Posts
I "stumbled upon" the website, POPURLS, just the other day and felt it was worth mentioning in the blog. The website is regarded as "the genuine news aggregator for the latest web buzz." The site lists a great number of social networking sites and general topics including, popular news, Twitter, Digg, Delicious, Reddit, Flickr, YouTube, Google Blogs, New York Times, Hulu, Fark, and many others. The site then lists the latest and most popular links from each site. I checked the site again this morning and the links had changed since the last time I checked. The website is constantly updating the links the ensure that the current, most viewed site from is posted. This is a great way to obtain news and become educated on the issues ongoing today or simply to find funny videos or blog posts. Regardless of your intentions on the site, POPURLS proves to be an intelligent site dedicated to bringing you the latest buzz.
Showing posts with label YouTube. Show all posts
Showing posts with label YouTube. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Fantasy Focus 06010
About a year ago, as I was reading a column by Matthew Berry on espn.com, I noticed a link to his podcast about fantasy baseball and listened in. I have been listening ever since as Berry and his partner Nate Ravitz argue about players and statistics. However, it was the nonsense that grabbed my attention and most likely earned them two podcast awards.
I noticed that the podcast was much like a really informal radio show. Although editing is possible, the producer Jay Soderberg, better known as Pod Vader, rarely edits out anything which adds to the nonsense. The Fantasy Focus podcast, baseball and football, have created a community of people from all parts of the world who share an affinity for fantasy sports. Phrases like "put in on the board" and "factually correct" constantly remind fantasy focus fans about the podcast. Berry and Ravitz read listeners' emails and conduct interviews with some of them on occasion and have interviewed celebrities ranging from Alyssa Milano to Jesse Ventura to Larry Fitzgerald.
In addition, they created the Man's League in which fifteen or so people compete with Pod Vader in a fantasy league in order to crush him and allow Berry and Ravitz to constantly ridicule their producer. Getting into the league has proven to be strange and very funny. One man even went so far as to pour yogurt on himself just to get in. Here's the link on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmHOVcvJDLo
The link for the Fantasy Focus baseball podcast is:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnradio/podcast/archive?id=2544461
I noticed that the podcast was much like a really informal radio show. Although editing is possible, the producer Jay Soderberg, better known as Pod Vader, rarely edits out anything which adds to the nonsense. The Fantasy Focus podcast, baseball and football, have created a community of people from all parts of the world who share an affinity for fantasy sports. Phrases like "put in on the board" and "factually correct" constantly remind fantasy focus fans about the podcast. Berry and Ravitz read listeners' emails and conduct interviews with some of them on occasion and have interviewed celebrities ranging from Alyssa Milano to Jesse Ventura to Larry Fitzgerald.
In addition, they created the Man's League in which fifteen or so people compete with Pod Vader in a fantasy league in order to crush him and allow Berry and Ravitz to constantly ridicule their producer. Getting into the league has proven to be strange and very funny. One man even went so far as to pour yogurt on himself just to get in. Here's the link on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmHOVcvJDLo
The link for the Fantasy Focus baseball podcast is:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnradio/podcast/archive?id=2544461
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
WHAT DON’T WE YOUTUBE? ~ Chapter 3
YouTube is taking over! To watch music videos, funny home videos, some shows, commercials, clips from movies … one watches it on YouTube. YouTube ranges from comical home videos to political issues from the presidential campaign. YouTube has taught my brother how to play the piano, well to learn the notes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fF8LobWBfg
There are many videos on YouTube regarding all different interests and issues – it is up to one on which videos one will see. Like Levinson mentions on page 71 ad 72, some videos do portray violence, but there are other videos that can be used for good such as learning how to play the piano with the help of a video such as my brother did. Thus, to imagine life without YouTube is inconceivable.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Thanks to Paull Young
On behalf of our Social Media class, and, ahem, Strate Up Social Media (yeesh) I want to extend our sincere appreciation for last weeks guest lecture. Thanks, mate!
And here are some links to previous posts on my own blog about Paull Young and his perspective on social media (including some video, so you can enjoy his cool Aussie accent once again):
And here are some links to previous posts on my own blog about Paull Young and his perspective on social media (including some video, so you can enjoy his cool Aussie accent once again):
The Professionalization of Social Networking
Social Media on Social Media
Into the Social Matrix
Myspace Music Page: Truth on Earth
After reading Levinson’s segment “New New Media Provide Medicine for Cyberbullying,” I was very interested in listening to the Truth on Earth band mentioned in Chapter 6. Although Levinson includes the band’s Web page, I wanted to see if the video was accessible on YouTube and it wasn’t. I then searched the band on Myspace Music. It wasn’t any surprise to me that the band had an official myspace page. This is a clear example of Myspace’s “especially revolutionary” music pages (Levinson, 114). I’ve had more luck finding better sound quality music on Myspace than Youtube. Many obscure artists only have live videos on YouTube whereas Myspace music pages provide selected music, lyrics, tour information, pictures, etc. This is not to say that Myspace music pages are better than YouTube when listening to music. Both sites certainly have their advantages. In my opinion, Myspace music pages offer more information but YouTube is a quicker search.
