blogsforme

2006-05-04T14:04:00.000-07:00

Lindsay Hurley

English 206

Essay 4

When I was younger, I probably kept about five diaries throughout my whole childhood. Out of the five diaries, I would say all of them were read, whether it was by a family member or a friend. At the time, I had wished I had somewhere to write that could be personal and never been read by those people. It made me feel violated and I found myself stuck in a bad situation because of what was written within my diary.

With my first three diaries, I was too young to know anything about a computer. With my last two diaries, I had just been introduced to the Internet but only to set up an email account. It was not until about two and a half years ago that I heard of a blog. The news media made them sound dangerous. They also formed a bias showing everyone using a blog was in their adolescent age and majorities of them were abducted because they were putting themselves on the Internet for anyone to view. At that point, I still did not know the full extent of them. It was not until about a year ago, when I wrote my first blog. I had written a blog about a long weird night I had shared with one of my friends the night before through the blogs on Myspace. At that moment, I was not sure if what I had used my blog for was the “correct purpose” for writing a blog. I did enjoy how it gave me chooses of sharing it just with myself, only my friends, or everyone who had viewed my account, friend or not. It had then reminded me of writing in my diary. Even though people could go on my page and know who I am, with a click of the mouse I could set my blog for no one to see except myself. Finally, when I attended English 206 of this semester, I realized exactly why blogs are written. Anything a person feels obligated to use their blog for they may, whether it is personal such as a diary, for business, or for school used as a communication device between professor and student.

As technology is discovering new inventions everyday, the people must be able to keep up with the rising popularities to stay up-to-date. People are finding the same trust in web logs, as they once found in writing in a diary. No one would have ever thought of putting their most personal thoughts on the Internet for anyone to view years ago because the Internet was not a place many people knew much of anything. As Phil Gyford says in his article in the BBC News, “a few years ago these blog sites were the sole domain of web geeks but now an ever-increasing number cover thousands of topics.” Therefore, it just goes to show that when blogs first were discovered, only the people who knew a wide variety about the Internet were using blogs. As the Internet is becoming more popular and more people have to use it everyday, they are introduced to new inventions such as the blogosphere. It has been found that “one of the reasons for the recent boom in web logs is that the tools to create and manage them are generally free and increasingly easy to use” (Gyford). Because it is such a convenience and can quickly be done while a person is browsing the Internet throughout the day, more people are found using their blog as a diary.

A journalist named Phil Gyford decided that it would be a great idea to put the diary of a man named Samuel Pepys on a weblog. He thought that if Samuel were alive today, he would want to put his diary on the Internet. Gyford finds putting Samuels diary on the Web as “a thrill because it is a personal diary, the reading is different than that of a weblog.” The one thing that has been thought of was that if someone such as Samuel put their diary on the Internet, they would be careful of the words they would use to describe something. Even though people know they are writing for strangers, they are still hesitant to put their true feelings. I think this is partly because of what the news media has put into the audiences head about the negative outcome of blogs.

Blogs have turned from into a public diary for anyone to view because it is an easier task for someone to go onto their blog while already on the Internet and write their “diary” than to take the time and write their thoughts in a physical diary. It would make more sense to use a blog as a diary if there is an option of keeping it private for no one to see. I really do not see the point of keeping a hand diary, if there is a chance that someone close could break the lock. It might be nice to get someone else’s advice about a problem you may be having. I remember in one of my classes, the professor had us write down a problem we were having and not put our name on it. He collected them, and then gave them to other classmates. We responded to the ones we received and received ours back the following week. I really enjoyed hearing what advice the reader had to give. The person had no idea who I was and the same for me. Receiving advice from someone is far less offense of to me than getting it from someone you know. I have found the reader is also more insightful about the problem because they do not know the writer. I think that can be accomplished by putting a diary through a blog.

Although it may seem private because it isn’t being read by people known by the writer, “publication on a blog would generally be considered public disclosure unless the private fact is newsworthy even if it is offensive” (Mercado, 133). So whatever is said, is put out to the public for anyone to see. If someone was to use this as a diary, they would have to decide if they would want many people to be able to know all of their thoughts. It is sometimes hard for someone to put their true thoughts out in the open whether they know the person or not.

