This site is…

An aggregation of writings, projects, and links collected by Skye Bender-deMoll. My original interest was in examining social transmission of information and culture in everyday life. I’m increasingly curious about semiotics and framing, media issues and the impacts of information on power and politics. Among other things.

Making Commons-Based Research Organizations

CommonsBassedResearchLogo

I think that there is useful position to be filled in developing tools for use by the academic and R&D communities. Small project teams drawing on the strengths and experience of modern software development, without the intellectual property constraints of the competitive business world or the institutional overhead of academia. Contributing to the intellectual commons. Too idealistic?

Keeping Both Ends of the Wolf from Meeting at the Door

karate club

My paying jobs are mostly software research related. I’ve worked on various university and commercial projects. Mostly building techniques and tools for visualizing complicated sets of relations that change in time (a.k.a dynamic networks) . I have a deep interest in information visualization as means to educate and communicate complicated concepts.

Watching the Watchers

icon for watching watchers

I’d like to see the kinds of “informatics” statistical tools and data-mining techniques employed by the pharma and security industries used in innovative ways to encourage institutional and governmental transparency and provide informational support for grassroots organizing.

Playing for Change

Susaphone and riot gear

I’d like to learn more about alternative economic models and projects. I used to be obsessed with street-bands, particularly radical brass and percussion bands playing strange mixes of music as a hybrid form of direct-action, party, and political performance.