Primarily, Shirky spends the majority of his article explaining why the Dean campaign had such a believable façade of success around their campaign – he states that Dean was believed to be the “inevitable victor’ and that his Internet campaign was a huge part of that (Shirky 2). However, as Shirky contends, the inevitability of his campaign and the sheer fact that people supported him, didn’t translate into votes. He illustrates this point with an example I found particularly illuminating about Dean’s use of MeetUp in New York City in 2003. He traveled to meet over 300 supporters, a group of people that indicated a great deal of support and should have translated into a potential victory, yet his campaign still resulted so negatively. Shirky points out that “the size of the MeetUp in NYC was as much a testament to MeetUp as to Dean” as “it is a wonderful tool for turning interest into attendance” (Shirky 6). However, this support and attendance are not votes. I think it’s particularly interested how Shirky brings into play the concept of “interest.” The size of the MeetUp only indicated interest in Dean’s campraing – nothing more, yet the general public was fooled into assuming that a sheer interest (not support, not even agreement) was enough to translate those 300 audience members into 300 votes.

 Hindman’s article addresses many of the same concerns about the Dean campaign that Shirky’s does, yet I really found his analysis of Dean’s use of the Internet for fund-raising interesting. Hindman spends a lot of time analyzing the size of donations and the ratio of large donors to small donors. It is interesting to note that in Dean’s campaign, the Internet was used primarily as a way to raise money – and was definitely successful in getting a lot of donors but not a lot of donations. Hindman points out that “a hand delivered $2,000 check carries with it a great deal more information than 40 individual $50 credit card contributions submitted via the campaign Web site,” suggesting that the website, similar to Shirky’s point, created a lot of human interest, but not a lot of honest, devoted, followers that would translate into financial support (Hindman 125).  

 Overall, the generalizations that Shirky and Hindman make about Dean’s campaign, I think, are interesting when thought of in the context of Shirky’s take on the uses of social media and the Web. What about Shirky’s arguments in the Dean case suggest that the use of the Web to civically engage people is valid? Why do you think Dean’s Internet campaign didn’t translate into a successful election?

Here are some of my favorite match-ups:

floral and leopard // graphic and dots // stripes and birds // a little cray cray // florals and stripes // stripes and plaid

A post on pattern mixing would not be complete without referencing the mix master herself – Olivia Palermo.  She gets it right, outfit after outfit.

So, what’s your verdict? Do you mix patterns? Will you be trying this trend out this spring?  Does not being matchy-matchy drive you nuts?  Let’s discuss.

Please note: I do not own any of these pictures (except the plaid/striped one – because that’s me), nor do I take any credit for them – just putting them together for your viewing pleasure. Please click on each picture to see their website of origin or the pinterest posting where I found them (if I couldn’t find their original source). 

We know you’ve missed us, over the past few days, but we promise it was all for wonderful reasons!  Ms. Jones has been making some adjustments at the LIV-Glam Flagship Store and it is, once again, open.  Make sure you drop by the store to check out the new landing area, with two walls FULL of fantastic group gifts, and  a new layout that connects all the shopping areas and LIV-Glam departments.

Sam has also been creating more fabulous designs for the Perfect Wardrobe bi-weekly event.  The theme this round is Carnival.

First up is the [LIV-Glam]WINTER-2012- Satine Gown.  Satine is a Non-Mesh, gown with a plunging neckline, layers of glittery tulle with a cascade of roses and an optional off the shoulder cape. This daring gown will be sure to turn heads when you enter the room.

Next we have the fun and flirty Happy Dance Outfit from the K Collection.  Happy dance has a a gorgeous sequin top that hugs all your curves and ends with a flounce of feathers; tailor made for those passionate tangos!

At L$90 each, both dresses would be the perfect addition to your wardrobe.

Drop by Perfect Wardrobe Carnival  and grab these dresses before they are gone.

Stay fabulous and LIV-Glam!

With lots of layers:

The vest adds more interest to a layered outfit.  I love how the floral dress looks with all the different textures!

Over a coat

Sometimes you just need more warmth – when paired with different shades of brown, the vest makes this outfit look luxe.

Want one of your own?  You’re in luck!  There are a million options and since winter is almost over – they are on super sale.  Here’s one for less than $20, here’s a really pretty one (on sale for $139), here’s a super badass black and white one, this one has a super cool collar, and this one is on sale for 70% off!

Here are some other ways I’ve worn my vest, some recent, some not so recent:

What do you winter-climate ladies think?  Do you wear fur vests or do you have another item that pulls double/triple duty?

Forever 21 Fur vest

Layers: dress (hand-me-down), Old Navy cardigan, Hue tights, Zigi soho booties, scarf (made by my sister), Coach purse

Over a coat: Forever 21 coat, H&M sweater, Wet seal jeans, Jessica Simpson booties, Michael Kors purse, Kenneth Cole aviators (thrifted)

Click on other looks to see their original post!

I got some awesome powder riding done this season!

This post marks the 500th post I’ve written for The Null Set. Stack that milestone on top of the other ones that I never thought I would actually accomplish. I had wanted to have my fifth year anniversary post last month be my 500th post for the symmetry of it but I didn’t get this look back at the anime of 2012 done in time.

Oh well, this post is almost as good because there is nothing I spend more time on here then these yearly looks back at the anime series that aired.

Last year I was happy to see that three of the top 6 anime series were anime original and had hoped the trend would continue in 2012. That didn’t happen. This year there’s only 1 anime original in the top 6 (though one could argue that a second was largely anime original). I guess it’s too much to expect that the multi-year effort it takes to create an original anime could get sandwiched into a single year. So, if last year taught us the power of creating original anime then this year taught us the power of adapting great source material in an inspired way.

