The SMC now has a blog thing going.

Check it.

http://blogs.loyno.edu/mass-comm/

Know any of these people?

Pic from http://acmeoysterhouse.com/webcam/

Others…

http://www.tropicalisle.com/webcam.html

http://www.nola.com/paradecam/index.ssf?video

That’s about as close as I want to be.

http://neworleanswebsites.com/cat/en/lc/lc.html

Mona Lisa and Moonpie 2009 Mardi Gras Parade!

Mona Lisa and Moonpie 2009 Mardi Gras Parade!

I’d give you some live video action shots, but the wisdom of the Apple gimps the iPhone from doing so.

Fortunately, the jailbreak of the User > the wisdom of the Apple.

Sooner or later:  This and that.

Remember: Prof. Alexander’s lecture today.

Note this as an example of a “viral” message (in terms of how such a message is spread through the audience).

The mass media (example, CNN) are trying their best to move closer and closer to viral message sources.  In this case, for instance, CNN frames that message and, in that framing, “brands” that message as what they do.  In effect, they assert a sort of “ownership” over that message.

This particular incident is also relevant to our discussion of copyright law.  Notice how the original message was (almost immediately) “remixed” — a term used by Anderson Cooper, who may well have borrowed the term from the Lawrence Lessig book we discussed in class.

Here’s the original video.  Now do a search on youtube using “Remix David After Dentist.”

Kaboom.  Should copyright law be involved here?

Prof. Zemmels lecture 02.05.09 CMMNA100

When I get the Zemmels ppt, I will link it here.

One of the comments prompted by the Zemmels lecture was (more of less, as I remember it) this:  “Yeah, I actually prefer to text someone rather than call that person by voice.”

As I was listening to that, I was thinking this:  Yeah, but saying something aloud is much easier than tediously typing it on the cellphone version of a keyboard.  So…, maybe someone should create an application that takes a normally synchronous voice message (i. e., talking into your phone) and  turns it into an asynchronous email-type message (i. e., text).

And, by golly, someone has.

Jott.com used to be free, now it isn’t.

But other, similar services are.

I particularly recommend drop.io — but I will be trying out those other services as well.

So…, don’t like talking into your phone?  No problem.  Talk into your phone anyway.

The digital message doesn’t have to be what it is; it can also be what you want it to be.

Update on the CMMNX237 blog assignment.

A gentle reminder:  You have four online-related assignments for the course.  1. Blog  2. Wiki  3. Webpage  4. MMO.

If you’ve forgotten anything about these assignments, check the syllabus, ask questions, etc.

The online content you create (play with) for the blog/wiki/webpage assignments should reflect something about your reading and understanding of the four required texts for the course.

For instance, you are going to demonstrate your reading and understanding of two of the four texts (Caillois and Huizinga) through the wiki assignment — which you will find detailed on the class Blackboard page.

In order to successfully complete the blog assignment (ie., the blog you created with wordpress during the first week of class) do this:  Beginning this week, post on your blog weekly responses to the readings in The Ambiguity of Play (Sutton-Smith), most of which we have already discussed in class.  These chapter readings, you will remember, are also partially summarized in the powerpoint presentations available at the CMMNX237 drop.io site.

So, over the next four weeks (running up to Mardi Gras and the exam on The Amibguity of Play which immediately follows Mardi Gras) you will owe me four (at a minimum) posts covering 1) animal play and chapters 1, 2, and 12; 2) child play and chapters 3, 7, and 9; 3) adult self play and chapters 6, 8, and 10; and 4) adult social play and chapters 4, 5, and 11.  If you want to split these posts into more than four posts, so be it.  No problem.

Each time you post to your blog, link that post to our CMMNX237 twitter page, so that everybody (but mostly I) can easily find it and read it.

Remember, in developing and working on these four online assignments, the idea is not necessarily to master the online form, but to play with it.  It is not a mastery thing.  It is an experiential thing.

Novelties welcome.

***

Oh, and I haven’t talked much about the webpage assignment yet.  I know.  First we have to talk about ftp’ing a little more.   Once that happens, then I will tell you more about the webpage I want you to create:  A timeline of your gaming/internet/media play life.  Coming up soon.