In March of 2010, I predict that FB will be first, Twitter second, and MySpace third, as oppossed to the current rankings of MySpace, FB, and then Twitter. Twitter will grow exponentially as users carve out communites and ways to reach them (i.e. Iran and Twitter). I believe that FB's rates will level, Twitter's will peak, and MySpace will drop.
All in all, as new technologies develop, social networking will continue to grow as more users learn the best ways to utilize various sites and networks.
Monday, August 3, 2009
What is next?
My next step in social networking will be to Linked In. I have come back to school and am more than ready to re-enter the professional world and feel that Linked In would be a good place to begin. Through my laptop, I communicate with professors and complete assignments, although I will add that I only created a FB account because of this class.
In talking with other students, namely 2 who are students in WVU's School of Journalism, they are concerned about what their teachers are able to see, and therefor judge them. Also, they feel that eCampus is more than sufficient as a virtual learning platform and that sites away from the platform add more time to out-of-class work. I personally can attest to this, as I wasted so much valuable time of not doing work because I was confused as to where to find my course content: Google, MIX, and FB did not provide answers. I felt like a jerk when I was told that it was on eCampus.
In talking with other students, namely 2 who are students in WVU's School of Journalism, they are concerned about what their teachers are able to see, and therefor judge them. Also, they feel that eCampus is more than sufficient as a virtual learning platform and that sites away from the platform add more time to out-of-class work. I personally can attest to this, as I wasted so much valuable time of not doing work because I was confused as to where to find my course content: Google, MIX, and FB did not provide answers. I felt like a jerk when I was told that it was on eCampus.
Captology
Captology is the use of computers as a way to persuade users into things by behavior, motivation, usage, and language. I have never once been persuaded to post a status updat on FB, but I do find it amusing that I can catch up on the past 6 months of someone's life simply by looking at their FB posts, SMU's, photos, and info.
FB motivates users to update their statis by asking the user what they are doing, and then providing a box that can hold 140 characters to explain. According to Allen, strong persuasive techniques are tunelling and surveillance. People have a high chance of responding if there is a prompt to do so. On a weak note, FB tailors users to eachother as a way to generate SMU's.
Definitions:
Surveillance: An alarm goes off to the FB engineers that makes them act quickly to get you to update your facebook status.
Tunneling: Trying to get a person to comply easier by only giving them one question to answer.
Conditioning: FB uses scheduled reinforcement to remind users to change their statuses or face the punishment of the looming question.
Tailoring: Using algorithms, relevant updates are posted for you to see current contacts and their statuses.
FB motivates users to update their statis by asking the user what they are doing, and then providing a box that can hold 140 characters to explain. According to Allen, strong persuasive techniques are tunelling and surveillance. People have a high chance of responding if there is a prompt to do so. On a weak note, FB tailors users to eachother as a way to generate SMU's.
Definitions:
Surveillance: An alarm goes off to the FB engineers that makes them act quickly to get you to update your facebook status.
Tunneling: Trying to get a person to comply easier by only giving them one question to answer.
Conditioning: FB uses scheduled reinforcement to remind users to change their statuses or face the punishment of the looming question.
Tailoring: Using algorithms, relevant updates are posted for you to see current contacts and their statuses.
Here Comes the Judge! Part II
1. Student sues university for dismissing her from an educational program because she, against the direction of her supervisors, advertised her social networking page to her students. On the page she posted photos of herself in an intoxicated state and she made disparaging remarks about her cooperating teacher. Does the student have recourse against the university for dismissal? Should the student be re-instated? Why or why not?
Judgement: No recourse for the student. Academia can be a harsh and binding world, but it is necessary for the research that stems from this discipline. It seems as if she is a TA. If this is the case, than she should be professional and dignified when representing an academic department. This behavior of blogging about teachers and of her intoxicated in pictures makes both her and the department look bad. Even though the her removal from the program was harsh, it was probably done to make an example of her.
2. The school elected to non-renew a teacher’s contract because the male teacher, who had a social networking profile that included photos of naked men, engaged in non-school related conversations with his students via the profile. After being advised to discontinue the practice, the teacher deactivated the profile and substituted an essentially similar one. The teacher sued for violations of his first amendment rights of speech and association. Did the teacher prevail in his suit? Why or why not?
Judgement: No recourse. The teacher went against what the school wanted of him. By creating a similar profile, he has undermined the school. Also, he is a liabilty to the school because some young and possible homosexual students could reach out to him the wrong way. I feel that the First Amendeent gives him freedom to talk to whomever he wants to, but if they are underage and are his students, than he should be respectful of his position as a teacher and discontinue online communication outside of school.
3. A student disciplined for creating a parody site of the high school principal on a social networking site sued the school and the administrators as individuals for violating the student’s first amendment rights. The student had created the site on his own away from school, but used the principal’s photo from the school’s web page. Who do you sympathize with the student or the principal? Why?
Judgement: No recourse for the student. First of all, the photo of the principal is property of the school/website. Even though the kid was having fun, he pulled the school and a man who represents the school into the picture. Depending upon the parody, this could be taken as defamation of character to the principal. The kid probably thought he was col and funny for this, but he should be punished and made an example of to other students.
