"An honorary mention goes to "Re (ad.htm" by the Australian artist mez, This entry created a lot of discussion in the jury, and quite dissimilar individual rankings and opinions. "Re(ad.htm" consists of a selection of writings or, to use the artist's terminology, "wurks" that had been posted to several net cultural and arts-related mailing lists. They are highly condensed pieces written in "mezangelle", an invented hybrid language which mixes syntactical snippets of programming languages, network protocols and markup code with the English language. The resulting texts can be read in multiple, often contradictory ways due to their elaborate use of ambiguity and compound ('portmanteau') words noted in rectangular brackets, thus resembling regular and Boolean expressions in commandline programs and programming languages.

In contrast to a merely ornamental code chic, this hybrid language is used to expose and deconstruct the epistemological politics engendered into seemingly "neutral", technical codes. It is poetically dense, involving and difficult, but also humorous. Of course, it is not technically executable code, although the bracketed expressions expand into multiple combinatory output sequences. But above all the mezangelle targets fictitious, fantastic compilers, creating a dream-like imagination of metonymic contiguity between human bodies and machines. Sure, this topic has been spelled out in popular culture and media theory multiple times, but mez succeeds to free it from all cyber-kitsch by tackling it from within, in structure."

- jury for the read_me 1.2 software art award.


What an odd person.

My brain feels a little dry. Can anyone recommend a good contextualizer? One that's not too... Oh, never mind.

"CHARMAKARMACAT!! Fetch my RUBBER BALL!!!"

I feel more the gate-crashing Luddite than ever. And that's not necessarily bad.

quote:

Originally posted by colin:
It does make me wonder what it would be like to talk to mez in "real life" though...

i.have.an.ozzie[not_ozbourne].accent?
i.say."u_know".fre[e]quently?
my.hands.swivel.+[when.concept.heat.seeking]g[r]asp?

[ie my geo.physical self aka mez.d(s)wells.else.where]

.

The truth is, I do enjoy the play of meanings, and agree the patter of braces, underscores and plus marks has its appeal. But it also bemuses me, because it is so very different from my approach to this forum. As you say, the physical self is elsewhere-- but I treat this forum, and most mediated communication, as an extension of physical self, rather than a playground apart from it. It would be difficult for me, and I would be very self-conscious, to spend all my time online, or even in a particular forum, attempting to be something like ][mez][. The closest I can imagine would be trying to maintain my very best long-winded pedant persona (e.g. this post) at all times. It makes me think that you would also be very different from me, and perhaps a bit puzzling, even if we did not have screens and keyboards to mediate ourselves with. Even if our conversations might be similar on the outside, there would be something very different going on inside, I suspect.

Puzzling, but not objectionable, of course. Do carry on.

quote:

Originally posted by colin:
The truth is, I do enjoy the play of meanings, and agree the patter of braces, underscores and plus marks has its appeal. But it also bemuses me, because it is so very different from my approach to this forum. As you say, the physical self is elsewhere-- but I treat this forum, and most mediated communication, as an extension of physical self, rather than a playground apart from it. It would be difficult for me, and I would be very self-conscious, to spend all my time online, or even in a particular forum, attempting to be something like ][mez][. The closest I can imagine would be trying to maintain my very best long-winded pedant persona (e.g. this post) at all times. It makes me think that you would also be very different from me, and perhaps a bit puzzling, even if we did not have screens and keyboards to mediate ourselves with. Even if our conversations might be similar on the outside, there would be something very different going on inside, I suspect.

Puzzling, but not objectionable, of course. Do carry on.

"In the office, Borusa and the Doctor go over the induction ceremony. The Doctor will have access to the matrix, where all the information of all Time Lord's memories and personalities are stored -- all information that can be stored anywhere is installed in the matrix, not just Time Lord info. The Doctor will be part of it and it will be a part of him. He entered it once before and didn't care for it. Borusa tells him that was just the APC net -- the Amplified Panatropic Computer net -- which is only a small part of the Matrix."

-from Dr Who _The Invasion of Time_ 4th February, 1978

source: http://www.drwhoguide.com/who_4z.htm

reference: _all.is.rehashing//regurg.e.tative_

concept_relevant.2.posting: _u.display.n.dications.of.echoing.+.n.jesting.[geo.physical]reality.thru.a.mim(et)ic.straw [ie socialisation.in.chunked.persona.caullings]_
_my.[nodal//info]end.point.is.a.exe.that.extends+rewrites.consciousness.along.appropriate.all.line.ment_
_no.break//d.marc(1)ation.is.necessary.in.terms.of.online/offline[ie.this.is.(k)not.a.hollow.curve.of.a.blank.world_

i.function.as.u.
try.my.Skype[voice.ova.geophysicality]nick = netwurker.
.i.can.relate.as.ego_defined+d.fineable.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ][mez][,

Now what I'd like to see is a ][mez][ contribution to the WGB Cooking School Thread.

