Social Networking

I kind of decided to do a random blog post because so much has been done on the last few blog post subjects. I actually decided to so mine on social networking in today’s world.
A social network is basically a person who comes together with other people, usually with something in common and can be socially involved with one another.
There are many different kinds of social networking sites. The more popular sites are YouTube, Blogster, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, AIM, Bebo, Classmates, Flickr, LinkedIn, Xanga, etc. These websites are all aimed toward a different audience.
What suddenly made social networking sites such a craze? According to some statistics I found, time spent on social networking sites has tripled over the past year.
People are so drawn to these websites because why? They are easy to use, free, and keep you “in touch” with everyone in a single click. Social networking sites have also now become a means of meeting people. Social networking sites remove the normal barriers of time and distance. People also love themselves. These sites are ways to put YOUR opinion and information out there for everyone else to see, and comment on.
It seems like every new social networking sites comes out of nowhere and is the new “it” thing for a while, until people move on to the next site. Social networking sites have become the equivalent to teens hanging out at the mall a few years ago. Social networking sites are predicted to go just as fast as they have come.
It’s getting a little ridiculous though. I’m one of those Facebook “addicts” for sure, but even I know when enough is enough. When I get on Facebook and see my GRANDMA’S updates status, I realize that it’s gotten to that point. I mean, yes I love keeping in touch with everyone, and seeing what everyone is up to, and I refuse to get rid of it, but all it really causes is drama. But there are a lot of good things that do some out of social networking sites, not all are like Facebook and Myspace. People blog about things they care about and are passionate about.

www.youtube.com
www.facebook.com
www.myspace.com
www.twitter.com

Benefits to Working for the Union

Now I'm not for or against working for the union, but I do however see both the positives and negatives that deal with working for the union. Since the last blog talked about some of the negatives that come with working for the union, I wanted to discuss some of the benefits that come with working for the union.

Some positives that come with working for the union include guarantee wages, health benefits, a secure pension, and a better work environment. Guarantee wages is a great benefit to have as it lets employees know when they are up for their next raise, along with letting employees know what they can expect to earn throughout their career with the company they work for. Having health benefits is something that many people are looking to recieve from there employers, as more and more employers are refusing to offer their employees such benefits as a result of our expensive health care system. Having job security is also a benefit to working for the union. Non union workers can be fired or the conditions of a particular employee can be changed at anytime for almost any reason. Although all these benefits are not always guaranteed, and as our economy struggles more and more every day, perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to try and get a job working for the union.

History has shown that when unions are going strong, health coverage strengthens, wages go up, and pensions improve. But when unions are weak like they are today as a result of our current economy, it puts our communities, families, and jobs, all in danger.

I know this video goes against what I was saying, but I thought it was a great discussion that shows the positives and negatives of having unions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSlFzdH8Xj4

Unions Causing More Issues

After reading the last blog it sparked something in my mind about unions. Throughout high school and even today, when I look for a job a union is something that I want to avoid. There were several jobs in high school that I would have enjoyed doing but I didn't want to belong to a union. For example, I thought that being a checker at a grocery store would be an okay job so I decided to check into it. Before I picked up an application I talked to one of my friends who was currently working at a local grocery store. His initial reaction to the thought of me wanting a checking job was not a positive one. He told me that he worked for a month before he saw any kind of paycheck. By the time the initial union membership fees and other fees were taken out it was a while before he actually got any money. Once the initial union dues were paid he had continual deductions taken out of each paycheck in addition to taxes and such. I was immediately turned off to the idea of working at a grocery store after this. The thought of money being taken away from me that wouldn't be at a different job sounded like a horrible idea. Needless to say, I never applied for the job.

Another instance that came to my mind was about a time that my sister-in-law's father's small business dealt with union issues. There was some work that needed to be done on the business, and seeing that it was small he decided to higher non-union workers. Somehow union officials got wind of this and had a fit. The day that the workers showed up to repair the business, union picketers also showed up. They were trying to convince the public not to use the business' services because they did not higher union workers. Being a small business it is just not practical to pay the additional fees of hiring union workers. Because this is such a prominent small business, no customers were lost because of the picketing. However, for some businesses this is not the case.

I have included a video from YouTube about unions taking money from paychecks and things that they fail to do. The video is an instructional video for new Walmart associates.

more on competitiveness the union

So the conversation we’ve had recently points out that America has seemed to have lost much of its competitive edge in the world today. I can recall many economic discussions from my workplace and from Professor Bruce Welz at St. Charles Community College.

I guess this is a touchy subject but I’d like to get some feedback on this blog: UNIONS.

The debate seems to rage on about whether or not workers unions are a good thing. Now don’t get me wrong I’m not preaching one way or the other. I have relatives that were part of workers unions so I understand the importance to have them. On the other hand as a student of business I have seen the other point of view that unions have the ability to hurt a company’s competitive edge.

When my mother worked for the phone company she pretty much had to fight to get paid. “Yes, I did not receive my paycheck.” “Oh sorry I guess it got lost in the mail.” After not receiving her paycheck and the company’s reluctance to help resolve the situation my mother gave the union a call and got her check within the week. Unions have helped many workers avoid exploitation by their employers but the argument these days is that unions are helping employees exploit their companies.

