Voice of the Unheard: Big News

Social networks are fast becoming the best way way to get the word out. Does this mark the demise of print and television as our primary news source?

The way we get our daily news has changed greatly over the past few years. Let’s face it, print and television are no longer the only outlet, the Internet has emerged as a major medium for daily updates. With the  rising popularity of social networks such as; Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and even blogs like this, one may wonder the future of television and print as a choice medium.

Update me!

Today Michael Jackson died…I think. Anyhow, it was brought to my attention by Facebook, and for some reason I found this fascinating. Not the death, but the way I was notified of it. Status updates, much like the function of Twitter, proclaiming the news. Who needs CNN anymore when you got status updates?

Generally I find status updates annoying and useless, who cares if Jenny’s making dinner or Dustin failed his exam? The thing is, it’s unfiltered and not everything is news. So you have to get involved and dig for relevant information.

Recently I’ve been interested about the situation in Iran. I’m not reading newspapers or watching television, I’m searching out blogs and watching clips on Youtube. With the thousands taking to the streets, I want to know what’s going on, and I want it uncensored.

Question the Source

I should also mention that one should be weary of web content. Standards and sources are not always reliable, readers should question information and invesitgate topics for themeselves. It’s nice to cross reference with other mediums such as newspapers and TV.

Netiquette

Are you a well behaved web user? How’s your netiquette? Webster’s describes netiquette as; etiquette governing communication on the Internet. It’s an extremely important element when discussing web use. Communication is crucial on the Internet, it’s a medium that lacks human feeling(human expression, sarcasm). Without proper netiquette you may offend someone without meaning to. Essentially netiquette is a set of rules to insure well behaved web use.

So what contributes to good netiquette? There are several core rules to follow in order to insure proper web netiquette. The rules are many, but generally emphasize the importance of human interaction and behavioral standards that we’d follow in real life.  It’s also important to look good on-line; so be forgiving of others mistakes, keep verbal wars under control,and share expert knowledge.

Remember the human

We often abuse the luxury of the Internet. We communicate electronically not face-to-face, and it’s easy to forgot that you’re correspondent is a person with human feelings. So with this in mind it’s important to treat others with the same respect that you would like in return. For most of us, flame wars or verbal wars have occurred at one point or another, and it’s simply because this rule was avoided or disregarded. What exactly do you hope to accomplish in a flame war? Once again, remember the human and acknowledge their feelings before waging war on-line.

Make yourself look good

Unlike the cruel realities of the real world, the web doesn’t judge you by your appearance. Instead your judged on the quality of your witting and the quality of  your ideas.

It’s the people who value this rule that make the Internet worthwhile. I can recall countless occasions when I needed information on a certain subject and other users bailed me out by way of message board, or personal site.

Email Marketing Assignment

Meta Tags: New Media, Media Mediums, Technology, Movies, Music, Vinyl, Records, 3D movies, Silkscreen, Social Networking, MySpace, Blogging, Modern technology, Future formats.

Subject Line: Evaluating modern technology, and comparing it to older formats.

Headline: Technology; Out with the old, in with the new.

Dear Reader,

We all know that technology is king and always will be. Gizmos and gadgets of yesterday are forgotten about, as the new ones are shipped in. Mp3’s replace compact discs, which replace records, and so on. But wait a minute! What about nostalgia? What about quality? This blog is regarding the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of technology. Sure there are many obvious benefits, but let’s not forget the formats and mediums of yesterday. New isn’t always improved.

This blog will analyze modern technology, and compare it to formats of the past. Older formats valued quality over mass production, do we always need a better way? There’s a certain value about something old, that something new doesn’t have. We’ll also analyze what’s so special about modern technology, and what future formats may be.

So please come drop by and take a look!
http://www.bryann1.wordpress.com/

3D Movie Trend: Eyepopping

In the past 3D movies were looked upon as a gimmick. Viewers complained of blurriness and headaches, consequently the format seemed die out. Generally, aside from Imax movies, the 3D format hasn’t been explored that much until recently.

Last year Disney/Pixar announced that their 2009 lineup of movies would all be 3D, and George Lucas committed to re-mastering Star Wars in 3D as well. The reason for this is simple, create a supperior product and reap the rewards. “It’s pretty clear right now that you can charge a premium for 3-D,” says Doug Creutz, an analyst with Cowen & Co., who covers the entertainment industry. “We’re probably talking about the difference between $15 and $10 [tickets]. And attendance is much better for 3-D movies.”

On the other hand

Although the up side financially for studios is great, there is a cost. Can companies afford the alterations to the process and theatres? It looks like it, some experts are saying 3D is here to stay. “This is a serious visualization technology that’s just begun to be used for entertainment,” says Elizabeth Brooks, chief marketing officer of 3-D system maker RealD, which has about 97 percent of the 3-D market. “It’s been used by NASA and by scientists who need to render things perfectly. It’s my job to sing the company’s praises, but if the technology’s no good, [filmmakers] wouldn’t be planning to make as many 3-D films as they’re making.”

Hitting Home?

It certainley looks like 3D movies are not just a flash in the pan, but when can we take the experience home with us?  With the costs being as high as they are for studios now, it could take some time, but most likely sooner than later.

