Yeah...so...apparently only half of my blogs got published when they were supposed to. The others were not. This is why I back up all of my posts in Word. Ha! It's a clever boy. Also, this allowed me to do a bit of on-the-spot editing. Gnarly. Now, there's an interesting word...used in the 80s to mean cool or awesome, but also to be gnarled, as in branches of a tree. Hm.
So, it's snowing right now, I'm putting my portfolio together (which is what prompted me to even look at my blog in the first place), and it's...snowing. Wait, what? Snow? Here? In ElDo? Whoa. Crazy. Also, two of my friends - both a year younger than I am - just got engaged yesterday. Wow. Maybe I'll offer to write something about/for them. I just hope my girlfriend doesn't get any ideas. I need a job first...
Anyway, my other blog posts are up now...totally out of order. The homicide one goes before the crazy editor one, but after the profile piece. This is obviously the last, preceded by the feature article. Thangs, Blogger. Epic fail. Or, maybe it was just where I was posting from...a laundromat that had wifi. Not trusting that place again with important things...
This will probably be the last post on the blog for a while, so stay frosty, friends.
Can't stop the signal.
Monday, December 7, 2009
The Writing Process
So, my writing process is thus:
1. Research. Do a lot of it. It's what the internet is there for.
2. Do more research. See 1.
3. Do some interviews. Use research to determine questions.
4. Start writing.
5. Realize I don't have enough info. Do more interviews.
6. Write more.
7. Edit.
8. Submit.
Pretty simple, but it works. Also, I procrastinate, so all of these are sometimes in two or three days. Yeah. I'm awesome.
1. Research. Do a lot of it. It's what the internet is there for.
2. Do more research. See 1.
3. Do some interviews. Use research to determine questions.
4. Start writing.
5. Realize I don't have enough info. Do more interviews.
6. Write more.
7. Edit.
8. Submit.
Pretty simple, but it works. Also, I procrastinate, so all of these are sometimes in two or three days. Yeah. I'm awesome.
The Homicide
So, the homicide on campus. It's...freaky, to say the least.
Cross-posted to my DeviantArt account:
There was a murder on my campus, and I feel really sad about it, too. The guy who died sounded like he could have been a friend. I don't even know him, but, for really the first time, I care about someone who I never knew and died. And from the sounds of it, it was a case of going in his room at the wrong time. The police were already on their way...
Anyway, that's too depressing to really think about right now. Plus, I had to spend 5 hours in the newsroom researching how media portrays school shootings. I later made a general story out of all the other stories written by the news team.
Just for the blog:
Well, found out we won the Pacemaker Award, meaning that we were awesome in our coverage of the incident. We beat out the likes of Harvard and Princeton. As in, we had the best college newspaper thing in. the. nation.
Also, the general story I did turned into about 1/3 of the front page story. That's awesome.
Cross-posted to my DeviantArt account:
There was a murder on my campus, and I feel really sad about it, too. The guy who died sounded like he could have been a friend. I don't even know him, but, for really the first time, I care about someone who I never knew and died. And from the sounds of it, it was a case of going in his room at the wrong time. The police were already on their way...
Anyway, that's too depressing to really think about right now. Plus, I had to spend 5 hours in the newsroom researching how media portrays school shootings. I later made a general story out of all the other stories written by the news team.
Just for the blog:
Well, found out we won the Pacemaker Award, meaning that we were awesome in our coverage of the incident. We beat out the likes of Harvard and Princeton. As in, we had the best college newspaper thing in. the. nation.
Also, the general story I did turned into about 1/3 of the front page story. That's awesome.
Crazy Editors
Ok, so, I suppose I should post a few blogs for my class other than just the articles.
Anyway, I just wanted to comment on my crazy editor. I won't name her, so let's just call her "C" for "Crazy." I am aware of how highly original this is.
I digress. All I have to say is how crazy she is. She's made some...interesting...edits to my articles. Some of the things she wants me to ask for articles..."What is skydiving?" Really? Really, C? I know that newspapers usually treat their readers as if they know next to nothing, but skydiving? I'm fairly certain anyone who is of reading age knows what skydiving is. Then again, she didn't know what an airport hanger was. And, while I have had a diverse experience of both features and news writing, including an internship at a newspaper, she has only had experience in doing features articles for the newspaper. Her edits make no sense. I realize I seem to be complaining a lot, but I believe that I am justified in the fact that I rely on her to do my job. Also, some of the edits she has made, which affected the content of the story, were things that my EIC wanted included. Go figure.
Anyway, I just wanted to comment on my crazy editor. I won't name her, so let's just call her "C" for "Crazy." I am aware of how highly original this is.
I digress. All I have to say is how crazy she is. She's made some...interesting...edits to my articles. Some of the things she wants me to ask for articles..."What is skydiving?" Really? Really, C? I know that newspapers usually treat their readers as if they know next to nothing, but skydiving? I'm fairly certain anyone who is of reading age knows what skydiving is. Then again, she didn't know what an airport hanger was. And, while I have had a diverse experience of both features and news writing, including an internship at a newspaper, she has only had experience in doing features articles for the newspaper. Her edits make no sense. I realize I seem to be complaining a lot, but I believe that I am justified in the fact that I rely on her to do my job. Also, some of the edits she has made, which affected the content of the story, were things that my EIC wanted included. Go figure.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Feature
Here it is, the draft of the feature article. It needs more people for quotes, but Leidhra gave me awesome ones. Just...need other viewpoints, too. Unfortunately, I didn't really realize QUITE what I wanted to write about until I had started, and two of my interviewees never got back to me. Regardless, this is a pretty good start to an article. I think all I need is to add some things, and I should be solid gold.
________________
Columbine. Footage from overhead of students running out of a building. Shooter Dylan Klebold holding a TEC-9 semi-automatic handgun.
Virginia Tech. A still image of Sueng-Hui Cho holding two handguns to the camera, wearing a combat vest and a hat backwards. The candlelight vigil held to mourn those taken before their time.
There seem to be certain images that people remember from school shootings. Whether it be the perpetrators themselves, students who made daring escapes or images of the aftermath, the events stay in people’s minds for long after they have happened.
On Oct. 21, more images were burned into the minds of Americans as national news broke of the murder of Scott Hawkins, a student at Sacramento State University. Hawkins’ suitemate, Quran Jones, beat him to death with a baseball bat, and then charged campus police with a kitchen knife. Jones was shot three times. Both were rushed to the hospital.
The first photos, taken by Adalto Nascimento, an editor for Sac State’s newspaper, were quickly sent out over the wire via Associated Press. They showed Hawkins’ near-lifeless body being wheeled out on a stretcher. Other photographs soon followed, showing police investigating and students milling about in front of the dormitory.
However, the pictures are only half of the story. The other half is the actual coverage of the event, provided by journalists working around the clock.
Nascimento may have been the first from Sac State’s State Hornet newspaper on the scene, but he was by no means the last.
Soon, reporters were swarming the campus, trying to pry information from police investigators and from school faculty. Many of the reporters on the scene were students, but local news stations and newspapers quickly followed.
Leidhra Johnson, the news editor for the State Hornet, tried to manage reporters rushing in and out of the newsroom.
“As the news editor for the Hornet, covering the shooting was a very surreal experience,” she said. “It was challenging to manage reporters during such chaos. The hardest part was telling them to go out and pry for information while covering such a sensitive topic. For most of the staff, including myself, this was our first time covering such an awful incident. But everyone came together and did a really great job to get the information we needed. We made endless phone calls, spoke with cops and even sent people to the hospital to get statements. We were relentless, which seems weird, but I guess in a way that's what it takes to be a journalist.”
While information was scarce the day of the homicide, information began coming to light the next day.
“The newsroom was a weird combination of chaotic and calm all at the same time,” Johnson said. “I know this doesn't sound logical, but it's true. We were running around like crazy people trying to get the info, yet we were exhausted. We were beyond exhausted. We had couches set up for people to take naps on if needed. Some of us were there all day and night, so the couches were definitely a necessity. Although, most of us couldn't sleep even if we tried.”
