I don't need any help towards stupidity! (Blog #5)

Mr. Carr presents a pretty compelling arguement.  Can't say that I agree with him completely but somethings resonate with me that cause me to do a double take in terms of what I was thinking. 

Early on in this article, Mr. Carr makes the comment, "And, what the net seems to be doing is chipping away my capacity for concentration and contemplation."  I think that the more we sit in front of the computer and allow for it to do all the work we should be doing for ourselves, we set outselves up for growing stupid.  We don't look up information for ourselves.  We don't take the time to read anymore.  We don't take the time to use our own brain to seek and search for the information that we need to allow us to think.  We tap a few keys, snap on the space bar and before you know it what we were thinking it up in front of us with little help from us to look for it.  I don't know about you, but that is not only stupid but borders on laziness on our part.  I am just as guilty in doing this as the next person but I find myself doing this less and less.  I miss digging for information in a textbook or in an encyclopedia.  I am not that far gone to realize that some things are just not going to be found in a book especially when it comes to the technological end of things but all other things can be found with a little time to do it.  Therein lies the problem.  Time.  People want everything yesterday.  Everything has an immediacy to it.  "My mind now expects to take in information the way the Net distributes it:  in a swiftly moving stream of particles.  Once I was a scuba diver in the sea of words.  Now I zip along the surface like a guy on a Jet Ski." (p. 57)  Scott Karp mentions in Mr. Carr's article when referring to his way of reading an actual book, it isn't so much the way he reads that has changed as much as it is the way He THINKS. 

Other people thoughout Mr. Carr's article testify to the fact that they have lost their ability to stay focused while reading.  They find that they don't have the attention span like they used to have. 

In this article, Maryann Wolf, a developmental psychologist at Tufts University, says:  "We are not only what we read...we are how we read."(p. 58)  One of the more disturbing bits of Mr. Carr's article is how physicians tend to read articles of importance by skimming it to learn what is needed.  I don't know about you, but if I knew that this doctor was planning to do a major surgery on me and he only skimmed the "how-to" of the way it should be done, I would be scared out of my mind!

I think the internet is only causing our brains to become lazy and looking for someone else to do the work for us.  And, quite honestly, that scares me.  I am not the world's smartest particle in Einstein's brain, but I would like to think I am versed enough to know how to find something the good old-fashioned way when the time comes and I needed to.

                                                                                                                       -JT

Nicks and Scrapes and Toilet Paper (Blog #3)

Maybe a disposable razor blade isn't typically classified under the category of most used technology but when you have used it for as long as I have, it is close to falling in the "ancient column" of things. 

When I was probably 12 or 13 years of age, I used a disposable razor for the first time and thought I was the BMOC (Big Man on Campus).  Unfortunately, when I got to high school and the chatter in the boy's locker room focused on shaving, it sounded like a was little bit behind the times.  Some of my classmates had been practicing with a disposable razor for a few years prior to my even picking one up.  From time to time, I would see them laying around our family bathroom, usually on the sides of the bathtub where any one of my seven older sisters used theirs to shave their legs.  It was cute to see them lying around the bathroom with the different colors of fingernail polish to indicate who's razor belonged to who.  My mother would constantly holler at my sisters to put them away so that myself and two younger sister wouldn't cut ourselves on them.  But, that didn't happen.  And, it was just a matter of time before one of us would come running to her with what looked like a paper cut but stung 100 times more. 

As I got older, some of my sisters moved out (YAY!!!) and the number of disposable razor lying around the bathroom dissipated.  Unfortunately, with me always having a newer razor for myself my sisters had no issue with using my razor and then when I would go to use it, my razor would be very dull and be quick to cutting my face. 

The Gillette website, under the article, "The Truth About Disposable Razors" says:  "Disposable razors are meant for one-time use.  Two tops.  They always have been.  The blades are made from inexpensive and flimsy steel that tends to spawn bacteria that creates microscopic grooves in the blades.  And, if you have ever had a dent in a car, you know that these grooves are where corrosion happens.

Disposable razors were never meant to be the shaving workhourse."

