The first problem I encountered when starting this search was: where do I go? There are so many websites with information about blogs, I was overwhelmed. Many articles that I found were posted by bloggers, which I consider quite a good thing because I got the perspective from experienced users who know what they are talking about. Of course, there were other sites that I obtained by looking up the references from different blogs, by searching through the Pew Foundation website, and simply by Googling.

Blogs are “a record of the blogger’s thoughts.” (Blood.) Simple, right? In my opinion, yes. A blog is like having your own personal journal that anyone can have access to. You can write about issues that you are dealing with, stuff that you did last weekend, or anticipated feelings; basically anything random that may come to mind. That is the beauty of blogs. Anyone can get online and sign up to a free blogging site (like Blogger.com or WordPress.com) and start posting blogs about any topic that the blogger may want to write about.

According to several websites, blogging first started between the years of 1997-1999. It was a slow but gradual procession. Jorn Barger was the man who introduced the “weblog” on December 17, 1997. A couple years after the entitlement of the “weblog”, Peter Merholz re-created that title into “we blog” (pronounced wee-blog) which eventually evolved into the current use of the well-known term: blog.  Soon after the revelation of this popular new development, many “computer geeks” got online to start up their own blogging sites.  People were so enthused by blogs that thousands and millions of blogs were created in just a few years after the creation of the weblog. Various communities started arising and more and more people were subscribing and posting up blogs. In the beginning, quite a few bloggers would keep track of all the blogs that were in existence and they made sites that linked various blogs together. Over time, these bloggers could not keep track of all of the existing blogs since so many people would post and publish their blogs.

What made blogs so popular is that all the bloggers in the blogging community would look up blogs posted up by other bloggers and would communicate with them by commenting on each other’s blogs. This allowed people to meet tons of people through the blogging world. Bloggers search for blogs that might be related to whatever interest they are searching for, and most people have wide interests, so it is easy to find a blog that catches their eye. There are many different websites that have compilations of various blogs and websites that can refer you to whatever blog material you are searching for. A most recent website that keeps track of various blogs and articles is called Technorati. This website has become quite popular in the blogging world because it contains various subjects that range from opinions, to photos, to videos, to business, to lifestyle, and to the news; and it keeps all of these sources well organized.

Blogs are used for a wide range of things. Like I mentioned before, blogs are used to express any thought that comes through a blogger’s mind. Most people keep blogs and use them as their own personal entries as if they were writing in their journal. The only twist is that you can choose to post your blogs as public or private; and also title yourself as anonymous so that no one knows who you are. Bloggers have also used blogs for politics. Politicians like to know if the people that they are representing are content with their position in government; they also like to know what the public is saying about them and if it’s good or not. Politicians may take these blogs as a certain form of constructive criticism, and they can either decide to change what they’re doing, or keep up the good work. Other specific topics that bloggers may write about are: sports, general news, business, technology, their spirituality or faith, hobbies, or illnesses. I got some statistics from the Pew Foundation and they talk about the percentage of bloggers that talk about certain topics. The most significant data that I found regarding how bloggers use their blogs was that “37% of bloggers cite ‘my life and experiences’ as a primary topic of their blog” and that the second most talked about topic was politics at 11%.

The blogging population is fairly diverse. It is made up of people around 30 years old and younger (more than half), it is racially diverse, and about equally balanced with men and women. There are a surplus amount of bloggers that aspire to be journalists or publish their posts as articles. Even with this data, there is no real limitation as to who is affiliated with the blogging world; either by posting, reading, or commenting blogs.

There have been some issues that have arisen regarding blogging. Some people agree that blogging has had some negative effects. Bloggers get so caught up into their writing that it can take up too much of their time. Daily posts can be very time consuming, and for some people, all they aim to do is become popular in the blogging world. According to an article I found, daily posts can cause stress and a sense of failure if you don’t get enough feedback—or any feedback at all. Although it may seem to bad to post up blogs everyday, it is okay to do so when you first start blogging, just so that you will be able to get your name out a little. Even with bad comments about blogging, there are a few positive effects that come along with blogging. Building up your self-esteem comes along with blogging, being able to write about your feelings or any other thoughts is thought of to be healthy for a person—it helps a person relieve stress and confusion. Blogging may also “promote you critical and analytical thinking” (Riley) because while searching through various blogs, you start creating your own opinions about certain topics and are also able to look up the resources to see if you agree or disagree with a certain topic.