While the newspapers normally meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the day after the incident was a Wednesday. Many of the journalists met in the newsroom to plan stories and how to gather information. Walls were covered with poster paper, detailing who was doing what, when updates were expected, what information the budding journalists still needed to get.
Soon, the journalists were able to paint a picture of what could have happened. An interview with another of the suitemates was captured on video by the reporters. Jones’ father was interviewed, as well as Hawkins’ mother. Press conferences were covered. From this, it is believed that Jones, who was looking to have a spiritual experience, tried using the drug Dimethyltryptamine, or DMT, similar to LSD. Judging from a note found in his trash bin, he may have been suicidal. These combined led him to kill his suitemate, Hawkins, when he entered the room, unaware of what was happening to Jones. Although Sac State’s news team has visited the hospital Jones is recovering in, Jones has yet to make any public statement on what has happened.
The pictures of the event entered the collective psyche of not just the university, but the nation.
“I will always think of the pictures and video we got from the day of the incident,” Johnson said. “Of course the photos by Adalto Nascimento will always be vivid in my mind. He was one of the first on the scene and got pictures of Scott Hawkins being carried away on a stretcher. The blood and lifelessness of the body were all too clear in the pictures. These pictures have literally cause nightmares for me.”
The pictures are not the only form of media that were captured, however. Where other school incidents, such as Columbine and Virginia Tech, were captured on security and CCTV feeds, the videos from Sac State’s incident were all taken by reporters, both students and professionals.
“The videos will also haunt me,” Johnson said. “One video in particular was an interview with one of the roommates. At the end of the video, you see it finally hit him. His roommate was killed by his other roommate. In the beginning of the interview, he seemed pretty casual, but in the end, he realizes how awful this event it, and we caught this realization on camera. That will always sick out in my mind, and I think it will stick out to others as well.”
While the homicide and subsequent shooting may be beginning to fade from the public mind, it will stick with the students, Johnson said.
“What do I think people will remember about the shooting? That's a tough one. Unfortunately, I don't know how many people really even think about the shooting. Of course the students that lived in the resident halls at the time will remember it. It wasn't only tragic, but it was also a violation of their comfort within their own temporary homes. I don't know if they will ever feel comfortable again. It's hard to say. As for the student journalists involved in this case, I know we will all remember it. A student was killed. A student was beaten to death by his roommate. Such a senseless death will hunt most of us for years to come, if not forever.”
________________
Columbine. Footage from overhead of students running out of a building. Shooter Dylan Klebold holding a TEC-9 semi-automatic handgun.
Virginia Tech. A still image of Sueng-Hui Cho holding two handguns to the camera, wearing a combat vest and a hat backwards. The candlelight vigil held to mourn those taken before their time.
There seem to be certain images that people remember from school shootings. Whether it be the perpetrators themselves, students who made daring escapes or images of the aftermath, the events stay in people’s minds for long after they have happened.
On Oct. 21, more images were burned into the minds of Americans as national news broke of the murder of Scott Hawkins, a student at Sacramento State University. Hawkins’ suitemate, Quran Jones, beat him to death with a baseball bat, and then charged campus police with a kitchen knife. Jones was shot three times. Both were rushed to the hospital.
The first photos, taken by Adalto Nascimento, an editor for Sac State’s newspaper, were quickly sent out over the wire via Associated Press. They showed Hawkins’ near-lifeless body being wheeled out on a stretcher. Other photographs soon followed, showing police investigating and students milling about in front of the dormitory.
However, the pictures are only half of the story. The other half is the actual coverage of the event, provided by journalists working around the clock.
Nascimento may have been the first from Sac State’s State Hornet newspaper on the scene, but he was by no means the last.
Soon, reporters were swarming the campus, trying to pry information from police investigators and from school faculty. Many of the reporters on the scene were students, but local news stations and newspapers quickly followed.
Leidhra Johnson, the news editor for the State Hornet, tried to manage reporters rushing in and out of the newsroom.
“As the news editor for the Hornet, covering the shooting was a very surreal experience,” she said. “It was challenging to manage reporters during such chaos. The hardest part was telling them to go out and pry for information while covering such a sensitive topic. For most of the staff, including myself, this was our first time covering such an awful incident. But everyone came together and did a really great job to get the information we needed. We made endless phone calls, spoke with cops and even sent people to the hospital to get statements. We were relentless, which seems weird, but I guess in a way that's what it takes to be a journalist.”
While information was scarce the day of the homicide, information began coming to light the next day.
“The newsroom was a weird combination of chaotic and calm all at the same time,” Johnson said. “I know this doesn't sound logical, but it's true. We were running around like crazy people trying to get the info, yet we were exhausted. We were beyond exhausted. We had couches set up for people to take naps on if needed. Some of us were there all day and night, so the couches were definitely a necessity. Although, most of us couldn't sleep even if we tried.”
While the newspapers normally meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the day after the incident was a Wednesday. Many of the journalists met in the newsroom to plan stories and how to gather information. Walls were covered with poster paper, detailing who was doing what, when updates were expected, what information the budding journalists still needed to get.
Soon, the journalists were able to paint a picture of what could have happened. An interview with another of the suitemates was captured on video by the reporters. Jones’ father was interviewed, as well as Hawkins’ mother. Press conferences were covered. From this, it is believed that Jones, who was looking to have a spiritual experience, tried using the drug Dimethyltryptamine, or DMT, similar to LSD. Judging from a note found in his trash bin, he may have been suicidal. These combined led him to kill his suitemate, Hawkins, when he entered the room, unaware of what was happening to Jones. Although Sac State’s news team has visited the hospital Jones is recovering in, Jones has yet to make any public statement on what has happened.
The pictures of the event entered the collective psyche of not just the university, but the nation.
“I will always think of the pictures and video we got from the day of the incident,” Johnson said. “Of course the photos by Adalto Nascimento will always be vivid in my mind. He was one of the first on the scene and got pictures of Scott Hawkins being carried away on a stretcher. The blood and lifelessness of the body were all too clear in the pictures. These pictures have literally cause nightmares for me.”
The pictures are not the only form of media that were captured, however. Where other school incidents, such as Columbine and Virginia Tech, were captured on security and CCTV feeds, the videos from Sac State’s incident were all taken by reporters, both students and professionals.
“The videos will also haunt me,” Johnson said. “One video in particular was an interview with one of the roommates. At the end of the video, you see it finally hit him. His roommate was killed by his other roommate. In the beginning of the interview, he seemed pretty casual, but in the end, he realizes how awful this event it, and we caught this realization on camera. That will always sick out in my mind, and I think it will stick out to others as well.”
While the homicide and subsequent shooting may be beginning to fade from the public mind, it will stick with the students, Johnson said.
“What do I think people will remember about the shooting? That's a tough one. Unfortunately, I don't know how many people really even think about the shooting. Of course the students that lived in the resident halls at the time will remember it. It wasn't only tragic, but it was also a violation of their comfort within their own temporary homes. I don't know if they will ever feel comfortable again. It's hard to say. As for the student journalists involved in this case, I know we will all remember it. A student was killed. A student was beaten to death by his roommate. Such a senseless death will hunt most of us for years to come, if not forever.”
Monday, September 21, 2009
How-to Draft
How to be Polite in an Online Game
With the announcement of the upcoming release of Guild Wars 2, it seems prudent to remind gamers that being polite online is something to be taken for granted. With the veil of online anonymity, many gamers feel they can say and do what they want. This handy how-to guide will teach you to play a Massively Multiplayer Online game and be polite, for either newbies just beginning to join the game, or veterans with all max-level characters.
Let’s assume you have just joined the game and are looking for a group of people to adventure with. Instead of spamming “Looking for Group,” (commonly abbreviated “LFG”), say it once every so often, rather than once a second. Include your class and what you want to do, such as the name of the quest, or that you just want to go and kill things for experience.
Conversely, if you are a veteran who is in a group looking for (GLF or GLF more), if someone wants to join and you don’t need them, explain to them why, especially if they are lower levels. It may be something that you take for granted that they don’t know, such as the dragon easily kills his character class.
