~ Christina's Blog ~

InDesign Workshop

2006-05-04T11:57:00.000-07:00

I attended a presentation on using InDesign a couple of weeks ago. This is the program used by Fairfield and many other college newspapers to publish each print edition. I was abit familiar with the program from watching Tara Touloumis as her assistant editor, however I found out a lot more in-depth tricks and keys to using the program.

Manipulating text, whether it be columns or font type, as well as pictures, seems to be the most challenging. This is also one of the most important things to know as an editor. There are two cursors. One is black and is used to perform most funstions, while the white one is used for picture manipulation. The white one is scary and I'lm not sure if I'm comfortable using it yet.

I was able to apply a lot of the concepts from my Adobe photoshop class to this because they are similar programs with similar icons and programs. I found it the presentation to be very instructive. I styill have a lot to learn with InDesign, however, I think I now have a good base and trial and error will develop my skill hereafter.

Wiki + Dictionary ?

2006-04-12T10:39:00.000-07:00

So I found a pretty interesting Wiki site. Its is called Wiktionary.com. I played around by typing in different words, and found the definitions to be quite clear. I would certainly trust the information on it. However, I really wonder what the advantage of this is over a standard online dictionary (dictionary.com perhaps?). I do not think I would ever chose to use this mode of word clarification because of the plethora of stadardized dictionaries available. I do not even think the site is very user friendly. Over all, I'm not impressed.

Diving into Wikis

2006-04-12T08:55:00.000-07:00

So I just took my first official step into the world of Wikis. After playing in the "sandbox" for a little I gained some more confidence. I went to the entry about Fairfield university on Wikipedia. I figured that Fairfield University was a subject I have enough knowledge about to contribute a bit.

I choose to edit the athletics portion of the Fairfield University Wiki. I added the new announcement of the men's head coach (Ed Cooley) and the women's coach's (Diane Nolan) 500th game win.

This was a little nerve-racking because I felt a huge pressure to make sure everything was clear and 100% accurate. It is interesting that I felt pressure in making the wiki completely authentic, more so than I felt about some of my blog entries.

I think that there is something about blogs that puts less pressure on a person and leaves more rooms for mistakes and individuality. This is not so for Wikis. Perhaps they are thus a better source of information (especially facts and figures).

Back in the Sandbox

2006-04-05T07:24:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've played in a sandbox, but I never guessed that the next time I returned to playing around in such a child-like setting, it would actually be via the computer. You see, this sandbox lacked sand, a box, and ... well, pretty much it's not a sandbox.

You see, I was actually experimenting in the world of The Wiki Wiki Web. Wikis are a collaborative web medium for the sharing and posting of information online. I know that sounds vague, but there's no simple explanation. Pretty much, this is a web world in which there is no single creator/host/author. Anyone and everyone can edit these pages and make a contribution.

Of course, there are certain expectations as to what is acceptable and unacceptable for editors within this medium. You should not jump in and simple start making changes. This is where the sandbox comes in. One can play around in the WikiWikiSandbox in order get get acquainted with then unique system, which is what I just finished doing. It's fun!

I read a little into it first. So instead of just writing simple standard text, I learned the different codes in order to make the type bold, italic, bulleted, etc. Check out these codes and some style tips (these little tricks will make you look like a Wiki expert... kinda).

Preview of Broadcast News Veteran's Class Visit

2006-04-04T19:22:00.000-07:00

Broadcast journalism guru Jeff Gralnick will be a guest speaker during my next Digital Writing class. Gralnick is currently working as an NBC News Special Consultant for matter of the Internet and New Technology. Before this consulting position, Gralnick held positions that ranged from an executive-producer to field reporting in Vietnam. He has worked for CBS News, ABC News, NBC News, and NBCNews.com. It is no wonder that his counsel is sought by NBC. With 47 years of experience under his belt his belt, Gralnick is certainly an authority in the broadcast news industry. He will be particularly advantageous to our class because of his know-how of both print and technological mediums. Here are three questions I look forward to posing to him during the class…

~What changes have you seen within the industry, especially as related to technology, during your 47 years?
I think this is a prevalent question, that a veteran broadcast journalist like Gralnick would be able to answer with much authority. With his wide range of and numerous years of experience, I think that his insight as to the changes he has seen will reflect upon how the new media has developed into what it is presently as well as where it is going.

~What sort of internet and technological counsel are you sought about specifically?
Gralnick should be able to give our class a glimpse into the behind the scenes workings of an online news source. The variety of problems that such website producers are facing will reflect some of the challenges of this new medium.

~Would you consider NBCNews.com ahead of the game in terms of news websites?
Stovall said that the New York Times and the Washington Post are two front runners in terms of online news. I would like to know Gralnick’s response to this. What improvements does he see needing to be made? How do these different organizations’ sites vary?

A Bit More on Stovall...

2006-04-04T11:50:00.000-07:00

Here are some of my thoughts on the final two chapters of Stovall that I read for my Digital Writing class...

Ch. 12
This chapter dealt with the laws and governance that have popped up in order to accommodate new problems and issues that are specific to this new medium. I found it important that he covered issues of decency, privacy, free speech, & intellectual property as they related to other mediums as well as online. This gave me, as a reader unfamiliar with such issues, the ability to more thoroughly understand how these issues compare and contrast against those of online.

I found the part that discussed privacy issues rather disturbing. Online technology seems to bring with it a significantly more risk of breech of privacy. In my opinion, originally people were wary of the internet it putting out information, however, I think that in the past year or so the internet has become such a common mode of communication and information, that people have become almost too comfortable and trusting of it. I really think that progress in these areas of lawful mediation needs to be made.

