Blog #4- EOTO Printing Press

For the Each One Teach One research project, I was assigned the printing press. A printing press is a mechanical device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium (such as paper or cloth), thereby transferring the ink. It marked a dramatic improvement on earlier printing methods in which the cloth, paper, or other medium was brushed or rubbed repeatedly to achieve the transfer of ink, and accelerated the process. Typically used for texts, the invention and global spread of the printing press was one of the most influential events in the second millennium. Johannes Gutenburg was a German inventor, printer, publisher, and goldsmith. He was credited for the printing press. Gutenburg started experimenting on the press in 1440. He started developing the printing press in France. It took him ten years to produce it. Once he was finished and "perfected" he brought the press back to his hometown in Germany.

Johannes Gutenburg wasn't the first person to discover printing. The oldest known printing was dated back to the first millennium A.D. in China. The Diamond Sutra, a Buddhist book from Dunhuang, China from around 868 A.D. during the Tang Dynasty, is said to be the oldest known printed book. Before the printing press books such as The Diamond Sutra were created with a method called block printing. Block printing was hand-carved blocks with letters printed backward. After block printing, metal block printing was invented. These types of printing were very tedious and took a very long time to produce. Thanks to Gutenburg printing became easier.

The printing press changed the world we live in today. Without it, there are so many things that wouldn't be possible today. The printing press allows us to share large amounts of information quickly and in huge numbers. In fact, the printing press is so significant that it has come to be known as one of the most important inventions of our time. It drastically changed the way society evolved. Before the printing press information was shared orally. The press helped educate the world faster. Literacy levels began to rise. Johannes Gutenberg's discovery helped books be produced quicker and cheaper. The printing press even improved science. historian Elizabeth Eisenstein wrote her 1980 book about the impact of the printing press, she said that its biggest gift to science wasn’t necessarily the speed at which ideas could spread with printed books, but the accuracy with which the original data were copied. With printed formulas and mathematical tables in hand, scientists could trust the fidelity of existing data and devote more energy to breaking new ground. Thanks to the printing press a huge social and cultural revolution was born. A century after it was founded the Italian renaissance began. The press wasn't the reason the renaissance began but it did help accelerate rediscovery and helped share knowledge.

A significant positive effect of the printing press was that voices around the world were being heard. For example, Martin Luther and his 95 Thesis. Thanks to the printing press and the timely power of his message, Luther became the world’s first best-selling author. Luther’s translation of the New Testament into German sold 5,000 copies in just two weeks. From 1518 to 1525, Luther’s writings accounted for a third of all books sold in Germany and his German Bible went through more than 430 editions. Luther questioned the church, he wasn't the first one, but he was the first person to publish his message around town. He believed that printing was a gift from God himself.


Overall, Johannes Gutenburg and the printing press had major effects on the world. If it wasn't for his discovery we would not be living in the world we are today. Communication was changed for the better along with so many other things.

Blog #3- Eight Values of Free Expression

In the past couple of weeks in class, we have learned a lot about the first amendment and how it is applied to life today. The definition of the first amendment is, “an amendment that prevents the government from making laws which regulate an establishment of religion, or that would prohibit the free exercise of religion, or abridge the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press, the freedom of assembly, or the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” Specifically, we have been learning about freedom of speech. Because we are reviewing the values of free expression, I want to define freedom of speech. In short, it is the principle that supports the freedom of a person to produce their opinions and ideas without fear of censorship or getting in trouble with the law.

In this blog post, I will be reflecting on the Eight Values of Free Expression and choose the two that stood out to me and why. The Eight Values include Marketplace of Ideas, Participation in Self Government, Stable Change, Individual Self-Fulfilment, Check on Government Power, Promote Tolerance, Promote Innovation and Protect Dissent.


After reviewing the eight values of free expression I noticed the one that stuck out to me was number three, stable change. Stable change states, “it has been suggested that a society in which angry and alienated citizens are allowed to speak their mind, or “vent”, will be more stable, as people will be less likely to resort to violence. It has been pointed out that allowing the alienated and biconnected to speak freely enables government to better monitor potentially dangerous groups who would otherwise act more clandestinely. Ultimately, it is in the government’s own self-interest to allow such venting.” This value of free expression stuck out to me because I agree with it. If a person is angry and has the right to speak their mind on it, violence and acting out can be prevented. When people are allowed to speak freely it is easier for the government to see the difference between people who are able to speak freely, in a good way, and who is going to potentially act out. It is clear that this speech theory will always be relevant. With free speech being a part of the first amendment, stable change will always be around. This theory I believe is most prevalent today because of all the court cases that are happening involving speech and hate.


