so this is the end, my friend….

So this is the last blog I will post, ever. Never say ever, you never know! New communication tech has been my favourite subject at uni. Whats not to like? Tutes were great with Jules, always entertaining with a fun story for the day, sorry about the car, did you ever find it?. From what I hear all the tutors for this subject were great (unlike other subjects I have heard about, not mentioning names). Thank you for the heads up as to what to study, will be pouring over the books for the rest of the day.

I enjoyed watching the movies. Favourites were Alphaville. Paris as a back drop, how can you go wrong? Again whats with the beautiful girl and the old man? Also Primer was interesting, would have liked a 2 hour lecture to watch the end and also explain what happened, some clarity would be appreciated.

Starting a blog was also great. It gave me a chance to try something completly new and also I said I would never start one as I thought they were for poeple with no social life and too much time on their hands. Having a chance to comment on the lectures and tutes was a great way to start a non-bloger off.

Not so interesting was existence, people who are so unhappy in their own lives they feel need for another ‘other side’ of life escape. Did anyone else notice how crap the game life was? Working in a factory line and gutting fish or eating at a  restaurant that looks like you would contract food poising just walking in the front door. If that’s where you want to escape to your life must REALLY suck. Also what about Blade Runner? Was looking forward to watching the movie on the big screen, plus it a classic.

Thanks for a fun and educational class, time to go and study for the exam…….

excel this

week 11s excel exercises started off simple enough. Great I now have a nice blue and maroon graph, I can now hise and unhide figures, genious. Then came the macros. The first hint something was up was when the recording symbol failed to appear on screen, not a problem, will go back into tools to turn off. Next was the new tool bar which was being created, it was not grey as per the instructions. Thats ok will keep on soildering on, still not happening. Throwing my hands into the air I admitted defeat. The instructions and the program was great untill the need for macros was required. I could see excel being a very useful program when doing wages or budgets. Thankfully I do not have a ned for such things, yet.  In the sheer frustration of trying to upload the graph and icons this is what happened. When published the graph looked crap so decided to delete it all together. Sorry jules!

free internet. primer

free, did you say free. Is it being frugal or a girl that ones attention is raised when the word free is spoken. Adam did a great job on Friday and I liked the video content. Both humorous and educational. The mac example was very clever. I applaud Richard stallman stand on free software and his morals, but I wonder if he ever thinks about how impossibly wealthy and powerful he could now be if he cut his hair, shaved his beard and went down the bill gates path?  It was also great to find out about alternate and free software IE: Linux operating system, GIMP and Pidgin. Firefox is a new web browser I was recently introducted to a little while ago by a computer technician friend. I gave it a try and found it not only downloaded from the net faster but also would display pages which explorer would not. One such example was www.egzero.netwhich is a html art site. Explorer can not show the art works, yet firefox will.

The second installment of Primer was a interesting. I knew what was happening up until the last 20 minutes. So which one was sedation the other one? Was it the original or the copy? Or was there 5 sets of impersonators? So the impersonators were sleeping with his wife the whole time? Can someone please inform me as of the last 20 minutes, just so I am clear on this?……..

cyber politics…..

Cyber politics, it can make your head hurt! Or can get one thinking about all the ways society can get off their myspace pages and second life to do something positive and constructive. Example, Santa Monica bring the awareness of homeless people to the population.  There seems to be so many logistics involved in cyber politics but at the same time it is the ones that face us here in the physical world. Free speech and censorship and democracy. I am sure it will be talked about until everyone is blue in the face……… watch that cyber space.

To hackers. Did you read about the ABC Island in second life that was nuked, terrorised and massacred? Apparently it was the second most popular island and a very expensive one at that in second life.  To me  when the word ‘hacker’ is used it conjures up images of someone in a dark room, with only the glow of their pc manipulating their way into the nether regions of the Pentagon. Or a kid trying to change their uni grades.

PRIMER..

Looking forward to seeing what happens. Not sure if it was the audio but the start was a little frustrating to watch. If there are 2 sets of the guys what are the other ones up to? Am about to search for the spoiler so I know what is going on next week.

say cheese

I found the tute to be of great use and really enjoyed exploring photoshop, the best way is to get in and play around and also if you go to help the is a very useful on line tutorial guide to help you step by step with differnet effect. The search area is invaluable as it will bring up what you are loooking for in no time. Personally I enjoyed just playing around with the functions to see what I could produce.

As I do not like having my photo taken I have instead chosen other images. City skylines. Firstly is the effile tower in Paris which I used layers to achieve a etching effect.

