Design Dyke

This is a transcript of a discussion I had today on YouTube about this video, 'current (Australian) indigenous soccer players'. Emphasis mine.

Me: What about Lydia Williams & Kyah Simon?!?! The both represent their country. In the process of highlighting indigenous players all you've done is shown your sexism... not a good thing for a woman!
A-Grade Student: First of all, I did not leave them out because I am sexist. As I am an American and do not know who any Indigenous players are, I had to trust to Internet to help me find some and Wikipedia did not list those two women. Second of all, if you can find me videos of those women then I will be more than happy to include them in my video. Trust me, I am far beyond sexist. My video is just limited to what media was available to me.
Me: Perhaps not but that's how it comes across. You could always change the title to 'Current Male Indigenous Soccer Players' and maintain accuracy. You now have their names (and I'll send you video if I find any)... I'm surprised Lydia did not come up as she has won a Deadly Award for her contribution. I would also suggest that Wikipedia is not your best source ;-)
A-Grade Student: The problem is this presentation is due Tuesday and I also have a paper that I need to be working on so I took the easy way out. I realize Wikipedia is not a good source, but when you are crunched for time and a Google search for "Indigenous soccer players" brings up as a first result a Wikipedia page listing multiple players of Indigenous descent (granted they are all male) then it is really hard to pass that up.

Equal representation in sport is a particular passion of mine. You can find my project, Sporting Sheilas on Facebook.
I've practically spoon fed her information on female indigenous soccer players just add Google and voila! A more balance presentation. Clearly accuracy is not her aim and she's relying on the ignorance of her audience not to pull her up on it.

Last night I was watching Waleed Aly being interviewed by Andrew Denton on Enough Rope and some things he said really resonated with me:

 ...as human beings I think we like to see reflections of ourselves in the public space and Muslims have been really short on role models in the public space in Australia or even in in in the western world. We’ve had some very successful Muslims. John Ilhan, the late John Ilhan’s a very good example of that. But at the same time his real name was Mustafa and he had to become John to become a success.

But you know but someone like Bashar and and he’s a great man as well. I mean he’s impressed everyone at the Essendon Football club with his character, with the way he carries himself. And when you see him out there and you see him do that you suddenly for a moment have this belief this realisation that I could do that, if I had the talent. But but the thing that’s stopping me is that I’m no good not that I happen to be a Muslim or that I come from a Middle Eastern background and that’s incredibly powerful. It it’s so powerful, I don’t think people who don’t have that problem who have never encountered not being represented in the public space in some way understand how debilitating that can be.

Now substitute Muslim with Gay or Lesbian.

Representation is an important and powerful thing.

Read the whole transcript

Microblogging - so much easier and shorter and I don't have to think so hard on it.
Facebook - now you know who I really am. Cover blown.

Reading blogs for work.
Reading blogs for play.

...though it can be a fine line.

And many other things.

Oh, and I've started a project on Australia's national women's sport teams. Because it's about bloody time someone did.

I may or may not be back.

Over at his blog, Seth Godin asks that those of us who have a copy of his book, The Dip, to share it with a friend.

I loved it so much, it's already making the rounds with my mates.

Read it, it's worth it.

I was delighted to read this post from Celine Roque at webworkerdaily.com. Just because I'm a procrastinator, doesn't mean I have a problem. Hurrah!

Apparently, when I procrastinate by working on something trivial instead, it means I'm anxious or overwhelmed about The Task I Should Do. Check.

When I procrastinate by working on the bigger projects when the smaller ones are due, I'm annoyed with the smaller task, or don’t see the point of it. Check.

If I opt for doing something recreational, apparently I need to take a break or am not in the mood to work yet. Hmmm... not sure about this one. 1/2 right because what if I never get in the mood?

Want to know what the cure is? Well, there's no magic pill but head over to webworkerdaily.com to find out. I'll be trying out her ideas... some I already do!

I found this today, the Experimental Colr Pickr - pick a colour, use the slider for tone and it will pull up images from flickr that fit the colour you've picked. Way way cool.

You can also pick by various themes: Color Fields, Flowers, Crayon Box, Squared Circle, Graffiti, Flickr Central, Doors and Windows, Macro, Textures, Urban Decay, Catchy Colors, Stock Repository, JPG Magazine.

The Stock Repository searches images under creative commons.

If you ever wondered how I approached blog posting, this is it. Actually, it's how I approach most things! A couple of things they left out though are research' and 'incubating' (or thinking about it).

Via: Get Shouty

A site by Stefan Sagemeister, one of my favourite design guru types. From the site:

The idea for this site originally came out of my own list in my diary, under the very same title: Things I have learned in my life so far. Astonishingly, I have only learned twenty or so things so far.

[...]

So here I extend this same question to you:

What have you learned in your life so far? What is it that you are fairly sure about? What is it that you believe in by now?

Please do write it down beautifully. Design it digitally, photograph it, draw it, scan it and upload it. Use any media that works for you, paint, sculpture, film….

Go on, submit something! I may even myself...

This one's by Mattias Mackler

... to Niki Fisher who initially wanted to be a fashion designer because 'I would only draw women' - word. She ended up an fashion illustrator. Not sure about those heels tho...

Via: Lost at E-Minor