Staying Connected With Your Family

July 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

In this day and age, everybody has their own things to take care of. Nobody really has time to just sit around and hang out like they did in the old days. There are too many things to do and not enough hours in the day to accomplish as much as we all want to cram in there. Unfortunately, sometimes technology is the best we can do for togetherness.

While there might be psychological problems associated with being apart too much, sometimes you have to do what you have to do. Being apart allows people to earn their livings and gain independent knowledge, which helps them move onward in the world. When a family spends a lot of time apart, it can be tough. But that doesn’t mean they have to be apart in every way. For instance, with a Blackberry smartphone a family can keep in touch no matter where they may all have run off to.

If you find that you and your family are spending more time working, eating and playing apart than you spend doing these things together, you need to bring your family together in any way you can. If that means playing games on the same team through your smartphones, that can be a great way to encourage your family to feel like a team. While talking in person is the best way to keep connected, talking on the phone and texting frequently is the next best thing. Never underestimate the power of technology to keep your family remembering your connection to one another.

Filed Under: History, Internet Tagged With: , ,

Researching Your Family Tree Online

June 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment
An Antebellum era (pre-civil war) family Bible... 

Image via Wikipedia

Genealogy is a term that refers to studying the lineage of a family. If you want to know more about your family’s history, the Internet can be a wonderful resource. One popular source of information for amateur and professional genealogists alike is Ancestry.com. The site is home to numerous resources. You can access U.S. Census Records dating back to 1790, as well as census records for England and Canada. Additional records available on the website include military, immigration, and birth and death records. Prospective users can try the site free for 14 days before subscribing.

Before you start a search for your family’s history online, it can be helpful to gather information by talking to your relatives. If you can compile a list of your parent’s parents and grandparents, you can plug those names in on a site like FamilySearch.org to see what online records are available. FamilySearch.org contains records for several countries, including the U.S., Europe and Australia.

If you know some general information about your grandparents and great-grandparents, that can be a great starting point when using online genealogy resources. For example, if your grandfather was a WWII veteran, you can go directly to the military records section on a site like Ancestry.com and see if there are photos available of him from his time in the military.

In the event that you want to learn more about genealogy, a great resource available on FamilySearch.org are the free online courses that show you how to start researching your family’s history in a variety of countries.

 

Filed Under: History, Internet Tagged With: , ,

How Social Networking Keeps us Connected

May 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Communication has evolved so much within the last twenty years. We have come a long way from writing letters to communicate with people far away. The telephone made it a lot easier to keep in contact with friends and loved one. Now with the advent of computer technology we are able to communicate with others on the other side of the world at the drop of a hat.

As computers and the internet have evolved, so has the way and frequency with which we communicate. Social networking sites are playing a big role in how we communicate with each other over the internet. Websites such as Facebook and Twitter are making it so easy for people to stay connected via private messages, wall posts and status updates.

Using Facebook is easy. All you do is sign yourself up and you are given a page which you can start personalizing. The first thing that most people do is search for people they know who may also be on Facebook. Once you have found one person and sent them a friend request, and depending on that persons privacy settings, finding other people you may know is as easy as looking at his or her friends list. Before you know it you will be finding people who you have not seen in years and reconnecting with many old friends.

Social networking sites have helped many people connect and reunite. There have even been many stories of people finding long lost family members through Facebook. What started as a simple way for a bunch of Harvard students to stay connected has now kept the world connected.

 

 

Filed Under: Communications, Internet, Technology Tagged With: , ,

Examples of Internet Media

March 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Examples of Internet Media

The Internet is usually thought of as a way to connect people and help them better their communication. However, the Internet is quickly turning into a viable form of broadcast media. There are dozens of different outlets that news stations all over the world use in an effort to broadcast the news from coast-to-coast. Here’s a look at some of the components that make up the Internet media world.

Blogs. Blogging is a prime example of how the Internet has shaped the broadcast media world. Many reputable TV and radio hosts have their own blogs where they share news, information and their opinions on current events. In fact, many people regularly go to blogs as a source of information instead of heading to the regular media outlets.

Video Broadcast. The Internet allows various news stations to put up their broadcast of the news on their website. People are able to download and view segments of the local news. This allows people to have a more customized experience with the local news stations as they are able to pick and choose the stories that they view and watch. In fact, in a recent survey many people stated that they use the Internet as their prime source for the local news.

Podcasts. Podcasts have become extremely popular as a way to present information to Internet users. Podcasts are almost like radio broadcasts but only in Internet form. These podcasts have become extremely popular as a lot people to download information and receive the news that they want to hear.

Internet Radio Stations. Internet radio stations have popped up all over the world. These Internet radio stations are Internet versions to what local radio stations are to the radio. They allow people to broadcast their opinions, news and current events to the Internet public.

