Computers in Film

Graphics and special effects are what make movies exciting to watch. Action or animated films are the best examples of special effects. The person creating these images and amazing actions in movies are doing it all behind a computer screen. Computers have paved the way for films to be more exciting, alluring, and audience friendly.

One of my favorite movies is The Lord of the Ring’s trilogy. This series consists of three movies, each over three hours in length. The trilogy is packed full of extreme special effects and amazing graphics. The first movie, The Fellowship of the Ring picks up the tale of the traditional book “The Hobbit”. When the movie hit theatres it was an an explosion of great graphic creatures and incredible New Zea land landscapes. The director, Peter Jackson, hired a well equipped and skilled staff to help him complete this three year project. The fighting scenes included features that I’ve never seen in any fantasy epic movie. All three movies contain a certain state of warrior-ship and strength and the creators of design, Jim Rygiel and Randy Cook, both conducted a perfect example to depict this.

 

I don’t really like trilogy’s and I was never a Star Wars fan. However, one of my most favorite childhood movies was ET. It was interesting in reading how they actually got his bike to look like it was flying. I remember going on a ride in Universal Studios, FL that was exactly like you were flying with ET in the movie. It all deals with back screens for a landscape effect, usually referred to as blue screens. ILM The Industrial Light Magic website was interesting to view, they have been around since 1977 and I had no idea they were the company who did Star Wars. I also enjoyed reading about the Titanic and seeing what actually was real in the movie. It was interesting to find out how much special effects and altering they did to that film. NOVA

 

Investigation into Urban Legends

Urban legends are stroies that are derived up over time. Somtimes they stem from actual events and over a course of time they begin to become exaggerated. People create urban legends mostly for fun. After viewing the links that were giving to us, I couldn’t believe how many legends I’ve never heard of. The website HowStuffWorks.com that speaks about a Las Vegas legend that I have never heard of. I have heard about the black market and organs being sold but I’ve never heard that particular story. It’s almost unbelievable, which it quite possibly is.

The internet has paved the way for urban legends to expand and reach all time highs. Usually, emails are sent out as forwards containing a legend and then a classic ending of “send this to twenty people or else you will die”. It’s bizarre, yes, but I’ve received emails with stories that seem so far fetched that I would never even think of forwarding them to any of my friends or family. I just think that the internet has made fiction grow and more people have become vulnerable to the mass majority of stories that they may view via websites and email.

Computer in Education

Topic Description

I’ve always wanted to learn how to change my own oil in my car. It is suppose to be done every three months or every three thousand miles, whichever comes first. Sometimes I just don’t have the time to drop in off and wait for it to be ready. I’d like to teach myself how to change my oil myself, using the right tools and precautions. I know how to change a headlight and a flat tire, I also know how to check my automobile fluids. I take a large interest in cars and if possible, I’d like to learn more about how they operate and how they are mechanically maintained.

Available Tutorials

As I searched Google for great tutorials on changing my own car oil, I came across many sites that instruct the normal individual on how to be car savvy. There were three that stood out the best. The first one was from a website called Epinions.com, it’s a basic site that allows users to post instructions and plans to how things can be done. I like it because it explained my topic description the best. The second site I chose was from Edmunds.com, a car based website where an individual can find cars that they may be interested in purchasing. This site explained changing your oil in ten simple steps, the easier, the better! The last site I liked was from a site called Ehow.com, you can basically find anything you are trying to learn through this website. The best part about the site was that they gave an actual video on how to properly change your oil.

Epinions

Edmunds 

Ehow

Evaluation

The websites that I found were productive in aiding me in the knowledge I need to change my own oil. In one month I am going to attempt this project. I think that the websites I chose were easy to understand, their formats were also neat and easy to read. When looking up tutorials, it’s important that it’s not difficult to comprehend especially while dealing with an automobile. My car is my support, without it I would not have a ride to work or school and those are essential aspects of my life.

Cyber Journalism

It’s 2008 and computers have taken the place of the good old brain. Cyber Journalism is an interesting factor in the technological world. It has paved the way for more advancement in technology. It’s easier for some people to post blogs and write online written reports about a certain topic. These individuals can thoroughly get their point across via internet and discussion forum sites. Cyberjournalist.net is an innovative way to produce news media and allows viewers to participate in blogs and forums. There are now online media jobs which don’t require you leaving home. My older sister owns a company with her husband and as he goes directly to the office, she remains home and her computer remains her largest essential working tool. Cyber journalists are now creating ways to lower the cost and diminish print media. In a few years from now most if not all print media will slowly disappear and our only source of hard information will come from the web.

