Pictures That Lie

For class, we had to go to the webpage called CNet and look at pictures that lie. I am surprised by the pictures because they look so easy to doctor and there is so much photo editing technology out there that pretty much anyone can change a piece of media to show exactly what they want it to show. I chose the picture of Gov Ann Richards from the 1992 cover of Texas Monthly. The picture has Gov Ann Richards on a motorcycle in a white leather suit. The actual picture is doctored because they used a headshot of her, but the body is a model’s. The photo editor said, “since the model had such a nice body, she could hardly complain.” I think this is completely wrong because the American public already has a skewed idea of how the normal person is supposed to look. If her body is not perfect, that is okay, because nobody’s body is perfect. I am pretty sure it was manipulated because the magazine feels that covers with “attractive” people on them sell better. It is a marketing ploy. I feel that the manipulation is harmful because it could hurt Gov Ann Richards’ feelings because they are basically saying that her body is not good enough for the cover. It also hurts the American public because it is just reinforcing the “thin ideal.”

CLT Trip

The other day in class, we went to CLT in the Library. I have never seen it before that class and I was astounded by how many beautiful computers and technology they have there. I love Macs and there are quite a few for movie and picture purposes in CLT.
I could use CLT for anything from my sociology class to make a presentation, to making a video of my friends for fun, to making a recording in their sound studio. There is also a video conference room that I could chat with someone from a different part of the world! I could go to visit CLT and use any of the software that is on the computers and this could be very helpful for future projects in classes. I am excited to use it for my education at Trinity.

Copyright Copyright Copyright!!!

I was unfortunate enough to be out of town this past Thursday when the great Copyright expert, Jason Hardin, was guest lecturing in our Computer Skills class! However, talking with some of my friends in the class, I learned a thing or two about copyright.

Firstly, I learned that in 2008, Trinity authorized the Higher Education Opportunity Act. The act makes sure that every year, students learn about copyright infringements (what is acceptable and what is not); the school must make a plan to fight illegal file sharing; there has to be a system that is an alternative to unauthorized file sharing.

Secondly, I started to think about music downloading in a different way. As a college student, I know that I do not have much extra money for music and neither do most of my friends. But I love a constant incoming flow of new music. That makes a dilemma because music is getting more and more expensive. What is a poor college student to do?? Most college students who live on campuses without acts like the Higher Education Opportunity Act download music illegally and share unauthorized files. It is bad, but in my mind, it is understandable.

Sharing unauthorized files such as music is a controversial business because it does take away from the artists who created it, but people love music and it is expensive. On one side, illegally downloading files is completely unacceptable because it is stealing someone else's work. On the other hand, an individual can make it right in their mind by saying, "One song is $1.29, the same price as a hamburger from McDonalds. Why should I have to choose between music and food?" Of course, I will abide by the law, as should everyone else, but it is a controversial subject where both sides deserve to be heard.

Copyright Copyright Copyright!!! by Morgan Fisher is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.