enlightenedembellishment-blog1

[enlightenedembellishment-blog1]

Monologue of The Night Owl

The Night has come, and now it is gone/

the morning breath reaches in the lung/

Yet again the Night keeps my eyes open/

constant thought. Mind awoken/

I see much more in the Night, than day can offer/

Visions of the core of that which prospers/

I like awake, with visions of grandeur/ 

the day has arrived, and now I slumber.

[enlightenedembellishment-blog1]

What We See May Not Be What Is Real

Knowledge of what is reality and fiction may be more complex than previously interpreted. Our lives that we live, breathe, and die for may just be the work of a highly sophisticated system. Our construct of reality is based upon our senses such as sight, smell, etc; but our senses can only explain very little of the world we reside in. Our senses our only efficient for the survival of the body, not to understand what the world truly is. In fact, our senses are poor compared to the various animals that reside beside us such as the mantis shrimp, which can see nine more colors than we can. Or the many ways animals use echolocation to pin point their prey and navigate the world around them. With this fact in mind, there is much more than what meets the eye as far as our existence is concerned. 

Many theologies teach that the true self is not the body, but the conscientiousness we all have is what is real despite not being measurable. Our essence, for lack of a better term, is what makes our world view and how we interact with the world. Science will say the the balance of chemicals in the body makes our reality and how we perceive the world. It seems that both science and theology meet at a crossroads that may convince the two to take each others words as stepping stones to reach the real question that will get the desired answer.

The simulation is the world in which we navigate through during the waking hours of our life. We could even venture to say that we are apart of a simulation inside a simulation. I know it sounds like the movie Inception, but what if that is the case. Our universe may be the simulation of a grand architect that has plans for sentient life through the process of ascension through the different levels of reality. The ascension process is conveyed through religion or spiritual teachings that mankind has devised over centuries. The second layer of simulation would be our own ways of society. We simulate our own existence with the use of law and order based on fictitious lines on maps, doctrines devised for those bordered lands, and the promotion of ideals that in essence, mean something to the masses, but nothing to the few who are not “under” the system devised by them. This simulation is easier to see and break away from because it is man made and we as men/women can see through it, yet we still participate. Participation in the second layer of simulation is what gives it fire to burn, but if we as people deny that way of life the simulation would cease to exist.

 The major simulation is a complex network that even scientists shudder at the evidence provided. The truth that this world is not the true reality. What is certain in this life is, that we are powerful as individuals and are capable of creating great things with the reality we are placed in. So great, that we can make mock simulations while inside one. If we use our gifts wisely, we can not only lift ourselves out of this false simulation (Societal sim.), but also begin to participate in the simulation that we are born to complete. Many go on to live shallow lives, without the substance of self worth and true accomplishment. I do not have all the answers to attain the satisfaction of living the true life destined, but I do believe that this world is not the end of my existence, and  the system mankind is flawed and in dire need of repair. 

[enlightenedembellishment-blog1]

The Human Condition

As I see it, we human beings are so complex yet simple. We make monumental achievements but fall from grace as quickly as we achieve it. The world is stuck in a crux of what is old and what is new. We live in a society that wants progression, but the habits of old still plague our road to progress. We all wish the same thing which is security and happiness, yet we trample all over everyone else who view differently. 

World peace and the end of world hunger is possible and within reach but it’s as if human beings hold themselves back with the laws of the land and political bias. What is naturally good seems to take a back seat for ones own gain. I believe that if we are to advance as a race we must meld together as one collective. Forget about subtle differences such as race, gender, political view and just be.

So many have come and revealed the true way of life we should live, but we burn them at the stake because of “radical thought”. Maybe a dose of radical is what man kind needs. As a species we seek the next great venture, the next achievement that will carry us further in understanding but before this can happen, we must stop the fighting that is among ourselves. I believe the human condition is man made trials and tribulations and no one is living a true human experience. Man wasn’t made to be under the heel of another. Man wasn’t made to be stuck in a cubical for the remainder of their adult lives. I believe that the true human experience lies in freedom and discovery. All of mankind seeks to “do” and create whatever passions that inspire them. 

Democracy is key to achieve this but socialism is a need as well. A new society must arise to combat our current situation that creates the “Have and have nots”. Of course there will be citizens who don’t aspire for anything, but no one deserves to be homeless, left without healthcare, or unable to achieve the life they feel worth living. Everyone’s passion should be considered as a profession and not met with mockery. 

The human condition is duplicitous at best and must come to a collective understanding of oneness. With all thoughts on one accord much more is capable. Every nationality brings a facet to the diamond that is mankind and we have much to learn form one another. I may not know the road to get there, but I do believe we all can agree that this current way of life is not what mankind truly desires, hence our human condition. 

[enlightenedembellishment-blog1]

climate change is real

The Truth about Climate Change

           Many don’t understand that climate change is not just an issue that is about local weather, but the temperature of the planet as a whole. With global temperature increasing, weather is more aggressive and sea levels rise due to melting glaciers. To combat this trend, politicians and lobbyist debate this topic of discussion, but little is done about the issue. Scientific evidence proves that the threat of climate change is real and policies need to be in place to make a true difference.

Studies performed by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, depicts the shrinkage of our glaciers across the world.

PNAS data gathered from over 30 years of research, stating “…the rate of loss has been accelerating recently; this suggest that it is more than just a simple adjustment to the end of an “anomalous” Little Ice Age, as some have claimed.”

Since the rapid use of fossil fuels around the world, greenhouse gases have caused the glaciers to decrease in size, and in turn, effect sea levels across the globe.

The climate “trend” is showing that the global temperature is rising without sign of slowing down anytime soon.  Neil Tyson Degrasse, esteemed astrophysicist claims that the carbon dioxide we produce traps more sunlight than necessary and makes the greenhouse effect detrimental to our climate.  He states that “ 30 billion tons of CO2 is being added to our atmosphere every year”.

