#10 - Blogging

Blogging hasn't really been a big part of my online life. This class enables the students to give it a try if we haven't already been exposed to it, but it is only for a grade. I have read a lot of the other students blogs during the semester and it seems like most have been honestly relaying their genuine thoughts out there. I use to have a Twitter account, however I was part of the current trend going on that signed up, gave it a try, and then deleted my account after a couple months. It just didn't make sense to me as to why everyone is so fascinated with everyone elses' life. I grow frustrated reading blogs, or Facebook posts for that matter, that updates the online community about their everyday livings. But yet I am torn between my feeling about blogging. On one hand, I can't stand it because common (young adults) people think it's cool to follow in this trend. On the other hand, there are some legitimate blogs that actually inform the public about what truly is occurring in the world and society. These are typically the blogs that I would read. Allowing anyone with an Internet connection create and posts blogs is a catch-22 for me. There are tons of nonsense information people throw out there, but I can always find intelligent blogs that are interesting to me, even if I've never thought about the topic before. I'm anxious to see how far blogging will go because I can see some regulations coming soon about blogging. I think that the government/FCC feels that there could be too much information exposed by blogging that they just don't want the general public to know. How this regulation will transpire is anyone with a rational thought's guess, but I'm sure it's coming soon enough. Maybe they will play the card about how employers are terminating employees based on their blogs, or how certain information is getting leaked to the public about future products from mega-corporations like Google. The problem that I have with it all is that if blogging is allowed to express our First Amendment right, even if it's to criticism the government, then there should be no regulation on it regardless of how I or anyone else feels about what people post. Corrective action or punishment about a blog post is ridiculous and it's not my call to dictate such occurrences, however if action needs to be taken about certain posts, then they should only happen because of libel, slander, or threat of a human life. Nevertheless, blogging continues to grow in popularity but the line is going to have to be drawn somewhere, sometime. Perhaps after a couple more lawsuits.
Which leads me to my reflection of this course. I was pleasantly surprised in what knowledge I gained from this past semester. Have I retained all the information discussed? Not really, but there are key points that I seemed to have taken from almost every class session. I noticed that most of the information was things that we are apart of or see in everyday life. This course seemed to point out certain areas and give definitions and meanings to them. One example is the "Diffusion of Innovations". We all know there are certain people that get the earliest technology when available and others that wait. I just never thought about how information about innovations get communicated through different channels or the decision-making process that users go through before accepting such innovations. I found that particularly lesson quite intriguing. There were also other topics that I was aware of, such as privacy and security, that I was interested in knowing more about. Having served 6 years in the Air Force, I am a true believer in protecting our freedoms. That field of interest for me is one that I am so caught up in that I feel sick to know about certain freedoms that are slowly and meticulously being taken from the American people. Even though I am no longer enlisted, I still believe in protecting the freedoms this country was founded on that made it so great. I just pray that with every new innovation that comes along, that it not be the one that continues the intrusion of privacy but the one that helps restore the freedoms gone. I'm just thankful for the knowledge I have received and hopeful that I can possibly be part of the restoration process.

#9 - Cell Phones

I think that I have reached a point in my life where a cell phone is more of a nuisance than a luxury. I must be an exemption in this day of age and of my generation. I did not grow up with a cell phone nor have I been overly dependent upon one. The first one I received was when I was a senior in high school, but before that I had a pager for a couple years. I thought that was the cool thing then, a pager! Now, I just can't believe how obsessed society has become for cell phones. I find it rather repulsive that immediately following class how many students get on their cell phones. Hell, about 1/3 of the students in class are messing with their cell phones during the class. How important do these people think they are that they have to be in constant contact with someone 24/7? Is it really too difficult to not touch it for an hour and 15 minutes? I don't know why it frustrates me, but it does. I have been trying to convince my wife that a cell phone for me is wasting money. If the idea is to be accessible to people, then I am accessible to people that I don't want to be accessible to. For one, the only people that call me during the day, for 6 days a week, are bill collectors. So even if someone legitimately calls me, I don't answer because I'm so used to someone wanting money that I don't have to give them. This is the voice function of the cell phone that I can do without. Having a cell phone does not make me feel safe, although I can see how someone might feel safe with one. However, it is not necessary for everyone and their brother to have an iPhone to feel safe. I find it odd how the term "cell phone" seems to be quietly transitioning into "iPhone". Apple really seems to be trying to control the cell phone industry by advertising "If you don't have an iPhone, well then you don't have an iPhone". Advertising like that really makes me ponder the functionalities of the iPhone and why they want EVERYONE to have one and why they can't be satisfied with the 90 million + units that has been sold so far through the first quarter of 2011. My skepticism of products, especially technological products, has only been further solidified by the content of Comm 303, particularly pertaining to privacy and security. Every cell phone continually gets upgraded daily, it seems, and with more sophisticated features implemented. While many of these features sound outstanding, like GPS, I view them as one way "Big Brother" can pry into our lives. For me, it makes the world seem smaller and more dangerous. But for now, I will continue to have my cell phone until my current contract with Sprint expires. I am at an age where I don't have to feel "cool" anymore unless its to my son, of whom thinks I'm cool regardless if I have the new phone or not. I have been slowly weeding out unnecessary expenses, and my cell phone just happens to be the next one on the "out".

