I have developed this thing where when I find a concert poster, I take it home with me. I don’t think it’s illegal(?) since they’ll eventually be ripped off and thrown away. The main reason why I collect these are not only because they feature some of my favorite artists, but because of its design. I love the colors and font and everything about it. I love it enough to want to have it hanging on my wall in my room. So for this post, I’ve looked up how ACL’s posters have evolved over time and how a lot of it’s changes (for the better) have to do with its minimalistic design and typeface.
This one’s from 2003. I guess they had a “submit your design” contest and this was the winner.
and here’s one from ‘08. Can you see Vampire Weekend towards the bottom? It’s cool to see that they’ve moved up since then. My babies :’)
Here’s 2011. It’s definitely starting to look like the ones we see today, but still very amateur. Not really liking the font, but we’re getting there!
and here you have our more modern poster that promises good vibes and good times~
Saw this on my Facebook last night… Not that Emma Watson isn’t super stylish, but out of everything she’s accomplished in her life Elle is just going to focus on her clothes? Emma has been a part of one of the most successful movie franchises in history, she has a degree from Brown, she’s fighting so hard for gender equality, and she even helped launch the HeForShe campaign, and all Elle wants to do to celebrate her birthday is talk about her style? Emma is a great role model for younger girls (or at least in my opinion), and I think that some of her bigger accomplishments should be featured since she has done so much beyond just acting and being pretty. I know the audience for this magazine probably wants to see style, but I think that a celebration of someone’s life (Pretty much what a birthday is) should at least include some of their greatest accomplishments… even if they aren’t the main feature.
*Yes I am aware that one of the outfits is from one of something she wore for a HeForShe speech, but there was no real explanation as to what the event was, or why she was involved. It was just about the dress.
Emma has always been a role model to me. Seeing this article gets me a little flustered because you’re right- there’s SO much more to her than just her wardrobe (even though it rocks). But then again, Elle IS predominantly a fashion platform and that’s what the readers want to see. They want to hot “goss” and what’s in/out of fashion. Still, it’s a little odd to try to overshadow Watson’s accomplishments with what’s in her closet. Rather than talking about what Watson did, Elle focuses on what she wore to the thing that she did. Kinda funny lol. But this is a good example to show how different types of media manipulate a story to appeal to their certain audience!
eye halve a spelling chequer
it came with my pea sea
it plainly marques four my revue
miss steaks eye kin knot sea.
eye strike a key and type a word
and weight four it two say
weather eye am wrong oar write
it shows me strait a weigh.
as soon as a mist ache is maid
it nose bee fore two long
and eye can put the error rite
its rarely ever wrong.
eye have run this poem threw it
i am shore your pleased two no
its letter perfect in it’s weigh
my chequer tolled me sew.
A close friend of mine is notorious for making typos. I make sure to correct her whenever she adds an extra letter or completely types the wrong word. I can’t blame her for not knowing how to spell bc nowadays you don’t have to know. And this is all thanks to autocorrect. You can have at least half of the word and autocorrect will swoop right in and change it as you continue to type.
So with increasing technology, what will be the fate of education? What will become of the vocab tests every week in elementary school? Will handwritten papers even be a thing when our children are in school?
My main concern is that I think some traditional types of learning should be maintained. There’s something about handwritten papers that I find so genuine and hard to replace. They bring something to a paper that times new roman can’t. Now I’m not saying that I’m opposed to new types of media, I believe that they can pave a new method of learning. I’m just saying that I wish some things could be preserved and this poem shows the potential side effects (although it is over exaggerated) of what could happen if society becomes completely technology dependent.
I actually found this video on TIMES magazine’s website. After watching, I ended up with a lot of questions:
1) Why is the officer recording this? Was he required to?
2) Who was the woman in the background that told Harris to “stop fighting”?
3) Was he shot before or after he got on the ground? Bc I def heard a loud gunshot like noise AFTER he was forced onto the ground.
5) But did Officer Bates really have to chuckle after he shot Harris...