With this excess amount of CO2 our atmosphere, the climate not only gets hotter, but winters become colder and weather patterns become highly irregular.

To refute this evidence, Senator Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, makes his case by stating that “the jury says2014 has been the warmest year on record… here is a snow ball just from outside here. It’s very, very cold here.”

This evidence, coupled with other republican senator and governor doubts, has made little to no impact on the fight to keep greenhouse gas emissions lower but has made matters worse. By belittling the threat without obscene evidence against their claims, the government is still at a stand-still in regards to making changes in emission control or energy usage deemed favorable for the environment.

Scientist still fight to make their points clear about climate change, but without a catastrophe being imminent, a change in politics isn’t happening.

William Nye, commonly known as Bill Nye the science guy, makes claims that climate change wouldn’t be an issue if fossil fuels became obsolete and a mass shift to renewable energy such as solar, wind, and water, would make a whole 180 degree turn. Nye states that “This change would make the climate normalized by 2030”.  

This overwhelming evidence that science brings to the table isn’t enough for politicians to make the change. With the support of the people, more pressure can be added to the government to rectify their judgements and make a better plan to normalize the weather and defend the environment.

[enlightenedembellishment-blog1]

Media Literacy and its effect on youth

Introduction 

Every day the world as we know it becomes more digitized and social-media-centric. Information can be accessed with one tap or click and is constantly filtered throughout our days’ timelines. While the internet proves to be an unprecedented resource for those reasons, it is also a cesspool for misinformation. With content streaming non stop, false information spreads like wildfire and is often shared without hesitation. Much of that sharing phenomenon is done so with good intentions, but too often is it the case that people simply cannot recognize whether the information they are viewing and sharing is false, misinformed, fabricated, or exaggerated. This begs the question of how to teach people media literacy or, in other words, to understand, identify, analyze, and avoid misinformation. Perhaps one solution lies within public high schools and, more specifically, English classes.

Defining the problem/background

Media literacy is more important now than it has ever been before. Today, technology allows for anyone to generate information that the masses view. This doesn’t seem like a problem until false information is taken as hard facts. Instances of false information come in the form of online tabloids that simply want to generate views and don’t care about the validity of the statements made. Other forms of “fake news” are also found in mainstream media. Evidence of this comes from the shocking results of the presidential campaign despite all the news feeds hailing Hillary Clinton the victor  before the election ended. Fake news is a pervasive entity in our current society because of a lack of knowledge in media literacy as a whole and overall misunderstanding of how to critically analyze information. Media literacy is also key in the evolving career opportunity that is growing as fast as technology. Without proper knowledge of different media, opportunity for selection in certain fields won’t be available. By educating the youth in technology that will be utilized, it allows for a capable individual to handle different tasks that may confront them in the future.

Recommendation 

As essential as media literacy is to everyone today, only two states currently have media literacy requirements in place for high schools, though some integrate the teachings at their own discretion. According to an organization called Media Literacy Now, Florida and Ohio have officially implemented requirements for their students to demonstrate proficient skills in media literacy. Both states grant their school districts freedom on how to do this, which means that they are free to integrate the skills into existing courses. This allows schools and educators to decide how and where these lessons would fit in best for their student body. Following this style, we are proposing that Michigan high schools should integrate teachings in media literacy to existing English courses. English courses are required for all students to graduate and encompass many of the ideas that we would like to incorporate in teaching media literacy. According to Armada High School English teacher Michael Becker, “on a daily class level, it’s pretty easy to shift and amend as long as it fits in some way to the already established curriculum. If I wanted to shift all of the curriculum or add a new class, it’s a pretty lengthy bureaucracy. Lots of proposals, paperwork, meetings, etc.” Though we are choosing to implement the curriculum into existing English courses, freedom will be granted to each educator in how they choose to deliver the information.

Rather than providing a strict curriculum that cost large sums of money and time, we will provide a list of skills in which students will have to demonstrate proficiency. National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) proposed the following list of skills in which we anticipate this program resulting: basic knowledge of how to utilize technology, ability to create and share media on a global level, ethical analysis of media, and management and analysis of many modes of media at once.

To analyze the resulting proficiency, we propose that skills be evaluated in existing SAT testing. Two existing sections of the test could integrate the listed skills: reading as well as writing and language. According to The Princeton Review, the reading section is currently a 65 minute section comprised of 52 multiple choice questions regarding literature, natural and social science, historical documentation and more. The writing and language section is a 35 minute section made up of 44 multiple choice questions focusing on topics such as grammar, vocabulary, writing analysis and more. Both sections of the exam have aspects of our desired skills and we feel that integrating some media literacy content would not drastically alter the test but simply enhance its already established goals.

To provide teachers with the necessary tools to teach their students, we propose to integrate the skills into professional development days that are already taking place. Much of the content already provided to English educators could be used in the context of media literacy. For example, when learning about the ethical analysis of media, this could be integrated in ethical analysis of existing literature already present in the curriculum. We anticipate that this integration of media literacy and existing English content would not add large amounts of time to the professional development days. These days of professional development are already incorporated in the education budget, and would not require any additional funding. For the content that will be added to the professional development days, there are many free online resources specifically made for educating of teachers. As previously mentioned, Media Literacy Now is one of these resources. Their free presentations span a wide variety of topics within the realm of media literacy. Some of these include basics of copywriting, analysis of propaganda, using a smartphone, digital authorship, understanding cultural differences through media, and more. This is not the only free source of these lesson plans, making this plan essentially free and easily accessible.

