From Arianna Huffington of the Huffington Post: “Were it not for the Internet, Barack Obama would not be president. Were it not for the Internet, Barack Obama would not have been the nominee."
The link to the story was in one of our articles this week.
I'm not sure how I feel about this statement. Don't get me wrong; I have a great deal of respect for Arianna Huffington, and I enjoy reading the Huffington Post periodically for the liberal spin on news, much the same as a conservative might enjoy watching Fox News. The issue I have with Huffington's statement is that I refuse to believe that the general populous of this country could be so ignorant that we would have elected another Republican head of state after 8 years of pure global embarrassment.
I recognize the fact that Obama's campaign would not have been nearly as successful as it was were it not for the huge online presence it forged, and the financial support received through Obama's website was certainly impressive. But are YouTube videos and Twitter accounts the reason we have a competent person as President of the United States?
John McCain's campaign was clearly the more traditional type of political campaign--but I would argue that the traditionally run campaign was not the reason McCain lost to Obama; it was because voters were ready for a change from a TRADITIONAL politician. A millennial-friendly campaign might have helped McCain, but unless he changed himself (and rewrote history), there was no way he was going to win this particular election.
My "Aha" this week comes from the realization that the Internet has a profound effect on politics in America, coupled with the fact that Campaign Finance will be very different in 2012. In January of this year, the Supreme Court blocked the ban on spending limits for Corporations who want to contribute to political campaigns. What does this mean? Basically, since (USUALLY, not ALWAYS) corporations are generally supporters of Republicans, the Republicans can expect a gigantic influx of advertising (sponsored by Big Oil, US car companies, insurance companies, etc) in 2012. These advertisements will be all over the media--the TV, the web, streaming services, billboards--you name it. Perhaps it will have to be the Democrats who, just four years after making waves online, will have to adapt to the financial behemoth of the Republican 2012 campaign.
As an afterthought, though, I will say this: If the media pundits are correct, and 2012 really is an Obama vs. Palin situation, God help us if America has already forgotten what happened from 2000-2008.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Family Guy
It's no secret that I'm a liberal, but I just can't help but share this brilliant episode of Family Guy with everyone. It's all about Rush Limbaugh, Right Wing Republican Radio Nazi...I mean, Talk Show Host. Talk about the impressions that media (TV, in this case) can have on viewers!
Aha
The more I learning about new technology the more I realize what little I know. A simple thing like posting a video to the web can be a hair pulling experience if you don't know how to do it. One simple step that is skipped can mean all my hardwork goes into an internet blackhole, filled with internet socks and other misplaced items.
I feel like I need to spend a little time each day just searching and trying out new technologies, just to stay up to speed with what is going on. The only reason I have a Twitter account is because I had to have one for a class, although now I have one for the 4-H program I work with. I spend time at work on social media sites because I am updating them for work. I have individuals who have held out on getting a Facebook account or a Twitter account but sign up in order to stay up to date with what is going on in an organization in which they are involved.
Who knows what the next technology will be. A cellphone is now something we expect everyone to have. We also expect it to send and receive text messages, as the bare minimum. The idea of what else it can do today will pale in comparison to what it will be able to do this time next year. Who could have imagined a car-phone would come so far and so fast.
My only fear is what might happen if one day all technology seized to work (for one reason or another.) Would we be able to survive? Would I be able to survive? I hope the answer is yes, but I am sure there will be a lot of panic first.
I feel like I need to spend a little time each day just searching and trying out new technologies, just to stay up to speed with what is going on. The only reason I have a Twitter account is because I had to have one for a class, although now I have one for the 4-H program I work with. I spend time at work on social media sites because I am updating them for work. I have individuals who have held out on getting a Facebook account or a Twitter account but sign up in order to stay up to date with what is going on in an organization in which they are involved.
