Television And The Internet :: essays research papers

Television and The Internet Having already done my fair share of internet surfing, I was excited to finally have the opportunity to do a research paper that involved this vast and seemingly boundless electronic world. It is easy to passively interact with the rest of the world and scan effortlessly through millions of pages of information, some of which is useful, some of which simply takes up space; the problem that many researchers and interest groups face is making sense of the whole thing. What effects does the internet have on people? This question is no doubt an immense one. In this paper I will attempt to explore the effects the internet has on one major aspect of our everyday lives: television. The internet is not only linked to television in the sense that they both convey vast amounts of information, but they both seem to complement each other. The internet is presenting vast amounts of information about our favorite television shows as well as providing an arena for discussion about the programs. I will present to you what is available out there and hypothesize how this can enhance or alter one's experience with television. Included in this paper will be actual responses from individuals around the world who responded to a survey I posted on various internet newsgroups devoted to specific television shows. The most relevant responses are attached as an appendix at the end of this paper. I will first briefly define the terms that I will use to avoid any ambiguities. When I refer to the internet, I refer to the vast encyclopedia of information presented through a graphical interface as pages, or web sites. Newsgroups refer to a different aspect of the world-wide web. They consist of over ten thousand separate and specific forums or centers where people post comments or remarks and read other's replies or comments. Each newsgroup is devoted to a different theme. For example, there are over two hundred devoted to television; one or two for Friends, one for Party of Five, one for the CBC, etc. Chat groups are an interactive aspect of the world-wide web in which people can talk in real time. There is an unlimited number of channels one can speak on, although there are more popular ones with specific themes; for example, the channel alt.tv.simpsons is a popular channel for Simpsons fans to discuss the show. These are the main aspects of the world-wide web which can handle affairs dealing with television. The broadest, of course, is the internet. I will refer to those who browse the internet as "surfers.

Change Always Comes Bearing Gifts Essay

Through out our lifetime, we experience numerous life changing events that influence and affect our choices forever. Whether an experience is positive or negative, we learn something new every time. These events can be vary anywhere between a simple action to the biggest day of your life. The outcome of the experiences is what will change one’s thoughts, behavior and feelings forever. I have had many small experiences but I believe that one of the greatest events that has caused me to change was falling in love with my boyfriend. During my senior year at high school, I constantly stressed about my future, my image and fought with my loneliness. Although I’m not sure where these sudden thoughts would come from, they haunted me and caused me to grow desperately for a way out. Then one night while studying for my physics exam, I received a friendly message from a childhood friend. He is quite handsome so of course I immediately closed my physics book to chat with him. Exactly one month later, he asked me to be his girlfriend. It was overwhelming because he was the first guy to ever ask me; however, at that moment I knew he would always be there for me no matter what. He really changed my outlook and perspective of life into a positive one. Now, I think of the future with confidence. I have learned that life is too short to be depressed; I now try to avoid negativity and focus on the important things in life. In addition to that, he never lets me forget how beautiful I am. His never-ending compliments have really elevated my self-esteem. Overall, my positive thoughts have made me a happier more complete person. I really wish I could be more like him because he has changed my thoughts in such a great way and I know this experience will permanently change the way I think, along with the way I behave. Behavior is a big part of who one is and how people perceive one self. During the last semester of high school, I distanced myself from my classmates and did not participate in school activities I knew I was not acting like my normal self but there was no explanation for my decisions. After this â€Å"life-changing† event, I have become more outgoing and productive. The most important change has been responsibility. Prior to this wonderful event, I did not care about anything. Late homework assignments, skipping chores, and rarely showing up to work had become a routine for me. Luckily, that became the past. Now, I wake up and look forward to the day ahead even if it’s just going to school. One of the greatest lessons I have learned is that feeling good about yourself and loving who you are is important. I do not know the exact reason for why my behavior has changed so dramatically, but I have a strong feeling it has something to do with the way I feel. Feelings play a major role in the way we perceive life. Now that I am in a relationship, I feel that I am less stubborn rather open to new ideas. Usually, I am very hard headed. My parents have always given me my way even when I didn’t deserve it. Being in a relationship has made me realize that it is not all about me. Each and every one of us has a different viewpoint so it is imperative to be respectful to others’ thoughts and compromise! Overall, I feel more compassionate, loving and thoughtful of others and I believe that is the best gift I have received from this experience. This experience is very important to me because it has turned my life towards a positive path. I now think, behave and feel much better than I did a few months ago. I don’t know whether this is love but I know for a fact that he is my best friend and I will always have him by my side. Sometimes, it scares me to think of loosing him but I really hope I never change back to the pessimistic person I once was. I often hear that nothing lasts forever but I will always look back at this as something that saved me during my lowest point in life.

Isaac Campos Book, Home Grown, about Mexicos Use of...

Isaac Campos wrote this book in order to provide a background history of Mexico’s use of marijuana and the effect it had in Mexican society. He displays marijuana’s extent both, socially and politically. He scripted his book to carry the reader from the arrival of cannabis (would later be referred to as marijuana) in Mexico through the substance’s prohibition in 1920. With this book, he attempts to â€Å"decipher the psychoactive riddle of cannabis in nineteenth and early twentieth century Mexico† (p.8). The â€Å"psychoactive riddle† is the way the drug, set, and setting are imposed on the resulting influence of marijuana. Home Grown is significant in understanding the War on Drugs and the impact marijuana has had on society in North America. It provided history of notable events due to the production and prohibition of the drug ranging from its introduction until the 1920s when it was banned. Campos argued that the negative stereotypes of m arijuana, often thought to have originated in the United States, actually originated in Mexico as a way to control the use of the drug. Citizens of Mexico related the drug to causing the users to go mad, hence the reason of the term â€Å"Reefer Madness.† Campos presented a series of questions in his introduction that he used to build his argument. Were the stereotypical effects really caused by the use of marijuana? Why were the stereotypes believed so easily? Why did the media not investigate into the stereotypes? How and where did the