The section on indecency and obscenity on the internet was rather interesting because I think it is such a complicated and controversial issue. Where do you draw the line between freedom of expression and unlawful content when it comes to the internet? There is no black and white answer. The section talked about acts by Congress that that would regulate parental controls for kids under 12. But what about younger teens? This is the age when these sorts of materials can be found readily and cause harm? Also, do we not remember Columbine and the teens' ability to learn how to make bombs via the internet? There is a lot more material other than porn out there that is cause for concern.

Ch.13
This section made me think of my recent visit to the New York Times news site. It just re-did its site and it truly takes advantage of many of the elements that Stovall wrote about. They had immediate coverage of the NCAA tournament, so I did not have to wait until the next mornings paper to be updated. They also offered multimedia pictures of it, and video interviews. These are just three things that print newspaper simply cannot offer.

The Washington Post, New York Times, and MSNBC are the three internet news sources that Stovall refers to. These are three very big companies and can therefore handle the cost, manpower-need, and technological know-how to offer such great new sites. As the new generation becomes more and more internet reliant, many (myself including) rely more and more on internet news sources rather than newspaper. These early birds have certainly caught the worm in that they are catching the audience and users become familiar with their sites. People are habitual, so these three sites will reap many rewards, even as other new sources catch up.

It is striking how similarly print news and web news is put together behind the scenes. Stovall noted this and it reminded me of a recent visit I made with my class last semester to the Connecticut post. We visited during one of the two staff meetings that post has to discuss content and news for the upcoming newspaper edition. Stovall notes that websites do this 2 meetings as well. However, the website staff must get right on their projects to be put on the site, while the newspaper journalist must keep in mind their specific deadline for the next day's newspaper edition.

A little more on Web Journalism

2006-03-20T15:48:00.000-08:00

Further chapters in GlenStovall's (pictured below) book, Web Journalism, really caught my interest. This new medium is a growing field, with lots of potential. I have to admit I found myself wondering if it was a field I should be considering... hmmmm. Well, as I ponder some future career choices, here are some tid-bits I found most noteworthy during my most recent readings:

Ch. 5 Writing: Every Word Counts
This chapter was a real throwback to a News Writing class I took last semester. Whether one is writing article for a newspaper, magazine, television broadcast, website, or blog many of the same rules apply. Pretty much is comes down to is you need to have accurate information, the writing must be clear, don't be wordy- get to the point, and use precise language, all while keeping your audience in mind. In an article you also usually want to keep the most important information near the top (this is an inverted pyramids style), with careful attention to headlines.
Of course, the ability to use hypertext on the web adds another dimension to web journalism. Hypertext, if used well, can enhance a reader's ability to be informed since so much information can be found. The visual impact of online writing is significant as well. Paragraph spacing, font, color, catchy summaries all contribute to a web surfer's ease in using a website.

Ch.6 Editing
This chapter delves into the job of editor. An editor has additional responsibilities and decision making powers. They keep up the image of the news source. One must first make sure that grammar is correct, the style is consistent, and the overall writing is done well/accurately. Headlines is the next job for an editor to write. A web editor must also work on summaries and the usage of links within a story. Meanwhile, an editor must strive to keep up a good partnership with the reporter. In fact, the convergence of media is actually putting many people n positions where they may acting as editors and reporters, or at least extending their skills beyond one simply defined task.

Ch.10 Design on the Web
Design is a huuuuge factor for all online mediums. Stovall emphasizes that information must be presented "...in an efficient, pleasing, and sometimes entertaining way, and in a way that reflects the principles and values of the site itself." There are a few keys to do this; keep in mind how one's eye works (it sees larger and darker print first and reads top to bottom/left to right) and remember to keep things balanced, contrasting yet focused, simple, consistent with variety. One must utilize the type, illustrations, and white space with these goals in mind

Web Journalism

2006-03-08T07:13:00.000-08:00

The next assigned reading for my Digital Writing class is "Web Journalism; Practice and Promise of a New Medium" by James Glen Stovall. It is very informative and covers a lto fof the topics we're recently delved into during class...what is the web? How is it a news source? How is is different from traditional news sources? And so on.

I've only gotten throught the first three chapters so far, but some of the most interesting parts od the book are the sidenotes and examples Stovallprovides. Instead of just talking about the web in a broad sense, Stovall brings specific websites into light to examplify exactly what he is talking about. One website set up a little gameboard that revealed the different scapegoats that different people were blaming during the Enron issue. This shows how news websites can be informative, visual and interactive all at the same time (something other mediums often can not).

He also seperated the different kinds of new websites. I had never really thought obout differentiating them. However, he makes some valid point sin his classification. He seperated them like this...

Shovelware - sites that simply shift content from an original medium
(i.e. newspaper) onto the web
Moderate Updating- sites that do much of the above, yet take advantage of the ability to add content to the web more immediately thannormal newspaper deadlines allow information to get out
Aggressive Updating- this cite takes shovelware and adds a lot of emphasis to updating it. It often has a lot of staff memebers and goes out of its way to update often
Original Content- All news on the cite was produced solely for the cite

Bloggers Take On Some Detective Work...

2006-02-27T16:33:00.000-08:00

Conflict always makes for good press…now it also makes for good blogs. A controversial case that hints as racial discrimination is normally an occurrence local newspapers and media would jump on to report. Not only would they benefit from an interested public, but they’d also be fulfilling their job as a watch-dog. However, for some reason, one striking case never made its way to front-page print. But don’t worry, bloggers have it covered.

Radley Balko, policy analyst for the Cato Institute has been following and bringing to light a case in the Missippi courts through his blog, The Agitator. From what he’s gathered, a young black man named Cory Maye shot white police officer, Ron Jones as Jones burst into his apartment as part of a drug-raid that was actually targeting the residence of the other side of the duplex (check out his blog for more details).