Professor Bruce Welz said in lecture that he had taken a tour through the GM Motor Plant and told us about an interesting scene. On one section of an assembly line a recent innovation had made a two person job a one person job. Yet according to union policy it was a two person job. In the room he witnessed one person working on the line while the other was sitting down reading a magazine. After one worked a while they would switch off. Both were being paid for a full day’s work but only working half a day.

I believe the problem is that unions treat the company (the establishment) as their enemy and are reluctant to be flexible when trying to reach a compromise. On the other hand without them many companies would strip their employees of many benefits and reduce their pay buy significant margins.

Where do we tow the line?

Evolution of Techology

I was going to make my blog random and discuss the video in Whitney and I's case study but the last blog went straight to my point. So thanks, I guess : )! Anyway this is the video Whitney and I used for an example on our Case Study relates to our case study and the last blog in many ways. We found it on YouTube and thought that it went good with our presentation because it shows not only how we the United States have advanced but how other countries have advanced as well. It discusses how the world is always changing and there are always new opportunities coming along. An example of this is what we talked about in class with jobs. When we graduate there will be thousands of new jobs that did not exist this year. This is a good thing but can also be frustrating when trying to plan your major for something that doesn't even exist yet. This video relates to our presentation on the inventions side because it gives an idea that inventions are invented daily and most of the time they are made by mistake. An example we used of this was the internet which was originally invented for the military as a way of staying and touch and today is now one of the most common things that people us today. Now the internet is used by individuals, business and pretty much everyone that has a computer. Here is the video if you wanted to watch the rest since Whitney and I didn't have time to finish it in class. I suggest that you watch the whole thing because it is very interesting

Asia's competitive edge

It is true that Asia is going to be the next leader of the world in many different arenas. The sheer will and mentality of the Asian psyche reflects this less than new trend.

I have personal experience in examining this psyche. In high school I took the Chinese foreign exchange student to prom and had the opportunity to examine what made her tick.

As a student in our school she was very aggressive compared to the rest of us. My last semester was mostly blow off classes to coast the remainder of my year. She on the other hand took four college credit classes and entry level French and Spanish (both of which were being taught to her in English when her English was still shaky). I remember talking to her host mother and she told me that the Chinese culture in general has a drive that its American counterpart does not.

The Japanese auto markets are a testament to Asian ingenuity. For the past several years Japanese car makers have innovated both in process management and personnel training and company culture. I can recall an interview with a former GM employee who worked in quality control. To make a long story short the plant manager sent the defective car down the line and the employee felt that his job was pointless because his voice was ignored. After the plant went into a joint venture with a Japanese firm everything changed. Workers opinions were valued and quality control became a top priority.

On a stronger note most economists say that China, not the US will be the global powerhouse in terms of economic strength within the next two decades. The world of business is evolving and if American firms are going to survive then they must evolve with it.

Japan's Education compared to the U.S

I started thinking about how everyone was talking about what the U.S has or doesn't have compared to other countries.

I found something really interesting comparing in detail Japan’s educational system compared to the U.S.

“This document presents a comparative analysis of education in Japan and the United States. The report explores differences between U.S. and Japanese culture. While the United States may be characterized by its diversity, Japanese culture is distinctive in the extent of its uniformity. Japan, moreover, has a highly centralized educational system; U.S. education is extremely decentralized. Education is compulsory in both countries, until age 16 in most U.S. states, and until 15 in Japan. While many students in the United States work or participate in other activities, Japan tends to view schooling as a student's job. Japanese students face a longer school year and a more rigorous, government controlled curriculum than do their U.S. counterparts. In Japan, teaching is a more highly respected and rewarded field than it is in the United States. There are major attitudinal differences concerning schooling in the two countries. The United States tends to emphasize students' abilities, while the Japanese place greater emphasis on persistence and personal responsibility. From the Japanese system, the United States can learn: (1) the true value of taking education seriously; (2) the need to raise academic standards; and (3) the ability to spend wisely on education.”

http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/13/a7/47.pdf

I highly recommend that if you have the time, to read the whole thing. It talks about how it all begins with Japanese culture having deep roots in Confucian ideas and values, with a large respect for learning. In Japan they are taught how to conform to social structure where as in the U.S we test the boundaries and pursue our own wants and desires. The U.S is characterized by our individualism and we hold high our countries freedom of individuality. Our life pursuits are more often spent on personal endeavors only thinking about our own well being and happiness. In Japan the harmony of the society as a whole. An interesting point the author made was about our geographical differences. Japanese live in an area equivalent to the size of California while the U.S has wide vast amounts of land to build a society in. The openness of our land makes it better for experimentation, moving around, being open to new ideas, and growing individually. The crammed society of Japan learns from early on that life is easier to get along and share common values and outlooks on things. There are so many other things that set us apart including our families and the way we are raised. In America discipline is nothing compared to that of Japanese culture. Children in Japan are taught at a very young age to respect and listen to their elders. They are influenced by their family more than anything else. Here in the U.S it’s as if children are more influenced by their peers and in some cases parents aren’t even around enough because of jobs which leads to us not wanting to listen or respect their authority at a young age. We learn how to take care of ourselves and form our own opinions. The paper I read is really interesting and shows how the U.S really needs to raise their education standards to change where education falls on Americans priority lists.

