wk 5 post 2

Post 2 -
Scavenger Hunt

Without using Google or Wikipedia, try to answer the following questions and post your answers to your blog.
Provide the URL (with the date you accessed it) of where you found the answer.  Describe how you found it.

1. Where was the first University established and in which year?
2. What is Stephen Stockwell's band called and what does he play?  Can you name a couple of their songs?
3. What is the weight of the world’s biggest machine? How much did it cost to build?
4. Who is Justin Bieber's lawyer, and what is the best way (quickest, most reliable) to contact the lawyer?
5. What is the cheapest form of travel from the Gold Coast to Melbourne?
6. Who is Hatsune Miku? What company does she belong to? What is her birthday?
7. Find a live webcam in Belarus. Find a place to stay in Antarctica.
8. What song was top of the Australian pop charts this week in 1991?
9. What type of car is used to make ‘Google Street View’?
10. Translate these questions into Spanish and then translate them back into English.

When you're finished there's some light-hearted fun: 

Guess The Google (guess which search term brings up the images) http://grant.robinson.name/projects/guess-the-google/

wk 5 post 1

Rubber

The 2010 film "Rubber" is a french film by Quentin Dupieux that attempts to tickle the g-spot of horror film fans with an abstract comedic approach.  The elements of screenplay It was interesting to see how the elements of screenplay structure were effectively used to paint a picture of what was actually going on to the audience.

The first Act in the film 'Rubber' answers the questions: Who the film is about? Who is the lead character? and what kind of person are they? Though the lead character is unconventionally not a person but more-so an object.. with human like characteristics.... apart from when he discovers his ability to use psycho-kinetic powers to blow-up things (Plot point 1).  The audience is introduced to Robert - a rubber tire who arises from the desert sand and begins a journey of self discovery. In the lecture, Professor Stephen Stockwell introduced briefly spoke about framing in relation to shot sizes - a key ingredient in cinematography which establishes exactly what is and what isn't included in each shot.

Plot Point 1

(set up the action for the rest of the movie)

At the end of Act One comes the first plot point.

A plot point is a hook in the action that spins it around and creates direction.

Fear hits the audience and introduces them to the antagonist character

Week 5 Assessment Item 1-

...

Blog post 2: Tutorial Exercise

Pick a social networking site that you either regularly visit or know about, i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Bebo, Livejournal, Tumblr, Google+, etc., and discuss in 200 words how you understand the Terms of Service that all users must agree to to be invited into the site.

Facebook

+ what are the kinds of content they allow?
From my understanding, Facebook allows you to post material covered by intellectual property rights, like photos and videos (IP content). You are not allowed to send unauthorized commercial communications such as spam on the site. Without permission, you cant use an automated means such as bots etc. to harvest users' content or information. Unlawful multi-level marketing, such as a pyramid scheme is prohibited on Facebook.  You can't upload viruses or other malicious code either. You're not allowed to access an account belonging to someone else. Bullying and harassment is strictly prohibited on the site. Pornographic material or material that incites violence is also not allowed. You are not allowed to incite people to violate Facebook's terms of service.

visit:  http://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/your-info#inforeceived



 
+ what can the service do with your content?

 When you sign up for Facebook, you are required to provide your name, email address, birthday, and gender.  Your information also includes the information you choose to share on Facebook, such as when you post a status update, upload a photo, or comment on a friend's post.  The provision of birthday information allows Facebook to do things like show age-appropriate content to users.

Facebook does provide data to customers and advertising partners but only once they have removed personally identifying information from it or have combined it with other people's information in a certain way that no longer associates you to the information. They keep the data for 180 days.

visit: http://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/your-info#inforeceived
 
+ what guarantees of privacy do they offer?

 
They clearly state that they do their best to maintain safety but cannot guarantee it.


visit: http://www.facebook.com/terms.php









Sources





http://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/your-info#inforeceived




http://www.facebook.com/terms.php

Week 4 Blog post 1:

Choose a topic from the readings or the lecture or one of the points below, and write your first post in response to that idea.  Dig a bit deeper and provide a reference to further reading.








