November 20th 2008

Response to Meadows

  

            Mark Stephen Meadows immersed himself in Second Life in all aspects from racial, to sexual, to the business sectors.  In the sections "Virtual Work," "Autonomous Avatars & The Very Present Future," and "The Children of the Strange Migration," of I, Avatar Meadows discusses how the real world impacts interactions in the virtual world of Second Life.  Meadows first gives an example of how a death in a co-worker’s real life negatively impacted the actions of her avatar, then goes on to discuss how once real money becomes intertwined into Second Life it no longer a form of enjoyment but a quest for social status.  The claim that Meadows makes about how “the primary accessories are decorative, things that help achieve social status and maximize the relationships with other avatars,” (Meadows, 63) supports my idea for my final project that avatars are not just judged on their race, ethnicity, or gender, but also by their class which is shown by the material objects an avatar wears.  Meadows also gave me insight as to how the business sector in Second Life is so appealing, because instead of working 8 hours in an office a person can easily create and sell chair while sipping coffee as long as he or she knows how to correctly employ the creative tools.  The surprising thing is that a person can make a substantial amount of real money by working in Second Life on the side, imagine how much a person could make if he or she made Second Life his or her full time place of employment.  Meadows explores this concept and how people now have autonomous avatars to keep a businesses open and assist customers, but these lone avatars have cluttered Second Life, which has interrupted the virtual experience for others.  I am really interested in I, Avatar because Meadows gives meaningful insight on many aspects of Second Life and has a unique way of connecting these revelations together.

 

 

November 13th 2008

 

On October 16^th 2008 I decided to modify a claim on the wikipedia page about the United Nations International School.  I altered the claim “It was founded in 1947 by families whose work related to the United Nations,” to “It was founded in 1947 by families whose work related to the United Nations to provide an international education for their children, while preserving their diverse cultural heritages.”  Nearly a month later my claim remains unchanged, and so does the majority of the page but for the exception of two clubs, “Tanzania Sanitation Project” and “ZIMBO” that were added to the long list of clubs the United Nations International School has to offer.  I believe that the majority of the page remained unchanged since my school’s librarian, who made sure everything was factual, recently edited it.  Also, since the page is well worded I believe that people are hesitant to make alterations knowing that what he or she inserts will not compare to the contents already there.  The United Nations International School is also not a very well know school, so the page definitely does not receive too much traffic, therefore there are few chances of having someone edit the page.  Although it would have been interesting to see the changes people made on the page that could have been a result from my modification I am glad that no one edited my addition because that means that I did a good edit.

 

 

October 30th 2008

 

Topic focus and annotated bibliography: 

When first entering Second Life I was immediately enthralled by the concepts of beauty.  In Second Life it is customary for female avatars to have bodies that mirror those seen on the catwalk and for men have a very muscular and defined body and be willing and able to walk around in clothing that shows off these attributes.  I think it has been determined that people create their avatars in this image because they themselves do not have this ‘idealistic’ figure.  But what I want to know is why the standard of beauty is very ridged when Second Life is an international world experienced by many people from different cultures that do not idolize the ‘stick thin’ female figure.  I believe that Second Life is a tool that can be used to study the effects of globalization while at the same time spread information and images at a rapid pace that spans continents. I also want to explore while female sexuality is heightened in Second Life and female avatars subject themselves to behavior that they would typically refuse to do in the real world.  This touches on the aspect of fantasy, which is a key aspect to understanding Second Life.  If possible I would also like to address the issue of racism in Second Life.  The issue of racism links to sexuality because in the real world people have fought to bring equality to women and people of all colors, but in Second Life these real world values seem to be lost, and I want to know why.

Some sources I would use to support my paper include:

 

Padmanabhan, Poornima. "Exploring Human Factors in Virtual Worlds." Technical Communication 55.3 (Aug. 2008): 270-276. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Boatwright Library, Richmond, VA. 27 Oct. 2008 <http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=34035295&site=ehost-live>.

