Blog #6 EOTO One Reflection

 I found the EOTO presentations we listened to in class were very beneficial in understanding the development of technology over the years. I enjoyed that everyone's technology came from a different time period, it truly showed us how fast the world is moving. We learned how much technology evolved through each presentation. I decided to focus my findings on the development of PowerPoint.

 

In 1977, PowerPoint software was created and launched by Robert Gaskins and Dennis Austin. The original name was not even PowerPoint, was actually Presenter. In 1975, Microsoft was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Microsoft then purchased Presenter within the same year and was later renamed PowerPoint. The first form of PowerPoint could only be used through the Apple Macintosh computer. PowerPoint was purchased for 14 million dollars and has been reinvented for the millions of users that use it today. We have seen many new presentation software arise, such as Google Slides, Canva, and Prezi that have reinvented the way we are students, educators, public speakers, etc., present today.

The original reason that PowerPoint was created was for businesses to expand with team presentations, pitches, and other new endeavors. As we know now, PowerPoint and other presentation platforms have transformed the way we use these software programs. PowerPoint has benefited the world in ways we can't imagine and has reinvented presentations. With all technology created in today's day of age, it is bound to be taken and made into something similar with different features. As previously mentioned Google Slides, Canva, and Prezi are very similar applications that could pose a threat to PowerPoint. However, due to its popularity, it will not be replaced.

PowerPoint is the blueprint for presentations and my generation has watched the software evolve since we were in elementary school. Personally, I always opt for PowerPoint or any Microsoft software for that matter.

Blog #5 Antiwar News

 Being opposed to war due to the cost and casualties of the event is sought upon by American citizens. Choosing to join the antiwar movement is seen the be undemocratic by the majority of Americans. Antiwar activists come together in groups in an attempt to try to change the government's choice on war or any other conflict.

After reading through ANTIWAR.COM and The American Conservative, the main difference I saw was what they were covering and the difference in headlines on these news outlets that cover antiwar news. The first three headlined articles on antiwar.com all pertain to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The articles on the antiwar websites go deeper as to what is going on in current war issues, they portray the cost and reveal more about the issue than mainstream media would. "Washington's Pointless War on Behalf of a Fake Nation", a headline that would never be seen on Fox or ABC News. Antiwar.com also covers over twenty different regions just on its front page. The only reason you are ever to hear about antiwar on mainstream news is when they are covering protests or a demonstration that is portrayed by a group that is opposed to imperialism.

We are hearing much more about war in the news today due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict leaving many Americans in fear that we will soon be at war in the next few years. Today, many mainstream news outlets are still covering information regarding this which then PROMOTES antiwar platforms to dive deeper and uncover more regarding the conflict. However, with the majority of Americans today supporting the U.S. Army, mainstream news will not cover war-related topics the way antiwar news outlets do. I personally agree that antiwar news should be kept off mainstream news platforms as it is disrespecting those deciding to defend our nation.

As we all know by now, political bias on our preferred news outlet is extremely prevalent, and it will also continue to remain on antiwar platforms. While many American Citizens would not support what these antiwar platforms are putting out, the First Amendment protects speech, no matter how offensive the content. Content on these antiwar platforms may be considered extremely offensive and that is why the content they cover, will not be covered on mainstream platforms.

Blog #4 The VCR

The video cassette recorder, better known as the VCR, was first introduced by Charles Paulson Ginsburg in 1951. Ginsburg was considered to be the ‘father of the video cassette recorder”. However, it wasn’t until 1956 when Ampex created the first official VCR that cost $50,000, which was not very affordable for the average customer. Following in 1965 Sony introduced the CV-2000 which worked better with customers due to its more affordable price. The VCR was also introduced in Japan in 1965. In 1976 all three of the VCRs entered the market.

