tripping

yeehaa

The best

pistol whipping puppies

Punky Brewster

Benny Gray inspired Youtube sessions

ESSAY

The idea of the internet as cyberspace has been a part of our contemporary culture for some time, particularly in the popular medium of film. But is the concept of cyberspace still relevant to our contemporary society? Discuss with reference to your own experience of contemporary media

The Internet is ever changing and becoming a far more accessible medium everyday.
The Internet market, especially the area of social media’ is a far more diverse area in the modern day and age but the concept of cyberspace is still relevant to our contemporary society because like modern day world, cyberspace is evolving and adapting to suit the needs of consumers.

Cyberspace could be explained as a realm in which communication across the Internet exists. With this in mind Cyberspace is said to be the ‘virtual space created by interconnected computers and computer networks on the Internet’, such interconnected computers are found in so many locations in the ‘real world’ around the ‘real world’. ‘Cyberspace is a conceptual electronic space unbounded by distance or other physical limitations.’ Hence cyberspace being a real realm, existing beyond what is physically possible. (William Gibson brought the idea of ‘cyberspace’ as a term in his novel Neuromancer (1982) to describe an advanced virtual reality network.)(1)
The diversity of cyberspace and its relation to popular culture can be seen though various different mediums, a hugely influential and significant medium that this is, is seen through the expansion of Internet gaming and networking. The contributing mediums are vast but all are important and relevant factors in our modern culture as they link cyberspace with their targeted user.

The online gamming industry is a medium in which this is exhibited. As the gamming industry has an absolute reliance on the Internet in order to extend its games to a wider audience.
This is seen directly through gamming programmer’s relating their games, especially the likes of World Of Warcraft as being an escape from real life and being able to disappear into cyberspace. The enormous catchment of individuals playing this game both young and old, male and female is direct evidence of cyberspace being relevant to a contemporary society.
The extent to which the phenomena grips its audience in some cases is quite alarming as survey results have shown that, especially in Asian countries gamers can be living more through their online character in cyberspace than in the realm of realism. In America alarming figures have been released of unhealthiness, social awkwardness, substance abuse and even mental health directly related to such figures are directly related to online gaming.
The online game EverQuest 2 is such a game where players where diagnosed to be 50% more likely than the average American to have depression and a 20% higher rate of substance addiction. (2)

The 2009 United Kingdom National Gamers Surveys released the figures that 32% of gamers chose to game so much because they wanted to escape problems in their real life. (3) This statistic gives example that online gaming is an escape for not only those looking to relax but for those who feel they would rather exist in more of an online sense than in real life. It also gives evidence of alarming trends with online gamming addicting individuals with a ‘digital heroin’ like effect.(4)

A contributing factor to the relevance & importance of cyberspace is due to the diversification that it has undergone. From being largely an unknown and unused area for information and business in its humble beginnings it has become an epicenter for almost anything that exists in real life. A version, albeit modified can be found on the Internet.
This is seen in forums that are easily researched on absolutely any topic that comes to mind and most prominently through Online networking sites.
It is a current trend for an ‘Ego-Centric social network’ this allows the individual to be the subject of the thread, placing them in charge.
The masses of people using such services as well as the different types of networking sites and number of different accounts individuals have contribute to the ever expanding ideal of cyberspace.
There is also an ever changing and evolving online networking culture as sites such as Facebook are not only targeted towards younger audiences but with people of all ages.
Older people through the use of search engines and friend suggestions are now being able to gain contact with people whom they thought they may never see again, this type of networking brings communities of all different variables closer together although not in person but through cyberspace.
The relevance of this type of networking to current, contemporary society is emphasized largely through the use of such networking sites for both business and pleasure reasons.
The Internet is also used to such an important level in modern businesses and university’s.
The incredible levels of popularity these Internet sites receive can be seen directly through the website www.compete.com a statistical website that has a chart of popular websites all of which receive huge amounts of hits monthly. It states that in January 2009 social networking site Facebook received 1 191 373 399 visits, an enormous amount of use for such a medium. (5)