Did social media cause the British Riots??????

The british riots were apparently organized via social media according to British Prime Minister David Cameron as he was addressing the parliament. "Everyone watching these horrific actions will be struck by how they were organized via social media" (Huang 2011).

Allegedly Facebook and Twitter, and an instant messaging service BlackBerry Messenger, had been used to exchange messages on the time and place of various attacks.

It is easy to see how social media played a vital role in the spread of information and the organization of the riots but it is ridiculous to conclude that the riots were 'caused' by social media itself. Social media is just a tool and were are also people using it for good reasons.  Saying that it caused the riots is like saying that it's not the murders fault the victim got killed, it's the gun's fault.   "They used it to find out what was happening in different areas and to communicate the kind of good news that the mainstream media are not usually interested in," said Profess Claire Warwick, Director of the Center for Digital Humanities at University College London (Huang 2011).






Huang, k 2011, News Analysis: Social media in focus after British riots, viewed Saturday 3 September <http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-08/15/c_131048782.htm>

Tutorial 3 - Task 2

Old internet community / medium that has faded from popularity – Myspace




Myspace is a social networking site that was founded in 2003 and became most popular from 2006 - 2008 when Facebook took over as the number one social networking site (Young Academic, 2011). It allows members to connect and share photos and music with their friends. It has had a typically young user base but is now being used by many people as more of a media sharing site.  The site provides the ability to share entertainment and connect people to various forms of media through a multitude of platforms, including online, mobile devices, and offline events. Myspace Music is one of the sites main features which offers stream-able audio and video content to users and provides major, independent, and unsigned artists with tools to reach audiences (MySpace.com, 2011).

MySpace traffic in the US has more than halved since the 75.9m unique user peak in December 2008 with 34.8m unique visitors recorded in May 2011 (Jaroslavskaja, 2011).




Jaroslavskaja, M 2011, Specific Media Acquires MySpace for $35m, viewed on Saturday 3 September, <http://www.isuppli.com/media-research/marketwatch/pages/specific-media-acquires-myspace-for-$35m.aspx>

Jaroslavskaja, M 2011, Specific Media Acquires MySpace for $35m, viewed on Saturday 3 September, <http://www.isuppli.com/media-research/marketwatch/pages/specific-media-acquires-myspace-for-$35m.aspx> 


MySpace.com 2011, About Us, MySpace.com, viewed on Friday 2 September 2011




Young Academic 2011, The Death of MySpace|Young Academic Columns, Young Academic, viewed on Saturday 3 September 2011, <http://www.youngacademic.co.uk/features/the-death-of-myspace-young-academic-columns-953>

Tutorial 3

Task 1

Our first task this week was to familiarise ourselves with the data bases available through Griffith University's databases and find the answers to the questions below.

• What was Stephen Stockwell's first article in an academic journal? What year? Provide a full citation. What database did you use?

Stephen Stockwell's first article was 'Kuranda police shooting' published in the Legal Service Bulletin, 1981.

Stockwell, S 1981, 'Kuranda Police Shooting,' Legal Service Bulletin, vol. 6, pp. 48, viewed 11 August 2011, via Griffith University Library Search.

• In which comic did Governor Slugwell appear? Which Issues? Give their full citation for the earliest. Where did you find this information? What database did you use? (Check the trial databases)

Governor Slugwell appears in the 'Flaming Carrot' Comics in issues.

Burden, B 1985, 'When the Shoes Aren't Worth the Shine,' Flaming Carrot Comics, Renegade Press, vol. 7, pp. 3-31, viewed 11 August 2011, via Trial Database Underground and Independent Comics.

I used a trial database called 'Underground & Independent Comics'

• What is the latest medical thinking on the dangers of mobile phones? Provide a full citation.

