In today’s economy, companies are eager to look at ways to cut costs. All company traditional type of gatherings can become costly to businesses. Some companies have employees in different locations and need to purchase airline tickets for their employees to make the trip back to the corporate office for these types of meetings. There are new ways for companies to reduce their cost for these type of events. They can now use meetings in cyberspace.
When a company uses web conferencing, it lets multiple people from all different locations around the world join one online meeting to discuss and share their thought and ideas. All kinds of companies can use this amazing technology to help reduce their annual costs.
Web conferencing can also allow for people to join the meeting when they previously could not leave town to fly to the corporate headquarters due to family obligations. During these meetings everyone can share documents and presentations. People tend to avoid using software that is confusing and leaves them feeling frustrated. These cyberspace meetings are very user friendly for employees which make the meeting attendance higher.
There are specific companies that focus on providing this type of service to other companies. They can tailor their software to specifically meet the needs for each business that they support.
“Companies that specialize in providing web conferencing services abound on the internet. There is a software and application for almost every size business, and prices vary as widely as the sophistication of the software. Most companies charge per minute, per person, or on a flat rate basis, so be sure to review the rate structure as it pertains to your business. “(Jay Moncliff)
Most of these types of companies focused on businesses that used Windows and Internet Explorer, but they are now starting to offer their services to other platforms such as Firefox. Microsoft Office LiveMeeting now offers a 2 week trial for companies to see if they like it before they purchase it.
These types of programs that use newer technology can provide a great savings to companies who are looking to cut their annual costs.
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/business_and_finance/article_4552.shtml
Web Conferencing Services: Meetings in Cyberspace by: Jay Moncliff
Some Times...
"Some Times Art Does Imitate Life."
David Steward posted a Dilbert Comic strip on the company bulletin board that compared bad decision makers to drunken lemurs. The management took offense to the comic strip, and looked at security cameras to identify which employee posted the comic strip. Once they found out it was Steward they fired him for misconduct, and stated that he had "insulted the managers." Then the company denied him unemployment
when he filed for it (McGuire, 2008).
I understand that people need to be respectful to their employers, but I feel that to fire someone because they put a comic strip that is published in the daily paper on the bulletin board, is going too far. The company could have taken the comic down and given the employee a warning if it actually bothered them that badly. It was not Steward's intent to directly criticize the management but posted it because he thought it was funny and wanted to boost moral. There are many ways that this could have been handled and the employer took the wrong one. The company must not have had a policy in place preventing this from being displayed or Steward would not have won the court battle to get his unemployment pay. They should have set guidelines of what can and cannot be displayed and if comics are not allowed then they should send out an announcement banning them rather than just firing people because someone took offense.
I think it is in good humor that when Dilbert author Scott Adams found out what happened to Steward he directly wrote this into his strips the following week where the PHB (Pointy Haired Boss) fires one of the employees for... you guessed it, posting a comic comparing managers to drunken lemurs. When the employee is asked if he thinks drunken lemurs are like managers, his reply is, "No. Some lemurs can hold their liquor."
This is the original citing.
McGuire T. (2008). Dilbert Firing. Associated Press. Extracted from the World
Wide Web on 6/20/08 from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/Page/document/video/vs?id=RTGAM.20080225.wvdilbert0225&ids=RTGAM.20080225.wvdilbert0225
The link was taken down after I wrote the blog and the news article can now be found at:
Reference Cite
Buying Into the Green Movement
“Consumers have embraced living green, and for the most part the mainstream green movement has embraced green consumerism. But even at this moment of high visibility and impact for environmental activists, a splinter wing of the movement has begun to critique what it sometimes calls “light greens.””
By Alex Williams, NY Times, Published: July 1, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/01/fashion/01green.html
Are Americans really buying into the green movement or are we being force feed a lot of brown stuff? For the last few years celebrities and politicians have been force feeding us with information saying global warming is coming faster than expected and we will destroy the earth by the year 2050. We’ve all heard the terms “Save the planet!” or celebrated Earth Day. The truth is the planet has been here for billions of years and will continue to be here for another billion years. In truth it is the human race that needs to be saved, but you won’t hear Hollywood or Washington use those terms. Instead they tell us to find alternative energy, stop filling up our landfills with grocery bags, stop using our air conditioning when it’s to hot, and stop using our heat when it’s to cold.