As I was researching for articles, blogs, and websites regarding my essay topic, I soon found out a lot more about blogging than I ever anticipated—although I’m sure that there is a lot more that I can learn about blogging. Blogging is a whole realm of its own. It is so rich and diverse in topics and issues. As well as the people who are involved with it. Being interactive while blogging can introduce you to so many people; you are introduced to a wide range of different personalities with crazy amounts of opinions about anything imaginatively possible. I am actually considering keeping my recent blog after the class ends and post up blogs about anything that may come to my mind. Blogging gives you a sense of feeling that you are an author with no limitations and that you can write about anything without being restricted. That is a great feeling to think about.

Bibliography

Barger, Jorn. “Top 10 Tips for New Bloggers From Original Blogger Jorn Barger.” 15 December 2007. wired.com. < http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2007/ 12/blog_advice>.

Blood, Rebecca. “Weblogs: A History and Perspective,” Rebecca’s Pocket. 07 September 2000. 25 October 2006. <http://www.rebeccablood.net/essays/weblog_history.html”>.

Carvin, Andy. “Timeline: The life of the Blog.” NPR.org. 24 December 2007. <http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17421022>.

Fishman, David. “Why Do People Use Blogs.” Why Do People Use Blogs. 18 October 2006 EzineArticles.com. 8 Dec. 2009 <http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-­Do-­People-­Use-­Blogs&id=332394>.

Hobson, Neville. “The Evolution of Blogging.” Nevillehobson.com. 20 September 2008. <http://www.nevillehobson.com/2008/09/28/the-evolution-of-blogging/>.

Riley, Duncan. “Blogging is Good for your Health.” BlogHerald.com. 3 March, 2005. <http://www.blogherald.com/2005/03/03/blogging-is-good-for-your-health/>.

Sotiropoulos, Jiannis. “The Negative Effects of Daily Blog Posts.” Pandemiclabs.com. 23 April 2008. < http://www.pandemiclabs.com/blog/blogging/the-negative-effects-of-daily-blog-posts/>.

WordPress. <http://www.cyberblog.net/blogging-videos/why-do-people-use-blogs/>.

http://technorati.com/

http://www.pewtrusts.org/our_work_report_detail.aspx?id=21146

=)

To me, the most striking part about Yes Men was that they were impersonating the WTO and that they would get away with it. The companies that would invite them to certain meetings did not realize that the men were not the correct representatives of the WTO. I did not know that people could actually do that.

(2) What is our responsibility as members of a democracy?

The biggest thing would be to vote but also to be well-informed about the reforms and policies that are being brought up in government. To support or deny any issues that arise. And to speak their minds about any topic that they feel like.

i had problems downloading the song that i wanted to go along with my video.

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but it will be up by tomorrow.

(the video so far)

My project took me a while to brainstorm for. I could not think of anything to talk about that I could present about myself. I knew many people were going to talk about generalities in their lives and although that is not a bad idea, I felt that I should make my presentation a little differently. So I opened up my mind and decided to not limit myself and came upon the idea to talk about a certain thing I like to do; and I like to watch musicals. I find musicals to be really interesting; they give movies a different feel to them.

What kind of content?

In my project, I used drawings that I had made my hand and took pictures of them and conjoined them into a video. So the content I used were drawings (hand drawn by me) and pictures.

What format did you use?

At first I made my project using PowerPoint but Word Press wouldn’t read my content, so I had to reload my pictures and put them into Windows Movie Maker to make my video from there. So I used a video. But I had to upload my video from Windows Movie Maker into You Tube so that the Word Press could read my video and so that it could download.

How did the technology shape your decision?

I was very technology limited since my laptop isn’t very up-to-date. Also because my parents had taken the video camera to Mexico for a weekend trip. So I was stuck using whatever technologies that were easily accessible to me. I ended up using my cellphone and the PowerPoint on my laptop. I didn’t have any pictures that would represent my topic so I decided to draw out something like a little comic strip. I drew out different scenes that talked about my passion for musicals and the main character in my drawings was a distorted version of me. (Haha) After I drew out all my pictures/scenes, I took pictures of them and uploaded them into my computer; from there I arranged them into different slides in the PowerPoint.

