The actual Assignment B (seriously this time).

Ok, so there was a bit of confusion before, as i thought i wanted to do the Yotube video response. After looking at some quality work done by other students, and after my editing software on my computer decided to die, i felt it was necessary to change to a different idea.

So i did a photographic tour instead, using Google Maps.

It was a bit of an issue getting the hang of the way it works, also took some research to see if i was supposed to use Flickr Maps, or Google Maps (obviously went with the latter). I actually used both at one point.

Good Maps is a great tool, and suprisingly much faster to use than Flickr. Tagging areas and giving them some descriptions was fairly straight forward, but there wasnt much information as to how to start the whole thing. I basically just kept clicking on buttons to see how it worked.

Still, it's done and i hope it does ok, marks-wise.

Assignment B:
http://maps.google.com.au/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=2

Learning while you still can.

Ok, so reading back on an earlier blog made me realise maybe i was a big harsh on this whole blogging thing.

I believe i stated "I hate Blogs. I hate people who keep blogs".

Now... while im not the biggest fan of blogs... well, the majority of blogs, some are very fucking entertaining.

The reason i have changed my mind recently is dependant on a little story, which i well tell you now. So sit back, relax and take your goddamn cursor off the "Back" button.

I have a mate, a pretty good mate, let's call him Coop. Now, Coop is studying Law/Commerce at university, which he does very well at. Thing is... he hates his degree. He constantly bitches and has a massive rage over how bad and demanding his degree is. I keep on telling him, "Look on the bright side... at least you have a great career path to follow".

This does not help.

His degree is VERY academic, no room for crativity and is extremely black and white. Either it's legal or it isnt. It works or it doesn't. It's right or it's wrong.

He craves creative outlets. So much so, that just talking to him in a nothing conversation can lead you either down a path of elaborate lies that will end in you trying to figure out what is real and what isn't, or it will go down a massive highway of ideas he has saved up for various projects, be it film, writing, physical... whatever.

He just... NEEDS... an outlet.

And that's what i see blogging as now. Not just a vanity explosion of people's desire to be seen and heard and some kind ignorance to other people actual interests. But as an outlet for people who have none.

It's a free easy way for people to express anything at all. To sit down and write all the things that their life won't let them.

I...

I kind of like that.

ASSignment B

SO i decided to do the Youtube video assignment for my Assignment B project. Im a littl wary of what is actually required for this bad boy, but hopefully i can pull it off.

The reasoning behind this decision is simple. Basically, i have had a very packed schedule with various things and this one seems to be the quickest to do under a timelimit. That and i figure id prefer to do a short film clip (something im interested in) rather than photographic or pc intensive (something im not interested in).

For now im thinking of just doing the Youtube blog style, me in the frame giving an interesting view on youtube and its pros and cons as i see it, drop some knowledge on the technical aspects of the site and BAM... assignment B done.

I dont know.... seems i might have missed the point of this, but... hopefully not.

Assignment 1: Week 7

Yeah, ok... so i started it late. I work better under pressure anyway.

http://memepopularityvirus.blogspot.com/

Basically i made this blog on 'memes', popular internet memes to be exact. The reason i chose this topic is because being on the internet ALOT myself, i feel i have an intimate knowledge about internet memes.

I thought it would be interesting to talk about where and why memes are created as people just take for granted that they are just there. Either they are linked to a site or given the picture without any credit going to the original mind behind it. Ill bet the guy who invented the O RLY owl or lolcats would love to get his hands on the copyright to that bad boy...

The layout is pretty simple, i dont think it was necessary to over do it. Its a simple topic and the real entertainment comes from the links and the explanations. Because it was on internet memes, i felt it was necessary to link to each, to make sure the audience understands what it is i am talking about.

Blogger is a pretty basic site to use, not a ton of customisation, but it did well enough for my purpose.

The related terms was put in to let the audience make some associations with other things that could be considered "memes". I think its suprising just how many memes are in life in general. Everything seems to be a joke or a saying started eons ago... the world seems bare of much real original content.

Life can be boring without people just sitting there and copying the same process over and over..
Ctrl + C.... Ctrl + v.... Ctrl + C.... Ctrl + v....

Hypocrisy at its best.

Now that ive started this thing... ive realised why i have never started a blog before.

I hate blogs.

I hate people who keep blogs. I hate the whole damn thing.

Basically i think the reason keep blogs is because of a narcissistic tendency for them to think people give a rats arse what they do. When, in actual fact, no one cares. They blog on their lives, in mind numbing detail. Their every thought, idea, action, reation and ingrown toenail is recorded online for everyone to read.

One person that is an example of such egotistical single mindedness... possibly the best example... is Rosie O'Donnell. That crazy, ball busting, lesbian comedian (im using the term EXTREMELY losely) has her own blog, which isnt suprising since she has made clear since her career began that she feels her opinions are worthy of the entire globe to have to listen to. But the kicker is that for some insane reason she blogs in what i suppose would be considered as poems. She shares her rediculous ideas and interpretations of the world in pseudo-haiku format... i can't even express the sheer gaul that is needed for tis woman to think that people would care that much about her thoughts on the world, that she not only blogs constantly... but she does it in such a way that we even have to DECIPHER what her thoughts are. I am so fucking blown away that im actually a little angry now.

This, however, brings me to a slight dilemma... im writing this brilliant epiphany in a blog. I think i am morally in the clear since this wasnt my idea... and yet i cant get rid of this dirty feeling.

The Choosiest Choice.

So i figure ill write on another topic suggested by the tutor and discuss why i chose this particular blog site to do my blogging.

Basically, my rationale was simple. It was first on the list. That's it.

Having said that i have thankfully found that this blogger site is pretty good. It's simple and easy to use, it has good features and whatnot. But the only thing im not a massive fan of is the apparently lack of customisation options. You can pick some basic themes to begin with, but as far as i can tell.. that's it. Or maybe im just not looking hard enough.

Ill ask around or something... maybe checkout some forums on this and hopefully uncover some hidden information that i, so far, have not discovered.

From the comfort of home, or something similar.

My second blog today, hopefully this'll help with the ol' marks come crunch time. I was looking up some blogs as per the advice of the tutor, and came across cinematrical (http://www.cinematical.com/) and because i became so involved in this blog... i didnt really find many others. Im really glad i found this blog because the stuff on here is basically what i skim other news sites to find. Its not the prettiest website, rather plain and simple, but i like that. No frills information.

The only other blog i really read is one written by possibly the biggest champ ever in the history of champs. Tuckermax.com is basically one guy writing about (arguably) true anecdotes of his exploits. I say "arguably" because i have a hard time thinking that this one guy has done all that he has said... sure, he brings some evidence to the table, but nothing i would call air tight. It is, however, FUCKING HILARIOUS and i recommend all guys who are whipped out of their minds to read.

One thing i have noticed about my blog so far is that i swear... i hope this doesnt become an issue for whoever marks this. I've marked my blog as having adult material... but who knows. Ill just do it and see what happens i guess.

Am i a badass or what?

Taking the path well travelled.

So, i've joined the world of blogging.... no matter how reluctantly. There seems to be a shit load of blogs out there, so i don't expect this one to stand out from any crowds or be anything special. Being that i am typing this in class means ill keep it short and sweet.

I'm not much of a writer, but i accept sympathy points on the grounds that you should feel sorry for me.

Nathan.