I receieved this email from a friend:
Random thoughts from 25-35 year olds:
-More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can
think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell
my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves
me.
-Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you
realize you're wrong.
-I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don't need to drink to
have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and
sticks when they've invented the lighter?
-Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're
going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to
be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the
direction from which you came, you have to first do something like
check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to
yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're
crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.
-That's enough, Nickelback.
-I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
-Is it just me, or are 80% of the people in the "people you may know"
feature on Facebook people that I do know, but I deliberately choose
not to be friends with?
-Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't
work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically
fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all
know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards
or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.
-There is a great need for sarcasm font.
-Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and
suddenly realize I had no idea what the f was going on when I first
saw it.
-I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually
becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting
90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's
laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little
bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the
only one who really, really gets it.
-How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
-I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than
take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
- I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear
your computer history if you die.
-The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to
finish a text.
- A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the
spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.
- LOL has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".
- I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
- Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron
test is absolutely petrifying.
- Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart",
all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".
- How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod
and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?
- I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up
to prevent a dick from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!
- Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in'
examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete
idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and
said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"
-What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?
- While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and
i nstinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.
- MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I
know how to get out of my neighborhood.
- Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the
person died.
- I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the
shower first and THEN turn on the water.
-Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty,
and you can wear them forever.
-I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
- Bad decisions make good stories
-Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their
profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got
the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if
I do!
- Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year?
-If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring
would probably just be completely invisible.
-Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go
around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly
nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be
a problem....
-You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work
when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything
productive for the rest of the day.
-Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't
want to have to restart my collection.
-There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are
going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
-I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me
if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I
swear I did not make any changes to.
- "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.
-I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people
watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will
they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't
watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and
leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?'
-I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello?
Dammit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and
goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone
and run away?
- I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not
seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
-When I meet a new girl, I'm terrified of mentioning something she
hasn't already told me but that I have learned from some light
internet stalking.
-I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle,
then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.
-Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising
speed for pedophiles...
- As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers,
but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.
-Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still
not know what time it is.
-It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.
-I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to
answer when they call.
-Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.
-Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car
keys in a pocket, hitting the G-spot, and Pinning the Tail on the
Donkey - but I’d bet my ass everyone can find and push the Snooze
button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time
every time...
-My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would
happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the hell do I respond to that?
-It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and
the link takes me to a video instead of text.
-I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they
drive behind obeys the speed limit.
-I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
-I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or
Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Evaluation
Prior to this class, I have never written a blog before. I thought it was a very small group of people that wrote blogs. With the rapid explosion of blogging and social media in the past couple of years, you're finding more and more quality blogs with more and more subjects being covered. Blogs are rapidly becoming a persons voice on the Internet. In my experiences with social networking in the past, I find that I get hooked for a couple days, using the services for several hours a day. Then, i stop using them for days or even weeks. So I'm not very consistent with my use, whereas I think most blogging should be done on a regular basis. If I were to continue blogging, I think I would probably lower my post count to every other week, and make them more quality posts.
I didn't know what to expect from this class. I definitely never thought I would be writing a blog. I have a pretty big interest in technology and my major is communication, so I figured this would be a pretty interesting class. I think the blog actually worked pretty well for getting the students viewpoints out there, and for allowing everyone to see it. Normally in a classroom setting everyone would turn in a paper or homework assignment to the teacher and you would never be able to compare with other students. Being able to see other students train of thought and the connections they make I think is a great learning tool.
As far as the topics for blog posts, I thought they were all pretty good. They covered a wide range of topics that made it fun and interesting to write about. The style of each one is different, and I'm glad I don't find myself repeating things from previous blogs. One thing I found happening on a couple blogs was I ran out of things to talk about. Perhaps adding some more primer questions to the blog to expand the scope a bit more. Another thing I thought about is maybe adding a secondary choice of blog entry for each week. When we all write about the same topic, I find it hard to respond to a blog with any sort of new ideas. Granted, some people may have some unique train of thought which you can comment on. I kept trying to come up with some new angle or creative response to some blogs, and I found myself saying the same things from my blog or another response. I think a second option for each week would vary it up a bit and allow some more diverse thoughts to emerge.
One thing I would like to see is the decrease in reliance on the books. I have to read 4-5 thick textbooks a term, and after a few years of college, I'm tired of reading. I would change it to one book and just base the blogs off that. As one of the other students said, I found myself just reading the book of the week about 66% of the time.