Judgement: No recourse for the student. Academia can be a harsh and binding world, but it is necessary for the research that stems from this discipline. It seems as if she is a TA. If this is the case, than she should be professional and dignified when representing an academic department. This behavior of blogging about teachers and of her intoxicated in pictures makes both her and the department look bad. Even though the her removal from the program was harsh, it was probably done to make an example of her.
2. The school elected to non-renew a teacher’s contract because the male teacher, who had a social networking profile that included photos of naked men, engaged in non-school related conversations with his students via the profile. After being advised to discontinue the practice, the teacher deactivated the profile and substituted an essentially similar one. The teacher sued for violations of his first amendment rights of speech and association. Did the teacher prevail in his suit? Why or why not?
Judgement: No recourse. The teacher went against what the school wanted of him. By creating a similar profile, he has undermined the school. Also, he is a liabilty to the school because some young and possible homosexual students could reach out to him the wrong way. I feel that the First Amendeent gives him freedom to talk to whomever he wants to, but if they are underage and are his students, than he should be respectful of his position as a teacher and discontinue online communication outside of school.
3. A student disciplined for creating a parody site of the high school principal on a social networking site sued the school and the administrators as individuals for violating the student’s first amendment rights. The student had created the site on his own away from school, but used the principal’s photo from the school’s web page. Who do you sympathize with the student or the principal? Why?
Judgement: No recourse for the student. First of all, the photo of the principal is property of the school/website. Even though the kid was having fun, he pulled the school and a man who represents the school into the picture. Depending upon the parody, this could be taken as defamation of character to the principal. The kid probably thought he was col and funny for this, but he should be punished and made an example of to other students.
Here comes the Judge! 1-3
Please react to each scenario in a blog post in which you 1) render your judgment and 2) rational for your judgment. Include advise for avoiding such grievances in the future.
1. Middle school students posted a social networking profile of the school principal indicating he was a pedophile and sex addict. Can the school punish the student although the student created the site at home? How does the first amendment protect the student? Does it protect the student?
My judgement is that the student should be punished by way of suspension, or even expulsion depending on how many people in the community have viewed the profile. The First Amendment is about the freedom of speech, and the student is showed a defamation of character toward the principal. The student has showed the characteristic of libel, which is written derogatory statements. The First amendment could protect the student to some extent but to use libel against a principal could result in the principal being placed on leave or even terminated from his job.
2. A female vice-principal sued students and parents claiming intentional infliction of emotional distress, conspiracy, defamation, libel, and negligence when the students posted a fake social networking profile that displayed her name and photo along with explicit, graphic sexual content. Was the vice-principals' suit successful? Why or why not?
Judgement: Yes, her suit could be successful IF in fact she can prove the falisity of the info and photos, i.e. libel. If she can prove conspiracy to end her career, than the suit would also be successful. If both of these are successful, than she could possibly sue for distress. If none of these can be proven, than the First amendment will protect the students.
3. A middle school student creates a vulgarity-laced social network tirade against her former principal. The principal sues for harassment. Is the principal successful in her suit?
Judgement: No, the principal is not successful because the tirade could be labeled as libel, not harassment. Harassment refers to a threat. If the vice principal was not threatened, than the First Amendment would protect the former student.
1. Middle school students posted a social networking profile of the school principal indicating he was a pedophile and sex addict. Can the school punish the student although the student created the site at home? How does the first amendment protect the student? Does it protect the student?
My judgement is that the student should be punished by way of suspension, or even expulsion depending on how many people in the community have viewed the profile. The First Amendment is about the freedom of speech, and the student is showed a defamation of character toward the principal. The student has showed the characteristic of libel, which is written derogatory statements. The First amendment could protect the student to some extent but to use libel against a principal could result in the principal being placed on leave or even terminated from his job.
2. A female vice-principal sued students and parents claiming intentional infliction of emotional distress, conspiracy, defamation, libel, and negligence when the students posted a fake social networking profile that displayed her name and photo along with explicit, graphic sexual content. Was the vice-principals' suit successful? Why or why not?
Judgement: Yes, her suit could be successful IF in fact she can prove the falisity of the info and photos, i.e. libel. If she can prove conspiracy to end her career, than the suit would also be successful. If both of these are successful, than she could possibly sue for distress. If none of these can be proven, than the First amendment will protect the students.
3. A middle school student creates a vulgarity-laced social network tirade against her former principal. The principal sues for harassment. Is the principal successful in her suit?
Judgement: No, the principal is not successful because the tirade could be labeled as libel, not harassment. Harassment refers to a threat. If the vice principal was not threatened, than the First Amendment would protect the former student.
Online Identity: Pt. 4
Legal stuff: What is libel? What is slander? How do they differ? Do employers have recourse against an employee for their online comments? Why or why not? Do employees have recourse against the employer for wrongful termination for online comments about their employer?
Libel is for written words and slander is for spoken words, is the communication of a statement that makes a claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual, that may negatively affect a business, person, or organization. I feel that employers may have recourse if the company, employer, or another employee is named online by a company employee. This is bad press for the company! Recourse could be given by way of an official reprimand, warning, meeting with management, or public apology.
If an employee can show that the post was ambiguous, than yes, an empoyee should be able to take recourse. In the event that this cannot be proven, I believe that the employee should be warned or terminated depending upon the severity of the comment.
