AoW#9
Directions:
1. Show evidence of a close reading by using the text coding symbols.
2. Write a one-page reflection
Text Coding:
^
*
?
#
/
!
I already know that
This is really important
I do not know this word
I do not understand this section
I agree/I disagree
This surprises me
Internet says cats are better
than dogs
Cats have won the Internet.
At least that was the conclusion among the many attendees of the Internet Cat
Video Festival. Cat fanciers were decked out with cat ears and painted-on
whiskers and lined up around the block. They did in a group what they already
do in front of their computers: Watch amusing cat flicks.
Cat videos have been so popular online that watching them has become
synonymous with wasting time. There are tens of millions of cat videos on
YouTube. They are also abundant on Vine and on Instagram. One older gem
posted in 2007 has generated more than 33 million views. It's called "Keyboard
Cat." In contrast, "Keyboard Dog" has just a measly 4.6 million.
The cute factor is very important," said Steve Lozic, 28, while waiting for the show
to begin in the trendy Williamsburg section of Brooklyn.
Lozic, who works in advertising, said one of his favorite clips involves cats
interacting with iPads, with one cat simply pawing at an iPad screen.
The event was a traveling offshoot of the Minneapolis Walker Art Center's festival
of the same name. That festival draws 10,000 attendees who ooh and ahh at
famous felines such as Keyboard Cat, Grumpy Cat, Henri the morose, and
existentialist le Chat Noir. It also includes countless nameless kitties trying to jump
into cardboard boxes with hilarious results.
The star attendee of Brooklyn's video festival, though, was Lil Bub. The runty kitty
was born with a "multitude of genetic anomalies which all add up to one of
nature's happiest accidents," according to her website. Lil Bub, it turns out, is a
"perma-kitten," that is, a full-grown cat that has stayed small and kept kitten-like
features. On top of that, she has an extra toe on all of her paws and her tongue
is always out because her teeth never grew in. Lil Bub merchandise, from stickers
to T-shirts and baby onesies, has helped raise money for animal charities around
the country.
It's hard to say why cats have proven far more popular than, say, dogs in the
online video world. Neysa Smith, 22, who also works in advertising offered one
theory:
"Cats are the best animal ever," said Smith, who, like Lozic, painted on a cat
face in honor of the festival. "They are smarter than dogs."
Also spotted at the event were several cat tails and a man with a surprisingly
calm gray cat perched on his shoulder.
Not spotted: dogs.
The festival's next stop is Rochester, N.Y.'s George Eastman House on Dec. 1.
Next year's schedule includes Austin, Texas, Oakland, Calif., Portland, Ore., and
Minneapolis.
Select one of the following prompts to respond in
a one page, 5 paragraph essay:

Why would serious art museums sponsor cat video festivals?

What do you think the hype is with watching you tube videos?

Do you believe that watching videos online is a waste of time?

Are you a cat person or a dog person? (If you answer this question you still
must reference the article and use the article to explain your supporting or
opposing opinion.)