OpenBook Searches Your Facebook Status Updates

http://www.switched.com/2010/05/17/openbook-searches-your-facebook-status-updates/

I did a search, and wow! My status updates seem to be safe, but so many Trinis are wide open!

OpenBook Searches Your Facebook Status Updates

BY AMAR TOOR — MAY 17TH 2010 AT 12:40PM

If you're an open tweeter, you know that whatever you tweet is available for general, public consumption. Facebook, by contrast, is a less intrinsically public forum, meaning that even if you update a status on a completely public profile, you can usually rest assured that it won't pop up on some random person's news feed, or in some random person's keyword search. Not anymore, though, thanks to a new site that aims to remind us how open our information is... by exposing it.

Called OpenBook, the new site allows users to search through every single public status update on Facebook, effectively providing lonely Web voyeurs with newfound hours of creepy entertainment. By default, and for no apparent reason, the search engine automatically searches statuses for the term "playing hooky," but also suggests that users try searching for other terms like, "don't tell anyone," "HIV test," and "rectal exam." Fun for the whole family!

Updates from the Old Hilarians' Association

OLD HILARIANS' ANNUAL AGM

This is just a gentle reminder that the that the Joint General Meeting of the Old Hilarians' Association and the Foundation will be held in the staff lounge in New Anstey Building at Bishop Anstey High School on Wednesday 21st, April 2010 starting at 5:00pm.

The agenda is as follows:

1. Welcome and Opening Remarks
2. Presentation of St. Hilary’s Foundation Financial Report
3. Minutes of the Old Hilarians’ Association Annual General Meeting held on Wednesday 29 April, 2009
4. Confirmation of the Minutes
5. Presentation of Hilarians’ Reports
a). President’s Report
b). SHIP’s Report
6. Presentation of Audited Accounts
7. Election of Officers 2010-2012
8. Appointment of an Auditor
9. Other Business

This is an opportunity for those Hilarians who are in Trinidad to be updated on the OHA's activities for the last year and to meaningfully inform the future of the Alumnae Association.

In order to participate, Hilarians who are not members will be required to pay membership dues ($100).

Light refreshments will be served.

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2) GRIOT PRODUCTIONS - JESTINA'S CALYPSO

Griot Productions is a new theatre production initiative of which the crew is an All-Hilarian Team – Isoke E Najeeullah, Efua Elisha Bartels, Tracey Michelle Lucas, and Tonya Evans.

Griot Productions is launching and producing Earl Lovelace's Jestina’s Calypso with a Gala Opening of the presentation on this Saturday (April 17th, 2010). The advertisement for this production is currently displayed as the Alumnae Group’s profile picture.

Tickets : Saturday 17th April, 2010 - GALA NIGHT - $150 - 8PM ; Sunday 18th April, 2010 - $100 - 6PM
Location: University of the West Indies Open Campus on Gordon Street, St. Augustine (opposite Hugh Wooding Law School)

For further information on Jestina's Calyspo you can e-mail griotproductions@gmail.com, call 780-4127/ 762-0181/ 322-7643/ 478-4366 or check the Facebook event page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=112613962089127&ref=ts

This presentation is OWNED, PRODUCED and DIRECTED by Hilarians. So come out and support our Hilarian sisters!

Jazz Artists on the Greens 2010

The eighth edition of the premier open-air Jazz Concert in Trinidad and Tobago, Jazz Artists on the Greens, presented by Production One Ltd., will be held at the Centre for Creative and Festival Arts, U.W.I., St. Augustine, on Saturday March 20th, 2010. The 2010 edition of the event will highlight Local and Caribbean Jazz performers, and further expand the repertoire for jazz lovers on the island. Prior to the 5PM main stage event WOODBROOK PLAYBOYZ will perform on the lawn and also as a new highlight, the HOLISTIC MUSIC SCHOOL YOUTH ORCHESTRA will perform a couple jazz standards on stage . Starting at 5PM the featured performers on the main stage are:

* Caribbean jazz group KALABASH, based in Canada featuring Anthony Pierre of Trinidad and Tobago.
* AFROLYPSO featuring steelpan master Jason Baptiste
* Cuban violin sensation William Roblejo performing with his trio,
* Hot young jazz vocalist, R'kardo St'von
* Powerhouse vocalist Brenda Butler
* The Jazz Artists On The Greens All Stars 2010 comprising Ming, Russel Durity, Dean Williams, Modupe Onilu, Richard Joseph and BROWNMAN.

Internationally acclaimed jazz trumpet player BROWNMAN comes to Trinidad & Tobago as a featured guest performer for the Jazz Artists On The Greens. Born in San Fernando and schooled in New York City under Grammy winner Randy Brecker's personal mentorship, Brownman now resides in Toronto, Canada and has been captivating audiences around the globe in recent years with his dynamic and fiery playing style. He is heralded as "Canada's preeminent jazz trumpet player" by New York's Village Voice magazine, and is widely considered to be a vanguard for the evolution of jazz in Canada. Has been the featured soloist for the legendary jazz-hip-hop group GURU's JAZZMATAZZ for the last 3 years, having replaced Donald Byrd in that legendary ensemble, and tirelessly leads no less than 6 award-winning ensembles of his own.