Secondly was new york city skyline. I also used layers to produce a wood grain effect. Lastly I used a photo I had taken of a plant and layed with red, blue and green changing the level of colours and then using the paint tool to added either red, blue or green, I fluked this on. Just by playing and not know what I was doing this is the end product,

 

NMMMMMMMMmmNMMMNNNmmddddddmddNNNddNNNNmmNNMNNNMMNN
NNMMMMMMMMmmNMMMNNNmddhyhdhooydmdmNNNNNNNNNMNNNMNN
MMMMMMMMMMNmdmMMMNNNNNNms/-...:ydNNmdddNNNNNNNNNmm
mMMMMMMMMMMNddmNMMMMMMNo:.`````-dNNssyhmNNNNNMNNmm
mmmNMMMMMMMMNdhmNmmNNNd-.``````.+NmhyshNNdmmNNNNNN
NNmdmNNMMMMNmy+/:--:/sy...``````.hyooymmsohdmNNNNm
MMMNmdmmNNy+:-........--.......`./++++++//+hNNNmmm
NMMMMNmmdd/:----...----:-----..::::-..```./mmmmmNm
dmNNNNNNmdh+:-------::::/::--:::-..`````-/ydmNmNNN
Ndyyyyhdmmmdyo/:-----:::://:::---..``.-:shdNNNddmN
MNNNmdhyyyyyhdmdy+/////:::::---......:ohddNNNNdddh
MMMMMMNNNmdhyyy+:::::::-----::-::::+ydNNNNNNNNNNmd
MMMMMMMMMMMNNh:-...----.-:---:/:+ssssyhdddddmmmdhy
MMMMMMMMMMMNN+-........:/......:/oddhyhhhhddmmdddd
MMMMMMMMMMNNN/......./yd:...```.::mNNNhddhhhhddmmm
MMMMMMMNNNNNNh/:/+ohmNNNh:-.`````-hddmdhdddddhhhdm
MMNMMNNNNmmmmmNNNNNMNNNNNmy/-..``/NNNNNddddddddhyy
NMNNNmddddmNNNMMMMMNNmmmNMNmdyooymdhhdmmhddddddddd

science fiction genre

Simmone Mercer s2603484 Monday 1-3pm. Jules  SCIENCE FICTION GENRE 

This blog aims to talk about the science fiction genre. As the blog is under a 1000 words I have added links to sites which will delve into another whole stratosphere of Science fiction.  

                                                             

When one wants the definition of Science Fiction (sf) the number of quotes from which to choose is mind boggling, even Doctor Who (all 9 of them!) would be confused as to who to believe. One web site  http://www.panix.com/~gokce/sf_defn.html has over 52 definitions from various authors including Isaac Asimov. Professor Stockwell waxed lyrically about Asimov’s Foundation trilogy in week 9s lecture in relation to the afore mention piece being ‘space opera’. There is a definition I practically liked “science fiction as a genre or division of literature distinguishes its fictional worlds to one degree or another from the world we actually live: a fiction of the imagination rather than an observed  reality, a fantastic literature” (Roberts 2002: 1). The book ‘Science Fiction’ by Adam Roberts contains a whole chapter dedicated to defining the term science fiction, not only by himself but also three influential critics: Darko Suvin, Robert Scholes and Damien Broderick.

Google the words ‘science fiction’ and there are over 10 pages with about 150,000,000 related sf links. Web pages vary from buying books online to fanzine pages, clubs to join and details on upcoming science fiction conventions. Did you know there is a museum dedicated solely to science fiction in
Washington
State in
America? I did not, until now. One web site http://www.sffworld.com  in particular has a wide variety of pages any sf lover would be lost in for days. There are also blogs and forums to participate in. Science fiction also has subcultures being horror and super natural thus increasing the variety of sources to investigate.

http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/crlnews/backissues2002/october/sciencefiction.htm

is an excellent web page from which to gain resources, I have even used a couple myself for this blog. So why is science fiction so popular? “Science fiction is more than just a body of texts, as any discussion of SF soon reveals that readers’ reactions or responses to texts seem to determine what is thought of as SF more than any formal textual characteristics”(Landon 1992:4). Landon also describes Sf as a ‘community’ and “a language in which we are competent than a definition on which we agree” (Landon 1997: 5). Perhaps this is why so many people do not get Sf. It all seems too imaginary, too other worldly and not enough reality!

 “The genre has been an essential part of technological culture for over a century.” (Bukatman 1997: 8). As technology grows so to does our imagination. If we look at early sf works the stories are based around adventure travels, Jules Vern’s Voyage to the Centre of the Earth (1863) and different forms of life other than human beings: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and H G Wells’ Martians in War of the Worlds. Early sf works used aliens as the other life forms we, (humans) were fearful of. Space is such a large unknown and unexplored mass that the possibility of a UFO landing on our door step was not beyond reality. Once the notion of aliens became almost comic, futuristic or cyber characters and worlds became the norm, Terminator (1987) and the Matrix (1999).   

