Thursday Meetings at Berkman Blog

Blog group member (and head of one of Harvard’s interdisciplinary research centers) Zach Tumin has been thinking about open access in the university, and wondering how to open up Harvard’s discussions even more - both to the public, and within the internal Harvard community:

What’s the problem? There exists huge untapped potential to see, use and advance research going on around the University. Today it lies behind the boundaries of Harvard’s stand-alone schools, and locked into statuses like “student” or “staff”.

That potential represents the University’s greatest assets: its brains and its reputation.

How would we specify/launch a social media capability for Harvard where any student, faculty or staff could post papers, do crowd research, share bookmarks - and collaborate across the boundaries of the schools and statuses?

Come help us brainstorm about what we’d want, ways to go about it, etc. If you could build something like this today (for Harvard or any other school), what tools would you use? What would you want it to be like?

Upcoming meetings & events:

• September 11: We will not meet because of Ignite Boston 4. 6 to 10 pm at the Hooley House, one block from Faneuil Hall in Boston, MA. It is up to you to RSVP: IgniteBoston at oreilly dot com.
• At some point, we should take advantage of Berkman’s RockBand set and have a music party in lieu of a normal meeting.
• It’s getting to be time to have another dim sum gathering, too.
• See the Berkman Calendar for other upcoming Berkman stuff.
• Feel free to publicize related events here! Let Erica or j know, comment, or add them yourself if you have an editor account.

The Olympics are over. Please come back to blog group because we have exciting visitors this week! Remember Michael? He’s leading a group of folks from Japan to various tech gatherings in the Boston area, including our group this week. They will talk about blogging in Japan and various other related topics. Join us for a fun cultural exchange!

Upcoming meetings & events:

• September 4: Zach Tumin
• September 11: We will not meet because of Ignite Boston 4. 6 to 10 pm at the Hooley House, one block from Faneuil Hall in Boston, MA. It is up to you to RSVP: IgniteBoston at oreilly dot com.
• At some point, we should take advantage of Berkman’s RockBand set and have a music party in lieu of a normal meeting.
• It’s getting to be time to have another dim sum gathering, too.
• See the Berkman Calendar for other upcoming Berkman stuff.
• Feel free to publicize related events here! Let Erica or j know, comment, or add them yourself if you have an editor account.

We basically didn’t do anything ’cause the few folks who showed up didn’t stick around to chat.

Sure, you want to be home watching the Olympics. I do, too. But at 7 p on Thursday night, you’re going to realize the Olympics don’t start until 8 p. I’m not going to watch them because of the contradance anyway. We may as well discuss technology for a while. My suggestions:

• Technology and the Olympics: who’s doing what? How are people or athletes using it this time around?
• Continue the discussion from last week about marrying Web 2.0 technology with the needs of people seeking real estate, especially roommate situations
• I’m looking for recommendations about cool sites to share with librarians during an 8/22 talk
• Handling spam via WordPress: what’s available besides Akismet?
• Great XML directories: where do you send a new RSS reader who wants to subscribe to lots of feeds?

What are your suggestions? Upcoming meetings & events:

• At some point, we should take advantage of Berkman.s RockBand set and have a music party in lieu of a normal meeting.
• It.s getting to be time to have another dim sum gathering, too.
• See the Berkman Calendar for other upcoming Berkman stuff.
• Feel free to publicize related events here! Let Erica or j know, comment, or add them yourself if you have an editor account.

Berkman needs the conference room this Thursday so we’re planning a picnic! Since our last picnic kinda got rained out, let’s have some fun outside the HLS student center (Harkness Commons), which has a beach volleyball court, tables, etc. and has an indoors area we can retreat to if the weather decides to get snarky.

Berkman has a bocce set; we need someone to bring a volleyball. Bring your own food, tho if folks also want to bring snacks / sides / desserts / beverages to share that’s a bonus.

UPDATE:

We ARE still planning to get together tonight, but we will be INSIDE due to the rain (what is it with us trying to have picnics and rain?). Go to the Harkness Commons (the law school student center) and go DOWNSTAIRS. There’s a nice little lounge area and also a nice tables-and-chairs area; we’ll see what works best depending on the size of our group. Harkness Commons is the building with the volleyball court outside it - if you’re in the right place, you should be able to look out the window and see the beach volleyball court. (Map)

REMEMBER, bring your own food! The Hark isn’t open for buying dinner in the summer. If you’re out of ideas, there’s always Montrose Spa on Mass Ave right by HLS. Feel free to bring snacks etc to share if you so desire.