This is outdoor festival styled seating. The Centre for Creative and Festival Arts provides a concert experience like no other. We encourage JAOTG-goers to bring your lawn chairs, hats, sun screen, and blankets to sit on the ground so as to enjoy the festival up-close and outdoors on the gently-sloping lawn.

Ticket price is $250.00 in advance. Entry is more at the door and there will be a VISA/LINX machine available for these purchases.

Advance tickets for Jazz Artists on the Greens 2010, TRINIDAD are available NOW online at http://jaotg2010trinidad.eventbrite.com.

Paper tickets are on sale NOW at the following locations:
Bewil & Co. Ltd., 5-7 Philips St., POS, (868) 625-4206
WMJX 100.5FM, 9 Long Circular Rd., St. James, (868) 628-5644
Stecher's, Gulf City Mall, San Fernando, (868) 657-6993
Stecher's, Long Circular Mall, St. James, (868) 628-0987
Kanhai Raghubir Jewellery, 13 EMR, Curepe, (868)-663-1672
Kanhai Raghubir Jewellery, Trincity Mall, Trincity, (868)-640-2522
House of Chan, Emerald Plaza, St. Augustine, (868) 645-0347
The Medical Dispensary, Main Road, Chaguanas, (868) 665-5889

Visit our website for more, http://www.productiononeltd.com/jaotg/trinidad/2010

Contact us at 620-6920, 681-7879, 320-7028 and 754-9709
Jazz Artists on the Greens 2010: www.jaotg.org - A Production One Ltd. Event
www.productiononeltd.com

Jazz Artists on the Greens 2010

The eighth edition of the premier open-air Jazz Concert in Trinidad and Tobago, Jazz Artists on the Greens, presented by Production One Ltd., will be held at the Centre for Creative and Festival Arts, U.W.I., St. Augustine, on Saturday March 20th, 2010. The 2010 edition of the event will highlight Local and Caribbean Jazz performers, and further expand the repertoire for jazz lovers on the island. Prior to the 5PM main stage event WOODBROOK PLAYBOYZ will perform on the lawn and also as a new highlight, the HOLISTIC MUSIC SCHOOL YOUTH ORCHESTRA will perform a couple jazz standards on stage . Starting at 5PM the featured performers on the main stage are:

* Caribbean jazz group KALABASH, based in Canada featuring Anthony Pierre of Trinidad and Tobago.
* AFROLYPSO featuring steelpan master Jason Baptiste
* Cuban violin sensation William Roblejo performing with his trio,
* Hot young jazz vocalist, R'kardo St'von
* Powerhouse vocalist Brenda Butler
* The Jazz Artists On The Greens All Stars 2010 comprising Ming, Russel Durity, Dean Williams, Modupe Onilu, Richard Joseph and BROWNMAN.

Internationally acclaimed jazz trumpet player BROWNMAN comes to Trinidad & Tobago as a featured guest performer for the Jazz Artists On The Greens. Born in San Fernando and schooled in New York City under Grammy winner Randy Brecker's personal mentorship, Brownman now resides in Toronto, Canada and has been captivating audiences around the globe in recent years with his dynamic and fiery playing style. He is heralded as "Canada's preeminent jazz trumpet player" by New York's Village Voice magazine, and is widely considered to be a vanguard for the evolution of jazz in Canada. Has been the featured soloist for the legendary jazz-hip-hop group GURU's JAZZMATAZZ for the last 3 years, having replaced Donald Byrd in that legendary ensemble, and tirelessly leads no less than 6 award-winning ensembles of his own.

This is outdoor festival styled seating. The Centre for Creative and Festival Arts provides a concert experience like no other. We encourage JAOTG-goers to bring your lawn chairs, hats, sun screen, and blankets to sit on the ground so as to enjoy the festival up-close and outdoors on the gently-sloping lawn.

Ticket price is $250.00 in advance. Entry is more at the door and there will be a VISA/LINX machine available for these purchases.

Advance tickets for Jazz Artists on the Greens 2010, TRINIDAD are available NOW online at http://jaotg2010trinidad.eventbrite.com.

Paper tickets are on sale NOW at the following locations:
Bewil & Co. Ltd., 5-7 Philips St., POS, (868) 625-4206
WMJX 100.5FM, 9 Long Circular Rd., St. James, (868) 628-5644
Stecher's, Gulf City Mall, San Fernando, (868) 657-6993
Stecher's, Long Circular Mall, St. James, (868) 628-0987
Kanhai Raghubir Jewellery, 13 EMR, Curepe, (868)-663-1672
Kanhai Raghubir Jewellery, Trincity Mall, Trincity, (868)-640-2522
House of Chan, Emerald Plaza, St. Augustine, (868) 645-0347
The Medical Dispensary, Main Road, Chaguanas, (868) 665-5889

Visit our website for more, http://www.productiononeltd.com/jaotg/trinidad/2010

Contact us at 620-6920, 681-7879, 320-7028 and 754-9709
Jazz Artists on the Greens 2010: www.jaotg.org - A Production One Ltd. Event
www.productiononeltd.com

UTT 5 Minutes of Fame 2009 presentation notes

I teach Educational Technology to pre-service teachers. They are full time students, and this TECH110E course is given in the second semester, first year. Given that we are supposed to teach the students how to use technology tools in the classroom themselves, a major part of the course is to use the tools ourselves! So we set up Blackboard shells.

