Saptamana trecuta am realizat o implementare nu tocmai completa a sistemului de rating, insa reprezenta o forma functionala a acestuia.
Azi m-am decis sa finalizez ceea ce mi-am propus si, de ce nu, sa adaug cateva functionalitati suplimentare.
Zis si facut. Mai intai am trecut in revista ce aveam de facut:

• ratingul nu se poate face decat daca userul este logat
• cand se da un rating unui bookmark daca userul a mai dat rating acelui bookmark atunci se face UPDATE in tabela MySQL, in caz contrar se face INSERT
• asfisarea in timp real a ratingului pentru fiecare bookmark

Implementarea nu a fost prea complicata,  insa micile erori de sintaxa si-au facut simtita prezenta si au prelungit rezultatul final. De mentionat ca platforma scuttle are o constructie oarecum bizara si de cele mai multe ori e mai simplu sa-ti creezi propriile extensii decat sa folosesti ceea ce este deja implementat. Oricum acest lucru conteaza mai putin, important fiind rezultatul.

De indata ce am finalizat implementarea punctelor de mai sus, am trecut la implementarea unor aspecte dintre care unele tin mai mult de interactiunea userului cu mediul de rating.

1. extinderea numarului de stelute pentru rating de la 5 la 10 cu pastrarea functionalitatii
2. activarea tuturor stelutelor pana la steluta deasupra careia se afla mouse-ul
3. plasarea deasupra stelutei curente pe care se afla mouse-ul a notei corespunzatoare stelutei
4. optimizarea codului pentru browserele: Opera, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, astfel incat aplicatia sa isi pastreze atat aceeasi functionalitate cat si acelasi layout

Primul punct a fost floare la ureche. Practic toata filosofia era modificarea valorii maxime a unei variabile $i de la 5 la 10.  Acest lucru gratie proiectarii si implementarii eficiente de saptamana trecuta.

Al doilea punct mi-a dat ceva batai de cap, pentru ca atata timp cat folosesc un sigur cod <img src=…> e destul de dificil sa tin evidenta fiecarei stelute astfel incat sa se poata realiza o mapare coerenta intre fiecare steluta, nota corespunzatoare acesteia, id-ul utilizatorului si id-ul bookmarkului. O mare parte din problema am rezolvat-o data trecuta, insa acum dificultatea consta in activarea tuturor stelutelor pana la steluta deasupra careia se afla mouse-ul si asta folosind un singur <img src=…> valabil pentru toate stelutele. Din fericire am avut o idee care s-a dovedit eficienta in sensul ca, pe baza unor id-uri unice am reusit sa accesez fiecare steluta si sa ii modific valoarea src-ului la onmouseover respectiv onmouseout. Problem solved.

Pentru punctul al treilea a fost nevoie de CSS si mult trial and error pentru a obtine forma finala. De fapt punctul al treilea este strans legat de punctul 4 pentru ca aici intervine problema compatibilitatii intre browsere. De exemplu, intre Opera si Firefox e o diferenta simtitoare in sensul ca aplicarea unui CSS de forma {height: 1px; position: relative; top:-18px;} are efecte diferite in cele doua browsere.

Astfel diferenta de spatiu intre randul anterior si elementul asupra caruia se aplica CSS-ul anterior difera, in conditiile utilizarii unui <pre> </pre> in cadrul elementului amintit. Opera tinde sa inghesuie elementul in timp ce Firefox lasa prea mult spatiu.  Cat despre Internet Exporer, el e undeva pe la mijloc. In schimb IE tinde sa miscoreze dimensiunea fontului, spre deosebire de browserele anterioare.

Oricum dupa o serie de incercari si optimizari succesive am reusit o forma finala care sa pastreze aproximativ acelasi layout, cu o mica diferenta de spatiu pe Opera, fata de celelalte browsere, insesizabila pentru utilizatorul obisnuit.

Ideea din spatele implementarii consta in generarea dinamica a unei note si plasarea ei desupra stelutei pe care se afla mouse-ul, astfel incat utilizatorul sa nu stea sa numere stelute cand vrea sa voteze. De remarcat, faptul ca nota se genereaza local pentru fiecare steluta si corespunde doar bookmark-ului curent.

Amuzant este, insa, faptul ca, pentru majoriatea userilor, un sistem de rating nu reprezinta mare lucru luat independent si tind sa nu acorde importanta elementelor constituente. Putini sunt cei care isi dau seama ca in spatele unui aparent “banal” sistem de rating sta o intreaga filosofie. Unii ar spune ca e treaba programatorului sa tina cont de toate chitibusurile si in mare masura au dreptate. Ideea e insa alta si anume ca orice element intalnit intr-o aplicatie indiferent de magnitudinea acestuia implica atat o planificare cat si o analiza si implementare eficiente si care de multe ori presupun un timp extins de dezvoltare.

Per ansamblu sistemul s-a dovedit indeajuns de interesant incat sa merite toate modificarile realizate asupra lui. Azi am terminat sistemul de rating. Urmeaza realizarea profilului de utilizator si implementarea unui algoritm de recomandare. Dar, despre toate acestea, in episodul urmator…

…and it seems like everyone is getting involed: Google, Facebook, Twitter, and many other companies are promoting AIDS awareness and fundraising. How are you making a difference? Let us know in the comments or send an email!

