Sitting here right now writing up my final post is more difficult then I have imagined. As I sat in class the first day I was surprised during her explanations of the type of medium we will be using and the flexibility of the work. In a typical English class we would write essays, print them out and turn them in, and get a bunch of red marks and a grade. However, this class was different, the audience we wrote for was different, and her methods were different.
We turn in our work by posting ups blogs before a certain time every week. The readers is not limited to just our teacher, since it is on the World Wide Web everyone has the opportunity to read it and give their thoughts on the matter. We would post subjects of things that were discussed in class, but we never really had a certain topic we had to write able it varies between everyone in class. So when we post all the students have different topics that they feel the need to post . Over the years my writing has never improved much, I took writing courses , practice , but I never had much improvement, until I had enter this class. I had sent a link of my blog to friends and they gave me a lot of nice comments. The one that stood out the most was when I was ask if I really had wrote it, because she said it sounded so professional and unlike me.
Besides seeing improvement on my writing I had learn to read and watch things in a more detailed manner. For example, cell phone ads, I notice the little things that they try to get their audience to focus on, or how the color and lighting plays an important role in the ads. The people they use and the mood of the ads all have a certain significant, nothing that is shown is without reason.
In my personal opinion, this is by far; my most favorite’s class that I have taken in University of California, Davis. I had a very good experience with everyone in class, there were a lot of integrations and the discussions were amazing, hearing other people outlook and ideas help me see things in a new light. Also no matter how much different people views are it never lead to arguments, everyone just rationally explain their ideas and move on. In the future I hope to encounter another class similar to this one, because it has been an experience I will remember.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Key word Love
The Key word Love has many different meanings; one plain word cannot simply describe its complexity. The word Love can be dated back to the earliest English writing in the eighth century. The very roots of this word can be trace back to the old English word “lufu”, which is related to the Old Frisian “Luve”, Old High German “Luba”, and Gothic “Lubo”. Also it was derived from the Latin words “Lubet” meaning pleasing and “Lubido” meaning desire. The meaning behind the word Love had such an intricacy that the Greeks used the words Eros, Phila, and Agape to distinguish its meaning. Eros means passionate love, a sensual desire and longing. It could be interpreted as a love for someone you plan to spend the rest of your life with. It is a feeling of appreciation for the inner beauty of and individual rather than outer beauty. Phila, meaning friendship in Greek, represent the type of love a person feels for a friend or a family member. It is the bond that holds a friendship intact, caring for the people who raised you and those you grew up with. Agape means Love, it can be describe to denote the feeling of a persons’ spouse or having held someone with high regards.
According to the Oxford English dictionary love was originally used as a meaning to have feelings or a great affection, and fondness to another person. In the past love represented a distinctive set of emotions from one person to another base on how much feelings were felt. Today of course love is used in a similar manner to express ones emotions. However, the meaning behind love has been dramatically decreasing in the 21st century. Before the 19th century, because of arranged marriages the term love represented significant feelings towards another person through a constant build up of emotions after a long period of time. One person cannot simply see say love at first site when arrange marriages are conducted through the parents of each individuals. The feelings of love that are developed later between the spouses are a buildup of care, devotion and trust in one another after a certain period of time. During that time love represented a special feeling that could only take time to develop. For example, the blooming of a flower; a seed with the right sun light and enough water it becomes a lovely full grown flower. This meaning of love has been carried over to the 21st century.
However, this word has been over used in our society. People today confuse the desires of lust and the need to have someone that they throw around the word love with ease and little emotions. When you walk into a room and you catch a glimpse of a beautiful girl or a handsome guy, people automatically states that they are in love. After getting together for a day, they will already declare their love for one another. Ironically those type of relationships end of falling apart and those two ends up despising one another, even after being in “love” merely the day before. I have witnessed many people stating that they love the person they are currently going out with, but they said the same thing with the last five relationships that they have been in. It seems that people get deluded by the happily ever after stories that whenever someone reasonable comes along they must take this chance to say “I Love you”, in hope it will last forever. But the more they use it, the more it is repeated, the more meaningless it becomes. This is a type of situation that can be represented by a meal. Everyone has a favorite meal or favorite type of food. For example, I like eating pizza. The taste, the color, and the texture it intrigues me. Nevertheless, if I had to eat it every day, seven days a week for four weeks a month; I will get tired of it. The food would not taste as good if I had only eaten it once a month.
