My friend, Soul, in Saudi Arabia and I skype video-ed recently about World University and School - http://worlduniversityandschool.org & https://twitter.com/WorldUnivAndSch - in Arabic, my Harbin Hot Springs' virtual project, Hot Springs in the Middle East, in Saudi Arabia? UNESCO World Heritage Sites in KSA?
[5/8/17, 1:42:34 PM] soul: hi scott, u there?
[5/8/17, 1:43:25 PM] Scott MacLeod: Hello Soul, yes - how are you?
[5/8/17, 1:45:25 PM] soul: perfect
[5/8/17, 1:45:34 PM] soul: how about you? :)
[5/8/17, 1:46:21 PM] Scott MacLeod: Parfait! Oui … not bad … hello from San Francisco at the Embarcadero and the Ferry building at the foot of Market Street … where and how further are you?
[5/8/17, 1:49:06 PM] soul: cool place :) i bet u r looking at a beautiful view ;)
[5/8/17, 1:50:12 PM] Scott MacLeod: :) I can see the water of the SF Bay and part of Treasure Island, as well as the main Bay Bridge :) … You?
[5/8/17, 1:51:11 PM] soul: i hv just finished sm works nd lying on the bed .. ready to fall asleep :D
[5/8/17, 1:52:30 PM] Scott MacLeod: :) … what is sm works? Are you teaching these days? If so, what age? And are you still “burning the midnight oil”? … don’t let me keep you from salutary / beneficial sleep!
[5/8/17, 1:56:31 PM] soul: hhhhhh sure i m .. i usually work late ... i teach 12 - 15 ages
[5/8/17, 1:57:21 PM] Scott MacLeod: Are they awake for teaching in the evening time?
[5/8/17, 1:58:21 PM] soul: it s ok ... any second i may fall asleep :D i just log in to chat sm min with u :)
[5/8/17, 1:59:18 PM] Scott MacLeod: (If I don’t get a reply in Skype messaging here, I’ll know you’ve fallen asleep :)
[5/8/17, 1:59:38 PM] soul: no only in the morning but i hv sm works so i do them late at home
[5/8/17, 1:59:51 PM] soul: hhhhhhhhhhhhhh
[5/8/17, 2:00:51 PM] Scott MacLeod: Skype messaging? work? … online teaching-related? … World University and School is growing … and may emerge in English from MIT OpenCourseWare’s 2300 courses into MITx’s 100 related courses … not yet in Arabic!
[5/8/17, 2:01:03 PM] soul: no i ll nt do tht .... cnt keep u waiting my replay ;)
[5/8/17, 2:01:20 PM] Scott MacLeod: Skype messaging work?
[5/8/17, 2:01:47 PM] soul: yes, it works
[5/8/17, 2:02:05 PM] Scott MacLeod: What kind of sm work?
[5/8/17, 2:03:42 PM] soul: like preparions for lessons, worksheets, activities, exams and so on
[5/8/17, 2:05:08 PM] Scott MacLeod: How much online are you focused with sm work and otherwise? … and how much is the enjoyableness of being with friends on social media … most enjoyable … helping you illuminate the midnight hours? :)
[5/8/17, 2:05:34 PM] Scott MacLeod: How much online are you focused with sm work and otherwise - especially academically and art/English+ teaching wise?
[5/8/17, 2:14:01 PM] soul: I use online in my works a lot. it s great to keep in touch with friends on socical media to relax a little from work burden .... but when i work, i dnt use those App ... to focus on wht i m doing :)
[5/8/17, 2:17:55 PM] Scott MacLeod: Was glad to have published my HARBIN HOT SPRINGS’ ETHNOGRAPHIC book last autumn, a big book at 350 pages and on 8.5 x 11 inch paper! http://bit.ly/HarbinBook and https://Twitter.com/HarbinBook… Harbin is a very open place, as a clothing-optional hot springs’ retreat center emerging from the 1970s … and I’m curious in what ways possibly parallel places might exist in Saudi Arabia … saw an interesting animated film about possibly similar places in Iran at Stanford not too long ago!
[5/8/17, 2:20:36 PM] soul: Congrats for publishing ur book :)
[5/8/17, 2:20:44 PM] Scott MacLeod: :)
[5/8/17, 2:21:00 PM] soul: i m checking out the links
[5/8/17, 2:21:57 PM] Scott MacLeod: Here’s the video in my blog with swimmers in a pool in Iran … http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2017/02/lilium-ledebourii-nouredin-zarrinkelks.html… Check out the Middle East label for posts from this same event … :)
[5/8/17, 2:22:16 PM] Scott MacLeod: There are subtitles, since I don’t speak Persian!
[5/8/17, 2:22:46 PM] Scott MacLeod: Do you speak Persian? Are Persian and Arabic somewhat close linguistically?
[5/8/17, 2:26:30 PM] soul: no, i dont. but i think the may share few words cuz of communication btw the 2 nations since old times
[5/8/17, 2:32:09 PM] soul: we do have in the south hot springs
[5/8/17, 2:32:43 PM] soul: but i hv never been there
[5/8/17, 2:32:50 PM] Scott MacLeod: and both are right to left languages, with somewhat similar scripts too!
