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Summary Response: Europe tackles internet privacy

2006-12-11T21:22:00.000-08:00

In the article,“Europe tackles internet privacy” by BBC News, the author describes the positions adopted by The European Parliament and The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), with respect to advantages and disadvantages of cookies on user computers, which are small files that websites place on computers each time that you enter in them. The European Parliament wants to increase the security when people send faxes, emails or uses cell phones, and prohibits unsolicited commercial or spam, and block the placing of cookies on user’s computers; and to limit the use of their record profile for advertisers or companies that sell products or services, and therefore has voted to accept an amendment to a draft privacy bill and this will now go for a second reading. In addition the bill is considering the creation of two options named “Opt-in” and “Opt-0ut”. The IAB is taking action against the bill and defending the cookies because “the cookies form is the fundamental transmission mechanic that powers the internet” according to Danny Meadows Klue, who is chairman of the IAB. In addition many websites would have problems because the way for access to them will be difficult without cookies, and the cost to British companies will be €187 m. After the comments of IAB the directive was being reconsidered as the IAB would have the bill overturned.

I agree with European Parliament that computer users require security and should have the capacity to make take a decision when they want to receive some information about services or products of companies.

First of all, the computer users should feel freedom to choose that kind of information they require, that kind of email messages they want to receive and know the sending of spam and make a decision whether they want if or not, in other words the user may have the control of the situation. A situation that can help us to understand this point is when you are in your home and receive an unexpected visit of a salesman; you decide whether to hear him or not, and decide whether he can come back another time. A similar situation passes on your computers when you are working, playing, hearing music, etc. and receive an unexpected visit of spam or commercial.

Secondly, the security of your information and the privacy when you are on Internet are important factors because they assure that you don’t have any problem with your profile. For example, you could have problems with your credit card due to the fact that some people can buy something with your authorization, or you could have problems in your work due to the fact that your boss can find information about you that isn’t appropriate. The trace of your interest and preferences on Internet is a common practice in the web and you can not know or verify anything; in other words, you are working blind and you have trust that all is fine around you. Additional, you receive daily an average of 50 -150 spam therefore you don’t have time and capacity to understand all of them, and normally you finish eliminating them without reading, then you possibly are erasing even some important information that you cannot check. Moreover, there is enough evidence that you information or your programs has been taking for unknown peoples to undefined uses while you are working on your computer.

Finally, the cost of the time that everybody spends in the process of eliminating or reading the undesirable information always will be higher in comparison to the quantity indicated by IAB. According to Kristie Brown & Susan Hood in their book named Academic Encounters, article “Internet Issues”, The influence of the media, Chapter 6, the author mentioned that “Recent surveys undertaken in the United States have revealed for example that on-line industry analysts predict that Internet misuse will cost companies an estimated 1 billion dollars in lost productivity” (Brown, 130). If it only takes us part of this cost, and we assume, that part of this time is due to lost time in deleting emails and unsolicited messages, the conclusion will be that the cost is higher.

In conclusion, the control on internet privacy and the idea of creating a special laws in order to modify the rules of the Internet are requirements that the user’s computers are waiting for increase the security and the trust in the information that daily is being received and sent on the web.

Reference:

BBC News. (2001 Nov.13). Europe tackles Internet privacy. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1653907.stm. Retrieved 2006, Nov.29

Brown, K. & Hood, S. (2002). Internet Issues. Academic Encounters. New York: Cambridge University Press, p. 130.

Summary # 2: "Reese photographer denies assault"

2006-12-05T19:46:00.000-08:00

In the article,"Reese photographer denies assault" by BBC News, the author describes the issue of actress Reese Witherspoon, who upped charges and complained about the conduct of paparazzi named Todd Wallace, because he used aggressive tactics to get pictures of her. BBC News media described details about the fact, which occurred at Disney theme park in California; apparently Mr. Wallace hit a girl and shoved two employees in order to get shots of movie star and her daughter. Wallace faces a serious charge but he pleaded not guilty and he said that he had done nothing, and insisted that the facts were not like Ms. Witherspoon told. Wallace could be sentenced to three years or half a year in the jail, and now can’t come close to the actress, according to the order of George Berenson, who is Commissioner in Orange County Superior Court. Another actress too, accused the paparazzi of pursuing her every day and he tried to impel her off the road in April.

