Eclectic Views

    
 Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  January 12 2008
 
 --------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->
 
 <inkwell.vue.318> Richard Wiseman, "Quirkology"
 Psychologist Richard Wiseman joins us in the Inkwell for a quick delve into
 the human mind, with the aid of fascinating experiments conducted on
 unwitting subjects at dinner parties, in art galleries and many other
 unlikely venues.
 
 --------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>
 
 <tv.1873.205-> The Daily Show, continued
 The shows are back on air, but should they be? And how good are they without
 writing staff? 
 
 <investment.519> The 2008 Market Timing Contest
 There's already been one exciting market downturn in the new year - did you
 see it coming? Play in the Well's virtual stockmarket and see how good you
 are at predicting market sentiment. 
 
 <work.489> dealing with lazy coworkers
 Most of us have them. What do you do about 'em? 
 
 <misc.1764> What Does Your ____ - a-day Calendar Say Today?
 It's January and time for new calendars: by sharing what all your
 "something-a-day" calendars say for today, we get to freeload with our own
 meta version! 
 
 <advertising.94> Web Banner Advertising
 If everybody hates popups so much, how come advertisers keep using them? 
 
 <languages.35> Enquiring Minds Want To Know
 What exactly happens in enquiring minds when they make up new words, or new
 syntax? How does it work on the neurological level? 
 
 <macintosh.1777.87-> Predictions and Wild Speculation
 MacExpo time again: see how the wild guesses compare with the real thing.
 
 <decor.204> Ask Randall AGAIN
 Need help with your home decorating? Get tips, plus some hilarious attitude,
 from a professional. 
 
 <politics.2589> Barack Obama, 2008 ( +1 )
 <politics.2590> HIllary Watch continued
 The race for the White House is officially underway, with a stunning result
 in Iowa for Obama and a resurrection from the political dead for Clinton in
 New Hampshire. 
 
 <movies.3449> movie formats
 <dvd.1404.23-> DVD Tech
 Widescreen, hi-def, digital, Blu-Ray, HD-DVD - so much is happening so fast
 in the world of movies and DVDs that it's hard to keep up! 
 
 <tv.1880> The Wire, for the last time
 Best TV series ever? 
 
 --------------> Independent conferences --------------------------------->
 
 <style.ind.31> Travel in Style
 When on the road, which is the priority - style or comfort? Or can you
 achieve both? 
 
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 Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  February 1 2008
 
 --------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->
 
 <inkwell.vue.319> Arden Moore, "Planet Cat"
 Currently in the Inkwell, pet book author Arden Moore is with us to talk
 about her new book, "Planet Cat," coauthored with Harry and Sandra Choron,
 containing more than 400 lists and tips and trivia about cats - including
 the names of the five cats that have appeared on The Simpsons!
 
 And from February 6, Saveur magazine's Editor-in-Chief James Oseland will be
 taking us on a journey into the home cooking of the Spice Islands of
 Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.
 
 --------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>
 
 <misc.1770> Fact Of The Day
 What little nuggets have you come across today from your random
 explorations? 
 
 <ethics.225> Food and Sex
 A fascinating discussion about the morals and social norms that determine
 what is fit to eat, and what's beyond the pale for decent folk. 
 
 <parenting.1301> Even More Funny Things Kids Say
 Kind of like the old Art Linkletter show - only lots better. 
 
 <design.379> Interaction Design
 How devices interact with their users is becoming the key factor to their
 commercial success. How well are design schools training people for the
 task? 
 
 <macintosh.1780> MacBook Air
 Apple's latest new toy: size really is everything with this sleek wonder.
 
 <palm.130> iPod Touch: the post-PDA-era PDA
 We who still have Palm OS devices have been watching the slow death of the
 company, wondering where we will find our next PDA. Has Apple produced an
 answer good enough for us? 
 
 <tv.269.1181-> Lost - Again
 The love-it-or-loathe-it show is back to exasperate and perplex us all still
 further, albeit with a shortened season. 
 
 <travel.1056> Beijing
 With Beijing hosting the 2008 Olympics, it's bound to be the travel
 destination of the year. What are the don't-miss attractions to see while
 there? 
 
 <photography.406> January '08 Photography theme of the month - weather
 Check out the January photo offerings in this topic. Stick around the
 conference and find out what the February photo theme is! 
 
 <tv.1600.84-> Medium
 Appreciating one of those hidden treasures on the TV schedules. 
 
 <media.2502> Media coverage of the 2008 Presidential campaign, cont.
 <politics.2598> Election 2008, Page 2
 <politics.2599> Predictions -  for the 2008 Presidential race.
 Heading into Super Tuesday, and the shakeout has begun with Edwards and
 Giuliani dropping out. Are we into the end game in the nomination battles?
 
 
 <ride.335> Scooters Urban(e)
 Have you stepped out of your car and onto a scooter for your in-city
 transportation? 
 
 <see.6.1513-> Hydrogen: as fuel; from plants; energetics; economics;
 chemistry
 The plan for hydrogen fueling stations around California looks dead: so what
 next for environmentally sustainable vehicles? 
 
 --------------> Independent conferences --------------------------------->
 
 <belgium.ind.>
 This indie has just transferred hostship - but is there a future for Benelux
 discussion on The WELL, or should it be absorbed into Europe? Your views and
 suggestions sought.
 
 --------------> New conference announcements ---------------------------->
 
 <well2008.pri.>
 The WELL's Featured limited-access conference is just for newcomers in 2008,
 and is a place to find your feet along with other new members in the comfort
 and privacy of your very own WELL saloon.
 
 <debate.ind.>
 A Well user has started a new indie that's dedicated to becoming as well
 informed as possible about the most controversial issues of the day, through
 careful, extended debate between opponent experts.
 
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 Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  February 15 2008
 
 --------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->
 
 <inkwell.vue.320> James Oseland, "Cradle of Flavor"
 Currently in the Inkwell, Saveur magazine's Editor-in-Chief James Oseland is
 taking us on a journey into the home cooking of the Spice Islands of
 Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.
 
 And joining us from February 20, author Pamela McCorduck will be here to
 discuss her life, her work, and her sexy (and scientific!) new novel, "The
 Edge of Chaos."
 
 --------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>
 
 <movies.3429> 80th Annual Academy Awards, 2/24/08
 The Writers' Strike is over, so the biggest awards event in the calendar can
 go ahead unmolested: which film will get the ultimate accolade of Best
 Picture? Can anyone keep Daniel Day-Lewis from the Best Actor Oscar? 
 
 <wellcome.82> Wellfolks Photo Page Project
 Find out what other WELL members look like and learn how to have your photo
 added to our collection. 
 
 <politics.2601> Is John McCain eligible to be President?
 An interesting and surprising discussion on the small print ins-and-outs of
 citizenship and nationality. 
 
 <bike.242> Pro Cycling
 With Team Astana snubbed by both the Giro and Tour de France, will U.S.
 Leipheimer fans lose interest in these two major cycling races? 
 
 <writers.2178> What Will Your Epitaph Say?
 Will you go for witty or poignant? Something literary, or something
 esoteric? Personally I'll go for "See, I told you I was sick!" 
 
