Podcasting

http://web.mac.com/brown7905/iWeb/Michael%20Website/The%20Moscars/The%20Moscars.html

This is a pod cast mocking the real Academy Awards show. Because the real show is 3 hours long, it is interesting to see how someone could cram 22 categories into 5 minutes.

Remediation- pros and cons of the WWW

There seem to be many more apparent strengths than weaknesses when it comes to the web as a communicating tool. In fact, at first glance, there seem to be almost no weaknesses at all. Perhaps this is because the web has become almost everyone's primary tool of contact...whether its an IM, e-mail, MySpace page, or text message, which is essentially an e-mail. The most obvious strength of the web is its speed. An IM or e-mail can reach around the world in seconds. Another strength is the innovation of the web that provides unique methods to communicate. For example...the web cam. It allows parties to speak to one another and see what's happening at the same time. E-mail is a web tool that offers great efficiency. The list serves at the university, for example, get one message out to hundreds or even thousands of people with the click of only one "send" button. There are weaknesses to the web as well. The book discusses the desire for "hypermediacy"- the need to feel "in the moment." The web fulfills this to an extent. But, when it comes to viewing Van Gogh's Starry Night in person, or through a window on the web, there is just no comparison. The web is fast and easy, no doubt , but it can also diminish the personal nuance that one-on-one contact brings to a relationship. Some people fear that children growing up in this tech-time will have diminuitive people skills due to their dependency on the web and faceless communication. Maybe we, generation "y" got lucky...we have seen a bit of both worlds...the value of a handshake and a warm smile, and the quick efficiency of a blog, e-mail, or social network.

Good Website vs. Bad Website

The website I chose for a bad design is the website for the Lake Charles Chapter of The League of Women Voters. It really lacks appeal as far as visual aesthetics. Also, many of its links lead to expired pages, or nothing at all. I am currently doing a public relations campaign for the League, and revamping the website is one of my team's suggestions.

The website I chose for a good design is the Nike website. I'm sure it helps that they have top of the line technicians and a near limitless budget, but none the less, the website appears to be top notch. The color scheme is dramatic and really sets a tone for the entire brand. It is easy to navigate around the website, and it includes videos as well as other miscellaneous things to look at. This website is a real winner in my opinion.

File Sharing

There is certainly no denying that the file sharing boom of programs like Napster, Kazaa, and LimeWire have sharply declined sales of music, movies, and more for the entertainment industry. However, as a young American guilty of "sharing" I'm not in any position to point the finger of guilt at anyone. Granted, I am probably more old fashioned than most because when it comes down to the music of my favorite artists, I always seem to bite the bullet and buy the actual CD. For most other music however, I am one of the millions that subscribes to LimeWire to retrieve hundreds of the latest hits in seconds. When it comes to solving this problem, I'm not sure that there is a logical way to do so...at least not in the near future. Technology, advanced as it may be, is not to the point that it can police every individual's activities online. The book discussed the idea of copyright chips that would work almost as an electronic tracker-monitoring, observing, recording, and charging for every online exchange of what is called " intellectual property". This, like most things high-tech, will have its loop holes, and once they are exposed, a new method of policing will have to be enforced. It would be nice to rely on the honesty and goodness of "the people" not to illegaly acquire the work of these multi-millionaire artists. But honestly, as a college student making a little over minimum wage, it can be somewhat difficult to really see how sharing some songs online is really going to take food off of Beyonce's table. I really do not want to sound completely insensitive, but I fear these may be the similar views of the majority of those who share files online. It's easy, fast, and of course inexpensive. All of these qualities provide a lot of motivation to keep the file sharing process alive...making it that much more difficult to combat the trend.

My website proposal

My student website is going to be an overall look at things that are important in my life. I will include updates of different organizations and charities that I am involved with such as Children's Miracle Network and the Fisher House. I will also highlight my favorites in music, upcoming artists that I am enjoying, and being a movie fanatic, I will offer reviews of the latest releases that I've seen. I am very interested in entertainment in general, so the website may also touch on some television programs or series that are of interest to me. The website will just be a potpourri of my general interests and passions that I would like to share with others. I would like to keep the aesthetic of the website bright and colorful, mostly focusing on primary colors. I am a typically happy, upbeat person and would like the website to reflect that.

Bloggin' for Barack

I really enjoyed this blog because I am interested in politics, but more importantly it is fueled by students and their involvement with the Presidential Candidate, Barack Obama. In the past voter turnout among young people has been extremely low, resulting in involvement campaigns like "Vote or Die". Blogging about candidates, however, is a revolutionary way to reach young voters and keep them informed of upcoming speeches, rallies, or events that the candidate may be involved with. Check out the Students for Obama blog and get updated on the latest progress and news!

New Communications- are they revolutionary?

The Death of Distance-
Cairncross touches on the fact that communicating internationally has become cheaper not to mention ten times easier than years past. With the shift towards a global economy, this change is absolutely revolutionary. A phone call from the US to China that would typically take forever and also be quite costly can now be replaced with direct contact over the world wide web. This form of communication "simplicity" has perhaps eliminated some jobs, but has nonetheless increased efficiency for industry and commerce that is much needed in the business world today.

Rebalance of political power-
This "revolution" has really manifested itself as of late in the use of the internet (particularly YouTube) to make direct contact with political candidates. The men and women running for and holding office have before seemed to be somewhat untangible without going through levels of bureaucracy or inside connection. Now, as we see with the YouTube debates, Presidential candidates are directly responding to the questions and concerns of we, the little people. These responses are not through standardized letters sent out to constituents thanking them for their concerns and promising change. These candidates are give a world stage to give responses and opinions thanks to media like CNN, YouTube, and other facets of the 24 hour news reel machine. In place of the system in which information is filtered down after being cleaned up and packaged nicely for the american public is a new system in which the American public is in constant demand of new, current, truthful information.

Increased mobility-
The mobile revolution is one that some would say trumps all others. The fact that a college student may bring his or her laptop computer to class and access the internet to find examples or complementary information to lecture material is an astounding concept. Nearly no one is without some form of mobile communication these days, if not multiple forms at one time. GPS systems, PDA's, cell phones, and wireless web have made our lives easier because the neccessity of being stationary is no more.