[5/8/17, 2:32:58 PM] soul: see these pics
[5/8/17, 2:33:36 PM] soul: SV400133.jpg
[5/8/17, 2:34:34 PM] soul: ...jpg
[5/8/17, 2:34:39 PM] Scott MacLeod: in a cave! … beautiful … I find Harbin very beautiful … and the geothermal waters fill pools on the surface … in the Harbin pool area …
[5/8/17, 2:35:15 PM] soul: On 5/8/17, at 2:32 PM, Scott MacLeod wrote:
> and both are right to left languages, with somewhat similar scripts too!
about tht i really dont know ... but they hv different letters
[5/8/17, 2:36:16 PM] Scott MacLeod: thanks, ok …
[5/8/17, 2:36:28 PM] Scott MacLeod: a map of Saudi with some hot springs - https://www.google.com/#q=hot+springs+in+saudi+arabia&rflfq=1&rlha=0&rllag=17901398,42404548,147856&tbm=lcl&tbs=lrf:!2m1!1e2!3sEAE,lf:1,lf_ui:2
[5/8/17, 2:38:09 PM] soul: the last pic, the hot spring is in the mountain but the first is a valley
[5/8/17, 2:38:41 PM] Scott MacLeod: Nice! And here’s a list of HISTORICAL AND CURRENT STATUS OF
SPRINGS IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI
ARABIA http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6172&context=etd ...
[5/8/17, 2:39:45 PM] Scott MacLeod: In a valley, not a cave … ok
[5/8/17, 2:40:20 PM] Scott MacLeod: And a hot springs’ article with photos in KSA https://destinationksa.com/on-the-trail-of-a-natural-hot-water-spring/…
[5/8/17, 2:41:22 PM] soul: so you should plan to visit thm one day ;)
[5/8/17, 2:42:17 PM] Scott MacLeod: I’d like to visit you, Soul! And all the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in KSA as well as some of the nicest rustic (rural - in the country) hot springs! :)
[5/8/17, 2:42:18 PM] soul: i hv heard tht hot springs r really good for the body, is tht right?
[5/8/17, 2:43:11 PM] Scott MacLeod: Depends what’s in the water partly, but I like the meditative aspects of Harbin’s waters, and the adventure of getting to new hot springs, as well as getting mostly clean by soaking :)
[5/8/17, 2:45:24 PM] soul: the most important thng is getting sooo clean .... as if u got a new skin hhhhhh
[5/8/17, 2:45:39 PM] Scott MacLeod: :))
[5/8/17, 2:45:54 PM] soul: On 5/8/17, at 2:42 PM, Scott MacLeod wrote:
> I’d like to visit you, Soul! And all the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in KSA as well as some of the nicest rustic (rural - in the country) hot springs! :)
hope you make it :)
[5/8/17, 2:47:09 PM] soul: the end of this week, we gonna hv a graduation party
[5/8/17, 2:48:00 PM] Scott MacLeod: Sweet!
[5/8/17, 2:48:02 PM] soul: (penguinkiss) i m so happy 4 my students
[5/8/17, 2:48:19 PM] Scott MacLeod: Looks like there are 4 UNESCO WHS in KSA as well - http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/sa
[5/8/17, 2:49:14 PM] Scott MacLeod:
Al-Hijr Archaeological Site (Madâin Sâlih) (2008)
At-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah (2010)
Historic Jeddah, the Gate to Makkah (2014)
Rock Art in the Hail Region of Saudi Arabia (2015)
[5/8/17, 2:49:23 PM] Scott MacLeod: Have you been to any of these, Soul?
[5/8/17, 2:49:45 PM] Scott MacLeod: i m so happy 4 my students … Yay! :)
[5/8/17, 2:51:23 PM] soul: I hv been in Jeddah ... it s a beautiful city
[5/8/17, 2:53:25 PM] Scott MacLeod: I can only imagine … part of my Harbin Hot Springs’ ethnographic project is to create a realistic virtual Harbin for ethnographic comparison … and a realistic virtual earth … and with realistic virtual Jeddah as well :)
[5/8/17, 2:54:36 PM] Scott MacLeod: You can visit the Harbin Hot Springs’ gatehouse here in Google Streetview … even on your smartphone … https://twitter.com/HarbinBook… (top left)
[5/8/17, 2:54:50 PM] Scott MacLeod: but it’s better on a larger screen ...
[5/8/17, 2:55:33 PM] soul: cool!
[5/8/17, 2:55:42 PM] Scott MacLeod: :)
[5/8/17, 2:58:13 PM] soul: how r gonna make ppl to get interested in tht ethnographic project?
[5/8/17, 2:58:24 PM] Scott MacLeod: Here’s Jeddah in Google for example - https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1HjzWNMh3AqwLZrgzA25FriF8OIE&hl=en_US&ll=21.58713342279829%2C39.23359400000004&z=11 - but from the air … and not as if you are there
[5/8/17, 2:59:26 PM] Scott MacLeod: Part of my Harbin ethnographic project is to write further books about it … but also by developing a new social science method I’m calling ethno-wiki-virtual-world-graphy (see my blog about this)
[5/8/17, 3:02:04 PM] soul: interesting!