Even though this word has been abused by many people over the years and the meaning have decreased, there are people who hold it to high regards. To me the word love represents a simple word called selflessness. When you think of the words of love between a man or a women, a mother and her son and between two best friends they all have something in common. The ability to put those you care about before yourself. In the past or the present when you are in love with another person, all you care about are those people. You care about if they are happy, sad, mad, etc. No matter what their emotions are, or how they are acting you still cherish that person because you love them. In the past the word love had many different words to represent its meaning to the world, but today in the 21st century we all sum those definitions to one word “Love”; the innate ability to put the well being of those who care about deeply before you. Seeing you love one in pain, your friends in tears, or a family member hurt, wishing it was you who was in the accident, you were the one that is crying and wishing for a way to take their pain away. That is what love means, over the many years love have not change, it has been abused, over used, but never changed. It still have the same meaning it did when the Greeks were in power, and when Old English was just English. But rather than having words like Eros, Phila, and Agape we have Love. It is a word that should be held in high regards because to finally be able to claim you are in love is to claim that you are willing to set aside your well being for another. Also it is not something you can just declare; it takes time and devotion to strengthen the relation that you are, no matter if it’s the love of a family member, or the love of a friend. It takes years of developing the trust and understand with one another to be able to such a claim.
I spent many years thinking about the meaning of love and its true nature. Now I finally understand the universal meaning behind this complex word. The word never changed, it just combined itself over the years.
According to the Oxford English dictionary love was originally used as a meaning to have feelings or a great affection, and fondness to another person. In the past love represented a distinctive set of emotions from one person to another base on how much feelings were felt. Today of course love is used in a similar manner to express ones emotions. However, the meaning behind love has been dramatically decreasing in the 21st century. Before the 19th century, because of arranged marriages the term love represented significant feelings towards another person through a constant build up of emotions after a long period of time. One person cannot simply see say love at first site when arrange marriages are conducted through the parents of each individuals. The feelings of love that are developed later between the spouses are a buildup of care, devotion and trust in one another after a certain period of time. During that time love represented a special feeling that could only take time to develop. For example, the blooming of a flower; a seed with the right sun light and enough water it becomes a lovely full grown flower. This meaning of love has been carried over to the 21st century.
However, this word has been over used in our society. People today confuse the desires of lust and the need to have someone that they throw around the word love with ease and little emotions. When you walk into a room and you catch a glimpse of a beautiful girl or a handsome guy, people automatically states that they are in love. After getting together for a day, they will already declare their love for one another. Ironically those type of relationships end of falling apart and those two ends up despising one another, even after being in “love” merely the day before. I have witnessed many people stating that they love the person they are currently going out with, but they said the same thing with the last five relationships that they have been in. It seems that people get deluded by the happily ever after stories that whenever someone reasonable comes along they must take this chance to say “I Love you”, in hope it will last forever. But the more they use it, the more it is repeated, the more meaningless it becomes. This is a type of situation that can be represented by a meal. Everyone has a favorite meal or favorite type of food. For example, I like eating pizza. The taste, the color, and the texture it intrigues me. Nevertheless, if I had to eat it every day, seven days a week for four weeks a month; I will get tired of it. The food would not taste as good if I had only eaten it once a month.
Even though this word has been abused by many people over the years and the meaning have decreased, there are people who hold it to high regards. To me the word love represents a simple word called selflessness. When you think of the words of love between a man or a women, a mother and her son and between two best friends they all have something in common. The ability to put those you care about before yourself. In the past or the present when you are in love with another person, all you care about are those people. You care about if they are happy, sad, mad, etc. No matter what their emotions are, or how they are acting you still cherish that person because you love them. In the past the word love had many different words to represent its meaning to the world, but today in the 21st century we all sum those definitions to one word “Love”; the innate ability to put the well being of those who care about deeply before you. Seeing you love one in pain, your friends in tears, or a family member hurt, wishing it was you who was in the accident, you were the one that is crying and wishing for a way to take their pain away. That is what love means, over the many years love have not change, it has been abused, over used, but never changed. It still have the same meaning it did when the Greeks were in power, and when Old English was just English. But rather than having words like Eros, Phila, and Agape we have Love. It is a word that should be held in high regards because to finally be able to claim you are in love is to claim that you are willing to set aside your well being for another. Also it is not something you can just declare; it takes time and devotion to strengthen the relation that you are, no matter if it’s the love of a family member, or the love of a friend. It takes years of developing the trust and understand with one another to be able to such a claim.
