EOTO Presentation Carrier Pigeon

 Through each one of the fantastic presentations regarding media, I thought the most interesting piece of research was related to the carrier pigeons. It was a topic that I had never given much thought to, but upon hearing it spoken about and explored in detail, I find it's concept rather intriguing. Going all the way back to ancient Roman times and even to WWII, I think it's importance is rather lost in history. This small post will briefly touch on some of the interesting information that I found, and emphasize the points that were made during the presentations. 

The first recorded message bearing pigeons was set free by Noah. All the way back in the B.C days, they were used in chariot races for the Romans, and it was typically a privilege for the rich who could afford them. They would take the birds to certain locations where they are attached with certain messages. Most believe that because of their strong sense of magnetic awareness and smell, they naturally find their way back to their nest. Also, the ones who set them free would place food at their destination and at their home, typically being able to fly round trips that would be around 100 miles.

In much more recent time, specifically the 19th century, pigeons were used during the siege of Paris during the 1870-71 period. During war time, troops were told to be suspicious of birds due to the fact that they were becoming a way to trade messages and send secrets. However due to the fact that they were such a common bird to see in the sky, it was difficult to distinguish whether a bird was carrying something or not, which is exactly what made this mode of communication so tactically reliable.

Of course, due to the advancement of technology that is much more reliable, the use of the carrier pigeon has gone extinct. The last messaging service ended in 2006, called Orissa Police Carrier, located in India. The next year, the smartphone released, with years previous devices like the radio, computer, and even telephone lines being much quicker ways to communicate. They still remain a large part of our history of communication, and shows how far we've come from relying on the labor of animals for something that is so simple today.

Anti War

Throughout America's dramatic and short history, several promises have been broken. The country has always had allies that they could rely on in times of need, and has been in debt to most of them for the past few centuries. However, they have equally quarreled consistently with the nations that literally have nothing to do with them, putting several of the nations they are on good terms with in difficult positions. George Washington said in a famous quote: "It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliance with any portion of the foreign world", in a farewell address to the citizens of the U.S. Because of the nations failure, ignorance, and especially greed, debates surrounding the anti war topic have arisen.

Citizens of the nation have typically been against the idea that we need to get involved abroad, however the U.S has always tried to give reasons as to why what they are doing is necessary. For example, one of the biggest motivations for fighting communism in the east was because they feared that a domino effect would take place if they allowed the nations they fought to keep that form of government. Although, there is plenty of evidence that also suggests that there is a high financial risk when getting involved and prolonging war struggles.

To be blunt, the evidence is clear. Since January of last year, the U.S has poured over 13.5 billion dollars into Ukraine worth of materials and weapons. But why? Surely the nation could use that money to support its own economy, repair faulty infrastructure, or even slowly pay off some of its debts? Questions like this have frustrated Americans for years, due to all of the struggles that the nation has endured over the past few years.

America has placed its troops in countries all over the middle east, and committed numerous war crimes that would never see the news. Syria, Iran, Palestine, Isreal, Lebanon, the list goes on. One of the biggest reasons why is oil. The Middle East produces a quarter of the worlds oil supplies, which today is a rather expensive, and sells for millions of dollars. Not only are the troops not supposed to be there legally, but they have terrorized and bombed places like Somalia and taken innocent lives for years. In my opinion, one of the biggest reasons why you can't find information like this on most websites, is to persevere the facade of our nation and protect the reputation of the people in power. Because if what was truly happening was brought to the fore, there would be an uproar of aggression that would be impossible to ignore.

Netflix: Innovation and Creation

The theme of evolution has always driven the human mind to make life more comfortable for the next generation, especially in the form of media. From the first film created in 1895, to the Orson Wells broadcast in 1938, and finally to the premier opening of Blockbuster in 1985 to name a few. The steady adaption of consumable entertainment in regards to storytelling has drastically changed in the past two centuries. Now of course, among other things, there are over a hundred ways to watch films of any genre, all at the will of your fingertips. One of the trailblazers for such modern innovation was created in Scotts Valley California, on August 29, 1997. This post will analyze the effects of the record breaking company founded by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph, and how it revolutionized the way stream film forever.

