aaarrrrggghhhh!

Alright, I just sat here for over an hour trying to post my bibliography. Instead of reading my fine list of printed sources, database sources and other sources, you're reading about how I just lost all of my work. I'm too tired to deal with it now and will have to post it tomorrow from work. This has been such a blah week anyway...this just makes it even better. Did I mention that my hot water heater is leaking, AGAIN?!?!

Bibliography - Second try

For the purpose of our research project, we have been asked to construct a working bibliography to demonstrate the types of sources we are planning to use. The following list is by no means in final form:

Printed Sources:

1. Burns, Stewart. Social Movements of the 1960s: Searching for Democracy. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1990. Accessed at Davis Library, UNC-Chapel Hill.

Abstract: This book offers valuable information about the social movements of the 1960s. From the Civil Rights Movement to the Women’s Rights Movement to Gay Rights Movement, this book will allow me to gain a better understanding of the strategies and tactics of grassroots activism and how this compares to today’s standards of online activism.

2. Putnam, Robert. Bowling Alone: the collapse and revival of American community. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2002. Accessed at the Undergraduate Library, UNC-Chapel Hill.

Abstract: As far as my research project is concerned, this book seems like a promising resource. Thanks to Drew Lomax for the tip! Putnam has great insight into the issues that have both ripped apart and united communities in the United States. I am especially interested in the section titled, “Against the tide? Small groups, social movements and the Net.”

Electronic Database Sources:

1. "The Politics of Outing: a congressmen's abrupt retirement has reignited debate over exposing closeted antigay lawmakers." Advocate: The National Gay & Lesbian News Magazine. Liberation Publications, Inc. October 12, 2004. Accessed on LexisNexis.

Abstract: This article, originally published in the Advocate magazine, explores the positive and negative issues with using "outing" as a political tool. In today's information age, where everything seems instantaneous, online outing can either make or break the up and coming blogger.

2. "Democrats Mobilize Supporters Online." San Jose Mercury News. Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service. October 25, 2004. Accessed on LexisNexis.

Abstract: This article touches upon the recent political trend of utilizing the Internet in order to get people interested and involved in political campaigns. Online activism reached new levels in 2004 and helped to contribute to the rise and fall of many political candidates.

3. "Reporter Quits After Liberals Expose." The Washington Post. February 10, 2005. Accessed on LexisNexis.

Abstract: This article discusses the recent controversy over Jeff Gannon/James Guckert, the online reporter who is connected to both conservative organizations and sexually provocative online material.

4. "Mary Cheney, Say Something." The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company. October 19, 2004. Accessed on LexisNexis.

Abstract: This article reflects upon the animosity between the LGBT community and the lesbian daughter of Vice President Cheney, Mary Cheney. Mary, who is out and has served as a liaison to the LGBT community for a leading beer distributor and to her father's political campaign, was criticized for keeping silent during President Bush's Marriage Amendment proposal. The article points out two key sites: DontAmend.com and DearMary.com.

5. "When Sexuality Undercuts a Family's Ties." The Washington Post. February 13, 2005. Accessed on LexisNexis.

Abstract: This article discusses how the recent coming out of Maya Keyes, daughter of conservative anti-gay politician Alan Keyes, has caused the young woman to be disowned by her family and on the political frontlines of equality. Alan Keyes is most recently known for lashing out at Mary Cheney and calling homosexuality "selfish hedonism."

Other Sources:

1. National Gay and Lesbian Task Force - The oldest national LGBT organization - founded in 1973. Accessed on the Internet at www.thetaskforce.org.

Abstract: The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has been a leader in grassroots activism with an emphasis on organizing and training at the local, state, regional and federal level. I first got involved with the organization when I was chosen as the 2003 Messenger-Anderson Journalism Intern/Scholarship recipient. I worked out of the Los Angeles office under the organization's former director of communications, Sheri A. Lunn. The Task Force has developed new forms of online activism, must recently with the gaymerica Web site.

2. Rogers, Michael. BlogActive: Real Truth, Direct Action Tools. Accessed on the Internet at www.blogactive.com.

Abstract: Michael Rogers certainly rocked the political boat for Rep. Ed Schrock, R-Va. in 2004. With blogactive as his weapon, Rogers successfully proved the power of the political blog by "outing" Schrock, a conservative and notoriously anti-gay politician. Schrock eventually left the campaign trail while denying all allegations.

3. Shapiro, Beth. "Buster To Be Aired on Net." 365gay.com. New York Bureau. March 7, 2005. Accessed on the Internet.

Abstract: This article briefly touches upon the recent controversy over Education Secretary Margaret Spelling' harsh words to PBS concerning a cartoon that briefly shows two same-sex couples and their children. Family Pride Coalition, an LGBT organization, decided to air the episode on its Web site, as well as to hold a "Virtual Rally."

4. For my final source, I plan on conducting an interview about the power of online activism with a representative from one of the local LGBT organizations. I have a few people in mind and will give more details once I have a definite meeting set up.

Semiotics Revisited

Just wanted to post a few thoughts about semiotics and how it relates to Web design and analysis. The readings we have been assigned these past few weeks for class have really made me consider (on a higher level) the importance of intended meanings when it comes to content and the importance of relationships when it comes to mapping out a Web site.

For too long, I've been writing papers and assignments specifically tailored for classes. This usually means the content is written for a local audience of professors and classmates with a homogeneous understanding of the material. The work I have been doing for the Certificate Course has really allowed me to expand my ability to communicate to a global level.