 <history.489> Is "History is written by the victors" a meaningful statement?
 Wherein we debate the old trope. Are we historians really so incapable of
 considering the points of view of the losers? 
 
 <words.1662> Famous lines, grammar corrected
 It may be a famous expression, but that doesn't mean it should be above the
 laws of the English language, dammit! After all - it does not mean anything,
 if it does not have that "swing." 
 
 <web.763> The Micrsoft/Yahoo! Takeover
 Microsoft's bid of $44 billion for search engine pioneer Yahoo! could
 rewrite the digital landscape - or is it a desperate, doomed last chance for
 the Seattle giant to get to grips with the Google phenomenon? 
 
 <misc.1773> Where are you now and how did you get there?
 Two deceptively simple questions to sum up the pivotal moment in your life
 that's resulted in you being who, what and where you are today. 
 
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 Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  March 1 2008
 
 --------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->
 
 <inkwell.vue.321> Pamela McCorduck, "The Edge of Chaos"
 Currently in the Inkwell we're midway through a fascinating discussion with
 Pamela McCorduck about her life, her work, and her sexy (and scientific!)
 new novel.
 
 Coming up on March 5, technology writer James Au (whose work on game culture
 has appeared in publications from Wired to the Los Angeles Times) will be
 here to share tales of his three years as an "embedded journalist" in
 burgeoning 3-D community Second Life.
 
 --------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>
 
 <media.2487> Media coverage of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other
              war-related areas, cont.
 The big news this week is that Prince Harry has spent the last ten weeks on
 the front line in Afghanistan; the even bigger news is that this was kept
 out of the news for ten weeks. Was Matt Drudge wrong to leak this story? Was
 the rest of the media wrong to play along with the blackout?
 
 <words.1658> Isn't this the fifth topic for nothing but questions?
 Can you post and reply with nothing but questions?
 
 <bike.76> Advice on Buying Bicycles
 Thinking of taking up cycling? Get some good pointers from the conference
 regulars on just how much bike a beginner actually needs.
 
 <movies.3457> In Bruges
 A smart black comedy about three hoods (Martin MacDonagh, Brendan Gleeson
 and Colin Farrell) trapped in the purgatory that is Bruges. What could
 possibly be not to like?
 
 <thrift.110> The Ethics of Thrift
 Is 'thrift' a moral virtue - or just an excuse for being cheap and miserly?
 
 <genx.749> GenX gets the flu.
 Everyone's feeling poorly. But sympathy and understanding is just a post
 away.
 
 <singles.683> Food Waste *Confessional*
 OK, we know there's something disgusting in the back of your fridge that you
 need to throw out. Confess or we'll make you eat it.
 
 <politics.2609> Ralph Nader 2008
 <genx.1954.1350-> The Brave New World of Our Republican Overlords!
 Just in case the presidential race was getting too dull for you, now Ralph
 Nader's decided to jump in again. Will that make a critical difference -
 like it did in 2000?
 
 <tv.1890> In Treatment
 HBO's innovative new 'soap opera' - nightly visits to Gabriel Byrne's
 therapist character, Dr Paul - is generating plenty of insightful deep
 discussion on The WELL.
 
 <sports.834.537-> Tiger Woods
 Is Tiger the least-controversial "best ever at his sport"?
 
 --------------> Independent conferences --------------------------------->
 
 <gadgets.ind.87> Digital Cameras, part IV
 We could talk about digital cameras, here, true, but it is much more fun to
 report (and make up) urban legends about how standard sizes came to be.
 
 <chow.ind.377> Eating breakfast continues on
 <chow.ind.410> Dinner Bell Is Ringing
 Share your breakfast and dinner ideas!
 
 <motorsport.ind.6.17-> IRL: news
 Bitter rival US open-wheel series IRL and CART finally hug it out.
 
 --------------> New conference announcements ---------------------------->
 
 <chicago.ind.>
 If you live in the Windy City, or if you're planning to visit, or if you
 just want to know what's happening, then stop by the new indie conference
 for all things Chicago, just opened.
 
 <orthanc.ind.>
 A Well user has unveiled a new conference for everyone to share their favorite
 off-WELL destinations such as Facebook, Metafilter, Slashdot and Second
 Life. Come help make The WELL part of an even larger meta-community.
 
 --------------> WELL events --------------------------------------------->
 
 <party.295> The WELL at 23 - Chocolate factory tour April 5
 What better way for SF Bay Area WELL members (and those who will be in the
 Bay Area then) to celebrate The WELL turning 23 than by a tour of the
 Scharffen Berger Chocolate factory in Berkeley? Sign up now!
 
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 Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  March 18 2008
 
 --------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->
 
 <inkwell.vue.>
 From March 19, the Inkwell's guest of honor will be Daniel McGinn, author of
 "House Lust," about the boom in massive McMansions and the accompanying
 over-the-top craze for more house than anyone can possibly need - or indeed
 afford, as the real estate market meltdown demonstrates.
 
 --------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>
 
 <macintosh.1783> iPhone Programming
 Apple's February release of a software development kit for the iPhone (and
 the iPod Touch) has sparked lots of knowledgeable geek chatter!
 
 <politics.2617> Eliot Spitzer linked to prostitution ring
 <media.2473.1262-> In which we read the New York Times
 The astonishing fall from grace of the New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer
 - from being darling of the Democrats to a very sad, sleazy and sticky end.
 
 <investment.411> What are you buying or selling now?
 <investment.520.119-> The Stock Market Crash of 2008
 Is the US economy crashing and burning, or is there still hope for it? Is it
 time to hedge your bets in precious metals? Foreign currency?
 
 <ride.337> Fatal Motorcycle Accidents are on the Rise
 True, but is it because other vehicles on the road are larger, because
 there are more older riders on bikes these days, or...? What do you think?
 
 <misc.1749> The Nice Thing Somebody Did For Me Today
 Let's take a minute to salute those random acts of kindness that have made
 the daily grind just that bit more bearable for us.
 
 <decor.175> The Garden
 Spring is, well, springing. What is coming up in your garden?
 
 <singles.545> How to tell if he's really interested in you
 An old topic has recently revived with some thoughtful discussion on why
 some men become speechless in the presence of a woman they'd like to know
 better.
 
 <politics.2618> Myth, Fiction, and Politics
 A topic that's both funny and insightful: we're so used to reality being
 filtered through blockbuster films like "Star Wars" and "Lord of the Rings",
 are we now shaping our reality to align with such myths?
 
 <weird.6764> Weird choices
 Read this topic? Or move to Mongolia?
 
 <welltech.341.623-> System Status Reports: Sacramento
 <pre.vue.148> The death of WELLgopher sort of
 A moment's silence, please: The WELL Gopher has passed away. It is an ex-
 gopher, it has ceased to be.
 
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 Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  April 2 2008
 
 --------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->
 
 <inkwell.vue.324> Silja Talvi, "Women Behind Bars"
 Investigative journalist Silja Talvi is here for a discussion of the special
 problems women in jail face, as we talk about her new book, "Women Behind
 Bars: The Crisis of Women in the U.S. Prison System."
 