The song “Shot with a Bulletless Gun” that Levinson mentions is available on the band’s Myspace page for anyone interested in listening to it. The song really addresses the issue on cyberbullying. My favorite line is: “Back in the day was a time - when life was simpler and - folks came face to face to deal with their differences. I'm told - by philosophers that change is a good thing except when that change hides out in a room brewing evil ideas that belong to a criminal mind.” There music is also a perfect example one of Levinson’s previous ideas that new new media can be used to change and better the world by addressing such issues like cyberbullying.
The song “Shot with a Bulletless Gun” that Levinson mentions is available on the band’s Myspace page for anyone interested in listening to it. The song really addresses the issue on cyberbullying. My favorite line is: “Back in the day was a time - when life was simpler and - folks came face to face to deal with their differences. I'm told - by philosophers that change is a good thing except when that change hides out in a room brewing evil ideas that belong to a criminal mind.” There music is also a perfect example one of Levinson’s previous ideas that new new media can be used to change and better the world by addressing such issues like cyberbullying.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Social Media Explained
Paull Young showed us this very clever YouTube video today, so let's add it to our blog.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Police using YouTube
In Chapter 3, Levinson discusses “viral videos gone bad” (Levinson, 71). He expresses that although brutality and violence recorded and posted on YouTube can be removed, the harm done to the victims can’t be undone. However, Levinson states that such videos can help bring the offenders to justice. An article by USA Today titled, “Cops using YouTube to find criminals,” gave examples of such cases. On Dec. 14, a street fight broke out in Suffolk, Virginia. Those involved fled by the time the police arrived and witnesses weren’t talking. However, police got a lead from cellphone video recordings of the fight posted on YouTube. Seven men were easily identified from the clear footage and were taken into questioning. Similarly, Los Angeles police used videos posted on YouTube to identify participants in the riots following the June 2009 NBA Championship.
Levinson poses the interesting question of whether or not people are actually empowered by the technology. Would these people commit these crimes or similar acts if YouTube didn’t exist? In November, Minneapolis police arrested four individuals for assault after viewing the videos they posted of themselves committing the crime. The fact that these four people willingly posted the assault on the web makes one question their motives. However, I agree with Levinson that there is no real evidence to claim technology’s role in influencing violent behavior.
Levinson poses the interesting question of whether or not people are actually empowered by the technology. Would these people commit these crimes or similar acts if YouTube didn’t exist? In November, Minneapolis police arrested four individuals for assault after viewing the videos they posted of themselves committing the crime. The fact that these four people willingly posted the assault on the web makes one question their motives. However, I agree with Levinson that there is no real evidence to claim technology’s role in influencing violent behavior.
YouTube-On the Path Toward Media Concentration?
Like Levinson explains about YouTube, and almost all new new media- they have democratized society in unimaginable ways. The ability, as he explains for amateurs and nonprofessionals to post videos that can be viewed by anyone and everyone is revolutionary.
Within the past few months, however, YouTube has started placing advertisements before some videos' content. On the surface, this seems almost expected as it allows for YouTube to increase its revenue, and to receive other benefits from doing so. But after reading Levinson's chapter and giving more thought to this, enabling ads on videos is possibly one of YouTube's many steps to toward it becoming just another highly concentrated media. There are ads now, which makes it possible that in the future, YouTube will force viewers to pay for content (similar to what Hulu is in the process of doing now).
And if this happens, does that take away from what Levinson has been saying about YouTube and new new media in general? Will YouTube become a part of the machine that it first broke down? Does it make YouTube less of a democratizer? My initial thoughts tell me that though the consequences of YouTube becoming more commercialized over time won't be extremely drastic and horrid, but it still changes the foundation of what YouTube was when it was first created.
Within the past few months, however, YouTube has started placing advertisements before some videos' content. On the surface, this seems almost expected as it allows for YouTube to increase its revenue, and to receive other benefits from doing so. But after reading Levinson's chapter and giving more thought to this, enabling ads on videos is possibly one of YouTube's many steps to toward it becoming just another highly concentrated media. There are ads now, which makes it possible that in the future, YouTube will force viewers to pay for content (similar to what Hulu is in the process of doing now).
And if this happens, does that take away from what Levinson has been saying about YouTube and new new media in general? Will YouTube become a part of the machine that it first broke down? Does it make YouTube less of a democratizer? My initial thoughts tell me that though the consequences of YouTube becoming more commercialized over time won't be extremely drastic and horrid, but it still changes the foundation of what YouTube was when it was first created.
Transcendent
As Levinson states, all new new media transcend both space and time. This is something truly remarkable. As humans, death is inevitable, but with the advent of new new media, death is quite different. "YouTube, in other words, has robbed death of some of its meaning..." says Levinson.