Libel is for written words and slander is for spoken words, is the communication of a statement that makes a claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual, that may negatively affect a business, person, or organization. I feel that employers may have recourse if the company, employer, or another employee is named online by a company employee. This is bad press for the company! Recourse could be given by way of an official reprimand, warning, meeting with management, or public apology.
If an employee can show that the post was ambiguous, than yes, an empoyee should be able to take recourse. In the event that this cannot be proven, I believe that the employee should be warned or terminated depending upon the severity of the comment.
FB Online Identity - Pt. 2
Why was the employee terminated in this case and do employers have the authority to limit your online activity? As a social media expert, what would you advise your company to do in order to prevent these types of issue?
The employee was terminated because she spoke openly about her work in what was viewed by her employer as a negative comment. As a media expert, I would talk to my employees about the company's reputation and that as employees of the company, we should maintain a positive image and morale. Depending upon the work of the company, I would maybe draw up some kind of clause that would prevent my employees from publishing thoughts about their career.
The employee was terminated because she spoke openly about her work in what was viewed by her employer as a negative comment. As a media expert, I would talk to my employees about the company's reputation and that as employees of the company, we should maintain a positive image and morale. Depending upon the work of the company, I would maybe draw up some kind of clause that would prevent my employees from publishing thoughts about their career.
FB Online Identity - Work Life Pt. 1
What implications does Facebook have for your work life? Cite any specific examples of pre-employment, and employment related issues that your or an friend/acquaintances have experienced as a result of participation in social networking?
I have not had any FB related work issues. I do construction for a living and neither by boss or company owner are members of FB. In the past, I was a sales rep for a liquour distribution company and also worked for a headhunting agency. I have not seen or heard from anyone in either of these fields.
As far as friends go, their jobs highly benefit from social networking but do not rely on it. Because they are both in the lines of sales and promotions, FB helps them when properly targeted.
I have not had any FB related work issues. I do construction for a living and neither by boss or company owner are members of FB. In the past, I was a sales rep for a liquour distribution company and also worked for a headhunting agency. I have not seen or heard from anyone in either of these fields.
As far as friends go, their jobs highly benefit from social networking but do not rely on it. Because they are both in the lines of sales and promotions, FB helps them when properly targeted.
FB Trends in Friends
During my first week as a FB member, i had 13 friend requests in 4 days. In the month that I have been a member, I have 24 friends and I have denied 6 requests. Out of the 24 friends that I do have, 3 of them are friends of my parents, who are in their 60's. The rest are friends from high school and people that I have met through them. I have found that the rate in which people request my friendship has decreased dramatically.
I spoke to a few friends who have over 1,000 friends on FB, one of whom has been a student since 2003. I asked her if she knows each one personally and she said yes, minus the few who are friends by a romantic association of one of her friends. She has met 99% (so she says) personally and will not add anyone she does not know. She has never de-friended anyone but has been de-friended by an ex boyfriend, by which she was deepy offended. Katie, my friend, will be graduation in December and will be trimming down her friends list as she in concerned abour her online image.
Overall, my request manager is slow, not constant, as I keep my FB profile private, both online and in reality.
I spoke to a few friends who have over 1,000 friends on FB, one of whom has been a student since 2003. I asked her if she knows each one personally and she said yes, minus the few who are friends by a romantic association of one of her friends. She has met 99% (so she says) personally and will not add anyone she does not know. She has never de-friended anyone but has been de-friended by an ex boyfriend, by which she was deepy offended. Katie, my friend, will be graduation in December and will be trimming down her friends list as she in concerned abour her online image.
Overall, my request manager is slow, not constant, as I keep my FB profile private, both online and in reality.
FB: Relationship Manners
I believe that all Facebook manners are important because I am old enough to know better than to publicly air my business. When I joined FB for this class, I was amazed at how many friend requests that I received in the first week. It's crazy how the "People You May Know" tool actually finds the people that you know! I agree with the FB rules of etiquette, especially the embarassing photo rules and discretionary wall posts.
Because I am a Morgantown local, and the friends that I have on FB are all local, I like to keep my profile and information to the minimum - this isn't a class reunion!
Because I am a Morgantown local, and the friends that I have on FB are all local, I like to keep my profile and information to the minimum - this isn't a class reunion!
FB Friend or Foe: Background Information
Facebook's advent of technology into social networking has created a "critical mass" into society and over 200 million users. In February of 2004, Mark Zuckerburg founded TheFacebook, which was later incorporated simply as Facebook. Based off of a Harvard College networking concept, Zuckerburg created 4 convenient networking categories: city, workplace, school, and region.
Facebook generates revenue from advertising, mostly banner ads, which are exclusively from Microsoft. In 2007, Microsoft and Facebook, Inc. made a $240 million dollar deal. Gifts and referral marketing are the most recent ways of bringing in cash. "We are trying to provide the antidote for the consumer rebellion against interrruptive advertising," says Sheryl Sanders, Facebooks' chief operating officer and Zuckerburg's consigliere.
Engagment ads ask users to become fans of of products and companies, and invitation ads ask users to vote in some way or another about the brand. For each vote and fan-page addition, the company pays Facebook for this member participation.