-Until There’s A Cure!

The other day, my best friend (yep, the one with my long-awaited god-child!!! =D ) looked at me in great frustration.

“What are you doing all this for? What’s the point? I don’t see why you have to offend half of Singapore, why can’t you just be normal and watch TV?! All these things that you activists do are just useless yelling — at the end of the day, the poor still remain poor, and you still go home to your air-con room!”

I gave her words serious thought, because this was someone who said this to me out of genuine concern rather than spite.

And because I gave it thought, I realised that all our yelling & offending, was NOT useless at the end of the day. It might take a lot longer to see results, than say, a teacher’s job or a doctor’s job. But there are results. The feminist movement that started in the 1800s offended lots of people too, and even today, it continues to. Yet the results 200 years after the feminist movement began is so stark and apparent. 

 Women today get to study and work, because of these feminists yellings 200 years ago. Think about your family (or the average family). Think about how much your family income comes from your mother, or daughter or sister. If you’re a working woman, think about how you can decide on how you want to spend your money and when, rather than how you need to beg your husband for money. It might have taken 200 years, but all that yelling was necessary, and useful.

Looking closer, at what we’re yelling about today, in Singapore, we also see the effectiveness of our yelling.

I’m talking in particular about activists for HIV Awareness and fair treatment, today being World AIDS Day.

In Singapore, we’ve come from a place where no subsidised treatment is given to HIV patients, to today, where MOH is deliberating which drugs to subsidise.http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_308873.html

We’ve come from a place of ignorance and prejudice, from moralistic uprighteousness,  to today, where HPB is addressing the myths and misconceptions. Where even HPB, a public non-religious agency, recognises the need for love and compassion http://www.loveamp.sg/default.aspx#/home

We’ve come from a place of riducule and voyeurism in the media, to a positive dignified campaign on Singapore Idol http://idol.mediacorptv.sg/loveamp.htm

We’re not 100% there yet, but we’re moving forward, our yelling is being heard, and we need to continue and perservere in our efforts. We need to aim for that 100%

In the words of my friend who, together with his wife, are infected with HIV and travel to Bangkok to get more affordable treatment

“ I am living a very good life now with the cheaper Anti Viral drugs,
I could actually forget about that I am even a sufferer but even that
I practiced safe sex with my wife.
I hope one day the government in Singapore consider us sufferers who work
and pay taxes to them and they in turn help us the way Thai Government do
and it is only a small percentage of us here compared in Thailand they have
over a Million sufferers and still the government was able to assist some way
or another to prevent many from dieing because they could not get the
expensive medication.”

PS. For people who need help with HIV treatment, subsidies are not yet available. However, there are financial support schemes made possible by generous individuals, so hope is not lost. The medical social workers at hospitals here are quite understanding and will help you. You can approach Action for Aids too www.afa.org.sg   Or you can write to me anonymously and I’ll try to link you up to people who can help.

how to make e-learning interesting

This image reminded me of linking data, whether it is accurate or not I don’t know:

Untuk menetapkan suatu hukum, khususnya yang berhubungan dengan masalah aqidah, maka Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah menghimpun semua nash, baik nash wa’d (janji) maupun nash wa’īd (ancaman), yaitu dengan menerima keduanya dan kemudian menyerasikan atau mengkompromikan di antara keduanya.

Sedangkan ahlul bid’ah pada umumnya serta Wa’idiyyah dan Murji’ah pada khususnya, mereka hanya mengambil salah satu dari kedua nash tersebut, dan dengan meninggalkan yang lainnya.

Sebagai contoh, ketika ada hadits yang mengancam (nash wa’īd) seorang muslim yang mengerjakan dosa tertentu bahwa dia akan masuk neraka, serta ada hadits lain yang menjanjikan syurga (nash wa’d) bagi orang yang mengucapkan dua kalimat syahadat dan bahkan ada pula ayat yang menjelaskan bahwa Allah –Subhānahu wa Ta’ālā– akan mengampuni semua dosa selain syirik (kufur) bagi yang dikehendaki-Nya, maka berdasarkan nash-nash tersebut, Ahlus Sunnah menetapkan bahwa apabila seorang muslim mengerjakan dosa yag disebutkan oleh nash wa’īd tersebut, tanpa syirik, maka di akhirat nanti dia akan mendapatkan salah satu di antara dua posisi, yaitu masuk syurga tanpa diadzab di neraka terlebih dahulu, karena Allah –Subhānahu wa Ta’ālā– mengampuninya, atau dia akan masuk syurga setelah terlebih dahulu masuk ke neraka, karena Allah –Subhānahu wa Ta’ālā– tidak mengampuninya. Dengan demikian, nash-nash tersebut, baik nash wa’īd maupun nash wa’d, semuanya terpakai dan selaras sejalan.

Adapun golongan Wa’idiyyah, mereka akan menetapkan bahwa orang tersebut kekal di neraka, berdasarkan nash wa’īd, sedangkan Murji’ah, mereka akan memastikan keselamatan dari neraka bagi orang tersebut. Berdasarkan nash wa’d, walaupun dalam nash wa’d dijanjikan syurga kepadanya, tetapi baginya tidak dijanjikan keselamatan dari neraka sebelum masuk syurga, atau walaupun dalam nash lain ada janji seperti itu, namun janji tersebut tidak mutlak karena tersisipi oleh nash wa’īd.

