Social Networking

In our day and age, sending a letter by mail, checking the classifieds and going door to door, isn't the ideal way to get business or even basic communication done. Today, we have access to everyone in the world just by typing their name into a search and adding them or following them to your network. This has created a much smaller world in general, which is definitely a positive, but can also become a bit of a negative.

In terms of finding a job, which is one of the biggest issues currently facing America, there are several sources that can help. Craig's List has become a Yellow Pages for just about every service you can think of. From finding a job to finding a car to purchase, it all can be found on Craig's List.  However, more of a social networking site related to getting a job or professional networking is LinkedIN. LinkedIN enables you to create your own profile and connect w millions of professionals around the world. You can gain referrals, and create groups to help share ideas with each other more effectively.
Check the link below to read about some interesting findings in the world of finding a job on social media sites such as Linkedin

From there, we have the ever popular Facebook and Twitter. These sights are a bit more general in terms of socializing, versus their LinkedIN and Craig's List competitors. "Friend", "Like" and "Follow" your friends, family and even celebrities on everything they do and post. This has become the easiest way of sharing, which is vital in the world of information. I've actually had friends post that they no longer need to turn on the news or television because they have so many friends giving them the play-by-play of everything that's happening during the game or the weather etc. Kind of interesting when you consider the impact on the world of media itself.

I found the article .html very interesting. The "dark side" of social media if you will, can come with some psychological issues. The article only describes how the word unfriend or hashtag has become acceptable phrases in the English dictionary. I would like to say how it affects the human psyche. This sense of acceptance and community is affected each time friendship is created or deleted. New business and media is affected by everyones "likes" and subscriptions. When you really stop and think of it, social networking is changing every facet of functionality in the world as we know it.

My question is, what type of changes could evolve from these changes? How will the world react to a community dominated by posting, sharing and hashtagging? How will advertising and marketing evolve as a result of these changes? What can we as a people do to prevent a world that is consumed by a computer screen?

New Media Class

In the past I have written literally 1 blog before. As novice as that may seem, I wrote about something I was truly passionate about, sports and it's recent champions. I never wrote anything again, but I am looking forward to this opportunity to pick up where I left off and become more consistent in my writings.

For this first blog for my New Media class, my objective is to merely say hello and get the ball rolling. From here on, I plan to comment, review and analyze the various subjects that arise in new media during this course, and beyond. I hope to achieve a new level of understanding through this blog by commenting on all that I have read, in an attempt to formulate an opinion and learn new things about the world of media and it's role in our world.

Wish me luck!

Ralph Marucci

Blue Collar Champions...

In an era of astronomic payrolls, steroid scandals, and widely publicized acts such as "The Decision"; the underdogs, and what one would consider blue collar teams, are the one's walking away with their respective championships and titles.

 This past year in the world of major sports, we have seen championships won by the likes of guys such as Donald Driver, Jason Terry and Aubrey Huff. These guys are not exactly your Big Ben’s, Lebron James' and Alex Rodriguez's of the world. These guys represent entire teams of pro's who aren't as highly paid, have zero involvement with anything illegal and are not making the front page for anything except team pictures.

When looking at our recent heroes and their teammates, they encapsulate the term 'blue collar'.  This term is defined as every day, hard working, middle class guys who basically shut-up, avoid the limelight and do their jobs, period! And guess what, the ultimate prize has been attained by those groups!  Although these teams such as the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco Giants have storied franchises, their personnel are comprised of either home-grown talent such as Aaron Rogers and Tim Lincecum, or wily veterans such as Charles Woodson and Juan Uribe. The most recent champions, Dallas Mavericks, have stuck by star Dirk Niwitski from day one and also assimilated this formula by bringing in vets such as Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion to aid their cause.

We always hear sports is about team and that "it is a team game", however, in our modern era, these teams have been typically overshadowed in the media by scandals, individual stardom and big fat ego's. Thankfully, at the end of the day today, it's those groups of men that come together under one cause and one mindset of playing for one another with the ultimate goal of being winners that not only bind them, but propel them to the heights of their respective sport. 

After defeating the likes of Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Big Ben Roethlisberger, Michael Vick and Josh Hamilton; these group of scrappy youngsters and veterans have overcome those widely considered villains in today's sports world on the biggest stages, making today's true heroes in sports to be the low-key, blue collar athlete. 

So I ask, would you trade all the fame and talent in the world for modesty and effort? To me the clear answer is YES! And I think we have prime examples as to why the answer should be yes today thanks to these 3 recent champions. As it was well put in the post game yesterday after Dallas' victory, "10 men beat 3". 

It is my solemn hope and prayer that this will become the start of a new era, where the individual athlete is overshadowed by the character and principle of the word TEAM. An age where the media's coverage is more closely focused on what is happening in team practices than high-profile decisions and court cases.

As a true fan of all sports, let's ask more of our athletes on the field and beg them to shut up afterwards instead of making themselves into negative icons. 

May the age of the 'Blue Collar Champions' reign supreme from here on!