EOTO #1 Reaction

Our EOTO, Each One Teach One, class presentations taught me a little bit about the inventions in our world that we never think twice about. I took notes throughout the presentations and compiled them into a reaction of my thoughts.

First, paper. Paper was developed in China in 105 CE and was made from bark, hemp, rags and even fish

1704, Mass paper production.

nets. This invention helped lower the cost of sharing information and helped to expand literacy and ideas through distances.

I really never thought to consider the downsides to the invention of paper. One of the most interesting was that paper caused a lot of misinformation to spread. This is because anyone had the ability to write whatever they wanted.

The next presentations covered pens and then pencils. These inventions seem simple today, but they took many years to perfect. Pens started in Egypt and Greece, and they moved from reed pens to quills made from goose feathers. I never knew that you could only really write one sentence using a quill before needing more ink.

The creation of metal dip pens caused ink bleeds and smudging. John J. Loud patented a roller-ball pen in 1888, but it was unsuccessful at the time. In the 1930s, an improved ballpoint followed, which was created because of frustration with cleaning smudged ink.

Metal Dip Pen

A problem many people had at the time was making mistakes while writing, and the creation of the pencil allowed those mistakes to not be permanent. Mass production of the pencil started in 1662, and it then became known as the universal drawing tool.

An invention that stood out to me was the television. The thought behind the television's creation was that if sound could travel across distances, like a telephone, so could images.

Most people were exposed to TV for the first time in 1939 at the New York World's Fair. I can't believe how popular TV grew after WWII, when it was found in most homes.

Overall, the presentations made more more aware of how our most popular communication technologies have impacted us over time.

AI Disclosure:

EOTO #1

 

How the Postal Service first began delivering mail in the US.

Imagine paying a day's wages to mail one letter. In Britain, that was once the price of sending a note across London. Here's how the mail went from a tool for kings to something anyone could afford.

No one person invented it, it grew in stages, and three people stand out.

Around 500 BCE, Persian king Darius I built the Royal Road, and relay riders carried royal messages across his empire in about nine days instead of three months.

Benjamin Franklin then built America's postal system, and Rowland Hill created the modern, prepaid version.

Benjamin Franklin

For Darius I, the need was speed. He had to stay in touch with a huge empire. For Franklin, it was revolution. Colonial mail was slow, and letters were often left at inns and taverns. On July 26, 1775, the Second Continental Congress made him the first Postmaster General, and the founders saw secure communication as the glue holding distant parts of the nation together. 

Franklin had already sped things up, running mail day and night with relay teams and cutting Philadelphia-to-New York delivery time in half. 

Hill's circumstances were economic. By 1837, British rates depended on distance and the number of sheets, and the receiver usually paid. 

Hill felt that the mail system too expensive and confusing for ordinary people.

Some wrote sideways across their pages to save paper and money. This is because letters were charged by the distance along with the sheets of paper used. Others put coded messages on the envelope, read them, then refused delivery. 

His fix was a low, uniform rate, prepaid by the sender instead of the recipient. Merchants backed his campaign, and it became law in August 1839. 

The Penny Black, the first
adhesive stamp.

The Penny Black, the first adhesive stamp, appeared in May 1840. It carried a half-ounce letter anywhere in Britain for just a penny. 

This helped change our world because prepaid postage solved two problems at once. Everyday people could finally afford to write, and the envelope trick stopped working because the sender had already paid.

Cheap postage plus rising literacy meant far more letters. The reform also added postal savings accounts, giving working-class people a safe place to save small amounts. 

Overall, this allowed ordinary families to keep in touch across long distances. In America, the Post Office Department, created in 1792, became the first national communications network ultimately tying a young country together. 

The postal service was not all sunshine and rainbows because whoever controls the mail can control what moves through it.

The Comstock Act of 1873 banned mailing "obscene" material, including birth control and abortion items,

and made Anthony Comstock a postal special agent to enforce it. Doctors were arrested for mailing medical information, and courts struck down the birth-control ban in 1936.

Even the Penny Post had critics. The poet William Wordsworth complained about time-wasting letters from strangers. 

The mail wasn't one invention. It was a 2,500-year upgrade, from royal relay riders to a stamp anyone could buy.

AI Disclosure: AI was used throughout the process of completing this assignment. I used a variety of websites and sources for my research and also used Claude to help find additional information and better understand some of the research. I used Claude to help organize my ideas, format the assignment, and create a 500–600 word response based on the research. I then reviewed and edited the information and added my own links and photos to help break up the text and make the assignment more visually engaging. The final assignment and edited by me.

Privacy, Online & Offline

Catherine Crump (Civil Liberties Lawyer) TED Talk titled, "The Small
and Surprisingly Dangerous Detail the Police Tracks About You."