#5 –

Hyouka

I’ve been working on a post, which is probably why I’m thinking about it now, about the failures of Robotics;Notes and one of it’s more egregious is it’s main character, Kai. At the onset of Robotics;Notes, Kai was characterized in a similar way as Houtarou, the main character in Hyouka. Only at the onset, though, as the series played out the differences between the two became profound. Kai was shown to be an emotionless blob that would react exactly the same to any situation, from passing gas to learning the world was going to end in a couple of years; namely, pull out his mobile computing device and start playing a game. The poor writing that was episode 16 might shock Kai into action (and that was probably the point of it all) but that will hardily improve his character now since it came as a result of poor writing. On the other hand, the creators of Hyouka made Houtarou interesting from the first episode and had him naturally shed his low-energy personality for a slowly increasingly higher-energy personality. This is just one of reasons for Hyouka’s high placement. Another reason was the original creator actually fashioned interesting little mysteries for the characters to solve. I almost always get disappointed in the mysteries found in anime – Un-go was one recent example of this – I’m either bored by the mystery or can guess the conclusion well before the halfway point of the mystery. I also like Kyoto Animation’s attention to building likeable characters as shown by the anime original episodes that fit into the series and focused more the building the characters. Nor could I pass up mentioning the absolutely gorgeous animation found in Hyouka; even compared to their other recent works, there’s nobody out there even close to Kyoto Animation’s skills at the TV series level. (For animated movies there are a couple of animation studios that would be fierce competitors, assuming they get a large enough budget.)

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#4 –

AKB0048

One of the fun things about writing for an anime blog is that there’s a written record that I can look back on and smile when I get something right or laugh at myself for getting it wrong. This is what I wrote in my first impression of AKB0048, after episode 2: “I have serious reservations about how this anime will unfold. I love the idea of a guerrilla idol group that will infiltrate oppressive regimes so they can give a concert. It’s the right mix of ballsy bravado and absurdity that I love to see in anime but, oftentimes with anime such as this, the creators only tepidly embrace the premise and the anime bogs down in it’s own mediocrity. If the creators push AKB0048’s story and plotting to it’s maximum silly, absurd glory – like the people behind Aquarion EVOL and Phi Brain did – then this will be a fun anime to watch.” In hindsight, I didn’t realize then that AKB0048 had the same director and writer as Aquarion EVOL which would have allayed my worry that AKB0048 would only weakly embrace it’s premise but I was right that if this anime would push itself then it would be a fun anime to watch. In the end AKB0048 succeeded to a far greater degree then I thought possible after the end of the second episode. The creators accomplished the near impossible task of getting the viewer to take the story seriously while also entertaining the viewer with how absurdly, silly the story is at the same time. Another thing this anime did right was have an ending that felt like a real ending while still keeping enough plot threads unresolved so the sequel could pick right up without having to graft on a new story.

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#3 –

Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!

This anime is an example of why I find ranking the top anime of the year important. The winner of a single yearly category – Best Performance by a Seiyuu – it wouldn’t appear that Chuu2 would place this high but the format of the categories section glosses over how close this anime was to winning many other awards. (Best Couple, Best Character Development for Cast, Best Animation are three such categories that Chuu2 came in second overall.) There were so many different facets to this anime that I loved watching. There was the action scenes. KyoAni picks series where it’s near impossible for them to actually animate fight scenes so I find myself sending brain waves westwards stating my desire for fight scenes. Chuu2 partially fulfilled this desire to see an action series animated by Kyoto Animation but it also reinforced this desire because I wanted more. Another facet was the cast of characters. I read how KyoAni fleshed out the source material which included adding characters such as Kumin and Dekomori. I can’t imagine the show without these characters; actually, yes I could – it would have been a far weaker series. I loved how all the characters changed over the course of the series, not just the main characters. Another facet I loved was the drama of the second half of the series. It was appropriate and natural to see the series take this type of turn and KyoAni played it perfectly. People complained about the whipsaw nature between the drama and the comedy. I wanted to politely remind these people of the fickle, supercharged nature of kids at the age we saw the characters of Chuu2 at. It felt like KyoAni allowed their characters to be themselves and have the story develop around what they wanted to do.

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#2 –

Chihayafuru

Thinking about it Chihayafuru, this year’s number 2 top anime, shares a degree of similarity with last year’s number 2 series, Steins;Gate. Both series started off slowly, silently building their characters up and getting us acquainted with the setting. Then, just before the midway point, the creators removed the blinders from the viewer’s eyes and we realized the depth to the masterpiece we were watching. From there, both series were like robber barons in their relentless pursuit of maximizing the returns from the capital they invested in building up their characters and setting the stage. And in the final tally both these series took the 10 talents they were given and returned with 100. Oh, and Mamoru Miyano voiced a character in both . I’m really glad I gave this anime series a shot; it was only because Madhouse was animating it that I did. I normally dislike sports anime and I’m iffy about josei series which is what Chihayafuru is: a josei comedy/drama about a group of high school kids that play Karuta (a competitive card game built around the memorization of 100 poems). But the characters turned out to be great characters and I got sucked into the Karuta tournaments; I would marvel when a 22 minute episode felt like 5 minutes. This is the point I should be lamenting that I would love to see more of this series – though the chance of that is small since the DVD/BD sales were weak – however, I’m not because a sequel got approved and is currently airing and will probably rank highly in next year’s top anime countdown.

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#1 –

Space Brothers

For the spring seasonal anime awards I wrote this about Space Brothers. “It might be a little early but I think Space Brothers will end up my top anime of 2012.” Turned out I was correct. It wasn’t a huge prediction to make, however, when it’s biggest competitor was probably going to be Chihayafuru and I knew it would run through the summer and fall seasons; so, it merely had to continue at the same dazzling level shown in the spring. Which it did and here we are. The only thing that might have tripped up Space Brothers was the lack of an ending (and the accompanying sense of satisfaction that comes from having a good ending) that came from it’s continuing into 2013. However, that problem didn’t materialize because right before the end of 2012 we got the conclusion of the arc that featured Mutta trying to become an astronaut which worked as a good temporary ending to the series. It still sometimes feels like I’m dreaming when I watch this series. An anime about two middle-age brothers, one an astronaut and the other trying to be one, that follows them as one trains for a mission to the moon and the other takes the rather involved test to become an astronaut is hardily the type of series that gets a TV show, much less one that will run longer then 4 seasons. The recent announcement of the continuation of Space Brothers into, at least, the spring season plus it’s promotion to a more watched time slot makes me think 2013 might be another year full of Space Brothers goodness. I wouldn’t be surprised if the 2013 countdown of top anime will feature Space Brothers and Chihayafuru fighting it out for the top spot again. I certainly wouldn’t complain if it that was so.

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I’d like to thank all the people who read my 13000+ word review of the 2012 year in anime (3000 words more than last year ); I hope you enjoyed it and maybe discovered an anime or two that you want to watch now. And if you’re so inclined, vote in the poll to the right for your favorite anime series of 2012. I’m curious to see what the people reading this think.

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Top anime 2012 Awards Part 0: Introduction and Anti-Awards
Top anime 2012 Awards Part 1: Cast and Character Awards
Top anime 2012 Awards Part 2: Genre and General Awards
Top anime 2012 Awards Part 3: VMA Awards
Top anime 2012 Awards Part 4: The Misfit Awards
Top anime 2012 Awards: Top 15 Anime – #15 – #11
Top anime 2012 Awards: Top 15 Anime – #10 – #6
Top anime 2012 Awards: Top 15 Anime – #5 – #1 <- you are here

I hope your Valentine’s day is filled with love and yummy treats!

But if for any reason you’re feeling down and lonely, you should watch this video immediately:

I love you guys! Thanks for reading!

River Island dress // Forever 21 blazer // Hue tights // Zigi Soho booties // sequined clutch (gift) // belt (taken off a shirt) // earrings (gift)

Sorry; I’m pulling a Peter Jackson. I intended to do this countdown in two parts but, as I finished up, I realized that I had been writing at Extended Edition speed and both halves were entirely too long. I know this takes some of the fun out of the final part because between knowing 2/3 of the countdown along with the honorable mentions means which series are in the top 5 is probably a no-brainer. Oh well, onto the countdown.

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#10 –

Aquarion Evol

Aquarion Evol won two yearly categories for 2012 – Most Entertaining and Best Ending – and this is a very good shorthand explanation why it lands in the number 10 spot. Of course there are many components that went into why Aquarion Evol won those two. One of the most important was the complete mastery shown by the staff to know exactly what they wanted and how to achieve it. The staff knew that to be successful Aquarion Evol needed a fairly large dose of over-the-top absurdness. Too much would make the story irrelevant and too little would make the story overly melodramatic, either of which would have severely weakened the show. A second, almost as important, component was the unflinching attitude the staff displayed in making this anime; there was no timidity shown, no hedging, no reluctance, no apologies, no faintheartedness at Satelight. I think this was what was lacking at Gonzo with their Last Exile sequel. They built a wonderfully interesting world but didn’t have enough confidence in themselves so they threw in a bunch of cute girls, weakening the story as a result, because cute girls doing cute things always sale well (except when they don’t).

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#9 –

Chouyaku Hyakunin Isshu: Uta Koi

I would have liked Uta Koi without watching Chihayafuru first but it certainly helped me get excited for Uta Koi because it stimulated my interest in the 100 poem anthology that’s used in Karuta. Creating a cohesive series centered on the stories that led the various authors of the 100 poems in question to write their poems was a daunting task for Uta Koi and it succeeded to a greater degree then I would have thought possible. The format was a series of one-episode stories that normally featured at least one character that would reappear in a couple other episodes to give a bit of inter-episodal structure to the series. The first time I watched this series I missed some of the connections between the various characters; however, the strength of the stand alone stories meant I still greatly enjoyed this series. The second time I watched Uta Koi I knew how the characters were connected which freed up brain space to focus more on the characters and I discovered a deeper layer to the characters. I became even more impressed with what Uta Koi accomplished and liked it even more. It’s a shame that the animation style kept some people from watching this noteworthy anime.

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#8 –

Natsume Yuujinchou Shi

The fourth season of Natsume’s Book of Friends appearing in my yearly top 10 is hardily surprising since the first three series all appeared in their respective years as well. While the quality of this series has been constant, as in constantly sublime, the nature of the series has slowly changed over the seasons. The first season had a very sparse cast with a strong feeling of melancholy permeating it. Slowly, with each season, this changed; Natsume meets new friends and learns to better integrate his ability to see spirits into living a normal life. With this fourth season I was marveling at how this series now has a large cast and carries a warm, pleasant feeling with it now. Sometimes I almost miss how Natsume was during the first season but I catch myself. I wouldn’t want one of my favorite characters to suffer like Natsume was in the first season. A fifth season is an almost assured thing and I can’t wait to see how Natsume Yuujinchou grows next.

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#7 –

Nekomonogatari – Black

In the previous 5 years that I’ve compiled a list of the top anime series of the year there has been two animation studios, with the consistent quality, to appear on 4 of those lists somewhere in the top 10. One is Kyoto Animation and the other is Shaft. When I first started compiling this list back in mid-December I realized this year was going to be the first year since 2007 that no Shaft series was going to appear. Nisemonogatari, their first series of 2012, was a testament to how good Shaft/Shinbou are at making anime but the underlying source material was deficient, to put it mildly. Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb, their other series, was a worthy fourth season to the franchise and a very good series; however, this season caught the franchise in the process of transition, the two high school seniors will be graduating soon, and there was an awkwardness to it that dampened the enjoyment of it just enough to put it out of contention. Shaft had one more trick up their sleeves; on the last day of the year a short prequel series to Bakemonogatari was to air. When I realized it was going to focus on Tsubasa I got excited. Senjougahara and Tsubasa are the most interesting characters in the franchise and neither were in Nisemonogatari to a sufficient degree. Nekomonogatari – Black turned out to be everything I wanted Nisemonogatari to be and then some. I luxuriated in the smart writing, sharp directing, stellar animation, high quality vocal acting, great music, and – of course – the Shaftian animation style that they’ve perfected in the last couple of years. After getting used to the larger cast of the earlier, and chronologically later, series of this franchise, I was fascinated by how focused this anime had to be since it literally had only four characters to work with. The most vivid memory I have of this series was how shaken up I felt when the viewer found out that Tsubasa lacked even the smallest space to call her own, as if to say she was an afterthought in her own house.

