Most likely, I will. Blogging actually semi-ensures that something I write and publish has the potential to be read somewhere. I have a livejournal.com that I used to be fairly routine with, but eventually lost speed with. But I want to keep writing, because it certainly keeps me sharp and in tune with my style.
So, there were some ups and downs with the class. The best part would have to be gaining an insider's look on journalism as a business. It is a money making industry, and we should be aware of that. Knowing how certain things operate and why were incredibly helpful and interesting.
On the other hand, I didn't choose the class to know the business ends of journalism. I wanted to learn about newspaper design. Even webzine, magazine, any zine design would have been cool to learn about.
One improvement I would suggest is to have a particular aim with the course. It seems it jumps around too many topics to understand. I wasn't sure if this was mostly blogging - which could be done, essentially, as an online course - or business. If it were clearly defined when selecting the class, I think preparation and attitude towards the coursework would be different. Atleast then students would know what they were getting in.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Bigger, Stronger, Faster ... OK, just Web 2.0
While our generation grew up and with certain technological facets of the internet, Tim O'Reilly simply gave it a name. To him and his colleages, this vast progression of the online platform is a new frontier that's being discovered. To us, it's simply things we have grown accustomed to.
Web 2.0 refers to the internet as a platform, which allows users to utilize application in a browser alone. O'Reilly coined the term in a series of conferences outlining the second-generation of web-based services, and has since been widely adopted by many.
Although there are no physical and technological improvements made to the internet, Web 2.0 does suggest that there is an significant change. This is true, being that much of the world is slowly becoming a complete digitally sound society. Everything can be found on the internet, and Web 2.0 covers much of the basics that have risen over the past years. Podcasts, iTunes music store, and social networking sites such as MySpace and craigslist are all on the forefront of the progression. More websites are slowly turning towards Ajax and Flash to enhance user experience. Also, webloging is another part of the Web 2.0 catalog of awesome.
What this means to us is ... well, I suppose not a whole lot. On one hand, yes, it completely changes the way we're starting to approach things. It's been embedded into our heads that conventional methods such as going out to stores (vs. Amazon.com) or picking up the new Arcade Fire cd (vs. iTunes store) are the ways to go... thanks to mom and dad, of course. But more importantly, it shows us that all the money to be made will eventually be found online. With mass-communication efforts (video conferencing/email) relying predominataly on the internet, businesses will be adopting pure digital based operations in the near future. I sat in on a Open House forum at MTV yesterday, and a recruiter said that if we could dip into anything digital (Digital Media, television, production, etc.) , DO IT! That is wear the trend is headed.
On the flip side ... it may not affect us that whole much. This is because many of these Web 2.0 aspects have grown and developed with is. Our parents had to learn about computer technology, while we've been raised on it. Amazon and iTunes aren't taboo, but legitimate first-hand places to go for products and music. Many of the facets of Web 2.0 are our generations commonalities. So, it's not so much identifying it as a rising phenomenon and adjusting to it. Rather, it's a matter of fine tuning what we've already been familiar with, and see how to apply it to work.
Web 2.0 refers to the internet as a platform, which allows users to utilize application in a browser alone. O'Reilly coined the term in a series of conferences outlining the second-generation of web-based services, and has since been widely adopted by many.
Although there are no physical and technological improvements made to the internet, Web 2.0 does suggest that there is an significant change. This is true, being that much of the world is slowly becoming a complete digitally sound society. Everything can be found on the internet, and Web 2.0 covers much of the basics that have risen over the past years. Podcasts, iTunes music store, and social networking sites such as MySpace and craigslist are all on the forefront of the progression. More websites are slowly turning towards Ajax and Flash to enhance user experience. Also, webloging is another part of the Web 2.0 catalog of awesome.
What this means to us is ... well, I suppose not a whole lot. On one hand, yes, it completely changes the way we're starting to approach things. It's been embedded into our heads that conventional methods such as going out to stores (vs. Amazon.com) or picking up the new Arcade Fire cd (vs. iTunes store) are the ways to go... thanks to mom and dad, of course. But more importantly, it shows us that all the money to be made will eventually be found online. With mass-communication efforts (video conferencing/email) relying predominataly on the internet, businesses will be adopting pure digital based operations in the near future. I sat in on a Open House forum at MTV yesterday, and a recruiter said that if we could dip into anything digital (Digital Media, television, production, etc.) , DO IT! That is wear the trend is headed.
On the flip side ... it may not affect us that whole much. This is because many of these Web 2.0 aspects have grown and developed with is. Our parents had to learn about computer technology, while we've been raised on it. Amazon and iTunes aren't taboo, but legitimate first-hand places to go for products and music. Many of the facets of Web 2.0 are our generations commonalities. So, it's not so much identifying it as a rising phenomenon and adjusting to it. Rather, it's a matter of fine tuning what we've already been familiar with, and see how to apply it to work.
Monday, April 9, 2007
So I've been interning at URGE digital music at MTV since January. This is my second to last day here at good ole' 1515 Broadway in Times Square.
The number one question people ask : Have you seen any famous people?
The number one response: No, I haven't.
The number two response: But if I ever see Gideon Yago, I'm going to punch him right in the throat.
But, that ends today ... rather dispointingly.
I'm talking on my phone at my desk, where I can see over my cube the conference room where some interviews take place. I look up, and out walks out this guy that looks familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Then, it hits me:
This bucket of sunshine, Tim McElrath - lead singer of Rise Against, is who I saw.
I waited 15 weeks, and all I get is that? What a rip off!
The number one question people ask : Have you seen any famous people?
The number one response: No, I haven't.
The number two response: But if I ever see Gideon Yago, I'm going to punch him right in the throat.
But, that ends today ... rather dispointingly.
I'm talking on my phone at my desk, where I can see over my cube the conference room where some interviews take place. I look up, and out walks out this guy that looks familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Then, it hits me:
This bucket of sunshine, Tim McElrath - lead singer of Rise Against, is who I saw.
I waited 15 weeks, and all I get is that? What a rip off!
Whether the weather
Two websites that do two jobs of lying to us. The weather predications are never right, but that's an angry rant for another time.
Accuweather and Weather.com have similar tools for people to use to get the "weather". One similarity is the use of straight-to-mobile updates, where forecasts and changes are sent to a person's cell/pda/whathaveyou routinely. Also, they both have fields where users can enter in their city name or zip code to get direct local readings. National weather is also listed on the main sites as well. Both offer video feeds, incase reading becomes too tedious.
Now, the differences. Accuweather is definitely the more content-driven weather site. There is significantly more text, news, etc. on their site then weather.com. You can also view a more indepth map that gives cold front, snow, rain tracking, and can zoom in on any point of the map.
Weather.com, on the other hand, follows the KISS method, and it's open, spacious design makes it incredibly user friendly. The site also links up with CNN.com, yahoo, and (naturally) the Weather channel, transcending other facets of media as well.
Still, Lewis Black said it best: when you want to know what the weather's like, stick you're hand out a window, and when you want to know what the temperature is, drive by a bank.
Accuweather and Weather.com have similar tools for people to use to get the "weather". One similarity is the use of straight-to-mobile updates, where forecasts and changes are sent to a person's cell/pda/whathaveyou routinely. Also, they both have fields where users can enter in their city name or zip code to get direct local readings. National weather is also listed on the main sites as well. Both offer video feeds, incase reading becomes too tedious.
Now, the differences. Accuweather is definitely the more content-driven weather site. There is significantly more text, news, etc. on their site then weather.com. You can also view a more indepth map that gives cold front, snow, rain tracking, and can zoom in on any point of the map.
Weather.com, on the other hand, follows the KISS method, and it's open, spacious design makes it incredibly user friendly. The site also links up with CNN.com, yahoo, and (naturally) the Weather channel, transcending other facets of media as well.
Still, Lewis Black said it best: when you want to know what the weather's like, stick you're hand out a window, and when you want to know what the temperature is, drive by a bank.
Monday, April 2, 2007
A Long (But Brief in context) Piece on The Beatles
Main Piece:
Writers, rock-stars, cultural revolutionaries? These are just a few of the countless words that describe The Beatles, one of the most famous bands to grace the world of music and art. The lads from Liverpool, England are recognized as the best-selling act in America, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Rolling Stone named one of their albums as the Top 100 Greatest album of all time, amongst several of their earlier recordings. In a career that lasted less than ten years, The Beatles established, redefined, and changed music competely, and has impacted the world in ways far beyond their songs.
Formation and Hamburg
Pictured : Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison - The Hamburg Era
Like many Merseyside and Liverpool bands of the time, Paul McCartney and John Lennon were inspired by '50s style skiffle and early pop-rock acts such as Little Richard and Buddy Holly. Initially, Lennon had his own group, called "The Quarrymen", playing local block parties and small venues. It was at a small concert at St. Peter's Church in 1957 where the two would meet. After McCartney impressed a skeptical Lennon by blazing through songs which not only he could not play, but also playing it backwards (Paul is a left-handed musician), the two joined forces. McCartney did some extra recruiting of his own, bringing in a significantly younger George Harrison, who had met while riding the bus to their shared Liverpool Institute, and Pete Best, a drummer he had seen play at a West Derby club called The Casbah.
Pete Best
In need of a bass player, Lennon brough on Stuart Sutclife, his best friend and roommate at the art school he was attending. Although not being on the same skill level as the others in the band, he was an important member of the group's early beginnings in Hamburg, Germany, where they had a opening slot at several clubs over the course of the year.
Spending several on-and-off years performing in Hamburg clubs, the Beatles decided to return to Liverpool to pursue further ambitions. Sutcliffe decided to stay behind, having met and married to Astrid Kirchherr, and would lead to McCartney's switch to bass. Upon arriving back to England, the Beatles went through many changes. They would meet Brian Epstein, a manager of local talent, at one of their lunchtime performances at The Cavern Club. He would later prove to be one of the most influential people on the Beatle's career. More importantly, it was Epstein who would dismiss Pete Best from the band (claiming he was not the ideal drummer for the group), and bring in the acclaimed best Merseyside drummer: Ringo Starr
Break-Out and Beatle Mania
Cover of Beatles' first album, "Please Please Me", as well a Best Of
With the roster set and a recording contract with EMI in place, the Beatles entered the studio with George Martin, recording their first album "Please Please Me", which featured their first number 1 hit of the same name. Initially
the album received little attention, until the groups first televised appearance on a Manchester program called "People and Places" in 1962. After this event, Beatlemania officially hit the UK, flooding radios with requests for the group's hits, such as "Love Me Do", and "From Me to You". Establishing much credibility in the UK, the boys set their sites on a large prize that many British bands sought to conquer: America. Running into problems releasing their homeland singles, Epstein arranged a recording deal with Capitol Records, in which the Beatles recorded their US break through hit, "I Want to Hold Your Hand". The Beatles would later fly into JFK International Airport to a massive crowd, who like the rest of the country had been teased through radio play of the single, as well as "She Loves You". The lads from Liverpool made their first US debut on television in 1964 on the Ed Sullivan Show, performing "All My Loving", "Till There Was You", and "She Loves You" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand".