I am not sure what all is gained through private thoughts being revealed for anyone to read. However, I do think a little relief may be accomplished because they know it could be kept private from the people they know. I know I would feel safer putting my feelings on a blog than in a diary. With blogs, you may be ashamed to say something or scared but it would not matter as much if someone you have never seen, spoke to, or knew nothing about read a private blog or a diary as much as it would matter if it were someone you knew. As the World and the Internet is improving, I see more people looking at blogs the same way I do. They are no longer being looked at as a negative product as many use to see it as. I think the blogosphere may still produce some negative outcome because of people using it as a personal diary. Nevertheless, the more people that join in writing for themselves, the more improvement there will be to come.

Works Cited

Baker, S. “A Growing Public Domain.” Business Week. Issue 1262. (2005). 64-66.

Gyford, Phil. “Why I Turned Pepys Diary into a Weblog.” BBC News. (2003): 30

April 2006 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2621581.stm>

Mercado-Kierkegaard, S. “Blogs, Lies, and the Doocing: The Next Hotbed of

Litigation?” Blogging-Emerging Legal Liabilities. 22.2 (2006). 128-176.

2006-05-04T10:43:00.000-07:00

This week has been horrible! I am really glad this week is a freestyle blog because I need to vent. My essay that is due today has not come as smoothly as I thought. It is probably because I have a million and one things going on in my life. I had recently got laid off at my job because my boss wanted someone full-time. So I went and filled out a whole bunch of applications. I ended up finding to jobs at a Italian restaurant and a Mexican restaurant. I thought this would be a good thing because I really need the money. Well it hasn't been so positive after all. At the mexican restaurant, I am barely making enough tips to live because the business is slow. The Italian restaurant is worse because I am still in training so I am not getting any tips at all and I have to memorize the menu so I can take a test. Why does it have to be the same week of finals? My rent was due on Monday and once again I had to ask my mom for money. She gave it to me but I feel horrible and seriously hate asking for money from anyone. And she doesn't have money just laying around because she is going to court because her gold-digging ex-husband is sueing her for $30,000. It really makes me upset that she is going through this and I have to ask her for money. But like the wonderful person she is, she works over-time so she can help me out because she says she knows where I am coming from and hates to see me struggle. I feel really horrible and try to tell the people who help me how much I appreciate their help but I just don't think they really understand just how grateful I am. Tuesday morning I woke up with a terrible cold. Seriously, who gets a cold in May when it is hotter than ever? On Wednesday it was worse. I am glad I didn't have school because I got a chance to sleep in. I feel so deprived from sleep. I work Friday through Monday from 9am to 10 or 11pm and only get about an hour break...just enough time to go to the next job. My friends all are being two-faced! They are mad because the time I do have off I spend it with my boyfriend. They haven't had a boyfriend in a while and have forgotten what it is like to have one...I think! I don't want to lose them as friends but I really don't think they understand what place I am in right now and when I don't want just time to myself or my boyfriend I am entirely too busy to go party with them. I find myself growing up more and more everyday and they are still living with their parents with no job. I have had to go up fast since I have moved out from my parents house and they have not yet experienced how horrible that can really be.

2006-04-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

Since I have been in this class, I have learned so much about the blogosphere. Before this class, I didn't even know exactly what a blog was or what it was capable of reproducing. The only thing I knew about blogs is what was shown on the news. The media makes it seem like blogs are only out on the internet for younger people to get raped or abuducted. But that is not what they are only used for.
Many people are using them for school, work, and pleasure. They are just now becoming more popular and used by more people everyday. Just like myself, many people are being bought into blogs everyday because of their daily occupations. I think there are going to be many oppurnitities to expand the blogosphere. I am not sure what exactly will happen in the near future with the blogosphere but it has expanded quite depthly in the past few years. I know though that so many people will start using them. I think the more people that start using it will bring better outcomes to the internet. I hope that one day, the internet will find some kind of regulation to put on people getting harmed because of blogs. But other than that, I assume that many positive things will come from this. I think it will build companies and employees ability to grow with success. There will hopefully be more ways that news across the world can be spread. The biggest advantage that the blogosphere has on me and other people is helping me with school. This is a great way to communicate to students and professors and I see more students and professors using this to their advantage.

