Starting Points

Jun 7, 2009

Jun 6, 2009

The BookWire Directory is the most comprehensive, easiest to use guide to the book resources of the Internet, containing more than 7,000 categorized links to book sites around the world. To inquire about how to obtain a link in the BookWire Directory, please email us at alex.stamatellos@bowker.com.

Please choose a subject below ...

1.	General	9.	Mystery
2.	Antiquarian	10.	Non-English
3.	Audio	11.	Professional & Educational
4.	Business	12.	Religious
5.	Children's	13.	Science Fiction
6.	Computer	14.	Specialty
7.	Ethnic	15.	Travel
8.	Gay & Lesbian	16.	University

Sites of the Day #2

Asia Matters for America (database)
http://www.asiamattersforamerica.org/index.cfm?event=page.search

American Political Science Association (learned society)
http://www.apsanet.org/

American Sociological Association (learned society)
http://www.asanet.org/

American Anthropological Association (learned society)
http://www.aaanet.org/

Videos of the Day #2

Time for Justice - Duch on Trial (videos, Cambodia)
http://forum.eastwestcenter.org/Khmer-Rouge-Trials/

Home (full-length movie created for World Environment Days, expires June 29)
http://www.youtube.com/homeproject

The Google Channel (featuring Google Wave at this moment)
http://www.youtube.com/user/Google

Al Jazeera English Channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlJazeeraEnglish

Documents of the Day, No. 5, June 6

Made in Vietnam: American Apparel and Textile Firms' Operations in Vietnam (thesis)
http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/send-pdf.cgi/Semones%20Marianne%20Rutledge.pdf?acc_num=ohiou1126294341

From Memory to History: American Cultural Memory of the Vietnam War (thesis)
http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/send-pdf.cgi/Wilson%20Kevin%20A.pdf?acc_num=miami1153500782

Human Rights in Vietnam: A Debatable Issue (thesis)
http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/send-pdf.cgi/Mai%20Tam%20Thi%20Hong.pdf?acc_num=ohiou1212197540

Songs in the Key of Protest: How Music Reflects the Social Turbulence in America From the Late 1950s to the Early 1970s (thesis)
http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/send-pdf.cgi/Laux%20Katie.pdf?acc_num=miami1184767254

Internet Resources Briefs #2

Write4Net
http://write4.net/en

Yahoo Adds a Number of New Apps and Widgets to Its Sites
http://mashable.com/2009/06/05/yahoo-apps-widgets/

How Cloud Computing Will Change Business
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/toc/09_24/B4135cloud_computing.htm?link_position=link47

Hulu May Start Charging for Content
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jun2009/tc2009064_385545.htm?campaign_id=technology_related

Minority Groups Briefs #2

Young Muslims: Seeking a Way between Two World (Muslims)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/05/AR2009060503146.html

Officers Can Order Removal of Veils (Muslims)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/05/AR2009060503430.html

New Scrutiny of Judge's Most Controversial Case (blacks, whites, Hispanics)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/us/politics/06ricci.html?ref=todayspaper

Spititual Journey Leads to a Historical First (Jews, blacks)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/us/06rabbi.html?ref=todayspaper

Czechs Cool to Presence of Workers from Asia (Asians, Vietnamese)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/world/asia/07viet.html?ref=global-home&pagewanted=all

Amish Escaping Crowds, Prices in East (Amish)
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/06/06/us/AP-US-Amish-Head-West.html?ref=global-home

Report Says Valid Grievances at Root of Tibet Unrest (Tibetans)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/world/asia/06tibet.html?ref=global-home

Harvard to Endow Chair in Gay Studies (gays)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/education/04harvard.html?_r=1&hpw

Food Truck Nation (Asians)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204456604574201934018170554.html

Obama, Wiesel Make Emotional Visit to Buchenwald (Jews)
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2009/06/05/obama-weisel-make-emotional-visit-to-buchenwald/?blog_id=24&post_id=10618

American Studies Briefs #2

Slower Job Losses Lift Hopes (unemployment)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124420479347588831.html#mod=todays_us_page_one

It Was, Like, All Dark and Stormy (teens)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052970203771904574173403357573642.html#mod=todays_us_weekend_journal

US History (major Wikipedia article)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_History

Feminist Movement in the United States (Wikipedia article)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminist_Movement_in_the_United_States

Global Problems Briefs #2

Russian Warns against Relying on Dollar (economic crisis)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/business/global/06ruble.html?ref=todayspaper

The Great U-Turn (global migration)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124424701106590613.html#mod=todays_us_page_one

Latvia's Problems Prompt Worries about Contagion (economic crisis)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124425206128990897.html

Research Parks for the Knowledge Economy (technology, economic crisis)
http://www.businessweek.com/print/innovate/content/jun2009/id2009061_849934.htm

Muslim World Briefs #2

Challenging Sex Taboos, with Help from the Koran (Dubai)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/world/middleeast/06dubai.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&pagewanted=all

Obama Pins Mideast Hope on Limiting Settlements (Israel)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/world/middleeast/06mideast.html?ref=todayspaper

Law Tying Candidacy to Ethnicity Is Contested (Bosnia)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/world/europe/06briefs-Bosnia.html?ref=todayspaper

US Plans New Hunt for Sponsors of Taliban (Pakistan, Persian Gulf)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/world/asia/06pstan.html?ref=todayspaper

What Not to Wear, Baghdad-Style (Iraq)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/world/middleeast/06iraq.html?ref=todayspaper

The Divisions within Israel and the Palestinians (Israel, Palestine)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/weekinreview/07bronner.html?ref=global-home

Rebels 'Kill Pakistan Islamists' (Pakistan)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8086757.stm

Poppy Link to Afghan Bumper Crop (Afghanistan)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8084867.stm

Suicide Bomber Hits Emergency Islamabad Call Center (Pakistan)
http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-06-06-voa20.cfm

US Says Iraq Still Too Fragile to Handle Returning Refugees (Iraq)
http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-06-06-voa19.cfm

Southeast Asia Briefs #2

PAS Nixes Malaysia Alliance Idea (Malaysia)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124413975800585949.html#mod=todays_asia_economy_and_politics

Jollibee Captures Top Spot in Philippines (Philippines)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124414061339685985.html#mod=todays_asia_marketplace

East Timor Legal News 5 June 2009 (Timor-Leste)
http://easttimorlegal.blogspot.com/2009/06/east-timor-legal-news-5-june-2009.html

