EOTO Reaction Post: Motion Picture

After doing my own research on the fax machine, I had the opportunity to learn about other technological advancements from my classmates. Although all of the inventions were interesting, the most notable one to me was the motion picture. The reason I chose to talk about this invention is because I have always been fascinated by the idea of the camera, or taking a picture or video in general. The camera has had a great impact on the world, as it has changed the trajectory of capturing a moment or a memory.

Louis Le Prince was the first inventor of the first motion picture camera in 1888 using only a strip of film and a singular lens. The first film that was invented was also in 1888 and it was called Roundhay Garden Scene. Directed by Prince, this film paved the way for other motion pictures in the future. Later on, the Warner Brothers released the “Jazz Singer” on October 6th, 1927. This film was a turning point in cinematic history. 

20 years later, the cinematic industry made a huge jump by turning black and white movies into color. A fun fact I learned during this presentation by Grace Ann was that “The Wizard Of Oz” has been mistaken for the first color film. This shocked me because growing up as a child, I always viewed The Wizard of Oz as the first movie to break history. However, “A Visit to the Seaside” was the first short film that used the Kinemacolor process. 

I really enjoyed Grace Ann’s presentation of the motion picture because I truly never knew the history behind it. Considering I didn’t know what the first real color film was, I learned a lot that I did not know before! Without the creation of the first motion picture, who knows when or how the concept of shows or movies would’ve been invented! 

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-33198686

EOTO: Fax Machine

Considering that the evolution of the fax machine was before my time, I have never put that much thought into the invention, or how it was created. I always just considered it a part of a printer, but I just wanted to briefly discuss the history behind it and the impact that it had on our society, even in the present day. 

The first ever fax was credited to Alexander Bain in 1846, as he was trying to send an image over a wire. He worked on this machine for quite some time until he was able to synchronize the motion of two pendulums through a clock. That motion was able to scan a message, line by line, and the image was able to be projected through a cylinder. Although this was a huge accomplishment and an image was able to be transferred, the quality was obviously very poor. Frederick Bakewell was credited with slightly changing, and improving Bain’s machine. He was able to replace the pendulums with rotating cylinders to create a much clearer image. Although Bain’s and Bakewell’s invention was not perfect, it was the first major step towards transferring images. 

Jumping about 20 years later in 1863, Giovanni Caselli was credited with creating the Pantelegraph, which started operation in 1865 in Paris and Lyon. The Pantelegraph is a combination of a pantograph and a telegraph. A pantograph is a machine used to copy drawings and words, and a telegraph is a system for transmitting messages over long distance wires. The reason why Caselli is credited with the first “successful” version of a fax machine, is because Caselli’s pantelegraph used a regulating clock that was able to repeatedly keep the sending and receiving mechanisms working together. Bain and Bakewell struggled with being able to correctly align two machines in two different locations. 

The fax machine has had a great impact on society over time. Without the fax machine, we would not have been able to learn how to send and receive documents or photos. It was one of the first forms of communication and allowed other people to expand on the idea, as it only became more advanced throughout the years. About 100 years later after Caselli’s invention, the first commercial fax machine was created that could be connected to any telephone line. That creation led to the fax machine getting implemented with the printer, which is something that is very popular, as we usually see them in offices, school buildings and in some of our own houses. Even In the past, a fax machine used to be the fastest and most efficient way to communicate and it only got even more popular when fax went wireless, colorful and 3D in the early 21st century. People all around the world were exposed to fax and it truly changed everyone’s perception on the advancement of technology. Although our generation nowadays typically associates a fax machine with a printer, it is important to know the history of how the fax machine evolved globally and gained its popularity on its own. Without it, who knows how or when we would have learned how to transmit files and documents. 

https://faxauthority.com/fax-history/ 

https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-the-fax-machine-1991379 

Privacy: Do we really have any?

After watching multiple informative TED talks about what goes on behind the screen of our electronic devices, my perspective on technology completely changed. I used to think that if I were to delete a photo, unsend a text message, or remove my search history, no one would see it. In reality, that is completely false. After listening to “Your Online life, permanent as a tattoo” by Juan Enriquez, I came to realize that we are constantly getting watched, analyzed and monitored by the government through our phone screens. Enriquez uses an analogy as he compared online life to a tattoo - it is always permanent. More specifically, he describes it as an “electronic tattoo.” 

https://www.ted.com/talks/juan_enriquez_your_online_life_permanent_as_a_tattoo 

As an Iphone user and someone who is on social media pretty frequently, it is alarming that the amount of “private” information I have, is not actually private. Although some people are aware of the undercover surveillance that the government may have on them, nothing will change. People are so tied up in their iphones that they will never delete apps or throw away their cell phone because they want to stay connected with this generation. Social media is a giant part of everyone’s lives nowadays and it has completely taken over the world. 

