Second Take--We Bang Steinways

"We Bang Steinways" is an online Facebook group that I have been a part of for several years. I first wrote about the group here and concluded that it was a community. Not only can people from all over the world at different talent levels speak to each other, but members can discuss about technical levels and promote their own performances and work. The "We Bang Steinways" group can offer discussion opportunities while providing a support system to members.

For example, people can post links of Youtube videos and discuss about various performances or help inspire others by what a member deems as exceptional playing. One video that has been posted to inspire pianists or provoke fury against prodigies is shown below. A 9 year old is playing a difficult etude by Chopin, in which the two weakest finger combinations must be played repeatedly in quick rhythms.



In another case, a pianist posts an event for the whole community to see. He is debuting at the prestigious Carnegie Hall.



Lastly, a "We Bang Steinways" member posts a video to prepare for her competitions. Feedback can be given back, and people can enjoy her rendition of Bach's "Fantasia."

http://www.facebook.com/video/?oid=2204722457#/video/video.php?v=934694273043&oid=2204722457

Thus, "We Bang Steinways" provides opportunities for people to discuss about the world of piano while sharing information across the globe. This information is not limited to words, and many members choose to contact each other through posters, images, and/or videos. The community is multi-modal and provides a support system to all of its members.

Works Cited
We Bang Steinways!. N/A. Facebook. 22 Nov 2009 .

Comparison of the English 1101 Final Project and McGonigal's Description of Flash Mobs

The final project and flash mobs are similar in organization and the overall purpose. According to McGonigal, flash mobs are a gathering of people that perform events that seem random. However, these flash mobs are extremely organized through various communication methods (mainly through cyberspace) and typically with a given leader(s). Flash mobs attempt to 1) prove a point, 2) make a change, and 3) be accessible to a wide audience.The video below is a good example of a flash mob, showing how organized the event is and what happens during a flash mob.



The final project of group 2 is to redesign the east side of the Georgia Tech campus (area of redesign can be seen in the picture below).

The project is extremely organized with the help of a leader. The IRON program and email are the primary methods of communication and transferring data to each other. The purpose of the project is to 1)prove how these changes will benefit Georgia Tech, 2) change the living dynamics of the freshman for the better, and 3) be accessible to everyone by making a website.

Thus, flash mobs and are project does directly relate through overall concepts and thinking. They both aim to educate and inspire a mass audience. In order to be effective, a large amount of time and effort need to be supplied. This can only be done through heavy organization with leaders, and typically, the members will be able to follow and understand what is going on through online communication efforts. Both these projects hope to benefit people.

Works Cited

McGonigal, Jane. "SuperGaming: Ubiquitous Play and Performance for Massively Scaled Community." Modern Drama 48.3 (2005): 471-490. Online print.

"OFFICIAL Michael Jackson Flashmob Dance Tribute Amsterdam." 21 Jul 2009. Online Video Clip. Youtube. Accessed on 15 Nov 2009. .

Steiner, Caleb. "Google Earth Selection-Final Project." Google Satellite, 2009. Online Image.

Project Runway Online Groups: A Fashion Cybersubculture

In the world of fashion and reality shows, Project Runway is any fashionista's dream to watch. The show is hosted by Heidi Klum, and appearances by a myriad of fashion celebrities allows the viewer to have a feeling of some sense of fashion credibility. The show's concept is take emerging designers, propel them on national television, and make it a fashion competition.


Since Project Runway's first show, these heavily pronounced gay men, Tom and Lorenzo, have started a blog Project Rungay, which plays on the show's name. The blog is mainly about Project Runway and have since dabbed into other fashion realms.

Due to the show's popularity and the witty comments about each Project Runway episode, Tom and Lorenzo's postmodern blog has a huge following. Hundreds of comments are made about a contestant's dress, whether hideous or pleasing. Perhaps a prime example of this is from the first episode of Project Runway, when one of the contestants (Austin Scarlett) made a dress out of corn husks. The execution was exemplary, and people raved about the dress.

The blog brings many people of various backgrounds to one place in order to talk about the love of fashion and the show. It provides a foundation for people to come together and form a cybersubculture about Project Runway. Basing off of personal experience and comments made after each post, these commentators come from different backgrounds: racially, location, socioeconomic status, education, et cetera. We all love Project Runway, and a valid comment from an average-working American is no different from a valid comment offered by an anonymous fashion stylist.