Since its foundation, Facebook, Inc. has received over $600 million in financing. One of the first investors, Peter Thiel of PayPal, put $500k cash into this growing site. Accel Partners invested $12.7 million in venture capital; Greylock Partners $27.5 million; and most recently, Russia's Digital Sky Technologies invested $200 million for a 1.96% stake in the company. Digital Sky is not on the Board, but is working almost exclusively with Facebook on figuring out how to make money in its European market. (Note: It is a prominent Internet investor in Russia and Europe, where it owns stakes in Web companies that account for 70 percent of all page views on the Russian-speaking Internet, according to the firm. nytimes.com)
With this boom of technology came the definition of the law of information by Herbert Simon which staes, "The rapid growth of information causes scarcity of attention." Attention Economy is to create a marketplace where consumers are happy. It is an exchange of consumer's attention for a retailer's services. There are two keys, relevancy and privacy. Steve Gimor and Seth Goldstein have constructed Attention Trust. Property, economy, and transparency are three things that are a part of the Attention Economy. In the Orlando Business Journal, New Statistics say that Facebook beats out Myspace worldwide. Facebook has about three times the users and has about 1 billion chat messages everyday.
Facebook generates revenue from advertising, mostly banner ads, which are exclusively from Microsoft. In 2007, Microsoft and Facebook, Inc. made a $240 million dollar deal. Gifts and referral marketing are the most recent ways of bringing in cash. "We are trying to provide the antidote for the consumer rebellion against interrruptive advertising," says Sheryl Sanders, Facebooks' chief operating officer and Zuckerburg's consigliere.
Engagment ads ask users to become fans of of products and companies, and invitation ads ask users to vote in some way or another about the brand. For each vote and fan-page addition, the company pays Facebook for this member participation.
Since its foundation, Facebook, Inc. has received over $600 million in financing. One of the first investors, Peter Thiel of PayPal, put $500k cash into this growing site. Accel Partners invested $12.7 million in venture capital; Greylock Partners $27.5 million; and most recently, Russia's Digital Sky Technologies invested $200 million for a 1.96% stake in the company. Digital Sky is not on the Board, but is working almost exclusively with Facebook on figuring out how to make money in its European market. (Note: It is a prominent Internet investor in Russia and Europe, where it owns stakes in Web companies that account for 70 percent of all page views on the Russian-speaking Internet, according to the firm. nytimes.com)
With this boom of technology came the definition of the law of information by Herbert Simon which staes, "The rapid growth of information causes scarcity of attention." Attention Economy is to create a marketplace where consumers are happy. It is an exchange of consumer's attention for a retailer's services. There are two keys, relevancy and privacy. Steve Gimor and Seth Goldstein have constructed Attention Trust. Property, economy, and transparency are three things that are a part of the Attention Economy. In the Orlando Business Journal, New Statistics say that Facebook beats out Myspace worldwide. Facebook has about three times the users and has about 1 billion chat messages everyday.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
I am uploading a Goggle word document...
I am uploading a Goggle word document. I like the ease of access of Google as compared to MS Word...
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Facebook: Friend or Foe
Good afternoon!
This is my second summer class with Richard Pierce. Although I do not consider myself a FB user, I am slowly coming around to seeing the social networking benefits. I look forward to learning more as the sumer continues.
This is my second summer class with Richard Pierce. Although I do not consider myself a FB user, I am slowly coming around to seeing the social networking benefits. I look forward to learning more as the sumer continues.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Week 5 : HowTo video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02gNfq8kq_w
http://docs.google.com/Presentation?id=dhrfg9xj_6dsxcgkgr
Check those out! My first ever experience with Windows Movie Maker and Power Point. I found both programs easy to use after I sequentially organized my image folder and found the background design templates. I didn't add any sound to the movie and .ppt because I thought it would take away from the pictures and what I think is a neat and clean presentation.
http://docs.google.com/Presentation?id=dhrfg9xj_6dsxcgkgr
Check those out! My first ever experience with Windows Movie Maker and Power Point. I found both programs easy to use after I sequentially organized my image folder and found the background design templates. I didn't add any sound to the movie and .ppt because I thought it would take away from the pictures and what I think is a neat and clean presentation.
Week 6 - Did Iran save Twitter, or did Twitter save Iran?
William Anthony Semler
MyTube
June 30, 2009
Week 6 – Twitter vs. Iran, vs. Iran vs. Twitter
I’ve spent a better part of my afternoon catching up on the latest news regarding the Iranian election, and boy was there a lot to read from various outlets such as the New York Times, CNN, Twitter, Facebook, Telegraph UK, The Guardian UK, The Huffington Post, BBC America, and so on. I hate to admit it, but it took me several entries from NYTimes.com’s The Lede blog to understand that Moussavi had won the election and that green is the color that is representing his victory and regime. Now that I’ve got that over with . . .
I’d like to say that I feel that Iran has saved Twitter, and here is why:
- The tumultuous events in Iran have allowed for a unified community to form on Twitter. This community is one that abhors crimes against humanity and democracy committed by the government of Iran.