Previously, television could not be recorded, the VCR reinvented the way that TV is watched today. You used to have to wait for your favorite television show to be aired to watch it, the VCR allowed you record a show or movie on the video recorder and then later replay it on the tape. Live TV was just a memory of that generation as VCR changed and monumental televised moments could now be replayed over and over again. Finally, viewers were able to control their watching experience, and that is why VCR changed the watching experience for society.  VCR was the introduction to people controlling what they watch on TV. Without the VCR we wouldn’t have our favorite streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, Peacock and more. The VCR solved the problem of not being able to watch TV at your own convenience. However, the VCR was extremely short lived. Modern improvements in technology eventually lead to the expiration of the VCR. Within the first 10-25 years of the VCR existing, it was already quickly dying out due to faster improvement in technology.

In 2012, Panasonic stopped producing VCRs. Citizens were watching VCRs being up to $50,000 when first debuted, to being seen at a garage sale for a few bucks 30 years later. VCR gave us the freedom of choice we had never been able to experience, watching anything we wanted, whenever we wanted. The way technology continued to develop from the VCR has lead to a revolutionary way to view entertainment. After the peak of the VCR, DVDs were released which led to the death of the VCR. Then followed video rental chains in 1985. 

In less than half of the time that VCRs were on the market, 1976-2007, DVD players quickly caught up to their popularity due to the DVD players faster advancement in technology.

I personally believe VCR left a more positive impact on society than a negative. VCR completely reinvented the way we watch television today. Without VCR we wouldn’t be able to download our favorite shows, stream television, and watch movies at our own convenience. However, with the VCR being able to record anything was taken advantage of and led to the exploitation of porn on the VCR, With VCR being dead there are no longer any negative effects with the VCR.

Blog #3 Eight Values of Expression

 

The Eight Values of Free Expression are theories that help us better understand and promote our own self-expression as well as the First Amendment. Without free expression, society would not be as progressive as it is today. Expression is fundamental to the United States as we are able to express our human rights.

The Marketplace of Ideas resonates the most with me because it reveals what we believe to be our own personal truth. Growing up my parents didn’t talk about politics in our house, because they wanted me to find out what I believed by myself. It wasn’t until my junior year that I found myself surrounded by many classmates that had very passionate, and different viewpoints from each other. I then started looking online and began researching to form what I believed to be the “truth”. This allowed me to start talking about this with my parents and allowed me to learn more and continue to expand my knowledge of “right versus wrong”. I think we have all come across individuals that grew up in very politically opinionated households where their parent’s beliefs were strongly enforced on their own. I view forming your own beliefs as a very important thing as higher power has a heavy influence on our lives. The Marketplace of Ideas allows us to dig deeper and find what can really be distinguished as the truth. John Locke was the first to introduce the Marketplace of Ideas in his book the Areopagitica. It suggested that the theory would justify the truth of freedom of speech. However, in today’s day of age, the Marketplace of Ideas is heavily monitored and surveilled on the internet through computer algorithms that will then filter our other information that may not actually be considered to be the truth.

I feel as if Promoting Innovation is one of the most important Values of Free Expression. Innovation has created one of the biggest overall impacts on the world as it has allowed us to make the largest advancement in society. Every day, technology is advancing at a catastrophic rate and obviously faster than ever before. Jack Balkin, the author of Living Originalism which is considered to be the “owner’s manual for the Constitution” (Dahlia Lithwick, Slate). He believes that a society where free speech is valued and that’s protected by the Constitution will allow for a more creative and interactive society where individuals will use their abilities in a way that will forward the society in which they live. Could you, a college student, not imagine having a touchscreen phone right now, being able to post (almost) whatever you want on the internet? Freedom of Expression has played a very crucial role in the development of society.

Self-actualization allows us to fully realize our full potential and express ourselves which lets us create our own identity. I believe this is most used today due to the internet. The internet allows us to dig deeper and realize more about ourselves in many ways. With forming our own viewpoints online, following what we’re interested in and creating beliefs based off of what we see. I feel as if today, we are most aware of who we are as well as accepting those who surround us.

