This blog is a place to post and comment about media. Post links to stuff you like and why, stuff you don't like and why, and questions! All Mixed Visions students are required to post to this blog (either making a post or commenting) at least once a week.Drawing a Game!
Submitted by derek on November 1, 2007 - 3:59pm.Here is a video example of a Flash based game called Line Rider.
Hit this link to try the game out for yourself. Line Rider
Hit this link to try the game out for yourself. Line Rider
Animation exhibit at the Science Museum
Submitted by Amanda Luker on November 1, 2007 - 3:03pm.The Science Museum of Minnesota will be hosting an animation exhibit next Spring -- and they have a fun site with some interactive animation activities. They may remind you of some of the animation we have done using Flash and Scratch -- for example, using consecutive frames that are slightly different to produce the effect of motion.
Go to the SMM website to try out these activities!
Animation website
Animation websiteLaunchball video game secretly teaches engineering
Submitted by Amanda Luker on October 11, 2007 - 3:38pm.London's Science Museum website recently launched a new video game that even surprised them with it's popularity -- it got so many hits last week that it crashed their servers. So what is so fun about these games?
Launchpad
Basically, like many a game, the point is to get your ball to hit the target, but incorporating engineering concepts along the way -- like electricity, wind energy, heat energy and springs. Check it out and see if you can hit the goal.
Think about this in terms of the game software (Scratch) we are learning. What might you use to program the ball? What about the different blocks?
Launchpad
Basically, like many a game, the point is to get your ball to hit the target, but incorporating engineering concepts along the way -- like electricity, wind energy, heat energy and springs. Check it out and see if you can hit the goal.
Think about this in terms of the game software (Scratch) we are learning. What might you use to program the ball? What about the different blocks? Bodies in Places
Submitted by Amanda Luker on October 4, 2007 - 2:53pm.Last week, I wrote about "Faces in Places" and seeing faces in inanimate objects. Last night, I saw something on television about Arthur Ganson, a kinetic artist, who makes beautiful little moving machines. In particular, I like the Wishbone, seen below.
To me, it looks like a skinny person dragging this big machine behind him or her. Why do I see a person in the bone? What is it about the sculpture that makes the wishbone "come alive?"
For more of his kinetic sculptures, visit his website, arthurganson.com
What you hear?
Submitted by derek on October 4, 2007 - 1:43pm.
This video is a brief introduction to the complicated world of the music business. How do you hear music? Who owns those radio or tv channels? Who decides what's hot? How many local musicians are you familiar with?
Faces in places
Submitted by Amanda Luker on September 27, 2007 - 3:54pm.Do you ever look at an object and think, "Hey, that looks like a face!" I've seen faces everywhere: on cars, in the clouds, machines, electrical outlets -- all over. Now there's a website that collects photos of these "faces." It's called Faces in Places, of course.
faceSo why do we look for faces in things? Scott McCloud, author of Understanding Comics, says "we humans are a self-centered race." Why do you think we see faces in inanimate objects? Looking around you, do you see any faces?
faceSo why do we look for faces in things? Scott McCloud, author of Understanding Comics, says "we humans are a self-centered race." Why do you think we see faces in inanimate objects? Looking around you, do you see any faces?Plastic Spoon
Submitted by derek on September 27, 2007 - 3:13pm.
Think about how many times a week you use disposable silverware, packaging and other items. Can you think of ways to reduce this yourself. Do you think there are ways that companies could reduce this also.How the News works
Submitted by derek on September 20, 2007 - 1:46pm.
This is a short video about how the corporate news media works and why. Were you aware of how the news content is decided? How do you feel about this system? Are there other parts of our culture that are effected by corporations?
Earth From the Moon
Submitted by Michael Hay on September 13, 2007 - 2:19pm.
This image of the earth was taken from the moon by the Apollo 11 astronauts in 1969. It is the first time that the earth was photographed from another "landscape".
Imagine what it would have been like to see this photo for the first time back in 1969 and what it meant to "humankind" to see the earth in this way.
What do you think when you see it now?
Baggy pants ban
Submitted by Amanda Luker on September 13, 2007 - 11:47am.
Saggy pantscredit: CharlesFredCities around the country are considering a ban on men wearing low-hanging pants. Some people find the style to be offensive, while others think it is just another fashion trend -- that isn't even that cool anymore. But is the ban a crackdown on indecent exposure or a case of criminalizing youth culture, especially for black males? Let's take a step back -- where does the baggy pants style come from? How do popular styles emerge? Where do you get ideas about clothes you wear?