Much like most summer action movie releases, X-Men Origins: Wolverine received a videogame iteration courtesy of Raven Software. The game, which imitates the tride a true button mashing gameplay, offers some interesting new gameplay mechanics and visual elements. However, a later release date would have gone a long way to improving all aspects of the game.
Gamers have been lucky enough to play amazing button mashers, such as God War II. Wolverine has all the main elements (jumping, light attacks, heavy attacks, and grabs). But, at the same time, it introduces special tactics, such as lunging and fury attacks. The popular X-Men’s animal like senses are in the game, which allow gamers to easily find collectibles and hints on completing objectives.
Raven Software took an innovative approach in the character design of Wolverine. As Wolverine encounters the various enemies and takes damage, his flesh and adamantium skeleton is revealed. His healing abilities then kick in and his opened wounds close in real-time.
Now, although all these aspects of the game are interesting, Wolverine does tend to hiccup technically. The visuals don’t hold up with the fast-paced battle sequences. This lagging and choppy textures can pull gamers out of the environment in the game and put a sour taste to this decent movie game.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
I Don't Get Down with The Honky Tonk
Being in San Jose gives us a great opportunity to be exposed to a wide variety of cultures. I know at San Jose State our ethical majority is not Caucasian, which assures me that every interaction I have with others will be new and exciting. However, our nightlife seems to follow a distinct pattern. There is certain music that is played and one can guess on the people to go to the hotspots in downtown San Jose.
I play an interesting role in my group of friends. I love hanging out and going to these different places in downtown, but I hate the culture. I can’t stand the music or some of the people that I meet down there. So, change is definitely accepted by me. Last week, we all decided to go out to the Saddle Rack in Fremont. It was explained to me as a huge country bar, which did not excite me too much since I dislike country music with a passion.
We got there early and from the moment I stepped into the bar I felt out of place. The Saddle Rack is about two-thirds the size of a Safeway. I enjoyed the fact that we wouldn’t be all cramped into small places like we usually are in downtown San Jose. On the other hand, that did mean that it would fill up with a ton of people making it more hectic to navigate through the place.
One can expect that since the Saddle Rack played mainly country music that the general population would be Caucasian. That was no surprise for me, but it did make me feel even more of an outcast. I didn’t seem to be able to relate to anyone other than my friends that I came with. Everyone cheered every time a song started to play and I thought to myself, “I have no clue who this is or what song this is.” Not knowing names like Taylor Swift gave that clear line of separation between me and the rest of the people in the bar.
At one point in the night, girls crawled on the stage and started dancing in a cage to the left of the stage. Then some of the guys in the crowded pulled up chairs and just watched them for about 30 to 45 minutes. I definitely had to hold back my disgust. Although there are many differences between the two cultures in downtown San Jose and Fremont, some of those aspects still stay.
Looking back on the experience, I definitely see the cultural divide between the two areas. The Saddle Rack did do one good thing for me. It gave me a new experience and taught me a little bit about myself. I’m starting to think that I need to be a little bit more open to other cultures and forms of art, including country music.
I play an interesting role in my group of friends. I love hanging out and going to these different places in downtown, but I hate the culture. I can’t stand the music or some of the people that I meet down there. So, change is definitely accepted by me. Last week, we all decided to go out to the Saddle Rack in Fremont. It was explained to me as a huge country bar, which did not excite me too much since I dislike country music with a passion.
We got there early and from the moment I stepped into the bar I felt out of place. The Saddle Rack is about two-thirds the size of a Safeway. I enjoyed the fact that we wouldn’t be all cramped into small places like we usually are in downtown San Jose. On the other hand, that did mean that it would fill up with a ton of people making it more hectic to navigate through the place.
One can expect that since the Saddle Rack played mainly country music that the general population would be Caucasian. That was no surprise for me, but it did make me feel even more of an outcast. I didn’t seem to be able to relate to anyone other than my friends that I came with. Everyone cheered every time a song started to play and I thought to myself, “I have no clue who this is or what song this is.” Not knowing names like Taylor Swift gave that clear line of separation between me and the rest of the people in the bar.
At one point in the night, girls crawled on the stage and started dancing in a cage to the left of the stage. Then some of the guys in the crowded pulled up chairs and just watched them for about 30 to 45 minutes. I definitely had to hold back my disgust. Although there are many differences between the two cultures in downtown San Jose and Fremont, some of those aspects still stay.
Looking back on the experience, I definitely see the cultural divide between the two areas. The Saddle Rack did do one good thing for me. It gave me a new experience and taught me a little bit about myself. I’m starting to think that I need to be a little bit more open to other cultures and forms of art, including country music.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Brass Knuckles Fail
Tchotchkes. Companies circulate these small items around the industry to create buzz and build suspense for upcoming products and events. Some are amazing, such as a paper thin sheet of coaxial cable that was passed around at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. However, there are times that you question: why would (insert company) give me this?
