Trekkies?--Well Call Me a Jacksonie Then

Henry Jenkins wrote the article “Get a Life!” which talks about “Trekkies” who are people who become obsessed with certain TV shows or movies. The article calls these people “fanaticals” who in Jenkins eyes are misfits in society. I knew little about these people who become obsessed with such things as Star Wars and Harry Potter because, I unlike them do not become obsessed with these types of things. In the article Jenkins talked about these "trekkies" being viewed as mindless consumers but they are not actually mindless consumers. They know what they are doing and by doing this they are only helping their economy for such things as Star Wars and Harry potter.
Before really discussing it in class I feel like I was like everyone else; I thought these types of people were weird. After reading Jenkins article and talking about it in class I started to ask myself why I considered them so weird. Like we discussed in class, no I don’t think I would ever date anyone like that, we obviously are interested in different things, but that’s ok. Everyone is entitled to enjoy and like certain things. I myself love Michael Jackson, now I know I don’t love him to the point that some of these Trekkies love their Star Wars, but I listen to his songs on repeat and occasionally watch his performances on DVD’s. Does that give me some type of a classification or is it just accepted because Michael Jackson was loved many?
Jenkins also explained that grass roots came about when these fanatics decided to create their own things in society. I say props to people who can stand up for what they believe in and enjoy what they want to enjoy. Again I will refer to my love for the King of Pop. I get the comments from people telling me how he molested little boys and how gross that is, but I still continue to stand up for him. No one will be able to change my mind on him and I sort of think that’s how Trekkies feel. No matter how many people think they’re lame or classify them as “social misfits, brainless consumers,” and “desexualized” they will continue going to their conventions with their expensive costumes and enjoy every last minute of it. Who are we to stop them? Who are we to even comment on them? We don’t know them, probably because we won’t give them the time of day to get to know them, but why should we be able to call them desexualized? We don’t know their sex life. Who gives us, or Henry Jenkins the right to call them social misfits? What even is a social misfit? So what I’ve learned through Jenkins article and discussions in class is that these are people who enjoy being this way no matter who talks about them negatively, and you know what, that’s ok. Who am I to talk negatively about them when I get it from people regarding Michael? So not only have I learned a lot through class and Jenkins article on the subject but I have also learned a little bit more about myself.
I have placed a YouTube video of Michael Jackson singing one of his famous songs, Black or White. I think this song represents what I have argued here. So enjoy his performance and take a good listen to the lesson he is trying to teach through the lyrics.

And always remember, it’s ok to like what you want, and it’s ok to stand up for what you believe in, no matter who or what is telling you that you shouldn’t.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUBVixV1H0s

flicker flacker web address

So I couldn't figure out how to edit my flickr blog and since I didn't put up the web address in that one I'll just add it here.

HOPE YOU ENJOY THE SLIDE SHOW!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23741723@N03/2263150324/in/set-72157603907164450/

flicker flacker

The flickr project was by far one of my favorite things we have done thus far in class. It was a really great idea to give us such a little amount of time to figure it out and then to document it. After reading the articles posted I found out that the way we were designed to do this project is called collaborative journalism. I just thought we were told to do it and being provided with a small amount of time to see what we could come up with. I think our group’s idea of concentrating on the smoking ban here at IU was a really good choice. It is an appealing topic that many people, both smokers and non smokers are interested in. As a smoker, I still find the ban here at IU a great idea. I also find it interesting that prior to the year 2008 IU said that there would be a ban on all of campus, yet when we get back to school we find out that there are designated smoking areas. I knew that they would change their rules, I just wonder if they knew they were planning on altering their policy.
After reading more of the articles I also learned a little bit more about flickr. I knew it existed, and even have a few friends that use it, but the more popular thing to do is to post facebook albums. I think flickr is different in a better way than just using facebook albums because the comments posted on the pictures are more useful. People seem to really enjoy posting and viewing and commenting on other people’s flickr pictures. It does make sense when the article commented on the fact that people will now document what they see and then post their pictures so others can truly get a sense of what was going on, they used the example of riots. One of the other articles also talked about Social Bookmarking. This was another term that I was not familiar. They compared Social Bookmarking to the favorites tab that many people use on their computers. I’m not on the computer much, and my lab top is from the 1950’s (well not really) so I don’t really use it much, other than checking my emails, some goggling action and facebook of course, but if I did use it more and it was more up to date I would definitely look into using the social bookmarking website. The website is designed to store bookmarks on the internet and make them accessible anywhere. When I went home the other weekend I noticed that my little brother used the favorites tab and has many links on it, I think he would be very interested in looking into the social bookmarking website. For someone like him who is constantly on the computer the social bookmarking web site would be very functional.
I am very glad that I got introduced to these interesting terms and ever flickr because after I graduate I am moving to Prague for a year to teach English and was wondering how I am going to keep my friends and family up to date with all my adventures. I could make the facbook albums like everyone else but I didn’t know how I was going to let my parents and older brother see my pictures. If I just post them on flickr everyone will be able to view them. Problem solved! So now that you are done reading my interesting blog please enjoy our flickr slideshow, and remember if you too are a smoker please smoke in the designated areas on campus. You don’t need Jenna coming after you!
(After you see the slideshow this will make sense)

