MyBook on FaceSpace

Cyberstalking

2008-11-02T17:12:00.000-08:00

I need to do more research on this topic and once I do I'll post a new blog.

My friends and I joke about "stalking" each other on Facebook, keeping up with who's poked who, who said what on whose wall, and who added new pictures from their night out on the town. But I have a hunch that this could be extrememly dangerous.

I've looked at some profiles of random strangers on both Facebook and MySpace and from those 2 minutes on the profile I could give you an address, phone number, class schedule, and picture. Any of those alone could still cause problems, but when all together it creates a recipe for disaster.

I'm a huge fan of these sites and I truely believe there are benefits to using Facebook and MySpace. But every now and then, I question how much information I should be putting out there about myself. And every now and then I go into my profiles and delete more and more simply because I don't want someone knowing all the details of my life.

Just a few thoughts, but I do want to look further into this topic to see what's (or who's) out there.

"I Climbed A Tree For That Photo"

2008-10-26T15:53:00.000-07:00

Our class visit to washingtonpost.com was quite the journey.

I took away two strong things from our visit with Chet Rhodes, assistant mananging editor for breaking news.

First and foremost, I've always been fascinated with this idea of the epistemology of society based on journalsm. I could probably write a whole thesis paper on the topic.

Take a listen to this unedited section of Chet's talk.

Notice how he said that the homepage of the website represented what the editors think the audience needs to know. In terms of epistemology, that's interesting to me in the fact that much of what people know about the world comes from the news. Therefore if the editors are deciding what they think people need to know, then basically the news media is determining what and how much of a subject people are aware of. Again, I could go on for days on this topic.

The other thing of keen interest to me from Chet's talk was the fact that the web logistics of the site still have a long way to go. As someone highly interested in web production and design, this caught my attention.

As a designer, I think it's important to realize that 40 percent of website visitors come to the site from the homepage. That means that 60 percent come in from the side (or from another place than the homepage). Design-wise, this means that each subsequent page on the site must have an easy navigation system and appealing design if there is to be any hope of having that reader stay on the site.

The web also limits videos. To date, there is no great system for comments on videos. Videos are also not suitable for search engine optimization.

Addictions

2008-10-19T13:52:00.000-07:00

I get addicted to the strangest things.

In addition to my fascination with Facebook and MySpace, I've recently become a huge follower of YouTube. But not just regular YouTube videos. What I'm most spellbound by is folks who document their entire life on YouTube, letting the entire world know their every thought and sometimes way to much information.

I discovered this type of video one day while simply searching the name of undergraduate institution, Ferrum College. When I did so, I found a mother of a college student who had documented her daughter's move in to the dorm, her first college play performance, and other "normal" activities. I thought it was a cool idea, and it made it even more appealing when I learned that this woman was from my hometown of Halifax County. Watch this quick video for a sample.

So I quickly began watching at 367 videos of this woman's life in what I would compare to a soap opera fashion. Next thing I knew, I was logging on everyday to see if more videos were posted.

In the world of multimedia, YouTube could be a valuable resource, but I have to question how much validity it will have with viewers. Currently many news organizations post their broadcasts to YouTube to help avoid pirated copies showing up.

The platform, to me, has such an unprofessional air at times. Vimeo as shown in a class presentation seems like a better option to me for media companies to be using.

Facebook as a source finder

2008-10-10T18:45:00.000-07:00

I've never really thought about it, but maybe it's time someone start asking the question. Could Facebook be used to find potential sources for news stories?

With the creation of groups, I'm guessing it would be feasible for a journalist to create a group which could then be joined by "sources" or individuals interested in the topic. I guess with that though comes the througt that a bias audience may be found since the group members have an obvious liking to the topic.

I set out on the world wide web to see what, if anything, newsrooms are doing with Facebook. A lot of sites and reports showed Facebook as an untrustworthy source.

One newsroom even has a policy on their journalists having sources as Facebook friends. Their policy reads as such:

It may compromise your work by letting friends see other friends on your network," the policy document says. "It may also not be in your interest to identify yourself as a 'friend' of a source on their network. In the context of basic reporting, you do not want one source to 'see' what another source says, nor do you want your private 'conversation' with a source becoming public. Adding sources as 'friends' makes the management of this much trickier.

