For the Semester long project under the social computing category I chose instant messing and the reason for that is because among teens that is such a big part of how teens communicate. Everyday teens are online talking to their friends, sharing stories of how their day went and what they’re doing later that night. So I want to find out more about the topic. I also chose texting because it is another big part of how teens communicate and now a days some parents are using texting as a way to talk to their kids. Last choice was facebook because it has grown so much in the past year. It has a good and a bad side to it, it lets you talk to people who you may not see everyday but you can also attract people who are predators. In the marginalized groups I chose children mainly because I am thinking about becoming a teacher and want to work with kids. I also chose single parents because I can only imagine how hard it must be for them to raise a child with no help. My last choice was poverty because it has become a huge epidemic in our country as well as others. So I would like to find out ways that people could help. In the regions group I chose the US since I live in the US it would be good to know about it. Also Europe because I have been there before and I loved it, so I would love to find out more information about it. That’s all the topics that I am looking at for the semester long project.

After reading David Kline’s “I Blog, Therefore I am” I found a passage that I have a different opinion about then Kline. The paragraph starts off saying how even though blogs don’t always spark a new career change they help produce a new and powerful meaning in a blogger’s life. Foe example there has been a growing number in women who have turned to blogging as a mean to write down day-to-day struggles. Whether it is single mothers or women changing their jobs. It’s a way for women to share on their experiences and hear from other women. Also women get support on what they are going through, whether dealing with cancer or another serious illness. They can talk to new people and talk to them to share feelings and fears about what they’re going through. As I acknowledge what blogs can help these women do I question what Kline says because blogs aren’t the only way for women with problems to talk to other women. Now a days there are many support groups that women can go to or online. Also blogging is almost like keeping a diary. It has pretty much the same affect. So blogging while it is a growing trend its still not the only way to communicate with other people.

After reading David Kline’s “The voice of the Customer” I decided to go with option one. I picked GQ Magazine, which stands for Gentlemen’s Quarterly. It is found on page 107 in the book. GQ is a monthly magazine that is focused on fashion, style, and culture for men. GQ talks about many different articles such as food, movies, sex, fitness, music, travel, sports, technology, and books. It is an upscale and more sophisticated magazine then maxim or FHM. GQ Magazine was launched in 1957 in the US as Apparel Arts, which ended up being published for many years in competition with Esquire Magazine. In 1958 apparel was dropped from the logo after just nine issues. I found out this information using google.com, there were a few different sites that had the information I needed. What I like about this magazine is that while it is for men they way they talk about different issues and women the editors do it in a very classy way. A quote that I loved that was said in the product description was “GQ helps you look sharp and live smart.”

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After reading David Kline’s toward a more Participatory Democracy I would have to say the main parts were that blogs haven’t really helped out political views in a big way and man by the name of Frank Barnako said that “ No one reads Blogs” that political bloggers have had little affect on the affect of American political life. Another opinion in David’s reading was that political blogs have become a vital source of news and opinions for many Americans and an alternate source rather then newspapers and television. Many people assume that today’s political blogs are bringing an end to the unchallenged authority of the traditional media to set the political agenda. This could have big affects to the chapter of our democracy. Blogs have also had a tendency to cause problems as someone said that the Democrat’s biggest mistake was treating their blog like an ATM machine. It was said that “They only asked, what do we do to raise money? But what they should have asked, was what do we do to mobilize volunteers?”(Page20) Another response to Blogs was that they are a flawed and problematic medium. They encourage polarization and extremism rather than debate and understanding. (Page21) Those were one of then main concepts involved in David’s reading involving Blogs and political views. In my response to David Kline’s reading I found it very interesting the different sides that people had about Blogs and weather they help get political views out there. A lot of people believe that Blogs are pointless and people don’t bother reading them while others say they are replacing the newspapers and televisions people watch. In my opinion I think that they let you in on what other people have to say but you cant always trust what you read because the next person that might respond to a blog might have a totally different view on a certain issue. So in a way its up to anyone whether they want to Blog and get their own opinion out there or just read what people write and trust them on their opinion.

In response to Dan Burstein’s writing I chose to write about topic eight. Dan said, “ Blogging is not inherently liberal or conservative, Right or Left. I agree with this because you can’t say that one group would blog more than another. Blogging is a way to express your own opinion and talk with other people who share the same values as you. With this coming election there are many sites where you can see each sides opinion on different issues. There is no right or wrong to either side they have the right to agree or disagree with a certain candidate and what they think on different issues like health care and how to help or environment. This upcoming election is huge because it could change America a lot with either the first black president or the first women president so people’s opinions on both sides are very different, many people blog about weather they think that America is ready for with a black or female president yet. So I think that Dan’s thinking about Blogs is right on the dot.

yay my first BLOG!!!!!

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