Story: "Orson Welles' 'War of the Worlds' Halloween Broadcast Revived":
Article published in 1938:Radio Listeners in Panic, Taking War Drama as Fact
Date: October 30, 2009
Summary:
This article is probably not the most interesting in recent years (as compared to the Halloween parade in Washington), but if we looked into the "War of the Worlds" script and the nationwide panic its first radio broadcast created back in 1938, we can see the usage of many journalistic idea and the transformation process our information system has gone through over time.
First of all, the original radio broadcast that was made in 1938 was rebroadcast again online this past Thursday night at 8:00 pm; the exact time it had started seventy-one years ago. Although I missed the chance of hearing that, I saw and heard a similar version of it in the Staller Center around the same time.
Similar to what we have been taught in class, the reporters in the story verified their information. They sent a reporter to the scene, talked to the astronomy professor, interviewed the secretary of interior, and transmitted live talks from the battlefield. These were exactly the reasons why many people — those who tuned into the channel after the station declared it was sci-fi— believed in the story. Upon hearing the broadcast in 1938, "Many Flee Homes to Escape 'Gas Raid From Mars'" and "Phone Calls Swamp Police at Broadcast of Wells Fantasy" (The New York Times 1938). Moreover, a lot of people called The New York Times, The A.P., and other press office to inquire about the subject. Though some among them did try to verify the issue, "...large numbers, obviously in a state of terror, asked how they could follow the broadcast's advice and flee from the city... (The New York Times 1938)."
That same theme will not be seem today; in the current e-centuries. Among many changes, one is the second largest evolution of information system: the widespread of internet. Not only can we read a news that just happened several minutes ago, we can also read about the same subject on a different website and evaluate the articles altogether. Now, it is harder for us to believe in a similar and absurd story account without first criticizing it first.
11/ 1/ 2009
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Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
But the sunshine will never stop...
Currently a lot of people are tired and frustrated at the amount of homework, projects, and labs professors are giving us.
Some of us wondered if the major we chose is really the correct one; some of us looked back at the past and weep at the paths we have taken; the choices we have made; and the changes we have underwent. We may fear to think this way, but don't, 'cause this is exactly who we are.
What if my life has never been in favor of the wind? At least I learned to helm.
What if my subclasses would never be useful in finding a descent job or getting a descent salary? At least I am multi-functional.
What if I failed? What if nothing truly interests me?
Then I will remember the mistake, do everything that is on my heart now (and that is legal), and come back for the rest later.
Is life long? Or is it short?
I think it depends on you.
Best of Luck,
S. Huang 10.16.2009
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Monday, September 28, 2009
The Evolution of Gaming Applications
This is the first article I submitted for News Matters.
I believe it matters because we are living in the technological world (E Century)
So, enjoy~
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News Article: (Technology) Apple’s Shadow Hangs Over Game Console Makers
Summary:
In the current market, gaming applications are more and more popular on cell phones. An evidence is that 168 games out of the 758 new game shown in the Tokyo Game Show last week are of Cellphone platforms. “We are going to be moving to an era when different software stores fight against each other,” Mr. Hanamura, the chef executive of Capcom, said. In addition, the executive of Konami Digital Entertainment also told the reporter: “As a platform, the cellphone has the biggest potential, because everybody owns one.”
Thus, Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony are all making tremendous amounts of price cuts and coming up with eye-catching innovations. Nintendo introduced new device to download digital contents such as music, photos, video, and games. Microsoft is developing "a motion system that combines cameras with voice and face-recognition software" so people can play using natural body movements rather than hand-held controllers. The last but not the least is SONY, who promised a 3-D video game using a new controller similar to that of wii.
Despite all the changes, however, analysts believe the major evolution will come with gaming applications for computers. “After all," as Mr. Yoshida had said, "we’re talking about the kind of games people make sitting in a cafe with a laptop.”
Read more!