I spent many years thinking about the meaning of love and its true nature. Now I finally understand the universal meaning behind this complex word. The word never changed, it just combined itself over the years.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Its so small but it reaches so far
“Something simple, an object, taken for granted", those were the words that went through my mind as I sat on the bus waiting to go home. As I was lost in my thoughts my cell phone rang, it was a text message from my friend Mg. Then the idea came to me, the object for this week’s post will be my cell phone.
From this picture, my cell phone is not the latest model, it has been dropped a lot over the year, but it is objects that I feel we all take for granted. I never notice it before, but a cell phone is very essential to everyday life. It is amazing how technology is come so far in the last century. Thinking back to the 1800's before the invention of the telephone, it would have taken days or weeks to reach someone and inform them any type of news. Back then it was also difficult to keep in touch with family members living in other towns or countries. But in the 21st century we have the technology to stay closer to one another even though we are so far away. For example, refer back to the picture of my cell phone; I used the technology of a webcam take the picture.
The advancement in our technology is astonishing; this small webcam that I used to take the picture serves a major purpose in my life. I used this webcam to keep in contact with all my cousins who live over 200 miles away from me. Even though we are so far away, I feel like I am right next to them when we are all online talking to one another through the webcam. The picture, the voice, the movements, they are all so clear and accurate. It is almost like we are all in the same room. The cell phone has a similar purpose to the webcam.
First of all, I like to discuss the features my cell phone. It has two buttons on each side; one side controls the music player and volume, while the other controls the camera functions. The back on the cell phone contains the camera and the T-mobile letters with a unique picture of five circles creating an image of a pentagon. This picture is significant for my cell phone it informs me that my cell phone has the ability to use T-mobile Fav Five feature. For those who do not know , this is a cell phone plan for T-mobile allow users to pick five people that they always call and make it so that I do not waste minutes when I call them. Not all cell phones can do this, only the ones with the circle sign can be used with this plan. This feature was created so that people would need to buy this certain type of cell phone from T-mobile only. However what makes this cell phone my cell phone and connected to me is the Wallpaper.
At first glance my wall paper gives of the impression that I must like candy, since it is on my phone. I have had many people ask me why like to use this picture as my wallpaper when there are so many other options? The answer is simple, the picture wholes a lot of meaning to me. The wallpaper is worth over 300 dollars and took over 4 years to make. You might think that impossible, but it is true. This wallpaper is really a birthday card that I personally put time into to make for her 19th birthday. To make this card I had put together two birthday cards she had given me when I had turn 15 and 16 years old. The candy wrappers are the original wrappers from the candies she had given me at the time. The most expensive part of this wallpaper is the heart and star necklaces that are on the card. I spent hours walking to different jewelry stores in Arden Fair Mall before I pick those two, together they are worth at least 340 with the store discount. That is why this wallpaper is an important aspect on my cell phone.
The cell phone itself has many useful fuctions.Before I had my cell phone I was not bothered as much with people calling me or texting me. It has never occurred to me the importance of being able to keep contact with others. But when I acquired my cell phone everything changed, in a sense of how I talk to my friends and family. Cell phone are commonly small and very light, you do not even notice its presence until it rings. There is a saying," You never know what you have until it is gone". This saying reminds me a lot of my cell phone and how I would feel if I have lost it. I would not be able to text message anyone when I am bored or need a friend to talk to. I cannot call someone when there is an emergency and I need to reach people. More importantly I would not be able to call the people I care about to make sure they are safe. This reminds me of an incident that happen a few weeks ago. I got this message from my best friend, something bad had happen to her and it scared me. She was 70 miles away and I cannot just bike over to see her. So I did the next best thing I called her as soon as I could. After a few minutes I was able to reach her and talk to her about the personal problems that were going on in her life. I felt so relieved after that call knowing she is safe. We are miles apart and I know I can never be there with her all the time, but by knowing I have a way to reach at all times is comforting. The same goes for everyone else in my life; I have friends who have moved across the state and across the nation. It is physically impossible to be there with them when we are separated by miles and miles of land.
That is why I am thankful that in 1876 Alexander Graham had invented the telephone, because it had lead to the advancement of the handheld cellular phone. The cell phone has helped me keep in touch with everyone in my life. No matter how far they are, this small object has the ability to reach them. I can be in Stockton and call my friend in Santa Clarita, even though it is a five hour drive I can reach her in mere minutes. Also with texting I am not limited to talking to only one person, I can text message 10, 20 or even 30 people at a time with just a push of a button. Technology is truly amazing, without my cell phone I would not be able to keep my relationships with my family and friend as strong as it is right now.
