My Position
Does technology benefit the music industry? Can music survive file transfer websites? Will hard-core analog listeners switch to digital formats? What formats will become mainstream in the future? Who is the music industry targeting to increase slumping sales? Does music offer health benefits through music therapy? These questions are the current important issues that the music industry faces today.
Let's face it, a large percentage of the Baby Boomers have never made the computer transformation. Due to that fact, there will always be a market for store-bought music. Most baby boomers prefer to go the store and simply buy music. Because of technology, music listeners are given choices a on buying and listening to music. Most boomers grew up with television and have updated their home entertainment systems to watch DVDs. Most of these home entertainment systems are 5.1 surround sound compatible. This is a major marketing opportunity for the music industry and the bands themselves. Market old music in a new and improved format will entice boomers to rebuy thier favorite music again. It is like you are hearing it for the first time again. Baby boomers are 78 million strong in the United States and have major buying power. The music industry, for their survival, must target this age group. This is a prime example of how technology serves as a useful tool for music sales. On the other hand, major record companies might be a bit hesitant to focus on boomers and 5.1 surround sound as a savior. There are no guarantees by simply enhancing the sound of their old favorite songs will make the boomers run to the store with their wallets open. The record companies and the bands themselves have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Marketing this may be costly and a major gamble for the music industry, but they need to do something to stimulate business do to slumping sales.
Another big question is the issue of MP3 downloading off the Internet. Can store-bought formats coexist with MP3 file sharing websites? There is plenty of room for both. MP3 downloading is geared for younger, more computer literate music listeners. This is the format that young people grew up on, making them more comfortable using this format. Radiohead is cutting out the record companies by simply making their music available on their website. Radiohead's last album was only available through their website. Contributions were excepted but not mandatory. This is a great promotional tool but how about the consumer without a computer? There is room for both options, by giving the consumers the option of buying at the store or from the website is good for business. Having more options for the consumer can only stimulate business and create competition, which will keep costs down.
The issue of analog sounding better than digital still prevalent, but doesn't help or hurt the music industry. The record companies have responded to the hard-core vinyl listeners by releasing more albums on vinyl. Turntables and vinyl lp's sales have skyrocketed in the last few years. The artists themselves have retreated back to vinyl as a format option. Basically, the major problem with digital recordings are that they only sample analog sounds and don't present the full spectrum of sound that analog offers. Both analog and digital are here to stay, regardless of which one sounds better.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Monday, April 7, 2008
Reflection on Multi-Modal Project
This project was challenging when it came to the layout and the insertion of the utube links. This was more an informative report than an opinion or argument, making the project just full of facts and explanation. The APA style of citing was difficult and I need more work in this area. This class is turning out to be a multi-media experience rather than you prototypical English class. Looking forward to the Arguement project.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Thousands Americans out of Work. I am One of them!
on January 28, 2008 I was watching ABC's world news tonight. They had a segment about Americans losing their homes because of the bad economy and the type of Morgage loan that they acquired. Anyway, I recently lost my job in October of 2007 and have been struggling financially to keep my home. I wrote my story to ABC news via their website and they chose my story for their "Thousands of Americans out of work" segment. They called me on March 6 to interview me and asked me questions about my unemployment misfortune. Betsy Stark from ABC news talked to me for over a half hour on the phone. After our conversation she asked me if I would be available Friday, March 7, and if they chose my story to be aired on that day. I told her I was available, and ABC called me to set up a time to send the film crew to my house. It was quite an interesting process on how they interview from a speakerphone from New York and make it seem like there are actually in the room asking you questions. I've never been on national news before and it was quite an interesting experience. You can go to the following Internet address to view the interview. http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4411115. Check it out and tell me what you think.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Surround Sound is the Future
Topic Proposal
Music Industry will upgrade to Surround Sound Soon
Technology is rejuvenating the music industry and with continuing research and format development such as surround sound, I believe sales will continue to increase. The development of surround sound through the DVD format is the future for success in the music industry. In layman's terms, instead of hearing music through two speakers which is stereo, surround sound utilizes five or seven speakers and reproduces the music to be heard through all speakers. This is done by remixing the original source tape. Hence the term 5.1 surround sound and 7.1 surround sound. Compared to stereo, surround sound is much clearer and separates the different aspects of music. The highs which are considered the treble are usually allocated to your rear speakers. The front speakers and your middle channel usually handle the voice of the music and the Sub-Woofer re-creates the base and the lows. This is only one format within music reproduction and due to the fact that it has a great reproduction of sound I believe that most of your older music and especially classic rock will begin to remaster in a surround sound format to increase record sales.
