It's Over!? :O

I hope all of you had a great week and did well on your finals!! :)

I still can't believe our 178 class is over now... finished the final Monday night! All done now with all my classes after my last final I had today :)

Btw, I had such a great time chatting with people in our class, I'll remember and miss those good times! Also, I shall miss those TEDTalks videos!

Oh my goodness, the weather is starting to really warm up! Perfect for just getting out of school... Anyone have any awesome plans for the summer? :)

Born to Work! In Levi's

So Evan and I were talking about our class last week. I was telling him about how I thought that the group who came up with the recycling your jeans concept had an excellent idea! I loved it! I thought that everybody in our class came up with really great ideas for the Levi's campaign last week.

Also, we were thinking about how we mentioned we would provide a special event for people to go to for the Levi's campaign, and it would feature live music. We said Men at Work would be there to play music, but I also thought of another idea which I shared with Evan. We could have had Bruce Springsteen show up in his old Levi's and sing some great tunes for the "Secret Show." He would also be wearing a white t-shirt as well AND have a handkerchief, payin' tribute to the great Born in the U.S.A. album and album art he released! People would think that Men at Work would be the opening act but really, they would be in for a big surprise! Fun, fun.

iContact U

I think that iContact has a very cute newsletter-type layout and that it is good for people who check their e-mail constantly, as well as for people who never check our class website. iContact seems like it would be especially handy for people who check their e-mail using their iPhone. However, for people who get too much junk mail in their inbox as it is, I can definitely see how it may not be as useful. I think that iContact is a cool idea and since I do not get much e-mail in my inbox, I find it to be pretty useful to a certain extent. However, I check the class website fairly regularly so I am usually up to date with what is going on in our class anyways. What do the rest of you think of iContact?

Texting In Class... Finally, its OKAY! "Lyke OMG, rlly?"

I thought that the texting poll we did in class was really cool. I unfortunately was not able to participate since I am not able to send/receive text messages on my cell phone, but it was really neat to see other people trying out this interesting new capability. It seemed fairly reliable compared to the clickers we usually use for other classes. What did all of you think of the in-class exercise we did? Do you wish more classes used that technology?

Mister Splashy Pants Prevails!

I thought that last week's TedTalks video was really entertaining as well as very informative. I think that it is great that by hosting a public online voting poll, Greenpeace was able to get people involved in their whale-saving campaign, and most importantly, they were able to get people excited about their cause. People were so eager to have the name "Mister Splashy Pants" win that they advertised and really fought for it. It is always cool to see people get so passionate about something, even if it may seem a bit silly at first. In the end, so much hype was generated around the silly name and it won! Most importantly, Japan called off their whale-hunting. This is proof that sometimes it does pay to take yourself less seriously and have a little fun.

Sometimes I think it is important to provide comic relief, especially during very serious situations. One example which comes to my mind is a hilarious Saturday Night Live sketch I saw which aired during the 2008 Election. President Obama makes a guest appearance and actually pokes fun at himself by wearing a Barack Obama mask (if you search hard enough, you can find it online).

Anyways, below is a video of our First Lady and president showing off their sweet dance moves!

Lost Power Cord for MacBook Laptop Computer

Hello everyone,

I unfortunately seem to have lost my white power cord charger for my MacBook laptop computer and the last place I left it was plugged into the wall in the back of our classroom. If anyone has seen it please let me know.


Thank you very much,

Allison

Artificial Intelligence

Our discussion last Wednesday in class about Artificial Intelligence was really interesting and got me thinking more about this incredible technology. I had the Furby toys when I was a child, and what I loved about them was that they had quite a bit of "life" in them. They were so animated and interactive, which really gave the feeling that they actually had real personalities, when really they were just fake animatronic devices!

It is somewhat frightening to see how far we have come technology-wise in the past few decades in regards to animatronics and artificial intelligence. It seems as though every few years, toy companies and even major corporations such as Honda come out with a newer and better form of artificial intelligence.

A few years ago, I went to Disneyland in Anaheim and was lucky enough to witness an actual appearance of Honda's robot named ASIMO. I was stunned and amazed when I saw ASIMO. It walks, talks, features voice and face recognition, and can even walk up stairs accurately without falling. I really do think that robots are the wave of the future. There has been great talk of these robots one day being able to take care of and look after elderly people and also to provide companionship for those with dementia, Alzheimer's disease, disabilities, etc.

I think that AI can be helpful in advancing society and helping people. However, I do think that AI could possibly in the long-run replace humans in the work force for certain tasks. This could pose a huge problem in the job market. Luckily, I doubt that this problem will occur in any of our lifetimes since there still needs to be a lot of work done in the robotics industry.