From this picture, my cell phone is not the latest model, it has been dropped a lot over the year, but it is objects that I feel we all take for granted. I never notice it before, but a cell phone is very essential to everyday life. It is amazing how technology is come so far in the last century. Thinking back to the 1800's before the invention of the telephone, it would have taken days or weeks to reach someone and inform them any type of news. Back then it was also difficult to keep in touch with family members living in other towns or countries. But in the 21st century we have the technology to stay closer to one another even though we are so far away. For example, refer back to the picture of my cell phone; I used the technology of a webcam take the picture.
The advancement in our technology is astonishing; this small webcam that I used to take the picture serves a major purpose in my life. I used this webcam to keep in contact with all my cousins who live over 200 miles away from me. Even though we are so far away, I feel like I am right next to them when we are all online talking to one another through the webcam. The picture, the voice, the movements, they are all so clear and accurate. It is almost like we are all in the same room. The cell phone has a similar purpose to the webcam.
First of all, I like to discuss the features my cell phone. It has two buttons on each side; one side controls the music player and volume, while the other controls the camera functions. The back on the cell phone contains the camera and the T-mobile letters with a unique picture of five circles creating an image of a pentagon. This picture is significant for my cell phone it informs me that my cell phone has the ability to use T-mobile Fav Five feature. For those who do not know , this is a cell phone plan for T-mobile allow users to pick five people that they always call and make it so that I do not waste minutes when I call them. Not all cell phones can do this, only the ones with the circle sign can be used with this plan. This feature was created so that people would need to buy this certain type of cell phone from T-mobile only. However what makes this cell phone my cell phone and connected to me is the Wallpaper.
At first glance my wall paper gives of the impression that I must like candy, since it is on my phone. I have had many people ask me why like to use this picture as my wallpaper when there are so many other options? The answer is simple, the picture wholes a lot of meaning to me. The wallpaper is worth over 300 dollars and took over 4 years to make. You might think that impossible, but it is true. This wallpaper is really a birthday card that I personally put time into to make for her 19th birthday. To make this card I had put together two birthday cards she had given me when I had turn 15 and 16 years old. The candy wrappers are the original wrappers from the candies she had given me at the time. The most expensive part of this wallpaper is the heart and star necklaces that are on the card. I spent hours walking to different jewelry stores in Arden Fair Mall before I pick those two, together they are worth at least 340 with the store discount. That is why this wallpaper is an important aspect on my cell phone.
The cell phone itself has many useful fuctions.Before I had my cell phone I was not bothered as much with people calling me or texting me. It has never occurred to me the importance of being able to keep contact with others. But when I acquired my cell phone everything changed, in a sense of how I talk to my friends and family. Cell phone are commonly small and very light, you do not even notice its presence until it rings. There is a saying," You never know what you have until it is gone". This saying reminds me a lot of my cell phone and how I would feel if I have lost it. I would not be able to text message anyone when I am bored or need a friend to talk to. I cannot call someone when there is an emergency and I need to reach people. More importantly I would not be able to call the people I care about to make sure they are safe. This reminds me of an incident that happen a few weeks ago. I got this message from my best friend, something bad had happen to her and it scared me. She was 70 miles away and I cannot just bike over to see her. So I did the next best thing I called her as soon as I could. After a few minutes I was able to reach her and talk to her about the personal problems that were going on in her life. I felt so relieved after that call knowing she is safe. We are miles apart and I know I can never be there with her all the time, but by knowing I have a way to reach at all times is comforting. The same goes for everyone else in my life; I have friends who have moved across the state and across the nation. It is physically impossible to be there with them when we are separated by miles and miles of land.
That is why I am thankful that in 1876 Alexander Graham had invented the telephone, because it had lead to the advancement of the handheld cellular phone. The cell phone has helped me keep in touch with everyone in my life. No matter how far they are, this small object has the ability to reach them. I can be in Stockton and call my friend in Santa Clarita, even though it is a five hour drive I can reach her in mere minutes. Also with texting I am not limited to talking to only one person, I can text message 10, 20 or even 30 people at a time with just a push of a button. Technology is truly amazing, without my cell phone I would not be able to keep my relationships with my family and friend as strong as it is right now.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
All of us has a first life but for others they get a second life too
Have you ever played a game where it never seems to end, there is always something new to do, a place you have never visit or just new people too meet? Then let me introduce you to Second Life, it is a virtual game on the World Wide Web that has become very popular to millions of people around the world. But what is so addicting about this game? How does it create an addiction for those who play the game so they will keep on playing? When I had first entered the game I was overwhelm with the likeness of the real world in the virtual domain. This virtual world place has everything that a person could want (besides food). This certainly lives up to the name Second Life. Because of the computer generated existence we live and look the way we do in real life, here we can perfect our avatar to the smallest detail : from our skin tone to the eye brows. In a world where there are limitless Boundaries and no laws everything is possible even the impossible. Later in my analysis, I will be discussing about the type of medium that allows us to play Second Life and the audience that surrounds it.