Did the police clearly express their identity before smashing through the door? Was Maye protecting himself and his sleeping daughter? How much does the victim’s white skin and police-chief father have to do with the final sentencing? These questions all buzzed though my head as I read his lengthy, detailed and credible (at least, in my opinion) posts… and many others have done the same.

This case is a startling example of the ever-present racial tension and disparity in the U.S. and its legal system (especially in the south). I will not, however, even attempt to tackle that issue. Instead, I would like to note that this is a sign of the times we live in. I mean, 10 years ago, if the print or television source didn’t pick up on this story I doubt it would have ever come to surface. Yet, this blogger, an 30 year old guy that lives just outside D.C., has succeeded in opening up numerous previously-blind eyes to a striking conflict.

It is this sort of attention that can make a difference in Maye’s case. It is also this sort of attention that the blogosphere has the ability to foster. Bloggers from all over are accessing this info and then spreading the word.

Battlepanda is one blog that is on top of it. He also has a link to a site completely dedicated towards the case in which Balko’s blog, among others is a source and link. I can not imagine a better illustration of the connectivity of the blogosphere. It is the connectivity that allows for the quick and mostly accurate spread of information. And after all, knowledge is power. Thus, blogs have power.

An interesting find...

2006-02-22T09:52:00.000-08:00

I stumbled upong a site called Girlawhirl a little while ago after talking to a friend of mine who is a contributing writer for it. I mean, the name of itself is pretty interesting, I just had to give it a whirl (I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. No more corny jokes for the rest of this post, promise.)

Girlawhile is a site for young women that focuses on fasion, beauty, health, travel, etc. But it's different from simply picking up the newest edition of cosmo. In fact, this is a really different sort of site than most others I've come across before. It's part fiction, part blog, and part advertisement. I'll explain...

Girlawhirl is a fictional character who is supposed to be authoring the site. She has a hip catchy narrative voice. She's the know-all of the latest trends. She's another girl on can trust for advice. Girlawhirl shares her complaints, finds, activites with her readers.

However, this advice comes in a very blog-like form. In varied entries girlawhirl tells her story... whether it be where she went that day and discovered a great line of clothes, or how her problem of staind teeth is really bothering her. Sometimes there are 3 entries in a day, and sometimes it is a few days between entries. It is not very formal or structured, but very much like a blog.

This is where the advertising comes in. Each entry is really a promotion of a particular product. For example, the entry I just read told of girlawhilr's love of wine but hate for the way it stains teeth. But wait... help is on the way from Sexy Smile. She goes on to explain the product and how to get it. What a great personalized commercial! And what a way for a blog-like site to make money. I really think it is a great idea and example of the power that the interenet and blogs have.

However, it is important to note that Whirlagirl is not a blog. SInce I do know a write for it, I know that it a collaboration of different writer's who write form the view of whirlagirl. There is no one individual blogger who posts each day.

Aside from this inetersting concept, the layout of the site is quite catchy. It's simple, drawing the web-surfer's attention right to the girlawhirl's latest entry. However, you may also search her past entries (and there are lots!) by category (aside frm the ones listed above there is Cuisine, Culture, Wealth, & House). There are some advertisement, but they are placed to aside, not bothering anyone too much. Plus, one can register... to become a girlwhile member? I don't know. Anyway, I am certaonly impressed by the concept and look of the site. I love that is it such a combination of different aspects of online writing. I don't plan on taking too much of girlawhirl's advice, but I woudln't be surprised to find she has a large following.

Finding the real you....

2006-02-21T20:03:00.000-08:00

Getting really into your book takes on a whole new meaning after reading Jill Walkers essay entitled, Do you think your part of this? Digital Texts and the Secondary Person Address , she explains to the reader the various roles that are taken within a written work or other medium. According to kjh the author, whether it is fiction or not, takes on a narrative voice. Additionally, there is a "you" that is implied. The reader takes on this "you". Of course, the "you" is often not a reflection of the real reader, but rather, this "you" remains within context of a piece. Taking on this role as "you" is fulfilling for a reader since "you" is such an open and almost vacant role. To jump into this character of "you" initiates active reading, pushing the reader to become part of the work rather than a mere observer of words. Walker goes onto to compare the acknowledgement a reader feels as a "you" to that one feels when he or she is looked in the eye.

A lot of this is about suspending belief. The actual reader varies wuite a bit from the one which the text is actually referring to. Walker uses videogames as an example of this. A player takes the role of the fictional character within the fictional adventure. However, the reader gets satisfaction from taking on this new role, even if it means casting off notions of reality. She states,

You enjoy that feeling of being part of the text, part of the machine.Working with a machine the operator becomes most efficient when she stops thinking about what she’s doing, and begins to operatein a a semi-automatic mode feels good.

This really takes on significance in the online world. One of the major attractions about the internet is the user's ability to interact. The user becomes an active you. A user has the ability to enter a whole new world, with just a few clicks.

This insight certainly pertains to blogging. A blogger wants to strive to draw a reader into the blog,goadingg the reader tobecomee active. After all, it only takes another click to move on to better and more inviting blogs.

Post-Mod Blog Revisited: Facebook & Myspace

2006-02-21T11:48:00.000-08:00

Blogs = Facebook = Myspace??

On Feb. 15, I posted a blog about Dr. Gudelunas' theory on blogs as as products of post-modernism. In this lecture, he a little about Facebook and Myspace, two online social networking sites that have become widely popular with young adults. He argued that blogs in essence were simply online profiles on which one can write on their own and on someone else's. Thus, he regarded Facebook and Myspace as forms of blogs, however I beg to differ.