Overall I was happy with what this class covered and the way it was done so. I think its important that universities and teachers embrace new ways of teaching to students, and this class fits the bill well.
I didn't know what to expect from this class. I definitely never thought I would be writing a blog. I have a pretty big interest in technology and my major is communication, so I figured this would be a pretty interesting class. I think the blog actually worked pretty well for getting the students viewpoints out there, and for allowing everyone to see it. Normally in a classroom setting everyone would turn in a paper or homework assignment to the teacher and you would never be able to compare with other students. Being able to see other students train of thought and the connections they make I think is a great learning tool.
As far as the topics for blog posts, I thought they were all pretty good. They covered a wide range of topics that made it fun and interesting to write about. The style of each one is different, and I'm glad I don't find myself repeating things from previous blogs. One thing I found happening on a couple blogs was I ran out of things to talk about. Perhaps adding some more primer questions to the blog to expand the scope a bit more. Another thing I thought about is maybe adding a secondary choice of blog entry for each week. When we all write about the same topic, I find it hard to respond to a blog with any sort of new ideas. Granted, some people may have some unique train of thought which you can comment on. I kept trying to come up with some new angle or creative response to some blogs, and I found myself saying the same things from my blog or another response. I think a second option for each week would vary it up a bit and allow some more diverse thoughts to emerge.
One thing I would like to see is the decrease in reliance on the books. I have to read 4-5 thick textbooks a term, and after a few years of college, I'm tired of reading. I would change it to one book and just base the blogs off that. As one of the other students said, I found myself just reading the book of the week about 66% of the time.
Overall I was happy with what this class covered and the way it was done so. I think its important that universities and teachers embrace new ways of teaching to students, and this class fits the bill well.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Wild Card
Over my years of being on the computer, typing papers, IM'ing friends, and being an avid texter, I've acquired quite a knack for communicating things quickly and efficiently. What I mean by this is being able to shorten message lengths to the point where its acronyms and hardly recognizable shortened words. Emoticons are a huge part of online communication, and I think they need to be focused on even more. With today's messaging systems, speed is what it's all about. Have you ever had a dedicated texting conversation? Where both of you aren't doing anything else, but sitting on a couch texting from different locations? It's crazy how fast a conversation happens, it might as well be replicating real life conditions. The Internet has created shortened versions of typical situational language, making rapid and efficient communication possible.
With a shortened vocabulary, sometimes things can be miscommunicated or misinterpreted. I used to have those slipup's where I'd say some little "dig" or joke at the person in a joking manner and it has been taken seriously, and thus, gets me in trouble. I've learned though! Now I attach a number of emoticons according to how severe the dig is. You can't take a message seriously if it's laced with :D :) :P. Like I said, I've gotten pretty good at shorthand communicating so I really don't have too many accidents or slipups these days. Maybe it happened more when I began college, back before I knew anything.
When you are having a conversation with someone in physical proximity, you subconsciously are reading the person's body language when they speak. Obviously, if your best friend says with a huge grin "I hate you", it won't be interpreted as truly hateful. However if some ex you broke up with screams "I hate you" at the top of their lungs, you can probably be sure they hate you. I don't think most people realize how much they non verbally read people when they are with them. Language becomes extremely powerful in a physical presence setting because words have much more impact when they cause physical reactions to emerge.
So essentially, I haven't had any recent communication mishaps for the past 6 months that I can remember or that are worth mentioning. I would assume that is because of my constant use of various short messaging systems. It's interesting because nothing of real moral consequence is ever transmitted across these mediums. It's always trivial things that have no real importance. I was daydreaming a few weeks ago and thinking about the central and peripheral routes, and I made the connection that texting/twittering are like my peripheral route, I devote 20% of my time responding with a quick message, and my main train of thought is never really lost in the process. I've really been making a lot of connections lately with the central and peripheral routes, applying to memories and current happenings, it's an interesting construct that I think should be taught at a much lower learning level, because I think it's that important.
With a shortened vocabulary, sometimes things can be miscommunicated or misinterpreted. I used to have those slipup's where I'd say some little "dig" or joke at the person in a joking manner and it has been taken seriously, and thus, gets me in trouble. I've learned though! Now I attach a number of emoticons according to how severe the dig is. You can't take a message seriously if it's laced with :D :) :P. Like I said, I've gotten pretty good at shorthand communicating so I really don't have too many accidents or slipups these days. Maybe it happened more when I began college, back before I knew anything.