You, the newbie, can’t find a group, so you decide the best way to earn money is to beg for it from more experienced players. This, of course, is wrong. The vets have spent their time making their money, so should you. Go and kill low-level enemies. It’s surprising how the money will quickly add up, even if each kill is only 10 gold or less. Vets should remind new players of this, and that all the time wasted begging could be out adventuring, gaining money. The same goes for weapons – go and earn them. It only makes you out to be an annoying player that no one wants to group with if you ask for handouts.
Higher-level players also tend to have a problem with arrogance. They believe that because they are now good at the game, they have the right to ridicule those who have just started. They must remember that they, too, were once new to the game had no idea what they were doing. One player calling another player “newb” out of spite only shows his immaturity.
For both new and old players, remember what you say affects others’ feelings, just as in real life. You may not be able to see the other person, and they may not know who you are, but that does not give you the right to berate, talk down, or make fun of other players. Anger one too many people, or anger the right people, and you may find your account permanently banned from the game. In games where players pay per month, this is not something you want. In the same vein, keep the swearing to a minimum. There may be filters for language, but that does not mean every other word is four letters. People with filters off may not mind swearing, but they do not want to see it all the time.
Finally, if your game has guilds or clans, be sure to act in a mature way to other members. Follow the rules of the group, and don’t whine about trivial things. Everyone laments the nerf that makes their character half as useful, but not that you didn’t get the weapon drop.
Follow these simple rules of MMO conduct, and you will make yourself and others better, more respectful players that others will want to group with.
With the announcement of the upcoming release of Guild Wars 2, it seems prudent to remind gamers that being polite online is something to be taken for granted. With the veil of online anonymity, many gamers feel they can say and do what they want. This handy how-to guide will teach you to play a Massively Multiplayer Online game and be polite, for either newbies just beginning to join the game, or veterans with all max-level characters.
Let’s assume you have just joined the game and are looking for a group of people to adventure with. Instead of spamming “Looking for Group,” (commonly abbreviated “LFG”), say it once every so often, rather than once a second. Include your class and what you want to do, such as the name of the quest, or that you just want to go and kill things for experience.
Conversely, if you are a veteran who is in a group looking for (GLF or GLF more), if someone wants to join and you don’t need them, explain to them why, especially if they are lower levels. It may be something that you take for granted that they don’t know, such as the dragon easily kills his character class.
You, the newbie, can’t find a group, so you decide the best way to earn money is to beg for it from more experienced players. This, of course, is wrong. The vets have spent their time making their money, so should you. Go and kill low-level enemies. It’s surprising how the money will quickly add up, even if each kill is only 10 gold or less. Vets should remind new players of this, and that all the time wasted begging could be out adventuring, gaining money. The same goes for weapons – go and earn them. It only makes you out to be an annoying player that no one wants to group with if you ask for handouts.
Higher-level players also tend to have a problem with arrogance. They believe that because they are now good at the game, they have the right to ridicule those who have just started. They must remember that they, too, were once new to the game had no idea what they were doing. One player calling another player “newb” out of spite only shows his immaturity.
For both new and old players, remember what you say affects others’ feelings, just as in real life. You may not be able to see the other person, and they may not know who you are, but that does not give you the right to berate, talk down, or make fun of other players. Anger one too many people, or anger the right people, and you may find your account permanently banned from the game. In games where players pay per month, this is not something you want. In the same vein, keep the swearing to a minimum. There may be filters for language, but that does not mean every other word is four letters. People with filters off may not mind swearing, but they do not want to see it all the time.
Finally, if your game has guilds or clans, be sure to act in a mature way to other members. Follow the rules of the group, and don’t whine about trivial things. Everyone laments the nerf that makes their character half as useful, but not that you didn’t get the weapon drop.
Follow these simple rules of MMO conduct, and you will make yourself and others better, more respectful players that others will want to group with.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Ok, not the end.
Aaaand I'm back for another class that requires a blog. Wheee!
More to come, very soon.
Can't stop the signal.
More to come, very soon.
Can't stop the signal.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
The End
Well, this is it. The end of the blogs for the class. My swan song, the last hurrah, the fat lady's song.
It's been a pretty fun ride, doing these blogs. I mean, I got kinda writer's blocked at one point, but I think it came out pretty well in the end.
And to think, I'm now halfway through my college career. I graduated from high school two years ago. I thought it was weird seeing a friend graduate last year, what with realizing that I was down there the year before...but two years later now. Time has flown by so fast. High school never seemed to go by this fast. But no, FWOOM, two years of my life, gone. My last day at CSUMB is tomorrow. After that, I will go to Sac State. From there, who knows?
I looked through all of my high school year books a few weekends ago. It's hard to imagine that most of my friends from high school I may never see again. A lot have already fallen out of contact. I don't know where they went to college, how they are doing, what they are doing...life has marched on, me none the wiser. Sure, there is Facebook, and I keep in contact with a lot of people that way...but it's just not the same.
But wow, two years. Where did they go? Two years since I threw my tiny hat in the air, two years since I dropped my ex-girlfriend, two years since I moved out on my own. And so much has happened in between.
But, I digress.
Readers, stay awesome. Be well. Do well in class or in life, if you are graduating. Make me proud to have been your classmate. Good luck.
Can't stop the signal. Can never stop the signal.
We have done the impossible, and that makes us mighty.
It's been a pretty fun ride, doing these blogs. I mean, I got kinda writer's blocked at one point, but I think it came out pretty well in the end.
And to think, I'm now halfway through my college career. I graduated from high school two years ago. I thought it was weird seeing a friend graduate last year, what with realizing that I was down there the year before...but two years later now. Time has flown by so fast. High school never seemed to go by this fast. But no, FWOOM, two years of my life, gone. My last day at CSUMB is tomorrow. After that, I will go to Sac State. From there, who knows?
I looked through all of my high school year books a few weekends ago. It's hard to imagine that most of my friends from high school I may never see again. A lot have already fallen out of contact. I don't know where they went to college, how they are doing, what they are doing...life has marched on, me none the wiser. Sure, there is Facebook, and I keep in contact with a lot of people that way...but it's just not the same.
But wow, two years. Where did they go? Two years since I threw my tiny hat in the air, two years since I dropped my ex-girlfriend, two years since I moved out on my own. And so much has happened in between.
But, I digress.
Readers, stay awesome. Be well. Do well in class or in life, if you are graduating. Make me proud to have been your classmate. Good luck.
Can't stop the signal. Can never stop the signal.
We have done the impossible, and that makes us mighty.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Interwebz
So, I went home yesterday, and the weirdest thing happened.
My girlfriend was freelanced out to a friend of ours online, whom we play the online game Guild Wars with. She worked for about 3 hours, sent him her writing.
Well, to pick up her money, we actually had to meet him.
It was a surreal experience. Someone who I have seen pictures of, but never heard his voice, only seen his avatar and typing online...I met in person. It's so...odd. I've known him for about a year and a half, but finally meeting him, even though he has lived only about an hour away from the college...It's so strange.
I mean, I've had something like that happen, where a friend of my girlfriend's who she had talked to for years decided to drop by while on his trip around the country, that was kinda odd. Showed up at the door with his backpack, after telling us the week before he would be in the area...Surreal. He was a pretty cool guy, though, glad he spent the weekend.
But, back to my friend. He's almost exactly as I pictured him. A middle-aged surfer dude, father of a few girls, pretty laid back. Exactly as I had imagined him in my head.
Anyway, have any of you met anyone you've only known online?
My girlfriend was freelanced out to a friend of ours online, whom we play the online game Guild Wars with. She worked for about 3 hours, sent him her writing.
Well, to pick up her money, we actually had to meet him.
It was a surreal experience. Someone who I have seen pictures of, but never heard his voice, only seen his avatar and typing online...I met in person. It's so...odd. I've known him for about a year and a half, but finally meeting him, even though he has lived only about an hour away from the college...It's so strange.
I mean, I've had something like that happen, where a friend of my girlfriend's who she had talked to for years decided to drop by while on his trip around the country, that was kinda odd. Showed up at the door with his backpack, after telling us the week before he would be in the area...Surreal. He was a pretty cool guy, though, glad he spent the weekend.