- Those users that are in the mix, so to say, in Iran, are giving Twitter a useful purpose, and that is to reach out to others that have the power and opportunity to make a difference. This audience is also letting the world know how they feel and what is happening as it happens, as the Iranian government so wrongly censors its media. (This as opposed to stuck-up celebrities who use Twitter to mark their whereabouts.)
The American modern society is open to reforming relations with Iran, but there are many facets and sides that have solid opinions and experiences with this communist government. Twitter is a site that enables thoughts, feelings, facts, and opinions flow freely. Not that these are all valuable sources, but now with communities defined, Twitter as a social networking tool can now aid in the reformation of the new Iranian revolution.
Week 6 - Sousveillance
William Anthony Semler II
MyTube
Week 6 Assignment – Sousveillance
July 1, 2009
Upon researching the concept of sousveillance, I came to understand its place in Media 2.0 because it is part of the “user-generated” generation.
As part of this blogger-centric tidal wave, sousveillance allows us, the user, the one who is generally watched over by authorities, to keep an eye on those who watch over us by way of filming activities. Those who watch over us may be police, government organizations, management at our workplace, and so on. The advent of high quality cameras in our cell phones, along with affordable digital devices that record sound, video, and still photos, allows average and concerned citizens to capture footage of a particular incident and voice opinions on anything and everyone.
“Sousveillance” refers to cameras that are at human level, meaning they are attatched somewhere to the body, whereas to survey someone, it is from a birds eye view, and most likely the people being watched are unaware of the surveillance. This souseveillance portrays the feeling of the moment, whether positive of negative, jolly or sad, and will lend to the facts of the matter. Media 2.0 is the culmination of people who want to give their take and spin on things, which leads me to a downfall of sousveillance.
The holder of the footage filmed has the power to control the image, which can lead to it being taken out of context. The recording shown, whether by the media or the person who captured the moment, may show only the most interesting and controversial part of the video, the confrontation, but not necessarily the events leading up to it or those after. (i.e.: an officer striking an audience may be shown, but the audience may not know that the officer was acting in self defense.) Also, many problems can arise from a still capture that was lifted from the video.
On a positive note, footage from this “reporter” can be posted for any and all to see, or can be sent to any source. The right, or wrong footage, in the right hands, can save a life or bring justice to those who deserve it.
All in all, this new concept of “sousveillance” has brought to light what I can accomplish as an everyday citizen trying to set things right in this crazy world.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Marty's Place review
Anthony Semler
YouTube Summer 2009
Restaurant review
Ahh, summer. This time of year never gets old. Morgantown in the summer is pleasant because the students are out of town, traffic is usually manageable, and the Cheat Lake is enjoyable while on a boat viewing the spectacular scenery, mountains and bikini-clad girls alike.
Last Wednesday, I had the pleasure of visiting Marty’s Place with three close friends. Marty’s Place is located off of the Cheat Lake exit near Ices Ferry. It is located in the old Dimitri’s location, which sits next to Interstate 68 and along the back of the 18th fairway of the Lakeview golf course. Marty Biafore, the owner, has 25 years of industry experience. We came too late to enjoy the vast deck and outdoor bar, but the manager allowed us to check it out anyway. New construction to the old deck included a 25-foot extension, a new terrace, and also a pond, all of which was done by Rich’s Garden Creations.
Marty’s place has yet to begin advertising, partly because the dining room is not open, and partly because the menu has yet to be finalized. The bartender, Katy, was pleasant enough, but for some reason I was expecting a more attractive person because of how upscale the establishment is. I know that this may seem rude to most, but it is a personal observation.
Around me sat a handful of people sipping on martinis and other cordials. A few dinner plates were being cleared as we ordered drinks. The bar was fully stocked to compliment the menu. Between my friends and I, we ordered shrimp cocktail, boar sausage and dill sauce, a few house salads with a Hennessey vinagariette, two pounds of king crab legs, and a 14 oz. Wagyu steak.
The shrimp were definitely jumbo sized, but there were only four, and for some reason I was expecting five. The cooked perfectly and served with plenty of cocktail sauce, although I found that to be mainly ketchup as opposed to a tangy horseradish and garlic base. The salads were a great size for a pre-meal bite, and they included tomatoes, cucs, and olives. As for the dressing, it should be bottled up and sold! It is a bright yellow, with a medium consistency and a sweet-and-sour flavor. My friend Sara thought it complimented her perfectly steamed crab legs and chardonnay. The crablegs were meaty and juicy. Served on the side, baby sautéed carrots and draw butter with garlic flattered the entrée. As for the 14 oz. steak my friend Adam ordered, it was like tasting heaven! Wagyu is a delicate beef that should only be cooked medium rare and seasoned only with salt and pepper. His steak came with a salad and a side of sautéed carrots.
Overall, we were all extremely satisfied with out meal. Prices were either really reasonable or over-priced ($16 for the crab leg meal – reasonable, $14 for the shrimp cocktail – unreasonable). Marty’s has a casual fine dining atmosphere that I felt comfortable in. I’m excited to see where the Marty’s vision takes the restaurant!
Week 4: Media 2.0
The past 5 years has a brought about a wave of user-generated technology aptly named media 2.0 by those who study it. I am not a person who studies the new media phenomenon, but am one who is slowly adapting to it and integrating it into my life. I find the difference in these two to be read-only vs. user-generated.
