Question 2- medium is the message

I do think that the medium is the message.  Television is probably the strongest medium of communication.  Everyone watches television.  In some form or another.  It doesn't matter what each person's interests are because there is something for everyone based on their interests.  ANd those are the programs that people are going to relate with more and watch more.  In turn they are going to get whatever message through that specific program.  I do agree with the content of the medium depending on the medium is a big factor.  With Tv the content is quick and its more visual obviously.  Less dialogue is involved and it is direct.  With radio, people can talk more and connect more with their audience.  Especially with talk radio.   You have to expect people to have a conversation rather than deliver a message.

As far as tv being a cool medium, I do notice that personalities who are more active and outrageous are not on tv for long.  Our book describes that the personalities on tv for this medium, which contributes to their success, are more toned down.  In turn, it makes them funnier and more interesting to watch.  

The people who are more outrageous are more likely to find better chances at radio, or comedy shows or cd's.  

Comm105-question 1:Cyberspace

I don't think I have ever made a friend that was made in cyberspace.  I guess you could count Tom on mypspace, but you don't have a choice when you set up an account.  Nor do you even talk to him.  I can only imagine that it is different to communicate with someone strictly through chat rooms than in face to face contact.  Now that I think about it, I talk to people all the time when I play dominoes on line.  But I never made any friends.  They're just other players.

I'm a little hesitant to creating a relationship or friendship on line.  For one, I don't think I could dedicate the time necessary to communicate with someone online.  Two, I would feel uncomfortable just trying to figure out what to say if I didn't know the person in actuality.  Its hard to think what kind of person you are communicating with and if you are too open with stuff about you're personal life than it can get awkward.  We probably know at least one person that is awkward or too open about their personal life.

Comm105-office romance

In chapter 8 our book states that handling workplace romance is complicated and that nowadays attitudes toward that are more relaxed.  In my experience I think it depends on the level of the chain of command that you are on.   In my work there are no executives allowed to have a significant other working in the same store.  Nor are they allowed to socialize with regular employees outside of work.  It makes sense because of the position that they hold.  

Its funny though that when you are a regular employee, a group of guys that works with eachother every night, and a new female employee starts working, the guys tend to dare eachother to go and talk to the girl and see if they can get them to go out with them.  This goes on for a few weeks in hopes of the girl to respond positively and eventually consider going out with one of them.  Nobody really seems to care about regular employees having a relationship but when it comes to other positions, ones with more status, it is agains the rules and enforced more.

I guess its different for each workplace or company.  I guess it depends on whether or not the company wants to maintain an image or reputation.  I guess a workplace can't have everybody dating eachother and then breaking up and having cranky employees bringing their drama to work.  I've seen people transferred, not fired, but transferred to another store because of it.

comm 105-etiquette

I think its important to try and carry your conversations as quietly as possible.  How many times have we seen people walk down the sidewalk as loud as all hell, talking to whoever, for everyone to hear?  How do they sound?  I think they sound annoying.  I've seen it done at the movies during the movie and I can't understand people who do that.  It's like they want to be yelled at by angry movie watchers.  And then they wonder why the other people are bent out of shape.

With answering machines its good to leave a message that says who you are and what you want.  Simple as that.  I can't help but to be silly sometimes and pretend I'm a debt collector plan to repo someone's car at a certain time of day.  I only do it to the friends I like the most.  By now they already know who it is and they just laugh at me.

Screen names and ring tones should both be selected in a respectful manner.  No one wants to hear "shake that laffy taffy" during a conference or a business meeting.  Screen names can probabaly easily selected by associating it with your name and business or just a shortened version of your name.

Comm105-question 1

In chapter 8 it discusses how communication affects organizations.  Organizations are tied to our environment because some organizations have the intended purpose to keep the environment safe and secure.  Any modes of discourse could break the organization and perhaps skew some of the members attitudes and perceptions.  That could very well affect the rest of the people who are part of that very environment that the organization was bound to protect.

The school i go to(SJSU) has a very close relationship with San Jose.  People come to the campus for all sorts of reasons.  They come together for rallies, performances, seminars, organizations.  Our campus is the mecca for anything that may interest you.  And there are groups to attend for it.  It brings all cultures of life to the campus.

The ethical obligations that a school like ours has is the obligation to give people the opportunity to learn.  Whether it be for school courses, or events, or group sessions.  Just about anything on this campus is promoted to keep people in the loop and to educate them on what is happening on campus and in their community.

Comm 105-Knapp's Relational Development Model

In chapter 6 I was interested in the relational development model.  It puts together a diagram that shows the steps in a relationship's coming together and falling apart.  I think it is pretty accurate in terms of the steps and what happens within them.  The stages in coming apart are fairly accurate too.  When a relationship is on the brink of falling apart the two parties involved start to develop differences that don't compliment the relationship.  Pretty soon they start to stagnate and then avoid eachother.  When this happens the parties probably want some time apart to think.  When that happens, I don't think there is any point to expect any good to come from this time apart.  The more time you spend away from eachother without trying to resolve the problem, the worse it gets.  Before you know it the relationship is doomed.  On the brightside, at least there is Knapp's model to help guide you to where the relationship is going.  

Yeah...maybe that's not such a bright side after all.

Comm105-filters

When I think about what I would like in a person I would want for a romantic partner I think about common interests.  Although I have to admit that when I see a hot girl I definitely have to notice.  In my experience though, the thing I find most attractive about a girl is her personality.  Because most of the girls that I have liked, I find that their looks are moderate but cute, and they have a strong personality to add to that.  What strikes me as unnatractive is the persons ability to be shallow and snobby.  I don't care how hot they are, if they are these things then I'm not into them.  It's kind of a problem with me the way some people judge me based on my looks.  They think I'm the kind of guy who only goes for the hot girls.  Not true.  I like the geeky, sometimes nerdy, but smart and funny girl, to be very attractive.  And if one of those girls, who may think they are unnattractive and insecure, has the courage to come up to me and try to ask me out, I think it is very cool and flattering.  It does gain my interest.  But this is sounding like a match.com personal so I'm just going to say that everyone's filters are different.  Their turn offs and turn ons, pet peeves, personal characteristics, bank account.  These are just some of the things that people base their future relationships on.  Why?  It takes away from the experience of the heart.  

Comm 105-rigid role relations

 I think the most difficult pattern to change or deal with is the competitive symmetry pattern.  Its hard to get in an argument and not bring up a list of what the other person has done even when it doesn't have to do with the particular topic you are arguing about.  Both parties try to bring up some facts that top the other's claims and hopefully get the one-up on them thus ceasing the other parties' argument.  It's kind of unfortunate that this happens a lot because it can cause people to forget what they were trying to address in the first place.

I also think that this pattern is the most damaging to a relationship.  In considering the random comments that may rise and make their way into the conversation, these comments may be inflamed, derrogatory remarks that have no positive effect on the conversation.  It all becomes about making the other person feel worse than the other.  Like our book states, dominance becomes the main theme in relationships.  When people in a relationship say something that they may not be able to take back, it affects the relationship negatively.  The perception of that person is changed and it may take time to return back to the way it was, if possible.  People's feelings would definitely get attacked as well as their self esteem.