Blogging with Raven Jake Dawes
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Vision Statement • Raven Jake is a character developed by Jane and Jeryd Pojawa to promote travel and tourism. His primary focus is on the history and ecology of the California desert. • The secondary focus is showcasing Jeryd’s artistic endeavors. 2
True or False? • We made some claims on our flyer that may or may not be true. • Although common opinion is frequently incorrect, some of you may feel justified in knowing you were right all along. • So let’s run through some of those statements! 3
Did you know? • The superintendent of the San Marino school district keeps a grizzly bear in his office?
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True! • Gary Woods, the superintendent of the San Marino Unified School District, does have a grizzly bear in his office. • He did not shoot it. • It was a gift. • Go Titans!
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Did you know? • The man who built California’s first boat was a pirate?
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Pretty much true •
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Coastal Indians created boats, mainly of the dugout variety, that made it to the Channel Islands. They weren’t pirates and they didn’t build schooners. Conflicting research adds doubt: Historian Frank Polley claimed that California’s first ship was built in “1824 at San Francisco by an Englishman." Possibly William Richardson, but he doesn’t say. First confirmed ship building goes to Joseph Chapman and the Santa Barbara.
He was a pirate, one of Brouchard’s men, although he claimed to have been Shanghaied and not a professional. 7
Did you know? • An attractive red-headed beetle, Lytta magister, secretes blister-forming blood from its joints?
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This is totally true! • Lytta magister is also known as the Blister Beetle. • DO NOT EAT THIS BUG!
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Alternative: Eat a baconwrapped date instead! • Looks like a bug • Tastes like - YUM! • No blisters
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Did you know? • The majestic Joshua Tree is a giant lily?
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No Longer True! •
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Science is always evolving as more information is revealed and dumb ideas are discarded. The Joshua Tree, once thought to be the largest member of the lily family, has been reclassified. Joe Zarki, Chief of Interpretation and Education at Joshua Tree NP, set us straight: the Joshua Tree is a member of the agave family Agavaceae, Yucca brevifolia.
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Did you know? • Johnny Lang’s skull has gone missing? • This is Johnny Lang
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True! • Miner’s graves have been under attack! • Weirdos have been digging them up and taking “souvenirs.” • If you know Johnny Lang’s skull is, we have a don’t-ask-don’t-tell policy for its safe return. Do the right thing!
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Starting a Blog • A blog is a digital scrapbook • You can use it as a diary, share it with a select few or with the whole world. • Creating a persona (like Raven Jake) may be preferable to making your personal life public. 15
Types of Personal Blogs • Journal – Most sites support private blogs that can be used as a journal or public blogs for sharing. Some bloggers use weblogs to publish their travelogue, personal thoughts or daily events. • Special Interest – Write on your favorite hobby or subject. Share tips on cooking, photography, gaming or other hobby. Or write on your favorite topic, you can write on any subject from Victorian Literature to Cat Wigs, there are no boundaries. • Family Blog – Most Blog services let you set up multiple users with passwords, so you could start a family blog. Family members can login and add posts and images to share with the rest of the family. 16
The Origin of Raven Jake • Jane’s interests include driving to offbeat locations, obsessively researching obscure subjects, and taking pictures of Jeryd. • Jeryd likes traveling with Jane, posing for photographs, talking to strangers, and poetry…
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Origin of Raven Jake, con’t: • Originally, Raven Jake Dawes was a cowboy poet who journeyed around making pithy observations. • The scope of the project has morphed somewhat over the last two years. • Raven Jake’s Observations is now primarily a travel blog. • Raven Jake gets about 1,500 “hits” per month. • Fans are starting to impact the content.
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Inspiration: • Seriously, we ask ourselves “What would Raven Jake do?” • Unlike the Pojawas, Raven Jake doesn’t talk about religion or politics. He’s neutral on most subjects and is probably nicer than we are. • Raven Jake tries to do thorough research before running his mouth. • He’s kind of folksy, y’all - but never dumbed-down. • We try to feature independent businesses, obscure locations, green lifestyle choices and local issues whenever possible. 19
Content • • • • • • • •
Travel Destinations Natural Sciences History Poetry Recipes Local Events Camping and Travel Tips Maps 20
Poetry • Raven Jake was moved to write this poem after a crazy night in Wonder Valley. • He hasn’t posted much since. • The content of the blog reflects the shift from being more arty to being more travel- and then research- oriented. • Your results will vary!