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#6 –

Jormungand / Jormungand: Perfect Order

As great as Nekomonogatari – Black was, there was only 4 episodes to it and that it made it difficult to compete against longer series like Jormungand. This series started off almost as if it was a slice-of-life series, a slice-of-life series about a bushy eyebrowed arms dealer with a highly skilled team of bodyguards, but still a slice-of-life series and this threw many people off. I thought it was a bit odd for a series backdrop like what Jormungand used to take this approach but it quickly grew on me. I love good characters and watching Jonah and Koko made this a worthwhile series by themselves. Add in frequent well-made action scenes and a story that just got more interesting as time went on and I was sold. The second half, Jormungand: Perfect Order, decided to upset the balance of the first season by revealing there had been a larger plot going on that the viewer might have picked up on if they caught the subtle hints dropped everywhere. (I was not one of those eagle eye viewers .) This half built upon everything that made the first season so excellent and added another element that of figuring out what Jormungand was and how it was going to be used. I would have dearly loved to see what Jormungand would have meant for the world but anything less than a full treatment – say 24 episodes – would be inadequate. (Apparently the anime series ended where the manga ended so hopefully the manga’s author will do a sequel series and White Fox could animate that as well. And as long as I’m speaking off-topic why don’t White Fox handle doing a sequel for Full Metal Panic if KyoAni has no plans in doing so.)

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Whew, only one more section – the top 5 anime of 2012 – to go.

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Top anime 2012 Awards Part 0: Introduction and Anti-Awards
Top anime 2012 Awards Part 1: Cast and Character Awards
Top anime 2012 Awards Part 2: Genre and General Awards
Top anime 2012 Awards Part 3: VMA Awards
Top anime 2012 Awards Part 4: The Misfit Awards
Top anime 2012 Awards: Top 15 Anime – #15 – #11
Top anime 2012 Awards: Top 15 Anime – #10 – #6 <- you are here
Top anime 2012 Awards: Top 15 Anime – #5 – #1

Examining the anime of 2012 through awarding winners in various categories only tells part of the story. To compare the relative strengths of the different anime series I also like to rank the top series of the year in one listing. Many of the series listed below have won multiple categories but others have not.

Sure it’s causes one to compare apples to oranges, as the saying goes, or maybe more aptly, forces one to mix oil and water together but humans seem hardwired to try to do just that.

Before I get to the countdown I need to mention the modified eligibility rules for the countdown. To be eligible, the general rule of thumb is the anime series needed to end this year. Longer length series that haven’t finished like Hunter x Hunter and Space Brothers are eligible but only the part of the series that ran in 2012 will be considered. Two cour series that started during the Fall 2012, like Shinsekai Yori and Psycho-Pass, will not be eligible this year but have their entire run be eligible for the 2013 countdown. That also means that two cour series that started Fall 2011, like Chihayafuru and Guilty Crown, and finished during the Winter 2012 season have their entire run eligible for this countdown.

This year, more than the previous years, had a large crop of anime series that were well above average which made picking the total number of series to include on this countdown a very difficult task. I could have added several more spots but I decided, instead, to just name the better ones as honorable mentions. All the honorable mentions are quality series that I recommend watching; in any other year they would have earned a spot on the countdown.

Honorable mentions (in no particular order) – Bodacious Space Pirates, Ano Natsu de Matteru, Tantei Opera Milky Holmes 2, Eureka Seven AO, Natsuiro Kiseki, Btooom!, Sankarea, Tsuritama, Dog Days 2, Upotte!!

#15 -

Binbou-gami ga!

Starting off our countdown of the top anime series of 2012 is this odd couple comedy featuring a self-centered girl who has too much good fortune and a poverty god sent to balance things out. Much of the comedy is derived from the two girls completely hating each other and the problems the poverty god has when her target’s good luck keeps the girl safe. Which, coincidentally, is where Binbou-gami ga! shines, thanks to great seiyuu performances and a director that understands comedic timing. If it wasn’t for a few weak side characters that were Buzz Killingtons then this very good comedy would have ranked higher.

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#14 -

Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou

Sometimes we get truth in advertising as was the case with this anime. The title translates into “The Daily Lives of High School Boys” and that encapsulates pretty well what this anime comedy had to offer. It’s refreshingly honest portrayal of the daily lives of high school boys – their inability to get a girlfriend, sisters who torment their lives, etc. – provided ample opportunities to keep the audience laughing and giggling. I think it was a stroke of genius on the part of Sunrise to air a number of skits from the series before it began airing. Many people would have missed out on this if they hadn’t because of an assumption made on the genre of Nichibros. If there was one critique I had for this anime it would be that the very large cast was sometimes difficult to differentiate them and remember the relationship chart amongst them. This problem almost never interfered with the comedy but it did hurt the characterization of the characters.

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#13 –

Another

Sometimes first impressions turn out wrong, like in the case of Another. At first blush this anime was another horror anime series that wasn’t really that frightful in part because P.A. Works’ attempts to create an unsettling atmosphere around it fell flat. Luckily, later on, when the focus shifted to the question of if the price for stopping the current year’s curse was worth it, this anime found it’s stride and became a great series to watch. There was, however, one scene that did genuinely scare me from Another. It was the scene where a girl slips on a staircase and has her neck impelled on the pointy end of the umbrella she was carrying and had dropped during her fall. This death freaked me out because it matched so closely one of my own fears that I’ve had since before elementary school: slipping on a staircase and dying when I fall onto my umbrella which is oriented in such a way that the pointy end goes through an eye and skewers my brain. Which is why all the umbrellas I own are blunt and rounded on both ends. I hope there is another season of Another because I’d like to see how the curse is finally undone permanently.

