Just write me

“I want to write twelve, seven, five even three first-rate poems. I want a hundred things with varying intensity but that is what I want, first and last, passionately”


-Anne Wilkinson

Believe it.

Without a doubt, the only thing that makes mans life on earth essential and necessary is love

- Allen De Botton

UWO: In response

In this ever-changing world of tech-savvy individuals, it may appear as though we have reached the end of conventional media as we knew it. Are we losing good ol' fashioned forms of television, radio, and print, and is it welcomed? Bit Torrentz and downloading, to some, are stealing from those who produced it, but it is so much more. The consumer is changing at a rapid pace. We are provided the ability to customize our viewing options. Regular people are developing and evolving into media critics and now, more than ever, have an incredible amount of outlets to do so. Today there are entirely new sets of opportunities, new places to safely state your opinion, your view, AND BE HEARD.

With new and frequently emerging trends, many have been predicting the fall of traditional communication. We have to wonder what our increasingly wired, (or wireless), world will look like in this age of "instant information gratification?". The CBC's pop culture specialist Jian Ghomeshi explores the fate of mass media questioning whether we are nearing a world without television, radio or print in "THE END", a three-part series on CBC Newsworld.


This is not a fad--Today we leave our homes with our wallet, Ipod, and cell phone. Rarely do we leave home with our TV. Information and entertainment are avalible wirelessly. Books can be downloaded rather than carried around, information can be retrieved when and where we want it. While it is perhaps the end of what we see as conventional watching, reading, or listening. It it not the end. It is the beginning of SOMETHING ELSE, something NEW.


Personally, I cannot fathom a world where user created content displaces traditional media, now or ever. Bloggers and podcasters provide us with their take on the media. But no matter how far we progress, we still crave professionally presented media-- We still need a starting point.

Check em`out : http://www.cbc.ca/theend/

WHY TWITTER?

Do you ask yourself the same question?

This past week the tech world was abuzz with news of Twitter incorporating search functionalityTwitter is a Google killer while others argue that Twitter isn’t a search engine at all. into its site. What this means is that you can now easily obtain trending data for popular keywords, takAe a deeper look at the topics people are talking about in real time, and find answers to pressing questions that others have already written about. So is this really significant? It depends on who you ask. Some think that

Regardless of which side of the fence you stand, there’s no doubt that Twitter has a bright future with its eyes set on the search market. In fact, Twitter continues to receive millions in funding and recently turned down a $500 million offer from Facebook because of its planned business model of Q&A features and search ads. Who knew status updates could be so valuable? Meanwhile, Facebook has been adding Twitter-like features to try and keep up…

So really, what’s the big deal about Twitter? Isn’t it just a social media site used to socialize with friends? Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, goes as far as to call it the “poor man’s email system”. But the people who really get it understand the huge potential that lies within Twitter. Not only is it a way to connect and interact with others, but it also represent a huge pool of information based on everyday human life that’s ready to be mined to extract real value. Adding search functionality is just the first step in this process.

Not to mention that Twitter already has an impressive track record with various uses. For example, it helped President Barack Obama with his presidential campaign, got a student out of an Egyptian jail, documented plane crashes in real time, and made Dell a million dollars. Twitter has a huge cultish following and is promoted through a grassroots movement that we haven’t seen since…well, the beginning of Google.

Despite all of the hype, Twitter is still in its infancy and it’ll be years, maybe even a decade, before it develops the technology to accurately display search results and put a dent in Google’s market share. But regardless of all that, the point I want to make in this article is that Twitter has what it takes to get there. In other words, Twitter represents the future of search. Still not convinced? Let me explain…

6 Reasons Why Twitter is the Future of Search

1. Takes social to a whole new level
2. Combats information overload
3. Real-time content
4. Represents the masses
5. More trustworthy results
6. Better targeted for location

I don't want to overload this page with information, so go check out http://www.winningtheweb.com/twitter-future-search-google.php for an indepth description of each of the 6 reasons! Go! Do it!!

A Meal To Die For

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4632991n

Disclaimer:
I advise you refrain from eating during, or before watching this video.

Here, my friends, is your dose of disgusting for the day. A not-so-bitesizedd tidbit of American culture all stacked up in messy lard covered buns and 5 pound burgers. If you have read Fast Food Nation, or seen Supersize Me, and still follow the anti-hangover ritual McDicks meal (which I, myself do not) or the odd fast food treat, well, after watching this, you really won’t feel so badly. The concept is disgusting, yet cleverly pieced together, and quite hilarious. With a menu that includes Single, Double, Triple and Quadruple bypass burger, Flatline fries, non-filtered smokes, and Jolt Cola, the Heart Attack Diner is quite the deadly delight. But heck, at least their honest. This fat factory comes well equipped with phoney, scantily clad nurses, medical supplies, and a wheelchair to wheel you out after successfully completing a meal worth a mere 5 days of caloric intake. What a perk! The nurses are hot, the Coke is cold and the people are...on the verge of death. Without further adue, the All American Heart Attack Diner.
Bon appétit!!!!!

Satorialist Obsessed

The Crazy Horsemen

This is the so called "poetry" that is violating my ears in my Canadian Lit class at this very second. Please feel free to stop watching after the first, oh, 23 seconds. I can hardly bear to look at these "poetic" fools on my page. They call themselves The Four Horsemen, which, after listening to their video, shouldn’t surprise you. They sound like Mad Cow infested barn animals with something to prove.

