lookbook; are you going in public dressed like that?

lookbook.nu is a site for fashion forward (or painfully mislead, depending on your opinion) people to post their looks to share with others. Users may 'hype' each look, and then looks are then rated by the number of hypes. Posters also may tag their pictures with the colors in their outfits and where they bought each item.

While a minority of the outfits posted are attractive, figure flattering, appropriate, and contemporary, most are awkward, impractical, or just plain hideous. Not to mention that the photographs of 90% of the looks are painfully cliche. Nevertheless, I do admit to having a lookbook account because I can't like without trends.

I found the following list on tumblr making fun of the site. It's totally true.

How to get your 15 minutes of lookbook fame:

1. Be painfully skinny. (This is really the only rule.)
2. Put on the randomest clothing you can find. Really just wear whatever you grab first. Close your eyes.
3. Wear said clothing in the most inappropriate place for said clothing. (for example, wear shorts and a tank top in the snow)
4. Look either pissed and slightly scary OR sad and slightly suicidal OR happy and slightly deranged.
5. Wear huge glasses with no frames.
6. Be a 15-year-old Dutch boy. Or girl. Just as long as it’s hard to tell what you are.
7. Use lots of Photoshop. If that doesn’t work, just resort to black and white.
8. Even if it’s summer, wear as many layers and jackets as you can.

Private

Ok. I just found this silly cartoon on toothpastefordinner and I thought that it connected well with some of our previous conversations about privacy on the internet and whatnot. That is all.

IS THAT A SICK JOKE!?

A day without facebook!!! Yeah, like I could even go an hour without it. What else are you supposed to do in college? Actually hang out with friends in person? I think not. Homework? Hell no. I'd say my whole life revolves around facebook.

I mean, how else would people know your relationship status? And how in the world would you make any plans with your friends? No to mention, how else could you possibly keep a non-communicating yet still awkwardly intimate relationship with all of the people you never talked to from high school?

In my opinion, facebook is completely crucial to normal teen development. No one needs face-to-face social skills these days. What we really need to learn is how to find out information about our friends and acquaintances without actually having to talk to them. So in short, I could not live without facebook. And no one else should even think about it, either.

Robot teachers.

I completely disagree with the arguement that computers should be kept out of the liberal arts classroom. Obviously, as culture changes, education must adapt with it. If it didn't adapt with the times, we would all still be writing with quils and reading from scrolls. Yes, I realize that sounds ridiculous, but so does the thought that it would possibly be benneficial to anyone to keep computers out of the classroom.

Besides just the opportunity to gain a wider array of information, computers and other technology helps to engage students in their learning. As someone who works with special ed students ranging from 3 to 13 years old, I can say from experience that the children love to go on the computers; to type, to surf the internet, and to play educational games such as FastMath.

I am not claiming that education should be accomplished merely through computers. Teachers sitll must be the primary source of information and instruction. Additionally, I am aware that technology does, in some ways, allow us to be more lazy in our learning endeavors. However, computers and the internet are valuable recources and students must be instructed in the proper ways of utilizing the technology in helpful and appropriate manors.

Secrets, secrets.

Often people criticize the internet for both decreasing privacy and eliminating interpersonal communication. One cite in particular involves these two aspects in a very interesting way. Postsecret.com has been gaining popularity for years, now, and I have to say, it is one of my all time favorite cites. Basically, people anonymously mail in postcards containing their secrets to the manager of the cite, Frank, and he scans and posts them online. The secrets range from the humorous to matters of life and death. Postsecret also has a number of books released and tours colleges across the country.

This cite is fairly unconventional for many reasons, like the fact that it relies "snail mail" as a major compenent. Additionally, the idea of posting your deepest, darkest secrets on the internet for all to read is generally looked down upon. However, this cite is inspiring. It is amazing to see how similar your own life is to these many anonymous strangers. Additionally, I feel as though it helps people realize that everyone in the world has struggles to cope with everday. Many say that when you read the postcards, it is impossible not to feel a connection with the people who have written them and even imagine if anyone you know is the author.

