EOTO: History of the Phonograph

 

The history of technology is an essential topic to understand and be familiar with. Without the history of the development of different technologies, we as a society would not be able to advance or learn from our past mistakes and achievements. We can gain an appreciation for how far we have come by taking a look into the past. For this post, I will be focusing on a piece of technology known as the phonograph which has since made a come back in a form you may be very familiar with.

History

The first experimental product of the phonograph was created in 1857 but the first fully functional and distributed piece of this technology was created by Thomas Edison in 1877. The phonograph was a by product of Edison's telegraph and telephone. Edison realized the potential for sound waves and put it to the test to see if it was capable of being idented into a physical form and be replayed over and over again. Edison tested this theory with a "diaphragm which had an embossing point and was held against rapidly-moving paraffin paper" to record the nursery rhyme, "Mary had a Little Lamb." The vibrations of his voice made indentions into the cylinder wrapped with tin foil which could be they played back by one of the two needle units. Edison was able to further advance his invention with the help of his mechanic, John Kruesi. 

In 1878, the Edison Speaking Phonograph Company was created where Edison received $10,000 for the manufacturing and sales rights with an additional 20% profits. This company eventually died out because of the lack of interest in the machine. This was until Alexander Graham Bell came into the picture in 1880 who helped redesign the phonograph by using wax instead of tin foil. He also used a floating stylus instead of rigid needle so that the cylinder itself wouldn't be indented. 

Later in 1888, with this new design, another company was formed called North American Phonograph Company. Created by Jesse H Lippincott, this company was the monopoly of phonograph companies until he fell sick and Edison ended up gaining control of the company. He eventually forced it into bankruptcy so he could buy back the rights of his invention. From that point further, Edison was able to continue to improve on his design before he was stopped by the use of a cylinder model which limited his capacities of mass production. A more detailed timeline can be found as the The Library of Congress.

Impact

Even though Edison stopped at the cylinder, the concept of the phonograph continued to grow. In 1887, Emil Berliner created a new shape and way to record the sound waves. This was to make multiple grooves into a flat disk that could be shaped into a model and remade over and over again. This led to the creation of the record and eventually the Gramophone, a new version of Edison's phonograph. With this invention, record were able to hold longer recordings and have longer play backs. The RPM or revolutions per minute increased as well, making it more popular by the day. As it continued to modernize, it gained more features such as speakers or amplifiers.

These are what modern day knows as Vinyl. While I won't be going in its history in detail, it is important to note where it started from. In present time, vinyl has made a come back where many people have had the desire to own their own player and records. Modern artist are being combined with a historical music device that was originally not even made for music. This demonstrates how history  is capable of connecting with the present and why it is important to know the origins from which something had come from.

Speech Theories: Making a Connection

 

What is it?

Freedom of Speech is the fundamental right of the people that is noted in the first Amendment. It gives people the right to speak about their thoughts and opinions without backlash from the government. There have been times in the past that the government has tried silencing the people, but ultimately failed to do so. There are also times where people have received harsh public backlash for their words and received consequences. Throughout this post, I will be exploring the different sides of free speech and how they have shaped the world today.

Speech Theories

First let's focus on the speech theories that will be focused on during this discussion. The first is Individual Self-Fulfillment, where freedom of speech can lead to identity and agency for a person. People are capable of expressing themselves how they want and are capable of fulfilling their internal need to express themselves. 

The second is Promote Tolerance, where people speak out what is wrong or note when someone says something wrong. This creates an environment where hate can't just be spread among people without any repercussions. This is where society creates their own personal system of punishment for people who are directly hateful. These two theories are what resonate with me the most and what will be focused  on during this post.

Individual Self-Fulfillment

Self-Actualization is an idea noted in Marlow's hierarchy of needs. It is the highest point of human development and people begin to focus on their own potential and identity. Without free speech, it would be impossible to reach this goal since part of the self-fulfillment is expressing yourself without backlash or restraint. There are many past and modern examples that demonstrate this idea.

Many court cases can be noted where freedom of speech was questioned then ruled in favored for the people who were speaking for their personal beliefs. Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) demonstrated the right for students to express their dislike for the war. Citizens United v. FEC (2010) demonstrated the right for corporations to present campaigns for people they personally believed in. While being two completely different topics, the same theory applies. There is a sense of self-fulfillment by being able to express their thoughts and opinions without being held back from the government or systems.

A more modern example can be seen through social media. Many people use these platforms to express themselves and gain a sense of fulfillment through the views or likes on their post. While this is not the most healthy approach to this theory, it still applies the same principles. Social media has taken over everyday life and is one of the main sources of news and personal ideas to spread. While there are cases where social medias have deleted or banned certain people for their speech, it is mostly unrestricted and you can find almost anything on it. It truly is the balance between both good and bad speech.