#8 -Healthcare and Comm Technologies

The path that communication technology and health care are currently riding is, honestly, one that I have less traveled. I can only imagine the endless misleading medical information a person can access on the Internet, so I tend to not embark on that journey because I'm not that familiar with it. I usually rely on the two medical professionals in my family if there is something wrong with me or my son. My wife on the other hand, is a self-proclaimed Doogie Howser M.D. She is constantly relying on information she gathers from the Internet for diagnosing everybody. How reliable the information is doesn't seem to matter, just as long as something makes sense and sounds like it might work. While I was in the military, I had medical appointments almost every other month. Not that something was wrong, but just because I had to stay combat ready if the time came for me to go to the Middle East or elsewhere; which the time came multiple times. I never really had to think about my health because I felt in great shape and healthy. Also, if anything was wrong with me there would be a medical professional that would tell me what was wrong and what I needed to do to fix. Now my wife and her side of the family have medical conditions that keep doctor bills constantly coming in they should name part of the Norton clinic "Taylor Wing"! My wife has also told me about different applications that she can get on her phone that relates to medical do-dads but I think that they're just more stuff to clutter up phones. I don't know what it is that makes people think that they can self-diagnose themselves concerning health matters. I guess I can point the finger at one of the worst things I see in our society concerning health and communication technology and the is the ever so annoying and misleading medical/prescription ads on television. I wish there was a regulation to put an end to these ads. They all ask dumbass questions that the average person is unqualified to answer, even if they are talking about themselves. Or they ask questions that can relate to just about everyone. Questions like: "Are you depressed, urinating constantly, anxious, tired, flaccid, unfocused, hyper, too fat, too skinny, yadda yadda yadda". It goes on and on while they flash products in our face thinking that it can fix us but yet they mention side-effects that are worse that the diagnosis. Side-effects such as blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, and even DEATH! What the hell can someone have that is bad enough that they would want to try something that could kill them. I'm sorry but I think that I will stick with being a little too much of a neat-freak than risk my life. And when these ads do first come out, they are usually followed a couple months later with a legal ad asking if anyone that was affected/hurt by a product to call a number so that you can get a settlement. What is wrong with this country? ---> Let me get back on track here. So health care and comm technology. I think this is a case of too many choices for people that do not have the intellect to make these choices. Or it can be that some doctors are just trying to get as many people as they can on medication as possible because that is how they make their money, especially psychiatrists. Repeat visits to refill prescriptions for people that don't need them. Doctors are now in the business of "legal" drug dealing. And this drug dealing business will continue to dominate our society with the help of communication technology.

#7 - Video Games

Being raised in the 80s has always been a proud achievement of mine, not because of the music and the mullets, but because I was there for the rise of the video game revolution. The Nintendo Entertainment System introduced me to a new way of wasting my time. Sure my dad had an Atari, but I never really got into video games until the NES came out. I have been fortunate enough to probably have played every platform since the NES including currently playing the XBox 360 and Wii. For years, video games were taking up a decent amount of my time everyday. I was in the Air Force from 01-07, so a lot of my free time was on the sticks of the PS2 and XBox. I'm not saying I played all the time, but a good 3 hours or so which to me seems like a lot for gaming. It still game me time to get out and do things. However, once I got out of the military, got married, and had a child, things changed. I now realize the more important things in my life and its not satisfying my own needs playing video games. Even though I did play video games, and still might once in a while, I never considered myself an avid gamer. I played mostly sports games, upgrading every year when the new game came out, just to relax and ease my mind after working all day. I never wanted to become one of those people that never get off the couch, go outside, or know how to talk to someone face-to-face. I consider myself fortunate. Unfortunately, I do know people that are "addicted" to video games. In fact, I have two that are related to me, my youngest brother and my brother-in-law. As I type this now, all I can hear in the other room is constant machine gun fire from Black Ops. Now I say addicted because from sun-up to sun-down, and sometimes to sun-up again, they are constantly on their consoles. That to me is wasting your life away. I now realize that video games are the ultimate de-motivator. They are the perfect hobby for those that have no real goals in life and continue to live day by day. I don't hate on those that play games constantly unless their uselessness directly affects me or my family, I have better things to do. I do say that the longer a child can go without being exposed to video games, the better off they will be in life and I tend to test that theory with my own son.

