Conclusion
After researching this question, I have found that people choose to use both media sources. Even if travel guidebooks have been published two years ago, readers will not only use the books, but will compare the information with travel blogs and consumer review websites.
Travel blogs are good if you want in-depth information where you are taken behind the scenes. The experience is similar to reading a magazine, even providing vivid photographs. However, the only problem that I have noticed with blogs is that not many sites provide maps. As readers enjoy evocative stories, not everyone has geographical senses.
Something recently in the news regarding guidebooks has caught my attention. There has been a Lonely Planet Publications scandal with former contributor, Thomas Kohnstamm. In his memoir, Do Travel Writers Go Tell?, he practically reveals he plagiarized his travel writings.
From the Washington Post, Michael Shapiro's article, Can You Trust Your Travel Guidebook? New Tell-All Has Readers Wondering, he writes:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/25/AR2008042501376_3.html?sid=ST2008042502022
These paragraphs are a few excerpts:
In "Hell," published this week by Three Rivers Press, Kohnstamm, 32, weaves a hedonistic tale of his days indulging in sex and drugs rather than visiting every one of the places he wrote about. He admits relying on secondhand sources rather than his own observations in some cases. Travel blogs are humming with denunciations.
The author, who says he was given 60 days to cover a 1,000-mile section of northern Brazil for the 2005 Lonely Planet guide for that country, says he's being criticized because he revealed guidebooks' dirty little secret: Authors can't get to every place they're expected to review because publishers don't give them enough time or money to do the job properly. So, he says, he was forced to do a "mosaic job," relying in some cases on information from local contacts, fellow travelers and the Internet.
"The waitress suggests that I come back after she closes down the restaurant, around midnight. We end up having sex . . . on one of the tables," he writes of his visit to a sushi restaurant. Reviewing the place in Lonely Planet's 2005 Brazil guide, he describes it as being a "pleasant surprise" and says the "table service is friendly."
Kohnstamm says that he's not the only writer to take occasional freebies and that it's the only way to stretch the fee. "Hotels were laughing at me for not taking freebies." He said he never exchanged free lodging for favorable coverage.
This makes makes the general public second guess the travel industry.
To conclude, I believe that no matter where you get your necessary travel information, you need to fact-check the sources whether the information is from blogs or books.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Blog 10 Revised: Entry on Research Topic
From a Travel Blog or a Guide Book, Which is Better?
Link 2: Guide Books
If travel blogging does not cater to your needs, the traditional guide book can target your itinerary.
Brief History
The modern tourist's guidebook was separately invented by Karl Baedeker in Germany (1835) and by John Murray III in England (1836). The Baedeker and Murray guidebooks were hugely popular and were standard resources for travelers well into the 20th century. As William Wetmore Story said in the 1860s, "Every Englishman abroad carries a Murray for information, and a Byron for sentiment, and finds out by them what he is to know and feel by every step (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guide_book)."
Guide Books
Positive Side
No matter what guide book you browse through, the pages are highly organized with a repertoire of hotels and restaurants. Guide books provide a city's breakdown. Everything from safety precautions to languages spoken.
Negative Side
A guide book may hold some key findings, but those findings may not be relevant.
I have found the difference in travel opinions between books & travel consumer review websites. I have books from Fodor's & I looked in the back of the book to research hotels. One of the books, Escape to the American Desert, detailed info about the American Southwest & West coast.
Out of curiosity, I selected a random hotel from the book & researched the selected hotel online. I chose: Amargosa Hotel, located in Death Valley, California. Fodor's briefly stated: "...try the Jezebel Room, with a swan painted on the headboards and cupids flying around the room, or wake to a trapeze artist flying over you head in the Red Skeleton Room."
As Heavenly as the words sound, consumers felt the opposite.
On http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60787-d119404-Reviews-Amargosa_Hotel-Death_Valley_California.html, the hotel received poor reviews. The bad comments seem to outnumber the good reviews.
"The plumbing fixtures, even the handles that the public has to touch, appeared to be from the early part of the 20th century. The green stains in the bathtub are truly disgusting. I felt like I needed to take a shower after I had taken my bath, which I would have gladly skipped had I not gone running upon waking up," said Lep927 (screen name), a unhappy customer from TripAdvisor.
The person also included, "To bill this hotel as "historic" is deceptive. It should be billed as " decrepit". The place is supposedly owned by a non-profit organization. They actually have tip jars in the bathrooms and in the lobby. They should pay people to stay there, not expect tips in addition to the hotel rates."
