Forum: General Discussion

The site that I came across was called moviething.com and it, of course, attracts people who are big fans of movies. There are many different places that you could go to within the site itself. The people who go on this site can write on forums, e-mails, and blogs. There are also quizzes that you could take to see how much you really know about movies. There is a place to join certain clubs within the website as well which is sectioned off into more specific things concerning the movies. It kind of reminds me of the Matt Barton's Tikiwiki site because of the forums and blogs sections. There is a gallery section that covers a lot of celebities and actors. It also has this feature called e-card but I'm not really sure what it is really there for. When I clicked onto the link, it opened up to a picture of Adam Sandler. The home page of the site consists of a couple of recent movies that are now on dvd. After each movie, there is a little review written by someone who either enjoyed the movie or thought that it could have been better in certain parts. The cool thing is that you don't have to be a celebrated movie critic to get your thoughts on a movie that you liked or hated out there. The site doesn't necessarily use a lot of jargon but it does exclude a bunch of people that hasn't seen much of the movies that they are talking about. How can you talk about your views on a movie if you didn't see it. Fortunately, I have seen a lot of the movies that were discussed in the site and enjoyed looking through it.

Forum #13
www.Gulfster.com
This website is intended for surfers, and skim boarders on west coast of Florida. This website is loaded with live cameras showing different shores up and down the coast. There are also pictures that users send in of themselves, or their friends doing some trick. When you go to the classified section of the website there is opportunity for people to post things, such as something they have for sale, or any upcoming events being held. People can also post home videos, in addition to the pictures and advertisements. The pictures and lingo on the page appeals to the identity of the group. The pictures and videos of local people have an appeal of pathos on the viewer because the viewer gets excited about the potential they have to improve in their sport. Some of the slang used on the website are: swell, local, breaks, waist, clean, weak, chop, skim, gulf coast, etc. There is a ton of slang used it just depends on what day you look at the site because it is always changing. This website contributes to the cultural diversity on the net, because it allows people who do not necessarily live in places where there is surfing, or in general good surf to see how the sport is progressing and stay updated on events and ideas that are being generated in a certain area of the country. It also allows people to become more aware of the potential and progression of the sports of both skim boarding and surfing.

The website I would like to talk about is http://www.atvscene.com/. This site is for people who like to ride, watch or enjoy working on ATV's. This site has many sub pages including a store, forums, photo galleries, schedules of races and interviews of the racers. These sub sites consist of more then just the name; example, the photo gallery includes the swimsuit photos, video of some of the races and most of all contests for the best ATV picture. At least they have that every once in a while. This site also consists of a store that people can look to see if they like any of the items for purchase. It consists of clothes, hats, gloves, posters and other things. The store also has a way for you to purchase items that can help make you ATV better for the road or the race. The forums on this site consist of many topics, from asking professionals questions on how to ride an ATV to asking when events are and if tickets will be available. This site to me does not seem to have slang or a different type of context. I can say this; you might find some redneck saying on the forums. Which I know will consist of a lot of people who come from cultural backgrounds, such as the rural, hunting, camping, and fishing type.

This site contributes a lot to the world of people who love to ride hard and get dirty. This site is definitely not for everyone which is why it contributes to the diversity so much. Not everyone is interested in ATV's like me, but for them they have different sites.

There is a website called www.3dsurfer.com. This is a site based on the production of 3D art work made strictly by students that are preparing to enter the 3D industry. Sure there are many different sites out there like this one, but what is great about this site is that it was constructed and currently maintained by a student of 3D. In most of the other sites like this you can post your work in progress and receive constructive feedback from top ranking professional 3D artists as well and amateurs. Unfortunately, these feedbacks can be extremely harsh and sometimes meaningless when a person who claims to be a 3D artist, but actually just likes to play video games, gets involved. This site is meant to provide information and feedback for students from students, in addition to instructors who know how to give out useful criticism without causing the student to become emotionally damaged from the verbal beatings as would be unleashed in the other sites.