As with most groundbreaking creations, the first step is always the hardest. But in this case, the word simplest would suffice. Before it officially launched in 2001, a powerpoint about is was created to explain how it could work with around one hundred and twenty seven slides. The music, animations, and effects came along much later, but the foundation for these innovations had been set over a decade before they ever came to be. One its earliest problems however was competing with the booming dvd industry, and trying to create their own company that could license and create films which could compete with the other giants such as Blockbuster and the upcoming Redbox.

One of the greatest networking ideas that Netflix had at the time was partnering with companies in the gaming industry. At the time, famous corporations like Xbox and Playstation were just starting to be used on televisions, along with Blu Ray players. The era of disc was at an all time peak, and at the time a new era of film was dawning. In order to keep up, Netflix allowed for video game consoles to stream their movies through their devices, allowing a whole new community of consumers to see what sort of content the film industry was up too. In fact, this allowed for some games to be adapted into films and vice versa. Special movies like Spiderman, Transformers, and other popular films all benighted by the partnership that allowed games and films to coexist on the same platform.

The year 2007 was when Netflix really started to announce itself on the big stage. One of their biggest strong suits was adapting to the new technologies quickly, with this new era being no exception. Apple smartphones were the show runners of this time, and allowed Netflix to take their market to the cellular side of the world. Their first app allowed people to stream movies on their phones, taking film to every corner of the world and letting people stream from their pockets. It began as a feature unique Americans, but eventually migrated across the planet as users began to purchase the new Apple smartphone. Once more, their audience was expanded, and a new partnership would bear fruit for years to come. A decade later, Netflix began the biggest film streaming company on the planet as others failed to get over the hurdle which made DvD's obsolete.

Finally, the expansion of this mega film streaming corporation would reap several effects for society as a whole. Binging habits cause viewers to demand more content, making production companies increase their speed and creating more jobs as a result. However, studies have reported that changes like this have made the cable and movie industries suffer, with over 27% of American households now getting rid of their cable subscriptions. Theatre have lost their sense of attraction, now that most can see movies from the comfort of their living room tv or laptop. However, the worst of them as is the mental health side of things. In adolescents, Netflix binging addictions have cause many young adults to lose motivation to converse with the outside world, letting them rely on nothing but their para-social relationships that kept them away from wanting real interactions. Levels of anxiety and depression are common with those who spend too much time on the application, with many mental health experts recommending that time on the app should be monitored and regulated more carefully for everyone.

U.S Supreme Court

Ever since it was founded, the United States of America was always thinking of ways to be unique. At the time the Supreme Court was created, no one had ever seen such curious thing. On March 4th, 1789, the Constitution created the Judiciary Act which allowed this higher court to exist. With its purpose to interpret the meaning of law, how it should be applied, and establishing precedents on controversies. The words "Equal justice under law", are engraved at the top of the building to remind all of the responsibility they must uphold.

Its concept is "distinctly American in concept and function", according to Charles Evans Hughes. There aren't many courts on the planet that have the ability to interpret their own Constitution, and none have nearly as much influence. The seats on the court have varied over the years, ranging from the lowest five to the highest being ten. Each justice is appointed by President and confirmed by the Senate, and typically serves for the rest of their lives. They deal with court case's that demand for last ditch justice, in other words dealing with the cases that require a special perspective and review, in order to apply the law fairly.

Whatever decision this court makes has a long lasting impact on society, however ever year they hear less than an estimated two hundred and fifty cases. Across its lifespan it has been criticized by several, including presidents, for making questionable decisions. One of the biggest examples of this was Dred Scott v Standford 1857 in which they declared African Americans were not citizens of the United States. However, in cases like Brown v Board of Education in 1954, segregation of schools in the country was deemed unconstitutional, and thus abolished. These two cases epitomize the power and range of good or harm that the Court can do, which stands to show why the creation of such Court can completely change the dynamic of society. 

In my opinion, the court has evolved a lot from its first creation as far as the mentality of its members goes. They do not always make the correct decisions and are often criticized by the public, but being in the role of a Supreme Court justice means having the opportunity to amend past mistakes and abide lawfully by the Constitution. They have done this several times which must be commended, but it is also proof that as a nation America still has a long way to go until justice is distributed fairly and consistently.

Civil War and Reconstruction

It would be a massive understatement to call the early 19th century in America a turbulent time. Dangerous buildup of frustration, confusion, and plain outrage are some ways to describe the mood of the nation's thirty million or some population. Some conditions of the time make this number rather "unreliable", in fact an entire war was fought over a debate such as this. From 1865 to 1877, the young divided country had to find its identity as times began to change. The North and South however, had totally different opinions on what this identity should look like. 