Lastly, this group of Project Runway enthusiasts if a prime example of a postmodern community. Bell would characterize this group as a fan culture because of the large following of people who would characterize themselves as fashion fans. People come to this group to follow their interests in a virtual realm. Since not every person in the face-to-face community is a Project Runway viewer/fan, the Project Rungay blog is the next best thing. This emptiness in real life from not having a fan to talk to is fulfilled by commentators online. This void that ceases to exist through the group is an experience that Delanty describes. The group is propelled by interests.

In addition, your neighbors will probably not be as hilarious as Tom and Lorenzo and even be celebrated by the New York Times, The Boston Tribune, or The Chicago Tribune. Plus, the blog helps a viewer relive the TV moment the next morning when reading the blog, and laughs can arise, such as the from the "Drag Queen" episode.



Or the moment can be relived through an image of a wonderful entry made out of plants.


Works Cited
Bell. "Cybersubculture." An Introduction to Cybercultures. N/A.

Delanty. "Postermodern Community: Community Beyond Unity." The Idea of Communication Communities. N/A.

Tom and Lorenzo. Project Rungay. Project Rungay, 2006. Web. 8 Nov 2009.

Genocide Explored through Hotel Rwanda

The masterful movie portraying "acts of genocide" in Rwanda used many elements in order to educate the audience.



Paul and his wife are easily distinguishable as a Hutu-Tutsi couple through skin color. In the beginning, a reporter asked random people how to distinguish between the two groups, and skin color was a differentiating characteristic. In this picture, a sense of worry yet curiosity can be seen on Paul's and Tatiana's faces. They understand that something horrible will take place because of their neighbors being beaten outside. In addition, Paul being at the front of this picture shows that he is the dominating figure in the household and later in the movie when he takes the position of leader. His sense of leadership and the community's feelings of fear bring the community to Paul.



As they leave their hometown, Paul's family understands the cruel situation at hand. The small community or family that Paul has is very close to each other and strengthened by the presence of the children. The image's capture of the family's strong embrace connotes love and safety that binds the family together. This sense of caring is also given to the Hutu refugees when at the hotel.



In this image, Paul is set apart from the rest of the community and has children in his arms. He is starting to establish his leadership and has a sense of entitlement in order to protect everyone. The scariness of the situation is constantly being embedded within the audience's mind. Every person in this picture has a look of fear on their faces, and the sense of war and violence is heightened with a soldier in the background.



When the community of refugees have sought shelter in the hotel, they form a stronger bond together because of the situation. No matter where they came from or their differences in beliefs or religion (seen in the picture), they stand together. After the UN help forces left, their bond and feelings of hopelessness bring them together, which are accompanied with rain--a symbol of sadness. They stand with the same despairing look on their faces, and Paul as their leader stands in the forefront. His professional business attire makes him stand out from the rest of his peers and makes him easily distinguishable as the leader.



No matter what happens, the people still have hope, especially Paul. Even with rain, his skin glistens, and he removes his sense of sadness. Paul and a child are the focus of this image, with the people blurred in the background. Although drenched from the rain, Paul will seek a way to help the people, especially the children, who are symbols of hope and prosperity of the future. Thus, the movie incorporates facial expressions, clothing, and body positions to prove a point.

Works Cited
All Images except movie poster:
"Hotel Rwanda." Photo. Thecia.com. N/A. 25 Oct. 2009. .

Movie poster:
"Hotel Rwanda." Photo. Dvdloc8.com. Apr. 2009. 25 Oct. 2009. .

Conflicts between Communities

Today, I've chosen to create an audio to explain the drug conflict between the United States and Paraguay.

You can access the audio from here:

http://www.esnips.com/doc/bcfd1756-6889-4f69-9853-d01befba21db/Blog

or here:



Amy Winehouse's "Addicted"



Enjoy!

Works Cited

"Amy Winehouse-Addicted." 6 Nov. 2007. Youtube. 17 October 2009. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVWNWSTg9QI.

Garelli, Sanie Lopez and Brice, Arthur. "Mexico, Paraguay Top Pot Producers, UN Report Says." CNN. 25 Nov 2008. http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/11/25/paraguay.mexico.marijuana/index.html.