Blog #2 Supreme Court

 

To be quite honest, I didn’t know much about the U.S. Supreme Court, I haven’t taken government since my senior year of high school. Since then I had only learned about past U.S. government systems in history courses. The videos were very well-informing as I did not know more than the basic principles of the Supreme Court

I never knew that the president is able to elect one Chief Justice to serve throughout said president’s term in office. The Chief Justice is appointed by the President and then confirmed. The elected Chief Justice will then serve during the entirety of the president’s term. The difference between a Supreme Court Chief Justice versus a Supreme Court Justice is that the Chief Justice must be elected by the current president. The Supreme Court started following the Constitution one year after it was signed in 1789. 

I do not typically follow current ongoing cases with the Supreme Court, except for some of the more major ones. I knew that the Supreme Court has the final jurisdiction over all cases and is extremely vital in the constitutional system of the government. The biggest takeaway I got from the videos was how important and detrimental the U.S. Supreme Court is to us because it rules over those cases that are detrimental to our lives.

The most surprising thing I learned during the video was how long the average Supreme Court member stays on for 16 years, some even twice that long. I was quite surprised that there have only been only 17 Chief Justices and 104 Associate Justice for over 232 years. With the average Justice serving for 16 years it now makes a lot more sense that Ruth Bader Ginsburg served until she was 87 years old.

As previously mentioned, I didn’t know more than just the basics of the Supreme Court. Learning about this in the classroom is extremely important to students' better understanding of the real world, the video and this class have definitely kept me very well informed about how the court system operates. The video changed the way I see the Supreme Court due to how important it is to our generation. The videos were extremely beneficial and it was interesting to watch the interviews.

Blog #1 Five News Sources

As of 2022, there are more than 3,000 different news outlets. Technology has made a huge impact on our society and is vital when providing information to citizens. With technology growing, news outlets are also providing their listeners with thousands of different ways to receive their information.

Typically, I receive most of my news through social. media. I found Instagram to be the most useful form of social media to receive news from because it is quite easy to navigate through. Instagram allows us to follow specific news sources, follow hashtags, repost, as well as search relevant topics. Instagram can give you a good introduction to current world issues. After learning about an issue via Instagram you’re able to jump on the internet and dive deeper. All news platforms have Instagram accounts which establishes credibility and keeps us up to date. Instagram allows us to follow who we want and stay up to date. It can also show us what is not covered by a major news source. As an active social media user, Instagram makes it much easier to navigate through current topics.

The next source I would choose to use would be Fox News. Living right outside of D.C. for 15 years has heavily influenced my political beliefs. While I know Fox is known for biased reporting, it is also the most watched and highest-rated cable news network. I grew up watching Fox News with my parents which introduced me to politics at a young age. I believe staying up to date with your preferred news channel keeps you well-informed.

As a middle schooler, I really started to enjoy watching documentaries on YouTube. Then through YouTube, I found Vice News. When I want to learn about worldwide issues that are not typically covered on cable news I turn to Vice. I don’t listen to everything Vice published because it is very Left-Center Biased. I follow Vice for the documentary route that focuses more on third-world countries or poverty in America. Vice holds a lot of anonymous interviews which I really enjoy watching because it gives you a deeper perspective than cable news can.

The Washington Post was delivered to my house every day for 15 years. I always viewed it as a very reliable source, and it is typically placed in the top ten for being one of the most reliable and trustworthy news sources. It is extremely credible and what makes the Washington Post different is that they account for mistakes by having their reporters fact-check their content. The Washington Post has won the Pulitzer Prize over 65 times which made my family continue their subscription to the post for 15 years.

Lastly, word of mouth. I am surrounded by so many people every day that are always keeping me up to date on current issues. Wherever I am, those I am surrounded with are always talking about what is going on in the world. Word of mouth is the original news source and has kept the world moving and conversating for years on end.  Word of mouth allows us to discuss, debate, and be informed by our peers. I think it’s extremely vital to talk with others about this because it can introduce us to new ideas and help us understand others' opinions.