If They Don't Follow the Law Why Should I?

Obviously the laws are put in place to keep people safe. Driving would be a lot more dangerous if if it weren't for street lights, stop signs, seat belts, horns and turn signals. Think about it the road would be chaotic. I have began to notice however, that those who are in charge of keeping the order, police officers, are often the ones breaking the laws. Everyone knows the feeling of when you see a cop you instantly look to see how fast you are going and usually slam on your brakes. The police have that power over us that even if they are not shooting radar we still feel the need to obey the law. Most recently though, I have seen numerous cops breaking the law themselves. In the last week alone I have seen this happen multiple times. A few days ago I was driving home and a cop flew past me and did not have his lights on. I assumed that he was going to pull someone over. He got behind a car and rode his tail for quite some time. Finally realizing that the car in front of him was not going to go any faster the cop switched lanes and flew past him. Now I was not going the speed limit at the time but the cop had to be going at least 15mph faster than I was. Earlier this week I was driving to class and I was stopped at a red light sitting next to a cop. The police officer was not wearing his seat belt at the time. I was shocked to see this especially because of the Click It or Ticket campaign that the police department has been enforcing so much. My main question that I'm posing here is how can the police department expect, much less give out tickets to people when they themselves are breaking the same laws. It looks like some of the police officers are a bunch of hypocrites when I see things like this taking place. It is also annoying that society is expected to follow rules and laws that the enforcers don't see fit to follow themselves. I have included a promo video from YouTube that was shown in North Carolina for the Click It or Ticket campaign. I am not saying that I am against wearing seat belts I just think that in order to convince people to wear them then police officers themselves need to be wearing them as well.

Most dangerous places

There are many dangerous places in the world (not just violence, just dangerous in general). I looked up some of the most dangerous places that you can possibly go to. I found a lot of “Top Ten” lists. Here are some of the places that were most frequently on these lists and a little bit about why they are on these lists.
o Russia- There are more mobsters than police, 84 murders a day here , and kidnapping are some of the issues for this country.
o Brazil- Mugging, kidnapping, poverty, drugs, that about describes Brazil.
o South Africa- Also known as the “rape capital of the world”, unusually high murder rates, and the AIDS problem quickly has been spiraling out of control.
o Burundi- A recent civil war, mass murders and environmental problems are just some of the issues for this country. Others include muggings, carjacking, kidnappings, and gangs.
o Afghanistan- Bombing and land mines are a huge issue here, along with the war.
o Somalia- This country is known for its anarchy, corruption. Lack of government and starvation.
o Sudan- Terrorism is Sudan’s largest problem currently with over 2 million citizens dying in its two most recent wars.
o Colombia- Kidnapping is the biggest issue in Colombia. There are over 2338 known kidnappings in a one year period, with a high number of them being eventually murdered. Another big problem there is the drugs.
o Iraq- We all know why Iraq isn’t safe, with the current ongoing war there obviously.
o United States- It feels safe to us, but according to the numbers, there are more than 200 million guns in the U.S., and more than 50 murders a day. 5,000 people die a year in vehicle accidents, about 6,000 pedestrians die on the streets, and about 31,000 people end their own lives. The U.S. now leads all nations in violent crime. American citizens also make up the greatest number of criminals serving time in overseas prisons.


http://listverse.com/2008/04/08/top-10-most-dangerous-places-on-earth/

http://www.gunslot.com/blog/top-ten-10-most-dangerous-places-world

What We Don't Have

The last couple blogs have been written about what we have here in America. So I tried thinking about what we don't have in America that other countries do have, and that is a good health care system. In one of my other classes this semester we had to watch a movie called Sicko by Michael Moore. For those of you who haven't seen it, it is a documentary film that investigates our current health care system in America. On focuses on things such as how health insurance companies can deny a person of coverage just so they can recieve a raise, along with how the pharmaceutical industry's in America can charge so much, while other countries don't have to pay a cent. The film compares the for-profit and non-universal U.S. system with the non-profit universal health care systems of other coutries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Cuba, and France. The entire time I watched it I was shocked by some of Moore's findings, even though the documentary generated a lot of criticism and controversy, I couldn't help but feel for some of the people in the documentary who expressed their feelings about how they lost their loved one's by the way our current health care system is set up.

Here is a clip I found from the documentary Sicko. This lady confesses that because she denied a man from receiving health care, at the expense of her getting a raise, the man died.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwGLdYBm1bY

more on what we have

Yeah I remember that! I was in Accounting 211 with Dr. Tabak and we made cards to benefit the fundraising she was doing with Maryville to purchase the solar powered ovens. She said that the reason the people (the women in particular) was that the woods they had to go into to gather wood for fires are dangerous. The animals in the woods are not the primary worry but the wicked people who lie in wait there. The professor told us that women often go into the woods and wind up raped and murdered.

I recall a lecture in high school once we were talking about the more dangerous areas of the world. One that I remember in particular was Johannesburg, South Africa. According to my teacher (I haven’t looked it up myself but I trust him as a knowledgeable source) women there purchase rape insurance. At least at that time (2004) it was named the most dangerous city in the world.