I feel that media 1.0 was based off of a read-only platform. Information was filtered through search engines such as Dogpile, Ask.com, Yahoo, and Google, to name a few. Results came from the official websites of what you had searched for, and somewhere within the results, several Geocities pages popped up. This was also back in the day when there weren’t banner ads and online advertisements filling up whatever white space was available.
Nowadays, search engines are way more refined and in tune with what I’m looking for. I blame cookies for my computer running slow, but love that Google and Amazon remember my likes and dislikes. Media 2.0 is predominantly based off of user-generated content. Internet consumers have at their hands, via Smartphones and PDA’s, the ability to buy and sell, search, shop, review and recommend, organize and share. It seems as if anyone with an opinion, thought, or comment on any subject can post it to any website they’d like. And if there isn’t a website that they like, well, then they can create a blog and then link it to a particular site.
I think that it’s important for consumers to have the ability to create web content because it has the ability to reach their particular network or community, which was its original purpose. As internet technology gradually creeps into my life, I still find it hard to always find what it is that I am looking for, as there is so much to take in! For example, if I were to Google “Pittsburgh Steelers stats,” results from the official NFL website, Yahoo! Sports, Fanbase, and various other sites pop up. I have to decide which provider has the most accurate numbers, best play-by-play recall, best photos, interviews, etc. I came in for one thing but come out with so much more than I had planned, which reminds me of those cleverly placed end caps at Target and Kroger.
I am a reader, a consumer, and it seems as if every website wants me to create something or to comment on something. This new media is still a bit much for me. Through this class, my participation with the outside world has increased via Blogger.com. My friend Sara, who is several years younger than me, keeps trying to rope me into the social benefits of Twitter and MySpace. I gave MySpace a whirl but was not too happy when I received so many random messages and wall posts from strangers wanting to be my friend. A few phone calls to Sara later, I learned how to adjust my privacy settings in order to block out strangers. Even though I have a Blogger account, I keep it limited to academic assignments instead of personal thoughts and rants. For future reference though, I am glad that I’ve taken this class and am amazed at how Google has streamlined it search platform into a daily-life organizer. In the meantime, I rely on my laptop’s broadband connection to get the latest in sports stats, cars, and weather. As of now, Sara is my only MySpace friend.
I feel that media 1.0 was based off of a read-only platform. Information was filtered through search engines such as Dogpile, Ask.com, Yahoo, and Google, to name a few. Results came from the official websites of what you had searched for, and somewhere within the results, several Geocities pages popped up. This was also back in the day when there weren’t banner ads and online advertisements filling up whatever white space was available.
Nowadays, search engines are way more refined and in tune with what I’m looking for. I blame cookies for my computer running slow, but love that Google and Amazon remember my likes and dislikes. Media 2.0 is predominantly based off of user-generated content. Internet consumers have at their hands, via Smartphones and PDA’s, the ability to buy and sell, search, shop, review and recommend, organize and share. It seems as if anyone with an opinion, thought, or comment on any subject can post it to any website they’d like. And if there isn’t a website that they like, well, then they can create a blog and then link it to a particular site.
I think that it’s important for consumers to have the ability to create web content because it has the ability to reach their particular network or community, which was its original purpose. As internet technology gradually creeps into my life, I still find it hard to always find what it is that I am looking for, as there is so much to take in! For example, if I were to Google “Pittsburgh Steelers stats,” results from the official NFL website, Yahoo! Sports, Fanbase, and various other sites pop up. I have to decide which provider has the most accurate numbers, best play-by-play recall, best photos, interviews, etc. I came in for one thing but come out with so much more than I had planned, which reminds me of those cleverly placed end caps at Target and Kroger.
I am a reader, a consumer, and it seems as if every website wants me to create something or to comment on something. This new media is still a bit much for me. Through this class, my participation with the outside world has increased via Blogger.com. My friend Sara, who is several years younger than me, keeps trying to rope me into the social benefits of Twitter and MySpace. I gave MySpace a whirl but was not too happy when I received so many random messages and wall posts from strangers wanting to be my friend. A few phone calls to Sara later, I learned how to adjust my privacy settings in order to block out strangers. Even though I have a Blogger account, I keep it limited to academic assignments instead of personal thoughts and rants. For future reference though, I am glad that I’ve taken this class and am amazed at how Google has streamlined it search platform into a daily-life organizer. In the meantime, I rely on my laptop’s broadband connection to get the latest in sports stats, cars, and weather. As of now, Sara is my only MySpace friend.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Week 3 Assignment David vs Goliath
Anthony Semler
Week 3 Assignment
My Tube User Generated Media
William Anthony Semler
David vs. Goliath
6/9/09
For you to understand where it is I come from when discussing the Narrative of David’s vs. Goliath’s, I feel it necessary to give my personal understanding. Even though this story originates in the Bible (1 Samuel 17), I don’t view it in a biblical sense, but more from an athletic point of view. Being someone that has grown up playing every sport, and many times have been both the David and the Goliath, I can relate to the feelings each possess at that particular time.
