Finally, the final!

Over the past 11 weeks in CIS100, I’ve learned a great deal about the computer operating systems we’ll be using while here at AI and in the workplace. This was my first quarter at AI and CIS100 proved to be a good course to help me get back into the swing of things as a college student.

I was previously unfamiliar with the Mac OS and was glad we were able to spend the first half of the quarter working with and familiarizing ourselves with the different features the OS offers. The more I found out about the Mac OS, the more I liked it. The different software options that are offered with the Mac OS make it very fun and its lay-out is extremely user-friendly.

Although I had issues with some assignments, I believe I fully illustrated with my midterm that I’m familiar with the programs on a level above and beyond what is expected for the course. I aced the midterm and was one of the first to hand it in and, to be honest, created a document I was proud of. My inconsistencies and short-comings aside, I believe I gave as much to this course as I was able. This said, I should not receive a higher grade than those who gave more and achieved less, so I don’t deserve an A, but the work I did justifies a B+ for the quarter.

For my final project, I was in the group "Off the Wall News".

Hurt... I hear ya, Johnny...

An amazing performance of an awesome song.  Johnny Cash performing "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails.  Neither Johnny nor Trent would care that this is posted, possibly violating the copyright... it's about the art, people, not the money.

Final Project Action Agenda

Action Agenda for team… Off the WallFor tomorrow at 4pm Natasha: Take a minimum of 10 pictures, excel spreadsheet, chartPriscilla: two 15 second videos, script written outSean: get different audio files and sound files readyRyan: get some garage band files readyWell meet tomorrow in the computer lab, put together everything that we have so far and figure out what we need to do next. That way we can have our final project ready to go first thing on week 11.

I have a bunch of piercings... discuss.

Although I could have chosen to speak on the pain (or lack thereof) involved in getting your ears, cartilage, eyebrow, tongue, or belly button pierced, the piercings I get asked about the most are my nipples.  With this in mind, also keeping in mind how uncomfortable some people are about nipple piercings, I thought I'd explain for the record exactly how it felt to have hollow needles punched through each nipple simultaneously.  Enjoy.

Through the filming and posting of this video, I learned that putting yourself out there for the world to watch is far too easy... no wonder people seem to be getting stupider.

Computer viruses = stupider than Twitter

I feel the same way about computer viruses as I do about herpes- if you get them, it's your own damn fault. By taking unnecessary risks, not protecting yourself properly, you leave yourself open to anything out there, good or bad. Sure, you might have the pleasure of finding a nice, tight track, but at the end of the day, is that blistering virus really worth it? Is the new Miley Cyrus album really worth getting e-scabbies over? Are the Dixie Chicks really such a big deal that you're ok with your computer catching something that could leave an e-rash? No. Not just "no", but rather, "nonononono!" Aside from the fact that nobody should be listening to that complete and utter crap, EVER, what on earth are you thinking stealing someone else's hard work? If the artist wanted it to be free, they would have made it free... take, for example, Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead. Both groups released some of their latest music either free for download or allowed buyers to set their own price. Everyone wins- the already disgustingly successful artists don't feel the shame of charging loyal fans an arm and a leg for their work, the mega-huge, artist-controlling labels don't get paid, and the fans get great, meaningful art free of charge... AND your computer doesn't end up with AIDS!

Computer viruses are bad. Illegal downloading is bad. Illegal downloading causes viruses... you figure it out.

Mi casa Picasa... ok, that was lame.

Picasa is pretty sweet, not gonna lie, but I'll have to see how much I actually end up using it. It was simple enough to use once I was shown how to upload pictures and use the uploaded images, but, just as with any large piece of software that I was recently introduced to, I still feel I only have a vague understanding of the possibilities Picasa offers the user. At this point, I've only used it to create a slideshow on this blog, but now that I have an account and know how to use the program, I look forward to exploring the possibilities as I continue to grow as a blogger. I'm a pretty big deal and people will want to see slideshows of my good times, so it's necessary for me to find a way to post mulitple pictures for my millions of fans to view.

Stupid Twitter...

Twitter is perfect... for maniacal teenaged girls who think anyone gives a hoot what they're doing on a quarter-hourly basis. Twitter is narcissistic even for celebrities! In a day when logging onto your Facebook or MySpace account to update your status is as simple as turning on your phone and anyone can create their own blog (this is key, especially considering celebrities often have their own webpages, not just blogs, that are combed through by their "best" fans), "micro-blogging", or this minute-by-minute life-update garbage, is unnecessary and a waste of people's time! Don't we have anything better to do than follow what Miley Cyrus is up to? Do you seriously care about what the Jonah's Brothers are having for lunch? If so, have you considered psychiatric help? Twitter is nonsense and once it starts being bombarded with advertisements, as is inevitable, the hype will die, people will stop using it, and this fad, this pet rock, will die along with it. The sooner, the better.

