trees are people too

How I wish I could say I had been frantically busy, thus excusing myself from the lack of posts, but to be perfectly honest I have been whiling away the hours before I begin my new job/career at GPYR with a mixture of boredom, excitement and pure terror.

This has, however, allowed me plenty of time to catch up on cleaning, reading and web browsing. Today’s treats are brought to you by the letter C. Keeping me entertained has been:

The beautiful creations of Heidi Kenney, as found on her My Paper Crane blog, have given me endless hours of giddiness. Discovered after I purchased some new kidrobot toys (a dire addiction, with no known cure).

Slightly sillier but just as giddy-inducing are the adventures of the Middleman by Bayat. Ejecting matter from the stomach thru the mouth (previewed below) has to be my personal fav.

Jewellery that looks like tasty tasty food (yes, it is an ongoing theme. Food + cute = smitten)

Fresh and beautiful music by new russian producer Oak. His lush tune Mongoose has him being compared to the likes of ASC, Electrosoul System and Mav, all regular features on my personal soundtrack.

http://treesarepeopletoo.com/media/Oak_-_Mongoose.mp3

Thank you to Science and Progress for bringing this track (released free of charge and hosted by etiket) to my attention. I have thoroughly rinsed and can also recommend this fine mix by Electrosoul System.

(Interesting also to me that all of these artists are using Myspace as their main websites. I thought myspace was so yesterday. I should really pay more attention.)

And finally, just for lols, the official ranking of offensive words. As the friend who directed me to it said, it’s science. So it must be real.

I am a huge advocate of remix culture, as you may have gathered. Such beautiful creations come from the mashing and mixing of other things.

Here is a fabulous case in point. Politics just got a whole lot more classy.

in my media researching I have stumbled upon the heinous. I introduce to you: Generation C. Uh-huh.

I had only just recovered from the pleasure of discovering (through research, I assure you, not personal experience :cough:) the wonderful attributes of generation y, the children of baby boomers who are all about individuality, self expression, cynicism and celebrity, and who are (were, sorry) the most technically savvy generation in history.

But apparently there is already a new generation, all strapped up and ready to supersede.

It’s not Generation Z or the internet generation, as I so foolishly thought. No, Generation C (the C stands for the Content Generation) is the new and latest generation defined by ‘by trend spotters, media commentators, technology industry observers/CEOs and semioticians‘ (now we know who is pigeonholing us).

The interesting thing about this generation is that it is less defined by its social demographics – in particular its age – and more defined by its media habits. This is outstanding – rather than a generation being defined by its habits (and media and communication playing a crucial role in this definition), media itself is now defining an entire generation. This is not about our values, our desires, our emotions (although I would like to argue they are reflected in our media usage), this is about how we access, process and disseminate information, how we communicate.

Generation C is a group that ‘creates, produces and participates in news and information in a connected, informed society’. That’s us!! Us, the prosumers. Anyone who is engaging with the digital age really falls into this category by default, and therefore Gen C spans across numerous generations. A space for all ages.

Generation C is composed of those who are literate in Web 2.0, digital media and digital networking, and those who create user generated content – which is most of us, if you have commented on a blog, submitted a video or photo to a website or contributed to a wiki.

The whole definition captures the incredible phenomenom of user generated content, websites such as youtube, wikipedia, flickr, even facebook and myspace, and the avalanche of content that consumers are producing. As noted here, Generation C needs to be able to media multi-task to survive, and we, as media practitioners, need to be spectacular at this.

So right now I am writing my blog and trying to watch TV at the same time. Genius. Well, not exactly, but you get the idea. The way media technology is advancing will change not just how we communicate, but how we interpret and create, as I discussed in a previous post about video.

In the past six months I have learned at least three new media skills, and I am applying them regularly, be it thrashing delicious, writing html or finding the record button on my phone. or the shut up and post button on my blog. I guess that makes me Gen C.

More on UGC next time, which is where I was heading with this.

As media practitioners – journalists, editors, media practitioners, even Public Relations experts – we are best equipped to debunk media myths that might come our way.

