On this episode of Spark: Selfsurfing, Open Government, and Data Hunters. Click below to listen to the whole show, or download the MP3 (runs 54:00).

You can also listen to individual stories below.

Broadcasting Your Every Browser Move

Jonas Lund is a multidisciplinary internet artist who explores how we interface with the digital web. His latest work is called Selfsurfing - part theatre performance, part commentary on privacy, Selfsurfing broadcasts his web-browsing habits in real time. (Runs 7:19)

• Jonas Lund
• Selfsurfing

Japanese Arcade Culture

While arcades are all but extinct in Canada and the US, they're thriving in Japan. Brad Crawford is the editor and director of the documentary 100 Yen: The Japanese Arcade Experience, scheduled to come out later this year. Brad talks about why arcade games are still a social experience in Japan, and whether that's something we should envy. (Runs 5:31)

• Brad Crawford
• 100 Yen: The Japanese Arcade Experience
• You might also like this Spark interview with Indie game developer Alec Holowka

Comedy Podcasts

Stand-up comic Denis Grignon gives us an inside look at the growing trend in comedians hosting podcasts where they interview other comedians. And it's less about the laughs than you may expect. (Runs 9:02)

• Denis Grignon
• WTF with Marc Maron podcast
• The Todd Glass Show
• Todd Van Allen's show Comedy Above The Pub
• Darryl Purvis
• Video of Heather Knight's robot Data, the stand up comedian

Data-gathering Hunters

Inuit Hunters in Nunavut have been heading out across the tundra armed with hand-held computers provided by the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board. Wherever the hunters stop to observe or hunt a muskox, caribou or other animal, they tap their observations into the device. Freelancer David Kattenburg explains why this pilot project is a win-win for hunters and for the Wildlife Management Board. (Runs 6:57)

• David Kattenburg
• David's longer doc Inuit Hunters Go Hi-tech (with photos)
• The Mesa Rugged Notepad

Tools for Canada's 21st century democracy?

Open North is a Montreal-based not-for-profit designing online tools to foster greater government transparency on one hand, and create more citizen engagement on the other. They're motivated by the idea that piecemeal projects and weekend Hackathons are great, but it's time to look for a more ongoing approach. Nora talks to Jonathan Brun about the goals and strategies of Open North. (Runs 8:28)

• Jonathan Brun
• Open North

Links to previous open government stories on Spark, which Nora played excerpts of:

• Andrea Reimer on Vancouver's Open Data movement
• David Eaves on open data for garbage collection
• Rahaf Harfoush on president-elect Barack Obama and transparency
• Tom Steinberg on the UK's My Society
• Andy Kaplan-Myrth on VisibleGovernment.ca

Coding for a Better Government

Jennifer Pahlka is the founder and executive director of Code for America, which she describes as a "Peace Corps for Geeks". Fellows spend a year working with city governments to create technology to make their communities better. But governments are known for being bureaucratic and slow, and technological innovation is all about the opposite - being fast, limber and cutting edge. So how do you navigate that obvious culture clash? (Runs 8:50)

• Jennifer Pahlka
• Jennifer Pahlka's TED talk Coding A Better Government
• Full uncut version of interview with Jennifer Pahlka

Additional Links

• Help Us Out! Terms of Service Agreements
• Main page photo by US Mission Canada

Podcasts