Christopher Perkins [Testing123.]

 

New York suburbanite, Eden Fuller (Roberts) is an audacious 43 year-old ESL teacher beleaguered with a crisis of distant relationships. Recently divorced and humiliated by an act of unprofessionalism, her credibility is severely tarnished around the workplace. Late night hookups plus rounds of brewskis at the local tavern influence an occasional “drunk dial” text to her insolent ex-husband, Leroy (Slattery). Due to emotional discomfort, her teenage daughter, Millie (Woodley), a social misfit, moved into the city alongside her awkward fiancé, Brandon (Hutcherson), and his Bohemian mother, Amy (McDormand), after giving birth during senior year in high school. The departure leaves Eden’s insecurities rampant with inquiries as well as desperate attempts to rekindle a once inseparable bond.

To mend the turmoil of her family’s abrupt deterioration, Eden pursues a lascivious affair with married associate Denis (Ejiofor), a second generation Bahamian immigrant, who she met during a trip abroad the Caribbean islands. Their escapades ignite an eluded sense of intimate gratification. Both feel unrestrained to maintain a serious romantic liaison yet are connected to the mutual disappointments surrounding their existences. His spontaneous third marriage to the feisty Yevette (Kravitz), a woman twelve years his junior, has also lost its alluring fire. She no longer feels obligated to accept his ‘open’ position on a monogamous union.

One evening, Eden is visited by her quirky younger brother, Ronnie (Hall), a struggling painter, whose apartment erupted into flames. Since the passing of their mother, they’ve grown estranged for months. Continuous drug related incarcerations further placed a black sheep stigma on his role in the family. Homeless and disparaged, Eden agrees to move in her sibling under his harsh situation. Yet it isn’t long until she discovers his battle with Endocarditis, an infection of the inner lining of the heart. Devastated, she consciously affirms to build an emotional connection as Ronnie’s health worsens. Coincidentally, Denis holds off on their blossoming fling when Yevette attempts to commit suicide, Millie’s upcoming nuptials are disrupted by rising tensions between family members, and Eden reevaluates her circumstances while balancing dignity and humor. “Eden” is about profound dilemmas and how consequences evolve from every action.

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What WNM Taught Me

The UNICEF Tap Project was Grace’s initial idea. She found an interesting campaign we could support for our bake sale and in the end it was a huge success. Without her research the project would’ve faltered. Thanks to Carolyn as well because she had a huge part in making this concept come to fruition. She had a huge part in writing, creating, and booking items we needed in order to be a head of the game. Jess and I mainly discussed the possibilities of a poster for the bake sale. We definitely wanted to put our major to good use. It was an overall easy collaborative effort for the four of us. The fact that we made over $90 proves how well we worked together as a group. At the bake sale, we were friendly, enthusiastic, and pleasant to everyone who stepped foot inside the building. In fact, many of the individuals who passed by complimented our professionalism and gave donations without even taking any of the baked goods. That’s phenomenal! Especially when you consider how tight for money many people are in today’s climate. The only thing I would do different is assigning roles for people in the group who were unsure of what they could bring to the table. That way they wouldn’t seem like a slacker who made everyone else do the work. Besides that minor issue, I think our effort was done sufficiently. I had no regrets about the project at all. 

If I were to review my overall lesson in WNM, I would say it would be that everything we do online serves a particular purpose. For example, in Networked, it talked about how social media connects us to distant people who can potentially bring a resurgence of good faith back into someone’s life. Or in Spreadable Media, which taught us that the web is an accessible place to share content. However, most importantly the comic strip by xkcd demonstrating the change of technology showed that the Internet isn’t a bad thing! It allows us to interact, lurk, connect, and share whatever piece of information we want. As an artist, I have faith in word of mouth. Especially if you believe strongly in your work. This class has taught me that not only can social media be fun but very strategic as far as marketing yourself. I had a blast learning in this class.

Spreadable Media

Based on the book presentations, I would say “Spreadable Media: Creating Value and Meaning in a Networked Culture” by Henry Jenkins, Sam Ford, and Joshua Green, intrigued me most. Probably because I feel the more memorable and effective forms of media we’ve seen in recent years was a reflection how online users spread content across the web. I specifically related to Gene’s assessment of social sites such as Vine and WSHH. Those videos make huge waves across the Internet because of the strong word of mouth. As artists, we want our material to become recognizable. Having people share and spread your work not only raises the profile of your status but also gives individuals an opportunity to see what kind of person you really are. Or at least the online persona you’ve created for yourself. I believe this book could potentially shed even more light on that very notion.

Networked Review by Christopher Perkins

The Internet has revolutionized the way we connect and interact with one another on a daily basis. In Lee Rainie and Barry Wellman’s book, Networked, they delve extensively into different aspects of how society uses social media as a means of spreading and obtaining information. For example, on page 7, they discuss how the world wide web serves as an “operating system”. A structure that allows communication to be “exchanged” and spread to other individuals or to oneself. Because of this system, it gives people an opportunity to stay connected. One aspect of the book which I could relate to was when they stated, “The Internet especially helps to maintain contact with weaker ties: friends, relatives, neighbors, and workmates with whom people are not very close,” (p. 13). As an avid social media user, there’s a certain perception posts give to people that isn’t necessarily 100% true. The Internet has given us the space to be whoever we want at any moment. Which in ways can be deceptive but overall essential in building a public persona. 