The Importance of Community Service within the Local Community

At least twenty-four percent of Atlanta’s population is under the poverty line (US Census Bureau). With so many in need, community service is necessary. In September 2009, I volunteered with the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) to work in the Trinity Church Soup Kitchen. When using the MARTA system in Atlanta to get to the Soup Kitchen destination, I passed by homeless people on the streets begging for food. A homeless man came up to the AMSA group, repeatedly asking what we were doing with bread in our hands. We told him that the bread would be used in the Soup Kitchen, and that he was invited to come. After being threatened several times, the AMSA group fled to nearby McDonald’s, where we saw a man buying a McDonald’s breakfast biscuit for an elderly woman in rags on the street.

When arriving at Trinity Church and seeing the poverty-stricken people take their soup and sandwiches, I personally felt more aware of society and received an indescribable emotional experience. Helping others have a warm meal was wonderful yet saddening. When a pregnant woman came in with her three-year-old child, my heart went out to her. I hoped that she and her family’s life could change and that her children could live a successful life. All of the volunteers stated that this was a wonderful opportunity that opened up the volunteers’ minds and also help people receive a meal that they would not have had otherwise. At the end of the day, the volunteers prayed for the people that came in for a meal that day to change their lives around and find a job to support themselves. The experience was more than food. It was a time for the volunteers to realize how fortunate they were and to help the poor turn their lives around. Enacting in community service strengthens the community as a whole—poor or rich.

Works Cited

US Census Bureau. 4 Sept 2009. US Census Bureau. 5 Oct 2009. .

"Soup Kitchen Logo." Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild. 5 Oct 2009. .

Community in Gaming Form

Football is the sport that draws the pre-existing community (in this case, Georgia Tech) to come together.

The attendees are part of a community. They will stick together through the harshest circumstances (i.e. downpours and floods).
Their goal is to support the team and watch a good smack-down.

And when someone (i.e. a referee) gets in the way of the community's entertainment, the community will communicate to him by "booing" him or throwing footballs or trash at him. Or, the leader of this community (Coach Paul Johnson) will do so.

All in all, football games strengthen the sense of community--not build it. No matter who the "enemy" is that day, the community will always belt out "TO HELL WITH GEORGIA!" and how we're a "helluva, helluva, helluva engineer." Georgia Tech, no matter what setting, is a community.

Works Cited
Cappy, Craig. 26 Sept 2009. Sportsmagazine.com. 27 Sept 2009. .

Weiss, John D. 26 Sept 2009. Josh D. Weiss Photography. 27 Sept 2009. .

Help! I'm all alone!

Stereotypes with heavy Internet users include cave nerd, loners, geek, and forty-year-old virgins staying home with mom. Nothing positive.



Data supports this critical thinking. “In short, no matter how…and…which type of social activity is considered, time spent on the Internet reduces time spent in face-to-face relationships, and concomitantly increases time spent alone (Nie, Hillygus, Erbring).”



But without the Internet, we may be less likely to keep in touch with our long distance friends and forever lose them. With programs like Skype, we can keep up face to face contact.



So the key idea is go out and socialize! Spend time with your real life community.



But have some online time to your friends and you, too.



If a balance isn't maintained, then the real life community could be destroyed by the Internet.

“The 40 Year-Old Virgin.” 23 Aug 2005. Artists Direct. 13 Sept. 2009. .

“FaceToFace.” Transition Towns WIKI. 13 Sept 2009. < http://transitiontowns.org/uploads/TransitionNetwork/FaceToFace.jpg>.

Klepek, Patrick. “Fat Princess.” 31 July 2009. G4. < http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:01Ik1iykEmvISM:http://cache.g4tv.com/ImageDb3/170642_S/Sony-Aware-Of-Fat-Princess-Online-Issues-Working-On-Solution.jpg>.

Nie, Hillygus, and Erbring. "Sociability, Interpersonal Relations, and the Internet: Reconciling Conflicting Findings."
American Behavioral Scientist 45 (2001 Nov): 420 - 435.

“Skin Alone.” Skin. 13 Sept. 2009. .

“Socializing Women.” July 2008. Awaken Your Soul & Change the World. 13 Sept 2009. < awakenyoursoul.files.wordpress.com/2008/07>.

Online communities: Are they really communities?

“Welcome to "We Bang Steinways!"

You don't belong here if you are not a fan or a student or a performer of the great classical piano repertoire composed by gods such as Bach, Beethoven, Mozart…etc That means NO B.S. crap like "Heart & Soul" or … even "Fur Elise"… We just won't accept weak sauce like that around here. We've all practiced … TOO much to deal with lowly Pop & Rock pianists! …Okay, that was a joke... sort of...Interested in studying with a professor at a school you have never visited? Have a question about a passage from your Bach fugue? … Sick and tired of those lameass YAMAHAs [a type of piano] in the practice rooms? … Is the Piano turning you into her own little bitch? Now you can vent your anger, share your knowledge, and ask your questions to your fellow pianists on the Discussion Board! (We Bang Steinways!)”