EA released Godfather II, a multiplatform action title that resembles the Grand Theft Auto series, earlier this month. The videogame is based on the second film as the player continues to build their mafia army. Godfather II has received decent reviews, but the most interesting part of EA’s launch was the decision to include gold plated brass knuckles in the press kits for the journalists.
As an initial idea, brass knuckles seem like a great choice to build interest on Godfather II. The item directly correlates to the theme of the videogame and could bring the Godfather experience out of the virtual world (not saying that journalists should go use these). However, brass knuckles are illegal!
Moral of the story is creativity in great, but ensure that enough research is done prior to sending out this swag. While it did create buzz in the media, it probably took away from their initial message.
EA released Godfather II, a multiplatform action title that resembles the Grand Theft Auto series, earlier this month. The videogame is based on the second film as the player continues to build their mafia army. Godfather II has received decent reviews, but the most interesting part of EA’s launch was the decision to include gold plated brass knuckles in the press kits for the journalists.
As an initial idea, brass knuckles seem like a great choice to build interest on Godfather II. The item directly correlates to the theme of the videogame and could bring the Godfather experience out of the virtual world (not saying that journalists should go use these). However, brass knuckles are illegal!
Moral of the story is creativity in great, but ensure that enough research is done prior to sending out this swag. While it did create buzz in the media, it probably took away from their initial message.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Does Social Media Make Conversations Awkward?
Social media is a great tool to use especially with the massive amount of growth it has been receiving over the past couple of months. However, at the same time I feel that my involvement in these various platforms somewhat hinder my ability to develop a relationship in person.
Through my participation on Twitter, I tend to learn a lot about some of the individuals that I follow. Just over the past week I heard, or read, about some of the Twitter community getting married and other moving into new apartments.
Now, I usually do not have a problem engaging in conversations with unknown or random individuals (my work at SomethingPunk has taught me to suck it up and talk to artists). I believe that when I post something on Twitter or my Facebook feed that it is fine for people to bring up in random conversation. However, does everyone else feel that same way?
Social media, although being an amazing way to communicate with individuals and other broader audiences, may hinder real-life communication. The lines between what is appropriate and inappropriate in face to face conversation vary with the individual.
Through my participation on Twitter, I tend to learn a lot about some of the individuals that I follow. Just over the past week I heard, or read, about some of the Twitter community getting married and other moving into new apartments.
Now, I usually do not have a problem engaging in conversations with unknown or random individuals (my work at SomethingPunk has taught me to suck it up and talk to artists). I believe that when I post something on Twitter or my Facebook feed that it is fine for people to bring up in random conversation. However, does everyone else feel that same way?
Social media, although being an amazing way to communicate with individuals and other broader audiences, may hinder real-life communication. The lines between what is appropriate and inappropriate in face to face conversation vary with the individual.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Japanese Internment Essay
Imagine leaving your native home in search for freedom and opportunity in the United States. Everything is looking up until one day your new life is stripped away. You are forced to leave your home, your belongings and potentially your loved ones. This is the experience that many Japanese Americans faced in the 1940s. Approximately 110,000 Japanese Americans were placed in internment camps during this time. Many have heard the stories of Japanese interment, but some do not know why it happened or what effects these processes had on Japanese Americans. After the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor, Japanese Americans were forced into housing facilities.
At San Jose State University, Yoshiro Uchida Hall was used as a transfer point that evacuated Japanese residents from San Jose and Santa Clara. Some to this day say that the building is haunted because of its involvement in Japanese internment during World War II. To memorialize the internment of the Japanese, Ruth Asawa designed the Japanese American Internment Memorial Sculpture that can be found in front of the Federal Building on Second Street in San Jose. The whole memorial uses vivid imagery to depict the life and trials of being a Japanese American during World War II.
A scene on the right side (if facing the Federal Building) depicts a family of Japanese Americans packing all their belongings and leaving their home. Many Japanese Americans were forced to sell and leave some of their belongings during the internment process. Those who had important family documents sometimes burned their information in order to prevent from being identified as Japanese.
Another scene that shows the chaos that Japanese Americans felt during the interment process is the train scene on the right side of the memorial. The train scene shows Japanese Americans being packed into trains that are already full. Japanese Americans reach out for their friends and families hoping to get one last goodbye. The thought crosses their mind, “will I ever have a chance to see them again.” Soldiers with guns drawn oversee the process of these trains being packed. The Japanese Americans know if they resist, there will be gruesome consequences.