I would include this article because it addresses the ways in which human factors affect the manner in which virtual worlds are used and designed.  I believe that this source will help me in my final research because it shows how the relationship between virtual worlds and the real world is dynamic, meaning that they both influence each other.

 

Melby, Todd. "How Second Life Seeps into Real Life. (Cover story)." Contemporary Sexuality 42.1 (Jan. 2008): 1-6. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Boatwright Library, Richmond, VA. 27 Oct. 2008 <http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=28334088&site=ehost-live>.

This article addresses the emotional effects of virtual intercourse and the real social implications of online sexuality, which will help me to understand the reasoning and consequences behind female avatar’s appearances and actions in Second Life.

 

Boss, Shira. "Even in a Virtual World, 'Stuff' Matters." New York Times (09 Sep. 2007): 9. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Boatwright Library, Richmond, VA. 27 Oct. 2008 <http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=28695485&site=ehost-live>.

This article will bring in a business aspect by discussing how Second Life is a very materialistic society and businesses focus on making people look and feel beautiful from one’s skin color to the ring on an avatars finger.

 

Giles, Jim. "Virtual Entrepreneurs and Griefers Spoil the Fantasy of Online Worlds." New Scientist 195.2619 (Sep. 2007): 28-29. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Boatwright Library, Richmond, VA. 27 Oct. 2008 <http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=27032399&site=ehost-live>.

This article addresses how acts of violence and racism are concerning not only for social reasons but also for businesses relationships and development.

 

October 22nd 2008

  

One example that at first does not seem to support Baron’s major claim is when he discusses the development of writing and illustrates his point with the Sumerians and their tablets.  Clearly tablets do not relate to pencils or computers because marks could not be erased, in fact their marks lasted for thousands of years.  Baron connects this to his major claim by giving examples different carving techniques and linking it to computer geeks whose mission is to improve computers.  Thus illustrating how even the most privative forms of technology went through four stages of evolution.

I located Crystal, one of Baron’s sources, in the library:

Crystal, David. 1987. The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, p. 196.

Crystal’s focus in this article was how in ancient times the form of written language could easily be seen as art, because it was not a written linguistic language like we have now but a language that consisted picture sequences.  These images might have had other purposes beside communication, for example religious or aesthetic intent.  Crystal disused the tablets and tokens that were found as seen to be the earliest forms on written language that did not necessarily transcribe speech but kept records of taxes and property.

I believe that Baron included this source not only for its illustration but because it gives a history of writing and the initial purpose of written language.  This source gives Baron the evidence to make a comparison between modern day computer geeks to those ancient Sumerians that walked around recording on their tablets; in essence their tablet was the computer of that era.  This source links to the New York Times quote “writing with ones own hand,” because ancients used their hands the most to write because I can’t imagine carving on a stone tablet is easy especially in comparison to a keyboard.

 

October 16^th 2008

Analysis of Dennis Baron article Pencils to Pixels: The Stages of Literacy Technology

Paraphrasing main claim:

The computer and the pencil have created changes in how we communicate and altered other preexisting technologies.  The pencil and the computer are related because words can be erased and they lack the authenticity and personalization an ink signature generates.

 

Digression: “Humanists have long been considered out of the technology loop.”

This first comes off as a major digression, but it does link back to his main thesis after some explanation

 

Wikipedia Smack Down

 

The topic I chose for this blog was the United Nations International School (UNIS), my former high school, because Wikipedia is infamous for publishing wrong information about the school.  Though, I believe that my former writing teacher became frustrated with all the wrong facts and misleading comments on the Wikipedia website that he made it his duty to edit the page himself.  Even with his edits there are many claims still present on the page that could use further support to illustrate how great of a school UNIS really is.