So maybe my thought wasn't such a great one, but there must be some way for journalist in a new multimedia platform to utilize social networking sites for the sake of advancing what we know as reporting.

Perfection

2008-09-28T14:02:00.000-07:00

I said it before, and I'll say it again - The 2008 Presidential Election is going to be won in social networking sites.

Politics have been on my mind lately, due in large part to the debates of Friday night. So when I logged in to one of my top two sites (MySpace this time) I wasn't shocked to see a new feature on the page called "Election 'o8." Curious, I clicked on the piece when then redirected me to another page. On this page was a link to another feature called "My Debates."

I figured this link would simply provide a recap of Friday's debate, maybe a few video clips, and the normal hodge-podge. Boy, was I wrong.

MyDebates is one of the best multimedia sites I've seen.

The site is completely done in Flash, and starts with a quiz that viewers cacn take to see where they stack up aganst the candidates views. Now, i'm pretty set on who I'll be voting for in Novemer, but I was quite shocked to learn new things that the candidates believe and that i agreed a lot with the one who I'm not very fond of. After finishing the quiz, it's really neat that you get to see a map of the U.S. where you can check boxes to see how people in other states and in certain demographics also ranked their interests and choices.

And that's just the first two tabs.

In the rest you can tune in live to watch the debates while they're on, check out video clips from past debates, and even submit your own questions. There's also options to start your own discussion groups, print out a list of the candidates' views, and register to vote.

Maybe all media outlets should take a page from MySpace's book on this one.

Straying from the Normal Path

2008-09-25T07:14:00.000-07:00

I've spent the last few months focusing soley on MySpace and Facebook and their roles in the social networking field. As much as I love (and am addicted to) these sites, I believe it may be time to dedicate one blog to a new site that I'm not as big of a fan of (yet!) and know less about.

Twitter - Even the name makes me chuckle a bit.

I went to the untrusted Wikipedia and looked up the origins of Twitter. Quite interesting stuff, but I still didn't understand it.

So I turned to my trusty friend YouTube once again. I love this video called "Twitter in Plain English." It really explains the service well I think. Watch and see for yourself.

For the longest time, I never understood what the point of Twitter was. To me it was like updating a Facebook status, but that was all the user could do. A fellow blogger shares some insight into why Twitter is more than a lifestreaming device in a list of "17 Ways You Can Use Twitter."

1. Personal Branding. Twitter is a social media platform you can use to build
your personal brand. It has the primary benefit of developing a casual persona
and establishes you as a social personality that is connected and approachable.
As Twitter adoption increases, new users will be drawn towards well established Twitter personas.

2. Get Feedback. Need an alternative perspective on how a website looks or the right course of action to take? Blast out a message asking for advice and you’ll receive replies from other users. This collective intelligence can be used as fodder for articles or projects.

3. Hire People. Need a good logo designer, marketer or programmer? Send out a message asking for recommendations. This is a very quick and easy way to hire freelancers or even companies based on familiar recommendations.

To see the whole list, click here.

Meet Sarah Palin

2008-09-20T13:01:00.000-07:00

Since being named as John McCain's VP running mate, Sarah Palin has been in the media spotlight. But the media aren't the only one's interested in the woman who could be the next vice president. It seems that Facebook users are also taking a strong interest in the candidate.

Facebook groups abound involving Palin, from "1 million strong for Sarah Palin" to "1 Million strong against Sarah Palin." Many groups exist in favor of the female candidate, as do the exact opposite (including "My pet rock is more qualified than Sarah Palin for VP."

I'm convinced that this election is going to be won in social networking sites.

In the 2004 election, Facebook didn't have a large role. Sure the site existed, but not in the extent it is today. Millions of potential voters log onto Facebook on a daily basis. What better way to engage a new generation than through the site. Open communication isn't a problem on this site. So not only do potential voters have the ability to share ideas and thoughts on the election, but also can be a strong encouragement that gets them to the polls in November.

The only problem I can see with having this demographic voting is the fact that many students go to school away from home and don't know exactly how to vote by absentee ballot.

As the election time comes nearer, I'll be interested to see how much political advertising is beefed up in the social networking field as well as candidate interaction on the site.