But, back to my friend. He's almost exactly as I pictured him. A middle-aged surfer dude, father of a few girls, pretty laid back. Exactly as I had imagined him in my head.
Anyway, have any of you met anyone you've only known online?
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Sac State
So, here it is. I'm finally applying to Sac State. I've become fed up with the state of affairs with HCOM and Journalism here. I mean, I'm not even really getting a degree in journalism here, I'm getting Human Communication with an emphasis in Journalism. At Sac State, I'll get Journalism, period. My girlfriend is going, too, which only serves to sweeten the deal.
My reasons are varied for leaving. First, the new journalism teacher. I'm guessing she is going to edge the current teacher out, something I cannot stand for. That's just not cool, especially since the new teach has spent her entire career inside the classroom, and the old one is an actual journalist still freelance writing for local papers. The decision does not make sense.
Second, the decision for the Otter Realm's Editor in Chief. The person who is going to be it is not bad, per se. She is a pretty good editor. But, I don't think she has the personality to really make the Otter Realm shine. The other candidate who was up for EiC was a better editor (I've worked with both) and has a strong personality, with the potential to lead the paper to greatness. But, she was not picked, because she did not have as much experience in the production aspect. This decision also does not make sense.
So, really, I'm leaving because I'm fed up with how my emphasis is going. I'm sick of the insane administration at this school. I love the weather, I love the beach, I love the size of the dorms, I love my friends whom I rarely get to see anyway...but I won't really miss this place that much. It was a great place for me to go when I was a World Languages and Culture with an Emphasis in Japanese major...but now that I'm in journalism, I want a better education than CSUMB can give me here.
My reasons are varied for leaving. First, the new journalism teacher. I'm guessing she is going to edge the current teacher out, something I cannot stand for. That's just not cool, especially since the new teach has spent her entire career inside the classroom, and the old one is an actual journalist still freelance writing for local papers. The decision does not make sense.
Second, the decision for the Otter Realm's Editor in Chief. The person who is going to be it is not bad, per se. She is a pretty good editor. But, I don't think she has the personality to really make the Otter Realm shine. The other candidate who was up for EiC was a better editor (I've worked with both) and has a strong personality, with the potential to lead the paper to greatness. But, she was not picked, because she did not have as much experience in the production aspect. This decision also does not make sense.
So, really, I'm leaving because I'm fed up with how my emphasis is going. I'm sick of the insane administration at this school. I love the weather, I love the beach, I love the size of the dorms, I love my friends whom I rarely get to see anyway...but I won't really miss this place that much. It was a great place for me to go when I was a World Languages and Culture with an Emphasis in Japanese major...but now that I'm in journalism, I want a better education than CSUMB can give me here.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Television
Ok, so this is spurred on by the fact that our cable on campus has just changed. We went from something like 50 good, quality-signal channels to a little over 100 not-so-good quality channels. But it's free! you say. Yeah, free and horrible quality. Every other channel, most of those the ones I watch, give static audio along with the actual audio to the point where I just can't watch. What's up with that? I'd rather have less channels, better quality. Especially since we now have something like 20 sports channels.
I'm in class (sorry, Professor), and we are talking about six companies that own many, many media outlets. Basically, these six companies own all the major news outlets. What does this mean? They can limit what news is aired, how much time it is given, everything. It limits free speech because, really, that means there are only 6 major opinions spread out over the networks. The audience may not get the entire story if it is just these 6 companies. It's flawed, for sure. We may not get the full story, assuming we get the story at all, or it might be misinformation. Then again, with the whole Swine Flu thing that the media blew WAY out of proportion, milking a disease for ratings...I dunno. If it bleeds, it leads, as we journalists say. Oh, and the whole ZOMG PEOPLE DYING IN MEXICO DUE TO FLU! thing? Yeah, well, how good of medical care does Mexico have? Exactly. What does Mexican water make you do? Exactly. It's no wonder people are dying from a simple flu. It's nothing to go GLOBAL PANDEMIC SWEET MOTHER OF GOD on.
Anyway, that's it for now. Gonna watch a movie in class! Woo! Media!
Can't stop the signal, Mal (prize for someone who can name the quote by next week!)
I'm in class (sorry, Professor), and we are talking about six companies that own many, many media outlets. Basically, these six companies own all the major news outlets. What does this mean? They can limit what news is aired, how much time it is given, everything. It limits free speech because, really, that means there are only 6 major opinions spread out over the networks. The audience may not get the entire story if it is just these 6 companies. It's flawed, for sure. We may not get the full story, assuming we get the story at all, or it might be misinformation. Then again, with the whole Swine Flu thing that the media blew WAY out of proportion, milking a disease for ratings...I dunno. If it bleeds, it leads, as we journalists say. Oh, and the whole ZOMG PEOPLE DYING IN MEXICO DUE TO FLU! thing? Yeah, well, how good of medical care does Mexico have? Exactly. What does Mexican water make you do? Exactly. It's no wonder people are dying from a simple flu. It's nothing to go GLOBAL PANDEMIC SWEET MOTHER OF GOD on.
Anyway, that's it for now. Gonna watch a movie in class! Woo! Media!
Can't stop the signal, Mal (prize for someone who can name the quote by next week!)
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Ok, so, Konami, a pretty big video game company, pulled its recent game, Six Days in Fallujah. It was to basically be a tactical, squad-based shooter, where the protagonist takes the role of a soldier in Fallujah, recreating the feel of what it would be like during the battle. However, because of an uproar from stupid people, Konami has pulled the plug.
Just because it's a video game.
Movies have been made. TV shows could probably be made. Countless books have probably been made. But nooooo, video games are too juvenile to be taken seriously! How could something so important be put in to game form, for entertainment? How cruel to those who lived through it! It's like it's mocking them!
...Ok, really? It's a video game. Movies have been made about Iraq, to little outrage. But when a video game is announced, it's shut down. Konami has already invested millions of dollars into this game, and it actually looked really good. Who says video games cannot be a moving experience? They can be just as emotional as movies; perhaps more so, considering that the player feels they ARE the character. Seriously, Call of Duty 4 was set in Iraq, and it's one of the best-selling games of last year. People claim that when one of the two main characters dies from radiation poisoning after his helicopter crashes as a result of a nuclear bomb going off is one of the most moving experiences they have had. And these are gamers who shoot things in video games! For hours on end! And are portrayed by the media as being heartless!
It just pisses me off that video games are not seen as being serious, as not being able to carry emotion and weight as a movie does.
Anyway, what do you all think, those few who read my blog?
Can't stop the signal, Mal.
Just because it's a video game.
Movies have been made. TV shows could probably be made. Countless books have probably been made. But nooooo, video games are too juvenile to be taken seriously! How could something so important be put in to game form, for entertainment? How cruel to those who lived through it! It's like it's mocking them!
...Ok, really? It's a video game. Movies have been made about Iraq, to little outrage. But when a video game is announced, it's shut down. Konami has already invested millions of dollars into this game, and it actually looked really good. Who says video games cannot be a moving experience? They can be just as emotional as movies; perhaps more so, considering that the player feels they ARE the character. Seriously, Call of Duty 4 was set in Iraq, and it's one of the best-selling games of last year. People claim that when one of the two main characters dies from radiation poisoning after his helicopter crashes as a result of a nuclear bomb going off is one of the most moving experiences they have had. And these are gamers who shoot things in video games! For hours on end! And are portrayed by the media as being heartless!
It just pisses me off that video games are not seen as being serious, as not being able to carry emotion and weight as a movie does.
Anyway, what do you all think, those few who read my blog?
Can't stop the signal, Mal.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
It just makes so little sense...
Ok, so, there's been a rash of killings, specifically shootings, in the nation recently. Whole bunch of them. Immigrants taking classes on becoming citizens, police...all sorts of things. For no reason.
I mean, seriously. Why would you want to kill people who are trying to better themselves? They just want to become citizens and live in America. Good for them! They aren't going to be living here illegally, so more power to them! But then, what police suspect to be a student at the school for citizenship came in and opened fired, killing two receptionists and some students. Why? Why? Did you suddenly realize that America may not be what you thought it was or something? What the hell?
