Google+

I haven't mentioned any new Web developments much recently. That's mainly because everything I've come across was just too sad to share - even for me! But now Google+ has arrived and it might just change things a bit.
Google+ is Google's attempt to muscle in on Facebook's action. The big selling point is that with Facebook you only have one category of contacts-you have to call everyone 'friends'. So everyone gets equal billing. Your sister, wife and some bloke you met once at a party 8 years ago who you got on with quite well are now all 'friends'.

Google+ offers more flexibility. You can customise different areas of your Google+ homepage and keep different areas of your social life separate. So, in theory you could even use it to organise yourself around projects which require groupwork. And that area could be just for academic information sharing. It's all in the very early stages but I wouldn't be surprised if you see lots of changes on Facebook in the next 6 months as they decide to steal lots of Google's features. That's what usually happens.

If you feel like learning a bit more about it, Rory Cellan-Jones is the technology correspondent for the BBC and he wrote a succinct piece about Google+ yesterday. Alternatively, there are already 1000's of video reviews on YouTube.

We've got a new psychology database.

It's called PsycARTICLES and I have to say it's a pretty impressive thing.

Before you email me to point out you're not studying psychology, can I just mention that amongst the 78 completely full-text journals are a number that cross over into a likely area of interest; mental health, child development, family studies and health are all represented.

It's another database that comes via ebsco so if you've created your own account you'll be able to sign in and use the folder as normal.
If you'd like a tutorial on how to get the best from the databases or just a refresher be sure to email and ask.

UNICEF report concludes that kids favour parental attention over material wealth

When I looked this week at the UNICEF report on child well-being I was reminded of why I'd first decided to call this blog 'Bedtimes and Deadlines'. If you've never heard me explain, it was so named as an acknowledgement of the problems I've had since 2001 in making time for study, children, work and relationships.

When I was trying to finish off my teaching qualification this year EVERYBODY in our house suffered. I was grumpy, unreasonable and tired. More than once as an apology for being unable to play with my boys I'd get them something from Amazon rather than find the time to just sit down and play.

The new UNICEF report is a follow up study to their 2007 offering which placed children in the UK at the  bottom of a 'well being scale'. The 2007 sample concentrated on developed countries. The new report compares the well being of children from Sweden, Spain and the UK. It's qualitative with a sample size of 250 children aged between 8 and 13. The issues discussed centre on materialism, the working week, social inequality and factors arising from parenting styles.

As always with research, it is crucial to be critical. Never accept any findings at face value. That said, I do think that the report is worth half an hour of your time today.

Things Evan says: No 2...

On seeing me go in the fridge for a beer...

Evan: Daaa-aaad? I keep telling you that beer will make you fat. You'll get fat and then you won't be able to play tennis and then you'll be grumpy.

Thomas, aged 10, walking past: Evan, you talk rubbish. And anyway you shouldn't say fat, you should say obese.

Evan: Daaa-aad? Thomas says if you drink beer you'll be a beast.


Cue suppressed sniggering from the living room where my wife was listening.

Did you hear John Humphries' piece on Luton?

John Humphries has been in Luton interviewing people as part of a series of reports commemorating the 10 year anniversary of 9/11. The broader scope is investigating how attitudes have changed towards muslims since 2001. I'm not sure how long the audio will be live for so follow the link here soon if you want to listen to it.

I think we should start reading other people

Do you follow any other blogs? I've recently picked up a 'follower' who is a fellow blogger and it made me think I should probably show you how to search specifically for blogs online.

Blogging is colossal in scope and size. People will blog about anything. And I mean anything. I tend to dip in and out of the political blogosphere but there are many professionals, authors and theorists within the social sciences who maintain blogs.

The easiest way to purely search for blogs is to use the Google filter to exclude other web sites. Just try some keywords and see what you find. If you do come across somebody whose blog you think is particularly good then by all means let me know.

"And now on BBC1 we go live to the Old Bailey to cover the sentencing of Coldplay for crimes against music"

I've probably just alienated the vast majority of you reading this but I just can't stand Coldplay.

Anyway, I was reading this morning about the proposal to televise court proceedings and it got me thinking. I appreciate this won't be relevant to everybody, but anyone who's studying criminology or is likely to end up as a witness as part of their job may have an opinion. My concern would simply be that being filmed changes people's behaviour. Always. The X-Factor would be a wholly different experience without the cameras in there to whip people up into a big, lumpy frenzy.

The argument that it would demystify the legal process might well be true, but surely there'd be some negative effects along the way.
There was a nice debate yesterday I heard between Clive Anderson, TV personality and ex-barrister, and crime writer M.R. Hall which you listen to again via the Radio 4 website.
As always, this is purely my opinion. If you'd like some other opinions to read I'd recommend Torin Douglas's piece on the BBC website.

Finally, if you've ever observed court proceedings and are prepared to share it I'd love to read it as I've never been in a courtroom.