Filed Under: Internet, Radio Tagged With: , ,

Avoiding Accusations of Libel

February 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Avoiding Accusations of Libel

Although the First Amendment allows you to have freedom of speech and press it does not allow you defame or make false accusations and misleading statements against other individuals. Should these statements cause injury to a person or potential harm a person can sue in a court of law for defamation and libel. Journalist must know how to protect themselves against being accused of libel. Here’s a look at how to avoid these types of accusations.

The first way to avoid these types of accusations is to make sure that you double and triple check your sources. It’s absolutely essential that any statement that you write or say about another individual is 100% true. Even if what you write and say is true is a good idea to make sure that you have proof to back up what you’re saying. There are certain guidelines that allow media workers to know whatever resources are available to them and can be used should the accusation of deformation come up.

Another way to avoid these types of accusations is to gain the advice of a legal attorney. If you are a journalist who is constantly making statements against other individuals it is important that you seek the advice of an attorney to make sure what you’re saying is covered by the law. These attorneys can help you avoid lawsuits and make sure the resources that you have will help you should this to be brought to court.

The last way to avoid these types of accusations is make sure that all records that you keep regarding any type of statement that you make is completely thorough. You should keep a record of where you made the statement, what was said, who with it was set against and places where you can reference the facts regarding a statement that you made. Keep the notes like this will make it easier should you find yourself in legal trouble regarding what you printed or said.

Filed Under: Communications, Internet Tagged With: , ,

Rules and Regulations Online Journalists Should Follow

February 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Rules and Regulations Online Journalists Should Follow

Online journalism has become widely popular with the invention of the Internet. Many people assume that because the things that are being written are put up on the Internet the laws that govern online journalist are different than those that govern traditional print journalists. While there are some differences in online journalism and traditional print journalism the differences are few and far between. Here’s a look at some of the laws and requirements for online journalists.

Informed Decision-Making. As an online journalist you must make informed decisions about whether or not what you’re posting in writing should be posted. Many online journalists post things without a second thought which can lead to charges of copyright infringement. It is important that even though you are an online journalist you follow all copyright laws and citation rules as you would a normal print magazine. This will help you avoid accusations of plagiarism and allow you to make sure that you do not violate copyright laws. Even if the online publication you write for does not require you to follow these rules and guidelines is important that a journalist you follow these rules.

Become Familiar with the First Amendment. Although your publishing your stories online you must still adhere to the First Amendment rights. It is important that you become familiar with what is protected and what isn’t protected under the first amendment rights. This will allow you to pursue legal action should something you post violate these rules and laws.

Use the Same Code of Ethics. Online journalist must make sure that they are following the same rules and ethics that regular print journalists have. This includes making sure that all work does not contain plagiarism, all sources that are used are reputable and that the reporting avoids having a tone of bias or conflict of interest.

Even though what you are publishing goes online it is important to remember that as an online journalist you must uphold the same standards and ethics that all print newspaper and magazine journalist use.

Filed Under: Communications, Internet Tagged With: , ,

Music Legends are Memorialized at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum

December 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Historical maker near the Rock and Roll Hall o...
Image via Wikipedia

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum landed in Cleveland for a reason. Cleveland, known locally as a dying (or rusting) steel town for decades, does have some life left in the city and has had it for some time. That life revolves around a huge music scene. Numerous venues attract crowds every day of the week, from Peabody’s to the Phantasy Niteclub. Stars such as Elvis and Marilyn Monroe would be proud to know that people travel far and wide to visit their likenesses in a museum built in a city with a music foundation as vibrant as that which Cleveland offers.

Bordering Lake Erie’s southern shore, the Rock Museum draws a steady stream of visitors to the city. People from all around the country want to see this bastion of homage to artists of all stripes, just as those dedicated Elvis fans desire to visit Graceland. As one wanders the hallways and rooms of the museum, they can absorb the looks that were created by artists, for artists, in the displayed clothing styles and hairstyles of entire generations of musicians. Depending on your level of love for music, a visit to the museum can make your year, or at least your day!

Free music ringtones can make your day, by personalizing your phone just as stars of the past personalized their own gear. Jimi Hendrix famously ‘personalized’ his guitar by setting it on fire. Jim Morrison adorned his microphone stand with an assortment of oddball objects, as does the more current musician, Rob Zombie. Most rock stars have personalized their look by adding a lot of leather as well. While the leather look is still cool in certain circles, it isn’t so hot among the younger vegan crowd — which might partly explain the popularity of being able to choose exactly what one’s phone sounds like. It’s the ultimate personal expression.

Filed Under: Entertainment, Internet, Technology Tagged With: , , ,