The structure of the memorial gives an overall feel of the process of Japanese internment. Scenes are placed in a chronological order with the earliest scenes starting on the left. As the viewer continues to through the memorial, they will see the attitude of the memorial change from freedom and new opportunities to captivate and dismay. The left portion of the memorial shows soldiers watching over the internment camp as a piece of barbed wire cover the top of the memorial.
After seeing the memorial and hearing about Japanese internment, I believe that something like this could definitely happen again. Various cultures have felt shunned after the 9-11, myself included. The verbal ridicule and scorn that some may experience may not equal the severity of being interned in camps. Although these experiences are different, the current situations are just stepping stones to turning into something more severe.
At San Jose State University, Yoshiro Uchida Hall was used as a transfer point that evacuated Japanese residents from San Jose and Santa Clara. Some to this day say that the building is haunted because of its involvement in Japanese internment during World War II. To memorialize the internment of the Japanese, Ruth Asawa designed the Japanese American Internment Memorial Sculpture that can be found in front of the Federal Building on Second Street in San Jose. The whole memorial uses vivid imagery to depict the life and trials of being a Japanese American during World War II.
A scene on the right side (if facing the Federal Building) depicts a family of Japanese Americans packing all their belongings and leaving their home. Many Japanese Americans were forced to sell and leave some of their belongings during the internment process. Those who had important family documents sometimes burned their information in order to prevent from being identified as Japanese.
Another scene that shows the chaos that Japanese Americans felt during the interment process is the train scene on the right side of the memorial. The train scene shows Japanese Americans being packed into trains that are already full. Japanese Americans reach out for their friends and families hoping to get one last goodbye. The thought crosses their mind, “will I ever have a chance to see them again.” Soldiers with guns drawn oversee the process of these trains being packed. The Japanese Americans know if they resist, there will be gruesome consequences.
The structure of the memorial gives an overall feel of the process of Japanese internment. Scenes are placed in a chronological order with the earliest scenes starting on the left. As the viewer continues to through the memorial, they will see the attitude of the memorial change from freedom and new opportunities to captivate and dismay. The left portion of the memorial shows soldiers watching over the internment camp as a piece of barbed wire cover the top of the memorial.
After seeing the memorial and hearing about Japanese internment, I believe that something like this could definitely happen again. Various cultures have felt shunned after the 9-11, myself included. The verbal ridicule and scorn that some may experience may not equal the severity of being interned in camps. Although these experiences are different, the current situations are just stepping stones to turning into something more severe.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Drinking Coffee Elsewhere
Through similes and metaphors Z.Z. Packer cleverly engages the reader’s imagination to visualize the scenes in the story and understand the true meaning of each first-person encounter.
In this chapter, “Geese,” an African American woman moves from her run-down town to Japan as a means of escaping her current situation. Z.Z. Packer uses a large amount of similes and metaphors to give the readers the overall view of the interactions of this woman and the Japanese culture. The vivid details do not only describe the woman’s feelings, but show the readers the imagery that is sculpted by her words. Here are two great examples of Packer’s use of metaphors and similes. The first creates the scene of Dina and Ari sleeping in the same bed; while, the second depicts what Petra looks like after her accident.
Nevertheless, she nudged him, ran her palm against his arm, the smoothest she ever remembered touching, the hairs like extensions of liquid skin
Of course, Petra could no longer model; her face had been ripped into unequal quadrants like the sections of a TV dinner, and the stitches had been in long enough to leave fleshy, zipper-like scars in their place.
Without Z.Z. Pakcer’s use of words, the readers would find the story would sound very stale, as it lacks dialogue. Also, they would not understand some of the emotions that this woman is going through as she partakes in the adventures of being in a different culture.
In this chapter, “Geese,” an African American woman moves from her run-down town to Japan as a means of escaping her current situation. Z.Z. Packer uses a large amount of similes and metaphors to give the readers the overall view of the interactions of this woman and the Japanese culture. The vivid details do not only describe the woman’s feelings, but show the readers the imagery that is sculpted by her words. Here are two great examples of Packer’s use of metaphors and similes. The first creates the scene of Dina and Ari sleeping in the same bed; while, the second depicts what Petra looks like after her accident.
Nevertheless, she nudged him, ran her palm against his arm, the smoothest she ever remembered touching, the hairs like extensions of liquid skin
Of course, Petra could no longer model; her face had been ripped into unequal quadrants like the sections of a TV dinner, and the stitches had been in long enough to leave fleshy, zipper-like scars in their place.
