Podcasting

I've never used a Podcast or watched one and I'm not sure what the lure is. It seems like nothing more than a slightly more advanced Youtube video. Both can be made by anyone with the proper equipment but Podcasts have more specific abilities to edit. I can understand that some people are drawn to Podcasts because it is video blogging. On Youtube you see people that are doing editorials for things and music videos, but as far as blogging via video, it isn't as popular, which Podcasts can do. Podcasts seem interesting to me, but I can't think of an instance or an circumstance that I'd see myself buying one or downloading one.

Podcasting

I really enjoyed the comparison between the radio and a podcast. While the two are essentially the same thing, sound recordings transmitted to an audience, the podcast is set apart by the amount of control it gives the creator. Unlike with the radio, which is under the control of the network and its rules and regulations, the podcast is only subject to the will of the creator. However, I wonder whether there are any controls over what is said during a podcast or if there will ever be. So many mediums start off as free areas of expression but over time outside people demand control and regulation. Everything is free until one person sees a problem and spreads the message that controls need to be put in place. An example that I learned in another class would be advertising. When advertising first came about it was a free arena in which companies and individuals could sell their products. However, over time the industry because subject to laws, codes and jurisdictions that claimed to "protect the pubic", "save the children" and "promote American family values". Now the industry is a highly regulated industry and strict penalties are put in place for anyone who dares to disobey. In my opinion the industry has been stifled by some of these regulations and the shields put in place have hurt society as they try so hard to protect it. I wonder if over time podcasts will be found at fault and be overcome by outcries of regulation.

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

Chat Roulette

Here is another instance of a funny Chat Roulette video. Ben Folds when on Chat Roulette while performing.

http://perezhilton.com/2010-04-05-more-ben-folds-chatroulette-magic

Social Media

Even companies like AAA depend on Social Media.
http://www.aaany.com/membership/member_benefits/story.asp?xml=join_the_aaa_social_media_community.xml

Powerful Podcasting

I have not had too much experience with podcasting, but think that it definitely has measurable benefits, like being a 21st radio powered by individuals and a convenient tool for the modern multitasker. I thought Professor Levinson described the process of podcasting very well- how to record, distribute and access the recordings- but do recommend the rest of the class go to his blog and actually listen to his work. Here's the link to his podcast about Truth on Earth, the band trying to counter cyberbulling:

http://paullevinson.blogspot.com/search/label/Truth%20on%20Earth%20Band.

I am most personally interested in how podcasting can potentially change the education system. I can't locate the article I read a few years back on the subject, but remember reading that large universities were experimenting with having 200-300 student lecture classes listen to podcasts of lessons remotely from their dorms instead of attending the class physically, in order to determine if "podcasting professors" could be the future of college education. I'm pretty sure this model would only work at large universities with large lecture classes, since students cannot readily participate in that class format anyway, the main element that would be sacrificed if college professors taught classes strictly through podcasts. Here is a similar article from 2006 about how Boston area colleges were pushing professors to go digital and record their lectures as downloadable files so that students could listen to wherever, whenever:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/07/11/podcast_craze_hits_classrooms/

Overall, I think that podcasts are a great supplement to college classes, but hope they do not fully replace the physical classroom experience, an age-old academic tradition.

escaping reality in 2nd Life

I had heard of Second Life in another class prior to reading this chapter and was pretty amazed by it. The virtual world in which anyone can become whoever they want is really captivating. I thought that the "Linden money" concept, which is directly related to actual U.S. dollars. Therefore businesses such as amazon are able to make money off of books that Professor Levinson created in his virtual bookstore to actually be purchased. In turn, the new new media of 2nd Life connects to the new media of Amazon.com, to the media of the book created. What is truly amazing is that all of this can be done from the comfort of ones desk at their computer.
I appreciated the option to create town centers, seminars, islands and very specific cities such as the Victorian one that included a planetarium, which is a way to gather information and explore fantasy realms. These locations have the benefit of moving graphics and audio that other social media can not provide.
However, I did not understand the point of sex in second life, considering the entire point of sex is physical intimacy. I think that the purchase of "love furniture" would be a complete waste as well.

