Digital Media's Influence on Music.

While record sales are down because of illegal downloading due to the existence of file sharing sites, digital media still plays a crucial role in the music industry. Sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and Soundcloud give artist an opportunity to connect directly with their fans in real time. They’re able to communicate with their fan base while simultaneously promote their music.

As we all know by now, the internet is the go-to resource for information instantaneously. When it comes to music, people all over the world are searching day in and day out for new artist or the next best thing in the music industry. Being a fellow music junky I must say it feels great to discover new music online before its top 40 hit on billboard. All these things are possible through digital media. For upcoming independent artist, social networks are essential to jumpstarting a career. On Twitter, you can follow people who have common interest in you in music. You can promote your material and possibly network with industry insiders who also have accounts on the site. Videos, whether they be music videos or “vlogs” (video blogs), can be uploaded and shared on YouTube. Once artist have generated a decent level of exposure, they can create a fan page on Facebook to keep them updated with things such as tour dates, merchandise, etc.

Digital media really has changed the way artist become stars and really sped up the process of doing so. I can recall times when I wasn’t able to hear music from my favorite artist due to the lack of music blogs and other social networks. Now I have the luxury of being able to hear new music from them before it hits the radio (if it ever does). An example of an artist that capitalized on digital media to become successful is Pittsburgh raised rapper, Wiz Khalifa. Posting new music on his Myspace weekly and the use of video blogs (also weekly), helped catapult him into stardom. Even before topping the Billboard charts, Khalifa was able to book shows and tour because of his massive presence online. This, of course, gives the artist an opportunity to spread their music and make money without the backing of a major record label.

While some believe the internet is causing more people to try their luck in music in hopes in gaining their “15 minutes of fame”, you can’t argue the positive things it does for those who are truly talented and want to spread their musical gifts to the world. Digital media has made it possible for artist to establish themselves solely by connecting with their true fans. As a huge hip-hop fan, I can tell you that some of my favorite artists owe the success they are now seeing to digital media.

-LaShawn Heard
#dig2000

Video Game Violence Vs. Movie Violence

I’m not sure that this topic has ever truly been discussed before. It always seems to be one or the other that is mentioned. And lately, every time something violent happens, researchers come back saying, “Video games done did it! Durp!”  I just don’t know that I agree with those claims.

The biggest argument I have on this topic, as well as anyone really, is how the mediums are controlled in regards to whom can get their hands on it. The retail industry and theatre industry can only block the purchaser of the content from getting their grubby little hands on things they aren’t allowed to view or experience. However, this is where the two industries drop the ball. It isn’t the rating system, it isn’t the content – it’s the policing of sales. The flipside to this is that neither industry is exactly getting it right, but because video games are interactive, people are quicker to blame, let’s say the unrealistically graphic Counter-Strike PC game, then to blame the realistically gory Saw series of movies.  I just feel that its unfair to blame one and not take into account the other.

As far as the influence of video game violence on people goes and whether or not it really desensitizes some people is not something I can say is true or false. I’m sure that prolonged exposure to this sort of content surely could, but I’m not so sure to the length of full on violence. There is more than likely something more than violent media expose in someone’s psyche to push them to those bounds. However, I’m no scientist. So once again, I just can’t say for certain, but I can say to me violence is violence no matter the graphic nature of it, no matter the medium. It’s all in how knowledgeable a person is or can become that will let them take it in with the grain of salt that it should be. At end of the day, it is nothing more than “special effects.”

Comment if you wish and let me know how to you feel about the topic!

"If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It"

"If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!" "We Hate the New Facebook, so STOP CHANGING IT!!!"
Yet again, Facebook has changed its layout. With that change brings the ridiculous statuses, fan pages, and member complaining for weeks after. The newsfeed gets clogged with complaints, people wanting Facebook to change back, and members even threatening to delete their accounts completely.
I think it’s clear that most people are ignorant of the increasing demand for technology. Leaving the layout for so long will cause users to become bored and find other social networks. Facebook’s continuous update with the layout is simply an effort to keep up with rival social networks.
Also, let's keep in mind that this is a social network. Not your online bank account. There is no need to get so worked up over a few changes. Creating a fan pages with complaining about the new layout as the only goal will not convince the creators of Facebook to change it back. The best thing to do is moderate your time on Facebook and accept the change. Keep things positive on Facebook!

Kindle Vs. Bookstore

       "One thousand three hundred thirty two," I declare triumphantly to my household members. "It took forever but I finished counting my precious book collection." I then noticed my hubby had his own triumphant look about him. "Did you count the boxes under the bed?" Danny giggled knowing the answer. "No!" I sulked and turned back to add those forgotten souls to the head count.

        It was not the counting of the books that took me so desperately long to complete. Instead it was with each favorite title I counted that I found myself opening it to a favorite passage as though I was visiting an old and dear friend. Also while I counted my collection, there was a pang of guilt. I had been neglecting my old friends. Dust bunnies were noshing on my gardening books. My childhood copy of Charlotte's Web had an authentic cob web draped across the corner. The books had been abandoned and neglected due to a new flame in my life, the Kindle.