Drake, F 2011, 'Protesting Mobile Phone Masts: Risk, Neoliberalism, and Governmentality,' Science, Technology, & Human Values, SAGE Premier 2011, vol. 36, Issue 4, pp. 522-548, viewed 11 August 2011, via Griffith University SAGE Journals Online.

• In Bladerunner, what is Leon's reaction when Holden asks him about his mother? Quote the 1982 draft script and provide a full reference. (Check the trial databases)

"Leon looks shocked, surprised. But the needles in the computer barely move. Holden goes for the inside of his coat. But big Leon is faster. His laser burns a hole the size of a nickel through Holden's stomach. Unlike a bullet, a laser causes no impact. It goes through Holden's shoulder and comes out of his back, clean as a whistle. Like a rag doll he falls back into the seat. Big slow Leon is already walking away, but he stops, turns, and with a little smile of satisfaction fires through the back of the seat."

Fancher, H, Peoples, D, Webb, D, Kibbee, R 1982, 'Blade Runner' (1982). Draft Script, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., Alexander Street Press, viewed 11 August 2011, via Trial Database and American Film Scripts Online.

• What does Paul Soukup say Walter Ong saw as the main paradox in 20th century communication? Cite your source.

"The 20th century introduced a paradox: "that a society given so much to the use of diagrams and to the maneuvering of objects in space...should at the same time develop means of communication which specialize not is sight but in sound."

Soukup, P 2004, 'Walter J. Ong, S.J. A Retrospective,' Communication Research Trends: Centre for the Study of Communication and Culture, vol. 23, pp. 23, viewed 11 August 2011, via Trial Database.

Wk 3 Reading - Mind Control & the Internet

Mind Control & the Internet - Sue Halpern

This is an interesting article. It highlights some of the possible future new com tech with a particular focus on the closing gap between computers and the human brain. Some examples of this futurist technology include a brain–computer interface (BCI) called BrainGate developed by Brown University which during testing allowed a paralyzed woman to move a cursor. Another person who has benefited from BCI technology is Michael Chorost who after becoming deaf in 2001 recieved two cochlear implants inserted deep inside each ear. The article then draws attention to the Google algorithm, a piece of intellectual property called PageRank, composed of “500 million variables and 2 billion terms.”  Most of us assume that when we do a Google search, we all get the same results without bias but apparently that is anything but true. The article suggests that the search engine giant has aimed to tailor every search to fit the profile of the person making the search.
Reflecting back to Michal Chorost who has written a few books with one titled 'World Wide Mind: The Coming Integration of Humanity, Machines, and the Internet' is a self proclaimed advocate for the man/machine merge. He ideally would like to see everyone kitted out with their own chip implants which would allow humans to access the internet with their thoughts. This technology now almost seems as if its just round the corner as suggested by science writer David Ritchiein his book titled 'The Binary Brain'.




How might the internet be controlling our minds?
Are neural implants the way of the future?
Does Google's personalisation of our internet interaction assist us or is it exploitation. Does it deny our freedom or is it all part of being a collective? How is it effecting the climate change debate?
Is commercialisation destroying the web or is the web improving the way we do business?
Will Moore's law give out in 2015? What will happen then?

My Experiences with New Comm Tech

Tutorial 2 - Part 2

My own experiences with Communication Technologies

Since high school, new communication technologies have been heavily integrated into my lifestyle. From Facebook, Youtube to checking my email, at least once a day i am using some form of NCT. Facebook would probably be the site i use most as it lets me communicate easily with all my friends. Its not the only social networking site out there but its by far the most popular especially with those aged between 18 - 25 and has actually overtaken google and most visited site for people within that age group according to an  Anderson Analytics 2009-2010 Gen X2Z American College Student Survey report (West 2011). 

The issue regarding privacy for sites such as Google and Facebook may be considered controversial. This may be due to the way in which they use location and social networking data. For example Google Maps' mobile Latitude location service has been receiving recent criticism due to possible allowing people to stalk others and facebook has also made changes regarding the storing of users information (Digital & Direct brief: Facebook and Google caught in privacy storm 2009).