When you are having a conversation with someone in physical proximity, you subconsciously are reading the person's body language when they speak. Obviously, if your best friend says with a huge grin "I hate you", it won't be interpreted as truly hateful. However if some ex you broke up with screams "I hate you" at the top of their lungs, you can probably be sure they hate you. I don't think most people realize how much they non verbally read people when they are with them. Language becomes extremely powerful in a physical presence setting because words have much more impact when they cause physical reactions to emerge.
So essentially, I haven't had any recent communication mishaps for the past 6 months that I can remember or that are worth mentioning. I would assume that is because of my constant use of various short messaging systems. It's interesting because nothing of real moral consequence is ever transmitted across these mediums. It's always trivial things that have no real importance. I was daydreaming a few weeks ago and thinking about the central and peripheral routes, and I made the connection that texting/twittering are like my peripheral route, I devote 20% of my time responding with a quick message, and my main train of thought is never really lost in the process. I've really been making a lot of connections lately with the central and peripheral routes, applying to memories and current happenings, it's an interesting construct that I think should be taught at a much lower learning level, because I think it's that important.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Interviews
Sorry it's late, my Internet wasn't working.
18-35:
I interviewed my roommate Eric and his girlfriend Chelsy about their Internet usage. After talking with them a little while they said when they were younger, the Internet was all about AOL Instant Messenger, and that really nothing else mattered. Since coming to college, they both have started using email heavily, the first thing they do every morning is check their respective email accounts. Chelsy said now that she is in college, she primarily uses the Internet for email, blackboard, shopping, and light surfing. Eric said he likes to watch movies on Hulu.com, email, blackboard, news websites, sport scores, and casual surfing. What I find interesting is how my perception of other people and their Internet use is a bit skewed. I have always had a knack for computers and technology, and I tend to use the Internet for a lot of things, one of my biggest time sinks is that I like to learn about random things, a lot. I would say I'm a heavy web surfer and I'm constantly searching out articles in order to learn about new things. A buddy of mine (who I met online playing video games) said the Internet is a huge part of his life in his career, and in his personal life at home. He also said he doesn't mind being so attached to the web, he feels it is a resource to be exploited.
36-60
I talked to my older brother Jason, who is very computer illiterate. He's the type of user that doesn't know how to set up or install things, but can use the programs pretty well to get done what needs to be done. He said other than online banking, email, and the occasional bit of light surfing, he doesn't really use the Internet. He said it's just not a part of his life. My brother is a very hands on kind of guy, he's a General Contractor and takes part in every process of creating a home. I don't think he is really all that comfortable with communicating on the Internet, I didn't specifically ask him that question, it was more of just a general discussion, and from what I've gathered that seems to be a fair assessment. Wood and Smith talk about diffusion of innovation as "communication about new ideas through certain channels over time among members of a social system." I think it's an interesting concept that can apply to many different topics. I think that because my brother doesn't use the Internet as much as I do, he is being limited in the type of information and ideas he is exposed to. Like I said I surf pretty heavily, but I've read countless articles about quantum mechanics, black holes, nanotechnologies, and a ton of other subjects. Sure I may not be an expert on those subjects, but the ability to even be able to think about those subjects is such a great resource.
61+
I am still awaiting the reply from my Grandfather, I will repost when I receive his response.
18-35:
I interviewed my roommate Eric and his girlfriend Chelsy about their Internet usage. After talking with them a little while they said when they were younger, the Internet was all about AOL Instant Messenger, and that really nothing else mattered. Since coming to college, they both have started using email heavily, the first thing they do every morning is check their respective email accounts. Chelsy said now that she is in college, she primarily uses the Internet for email, blackboard, shopping, and light surfing. Eric said he likes to watch movies on Hulu.com, email, blackboard, news websites, sport scores, and casual surfing. What I find interesting is how my perception of other people and their Internet use is a bit skewed. I have always had a knack for computers and technology, and I tend to use the Internet for a lot of things, one of my biggest time sinks is that I like to learn about random things, a lot. I would say I'm a heavy web surfer and I'm constantly searching out articles in order to learn about new things. A buddy of mine (who I met online playing video games) said the Internet is a huge part of his life in his career, and in his personal life at home. He also said he doesn't mind being so attached to the web, he feels it is a resource to be exploited.