I agree that we do not realize the little things that make our society so great. We take so much for granted. When one of the youth from my church came back from a mission trip he felt guilty that he got to choose what he wanted to eat. Going on the trip and seeing the suffering that others endured affected him in a powerful way.
One of the things I think we take for granted, at least in the outlying areas of St. Louis is safety. Attached I have put a trailer for the movie taken. If you haven’t seen it I highly recommend it.

Appreciating what we have

The last blog about the kids in Africa reminded me of this digital story I found when I was searching for examples. This is a video gives an idea of what life is like in not only Africa but in other poor countries as well. The reason I chose this video was because it shows how a simple digital video can have such an impact on ones mind. This digital video is very sad but makes me so thankful for how lucky I am to have all the little things that I do. After watching this video it made grateful just to have food available where ever I go. In America you can drive anywhere and there will be at least a McDonalds. In Africa most places and people don't have fast food, cars, or even ovens or microwaves for that matter. Last year a speaker came into my class and showed us these solar ovens that her company donates. These ovens are donated all throughout Africa to help people cook without electric. These ovens take a long time to cook things and cost about $200 but changed the lives of many people in Africa already. In the past they would have to walk far to get sticks to build fires because all the wood around their homes had already been picked out by them. This means that the people around them are doing the same thing. The more wood they take the farther that they have to walk each time. With the Solar Ovens they can sit in one place all day and watch it cook. These ovens can cook anything from pizza to muffins to chicken. Although to us this doesn't seem very exciting or the highest of technology but its what was given to them and they appreciate. These ovens have made life a hole lot easier for them and makes me think of how much I take for granted. I hope that after watching this video you all also think about your lives and how thankful you should be for everything you do have.

The Invisible Children

In the spring of 2003, three young filmmakers traveled to Africa in search of a story. What started out as a filmmaking adventure transformed into much more when these boys from Southern California discovered a tragedy that disgusted and inspired them, a tragedy where children are both the weapons and the victims.

After returning to the States, they created the documentary "Invisible Children: Rough Cut," a film that exposes the tragic realities of northern Uganda.s night commuters and child soldiers.

The film was originally shown to friends and family, but has now been seen by millions of people. The overwhelming response has been, "How can I help?" To answer this question, the non-profit Invisible Children, Inc. was created, giving compassionate individuals an effective way to respond to the situation.

Invisible Children is close to my heart and it immediately came to my mind upon reading the topic for this week’s entry. Back when Invisible Children was just getting launched, I had the honor of meeting some of the people on the crew at a conference in Washington D.C. While I didn’t meet the main stars of the documentary themselves, I was still impressed by the production members about the journey the message the organization has made from a small story in the middle of Africa to an international movement to bring awareness to a devastating situation.

What do the Invisible Children do?

We use the power of media to inspire young people to help end the longest running war in Africa. Our model has proven effective, and hundreds of thousands of people have been called to action through our films and the volunteers that tour them. We are made up of a tireless staff, hundreds of full time volunteers, and thousands of students and supporters. We are young, we are citizens of the world, we are artists, activists, and entrepreneurs. This fall, we are using our voice to ask President Obama to spearhead efforts to bring peace to Northern Uganda. We are mobilizing a generation to capture the attention of the international community, and make a stand for justice in the wake of genocide.

This is an amazing example of how the media can be utilized to bring peace. The guys who went on to found Invisible Children hadn't intended to find this story when they went to Africa. The movement has caught fire internationally. There is no limit to the impact a few people can have on the world when they set their minds to it.

Maryville seems to already be hosting a viewing of the Invisible Children documentary. I strongly suggest, if you haven't already, go see this documentary. Over the years, with various groups I've worked with, I've seen it many times and every time I get something new out of it. If anyone is interested, I own a copy of the documentary and would be more than happy to host a viewing of it for our class sometime this semester.

Promoting things through digital media

Digital media these days promotes just about anything and everything. The internet has a huge influence on everyone. When someone wants more information on something or wants to put their opinion out there, where do they go? The internet. People also like hearing other people’s opinions on certain issues which is why they go to different forums and blogs. People also go to these different types of websites to promote their own thoughts and opinions. Another good website for these types of things is YouTube. You can get whatever you want to say out there for everyone to see. Since it’s such a popular website people are bound to see your video and listen to your opinion and comment on it, whether they agree or disagree. I think it’s also a good way for people to catch the “young adults” attention with important issues that they wouldn’t pay attention to otherwise, such as on the news or in the newspaper. Facebook is another good website for this. President Barack Obama used Facebook during his campaign. On his Facebook page he talked about isssues that would be of concern to the main Facebook audience. By reaching out through digital media, it supposedly helped him win the race. People want change. The main way they get idea’s and accept change is through the media these days. So I definitely think digital media is a good way to get through to people, especially if it’s something that you feel strongly about.