Second Life

Like some of my other classmates I found the sex part of Second Life creepy and quite disgusting. I think that the sexual world on second life creates a false understanding of ones body and sexual intercourse. The ability to buy and change body parts is wrong on so many levels and creates this idea that if you're not happy with your body you can just pay to change it. It does not promote healthy self-confidence and I am surprised more people aren't outraged with this program.

Levinson states "sex in second life has the advantage of not conveying sexually transmitted disease or resulting in pregnancy." While not all sexual encounters end in STDs or pregnancy but having it never happen--especially when you don't know anything about the person you are having "sex" with--creates a false world. It shows no consequences for actions and I think that this is an improper use for a medium that probably has a lot of younger kids using.

Second Life as Fantasy

In my opinion Second Life should be treated almost exclusively as fantasy. People have different fantasies of flying, being a supermodel, or being a professional athlete, and it is possible that these people get a certain amount of satisfaction by creating an avatar that can become these things. If I remember correctly, the PBS documentary also had a story of a video game convention where several people met up who had previously played with each other online. Some of the players described a joy they experienced from being something different then their real self. If people experience a certain happiness from Second Life I have nothing against it, but I have no need for it.

In my ethics class, someone brought up that a couple was so obsessed with their Second Life avatars that their real-life baby starved to death. When Second Life becomes so involved in real life, it is no longer a fantasy. In addition, I see the benefits for business meetings, but sexual acts seem rather strange. As strange as it is, if it's a single (not married) person's fantasy then I have no problem with it. However, when it involves married people, or people with different identities, ethics becomes an issue. I think we should treat Second Life as fantasy only unless it is used for practical business practices.

Second Life

The most interesting thing that I found about this chapter was that the majority of functions on Second Life require "Linden dollars" which translates into real money. This enables the site to establish real world complications between the "haves" and "have-nots", those who can afford to spend on Second Life and those who cannot. Although Levinson points out that things needed to be purchased are relatively, $5 USD to open up a bookstore, these functions can certainly add up and present a problem for the money conscious. In the this scenario Second Life might be more suited for adults with money to spend as opposed to a young middle school child who sees $30 or $40 dollars as a larger sum. Unlike other new media sites, such as Facebook and MySpace which are free, Second Life closes itself off to those who cannot afford to participate.

There's No Need For A Second Life

There’s No Need for Seconds

Second life offers users the ability to live vicariously through their online avatar. This offers just as many commercial opportunities as any other social medium although it often comes at a price. In the “Sims-Like” world of second life people must pay for the luxuries and amenities that they obtain. This capitalist idea not only makes for lots of money to be made, but those with the deepest pockets to be king. Levinson mentions in his New New Media book that things can be bought on Second Life including certain pieces of furniture that include sexual positions that can be done on them. If the real world didn’t have enough of a problem with aesthetics earned by money these problems would be much greater on second life.

In addition to people buying status in Second Life I think Second life defeats the purpose of social networking. The purpose of social networking is be able to communicate with those who you know when they are not around, but if you never see them it stops being social networking. When you never have physical contact with a friend it is no longer social networking, but antisocial networking.

Second Life Spoof

Like many of my classmates, I had also never heard of Second Life until reading the chapter in Levinson's book. I also had a similar reaction. I personally find the social network to be disturbing and creepy. I do not see any appeal in it. I thought it was interesting to learn that some businesses and companies use Second Life to conduct meetings and discuss matters without having to pay the travel expenses and coordinating schedules. However, those are just the expectations of such a job. I do not find it very necessary to conduct business in this way. Any other activity on Second Life such as paying actual money to buy virtual items and having sexual relations with other avatars completely boggles my mind.

