Report This!: Writer and (Former) Journalist Joe Wessels personal blog

Category: Technology

  • Event Friday discusses the narcissism of social media users

    Event Friday discusses the narcissism of social media users

    Recently, I asked to be subscribed to a local list of interesting things to do called “Tri-State Treasures,” curated by Jim Kesner. It was after a friend shared a copy of her copy of the weekly email.

    facebook application icon

    It’s chock-full of little events and happenings in town that seem to be missing from other places – plus notices about the usual or more widely-publicized ones. It’s only been about a month since I started receiving it and I have been very pleased with what I have found, including this little gem I got today about discussion around social media. I, of course, was interested and laughed out loud when I read the description:

    Social Networking – Discussion [Friday 17 June @ 6:30pm]: The Association for Psychoanalytic Thought presents this discussion featuring William Wetly & Matt McBride. Mr. Welty will focus on how online social networking & interaction is characterized by narcissism, leading to both antagonistic & self-punishing superego relationships which, within that framework is the possibility of obscene jouissance. Mr. McBride will examine how Facebook, as a medium, is constituted & how it uniquely serves to facilitate a kind of hysteria. Drawing on cultural theories, Matt will explain why Facebook is a departure from previous media & how those differences rob users of their subjectivity in ways heretofore unseen in earlier media. Free admission. Wine & cheese reception @ 6:30pm; discussion @ 7pm. At Cincinnati Psychoanalytic Institute, 3001 Highland Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45219. More info at 513.531.0415 & AssnPsaThought at aol.com.

    I can’t wait! I’m going to be there and very much look forward to hearing what they have to say. What about you? It’s free! I just created a Facebook Event, too…

  • Cincinnati and Hamilton County Election Night coverage using Qik video

    I will be running around downtown Cincinnati – including the Hamilton County Board of Elections and various campaign victory parties – reporting on what I am seeing using Qik video. Check out the video below to see the latest:

    http://qik.com/joefoto

  • I just touched an iPad

    I just touched my first Apple iPad – and I feel fine.

    A fellow student in the e-media class I am taking at the University of Cincinnati has a cousin who works at Apple in California. He got himself a 64GB iPad for $300 and brought it to class today. And let me play with it.

    I had it my hands for less than five minutes, but my initial reaction is very positive. Quick, light, bright and a perfect size. Also, easy to type on. I can’t wait to get one.

  • The Wessels Family Tree

    My Uncle Steve Wessels
    My Uncle Steve Wessels

    My Uncle Steve Wessels – who I alternately blame and thank for my obsession with technology – several years ago (15 or so, it appears) worked extensively to compile a comprehensive listing of the Wessels family tree, including birth dates and dates of death, for just about everyone going all the back to Germany for several generations.

    It took a lot of work, is still ongoing and will forever be a gift to the whole family. Thanks, Steve. Pretty darn cool.

    Side note: Steve is the original tech guy in our family. He makes his living doing it, introduced me to my first computer (an Apple Macintosh in 1984) and has since fascinated me with his wide breadth of knowledge on all sorts of sciences. Follow him on Twitter for all sorts of interesting tidbits about all sorts of things, but mostly tech and other sciences.

  • Where are Joe and his Dad now?

    Today, along with my Dad, Hermann, I am traveling west to just south of St. Louis (in Illinois) to pick up a car. Right now Pops is in the driver’s seat and I am in the front passenger seat, all teched out, with my mobile broadband card keeping me fully tethered to the online world, power inverter keeping my laptop charged, GPS unit suctioned to the window and my iPhone sitting on the dashboard. Listening to the iPod over the car radio.  I love gadgets.

    If you want to see where we are and the progress we are making, the map below will make that easy. No guarantee it will be constantly updated. But it is right now.


    GPS tracking powered by InstaMapper.com

    You can also track me through my Facebook page, www.facebook.com/joewessels

  • Watch out: Facebook chat scam

    I was a camp counselor for eight summers (five at a YMCA of Greater Cincinnati day camp and three summers at Kennolyn Camps in Soquel, California – near Santa Cruz).

    Don’t hear too much from former campers these days. My last summer as a counselor was 1999. But, as any former counselor can tell you, those relationships you make often become lifetime friendships. Even the folks you don’t hear from that often, if they called and were in trouble, dropping everything to help them would not be unusual. It’s just that kind of experience.

