Virtuality

It would seem that today’s world is becoming two worlds. The virtual plane of existence is an online dramaturgy where all the world wide web’s a stage. The real world is much less flexible, constrained by time and space, social norms and prejudices.

Marc Prensky argues that the online life being created by today’s techno-geek is merely communication in its evolutionary form that the online world is an exciting, new and emergent form of life. Dave Weinberger, on the other hand, seems to hint that life on line is like a box of chocolates ...you never know what you are really going to get. What you think you have managed to glean from an online experience might be thrown into disarray the next time you log in.

Weinberger opens his essay with a warning. “When Michael Ian Campbell used an online alias, no one was suspicious. After all choosing a name by which you’ll be known on the Web is a requirement ...” (Weinberger, 1)

Weinberger alludes to the idea that any combination of personality traits you want to test out can come to life in an online environment whether it’s a chat room or a virtual world in the guise of an avatar. It’s a place where you are afforded safety from judgement over your true self. Especially from the awkwardness of personal interactions, body language and facial expressions that everyday life confronts you with. Prensky agrees; “Online relationships are not affected by the ‘lookism’ and status that is so important and frustrating in kid’s face-to-face social lives – online you and other people are judged only by what you say and produce. Reputations and influence are earned, and not based on social caste.” (Prensky, 12)

The problem with written conversation is that it lacks intonation, body language and facial expression, not to mention accent, wit and sarcasm. Even in a face-to-face situation with all of these visual signals there is the still the reasonable chance someone might misinterpret your meaning, let alone a situation, without it all. Without visual signals there is the chance that what you say might get you fired, land you in jail or equally as bad the hospital psych wing. “John Paul Denning found himself locked up in the Bellevue hospital’s ward for the mentally disturbed ... because he’d written an email to an old friend in which he said, ‘Maybe I should stop showing people my new gun, but I’m so proud of it. Makes me feel like a real New Yorker,’ as well as some references to the mayhem he could commit.” (Weinberger)

It’s not all danger Will Robinson, danger though. Denning was sent before a board of inquiry and his job reinstated “when he was able to show that the email was meant as dark humour to a close friend.” Weinberger’s angle of argument definitely warns us about the potential for the internet to do harm to us by crossing over the virtual threshold from the online domain to the real one. It appears though that the internet is just another step in our technological and human evolution combined.

For the people, whose ordinary life is just that, it opens up an opportunity to become on line what they can never bring themselves to be in reality. Online role playing games (RPG) allow for transformation into character much like an actor does on a stage. Fantasy fulfilment might involve things that people would never have the courage or stomach for in real life. For example role playing games create socially accepted violence against constructed beings. The sense of killing a living thing in the virtual world is neither frowned upon nor punishable – unless of course you lose. Alternately there is the nurturing side of the gamer that can be fulfilled through the need to feed, love and pay attention to their online creations. So do we play the games or are we playing games?

The widely agreed norm is that the internet is an unreal world where we must be cautious and not to reveal too much of our true selves. Being careful about what information we share both privately and in an open public forum, hence the use of an alias. So are we creating characters out of self protection? And are we creating them to be more appealing to the information super highway trippers? The perceived pressure within the culture to fit into the ‘online norms’ would suggest yes.

Prensky talks about the creation of an online life. That the “digital natives are inventing new, online ways of making each activity happen”. (Prensky, 2004) Does that mean that we are participating more or less in life? Today’s kids are becoming communication junkies - never without a mobile phone, logged in to facebook, plugged into an iPod or logged in to multiple chat windows. These technologies allow for streaming of data in a time portal not possible in the real world. The possibilities for dissemination of information, a consistent exchange of ideas, opinions, news and gossip are absent in time constraints. It is the ultimate way to proliferate the rumour mill. Gossip is no longer reserved for the playground or the staff room - now it is communicated instantly and waiting at your fingertips the next time you log in.

Both Prensky and Weinberger’s lines of argument give an accurate description of the potential that the internet and online life has for moral decency and the obvious antonym of moral decay. As in all things there is balance. It’s not about censoring what people do or say as much as letting the virtual participants censor themselves. Contemporary internet usage is going to change on a regular basis, probably as often as my virus protection updates. As the online users search, create, change, play, chat and log off the internet grows within its black hole to accommodate all of the whims and fancies of the people it serves. So, should we fear the creation of life on line and cautiously navigate the maze or should we dive in head first and see how deep the oblivion really is? I, for one, am about to dive in. Why not? If I virtually die I can always hit the restart button.




