Shipka's Forum Prompt:
Fun With Patents
For this week's post, I ask that you choose one technology from your list and conduct a google search (www.google.com) on that term.
Please, please, avoid posting the details of searches involving technologies/terms that others could find offensive!!!
For the written component of the post, I would ask that you describe and analyze (i.e. make sense of) your findings.
Remember: Everyone must have posted by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, February 15th so that others can read and respond to these posts. Remember also that passing (C-level) posts must be at least two good-sized paragraphs in length (approximately 250 words).
P.C. Paul's Response · A. Campbell's Response · K. Bailey's Response · B. Mechairia's Response · C. Gatton's Response · E. Woodward's Response
R. Desai's Response · N. Barsky's Response · N. Horstman's Response · Y. Martin's Response · B. Bauhaus' Response · A. Reed's Response
A. Sheikh's Response · M.J. Bowen's Response · S. Norfolk's Response · E. Jones' Response · E. Berman's Response · S. Miller's Response · M. Purcell's Response
This term should have been narrowed down maybe to magnetic tape recorder because one receives video tape and sound recording tape. When one uses the search term “tape recorder” the first three hits are commercial/consumer sales. First one to pop up is
The fourth and fifth hits explain how a tape recorder works. The fourth hit is more attractive and the
The sixth hit becomes commercial again and is a competitor site of “The Spy Store.”
Note: The seventh site,
The next two hits are commercial sites, the next hit is a history on video recording, but the eleventh hit is a
In order to obtain any real history on the tape recorder, one has to use the search phrase “history of tape recorder” and then several sites provide the following information.
Oberlin Smith, an American engineer in 1888 is credited with the concept of a ribbon of magetizable material that could be used to record and playback sound electromechanically. Smith constructed a magnetic wire recorder in 1893 and displayed the recorder in 1898. Valdemar Poulsen in Denmark would succeed in recording a voice 1898 where Smith failed. Curt Stille improves the design after Poulsen’s patent runs out in 1925 and begins to market it as a dictating machine. Semi Joseph Begun at the C. Lorenz Co. develops a steel tape recorder. Next, the wire and the steel tape recording media are replaced in the 1930's with thin plastic tape.
"Dr. Fritz Pfleumer from Germany is granted a patent in 1928 for the application of magnetic powders to strip of paper or film. In 1930 the Allgemeine Elektrizitatsgesellschaft [AEG] company in Berlin begins development of a machine, based on Pfleumer’s principle. Two years later, BASF, Ludwigshafen and AEG agree to collaborate in developing a machine. BASF had the knowledge necessary for the development of magnetic tape. During the 1935 Radio Fair in Berlin the
I first encountered one in maybe 1963 or 1964 when my future brother in law brought one to my parent’s house to play with. The commentary of the day once each person’s voice was recorded and played back was, “Do I really sound like that?” The answer was always the same, “Pretty close, it’s not an exact replication but not bad.” Obviously, at this point, the technology had been around long enough that it had become a consumer novelty, but was still too big to really lug around anywhere seriously. It had a hard cover and was carried in a hard box more squarish than a brief case of the time.
On the other hand, Japan and Sony Japan and Sony seem to have their own version to the history of the tape recorder. The difference is Sony decided to make their's vertical and to target the consumer market after WWII.
Apparently, in 1964,
Answering a few basic questions, a tape recorder is represented on the web as a technology in reference to how it works. The tape recorder is represented as a commodity for sale and as a tool. The recorder is featured as a technological museum piece and also its history as to how the recorder came about and evolved is also available. Only UCSC Electronic Music Studios describes how to use a reel-to-reel tape recorder. This is probably because the technology has been around so long that one just has to push buttons and read the text on the recorder itself o figure it out. Text on the web sites vary from material to intellectual depending on what the user is looking for as far as information on tape recorders. Most of the texts are written for a lay audience.
Response to P.C. Paul's "The Analog Tape Recorder" by S. Norfolk
Dude when you get an assignment you go at it hardcore! I never thought so much about an analog tape recorder. I found the section about its history particularly provocative.
Response to S. Norfolk's Post by P.C. Paul
So I have earned the Title or... ...nickname "Hardcore Dude." Haha.
My draw my knowledge from three degrees in the sciences (Auto Engineering/Engineering Science/Information Systems) plus degrees I was near completion but abandoned for various reasons such as Mathematics/Statistics/Computer Science/Mechanical Engineering/Philosophy/History and of course beloved English.
