Week 5: Tutorial Task

                                    

1. Where was the first University established and in which year?

Using Yahoo: The first University established is the University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy, founded in 1088.

Source:
The Origin of Universities, viewed 25th August 2011,
<http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~bump/OriginUniversities.html>


2. What is Stephen Stockwell's band called and what does he play?  Can you name a couple of their songs?

Using Yahoo: Stephen Stockwell's band is called 'The Black Assassins' and Stephen plays the keyboard. Some of their songs include: Death Take Me Now, Drugs and Azaria.

Source: Macpherson, D, The Black Assassins, viewed 25th August 2011,
<http://members.optusnet.com.au/~toxicoh/blackas.htm>


3. What is the weight of the world’s biggest machine? How much did it cost to build?

Using Yahoo: The largest machine in the world is the 'Large Hardron Collider,' with a circumference of 27km and costing $6.4 billion.
'Despite their very large size, the Large Hadron Collider and other huge particle accelerators are essentially one-dimensional, running around in a relatively thin loop. The largest machine that has a length, width, and height with similar values is the Overburden Conveyor Bridge F60 in Lichterfeld, Germany. This machine is 505 m (1,656 ft) long, 202 m (663 ft) wide, and 80 m (262 ft) high, with a weight of 11,000 tonnes, cost $100 million . (Wise Geek)

Sources:
<http://www.yahoo.com/>

Wise Geek:What is the Largest Machine in the World?, viewed 25th August 2011,
<http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-largest-machine-in-the-world.htm>

Alex, 2008, Ten Things About the Large Hadron Collieder You Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask, viewed 25th August 2011.
<http://www.neatorama.com/2008/09/12/10-things-about-the-large-hadron-collider-you-wanted-to-know-but-were-afraid-to-ask/>


4. Who is Justin Bieber's lawyer, and what is the best way (quickest, most reliable) to contact the lawyer?

Using ninemsn: Justin Bieber's lawyer is  Kenneth Feinswog.

Source:
<http://www.ninemsn.com.au/>

CBR: Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber get all righteous with Bluewater, viewed 25th August 2011,
<http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/tag/justin-bieber/>


5. What is the cheapest form of travel from the Gold Coast to Melbourne?

Using Yahoo: Cheapest flight I could find from the Gold Coast to Melbourne for $89 through Escape Travel.

Source:
Flights to Melbourne Australia, viewed 25th August 2011,
<http://www.airfaresflights.com.au/flights/Gold%20Coast/Melbourne-MEL/>

6. Who is Hatsune Miku? What company does she belong to? What is her birthday?

Who is Hatsune Miku? What company it belongs to? What is your birthday?

Miku Hatsune is a 'character' from the Vocaloid Character Vocal Series Synthesiser developed by Yamaha Corporation. Her birthday is the 31st August. Found using bing.com.

Source:

http://www.bing.com.au/

Anime Vice: Hatsune Miku, viewed 25th August 2011,

<http://www.animevice.com/miku-hatsune/18-20703/>

7. Find a live webcam in Belarus. Find a place to stay in Antarctica.

I found a webcame at Minsk, Belarus at this site: <http://www.webcamgalore.com/EN/webcam/Belarus/Minsk/498.html>

A place to stay in Antarctica: Beachside Resort & Spa

Source:
Hotels.com: Antarctica Hotels, viewed 25th August 2011.
<http://www.hotel.com.au/Antarctica-Antarctica/>


8. What song was top of the Australian pop charts this week in 1991?

Bryan Adams - Everything I do, I do it for you. Found through yahoo.

Source:
<http://new.music.yahoo.com/bryan-adams/tracks/everything-i-do-i-do-it-for-you--431624>


9. What type of car is used to make ‘Google Street View’?

Found through Yahoo, the car used to make 'Google Street View' was a Volkswagen New Beetle.


10. Translate these questions into Spanish and then translate them back into English.

 I translated this text using the Bing Translator:

English to Spanish:

¿Dónde estaba la primera universidad establecida y en qué año?

¿Lo que se denomina banda de Stephen Stockwell y lo que él jugar? ¿Puede nombrar un par de sus canciones?

¿Cuál es el peso de la máquina más grande del mundo? ¿Cuánto cuesta para construir?

¿Quién es el abogado de Justin Bieber, y lo que es la mejor manera (más rápida, más fiable) ponerse en contacto con el abogado?

¿Cuál es la forma más barata de viajar desde la costa de oro a Melbourne?

