Media Convergence Initiative

New Florida Law Bans Texts While Driving

Posted on September 30, 2013 by marissanclark

A new Florida law that will make texting while driving illegal. This state-wide law will go into effect at the beginning of October. The law will be a “secondary” infraction meaning that the driver in question will have to be pulled over for committing another driving offense, much the same as current seat belt laws. I think it will be very interesting to see how this law effects drivers that normally use the notoriously Interstate 4. My hope is that the law will force drivers to practice much more control at the wheel with their eyes on the road now instead of their cell phones. Also better habits will be made for starting drivers in high schools around Florida. Texting while driver is such a large silent killer of many drivers around the nation and I am proud legislation is now taking effect to stop this.

Another “loop hole” of the current law also allows driver to use their mobile devices if stopped in traffic or at a stop light. This will still leave for quite a bit of room for violations being broken. For a first offense of texting while driving the fine is $30. So, the charge won’t scare too many drivers for now, but hopefully the fine will either be increased or multiple offenders of this law will have a very severe punishment.

The highways coming into and out of Orlando are known to be very dangerous, and I think this new legislation will help clean up these roadways and lead to an increase of tourism.

Posted in General, Health, Politics | Comments Off

Knightcast Celebrates College Radio Day 2013

Posted on September 30, 2013 by jlyzniak

October 1, 2013 is College Radio Day! Radio stations all over the globe will take part in the festivities. Secondary and collegiate schools from multiple continents come together each year to celebrate the work and art of radio broadcasting. For one day, journalists and deejays everywhere can let their voices be heard.

Founded in 2010, the aim of College Radio Day is to harness the combined listenership of hundreds of thousands of college radio listeners throughout the world. We unite for one day to raise a greater, international awareness of the many student stations that operate around the world. The organizers and us as students encourage people who would not normally listen to college radio to do so on this day. It is hoped that those people who tune in will like what they hear and become regular listeners.

College Radio Day was such a hit that this past year the international world took another step. Since 2012, the annual event is known internationally as World College Radio Day. The celebration is free for all college and high school radio stations, whether AM, FM or online. The goal is to highlight the importance of college radio for its unique and fearless programming in typical media landscape.

Consistency of listenership and creative programming is what we are all about. Last year, 585 student stations in 29 different countries came together and made history. This year, I am proud to say Knightcast will be a part of the celebration. Tomorrow, all of our On-Air Show Hosts will produce their best shows, while our LIVE! DJs will promote their mixes. Our Street Team will be supporting our social media and sharing our station’s promotional video. As a student-run online station, available to a global audience, I cannot wait to represent the University of Central Florida around the world.

Posted in Audio/Video, Education, Entertainment, World News | Comments Off

Texting and Driving is Now Illegal in Florida

Posted on September 30, 2013 by jacquelynne bernstein

Public safety is always at the forefront of concerns when it comes to laws and regulations put in place, especially for transportation. As our technology and society change and evolve, the laws that govern transportation safety have had to evolve as well. This process can sometimes be slow, as is the case with one of the greatest traffic safety issues: texting and driving. After years of studies, campaigns, and social movements, the government in Florida has finally stepped in to deal with this increasing problem.

Starting October 1st, 2013 at midnight, it will be illegal to text and drive in the state of Florida. The law is not the most strict, as an officer cannot pull a driver over simply for seeing the use of a cell phone, but must in fact catch someone violating another traffic law before pulling that person over. While it is not the strongest deterrent for drivers who feel the need to text while driving, it is a start. The issue of texting and driving is one that is only recently drawing the attention that it should, as it is a dangerous habit, and can be a fatal one. The problem has existed for years now, and it is surprising that the Florida government is only now passing laws about it, but every step in the right direction is one to recognize. One would hope that this will lead to even more legislation regarding the issue, and an actual solution will be found to keep our drivers safer on the roads.

Posted in General, Politics | Comments Off

About Two Thousand Accept Jesus Christ During Good News Orlando . The Crussade by Evangelist Reinhard Bonke

Posted on September 30, 2013 by gloria vargas

The Orlando crusade with the evangelist Reinhard Bonke took place last weekend at the Amway Center. I was expecting the crusade for about four months, having the privilege to serve as a volunteer in the usher’s area. The usher’s job was an easy and rewarding task, as easy as “set the mood of the place,” and it is true – how nice is when we enter a place and we are welcome with a smile and a warm greeting? I have been before to this Christian celebration, but always as a viewer. I never have had the opportunity to serve, but it was great to have a glimpse of the great effort from a team of dozens of people behind the scene. People served in different areas such as the following: lighting, audio, security, housekeeping, greeters, singers, drivers, cameras, stage builders, coordinators, prayer team, and ushers, among others.