    

“It was founded in 1947 by families whose work related to the United Nations.” – Wikipedia

  

“It was founded in 1947 by families whose work related to the United Nations to provide an international education for their children, while preserving their diverse cultural heritages.” –modified Wikipedia entry

  

I felt that Wikipedia’s claim needed to be modified because it did not explain the reason why the United Nations families founded the school, because there were schools in New York City that their children could have attended.  Also, this detail illustrates where the goals of UNIS originated, what type of community it promotes, and the philosophy of the school.  The evidence I used to expand this claim came directly from the UNIS website (unis.org), because I figured it was the most reliable source to gather historical facts on the school.  Though, because UNIS wants to promote itself I have noticed that the UNIS website is biased and only writing about the highlights and excellence of the school and fails to address many other aspects.  Therefore if this claim was not based on historical fact I would be cautionary using the UNIS website.  I did not really change the claim, rather I expanded it so that readers have a more coherent understanding of the schools past in connection to its future.

 

 

October 2nd 2008

 

Real Life: Avatar Photo-Safari

                When first hearing about the photo-safari assignment one particular location immediately popped into my mind… University of Richmond’s Greek Amphitheater.  The detailed architecture and seeming perfect layout of the grass covered bleachers mirrored much of the creations in Second Life.  Though the real reason why the Greek amphitheater was the focus of this assignment was not because of the design, but because like many places in Second Life it was built to mimic a different location and take those who visit it back to another time.  When visitors enter the Greek amphitheater they know that they have not been transported back to ancient Europe, but surly they get the feeling that they are in a different environment that conveys the feeling of being in ancient Greece; just like much of the locations in Second Life; a person knows that he is not really in the Sistine Chapel, but through his avatar he gets a taste of what it would be like.  Also, like many locations in Second Life, the Greek amphitheater is not just used for its traditional purpose.  Concerts and other performing arts events are held there, but unlike in ancient Greece the University of Richmond amphitheatre is a popular place for tanning, reading, and having fun with friends.  These photos illustrate how the amphitheater can be more of a playground for exploration, rather than a location for concert.  Just like many of the builds in Second Life this real life location gives people the sensation of what visiting the actual location would be like without much regulation as to what the location’s purpose is.

 

My model in the University of Richmond’s Greek Amphitheatre mimicking peoples everyday actions in this location.

 

September 25th 2008

 

Continuation of Scavenger Hunt Entry

  

The task I chose to complete from the scavenger hunt was to first take a picture with a pirate hat from Port o Bello, a pirate outfitters shop, and then to take the best pirate-themed photo.  I began with a search; however, this was not helpful in locating Port O Bello.  I then decided to do a general search of pirate places, and teleport myself to numerous pirate themed locations in attempt to find Port O Bello and to scout out and find the best pirate themed location.  There seemed to be an infinite amount of pirate themed islands, but this did not surprise me because many children fantasize about being a pirate and sailing the seven seas, but most do not have the chance to.  Second Life is an opportunity for “Big Kids” to design and play in their pirate themed villages and fulfill their childhood dreams.  There was one island that even had tepees to go along with the game ‘pirates and Indians’.  Many of the villages were intricate with numerous pirate ships, skeletons heads, and cannons; I really felt as if I was walking through the set of the Pirates of Caribbean.  Though there were many modern objects mixed in with this old pirate themed island, such as a turntable, but it was the neon billboards advertizing pirate clothing that really ruined the atmosphere of the all of the islands, because the islands were no longer made just to fulfill a childhood fantasy, but to support a business.  After exploring four pirate themed locations I was not successful in finding Port O Bello, but I did take some beautiful pictures at Ace of Spades Island, which I found to be the nicest pirate themed island and the one least ruined by neon billboards.

 

Pirate themed Photos

Rae on a Pirate ship at Ace of Spades Island and Rae looking at Pirate Ships in Ace of Spades Island's waters.

 

September 18th 2008

 

Snapshots in Second Life

 

Rae at the International Space Flight Museum

 

 

 Rae on the platform of the central tower at Svarga, with the big dome visible in the snapshot.

