Blogs:The Sticky Details

Looking at our English lives...where would we be without blogs?

Probably with a lot more poetry papers completed and enduring many more painful assignments. 

Looking at the big picture...where would the world be?

After coming to the realization that I knew almost nothing about these things we discuss, update, and obsess over...I decided to research “blogs” and find some information on them.It is a little pathetic that I really had no idea when they started, how they evolved, or even why they are called “blogs”.

First of all, the term “blog” emerged as a combination of the original name “web log” (which completely makes sense and I am ashamed I did not know). I am sure there are some fellow AP Englishers out there that remain ignorant to this fact, so hopefully this post helps everyone out. “Blog”(which was added to the dictionary in 2005) can be defined as:

noun

a website containing the writer's or group of writers' own experiences, observations, opinions, etc., and often having images and links to other Web sites.

verb (used without object)

to maintain or add new entries to a blog.

I then did some research on the origin of blogs and found these main events: 

JUSTIN HALL

1994: Swarthmore student Justin Hall begins compiling lists of links at his site, links.net, and continues adding to the site for 11 years. He is coined as the first real blogger.

1997: Dave Winer launches Scripting News, which he calls the longest-running Web log currently on the Internet. He also gaines praise as a blog pioneer.

1997: Jorn Barger RobotWisdom.com site becomes the first to call itself a Web log (coins the term).

1999: Brad Fitzpatrick launches Livejournal, which combines the online jounalists with the web log concept.

1999: Peter Merholz of peterme.com shortens 'weblog' to 'blog'

1999: Three friends who founded a San Francisco start-up called Pyra Labs create a tool called Blogger!

2003: Google acquires Pyra and its Blogger software.

2003:First official version of WordPress blogging software is released for download and blogging goes public.
And the rest is history!

Current data shows that as of 2011, there were over 156 million public blogs in existence!!!

Now you know some facts…so blog on. 

Stuck on Make-Believe Games

I was definitely feeling some serious nostalgia after our class discussion today about make-believe and childhood imagination games. It truly is sad how little we participate in funny games of “pretend” after we grow up. Other than the occasional times when playing with/babysitting kids, these awesome opportunities to make your life anything that you want it to be, fade into the background of our harshly realistic, busy, work-filled adolescent years. I do not think that our imaginations come to a halt after childhood, they simply become more restrained and focused as opposed to free and limitless. So, as a reminder of some of the limitless games I am sure we all used to play, I compiled a list of my top 5 favorite make-believe activities. Feel free to try them out and enjoy!

1. Dress-up

One of my personal favorites. The rules of this game basically just consisted of raiding your parent’s closet (or dress up box if you were cool enough to have one) and changing your personality according to the random articles of clothing you put on. In my childhood version, the plot usually suffered slightly because I would have everyone change outfits as much as humanely possible.

2. Hot lava

Another of my all time favorite pretend games. The only rule is that the ground is covered with burning hot lava and if you touch it with any body part...you die. This game usually ended up with a destroyed living room in my household because we would tear couch cushions off, use newspaper and jump everywhere to avoid the lava. The best part is that it can last for as long as you desire and the lava can extend to as many rooms, floors, and yards that you want it to.

3. Imaginary friends

A classic childhood game. Home alone? No one to play with? Nowhere to go? No worries. Imaginary friends saved us all. Even though it might sound a little sad and pathetic now, this activity was completely standard and you are lying if you deny having one of these trustworthy friends at some point in your childhood. The best part was that they were always somehow up for whatever you wanted to do. Also, they were definitely not limited to just other human imaginary friends, for example my imaginary friend was a talking rainbow iguana named Iggy. 

4. Kings and Slaves

I do not know if other people played this, but I mentioned it today in class because it was such a prominent part of my childhood. The sad thing is that I remember actually enjoying this make-believe game even though I was always the slave, and Andrew was always the king.  We would talk in funny old English and the rules of this game basically consisted of me running around the house doing chores. Maybe not imagination at its finest, but still fun.

5. Cops and Robbers

One of the most classic make-believe games. Endless chasing, yelling, and imaginary gunshots made this game a guaranteed good time. The many versions added increased creativity because you could add multiple jails, use cap guns, and make teams. Also, I remember incorporating some change of scenery in this game as we added a sort of “teleportation” spin and suddenly would have the cops and robbers in crazy jungles etc. The best part was that anything was allowed.

I think we should all look back and remember our favorite make-believe activities and focus on getting in touch with that uninhibited creativity again. 
Maybe we should have all have an AP English party and play some of these great games. 

Data Sheets: Cruise Control.

Papers: Drive.

Mastermind Traits Stick

After discussing the shocking ending when we find out George acts as a force behind the downfall of the other characters, we all realized George’s role as the mastermind in this story. I completely agree with this idea and agree that he does not depict a villain (evil characters with more brawn and rage than actual brains), but really more of the character that causes the entire unravelling of the plot without ever becoming directly involved in Clive and Vernon’s demise. His intelligence helps him pull the strings of the other character's live and act as a puppet master in the novel.

After realizing his role, I started thinking about all the masterminds in books and movies and realized that almost all of them have some hilariously ridiculous physical trait that should hint their evil to the audience from the very beginning. George’s weird dress clothes-robe combination probably should have been a dead giveaway of his feigned ignorance and actual brilliance when using Vernon to get the pictures printed in the newspaper. Unfortunately, I fell into the trap and ignored this mastermind clue. Here are some other mastermind characters that all have a characteristic that should really give away their evil intentions:

1.Scar(Lion King)-crazy scar and abnormal black mane…we should see past his act of kindness towards Simba from the start and notice his evil mastermind traits. 

2.Cruella De Ville(101 Dalmatians)-crazy hair that looks like a skunk…a perfect example of an odd giveaway characteristic.

3.Wicked Witch of the West(Wizard of Oz)-she is green…if that doesn’t say secret evil mastermind, then I do not know what does.

4.Voldemort(Harry Potter)-no nose and pretty funky looking…obvious mastermind qualities.

5.Stewie(Family Guy)-Has a head that looks like a football and is a talking infant…clearly mastermind traits.

6.The Joker(Batman)-someone who dresses like a joker and wears facepaint.... mastermind tendency giveaway.

7.Darth Vader(Star Wars)-wears that huge suit and talks through a voice changer…mastermind material.

8.Jigsaw(Saw)-wears a scary clown type mask…mastermind written all over him.

9.

 Captain Hook(Peter Pan)-has a hand missing that is somehow replaced with a metal hook…for sure an evil mastermind appendage.

The list could go on and on, but basically I am upset that I missed the “mastermind clue” that McEwan gave us as he dressed this character strangely and hinted at his eventual importance in the downfall of the other characters through his master plan. Oh well…maybe we will catch on next time.