East Timor Justice Minister Lobato Defends Husband (Timor-Leste)
http://easttimorlegal.blogspot.com/2009/06/east-timor-justice-minister-lobato.html

More Delay in Suu Kyi Burma Trial (Burma)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8084515.stm

US Needs New Approach to Burma, Former Embassy Chief Says (Burma)
http://www.eastwestcenter.org/news-center/east-west-wire/us-needs-new-approach-to-burma-former-embassy-chief-says/

Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Human Rights (summer institute, Indonesia)
http://www.eastwestcenter.org/events/east-west-center-events/?class_call=view&conf_ID=1789&mode=view

Jun 5, 2009

In Lebanon Vote, Stark Options, Complex Choice

Bryan Denton for The New York Times

Supporters of the pro-Western governing coalition at a rally in Achrafieh in East Beirut on Wednesday

New York Times, Robert Worth, Beirut, June 5 - On the surface, the choice does seem stark: on one corner of Lebanon's most competitive parliamentary race in decades stands the Shiite militant group Hezbollah and its allies; in the other corner, a pro-American political alliance led by a man often described as a playboy.

"It's your choice between peace and war," said Sami Gemayel, a Christian candidate who opposes Hezbollah, during a recent television appearance. "The choice is between Gaza and a developed, civilized Lebanese state."

But the political realities of this small, chronically divided Mediterranean country are far less drastic, and far more complex. Hezbollah, which the United States considers a terrorist group, is already part of the Parliament and cabinet. It is almost certain to win the same number of Parliament seats — 11 out of 128 — as it now holds. If Hezbollah and its allies win a majority for the first time — and the race is likely to be very close — there will be concern in Washington and Tel Aviv. But the Lebanese government will not fall into the hands of armed Islamists.

Instead, the election turns on the votes of Lebanon's Christians, who are divided between the two main political camps. The real beneficiary of an opposition victory would not be Hezbollah but its main electoral partner, the Free Patriotic Movement, led by the retired Christian general Michel Aoun. His parliamentary bloc is already more than twice as large as Hezbollah's, and a clear electoral victory could propel him into a dominant position.

To his critics, Mr. Aoun is a political opportunist and traitor whose alliance with Hezbollah, reached in 2006, threatens to draw Lebanon into the sphere of Syria and Iran, and to bring more ruinous wars with Israel. Historically, Lebanon's Christians have identified more with the West.

To his supporters, Mr. Aoun is a reformer who has the will to change Lebanon's entrenched culture of corruption, patronage and sectarian division. They say allying with Hezbollah is the only way to ultimately disarm it, and to move past the bitter history of Christian-Muslim tensions that has nurtured so much deadly conflict here. A policy of confrontation, such as the one the United States seemed to be advocating, is a recipe for renewed civil war, the Aounists say.

"We are born in American hospitals, we wear American clothes, we go to American schools, but don't ask us to commit suicide," said Ziyad Abs, 38, a member of the Aounist movement's political bureau.

In a sense, it is a debate over the wisdom of pressuring Hezbollah openly or trying to tame it through political inclusion. As always with Lebanon, the debate has been profoundly influenced by the changing political winds across the region.

Lebanon's last elections, in 2005, took place in the aftermath of the assassination of the former prime minister, Rafiq Hariri. That killing — widely believed to have been carried out by Syria — shocked the world and led to Syria's withdrawal after three decades of military presence here. An anti-Syrian coalition led by Mr. Hariri's son and political heir, Saad Hariri, swept to power, and with the backing of the United States, hoped to push Hezbollah to give up its formidable arsenal.

But that ambition has crumbled under the weight of regional political realities. A brutal 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah enhanced the Shiite group's domestic political standing, and made disarming it more difficult. Several anti-Syrian political figures were assassinated, forcing their colleagues — including Mr. Hariri — to take shelter behind closed doors and bulletproof windows.

A political showdown between the opposition and the governing majority provoked an 18-month political crisis that ended only when Hezbollah briefly took control of west Beirut in May 2008. A political settlement reached shortly afterward granted the opposition the veto powers it had been seeking.

Now, with the Obama administration reaching out to Syria and Iran, it seems clearer than ever that the pro-American majority in Lebanon cannot expect Western military support in its goal of disarming Hezbollah. That recognition has energized the Aounist movement, whose leaders say their close, trusting relationship with Hezbollah is the best foundation for a move toward greater civil peace.

The consequences of a victory by Mr. Aoun and Hezbollah are the subject of much anxious speculation here and abroad. Vice President Joseph R. Biden, who briefly visited Lebanon in late May, echoed earlier hints by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton that future American military support to Lebanon might suffer if the opposition were to win. The European Union and Russia have taken a more neutral approach, saying they will work with whoever wins.

The financial consequences could be even more important. Saudi Arabia, which supports the current government majority, has provided tremendous support to Lebanon, including at least $2 billion to Lebanon's central bank since 2006. It is not likely to withdraw money in any damaging way, but Mr. Hariri and others in the current parliamentary majority have warned that an opposition victory could scare off investors. Even Hezbollah officials seem concerned, and say they want to make sure Lebanon's financial prospects are not harmed.

But the election may not yield a victory for either side, at least not right away. In all likelihood, any result would be followed by a resumption of the current "national unity" government, in which the loser is granted veto powers so as to preserve civil peace.

A three-way electoral split is also possible, with a small group of independents emerging as mediators between the two camps, election observers say. The current political camps could also change shape after the vote. In recent weeks, Walid Jumblatt, the Druze leader who is known as the weather vane of Lebanese politics, has begun criticizing his colleagues in the current pro-Western majority. Some political analysts say he smells an electoral defeat for his team, and is preparing the ground for a post-election rapprochement with Hezbollah and its Syrian allies.

In the meantime, the election campaign churns on here as though political principle were all that mattered. It has been Lebanon's freest and most competitive election in decades, with a record number of candidates taking part. Like all Lebanese elections, it is also a profoundly international affair, with foreign governments paying for their preferred candidates, and political parties flying expatriate voters in from across the globe.

"All of us for the nation!" proclaims a huge campaign sign in downtown Beirut, in words taken from the Lebanese national anthem. Not long ago, a new sign emerged with a provocative variation: "All of us for which nation?"