I was so surprised to hear that our lives may not be as private as I thought they were. There are thousands of ways the government collects and stores our personal information from our everyday lives.

After watching a TED Talk by Catherine Crump, she explained how simply driving your car around town can reveal so much about you. Your car can show if you simply attend church or even if you are going to an AA meeting that you hoped would be private. This information is basically “up for grabs” for the government, and it is shockingly easy for them to see where you are going, when you are going there, and who you are with.

Automated License Plate
 Reader

The Automated License Plate Readers were something that really interested me. They are mounted on roads and police cars and capture images of every passing car, which can then be checked against cars on hot lists. I knew these plate readers took photos of license plates, but I had no idea this information was being stored and organized within a system.

The scary thing is that police departments are not just keeping information on the plates or people who have done something wrong. Instead, these systems can capture information on everyone who passes them  and reveal the date, time, and location of where a car was traveling.

Catherine shared a story about a guy named Mike who went to his local police station and asked for the plate reader information they had on him. One of the photos showed his two daughters getting out of the car in their family driveway. If this can happen to an innocent person, it can happen to any of us.

This made me really think about my friends and family. We drive often, use our phones, post on social media, and share our locations without really thinking about it because we are just going about our daily lives. It makes me feel like we have very little ability to control what is known about us, and it feels like a complete invasion of privacy.

The TED Talk also explained that some of this information is only being stored because the cost of storing data has gone down. This means police departments can hold onto the information in case it becomes useful one day.

Juan Enriquez's TED Talk titled "Your Online
Life, Permanent as a Tattoo."

Mike had not committed a crime and did not have a warrant, yet the government still collected and kept all of this information about him. I find that really concerning.

I feel that the government must have limits on how much information it can collect about people and how long that information can remain in a system. In a world that is constantly changing with technology, it should not be okay to store information simply because it is possible. There should be a reason for collecting someone's information, along with clear rules about who can access it and when.

In Juan Enriquez’s TED Talk, he used the idea of “electronic tattoos” to describe our online presence. Tattoos are seen by everyone and can tell a story about someone without giving them the ability to explain the meaning behind them.

As a teenager, I know I post hundreds of Snapchats, Instagram posts, and TikToks without always taking the time to think about how they could affect me in the future. Once something is online, it can stay with us for much longer than we expect.

Juan connected this idea to Greek mythology, which really stood out to me. He used the goddess Atalanta and her fascination with the golden apples that distracted her from her race. This made me think about how we can also get caught up in the moment and post something without carefully considering the consequences.

Overall, both TED Talks made me realize how difficult it is to truly keep our lives private today. Whether it is information collected while we are driving or something we choose to post online, so much of what we do can leave a digital record. It is important for us to protect ourselves online and keep our digital footprint clean and positive because what we share today can follow us into the future.

AI Disclosure: AI was not used to research or provide information for this blog post. All information came from the two TED Talks and an in-class lecture. I used AI to help correct grammar, improve sentence flow, and organize my ideas into a smoother blog post that was easier to read and understand. AI did not add any additional information or ideas to the content. I then added links to online sources that the reader could peruse for more information.

Eight Values of Free Expression

            Eight Values of Free Expression

After dissecting the Eight Values of Free Expression, two of them stood out to me most. The first one was Marketplace of Ideas (aka Discovery of Truth). This idea stemmed from John Milton's speech in 1644: Aeropagitica which laid the groundwork for the Marketplace of Ideas. 

The Marketplace of Ideas resonates most with me because as a college student, I am at a time in my life when people begin to discover ideas and feelings that may be different from how they grew up, due to being in a new environment. Before attending college, a majority of our opinions and influences come from our parents, families and home communities. Going to college gives us the chance to be exposed to a variety of ideas and perspectives, which allows us to challenge and reconsider what we have thought before.

John Milton

Clearly, this is why going to college is so important to our development as people. When you immerse yourself in a new environment, of thousands of people who come from different backgrounds and beliefs, you have the chance to raise questions about your own beliefs. Which can differ from just accepting what you have been raised to believe. 

This directly relates to the Marketplace of Ideas because you can hear an opinion from a classmate or friend, that you may disagree with, but just hearing an alternate opinion can allow you to reason with why you disagree with it. This is as important part of college because we don't have to change our beliefs based on what we hear and who says it, rather we can get a better understanding on why we believe what we do. 

An example that demonstrates the Marketplace of Ideas in action is Charlie Kirk. Kirk, who passed a few months ago, was most known for attending college campuses and debating with students political and social views. He gave each student a voice, if they desired to approach

Charlie Kirk's: Comeback Tour

the microphone and challenge his views. While these conversations and debates featured students who strongly agreed with his opinions, there were also a handful of students who strongly disagree with his opinions. Students did not have to agree nor disagree with what Kirk shared, rather he created a place for  students to hear, challenge and express their beliefs. This represents the Marketplace of Ideas because we have the human right to share and express our ideas, without the government interfering. 