Evolution and Endings
One of two albums that marked early changes in the Beatles style, Revovler (pictured) and Rubber Soul took the group out of their rooted skiffle brand music into alternate ventures
Riding the wave of popularity in both the UK and the US, the Beatles went on to film two feature movies, record three albums, and tour extensively. However, the most notable shift in musical stylings came from the release of "Rubber Soul" in '65, and "Revolver" in '66. In the video documentary "The Beatles Anthology", critics and friends of the band agreed that the two could have merged into one album, being in such close musical proximity of each other. The Beatles took a much different approach, incorporating many different instruments such as horns, strings, and a sitar, which Harrison had picked up after being introduced to one on the set of "Help!". The music was notably different, not withstanding to it's previous all-cheery tones. Afterwards, the Beatles would embark on their last tour, after comments John Lennon made to the media, and a rather disasterous tour abroad and in the US.
The Beatles at Candlestick Park, San Fransico, their last tour date of their careers
What proceeded was a redefinition of their musical endeavors. McCartney said in an interview that in order to grow as musicians and artists, they would need to return to the studio and practice and hone their crafts. The result:
Sgt. Peppers was a response to the Beach Boys album "Pet Sounds" and notably the first album that demonstrated the Beatles flair for experimental musicianship, and creativity for not only style but song writing. Following Sgt. Peppers came albums of similar natures, such as "Magical Mystery Tour" ,"White Album" and "Yellow Submarine". The Beatles continued making studio albums, but not touring. However, they continuted to do promotional video recordings for their fans worldwide, which outlined one of the early benefits of music videos. They also participated in the first international telecast in 1967, following in their spirituality and world peace sentiments:
Breakdowns amongst the bands, stemming from personal problems to creativity issues added to tensions circulating in the band. Lennon remarried Yoko Ono, an avant garde artist from New York, which significantly sent ripples through the inter-band relationship. The two were inseparable, and often absent from recording sessions all together. Lennon directed his musical endeavors towards activist issues, specifically dealing with war and peace. Tumultuously , the band were abled to record "Abbey Road", which often only featured part of the band recording at once. The band officially split up April 10th, 1970. Their last released album, "Let it Be", featured recordings done before Abbey Road at the Twickenham Studio sessions.
One of the pictures from the last Beatles photograph session
Sidebar : Beatles Greatest Songs
The music of the Beatles are unquestionably timeless. Many of today's top recording artists, as well as others, credit the Beatles as a main source of inspiration for their song writing. Each member of the band brought in their distinctive skills into one cohesive band:
Paul McCartney is a brilliant song-writer, crafting many of the Beatles more poppy tunes such as "All My Loving", "When I'm 64", and "We Can Work It Out". His style of playing brought out the dynamics and sound of the bass that warranted it's exposure as an important instrument of the band. Many of his songs written with simple intricacy, following clever rhyming patterns and imagery. But, as the video clips below will prove, even if a song is simple, it's true calibar is measured on how it moves people:
Ringo Starr is the backbone of the Beatles. A left-handed player who plays on a right-handed kit, he created new fills designed from off-hand entry strokes. His playing embodies emotion, and he's one of few drummers that you can feel that through his performance. Any others who need convincing should listen to "A Day in the Life", where his stellar drumming shines through. Contributing his own original songs to the Beatles, "Octopus' Garden" and "Matchbox" are classic songs that fans recognize as the drummer's own. However, drumming is not the only skill that Starr has brought to the Beatle's table:
Little really needs to be said about the contributions made by the genius of John Lennon. As one half of the Beatle's, and music's most important song writing duo, his style has always been incredibly passionate and original. His vividly detailed imagery in his lyrics are coupled fantastically through his dreamy, following voice. In the biography written by his first wife, Cynthia, she stated that Lennon had problems expressing himself outside of his music. Clearly, songs like "In My Life", "Help!", and "Across the Universe" give listeners a clear window look into his very soul. One of his most notable attributes as an artist is his ability to transcend the norms, and create masterful pieces of music that stand on a platform of their own:
George Harrison was the essential icing on the Beatles cake. His expert handle of the guitar gave Beatles songs such as "Let it Be", "And Your Bird Can Sing" and "Norweign Wood" (sitar) the very sound that makes it memorable. Although never allowed to shine through as a dominant song writer, Harrison's contributions are undeniably distinctive amongst Lennon/McCartney songs, and remain as fan favorites:
Links : Places to visit for the Beatles
Turn Me On Dead Man: Website the discusses a rumor/hoax/theory that Paul McCartney was killed in a car accident in the mid '60s, and how the band managed to continue touring and recording. A definate place for conspiracy theorists.
The Beatles Official Website: The starting point for everything Beatles. Gives facts and album information about the lads, including interviews, podcasts, and more.
The Beatles Internet Album: Fan created site that gives more in-depth information on albums and releases put out by the Beatles.
YouTube: Almost every essential Beatles performance, music video, and interview can be found by searching this site. Use it to search for each Beatles individual contribution as well.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
As Bacon from Lock Stock has said before ...
...If you can't see value here today you're not up here shopping, you're up here shoplifting.
Check this hot item out!
Fight the menaces of deep space with your very own Buzz Lightyear action figure! He talks, he walks (if you move his legs in a walking motion), and most of all, he's Buzz effin Lightyear. Why not? Buy him today!
Check this hot item out!
Fight the menaces of deep space with your very own Buzz Lightyear action figure! He talks, he walks (if you move his legs in a walking motion), and most of all, he's Buzz effin Lightyear. Why not? Buy him today!
Monday, March 26, 2007
Blufftontoday, money tomorrow.
Not for nothing: Bluffton today is the best website we've been forced to visit this semester.
It's an interesting piece of money-making technology that I actually am very interested in (HINT: I registered with the site, and hope to blog as often as I can). There are many ways that the site makes money:
First, and probably most blah, is the ads. They're everywhere, which is typical of this type of site, amongst others. One notable piece of ad-throat-stuffing is this non-pop-up popup, which does not register as a new window, but as a free floating image (or whatever it may be). I'm guessing even if you click the "close" button on the upper right hand corner of the image, it's still registering it as a view/interaction, and the site gets paid off it. Clever clever.
Secondly, and most important, is it's user interactivity. This is a major driving point of what the site has to offer. There are so many cool features on this site that make the user actually want to contribute. The first thing I noticed was the masthead photo of the mainpage: provided and created by a user registered with the site. That is an awesome part of Blufftontoday.com. The ability to take my own personal photo, and have it welcome users to the site. Secondly, user blogs, separated in catagories "community", "expert" and "staff", are directly posted in an easy to read, photo-enhanced (when supplied by blogger) portion of the site. Isn't that the appeal of wanting to become a journalist/writer : have your work read by others? This way, it's right there for people to look at. Simple.
Another portion that is really interesting is that Bluffton owns the rights to the blogs, and can choose to use them for print newspaper. This is good, and bad. For starters, a person's blog, which could include an informed rant on why you should steam vegetables rather than boil, can wind up on the front page of the Health section of the newspaper, forever immortalized (a bit overdramatic, I know) in print. Now, you don't have to professional journalists to be print published. However, on the flip side of the same coin, Bluffton owns the rights to your blogs, your personal blogs. Even if you don't want it to be published in print, they still can. Plus, they make money off of it, and you don't see a dime. This is another way the site/paper makes money: a significant amount of user-generated content.
This site differs from others in style. It's a lot simpler in shape and form, and does not rely heavily on multimedia and their own created images. rather, most of the content and reason to come to the site is to read what others in the community have to say. Bluffton is a great site, with great potential.
It's an interesting piece of money-making technology that I actually am very interested in (HINT: I registered with the site, and hope to blog as often as I can). There are many ways that the site makes money:
First, and probably most blah, is the ads. They're everywhere, which is typical of this type of site, amongst others. One notable piece of ad-throat-stuffing is this non-pop-up popup, which does not register as a new window, but as a free floating image (or whatever it may be). I'm guessing even if you click the "close" button on the upper right hand corner of the image, it's still registering it as a view/interaction, and the site gets paid off it. Clever clever.
Secondly, and most important, is it's user interactivity. This is a major driving point of what the site has to offer. There are so many cool features on this site that make the user actually want to contribute. The first thing I noticed was the masthead photo of the mainpage: provided and created by a user registered with the site. That is an awesome part of Blufftontoday.com. The ability to take my own personal photo, and have it welcome users to the site. Secondly, user blogs, separated in catagories "community", "expert" and "staff", are directly posted in an easy to read, photo-enhanced (when supplied by blogger) portion of the site. Isn't that the appeal of wanting to become a journalist/writer : have your work read by others? This way, it's right there for people to look at. Simple.
Another portion that is really interesting is that Bluffton owns the rights to the blogs, and can choose to use them for print newspaper. This is good, and bad. For starters, a person's blog, which could include an informed rant on why you should steam vegetables rather than boil, can wind up on the front page of the Health section of the newspaper, forever immortalized (a bit overdramatic, I know) in print. Now, you don't have to professional journalists to be print published. However, on the flip side of the same coin, Bluffton owns the rights to your blogs, your personal blogs. Even if you don't want it to be published in print, they still can. Plus, they make money off of it, and you don't see a dime. This is another way the site/paper makes money: a significant amount of user-generated content.
This site differs from others in style. It's a lot simpler in shape and form, and does not rely heavily on multimedia and their own created images. rather, most of the content and reason to come to the site is to read what others in the community have to say. Bluffton is a great site, with great potential.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Honk if you love lists!
::beep beep::
This list are four YouTube reasons why we, as a society of people, are going straight to hell. No judgement day, no attonement for sin. Straight up Satan and Saddam house party.
FOX News Challenges You ... You Moron:
The first, but certainly not the last appearance, on this list is brought to you by none other than FOX News. Not only do they have God fearing, Gay marriage debating, Red State parading believing that they will take them to the journalistic etopian promised land; they've dropped all subtlities and said that yes, you, average American, are dumber than a fifth grader. And who better to host the show than the comedy world's local slack jawed idiot: Jeff Foxworthy. Well slap my ass and call me a rootin' tootin' brain dead dummy. If you're still happy that Jeff Foxworthy is alive, you might be a red neck.
And God will Strike down upon thee with Greased Lighting:
If there was any indication that our fellow man has completely detached from reality, this has to be the red flag, with ten spotlights flashing brightly on it's crimson fury, while a man with a bullhorn is screaming "Fire! Rape! FIRE! RAPE", and shoots a firey flare on the flag, sending it into a blaze of glory. DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT watch the entire clip, or you may just have an aneurysm and bite the big one right where you sit. The only chance of redemption is to parade Trekkies and people who think the Lord of the Rings is real right in front of the contestants, only to mock them on the fact that they will score more times than those greased idiots will after this travesty.
Anna Nicole Smith will not DIE!:
As floods and floods of new Anna Nicole Smith comes in, and new developments are in constant blah blah blah NO MORE! PLEASE NO MORE! Are we looking at the same video just an inch above this text? She's dead, but she's not? How messed up of a concept is that? And nobody cares about the baby, because everyone who remotely knows the track record of Anna Nicole Smith, that kid was doomed from the start. Jeez!