Source - http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/world/middleeast/06lebanon.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Sites of the Day #1

Asian Art (Wikipedia entry with extensive links)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_art

Introduction to Asian Art (syllabus and course)
http://www.pitt.edu/~asian/

The Elegant Gathering: Art, Politics and Collecting in China (video series, lecture)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-262567041544617490

Diversity Store
http://www.diversitystore.com/ds/index.cfm

Videos of the Day #1

Inside the Obama White House (NBC special broadcasts)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30892505/

So, What Comes Next? (Business Week discussion on economic recession)
http://feedroom.businessweek.com/?fr_story=7873f5e80e55188c95901c97a665faf042754ae8&rf=rss&popupWidth=917&popupHeight=717

Growing Up Online
http://www.pbs.org/video/video/1082076027/subject/957383403/topic/957388635

King Lear
http://www.pbs.org/video/video/1075274407/subject/957382748

Documents of the Day, No. 4, June 5

Wikidentities: Young People Collaborating on Social Identities in Social Network Sites
http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2445/2213

Integrating Universities' Theses and Research Deposit Mandates
http://conferences.library.pitt.edu/ocs/viewpaper.php?id=750&cf=7

PoducateMe: Podcasting in Education
http://poducateme.com/guide/

Doing Business in Thailand
http://www.lexmundi.com/images/lexmundi/PDF/GuidesToDoingBusiness/Guide_Thailand.pdf

Internet Resources Briefs #1

5 Unique Stories of Social Media Saving the Day (analysis)
http://mashable.com/2009/06/04/social-media-crisis-stories/

Google Street View Gets Usable with Smart Navigation (analysis)
http://mashable.com/2009/06/04/street-view-smart-navigation/

Time Magazine Explains Twitter (analysis)
http://mashable.com/2009/06/04/time-magazine-twitter/

The New Couch Potatoes (news)
http://www.crn.com/software/217702028;jsessionid=GPMNIKZ51SSOCQSNDLRSKHSCJUNN2JVN

Minority Groups Briefs #1

Extent of Nazi Camps Far Greater Than Realized (news)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/03/AR2009060303690.html

Americans with Disabilities (census report)
http://www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/p70-117.pdf

Festival for New York, That Muslim City (news)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/05/arts/05musl.html?ref=arts

Uighurs Ask Supreme Court to Free Them From Guantanamo (news)
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/breaking-news/story/1083010.html

CAIR Welcomes AG Holder's Statement on Muslim Civil Rights (press release)
http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-05-2009/0005039340&EDATE=

Global Problems Briefs #1

US Corporations Size Up Their Carbon Footprints (series of news stories)
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jun2009/tc2009061_692661.htm?link_position=link1

It's Not Too Late to Save the Tuna (news)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124416336079787523.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Cape Verde's Largest Island Struggles to Balance Tourism, Development (news)
http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-06-04-voa56.cfm

Pharma's New World Order (news)
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2009/June/05060902.asp

American Studies Briefs #1

Can Obama Tame the Democrats? (news analysis)
http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1898166,00.html

The WayWe'll Work (series of short essays)
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1898024_1898023,00.html

A Race to Keep Up with the Tightwads (news feature)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/04/AR2009060404577.html

Sotomayor Speeches Woven with Ethnicity (news)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/04/AR2009060403265.html

Obama Mid-East Speech Supports Rights, Democracy (critical analysis)
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/06/04/obama-mid-east-speech-supports-rights-democracy

Barack Obama Speech at Cairo University, 2009 (Wikipedia entry, includes reaction citations)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama_speech_at_Cairo_University,_2009

New Attention on Late-Term Abortions (news)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/04/AR2009060404267.html

Almanac of American Politics 2010 (ad for upcoming July edition of annual classic)
http://www.nationaljournal.com/almanac/2010/?APE06049C

Muslim World Briefs #1

How Pakistan Failed Itself (news analysis)
http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1898251,00.html

Pakistan Arrests Senior Islamists (news)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8084430.stm

Iran: 20 Years After Ayatollah Khomeini (news)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0605/p06s04-wome.html

Diplomacy: Out of Egypt (analysis)
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1244035002385&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Southeast Asia Briefs #1

Transforming Timor-Leste for Sustainable Development (upcoming conference organized by Victoria University and Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at UNTL)
http://www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/faehd/pdfs/East-Timor-Reg-Form.pdf

Lone Planet East Timor Travel Guide (new edition now on sale)
http://shop.lonelyplanet.com/Primary/Region/ASIA/South_East_Asia/East_Timor/PRD_PRD_1985/East+Timor+Travel+Guide.jsp

East Timor Parliament Approves Law Allowing Emergency Abortions (news)
http://easttimorlegal.blogspot.com/2009/06/parliament-approves-law-allowing.html

Illegal VSAT Antennas Ordered Switched Off by Timor Telecommunications Regulator (news)
http://easttimorlegal.blogspot.com/2009/06/illegal-vsat-antennas-ordered-switched.html

East Timor Government Says Fretilin Has Presented No Social or Fiscal Policies to the Nation (press release)
http://easttimorlegal.blogspot.com/2009/06/east-timor-government-says-fretilin-has.html

Pidato Presiden Barack Obama: Permulaan yang Baru
http://jakarta.usembassy.gov/bhs/siaran-pers/June09/obama_remarks_id.html

Cultural Identity of Buleleng (upcoming conference)
http://northbali.org/

Gramedia Toko Buku Online (the major online bookseller in Indonesia)
http://www.gramediaonline.com/

Indonesia: Stop Prison Brutality in Papua (critical analysis)
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/06/04/indonesia-stop-prison-brutality-papua

Email Puts Indonesia's Harsh Defamation Laws in Dock (news)
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c4370984-5168-11de-84c3-00144feabdc0.html

Sex Trafficking in Singapore (blog)
http://singabloodypore.rsfblog.org/archive/2009/06/05/sex-trafficking-in-singapore.html

PAS Finding Its Way Still (analysis)
http://www.aliran.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=932:pas-

PM Abhisit Calls Urgent Meeting on Southern Unrest (news)
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/145148/pm-to-chair-meeting-on-southern-unrest

Finding It Hard to Explain Southern Arrest Abroad (news)
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/17919/finding-it-hard-to-explain-southern-unrest-abroad

WhatAils Filipino Education? (analysis)
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/june/04/yehey/opinion/20090604opi4.html

Jun 4, 2009

ACICIS Past Field Work Topics

The following is a list of reports which have been produced as a part of the ACICIS Field Study option in Malang, East Java. These reports are not 'academic theses' in the usual sense of the term. Their emphasis is on empirical field work, that is, the collecting of information by the student using their Indonesian language skills, rather than seeking any particular theoretical break-throughs. But they are often a rich resource of field material, which could well be of interest to a wider readership.

