunteered their time and efforts to create a stronger and more welcoming community at CCTV.

Now it’s time to finish my thesis and begin the work of graduating from Emerson in May. I have an enormous amount of work ahead of me but I am ready for the challenge ahead. I am cutting back my hours at work to concentrate on my thesis and the remaining work for my classes. I’m a bit freaked but I know that’s probably natural.

OK, here we go . . .

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I just finished a two-session blogging class last night at CCTV. It was a small class of three, but the size allowed us to really dive into topics that participants were most curious about. We started last week’s class with an overview of why someone might blog. I focused on blogging as a conversation to point out the fact that blog posts are really just the start of what can be extended conversations.

Most participants were interested in learning how to upload pictures to their blog. There was also interest in videoblogging and podcasting, which we covered in last night’s class. During the first class, everyone created a blog using Blogger.com. But after a week of using their Blogger blogs, they were interested in trying out Wordpress.com. Participants liked using Wordpress much better. They felt that it was easier to navigate and the theme options were much better.

So, I set up a Wordpress.com blog along with the class. It is a great tool for highlighting a number of easy ways to use text, photos, video, and audio on your blog. We also spent a good deal of time reviewing wordpress widgets and other layout options.

It was a great class and a lot of fun. I’m teaching a class on Web 2.0 next Monday, which I’m also really looking forward to.

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On Monday, February 25 the Berkman Center for Internet & Society is hosting a one-day FCC Hearing on the future of broadband network management practices.

Panelists include a wide range of legal scholars, telecom executives and technical specialists including David L. Cohen, Executive Vice President of Comcast; Eric Klinker, Chief Technology Officer of BitTorrent; Marvin Ammori, General Counsel for Free Press; and Berkman Faculty Director Yochai Benkler.

The schedule for the day is online at the Berkman Center Events & Webcasts blog. Free Press has set-up a page with more information - including info on how the public can submit their own video-testimonies to the FCC during the event - at Save The Internet.com.

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“Intake workers Selma and Delores describe the project to one of our applicants.” Photo from Cambridge Community Television

Yesterday’s orientation at Cambridge Community Television for our [bridging the] digital divide program was a great success. Over 30 applicants came to CCTV to learn more about the program and sign up for basic computer training.

As part of the program, participants will receive a free refurbished computer (either PC or Mac) and a wireless Internet access node. During the training, participants will learn how to connect to the City’s wireless network using their wireless node, or transmitter. Through participants’ involvement in the program they will also be helping to strengthen the wireless network for their neighbors closest to them. To learn more about the City’s wireless network involved in this program, visit Cambridge Public Internet Initiative.

Yesterday’s orientation began with coffee and snacks for intake workers with whom I met to review the following intake process that took place throughout the day:

1. Intake workers reviewed the program with participants.

2. Participants wrote down their goals and what they hoped to achieve during the program.

3. Participants filled out a computer skills assessment in order to be placed in the appropriate computer trainings.

4. Participants signed a contract that explained our commitment and their commitment to the program.

5. Intake workers filled out a training registration form with participants.

The process went very smoothly throughout the day. After participants met with intake workers, Matt Landry (Cambridge Educational Access) and I signed up participants for computer trainings set to begin next weekend. The day was a great opportunity to meet with and welcome participants in the program. It was also a lot of fun.

The participants I met with seemed genuinely excited and appreciative to be involved in the program, which has been over a year in planning with many different parties involved across the City of Cambridge. It’s exciting to see the program finally in action.

To learn more about the program and to follow along with its progress, visit the digital divide group at Cambridge Community Television.

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Well, this blog’s back from break to share the exciting news that our course video from last semester, “Re-Imagining Boston City Hall Plaza Using Second Life,” just made it onto the front page at Boston.com under the “Your Videos” section. The exposure has generated over 2,500 views of the video on YouTube so far. And there’s some good discussion about how people feel about the real life Boston City Hall Plaza and using virtual worlds, like Second Life, to re-imagine our public spaces.

Watch the video and join the discussion.

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