Levinson provides several great examples of some celebrities whom have been kept alive after their death thanks to YouTube. He points out the tribute to Roy Orbison in the song "End of the Line," where his guitar is placed on a rocking chair during when he carried the lead. George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" still lives on in various versions despite his death. YouTube will make sure great musical artists live on in one way or another (Warning: This could also mean that terrible music lives on, but that's a matter of opinion).
For the most part, Levinson focuses on music, but YouTube can preserve several other celebrities, in particular athletes. Throughout YouTube there are highlights of Allen Inverson, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan which could be fascinating for future sports' fans to watch. When discussing great players from your generation compared to great players of future generations, YouTube becomes extremely valuable.
Levinson provides several great examples of some celebrities whom have been kept alive after their death thanks to YouTube. He points out the tribute to Roy Orbison in the song "End of the Line," where his guitar is placed on a rocking chair during when he carried the lead. George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" still lives on in various versions despite his death. YouTube will make sure great musical artists live on in one way or another (Warning: This could also mean that terrible music lives on, but that's a matter of opinion).
For the most part, Levinson focuses on music, but YouTube can preserve several other celebrities, in particular athletes. Throughout YouTube there are highlights of Allen Inverson, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan which could be fascinating for future sports' fans to watch. When discussing great players from your generation compared to great players of future generations, YouTube becomes extremely valuable.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Youtube vs. iTunes?
The most intriguing part of Chapter 3 in Levinson's book, New New Media was the issue of Youtube and iTunes. I had never really seen the tension that could exist between the two modes of entertainment. Levinson posits the question that with Apple's iTunes now charging $1.29 per song and Youtube remaining free, will the Youtube ever beat out iTunes? Personally, I don't much tension between the two at all. Granted there is certainly overlap in their uses as you can search and listen to music or watch music videos on Youtube and do the same by purchasing them on iTunes, but they remain different.
Youtube offers so much more than iTunes because it is a medium for everyone and everything. The content is vast and the uses are too but it's not in competition with iTunes. iTunes allows you to sample a song and purchase it to have to yourself. You can put it on your iPod or another device and you now own that track or CD. Youtube however doesn't allow for this, and every time you want to hear a song you have to find it again and scroll through all the bad quality and false videos to find the one you want.
I can see there may be tension between the two, yet I feel like they are too different to compete to the level of one defeating the other. They serve similar purposes sometimes, but in completely different manners.
Youtube offers so much more than iTunes because it is a medium for everyone and everything. The content is vast and the uses are too but it's not in competition with iTunes. iTunes allows you to sample a song and purchase it to have to yourself. You can put it on your iPod or another device and you now own that track or CD. Youtube however doesn't allow for this, and every time you want to hear a song you have to find it again and scroll through all the bad quality and false videos to find the one you want.
I can see there may be tension between the two, yet I feel like they are too different to compete to the level of one defeating the other. They serve similar purposes sometimes, but in completely different manners.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Young on YouTube
Like Professor Levinson pointed out in Chapter 3, YouTube has had many effects on our culture and has become part of our everyday routines. I think that despite the copyright issues YouTube faces, it has served as a great platform for aspiring videographers, directors, actors, comedians and writers to practice their skills for the large online community.
I think an issue that arises that Dr. Levinson does not address directly is the fact that young kids go on YouTube even more than adults do. These kids grew up online and possess very natural, largely intrinsic computer skills to navigate the site and upload personal creations to it. I think it is important to take into consideration how their regular use of the site will affect their childhoods and futures. My younger brother and cousin are 12 and 13 and all of their friends have camera phones and digital cameras. They hang out on Friday nights in eachother's basements, make silly videos, edit them to add effects and weird noises and they post the final product on YouTube. It is all very innocent and even all their parents get a kick out of the productions they make, but I kind of worry about the type of message they are getting. Is it really ok to post all your behavior online where strangers have access to it? Do these kids know the limits of what is acceptable to post and will they grow up to put other less appropriate things up for all the world to see? Will their future employers find these videos 15 years from now? I think this is all important to consider.
I think an issue that arises that Dr. Levinson does not address directly is the fact that young kids go on YouTube even more than adults do. These kids grew up online and possess very natural, largely intrinsic computer skills to navigate the site and upload personal creations to it. I think it is important to take into consideration how their regular use of the site will affect their childhoods and futures. My younger brother and cousin are 12 and 13 and all of their friends have camera phones and digital cameras. They hang out on Friday nights in eachother's basements, make silly videos, edit them to add effects and weird noises and they post the final product on YouTube. It is all very innocent and even all their parents get a kick out of the productions they make, but I kind of worry about the type of message they are getting. Is it really ok to post all your behavior online where strangers have access to it? Do these kids know the limits of what is acceptable to post and will they grow up to put other less appropriate things up for all the world to see? Will their future employers find these videos 15 years from now? I think this is all important to consider.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)