When I turned 19, some friends of mine went together and purchased me an electric razor and I thought it was going to put an end to my wanting to use those disaposable razors.  What I found was that I could never get the same close feel on my face that the disposable had given me for many years prior.  I kept the electric razor and tried to use it but I just could never get comfortable.  The electric razor seemed to improve and I kept up with the trends, but no matter how fancy the technology became on the electric razor, I could never get comfortable enough to use it and I could still  never get the quality to my shave that I got from the disposable or refillable razor. 

Shaving has long been one of the more time-consuming parts of a man's morning routine. With the invention of more advanced razors, however, shaving has become less and less of a hassle. Today, electric shavers  make the process much easier for a lot of men. Rotary and foil electric razors have made it simpler than ever for men to quickly shave and head out for the day.

I have a great many friends who use both the electric and the disposable razor and I polled them to get a feel for their take on which they prefer.  To my surprise I found that it was a pretty even split.  I mean many of my friends were content with using the disposable razor when they were in a rush and in a hurry to get to the airport or even to do a quick touch-up shave after a long flight that left them temporarily stranded at the airport.  Others were alright to use the electric razor on the plane prior to landing at the airport. 

I like the fact that the razor is around for a while and has given men options as to how to treat their facial hair.  For as long as I have shaved and will continue to shave, I am probably always going to feel partial to the disposable/refill razor.  It provides me with quality and closeness that I like.

And while this may sound like a testimonial to the razor, it really is not.  It is just one man's opinion of how technology has evolved over the years to allow for men to move on from what could be a costly endeavor to saving the almighty dollar.  Too, one would probably save on the amount of toilet tissue used to stop the amount of blood trickling from the nicks and scrapes that a dull razor would leave behind.
                                                                                                                         -JT

Gillette.com, "The Truth About Disposable Razors"

How much is too much? (blog 10)

In our every day lives technology has an influence on the way we live. In some ways this is a good thing, in others it almost seems as an invasion of privacy. Whether you are in a store, out on the street (in metropolitan areas), or even entering a public restroom, think about what is around you. If your answer was cameras you are correct. This has become an issue to some people around the world, I am particularly one of those people who disagree with the use of some cameras. In many ways cameras in certain areas are a great thing, for if a crime is committed there is video footage to track down who has done it. The problem I see with this is with the vast amount of cameras around it almost seems like our everyday life is being watched, in a way of (Big Brother). As I stated earlier for most uses they are for good cause, but who's to say someone couldn't override the cameras and watch you undress, use the rest room, or any other sort of actions possible with a movable camera which records everything in its lens? This is why I believe technology has put a hindrance on privacy simply because the amount of cameras out there, someone could technically watch almost every part of your daily life.

Final Thoughts (Blog 10)

Technology has always helped what we do in our everyday lives, but sometimes people are just out to have fun with what they create. In many cases, technology bridges on the seemingly insane, take...

The NUMI Toilet.

Yes, that's right, even where  you poop isn't safe from technological innovations...but why? Why must we make technology that is seemingly useless? Because we can, that's why. Things like the NUMI toilet aren't designed for a specific purpose, they're just designed to show off what we can do. It's a way of saying, "Hello world, look what I can innovate with your toilet!" But where would we be without this strange innovation? Most would argue that we would be exactly where we are, but one must remember that companies are pulling individual features of the NUMI and making it their own, making technology better. These innovations can seem crazy at the moment, but I bet somewhere in the near future, 50% of homes will have something similar to this...why? Because, excess. Simply because we can. 

Now while some products are excessively useful (or not useful, depending on how you feel), some seemingly useful products are just a pain in the butt. Take wireless chargers. Sounds great, right? Wrong. This fix to the common problem of having to hassle with power chords is a seeming godsend, but when asked about the usefulness of this technological innovation, Jay Goldberg of Venturebeat disagrees.

"This is the unspoken secret of wireless charging. You cannot just put a device on the charger. the phone has to sit in a specific spot. The technology is improving, and newer Powermat models have a bit more freedom of positioning. But there is a trade-off involved. Phones need metallic charging elements to receive wireless power. The more  of these you put in a phone, the less precise positioning needed. However, little pieces of metal are not free, they can make a meaningful difference in the price of a phone. They also take up space, which could otherwise go to useful things like a bigger battery. They can require design changes to the phone’s radio to make sure those pieces of metal do not interfere with the phone’s antennas and risk disrupting WiFi or the cellular radio."