I use 3D surfer as a tool in my current teachings. I often tell my students that this site is an excellent way for them to compare their 3D work to other student who are as far along as they are in earning their degrees. Also, I love to see the look on my students faces once they have discovered how good the work is that other students post there. I mention to them that they are in direct competition for the same jobs as my students are seeking. This tends to set things into perspective for my students once they realize just what exactly they are up against. Of course I always encourage them to get involved in posting on this site as well. This industry is all about getting recognized and making a name for yourself within the 3D community.

www.corvetteforum.com
This site is simply a place for all corvette owners and enthusiasts to gather and talk about corvettes. There are a lot of ways to interact with each other. Obviously, this is a forum with hundreds upon hundreds of topics to chat about. There are many different categories that people can search for. The categories are divided into a general discussion, scan and tune (which deals with tuning or modding an engine), or tech (which involves talking about other mods or something of that sort. Many of the users will talk about a recent event or car show, or will post their times they got on the quarter mile. I did notice a lot of "jargon" that users usually refer to. Some of this refers to what they have on their engines. I knew what most of what them were talking about, but some of the words did not make sense. I noticed a lot fo people used "ttt." I'm sure this was a compliment because everyone praised him or her for saying that. Some people will post pictures of them with their cars or post videos of them doing mostly fast paced stuff. This usually involves taking the car to a track and watching the car run down the track a few times. I noticed that the tone of the users were mainly soft spoken or supportive. Very rarely did I see a post that somebody was "trash talking" or something of that sort. Many of the users were very respectful of others. As in one of the forum posts we did earlier that referred to "netiquette." The users remembered the human and tried not to offend others. This seemed like a very interesting site, and I am considering joining myself.

The website that I have chosen is one that I am fairly familiar with. My boyfriend is into street racing (I am a little), and he is always on these online forums talking about cars and street racing. One of the best ones that I have seen him look at is CarDomain?.com. It is intended for everyone with knowledge ranging from beginner to expert. You can find car parts for just about any make and model, find cool accessories such as stereos and lights, and they have online forums where you talk to other car lovers and discuss general or specific information about your car. I know that when we have had problems with my car, my boyfriend will get on this website and put in a description of the problem and ask anyone for feedback. We usually get many responses of what is wrong with our car from others who have had the same problem and they suggest ways to fix it. Members get really into the website by submitting pictures of their cars going through their different steps of customization. They also have the showoff of the week on the main page to show off a really unique car that somebody has put a lot of work into. These will range from cars from the 50's to cars from today. There is a lot of car term slang that is used in the forums that I have no idea about. I know that Mitsubishi Eclipses and Eagle Talons are referred to as DSM's. They also have many slang terms for working on a car. Enthusiasts from all over can join this website and really get something out of it, and put something in at the same time. I like the site because it is easy to use due to its great organization. Everything is easy to find and in nice little categories. I have found myself getting tied up in this website because there is so much neat information and cool pictures to view.

www.now.org
The website that I found as I was searching was the National Women’s Organization, or NOW. This website is obviously targeted towards women. NOW targets women who are feminists in every sense of the word. The page that first pops up gives headlines of current events happening in the news which affect women’s rights. The website actually summarizes the events and explains them while adding in the female author’s opinion along the way. Some examples of the headlines were, “Tell George W. Bush to Support Women's Human Rights Worldwide and “Advocates: Get Ready for the Third Round of the Violence Against Women Act�. If someone was visiting this site for the first time and they were interested in women’s issues, this would definitely catch their attention. I did not see any slang or jargon that only people in the group would understand. However, there were certain parts of the website that only women would be interested in. For example, the links on the page included information about the NOW conference and the NOW shopping catalogue where women can buy all sorts of feminists memorabilia. The only way I noticed for members of this website to communicate was through a newsletter. However, there are links to different chapters of NOW in almost every state. When I clicked on the link for Florida there was an email address for a Tampa chapter. This would be a good way for women to get involved with local issues. Also you can send a message to local or national media if you wish to get an issue across that way. This website contributes to cultural diversity on the web by giving women certain recognition and also a way to unite for a common cause. This website gives women a strong voice and gives millions of women a way to get involved in the fight for equality.