In the not so famous words of Professor Luther Petry, adjunct professor in UMBC’s Information Systems program and holder of three BS degrees (Biology/Information Systems/Other) and a Masters, "Be a Generalist and not a Specialist." Allow me to also add that he has held employment positions in some very prestigious organizations such as NASA Goodard and currently works for T. Roe Price. English majors are "Generalists." We get to see what other disciplines write and we learn from what they write. The specialists write within that discipline and never learn how to "communicate" across disciplines. We learn to "communicate" across disciplines. So do Information Systems majors, Computer Science majors do not. Information Systems majors talk to the computer users about what they want to do with the computer in their specific discipline say Accounting. We then "communicate" with the Comp Sci people understanding their language, somewhat as to what Accounting wants to do. Information Systems people are go-betweens or buffers. We are responsible for making computing Humanized. We try to keep the Com Sci people from making programs that users cannot understand. A user just want to accomplish "task" with the computer, unlike the Comp Sci person who would like to "marry" a computer if an animate entity could "marry" an inanimate object. Please bear in mind this was the "annotated version." : - )
Who would've thought that the word pillow would deliver 49,600,000 hits? I didn't! Now, of course several websites that came up that were selling pillows, but what was strange was that the first website listed on the "Google" list was not a website that had anything to do with a pillow that you sleep on.
The first website that came up was Jacobs Pillow. For those of you that don't know (which most of you shouldn't), Jacobs Pillow is a Dance website dedicated to the Jacobs Dance school, festival, etc. I thought it was so fascinating that a dance school came up because I never would have thought that would even show up on the list.
The next website that I found interesting was the second
website on the list and that was
The next few websites were pretty normal, just some websites selling pillows, an article about how to find the PERFECT pillow, and more websites that sold pillows. But, by far the strangest website that came up was
After browsing the "Google" search for a while I guess I would say that, for the most part, the word pillow just pulled up typical results ranging from buying pillows, to how to make pillows, etc. But, there were indeed some strange things that came up, which completely astonished me because it was then that I realized people will put pretty much anything on the internet!
"Pillow," is that anything like "Cake?" a response to A. Campbell's "Pillow" by P.C. Paul
No I wouldn’t think that there would be 49,600,000 hits and many would have nothing to do with the object one places under one’s head to sleep with. On the other hand, it also demonstrates the weaknesses of search engines and their ability to determine what is "relevant" and what is not. Bear in mind this weakness in searches is not only a fault with the search engine itself. One also programs a web site in order for particular terms to be "found" by a search engine. So the problem is shared between the search engine and the Web Master of the web site.
I hold a BS in Information Systems and program web sites so hearing about a programming language for me is particularly fascinating, especially one I have never heard of. Then again, there are 1000’s of languages I have never heard of and many of these are not "favored" by the "employment world." Computer languages are just like human language evidently. The powers to be (gatekeepers, people in a position of power, etc.) seem to decide which languages will gain acceptance and which languages will not, similar to
I took a look at this language "PiLLoW." Specifically, I looked at the link for "A simple HTML page" and noted that this language allows one to do some things not normally associated with average garden variety HTML tagging (HTML is not considered a "language" in the discipline of computers, but a "tagging" method.) This peaked my curiosity, so I then looked at the link "code to produce it [the web page sample]" to find that it bears similarity to other traditionally accepted programming languages used on the web such as JAVA, JavaScript, Perl, XML, DHTML, ASP, and others I can’t even remember. As with all computer languages, PiLLoW probably allows one to do things either that can’t be done in other languages or allows the programmer to do them more simply. Case in point is JAVA is widely and commonly used, while Perl is not. The reason for this is Perl can do many of the things JAVA can do with less writing of code, but on the other hand, Perl has a steeper learning curve to become proficient with. Both languages are open source code languages, but as I said Perl is more difficult to program even though it requires less typing.
Unfortunately, at the time I viewed your post the Horse Head web site was down so I couldn’t look at it. Within the 49,600,000 hits received it would not surprise me if there is a musical group somewhere with the name "Pillow" as we do have groups named after other common objects like "Cake." ;-)
E. Woodward's response to A. Campbell's "Pillow"
I used to be a professional ballerina before I attended college, so I might be one of the few people who has heard of Jacobs Pillow, and attended a few performances there. Although, I would not expect it to be the first blogs to appear when typing the word pillow into Google- it's kinda cool.
The first thing that popped up when I searched the word “foil” was really not what I was expecting. Its title was 1st Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie. With a title like that, I had to check it out. It talked about a
I then looked at a few websites that used “foiling” in their math lessons. As an aspiring elementary education teacher, I was very interested in looking at these websites. “Foiling” is a math term used when multiplying two binomials. Multiply the First terms, then the Outside terms, then the Inside terms, and then the Last terms.
In all of this searching, I only looked at a few websites that actually had to do with foiling the hair. I was too interested in all of the other very different websites that pertained to “foil.”
"Foiled Again?" a response to K. Bailey's "Foil" by P.C. Paul
Did you click on the study link on this web site? The study was by four students at MIT (because it’s MIT still doesn’t lend credibility). They had four links in the document. The first links to a music lyrics site and the lyrics are by R.E.M. Already this doesn’t look good. The next link in the document loops back to the page you sent us to originally. The third link brings up a list of FFC frequencies allocated to the Federal government Oct. 1993 Code of Federal Regulations. The biggest joke is that they are trying to claim statistical significance in their results from data collected from 4 subjects. A statistician would laugh at this. To claim statistical significance the researchers would need a pool of test subjects no less than 32 subjects.
The book the web site mentions actually does exist on Amazon.com and the reviews are as "out there" as the book. It is seems like this web site is an example of what happens to your mind when you sit in a dark room, late at night, night after night, year after year listening to the voice of
Art Bell on "Coast to Coast - AM" on Weekends.