Many of us have been trying to be eco-friendly for years. We grow our own vegetables, compost our scraps, ride bicycles or use public transportation, even throw an extra blanket on the bed during the winter, oh and let’s not forget, recycle, recycle, recycle. The problem lies in the fact that human beings are stubborn and don’t want to listen to the facts. They would rather live life excessively until someone like Al Gore comes along and scares the pants off of them. Then everyone jumps on the bandwagon in an effort to make a buck. In My opinion this is all just another fad created by politicians in an effort to boost a failing dollar. The problems occur when in an effort to boost the economy they raise the prices so high that most people can’t afford to live a healthy and eco-friendly lifestyle.
It is my belief that if individuals would learn to do a little bit of work for themselves, instead of spending money for others to do the work for them, the green movement would work much better. We hear “Buy organic”, but organic food costs more. Why not “Grow Organic”, Plant a garden and reap the rewards. By buying fifty cents worth of seeds, you can grow $100 worth of vegetables and reduce your stress while you’re at it. If you grow more than you can use, share it with your neighbors. If you don’t have a place to plant a garden, buy from your local farmers market. Grow locally and reduce long distance delivery.
Live simply, has always been my motto. Take lessons from our forefathers, instead of ignoring their advice. Stop acting like the world owes us a favor, and start living like we owe the world a favor.
Writing on the Web
“Yet in its functions and developing culture, the Web is considered by many to be an oral medium.” (Pixie Ferris, Writing in Cyberspace, CMC Magazine 1997)
Have you ever wondered if there is a difference between online writing and traditional print writing? The 1997 article written by Pixie Ferris reviews the differences. Writing in general should consider the following five factors: purpose, content, organization, style and audience. Each general guideline laid out by English teachers.
Writings must have a purpose for its existence. The purpose of it can be to report news, entertain, and be informational and so on. Without a purpose, it may just be a bunch a text that simply does not appeal to the reader. The article gives a good example of homepages that have just a bunch favorite links that only appeal to the creator. This would be unappealing to the reader as it would only reflect one topic and be relevant only tot the creator.
Is content king? Generally good writing has well developed content, but in Cyberspace there is a different consensus. Cyberspace is filled with loads of information that is published and it can be hard for a reader to screen out text to get to the information they are looking for or have appeal to. This brings up the question of what is content. The author references Webster dictionary and defines content as being anything would good value to the reader.
“A good cyber writer must not only consider content that is of value, but must organize material in a manner that incorporates unique interactive features of the web.” Organization of writings makes it easy for the reader to follow through the text in a sequential manner. This reminds me of a novel in comparison. It’s a story that leads up to the plot and gives pieces of information that equate to the final conclusion. However the hypertext language of the web allows the creator to interact with the reader. The nature of hyper links to other websites and the overall design and style in nature is part of web writing. Design and navigability cannot be separated from the audience and this alone essentially blurs the lines between traditional writing and Cyberspace writing.
At the heart of Cyberspace writing lays the importance of its connection to societies and to others. This is different from traditional published writings as cyberspace is a product of technology equating to a connection of devices that connect to the human life-world. The article explains that the web is more “oral than literate” in nature.
Reference:Ferris, Pixie (1997). "Writing in Cyberspace", Special Focus: Writing on the Web, CMC Magazine.
Have you ever wondered if there is a difference between online writing and traditional print writing? The 1997 article written by Pixie Ferris reviews the differences. Writing in general should consider the following five factors: purpose, content, organization, style and audience. Each general guideline laid out by English teachers.
Writings must have a purpose for its existence. The purpose of it can be to report news, entertain, and be informational and so on. Without a purpose, it may just be a bunch a text that simply does not appeal to the reader. The article gives a good example of homepages that have just a bunch favorite links that only appeal to the creator. This would be unappealing to the reader as it would only reflect one topic and be relevant only tot the creator.
Is content king? Generally good writing has well developed content, but in Cyberspace there is a different consensus. Cyberspace is filled with loads of information that is published and it can be hard for a reader to screen out text to get to the information they are looking for or have appeal to. This brings up the question of what is content. The author references Webster dictionary and defines content as being anything would good value to the reader.