The website that I found was http://www.antsmarching.org. This website is designed for Dave Matthews Band fans and provides them with lots of information about the band. The main page lists the most current news headlines which are updated regularly. The fan can then venture on to the forum page where many discussion boards are placed. In order to begin posting in the forum, the fan must go through the free registration process and become an “ant.� Once registered, the “ant� can post opinions and any information they may have heard about the band such as tour discussions or upcoming album news. Separate boards are also created for fan meet and greets and concert ticket exchange. The website also has many statistics regarding the band and their past performances. It provides setlists from almost every performance dating back to 1989. It has statistics on how often each song is played as well as an album dispersion indicating how many songs were played from each album. Since the band allows taping of their shows, over 900 live shows are available for download on the website. The website title indicates how the website identifies with Dave Matthews Band fans since “Ants Marching� was the title of one of their hit singles in 1994. The website lets fans identify themselves at members of antsmarching.org by selling window stickers with the website and website logo on them. The website contributes to the “cultural diversity� on the internet by giving anyone access to one of the most comprehensive databases of one of the most influential rock bands of our generation. Anyone can download and experience the music which spreads musical diversity to anyone with internet access.

The website www.Deaf.com calls itself “Your Gateway into the Deaf Community�. It is an entire website of links which are targeted toward the Deaf community and those who are interested in learning more about it. The Deaf community is a very large and proud group of Deaf people. This website is beneficial to both Deaf and Hearing and provides a wide variety of resources and information on Deaf culture and events. There are also conferences posted for earning credits, teaching American Sign Language and Deaf Children.
There is a very informative link that tells about Deaf culture as a whole, its basics, and characteristics. It is extremely important that, before entering the Deaf community or trying to understand people in it, one must learn about the culture itself. This link helps with that.
There is a link to resources for Deaf churches, DeafLife? Magazine, Deafsports.com, DeafVote?.com, and articles and products about and for the Deaf. There is a link for Deaf View. Here one can share opinions and view and vote on polls with people in and out of the Deaf community. There is an extremely informative link to a website all about the controversy surrounding cochlear implants. This is as important to learn about as Deaf culture when trying to understand the deaf community.
For communication purposes, this site has a link to DeafChat?. This is a chatroom for Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Hearing advocates. Another Link to DeafNotes?, an online forum board for Deaf, hard of Hearing, and everyone else, is also available. On this site, one can read how real life Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Hearing people feel on different subjects. Thoughts are shared. Here, anyone can ask questions about deaf culture and not be shunned. DeafChat? and DeafNotes? are also very good tools for the Deaf to stay in touch with each other. ]
I’m surprised that I’d never heard of this website before but, now that I’ve visited it, I would certainly recommend it to others. It’s informative and fun.

The Blackplanet.com website is a major urban website that creates an online community for its urban users. The Black Planet community is a very diverse community full of Blacks, Latinos, Whites, Asians and many other nationalities represented on the Black Planet website. The website sets up an atmosphere where its users can openly communicate, share ideas, entertain themselves with games, keep updated on current events and so much more. The site also offers opportunities to search for a job or even to find that significant other with BlackPlanetLove?. Each member of the Black Planet community has the option of making their own member page where they can express themselves freely, post pictures, give a description of themselves as well as meet new people. The website itself does not use jargon. The website is a site that anyone can go to and understand, but the users use graphics and slang that only most of its users can comprehend. The site provides many news and politics articles to keep its users up to date. Though, the articles are more directed towards the urban community and about the urban community. I am a user of the website and it is a place where you can meet many new people. With the member pages you can find other people with similar interests who live in the same area or even attend the same school. There are forums and discussion boards where Black Planet users can discuss current events with other users and state their opinions. Along with the forums are various chat rooms as well. I think that this site gives a place for the urban community to go to and meet new people as well as promotes diversity among the urban community. The site spreads the urban, hip-hop culture to more than just the Black or Latino community. There are countless different ethnicities who are represented on the site.