 --------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>
 
 <movies.2670> The Worst Movies Ever, Part II
 A Joe Queenan newspaper article has reignited the WELL's own discussion
 about the worst celluloid outrages ever committed - mentioned so far are
 Heaven's Gate, Paint Your Wagon - and Barbra Streisand.
 
 <misc.1777> Heroes
 Who do you look up to, and why?
 
 <politics.2623> Should the World Boycott the Chinese Olympics?
 China's controversial actions in Tibet so close to the Beijing Games has got
 everyone talking about a boycott. But would it have far-reaching and
 unforeseen consequences?
 
 <science.601.1112-> Science & Creation: Part II
 Can science, computers and cosmology provide the 'meaning of life' or is
 that simply impossible without a religious basis?
 
 <writers.2182> Where do you get your ideas?
 Inspiration or perspiration? There are ideas to be found everywhere!
 
 <investment.480> Health Insurance.  How expensive can it get ?
 Primary care practitioners are switching to concierge medicine in droves. It
 is harder and harder to get health insurance if you've ever had health
 problems. Is the US health care system finally imploding?
 
 <unclear.186> So... what are your neighbors doing right now?
 Everybody's got 'em. What weird or wonderful things have yours been up to
 lately?
 
 <history.491> Time machine: music version
 What music, instruments and technology would you take back in time (and why)
 to a past musician - and who would that be, anyway?
 
 <ethics.227> Beyond praise and blame?
 Are 'praise' and 'blame' outdated blunt instruments that do more harm than
 good, or do they have real purpose? What could replace them?
 
 <popcult.833> Six Words Is The New Black
 Too much fun. Such short sentences.
 
 --------------> Independent conferences --------------------------------->
 
 <chow.ind.413> The International Year of the Potato
 Celebrating the humble yet oh-so-versatile spud.
 
 <security.ind.34> Insecure Web Sites
 Sound the alarm about sites that are doing an inept job at protecting your
 data.
 
 --------------> Forthcoming events to look out for! --------------------->
 
 <cooking.887> Oysterfest XIV, noon-sunset, Sun. 5/11/08.
 Everyone is welcome - WELL members, friends and family. Everybody brings a
 side dish or beverage to share, those who want to eat oysters are asked to
 sign up in the topic and pay in advance.
 
 --------------> News from the conferences ------------------------------->
 
 <katrina.1.82-> conference administration and stuff
 The conference set up for coverage and discussion of Hurricane Katrina's
 devastating impact on New Orleans in 2005 is being archived.
 
 <tapes.700> Tapes conference getting archived
 A sign of the times and changes in technology: the conference for the
 Grateful Dead crowd to trade tapes of GD concerts is also being archived and
 the content preserved as part of The WELL's rich history.
 
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 Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  April 16 2008
 
 --------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->
 
 <inkwell.vue.325> Ann Thorpe: The Designer's Atlas of Sustainability
 The Inkwell is looking into the new book on sustainability by Ann Thorpe,
 which explores the basic principles, concepts, and practice of sustainable
 design in a visually sophisticated and engaging style for the first time.
 
 --------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>
 
 <gardening.413> Tomatoes, more than you might want to know, part III
 What types of love apples are you planning on putting in your summer
 vegetable garden this year?
 
 <genx.1983> DISCLAIM HERE!
 Add your favorite product disclaimers here (warning: may contain nuts.)
 
 <wildlife.352> West Coast Salmon
 No salmon fishing this year on the west coast due to an alarming decline in
 the number of spawning salmon. How bad is the drop and is there anything we
 can do to turn it around?
 
 <media.2519> Media coverage of polygamy
 The disturbing issues raised by the Child Protective Services raid on the
 Eldorado polygamist compound in Texas.
 
 <travel.281> GUIDEBOOKS
 It turns out that the author of the Lonely Planet guide to Colombia never
 bothered to actually visit the country. So which guidebooks *can* we trust?
 
 <current.1779> Dealing with the Greater Depression of 2008
 <politics.2497.528-> Politics of Monetary Policy
 It's official, it's happening, and it's going to affect all of us: the
 economic good times are over, folks. What will recession mean, and how will
 we deal with it?
 
 <eastcoast.33> Boston drivers: truly the worst?
 What is the deal with rotaries? What is the deal with Boston drivers not
 yielding when they should? Are they, well, truly the worst? (Disclaimer:
 your correspondent loves driving in Boston.)
 
 <movies.3462> Shine a Light
 The Rolling Stones performing, in a film directed by Martin Scorsese. And
 blown up to IMAX size, too. What's not to like?
 
 <photography.278> Photo Printers: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!
 The printers may be cheap, but the cost of the ink! How do you know which
 printer will give you the best bang for your buck?
 
 <sftv.288> Battlestar Galactica: The Final Season
 One of the best science fiction TV series ever made - but can it sustain the
 quality right through the final episodes and give us a finale to remember?
 
 <wellcome.132> What brought you to The WELL?
 Tell us the story of how you came to be here!
 
 <singles.831> It's not you, it's your books
 What would your ideal date have on the bookshelves? What book title would be
 a deal-breaker as far as a romantic prospect?
 
 --------------> Independent conferences --------------------------------->
 
 <weather.ind.24> Worldwide Weather Check-In VII
 Is it nice out, or do you need the brolly? From sun to snow, east to west,
 the weather remains endlessly fascinating.
 
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Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  May 2 2008

--------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->

<inkwell.vue.326> flash gordon, Blood, Sweat, and 2nd Gear: More Medicine
                  for Motorcyclists
Primary care physician and passionate motorcycle hound flash gordon (and
yes, the lower case is entirely intentional!) is back with us to talk about
his new book, which explains the body's systems and how they work - and how
they can go wrong. It happens to be written by a physician, who happens to
be a biker, who happens to be talking to other bikers!

--------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>

<see.42.1087-> Media Mentions of Sustainability
Check out this interesting discussion of William McDonough's "cradle-to-
cradle" concept of eliminating waste.

<popcult.834> Who's in Their 5?
Famous and notorious people - who have they got in their T-Mobile 5?

<travel.1060> Weak dollar - where to go now?
As the dollar plummets and the euro skyrockets, and that dream holiday in
Paris or Venice becomes too much of a stretch, where in the world can a nice
vacation still be had for an affordable price?

<homeowners.371.14-> Designing a healthy house
In which a WELL member asks for advice on remodeling his house using the
cradle-to-cradle approach.

<britain.18> Those Baffling British Names
Bellingham, Loughborough, Slough, and that old favo(u)rite Marylebone. Can
an American ever learn her way around the pronunciation of British place
names?

<sftv.269.1741-> Lost - Again
"Lost" is back after the writer's strike hiatus, and dropping lots of new
bombshells upon its return!

<words.1663> LOLCAT: I AM IN UR TOPIC, I CAN HAZ DISCUSSION?
The latest internet craze to penetrate into the 'everyday'. God help the
English language ...

<salon.50> Salon's citizen journalism experiment - Open Salon
Want to take part in the closed beta of Open Salon, the smart home for
original, independent content by and for the readers who crave it? Find out
more here.