Who knows what the next technology will be. A cellphone is now something we expect everyone to have. We also expect it to send and receive text messages, as the bare minimum. The idea of what else it can do today will pale in comparison to what it will be able to do this time next year. Who could have imagined a car-phone would come so far and so fast.
My only fear is what might happen if one day all technology seized to work (for one reason or another.) Would we be able to survive? Would I be able to survive? I hope the answer is yes, but I am sure there will be a lot of panic first.
The Impact of Technology on Youth Voting
Most of my friends have a Facebook account and a few even have Twitter. While we keep up to date with each other via texts and IM, Facebook tends to be the key to knowing what is going on in our world. If someone has free time or is looking for something to do, they post it on Facebook. They might send a text, but with the new smartphones, Facebook is still their best option. More people can be reached.
It is this idea which politicians are starting to base their campaigns. The recent election found iPhone users able to download election applications to keep them up to date on the latest results for the areas in which they are most interested in. They could also download an app to find out where they need to vote (and I am sure they probably have an app to give them directions to the location too.)
While the youth still don't get out in record numbers to vote (and statistically have never seen numbers compared to their older counterparts) politicians are starting to find ways in which to engage them in government. With issues in the economy, the youth are feeling the repercussions of some of the latest legislation. Health care, bail outs, taxes, and unemployment are all issues which directly effect our young adults. We need to keep engaging them through their choice of media, not ours. As everyone reminds us, the youth are the leaders of tomorrow. If we don't stay in touch with what they are doing and the latest technology in which they are using, they will soon leave us behind.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
There's an App for that, too???
Last week, I spoke with a colleague of mine who has lost about 30 pounds during the past year. We share this accomplishment in common, so we were swapping weight-loss and healthy lifestyle strategies when she informed me that she keeps track of her food intake and exercise outputs on her phone.
Seriously.
She whipped out her fancy iPhone (Am I jealous? Maybe, but that's beside the point.) and showed me the app she uses to track everything. The app calculated nutrient deficiencies, provided average calorie counts, followed work out routines, suggested weight increases for strength training... I think it even scolded you if you made a poor choice at a restaurant. OK, maybe not that last one, but honestly... Do we really need all those features?
I told my colleague that I lost my weight and improved the healthiness in my life by just making sure I didn't eat things that I knew were clearly bad for me and by exercising a few times per week. Does it need to be any more complicated?
Check out the data on people using health related websites/apps. I was shocked it was even this high.
http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Mobile-Health-2010.aspx
Seriously.
She whipped out her fancy iPhone (Am I jealous? Maybe, but that's beside the point.) and showed me the app she uses to track everything. The app calculated nutrient deficiencies, provided average calorie counts, followed work out routines, suggested weight increases for strength training... I think it even scolded you if you made a poor choice at a restaurant. OK, maybe not that last one, but honestly... Do we really need all those features?
I told my colleague that I lost my weight and improved the healthiness in my life by just making sure I didn't eat things that I knew were clearly bad for me and by exercising a few times per week. Does it need to be any more complicated?
Check out the data on people using health related websites/apps. I was shocked it was even this high.
http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Mobile-Health-2010.aspx
Gender Differences in Cellphone Use
Who would imagine men and women utilizing the same technology in different ways? Men and women tend to look at most things in life a little differently. Studies have shown that cellphone use is no different. Many studies show men tend to be more technologically savvy and more apt to experiment with the latest technology. A study done at the University of Alabama at Birmingham shows this difference starts at an early age. Middle school age youth were surveyed about their cellphone use. The results: boys tend to play more games, send emails, and use other apps. Girls tend to utilize their phone more as a phone book and calendar. Both genders call and text about the same, it is just the bells and whistles are used more by boys, than by girls.
Sociologist Shelia Cotten, Ph.D. conduct the study. "It has a lot to do with gender socialization," says Cotten. "Boys are often taught to explore and be more creative with technology and not to be afraid to take things apart. So it leads to more advanced cell phone uses among boys. Boys tend to see and use the cell phone as a gadget."
