EOTO Presentations (Blog 6)

 Throughout the presentation, there was new technology that I was aware of but didn't know much about and others that I used daily, such as my cellphone. One presentation that I found particularly interesting was the podcast. Being a Spotify user I see podcasts being advertised on the app every day and their popularity has exploded in recent years. When thinking about new technology and the progression it's going I would have never expected this technology to be the one to explode in popularity. 

Before the presentation, I assumed a podcast was a simple audio recording of a few individuals talking about a subject.  Podcasts interest me because they are similar to radio talk shows but differ greatly in their delivery method. The radio reaches a much older audience and doesn't offer the on-demand functionality of a podcast. The on-demand consumption of podcasts is most likely the reason why it reaches a much younger audience. Younger people also like the function of a podcast because it gives them a voice to express their thoughts on a wide array of topics and issues. This was an important way for people to get their voices out but doesn't offer interaction with the listener which is a downside. 

Podcasts are a great way for your voice to be heard but not anything can be considered one. The podcast feed needs to be in RSS so platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, Audible, and others can properly post your audio. This is somehting I didn't know that it had to be in this form to be considered a podcast. Overall, this form of media I only see to grow in popularity as more young people start to grasp on in for their voices to be heard in the crowded professional media environment.  

History of Paper (Blog 4)

As we look into the technology that changed our planet we have lots of options to explore. I want to explore the very beginning of our communications as humans. The piece of paper is the oldest form of communication that we still use today. There were earlier forms of written communication such as papyrus and amate but these are not considered to be a modern-day paper which includes a milled plant mix and textiled fibers woven together. 

The first papermaking was thought to have been invented in 25-220 CE in China to be used in their court systems. Cai Lun, a court official, has been attributed to being the inventor of paper to improve record-keeping for the legal system. The process soon spread to other parts of the world with the middle eastern region picking up the art in the 8th century and the Europeans in the 11th century. The process quickly became refined in Europe as they introduced new techniques to produce the product. North America was slower to adopt the technique with the first papermill not opening in the United States until 1690 by William Rittenhouse of Philidelphia.

The invention of paper has to be credited as one the most important inventions ever conceived. The history of our ancestors would remain a large mystery with only word-of-mouth stories to have any idea where we came from. Written records gave us an increased understanding of who we were, what we are now, and what we could be. 

Paper created the history of who we are but also created new ways of spreading information with letters and newspapers, books became a new form of entertainment, and literacy rates improved drastically, and heavy metal coins weren't needed anymore as a form of payment. Communication ultimately changed for the better because communicating didn't have to happen in person anymore. You could now write a letter and mail it to someone far away without having to make the journey to have the conversation. Throughout the 14th century, the popularity of books grew with the bible becoming one of the most published books of the time. The largest issue paper solved was making the world more literate and creating a smaller feeling planet with the ability to share your thoughts with someone from far away. 

The invention of paper had lots of positive impacts on society but there were some negatives associated with it. The paper milling process is not considered to be environmentally friendly. Air pollution, the need for large amounts of water, and paper byproduct entering the water system after the paper production has proven the be significantly harmful. I have experienced the air pollution of paper mills firsthand when traveling through Maine to go skiing. Maine has multiple papermill factories and when travelling through Jay, Maine you could smell it from quite a distance away. At the time I was young and had no idea what the smell was but my dad who was born in Maine knew exactly what it was. The smell of rotten eggs burned my nose and created quite an unpleasant feeling. I was told it used to be quite a bit worse and that environmental protections have cracked down on the mills. Sticking to the environmental impacts the production of paper has grown to an amount that none of the original inventors could have ever imagined. According to the EPA, 28% of all trash is made up of paper products. There has been improvment, though, as of 2011 with 2/3 of all paper waste being recycled. 

Overall, the invention of paper and its benefits have far outweighed any of the negatives associated with it. 

https://sciencing.com/how-does-recycling-paper-affect-the-environment-5171772.html

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/05/best-revenge-is-your-paper/483671/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_paper

Supreme Court (Blog 2)

The Supreme Court is the most powerful judicial court in America. It is often where cases come to be heard one more time or die their fateful death with the lower court's decision. The nine Supreme Court justices have thousands of cases brought to them every year. The cases range from appeals written by high-price lawyers to prisoners sitting in jail cells.