Upcoming meetings & events:

• At some point, we should take advantage of Berkman’s RockBand set and have a music party in lieu of a normal meeting.
• It’s getting to be time to have another dim sum gathering, too…
• See the Berkman Calendar for other upcoming Berkman stuff.
• Feel free to publicize related events here! Let Erica or j know, comment, or add them yourself if you have an editor account.

Tonight’s one of our good old tried-and-true grab bag nights. j has a presentation she’d like advice on, but this is also a great night for bringing your own conundrums, neat sites, etc. We haven’t done one of these in a while.

Upcoming meetings & events:

• August 7: Berkman needs the conference room so we’re planning a picnic! Since our last picnic kinda got rained out, let’s have some fun outside the HLS student center (Harkness Commons), which has a beach volleyball court, tables, etc. Berkman has a bocce set; we need someone to bring a volleyball. Bring your own food, tho if folks also want to bring snacks / sides / desserts to share that’s a bonus.
• At some point, we should take advantage of Berkman’s RockBand set and have a music party in lieu of a normal meeting.
• It’s getting to be time to have another dim sum gathering, too…
• See the Berkman Calendar for other upcoming Berkman stuff.
• Feel free to publicize related events here! Let Erica or j know, comment, or add them yourself if you have an editor account.

Tonight, blog group’s time slot conflicts with Tech Cocktail Boston, which many of our members like to attend. We recommend that you take advantage of this exciting event. RSVP early because it fills up quickly!

Upcoming meetings & events:

• July 31: We’ll think of something awesome.
• August 7: Berkman needs the conference room so let’s plan an excursion.
• At some point, we should take advantage of Berkman’s RockBand set and have a music party in lieu of a normal meeting.
• It’s getting to be time to have another dim sum gathering, too…
• See the Berkman Calendar for other upcoming Berkman stuff.
• Feel free to publicize related events here! Let Erica or j know, comment, or add them yourself if you have an editor account.

Neither Erica nor I can be at tonight’s blog meeting. No one volunteered to organize a dinner group or alternate activity, as far as I know. It looks like you have a week off. Next week, July 24, blog group conflicts with Tech Cocktail Boston . We recommend that you take advantage of this exciting event. RSVP early because it fills up quickly!

Upcoming meetings & events:

• July 19 & 20: PodCamp Boston at Harvard Medical School
• July 24: No meeting: Go to Tech Cocktail Boston instead! (It’s free, but be sure to RSVP in advance as it fills up.)
• August 7: Berkman needs the conference room so let’s plan an excursion.
• See the Berkman Calendar for other upcoming Berkman stuff.
• Feel free to publicize related events here! Let Erica or j know, comment, or add them yourself if you have an editor account.

To some of us, social media is a means of self-expression. For others, it’s a way of getting a cause or product’s message out to a wider and more engaged audience. For some of us, social media is our job as well as the place where we play. What does it mean to be authentic in today’s version of the social web?

Upcoming meetings & events:

• July 16: WebNOB: for folks who build web applications, at Jillian’s in Manchester, NH, 6-8 p
• July 24: No meeting: Go to Tech Cocktail Boston instead! (It’s free, but be sure to RSVP in advance as it fills up.)
• July 19 & 20: PodCamp Boston at Harvard Medical School
• August 7: Berkman needs the conference room so let’s plan an excursion.
• See the Berkman Calendar for other upcoming Berkman stuff.
• Feel free to publicize related events here! Let Erica or j know, comment, or add them yourself if you have an editor account.

Instead of a meeting, let’s gather at outside the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade (near Charles St. station) to watch the Pops rehearse their 4th of July concert. Bring your picnic blanket, your own meal, and if you like snacks to share.

The latest word is that the concert itself isn’t going to start til around 8:30, but that the earlier the better in terms of getting there.

Look for j when you arrive - Erica has had something come up and won’t be able to be there.

• July 19 & 20: PodCamp Boston at Harvard Medical School
• August 7: Berkman needs the conference room so let’s plan an excursion.
• See the Berkman Calendar for other upcoming Berkman stuff.
• Feel free to publicize related events here! Let Erica or j know, comment, or add them yourself if you have an editor account.