Some of these reports are available here by clicking on the report title. Copyright is held by the author of each report. The reports cannot be republished, reprinted, or reproduced in any format without the permission of the author. The views expressed in each report are those of the author of the report and do not represent the views of ACICIS.

If you are interested in a particular report and it is not available online, please contact the Secretariat acicis@murdoch.edu.au, as we may be able to assist you.

Semester 26 (February 2008)

Rachelle Cole Kaliandra Sejati's local community development activities in Dayurejo and Jatiarjo

Dan Delaney Swiftlet Nest Farming in East Java

Mariefe Donaghue The Role of Information in the Organic Coffee Certification process

Jessica Kerr Behind the Fences: Middle Class Groupings in Malang, East Java

Eurico Muller Trade unions and Contract Systems: A Study of Kretek Cigarette Factories in Malang, East Java

Ayleen O'Hanlon Java Day': Essentialist Policy in Javanese Cultural Preservation in Surabaya, Indonesia.

Annisa Sukada 'Kethoprak' : Cultural Preservation in Changing Times

Semester 25 (September 2007)

Drew Boekel The Traditional Oil Industry, Block Cepu

Emma Small The Lapindo Mud Disaster and the Role of Non-Governmental Organisations

Semester 24 (February 2007)

Hannah Al-Rashid White is Beautiful: Perceptions of Beauty and the Indonesian Obsession with White Skin

Eli Brewis Indie and Underground Bands in Malang: An example of an Indonesian Subculture

Anne Dickson Views of Aisyiyah Women Towards Polygamy

Nina James The Problems of Fisherfolk in the Bali Strait and the Impact of Regional Autonomy Laws on the Industry

Marion McQueen The Socio-economic Impacts of the Lapindo Mud Disaster, Particularly Towards Workers in the Informal Sector

Samuel Pickering Application of the Concept of Sustainable Development as a Means of Mangrove Forest Management, Grajagan.

Candice Vooles East Javanese Beliefs towards Nyai Loro Kidul

James Welch Safety of the Aviation Industry following Deregulation: The Factors Influencing Safety Levels and the Parties Responsible

Semester 23 (September 2006)

David Armstrong Visitor Levels to Archaelogical Sites in East Java: Data from 1988-2005

Tamie Balaga The Meaning and Importance of the Head Scarf to the Younger Generation: Comparative Study Malang-Yogya

Tristram Boveington A Survey of Papuan Students in East Java: Background, Facts and Ambitions

Michael Collins Beyond Mutual Respect: Religious Views in Indonesia

Anna Johnson The Other Side of Labour Migration: The Children of Migrant Workers in Kesemben, Blitar

Kim Heriot-Darragh Not Accepted, but Not Denied: The Position of Transvestites in Malang

Jack Radecki Land-Use Conflict in a National Park: A Study of Ranupani Village, BTS National Park

Esther Sainsbury Post-Reformasi Changes to Trans-Migration Policy in Indonesia

Zoe Swinton AUSAID Projects in Indonesia: Opinions of of Aid Recipients

Orlando de Guzman The Link Between the 1965 Massacres and the Myth of Prince Samodro at Gunung Kemukus

Chris Urbanski The Rise and Fall of Alliances Between the Tea and Prostitution Industry in the Simpang Lima Area, Semarang

Ray Webber Participation in World Of Warcraft by the Indonesian On-Line Community

Semester 22 (February 2006)

David Armstrong Visitor Levels to Candi Singosari, Malang 1994-2005

David Cook The Death of the Batu Apple Industry

Anthony Crowe In the End it's all about the Money: Study of Local Politics in Madiun

Marianne Frith Chinese Identity in Malang: Cultural Perservation and Discrimination in the Post-New Order Period

Saarah Jappie The Grave of Syekh Yusuf in Madura: Oral Histories and Local Perceptions from the People of Talango

Kate Stevens Christian-Muslim Relations in Indonesia: UMM Case Study

Paul Svingos The Justice and Prosperity Party as the New Face of Islam in Indonesia; A Survey of Cadre in Malang City

Quinton Temby Radical but not Fundamentalist: An Interpretative Analysis of the Darul Islam Magazine

Semester 21 (September 2005)

Kim Andren Indonesian Women, Sexual Behaviour and Islam: A Case Study

Louisa Garfoot Changes in the Religious Behaviour of East Java Hindu Society (Comparative Study Between the Young and Old Generation)

Nick Heaney Language Relationships in Malang: The Influence of English on Indonesian Youth Slang

Murray O'Hanlon The Santri Thought World: Research Methodology Problems Faced by Foreigners

Emily Provan Folklore and Moral Instruction to the Children in Malang

Caitlyn Stanley Attitude and Awareness of the People of Bajo toward the Environment and Conservation

Semester 20 (February 2005)

Kelly Burgess Policies and Measures of the Indonesian government, NGOs and foreign businesses in regard to the matter of child labour in Indonesia

Victoria Guard Social-Cultural, Environmental and Economic Impacts of Tourism in the Gili Islands of NTB Province, Indonesia

Evan Hynd Continuity among Islamic opposition groups in Indonesia: from the revolution to the era of Reformation

David Osborne Foreign Investors in Indonesia; Cultural and Religious Accommodation and their Importance in the Formula for Success

Katherine Purwanto Candi Jago and its Relevance in Contemporary Times

Rachael Ratican The Influence of the Liberation of Timor Leste on Australia-Indonesia Relations

Hannah Taarnby The impact of tourism on the environment of Bali

Semester 19 (September 2004)

Kate Atkins Tourism and Development in the Karimunjawa National Park

Sonja Balaga Studying Shadow Puppetry: Searching for the Soul of the Puppets

Melanie Barnes Language and Politics: the Discourse of Plesetan (Word Play)

Sam Beckman Seeking a Balance: Management of the Interaction Between the Community and Alas Purwo National Park

Stephanie Creagh Sex Education in the High Schools of the Special District of Yogyakarta

Angus Gratton Putting Right the Discourse: Developments in the Teaching of History in Malang since the Beginning of the Reform Era

Clare Harvey Education, Modes of Resistance and the Preservation of Urban Kampungs

