Images

That essay was a really tough read. After our class discussion it seemed like there was some discrepencies. In the beginning of the essay Barthes says, "the image is felt to be weak in respect of meaning." Which as discussed in class says that images don't have meaning and we give them meaning using our cultural codes. However, later we talked about all the various meanings that can be found in the Panzani image. So if they hold no meanings then how is it that we found so many?

Another thing seemed a little far fetched for me to believe. And after talking with some of you after class I think that you are with me on this one. The Micheal Jordan poster and the race issue. As someone so eloquently put it "it looks like Nike was just trying to sell some fucking shoes." I think they are right. When creating this poster I think that Nike had some alterior motives, I doubt they were thinking, "this is going to show a black person transceding race." I mean that's a little out there don't you think?

All in all I am looking forward to digging deeper into the Barthes essay to learn more. I think we had a good discussion in class and I am excited to hear more about what you guys think.

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Horray for IP!

Copyright laws. This stuff is so complex. We had a great discussion on Monday in class, yet I feel like we barely skimmed the surface of it. Someone posed the question in class about whether or not copyright laws are in effect all over the globe, and I found that very interesting. Does anyone remember the story Bradley told us about that Russian guy who was arrested for copyright violations when he came to the U.S.? I think that is bull-shit. That's like getting arrested in Amsterdam for smoking pot because it's illegal in the U.S. Poor guy probably had no idea he broke any laws, and when he came here, the po-po have the fisticuffs waiting. No wonder the French hate us.

I am also wondering if copyright laws are in effect for speech. I'm sure everyone knows that Kanye West said "George Bush does not care about black people" on a Katrina benefit. People were so upset about it. ( I say fuck it- somebody had to say it) If Mike Meyers were smart he would have said he doesn't care about white people either. Anyways...a few days later there were t-shirts with that saying on it. So in essence, can Kanye sue the people who make the t-shirts because that is his words? Or is speech not covered in copyright laws?

Another question I had was if things that are put on the web automatically coptrighted, then what is the point of creative commons? Its a non-profit organization right? So we can rule out money as the driving force. So what's the point? Maybe I missed it in the reading, so someone please enlighten me.

Abstract

Keyword: Standards

In my humble opinion this has been the most interesting keyword yet. The reason I find it so interesting is because it not only relates to web issues. Standards are all around us.

Possible questions:

- Who decides standards? Why must we follow them? How important are they? How do they effect how people write?

-Does standardization hinder creativity? Are people censoring themselves because of standards? Is that a good thing/bad thing?

-What is the difference between standards, rules, laws and norms? How can all be applied to the web? To life?

it's blog...blog...it's big, it's heavy, it's wood...

The accessibility topic has really got my mind working. I have not only been thinking about Web Accessibility but reflecting on my dealings with it.

Accessibility slapped me in the face yesterday when I fell in front of my bowling class. My teacher was trying to tell me something and I couldn't hear so I went in closer and tripped over the edge of a wheelchair ramp. It was pretty embarrassing but no major harm done b/c the teacher caught me before I could fall down.

I was also thinking about when I was in junior high I was part of this group called Odyssey of the Mind (OM). Many of you probably had this group in you school but if not-it is basically a group of students who have a problem and they think of creative ways to solve it, then they put on a skit showing the problem and how to solve it (but you have a budget for props and other things) then you go to different competitions. In summation- a club for nerds who instead of sleeping in and watching cartoons on Sat mornings got up and solved problems (wow that made it sound like we were super heroes!!) Anywho...my group had the problem of making an everyday product accessible for someone with a handicap. Our group made a fictional character that lost both of her arms (actually it was pretty grotesque how she lost them- we made her lose them after she got them caught in a train door- what morbid children!) We made a toothbrush for her. It cracks me up now thinking of the ginormous, archaic invention we built. haha. Not to mention what the girl would have to do in order to brush her teeth. We decided she lost her arms at the elbows and we made this big thing wrap around both of her arms, then to brush she would have to frantically move both her arms at the same time.... not that accessible if you ask me... Our group made it down to the state competition and came in 6 th place out of 7 groups.... but 2 teams tied for first place...so really....

Now with that out of the way

I think that web accessibility is an important issue that is largely overlooked. I don't have an answer as to why most people ignore it but it should stop. Our group today discussed adding accessibility standards to other standards for the web WIU already has. I wonder why that topic was never addressed. It seems to be an important issue elsewhere on campus-classrooms, syllabuses, buildings etc. why not on the web too?

So I've been thinking...

I got to thinking about the wiki after class and I can't get it out of my mind the question that I posed: How do we know if the wiki or wikipedia is valid? How do we know what we are reading is fact? I am especially concerned with the wikipedia being as that I have used that in the past as a reference. If anyone can go and edit it- who is to say that they are not lying or making stuff up? What's to keep me from going in and inserting "fart" all over a page. I mean I have a wiki account and isn't it my right as a wiki user to write "fart" where ever I deem it necessary? Not that I would really do that but I think you get my point.

In other news:

I was at the paper last night until 11:30 and when I got the paper today I thought it would be a good one because we worked so hard last night. But to my surprise there were stupid little mistakes all over. One of the jumps doesn't go to the right page, One jumps sentance is cut off so they don't make sense. A photo cutline kind of contradicts the story. A photo looks like shit. And that is only after glancing at the paper. I am not pointing the finger at anybody because there I had part in some of those mistakes- its just that I wish I saw them last night. People are so qucik to make fun of the paper when they don't realize the amount of hard work that goes into making it. (Matt I think you can back me up on that one) I mean its my name that is on that paper and its embarrassing when your paper looks like shit. I think its the beginning of the year and we need to get our stuff together I just want it to happen sooner than later.

Antoher thing I was thinking about.

Last night at the paper someone was critisizing the story about the protest in D.C. over the war in Iraq. They were saying how innappropriate the march was because of everything that has happened with Hurricane Katrina. Are we supposed to forget about the senseless war, forget about the soldiers that died, forget about it all just because we have a disaster on our soil? Times are crazy right now but we shouldn't forget about one to focus on another. The fact remains that soldiers are being killed and what for? My heart goes out to both.

Ok this post is wayyy too long. So it's time to retire to the nerdery. Adios!

Sometimes we have birthdays

Do I look any older today?