“A good cyber writer must not only consider content that is of value, but must organize material in a manner that incorporates unique interactive features of the web.” Organization of writings makes it easy for the reader to follow through the text in a sequential manner. This reminds me of a novel in comparison. It’s a story that leads up to the plot and gives pieces of information that equate to the final conclusion. However the hypertext language of the web allows the creator to interact with the reader. The nature of hyper links to other websites and the overall design and style in nature is part of web writing. Design and navigability cannot be separated from the audience and this alone essentially blurs the lines between traditional writing and Cyberspace writing.
At the heart of Cyberspace writing lays the importance of its connection to societies and to others. This is different from traditional published writings as cyberspace is a product of technology equating to a connection of devices that connect to the human life-world. The article explains that the web is more “oral than literate” in nature.
Reference:Ferris, Pixie (1997). "Writing in Cyberspace", Special Focus: Writing on the Web, CMC Magazine.
Working From Home in Cyberspace
“Today work-at-home professionals have a remarkable communications vehicle no matter where they are located. The "information highway" runs through all neighborhoods -- enabling at-home workers to develop business relationships that transcend geographical boundaries.”
Today there are so many avenues to creating and maintaining a business right from your very own home. Years ago it mattered where you were located and how much traffic went by. Today with the internet as your vehicle you can buy and sell all from the convenience of your living room. You can network and build business relationships. This reminds me of eBay and how you can make a fortune by just selling items you no longer use or need. Forget the days of the good old fashioned yard sale now that cyberspace is available. Just remember the challenges of working from home and how multitasking the laundry, kids and dinner as the picture shows could be a challenge.
Cyberspace and Building Business Relationships. Roberts, Lisa M. 1997. Retrieved on June 17, 2008 from: http://www.en-parent.com/Articles/cyberspace.htm
Today there are so many avenues to creating and maintaining a business right from your very own home. Years ago it mattered where you were located and how much traffic went by. Today with the internet as your vehicle you can buy and sell all from the convenience of your living room. You can network and build business relationships. This reminds me of eBay and how you can make a fortune by just selling items you no longer use or need. Forget the days of the good old fashioned yard sale now that cyberspace is available. Just remember the challenges of working from home and how multitasking the laundry, kids and dinner as the picture shows could be a challenge.
Cyberspace and Building Business Relationships. Roberts, Lisa M. 1997. Retrieved on June 17, 2008 from: http://www.en-parent.com/Articles/cyberspace.htm
Why online chatting?
“We discover that individuals chat on the Web for a variety of reasons. In this study, the top five reasons for chatting include the fact that it is an economic and convenient way to communicate, that it provides a source for entertainment and companionship, and that it is relaxing”(Zinkhan et al, 2003, p. 25).Chat rooms are the most convenient and cheaper way to communicate with friends, new acquaintances, and family worldwide. Based on the survey the chat rooms are in high demand in almost all the countries; for example U.S. has 45% online participants, Canada 23%, China 10%, Australia 9%, Korea 8%, and Taiwan 5%. People are expressing their opinions and thoughts freely and hopping that they are listened by other participants. Some people become closer to other people who met online rather than their grownup friends. Some people who never met face to face are enjoying spending time in cyberspace with one another discussing what interest them. Some people are shy talking about something personal with their local friends, but chatting online they have no boundaries and they can reveal anything they want about themselves. By using the chat rooms, people tend to become even more collective in cyberspace, while they tend to get more isolated and they embrace the individualism in their real life.
Zinkhan, G. M., Hyokjin, K. Morrison, M., & Peters, C. O. (2003). Web-Based Chatting: Consumer Communications in Cyberspace. Journal of Consumer Psychology,13(1&2), 17-27. Retrieved June 8, 2008, from the Academic Search Premier database.
Sociability and the Web
“”The pattern seems to be that those who use the Internet frequently are more likely to do voluntary work or to take part in voluntary organizations compared with infrequent users. (Pekka Ra¨sa¨nen & Antti Kouvo, LINKED OR DIVIDED BY THE WEB? Internet use and sociability in four European countries, section Civic Engagement)
Does the internet provide a new way to communicate, displacing traditional face-to-face sociability? Authors of the article review the different facets that suggest the internet strengthens forms of sociability by evaluating the two forms of sociability: civic engagement and interpersonal involvement. With frequent use of the internet, society becomes more comfortable as with anything that is done in a repitious fashion. “Practice makes perfect” it is said, and those that continuously use the internet begin to explore out of their circle and find other sites that might be interesting to them. With this “exploring” or some may be familiar with the term “surfing”, many stumble upon events, activities, or groups that are in line with their personal or business interests and join them. Volunteering can come in the form of being the moderator of a chat group, the leader of an online team, or perhaps even the scheduler of an event. In today’s society, it doesn’t always mean being physically present. Therefore, communication in cyberspace has taken on yet another role, hence, Civic Engagement.