Daniel Heppell Cause and Effect of Changes in Javanese Culture in Yogyakarta

Lisa Johnson Sports and Identity: the Function of Sports in the Formation of Identity for the Society and People of the City of Malang

Erin Kite Chinese Cultural Identity: Suharto's Policy of Complete Assimilation and the Record of Its Success or Failure

Janelle Marburg East Timorese University Students in Malang: Experiences, Perceptions and Ambitions

Jemma Parsons The Life of Female College Students in Pesantren (Islamic Boarding Schools) in Central and East Java

Elizabeth Raleigh Muslim Fashion for Women and Popular Culture in Indonesia: Influences and Perceptions

Esther Walcott The Art of Traditional Medicine in Malang: Knowledge and Perception

Johan Weintre Several Snapshots of the Kanayatan Dayak: Precious Rituals and Agricultural Diversity in the West Kalimantan Forest

Semester 18 (February 2004)

Jenny Backstrom Trade and Protection of Turtles in Bali: Changing and Fixed Attitudes. Read her article in Inside Indonesia

David Evans The Dewaruci in Javanist Spiritual and Cultural Praxis and its Subjective Force on Javanese Naval Bureaucracy

Jessica Prince Life Knowledge, Farmers' Sovereignty and Organic Agriculture: Sowing the Seeds of Social Transformation

Eileen Stelmach The Human Face of Environmental Disaster in the Village of Sitiarjo

Nicola Hall Credit Cooperatives in the City and Kebupaten of Malang

Rebecca McLaren Trafficking of Women Workers from Blitar, the Role of NGOs and the Government of Blitar in Overcoming the Problem

Deanne Whitfield Sleeping under a Sack - Street Children of Yogyakarta

Semester 17 (September 2003)

Tracy Wright Webster Beyond the Closet: The Voices of Lesbian Women in Yogyakarta

Georgia Sedgwick Mural as Social Phenomenon: A Study of Murals in Yogyakarta

Rebecca Burchell Community Perceptions about Keppres 6/2000 : A Case Study in Yogyakarta

David Henton Tingkat Kesadaran dan Pemahaman Masyarakat Kecamatan Bumiaji Kota Batu tentang Konservasi dan Lingkungan Hidup

Johan Weintre The Social Organisation and Culture of a Minority Group in Indonesia: A Case Study of the Orang Rimba in Sumatra (The Nomadic Kubu Society)

Semester 16 (February 2003)

Rebecca Meckleburg A Portrait of Contemporary Life in a Rural Javanese Farming Community in the Era of Globalisation

Thomas Barker Pink Noise: Indonesia dan Pornografinya

Tanya Fisher Transisi Kesehatan di Indonesia: Jasmani yang tidak Aktif dan Implikasinya bagi Kesehatan Penduduk

Semester 15 (September 2002)

Anne Pohlman Daughters of Srikandi: The Founding, Growth and Destruction of Gerwani (Gerakan Wanita Indonesia)

Emma Wilson Clash of Cultures: Anti-Western Islamic Sentiment in Indonesia

Charlotte King The Impact of the Situbondo Incident - 10 October 1996

Inez Mahony The Role of Dukun in Contemporary East Java: A Case Study of Banyuwangi Dukun. Read her article in Inside Indonesia

Ulla Keech-Marx Komersialisasi Tenunan Songke: Dampaknya Terhadap Masyarakat Manggarai

Lisa Woinarski Pulau Serangan: Dampak Pembangunan pada Lingkungan dan Masyarakat

Karl Brandt Mengapa Kebudayaan Masyarakat Kampung Komodo Terancam

Jacqueline Dobell Otonomi Daerah: Implementasi di Jawa Timor

Mayra Walsh Pondok Pesantren dan Ajaran Golongan Islam Ekstrim. Read her article in Inside Indonesia

Jennifer Robinson Kasus Abepura: Sebuah Ujian untuk UU No 26/2000 dan Penegakan HAM di Papua dan Indonesia

Sarah Dinsmore ITF di Indonesia: Analisa Sejarah Aliran Taekwondo International Taekwon-Do Federation di Indonesia, Tahun 1970 Sampai 2003

Racheal Kuczma Gerakan Buruh di Indonesia

Semester 14 (February 2002)

Christopher Campbell "Why go to Temples?" The Role of Ancient Temples in East Java

Kipley Nink South Sulawesi Fishermen who Fish in Australia: Their Technology and Knowhow

John Psilopatis Aremania: From Hooliganism to Model Soccer Supporters

Sean Reardon The Mass Killing of Members of the Indonesian Communist Party: 1965/66

Joanne Sharpe 'Indie' Spirit: The Independent Film Movement in Indonesia. Read her article in Inside Indonesia

Adelaide Worcester Prostitution in a Cultural Context

Penelope Coutas Language Teaching at SMU Negeri 3, Yogyakarta

Semester 13 (September 2001)

74. Stacey Anderson Fiat Justitia Ruat: For Justice Even if the Sky Sollapses

75. Jaclin Craig Experiences of Mystical Ritual: Wealth and Favouritism

76. James Harkness Internet Use by Students in Malang

77. Diana Hooton Education for the Disabled in Indonesia: A Case Study of Hifal School for the Disabled in Pekalongan

78. Kirrilee Hughes The Press in Malang. Read her article in Inside Indonesia

79. Julian Lay The Fate of Coral Reefs in Indonesia: Destruction of Coral Reefs in Indonesia: A Case Study in Pasir Putih, Situbondo, East Java

80. Katarzyna Sienko The Struggle for Truth and Reconciliation: A Victim's Perspective of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Indonesia

81. Bianca Wolloghan Women in the Eyes of Women: Women's Perceptions toward Advertisements in Women's Magazines

82. Josephine Smyth Access to Education for the Poor

Semester 12 (February 2001)

67. Rebecca Adams Wedding Ceremonies in Java (Ceremonies, Symbolism and Regional Variations)

68. Renne Kjar West Papua Independence Movements

69. Sally Jamieson Indonesian Migrant Workers (TKI) in Malaysia: The Experience of Indonesian Workers with Malaysian Government Work Regulations

70. Rebecca Matanle Reformation - A Utopian Paradise?: Perceptions of Members of the Islamic Student Movement (HMI) of the Wahid Government and the Reform Process

71. Tracy Rowe Bull Racing in Madura: The Influence of the Motivations of Racing Bull Owners on Social and Cultural Change in Bull Racing