It is hard to deny that there isn’t injustice occurring around the U.S. It seems like week after week, there’s another body- and there’s probably several more that go unreported each day. Officer Bates claims that he meant to use his Taser, but “inadvertently” fired his gun. Apparently he was shocked to find out that his firearm went off.
I’m not sure how I feel about this statement. Bates was taser certified...so shouldn’t he know what weapon he grabbed? But then again, he claims that his adrenaline was pumping and didn’t realize what he did until it actually happened. Plus Bates was one of those officers that was never a part of the arrest team. He was more of a support mechanism. Never was he the main deputy that carried out the arrest. He was reported to feel terrible about his actions...but then again in his dialogue during the video he chuckles.
For all it’s worth, Bates didn’t walk away as a free man and was charged with manslaughter.
Discussing the Guerrilla Girls in class reminded me of the anonymous org that has been targeting the KKK and Ferguson police. I first heard of them scrolling through Tumblr when Ferguson was blowing up every social media. Basically, Anonymous it’s a group of hackers that serve to protect the peaceful Ferguson protestors by threatening the police and others who harm innocent citizens by releasing their personal information onto the internet for anyone to see. This video was released to the public and it’s pretty creepy. I’m not too sure how legit the source is, but Anonymous is definitely real. TIMES magazine quotes:
“Anonymous is by definition a secretive group, one without leaders, an agenda or a set list of members. “No one has any idea” how many people are involved in Operation Ferguson, according to Leiderman, who called Anonymous a “nebulous and decentralized collective.”
Anonymous. Secretive. One without leaders. No idea how many people are involved. Sounds kind of like the Guerrilla Girls, right? It just makes me think about how many groups exist like Anonymous and GG’s. Also, I think about the polarity of the social justice spectrum: from feminism and art discrimination to racism. Anonymous is most definitely leans towards the more extreme social activist group as you can see in this quote from the video:
“If you attack the protesters, we will attack every server and computer you have,” wrote the Operation Ferguson author. “We will dox [document trace] and release the personal information on every single member of the Ferguson Police Department, as well as any other jurisdiction that participates in the abuse. We will seize all your databases and e-mail spools and dump them on the Internet. This is your only warning.”
Just wanted to share this with everyone since it serves as a good segue into our upcoming #ferguson topic.
"Mario Kart Wii Experience." Mario Kart Wii. Nintendo, 1 Jan. 2011. Web. 24
Mar. 2015. <http://www.nintendo.com.au/gamesites/mariokartwii/#home>.
Nintendo created this interactive website to promote their famous racing game, Mario Kart Wii. This website is aimed towardsfamily friendly gamers that have enjoyed the Mario Kart experience and further adds to the experience by making the website layout as a racetrack. The purpose is to highlight the newest features for the Wiiversion- but in order to do so, Nintendo takes avid gamers through memory lane by showing older editions. It is claiming that the Mario Kart series is proven to be a good time- which is reinforced by comments from people who have already played the game; all of which further presses the audience to purchase the game. Nintendo is a highly established gaming brand, deeming this website as very credible. The web page utilizes an interactive layout that is similar to the game itself, which is relevant to my final project: parallax scrolling.
LINK
Sony
"Sony." Sony. Sony. Web. 24 Mar. 2015. <http://www.sony.com/be-moved/>.
Sony is not advertising a specific product, but rather the whole brand itself. By doing so, this creates a notion that if the brand itself is of superior quality, all of its product must be too. This website is targeted towards tech savvy individuals, particularly towards those that are brand loyal to Sony. In addition, the website is presented in a way to attract nonusers as well. It is persuasive because it takes time to highlight a popular Sony product and show consumers how it is made and the technology behind it. The creator is unspecified since this is the main Sony website. However, the website remains relevant to my project to reveal the benefits of parallax scrolling by visually stimulating the audience and make them believe they are seeing each little piece that goes into making the product- all of which ensure that Sony is all about top quality and attention to detail.
