Categories
research interests technology

Rossmoor CC Presents: An introduction to Social Networks

A social network diagram
Image via Wikipedia

Venue: Rossmoor Community Computer Club

Abstract: In this presentation, I will present the broad concepts shared in various social networks, how they can be used, why they should be used, and some concerns that people have with them.

Presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1MGHy2cSujK3xqMHjjPxv9TTLW6mi1Nb8wbOcVx-gQg8/edit?usp=sharing

Press release: “
Today hundreds of million of people take advantage of ‘Social Networking’ websites through which they share information on a variety of topics and interests as varied as our society and human history,” says John LeMasney, Manager of Technology Training at Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ. “Some people, however, find the concept of ‘social networking’ to be confusing, pointless, and a waste of time. I want to explain why it does not have to be.” LeMasney will explore some of the most popular social networking websites in a program entitled “An Introduction to Today’s Social Networking”. “There are literally hundreds of online communities one can join, each with their own culture and purpose,” says LeMasney. “During my program, I will demonstrate how one can use popular websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, LinkedIn and WordPress. I plan to highlight their key features, advantages, and disadvantages, as well as how to use them safely.” As Manager of Technology Training at Rider University since 1998, LeMasney assists faculty, staff and students in integrating technology into their work, classroom, and extracurricular activities. A Fine Arts graduate of the University of Arts in Philadelphia, he recently received a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership with distinction from Rider University. He holds LPI Level One Certification in Linux Administration and chairs the Ewing Web Committee. A self-proclaimed “open web advocate and open source evangelist,” LeMasney is also a designer, artist, writer, technologist and consultant who lives and works in the Ewing area. You can find and connect with John, known as “lemasney” on Facebook, Twitter, and Gmail.

Categories
portfolio

A spring tree in bloom by lemasney

A spring tree in bloom by lemasney
A spring tree in bloom by lemasney

I’m very proud of this sketch. It’s one that I feel succeeds in color, in tone, and in pictorial illustration, but beyond that I just kind of like it. It reminds me of what I love in the spring.

In Inkscape, I created the branch with the pencil tool and grouped the paths, and then duplicated the group twice, and rotated and blurred the duplicates. I made a single flower shape with the calligraphy tool, then duplicated, rotated and resized the original to create the rest. I then gave a blurry blush to each of them with the calligraphy tool.

Today is beautiful in central New Jersey. I hope it’s beautiful where you are too.

Categories
consulting Illustration insights portfolio

Without research, you make an ass out of you and me by lemasney

Without research, you make an ass out of you and me by lemasney
Without research, you make an ass out of you and me by lemasney

Really just a text and color study here, but I have been reminded a few times lately that when someone says a generalizing statement without any sort of social research or other foundation, you sort of come off like an idiot. Happy Saturday, y’all.

Categories
portfolio requests

A huge iPad – lemasney.com

A huge iPad - lemasney.com
A huge iPad – lemasney.com

The iBod is a new kind of computing device, one that takes you off the couch and allows you to truly interact. All of your iPad apps will still work with the iBod, but you will notice that they are just a little fuzzy because they’re just magnified, but apps made natively for the iBod will reach new heights of usefulness and a full body computing experience. Now, with the iBod, you can have a boxing match with a full sized partner, play chess as a king, dance your way to stardom,  and have full body length videoconferencing. Preorders now available!

The iBod was inspired by Dan Wadlinger who suggested that I should focus on the next iteration of the iPad, and this is what I came up with. In Inkscape, I got a picture of a jumping person, a picture of the iPad, and bitmap traced both, in this case using the color tracing function of the bitmap trace dialog for the iPad. I added the tether and the background, and called it done.

Thanks, Dan for the inspiration!

Categories
portfolio requests

Girls don’t walk anywhere if they don’t want to – Sarah – lemasney.com

Girls don't walk anywhere if they don't want to - Sarah
Girls don’t walk anywhere if they don’t want to – Sarah

One of my favorite people in the world, and someone who has participated in 365Sketches before (join in at http://www.facebook.com/365sketches) recently gave me some insight into gender differences and diversity awareness. Upon indicating that I was going to a certain location, and that if she wanted to go it was quite walkable, Sarah Badawy, without blinking said, “Well, I’m a girl, and that’s not the sort of thing we do. Just saying”. She was being facetious, of course, but I immediately thanked her for contributing to the project, to which she laughed a bit.

This sketch is really just a simple case of text manipulation, but it’s one of the most fun things to do in Inkscape. Thanks to Sarah for letting me know about girls. Just sayin.

Categories
professional activities research interests

55Plus presents: My 10 favorite Free Graphics Applications

open source jackpot
Image by lemasney via Flickr

Abstract: John LeMasney, Manager of Technology Training at Rider University, presents a program titled “My 10 Favorite Free Graphics Applications.”

Date: April 14th at the Princeton Jewish Center, Princeton, NJ.

“While I was personally raised on Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Corel DRAW!, they’ve got nothing on these free and open source tools,” says LeMasney. “I plan to demonstrate how to find great, free tools to design advertisements, posters, layouts, images, and logos, and I’ll explore tools that allow you to work in photographic, three-dimensional, vector, bitmap modes.” LeMasney will also discuss the rise in popularity of open source software and what he describes as “the free yet fantastic alternatives to commercial applications.” from 55 PLUS, NJ Retired men’s group on https://princetonol.com/groups/55plus/

Presentation: http://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0Ad-YsRMv5bPqZGNrZm05ZndfMjE0ZmNtNW01ZHA&hl=en