Prensky, Marc. (2004) The Emerging Online Life of the Digital Native. http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky-The_Emerging_Online_Life_of_the_Digital_Native-03.pdf
Prensky, Marc. (2001) Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, part II: Do They Really Think Differently? http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part2.pdf
Weinberger, David. (2002) Small Pieces Loosely Joined {A unified theory of the web: Chapter 1: A New World. http://www.smallpieces.com/
Weinberger, David. (2005) The New Is. http://www.hyperorg.com/misc/thenewis.html

An opinion on politics... this could be dangerous.

I fear that this might get a little biased and opinionated. But then if there wasn't bias and opinion we wouldn't have politics. Nothing like a good political argument to cement divisions and ruin friendships. Oh, and make you rethink the alliances in your household.

Democracy as a global idealism... great in theory. Probably not practical in practice. Considering that there are still many governments only put in place through a power struggle and then an ensuing power struggle to stay in power. Seems somehow less democratic than democracy strives for.

The theory of political power being a structure and vehicle for change and some form of equality is a great theory. Pity that those in power tend to come from influential, financially supported backgrounds, who happen to be friends of friends. There is something else to be said about political clout and social capital. But that is hardly relative to the subject, it's just my highly cynical opinion of the way the world works - politically of course!

Practice... politics practices well rounded manipulation of the facts, avoidance of the question and promise breaking. Politics would make a terrible parent. If we were instilling those values in our kids we would be facing the guilt tribunal of children's mental abuse.

Now onto the real political agenda... The government plans to censor the internet? Who doesn't like the odd pop-up window on their screen that advertises something nude, naughty or morally corrupt? And if you're not smart enough to use the tools that are built into your system to help avoid things of a sexually explicit nature then I think perhaps the government needs to be censoring more than the internet content you are receiving. Plus how hard is it to click the little red x on the screen if you find something you weren't really looking for, and if what you were looking for was close to something that might offend your sensibilities then perhaps your moral meter is erring on the side of deviance anyway.

Who really cares if our kids learn about the birds and the bees by watching 'how to fake it for dummies' anyway. It's not like we do a good job of hiding all of that from them with the content available on the small screen, in magazine advertising and movies. Sex sells, within socially acceptable norms. As long as it doesn't involve child pornography, abuse or really deep and meaningful German made stuff then I think it should be there for us to see. At least making your own judgements on what you do and do not like is then democratically given to you - considering we live in a democracy surely that is our right.

Just in case you want to fight the political oppression of pornography

Freeware applications...

In the world of intelligence overload there are lots of things you can obtain for free. It's something to do with sharing. A value we try to instill in everyone who isn't a born capitalist.

There are lots of sites for you to search for open source software.

http://sourceforge.net/

http://www.opensourcewindows.org/

http://www.opensourcemac.org/

I have been using Gimp since last year when we were told similar stuff in the web course I was doing then. It is the GNU Image Manipulation Programme, designed to be used with photos and to create text boxes. I found it a little difficult at first but then I'm not the most computer savvy person on the planet. For the simple stuff like reducing photos, manipulating them or writing some text over the top after a few attempts I found it a reasonable system to use. I don't like the separate boxes for opening the picture and the tools, but then it might have been updated since I last looked!

Gimp

Week 8 -

Sign an e-petition. I figured saving something was worth signing up for...

Save Eumundi

Respond to a professional blogger at a major news site.

I have nothing to say. I must be the least opinionated person in the world!

What is Barak Obama up to today?

Obama blogs!


Find out who your local, state and federal representatives are:

I might be in the x-generation category but I don't follow politics. I had to vote for the first time ever this year! That was well avoided on my part I think.

Local: Dr Alex Douglas

State: Anna Bligh (Always makes me giggle and think of Captain Bligh)

(And the fact that I am putting up a video of his grave should in no way reflect upon my feelings about she who rules in any way what so ever...)