Facebook specifically connects college students (I must mention that it has recently branched out to include High schoolers as well ). Anyone who has a legitimate school e-mail address can become part of the facebook phenomenon. Each person has individual profiles, including a "wall" which others can "write" as well as lists those whom they have confirmed to be their "friends" on the network. You may connect to students from both your own school and those attending others.

Myspace (you're going to need to cut me a little slack because I'm not part of this one!) is a similar online network based on profiles and linking of friends. However, while facebook is limited to students, Myspace opens its doors to everyone. My space leaves room for more personal info and daily entries.

Ok, I do see where Gudelunas is coming from. Each network is free of charge and connects people from all over via an online network. And yes, Blogs do contain personal profiles. Each has a way of 'linking' to others in the network and some writing on one's personal page. However, these basic similarities pale in comparison to the enormous gaps between blogs and facebook/Myspace...

The written content and style in blogs is of foremost importance to bloggers. Meanwhile, the primary use of Myspace and Facebook is one's profile and connection to others. While the two do allow for a bit of writing (you can enter thoughts in MySpace entries and the writing on a facebook wall is similar to commenting on blogs), it is a secondary option, which many do not even bother with. Thus, the primary focus of blogs is completely different from that of Facebook & Myspace.
In blogs you can link to other blogs of interest- just like linking to friends on Facebook/Myspace? No. Blogs link to other blogs because of interesting or relevant content. While some do connect to friends, this is not the sole purpose most often. Additionally, bloggers link to lots of different sites (news sites for example). Meanwhile, facebookers/Myspacers link to others for the sake of being linked ("friends") and can only link to those within the same network.

As Gudelunas pointed out in his lecture, blogs are about piecing together things from different sources to create something original and meaningful. However, the only original and meaningful part of standard facebook and myspace pages are the profiles, which are the sole work of the creator, not the patchwork of different sources.

Thus... Blogs ≠ Facebook or Myspace

Not-so-innocent Cartoons...

2006-02-15T07:48:00.000-08:00

What happened to good old Charlie Brown and Garfield? Neither of these would ever have come close to causing the kind of commotion that some recent Danish cartoons have.

Recently, a Danish newspaper published cartoons, which had been submitted readers, that all illustrated Muhammad. Satire? Humor? Realism? I am not sure exactly what reaction the editors were hoping for, however the one that came certainly was not positive. The root of the issue is that the Islamic religion deems any sort of visual depiction (positive or negative) of Muhammad as blasphemy. Thus, an angry backlash has arisen from the Islamic community.

As a student intersted in journalism, this incident caused me to reflect on a few issues. If was an editor in the United States, how would I handle reporting such a conflict? I would have had to make the decision of whether or not to publish an example of these cartoons to go along with the actual article. Publishing an example of a cartoon would have caused an additional stir and possibly more readership. Not publishing it may be considered censorship by some and possibly take away from a reader's understanding of the situation. After thinking about this for awhile, I came to the conclusion that I would not publish any of the cartoons. If I were to put even one in my paper, I would ultimately be contributing to the problem and simply broadening the illustrations' audience.

As a blogger I also had to make a decision as to whether or not link my blog to any of the numerous online places that did make the decision to make these cartoons available. However, even by just linking my blog to one of these I feel like I would again be adding to the problem.

And about the actual problem... is it just me, or does there seem to be a bit of a double standard showing forth in this incident? A few years ago, there was controversy of a portrait of the Virgin Mary made with cow dung. Pictures of this painting were posted in the newspaper and the actual painting was hung up in the museum. Is it more politically correct (or at least accepted) to stir controversy for the majority and a little more dicey when it comes to doing the same to the minority? I think the answer is yes.

Ok, before completely jumping on my back, let me explain that I do see that there are differences with these two issues. The Mary portrait was a work of art to be appreciated, while the cartoons are a form of art that have undertones of entertainment and humor. Additionally, it is explicitly against the Muslim religion for there to be any visual depiction of Muhammad at all, while portrayals of Mary are allowed and even praised in Christianity. However, while bible may not go into as much detail about the exact medium with which the Virgin Mary can be portrayed, it doesn't take a theologian to know that the cow dung is not exactly appreciated.

One more point... This may sound strange but, thank goodness that it finally was not the United States this time! It seems like it is always us that tick off the Islamic World. We've have been in the limelight many-a-time for various American occurrences that conflicted with the Islamic religion. We certainly do not need anything else to add to the list. I would like to hope that American newspapers would have known better than to publish such drawings. Well Europe, now it's your turn to deal with a little controversy. I hate to say it but, better you guys than us!

A Post-Mod Blog revolution...

2006-02-15T06:58:00.000-08:00

Ok, so this whole blog phenomenon has caused quite a stir. It has left the rest of the world thinking, 'Where did this come from?' & 'Why now?'

Blogs. Bloggers. The Blogosphere. It seems as if during the past year or so, there has been a huge burst of blogs into contemporary life and culture. So what incited this explosion? Some attribute the new blogosphere to advances in technology, however this technology has been around for awhile.

Dr. David Gudelunas, assistant Professor of Communication at Fairfield Univeristy, has a theory about this; he attributes the blog explosion to Post-Modernism.

(Here's an interesting website by Georgetown.edu to catch you up with som info on post-modernism... note the part about Post-Modernism & the Consumer Society!)

Semiotics of excess, interetextuality, similacra...what do all of these terms have in common? Well, besides starting to make my head hurt, these are just a few of the terms that Gudelunas used in making his point that blogging's origins lie in Post-Modernist movement.

