Here's the article I chose. It's from the ICHIM site and deals with presenting websites in multiple languages to increase their accessibility and effectiveness.
Title: Multilingual Needs of Cultural Heritage Web Site Visitors: A Case Study
By: Jennifer Marlow, Paul Clough, Katie Dance
The link:
http://www.archimuse.com/ichim07/papers/marlow/marlow.html
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Whatever
So I was reading an article in a magazine. I hardly ever buy magazines, but every once in a while I just feel like numbing my brain with some short attention span reading material. Those fluffy articles are just long enough for me to finish before I fall asleep. Whatever.
Anyway, there was an article by some lady who used to be a professional gossip blogger. First I was struck by the concept of a professional blogger. Are there really so many people out there reading these things that people can make a living writing them? And who is paying these people? Whatever. This lady was basically paid to be an online bitch. Her word, not mine. She was paid to write 12 blog entries per day mocking public figures, mostly those in the entertainment industry. Yeah, like people need help thinking entertainment people are a little off. Whatever. This blogger lady was so negative and so bitchy that she became the target of hate-bloggers. Hate-bloggers? Yes, hate-bloggers. These are people who feel that in order to combat hateful blogs they themselves must get their hate on blog-style AND be anonymous about it. Hypocritical? Yes. Whatever.
Ultimately she made a point about people hiding behind the virtual nature of the Internet in order to get their hate on, without the repercussions and accountability. I hate to say it, but I get what she's saying. I can't count the number of times I've been tempted to send nasty emails from my junk email address (the one I give to all the websites whom I know will be sending me junk) because I don't want the actual repercussions of my complaining to be traced to me. However, of all the times I've thought about sending nasty-grams, I've only done it once. I emailed a writer at the Colorado Daily and explained to her the difference between "you're" and "your" and "there," "their," and "they're." Amazingly she misused all five in one article! Whatever.
Anonymity. Is it good? Is it bad? Maybe it's another one of those things that when used properly is fine, but is easy to abuse. Like booze. Either way, it's another side effect of virtuality. But is it inevitable?
It's so easy to be anonymous or pseudonymous (probably not a word) so why not? And if you sign bitch-o-grams with your real name people send you death threats and publish your photo, address and phone number for all the world to see and for the trolls to send retaliatory bitch-o-grams to. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
The message of the article is that virtual reality is "still reality" and that if you wouldn't say it to the person's face, you shouldn't blog it, email it, IM it or post it in a chat room either. It would be nice if people could either be witty and clever about their disagreements or just learn to say "whatever!" Clearly I'm still working on both.
Anyway, there was an article by some lady who used to be a professional gossip blogger. First I was struck by the concept of a professional blogger. Are there really so many people out there reading these things that people can make a living writing them? And who is paying these people? Whatever. This lady was basically paid to be an online bitch. Her word, not mine. She was paid to write 12 blog entries per day mocking public figures, mostly those in the entertainment industry. Yeah, like people need help thinking entertainment people are a little off. Whatever. This blogger lady was so negative and so bitchy that she became the target of hate-bloggers. Hate-bloggers? Yes, hate-bloggers. These are people who feel that in order to combat hateful blogs they themselves must get their hate on blog-style AND be anonymous about it. Hypocritical? Yes. Whatever.
Ultimately she made a point about people hiding behind the virtual nature of the Internet in order to get their hate on, without the repercussions and accountability. I hate to say it, but I get what she's saying. I can't count the number of times I've been tempted to send nasty emails from my junk email address (the one I give to all the websites whom I know will be sending me junk) because I don't want the actual repercussions of my complaining to be traced to me. However, of all the times I've thought about sending nasty-grams, I've only done it once. I emailed a writer at the Colorado Daily and explained to her the difference between "you're" and "your" and "there," "their," and "they're." Amazingly she misused all five in one article! Whatever.
Anonymity. Is it good? Is it bad? Maybe it's another one of those things that when used properly is fine, but is easy to abuse. Like booze. Either way, it's another side effect of virtuality. But is it inevitable?
It's so easy to be anonymous or pseudonymous (probably not a word) so why not? And if you sign bitch-o-grams with your real name people send you death threats and publish your photo, address and phone number for all the world to see and for the trolls to send retaliatory bitch-o-grams to. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
The message of the article is that virtual reality is "still reality" and that if you wouldn't say it to the person's face, you shouldn't blog it, email it, IM it or post it in a chat room either. It would be nice if people could either be witty and clever about their disagreements or just learn to say "whatever!" Clearly I'm still working on both.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Today's activity was to explore interactive websites. The ones we were given were edutaining but I busted out and found some not so edu- but very -taining ones. Teehee!
Well executed and brightly colored website apparently designed for kids. I’m not sure exactly what I did other than click where it told me to, so I’m not sure I learned much. I did the Mystery of the Green Milk activity. The cow was talking while other things were going on so I missed some of the explanation of the activity.
http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/kids/
What a selection of activities! Some aren't interactive other than printing out an activity sheet or pattern to cut out.
Right when I was surprised that I didn’t need any plug-ins, I needed one…and couldn’t get it. So now I don’t know what Foss’ Human Body does. Oh well. I couldn’t get the car comparison to actually compare my two cars. I made them, but it wouldn’t race them. Pbbth.
I knew a lot about bats! But the whale songs were a lot harder to figure out.
Other interactive websites I found:
http://www.venganza.org/games/index_large.htm
Convert non-believers! Show them The Way of Pastafarianism!
http://www.methodshop.com/games/play/yeti/yeti1-blood.shtml
Just plain wrong…but in a good way.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Initiation part deux
Yup, that's me. Eatin' a pretzel in Germany at the Andechs monastery near Munich.
Oh Rick Steves, we live and breathe by your travel advice!
Oh Rick Steves, we live and breathe by your travel advice!
Monday, August 27, 2007
Initiation
I am not a big fan of blogs.
What makes me think anything I have to say is of any importance to anyone else? Maybe some people have important things to share, but I really don't...at least not yet. I'll get back to you when I win the Nobel Prize.
The internet is already busting at its virtual seams with self-important wieners who have more to say than they'll ever read. Too much output, not enough input. Have you ever had a conversation with someone who cuts you off, finishes your thoughts or agrees by saying exactly the opposite of what you just said because they weren't even listening? These people are all about output and not interested in input. It just contributes to the ME ME ME, NOW NOW NOW attitude that's all too prevalent today anyway. *I* have something to say, so YOU should read it, but almost never the other way around.
Perhaps this project will change that opinion. It's possible. I mean I'm already wondering what it will be like to read this in four months. We'll see.
But for now I remain,
The Reluctant Blogger
What makes me think anything I have to say is of any importance to anyone else? Maybe some people have important things to share, but I really don't...at least not yet. I'll get back to you when I win the Nobel Prize.
The internet is already busting at its virtual seams with self-important wieners who have more to say than they'll ever read. Too much output, not enough input. Have you ever had a conversation with someone who cuts you off, finishes your thoughts or agrees by saying exactly the opposite of what you just said because they weren't even listening? These people are all about output and not interested in input. It just contributes to the ME ME ME, NOW NOW NOW attitude that's all too prevalent today anyway. *I* have something to say, so YOU should read it, but almost never the other way around.
Perhaps this project will change that opinion. It's possible. I mean I'm already wondering what it will be like to read this in four months. We'll see.
But for now I remain,
The Reluctant Blogger
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