On a larger scale, social media is a constant Marketplace of Ideas were people can voice and hear the opinions of billions of people around the world every single day. 

Having many ideas, some being true, some being false, gives people the ability to determine what they believe is true based on the evidence and claims provided. Allowing each person to have their own position on a topic and voicing it creates the basis of free expression. Even if we believe something is false, hearing another perspective allows us to understand why we truly think it's false, or even reconsider why we think its false. 

In the real world, the Marketplace of Ideas reigns importance. If people are never challenged to view different perspectives, they will never fully gauge the idea that their opinion is not the only one. When our views differ from others in the real world and we discuss it, we can learn from each other and challenge our individual selves to think more critically. Being able to hear and manage different views opens the door for acceptance of that we can unite as a country through varying beliefs.

Supreme Court Video Reflection

Before watching this video, I understood that the U.S. Supreme Court was an important institution, but I did not realize just how much influence it has. One detail that stood out to me was that it became a model for high courts throughout the world and is considered the most powerful judicial body.

One quote from a justice especially caught my attention: “We are quiet, but it is the quiet of a storm center.” That statement helped me understand the Court’s unique role. It may not always be in the spotlight, but its decisions can have lasting effects across the country.

I also learned that the Court’s legitimacy comes from the Constitution, but its power ultimately depends on public faith. The idea that it helps uphold the rule of law while preserving the union gave me a new appreciation for its place in American government.

The process of handling cases was interesting as well. Cases begin as petitions, and the Court receives more than 700 of them each year. What surprised me most was that only around 100 are accepted for consideration. Each justice is individually responsible for deciding every case, and they meet weekly to determine which issues deserve the Court’s attention.

The 9 Supreme Court Justices.

I was also surprised by the justices themselves. More than 100 people have served on the Court, with an average service of 16 years. Because justices often remain on the bench long after the president who appointed them has left office, being appointed seems both rare and overwhelming. One justice even compared it to being struck by lightning.

Another memorable detail was the tradition of the justices shaking hands before meeting. The explanation was simple but meaningful: when people shake hands, they are less likely to hold grudges despite disagreements.

The most shocking fact I learned was that the Supreme Court once upheld slavery in the Dred Scott case. At the same time, I learned that later constitutional changes, including the abolition of slavery and the 14th Amendment, expanded protections against excessive state power.

Overall, this video changed the way I think about the Supreme Court. I now see it not just as a court, but as an institution that balances tradition, authority, and national responsibility

AI Disclosure: AI was not used in the research and information for this blog post. All information came from the notes that I took while watching a video titled "Supreme Court of the United States." I then prompted Microsoft CopilotPro to help me shape my notes into a blog post between 300 and 350 words written in a smooth, professional style. I then added links to online sources that the reader could peruse for more information. Finally, I added appropriate images and captions to help break up the the type and give it a more professional look.

My Top 5 Sources of News & Information

1. Newsday

Newsday is a news source that I use often if I need to stay updated on what's going on in my hometown. It

features local news that provides updates with high schools, politics, transportation and events in the NYC area, Nassau and Suffolk county. Newsday provides me with a closer look into what's going
on in my hometown. Therefore, if you are from the Long Island or New York area, I highly recommend checking out this Newsday.

2. ESPN

ESPN is an important news source for me because it allows me to stay update with sports teams, games and athletes. It covers a variety of sports like football, basketball, baseball and soccer. If you grew up with sports constantly on the TV, this is the best source to stay up to date on the latest games and athletics. It really brings me a sense of comfort knowing I can stay connected with the teams and sports I grew up always watching.

3. TikTok

TikTok is a social media platform that features information that is both educational and fun. It's super easy to understand and it provides quick information in the matter of seconds. Due to its algorithm I receive

quick insight on things that I am interested in from people across the world. I also enjoy the fact that people can put their own perspectives and views in the comments of videos. This allows me to be exposed to multiple different ideas about a particular issue or event. 

4. Instagram

Instagram is another social media platform that I often use receive news and updates. I have the ability to follow accounts and receive updates from news accounts, journalists and political figures. Instagram is mainly photos and videos which allows information to be spread rapidly. Through the use of Instagram reels, stories and posts, I can easily receive news that is easy for me to breakdown. 

5. Seventeen 

If you are a teen girl, I highly recommend using Seventeen for your news and information. This magazine includes information on celebrities, popular styles,

current trends and fashion. This website is perfect if you young women's because it is more interesting and relatable for teens. I often peruse through the pages when I have extra time. It doesn't take much effort to understand information because it isn't so boring and bland like other news sources.