Without Z.Z. Pakcer’s use of words, the readers would find the story would sound very stale, as it lacks dialogue. Also, they would not understand some of the emotions that this woman is going through as she partakes in the adventures of being in a different culture.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Metaphor/Simile Paragraph
As I Lay Dying finished of their set with “Illusions” from their album Shadows are Security. The crowd started to move like the turbulent sea in the Perfect Storm. As the drummer continuously hit the snare, the shaggy dog on stage shook his head causing the sweat to fly of his head as he grunted into the mic.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Word of the Week #8
Scant
Source: “New Alan Wake details emerge into the cold, hard light of day”
How it was used: “New details were (unsurprisingly) scant, though we were able to glean a handful of facts from the interview.”
Definition: Scant
–adjective
1. Barely sufficient in amount or quantity; not abundant; almost inadequate: to do scant justice
2. Limited; meager; not large: a scant amount
3. Barely amounting to as much as indicated: a scant two hours; a scant cupful
4. Having an inadequate or limited supply (usually fol. by of): scant of breath
–verb (used with object)
5. To make scant; diminish
6. To stint the supply of; withhold
7. To treat slightly or inadequately
–adverb
8. Scot. and North England Dialect. Scarcely; barely; hardly
Your sentence: My interest piqued when I heard Resident Evil 5 will have an online mode. I’m definitely buying that game.
Source: “New Alan Wake details emerge into the cold, hard light of day”
How it was used: “New details were (unsurprisingly) scant, though we were able to glean a handful of facts from the interview.”
Definition: Scant
–adjective
1. Barely sufficient in amount or quantity; not abundant; almost inadequate: to do scant justice
2. Limited; meager; not large: a scant amount
3. Barely amounting to as much as indicated: a scant two hours; a scant cupful
4. Having an inadequate or limited supply (usually fol. by of): scant of breath
–verb (used with object)
5. To make scant; diminish
6. To stint the supply of; withhold
7. To treat slightly or inadequately
–adverb
8. Scot. and North England Dialect. Scarcely; barely; hardly
Your sentence: My interest piqued when I heard Resident Evil 5 will have an online mode. I’m definitely buying that game.
Word of the Week #7
Bellwether
Source: “Call of Duty 4 reaches 15 million online players”
How it was used: “It’s become a bellwether for judging modern first-person shooters, and still regularly places high in the Xbox Live activity charts.”
Definition: Bellwether
–noun
1. A wether or other male sheep that leads the flock, usually bearing a bell.
2. A person or thing that assumes the leadership or forefront, as of a profession or industry: Paris is a bellwether of the fashion industry.
3. A person or thing that shows the existence or direction of a trend; index
4. A person who leads a mob, mutiny conspiracy or the like; ringleader
Your sentence: My interest piqued when I heard Resident Evil 5 will have an online mode. I’m definitely buying that game.
Source: “Call of Duty 4 reaches 15 million online players”
How it was used: “It’s become a bellwether for judging modern first-person shooters, and still regularly places high in the Xbox Live activity charts.”
Definition: Bellwether
–noun
1. A wether or other male sheep that leads the flock, usually bearing a bell.
2. A person or thing that assumes the leadership or forefront, as of a profession or industry: Paris is a bellwether of the fashion industry.
3. A person or thing that shows the existence or direction of a trend; index
4. A person who leads a mob, mutiny conspiracy or the like; ringleader
Your sentence: My interest piqued when I heard Resident Evil 5 will have an online mode. I’m definitely buying that game.
Copy Edit the World #2
Copy Edit the World
SomethingPunk.com Punk Goes Pop 2 Review
Fearless has hit the cover song gold with this compilation. By far this is the best album of the series of Punk Goes.... From the first song with Aleasana to the last song with Attack Attack! the album keeps you dancing and singing (instead of signing) along without feeling like such a wussy. In the other albums (instead of Albums) of this series, (add comma) the creators didn't use songs that were that popular or bands that were super popular. (end sentence and capitalize this) This time they pulled out all the stops and got great bands with a unique sound to each of them. So when you put great bands with great sounds to awesome pop songs it makes for a killer album. This album is a little tougher than the other Punk Goes.... Now you can sing along with your friends in the car and even have a breakdown or two, to keep you feeling like a true hardcore kid. Even though there are many screamo, post hardcore bands on this album they make it sound amazing and put a great spin on the songs that were chosen for this album. So even if your not into the whole screaming sound or if you aren’t (instead of arent) into the singing sound, you can still listen and like this album since there is plenty of both. Make sure to listen to each song all the way through because some of the greatest parts come at the end of the song like Chiodos - Flagpole Sitta.