[5/8/17, 3:02:54 PM] Scott MacLeod: So I hope to eventual hire researchers for this, and in a new research group I’ve just started … http://www.scottmacleod.com/research-group.html… so, eventually by doing this social science in a kind of online “laboratory” - the realistic virtual earth - but also by going to actual Harbin with researchers … maybe graduate students from Stanford and Berkeley, for example …. is how I hope to grow this project slowly ...
[5/8/17, 3:03:32 PM] soul: sorry messages take time to be delivered :(
[5/8/17, 3:04:05 PM] Scott MacLeod: I also think people will want to visit the online realistic virtual Harbin as it develops - Visit the Harbin Gate here ~ http://tinyurl.com/p62rpcg !
[5/8/17, 3:04:23 PM] Scott MacLeod: Not sure whether you can access these in KSA!
[5/8/17, 3:05:31 PM] soul: u r doing great, scott! keep it (like)
[5/8/17, 3:07:11 PM] soul: On 5/8/17, at 3:04 PM, Scott MacLeod wrote:
> Not sure whether you can access these in KSA!
ll check it later
[5/8/17, 3:07:30 PM] Scott MacLeod: Ok … Time for you to sleep? :)
[5/8/17, 3:07:37 PM] soul: good 2 chat with u scott :)
[5/8/17, 3:07:45 PM] soul: guess so
[5/8/17, 3:08:11 PM] Scott MacLeod: likewise, Soul!
[5/8/17, 3:08:38 PM] soul: sleep is tickling my eyes :D
[5/8/17, 3:09:27 PM] Scott MacLeod: The midnight oil of illumination will seep from your eyes as they close you in in restful slumber
[5/8/17, 3:10:33 PM] soul: hhhhhhhh |-)
[5/8/17, 3:10:42 PM] Scott MacLeod: (sorry I don’t speak Arabic, Soul!)
[5/8/17, 3:10:54 PM] Scott MacLeod: You’re English is excellent, by the way!
[5/8/17, 3:10:56 PM] Scott MacLeod: Your
[5/8/17, 3:11:19 PM] soul: like a princess :$ :P
[5/8/17, 3:11:34 PM] Scott MacLeod: :)
[5/8/17, 3:12:13 PM] soul: aww thank you .... ok lemme teach u arabic one day ... how does it sound ?
[5/8/17, 3:12:50 PM] Scott MacLeod: Sweet! … but I’m hoping for a Universal Translator in Google Translate, for example, Google Neural Machine Translation at the same time!
[5/8/17, 3:13:02 PM] Scott MacLeod: in any smartphone … and robust!
[5/8/17, 3:14:34 PM] soul: i think Google Translator is good
[5/8/17, 3:15:44 PM] Scott MacLeod: I agree … but I hope there will be parallel options … and even ones which Saudis create for example … and maybe World University and School can eventually help with this … Are there Saudi online translators that you know of?
[5/8/17, 3:16:05 PM] Scott MacLeod: Arabic, that is … but perhaps this is a conversation for another day!
[5/8/17, 3:17:20 PM] Scott MacLeod: … and which might emerge out of Wikipedia / Wikidata (which WUaS will also be in)
[5/8/17, 3:18:06 PM] soul: yeah... better 4 a nother time ... cuz my body battery is so low :D
[5/8/17, 3:18:10 PM] Scott MacLeod: for example … both Wikipedia and Google’s would be good … but better even if Saudis could create a robust universal translator of their own
[5/8/17, 3:18:20 PM] Scott MacLeod: Sleep well, Soul! … signing off here ! :)
[5/8/17, 3:18:38 PM] soul: ok bye
[5/8/17, 3:18:42 PM] soul: :)
[5/8/17, 3:18:43 PM] Scott MacLeod: Good night!
[5/8/17, 3:19:02 PM] soul: G N |-)
[5/8/17, 5:29:30 PM] Scott MacLeod: Hoping you’re sleeping well :) … here are some photos of Al Balad in the old part of Jeddah! - https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x15c3cf1a385e2399:0x332fbe15cd17fb68!2m19!2m2!1i80!2i80!3m1!2i20!16m13!1b1!2m2!1m1!1e1!2m2!1m1!1e3!2m2!1m1!1e5!2m2!1m1!1e4!3m1!7e115!4shttp://www.blueabaya.com/2014/08/ten-things-to-do-in-al-balad-historical-district-jeddah.html!5s+-+Google+Search&imagekey=!1e1!2shttp://www.blueabaya.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/albalad-street(pp_w900_h650).jpg :)
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http://worlduniversityandschool.org &
https://twitter.com/WorldUnivAndSch
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It will be great when we can visit this in a realistic virtual earth, and even in augmented reality around us - e.g. with 4 hypothetical MIT Media Lab light bulbs projecting this into a room - based on something, conceptually, like Google Streetview / Maps / Earth with TIME SLIDER and also group editable with something like OpenSimulator, but realistically!
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