There were times when I was the Goliath, and had this “I can conquer the world!” feeling, where I had no reason to fear losing. And that’s exactly what happens, a loss to David! With losing being the most gut-wrenching experience in sports, imagine being the David. It’s funny how it’s the complete opposite feeling when you’re the David. You go into a situation having no reason being on the same field as your opponent, but guess what your there! At that moment you tell yourself, “I have nothing to lose!” and you go out and do the impossible, you defeat the Goliath. A feeling of adrenaline rushes over you and you enjoy that moment like no other with your teammates and coaches.
When I think of David vs. Goliath and user generated media, I can see arguments from a couple of different views. Just like me being on both sides of the spectrum regarding David vs. Goliath, user generated experiences the same thing. Let’s look at user-generated media being the David. Years ago when user generated media came onto the scene, society jumped on board and started adapting to the new technologies that were coming out. The answer is no, and even today there are those that do all in their power to not use the new technologies that control everything we do. Don’t get me wrong these people I’m talking about are the last of the Baby Boomers, and whatever is left from before then, but they are still here denying the fact that new technologies exist. So in a way user generated media is a David defeating the Goliath (mankind) because those that said it would never happen were wrong and it has happened and then some.
Let’s look at user-generated media being the Goliath. That feeling I told you about, this “I can conquer the world feeling!” user generated media certainly has felt that way for quite some time now. If being user generated media and the Goliath, it would be about impossible at this point there will ever be a David come and take you out. I guess what I am saying, and what it seems, as we are supposed to figure out is that user generated media is here and it’s not going anywhere. It seems as if you are trying to get us to realize that we are in a user generated media world, and it is going to continue to be the case forever. I will be honest, I am not very savvy at all on most of our new technologies and this one is growing on me in a good way. I like seeing these applications in my day-to-day life!
Week 3 Assignment
My Tube User Generated Media
William Anthony Semler
David vs. Goliath
6/9/09
For you to understand where it is I come from when discussing the Narrative of David’s vs. Goliath’s, I feel it necessary to give my personal understanding. Even though this story originates in the Bible (1 Samuel 17), I don’t view it in a biblical sense, but more from an athletic point of view. Being someone that has grown up playing every sport, and many times have been both the David and the Goliath, I can relate to the feelings each possess at that particular time.
There were times when I was the Goliath, and had this “I can conquer the world!” feeling, where I had no reason to fear losing. And that’s exactly what happens, a loss to David! With losing being the most gut-wrenching experience in sports, imagine being the David. It’s funny how it’s the complete opposite feeling when you’re the David. You go into a situation having no reason being on the same field as your opponent, but guess what your there! At that moment you tell yourself, “I have nothing to lose!” and you go out and do the impossible, you defeat the Goliath. A feeling of adrenaline rushes over you and you enjoy that moment like no other with your teammates and coaches.
When I think of David vs. Goliath and user generated media, I can see arguments from a couple of different views. Just like me being on both sides of the spectrum regarding David vs. Goliath, user generated experiences the same thing. Let’s look at user-generated media being the David. Years ago when user generated media came onto the scene, society jumped on board and started adapting to the new technologies that were coming out. The answer is no, and even today there are those that do all in their power to not use the new technologies that control everything we do. Don’t get me wrong these people I’m talking about are the last of the Baby Boomers, and whatever is left from before then, but they are still here denying the fact that new technologies exist. So in a way user generated media is a David defeating the Goliath (mankind) because those that said it would never happen were wrong and it has happened and then some.
Let’s look at user-generated media being the Goliath. That feeling I told you about, this “I can conquer the world feeling!” user generated media certainly has felt that way for quite some time now. If being user generated media and the Goliath, it would be about impossible at this point there will ever be a David come and take you out. I guess what I am saying, and what it seems, as we are supposed to figure out is that user generated media is here and it’s not going anywhere. It seems as if you are trying to get us to realize that we are in a user generated media world, and it is going to continue to be the case forever. I will be honest, I am not very savvy at all on most of our new technologies and this one is growing on me in a good way. I like seeing these applications in my day-to-day life!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Week 2 Assignment
Anthony Semler
Week 2 Assignment
6/2/09
After reading the articles for this assignment it seems as if the writers have a lot of the same opinions about why there has been a tremendous decline in the buying and reading of newspapers, as well as the decline in watching television shows that broadcast daily news/events. It's obvious that the Internet is responsible for the major decline. Other than the internet, another reason for the decline is the information provided by newspapers and television is a lot of times not the truth but what they think the reader/watcher want to read/hear. I grew up in time where if you weren’t getting your information from the newspapers then you would obtain it from television or the radio. Internet wasn’t really something that I had at my fingertips (literally) to try and find information about what’s going on in the world. The use of Internet has changed the way that most of us are living our lives. The Internet is something that is being used in so many different ways that it has become a part of the world’s social outlook. For example communicating isn’t done just by telephone; you now have email, chat rooms, blogging, twitter, etc… Not only is there more ways to communicate it is a means of FREE communication. Along with being free it is also the FASTEST way for people to obtain the information they seek. We as Americans are the highest contributor to this movement. If we would stay in the Stone Age and not begin to use the Internet/Cellular phones as a means of communication, whether it is for news or pleasure, then we would not be developing ourselves as a leading country. Therefore in a way I agree, why would you read a paper or watch a television show that is either going to give you the news late or give it to you in a way they see fit as opposed to the truth. My opinion about the decline in readership being cyclical or a linear trend is that we are most likely headed down a linear path. I can see the trend coming back around like it has in years past, but if the economy is going to dictate whether or not newspapers will again rise as the main means of information, at this point I am fairly sure it will be a linear trend. On the other hand the economy may not have any influence on whether the newspaper will arise again. If you think about it our technology, it is getting better and better every day so to think that newspapers will be the main source of information is probably absurd. With children using the Internet and cellular phone services as their main means of communicating, I can see newspapers becoming less of a factor in people’s main means of information. I know that when and if I have kids they will be raised around the newest technologies so that they aren’t feeling lost in the dark quite like I feel from time to time. These assignments however hard for me are also quite educating considering what it is we are trying to achieve!