NASH-NASH WA’D YANG MENJADI SYUBHAT BAGI WA’IDIYYAH

Nash-nash tersebut dapat dibagi menjadi beberapa macam, yaitu:

• Nash-nash yang menyangkal adanya iman pada pelaku kabā’ir, seperti hadits-hadit berikut:

لاَ يَزْنِى الزَّانِي حِيْنَ يَزْنِي وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ

“Tidaklah beriman seorang pezina ketika berzina.”

لاَ يَسْرِقُ السَّارِقُ حِيْنَ يَسْرِقُ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ

“Tidaklah beriman seorang pencuri ketika mencuri.”

وَلاَ يَشْرَبُ الْخَمْرَ حِيْنَ يَشْرَبُهَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ

“Tidaklah beriman seorang peminum khamr ketika minum khamr.”

Hadits-hadits tersebut sama sekali tidak dapat diartikan bahwa pelaku dosa-dosa besar tersebut telah menjadi kafir. Karena dalil-dalil yang menjelaskan tentang tidak kafirnya mereka sangatlah kuat (dan banyak). Jadi bagaimanakah kita memahaminya?

Dalam bahasa ‘Arab, sudah terkenal sekali digunakannya gaya bahasa yang menyangkal keberadaan sesuatu, dengan maksud menyangkal kesempurnaannya. Seperti ungkapan peribahasa:

-  لاَ مَالَ إِلاَّ إِبِلُ “Tidak ada harta selain unta”. Artinya bahwa harta terbaik adalah unta, bukan tidak ada lagi sesuatu yang dinamakan harta selain unta.

-  لاَ عِلْمَ إِلاَّ مَا نَفَعَ “Tidak ada ilmu selain yang bermanfaat”. Artinya bahwa sebaik-baik ilmu adalah yang bermanfaat, bukan berarti tidak ada lagi ilmu.

Kemudian timbul pertanyaan berikutnya, iman manakah yang disang-kal Rasulullah dalam hadits-hadits tersebut?

Apakah iman yang sempurna ataukah ashl al-īmān?

Apabila ditafsirkan dengan ashl al-īmān, berarti pelakunya telah menjadi kafir oleh perbuatan dosa tersebut. Padahal dalil yang berlawanan dengan penafsiran seperti ini sangat banyak sekali.

Oleh karena itu, penafsiran yang benar, bahwa yang disangkal oleh Rasulullah –Shallallahu ‘alayhi wa Sallama– ialah iman yang sempurna (kesempurnaan iman), dan penafsiran inipun sesuai dengan gaya bahasa ‘Arab tersebut di atas. Penafsiran seperti inilah yang digunakan oleh as-Salaf ash Shaleh dalam memahami hadits-hadits semacam ini yang pada zhahirnya “seakan-akan” berbenturan dengan dalil-dalil lain yang muhkam (terang dan jelas maksudnya).

Imam Ibnu ‘Abd al-Barr –Rahimahullah– berkata[1]:

“Yang disangkal oleh Rasulullah adalah kesempurnaan iman, bukan iman seluruhnya, dengan dalil bahwa yang sudah menjadi ijmā’ bahwa pencuri, pezina dan peminum khamr masih boleh mewarisi kaum kerabatnya yang beriman, selama pelaku dosa-dosa tersebut masih shalat dan masih mau menerima dakwah Islam. Sedangkan orang kafir, sudah menjadi ijmā’ pula bahwa mereka tidak dapat mewarisi seorang muslim. Hal ini merupakan dalil yang sangat terang bagi kita bahwa pelaku kabā’ir adalah orang yang beriman yang kurang imannya, dikarenakan perbuatan-perbuatannya tersebut.”

Imam an-Nawawiy –Rahimahullah– berkata[2]:

“Pemahaman yang benar (terhadap hadits) adalah apa yang dikemukakan oleh ahli tahqīq (peneliti), maknanya bahwa perbuatan maksiat tersebut tidak dikerjakan oleh orang-orang yang sempurna imannya. Ungkapan tersebut adalah gaya bahasa yang dipakai untuk menyangkal “kesempurnaan” sesuatu dengan cara menyangkal “keberadaan”-nya seperti dikatakan: “Tidak ada ilmu kecuali yang berguna” atau “Tiada harta kecuali unta” dan “Tiada kehidupan kecuali kehidupan di akhirat”….”

Imam al-Marwaziy –Rahimahullah– berkata[3]:

“Makna yang benar menurut kami, bahwa siapa yang mengerjakan dosa-dosa tersebut, maka ia adalah orang yang tidak memiliki iman yang sempurna, karena dia telah meninggalkan sebagian iman. Disangkalnya keberadaan iman tiada lain adalah untuk menyangkal kesempurnaan imannya….Pelaksanaan hudūd terhadap pelakunya merupakan bukti bahwa iman masih ada dalam dirinya dan dia pun masih disebut mukmin. Kalau tidak begitu, maka seharusnya dia disuruh taubat, atau dibunuh apabila tidak mau bertaubat, tanpa dilaksanakan hudūd.”