But what really gets me is one that happened yesterday. This guy thought that Obama was going to take away the right to bear arms (...yeah. Don't think so. Constitution and all that). So, what does he do? Locks himself in his mother's house (well, that right there is something), takes some gunz, and has his mother, who has locked herself in her basement, call the the police. Police show up, and the dude is like "OH HAI HEADSHOTS." Two officers go down. One nearby responds to the call, and is shot in the hand. When all is said and done, 100 rounds have been exchanged from the dude and the police, three police are dead, two wounded, and the dude made an EXCELLENT case of WHY GUNS SHOULD BE CONTROLLED. Which was EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS AGAINST. Seriously, dude, did you think that one through? Really? REALLY? To prove your point, you GO AGAINST your own argument? What the hell? That's a huge fallacy, if you ask me.
Now, what WOULD happen if we had gun control? Let's look at Japan, one of two major countries (the other being Brazil) to have major gun control laws. In Japan, there are three groups that have guns. The police, who have handguns that are attached to them via steel cables, hutners, who are allowed to have shotguns, and the Yakuza, who have guns illegally (what would mobsters be without guns, after all?). How often are people killed in Japan because of shootings. Hardly ever. As in, if someone is shot and killed, it's national news. And this includes shootings between gun-running Yakuza. Anyone who is shot.
Whereas, there's probably at least a shooting a day in some major cities in America, and only the big, mass-killings or police slayings make it to the news. In Japan, anything involving a shooting is news, because it never happens. See, people don't need guns to protect themselves, because no one else has guns. Yakuza do, sure, but they only shoot other Yakuza, and they think of themselves as "the people's police" due to their honor code.
It's just crazy.
Anyway, food for thought. I realize that getting the US anywhere near Japan's level of gun control is nigh impossible, but in a perfect world, we wouldn't need guns. Meh. People are stupid.
Can't stop the signal, Mal.
I mean, seriously. Why would you want to kill people who are trying to better themselves? They just want to become citizens and live in America. Good for them! They aren't going to be living here illegally, so more power to them! But then, what police suspect to be a student at the school for citizenship came in and opened fired, killing two receptionists and some students. Why? Why? Did you suddenly realize that America may not be what you thought it was or something? What the hell?
But what really gets me is one that happened yesterday. This guy thought that Obama was going to take away the right to bear arms (...yeah. Don't think so. Constitution and all that). So, what does he do? Locks himself in his mother's house (well, that right there is something), takes some gunz, and has his mother, who has locked herself in her basement, call the the police. Police show up, and the dude is like "OH HAI HEADSHOTS." Two officers go down. One nearby responds to the call, and is shot in the hand. When all is said and done, 100 rounds have been exchanged from the dude and the police, three police are dead, two wounded, and the dude made an EXCELLENT case of WHY GUNS SHOULD BE CONTROLLED. Which was EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS AGAINST. Seriously, dude, did you think that one through? Really? REALLY? To prove your point, you GO AGAINST your own argument? What the hell? That's a huge fallacy, if you ask me.
Now, what WOULD happen if we had gun control? Let's look at Japan, one of two major countries (the other being Brazil) to have major gun control laws. In Japan, there are three groups that have guns. The police, who have handguns that are attached to them via steel cables, hutners, who are allowed to have shotguns, and the Yakuza, who have guns illegally (what would mobsters be without guns, after all?). How often are people killed in Japan because of shootings. Hardly ever. As in, if someone is shot and killed, it's national news. And this includes shootings between gun-running Yakuza. Anyone who is shot.
Whereas, there's probably at least a shooting a day in some major cities in America, and only the big, mass-killings or police slayings make it to the news. In Japan, anything involving a shooting is news, because it never happens. See, people don't need guns to protect themselves, because no one else has guns. Yakuza do, sure, but they only shoot other Yakuza, and they think of themselves as "the people's police" due to their honor code.
It's just crazy.
Anyway, food for thought. I realize that getting the US anywhere near Japan's level of gun control is nigh impossible, but in a perfect world, we wouldn't need guns. Meh. People are stupid.
Can't stop the signal, Mal.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
I need to post more.
I really need to post more, this is for grade, after all.
I don't even know what to write any more.
The only drama in my life is over a stupid person in a videogame. About someone who can't get over the fact that he was called a name. One he deserves, by the way. Oh, and he's a 40 year-old. He really should act his age.
But enough of that. I'd like to keep this a mostly drama-free journal. So, instead, without further ado...
VIDEOGAMES
Woo!
Okay, so, Left 4 Dead should be getting an update soon, which is awesome. It's a great game, although I like co-op better than Versus. Campaign is just so much...more...fun.
Gears of War 2 is also being updated. Now I might get people in Horde that know what they are doing!
Also just got Marvel: Ultimate Alliance for $10. Pretty good game, so far. Think I might use Deadpool instead of Spidey, though...Oh oh, and, total geekgasm over this, UA2 is going to be the Civil War storyline. How awesome is that?
Meh, this topic kinda sucks. I want something thought provoking.
Oh, hey, how about OnLive?
It's this crazy new thing that is "going to revolutionize gaming." Uh huh. Sure. Basically, it's a thing that you hook up to your computer, and either your monitor or TV. Then, connect to the interwebz. Now, it's sorta like Steam. Buy your game online, or even rent it. But, here's the difference...you don't download the game. Instead, it is stored on a server. When you play the game, you send inputs to the server, which creates a video of what you are doing, and then sends it to your monitor/TV. Inputs are read (supposedly) 60 times per second.
Whoa, that sounds great! you say. I'd never need a $3000 gaming PC to play high-end games with all graphics settings on high again because it's played on a server and not my PC! you say. Oh, sure, it sounds great, but you are essentially playing a game online. And playing games online means lag. Lots of lag. Lag. In a single player game. Wut?
Lag in a single player game is utterly absurd. It's stupid and pointless. Online, yeah, I can see how playing with other people might cause lag. But by yourself? No.
Oh, and lest we forget, EVERYTHING is stored on these servers. ISP suddenly decides to kick the bucket for the day, because some wire got cut? Oops! No internet! Which also means, drumroll...no games! Because they aren't on your computer! Major bummer, dude!
So, in short, you can have your OnLive. But when the internet decides to go down for a few hours, and you are bored out of your skull, I'll be on my 360 having fun. Or playing Portal on my PC. Or doing other fun things that you could not do.
Because I'm awesome like that.
Can't stop the signal, Mal.
I don't even know what to write any more.
The only drama in my life is over a stupid person in a videogame. About someone who can't get over the fact that he was called a name. One he deserves, by the way. Oh, and he's a 40 year-old. He really should act his age.
But enough of that. I'd like to keep this a mostly drama-free journal. So, instead, without further ado...
VIDEOGAMES
Woo!
Okay, so, Left 4 Dead should be getting an update soon, which is awesome. It's a great game, although I like co-op better than Versus. Campaign is just so much...more...fun.
Gears of War 2 is also being updated. Now I might get people in Horde that know what they are doing!
Also just got Marvel: Ultimate Alliance for $10. Pretty good game, so far. Think I might use Deadpool instead of Spidey, though...Oh oh, and, total geekgasm over this, UA2 is going to be the Civil War storyline. How awesome is that?
Meh, this topic kinda sucks. I want something thought provoking.
Oh, hey, how about OnLive?
It's this crazy new thing that is "going to revolutionize gaming." Uh huh. Sure. Basically, it's a thing that you hook up to your computer, and either your monitor or TV. Then, connect to the interwebz. Now, it's sorta like Steam. Buy your game online, or even rent it. But, here's the difference...you don't download the game. Instead, it is stored on a server. When you play the game, you send inputs to the server, which creates a video of what you are doing, and then sends it to your monitor/TV. Inputs are read (supposedly) 60 times per second.