However, there are positives and negatives to every policy, and this one is no different. The biggest positive aspect of this proposal is the fact that the lessons students will receive accurately mirror everyday life. Technology is essentially integrated into every facet of life: work, school, fitness, shopping, social interaction, etc. Being media literate will allow for success in all of these areas as well as enhance critical thinking skills. Our proposal will also close the gap in education levels between school districts. The establishment of standard skill levels across every school district will allow for every student to receive the same, necessary education. On the other hand, integrating media literacy in standardized curriculum does not come without its challenges such as preparing educators for the changes. Since staff are able to choose how to add the content to their courses, they will have to make changes to their current lesson plans. Lesson plan development is already a duty of the job and is therefore funded, but this could potentially be a difficult task. This also poses problems for professional development days. Media literacy content needs to be integrated into these existing days. The integration requires time and effort, which is a potential flaw in the proposal. Another potential problem is the attainment of technology for the classroom. It can not be assumed that every classroom in Michigan has equal amounts of technological tools. Although each teacher will have the ability to convey the lessons in ways they choose, technological tools are an essential part of this. Some school districts may not have the tools to teach as the educators see fit. Regardless of these potential problems, we believe that the proposal laid out is the best and most cost effective and efficient way to educate high school students on media literacy.

Proposal Alternatives 

Some districts may find it difficult to add material to already established professional development days. An alternative to doing so includes some type of online training or classes for teachers to take when it is most convenient for them. This offers even more leniency and flexibility to the incorporation of media literacy into curricula in that teachers have discretion even in learning how to teach it. However, by removing media literacy from the professional development days, districts must find ways to make teachers accountable for completing those online courses. Possible solutions include paying them time-and-a-half upon completion, offering incentives that remain within budget boundaries, or simply paying hourly wages for the time it takes to complete courses. The average annual salary of public school teachers, according to the Detroit Free Press, was $61,560 as of 2012. It is up to individual districts to decide how they will ensure that their teachers take those online trainings should they chose that alternative.

Ethical Analysis 

In analyzing the ethical ramifications of this decision, we must look at this under two possibilities: if it were to continue being a neglected subject and if media literacy were to become required.

Looking at this issue under the first terms, we are looking at the question of what effect this could have. The people who would gain the most from this are the people who cannot afford community college or university classes and are thus deprived of critical media consumption skills. So these people are more easily persuaded by media sources and, in some cases, could more easily be dissuaded from political involvement and establishing an unbiased world-view. This could have detrimental effects on their ability to navigate the world of jobs and cultural progress through limiting the skills that they could gain by understanding the wealth of information available for free over the internet. Also because no one would need to appeal to this audience except as a source of viewers for advertisers, their voice is lost in public discourse.

Looking at the possibility of providing this service to students, we run into various obstacles. For one, standardized testing has proved a hindering factor in teaching students necessary information. Because standardized testing is focused on testing the natural ability that is assumed to be translatable in areas of college study, students aren’t tested on the necessary information. This must be considered because teachers, not students, have the largest incentive for excelling. Teacher’s salaries and promotions improve based on average test scores, so “teaching from the test” is, at times, the most common practice. If Michigan is to establish a media literacy curriculum, one of the most important factors should be either further research on how this area of study could be translated to improving SAT scores, or toward lobbying national testing corporations to include areas of study like this on their tests.

And while this could provide better opportunities for low-income students, this would increase the stress felt by teachers. Thus what should be considered is using this as a replacement rather than as an addition to a certain weak point in Michigan curriculum.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, media literacy is essential to a student’s success in any career path and should be a required set of skills taught early on in their education, preferably in high school. Learning to understand, identify, and analyze media and their content will equip students with crucial critical thinking skills which they can implement and execute in all situations. The values and goals present in high school English classes, which are required for students to graduate, resonate with those of desired media literacy courses, so there is perhaps no better alternative subject in which to implement them. We have proposed that media literacy material and how to deliver it be introduced to teachers during already established professional development days so as not to dent budgets too greatly. Flexible media literacy curricula can also be easily accessed online and thus implemented into existing curricula at the discretion of teachers. With the digital age becoming increasingly saturated and inclusive, it is thus crucial that students be taught how to navigate through it, regardless of how school districts choose to do so.

Annotated Bibliography

Tanner , Kristi. Database: How much do Michigan teachers get paid. Detroit Free Press, 2014

This source was chosen because it provided statistics that are pertinent our policy. Knowing how much annual salary that teachers are paid in Michigan can allow our financial plan work well with money already allocated for education and supplies. This article also provided trends in the salary and what possible changes could be made in the future.  The  trends of the market have fluctuated and with these statistics one can measure a safe budget.

Wyman-Blackburn, Steven. Getting Literal about media Literacy in K12

This article provided great information about fake news and the use of fake news in the media weather it was intentional or not. This article provided efforts that have been made to approach media literacy in schools. The article provided an explanation about how certain districts combat just listening to what media tells you and making a sound educated decision through researching facts using media as a tool. This document can give great cues to combat illiteracy in media and give students the ability to make critical thinking second nature.

Media Literacy Now, Inc. 2015

This source was used because we needed to find various ways to incorporate media literacy. Media Literacy now offers a multitude of  options to teach. The organization provides links to different types of media such as radio and writing. Consortium’s  and libraries are also available. WIth these resources we were able to gather sound and effect tools that would make great accommodations to teach students.

Olshan, Jeremy. “Rich kids use the Internet to get ahead, and poor kids use it mindlessly.” 2015

Simply put, this article hits in the direction on why we believe media literacy is key in schools. By looking at resources provided for children and access to internet shows how younger individuals use media. The article speaks on the unfair advantage that wealth provides and when the opportunity to use the same resources arise such as smartphones and computers, they are used differently. Not only does this article provide truth to our statements but it also allows us to focus what should be the main goal is being successful in our policy.

