Week 12

. .I did a search for an article discussing Google and Privacy. I thought about the words “Google” and “Privacy”. I threw in the word, “virus” as an added filter after the initial search because I am starting to see/think that maybe “Google” is a getting bigger than anyone outside of that company first thought. I then decided to search with the LexisNexis search tool. The reason for it may be obvious, the rest of the possible selections have the preface “Google” all over the entitlement, and so I would think it prudent to try to use what I believe the most unbiased search tool. The search leads me to an article discussing the new “Flu Trends” program developed by Google. The article I found was written by Seth Finkelstein, which was published through “The Guardian” on November 27th, 2008. The format is New Times Roman and in “*.Doc” format. The article is not even a month old, so I think it is fairly new information.
. .The article discusses how “Google” is head and shoulders above the competition in finding trends of people; their track record with Yahoo and Microsoft goes far back. The article goes into the fact that Google has produced a program to sift out searching trends for virus’s and flu’s, to essentially stop an outbreak from happening to the masses with the use of this added technology. The article states that “Harnessing Google’s ability to do extensive real-time monitoring of the search activity of millions of users . . .” This is the ultimate situation staring at me, for somebody or something to have the power to synthesize massive amounts of information and tell what is going to happen and have your history to cross reference that info. It gives me the impression that this should be a Governmental Program and not something bought and sold on the flexible Stock Market.
. .The article has its own merit; the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) which is a privacy group, said of Google’s “Flu Trends”, "Historically, identification through aggregated data has been subject to abuse . . . Therefore, automatic, permanent, one-way anonymisation of such information is necessary." telling of possible biasness regarding the topic in discussion. This denotes possible plans Google may have in store for its own future. Google is setting it-self up to be governmental in its own way, the writer says the “techniques developed to find interests for advertisers are being repurposed” to find outbreaks of disease. It looks like they are vying for a governmental contract.
. .I believe the writer is objectionable and tells the facts they are, but the questions and statements he says are enlightening. The writer says “While people's health concerns should be certainly be treated as confidential, what's being done here is to find methods for automated mass observation.” Leading too “This is even more worrisome when one considers the implications for electronic health records, an area where Google has been very active - whoever gets to be a standard computerization technology provider for the health industry will make a fortunes.”
. .Google is just showing off its skills, letting everyone be put on point that Google is someone to reckon with if not look up too. In very short time, it has take Google very little time to make itself a target of other companies such as Yahoo and Microsoft, and this article does nothing to change that thinking, if fact, it hardens my view on them because it may want to get into the healthcare aspects of governmental works. Healthcare is big business; elections are made and lost over it. Cutting downtime and procedure, as the governmental Medicare system is slow and occasionally unresponsive through my own personal experiences, to then hand it over to a public company is not the best route. If anybody is going to control it, it should be the government. But in these days of internet savvy company’s could this be ancient thinking.

Week 11 The Future of Search

I like Google Labs Experimental, the Alternate views search engine because it is quite interactive with the timeline being a determinant on what your search is. I would have used this a couple of weeks ago if I had know about it because I had a research paper due a last week and I needed some facts based on the 1940’s to 1960’s and this search engine would have been perfect. The Kartoo.com search is good for people who like colors or imagery for a search. The one thing it has over the other is when the icons are highlighted by the mouse it leads to other popular root words that could narrow your search, it gives you clues to other possibly words. The Credo Reference is similar to searches I have dealt with in the past and as of late, it reminds me of the old school yahoo searched in the mid 90’s just updated to the max. I like how the search is broken down on the left hand side making it easier for me to refine it on the fly, none of the others do that. All of them have their unique uses it just depends on what you’re looking for.

To think that searching for anything has changed from a person who is a great researcher at the library…..to now, the words a person puts into a search and presto, it’s done. Maybe I am thinking I am baking a cake but the future holds many possibilities for upcoming students who want to learn new things on any topic. The article said “They're not making the pages easier to read, they're making the software agents smarter” and I think this will change kids learn permanently, because research time is cut done and so more work can be done. To some extent it takes the middle (person or work) out of the equation. In 15 years or more, If I do a search for what games Indonesian kids play at their house or outside in the park, I possibly may put on sunglasses and see exactly what they see, maybe smell the air at the same time? I could do a search and that search will make it easier for future searched for someone else searching on the same criteria and so in the future more kids will graduate early because of the added side affect this has caused on future generations. The affect of all this is that I think the basics or wanting keywords as the start of a search is and should be a mandatory concept, the article said "You get the ability to do all these very complex queries, but it takes a tremendous amount of time and metadata to make that happen." This makes me think, is it worth it?, technology maxes out at certain points, with most cars having heated seats and gps via option and cell phones doing everything but getting into your mind and speaking for you, I always thought if my psp came out as a phone it is over for everyone else. I think everyone is pulling at straws, the searches of the future are great at searching for words that deal with a certain topic, such as trying to recognize “the difference between Paris Hilton and the Hilton in Paris," but the more important next step is what big leap is there next, I want to interact like Johnny Mnemonic in the old 1995 movie where he was able to have data upload into his head and he instantly can carry information.