Federal: Stuart Robert. Fadden. ( I have a great publicity shot of him on my fridge with all the emergency numbers you could ever need. Pity when there is an emergency the last place you think to look for help is the fridge!)


Look up the Queensland or Australian hansard to find the last time your local member spoke in parliament.
HUH? The what. Hansard? Who really knows what all this stuff means. I have watched parliament, its like a circus on steroids with undiscovered species of animals. I'm guessing that when he spoke he probably didn't actually say anything anyway...

Let your local member know what you think about their last speech.

How about I do that right here...In a few short well thought out words.

"Say something, anything, make a point. In fact speak up! I CANT HEAR YOU! Oh, you don't have anything productive to say? Help, we need someone to run the country. Any suggestions?"

3 Short Films

As a medium for exposing new short films, or anything creative for that matter, the internet must have been every budding film directors dream come true. The internet makes the possibility of distribution of the short film format accessible on a massive scale with a very tiny cost per view ratio.


I chose this first short animated film for a few reasons. The first one is that I am a kiwi...don't say it I know it's patriotic and completely commendable on my part! With over 23.5 million views on youtube since June 2006 it has obviously appealed to a much greater audience than just all of the ex-patriot kiwis out there. It is simple, the story line is clear and leaves you with your own end interpretation. To feel the wind in your face, even if it is only once.




This second film speaks volumes about itself and about our opinions.
(I was also impressed this week to see it shown at the lecture!)




I liked the idea of this third film because it relates a bit more closely to my degree. The idea of a story being born without and ending, which all writers fear. I can relate whole heartedly to that interpretation of the difficulty of being creative...

The generatorblog has a heap of ideas for sites you can do things on. From making puddles of vomit to putting your own design on a t-shirt.

Tiltshift

This application was fun and simple. I think it might take a little bit more practice to master the use of the blurring effect but on a simplicity scale it was very easy to use.

If you are into fashion or perhaps want to see what other peoples idea of fashion is this site is for you...Polyvore. You get to mix and match outfits, celebrity pictures handbags and my favourite shopping item...shoes!

I looked at both of the art portal listings, but I'm not sure I get it! Art is that way I suppose...

Emergency and Disaster Information Services (EDIS) For anything you could ever want to know about natural disasters the world over...

I'm really glad that this volcano is miles from Tokyo where I will be going in about a weeks time...

I have no idea why you would want to test the speed of the computer? If it's being slow and annoying I take a coffee break...

I would recommend testing your reaction time instead. This involves sheep and a tranquilizer dart, and it's addictive.

Me on the Net and Firsts of Me

A search for my name at personas media comes up with this...

It could not be much further from the truth as I am the least sportiest sports person with inadequate ball handling skills and the ability to only trip over my own feet whilst running...

Following is a map of all the places I have done something for the first time...


View Places I did something for the first time in a larger map

Scavenger Hunt

Missing tutorials is a bummer...especially when I fear I may have missed some other instructions! Thursday morning cleared that up though so I'm on the hunt for the following list of fascinating bits of useless information! I love useless information, my head is full of that already - so lets add some more and see if it is more interesting than what I have already assimilated...

1. What is the weight of the world's biggest pumpkin? How long did it take to grow?

The Boston Globe
Joe Jutras set a world record winning the annual New England Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off at the Topsfield Fair, Saturday, September 29, 2007. Jutras's world-record setting pumpkin weighed 1,689 lbs. (766kgs)
Growing time is a bit harder to determine...the next biggest pumpkin I found took 5 months to grow.
Steve Connolloy hoped to break the record with his estimated 1878 pounder!

Here is some timelapse film of growing a giant pumpkin!


2. What is the best way (quickest, most reliable) to contact Lilly Allen?
I guess you could send her a 'wat's up' via her myspace, but I'm not really sure if you would get a reply... Lily Allen - MySpace

There are also opportunities to join sites which promise to send you her managers details, but you need to join up and I don't imagine that's quite as quick as you might be looking for.