In Networked, the authors truly breakdown the way we stay connected into specific categories. Particularly, “networked individualism” and “triple revolution”. Network individualism as best described is a personal relationship one has obtaining skills or ties that expand beyond groups. Triple revolution, is more so a description to understand the rapid rise of social networking on a larger platform and how it relates to people’s constant use of social networking. I believe the terms they’ve used in the book are helpful in appreciating the different aspects of online culture. It makes sense to describe network individualism as place of freedom because we are all at the control of what we want to communicate through our posts, pictures, and content. As a society we are exceptional labelers. Without a name to describe a certain group, we are incapable of accepting their existence. This book finally allows us to give our social media use a significant purpose other than to glorify our every day lives. 

Overall I would say Networked is an effective read. It was released in 2012 so the information still feels fresh and current. The structure of the writing is organized and well enforced. I didn’t feel like I was reading unnecessary research or commentary. In fact, I think the authors do a sufficient job of defining terms for readers. The illustrated graphs are a nice touch to balance between text and visual info. If I were to recommend the book to a specific audience it would be those interested in a building an online brand. There a many ways individuals can spread content through various forms of social media. Why not take advantage of that opportunity? 

The Discipline of Content Strategy

Based on our group’s plan, I would describe our strategy as web writing and content channel distribution strategy based. Since we are using Facebook, Twitter, and a Word Press site to display information about the bake sale, it not only provides our audience with precise information about the particular cause we are fight for but it also details how/where exactly they can go to be apart of this movement. The specific audience we are targeting are the Columbia College Chicago students. Especially those who visit the 33 E. Congress building. These are the students who will be impacted the most by our strategy because it will be presented directly to where they are most likely to headed to class. A representative persona to attract this audience would be the idea that by being apart of this campaign, you will not only be involved within the school’s communities but it could also effect those affected by a lack of water in countries outside of our own. As young people, we constantly are searching for ways to extend our reach in order to fulfill a purpose greater than our own. We want to be involved in activities that present ourselves as good people with upright morals in order to help others. So by being involved, it could not only change other individual’s lives but ours as well. 

 

The Proposal

Unicef tap is nationwide campaign that has invited people to go without their phones to help children in need of clean water. This means that for every ten minutes that you don’t touch your phone, Unicef donors/sponsors will fund one day of clean water for a child in need. Just $1.00 can provide 40 days of clean water. 
Why water? It’s simple; human beings cannot survive without it. Over 768 million people around the world do not have safe, clean water to drink and 2.5 billion people don’t have access to a proper toilet. The push towards clean water will keep 1,400 children from dying from diseases linked to unsafe water. In addition to Unicef’s campaign, we plan on spreading the word to people to participate through a project of our own. Let’s show the world that we can put down our phones to provide others with something they actually can’t live without.
Specifically, our digital networked response will be a facebook page and an informational wordpress blog promoting the UNICEF tap project and how Columbia can help. We would like to create a blogroll on the wordpress site directing people to our facebook page and to UNICEF’s website.
For the research plan, our team will have to visit the UNICEF website (http://tap.unicefusa.org/) in order to become more informed on the application. This is the essential site that will provide us with the most accurate and thorough explanation on how/why/where this project will affect most people. Also, in order to fully push the campaign, we can use our own experiences with the app to understand why it’s effective. Each of us can download UNICEF tap project at a designated period during the day and then discuss how it personally impacted our time. After that, we can explore various social media sites (i.e. Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc.) to see if there were any other individuals around the world who tested the app and reported their encounters or knowledge of this mobile campaign. In an effort to reach out to more Columbia students, we can go to the official Facebook page and ask if anyone has heard of this app and post a link for any potential responses. A lot of students use this page as a means of interacting within the school’s community. So it turn, we can see some surprising results.
Our team members have a diverse number of skills which will help us as a team to complete our project effectively. Jess and Chris have skills in ad art so they will be creating posters and stickers to advertise a bake sale that we will be having in addition to promoting UNICEF. Carolyn is good at photography so she will be taking pictures at our bake sale and putting them up on our wordpress and facebook page. She will also help with making things for our bake sale and overseeing our facebook page. Grace is skilled at baking so she will provide items for the bake sale as well as overseeing the donations to UNICEF that our team will hopefully be able to collect at the bake sale. She will also be overseeing others in the group to make sure that tasks are completed on time. Joe will be helping out with our wordpress page and making sure the posts are up to date.
We plan on having the bake sale the last week of April. We are looking to have it on a Wednesday since that seems to be the best day for everyone. We will affirm this the first week of April and make the necessary reservations on Columbia’s campus .During this time Chris and Jess will begin to make the stickers and posters advertising the bake sale. Grace will check in every week with Carolyn and Joe to make sure that the wordpress and facebook page are up to date. The week of the sale, the whole team will work to provide items to sell and help man the table. The first week of May Grace will inventory the donations accepted and donate the money to UNICEF. Carolyn and Joe will post updates to the wordpress and facebook pages on how much we earned.
The digital assets we need in order to fulfill the campaign push, will obviously be the UNICEF website (http://tap.unicefusa.org/) because it has the most accurate information on the app. Secondly, we’d have to create a wordpress site (tentatively titled, “Columbia College Chicago UNICEF Tap Project”) in order to specifically inform CCC students with news, events, updates, and social media links. Thirdly, our Facebook page will connect the online CCC community to interact with each other and share their experiences. Lastly, we need a Twitter account to connect with students through ‪#‎hashtags‬ and respond immediately to questions or comments on upcoming occasions or the app.