Just Google It.

No one ever says "Oh just yahoo it" "I'll bing it later" or even... "I'll search for it on the internet". No. Always Google. In my opinion, though, this is not necessarily a bad thing, however, more of a generally overlooked byproduct of capitalism.



As we all know, consumers will use whatever is cheap, easy, effective, and well-known. Google, obviously is one of those things. The morphing of Google into a verb is not surprising, either. Often times, the titles or brands which we use most regularly are used as sort of a blanket name for all similar products. Kleenex, for example, is only one brand of tissue, yet many people refer to all tissue as Kleenex. The same goes for Xerox, Tylenol, and Post-it Notes.



It just so happens that as of now, Google is the best at what they do, which is indeed "organizing the world's information and [making] it universally accessible". With that said, though, I do feel that people Google information way more than necessary. Some may say it is out of laziness, but i disconcur. You see, if you use facebook practically ever, you can just do into the url bar and type in "fa" and then a list will pop up, and voila! facebook.com will most likely be the first option. Two letters and a click. However, it seems as though most people go to google, and then type in "facebook", "facebook.com" or "facebook login". Much more work, and much less smart. It bewilders me, honestly.

Stupid google users aside, I do not feel as though Google is some empire attempting to take over the internet world and have control over what we see, hear, and learn. They are simply using their popularity, success, and business skills to their advantage. And who would blame them for that?

South Park does Facebook

I recently read an article discussing South Park's new episode regarding Facebook, and oh my jeeze, it is all so true. HERE is the article along with video clips from the episode. The things that South Park points out, while often exaggerating, are still extremely true. We all have those friends who are obsessed with farmville, send you dozens of page suggestions daily, or are constantly perfecting their creeping skills. (By the way, if you don't have that friend, you are that friend. Please stop now.)

I have appreciated South Park for many years now for it's satirical value. With that said, while the episode aims to make fun of the way that our culture treats the social networking site, many of the points that the show makes are serious criticisms and point out true issues that are beginning to arise. For example, the "real life" drama based upon events that take place on the internet, such as relationship fraughts, or parental control, not to mention the rumors and bullying that often stem from internet-based ocurances.

I think that people should take the site less seriously; that is, use it to communicate with friends and for short term entertainment as oposed to a means to keep track of their entire high school class and to have an alternative life as an agriculturist. I am sure that will never happen though.

Dude. Check this out.

Just found this gem on tubmlr. Totally irrelevant, but still completely awesome. That is all.

Day Without Shoes

Video Here.

So, the idea of this day/project/idea or whatever you want to call it is to go barefoot for one day in order to "help" less fortunate people, ie those who cannot afford shoes. Can someone please, please tell me how on earth not wearing shoes is going to help anyone? Oh, that's right, it won't. "But wait, it could raise awareness!" Bullshit. Who isn't already aware that there are poor people in the world? If you don't want to wear shoes in order to help poor people, then send your footwear to Africa. Or, I don't know, make a donation to an organization. Don't just do something awkward to pretend that you're part of some hip social movement. Seriously. Put your shoes back on and do something productive for a change.

Trace Cyrus; you're kidding, right?

Trace Cyrus, former front man of Metro Station and less fortunate looking sibling of Miley Cyrus, announced recently over a series of tweets that he will be making a solo record under a new band name. First off, I just want to point out how much he seriously looks like a horse. Secondly, he is not that awesome of a singer and is only famous thanks to his family. There are so many other people that should be making a solo album besides him. Actually, I would venture to say he is one of the last people I would want to hear singing solo.

Additionally, Trace stated that he hopes to do tracks with artists including Lady Gaga, his sister, Chris Brown, and lil Wayne. I'm pretty sure the only person he has a chance of collaborating with is Miley. The day that lil Wayne and Trace Cyrus do a song together is the day I lose all faith in the music industry.

Here is the article about Trace.