<genx.1984> Words Banned from Band Names Hereafter
Words that are in way too many band names and whose spread must simply be
stopped! That means you, Jesus, Mary and Velvet!

--------------> WELL gatherings ----------------------------------------->

<party.298> WELL picnic 2008, noon-4, Sun July 13, Wildcat Canyon
Everybody's welcome, so mark your calendars, pack your sunblock, and plan on
joining us at this popular potluck event!

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Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  May 16 2008

--------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->

<inkwell.vue.327> Alec Lobrano, Hungry for Paris
Currently in the Inkwell, Gourmet magazine's European correspondent
Alexander Lobrano is with us to talk about his expertise on the best dining
spots in the City of Lights, from hole-in-the-wall bistros to haute cuisine
establishments. It's a pure delight for lovers of food and wine around the
world!

--------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>

<news.3142.559-> News of the World, Mars, and Beyond (3/4/8+++)
A catastrophic typhoon in Burma/Myanmar and a huge quake in China. It's
been, quite literally, a disastrous couple of weeks around the world.

<books.1587> Literary Trivia
Step right up and display your knowledge of obscure literary facts in this
light-hearted trivia quiz.

<travel.791> Packing for a Trip
We've all heard secrets for successful light packing on trips, but how do
they actually work if you're going somewhere interesting?  Like a tropical
island?

<sftv.261> Doctor Who UK --- Spoilers OK
Season 4 of Doctor Who is currently underway in the UK (and on BitTorrent
soon thereafter for US viewers!) A new companion in the form of comedienne
Catherine Tate has shaken things up, but is the show maintaining the
quality?

<britain.159.1047-> British Politics
From local elections (disastrous for the government party) to the pros and
cons of 'anti-social behavior orders' - the notorious ASBOs!

<windows.459> Windows XP Service Pack 3
What's in it? How's the install? Are there any new important new features?
Does it cause any problems?

<movies.3467> Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Can this belated sequel possibly live up to expectations?

<plumage.655> Copycats!
Is imitation really the sincerest form of flattery in fashion? Or maybe a
little stalkerish?

<writers.2186> Phrase of the Day
Quotes you've come across that have stuck in your head: from the fun "all
hat and no cattle" to the philosophical "the happiness of skating on thin
ice".

<tv.1904> The 2008-09 Television Season
<tv.1544.455-> news about the television industry
Which of your TV shows have been renewed, and which face the axe?

<photography.416> Self-publishing: The do-it-yourself Book
The ins and outs of publishing your own book of photography, from software
choices to legal matters of model releases and libel.

<arts.431> Art and Music
Discussion about art, music and related things gets underway with news of a
project to turn a New York building into a musical instrument.

--------------> Independent conferences --------------------------------->

<gadgets.ind.70> Kitchen Gadgets III: Beyond Thunderstick
I never had any idea that people could get so passionate about their
blenders.

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Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  June 2 2008

--------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->

<inkwell.vue.328> Clay Shirky: Here Comes Everybody
Just started in the Inkwell is a discussion with Internet technology
consultant, writer and teacher Clay Shirky, whose latest book on the effects
of the Web on human interactions is inspirationally titled "Here Comes
Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations."

Starting on June 11, author Joe Nick Patoski will be here to talk about
singing/songwriting legend Willie Nelson.

--------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>

<see.95> Rethinking Plastics
Plastic bags, goods and packaging are the bad boy of environmentalists the
world over. Do they deserve such enmity? What can we do to reduce the impact
of plastic waste?

<obsess.704> obsessed with your carbon footprint
Talking of the environment: is the 'carbon footprint' a truly useful metric,
or just another statistic in an already overcrowded field?

<space.158> Phoenix - The 2007 Mars Lander
Phoenix is down and safe, and sending pictures!

<books.1590> Formal Tricks
Why some literary tricks used in books like "Bright Lights, Big City" and "A
Void" work brilliantly, while others just grate.

<tv.1498.830-> Sex and the City continues, and ends
The girls are back, and the fashion is dazzling. But is the movie?

<socal.208> Los Angeles
The weekend's big story is the fire at Universal Studios.  King Kong has
gone up in smoke, and so has a large chunk of video library.  The theme park
remains open - take an umbrella for the ash raining down!

<bike.130> Bicycle humor
Are fixies hilarious, useful, or just annoying? They were good enough for
the Tour de France for many years, after all.

<macintosh.1720> OSX -- Software Updates (continued)
The latest version of Mac OS X Leopard has been released. Watch here for the
experiences of the foolhardy early adopters.

<byline.507> Can ANYONE survive in the New Media Ecosystem?
Content may be king, but no one's willing to pay for it. And with media
brands being usurped by Google, what's the business model that's going to
pay the content providers in the future?

<media.2532> More Media Coverage of the Bush Administration
Former White House press secretary Scott McClellan's book causes a stir,
with some critics saying it could even put US troops lives at risk in Iraq.

--------------> New conference announcement ----------------------------->

<twitter.ind.>
A big welcome to a brand new indie conference for discussion about current
Internet phenomenon twitter.com, as well as similar microblogging platforms.
Topics so far include 'Who do you follow?', 'using twitter / twitter tools!'
and 'what did you learn on twitter today?'

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Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  June 16 2008

--------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->

<inkwell.vue.329> Joe Nick Patoski: Willie Nelson, an Epic Life
Currently in the Inkwell, author Joe Nick Patoski is talking about the life
and loves of the singer-songwriter legend that is Willie Nelson.

Starting on June 25, Salon staff writer Farhad Manjoo will be talking about
the media's shift from hard news to "truthiness" and the effect this is
having on politics, as detailed in Farhad's new book "True Enough: Learning
to Live in a Post-Fact Society."

--------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>

<boomers.445> Your last car
What are you looking for in what could be your last automotive selection?
Something to cope with a full complement of grandkids? A "defy conventions!"
convertible? Or maybe you'll give up on the car altogether?

<words.1664> The Blob
It's amazing how much fun you can have by 'blobbing' one word in a film
title: from James Blob to Citizen Blob via West Blob Story. Sure it's
juvenile, but you'll smile anyway!

<sports.1388> Soccer: the UEFA Euro Football Championship 2008
The biggest international sporting tourament this side of the Olympics.
Sorry, the US wasn't invited - this is for Europe's top international sides
only, but it's still fun to follow. Get the latest news and results here.

<macintosh.1758> Apple iPhone - it's here now...
Apple's worst-kept secret for a long time has finally been announced: the
iPhone 3G arrives next month. Will you get one? Will AT&T's network keep up?
Will EDGE finally die?

<web.763.137-> The Microsoft/Yahoo! Takeover
The fallout from the abortive takeover of Yahoo! continues, with Yahoo!
turning to arch rivals Google in a new deal on online advertising
technology.

<genx.1987> Help Laura Remember 1985!
Live Aid, Gorbachev, floppy hair, acid wash jeans. I'd forgotten most of
this stuff.

<books.1599> Books deserving to be reread
Whether they are classics or "comfort food", or simply that you don't want
to risk wasting time on a bad book - what are your favourite re-reads?

<tv.1908> Breaking Up With A TV Show You Used To Love
You had some great times, but the magic's gone and it's time to move on.
From ER to Big Brother, what TV shows have you sent a 'Dear John' to?

--------------> Independent conferences --------------------------------->

<europe.ind.92> European politics
The French and Dutch rejected the European Constitution; now the Irish have
rejected its less grand re-write.  Will the EU ever convince its voters to
let it progress?

--------------> Forthcoming WELL events --------------------------------->

<party.298> WELL picnic 2008, noon-4, Sun July 13, Wildcat Canyon
The annual WELL picnic is coming up soon. If you're going to be in the San
Francisco Bay Area on that date, come join us! It's a potluck event that's
open to all!

--------------> WELL job opening ---------------------------------------->

<hosts.543> Job Opening for Community Support at The WELL
The WELL is recruiting for a Community Support Representative. You can see
the job spec at <http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/csr/715393580.html>. Be
warned, you'll have some very big shoes to fill!

------------------------------------------------------------------------->
  

    
Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  July 1 2008

--------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->

<inkwell.vue.330> Farhad Manjoo, "True Enough"
Salon.com staff writer Farhad Manjoo is currently talking about his new
book, which shows how objectivity has been supplanted by subjectivity for
many issues, for many Americans.

And from July 9, one for the green-fingered WELL members: Jeff Gillman, who
holds a doctorate in horticulture, as he separates fact from fiction when it
comes to backyard produce.

--------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>

<movies.3472> WALL-E
Pixar's latest film, about a garbage-collecting robot on an apocalyptic
future Earth, is almost an art-house flick. Can it be a big smash hit too?

<politics.2152> European politics
From the Balkans to Diocletian to Split to pizza to Venice to Constantinople
to Mistra.

<photography.315> Ask the Photography Experts!
All about street photography, invasive techniques and polite ones, and very
brightly colored suits.

<books.1604> Anachronism Watch
Even the most meticulously written and researched books can have that one
detail that rings false and throws you out of the narrative. Diet Coke,
anyone?

<genx.1869> Open letters
The GenX geeks discuss computer security, data privacy from employers, and
why social networking sites suck.

<ethics.230> Does evil exist?
Is evil the absence of good, or something far more complex?

<sftv.26> Doctor Who
<sftv.261> Doctor Who UK  --- Spoilers OK
The end of the series - and possibly the universe, as always - is nigh, and
rampant speculation and discussion abounds. Choose your topic carefully to
avoid spoilers!

<misc.1472> How did you indulge yourself today?
Be good to yourself, and share the good feelings!

<advertising.176> cool and stupid ads continue again
From Comcast to ASPCA to Mazda, there's no end to the fun that can be had
dissecting the commercials that pop up during our regular programming.

<space.143> Media Coverage of the U.S. Space Program
The chances of anything growing on Mars are ... rather good, it turns out.
Asparagus, anyone? Or maybe turnips?

<spirituality.295> Meditation and Depression
Unlikely as it sounds at first, is there a link between meditation and
depression?

--------------> Independent conferences --------------------------------->

<cultures.ind.80> White Goddess - Robert Graves
How well does Graves' writing stand up in the light of recent archaeology
discoveries?
------------------------------------------------------------------------->
  

    
Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  August 1 2008

--------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->

<inkwell.vue.332> Brendan I. Koerner, Now The Hell Will Start
Currently in the Inkwell, journalist Brendan Koerner is enlightening us
about the story of Herman Perry, an African-American WWII soldier tried for
murder who fled into the Indian jungle to escape the US Army's treatment of
its black troops.

And from August 6, author Paul Alexander will be leading a revealing
conversation about the controversial tactics of the Bush administration's
political mastermind, Karl Rove.

See more at <http://www.salon.com/books/excerpt/2008/06/06/rove_katrina/>.

--------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>

<sport.1389> The 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics
FInally, it's time: put aside the politics and get ready for the sportsmen
and women to take center stage, as the Olympic flame lights up the "Birds
Nest" national stadium in China's capital.

<politics.2648> Across the isle?
Are there any points of common interest between liberals and conservatives?

<movies.347> The Dark Knight
Thoughts and comments about the latest installment of the new Batman movie -
and the extraordinary performance of the late Heath Ledger as the Joker.

<tv.1846.1473-> Mad Men
Back for a second series, the Madison Avenue drama set in the 60s is the
latest heir to the "Best Show on TV" throne now that the likes of The
Sopranos and The Wire have departed.

<socal.42.323-> SoCal Earthquakes!
5.4? Barely worth mentioning! Southern California checks in after this
week's shake, rattle and roll.

<web.24.978-> Search Engines
The dangers of launching into the crowded search engine market: it looked
reasonably good for Cuil (pronounced - they hope - "cool", and old Irish for
knowledge.) But server glitches and indifferent search results have taken
the shine off a good PR launch.

<news.3164> The Weather Report (07/28/8+++)
How's the summer shaping up? Too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry?

<popcult.840> Schmaltz! (And glurge! And treacle!)
The overly sweet and cloying stuff clogging up the internet's arteries these
days, from glurge to cupcakes and the very creepy 'reborn baby'.

<current.1783> Pop Goes The Bubble IV
If you're of a nervous disposition, look away now. Because the world economy
seems to be having one of those wildly destructive self-harm moments.

--------------> Independent conferences --------------------------------->

<facebook.ind.1> introductions
New to Facebook? Let everyone know by announcing your arrival here.

<motorsport.ind.14.5-> Online resources for motorsports fans
It's a bit of a petrolhead's geek-out, but an inspired summer distraction:
can you guess the race track just from the overhead Google satellite photos?
  

    
Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  August 16 2008

--------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->

<inkwell.vue.333>
Paul Alexander, MACHIAVELLI'S SHADOW: The Rise and Fall of Karl Rove

Currently in the Inkwell, author Paul Alexander is discussing the tactics of
the dark political mastermind behind the Bush administration.

Starting August 20, University of Texas Associate Professor Sam Gosling will
be offering surprising insights on how to better understand people by the
things they surround themselves with, as detailed in his new book "Snoop:
What Your Stuff Says About You."

--------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>

<current.1785> Russia Invades Georgia
<politics.2541.287-> Russia
Russia's assault on Georgia feels like a blast from the chilliest of Cold
War times past. Are geo-politics fundamentally shifting with a new,
aggressive Russia determine to muscle its way back to being a superpower?

<books.1611> Office Life
What are best novels about working in an office environment?

<sports.1390>  WELL Virtual Football Pool XVI
Unfortunate timing with the last Bulletin meant we just missed covering the
launch of The WELL's premier fantasy game. Head on over if you're ready for
some fake betting on some real football!

<hosts.534.144-> Hosts, staff -- going on a vacation? Tell us about it!
A sudden unexpected detour for the topic, discussing the pros and cons of
travelling with Amtrak, or even the bus.

<sports.1389> The 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics
<tv.1921> 2008 OLYMPICS Coverage
<current.1784> Olympic games
So how are the Olympics going for you? Whether your angle is the sporting
spectacle or the quality and quantity of the media coverage, we've got the
topic for you!