¿Quién es Hatsune Miku? ¿Qué empresa ella pertenece a? ¿Cuál es su cumpleaños?

Encontrar una webcam vivo en Belarús. Encontrar un lugar para alojarse en la Antártida.

¿Qué canción era tope de las listas de pop australianas esta semana en 1991?

¿Qué tipo de coche se utiliza para hacer 'Google Street View'?

Traducir estas preguntas en español y, a continuación, se traducen en inglés.

Spanish to English:

Where was the first University established and in what year?

What is known as Stephen Stockwell band and that he play? Can you name a couple of their songs?

What is the weight of the world's largest machine? How much is it to build?

Who is the lawyer of Justin Bieber, and what is the best way (faster, more reliable) contact with the lawyer?

x

What is the cheapest way to travel from the Gold Coast to Melbourne?

Source:

Bing Translator, viewed 25th August 2011,
<http://www.microsofttranslator.com/?ref=TThis>

Week 4: Response to Content

Cyberspace: Video Game Violence

Gaming technology has increased exponentially parallel with Moore's Law since the early past times of Pong or Space Invaders. Compared to these games of the 70's and all progressions till now, the growth in graphics and effects has also escalated, creating an interactive space of reality. Game players are becoming obsessessed with these games, living in alternative worlds between reality and imagination. This life-like relationship between reality and cyberspace bring certain issues to the forefront. Violence is a key ingredient in the journey to the destination or goal to many video games, could the danger of confusing the real from unreal pose risks to society?

Jeffery Goldstein, a professor in psychology at Utrecht University wrote a paper on violent video games. In 'Violent Video Games' he has the following to say:

“violent images on TV were often simply referred to as ‘television violence,’ as if television representations were violence in the same way that, say, a kick in the head is violence. This is wishful thinking…. Unfortunately, excising bad images will not necessarily fix problems outside the world of television.” Regardless of the degree of violence in a video game, players tend to focus on the game’s mechanics and its object, rather than its violence." He believes that the context of these games is imperitive when relating violence in games to reality; it varies with elements of "realism, involvement, excitement, how violence/conflict begin and end." (Goldstein 2005, p.1)

In his research from American Medical Association, The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Institute of Mental Health based on health sciences: “There is no direct, causal link between exposure to mock violence in the media and sub-sequent violent behaviour has ever been demonstrated and the few claims of modest correlation have been contradicted by other findings, sometimes in the same studies……. If we want to reduce (violence) even further, protecting children from real violence in their lives-not the pale shadow of mock violence-is the place to begin. (Goldstein 2005, p.3)

So all the great graphics and effects in these games are merely there to make the journey more enjoyable, to increase the aesthetics and therefore increase your senses reactions to the game. People are simply smarter; the relationship between reality and imagination with video games is no different to the same relationship received from watching horrors, thrillers, or action movies, from plays and dances, or from art pieces produces centuries ago.

Sources:

Goldstein. J 2005. Violent Video Games, viewed 18^th August 2011.

<http://theunshaven.rooms.cwal.net/Storage/Readings/Reading%2005%20-%20Violent%20Videogames%20%5BJeffrey%20Goldstein%5D.pdf>

The Geek Spot, image, viewed 18^th August 2011,

< http://the-geek-spot.blogspot.com/2011/05/another-study-about-violent-video-games.html>

Week 3: Tutorial Task

Task 1

• What was Stephen Stockwell's first article in an academic journal? What year? Provide a full citation. What database did you use?

Stockwell, S 1981. 'Kuranda Polic Shooting,' Legal Service Bulletin, vol 6, p48-49, viewed 10th August 2011, via Taylor and Francis Online Database.

• In which comic did Governor Slugwell appear? Which Issues? Give their full citation for the earliest. Where did you find this information? What database did you use? (Check the trial databases)

Govenor Slugwell appeared in the comic, 'Flaming Carrot Comics in issues 7, 10 and 11. This information was found via the Griffith Library homepage: database category; trial database and found the Flaming Carrot Comics in the Underground and Independant Comic Database.

• What is the latest medical thinking on the dangers of mobile phones? Provide a full citation.

The mobile phone health risks are asssociated with societal risks as well as health risks from the masts of mobile phones.

Source:
Drake, F 2011. Protesting Mobile Phone Masts: Risk, Neoliberalism andGovernmentality, vol 36, issue 4, viewed 10th August 2011, via the Library Search Database.

• In Bladerunner, what is Leon's reaction when Holden asks him about his mother? Quote the 1982 draft script and provide a full reference. (Check the trial databases)

HOLDEN: Describe in single words. Only the good things that come into your mind. About your mother.

