Why Bloggers have so much power

There is no doubt that bloggers in many ways have become the new journalists of the U.S. However, the main difference is that the general public invests far more into bloggers. Why is this? Bloggers write in an intimate and conversational fashion which appeals to the mass public. People can easily respond to bloggers in this Web 2.0 generation.

Michael Arrington is a world-known blogger and recently he has exemplified the bright and dark side of blogging.

Recently, Michael Arrington rented a theater for the screening of Iron-man. He essentially paid full price for the showing, but was offering the screening at $1 per ticket. Naturally, many were thrilled at the idea. Needless to say, word also spread quite quickly as he is such a prominent blogger.

Today, Arrington posted a blog post which explained Marvel's request to cancel the showing. In this post you can see that Arrington is even able to insert the original email.

Lessons learned:

1. Don't mess too much with bloggers cause their "followers" are more likely to side with them than you.

2. Be careful of what you decide to email vs. make a phone call for because it is far too easy to pass on an email.

Oh the world of blogging!

Memorial Assignment

Imagine living life as a citizen of the United States when one day you’re your life is stripped of you. You are forced to leave your home, your belongings and potentially your loved ones. This was reality for 62 percent of Japanese Americans in the 1940’s. In fact, approximately 110,000 Japanese Americans were interned during this time. While many have heard of the Japanese internment many do not realize why it occurred and to what extent it affected U.S. residents. During the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese Americans were forced into housing facilities.

At San Jose State University, Uchida Hall was used as an internment site. As well, Ruth Asawa has designed the memorial found on Second Street. On this memorial the three areas which intrigued me most was the scene of the family leaving the home, the train scene with soldiers and the general formatting of the structure.

A mother stood sobbing and a father comforts a crying daughter. In the yard lies the families belongings showing signs saying stating that all of the items must go. This was one of the first scenes which exemplified the suffering of the Japanese during this time. As I viewed it I could not imagine the feeling of having everything I owned being taken from me. The artist did a great job of allowing this scene to appeal to anyone. There is a father, a mother, a son and two daughters.

The train scene shows Japanese Americans being shoved into trains that are already full. Families and friends reach for one another attempting to have one last goodbye, as they question when or if they will see one another again. Behind the flocking people stand soldiers with guns held high. This shows the chaos in the lives of the Japanese as the soldiers stand motionless and emotionless.

The construction of this memorial is so intriguing due to the structure and placement of the different scenes. For example, on the first side of the memorial barbed wire loosely hangs along the top. However, on the other side which shows the scenes of suffering the once loose barbed wire is now strung tightly along the top. As well, soldiers and watch towers span the entire height of the memorial while small scenes sit behind it. Through having these large figures it gives the feeling of constant surveillance, which the Japanese must have felt at this time.

There is no doubt that cultures throughout history have fought the never ending battle to dominate other cultures. While it has been seen quite obviously through times like the holocaust, I do believe it still occurs. Throughout post 9-11 people of many cultures experienced the feelings of being shunned in society. While a culture may not have been sent to camps or forced to designated living areas, many felt the need to prove themselves as Americans. Most may not view these feelings in a similar fashion, but I do believe it is similar and I have no doubt that something of this sort will happen again.

Juggling Web 2.0

There is no doubt that in the past decade consumers have taken over the internet and transformed it into the web 2.0 era. People now turn to the internet to seek information, post information and give personal accounts a feedback.

YouTube.com is an outlet that has allowed people such as Chris Crocker and Star wars kid to become household names and topics.

As well, social networking sites have become the modern day address book for the web 2.0 generation. Among myspace, facebook, Twitter, blogger, etc. there is a lot to keep up with in the online world. Recently, I came across the site ping.fm which allows users to have one place to access all accounts. Essentially if you want to post something on both twitter and pownce you can enter the text on ping.fm and select which outlets you wish to post on.

With the online life becoming information overload it does allow ease in posting, but will it continue to make the world of information even more difficult to sort through? Ping.fm is still in beta, but let me know if you would like an add code as I have one.

Word Count: 200

Obituary

Jessica Renee Loebig is remembered by most from her loud laugh and love for talking. Friends, described her as an avid karaoke enthusiast and Tetris fanatic.

She was born and raised in San Jose, Calif. with her older brother Travis and younger sister Amy.

The first 18 years of her life, Jessica was seen leaping and twirling as she had a passion for dance. She was a member of the Pioneer dance team, and found true love in performing ballet.

Through dance Jessica quickly gained a passion for music as well. She began attending live shows and performances, and attempted to learn to play guitar.

“I took Jessica to her first concert when she was 13,” said father Frank Loebig. “We had second-row tickets, and I think it was one of the most special nights we were able to have together.”

Jessica spent a majority of her life intrigued by her studies, as she was the first person of her family to attend and graduate from college. She studied Public Relations, and made the most of her time at San Jose State University.