36-60
I talked to my older brother Jason, who is very computer illiterate. He's the type of user that doesn't know how to set up or install things, but can use the programs pretty well to get done what needs to be done. He said other than online banking, email, and the occasional bit of light surfing, he doesn't really use the Internet. He said it's just not a part of his life. My brother is a very hands on kind of guy, he's a General Contractor and takes part in every process of creating a home. I don't think he is really all that comfortable with communicating on the Internet, I didn't specifically ask him that question, it was more of just a general discussion, and from what I've gathered that seems to be a fair assessment. Wood and Smith talk about diffusion of innovation as "communication about new ideas through certain channels over time among members of a social system." I think it's an interesting concept that can apply to many different topics. I think that because my brother doesn't use the Internet as much as I do, he is being limited in the type of information and ideas he is exposed to. Like I said I surf pretty heavily, but I've read countless articles about quantum mechanics, black holes, nanotechnologies, and a ton of other subjects. Sure I may not be an expert on those subjects, but the ability to even be able to think about those subjects is such a great resource.
61+
I am still awaiting the reply from my Grandfather, I will repost when I receive his response.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Internet Communities
I have been part of an online gaming community now for several years. I realize I should have picked a new community, but I feel the information and friendships that I've made inside this community is worth altering the assignment a bit.
Natural Selection is a first-person shooter game developed several years ago that pits futuristic human marines against varying lifeforms of the aliens. Players can choose to play either side, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. A typical game lasts 45 minutes.
I have been playing on the same game server for the last couple years. I have come to know a majority of the regulars that play there, and as such I have become one as well. The game is very team-based, so communication is essential with your teammates. The game employs text-based communication as well as voice communication. However, annoying players spam music and other soundfiles over the microphone, making communication difficult, luckily there is an option to mute by player.
Now because I've spent a lot of time over the years playing on this same server, I've come to know certain people. I've met people from the Netherlands, Bolivia, Australia, France, and Canada. I have even met a student from Oregon State University inside this server. He and I actually knew a lot of the same people too. One of the ways to get to know people is to earn their respect and not be a moron; anyone can talk trash over the Internet. The way I have done this is to pretty much be friendly to everyone. When the server is at capacity, there is about 30 people inside; and as soon as I join, a flood of "what's up reflex?" (my game handle) hits me. I typically say hi to 5-6 people every time I join; and people literally beg me to join their team and help them win. I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, but its important to know that I'm really good at this game. I was in the Top 10 best players out of ten thousand players on the server. When I get on a roll, say 250 kills and only 25 deaths, non-regulars start accusing me of cheating. Without even having to say a word, the regulars will stick up for me and trash talk the kid because they know I am a legit player. That is how I know I'm accepted by this community, when one person says something, ten people hop to my defense, and I just don't even respond to the original person, I don't give them the satisfaction of acknowledgment by me.
The reason this is important is because the server has a website for forum discussion. Many things that happen in game, from trivial arguments to gameplay mechanics are discussed in detail on their forums. So whereas the actual gameplay might be the field for short, meaningless conversations, its counter-balanced by the discussions on the forums. When I bring something up on the forums, the people that have seen me play and know me after years of talking with them, the players take my words with weight because they know, that I know what I'm talking about.
So while yes it is only a gaming community, and it may not have important world implications, it still reflects the attributes of a community of people that cares and respects the people who put the time in.
Natural Selection is a first-person shooter game developed several years ago that pits futuristic human marines against varying lifeforms of the aliens. Players can choose to play either side, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. A typical game lasts 45 minutes.
I have been playing on the same game server for the last couple years. I have come to know a majority of the regulars that play there, and as such I have become one as well. The game is very team-based, so communication is essential with your teammates. The game employs text-based communication as well as voice communication. However, annoying players spam music and other soundfiles over the microphone, making communication difficult, luckily there is an option to mute by player.
