First off, just what is convergence?

The word originally came from the world of math and science. Its
earliest use was by a man named William Derham, who was working
at trying to measure the speed of sound by timing the flash and
the roar of a cannon. That was in the 1600’s-1700’s.

The term has been used in technology, business, science and
journalism - everything from explaining corporate strategy to
Darwin’s “The Origin of Species” (still a “hot” topic today,
what?).

What we want to approach today is convergence in the digital
media. Convergence refers to the power of digital media to
combine voice, video, data, text, and money in new applications,
devices and networks.

Television is probably the most amazing invention of mankind.
Sending pictures and sound through the air has a magical quality
that challenges the imagination.

Next in line is the computer. This cool electronics - that takes
ones and zeros and turns them into words, pictures, sounds, data
- and places them in the palm of your hand is nothing less than
amazing in itself.

You can’t leave out the telephone - which has passed from being
connected by wires to wireless voice, then audio and sounds,
then video, then internet, then ….

Convergence. Convergence is taking all of these media and
combining them into one delivery system. Major companies are
gearing up for entering into this new development. Here are some
things coming up through these cool electronics melding:

* AOL is putting old TV shows on the Internet

* CBS and NBC are offering current TV shows online - and ABC,
Apple and Disney are putting shows on the new Video iPod

* Google is into offering video - Chris Rock’s new show
premieres online before it is aired over regular network channels

* MTV has bought the independent film network iFilm and launches
a 24/7 Internet TV Network [MTV Uber]

What does all this mean to you?

With the proper cool electronics coming available, you can
expect that within … say five years … your TV watching will
expand beyond network - cable - satellite, and the private video
networks of companies like TiVo and RePlay - to what one person
has called “ubiquitous content.” In other words, any show or
video you can think of will be delivered to you over the
Internet. Think 1000 channels?!

And this Internet TV will be delivered to your home TV set (HDTV
big screen) and more. There will be gadgets and devices that
hook up your TV set directly to the Internet to deliver video
directly to your set instead of your computer.

Anyone with a camera will be able to upload video to the net.
You will see the good, the bad and the ugly for awhile - but the
cream will rise as they always say - and levels of video will
form into communities of like style, ability and value - all
through the new cool electronics that are becoming available now.

Sponsored videos will become more plentiful. One advertiser will
supply and sponsor programs - like the Hallmark Hall of Fame has
done since the early days of broadcasting.

Niche programs will become an important marketing tool for
small companies - like cooking shows sponsored by a
local/regional grocery store - or health shows backed by health
food products. Do I hear “infomercial?” They may become the
norm. We can only hope that the creative people in our society
will also be challenged and bring us some real product that we
can learn from and enjoy.

There will be improved search capabilities. you will be able to
search video content as well as titles. This will be done by
transcribing dialogue into text and stored in a database. Videos
will be searched and rated just like websites are now.

Set-top boxes [like the new Brightbox] will connect you from
living room to living room by video phone and video email. Now
you will have to dress up to answer your email (at least cover
up).

A user interface will become the most important feature of your
TV because there will be SO MUCH CONTENT. The interface will
make suggestions based on your mood, your astrological sign or
what other people have chosen. This is already happening in
Japan.

Video communities will form to find and present content to fit
various fields, moods, interests, and levels to suit your needs.

Your home TV (DVR, DVD, Tivo, etc.) can be watched on your
computer anywhere in the world with a broadband connection and
the cool electronics in devices like the Slingbox - which is
available now.

How about interactive shopping and education? You watch a
program and pause the program to respond to a commercial while
you think about it. Or - you are watching King Kong - you will
be able to click on the “King” and get a lesson about apes and
their history.

TV’s are being built now (in Japan) with ethernet connections.
this will speed up the connection convergence.

Of course, the commercial value of TV will not disappear.
Unfortunately, it may get more imbedded in the programming.
Shopping will be made easier - with the ability to see products
in real time and real size- or at least closer to real size -
and right from your home set in your living room, kitchen or
bedroom. Point and click and buy with the new cool electronics.