The Internet is the medium that provides us with this amazing game called Second life. By communicating with other people through a computer monitor we are able to hide our own imperfections that we do not want to project. It acts like a barrier, we see what others want us to see and we allow others to see us the way we want to be seen. Thus, this gives us the ability to create avatars to be the perfect cyber version of ourselves and changing or modifying our Identity. But what is Identity? This word alone is complex without a true meaning. In a sense Identity is how we project ourselves to other people that we meet. Second life allows a person who does not like their first life in a sense to start over. They can sign on and create a new image of how they want to be seen in the Virtual world. Their identity can change anytime with the features that Second life makes available to the user they can become anyone and look like anything. I think this is why Second life is so appealing to its users. Whenever in life they feel removed or outcast by those around them they get on Second life to seek refuge. They come on to a place where they are able to change who they are to fit in, unlike the real world. I can not simply go around making myself look taller when I am around people who are 6 feet tall or make my skin tone lighter or darker. In the real world we are who we are, but Second Life the limits are endless. I can become a lion, a cat; I can even change genders through a click of the button. Again there are no boundaries to what we can really do. We can travel around by flying, driving, and even teleporting. We can carry guns and be half nude and no one really deem it as different or unacceptable. This is a world where people fantasies come to life. It is promoted on there website; the have two perfect avatars looking happy with a big get started button.It is even in the slogan, "Your World. Your Imagination". Every thing on the website has its purpose, the colors the layout, they style, and it is all used to attract us. The best part about Second life that they make sure we recognize is that it is free; there is no downside in new comers trying it out. We do not pay anything and we get a chance to start over and begin a new experience.
Last week after watching a MTV clip entitle “I Live Another Life On The Web.” It talks about three different girls who were so fed up with real life that they retreated to virtual world to get away from there imperfections. One of the girls on there that stood out to me was Amy. She is a young musician whose dream is to make it big; however, she suffers from stage-fright. How can someone who wants to succeed in life as a performer when she freezes on stage? In order to deal with this dilemma she goes on to Second Life and creates a new identity. Here in the Second life she has virtual concerts and play for the residents that reside in Second Life. It seems that by hiding behind the computer screen she is able to live out her fantasy to play music. People that we have talk to in Second Life have openly admitted that they prefer their second lives over their first one. They seem to be more satisfied in the relationships and companionship the virtual world provides.
But if they hold such high regards to their virtual lives does in any way take replace the real world? Do people on here confuse their real identity with their virtual one? In an article by CBS they reported a strange kidnapping. Apparently a women name Kimberly Jernigan was arrested for charges of attempted kidnapping of her ex-cyber boyfriend on Second Life, burglary and aggravated menacing. She and her former boyfriend meet on Second Life. When their relationship went sour she resorted into trying to kidnap him with a teaser. This is a situation where the woman was lost between the real and virtual world. Originally I was dumbfounded by her actions to kidnap. It made no sense to me how a virtual relationship could be considered a real relationship. Since being Virtual is only as close to real as it can be but not being truly existing. However, as I read on and looking at her picture I started to understand why she was attracted to Second Life and why she held on to her virtual life just as if it was real. In today society people judge others on outer appearances. Honestly Kimberly was not much of a looker in the real world. But I am sure her avatar was different. She probably got attention from the residences of second life then she did in the real world.
In Second Life the audience that they are aiming for are the users and people who browse the internet. Second life is constantly changing to the demands of the people. People are building new homes, resorts, clubs, adding new features. They want to attract more people while keeping the ones they already have. Now it is not simply a game like halo or Super Mario. The people in this game consider this real. In another interview with a girl she straight up told me that her only real friends are the ones in Second Life. She seem to be offended when I mention how this was just virtual, nothing was really real. But to her and many others this virtual life is their life. They are on this constantly to a point that the only day light they see is the virtual sun in the game.
I can understand why they would be in this virtual world so much. Again, it is just the ability to live out ones desires, fix ones flaw, and the need for perfection. Everyone wants to belong is a place where people accept them. In Second Life different is the norm, people walk around looking like animals or beast and no one care. It is a place to unleash ones imagination without criticism. One point the audience of the Second life was just the users alone, it like reading a book the reader was the audience. However as times flies now the readers are writing there own books to their imagination. This is why significantly Second Life is so appealing. To be able create a happy ending for yourself who would not want that? It is games like these where it is amazing to see the lines of the real world fuse with the virtual.