Print media such as newspapers and magazines are now being found online. I came across an interesting story about how blogging is being used in courtrooms during trials. Kerry Sipe is an online reporter for The Virginia-Pilot. He is able to post blogs concerning court cases because courtrooms prohibit the use of cameras during trial. He is finding ways to keep his blogs updated and live from the very second he posts them. This is a great idea but may cause some conflict amongst society and the way the courtroom is ran.

Faridah Ibrahim’s report on Cyber Journalism has given me a better understanding of what the real truth is behind these online journalists. She states that anyone has the ability to become a cyber journalist as long as they have some type of tech skills. It’s amazing to think that out of the billions of blogs and forums that are posted, how can you tell who is true cyber journalist and who is not? I guess there is no real accurate way of knowing if someone is as scholarly as they might claim to be, after all, it’s only the internet.

            There are dangers in cyber journalism concerning copyright laws and information that just may be false. After searching long and hard me cam across a website that offers journalism resources for individuals that post original work online. It’s extremely crucial to keep your work from being stolen or reproduced and it’s become easier today for hackers to steal online information. There are ways to play it safe if you’re an online journalist and laws that band the copying of authentic information.

            Large companies and conglomerates use cyber journalism as a means for communication and advertisement. It is much easier to produce a newsletter online because of the wide-range of people and demographics that you can send it to or who will view it. For example, if a company such as NIKE has a huge event going on in New York, the journalist will conduct a news release concerning the events status and post it on Nike’s home page. It has become more of leisure than a job to those writing or should I say “typing” these articles of information and awareness. Online companies rely strictly on cyber journalism because its one of their main communications for advertisements.

            Looking at a scary factor in online journalism is slander and obscenity. It is not uncommon for people to write or post nasty blogs on websites. Cyber journalists should consider that if they were normal mainstream journalists, mean and discriminating reports would not be published. Newspaper companies for example have editors that monitor what is produced and what is being processed for print. Online it is more difficult to filter dangerous thoughts and words because not every website has an online editor, especially sites such as Myspace and Facebook. Hurtful and slanderous words can be posted on people’s pages and the only thing an individual can do is report the user that is creating this chaos. Normal print journalist can sometime get away with publishing criticism that may be categorized as rude. However, some news companies, larger ones such as The New York Post and Star Ledger have suites that protect their journalists.

            In today’s society, online reporting has opened a gate for new technology and creative ways to throw out old print media. Although, many individuals would choose a newspaper or magazine over reading information on the internet, the world is changing at a rapid pace and technology just keeps growing. It’s a continuous process of technology over mind. The more advancements that are being made, the more people may struggle with having to learn to be tech-savvy. The growth of technology is only going to change the face of journalism for good some day. Newspapers are already accessible through online and so are many magazines. Cyber journalism is just another demonstration of how the internet can be extremely effective and essential.

High Tech Trash

This is an epidemic of poor knowledge and effortless attacks to diminish the pollution of high tech trash (electronic devices).

The National Geographic photo gallery on high tech trash in other parts of the world is extremely unfortunate. The worst part about it is the simple fact that most Americans don’t have the accurate knowledge about recycling electronics. Our waste of used and old technological devices are being brought to other countries such as Ghana, India, and China. These countries have found ways to make a small profit off of old wires and other materials from inside systems. Their methods of recycling these electronics can be extremely dangerous and harmful to an individuals health. The chemicals that are being burned or torched are plastics, glass, mercury, and other retardants. When Chris Carroll explains in vivid detail about his actual encounter with these people, most being children, it gives me the worst feeling inside. How can the United States let this happen?

There is not enough awareness of this horrible and continuous process of poor electronic disposal. The National Geographic offers some simple ways that an individual can help in the battle against e-trash. Recycling E-Trash

I took the E-waste IQ quiz and scored 6 out of 10 right. Most of this information is fairly new to me and the facts are awkwardly interesting.  I have about three old cell phones that I don’t use, now I know I can donate them to electronic stores. As far as my old computers, I have two laying in storage that I may just sell or give back to the companies that I purchased them from.