#6 - Computers

When I think about my earliest memories of using a computer, I'm sure I would relate to many other individuals that were born in the early 80s and say that our first encounters were probably in school. I can recall experimenting with the 8 inch floppy of the MS-DOS version of the Oregon Trail educational program. For the most part, I had no idea what I was doing. I was 9 years-old in 1992 when that came out, and I could really care less about Oregon Trail. It was maybe a couple years later when my dad was able to afford a computer for me and my brother (he had bought one, but we weren't allowed to mess with dad's stuff). When that computer came home, it might as well have been back at the store because we had no idea how to use it. We were too busy playing outside, enjoying being a kid. Besides, connecting to AOL seemed to take at least 15 minutes! I remember my dad telling my brother constantly to get off the computer because he would stay on for hours, and of course it ties up the phone line until we were able to afford a second line. I hated the computer from the start. I had no idea the how to use it, the terminology. I could never remember the "http://" that went before the website. It was frustrating but I always felt better by going outside and pretending to be Michael Jordan out on the basketball court in the street. Fast forward to today, I'm not so computer ignorant. Now that I have been around PCs for close to 20 years now, I feel that I'm a little more computer savvy than normal. And for good reason. Majority of my school work has been done on computers as well as most of my free time. Making movies and music would not be a possibility for me without my Mac. Talk about the impact computers have had on my life, between my wife and I we have 3 laptops and I have no idea why. I hardly ever use the one I just bought 2 months ago and she uses one for her job, accounting. I think it's just a piece of mind knowing that I have a laptop that I can use anywhere. That is just a little proof that computers have ingrained society so much that we feel uncomfortable if we don't have one. Geesh, talk about a power control that companies like Apple and Microsoft have on us.

Mind Reading Is Not Science Fiction

#5 DTV

With the switch from analog to digital, I learned some significant information on how things truly function in this country. First, this conversion made it MANDATORY for people to either purchase new technology or get free conversion boxes, which I'm sure the government will just write-off, to watch television if their sets were analog.  I seriously thought that the airwaves were OWNED by the public and were to serve the public's interest. How can this be if we are being told we must do this switch to view the basic information that we are entitled to. I'm sure the general public won't realize that it seems that we are slowly having our freedoms and choices taken from us. Another issue that I have with the switch to digital is to uncover the REAL ACTUAL reasoning and motive for the switch. This is where I'm skeptical to the release of information to the public about how great the switch will be, but on the other hand, we hear nothing about the negatives. If something is too good too be true, it usually is. Nothing can be so positive and not have anything negative attached to it. Is it too far fetched to truly believe that there is an alternative motive for the switch? For the past year, I have been conducting personal research on the effects and techniques of mind control. This research has led me to believe that the mandatory switch to digital plays an intricate part in a much darker plot to control society. Technology like this, in the wrong hands, is a much bigger threat to individual freedom than any army. A digital TV set is able to manipulate the nervous system by pulsating images, which in turn emit electromagnetic fields of sufficient amplitudes to cause physiological effects in humans. These images can be embedded in program material, or can be overlaid by modulating a video stream. Some monitors can even excite sensory resonance in viewers even as images are sent with subliminal intensity. This can only be accomplished with more bandwidth space than analog provided, thus the switch to digital. There are many documents and patents that can serve as evidence to these claims and many have been documented within the past 15 years, which would coincide with the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Mind control experiments have been conducted secretly on human subjects by Dr. Josef Mangele in Nazi camps and by the C.I.A. since the 1940s. With this switch to digital, I can only assume that, maybe our homeland security is in the wrong hands.