Now this is satire ... FOXIFIED!:
Just because you probably don't believe that a producer, tv crew, camera men, and their respective families posing as a pseudo live audience would actually put together 30 minutes of pure bullshit. FOX News doesn't understand the common thread between themselves, and their conservative audience: THEY AREN'T FUNNY! How is it possible to bomb this bad with a laugh track? If you listen carefully, there's a faint voice in the recycled track in the background that says, "man, this sucks." Imagine the brainstorming session that goes on behind the scenes at the "1/2 Hour News Hour", all the painstaking effort and craft that goes into the "gay penguin" punchline, or the genius pen stroke of the "BO Magazine" sketch. It brings a tear to my eye, that finally, republicans humble the bullying left with a barrage of carefully delivered zingers to finely attuned laugh track editing.
Welcome to the apocolypse folks.
This list are four YouTube reasons why we, as a society of people, are going straight to hell. No judgement day, no attonement for sin. Straight up Satan and Saddam house party.
FOX News Challenges You ... You Moron:
The first, but certainly not the last appearance, on this list is brought to you by none other than FOX News. Not only do they have God fearing, Gay marriage debating, Red State parading believing that they will take them to the journalistic etopian promised land; they've dropped all subtlities and said that yes, you, average American, are dumber than a fifth grader. And who better to host the show than the comedy world's local slack jawed idiot: Jeff Foxworthy. Well slap my ass and call me a rootin' tootin' brain dead dummy. If you're still happy that Jeff Foxworthy is alive, you might be a red neck.
And God will Strike down upon thee with Greased Lighting:
If there was any indication that our fellow man has completely detached from reality, this has to be the red flag, with ten spotlights flashing brightly on it's crimson fury, while a man with a bullhorn is screaming "Fire! Rape! FIRE! RAPE", and shoots a firey flare on the flag, sending it into a blaze of glory. DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT watch the entire clip, or you may just have an aneurysm and bite the big one right where you sit. The only chance of redemption is to parade Trekkies and people who think the Lord of the Rings is real right in front of the contestants, only to mock them on the fact that they will score more times than those greased idiots will after this travesty.
Anna Nicole Smith will not DIE!:
As floods and floods of new Anna Nicole Smith comes in, and new developments are in constant blah blah blah NO MORE! PLEASE NO MORE! Are we looking at the same video just an inch above this text? She's dead, but she's not? How messed up of a concept is that? And nobody cares about the baby, because everyone who remotely knows the track record of Anna Nicole Smith, that kid was doomed from the start. Jeez!
Now this is satire ... FOXIFIED!:
Just because you probably don't believe that a producer, tv crew, camera men, and their respective families posing as a pseudo live audience would actually put together 30 minutes of pure bullshit. FOX News doesn't understand the common thread between themselves, and their conservative audience: THEY AREN'T FUNNY! How is it possible to bomb this bad with a laugh track? If you listen carefully, there's a faint voice in the recycled track in the background that says, "man, this sucks." Imagine the brainstorming session that goes on behind the scenes at the "1/2 Hour News Hour", all the painstaking effort and craft that goes into the "gay penguin" punchline, or the genius pen stroke of the "BO Magazine" sketch. It brings a tear to my eye, that finally, republicans humble the bullying left with a barrage of carefully delivered zingers to finely attuned laugh track editing.
Welcome to the apocolypse folks.
LJWorld.com
If you like bland, boring layout design, then I've got news for you loyal blog readers: LJWorld.com is you're tropical paradise. I'm not sure if the particular aim of the assignment was to find that there isn't any solid multimedia use by the mainsite (though lawrence.com is heavily dependent on different multimedias), it's virtually inexistant.
For starters, you cannot access any online content without registering with the website. Atleast in the case of the New York Times they give you a little sample of what you'd be reading.
Then, after registering (which I already can't stand to do in the first place), the articles are still inexcessable. Perhaps I caught LJWorld.com at a bad time. In any case, the inconveince to register already would turn away anyone who is not interested in being hassled. It's like the people at the register at a Compact Disc World forcing free magazine subscriptions on you when you're making a purchase with a credit card (I know, because I'm quite a pusher at my job).
For starters, you cannot access any online content without registering with the website. Atleast in the case of the New York Times they give you a little sample of what you'd be reading.
Then, after registering (which I already can't stand to do in the first place), the articles are still inexcessable. Perhaps I caught LJWorld.com at a bad time. In any case, the inconveince to register already would turn away anyone who is not interested in being hassled. It's like the people at the register at a Compact Disc World forcing free magazine subscriptions on you when you're making a purchase with a credit card (I know, because I'm quite a pusher at my job).
Nj.com
What does NJ.com love more than New Jersey? Money, you silly sap!
No shame on the part of the website in bombarding users with ads in virutally every part of the website. The top banner is 90% advertisements, leaving only a small portion of the left hand side to give the website any actual title. This impacts the user tremendously, making us believe that the site is used primarily to make money. Which, of course, is true with most websites out there.
Other media outlets contribute to the website, including The Star Ledger. You must login in by means of zip code through NJ.com to see any of the Star Ledger's online pages and news.
No shame on the part of the website in bombarding users with ads in virutally every part of the website. The top banner is 90% advertisements, leaving only a small portion of the left hand side to give the website any actual title. This impacts the user tremendously, making us believe that the site is used primarily to make money. Which, of course, is true with most websites out there.
Other media outlets contribute to the website, including The Star Ledger. You must login in by means of zip code through NJ.com to see any of the Star Ledger's online pages and news.
The Buzz Behind Buzzmachine
Jeff Jarvis is an supporter of new media. That's pretty much a "duh" understanding that you get once you start reading his blog. Many of his current jobs and ventures deal with online journalism, though he is able to separate blogging and journalism as two separate entities. You get the impression that he doesn't completely dislike print newspapers, but rather sees the short comings and the potential to improve.
Some of his blogs include praises for new media avenues, like YouTube, where common citizens can post questions for presidential candidates to respond to. In this case, Jarvis relishes in the active uses of interactive journalism. It allows people who would otherwise not have a voice to be able to be heard. He also urges many of his own readers to become socially and politically active via media tools such as YouTube.
On the flip side, reading back into the archives, he sees the perils of such new technologies. He critizes Pay Per Post, a pay-by-blog website that allows users to post opinions on products such as cameras or computers. Jarvis feels that this is a complete unethical exploitation of the sites non-liability sentiments for their content.
Both viewpoints are valid, but certainly not new by any stretch. Up and coming technologies that offer a great deal of positive benefits always are not without some negative aspects. What I take from Jarvis' opinions is that money is ultimately the driving force behind either point, regardless of ethical intentions. It's cheaper for Senator McCain to have citizens post their questions, and respond to them online, rather than assemble a costly press conference. Likewise, Pay Per Post will gain ad revenue by the product companies in which are most favorable to their own content, without having to produce any original content of their own.
Technology flawed. It's a prevalent, yet unfortuanate, aspect of our current day society.
Some of his blogs include praises for new media avenues, like YouTube, where common citizens can post questions for presidential candidates to respond to. In this case, Jarvis relishes in the active uses of interactive journalism. It allows people who would otherwise not have a voice to be able to be heard. He also urges many of his own readers to become socially and politically active via media tools such as YouTube.
On the flip side, reading back into the archives, he sees the perils of such new technologies. He critizes Pay Per Post, a pay-by-blog website that allows users to post opinions on products such as cameras or computers. Jarvis feels that this is a complete unethical exploitation of the sites non-liability sentiments for their content.
Both viewpoints are valid, but certainly not new by any stretch. Up and coming technologies that offer a great deal of positive benefits always are not without some negative aspects. What I take from Jarvis' opinions is that money is ultimately the driving force behind either point, regardless of ethical intentions. It's cheaper for Senator McCain to have citizens post their questions, and respond to them online, rather than assemble a costly press conference. Likewise, Pay Per Post will gain ad revenue by the product companies in which are most favorable to their own content, without having to produce any original content of their own.
Technology flawed. It's a prevalent, yet unfortuanate, aspect of our current day society.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Why Employee of the Month is the Worst Movie of All Time
What is it about a train wreck, car accident, or brutal beatdown that makes it virtually impossible to turn away? In the same fashion, I couldn't help but watch in horror and disgust, on the monmouth television channel ... Employee of the Month.
The film all-star casts of Hollywood's over-ambitious, untalented elite. First you have Dane Cook, the most over-rated comic out today, trying his hand at a semi-lead role. Why? Apparently, his agent never heard of the expression, "if it isn't broken, don't fix it". He succeeded, on some level: we're laughing .. at his acting.
Next, you had Jessica Simpson, which is just a punch line in itself. Here's the thing. If you're main marketing ploy aimed towards males aged 8-60+ (yes, she is that hot), you need to utilize your assets a bit more. Not that I'm for subjectification of her obvious features, but atleast flaunt it a bit more.
Finally, you have Pedro, a guy that I don't know his name, and probably will never know. He probably should have stuck to building cakes, or whatever the hell he was doing in Napoleon Dynamite.
Sub-par performances from Harland Williams and Andy Dick. But really: did we expect anything more?
The film all-star casts of Hollywood's over-ambitious, untalented elite. First you have Dane Cook, the most over-rated comic out today, trying his hand at a semi-lead role. Why? Apparently, his agent never heard of the expression, "if it isn't broken, don't fix it". He succeeded, on some level: we're laughing .. at his acting.
Next, you had Jessica Simpson, which is just a punch line in itself. Here's the thing. If you're main marketing ploy aimed towards males aged 8-60+ (yes, she is that hot), you need to utilize your assets a bit more. Not that I'm for subjectification of her obvious features, but atleast flaunt it a bit more.
Finally, you have Pedro, a guy that I don't know his name, and probably will never know. He probably should have stuck to building cakes, or whatever the hell he was doing in Napoleon Dynamite.
Sub-par performances from Harland Williams and Andy Dick. But really: did we expect anything more?
KUSports.com
Let the record be known: I'm not really a sports person. Too many numbers, too many facts, too much involvement on mu part. With that being said, I liked KUSports.com, the website for Kansas University sports. Appearance wise, it's very aesthetically pleasing. The navigation bar on the right is incredibly easy to use, listing each sport clearly. The layout of the site is very organized, and not at all challenging to find exactaly what you're looking for. Most importantly, as I'm sure on most sports web sites, there are plenty of places where fans (and non-fans) can discuss issues about the team. There is plenty of multimedia outlets, including podcasts and photo gallaries, that easily caters to a wide variety of visitors.
I would say the coolest part is at the bottom of the page, where the site has a featured post from a user. This must easily boost site traffic and interaction, being that any diehard Kansas fan would love to see their ID and blurb published on the front page.
The site is clearly aimed at Kansas University students, alum, fans, and locals of the city's campus. Still, it is possibly that anyone who reads the Lawrence Journal-World, owner of KUSports.com, LJW online, and it's print publication. Links to LJW Online are listed on KUSports.com, and vice versa. This is also another contributing factor to the professional look of the site. Actual journalists and photographers contribute and work for the website, enhancing its look over other sports websites on the net.
I would say the coolest part is at the bottom of the page, where the site has a featured post from a user. This must easily boost site traffic and interaction, being that any diehard Kansas fan would love to see their ID and blurb published on the front page.
The site is clearly aimed at Kansas University students, alum, fans, and locals of the city's campus. Still, it is possibly that anyone who reads the Lawrence Journal-World, owner of KUSports.com, LJW online, and it's print publication. Links to LJW Online are listed on KUSports.com, and vice versa. This is also another contributing factor to the professional look of the site. Actual journalists and photographers contribute and work for the website, enhancing its look over other sports websites on the net.