Below is a video of ASIMO. I think that (he, she, whatever it is) is absolutely adorable. It seems really friendly, fun, and I would love to have ASIMO live in my house and help out with chores! And dance, too. Now THAT would be awesome!

Here is another video of a shockingly realistic human-like android created in Japan:

Self-Governance

Hellooo. Just wanted to let everybody know that definitions for the concept of "self-governance" which we shared in class last week are up on the class home page under the Class Notes tab for viewing!

"You Don't Get to 500 Million Friends Without Making a Few Enemies"

I finally watched the film The Social Network, which is all about the start-up of the Facebook website/company. I found it to be a really interesting movie. I am wondering how much of the story is fiction vs. non-fiction considering how unfavorably the film portrayed Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg.

What did you guys and gals think of the movie? I think my favorite part of the movie was the soundtrack featuring original music by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The film score actually won an Academy Award this year. Here is my favorite song from the movie:

Also, below is a hilarious Saturday Night Live video which features the lead actor of The Social Network and also a surprise guest appearance by Mark Zuckerberg.

Tweets of Wisdom AND Compassion

I was really excited to discover that the Dalai Lama has an official account on the Twitter website!

Some background info on the Dalai Lama for those who may be interested: The 14th Dalai Lama is a peace-loving, Tibetan Buddhist monk who considers himself merely to be "an ordinary person" despite his extraordinary circumstances and huge influence/impact he has on millions around the globe. His words of wisdom and compassion have been an inspiration to people of different backgrounds/walks of life.

On his own website, more can be found about the Dalai Lama:

http://www.dalailama.com/

"His Holiness is both the temporal and the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. He frequently states that his life is guided by three major commitments: the promotion of basic human values or secular ethics in the interest of human happiness, the fostering of inter-religious harmony and the welfare of the Tibetan people, focusing on the survival of their identity, culture and religion."


His Tweets, rooted in Buddhist philosophies/teachings, provide great advice and encouragement:

"Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others is the ultimate source of success in life."


"As well as restraining ourselves from negative thoughts and emotions, we need to cultivate and reinforce our positive qualities."

They are great snippets to read at the start of the day or when you may be feeling a little "down" and need a mood-lifter. They are also helpful in aiding in ones own thinking and self-reflection, and can be found here at this website:

http://twitter.com/dalailama

I think it is great that Buddhist monks are utilizing social media such as blogs, various Internet websites, etc. to modernize Buddhist teachings and to help make Buddhism more "mainstream" while at the same time trying not to stray too far from their traditions.

I will continue to look for other interesting/inspirational people to follow on Twitter.

Also, for any of you interested, here is a short video of the Dalai Lama speaking at the Stanford University campus about the importance of compassion and respect:

Creating Movements with Social Media

I just re-watched the TED Talks video from last Wednesday featuring guest speaker Seth Godin. I find it to be quite inspiring, really! He talks about how anyone can be a leader and it only takes a small group of "true believers" to get a movement going, and I definitely agree with his statement. If you just find a few other people who believe passionately about what you believe in, they are bound to tell and recruit others into the group (or what Godin referred to as "tribe") as well. Godin mentioned electronics leaders Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, two people who were both successful in leading others. I really liked how at the end he urges all of us to get out there and be leaders, too. He asks us to start a movement because it only takes 24 hours to do so. Considering the power of Facebook, it is completely possible. Facebook started out as being designed for only a small niche of society (specifically college students), but slowly, more and more and more people became curious and interested in the site and more and more people wanted to be a part of this social media movement.

Taking this class has helped me realize just how big a part of social media really is in our modern society, and how one person's small idea can turn into something bigger than they could have ever imagined.

Here is a link to another really interesting TED Talks video by same presenter Seth Godin:

http://www.ted.com/talks/seth_godin_on_sliced_bread.html

Social Media Aids in Recovery of Japan's Natural Disaster Crisis

I still cannot even believe what happened in Japan. The damaging is so incredibly devastating. It is reported that almost 2,000 people have been confirmed dead, and it is possible for the death toll to rise to nearly 10,000 people. It is so sad that these kinds of events happen in life.

The country has dealt with so much in the past few days, it is hard for one to even fathom: a tsunami, earthquakes, and now concerns surrounding the nuclear power plants and possible meltdowns. It is reported that radiation is leaking from one of the reactors in Fukushima and it is advised that residents evacuate within the 20-mile radius of the plant. It is said that the radiation level is quite high, and that the leakage can actually cause very serious health problems. As of now, people are advised to stay indoors.

Luckily, I saw on the news that 69 countries (including us, the U.S.), have volunteered to help out with this tragedy.

Thankfully, with the use of Facebook, Twitter, and cell phones, people have been able to reassure others that they are safe and also to find missing loved ones and friends. This is one example of how important and crucial technology is today. Many lives have been saved because of this. Because of this modern means of communication, people in Japan were able to contact others in regards to where food, water, and shelters could be found.