72. Rebekah Starbuck Press Coverage of Separatists Movements

73. Michael Tardif Legal Protection and Human Rights Law Reform in the Post-Suharto Era

Semester 11 (September 2000)

50. Jacqueline Baker The National and Global Importance of the Laskar Jihad

51. Christopher Bandle Vespa Friends: An Investigation into a Scooter Club

52. Philippa Beale Program Implementation by an NGO and its Connection with Farming Policies in Indonesia

53. Angie Bexley History of the Radical Arts Movement in the Transition of Authority in Indonesia (1930 - 2000)

54. Benjamin Blyth Teaching Styles in Three Indonesian Primary Schools in Malang

55. Margaret Brady Beliefs and Practices Associated with the Birth of Children in East Java

56. Jennifer Donohoe The Problem of Abortion in Indonesia

57. Matthew Flint Political Thought and Practice of the PDI-P in Malang

58. Debbie Hartlett Child Workers in Indonesia: A Case Study in Malang in East Java

59. Paul Harvey The Internet Cafe Business in Malang and Blitar

60. Daniel Hoogesteger The Legality of the Cigarette Industry in Indonesia and its Effects on the Health of a Nation

61. Naomi Kinsella "Masuk Angin": Concepts of Health and Healing in Java

62. Emily Low Inside the People's Democratic Party: Dictator or Friend?

63. Adelen Matthewman Why Muslim Women Wear the Jilbab

64. Merryn Rider Sukarnoists : A Case Study of Sukarno Supporters in East Java

65. Anita Roberts Asylum Seekers from the Middle East in Indonesia; the perspective of the Republic of Indonesia. Read her article in Inside Indonesia

66. David Saxby Informal Indonesia : Colloquial and Youth Language: A Descriptive Linguistic Study of Language Variations

Semester 10 (February 2000)

43. Sally Asbanu Illegal Drugs or Corruption: The Reality of 'Narkoba' in Indonesia

44. Sharon Krause English Language Teaching in Several Schools in Malang City

45. Joanna Maning Identity, Marriage, Recognition: Stories of Fear and Hope among the Gay Community in Yogyakarta

46. Joanna Pickles From Subculture to Counter-Culture: Mission and Vision of Punks (hardcore) and Skinheads in Yogyakarta and Bandung. Read her article in Inside Indonesia

47. Dylan Walsh Beliefs about Mountains in Javanese society

48. Johan Weintre The Impact of the Economic Crisis on the Lower Socio-Economic Classes in Indonesian Society

49. Rebecca Wells Traditional Dance in Javanese and Balinese Society

Semester 9 (September 1999)

31. Jason Brown Killing of Dukukn Santet in Banyuwangi, 1998

32. Jenny Cotter NGO's and the Problems Faced by Women in the Context of Government, Religion, Culture and Nature

33. Brett Elliot The Debate about Indonesia's Future as a United Nation, 1997-1999

34. Michelle Gray Children of Families in Malang who use Indonesian as their First Language

35. Ben Harkness Environmental Managament Problems: Three Case Studies in East Java

36. Xylia Ingham Career Woman

37. Ollie Jones The Position of Women in Relation to State and Islamic Law when Viewed from the Perspective of International law

38. Sarina Kilham Street Children and Authority in Yogyakarta

39. Ben Preston Small Businesses in Three Cities (Malang, Yogyakarta and Medan) and their Social Aspects

40. Meg Skinner Women and Hducation: Hopes and Reality

41. Peter Swanson Inequalities in the Ability of People to Protect the Environment

42. Neroli Vivian The Influence of the Monetary Crisis on Students

Semester 8 (February 1999)

26. Carolyn Wight Program Pengobatan Jamu Tradisional

27. Olivia Craze Faktor-faktor yang Menyebabkan Sengketa Pertanahan di Indonesia

28. Katharina Popp Program Kesenian di Padepokan Seni Mangun Dharma

29. Alexandra Owens Kondisi Kehidupan Keluarga Yang Tidak Dapat Mempunyai Anak

30. Russell Yule Pendekatan Komunakatif Dalam Kelas Bahas Inggris Sekolah-Sekolah dan Lembaga Swasta di Jawa Timur dan Bali

Semester 7 (September 1998)

22. Paul Edmiston From the Ground Up: Developing an Alternative Tourism Network in Indonesia - An East Java Example

23. Emma Hyland Wanita dan Olahraga di Daerah Sekitar Malang

24. Paul Murray Hubungan Antara Manusia dan Binatang di Daerah Malang

25. David McRae Gerakan Mahasiswa 1998 di Indonesia

Semester 6 (February 1998)

19. Ian Briggs Social Perceptions of People Infected with HIV/AIDS in Indonesia

20. Robert Letchford Telecommunications, Telemedicine and the Problems of Access to Health Services in Indonesia

21. Kurt Stenross Perahu Janggolan of Sreseh: A Form of Perahu Threatened in the Modern, Rational World

Semester 5 (September 1997)

14. Mark Avery Profil Pedagang Kaki Lima dan Pedagang Asongan

14. Frances Barns TKW : Structural Subordination, Human Rights and the Concept of 'Social Agent'

16. Nicholas Collier Sorga Nunut Neraka Katut, Keadaan dan Pengalaman Para Jandi di Indonesia Modern

17. Brett Elliott Workers NGO in Indonesia: Who Really Helps Indonesian Workers?

18. Merrall Gillam Aneka Ragam Penggunaan Bahasa Indonesia - The Various Uses of the Indonesian Language

Semester 4 (February 1997)

1. Darren Boey Big Mac, Coca Cola and Arema: An Analysis of the Effects of the Globalization of Information on the Views Youth in Malang have Towards Gender Roles

2. Duncan Faulds A Study of Factors Affecting Staff in the Hotels and Tourism Industry in Bali and Malang, East Java

3. Karl Fjellstrom Structural Change and the Relationship between Societal Groups and Policy Formation in Indonesia: An Industrial Pollution Program and the Formation of the 1997 Environment Bill

4. Fiona Lawson The Violation of the Rights of Women Factory Workers in East Java

5. Kathryn Livingstone Peran Ganda Wanita: Sebagai Guru dan Ibu Rumah Tangga

6. Natasha Mann The Law as a Tool for Social Change: Efforts to Transform Women's Legal Situation in Indonesia

7. Ben Mclean Microcredit Schemes: IDT, TAKESRA and Koperasi: Three Villages

8. Ann Murray Translating

9. Heidi Perry What Light does the Thoughts of Prostitutes and Alternative Lifestyles Shed on the Ideal Image of the Javanese Muslim Woman?