So where do we draw the line? Never. That's the trick. No matter how stupid or useless technology seems at times, we need to expand on it. We need to make it better, because then, how are we ever going to get anywhere. We need these failures, we need excess, because without it, we would be failing worse than anyone will know. The only product I wish they would give up on is the iPhone these days!

Source: 

Goldberg, Jay. "Wireless Charging is Useless: Until It's Essential." VentureBeat. 28 2012: n. page. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. <http://venturebeat.com/2012/09/28/wireless-charging-is-useless-until-its-essential/>.

Technology, Paving the Way to Global Awareness

Jessi Haggerty-Denison

Technology, Paving the Way to Global Awareness

Today’s hot topics in regards to technology is first how amazing it is and how much technology can do, just in a small, cell phone.  It’s truly amazing how far technology has come just within the past 10 years.  And the second hot topic is how technology has negatively impacted us, particularly my generation and especially kids younger than I who have been using computers and cell phones since they were three.  I get that perhaps our quality of life has suffered in many ways, but I also am very aware of how much the advancement of technology is supporting global awareness for my generation.

With a track record of unresolved disputes and wars that have taken place and still are, all over the world, increasing global awareness for the next generations is crucial to creating a world that is peaceful and collaborative.  Without being able to experience other cultures and people from far away lands, it’s easy to remove ourselves from their struggles and their humanness.  The language barrier alone easily creates separateness and a vast ravine between people.  And with out understanding a foreign culture and without any way to experience or communicate with that culture, it’s easy to feel separate enough, that we don’t view their problems as having anything to do with us.  This mindset and human experience has led us to make decisions and take actions that inevitably have hurt other cultures of people.

This is where I feel technology is playing a big role in helping to bridge the gaps between people on a global level.

With the use of the internet, particularly social networking sites, we are able to “hear” the voices of many people worldwide.  With technology’s ability to translate languages and send pictures and video, we are able to communicate and experience people from all over the place.  We are beginning to recognize that many of us, whether we live in the United States, China, or Iceland have similar dreams, struggles and desire for peace.  When I see a video of an uprising on the other side of the world, such as the Egyptian revolution in 2011, and can actually hear the young people’s voices and even read some of their text messages, I can relate and suddenly, these people aren’t foreign to me.  And having just one experience like this, a small connection, helps me to think of these foreigners as people just like me, wanting the same things in life.  I want to support them and get to know them.

I feel experiences that technology offers us today in regards to people from all over the world  is the foundation for change that is crucial to the world at this point in history.  The wars and turning our backs on other’s struggles is not working and it’s not right.  We are all humans with thoughts, feelings and dreams and the more we can experience one another and our life styles, diminish the language barriers and connect, than our future governments can begin making decisions that are good for the whole of humanity resulting in a peaceful world.  This is what I see today’s technology supporting.  Connection and awareness on a global scale. 

http://thereboot.org/blog/2011/03/18/the-role-of-technology-in-the-egyptian-revolution/

Cyber Software (Blog #10)

For a few years I have noticed a rise in the amount of security that is available for a computer. Not only that, but new types of software have also been developed to keep the computer working properly and running as quickly and efficiently as it possibly can. When I was a kid I remember that Malware protection software and removal was something that you had to pay for. Now there are so many companies that produce free malware protection, a few of them better than non-free competitors. These companies are not secret either, by going on a site such as CNET, a person can find a ton of options in regards to computer security.

Recently there have been other additions to the software that is important for a computer to run properly I have noticed that within the last few years that companies are now pumping out software that is designed to ‘clean up’ your computer of unwanted trash and to fix problems in the computer that would be causing the computer to act strangely or not work as fast as it used to. It is almost like you can buy your own computer specialist that will work tirelessly to fix all of your computer problems. These programs however do have limitations and can break a person’s computer if the person is not careful.

I have in the past used too many programs designed to maintain my computer, and the end result was that I damaged my computer, so badly that I had to reformat it, losing all of my data on the computer. This has happened to other people in the past, who thought the same thing as me, more is better. This is unfortunately false because sometimes the programs that you are using will start fighting each other instead of trying to protect the computer (Security).  

Although frustrating at times I love computer software in all of its forms, more than that though I enjoy testing the computer to its limits in order to understand what is and is not possible with computers.