 You might not think you are a fan of science fiction, I know I didn’t until I started conducting research for this blog. I realized how many of my favorite film and television shows are categorized into the sf genre. Blade Runner is a brilliant movie. I always thought of it more as a futuristic film rather than science fiction. The same thought goes for the Matrix it was out there but I did not necessarily think it was sf, how wrong was I. Buffy the vampire slayer comes under the science fiction/horror subculture. There was the retro tackiness of Lost in Space, a popular 1960s television show. The all time favorite and a classis today is Dr.Who. There is a whole generation that watched the show with lounge cushions over their faces or from behind the sofa. Who wasn’t afraid when a Daleck or the cyber man appeared on screen?  Check out
Australia’s own sf channel at www.scfitv.com.au. 

 What is the future of science fiction or is science fiction the future? Science fiction will continue to evolve and develop with new technologies comes new ideas and frontiers. Bukatman (1997:8 ) writes “Through the language, iconography and narration of science fiction, the shock of the new is aetheticised and examined. Science fiction constructs a space of accommodation to an intensely technological existence, and this has continued through to the present electronic era”.  

      REFERENCES 

• Landon, Brooks (1992) The Aesthetics of Ambivalence Greenwood Press
  Connecticut
• Roberts, Adam (2002) Science Fiction Routledge
  New York
• Bukatman, Scott (1997) Blade Runner British Film Institute

• http://www.sffworld.com (accessed 8 May 2007)

• Arant, Wendi  and Hall, Hal W

http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/crlnews/backissues2002/october/sciencefiction.htm (accessed 6 Mat 2007)

• http://www.panix.com/~gokce/sf_defn.html (accessed 7 may 2007)
• http://scfitv.com.au (accessed 7 May 2007)

Word up

Week10 microsoft word exercise was informative. I think just about everyone uses it in one form or another. It is on all the uni computers and I have it on my lap top, so you are always using word to write assignments etc. I do not have paragraphs to say as the exercise was rather simple and easy to follow. Thanks Professor Stockwell.It was great to learn  how to use the mail merge function. The instructions were easy to follow and it did not take too long to produce my final results. Will definatlybe using this again when I start doing my resume for work experience next semester.

Dear   Mr James Peterson ,I am writing to apply for a position within your company ,Media House . I have recently completed a Journalism and Communications degree at Griffith University and believe that I have the suitable skills and experience to be a valuable asset to Media House  . During this degree I have completed subjects in: New Communications Technologies,

Existenz (do I have to?)

The lecture started all good and well. JAson Newsons chit chat about web art was interesting how ever, ( I have seen something simular in three other lectures), although his talk on the animal porn was entertaining. It would be great to see some other art’s interpretations of web aside from his own. I have been wanting to view a web site www.egzero.org for html artwork, unfortunatly the griffith uni and my home computer do not have what it takes to view these works.

Existenz, what can I say. The 30 minutes or so was enough viewing for my pleasure. Jude Law looks very young, the lead actress hair annoyed me, is it straight or is it curly, and Willam Defoe must have need the money, as his choices of movies are usually spot on. And the whole plug in the back to play video games and enter another world. Is there that many unhappy people out there that they need to venture out of their own lives into another existenz? Go to second life and I think that question will be answered……..

should i be nervous?

 
The Week 8 task of visiting various interactive web sites such as www.secondlife.com and www.imvu.comi was a little nervous. What kind of people join these forums/chat-rooms/second lives? Is it people who live in cold climates and can not go outside due to the driving snow and frigid temperatures? Or is people who feel disenfranchised from the rest of the present, living world that they need to go else where to fill a void in their Psyche? After venturing to all of the sites suggested by Professor Stockwell I decided to talk about second-life. The web site was the most advanced graphically and what it could offer you in the way of possessions.   

Searching through second life (SL) a couple of things become obvious. Everyone has long legs, a great rack and a rocking ass and no wrinkles/buck teeth or deformities. Searching in the photo album on display are a large variety of second life photo’s of people who are obviously live out fantasies like the women wearing nothing but a g-string, a smile and holding a very large sword. You can see a photo of the actual person who posted the photos, I think it is a man dressed as a women.

On searching SL a few things became apparent. It is not cheap to live here. Land use fees can range from $5  to $195 per month. You can buy an island priced at $1675.00 with a monthly maintenance fee of $295. All prices are in US. There is an in house media page and great excitement is brewing with the anticipated music concert of susan vegar. Items relating to cutomizing an avator are the biggest sellers on SL.