Tales of Online Journalism : How Seniors Quiver With Fear
The internet is a scary place. It's kind of like going into the ocean during the summer. You can swim in, body board, cool off, etc. It's this amazingly mysterious entity that you can easily have fun in ... but you never know.
Now, think of newspapers being the beach. I mean, the actual sandy part of the the collective beach location. You know exactaly what you're getting into. It's sand, it's hot, it's safe. You can't drown in sand, nor can sharks bite off limbs while baking in the sun.
So, let's bridge the two. It's rare that one will go to the collective beach and not enjoy both land and sea. This is the idea surrounding internet's influence on newspapers.
According to a USA Today article printed last year, "Eighteen percent of American adults cited the Internet as one of their two main sources of news about the presidential races, compared with 3% in 1996", the second being television. Nearly half (48%) went to the online version of one of the top newspapers of the country to get their political news: The New York Times.
Apart from convenience and availability, online accessibility is also saving readers money, reported a Business Week article in the summer of 2005. Archived articles in the Wall Street Journal website can be accessed at $79 subscriptions, significantly cheaper than the $215 price tag to receive the same content in print.
But let's get down to business: literally. An article in the New York Times revealed that while print advertisement spenditures in 2006 increased at a low 0.3 percent, online ads soared to a increased 35 percent. The article quotes analyst predictions that print publications will turn to online ventures, such as advertising, to make up for their financial short comings. At the time, online ads accounted for $613 million, which was reported to compare minimally with print ads. However, the article states that the statistics posted it's eighth consecutive quarter of growth.
Although many traditional print publications, such as the NY Times, Wall Street Journal, and Associated Press - whose news articles appearing on sites such as yaHoo!- are turning towards online media avenues, it is still uncertain where the trend will explore over the next horizons.
Now, think of newspapers being the beach. I mean, the actual sandy part of the the collective beach location. You know exactaly what you're getting into. It's sand, it's hot, it's safe. You can't drown in sand, nor can sharks bite off limbs while baking in the sun.
So, let's bridge the two. It's rare that one will go to the collective beach and not enjoy both land and sea. This is the idea surrounding internet's influence on newspapers.
According to a USA Today article printed last year, "Eighteen percent of American adults cited the Internet as one of their two main sources of news about the presidential races, compared with 3% in 1996", the second being television. Nearly half (48%) went to the online version of one of the top newspapers of the country to get their political news: The New York Times.
Apart from convenience and availability, online accessibility is also saving readers money, reported a Business Week article in the summer of 2005. Archived articles in the Wall Street Journal website can be accessed at $79 subscriptions, significantly cheaper than the $215 price tag to receive the same content in print.
But let's get down to business: literally. An article in the New York Times revealed that while print advertisement spenditures in 2006 increased at a low 0.3 percent, online ads soared to a increased 35 percent. The article quotes analyst predictions that print publications will turn to online ventures, such as advertising, to make up for their financial short comings. At the time, online ads accounted for $613 million, which was reported to compare minimally with print ads. However, the article states that the statistics posted it's eighth consecutive quarter of growth.
Although many traditional print publications, such as the NY Times, Wall Street Journal, and Associated Press - whose news articles appearing on sites such as yaHoo!- are turning towards online media avenues, it is still uncertain where the trend will explore over the next horizons.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Time to make the donuts .. and sandwhiches .. and meatball subs... and pizza.. and..
It's 6:30 in the morning. The muffins are in the oven, and the soup is on the stove. Aramark employees busy chopping produce, and brewing coffee. Rebecca Stafford Student Center comes to life, well before the day's hundred plus student daily traffic. What begins a relatively dormant and peaceful dining area, laden with sparkingly clean tables and chairs, will transform in a short time into the busiest area of Monmouth University.
The Student Center plays host to all walks of campus patrons, ranging from commuters, faculty, and even resident students. With a wide array of facilities and services available to it's visitors, much preparation is put into getting things ready for the daily traffic that will make its way through.
"There is a lot of food to prepare before the day begins," said Cheryl Stewart, Retail Director of Campus Services at the Student Center. Usually, she is in charge of technical preparation, assigning employees to their various stations of the day, taking inventory of what food is being served and what needs to be re-ordered, and, overall, making sure that each service facility is prepared to operate smoothly. Today, however, the Student Center is down an employee. So Stewart humbly sits behind a cash register, ringing up her customers items, and working amongst her staff.
"You do what you need to do to make the customers happy," she comments, after ringing up a student's breakfast omelette. "I'm here for them."
At two of the more frequented stations of the Student Center, the deli and italian-style eatery, Dottie and Annie feverishly set up their areas, respectively, assembling their foods with a degree of care, knowing that in just a few hours it will be gone. Despite being rather focused and diligently, the two appear relaxed while preparing their foods for the upcoming day, taking the time to talk with each other and the many employees working in the student center that morning.
"I prepare all the sandwhiches every morning," Dottie says, placing another turkey and cheese sandwhich in it's 'Grab-n-Go' plastic container. "Classes come out at all different times, so you never know when you'll need extra."
The Student Center is not the only place Dottie will be outfitting with her delicious items. The C-Store Convenience Store, Bey Hall kiosk, and the new Guggenheim Library Cafe also offers sandwhiches made in the deli. In fact, most of the foods and beverages sold at campus food facilities are prepared and delivered from the Student Center, including soups and salads. Acting as an the university's food epicenter, the Student Center not only preps itself for customer service, but the entire campus as well.
"Preparation is always necessary," said Annie, who's culinary fame comes in the form of sausage and peppers pizza, or a new student favorite: meatball subs. "When classes are out, it helps to have things ready."
Though so much time spent in getting ready for the day, the employees take little time to take breath. Annie claims she only takes 30 minutes out of her day for a breather. However, she says that experience and routine make breaks relatively unnecessary.
"You get used to it," she comments, placing a finishing touch of toppings on a pizza. "I've been her for 25 years, and you go from one thing to another. It goes by quick, because there is always something to do."
"There is really no time to relax," says Stewart. "My moment is the time I spend walking over to the dining hall for lunch. I have to be here for my customers, and keep them happy."
At 9:30, another student walks to a table, carrying a bagel and orange juice. By now, the quiet hum of the early morning Student Center has risen to louder sounds of students conversations, and television broadcasts. In another two hours, the dining area will become a living entity of students and staff, sitting for their lunch, or running through for a quick cup of coffee. Only at 7:30 PM will the staff of the Student Center breath a sigh of relief, reveling in another routine day of customer service.
The Student Center plays host to all walks of campus patrons, ranging from commuters, faculty, and even resident students. With a wide array of facilities and services available to it's visitors, much preparation is put into getting things ready for the daily traffic that will make its way through.
"There is a lot of food to prepare before the day begins," said Cheryl Stewart, Retail Director of Campus Services at the Student Center. Usually, she is in charge of technical preparation, assigning employees to their various stations of the day, taking inventory of what food is being served and what needs to be re-ordered, and, overall, making sure that each service facility is prepared to operate smoothly. Today, however, the Student Center is down an employee. So Stewart humbly sits behind a cash register, ringing up her customers items, and working amongst her staff.
"You do what you need to do to make the customers happy," she comments, after ringing up a student's breakfast omelette. "I'm here for them."
At two of the more frequented stations of the Student Center, the deli and italian-style eatery, Dottie and Annie feverishly set up their areas, respectively, assembling their foods with a degree of care, knowing that in just a few hours it will be gone. Despite being rather focused and diligently, the two appear relaxed while preparing their foods for the upcoming day, taking the time to talk with each other and the many employees working in the student center that morning.
"I prepare all the sandwhiches every morning," Dottie says, placing another turkey and cheese sandwhich in it's 'Grab-n-Go' plastic container. "Classes come out at all different times, so you never know when you'll need extra."
The Student Center is not the only place Dottie will be outfitting with her delicious items. The C-Store Convenience Store, Bey Hall kiosk, and the new Guggenheim Library Cafe also offers sandwhiches made in the deli. In fact, most of the foods and beverages sold at campus food facilities are prepared and delivered from the Student Center, including soups and salads. Acting as an the university's food epicenter, the Student Center not only preps itself for customer service, but the entire campus as well.
"Preparation is always necessary," said Annie, who's culinary fame comes in the form of sausage and peppers pizza, or a new student favorite: meatball subs. "When classes are out, it helps to have things ready."
Though so much time spent in getting ready for the day, the employees take little time to take breath. Annie claims she only takes 30 minutes out of her day for a breather. However, she says that experience and routine make breaks relatively unnecessary.
"You get used to it," she comments, placing a finishing touch of toppings on a pizza. "I've been her for 25 years, and you go from one thing to another. It goes by quick, because there is always something to do."
"There is really no time to relax," says Stewart. "My moment is the time I spend walking over to the dining hall for lunch. I have to be here for my customers, and keep them happy."
At 9:30, another student walks to a table, carrying a bagel and orange juice. By now, the quiet hum of the early morning Student Center has risen to louder sounds of students conversations, and television broadcasts. In another two hours, the dining area will become a living entity of students and staff, sitting for their lunch, or running through for a quick cup of coffee. Only at 7:30 PM will the staff of the Student Center breath a sigh of relief, reveling in another routine day of customer service.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Sharing the spotlight , then stealing it back for myself
So, our assignment is to find a blog of another Monmouth student. Being that choosing another person in class was out of the question, I went with a friend who I knew had a blog, and kept it updated frequently without (gasp) having to do it because of a class assignment.
Then it got me thinking (::enter free rant post::).
Wes's Inner Voice (that sounds oddly like Love Connection's Scott Woolery) : Hey , Wes...
Wes (which appropriately sounds like me): Yeah?
WIV : Why are people who do things differently who aren't already established figures of public notoriety ever awknowledged for being interesting, free-spirited, out-of-the-box thinkers?
WES : A very interesting thought, Inner Voice. I think it's because society today values creativity a lot less when it's safer to conform and digest what they already know. It's clear that the unique never gain full acceptance by the generalized public until someone can either market it and sell it back at a gain, or until some glittering so called purveyor of whatever it is deem it trendy or quasi stylish at the moment.
WIV : Wow, that was a mouthful.
WES : Yeah, I know. I've been sitting on that for awhile now.
WIV : Now what do you mean by "glittering"? Do you mean the perceived attitude emanating off these people, the "it's not cool until I say it is or it goes out of style" type deal?
WES : Exactaly. Kind of like those people who would never read Palahniuk before Fight Club, and claimed him as a literary genius shortly after. What once grotesque and controversial transforms into "dark" and "conversational".
WIV : I gotcha. Well, I think you should get back to your audience now, and stop wasting time speaking in a satirical feigned monologue that your reader probably stopped listened to by the first line.
WES : You're right. I'll talk to you later, when it comes time to repress traumatic childhood memories and low self-esteem sentiments.
WIV : Sounds good. See you in 10.
When I discovered that people would actually be forced to read some of my writing in class, it was like Christmas and my birthday had a love child. And they named it "Tuesday, 8:30". It gives me a chance to really voice my opinion to those who otherwise would not know it, or tell me shut up and walk away.