Bricolage and Pastiche is on of the phrases he used to characterized Post-modern blogging. This phrase explains how the blogging world gives new meaning to things and events in that allows authors to pull together different pieces of information to make one original creation. In one of my recent blogs, for example, I read and linked and article about a recent town injuction from my campus newspaper, a cartoon from the following week's newspaper edition, took general student opinion into account, and then added my own opinion. And what did I get? A new original (and I would like to hope interesting!) blog. Thus, bloggers can pull from all over in order to piece together what the blogging wolrd cherishes most- a completely original thought with meaning to the outside world.

Triumph of Style is also a term Gudelunas employed. In the blogging world, content alone is simply not enough. In the blogosphere it is 'style over substance'. Style refers to looks and writing technique. A site must be visually pleasing and written in an interesting writing style to attract and mantain readers. So they say you can't judge a book by its cover? Well, screw that... you can certainly judge a blog that way.

All in all, in this post-modern world people just aren't convinced as easily, according to Gudelunas. People tend to be skeptical and especially wary of big media and business in corporate America. It's all a conspiracy! Ok, maybe not, but the fact is that people today are more likely to believe their fellow neighbor than the elusive journalist. Thus, people are turning to blogs to get a better understanding of (and contribute to) the world around them. You can find a blogs with lots of different view points. Put them together and what do you get? One step closer to the truth.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it...

2006-02-15T06:49:00.000-08:00

(Please read in a deep newpaper-reporter-esque voice)

It has just come in that, in the past 5 minutes, the the blog entitled "Christina's Blog" has made a new addition to its template. A technologically advanced Site Meter has been added to this new and exciting blog. While, readership has been dwindeling lately, the blogger who claims authorship to the cite hopes that the new meter will attract more readers to explore the blog. In a recent interview the author, Christina, stated, "I am really excited about the addition of the meter to my blog. I just hope that I will actually have readers coming to read my blog so it has something to count." Christina went on to add that she has been avidly working on updating her blog. She has gone through her old posts adding pictures and links. She has even looked into adding and audio clip, which she hopes to have up and running soon. Well that is all the blog updates I have for you right now folks. Stay classy blogosphere readers.

Milblogs...

2006-02-14T10:39:00.000-08:00

I frequently joke that, as a student living on Fairfield Univeristy's campus, I live in a bubble. Everything that happens outside the walls of this anything-but-diverse univeristy, might as well be happening on some other planet. The "War on Terror", happening oversees is even more unreal and detached from my daily life. This is probably the case for many Americans... Except for some savvy bloggers.

A new group of blogger has become part of the blogosphere...milbloggers. Milbloggers are military-affiliated blogs. Soldiers and officers in Iraq, stationed in other countries, and who've returned home are using blogs to get their stories and opinions out to the world. This are a group of people who are in a unique position and have something to add to the blogosphere that few others can compare with. Through their words, these bloggers have the ability to have an enormous impact.

The newest technology in warefare is always key. However, I'm not talking about the most up-to-date weaponry right now. I'm considering the technological impact of blogging, a phenomenon that no other war has been present to witness.

Rather than being oversees, soldiers are just a few clicks away? And who better to comment on the war and the current political situation? These men are commenting on everything from machinery tips, to detailed accounts of combat. You can find discrediting of the news media and goading of fundraising. Most importantly, these men are getting their words out there to the a mass audience. This is something military men and women in the past would never have been able to.

I think this is going to give the American public a better understanding of the war. It allows us a sneak peak into what is going on. This allows us to forgo some other mediums (newspaper, presidential speeches, etc.) that may give us a rather politically correct, or perhaps even totally incorrect, depiction.

My thoughts also go out to the men and women writing these blogs. This has to be a great outlet of emotion for them. Plus, their families can keep a close tab on them. Milblogs are closing the gap between America and this war. I knew blogs were a phenomenon with lots of possibility...but as far as their impact on such an atrocity as war? I never could have imagined. They have burst the bubble that we as Americans, or at least me and a student, live in.

Some Adobe Insight...

2006-02-14T10:09:00.000-08:00

Jpeg. Tif. Uncompressed. RGB color mode. Pixels... What?
I mean, I've heard of all these terms before, but they never really meant anythign to me... until last Monday.

Fairfield University offers its students so much; it's a shame that so much of it isn't taken advantage of by students. RCADE (The Resource Center for Advanced Digital Exploration...aka the media center) offers free workshops throughout the year that cover topics from video and music technology to computer technology. I went to a Final Cit Pro one last year, and just last Monday I attended "Intro to Adobe Photoshop".

Right off the bat the instructor threw in some terminology that started to make my head hurt. It took a little bit, but eventually began to grasp onto his points. Along with about a dozen others, I learned the difference between large high-resolution photo files (tifs) and smaller, transportable lower-resolution photos (jpegs & gifs). We learned how to adjust resolution and pixels according to what task was at hand.

Then it was time for the fun part- picture manipulation. I learned how to filter colors, blur edges, brighten, saturate, etc. I even learned how to use different Adobe told to select different parts of the picture to manipulate without affecting the rest.

It's amazing how many tools there are to manipulate these photos. All it takes is the click of the mouse and what the original pictures portrayed can be transformed into something totally different. It really makes me think about how much you can believe different published ads. Of course there are always the airbrushed models and such, but what else in the photos we see everyday is an illusion of technology?

Who Let The Blogs Out?

2006-02-14T07:03:00.000-08:00

They say you can't judge a book by its cover... but how about its title? My class' first reading assignment, "Neuromancer" sounded scary right from the start ( I mean, just the pronunciation of the title was intimidating), yet the second assigned book, "Who Let The Blogs Out?" captured my interest right away (and, I pronounced it with perfect ease!). Now, after delving into the first few pages, I have come to the conclusion... yes, you can judge a book by its title.