--------------> Social media summer supplement spectacular -------------->

The Tipsters have been discovering social media this week (yes, better late
than never!) and have a special summertime report on how The WELL syncs in
with all things Web 2.0 ...

<media.2545> Social Media
From Facebook to Twitter, LinkedIn to Blogger: how the new breed of user-
driven mashups are changing the way you see (and share) your world.

<facebook.ind.17>  Scrabulous is back... but it's called Wordscraper now.
<facebook.ind.> The "New" Facebook
When it comes to social networking sites, Facebook is undoubtedly the leader
- and there's a popular WELL group already set up there. But there's a lot
of controversy over the loss of Scrabulous, and also about Facebook's new
look, with a lot of folk just not happy having their interface tweaked.

<twitter.ind.4> using twitter / twitter tools!
Twitter's such a weirdly simple concept - 140-character messages into one
big public stream. So why is it so addictive and so damn useful?

<flickr.ind.3> Introductions
<flickr.ind.8> Look!
Just joined Flickr and keen to share your photos with others on The WELL?
Step up and introduce your Flickr username here and get to know your WELL
neighbours over there, so that we can all share the pictures that you've
just posted.

<photography.420> August 08 - Theme of the Month - Triptych
And if you're on Flickr, then you're into photography, right? Check out the
Photography conference, and get inspired by the theme of the month.

<vc.531> Second Life:  The World-Building MMOG
If you like your social media a little more immersive. then you need to get
a life. A Second Life, to be accurate ...

<biztech.176> LinkedIn: Basics and Nuances
<vc.546> LinkedIn
LinkedIn is arguably the market leader for professional networking, and
there's a LinkedIn group for WELL members up and running to make it easier
to get your network up and running.

------------------------------------------------------------------------->
  

    
Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  September 16 2008

--------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->

<inkwell.vue.> "Kluge - The Haphazard Construction of the Human Mind."
Starting on the 17th, professor of psychology and director of the NYU Infant
Language Learning Center Gary Marcus will be revealing just how poorly
constructed some of the human thought process can actually be.

--------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>

<investment.348.998-> Experts on Investing -- Whaddya wanna know?
<investment.520.208->The Stock Market Crash of 2008
<current.1783.360-> Pop Goes The Bubble IV
And how. Lehman Brothers is gone; Merrill Lynch is absorbed into Bank of
America. Only two independent investment banks left standing now. Watch the
fallout here.

<web.771> Google Chrome
Have you been trying out Google's new browser? Join in the discussion of
whether it lives up to the considerable hype!

<politics.2669> What do we do when McCain wins?
Thinking the unthinkable, and making travel plans.

<macintosh.1735.1155-> iTunes (Continued Again)
<macintosh.1764.551->  iPod, iPod, iPod - Yet Another Topic
<newmusic.329> Genius Playlists
A September Apple event unveiled new iPods, new software for the iPhone/iPod
Touch - and a major new release of iTunes, now with added Genius.

<photography.422> September 08 - Theme of the Month - I don't know why,
                  but I just like it!
Those images that inexplicably appeal to you - and perhaps to no one else?
Let's test that theory by sharing.

<books.1616.46-> Dumb Stuff You're Addicted To (Or Have Been)
What are your literary guilty pleasures?

<bike.242.710-> Pro Cycling
He just can't leave well enough alone. Lance Armstrong wants to make a
comeback. He'll show these kids who's boss. Or will he go the way of
Muhammad Ali and Bjorn Borg?

<writers.2191> How did you end up being a writer?
Was it always something you wanted to do, or did you get inspired by a
mentor?

<tv.1928> Best TV Episodes EVAR: Your top 5. Or more.
Which five television series episodes would make your list of the very best?

<thrift.112> Reducing Our Energy Consumption On The Cheap
<thrift.113> Its Cheap, But Not Free: Water
With the price of energy and even water skyrocketing, what can we do to save
ourselves some hard-earned cash?

<genx.1148.1612-> 90210
I have to admit I never thought I'd see this particular topic resurrected.

<misc.1795> Help!!! I'm a Prisoner in a Chinese Fortune Cookie Factory
Cracking Chinese fortune cookies: has the literary quality of your fortune
declined in recent times?

<photography.259.654-> Photography News
Is Photoshopping and other photo manipulation fair game for making a
political statement, or is it just unprofessional?

<britain.62.187-> British Law
Interesting analysis of plaintiffs who seek libel judgments in Britain
(which is plaintiff-friendly) and who then try to apply them in other
countries.

--------------> Independent conferences --------------------------------->

<flickr.ind.9.1273-> Flickr
The Facebook redesign might be taking all the news headlines, but now
Flickr's up to it as well. It might be a new look, but is it an improvement?

<europe.ind.134>  Latest News from Europe: BBC and EU Observer
The European news feeds combined into one all-you-can eat buffet. Find out
what's going on in London, Paris, Berlin et al.

------------------------------------------------------------------------->
  

    <scribbled by draml Thu 16 Oct 08 11:43>
  

    
Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  October 16 2008

--------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->

<inkwell.vue.338> Daniel Levitin, The World In Six Songs
Dan Levitin - author, musician, professor of psychology and former record
producer - is here to talk about his new book, about how our musical brain
has shaped our very nature cognitively, culturally and socially, as much as
language, if indeed not more.

--------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>

<homeowners.396> Solar
Energy prices going up, recession looming, life looking generally grim? Well
you might be able to do something about the first one of those. Talk here
with people who are making solar energy work.

<books.1629> The Garden of Forking Paths
Interactive fiction: books that offer multiple routes through their pages.
Do you have fond memories of the Choose Your Own Adventure series from the
1980s?

<poetry.529> A Poem I Quite Like
<poetry.570> Poems about death
Whatever has moved or inspired or comforted you, come share your favorite
piece of poetry.

<genx.1992> Wonderful
In these depressing times, let's cherish the good stuff.

<macintosh.1788.82-> Mac News
This time Apple left us in no doubt early on about their new product
announcement: a very flash new MacBook, including new glass trackpad -
iPhone chic arrives on your lap!

<software.466> iPhone Programming
Draconian NDAs, stupid NDAs rescinded, conferences so overbooked that even
early registrants can't get in. Just another few days in the reality-
distortion field of trying to develop for Apple's hot toys.

<politics.2688> the presidential transition
<politics.2689> National Unity: Maybe the most important question....
Not taking anything for granted, but if the polls are to be believed then
how will the transition from a Bush to an Obama administration go? And after
all the vitriol and attacks of the last few weeks, will the new president -
whoever he is - be able to pull the nation together?

<movies.3488> City of Ember
A star cast and a movie based on a successful book - but does this new movie
create a spark?

<sftv.292> True Blood
"Six Feet Under" creator Alan Ball swaps the dead for the undead, and HBO's
vampire series is proving one of the more interesting - if not completely
successful - new season projects.
  