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#12 –

Mysterious Girlfriend X

It takes real effort to make a romantic-comedy anime about a boy and girl’s first relationship feel fresh and new with the sheer number of similar themed series, even if one restricts themselves to just anime series. Mysterious Girlfriend X does this but the cost was to introduce a rather odd element – one’s drool had the ability to transmit thoughts, memories, and feelings when consumed by someone else – that turned many people off from this series. Repetition breeds familiarity and that was the case here as the whole drool angle slowly faded into the background and allowed the characters and their relationships to step forward into the spotlight. It was at this point that I realized the characters had enough depth to feel like real people and were cutely endearing to watch as they fumbled through their first relationship. I know I’m starting to sound like a broken record but I’d like to see another season of Mysterious Girlfriend X to see where the characters go next (and maybe prove or disprove the thought that Urabe might not be human).

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#11 –

Hunter x Hunter

One of the problems with redoing an anime adaptation like with HxH or Full Metal Alchemist:Brotherhood is figuring out how to handle the section of source material that was already done once. FMA:Brotherhood chose to compress the first couple season’s of episodes down to speed up when the new material started. This adaptation of Hunter x Hunter chose to provide a lukewarm retelling of the first couple of story arcs which pleased no one. The fans of the 1999 version pointed out it’s superiority and new viewers found it boring. If I wasn’t watching this with a shounen fan then I’d have dropped it well before the ~2.5 seasons it took before Madhouse got serious and turned this anime into a compelling watch. I’m now glad I didn’t drop HxH, even if it means I have to go outside my comfort zone and watch a high episode count shounen series. (After Bleach imploded long after it began, I’ve been very skeptical of these types of shows.) Shaving the winter season and part of the spring season off would have resulted in this anime placing higher.

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Look for the next section of the top Anime of 2012, from numbers 10 to 6, tomorrow.

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Top anime 2012 Awards Part 0: Introduction and Anti-Awards
Top anime 2012 Awards Part 1: Cast and Character Awards
Top anime 2012 Awards Part 2: Genre and General Awards
Top anime 2012 Awards Part 3: VMA Awards
Top anime 2012 Awards Part 4: The Misfit Awards
Top anime 2012 Awards: Top 15 Anime – #15 – #11 <- you are here
Top anime 2012 Awards: Top 15 Anime – #10 – #6
Top anime 2012 Awards: Top 15 Anime – #5 – #1

As Standage discusses in The Victorian Internet, the telegraph was seen as a unifying technological advancement that would connect the transatlantic in such a way that it would not only bring about hope for a brighter future but that it could also bring about world peace. The telegraph was thought to be a step in the right direction in terms of reaching world peace because of the way that harbored positive emotions and fostered a sense of motivation to break new grounds and achieve new things while maintaining a sense of distance which made the new technology less threatening.

Glaisyer also discusses how new technology can make its users feel powerful and capable of accomplishing things they had only previously dreamed of. For example, the Internet changed social structures and gave many a sense of self-worth because they now had a place where they could express themselves and be heard. This is particularly important in the political realm as there are many new discourses arising as a result of digital communication. Furthermore, it is interesting to note the direction in which video games are going. Video games have the possibility to connect to the Internet and allow its users to play online against players in other cities, states, countries, and even continents. This open source and ability to interact with others could help bring about world peace in much the same way that the telegraph was imagined to bring about world peace. Video games played online against others who might otherwise be seen as a race or ethnicity to fear can instead help players gain a better understanding of other cultures and thus be more tolerant of others, consequently taking steps in the direction of bringing about world peace.

Do you think that video games, if created with the intention to promote tolerance and acceptable of those who are different from ourselves through creating games that require that players work together in a variety of different ways, could help lead to world peace? What are other aspects of the Internet that have evolved in such a way that they encourage positive social behaviors on a large scale?

     With that enlargement within the sphere of human activity, can we make general conclusions about how this has benefitted us as a society? It wouldn’t seem fair.  It was said that the growth and transmission of such knowledge has promoted social change and has built a pathway to promote peace and harmony throughout the world, however, it was mentioned how this vast development has also brought on a source of information overload (hence my title).  Surely there must be a happy medium- or just biased opinions. 

     Amongst these chapters of Standage, I would like to address a few points that were directly posed as questions. Upon the unveiling of the telegraph as well as the unraveling of it’s functions, Standage questioned if there was no limit to the telegraph’s power to amaze? In response, he followed up by saying it was “being a victim of it’s own success.” I think he raises an interesting point.  With exciting new bridges for mass communication or just a new idea that excites our society, will there eventually be a downfall to it’s success? Will it lose it’s luster?  When the congestion factor of this ‘prehistoric’ communication was elaborated on, I couldn’t help but ask myself, will there be a point where we find there is too much congestion on the internet today, only to shy away from it all together and move on?  With the good comes bad.  As it was said, “the potential of new technologies to change things for the better is invariably overstated, while the ways in which they will make things worse are usually unforeseen.” (Standage p. 104)  Have we ignored how congested our internet truly is and how much information we see is no where near pertinent to our well being or remote interests?  While we can surely speak to the benefits of surfing the web on a day to day basis, are we blind to the negative impacts and overload of worthless information? Are they truly ‘unforeseen’? Will there come a time where we decide if the internet has truly encouraged the greater good and peace and harmony or has it always been an idea that primarily fills our head with more nonsense than actual beneficial knowledge?

Books

Bear Has a Story to Tell by Philip C. Stead
Hibernation by Margaret Hall
Hibernation Station by Michelle Meadows
Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Ouch”

Fingerplay: “Here is a Cave”
Here is a cave. Inside is a bear. (bend fingers on one hand; put thumb inside)
Now he comes out to get some fresh air. (pop out thumb)
He stays out all summer in sunshine and heat.
He hunts in the forest for berries to eat. (move thumb in a circle)
When snow starts to fall, he hurries inside
His warm little cave and there he will hide. (put thumb inside fingers)
Snow covers the cave like a fluffy white rug.
Inside the bear sleeps all cozy and snug. (place one hand over the other)
Credit: King County Library System

Song: “Hibernation” (Tune: “Alouette”)
Hibernation, time for hibernation.
Hibernation, time to go to sleep.
In the winter, where’s the bear?
Sleeping in its log or lair.
Where’s the bear? Log or lair. OH!
In the winter, where’s the frog?
Sleeping by a pond or log.
Where’s the frog? Pond or log. OH!
In the winter, where’s the snake?
In the mud beneath the lake.
Where’s the snake? Beneath the lake. OH!
In the winter, where’s the bat?
In a cave is where it’s at.
Where’s the bat? Cave it’s at! OH!
Credit: Songs for Children

Song & Puppet: “Sleepy Bear” (Tune: Thumbkin)
Where is Bear? Where is Bear?
Here I am. Here I am.
How are you this winter?
Very tired, thank you.
Go to sleep. Go to sleep.
Credit: Preschool Education & Music

Craft

At craft, we made a paper bag with a hibernating bear inside! I got this craft from Play Create Explore and you definitely need to check out the amazing photo-by-photo instructions. My teen volunteers had no trouble putting this one together!

