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.

Assignment #3

My Thoughts on the reading, “Future Reading, Digitization and its discontents”

It is second nature for people to want a quick way of finding information. The information age makes everything going online the most logical step. When equipped, everyone would have the massive ability of finding and empowering themselves. This does however have a coiunter affect as it empowers Google and others as an umbrella owner of that information. I believe the main idea of the essay is where the evolution of knowledge is heading, controlled by those in power.
Googles search engine, which has equipped itself to move on to other searches like the finding of literature and the reading of it in a convenient way. It is a reminder of the way Microfilm was tried to be used in the 70’s, reprinting copies of books on film to be seen by the masses. It was a good example of technology trying to hard to make itself the next natural step of passing information. It easily failed because of the massive need for information was too much to be supported by the machines available. It was controlled by specific group and used with a not so accessible machine to run the microfilm. Computers have revolutionized the way information can be accessed. Everyone or mostly everyone has capable means of finding a computer, making it easier for the everyday person to access information.
The essay claims that the firms involved in the scanning of the literature, Google, Microsoft and Amazon are by no means doing away with the scribbled texts of today, but making it better for everyone who reads and wants to know. This is a farce, because the Greeks, who had control over history in a way that Google has today, did so and used the power to trap all information and make it their own. The Greeks put away the scrolls from other countries and gave them copies, what is to stop them from changing the information that was accounted and changing it to another. Christopher Columbus is remembered for discovering America, but the fact that the Indians and Vikings were here prior had no affect because it was rarely discussed, talked about in all the books or included in common nostalgia. Even though discovered by others, the information documented by the Greeks aka possible Google can be seen as something else and changed to become what everyone would believe as fact. It is because of this people or countries, which are not particular worth remembering in Google’s eyes or moneys eyes, the objective of a company is to make money, actual facts that are to be displayed dictates what history is told. After a while, people would forget what fiction is and what fact is, putting history in a lonely second.
The more powerful and economically funded countries have their history remembered. The United States and Briton can now offer and control, even though not on purpose, the information that gets sent and received amongst the scanned literature is going to be derived from the most predominate countries with books. The essays pointed out Sixty million Britons have a hundred and sixteen million public-library books at their disposal, while more than 1.1 billion Indians have only thirty-six million. It is a matter of who is going to be remembered and who is disregarded. Third world countries are not going to be seen as money well spent, but remember as the “Viking and Indians” of our day.
This is the wave of the future and as so delicately entitled “Future Reading” by the author. The author did this because the paper he just wrote was going to be scanned and/or read by somebody from a different country or place and definitely a different time period without ever leaving the convenience of home. I thought about the title how this digital age has impacted my life. The entire world I live in, I have had privy to two basics, television and radio. The books are the last step in an evolutionary process of means of like magazines and newspapers. The information age is doing away with the nit and gritty work of harvesting it, by searching on your own two feet. Basic Television has been replaced by Cable made by Time Warner or the new Fios by Verizon. The new slogan for information might quiet possible be “Library Books” by Google and not the author who originally created it. The obstacles of not knowing information and then finding it out is getting easier, but at what cost of absolute accuracy is at stake. For me to believe after reading this essay that everything going online is a good thing is counterproductive as it has actually opened my eyes to that not all control is a good thing, it may quite possible make you blind sighted on the actual facts your looking for.

Blog 2

As of this posting my NY Giants are hurting my feelings, I mean comeon OVERTIME!!

Anyway, I like being able to take an online course and actually use some of my online time and get credit for it. I like school and am always doing something school related on my laptop so it is an easy fit. This week has been fairly easy, a couple of essays a few chapters to read. I know whats to come in the coming weeks, work, work and more work. As of right now I am enjoying it, because I may not get any more Sundays to myself.

P.S.
Enjoy this time because life always changes.

Blog 1

I am a 26 yr old college student; I stand at 5ft. 8in. I am a person who wants his future to be here already and since I have bullshitted a few years of my life to the immediate satisfaction with the other sex whilst not pursuing the more dominant goal of academic achievement.

I have always been into the law and arguing with anybody is second nature for me. I am also into politics and am going for a law degree after Laguardia and John Jay. Right now I'm taking a Research paper class, An introduction to language class and an Internship. To top it all off I am also Tutoring students for API which stands for Academic Peer Instruction. I basically have a full load of work for the semester.

