HW 13: Blogging and your Business

“ Fair Enough. But even if GM doesn’t pay for positive coverage in blogs, just consider the possibilities in the new footloose media world. There’s littler to stop companies from quietly buying bloggers’ support, or even starting unbranded blogs of their own to promote their products- or to tar the competition.” (Klineand Burstein 226)

I feel like this quote explains why it is important for businesses to have blogs or why they can impact a certain business. Blogging can be used as advertising for companies that have something to advertise, like GM, or it can be use for editorial purposes. Some people may find this as an issue, however, ultimately, what is at stake here is that if a business is going to advertise, then blogging is a great way to do that. Blogging can help a business and advertising can as well. So this is certainly going to impact a business in a good way, which is why i think it's more important for businesses to have the impact of blogging.

Blogging Around The World

I chose to view North Korea Zone. It looks like a normal blog with a picture at the top of a statue. It seems that the same two people blog on this page. Michael Rank and Timothy Savage. The information they blog is informal in a sense and it also talks about different issues. Some topics are “Who Does Your Nails,” talking about how Korean’s have been doing nails in the US for years. Also they talk about flood damage, and they have links to interesting photos that are a photo gallery in North Korea. Basically Rebecca talks about how the blogs are controlled and owned by communist parties. I don’t feel they are owned by communist parties anymore, maybe they were at first, but this blog seems to have a mind of it’s own and the writers certainly speak freely about how they feel or what they find. Reading this chapter made me believe that blogs in other countries were monitored and they didn’t have freedom of speech. This blog demonstrates a little bit of a different view for me. I feel like Timothy and Michael speak out real situations going on in North Korea and they are also displaying photographs, and providing more information. Someone who would disagree with me may say that this blog isn’t written only by Timothy and Michael, but it is monitored and possibly changed/controlled by others.

Agree to Disagree

After having the chance to read, “Punching Holes in Old Faded Mirrors” an interview with Arianna Huffington, I had the opportunity to apply Graff’s chapter four methods of agreeing and disagreeing. Overall, I would have to say I mainly agreed with Huffington; however I did disagree with her at times. To start off, I’d have to say my feelings on this issue are mixed. I’m of two minds about her claims on blogging. On the one hand, I agree that “Blogs have made a huge difference because they have broken the monopoly of the mainstream media” (Huffington), but I’m not sure if I agree with her views on the actual media. She believes that “while the mainstream media is covering the story it’s as thought nothing else exists.” (Huffington) Basically saying that they only cover or focus on one story at a time. I don’t think that is true because the news covers so many different stories at one time, not just one specific story. I agree that blogging is exciting because “we don’t know where exactly this is going to go” (Huffington), a point that needs emphasis because many people believe that blogging will come and go quickly. I also agree that “you don’t need to reach everybody in order to have an impact”, because my experience with blogging in class has shown that only the few people in my class check it out and that confirms that it can still have an impact with out the world seeing it. Overall, after reading any section in this book, it really is agreeing and/or disagreeing, and any view point is welcomed.

"My So-Called Blog"

I feel that when a child is in middle school they are old enough to monitor themselves. If a parent wants to check out what they do on the internet but still give them privacy, then that is fine. However, invading someone’s space is uncalled for, and parents need to learn that. Children should be monitored, middle school students shouldn’t. I remember when I was in middle school my mom would sneak up on me and look over my shoulder, and I would hate that for two reasons, one: because I hate when people read anything over my shoulder, and two: because I hate that she was being so nosey. If middle school students are going to talk to their friends online, search the web, write in blogs, or do any other online activity, then I think they’re old enough to make decisions. Parents may feel that their children are losing personal privacy by giving out information, for so many different things, however, “For many in the generation that has grown up online, the solution to fight this technological loss of privacy, but to give in and embrace it: to stop worrying and learn to love the Web.” (Kline and Burstein 351) Everyone, especially parents of middle school children, need to stop worrying about the Web and learn that it can actually be a very good thing. I know when I was in middle school, I didn’t do anything wrong on the internet, so I would have the same trust with other middle school students, at least until they break that trust.

Disagreement

David Kline and Dan Burstein argue that blogging is something that people are fearing because it uses such a different language and the fact “that millions of nonprofessionals are speaking out about matters that they (according to their betters) know little about.” They make a statement that people were once worried about the telephone when it first appeared, as well. However, I disagree with this completely because the way the telephone was invented and the way it has escalated to such a necessity is something that will never happen with blogging. Especially with things such as: emailing, instant messaging, text messaging and all the different types of social computing technology out there. Blogging, to me, doesn’t seem to be important and honestly, I believe that it will eventually come to an end sooner or later. Whether it is important information or not, it’s just a person sitting at home writing similar things and stories the news papers and news are talking about. David and Dan claim that blogging will become a new phenomenon however, I disagree and I wouldn’t listen to someone “sitting in his pajamas in front of his computer.” Overall, blogging is just a way to express yourself, and information you've researched, and I feel that it will end sooner or later. Oh well...

