Blog 3

E-Mail- abbreviation of the term electronic mail, the method of transmitting data, text files, digital photos, or audio and video files from one computer to another over an intranet or the internet. (Encarta.com). Ever since its beginnings in the early 1960’s with Arpanet to its further development in the 1980’s and 90’s, e-mail as been a way for people to interact and stay connected with one another.
One question that arises with the use of e-mail today is whether or not e-mail should become universal; like that of telephone and postal services. Of course with every question asked, more questions are stirred. Like what are the advantages and disadvantages of having a universal e-mail? Would it be beneficial or not to the United states?
Creating a universal access to e-mail would entail allowing all people across the United States some form of access to e-mail as they do now with telephone or postal service. “The goal of achieving universal access has two main sub goals: (1) achieving interconnectivity among separate e-mail systems and (2) widespread accessibility of individuals to some e- mail system” (RAND).
On the beneficiary side, with the country under total access of e-mail, it would allow all citizens to connect with one another in a much easier form. For example, e-mail is asynchronous in that the sender may send an e-mail to the recipient who is not available at the time, but the mail will stay in the inbox until it has been read. E-mail also allows for a number of images, sound or other file attachments to be sent along with an unlimited amount of space for a typed message in text. E-mail may also be sent out to one person or to masses of people, with no real limit, allowing communication to become faster and broader.
Universal access to e-mail can also have its cons as well. With millions of people accessing and utilizing e-mail, “flooding” of inboxes may occur. It is also hard to allow every person in America access to e-mail for not all can afford it. It would be difficult to reach out to the poor and uninformed.
With the introduction of universal access to e-mail to the nation, it may open up a whole new era of communication in many forms. For example, it may create a new feeling and sense of community and people may become more involved in the political end of America. In order to appeal to the entire nation, universal e-mail must evolve either through government support or evolve on its own.

Blog 2

Technology today has broadened itself in the category of communications drastically. With the improvement of cell phones and PC’s, people can stay in contact with one another in seconds. One group of people in particular that employ the use of text messaging or email and web pages are smart mobs. These smart mobs are citizens who are all connected to each other through some wireless form to plot or meet at a certain point and time. Smart mobs have become so predominant and powerful in their ways that they have shown they can bring down an entire government without a casualty, as seen by the downfall of President Joseph Estrada of the Philippines. “…the Philippines shares in the paradox of being awash in the latest technologies of communication such as the cell phone” says Professor Vicente Rafael at the University of California, San Diego. During President Estrada’s downfall, mass text messages were sent out to thousands of people who then mobilized in the streets in protest, ending in his defeat.
Today, it is very easy to acquire a device to join a network. Cell phones alone can generate several ways to communicate, like text messaging which can be sent out individually or to masses of people at once, such as in the Philippines case above. Also there are PDA’s and palm pilots which allow people to check the Internet for updates or any other form of information they may need at the moment. In 2005, civil unrest broke out in France, resulting in a series of riots and destruction. Involving the use of cell phone text messaging and e-mail, rioters kept in touch by telling and warning each other of police actions and movement as well as where to be and when. Another example is in 2005, where a 16-year-old boy in South Korea sent a text message to a friend stating “Gwanghwamun station. 6:00”. Word spread easily and a swarm of 400 students stood and protested on the school’s tough college entry exams. “I don't think the rally would have been big if we didn't have cell phones," says Im Soon-jae, one of the organizers, "We would not have been able to spread the information about this as quickly."(usatoday.com)
This leads to the question of how will these smart mobs form together and communicate in the near future? With technology already favoring their side, it’s hard to imagine better and faster ways to communicate. These varieties of communicating through cell phones and Internet are the new way for activists of all types to bind together, with just a push of a few buttons.