"Who Let the Blogs Out" is a novel by Biz Stone, about all in the ins and outs of the blogging world. It is an especially great read because of its writing style. The book is written almost as if it really is a blog. There are lots of headlines, a casual writing technique, added side-notes, and lots of humor.

Linking? What's that all about?
Some of the information in the book that I found especially interesting concerned linking. Stone refers to links as "the currency of the blogoshpere" since everything someone links to your blog, it becomes "more valuable". And after reading what he wrote about links, I am in full agreement. After all, it is through these links that readers come across different blogs. The more links to your blog that are out there, the better the chance of expanding your audience.

And is that not what most blogs are about? Getting your thoughts out for others to see? However, Stone warns bloggers not too go too far in their quest for more readership. A good blogger will obtain an audience with frequent and original postings. Stay away from trying to scheme new tricks or figure out what would be attractive. Linking to lots of popular sites is not the key. As Stone would say, don't be a link whore!

Stone goes on to remind his readers of some linking etiquette:

Link to sites you find genuinely interesting or noteworthy. In this way you are contributing to the growth of the blogosphere.
Don't feel completely obligated to link to a blog that linked to you... this is your choice!
Create hyperlinks within the actual sentence you are talking about them in, rather than breaking it up... Yes: Find out more about Stone at his own Blog No: Biz Stone has a blog, Check it out at http://bizstone.com/.
Use descriptive words in your link so that people know what they are clicking into.
There are certain technological tools that can allow you to see how much traffic comes to and from your blog. Technorati even allows you too check out you "link cosmos".

Injustice at the beach ...

2006-02-08T09:35:00.000-08:00

Life is certainly not a beach here at Fairfield right now. One just has to read the university's newspaper article of the Feb. 2 edition of the paper entitled, Civil Liberty breach at the beach?. The once-temporary injunction, which limited gatherings at Lantern Point to 250 college students, was just made permanent. Also, police have been granted full access to roam the point (which, yes, is private property).

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the situation, here's some background information:
Fairfield University is located in a small town that is located along the Long Island Sound. Along this body of water is 'The Beach', where most Fairfield seniors live... And party. The problem arises in the fact that many year-round residences (families, couples, etc.) have moved to this area. This has been a struggle for years; a struggle that Fairfield students seem to be losing.

Back in the day, there used to be huge parties at the beach that attracted thousands of partiers. Yet, the cancellation of these traditional parties are not enough. Nor is the fact that less than half the amount of students live there now compare to years past enough either. Students living at Fairfield beach are 21 years old and paying a lot of money to live at these beach houses. Yet, they are being treated like second-class citizens.

Lantern Point is a part of the beach area that is almost exclusively inhabited by students. This is where most of the partying goes on since the students those living among residences are under close watch (Can't you just picture some old lady in curlers crouching by her window with phone in hand, ready to dial the police-who are on speed dial of course- at the first sign of kids with solo cups?) . Houses at Lantern Point are scrunched close together in a sort of grouping, all belonging to students. It is already patrolled by Lantern Point Security. Is this enough? Of course not!

Now, as the article reported, the Fairfield police have been granted full access to this private property. This seems to me a like a complete breach of privacy and civil rights. These students are living next to other students, NOT a year-long residence! So why are the residences' complaints effecting them? This is private property and police can just stroll around, watching (and hoping) that some kid will do something that they can jump no his back for? It is really that Fairfield police don't have anything better to do than be a watch-dog to college kids?

Ok, how great is that cartoon?! It's from the Feb. 9 edition of The Mirror.

When this issue is brought in town meetings, there is no doubt in my mind that the students are not being well-represented. While lawyers, business professionals, etc. Are probably among the complaining party, students are left dry. Students are lucky if one of them has taken an intro to Law course. Is there really anyway to fight this? We don't have the financial means, nor the town status to do anything. Rather, it seems as if we must sit and watch Fairfield tradition and student rights get flushed down the toilet.

The town of Fairfield has benefited enormously from the presence of the university. Culture is enhanced by performances at the Quick Center (plays, musicians, speakers, etc.), the community is helped by the many service projects students perform (many of which help the neighboring city of Bridgeport, as well), and business is booming thanks to the many businesses that rely on student patronage and employees. The town can not pick and choose...with the above comes the partying.

Right now this is not my battle to fight. I mean, right now I am living in a dorm cubicle, worrying about RA's, not residences. In two years, however, I will be a senior. I hope that some of the Fairfield traditions remain in tact...The outlook is grim.

Perhaps the Animal House boys would have some good advice about how to deal with this problem. Toga party anyone? Shall we reek havoc at the next Fairfield town parade? There is no doubt in my mind that John Belushi could up with a solution right now.

Connecticut Bloggers Connect ...

2006-02-01T07:37:00.000-08:00

How exactly does one go from a Marine Corps officer to blog-savvy knitter? Perhaps it is this question that lead people to explore Major Knitter's Blog, where Connecticut resident Jennifer Jackson shares a little of her life and a lot of her knitting passion through her blog entitled "Major Knitter; everything you wanted to know about my knitting obsession but were afraid to ask".

Jackson's site is a prime example of one of the popular forms of blogs that seem to be popping up everywhere. The Majorknitter blog is a way for Jackson to share her unique passion with the world. Through the blog, she is able to post anecdotes, pictures, links, and more that relate to her passion. Her postings are mostly short and journalistic, without too much emphasis on grammatical structure and technique. In fact, her daily blog entries were not nearly as interesting as the rest if the site. More emphasis seems to be put on the many other links and postings about knitting available on the site. Thus, instead of allowing knitting to be a personal hobby done alone in the home, Jackson has expanded it to become an entire form of communication. Other people who share her passion for knitting can visit her website and share their thoughts with her. Thus, she has formed an entire online community.