LINK
Ben the Bodyguard
"Ben the Bodyguard." Ben the Bodyguard. Nerd Communications. Web. 24
Mar. 2015. <http://benthebodyguard.com/index.php#home>.
Ben the Bodyguard takes you on a stroll through a dark urban setting, allowing the audience to act as a potential client. This app claims to protect your information on your iPhone, from contacts to reminders and everything in between that you don’t want anyone seeing. Perhaps this app will appeal to someone who embraces privacy, or wants to take a preventative measure to conceal their identity in case their phone gets lost or into the wrong hands. It is persuasive in the fact that Ben claims that everyone has something they want to keep secret and that he can ensure it stays that way with his help. The app is created by Nerd Communications. I personally have never heard of them, so trusting this company with your most hush-hush secrets feels risky. However, the website also uses parallax scrolling to create a dark environment that suits the consumer- who is probably seeking a method to put their private life in the dark as well.
LINK
Spendee
"Spendee- See Where Your Money Goes." Spendee. Spendee. Web. 24 Mar.
2015. <http://www.spendeeapp.com>.
This app is for smartphone users that need a way to monitor their spending. It allows for the user to log in the amount spent on an item, along with a feature for easy categorizing. The app’s claim is to help “see where your money goes”. It is persuasive to the frugal, money conscious consumer by showing logical, clear cut data- something you would want to see when it comes to your money. The creator is not fully credible to someone who has not yet tried the app (since the creator is not a well known company) but once the app proves itself worthy then the credibility may be gained. The Spendee app is revelant to parallax scrolling because it has the interactive scrolling feature, which also gives a tutorial on how to use the app itself in a visually appealing way.
LINK
Proposal:
For our final project, Amanda and I plan on creating our own website/article that fosters parallax scrolling. Parallax scrolling is a peculiar scrolling technique in computer graphics that has the potential to create a connection to its user by allowing him/her to interact with it. This website/article will be one that is able to break down a complex topic into a form that is easier to digest with the usage of visual aid and interactive features. Multiple types of media will be shown- including but not limited to, integrated videos, links, photos, etc. Parallax scrolling is effective in teaching because it destroys the plain and boring text form and incorporates a more visual type of learning that is appealing to the human eye. By embedding videos and photos in between texts, it allows the audience to take a break from reading lengthy paragraphs and learn from different sources that has the potential to reinforce the topic in a new light. Instead of an article with just words, there will be visuals that pair with the text, which can help the intended message to “stick”. After all, it is easier to remember something when you have a visual aid to pair it with. My above four sources are websites of certain brands that have used parallax scrolling to help sell their product. Their interactive interfaces sparks the audience’s curiosity with its unique format, which will only show more the further you scroll. Most of the time, it is rewarding and satisfying to watch and allows the audience to learn more about the product in a fun, playful manner.
This commercial was made by Drake, Amanda, and I. We analyzed Chrystler’s 2011 car commercial under three specific criterion:
1. Celebrity endorsement. Although Drake is not a real celebrity, let’s just say that he is because he was kind enough to drive us all over Austin :)
2. Vague dialogue. If you really listen to real car commercials, most of them barely mention the car. Instead, they talk about life in vague terms, as you can see Drake doing throughout the video.
3. Recognizable city backdrop. We drove around Austin, making sure we got major landmarks in the video. Zilker Park, South Congress, the bridge to South Congress, downtown, and Guadalupe can be seen if you look closely.
I finished reading 30% feedback and it reminded me just how important rough drafts are. For a long time, I stopped writing rough drafts and just went straight for the final thing bc I thought it would save time. And when I did ask for feedback, I guess I actually was looking that sense of approval and pat on the back like the author of 30% feedback said. I found it interesting and slightly embarrassing that I fell into that category of people that plainly seek for approval and not constructive criticism. Definitely something I'll have to work on.