You could join her official website and post a topic for discussion on her forum, she happens to be one of the moderators for the site. Discussion Forum
Offical Pics

3. What is the length of a giraffe's tongue?


The one thing I do know is that a giraffe is talented enough to be able to lick its own ear, but then if any of us had 21 inches(that's a whopping 53 cm) I'm sure we would all be in a hurry to showoff our talents at any possible opportunity!
National Geographic - Giraffe facts


4. How would you define the word 'glycomics'? In your own words, what does it really mean ?

A quick trip to my favourite site dictionary.com and it sends me off to the reference section.
After reading this I would be incliced to tell you that glycomics is the study of glycomes, although that is hardly helpful if you don't know what a glycome is... oh right I should tell you what a glycome is now. A glycome is 'the entire complement of sugars found in the more complex molecules of an organism' also not really helpful either unless you are a molecular biologist.

Ok in my terms lets say that glycomics is the study of sugars found inside of living things that you need a microscope to look at... I don't think I can dumb that down any more and I still don't really know what it means.

As for "seagull manager" the urban dictionary says -
"A manager who flies in, makes a lot of noise, craps on everything, and then leaves."(Urban Dictionary)

5. What was David Cronenberg's first feature film?
The movie was released as 'Shivers' but originally trailered as 'They came from within'
They came from within trailer

Which of his films Had 'Blondie' in it?

Blondie (Debbie Harry) starred in the 1982 film Videodrome.
Videodrome - Blondie scene

6. When was the original 'Hacker's Manifesto' written?
8 January 1986
The Mentor

7. Why do phone numbers in Hollywood films start with '555'?
If I understand correctly the powers that be reserved a certain amount of numbers for use in films so that the small amount of crazed fans who might be likely to call a number they heard in a movie wouldnt bother someone by dialling the number at 3am just to see who might answer.
Geek trivia

Hope I don't need security....

8. What is the cheapest form of travel from the Gold Coast to Sydney?
Gold Coast - Sydney flights from $98.00. I suppose you could ride a bike, but I imagine that it would cost you a lot more in time and accommodation on the way, same goes with hitchhiking and walking. Time and expense all taken into consideration I would fly.

9. What song was top of the Australian Pop Charts this week in 1965?
I'm leaning towards Normie Rowe - Que Sera Sera. But that might be an unsubstantiated rumour.
http://www.shop.nsw.gov.au/proddetails.jsp?publication=8206

10. Which Brisbane band includes Stephen Stockwell on keyboards and vocals?
Black Assassins

Reality vision

Watch a movie - now that's an assignment I can get my eyes around.

This has to be one of my favourite films and probably the least cringe worthy of all of Will Ferrell's performances. His character is simple, quirky and flawed in the most fascinating sense. Alongside Emma Thompson's performance of the slightly crazed and tortured author this makes for a sweet and twisted story.

Defining the shots we have been discussing when it came to this film was a little more complex than I might have originally thought . Describing Who, What, When, Where, Why and How with pictures is an art I am beginning to appreciate all the more.


Who: This movie centres around Harold Crick, a tax agent who lives the same predictable existence day in and day out.




What: His life is thrown into disarray when he starts to hear the voice of a narrator talking about him and describing his actions.



Where: The narrator, Karen Eiffel, intervenes into Harold's thoughts at various points during the film. Without dialogue this is a little difficult to interpret. Harold does talk to the narrator but she can't hear him. This makes him think he is going insane. It is when she is sitting at the typewriter typing that her narration is heard by Harold.

When: Time in this movie is a repetitive theme, in fact it is pivotal to the movies outcome. This shot simply tells us that it is time for bed.



Why: Karen Eiffel, the tortured author played by Thompson, is struggling to finish her latest novel. She has rather a bad case of writers block until finally she is drawn into the narrative herself.




How: Karen Eiffel, (Thompson) is imagining controlling her character. We get drawn from her hallucination of the scene into reality when the publishers assistant enters the room (Latifah).

The continuation of making porn...

So I got a little distracted by thinking about watersports... And after searching for the first hour of class for the meaning of the various things on the list I had come up with a less than adequate answer for the question - not to mention no answer at all!

HELP... is at hand. Perhaps as suggested I should broaden my search to contain all of the acronyms. OH! right, of course I knew that, I just felt like spending an hour frustrating myself (and that had nothing to do with the porn)

So I found this...
BFI Film & TV Database

Which has only fuelled my frustration because it uses all those lovely acronyms without explaining them!! I think i'm in research hell... Not one to give up even when the room is steadily emptying I look over the shoulder of the person next to me - she has no idea either. Good! I'm not a complete drop kick yet. Search again...