How It Went

This was a quieter storytime, which was kind of ironic given the subject matter. The kids liked “Time to Sleep” and “Bear Has a Story to Tell,” but responded mostly to our non-fiction title, “Hibernation!” Seeing the real images of the animals really piqued their interest! And as always, “Sleepy Bear” brought lots of giggles when we woke Bear up over and over to sing the song again.

In Standage’s historical analysis of the implementation and public reaction to the first transatlantic telegraph, he emphasizes the feeling of hope the new communication method created among the public and the excitement that came with connecting the “new” and “old” world. This feeling was referred to as the first step on the quick route to breaking social barriers and encouraging peaceful relationships. In chapter 1, he recalls a public sentiment that “the electric telegraph would make muskets into candlesticks”. There was a sense of optimism that humanity would be united through a wire laid across the sea, which was accepted even after the telegraph system was proven to be flawed and relatively useless, and mostly only used by a small sect of the public.

A similar sentiment connected the rise of the internet and a potential social revolution. The idea that people will use “new” social media for public debate, and organize themselves for a cause is showcased in this short advertisement: Three Little Pigs story that uncovers a “truth” and inspires social change. While we know that a news story and the public debate that ensues does not translate to anything like the outcomes in the video, it does display some of the hope that ordinary people shape what the “real story is” and have the power to potentially create reform.

In the Glaisyer article, he points out that the emerging communications technology has the possibility to empower and open up communication in countries where political expression is likely constrained. He suggests that what makes it different from old social media is its availability to not only bureaucrats and civil servants, but ordinary people. Aside from the physical structures of the new media, perhaps this is the factor that stands out as the biggest transition point between old and new social media. The way that we see the world has also been transformed, because the “whole world” connection that was created through the telegraph was only a connection across the Atlantic Ocean. It is interesting to think about who the public thought of as possible change-makers in history, and what countries were included in this strive to “world peace”. Now, the increased visibility has reached many more places in the world, and our idea of who can be an activist or a drive for social change has been transformed entirely. In this way, new media is empowering.

My question for the class is: Have you ever engaged in public debate on social media? If so, did you ever take action beyond what you read or wrote? If not, what kind of news story would inspire you to do so? Can you think of an example (maybe on our campus) where a public debate came from social media, and any changes were made as a result?

I always feel much more comfortable in casual clothes.  I’ll take a pair of jeans over trousers any day of the week.

This Saturday, I did just that – and added on my jean shirt and blue plaid coat for good measure.

I have to say, those Canadians sure know how to rock a tuxedo.

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend!!

Banana Republic jeans (similar) // H&M shirt (similar) and booties // Victorias Secret coat // Michael Kors purse // Forever 21 sunglasses

Like the study from Pasek et al. in Realizing the Social Internet? Online Social Networking Meets Offline Social Capital explores, whether or not social networking sites actually “encourage or hinder social capital” is up for discussion. The telegraph was seen as a huge advancement in technology, one that was celebrated and rejoiced over for quite some time, and for all that time it was regarded as an “instrument of world peace,” although many used it for their own personal means.. Pasek et al notes that it is hard to tell what usage types of the Internet there are and this creates difficulties in managing the civic engagement of individuals.

Yet the idea that we can have connection quickly is a feeling that differs slightly from the times of the telegraph and the Internet. Standage says, “We take this for granted today, but at the time the idea of being able to keep up with world affairs and feel part of an extended global community, was extraordinary” (Standage, 153). Although we overestimate this feeling, it is one that still exists when one contemplates how far we have come and the technology we have created.

So my question for today is this, will there be something that one day trumps the Internet? As the people in the 1800s thought the telegraph was something that could never be done and then never be topped, called the “Victorian Internet” for a reason, they were able to create the modern day internet. What will come next? Is there more potential for growth? How will we know when it comes? 

 One of the biggest beliefs of the benefits of the transatlantic telegraph was that it would connect the world, and through that connection bring peace and harmony to all which were interconnected. The telegraph was viewed as “nothing less than the instrument of world peace.” (Standage, pg. 103) It was to bring together distant nations, to make them feel as though they were all part of a large family. This was a tough act to live up to for a device which simply allowed for the sending and receiving of messages worldwide. However, in essence these claims seem as though they could be fulfilled, as communication is a key source of bringing people (in this case nations) together and is also essential in the prevention and mediation of conflicts. Those who dreamed of world peace via the transatlantic telegraph were unfortunately left feeling melancholy, as the great world harmonizing and peaceful social impact of the telegraph was never satisfied. As it turned out, “better communication does not necessarily lead to a wider understanding of other points of view; the potential of new technologies to change things for the better is invariably overstated, while the ways in which they will make things worse are usually unforeseen.” (Strandage, pg. 104)

 After reading this I immediately thought back to Morozov’s The Net Delusion, in which the West Germans hoped that programming their TV broadcasts into East Germany would cause an “enlightenment” to the Western ways and cause them to democratize, while in reality the East Germans became more complacent with their lives. The Eastern Germans used Western TV as a mode of escapism rather than a means to become more politically active. In fact, those areas of Eastern Germany without access to Western broadcasts were more politically active, a testimony to how new technologies can unforeseeingly make things worse.