I believe it matters because we are living in the technological world (E Century)
So, enjoy~
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News Article: (Technology) Apple’s Shadow Hangs Over Game Console Makers
Summary:
In the current market, gaming applications are more and more popular on cell phones. An evidence is that 168 games out of the 758 new game shown in the Tokyo Game Show last week are of Cellphone platforms. “We are going to be moving to an era when different software stores fight against each other,” Mr. Hanamura, the chef executive of Capcom, said. In addition, the executive of Konami Digital Entertainment also told the reporter: “As a platform, the cellphone has the biggest potential, because everybody owns one.”
Thus, Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony are all making tremendous amounts of price cuts and coming up with eye-catching innovations. Nintendo introduced new device to download digital contents such as music, photos, video, and games. Microsoft is developing "a motion system that combines cameras with voice and face-recognition software" so people can play using natural body movements rather than hand-held controllers. The last but not the least is SONY, who promised a 3-D video game using a new controller similar to that of wii.
Despite all the changes, however, analysts believe the major evolution will come with gaming applications for computers. “After all," as Mr. Yoshida had said, "we’re talking about the kind of games people make sitting in a cafe with a laptop.”
Read more!
What to publish and what not to publish? Can anyone answer that perfectly?
This is the response I made to our school blog post. The post focused on a recent debate "at the Associated Press and other news agencies over the use of a graphic photo of an American Marine being tended to after being wounded by a rocket-propelled grenade. The Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, asked the AP not to run the photo out of deference to the family’s wish for privacy, but the AP published the photo anyway, citing a need to show 'the sacrifice and the brutality of war.' "
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Relating Articles:
Behind the Scenes: To Publish or Not?
"A Grieving Father's Plea For Out Troops" by John Bernard
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My response:
I'm sorry to disagree with most of the responses above, but I do agree with AP's decision to publish the photo. Personally, the photo didn't have a great impact on me until I read the whole story. And at that instant I remembered The Falling Man from 9/11. The photo was really conterversial across the U.S. continent; many parents had called in the publication office to tell them how wrong they were in making that decision. But I think what they did is correct. As the AP had said: "[...] the value of that image was to show the complexity, the sacrifice and the brutality of the war.”
To me the parents are angry and dismay at this kind of story because they feel like they are not doing enough for their child, that something should have been done but wasn't. I would scorn at the publication and tear up the newspaper article if the person was very close to me. But years later I will be treasuring that same torn piece of article, just because it was the reality. As one of the reader, John Doe, said: "This picture is evidence of the truth and the truth is bitter." Corporal Bernard's squad crew understood this, and that is why they asked Ms. Jacobson for all the photos she had taken on the squad. “None of them complained or grew angry about it” when they came across the dying image.
In addition, in response to the article, a mother of two active servicemen, Corina Silva, had said: "Living with the heartache of an extended deployment or worse is hard. Very hard." But in my opinion, rather than honoring and memorizing someone I love and died with all the glorious achievements he had made, I'd rather remember him as who he really is and what he had really went through, even if that process will torn my heart into pieces.
I don't know if many have followed up on Bloviating Hammerhead's blog, but in it there is the father's thoughts on the current U.S. military: "A Grieving Father's Plea For Our Troops." I'm really bad at inferring ideas, but I believe the father acknowledged AP's decision on publish the photo at the end.
Read more!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Relating Articles:
Behind the Scenes: To Publish or Not?
"A Grieving Father's Plea For Out Troops" by John Bernard
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My response:
I'm sorry to disagree with most of the responses above, but I do agree with AP's decision to publish the photo. Personally, the photo didn't have a great impact on me until I read the whole story. And at that instant I remembered The Falling Man from 9/11. The photo was really conterversial across the U.S. continent; many parents had called in the publication office to tell them how wrong they were in making that decision. But I think what they did is correct. As the AP had said: "[...] the value of that image was to show the complexity, the sacrifice and the brutality of the war.”