'Digital & Direct brief: Facebook and Google caught in privacy storm', 2009, Marketing (London), p 10, viewed via Expanded Academic ASAP





West, C 2011, 'You're on Facebook. . . Now What?', International educator (Washington, D.C.), vol. 20, no. 3, viewed via Proquest Central

Recently Youtube has been a site i have been using quite a bit. I recently saw a video that some Griffith university students produced. The group called XY media was formed by a chinese guy named Xiao Yi and he has his own youtube channel. I contacted him and we met and became good friends. I recently joined the group and we have made a couple of action/comedy short films. The first one I was involved in was called 'Fight for lollipop' and it received about 3000 views within the first week.  It was really fun as i have never acted in my life (as you can probably tell from watching) but i did choreograph the fight scenes which was also a fun challenge. I also send a bulk email with the link to about 3000 students, so that may have aided in the initial boost of views. Below you can feel free to check out some of the videos.


Fight for LolliPop 2011

 Just Do it official teaser trailer

'Digital & Direct brief: Facebook and Google caught in privacy storm', 2009, Marketing (London), p 10, viewed via Expanded Academic ASAP





West, C 2011, 'You're on Facebook. . . Now What?', International educator (Washington, D.C.), vol. 20, no. 3, viewed via Proquest Central


youtube links
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml9D3E_BT-s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwMew_F6yQQ&feature=channel_video_title

Tutorial 2 - Part 1

Adam Ostrow is editor in chief at Mashable and covers the tech, trends and people driving the evolution of the Web. This is a short talk called 'After your final status update' that includes some incite as to what new technologies could emerge out of the cloud of information we are creating with our online social identities. He poses the question 'can our social personas made up of status updates, tweets and connections actually live on once we die?'. I posted this video because it was relevant to the study of communication with an interesting view point.

 (http://www.ted.com/talks/adam_ostrow_after_your_final_status_update.html)



 Application


http://www.photoshop.com/

This is a useful internet application and is pretty much a light version of Adobe Photoshop.  The best part about it is that fact that its free and requires no installation. You get 2GB of storage space for saving current projects online and also there's a mobile version of Photoshop.com available for Windows Mobile.

NCT Week 1 Lecture

So the first half an hour of the lecture was a basic into to the course. The Lecturer -Professor Stephen Stockwell began to discuss what ideas of what new communication technology actually is then went on to talk about some concerns with the arrivals of various forms of NCT. Constant time on the internet and how this effects peoples fitness for example. Also digital phones and the cancer risks involved. The effect it has on business was also discussed such as loss of trade to online.  Other current issues included Facebook (going public), apple (Steve Jobs current situation regarding cancer), the book trade and political issues, online gambling and cyber bullying, and hacking. In regards to hacking, an organization known as Lulsec was mentioned along with the question as to where to draw the line between free speech and criminal behavior. The communication model of Aristotle was discussed in which communication is a 3 step process including a 'speaker, message, and audience'. We were then shown Shannon weaver's 1948 adapted model in which the speakers sends his message via a transmitter which then comes out of the receiver to the audience.There is a process of coding in which the Audience provides feedback in the process of talking to somebody else - the 6 degrees of separation. There is an interconnected process formed by all communication methods. 

A brief Intro..

Hey, I'm Dave. I live in Brisbane and I’m in my second year at Griffith University. I’m currently studying business/arts. I am undertaking a course called 1501HUM New Communication Technologies which investigates the 'information age' and the invention, adaptation and uses of communications technologies. New communications technologies such as the NBN, wiki leaks, ipads, social media and the speed of their conception, establishment and life-cycle have social and political consequences according to the course profile. According to the outline, this course seeks to study where new communication technology comes from, the normal and unexpected uses to which they are put, the possibilities of screen production and how technology will affect our futures.