I also recognize the acronym for the mathematical operation of multiplying two binomials. There IS no other way of remembering the rule.
I’m surprised there was nothing near the top about fencing swords for sale. A foil is a type of sword. I had to look it up but I thought I heard the word used other than for aluminum foil. The other use of the word "foil" meaning defeated. It was a favorite word of Snidely Whiplash in
B. Bauhaus' response to K. Bailey's "Foil"
So, electromagnetic psychotropic mind control carriers, huh? Well that's just weird. Maybe they're just trying to create something that will deflect the radiation from cell phones or something. People are strange. Anyway, it's interesting that the FOIL formula used in math classes is still around today. I used that when I was in middle school, so it's kind of odd that it's still prevalent. But I guess if it works then it works then it works, sorta thing.
Overall Results: 436,000,000
“Door” Google Results:
Sponsored Links:
Non-Sponsored Links:
Most of the results, as you might be able to tell (from the list above) had nothing to do with doors. Door.org, the first result of the long, long, list, explained the low income youth development center in New York City. The Door hopes to decrease some of the “crisis affecting America's urban adolescent population. Drug abuse, crime, rising teen pregnancy rates and incidences of sexually transmitted diseases and…” The list goes on. I thought it relevant that this organization used the meaning or connotation of the door to portray the organization’s purpose. Indeed, Door.org is attempting to, for the disadvantaged youth of New York City, open an entrance that would otherwise be immovable.
The next website which caught my attention was
First and possibly the most important function for a door is to preserve internal temperature while providing an entrance/exit for the user or possibly to cover or seal a space, but the doors that are sold, like many other products today, are sold primarily on visual value. The (attractive) web-site flaunts extreme customization, more glass, shinier hardware, and a wider variety of wood species (I’m a mahogany man myself). Perhaps the only technology we can learn from this web-site is an aggressive marketing plan.
“Simpson doors are approved for Hurricane zones and the worst mother-nature can dish out.” ==I’d like to see it Mr. Simpson.==
"Advertising" a response to B. Mechairia's "The Door: It Can Stand the Worst Mother-Nature Can Dish Out" by P.C. Paul
B. Mechairia said, “Perhaps the only technology we can learn from this web-site [simpsondoor.com] is an aggressive marketing plan.”
This may not necessarily be a negative thing but a positive thing. Many of us as English TC majors may end up in Advertising because of our understanding of language and how it may be used to achieve objectives, in this case to “sell more doors.” In the Simpson Doors sales pitch by telling the reader “We have been in business since 1912…” says to me, “we have been around a long time, nearly 100 years. We didn’t come into this business in the past 5, 10, or 30 years.” This puts me at ease as a consumer knowing this especially when Simpson is advertising on the Internet. To be in business for almost 100 years, if it is a privately owned business, this would infer that the business has been passed down the family line. This adds a personal touch to the business distancing it from what many people consider huge insensitive corporations. Most homeowners are very peculiar about this and appreciate a smaller personal approach to the handling of their home.
Simpson says “…wood species” which could be very important for many people. Many outside or barrier doors today are now made of metal, but are designed to look like wood. There are some homeowners who are funny about this and believe a home should not be encased in aluminum siding or poly siding. A home should have a “wood” appearance” to it. Such homeowners believe this appearance makes a home more “homey.” For Simpson to make the claim that they “offer something for everyone” one would think is a pretty tall claim, but on the other hand, Simpson has been in business since 1912 so there may be some truth to this all encompassing claim.
Number of searches for the word mouse: 358,000,000 results
Amount of time to reveal matches: 0.10 seconds
Top 5 Searches:
1) The very first search appeared with the title: “Bullied Mouse Helps Brain Research”--an article by the Associated Press dated February 11, 2006. The article is about a study by Texas researchers on the long term effects of bullying by bigger mice to the smaller mice and the research findings to the intimidation or fear caused by the bullying of others who may appear physically less inferior. The stress to the smaller mice have showed genetic changes due to the bullying of the bigger mice, which can further help in the finding a link between bullying and mental illnesses such as social anxiety and withdrawal as well as depression in human victims. These researchers pinpointed a specific substance produced in the brain called BDNF that controls whether these victims withdrawal from social situations or become active individuals in society. The article then goes into further detail about the study---http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/5922_1622841,0087.htm.
2) The next search result yielded a site called the Modest Mouse. Because of my thoughts still being on the previous website containing the article, I will say that these two words brought up an image of a the animal, although I couldn’t quite define what a modest mouse would look like if in fact, a mouse had the ability to form humanistic facial expressions. Anyhow, let’s just say I had a very distorted image in my head of the animal trying to form a modest expression. After clicking onto the link, I still didn’t know exactly what the site was, except for the words--”Download Modest Mouse Digital Music.” After viewing the top right of the page--”Join Modest Mouse’s mailing list to stay up-to-date on all the latest news, tour info, contest announcements, and more!”--I realized or gathered that this must be a band of some sort. I wonder why the name "Modest Mouse"?
