Political Blog

1. Media and the 2008 Election
My political blog has to do with media and the 2008 election. Clearly, media has become a huge part of this year's election. So far, I really like this blog. On the left hand side there are many links to different forms of media. Michael Calderone, the creator and author of this blog, analyzes these different forms. Examples include: NetWorks, New York Times, Magazines (People, Time, etc.), MSNBC, CNN, Debates, Fox News, etc. You can click on any of these forms of media and it will take you a different page which follows what that magazine or TV channel has said about the election.

2. This blog differs from other blogs I have looked at up until this point in that there is a lot here. There are tons of links, and at times, I find it kind of hard to follow. There's so much here that it's overwhelming. Also, I'm not really sure who the author of the blog (Michael Calderone) is. This blog has all of his opinions on it so I hope he's legit. At the same time, I really like this blog. Calderone incorporates a lot of YouTube videos of actual footage from channels like CNN and MSNBC. Then he gives his opinions on the broadcast and then you can comment on what you think. I think it's interactive and it definitely makes you think about how media affects the election.

3. There is an issue presented in this blog from September 15, 2008, and I found it pretty interesting. There is a YouTube video of a Fox News broadcast from Mr. Bennet, the editor of Atlantic magazine. He is very much against McCain. Apparently, he took a picture of McCain and then after he released it to the nation (on the front cover of Atlantic magazine); he bragged about how he manipulated the image. McCain's camp and all of his fans were furious. Bennet then apologizes on Fox, and says that the photographer will not get paid and the magazine is even looking into a lawsuit against him. Calderone puts the apology right into the blog for you to watch and then explains the issue underneath. He doesn't really give his opinion, just some background and facts.

I think that this is a perfect example of how the media uses propaganda to sway your opinion on the 2008 election. The media is a very powerful tool that can be kind of dangerous. It's great that we can stay informed with the media, but I think they take advantage of the new technology of today. I think that the media can be very unreliable sometimes and they turn issues into "he said" and "she said." I think this photographer is really dumb for doing what he did. Especially because he bragged about it. This just makes him look like a jerk. I think that the media can be extremely unreliable and we can't believe everything we hear or see.

Blogs

Jamie Spears

The Jamie Spears blog has tons of stuff about Jamie Lynn. There are facts about her, pictures, information about her best friends and family, and information on her career. She just had a baby about 7 weeks ago so there is information about that, and there are pictures with her and her baby. I think this blog's kind of interesting and I think it will be fun to follow because there's always stuff about Jamie Lynn on the news, but a lot of it really isn't true. I think this blog seems reliable and has good things about Jamie Spears; it doesn't bash her.

People

This blog pretty much follows celebrities and things going on in Hollywood and the rest of the world. Not only does it follow celebrities, but it also follows politics as well. I think there will be a lot of info on this site and it will keep me updated.

The Dumbest Generation?

After reading both of the articles, I feel as though both authors have valid points; however, overall, I definitely do not feel as though we are the dumbest generation. Embracing the new technology of today does not make us dumb or lazy. I think that sometimes our priorities may not be in the right place, but this can be said of any teenager during any time period. When it comes down to it, we are a very smart generation. College standards for incoming freshmen are set higher every single year because students' transcripts keep getting more and more impressive.

The authors of both articles are not from our generation so how can they pass judgements on it? I think that they are very bitter towards the idea of change, and this accounts for why they feel as though we are dumb. I think that our generation is very lucky to be able to experience all of the new technological advances of today. I think that a lot of adults look at us as dumb, lazy, and stupid because they do not know how else to perceive us. To them, it may seem as though we may spend all of our time with our heads glued to the computer screen, but I'm sure if they were a teenager during this time, they would be the same way. I don't think technological use is a bad thing. I think it is very beneficial. America is all about change, advancing, and growing, so I do not understand how older generations can frown upon the fact that we are absorbing every thing technology has to offer. In no way, shape or form do I think we are the dumbest generation.