During today’s class, you will execute the writing of your think piece. Of course, you have done much of the heavy lifting needed to write your think piece quickly through the previous modules. Follow the directions below, save your work on your own media, and copy-and-paste your writing into a comment of this blog post. The version of your think piece that you write today can be considered a draft, which you revise before archiving in the final step.
Execution: Copy and paste your outline into a new document. Working through your outline, elaborate on each point so that each paragraph develops your think piece’s narrative of exploring, working out, or understanding the issue better. As you do this, you can delete your outline’s headings so that the further you progress, your think piece will look more like an essay emerging from your notes. When you encounter a quote, explain it and engage it into your discussion. Make sure that you cite it and move the bibliographic info to a new “Works Cited” list that you create at the end of this document. As you progress, always think about how to transition from one paragraph to the next so that your narrative flows from point to point, paragraph to paragraph. Share this document with someone in class to read and provide you with written feedback. Aim as close as possible to 750 words inclusive of your works cited. (in-class on Feb. 16)
To: Jason W. Ellis
From: George Gordon
Date: February 16, 2016
Subject: Project 1, Execution
YouTube has an automated system that only searches for material that has been submitted by rights holders. From here the video is flagged and the rights holders can decide to either block, track, or monetize the video. The system makes sense to have in place as it can protect YouTube from any potential lawsuits, however, the YouTube Content ID system is flawed.
On an article for Electronic Frontier Foundation, Amul Kalia said this “The problems with Content ID have always been in the news over the years, but lately have become more common, even comically so.” Content ID has been causing issues for content creators on YouTube since its implementation, either from the system flagging videos that fall under fair use or from false claims.
With Content ID came the three strikes clause for channels. You get a strike if a rights holder sends a complete legal request to take a video on your channel down. One strike will strip away features from your channel like monetization and three strikes will have your channel deleted with no chance of being reinstated.
With these systems in play, you would think that YouTube would make sure that copyright claims are legitimate rather than simply giving channels a strike with no information or any notification. However, this is exactly what has been happening on the website.
Many channels are being taken down, losing their monetization, which many of these people rely on, or are given false claims. A few examples of these are the Nostalgia Critic’s channel who lost monetization for a couple of days, I Hate Everything’s channel who was given a false strike relating to fair use on a movie review, and Top15’s channel who received a strike for a video that another website claimed was “paraphrased” content from their site.
A big part of YouTube is its gaming section, most notably their Let’s Plays videos where you can sit back and watch someone else play a game, usually with commentary. This series of videos were and still are in jeopardy with Content ID, even though they fall under fair use.
To: Jason W. Ellis
From: George Gordon
Date: February 16, 2016
Subject: Project 1, Execution
YouTube has an automated system that only searches for material that has been submitted by rights holders. From here the video is flagged and the rights holders can decide to either block, track, or monetize the video. The system makes sense to have in place as it can protect YouTube from any potential lawsuits, however, the YouTube Content ID system is flawed.
On an article for Electronic Frontier Foundation, Amul Kalia said this “The problems with Content ID have always been in the news over the years, but lately have become more common, even comically so.” Content ID has been causing issues for content creators on YouTube since its implementation, either from the system flagging videos that fall under fair use or from false claims.
With Content ID came the three strikes clause for channels. You get a strike if a rights holder sends a complete legal request to take a video on your channel down. One strike will strip away features from your channel like monetization and three strikes will have your channel deleted with no chance of being reinstated.
With these systems in play, you would think that YouTube would make sure that copyright claims are legitimate rather than simply giving channels a strike with no information or any notification. However, this is exactly what has been happening on the website.
Many channels are being taken down, losing their monetization, which many of these people rely on, or are given false claims. A few examples of these are the Nostalgia Critic’s channel who lost monetization for a couple of days, I Hate Everything’s channel who was given a false strike relating to fair use on a movie review, and Top15’s channel who received a strike for a video that another website claimed was “paraphrased” content from their site.
A big part of YouTube is its gaming section, most notably their Let’s Plays videos where you can sit back and watch someone else play a game, usually with commentary. This series of videos were and still are in jeopardy with Content ID, even though they fall under fair use.
To: Professor Ellis
From: Christopher Navarrete
Date: 2/16/2016
Re: Project 1 Execution
The Origins of Video Game Violence
Since the creation of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), video games were believed to be toys meant to be played by children. However as the video game industry grew, so did its audience. Games were not only being marketed to young children, but young adults. As a result, extremely violent video games such as Mortal Kombat were created.
Mortal Kombat, a fighting game inspired by the movie bloodsport directed by Newt Arnold, was released and placed in arcades in 1992. However what attracted audiences was not it’s gameplay, but its blood and gore. Mortal Kombat featured a secret finishing move that gave players the ability to decapitate and burn opponents alive among others.
Because arcades usually don’t have any age restrictions, parents and the media reacted negatively to this as they believed Mortal Kombat’s violence would cause children to behave as such. This backlash would ultimately influence the creation of The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), an organization that “assigns ratings for video games and apps so parents can make informed choices. The ESRB rating system encompasses guidance about age-appropriateness, content, and interactive elements.” (ESRB).