Personally, I am worried for my safety knowing that possible phone calls, conversations, and daily life activities are being watched from afar. As an individual, there is really nothing I can do to protect my privacy, unless I were to stop using my iphone. In reality, I feel like that is how many teenagers and young adults would think. Obviously, hearing this information is mind-blowing and frightening, but what is one going to do? Delete Tiktok, Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter? Probably not. Stop calling, texting and searching things on Google? Probably not. So in conclusion, it is important to be smart with what information you decide to put out on social media and to always be aware of your surroundings.

Individual Self-Fulfillment

 Out of the Eight Values of Free Expression, I chose Individual Self-Fulfillment to elaborate on and relate to our modern-day world. Individual Self-Fulfillment states that “free speech enables individuals to express themselves and thereby create their own identity - and, in the process perhaps, find kindred spirits.” When reading that definition, I thought this particular freedom expression had a strong connection to the way that teenagers and young adults use social media, especially Tiktok. As we know, Tik tok has become one of, if not the most popular social media app in the past five years. From an app that used to consist of lip-syncing and dancing, has turned into an extremely vulnerable and open space for individuals to share their achievements, hardships and personal feelings. From “Get Ready with Me” videos to a “Day in the Life” vlog to “Storytime: My Hairstylist ruined my hair!” there are countless videos that people share to the public to inform others, get advice or receive sympathy. Here are some references to those specific TikTok's mentioned above:

 https://www.tiktok.com/@layallure/video/6943001343950916869 Get Ready with Me 

https://www.tiktok.com/@__destinylanae/video/7257607700802981162 Day in the Life 

https://www.tiktok.com/@blushedceo/video/7243228635245677867?q=story%20time&t=1713987892098 Story Time

 People also use this app to express themselves in many other ways without even having to say anything. For example, certain influencers on this app have gotten many views just from having a completely different style of hair or clothing. They got thousands of likes because people admire their confidence to be able to express themselves so freely. People start to feel heard and seen when they see others with the same style, hobbies or habits as them. Therefore, people who had a hard time expressing themselves to others in person, are able to be true to themselves via Tiktok. This is why I believe that Individual Self-Fulfillment heavily relates to this generation and is the most prominent of the Eight Values of Free Expression. Due to social media in general, there are millions of different ways that teenagers and young adults can express themselves. Although I think that Tik Tok is the most popular way to do so, there is no reason to rule out other apps, like Instagram or Snapchat. 

On the contrary, some people believe that Tik Tok has become an “overly expressive” app and is becoming way too personal. Although I believe that Freedom of Speech is a positive thing, I have noticed that influencers on Tik Tok are definitely taking advantage of their opportunity to post whatever they please. Even though it does not affect me personally, I think that there are young kids on this app that should not be seeing certain content. Posting about things that occur in a relationship like sexual references or events that take place during your personal time should not have to be shared to the entire internet. Personally, I believe that there are some things on this earth that should stay private because your entire life does not have to be posted to the web. 

In conclusion, I believe that Individual Self-Fulfillment strongly relates to social media, especially Tiktok. On the app, free speech is utilized as we have access to all different opinions. Although sometimes Tik Tok can be overly intimate, I think that is a great source for information and gives each individual great insight on other perspectives regarding any situation! 

All About the Supreme Court

While reading the article about the Supreme Court, I learned multiple different facts that I did not know before. For example, I did not know that the Court had its first meeting on February 2nd, 1790. Furthermore, I was not aware that they were first set to assemble on February 1st, but due to transportation issues, had to push back the meeting until the next day. Lastly, I did not know that the first meeting was held at the Merchants Exchange Building in New York City. It’s interesting to think about how something so prominent in American History took place not even 30 minutes away from my hometown! 

Although I believe all the information in this article is informative and important, I found the sub-article: “Steps the Supreme Court Takes to Reach a Decision,” the most necessary takeaway point. Personally, I have been learning aspects about the Supreme Court in almost every history or political class I have taken since middle school. However, I have never truly been taught or understood the entire process. The article starts off with a table of contents that states the 7 steps that are taken to come to a fair, respectable conclusion. The steps consist of: 1. Accept the Case 2. File Briefs 3. Oral Arguments 4. Conference 5. Assign Opinions 6. Circulate Drafts of the Opinions and 7. The Opinions are Made Public. Each section of the article provides around 3-4 hefty paragraphs explaining how each step works. 