10. Fiona Robinson Environmental Education: A Case study at the Seloliman Centre for Environmental Eductaion (PPLH) Trawas, Mojokerto East Java

11. Kirsten Stobbe Bahasa Inggris di SLTP Negeri: Tujuan Pendidikan Nasional dan Pengembangan GBPP Kurikulum 1994, Laporan Studi di 3 SLTP Negeri di Kotamadya Malang, East Java

12. Susan Weymouth The Production, Handling, Storage and Transport of Agricultural Produce in Batu, Malang, East Java

13. Nami Yokoyama Batik and the Indonesian Society in East Java

Semester 3 (September 1996)

Campbell Watson Permeable Border: The Community Decision-Making Mechanisms of Indonesia's Papelan Fishing Community and the Assertion of their Rights and Interests within Australian territory

Alexandra Ryan Pole Kah Sangkima: Report on the Sangkima Community; One of the Oldest Settlements within Kutai National Park, and Efforts to Secure their Historical, Cultural and Existential rights

Semester 2 (February 1996)

Tracey Gellard The Implications of Gender in Human and National Development

Ian Wilson Spirit Dances: A Working Paper on Jaran Kepang in East Java

Semester 1 (September 1995)

Tom Plummer Snapshots of Resistance (1995). Read his articles in Inside Indonesia

Source - http://www.acicis.murdoch.edu.au/hi/fieldrep.html

Documents of the Day, No. 3, June 4

La'o Hamutuk Bulletin, Vol. 10, No. 1, June 2009
http://www.laohamutuk.org/Bulletin/2009/Jun/bulletinv10n1.htm

The Urban Transformation in Asia: Policy Implications of Decentralization
http://www.eastwestcenter.org/fileadmin/stored/pdfs/urbanasia001.pdf

Jakarta: The Absence of Nationalism in a Transnational City
http://www.scribd.com/doc/13728366/Indonesia-National-Identity?autodown=pdf
or
http://www.scribd.com/doc/13728366/Indonesia-National-Identity

The Internet and Religion in Singapore: A National Survey
http://www3.ntu.edu.sg/sci/SIRC/workingpapers/IR%20report%20-26%20Sept%202005.pdf

Chinese Religion in Malaysia: A General View
http://www.nanzan-u.ac.jp/SHUBUNKEN/publications/afs/pdf/a449.pdf

Why NPR is the Future of Mainstream Media

Mashable, Josh Catone, June 3 - In March of this year, National Public Radio (NPR) revealed that by the end of 2008, 23.6 million people were tuning into its broadcasts each week. In fact, NPR's ratings have increased steadily since 2000, and they've managed to hold on to much of their 2008 election coverage listenership bump (with over 26 million people tuning in each week so far in 2009), unlike many of their mainstream media counterparts.

Compared to cable news, where most networks are shedding viewers, and newspapers, where circulation continues to plummet, NPR is starting to look like they have the future of news all figured out. Or at least, they appear to doing a lot better at it than the rest of the traditional media.

But what is NPR doing differently that's causing their listener numbers to swell? They basically have a three-pronged strategy that is helping them not only grow now, but also prepare for the future media landscape where traditional methods of consumption (TV, radio, print) could be greatly marginalized in favor of digital distribution.

A Focus On Local

Though most people think of NPR as a radio station, it's actually a news gathering and production organization that sources and creates content for member stations (which are different than affiliates in that they're completely independent entities). According to new CEO Vivian Schiller, that means that NPR has a culture incredibly devoted to local coverage. "To me, local is the big play, because local commercial radio has abandoned the local market. Local newspapers are withering or sometimes dying. The big national media companies, including excellent ones like The New York Times, cannot afford to be covering every single community. So that leaves a big, gaping hole to serve Americans' local coverage," she told mediabistro.com in April.

radio Focusing on local information is a very smart approach for two reasons. One, because as Schiller says, it fills a gap in coverage, and two, because many people feel that delivering and aggregating hyperlocal content will be an important part of the future of media. In 2007, Alex Iskold, the CEO of semantic web application company AdaptiveBlue, predicted the rise of hyperlocal information, indicating that extremely targeted local advertising could be the path forward for the ad industry.

"Despite globalization, hyperlocal information is very valuable both to people and advertisers. In the coming years, we will be seeing the rise of a new way to look at information - geography. Inspired by utility and the promise of hyperlocal advertising, startups are racing to build businesses that deliver highly relevant, local information to users," he wrote.

Earlier this week we noted here on Mashable just how much more useful information can be when it is locally relevant. So for NPR, going local is a way to reach disenfranchised listeners, provide more utility, and potentially offer greater value to advertisers when the ad market rebounds.

A Focus On Social Media

Another aspect of NPR's winning approach is their adoption of social media. Social media tools are changing the media landscape by allowing consumers to define what's worthy of attention. NPR hasn't sat idly by — they're one of the few mainstream media organizations that is leading the charge in social media channels. Their Twitter account has over 780,000 followers, making it one of the top 25 on the social network (and third among news organizations behind only the New York Times and CNN). Their Facebook Page has over 400,000 fans.

But NPR has embraced social media in more ways than just having an active presence on top social media channels. They've also put social media to work for them. In October of 2008, for example, NPR asked listeners to factcheck the US Vice Presidential debates and communicate findings via a Twitter () hashtag. And in February, NPR's social media strategist (@acarvin) talked about Twitter on air, including hundreds people tweeting back comments in the conversation. Their conclusion? Twitter lets us all share the media consumption experience together, and that's a very positive thing.

NPR doesn't stop at social networking, either — their social media efforts extend to podcasts (they have over 650), blogs (they publish almost 20), mobile apps, and even their own social network. NPR has been recognized for these efforts year after year with multiple Webby Awards.

Social media is helping NPR reach new audiences and connect better with the one they have (which, of course, helps with audience retention).

A Focus On Ubiquitous Access

Perhaps the most important aspect of NPR's approach to new media, is that they have an organizational level commitment to allowing listeners and readers to access their content on their own terms. Schiller, who prior to joining NPR at the start of this year was the SVP-GM of The New York Times web site, told mediabisto.com that NPR aims to bring people access to content "online, mobile, whatever people want, podcasts — you name it — so that you have that same sense of the NPR experience wherever you are. As far as NPR.org — sure, I want the traffic to increase, but to me the ultimate goal is not just bringing people to this walled garden that is NPR.org."

mix-your-own-podcast-tool That's nothing new for Schiller, who at the Times led the charge to shut down their pay content service, TimesSelect, even though it was pulling in tens of millions of dollars. "Change is happening so fast in the media and the economy that you have to be able to say, 'Forget about what we did then — let's look at what makes sense now,'" she said, which is a very enlightened view for someone who holds a position of power in a mainstream media culture that has for so long been resistant to change.

