Screencast #1: How to Add a Link List to your Blog

External Studio #2: Presque Isle State Park

This week, we received an assignment to visit Presque Isle State Park, taking pictures of various monuments, beaches and items in nature. Photographing each thing on the list proved to be a difficult task. While shots of nature were easy to find, I hadn't realized that Presque Isle was so maze-like in layout, and I found myself questioning multiple times whether I'd driven past a certain beach already or overlooked the two lighthouses on my list to photograph.

The lighthouse pictured to the left was one of the first things I discovered upon entering the park. It was so tiny that I thought surely it had to be purely decorative. However, after driving through the rest of the park and only discovering the lighthouse posted above, I was awfully glad I'd photographed this one, sparing me from further extending my search.

This pavilion was located right next to the lighthouse. It looked slightly creepy, being completely empty and surrounded by barren trees.


This is a picture of Perry Monument. I really lucked out in that I went on this expedition with friends; otherwise, I can guarantee I never would have found it. I had been looking for a statue of a person. The monument looked particularly tall next to the crooked trees. When the weather is nicer, I think I'll have to have a second go at my "tour" of Presque Isle. When the trees are alive and more colorful, I bet everything looks much prettier.

There were geese everywhere, some of which seemed very menacing. I was careful not to get too close to them when they were watching. For fear of attack, I took extra care to move around them when our paths seemed about to cross. These two geese were walking out toward Misery Bay (which can be seen in the background). It stretches out in front of Perry Monument.

Here is another photo of the geese. As I mentioned earlier, Presque Isle was definitely not lacking in nature life waiting to be photographed.

Getting a picture of the Coast Guard Station proved to be quite the task. In fact, I'm not even sure which building it is in this photograph. I hadn't realized the coast guard needed a padlocked, chain-link fence, quite the security precaution. It certainly was intimidating, and I didn't press my luck with trying to get a better picture for fear they also had wild dogs or snipers ready to take down anyone who dared loiter on this hallowed ground.

Slightly to the left of the Coast Guard Station was the channel light. Once again I had no idea what I was looking for. The channel light appeared to me just another lighthouse, one with a fresher coat of paint at that.

In the end, I managed to locate nearly everything on the list. My favorite sight was that of Beach 10. Presque Isle was nearly deserted when I arrived; however, this beach actually had quite the crowd in comparison to others.

There were sheets of ice covering the lake, and several people were also photographing the majestic scene. The thick ice had broken down into tiny chunks, which were being washed ashore as the water began to circulate.

Here's a close of up the icy waters, which stretched out as far as the eye could see. I'd never visited a lake (or any water, excluding my shower) in cold weather, so I was especially interested in the lake's melting process.

I also enjoyed the house boats calmly floating on the water. I had turned a corner in search of Beach 11 and unexpectedly come face to face with a tiny town, isolated on the waters.

I'm not a frequent visitor of Presque Isle, and I'd never considered entering the park unless it were at least 70 degrees outside. Prior to this assignment, I hadn't realized the vast size of the park. For instance, I was surprised that the beaches went up to 11 in number. Beach 11 was difficult to find, mainly because it looked so dingy that I passed it several times. However, I did take my favorite picture of the trip there. I love to take pictures with my digital camera, but I'm no photographer. I just don't possess the patience or artistic abilities. So, I was pleased with how well this picture turned out.

This is the view from the opposite end of Beach 11. It had considerably less ice than Beach 10 and much more debris. However, oddly enough, Beach 10 did house a couple tires. On the way to Presque Isle, we took a detour that ultimately ended up getting us lost. Coincidentally, I think the houses across from Beach 11 were precisely where we ended up driving aimlessly.

Driving from potential photo sight to sight, I passed a few runners and people walking their dogs (though none of this is obvious in the photo as I snapped an empty trail on the way out). Their renewal of outdoor activities and the seeming enthusiasm of their pets solidified the fact that spring had arrived, despite the light snowfall we received earlier in the afternoon. This assignment was a great opportunity to admire the little-known natural beauty located only a few miles from campus and appreciate Presque Isle for something other than its warm sand and social aspects during the hot summers.

Social Bookmarking

So, for class we've been asked to create accounts with Delicious, a social bookmarking Web site. I saved a lot of retail stores' homepages and entertainment sites to my bookmarks. Delicious is useful and interesting because after saving a Web site, I was able to see how many other people had bookmarked the same site. I could browse the bookmarks of people who I shared a common interest with, thus giving me access to Web sites I wouldn't normally have known about.

An account with Delicious is a handy tool to have because it immediately mobilizes all my favorite Web pages, making it superior to traditional bookmarking. For instance, if I forgot the name of a site, I could access my account and discover the link to it almost immediately without needing to use a specific computer. Additionally, the links are well organized and include my own descriptions or comments. I think Delicious will be particularly useful when writing research papers. As an English minor, I am often required to write papers using numerous online sources and articles. I typically bookmark all my sources on my laptop; however, Delicious now enables me to save them and transport the links with me to the library without having to take my computer.