The war began under Abraham Lincoln's presidency, most famous for the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. His presidency granted slaves the freedom they had desired for centuries, much to the dismay of the south that was on the brink of imminent anger. The battle had begun years earlier at Fort Sumter, however it was always theirs to lose with Union having more military and naval might, in addition to population and local resource. The south was economically strangled and on its knees by the time the confederacy surrendered, with foreign allies no longer able to supply them of the supplies that they could barely produce.

After this conflict, another rebuild that had been looming on the horizon had arrived. And in turn, it's own conflict. The Reconstruction Era began in 1865, with the freed slaves struggling to integrate themselves into a society that struggled to accept them. From the assassination of Lincoln to the narratives of Fredrick Douglas, the struggle between the north and south still lived. Violence and terror from organizations like the KKK caused even more trouble for blacks that were desperate for a change. The compromise of 1877 took the remaining troops out of the south, and passed a legislation to help industrialize it. For civil rights of African Americans however, this was only the beginning, as many more hardships would continue to deny them of their God given human rights.

To conclude with some opinions of my own, it is also unbelievable to research the lengths that people went to in order to deny others of basic rights. I understand that slavery was not unique to America, and that racial descrimination was prominent in most countries  at the time, but it is interesting to see how hypocritical the law can be when dealing with people it its legislators do not like. On the other hand, the progress that has been made since a time like this is commendable and impressive, however it should have never been this way in the first place. One could only wonder how much more progress this nation could have made had it not been for the time wasted on such petty disagreements.

Eight Values of Free Expression

 One of the many things that set the idea of America apart from the world during its founding days, was the theme of truly free speech. Thought radical by most and dangerous by others, it is fair to say that the new founded country was taking a high level risk. Evidently however, the reward was worth it. Today the values of free expression are key parts of our democracy and the basic foundation for what makes our society, for better or worse. It's given a platform to everyone to share their creations and beliefs, which has reaped its own side effects that have impacted the way the law is interpreted, and even portrayed. In particular, this post will analyze the theory of "Individual Self Fulfillment", which when summarized outlines how identities and connections are created throughout the creation of free expression. 

The aforementioned concept is also known as "Self Actualization", and is one of the reason why modern day technology has been able to reach so many people today. For example, several social media apps since the early 2000's have adapted to give everyone on their platform the opportunity to spread their opinions. This have given birth to online communities, specifically in applications such as discord. Discord is an online communication app where people can look up topics that they are interested in and find communities that are talking about them. It can range from having one to fifty people, who all are able to speak freely about whatever they like under a moderator. Options to do things like this exist on app like twitter as well now, with the new innovation called "twitter space" coming into the fray a few months ago.

To better understand why the idea of self fulfillment is so important to society, one must look at it from a philosophical standpoint. To briefly explain what this means, it refers to the "actualization of potential", an idea from Aristotle. When specific potentialities or capacities end up getting fulfilled or exercised, they start to give humans a peace of mind. Without this exercise or expression, the condition of the mind begins to deteriorate, negatively impacting the individual and in turn the society. Potential in humans can develop in different ways through free choice, and they become comfortable knowing that they can be any person they want to be in life. In other words, people can choose to live however they want within the mental respect. This of course is an underlying theme of the idea of fulfillment, which aids the goal of a human becoming good naturally, as their untamed personality is revealed.  

Finally, upon analyzing how the freedom of speech affects self fulfillment socially and morally, the way they are mean't to be protected today must be looked at. The most obvious point to make is that the first amendments job is the maintain free speech. Court cases that go all the way back to 1799 (Runkel Vs. Winemiller), have protected the freedom of religious establishments, protected peoples opinions on religion in 1859 (Commonwealth v Cooke), and even the criticism of the court that makes these rulings in 1907(Patterson v Colorado). Today, a person cannot be held legally liable for a crime simply for writing ill about a person or topic, unless they are dangerous lies. The right to assemble peacefully protects people on social media platforms, in public spaces, and several other public properties. In individual moments, the public can misinterpret what these rights actually are and what they mean, but the protection of these freedoms were mean't to be people rights for centuries in this nation.