3) Onto the next website I found Mouse and Keyboard products under the Microsoft Website. I found the site predictable, so I didn’t spend much time on this website. I wanted to see if there was anything more interesting found under my Google search.
4) The fourth link down led me to MGI--the Mouse Genome Informatics website, which provides detailed studies on lab mice under a database. Under the topic of Phenotypes and Alleles, I chose to view the “Human Disease Vocabulary Finder.” After clicking on this link, the list of human diseases beginning with the letter A appeared before me. Not looking for one particular disease, I randomly clicked on “Alcohol Dependence.” In a chart format--very easy to read--info reveals whether a lab mouse or mice have been found to have similar genes with the human in the cause of alcohol dependence. According to the MGI, no data has been found to link the disease with lab mice. I found this website very interesting as well as my favorite match thus far.
5) The fifth website I found was titled the “Mighty Mouse,” produced by Apple Computer. In the website’s attempt to sell the newest technology of the computer mouse, the first words catch the attention of the reader: “Meet the mouse that reinvented the wheel. The scroll wheel that is.” The scroll ball of the mouse allows the user to click on desired links without lifting a finger. Of course, I feel that technology is continuously finding ways to increase the laziness of its user but sells the product as making the product more convenient in the busy world today. Companies are smart with choosing the right words and approaches in advertising, never pinpointing the real truth of its newest product which actually advocates the laziness of the human being; instead, companies use optimistic approaches in newer/later technologies to enhance its use and not denounce it. The website goes further into its newest design of the mouse--with of course, the thought of both form and function in mind. “This mouse just aced the maze,” are the words to promote the technology--somehow relating the furry animal to the successful function of the non-living object.
And One more…
7) As I scrolled down the page I had to see what was within the “Danger Mouse” Website. The image that came up after clicking the link was a bit disturbing, but also very interesting. The representation of a mouse is none like I’ve seen before. I am guessing that Danger Mouse is a band by the almost industrious, mechanistic representation of the mouse with black holes for eyes--a very abstract representation of the small furry animal. For anyone interested in viewing the front page of the website, it is
Final Observations/Words
Again I didn’t make any direct assumptions into this search, but I had my predictions. I did predict to find searches more on the digital mouse before the animal, but my predictions were wrong. I was a bit surprised to find the news article before the advertisements; however, I wanted more to find the history of how the computer mouse evolved into its name. It appears obvious that the computer mouse is similar in size and shape to the animal as well as the cord that resembles the tail of a mouse, but who decided to name the computer accessory a mouse and did the name come before or after the invention of the object? Maybe, I’m the only person who doesn’t know about its history, but probably not or well, I hope not! It’s just interesting to see what appears “view worthy” on search engines like the latest technologies and pop culture media over what should be necessary information like the history and evolution of the objects we use in our everyday lives.
As I became drawn to the pictures on the computer screen my eyes followed the sleek curves of this technology. Previously depicted in sliver, black, blue and red, today, it was overwhelmingly pictured in bright pink. I sure wished I hadn’t purchased a new one a month ago. “Think Pink” one site read, as a girl’s full lips frosted in pink gloss filled the space between the words. And I was doing just that, thinking… “I want one in pink!"
My dreamy pink technology included a camera, internet access, appointment reminders, a calendar, music, and more. If I bought “now”, “online”, or “today”- I could “SAVE”, ‘find a price plan that adapts to me’ and a ‘sweet deal for me and my honey’. If I ‘acted fast’ or ‘now’ I could take advantage of the “limited time offer!” and “save instantly!” “It’s the network”, and I wanted to be a part of it with my new pink technology in hand.
Give up?....I Googled ‘cell phones.’
Of the first twelve sites I visited, only one didn’t attempt to sell cellular phones, “Cell Phone Facts- Consumer Information on Wireless Phones”. The site was sponsored by the FDA and the FCC. The headlining article on the page was entitled, “New Information on Hearing Aids and Cell Phones”. I wander what generation visited this site the most?
Communicating, they are essential to fashion, and even denote social status. As advertised on the 12th site I visited, “Cell Phone accessories”, one can buy everything from face plates in a plethora of colors, to leather cases, flashing antennas, and phone straps. All designed to turn one’s phone into a personal fashion statement. It’s a brilliant way to market really; our culture seems obsessed with materialism, and what better way to illuminate our frivolity than to sell accessories for a phone. Those who can afford the newest, most hi-tech phones and their accessories probably sit atop the ladder of financial status. As fashion denotes social class- and cell phones become fashion- cell phones are not used only for communication, but to make a statement. Some websites like, "How Stuff Works,” masquerade as ‘informative’ with a goal of educating the consumer about the functions of the cell phone- but as one continued to scroll the page, advertisements insisting on the purchase of the technology littered the webpage. Most websites, however, chose not to mask their advertisements, and opted rather to bombard the consumer with ads, photos, and slogans, that mimic the commercial frenzy of Super Bowl Sunday.
Sadly, I still want one in pink.