The "NEW" Facebook

2008-09-13T18:04:00.000-07:00

Facebook users BEWARE. The familiarity of Facebook we are accustomed to is now gone but not forgotten. I logged into Facebook last night to discover, to my chagrin, a completely different experience. I stumbled around for about 10 minutes, got frustrated, and closed the screen.

So I took this YouTube tour...

Then, I decided this morning I'd give the new look a second chance. Same experience - lost and confused.

But then I came to realize that this must be the same sort of experience that some practicing journalists have when an editor or producer throws the latest software in front of them. Already in this graduate program, I've heard professionals say "those soundslide things" and refer to the web as "unfamiliar territory." For those of us in the program, most of the software is also new and sometimes a challenge. But again, we're students learning and becoming better prepared for our future careers.

I never was able to put into perspective how a working journalist might feel with new software coming frequently. Though Facebook may be only a social networking site, it is one I'm quite addicted to and had previously loved.

On the plus side, seems like a perfect time to end my love affair with Facebook. Could mean bad news bears for the future of this blog.

To Be Or Not To Be?

2008-09-07T18:51:00.000-07:00

That's not the question in the online world of social networking. In the online world, people have the ability to be honest or dishonest in terms of their persona. So, how accurately do we all represent ourselves in the online realm. Do we over-glamorize our interests and activities to make ourselves seem more popular? Do we manipulate our pictures, body statistics, even hair color to seem more attractive?

I defer to the Megan Meier story. The tragic tale of a teenage girl who was deceived into believing a teenage boy by the name of Josh was interested in her. For more info on the story, watch this clip.

The identity of "Josh" was an obvoious fake persona. And the result of this persona was the death of a young girl.

Trusting others to be honest with their identity, especially on social networking sites, is almost impossible. I constantly wonder how many people log on to dating service sites and arrage to meet someone and get a total shock when the plan s carried through. I bet it's worth a laugh some days.

I'm also fascinated by this blog, a entire work devoted to identity and relationships online.

My final point of interest as I'll call it tonight, revolves around including online personalities in a journalism world. As I move forward in a journalism world that is headed quickly online, how do I incorporate online identities when the person or "source" may be completely fake? Now, obviously I would never just contact someone through Facebook or MySpace to use as a sole source, but since the world of multimedia is not yet defined, social networking sites could become a part of that definition. And when that comes, I need a plan.

Test Podcast

2008-09-05T17:00:00.001-07:00

Facebook: The Ultimate in Multimedia?

2008-08-30T13:54:00.000-07:00

Thus far along in graduate study, I've learned that defining multimedia is a difficult process. We all realize that it means having multiple forms of media involved, but the product can include text documents, photo slideshows, audio, video, interactivity, maps, etc. The possibilities are endless.

I've been thinking about what the ultimate multimedia form would look like and include and I can't think of anything out there as of yet that better exudes multimedia than Facebook.

Obviously, interactivity is HUGE on Facebook, with users being able to contact one another, send and share various items, includes video, photos of all sorts, audio, maps of world travels, just to name a few. With the development of applications, a whole other realm of multimedia is showing up on the social networking site.

Now I’m a huge fan of social networking site, and none intrigue me as much as Facebook. New things to do are popping up daily. I’d be interested to know how many new subscribers to Facebook there are on a daily basis.

As a new semester at VCU begins, I intend to set out this semester to define multimedia. I believe that multimedia currently has no definition and I also believe that my fellow classmates and I will define the term for future generations.

Wish us luck.

The Jokes on Us

2008-08-01T11:45:00.000-07:00

Depsite what many warn at the "consequences" of using social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace, many are finding comic relief in these websites as well.

I can't begin to tell you how many jokes I've heard about Facebook and MySpace, but what's even funnier is seeing or reading some of them.

For example, I present to you these definitions of Facebook and MySpace from Urban Dictionary.

1. myspace
It's the ultimate game of testing your ego. It becomes a competition of seeing who has the most friends, so you add everyone you've made eye contact with in the past 6 years, constantly posting bulletins telling people to comment on your NEW PICZ PLZ or die. Also a way for every garage band ever to make a Myspace Music profile without even have talent and/or experience as other bands have.

3.
facebook
the reason my papers are never done on time.

Completely cracks me up to go through and read all of the definitions given by the common man.

One step further, YouTube has priceless videos.

This first one follows the tune of We Didn't Start The Fire by Billy Joel.

