Visual Complexity: Connect the World though the Internet

i found a website, called Visual Complexity, where people have created computer programs to measure all different kinds of social networking sites. There are many different categories such as art, biology, computer systems, music, and much more. They use the internet data base to help connect other entities to one another. It is a website to show maps of connection between individuals and its society. I personally really like the Ecotonoha example, which discusses environment to cope with global warming. But there are hundred more examples and categories of these common connections.

Convergence Culture 4, 6 discussion questions

We're going to back up and discuss the reading from Convergence Culture you were assigned to read last week. Here are some questions to consider.


Ch 4
1. What is the difference between interactivity and participation?

2. Is the mixing of folk and commercial culture a new thing? What are some historic and contemporary examples?

3. What is the Digital Millennium Copyright Act?

4.Why is the Web important to digital filmmakers?

Ch 6

1. What is the key to viral marketing, according to Garrett LoPorto?

2. What does it mean to say that the transformation taking place is from "culture jamming to blogging.

3. What is the the cultural significance of The Daily Show?

4. What are monitorial citizens and how does The Daily Show cater to them?

5. Why are online communities that are created around popular culture important politically?

Wednesday links and questions

Here are links to the reading/viewing for Wednesday

The Long Tail
Quarterlife
I like to watch

Also please watch an episode here.

I challenge you to find better WebTV (not a huge challenge). The ones mentioned in the Salon piece are a good place to start.

Longtail

What does Anderson mean when he says "For too long we've been suffering from the tyranny of the lowest-common-denominator?"

What are the limitations the physical world imposed on our entertainment?

What are hit driven economics?

What's a "power law" curve?

What are the new rules of the entertainment economy?

What are the cultural benefits of all of this?

Web TV

What are the benefits to creators of Web TV?

What do you think of Quarterlife? How is it an example of convergence?

What are some other Web shows you like or dislike?

Project Web Bot – Predicting the Future?

In relation to the class discussion of analyzing how people use the internet, and in what ways they do it, I remembered hearing about this program – Web bot -- that was developed anonymously in the early 90’s. After doing a brief online research, this is what I discovered:

The Web Bot Project was developed in or around 1995, anonymously, to predict the up and downs of the stock market. Similar to how Google search engine works by “indexing” the web, Web Bot crawls through the web looking for trends for keywords that people type into the internet world. Based off of these trends it is said that Web Bot can predict major events – such as 9/11. I know instantly this sounds ridiculous, however, Professor Dick Bierman ran an experiment, with volunteers, showing them a series of pictures. Surprisingly, the volunteers tended to react seconds before the picture was shown. Is it possible that the bigger the event the more time reaction people have before the event? Is it possible that people’s words or moods are directly related to possible future events? And is it possible for the Web Bot to detect these trends and ultimately predict the future? Many say no, but some fully believe it’s possible…

If you’re interested in doing your own research here are some links:

Professor Dick Bierman’s Experiment – HERE

Web Bot Project - HERE

~ Tisha B.

Google- Change the World

Here is what I am going to be presenting over today: Google's Blog. More specifically, I am going to be presenting on a movement that they have created around some of their technology, Google Earth. Google challenged people to be innovative and use the technology of Google Earth to change the world. A recent blog highlights the top 6 people/organizations utilizing Google Earth to be catalysts of change to make local and global communities. It's really interesting how they are being change agents either through political support or community support; I encourage all of you to watch all of these videos.

Offline Stress Disorder

Rehab clinics have been opening up for a new sort of a addiction called Internet Addiction Disorder for people who just loves to be online a little bit too much. Even though the addiction may not directly effect someones day to day it will cause anxiety if for instance they don't have their iphone or access to the internet. Along with the disorder it theories have been coming up that iphones and facebook can cause OSD. There also other websites that go into more detail about internet addiction such as netaddiction.com

Music for the Underground

This week I would like to share a website that is a haven for music junkies. The website is called TheSixytOne.com and it is packed full with artists and songs you will never hear on the radio, let alone on a CD. On this website any one can create either a users profile or a musicians profile. If you are an aspiring artist it is possible to upload your stuff and let people listen to it for free, and if you're extremely kind you can even leave it up for download.
What is so incredible about this website is that one can build up their own music profile. If you go on to an artist page and you like the music you are hearing it is possible to save songs to your own profile. By saving these songs you create your own radio station for any one to listen to. This is a great way to share media with other people because if you like what some one has on your radio you can add the song yourself.
With the development of the web this had made it a lot easier for musicians to share their music. This website is a great example because everything is free for the user, allowing for people to join up, share, listen and interact.

Poll NOLA

Poll NOLA is one of IOKON's project that involves politics in New Orleans. http://pollnola.com/

It is a website what would digitally "track the reputations and press coverage of New Orleans mayoral" race in 2010. It is an interesting website that tracks the popularity of candidates, by gathering data from social networks and all kinds of information throughout cyberspace.

An interesting thing I noticed about this website is that it has a humor section.

Wednesday links and questions

Here are links to the reading/viewing for Wednesday

The Long Tail
Quarterlife
I like to watch

Also please watch an episode here.

I challenge you to find better WebTV (not a huge challenge). The ones mentioned in the Salon piece are a good place to start.

Longtail

What does Anderson mean when he says "For too long we've been suffering from the tyranny of the lowest-common-denominator?"

What are the limitations the physical world imposed on our entertainment?

What are hit driven economics?

What's a "power law" curve?

What are the new rules of the entertainment economy?

What are the cultural benefits of all of this?

Web TV

What are the benefits to creators of Web TV?

What do you think of Quarterlife? How is it an example of convergence?

What are some other Web shows you like or dislike?

Technology and Politics

This article reiterates and adds onto our discussion on how important and affective technology can be to political campaigns, ect. I think future elections will rely on technology more than ever. It will play an essential roll in campaigning and getting the public involved. Obama was the first to take advantage of what we have out there in order to bring people together and share opinions and beliefs, as well as get his own political views out there.

Influence of Technology on Politics

Web-a-thon

Web-a-thons are online fundraisers which, like all web activity, are designed to make raising money easier and quicker. Especially when compared to political cocktail parties and traditional dinners. "From the Frontlines" is one such web-a-thon which was designed to help raise money to send every U.S armed service unit a care package for July 4th (keep in mind this was held last year). This is a good example of political web activity and the convenience the web now offers us. Many talk radio show personalities and others became involved to help raise money for the troops and the entire 8 hour even was broadcasted over the internet.