I found the video below on Youtube. I think it's a funny yet accurate depiction of what Second Life activity would look like in real life. Levinson's chapter on Second Life didn't really delve into the movement of the social network. I was hoping he would elaborate on the movement and dynamic of the avatars. However, I read in an article that movements on Second Life are very jerky. This is shown in the video with people running into walls and furniture. The scenes of people typing on an imaginary keyboard while standing right in front of the other person is a good representation of the impersonal conversation held in Second Life through the chat option. Why chat in this way with a complete stranger? Why not actually engage in conversations with friends and family, or go out and form real friendships and relationships with people in actual locations. The fact that people want a "Second Life" is confusing to me. It seems to me that the social network site in a sense encourages people to avoid the reevaluation of their real lives by simply creating another virtually. In my opinion, if these people are using this site in the first place, their lives may in fact need some reevaluating. Harsh as that may be. Well, I got a good laugh out of the video and I hope you all do too!

Second Life- Extension on use of it in the Office

Jose posted a few thoughts about how IBM uses Second Life daily amongst its employers in his post below. This was seen in the PBS documentary we had to watch for this class.
I can remember seeing how the employers were informed that they had to join, and then were taught about the dynamics of the social media. At first, those who were learning looked extremely hesitant, as they saw Second Life as another distraction that was only going to prevent them from being productive in the work place.
Then the documentary featured those who had been using Second Life for some time already, and discussed with them how efficient it was for them, how enjoyable they found it, and even how much time they spent on it.
Whether or not these people really make business for IBM more successful, I can't help but find that the use of Second Life as a primary way for holding meetings and other events, as extremely weird and unnecessary.
I think wasting employers' time creating profiles for a network that they will eventually get distracted by, and spend too much time on isn't worth the benefits of using it. Does anyone else find it extremely weird how when they were holding one of their meetings, everyone was bickering about whether their avatars should be sitting indoors or outside in the sun??

Second Life

Professor Levinson describes Second Life as if it where another personality of the person and I guess for some people it is. I saw a report about IBM and this is how they conduct their meetings it doesn’t matter what part of the world you’re in you can log in to second life and join the meeting and the company loves it because it saves them money on flights and boarding but all the issues are discussed. I believe it’s another way for people to hide behind a computer and not socially interact with other humans face to face. Even though you have to admit that its like a video were you make yourself look as you wish and its your voice everyone hears but I repeat we are losing the face to face conversations and not to mention SEX in the virtual world. Creepy!!

Second Life Sex...Really?

Second Life, the name of a virtual reality I am yet to ever experience and after this chapter, hesitant to visit. The idea of sex in Second Life is flat out strange. People purchase body parts and use them in sexual acts with their avatars. Is that weird to anyone else?

Two issues come to mind, though I'm sure there are many more, when I read this chapter. Many people use the internet to escape reality and its limit, in doing so, some people switch genders. This makes it entirely possible that one's avatar could be doing sexual acts with a female avatar of a male user. Just food for thought. What does this mean for users and people on Second Life? Is there a concern or screening to prevent that?

Secondly, if your avatar gets with another avatar, are you cheating? I'm sure this question will get a variety of answers and explanations. In my book, yes. But I'm curious to hear others opinions. So please voice them.

Questionable Sanity of Second Life

A few disclaimers: I had never heard of Second Life before this class, have no experience with the actual site besides logging on to its homepage briefly two minutes ago and think that I am a fairly open-minded person when it comes to technology and new media. That being said, I find Second Life ludicrous and slightly disturbing.

At first, I tried to think of it as a video game- a virtual reality that you engage with briefly for leisurely fun. The more I read about it, however, the more I realized that for many of its users Second Life is not brief distraction from life- it is their life. Except it isn't- it is a life people can never actually have. The thing that most disturbs me is the amount of falsification involved in this. On Second Life, you change your last name, body parts and can lie about a vast number of other personality related things- you are living a life you do not have.