TechCrunch Spiceworks Adds Social Media Widgets To IT Networking Software
Spiceworks also lets users add themes and skins to the desktop, create customized user portals, and lets users drop in news widgets from RSS feeds and social networking widgets for Twitter, Digg, Facebook, and MySpace. (Take out last comma in between Facebook and MySpace)
SomethingPunk.com Punk Goes Pop 2 Review
Fearless has hit the cover song gold with this compilation. By far this is the best album of the series of Punk Goes.... From the first song with Aleasana to the last song with Attack Attack! the album keeps you dancing and singing (instead of signing) along without feeling like such a wussy. In the other albums (instead of Albums) of this series, (add comma) the creators didn't use songs that were that popular or bands that were super popular. (end sentence and capitalize this) This time they pulled out all the stops and got great bands with a unique sound to each of them. So when you put great bands with great sounds to awesome pop songs it makes for a killer album. This album is a little tougher than the other Punk Goes.... Now you can sing along with your friends in the car and even have a breakdown or two, to keep you feeling like a true hardcore kid. Even though there are many screamo, post hardcore bands on this album they make it sound amazing and put a great spin on the songs that were chosen for this album. So even if your not into the whole screaming sound or if you aren’t (instead of arent) into the singing sound, you can still listen and like this album since there is plenty of both. Make sure to listen to each song all the way through because some of the greatest parts come at the end of the song like Chiodos - Flagpole Sitta.
TechCrunch Spiceworks Adds Social Media Widgets To IT Networking Software
Spiceworks also lets users add themes and skins to the desktop, create customized user portals, and lets users drop in news widgets from RSS feeds and social networking widgets for Twitter, Digg, Facebook, and MySpace. (Take out last comma in between Facebook and MySpace)
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Mystery Character
This plump Italian plumber has a thick moustache and wears his overalls as he hops constantly to the right. He jumps around looking for mushrooms, which let him grow and gain lives, and sliding into over-sized green tubes. This heroic adventurer is constantly searching through vast worlds in search for his princess.
Bet you can't guess this mystery character.
Bet you can't guess this mystery character.
Word of the Week #6
Piquing
Source: Latest Dark Void trailer establishes story
How it was used: “You can do your own piquing (and peeking!) above.”
Definition: pique
1 verb, piqued, piqu⋅ing, noun
–verb (used with object)
1. To affect with sharp irritation and resentment, esp. by some wound to pride: She was a greatly piqued when they refused her invitation.
2. To wound (the pride, vanity, etc.).
3. To excite (interest, curiosity, etc.): Her curiosity was piqued by the gossip
4. To arouse an emotion or provoke to action: to pique someone to answer a challenge
5. Archaic. To pride (oneself) (usually fol. By on or upon).
-verb (used without object)
6. To arouse pique in someone: an action that piqued when it was meant to soothe
-noun
7. A feeling of irritation or resentment, as from a wound to pride or self-esteem: to be in a pique
8. Obsolete. A state of irritated feeling between persons.
Your sentence: My interest piqued when I heard Resident Evil 5 will have an online mode. I’m definitely buying that game.
Source: Latest Dark Void trailer establishes story
How it was used: “You can do your own piquing (and peeking!) above.”
Definition: pique
1 verb, piqued, piqu⋅ing, noun
–verb (used with object)
1. To affect with sharp irritation and resentment, esp. by some wound to pride: She was a greatly piqued when they refused her invitation.
2. To wound (the pride, vanity, etc.).
3. To excite (interest, curiosity, etc.): Her curiosity was piqued by the gossip
4. To arouse an emotion or provoke to action: to pique someone to answer a challenge
5. Archaic. To pride (oneself) (usually fol. By on or upon).
-verb (used without object)
6. To arouse pique in someone: an action that piqued when it was meant to soothe
-noun
7. A feeling of irritation or resentment, as from a wound to pride or self-esteem: to be in a pique
8. Obsolete. A state of irritated feeling between persons.
Your sentence: My interest piqued when I heard Resident Evil 5 will have an online mode. I’m definitely buying that game.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Copy Edit the World
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This page was taken from the William/Reed Corridor Business Directory. The quote is take from the owner of TK Noodle, which is on the corner of East William Street and South Eighth Street. The quote should read: "There are many regulars who say 'TK Noodle makes me feel like I am at home'."
I originally saw this picture on Joystiq. This is the cover for the upcoming game, Guitar Hero: Metallica. The background of the case lists out other bands that will be featured on the game. One of those bands, Lynyrd Skynyrd, is misspelled on the box art.
Finally, I'm not sure if this counts (her name isn't on the letter), but I received this letter from the landlord of my apartment.
So...where to start with this one. The second sentence on the first paragraph should read: Please be aware of the signs "Do not enter please." The first sentence on the second paragraph should read: "I have been informed that there are still tenants playing their loud music. This is not acceptable." The second sentence should read: "Other tenants have the right to enjoy peace and quiet." The first sentence on the third paragraph should read: "Parties party (delete the "you") must notify the manager two weeks in advance for approval." Finally, the second sentence on the third paragraph should read: "If you need to contact me about this, call me at (408) 993-0812."