When the doors opened, thousands of people entered, and minutes later the multitude began to worship under the direction of Israel Houghton. It was a great celebration to honor Jesus as Lord and Savior. The message, as Bonke said, was the A-B-C of the gospel: to acknowledge sin, to recognize the emptiness without God’s presence in one’s life, and to welcome Jesus into one’s heart. It was a blessing to have the evangelist Reinhard Bonke inviting hundreds to accept Jesus as Savior, and it was a moment of rejoicing when about two thousand people accepted the invitation. When I see someone coming to Jesus Christ’s feet, I do not see only one person, but I can see a whole family changing the course of it’s life, and a better society under God’s direction.

Posted in Education, General | Comments Off

Drunken Thoughts in the Night

Posted on September 30, 2013 by bosimpson

This weekend, September 28th, 2013 at 3:35 am, I forgot what life was. It’s a figure of speech but I was literally asking myself, “What is life?” I was laying down on an inflatable mattress next to people that I went to high school with. We were drinking, we were laughing, and we were helplessly devoted to the night. Time paused and all I could think of was that I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else at the moment. Maybe I would want to be drunk in a different location, perhaps, somewhere in Armenia but drunk none the less.

Drunk is an ugly word though, I prefer the term, “being festive.” Everyone was doing exactly what they wanted to do, things they would never do if they were sober. Everyone was unfiltered, uncensored, and unapologetically themselves. There was every reason in the world to dance, to cry, to fall in love and not enough reason to stop. Nobody asked why, the word “why” didn’t exist because everyone was too concerned with there moment to be wrapped around the logic of what others were doing.

Mind altering, heart pounding confusion. It must have been a mixture of the liquor and the crowd. My mouth kept my secrets but my actions spoke too loud. You wake up the next morning to silence then reminiscing but somehow the truth always comes up missing. They say drunk words are sober thoughts but what if what we really have are drunk thoughts when were sober. Thoughts we know we shouldn’t have, they aren’t good for us but they’re too much fun to not give in, they’re poisonous but you can’t help but to try it, they’re deadly but you don’t mind losing yourself in the sweet paradise of corruption. Until all is lost, you’ve lost nothing at all.

Posted in Entertainment, General | Tagged college, Drinking, Mind, Nights, Thoughts, Youth | Comments Off

Imminent U.S. government shutdown to affect many federal agencies

Posted on September 30, 2013 by holypointejoey

With no foreseeable budget compromise in the immediate future, the U.S. government is currently heading towards a likely shutdown, where many federal agencies will have to place the majority of their employees on furlough; the government term for temporary unpaid leave. The furlough would apply to about 800,000 employees, while more than a million others would be asked to go to work without pay. The standoff turns out to significantly affect many different agencies and its employees.

For one, this directly affects 97% of NASA’s employees with the 3% being the International Space Station scientists and those monitoring them in mission control. In the meantime, the Curiosity rover project will be put on pause along with all other data-gathering projects related to Mars. The rest of NASA’s projects, including its many probes and Hubble Space Telescope, will still be running, but no one will be around to analyze the incoming data until government resumes. The next major federal agency to be affected by the shutdown is the many parks and recreation departments around the nation with 72,562 employees unable to go to work this Tuesday. In Arizona alone, the national parks, including the Grand Canyon, would ask its visitors to leave immediately and the tourism loss is estimated at $2.7 million a day. It doesn’t stop there, the NY Times provides a much more detailed list on every agency affected by the shutdown and the unfortunate reality is that there is no clear end to this budget confrontation that all seemingly stems back to a healthcare law that passed three years ago.

Posted in Economy, Politics | Comments Off

Miami Dolphins Face Off Against New Orleans Saints

Posted on September 30, 2013 by jmedelman16

The Miami Dolphins are playing at the Super Dome against the New Orleans Saints tonight at 8:30. This Monday Night Football match up is important for both teams because they’re both undefeated. Both teams have a 3-0 record to start the season off and only one of them will leave 4-0. This is a turn around for both teams that had disappointing 7-9 record in the 2012 season. The Dolphins started their first 4 games last year with 1-3 record and the Saints started out 0-4.

The Dolphins started out their season with a bang with their winning record and new logos. The new uniforms seem to have given them a spark this year that they haven’t had in a while. The Dolphin’s Quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, has more experience in his 2nd year and shown to be much improved. They also have a new Running Back, Lamar Miller, who has replaced the recently traded Reggie Bush.

The Saints had a shocking 0-4 start to their season last year mainly because they didn’t have their head coach for a year. He was suspended because of the bounty gate scandal where specific players were targeted to be injured. The Saints were a completely different team without their coach calling the plays. The Saints have an experienced Quarterback, Drew Brees, that has carried them to many victories.

The two teams are looking to have a successful season and get to the playoffs with such good starts. No matter who wins the game, they’ll both have good starts and players to work with for the rest of the season.

