Blog # 4--picture archives

For this weeks assignment, I decided to use www.dailynewspix.com as my online picture archive. I don't have a lot of background with picture archives, I usually use something like google images or my own personal collection of photos for presentations or anything I need to integrate a photo into. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the cohesiveness and overall layout of the New York Daily's photo archive. The home page is easy to navigate and inviting to a digitally uneducated user. When I opened the web page it has a column streaming down the left side which has categories of photos, from crime to humor and transportation, virtually anything dealing with New York City and the photos that were published by the paper. As I scrolled farther down I was happy to see that they have a most popular stream of photo archives in which you can browse what other visitors enjoy looking at the websites most popular photos. Intrigued, I clicked the crime link and was happy to see a easy layout of various pictures that were of a reasonable size and clarity. The really cool part though was the ability to slide the mouse over each individual photos and a a small blurb about the photos caption, print date and the location that the photo was taken. I really liked the organization and cohesiveness of the website and I would definitely use it again.

In regard to the article by Claudio Fogu entitled, "Digitalizing Historical Consciousness" the topic is something we have heavily debated in class. I liked the ease in which Fogu writes, allowing someone with or without a public history background to understand his thesis and main arguments. It was really interesting to me when he described historical, "video games" of the future like Holocaust II and September 11th, the idea of these horrifying historic events, many still fresh in the minds of people today, being turned into a virtual simulation or video game is intriguing and yet a bit upsetting to me. Fogu makes relevant arguments in that the development and production of simulations like this could open a visually stimulating and educated method of teaching these events to students who have grown up in a digitized world and as a future teacher, the idea of reaching students, on any level, and transmitting historical knowledge to them is extremely enticing. However, as a person who witnessed the events of 9/11 and has visited Auschwitz, it is unsettling to me that these sobering events would be turned into some sort of game. Fogu also makes another valid point in that the digitization of history ushers in the idea that we are, " no longer interested in what happened but in what could happen." This idea totally contradicts the whole reason why I study history and the validity of history in an educated forum. I am still conflicted on the idea of digital history but I am open to more arguments and ideas on the topic and I hope that it becomes a widely discussed issue among historians and academicians.

Museum choice

I have decided to go to the St. Petersburg Holocaust Museum for my assignment. It's a museum I have always wanted to attend and I hope it lives up to my expectations.

Blog # 3

As I viewed the JFK assassination simulation, I pondered the question of whether this simulation was just that, a historic simulation allowing people to gain a better appreciation for the assassination of JFK or if it was an exploitative video game. One of the things I like most about YouTube is the user comments under each video that is available. After viewing the JFK simulation, I scrolled down to see what the general audience thought of the game. Some were extremely offended by its content and protested the distribution and use of it as a video game, siting that it is disrespectful to the former presidents memory. However, as I continued to read the comments, I realized that most people seemed to understand the historic content of the game and were less bothered with the assassination of JFK and more impressed with the angle options and high quality graphics. Though I am not a parent, I have a younger brother who loves video and computer games and as his older sister I wouldn't have a problem with him playing the JFK game if it peaked his interest in history or the life and death of JFK. I also know that though he is young, he is, like most kids his age, intelligent enough to decipher whether something is real or imaginary.

I think with the growth of technology, historians and video game production companies could utilize one an other's skills. With the introduction of things like the JFK simulation I believe that other visual simulations of historic moments could be utilized in the classroom as learning tools for students. Though I would never want something as violent as the JFK simulation to be introduced into the public school system I believe that programs like this could be revolutionary in giving an interactive and detailed view of historic moments in time. I also believe that the moment we start censoring things because they make us, " squeamish" or uncomfortable, we limit our ability to learn and grow from all forms of education. When I think of censorship I always think of the debate among educators in the public school system as to whether The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is appropriate for students in high school or not. I think that it is a literary masterpiece, written by one of the most influential writers of American literature and to ban it from the English curriculum would be a great disservice to students.

Overall, though I understand the concern by some when it comes to the JFK simulation game, I believe that its intention was not malicious or meant to degrade the memory of John F. Kennedy. However, I think that it is a use and interesting visual aid for those curious about the conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination or for historians that may want to further explore the events of that historic moment. I also believe that the JFK simulation is the first in a long line of historically based games and visual aids.