Then I find out that 2/3rds of our posts are assignment based: ie - find links to other sites that link to other sites, etc etc. And this made me sad. Like Christmas and my birthday just got a divorce, and poor baby "Tuesday, 8:30" has to spend weekends in a my birthday's 1-bedroom apartment on the scummy part of town. ::sigh::
And the cause of this, I suppose, is the fact that we don't want control. We don't want free reign of our creative thoughts, or opinions, or ideas. What we want, as a class, is mindless assignments (sorry, Prof. That's what blogs are for : sharing feelings) that gauge whether or not we can A) Access a site ; B) Describe what we see ; C) Rinse and repeat. Boring!
I write differently, and that's just a fact. And I don't care. I don't care if girl two seats to the right thinks I'm weird because I voice my opinion differenty. Or that guy 1 seat to the right, then moving back 3 to the left, another 2 the right, and 204 seats to the left hates determining the tone of the post (which I guess is a somewhat trying task).
But we're journalism students (atleast most of us), taking a class that's heavily based on the web, a place that certainly has much more "way out there" writers than myself. We're not lenient or accepting enough of different styles of writing. It's a simple ABC operation for the majority. Nor do we take up this opportunity to complete freedom of literary banter and ride it into the sunset. Isn't that what the internet is for: saying whatever you want with absolutely zero face-to-face human contact or embarrassment? It's type, publish, walk away. How much easier do grades have to get in this class?
Assignment #1 - Write about anything ..... 500000 points.
Does it have to be personal? No. But a part of you should be in your writing. This is the best way to establish your own personal styles; to see how it feels to try out a new pen and cut loose.
And please, person who inevitably came from 11 billion seats from the right: if you are going to comment, please login with your own blogspot ID, so I can differentiate the people idlely responding to stuff they can care less about. And, of course, it's because I want to stalk you. Duh.
Then it got me thinking (::enter free rant post::).
Wes's Inner Voice (that sounds oddly like Love Connection's Scott Woolery) : Hey , Wes...
Wes (which appropriately sounds like me): Yeah?
WIV : Why are people who do things differently who aren't already established figures of public notoriety ever awknowledged for being interesting, free-spirited, out-of-the-box thinkers?
WES : A very interesting thought, Inner Voice. I think it's because society today values creativity a lot less when it's safer to conform and digest what they already know. It's clear that the unique never gain full acceptance by the generalized public until someone can either market it and sell it back at a gain, or until some glittering so called purveyor of whatever it is deem it trendy or quasi stylish at the moment.
WIV : Wow, that was a mouthful.
WES : Yeah, I know. I've been sitting on that for awhile now.
WIV : Now what do you mean by "glittering"? Do you mean the perceived attitude emanating off these people, the "it's not cool until I say it is or it goes out of style" type deal?
WES : Exactaly. Kind of like those people who would never read Palahniuk before Fight Club, and claimed him as a literary genius shortly after. What once grotesque and controversial transforms into "dark" and "conversational".
WIV : I gotcha. Well, I think you should get back to your audience now, and stop wasting time speaking in a satirical feigned monologue that your reader probably stopped listened to by the first line.
WES : You're right. I'll talk to you later, when it comes time to repress traumatic childhood memories and low self-esteem sentiments.
WIV : Sounds good. See you in 10.
When I discovered that people would actually be forced to read some of my writing in class, it was like Christmas and my birthday had a love child. And they named it "Tuesday, 8:30". It gives me a chance to really voice my opinion to those who otherwise would not know it, or tell me shut up and walk away.
Then I find out that 2/3rds of our posts are assignment based: ie - find links to other sites that link to other sites, etc etc. And this made me sad. Like Christmas and my birthday just got a divorce, and poor baby "Tuesday, 8:30" has to spend weekends in a my birthday's 1-bedroom apartment on the scummy part of town. ::sigh::
And the cause of this, I suppose, is the fact that we don't want control. We don't want free reign of our creative thoughts, or opinions, or ideas. What we want, as a class, is mindless assignments (sorry, Prof. That's what blogs are for : sharing feelings) that gauge whether or not we can A) Access a site ; B) Describe what we see ; C) Rinse and repeat. Boring!
I write differently, and that's just a fact. And I don't care. I don't care if girl two seats to the right thinks I'm weird because I voice my opinion differenty. Or that guy 1 seat to the right, then moving back 3 to the left, another 2 the right, and 204 seats to the left hates determining the tone of the post (which I guess is a somewhat trying task).
But we're journalism students (atleast most of us), taking a class that's heavily based on the web, a place that certainly has much more "way out there" writers than myself. We're not lenient or accepting enough of different styles of writing. It's a simple ABC operation for the majority. Nor do we take up this opportunity to complete freedom of literary banter and ride it into the sunset. Isn't that what the internet is for: saying whatever you want with absolutely zero face-to-face human contact or embarrassment? It's type, publish, walk away. How much easier do grades have to get in this class?
Assignment #1 - Write about anything ..... 500000 points.
Does it have to be personal? No. But a part of you should be in your writing. This is the best way to establish your own personal styles; to see how it feels to try out a new pen and cut loose.
And please, person who inevitably came from 11 billion seats from the right: if you are going to comment, please login with your own blogspot ID, so I can differentiate the people idlely responding to stuff they can care less about. And, of course, it's because I want to stalk you. Duh.
What will link to New Jersey's Official State Website ... hmmm?
For starters:
New Jersey Tourism
An obvious (of many obvious that will follow) choice that would link to the state website. It's an affiliate of the official website, so it would most likely need a link to the main page.
Office of the Governor Website
Another duh choice on this one. He's the governor .. he needs to be linked to the main page.
Smokey The Bear Forest Fire Prevention Website
Only you can prevent forest fires ... as long as you click on the link to the Official State Website. It would most likely be used to obtain data on New Jersey forests, how many fires happened each year, etc.
New Jersey State Police
Probably the only link that I could find that doesn't have the state.nj.us portion in the URL. This website would link to the official site because (hmmm) they're New Jersey's police. WOuld probably link to law statistics: crimes prevented, committed, etc.
Jersey Shore
OK, I cracked. I didnt' end with a good one, but hey, it's a site, right? And what better way to end than on a link for the Jersey Shore. This would link to the main page because it would give locations of Jersey beaches, annual visitors, businesses, etc.
New Jersey Tourism
An obvious (of many obvious that will follow) choice that would link to the state website. It's an affiliate of the official website, so it would most likely need a link to the main page.
Office of the Governor Website
Another duh choice on this one. He's the governor .. he needs to be linked to the main page.
Smokey The Bear Forest Fire Prevention Website
Only you can prevent forest fires ... as long as you click on the link to the Official State Website. It would most likely be used to obtain data on New Jersey forests, how many fires happened each year, etc.
New Jersey State Police
Probably the only link that I could find that doesn't have the state.nj.us portion in the URL. This website would link to the official site because (hmmm) they're New Jersey's police. WOuld probably link to law statistics: crimes prevented, committed, etc.
Jersey Shore
OK, I cracked. I didnt' end with a good one, but hey, it's a site, right? And what better way to end than on a link for the Jersey Shore. This would link to the main page because it would give locations of Jersey beaches, annual visitors, businesses, etc.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Oh hunting we will go, oh hunting we will go ...for jobs
I'm a realistic person: I know the job I get right after college will most likely not be the one I will hold on for an extended period of time. Jobs pay for things: rent, food, amenities, etc. It's getting the career that's more important: a career as a writer, author, journalist, rock star, etc.
The job I'd look for after college would be adventurous, life-altering, and, of course, pays decently. Many international jobs offer all these aspects. Teaching positions in China allow students, even without teaching backgrounds, the opportunity to make a difference in others lives. Even simple jobs, such as bartenders, waiters, tour guides, and other service jobs in London are available with temporary work-visas. These post-graduate jobs will allow the non-academic education and growth set in before starting in on a dream career.
My dream career/job would be to become a writer. Author, critic, journalist, etc... anything writing would be a dream of mine. Knowing that someone, somewhere, is reading my thoughts and ideas and actually enjoying them: it's just a great feeling. Through publication, you're (essentially) immortalize in time, having your work stand as a testament to your work and time. If that's not the greatest job, then I don't know what is.
The job I'd look for after college would be adventurous, life-altering, and, of course, pays decently. Many international jobs offer all these aspects. Teaching positions in China allow students, even without teaching backgrounds, the opportunity to make a difference in others lives. Even simple jobs, such as bartenders, waiters, tour guides, and other service jobs in London are available with temporary work-visas. These post-graduate jobs will allow the non-academic education and growth set in before starting in on a dream career.
My dream career/job would be to become a writer. Author, critic, journalist, etc... anything writing would be a dream of mine. Knowing that someone, somewhere, is reading my thoughts and ideas and actually enjoying them: it's just a great feeling. Through publication, you're (essentially) immortalize in time, having your work stand as a testament to your work and time. If that's not the greatest job, then I don't know what is.
If there is one thing about Monmouth I would like to know, it would be this: where the hell the do squirrels go in the winter?
Is there some squirrel vacation resort, that the entire squirrel population gets some grandiose group discount? It seems that they simply pick up and leave. I'd imagine that Monmouth would try and curb the amount of squirrels, because of their burrowing habits. The existance of squirrels is an example of living irony. Like many animals, they prepare for the winter by storing food. So what squirrels do are dig holes in the ground and throw various nuts, berries, etc. into them for later eating. However, like many of students of the 8:30, their memories are shot. So, they forget where they bury their food, and wander aimlessly in search of where it is stored. Kind of like the Parking Garage episode of Seinfeld... only with squirrels.
So the thing I want to know is squirrels. What's the deal, Monmouth?
Is there some squirrel vacation resort, that the entire squirrel population gets some grandiose group discount? It seems that they simply pick up and leave. I'd imagine that Monmouth would try and curb the amount of squirrels, because of their burrowing habits. The existance of squirrels is an example of living irony. Like many animals, they prepare for the winter by storing food. So what squirrels do are dig holes in the ground and throw various nuts, berries, etc. into them for later eating. However, like many of students of the 8:30, their memories are shot. So, they forget where they bury their food, and wander aimlessly in search of where it is stored. Kind of like the Parking Garage episode of Seinfeld... only with squirrels.
So the thing I want to know is squirrels. What's the deal, Monmouth?
Lawrence.com of Arabia
Lawrence.com is the interactive entertainment hub for the university. All students can converse with others on countless facets of campus university, find out information on concerts, best places to drink and eat, and much more. The aspect of site I would find most appealing is the interactive aspects. Users can directly feed their blogs onto the site, where people can read and comment about different aspects. They can also submit their own reviews for bars, resteraunts, and other night life places, giving it a more geniune feel for the atmosphere.
The audience of Lawrence.com is definately young, college kids, 21-28. Anyone who still plans their Friday around how their Thursday night will go will be the ideal readership of the website. The writing style is informal, and easy to scan for simple information. There's a fun vocabulary that makes it enjoyable to read about the various aspects of Lawrence.
The audience of Lawrence.com is definately young, college kids, 21-28. Anyone who still plans their Friday around how their Thursday night will go will be the ideal readership of the website. The writing style is informal, and easy to scan for simple information. There's a fun vocabulary that makes it enjoyable to read about the various aspects of Lawrence.