Dan masih banyak lagi perkataan as-salaf ash-shaleh yang sama isinya dengan perkatan tersebut di atas.

• Nash-nash yang berisi barā’ah (sikap berlepas diri) dari Rasulullah, seperti:

مَنْ حَمَلَ عَلَيْنَا السِّلاَحَ فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا

“Barangsiapa yang mengangkat senjata melawan kami, maka dia bukan dari golongan kami.” (HR. Muslim 2/108)

مَنْ غَشَّ فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا

“Barangsiapa yang menipu, maka dia bukan dari golongan kami.” (HR. Muslim 2/109)

Dalam hadits dijelaskan bahwa orang yang dianggap menipu tersebut adalah seorang penjual kurma. Orang tersebut tidak dikafirkan oleh Rasulullah –Shallallahu ‘alayhi wa Sallama–, dan tidak pula dihukum mati seperti yang diberlakukan kepada orang murtad.

Imam Abū ‘Ubayd –Rahimahullah– berkata[4]:

“Kami tidak memandang bahwa hadits-hadits tersebut berisi sikap berlepas diri dari Rasulullah ataupun dari agamanya, tetapi menurut pemahaman kami bahwa hadits-hadits tersebut menjelaskan bahwa orang yang disebutkan tidak termasuk orang-orang yang taat kepada kami, serta tidak mengikuti kami dan tidak pula menjaga syar’iat Islam.”

• Nash-nash yang berisi penyebutan beberapa maksiat sebagai perbuatan kufur, di antaranya hadits-hadits berikut:

سِبَابُ الْمُسْلِمِ فُسُوْقٌ وَقِتَالُهُ كُفْرٌ

“Mencaci-maki seorang muslim adalah suatu kefasikan dan memeranginya adalah sebuah tindak kekufuran.” (HR. al-Bukhāriy 1/112 dan Muslim 2/54)

Pencacian terhadap seorang muslim pernah terjadi pada zaman Rasulullah –Shallallahu ‘alayhi wa Sallama–, tetapi beliau tidak mengkafirkannya, malah beliau memberi peringatan kepada shahabat tersebut bahwa dia adalah orang yang masih memiliki sifat jahiliyyah. Demikian pula dengan orang yang “memerangi” seorang muslim, diapun adalah orang yang masih ditetapkan memiliki iman, sebagaimana dijelaskan dalam ayat-ayat al-Qur’an.

• Nash-nash yang menyatakan tidak masuknya pelaku kabā’ir ke dalam syurga atau kekalnya dia di neraka, di antaranya:

“Dan barangsiapa yang membunuh seorang mukmin dengan sengaja, maka balasannnya ialah Jahannam, kekal ia di dalamnya….” [QS. an-Nisā’ (4): 93]

Tentang tafsir ayat di atas, Imam ath-Thabariy –Rahimahullah–berkata[5]:

“Penafsiran yang paling tepat adalah bahwa balasan bagi seorang (muslim) yang membunuh seorang mukmin dengan sengaja memang dikekalkan di dalam neraka, tetapi kemudian Allah memaafkan dan memuliakan orang-orang yang beriman kepada-Nya dan kepada Rasul-Nya, akhirnya Dia pun tidak mengekalkan mereka di Jahannam. Kemungkinannya, Allah mengampuninya sehingga mereka tidak masuk Jahannam sama sekali, atau Allah lebih dahulu menghukumnya di Jahannam kemudian dengan rahmat-Nya Dia mengeluarkannya. Yang demikian terjadi karena Allah telah menjanjikan kepada hamba-hamba-Nya yang beriman untuk menerima taubat mereka, sebagaimana firman-Nya:

“Katakanlah: Hai hamba-hamba-Ku yang melampaui batas terhadap diri mereka sendiri, janganlah kamu berputus asa dari rahmat Allah. Sesungguhnya Allah mengampuni dosa-dosa semuanya….” [QS. az-Zumar (39): 53]”

Maka, apabila kita mengikuti manhaj Ahlus Sunnah yang menghimpun atau mengumpulkan semua dalil, baik nash wa’d maupun wa’īd, maka hukum orang yang membunuh adalah tidak kekal di neraka serta status-nya pun tetap sebagai orang yang beriman dan tidak kafir, akan tetapi imannya berkurang karena dosa membunuh tersebut.

Harus pula diingat, bahwa walaupun dalam hadits Rasulullah –Shallallahu ‘alayhi wa Sallama– syirik termasuk kabā’ir, tetapi syirik tidak termasuk dalam jenis kabā’ir yang pelakunya tidak keluar dari Islam. Demikian pula halnya dengan sepuluh pembatal-pembatal keIslam-an yang sudah menjadi ijmā’.

[2] Syarh Shahīh Muslim, 2/41.

[3] Ta’zhīm Qadr ash-Shalāh, 2/576.

[4] Imam Abū ‘Ubayd, al-Īmān (Kuwait: Dār al-Arqam), hal. 92-93.

[5] Tafsīr ath-Thabariy, 9/69.