Now because I've spent a lot of time over the years playing on this same server, I've come to know certain people. I've met people from the Netherlands, Bolivia, Australia, France, and Canada. I have even met a student from Oregon State University inside this server. He and I actually knew a lot of the same people too. One of the ways to get to know people is to earn their respect and not be a moron; anyone can talk trash over the Internet. The way I have done this is to pretty much be friendly to everyone. When the server is at capacity, there is about 30 people inside; and as soon as I join, a flood of "what's up reflex?" (my game handle) hits me. I typically say hi to 5-6 people every time I join; and people literally beg me to join their team and help them win. I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, but its important to know that I'm really good at this game. I was in the Top 10 best players out of ten thousand players on the server. When I get on a roll, say 250 kills and only 25 deaths, non-regulars start accusing me of cheating. Without even having to say a word, the regulars will stick up for me and trash talk the kid because they know I am a legit player. That is how I know I'm accepted by this community, when one person says something, ten people hop to my defense, and I just don't even respond to the original person, I don't give them the satisfaction of acknowledgment by me.
The reason this is important is because the server has a website for forum discussion. Many things that happen in game, from trivial arguments to gameplay mechanics are discussed in detail on their forums. So whereas the actual gameplay might be the field for short, meaningless conversations, its counter-balanced by the discussions on the forums. When I bring something up on the forums, the people that have seen me play and know me after years of talking with them, the players take my words with weight because they know, that I know what I'm talking about.
So while yes it is only a gaming community, and it may not have important world implications, it still reflects the attributes of a community of people that cares and respects the people who put the time in.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Influences
Choose two people that have had an influence on you. Write a letter to each thanking them for their contributions to your life. Write one in long-hand (you know, pen, paper, stamp, that kind of thing) and one via email. Think and write about how you chose which one to send the message via snail mail and which via email. Also, write about the differences in the language, length, tone, etc. Are there any differences? What kind of responses to you get?
I decided to write my long-hand letter to my mom, and the email to my dad. The reason being that my mom would appreciate the gesture of taking the time to write it; whereas my dad would appreciate it the same from either method.
My initial strands of thought hovered around why my mom would appreciate the snail mail version more than my dad. I think because women are seen as the more caring gender, they can better understand the time it took to write. With my dad, it's always truthful, I say what I mean and he takes my words with weight. There is no need to make a big deal of it, we both understand each other, it's just not how he and I are wired. So sending him an email version, he appreciates it just as much. He's a very business oriented kind of person, so say what needs to be said and be done with it.
With my mom I wrote more emotional filled information, and she usually likes to know what's going on in my day to day life, so I wrote about some of the current things going on in my life after thanking her. In my opinion, I actually think she would care more about what's going on in my life rather than to hear me her thank her. Not that she's ungrateful, it's just that I've already done this assignment a few times before, and I think she gets the point. Nonetheless, I wrote about how she has helped me in my life and thanking her for everything she has done.
In regards with the letter to my dad, it was fairly light and simple. Simple how I'm doing, what's going on, new things I've learned, thanking him(obviously) for what how he has contributed to my life. It was short, just a couple paragraphs.
I unfortunately didn't start this assignment early enough, and have not had time to receive a response. I expect that my mom will call me and thank me, ask about why I wrote it, and probably offer words of encouragement in my finals terms here at OSU. My dad more than likely will respond via email, simply because thats the form of contact I used to contact him.
I decided to write my long-hand letter to my mom, and the email to my dad. The reason being that my mom would appreciate the gesture of taking the time to write it; whereas my dad would appreciate it the same from either method.
My initial strands of thought hovered around why my mom would appreciate the snail mail version more than my dad. I think because women are seen as the more caring gender, they can better understand the time it took to write. With my dad, it's always truthful, I say what I mean and he takes my words with weight. There is no need to make a big deal of it, we both understand each other, it's just not how he and I are wired. So sending him an email version, he appreciates it just as much. He's a very business oriented kind of person, so say what needs to be said and be done with it.
With my mom I wrote more emotional filled information, and she usually likes to know what's going on in my day to day life, so I wrote about some of the current things going on in my life after thanking her. In my opinion, I actually think she would care more about what's going on in my life rather than to hear me her thank her. Not that she's ungrateful, it's just that I've already done this assignment a few times before, and I think she gets the point. Nonetheless, I wrote about how she has helped me in my life and thanking her for everything she has done.
In regards with the letter to my dad, it was fairly light and simple. Simple how I'm doing, what's going on, new things I've learned, thanking him(obviously) for what how he has contributed to my life. It was short, just a couple paragraphs.