LEON: looks shocked, surprised. But the needles in the computer barely move. Holden goes for the inside of his coat. But big Leon is faster. His layer burns a hole the size of a nickel through Holden's stomach.....

Source:
Hampton, F, Webb, D, Roland, K 1982, 'Blade Runner (Draft Script)', Warner Brothers, Los Angeles, CA, viewed 10th August 2011, via American Film Scripts online.

• What does Paul Soukup say Walter Ong saw as the main paradox in 20th century communication? Cite your source.

Soukup explains that Walter Ong saw that the 20th Century initiated a paradox: "that a society given so much to the use of diagrams and to the maneuvering of objects in space... should at the same time develop means of communication which specialize not in sight but in sound" (p.224). Such an emphasis on sound acts to counterbalance the dominance of the visual reinforced by printed texts. Though printed texts will not disappear, the more human dimension of sound cannot be suppressed.


Source:
Soukup, P 2004, Walter, J. Ong: A Retrospective, Communication Research Trends, vol 23, issue 1, viewed 10th August 2011, via <http://cscc.scu.edu/trends/v23/v23_1.pdf>



Task 2

Is myspace ageing?

With the increase of communication technologies, social networking has been a place for online communities to coincide with each other, to relate to each other and to group together with people of common interests. If technology is said to double every 18 months, will leading social networking companies keep up? Or will they eventually fade away, expire with their shelf life and decrease in popularity?

Myspace is a social networking site created in 2006 and most people who have participated in social networking have had a Myspace profile. In the ‘About Us’ link on the Myspace page you will find the site is: “Aimed at a Gen Y audience, Myspace drives social interaction by providing a highly personalised experience around entertainment and connecting people to the music, celebrities, TV, movies, and games that they love. These entertainment experiences are available through multiple platforms, including online, mobile devices, and offline events.”  (http://www.myspace.com/Help/AboutUs)

Myspace user statistics

Myspace currently possesses more users than ever. However, mypsace has become increasingly less popular with the rise of Facebook. This graph allows for the comparison (hyperlink).

Myspace is not 'dead', however it is now being ever so overshadowed by Facebook and networks alike. Facebook is said to be easier to use due to it's simple format design, businesses and professionals prefer Facebook for its variety and number of applications and you are less susceptible to spam. However, if you prefer a more 'individual' profile with colours and graphics with an interest in the arts and entertainment industry, Myspace is still the place for you, it really depends on your style and preference.



Sources:

Deleon, N 2008, Facebook No Longer the Second Largest Social Network, viewed 10^th August 2011

<http://techcrunch.com/2008/06/12/facebook-no-longer-the-second-largest-social-network/>

Arrington, M 2009, Facebook Now Nearly Twice the Size of MySpace Worldwide, viewed 10^th August 2011

<http://techcrunch.com/2009/01/22/facebook-now-nearly-twice-the-size-of-myspace-worldwide/>

Vercillo, K, Myspace v.s Facebook, viewed 10^th August 2011

<http://kathrynvercillo.hubpages.com/hub/MySpace-vs-Facebook>

Facebook’s Coming of Age, viewed 10^th August

<https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit2zbC8b4nMCmPv9aFofhYJZNOGkOlXDUAgL5AMz86r3x11HYvPLtOYOG8uiOa39dk-sBJlLl3owtgorLvu7yDl8A_1hS2AXeaCWOvLmjmhXdBnoeNgHGIPWITzo4RpZaa63QtS7dCE2uA/s1600/fb-06112.png>

Week 3: Response to Content

Brain Chip or Brain Control?

'I-robot' is one of the most recent movies incorporating the investigation of science and technology with the human race. Where robots live amongst humans on a day to day basis and interact with us, mainly as servants. 'Weird Science' has a decent idea; a computerised, extremely attractive woman, definitely 'man-made', however she didn't have the entirety of the internet embedded in her brain readily accessible for her benefit did she? In the reading 'Mind Control over the Internet' the concept of computerised human brains is very interesting however, in today's society, a bit extreme.

Nobody can completely and accurately foretell the future of the Internet, however we can see where the technology we have previously/currently achieved may take us. An example of this new technology evolving is evident in the book Blondie 24 which has created a computer program which can teach itself to play checkers. The book follows the process of generating 'huge numbers of solutions to problems, it then test these solutions, keeps the ones that are better and uses them as parents of future solutions', not giving computers rules or restrictions, but evolutionary process (Berry, T). In other words, a computer program learning from its own mistakes .