Sociologist Shelia Cotten, Ph.D. conduct the study. "It has a lot to do with gender socialization," says Cotten. "Boys are often taught to explore and be more creative with technology and not to be afraid to take things apart. So it leads to more advanced cell phone uses among boys. Boys tend to see and use the cell phone as a gadget."
Aha
Doing research this week I found a report discussing who utilizes apps on cellphones. The first question needing to be answered was, "What exactly is considered an app?"
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-cell-phone-app.htm
There isn't a clear cut definition, it all depends on who you are talking to. Since I picked this report to do a survey on, I needed to know what it was asking so I could answer questions from my applicants. Most of them were not sure themselves what an app was and whether they had it on their phone. If they did have it on their phone it was because the phone came with the app. I have discovered that apps can be addictive, like finding the next cool thing or the best way to entertain your friends. The best apps tend to be ones that are free (because who wants to spend money.) Some people will spend money on apps, but it tends to be as a result of a true need and not just a whim.
Even car makers are getting into the business of apps. OnStar and General Motors will be offering an app in 2011.
As technology grows our cellphone is no longer utilized mostly for making phone calls but as a hand-held computer, ask students at Harvard.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-cell-phone-app.htm
There isn't a clear cut definition, it all depends on who you are talking to. Since I picked this report to do a survey on, I needed to know what it was asking so I could answer questions from my applicants. Most of them were not sure themselves what an app was and whether they had it on their phone. If they did have it on their phone it was because the phone came with the app. I have discovered that apps can be addictive, like finding the next cool thing or the best way to entertain your friends. The best apps tend to be ones that are free (because who wants to spend money.) Some people will spend money on apps, but it tends to be as a result of a true need and not just a whim.
Even car makers are getting into the business of apps. OnStar and General Motors will be offering an app in 2011.
As technology grows our cellphone is no longer utilized mostly for making phone calls but as a hand-held computer, ask students at Harvard.
Gina's Aha
I really enjoyed reading the reports this week on the Pew Internet site. I had no idea that so many studies were going on related to these topics. I wish I had time to be involved with some of that. I think it is very interesting. It got me thinking about the way people use social networking sites and the way I use it. I only use Facebook. I look at it a couple of times a day but usually only post something once a week or so. I figured something out today as I was walking into Best Buy. The man in front of me had an orange jump suit on that had county jail on the back. I thought about turning around and not going in but I chose to continue my quest. My wireless router went bad and I couldn't stand another day of having to be plugged in rather than sitting on the couch with my laptop. Anyway, I got my router and got to my car and posted on Facebook from my phone about this guy. I was by myself and felt like I needed to tell someone how strange this was. I realized I'm using Facebook as some sort of virtual friend not knowing who will read the post or respond. I had two responses by the time I got home. It really has changed the way I communicate and with how many people. I think some people can get carried away but so far I'm just using it to say something funny when no one else is around to laugh with me.
Cloud Computing
One of the reports I reviewed this week was called "The Future of Cloud Computing". Cloud computing is a term used to describe data that is being stored basically on the internet. Google Docs is an example of this. I have recently switched from a PC to a Mac and I'm amazed at how the Mac system works. I purchased a desktop Mac about a year ago to gradually learn how to use it and to help determine whether I wanted to switch with my laptop which is what I primarily use for work. Part of my process in the last year is to move my documents, photos, calendar and email online either to Google or Shutterfly. Last week I purchased a Mac laptop and have officially stopped using my PC. I turned on the laptop, typed in my google name and password and my calendar and all of my emails including folders were there. That is simply amazing to me. My cell phone is also synced with Google so now regardless of where I enter an appointment or a contact or send an email they are all three synced together. We've come a long way from the Franklin Planner!