HTML

What Schools Don’t Teach (YouTube Video)

This is for class

blah blah blah

Writing HTML’s for any future career prospect seems like a daunting task. There are so many codes that the comprehension becomes somewhat confusing and hard to remember. However, with extra practice or guidance one could eventually understand what all of these HTML codes mean to their particular function. I do believe that there is value to these codes because like every structure there is an order needed in order to correctly install components necessary for any web produced site. These things don’t come out of thin air. Some genius created these codes in order for us to be more involved in the creational process. Without these codes, we would be clueless to how we function any texts, images, templates, etc. It would take serious time trying to figure out how why and how a site runs the way it does. Therefore, I don’t take any HTML codes for granted. In fact, as a I messed around with each code on the HTML Tutorial website (http://www.w3schools.com/), I found a great appreciation for individuals who are sufficient with such knowledge. Because frankly, I was a bit overwhelmed. As you can see at the top of the post, I tried my best to format the HTML to my abilities but unfortunately it failed LOL! So that means I must do more research in order to figure this stuff out. Anyone have any suggestions? Post comments below!!

RIP: A Remix Manifesto

As an artist I found RIP: A Remix Manifesto to be a compelling piece that raised many questions. For one, is it ok to illegally download or transform someone else’s work? No. Is it ethically right? No. But as an artist I would find either situation to be flattering towards my work. The fact that people are interested in re-envisioning what I’ve made into another work of art keeps longevity in someone’s artistry. We have to understand that we live in a new era where technology provides convenience for those of us on a budget or incapable of keeping up with the media’s countless new products. I won’t say whether or not I’ve downloaded music/music/etc. without a rightful purchase but I will say that I do spend most of my money on these particular items because it fits my interests. I’ve always been an avid CD collector with over 300 discs in my archive. As an artist I understand the struggle to make an income on what you love but on the other hand as a fan of music I can understand why others would download or remix certain projects. As consumers we deserve the best quality our money can buy. If we are dissatisfied by something we purchased at a record store or ticket to a movie, we feel disappointed. Downloading is morally questionable but at the end of the day I don’t believe it’s that big of a deal. The corporations will still receive their profit. Illegal remixing/downloading should be seen as a given now. In fact, artist should be more creative and find ways to either avoid or join this reality in order to fit in with what their audience wants. 

The Pitches

Based on the pitches we suggested last Thursday, I can say that we’ve got potential for some pretty awesome ideas. I especially enjoyed how some of us presented our proposals. Grace in particular gave an outstanding presentation. She conveyed the audience with her diction, knowledge of the source material, and overall interaction with the crowd. Jessica also impressed me with the sheer originality of her “stay productive” app. I could totally see others (including myself) using that during crucial situations such as exam prep and studying. One of the issues I had with some of our pitches were that there weren’t any concrete solutions which could help solve the social changes we want to make through social media. I believe that which ever pitches we choose to go with during the rest of our semester, we think strategically about what would be the most effective way to get the word across the web. As someone who uses social media on a daily basis, I believe any promotion can succeed when you build a particular name for yourself and a cause that represents your personality. Sometimes you have to go out and find an audience that will appeal to your change. Whether that be someone you know or a random name you found searching through links, it’s important we spread the word as long and as loud as we need in order to be successful. 

“Tear Gas” Response

The battle over censorship and control of the government’s impact on user’s online activity is a hot button discussion. Personally, I feel that in some ways we need the government to regulate certain aspects of our information. However, I also believe that the public should have the right to know exactly what they want about the world around them. Why keep issues in the dark when by doing so only makes matters worse? In “Is the Internet Good..?”, written by Zeynep, he states, “Our understanding of the dangers of surveillance is filtered by our thinking about previous threats to our freedoms, ” (p. 1). This reminded me of the video we watched last week (“Leaked”). I couldn’t help but connect the author’s strong point of view to the numerous interviewees who agreed with his position. Our society thrives on the Internet. It helps boost our profiles, businesses, education, etc. If we choose to do the right things online then government survelliance should be no issue. We only go against what doesn’t benefit our desires. If users are interacting in illegal ways then someone should step in and warn them about the consequences. Yet, some of the activity individuals chose to engage in don’t require nosey government eyes. So in essence, I can understand both the pros and cons of the situation. It’s okay for people to be upset because privacy is a very personal matter. But I wish there could be a point where everyone can come to a common ground and agree to disagree on the matter without regulating any strict laws that prohibit people from doing what makes them happy in the privacy of their own home.