Her blog is certainly more than a few posts about her love of knitting. She catches one's attention by juxtaposing the seemingly opposite notions of the military and knitting. The sit also contains lots of links to related knitting sites, pictures of her work and friends, recipes and more. Perhaps one of the most interesting things Jackson offers on her site are free knitting patterns and step-by-step instructions. Thus, she not only has something to say, but also offers something for a reader to gain.

It is interesting to not that Jackson revealed, in an article in the New York Times entitled "Dear Blog: It's another day in Connecticut", that she hopes to one day publish a book. In my opinion, this blog is a perfect way to explore and practice for this possible publication. Through her blog, Jackson can see what her fellow knitting-enthusiasts want to hear about. She has also formed a sort of online following, who would thus be possible buyers of her book. This blog would be a perfect way to advertise this book, as well, if it ever comes to pass.

Yet, this article also reveals that the blog is a simple way for her to show-off her passion without boring her friends. The blogging world provides an instant audience, with a wider range of eclectic interests than one's own friends. Thus, one, such a Jennifer Jackson, is able to share her passion with those who truly wantit to be shared.

The Good & Bad of Blogging...

2006-01-25T12:14:00.000-08:00

You gotta take the good and the bad when it comes to self-expression. Michael Berube, an English professor at Penn State University, illustrated this point exactly and showed how blogs can come in pretty useful. His article, entitled "Blogging Back at the Right", shared an anecdote that portrayed blogs as, not only modes of communication/expression but also, of self-defense. Putting one's opinions and thoughts out for the world to read and scrutinize can be a scary thing. Others may disagree strongly with what you say and be more than ready to completely tear your opinion to shreds. Berube illustrates that the versatility of blogs in allowing one's original and correct words to remain accessible for future reference, rather than allowing critics the ability to only pull quotes whose meaning may become distorted when taken out of context.

I do not really think that this is really that comforting to me. I feel that either way, a blog brings one's toughts to the entire world. This is still scary. Yet, I also think of it is a sort of challenge. Are you confident enough with your thoughts and your own self to be willing to put a bit of yourself out there for all to see? Being able to risk a bit of vulnerability and deal with the possibility of conflicting views is a useful attribute to develope.

In this way, blogs really are not that different from other mediums. I write for the school newspaper. When I write a hard news story, it is expected that I remain completely objective. This bars any personal comment. However, if I were to write a feature or column piece, my opinion and thoughts would get published Thursday for all of my peers to read. In both situation, one's personal comments become public. Perhaps the difference lies within the audience. One's audienece for a medium such as a newspaper is a bit more known/controlled. When I write for the Mirror I know that most of my readers will be of the (not-very-diverse) Fairfield community. Meanwhile, my blog reaches different people from all over the world... it is kind of scary. Please be nice! :)

Neuromancer...

2006-01-25T09:58:00.000-08:00

Neuromancer...what? At first I was wondering whether I'd be able to pronounce the title, let alone read and understand the novel.

I was a bit surprised after finding out that the first assigned reading for my Digital Writing class was a novel, after reading most if it I can see why it is appropriate. Nueromancer is a novel by William Gibson that was a written peak into the future of technology. The novel explores the world of technology and its effect on society. It also adds a more human dimension to it than a textbook could. This particular novel gets in to the gritty illegal and underground aspects of it, particularly. These underlying themes show a darker side to technology, I feel this adds to the mystery and unknown nature often associated with technological advance and the future. I would classify this novel as science fiction although I’ve also heard it called cyber-punk (I don't really know anything about cyber-punk, but it sounds about right).

Written almost 25 years ago, the author explores and illustrates a world in which technology has advanced tremendously and this permeated all aspects of society. There is a tension between humanity & technology... and it seems as of technology has the upper hand. Ironically, the present day reader can appreciate the novel even more because of the many ways that Gibson's imaginative portrayals of the future have become a reality. He uses terms such matrix and microsoft, two words that would have been foreign to a reader 25 years ago, but also two words that have come to take on a whole new meaning for today's reader.

This exemplifies the science fiction genre's ability influence. It also makes one reconsider possibilities and the path in which society is progressing. Could something like that which is written about (i.e. artificial intelligence creations seeking power and dominance, totally engineered "human" bodies, etc.) one day become a reality? Will there one day be underground hackers such as protagonist, Case? The genre of science fiction allows one's imagination to run loose and explore the 'what ifs?' . Instead of just taking the present for granted, this genre adds twists and turns that allow one think outside the box. The reader is challenged to think about how society would react to different scenarios. We can gain a better understanding of the realities society by taking this sort of look into it the 'unrealities'.

Likewise, when it comes to technology today, blogging is a phenomenon that had evolved thanks to those, like Gibson, who opted to think 'outside the box'. Who knows what else is in store? I just hope that freaky Artificial Intelligences will not be tapping into my consciousness any time soon (scary!).

Losing the "Aura of Music? I think not...

2006-01-25T08:43:00.000-08:00

Blogs, upon blogs, upon blogs. I would just like to start off with how shocked I was after clicking through the tons of blogs offered through the Technorati search engine. I had not realized how diverse and huge the blogging world really was until using the search engine to jump right in the middle of it... and I think I may have drowned in it a bit. I mean, I knew that there had to be a lot of blogs out but the sheer volume still gave me a bit of surprise. The problem however, arises in the actual finding of the type of blog you'd like to read.