I unfortunately didn't start this assignment early enough, and have not had time to receive a response. I expect that my mom will call me and thank me, ask about why I wrote it, and probably offer words of encouragement in my finals terms here at OSU. My dad more than likely will respond via email, simply because thats the form of contact I used to contact him.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Social Networking
I have been participating in social networking for several years. I have an account with Facebook, Myspace, and the now outdated XuQa. For period of several months, I was addicted to scouring profiles and checking up on people. I started off creating a profile among these three sites that reflected the person I wanted to be. We all know that first impressions are critical, and whether or not social networking is the initial mode of contact, it's still important to make a good impression.
A majority of people try to create a profile that reflects how they want to be seen by other people. I know both types of people, people that perfectly reflect their personality and character in their profiles; and the type of people that fill their profiles with garbage and unnecessary clutter because they think it helps express themselves.
I think that anyone can manipulate their social networking profiles to fit whatever persona they see fit. Think about it, how many times have you learned something about someone from their Facebook profile? All you need to do is spend some time carefully creating the illusion and you can become anyone online.
I think the fact that employers sometimes check out a potential employee's Facebook is completely a dumb idea. You HAVE to know the person to get a true sense of their Facebook page. It is so incredibly easy to "forge" a profile. You can make yourself out to be whoever you want. Why should employers consider a Facebook profile credible material in making a hiring decision?
I think the level of control you have over your profile makes it extremely easy to show whatever side of yourself that you want. For example, you can show only your "Information" to unknown friends, only show photos to friends, or completely disable parts of your profile to everyone. The level of control makes it a great system. When people aren't smart enough or motivated enough to comb through their profile and make sure that it is set up in a professional manner, they are only hurting themselves.
I don't think there is any issue or problems whatsoever with social networking. I believe its up to the users to fix any problems they have with it; because quite frankly there is no excuse for people to have problems with such methods of communication.
A majority of people try to create a profile that reflects how they want to be seen by other people. I know both types of people, people that perfectly reflect their personality and character in their profiles; and the type of people that fill their profiles with garbage and unnecessary clutter because they think it helps express themselves.
I think that anyone can manipulate their social networking profiles to fit whatever persona they see fit. Think about it, how many times have you learned something about someone from their Facebook profile? All you need to do is spend some time carefully creating the illusion and you can become anyone online.
I think the fact that employers sometimes check out a potential employee's Facebook is completely a dumb idea. You HAVE to know the person to get a true sense of their Facebook page. It is so incredibly easy to "forge" a profile. You can make yourself out to be whoever you want. Why should employers consider a Facebook profile credible material in making a hiring decision?
I think the level of control you have over your profile makes it extremely easy to show whatever side of yourself that you want. For example, you can show only your "Information" to unknown friends, only show photos to friends, or completely disable parts of your profile to everyone. The level of control makes it a great system. When people aren't smart enough or motivated enough to comb through their profile and make sure that it is set up in a professional manner, they are only hurting themselves.
I don't think there is any issue or problems whatsoever with social networking. I believe its up to the users to fix any problems they have with it; because quite frankly there is no excuse for people to have problems with such methods of communication.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
WALL-e
Well I watched WALL-e for the second time so I could have a fresher view of the movie. After watching this movie with a critical eye, I noticed many complex social structures taking place.
The robots in this movie take on the traits of a human persona, but they are severely limited in their communication. They use non-verbal communication much more than oral communication. I'd estimate a total of six "English" words are said throughout the movie by the robots. However, this doesn't detract from the understanding of the messages being transmitted. For example, when WALLe brings EVE to his home, he shows her his trinkets he's collected over the years, he performs a dance for her, and he tries to hold her hand. Many things are being communicated but not said.
I think something to take from this is how the most basic messages can be understood universally. It makes sense that any advanced civilization that has the capacity for cybercommunication, would have a social structure. As part of that social structure, I'm sure the concept of sharing or giving is present. If so, the physical action of passing an object to someone can be universally defined. It would be prudent then to theorize that there are messages that can be communicated without the presence of language. Of course then you could argue the definition of language and its scope, but that falls into a grey area.
Another interesting area to comment on is the deteroiation of the English language by the Axiom crew. The Captain of the Axiom spent a large amount of time learning simple words he had never heard before, such as Dancing or Farming. The entire culture aboard the ship promotes minimalized human interactions. Not until they were knocked out of their seats did they see the people around them. Even later in the movie, it's referenced that some people didn't even know they had a swimming pool. The inhabitants of the ship rely on cybercommunication for everything. It leads their lives for them. People were no longer using techonology as a productivity booster; instead it had turned into a fantasy land in which to retreat from everyday responsibilities.