With this new level comes a sense of freedom, but also a responsibility to make sure that the audience isn't left guessing at my intended meaning and that my site offers both accessibility and a level of comfort when it is being used. I think my biggest goal will be not to only touch people by the words I write, but by the feeling they get from visiting my site.

Using semiotic analysis in the earliest stages of Web/blog development (such as creating a story board) and continuing to use the process during the lifetime of the site will only help to deliver a strong message and to keep visitors coming back for more.

Online Editing

I decided to use a recent article about Morocco from the March/April 2005 edition of Out Traveler. "Under Morocco's Sheltering Sky," by Matthew Link, offers a well-rounded description of the northern African country. It also provides specific information that may be important for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender travelers.

Publications like Out Traveler may seem a little ridiculous to mainstream audiences, but numerous LGBT travelers turn to their pages to find out more about the overall "gay" climate. This can include a breakdown about local laws pertaining to homosexuality or homosexual behavior, a description of customs and traditions, pointers about how to travel safely with a partner, or give information about where to find gay-friendly or gay-owned establishments.

For this week's assignment, the class has been asked to edit a full-length article down to half the original size and to create an appropriate presentation for online media. Here is my edited version of the article:

Morocco
Under Morocco's Sheltering Sky
Story by Matthew Link; photography by Alex Tehrani

History

You needn't go much farther than Marrakech to get all of what Morocco promises. The place is distinctively Berber (an ancient, non-Arab race of people indigenous to Morocco). It's a culture known for its richly ornate details in its decorative arts. Morocco's history may be one of conquest, but the robust Berbers remained a thorn in each occupier's side. You can spot the Berber pride in the how the young men strut about the streets, with a confident air that echoes centuries of staunchly defended free will.

Check out some of Marrakech's hidden architectural gems:

• Ali ben Youssef Medersa (a theological college from the 1500s) is a marvel of geometrical patterns and archways, as is the relatively modern (late 1800s)
• Palais de la Bahia, richly decorated with intricate ceilings and elaborately carved doors

Facts

Modern Morocco is a place with more paved roads than 10 of its African neighbors combined, where satellite dishes atop stucco roofs beam in global images from afar, where in a few short years all trade barriers with its giant brother Europe to the north will be abolished. It's a shining example amid troubled neighbors Algeria, mired in civil conflict, and Mauritania, one of the most destitute countries on earth. But Morocco has its own problems:

• Morocco is also a country where humans drenched in poverty drown while trying to cross the Strait of Gibraltar to prosperous Spain
• tired donkeys pull lemon carts across open sewers
• half of 30 million people cannot read or write

Even so, Morocco is ruled in mythical fashion by a new modern king with a genial fist, and it's slowly becoming poised to lift itself up from its long history of conquest.

Modern Culture

Tourists may come to Morocco for its arid beaches, its deserts, its monuments, and its architecture, but invariably they are smitten by the nation's greatest allure--its pulsating, living culture. And Marrakech, once the government capital and now the indisputable tourist capital, has culture in spades.

Make sure to check out:

• 12th-century minaret
• reverberations of ancient flutes
• tang of roasting meats
• clicking of horse-drawn carriages
• calls of fortune-tellers and touts

Most of Morocco's new prosperity can be attributed to the young monarch King Mohammed VI, who ascended the throne in 1999. His smiling, Big Brother-like photograph greets one in every store and office in Morocco, and he carefully balances Muslim tradition with European capitalism.

Visitors can surround themselves with more familiar amenities on the outskirts of town:

• American-style supermarkets
• Luxurious cars (Mercedez)
• Popular Restaurants (Pizza Hut)

Gay Life

Marrakech has surpassed the sordid port of Tangier as the contemporary gay capital of Morocco, thanks mainly to the influx of Westerners who open up riads (guesthouses) in the city. I had been warned that what could look like homosexual flirting could also be a setup for stealing money--and they were firmly tracing the steps of tourists, not locals.

• In 2004, a Moroccan newspaper reporter had been thrown in the slammer for implying that the minister of finance was having homosexual trysts at a seaside resort
• Months before, a gay British tourist had been jailed for having sex with a local lad
• The king is rumored to be homosexual--but since it is a crime to speak ill of him in any way, don't expect to hear much above whispers

Gay identity in most parts of the developing world is a luxurious aspiration. Most marriages in Morocco are still arranged, women are cloistered away, and men form strong emotional bonds with one another that can be easily mistranslated by foreigners. Morocco has no gay infrastructure of queer bars, restaurants, or hotels anywhere in the country.

Essentials

Accommodations:

• La Mamounia
• Riad Gyvo

Nightlife:

• Diamant Noir

Tours:

• Heritage Tours

Recap

By editing this piece, I have transformed it into a useful guide for LGBT traveler's who may be thinking about visiting Morocco. I took out a lot of the first person narrative that the original author used. It was a great piece, but didn't really meet the specific criteria for this assignment.

I think it would be a great idea to include the pictures featured in the original article. They brought so much depth and visual stimulation to the text. As well, I would provide pictures of the places and things specifically mentioned in the article. For the digital media version, I would include hyperlinks to these establishments and provide a link to a map of the city. I would also link to an informational page about Morocco (history, climate, seasons, health risks, demographic information, etc.)

As far as suggestions for improvement, I probably would have offered more information about the most popular tourist attractions and information about secret getaways. Maybe even information about local museums, attractions, etc. I think offering more information about the local laws which pertain to homosexuality would be helpful for LGBT travelers (this is usually done in most pieces printed in Out Traveler).