The website that I found is automotiveforums.com. This is a site that attracts people with any make and model cars. They claim to be largest automotive message board. The main part of this website is the forum. There are forums for basically every make and model car. The have there forum broken down by make, then model then each specific model has there own tread where just about any topic about that car can be talked about. Most of the topics that are being discussed are about either problems that people are having or about upgrades that people are doing to the cars. They also have topics on car video games and also about motorcycles. The site also has a large picture gallery. From here you can post pictures of cars or if you’re a member you can post pics of your cars and also look at others. The also have a car model gallery where members can post pic of models that they have built. The site has articles on work they have done to cars and recommendations for doing work to vehicles. The web site also has a help section where you can go to find information on the services the site provides to people when looking for cars. They have information on buying cars, like what to look for where to find them, car history reports and other info to help you make sure you know what to look for. I am not an active member in the community but I do read posts that people have made. I am sure there is a lot of jargon in the community, especially when dealing with cars. There are all kinds of names they use when describing a car or what they used in the cars. The people of this community used message boards to communicate and discuss cars. This website contributes to cultural diversity on the net by giving anybody the chance to come onto the site and say what they think and feel about the subject, no matter where you come from. And since it is free it really does allow anybody with a computer to come on and join in the conversation.

One of my favorite websites is http://www.pagat.com/ the site for Card Games. This site serves the gaming community and is a very necessary resource for many of us. This site provides a source for the rules to many popular and unique card games and their many local variations. This many sound frivolous to many people, but those of us who get together several times a week to play know that if you can’t agree on the rules the game just degenerates into chaos. Most players that I know will agree on a single version of a game to play when at a clubhouse or public place. However, when playing at a friends house most civilized gamers agree to “house rules�, which means that the host can choose which version of the game is played. Thus the civil niceties are preserved. There are several major types of card games like poker, solitaire and rummy. Rummy itself has hundreds of registered versions and is a world into itself. The aim of the Card Games site is to not only give standard sets of rules for players to agree to use before the start of a new game, but also to codify the language used by gamers the world over. Without such resources we would not know how to count our “meld� or know which cards are “wild� when we organize our cards into “sets� and “runs�. Not only that, we have to know what cards can “trump� other cards, and you are lost if you don’t know whether you are playing an “ace high� or “ace low� game. Card Games website allows gamers to register new versions of games, gives links to a chatroom for gamers at cardschat.com and has a link to a little used news group for gamers. Most gamers get together for the socialization anyway so the news group doesn’t have the draw of an evening chatting over the dining room table or anytime “chatting� on-line in game rooms like Yahoo.com or MSN.com.

The site I picked is www.allakhazam.com. This website is intended for use by World of Warcraft (WoW) and other role playing game players. Not only does it have journals for users to post on, but it has links to all sorts of strategy guides, maps of the worlds in the game, basic information on different classes and races in the game, information on spells used by each class in the game, different talents and trade skills you can acquire, items you can receive, a chat room, and about 80 forums to interact with other WoW, Everquest, Dark Age of Camelot, Final Fantasy, and other role playing game players. In the forum players can ask various help questions about the game or just chat with other players casually. There are also a few forums for just tech support, science fiction and fantasy fans, and “out of topic.� Also, there is a rating system on the posts that people make on the forum. It does include jargon that only WoW players would understand. Its graphics are also from WoW, which probably makes it appeal to players more. This site is very beneficial for WoW players. I know I've used it on many occasions to either look up where a city is or find out where I have to go for a quest. It definitely contributes to cultural diversity on the net by giving gamers a place to talk to other WoW fans and a place to learn more about the most addictive computer game ever made.

I found a site called Cutters. The address is http://vinland.org/scamp/institute/dsh.html. I’m not a cutter, never have been one, and I’ve always understood what made my friends cut, but I still wanted to see what the web had to say about it. I really liked this site because it seemed to have the main goal of making sure people were informed. It wanted cutters to know that they are not alone and it included links to sites that further described why cutters cut and how they can be helped. For those who aren’t cutters, it gave a link to site that told people how to help their cutter friends. It gave information about the psychological problems and child abuse that often are the causing of this problem. I didn’t notice any graphics or slang that only cutters would understand; it really seemed to want everyone to be informed. The author of the site included personal references to cutting, so they related to visitors that way. One of the things you notice right away when pulling up this site is that the background is black and the writing is red, which I think is a way to attract readers, since that is how most cutters view the world. I think this site contributes to cultural diversity on the net because it brings attention to a group that hides itself away. Cutters don’t tell people they cut, unless they do it for the attention, so people don’t know who cuts and who doesn’t. By educating people on a group that stays in the shadows, you help create a friendlier environment for people who want/need help. This site in no way advocates cutting; it advocates understanding and the need to be non-judgmental.