This brings forward the ideal of individuals living their lives through online networking and gaming sites in an attempt to reach self-actualization in a digital sense through cyberspace then in the limited and often more challenging realms of real life.
The link between online networking and gamming that can be lost and intertwined in cyberspace is exhibited in the online game network second life that is exactly as the title states, a life to escape to outside of ‘real life.’ The millions of people engaging in such a game where they spend real currency on land, clothes and even clubbing on weekends emphasizes the growing need or trend if you prefer for people to escape real life and delve into the expanses of cyberspace in what is some cases an attempt to fill the missing voids in their own life.
Renowned writer, blogger and technological enthusiast Lamont Wood once stated ‘Predictions are risky, especially when they concern the future. That said, there are technologies being tinkered with right now that could transform your life - if and when they are brought to full expression.’ (6) Cyberspace falls directly in this category as the Internet as cyberspace is an integral and forever evolving piece of our contemporary society. There are many different mediums in which this can be related, online through gamming, social networking and through films.
Without such an Internet based society individuals would not be moving forward as a society as change is the basis of modern culture. This is seen specifically & holds great relevance in cyberspace.




References- All websites accessed between the 16th-21st of October.
1-http://www.yourdictionary.com/telecom/cyberspace
(Webster's New World Telecom Dictionary, 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc Indianapolis, Indiana.)
(Neuromancer, William Gibson 1984. 1st Edition, New York Ace Books.
2- http://www.livescience.com/technology/080929-online-game-survey
(Hsu. Jeremy, Video Gamers Surprisingly Fit and Older, 29 September 2008)
3- http://dualshockers.com/2009/09/2009-uk-national-gamers-survey
(Gary. Marsden, 2009 National gamers survey)
4- http://news.cnet.com/software-interrupted/?keyword=Statistics
(David Rosenburger, Swedish group calls gamming a pandemic threat. 2009)
5- http://www.compete.com - R.e Lecture notes, Week 8
(Statistics stated January 2009)
6- http://www.livescience.com/technology/top10-transform-tech.html
(Lamont Wood- Source unknown)

Essay Topic

The topic I have chosen is topic number 2

The idea of the internet as cyberspace has been a part of our contemporary culture for some time, particularly in the popular medium of film. But is the concept of cyberspace still relevant to our contemporary society? Discuss with reference to your own experience of contemporary media.

 

I feel that this will be an interesting topic because the internet is an ever changing and far more accessible medium.

The Internet market is a far more diverse area in the modern day and age but the concept of cyberspace is still relevant to our contemporary society because like modern day world, cyberspace is evolving and adapting to suit the needs of consumers.

Art Work

I had intended to edit my artwork Super Guitar Man & friends however I lacked the knowledge & program required to edit it successfully i attempted to edit the picture with the freeware program i downloaded however such attempts where quite fruitless. In the end i edited a photo that i took while back home on my parents property.

This is the photo that I wanted to edit, a piece of artwork that I did bored in a lecture.

Probably my favorite animal

Week 10. Video Games AND studies

Today’s lecture was on the super-stimulating topic of VIDEO GAMES combined with a word that provokes thoughts of the complete opposite STUDIES however the lecture proved to be very interesting in this topic on the medium of video games, who plays them and how they can affect and individual and a group.

I myself have dabbled in the gamming circles since I was about 13. I was never allowed a console until I could afford to buy one myself and my parent’s computer was much to slow for any serious gamming. When I first started gamming I thought it was brilliant and an escape from realism however overtime I figured games where not so much for me as I would rather live my own life. Even today though I will still pick up a controller and enjoy being an international soccer star…well briefly until my far more committed gamming flat mates bring me back to reality.

The ever changing demographics of video games was stated

-The traditional market in 2000 was 18-25 year old males whom consist of 80 percent of the gaming market however since 2005 female gaming popularity has been on the rise with the market now split 39% to 59% female to male.

There are several different types of video games being:

-PC games

-Console games

-Online games

-Arcade games

-Mobile games

All of the different games have different variables that dictate who plays them and how popular they are. Eg Mobile phone games are predominately dominated by female audiences.

It was also mentioned that games like Wii sport as in fitness games are on a rise and even said that American gyms have introduced them as part of their equipment.