Journal #2 – Media Audiences
Earlier this month, Facebook received quite a bit of publicity over the recent changes that they made to their Terms of Services. In order to give a remedy to the situation, Facebook retracted their newly made Terms of Services and decided to receive user input on any of the upcoming changes to the Terms of Services.
I did a quick search for Facebook to find any recent news on the Terms of Service. During one of their episodes of News & Notes, Tony Cox has a quick conversation with Geoffrey Bennett about the recent news in the technology world. They do a quick aside on Facebook’s changes, which lasts around 37 seconds. The conversation created helps create a relaxed situation that delivers the news informally. They quote two sources: a “consumer advocacy blog,” which I’m guessing is the Consumerist, and a statement by Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s CEO.
Jessica Vascellaro of the Wall Street Journal wrote a lengthy article on Facebook’s retraction of their Terms of Service. The article goes over more than just Facebook’s actions. It takes a look at what the new Terms of Service could have done for the company, such as utilizing user information for selling more ads and creating value for third party developers. The article also gives an overview of how Facebook’s rival, MySpace, deals with user privacy. Vascellaro gives this overview and insight into the situation by giving quotes, or statements, from seven sources, including The Consumerist, Mark Zuckerberg, Marc Rotenberg (executive director o the Electronic Privacy Information Center), Jeffrey Chest (executive director of the Center of Digital Democracy in Washington, D.C.), Barry Schnitt (Facebook’s spokesman), and MySpace.
The power of the web allows reporters to publish their stories with the immediacy that newspapers and the radio don’t have. Robin Wauters of TechCrunch posted an article about Facebook’s changes on February 17, an hour after Mark Zuckerberg posted a response to the disgruntled moans of users. The post is much shorter than the Wall Street Journal article. It includes a direct quote from the blog post that Zuckerberg did. The web also allows writers to update their posts, such as Wauter’s update with additional information from Barry Schnitt, Senior Manager of Corporate Communications and Public Policy at Facebook. The TechCrunch article resembles the print coverage, but includes information that is relevant to the technology world rather than giving background information that the general public may be interested in.
I did a quick search for Facebook to find any recent news on the Terms of Service. During one of their episodes of News & Notes, Tony Cox has a quick conversation with Geoffrey Bennett about the recent news in the technology world. They do a quick aside on Facebook’s changes, which lasts around 37 seconds. The conversation created helps create a relaxed situation that delivers the news informally. They quote two sources: a “consumer advocacy blog,” which I’m guessing is the Consumerist, and a statement by Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s CEO.
Jessica Vascellaro of the Wall Street Journal wrote a lengthy article on Facebook’s retraction of their Terms of Service. The article goes over more than just Facebook’s actions. It takes a look at what the new Terms of Service could have done for the company, such as utilizing user information for selling more ads and creating value for third party developers. The article also gives an overview of how Facebook’s rival, MySpace, deals with user privacy. Vascellaro gives this overview and insight into the situation by giving quotes, or statements, from seven sources, including The Consumerist, Mark Zuckerberg, Marc Rotenberg (executive director o the Electronic Privacy Information Center), Jeffrey Chest (executive director of the Center of Digital Democracy in Washington, D.C.), Barry Schnitt (Facebook’s spokesman), and MySpace.
The power of the web allows reporters to publish their stories with the immediacy that newspapers and the radio don’t have. Robin Wauters of TechCrunch posted an article about Facebook’s changes on February 17, an hour after Mark Zuckerberg posted a response to the disgruntled moans of users. The post is much shorter than the Wall Street Journal article. It includes a direct quote from the blog post that Zuckerberg did. The web also allows writers to update their posts, such as Wauter’s update with additional information from Barry Schnitt, Senior Manager of Corporate Communications and Public Policy at Facebook. The TechCrunch article resembles the print coverage, but includes information that is relevant to the technology world rather than giving background information that the general public may be interested in.
Word of the Week #5
Vehemently
Source: “Techcrunch are full of shit”
How it was used: “I denied it vehemently on the Techcrunch article, as did several other Last.fm staffers.”
Definition:
ve⋅he⋅ment
–adjective
1. Zealous; ardent; impassioned; a vehement defense; vehement enthusiasm
2. Characterized by rancor or anger; violent: vehement hostility
3. Strongly emotional; intense or passionate: vehement desire
4. Marked by great energy or exertion; strenuous: vehement clapping
Related forms:
ve⋅he⋅ment⋅ly, adverb
Your sentence: The judge vehemently demanded order in the court room.