I think it would be a recipe that would blow our mind!

Nice to see you here ][mez][ !

---------------------
now back to work on my børing thesis

*. celestial Colonel.s .incite domestic disruption.s
*.5. .Es.cher-like solar array model.S. .smuggle.d through xy.Z.packages [+/-200 body-bags]
*.Wa.y ][& co][.cke.d.n.d][el][ude.s, .mol.ten .Shel.ls moved by the .ton., .2. b or not 2 b.E., this is no longer the question, now its 2 use or not 2 use a 781, F-22, 2010, or JCET. *.cocaine.d .V.igilan|ties| on .LS.D attend ".I., .mega. man" .Le.ctures, .i.conically .trim.med & henceforth spy-bean worthy.
* .Yak.king .ima.gery of broadcast-silence bouncing
* .N.ational .SE.n.S.ory deprivation as seen on .Sugar Grove.-type TV

Thanks for the response ][mez][. You know what's really awful? I'm terrible with phones. Very awkward. It takes a spectacular effort for me to give somebody a call. Do you have Skype? It makes it easier when it's free (I'm also a cheapskate). My Skype name is colin.peters, just like my gmail account. Feel free to send me a message if you like.

I had to google-up Skype to understand whatinhell you were talking about. Always wondered when someone would finally practicalize that old Star Trek idea.

(Looks contemplatively at computer) I guess one needs a sound card for that to work, eh?

Bah. More noise. Never mind.

Worthiness?

I don't know about you, but it takes me a heck of a long time to read mezengelle. Can't imagine how long it takes to write it.

quote:

Originally posted by Mean Old Man:
(Looks contemplatively at computer) I guess one needs a sound card for that to work, eh?

Bah. More noise. Never mind.

Sorry about that. It's free (to download and to call between Skype users) internet phone software, and it works pretty well. It's also possible to call out to regular phones very cheaply, but I haven't used that feature. Yes you do need a sound card and a mike or headset (I bought mine cheap). It has saved me oodles in long distance charges, but that might have something to do with being in a different country from my wife and kids right now.

quote:

Originally posted by Pauline:
Worthiness?

I don't know about you, but it takes me a heck of a long time to read mezengelle. Can't imagine how long it takes to write it.

.a.bout[of.cognitive.flu].as.lo[a]ng[LED].as.it.takes.2.think.it.

ie is.cog.knit.ively.n.tegrated.

[the.more.time.u.take.2.ab.sorb=very(from.the)gut]


--

Rookie timw for me, I have never read Mezengelle and am reminded of a Basho Hiku to help me on my way. tis way fun to read..qyuite visual.likeit like that.

Oh Snail,
climb Mt. Fujiyama
But slowly, slowly

We[_{0m3 8ack M3z. G[_ad to z U.
Really Rhizomatic, as always.

quote:

Originally posted by RUR:
We[_{0m3 8ack M3z. G[_ad to z U.
Really Rhizomatic, as always.

heh. a lEEt_fan, eh?

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/text/leet.php

quote:

Originally posted by colin:
Thanks for the response ][mez][. You know what's really awful? I'm terrible with phones. Very awkward. It takes a spectacular effort for me to give somebody a call. Do you have Skype? It makes it easier when it's free (I'm also a cheapskate). My Skype name is colin.peters, just like my gmail account. Feel free to send me a message if you like.

am.now.a.bon[e.china]a fide.Skyper...

[nick = netwurker]

pls.n.dulge+i'll.respond.

r.u.the _56_ or _71_ colin.peters, btw?

[add.end.um(b.or.dumber) -a.geophysical.snap.happy.is.there.also
-mainly.4.those.con.vinced.i'm.bot.only]

I'll Skype you in a moment, so you can try it out....

My handle is the one that is calling you.

I'm terrible on the phone as well, but I *love* helping people try out new technology.....

quote:

Originally posted by Fashionpolice:
I'll Skype you in a moment, so you can try it out....

My handle is the one that is calling you.

I'm terrible on the phone as well, but I *love* helping people try out new technology.....

try.again.in.1, fp.

push the green button to pick up the phone

I could see your picture but I couldn't hear you. I ran out of old skool prank phone calls.

quote:

Originally posted by Fashionpolice:
I could see your picture but I couldn't hear you. I ran out of old skool prank phone calls.

big.trouble.in.l'tle.skype.atm.

suspect = mic dying.

will.seek.rectification.STAT!