2006-04-19T22:30:00.000-07:00

I think a blog is one of the neatest things to be made. There are times when I just really have important things to get out and I find myself running out of people to go to because they say the things I don't want to hear. Now I know I can go onto my blog and write whatever I want about who ever I want and not have anyone I know have something negative to say. Not one of my friends know I have a blog and even if they do, they wouldn't know how to get onto the thing and find me. It has became a very big privacy help. Even though there are people who are going to read some of the blogs, there are ways of keeping everything you have private. Its not like an old diary that you may have stored away in your drawer and a friend or family member may snoop through and find. Unless someone was really concerned with what you are writing about, no one could ever really find out who was within any blog.
I am not sure if anything is gained through private thoughts being revealed for anyone to read. But I do think a little relief may be let off of the persons shoulder because they know it could be kept private from the people they know. I know I would feel safer putting my feelings on a blog than in a diary. When I was younger I have had many diaries and they all have been looked in by someone close to me and my private thoughts were spread across the town. With blogs, you may be ashamed to say something or scared but it wouldn't matter as much if someone you have never seen, spoke to, or knew nothing about read a private blog or a diary as much as it would matter if it was someone you knew. And blogs are the latest trend to use to get some things off the chest.
I think this essay will be hard to research on but the opinion part will be a bit easier. This will hopefully be successful because over the period of this semester, I have learned so much about blogs and have used them for my own personal needs and so I can relate to this topic of the fourth essay.

2006-04-19T21:56:00.000-07:00

Many new forms of media terms are being made to describe meaning of a PC or the internet each day. I think it is a good thing that more convinences are being made every day such as the word blog and downloading or podcasting. The terms that are came up with for these new inventions are very well put together. I think while they seem like "intellegent" words they also are what people would look at as slang. As time grows, more people are found communicating through slang. I think because it is a more of a slang form it is easier to communicate with people who know little about computers. Instead of having to explain something about the internet or a PC to someone who isn't computer knowledgable, it can be easier understood by using slang. I think the majority of people in the US are better at understanding slang when describing a word than using a misleading, confusing word. Sometimes it is even better understood if you compare a harder word with a slang word. Words are put into short and people just seem to get it better. It really confuses me about this but it has just recently started to happen over the past few years. Of course there has always been slang but more and more people are found shortening their words or finding words to describe meaning of something that may be complicating. More people would understand what a blog was before they would know what a web log was. I am sure that if no one made the word blog to replace web log than everyone would be alright with the meaning of web log but shorter words that seem to "fit" with the meaning of the definition seem to be discovered. The world today is becoming more intellegent than ever before so maybe with the use of these new media terms, it really isn't making life so much less intellegent. I know many more people from a younger generation than people such as my parents' ages are more knowledgable with computers. But it doesn't neccasarily mean they are smarter than their elders. Making slang for more words kind of in my opinion makes people lazier. The computer and all the other conviences does make life a little more easier but laziness comes with it. I am not sure where I am quite going with this but I do believe that the world is a much different and not so voluntary lifestyle as it use to be because of computers, television, and new inventions being made. And so people start to talk "less" you could say because of these new media slang terms. I think it would be nice to know EXACTLY what you were typing on when using a "blog."

2006-04-13T09:49:00.000-07:00

I think blogs have become a great outcome in the new world media. Blogs have a wide variety of helping both the media and everyday people. People are now able to discuss the latest happenings in the world today or just secretly state their opinion of something without someone really knowing who that person is. It gives students the chance to communicate with each other while also posting their work for their teacher to read or find information about something they need for class through blogs.
It is amazing how an important message can be spend across the internet through a blog. Anyone can have something that needs to be said whether it is personal or about school or business and get it across to others through the blogosphere. There will probably have to be something made for blogs or some way to find out if someone is taking and using someones blogs for their own use. That will probably be the biggest thing that will weaken the blogosphere. I could go to my blog and put up my essay that is due in class but I am also giving people an opportunty to use my information or even my exact words or essay. It is a chance one would have to be willing to take.
I think there are positive things to come out of blogs also though. I see a variety of people using the internet because of blogs. Soon work environments and schools are going to be requiring their workers or students to use blogs to complete their work. Someone from the media has to have a blog to get the news across. There are realtors selling, advertising and buying houses through blogs. Students are posting their assignments on blogs which makes it very convenient for both the student and teacher. If a student cannot come to class they can just post their assignment the night before. Maybe someday teachers and students won't even come to class on a day that an assignment is due because they can post in on a blog using a computer. Or maybe it would even be possible to have a class discussion through blogs. That may be thinking a little far ahead but it is possible and can very well be accomplished.
The users of blogs now have more opportunties to post something and get it across to more people than their intended audience. Blogs in my opinion are going to be long-lasting and only improve the internet in the end. Of course like anything their will be negatives but I see many more positive things than negative. I think it will help more people than the number of people it will harm.