Pekka Ra¨sa¨nen & Antti Kouvo (2004). Internet use and sociability in four European countries, section Civic Engagement. Retrieved June 8, 2008, from the Regis Library.
Does the internet provide a new way to communicate, displacing traditional face-to-face sociability? Authors of the article review the different facets that suggest the internet strengthens forms of sociability by evaluating the two forms of sociability: civic engagement and interpersonal involvement. With frequent use of the internet, society becomes more comfortable as with anything that is done in a repitious fashion. “Practice makes perfect” it is said, and those that continuously use the internet begin to explore out of their circle and find other sites that might be interesting to them. With this “exploring” or some may be familiar with the term “surfing”, many stumble upon events, activities, or groups that are in line with their personal or business interests and join them. Volunteering can come in the form of being the moderator of a chat group, the leader of an online team, or perhaps even the scheduler of an event. In today’s society, it doesn’t always mean being physically present. Therefore, communication in cyberspace has taken on yet another role, hence, Civic Engagement.
Pekka Ra¨sa¨nen & Antti Kouvo (2004). Internet use and sociability in four European countries, section Civic Engagement. Retrieved June 8, 2008, from the Regis Library.
Is Multitasking Becoming a Problem for Today's Youth?
Is Multitasking Becoming a Problem for Today's Youth?
"An Internet-linked laptop, one may safely say, is not a life thickener." (Edmundson, 2008, Chronicle of Higher Education).
The quote comes from a witty essay by a University of Virginia professor who believes that his students are spending far too much time multitasking and too little time actually thinking and deliberating about what's really important, not only in their lives but in the world around them. The Internet has turned the globe into a global village, but the villagers are too busy IMing each other to stop and look around them: to see the big picture and to slow down. A handwritten journal, according to the essay, is a life thickener: it takes time to accumulate one and the experience goes a long way towards making a person truly wise. Like the broadband connections that allow them to surf the 'net, today's always-on generation seems to be missing what makes life worth living: stopping once in a while and living deliberately.
Reference:
Edmundson, Mark (2008). "Dwelling in Possibilities", Chronicle of Higher Education, Vol. 54, Number 27.
"An Internet-linked laptop, one may safely say, is not a life thickener." (Edmundson, 2008, Chronicle of Higher Education).
The quote comes from a witty essay by a University of Virginia professor who believes that his students are spending far too much time multitasking and too little time actually thinking and deliberating about what's really important, not only in their lives but in the world around them. The Internet has turned the globe into a global village, but the villagers are too busy IMing each other to stop and look around them: to see the big picture and to slow down. A handwritten journal, according to the essay, is a life thickener: it takes time to accumulate one and the experience goes a long way towards making a person truly wise. Like the broadband connections that allow them to surf the 'net, today's always-on generation seems to be missing what makes life worth living: stopping once in a while and living deliberately.
Reference:
Edmundson, Mark (2008). "Dwelling in Possibilities", Chronicle of Higher Education, Vol. 54, Number 27.
Web users more selfish?
As the years go by more and more people are getting less patient when they go online. People are wanting to get on the internet and off the internet more quickly. They want to be able to get exactly what they want from the internet without spending a lot of time trying to find whatever they are looking for. The majority of people know how to avoid the tactics that are used to keep people on the internet. More and more people are becoming weary of the advertisements that are out there to try and gain web more of the users attention.
They are now using the term “hot potato” to describe people who use the internet to just get a specific tack done. (BBC News, May 08)
People are better able to succeed at what they are trying to accomplish on the internet. According to Dr. Nielsen there are two main reasons for this.
"The designs have become better but also users have become accustomed to that interactive environment," Dr Nielsen told BBC News.