(To conduct my search I typed "Cell Phones" into Google. I got 536,000,000 hits! The ones which I wrote about and took quotes from were the first 12 that appeared on the list)
I realized then that I should have either searched for “blow dryer” or “hair dryer” as they would narrow down my results and eliminate the possibility of finding sites about people with similar last names. For the most part, when I searched for “blow-dryer,” however, I came across sites that offered tips on obtaining salon-style hair at home and on purchasing various types of blow dryers. Some of my results are as follows:
1. Ask the Makeup Diva:
2. A match on ebay: http://stores.ebay.ca/ envee-ca_Blowdryer_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQftidZ2QQtZkm
3. A diagram of a particular brand: http://www.clearstreamco.com/noframe/diagram_50002.htm
I was a bit surprised that my search yielded exactly what I expected: information on (hair) blow-dryers because I did not think, when I searched on Google, that the term was so narrow and concrete. So, I performed the search again, but this time used “blow dryer” as the search term. This time around, I found several interesting results:
1. An article about the prevalence of asbestos in many household items (including hairdryers): http://www.ewg.org/reports/asbestos/facts/fact4.php
I was very surprised to read that some hairdryers do send out asbestos when used. The site quotes a press release put out by the U.S. Product Safety Commission in 1979. Fortunately, the companies producing and marketing these unsafe hairdryers were forced to stop doing so.
2. An article on El Nino and on how students can recreate the
phenomenon as a classroom activity:
Students fill a dish with water and, using different food coloring to distinguish between the types of water, gently create trade winds by using the blow dryer on the water to illustrate the effect of natural disasters such as El Nino.
Overall, I was surprised at the variety of results I found when searching for the term “blow dryer.” It was interesting to see how the technology is not only used in the traditional sense (to dry one’s hair,) but in many different ways. It can be used to illustrate how a natural disaster occurs, to dry a water-color painting if you’re in a hurry, and even as a gardening tool. (I didn’t look into its use as a gardening tool, but came across a blog that said it could be used to dry and preserve flowers.)
Y. Martin's response to R. Desai's "The Blow Dryer"
Well I would have never thought about the blowdryer in that realm so I am glad you looked into it. Very interesting.
E. Woodward's response to R. Desai's "The Blow Dryer"
I never would have suspected people to come appear in the search for 'blowdryer.' I would have assumed that corporate America would have a monopoly on that term and bombard the sites with advertisements for their products... surprising.
[...I hope to god you're not as dumb as you make out, I hope to God, I hope to God]
The second page listed on Google also had nothing to do with the drink, except to say that it was exploiting the drink's metaphoric imagery. It's a site called "Orange Juice: the demoscene information center". It has an orange background, and you have to click on a "What is it?" link to learn what the hell a demoscene is. Let's just say it has nothing whatsoever to do with something you consume at breakfast. I did not understand why the website had chosen that name.
Finally, I got to sites that were really about orange juice: floridajuice.com and Tropicana's webpage. Based on what turned up during this search, I would divide most of the orange juice-related sites into the following categories: (1) Those selling the product (2) Histories of orange juice (3) Recipe web sites (4) Information on how to squeeze oranges and other citrus fruits (5) Dietary information, like the number of calories. Not surprisingly, a lot of the sites had to do with Florida.
But some eccentric nuggets also turned up. I found a sermon dated to 1986, full with Bible quotes and moral platitudes, about the proper way for a good Christian to consume the beverage. There were also some news items, like an article about an FDA alert on a particular brand of the drink. Amazon was selling something called Volcano Orange Juice. This surprised me, because I did not know that Amazon sells food. Learn something new each day!
What the search suggested to me is that orange juice is sort of like furniture, something so common it fades into the background of our lives.
"In three notes...Name that song..." a response to N. Barsky's "The Ordinary Drink" by P.C. Paul
...Rip It Up.
Do I win?
Oh the ERRORS in History. Orange Juice was early 80's, not 70's. Of the Scottish (yes, they were a Scottish Band) indiepop genre (Bull! The term didn't exist then. It was an alternative to the Post Punk Manchester Scene era, 81-83) with "reflective, sweetly melancholic lyrics" (yes, I agree with that versus similar sounding bands would have been "Haircut 100," "Spandow Ballet," and "The Smiths." Some referred to the vocalists of these bands as a "return of the crooners.")