A problem I encountered was when I was trying to download my PowerPoint into my blog. It wasn’t reading it. Which made me have to redo my project and have to transfer it into Windows Movie Maker and actually make it into a video format.

So far I’ve liked how the whole blog thing works, but I still feel like I don’t know how to use blogging for my interests. I would like to have an idea of where to go in case I ever want to explore the “blogging” world in the future.

(I’m not sure if my topic was along the lines of what the project proposal is supposed to be about, but this is the topic that I would like to explore in.)

Works Cited

(First photograph)

My own.

(Second photograph)

Nyteshayd_2007. Beach. Web. 29 October 2009. <http://media.photobucket.com/image/beach%20scenery/nyteshayd_2007/ Scenery/scenery-2.jpg?o=1>.

(Third photograph)

Rolf Hicker. Lake Garda Beach. Web. 29 October 2009. <http://www.hickerphoto.com/ data/media/183/lake-garda-beach_34387.jpg>.

(Fourth Photograph)

Beach9. December 2007. Web. Photo Collections. 29 October 2009. <http:// photoscollections.blogspot.com/2007/12/beach-1.html>.

(Fifth photograph)

Beach7. December 2007. Web. Photo Collections. 29 October 2009. <http:// photoscollections.blogspot.com/2007/12/beach-1.html>.

I thought that there were a lot of interesting features in the novel. Marcus’ knowledge of all the secret codes and technology put me in a state of awe; I never knew that there were so many secret technological devices that helped you hack into stuff, or that helped you hide what you’re really doing, or that did whatever Marcus used them for (there were so many, I lost track). I think that all of these things put together were probably the most important things in Little Brother. The fact that Marcus was using these devices and had this deep knowledge about them– and involvement with them– is what led to the severe interrogation by the Department of Homeland Security. They are basically the build up of the novel; they are the cause of all of Marcus’ problems.

Find a scene that exemplifies this– what exactly in the scene illustrates your point?

There are quite a few scenes in the novel that reflect my point. Right at the beginning of the novel, Marcus is already introduced as the kid who is suspected to be a computer hacker by a vice principal at his high school. Marcus is basically a computer genius that spies through other people’s personal files, conversations, and other stuff like Standardized Tests. He does this by cracking the online system on his SchoolBook.

I use my cell phone more than any other electronic device. It is my way of keeping in touch with my family, friends, and other important people that surround me. That’s basically the main reason that I can think of why my phone is so essential to me. It makes talking to people so much easier; when I feel like talking to someone or if I just need to talk to my mom, I can just pick up my phone and call or text her, or the people, that I want to talk to. Other ways in which I am able to use my phone is by getting on the internet on my phone and being able to go on any website that I feel like browsing. My cell phone is like my own personal mini computer that I can check my bank statements on, check my MySpace, receive messages from my Yahoo inbox, and other convenient stuff. Although my phone is an important part of my life, I feel that it has had a not so positive affect on me. When I’m on my phone I sometimes zone out and ignore the people around me because I am so into the text messages I am composing or the person with which I am talking to. Without my cell phone, I would feel incapable of performing my everyday tasks, such as telling my mom my whereabouts, or keep track of important notices that I receive in my inbox. Even the thought of not being able to easily text my best friend or my sisters sounds unreal to me because I am so used to being able to communicate with anyone at any time I please.

The first time I remember using a computer was in fourth grade. A teacher gave the class an assignment that required us to use a computer word processor. I remember how excited I was to be able to use such a new and advanced device. The whole idea of not having to write the “old-fashioned” way was thrilling to me. It was complicated at first because I was so new to how to use the computer but I caught on quickly. Soon after that I learned about the internet, but I was always warned about the dangers of the internet; like evil man-predators and sites that weren’t appropriate for a little girl like me, so I refrained from the internet as much as I could for fear of being exposed to such evil. But that didn’t exactly last a long time.