Another speech theory that stuck out to me was a marketplace of ideas. This theory is also known as the discovery of truth. The definition of this theory is, "a rationale for freedom of expression based on an analogy to the economic concept of a free market. The marketplace of ideas holds that the truth will emerge from the competition of ideas in free, transparent public discourse and concludes that ideas and ideologies will be culled according to their superiority or inferiority and widespread acceptance among the population." I chose this concept because I liked the overall purpose of it. To me, it means that in a marketplace of ideas we use competition to judge truth and fairness. This theory encourages people to have their own ideas and thoughts which relates back to the first amendment and freedom of speech. In today’s world, I like to believe that we are all free to express whatever we believe in without being held back. This really shows today within the news and how everyone is allowed to have their own opinions even if not everyone agrees.

Blog #2- Supreme Court

 

1. What did you learn about the Supreme Court that you did not already know?

Throughout the video, I learned a lot about the Supreme Court that I did not already know. I personally have never learned a lot about it and only recall a little bit of my high school history classes. Something new that I learned was the Supreme Court receives 7,000 cases a year and 100 new cases a week. When hearing this all I could think about is how overwhelming that must be. Then to discover that the justices basically work alone on these cases. Reading through them, deciding if they want to keep them or not, and forming their opinion on the cases without anyone's help. These cases are then taken and lawyers stand in front of them for only 30 minutes each and present their side of it. After the nine justices get together and vote on the case. I found all of this interesting because it's a lot of work for these nine appointed justices. Without knowing a lot about the Supreme Court, I assumed there were a lot of people behind the scenes helping them.

2. What is the most important take-away point about the Supreme Court?

My most important takeaway point about the Supreme Court is that everyone is equal. There are no cases that just get handed to the supreme court because someone is of a higher power, like the president for example. All cases have to wait for the people to bring the problem to the court. That is important to me because everyone gets a fair chance. For example, a high-priced legal consul is treated the exact same way a case that was sent in from a prisoner would be treated. Equality within the court system is what keeps the people trusting of the Supreme Court.

3. What was the most surprising thing you learned?

One of the most surprising things I learned from the video is that all the members respect each other. As mentioned in the clip, when entering the room they all shake hands, and they like that because they feel as if no one can hold a grudge against each other. I was personally shocked to hear that they all respect each other because everyone has such different opinions on each case. They obviously disagree but in the end, they still look at each other the same. Following my important takeaway, it just goes to show that they all think of each other as equals, and I am sure that is what keeps their jobs going. 

4. How did the video change the way you thought of the Supreme Court?

The video changed the way I thought about the Supreme Court because I have never been fully educated on the court. It showed me how much the Supreme Court actually does. Hearing the current court tell the new members how long it takes to adjust to the job shows the length their job goes to. After watching the film I know now more than ever that being a Supreme Court Justice takes a certain kind of person. Someone who is hardworking, driven, organized, and able to work in very overwhelming/ stressful environments. 

Blog #1- My Five Top Sources of News and Information

 1. Fox News via Instagram https://www.instagram.com/foxnews/

Fox News is a source that I use to get information on politics and other news stories. While people think that Fox can be biased, I prefer it over other channels because it is a right-wing perspective. I personally like Fox because it isn’t always just about politics. I am able to follow stories such as the Gabby Petito case as well. 

2. E-News via Instagram https://www.instagram.com/enews/

E-News is one of my most used news sources. I use E-News to follow up on all of my favorite celebrities. When comparing this news source to a similar source such a TMZ, I prefer E because it is usually more reliable. TMZ is known for false information that gets corrected by E-News. I recommend this news source if you enjoy keeping you with celebrities and Hollywood stars.

3. Twitter>Explore>News https://twitter.com/explore/tabs/news_unified

I use Twitter news when I want to get different opinions on current news. When something big happens and is released, Twitter news shows everyone's responses to the news. I recommend this because I like to hear what others think about topics. It helps me see where others are coming from. Twitter news also doesn't just post politics. They have sections that are made just for you, and you can also go under different headers like entertainment, whats trending, etc.

4. Inside NOVA https://www.insidenova.com/

I was born and raised in Northern Virginia and have followed InsideNova for a while. InsideNova is a news source that posts about anything happening within the Northern counties of Virginia. I like InsideNova because I am able to receive email updates, Facebook and Instagram updates, or I can go to their website. It is convenient and informative of what is happening in my hometown. 

5. Google News https://news.google.com/

Google News is a news source that I use and recommend because it is not biased. It presents a continuous flow of news from all types of sites. Google shows news from all around the world and isn’t filtered for a certain demographic. It is helpful when I want to see what is happening around the world and not just in the United States.