TPR Education Holdings, LLC. 2017

In order to make good decisions on how testing should go, this source was use to figure out how testing works. This web source provided clear changes in testing and also showed the the value and way the tests are structured. By analyzing this data we can construct a way to make our recommendation and add new standards to testing without being redundant and ill effective. Also by looking at  this blueprint, we also brainstormed on new ways that testing could be administered besides just pencil and paper.

38 percent of 2014 high school graduates enrolled in college were in labor force in October 2014 : The Economics Daily. (2015, April 20). Retrieved April 17, 2017

Bureau of Labor Statistics Article “38 percent of 2014 high school graduates enrolled in college were in labor force October 2014.” This article showed the proportion of high school graduates that were not enrolled in college at 72.7. This datum was important in understanding the size of high school graduates that would be unable to gain media literacy knowledge through college instruction and thus would never be able to gain this knowledge through instruction.

Jerold, Craig. “Teach to the Test? Just say no.” 2006.

This article describes the rampancy of “teaching to the test” or specifically instructing students on how to take a standardized test rather than teaching necessary skills. Since this is such a common practice, it was thought that making attempts to change the skills on the test to better fit necessary life skills would help cement the information for students.

[enlightenedembellishment-blog1]

Here is a brief interview with an esteemed realtor with 15 years of knowledge in real estate, and will talk about her experiences with redlining in real estate

[enlightenedembellishment-blog1]

The Progress since Ossian Sweet’s Trial

Redlining is Alive and Well

We have come a long way in history regarding legislation and the treatment of minorities, but the stigma of the past still continues today. The trial that started equality in housing was due to Ossian Sweet, a leading black physician whose home was attacked by a mob of local white citizens.

Simply for living in a predominately white neighborhood.

Image provided by Landmark Hunter

The History

image provided by DailyJSTOR.org

Sweet was familiar with racial tension in the south but did not assume the same would greet him when he arrived to Detroit, Michigan. Leaving Florida during The Great Migration, a time period in the 20th century where many Black Americans left the south to flee Jim Crow laws, he stayed on the corner of Garland and Charlevoix.

Making a physician salary, Sweet wanted better housing and wouldn’t miss the chance to move in since the couple currently there was interracial. Sweet was warned but still wanted to chance it and prepared his move accordingly. He notified the police incase things turn for the worse but did not receive the warmest welcoming and assumed he would not get assistance.

Ossian and several family members traveled to the house armed to the teeth, ready to defend themselves from hostile groups that didn’t want them in the neighborhood.

That evening, a mob gathered at the residence and police officials remained silent about the matter. Once stones were pelted at the house, shots were fired out the 2nd story window injuring Eric Hougberg, and killing Leon Breiner. After the shooting, police rushed the home and arrested the family. The case made it to Supreme Court and the final ruling was that all individuals arrested in the dispute were acquitted of all charges.

Results

The results of this case lead to the FHA Act, which reformed the dynamics of civil rights regarding housing. Redlining, block busting, and discrimination of any kind is forbidden and is punishable through financial penalties and may also lead to prison time. This was a major move forward in legislation but the pen and law are much faster than the mindset derived from such practices.

Redlining Today

Today we live in a more social justice driven society where the youth are more inclined to be inclusive of multiple ethnic groups but the youth are not actively buying real estate. As a real estate agent, majority of my clientele are as young as 30 and can be as old as 85. The older demographic of my job still hold many stereotypes derived from the unfair practices of redlining. The law requires me to be transparent to races and not influence my client’s decision to purchase or sell in certain neighborhoods due to race or gender.

I always encourage my clients to cast a wide net to look for their best investment which could very well be in minority majority neighborhoods such as Southfield, Detroit, and Dearborn. This doesn’t bother minority clients as much as it does my Caucasian clients. Most clients I attempt to introduce to these types of neighborhoods, the question of race always comes into play. By law, I am to remain silent about the ethnic make up of a given neighborhood and I will refrain from speaking about the ethnic background in a given area.

Older white citizens are prone to shy away from these types of neighborhoods due to the poverty that surrounds really great neighborhoods. The only instance where a white client would buy property in these types of neighborhoods, is if they are wealthy investors that want to control the M1 rail district or downtown, where younger whit citizens are starting to flock to instead of the traditional suburbs of Royal Oak, W. Bloomfield, Birmingham and other areas with predominantly white citizens.

Detroit is as diverse as it is segregated. The mind set of redlining is still alive and well but I do believe things are making a turn with today’s youth and my generation, who don’t see race as controversial as older generations before us.

[enlightenedembellishment-blog1]

Writing and Editing

I remember my first life changing experience coming in the form of music when I was 13 years old. I was in band since 5th grade but always struggled with the fear of performing in front of large forums of people. Everyone I knew s class couldn’t wait to go to high school and get involved in marching band. I was always skeptical of participating but Terrell convinced me to join after heavy debating. One day a letter arrived to my door announcing when the rehearsals would take place and I took my chances and joined the marching band. From that moment on, I was in love with the energy and passion that came along with marching band. I gained confidence, earned scholarships and toured the country all thanks to me facing fears pursuing my goals.

ReWrite

My first life changing experience came to me in middle school and still sticks with me to this day as one of the most  life-changing events I’ve experienced. In middle school, I was already in band and enjoyed playing music, but I had fears of large crowds and performing under pressure. My friend Terrell always told me that marching band was the next step and it would be the best thing for me get over my anxiety to perform. I debated with him all semester but he convinced me to join when we get to Southfield-Lathrup High. I received a letter telling me when the rehearsals would take place, and Terrell called and asked if I was still coming. Swallowing my fears I went to rehearsal and was immersed in the joy of music. Power chords from trombones, delicate melodies from woodwinds and the passion derived from perfection allowed me to overcome my fears, travel the country and get an education. I will never forget my first time stepping into a marching band rehearsal and where that moment took the rest of my life.