I have decided in lieu of finding anything even remotely close-up to what we are looking for I am going to make my own list of random answers:

Meaning of MS More Shit
Meaning of ECU ευρωπαϊκή νοισατική ονάδα
Meaning of VLS/WS Virgin Lip Syndrome
Meaning of LS Liver and Spleen
Meaning of MLS Muzzle Loading Smoothbore
Meaning of MCU Micturating Cysto Urethrogram
Meaning of CU Call Unix
Meaning of BCU Blue Currency Unit

Apart from the MCU and LS references none of these really fall into the same catergory, not to mention that I don't speak Greek. So I better give this a harder try...

After being given a major hint I'm on the right track. These are all movie making terms referring to the type of camera shot being used. Each of them represents a different frame of information being given to the audience. For example:

MS Mid Shot - This is a frame of the subject performing an action.




ECU Extreme Close Up- This shot is used to show a lot of detail. Focusing on one particular object or part of the character that is important at the time eg a watch face, eye or details on a document.


This shot in the movie 'Stranger than Fiction' is to highlight the importance of time and specifically Harold's watch.



LS Long Shot - This takes in the surroundings of the character and gives the audience as idea of 'where' they are. It is also known as an 'Establishing Shot'


VLS/WS Very Long Shot/Wide Shot - Although it is difficult to show exact time on screen the long shot helps to establish some idea of the general surrounding conditions eg day/night, tropical heat/arctic conditions.



MLS Medium Long Shot -This takes in almost all of the background scene and shows most of the character we are being directed to focus on as well.

Writing 39B
Here we know who to focus on but get a good look at the scene as well.


MCU Medium Close Up - Takes in less of the surrounding backdrop and brings the characters a bit more into focus. Shows more of the facial expression.


CU Close Up - Used to show the audience a specific feature of the character - usually the face. This puts an emphasis on the emotional state of the character.



BCU Big Close Up - Is another depth of the close up shot placing the face of the subject (or item of interest) in much closer filling almost or all of the frame.

To the movies...

Pre lecture classes pose a problem....I have no idea what we are doing before I get here. Lack of preparation makes Jack a dopey boy. Sufficed to say I am Jack.

We have been set the task of searching for the meaning of life... oh actually its the meaning of some acronyms. That seems a little simpler and a bit more reasonable at lunchtime on a Wednesday. Hmm I'm hungry....

Lets see where this might take me,

Meanings for ECU, WS, MS in relation to the 'language of the screen'...

I don't think that this is the reference they are meaning, unless we are perhaps referring to making a porn movie.

Walkies...

A virtual pet that doesn't lick you to get you out of bed but actually beeps and runs away from you! Combining the all original technology of the wheel and the efficiency of a digital clock. I wonder if it warns you when the batteries are going flat?

The manufacturer has this description of Clocky:

The patented alarm clock that runs away and hides to get you out of bed. Clocky gives you one chance to get up. But if you snooze, Clocky will jump off your nightstand and wheel around your room looking for a place to hide, beeping all the while. You’ll have to get out of bed to silence his alarm. Clocky is kind of like a misbehaving pet, only he will get up at the right time

damp-dry.com

Squirrel me away

Im trying to become technology savvy. How is that going for you? You might be inclined to ask. Not so good at this moment, would be my answer. So I have found a product that will not interrupt me when it can sense that I am talking. Great, but I can see a small problem.

This is supposed to be LESS intrusive?!

Stefan Marti - Research

The cellular squirrel is supposed to monitor whether or not you are talking. It then knows when you are busy and intervenes by taking a message. Problem. At least when my phone rings I can ignore it or hit the silent button and my messages remain private. The squirrel on the other hand is harder to ignore. Cute but I imagine the novelty value might wear off and its cumbersome size and my handbag might not be compatible. It's also a good thing that the test subject didn't send an IM like some of the SMS I get from friends. They occasionally forget about etiquette and disclose things of a personal nature that can be rather interesting but are not always suitable for a room full of ears.

