Layout: It Matters

Our eyes are attracted to the abnormal. As Zettl comments on in his article, we see things that are not straight or abnormal even if they are only slightly off. We can level pictures with our naked eye. All of this to say, composition matters. Vertical, horizontal, or both, vectors and placement, it all matters. We do not decide what our eyes focus on, but as we compose pictures, videos and even artwork, it is important to understand. 

Layout is important in a lot of aspects of business. Advertisements live and die on their effectiveness. But in all advertising, focal point is key. If the highlight of a still ad is in the wrong place, the product may go unnoticed. With all of the money that went into that advertisement, to fail is a huge waste. Even in video ads, the product has to be placed perfectly. Today, we often incorporate minimal product placement. But the product placement we do have must be perfect. The point of a Nike ad may not be to show the new shoe, but rather to show the purpose of the shoe. Therefore, seeing the shoe’s role in the training is vitally important.

Layout is also important in architecture. As the article shows, angles and lines are an important part of building layout. But what it fails to mention is the importance to the buyer. Some buyers like the “everyday” feel of buildings with both vertical and horizontal line patterns. Yet others like the angles and contours of modern architecture. So it is all about knowing the market.

What patterns, contours, angles and shapes are your eyes attracted to?

Podcast

Podcast, episode 1

What is sex?

Virillio discusses the world of virtual dating in the third section of Open Sky. But is a virtual sex life a sex life at all? Virillio would say no, yet for many this is a viable way of loving one another.

Sex is obviously a risqué subject, but a necessary one to tackle nonetheless. There are, at its core, two types of sex, sex for pleasure and sex for procreation. It is important, therefore, to break down both of these as they pertain to a virtual sex life.

Sex for procreation is the simplest form of sex that exists, because it is used as a way of creating new life. But can this be done virtually? In the literal sense, it cannot. Yet, often times these online relationships may become offline relationships. Does this validate the online relationships? Virillio would say no, but it does in some ways. Taking this angle may be cheating around the issue that Virillio is discussing, but is reasonable nonetheless.

Sex for pleasure is the more interesting and complex issue. Again, true intercourse cannot be virtual. However, that does not mean that those partaking in virtual sex cannot feel aroused and sexually satisfied by what is happening on their screen. Virillio again argues that this cannot be seen as real sex, but is pleasure enough to defend and justify how these people feel?  As mentioned, virtual relationships could also lead to non-virtual relationships down the road, but Virillio discredits these.

Is virtual sex real sex? Are virtual relationships real relationships if they stay virtual?

Robot Nation?

Open Sky’s second part continues to look into the future. From nanotechnology to the future of transportation, Virillo continues to look at how the future will impact human life.

Nanotechnology continues to transform the way we look at science. Some would say that it is the single most important upgrade in technology ever. Recently, an experiment was done where two gloves, one covered in nanobots, the other not, were stuck in buckets of mud. The result was astounding. The glove covered in nanobots came out completely clean! A similar experiment is shown here:  As is seen, nanotechnology can prevent surfaces from getting wet. Eventually, it will also help to clear diseases and help doctors with surgery as well. With nanotechnology, the possibilities are endless.

One of the other aspects that Virillo discusses is the future of transportation. I also see this as a major change in mankind’s future. Virillo discusses how trains will be able to move faster because they are pulled by magnets, and even fewer people will rely on the automobile. His examples, however, are all in Europe. Personally, I see this claim as a little farfetched in the U.S., but that does not mean that the future of transportation will not also change in the U.S. as well. Technology in cars today is already so great that our cars can stop themselves from hitting other cars. And we are already talking about cars that will completely drive themselves in the near future.

Will these changes impact our society in such a way that they will eliminate the necessity for certain jobs? Is that a bad thing? Are we turning into robots?

The End of the World as we Know it

It is easy to see how quickly technology is changing the world around us. It is also hard to believe. The Internet was pretty much created during my lifetime, yet I am still considered a kid. Could you imagine living without the Internet? In reality, however, it’s really not that old.

Technology is moving at a rate where it is growing exponentially. What formerly took twenty years now may only take ten. This rate will only grow faster as well. What does this mean for society? Could we become too smart for our own good? I believe so. I believe that it is possible that, in the race for technology, the world could completely implode from all of the power.

Additionally, the world already has a problem where some countries are advancing themselves far more quickly than others. Could this divide become even greater? Could third-world countries fall even farther behind? Again, I think so. If such were the case, what problems would the world face? Third world countries would stand no chance against the superpowers, would we begin to see total annexation for world control?

Another idea that Open Sky presents is the idea of teleconferencing. How strange, yet amazing, is it that I can be abroad in New Zealand, yet have my eyes on my home seeing what my family is up to? Being able to have such interaction should change the global economy, as well as business and pleasure for everyone.

Will technology be the end of us?

Greenville, SC: Rising Culinary Hub?

Greenville, SC: Rising Culinary Hub?, a set on Flickr.

For my semester project, I will be examining Greenville as a possible rising culinary hub in the United States. For my slideshow, I have three main goals. Firstly, I want to show the variety of different cuisine types that Greenville has to offer. From Mexican to American, Italian to Greek, Greenville has it all. Secondly, I want to show how Greenville uses its history and environment to showcase its restaurants. Finally, I want to show how Greenville uses food festivals such as Euphoria to show off their culinary prowess.

My 5 edited photos: