Huck Finn Controversy

Both these cartoons refer to the recent controversy in which publishers chose to omit the word "nigger" and replace it with "slave." 

While I believe that the word is offensive and shouldn't be said to others, I don't think it is right to censor out that word.  

America has its history.  We've come a long way from where we started, but it's important that we remember our history.  Huckleberry Finn gives today's readers a glimpse at society during the time period.  Don't try and erase our history--sure it may be messed up, but pretending like it never happened is far worse.

Furthermore, why not censor artists that use foul language, including the "N-word"?  Why is it acceptable for them to repeatedly use it for no cultural reason while in Huck Finn it is used to further illustrate the cultural at the time.  

While it can be a touchy subject, omitting the word is not the answer to our problems.  It takes away the cultural impact of the novel and can be found in today's musical artist's work.  Omitting it from one source will not solve anything.

A New Year, A New Beginning

     2011 will bring many new changes in my life.  I'll be starting college and independent.  While there's a mix of excitement and fear of the uncertainty this year will bring, I want to make some goals to better myself.
     First, I'm going to finally get a summer job this year--I want to start building my resume, gain work experience, and of course earn my own cash!  I know that I won't be able to hold one up once school starts in the fall and that I'll need more spending money.
     Second, I want to take a self-defense class this summer, so I can learn to defend myself in case danger should arise.
     Third, I want to become involved with extracurriculars in the classroom and of course maintain a strong GPA throughout college.

My Self Assessment

"um.. such as Africa.. um" Ms. USA Beauty Pageant contestant
Ms. South Carolina blunders with her words

Skills that journalists possess:

• Communication Skills -- communicating clearly so others understand you
• Listening Skills -- clearly hear what others are saying to you
• Writing Skills -- writing clearly, concisely, proper grammar, structure and punctuation
• Speaking Skills -- communicating orally
• Interpersonal Skills -- work as a team, interviewing others politely, going in-depth
• Curiosity and awareness -- eager to know what's going on around you, able to see patterns in life and when those patterns are altered
• Self-direction -- takes direction from editors, can write a story without being told
• Self-confidence -- believe in their abilities to their readers and listeners

     Above is a list of the common skills that excellent journalists possess.  I feel that I am stronger in some of these than others.  I would have to say that my interpersonal and writing skills combined with my work ethic of self-direction helps me as a journalist write a story that readers find interesting.  However, sometimes I feel that my speaking skills are not up to par with the others.  When speaking, sometimes I have trouble in saying what I mean or I make it too confusing for others to follow.  I'd love to be able to improve on this weak area, so I thought of a three step plan t achieve this.  

     Step 1:  Read more.  Not only will this help my writing, but also by reading more I can familiarize myself with coherent, concise way of communicating myself.

     Step 2:  Write everything down.  When preparing for a speaking event, write down an exact script of what I will say, that way there will be no impromptu that I would stumble upon.  I already write questions down for interviews, too, so continuing that will also help.

     Step 3:  Listen to speeches to get ideas on how to convey my points in a more concise way.

     Hopefully, by working on this skill that I lack the most, I will not only improve as a journalist, but in communication as a whole

The Ten Businesses that the Smartphone has Destroyed

By: Douglas A. McIntyre and Charles Stockdale

Global smartphone sales rose by nearly 100% in the third quarter of 2010 compared with the same period last year. That allowed Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) to pick up market share while large handset companies like Nokia, Samsung and LG, which do not have strong smartphone products, lost ground. The success of the iPhone and smartphones powered by Google’s Android operating systems have allowed these 3G and WiFi powered devices to leapfrog over products like the netbook as “PC replacements.” iPhone has a huge advantage over netbooks because of the App Store, which has more than 250,000 software applications that enables users to customize their devices to their individual needs.

The first major smartphone was the BlackBerry. It was introduced in 2002, but was built for business use. The iPhone, which was first available in 2007, created a huge consumer demand for smartphones.
The smartphone has begun to replace a number of other consumer electronics devices. As AT&T (NYSE: T) and Verizon Wireless build their cellular business, landline customers cancel traditional phone lines. They don’t need them anymore in a world with 3G wireless devices.

The power of the smartphone as the primary device used for news, entertainment, and communication will only increase. New 4G networks will allow subscribers to connect to the internet with handsets which will download data at speeds similar to those supplied by a home cable modem. Smartphone processors become more powerful each year and the devices get more storage capacity.
This is 24/7 Wall St.’s list of the devices that the smartphone has begun to replace, and in some cases, that process is so far along that the older products have almost disappeared.
The following are the ten products which smartphones are killing.

1. PDAs Personal digital assistants, the device that transformed personal organization in the 1990’s, are almost obsolete. The product was a stepping stone towards the superior smartphone. The Palm Pilot, which was the leading PDA, was successful because it possessed a number of features that are now included in most smartphones. Creator Palm’s performance in the face of the expanding smartphone market helps further illustrate the decline of the PDA. The company lost about half of its North American market share between 2008 and 2009, while smartphone sales increased 13.9% from the year before. As a result, Palm launched its latest smartphone in June 2009, the Pre.

2. Flip Video Cameras Cisco Systems’s line of Flip video cameras has been modestly popular over the past few years, bringing in about $75 million between February and May 2010, according to Cisco. However, the multifunctional smartphone may soon push Flip out of the picture. Both the iPhone 4 and the Droid X feature 720p video capabilities, the same as Flip cameras. Flip cameras do, however, have a small advantage over smartphones because of their higher video frame capture rate. This slight edge in technological ability isolates Flip cameras as products which only appeal to a small percentage of consumers whose video recording needs cannot be met by a smartphone; a niche market that may not be able to sustain the business.

3. MP3 Players Companies that make MP3 players have sold fewer and fewer units ever since smartphones began to provide the service. This marks the first time since the inception of the Walkman that portable music players will exist with more than a singular function. According to Deloitte, 42% of smartphone users have reduced or stopped using their portable digital music players because of their phones’ music-playing capabilities. Even the iPod, the biggest selling MP3 player of all time, had its lowest since 2006 in the most recent quarter.

4. Digital Cameras As handset phone cameras improve in quality, the demand for separate, low-end digital cameras may begin to decrease. Many phones already have 5-megapixel camera capabilities. Market intelligence company iSuppli predicts that the average for phones will rise to 5.7 megapixels by 2013. Digital still cameras, however, averaged 7.6 megapixels in 2008 and may reach 13.9 in 2013. According to Pam Tufegdzic, consumer electronics analyst at iSuppli, “handsets soon may begin to cannibalize the low-end of the DSC (digital still camera) market as they incorporate higher megapixels and flash capabilities.” This scenario does not seem too far off, as the recently released Nokia N8 smartphone features a 12-megapixel camera.

5. Handheld Video Games For 2010, factory unit shipments of game-capable mobile phones are expected to reach 1.27 billion, according to iSuppli. This will be an increase of 11.4% from the year before. Handheld video game devices, however, are expected to decline 2.5% over the same period, shipping just 38.9 million factory units. The reason is more consumers are using their phones for portable gaming. In 2009, the percentage of portable gaming revenue generated by the iPhone grew from 5% to 19%, according to Flurry Analytics. Apple CEO Steve Jobs has said the company has sold more than 1.5 billion iPhone/iPod Touch OS games. Currently, six of the top ten highest-grossing apps are games, such as “Angry Birds” and “Tap Zoo.” There are now reports that a Sony PlayStation smartphone is in the works.

6. GPS The increase in smartphones with GPS capabilities poses a huge threat to standalone GPS devices. According to iSuppli, by the end of 2011 about 80% of phones will include GPS technology. According to the company, the number of navigation-capable smartphones being used by 2014 will be greater than the number of standalone devices. As a result, very few people will seek out GPS-specific devices such as those made by TomTom and Garmin.

7. PCs There are plenty of studies which insist that smartphones will begin to replace the PC as the common vehicle for accessing the Internet. Analyst firm Informa Telecoms & Media projects that smartphone traffic will increase 700% over the next five years. IT research firm Gartner predicts that smartphone sales will outpace PC sales by 2012, if not earlier. Google CEO Eric Schmidt, whose company’s mobile business has doubled over the last year, has expressed this sentiment as well. As smartphones continue to feature more memory, storage capability, and stronger processing power, consumers will increasingly rely on them for Internet use instead of their clunky PCs.

8. Regular Cell Phones Just as smartphones are making other single-function devices more and more obsolete, they are pushing regular, “featureless” cell phones out of the competitive marketplace. According to iSuppli, smartphone manufacturers Research in Motion and Apple claimed the fifth and sixth spots for top phone brands in the first quarter of 2010. Both companies exclusively produce smartphones. Nokia, however, saw its cell phone market share drop to 28.2% from 36.7%, underscoring its focus on non-smart phones. According to Gartner, third quarter sales of smartphones nearly doubled.

9. Watches As more people have become equipped with mobile phones, fewer people have found a need to wear wrist watches. From 2001 to 2006, the amount that Americans spent on watches dropped 17%, according to Experian Simmons Research. This trend will most likely increase, as Tamara Sender of research group Mintel notes, “Many consumers have grown up with technology and are just as likely to associate the notion of checking the time with a mobile handset as with a watch and as they grow older this mindset will accompany them.” It should be noted that many luxury watch brands, such Rolex, have remained popular. This, however, is due to the fact that these watches are worn for fashion, not function.

10. Remote Controls Although it is hard to imagine there being a successful replacement for the television remote, smartphones are beginning to do just that. Smartphones now offer apps that act as remote controls for television models made by Mitsubishi, Samsung, and Sonos. Additionally, as Internet and television content become more and more intertwined, smartphone remotes seem an increasingly appropriate instrument of control. The iPhone can currently be used for Apple TV boxes, and Google offers its own controls for its television services. According to technology research firm Forrester Research, the number of homes with televisions that are connected to the Internet is expected to reach 43 million by 2015.

Questions:
1. Are you or people you know less likely to buy any of the products listed as a result of the development of smart phones?
Yes; I personally am because the smartphone has everything you could possibly need in one device.  It is unnecessary to purchase many items when it can all be in one tiny device

2. In general, do you think it is an advantage or a disadvantage to have so many of your technological functions in a single device?
It is both depending on the situation.  Of course it is much more convenient to have everything in one device, but that also means you would loose everything in that one device.

3. How have smart phones improved our lives?
They improve organization and keeping contacts be it for business or social means.

4. What do you think has been the most important invention of your lifetime? How do your answers compare with the most important inventions of your parents’, grandparents or great-grandparents’ lifetimes?
Perhaps the smartphone because it integrates many important inventions into one convenient device.  I'm sure they would believe else wise--My great-grandparents would probably say vaccines which was extremely important for their lifetimes and many more to come.

5. “There are plenty of studies which insist that smart phones will begin to replace the PC as the common vehicle for accessing the Internet.” Do you agree? If so, does this mean PCs are on their way out? Would you ever stop using them?
I agree that some people may start to switch; however, I still like laptops and will continue to use them.

6. Do you have any need for TVs, radios, and other devices, rather than just using your computer for everything? Would you ever want to use your phone as a TV or radio? What are the barriers to either of these things happening?
There isn't really a need as so much as a want since TV screens are larger to view and many more people can easily enjoy watching on them.  I probably wouldn't use my phone for a tv because first of all I hardly watch it to begin with and  second of all, I don't want to stare at a small screen.

Elections 2010

Last night, elections were held.  Finally, a chance for the people to take action!  Voting allows the people to decide what's best for them--even if that means voting for "the less of the two evils" if you do not like either canidates.  If you didn't go out last night to vote, then you do not have the right to complain.  That's basically what the above political cartoon is trying to illustrate.

Tips for Better Photos

The difference between regular photos and newspaper is that newspaper photos are generally not posed--we love action shots!

While there is this difference, all photos need to be clear and focused.  Also, it is important to make sure that the background isn't too busy.

A Modern Twist on Shakespeare

Shakespeare's romantic comedy Taming the Shrew comes alive in the modernized, teen-friendly version 10 Things I Hate About You.

A new student to Padua High School, Cameron sit in the office of the odd guidance councilor, Ms. Perky.  Another boy named Michael is assigned to show him around campus where we can see all the different clicks--cowboys, future BA's, the populars.  That's when he see's Bianca Stadford, a beautiful sophomore.  She only has one problem.  She's not allowed to date neither is her rampaging, moody sister Kat who has a cynical outlook on life and doesn't care what others think about her.