People know what they are looking for on the internet. They have already spent time playing around and looking at different things. They now have a better sense of what they want to specifically do on the internet. Everyone is much more internet savvy and knows that they need to avoid the promotions and advertisements that try to distract them because they are always misleading and take you to sites that you do not want to go to.
"Web users have always been ruthless and now are even more so," said Dr Nielsen.
"People want sites to get to the point, they have very little patience," he said.
"I do not think sites appreciate that yet," he added. "They still feel that their site is interesting and special and people will be happy about what they are throwing at them."
People have also become annoyed with all of the extra applications that have been added to web sites. All of these extra doodads are making the websites take much longer to load which adds frustration to the end user.
“In 2004, about 40% of people visited a homepage and then drilled down to where they wanted to go and 60% use a deep link that took them directly to a page or destination inside a site. In 2008, said Dr Nielsen, only 25% of people travel via a homepage. The rest search and get straight there.” (BBC News, May 08)
The search engine is the main source of contact for web users. They search for what they are looking for using the search engine and then they go to that page. Search engines still need a lot of work because people are not always finding what they are looking for.
"In the long run anyone who wants to beat Google just has to make a better search," said Dr Nielsen.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/technology/7417496.stm
Published 2008/05/24 12:04:03 GMT
They are now using the term “hot potato” to describe people who use the internet to just get a specific tack done. (BBC News, May 08)
People are better able to succeed at what they are trying to accomplish on the internet. According to Dr. Nielsen there are two main reasons for this.
"The designs have become better but also users have become accustomed to that interactive environment," Dr Nielsen told BBC News.
People know what they are looking for on the internet. They have already spent time playing around and looking at different things. They now have a better sense of what they want to specifically do on the internet. Everyone is much more internet savvy and knows that they need to avoid the promotions and advertisements that try to distract them because they are always misleading and take you to sites that you do not want to go to.
"Web users have always been ruthless and now are even more so," said Dr Nielsen.
"People want sites to get to the point, they have very little patience," he said.
"I do not think sites appreciate that yet," he added. "They still feel that their site is interesting and special and people will be happy about what they are throwing at them."
People have also become annoyed with all of the extra applications that have been added to web sites. All of these extra doodads are making the websites take much longer to load which adds frustration to the end user.
“In 2004, about 40% of people visited a homepage and then drilled down to where they wanted to go and 60% use a deep link that took them directly to a page or destination inside a site. In 2008, said Dr Nielsen, only 25% of people travel via a homepage. The rest search and get straight there.” (BBC News, May 08)
The search engine is the main source of contact for web users. They search for what they are looking for using the search engine and then they go to that page. Search engines still need a lot of work because people are not always finding what they are looking for.
"In the long run anyone who wants to beat Google just has to make a better search," said Dr Nielsen.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/technology/7417496.stm
Published 2008/05/24 12:04:03 GMT
The civilization of cyberspace. (interview with cyberspace specialist Esther Dyson)(Interview).
In an Interview with Esther Dyson, a very highly acclaimed cyberspecialist, she was asked what her favorite metaphor for the internet was.
She replied;
"Well, I definitely see it as an ocean, not a highway. It's something you float in rather than something that has well-defined paths. It's really an environment in which things happen. It's not a single place; it's a platform for lots of places. "
Gerstner, J. (June-July 1998). The civilization of cyberspace. Communication World, 15(6), 37. Retrieved (date), from the Academic Search Premier database.
What I found interesting about this quote from an interview with Esther Dyson, is how profound the statement really is. First off, it was written more than ten years ago, in 1998. At that time the internet was still, to an extent, in its infancy stages. In the early nineties, superhighway was a good description for the internet. People would go online with a specific destination in mind and basically drive to that destination. Nowadays there are millions of sites and we seamlessly float from one to another. For someone who is a true techie and cybergeek it is a very sureal description. For Esther Dyson to have made this statement over ten years ago in my opinion makes her a true cyber visionary.
She replied;
"Well, I definitely see it as an ocean, not a highway. It's something you float in rather than something that has well-defined paths. It's really an environment in which things happen. It's not a single place; it's a platform for lots of places. "
Gerstner, J. (June-July 1998). The civilization of cyberspace. Communication World, 15(6), 37. Retrieved (date), from the Academic Search Premier database.
