My take on our readings

Creators:

I was interested in the part of the article that talked about the doujinshi market, and how these artists try to innovate and improve upon the designs of manga creators. This notion got me thinking about Wikipedia and about how anyone is able to alter the information on that site because it is based on the notion of free speech and the free-flow of information. However, I think were the problem arises with Wikipedia as opposed to the doujinshi market is that Wikipedia deals with facts while doujinshi deals with art. While a doujinshi artist may do a poor rendering or alteration on a manga creation, someone who posts false information on Wikipedia has the power to alter thought, and thus is detrimental to the individuals who read their posting.

Pirates:

I found this article to be very readable. I was particularly interested in the idea that there are gaps in the law that have allowed for various kinds of piracy with regard to new kinds of technology. I began thinking about how the technology of the future might experience the same kind of struggle. I also wonder about gaps in the law and legal loopholes that may exist with regard to Second Life. For instance, when one spends $L in Second Life, there is no sales tax. Could a state government step in and insist that with the procurement of goods of either the physical or non-physical kind should come some form of tax? I wonder where the government might be able to take this further...

Declaration:

I'm going to be completely honest; I found this article to be kind of bizarre. However, I felt that some of the issues that the declaration brings out relate to the concerns I addressed regarding the "Pirates" article. Most notably when the author states, "we are building to be naturally independent of the tyrannies you seek to impose on us...Cyberspace does not lie within your borders." This reminded me of the idea I had about governments eventually trying to interfere with SL commerce, as well as the notion that they might at some point try to restrict certain kinds of SL activities. I feel it is extremely hard to legislate when a new kind of realm has presented itself.

Digital Speech:

There were several things I started thinking about while I was reading this article. For one, I feel that the author is exactly right in saying that digital technology "creates a new set of conflicts over capital and property rights" (3). This goes back to what I said before about the issues that digital technology has provided legislators. The issue closely ties in with the notion that freedom of expression is a right, and one that shouldn't be taxed on monitored. Something I was a little confused about was the idea of the website called "Television Without Pity." It seems like there are already a number of television programs out there which do the same thing: making fun of other things that are on TV. Example: The Soup. Another issue I found myself struggling with was when the author said that "People used to talk about last night's television programs at the water cooler the next morning; now they can publish their thoughts and distribute them to a global and anonymous audience" (11). I feel that there is a lot to be said for the power of face-to-face interaction, and it bothers me that this kind of interaction can be so easily traded for an "anonymous" audience. Aside from seeming very anti-social in nature, this method of expression distances people from their fellow human beings. Additionally, I also believe that people should be able to stand on their own two feet and be willing to express their opinions to a real audience rather than a digital one. I feel that builds character.

Fan-Fiction:

Here are 3 stories that I thought you guys might enjoy:

1.) "Moments" (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3514392/1/)
This is a piece of fanfiction which examines the lives of Tony and Michelle from "24" on days which are not the ones featured on the show. It is an interesting piece because it gives more insight into Tony and Michelle as actual people. However, for fans of 24, Michelle's characterization as a woman who is utterly consumed with her actions and interactions with Tony seems completely off base with regard to everything we have seen of Michelle's character previously. However, it is a fun story to read because it interesting to analyze why the writer chose to portray the characters as he/she did, as well as to determine how you would have shown these characters in a different light.

2.) "Napoleon goes to Disneyland" (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3147113/1/)
This one cracked me up, it's about Napoleon Dynamite (and Deb, Kip, Pedro, and Lafawnda) going to Disneyland. Where it could have been trite, it offered some really humorous dialogue. The author plays well on the awkward silences that the original film presented. My favorite parts were Pedro's comments about the park and rides, as well as Napoleon, Deb, and Pedro's experience in the Haunted Mansion. You should flippin' read this!

3.) "Always Together, Never Over" (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2899670/1/)
This story picks up where a very short scene ended in the movie "The Notebook." It deals with the interaction between Allie and Noah after Allie meets Noah's pseudo-girlfriend, Martha. I think this was an interesting scene to write about because the film kind of glosses over the fact that Allie was so emotionally alright with the fact that Noah had been seeing someone else. However, there are moments when Allie becomes more emotional than her character in the film would have become. Aside from that, it offers an interesting perspective into the movie.

My idea for a fan-fiction story:

I would like to write a piece based on the show "24." The story would describe how Jack Bauer got together with the girlfriend he had at the beginning of last season. To me it seemed like he did a lot of settling with regard to his choice, and I wondered if maybe he had done this because it was a way of maintaining his cover; his girlfriends in the last were very complex people, while this new girlfriend seemed extremely one-dimensional. Also, I would like to delve into how Jack ended his relationship with this woman.