Promote Tolerance

One of the easiest examples of this theory to understand is the Civil Rights Movement. As many people know, the Civil Rights Movement was a pivotal point in American history because it spoke against the blatant racism that was occurring towards African Americans. People like Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks demonstrated their right to speak or act against the system put in place that was against them. Even though it was years after the Civil War, racism was a part of society. 

SCOTAS cases like Brown v. Board of Education (1954) supported this theory. Even after the Civil Rights Movement, there were still evidence of racism found in society. Luckily, present day has more repercussions for racism or open hate but it is not a flawless system.

There are cases that ruled against free speech but for the safety of the people rather than to just silence a particular person. For example, Schenck v. United States (1919) was ruled for the protection of the people and the government since Schenck's free speech preposed violence. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, I believe that the freedom to express yourself and the freedom to speak out against what is wrong is a fundamental part about being human. Without this right, we wouldn't be able to live to our potential and fulfill our needs to express who we are. It is a complicated world but being able to speak about it makes it a little better.

Supreme Court: What is It?

 

Summary:

The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the federal government. It reviews decisions made by other branches of the government and lower court decisions, determining whether it is constitutional or not. The Supreme Court Consist of nine justices who review petitions that have a broad range of subjects. Only a small percentage of the petitions that are sent in to be reviewed actually make it to the justices.

History:

1801 is a date that goes down in history for the Supreme Court. This is the year that John Marshal was nominated as Chief Justice for the Supreme Court. He set a precedent for future Supreme Court decisions through the Marbury v Madison case. Marshal was the first to correct an unconstitutional act done by congress, demonstrating the power that the Supreme Court had.

This power was later challenged by the court case Dred Scott v Sandford. Slavery was a large issue across the states, eventually leading to the Civil War where it was eventually Abolished. The constitution was then amended, upholding the constitution and giving rights to people who previously didn't have them.

How Does it Work? 

The Supreme Court can receive around 100 cases every week or 7000 every year. These cases typically consist of complaints on a lower court decision being unconstitutional. Once a week, a select few of these cases are sent to the justices to be reviewed. 

People take comfort in this because the Supreme Court doesn't take action until a problem is presented to them. They hear cases in public as well, letting oral argument to occur to give new information about the issue presented to the court.

After a few days, the justices come together and vote on the case. A justice from the majority vote is assigned to write opinion or reasoning as to why the decision was made. This can be drafted multiple times and have multiple revisions and adjustments until a final draft is decided. The decisions is then sent to a public information officer who shares copies to the press, making the final decision fully public.

Thoughts?

I believe that the supreme court is a necessity for the US government to run as affectively as it does. This prevents any major political grab to occur and a mostly fair system be in place for the citizens of the country. It is important to remember that the Supreme Court does consist of people and not just numbers for a vote. 

Sources:

My Top Five Sources

1. Google 

One of the most basic of basic sources. I am sure that anyone who has used the internet has used google in one way or anther. Whether is is researching a recipe to looking up pictures of cute animals, google is a source of information that has taken over the internet, whether you know it or not. I, similar to most people, like using google as a quick source to get my information. I can easily use my phone or computer to find information that I need in that moment. I need a color pallet for an art project: google. I need to research a topic mentioned in class: google. I need to spell a word that I should probably know how to spell but don't: google. This is the easiest way to get information quickly and for the most part, accurately. 

2. YouTube 

One of the biggest sources of entertainment in the 21st century. I have watch YouTube videos since I was ten years old. It has been one of my favorite platforms to use to the point that I don't even watch TV anymore. Some of my favorite hobbies, such as video games and art, have come from watching YouTube videos. I also use this source as a way to learn. I use tutorials on YouTube to get better at different activities. 

3. Instagram 

This is one of the few social media apps that I use. I have used this app since 2017. It is a way I can connect with people and keep up with their lives from a distance. I also use Instagram as a small source of entertainment when I have a short downtime and can scroll through posts or reels. I use Instagram as a way to fine inspiration for art. I love seeing other artists works and seeing their art styles. I'm sure that most people have Instagram but I recommend really looking into things you are interested in and get inspired by it.

4. Pinterest 

Similar to Instagram, I use Pinterest as a main source of inspiration for different aspects of my life. I use is as a way to find new tattoos or clothing I want to get. I also use it for my art to find references or color pallets for my next project. A simple app that produces mostly pictures is one of my top sources to find creative things. It can be an easy way to spruce up online forms or personal projects without having to search to hard for pictures to use. 

5. Pokémon Database 

I play Pokémon a lot. It is one of my favorite series of games that I have put hours of time into. Even though I have put a lot of time into these games, I can still forget certain information about Pokémon, such as type match ups or move sets. I also haven't played every game so I can get lost and need a guide on where I need to go next. This website is where I typically go to when I need this information. It has little ads and the information is put in a simple and organized way. It is definitely one of the better sources for Pokémon information that I would recommend.