2006-04-06T08:01:00.000-07:00

When Your Dad Offers You a New Car...TAKE IT!
In January of '03, my dad bought me a '95 Chrysler Sebring and fixed it up for me and sent it to Nevada for me to have. This car was in really good condition. I would have to say this is the best car I have ever had. I really love this car. I have bought a nice stereo to put in it, some pretty nice rims and tinted the windows.
Yea, so it sounds like I just kinda had it made. Well don't get ahead of yourself because that is what I did. This car has been nothing but trouble for about the past year and a half. I have put thousands of dollars into this car and for about the past 6 months, I have had to fix it about every month.
I have had so much things done with my car that I could probably know what was wrong with someone elses car just by them describing whats wrong. So off course I have had the occational oil changes but I have also had to put a new water pump in it, get the shifting wires readjusted, have a new sensor put in it for the ignition, cv joints for the wheels, and a new transmission. I have been stranded on the side of the road at 3 o'clock in the morning in a small town with only a casino and a gas station. I was stranded in Arizona on a day I had to be to work because the ignition wouldn't turn over. I have had to miss work this year 3 times because my car wouldn't start or it gave me trouble on the way to work. I have had to skip school twice because it wouldn't start. The inside of the car is a disaster too. During my senior year of high school, I went to go wash my car. When I switched the knob from heat to cool a whole bunch of dog food started falling out of the bottom of the dash on the passenger side of my car. Some rats had carried dog food into my car over night and it got stuck in the fan, so it then made a loud, annoying sound when I turned on the heat or air. When I first got my windows tinted, I rolled my window down and there was a screw in the inside of the door that scratch part of the tint off of my window. And lastly, I was going to put my sunroof down because it was raining and it just stopped working on me. So for a while I had to wash my car with the sunroof part way open...what a pain! And being rained on in your car is no fun either. This car has been more of a hassle than anything. I do take very good care of my car but it just seems to have bad luck on me.
About 3 weeks ago, my dad offered to buy me a brand new car. I was very excited but I felt bad for my parents having to get a loan for me so I turned the NEW car down. What a huge mistake! Since then I have had to take my car in for an oil leak and on Monday it goes in for new brakes. I am barely gonna get any money out of this car because it has 176,000 miles on it and more things are obviously going to be wrong with it so I should have just taken the car my dad offered to buy!

2006-03-28T14:24:00.000-08:00

In Complete Amazement
The links found on the class website were very unique readings compared to what kind of poetry I have read in the past. I have found through these websites that many artists are very creative and put their words together in ways I would never imagine. I look at these with curiousity and amazement but as I think about what I am reading and seeing, I realize this work comes easy to these artists. This work is what the artist is good at and making the reader think is just one way to get the readers attention.
The one website that I was linked to that really caught my eye was "Digitial Fiction." On this website, there is a section called "Inside: A Dream Journal." A man keeps a record of his dreams while he is dying from carbon monoxide. I think this link is so unique because the dreams are so relative to what is happening around him. His dreams are how he is really feeling as he is being poisoned but it is being seen as a different aspect in his dreams. I have found so many times myself dreaming about someone coming to the door and knocking on it, then abruptly being woken up by someone really knocking on the door. I just enjoy how the author's real happenings are in the dream but not happening exactly the same as reality. There are words that you could click on and a picture relating to that word shows up on the screen. It is an excellent way to put someone in the shoes of the man and let them be able to feel his dream. I just find this dream book very amazing. It is a bit confusing to go from page to page and get all the information across correctly and understand it before turning to the next. It is definately a different way to look at dreams and very interesting way putting each together.
I found this link to the website of the dreams the most interesting. Going into each project within the website had me at amazement. I enjoyed how alot of the projects were scattered. Just going into one project lead to many different dreams and concepts. The most successful artists in my opinion are the ones who can make you think and from the outside may seem like a mess but once in the core seeing that it all comes together. I felt that this website was had many artists who accomplished this success.