I used to be a pudgy 240 lb and eworked my way to 169lb in 3 months through dedication and determination, so I figure school can't be any harder… some of my friends think I will have trouble getting to my goal, but you have to use these haters as fuel for your fire....

-Brandon

New Day

School is in and I am ready to take it on. I am currently in LRC 103. 1492 and if you are from that class and am looking at my page, welcome.

Thinking, making or writing a blog is a process that I have liked. It chronicles your thoughts for that segment of time and lets people, including yourself see how you have changed and have grown. Take the blog seriously, as it lets you think about things in the open for everyone to see. I believe there are no mistakes in a blog as it is your own. Take in consideration though the thoughts of other people, what they may be thinking and a possible rebuke if necessary.

Have fun with the blog as I have.

Obviously this step, is just another step in my life, but I am thankful to be here to take it.

Brandon Vendryes (playablue@gmail.com)

Been a while

All and all things are going good for me, I have lived up to some of the expectations for myself and am looking for more. I am looking for more in other people as well, but I'm seeing maybe I won't get it from them and that is all they will be.

Back at laguardia

I between taking the summer off and going back to school for a summer session of class and decided on the ladder of the two, so if anyone sees me....just tell me I made the right decision....because I am having trouble with it.

P.S.
Girls are trouble

A show to watch

I wake up this morning because my cell phone still alarms until june 10th because of school, turn on my Telvesion and come up on a show I have been watching for a while, the "Living with Ed" show is a nice piece of material. It shows you how a person, most notably a star like Ed, can live a life of trying his best to complment their environment, It comes on Tuesdays at 8:30 the the green network which is 114 on timewarner cable..... holla at ya boy...

P.S. I may be switching between that and the NBA playoffs....

Something worth a Read

even though late this is a testament to the environment change that the U.S. (mostly Bush) has been denying. It talks about what areas are in for a severe climate change in the future.

The Story

Blog 12

1. How easy or difficult was the blogger?,… well it was not hard but it was not all that easy either, you really have to think about the question that you ask for us to answer on the blog. Thoughts about ourselves which not all of us do for more than a minute, for us to come to our conclusion that we are doing wrong, in anything, including how we treat the environment carelessly on our part. To criticize other peoples work and when necessary to add unique knowledge to stuff worth talking about. But seriously, I liked the class because it made you want to do your work, because the work is your work and well who can really put more pressure on you to do something other than yourself on a topic you actually like.
2. Blogger was relatively easy to work with, after you try a few things out and you see what you like, you’re good to go. The blog has been a fun experience, because it’s a nice way for me to have a timeline on myself and what I think about from week to week. I am honestly going to try to keep up with it.
3. 250 words are not hard at all, because when you’re answering the question, the words should come as nothing. Maybe a couple of blogs were a bit difficult but for the most part I judge a class by how I feel about the class at the end, and I feel good about this class. I worked hard, and earned what I got. There is relatively no pressure for me to do the blog, because I liked it.
4. I liked the deadline, well because I usually use that as a warning sign for me to get things done. The day and time is fine with me, because I am a late sleeper.
5. I liked interacting with the other bloggers because you really get who are the people who are trying in the class as well as what they are about. like some people are really for the environment and have other experiences from other countries that are interesting to read about, its all about thinking outside the box.
6. Comparing blogging to my other classes is that this is better than some of my other classes, because I want to be here and learn what is at hand.
7. I would definitely will try to keep up with the blog because I used to have a journal as a kid and always liked it because it showed who I was and what I have changed too.

Blog 11

From reading the "The Basics," "Home" and the one of my choice "School." I have decided that this is my list of the 5 things I can do towards the 5 that I least can do:

shaving:
As I already do it already, I don't try to let the water run

light bulbs:
This should be 1st thing anybody really comes up with that they can do because it litterally replces a product and serves the same exact service.

water filters:
I do it already, and the water tastes just as good as any other.

pens:
I started to this when I bought school supplies for the "G-2 pens" that I use, but what I found out was, at the staples I went, the refills ended up costing more than the actual pens themselves...which is plain stupid.

schoolbooks:
I do it because of the money mostly, but it also won't be collecting up dust siiting around in my closet.

Least able to do:

Temperature: The house is kep relatively which is what I'm used too but to turn it down any further, is something I may have trouble with.

plastic: I do not know how we could really get around this, it is mass produced on an exceptional scale. The industry would have to be forced to go make to glass like it was. I do whaht I can with recycling but..

carpooling: I drive with other people to the club or get together that I know everyone is going too, but other than that, solo is way I go usually. Train is ok. by me though.