"When Is There Too Much Security?" IT News, Technology Analysis and How-to Resources. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. <http://www.itworld.com/security/82437/when-there-too-much-security>.

blog 10

Something that can become a problem with technology is machines taking jobs. People are constantly trying to make the next tool that makes life easier. People are becoming lazier and lazier and want the easy way out of everything. It’s frustrating to see how much people are starting to rely on technology to get things done for them.

The revolution of the assembly line showed that machines will start to take over some jobs. People were hand making everything and jobs took a lot more time. Now people are turning on machines that do the entire job for them. Yes, technology helps get jobs done faster and to get some task completed you need technology. If it keeps evolving how far will it go? You also see machines taking over jobs in grocery stores. Before there would only be cashiers now you have a few self-checkout registers. These self-checkout registers could be other cash registers with people working them. At some point in time the number of self-checkouts could increase and grocery stores could be filled with only self-checkout registers.

An article form nbcnews.com talked about nine jobs that could be taken over by robots in the future, one being lawyers. The thought is that a robot could do the work in less time and less cost. ( Aquino) This type of job could not be taken over by robots. A robot cannot think for itself so it would have to be programmed to work in a certain way which could lead to people being inadequately represented in a case. I would hate to see people get thrown in jail because a robot wasn’t programmed to handle a certain cases. Other jobs that could be taken over by robots according to the article are pharmacists, drivers, babysitters, astronauts, store clerks, soldiers, rescuers, and reporters. Having all these jobs taken over by robots would result in thousands maybe even millions of people in the world to lose jobs.

Aquino, Judith. "Nine Jobs That Humans May Lose to Robots." Nbcnews.com. Business Insider Inc., 2012. Web. 12 Nov. 2012.

It Is Just A Matter of Time (Blog #9)

It’s Just A Matter Of Time (Blog #9)

 

            So much has been going back and forth with the news these passed few weeks, it has gotten sickening.  I mean, I don’t mind politics, but I would like to see a little variety in the news from time to time.  It was even more sickening seeing just about every commercial between regular programming was an opportunity to bash a political candidate from the office of the Presidency on down.  It was to the point where my television was hardly turned on because of all the negative press. 

            The same is true of the printed press.  Political candidates who promised their constituents to support and look out for their best interest appeared to be more concerned with their own interest. 

            Even on the pages of Facebook, Google, and other website cover pages, so much negativity was featured literally forcing people to think twice about their political parties.  I know that for me, it was pretty close to the wire, before I had truly made up my mind.  I was looking for something positive to come from a negative campaign.  I will admit that it was one of the most negative campaigns I had been exposed to in recent years.  But, I am afraid that this is the direction of where social media is heading. 

            Do I think that there will be a need for the printed news source in the near future?  It isn’t so much that there will be a lack of the particular media, I am afraid that in the next five to ten years, the majority of our news sources will be obtained from online media sources.  My question with this is:  will it cost more to obtain online media versus the printed page?  Local news daily is less than a dollar with an offered discount to get it for the year.  Honestly, I am unimpressed with the local printed page merely because it offers me nothing to see or read.  I get three different sources of news on my smart phone and via my computer. And, I have to admit that I am more content with the quality of information I get from these three different sources.  Some of the stories that I read have the same bi-line, but they are clearly not the same story.  Am I more content to get my news from the social media instead of traditional news sources?  I would have to say that lately, I am.  And, as much of a strong proponent as I am of the printed page, I would have to say that I am being pulled in the direction of news that I am able to get from social media.   

            Again, I am pretty sure that it is just a matter of time before we are not decreasing the size of the forest anymore to make paper to print newspapers.  And, as much as I am wanting to save the forest for the next person, I am still ll for getting my news source from someplace else.

                                                                                                                        - JT

Technology Manners (Blog #10)

          I believe technology is going on a roller coaster ride from here to there.  There are a ton of turns and dips and peaks.  I love technology and use it everyday.  But some things I like more than others.  There are factors that contribute to my likings and disliking.  But today, I want to talk about manners in children-teens with regards to technology. 