Security is my biggest concern with the switch to cloud computing by companies. I use Quickbooks online for my businesses which means that all of my financial information, payroll and tax information is all online. If something were to go wrong with Quickbooks site or that information was accessed by someone else it could be a major problem. For now, I'm relying on these major companies to keep the right security measures in place.
Security is my biggest concern with the switch to cloud computing by companies. I use Quickbooks online for my businesses which means that all of my financial information, payroll and tax information is all online. If something were to go wrong with Quickbooks site or that information was accessed by someone else it could be a major problem. For now, I'm relying on these major companies to keep the right security measures in place.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
What "THEY" Know About You...
And for those who were skeptical about what data the big guys are collecting about us, I present this story from the Wall Street Journal. Enjoy.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703999304575399041849931612.html
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703999304575399041849931612.html
"Privacy?"
There is no such thing as privacy when it comes to the Internet, or any other digital world, for that matter. Even this blog can be monitored by someone across the globe, and the fact that I'm publishing this post online means that it's being hosted by a server somewhere else. Our banks want us to use online statements (since online banking is oh-so-secure), and even though I do this to save paper, I don't kid myself about the security risks inherent in even the most "secure" websites. I think I've had new credit cards issued to me 5 times in the past 4 years. If I didn't use them so much, I suppose there would be no risk, but there would be no airline tickets or gift cards or cash back, either, so I guess I'm OK with that.
My "Aha" this week comes from the fact that absolutely nothing I do online is as simple as it looks. Yahoo personalizes the ads based on my email content and my website visits. Google collects information from my 20+ searches per day. Who knows what sticky fingers the government has in our web activities. My school district records everything website I visit, and technically, if something appeared suspect, they have the right to subpoena my passwords to any websites I access (including online banking sites, personal email, and those pesky credit card statements--which could reveal a lot about my personal spending habits). And yet, I still play on Amazon during my plan period (if I'm caught up on all my work, obviously), search for fun deals online after school, and read restaurant/travel reviews when my kids are testing.
Big Brother is watching. We've been warned.
My "Aha" this week comes from the fact that absolutely nothing I do online is as simple as it looks. Yahoo personalizes the ads based on my email content and my website visits. Google collects information from my 20+ searches per day. Who knows what sticky fingers the government has in our web activities. My school district records everything website I visit, and technically, if something appeared suspect, they have the right to subpoena my passwords to any websites I access (including online banking sites, personal email, and those pesky credit card statements--which could reveal a lot about my personal spending habits). And yet, I still play on Amazon during my plan period (if I'm caught up on all my work, obviously), search for fun deals online after school, and read restaurant/travel reviews when my kids are testing.
Big Brother is watching. We've been warned.
Aha
This week has made me glad I don't have children right now. I was bullyed growing up, especially since my family moved often and I was frequently the "new kid." Add the fact I am now 6'0" tall and have always been taller than most girls in my class (and at times the boys too) I was a prime candidate for teasing. I don't think I ever told my parents (my siblings, maybe) I just dealt with it and tried to ignore the person doing the bullying. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it just egged them on more. It wasn't until I was in high school and having a bad day that I finally had enough and chewed out one of the guys who was picking on me. From that point on he never did it again and many others stopped also. I guess they no longer saw me as a target.
The idea that this could have been a covert affair through text and e-mail messages is one that can be frightening. Especially with girls who tend to be sneakier about how they pick on someone and more vicious about what they say.
I just hope if I encounter bullying in relationship to the youth I work with that I will be able to recognize it as bullying and have the tools available to help the youth out before it escalates.
The idea that this could have been a covert affair through text and e-mail messages is one that can be frightening. Especially with girls who tend to be sneakier about how they pick on someone and more vicious about what they say.
I just hope if I encounter bullying in relationship to the youth I work with that I will be able to recognize it as bullying and have the tools available to help the youth out before it escalates.
Cyber-Bullying
Cyber-bullying has become a topic of conversation after some very tragic incidents. With the ever increasing relevance and use of technology, parents have to work even harder to ensure their children are safe from predators, this includes bullies which they might see every day in school.
