Month: January 2012

Design

Does changing your profile picture stop SOPA?

Post author By nina
Post date January 18, 2012

Is there power in changing your profile picture as a form of protest? I questioned this during the Arab Spring in my blog in two posts:

Do algorithms suppress us or set us free?

I questioned the power of algorithms, namely Facebook’s, in this post. I wrote this soon after Malcom Gladwell’s notable piece that argued the revolution was tweeted. This was around the time when people on social media were changing their profile pictures or posting statuses as a form of protest.

Lets come back to Gladwell’s argument that these networks are both empowered and diluted by their size. Activists and those expressing themselves can do with much more ease. But, they cannot rally the attention that the Greensboro lunch counter could because the Facebook system is designed to quiet noise. It would take many friends posting and discussing a particular topic in a variety of mediums to draw any kind of social stir that the Greensboro counters saw.

The Revolution was not tweeted: Tunisians in action

Citing the two-step flow in media we can argue that the internet has given us a power and voice we’ve never had before. But last January, I asked:

We can’t help but keep asking if participating in social media is activism. Does changing a Facebook Status or Twitter profile picture make a difference? Some argue it brings awareness to an issue. But it’s passive activism, it’s enough to get points for “caring” about an issue for a fleeting trend.

Let’s revisit this topic in the context of SOPA and PIPA rather than bringing awareness to a cause not tied to a bill. I changed my profile pictures because I link as a link to action and a specific bill. This is an internet related topic that is specifically associated with names, dates and times unlike other ’causes’ that got a lot of buzz last year.

But I’m still not sure. Is there tangible value in changing a profile picture beyond social clout? Does it depend on whether or not the bill passes? If SOPA and PIPA are stopped am I allowed to take any responsibility as a constituent for that? In the posts from last year I talk about action meaning getting up and actually doing something more than swapping a photo or posting a status.

Can someone challenge me or move this conversation forward? What is the value, if any, in changing profile pictures to motivate action?

Calling your senator is a breeze with protestopa.org. Tell your senator you are a constituent and ask them to vote no. I called from http://www.stopthewall.us.

Design

7 online services for women that do more than mail you lipgloss

Post author By nina
Post date January 12, 2012

There are moutains of services out there targeted at women and the ones that I hear about most are selling a losing weight dream or discounted Dooney and Burke handbags. . I think the services below have some integrity and put a women’s needs, not her credit card, first. Here are some great tools to help women, specifically women, lead happier, healthier, savvier lives.

Luxemi – The best way to wear Indian clothes
Shopping for sarees should be a delight and a pleasure. But Indian high fashion changes faster than the songs in a Bollywood film, the garments are expensive and unless you’re traveling to India every few months it’s too hard to keep the wardrobe updated. That’s why I love renting from Luxemi, so much they invited me to write a guest post. I no longer have to go to an Indian wedding wearing a salwar 2-years out of style.

Unlike Gilt or Rent-the-Runway, Luxemi lives outside of the ‘fashion/lipgloss’ category. Their service solves a massive and cultural pain point for hundreds of Indian women (and any Indian bride-to-be’s friends) by making a hot, sweaty, crowded, difficult, expensive, overwhelming shopping experience possible and pleasant for busy women.
http://luxemi.com is founded by Swapna Chandamuri and Swathi Narra in Chicago.

YourTrueFit.com – Personal online bra fittings
Unhappy breasts make for an unhappy women. Our bodies change and undergarments wear thin. One morning you wake up tired of tugging straps and hooks but maybe you just don’t feel like spending hours in a store fitting room–again. I attended a trunk show for YourTrueFit a few months ago and learned a lot about what I should be shopping for. Stay tuned, they’ll help you find the bra styles and sizes that fit you best and match your style, then they’ll deliver those bras to your door.
http://yourtruefit.com is founded by Michelle Lam in San Francisco.

Bedsider Reminders – never forget your birth control again
A handful of my girlfriends swear by this reminder app. Choose the ring, the pill, the patch or the shot and get email or text to take your dose, get your refill or meet your gynecologist.
http://bedsider.org is operated by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.

Everyblock –Stay safe in your ‘hood
This crowd-sourced reporting site tells you what’s happening where you are (or where you’re going). Get real-time updates everything from crime reports to claims of suspicious behavior based on police calls, reviews, photos and other reports.
http://everyblock.com is founded by Adrian Holovaty. He lives in Chicago.