Two Most Popular Songs:
Title:
(Put them on the charts so to speak as there were no charts for "Alternative/New Wave Genre Music"
When I first saw you
Something stirred within me
You were standing sultry in the rain
If I could've held you
I would've held you
Rip it up and start again
Rip it up and start again
Rip it up and start again
I hope to God you're not as dumb as you make out
I hope to God
I hope to God
And I hope to God I'm not as numb as you make out
I hope to God
I hope to God
And when I next saw you
My heart reached out for you
But my arms stuck like glue to my sides
If I could've held you
I would've held you
But I'd choke rather than swallow my pride
Rip it up and start again
Rip it up and start again
Rip it up and start again
I hope to God you're not as dumb as you make out
I hope to God
I hope to God
And I hope to God I'm not as numb as you make out
I hope to God
I hope to God
And there was times I'd take my pen
And feel obliged to start again
I do profess
That there are things in life
That one can't quite express
You know me I'm acting dumb-dumb
You know this scene is very humdrum
And my favourite song's entitled 'boredom'
Rip it up and start again
I said rip it up and start again
I said rip it up and rip it up and rip it up and rip it up and rip it up and start again
Edwyn Collins of Orange Juice
(Orange Juice disappears for years and Edwyn Collins (vocalist) emerges in 89’-92’)
I've never known a girl like you before
Now just like in a song from days of yore
Here you come a knockin', knockin' at my door
And I've never met a girl like you before
You give me just a taste so I want more and more
Now my hands are bleeding and my knees are raw
Now you've got me crawlin', crawlin' on the floor
And I've never met a girl like you before
You've made me acknowledge the devil in me
I hope to God I'm talkin' metaphorically
Hope that I'm talkin' allegorically
Know that I'm talkin' about the way I feel
And I've never known a girl like you before
Never, never, never, never
Never known a girl like you before
This old town's changed so much
Don't feel like I belong
Too many protest singers
Not enough protest songs
And now you've come along
Yes you've come along
And I've never met a girl like you before
It was real tough to find the lyrics because this is an obscure band as most of the bands were during that time. The reason for this post is because for ENGL 407 I am working on this exact time period, early 80’s. The exercise is about 1) What was the space that inspired a text to come about and 2) What was the process in creating that text. For me, hearing the name of the musical group “Orange Juice was a “flashback” and it is interesting to note how distorted history gets.
While not entirely wrong, I was apparently thinking very narrowly in terms of what to word "shampoo" could be a reference to. My search turned up 8,290,000 results in 0.14 seconds, and the following lists some of the more unusual results I could have imagined.
1) www.shampooonline.com: I would have thought it a strange name, but apparently there is a nightclub in Philadelphia called the Shampoo Nightclub, whose website features entertainment schedules for events such as "Dracula's Ball." While I doubt I would ever be inclined to go to a club with that name, I have to admit I do like their logo with the little bubbles surrounding the o's.
2)
3)
Most of the results past this point were simply sites selling various brands, or offering user comments and reviews. One interesting site on about.com offered many uses for leftover shampoo, including using it to clean rugs, bathtubs, as hand soap and to polish furniture. This of course makes me wonder why the users don't simply use the leftover shampoo to wash their hair, since that is it's intended use. It does remind me of our conversation in class on the uses of leftover medicine bottles, and I suppose someone who is cheap enough will find a use for anything.
The other keywords that I put in the Google search was my electrical toothbrush. I really enjoyed looking up this information because there were many things under the topic I would have never thought about. For example,
Anyway, so I was soooo happy that the entire first page of the search was filled with websites that had only to do with surfing! Even surfer magazine was the first thing to appear in the search! Can you tell I’m a little excited about this? Well, actually, I lied. The veeeery first things to appear were a few images of surfers. One of them was of a girl surfing. Holy crap. Out of all of the websites about surfing throughout the entire internet, a picture of a surfer girl pops up first. That’s so wild to me. A few years ago, I was pretty much the only girl in ocean city trying to tame the waves, but now girls are so prominent in surfing. From this search alone, you can tell they've actually become an asset to the sport. Very exciting!
Ok, so not only was surfer magazine the first link on the list (which is the coolest thing ever, by the way), but links for surfing camps, stores that sell surf gear, and articles about my favorite surfer, Kelly Slater, popped up immediately.
Now, as I mentioned before, I’m not a huge fan of technology when it comes to surfing. I like to think that it's an organic kind of sport, void of any interaction with "man-madeness" (besides the board itself and wetsuit). So, finding all this awesome stuff about surfing on Google is kind of bittersweet. I feel like the sport has become popular because of recent surf flicks like 'blue crush' and 'step into liquid.' this is cool, I guess. I mean, it'll make more people get in the water and try this sport out, I suppose. But on the flipside, because of the prominence of surfing in current society and in Google searches like mine, I feel like the sport's become waaaay too commercialized, which just annoys me. Surfing is not meant to be a commercial sport. At least I don't think so.
Anyway, I guess what I’m trying to get at is that technology evolves so much and so quickly that, soon enough, we won't even have to leave our houses to surf. We’ll be able to strap on a virtual reality mask and surf in our own living rooms. It’s kind of scary. Plus, it defeats the whole purpose!!!
But I suppose technology's not all that bad. My results also presented links to purchasing books about surfing and the sport's vast history, artwork done by surfers, and listings of the best surf spots in the world. So, I guess, I’ll admit, googling is a lot more convenient than driving/flying/boating around the world talking to different surfers to obtain information which can be pulled up online in .5 seconds with the click of a single button.
The first hit that I received was to an ATM Forum site. After searching throughout the site to find out what ATM stood for, I finally realized that it was not the type that I used last weekend. Instead, ATM was an acronym Asynchronous Transfer Mode. www.mfaforum.org/
The second site that I went to was an actual MasterCard ATM locator. The kind of site that I was searching for!