To conclude, my question for the class is whether you believe that there will ever be a time where a medium such as the transatlantic telegraph or the Internet will ever be able to provoke any serious social change? Or is a medium for connecting people worldwide simply not as beneficial as physical connections in this regard?

As I mentioned before, it was believed that with the telegraph would come a large social impact- improving foreign relations and respect. This is sometimes thought about social media such as Facebook, and Twitter as well; however, as Standage stated, “Better communication does not necessarily lead to a wider understanding of other points of view; the potential of a new technologies to change things for the better is invariably overstated, while the way s in which they will make things worse are usually forseen,” (104, Standage). This reminded me of what Josh Pasek talks about in Realizing the Social Internet? Online Social Networking Meets Offline Social Capital. He refers to selective exposure, and how people go to certain internet sites that confirm your personal views, not change them. This, I believe is applicable to the telegraph and newspapers at the time. While it opened the possibility for communication among those before unlikely to communicate, it doesn’t mean that they are more willing to do so.

Additionally, Standage talks about how “everyone wanted a piece of it [telegraph],” (Standage, 102). This reminded me of in The Filter Bubble: What the Internet is Hiding from You, where they explain the advertising strategies of Facebook, Google, and those alike.

So my question this week is simple- does history repeat itself? Will we soon be bored, and the internet outdated? Will this process of invention, obsession, feeling of change (but nothing every occurring), then the obsession quickly become victim to Tragedy of the Commons and die off?

In just eleven (long) weeks, I’ll be heading to Istanbul to meet my sister.  I somehow managed to trick her into coming to Georgia on the premise of a ‘vacation’, so we’ll be flying over the iron curtain after just a few days of freedom (for me) in Istanbul.  I figure once she’s here it’s not like she’ll survive on her own without my (admittedly terrible) language skillz. So while I can successfully navigate Georgia’s infrastructure (if you can call it that), she cannot, so that means she is stuck with her vacation in the Soviet Union.  However, I do so solemnly swear to defend her from Georgian bebias and gross Georgian men inquiring about her marital status.  Whether she likes it or not, she will be “engaged” when she comes to Georgia.  Sorry Rachel, I didn’t choose this country, the US government did.

Last night I had the opportunity to skype with Zabrina, who always makes me feel like I’m still part of the real world.  Living here can be extremely isolating at times, although I’m lucky to have reliable access to internet.  Still, as I mentioned in my previous post, being so far from other volunteers can leave you feeling a little like you’ve been cast out to sea.  

So anyway, we chatted for a couple hours before inevitably having to say goodbye and heading off to our respective lives (me to bed, her to shop (#93205 reason why I miss America: shopping with muh homegirl)).  

Big news of the month!  Zabrina will be moving to DC sometime around the end of summer to start law school!  I can’t believe my friends are dropping lines like “I got into American University School of Law.”  Huge congratulations to my girl Zabrina, who’s had her eye on this since our third year of undergrad (seems like ages ago).  So since I’m sappy and over sentimental about stuff like this, here’s my shout out to say that I’m so proud of her; I can’t wait to see where this takes her, and I’m genuinely excited for this next step in her life.

ძალიან ძალიან მიყვარხარ და ყოველ დღე მე მენატრება შენ!

Χριστίνα Ππεκρή και Σάββη Πολυκάρπου

Το μάθημα ΕΠΑ148: Εκπαιδευτική Ρομποτική, προσφέρθηκε για πρώτη φορά το χειμερινό εξάμηνο 2012 – 2013 από το τμήμα Επιστημών της Αγωγής του Πανεπιστημίου Κύπρου.

Στόχος του ήταν ο σχεδιασμός και η υλοποίηση διερευνητικών και συνεργατικών μαθησιακών περιβαλλόντων με την αξιοποίηση συστημάτων Εκπαιδευτικής Ρομποτικής.

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Η Εκπαιδευτική Ρομποτική αποτελεί ένα σύγχρονο εκπαιδευτικό χώρο όπου ο χρήστης είναι σε θέση να συναρμολογεί, να προγραμματίζει και να καθοδηγεί ένα ρομπότ με τη βοήθεια μιας απλής, οπτικής γλώσσας προγραμματισμού. Προσφέρει ένα ευέλικτο περιβάλλον για δοκιμές και αναζήτηση λύσεων, κατάλληλο για την ανάπτυξη σύνθετων γνωστικών δεξιοτήτων. Υποστηρίζει ακόμη, την ανάπτυξη δεξιοτεχνιών συναρμολόγησης κατασκευών, αφού οι χρήστες έχουν την ευκαιρία να εξοικειωθούν με νέες μεθόδους και υλικά και με τη λειτουργική χρήση τεχνολογίας που επιτρέπει να ασκούνται σε αλλαγές και μετασχηματισμούς στον  φυσικό κόσμο. Μπορεί επίσης να προωθήσει τη συνεργατική μάθηση και την ενεργό συμμετοχή μέσω της ανάθεσης συνθετικών εργασιών σε ομάδες.

Το μάθημα Εκπαιδευτική Ρομποτική έδωσε την ευκαιρία στους φοιτητές να εμπλακούν σε δραστηριότητες με σκοπό όχι μόνο να τους καταστήσει ικανούς να συναρμολογούν και να προγραμματίζουν ρομποτικές κατασκευές, αλλά και να τους βοηθήσει να διαμορφώνουν ένα μεθοδολογικό πλαίσιο ανάπτυξης εκπαιδευτικών δραστηριοτήτων με τη χρήση ρομποτικής στα πλαίσιο του κατασκευαστικού εποικοδομισμού.

Τα βίντεο που ακολουθούν είναι από εργασίες των φοιτητών. Το τελικό αποτέλεσμα νομίζω ότι μιλάει από μόνο του: εντυπωσιακές κατασκευές, έξυπνα και ευέλικτα ρομπότ, χαμόγελα και ευχαριστημένοι δημιουργοί!!!! Μια ματιά θα σας πείσει…

             Of all of Standage’s arguments, I found his last paragraph in Chapter 6 to be similar with the theme Morozov makes in The Net Delusion. Standage writes “Better communication does not necessarily lead to a wider understanding of other points of view; the potential of new technologies to change things for the better is invariably overstated, while the ways in which they will make things worse are usually unforeseen” (p. 104). This passage immediately brought to mind the Morozov’s example of Eastern Germany’s access to western television and its assistance in maintaining the autocracy. Even with the invention of the Internet, autocracies have been able to survive. Copious amounts of new communication technologies did not lead to an influx in change or information.