Video Games Today
Thanks to the ESRB, video games have been given ratings that range from E for everyone, to A for adults. Despite the difference of violence between video games from the 1990s and now, games are almost never given an adult rating.
Video games today have improved far beyond that of Mortal Kombat’s violence. Titles such as Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto have consistently become the target for violence among children and teens because of it’s gameplay.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare, released in 2009, featured a mission named No Russian that lets players join terrorists and murder multiple civilians in an airport. While in Grand Theft Auto, the game that “ inherited the mantle of violent game poster child from ‘Mortal Kombat,’” was criticized for the ability to do anything in the game such as running down and shooting at civilians and police officers.
To: Professor Ellis
From: Ashley Dunlap
Date: 2/18/2016
Re: Project 1 Execution
In recent months, the African American community has been outraged by the many ways their culture and history have been shamed and mimicked in mainstream media. From Iggy Azalea’s portrayal of “Blackness”, the creation of bantu knots being credited to Marc Jacobs as “twisted mini buns”, cornrows going from unprofessional to edgy, and the twist out being coined as a “rope trick”, many are taking to social media to express their absolute disgust at the colonization or appropriation of Black culture.
Appropriation, as defined by teen actress Amandla Stenberg “occurs when a style leads to racist generalizations or stereotypes where it originated but is deemed as high fashion, cool or funny when the privileged take it for themselves. Appropriation occurs when the appropriator is not aware of the deep significance of the culture they are partaking in.”
There is a fine line between appropriating and appreciating Black culture and that line is crossed and often ignored.
To: Professor Ellis
From: Rownak Choudhury
Date: 2/18/2016
Re: Project 1 Execution
There is an increasing need for knowledge and skills in using computing technology in today’s work force. According to an article written by Cathy Hopkins in a magazine called Technique, trainers of software packages from different companies approximated that fifty percent of their targeted group did not have adequate skills in learning to utilize their software. Whether you are a manager at a retail store who has to keep track of shipments every Friday morning or working as a receptionist who has to keep track of schedules on a Windows calendar, it is important to have an intermediate working-knowledge of computers.
As discussed in Filippucci and Pacei’s article in Statistica, computer skills are directly related to gender, educational level, and occupation. Intermediate knowledge when it comes to computer skills can therefore seem like an ambiguous term to some. Yes, computer skills are in connection to occupations, but more and more occupations are also increasing the standards for being “technically-savvy” in their job responsibilities. Therefore, the base for being intermediately knowledgeable of computers in this article will be a fair amount of ease in using Microsoft Word, search engines on the WorldWideWeb, and being able to communicate via arguably the most popular email system currently; Gmail.
Whichever field a person may be working in today’s world is not excluded from the integration of computers. A Fitness Trainer has to be knowledgeable of the different computerized machinery in their gym. An insurance agent and car dealer has to know how to input the data they received from their clients into their company’s software system. According to Paino and Renzulli, even students attending school are rewarded higher achievements by teachers for demonstrating good computer skills. It is no wonder anymore that regardless whichever profession you are working in, your boss will regard you with higher admiration for demonstrating good computer-using skills.
With less limitations on where you can physically go in today’s world, countries are populous with people of many different cultural backgrounds and experiences. A lot of the times people look at that as a barrier which immigrants have to overcome when coming from poorer countries into more affluent countries. Culture shock, especially when I comes to technology, can be a major dilemma in many people’s lives in the West. The differences in culture can actually be treated as an advantage in the different ways that a person can approach this newness.
There are many roads one can take in gaining sufficient computer skills. Especially if you are living in a metropolitan area, it is all-the-more easy for you to find a free class that will teach you about Microsoft Office and the vast world and usage of the internet. If those are not available to you, you can always try to learn on your own. Systems today are interactive enough to help you along the way of trying to understand them. Microsoft Office and Gmail definitely have an interactive system where you can get answers to specific questions regarding the system when trying to figure out how it works.
Understanding one system of technology is a gateway into understanding many more. Microsoft Word is only one of many software systems that can be used to get similar results. So is Gmail. Also, when it comes to search engines, there are many different systems that were built for your benefits with different purposes in mind. As you learn about one system, you will gain the confidence and background knowledge of working another. You simply have to try.
WORKS CITED
Carlo Filippucci, & Silvia Pacei. (2013). MEASURING COMPETENCE IN COMPUTER SKILLS. Statistica,67(1), 3-25.
Hahnel, C., Goldhammer, F., Naumann, J., & Krohne, U. (2016). Effects of linear reading, basic computer skills, evaluating online information, and navigation on reading digital text. Computers in Human Behavior, 55, 486.
Holt, Lila, & Brockett, Ralph G. (2012). Self direction and factors influencing technology use: Examining the relationships for the 21st century workplace. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(6), 2075-2082.
Hopkins, Cathy. (2009). Improving auto workers’ computer skills: Many adults are re-entering the workforce due to layoffs and downsizing. But what about the workers who entered the workforce before it became so highly computerized and technically complex? CTE has much to offer them as well.(career and technical education). Techniques,84(3), 48.
Paino, Maria, & Renzulli, Linda A. (2013). Digital Dimension of Cultural Capital: The (In)Visible Advantages for Students Who Exhibit Computer Skills. Sociology of Education,86(2), 124-138.