In writing this story, I first began with a bare bones experience of drafting it and wanted to add the most important details without giving my description of my true emotions. After looking at my first draft I soon realized that my own experience didn’t shine through. Redrafting the assignment I think, I’ve captured the things that made me love music and why I am changed for the better.

[enlightenedembellishment-blog1]

DIGITAL ETHNOGRAPHY: TWITCH, OVERWATCH AND IT’S MOST POPULAR STREAMER.

MARCH 29, 2017

Content also available via my team member’s blog https://efogs.wordpress.com/

Understanding the Twitch community

In today’s age, video games have become more mainstream and considered less of a “nerd” hobby. The recent shift from gaming on consoles like PS4 and Xbox One to PC gaming has help shape a new online communities where gamers meet and watch other gamers. The combination of both the mainstream idea video games and the shift to PC gaming helped birth the primarily  video game broadcasting service known as Twitch.tv. The study of Twitch as a digital meeting place for different gaming communities allows the exploration into live-stream gameplay. Each full of their own quirks, phrases and memes that make their identity different  from other communities on Twitch. Twitch separates these different gaming communities in the most logical way, separating broadcasters by video game. This enables the viewers to pick specific content they wish to view, which is often game they enjoy watch and or playing.Once they pick the video game they want to watch they are redirected to the broadcasters that are playing the game, most entertaining broadcasters often making the top of the list. Twitch is unique in regards to how it is navigated but holds the same features that a video based site would offer such as YouTube. Twitch, however, differs from YouTube due to the content of broadcasts being mostly video games, with a few exceptions.

To gather research on communities found on Twitch,  based my research solely on observation of the types of behavior displayed on multiple channels. I chose to observe as a third party viewer because actually participating in conversation would be at the cost of subscribing to the channels. My partner, who is more invested in the Twitch community, is subscribed to channels and gathered more peer to peer research while I observed behavior. My secondary evidence to support my observations, was gathered on YouTube. YouTube gives recorded footage of the conversations that have taken place live in the past and most Twitch channels forward their videos to their channel on YouTube. This wealth of knowledge coupled with my partner’s in depth resources, gave a clear picture of the reality that is the Twitch community.

The digital gathering place inside Twitch

The digital hub of the Twitch community gathers during live gameplay is simply known as Twitch Chat.The chat which is displayed to the right of the game being streamed is exclusive to the broadcasters stream and is only visible when watching a specific broadcasters stream. This creates communities that are tightly knit where people interact with the broadcaster and individuals in the chat also interact with one another.  What is also observed is  the activities that occur are much similar to if the people in chat were sitting on a couch in the same room as the broadcaster. The communication between viewers  is achieved through the chatroom side scroller which can be riddled with anything from gameplay instructions given to the gamer currently streaming to someone being a troll (An annoying member of digital society). The language used is generally the jargon used by most teens and young adults which includes but isn’t limited to: profanity, shoutouts, use of stickers and thumbnails, cheers, and nothing is formal. Common abbreviations such as LOL, GTG, and other forms of chatroom/text language are used but there are also terms that are used exclusively by gamers being used such as “tryhard”, scrub, a casual, noob and weeb, for example. These terms are commonly used in a joking or derogatory fashion. The user that everyone is watching play the game, is also being updated live as well with all the comments posted in the chatroom, as well as new subscribers and donations. The only voice of verbal communication is the user playing the game and will regularly respond to the chat room in the middle of game play. This creates a type of call and response that is much quicker than other broadcasting services like Twitch and sets it apart from other services; which generally have most of its content pre-recorded and then subscribers comment with each other and to the channel maker, creating a delayed discussion. The use of live commentary makes a more intimate experience for the viewers and allows the broadcaster to have conversation with the viewers in real time.

The origins of Twitch

Broadcasting video games is a relatively new idea, according to Mike Rose of gamasutra.com Twitch originated as a site called Justin.tv. Justin.tv was originally used as a broadcasting service that allows streaming of everything except defamation, pornography and copyright violations. When the creators realized that their service was primarily being used for video games they created Twitch.tv in June of 2011. In 2014 the owners of Twitch and Justin.tv combined the two into Twitch Interactive. Twitch now allows people to broadcast hobbies like cooking, drawing and instrument playing; but the content is still dwarfed by video game content.

The digital artifacts created through the community

Being a live stream oriented community, most of the digital artifacts created are unique to each channel. Generally coming in the form of memes or gifs, only the most popular of streamers have artifacts that reach the mainstream gaming community. The most notable to date is Kappa. It was used by so many broadcasters that Kappa, which is an emoji exclusive to Twitch.tv is often used outside of the site. When someone uses the word kappa they are implying sarcasm or trolling depending on the context. Rituals that make Twitch unique are community of people are meeting on chat rooms during live gameplay. It is an inherent ritual to Twitch as a whole, which capitalizes on the here and now nature of content. Since the content is live, all comments made are in the now and it creates a sense of urgency to have everyone watch and join in as well. Common celebrations that are identified in Twitch vary from game to game but much of them are centered around in-game achievements, funny moments or mistakes that the players watch.“Rage quiting” is a humorous instance of a player getting so frustrated with the gameplay that they freak out and quit the game or break devices that make it impossible to play the game at the moment such as T.V.s, monitors, and controllers.