Sumber:

“Iman Menurut Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah” yang disusun oleh Lajnah Ilmiah Hasmi

The workshop on aptitude development ( WAD ) 09 is being organised in our college from 22nd -29th Nov . Last year I have participated in WAD and got very much change in me as a person…:)

Now this year Organizing will be fun and very good learning environment for us…So will be updating about the latest news from WAD-09 here…so keep readin..

Njoy !

Nu este o problema de matematica.

Totusi e un mister pentru foarte multe persoane.

O parte din cei care stiu despre ce e vorba numesc aceste numere trecut, prezent si viitor.

Probabil ca v-ati dat seama deja despre ce vorbesc. Daca nu, cititi in continuare.

Nu e vorba de niciun criptex, nici de vreo parola, iar de codul lui Da Vinci nici nu poate fi vorba. A fost, este si va fi o referinta importanta pentru oricine are cat de cat tangenta cu tehnologia.

Inca nu v-ati dat seama? Cititi in continuare.

Daca ati ajuns aici probabil va intrebati despre ce e vorba.

Pentru cei care se intreaba asta si pentru cei care presupunand prin absurd ca n-au avut ocazia sa treaca pe la cursul de WAD cititi in continuare.

Este vorba desigur despre evolutia de-a lungul timpului de la Web 1.0 catre Web 2.0 si, mai nou, catre Web 3.0 .

Ce presupune aceasta evolutie?

Care sunt particularitatile?

Cu ce ne ajuta?

Aflati toate acestea si multe altele din filmuletul de mai jos.

Aveti aici un mic tutorial pentru Del.icio.us

How to test an e-learning web application : http://www.slideshare.net/telss09/methods-to-test-an-elearning-web-application

Hello . This is a tutorial I found , it contains an installation guide for what we’ll use and some simple  examples  , presented step-by-step . Also ,  useful links are listed at the end . http://www.windofkeltia.com/j2ee/wtp-tutorial.html

Starting to think blogging is a waste of time. I feel like I have to take notes so that I can blog about it later (when I finally get round to it), thus taking all the fun out of stuff I’m actually supposed to be enjoying. Going to keep it simple in future, rather than write about every single little thing.

In the last lesson, we were run through what should be included in our presentation. I don’t think I have a problem with what to include in my presentation, however, I do have a problem with carrying out the presentation itself as my skills in this area lack alot of confidence. So, i have decided to read up on some presentation tips to start off with.

I done a simple google search for ‘Prsentation Tips’, and came upon this site ‘http://www.presentationmagazine.com/presentationtips.htm’. I liked the idea about recording one’s self, as this would give me the oppurtinity to practice talking repeatedly and then see where I can improve. I was also surprised by how professionals apparently never do a speech ‘off the cuff’. I would like to try and see if I could manage an ‘off the cuff’ presentation myself, with only the knowledge of the subject at hand and no structure to the speech.

In order to help me progress my presentation skills, I am going to perform in front of some friends in a formal manner. Afterwards, I will gain their opinion on how I did and what could be improved. This should be interesting as I find doing things like this is usually quite awkward to begin with and should (hopefully) help to mount pressure on the situation and my speech.

New Section! I couldn’t resist posting~~~ hahaha….

I found these in WAD advertising undies and t-shirts for guys but, I mean, the only thing I was thought was, do they really all have a morning stiffy? Did they need a fluffer for the shoot, or was the kitty in the last pic enough? hahaha

Good Morning, Sir!

Essay written by Giancarlo de Vera, (c) 2009

The idea of development stands like a ruin in the intellectual landscape. Delusion and disappointment, failures and crime have been the steady companions of development and they tell a common story: it did not work. Moreover, the historical conditions which catapulted the idea into prominence have vanished: development has become outdated.

-       Wolfgang Sachs (1992 : 1)

In an attempt to answer this question, this essay will focus on multiple discourses of development as they are featured within the context of gender mainstreaming policies. By way of definition, the word ‘discourse’ will draw heavily on Foucault’s (1970) notion of discourse, and the concept of ‘development as discourse’ will be defined as a “system of knowledge, technologies, practices and power relations that serve to order and regulate the objects of development” (Lewis et al, 2003: 545; see also Sachs, 1992; Ferguson; 1994; Escobar; 1995). Along with this essay’s discursive approach, this essay will note how meanings associated with development are “… produced, contested and reworked in practice – and thus … illuminat[ing] the multiple significances that the term holds for actors involved in the development process” (Lewis et al, 2003: 546). Hence, this essay will argue that the factors that make it difficult for the voices to be heard, despite the changes to the way development is practiced, is this: the development apparatus constitutes multiple discourses, as lessons from post-structural development critique illustrate, but that there are many discontinuities between discourses’ formal order and the local practices among local actors. Furthermore, it will be argued that actors on all levels involved, face a perpetual gap between local knowledge and practices, and the development discourses that impart meaning and legitimacy upon development practices.