RSS, Blogs and Social Work

With the invention of new informational ways people get their info, three stand-out, RSS, Blogs and Delicious. I think RSS is the most easiest to use. I mean what is there to do, you hook up the link to the Google Reader and the stuff shows up and is right there to be clicked on or just casually read. I will be using this method from now on to get my information. I like it, but it also makes me think, Google is getting way to big of a monopoly. It is good and all but it makes me think that they control too much not enough free will going around to the others, but I guess it is on the others, not Google. Anyway, I will be using the RSS links on other pages, but am definitely going to use the Delicious search for when I search about Fantasy football insights or stuff about my mother’s plants, or which pet to get. I will try to shy away from Blogs because I honestly do not like them, barely look at mine and I try to keep up with. I only keep up with it to let me know where I have come from, for me it is like a public online journal that tells a little bit about me. I would not want to read that about someone else unless I am interested in them, like a girlfriend or family member. I like the Delicious idea tremendously because it is a link to someone who really cares about what they are talking about, with that comes authenticity of the topic. If I want to learn about body building and looked it up on there I would find a person who had his own experience and what they have found out on the web or other wise to back-up what they did. I know a blog does it but that is too personal, I want something that gives links and possibly cares about credibility.

Should the copyright law need of change or not?

The copyright law is not in need of change. The law is fine the way it is, it prosecutes whoever is downloading illegal software. It just needs to be adopted by all the countries of the world to make it that much more complete of a legislation. I think what needs to occur is a revamping of the whole entire industry, because the digital move is hurting the businesses who originated it. The article The article “The Music Industry's Lawsuits Against Online Music Sharers Are Justified, 2005 ” by Mitch Bainwol tells that the music sales in the “United States have fallen by an astounding 26 percent, from 1.16 billion units in 1999 to 860 million units in 2002. And worldwide, the recording industry has shrunk from a $40 billion industry in 2000 down to a $32 billion industry in 2002.” I think most people believe the internet should be free and unfiltered, but the digital content should a more governmental involvement on stopping piracy. It is killing American Jobs that are already at risk in these tough economic times. The changing of the law would create distain from the public. The added trouble of buying content and illegally distrusting it is wrong and objectionable but you do not want to piss off the actual paying public. It needs to be curtailed and a more subtle way, by getting provision at the production line, it creates a level copyrighted playing field where everyone can get the money they deserve.

LRC 103 Class Blog

The poems I read were “Escape”, “Playmates” and “Forbidden Fruit II” . Reading from the screen was ok with me, if not better because I can control the size of the font by increasing the screen size with ctrl + and -. I wonder though how it will affect my eyes because I have heard the computer gives you eye strain. The Google search has accommodated the search possibility of people want to omit words or look for a specific word or phrase. They even out in whether you want t see only the ones with the limited previews which is a bonus. The ads were not distracting at all and did not even see them until mentioned in the question, which I found amusing. I as well liked the pictures they came up with because it Cuny+ is confusing to the point that a student or person who is not familiar with it, may be confused because they have the links, “Reserve” and ”Electronic Reserve” which could mean different things completely. The Cuny search layout is ok, but they should of chose different colors because the dark blue and orange is not working, at least to me anyway. The Cuny search system is effective to the point of Google but the amount of books it covers is limited to the Cuny system, the positive it has over Google is that a student can physically get the book, which is not really a plus because the content is much more important that the book. The Google search is actually more effective, and I thought this because it is way more detail oriented by means of certain word count and omitting.

How I keep up with the news

I keep on the news through various ways;

I turn on my computer and already have the homepage to either Yahoo.com or CNN.com. I take a couple minutes and read about the the top news stories of the day.
When I go on the train I pick up a metro newspaper, which is free and I remember... "if it is free it is for me." News is news and even if it is free, sometimes the content is just the same.
I also occasionally use yahoo's video option because it loads rather quickly and is another convenient way of getting news, it gives you everything from jokes in news to actual hardpress news.
Another way I get my news is by talking with people, either my sister or my mother has something to say on world events and if I have no idea what they are talking about they will just tell me, yet again informing of current events.
I watch Lou Dobbs on CNN and Fox News at night. I like Lou Dobbs, he seems to be honest and asks hard questions to his guests. I cap it off by watching Sportscenter for news on sport events.

Sum up of candidate articles

Find two Web sites or articles (full-text only). One must be about Barack Obama and one must be about John McCain. For EACH article/Web site, identify:

John McCain

Site - thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com

Publisher- New York times Politics Blog by Michael Cooper

Audience- There is no real audience demographic, just the people interested in politics. If you want to get specific, it is garnered towards political people who are susceptible to political propaganda. Obama has written two books about himself, read them, enjoy them, then will there be an understanding.

Timeliness- Article is from as recent as possible; it was likely written within an hour of Mccain’s speech.

Sales hook – The sales hook in the article is that McCain is trying everything in his bag of tricks to change their view of Obama. He asks the audience in the speech if they really know about Obama, and his history of what he’s done politically. He wants to bring in question everything about him, in particular his political standing because he thinks the audience knows nothing about him.

I used the NY Times website and put in the word Obama, then clicked search

__________________________________________________________________

Barack Obama

Site - Factcheck.org

Publisher - Factcheck.org

Audience – The audience is aim toward political people, more importantly, to people who actually want to know the factual evidence behind the things Obama has said.

Timeliness – The article is from more than a month ago, but still has relevance because it is part of the message Obama has been preaching since his nomination.

Sales hook – The articles sales hook is that it is trying to sell you on the facts and not possible propaganda by a candidate.

I found the article by doing a yahoo search using the key words Obama and percent.