The dark side of Twitch community

The dangers that exist in digital communities are not just localized to the computer/phone screen, but also in real life. People have gone to extreme lengths to make streamers pay for revealing something as simple as their address. Many major streamers will have not just their gameplay displayed but also their actual selves being recorded as well. This has led to subscribers observing streamers to call the police on streamers. The most sinister viewers have called the police to report fictional actions of the broadcasters saying they are making bombs or holding someone hostage and many have been “swatted” which live streams the police raiding the gamers home and searching the house. When swatted, it is usually as an act of revenge or just simply for laughs. Raids rarely put the streamer in harm but sometimes the police officers uncover substances like marijuana and inadvertently get the streamer arrested. Most members of the community find swatting unethical and most broadcasters are smart enough to know not to reveal their home address.

Looking at Twitch’s most famous Overwatch broadcaster

Now that Twitch has been explained to even the most unaware about Twitch, it is time to for an indepth look at one of the more popular broadcasters in the Twitch community. MoonmoonOW is a broadcaster that began streaming video games in April of 2016. Shortly after the video-game Overwatch was released. The game which is a online multiplayer first-person shooter remains today as one of the top five most broadcasted games on Twitch. One could argue that without Overwatch, Moonmoon would not be the famous broadcaster that he is today. To understand the ways of popularity on Twitch only two basic concepts apply, the broadcaster is either highly skilled at a game or has a good personality and is able to entertain. Of course broadcasters can be a little of both but must be at least one to be successful. Moonmoon meets both of those criteria as both a highly talented Overwatch player and a very funny broadcaster.

Moonmoon’s community and digital artifacts

Shortly after Moonmoon began streaming he became one of the most popular Overwatch streamers on Twitch, this allowed him to get a subscriber button. The subscriber button allows his followers to say “ I find you entertaining, here is $5.00 to help pay for you to keep entertaining me. A lot of the time when someone gets a subscriber button they make streaming video games their full-time job. In Moonmoon’s case he followed this practice. Moonmoon streams video games 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and resumes at 10 p.m. to stream until 3 a.m. Monday through Friday. Essentially it is a full time job. There are other perks that come with a subscriber button both broadcaster and subscriber related. One of these perks are subscriber only emotes. Emotes which are Twitch’s version of emojis are exclusive to subscribers of certain broadcasters but can be used in any Twitch chat. Depending on the amount of subscribers one has the broadcaster can have dozens of emotes. In Moonmoon’s case he has 47 emotes. The emotes are typically used to troll, talk about something happening in game or when Moonmoon mentions a certain emote the chat spams it in response. Moonmoon’s most notable emote is purple lady Also known as moon2smug, the emote depicts the character Widowmaker which is one of the characters in Overwatch. Moonmoon has an emote for every Overwatch character but any of the Widowmaker ones are most commonly used in his chat. Other Overwatch broadcasters have created their own variations of the meme as well, Moonmoon calls this jokingly “trickle-down memenomics”.

Memes and Moonmoon

Memes are a big part of Moonmoon’s stream, his comical personality has created several phrases throughout the Overwatch community which are used when people communicate and troll when they are actually play Overwatch themselves. One of the notable sayings is, “Is that a pro Genji?”, Genji which is a character that is hard to master is often picked by people that can’t play him. As a joke people often say “Is that a pro Genji?” and this phrase was crafted by Moonmoon. Another saying that emerged from Moonmoon’s broadcasts is calling people dad. Most notably saying “Kdad” or “Thanks dad” people call each other dad when someone is telling someone how to play the game or if they are raging in the game of Overwatch.

Subscribing to MoonMoon

There are other perks to subscribing to Moonmoon as well, for example you get access to his discord server which is exclusive to his subscribers. Often he can be seen in the chat talking to people. Discord is a chatroom commonly used by the gaming community. Moonmoon makes occasional appearances in the chat and gives advice to players. He is overall a very funny guy but when it comes down to it, he cares about his viewers and answers any game related questions he can. Something unique to subscribing that a lot of Overwatch streamers cannot do due to the fact that they don’t have enough subscribers, is subscriber tournaments. open to any subscriber that can get a group of six subscribers together. The tournaments which are held on certain weekends are something that Moonmoon does because he truly cares about growing the competitive Overwatch community. Moonmoon, who commentates the the tournaments also broadcasts them on his channel. The winning team is actually paid in cash by Moonmoon. The idea is relatively new but there are already teams that have participated in several of his subscriber tournaments.

Overwatch community and Moonmoon’s influence

As a whole, the Overwatch community is seen as one of the more toxic gaming communities. While this may be true, between all of the trolling and goofs in Moonmoons stream is a group of people that are at the head of the Overwatch community.  They have real influence on the game and the way the game is played. In Moonmoon’s case he has helped players become better at the game just by watching him. He is considered one of the best Overwatch players in the world and similar to watching a sport can make you play and understand it better, watching him play Overwatch can improve you skills at the game.

[enlightenedembellishment-blog1]

An Experience With Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a serious condition and individuals make light of this crippling condition. The effects of schizophrenia are constant and it is as if multiple personalities are in one mind. Second Life, the virtual reality simulator, has a portal that allows you to experience a reality that simulates the mind of a person suffering from schizophrenia. Walking through the house provided for the experience, immediately you begin to hear multiple voices, all of them whispering ill will to you. As you continue through the house the voices became louder and everything within the house began to alter. The floors dissapeared, mirrors showed your own death, and objects moved without anything acting on them. Laptops flapped up and down and posters rearranged words. T.V. ads began to talk to me as well, telling me that I didn’t belong in this society and that I wasn’t fit of society. The house exposed a glimpse of what it was to be schizophrenic. 

As I toured the house, the feelings that manifested were those of self hatred. During the entire simulation, all the voices whispered and shouted remarks that demanded I end my life, the world is coming to an end, and to murder other people. Only being in this environment for 20 minutes, I felt irritated, and confused about what was real or fake in the house. Depressing and hurtful thoughts coursed through my mind as the voices continued until the end of the tour. This short experience with the mind state of a schizophrenic has shaped a better understanding and empathy to people who suffer from this disabling illness. 