What I propose to do with this topic is to give the reader better insight on the difference between analog and digital. Also, to educate them on the different formats and music players that is available in the market. Most importantly, I want to study the data to see if record sales have increased since 1982, when digital music was available and to compare the sales of records and CDs since digital came to the music market. Another question that readers might have, especially with 35 and older age group is if digital sound is better than analog. I'll need scientific evidence and listener preference to answer that question. Still, even today a lot hard-core music listeners will not give up their vinyl albums and replace them with CDs. Maybe I'll be able to persuade them through examples and facts.
Music Industry will upgrade to Surround Sound Soon
Technology is rejuvenating the music industry and with continuing research and format development such as surround sound, I believe sales will continue to increase. The development of surround sound through the DVD format is the future for success in the music industry. In layman's terms, instead of hearing music through two speakers which is stereo, surround sound utilizes five or seven speakers and reproduces the music to be heard through all speakers. This is done by remixing the original source tape. Hence the term 5.1 surround sound and 7.1 surround sound. Compared to stereo, surround sound is much clearer and separates the different aspects of music. The highs which are considered the treble are usually allocated to your rear speakers. The front speakers and your middle channel usually handle the voice of the music and the Sub-Woofer re-creates the base and the lows. This is only one format within music reproduction and due to the fact that it has a great reproduction of sound I believe that most of your older music and especially classic rock will begin to remaster in a surround sound format to increase record sales.
What I propose to do with this topic is to give the reader better insight on the difference between analog and digital. Also, to educate them on the different formats and music players that is available in the market. Most importantly, I want to study the data to see if record sales have increased since 1982, when digital music was available and to compare the sales of records and CDs since digital came to the music market. Another question that readers might have, especially with 35 and older age group is if digital sound is better than analog. I'll need scientific evidence and listener preference to answer that question. Still, even today a lot hard-core music listeners will not give up their vinyl albums and replace them with CDs. Maybe I'll be able to persuade them through examples and facts.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
End of Assignment Blog
End-of-Assignment "Reflection" Blog
Reflecting back on this assignment, the main skill that I developed is learning how to write for the Internet. Writing a simple research paper uses a different format and writing technique than writing for the Web. In doing this paper made me realize the time and effort that website authors put into doing these pages. Without using office share point designer, which is a program similar to Dreamweaver, my project would have taken forever. When I signed up for this course I thought it was your prototypical English research paper class and was surprised to find out how Web intense this class is.
Searching the Internet for information to do this project was relatively easy compared to what I used to do in the past when I spent countless hours at the library. Also using word processing programs with spell check is a major advantage. In the future I would like to pick a topic that I am more familiar with and that I have a passion for. This class seems to be a ground breaking experience for the English department and for Purdue.
Mechanically my writing style is informal and I need to remember to have a strong thesis statement in my introduction. The body of my articles needs to be informative but exciting for the readers. Conclusions need to back up with examples and fact. Formal writing is something that I need work at. Hopefully, the content of my current project is sufficient. I look forward and expect to become a better writer from attending this class.
Reflecting back on this assignment, the main skill that I developed is learning how to write for the Internet. Writing a simple research paper uses a different format and writing technique than writing for the Web. In doing this paper made me realize the time and effort that website authors put into doing these pages. Without using office share point designer, which is a program similar to Dreamweaver, my project would have taken forever. When I signed up for this course I thought it was your prototypical English research paper class and was surprised to find out how Web intense this class is.
Searching the Internet for information to do this project was relatively easy compared to what I used to do in the past when I spent countless hours at the library. Also using word processing programs with spell check is a major advantage. In the future I would like to pick a topic that I am more familiar with and that I have a passion for. This class seems to be a ground breaking experience for the English department and for Purdue.
Mechanically my writing style is informal and I need to remember to have a strong thesis statement in my introduction. The body of my articles needs to be informative but exciting for the readers. Conclusions need to back up with examples and fact. Formal writing is something that I need work at. Hopefully, the content of my current project is sufficient. I look forward and expect to become a better writer from attending this class.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Stem Cell Research and Therapeutic Cloning
Stem Cell Research and Therapeutic Cloning
South Korea is taking the initiative in cloning and stem cell research. The authors of this article say that South Korea is taking steps to a tantalizing goal. The reason for describing this goal as tantalizing should be rephrased as tempting. The United States medical companies must see the financial gain to stem cell research and cloning. Therapeutic cloning is described as tailor-made replacement tissues, that seemed to suggest that this is the future despite all the ethical issues, it is time to go full throttle with this new medical technology.