Monday, February 5, 2007
Fark.com ... viva la revolution!
Talk about your participatory journalism. Introducting Fark.com, a quasi-news, quasi-entertainment web site where you, the web surfer, can determine what is news-worthy ... or according to Fark, what is not-news worthy. Confusing? It's quite simple.
They generate content by submissions, based on what users may find funny, disturbing, etc. Then, these submissions are submitted, posted, and are ranked based on the number of comments supplied by readers. Judging by the most recent top ranked stories, it appears you shouldn't come to Fark if you're looking to learn up on anything educational.
OK, I lied. There are some education worthy stories, but mostly secondary interest topics. The problem I have with Fark is that each link is fixed so that the website gets credit for every click that site gets.
For example:
- User A posts www.bobbysbits.com on Fark.com
- Fark.com writes witty headline "Bobby's Bits ... more like Tommy's ... Socks" link, which is scripted to generate ad-clicks for Fark profit.
- User B clicks on witty headline link, and reads a story on, well , Bobby's Bits.
- Fark.com deposits cash per click.
I suppose its the only way the site can generate any profit. But I still don't like the fact they have to hide it away to earn a buck. Actually, more like 50 cents a click. Maybe less.
They generate content by submissions, based on what users may find funny, disturbing, etc. Then, these submissions are submitted, posted, and are ranked based on the number of comments supplied by readers. Judging by the most recent top ranked stories, it appears you shouldn't come to Fark if you're looking to learn up on anything educational.
OK, I lied. There are some education worthy stories, but mostly secondary interest topics. The problem I have with Fark is that each link is fixed so that the website gets credit for every click that site gets.
For example:
- User A posts www.bobbysbits.com on Fark.com
- Fark.com writes witty headline "Bobby's Bits ... more like Tommy's ... Socks" link, which is scripted to generate ad-clicks for Fark profit.
- User B clicks on witty headline link, and reads a story on, well , Bobby's Bits.
- Fark.com deposits cash per click.
I suppose its the only way the site can generate any profit. But I still don't like the fact they have to hide it away to earn a buck. Actually, more like 50 cents a click. Maybe less.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Hard(ly) work, and no play?
Technology is great. Let's never forget that. But it's flawed, and that's undeniable.
Not too long ago, I signed up with Monster.com, because, you know, I kind of want a job after I graduate. It's been a fairly reputable online company to find work. To be honest, I haven't put much stock into it. I don't really trust an online web site to dictate how I will be making a semi-decent income for the immediate future. And here is why:
According to Monster.com's Search Agent results based on Journalism/Writing background, I can have one of the following jobs:
US-NJ-Morristown Information Systems Consultant MetLife
Ok, semi-believable
US-NJ-Northern Central Director of Marketing - Specialty Global Northern Central NJ Biopharma MRINetwork
Umm, hmmm ... guys?
US-NJ-Central Mammalian Cell Line Development Scientist Hudson Scientific
What?! No, come on Monster, seriously, that's not what I want to do ...
US-NJ-Central Protein Manufacturing Scientist Opportunity with Quickly Growing Biopharmaceutical Hudson Scientific
Ok, I officially give up
The moral of the story: nothing substitutes hard work. Peruse the newspaper, call up companies of prospective employers, and get out there and be pro-active in your pursuit for employment. Monster.com and other online job sites (though convenient) just prove how lazy and needy we are; that even in trying to get work, we need someone, or something, to do it for us.
Unless, of course, Protein Manufacturers take in a big check. Then bring it on, Hudson Scientific!
Not too long ago, I signed up with Monster.com, because, you know, I kind of want a job after I graduate. It's been a fairly reputable online company to find work. To be honest, I haven't put much stock into it. I don't really trust an online web site to dictate how I will be making a semi-decent income for the immediate future. And here is why:
According to Monster.com's Search Agent results based on Journalism/Writing background, I can have one of the following jobs:
US-NJ-Morristown Information Systems Consultant MetLife
Ok, semi-believable
US-NJ-Northern Central Director of Marketing - Specialty Global Northern Central NJ Biopharma MRINetwork
Umm, hmmm ... guys?
US-NJ-Central Mammalian Cell Line Development Scientist Hudson Scientific
What?! No, come on Monster, seriously, that's not what I want to do ...
US-NJ-Central Protein Manufacturing Scientist Opportunity with Quickly Growing Biopharmaceutical Hudson Scientific
Ok, I officially give up
The moral of the story: nothing substitutes hard work. Peruse the newspaper, call up companies of prospective employers, and get out there and be pro-active in your pursuit for employment. Monster.com and other online job sites (though convenient) just prove how lazy and needy we are; that even in trying to get work, we need someone, or something, to do it for us.
Unless, of course, Protein Manufacturers take in a big check. Then bring it on, Hudson Scientific!
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Super! ...bowl
The Super Bowl is coming up, and I can't wait to not care less. Call me cynical, but I'm a Packers fan, so figure out where the source of my frustration comes from.
It's a time when we order an overabundance of food, plop down on our butts, and let the good times roll. If we, as an American people, were really concerned with time management, the NFL would make the Super Bowl on Thanksgiving. Because then, it isn't a feigned over-night interest in football. No, it's MULTI-TASKING! It's a pure family oriented evening.
Every Super Bowl, you essentially have 3 groups. And for a successful, true Super Bowl experience to take place, you cannot mix these groups.
The first group are the true football fans. They watch many games, big or small. They check stats on ESPN, watch the draft, read up on scouting reports. In essence, they are true blue football fans.
The next group are the feigns. They're the ones who don't watch the Super Bowl for the game, but love to tell everyone that they are. They're the ones who learn the key players names and numbers the night before the game, and pretend to semi-know about the teams that are playing. But in reality, it's only some BS posturing method to make other people think they're actually interested.
The last group, which I am proud to be apart of, is the "who gives a crap"s. We contribute the cynical but realistic view that the Super Bowl is nothing but an indication of how far gone we as a people are. We don't particularly care about the game, and we'll let you know that, and we'll chastise anyone we think is apart of the "feigns".
Think about it. People commit an entire day to the Super Bowl, in which the game in question is merely fractional to the amount of on-air broadcasting is used for it. What's worse, you have people who openly admidt that they don't watch the Super Bowl for the game, but they watch it for the commercials!
Are they insane? We, the TiVo generation of history, are willingly sitting through the "grueling mundanity" of the football game to get to the commercials, the time of any regular television program that we have historically wished to fast forward and avoid. And we wonder why advertisers and marketing firms believe that the average American consumer will buy whatever they parade in their faces?
So Super Bowl gatherings beware. Mixing groups may result in sarcastic remarks and food grubbing from all factions. And I wonder why I'm never invited to these parties.
It's a time when we order an overabundance of food, plop down on our butts, and let the good times roll. If we, as an American people, were really concerned with time management, the NFL would make the Super Bowl on Thanksgiving. Because then, it isn't a feigned over-night interest in football. No, it's MULTI-TASKING! It's a pure family oriented evening.
Every Super Bowl, you essentially have 3 groups. And for a successful, true Super Bowl experience to take place, you cannot mix these groups.
The first group are the true football fans. They watch many games, big or small. They check stats on ESPN, watch the draft, read up on scouting reports. In essence, they are true blue football fans.
The next group are the feigns. They're the ones who don't watch the Super Bowl for the game, but love to tell everyone that they are. They're the ones who learn the key players names and numbers the night before the game, and pretend to semi-know about the teams that are playing. But in reality, it's only some BS posturing method to make other people think they're actually interested.
The last group, which I am proud to be apart of, is the "who gives a crap"s. We contribute the cynical but realistic view that the Super Bowl is nothing but an indication of how far gone we as a people are. We don't particularly care about the game, and we'll let you know that, and we'll chastise anyone we think is apart of the "feigns".
Think about it. People commit an entire day to the Super Bowl, in which the game in question is merely fractional to the amount of on-air broadcasting is used for it. What's worse, you have people who openly admidt that they don't watch the Super Bowl for the game, but they watch it for the commercials!
Are they insane? We, the TiVo generation of history, are willingly sitting through the "grueling mundanity" of the football game to get to the commercials, the time of any regular television program that we have historically wished to fast forward and avoid. And we wonder why advertisers and marketing firms believe that the average American consumer will buy whatever they parade in their faces?
So Super Bowl gatherings beware. Mixing groups may result in sarcastic remarks and food grubbing from all factions. And I wonder why I'm never invited to these parties.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
What is it about Jersey Pride that pisses me off?
Without question, there is a certain stigma about being from the Garden State that separates us from the rest of the country: we're better than you, now piss off!
I love being from New Jersey, but for real, legitimate, non-lame reasons. I love our diners - best diners in the world. I love the location, a hop, skip, and jump outside two cities. And I don't care what anyone says - Central Jersey is the best part New Jersey (the calibar of my comment is what many in the industry call ironic).
But I've come into a rash of ethnocentric Jersey pride that just annoys the hell out of me. Some people love being from Jersey for the most innane, idiotic reasons. You can read about it in almost any bland online profile ranting and raving about being from NJ: the Jersey Girl.
Apparently someone at the Star Ledger is an authority figure of what it means to be a Jersey Girl. I'll give you some highlights:
- a love of an unpretentious good time, and a certain sense of style
Yeah, it's called cookie cutter fake tans and Dior bags. ::vomit::
- Jersey girls are about attitude
Not to be confused with Staten Island girls, which, during the summer at the Shore, can be confusing. STOP STEALING OUR THUNDER SI!
- they're about eating pizza, drinking beer, having great hair - and enjoying it all
Yes, just like the millions of other slovenly piggish Americans we live with. We can't have all the good qualities of living, NJ.
- She's got a mouth on her
Again, like most human beings..
- Bottom line, all of them are sexy as hell
Really, all of them? To generalize an entire state population as "sexy as hell' is like saying Utah is the excitement capitol of the universe.
I hope whoever authored this asinine diatribe got s-canned fast and is working somewhere where only tumbleweeds and prairie dogs reproduce. Somewhere in middle America where their next article on "Oklahoma Girls are Oklawesome!"
Give me a break. These are my fellow Jerseyians, and they're grossly misrepresenting the rest of us.
You ever read profile quotes or see on MTV - "New Jersey : Where we pump our fists, and not our gas."
Somewhere, Baby Jesus is crying. Pump our fists? Yeah, maybe the population of Jerseyans who sniff glue and autonomously partake in the same mundane social weekend rituals: Drink, club it up, go to bed. Wahoo!
We don't have enough Kevin Smiths rallying to our support, or enough Zack Braffs to atleast semi-represent our state on a large scale. It's funny that I've lived in Jersey all my life, and not once have I been able to meet a true Jersey Girl.
Blech.
Without question, there is a certain stigma about being from the Garden State that separates us from the rest of the country: we're better than you, now piss off!
I love being from New Jersey, but for real, legitimate, non-lame reasons. I love our diners - best diners in the world. I love the location, a hop, skip, and jump outside two cities. And I don't care what anyone says - Central Jersey is the best part New Jersey (the calibar of my comment is what many in the industry call ironic).
