"The Kid Who Created Facebook was 19"

Earlier today as I was watching older episodes of Heroes on yahoo video, I realized soon enough the internet will take over and there will be no need for CD's or DVD's. People can just about download anything they want from the internet. Just as tapes and VCR's got replaced by CD's and DVD's, I believe the internet is going to completely replace the compact disk. For example, ITunes has taken over the music industry and already people are using Itunes to purchase movies and TV Shows. Back to what I said in the previous blog about conveniece, I believe that is the main reason why the Internet is becoming so huge. All I know is before this class I never thought about joining the web scene and creating a website but now I feel it is one of the best industries to be in. Kids my age have become millionaires through the internet. The kid who created facebook was only 19! My roommates Uncle became a billionaire from starting Craigs List, a website that allows you to do almost anything. Now my roommate and I are thinking of starting our own website. We have some ideas in mind but there is no way I'm even going near there.

Media....Handicap Friendly

Everyone knows that the internet is quite convenient. Whether your a student trying to find articles for a paper, or a sports addict researching all your favorite players. It is obvious that the internet opens up a lot of possibilities to learn and see new things. However, I don't think anyone has ever realized how important it is for people who are handicaped and aren't able to go out and shop for the things they need. For instance, my mom is currently handicapped and going to the grocery store has now become a challenge. Before the internet my mom would have had to pay someone to do the shopping for her but now they have websites such as Peapod, which allows people to shop for groceries online and the next day the grocery store delievers the groceries. My mom can also now work at home more often because everything she needs for work is located in that little hard drive of her laptop.
For older people who are stuck at home, the internet and television is a great tool for keeping up with current events. It is also a lot easier for older people to sit and watch TV than read a book. In some aspects I feel like it keeps older people almost sane.
Video games has also opened up a world of new possibilities for people who are handicapped. People who are forever bound to a wheel chair are now able to play tennis, go bowling, or even play in a band, since all the latest video games have come out. As I come to think about it even though lately video games have been criticized for being too violent, video games allow people to think outside of the box and to learn better hand eye coordination. Video games is a huge market right now and I will talk about it in further detail in the next blog.

P.S.

I never realized how much I relied on the media before I took this class and it is starting to scare me.

Facebook..good or bad?

Facebook is a perfect example of how much the media is a part of our generation. Before facebook it was almost impossible to keep in touch with old friends from high school. Before there was no way to know what any of your friends were up to because everyone was going to different schools, living in new places and starting their seperate lives. Since facebook came on the scene it has been so much easier to keep in touch with old friends and see what people are up to without making all those awkward phone calls. Facebook is also a great way to network and potentially meet future employers and put your name out there.
There are also tons of different clubs and organizations that attempt to make kids more aware of different issues going on around the world and in the United States. For example, I am currently in a Save Darfur club and groups concerned with global warming. Even though facebook is a great place to meet new people and keep in touch with old friends it also gives you no privacy! Apparently now schools and employers are looking at peoples facebooks to see how "serious" they really are about going to school or working for their company. It is scary to think that there are pictures of you all over the internet and there is nothing you can do to stop people from looking at them. Even though there are privacy settings, once it's up on the internet it stays there forever!!!