The Supreme Court has over 7000 potential cases a year that are brought in front of them. As stated before, the beauty of the court is that any American can bring an issue to the court. These issues range from a judge to a prisoner sitting in jail. I thought that this is such a unique concept in America that your voice can and will be heard. However, the sheer amount of cases they receive is baffling, and sifting through them all until they find ones that could use some clarification is a lot of work. The justices say it takes 3-5 years to adjust to the court's daily inner-workings, and I believe it. 

Although the justices said that they feel the court is very open, I don't feel the same. I feel as if there is a lot of mystery with the inner workings. I didn't realize how much paperwork goes into running the court, with each justice having huge law staff to help write opinions, read cases, and select new cases that may pique the interest of their justice. To have to read through 7000 cases a year is a daunting task that requires their big team. 

The most important takeaway that I got from the two videos is that the justices are the ones who decide the verdict on a case, but the people are the ones who bring the issue in front of them. This is truly the people's court. On the news, you hear about concerns over new justices being biased and influencing their political agenda. The critical point was that the judges aren't the ones who decide what cases are presented to the court. They can't say that they think somehting is an issue and have a trial. The people have to explain the problem after usually struggling in the lower courts to get a straight answer. This seemed like one of the most powerful tools we have as citizens to see real, lasting change in the country. 

Overall, my thought and takeaway on the Supreme Court is the immense respect for a challenging job. Most cases presented to them have been in the court system for years and are not easy to solve. Some instances like the gay-marriage case have substantial social implications with immense news coverage and people outside the Supreme Court building. It is a very time-consuming, thankless job that many take for granted. The power they have to make a permanent change in the country is a significant responsibility that makes sense; it takes several years to become fully adjusted to the court's inner workings. 

News Sources (Blog 1)

Everyone bases their new sources off of specific criteria. Their political opionions, interests, and how they search for them are usually deciding factors. My top 5 in no particular order... 

The New York Times is one of the largest newspaper companies in the United States. They offer their news in different forms in both paper and online. The name itself, when you hear it, immediately instills a sense of accuracy and authenticity. The articles are fact-checked, and the company's brand is at stake, which is why they ensure that their info is accurate. I usually use Google News which aggregates news articles, and NYT is always listed on the site, which is a testament to their fair reports. 

Fox News is a significant news company with national coverage. They have many different platforms of distribution and offer a perspective most big news companies don't provide. Being a right-leaning paper, this alternative angle helps give insight to stories which I strive to look for when reading the news. In addition, I think they have honest, fair reporting, which has led them to become such a large news organization. 

YouTube offers more than vlogs, funny videos, and movies. Many news companies have adapted to the changing technological age by uploading snippets of their news coverage online or making content specifically for the younger crowd that typically uses the platform. I enjoy this form because you don't always have time to sit down and watch the news, so this is an excellent way to get your information quickly in an entertaining way. 

Google News offers a platform for all news companies, big and small. I assume there is an algorithm, but the Google News website collects all the current news stories and gives multiple different links to differing story reports. I like this method because it can give the reader numerous perspectives and access to smaller news companies.

Apple News is similar to Google News but offers you the ability to select categories of news to show the stories that you'd be interested in. Apple news still shows all the major headlines and provides the big and small newspapers to give the reader variety and selection. I do enjoy this feature since sometimes the breaking news headlines can be overpowering, so it's nice to filter the news as you wish. However, one thing that is lacking compared to Google News is that it doesn't always give multiple options to cross-reference other articles. 

Blog Introduction

Hello everyone, I am Alex Bouvier from Exeter, New Hampshire. I  attend High Point University, and I am in my third year. My family back home consists of my two parents Jeff and Karin, and my brother Andrew who currently attends Clark University as a freshman. I also have two dogs, Penny and Turbo, rescued by the SPCA from Virginia and Alabama. I am a Strategic Communication major with an interest in marketing and sales. My overall goal is to become an airline pilot or fly professionally after college. Over this past summer, I got my pilot's license and now fly for fun at the Winston-Salem airport building flight time. On-campus I am involved in my fraternity, Delta Chi, as well as the peer mentor program.