Week 3 - Tutorial Task

Task 1:

Q1. What was Stephen Stockwell's first article in an academic journal? What year? Provide a full citation. What database did you use?

A1. Stockwell Stephen 1981, 'Kuranda police shooting', Legal Service Bulletin, vol. 6, p. 48, retrieved 9 August 2011, via Heinonline database.

Q2. In which comic did Governor Slugwell appear? Which Issues? Give their full citation for the earliest. Where did you find this information? What database did you use?

A2. Burden, B 1985, "When the Shoes Aren't worth the Shine", Flaming carrot Comics, vol. , no. 7, retrieved on 9 August 2011, via Underground and Independent Comics database.

Q3. What is the latest medical thinking on the dangers of mobile phones?

A3. 'Mobile phones emit signals via radio waves, which comprise radio frequency energy, a form of electromagnetic radiation.  ...radiation can cause thermal effects by holding mobile phones close to the body. It can also cause non-thermal effects, which may result in burning and tingling sensations on the skin of the head, fatigue, sleep disturbance, dizziness, lack of concentration, ringing in the ears, reaction time, loss of memory, headache, disturbance in digestive system and heart palpitation, etc.'

Dash, M & Mehta, A 2011, 'Understanding Mobile Phone Radiation and Its Effects'

Economic and political weekly, ISSN 0012-9976, accessed 16 August 2011 via Factiva.

Q4. In Bladerunner, what is Leon's reaction when Holden asks him about his mother? Quote the 1982 draft script and provide a full reference.

A4.  "Leon looks shocked, surprised. But the needles in the computer barely move. Holden goes for the inside of his coat. But big Leon is faster. His laser burns a hole the size of a nickel through Holden's stomach. Unlike a bullet, a laser causes no impact. It goes through Holden's shoulder and comes out of his back, clean as a whistle. Like a rag doll he falls back into the seat. Big slow Leon is already walking away, but he stops, turns, and with a little smile of satisfaction fires through the back of the seat."

Peoples, D. W., Fancher, H., & Kibbee, R 2007, Blade runner 1982 draft script, Alexander Street Press, Alexandria, VA.

Q5.  What does Paul Soukup say Walter Ong saw as the main paradox in 20th century communication?

A5. “that society given so much to the use of diagrams and to the manuevuring of objects in space...should at the same time develop means of communication which specialise not in sight but in sound”

Soukup, P 2004, ‘Communication Research Trends’, Centre for the study of Communication and Culture, vol. 23, no. 2, p. 23, retrieved11 August 2011, via Proquest database

Task 2:

'It was MySpace that proved social networking could be a mass medium' (August, J L 2008).
Myspace allows users to create their own online profile in which they can post comments and pictures and interact with 'friends' that they can search and add to their account. 
Users can use IM (instant messenger), view each others comments, comment on each others comments and pictures, and privately message each other.  Myspace also became a medium where people would meet for the first time and sustain online relationships.

'The data doesn’t deny that Facebook has come to dominate social networking in the US, and overtook MySpace in 2009. But MySpace’s 57 million US unique users are nothing to sneeze at – it’s still a top web property with users who are highly engaged' (Owyang, J  2010).

So does this make Myspace 'old'?  I think the correct answer is yes and no.

Facebook  and Myspace have such similar characteristics and share the same purpose.  Facebook is the newer model and is constantly being updated, therefore will be the preferred choice for new social media users.  But is Twitter causing Facebook to be getting old? 

'With over 40,000 tweets per minute, and the new registration rate increase of 1500% , Twitter can be seen giving a close fight to the social media giant -Facebook' (Sidhant 2011).

The Social Network is growing so quickly and new Social Media's are developing every few years.

It appears that the different Social Media's such as Myspace, Facebook and Twitter are all so similar meaning that users are enjoying the services they all mutually provide, but swap to the latest model. For eg. from Myspace to Facebook, and from Facebook to Twitter.

Task 2 References:

August, J L 2008, 'Myspace, the sequel', Fast Company, issue no. 128, pg 92, accessed on 18 August 2011. 

Owyang, J  2010, 'A Collection of Social Network Statistics for 2010', Web Strategy, accessed 18 August 2011.

Sidhant 2011, 'Facebook Vs Twitter - Comparing the Social Networks 2011' Geek Syrup, accessed 18 August 2011