Source: “Techcrunch are full of shit”
How it was used: “I denied it vehemently on the Techcrunch article, as did several other Last.fm staffers.”
Definition:
ve⋅he⋅ment
–adjective
1. Zealous; ardent; impassioned; a vehement defense; vehement enthusiasm
2. Characterized by rancor or anger; violent: vehement hostility
3. Strongly emotional; intense or passionate: vehement desire
4. Marked by great energy or exertion; strenuous: vehement clapping
Related forms:
ve⋅he⋅ment⋅ly, adverb
Your sentence: The judge vehemently demanded order in the court room.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Word of the Week #4
Scads
Source: iriver's gorgeous P7 gets itself a web address
How it was used: “Unfortunately, we’re still no closer to finding out when the iriver P7 will be available, but given that it’s now showing up on the company’s worldwide web portal alongside scads of other beautiful pieces of hardware, we’d say it’s certainly closer than before.”
Definition:
Scad1
–noun, plural (especially collectively ) scad, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species ) scads.
1. Any carangid fish of the genus Decapterus, inhabiting tropical and subtropical shore waters.
2. Any of several related carangid fishes, as of the genera Trachurus or Selar
Scad2
–noun Usually, scads.
1. Informal. A great number of quantity: scads of money.
2. Archaic. A piece of money; dollar.
Your sentence: Every Monday, I sift through the scads of articles that fill up my Google Reader over the weekend.
Source: iriver's gorgeous P7 gets itself a web address
How it was used: “Unfortunately, we’re still no closer to finding out when the iriver P7 will be available, but given that it’s now showing up on the company’s worldwide web portal alongside scads of other beautiful pieces of hardware, we’d say it’s certainly closer than before.”
Definition:
Scad1
–noun, plural (especially collectively ) scad, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species ) scads.
1. Any carangid fish of the genus Decapterus, inhabiting tropical and subtropical shore waters.
2. Any of several related carangid fishes, as of the genera Trachurus or Selar
Scad2
–noun Usually, scads.
1. Informal. A great number of quantity: scads of money.
2. Archaic. A piece of money; dollar.
Your sentence: Every Monday, I sift through the scads of articles that fill up my Google Reader over the weekend.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Telling Details
After a long day of work and school, I crossed the East Williams St. to walk towards my apartment. I reached to unclip my keys from my belt loop. The metal of the carabiner snapped back, clinking together on the silent street. My hands were freezing already and the cold steel of my keys were not helping. I turned a right at the black gates in front of our apartment that blended with the night sky. My hands shook as I jiggled the key into the hole.
I opened the door to a hallway that was just as cold as it was outside. I sighed after I closed the door. Part of my breath escaped forming a small cloud in front of my face. My hands were extended out as I walked through the dark hallway to ensure that I didn't hit the half book shelf placed on the right wall. I smiled when I reached for my door knob at the end of the hall. I could feel the heat radiating through my arms. "The heater is on."
I opened the door to a hallway that was just as cold as it was outside. I sighed after I closed the door. Part of my breath escaped forming a small cloud in front of my face. My hands were extended out as I walked through the dark hallway to ensure that I didn't hit the half book shelf placed on the right wall. I smiled when I reached for my door knob at the end of the hall. I could feel the heat radiating through my arms. "The heater is on."
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Word of the Week #3
Pundit
Source: Samsung Memoir hitting T-Mobile USA on February 25 for $249.99
How it was used: “Moreover, the video recording and TV-out features should provide even more joy in the lives of multimedia lovers, and the blink detection, anti-shake and geotagging inclusions should shake off any remaining pundits who say there’s not a “real camera” in here."
Definition:
pun⋅dit
Noun
1. A learned person, expert, or authority
2. A person who makes comments or judgments, esp. in an authoritative manner; critic or commentator
Your sentence: To the public, Twitter seemed like just another fad. However, the communications pundits saw the real value of the microblogging services.
Source: Samsung Memoir hitting T-Mobile USA on February 25 for $249.99
How it was used: “Moreover, the video recording and TV-out features should provide even more joy in the lives of multimedia lovers, and the blink detection, anti-shake and geotagging inclusions should shake off any remaining pundits who say there’s not a “real camera” in here."
Definition:
pun⋅dit
Noun
1. A learned person, expert, or authority
2. A person who makes comments or judgments, esp. in an authoritative manner; critic or commentator
Your sentence: To the public, Twitter seemed like just another fad. However, the communications pundits saw the real value of the microblogging services.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Word of the Week #2
Purveyor
Source: Does Twitter Threaten Google?
How it was used: “Moorman's analysis seems timely. Study after study indicates that readers, consumers and internet users trust the word of their peer more than the word of the purveyor.”