Also, because of cell phone cameras, people in Japan were able to document first-hand the events which were happening.


Here is a link to an ABC News article which speaks of how social media is helping in the crises in Japan right now.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/japan-earthquake-tsunami-drive-social-media-dialogue/story?id=13117677&page=1

Here is another great article which talks more about amateur journalists and their documentation of the ongoing tragedies occurring in Japan right now:

http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/16/57646.html


Even celebrities are utilizing social media to help make a positive impact in the world. Here is a link to a $5 bracelet you can buy which pop star Lady Gaga herself helped designed; ALL proceeds go to the Tsunami Relief Efforts.

http://ladygaga.shop.bravadousa.com/Product.aspx?cp=14781_42444&pc=BGAMLG88

Why get your friend a real gift... when it can be a virtual gift?!

I recently went shopping at Target with my brother and my father. In the electronics section, I was stunned to see Facebook gift cards are now available for consumer purchase. There are some Facebook gift cards valued at $50!

Here is a link to a USA Today article which speaks of this in greater detail:

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2010-09-01-target01_ST_N.htm

I think that Facebook is slowly becoming more and more about making money than about helping people to connect with others. Personally, I would much rather have a friend buy me a real cupcake, one which exists in real life that I can actually eat as opposed to receiving a virtual cupcake as a gift that exists only on my Facebook page. 

So I was wondering...what do you guys think? 

Social Media: Helping to End Stereotyping

I thought that the TED video we watched in class last Wednesday brought up some really great points regarding the changing media and how advertisers view people in society. I think that maybe because of Facebook and other social networking sites, advertisers will finally start seeing people as individuals and not just easy-to-predict and stereotypical. I think that it is great that personal taste is now being respected, like what Johanna Blakley was talking about. It is important for advertisers to realize that each person is different. Race, gender, class, age, etc. are things which do not necessarily determine what an individual person likes. Any person can like the "Twilight" series. I know guys who really liked the "Twilight Saga" movies. I know a lot of girls who really dislike the movies and think they are "lame" or "cheesey." Many women over 50 read the "Twilight" books. Same thing applies to everything else in life. I am a girl but I really enjoy listening to heavy metal and playing video games like Guitar Hero. I even play racing games sometimes! It just depends on my mood, and I think this applies to everyone. Each person is different with different, unique tastes and interests. I do not believe that people can be judged and predicted based solely on the idea of demographics. I really like the idea of "Taste Communities" in which people bond and connect over common interests like TV shows, sports hobbies, etc. But I think advertisers still are trying assume what people like by putting us into little boxes and specific categories. Luckily, with social media, hopefully views of gender, age, race, and economic background will change for the better. I really do believe this is a step in the right direction for our society. I agree that it is creepy that advertisers will "monitor" our tastes, but at least they will think of us as individuals and not judge us by our ethnic background, age, or in other incredibly discriminatory forms.

Take A Class... While Wearing Your Pajamas!

This online education discussion has been very intriguing to me. I really liked the video we watched in class last week from TED.com. Come to think of it, all of the videos we have watched so far in class have been really interesting! :)  I think that some really great points were brought up by Sir Ken Robinson on the Ted Talks video. I really liked how he mentioned that "human communities depend on a diversity of talent." I interpreted this as meaning that we all work interdependently, and each profession is an important component of the whole system. Workers who help build highways are just as important as the dentist who fills your cavity. We are all needed, no matter how big or how small of a job we have in the community.

Most importantly, I agree with Robinson's main thesis: we really do need a revolution in education. The high school drop-out rate is way too high and there are too many kids who are uninterested in education.

I can relate, though, because I, myself, was not completely happy with my high school experience. I wish high school had been more like college. Here at Sacramento State, we have a lot of interactive courses consisting of online activities to help students stay engaged and encouraged to participate, as well as an incredibly wide range of classes to choose from to meet students' individual interests. My college experience has been way, way better than my high school experience. I feel as though because of the very specific requirements for high schools in the California area, most of us have to take subjects we are really not passionate about or good at. This could be why so many high school students drop out, because they are forced to take specific classes which are too hard or classes which bore them, which is why we definitely need a revolution in education: SOON!

One of the main ways we can help revolutionize education (as suggested by Robinson) is with technology. He says that we can utilize virtual communities to connect students together and get them interested/involved in education again.

My mom is a site coordinator for after school programs and I volunteered a few times at her work last year. I was able to witness a great example of online learning. Kids sitting in a single room were able to learn from a worker at a museum in another part of the world (I think it may have been Canada) all about  dinosaur bones. The children were fascinated and engaged by this type of learning. They eagerly raised their hands and were jumping out of their seats in order to participate and interact with the lecturer. Seeing a screen and being on camera, I think that the kids were much more excited and interested in learning. This was a really cool experience to witness and I am wondering if online communities really could be the future of education?

