Map and Video (FINAL)

Continuing with the theme of the Olympics, I created a map that pinpoints the different areas that the events will take place. You can also view a youtube video that is a commercial promoting the Olympic Games by clicking on the "Opening Ceremonies" tab. Enjoy :)


View Vancouver Olympics! in a larger map

Unordered List and Hyperlink (FINAL)

The opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver took place this Friday, February 12.

The events included in the Games include:

• Alpine Skiing


• Biathlon


• Bobsleigh


• Cross-Country Skiing


• Curling


• Figure Skating


• Freestyle Skiing


• Ice Hockey


• Luge


• Nordic Combined


• Short Track


• Skeleton


• Ski Jumping


• Snowboarding


• Speed Skating

Personally, I am a big fan of the Olympics and will be watching as much as possible. Will you be tuning in to see who takes home the gold?

Embedding is Enhancing!

Today in class we learned how to embed both videos and charts/graphs into our blogs. It is really important to know how to do this because the modern day reader with a short attention span, like me, needs something visual to accompany the text. Pictures and graphs and charts give the reader a visual representation of what is either stated in the text or supplements the text to enhance the blog itself. Professor Hatch suggested using Swivel to created graphs and charts to embed into your blog. We also used Google Maps to embed a map into he blog.

Ultimately, this post would not be complete without a map/chart or video, so below I posted a map indicating the distance from my hometown Short Hills, New Jersey to D.C. And as a treat, you can view a video of a fire that took place a few blocks from my house during winter break :). You can find that video in the Short Hills pinpoint. Enjoy.



View NJ - DC in a larger map

Swivel Chart

Embedding a Map

View AU Destinations in a larger map

Visual Storytelling: The Power of Photojournalism

Friday's class excited my interest because so much is left open to interpretation in photography. There are different avenues that the photographer can take to achieve a stellar shot but also a lot of factors to be aware of such as:

*Lighting

*Framing

*The Foreground + Background

*Empty Space

*Focus

But if the photographer captures the photo in a way that evokes emotion from the audience, the goal was fulfilled.

When searching for an Audio Slideshow online, I came across one titled Israeli Forces Attack Gaza Strip, from the Associated Press, that caught my attention. I would like to warn anyone who is squeamish or cannot handle the sight of blood that this slideshow contains a few photos that are disturbing.

Professor Hatch talked about how it is so important in photography to anticipate what is going to happen, and I believe this presentation embodies what he means by this. The shots of the explosions and of the people could not have been captured without anticipating. The photographer's timing was impeccable when it came to capturing the shot of the gun firing and the shots of the people in motion.

Each photo takes into consideration what is going on in the WHOLE scene. When the background is apparent and in focus, it is because it adds to the setting and enhances the photograph. Every decision is made for a particular reason. It is doubtful that the photographer just happened upon these shots, but rather thought them through and had an idea in mind on wither how to frame them or when to take them, to get the best possible picture. Each photo portrays something different that, when put together in such a sequence, creates this powerful story that is both thought-provoking and visually appealing.

Will the Apple iPad Sink or Swim?

The much anticipated Apple iPad was revealed yesterday, January 27th. Larger than an iPhone yet smaller than a laptop, the Apple iPad is a tablet computer that features interaction with print, photo, video, and audio multimedia as well as internet browsing. Despite all of the criticism it is receiving for both its name and lack of certain features, I believe that the iPad will ultimately be successful because, let's be honest, Apple is basically the King Midas of the technology industry. Everything it touches turns to gold. The product is mainly targeted to people who already own Apple products, so I believe that given the choice of a Kindle (one of the iPad's major competitors) of an iPad, many people who already own iProducts will go for the iPad. Only time will tell whether the tablet actually sinks or swims, but judging by Apple's dominance in the technology industry, I think it's safe to say that the iPad will be another successful product.

Personally, I won't be go out running out and buying an iPad anytime soon because I don't think anything can replace a traditional keyboard and I do not feel that the iPad is an adequate replacement for a laptop computer. My thought may translate to society, however I feel that more people will adapt to it and welcome the iPad with open arms. Something that may either help or hurt the Amazon Kindle in this situation is that it is simple. It's an e-reader, that's it's purpose. The iPad on the other hand has e-reader capabilities and much more. Sometimes less is more and maybe people will find that the iPad is too complicated and there is too much going on and they would prefer the single-purpose feature of a Kindle, but when given this choice I feel people will want that little bit extra that the iPad has to offer.

So, are you anxious to get your hands on a new Apple iPad or is it just an oversized iPhone that really doesn't have a chance to succeed?

An Introduction to Blogging

In Chapter 5 of Journalism 2.0, we read about how to blog and the fundamentals of blogging. One of the most important notes about blogging I think that this reading highlighted is that blog posts should be SHORT. It is very true that people have short attention spans and one way to catch someone's attention and to have your ideas read or listened to is to not have your blog be too long. My favorite online blog is Anderson Cooper's AC360 blog. I think that it is formatted in a way that it is easy to read, the posts aren't too long, and the photos and videos provided really complement the writing. For me, the page looks really clean and is easy to navigate because there is no clutter and it is very simple to understand. This is key because if the reader cannot simply understand how to navigate the page or there is too much on the page and it becomes overwhelming, they will simply continue on to another blog. You can check this blog out at http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/blog/. The New York Times also has a blog for my hometown which is formatted very similarly to Anderson Cooper's blog. You can see it at http://maplewood.blogs.nytimes.com/.

Something else interesting I found in the reading was how they mentioned that bloggers should post everyday. I think if you can post something everyday, then by all means, go ahead, but I do not think it is necessary for a personal blog. A professional blog has a responsibility to post everyday, but something that you do on your own time should be flexible and you should not be bound by restrictions to get a post in. If you are creating a personal blog, you should be able to post something as you feel necessary. If there is something you want to get off your chest, blog about it. The point I'm really trying to make is that it shouldn't be as scheduled as the reading makes it sound.

If anyone has any other comments about what you look for in a blog or what you like about any blogs in particular let me know in the comments section.