The Internet is the medium that provides us with this amazing game called Second life. By communicating with other people through a computer monitor we are able to hide our own imperfections that we do not want to project. It acts like a barrier, we see what others want us to see and we allow others to see us the way we want to be seen. Thus, this gives us the ability to create avatars to be the perfect cyber version of ourselves and changing or modifying our Identity. But what is Identity? This word alone is complex without a true meaning. In a sense Identity is how we project ourselves to other people that we meet. Second life allows a person who does not like their first life in a sense to start over. They can sign on and create a new image of how they want to be seen in the Virtual world. Their identity can change anytime with the features that Second life makes available to the user they can become anyone and look like anything. I think this is why Second life is so appealing to its users. Whenever in life they feel removed or outcast by those around them they get on Second life to seek refuge. They come on to a place where they are able to change who they are to fit in, unlike the real world. I can not simply go around making myself look taller when I am around people who are 6 feet tall or make my skin tone lighter or darker. In the real world we are who we are, but Second Life the limits are endless. I can become a lion, a cat; I can even change genders through a click of the button. Again there are no boundaries to what we can really do. We can travel around by flying, driving, and even teleporting. We can carry guns and be half nude and no one really deem it as different or unacceptable. This is a world where people fantasies come to life. It is promoted on there website; the have two perfect avatars looking happy with a big get started button.It is even in the slogan, "Your World. Your Imagination". Every thing on the website has its purpose, the colors the layout, they style, and it is all used to attract us. The best part about Second life that they make sure we recognize is that it is free; there is no downside in new comers trying it out. We do not pay anything and we get a chance to start over and begin a new experience.
Last week after watching a MTV clip entitle “I Live Another Life On The Web.” It talks about three different girls who were so fed up with real life that they retreated to virtual world to get away from there imperfections. One of the girls on there that stood out to me was Amy. She is a young musician whose dream is to make it big; however, she suffers from stage-fright. How can someone who wants to succeed in life as a performer when she freezes on stage? In order to deal with this dilemma she goes on to Second Life and creates a new identity. Here in the Second life she has virtual concerts and play for the residents that reside in Second Life. It seems that by hiding behind the computer screen she is able to live out her fantasy to play music. People that we have talk to in Second Life have openly admitted that they prefer their second lives over their first one. They seem to be more satisfied in the relationships and companionship the virtual world provides.
But if they hold such high regards to their virtual lives does in any way take replace the real world? Do people on here confuse their real identity with their virtual one? In an article by CBS they reported a strange kidnapping. Apparently a women name Kimberly Jernigan was arrested for charges of attempted kidnapping of her ex-cyber boyfriend on Second Life, burglary and aggravated menacing. She and her former boyfriend meet on Second Life. When their relationship went sour she resorted into trying to kidnap him with a teaser. This is a situation where the woman was lost between the real and virtual world. Originally I was dumbfounded by her actions to kidnap. It made no sense to me how a virtual relationship could be considered a real relationship. Since being Virtual is only as close to real as it can be but not being truly existing. However, as I read on and looking at her picture I started to understand why she was attracted to Second Life and why she held on to her virtual life just as if it was real. In today society people judge others on outer appearances. Honestly Kimberly was not much of a looker in the real world. But I am sure her avatar was different. She probably got attention from the residences of second life then she did in the real world.
In Second Life the audience that they are aiming for are the users and people who browse the internet. Second life is constantly changing to the demands of the people. People are building new homes, resorts, clubs, adding new features. They want to attract more people while keeping the ones they already have. Now it is not simply a game like halo or Super Mario. The people in this game consider this real. In another interview with a girl she straight up told me that her only real friends are the ones in Second Life. She seem to be offended when I mention how this was just virtual, nothing was really real. But to her and many others this virtual life is their life. They are on this constantly to a point that the only day light they see is the virtual sun in the game.