In her time at San Jose State University, Jessica was a resident advisor, orientation advisor, member of Alpha Phi Omega, Controller for Associated Students and Treasurer for the Public Relations Student Society of America.

While at San Jose State University she also fell in love with her boyfriend of three years, Alexander Monney. After meeting in 2005, the two were inseparable and enjoyed snowboarding, traveling and movie-going together.

“Jessica just loved to smile, and even more she loved to see others smile,” said her mother Eileen Loebig. “I think she was most happy just knowing that others around her were happy.”

Word count: 291

Fish out of Water

As I entered the building there was an instant sense of warmth permeating throughout the room. The chattering throughout the ballroom could be heard outside as the hundreds of people socialized. The lights dimmed and the audience took seat.

I sat, not knowing what to expect. As the dancers entered the stage, they moved to the sounds of large bongo drums. I was initially taken aback by the costumes, as the male dancers wore no more than a loin cloth. As the event continued I began to admire the dancers for both their confidence as well as their desire to understand and praise their culture.

Pilipino Cultural Night (PCN) is an annual event hosted by the student organization, Akbayan. This event has grown significantly in the past five years. In fact, it has become so large that this year Akbayan moved from the Barrette Ballroom, its usual on-campus venue, to an off-campus venue which could accommodate a much larger audience.

When the dancers exited the stage, the main event began. A dramatic play exemplified the Filipino culture through the representation of a typical Filipino family. It was intriguing to watch the struggles and issues being addressed. One topic that was significantly addressed was the impact of gender roles on the family. They displayed the constant desire for children of the family to be accepted by and want to fulfill the expectations of the father. Much of the play also highlighted the males’ need to be the strong hold of the family, while the mother struggles to keep the family cohesive.

As I sat in my seat, it was impossible to not notice that I was one of few attendees not of the Filipino culture. However, because I have many friends in Akbayan my “outsider” feelings were more at ease. I actually felt quite comfortable at the event, as it was very apparent that the audience and performers were proud to display the culture of which they are a part of.

Word Count: 330

GTA4 - Advertising Banned

Grand Theft Auto (GTA) was one of the first video games which struck moral conversations in the media and in households. Many parents had issues with their children being rewarded for assault and hi-jacking. As conversations continued, many began to tackle the question: Do video games cause children to be more violent?

Well, Chicago public transit has decided to take action through refusal to run GTA IV ads. Chicago public transit was able to do this through expressing Chicago’s street violence as a means of defense. A recent Joystiq article explains the ads as not depicting “any scenes of violence.” While some are talking about the issue, it is not the first time GTA has been banned as ads for GTA were also banned in 2004.

Any feedback? Do you feel GTA ads would influence violence in Chicago or other cities? I am interested to hear the thoughts of others on this issue.

Word Count: 155

Fish out of Water

Pilipino Cultural Night (PCN) is an annual event hosted by the student organization, Akbayan. This event has grown significantly in the past five years. In fact, it has become so large that this year Akbayan moved from the Barrette Ballroom, its usual on-campus venue, to an off-campus venue which could accommodate a much larger audience.

During PCN a majority of the time is spent watching a play which exemplifies the Filipino family life and culture. As well, the play has breaks in which Akbayan members perform traditional Filipino dances in traditional costume. Many of the male costumes expose far more than accustom to the U.S. culture. Many of the male dancers wear only loin cloths and are typically completely bare on top.

All in all PCN was a great experience. It was interesting to watch the struggles and issues being addressed. One topic that was significantly addressed was the impact of gender roles on the family. They displayed the constant desire for children of the family to be accepted by and want to fulfill the expectations of the father. Much of the play also highlighted the males’ need to be the strong hold of the family, while the mother struggles to keep the family cohesive.

While sitting in the audience, I probably stuck out like a sore thumb, as a majority of the audience was Filipino. However, I have many friends in Akbayan which significantly eased the feelings of being an “outsider.” I actually felt quite comfortable at the event, as it was very apparent that the audience and performers were proud to display the culture of which they are a part of. As well, I attended with two non-Filipino friends, which also eased the feelings of being an “outsider.”

Word Count: 305

Videogames - A new platform for advertising

As our primary focus for the week is advertising, I would like to focus on product placement for this post. When thinking of product placements many typically think of television and movie placements, but now advertising is even being found in videogames.

Many of the games that include advertising are EA Sports games such as NCAA or Madden. Much of the advertising appears similar to how it would if you were to attend a professional sports game. They may appear on sidelines or on megatrons. Some examples of advertising include the placement of Coca-cola or ESPN. Currently in the debut trailer for NCAA Football 09, a Coca-cola Zero ad appears when players are calling audibles. This placement is found within the first minute of the trailer.