“The technology is already available,” says Jim Dorey, writer of the Marketsaw blog. “It’s not just about movies. It’s about getting closer to total immersion for the internet, gaming, or any media experience. The bottom line is that if you’re going to suspend disbelief and become part of an experience, it’s going to have to be in 3-D.”

Here’s a clip from Disney’s new 3D movie UP.

The Showdown: Vinyl vs. CD

What’s so special about records and why have sales been rising lately?

Many purists say vinyl sounds better, “There’s nothing like a vinyl record. It’s analog. It sounds as close as you’re going to get to the artist. If you’re that guy who sits in that optimum space in your living room, you’re definitely going to hear the difference,” said Steven Sheldon, president of Los Angeles-based Rainbo Records.

While CD’s tend to have more of a compressed sound, records on the other hand have a warmer, richer sound. It’s no wonder why music enthusiasts prefer vinyl.

MP3 Factor

In the age of iPods and digital downloads one may wonder the true importance of the CD. For most a CD is bought primarily for digital purposes nowadays. Buy, burn and upload onto a portable media player. It’s disposable.

To counter act this many record labels now include coupons in record packaging that can be used to download MP3 versions of the songs, further questioning why would I buy a CD?

Nostalgia

Aside from the sound quality, vinyl holds an emotional attachment with me. Call me old fashioned but I like something tangible that I can hold. Apparently I’m not alone, 2008 saw a 60% percent jump in record sales from 2007.

Unfortunately though it all comes down to sales, and as vinyl sales grow little by little CD’s still king, selling 250 times the amount of records. Watch out for Mp3 downloads though.

Oh yea! Some people go crazy for records and pay a lot for rare ones.

Here’s a video i found.

Good Movies; Gone with the Wind

It seems like every movie nowadays is ruined with over the top special effects.  I recall an era when the quality of story telling outweighed anything. Classic franchises such as Star Wars and Inidana Jones (both George Lucas) have fallen victim to this modern tragedy.

I don’t understand why there are so few big budget action movies that can’t avoid this.

I recently saw the new Wolverine movie, while i expected it to be a generic over-the-top movie, i  had to ask the question why? Although it is a comic based movie, there is a storyline in there somewhere.

Why does it have to be overshadowed by cheesey special effects? Technology, in my opinion is not always the answer, it’s the easy way out.

Feelin’ the Pressure

Now I’m feeling some pressure. Gotta’ say that right now I’m feeling totally useless creativity wise.  But the show must go on i suppose.

In my first blog i mentioned that i recently picked up a screen printing kit and attended a small workshop. Last weekend i actually put it to the test. My friends and I decided to make some t-shirts based on our own designs. Here’s the part that really sucks, because i forgot my digital camera at home, sorry no photos. Hopefully next week I’ll have some photos of my work. I forgot how much fun it can be to get creative and use your hands… even if we were just making simple shirts.

A Place for Friends

Last week was my first blog, I went on about some pretty basic stuff. Pretty boring I know. Truthfully though this past year has been the most exciting year of my life. What’s happened you might ask to make my year so ground breaking? My friends have played a huge roll, one year ago we started a band. We had no intentions of taking it too seriously; play a few parties, have a good time, that’s all.

It all started with a flat of low grade beer and pure boredom. We were sitting around the house listening to records (we’re obsessed with vinyl) and came to the decision to start a band. Why not? We could string three chords together and have a good time. So it came to be, a week later we had a few songs down and decided to do some recordings.

The best way I can describe it is, 60’s garage, punk before it was actually labeled.  Basically the songs sounded old and lo-fi, we liked it that way. After some deliberation (and more beer) we decided to upload them to a Myspace page. It enabled us to show our friends and get some feedback. Myspace is also a great way to network and get some exposure. A few days later we had a message from a small American record label asking if we’d be interested in putting the songs on a 7″.

Since then things have snow balled a bit, we have 4 singles out now, and have played shows all over North America. Last month we played South by South West music festival in Austin, Texas. Probably the best experience of my life, I met tons of cool people, and made some really good contacts for the future. Who knows what’s next.

What I do know is that none of this would have happened without the help of a networking site like Myspace. It’s a great way to reach like-minded people, make contacts, and create opportunities.

dead ghosts @ sxsw

our myspace page is here (it’s kinda noisey, and not for everyone)

First Time.

So this is my first blog, how should I start? What’s to tell? First off I should say my writing skills tend be a little sub par, probably why I’ve always gravitated toward business classes. Business has no need for elaboration, therefore point form is recommended. I should also mention business is not one of my primary strengths either… this is depressing, what am i good at?

People have always told me that I’m creative, I think for the most part they’re right. Simply it’s where my interests lay, music and art especially. It’s all I talk about. I enjoy playing music, making flyers/posters/album covers for bands, and photography.

Recently I got a screen printing kit, and attended a small workshop.  I’m excited to start using it for posters and possibly my own t-shirts. Who knows maybe one day I can start selling this stuff and make some of my money back, though making money is really not important. Truthfully, I enjoy learning new things, especially when it involves the possibility of being creative.