COM 125- Journalism

Since we are only 4 days away from one of the most important presidential elections and the first of which I will be able to participate in, I decided I should choose some articles about the election. I took a look through the Buffalo News today and found on the cover an article about Sarah Palin’s visit to Erie, Pennsylvania. For the online source, I found an article on this topic at FoxNews.com. When looking at the two articles, it is clear that the print source from the Buffalo News is more in depth and has more content. The online source fails to inform the readers that upon Palin’s entrance, the song “Start Me Up” by the Rolling Stones was playing as her entrance music.  One piece of evidence that the Buffalo News failed to mention that FoxNews did not, was the fact that Palin was booed when she congratulated the audience for the Phillies winning the World Series. She said she was thrilled to be in the home state of a World champion, but she wasn’t in the home city and the people from Erie are mostly Pirates and Indians fans.

 The FoxNews article is focused on how Palin accuses the Democrats of wanting to cut defense spending while the Buffalo News article talks briefly about that topic.  The Buffalo News only states that Palin accuses the Democrats of wanting to slash the defense budget, even though Obama has promised to build a bigger army. The FoxNews article takes a direct quote from Palin’s speech and uses it as the bulk of the article. The Buffalo News article has a lot of quotes from people in the audience while there are none in the FoxNews article. The article focuses on how Palin electrified her audience and how much the audience liked her. The author of the article characterizes Palin as a Rock Star, drawing larger crowds that McCain and very popular with her fans. Also, The Buffalo News informs you that while making her exit and shaking hands, Shania Twain’s “She’s Not Just a Pretty Face” was playing through the sound system.

 To me it seemed like the article from FoxNews was short and sweet and focused on the main focus of Palin’s speech and didn’t mention much else. The Buffalo News article seemed more focused on the event and Palin’s ability to electrify the audience, even though it does mention what was said in her speech. The Buffalo News article was more on a personal level and let you know how people in the audience felt.

Conroy, Scott. "Palin: Obama's Speeches Can't Protect the Country." CBSNews.com. 30 Oct. 2008. CBS News. 31 Oct. 2008. 

Erwin, Erica. "Palin: McCain trumps Obama on national security." Erie Times-News 31 Oct. 2008. 

Walshe, Shushannah. "Palin Stumps in Tom Ridges Hometown." FoxNews.com. 31 Oct. 2008. Fox News. 31 Oct. 2008 . 

Zremski, Jerry. "Palin shows 2012 aura in Rust Belt." The Buffalo News 31 Oct. 2008: A1-A2.

COM 125- Web Applications

The web application I chose to review is Google Maps. You can find the site at maps.google.com. Here you can find directions to anywhere you want to go and not have to pay a dime. You have the choice of viewing maps in a map, satellite or terrain format. Users can also view traffic for available cities. Users can also choose to use street view. This allows users to get a 360 degree view of a specific location. This feature is only available for certain cities at this time. The design of the site is pretty basic, and nothing special. There are links to other parts of Google. No advertisements of any kind. It allows you to print, send or create a link to this page. The only social aspect of this site that I could think of is that it allows you to email directions or maps to other people. Also, you can create personalized maps to share with friends and family.

 

To get directions using Google Maps, you enter the address of the destination in the box at the top. When your destination comes up, you must then enter your starting point in the bubble above your destination. When this is done, your directions will be located on the left and on the map, any construction, road closing or accident will be indicated by their respective icons. They also give you an option to search the area of your destination. When I searched my home address, under the “explore the area” link there was a picture of my high school. Also, when I search my address, in a bubble over the point on the map there was a picture of my house and if I clicked on it, it would allow me to see the street view.

 

I think that this site is useful, because it allows people to see the whole world without leaving their house. With street view you can view someone’s house or a landmark or anything else that is available. No other application will let you enter an address and have a 360 degree view of that house. People no longer have to learn how to read maps, and there is no hassle. All you need is a computer and when you want to go somewhere and don’t know how to get there, all have to do is enter your destination and starting point and print the directions out and you’re ready to go. This web application shows how technology is making everything faster and easier.

COM 125- Assignment #6

As wonderful as the internet is, it can be a dark and dangerous place as well. Everyone knows how the internet is convenient and helpful, but are they aware that the internet can make your life a living hell? So many people these days are members of online communities and by joining an online community, you create an online identity. While some people use their real names to identify themselves, others use pseudonyms that reveal personal information. For example, the numbers on your screen name could be your birth date or something. Like many other college students of my age, I am a member of Facebook and I have an account on AIM. I use both to talk with my friends or to keep in touch with family out of town. Both are accurate representations of my true identity and I hope that they stay that way forever.

When you look at my Facebook, you know exactly who I am. I have a picture of myself, I offer my name and what city I live in and where I go to school. This information I feel comfortable letting my Facebook friends and strangers know about myself. I would never think to put my phone number or address on my page, because of the various risks that are associated with it. Some people don’t know any better and they freely put all of their information on their site, leading to identity theft.

I have to say that I myself have participated in an act of identity theft, but nothing extreme or harmful to anyone, just some innocent fun. A couple friends and I decided to create a MySpace for my one friend’s dad. We thought it’d be funny, because he’s a funny guy and all of our friends would find it hilarious. If you knew him, you’d understand, but the things he does are just too ridiculous to write in my blog. We proceeded to find pictures of him and collect all his information to create the MySpace account. We found a ridiculous picture to make his profile picture and we made a description for him that we thought he would make for himself. He likes to swear a lot and has a dirty mind, so those characteristics played a role in making his profile. We finally finished and completed the account and a few days later his dad was friends on MySpace with half of Kenmore West. Everyone knows who this guy is and everyone got a kick out of his MySpace account. One day in gym class my football coaches were looking at it and were crying because they thought it was so funny. After our coaches saw it, they informed my friends dad and after he saw it, he was pissed. He made us delete it and was worried that people who he wouldn’t want to see it saw it. A couple years later my friend made a Facebook for the grandmother of the same friend and this Facebook is still up and running and nobody has a problem with it.

Even though we were trying to have some innocent fun, we were stealing our friend’s dad’s identity. We were posting information about him that he wouldn’t want people to see and he was embarrassed of the way we portrayed him to everyone that saw his profile. It is important that everyone is careful when using the internet, because this is an example of how people can create false identities and toy with people. This situation wasn’t harmful, but it easily can be and it is hard to tell if someone is who they really say they are on the internet.