There are 3 different ways to study games:

- The Social science approach- the effects games have on people i.e their moods and behavior, violence ect.

-The Humanities approach which delves in the meaning and context of games, the differences in meaning and context & the medium of arts.

-The Industry and engineering approach which is the development of games and their new technologies.

I then rushed from class to be online on Ticketeck to buy my Big Day Out ticket.

Lecture Week 9!

Jason Neilson struck again in week 9 with ‘Jason’s all everything, gigantic & super lecture on how to teach yourself software’

He basically gave a broad rundown on the Inns’ and out’s of learning software easily.

It was explained that there is no real easy way to do this but basically the best method is through trial and error- Actually clicking on icons to see what they do rather than being scared and avoiding them.

Jason gave a run down of Adobe Flash which is a program used on nearly all major sites especially the more dynamic one. It was explained that there is numerous different versions of adobe flash and the program is constantly being upgraded.

It was stated that although you can pick up software basics quite easily in just a few days it is not so easy to produce good quality software in this time and that practice and skill are required to eliminate flaws and glitches in your work.

Jason emphasised the importance of saving your work. He then emphasised it again. Then again………..and again. He explained how important this is as it is so simple to do and the amount of time saving takes is miniscule compared to the time it takes to re-do work.

The idea of not wasting your time on trying to figure out one set way of completing a task was discussed as you can find yourself in a trap of going round in circles without coming across the right result. The use of forums and the help program where also suggested as although it may seem like a useless idea the success rate of such approaches is high.

He finished with saying it can be easy to create software but anyone with skills will know wether it is good or bad so the content of your work is paramount to your success.

 

News report -Bridge Toll

Week 8 tasks~

Sign an E-petition!

for the task sign an e-petition i first researched what they are and where they come from. An e-petition is a form of petition which emerged from normal petitions when the internet was created it is used online as a quicker form of petition that can be mass emailed in order to achieve greater feedback.

I choose to sing an e-petition which is trying to stop the cost of registration in Queensland from rising by 20%.

I discovered this e-petition after google searching e-petitions and then linking from the forum on... http://www.topix.com/forum/world/australia/TESO66PC1PMS9BPT4

I commented on Ben Groundwaters blog in the Travel section of the Sydney Morning Herald as travel is a topic which simply fascinates me, his blog was 'A little slice of somewhere else' and was on the idea of food & beverage being a major part of travel and a good substitute when travel is not quite achievable

To view my comments go to..

http://blogs.smh.com.au/travel/archives/2009/09/a_little_slice_of_somewhere_el.html

The local reprasentative for southport is Councillor Dawn Crichlow....

Division 6 extends westward from the east coast of the Gold Coast and includes the suburbs of Southport (part), Ashmore (part), Parkwood and Molendinar.

The state member is Peter lawlor & im a little bit unsure about who is considered our federal representative as Peter Lawlor also represents the area at a federal level. The last time Peter Lawlor spoke in Queensland parliment was on Thursday 17 September 2009. Lawlor spoke on the subject of personal Property Security Bills otherwise known as the Commonwealth powers bill This is the link to the pdf files containing the written recordings of what Lawlor said...http://parlinfo.parliament.qld.gov.au/isysquery/0361da54-70d3-45b1-9954-cbddac3c0dbd/27/doc/Peter%20Lawlor%20spk%20Southport%202009_09_17_61.pdf#xml=http://parlinfo.parliament.qld.gov.au/isysquery/0361da54-70d3-45b1-9954-cbddac3c0dbd/27/hilite/ To stalk Barrack Obama i checked out the super creepy and ultra obsessive site www.barackobama.com it didnt quite have a report on what had been happening with Barack today however it did inform me of what he had been up to lately going as far back as i would want to...the latest blog was by Christopher Hass whom had a report on Obama hosting doctors from all 50 states at the white house with a convention on Health reforms... What do i think of the Australian Government's plans to censor the internet? My personal thoughts on the censorship policy are that it is an unnecessary step to take as I feel that although the government believes such a resource like the internet should be filtered the material that there trying to filter is an everyday part of life and should not be regulated. What is considered harmful and inappropriate is a part of growing up and learning. As children find themselves more and more often confined to a luminous screen instead of out embracing the challenges of everyday life due to restrictions and limitations put in place by overzealous and constricting parents. In todays society children are restricted to such a level that when freedom is given to them they often do not know how to handle it which i think is a big part of some of todays youth's problems. To confine the internet so restrictively is just going to further more limit their freedom as although the material being filtered may have a short term negative impact it is a part of ones self evolvement to be able to acknowledge the material and determine right from wrong on your own. The internet as a whole will be slowed down by such a filter as well as the cost to the government of the implementation of such a program. These factors also contribute heavily to my disagreement with such a plan. The use of censorship in democracy allows political control over the masses by the government. Such a tool allows the regulation of ideals and policies to the masses enabling political control and influence over ones thoughts due to what one sees and does not see in the media. The same can be said directly through eDemocracy, a part of CyberPolitics. This is the internet integrating into politics which are not usually found on the internet. Censorship of such material is much the same online as it is in the real world. in order for democracy to be successful the implementation of such censorship must not be to strict.