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#4 The Future of Home Video Production

What would the world be like if everyone had the capability of recording anything and everything they wanted and was able to show it to anyone that wanted to see it? Is our society in this time period now? It sure seems like it! With the popularity of America’s Funniest Home Videos in the early 90s, home video technology exploded into society’s consumerist mindset and has not slowed down a bit ever since Bob Saget reminded us to “Keep those camera’s safely rolling”. It’s amazing to look back and to think that “Mr. Tanner” is somewhat responsible for our culture’s YouTube craze. Now we can view some of the dumbest, funniest, outrageous, disgusting, and (sometimes) genius acts society has to offer. The importance of home video technology is nothing major for some, but for most, they just can’t seem to live without. And overall, our society seems to rely on it. I mean think about it. This technology can make or break some individuals in our society. Individuals use it to document family events, key moments in history, or as a hobby. Often we hear of celebrities getting worldwide attention over “leaked” sex tapes. The digital age has made the world a much smaller place. News stations relish the fact that they can access videos instantaneously to honor, discourage, or ridicule celebrities and politicians thanks to “regular people” who just happened to be at the right place at the right time with a camera. Now I won’t bash those that make home videos and make them available to watch. However, majority of the time, the amateur “filmmaker” has no clue on how to properly shoot video, but the ones that do know how do decent jobs. I’m just saying I don’t enjoy watching videos that immediately show the ground after showing something spectacular.

As home video production continues to improve and increase as a need for our society, communication majors will probably need to get a feel of just how important of a role it does play. I can see communication majors having to take a required video production course sometime within the next 25 years or so. The technology will become more accessible and advanced that it will probably be beneficiary for all students, regardless of their major. So keep those cameras safely rolling!

The Grand Illusion

#3 - Theory and Television

The Grand Illusion
When it comes to discussing theories about mass media, especially relating to television, the one that makes the most sense to me is technological determinism and Everett Rogers' assumption that there are other factors that shape society besides technology. Technology is nothing without people to work it. Now when I break this theory down, I find it quite disturbing. We have discussed how mass media is controlled by a handful of mega-media companies such as GE, Viacom, News Corp, Disney, and Time Warner which makes a person like me wonder if the information transmitted through media is actually serving the public interests. I doubt it. Call me a skeptic but I don't understand that what society needs in a world that seems to be getting crazier and crazier is more dumbing-down reality shows and constant updates of celebrities and their facebook and twitter posts! All media seems nearly monolithic with a certain single-view of the world. So I am right on board with Rogers' interpretation, but I'll add that I want to know why are these corporations continually dumbing-down America? It is manipulation in all its glory. When the "owners" of the media are meeting with other "leaders" in politics and the banks in secretive groups like Bilderberg Group, Trilateral Commission, and Council on Foreign Relations, there is no doubt that there is no free press for the mainstream population. Now this is kind of my theory which in no way can be more or less accepted than the other theories which have been discussed because, in fact they are just theories as well.
As for television, things seem like they are only going to get worse. The more stations that the mega companies seize, the more of the same programming we will see. We have seen the rules change to where companies are without limits on ownerships. I'm not necessarily saying television is bad or evil, but to untrained minds and eyes it is a very effective manipulative weapon that is used to shaped society's views, morals, and standards. I've heard the term that people say that they are "addicted" to TV,  or I've seen the "glazed-over" look on people's faces when they are watching TV and I can't help but wonder what their brain is absorbing. Very few people know that brain activity switches from the left to the right and goes into an alpha wave state when watching TV about 5 minutes into viewing which makes the brain susceptible subliminal messaging. Of course the left side of the brain is the seat logic thought. The right side however, processes information in whole leading to emotional rather than logical responses. Then we also have the lower region of the brain (the reptile brain) showing increased activity during viewing which is unable to distinguish between reality and simulated reality.  This isn't to say that everything on TV is geared towards brainwashing, but it makes sense to me when I noticed how slanted and warped the news is. Edward Bernays said in his 1928 book Propaganda that, "The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country." Television will continue with new and "innovative" ways to control society because it is the "Ultimate Revelation".