            It is obviously problematic to claim that the telegraph and the Internet are the same thing in their perspective historical contexts. For example, journalists’ fear of the extinction of the newspaper in the 19^th century only materialized with the progression of the Internet. However, I think that both were expected to create a uniformly informed society and both did not. My question to the class is whether or not you agree. Are the same? Or am I over generalizing the difference of the Internet? 

I took a break from my usual posting schedule yesterday because I was in New York City with the bf for a quick trip to see Mumford and Sons.   The 24 hour trip was a whirlwind and didn’t involve much sleeping – but it was AWESOME.  We had some time to explore the city, have lunch with my amazing BFF Gaby, and were even lucky enough for a NYC celeb sighting (Tamara Tunsie, or as I know her, Dr. Warner from Law and Order SVU – she was on our plane a few rows up!).  Not to mention, Mumford KILLED it on stage.  Their’s are seriously the best concerts I’ve ever been to.

My favorite song:

After sleeping for 12 hours last night, I am ready to attack the massive amounts of homework I have to do…but only after a snuggly Friday night in.  Red Box Movies here I come!

As always, thank you for reading guys.  Have a wonderful weekend!

Wet Seal jeans (don’t judge – they are sooo comfy) // Forever 21 vest and sunglasses // H&M blouse // Mossimo for Target booties // Nine West bag // hat (thrifted) //

“A Leading Lady is always dressed to thrill!” – Essie

I finally got my hands on Essie’s Leading Lady from its Winter 2012 nail polish collection. It sports a festive yet classical and sophisticated look, fit for any skin tone and perfect for a winter party. The deep red is absolutely stunning, and its tiny glitters though subtle gives it just that extra pop. Under darker lighting, the nail polish becomes a matte deep maroon. My only issue is the texture of the nail polish, its appearance is beautiful but its touch is a little grainy for my liking.

Application: Application is easy, but definitely needs more than one coat. The nail polish has a quick dry formula so multiple coats is not a waiting-time problem.

So, hey gaiz. Say hello to my first post of 2013. This will be about the new anime titles I’m currently watching/interested in that are released this winter anime season.

Winter 2012 anime chart from Neregate.

Here goes the list of titles I’m watching~ It’ll be short, I’m currently busy with stuffs, I don’t have enough time for all these anime. I swear I’ll bury myself with new animes come Spring anime season.

Amnesia (アムネシア)

Amnesia takes place in a fictional world. One morning, the Heroine (she doesn’t have a name) awakens to find that she has lost all of her memories prior to that morning. All that’s left is a cell phone with numbers and names she doesn’t recognize and Orion, a young boy that only she can see. With Orion’s guidance, she struggles to make sense of everything that’s happening around her, and a boyfriend she doesn’t remember.

OH LOOK, BISHIES! And a heroine who is not annoying. Probably my favorite this season. Shinnnnnn <3

Hetalia: The Beautiful World

The fifth season of Hetalia.

You guys might not know it, but I used to be an avid fangirl of Hetalia. But that was, like, two years ago. I would have jumped up and down, rolled on the floor, and screamed like there’s no tomorrow if this new season of Hetalia came when I was still a fan, but no. It just had to come out when I moved on with my fangirl life and changed fandoms. :/ But hey, new season, cool. I appreciate the fact that the art improved A LOT, but it lacks the feel of the old Hetalia. Or maybe that’s just me, being an old fan and all.

Mangirl! (まんがーる!)

Mangirl! is an anime about a group of girls with zero experience in manga editing having the same dream of being able to produce the biggest manga magazine in all of Japan.

Of course, trust Frigga to watch every five/three-minute episoder anime out there. That’s all she can watch with all the things she’s being busy about, okay!? It’s not like I’m being defensive or something…

Ore no Kanojo to Osanananajimi ga Shuraba Sugiru (俺の彼女と幼なじみが修羅場すぎる/Oreshura)

Eita enters high school with one goal: to be able to enter the National University School of Medicine. But then one day, like any other ecchi-rom-com, the school beauty takes an interest on him and ruins his life.

Ecchi-rom-com, because, well, IDK. I just picked this anime out of random titles but it turned out to be good.

Senyuu (戦勇)

Long ago, there lived an evil being who reigned over the world through fear, called Satan Rchimedes. He invaded the human world with his many demon underlings, spreading madness and chaos everywhere. One thousand years ago, this menace was sealed by the hero Creation, and peace returned to the world. Then, one day, a great hole suddenly appeared on the surface of the world, and a vast number of demons appeared. The king discerned that the menace Satan had returned after being sealed away for a thousand years, and decided to send the hero’s descendants to battle him. He found 75 men. As one thousand years had passed, you see, it was difficult to tell who the hero’s descendants were. So the king declared that he would grant the title of “true hero” and great fortune to the one who defeated Satan, and ordered the new hero, Alba, and his warrior attendant, Ross, on a quest to bring down the evil Satan. Though he struggles with lesser monsters and is even nearly killed by his partner Ross, Alba’s quest to polish his fighting skills leads him to new places and new meetings that he had never expected. Battles, laughter, and emotional moments enhance this adventure tale of an incompetent hero and a sadistic warrior! (Source: Crunchyroll)

SHORT BUT ABSOLUTELY FUNNY ANIME. Trust me

It’s such a short list. I’ll go cry in that corner *points* so I won’t have to hear you guys say how n00b I am in terms of balancing the anime and the real life….. jk

Melissa Blom from Blushes Kanata on Carling Ave (613-254-9943). received the Contessa Award and you can see her work on http://www.salonmagazine.ca .

So check her out, she is terrific at what she does and above all is a fantastic person!