Evolution of Class

Today class was held despite the inability of our instructor to attend our physical classroom. Everyone attended and was able to easily communicate back and forth to the instrutor and fellow students. Now, at the current date and time it may not seem as such a huge feat. So what, we communicate to numerous people on a daily basis. However, I began to think how evolved classrooms at all educational levels have become.

To start off we had classrooms that encompassed all grades and were held in one room. The learned on old parchment and wrote with quills. Fast forward a few hundred years and now we are instantly connected to other students miles away via a virtual world. Papers are written digitally and submitted electronically.

Now a comparision to classes that our parents attended. TV was a budding resource rarley implement in the educational institution. Cable was never heard of, let alone improved into a lesson plan (Cable In The Classroom), and the internet was nothing more than a military idea.

Today as normal as it may seem to most, was a huge accomplishment and advancement. It was my first time attending a virtual class and the experience was pleasureable. I would embrace any possible opportunity to enroll in an online class in the future.

Citations...Not For Me

To preface this blog, I am not the biggest fan of reading. I truly had to push through many books in high school. Now, to read about citations, I really had to push. However, I went in with an optimistic mind, and convinced myself that maybe I will find something interesting about citations. I have never been more wrong.

It was required so I did finish the reading, but it took a while. I understand that citations are an integral part of writing both collegiate and professional papers, and even into photographs. Still realizing this, I have zero interest in them. I never will be a great writer, nor a professional one, I have accepted it. The reasons include my lack of ability and complete disdain for all technical aspects, i.e. Citations.

In Class Discussion 1.25.2007

In class we discussed the variables that ultimately determine what a person’s culture becomes. I had previously defined what constituted culture in my opinion, and my opinion was redefined after class. I said that culture is “what one believes in.” The base of the defintion still remains intact for me, however the details which are involved in that defintion where expanded on. I was not naïve, but did not realize how extensive the factors that determine culture range.

I know that this blog is basically a reiteration of a previous paper, however I was truly astonished as we continued the list. Ones that I was amazed that I did not think of were, Sexaul Orientation, Animals and War or Peace Time. All of these clearly decide culture, however got looked over when I was thinking of pieces.

Taxidermy: Technology of Preservation

On our Thursday trip to the Michigan State Museum we were instructed to browse around and look for a past technology to report on. After a quick look-see around the first floor I viewed numerous paintings and reports. Some stories were on slavery, others on the pioneers and still others on the origins of Michigan Agricultural College. What caught my eye however, was something that did not have a plastic plaque describing its history. What caught my eye was the 10-foot Grizzly Bear that was standing perfectly upright in the entrance.
Taxidermy I thought, there is an art. Not only an art but also a technology that has been employed for many years. A process that continues to become redefined in its manner, but ultimately stable in its outcome. I figured what a great topic to explore and delve deeper into, to have a greater grasp on.
As I researched further into this topic I was interested to find the process included freezing the deceased animal. Freezing the carcass is the first step, usually done in a large freezer. The taxidermist then removes the skin and creates a mold from the remaining carcass. The resulting cast then has the skin and fur reattached to create the appearance of a still frame of the animal. After this process is completely the eyes and teeth are replaced with synthetics.
To me this sounds like a fairly easy process that can be executed with a good amount of ease. However I am not ignorant, and realize this process is quite difficult and not for the faint of heart. Either way, it remains a job that must be done and one that is taken for granted. If it were not for these wonderful and talented people, how could anyone view the beautiful displays that litter museums across the globe? Thank you taxidermists, a real American hero.

1.18.07 In Class

Defining Science and Technology is a relatively easy task. Defining Technology and Culture however is a different matter. At first thought, these terms seem so different that they are easy to distingush. However, upon further examination similarities and dependencies are apparent. In my personal case, I was enlightened to a new level on this subject due to the in class lecture and reading. I have taken many of the technologies that are used on a daily basis for granted. What I found extremely, interesting was when we started naming things that we as a culture would not have if technology was not present, and even more so when we started to define "cyborg." I was naive to its true meaning, linking it to terminator status. Down to the medicines I ingest to pins that held my hand together for months, I am emersed in a society that everyone a cyborg. It is frightening at first, but it returns to reassuring to know that technology has provided the human race a prolonged quality life.

How About Critical Viewing

Today in class, the main topic we discussed was “critical reading.” Now, because of my heavy background in visuals, I am sometimes more concerned with “critical viewing.” I am majoring in telecommunications here at MSU, and have large interest in film. I also have experience, and a natural eye, for still frame photography. I come from a very artistically oriented family, all which whom are gifted with the abilities of free hand painting or drawing. I unfortunately am not one of them. This is where my interest in digital art has risen from. However, back to the topic of why critical viewing is equally important to critical reading. Like before, we have discussed that texts appear in several forms. However, paintings, photos and films do not often receive the recognition they deserve for the amount that can be extracted from them. Critically viewing a piece basically abides to the same principles of critical reading. The audience, is encouraged to view deeper than the surface, and search for the author’s prerogative. However, this is where the two start to split. In critical reading, an author can alter the way they describe an event through choice of words, therefore lending their own bias to the reader. In critical viewing, the way their style or motive is exhibited is through angles, lighting and composition. Viewing an image or film can provide several bits of information as critical reading does. One can infer not only purpose, but can derive who produced it, when it was produced and where it was produced. As cliché as an ending it may be, I completely support the phrase “A picture is worth a thousand words.” It just depends if one watches hard enough to discover it.