"A second problem with guidebooks is the amount of time between when the author finishes writing or updating information and when the book is actually on the market. It takes many months to put the book together, even if it is just an updated edition of essentially the same book. In the meantime, hotels and restaurants open and close or change management, museums open and close or change their hours or their exhibits, and so on," said VirtualTourist's user, Cindi from Guanajuanto, Mexico.
As for touring another city, Cindi mentioned that she used a guidebook and booked a hotel based on "glowing reviews." Only she was sorely disappointed: "The room door had a flimsy lock and had several round holes in it that looked suspiciously like bullet holes...The towels were very thin and not clean (one was mostly green with a big black stain in the middle...and I think it was originally a white towel!!). The beds and pillows were not comfortable. To top it off, the restaurant was never open."
Blogs 9 Revised: Entry on Research Question
From a Travel Blog or a Guide Book, Which is Better?
Link: Home
Introduction
When it comes to traveling, people are always looking for the greatest deals and the ideal time to visit a destination. The only problem is what resources are reliable?
Going to bookstores trying to find the latest guide is likely to give you a headache. Which one do you buy? How do you know if a decent hotel that is listed in a book still exists? The author could have given a 4-5 star rating, but the hotel service could be terrible.
So, where should an inexperienced traveler begin......
Link 1: Travel Blogs
Blogging is an alternative route. Specifically, travel blogging has become an increasing trend as a way to find the latest information. But, like guide books, it takes an insightful eye to find the best resources that fit travelers' needs.
Brief History
After a slow start, blogging, referred to as online diaries, rapidly gained in popularity. Its usage spread during 1999 and the years following(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog#Rise_in_popularity). Because of its candid writing style, genre blogs have sparked interests worldwide. And what is drawing in people is the fact that you do not have to be a professional writer.
Travel Blogging
Travel writers often carry journals to capture something that has caught their eye. It can be anything from a landscape's color, a certain food dish that is unusual or a local that sparks perception. After collecting desired information, a travel writer hopes to get their writing piece published. Because of the competitive writing market, some writers may not get their works published. That's where a blog becomes beneficial.
Travel blogs reflect the linear nature of travel itself. There is a beginning, middle and end to any trip. The best travel blogs provide their readers with voyeuristic adventure. The people who write them are going to places and doing things that most of their readers only dream of--so far, at least. One of the great things about blogging is that it makes people realize that anybody can do it (http://www.forbes.com/2003/10/02/cx_cv_1002blog.html).
Positive Side
Because guide books can pull a public relations spin, most blogs will offer truth.
For instance, Blogger, Michael Pugh, a former copy editor now makes his living updating his candid travels in http://www.vagabonding.com/index.html Impressively, he has ranked #1 on Forbes's Best Blogs in 2003. His bluntness can be seen in posts of "life-size photos of cockroaches and moths found in hotel rooms (1)." It is obvious, guide book publishers would not even dare to such a thing as their goal is to sell a city. But if the public wants their money's worth, this tidbit of gross information can be a lifesaver.
"My trip was on a "luxury" bus between Bago, Myanmar, and Inle Lake, a popular mountain retreat. "Luxury" meant that tepid air trickled out of vents above me and that the lady in front of me was able to recline her seat into my lap. In total we traveled 360 in 20 hours. Do the math – it's heartbreaking (2)." This is just a small excerpt of Pugh's article in the Worst Bus Ride Ever. Pieces of information like Pugh's can be useful for people who have a romanticized view of the world, especially trekking a bus ride through mountainous Myanmar.
Another Excerpt from the Worst Bus Ride Ever:
Night of the Living Dead Squeezed into the back row, suffering from sleeping pill dementia, I squandered ten of the least productive hours in my life. It's difficult to translate the full negativity of my thoughts, but they went something like this: Why didn't I fly? Why didn't I fly? Why didn't I fly? Why didn't I fly?
(The answer? Flights cost $100; the bus cost $2.50.)
Negative Side
As blogging is informative, these web diaries can have their drawbacks. "I read books, as blogs have no fact checking, a travel agent and VT (http://www.virtualtourist.com/) is pretty good for fact checking," said Griff, 47, from Vancouver, Canada.
"All blogs and books are peoples opinions mingled with fact. I read them with an open mind," said travelblog.org forum replier Mel, 38, from Germany.
Judging by research, one must take reading blogs with a grain of salt.
Link: Home
Introduction
When it comes to traveling, people are always looking for the greatest deals and the ideal time to visit a destination. The only problem is what resources are reliable?