To me the parents are angry and dismay at this kind of story because they feel like they are not doing enough for their child, that something should have been done but wasn't. I would scorn at the publication and tear up the newspaper article if the person was very close to me. But years later I will be treasuring that same torn piece of article, just because it was the reality. As one of the reader, John Doe, said: "This picture is evidence of the truth and the truth is bitter." Corporal Bernard's squad crew understood this, and that is why they asked Ms. Jacobson for all the photos she had taken on the squad. “None of them complained or grew angry about it” when they came across the dying image.
In addition, in response to the article, a mother of two active servicemen, Corina Silva, had said: "Living with the heartache of an extended deployment or worse is hard. Very hard." But in my opinion, rather than honoring and memorizing someone I love and died with all the glorious achievements he had made, I'd rather remember him as who he really is and what he had really went through, even if that process will torn my heart into pieces.
I don't know if many have followed up on Bloviating Hammerhead's blog, but in it there is the father's thoughts on the current U.S. military: "A Grieving Father's Plea For Our Troops." I'm really bad at inferring ideas, but I believe the father acknowledged AP's decision on publish the photo at the end.
Read more!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
"Join Free The Children!"
幫 Judy 做的海報～ 不知道她喜不喜歡哪～～～
那黑黑的東西其實是圍牆喔，不是螢幕。Q____Q
然後愛心裡面還有很多個愛心～ 大家都在笑啊！︿＋＋＋＋︿
"Join Free The Children! Help us build a school!" --> FreeTheChildren.com
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Monday, September 7, 2009
電腦 v.s. 電子 機械
姊姊說一個部落格就該中文與英文分開，版面才會清晰，所以我來試試看中文英文穿插的感覺會是如何。=D
大學第二年開始了，好開心～ 今年也想試好多好多不同的事情、認識好多好多不同想法的人。可惜興趣太廣闊讓我的主修感到危機；是要轉成 Computer Engineering，然後拿Master 的Electrical Engineering 呢，還是五年都拿Electrical Engineering，期間再自己學程式呢？
禮拜三就要去找電機系主管，到時候就會知道答案了，耶！
希望大家也能追求自己的興趣唷！
Read more!
大學第二年開始了，好開心～ 今年也想試好多好多不同的事情、認識好多好多不同想法的人。可惜興趣太廣闊讓我的主修感到危機；是要轉成 Computer Engineering，然後拿Master 的Electrical Engineering 呢，還是五年都拿Electrical Engineering，期間再自己學程式呢？
禮拜三就要去找電機系主管，到時候就會知道答案了，耶！
希望大家也能追求自己的興趣唷！
Read more!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Our First Carnival
Guess what?
Our first carnival of the year just passed last last week and we (my friend and I) won back three dolls from playing!
Actually... everyone there was hugging their dolls when we went because they have sooooo many, so I guess we went too late. >________<
Heheh. Anyway, the first game we
played is basketball shooting, which
looked like the picture on the right.
We were given three soft balls and five chances to shoot at the basket. If we scored two times we win a green turtle; three times a dalmatian dog, four times a big-colorful goldfish.
YET, I only scored two times. T____T
BUT the turtle is really cute ^o^
Actually... everyone there was hugging their dolls when we went because they have sooooo many, so I guess we went too late. >________<
Heheh. Anyway, the first game we
played is basketball shooting, which
looked like the picture on the right.
We were given three soft balls and five chances to shoot at the basket. If we scored two times we win a green turtle; three times a dalmatian dog, four times a big-colorful goldfish.
YET, I only scored two times. T____T
BUT the turtle is really cute ^o^
Then we tried other games, such as hit-and-run (throw a ball at a dog-pictured board and hope for the ball to fall into the basket right beneath it) and darts (we couldn't even hit the stars!), then we went to eat dinner.
The carnival was close to the end when we came out, but we still managed to play Frisbee~ We were given three tries to shoot the Frisbees into the empty cuttings (like UFO going back home) to win points.
It was a very happy day indeed !!!!!!!
~End~ 
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Saturday, May 9, 2009
2009 Roth Pond Regatta
Roth Pond Regatta -- "THE GOOD SHALL SAIL, THE BAD SHALL SINK"
Is it that time of the year again
When everyone stands around Roth pond and shouts for their teams to win?