Lecture week 7

Today Jason Neilson guest spoke on portable applications (re. the explored links in my previous post)

It is required to download one of the free ware apps and check it out...so I choose to download the free ware app called heliospaint1.4.1 which I downloaded from http://www.freewarefiles.com/downloads_counter.php?programid=45628

This was a particularly primitively written program however it came in handy as I used it to edit my artwork 'Super Guitar Man & friends.'

The basic set up of the program reminded me allot of basic Microsoft paint found on all windows computers... a stock standard program that Apple does not come out with.

This film i have just embedded below i found while cruising through youtube. I was completing a business degree last semester but have since moved to communications. I think that the style of learning and some of the negative opinions of students involved in the film relates to the broader courses and more blanket styled teaching involved in bigger courses. The first thing that i noticed when changing degrees to communications was the closer involvement students have with both teachers and other students and the actual care and thought that the courses put into current issues.

Week 6 tutorial tasks and such.

The site 'http://mashable.com/2007/10/23/social-networking-god/' is a website which compiles lists and lists of smaller more personal networking sites. I think the idea behind the website is quite handy however the actual site is covered in adds which makes viewing the pages terrible and feel like you are on a dodgy site. The given links where pretty good with some being networking sites and others sites to exchange things such as Read It Swap It – A free service that allows users to exchange books with others and Socialbib – Book swapping network between students.

http://blog.compete.com/2009/02/09/facebook-myspace-twitter-social-network/ this site was a very interesting site that ranked the top social networking websites in order of popularity by number of members, in the lecture Jason quoted that it is predicted that twitter will soon overtake myspace in popularity by number of members.

I particularly enjoyed the random youtube hater on http://generatorblog.blogspot.com/... a site with many different apps for different useless reason like the above stated as well as 'The Lego character' where you can picture yourself in plastic and the word mosaic which shapes your words into shapes

Google maps and sketchcast....

I found the link a very helpful and handy link. I can see it being useful in the future for sending someone a detailed individual map, say if they where looking for buried treasure. In the future i think this technology will be improved more and more so customized maps will be a far more prominent thing in tourism agencies and the like. I think this is a very good example of convergent technology.

Here is a google map of where i grew up, done to my own specifications. Its a little different to other maps of the Byron Shire that i have seen ...

View Toms map in a larger map

The Sketchcast website is probably one of the most useless websites i have ever signed up too, however it was a very cheap laugh and i still signed up. I dont think it is the type of technology that will catch on in the future. This is evdient due to the dates of peoples posts all within a very short period of time with each other giving evidence that it is just a fad. However i think the actual creation and putting together of such a project is pretty neat and it has been quite well made.

here is my sketchcast the story of a man chased by bees....

3 Short films + 1 more

Hey everyone, just updating my blog.... finally after missing a lecture and a tutorial I have found myself behind and need to catch up!

I was not to sure wether the films I was supposed to upload where to be actual movie like films or just anything so i choose 3 documentaries and a short film, I hope you enjoy!

The 3 videos I have tried to upload I intended to embed the films off the site www.vivecoolcity.com of which I am a subscriber. However it was not possible to do so from their website so i choose a few random clips of youtube taken from the vivecoolcity website.