But...

We were not getting great enthusiasm for the Blackboard 6 installation. We knew that our students were techno-capable and even techo-philes from their activity on public sites. Students were very much into the social networking sites, such as Facebook, Tagged, Hi 5, Tubely, etc.

In an attempt to get our EdTech students to all use one site for management of course materials and student-created work such as videos and podcasts, etc, we determined that we should try using the social network features of a site to attract the students, and to see if they would interact with a work/study-related website in the same way that they interacted on a private site.

We had 2 classes participate.

One class was directed as to how they should interact with the site - a private group was created for them, and they were directed to upload files at specific times, etc.

The other class was turned loose on the site without any direction as to how it was to be used, but they did get an intro as to the features and the functions available on the site.

Instructor interaction on the site was quite intensive, but we found that other students were taking on a tutor role, answering questions, posting resources and taking the initiative before we managed to get to the questions! Students did additional work that was not requested - such as videos beyond what was required for the class. They posted all their practice materials and got really good feedback and comments from the other students.

There was a lot of online discussion and commenting that fed into and out of class discussions. We did notice that commenting seems to a be an activity that the students really seemed to like. Discussion forums were less popular, and chat features weren't popular AT ALL. Videos and photo uplaods were very popular.

Only problem was that some students posted inappropriate profile pictures - bikini shots, etc. But even that led to a teachable moment, as they did reasearch on and discussed internet safety and personal information on the internet, internet stalking etc.

To see the video of the presentation, click here

Swine flu vaccine raises troubling questions? Does it REALLY???

I saw this article in the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian on Sunday, and the total lack of balance and logic in it annoyed me so much, I had to write in.

Swine flu vaccine raises troubling questions

Really, what questions are so troubling? To me, the fact that people are asking questions is good, BUT the fact that their questions are so basic and that they do not look for or believe the answers from the CDC and other professionals is what is troubling.

Why are random people on Facebook quoted and their opinions given the same weight as medical professionals who have studied this stuff for years and have reams of scientific evidence on their side?

"the vaccine was rushed through development — many vaccines take years to make, while the swine flu shot was made in response to a virus that reared its head only months ago. They argue it hasn’t been properly or thoroughly tested"

"shooting myself up with an experimental drug that has not really been given enough time to find out the side effects"

Whoa - experimental drug? Maybe when vaccine technology was being developed in the last century, it might have been considered "experimental", but let's get real! We've eradicated smallpox by the use of vaccination. Polio - remember that?

Vaccines take years to DEVELOP, not to MAKE. The flu vaccine was developed ages ago. Different strains of flu come out every year.

H1N1-A is just A STRAIN of flu. Every year they determine what strains of flu are likely to hit, and make the flu vaccine for them. So, there's no "new" vaccine, no "new" process. It's what they've been doing every year, for OVER 40 YEARS, for the seasonal flu (other strains of infuenza, remember?)

Are we really seriously comparing the state of the art in medical science in 1976 - over 40 years ago - to that now? Flu vaccine might have been experimental then, but somehow, with BILLIONS of doses administered worldwide in the past FORTY years, think maybe that it's by now been properly tried and tested?

And of course, Wayne O'Brady on Facebook doesn't know of what this vaccine is composed. Guess he didn't look very far - a simple Yahoo! search turned up the following information provided by Dr. Richard Besser, former head of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

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9. What are the ingredients in the H1N1 vaccine?

Again, there are two different vaccines. The nasal spray is what is called a "live attenuated vaccine." They take the virus and change it so that it can’t cause the flu, but it can infect the cells in your nose and cause an immune reaction. The injectable vaccine has a surface protein in it called hemagglutinin. All vaccines contain trace amounts of ingredients that are used in its manufacturing, as well as stabilizers so that the vaccine remains effective.

Also, if your vaccine comes from a multi-dose vial, it will have a very small amount of a preservative called thimerosol. It is important to remember that both vaccines can have trace amounts of egg protein in them, because the viruses that are used to make the vaccine are grown in eggs. People with egg allergies can’t receive either vaccine.
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The level of basic scientific ignorance that is displayed when anything science-based is discussed is just appalling. This does not bode very well for the future of this country.

<< BELMONT EXHIBITION >>

"What do you know about Belmont? When did it become an official part of Port of Spain? Do you know that Belmont has contributed many of Trinidad's greatest sporting and cultural heroes?

Trinidad Theatre Workshop is hosting the Freetown Foundation's presentation of 'Golden Memories of Belmont's Glorious Past.' Photos and artifacts line the walls of Playwright's Theatre, showing off Belmont like you've never seen it before!

The Exhibition runs Monday to Friday, until the 30th of October from 10am - 4pm.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn about one of Trinidad and Tobago's most amazing and influential communities!"