Here is just an example on someone trying to promote the “Going Green” movement.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmaljjut-yU

Women's Rights

As I thought about something that promoted change I recalled a book that I read last year that is also a movie. The film/book is called Persepolis. It outlines the life of a young girl who's life is being ruled by the Islamic traditions put in place by the government. Marjane Satrapi, author and character, is on a quest to show her individualism even under the control of the government. Throughout her childhood she is required to wear a black veil to look exactly like the other girls. The girls are not allowed to wear bright colors, show skin or wear make-up. Satrapi, being the rebel that she is, does everything in her power to break the strict enforced laws and be herself. She wears all sorts of things to try and disobey the government. Some of the things that Satrapi flaunts are brightly colored tube socks, a Michael Jackson button and even tries to not wear her veil. Because of her rebellious, Satrapi often finds herself in trouble with teachers and sometimes the police. Eventually, still seeking freedom, Satrapi leaves her country to seek freedom. This film truly speaks about the rights that women deserve. It also states that is doesn't matter where people are but they still deserve to be treated equally. I think that Satrapi does a good job of standing firm in what she believes and both the film and the book do a great job of portraying this message. I have included the film trailer from YouTube for you all to take a look at. The trailer is in French but there are subtitles at the bottom. I know that the trailer seems a bit odd but really try to look at it based on the information that I have provided because I think that you will see what I am talking about.

Catalyst for Change

For the latest blog, the professor requested we provide examples of how digital media could be used as a catalyst for social change. When I found this out the first thing that came to my mind was that bumper sticker everyone has on their car. The bumper sticker that spells out coexist in different religious symbols.

I am a firm believer that visual media can have a powerful impact on the viewer. When we utilize digital media to incorporate sound into the equation we convey stronger emotions than the simple images alone cannot. Here is a really cool video I found for the Coexist organization.





This video was a tear jerker. It makes you think about love and hate and how the ladder is learned. This is evident in the clip where the little girl is signing the bomb. As kids we do not hate or hold prejudices against our peers but rather it is something learned.

The digital media used a powerful song that utilized soft sounds with heavy lyrics. “We’re gona build prisons, gona fill them all, gona build bombs, gona drop them all.” This coupled with the images of prisons and bomb detonations brings out a new character. I remember a teacher once told the class that we didn’t really know what prejudice and racism were because we hadn’t lived them. The use of digital media is a way that people who have lived it to express the way they feel. The last image is my favorite of the Jewish and Muslim boy walking together.

Romans 12:18 - If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (NIV)

More on YouTube

I think that everyone who has written a post so far on the website YouTube can agree that this website is very helpful in many ways. I explained in my last blog how I always use YouTube when I do not know anything about a topic. This helps tremendously because it gives me an idea of the topic. In the last blog by Tom I can see how using YouTube for a video that is not out yet could help a lot when considering if you wanted to buy the game. YouTube also makes this possible with movie trailers. In the long run this program could actually save you money because if you were going to go out and buy a movie or a video game, watching the YouTube video on it first could help decide if it is really worth buying or not. For our Digital videos that we are doing in class it is also possible to look up your topic and get an idea of what other people have done with their video. Im very happy that YouTube has found another way around the copy writing lawsuites by simply adding an itunes like of where you can get that music. When I heard this in class I was really excited because I wanted to post my finished video on YouTube but was nervous that I could get into trouble. I think it is very smart the way they handled the situation. People using artists songs for their YouTube videos not only advertises the song, but also gets people to possibly buy it.

speaking of youtube

Ok so for this blog I was going to do something totally random but you guys basically walked right into what I wanted to do. We all love YouTube and use it all the time. This has been evident with us so far as a class. As I was reading on the other blogs there has been some controversy as to the usage of You Tube. Copyright laws have been infringed upon in areas like music, video, etc. As we discussed in class You Tube has come up with an ingenious solution to combat the royalty problems.

If you go online and post something that has an artist’s song for example, the website will install a pop up on the video for iTunes to purchase the song. While I believe it is important for artist’s to look out for their own interests I believe it can be overdone. Videos created by fans of a product can prove beneficial to sales.

Take me and my brother for example. We are huge videogame enthusiast. When we are curious about a videogame the first place we go for information is You Tube. Many fans who have already played the game give helpful tips, walk throughs, and much more. It is also cool to see the original videos posted that bring the game to life in a way that simply trying it out can never do.

Here is one of my favorite videogames called shadow of the colossus. It is about a young man who breaks the law by stealing a forbidden sword. He ventures onto unholy ground at the bidding of a malicious spirit that supposedly has the power to bring the dead to life (the dead girl who is with him; we are led to believe she was his lover). He defies the law, the clergy, and God himself in order to perform an ancient spell; having to kill dangerous beings of enormous size. It is a classic love story and I hope you guys like it.

Downsides of Youtube

Since late 2005, the video site Youtube.com has exploded into a worldwide phenomenon for user-posted videos. As we have all seen before, anyone can become a celebrity with just a personal computer, video camera, or cell phone at Youtube. But just as being on Youtube can open many doors for a person, it can also cause for a lot of unwanted problems as well. The biggest problem obviously being copyright infringements. Several videos on the website have violated the copyrights of music, movies, commercials, and companies. All of which have caused law suits for these people, along with their videos being removed from the website. Posting videos on Youtbube has not only caused problems with copyright infringements, but have caused a number of different problems for Youtube users. One man was fired and had his forklift license revoked when a video of himself was found on Youtube performing wheelies and other stunts on a work forklift. In Ohio, three men faced criminal charges after posting videos of themselves impersonating police officers and playing pranks on unsuspecting civilians. Other problems that come with improper usage of Youtube, can include the comments from people that are posted on the website. Users of Youtube, deal with a double edged sword. On one hand, it can be fun and incredibly useful in a number of different ways. But on the other hand, it has lead to several problems, as people have served jail time, have lost their jobs, and have paid fines from their improper usage of the website.