Threadflip – Enjoy the never-ending closet
Not everyone can have a bedroom-size-closet with touch-screen personal fashionista like Cher in Clueless. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have an infinite wardrobe. Renew clothes that still have places to go and people to see. Keep your closet clean, your life minimal, your pocketbook happy and still walk out the door every morning feeling great about how you look. Think of it like a ‘naked lady party’ online. Stay tuned for their launch.
http://threadlfip.com is co founded by Jess Brown in San Francisco.

Period Tracker – Stats for when you’ll be cranky
P-Tracker for iPhone tracks your cycle, fertility and your moods. Hello one-stop period data shop! I could do without the rainbows and flowers though.

I ridescent – Learning lab for young women in science
This great program keeps popping up up on my radar. I worked with a sharp high school intern who attended Iridescent. Before I knew it she was prototyping Andorid apps, wow. Iridescent’s goal is to inspire, empower and motivate young women to be curious and knowledge-seeking especially in science and engineering. If you have time for outreach they need local and offsite volunteers.
http://iridescentlearning.org is in New York, LA and the the Northern California Bay Area

I’d love to hear about the services you love or if you think this list is a stack of bologna. Oh but if you want lipgloss sent to you in the mail, Birchbox is really nice.

Design Music

Designing in real time and not a minute later

Post author By nina
Post date January 8, 2012

I VJed at my first party last night! I’ve been playing at home for friends for a few months until last night when I took the first step out into the wild and exercised my digits.

“VJing is a broad designation for realtime visual performance. VJing is the manipulation or selection of visuals, the same way DJing is a selection and manipulation of audio. This results in a live multimedia performance that can include music, actors and dancers. The subject of VJ-DJ collaboration also started to become a subject of interest for those studying in the field of academic human-computer interaction (HCI).
–Wikipedia

I’ve been working in Modul8 to control the live, real-time look, feel, actions, motion and mixing of projected images. My friend Sarah composes her visuals in Resolume. Curious to commit to a weapon of choice, she and I booked a design jam to trade vj notes. She then invited me to get my feet wet and tag with her for the SF Haçeteria party at Deco Lounge. Having only used Resolume twice, worked with a midi controller once, being newborn fresh to Sarah’s compositions and having never VJed with video clips, there was a high probability I would produce visuals that look like they were Winamp visualizers circa 1998. Mostly excited, slightly hesitant, I said yes.

So here’s the thing. If you want to do something, you just have to do it. That’s what the people who get things done, say. It’s a Twilio mantra and is heartfelt advice from Ira Glass‘ talk on good taste.

Glass says, quite simply:

You love doing this kind of creative work, so you do it.
Because you have good taste, you can see what you’re producing. But, especially in the beginning, is not very good. In fact, it’s pretty crappy.
There is only one way to get better. Do work. Do a huge volume of work.

I’m thankful I was reminded of this again by Public Works’ resident VJ, Howard Wong. He advised,

I think you should lock down a gig playing out. You’re going to run into a bunch of hardware/production issues. The best way to learn is to simply dive right in.

When Sarah very graciously invited me to join her I had no choice but to say yes, even with all the Winamp fears in hand. The night went great, the vibe was killer and the DJs spun everything from Acid House to 90s Technotronic tracks. Sarah set the stage and invited me to jump in soon after and start mixing some clips. She carried the set through the main singing act. After I hopped back in and then really got into a groove. Then we tagged back and forth before Sarah closed down the night. Party-goers were taking photos in the lights and grooving until close well beyond last-call. I recorded 6 seconds of my compositions for you:

Though I missed beat drops and confused a few layers from one another, I did it–and that was the big win. I did eventually get my bearings enough to find my rhythm and make compositions that felt like my work. I composed somethings I liked and got to say something to the world. We made that tiny little spot in the Tenderloin a better space for people to meditate and move their bodies to music.

A handful of our friends came out to see Sarah play and discovered me behind the proverbial curtain. Keep good people in your life, good things will happen. I heard words ringing in my head that I had been sprouting off to my peers launching creative endeavors. I’ve been saying, “We, we your friends, we want you to be successful. Our reflex behavior will be to support you, encourage you to grow and pursue happiness. Go do the thing that you cannot not do. We’re cheering you on. “What is more joyful than seeing people you care about find fruits and joy from their labor? And those friends did just that.

I’m humbled by the invitation to design for motion, color, sound, lights and the immediate, immersive experience for people. It’s more than I could ask for and is really really fun.

Follow visuals.ninamehta.com for my clips and book me for your party.