The Future.

In the Future, cars will fly, computer screens will watch your every move, and robots will roam the earth. The media's portrayal of the future almost always involves advanced technology. Movies, such as Click, Ultra Violet, and The Stepford wives are based on Futures that run soley on advanced Technology.
The movies portrayal does not seem far off in my opinion. In my lifetime, I've experienced recorded music go from a cassette tape to an i-pod. I remember in the early 90's when cd's took over cassette tapes, and now I'm seeing cd's being taken over by mp3 players.
I've also experienced the change in how movies are delivered. In the 80's and 90's, VHS's were stacked in front of my television set. Now, my televsion set is surrounded by DVD's. DVD's will be replaced too with Blue Laser Technology.
Television is changing as well. When I was younger, if I wanted to watch a show on t.v. that came on when I couldn't watch it, I would have to record it with a VCR, which was illegal. Now, If I miss a show I could easily hit a switch on my remote to watch the show via tivo. I could also log onto my computer, go to You Tube, and watch the show there.
Technology has come along way since my earlier youth. When I was younger, I didn't depend on cell phones. Now, I feel lost without one. I remember when I got my first pager. I was 11. That is when my whole life changed. I started to depend on my pager. I just needed to feel connected with others. If my mom was going to be late picking me up from school, she would page me so. If I wanted to hang out with my best friend. I would page her so. Then, When I was 14, cell phones took over my life. In my eyes, a cell phone was effecient. It was better than having to read tiny numbers on a pager screen. Looking back, I was right- Cell phones are effecient... but they shouldn't be depended on. If I wanted to hang out with a friend, I would call her using my house phone, then I would go over to her house and knock on the door. Now, I feel the need to call using my cell phone and instead of knocking on the door, I re-call my friend to let her know I'm outside. In a way, cell phones are too effecient.
Cars don't fly, computers don't watch your every move, and robots don't roam the earth- yet.

The 3 most important shows ever created are...drum roll please...

...60 minutes, Saturday Night Live, and The Tonight Show. These shows are important because they give updated information about events.
60 minutes is an educational show, which covers fascinating news. The show gives its audience an inside look on breaking news stories. Investigative reporting is what the show is known mainly for. People are able to hear the news and the backround information behind the news. The concept of who, what, when, where, and why are used when reporting. Controversial subjects are reported on. It's important to know the details of a news story because it enables the audience to form their own ideas about the news. It teaches its audience to question any underlying information given. Without investigative reporting, audiences are forced to believe news that may or may not be true.
Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show are important because they keep up with current events and politics. The shows are important because they bring lightheartedness and lend laughter to current events and politics. Often times, the shows even question the authority of the government. Saturday Night Live has given parody and sattire to important subjects, such as the presidential race and the Martha Stewart scandal.
Important guests, such as politicians in the current news, are always a part of the shows. On The Tonight Show, guests are given a chance to give their side of the story when being interviewed.
All the shows I've mentioned are excellent sources for information and entertainment together as one.

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

60 Minutes

Saturday Night Live

Howard Stern

I've never really particularly paid attention to Howard Stern, and yet I still hear about him a great deal. I wouldn't say that I like Howard Stern, but I have to give him points for getting his name out in the media and for saying what he wants to say. Growing up, I would hear about Stern's ability to make a fool out of himself and make a fool of others. Yet Somehow, Stern has and always has had a large audience. It's probably because he says what he wants to say, even if what he says isn't always fair, right, or politically correct. I wasn't devastated when Howard was kicked off of television. I felt that he didn't deserve air time because I feel that what most of what he says has negativity to it. Although most of what he says is negative, he does always find and give an educated reasoning for what he says. Take his recent position on the death of the Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin. Stern shocked and angered his audience by saying that he wasn't sad, sorry, or surprised by Steve Irwin's death. Stern then defended himself by saying that Irwin's death was inevitable. Stern used the analogy of cops and firemen dying not being surprising, so why would a man who wrestled with crocodiles dying is surprising.
It is sad that Stern blatanly said that Irwin's death comes to no shock, but it does come with some truth. It seems as if truth never runs rampant in today's media, so when someone wants to tell the truth, an audience will surely listen. Howard Stern getting kicked off of television did not hurt him. He found a new home with satellite radio. He lost viewers, but he gained listeners. In fact, he gained so many listerners, that Sirius, the satellite radio network he's on, beat the ratings of the once highest tuned XM radio. Even though I particulary don't like Stern, I will still say that Stern is revolutionary with his show. He has tested the bounds of freedom of speech time and time again. He is a man who thinks outside of the box.
I found Stern's official website interesting. It basically gives feedback on his radio show.

Howard Sterns Official Website

Skype

I didn't even know what Skpe was, until I heard all the rumors of it being banned from San Jose State University. The way people were talking about it, it seemed a little suspicious, maybe even illegal. It sounded as dangerous as the unauthorized downloading of music for free.
Wikipedia states that Skype is a peer-to-peer internet telephone system. The system is close to the system VoIP. It was founded by entrepeneurs, Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, who also founded Kazaa, a file sharing application. The system allows you to make free calls via computer (net) to others that have downloaded the system as well. The system has many features, including free voice and video conferencing. The system sounds like a helpful tool to sjsu students and faculty, so why would anyone want to ban it? The SJSU Skype Journal says that students and faculty are worried about the system causing unplanned budgets, unanticipated use of networks (causing networks to crash), and unknown exposure to various risks on master list. In my opinion, Skype sounds like a helpful tool. I would be able to save on my cellular bill and I would be able to communicate with others conveniently. Although I feel like Skype is a helpful tool, I would reccommend it's band from SJSU. The system doesn't seem fully tweaked, as in- some adjustments need to be made. Until the system could be guaranteed to be full proof (bug and leak free), I would say that Skype users try VoIP. Skype.com has a ton of information on what it's all about. I linked the website to this post.

skype website