This here class...

The hardest part about CIS 100 for me has been adjusting to using the Mac OS. I've grown up around computers, so using one is in no way intimidating or totally foreign, but the computers I've always used have been Windows-based. Using the Mac OS has been slightly awkward, but I've been picking it up quickly and enjoy the simplicity the system provides. Learning the Mac OS, while somewhat difficult initially, has been fun and relatively simple now that I've picked up the basics.

Muzak

With an entire orchestra at my fingertips, the music that would come out of me wouldn't include a single string or horn, but simply drum and bass. I would ditch an orchestra in a heartbeat and replace it with a studio full of synthesizers, mixers, and computers... my music is purely electronic. House, drum-and-bass, techno- anything electro. From mixes to original productions, the music that comes from me serves one purpose- to set you free. With thundering bass, soothing melodies, and catchy lyrics, house will keep you dancing all night.

Rain

Wombat and Lenux visited Rain to see Oakenfold...

Snapshot

Interwebs (EOC)

In a day when the entire developed world rests on a network of computers, there are many potential fears that come to mind. Identity theft, infrastructure damage, spying, viruses… the list goes on. The one major fear that I have, though, is the loss of people’s anonymity online in the future. Although this same anonymity is the source of virtually all online problems, it’s also the beauty of the Internet. Because of this anonymity we’re able to create virtually any identity we chose. While some choose to take advantage of this for ill will, others choose to use it as an opportunity to present a professional, thought-out, organized package to the rest of the world. We’re human and inherently flawed- that’s simply the nature of things- but the internet allows us to create a polished image to sell to whomever it is the user desires. Be it a business, an artist’s portfolio, or social networking, the degree of anonymity the internet affords people, when used responsibly, is not unlike putting on a nice suit for a job interview or dressing nice when you go out- it affords users the opportunity to “dress up” their image.

The anonymity also allows people who might otherwise not have been taken seriously in a live, public forum the chance to be heard. While a young, punk college student might not be taken seriously by his parent’s generation in person, the internet provides him with a place to be heard as a mature, respectable voice. The anonymity has allowed the otherwise voiceless to be heard and taken seriously.

While the internet’s notorious anonymity has caused problems and continues to do so, it is also one of the finest aspects of the internet. Although new developments will make the internet a safer place, losing that anonymity will change the internet and ultimately hinder its users.

Wombat Audio has arrived. Purely electro, the house/techno/electronica tentacle of the Felz Audio Group serves one mission- to blow the roof off the joint. While house is a well-established genre in Europe and Central and South America, the US mainstream has seen few examples of house since it's worldwide explosion during the 90s. Wombat is here to change that. Whether it's a 4 am solo mixing session or welcoming the sunrise with a few thousand dancing house fans, spreading the music, the feeling, the beat is where you'll find Wombat. Progressing the music, putting the artists and DJs first, and promoting the scene, Wombat Audio works to serve both its artists and DJs as well as the people on the dance floor. We believe everyone should be dancing in the moonlight, waiting for the sunrise.

Wombat began as an idea to create not just music, not just a scene, but a common mentality. Created by Sean Felz- Wombat- Wombat Audio is looking to take music culture in new directions. It began in August, 2007 after witnessing the creative explosion that was Daft Punk Alive 2007 at Lollapalooza in Grant Park, Chicago. Since that night, Wombat’s been growing not just as an artist, but as a man on a mission: to erase time and space and present the moment as it should be- enshrined in brilliant lights and deafening bass.

Through AiLV, Wombat is growing not only as an artist, but as a producer, gaining the tools and experience to create unique music as well as build a home for other artists to collaborate and expand their music. With a focus on the live show experience, be it in the club or at festivals, Wombat blends the music and visual elements to foster an explosive environment. If you aren’t wearing that bass for a week, Wombat isn’t satisfied. If you can’t see the lights when you close your eyes, you need another dose. Let the music move you our way… we’ll take care of the rest.

"Music's got me feelin' so free,
We're gonna celebrate!
Celebrate and dance so free,
ONE MORE TIME!"
-Daft Punk