Video number 2, which I will not post for the sake of your ears, and sanity depicts a man yelling: “you are city hall my people look what you’ve become my people, you are city hall my people look what you’ve done” YELLLING. At the top of his tar tarnished, pot smoking lungs. He calls it “personal therapy, an analytic movement that directly ties into perceptual systems. Poetry he calls it. I call it a death wish. He is joined by a community of vocal therapists...the pain worsens. Now I understand why my professor refused to accept our essays until the end of class. Clearly to prevent bailing. What she can't prevent, is earplugs.
Now, I love poetry, I CAN see the beauty in it. I love the mystique of it. THIS? This is mind numbing ear-shattering “organic” BS...

Super Ginseng Power

I am by NO means a pill popper. The days of Advil cures all “take 4...it’ll kick in faster”, are long gone. Growing up, I was force fed vitamins (MultiVitamin, Vit C, B12, mad Iron, and OMEGA-yuck). These days... I force feed myself these vitamins. The newest addition to the regime (introduced by my mum, who shoved an oversized bottle of it in my bag as I left for London) has been Siberian Ginseng. I don’t often get sick for long periods of time, but I do pick up things pretty easily
I have been taking 2 a day, (4 if you’re eager) for a little over 2 months now, and basically feel untouchable. Just about everyone in my house (5 other smokin’ ladies) has been sick during this time period... (I am convinced Di was on the verge of death) and nothing! No sniffles, cold, flu..nadda. Either I am one lucky girl, or this Ginsing is some powerful stuff.
Here are the pills actual claims:
“Siberian Ginseng is thought to create activity in the immune system by stimulating T-cell production. It is has shown an ability to improve blood lipid levels. It is considered an adaptogen and anti-oxidant. It is attributed with hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory; and vasodilator activities. It is thought to increase energy and negate stress. Traditionally, in Chinese medicine it is used to reinforce Qi and invigorate the function of the Spleen and Kidney. It is thought to have a calming effect on the nerves.”
As for the stress—I don’t usually get too stressed, so I can’t praise it for that. Ummm the Spleen and Kidneys...seem to be up and running.
ANYWAY... I think it works, and as all people who know me can attest, I am generally right. :)

Re: to "An Anthropological Introduction to YouTube"

There are not many days that pass by where I don’t happen upon a YouTube video. At times, for my own desire, but video links are more than often, sent to me. YouTube links are constantly being shared. You like what you see, and you pass it on to someone you think will appreciate it. So here is a link, from me to you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPAO-lZ4_hU. It is an "An Anthropological Introduction to YouTube”, and it is worth every 55 minutes and 33 seconds.
The video is made by Micheal Wesh, an Anthropology professor who successfully explores and deconstructs aspects of YouTube. He places immeasurable value on the social community it has created and describes it as a brand new outlet allowing for community, expression, and identity.
Youtube has the phenomenal, limitless ability to link the world in a far more personal way than anyone could ever have predicted, or even imagined. Michael explains that we are at the very center of this highly integrated mediascape that so heavily mediates our interactions, friendships and relationships. He explains that when the media changes, human relationships change. Today we are all heavily networked individuals (I know I don’t leave the house without my Blackberry, and at school, laptop.) The technology that surrounds us has simply become a part of the construct of our daily lives. Michael talks about video blogging, or vlogs as a form of expression that can generate both “naked hatred”, or the ability to “experience humanity without fear or anxiety”. You can watch someone’s vlog, stare them straight in the face and just listen. Vlogs allow for a sense of anonymity, physical distance, and rare and ephemeral dialogue (often in the form of VERY uncensored comments). YouTube is an unusual outlet that allows millions of people, anywhere in the world to collaborate –providing a platform to upload videos and a safe environment to watch others.

The video also touches on the idea of “authenticity crisis”. The act of forging an identity and playing out a false character is not welcome by many YouTube community members. To them, it is a place of genuine expression, a place that enables uncensored, honest release.
YouTube truly provides an escape from the confines of society in many senses. Whether to kill time watching, voice an opinion, get famous, make friends, ease pain, or, just laugh: YouTube is waiting for you.

Egg-cellent News For Breakfast Lovers

Think now, what did you have for breakfast? Coffee? Nadda? A lot of us students with early classes tend to cut it so close to class time that breakfast is not an option.

I am a self proclaimed breakfast lover. Cereal is, in my opinion, something that can be eaten breakfast, lunch, diner, or as a snack (not all three, that would be excessive.) Load up the blueberries and bananas and you have the perfect meal. Eggs, yes, also delish. (Over easy please) So here is the breaking news. Breakfast eaters tend to be slimmer than non-breakfast eater. Ahhh-mazing. Studies show that those who skip breakfast tend to have inferior dietary habits. "When you don't eat breakfast, you're actually fasting for 15 to 20 hours, so you're not producing the enzymes needed to metabolize fat to lose weight." ALSO people who eat cereal statistically have a lower overall fat intake -- compared to those who ate other breakfast foods.

How about some tips:
Eat Protein: High quality protein foods, such as eggs, keep you feeling full longer.
Load up in the A.M: The more we eat for breakfast the less we will eat at other meals, hence, the less likely we are to gain weight. In the morning, your body has all day to burn off that delicious concoction of berries, rice milk, and Kashi cereal. Over four years, those who ate 11% or less of their daily calories at breakfast gained up to one pound more than those who ate 22 - 50%. Hmm... this is not a risk I am willing to take.

Want to know more? Check out these sites:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/lose-weight-eat-breakfast

http://weightloss.about.com/cs/eatsmart/a/aa102202a.htm