And if that wasn't funny enough, find out what would happen if God had a MySpace by watching this video.

Whether Facebook and MySpace have seriousness or not, I hope these paradoies and jokes don't stop anytime soon.

Social Networking for Non-Profits

2008-07-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

My last two jobs have both been with non-profit agencies.

My former employer decided to build his own MySpace page for our organization as a way to monitor employee online behavior and screen future applicants. Little did he know than many of our volunteers would request to be friends with the organization.

Similarly, my current employer is having me create both a MySpace and Facebook profile for our organization as a way to attract more of the college-aged crowd.

This seems to be a popular trend among non-profits I've discovered.

In A Beginner's Guide to Facebook for Non-Profits, the author promotes the social networking sites saying:

It's a very effective networking tool for nonprofits to create awareness and connect with their community.

MySpace and Facebook are making it easier for non-profits to set up accounts, with both adding Impacts and Causes respectedly for non-profits to use. These social networking sites allow the organizations to connect with a large audience that ranges in age.

Essentially though, building a Facebook of MySpace profile like my former boss did, different from building a group or using an application, violates both Codes of Conduct since the profil is not of a "real" person. Network for Good, a popular site among non-profits, shows this in an article about the National Wildlife Foundation.

Politics for Dummies

2008-07-15T14:07:00.000-07:00

Young voters are often the hardest to actually get involved in politics or get to the polls. However, thanks to the efforts of MTV and Rock the Vote, the number of young voters has increased in the last several years. The 2008 Presidential Election should be no different.

As the writer of the website "Everything I needed to Know about politics I learned on Facebook" states:

I would say that the candidates who truly understand the grassroots movements at places like MySpace and Facebook, have an advantage over the candidates who simply look at the landscape and say, “We need to tackle that group over there” without embracing and fully endorsing that culture.

Never before have politicians had such an easy machine to reach young voters. Though not a new thing, using MySpace and Facebook to reach college-aged voters is taking off my storm. Both Barack Obama and John McCain have set up profiles on Facebook. This set of profiles is fairly similar with not much creative design. Even so, both have millions of "friends" and supporters.

However, turning to MySpace, Obama and McCain are not on equal playing fields. Obama's profile is clearly more advanced in terms of design, graphic elements, and audience involvement. McCain's seems to be dry in comparison. As a young voter with no particular political affiliation, I have to admit I lingered longer on Obama's page simply because it kept me interested. If I wanted to look at plain text and a few pictures I could have looked at a dictionary. Obama's set-up offered video clips, links, ways to get involved, and even ways to shop.

Let's do a quick screen comparison.

McCain better step it up if he hopes to gain any supporters through the use of social networking sites. After all, the fate of the election could come down to it.

Engaged and Underaged

2008-07-07T06:52:00.000-07:00

I logged in to my MySpace account just the other day and was somewhat surprised at a friend request I had received. This request came from a 10 year old child who I could remember being born. What a wake up call. MySpace's terms of use and all policies say that any user must be at least 14 years of age in order to sign up fro a profile, but there are many users who do not meet that requirement. Signing up for a MySpace account is simply and also makes it very easy to lie about one's age. With no verification system in place, a 10 year old could easily pose as a 20 year old during the registration process. Underage MySpace users often do not have the judegment abilities to be responsible for such pages. I've seen dozen of older teenager profiles with suggestive pictures, provacative language, and messages of sex and alcohol. Whatever happened to a bit of childhood innocence? Depsite what I have personally seen, a report released in 2007 says that a majority of teenagers are behaving in a responsible manner in the online realm.

With countless lawsuits being brought against MySpace you would think more strict policies would be put into place. Currently, MySpace asks for any underage user to be reported and then subsequently removed from the server. The solution: REPORT, REPORT, REPORT. Sure, MySpace may be all fun and games for some, but for others it's a way of targeting these children who should be spending their time in outdoor or educational activities, not in front of a computer screen.

Sticks and stones may break my bones, and now your words can hurt me

2008-07-02T07:19:00.000-07:00

What once was considered commonplace on playgrounds has now taken its place in the social-networking arena – bullying. Cyber bullying isn’t a new thing, but with highly publicized incidents, it is becoming more of a focus area.

