PW2 Web Blog

Thriv’Ability: The Bentham Project

Contributed by Rick DeVan on December 28, 2010 at 5:44 pm ET

Resource: Scholars Recruit Public for Project via NYTimes.com.

Other initiatives have recruited volunteers online, but the Bentham Project is one of the first to try crowd-sourced transcription and to open up a traditionally rarefied scholarly endeavor to the general public, generating both excitement and questions.

Resource: UCL Bentham Project

In 2010 the Bentham Project was awarded a Digital Equipment and Database Enhancement for Impact (DEDEFI) Award from the AHRC to launch the Bentham Papers Transcription Initiative, or Transcribe Bentham for short. The Bentham Project, in collaboration with the UCL Centre for Digital Humanities, the University of London Computer Centre, UCL Library Services and UCL Learning and Media Services, has created a Transcription Desk where volunteer users can log-in and transcribe previously unstudied and unpublished manuscripts from the Bentham Papers collection in UCL Library’s Special Collections.

Resource: Jeremy Bentham (1748—1832).

I will admit that I never heard of Jeremy Bentham before fifteen minutes ago. Now, the image of his corpse if permanently preserved in some dark recess of my brain. (Read the New York Times article to understand that line.)

Going beyond the stiff, though, this is a great idea. People want to help. People want to contribute in some small way. They just need a trailhead, like the UCL Bentham Project, to get started.

Filed under Life, Work, and Society, Thrivability

Tags used: Jeremy Bentham, Thrivability —

Comments and discussion are welcome on the PW2 Web Facebook Page up to four weeks after publication date.

Getting It: The Poor Clares

Contributed by Rick DeVan on December 24, 2010 at 2:40 pm ET

Locals have already seen the story Poor Clare nuns in Cleveland embrace jubilation of Christmas at Cleveland.com — The Plain Dealer. I just had to give the Poor Clares a “Getting It” because they do, even without actually using the Web.

Yes, an order of cloistered nuns in a monastery on Rocky River Drive gets it.

Sure, they have a web site at Poor Clare Colettines — Cleveland, Ohio, although it has not been updated since February. Sister! That’s OK, though, I will let them slide. After all, the time pace of their lives is a bit slower than those of us non-monastery-type folks. Plus, I think I know exactly what would happen if I complained — I would be given the user name and password and it would be suggested that I do the updating. Trust me, I know nuns.

There are several Facebook groups and pages in support of various Poor Clare communities. There is a even a Facebook group for those interested in joining the Poor Clares to get information and support from others contemplating the move.

None of that is the reason for the “Getting It”, though. The Poor Clares get it because they opened up and let the world in, even if only for a short time; they didn’t hit anyone over the head with flashing lights (I know, mixed metaphors); and they didn’t even try to sell anything directly.

The result? Everyone in Greater Cleveland now knows the Poor Clares run a gift shop at 3501 Rocky River Drive, just north of Kamm’s Corners, and it is open Monday through Saturday, 9-11:00 a.m. and 1-7:00 p.m.

Geez, they take long lunches.

Filed under Business and Commerce, Getting It, Life, Work, and Society, Marketing, Media

Tags used: Poor Clare Nuns —

Comments and discussion are welcome on the PW2 Web Facebook Page up to four weeks after publication date.

NORAD Tracks Santa

Contributed by Rick DeVan on December 23, 2010 at 3:55 pm ET

Speaking of impressive flying, Santa is about to take off for the only night of the year Mrs. Claus lets him out of the house and NORAD is tracking him again.

Here he is from 2009.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Filed under Entertainment, Life, Work, and Society

Tags used: NORAD, Santa Claus —

Comments and discussion are welcome on the PW2 Web Facebook Page up to four weeks after publication date.

Thriv’Ability: Computers Recognizing American Sign Language

Contributed by Rick DeVan on at 10:19 am ET

Resource: American sign Language Recognition Using Kinect

Resource: Georgia Tech — College of Computing

Ever have one of those days when you are elated to be living in your time to see all the great advances being developed? Me, too.

Filed under Life, Work, and Society, Thrivability

Tags used: American Sign Language, Georgia Tech, Kinect, Thrivability —

Comments and discussion are welcome on the PW2 Web Facebook Page up to four weeks after publication date.

Thriv’Ability: Snow Days at Progressive Field

Contributed by Rick DeVan on at 9:39 am ET

Resource: Sliding Into Second, Even in Winter via NYTimes.com.

As part of what the team calls Snow Days, the site’s centerpieces are a 10-lane tubing hill named the batterhorn that stretches from the middle of the bleachers into right field, and a quarter-mile ice skating track called the frozen mile — the first of its kind in the United States, the Indians say — that zips past the warning track, second base, the bullpens and underneath the bleachers.

Locals already know about Snow Days at Progressive Field, but it is nice to see a little national recognition for the project. Yes, the Indians organization is doing something right. It gets people enjoying Downtown in winter and makes great use of an otherwise empty space. (Read anything into that line you wish – I still love the Indians.)

Filed under Life, Work, and Society, News and Announcements, Thrivability

Tags used: Cleveland Indians, Thrivability —

Comments and discussion are welcome on the PW2 Web Facebook Page up to four weeks after publication date.

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