I can understand why they would be in this virtual world so much. Again, it is just the ability to live out ones desires, fix ones flaw, and the need for perfection. Everyone wants to belong is a place where people accept them. In Second Life different is the norm, people walk around looking like animals or beast and no one care. It is a place to unleash ones imagination without criticism. One point the audience of the Second life was just the users alone, it like reading a book the reader was the audience. However as times flies now the readers are writing there own books to their imagination. This is why significantly Second Life is so appealing. To be able create a happy ending for yourself who would not want that? It is games like these where it is amazing to see the lines of the real world fuse with the virtual.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Ups and Downs of Google
After going through the blogs of my fellow classmates a few had stood out to me; Nikki’s, Cris’s, and Dean’s blogs. It got me pondering about the benefits and set backs of Google in particular. In the article “Is Google Making Us Stupid” by Carr, he proposed the question is Google causing us dim down our intelligence? He describes different people who have been experiencing the lost in ability to focus on a certain task when they are on surfing the World Wide Web. Even in the blogs post by Nikki and Cris they describe how language and writing is dumb down significantly to accommodate those to lazy to use it properly. It is true people in today’s society now use text messaging, instant messaging, and emails. They use short hand text like LMAO( laughing my ass off), OMG( Oh my God) , TTYL( talk to you later), etc… I absolutely agree with their blogs that we are all just getting lazier. I admit I use short hand when I am texting. I can not say for others but for me almost each month I send out and receive at least 4000 text messages, its just one of the main ways I communicate with my friends, because I can reach everyone on my list simultaneously while I can only talk to one person at a time through the cell phone. Short hand slang makes it very fast and simple. However this problem with the grammar is something that needs to be fixed. I notice that I for one write the way I talk with others, I am starting to notice less and less the errors in my spelling and the slang is slowly taken over my vocabulary.
Nevertheless, there are benefits to using Google in today world. Like in dean have mention in his blog, and I very much agree, Google have become more then just a place to search for one topic. Google has become a place where we can use it to learn about different multiple things. If we are confused about a definition or a medical conditioning that has occurred with a love one we can look it up. For example in class crystal had mention that there was as study done where people in a certain profession and those not in the profession where paired up to see if there was a different in those who spent years studying it and those who was just given a pamphlet. She said the out come of the study made no difference between the professional and the ordinary people they were equal. In another example, on December of last year my friend Rose had to go through a little tonsillectomy, the removing of ones tonsil. It a little surgery, nothing major, the chances of things going wrong is not that high. However, I still felt the need to read it so I could understand the procedure, the techniques they could use to remove it, the recovery, and the risk. By being able to read about it on Google it help me feel better, I was able to use the information to help her have a better recovery, this does not mean I am an expert on tonsillectomy now, it just means I have a little knowledge of it. Crystal had quoted; “A master of none”. This is what Google and the internet does we are able to expand our knowledge so we know a little of everything but not all , unless we feel strongly about a certain subject we can dig deeper it all depends on us. The information is there all we need to do is reach for it.
This is what I believe as the Ups and downs of Google. It lowers our thinking in a way where we get lazy in properly using language and writing, so people start using slang and short hand, they lack focus on task that could seem too long, they are in need of action of some sort. But Google benefits us in a sense the information is there, about everything and anything we can imagine. We can use this information to increase our own knowledge. We do not need to just stop at on the surface information, we have the ability to dig deeper and deeper. This all depends on us, so next time anyone us are looking at a certain topic keep going so we can scratch off the surface and understand the text at a deeper level.
Nevertheless, there are benefits to using Google in today world. Like in dean have mention in his blog, and I very much agree, Google have become more then just a place to search for one topic. Google has become a place where we can use it to learn about different multiple things. If we are confused about a definition or a medical conditioning that has occurred with a love one we can look it up. For example in class crystal had mention that there was as study done where people in a certain profession and those not in the profession where paired up to see if there was a different in those who spent years studying it and those who was just given a pamphlet. She said the out come of the study made no difference between the professional and the ordinary people they were equal. In another example, on December of last year my friend Rose had to go through a little tonsillectomy, the removing of ones tonsil. It a little surgery, nothing major, the chances of things going wrong is not that high. However, I still felt the need to read it so I could understand the procedure, the techniques they could use to remove it, the recovery, and the risk. By being able to read about it on Google it help me feel better, I was able to use the information to help her have a better recovery, this does not mean I am an expert on tonsillectomy now, it just means I have a little knowledge of it. Crystal had quoted; “A master of none”. This is what Google and the internet does we are able to expand our knowledge so we know a little of everything but not all , unless we feel strongly about a certain subject we can dig deeper it all depends on us. The information is there all we need to do is reach for it.