Whoa, that sounds great! you say. I'd never need a $3000 gaming PC to play high-end games with all graphics settings on high again because it's played on a server and not my PC! you say. Oh, sure, it sounds great, but you are essentially playing a game online. And playing games online means lag. Lots of lag. Lag. In a single player game. Wut?
Lag in a single player game is utterly absurd. It's stupid and pointless. Online, yeah, I can see how playing with other people might cause lag. But by yourself? No.
Oh, and lest we forget, EVERYTHING is stored on these servers. ISP suddenly decides to kick the bucket for the day, because some wire got cut? Oops! No internet! Which also means, drumroll...no games! Because they aren't on your computer! Major bummer, dude!
So, in short, you can have your OnLive. But when the internet decides to go down for a few hours, and you are bored out of your skull, I'll be on my 360 having fun. Or playing Portal on my PC. Or doing other fun things that you could not do.
Because I'm awesome like that.
Can't stop the signal, Mal.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Random rantings and such
So, you know what sucks? Having to deal with cars for six hours. SIX HOURS. And that's after driving for five hours yesterday, when it should have only been two, maybe two and a half. GRR CARS.
So, changed oil and rotated tires with my father today. For six hours. Had to go to AutoZone twice.
See, we couldn't get a bolt to fit properly in the wheel, since the genius who put in my breaks over at Les Schwab used a 250 psi gun to put the screws on...when they needed at most 115 psi. Stripped the bolt to hell.
And I learned this from a black dude named Gary, who has obviously seen his share of cars. Why does it matter that he is black? Because I love the way black men speak. Case in point, Morgan Freeman. That man could tell me he just murdered my entire family with a chainsaw, and his soothing, smooth, silky voice would STILL calm me down. In fact, Morgan Freeman's voice is who I hear sometimes when I am reading. Anyway, black men can have voices ranging from badass to soothing. I love it. Can't explain why. Just do.
Anyway, yeah. I really should have a point to this post. So. Uh. Gimme a minute here.
...
...
........
Conspiracy theories! There we go!
Ha. Thought of something.
First off, let's talk about...Chem Trails. Because someone on campus pointed to the contrails of a plane that were lingering and was like "Dudes, it's a chem trail..." as she walked by myself, my girlfriend, and a few other couples.
What is a chem trail? SUPPOSEDLY, it's a trail of chemicals that are put out instead of a contrail from an airplane.
Status: DEBUNKED. No such thing. Chemicals don't act like that in the air. Too bad, girly.
Next, Area 51!
Groom Lake, Nevada, a testing site for ultra-top-secret planes. Do they house aliens and things there?
Hell no.
Wait, wha-?
No no, stop, don't look at me like that. They DID house that stuff there (in theory, anyway), but it's been MOVED, to another dried lake bed not far away. Evidence? I watch the goddamn discovery and Sci-Fi channels. Plus, Wiki it. Those theorists over at Wikipedia keep that thing in good condition, considering it is probably monitored 24/7 by the G-men.
How 'bout BLACK HELICOPTERS?!?!
Copters that are top-secret government use only, no identifying marks on them, painted only black. Not even a tail code. Nothing.
Do they exist? I would like to think so, but I can't say I've seen one, so...
Finally, the Bloop. It's Cthulhu, man. There's no other explanation. We have found R'lyeh. Cthulhu Fhtagn.
Either that, or the Nessie migrated. Take your pick.
That's it for now, more to come.
Can't stop the signal, Mal.
So, changed oil and rotated tires with my father today. For six hours. Had to go to AutoZone twice.
See, we couldn't get a bolt to fit properly in the wheel, since the genius who put in my breaks over at Les Schwab used a 250 psi gun to put the screws on...when they needed at most 115 psi. Stripped the bolt to hell.
And I learned this from a black dude named Gary, who has obviously seen his share of cars. Why does it matter that he is black? Because I love the way black men speak. Case in point, Morgan Freeman. That man could tell me he just murdered my entire family with a chainsaw, and his soothing, smooth, silky voice would STILL calm me down. In fact, Morgan Freeman's voice is who I hear sometimes when I am reading. Anyway, black men can have voices ranging from badass to soothing. I love it. Can't explain why. Just do.
Anyway, yeah. I really should have a point to this post. So. Uh. Gimme a minute here.
...
...
........
Conspiracy theories! There we go!
Ha. Thought of something.
First off, let's talk about...Chem Trails. Because someone on campus pointed to the contrails of a plane that were lingering and was like "Dudes, it's a chem trail..." as she walked by myself, my girlfriend, and a few other couples.
What is a chem trail? SUPPOSEDLY, it's a trail of chemicals that are put out instead of a contrail from an airplane.
Status: DEBUNKED. No such thing. Chemicals don't act like that in the air. Too bad, girly.
Next, Area 51!
Groom Lake, Nevada, a testing site for ultra-top-secret planes. Do they house aliens and things there?
Hell no.
Wait, wha-?
No no, stop, don't look at me like that. They DID house that stuff there (in theory, anyway), but it's been MOVED, to another dried lake bed not far away. Evidence? I watch the goddamn discovery and Sci-Fi channels. Plus, Wiki it. Those theorists over at Wikipedia keep that thing in good condition, considering it is probably monitored 24/7 by the G-men.
How 'bout BLACK HELICOPTERS?!?!
Copters that are top-secret government use only, no identifying marks on them, painted only black. Not even a tail code. Nothing.
Do they exist? I would like to think so, but I can't say I've seen one, so...
Finally, the Bloop. It's Cthulhu, man. There's no other explanation. We have found R'lyeh. Cthulhu Fhtagn.
Either that, or the Nessie migrated. Take your pick.
That's it for now, more to come.
Can't stop the signal, Mal.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
The traffic
Wow, the traffic here has been staggering in here as of late.
Wait, was that a tumbleweed? And will someone shut up those crickets?
*sigh* No one has bothered to comment. But, really, what is this but an outlet for creativity, a release? I should not let the fact that no one really reads this to get me down, although I come to my blog with a smile on my face, only to lose it when I see that the total number of comments is still at an amazing 1.
Which gets me to thinking.
Do we do things, take actions, just to please other people? Not even something for ourselves, but to look good for others? Are we conceited? I like to think so, as we even have a term for people who try to please a specific group, "posers." A person who wants to be in the group and tries too hard, so it's to the point where it's obvious that they are just trying to be part of the group, not even for their own pleasure anymore.
Do we really have a need to reach out to others, to gain approval? I know I do. I ask my girlfriend a lot of things, even if I know I don't need her approval, just to have a reaffirmation. Almost as if I doubt myself, but checking with someone else, anyone, makes it OK.
I dunno, maybe it has something to do with group mentality, which I have seen more than my fair share of. People want to feel they belong, especially to a group. The group does things together, travels together, etc. The group I was in freshman year did EVERYTHING together. Homework. Free time. Eating meals. It felt as if I had lost the individual to a machine, as if I was simply a gear or a cog. I was a part of the whole, not independent. Not even thinking.
And then it happened.
The "leader" of our little group attempted to do heinous things, thus creating a large rift in the group. My girlfriend and I broke off from the group. We became individuals again, with our own schedules. Yes, they usually included each other, as couples are wont to do, but they did not revolve around anyone but us. We no longer sought approval, so to speak, from the group to even go to dinner. We began living life on our own terms.
When the group saw this, it realized the fallacy of its own group mentality, that it had stripped the individual for the group (ok, maybe not quite a fallacy, but I like the word, so I'm using it). It was then that the rift was once more cleaved open, breaking the group down further. Half the group is now on our "side" and acting as individuals. The other half are still in a group mentality, doing everything together (one wonders if they even must breath in sync for the sake of the group).
So, what does this this nice story mean?
Pssh, yeah, like I'm just going to spoon-feed it to you. Besides, I was proving a point I already said at the top of this post. Stop being lazy and go back and read it.
That's it for now, see all you people who aren't actually reading next time.
No idea what the next post is going to be about, it'll be a surpriiiiise!
Edit: Fixed a spelling mistake. And I call myself a writer...
Can't stop the signal, Mal.
Wait, was that a tumbleweed? And will someone shut up those crickets?