In the fall of 2006, Megan Meier committed suicide after receiving a message from a teenage boy saying the world would be better off without her. The catch in this situation – the teenage boy was really two teenage girls and an adult.
Lori Drew, her teenage daughter, and Ashley Grills set up a MySpace account under the personality of Josh Evans, a fictitious boy, in order to contact Meier and find out what she was saying about Drew’s daughter, an ex-friend. After Meier’s death, it was revealed to her parents that Drew was posing as Evans, starting a court battle for justification.

In May of 2008, Drew was charged with one count conspiracy and three counts of accessing protected computers without authorization. Drew denied knowing that the hurtful messages were sent to Meier. Whether she knew of them or not, Grills has admitted to sending the last message to Meier, hoping to upset her enough so that she would discontinue talking to Evans and the whole joke would end.

An entire timeline of the incidents surrounding this case can be seen here:

Introduction
A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted a Missouri mother for her alleged role in perpetrating a hoax on the online social network MySpace against 13-year-old Megan, who committed suicide.

September 2006:
Megan, of Dardenne Prairie, Mo., begins communicating online on MySpace with "Josh Evans," who she thinks is a good-looking boy living in her area.

Oct. 15, 2006:
She receives a message from Josh, saying he doesn't want to be her friend anymore.

Oct. 16, 2006:
Megan receives cruel messages through MySpace, including one from "Josh," allegedly telling her the world would be a better place without her. Megan runs upstairs. About 20 minutes later, Megan's mother finds her daughter has hanged herself in her closet.

Oct. 17, 2006:
Megan dies at a hospital, a few weeks before her 14th birthday.

Fall 2006:
Megan's parents learn from a neighbor that Josh was the creation of another neighbor, Lori Drew, her teenage employee Ashley Grills, and Drew's teenage daughter, a former friend of Megan. They are told the MySpace profile was created to see what Megan was saying about Drew's daughter online. Drew, through her attorney, later disputes she helped create the site or knew of mean messages prior to Megan's death.

Fall 2007:
Media accounts of Megan's suicide fuel public outrage in the case.

Dec. 3, 2007:
St. Charles County, Mo., prosecutor Jack Banas says he reviewed laws related to stalking, harassment and child endangerment and couldn't find statutes allowing him to file charges.

May 15, 2008:
A Los Angeles federal grand jury indicts the mother, charging her with one count of conspiracy and three counts of accessing protected computers without authorization.

As an adult, Drew should have known better than to participate or suggest this type of activity. Yet, should she be held accountable for Meier’s death? It seems to me that Drew is being punished for being a bad adult, not a real crime here. Other bloggers are abuzz seeking more of a punishment for Drew, but in all reality, how accountable is she when she didn’t send the message to Meier or set out with the intent of causing the teenager to commit suicide.

In Missouri, Meier’s home state, a new bill has been approved which would potentially make it a felony for anyone who violates the terms of service of any website, as Drew did in relation to MySpace’s terms of service. This Computer Fraud and Abuse Act seems to me a bit preposterous. I know that I for one do not read the fine print of every website, so what does this mean for the future of online activity?

Lions and Tigers and Werewolves? Oh My...

2008-06-24T11:15:00.000-07:00

For the record, I happen to be a vampire. I am also a lesser god of Grey’s Anatomy trivia. Add to that someone who was voted most likely to kick it with Jesus someday and an addict of bumper stickers. Yes, as a matter of fact, I do support the environment, keep countdowns to random dates, and will superpoke you in a heartbeat.

By now, you’ve hopefully figured out I’m referring to applications, widgits that have been appearing on both Facebook and MySpace as of late.

Appearing on Facebook first, applications are just another add-on to social networking. These pieces of the site puzzle allow the user to connect with friends in ways other than pictures and text. I’ve been amazed at the different requests I’ve received to add applications. I’d go so far as to say there are thousands of applications, especially since lists like this one exist ranking the top 101. People are even analyzing the trends of applications on Facebook. I didn’t realize there were trends.

Myspace followed suit with applications. Though still not as widely used as Facebook applications, they are picking up speed and showing up in more and more profiles.

I’ve heard/seen complaints about the thousands of requests to add new things to profiles, but really it’s not too hard to hit a “Decline” button.

Applications seem to be the “wave” in the social networking ocean. Companies now who are hiring folks to create Facebook and MySpace applications. Maybe I should take up web coding. Well, on second thought, I’ll leave it to the professionals.