In a more recent study in the U.S., Scientist have used skin cells to grow human tissue. United States scientists said they have successfully reprogrammed human skin cells to behave exactly as embryonic stem cells. The research was published in the Feb. 11 edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences. This is the third such confirmation that the technique is feasible. "Our reprogrammed human skin cells were virtually indistinguishable from human embryonic stem cells," lead author Kathrin Plath, an assistant professor of biological chemistry at UCLA and a researcher with the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, said in statement. "Our findings are an important step towards manipulating differentiated human cells to generate an unlimited supply of patient specific pluripotent stem cells. We are very excited about the potential implications."
Therapeutic cloning is in its infinite stages right now but it is hard to deny the consistent advantages of this process. In this type of cloning it rules out the chance of rejection of an organ as opposed to traditional organ donning by another human being. The risk of organ rejection is almost eliminated through therapeutic cloning. Using sophisticated techniques for cells that are extracted from the human body are genetically identical and lessen the risk of organ rejection. The South Korean scientists harvest embryos from a woman and creative culture that has the ability to turn into any cell in the body. To make these useful, scientists will turn them into particular cells and inject them back into people. Some cells work but not all do.
The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity has a Christian analysis on this moral issue.
In conclusion, the ethical argument is that human embryos die. Embryos feel no pain and the benefit far outweighs the negative side to this procedure. The United States needs to invest in this technology now. How many people that are waiting for organ transplants will die waiting? He who hesitates is lost. The writing is on the wall. What are we waiting for?
South Korea is taking the initiative in cloning and stem cell research. The authors of this article say that South Korea is taking steps to a tantalizing goal. The reason for describing this goal as tantalizing should be rephrased as tempting. The United States medical companies must see the financial gain to stem cell research and cloning. Therapeutic cloning is described as tailor-made replacement tissues, that seemed to suggest that this is the future despite all the ethical issues, it is time to go full throttle with this new medical technology.
In a more recent study in the U.S., Scientist have used skin cells to grow human tissue. United States scientists said they have successfully reprogrammed human skin cells to behave exactly as embryonic stem cells. The research was published in the Feb. 11 edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences. This is the third such confirmation that the technique is feasible. "Our reprogrammed human skin cells were virtually indistinguishable from human embryonic stem cells," lead author Kathrin Plath, an assistant professor of biological chemistry at UCLA and a researcher with the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, said in statement. "Our findings are an important step towards manipulating differentiated human cells to generate an unlimited supply of patient specific pluripotent stem cells. We are very excited about the potential implications."
Therapeutic cloning is in its infinite stages right now but it is hard to deny the consistent advantages of this process. In this type of cloning it rules out the chance of rejection of an organ as opposed to traditional organ donning by another human being. The risk of organ rejection is almost eliminated through therapeutic cloning. Using sophisticated techniques for cells that are extracted from the human body are genetically identical and lessen the risk of organ rejection. The South Korean scientists harvest embryos from a woman and creative culture that has the ability to turn into any cell in the body. To make these useful, scientists will turn them into particular cells and inject them back into people. Some cells work but not all do.
The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity has a Christian analysis on this moral issue.
In conclusion, the ethical argument is that human embryos die. Embryos feel no pain and the benefit far outweighs the negative side to this procedure. The United States needs to invest in this technology now. How many people that are waiting for organ transplants will die waiting? He who hesitates is lost. The writing is on the wall. What are we waiting for?
Saturday, February 2, 2008
How to Evaluate a Website
How to Evaluate a Website
The Oncoliink website covered all of the good assets of a professional website. They were authoritative and accurate with their information. Furthermore, they were current and displayed minimal bias. Ccientific studies were accurate and there wasn't any direct advertising on the site. In contrast, the World Health Organization did not supply any supporting references, dates, and no contact information. This website would lead me to believe that this is of opinion and not scientific fact.
The Martin Luther King.org website had authority problems also. It showed that David Duke the leader of the Ku Klux Klan had his biased opinion throughout the website. Also, there was third-party information that was posted on the website that is also very questionable. Thekingcenter.org is a much better source for reference. They supplied actual documents that Dr. King wrote while he was in the Birmingham Jail. This website was authoritative, very accurate, current and did not display any bias.
The Oncoliink website covered all of the good assets of a professional website. They were authoritative and accurate with their information. Furthermore, they were current and displayed minimal bias. Ccientific studies were accurate and there wasn't any direct advertising on the site. In contrast, the World Health Organization did not supply any supporting references, dates, and no contact information. This website would lead me to believe that this is of opinion and not scientific fact.
The Martin Luther King.org website had authority problems also. It showed that David Duke the leader of the Ku Klux Klan had his biased opinion throughout the website. Also, there was third-party information that was posted on the website that is also very questionable. Thekingcenter.org is a much better source for reference. They supplied actual documents that Dr. King wrote while he was in the Birmingham Jail. This website was authoritative, very accurate, current and did not display any bias.
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