        My traditional paper and ink books were still nice. They did have the upper hand in their beautiful full color illustrations. Most of the books in my library are first editions and quite a few are signed by famous authors. I currently have 22 highly prized centurion books which have fine bindings of leather and golden guilt edges. I still have my first novel that I read in the first grade.

       Even with all these fine attributes, the old world books were having a hard time measuring up to my new high-tech e-reader. I was not trying to get rid of my collection of books or replace them. The main reason for the Kindle purchase according to my husband "We have no more walls for bookcases!" My Kindle boasts a bookcase large enough for 1600 books. It can play mp3s, browse the internet (for free) and post my favorite book passages to Twitter and Facebook. If I am reading an ancient novel from a couple centuries ago and come across an archaic word, I can highlight it in my Kindle and it will go directly to Dictionary.com for the meaning.All done without turning on a computer or opening a paper dictionary.

       On July 19 2011, the PCBdaily.com posted that all Borders bookstores were set to close down for good. People were spending less money in bookstores so it follows that people are going to lose their jobs. As I was reading the article on my Kindle, it hit me. I'm the one who made Borders go bankrupt. Well, maybe not that far; however, I had unintentionally played a part. I sat there staring at my Kindle while thinking about Borders claim that E-readers and a bad economy among other things had brought the giant bookstore to its knees. But, I wondered how much that I had personally contributed to the bankruptcy of Borders. Then I realized that I was the perfect candidate to check Borders hypothesis. From 2007 to 2008, I purchased 161 traditional books from Borders.com and our local Borders bookstore. In 2009 the number of books bought from our local Borders bookstore had dropped to 14 because I had downloaded 139 books on my new Kindle instead. In 2010, I purchased only 9 books from Borders and 133 books for my Kindle. So far in 2011, I have bought 7 books(all from the Borders liquidation sale) and 48 books for my Kindle. No my reading has not declined this year, I am just taking alot of classes this year! Looking back at the past five years, my book buying habits have changed significantly. With the economy being as bad as it is and today's hectic schedules, it is just cheaper and more convenient to download an entire book in less than 60 seconds than it is to burn expensive gas and precious time to drive to the bookstore.

YOUTUBE: Entertaining, Educational and Sometimes Misleading

I was probably 50 years young before I knew Youtube existed and then only because my son sent me a Youtube video of him wakeskating in the bay like this one http://youtu.be/CEEkTAMhHzM.  After that I might periodically get an email with a funny video but didn’t give it much thought of where it came from. It wasn’t until I met back up with a guy from highschool that I had not seen in 35 years that I truly was enlightened by all the Youtube possibilities.

Once Kenny and I started dating I noticed he was on the computer a lot when I was at his house.  Hmmm, I thought what is he looking at? Was it good or bad? So I started looking over his shoulder and watching.  Soon I realized that he was watching videos on Youtube.  You see Kenny is a surfer and he also builds custom surfboards to sell.  Much to my amazement, I saw that not only was he able to watch videos of people surfing like this one http://youtu.be/HpvTlhGGZaA   but he could also watch how-to videos on different shapes and techniques for surfboards like this one http://youtu.be/TOaZpzNbBk4.  Well if he can watch surf videos then I must be able to watch quilting videos.  So the search began, I starting exploring and soon found out that this YouTube thing could be very educational.

It doesn’t stop with just educational stuff.  I also found some very entertaining videos.  My favorite is the one I found of the college guys singing Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” http://youtu.be/MTnmbnEYJgc. I must admit these guys are just as good as she is and just as strange. If you don’t watch any other video in this blog you must watch these guys.  I laughed till I cried.

Watchers beware: there are definitely some fakes on the site.  Some I may feel is fake but you may believe are real, or maybe I think they are real and you think they are fake. I’ll let you decide for yourself. Like this one of the guy being attacked by a killer whale coming on to the water’s edge and attacking him. http://youtu.be/HgxvI5OAwck

So as you can see YouTube has a wide variety of videos to watch.  It just depends on if you are looking for educational, some entertainment, or just one of those video you have to figure out whether it’s real or fake.  No matter what I search for I am always amazed at what you can find on Youtube like this video on Digial Media Revolution. http://youtu.be/ZE5bncAEhSQ

Paula Cox

Dig2000

Digital Media's Influence in Grade (Elementary) School Children

Educational opportunities for children, effective parent –teacher communication and school safety has increased because of digital media’s presence in elementary schools. I am a parent of an elementary school age child and rely on electronic communication to remain connected to the classroom activities.

My elementary school age child detests opening a paper book. Reading is not his favorite subject and challenges him.  But, the presence of digital media in the class room has transformed his dislike of reading a paper book, into an adventure through interactive computer stories and games.  He also enjoys reading on the kindle and listening to electronic stories on the computer.  Electronic devices were once considered a luxury, but children born in the 21^st century view them as basic tools of survival. I recall helping him with a research paper last year.  The school library had limited information on his selected subject, his quickly goggled his topic, read the information, and completed the assignment with photographs, then listed all sources from the Internet.