Gadgets Galore!: Technology at your fingertips

2008-06-21T12:37:00.000-07:00

As a library assistant, Lee Church works with technology on a daily basis. From educating others on computers to helping the public with database research, Church is constantly looking to learn about any new technologies available and to better equip himself for his job in the library system.

“I want to get to physically see what I’ve heard about,” said Church. “Here I am teaching about computers at the library, so when I hear about something new I want to know what it is so I can tell others.”

For those like Church, the Richmond Main Public Library holds monthly Tech Tuesdays, events that cater to the public’s desire for new information on technology.

Gadgets Galore!, this month’s Tech Tuesday, was held on June 10, allowing the public to participate in hands-on activities and ask questions of members of Best Buy’s Geek Squad. Ten participants were able to work closely with Jason Howze, deputy of counter intelligence and Danny Longbottom, double agent, members of the Geek Squad whose titles and badges are fashioned in CIA form.

“Our main focus is to bring people into the library and educate our patrons who are interested in technology,” said Donna Pletcher, manager of the Richmond Main Public Library.

This particular program focused on several technological devices including Bluetooth technology, global positioning software, iPod touch, iPhone, and WiLife, a wireless home security system that connects to a computer.

The participants in Gadgets Galore! discovered new ways to use these devices as well as ways to incorporate them into their daily lives by utilizing email and Internet functions.

Whether attending for job reasons or not, participants were given the opportunity to hold the devices and navigate through the various functions.

“The thing I found most beneficial about this program was getting to play with the equipment,” said Cindy Dickinson of Richmond, one of the attendees of the program.

According to the members of the Geek Squad, they offer program of this type every few months in various locations in Richmond; the library is one of them.

“We like to do programs like this so that new or repeat customers can come and ask questions for free instead of paying to ask them in a store,” said Howze.

The Richmond Public Library holds monthly technology workshops open to the public. For more information and dates of these events, visit the library website.

Facebook BADvertising

2008-06-20T19:43:00.000-07:00

Call me crazy, but when I log onto a social networking site I want to see what my friends are doing, check out some pictures, and maybe send a message or two. What I do not want is to be flooded with advertising. Slowly but surely, Facebook has started offering space to businesses to promote their services or products, doing what some have said will change advertising forever. If the business' goal is to target 18-20somethings then this seems like the perfect means. But for those like me who are annoyed by the constant "Click Me" flashing, this form of advertising is nothing but a turn-off.

Don't get me wrong: the internet is a great place for advertising with an unlimited supply of potential buyers. Facebook, however, should not be the venue. The cost of managing such a database must be expensive, but Facebook should probably warn potential users on their homepage that their free-service comes with the price of annoying ads.

Annoying though it may be, everyone seems to be picking up on the trend. NPR even posed the question of Facebook's ability to alter the web market. You can listen to the report here. Other organizations are picking up on this phenomena as well, even making money by showing others how to make money on Facebook.

I still can't help but feel exploited in a way with companies being told "Use us...we can guarantee you a target audience."

The Price of Social Networking

2008-06-14T13:53:00.000-07:00

For the past several year, social networking sites have taken the Internet world by storm. Predominantly, MySpace and Facebook appear to be the most popular. But what exactly is social networking? Check this out.

Sure, it's fun to connect with current friends, meet new ones, and post small tidbits of our daily lives. The decision of what content and information we post on our own sites is entirely up to us. But how much is too much to post online? Should online socialites censor their own material?

Take for example the college student who was denied her degree because of a MySpace photograph. Dressed as a pirate, this student is drinking from a yellow cup with no reference to alcohol. According to the university, this photo promoted underage drinking. My guess is, Ms. Stacy Snyder never expected to be denied a diploma over a Halloween photo.

Frequently, employers are also using MySpace and Facebook as screening methods for applicants. But honestly, how much can a online profile tell an employer about a person's ability to perform a certain job? Should future employees , like this example, be held accountable for pictures taken at a college party? Does my admission of loving Hannah Montana on my Facebook profile mean I'm not qualified for a "big-girl-job"? If I had a criminal record, I surely wouldn't post it online for the world to see.

What it all boils down to is whether or not some internet fun is worth the price of a college degree or even a job. Even seemingly innocent photographs could mean serious consequences later down the road.