http://www.skateparkoftampa.com
This website is intended for skateboarders. It is actually a website of the Skate Park of Tampa (SPoT). It is very easy to determine that this site is made with skateboarders in mind. On the very first page there is a picture of Matt Giles, a skateboarder, doing a backside grind on the lip of a pool.

When you enter the site, you are overwhelmed with pictures and news. The pictures are of recent events and contests that were held at SPoT. There are also interviews of pro-skaters on the site. What makes this site unique is that SPoT is not only a skate park, it is also a skate shop. You can order anything from shoes, shirts, and pants, to skateboards, trucks, wheels, and bearings.

The news that SPoT promotes are of events only a skateboarder would find important. Their recent news bulletin reads “Free 411 Video Premiere: Friday, February 25, 2005� and “Punk Rock Show @ SPoT: Saturday, March 19th, 2005.�

Slang can be found throughout the website. Phrases such as “Chill Time,� “…I'll hook you up,� and “…remind you of some hurting public skate parks…� Most people won’t understand the last quote, but you can be assured that every skateboarder will understand it.

I was unable to find a discussion board anywhere on the site, but anyone can post a comment on each of the pictures. You can also contact any of the SPoT employees by email or by phone.

This site displays the significant growth skateboarding has received since its first creation. Not many people are aware of the increasing trend of skateboarding and skateboard enthusiasts providing information and upcoming events. This site is another addition to the diversity of the internet; it is a deviation from the better known information center and library of the internet.

There are people all over the world who are involved in skateboarding. Most people don’t realize how famous SPoT has become. Once a year, pro-skaters come from all parts of the world to compete in a contest held at SPoT. This site is able to unite people with one common interest, skateboarding.

The website that I found is BlackAtlanta?.com. It is for the Atlanta Metropolitan Area, but as the name suggests, it is directed mostly towards the African American people in Atlanta. There are a variety of things to do on the Black Atlanta.com. This site is includes a newsletter, but to receive it, you must be member. If you are a member, you can still read the newsarticles, and other things on the site. It also has updates on upcoming shows and events in Atlanta, and pictures of the different events. For those that are single and looking for love, there is a page for them that will match them with someone that they are looking for. For those who like poetry, there is a page to read poetry submitted by others. or they can submit their own poem. There are also forums on this website, and in the forums, there is some slang that only certain people would understand, but besides that, the language is standard formal. The forums are one way that the users can interact with each other because they can respond to each other's threads. There are a variety of topics such as entertainment, housing, living, business, classifies, education, politics, and the national scene. There is also a travel page for those searching for a great vacation spot. It is not for one particular age group because it is for the young and the old. It is also for those of different beliefs. THe homepage states that it is "Atlanta's Urban Renaissance." It is a site where people from Atlanta can stay updated on what is going on and express how they feel with people just like them.

BodyBuilding?.com (http://www.bodybuilding.com)

This site brings a diverse group of people to a single place. This site is viewed from people of all backgrounds and cultures, all with the goal of learning more about fitness. This site offers many articles and has a forum for you to ask questions. This site offers simplified terminology that people new to the fitness industry can understand. These people are the ones who view the site because the wish to have a healthier lifestyle, but do not participate in the sport of bodybuilding. For the serious fitness gurus, and those dedicated to the sport of bodybuilding there is a section that provides more in-depth information. In this section there is terminology that must people would not understand, but the true bodybuilder does. There is scientific terminology along with street slang used by bodybuilders. The members of this site interact through the forum. The forum gives members a place to ask or answer questions. The hardcore bodybuilders dominate the forum, monitoring the posts, and answering questions that the less dedicated ask. There is also a personal message system that allows members to send private messages to another member. This site helps to contribute to the cultural diversity of the net. Bodybuilding is a lifestyle; it requires mental and physical dedication. This site shows viewers across the world of what it takes to succeed in the sport or lifestyle of a bodybuilder. The bodybuilding lifestyle is not something that is widely known by the ordinary person. They are unaware of the challenges that are involved, and that bodybuilding truly is a subculture. BodyBuilding?.com is a great site that brings awareness to the sport of bodybuilding.