Youtube is a great source for school

I think that YouTube is a great web site and is a tremendous help when trying to find videos for school. I do agree with the posts below and that some people are too obsessed with it and spend most their day YouTubing. But I also think that most people spend most their time doing pointless things anyway whether its watching TV, playing computer games, or playing video games. When I am unsure of a topic for an assignment I always look it up on YouTube or Wikipedia to get a better idea of what the topic is about. In school projects or power point presentations I use YouTube to post examples of the topic I am doing. I also get clips from movies of YouTube so I don’t have to go out and buy the DVD. YouTube’s movie clips also help me because then I don’t have to take time out of my presentation to find the chapter on the DVD just to get my point across. Reading the post right below mine about YouTube charging to use there website annoys me. If they are just charging for movies on the website that is understandable but I really hope that they don't start charging for just using the website or having to be a member to use it. That will just be like the whole Napster thing and I don’t feel as though it is stealing at all. YouTube is a great way of being heard whether you have a video or just have something that you want to express.

Coming to a YouTube Near You.

YouTube is mainly known for it’s amateur video recently read on the Internet about how YouTube, who is now owned by Google, is in talks with movie studios to stream full length movie rentals for a charge on their website. YouTube has been in contact with Lions gate entertainment, Metro-Goldwyn Mayer, Sony, and Warner Brothers about releasing movies the same day that the DVD becomes available and charging a fee for instant online viewing. The movie studios are apparently working with YouTube on this to bring in more revenue because DVD sales have gone down. But YouTube would definitely have competition with iTunes, Netflix, and Amazon. Nothing has been decided for sure yet but it’s something that probably will be coming in the near future.

All that the people at YouTube would say to The New York Times was:

“While we don't comment on rumor and speculation, we hope to expand both on our great relationships with movie studios and on the selection and types of videos we offer our community.”

No prices have been finalized yet but there are talks about charging between four and five dollars a rental.

Will people actually do this though? It’s not like iTunes where you can buy and download the movie. This is just a rental.

Will it affect companies like iTunes, and Netflix revenue?

I don’t think I would honestly use this because you can pay just a few dollars more to buy the movie from iTunes or from the store and have it instead of just the rental.

I think this may affect Blockbuster’s sales though.

Coming to a YouTube Near You.

YouTube is mainly known for it’s amateur video recently read on the Internet about how YouTube, who is now owned by Google, is in talks with movie studios to stream full length movie rentals for a charge on their website. YouTube has been in contact with Lions gate entertainment, Metro-Goldwyn Mayer, Sony, and Warner Brothers about releasing movies the same day that the DVD becomes available and charging a fee for instant online viewing. The movie studios are apparently working with YouTube on this to bring in more revenue because DVD sales have gone down. But YouTube would definitely have competition with iTunes, Netflix, and Amazon. Nothing has been decided for sure yet but it’s something that probably will be coming in the near future.

All that the people at YouTube would say to The New York Times was:

“While we don't comment on rumor and speculation, we hope to expand both on our great relationships with movie studios and on the selection and types of videos we offer our community.”

No prices have been finalized yet but there are talks about charging between four and five dollars a rental.

Will people actually do this though? It’s not like iTunes where you can buy and download the movie. This is just a rental.

Will it affect companies like iTunes, and Netflix revenue?

I don’t think I would honestly use this because you can pay just a few dollars more to buy the movie from iTunes or from the store and have it instead of just the rental.

I think this may affect Blockbuster’s sales though.

YouTube Craziness

I totally agree with the last post about YouTube. Anyone can become famous today basically for stupidity. It has almost become ridiculous how much time people spend watching YouTube videos. People talk about certain videos like they are common movies. Some people, even young children, spend hours in front of their computers watching these videos. I think it is amazing the access young children have to all the crazy videos. I know that certain YouTube videos can almost become addicting. Certain videos that are very funny can be watched numerous times and never get old. Another set of videos that people get addicted to are the ones that the creator has made multiples of. Last year there was a series of videos that everyone in my dorm was addicted to. It was a 12 year old girl who would lip sync to songs and dance ridiculously. These videos were absolutely hysterical and we watched them when we wanted a good laugh. As funny as it was, I think it is a bit pathetic how famous young children can become from such a pointless thing. I also don't think that kids of that age should be aloud access to putting things such as these online. I know it would be hard to monitor but I think some restrictions should be put in place. There are too many bad things on there that kids could get to. As much as I think this is ridiculous, I did have to include some of this girl's videos. I don't think that she should be able to post videos at her age, but I still think it is just hilarious!

*** It appears that the URLs are not working for the videos, but if you want to see them just search "doglover" in YouTube. Some videos will pop up by that user and they are definitely worth watching. The two that I recommend are "Disturbia" and "Nobody's Perfect". Sorry for the inconvenience. ***

a youtube rant

I kind of concluded that nowadays it is so easy to get famous -- for anything. You get famous for being talented, you can be famous for not having any talent at all, or you can be famous for just being a complete douchebag. One example would be YOUTUBE.