Going to bookstores trying to find the latest guide is likely to give you a headache. Which one do you buy? How do you know if a decent hotel that is listed in a book still exists? The author could have given a 4-5 star rating, but the hotel service could be terrible.
So, where should an inexperienced traveler begin......
Link 1: Travel Blogs
Blogging is an alternative route. Specifically, travel blogging has become an increasing trend as a way to find the latest information. But, like guide books, it takes an insightful eye to find the best resources that fit travelers' needs.
Brief History
After a slow start, blogging, referred to as online diaries, rapidly gained in popularity. Its usage spread during 1999 and the years following(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog#Rise_in_popularity). Because of its candid writing style, genre blogs have sparked interests worldwide. And what is drawing in people is the fact that you do not have to be a professional writer.
Travel Blogging
Travel writers often carry journals to capture something that has caught their eye. It can be anything from a landscape's color, a certain food dish that is unusual or a local that sparks perception. After collecting desired information, a travel writer hopes to get their writing piece published. Because of the competitive writing market, some writers may not get their works published. That's where a blog becomes beneficial.
Travel blogs reflect the linear nature of travel itself. There is a beginning, middle and end to any trip. The best travel blogs provide their readers with voyeuristic adventure. The people who write them are going to places and doing things that most of their readers only dream of--so far, at least. One of the great things about blogging is that it makes people realize that anybody can do it (http://www.forbes.com/2003/10/02/cx_cv_1002blog.html).
Positive Side
Because guide books can pull a public relations spin, most blogs will offer truth.
For instance, Blogger, Michael Pugh, a former copy editor now makes his living updating his candid travels in http://www.vagabonding.com/index.html Impressively, he has ranked #1 on Forbes's Best Blogs in 2003. His bluntness can be seen in posts of "life-size photos of cockroaches and moths found in hotel rooms (1)." It is obvious, guide book publishers would not even dare to such a thing as their goal is to sell a city. But if the public wants their money's worth, this tidbit of gross information can be a lifesaver.
"My trip was on a "luxury" bus between Bago, Myanmar, and Inle Lake, a popular mountain retreat. "Luxury" meant that tepid air trickled out of vents above me and that the lady in front of me was able to recline her seat into my lap. In total we traveled 360 in 20 hours. Do the math – it's heartbreaking (2)." This is just a small excerpt of Pugh's article in the Worst Bus Ride Ever. Pieces of information like Pugh's can be useful for people who have a romanticized view of the world, especially trekking a bus ride through mountainous Myanmar.
Another Excerpt from the Worst Bus Ride Ever:
Night of the Living Dead Squeezed into the back row, suffering from sleeping pill dementia, I squandered ten of the least productive hours in my life. It's difficult to translate the full negativity of my thoughts, but they went something like this: Why didn't I fly? Why didn't I fly? Why didn't I fly? Why didn't I fly?
(The answer? Flights cost $100; the bus cost $2.50.)
Negative Side
As blogging is informative, these web diaries can have their drawbacks. "I read books, as blogs have no fact checking, a travel agent and VT (http://www.virtualtourist.com/) is pretty good for fact checking," said Griff, 47, from Vancouver, Canada.
"All blogs and books are peoples opinions mingled with fact. I read them with an open mind," said travelblog.org forum replier Mel, 38, from Germany.
Judging by research, one must take reading blogs with a grain of salt.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Blog 11: Entry on Research on Topic
This is a beginning draft of my essay:
Travel Advice: From a Travel Blog or a Guide Book, which is better?
Brief History
After a slow start, blogging, referred to as online diaries, rapidly gained in popularity. Its usage spread during 1999 and the years following (Wikipedia). Because of its candid writing style, genre blogs have sparked interests worldwide. And what is drawing in people is the fact that you do not have to be a professional writer.
Travel Blogging
Travel writers often carry journals to capture something that has caught their eye. It can be anything from a landscape's color, a certain food dish that is unusual or a local that sparks perception. After collecting desired information, a travel writer hopes to get their writing piece published. Because of the competitive writing market, some writers may not get their works published. That's were a blog becomes beneficial.
Travel blogs reflect the linear nature of travel itself. There is a beginning, middle and end to any trip. The best travel blogs provide their readers with voyeuristic adventure. The people who write them are going to places and doing things that most of their readers only dream of--so far, at least. One of the great things about blogging is that it makes people realize that anybody can do it. http://www.forbes.com/2003/10/02/cx_cv_1002blog.html.
I am going to skip to another section of my essay:
Travel Opinions
I have found the difference in travel opinions between books & travel consumer review websites. I have books from Fodors & I looked in the back of the book to research hotels. One of the books detailed info about the American Southwest & West coast.