There are some pro's to this advanced technology. The Axiom is supremely organized and efficient with it's powergrid "lanes" present throughout the ship. Everyday civil service jobs are fuflfilled by robots, allowing a "motivated" society to perform efficiently in a fast-paced environment.
Overall a decent movie, and an interesting take on a possible future reality.
The robots in this movie take on the traits of a human persona, but they are severely limited in their communication. They use non-verbal communication much more than oral communication. I'd estimate a total of six "English" words are said throughout the movie by the robots. However, this doesn't detract from the understanding of the messages being transmitted. For example, when WALLe brings EVE to his home, he shows her his trinkets he's collected over the years, he performs a dance for her, and he tries to hold her hand. Many things are being communicated but not said.
I think something to take from this is how the most basic messages can be understood universally. It makes sense that any advanced civilization that has the capacity for cybercommunication, would have a social structure. As part of that social structure, I'm sure the concept of sharing or giving is present. If so, the physical action of passing an object to someone can be universally defined. It would be prudent then to theorize that there are messages that can be communicated without the presence of language. Of course then you could argue the definition of language and its scope, but that falls into a grey area.
Another interesting area to comment on is the deteroiation of the English language by the Axiom crew. The Captain of the Axiom spent a large amount of time learning simple words he had never heard before, such as Dancing or Farming. The entire culture aboard the ship promotes minimalized human interactions. Not until they were knocked out of their seats did they see the people around them. Even later in the movie, it's referenced that some people didn't even know they had a swimming pool. The inhabitants of the ship rely on cybercommunication for everything. It leads their lives for them. People were no longer using techonology as a productivity booster; instead it had turned into a fantasy land in which to retreat from everyday responsibilities.
There are some pro's to this advanced technology. The Axiom is supremely organized and efficient with it's powergrid "lanes" present throughout the ship. Everyday civil service jobs are fuflfilled by robots, allowing a "motivated" society to perform efficiently in a fast-paced environment.
Overall a decent movie, and an interesting take on a possible future reality.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Internet Abstinence
I was inadvertently thrown into this assignment when I moved houses, and we were a bit lazy with setting up our new utilities. Needless to say, we were without Internet for SIX days. I am a very "techie" person, and to be without the constant connection to everything, was very disconcerting. I never realized how much the Internet was ingrained into my everyday patterns. The very first thing I do when I wake up is go to my computer, open Pandora, check email, and browse CNN.com. Not being able to do my morning ritual was extremely frustrating, I felt out of touch all day long. Of course, Michael Jackson decides to die on one of the days I don't have Internet, so I can't confirm the text from a friend. I was so lost without Internet that I didn't even know the name of the local gas company to call and start service. But how would I call them? I don't have Internet so I can't look them up, and I'm positive we don't have a phone book, I was straight up lost. Over the course of six days, I went to the library once to use their Internet, and that was to see what the assignment was due for the first week. Imagine my surprise when I realized it was to go without Internet for a day. How about a week! I literally was so bored, I had nothing to do other than to keep moving stuff from our old house. Luckily, that took up about 25 hours of my time, so I was relatively busy. In my downtime, I tried watching movies on my computer, but it's never fun to see the same movie more than once. I had brought some books from home and decided to reread one. Or two. Working on the third book now. I read the first two books in one day, almost in one sitting. I found suddenly that I had much more time to spend reading. I guess I didn't realize how much time I spent reading random articles online and wasting time surfing the web. I don't think it's time wasted however, I'm learning more than I would reading a book. I love stumbling upon articles about quantum mechanics and black holes and string theory, the large and grand cosmic scale of these phenomenon just blow me away. Not having access to articles is extremely frustrating. I don't even want to talk about Facebook, I've already gotten over that addiction and found it just barely frustrating. Mainly because I have my Facebook "notifications" sent to my iPhone, so I can keep up to date. I think the biggest thing I learned by taking this Internet ciesta has been how much I rely on the Internet for information. My car wouldn't start because the battery was drained (by a drunken Tyler fidiling with the overhead dome light trying to find a piece of paper) and but had just enough juice to let the alarm go off for 15 minutes. I had a couple guesses why it wouldn't start, but I couldn't even look on the Internet to validate any of my theories. So in retrospect, the Internet is definitely an integral part of who I am, and it has transparently shaped my life in many ways that I can only just now see.
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