Late last year, YouTube hosted YouTube Live, where all "popular" and "most subscribed" youtubers got invited (by youtube themselves!) to this event in some big city (San Francisco I believe). But before I talk about that let me show you a website that showed 10 people who got famous on youtube.

http://www.pluginhq.com/youtube-celebrities/

It is somewhat outdated but it shows you an idea of what people did to succeed. Most of the people mentioned showed web junkies around the world how good they can sing. Others were just there to entertain. And with the ability to record themselves and edit videos, they were then recognized and loved by the citizens of this world. J

Other than Marie Digby who’s been signed and Jessica Rose who starred in a TV series, some names not mentioned were Lisa Nova and that dude who makes funny stories for marvel/dc action figures.

But anyways, youtube live invited highly subscribed youtubers to go to their event and they also invited some big names such as Katy Perry and Akon and I guess the lucky invited ones got the chance to meet them and party with them and blah blah blah. I don’t really know how they determined which ones to invite since I have seen a couple of people on youtube who did pretty good with their videos but were not invited. But I guess this event was a lot of people’s opportunity to become really big and famous.

However, it still takes up a lot of confidence and determination to make it big anywhere in this world. It might not be as hard as it was back then since “they” look for you now and not so much on the other way around anymore.

Again, people nowadays can be famous for just about anything.

more on movies

Wow! That video was awesome. Hey guys just wanted to let you know I have had to do the imovie thing before twice. Once I used it for marketing and another time for organizational behavior. At first it seems really intimidating but after you get the hang of it, you will have a blast.

I’m going to try and post my video at the end of this blog but no promises me and computers don’t get along. I’ll just tell you a little about the process me and my group went through to make it happen.

It was a marketing class that focused on advertisement. I highly recommend Dr. Albrecht if any of you guys are interested. The objective was to select a product and the create advertisements that were tailored for our target market. In my groups case we chose to do propel fitness water and I pretended to be an Olympic champion bike rider (funny seeing as the bike I used was a good size for me when I was 13 LOL). The celebrity endorser can be a powerful ally in marketing if used correctly.

We described our target market as fit and active men and women between the ages of 18 and 25. To make a long story short we had to do several advertisements. There was a billboard, a radio spot, a commercial, and a public release statement (not to mention sales strategies and implementations). We took a flip camera and since I had the bike and the little brother to film me, I rode the bike for the commercial. I stood in a dramatic pose and rode around to the theme of the Crazy Train Guitar solo (ya I know it’s awesome). Then the music stopped and I gave the propel sales pitch. Over all I felt it was a good learning experience and I’m excited to do it again.

Digital Storytelling

Since we just got assigned our digital story projects I decided to talk about digital story telling. I was amazed at the video we watched by the young girl. When we first started talking about the assignment personally I was like, "Oh no!" I'm terrible with computers and absolutely dread things like this. Knowing that a young girl can do this and as well as she did do it was motivating. I thought if she could do it, I'm sure I can. When I think about the feelings I got from both Ted's and her digital stories really showed me how effective these projects are at getting your message across. It was inspiring and moving but to have someone just speak what was said in the videos really wouldn't have had the same effect. There are so many neat things you can do to create a feeling to your story. The way you make an image come in or fade out, or whether it’s fast or slower really add to your message. I thought about how by doing something you truly care about you will then want the end product to be the best it can be. I realized wow this is our time to move an audience with a story that moves us! Now I'm really excited to do this project! I found another digital story that I thought was really good that was also done by a young girl. The site is really cool it's all about digital stories to make a change in something.
http://storiesforchange.net/

Here is the video I liked I thought she used her pictures really well to tell the story
http://storiesforchange.net/node/1723

Chicago Loses Bid for Olympics

Americans were stunned this past week when the International Olympic Committee elminated Chicago from hosting the 2016 Olympics during the first round of voting. After investing nearly four years and $50 million, along with having a dramatic last minute speech by President Obama, the committee disapproved of Chicago’s wishes to host the Olympics. During the voting process that took place on Thursday morning there were several protesters standing outside with the rest of the watch party. With the struggles of our economy today, it’s easy to see why there would be protesters, as the people of Chicago refuse to pay the high taxes that would come from holding the 2016 Olympics.

The win was decisive as Rio de Janeiro beat Madrid’s 32 votes by having 66 of their own. Chicago got just 18 votes in the first round, with Tokyo squeezing into the second round with 22. Madrid was leading after the first round with 28 votes, while Rio had 26. In the second round, Tokyo found themselves to be eliminated with just 20 votes. Madrid got 29, qualifying it for the final round face-off with Rio, which by then already had a strong lead with 46 votes.

Members of the IOC were aggravated and disturbed by President Obama’s appearance at the event. The members of the committee felt threatened by all the members of security that surrounded the president and they didn’t apprecieate being told that they weren’t allowed to go in particular rooms and areas of which the president was nearby. One member of the IOC said "To have the president of the United States and his wife personally appear, then this should happen in the first round is awful and totally undeserving," with another committee member saying "This morning the city was closed because of Barack Obama."