Unlike Artificial Intelligence which gives the impression of inserting rules and restrictions into the human body/brain, technology is coming to an age where it might just be able to create programs which learn from their own mistakes and progress individually. This area of work or study then becomes an issue of ethics, privacy and health. Who gains access to this technology? When and where can you use it? If everybody has access to the internet and hacking is already an issue, will people have the ability to hack into your brain?



Souces:

Berry, T, 2011, 'Ideas: Evolutionary Computing and Internet As Brain', Business Insider: War Room Contributors, viewed 10 August 2011.
<http://www.businessinsider.com/ideas-evolutionary-computing-and-internet-as-brain-2011-8>

Halpern, Sue (2011) "Mind Control & the Internet", New York Review of Books June 23. Viewed 10 August 2011.
<http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2011/jun/23/mind-control-and-internet/>


H+, "Brain On a Chip", image, viewed 11 August 2011
<http://hplusmagazine.com/2009/04/07/brain-chip/ >

"Some Sample Movie Pics and HD Setups", image, viewed 11 August 2011
<http://www.aaronwt.net/>

Week 2: Tutorial Task

Part B: Video

This video is a very simple history of communication technologies. I love this simplistic element and the positive nature toward this topic. It simply outlines that human communication has evolved parallel with technology. The clip portrays the beauty of human interaction in relation to communication technologies and the ability to create, progress and unify. Enjoy.

Part C: Application

 'Little Snitch informs you whenever a program attempts to establish an outgoing Internet connection. You can then choose to allow or deny this connection, or define a rule how to handle similar, future connection attempts. This reliably prevents private data from being sent out without your knowledge. Little Snitch runs inconspicuously in the background and it can also detect network related activity of viruses, trojans and other malware' (Little Snitch site)

 

Sources:
Objective Developments:Little Snitch, Protect Your Privacy,viewed 2nd August 2011,
<http://www.obdev.at/products/littlesnitch/index.html>

 

Communication Technologies and Me ?

 

New communication technologies have given us the immense space of opportunity to connect with friends and family constantly without physical contact. Who doesn't love the idea of that?! So if your best friend is on the other side of the world, to have a chat is incredibly simple. If your traveling, why not let mum know where you are everyday with a twitter post? Or for that matter, a text message? It's not difficult at all. Just whip out your mobile phone or laptop and you have the chance. Getting in touch with a phone call is just as easy, however quite pricey, you can now use your social websites such as Facebook or other applications including Skype or MSN; there are so many portals to chose from.

I personally use the Internet a great deal for social purposes, education and entertainment. Can I actually say personally though? This gives the impression that what I post on the internet is mine right? And the conversations I have a private. Wrong! However, I have not thought too carefully about privacy, but do many people actually read the extensive privacy terms and conditions of the sites they enter, or for that matter, for where they give out personal information? Considering there are so many sites you give personal information to, I don't think so. Scroll, scroll, scroll and agree. Eek!

The internet has played a huge role in creating a catalyst for connecting with family and friends, making it fast, simple and most of the time effective. But how do we use the internet today? What do we use it for? How often are we using it? So to finish off, let's see how Australia uses the Internet as a whole, have a think about where you fit in. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has developed this graph to represent internet usage in Australian homes: (http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Main+Features50Jun+2011) 

USE OF ONLINE COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES(a)

(a) Persons 18 years and over.
Source: AGIMO, 2009, Interacting with Government, <www.finance.gov.au>

Sources:

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Online @ Home, viewed 2^nd August 2011,

<http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Main+Features50Jun+2011>

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Online @ Home, Image, viewed 2^nd August 2011,

<http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Main+Features50Jun+2011>

Week 2: Response to Content

Apes gibber, dolphins click, frogs croak, hippos bray and bears growl. These animals use sounds to communicate with one another, to express when they are in pain, annoyed, hungry, ready to mate, to inform each other of danger and the list goes on. Humans have also utilised communication as a tool for these reasons and to express thought, feelings, wants and needs. Communication consists of noises, gestures, and a combination of all senses; an animalistic, and instinctive tool for survival.

Latin, English, French, Mandarin, and many more languages have been established within human communities. Unlike our genetically primitive relatives, the Apes, humans have developed the ability to be creative within linguistics to an extent where 6,909 human languages exist worldwide (Lewis 2009) with much dialect in between. Gestures also come hand-in-hand with communication, which has been used to create a language in itself; sign language.