    
Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  November 2 2008

--------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->

<inkwell.vue.339> Sara Laschever, Ask For It
Currently in the Inkwell we have Sara Laschever, co-author of "Ask For It:
How Women Can Use the Power of Negotiation to Get What They Really Want" to
help women approach negotiating as a skill-set that they can master, rather
than as a talent some people have and others don't.

--------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>

<media.2564>   Media Coverage of the Presidential Election Continues
<politics.2700 The Election at the End of the Universe:
               the 2012 US Presidential Campaign
The WELL is the place for all the breaking election news!

<politics.2701> Election return musical playlist
Just a few hours more ... Oh how slowly they are passing. Speed them up a
bit by planning your own election night playlist.

<tv.1935> The Daily Show, from October 2008 on...
Very strange that a comedy show should be doing some of the sharpest and
most insightful political reporting of the year.

<decor.223> The White House
We're learning more than we ever thought possible about the relative impacts
of successive First Ladies on their surroundings.

<misc.1477> The Fictionalized Version of "What Are You Wearing?"
Tentacles? A suit made of liver? A second head? It's all up for grabs in
this delicious exercise for our imaginations.

<homeowners.361> Kyoto self-build sliver diary
Japanese ground-breaking ceremonies, the ritual of soap as a gift, and the
correct method of ceremonial sand distribution. It's all here.

<books.1631> Doc Savage
Revel in some retro pulp fiction classics!

<science.653.1815-> Media coverage of science
Creationism in Texas and religious experiences via transcranial magnetic
stimulation - things you need to know from the world of science!

<plumage.659> Cosmetics, Makeup, Skincare, Toiletries (continued again!)
Sarah Jessica Parker seems to be the poster girl for how NOT to do mascara.

<ethics.232> Knowledge and ethics
Does increased knowledge and intellectual ability actually have any
connection with improved ethical behaviour?

<music.1978> How loud is loud enough?
Issues of over-amplification and compression of music in clubs and other
live venues.

<news.3178> The Weed of Crime Bears Bitter Fruit (10/20/8+++)
<crimescene.ind.81.243-> Crimewire 2: ripped from the headlines
The latest and most outrageous dispatches from the war on crime around the
world.

--------------> Independent conferences --------------------------------->

<novelistas.ind.38> Nanowrimo 2008
So is anyone on The WELL taking part in this year's National Novel Writing
Month? Seems quiet out there, but maybe you're just shy!
  

    
So *that's* what nanowrimo stands for; I have often wondered.
  

    
Ron, you're only one day behind on your novel...
  

    
Have already churned out three novellas this year; I think I will rest on my
laurels, or maybe something more comfortable, whilst I revise the drafts of
#s 2 and 3.
  

    
Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  November 20 2008

--------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->

<inkwell.vue.340> Amy Trubek, The Taste of Place
Currently in the Inkwell, Dr Amy Trubek is with us for a discussion of her
latest book about 'terroir' - the special characteristics that a particular
geography bestows on a particular food or drink that gives rise to a 'sense
of place' for that cuisine.

And from November 26, controversial journalist Gary Greenberg will be here
to discuss his latest book "The Noble Lie: when scientists give the right
answers for the wrong reasons."

--------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>

<movies.2694.1304-> Upcoming releases
The new trailer for 2009's Star Trek prequel movie has some fans puzzled -
and worried.

<photography.424> November 08 - Theme of the Month - Dreaming
Dreamscapes, dreams come true, dreamy atmospheres; it's all here.

<misc.1799> What's On Your Browser Right Now?
What tabs and/or windows do you have open on your browser RIGHT NOW?

<current.1797> How Bad?
When it comes to the economy, the answer appears to be: "Very." And
spiralling downwards as we speak ...

<genx.1867> GenX????
The election of (arguably) our first GenX president has set off another
identity discussion, with some entertaining new definitions proposed. The
Tips Team's resident GenY renegade is entertained, anyway.

<politics.2388.860-> Same Sex Marriage: Part Three
<legal.1063> Legal issues in the wake of California's Proposition 8
<media.2553.668-> Media Coverage of Homosexuality and Homophobia Drags On
<movies.3492> Should the Sundance Film Festival Move to San Francisco??
Reaction to the passing of Prop 8 in California outlawing gay marriage.

<salon.47.1760-> Salon!!
The credit crunch and recession is hitting book chains and malls hard.

<ethics.233> Finding common ground in Red and Blue morality
How come red states have blue cities, and blue cities have red enclaves? How
do such differing world views grow up side-by-side - and how do they get
along?

<history.81> Architectural History
Noteworthy architecture turns up under the unsuspecting noses of residents
of Buffalo, Rochester, and Iowa.

<current.1798> Sea of Outlaws - Modern Piracy
Piracy on the high seas is the new 21st century crime of choice. And Jack
Sparrow is nowhere in sight.

<writers.2203> Interview
How writers can organize and conduct interviews to get the best result on
paper.

<music.1980> The Well's Disturbing Nostalgia Obsession
The music we return to, again and again. Do we simply need a few years to
sort out the ephemera from the really great stuff, or is it because we've
given up on the excitement of the cutting edge?

<vc.558> Protecting virtual communities
What happens when the owner of a virtual community shuts it down with no
notice?

<health.1861> tummy aches & the food we eat & more
Garbage in, garbage out: paying attention to what we eat, drink, think and
do.

--------------> Independent conferences --------------------------------->

<chow.ind.434> Don't Call Me Late for Dinner
Make us drool with your mouth-watering dinner descriptions!

<novelistas.ind.38> Nanowrimo 2008
So how's it going? Are you there yet?

--------------> Forthcoming WELL events --------------------------------->

<party.300> The WELL Christmas Circus Party Reloaded - December 20th, 8 PM
The WELL's had a holiday circus party tradition for a while now, but this
time it will include side show acts, drag clowns, a live orchestra, Bolivian
dancers, cabaret showgirls, cocktails, and snacks. Oh, and acrobats and
aerialists too, of course. Find out the details and come join the fun!

------------------------------------------------------------------------->
  

    
Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  December 9 2008

--------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->

<inkwell.vue.>
From December 10 to December 31, join the WELL members as they take a peek
inside The WELL for a year-end look back at some of their favorite
discussions, trends and ideas. Conversations from the Fitness, Pets,
Gardening, Cooking, and Words conferences will be featured.

--------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>

<photography.425> December 08 - Theme of the Month - A Gift
'Tis the season and all that. Show off your photographic gifts here.

<genx.1996> Social Networking, Facebook, Twitter, Etc
This stuff is all the rage for "the kids" - so how are GenXers taking to it?

<geny.19> Netlife
The young whippersnappers reminisce about the good old days of the Internet.
Oh the irony.

<current.1800> From the twin towers to India
A thoughtful topic following on from the recent terrorist action in India:
how can we learn from these awful moments and be better citizens of the
world?

<macintosh.1803.139-> iPhone -- the 3G era
<macintosh.1804> Jailbreaking iPhone - the process, apps available, hiccups
<palm.133> App Store software for iPhone and iPod Touch
<popcult.843.> iApps and ye shall iReceive
Lots of coverage of the various apps you can get for the iPhone - and what
it's like to develop for it.