2006-03-23T08:09:00.000-08:00

Paper 3 is going to be similiar to my last paper. In paper 2, I discussed many topics about the use of music taken from the consumers. The last paper though was more of a research paper of who was doing it and how it was being done.
Paper 3 though is going to be more about my personal opinion on it. When I was younger, I probably wouldn't have thought there was no harm in downloading music with no charge or using other people's word to write an essay. But when I was younger, there was Napster, which had no charge and made it seem alright. And the teachers didn't really teach about plagraism in depth until an older age. I now think that it is not the right thing to do and if I was an artist I would be pretty upset about the distribution of my music to the audience for no charge. It was nice getting it for free years ago but now it is so bad paying a small price to download music.
Like the last essay, this essay will take a few days to really get a good thought about where it is headed. There are many ways this could go but I am probably going to start with my opinion and do a little research and write about what I have found. I would really like to see where this will get my essay and how the researching will help it.
I hope this essay will be easier than the last because it has my own opinion put into it and it is not only researching. I think any essay is a bit easier when you get to put your opinion in it and see whether it is correct or not by researching the topic.
I think in the beginning when I first looked over the paper topic it seemed easier than what it will probably be.

2006-03-23T07:49:00.000-08:00

As I see technology rising, I see many more oppuntities for universities to take advantage of the technology being built. For many years, students have used the Internet to research for papers they may be writing or a way to communicate with their professors. But who would have thought people would be able to go to school through the Internet, or turn their assignments in without going to class.
In my English 206 class, I am able to miss class and because of my computer, I am able to listen to the class lecture through podcasting. Not long ago, that never would of been possible. Many professors may not agree with putting their lecture on the Internet for students, which is the same for putting notes up for students to use if they miss class. But it is primarily the professors choice. And it is there for the student's advantage.
Websites and the use of WebCT used through UNLV professors is also an advantage to both professors and students. Professors are able to design their own class website and put all the information and documents a student may need. It is very convinent for the students because if they may have lost a paper copy of a document needed for the class, they can find it under the website at anytime. The professors are also able to post grades over the website or WebCT. It is a way the student may find out their grade before going to class and recieving the work back. Professors may also have the student post their assignment through email or on a blog. It may be considered convienent for both because the professor has no way of misplacing it and if the student is unable to make it to class then they can just post it the night before.
So it is common sense to realize as time goes on, there are going to be more ways the universities are going to be able to use the World Wide Web as an advantage. It is just now starting to become popular/common for professors to use it to make things more convienent.

2006-03-08T18:37:00.000-08:00

When I 1st heard I was saluatorian of my graduation class, I was so (0_0). My family was so proud when I told them though. I had to say a speech in front of tons of people but I wouldn't be :-.
The night b4 our graduation my class & I went 0....!!!!!. We also got a lil :*). It was :-C how much <3<3 my class had that night. We were so
:-( cuz that was the last nite w/ <3<3. My friend had accidentally hit my nose. I was so embarrased cuz I thought I would have 2 wear a :#( 2 the ceremony. But the scratch wasn't that big & I couldn't help but laugh cuz my friend had a !-}. I prayed that nite that I wouldn't b :-~). But I was so -- that I fell right I.
While I was w/ a :*(~, my bro started :-@ @ me & telling me I was :-}... When my dad came in2 the room, I said "8-0." I couldn't believe he came 4 my ceremony. My mom & dad took me 2 breakfast cuz I was so ;[]. I got a \~/ of milk & sum pancakes & my parents had a -} & a <:>== sandwich. I enjoyed spending the mornin' w/ both of my parents.
B4 the ceremony I said 2 my mom, "=:-0." But my ~:0 sis came up 2 me & gave me a ^5 & told me I would b fine. I started 2 :~( cuz I didn't want 2 b on my own. My sis pulled me in the livin' room 2 (8() cuz it calmed my nerves.
So I was finally was @ my graduation. My best friend had --' runnin' down his face. He looked so cute cuz he was :-)===> & {:-). I recieved so many (()):**. The ceremony went well. My speech went good 2. While I was sayin' my speech I kept being distracted by a B). It eased me & helped me speak well. The overall graduation was a great experience. It was the most memorable moment of my life& I am glad I was Saluatorian.