blog-blog-blog

There were many extremely good points regarding politics and internet use in Photoshop for Democracy, The New Relationship between Politics and Popular Culture. It opened up with a scenario of characters that everyone is familiar with, Donald Trump and George Bush, and showed how the use of the internet can make just about anything happen. The editing done in film from the two of them made a completely different video that many people found humorous. Though it was degrading our president it shows that politics and the internet have created a bond where people's opinions can be easily displayed. Slapping the presidents behind in an online computer game reaffirms the point that the creator of the Trump/Bush scene wanted, and this is all done with the internet regarding politics.
The article talks again about the tools present in today's society and how they are used. In our previous article, Smart Mobs, they touched on this same point. The way people choose to use today's technologies is the point these two authors are trying to touch on. Smart Mobs focused more on cell phone usage, and Photoshop for Democracy is explaining how the internet is changing politics. Photoshop quotes, "His staff (referring to John Kerry in the 2004 elections) used blogging to create a more intimate, real-time relationship with his supporters." This quote is the idea that politics on the internet is a very popular, and effective mechanism. Photos are also used as examples of taking political images and making them swayed in ways to show embarrassment. Photoshop again quotes on this subject, "The use of images may be blunt, and when Bush's face is morphed into Hitler's of Mad Magazine icon Alfred E. Neuman, or when Kerry's face gets warped to look like Herman Munster."
The article also talks about Popular Culture and how it is involved with children and the youth. The article touches on how they think children do not feel involved because they are not allowed to vote until the age of 18 and they are not looked at as political subjects, therefore they do not become involved with the news because they feel that it has nothing to do with them. Children chose to take the computer game, "Sims" and through their experiences with the game it was only then that people started to realize the intensity and confusion that kids felt regarding political dilemmas.
As I said before, Photoshop for Democracy touches on many important issues that are present in today's society. These things will continue to be present in daily life if changes are not made. The internet will continue to be an issue for both Democrats and Republicans, but while it will have it's issues and problems it will continue to excel and educate. It's a catch 22 yet it's our world.

Nokia..I-Phones.. Blackberries OH MY

I completely agree with Rheingold from our reading and class discussion Monday about Smart Mobs. It is so true when we talked about it not being about the tools anymore but how we choose to use them. The examples in class and in the reading about such things like the cell phone couldn’t be more correct. I get incredibly bothered when I see students at this university sit through an entire lecture of class and not listen to one thing because they are too busy using the internet on their I-phones or blackberries. That’s what the world has come to and that is what Rheingold and his Smart Mobs discussion is all about. I like how he brings to our attention that communication through cell phones is no longer its only quality. The use of cell phones is no longer to communicate to someone else but through all the technological advances people now use their cell phones for such things as the internet. When we brought up the idea of buying a cell phone that can only be used for communication and no picture, or internet capabilities and discussed how it would be close to impossible to find such a phone now a day’s really made me think about Rheingolds whole argument. I never thought about that but it is completely true. The last time I saw a cell phone that DIDN’T have these abilities was probably years ago. It’s crazy to think where technology will go next but with the world that we live in and all the advances I’m sure the next big thing will become normal just like the internet on cell phone has.
Here I have two pictures of the Nokia Cell phones, one of the first ever invented, and one of their latest models. The difference between the two is unbelievable. You can see for yourself how much they have changed within the decade. I believe if Rheingold could add pictures to his argument this would fit in, and I quote Ace Ventura, “hewwww like a glove.”

this new development called the internet

I don’t really know if I picked up on what Douglas Rushkoff was talking about in the readings, other than in chapter 3 him talking about the internet and how unexpected it was. He explains the internet basically down to a T and that’s that. The only thing that I feel I can comment on from this chapter is how Rushkoff explains how they didn’t know that the new development (internet) would take off so quickly, and once it did they were kind of aw-struck and didn’t know how to handle it. It’s understandable they didn’t expect it and again didn’t know how to fix it because it was a new progress that they had never dealt with before. Their worries were reasonable such as kids choosing to play games on the computer or spending their time on the computer rather than watching TV. At the time they didn’t know how far it would expand and how quickly the internet would become popular but looking at the internet today in 2008 compared to back when it began I would say they handled the internet and it’s popularity very well.
They have continued, and will continue to come up with new ideas and plans on how to convert advertisements and profit in ways that the television has through the years. A simple example of this is when people watch television episodes online from such websites like ABC or NBC.com. If you miss an episode on TV, and for some un-god reason you don’t have DVR (that was a joke- laugh) you can watch that full episode online. It’s actually nice because the time they give for commercials is cut back from around 3 minutes to only 30 seconds, and instead of watching a variety of commercials you only have 1 to deal with. They have encompassed advertising with the internet, and this will only continue as the internet becomes more and more apart of our daily lives.
So if for some reason you missed LOST, seasons 1, 2, and 3, and are interested in starting season 4 please click the link below and enjoy hours upon hours on the island with just a few advertising interruptions.

http://dynamic.abc.go.com/streaming/landing?lid=ABCCOMGlobalMenu&lpos=FEP