Posted in Sports | Comments Off

NCAAF: UCF Almost Upsets Twelfth Best Ranked Team in the Nation

Posted on September 30, 2013 by shannonadams

The Knights took on the South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday afternoon in what was arguably the most anticipated regular season game in UCF history. The Gamecocks are a strong football team who play in the best conference of college football, the SEC. This year in the rankings, South Carolina is the twelfth best team in the nation. No matter where they play, they usually have a strong fanbase turn out. This was in full effect at Brighthouse Stadium in Orlando, as the game completely sold out a short time after tickets went on sale.

The Knights as well as their fans believed the team was strong enough to compete head-to-head with the Gamecocks. They proved to be correct as the game started off with a 10-0 UCF lead. South Carolina then went on a 28-0 scoring run that lasted until the fourth quarter. The Knights then began fighting back again, scoring a touchdown and adding the 2-pt conversion. The score was now 28-18 and UCF was right back in the game. The defense stopped the Gamecocks’ offense again about halfway through the fourth quarter, allowing the Knights’ offense to quickly drive down the field and score. With only a couple minutes left on the clock, UCF was only down 28-25. Unfortunately, when the South Carolina offense took the field again, they were able to effectively control the ball and run down the clock completely.

Both teams now have a record of 3-1 this season. The Knights had a few miscues on both sides of the ball that would have perhaps changed the outcome of the game. In terms of talent, the Knights can match up with any college football team. But as we saw on Saturday, UCF’s inexperience in big game situations and several missed opportunities are ultimately what keeps them from being able to defeat top ranked teams such as South Carolina.

Posted in Sports | Comments Off

Dancing with the Majority: Talent vs Popularity on Dancing with the Stars

Posted on September 30, 2013 by alice_moskola

The hit ABC show Dancing with the Stars has always pulled from a diverse selection of celebrities. Some can sing, some can act, and some are even sports stars. The show’s stated purpose is to determine which of these stars has what it takes to add dancing to their list of personal accomplishments. Although some may have prior training, it takes the best of the best to persevere through the challenge of the difficult competition. Judges score without bias and focus primarily on technique. The only downside to this program is that similar to other popular reality shows, the contestants can be booted off weekly based on what the public has voted for. For the most part, the public has little to no understanding of proper dance technique, but they do know which contestant had the hottest movie, best hit single or is a pleasant blast from the past. Have our entertainment values completely turned away from talent and become popularity contests?

The current season of Dancing with the Stars pitches an ill actress against a young former Disney star and an older man who built his career around science. The playing field for these stars isn’t even remotely even. While some may get a popularity or pity vote, the true gem may be completely overlooked.

Do all the chosen celebrities deserve to be cast in such a challenging show, yes. Are they being voted on solely for their progressive talent, absolutely not. Past seasons have even showcased seemingly experienced dancers being voted off early on due to a pure lack of popularity. Although some celebrities preform on this television show to gain wealth and fame, others do it to challenge themselves. In this program hard work will not always pay off.

Although not the fairest show on television, Dancing with the Stars continues to have a successful following. Fans tune in weekly to watch their predetermined favorites dance across the screen and ABC continues to benefit monetarily from this pattern. The true strategical goal is not to incorporate enthusiastic celebrities but popular stars that will remain in the competition long enough to keep the ratings flowing until the finale. The challenge is not in the dancer’s footwork, but in their preexisting numerical following.

Posted in Entertainment | Comments Off

Heroes Sacrifice: Mere Comic Book Fiction or Real Life Lessons?

Posted on September 30, 2013 by iweezy

In today’s age there are many comic book heroes that children associate themselves with based on the principles that the hero display’s in the book. A good example this would be Batman himself, a human who consistently opposes crime outside the law. This fall October 25, 2013 video game developer Warner Bros. Games Montreal will be releasing their latest entry of the batman arkham video games called, “Batman Arkham Origins.” This entry of the game finds Bruce Wayne just starting his career as a crime fighter and trying to oppose the corruption the city is forced to endure. The very same corruption that took his parents away from him at the age of eight when a mugger shot and killed both his parents in front of him.

Now normally most people would want nothing more than to seek revenge against the person who had caused them this much sorrow-especially at such a young age-but Bruce Wayne does the complete opposite that we in the really world don’t do often enough. Such as seeking the means to prevent this kind of wrong doing from happen constantly. Although that doesn’t mean every kid in America must dress up in a costume and fight crime on daily basis or experience such a traumatic event that sets them on a selfless path. But it does mean that we shouldn’t seek violence to solve violence. Basically, if a relative of yours is killed or murdered the first thing to do after mourning should be to find a way to keep something like this from happening again. In the video game Arkham Origins, Batman has dedicated his entire life to protecting those who cannot always protect themselves and thus is seen as hero because his method of protection doesn’t involve killing someone in order to save somebody. Bottom line, not every video game has to be about killing or shooting people like in Grand Theft Auto or Call of Duty. Some games like Batman Arkham Origins can send a somewhat positive message to young children without involving pulling a trigger to gun.

Posted in Education, Entertainment | Comments Off