http://www.thesimon.com/magazine/articles/canon_fodder/01032_pulitzer_legacy__decline_print_america.html
http://akinokure.blogspot.com/2008/09/decline-of-print-journalism.html
http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/node/6167
Week 2 Assignment
6/2/09
After reading the articles for this assignment it seems as if the writers have a lot of the same opinions about why there has been a tremendous decline in the buying and reading of newspapers, as well as the decline in watching television shows that broadcast daily news/events. It's obvious that the Internet is responsible for the major decline. Other than the internet, another reason for the decline is the information provided by newspapers and television is a lot of times not the truth but what they think the reader/watcher want to read/hear. I grew up in time where if you weren’t getting your information from the newspapers then you would obtain it from television or the radio. Internet wasn’t really something that I had at my fingertips (literally) to try and find information about what’s going on in the world. The use of Internet has changed the way that most of us are living our lives. The Internet is something that is being used in so many different ways that it has become a part of the world’s social outlook. For example communicating isn’t done just by telephone; you now have email, chat rooms, blogging, twitter, etc… Not only is there more ways to communicate it is a means of FREE communication. Along with being free it is also the FASTEST way for people to obtain the information they seek. We as Americans are the highest contributor to this movement. If we would stay in the Stone Age and not begin to use the Internet/Cellular phones as a means of communication, whether it is for news or pleasure, then we would not be developing ourselves as a leading country. Therefore in a way I agree, why would you read a paper or watch a television show that is either going to give you the news late or give it to you in a way they see fit as opposed to the truth. My opinion about the decline in readership being cyclical or a linear trend is that we are most likely headed down a linear path. I can see the trend coming back around like it has in years past, but if the economy is going to dictate whether or not newspapers will again rise as the main means of information, at this point I am fairly sure it will be a linear trend. On the other hand the economy may not have any influence on whether the newspaper will arise again. If you think about it our technology, it is getting better and better every day so to think that newspapers will be the main source of information is probably absurd. With children using the Internet and cellular phone services as their main means of communicating, I can see newspapers becoming less of a factor in people’s main means of information. I know that when and if I have kids they will be raised around the newest technologies so that they aren’t feeling lost in the dark quite like I feel from time to time. These assignments however hard for me are also quite educating considering what it is we are trying to achieve!
http://www.thesimon.com/magazine/articles/canon_fodder/01032_pulitzer_legacy__decline_print_america.html
http://akinokure.blogspot.com/2008/09/decline-of-print-journalism.html
http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/node/6167
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Week 1 Assignment
Week 1 Assignment
Anthony Semler
WVU Student
USA
anthonysemler.blogspot.com
Considering that I am not the most internet savvy person, I would like to think that what I have accomplished so far is impressive. Through doing this assignment, I have found more ways to use the internet as my main source of keeping up with life’s current issues.
The ways in which I now obtain my information is through television and internet sites that provide me with the kind of information that interests me. I use sports websites such as Sportsbook.com, Steelers.com, msnsportsnet.com, and WVU. I use these particular websites to keep up on what the latest is on sports updates as well as games. I have a lot of interest in how bookmakers make their lines so accurate. Because I am a Pittsburgh Steeler and West Virginia University Mountaineers fan, I like to keep up on the latest scores, politics, and franchise information.
I chose CNN as my home page because I wanted to be able to search any current topics that would have a large impact on our country. CNN has all-access to political debates and health articles, along with lifestyle updates.
When I think about using television, I start to think now about having a high def television and cable that provides these HD capabilities. I still watch the same shows as I always have, which are all sports related, but now I get to enjoy the action as if I am there. My computer use is always improving as well as with the amount in which I use it. Like I mentioned before, my favorite and most frequently used sites are revolved around sports and my top two sports teams. I do find myself taking a quicker step towards my laptop as opposed to heading to the television and turning it on to find the information I seek.
I guess being a person that isn’t the most internet savvy, and someone that puts off using the computer, I am happy with where I am with my knowledge about the internet and its capabilities. Up until this assignment I would’ve never had a reason to create a blogger website and also use blogging as a way to communicate my opinions.
Short Summary of Assignment 1
This assignment was to create a gmail account, and also go to blogger.com to create a blog site. In doing this I set up my profile, created a theme and added some gadgets that helped express who I am. I also did some exploring of the tabs on my blog site, as well as creating an introduction. The most difficult part of this assignment was to type up a document that more or less explained everything that I I have learned and how I use what I've learned through this assignment. I also created this blog which has proven very interesting!
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