The same sentiment is echoed by NPR's Senior SVP for News, Ellen Weiss. "We need to put NPR wherever the audience is, and that has to happen online and has to happen on the radio," she told PBS in January. And NPR has delivered.

In July of 2008, for example, the radio organization released a content API that allows developers to remix and reuse any content created by the network. That's led to interesting mash ups like NPRbackstory, which attempts to figure out the news behind trending topics by searching through NPR's archives.

More recently, NPR released a mix your own podcast tool, which gives listeners the ability to easily create their own programming schedule from the organization's audio archives. That, as Schiller and Weiss promised, is NPR at work allowing users to consume media on their own terms.

NPR's commitment to going to its audience rather than making its audience come to them is a smart strategic move. Schiller is convinced that walled gardens and pay walls just drive audiences to "lesser quality news content that is free." If that's true, NPR's blueprint is not only about attracting eyeballs (or in this case, ears), but creating an environment where quality reporting from trained journalists can continue to exist.

Not Everything Is Rosy

Unfortunately for NPR, even while their ratings soar, they have not been immune to the economic woes gripping most industries. They cut 7% of their daily news staff in December of 2008 and axed two underperforming shows. NPR faces a projected budget gap of $8 million in 2009, though that's better than 2008's $23 million shortfall.

Still, the future looks bright at NPR. Their 26.4 million weekly listeners are 11 times more than the daily circulation of USA Today, and greater than 9 times more than the prime time viewership of the #1 cable news channel in the US, Fox News. They have 860 local stations in their member network and operate 38 news bureaus around the world — 18 in foreign markets, which is greater than any other news gathering organization. NPR's amazing growth over the past 10 years prompted FastCompany magazine in March to call NPR the "most successful hybrid of old and new media," and wonder if NPR could be the savior of the news industry.

And they owe that success to the culture of open access and audience participation that they've cultivated over the past decade.

Source - http://mashable.com/2009/06/03/npr/

Google Squared: Your Search Results in Spreadsheet Form

Mashable, Jennifer Van Grove, June 3 - At Google's Searchology event in May, Google announced the impending arrival of Google Squared, a Labs project that would return search results in spreadsheet form.

Today it appears as though Google Squared has been released out into the wild. Now your search results can take a completely different form, so you can remove content, add suggested columns of your own, and even save your squares for future access.

Since Google Squared is just your search results in column and row form, you're best off making queries on groups of things. So, you can search for television shows and get back a list of shows, accompanying images, descriptions, language, and run time in a format that's much easier to consume than typical search results. You can add additional columns and Google will try to help you fill in the blanks.

google-squared

The cool thing about Google Squared is that columns are dynamic, so they mesh with the content displayed in the squared results. Cell content is also customizable, so clicking on a cell will let you search for other possible values and display a confidence level (eg. low confidence). We're also big fans of the fact that you can save your Squares, a small but important feature that could turn this into a quick and powerful utility for research.

google-squared-stumped

If you stump the square, you can manually enter a few of the items you want to see compared, and Google () will automatically work to find similar entities and build out a comprehensive square.

Based on our initial use, we see Google Squared being a potentially huge time saver for professionals and consumers who need to do quick comparisons. It's incredibly useful if you know what you're looking for, ie. photo sharing sites, and are hoping to see side-by-side comparisons.

Though we wouldn't say that Google Squared is revolutionary, or able to compete with these 5 things Wolfram Alpha does better than Google, we do think that it's an interesting departure from the status quo of standard list search results. Plus, with the recent release of Bing, it's important that Google continue to innovate and experiment to maintain their dominance in search.

Source - http://mashable.com/2009/06/03/google-squared/

See also - http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2009-06-03-n25.html

Mahalo 2.0: Search Result Pages Built on Flickr, YouTube, and Twitter

Mashable, Ben Parr, June 2 - Mahalo, the human-powered search engine and web directory, has been busy recently expanding it's array of content. In December, they launched Mahalo Answers, which offers payments to users that can provide the best answers. Yet, since it's a human-powered website, Mahalo has only been able to grow as fast as people have been able to create content. So now, it's turning to social media to fill in the gaps.

The company has just dropped the beta tag from their logo and launched Mahalo 2.0. Along with a new logo and a design facelift, the startup has improved user control of pages. Most notable of all, however, is that Mahalo has created a system that pulls information from multiple social media sources to create web pages for every search term.

Mahalo pages of old contained byte-sized summaries, questions and answers, quick facts, reviews, and some social media content, like Youtube () videos. Mahalo 2.0 has added a lot more content. The service is utilizing multiple social media APIs to add images (via Flickr ()), videos (via YouTube), and discussion of the specific topic on Twitter (). While we can't post the full screenshots (because these pages are incredibly long), take a look at Bob Dylan's page on Mahalo, before and after, to get an idea of what's going on:

Mahalo: Previous Layout

Mahalo 2.0 Layout

From what we can tell, this can nearly double the amount of content available on a Mahalo page. Unless of course, the search term doesn't exist in the Mahalo system, in which case it will create a page based on the same social media APIs. This means Mahalo can create a nearly-unlimited amount of pages with content - pages that can be indexed, shared, and edited.

User control has also gotten a boost. Users can edit these new, automatically-generated pages with a one-click interface and become page managers. This is important because page managers get 50% of a page's revenue, so this new release could spark a new push by regular Mahalo users to become the admins of these newly-created pages. Page managers can even embed pages on other websites. However, it still comes with a catch: you've got to edit the page every week or you lose it.

Mahalo is smart to create pages that users have not via social media. This content is rich, dynamic, and filled with the keywords and search engine optimization (SEO) juice that has helped Mahalo grow in the Google () rankings. Yet there has been controversy with Mahalo pulling questions from Twitter for its Mahalo Answers program, and it's possible that some users may argue that this as stealing their social content for Mahalo's gain. Regardless, Mahalo has become even more useful, if not a bit too cluttered.

Source - http://mashable.com/2009/06/02/mahalo-20/