I will do my best to not go off on a rant, but cannot make any promises.  I cannot stand when I look and see a child texting and surfing the web on their iPhone and they are only 6 years old.  I know that I am not that old, but back in the day – you didn’t get a cell phone until teenage years.  I know that I really don’t like it because we had to wait and work hard for what we earned.  Children these days get everything handed to them.

When you try to talk to one of them face to face when they are on their phone, good luck getting their attention.  It takes forever and really show no respect to you who trying to talk to them.  I cannot stand when at the dinner table when the teenagers phone rings and he or she pulls out the phone to read their text message. Teenagers lack proper technology etiquette.

“50 percent of children surveyed between the ages of 8-12 reported owning at least 2 mobile technology devices (Emily Post).”   The fact that these numbers are so high is astonishing.  Do children that young really need more than one pieces of technology?

Emily Post. (2012). Families and Manners: Some Kids Would Rather Give Up Summer Vacation Than Their Smart Phone or Computer! From http://www.emilypost.com/communication-and-technology/personal-communication-devices/680-parents-and-children-and-mobile-manners

I apologise in advance for the frequent all-caps, life can just get way too exciting sometimes. (Blog #10)

You know what's really awesome? FORENSICS. Like, whoa.  I mean, how is it real? How do you even go about inventing some of those machines? Who thought of that? Where? What? Why? I'm at a loss for words.

I've always found forensics really super cool; how you can identify someone just by a piece of hair or some skin or a tooth.  Something that you don't think could possibly give any information on who you are actually holds everything.  It's mind blowing.

But I'm not only interested in the "crime scene" side of it. I like to look at forensics with the scope of the work they do in the historical and anthropological fields.  Excavators dig somebody up, they say "who is this?" and the forensic scientists swoop in and pull out their little brushes and say "LEAVE IT TO ME" and it turns out to be some magical Egyptian King with 12 wives and a bunch of cats.

My interest in forensics surfaced again in the last few weeks because of the breaking news on the BBC that the body of Richard III may have been discovered.

WHAT!

WHAT!

That is just so incredibly amazing, the dude died in the 1400's!  But they found a skeleton that had abnormalities in the spine (the Shakespeare fanatic in me is freaking out at this point) and obvious blunt trauma to the head.  In case you didn't know, Richard III died in the battle of Bosworth from A BLOW TO THE HEAD.

BUT. They can't know for sure just by looking.

So, of course, the anthropologists are all sad UNTIL the forensics guy appears and says "No worries. We'll just take a piece of bone fragment and cross match the DNA with descendants of Richard III. No biggie."

The results take 12 weeks.  And I'm counting down the days.

I mean, how incredibly awesome is all of this?  We talk so much about how technology is invasive and all consuming and is beginning to overwhelm society, but then I see things like this and I am so thankful to be living in today's world.  This is a branch of technology that can only grow and prosper. And I feel so lucky to be able to watch it happen.

They are literally making history here. With technology.

I MEAN, IT'S RICHARD III, PEOPLE.

A HORSE A HORSE MY KINGDOM FOR A HORSE!

This is so much better than an iPhone.



"Richard III Dig: 'Strong Evidence' Bones Are Lost King." BBC News. BBC, 09 Dec. 2012. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-19561018>

Technology today (Post 10)

Technology is a big part of peoples lives today. The latest United States census shows that eighty one point four percent of Americans live with a computer in the home, a huge feat considering the fact that a personal computer useful to the normal person has only come out in the last twenty to thirty years. People use computers everywhere nowadays, and computers have also used computers to improve older technologies.

One way we use technology is in how we go about our daily lives; We surf the web, buy things online, talk to one another, and for a lot of people nowadays, their job is entirely computer based. Using computer technology, one never needs to leave the safety of one's home. This was all made possible using the internet and computers. Sure, catalogs existed before the advent of the internet, but nothing offered the seer amount of different things you have access to online nowadays. This is a drastic change from he 60's and 70's movement to commute for everything you need to live; We have moved from where you need to leave the house and travel, to where you never need to leave your own home.