In order to arrive at this conclusion, we must first look at what exactly is meant, and what constitutes the development apparatus. The term apparatus originates from Foucault’s dispositif, and is a useful concept in understanding the operation of power (Briggs, 2002: 426). In the Foucauldian context, the development apparatus is understood and allows for the recognition of “both the good intentions of agents and a wide range of both positive and negative outcomes generated through development” (Briggs, 2002: 427; see also Escobar, 1995). Hence, in this light, Morgan Briggs (2002) asserts that the development apparatus “…does not aggregate the operation of power or allow default to the oppositional position that development is ‘bad’” (p.427). These insights are important to understand, as all development discourses will invariably be reproduced (Ferguson, 1994: 13), and as such the development apparatus merely delivers methods on how actors reflect, adhere and act upon a discourse (Nustad, 2001: 484). In this sense, it must be understood that the formal development apparatus manifests development discourses both conceptually and institutionally through practices.

Recognising that the development apparatus operates on both a conceptual and institutional level is key in understanding how the gap between the formal development apparatus and local practices emerged. International and discursive developments in the postwar period led to the emergence of a development apparatus that ‘inserted’ and ‘normalised’ nation-states as a component element of the overall formal development apparatus (Briggs, 2002: 427). However, the development apparatus’ focus on the nation-state, did not preclude other actors in the development process. In fact, it “relie[d] upon the operation of normalization [of development discourses] at a range of other levels and sites, including that of individual subjects” (Briggs, 2002: 427; emphasis mine).  As a result, development discourses such as human development, gave rise to practices like microcredit programmes. During 1997-2005, the number of people receiving microcredit increased from 13.5 million to 113.3 million in India, and 84% of them were women (Daley-Harris, 2006). It was anticipated these loans would promote gender equality and the empowerment of women (see Kabeer, 2005) leading to the ability to overcome cultural asymmetries (see, for instance, Hashemi et al, 1996; Kabeer, 2001; Pitt et al, 2006). However, in a study conducted by Supriya Garikipati (2008) that assessed the impact of lending to women in India, it was found that the loans were mainly used to enhance or create enterprises controlled primarily by their husbands, whereby a mere 20.66% of the loans were used for assets that women managed or helped manage (p. 2633). Despite this statistic 29.3% of women did report a positive income after the loan was repaid (Garikipati, 2008: 2636). However, this was due to women ‘pooling’ their loans in high investment and high return enterprises, diversifying their risk (Garikipati, 2008: 2636). Thus indicating that microcredit had no inherent capability to address gender inequality or empower women.

What makes these findings so peculiar, is the fact that the development goal of gender equality and empowerment of women was borne out of a very strong acknowledgement of their invisibility and lack of voice in the development paradigm (see Leonard, 2003; Kabeer, 1994; Tinker, 1990, Parpart, 1995). As a result, the formal development apparatus attempted to address this lack of voice, through multiple changes at both the conceptual and institutional level, with the emergence of the ‘Women in Development’ (WID), ‘Women and Development’ (WAD) and finally ‘Gender and Development’ (GAD) discourses (Rasavi & Miller, 1995).  While criticisms of these discourses abound (Moore, 1998, amongst others), the most important criticism comes from J.L. Parpart (1995) who recognised that these discourses fell into ‘modernist stereotypes’ (p.236; see also Kabeer, 1991; Rai, 2003). For Parpart, these ‘modernist stereotypes’ continued to restrict analysis to modernist definitions of development (p.236). As such, despite the formal development apparatus’ attempt to incorporate and address the lack of voice, the development goals of gender equality and empowerment of women was limited.

Hence, microcredit programmes, despite their intentions, were empty signifiers within the development apparatus, urging us to question why. As previously stated, discourses will be invariably reproduced, whereby the development apparatus merely “delivers methods on how actors reflect, adhere and act upon a discourse” (discursive practices) that include “a wide range of both positive and negative outcomes generated through development”. Considering this, and how development discourses such as WID, WAD and GAD have attempted to be transformative; it is little wonder they have not obtained the material outcomes they intended. However, as Briggs rightfully states, this does not mean the development apparatus should “default to the oppositional position that development is ‘bad’”, for the development apparatus will always be subject to, and reflexive of the discourses that imparts meaning onto it.

Drawing on J.L. Parpart’s (1995) ‘modernist stereotypes’ critique of the WID, WAD and GAD discourses, we can begin see how modernist undercurrents are still prevalent today despite orthodox theories falling into disrepute within the development industry. Commenting on this, Parpart states:

The assumption that development requires planning (and expertise) inhibits new ways of imagining development, at the level both of theory and practice. It restricts GAD analysis to modernist definitions of development with their emphasis on Northern (or North-trained) technical expertise and the universal applicability of Northern models to development problems (p. 236)

What this highlights is the idea that anthropological and ethnographical approaches to development highlights: how development discourses bear significance on development actors, and how changes within the apparatus act upon ‘objects’ of development (such as women) (Lewis et al., 2003: 544-45; see also Gardner & Lewis, 1996, 2000: Bebbington, 2000; Bebbington et al., 2000; Batterbury, 1998; Rhoades, 1984; amongst others). While the emergence of anthropological and ethnographic approaches to development was intrinsically linked to the evolution of the globalisation research agenda (Lewis et al., 2003; 545) and radical critiques of modernist definitions of development such as post-development (Escobar, 1995; Sachs 1992, Nustad, 2001; Pieterse, 1998; amongst others), their attempt to incorporate the voice of those impacted by development practices, remained lacklustre.