A lot of sifting is required in order to find a blog that really sparks some interest. After clicking around a bit (internet-style sifting) through dozens of different blogs, I came across one that struck my eye. The nsputnik blog commented on a recent bbc article that claimed that the today's accessibility of music has caused a decrease this generation's appreciation of music. According to the article, music today has "lost its aura". This is absolutely untrue. The nsputnik blogger felt this way too. Yes, thanks to technology it takes just a few clicks to download and listen to a song... but since when does accessibility to hand in hand with depreciation?

After downloading, a music fan can take his or her songs anywhere, making the world of music mobile as well as accessible. In this way, technology has actually broadened music’s ability to reach people. I am shocked to read an article that resents this advance in technology. A decrease in appreciation for music is absurd. Yes, it is human nature to want what you can’t have, but appreciation should not stem from exclusivity. I think that the ability to obtain music online actually has had the opposite result of that which was claimed in the BBC article.

Like nsputnik says, one can experiment with different types of music more easily thanks to downloading abilities. Not many people have the financial ability to simply go out and buy a $15 CD for the sole sake a trying out a new artist on whim. Today, however, you can download a song or two to find out if you like a particular new genre or artist without breaking your wallet. This allows music lovers to expand their music appreciation into different areas that one may not have discovered otherwise... the “aura” of music has been added to, not lost.

Bernstein's Blogging Rules...

2006-01-24T08:44:00.000-08:00

I have to admit that I had not given too much thought to the significance the writing style and technique for blogging. Of course, correct grammer and interesting topics would be obvious blog neccessities, but Bernstein goes farther in depth in articulating the do's and dont's of blogging. He covers things that may have been easy (especially for beginners like me!) to completely overlook. I certainly agree with the first rule. One does not want to go off on tangeons or any sort of stream-of-consciousness approach. The reader may get easily frustrated and lost by lengthy choppy sentences and jumpy content. I would venture to guess that an author could easily fall into this trap, especially if writing one's blog like a journal or self-reflection. On the other hand, Bernstein also emphasiszes the need for details and eloboration to make one's entry interesting, personalized and, as this rule is titled, "amuse your readers". Vividly articulating an experience, adding humor, and/or detailed descriptions, allow readers to truly get inside an author's mind/emotions and understand the message the he or she is trying to get across.

I was struck by the last part of Brownstein's entry, "Successful Weblogging". He emphasizes here that one can not expect a huge amount of readers right away. Blogs are such a new medium, yet there are also a ton of various blogs for readers to choose between. Additionally, blogs can be hard to find. I therefore do agree with his advice to not put too much emphasis on, or have too high expectations for, one's blog audience (in terms of numbers and response). I feel that this could be kind of tough and certainly frustratin since lbogging can take a lot of time and effort. Unless one is doing it completely for one's own satisfaction or as an assignment/experiment, it seems as if there is certanaily the possibility of setting oneself up for dissapointment.

Perhaps it is that idea of an unknown and undefinate audience that strikes me as so making blogs so different from other mediums. I took a newswriting class last semester and have written for my school newspaper. Each time I wrote articles, I had a god idea as to where they were going, who would read them, and could even guess the audience's reaction (to some degree). On the otherhand, I can't even begin to make an educated guess as to whether anyone other than my professor will be reading this blog.

Blogs are also different from newspaper writing because of how much less structured they are. While I have written above about Brownstein's suggested "rules", ironically, the world of weblogs is not one of too much structure or rule following. This is especially true when compared to other mediums such as news writing. I feel like I have a lot more freedom as a blog writer as compared to a reporter. Perhpas this is due to the individuality of blogging. I do not have an editor to correct some punctuation and spelling errors that pop up here and there. I am not getting assigned stories to cover. My writing is also subject to scrutiny from people all over the world, rather than mostly just the Fairfield University community.

For all of these reasons listed above, I certainly do not agree with the viewopint that dubs blogs as mere glorified diaries. I am sure Bernstein would agree with me on this, as well. Serious bloggers use this new web phenomenom quite for more than journal-keeping. These blogs have been carefully written, not solely in terms of content, but style and approach as well. It only takes a few clicks thorugh a blog search engine to realize realize this.

A sneak-peak into the life of Ryan Delaurentis...

2006-01-18T12:02:00.000-08:00

Sooooo, have you heard about that kid Ryan Delaurentis? No? Ok, here it goes....

A graduate of Fairfield Prep and now a student at Fairfield Univeristy, Ryan Delaurentis is truly Fairfield born and raised. He has worked in this county, both at Daybreak Donuts (a family-owned business... mention this blog and get a free sample- ok no, just kidding) and The Gap. Ryan has recently put these jobs aside most recently for more philosophical pursuits.

At Fairfield Univeraity, Ryan is a Philosophy major with a writing minor. It is this writing minor that has landed him in the Digital Writing class (in the seat right next to me!). However, he hopes his major will one day land him job as a Philosophy Professor (who has written a few books, of course). He plans to reach that career goal by obtaining a teaching position at his former highschool, since the Prep would pay for his completion of PHD.

Thus, Ryan doesn't seem to have a huge need to leave this lovely Connecticut county. Perhaps this is good, being that he does not drive. Ryan has tried his hand at the wheel, but has given up any notion of getting his driving license for the sake of others on the road.
While Ryan may not be driving anywhere too soon, he certainly will be flying... all the way over the Atlantic. Next semester he plans on studying abroad in Florence, where he will get the opportunity to take in all this famed country has to offer. Ryan will therefore finally say a happy goodbye to his hometown of Fairfield county.

Ryan has his own blog, with an intro which truly caputures his uniqunes: "a soul-music loving, non-alcoholic beverage consuming, philosphically inclined, 19-year-old"