One way computer technology is improving upon already established tech is in the automobile. Computers have made their way into cars, controlling some safety functions and keeping track of the overall condition of the car. Some of the safety functions include Anti- lock braking and the air bags. As far as keeping track of car condition, this means that it displays the “check engine” light when needed, and can interface with a device to give the specifics on what is wrong with the engine. This is all fairly kept away from the general immediate concern of the driver; if someone had never heard of a computer in a car, they would probably never know there was one. Google has been developing, with recent success, a fully autonomous, self- driving car. This car uses a combination of radar, cameras, Google maps technology, and laser range finders to see where they are on the road, along with other traffic. The car has already been field tested and has logged over 140,000 miles. This is a very impressive feat, as such a complex task has never been done before using a fully autonomous machine. It can be easily seen where this technology will make its way into the normal lives of people everywhere.

Unites States of America. Department of Commerce. Census Bureau. In the United States: 2010. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. <http://www.census.gov/hhes/computer/files/2010/table3B.xls>.

Official Google Blog: What We’re Driving at." Official Google Blog: What We’re Driving at. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. <http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/what-were-driving-at.html>.

Advances in Musical Technology (Blog #10)

While Technology has been growing it has become huge in the Music industry. Technology has allowed to be easier for instrumental soloists turn pages and have more that two songs and not have a lot of pages to worry about. Not only that, but if a big symphony orchestra, like the Altoona Symphony, is performing a concertized opera they can display the english translations therefore helping the audience better enjoy the performance. During a performance there may be a change in lighting to create a certain mood, once again enhancing the performance of the group. Technology has helped the musical community in so many ways to either, help the performers or to enhance the the performance itself.
When a soloist was performing in a big, grand concert hall, he/she would have a binder full of music. Most instrumental solos are more than three pages long. That means that there would be page turns, and considering that most instruments require you to use two hands it made it difficult to accomplish this simple task. Then they came out with the Ipad and AirTurn Hands Free Page Turning pedal. With these two new devices, the ipad eliminated the binder full of papers thus keeping the performer more organized and the pedal allowed the instrumental list to keep playing and never worry about turn the pages with their hands. The pedal actually has two pedals, one to turn the page forward and the other to turn back. Once again, this allows the player to turn back pages if there is a repeat in the music. I had the opportunity to play around with one once as I played the Trumpet, which involves two hands. It made the playing so much easier and less hectic in trying to keep all your music in the right order.
The Altoona Symphony Orchestra is a spectacular group under the direction of Teresa Cheung, who flew all the way from Hong Kong to be the director of the Orchestra. Last month, they performed an Opera called Cavalleria Rusticana. During the performance they had the english translations of the Italian lyrics. This helped the audience really enjoy, not only the music, but the story itself.
Over the years with technology advancing, the music industry has grown as well. With the ability to share music via computer and listen to it on Ipods and the radio, music has grown to become a huge part of our culture. Not only does it allow for performances to be enhanced, but has allowed for industry itself to become more technologically advanced.

However, some believe that the technology is becoming too much. In an article about the impact of technology on the music industry the author talks about how the, "Music industry has an ease in publishing music as highly developed devices are replacing real musicians, which saves the music industry a lot of money." In Japan, they created a holographic performer that moves very much like a real person but looks like someone out of a cartoon book. It's things like these that make the industry and performers very nervous about the future of the performance industry. 


Janissary. "The impact of technology on music is overwhelming. Technological advancements in the last century have revolutionized the way we make, market and listen to music.." Get Essays, Research Papers, Term Papers & College Essays Here. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. <http://www.writework.com/essay/impact-technology-music-overwhelming-technological-advance>. 

The Government Knows and Hears Everything (Blog Post # 10)

I was not aware of the fear that spread throughout the country when the World Trade Center was struck by airplanes that were hijacked by terrorists. All I knew was that a half day out of school was the cause and I was ecstatic. Following the events of 9/11, The USA Patriot Act was established and from its passing wiretapping ensued to monitor phone calls to make sure that lines were secure and there were not any discussion of terrorist activity just in case. In regards to this, I have thought about how far technology has come and how many different sectors technology has crossed including crime.

Crime is an activity that wants to be controlled by law enforcers and government officials yet people still manage to break the law anyway. Crime is a field that technology is starting to break into as police departments and criminals find ways to utilize technology to get accessed to their end result. Whether the criminal ends up getting away with the crime or the law enforcer catches that rule breaker, technology will be the next issue that people around the world will have to tackle.

For instance, law enforcers are becoming more creative in their searching for criminals. They are finding more creative ways to trace criminals and find out all necessary information on a suspect. Using Google, they are looking at social media sites such as Facebook to help in their search.