<misc.1797> How to find a lost friend
Social networking sites like Facebook make it easier to reconnect with long-
lost friends, but it can really bring up powerful feelings about the passing
of time, nostalgia for times past, and generally staying connected.

<travel.1063> The Great WELL "I wanna do a house exchange" repository
Anyone interested in a 'house exchange' holiday? Find out the details of how
to do it, and who is interested.

<news.3181.208-> Okay, *Now* It's a Depression: Employment Changes
Continuing reports of the dire financial times.

<current.1799> I need to cheer up
From the state of the collapsing economy to the environment, terrorism, Iraq
and Afghanistan, things are gloomy. So where do we go to look on the bright
side of life?

<obsess.720> Youtube!  Oh Youtube, I love you so.
<popcult.782> The glory that is youtube.com
Actually - if you want some great material to have you laughing out loud,
these guides to YouTube's finest is a great start!

<decor.224> Emotional Decor: Feelings about our homes and the things in them
What does the home space you create say about you? Are you evoking a
specific feeling, or is it a reflection of your past life and homes?

<science.537.364-> Fuel Cell Technology
The economic situation and declining oil reserves mean that the search for
viable alternatives to gas are getting more and more urgent.

--------------> Independent conferences --------------------------------->

<mobile.ind.43> Nokia, Symbian, Series 60 Platform
For those die-hard Nokia loyalists, and anyone else who is sick of having
the iPhone and Android get all the attention.

--------------> Forthcoming WELL events --------------------------------->

<party.300> The WELL Christmas Circus Party Reloaded - December 20th, 8 PM
The WELL's had a holiday circus party tradition for a while now, but this
time it will include side show acts, drag clowns, a live orchestra, Bolivian
dancers, cabaret showgirls, cocktails, and snacks. Oh, and acrobats and
aerialists too, of course. Find out the details and come join the fun!

------------------------------------------------------------------------->
  

    
        .               *        .         .          *              .
  *                            .                             *           *
         *      .                    *                   .
                        .    *        .            *              .
     .                                       *                       *
           *            *                 *      .           *

Not-to-be-missed topics around The WELL:  Christmas and New Year edition
                                          December 22 2008

--------------> Publicly-viewable conferences --------------------------->

<inkwell.vue.342> Best of The WELL - 2008 Edition
Until the end of 2008, join your fellow WELLfolk as they review some of
their favorite discussions of the year from the likes of the Fitness, Pets,
Gardening, Cooking, and Words conferences.

And then from January 1 we have the annual freewheeling "State of the World"
conversation with author, futurist, and world citizen Bruce Sterling. Bruce
is reunited with Jon Lebkowsky for the tenth straight year to talk about
politics, culture, environment, technology, the economy - and anything else
they (and we!) want to cover.

--------------> Featured conferences ------------------------------------>

<news.3164> The Weather Report (07/28/8+++)
<weather.ind.24.1558-> Worldwide Weather Check-In VII
As we head into the holiday season, there's been some interesting weather to
look out for overhead and all around ...

<travel.954> Good airports, bad airports
The dire reputation of airplane food is well-known, but what about airport
food? Where, in which airports, can the hungry traveller get a decent meal?

<words.1669> Botticelli XII
Why not get into one of The WELL's longest running games for the holidays?
It's "Who am I?" but you're also trying to manoeuvre the quizmeister into
being unable to duck answering your indirectly.

<photography.404.532-> Digital Cameras, part IV
Still looking for Christmas ideas? Plenty of desirable tech for lovers of
photography being discussed here.

<games.712> Mobile gaming
Or how about ideas for games on your mobiles? It's looking like a booming
area.

<decor.39> Decorating for the Holidays.
Christmas trees, wreaths, ornaments, disembodied Santa heads. All your
holiday decorating needs are here.

<popcult.835.900-> cool and stupid ads continue again
During this season of gift-giving, where would we be without TV ads telling
us which cool, shiny things we should be buying, watching and yearning for?

<philosophy.270> Can there be "a world" without money?
And as a reaction against all that blatant consumerism: can we imagine a
life without the need for money?

<current.1783.1394-> Pop Goes The Bubble IV
Talking of money - 2008 has been all about the economic downturn and
recession, so we could hardly have the end-of-year Bulletin without the
latest updates.

<investment.533> Going for broke: 2009 Market Timing Contest
But let's not get too down with economic news - not when there's a whole new
chapter about to open in The WELL's premier marketing prediction contest!

<byline.512> Good, Bad, and Ugly: Byline 2008
The economic news leads nicely on to a time-honored Byline tradition -
looking back on the outgoing year and remember the ups, downs, and the
downright scary events of the past twelve months.

<misc.1082.830-> The New Thing I Learned Today
Go on, share something new that you've just discovered with your fellow
WELLfolk this year - and maybe get surprised in return!

<movies.3496> Slumdog Millionaire
Could this be the movie to see over the holidays? It's the story of an
Indian teen who goes on a game show to win love, rather than money.

<cooking.911> Any advice for a newbie
It's a good time of year to try your hand at new things, like cooking - and
WELLfolk are here to help with advice, suggestions and pointers.

<writers.2204> Strange Jobs We Have (Or Had)
So what are the weirdest and wackiest day jobs that you've had down the
years? Unimaginably boring, repetitive or repulsive jobs also count!

<history.492> How long after an event does politics stop influencing the
              witting of history?
Looking back over the 20th century, we've become pretty good at balanced
reporting of, say, the First World War.  How have we done since then? How
long does it take for ideologies to cool?

<politics.2719> Are gas prices too low?  - Would a gas tax be a good idea?
Only a few months ago we were stressed by spiralling fuel prices. But now,
are they too low? Are we already forgetting the environmental damage cars
do? Perhaps it's time for a fuel tax to wean us off gas guzzlers once and
for all.

<media.2576> The economy hits the media
The media might be covering the economic crisis - but it's also getting hit
by it. Hard.

<movies.3498> Most repeated closing lines
A great start for a topic - by considering great endings. What memorable
last lines/scenes do you remember from the movies?

<macintosh.1574.796-> MacWorld
Apple startled the faithful by announcing that this January's MacExpo was to
be their last - and Steve Jobs wasn't going to be there anyway. That raised
questions about the future of mass events, the mass market, Blu-Ray - and
Jobs' health.

--------------> Independent conferences --------------------------------->

<expat.ind.21> Your new home away from home
There's a whole collection of us expatriates here on The WELL, and this week
we are swapping stories about the trials of finding a place to live in a new
city.

<doingstuff.ind.8> Filing papers: approaches, pain points, etc.
The New Year means it's time to start up new 2009 folders for everything.
Any tips and ideas for how best to file and store your records?

--------------> Season's greetings -------------------------------------->

 _/\_     __/\__  .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.
 ) . (_  _) .' (
 `) '.( ) .'  (`  'Happy Holidays' from all of us on the Tips Team!
  `-._\()/__(~`
      ()()        We'd like to wish all our readers all the very best things
     / |`\        for 2009; may the New Year bring you all that you wish
for!
     ) : (
     `)_/`        .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.

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The snow flakes are a nice touch.  Thanks for these great updates!

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