2006-03-01T10:29:00.000-08:00

There are many differences one may encounter while writing on a page compared to writing for a blog. Writing on a page compared to writing on a website or for a blog may be considered less convenient. When I write my blogs I just type and revise as I go along but when I am writing on paper, I cross things out and correct my mistakes after I write my paper. When I am done revising, I rewrite the paper again.
When using the web, it is usually a quick process that takes just minutes to get things accomplished. While when I write on a page, I actually take more time to write it. I look at a computer as technology that was made to make lives more convenient. So when I use a computer, anything I do on there is done for the purpose of being done quickly. I find it easier to write something on the internet and have the computer to tell you which words are mispelled then to not know that you are spelling a word wrong on a page. It is also possible to use a theraus on the internet which is also quicker than looking it up in a hard-bound book.
Writing for a blog is used for getting something out for anyone to read compared to a paper that usually has an audience of one reader. A blog may be personal just like a letter may also be. Most of the time though a blog is written for someone to find out more information about something or to advertise or even to keep up to date on the news media. Something printed on paper may be written for the same reasons but may not reach as many people. When writing for a blog, a writer should expect to get feedback from many different readers. While writing on paper most of the time the purpose of the paper is meant for feedback from one reader. Usually with a paper the reader is someone the writer knows such as a friend, family member, or teacher. Which one a writer may prefer depends on what the piece of writing is meant for and who it is meant for.

2006-02-23T11:25:00.000-08:00

This essay I feel is going to be a bit harder than the first. I am expecting there to be more researching. I am confused a little about what exactly to write about though. I am thinking about writing about what effects have developed on the writers of books and poems (authors) and songwriters (musicians) with the access to the World Wide Web. Many artists and authors would usually be upset if their song or piece of writing was distributed to people for no cost because of the internet.
I am not really sure where to really start this essay at or if I want a theme or just answer a bunch of questions. I am stuck on where to find information about this topic also besides on the internet. I think it will be interesting to find out what the artist and authors reactions are with technology expanding and it becoming easier for them to make less money because of the technology being used to distribute their work to people all across the world.
I am also not sure where to go with the artistic/intellectual part of the essay. Is it meaning the same as I have been discussing with the work of authors and songwriters? Or may I even need to write about that part?
I think this is the type of essay that once I start finding information that will help with the essay then my essay will start to flow easily. I am sure once I see where I am going with this essay and have some kind of outline to where this essay is going to conclude me, I think it will also go smoothly and be very interesting.
Even though this second essay will be a tough paper to write, I hope it is written better than my first essay. I am thinking it will because I am going to have to work on this essay a little harder than the last essay.

2006-02-22T10:03:00.000-08:00

As technology is rising everyday, more people are found using a computer more and more each day. A computer brings many convienences in the world today that people are always taking advantage of. People are at work or home on their computers everyday so I am sure it is easier and more convienent to read an article, message, or anything that they are interested in off of the computer than from a piece of paper. With technology there comes a busier day with more tasks to do. People are found stuck with more and more things to do during the day so it may be easier to just get on the computer and read instead of having to print something.
It really matters what people prefer and what their daily lives consist of. It is the same that compares whether people prefer reading a hard bound book or reading it from the computer. Or whether they would rather write a letter or message on a piece of paper or on the computer. Someone may find it wasteful to print paper when they could just get it off of the computer. They may also find it convienent to be able to scroll down the page on a computer instead of flipping through the pages. With a computer it is possible to have two different windows up which would make it convienent to read about two different thing that may be related somehow. With paper, the reader would have to keep them seperated to make sure they wouldn't get mixed among each other. It is also possible to use the search unit on the World Wide Web instead of having to search for a topic in a library. Another convienence is having a dictionary or theraus at hand on the internet while reading the article on the computer instead of having to look throughout a hard-bound dictionary or theraus.
So there are many pros and cons in both reading from a computer or a piece of paper. It just matters what is convienent for the person and their lifestyle and beliefs.

2006-02-15T18:42:00.000-08:00

Not to long ago, a huge portion of the people in the United States wrote letters preferably over writing an email to loved ones and friends when trying to communicate, with each other. So why now do so many people use email instead of writing a letter?
There are many differences in a letter versus an email. With an email it can be written and sent very quickly. While with a letter, a person has to mail it, which could take anywhere from 2 days to 2 months to get to the receiver. For convience purposes, I am sure most people with busy lives chose email over a hand-written letter. Even though technology is at a high, people are filled with lots of things to do daily. I know I would prefer to get on a free website and write a short, quick message to my family and friends to receive a reply within hours or a few days, without having to buy paper, envelopes, or stamps. Emails are also convient because with a click of the mouse, I can spell check my letter/message, instead of looking in a dictionary. It is also possible to save drafts that haven't been completed without misplacing them and keep messages that have been sent or received in a folder that won't accidentally be thrown away.
The negative reason that may be inconvenient with email is that many email receive junk mail. This could include people advertising or chain letters/forwards or "free" offers. With a letter, a person can remain anonymous but with an email it will always show an address. That can be either conveniet or not depending on the situation. Sometimes email can be looked at as an obligation. People may feel like they have to open their email everyday because they may be expecting a certain message. A letter is considered more of a sentimental way of communicating because it does take the time and effort.
In my opinion, I would probably write a letter to my family and friends who lived far away while I would send an email to a friend who I see almost everyday. I would just enjoy getting a letter from a family member instead of an email.