*sigh* No one has bothered to comment. But, really, what is this but an outlet for creativity, a release? I should not let the fact that no one really reads this to get me down, although I come to my blog with a smile on my face, only to lose it when I see that the total number of comments is still at an amazing 1.
Which gets me to thinking.
Do we do things, take actions, just to please other people? Not even something for ourselves, but to look good for others? Are we conceited? I like to think so, as we even have a term for people who try to please a specific group, "posers." A person who wants to be in the group and tries too hard, so it's to the point where it's obvious that they are just trying to be part of the group, not even for their own pleasure anymore.
Do we really have a need to reach out to others, to gain approval? I know I do. I ask my girlfriend a lot of things, even if I know I don't need her approval, just to have a reaffirmation. Almost as if I doubt myself, but checking with someone else, anyone, makes it OK.
I dunno, maybe it has something to do with group mentality, which I have seen more than my fair share of. People want to feel they belong, especially to a group. The group does things together, travels together, etc. The group I was in freshman year did EVERYTHING together. Homework. Free time. Eating meals. It felt as if I had lost the individual to a machine, as if I was simply a gear or a cog. I was a part of the whole, not independent. Not even thinking.
And then it happened.
The "leader" of our little group attempted to do heinous things, thus creating a large rift in the group. My girlfriend and I broke off from the group. We became individuals again, with our own schedules. Yes, they usually included each other, as couples are wont to do, but they did not revolve around anyone but us. We no longer sought approval, so to speak, from the group to even go to dinner. We began living life on our own terms.
When the group saw this, it realized the fallacy of its own group mentality, that it had stripped the individual for the group (ok, maybe not quite a fallacy, but I like the word, so I'm using it). It was then that the rift was once more cleaved open, breaking the group down further. Half the group is now on our "side" and acting as individuals. The other half are still in a group mentality, doing everything together (one wonders if they even must breath in sync for the sake of the group).
So, what does this this nice story mean?
Pssh, yeah, like I'm just going to spoon-feed it to you. Besides, I was proving a point I already said at the top of this post. Stop being lazy and go back and read it.
That's it for now, see all you people who aren't actually reading next time.
No idea what the next post is going to be about, it'll be a surpriiiiise!
Edit: Fixed a spelling mistake. And I call myself a writer...
Can't stop the signal, Mal.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Secretly Posting
Yet another post about free speech? Where are the technovikings? They are coming up, no worries.
It started with an art project by a man named Frank Warren. It was supposed to be fairly local. Random postcards sent to people or left lying around where others could find them. On the postcard was an invitation. Do you have a secret? If so, send it anonymously to Frank Warren. A simple concept, to be sure. It was just an art project, so it wouldn't matter much if nothing came of it. 4 books and 250,000 postcards later, PostSecret can be deemed a success.
But, you ask, what is it?
It's just what I said - people draw or pull an image or postcard and use that as a background, while they write, type, or use cut-out magazine print to form a deep, dark secret of theirs. There has been rape, betrayal, love lost and found, funny, sad, and moving secrets.
The website for PostSecret can be found here, and it's updated every Sunday. Be warned, there is the occasional nudity (as of today, there is an image from a movie were Kate Winslett appears in the nude - you have been warned.)
Secrets that have been on the website, along with those that have never been seen (Warren obviously receives too many each week to put them all up), have been collected into four books, comprised of an introduction and postcards, with the occasional email thrown in.
Warren is also touring the country, mostly visiting colleges, with an exhibit on both the postcards and how and why people keep secrets.
Also of note, DeviantArt tried to do something similar, to limited success, but was noted as being somewhat of a "copycat." However, for DeviantArt, it being a website where the user uploads their art, the secrets were not just limited to the size of a postcard. Rather, they could be as large as the user wanted.
Either way, this is expression of free speech in its finest form - being able to give away a secret, saying whatever you want, with no repercussions - everything is anonymous.
Also of note, the band All American Rejects used postcards from PostSecret in their music video for "Dirty Little Secret." That's some exposure, right there.
And one more thing...MySpace awarded $10k to PS for their awesomeness and helping society (there is usually a suicide prevention hotline at the bottom of the PS blog, along with a story of someone who used it and thanks PS). They put this towards a suicide prevention society. Yeah, Frank Warren is pretty badass.
Next time...well, I don't know what I'll talk about just yet. Perhaps memes or something.
Can't stop the signal.
It started with an art project by a man named Frank Warren. It was supposed to be fairly local. Random postcards sent to people or left lying around where others could find them. On the postcard was an invitation. Do you have a secret? If so, send it anonymously to Frank Warren. A simple concept, to be sure. It was just an art project, so it wouldn't matter much if nothing came of it. 4 books and 250,000 postcards later, PostSecret can be deemed a success.
But, you ask, what is it?
It's just what I said - people draw or pull an image or postcard and use that as a background, while they write, type, or use cut-out magazine print to form a deep, dark secret of theirs. There has been rape, betrayal, love lost and found, funny, sad, and moving secrets.
The website for PostSecret can be found here, and it's updated every Sunday. Be warned, there is the occasional nudity (as of today, there is an image from a movie were Kate Winslett appears in the nude - you have been warned.)
Secrets that have been on the website, along with those that have never been seen (Warren obviously receives too many each week to put them all up), have been collected into four books, comprised of an introduction and postcards, with the occasional email thrown in.
Warren is also touring the country, mostly visiting colleges, with an exhibit on both the postcards and how and why people keep secrets.
Also of note, DeviantArt tried to do something similar, to limited success, but was noted as being somewhat of a "copycat." However, for DeviantArt, it being a website where the user uploads their art, the secrets were not just limited to the size of a postcard. Rather, they could be as large as the user wanted.
Either way, this is expression of free speech in its finest form - being able to give away a secret, saying whatever you want, with no repercussions - everything is anonymous.
Also of note, the band All American Rejects used postcards from PostSecret in their music video for "Dirty Little Secret." That's some exposure, right there.
And one more thing...MySpace awarded $10k to PS for their awesomeness and helping society (there is usually a suicide prevention hotline at the bottom of the PS blog, along with a story of someone who used it and thanks PS). They put this towards a suicide prevention society. Yeah, Frank Warren is pretty badass.
Next time...well, I don't know what I'll talk about just yet. Perhaps memes or something.
Can't stop the signal.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Blowing Up Parliament is Fun for All Ages!
-
- Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
- The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
- I can think of no reason
- Why the Gunpowder Treason
- Should ever be forgot.
- Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent
- To blow up the King and Parli'ment.
- Three-score barrels of powder below
- To prove old England's overthrow;
- By God's providence he was catch'd
- With a dark lantern and burning match.
- Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.
- Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
- That, my friends, is the Guy Fawkes Rhyme.
Fawkes was subsequently hung for crimes of treason and attempted murder of the King.
That's all well and great, but who cares?
Well, Fawkes and his co-conspirators were all Catholics, and the King and his Parliament cronies were Protestants. They didn't exactly have the most...cordial...of relationships. So, in a desperate attempt to get religious freedom, the Catholics took matters, and gunpowder, into their own hands.
Well, that turned out to be an epic fail.
Guy Fawkes, however, became a cultural icon.
On November 5th every year, Britain celebrates his attempt at free speech (and a bit of anarchy) with fireworks.
In America, he's mostly known as "That V For Vendetta Dude," as V wears a Guy Fawkes mask.
This directly ties in with my last post on Anonymous, as when Anon shows up for protests, many wear Guy Fawkes masks, as they represent everything Anon stands for - free speech with a touch of anarchy.
Hope you all found this informative.
Next time, we will look at PostSecret.
Can't stop the signal.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Anonymous
Anonymous. Who are they? You, me, him, her, us, them? The point is to not know. This allows for freedom to say whatever you want, without retribution (and hey, I named this blog because I'm going to talk about free speech, so here you go). Some abuse it. Others use it wisely.
And then there is the so-called "Internet Hate Machine." The old wave was just a green man, but now they have a face: The Guy Fawkes mask, best known for V's face in V for Vendetta.