I felt that for a virtual simulator, this was a great experience to participate in. I wasn’t expecting that the voices would be constant and have such a wide range of ways to play with your mind. Overall it was an unpleasant experience and it gives a firm understanding of how it is everyday for one to have schizophrenia. Things only varied slightly from what I expected considering the multitudes of schizophrenia.

[enlightenedembellishment-blog1]

remixing media

Remixing has become another art form of precived reality. Digital media such as photoshop have allowed one to be able to express a concept through adding and splicing images together to make a perfect whole. This exercise called for a statement by merging an image of myself, and an image from the internet. I was against voting entirely for either of the candidates so much so that even Harambe, a gorilla who died last year due to unfortunate event, would have been a better picture than this one. I chose to use these images because they painted a true picture of how I felt about the election as a whole. I feel that many pictures arranged together can communicate several ideas and concepts when words aren’t always a viable. This was a fulfilling exercise for me, that allowed me to think outside the box to communicate ideas that I feel without having speak about them. One can infer through my image remixing alone my opinion of the current state of the White House.

[enlightenedembellishment-blog1]

Love Hate Environment. Digital Autobiography

This is the story many like myself experience. Digital life online has had so much appeal to me since I was old enough to even use a keyboard. The one thing I loved about the computer, was that you could engage in whatever you wanted without advertising interrupting. Want to watch a video? Done. Play games online? Easy. Television has always displayed advertisement about products and other shows, when I simply wanted to just enjoy my choice of entertainment. The Computer changed that for me. 

Being online was simple and easy just surf the web uninterrupted as long as the phone wasn’t being used everything was good. Then as technology advanced so did the advertisers. YouTube was my favorite site since I discovered it. YouTube was just like television but there were no ads and one could just watch video after video carefree never seeing one ad interrupt you. Matter of fact this was the only thing you would have to worry about was this.(Star Wars Clip) Then Google bought YouTube and brought third party ads to YouTube. 

The very thing that I was trying to avoid that Television offered began to display ads on the videos and what’s worse is that you never knew when the ads were coming to interrupt you. The ads became more annoying than television at times. I know that Google is an information powerhouse and only made YouTube better because of the merger, since I still love YouTube to this day, but the my only complaint was that YouTube  now became a tool for Advertisement just like all other media that I experience. I guess many others felt the same because the best invention came along and made the ads bearable.

The ads may become annoying but the fact that you have the option makes it feel less forced upon the viewer which I love but will never fully enjoy because of my dislike for advertisement interruption. YouTube is one of many things ruined by ads and now my phone is also become bombarded with them. The phone grew along with me every year getting more and more sophisticated and able to do more than just communicate. The cell phone became, in essence, a handheld computer, which I use more now days than any computer.  I saw my phone as another source of digital media that I could enjoy without advertisers seeking viewers to lure in for their products. That also came to a halt because of the growing capabilities the phone and social media had. 

Social media has become part of my life just like eating and sleeping are part of my daily routine. I can honestly say that I use social media every day without fail. Speaking of social media is my latest post.

My phone is usually my go to device since it is glued to my hip throughout the day, it’s so easy for me to just go to all my pages with one swipe of a finger. One of my favorite social media is Facebook. Facebook has been the one website that I have used consecutively from computer to phone. Other media such as Instagram or twitter never appealed to me on the computer and since Facebook introduced the app to the phone, I rarely use my computer at all for social media. As I used Facebook more and more that ads began to appear on my timeline as well. Once again my love for something digital had become tainted with ads again.

It was as if everywhere I try to find an interruption free environment online the advertisements just keep following. I still use social media today, but the bitter taste of adware is still left by advertisers every time I use social media. My only hope at that point was to utilize the game store apps available on most smart phones today. 

  The phone now has become my favorite access to entertainment, especially since games how have become more diverse and accessible through the app system our phones operate on. Today you can find any game genre imaginable.  We have come a long way in the gaming department as far as phones go. I remember the first game I ever played one a phone which was Snake.

Then came the advanced games such as Angry Birds and Clash of Clans which held my attention for hours on end until ads came into play. Now ads have become ever more frequent as a built in mechanic to free games. Games are now plagued with ads that interrupt every time you get deep into playing.  The epidemic of ads has taken over everything that I loved about the digital age. I walk a blurred line of love and hate for the digital age. I love all the interactive capabilities that the digital age has brought, but the same advancements over my lifetime has come with the steep price of constant advertisement.

[enlightenedembellishment-blog1]

Reflecting on racial and ethnic diversity

The Washington Post conducted a project developed to understand the history and use of the “N” word and it’s use in today’s culture. The project captured many of my beliefs and not much differed from my personal opinions. What stirred me the most was that one of the videos showed younger black women expressing that it really is just a word, and giving emotional response only gives it power. That resonated with me because I personally feel the same way about the “N” word. To try and erase a word is impossible, because the history of it will always remain, but what can be changed is the effect that it can have on someone. Most older black people are very strict with their use and others use of the “N” word in regards to race but the younger the generation the less offensive the word seems to become. I believe that  one will project their past experiences of that word onto the user, and despite the intention, things can and will be taken out of context. I wonder if there is every going to be a generation where the word will completely do away with the world, or will it just be apart of a global  language.

[enlightenedembellishment-blog1]

Emerging Media

Emerging Media Essay

           We live in a world more connected than ever before. Before the emergence of the internet, mankind’s greatest achievement in communication and information sharing was the radio, and shortly after, the television. Today, the internet would be considered the library of the world and anything can be found with a few keystrokes. YouTube is an information powerhouse, which allows users to post videos suitable for Google’s corporate standards. YouTube is most commonly used behind google but what makes YouTube so popular for information gathering? Another question that comes to mind is what does YouTube offer that other forms of media don’t, and what is making more users join to post more information?