Summary # 1: "Propaganda, not art"

2006-12-05T19:28:00.000-08:00

In the article,"Propaganda, not art" by Dustin Gardiner, the author resumes the comments by Lucia Rather, who explains and discusses the issue that focused on history, evolution and impact of political cartoons in America. Rather, who has background and experience in this area, says that “A political cartoons is not just a picture, it’s a graphic illustration of an idea…the purpose is propaganda, not art”. Also, she outlined four elements of political cartoons that help viewers to understand better the meaning behind them, including inspiration, symbols, allusions and humor. To understand the political cartoons is necessary to know the history, recognize the common symbols such as Uncle Sam, understand the literary and have clear knowledge of the period or political movement. Rather emphasized the liberty of the press in order to provide space by cartoonist. Finally she mentioned the success of the political cartoons in the strengthening of the democracy and empowering a political movement

Weblog Assignment # 5

2006-12-04T06:43:00.000-08:00

For my weblog # 5, I have selected the following site called Fight Spam on the Internet Website

The http://spam.abuse.com/ is a website that is sponsored by Barracuda Networks and it’s designed to fight spam on the Internet and promote in way responsible net commerce. This website was presented the first time to the public in 1996 and this date this website have been actively engaged in fighting spam and junk mail and it is considered one of the best anti-spam sites on the net. This website provides help to user’s computers, Sysadmins and Marketers and provides information in form of news that is occurring in different places around of world that has relation with fight spam. Also, provide enlaces with anti-spam organizations as such as Cauce, Euro Cauce, Cauce India, ApCause Asia Pacific, etc. With respect the help for regular users, this site provide tips and tools about of spam reporting, tracing spams, hiding addresses from spammers, spam email blocking and filtering, resources for parents, stopping popup, spams on windows an stooping blog spam. In addition, this site provide technical information for systems administrators in a number of areas, as such as controlling e-mail spam, controlling usenet spam, cutting off IP connectivity to spam, acceptable use policies and account tools, abuse-queue management tools for *SPs and a nifty tool for catching form mail abuse. Finally, the help for marketers has information important that might be considered at moment that you do transactions, because these tips help you guarantee the integrity of your data and the security of your address.

In my opinion this website is designed to provide tips and excellent advises to user’s computers, systems administrators and marketers about that how to confront the spam with only one objective that is take advantage of the information gathered to improve the performance on the Internet. When you revise totally this website you finally have impression that the information is right, that the information is technically defined, is easily read and that is supported by one competitive team. Take action against cookies, spams, junk mails is important because the security when you are on the Internet increase the trust especially in transactions of e-commerce. Also, you would have the freedom of choose or prohibit unsolicited commercial messages when you use your computer. Finally, think in the total of hours that the people spend in delete and review spams, is a quantity important and mean a big quantity of dollars lost in productivity individual and collective. The creation of laws about the block the placing of cookies or spams on user’s computers is convenient in function of increase the security when the people are sending or receiving emails. Obviously there is huge interest in some companies to avoid any intention about the creation of bill.

Weblog Assignment # 4

2006-11-30T14:01:00.000-08:00

For my weblog #4, I have selected the following site called Search Engine Optimization Tips Website
The www.submit-it.com/subopt.htm is a website, which is part of website of Microsoft Small Business Center, is dedicated for help the small business with some tips about the use of search engine optimization tool in order to improve their websites, because normally this tool is difficult and confusing to use. These tips cover everything that users need to know about optimizing their web pages for the search engines quickly and easily. The website has 8 important tips, as such as, potential site design and set up problems, selecting the correct keywords, your title tag, your copywriting, your meta tags, your images "alt" attribute, what you should not do, and how long it takes to get listed. The first tip, “Potential site design and set up problems” is designed to help the website that have set up or use frames, dynamic URL’s, flash, and sites that use image maps and JavaScript for navigation. The second tip, “Optimizing for the correct words” is designed to give some advice about the best keywords that peoples can use in order to optimize their pages, for example they can to think like your target audience in order to choose a specific keyword phrase which will be better. The next tips have similar functions in order to optimize the title tag in the web sites, page copy, meta tags, use of images, and avoid spamming messages. In addition the website provides information about optimizing text hyperlinks and heading tags.