Just as V stood up for his rights in the graphic novel and the movie, so is Anonymous, or, as they are known among themselves, Anon, so called for being able to post in certain forums anonymously.
Anon's main target in the fight for free speech is the Church of Scientology (CoS). On January 14, 2008, a video of Tom Cruise talking about how wonderful the CoS is was leaked onto YouTube, whereupon the CoS demanded it be taken down under threats of litagation.
Anon was displeased at the censorship, and so what is known as Project Chanology began. Name after such sites as 4chan.org, popular anonymous-posting forums, the operation began 2 days later, on the 18th.
It began with less than legal means, as Anon is a collective everyday people, including many hackers (or, as the CoS labeled them, "internet terrorists"), although, contrary to popular belief, is not made soley of hackers. Denial of service attacks, which crippled the CoS's local and global websites, were followed by black faxes and prank calls. A video was released to YouTube declaring the mental war on the CoS by Anon. Anon "Google bombed" the search terms "dangerous cult" to have Google display the CoS's main website as the first item shown.
Phase 2 of Project Chanology began on February 2nd, with about 150 protestors standing outside the Orlando, Florida branch of the CoS. This was only the beginning.
On February 10th, starting in Sydney, Austraila (due to the Internation Date Line), more than 7,000 people protested in over 100 cities worldwide, many disguising their faces, in an effort to keep themselves Anonymous. Many wore the aforementioned Guy Fawkes masks. More protests would follow in the coming months.
Finally, Anonymous launched a campaign to stop the CoS from being exempt through taxes, claiming that the "Church" is nothing more than a "cult" and thus is not exempt. During the protest in Sydney, the chant of "Church on the left, cult on the right" rang down the streets, in reference to the CoS's building being next to the Catholic Church.
So, what was Anon fighting for? According to Anon themselves, they fight for religious freedom and against internet censorship, in an attempt to preserve their right to Free Speech.
For more information, go here. Or, here. Ok, maybe not that last one, but it sure was funny, wasn't it?
As Anon says: We are legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us.
Can't stop the signal.
And then there is the so-called "Internet Hate Machine." The old wave was just a green man, but now they have a face: The Guy Fawkes mask, best known for V's face in V for Vendetta.
Just as V stood up for his rights in the graphic novel and the movie, so is Anonymous, or, as they are known among themselves, Anon, so called for being able to post in certain forums anonymously.
Anon's main target in the fight for free speech is the Church of Scientology (CoS). On January 14, 2008, a video of Tom Cruise talking about how wonderful the CoS is was leaked onto YouTube, whereupon the CoS demanded it be taken down under threats of litagation.
Anon was displeased at the censorship, and so what is known as Project Chanology began. Name after such sites as 4chan.org, popular anonymous-posting forums, the operation began 2 days later, on the 18th.
It began with less than legal means, as Anon is a collective everyday people, including many hackers (or, as the CoS labeled them, "internet terrorists"), although, contrary to popular belief, is not made soley of hackers. Denial of service attacks, which crippled the CoS's local and global websites, were followed by black faxes and prank calls. A video was released to YouTube declaring the mental war on the CoS by Anon. Anon "Google bombed" the search terms "dangerous cult" to have Google display the CoS's main website as the first item shown.
Phase 2 of Project Chanology began on February 2nd, with about 150 protestors standing outside the Orlando, Florida branch of the CoS. This was only the beginning.
On February 10th, starting in Sydney, Austraila (due to the Internation Date Line), more than 7,000 people protested in over 100 cities worldwide, many disguising their faces, in an effort to keep themselves Anonymous. Many wore the aforementioned Guy Fawkes masks. More protests would follow in the coming months.
Finally, Anonymous launched a campaign to stop the CoS from being exempt through taxes, claiming that the "Church" is nothing more than a "cult" and thus is not exempt. During the protest in Sydney, the chant of "Church on the left, cult on the right" rang down the streets, in reference to the CoS's building being next to the Catholic Church.
So, what was Anon fighting for? According to Anon themselves, they fight for religious freedom and against internet censorship, in an attempt to preserve their right to Free Speech.
For more information, go here. Or, here. Ok, maybe not that last one, but it sure was funny, wasn't it?
As Anon says: We are legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us.
Can't stop the signal.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
The *REAL* First Post!
Whooo! Alright! Let's get this proverbial party started! Yeahhhh!
Now, to kill the enthusiasm, I'd like to tell you all that we are all doomed. That's right, we are all going to die horrible deaths. How, you may ask?
Jellyfish.
Yes, the denizens of the ocean, jellyfish. Sure, they are scary (having been stung by one), but why, you ask, are we all doomed? That seems silly! Well, yes, perhaps. Until the big reveal.
Big reveal?
Yes. The big reveal. There is a strain of jellyfish that is immortal. See? Told you we are doomed.
Well, ok, not doomed, per se, but we will be outlasted by brainless creatures. That's a comforting thought.
According to National Geographic, the jellyfish are able to reverse their cells to an earlier state. In other words, the cells themselves change. Nerve cells can become muscle, etc. In that way, the jellyfish reverts itself to a polyp colony, the first stage of the jellyfish. From there, it asexually reproduces - no need for a partner. From there, the polyp colony spawns hundreds of genetically identical jellyfish.
And it continues to do this, over, and over, and over.
There is good news, though, friends and readers:
The jellyfish is as big as your pinky finger's nail.
So, in short, we are all going to be outlived by a race of small, genetically identical blobs of goo.
To arms, readers! Death to the immortal jellyfish of doooooom!
...Well, ok, maybe not, but it sure sounded funny, didn't it?
Also, I'd like to point out the irony in the picture and title of this blog. This blog is meant for my free speech class, and so I'll try to throw as much free speech-y-ness into the posts as possible. The irony, you ask? Well, look at the picture of the Almighty Technoviking. It says "Obey." Free Speech. Obey. Geddit? It's not free speech. Anyway, yeah. I'll post funny links (along with my highly satirical look at them), interesting articles and the like. I'll be sure to point out the shreds of truth in between my satire (I kind of have to, but it's probably for the best, anyway).
In the next post, we shall talk about Anonymous. See you then!
Can't Stop The Signal.
Now, to kill the enthusiasm, I'd like to tell you all that we are all doomed. That's right, we are all going to die horrible deaths. How, you may ask?
Jellyfish.
Yes, the denizens of the ocean, jellyfish. Sure, they are scary (having been stung by one), but why, you ask, are we all doomed? That seems silly! Well, yes, perhaps. Until the big reveal.
Big reveal?
Yes. The big reveal. There is a strain of jellyfish that is immortal. See? Told you we are doomed.
Well, ok, not doomed, per se, but we will be outlasted by brainless creatures. That's a comforting thought.
According to National Geographic, the jellyfish are able to reverse their cells to an earlier state. In other words, the cells themselves change. Nerve cells can become muscle, etc. In that way, the jellyfish reverts itself to a polyp colony, the first stage of the jellyfish. From there, it asexually reproduces - no need for a partner. From there, the polyp colony spawns hundreds of genetically identical jellyfish.
And it continues to do this, over, and over, and over.
There is good news, though, friends and readers:
The jellyfish is as big as your pinky finger's nail.
So, in short, we are all going to be outlived by a race of small, genetically identical blobs of goo.
To arms, readers! Death to the immortal jellyfish of doooooom!
...Well, ok, maybe not, but it sure sounded funny, didn't it?
Also, I'd like to point out the irony in the picture and title of this blog. This blog is meant for my free speech class, and so I'll try to throw as much free speech-y-ness into the posts as possible. The irony, you ask? Well, look at the picture of the Almighty Technoviking. It says "Obey." Free Speech. Obey. Geddit? It's not free speech. Anyway, yeah. I'll post funny links (along with my highly satirical look at them), interesting articles and the like. I'll be sure to point out the shreds of truth in between my satire (I kind of have to, but it's probably for the best, anyway).
In the next post, we shall talk about Anonymous. See you then!
Can't Stop The Signal.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Welcome
This is just a post to hold the place of this blog until it is needed later today...or next week...or...something. TBD.
Welcome, anyway.
Welcome, anyway.
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