Definition:
pur⋅vey⋅or
Show Spelled Pronunciation [per-vey-er] Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. a person who purveys, provides, or supplies: a purveyor of foods; a purveyor of lies.
2. Old English Law. An officer who provided or acquired provisions for the sovereign under the prerogative of purveyance.
Your sentence: The tenant gave the rent to the landlord, the purveyor of his shelter, each month.
Source: Does Twitter Threaten Google?
How it was used: “Moorman's analysis seems timely. Study after study indicates that readers, consumers and internet users trust the word of their peer more than the word of the purveyor.”
Definition:
pur⋅vey⋅or
Show Spelled Pronunciation [per-vey-er] Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. a person who purveys, provides, or supplies: a purveyor of foods; a purveyor of lies.
2. Old English Law. An officer who provided or acquired provisions for the sovereign under the prerogative of purveyance.
Your sentence: The tenant gave the rent to the landlord, the purveyor of his shelter, each month.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
My Favorite Writing
I can't really say that I've ever had a favorite writing. My usual day at work starts with going through the recent technology and social media news, which interests me. There are various sites that I enjoy reading, including Mashable, TechCrunch, and Joystiq, that cover the industry that I would like to work in. Some of my favorite pieces to read are the "HOW TO" articles from Mashable.
A recent one that I bookmarked was HOW TO: Build the Ultimate Social Media Resume. These articles take relevant topics on new applications or technologies and give readers a simple, yet thorough, walk-through (kind of like an online version for Dummies). This article uses specific words that stood out to me like "personal brand." I feel that in the diminishing economy it is necessary for a person to highlight their unique skills and experiences. This article really gives the reader a sense of what tools to use and how to use them to build a social media resume.
A recent one that I bookmarked was HOW TO: Build the Ultimate Social Media Resume. These articles take relevant topics on new applications or technologies and give readers a simple, yet thorough, walk-through (kind of like an online version for Dummies). This article uses specific words that stood out to me like "personal brand." I feel that in the diminishing economy it is necessary for a person to highlight their unique skills and experiences. This article really gives the reader a sense of what tools to use and how to use them to build a social media resume.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Word of the Week #1
Veracity
Source: 16GB Samsung Omnia shows itself, other Samsung rumors surface
How it was used: “We’ve already seen some Samsung rumors start to crop up in advance of Mobile World Congress, and it looks like the flood gates have now fully opened up, with a slew of new leaks and rumors of varying veracity now making their way across the internet.”
Definition:
ve⋅rac⋅i⋅ty
Noun, plural -ties for 4.
1. Habitual observances of truth in speech or statement; truthfulness
2. Conformity to truth or fact; accuracy
3. Correctness or accuracy, as of the sense or of a scientific instrument
4. Something veracious; a truth
Your sentence: The veracity of the defendant’s statements was questioned as sweat dripped from his forehead.
Source: 16GB Samsung Omnia shows itself, other Samsung rumors surface
How it was used: “We’ve already seen some Samsung rumors start to crop up in advance of Mobile World Congress, and it looks like the flood gates have now fully opened up, with a slew of new leaks and rumors of varying veracity now making their way across the internet.”
Definition:
ve⋅rac⋅i⋅ty
Noun, plural -ties for 4.
1. Habitual observances of truth in speech or statement; truthfulness
2. Conformity to truth or fact; accuracy
3. Correctness or accuracy, as of the sense or of a scientific instrument
4. Something veracious; a truth
Your sentence: The veracity of the defendant’s statements was questioned as sweat dripped from his forehead.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
All About Me
My name is Alexander Monnéy. I am currently a fourth year student at San Jose State University and majoring in public relations. I am active in the Pearce Davies Alpha Chapter of PRSSA and hold the position of treasurer. I also work at theMIX agency, a public relations and social media strategy agency based out of San Francisco, as a communications consultant. My interests include video games, music, social media, public relations and anything high-tech.
My writing has improved through my previous classes and the experience that I have gained at work. However, I look forward to taking MCOM 100W to improve my writing through blogging and in-class assignments. I believe that this continuous writing will help me in my current job and any future professional areas of my life. Also, this class will help with other classes that I am currently taking, such as PR 190.
I look forward to get back in the swing of blogging and hope that this class will motivate me to begin my own personal blog.
My writing has improved through my previous classes and the experience that I have gained at work. However, I look forward to taking MCOM 100W to improve my writing through blogging and in-class assignments. I believe that this continuous writing will help me in my current job and any future professional areas of my life. Also, this class will help with other classes that I am currently taking, such as PR 190.
I look forward to get back in the swing of blogging and hope that this class will motivate me to begin my own personal blog.
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