Out of curiosity, I selected a random hotel from the book & researched the selected hotel online. I chose: Amargosa Hotel, located in Death Valley, California. Fodors just listed the price & gave brief details about one of the rooms, regarding interior decoration. Then, I went to http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60787-d119404-Reviews-Amargosa_Hotel-Death_Valley_California.html.
The hotel received poor reviews. The bad comments seem to outnumber the good reviews. The poor reviews included paint that is peeling, a customer who changed his/her room about 3 times because of heating & shower problems, & the most disgusting: green stains in the bathtub.
I am finding that if you want to travel to a place that you have never been to, it is definitely wise to do your homework & the other half comes from personal experience in actually visiting such places as the one above, especially if you want to give credible advice to another traveler.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Analyzing Your Patterns for Attention Survey
1) List kinds of everyday media I use, is your pattern for interacting with media the same or different than it was when you were 5? 10? 15:
I listen to all kinds of music & talk radio, go on the Internet, TV, read a magazines every known & then. As I am older, I find myself going on the computer a lot more then I did when I was younger.
2) Music: everyday, when I am on break in between classes & working on assignments.
Talk Radio: if I'm cooking, 1-2 a week.
Internet: everyday, in between classes, then when I get home.
Magazines, this includes online magazines: when I have a free time, every other week.
3) Math or other calculation-based homework, read assignments, & write a paper: listen to music.
Study for an exam & read assignments: very little music, no television
4) drive: listen to music
eat a meal by yourself: music, computer, TV, watch movies
eat with your family/friends: there maybe a little much in the background, other then that the conversation is deep attention.
household chores (cooking, cleaning, household repairs, work on your car): deep attention.
5) Describe what you do to relax or in your free time - and how you relax:
watching movies on the Internet or TV, drawing
Analyzing your patterns for attention:
A. Patterns of attention for individual activities:(Scale 1-5) 1 deep attention, 5 hyper attention
School:
do math or other calculation-based homework: 4
read assignments: 2
write a paper: 3
study for an exam: 2
Everyday:
drive: 2
eat a meal by yourself: 3
eat with your family/friends: 2
household chores (cooking, cleaning, household repairs, work on your car): 2
Relaxation:
Watching movies: 1
Tv: 3
Drawing:1
Read Magazines: 2
Ipod: 3
B. Patterns of attending within activity clusters:
School: 11/4 = 3
Everyday: 9/4 = 2.25
Relaxation: 9/5 = 1.8
C. Overall pattern for attention:
7.05/3 = 2.35
I listen to all kinds of music & talk radio, go on the Internet, TV, read a magazines every known & then. As I am older, I find myself going on the computer a lot more then I did when I was younger.
2) Music: everyday, when I am on break in between classes & working on assignments.
Talk Radio: if I'm cooking, 1-2 a week.
Internet: everyday, in between classes, then when I get home.
Magazines, this includes online magazines: when I have a free time, every other week.
3) Math or other calculation-based homework, read assignments, & write a paper: listen to music.
Study for an exam & read assignments: very little music, no television
4) drive: listen to music
eat a meal by yourself: music, computer, TV, watch movies
eat with your family/friends: there maybe a little much in the background, other then that the conversation is deep attention.
household chores (cooking, cleaning, household repairs, work on your car): deep attention.
5) Describe what you do to relax or in your free time - and how you relax:
watching movies on the Internet or TV, drawing
Analyzing your patterns for attention:
A. Patterns of attention for individual activities:(Scale 1-5) 1 deep attention, 5 hyper attention
School:
do math or other calculation-based homework: 4
read assignments: 2
write a paper: 3
study for an exam: 2
Everyday:
drive: 2
eat a meal by yourself: 3
eat with your family/friends: 2
household chores (cooking, cleaning, household repairs, work on your car): 2
Relaxation:
Watching movies: 1
Tv: 3
Drawing:1
Read Magazines: 2
Ipod: 3
B. Patterns of attending within activity clusters:
School: 11/4 = 3
Everyday: 9/4 = 2.25
Relaxation: 9/5 = 1.8
C. Overall pattern for attention:
7.05/3 = 2.35
6) Questions :
A. In which category were you most likely to use hyper attention? School
In which category were you most likely to use deep attention? Or do you seem to have a consistent style (all hyper or deep attention)? How would you explain this? I seem to have a consistent style between hyper & deep attention within each of the 3 categories, except for math or other calculation-based homework. The reason why I am in the middle range is because it depends on my mood at the moment. If something engages me, I am completely absorbed into that subject. If I am not interested, I find myself stalling. You figure most people would be overwhelmed with doing more than 1 thing, but to keep my mind focused I sometimes have to multi-task.