Through the anthropological and ethnographical lens, development actors and organisations are viewed as a text, and part and parcel of the “system of knowledge, practices and power relationships that serve and order the objects of development” (Lewis et al., 2003: 545-46). However, this post-structural analysis offered little ethnographic details on how development actors worked, and how development actors influence the texts they produce and the practices they effect (Watts, 2001). As such, a slippage between the development text and effect was occurring both conceptually at a theoretical level (discourse) and institutionally (discursive practices). What was observed was the fact that development goals, as stated formally within the development apparatus (such as policy documents etc), the goals pursued in operational practice, and the personal goals pursued by ‘clients’ and local bureaucrats in the course of implementing the goals (or ‘performing’) were very different (Long, 1992: 34; see also Hebinck & Verschoor, 2001). Hence, if the slippage between development text and effect was so prevalent, then the implication is that analysis of practice must accompany analysis of text if one is to fully understand how development actors produce ideas, how slippage occurs in their translation into practice, and the material effects of this.

Thus, deconstruction of development practices is needed, in order for voices to be heard effectively. It is apparent, at least in the respect of women in India, that voices are being heard, but not effectively. The term ‘gender’ meant different things to the actors involved in the process and as such was contested, appropriated and reworked in practice (for further studies in India, see Walby, 2005; George, 2007; amongst others). In this sense, how actors understood gender was inherently a political process (Kabeer, 1994), and as such, political structures allowed multiple meanings to be associated with the term ‘gender’. Hence, if we were to accept that political structures gave way to multiple meanings for the term ‘gender’, then it logically follows that the term ‘gender’ was understood through social and cultural frames, for gender analysis to be articulated in culturally resonate ways. In this context, in respect to the development goals of gender equality and the empowerment of women, gendered critiques and discourses simultaneously legitimised limited practices like microcredit lending to women in India, without due regard to how they reinforced, reproduced and ultimately negated their purported development goals. Hence, while microcredit lending involved participation of women on all fronts, their participation operated through existing power relations, that inevitable become entrenched through further reproduction (White, 1996: 6). In this trajectory, women can even replace men in economic positions (which microcredit lending saw as an mean to their empowerment and greater equality), without necessarily transforming structural inequalities in society (Steady, 2006: 2). Herein, legitimacy of discursive practices was inextricably linked to representation, for it was thought that mere participation equated to inclusiveness.

In fact, this was not the case. These gendered critiques and discourses were a corollary of Western feminism, which assumed there was ‘… a global sisterhood linked by invariant universal feminine characteristics’ (McNay, 1992: 2). Essentialism trumped anti-essentialism, which lead to a disregard for prevailing norms that were at the root: “although an analysis of women’s subordination was at the heart of these approaches [WID, WAD, GAD], the essentially relational nature of their subordination had been left largely unexplored” (Rasavi & Miller, 1995: 12; see also Parpart, 1995: 233). This essentialist tendency was a direct result of the continued use of modernist definitions that was noted earlier, as they focused on the construction and reinforcement of gender inequalities superficially (Kabeer, 1994: xiii), and at the expense of a proper analysis that looked at the power that presupposes the construction based on patriarchal knowledge, and the reinforcement of practices based on that construction (Mosner, 1993).

By extension, we can also argue broadly speaking, that this nuanced dynamic is occurring for other ‘objects’ of development. Whether they be the peri-urban poor in India, disenfranchised women in the Persian Gulf, or dispossessed indigenous peoples in Botswana; what is needed in the deconstruction of development practices is the wholehearted recognition that the development process is “… an ongoing, socially constructed and negotiated process, not simply the execution of an already-specified plan of action with expected outcomes” (Long, 1992: 35). Herein we must move away from discourse being central, to agency being central in the analysis. 

Thus, if we recognise that the development process is an ongoing, socially constructed, and negotiated process, then we can begin to see how the voices of the ‘objects’ of development have not been heard effectively due to conceptual, normative and therefore institutional constraints. It is peculiar to think why Wolfgang Sachs concludes development is now outdated. On one level it is the product of developments in philosophy that have manifested itself throughout history, and on another its something more banal like politics that govern the operation of the development apparatus. Regardless, what is essentially lacking is indeed the individual subjects’ inherent agency in the development process. What is ironic is the fact that the development apparatus “relie[d] upon the operation of normalization [of development discourses] at a range of other levels and sites, including that of individual subjects”, and yet individual subjects have gone amiss. What emerges from the rumble is a disconnected, contradictory and spurious picture, lacking transformative potential to incorporate the voice of those impacted by development effectively.

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Pour tous les lecteurs réguliers de Hush-Hush, vous êtes déjà au courant des échanges que j’ai pu avoir avec Bruno Collin du WAD Magazine et Puma France (en off) concernant mon post sur la soirée PUMA PT3.

Suite à cela, j’ai eu des échanges ouverts, francs et cordiaux avec le directeur marketing de Puma France.

Étant donné que ce dernier se trouve basé dans l’Est de la France, nous n’avons pas pu nous rencontrer de manière physique.

Cependant, un entretien téléphonique de près d’une heure, nous a tout d’abord permis de remettre au clair ce qu’il c’est passé… puis ensuite, j’ai pu appréhender la stratégie de PUMA France concernant la soirée PT3, mais également la marque et sa stratégie en social media marketing.