As well, the game Crazy Taxi which was offered both in arcades and on the Playstation 2 console had very obvious product placement. This game advertised Pizza Hut and other restaurants and chain stores as well as music from the band The Offspring.

While many are skeptical of these types of advertisements, I am not entirely against this type of placement. In fact, more often than not I am entertained by the product and brand placements. Many commonly argue that children should not be overly exposed to advertising, and videogames encourages exposure to children. However, videogames are no longer just for kids, but for teens and consumers in their 20's which is a huge consumer group.

All in all, advertising and marketing groups have become very creative in the placement of products and services. It is extremely smart to target gamers as they tend to spend less time exposed to television advertising and more time in the virtual world.

Word count: 286

EA Predicts San Jose Sharks to take the Stanley Cup

For many, the digital world has taken over reality. People have allowed online communities like Second Life to replace real-life interactions. Now, Electronic Arts (EA) has fed into these fantasy worlds and utilized their products to predict the future of the NHL playoffs.

On Tuesday, April 8, EA Sports predicted that the San Jose Sharks will defeat the Montreal Canadiens to win the Stanley Cup. They essentially did this through a simulation on the EA game NHL 08.

EA Sports also utilized Madden for superbowl predictions, including last season’s prediction when they incorrectly predicted the Patriots to take home the win.

Many take these predictions quite seriously, but all in all it is an entertaining way to start out the NHL playoffs and to shed light on EA products.

Word Count: 131

Word of the week #10

Word: ostensibly

Word usage: The site offers an ostensibly impressive feature-set. Upon entering a cell number and the password associated with a mobile account, the user is presented with a comprehensive usage analysis, including a listing of the user’s most-called contacts and networks.

Definitions:

adjective

1. outwardly appearing as such; professed; pretended: an ostensible cheerfulness concealing sadness.
2. apparent, evident, or conspicuous: the ostensible truth of their theories

Applicable definition:

1. apparent, evident, or conspicuous: the ostensible truth of their theories

My sentence: The girl came to class late every day. I could tell that her obstensible tardiness upset the professor.

Source: Techcrunch.com. Billshrink launches to save you money on your phone bill.

http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/09/billshrink-launches-to-save-you-money-on-your-phone-bill/

Word count: 116

Word of the week #9

Word: dubious

Word usage: Slanters are bad because they try to get us to assume a dubious claim is true without reflecting on it.

Definition:

1. doubtful; marked by or occasioning doubt: a dubious reply.
2. of doubtful quality or propriety; questionable: a dubious compliment; a dubious transaction.
3. of uncertain outcome: in dubious battle.
4. wavering or hesitating in opinion; inclined to doubt

Applicable definition:

1. doubtful; marked by or occasioning doubt: a dubious reply.
2. wavering or hesitating in opinion; inclined to doubt

My sentence: The dubious response allowed the crowd to easily side with the politician’s position.

Source: Epstein, R.L. (2006). Critical thinking. Belmont, CA: Thomson Higher Education.

Word count: 117

Drinking Coffee Elsewhere

She closed her suitcase, clicking shut the old-fashioned locks. “My mother is dead,” she said again, this time reminding herself. She set her suitcase upright on the floor and sat on it. She looked like someone waiting for a train.

“Fine,” I said. “And she’s going to be dead for a long time.” Though it sounded stupid, I felt good saying it. As though I had my own locks to click shut.

Through similes and metaphors Z.Z. Packer cleverly engages the reader’s imagination to continue reading and to look beyond the first-person encounter or situation at hand.

In this chapter, an angry, lesbian Yale student attempts to transform her pessimist thinking into a more thoughtful and open state of mind. Z.Z. Packer uses a large amount of dialogue to outline what she is thinking in comparison to what she is saying. The girl curses and yells, and shows little compassion through her words, but internally is hiding the emotions and feeling she internalizes.

…With this she put a jovial arm around my neck. I continued walking, a little stunned. Then, just as quickly, she dropped her arm and stopped walking. I stopped too.

“Did you notice that I put my arm around you?”

“Yes,” I said. “Next time, I’ll have to chop it off…”

In the cold air, her arm had felt good.”

Without these dialogues, as well as the use of comparisons and descriptions, the emotions and attitudes of the characters would not be as easily identifiable or as effective.

Word Count: 253

Word of the week #8

Word Usage: Every Friday after school all the teachers in the program met at a bar called The Rendezvous Lounge, ostensibly to swap teaching stories and commiserate before they got drunk.

Word: ostensibly

Definitions:

1. From appearances alone
   
   
2. seemingly, apparently, on the surface

My sentence: The boy ostensibly tried out for the play, but in actuality he just wanted to be the Juliet’s real-life Romeo.

Source: Packer, Z. 2003. Drinking coffee elsewhere. New York: The Berkley Publishing Group.

Word Count: 82