The best way to have an understanding of SL is to explore it for yourself. After reading the below article taken fron Women’s Wear Daily it is becoming apparent how the present life is slowly starting to take notice of what a great marketing and money making tool the cyber life can be. Why not? A company can have a double sale of one product, in there and out here. Soon films and musicians will appear in SL and various cyber livfes. You would want to listen to your favourite song not only in SL but also in the car, your ipod, lounge room and tell a friend about it.

Whilst exporing the web for other articles on second life I read a great piece on www.wwd.com Women Wear Daily which is the fashion bible. Please read below for the attached extract.

Brave New (Virtual) Worlds

Monday, April 30, 2007

Such sites have become incredibly influential, since they reach a wide demographic.

In South Korea, for instance, 90% of the population under the age of 20 uses Cyworld, a 3-D social networking site, according to Stamford, Connecticut-based Gartner Inc. tracking firm.

These new worlds serve a multitude of purposes. Candidates running for office in France, for example, opened cyber headquarters and held election rallies there, while some couples have even hosted “wedding” ceremonies. Beauty and fashion brands are also catching on to the medium’s power to create buzz about real-world products. Virtual (and real) merchandise is traded regularly, as well.

 When you open any magazine-from technology to fashion to lifestyle-they’re all talking about Second Life,” said Justin Bovington, chief executive officer of Rivers Run Red, a Londonbased “immersive spaces” agency established in Second Life since 2003. The company has engineered launches there for brands, such as Calvin Klein and Reebok.

So true-to-life are these alternative web worlds, in fact, that American Apparel fashion label opened a store in Second Life in June 2006. And L’Oreal Paris held a Miss Second Life beauty contest in March, where the event’s 250 participating avatars received virtual powder compacts and lipsticks. The company will hold similar promotions every two months to promote its color-cosmetics collections.

When Coty Inc. introduced its youth-oriented Calvin Klein ckIN2U fragrance masterbrand in March, for example, avatars in Second Life liked to people in the U.K. could access an especially created site to obtain samples for their counterparts in the real world.

“Second Life is like the web was 10 years ago,” said Capman. “People are asking: ‘What is it? Is it dangerous?’

1. What is the weight of the world’s biggest pumpkin?

The worlds largest pumpkin ever grown is 1,502 pounds. It was grown by Ron Wallace of Greene, Rhode Island. This weight was recorded at the Rhode Island weight off 7 October 2006.

(http://www.pumpkinnook.com/giants/record.htm)

2. What is the best way (quickest, most reliable) to contact Grant Hackett?

By putting pen to paper…….

Grant Hackett

Miami Olypic Swimming Pool

80 Pacific Ave

Miami 4220

Queensland

QLD

(http://www.geocities.com/colosseum/court/5449/from_creator.htm)

3. What is the length of a giraffe’s tongue?

A giraffe’s tounge is 18 to 20 inches (46 to 50 cm) long.

(http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-giraffe.html)

4. How would you define the word ‘ontology’? In your own words, what does it really mean

According to Dictionary.com it is ”the metaphysical study of the nature of being and existence” .

(http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=ontology)

5. What was David Cronenberg’s first feature film?

A film made in 1975, “Shivers, aka They came from Within”.

(http://www.sell.com/22KTV6)

6. When was the original “Hacker’s Manifesto” written?

In 1986. It appeared in Phrack, Volume One, Issue 7, Phile 3, on January 8.

(http://www.nikolaisen.org/christian/manifesto.html)

7. Why do all phone numbers in Hollywood films start with “555″?Due to low fill of the 555 code, Hollywood was encouraged to quote 555 numbers in their productions to prevent real subscribers being harrassed by members of the public trying out the numbers quoted on the screen. I was also told by a hollywood make-up artist that it prevented viewers calling and annoying people, then the prodution companies could not be sued by said people whos phone was dialled phone numbers appeared in the films and television shows.

(http://www.omegarobot.com/article/555.html)

8. What is the cheapest form of travel from Crete to Rhodes?

By ferry. After taking variuos ferries around the greek islands it is about the only way to get anywhere other than flying. The ferries are old and shitty and it is not particually a pleasant way to travel, especially if the wether is bad and the swell rough. I had no idea it was possible to be physically ill for 6 hous straight! Thats about how long it takes to get from Paros island to Athens

9. What song was top of the Australian Pop Charts this week in 1965?

March 13 to March 26  The beatles- 8 days a week

(http://www.popculturemadness.com)

10. Which Brisbane band was Stephen Stockwell a member of?

Brisbane band “The Black Assins”

(http://www.griffith.edu.au/school/art/staff/stockwell.htm)