While there are various circumstances in which I will rely on Delicious, I typically don't use bookmarking that often. I don't have a huge variety of Web sites that I frequent, and the ones I do visit, I know the addresses and simply type them.

Check out my Delicious bookmarks here: http://delicious.com/ahalin81

Photobucket Slideshow

Before creating my Photobucket account, I had been familiar with the site and the concept of photosharing; however, I hadn't felt the need to try it. Photo sharing can improve one's social life because it allows viewers to delve into other people's lifes by taking a look at what pictures they've posted. This is incredibly popular, as demonstrated through Facebook's success. I was unaware that people could leave comments about photos on Photobucket. This feature further promotes socialization on the Web site and in reality, as people can often be overheard chattering about who uploaded what picture of themselves over the weekend.

As we discussed in class on Monday, photo sharing can also be incredibly useful in the business world. Photographers can post their pictures on these free Web sites, thus getting their work out in public. This not only gets the poster's work noticed, but could possibly lead to a future job if a viewer likes what they see. Albums on Photobucket can be viewed without having to make an account, and Web sites like Google increase the likeliness that a user's photos will be seen by a wide variety of people.

While photo sharing has proven to be a useful tool in terms of business and socialization, there are downsides to posting photos on the Web. Privacy is always an issue when people are posting personal information or photos online. There are few restrictions as to who can view photos, and some people are uncomfortable with this level of openness. Additionally, accounts can be hacked, and inappropriate photos can be used against people in a professional setting. Also, if a photographer is not careful to place a copyright or distinguishing mark on their photos, they can be stolen (copied), discrediting hardworking artists.

Web 2.0

What is Web 2.0: Web 2.0 refers to the Internet's reemergence after a collapse in 2001. Web 2.0 strives to actively involve Internet users. Web 2.0 sites measure success according to how many posts, comments, profiles, etc. can be obtained. Examples include: Facebook, Skype, Ebay and Google Earth. The transition from Web 1.0 to 2.0 can be traced through predecessors such as Map Quest.

Pros: Web 2.0 usage can be incredibly beneficial because it simplifies the communication process, making it easier to keep in contact with others. Web 2.0 gives people the ability to post pictures, thus easily sharing their ideas and visions with the world. Businesses can receive better feedback if their sites actively involve visitors, potentially increasing customer referrals. Web 2.0 is also cost effective and grants easier access to applications and Web tools. Lastly, using the Web as a platform helps to offer customers better technical services.


Cons: Web 2.0 social networking sites often blur the line between a work and private life. An information leak could occur on a site, and such a problem would be difficult to contain. The damages could be irreversible. There are numerous security threats at risk on the Internet, all of which could affect virtually any Web 2.0 site or service.

External Studio #1: Urban Decay

An old building toward the end of State Street

A building alongside the Erie Bayfront Connector


A building by the docks


Another building by the docks


McAllister & Son, a building by the docks


A garage by the docks


Graffiti on the side of a building on State Street


An old store on Peach Street


An old hardware store on Peach Street


A warehouse off of State Street

A different view of the warehouse


A house on East 24th Street


Another house on East 24th Street


A boarded up house on East 24th Street


An old building on East 24th Street

New Movies

Because I'm from Pittsburgh I thought this movie looked pretty funny. It was filmed in Kennywood Amusement Park and hits rather close to home for some of my friends who actually did occupy their summers working in this exact park. It's from the same guys who made Superbad, so I'm assuming it'll be a big hit.

Spring Break

After much anticipation winter term finally came to a close, freeing up my calendar for 10 blissful days. While some of you may have vacationed on warm beaches or in exotic locations, I spent my break in Pittsburgh, PA enjoying the 60 degree sunshine, visiting with friends and family and of course finding ways to decrease my financial status. However, it must be said that I did find time to put previous purchases to good use.

Flashback to a few months ago: I'm sitting at a restaurant watching the Pens game with a couple friends. When our dinner ends, I find it absolutely necessary to rush to Erie Sporting Goods at 8:55 p.m. (five minutes before close) so that I can prove my love for Evgeni Malkin to the world. After forcing the store's employees to close slightly late and defending my struggling team's low rank to several Sabres fans, I proudly left the store with my Malkin jersey in tow and my pocket $150 lighter.

My spring break provided me my first opportunity to wear my impromptu purchase to more than one of Mercyhurst's jersey themed parties. I hurried home from school, rushing to the Mellon Arena to watch the Pens shut out the Islanders, thus validating my purchase. Mission accomplished.

I rounded out my break with a long awaited trip to the Southside Works to visit my favorite store: Urban Outfitters. After satisfying my shopping craving, I celebrated my birthday with my family and enjoyed a delicious cake devoted to another favorite shop of mine.

Welcome

So everyone likes to shop, some people more than others. Much more in my case. Welcome to my blog where you can follow my shopping addiction. You're cordially invited to live vicariously through (and openly mock) my foolish purchases, my favorite finds and ultimately my checking account's demise.

Because I'm not happy if I'm not down to my last penny.