Let's Unpack This!

Posted In: Reflective posts

The World Wide Web equals the combination of computer networking (the Internet) and HyperText MarkUp Language (HTML) into an easy, user-friendly system where users can access information from around the world from a computer. Hypertext is the medium used to transmit the information in a non-linear fashion by clicking on the computer link using your mouse. These links provide readers the option to “jump” to further information about a specific topic being discussed.

Three examples on how to incorporate hypertext links:

  1. Using hyperlinks in an email
    • The writer can create an email to send, which can include different hyperlinks. Let’s say the creator wanted to have five kinds of hyperlinks. Two of them are videos, one is a news article, one is a blog post, and the last one is a presentation.
  2. Using images as buttons for hyperlinks
    • I am sure plenty of us have seen a clickable image/button on a website that we cannot resist clicking. This technique is an effective call-to-action button and provides a different style of presentation.
  3. Hyperlinked video
    • Adding a hyperlink to the video’s image added to the landing page (typically a home page) allows the user not to open a new browser window but instead play the video in the frame directly on the site. This technique keeps the user focused on the page and the video’s message.

After reading about Wiki rabbit hole, I came across a Buzzfeed article written by Ellie Bate about “The 19 Wikipedia Pages That’ll Send You Into A Week-Long Wikihole”. Out of all 19 topics, I will start with Incidents at Walt Disney World and here is why.

Growing up, I LOVED rollercoasters. I would ride them by myself because my parents chickened out, and I have no siblings, but I also would ride the same ride repeatedly. As I got older, I somehow developed a fear of heights, which later created my fear of riding roller coasters. When I was a kid, I vividly remember being at Disney World riding a roller coaster when it suddenly stopped due to malfunction. I was seated at the top half of the ride with my feet dangling, feeling nervous as I was stuck there for the next 30 minutes. Now, when I think of rollercoasters I associate it with death (which sounds dramatic) because of the fatal incidents that have occurred to others.

Another example is one time my friends and I were at Kemah riding the Boardwalk Bullet. This was right after they announced to the public that the rollercoaster is clear and ready to enjoy. I remember my head being whipped back and forth like I got whiplash. The whole time I am thinking to myself: How can someone enjoy this? Why would someone develop a bumpy rollercoaster? Soon I find out that there have been multiple accidents.

Back to Walt Disney World incidents, the Buzzfeed article says, “incidents are organized both by Disney park and by the rides they occurred on”. I was scrolling to Splash Mountain because, as a kid, I remember enjoying it, and I find out on August 2, 2020, one of the log flume boats began to sink underwater. A video surfaced on Twitter where the cast member tells the guests to remain inside as the log boat is sinking because it poses a “safety hazard” by exiting.

Because of all of this, I don’t think I will be back on any rollercoaster anytime soon - I am too scared!!