2006-02-08T09:19:00.000-08:00

This is Lindsay Hurley here in Washington D.C. from News Channel 10 with your first time coverage on the 2006 election. There has been an unbelievable breakthrough in the Presidental case about the election. On Tuesday morning we discovered that candidate John Tuckberry is no longer running for President. He has claimed that there has been a huge misfortune in his family and he is stepping down from the Republican candidate to take care of his family.
With 12 days until Election Day, there is a new Republican candidate who has took Mr. Tuckberry's place in the election. His name is Josh Finlay. He was born in Fallbrook, California in 1956. His parents were Alicia and Greg Finlay. He lived in Fallbrook until he was 6, then his family moved to Ohama, Oklahoma because his father was in the farming industry and knew business would be better in the central part of the United States. His mother stayed at home and cook the meals and took care of the children.
When Josh Finlay was in the 5th grade, he started to show a huge interest in politics. He went to many different schools to participate in many speech competions. Out of 20 he attended his 5th grade year he won 16 of them. His mother had said many of his teachers knew there was something that drove him to have such a passion in History and Politics.
By his Junior year in High School he was graduating ahead of his class with a 4.3 grade point average and and had taken many History and American Politics classes. He was accepted to the University of Stanford. His major was History. He graduated with a Bacholor's Degree in American History. When he was 44, he became the Senator in Texas and was in the office for 6 years. Mr. Finlay reports that he had enjoyed being Senator but wanted to do something bigger and better for the United States. He has very conservative morals and ethics. He plans to convince the United States in 12 days that he is the right candidate for President. He hopes people will see how much he wants to help and will help put him in the White House.
Thank you. This in once again Lindsay Hurley with News Channel 10 reporting in front of the White House 12 days before the election begins.

2006-02-01T20:29:00.000-08:00

Blogging has become a new media resource. It has helped many people with many things. One thing a blog can do is help advertise. Realtors use it to see homes, stores for their products, and even political candidates for their elections. I am sure that last year there were many people that wrote blogs about the election in 2004. There were probably arguments and discussions about the candidates and their views. I am sure there were people who advertised which candidate they wanted to win. It may not have changed people's votes through these blog discussion but I am sure it made many people think twice about the candidate they were voting for views.
Blogs were a place that people could go and find out what was happening within the election. Just like the news, someone could find out what candidates were saying and what they were willing to do with the country in their hands. Newscasters could put their own personal views on the political topics that they couldn't discuss through the television. People could respond to them and discuss what they think. Through the television, watchers can't really give feedback and be heard. It is the same with reading articles from the web through the CNN website or MSN. Anyone who may have heard something through the news may have shared it with others through blogging.
I also think the bloggers could post blogs about statistics of the happenings in the election. When all the vote counting was occuring I am sure there were people that were posting blogs about which states had which votes.
So there are many ways it has helped the election and I am sure by the 2008 election, political views and advertising through blogging will be even more popular. It may even change more peoples views because of course there will be more people using blog websites. Even though people can find out what is going on in the election and discuss it or advertise which candidate someone wants to vote for, I am sure there were be many other ways a person is gonna use a blog for the election.

2006-01-25T19:58:00.000-08:00

Plagiarism...Honestly I have never thought so deeply into what all can be used to plagiarism. But when I went to class on Tuesday, the discussion we had really made me realize that there are so many ways to use other people's words or ideas. I never thought of using your notes for plagiarism. Some things that were brought up sounded so absurd.
I think having that class discussion will really help me get some ideas to write my paper because when we first received the assignment I really had no idea where I would start or what I would write about. When writing a paper I was always taught what was wrong and what was right. But really I was always scared that I was writing what I wasn't suppose to or give credit to the wrong phrases. Now I have realized there are so many other ways to plagiarism. It has become a little scary and it really makes me think twice before taking things off of a computer or out of a book.
Honestly, I have never thought about what plagiarism is. I have only been told most of my life don't use the resources exact words. But there are many things I could have gotten in trouble for when writing a paper. It really matters how technical people get. I have always even been scared to paraphase because some people may think it comes to close to the words of the writer.
I am really confused though where I am going with my essay quite yet because there are so many ways this essay could go. I think I am going to talk about one topic when I write it because if I was to write just about plagiarism in general, I think it would be to scattered. Even writing this blog, trying to figure out what my essay will be about is a bit scattering and confusing. Writing this blog has helped me think more about what where my essay will go. I will have to just do some research about plagiarism with blogs.
As of right now, I don't think there are a lot of people getting caught with plagiarism within blogs but as time passes I am sure that blogs will be just as popular as books and many people will be in trouble through the internet of plagiarism. So I think I will mainly research blog plagiarism and how it will change over time.