Professor Levinson vividly describes his experience as a bookstore owner, which was definitely interesting, since he is a writer in real life and can use Second Life to "enhance" his brand. But is that what it is really accomplishing? I have my doubts that a virtual bookstore reading is as meaningful as a physical one. Additionally, I understand that reality is not always ideal, but I think that these people whose life is dominated by Second Life should instead channel their energy into constructing a better actual life than avoiding it altogether.

A simple Google search affirmed my weariness about the site: numerous disturbing reports surfaced. In the UK, an unemployed couple divorced over a cyber-affair, a virtual adultery on Second Life. The couple originally got married both in Second Life and in reality, before the wife discovered signs of the affair on the game. Cleverly titled "Divorced from Reality," the original article goes into detail about the crazy story and their crazy blurred existence. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1085915/Divorced-reality-All-accounts-Second-Life-love-triangle-saw-woman-separate-husband-having-cyber-affair.html I think a look at their characters (reality right, Second Life left) shows the degree of incongruity on Second Life.






I do see how Second Life can be seen as democratic and harmless (to a degree). I apologize for being so cynical, I just think that this form of social media sincerely detracts from our actual existences, the exact opposite of social media's actual intentions.

Twitter

I just recently created a Twitter account for this class, and I have to say that I love Twitter. I always thought that Twitter was too public - writing where you are at, what you are doing - publicly announcing it to the world I thought was a bit too much. But being able to put private settings and being able to see quotes or just talk to your friends through twitter is interesting. I say interesting because we can easily call, text, email, or chat but twitter is a whole new world. Also the advertising is different - reaching to each person on a direct level but also a public level since everyone can view the tweets. Twitter really does bring interpersonal and mass communication as one.

Twitter

I can distinctly remember sitting in class Freshman year and the professor asked us if anyone had heard of two new websites that were just beginning to gain popularity. The first one was Second Life and the other Twitter. One or two people raised their hand for Second Life but no one had heard of Twitter. This was just three years ago and the majority of the class agreed that they saw no potential in this new site with the odd name. For most of the class, the need to post status updates was already satisfied by Facebook and there was no need for a new site. How wrong the class was!!
What is most striking to me about Twitter is its link to older media. Other forms of media, such as television or print actually report on Twitter and people's post. Often on television the broadcaster will show the latest photos posted on Twitter from their favorite subscriber or point out the day's best Tweets. Popular magazines often have pages devoted to pairing celebrities with their usernames and Tweets. There are even feuds between subscribers that are watched carefully by older media and reported on as though they are occurring face to face. When going through these older media I fail to see such in dept reporting on happenings that occur on Faceboook or Myspace or any other popular site. Twitter seems to be its own world that has its own events that get reported on as though they occur on another planet.

Twitter

I opened up a Twitter account at the start of this class and I don’t see any excitement in it. Yes! you can follow people on it but if they don’t follow you; you can’t send them a message not even a reply so what’s the use. I personally do not compare it in any way to Facebook, Facebook has an easier way to communicate and the following is mutual. Mr. Levinson speaks about congressman that tweets too much and of Iran I see twitter as a political or business venue

Twitter

On page 137 Professor Levinson states "in that function, Twitter becomes a type of wire service, like AP or Reuters. 'Followers' receive these messages but do not usually reply." I thought it was interesting that he said followers do not usually reply and I do think this is true but I believe the ability to reply is an amazing aspect of Twitter. It gives a voice to the consumer/viewer and creates a positive democratic web atmosphere.

An example of a follower replying to a company that came to mind while reading this section had nothing to do with a news article being sent out but a reaction to a mass marketing campaign. The campaign wasn't even through twitter but twitter was the only real way consumers and those upset with the campaign could reach out to the company. About a year and a half ago Motrin ran a campaign that incorporated the differences between moms who carry their children as opposed to use strollers. There was a huge outcry and the group who was offended quickly took to their twitters. The ads were removed by the end of the day showing that twitter in a inter-personal (people directly reaching out to Motrin) and a mass communication (others simply ranting about Motrin) has an overwhelming power.