The first short film was an interesting story about spending a night inside a mental asylum, Australia's first mental asylum, one of the scarier places I can think of sleeping over at. I found the vivecoolcity crew really went out of the ordinary in the way they choose to do such a story. In all an excellent idea and a very interesting watch.

The Second short film was called 'The Walkabout man' telling the story of the man who is walking his way around

Australia's surfing coast. I find David and his alter-ego 'Benjamin Safari' very interesting and different characters.

I feel David is a man who does not care about social boundaries and is happy to do as he likes.

I choose this next film simply for humorous reasons as it reminds me of my friend Leon so much. Once i have posted this im going to facebook him the link.

I never new the sloth was such a lazy creature until I actually observed it. I feel that this film really did link back to my own involvement in the last lectures as my behavior has been nothing short of sloth-like!

The short movie below Black Button was a very well directed but incredibly twisted film based on ones choices shaping there future. It relates to the christian belief system of heaven and hell with a god like figure deciding who shall be saved and who wont.

it really stirs ones emotions. What would you choose?

Lecture 5

Lecture 5 starred guest speaker Jason Nelson who used his vibrant personality to gather the sleepy students attention as they struggled to stay awake with the 8 oclock lecture.

The first thing he showed us was speedtest.net a site which shows reaction times of computer interaction around the world.

He explained the Dot Com Crash where investors loosing money in the internet as it was not established.

When he showed archive.com it was a very nostalgic experience as screenshots through the internet ages appeared in front of me.

Jason continued to give a run down of the online networking industry showing several different websites as well as analyzing a hilarious online networking site, 'elftown'.

We also got a brief tour of google maps showing how to pin point poopy cat poop spots in the far north of Queensland.

A website called sketchkast showed the hillarious Lady and a Hotdog video that was very very very pointless.

To finish jason showed just how powerfull the internet is by the youtube video United Breaks guitar. A video which made so much of an impact it actually affected flight sales!

In all i found the lecture highly amusing as well as entertaining and informational.
Anywho back to editing my posts!

Make sure you reference and provide a bibliography to show you are starting to develop online research skills.

For the task mentioned by Josh at the lecture, we would like you to watch a Movie or Tv show and describe/explain the following...

Who
What
Where
When
Why
How

INTERNAL ANALYSIS

Who- Vincent, Howard Moon, The shaman Naboo and his gorrila Boku as well as various other magical creatures.

What-Are shop keepers of Nabootique a magical shop owned by Naboo. Vincent and Howard often find themselves in troubling situations leading to different adventures.
When- The 3 series are based in present day.

Where- The Nabootique shop in London and its surrounds as well as the occasional international adventure.

Why-The hapless Howards constant struggle to stay in control and the air-headed yet lovable Howards comical personalities combine to take part in the adventures which appear in front of them.

EXTERNAL ANALYSIS
Who- Written by and starring comedians Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding. 

What- A very unusual comedy where a series of different problems arise leading to the somewhat bizare acting of both julian and Noel. The show often has very unexpected twists and turns keeping the viewer very much on their toes. 

When-Shot in present time

Where- In london
Why- To allow the viewer to take part in a 'journey through time and space'

Lecture 4- From Big Screen to Very Small

This lecture was about the trials and tribulations of film and internet over a timeline, a very interesting timeline at that!

TIMELINE

1895 - Birth of Cinema

1906 - First feature length Narrative Film was made and released (60-70 min) - This film was Australia's 'Ned Kelly' an Australian made and produced film.

1927 - "Talkies" - dialogue, music in movies - THE JAZZ SINGER being the first

1929 - First all colour movie

1933 - First drive in theater

1937 - Snow White (full length film: talking, singing, moving Animated Movie)

1939 - T.V.

1952 - Birth of 3D

1955 - Movies on T.V.

1956 - AMPEX made first VTR or VCR

1959 - Percepto Vision (movie Tingler)and Aromorama.. Smellovision

1963 - AMPEX released consumer VCR and the birth of MULTIPLEX CINEMA

1967-69 - Sony introduces VCR and PORTAPAK

1970 - IMAX WAS INTRODUCED

1972 - Pay T.V.