We are taught throughout our degrees (hopefully) to understand media trends, to be aware of any spin and sensationalism that goes on in media production today.

Luckily, should you have an off day upon which you might miss such deception on behalf of the media, you can of course refer to media watch (our favourite media watch dog – as they say, everyone loves it until they are on it…).

But even more entertaining is champion of truth Captain Disillusion, who is taking up news editing for the good of the people. Most entertaining, I thought.

Watch the original here. (Yes, it is for real, and yes, it is demoralising that this was considered ‘legitimate news’. Beware.)

Think you are anonymous out there? Think again.

Blogging is not for the faint hearted. At least, not if you sound like a self appreciating twat.

Max Gogarty was a 19 year old commissioned by the Guardian to blog about his adventure backpacking through India and south east asia. Unfortunately, what started as few readers disliking max’s somewhat cliched laddish avent-garde approach to the task escalated into full blown hate attacks once they discovered he had the same surname as another of the Guardian’s travel writers, Paul Gogarty. Claims of nepotism scourged forth.

Within 24 hours comments were closed on the blog as person after person got stuck into max and his (albeit) perhaps poorly planned venture into the blogosphere.

Within days it was downright scandal, with the guardian blaming the lynch-mob mentality to be found on the internet, max’s family getting involved, excerpts on wikipedia and facebook and loads of other commentary from around the world all dissecting poor little maxxy. The words ‘hate’ and ‘mail’ have taken on a new meaning for this kid.

Now poor little max has decided not to continue his media career. I’m not really sure what he was expecting. After all, as the Guardian says, comment is free. People are going to comment, and it sure ain’t always nice.

Some (mostly other Guardian writers) have argued that this proves a lack of democracy on the web, that people just want to hate, that it displays a ‘quintessentially british’ quality of wanting to destroy those who do better than you.

I would argue exactly the opposite. People had the chance to say what they felt, and say it they did. No more max.

Perhaps leaving room for a better blog? Idealistic, I know, but at least we didn’t have to listen to his drivel. (Oh max, it’s nothing personal.)

Imagine my delight when I discovered that Tay Zonday’s Chocolate Rain was available under creative commons.

I want to marry this guy. His dulcet tones make me swoon. 14 million views can’t be wrong.

But seriously, wtf is chocolate rain?

(Check out astounding remix here)

at home: National Geographic’s Strange Days on Planet Earth.
Edward Norton is the next David Attenborough. It’s beautiful, he’s dulcet and it’s free-to-air. Just a shame he pronounces it ‘Queeenzlind’.

at the movies: Sweeney Todd. I love musicals and I love Helena Bonham Carter. Johnny Depp is good too, but tbh I think she pwns him in this film. They sing all their own songs, which is lovely. Lots of goosebumps. 4.5 out of 5.

There was a screen grab here, but it’s gone now. Damn copyright. *shakes fist*

Still trying to get my head around creative commons – as sean said to me today, it’s not as simple as it looks. Just because someone says an image is creative commons, doesn’t mean it is!! See this case as an example. Watch yo’self.

By now I am sure you would have heard the news about Heath Ledger. Sad sad sad. May he RIP.

Even more tragic, however, is discovering that people like this exist out there. The Westboro Baptist Church has said they will picket Heath Ledger’s funeral due to his performance in Brokeback Mountain. Check out this abomination here.

Shock and appall are the only responses I can muster.
May they burn in the hell they seem so eager to send us all too.

or perhaps just getting really drunk and yelling at the tv screen. lucky I wasn’t there, for I would have most certainly been doused in pepper spray.

I am Janko’s new number one fan. It’s love, I think. We are even on first name basis (albeit because I cannot pronounce his surname). Even more alluring are claims that

‘he reads and rereads the works of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’

Here is a blow by blow account of his thrilling match against Federer.

can’t say I care about tennis much, but love conquers all.

(photo courtesy of mpozzobon)

Also known as a vlog, follows exactly the same format as blogs except the medium is video.

This can be a lot more engaging, and further broadens both .. check out the world’s youngest video blogger.

Hilarity, and no doubt fame, will ensue.