After entering a city and zip-code I was able to pull up the exact location of the closest ATM’s to UMBC. And if I clicked on the links of the results, I could even get directions to their locations:www.mastercard.com/atm Eventually, I found another hit for this same site, but this result was for MasterCard card-holders.
In my Google travels, I visited the ATM marketplace. Here, I found all of my Automated Teller Machine needs. Here, I could read about ATM’s all over the globe. I could look at all of the different models, and even experience the future of ATM’s. Resisting the urge to sign up and apply to receive an ATM for use in my apartment, I went to the classifieds section of the site and found job listing and choices for new and used ATMs:
I decided to skip down to the eleventh hit, and found myself at the site for the Association of Teachers of Mathematics. Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay long, my head started to spin with figures and word problems: www.atm.org/uk .
The thirteenth hit read “Workforce ATM.” Curiosity got the best of me and I went to the site which was actually for the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) and Center for Employment Security Education and Research (CESAR). I didn’t, however, find ATM anywhere on the first page after reading it and using the Find Next option in the edit menu of the browser: www.icesa.org .
After skimming through a few pages of results, I found a definition for Asynchronous transfer mode, my first hit! So now, I know what it is, and I can share my findings with you. Asynchronous transfer mode is a dedicated-connection switching technology that organizes digital data into 53-byte cell units and transmits them over a physical medium using digital signal technology. www.searhingnetworking.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid7_gci213790,00.html .
Other results that I found as I browsed through pages and pages of Google results were for: Adobe Type Manager, a definition for Automated Teller Machine, Advanced Technical Materials (for microwaves, and computers, etc), a site for “All things Macintosh”, a site that linked to www.amazon.com to purchase ATM for Dummies, Branch ATM locator sites, and even a traveling site.
I eventually got tired of seeing the same old thing on every page I went through and ended my search. But I did learnt that there is more to ATM than just money.
S. Miller's response to A. Reed's "Money, Money, Money, Money!"
I think that the ATM was a good "technology" to Google. It is important to understand the technologies we as a society use the most.
When I typed in the word websites, there was all lot of links to websites that had some form of teaching into it. Sites to help grades k-12, teachers or students, in how to teach or learn in mostly any subject that is taught through these grades. There were certain links there were pacifically dedicate to students titled “Great Web Sites for Kids”, but most of the links were for teachers to inform the teachers, new ways of teaching or how to teach, in a way it’s like a cheat sheet for the teachers. There was this one website that just reading the title it seemed it was like a help cheat for kids of all types and all ages. It was titled “Best History web Sites Created by Students, Kids". There were some odd links that did stick out through this search but they did have the same these of teaching in it. There was a link that was titled “Web Design Tutorial". Looking through these links it seemed that the word website is commonly spoken or referred to in the teaching world. Or maybe it is not known as a high style word.
Going a little bit farther, I changed websites and typed in internet sites (I figured the words sites was still be used in both searches so I wanted to see how it differed). The results I got for this was higher then the results I got for websites. Internet sites had 500 more results then websites. In this search there were alot of links to government sites. However the theme to teach yourself was still being seen in the results. There were links to how to build your own website, by various people and companies that one would not expect would produce such a site. I think the reason for this is that maybe internet sites is a bit of middle style (maybe high style not sure) so there are more professional links to these results. However there were few links that had sites with the theme of teaching so I am back to square one, not sure why the searches differed a bit with very similar words.
Just for the fun of it I wondered what kinds of results would come for internet websites. I know it’s not a term that is commonly used but I thought it would be interesting to see what would come up. The results didn’t differ much from my earlier searches. But I am still a bit puzzled, why is teaching links commonly shown in the Google search of websites, maybe teaching is something that happens all the time (one is teaching their self something, or helping someone else to understand. Maybe internet sites is just another professional word that is used in our society. Is society playing a role in how words are meant or portrayed?
In doing a search for "history of movie projector," I got 2,930,000 hits. Almost all of the results were about the history of film and the history of the motion picture. There weren't any results that actually gave a history of the projector itself. It was just coming up as a part of the history of film/motion picture. There was also a bunch on the history of film, as in the actual material that holds the picture. It seems that "the history of the movie projector" is not as interesting as the functionality of the projector. It looks as though no one has done a full study on the evolution and history of the projector from its original creation to now, or at least it isn't coming up right away.
Just for the hell of it, I did one final search for "movie theatre" and I got 56,400,000 hits. Right off the bat, there were the official sites of all the big theatre chains like AMC, Regal Entertainment Group, United Artists, etc. And then there were things like Fandango and Moviefone--the sites you use to check movie times and buy tickets in advance. One hit was for silent movie theatres and another one was for a local movie theatre in some town in California. I understand why these results came up. Obviously, the movie theatres will come up as results to a search for "movie theatre" and I can see why the ticket and time sites come up too- they are associated with the movie theatre, not to mention that most people go looking for theatres online for such information as the times and prices and maybe even to buy tickets online too.