1985 - First Blockbuster Opened

1986 - PIXAR - Luxo JR. short C.G.I. Animated Film

1995 - TOY STORY - Full C.G.I. Animation

1997 - DVD Video, TROOPS - Star Wars Universe crossed with "Cops"

2001 - BMW - "The Hire" short films, 8 films 10 minutes (stared Clive Owen)

Scavenger hunt!

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

Joe Jutras on his 1689 pound pumpkin which was weighed at the Topsfield Fair GPC weigh-off in Topsfield, MA on September 29, 2007. Joe grew this monster on the 998.6 Pukos 2005 and crossed it with 1225 Jutras 2003.

The source of this information was -http://www.bigpumpkins.com/viewarticle.asp?id=162&gid=50

"That pumpkin grew in 87 days. It was an average of 20 pounds a day. I went on vacation for three days and came back and it was huge."

The source of this information was -www.salemnews.com/punews/local_story_273234042.html

2. What is the best way (quickest, most reliable) to contact Lilly Allen?

Through yahoo.com search i discovered Twitter is the best way to contact Lilly, however your chances of her replying are slim to none.

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

"The giraffe has the longest tongue in the animal kingdom. It can extend to a record length of 53cm! Its flexible tongue functions like a ‘hand’ for grasping leaves. It has a tough and leathery surface, which allows the animal to feed on the thorny acacia." I was very startled by this news as i knew their tongues where big but not half a meter long.

The source of this information was - http://www.zoo.com.sg/spotlight/african_giraffe.htm

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

“Glycomics,” the scientific attempt to characterize and study carbohydrates, is a rapidly emerging branch of science, for which informatics is just beginning.

http://www.ploscompbiol.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1000075

What does the term 'seagull manager' refer to?

According to http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Seagull%20Management

The type of management is 'where your boss hovers around the, takes the good ideas for himself/herself, and shits on every other idea you have.'

However a more refined search bought about the results 'Seagull manager is a

Transient, highly critical manager: a manager whose interaction with the workforce consists in arriving, criticizing everything and everybody harshly, and leaving again

Reference: http://www.ask.com/bar?q=seagull+manager&page=1&qsrc=0&ab=4&u=http%3A%2F%2Fuk.encarta.msn.com%2Fdictionary_1481585101%2Fseagull_manager.html

5. What was David Cronenberg's first feature film? Which of his films Had 'Blondie' in it?

Videodrome- "Love it or loathe it, David Cronenberg's 1983 horror film Videodrome is a movie to be reckoned with. Inviting extremes of response from disdain (critic Roger Ebert called it "one of the least entertaining films ever made") to academic euphoria, it's the kind of film that is simultaneously sickening and seemingly devoid of humanity, but also blessed with provocative ideas and a compelling subtext of social commentary."

Source of information was http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086541/

6. When was the original 'Hacker's Manifesto' written?

The Hacker Manifesto was written on January 8^th 1986 by a lord Blanken Shepard.

The source was - http://www.mithral.com/~beberg/manifesto.html

7. Why do phone numbers in Hollywood films start with '555'?

Due to the low fill of the 555 code Hollywood was encouraged to quote 555 numbers in their production to prevent people calling the numbers written on the screen.

http://www.telephonecollecting.org/code.htm

8. What is the cheapest form of travel from the Gold Coast to Sydney?

Varying with air flights, virgin, Jetstar ect. However to truly do it cheaply hitchhiking is the only was you can usual get down there within 24 hours.

9. What song was top of the Australian Pop Charts this week in 1965?

Ray Brown & the Whispers with their song Fool, Fool, Fool was top of the charts this week in 1965 with #1 Sydney #4 Melbourne #2 Brisbane #1 Adelaide #1 Perth

http://www.poparchives.com.au/feature.php?id=186

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

The Black Assassins were a vital part of the Brisbane Punk scene which developed in the late 1970's and early 1980's. They played at every major venue at one time or another. Sometimes they got banned for outrageous behavior.

So the Brisbane punk band the black assassins starred Stephen Stockwell on key board and vocals!

The source of this information was -http://members.optusnet.com.au/~toxicoh/blackas.htm