But I've come into a rash of ethnocentric Jersey pride that just annoys the hell out of me. Some people love being from Jersey for the most innane, idiotic reasons. You can read about it in almost any bland online profile ranting and raving about being from NJ: the Jersey Girl.
Apparently someone at the Star Ledger is an authority figure of what it means to be a Jersey Girl. I'll give you some highlights:
- a love of an unpretentious good time, and a certain sense of style
Yeah, it's called cookie cutter fake tans and Dior bags. ::vomit::
- Jersey girls are about attitude
Not to be confused with Staten Island girls, which, during the summer at the Shore, can be confusing. STOP STEALING OUR THUNDER SI!
- they're about eating pizza, drinking beer, having great hair - and enjoying it all
Yes, just like the millions of other slovenly piggish Americans we live with. We can't have all the good qualities of living, NJ.
- She's got a mouth on her
Again, like most human beings..
- Bottom line, all of them are sexy as hell
Really, all of them? To generalize an entire state population as "sexy as hell' is like saying Utah is the excitement capitol of the universe.
I hope whoever authored this asinine diatribe got s-canned fast and is working somewhere where only tumbleweeds and prairie dogs reproduce. Somewhere in middle America where their next article on "Oklahoma Girls are Oklawesome!"
Give me a break. These are my fellow Jerseyians, and they're grossly misrepresenting the rest of us.
You ever read profile quotes or see on MTV - "New Jersey : Where we pump our fists, and not our gas."
Somewhere, Baby Jesus is crying. Pump our fists? Yeah, maybe the population of Jerseyans who sniff glue and autonomously partake in the same mundane social weekend rituals: Drink, club it up, go to bed. Wahoo!
We don't have enough Kevin Smiths rallying to our support, or enough Zack Braffs to atleast semi-represent our state on a large scale. It's funny that I've lived in Jersey all my life, and not once have I been able to meet a true Jersey Girl.
Blech.
Monday, January 29, 2007
MSNBC.com VS. CNN.com
The main difference between the two is in presentation. MSNBC is much more stylish in layout, and is much easier to navigate between sections. I liked the java used on the nav. bar that lists the story. It stands out much more and is overall "cooler" to use.
The colors on MSNBC are brighter and more appealing to the eye than CNN. There appear to be more images that you can browse through that also add depth to the stories in which they are catered to.
I also liked how they added links to their subsidiary sites directly on the top and bold, rather than the split CNN chooses in smaller fonts. It is more attractive and more likely to be clicked and explored.
The only part that CNN is better in is the video feeds they offer. They seem to be putting more stock into that facet of their site, which works to their advantage when a lazier news-consumer comes clicking around their site.
The colors on MSNBC are brighter and more appealing to the eye than CNN. There appear to be more images that you can browse through that also add depth to the stories in which they are catered to.
I also liked how they added links to their subsidiary sites directly on the top and bold, rather than the split CNN chooses in smaller fonts. It is more attractive and more likely to be clicked and explored.
The only part that CNN is better in is the video feeds they offer. They seem to be putting more stock into that facet of their site, which works to their advantage when a lazier news-consumer comes clicking around their site.
An ongoing issue that many students have addressed is the lack of student activity on campus. Many say that there is simply nothing to do on campus. I suppose there is truth in this. While the countless touring comedians, artists, and musicians frequently play to diminishing crowds, non-drinking public gatherings sinking to an all-time low, and mind/world-perspective expanding lectures/seminars/and presentations are regular funeral homes, the average Monmouth student is left bored, twidling the proverbial thumb of boredom.
In this blog, I'm here to suggest new activities that might spark some heat on this campus. After all, let's not call a spade a spade here. I'll speak on behalf of the supposed greater population of the university: it's not that there isn't anything to do, but there isn't anything FUN to do. It's apparent that under the banal groan of student discontent must be a roar for change! Right? Right. So here we go, the activities guaranteed to turn those frowns upside down:
1) Golf Cart Destruction Derby:
Now that's a smile of a happy student. Monmouth prides itself in owning more golf carts than most PGA Tour certified courses in the America. Who am I kidding, THE WORLD! In Golf Cart Destruction Derby, students will take to the open service roads of the university taking on their peers in a exciting, death-defying ride that will sure to get other universities turning green with envy. After all, our tuition money is paying for these carts that only are used to: A) Ferry atheletes the dreaded 1/4 mile across campus ; B) Administrators who obviously cramp up easily under the stress of strenuous walking ; C) Give prospective athletes/students the 5 star treatment that existing students experience daily
A Pause from the Satire:Where the hell was my campus tour, chartered around on a golf cart damnit!?
2) Rolling Around on MU Grass
Fido here isn't the only one to enjoy a nice romp on the greenest of greens? This new activity couples dog-like fun with utilization of one of Monmouth's most untouched resources: the grass! Feel the tuition dollars under on your skin, and wash away those expensive grass stains out of your clothes. With grass this lush, bright, soft, you would never have known it is unnecessarily maintained virtually 365 days a year, using tuition money for material and labor costs. So enjoy students! Who says grass is greener on the other side?
3) Play 24's JACK BAUER in "Squirrel Espionage"
After doing extensive research on the daily routines of Monmouth students, studies have shown the number one reason why there "isn't anything to do at MU" is simply because ... THERE'S TOO MUCH GOOD TELEVISION!. A recent poll from the Away Message Survey Center shows that many people love to be immerssed in mentally devoid television programming. Let's face it: the world can be a scary place, especially in this age of heightened terrorism. So why risk getting a leg cramp or expanding your horizons a bit when the comforts of the world rest in your remote control?
Because silly! in this activity, you can rid the world of terrorism and the squirrel overpopulation. Play as Jack Bauer, the world's greatest counter-terrorist agent, in his quest to save Monmouth University. Amongst the great population of squirrels hides Osama Bin Sugarbush, the leader of the Al Qaeda's Squirrel Bioterrorism Unit, and he's planning on destroying the very fabric of our University: the grass! This Wednesday night activity will have students working together to thwart the evil squirrels plot in landscaping domination, and final dispell the sentiment that there is nothign to do on campus!
My overly sarcastic blogs are going to be my decline in this class.
In this blog, I'm here to suggest new activities that might spark some heat on this campus. After all, let's not call a spade a spade here. I'll speak on behalf of the supposed greater population of the university: it's not that there isn't anything to do, but there isn't anything FUN to do. It's apparent that under the banal groan of student discontent must be a roar for change! Right? Right. So here we go, the activities guaranteed to turn those frowns upside down:
1) Golf Cart Destruction Derby:
Now that's a smile of a happy student. Monmouth prides itself in owning more golf carts than most PGA Tour certified courses in the America. Who am I kidding, THE WORLD! In Golf Cart Destruction Derby, students will take to the open service roads of the university taking on their peers in a exciting, death-defying ride that will sure to get other universities turning green with envy. After all, our tuition money is paying for these carts that only are used to: A) Ferry atheletes the dreaded 1/4 mile across campus ; B) Administrators who obviously cramp up easily under the stress of strenuous walking ; C) Give prospective athletes/students the 5 star treatment that existing students experience daily
A Pause from the Satire:Where the hell was my campus tour, chartered around on a golf cart damnit!?
2) Rolling Around on MU Grass
Fido here isn't the only one to enjoy a nice romp on the greenest of greens? This new activity couples dog-like fun with utilization of one of Monmouth's most untouched resources: the grass! Feel the tuition dollars under on your skin, and wash away those expensive grass stains out of your clothes. With grass this lush, bright, soft, you would never have known it is unnecessarily maintained virtually 365 days a year, using tuition money for material and labor costs. So enjoy students! Who says grass is greener on the other side?
3) Play 24's JACK BAUER in "Squirrel Espionage"
After doing extensive research on the daily routines of Monmouth students, studies have shown the number one reason why there "isn't anything to do at MU" is simply because ... THERE'S TOO MUCH GOOD TELEVISION!. A recent poll from the Away Message Survey Center shows that many people love to be immerssed in mentally devoid television programming. Let's face it: the world can be a scary place, especially in this age of heightened terrorism. So why risk getting a leg cramp or expanding your horizons a bit when the comforts of the world rest in your remote control?
Because silly! in this activity, you can rid the world of terrorism and the squirrel overpopulation. Play as Jack Bauer, the world's greatest counter-terrorist agent, in his quest to save Monmouth University. Amongst the great population of squirrels hides Osama Bin Sugarbush, the leader of the Al Qaeda's Squirrel Bioterrorism Unit, and he's planning on destroying the very fabric of our University: the grass! This Wednesday night activity will have students working together to thwart the evil squirrels plot in landscaping domination, and final dispell the sentiment that there is nothign to do on campus!
My overly sarcastic blogs are going to be my decline in this class.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
One of these days, I'm going to build up the courage to go out (off-campus/non-DH/SC) to lunch, or dinner, or breakfast even ... by myself.
Maitre d': Hello sir, how many are dining with us tonight?
Wes Solo: Hi, yes, table for one please.
M.D.: Table for ... one?!
W.S.: YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT TABLE FOR ONE!
If college has taught me anything - and believe me it has - I've learned to accept and embrace solo dining. And why not?
I think people want to be independant, but only if they can receive recognition for it. If they can pitch a story glorifying their adventures alone, then its golden.
I say this in light of a conversation I had over the weekend with a friend. It didn't have to do with solo-eating, per se, but rather a close cousin of it: solo-movie going. Apparently, the thought of a person, sitting by themselves, with their lonely popcorn for one, with their sad soda pop for one, and pitiful box of Raisonettes for (dare I say it) one is depressing. To which I promptly picked up a large book and dropped it on his toe. OK, I didn't, but violence gives the blog so much more depth.
Why do things have to be a group activity? Let's face it: playing catch? throwing the frisbee around? Those are group activities. They are dependant on having two or more bodies to participate in said activity. So unless you're of the tragic disposition of armless/fingerless person, you can feed yourself popcorn, and anyone but yourself at the movies is purely secondary.
The same goes for solo dining (kind of). Atleast when you go out to eat, you can engage in conversation. But sometimes, I just want to eat to the sultry sound of my fat mouth chewing. A moment for me in this crazy world of everyone else. Why are we so scared to be alone for two damn seconds? Soon, the new social norm is going to group vaccinations, group waxing, or group lobotomys.
I need a hug.
Maitre d': Hello sir, how many are dining with us tonight?
Wes Solo: Hi, yes, table for one please.
M.D.: Table for ... one?!
W.S.: YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT TABLE FOR ONE!
If college has taught me anything - and believe me it has - I've learned to accept and embrace solo dining. And why not?
I think people want to be independant, but only if they can receive recognition for it. If they can pitch a story glorifying their adventures alone, then its golden.
I say this in light of a conversation I had over the weekend with a friend. It didn't have to do with solo-eating, per se, but rather a close cousin of it: solo-movie going. Apparently, the thought of a person, sitting by themselves, with their lonely popcorn for one, with their sad soda pop for one, and pitiful box of Raisonettes for (dare I say it) one is depressing. To which I promptly picked up a large book and dropped it on his toe. OK, I didn't, but violence gives the blog so much more depth.
Why do things have to be a group activity? Let's face it: playing catch? throwing the frisbee around? Those are group activities. They are dependant on having two or more bodies to participate in said activity. So unless you're of the tragic disposition of armless/fingerless person, you can feed yourself popcorn, and anyone but yourself at the movies is purely secondary.