    So, this morning when supposedly one of my former campers, Kathleen, had an emergency in London – she had been mugged with a gun and nearly raped in the Old Kent part of London – I was a very concerned.  Here’s the chat:

    Kathleen

    hey Joe

    how are you doing?

    are you there?

    are you there?
    9:01amJoe

    hey
    9:04amKathleen

    how are you doing?

    are you there Joe?
    9:04amJoe

    I’m good. You?
    9:04amKathleen

    not too good right now
    9:05amJoe

    what is wrong?
    9:05amKathleen

    i am stranded in London
    9:05amJoe

    geez. how did that happen?
    9:05amKathleen

    i was mugged

    cash,credit card and phone were stolen
    9:06amJoe

    oh crap. that’s horrible. I’m sorry.

    contacted the embassy, I assume?
    9:06amKathleen

    i have reported to the police

    the embassy is far away from where i am so getting there will be a bit difficult for me

    and i thank god that i still have my life
    9:06amJoe

    oh,wow

    yeah, that is true.
    9:07amKathleen

    a gun was pointed at me

    it was scary
    9:07amJoe

    but don’t you have to contact the embassy to get a temporary passprt or whatever?
    9:07amKathleen

    i almost fainted
    9:07amJoe

    I had that happen to me last year in downtown Cincinnati
    9:07amKathleen

    they slapped me and even tried raping me
    9:07amJoe

    oh my god, kathleen

    that’s is awful. I’m so sorry.

    when did this happen
    9:08amKathleen

    i still have my passport because i left it in the hotel i stay

    yesterday
    9:08amJoe

    that is good
    9:08amKathleen

    i am leaving here today

    my staying here is already due
    9:08amJoe

    wow. well, i’m glad you got out with your life and still have your passport

    what part of london were you in when you were mugged?
    9:09amKathleen

    Old Kent

    i thanks go for everything

    This is where I started to realize things might not be what I thought they were:

    but i have a little problem right now
    9:11amKathleen

    i need your assistant right now
    9:11amJoe

    what do you need?
    9:12amKathleen

    are you there?
    9:12amJoe

    yes
    9:13amKathleen

    i need some money from you and i promise to pay you back as soon as i return back to the state
    9:13amJoe

    how much?
    9:13amKathleen

    $720
    9:14amJoe

    tell me how we know each other
    9:15amKathleen

    hun hun

    could`nt remember exactly
    9:15amJoe

    gotcha!

    very creative of you
    9:16amKathleen

    how do you mean?
    9:17amJoe

    where did you go to summer camp as a child?
    9:18amJoe

    Incorrect!
    9:19amKathleen

    What?
    9:19amJoe

    Where did you go to summer camp as a child?
    9:20amKathleen

    OK
    9:20amJoe

    yes?
    9:22amJoe

    Just tell me one thing about that camp where you went as a kid and the money is yours…
    9:23amKathleen

    four wind Westward
    9:23amJoe

    and what was that?
    9:26amKathleen

    can`t remember

    Can you help me out please
    9:27amJoe

    Sure. What in thee hell is “Four Wind Westward?” I have never heard of that.
    9:27amKathleen

    i was the once

    for summer camp with friends
    9:28amJoe

    What city was it in?
    9:29amKathleen

    why all this question?
    9:30amJoe

    Why not answer them? Seems fair for a mere $720
    9:30amKathleen

    question before you can help a daughter out?
    9:31amJoe

    a daughter?

    Incorrect!
    9:31amKathleen

    what do youmean?
    9:32amKathleen

    how do you mean incorrect?
    9:33amJoe

    Answer any of the questions I have asked, sweets
    9:33amKathleen

    what is this you are putting in your heading?
    9:33amJoe

    Fascinating, eh?
    9:33amKathleen

    you`ve gone too far
    9:34amJoe

    You aren’t English, are you?
    9:34amKathleen

    bye
    9:34amJoe

    ha ha!

    gotcha gotcha gotcha!
    9:34amKathleen

    Fuck you
    9:34amJoe

    gotcha gotcha gotcha!

    Good luck in your scam! Re-tweet! RE-tweet!

    So, I stayed on and had a little fun with the sucker… I post this in hopes that it won’t go too far with someone else and someone actually sends money to a crook – on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, through e-mail. Anything. It doesn’t matter.

    Be careful online – especially if anyone starts chatting you and then immediately asks for money. Be careful if anyone asks for passwords, usernames or personal information. Likely a scam.

    Then, do that person whose account was hacked a favor (and everyone else who may fall victim to the scam) – and use a different means to contact that person and let them know what happened. And do it immediately. Then, file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center, or IC3.