#2 - Music

Music has always had a special part in my life. Growing up in the 80s and 90s exposed me to an intricate variety of music that became the foundation of what I still listen to this day. Even though now I have incorporated more of a range on my music preference to include classic rock of the 60s and 70s, I am not a big fan of today's music. I am a huge believer that music "artists" today are only focused on one thing and one thing only, money. That said, people now will record whatever the record executives want them to do just to get their check and not even realize the effects it will have on whatever fans they might have. And with the digital age, music has never been so dangerous as it is now. Trends and opinions can be forced upon the masses in a matter of days. It's kind of scary when you think about it. But does that mean I reject the digital form music has taken? Not necessarily. I really enjoy being able to have thousands of songs to choose from in a device that can be taken anywhere. I'm talking of course about an iPod. I have three iPods so that no matter where I might be, I can have something to listen to. One stays in my wife's car, one attached to the alarm clock, and another with me all times. Most of the time that I am out of the house, I have music playing. I installed an interface in my car so that I can listen to it through my radio. When I'm on campus, I have it playing as well. I don't think of it as I'm trying to escape the world when I walk around with my headphones on, but I do like the fact that I can have a soundtrack to my life. Especially depending on the way that I feel that day directly effects what kind of music I listen to. I really don't like walking to class all bummed out, so throw a little Stayin Alive by the Bee Gees on and I don't think anybody can walk out of tune to that song and it instantly gets me up. Yeah the Bee Gees might be a little outdated, but I have yet to find any kind of song that can do that made in the past 15 years. I'll be more than happy to exchange Justin Bieber for Buddy Holly anyday.

Actual Proof - The Talented Tenth - Listen and Download

Actual Proof - The Talented Tenth - Listen and Download

OkayPlayer

B.A. #1

WELCOME EVERYONE!! Thanks for stopping by and taking a look at my new blog.
To start things off, my attitude and feelings about communication technology is probably drastically different from most people. I used to be a person that had to try to have the latest and greatest, which usually resulted with an awesome amount of debt. But now, not so much. It isn't because of the debt issue but I just don't let technology control my life anymore. And when I say control, this is what I feel this nation is coming to. Any new technology that comes out is only "new" and up-to-date for a couple years, if that. Then you must purchase more upgrades or by something new altogether because the corporations make it seem as if life cannot exist without their products. These corporations have conditioned society to buy whenever and whatever they tell them to, regardless of whether they can afford it or not. And for what? To make our lives more manageable and to save us time? I don't think so Jack! If these great products saved time, why do most people continually say that they don't have time to do anything? "Not enough time in the day", they say. These are the people that continue to purchase things that they don't need in hoping that they will have more time, or they continue to waste their time with boredom-killing "amusement" like Facebook, moronic TV shows, and video games. These folks are sadly mistaken and it's a shame that most of the country feels that they can't live without their materialistic lifestyles. Would it be fair to say that there are some people that are addicted to technology (computers, video games, etc.)? Could there be a hidden reason as to why these corporations would want society addicted to technology? And another interesting take on things, all this seems like a plot to continue to keep the nation in debt because unless you just hit the lottery or are in elite status, most charge these technology products and try to pay a ridiculous interest rate which most can't do, hence the fact that we will continue to see a nation increasing in debt.

Now, with that being said I'm sure that the opinions are starting to form in your brains about this particular blogger but please understand that I only try to get people thinking outside of the illusion that most of us live in. There has to be some people that are skeptical and refuse to believe most of everything that is relayed through communication technology and I am one of those people. So... onto one of the most accessible commercial technologies of all....Radio.

When I think about radio and the use of radio by me or anyone else that I might know, it seems pretty depressing. I hardly know anyone that listens to the radio daily, or at all. My wife listens sometimes just to check out what new songs are out, then it's back to the iPod. For the past 7 years, that is all I have listened to in my car is my iPod. I remember the time during my youth that I would sit next to my boombox with a cassette ready to record the next song on the radio that I liked so I could make my own mixtapes to listen to on the walk to the bus stop. Now, the few times, and I mean few times that I listen to the radio is usually when I have to leave somewhere that had a U of L game on and I want to listen to it on the way home. I use to get sick when I was in the car with my grandfather and he was listening to AM stations, but now I find myself doing the exact same thing. Isn't it ironic? Don't you think? As far as the future of radio goes, I think it is difficult to predict. There are still some older generations that still rock out to the oldies, but with Generations X and Y and the advances in Mp3 devices, I can see radio fading out like newspapers. On the other hand, I can see radio putting up a fight. With only a handful of corporations owning all the media outlets, including radio, competition could decline or cease altogether within the next 50 years or sooner. I mean after all these corporations keep buying each other until it's just one giant Global corporation controlling all the outlets, we will only be able to listen to what they want us to listen to. More cars are coming equipped with Mp3 interfaces already installed in the console, so this could be a glimpse of things to come as radio is gradually being taken over by advanced technology.