2006-01-25T18:48:00.000-08:00

7:03...the time of the night that I am writing this blog.
There are 57 more minutes til I get to watch One Tree Hill! That is my most favorite show on television. Nathan and Hailei are getting back together...oh I am just kidding...I know you won't know what I am talking about. And yes, it is pretty stupid but I must say this show is one thing I am addicted to. One hour and 42 minutes until my friends come to rescue me. 2 hours and 57 minutes until my boyfriend will get off of work and give me a call. Most importantly 16 hours and 57 minutes until this is due. I really should hurry!
Wednesday...third day of the week.
I enjoy Wednesdays because I don't go to school but I do have to go to work. I work for a mortgage company. My best friend got me the job. I enjoy working there because I get to work with her. It is also a plus because we get lunch paid for every Friday from the Olive Garden (my most favorite restaurant) or some other good place to eat. Wednesday is almost over then I will wake up at 6:30 to go to school.
The 25th...the day after my boyfriend and my anniversary.
My boyfriend and I are in love love love! He lives 2 hours away, in a place called Lake Havasu. My friends want to spend the whole week of Spring Break there but I will probably have to work so it looks like I won't be going. I was thinking today that it has been a month since Christmas. I ended up getting food poisoning on Christmas. So did my adorable 5 year old sister. I love love love her, too! Today the 25th makes it 6 more days til my birthday. My birthday will be fun! My friends are buying me a sash that says 'Its my birthday'!!! We are renting a limo for my birthday. I most definiently think this will be the best birthday yet!
January...the wonderful month of my birthday.
This month is suppose to be the best month out of them all. Why?....because it is the month I came into this world. But honestly...it hasn't been so good. I owe $572 to the school on Friday, $384 dollars for rent a day after my birthday, $52.75 for my power bill the day after my birthday (I am very excited about that because that is the lowest it has been), and $543 for books on Friday. This month has really drained me for money. I had to ask my parents for money the other day and that really upsets me because I really really don't like being able to do it on my own. For a few days there, I thought I might have to take this semester off but I stayed because I want and of course have to. So on Sunday my plans are to look for a second job.
This blog....
It helped because I got a few things off of my chest. This is really a place to be able to talk (write) and not have to worry about anything. It feels good to get some things out from my mind.

2006-01-18T18:44:00.000-08:00

There are many types of blogs people use everyday. It is a very useful way for people to communicate with each other, or their own feelings.
A major type of blogs used by many companies or businesses are corporate blogs, or business blogs. These types of blogs help different companies advertise, get feedback on their work, or communicate with other companies. Many realitors try selling their houses through blogging and it is a huge place for people in the stock market to go and discuss their stock holds, just to name a few.
Another type of blogs are diary blogs, also called Personal blogs. These are used by anyone who wants to write about anything. They are used on a more personal level. There isn't a certain topic that has to be written about or a certain length. People use it as if it was their diary. They may write poems, or express their feelings. This type of blog is a very wide ranged area to write for.
News blogs are used for various reasons. They help the media get the word out about various topics. They may discuss the happenings of the world or could be the same kind of things you would read in a magazine. Instead of watching the news, people may read blogs to find out what is going on in the United States. They discuss political views and topics. Some random people may write about topics that are happening in the media.
There are new blogs called Our blogs. They are very simple blogs. People can just write anything just to start a conversation. They can be about anything and how ever long the writer wants. Other people write back just as if you were in a chat room.
Hobby blogs are used to talk with other about something a person enjoys doing. Peope can discuss and learn more about their hobbies by posting blogs by either asking questions or sharing what they have learned by participating with their hobbies.
These are just a few types of blogs. There are many others that people find interest in. There are many blogs with many uses. It is an easy way to communicate, find things out about anything, or just for something to do.