With that being said, I found this hilarious blog that makes spoofs of rough drafts of famous literature/movies. I mean, I think it's funny..but anyways I absolutely loooooove how the book/movie isn't titled in the beginning, you just have to read and figure it out for yourself thru character names and context. Like this one for example is about Hunger Games and how it pokes fun at the fact that Peeta is a baker. There's so much more on the actual blog, you should definitely check it out. And although this is just a parody account, it has some truth to it. That truth being that rough drafts suck and they're supposed to suck. It's messy and (kind of) funny, especially if you're drafting at 4 in the morning-but important nonetheless. In my opinion, the messier the better bc it's like seeing your thoughts and ideas in its rawest form. Starting with your final product is so so hard and really limits your creativity since you're so focused on trying to make it sound good instead of paying attention to your key points.
Also I really appreciate the fact that I was assigned to read a lot of novels back in high school english classes. Without those endless nights of reading, I wouldn't be able to get this blog and its jokes. It does a spoof on How To Kill A Mockingbird and I lol'd pretty hard.
So bio is a real struggle for me right now, and thankfully Hank Green (yes, John Green's brother) makes learning a little more enjoyable. He runs a channel on youtube called CrashCourse and gives you a nice run down on any scholastic topic that's easy to digest. At the end of each lesson, an interactive table of contents pops up on the screen that lets you skip back to whatever topic you're still confused about. When I first saw this, I was pretty impressed cause I know the hassle of trying to pinpoint a certain section of a video. Trust me. I ride that struggle bus. So the table of contents was super convenient for confused me.
I'm relating this experience to our accessibility lesson. I know that this example isn't exactly targeted to a disabled audience, but it really makes life easier. Is it safe to say that students like me, that have a difficult time navigating through videos, benefit from this feature? Is it safe to say that the table of contents makes the video more ACCESSIBLE to viewers? Bc Green's easy to navigate videos make me return back to his channel every time I'm having trouble in bio.
So this is my mind map. It's a little cluttered, but I guess it's a good representation of how my mind works. Most of the chains end with questions, and hopefully they get answered soon..
So I didn't want to post a weird pic from 50 shades of grey but I found this text and I can totally relate to it :-)
okay okay so this valentine's day I decided to go and watch 50 shades of grey for s&g's. I never read the book, but I had a pretty good gist of what the movie was about.. plus I had nothing better to do. Personally, I thought the movie was terrible and awkward as hell. Like I'm pretty sure the guy who played Christian Grey has a family in real life and they're probs gonna see it eventually. The entire movie was a flatline and I actually fell asleep (yes even when he was whipping her which actually made me feel super uncomfortable??).
anyways, I noticed how most viewers were overall disappointed in the movie. I think that perhaps it's because the text to image transition didn't work out as smoothly as intended. In the book, it's easy to write raunchy phrases and let the reader figure the rest out. The reader gets to decide who plays the character and how they say it and etc. However in the film, the actor has to portray millions of made up Christian Grey's. I mean, it's already awkward to say about 70% of the script with a straight face, much less say it in the way people want. I just think that maybe this novel was a novel that was meant to stay in textual form. Stepping out of that zone proved that some texts can sound too cheesy and too "cookie cutter" and most of all.. just straight up awkward.
Some people call it graffiti, some call it destruction of public property, and some just call the cops.
I'm not sure if it's because of the people I surround myself with or because I really enjoy Banksy's work. Whatever the reason, I'm fond on urban/street art. I like the "BE SOMEONE" from my hometown HTX.. Yeah, it's not as cool as the ones we see here, but it's something!! Anyways, I stumbled across this post and I thought it was really interesting to see tags written in Arial text (if that's what the font is). I never really saw how random and pointless tags were until they were displayed in a parent friendly font. I guess people just dismiss graffiti and tags as weirdly shaped letters and not as an artist's signature. It just goes to show that font has a huuuuuuge impact on the way we see words. If I saw Arial text plastered on public property, I wouldn't think it's graffiti. People pair graffiti with "ghetto looking" words and that weird "S" that we used to draw in elementary school (yeah I know you did it too). So what can we say about every day fonts? Fonts we see on popular novels? Fast food? Was their brand put in that font for a specific reason? Does chickfila's font make me feel some type of way???