Yes!
While the original race was scheduled to be on May 1st (It was postponed to May 8th due to bad weather), there were still a lot of people who showed up for the race yesterday. The entire area was so crowded that I cannot take them in all in one shot.
And many professors, advisers, counselors, and other employees of the university brought their family with them to the race. So while the race is on, children were playing around with the Frisbee, and dogs too!
We stood behind the finish line for a few rounds, but then we thought the environment should be more exciting at the front ( more people were cheering on the participants there), so we moved to the front too~
The environment really is more exciting up front, but I still felt like it was not what I've expected. Even if there were the band, the food, the people...
... Then I found what I was looking for!
At the instant I saw them been turned over by the yacht, I couldn't stop myself from picking up my camera and shoot their expressions. Of course their faces are totally different from the glorious ones on those who have made the finish line, but even if they know they didn't win, let alone make it to the end, they still have a SMILE on their face! =D And that is what I treasures. =)
Nevertheless, I like to see the winning teams too =D
So here they are:
By the way, I declare all of the teams who made the finish line -- the winning team!
(I just searched on the internet -- Roth Pond Regatta was actually on the TV last year!)
And ... huh?
One student swam across the lake and was disqualified?
Read more!
Is it that time of the year again
When everyone stands around Roth pond and shouts for their teams to win?
Yes!
While the original race was scheduled to be on May 1st (It was postponed to May 8th due to bad weather), there were still a lot of people who showed up for the race yesterday. The entire area was so crowded that I cannot take them in all in one shot.
And many professors, advisers, counselors, and other employees of the university brought their family with them to the race. So while the race is on, children were playing around with the Frisbee, and dogs too!
We stood behind the finish line for a few rounds, but then we thought the environment should be more exciting at the front ( more people were cheering on the participants there), so we moved to the front too~
Meanwhile, we realized there were two ducks in the middle of the pond who seem to enjoy the competition as much as we do. When the competitors were preparing for the takeoff, they would swim to the middle of the lake, face the starting point, and wait. Once the yachts got to near, they would swim away quickly, but after the yachts were gone, they would move back to the original position like nothing has happened. =P
The environment really is more exciting up front, but I still felt like it was not what I've expected. Even if there were the band, the food, the people...
... Then I found what I was looking for!
At the instant I saw them been turned over by the yacht, I couldn't stop myself from picking up my camera and shoot their expressions. Of course their faces are totally different from the glorious ones on those who have made the finish line, but even if they know they didn't win, let alone make it to the end, they still have a SMILE on their face! =D And that is what I treasures. =)
Nevertheless, I like to see the winning teams too =D
So here they are:
By the way, I declare all of the teams who made the finish line -- the winning team!
(I just searched on the internet -- Roth Pond Regatta was actually on the TV last year!)
And ... huh?
One student swam across the lake and was disqualified?
Read more!
Friday, May 8, 2009
What is "shu mui's way"?
So what exactly is "shu mui's way"?
Hey! That's a really good question! I have no idea either!
... Just kidding
When I was a student leader in SIELP, my students always pronounced my name like "show me." Eventually they called out "Show me the way!" when I was leading them from classes to classes when our TA is not there. And somehow I, too, became accustomed to the name they gave me, and began to wonder if I should present my name as "show me" the next time I'm giving an introduction.
That never happened -- I still stick to my original way of pronouncing my name -- but weird enough, I remembered it right away when I was thinking up the title of this blog. And so, here it is!
Read more!
Hey! That's a really good question! I have no idea either!
... Just kidding
When I was a student leader in SIELP, my students always pronounced my name like "show me." Eventually they called out "Show me the way!" when I was leading them from classes to classes when our TA is not there. And somehow I, too, became accustomed to the name they gave me, and began to wonder if I should present my name as "show me" the next time I'm giving an introduction.
That never happened -- I still stick to my original way of pronouncing my name -- but weird enough, I remembered it right away when I was thinking up the title of this blog. And so, here it is!
Read more!
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