Some may argue that the dependence and move toward digital media is causing children to forget their basic writing skills, and that younger children cannot determine truth in material from the World Wide Web. There are some who will note that some historic documents are not found on the web; and contend elementary school age children have not been taught patriotism and do not have a full understanding of our country’s history. For every objection to the use of digital media; there are ten students who have improved their skill set thanks to digital media tools and devices.

As a parent of a child in a rural elementary school, I must applaud the school for their efforts to provide a diverse learning environment that includes a large component influenced by digital media. From the smart board with the digital response system, to the document camera that displays assignments; elementary age students are becoming more engaged in the classroom.  Time and paper are conserved, as several schools transition into environmentally friendly institutions, kindles are replacing textbooks and video lessons are being integrated into the curriculum.  Laptops and ipads are replacing extremely heavy  backpacks and daily planners are being fazed into electronic calendars.

I have an older female child who is now a junior in college. When in elementary school, my daughter brought home every piece of paper that her teacher gave her, some days, I felt she brought home someone else’s papers and notes.  I knew all of her activity dates and deadlines in elementary school and was able to plan attendance at school functions. Fast-forward thirteen years past the birth of my son to his entrance into elementary school.  I do not receive many notes from his teachers nor did I receive the printed notices that were sent on Friday.  Some will tell you that many little boys do not bring home notes from the teacher! Activities pass, lunch room balances increase and you become the parent who missed a class function or did not return a signed document. It’s enough to make you question yourself and seek other avenues for information. Thanks to email in the class room and automated parent notification systems, I am an aware and involved parent! I can read the Friday note on the school’s website; I receive automated notices on my phone and in my email and can now check his cafeteria balance and make online deposits into his account.  I can effectively communicate through email with his teacher to monitor his grades, activities and with the school nurse to inquire about his health. 

Recently, my son missed the early bus to his after school provider. I received a call from a concerned friend who thought I forgot to pick him up in the car rider lane, offering to bring him to me.  In past years, this would have been a major safety concern.  The school district uses a finger scan device on his school bus to keep better track of attendance.  With the challenges and mandates placed on schools and educators; keeping track of students is a job in itself, especially when you factor in miles of  dirt roads.  This digital system is a valuable tool that provides real-time data on attendance!  When he did not get on the afternoon bus, the system automatically notified the school’s office staff who verified and redirected the bus to return to the school.  As I was dialing the office, the bus driver was calling to verify his return to pick up my son.

Digital media’s influence in elementary schools has a positive impact on students and allows parents to remain in constant contact with teachers and faculty.  It also provides an opportunity for parents to remain engaged in their child’s education and safety through the day.

Donna Green
dig2000

Advancement of the Gaming Industry

Video games have come a long way from "Pong Game" which is played with 2 lines and 1 ball. The objective of this game is get the ball past your opponent's line and reach a certain score. I remember playing Pong Game in the Arcade and making my own version in a summer class. The game was simple, and easy to play. I know I could go on forever talking about games and what I liked and didn't like. We can all agree that video games today are nothing like they used to be. Games are defined by their graphics, game play, difficulty, and replayability. Games are constantly evolving and they continue to make money. I play games and enjoy them very much. I actually have some games reserved and will pick them up in November when they come out.

Now back to how games have advanced in.....well mostly everything. Video game industries made about 11.7 billion dollers in 2008. 2008! Imagine how much they've made this year. I mean you could try and search it up. I attempted to look it up but didnt find it, then again I didnt search real hard. Games began developing in the 1970s. As time moved on along with technology, so did video games. When you get a chance, look up video games that were made in the 70's. Now look up games that were made this year. You will see a huge difference in graphics, prices, and popularity. Games are more popular than ever. So this only means prices go up along with it. A brand new xbox 360 game costs $59.99. Game systems cost over $200.

Games are everywhere, even on Facebook. We all know how many people use Facebook. I'm pretty sure that the majority of Facebook users have played a game on the site which made some company money. So if you think video games are lame and dumb then you're missing the big picture. Video games will continue to grow as well as technology. Digital media is taking over the world.

Music Everywhere

When I think of computers and music, only one thing immediately comes to mind...iTunes.  Today, with the recent death of Steve Jobs the founder of Apple and many other inventions, such as the iPod, the iPad, the iPone and iTunes, it brings home how much he revolutionized the way we live day to day.

          Being an owner of an iPod, I go to the computer to buy my music.  iTunes changed the way we buy and share music, and now crosses over into movies, books and television.  I listen to my iPod every single day.  When I paint, do my homework, chores, almost everything I do I have music playing in the background.  No longer do I have to drive to the store to buy a cd, I just sit on my couch, browse iTunes and download.  I buy a much larger amount of music because of the accessibility of iTunes.  And I do it legally.

          Steve Jobs was a pioneer of technology. An artist.  A visionary.  He made one of the first personal computers and constantly sought to continue to make life easier and more entertaining for us all.  The outpouring of love for him immediately after his death shows how many people he affected and how much he will be missed.  Computers brought music into our home. Steve Jobs brought music everywhere else as well.  Work, school, shopping, running, cooking, cleaning, painting, biking, hiking... anywhere.

Krista Oneisom
dig2000