"My Second Life Has a Second Life!"

The first time I heard about Second Life was on the TV show called The Office. Whenever I hear about Second Life, I think of the episode where the character Dwight talks about the Second Life avatar he created! I, myself, have never gotten to experience the world of Second Life, but I can only imagine that the experience of it would be quite similar to playing an interactive online video game. I used to have XBOX Live set-up at my house years ago, and I can remember having this cool headset on, and I was able to talk to other people who lived across the United States, and I think even in other parts of the world! But it was so long ago that it is hard for me to recall the exact details unfortunately...

Anyways, the video we watched in class last Wednesday about Second Life was extremely fascinating to me. I can understand and see the creative aspect behind the concept of Second Life, especially after hearing the creator Philip Rosedale speak about his inspirations for it. I can see where he is coming from as a designer. From an artistic perspective, I think that Second Life can promote an immense amount of creativity and enable people to dream of and create new and exciting things (even if they aren't technically real). There are no limits... because cyberspace virtually has no limits! I think that on paper Second Life is an ingenious concept. Along with being able to connect with others around the world, it also presents entrepreneurial opportunities for people who are interested in making some money.

Even though Second Life appears to have some really great capabilities, I think that there can be negative aspects as well. Similar to the problems I have with the concept of Facebook, I am not sure about how the issues of privacy and cyber-bullying are dealt with on that site. Also, I do think that if people become too heavily reliant on sitting at the computer logged into their Second Life in order to communicate with others, they really might be losing out on real-life human interaction that I think is really important to have. When you are on Second Life, you are living through a character in a virtual fantasy world that doesn't really exist... it's not technically your life, but more of a "fake" life. I think that it does (like everything else in life) have the potential to become an unhealthy addiction. Some may spend hours and hours in their basement playing the game every day, which may seem a bit excessive and obsessive, but I do think it probably wouldn't be too bad of a thing to engage in a few hours a week to relieve stress, and just have some fun! But remember.. when your Second Life avatar has created its own Second Life... that may be when you know you should put the mouse down and step away from the computer, because two lives is already enough! 

Facebook Roulette......Facebook Revolution!

Reflecting on our in-class discussion from Wednesday, I think that everyone brought up great, valid points about Facebook! I can see/understand the “casino analogy” in regards to the social networking site. Facebook can be similar to a casino because both can be exciting, yet "risky" places, and both do involve a hunger for money. Facebook sells users’ information to advertisers who tailor their ads to users’ individual “needs.” Which makes me wonder... is anything ever really private on Facebook...? 


Also, Facebook can be a gamble at times: when you post something, how are you to know how others will react to what you said, or did, until you post it? Some people may enjoy whatever it is that you posted, while it is possible for others to be offended and have a newly-formed negative perception of you. Taking this into consideration, one might want to be careful about what he or she posts on Facebook. Also, I can only imagine the possible damage that revealing photos can do to future job prospects... I do believe that the image you create of yourself on your Facebook page can have a profound effect on how other people perceive you in real life.

Before I had heard of the “casino analogy,” I had thought of Facebook to be like those celebrity gossip-column-type magazines you find in the check-out stands of supermarkets. Similar to how the paparazzi (and the rest of the celebrity-fandom-world) follows who Britney Spears and Justin Bieber are dating, Facebook makes it more-than-easy to follow (or “stalk”) other people’s personal lives. When people end relationships and change their “relationship statuses” on Facebook, there are even announcements to all friends via “News Feed” that the people are now single (not to mention an icon of a "broken heart" is pictured by this announcement)! I can suspect that some would probably find it at least slightly embarrassing for 500, or even 1,000, other people to know that they were dumped by their significant other, on Facebook!!

Over the past week, my idea of Facebook has changed: from being like a celebrity gossip column, or a casino, or merely a “fad,” I have now realized that Facebook is more than just any of those things: it is one of the most powerful forces of communication in today’s world (and it's probably here to stay, for a while at least!). 


In fact, Facebook not only has the ability to bring people together, but most importantly, it has the ability to completely change the course of history, and political activists in Egypt have proved this.

I was astounded to learn that thousands of people were able to organize meetings and band together to protest in the streets of Egypt, simply through the creation of organized online “groups” and “events” on Facebook. Who knew that one website could be so effective in connecting people and facilitating political change? Mubarak had been Egypt's president for three decades, but stepped down from his position of power after weeks of serious protests. It is possible that this would have not happened if it weren't for the use of Facebook.

Like power, and many things in life, I think that Facebook can be used for good, OR bad: it is up to the individual to decide what he or she wants to use it for!