My Freeware Experience

From reading the article that compares and defines all three “soft-wares”, I’ve learned that Freeware has been taken for granted and now the true meaning has changed. The huge difference between Freeware and Open Source is you no longer have the ability to open the source code. I had the opportunity to visit all three sites but I chose to download from Tucows. It seemed as if it had the best search engine out of all three sites. The program I chose to download is called Skype, it’s a voice over IP (Internet protocol). It’s basically a chat program but it works with your camera, speakers, and microphone. It allows you to make free phone calls with other Skype users. I will probably keep the program and buy a microphone to communicate with my friends who have this software. I never had visited Download.com or Tucows but I have visited MacOSZone.

What’s Inside My System

    As we continue to learn about microprocessors and memory inside computer devices, I’ve had a chance to explore my own computer and it’s functions. In this blog report I will give details on how my system operates and how it’s built to work for me.

To gather a better understanding of what a microprocessor does, I will explain it as throughly as possible. The basic function of a microprocessor works in relation to the CPU – central processing unit in your computer. Every digital systems uses microprocessors, even large mainframe ones.

There are different types of memory, a more important one would be RAM – random access memory, which takes the place for integrated circuits. It’s pure function is to supply data in any order, hence “random”.

Now taking a good look into what’s inside my system…

I have an Intel Pentium processor with 4CPU which is my central processing unit. In my RAM I have 256 Megabytes, which is the capacity of information or data that my laptop can hold.

Tracking Technology: The Good and The Back

Surveillance devices are advancing each year, as technology grows so does tracking individuals. There are many pros and cons involved while dealing with tracking devices. Its incredible how something such as your cell phone can be very useful yet extremely dangerous all at the same time. I will list ten ways that surveillance can be productive and ten ways it isn’t beneficial.

10 Advantages

1. Imagine being able to own a device that detects GPS tracking systems. It’s true, it really exists and for $350 you can find out if you’re being followed or tracked. Navigadget

2. The bug has become the most popular amongst in secretly listening to phone conversations. Law enforcers’ use this product to produce truthful evidence. Audio Surveillance

3. That tiny device you use to talk on everyday is advancing rapidly. Cell Phones

4. Wireless home security systems currently exist. Technology is never-ending with GE’s new home alarm system. GE Alarm System

5. Want to spy while you write? The inventions are creative and lucrative. Ink Pen

6. The perfect surveillance device that conquers two purposes. IP Box

7. Use the Apple iPhone to surveillance your kids. iPhone Concept

8. Lifeline safety device for the elders by Philips. Elder’s Safety

9. Tracking traffic, we all want to know when the road becomes a parking lot! Traffic Time

10. Airport surveillance is must in today’s society! Airport Technology

10 Disadvantages

1. I don’t believe it’s such a huge crisis but it still happens on a daily basis and companies can suffer from the lack of work from their employees. On the flip side of this dispute, employees may feel as if their employer is invading their privacy. Employees

2. You’re probably wondering what about the norm, the regular way of surveillance, public video surveillance. It’s become more of a problem today then ever before. Public Surveillance

3. An invention that seems unique but holds many cons in its creation. Nike + iPod

4. Video surveillance in schools can help but can also create major issues. School Pros and Cons

5. Tiny compact video surveillance devices scare me! Small Devices

6. Bluetooth spy software? What’s next? Bluetooth Spy Device

7. Identifying something or someone using radio waves…this could be dangerous and markets want to use it! RFID

8. Ineffective border surveillance. Without proper skills this process can turn into a huge mess. Border Idea

9. Surveillance camera’s installed in gyms. Gym Surveillance

10. Hackers work hand in hand with surveillance devices. Hacking

Welcoming Myself to New Media

Hello class, my name is Lindsey Casso and I’m currently in my last semester at the University of Bridgeport. My major is Mass Communication with a concentration in Public Relations. I love my field of interest and I’m taking this course to grasp a well-known understanding of the mass majority and expansion of the new media world.

Question about Life?

My first official Weblog ever and I’m a Mass Communications major, can you believe it? I can’t. Anyhow, I’d like to ramble about myself and my hobbies but I can save that for other Blog’s. This Blog consists of one question that I would love to receive feedback on. Does everyone have a plan in life? or is it that life has its own plan for you? You must understand, I’m in my last year and graduation is right around the corner. My fears and uncertainties of an unknown future concern me each and every day. If tomorrow creates a path of success for me, will there be more just like it ten years down the road? Hmmmmm……