In my opinion this website is designed to provide tips and excellent advises to small business or people who are designed yours owner's websites. These tips and advises are important in order to improve and optimize your resources, trying of save money and time, and assure that the audience target to get access easily and quickly through search engine as such as Google, Altavista, AOL, MSN, etc. Normally, the audience target intent find one website looking first in the search engine websites, therefore is so important that the way to get access for your website may be right; it only can be, if the designer of websites considerate these tips. This website is part of the Microsoft Small Business Center and is an excellent complement when you are designing the structure of your business and you need focus your products or services on the Internet. The support the Microsoft is important at the moment that you take decisions about that where will be your resources and considerate this website in order to optimize them. Considerate the main points in this website and take serious the tips are a good decision.

Weblog Assignment # 3

2006-11-14T21:47:00.000-08:00

For my weblog #3, I have selected the following site called WebAwards Website
The www.webaward.org is a special website that to award and recognize the individual talent and efforts team in outstanding Websites development and generate internet marketing exposure for the award winning Web site. In this website can you to exhibit or to show your website and to compete with other websites. According to the website, is the first and unique website that awards in real competition the talent in this field. You can to find information about the 2006 WebAward competition in 96 industry categories and 33 countries around the world. Also, you can find information about the 2007 WebAward competition and the new categories considered to new event as such architecture, blog, electronics and photography. The website was designed by The Web Marketing Association and was founded in 1997 to help set high standard for internet marketing and web development on the www. There are benefits by everyone who enters the WebAwards as such criteria scoring, benchmark data, judge’s comments, image plaque or certificate, winner page, press release posting, an exceptional marketing opportunity and proof that your work meets or exceeds industry standards.

In my opinion this website is designed to provide a schema adequate for benchmarking of different websites, through the evaluation of elements important as such the design, innovation, content, technology, interactivity, copywriting, ease of use, between the principals. Create one atmosphere for the competition, established rules and conditions, motivate the participations, involve the professionals and to assure one solid structure, to permit that a anyone system evolution and development standards of excellence as well as a high potential level, through of the continuous improvement and the sane competition. According the site, “the web industries professionals have used the WebAward competition as a way to promote themselves, their companies and their best work to the outside world”. I thing that the creation of the space for competition is excellent in order to create best standards and performance and I believe that it is a good example to other field or industries, where is necessary motivate the people, increase your participation, improve the relations and development high standards of quality; is a good example for organizations like there are in Latin America.

Weblog assignment # 2

2006-11-06T14:18:00.000-08:00

For my weblog #2, I have selected the following site called Josh Wolf's website

In this site are published the letters that peoples sent by Josh Wolf and his support team. In this site we can find letter wrote by Josh Wolf from the Federal Correctional Institution - Dublin in California. These letters have messages that ranges form thankfulness to expose issues about his situation and the help that his need. Also, we can find largest files where you can read the past events from January 2005 until today. Is clear that the site is a place where everybody can put that they desire and expose different situations where there are problems that affect right humans of citizens. In addition in this site are exposed messages whose objective is to request financial help for support the process of Wolf.

My opinion about this site is that there are situations or events that happen where the human’s rights are affected but I am not of according with the publication the events that does not checked. The rumors on internet can be unclear, unambiguous, and can be altered in function of increase the impact with political interest. The liberty to express is a value important of the democracy in one country, but sites like this influence and changing the behavior if the youngest people and can disorient the true sense of the things. I think that the sites like this are the source to the creation the subversives groups than are similar to terrorist groups. Finally, the cause of the Josh Wolf and your friends, can be right, but released a several comments can affect the stability of the justice, because is easy believe in rumors and the justice are sustained in fact, laws and principles.

Essay Assignment # 1: "Political Cartoons"

2006-11-01T11:34:00.000-08:00

According to Charles Press, in his book named The Political Cartoons, Fairleigh Dickinson, 1981, he defines: “The political cartoons are a unique creation--pictorial editorial and artistic social commentary. The medium of the political cartoon, which combines the political and the artistic with journalism, provides interested persons the chance to express their social concerns or political views creatively. It allows them to make social commentary beyond the boundaries of the written word. Most political cartoons are designed to influence viewers with regard to specific political events of the day" (Press, 14).

