Mark Pesce has written an in-depth essay exploring the future of education. He views the rise of open source learning exchanges such as iTunes University and online resource rating services like RateMyProfessors.com as cracks in the wall of the traditional education model. He says that there really is no need to rely on expensive universities for education, when the web makes it so easy for us to do it ourselves.
Pesce explains:
If we take the examples of RateMyProfessors.com and RateMyLectures.com and push them out a little bit, we can see the shape of things to come. Spearheaded by Stanford University and [...]

In his latest manifesto, Kevin Kelly likens the Internet to a copy machine that logs information at every turn, instantly transforming original content into multiple versions of itself made available to anyone that wants to search for it at the low cost of “free.”  He further explains that the Internet’s “super-distribution system” simultaneously forms the basis on which our new global economy is founded by providing for the easy transfer of data and ideas and undermines at the very same time, through its ability to duplicate everything. The very notion of selling the “precious” copy that once existed has disappeared [...]

At our Good Ideas in 2009: Digital salon yesterday, much of the conversation surrounded how our online identities are created, both actively – through our own decisions of what we share about ourselves – and passively – through the actions and perceptions of others.   Given that we only have control over half of that equation, how do we ensure that the best and brightest portrait of ourselves is seen by the wider community?
Piers posited his “Red Coat, Black Coat” theory back in 2006, which proved to be a harbinger of conversations to come about approaches to online privacy as [...]

São Paulo is one of the most respected hubs of graffiti in the world. The urban chaos, together with the marginalization of a large sector of the population, has transformed this art in a form of protest. Graffiti flourishes in every conceivable place of the city’s streets.
Choque Cultural art gallery in São Paulo is a gallery renowned for its street art exhibits, including graffiti. But in September the gallery was subject to an “intervention”: about 30 pixadores (graffiti artists) invaded the gallery with their paint buckets and brushes and in less than five minutes, painted graffiti over all walls and [...]

Scientists are trying to ditch the stereotypes by acting out their theses through dance.  The competition run by the American Association for the Advancement of Science was designed to showcase the lighter side of an often “stuff, lab-bound” field.  The contest was open to any Ph.D. students in any scientific field.  Those entering the Dance Your Ph.D. contest were asked to choreograph a dance to represent their thesis.
Amongst the winners announced on November 20th was Sue Lynn Lau from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia. Lau used a mixture of ballet and dance party moves to act out her [...]

The next two Good Ideas Salons to be held will be on the next two Tuesdays.
On Tuesday November 25th, Colin Nagy (PSFK / Attention) will lead a discussion on Good Ideas in Collaboration with Amit Gupta (Jelly / PhotoJojo), Andrew Hoppin (NASA), John Geraci (Outside In / DIY City) and Matt Stinchcomb (Etsy). The PSFK team will start the breakfast briefing with a thought starter from our new book entitled ‘Ask For Help’. Tickets are available here.
On Tuesday December 2nd, we will hold a discussion on Good Ideas in Digital with Chet Gulland (Anomaly), Johanna Beyenbach (Naked), Mike Arauz [...]

Punchcut’s Interaction Designer Ifran Chou and Interaction Design Director Gabriel White present an interesting idea to combat the ever-increasing number of household remote controls.  According to Consumer Electronics Association the average American household owns 4 remote controls.  Instead of the costly option of a store-bought universal remote, Chou and White suggest an added feature for the constantly-evolving mobile phone: an all-encompassing remote control.
The team outlay five different design considerations that would make the conceptual phone effective:

Provide Automatic Configuration: The first use experience is critical, so automate anything you can. Before enjoying a media experience with a new remote, the very first [...]

Google yesterday unveiled SearchWiki, a feature which lets users improve the site’s effectiveness by editing search algorithms. SearchWiki allows users to re-rank, delete, add, and comment on search results.  You can move search results up in relevance by selecting the arrow-up icon next to the result title.  The ‘X’ button deletes links that are irrelevant to the user.  Edits will not effect Google’s website ranking results, but instead allow users to tailor their personal own search results.  Users will have to log in to use the search-editing feature, with changes stored in your Google account and made effective in following Google searches. [...]

PSFK Germany recently had the chance to talk to David L. Sifry – whom many of you probably know as the founder and CEO of Technorati. His most recent venture is Offbeat Guides, an online service for producing customized travel guides. Offbeat Guides’ simple process for building your own travel guide is based on answering five quick questions about the excursion: destination city, your current city, your name, traveldates and where (e.g. in which hotel) you will be staying.
The site then renders an individual guide containing all the information based around your answers. Maps are custom-centered around the location of [...]

Artist Tanya Vlach has put out the challenge for budding engineers to build her a web-cam enabled prosthetic eyeball. The trans-disciplinary artist who lost her eye in a 2005 car accident is planning to turn a once unfortunate situation into a life-long art project.  Vlach wishes to use the bionic eye to record daily experiences and contribute towards a possible reality TV program.  Vlach has requested the prosthesis be able to take still photos and video, use 3X optical zoom, be Bluetooth enabled and hold space for a 4GB SD card.
On her blog the San-Francisco-based artist writes:
I am attempting to recreate my eye with the [...]

streetartlocator.com exposes fresh street art through Google mapping technology.  The community Google map marks all forms of street art from railroad graffiti to low-brow gallery exhibits. Painting, sticker, sculpture, stencil and installation-based art are also tagged, with users able to upload images, tag geographical locations and embed the maps into their websites or Facebook profiles.  Members can also create online portfolios on the site, showcasing their own street art pieces.
Andy Clark, creator of site explains:
As an artist and web designer with a passion for street art, I started documenting great graffiti, stickers and stencils as I spotted them. I was [...]

The unprecedented level of media saturation in our daily lives is making it increasingly difficult to tell the truth from what can simply be passed off as bias. As the pile of online information grows, media outlets try to keep up by chasing headlines that attract larger audiences, whilst many stories go under- or unreported, particularly at a local level.
Enter Spot.Us, a nonprofit project from the Center for Media Change. Their goal is to create a model for “community funded reporting” that brings journalists, news organizations and members of the community together in one place.  According to the Spot.Us website, [...]

Asian demand for internet encryption software originally came about because of local government censorship. Chinese wanted more blogging freedom, Thais wanted to watch YouTube, and other citizens with stringent firewalls just wanted to make VoIP calls in peace.
Now, we’re finding another great use for the technology: catching up on the latest American movies and tv shows on Hulu.com. Apparently, at least for some, the price of having to sit through American commercials (not even intended for them) is worth paying for the instant entertainment gratification that unauthorized torrent downloading does not yet provide (at current bandwidth speeds).
Hulu has even insired [...]

Some readers may remember our post on the ‘Rick Rolling’ meme that cast the spotlight on 80s pop star Rick Astley. Every body in Europe seemed to get a little carried away with it all – so much so, that they voted the artist as Best Act Ever at the MTV award show in Europe last night.
MTV – Rick Astley Wins Best Act Ever!

The guardian reports on a group of squatters who have taken up residence in one of London’s poshest postcodes. The group – an art collective who call themselves Da! moved into the property a month ago and so far have heard nothing from the owners, although that may change after tonight when the group turn the house into an art installation – with mandatory opening party!
Behind the white pillars and imposing wooden door of the grade II-listed residence, the 30-plus rooms are now scattered with sleeping bags, grubby mattresses, rucksacks spilling over with clothes and endless half-finished art installations. While [...]