L’objectif premier de cet événement était de démontrer le positionnement sport / lifestyle de Puma, et prouver que le sport pouvait rassembler toutes les tranches d’âges, les catégories sociales, …

La volonté était donc de ne pas faire un énième événement R.P ‘petit four / champagne’, mais de créer une ambiance chaleureuse et amicale ‘en petit comité’.

Seulement 300 participants rassemblant les fameux « 200 amis de la Hype parisiens de Bruno Collin », mais aussi des clients de Puma et quelques consommateurs invités grâce à des jeux concours des partenaires Ben & Jerry’s et Mail Movement, un autre sur la base e-mail de Puma (soit une petite dizaine de personnes).

Malheureusement, la volonté de faire un événement fédérateur n’a pas été visible… et oui 200 personnes sur 300… cela distille un peu le message.

Concernant le social media et toute la stratégie on-line, l’équipe marketing française décline les opérations internationales. La volonté étant de créer une véritable unité et d’avoir une plate-forme de marques cohérentes.

Auparavant, chaque pays développait ses opérations sur les réseaux du type Facebook ou Twitter. Maintenant, il n’existe qu’un compte international pour chaque site.

La page fan de Puma sur Facebook rassemble plus de 1,2 millions de membres.

Cependant, aujourd’hui il n’existe pas de véritables stratégies d’influence marketing Puma France.

Mais, il existe des outils de veille qui remonte l’ensemble des discussions / du buzz de la marque à Puma International.

Concernant la prise en charge des blogueurs et « forumeurs » par un community manager, cela n’est pas encore mis en place. Ce sont les services de presse qui gèrent ces publics.

Le stratégie est donc de parler d’une seule et même voix partout dans le monde.

Enfin pour finir, l’événement PUMA PT3 / WAD était un événement avec peu de moyens, dont la production a été faite dans des délais très courts.

La stratégie de marque et le concept de l’événement sont vraiment très forts. C’était la première en France.

Par conséquent, je suis certains que la deuxième édition prendra certainement une dimension moins « hype ».

Ainsi,  nous pourrons voir une vraie mixité sociale, installant véritablement la marque dans le sport / lifestyle  fédérateur.

By popular demand here is the link for SOME Wads i have, most of them are not in the Virtual Console or Wii Shop Store
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE RARE WADS FOLDER! *** DA CLICK AQUI PARA IR A LA CARPETA DE WADS RAROS!

In order to play them you need the wad manager to install them on the Wii

Para poder jugarlos necesitas el Wad manager para instalarlos en tu Wii

Saludos gente!!

Fun ce petit sondage lancé par Bigstereo, je croyais qu’Uffie était morte, en fait non, elle fait juste semblant, alors qu’un petit enfant malaisien lui lit WAD en la recouvrant de sucre glace.

Google search – ‘how does latitude work’

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9127462/FAQ_How_Google_Latitude_locates_you_

From reading this article, my understanding is that location tracking technology uses a wide range of hardware/information to triangulate accurate positioning. And, the more hardware available (ie. Wi-Fi), the more accurate the tracking becomes.

What i don’t understand though, is this basically GPS in a nut shell? or is GPS a completely different technology. So, i decided to search into a bit more.

Google search – ‘how does gps work‘

http://www.nasm.si.edu/gps/work.html

Well, GPS is easy enough to understand. But it doesn’t give any definitive answer as to if its any different between the method thats used by Google or other location tracking applications. So, i will need clarification on this subject matter from Chris Wallace.

Evaluation

From carrying out this research, i have found out the limitations of GPS and location tracking technology. It isn’t completely accurate, and the less 3rd party technologies available, the less accurate it becomes. I will of course have to clarify my information or maybe even carry out a small investigation myself to determine the differences.

To me, the first step that makes sense to start my Latitude App is to research into how it works exactly. The questions i seek to answer are:

• What Hardware is used – Satellites. Types of Phones.
• What kind of Protocols are used – HTTP? Does it even use Protocols?
• What Software is used – Does the phone need software?
• Limitations – Precision, Availability
• Can it be replicated using a computer or a small object

The final question is a stretch, but it would be interesting to theorize on how this treasure hunting api could be advanced in the most ideal world (technologically, economically, etc).

In order to find out these questions and help me to come up with more, i will be using the internet as my main source of information as well as one of my tutors, Chris Wallace. I know that Chris Wallace is clued up in many areas of new technology (including latitude) and clarification on information findings would be a major help.

In the previous lesson of web applications development, we were given another task to complete at home. The task was to look into any group of technology and then research into them.

I decided to choose to research into latitude. The reason I chose this was because it has always been an interest of mine and I already have knowledge of what it is exactly and how it is being used today in applications.

As a note… i have also decided to use latitude as the main technology for my Digital Media Project

In the first Web Applications Development lesson we were given the task of looking at evaluation tools that can be used to help evaluate a website. This was work to be done at home.

The most interesting (and useful) tool for me was the ip look up. This is a tool I have used in the past to tell where abouts the users looking at my site are from, as well as checking to see the expiry date of certain domain names that I’m after in the hopes to gain them for myself in the future.