The website I found that pertains to a certain (but large) group is www.facebook.com. It is a website for those who have graduated from high school and are attending a four-year university. The site allows you to register free of charge and explore their website to find old friends. I recently joined the website and was able to reconnect with old friends from a high school I went to my freshmen and sophomore years. What the site allows you to do is create a personal profile, send messages to friends, find friends anywhere in the United States, and post a picture so people can see how you have changed over the years (or year in my case). There is also a message board called a "wall" where friends or strangers can post messages to you that can be viewed by you and others when looking at your profile. To find people, you can search by high school, university, or name, and then to connect with friends you have to send a message asking for they to accept or confirm you as a friend (everyone usually accepts). Once registered, you may be invited to join different groups that have been created among the members. For example, there is are common interest groups, sororities/fratnerities, organizations, and sports groups. I was asked to be a part of the sock lover group, but unfortunately, I am not a big sock lover so I declined. Facebook.com is a modern way to stay in touch with old friends or a way to meet new ones. I think there may be a few other websites that help you find old classmates, but I found Facebook.com to be the simplest and most fun site to use. I hope you all will check it out and add yourselves to the Facebook!

The site that I chose to discuss is MYSPACE. I just recently started using MySpace? through a friend's suggestion and I've since then become practically addicted. I'm not the only one. MySpace? has become extremely popular in the last few months. It's a site where, free of charge, you can create your own personal profile page. This page and registration allows you to connect to thousands of people and even more specifically to groups of interest. These groups are extremely diverse, from various countries all over the world, to college Universities groups, politics, culture, sexual interests, and more. By creating this profile, you are then linked to the hundreds of thousands on the site and can search for people in different parts of the world and even in your zip code down to the last characteristic.

You can search for and add new friends. It also has a journal on the page where you can blog. It's an all-in-one fun page. It even allows you to customize your page down to the last detail. You can add up to 10 pictures on your page that others can see and have a favorite song playing in the background. It also has the option of creating a forum for the rest of the groups that you are a part of. What is so strikingly odd is that its all so easy!!

You can even rank other members' pictures through a link where willing members post their pics to be rated and/or contacted. Your page has a spot where other members and friends can post comments to you on the page.

You can add, delete, block other members and are even able to instant message other members through the site at no cost. This is a site that people all over the country are going gaga over. It definitely adds diversity to the internet by bringing so many different kinds of people together and allowing them to meet each other as well as becoming members of specific groups that they may be interested in. I would definitely recommend everyone to try MYSPACE. It's a great site that I never would've expected to like so much. The below links include a link to my personal MySpace? page and to the general MYSPACE page:


The link is here! Go!!

www.myspace.com

This is my page:

http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=5872539&Mytoken=20050227145011

Upone.com is a website designed for street bike riders, clubs, and fans alike. It is filled with all sorts of information on all types and styles of cycles. Although it has a decent amount of information on cruising bikes, it is mostly circled around the crotch-rocket street bikes. The street bikers in general tend to have the stereotype of being cocky and cooler than average people. They are in most cases young and hip and less than perfect drivers. The graphics on the website are very modernistic. The screen is black and neon green. It is filled with a list of many clubs and shows, and thousands of pictures of bikes and their riders. There are links to buy new bikes and accessories and others to sell what you have. They use slang youth language like babez and ridaz. The thousands of members on this website can communicate in a few ways. They have specialized message accounts, although hard to find, that are a lot like the one on mattbarton.net. Also they have web links to certain forum and club forum sites that allows riders and wanna-be riders of all different ages and locations all over the world to communicate. Bikes are very inexpensive and a thrill to ride, and because of the ease to own, more and more people are buying them. For cultural diversity, it gives these bikers a place to express their opinions on subjects and discuss problems. Bikers stand for freedom and do not stand for too many regulations. They’re making their presence known