What I found interesting about this quote from an interview with Esther Dyson, is how profound the statement really is. First off, it was written more than ten years ago, in 1998. At that time the internet was still, to an extent, in its infancy stages. In the early nineties, superhighway was a good description for the internet. People would go online with a specific destination in mind and basically drive to that destination. Nowadays there are millions of sites and we seamlessly float from one to another. For someone who is a true techie and cybergeek it is a very sureal description. For Esther Dyson to have made this statement over ten years ago in my opinion makes her a true cyber visionary.
The Cyber Sitter
"Let's face it, explaining that you met your babysitter online wouldn't exactly get you nominated as Father of the Year". (The Times) People around the globe are conducting all variations of business online, from meeting future husbands and wives, buying groceries, pets, and now finding babysitters during an evening away. The Internet has allowed us to live a life behind a computer, without ever having to leave the confines of our home.
Currently, the Internet is flooded with nanny and babysitter websites, giving you a virtual profile of your prospective sitter. Gone are the days of giving the local newspaper a browse and conducting several face to face interviews. Now a couple can easily interview a possible candidate over the Internet using video chat. Once the evening completed, they are capable of leaving feedback through the website in which they had discovered them. Its just like leaving a comment on MySpace. Originally, this method of obtaining a babysitter came as a shock due to security concerns, concerns for their child. However, unless you hire a family member or close friend, how well do you really know the babysitter?
I believe as technology advances, we will continue to be shaken with what is possible over the Internet.
Angel Rosa
The Babysitter from Cyberspace, The Times; 3/20/2008, Chris Ayres
"Recruiting for the Cyber Wars"
"The U.S. Military is looking for a few good geeks". (Business Week) As technology advances, hackers are becoming more resilient and experienced in attacking any website. In order to protect against those hackers, government agencies need to prepare themselves by recruiting and training skillful individuals. It is widely known that the Pentagon is digitally attacked about 3 million times a day. (Business Week) To prevent devastating attacks, the military is beginning to expand its cyber security division and making it a primary mission.
I believe the U.S. Military needs to be prepared for all scenarios when it involves hacking and other forms of digital attacks or espionage. In my opinion, the future of war will not involve physical contact but a battle of the country which has the best hackers. As an example, China's military holds contents to see who the best hackers are and offers prizes to those individuals. (Business Week) They are completely aware that digital warfare is the new horizon in war.
Angel Rosa
Recruiting for the Cyber Wars. Business Week Online; 4/15/08 , page 6. Obtained from Academic Search Premiere
Chief Information Officer for U.S. DOT Does Not Think That Accurate Is Important In List of
When CIO Daniel Mintz created a list of bullet points on how to communicate online he called it Gov 2.0. He gave several presentations on the bullet points and at one of the presentations he was asked to change one point to “Exchange accurate information…” his reply was “the resulting bullet would be a lie” (Mintz 2007). Later in the paper he goes to compare his Gov 2.0 to Wikipedia because it is user driven. What Mintz has done here is show several excuses why people working for him should not be careful to only include accurate data. I want to pull data from the DOT website, I would want to be sure it is accurate and not someone’s best effort. There are many tools available to ensure that pages on their website are up to date and there is no reason that a government agency should be keeping out of date material or have invalid material that people can get a hold of. People should be able to use the site and expect the data to be accurate.
Mintz, D. (Winter 2007). Government 2.0--fact or fiction? The second generation of Web access will change the way government delivers services and its relationship with the American public.(Forum: The Next President's Management Agenda). The Public Manager, 36, 4. p.21 (4). Retrieved June 05, 2008, from Academic OneFile via Gale: Reference Cite
Digitalization of Adolescent Transitional Objects: From Diaries to Blogs
“New technologies brought digital options for the publishing of self-narratives in cyberspace: blogs. These online journals are transitional objects that offer not only the same support that the paper written diary, but also additional social benefits to the adolescent users.” (Goya, 2007).
I remember as a young girl keeping a diary that no one read but me. It was all of my personal thoughts that poured out onto the paper like rain which released all of the tension of being a teenager inside. I felt no one understood me especially my parents. This was my outlet. This article introduces a new age to diaries, now called blogs. Blogs are being considered transitional objects which offer a new and easier passage into adulthood. Blogs fulfill the same as a traditional diary but with many more functions. Bloggers can release their thoughts and opinions, but now with the added social world. Others can respond which can help a teen blogger develop social skills and promote individual critical thinking. In a traditional diary you are alone in your thoughts. In the new day and age of blogging you no longer need to be alone.
