Facebook

If we're friends on facebook, does that mean were friends in real life? Most likely not. As we all know, Facebook is a social networking site that has taken over the world.  Interestingly enough, I had to write a paper analyzing my Facebook profile, and on Microsoft Word, if I didn't capatalize Facebook it told me I was spelling it wrong.  Facebook has gotten so big that it has taken over all of our lives.  How many times a day do you catch yourself saying "So I saw on Facebook that..." or "So and so friend requested me today...".  To some it is just a social networking site, and to some it is a way of life.  Personally, I really like social networking.  I have accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and an old Myspace account floating around somewhere that I haven't used for years.  But, in all honesty, I am kind of getting sick of Facebook.  I feel as if it causes more problems amongst people than it is even fun anymore.  I'd rather Tweet than be on Facebook.  Twitter is just a place to share my thoughts, interest, and lifestyle; not a place where people can stalk the shit out of my life.

The World of Wikipedia

Wikipedia is one of the most used websites, yet one of the most unreliable at the same time.  Personally, I like to use Wikipedia to discover new information, however I then have to check the validity of it since anyone using the internet is able to change the information to whatever they want.  Ever since high school, I have always been told not to use Wikipedia for any type of paper I am writing, since it is an open site for anyone to edit.  However, its hard not to use it because when someone tells you not to, it makes you want to use it even more.  What makes it even harder not to use the website is that generally when you type something into your search engine, Wikipedia is most likely one of your first options to choose.  I do like to read Wikipedias to gain some general knowledge of the subject, then find my research elsewhere.

I learned that Wikipedia is ran by a non-profit organization- The Wikimedia Foundation.  Wikipedia makes revenue by purchasing new servers to keep it running.  The Wikimedia Foundation also relies on public donations, which come from fundraising that happens about three to four times a year.  Wikimedia also recieves grants and corporation sponsors.  It just amazes me how to site can mantain its stability without the use of advertising, which you rarely ever see.  People who write for Wikipedia are called "Wikipedians".  Anyone who wants to write for Wikipedia is allowed to, and you can post whatever you want.  The number of "named accounts" is currently at 15,518,247; however only a minority of these accounts are accessed frequently to create and edit Wikipedia pages.  As if that number isn't big enough already, there is also a large number of unknown , unregistered Wikipedians that contribute to the site.  After a conducted survey as to why people contribute to Wikipedia, the main response was simply just a leasurely activity, and are motivated internally by feeling "efficacious and self confident."

Lastly, there are five pillars to Wikipedia which consist of:
Blue Pillar: Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia
Green Pillar: Wikipedia is written from a neutral point of view
Yellow Pillar: Wikipedia is free content that anyone can edit, use, modify, and distribute
Orange Pillar: Editors should interact with each other in a respectful and civil manner
Red Pillar: Wikipedia does not have firm rules

Final Annotated Bibliography and Abstact

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VtNSDvvYaneOrXQeAw15EDBB7D-RQlFx5Iay2U4XETA/edit?hl=en_US#

10/11 Updated Abstract/Annotated Bib

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VtNSDvvYaneOrXQeAw15EDBB7D-RQlFx5Iay2U4XETA/edit?hl=en_US#

Youtube-ing

First off I'm going to start off by saying I'm boarderline obsessed with Youtube.  I love finding new videos that I or my friends find funny and sharing them with my friends.  I could watch a lot of them over and over again.  Its weird how much Youtube has evolved since the first video ever uploaded.  It's easy to see how many different types of things you could post to Youtube considering the fact that the first one ever uploading was a boy with some elephants.  Now theres videos of comedians, video trailers, music videos, mp3's, dancing, whatever you can think of; it's most likely there.  I actually remember being in 10th grade I think, when the "Numa Numa" video came out of the boy in his room.  That was the first Youtube video I watched, and I thought it was so funny.  From that video alone, there are many parodies of the Numa Numa everywhere.  It's crazy to think how one Youtube video can inspire so many people to make ones like it, producing many more videos to post on the website.

Another thing that I feel has been really popular lately is cats.  They are used a lot in memes, commericals, and also Youtube.  Just like the video posted about kittens playing classical music, other ones I know of are: Kittens inspired by Kittens http://youtu.be/FtX8nswnUKU , Cats inspired by Kittens inspired by Kittens (a parody) http://youtu.be/PnJXqAlcN1U , and this one of a Cat suckling the air http://youtu.be/WLveMNQ9U9w .  What makes cats so funny, I'll never know, but Youtube is a place where people like to watch and upload these videos, and I hope it doesn't stop!

Youtube is a place of self expression of any degree, and I think its a great way for people to share things with millions of other people over the web.  Whether you're trying to get a point across, or just have a little fun, Youtube allows you to explore a world that lets you in on other peoples lives.

Annotated Bib so far

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-DY1y5ZnrgJf9zHtiIfMlBksjQWkPJSi3u2RaadVnh4/edit?hl=en_US