The venue for the 2016 Olympics is causing for some much heated arguments on the issue of safety, as for the people who will be attending this event in Rio de Janeiro.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ-twB38UWk

A Closer Look

The fall of my freshmen year of college, I was your typical new college student. I had never lived away from home, I was outside of my comfort zone, and I didn’t know anyone at my new school.

I had gone to a Christian high school, where I had become very comfortable. I wanted to find that same comfort, specifically with people that I felt believed the same things I did, in my new environment.

The summer before my freshmen year, I went to orientation for my new university.

That’s when I first was introduced to a particular Christian organization on campus; I don’t wish to disclose the name of this group here.

The people I met were very friendly; they honestly didn’t seem much different from the people I had gone to school with.

The organization had a program where I could sign up and move-in early in the fall. I’d get to campus three days before everyone else, around the same time as some of the sports team members, and members of this group were going to help me unpack and then they’d have a Christian retreat for a few days before the rest of the campus moved in.

I wound up going. I drove down by myself and got to the university about midway through the week.

In those days of the retreat, I met the group leader, an older man by the name of Phil* (I’ve changed his name).

Phil was an odd individual. He was not unlike the Jesus Camp’s Becky Fisher.

Throughout the semester, I went to the weekly worship services on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings with the group. We had bible studies and took a trip to a local city to “share God’s word” with other people at a festival.

The whole point of me talking about all of this, for the record this is rather personal so there is a reason for me to discuss it, is that the people I came to be affiliated with were not much different and their “worship services” were not much different than what we see in the video Abby posted about Jesus Camp. I’ve reposted that video due to the number of times I reference it here. (Thanks Abby, for the post, by the way!)

The more I became involved with this group on my former campus, the more I lost the idea of myself and gained the idea of “all of us.” In January of my freshmen year, I went to a national event, not unlike the Jesus Camp, which was a three-day meeting of other groups like ours from across the country.

There were thousands of people there. We had workshops, mass worship services, the whole nine yards.

I experienced people praying in tongues, as we see in Abby’s video, and I heard from people who said that there are those there who weren’t giving enough and doing enough for God. I wasn’t doing enough for God, I was told.

Before college, I was (and still am) a deeply religious person. I’ve never liked the word “religious,” however. I’d say spiritual. I have had a deep faith in God most of my life.

Andrea mentioned the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Youth Gathering back in 2007; I was there too, with my own church. I would like to point out that this youth gathering has absolutely NOTHING to do with Jesus Camp or the other event I went to with members from my campus group my Freshmen year.

The type of group I became involved in, and the type of group that the Jesus Camp is (was) appears radically crazy. And they are, but there’s more to it than “they’re extreme.” This doesn’t even begin to cover it, really.

Seeing the faces of those children in that video as the woman is telling them they need to reach up to heaven and let the Holy Spirit fill them, that they need to open their mouths and let the Holy Spirit speak. This deeply moves me, because I was one of those people. Granted, I wasn’t 8…I was 18…but the effects were the same. I was surrounded by people I thought I trusted. I knew I loved God, and they said they did too, so in my mind it made sense that if I did what they told me to do, I would love God more. Everyone I met in that group seemed to be so in love with God. I wanted to be like them.

Then things started to change for me. It began with an e-mail I sent to my Pastor from high school. I asked him about speaking in tongues, why I hadn’t heard about it before, and if he knew more about the organization I had become involved in.

The group is a nation-wide, radical “Christian” organization that identifies itself as a denomination of Christianity.

Groups such as the one on my campus invite new freshmen to their activities and emphasize making them feel that they belong and are accepted there.

I gradually began to shift from the group. I made friends outside of it and started doing normal college stuff, like watching my favorite television show with some friends on Thursday nights. I still believed in God, and still do to this day. But I had begun to see that what I had been involved in was not Christianity. It was something else.

Christianity is the belief in the triune Godhead, God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. It is recognizing that humanity is sinful and in need of salvation. It is recognizing that there is absolutely nothing that human beings can to do redeem themselves; it is wholly the power of God.

This is where groups such as the one I was involved in and the Jesus Camp stray from Christianity, in my opinion. They may call themselves Christians, but all they’re doing is turning people away. They tell people they’re not good enough, that they need to admit to an earthly leader that they need to repent in front of an assembly. Groups like these usually follow a leader, mine did and so did the Jesus Camp, and that leader usually sees themselves as very holy and spiritual. The established members of the group view that leader as such and advise other members to seek his counsel and his opinion on their lives and how they live.

The message of God is love. It is not self-righteousness. It is not legalism. It’s not that we have to be better.

Since transferring to Maryville, I’ve gotten reconnected with the church I went to for most of my life. This is the same church that I went to the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod National Youth Gathering back in 2007 and I’m planning on going again in 2010. I’ve put my experiences from my freshmen year behind me.

I worry about the children affected by that Jesus Camp, and the people who are still in the group I left.

The take home message about all of this is to be very careful with the organizations you become affiliated with. College students and children are the two most impressionable ages for the sorts of groups mentioned here. It is also to realize that just because a group claims to be one thing, as the Jesus Camp claims to be Christian and the group I was in claimed to be Christian, that doesn’t mean they are what they say they are.

"Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming 'I am he,' and will deceive many." Mark 13:5