“Police can Google suspects and check their Facebook profiles to gather information. Friend says the Santa Cruz department has had more luck posting photos of wanted suspects to the official department Facebook page than through traditional police channels” (Kelly, CNN).

Criminals and law enforcers are going to have to become smarter and tech-savvy to try and get around this. Understanding how technology works will balance the scale in either side and fighting against technology will only make it harder in the long run. As our world becomes more interconnected digitally, technology will be a big impact on many people lives. Law enforcers are arguing that this could cut into the method of a policeman who often relies on personal instinct rather than computers to figure out who is a criminal and who is not. Yet, there are benefits from using technology to help police cut down time on other tasks to allow for more efficiency for searching for the suspect.

“Seasoned patrol cops rely on their instincts, developed over years of experience walking the same streets and patrolling familiar neighborhoods. Experts say this new technology can cut down on paperwork and make policing more efficient so the police can focus on what they do best” (Kelly, CNN).

On the other side of law enforcers wanting to protect people from criminal activity and searching for criminals, many have argued that this is an invasion of privacy. This argument was enhanced by the Stop Online Piracy Act which was a battle between companies like Google and Wikipedia who are advocating for an open and “free” internet in contrast to companies who are protecting their interests such as Hollywood film industries. Some technological companies want to push for stronger protection for privacy in the country.

“Companies, including Amazon.com, AOL, eBay, Google, Microsoft, Intel, and AT&T, the ACLU, and Americans for Tax Reform have been lobbying to update federal privacy law to do just that: require warrants before police can access e-mail or track Americans' cell phone locations” (McCullagh, CNET).

My personal opinion on cyber crime and crime in general is that with most aspects in life there needs to be a fair balance between the protection of privacy and safety. I think that people should not submit their freedom based on fear. It should be a logical reason for why law enforcers are using these technologies and not to snoop or use the information for the wrong reasons. I think that we need to understand that crime should be regulated and enforce but not controlled. If law enforcers start to put in harsher punishments, it will only cause for more resentment and a push to commit these crimes. I do not think that crime should by no means be permitted however I would like everyone to have an accurate representation in the justice system and should not use dirty tactics to get there.

Works Cited:

Kelly, Heather. “Police embracing tech that predicts crimes.” CNN. Date Pub: 9 July 2012. Date Acc: 12 Nov. 2012. http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/09/tech/innovation/police-tech/index.html.

McCullagh, Declan. “Obama faces piracy, privacy tests in his second term.” CNET. Date Pub: 7 Nov 2012. Date Acc: 12 Nov. 2012. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57546170-38/obama-faces-piracy-privacy-tests-in-his-second-term/  

News (Blog Nine)

What's the news? Oh, right, there's an election. How did I know that? Well, other than the fact that one cannot literally escape it, I read it on my phone while catching up on some of my news. I frequent a site called Reddit, a user based site where one some of the boards (called subreddits), users submit their news stories. Reddit also holds the honor of breaking many news stories, or even using their power of people to solve difficult cases. This gets me to my main point. I do not believe that the internet and social media are going to kill news, but it is killing news as we know it. Over the next few years, news programs on TV will become old news, thrown away for online sites that have the exact same news, just readily available at a time that is convenient to the reader or viewer. The growth of such websites as Reddit give the online community the ability to see news right as it's happening, not waiting till 6:00 pm or God forbid waiting till the next day until the paper comes out.

Facebook is also a valuable news source. With one click, I can gage where people are, how they feel, and what's going on in the world. I don't even have to look out my window these days. Why? Because I get my weather updates from Facebook. At least, to start. This is because there are themes. I heard about the shootings in Colorado first on Facebook (even while I was on vacation in Florida), Sandy first made herself known on Facebook, and any Juniata happenings make themselves present directly on my news feed. I know news nearly the moment it happens, long before the news sources have caught on. Even news teams are now using Social media sources to get their news to cover. It's a crazy new world of news we live in, it's a million times faster, and it's only going to get faster. But does this accessibility diminish the news we receive? Absolutely.