Pg 151- Paragraphs 3 and 4

Semester Long Project

To get started on my semester long project I choose a few topics off the list of choices. There are many different social computing technologies out there and the few that I am interested in are: text messaging, social networking serviced, and instant messaging. I have the privilege of having unlimited text messaging so I’d say it’s obvious that I love to text and that is something I’d like to research. Along with social network services because Facebook and Myspace fascinate me, from the way they were developed to the way to can communicate. Lastly, Instant messaging will be an interesting one because a lot of people have instant messaging and I love to sit and talk with people, whether they be next door or miles away.

The different kinds of empowerment of marginalized groups that I choose are: Overcoming homophobia, overcoming racism, and Rights and empowerment of people with HIV/AIDS. These are three topics that have always been interesting to me. Overcoming homophobia would be an awesome thing and I’m sure researching it would be very interesting. Overcoming racism has been something that’s been going on for a LONG time and researching that would also be nice. Lastly, researching the rights and empowerment of people with HIV/AIDS is very interesting and something I ‘d like to find out about.

Geographical areas also plays a role in this semester long project, and the two places I choose to research at the US and Africa. I feel that although people think they know a lot about the US it’s still very interesting to learn something new and then realize it’s going on in your country. As for Africa I feel that would just be a good second choice.

The Snack That Smiles Back...Goldfish :)

I looked around my room and decided to look on the Pepperidge Farm website because my room mate had goldfish in the cabinet. The snack promises that “Everyone loves goldfish crackers-tasty, fun, wholesome treats. The snack that smiles back!” I feel like the snack does deliver this promise because the goldfish DO actually smile back when you eat them. Also, after eating goldfish I don’t see how people could dislike goldfish because they really are tasty and fun. Some people may not like them, but over all their statement is true because most would eat goldfish. When I was a child, I use to think that goldfish were an awesome snack, but in reality children aren’t aware that goldfish are wholesome as well, and their promise really is delivered because it is a baked snack, which parents love. There are “multiple varieties of deliciousness- try them all.” This website implies that there are many different kinds of goldfish and Pepperidge Farm products which are delicious and in my opinion, I would have to agree!

Blogs Blogs Blogs!

After reading these pages I have gotten the chance to answer one of my main questions in the beginning of this course; What does blogging have anything to do with politics? Many people write up blogs before an election and they use them to try and persuade different viewers. A lot of times it really works and the blog changes the political election based on people viewing and reading them. I find that fascinating because before reading this book I had no idea what a blog even was, and now I’m getting the chance to write my own and read about blogs that have or could, essentially, change the world.
I find it interesting that 45 percent of Americans don’t believe what they read in the newspapers yet they use something such as a blog to help them make decisions on important situations like elections. How trust worthy are blogs and what exactly are people writing that make decisions for others?
Because of all the false mainstream media information people are declaring that blogging is bringing us ‘back to the future.” Blogs are giving us true information and they are providing it way before the mainstream media even gets a chance. (Ex: TheMemoryHole.com provided Defense Department photos of caskets of the soldiers who had recently died in Iraq.)
Blogs are also helping the world. “Central to the Internet-enabled campaign strategy first developed by Trippi was the unprecedented ability of blogs to serve as fund- raising vehicles ect.” (Kline & Burstein) Dean went on to raise 45 million dollars online for an organization fund-raiser and people continued to follow in his foot steps afterwards.
Blogs are becoming more and more popular “...A lot of people are even afraid to open their door to strangers. But they’re not afraid to talk to people online.” Blogging seems to be the new thing on everybodys mind.

Relating Burststein's 12 key ideas to an issue.

2. Blogs are particularly interesting because they marry so much personality and attitude with this complex mix of software technologies.

Burstein’s second idea states that “…we can have more technology without necessarily becoming more depersonalized and alienated as a society.” (Burstein) Also it mentions how individuals are able to use bogging as a tool to voice their ideas that have never or may never be heard. Using these two thought I can closely relate this to online web sites such as: Facebook.com and Myspace.com. Where we aren’t letting thses depersonalize any relationship, but rather using it as a way to communicate and voice our thoughts to one another. Websites like Facebook.com and Myspace.com have aloud people to communicate through typing. These typed words can also be expressed verbally to discuss what may be going on in the Myspace or Facebook world. In some way it may even bring people closer because it is giving people something to talk about these days. Just like Myspace and Facebook, blogging has become something that everyone talks/knows about. It gives individuals a way to express themselves as well as keep in touch, and there is nothing wrong with that. Also, having such things as computers and telephones have proved that we aren’t depersonalizing anything because people still have verbal conversations, so as Burstein stated it wouldn’t make a difference if more technology were used.