G. Mariana (2007). International Communication Association Annual Meeting. Digitalization of Adolescent Transitional Objects: From Diaries to Blogs. Retrieved on June 5, 2008 from the Communication and Mass Media Complete Database.
I remember as a young girl keeping a diary that no one read but me. It was all of my personal thoughts that poured out onto the paper like rain which released all of the tension of being a teenager inside. I felt no one understood me especially my parents. This was my outlet. This article introduces a new age to diaries, now called blogs. Blogs are being considered transitional objects which offer a new and easier passage into adulthood. Blogs fulfill the same as a traditional diary but with many more functions. Bloggers can release their thoughts and opinions, but now with the added social world. Others can respond which can help a teen blogger develop social skills and promote individual critical thinking. In a traditional diary you are alone in your thoughts. In the new day and age of blogging you no longer need to be alone.
G. Mariana (2007). International Communication Association Annual Meeting. Digitalization of Adolescent Transitional Objects: From Diaries to Blogs. Retrieved on June 5, 2008 from the Communication and Mass Media Complete Database.
Newsprint is an anachronism
“Contemporary media scholars are tapping a range of different media platforms to circulate their ideas: Howard Rheingold uses video podcasts (http://vlog.rheingold.com/), YouTube represents both the content and the medium of Alexandra Juhasz' critiques (http://youtube.com/user/MediaPraxisme), Peter Ludlow edits the town newspaper for Second Life, using it as a platform for sharing his insights into virtual worlds (http://secondlifeherald.com)” (Jenkins, 2008). Mr. Jenkins in his article writes about the relatively new mass media acceptance of posting scholarly essays online. My younger brother writes for the Denver Post newspaper. He finds it irritating that I have a daily subscription to the newspaper, yet never read it. I prefer to gather news and information online. I read my brother’s articles online, it’s my fiancé who likes the feel of the newspaper between her fingers. If I have time to kill in an airport or on a flight to Yugoslavia, I’ll tackle the newspaper — but I don’t understand the fascination with it. Instantaneous information, much more timely than the newspaper, can be found online 24 hours a day. The video, audio, and photographic slide shows that accompany news stories online fill in the gaps of information that the newspaper contains by omission. It may be a generational thing. My mother has a dial-up connection to the Internet. Her newspaper preference may stem in part from the fact that it takes 10 minutes for the home page of CNN.com to load on her computer. We are vigilant recyclers in my home, and while I know that people try to do the right thing, I see trashcans stuffed with newspapers and the orange plastic bags that are delivered in. I am a fan of my brother’s writing. I encourage people who haven’t discovered him yet to read his articles. I don’t tell them they have to pick up a newspaper, I just point them to the website: http://www.denverpost.com/music
Jenkins, Henry. "In 2008, Is the Medium Still the Message?." The Chronicle of Higher Education 54.30 (April 4, 2008): NA. Academic OneFile. Gale. BCR Regis University. 6 June 2008
http://find.galegroup.com.dml.regis.edu/itx/start.do?prodId=AONE
Internet culture-free zone
“The borderless world: the internet removes cultural difference. In a carry-over from early visions, the internet is seen as a space where old rules and identities can be left behind. It is viewed either as a culture-free zone, or as a culture in itself” (Hanna & DeNooy, 2004, p. 258).As more people have access to Internet, cyberspace has the potential to put together groups of people with the similar beliefs and values. It appears that each culture has its ways of communicating and behaving that when viewed in their totality is different from any other cultures. For this reason, it is imaginable that virtually all the cultural differences will be gone; they will develop the same set of common values and views.
Studying and learning new cultures does not indicate that the old culture will vanish into another and form a new one. The cultural differences will continue to be well-built and persevered, with the exception of that the cyberspace interactions will remain culture-free zone. This virtual group of people, who never met face to face, enjoys spending time in cyberspace with one another. They are discussing their cross-cultural differences to understand and accept the diversity and the differences between cultures which in the end make us live a better life in the world.
Hanna, B. E. & DeNooy, J. (2004). Negotiating cross-cultural difference in electronic discussion, 23(3), 257-281. Retrieved May 30, 2008, from the Academic Search Premier database.
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