When seeing something on Facebook about a death in the family, or a death of a friend, it just doesn't seem that monumental to me. But as soon as my parents tell me over the phone about someone I know's passing, it hits hard. This difference is the only downside to news being delivered online. It just doesn't hold the weight it does. But what can we do? Seeing something in text is just so much easier than making a phone call, right? Right. And it makes us more willing to receive said news, because one can re-read it and make it their own (somebody can take a piece of text any way they want). So yes, it is bad, but there's no changing that, it's just human nature!

The New Media (Blog #9)

The ways that people are sharing information and has always been evolving. Currently these methods are adapting to how the Internet, and how the Internet allows people to new information and discussions instantly. The Internet has become its own special brand of news that focuses on the individual. Most forms of news on the Internet (forums, blogs, Twitter/Facebook posts, ect) are for personal use.

The article New Media, Old Media shows the results of a study that compares the types of media that is covered in the traditional press and the Internet. One of the discoveries of the study was that bloggers tend to discuss “events that affect personal rights and cultural norms”, more often then other topics. In my personal experience I have noticed this as well, but I have also noticed that most blogs do not include that much variety about what is discussed whereas traditional media, I think, has a broader scope for news worthy events.

            In conclusion I think that although the article New Media, Old Media gives some interesting information about the current evolution of the media, I do not think that the traditional press will be replaced any time soon.

Will Traditional Media Become Less Relevant?

Jessi Haggerty-Denison

Will Traditional Media Become Less Relevant?

In the booming age of social media, there are so many ways that we can access news, both local and global news.  Anything going on in the world is literally at our finger tips since we can receive information with in seconds of an event through texting, pics and videos sent through phones.  This has certainly been proven this year, as many of the uprisings, such as in Egypt, were said to have started from a group of young people texting.  I believe that our traditional ways of receiving news is becoming less and less relevant.  Having to wait for the 10:00 news or the next day’s newspaper to arrive to find out what is going on seems almost antiquated.  Who wants to wait hours or even days to find out about what’s going on when everything you need to know is readily available, often times within seconds of an event?

I do believe the older generation still watches the evening news and looks forward to their morning paper to be read as they enjoy their cup of coffee.  I imagine the importance of this is more as a ritual than anything else.  The older generation also doesn’t use their phones, ipads and/or computers as much as the younger generation.  So to the older generation, which I’m referring to 60 or 70 years and older, I think traditional media is their main source.  But to rest of the population, traditional media takes a back seat and is quickly becoming less and less relevant. By looking at the article "Technology Still a Big Disconnect for Older Americans," discusses the amount of usage of how much older people used advance technology. For an example, 33% have internet access. Which is crazy to me because my generation started with the internet, I wouldn't know where I'd be without it.

Traditional media seems to still concern themselves with protocol and leaving the individual’s personal beliefs are out of the picture. As a news network or newspaper, the organization is concerned more with ratings than they are with news.  They want to appeal to the mass market so are forced to deliver the news as factual information leaving out their personal beliefs and opinions.  It can become quite bland in my opinion.  In the era of social media, people want to hear other’s opinions.  They expect it.  There’s a sense of freedom being able to completely express how you feel politically or about anything else with out having to constantly edit yourself for fear you’ll lose your job.  People also like reading the news from someone that shares the same beliefs and passions.  It provides fuel for them and it’s much more interesting when news can be delivered passionately with a person’s own emotions and beliefs being expressed than someone who is trying to maintain strict protocol.  And the great thing is that if you don’t like what they’re saying on a blog post for example, then there are plenty of other blogs you can find that will be saying what you do want to hear.

Bloggers can also reveal much more information than traditional media. News stations and newspapers have to be much more careful in checking their references and I imagine there is a lot of news they don’t report on because their sources may not be solid enough.  They are limited because people expect their news to be strictly factual and will legally hold them accountable.  Where as bloggers, in my opinion have free reign and the readers will often verify the sources themselves, knowing that the blogger’s news report goes along with what he/she believes and is passionate about and may be “slanted”.

I’m glad that traditional media is becoming less and less relevant.  I found watching the news and/or reading the newspaper to be boring.  It always left me with the question, “what aren’t they saying?” , because there seemed to be a lot unsaid.  I find reading about news and current events through the means of social media to be much more exciting and worthwhile.

http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/the-best-life/2012/02/27/technology-still-a-big-disconnect-for-older-americans