Storage containers: plastic is so manageable, it contains the item you want saved and does not break, the containers suggested are heavy and breakable.

Trash bags: I find this a bit hard because some of the bags may have a whol in them causing stuff to leak out of it if it is a reused bag.

Blog 9

Blog 9
All I want to say this week is a few things,...

. I am actually keeping up with some of my commitments I made earlier in the year, like not letting the water run when I shave and when going to home depot, encouraging my mother to buy biodegradable pots for the plants to save on the plastic. I find myself saving my garbage until I find a suitable place for it instead of leaving it just anywhere, not to say I threw it anywhere before, but you get the picture.
. I am completely frustrated with myself and feel overwhelmed with what I am supposed to take on for this paper. When I did the draft I wanted to take on three topics, A. the reason for the racism that has existed in New Orleans for so long, B. The possible reasons for the slow aid for the victims of Katrina by local and state. C. Possible solutions, so that this could never happen again. When I re-read my draft I was only reporting on the cause of the racism nothing about the aid and only little bit on possible solutions.
. I have found this paper harder than I expected it to be, not to say I can’t complete the paper to the best grade possible. I also find myself with a midterm crisis with all my other classes , as I feel Like I am drowning, anyway I am just venting.

P.S.
If you are a coffee person, save your coffee grounds for your plants because it provides nitrates for your plants that they can flourish on.....works for you and the environment.

Blog 8

1 Official Topic: race and class relations in the lower 9th ward of Katrina in New Orleans

2 I am writing this topic because I saw the disparity on t.v. when Katrina hit New Orleans, more specifically the lower 9th ward. I always wanted to know more about the difference between these people who were the "have nots" and the people who were in a better off situation, the "haves." I wanted to know about this topic when I saw that Kanye West proclaimed that "Bush, doesn't care about black people"

3 I hope to reach the people who are ignorant to this issue. I want to reach the individuals who think A, Katrina could never happen again. and B. Obilivent the racism that was the the recovery effort that followed was just a mistake.

4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIUzLpO1kxI- Kanye west excerpt from red cross

There is No Such Thing as a Natural Disaster: Race, Class, and Hurricane Katrina

Census Report on Katrina

Photos I may use

5 The Daily Crush Of Poverty, Strong As Any Storm The Washington Post September 5, 2005 Monday.
&
Black groups claim conspiracy to turn New Orleans white The Courier Mail (Queensland, Australia) October 15, 2005 Saturday

I do not know how to link it here, because I obtained it off of EBSCO It discusses the difference between the upper and middle class. I want more articles like this one...
6 My thesis is going to be that racism is alive and well and entrenched in our governing body, coming to the forefront when there is a disaster.

Blog 7

TOPIC: race relations in lower 9th ward of katrina

These are some of my resources:

(1)
http://bb.laguardia.edu/@@0d47b3234d89f0b380d04ef287de97b5/courses/1/LIB200.1467_Spring08_Session1/content/_213438_1/Bullard.pdf

The reason I choose this is because of the injustices that have been done to minorities throughout this country, most notably by our own government. An example would be a president signing into law an agreement that the government will protect "Americans" from unlawful chemical sites, but when such a situation is reported they are slow to act, if at all. The report give clear and distinct examples of passe thoughts of minority standing and their obvious meaninglessness to the the government

http://www.urbanhabitat.org/files/Pastor.Bullard.etc.Env.Katrina.pdf

Gives some more specific numbers involving the homes affected and the amount of debris left.

(2)
2006. Chester Hartman and Gregory D. Squires (eds). "There Is No Such Thing as a Natural Disaster: Race, Class, and Katrina". New York: Routledge.

I chose this book because it goes more in depth with the more specific issues of racism and classism as interpreted through two editors. Tells how and why African-Americans are at the bottom of the totem pole in New Orleans. Using tables and figures and testimony from people gives examples of frustration by citizens that for years have know this, but now the book sheds some light on it.

(3)
http://www.katrinadestruction.com/

http://www.davidmetraux.com/news/2006/hurricane_katrina_new_orleans_lower_ninth.html

This website gives detailed images of the destruction "Katrina" caused to New Orleans. I will be using this website as a reference to pictures on the topic I am talking about.

(4)
Census Reports

This give me the before and after affects of hurrican katrina on the area. Including the poverty levels and the demographics of the people.