I wandered lost in the night Tired of horse and horse of man Until I stumbled blindly in the sand Upon a cabin in the wild To stay the night of fearsome wind And blowing sand in comfort Relative of heaven in this place Of cold and sandy blast A cactus patch with all the benefits Of hearth and home welcomes, Soothes the sore foot, back and head A comfy bed chases out the raging sky -Raven Jake Dawes, December 2007
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Art
• Blogs are a great way to keep an art journal, photo or drawing of the day, etc. Some blogs also allow you to share (or store) music files. 22
The Julie/Julia Project • This is a screen shot of the blog that became “Julie & Julia.” • It consisted of only text and a calendar. • You can do more!
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You can do a LOT more…
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Let’s take a trip!
In this case, we went to the 29 Palms Inn, Kelso Dunes, Amboy Crater, the Amboy Shoe Tree and Mitchell Caverns.
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Add a Map‌ or whatever! Besides photos of our trip and text, we can also add content like maps and links to websites. We can add a video or a sound file. Raven Jake’s fans can access the site from their modern cell phones and use the maps (and GPS) to find their way around.
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Just decide on a theme and create some content‌
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Who is this guy? Answer: • Tom Ver Hoef, who is the primary member of a group who own the Tecopa mines. • He also likes Chaucer. 28
Blogging Bonus: Meeting New People • We’re not saying that if you blog, you will get to have a photo shoot with the Wizard of Tecopa, but you might - it happened to us.
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Like Who? • •
This is Ranger Mike, from the Mitchell Caverns, playing the “banjo.” And below is Tim Cridland, the Torture King, eating a lightbulb.
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you just never know who you’re going to meet… • •
Barbara Harris at Giant Rock And below is the tinfoil hat contest at RetroUFO
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Blogging Bonus: Going Places • Not everybody is up for meeting new people. • Sometimes collecting new places is enough of a challenge. • Ever been to Baker? 32
Like Where?
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Where Else? •
It doesn’t have to be fancy how many of your friends have been to Bobcat Billy’s Junkyard? Sat in a shot-up car? Don’t limit yourself!
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Remember: • Your tragedies are hilarious to other people! • Check out our classy luggage! • How about our awesome ride? • WE ARE FAMOUS BLOGGERS! 35
What Else Can You Do? • A blog may be thought of as an oral-history related artifact. The blogs of the present are the long-lost diaries of the future. • Blogs take up no space, never get wet and rats can’t eat them. • What is it like to live in the Morongo Basin in 2010? • What about using modern technology to preserve the past? 36
You could use your blogging power to save a 165-year-old house!
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The blog portion of a website showcases news & events
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Raven Jake’s Blog • Hosted by Vox. It is free and offers good graphics support via MovableType interface. • Went live in December 2007. Raven Jake now has more than 230 posts, and gets about 1,500 hits per month. • Raven Jake’s Observations - Vox 39
Home Page •
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All posts are in chronological order (most recent first) Posts are added to search engines, such as Google, within minutes.
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Profile •
Two disadvantages of Vox are that a) Vox is not as popular as other blogsites, which limits the number of “neighbors” and b) that previous posts are not easily searchable within the site. 41
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Local, offbeat destinations Inexpensive Historical Interest Informative Not “Dumbed Down” Unusual Content
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Linked Content - Maps •
Raven Jake’s Maps are also available on Google Maps and can be downloaded to GPS devices and cell phones.
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Local Maps •
These maps are picked up by other users - for instance, this one shows all of the murals in 29 Palms.
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Reviews and Previews of Local Events • Punk Raqs, a bellydancealternative music fusion event, raises money for a dance scholarship to Cal-State San Bernardino. 45
Vox Groups • The Desert Rats Group allows Raven Jake’s fans to share their content and opinions. 46
“An Evening With George Van Tassel” • Lloyd Noel stars in a historical presentation at the HiDesert Museum in Yucca Valley 47
Budget • There is no budget. • Blogging is almost free. • Expenses include a computer, an internet connection and a digital camera - stuff you probably already have. • If you do not, then take the bus to the library and start blogging!
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