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Peter Jensen Next Up in Valley Writers Series

LBCC English instructor and Shakespeare aficionado Peter Jensen will discuss his new book, "Shakespeare's Lovers," at the next Valley Writers event on Wednesday, Feb. 22.

Jensen will read from the novel and "describe his journey of research and discovery" beginning at 3:30 p.m. in Room 106 of North Santiam Hall on LBCC's Albany campus.

In addition to publishing "Shakespeare's Lovers," a fictional mystery that focuses on the playwright's life in London and Stratford, Jensen recently updated "Shakespeare's Name Code," a chronology  of research concerning Shakespeare's autobiographical code.

In addition to sharing his expertise on Shakespeare, Jensen teaches fiction, science fiction and writing. He earned is bachelor's degree in English, philosophy and anthropology at the University of Michigan and his master's in English from New York University.

For more information, go online to shakespearessonnets.googlepages.com/home.

The next event in the Valley Writers series will feature Charles Goodrich, Marjorie Sandor and George Estreich from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 18, in the Fireside Room of the Calapooia Center at LBCC.

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Review: “The Googlization of Everything (And Why We Should Worry)”

Siva Vaidhayanathan - Photo courtesy of Anne Helmond

All who are fascinated by Google should add “The Googlization of Everything (And Why We Should Worry)” to their reading list. This book by media scholar Siva Vaidhayanathan is an essential companion to Ken Auletta’s “Googled” and “What Would Google Do?” by Jeff Jarvis.

As Vaidhayanathan notes at the outset, his examination is not a rehash of Google’s storied history, which is adequately detailed by Auletta and others. Rather, he proposes a series of questions about Google, its mission and its outsized and growing impact not only on individuals but society. He focuses on Google practices and their impact on privacy, copyright and censorship.

While enthusiastically endorsing much of what Google does and the services it provides — “Google has made my life better and richer” — he encourages readers to go beyond the company’s famous “Don’t be evil” motto to consider the broader implications of the company’s business practices. More than anything, we need to remember that Google exists as a profit-making enterprise beholden to its shareholders. Yes, it provides users with information through its industry-leading search services, but it makes its billions by targeting advertising at those same users.

As the author notes, Google’s main business is “consumer profiling.” It takes all those searches by users and turns them into leads for advertising to those same users. And for the most part we are content to just go along with it.

Likewise, we seldom hesitate to give over to Google personal data as we make use of all its various platforms, from Google search to Blogger to YouTube to Google Docs. The company processes that data and combines it with everything else it learns about us to further “enhance” all those same services.

This all seems fine as long as the company purports to “don’t be evil.”

The dilemma becomes “How much do we want to control what we do using Google?” vs. “How much are we willing to allow Google to control us?” For example, my Media & Society class has been debating the “filter bubbles” that gradually begin to erode the diversity of our online searches as Google’s sophisticated algorithms offer results more and more in keeping with our interests and opinions.

As Vaidhayanathan notes early on (p. 9): “If Google is the dominant way we navigate the Internet, and thus the primary lens through which we experience both the local and the global, then it has remarkable power to set agendas and alter perceptions. Its biases (valuing popularity over accuracy, established sites over new, and rough rankings over more fluid or multidimensional models of presentation) are built into its algorithms. And those biases affect how we value things, perceive things, and navigate the worlds of culture and ideas.”

The author also explores questions surrounding the Google Books Library Project, an initiative to scan and make available all the world’s books, including works contained in the libraries of universities. While a noble effort in many ways, it runs smack into copyright concerns as well.

Likewise, Vaidhayanathan examines how Google’s products are “customized” from one country to the next — according to local laws and customs, the company notes. Some call it censorship, noting the business incentives that Google has for remaining on good terms in its host countries. The issues raise a variety of interesting free speech and freedom of information questions, which the author notes are constantly in play depending on the political status of each nation.

“The Googlization of Everything” is a thought-provoking read, providing a solid groundwork for evaluating Google both as a force of business and a force for democracy.

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Steve Jobs: The Infographic

Check out this amazing infographic of the life and times of Apple genius Steve Jobs, courtesy of Infographic World:


Created by: Infographic World

Commuter seeks editors for next school year

For journalism and other students looking to step up their involvement at LBCC’s student newspaper, now is the time to apply.

The Commuter is accepting applications for editor-in-chief as well as the other positions on staff, such as managing editor, photo editor, webmaster, and arts and entertainment editor.

Editor-in-chief applicants will be interviewed by the Student Publications Committee on Wednesday, May 18, beginning at 3:30 p.m.  The 10-member committee consists of LBCC students, faculty and staff and meets each spring to appoint a new Commuter editor-in-chief.

The duties of The Commuter's editor-in-chief include:

• Appointing and managing the newspaper's staff of editors, reporters and photographers.
• Coordinating the work of the staff, including assigning and editing stories and photos.
• Leading staff meetings and other newspaper activities.
• Representing the newspaper in the college community.

The next editor-in-chief, who will succeed current editor Justin Bolger, starts the position over the summer and continues through the 2011-12 school year.

The deadline to submit editor-in-chief applications is Monday, May 16.   

Applications for staff positions are available at The Commuter office in Forum 222, or from the newspaper’s adviser, Rob Priewe.  His office is in North Santiam Hall, room 114.

For more information about the application process or duties of the various Commuter staff positions, contact Priewe at 541-917-4563 or rob.priewe@linnbenton.edu.

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A New Term for Journalism at LBCC

"Finish/Start" by I Like, courtesy of Flickr.com/Creative Commons.

We are off and running into a new term at LBCC.

All the Journalism classes are full and students have created the blogs they will use to display their work this term.  Check them out in the blogrolls to the right of this post.

I'm looking forward to a great term.

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