The same goes for solo dining (kind of). Atleast when you go out to eat, you can engage in conversation. But sometimes, I just want to eat to the sultry sound of my fat mouth chewing. A moment for me in this crazy world of everyone else. Why are we so scared to be alone for two damn seconds? Soon, the new social norm is going to group vaccinations, group waxing, or group lobotomys.
I need a hug.
A Bush of All Trades, a Master of None.
This is part of a blog started on Friday, but being that I was at my internship
and actually had to do work, I couldn't finish until now - January 28
AP reported today that Condi Rice has appealed to
international allies in our fight against "terror", this time shifting US
and World focus on a previously forgotten stronghold of "terror" :
Afghanistan.
Osama's place of refuge.
His fortress of solitide.
His pimped out crib.
I use the word forgotten in a public sphere sense of the word. We should
never discredit the 11,800
US troops, representing over 1/3 of the NATO coalition force in
Afghanistan . I simply mean that we don't actively recognize that this
is where it all started. Remember this guy:
We were after him at one point. But in a stunning performance of
hyppcritical "cut-and-run", we left .. and went after this guy:
OK, so we got the latter. And yeah, he was put to death. But violence
within Iraq most certainly has not seen any dramatic decreases. Plus, a
report made by Afghani, US, and Nato officials have stated a sharp
increase of casualities within the past few months, in the ball park of
4,000 people
Casualties in Afghanistan have risen sharply in recent months as an
emboldened Taliban widened military operations and suicide attacks. Some 4,000 people died in insurgency-related violence in
Afghanistan last year, according to numbers from Afghan, U.S. and NATO
officials.
And now, President Bush has publically announced his authorization of
Iraq-based soldiers to "take whatever actions are necessary
to counter Iranian agents deemed a threat to American troops or the public
at large". Certainly not completely to his descredit. You have to
allow the troops to defend themselves at all costs.
But let's face it. This is just like a gang war, and President "Ja-Rule"
Bush, beefin' with Mahmoud "50 Cent" Ahmadinejad , has just produced an
ill track slamming G-Unit.
In laymens terms, we're adding fuel to the fire right now. Coming out
publically and targetting Iranians in Iraq is adding fuel to fire. Are
they supplying insurgents with weaponry and IED - improvised exploding
devices? Yes. But we're supposed to be spreading diplomacy aimed at peace
in the Middle East. Why are we concerned with publically flipping off our
inevitable adversaries on the battle field? Its obvious we have a future agenda with Iran,
but shouldn't we be focusing on the task at hand: succeeding in Iraq. We're spreading
ourselves too thin here.
We want Iran to adhere to U.N. regulations, but we invaded Iraq without U.N. backing.
We want to spread diplomacy and peace throughout the world, but starting conflicts throughout the world.
A Bush of all trades, a master of none. Iraq, Afghanistan, and soon to be Iran, Syria,
and Korea. 21,500 troops is just the beginning of the amount of military force we'll have to
commit to the war on "terror".
and actually had to do work, I couldn't finish until now - January 28
AP reported today that Condi Rice has appealed to
international allies in our fight against "terror", this time shifting US
and World focus on a previously forgotten stronghold of "terror" :
Afghanistan.
Osama's place of refuge.
His fortress of solitide.
His pimped out crib.
I use the word forgotten in a public sphere sense of the word. We should
never discredit the 11,800
US troops, representing over 1/3 of the NATO coalition force in
Afghanistan . I simply mean that we don't actively recognize that this
is where it all started. Remember this guy:
We were after him at one point. But in a stunning performance of
hyppcritical "cut-and-run", we left .. and went after this guy:
OK, so we got the latter. And yeah, he was put to death. But violence
within Iraq most certainly has not seen any dramatic decreases. Plus, a
report made by Afghani, US, and Nato officials have stated a sharp
increase of casualities within the past few months, in the ball park of
4,000 people
Casualties in Afghanistan have risen sharply in recent months as an
emboldened Taliban widened military operations and suicide attacks. Some 4,000 people died in insurgency-related violence in
Afghanistan last year, according to numbers from Afghan, U.S. and NATO
officials.
And now, President Bush has publically announced his authorization of
Iraq-based soldiers to "take whatever actions are necessary
to counter Iranian agents deemed a threat to American troops or the public
at large". Certainly not completely to his descredit. You have to
allow the troops to defend themselves at all costs.
But let's face it. This is just like a gang war, and President "Ja-Rule"
Bush, beefin' with Mahmoud "50 Cent" Ahmadinejad , has just produced an
ill track slamming G-Unit.
In laymens terms, we're adding fuel to the fire right now. Coming out
publically and targetting Iranians in Iraq is adding fuel to fire. Are
they supplying insurgents with weaponry and IED - improvised exploding
devices? Yes. But we're supposed to be spreading diplomacy aimed at peace
in the Middle East. Why are we concerned with publically flipping off our
inevitable adversaries on the battle field? Its obvious we have a future agenda with Iran,
but shouldn't we be focusing on the task at hand: succeeding in Iraq. We're spreading
ourselves too thin here.
We want Iran to adhere to U.N. regulations, but we invaded Iraq without U.N. backing.
We want to spread diplomacy and peace throughout the world, but starting conflicts throughout the world.
A Bush of all trades, a master of none. Iraq, Afghanistan, and soon to be Iran, Syria,
and Korea. 21,500 troops is just the beginning of the amount of military force we'll have to
commit to the war on "terror".
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
And Now ... The Top 5
Here's a list of five bands that have / will outlive their initial hype and success to continue making quality music beyond their first 15 minutes.
5) Arctic Monkeys
Although Brit Pop may not be at its strongest since Blur/Oasis days, many UK artists are making positive strides in securing a foothold in music. Artic Monkey's definately are the leaders of the pack, sweeping last years NME's with over 5 awards, and
4) Lupe Fiasco
Chicago-based MC, been on the hip-hop scene for many years, despite his young age and only one commercial release. Kanye West and Common brought solid sounding rap back to the mainstream, and Lupe's flow and unique style will see that Chi-town remains on the market.
3) Robin Thicke
I'm reluctant to say that I acutally liked "The Evolution of Robin Thicke", but it took me by surprise. Also like Lupe, Thicke is not a novice to music world, holding some previous hits in the past both as an artist and songwriter. Fans of traditional soul and r&b will be converted, and Pharell Williams production support will see that his hits get play. Plus, it never hurts to be able to follow the coattails of Justin Timberlake's new brand of music, and be able to do it much better.
2) The Good, The Bad, and The Queen
Blur/Gorillaz genius Damon Alburn's latest side project aims to fuse his multiple-music personas into what should be a guaranteed success.
1) Bloc Party
Touring successfully and long off only one "Silent Alarm" release in 2004 (and a subsequent remix release 2005). Fans will be more than satisfied with the new release aimed in the near future.
5) Arctic Monkeys
Although Brit Pop may not be at its strongest since Blur/Oasis days, many UK artists are making positive strides in securing a foothold in music. Artic Monkey's definately are the leaders of the pack, sweeping last years NME's with over 5 awards, and
4) Lupe Fiasco
Chicago-based MC, been on the hip-hop scene for many years, despite his young age and only one commercial release. Kanye West and Common brought solid sounding rap back to the mainstream, and Lupe's flow and unique style will see that Chi-town remains on the market.
3) Robin Thicke
I'm reluctant to say that I acutally liked "The Evolution of Robin Thicke", but it took me by surprise. Also like Lupe, Thicke is not a novice to music world, holding some previous hits in the past both as an artist and songwriter. Fans of traditional soul and r&b will be converted, and Pharell Williams production support will see that his hits get play. Plus, it never hurts to be able to follow the coattails of Justin Timberlake's new brand of music, and be able to do it much better.
2) The Good, The Bad, and The Queen
Blur/Gorillaz genius Damon Alburn's latest side project aims to fuse his multiple-music personas into what should be a guaranteed success.
1) Bloc Party
Touring successfully and long off only one "Silent Alarm" release in 2004 (and a subsequent remix release 2005). Fans will be more than satisfied with the new release aimed in the near future.
Monday, January 22, 2007
The Good, The Bad, and the CNN
CNN.com.
There's so much to be said about it. But for all intensive purposes, let's stick to what's been asked of us, shall we?
What they do well:
The homepage top navigation bar is very simple and easy to use. For the most part, the top is not bogged down by an overabundance of graphics, minimizing load up time. The top stories are clearly listed and available for further inspection. There are many options to connect to interactive media, including video and audio. The stories also have highlights of its important facts, which positively serves people looking for even quicker news fixes.
What does it not do well:
There aren't as many images or good photos on the homepage, which many find useful in attracting readers to stories. The layout of the text is quite jumbled together, and is not sectioned off with enough space from each other. Story highlights also render the actual articles somewhat obsolete, being that many readers wish only to scan for particular in the first place.
Interactivity:
The Pipeline allows users full interactive media capabilities in getting the news. At the bottom of articles are various options, whether it is to "email", "print", or "save" the news stories, which is a cool feature for users to utilize. Home page polls and surveys also enhance CNN.com in becoming incredibly user interactive.
Link to Other Websites:
Various links to CNN.com's international site, television programs, and transcripts are readily available for users to access. Other advertiser links, including ones for careerbuilder.com, yahoo.com and orbitz are also present, but for other purposes.
What Extent Do People Use:
This would be an ideal site for multiple purposes. Story highlights allow users to simply get the main facts of particular stories, and allow them to expand and read further into them as well. Interactive features such as streaming audio and video also assist the user in getting information. Polls and surveys also allow others to guage user opinion, which increases interactivitiy. Mild-news to heavy-news seekers would use CNN.com effectively.
There's so much to be said about it. But for all intensive purposes, let's stick to what's been asked of us, shall we?
What they do well:
The homepage top navigation bar is very simple and easy to use. For the most part, the top is not bogged down by an overabundance of graphics, minimizing load up time. The top stories are clearly listed and available for further inspection. There are many options to connect to interactive media, including video and audio. The stories also have highlights of its important facts, which positively serves people looking for even quicker news fixes.
What does it not do well:
There aren't as many images or good photos on the homepage, which many find useful in attracting readers to stories. The layout of the text is quite jumbled together, and is not sectioned off with enough space from each other. Story highlights also render the actual articles somewhat obsolete, being that many readers wish only to scan for particular in the first place.
Interactivity:
The Pipeline allows users full interactive media capabilities in getting the news. At the bottom of articles are various options, whether it is to "email", "print", or "save" the news stories, which is a cool feature for users to utilize. Home page polls and surveys also enhance CNN.com in becoming incredibly user interactive.
Link to Other Websites:
Various links to CNN.com's international site, television programs, and transcripts are readily available for users to access. Other advertiser links, including ones for careerbuilder.com, yahoo.com and orbitz are also present, but for other purposes.
What Extent Do People Use:
This would be an ideal site for multiple purposes. Story highlights allow users to simply get the main facts of particular stories, and allow them to expand and read further into them as well. Interactive features such as streaming audio and video also assist the user in getting information. Polls and surveys also allow others to guage user opinion, which increases interactivitiy. Mild-news to heavy-news seekers would use CNN.com effectively.
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