I received 68,800,000 hits from the Google search of “toilet”. Interestingly, the first results ranged from Toiletology 101: Free Toilet Repair classes, toilet museums, toilet maps of the US, toilet training for animals and even a site called “The Toilet” (not having anything to do with one). On “The Toilet” site, I really could not find a purpose for referring to it as a toilet. The site (
The second URL http://www.shitbegone.com/ was dedicated to stopping global warming with a new brand of tissue called ShitBegone. I would summarize the purpose but the site explains it better, ‘ShitBegone is a joke but it is also a metaphor. The joke and the metaphor are both about transparency. Most people use toilet paper to wipe up shit, but most companies do not sell toilet paper by talking about shit. They sell it with the opposite of shit- bullshit. Fluffy bunnies and so on. ShitBegone is about selling a product based on reality.” LOL!!! I could not stop myself from laughing, and you can actually purchase the toilet tissue from this site with a membership ID.
The next URL http://www.kabalarians.com/male/toilet.htm is a Kabalarian Philosophy site that provided the meaning of the name Toilet. Toilet is supposedly meaning a highly sensitive and idealistic person. This site breaks down the types of interaction this person would have with others and their characteristics. I can’t imagine calling anyone Toilet but this site implies that it can be an actual name.
The last site I will mention, that I thought was funny too, was an article about a Hi-tech toilet swallowing a woman. It comes from theregister.com and basically states how a woman was captured by a state-of-the-art electronic auto-flush and door sensors that refused to release her. She was stuck for two hours until the fire brigade ripped the roof off the toilet.
In general, I was astonished by the sites I received from the search “toilet.” Most of the sites were outrageously funny and I could type pages about the strange things I have encountered. What I did find very unusual is the lack of sites that provided information about the history or evolution of the toilet. I read one from Discovery Online which explained why the toilet water twirls clockwise. Overall, I have acquired a whole new humorous understanding for the toilet.
The ATM machine.
It stands for Automated Teller Machine. So when I say ATM machine, I’m stating the obvious, for those who knew what ATM actually stood for. On to Google. Like most of the other posts people have completed, the first page of the Google search consisted of people selling ATMs. The first site listed is like an ATM homepage.
Page two started off with an ATM toy, http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00019S7Q4/103-5225312-8009444?v=glance . I know when I was a child I had the fake bank set, now they have fake credit cards and ATMs. Other sites included sites where online bank users can search and find an ATM near them. Then there is the safety that is involved in using an ATM, http://www.ehow.com/how_6855_safely-atm-machine.html . This includes steps, tips and warnings all about the usage at an ATM.
I jumped to page 11 of Google’s responses, and they were all similar to those on page 1 and 2; selling ATMs, toy ATMs, safety of ATMs, searching for the nearest ATM, and the weirdest site was a news story of someone in Raleigh, North Carolina trying to steal an ATM, http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=triangle&id=3833986 .
When I “googled” this magnificent connector of the public to information I expected a great deal of what I saw. I found how to register for a New York Public Library card, what information was need to do so, and the rules and regulations that accompany card ownership at http://www.nypl.org/books/cards.html . A few helpful additions to this page were features such as “Live Chat with a Librarian”, and “Recommend a Book.”
One of the most surprising and pleasant sites I found in my search featured “The Great Library Card Collection.” This site is devoted to the aesthetic beauty and variety of library cards from all across the globe ranging from Kansas to Austria. Full images are included such as the following: (Here is where I unsuccessfully attempted to paste in the images of the mentioned cards. I will try to get them up soon but please check out the sight!)
I found this not only visually stimulating but also very telling of how the libraries want their branch/system to be viewed and with what connotations. The card itself serves as a visual representation of the ideals of the institute in its most mobile form. It goes with the “cardholder” (hopefully) everywhere. Whether at the counter at the local grocer or at the corner bar, when the wallet is pulled out, these proofs of associations are revealed so they also serve as advertisement. What does the library do for you? The Spencer Public Library’s card has the image of a domesticated cat lounging on a personal computer. What does this communicate? This card offers the image of being able to use information conveniently and leisurely in the comforts of one’s home. The Kansas Library card, in contrast, depicts a graphic of a man holding up book like structures that imply knowledge and empowerment. The blocks also suggest strength of community and the vast possibility of each individual. The physical appearance of the card is an unexpected yet beneficial aspect of the card, both visually and symbolically.
When I googled “water bottle” the first thing that came up was a water bottle delivery service. The website was the Deer Park site and the page was designed so you put in your zip code and the company would give options on how they could best serve you. I thought this was interesting because instead of immediately getting an image or a new high tech water bottle, my results gave me a bottling company. This was also surprising because it was not the type of water bottle I was imagining.
The next result was a bottle labeling company. This website was offering the service of creating custom made labels for water bottles. This was an interesting find because this website was offering a service just like the last one. I think that it is amazing that the first couple of hits one gets when looking up “water bottle” are offering services and are not describing what a water bottle is or giving you a picture of the bottle.
The third website was one that actually gave pictures and descriptions of water bottles. This site was offering a service too. They would customize some of the water bottles with names or logos. So the purpose of this website was two-fold to inform and offer a service.
Overall, the results I found surprised me because they did not immediately define what a water bottle was. Instead I all I got were websites offering services connected with water bottles