The political cartoons are part of the history of this country since the mid-19th century and have opened the space to opinion and public debate. These are in the main newspaper, magazines and in recent years on the Internet, which is published daily in the political news or editorial section. The political cartoons influence people’s opinion and help people change their thinking about specific political events, then influence their behavior about the government, decision and actions. The purpose of the political cartoons is propaganda.

According to Dustin Gardiner (2005) Lucia Rather “mentioned several instances in which political cartoons were very successful in starting or empowering a political movement or trend. For example, cartoonist Thomas Nast caused much of the initial criticism that led to the demise of the corrupt New York political machine Tammany Hall in late 1800s” (par.10). In the 1870s, a New York politician named William Tweed was involved in the loss of 200 million dollars of products and taxes. The scandal was covered by the newspapers and was of the best newsworthiness to people. The opinion of Thomas Nast through political cartoons changed of the political history and transformed the cartoons into a medium to influence the people and demonstrate the potential political of them.

In recent years the people have been able to find political cartoons on the Internet; there are many sites where you can find information about the different topics and an inclusive complete guide of political cartoons edited. In these web sites you can find controversial debates, where you can to see the position that is adopted by different agents of the society. This is a new way of looking at a thing, of getting information about the events, taking a position or participating in opening the door 80% the new generation of political cartoons and the new role of the cartoonist. The new events are on the Internet, such as current political events, political scandals and political issues; today for example were published several political cartoons about Halloween and politics; in these the cartoonist got inspiration from the relation between the people in Iraq, Halloween day and the position of the Bush government; the symbols used were the pumpkin, US flag and the dead people. The political cartoons of today are not funny but are very impacting and of course are on these sites to change the thinking of people about the actual position of the Bush government. When you look at these political cartoons with security you change your thinking.

Actually the process of making a decision is affected by the information. The time or the immediacy of events is an important factor that affects the thinking and influences directly on the decision of people. Daily we are exposed to political cartoons through of the media such as newspaper, TV channels and the Internet; every day the media influences us. Actually time is important and people don't like to spend time in several details; therefore the political cartoons are important because the people can look quickly at these and stay informed about the political events. Our experience daily and our behavior are factors that support the importance of political cartoons in our lives and these influences on our decisions.

The political cartoons represent the past, reflect the present and are the best way to show to the citizens, the community, people involved inside of governments or politicians, the power of the images with humor and of the funny images and the capacity to change the history of this country.

Weblog assignment #1

2006-10-27T07:38:00.000-07:00

For my weblog #1, I have selected the following site called Today's Best Cartoons
This site is part of MSNBC News, that is a kind of media in Internet, where Daryl Cagle work like professional cartoonist. Cagle published daily different cartoons about the political situation in US or controversial topics that are important for the people. In this site you can find information about the main professional cartoonist from US and the world, it has a list of 101 American cartoonist, 10 Canadian cartoonist and 61 worldwide cartoonist; also has 6 weekly cartoonist. Everybody cartoonist published yours different political cartoons and you can find this making link in different places. There is one important link named Teachers Guide where one teacher will can find a lesson plans for using the cartoons in the classroom, there is 5 controversial topics.
In my opinion, the political cartoons are important in the live of citizens in this country, normally those can change the position and mind of the peoples, for example in this site the last one published political cartoons showed above, Daryl Cagle wants to show the actual situation of the President Bush and your Republic Party. The elephant represent the Republic Party which is tired, exhausted and sleepy and President Bush insist continue the actual political and try of maintenance the status in controversial topics how is the war in Iraq.
The phrase used in the context is relevant and means that position the President Bush. “Onward to victory” means "Go ahead", but no is possible when the basic and elementary resources are finished. In general, when you link in the site you will be exposed a information that can make your opinion and you think about the poltical. This link provides you interesting forms and different vision the other peoples, but is neccesary have opend mind and critical think, for enjoy it.

Mass Media Functions

2006-10-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

My favorite form of mass media is the TV, because it has different purposes depending on the different ways of communication or presentation.

The main purpose is the communication of events after they happened and real time or live, usually these events are presented by news channels.

The second purpose is the entertainment of families in different schedule and programs, for example soap operas, cartoons, comedies, etc.

The TV is a very important kind of mass media in the life of people and affect the culture and behavior of family.