This is what I believe as the Ups and downs of Google. It lowers our thinking in a way where we get lazy in properly using language and writing, so people start using slang and short hand, they lack focus on task that could seem too long, they are in need of action of some sort. But Google benefits us in a sense the information is there, about everything and anything we can imagine. We can use this information to increase our own knowledge. We do not need to just stop at on the surface information, we have the ability to dig deeper and deeper. This all depends on us, so next time anyone us are looking at a certain topic keep going so we can scratch off the surface and understand the text at a deeper level.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
History of technology and the choices
When we think of technology the things that come to mind are ; super computers, microchips, robots, cars, Global Positioning System (G.P.S), PDA, the list goes on and on. However, original if you type in the term on Wikipedia, it states that the term technology was used as a concept as that deals with knowledge of tools and craft. In today’s era, that meaning is still true; we now have terms for specific things "construction technology", "medical technology", and "state-of-the-art technology.
Of course, the human race has advance so much in all of its technological fields. We have medical machines that are used to preserved life even though the body is in a vegetarian state. We have computers that can do math, calculations, and logarithms in seconds that will take us usually from minutes to hours. We have machines (i.e Robots, androids) that have the ability to move around and communicate to an extent. Scientist have created artificial limbs for those who have theirs amputated for different reasons.
Also it’s simply amazing to see how much it has advance, in the 1960’s they only starting making computers and no one even had their own since it was too big and expensive and now every home in America has at least one, portable or not.
And like we have discuss in class not every culture has ability to advance this high yet, and others choose to advance in some areas while ignoring the rest. Personally in my home country of Cambodia the technology there is still a long way from America. Not every home there has electricity all the time, the toilet aren’t flushable so u need to pour in your own water. However, like the native Americans , when we think of them we still have the images of people who lives in huts and are still hunters and gathers, this is not true, but it is what we are expose to and that is all we know. But now though as we think about Native Americans a new image is created, gambling, slot machines, poker, blackjack, paigow, etc… The Native American tribes have created casinos I different areas as a means on income. In California one casino I know of is Jackson Rancheria casino. Unlike other casinos like Reno, boomtown and those on the Vegas strip, this one allows adults at 18 and over to enter. I am not even going to lie; on my 18 birthday the first legal thing that I did was go to Jackson and tried my luck.
For now it seems like technology will only keep on advance who knows maybe one day we won't need school, all the information can just be sent directly into our minds.
Of course, the human race has advance so much in all of its technological fields. We have medical machines that are used to preserved life even though the body is in a vegetarian state. We have computers that can do math, calculations, and logarithms in seconds that will take us usually from minutes to hours. We have machines (i.e Robots, androids) that have the ability to move around and communicate to an extent. Scientist have created artificial limbs for those who have theirs amputated for different reasons.
Also it’s simply amazing to see how much it has advance, in the 1960’s they only starting making computers and no one even had their own since it was too big and expensive and now every home in America has at least one, portable or not.
And like we have discuss in class not every culture has ability to advance this high yet, and others choose to advance in some areas while ignoring the rest. Personally in my home country of Cambodia the technology there is still a long way from America. Not every home there has electricity all the time, the toilet aren’t flushable so u need to pour in your own water. However, like the native Americans , when we think of them we still have the images of people who lives in huts and are still hunters and gathers, this is not true, but it is what we are expose to and that is all we know. But now though as we think about Native Americans a new image is created, gambling, slot machines, poker, blackjack, paigow, etc… The Native American tribes have created casinos I different areas as a means on income. In California one casino I know of is Jackson Rancheria casino. Unlike other casinos like Reno, boomtown and those on the Vegas strip, this one allows adults at 18 and over to enter. I am not even going to lie; on my 18 birthday the first legal thing that I did was go to Jackson and tried my luck.
For now it seems like technology will only keep on advance who knows maybe one day we won't need school, all the information can just be sent directly into our minds.
Monday, August 4, 2008
familiarity with blogging
I wouldn't call this my first blog, over the years I've written down my thoughts online to share with the friends that I've had over the years on MySpace. These blogs are not made public to those strangers in the cyber world, but they are accessible to my friends and family. The reason I've written those blogs were just to share my thoughts with the everyone I know. I would post up questions on my mind, the things that made me confused or just random thoughts to see who reads them. However, like I have mention I am not used to posting them for everyone to see, from those I've never meet to those I don't know. But I think being able to write a blog has a lot more freedom then writing a paper with requirements. Usually I would write papers where I am focus on writing to a certain word count and I am not really focusing on the essay at hand. I think that writing these blogs will be a good new experience for me; this is my first time in a class where all my writing will be look at online. To discuss my relationship with writing, I can say it’s a very bad relationship. I would make common mistakes, mistakes that can be very obvious. Of course, this class will be very interesting to see how this blog will improve my writing.
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