Humans have become obsessed with communication. "Unlike animal language, human language is also "stimulus-independent." That means that what you say isn't necessarily tied to what happens to you. Of course, sometimes it is; if someone elbowed you in the side, you could say, "Ow! That hurt!" But you could also say "Ow! That hurt!" when you're lying comfortably in your bed, or sing the national anthem when someone elbowed you in the side. (Of course, this might get you elbowed again.) A more realistic example is when you're having lunch with a friend and suddenly bring up something funny that happened to you yesterday. Nothing in your present situation made you say that, but you did. Animal language, on the other hand, is tied to a stimulus: a feeling of pain, the sight of a predator, a desire to mate, and so on (Hirshon)."

This obsession with communicating everything that has happened to us has lead to amazing communication technology. The possibilities seem endless and thanks to Samuel Morse, the inventor of the telegraph; Guglielmo Marconi, inventor of Morse Code and Alexander Graham Bell the inventor of the telephone, taking us from rock art and the simple letter to the invention of the television, radio and computers. Communication has progressed parallel with technology and to our advantage. We now have Mobile phones, Film, the Internet, Emails, YouTube, Facebook, Blogger; all examples of the expanding use of communication within media.


Sources:

Txtface, 2010, Sounds Animals Make, viewed 2^nd August 2011.

< http://didyouknow.org/animals/animalsounds/>

Bellis, M, The Invention of Radio, viewed 2^nd August 2011.

< http://inventors.about.com/od/rstartinventions/a/radio.htm>

Bellis, M, Morse Code 1837, viewed 2^nd August 2011.

< http://inventors.about.com/od/mstartinventors/ig/Samuel-Morse---Patent/Morse-Code-circa-1837-.htm>

Lewis, M 2009, Enthnologue Languages of the World: Statistical Summaries, viewed 2^nd August 2011,

< http://www.ethnologue.com/ethno_docs/distribution.asp?by=area>

Hirshon, B, Science Update: Human Language, viewed 2^nd August 2011,

< http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/sci_update.php?DocID=210>

Week 1: Tutorial Task

Obsessive Communication Parallel with Technology

New communication technologies are convenient, effective and a broad number of people have access to its benefits. Many people now own a telephone or a mobile, a television, a computer, the internet. How are these 'New Technologies' are not old technologies? In my opinion, what's new is what's not only recent, but also commonly used. Old technologies are those which have faded away in use and are no longer relevant to society. Nonetheless with increased possessions comes increased responsibility and there are a few issues which have arised within the area which we should all be aware of. The main issues are those related to health and privacy.

Who has access to your information such as contact details, where you live, who your friends are, where you study, your banking or insurance details? We are constantly uploading personal information to the World Wide Web. I think this is something to consider. This issue of hacking which is the invasion of private material is definitely an issue that needs much consideration from internet users and the creators of websites which contain this private information.

The issue which is said to be of most concern to Australian's is that of Health information. The Australian Government website provides privacy information for individuals regarding their personal information. "All organisations that provide a health service are covered by the Privacy Act, whether or not they are a small business" (citation here). Our personal information is regulated by this Act, which allows certain people of authority to access this information. However, not all organisations are subject to this Act such as public hospitals.

What about tellemarketers and Spam? The Government site also provides information on these issues. If you do not wish for businesses to 'direct market' you, you can cease contact from these businesses using the 'Do Not Call Register'. For spam, it is said not to reply to the issuer giving you grief for they just use this to note that your email is being used. You can however contact the Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) or the Privacy Commissioner.



Sources:
(citation of the government page)

Week 1: Response to Content





The need for communication on Earth is vital, its instinctive, its organic. Every human on Earth is eternally submersed beneath the essence of its branches which reach out to create communities and link us as a whole. The communication spectrum of light is bright and filled with an array of possibilities. I am Brett Keen, inquisitive and eager to delve deeper into my passion for the art within the broad uses of communication.

Currently completing a Bachelor of Communication, majoring in marketing, through 'New Communication Technologies' I endeavour to investigate the practical and theoretical elements within the spread of communication and build upon my own writing skills. In order to produce, create, and utilise future communication technologies, the history of the progression of human communication relevant to technology is critical.

With most of us having a mobile, a television, a radio, a computer and access to the Internet, communication technology is becoming evermore widespread and relevant to us all. We rely on this to stay connected with each other within this rapidly paced, ever changing world.
Through this blog, I hope to share my own thoughts and perceptions on the study of New Communication Technologies. To grow with this course and discuss in depth, the history, impact on society, how communication has evolved with technology and much more. Welcome.