 

 

I did not find the tasks I had to complete in Second Life to be very challenging.  Perhaps the most tedious thing that I faced was waiting for my surroundings to load, (unfortunately this cannot be changed, I just need to develop patience) because I could not take a snap shot with just grass otherwise I could have been anywhere.  One of my locations was Svarga, which I’m assuming is a fictional place, and I asked another avatar what the purpose of this island was.  His response was “fun.” I defiantly had fun at Svarga because it brought me back to my childhood when I wished I lived in a rural and exotic place.  I also visited the International Space Flight Museum, which I’ve been to in real life; however, I found the one in Second Life to be much more enjoyable.  This is because in the real world you can’t fly amongst the rockets or climb the many stairs of the rocket launcher, unless you’re an astronaut of course.  Though I took the snapshots with ease, I am still perplexed on to how to do the second task, but hopefully with the members of my group we can figure it out and complete the scavenger hunt.

 

September 11th 2008

For this blog entry, describe in at least 150, but no more than 300, words why you chose the avatar you did, what you felt you had to change, and why.  Anything you wish you could do with this avatar to make him or her look the way you wish?

 

         I chose the avatar I did from the main selection page mainly because she was female, and because out of the limited selection she was the one that most resembled my physical appearance.  I understand that many of the avatar’s in second life are idealistic images of what their creator wants to look like, and I realized that I did the same thing with my avatar, Rae Belgar.  After recognizing that it would be too difficult to create an avatar that resembled my appearance I created an avatar that I would find suitable to be me.  After clicking save and looking at my avatar I saw what I had created: a tall, full lipped, doe eyed woman, with a runway worthy body.  Though looking at my avatar from a distance she looks disproportionate, her legs look too long, torso too short, head too small, and waist oddly proportioned to her shoulders.  It is very difficult to create a ‘realistic’ looking human in this virtual world, especially after being a resident for only three days.  If I were to alter the appearance of Rae I would want her to resemble more of a real person.  Also, I am perplexed as to how to give Rae hair; every time I attempt to create hair with the appearance feature she has sparse patches emerging from random locations on her head.  As a result she is currently bald, which I feel like I must change since hair is a very important feature in Second Life.  Overall I do like the appearance of Rae Belgar, because after all no one person or avatar is ‘perfect’.

 

September 4th 2008 (edited)

  

Sarah Kersh’s statement “… in art something abstract can so suddenly become recognizable…” does not only apply to the visual arts, but to written works as well.  While reading a passage one may have few ideas as to what to analyze, but by reading between the lines and discovering the hidden meaning in a passage allows a person to understand and evaluate the passage to its fullest.  Though, this method of evaluation can be problematic because; people can be affected by culture and develop social norms at a very young age, but no so much this day in age compared to previous generation.  As a result there may be multiple interpretations on the same passage, but this does not mean that just one interpretation be correct, nor does it mean that all of them can be right.  No one can be necessarily wrong in his or her interpretation of a passage, but the analysis the writer makes to support his argument.

 

September 4th 2008

 

Sarah Kersh’s statement “… in art something abstract can so suddenly become recognizable…” does not only apply to the visual arts, but to written works as well.  While reading a passage one may have few ideas as to what to analyze, but by reading between the lines and discovering the hidden meaning in a passage allows a person to understand and evaluate the passage to its fullest.  Though, there is a problem with this method of evaluation; people are affected by culture and develop social norms at a very young age.  As a result there may be multiple interpretations on the same passage, but this does not mean that just one is right, nor does it mean that all of them are right.  No one is necessarily wrong is his or her interpretation of a passage, what really matters is how the individual supports his or her argument with snippets of text and close analysis.

 

September 2nd 2008

 

During the labor movement, workers fought for higher wages and shorter working hours to improve their quality of life.  They learned that more is accomplished in groups, and as a result labor unions were created, so if a workers wanted a change all workers in a factory would leave the factory floor.  Labor day was established as a national holiday in 1884 to award workers for their work. Descriptive words in purple--imagine what happens without them!

 

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