When I first clicked on this Facebook group, I read this introduction and was extremely interested in being part of a group of piano aficionados. Being from a small Southern town, very few classical pianists were present in order for me to speak about subjects like whether Mozart piano concerti were more developed than Beethoven sonatas. When talking to others, the lack of pianists is a problem found everywhere, especially teenagers who are not enrolled in a music conservatory. What’s intriguing about this group is that it pulls people all over the world and lets them express their frustrations, announce to the world about an accomplishment, or help each other through difficult times. The “We Bang Steinways” group is like a safe haven for pianists, especially for those who do not live in more cultural cities such as New York or LA.

Although I do not believe every online group or even Facebook acts as a community, “We Bang Steinways” definitely exemplifies one. Some leadership is enacted in the group by having administrators. The list of officers is substantially large because each person represents a specific school/conservatory. The creator of the group is from UCSB, one officer from Juilliard, the list goes on… Even with a wide array of members and locations, everyone can understand each other and focus on a single topic. For example, right after the Van Cliburn competition (the Olympics for piano), one of the contestants thanked the group members for their support while he was competing, and a flurry of members continued congratulating him for his fine performance and couldn’t believe they were talking to a piano celebrity (We Bang Steinways!).

Yes, most of the group members have not seen each other in real life, with the exception of the famous members. In the group, we express ourselves through words in a wall post or a Youtube video of our playing. We are all connected through our passion with classical music and piano.


We Bang Steinways!. N/A. Facebook. 6 Sept 2009 .

Community: An All-Encompassing Term

Community (n.): a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage (“Community”).

When I try to understand something, I look it up. In this case, the dictionary was used as a source. But, I cannot wholeheartedly agree with the definition. Firstly, can a community really be of any size? When I glance at a couple enacting in PDA, I immediately think, “Ew.” In context of community, I do not classify a couple as a group either. The dictionary consequently lists what a community’s members have in common:

1. Locality
2. Government
3. Heritage

I can quickly find a flaw to each point. A community does not necessarily need to be fixated in a certain area blocked off by certain boundaries. People can still be members of a community through electronics (i.e. cell phones, e-mail, Skype, et cetera) (Wellman and Gulia). The various localities of these members also affect the idea of government. Yes, a community may abide to similar rules, but not necessarily the same government. For example, everyone in the United States abides to the same national laws. However, state laws differ. Lastly, the United States is known as the “melting pot,” breaking the idea of one specific cultural background.

Georgia Tech is a prime example of community. Yes, the football players ("GT Football") to the partiers ("GT Party")to the computer nerds ("Nerd") are all interconnected in this little area in the midst of bustling Atlanta. How is that so? What makes Tech a community? Simply, all of us came here wanting something not at Georgia State, U(sic)GA, and/or MIT. We came to Georgia Tech for a reason, taking similar classes, and being part of the Tech college environment.

Although community is a difficult term to pin down, most people can identify it. I highly doubt anyone would disagree that Georgia Tech is a community.

Works Cited

Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, 2009. Web. 29 Aug. 2009.

"GT Football." Photo. blog.islandcasino.com. 29 Oct. 2007. 29 Aug. 2009. <blog.islandcasino.com>.

"GT Party." Photo. s.wsj.net. 20 May 2008. 29 Aug. 2009. .

"Nerd." Photo. andrewsteinhome.com. 2009. 29 Aug. 2009. .

Wellman, Barry, and Milenia Gulia.“Net-Surfers Don’t Ride Alone: Virtual Communities as Communities.” N/A. N/A. N/A. Print.

Buzzing Beginnings

An oasis within the sprawling lands of midtown Atlanta, Georgia Tech is a place where college students roam free and take the cheer of "Fight, Win, Get Naked!" to heart. From the nerds to the frats, Tech is home to everyone, and I suppose it's my home for the next four years (or maybe more? I hope not).



This blog is dedicated to my "adventures" as a freshman and will chronicle my opinions about various topics in my English 1101 class. Closing my first blog post EVER is probably the most definitive video from Georgia Tech. Just watch--you've probably already seen it or at least heard of it.