I am cutting and pasting this directly from the email I have. Chance to show your talent, no?
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To all Art and Science lovers,

We would like to announce a competition to design a poster for the9-th annual meeting of the Association for the Scientific Study ofConsciousness (ASSC-9) that will take place in June of 2005 at theCalifornia Institute of Technology in Pasadena. The entry that we willchoose will receive a $500.- cash price and will be featured onprinted posters and on on-line material. ASSC is the premier organization in the world promoting researchwithin cognitive science, neuroscience, philosophy, and other relevantdisciplines in the sciences and humanities, directed towardunderstanding the nature, function, and underlying mechanisms ofconsciousness. It meets once a year. These meetings are widelyadvertised, both in-print and online. We would like to have a uniquedesign associated with ASSC-9, something that epitomizes the themes ofthe meeting (science and philosophy, the mind, the brain, the neuronalbasis of consciousness), suffused with the spirit and unique featuresof Southern California. That is the only guidance we can offer you.For previous examples of ASSC posters, look around assc.caltech.edu The competition for such a poster will be conducted online. Thecopyright with all submitted material has to be with you and thematerial original. We would ask you to submit your design to us(connie@klab.caltech.edu) as soon as possible, but certainly no laterthan November 1. 2004. For judging the competition a medium (i.e. 1000by 1000) resolution electronic .jpg (or .pdf) format will besufficient. At this point, please do not send us huge files. The printed size of the poster will be about about A2, say 50 by 50cm or so. By submitting to this competition, you agree that if yourdesign will be chosen you will grant ASSC non-exclusive copyright toprint the image on a poster (with text partially superimposed) and touse the image online to advertise the ASSC-9 meeting. Your name willbe acknowledged as artist and we will send you a $US 500.-check. Anybody on the planet can apply to this competition. Feel freeto distribute this call as you see fit.So, please send your cool pictures, paintings and designs to Connieat connie@klab.caltech.eduThanksChristof Koch==================================================================Dr. Christof KochLois and Victor Troendle Professor of Cognitive and Behavioral BiologyExecutive Officer of "Computation and Neural Systems"California Institute of TechnologyDivision of Biology, 139-74Caltech1200 E. California Blvd.Pasadena, CA 91125FAX: (626) 796-8876email: koch@klab.caltech.eduWeb: www.klab.caltech.edu

This is strictly for journalists, would-be journalists and those with interest in or who deals with the media.

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The Centre for Independent Journalismc/o 2-4 Jalan Bangsar Utama 9Bangsar Utama59100 Kuala Lumpur Tel: 012 326 0424Fax: 03-2094 4926 Dear Sir/ Madam Training workshop: Media Freedom and the PublicInterest The Southeast Asian Press Alliance KL, a committeecomprising journalists' groupings and NGOs, will beholding a two-day training workshop at Shah's VillageHotel on the 11 and 12 September. (9.30 am - 5.30 pm.) This is for NGOs and community groups to betterunderstand the Malaysian media environment and toidentify ways to better utilize the public space fortheir advocacy work. Media freedom, freedom of expression and freedom ofinformation are vital to a functioning democracy. Yet,these issues are still not well known among lobby andgrassroots groups in Malaysia.The course content of this workshop is designed tohelp participants recognize the realities of mediaoperations today, and to understand that press freedomis the first step to freeing up the space for freeexpression.As one of many groups involved in a range of humanrights and social issues, your organization would bewell placed to eventually make use of the coursecontent in outreach work.We therefore invite you to send a representative,ideally someone who is highly motivated and who wouldbe able to train other members of your group andaudience after the workshop.This training is fully funded, covering meals andtraining materials. Transport to and from the trainingis not covered. If you require accommodation, pleaseinform us in advance as limited places are available.We look forward to seeing you there.Kind regards,Sonia RandhawaSEAPA KL co-ordinator

Anwar Ibrahim is free, of his name means anything to you. I foresee a flurry of talks and forums that would come about in this wake, once the man gets back safely from Munich from an orthopaedic surgery. I am sure everyone is praying that he would get back safely, especially his family members, friends and supporters. Just go to any news sites and you will hear news of his release. In fact, BBC news has given it a "front-page" treatment. However, in CNN, you have to click through a few links before unearthing the story. For CNN, the freeing of Anwar is just one of the many political news happening in the world. Not that I blame them. Resources and priorities differ between different media. If you were to google, the news of his release has not yet filter through completely. Try tomorrow.

Another announcement I have here is more personal. I have updated the literary studies site and you are all welcomed to visit it. A critical review I did on Charlotte Turner Smith, an eighteenth century woman writer, could be found there.

That's all, folks


Addendum : More links have been added in Cultural Microscope. I do intend to include original works, and there would be book review which would be added soon.