B. In which category was there the largest range of numbers ( for example, some activities rated 1, some rated 5). Can you explain why the range might be large for this category? The largest category was School: math/calculated-based homework. The true is I am not great in math to the point where I can't stand it. For me to want to do my algebra homework, I have to listen to my Ipod, then do a couple math problems. When I need a break, I'll visit a couple websites, then go back to finishing the assignment. I have a ridiculous pattern, but it works.
C. In which category did you have the most consistent style? Why do you think this is so? Everyday & Relaxation categories. My reasoning is that there are some activities that need more focus on others. For example, if I am drawing, I don't like any interruptions. When it comes to art, the artist has to be in the mood. Every part of the subject has to be treated with care. When I sketch, I have to want to sketch. Too many distractions can produce bad results.
7) Do these numbers reflect how you would characterize yourself (in terms of attention)? Like I said, it depends how I am feeling at the moment. One day, I will sit at the computer looking at different sites. Other times, I will just visit 'one' site without any temptation to Google other sites of interests.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Reflection: Hayles, "Hyper and Deep Attention: The Generational Divide in Cognitive Modes"
In today's world, hyper attention seems like the only way to get a job done. Even as I attend college, I just don't just have one assignment to complete, but many other projects that are sometimes all due on the same day. So, I find myself doing three things at once.
Even during my free time when I am searching the Internet, I find myself clicking to 2-3 windows at once. I'll listen to music, while I visit another site for a couple of minutes to hold my interests. This is the case which just about every Internet user, because you not only have little time to spare, but also web-pages are filled with many sections & advertisements to click on.
I find that when I go to a bookstore, I see more older people reading a book for a couple of hours. They could be sitting in a Barnes & Noble cafe & still be lost in their readings. I think the older generation has more tolerance for deeper attention. During my grandparents time, their was no television, only books & radio. This kind of mentality is still instilled in them.
The only younger groups that are immersed in deep attention are children who have little or no education. I see on tv or read in a magazine how happy the child is when he/she receives a book or gets to go to school for the first time. Because we have everything, it is easy to take reading a book for granted.
From this point on to later in life, books will always be around, but there will be less demand. I feel more people will be wanting & receiving their information via the computer. Amazon & other websites offer their customers book downloads for a fee. Print publishers may be forced to have their work converted to the Internet, if they want to stay in business.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Blog 10: 2nd Entry on Research Topic
Travel Advice: From a Travel Blog or a Guide Book, which is better?
Outline: I will do a compare/contrast between travel blogs & guide books & I will follow this format, as it will be easier to organize my information more clearly.
I. Introduction
II. Travel Blogs
A) What are they/What do travelers get out of blogs
B) Hotels
C) Restaurants
II. Guide Books
A) What are they/What do travelers get out of these books
B) Hotels
C) Restaurants
III. Conclusion
IV. Sources
Introduction
When it comes to traveling, people are always looking for the greatest deals and the ideal time to visit a destination. The only problem is what resources are reliable? Going to bookstores in finding the latest guide is likely to give you headache. Which one do you buy? How do you know if a decent hotel that is listed in a book still exists? The author could have given a 4-5 star rating, but the hotel service could be terrible. So, what next?
Blogging is an alternative route. Specifically, travel blogging has become an increasing trend as a way to find the latest information. But, like guide books, it takes an insightful eye to find the best resources that fit travelers' needs.
Outline: I will do a compare/contrast between travel blogs & guide books & I will follow this format, as it will be easier to organize my information more clearly.
I. Introduction
II. Travel Blogs
A) What are they/What do travelers get out of blogs
B) Hotels
C) Restaurants
II. Guide Books
A) What are they/What do travelers get out of these books
B) Hotels
C) Restaurants
III. Conclusion
IV. Sources
Introduction
When it comes to traveling, people are always looking for the greatest deals and the ideal time to visit a destination. The only problem is what resources are reliable? Going to bookstores in finding the latest guide is likely to give you headache. Which one do you buy? How do you know if a decent hotel that is listed in a book still exists? The author could have given a 4-5 star rating, but the hotel service could be terrible. So, what next?
Blogging is an alternative route. Specifically, travel blogging has become an increasing trend as a way to find the latest information. But, like guide books, it takes an insightful eye to find the best resources that fit travelers' needs.
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