Michael D. Ball's Blog

Paper Published in Journal of Sociocybernetics

reddragonpub — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:54:03 +0000

The ISA online Journal of Sociocybernetics has released a special issue covering the proceedings from last year’s Urbino Conference. Contained in the issue is a paper authored by CCH research team members Dr. Brian Castellani, Dr. Frederic Hafferty, and Michael Ball. The paper, E-Social Science from a Systems Perspective: Applying the SACS Toolkit, addresses the use of the SACS Toolkit to translate, organize and manipulate electronic data from varied sources. The complete issue of the journal can be viewed at: http://www.unizar.es/sociocybernetics/Journal/JoS7-2-2009.pdf

The CCH paper begins on page 89 of the issue.

A “small” paper on Nanotechnology

reddragonpub — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:14:15 +0000

I’ve posted my final paper from a Nanotechnology class that I just finished. It examines the possible impact of Nanotechnology on our world. Give it a read.

Societal and Ethical Implications of Nanotechnology

2 Sites to Talk About

reddragonpub — Thu, 06 May 2010 19:30:07 +0000

A couple of cool new places on the web. First, the website for my book, The Stone Men, has been given a make over. Browser on over to Red Dragon Publishing and check it out. – and maybe even order a copy of the book.

Second, as part of my graduate work with Dr. Castellani, we have launched a new research center. The Center for Complexity in Health at the Robert S. Morrison Health & Sciences Building is the first of it’s kind at Kent State Ashtabula. The charter members of the center include, Dr. Brian Castellani, Dr. J. Galen Buckwalter, Dr. Frederic Hafferty, Dr. John Castellani, Kenny Carvalho and myself. The main focus of the center will be to promote the application of complexity science to the study of health and health care through a cross-disciplinary program of teaching, training and research.

Has it been almost a year.?.?.?.

reddragonpub — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:17:27 +0000

I guess it has been almost a year since my last post. No excuses, but I do plead an extreme case of graduate school. I thought I had this college thing down to a science, but working on a Masters degree is a whole new paradigm.

Hopefully, I will be making more posts in the near future – lots of cool stuff going on in my world.

Until then – emjoy the spring weather!

New Xbox 360 Controller

reddragonpub — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:06:51 +0000

Wii = old and busted >>>>> Natal = New and Cool!

If you haven’t heard about it, Natal is Microsoft’s new controller idea for the Xbox 360. I’m not usually a person that gets overly pumped about new things from Microsoft (Can you say Vista Sucks, boys and girls?), but this controller (if they can pull it off) looks to be the next paradigm.

My son already says he wants it for christmas.

Check out these videos of some Natal demos:

Seeing the Far Horizon

reddragonpub — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:52:32 +0000

We all wander through life covered in layers of mist. Some of these layers are composed of our own ignorance. Some we create through our denial of the world around us and some are visited upon us by outside forces. There are people who aren’t even aware of the mists that surround them. They drift through life, peering into the fog that covers them and watching as unformed shadows at the edge of their vision flit by unresolved.

Even if a person realizes that their view of the horizon is blocked by the veils of fog, many refuse to try to disperse them. These people have learned that there can be bad things in the mist and would rather cruise along in blissful ignorance instead of confronting the harsh things in life. This attitude can allow you to live a long life, but in the end, did the individual truly live or did they just exist.

It is better to wipe the veils from our eyes and confront the world head on. Lift the mists with whatever means you have. Step outside of your comfort zone and seek the knowledge to burn away the fog between you and the world. See the terrible things in the world for what they are, learn the truth of them, and share your knowledge with others

My grandfather taught me that life is meant to be lived and that sometimes you have to fight against terrible odds to live it. Don’t drift in the mist. Fight against it and define your view of the world. Always remember – On a clear day you can see the far horizon and the view is always spectacular.

The Way Of The Knight

reddragonpub — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:54:40 +0000

This canticle is from my book, The Stone Men.

The Way of the Knight

These things numbered three are needed for the forging of a Knight.

Respect for one’s Lord, devotion to one’s followers, pursuing the path laid by one’s superior, even though it be distasteful. Staying to the bitter end, not to outlast thine enemy, not to prove greatness, but because it is thy Duty.

‘Honor above all else’ is heard widely but mayhaps honor held within oneself is the greater. Treat all fairly, break faith with none, thyself included, and pass no judgment on those you encounter. Remain steadfast in this and your ‘quiet honor’ will shine out to others without needing to be shouted.

Last, but most important. For without it a true Knight cannot be complete, is Compassion for his fellow man. A Knight that tempers his Duty with compassion will find a greater sense of fulfillment in his life. And a Knight who holds his honor up with a compassionate heart will surely be the greatest one of all.

Duty. Honor. Compassion. The Knight that lets these three concepts rule his life shall emerge from the crucible of trial as one deserving the title of a true and selfless Knight. All shall call him Paladin.

A Trip to Kalamazoo

reddragonpub — Sat, 30 May 2009 23:49:40 +0000

On May 29th, I had the honor of giving a presentation at the Henry R. Luce Lecture Series on Complex Systems in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The series was hosted by Dr. Péter Érdi at Kalamazoo College. All of the lectures were very interesting and the range of subject matter highlighted the interdisiplinary nature of the study of complex systems. You can see a list of the lectures here.

According to Dr. Castellani and several others, my presentation was well received and I feel that it went very well (at least, I didn’t have an embolism while presenting – damn stage fright!). My topic was Community Health from a Systems Science Perspective. I’ve uploaded a copy of my powerpoint presentation here if you would like to check it out. As part of the presentation, I showed the audience our residential mobility model that we developed using NetLogo.

All in all, a very cool experience. Presented in front of a large audience and lived, met some really awsome folks that are working on the leading edge of complexity science, and enjoyed some micro-brew beer with my fellow complexity students (you guys Rock!).

wOOt!!

reddragonpub — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:24:44 +0000

May 15, 2009 7:00pm – GRADUATED!!!! Bachelor of Science – Computer Technology with a minor in Sociology.

The Platypus – No, not the animal.

reddragonpub — Tue, 12 May 2009 19:23:12 +0000

The Kent State Ashtabula English Society has published the first issue of their journal, The Platypus. It is a compliation of literary and artistic work by students from the Kent State Ashtabula campus. Being of a literary bent myself, I submitted a short story which has actually become the opening scene for my next book. The folks from the English Society were kind enough to include my story in their excellent journal and I would like to say “Thank You!” to all the folks involved.

The name of the short story is Winds of Evil. And you can read it for yourself HERE. This story has become sort of a prologue for the main story of the book I’m currently working on, which will probably end up being called Winds of Evil as well. This story revisits the land and characters that I created in my first book, The Stone Men.