I’m sure there will be many more surprises as this new industry
develops. The emergence of convergence -
Internet/TV/Communications - is expected to be the biggest new
industry since the telephone - then TV - then the computer -
then the Internet - then … who knows?

© 2006 Gary Cogley

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The first Space Exploration started in 1957 with the launch of
the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, sent into space by
the Soviets. Since ancient times people have dreamed of leaving
their home planet and exploring other worlds not known to man.
Every era through out history has had a belief as to what the
“heavens” are made form. The Greeks believed that the stars and
space were made of a material called “Quitenses”, and other
culture once thought that the stars were made of their peoples
passed away.

We know now what stars are really made of; they are made of
various gases that explode over and over again. Up until about
43 years ago people did not have the means to travel to or send
objects into space. The hardest part of traveling into space was
developing rockets that were powerful enough and reliable enough
to boost an object into space.

Common heard of Space Exploration terms are Comets and
Asteroid’s. A comet is basically small, rocky, and icy and
revolves around the sun. When a comet passes close to the sun
some of the ice turns to gas. This gas and some loose dust
creates a long, bright tail that trails behind the comet.

If a comet was to hit the earth, it would cause some serious
damage. As an example even if something relatively small in size
hit the earth, it would cause great damage. Small from an
comet’s point of size is around 200 metres in diameter and if
this was to hit an ocean it would create devastation to all
cities within a large radius.

Asteroid’s are described as small or minor planets that are
members of the solar system and move in what are called
elliptical orbits. They are usually found between the orbits of
Mars and Jupiter.

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The arts have taken blow after blow from schools lately. People
just aren’t supporting them. They push them aside and think
there’s no use for them in society. But without them society
would fall apart. Without relief, without distractions, we would
be mindless servants following the ever winding path of greed
and corporate business.

The arts come in many different forms. There’s painting,
sculpture, drawing, photography, computer graphics, dancing,
performing arts, etc. Music and all its components can be
included in this when it comes to the limiting the more creative
aspects of education. They are not just for entertainment. They
promote creativity, originality, patience and discipline. They
increase intellect, relieve stress, and provide an outlet for
people to be different, to feel welcomed. They are more than
just a hobby. They can be a way of life.

Schools don’t want to waste time with this stuff. All that
matters to them is the more prominent curriculum and sports.
That’s what seems to make the world go around these days. They
are nice, a good and important part to education of course, but
they shouldn’t be the whole thing. People need a range of
understanding in life to truly benefit from its teachings.

The reason schools focus on subjects like science and history
and English is that society is driven on a very business and
corporate track. We focus on that knowledge makes us better
people, that it solves problems and brings us goodness. It does,
but not always. When it fails or lets us down, when it stresses
us out or overwhelms us, we need a break. That is the arts, the
more light-hearted subjects in the world. Society tends to see
these more important subjects as the serious ones that get us
through life. People think they’re the ones that make the world
go around. They think that it’s what makes the world. But if we
were so serious all the time, so bent on our corporate ways of
greed and power, we’d be a society that would fall apart quickly.

We tend not to see how good we have it until it’s gone. Art
isn’t gone and won’t be any time soon, so it’s hard to really
show it’s impact. It is a vital part of society though even if
we don’t always stress this. It provides business, support,
design, creativity, and entertainment for the world.

The arts a vital part of the growth a child undergoes. It helps
them both with realizing who they are and becoming who they are
meant to be. It doesn’t matter if they don’t have a full passion
for it or don’t pursue it in a career. Just the opportunity to
allow them to define themselves on their own, to create a
personality other than what the real world wants to make them,
allows expression and creativity that will stay with them for
years. They may not appreciate it at the moment, or acknowledge
it later on, but it will become a part of who they are
regardless.

We can’t just think that if a child wants to do something they
will do it on their own. This provides little encouragement in
their life. We need to support a variety of education and
experiences in school for children to grow with. Society can’t
be serious all the time and it can’t just say that business is
the only that matters. It’s vital to mankind’s well-being to
promote the arts at a young age and allow children to grow and
blossom on their own. They need ways to break free from the
mold, to be given opportunities they may not with other
subjects. It would be a sad day if a child wasn’t allowed to
express themselves and be who they really are.

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