It wasn’t until the end of my sixth grade year that I started using e-mail. I felt so privileged because I could finally talk to my friends online and I thought that the internet was amazing for that. I don’t use e-mail as much anymore to talk with friends though, instead I use e-mail to get information from my bank, or get an update on new releases from Redbox, but most importantly, to get information about events that are going on with my church and school. E-mailing has made it easier for me to receive notices on what’s going on with different organizations. Without it I would not be aware of every announcement of events that are appealing to me.

Nowadays I am able to use the internet for just about anything. One mode of entertaining myself is by going on my Project Playlist, YouTube, even MySpace to listen to the latest music and various bands that are out there. It is a way in which I can just listen to music without having to purchase every single song. Another form of entertainment that I use online is by checking out what the latest fashion is. I am able to go onto any fashion/clothing website and check out the clothes that they have and make purchases online—without needing to actually get in my car and drive to the store. Another example of how the internet helps me keep in touch with the outside world from within the four walls that I reside in. Another way in which I am able to keep up with fashion is by going onto a magazine website and browsing around the various links that are there. It’s fascinating for me to be able to check out the numerous amounts of accessories and shoes that those magazines or online stores may offer. I also like that I am able to retrieve advice on new make up and hairstyling tips that I may use in the future.

The way in which I stay connected with friends online is through MySpace. The people that I usually talk to on MySpace are friends who have moved to far away colleges or friends that I’ve met in the past years that don’t live close by; I also use MySpace to keep in touch with cousins who live in Mexico. I use my phone to talk with all my friends and family, but using MySpace is a lot easier and cheaper for both parties. MySpace is also another way that allows me to express myself and to let people know what type of person I am and how I am doing. I am able to decorate my page in a way that reflects my personality and what I like to do. I am also able to post up pictures allowing my friends and family see what I do at certain events; these pictures show what kind of a person I am.

Doing research on the internet, either for my own interest or for a term paper that is assigned in one of my classes, is a crucial factor that comes with the internet. I love the internet for this. Doing research on the internet has made life so much easier for me. Just about any reference that I am looking for can be found in the internet. I like that I can go onto any website and get easily accessible information about any topic. Before the internet, people would have to go to their local libraries and look through various books, magazine articles, newspapers, and encyclopedias to get all the information that allowed them to get enough information on a certain research topic. Now all you have to do is type in a keyword that will open a page to various websites. I must admit that I have only needed to use the internet for research just a few times, but throughout my research for those assignments, having the internet at my disposition made all that work so much easier for me. Doing those research assignments helped me appreciate the internet for making those times of stress so much easier.

The internet has also made it possible for newspapers to publish their articles online and make it easier for the public to access and view. Now anyone can go online to see what is going on locally or worldwide. The fact that newspapers are able to publish their newspapers online is great because now they don’t have to waste as much ink and paper and kill more trees. The reason I mention this is because in my family, we have never been accustomed to receiving the newspaper at our door. We have always found out about rising issues from around the world by watching the news on TV; but the TV doesn’t always cover everything that I would like to know. This is why I go online to look through the various newspapers that are online because I can log onto different websites and see all the different issues that are occurring locally, as well as at the national and international level.

I feel that even though the internet may have some inappropriate websites, that it has had a positive effect on me. The internet has allowed me to do various things that would not be possible without it. It is my gateway to keeping in touch with friends and family, as well as doing all types of research—whether it is for a school assignment or for my own interest. I am grateful for the fact that I am allowed to talk with friends online, listen to music, entertain myself by looking at fashion websites—or any other website—, being able to do research, and looking at what is going on around the world. Using the internet may be time consuming, but in my opinion, I feel that it isn’t a total waste of time because I am learning and expanding my mind.

The one concern that I have about the internet is that nearly everyone on this planet relies heavily on it. What are all these people going to do when the whole system crashes down? Bills won’t be able to get paid on time and we won’t be able to access the stock market or other important sites. Many corporations and organizations need the internet and their computers because they hold important information about people, events, etc. The government would be in a catastrophic situation if they could not use their computers or the internet because of the mere fact that we stock every bit of important information in our computers. I believe that this concern relates to me as well. I rely on the internet as a mean of keeping in touch with my family and friends and that would be highly unlikely for me to do if the whole system crashed down. As odd as this may sound, I would feel slightly isolated from the outer world.