[Air-l] updating culture for cybertimes -- launch of our website

[Barry Wellman]

Dear List Mates,

I like to listen to classic rock on the radio: the good stuff from the
1950s through the 1970s (i.e., Bill Haley, "Rock Around the Clock" through
The Rolling Stones, "Satisfaction").

One day, Elvis' "Return to Sender: Address Unknown" came on. It jarred me:
who sends letter mail anymore? It also resonated, because an email had
just come bouncing back, marked "User Unknown". The juxtaposition flashed
an "A Ha" at me, leading me to realize how much our technology and social
relations have changed subtly in the past 30 years.

So I decided to translate song titles into contemporary cyber times.
Movies, TV, pop culture, history, etc. joined the list. Most are modern
updatings. However, some are just for fun, as in 409/419 (Nigerian
criminal code) and Godzilla/Mozilla.

In one situation, this diversion has turned out to be useful. When
Jennifer Kayahara and I were stuck for an opening to our forthcoming paper
("Searching for Leisure High and Low"), I thought of the refrain to The
Coasters' "Searchin'" to represent traditional pre-Internet search
behavior.

I've ordered and grouped items loosely, with only main headings: just what
seems to flow together. In modern parlance, this is a semi-structured
list. (See _Queue_, October 2005).

Contributions from others are welcome: please enter them by going
to the "clicking here" spot in the site -- it's in red.

Feel free to contribute items from before the 1950s, as I have done to a
limited extent (Eine Kleine Nachtmusik; She'll be Coming Round the
Mountain). If I resonate with them, I'll keep them. The entry form lets
you decide if you want to be credited or remain anonymous.

Warning: this can become addictive -- do not attempt while driving or
trying to meet deadlines.

In case I get a song, movie or book deal, the entire document is © 2006
Barry Wellman.

Finally, I want to acknowledge the great work of Sandra Wong in designing
and implementing the site which has some complex bits beneath the surface.

Here's the web address: http://chass.utoronto.ca/oldnew/cybertimes.php
Or go to my website (see below) and click on "Songs".

I look forward to your feedback and participation.
 Barry
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  Barry Wellman         Professor of Sociology        NetLab Director
  wellman at chass.utoronto.ca  http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~wellman

  Centre for Urban & Community Studies          University of Toronto
  455 Spadina Avenue    Toronto Canada M5S 2G8    fax:+1-416-978-7162
	     To network is to live; to live is to network
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