Shiny and new

I have to admit I have a thing for shiny metal. Preferably precious... but I will settle for a robot pet instead!

Communication combinations

Convergence in Communication: the combination of technologies into one device so they are able to perform more than one task. In this instance the combination of phone, internet capabilities and various other forms of media.

The convergence of communication and the imagination of inventors has us reaching far beyond the abacus, basic radio transmission and computers that fill rooms. Now there is every chance that your abacus is a robot who mops your floor whilst doing advanced mathematical theory and broadcasting the cricket on ABC radio. In a world where the measurement of technological success has morphed from thinking big and reaching for the moon to thinking smaller than the eye can see makes me wonder what some of the weird and wacky inventors of the world might have come up with...


Unless this detects untapped mineral resources or uncut diamonds buried at my local beach I'm thinking these are not for me. Not to mention I dont own appropriate socks to go with them...

The strangest sandals you might never wear


This one is clever! My mobile phone does nearly everything except the dishes, so why not have one like The Wellness phone. It offers an impressive variety of features including a pedometer, heart rate monitor, body fat monitor and even a bad breath monitor. Who wouldn't want to know how fat McDonalds at midnight after work is making them. As for the breath factor there is nothing worse than holding down a prolonged conversation with Mr I have not visited a dentist since I left primary school. I wonder how practical the breath application is? And does it measure how many jagerbombs are too many? Sadly still only a prototype so I will have to stick to offering the offensive a breath mint.



CNET Asia

A delayed response

It's past the end of the first week, in fact technically it's the beginning of the second. The fact that I don't have to be back on campus til Wednesday means I'm still in long weekend mode. And that means that I just looked at the computer and realised that 'officially' I'm already behind! That's a mean feat 8 days into semester - but not one I plan to leave unfixed...

Last Thursday morning - 8am let me add - I managed to make our introductory lecture. That in itself is a miracle, and I'm not all that sure how often miracles are repeated (esp @ 8am!). I found a seat in my usual loner way - by tripping over someone seated at the end of the row and then excusing my clumsy foot or bag or other inaminate object attached to my person. After having imposed myself upon anothers personal space I find a seat. Usually it's one of two so i have to decided which person to insult by not sitting next to them. Finally I manage to land my posterior into the seat and hope it's not broken.

So now I'm seated and waiting. And waiting and waiting and at high risk of falling into a coma. Until the room becomes hushed and I realise that the intro is about to begin. Now I'm not sure why other people are at Uni. It's a personal thing, maybe to sponge off the parents for a bit longer, perhaps to try and find some life direction, it's possible someone forced you through guilt or threats of a low paying menial labour job. There must be a million other reasons way to many to list. Personally I'm here to listen and learn... that tends to be a little difficult when the people you choose to sit next to decide to have a conversation over the top of the lecture. I have a pretty high tolerance for most things but that would be the exception. I tried to be patient and wait the conversation out but after ten minutes - well lets just say the look I got in response to my comment was reminiscent of the look on my face when I used to get scolded by my Mum! Oops... what I said was ten minutes of thought put into a few short words. I'm glad I thought about it first though. I can't imagine what the response might have been if I didn't!

First few keystrokes

Apparently this is supposed to be simple... come to class, write about it. Its what is in the writing that's the issue entertaining and informative content (Except I don't do informative very well). Interesting, grabbing, informing, a collection of what's in your head, thoughts that explain it all. The only word I can come up with for it all is 'exposing'. And mostly who really wants to know what I'm in the process of doing anyway.... It's dark in here, and the air is a little clammy. Wonder if that is from the collection of first tutorial first year nerves in the room or just a minor glitch in the air-conditioning. I vote we turn the lights back on for a start, I'm likely to go blind staring at this monitor. Either that or get a headache. No drinks.

I wonder if the idea of Mac and back (and black-if you really want to delve down to my level of gutter) really is true. But then wouldn't my technological impotence be a cause for Mac-envy? And in the event of a complete Mac-attack would I be left Me 0 Mac 1?

Let us conclude today's all serious events. I can now turn the Mac on, press its buttons (not always the right one mind you) and blog for the world to see. a mac-vellous outcome for day one...