           YouTube as a website has amassed over 1 billion users and has reach across the world. This website launched May 2005 and started off small with a small pool of users. YouTube as a website was the first of its kind that allowed users to post videos and have other users support their content with comments and amount of views. Overtime YouTube was bought by Google and then YouTube exploded in popularity spreading from the U.S. to around the world being viewed and utilized in 87 other countries and is displayed in 76 different languages. Things that contribute to YouTube’s success was the idea in the first place. YouTube is popular because of allowing one to express one’s views using video sharing capabilities. With everyone allowed to share content of their choosing, it paved categories for users to subscribe to. According to a case study from the Cornell University Library, reads that “In our entire dataset we can see that the distribution is highly skewed: the most popular category is Music, at about 22.9%; the second is Entertainment, at about 17.8, and the third is Comedy, at about 12.1%” (Chen 2007). The diversity of content leads to many different people tuning in to view several forms of content. The use of YouTube is for mainly entertainment purposes but it also has use for more than that. YouTube also offers other categories which include, film and animation, People and Blogs, Gadgets and Games, News and Politics being the most frequently used. Each facet of YouTube as a source of content draws a large pool of people on a massive medium such as the internet. With so many categories, YouTube has reached most people between 18-49 years of age more than TV or any other broadcast. This is in part due to the fact that the user can interact with the videos being shared. The television and radio are good for information and story sharing, but YouTube allows not only the user to share his content, but other users can share that video with others on other forms of social media, drawing more views to the site as a whole. YouTube is by far one of the most popular social media outlets used today but what does it offer that the other forums don’t.

           YouTube gained popularity quickly within one year of its launch date. As a website it was ranked in the top ten of most frequently used sites in 2007. This phenomenon was not by accident but by design. YouTube currently offers users the ability to post any type of content one can think of, as well as having a generous length of time able to be uploaded at once. Unlike other media forms, videos and sharing those videos was the only objective. Other media focus on the community aspect that social media brings, having a profile and communicate yourself with others using their medium. YouTube didn’t focus on the community but made the community have content to discuss. As a medium YouTube allows videos posted to be distributed among most internet mediums allowing successful YouTube channels to become famous. With such users generating this much business for YouTube, Google took it further and began to pay YouTubers who generate a certain amount of views. This incentive has stirred many to make passive income doing a hobby that they love and others have grown to love as well. Faisal Asghar , a YouTube expert says that per 1,000 views a YouTuber can make as much as $10. Seeing as how one can have millions of views for just one video, the opportunity offered is a unique niche that other social media don’t touch on. Most don’t make a living but the incentive alone is enough to make more producing users as well as more viewers. This makes YouTube stand out among other media and continues to draw more people.

           The allure of YouTube is not only because of free speech and revenue, but because of the advancements around the world, and more progressive nations rise, access to the video sharing phenomenon is rising every day. Many cultures and groups have utilized the power of video sharing through YouTube, raising awareness to social issues and constructs to make attempts to change. YouTube allows the digital community to hear and see political, social, and economic issues through many different lenses. Television is increasingly leading to less watchdog journalism and seeks to provide information that is entertaining or reaction stirring. People are becoming less focused on television and seek their news from YouTube. Different journalists post videos of content discussing their views on policies and events that occur within their country of origin, gaining a vast following from millions of subscribers. Their pull to such a heavy population of people comes from more diversity provided by independent voices without an agenda or program. Genuine testimony about events and opinions attracts users in the digital community who feel as if television is biased. According to Gallup, a polling was taken and only 32% of Americans have trust in the media displayed. The only voice with validation are ones without a personal agenda, and the public shows that this is true. This being the case more people are searching for credible information that purely seeks to inform them of all sides of the issue from independent users. This lack of trust is trending to more information gathering through a system that is free from biases. Other countries are less fortunate and have strict sanctions placed on their internet use in regards to YouTube, but YouTubers around the world protest these actions and seek justice for countries who don’t have first amendment freedoms like the United States.

           YouTube had humble beginnings but made milestones in the world of communication. Being one of the only forums video could be recorded it has connected billions of people around the world with likeminded information. Big factors that make YouTube popular are that digital awareness has led to most people searching for information online.  YouTube stands out among other forms of media with its intense focus on just video sharing creating a fan base for one’s self with the possibility of making revenue from views. The final result of YouTube is the intense pull to freedom of speech it provides and gives those with access a voice to be heard.

[enlightenedembellishment-blog1]

PSA: Increased heroine and painkiller use in Oakland County

Since 2012, the abuse of heroine, and over the counter prescription medication has steadily increased in Oakland County Michigan. According to the Detroit Free Press, the deaths attributed to overdose has risen 14 percent. In 2014, 1,745 people have died compared to 1,535 people in 2013. No demographic is immune to addiction and treatment is always available. Seek help from www.recovery.org/browse/michigan/ if you or some one you know is affected by addiction. 

Our group collaborated very well with looking for a topic. The first decision we had in mind was to make a PSA on adverse weather conditions and being cautious drivers. The research, however, proved to be meager at best, so we scrapped the idea and chose drug use. 

To specify  our topic, we focused on a close-to-home issue, such as the rising drug  abuse in Oakland County. The statistics were easily available and we collaborated on what important figures to include, as well as the information to seek help. By creating this, we have raised awareness of drug abuse in our communities, and also made efforts to show resources as to where help can be sought.

[enlightenedembellishment-blog1]

The Four Icon Challenge

[enlightenedembellishment-blog1]

Mt. Rainier National Park by faungg’s photos