The most surprising thing I learned was through the sub-article: “Steps the Supreme Court Takes to Reach a Decision.” In the first step, Accept the Case, the article mentions how the Supreme Court can only accept between 100-150 cases a year out of the 7,000 cases. First off, I was super shocked that they accept that many cases in 365 days. I would have thought the number would’ve been lower, perhaps around 50-70. Secondly, I was also not aware that the Supreme Court is asked to review 7,000 cases per year. Again, I would’ve guessed the number would have been much lower considering there are lower courts that could have come to a conclusion about specific cases. In the article, it states that the Supreme Court  is more likely to accept cases when the lower courts were in a disagreement, which makes perfect sense. However, I would have expected for the disagreements to not be as common. 

When watching the video about the Supreme Court, my mindset changed about how I viewed it. When someone mentioned the “Supreme Court,” it was always a very intimidating term to me. It appeared as this scary, rigid and stern group of people who you definitely hope to not encounter at any point during your life. Although some of that may be very true, this video helped me put the Supreme Court into perspective. At the end of the day, the justices on the Supreme Court are just like any other human. They have feelings, opinions, emotions and empathy. Obviously, they have a very difficult job, as the decisions they conclude on can make or break peoples’ lives. However, we tend to forget that the men and women serving on the Supreme Court are just like the rest of us.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWRoXYRsaeo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca8qSuWxcG8

My Five News Sources

As a young adult in our society, it is important that I keep up with the world around me. Being educated on political, global, societal and athletic news is a crucial part of becoming a well-rounded person in a community. With social media and technology skyrocketing over the past two decades, there are various ways for the average person to be informed on the latest updates. Everyone has their different methods of gathering information. Today, we are going to take a look at some of my easiest, most-efficient ways of staying on track with the world around me! 

Tik tok is my favorite social media app to gather information from. Some of the reasons I like Tiktok for informative updates is because it is quick, easy to understand and creative. Some young adults in my generation, including myself, will find themselves getting turned away from news articles because they are boring, too long or difficult to comprehend. Tik tok fixes all three of those issues by providing interesting and short videos on your For You Page. Sometimes, I will even come across memes about a topic or issue. Those can be extremely helpful because it is put in simpler terms, which is beneficial to those who don’t want to read a 3-page article. 

ESPN is another great way that I get information, specifically news related to athletics and occasionally, societal issues. Growing up watching sports, ESPN has just always been a channel that was on my family room television. My dad and I would sit and tune in while eating dinner or before and after a sports game we watched. Hearing about recent trades, final scores, crazy plays and any out of the ordinary content throughout the leagues has always been very easy because of ESPN. Additionally, being able to have the app on my phone has been super helpful as well. I have my notifications turned on so that I can get alerted when anything notable takes place. It’s a great way to stay up to date! 

Behind Tik Tok, Instagram is another one of my most used social media apps. Overtime, I have found that Instagram is actually a great way to stay updated with the recent news. Ever since Instagram added the “repost” feature, I am constantly seeing different news articles from various accounts through people that I am following. For example, if I am scrolling through my feed on Instagram and I see news about the upcoming presidential election, I have the option to re-post that specific news on my story. People usually tend to repost things that they have a strong opinion towards or want to spread awareness about. Therefore, if I were to repost recent news about the presidential election, all of my followers will be able to view that content as soon as they click on my profile. To go even further, if one of my followers seemed intrigued by the post that I reposted, they could easily access the original content from the account that published it by just clicking the link on my profile. 

Personally, there have been various issues, situations and news updates that have been brought to my attention through one of my followers reposts. Because it’s impossible to follow every single account on Instagram, I have found myself viewing news through accounts that I have never even heard of before! Instagram has definitely broadened my view on recent social and political events throughout the past year or two. 

My fourth news source that I want to discuss is Fox news. Although I don’t regularly tune into this channel, just like ESPN, it is another channel that is always displayed on the family room television. Occasionally throughout high school, I would sit down next to my dad and watch the Fox News Channel for a bit. Typically, I used to get very bored of the news channel pretty quickly as a kid, so I never liked to keep up. However, as I have gotten older, I learned to change that. My dad would also always get his information from Fox news and would always “dumb down” the information for me when I would watch with him. Now that I am in college, I have downloaded the Fox News app on the Iphone to stay updated. 

Lastly, I love to get my information from Google News. Whenever I do not have my phone or a TV nearby, I like to search the web via Google News. It is quick and efficient, as you are able to type in keywords to find multiple articles about the topic you are looking for. It is a very credible source, as it is described as an online news channel. I only started regularly using google news for my information in high school, and it has truly changed my research for the better.