PBS has developed some very useful websites, for both the education of youth who are using technology and can be the bully or the one being bullied.
http://pbskids.org/webonauts/ -fun game teaching youth about technology etiquette and usage. "An internet academy."
http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/ - interactive website with helpful answers to questions many youth have about their life. Games like Beat the Bully where youth can learn about bullying and be the crusader for good.
http://www.pbs.org/parents/ - A great site for parents with resources on questions from child development to cyber-bullying
While parents can not follow behind their children every minute of the day, they can take steps to help ensure their children are safe mentally, physically, and emotionally. There are plenty of resources available for parents and even some fun interactive one for youth, we just need to take the time to find them. Education is something which should never end, so showing our youth we care by educating ourselves on cyber-bulling and the current technologies being utilized while participating in these activities are important steps we can take.
PBS has developed some very useful websites, for both the education of youth who are using technology and can be the bully or the one being bullied.
http://pbskids.org/webonauts/ -fun game teaching youth about technology etiquette and usage. "An internet academy."
http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/ - interactive website with helpful answers to questions many youth have about their life. Games like Beat the Bully where youth can learn about bullying and be the crusader for good.
http://www.pbs.org/parents/ - A great site for parents with resources on questions from child development to cyber-bullying
While parents can not follow behind their children every minute of the day, they can take steps to help ensure their children are safe mentally, physically, and emotionally. There are plenty of resources available for parents and even some fun interactive one for youth, we just need to take the time to find them. Education is something which should never end, so showing our youth we care by educating ourselves on cyber-bulling and the current technologies being utilized while participating in these activities are important steps we can take.
Gina's Aha
My aha for this week is that I need to be even more concerned about my kids. I'm already a fairly cautious parent and don't let my kids watch or do a lot of things that my friends children do. This week I installed parental controls on the family computer. This is something I have been meaning to do but hadn't taken the time to do. My 8 and 4 year old now have their own login and password for the computer. It only allows them access to the websites and programs that I have added. My son wanted to play a game that he had played before and was fairly annoyed that it wasn't on there. I signed on, went and looked at the game, decided he could play it and added it to his approved site. After this process, it made me feel so much better that we went through that experience together and he understands the process.
I think kids appreciate boundaries. I know my 19 year old daughter did when she was a teenager. Even when she was annoyed with me she always respected my boundaries. She has even said that she appreciated me saying no because she didn't really want to go and it made it easier for her to say her mom wouldn't let her rather than she didn't want to. I treated her teenage years more as a partnership and it worked great. I sure hope it works that well two more times but I might be pushing my luck.
I think kids appreciate boundaries. I know my 19 year old daughter did when she was a teenager. Even when she was annoyed with me she always respected my boundaries. She has even said that she appreciated me saying no because she didn't really want to go and it made it easier for her to say her mom wouldn't let her rather than she didn't want to. I treated her teenage years more as a partnership and it worked great. I sure hope it works that well two more times but I might be pushing my luck.
Schools Warned: Better Battle Bullying
I looked at several videos regarding bullying in general and found the statistics on this one pretty amazing. One said that 50% of kids said they had bullied someone else. I'm trying to figure out what has caused this massive increase in bullying behavior. The internet is certainly a culprit for bullying behavior but the internet is not responsible for the behavior inside the school and the lack of values and respect that these kids seem to have. I think the biggest cause for bullying behavior is a lack of respect for self and others. I don't understand what is causing this. I have two retail stores and employ mainly college-age students as retail clerks. The way they behave is entirely different from the same age group ten years ago. Ten years ago there was a general respect for authority and the job. Today, they have a "what can you do for me?" attitude. It's like I should feel lucky as their employer to have them.
My son has a classmate that has been a problem every since we've known him. At the age of four we were at a birthday party and I had to go get his mother to get him because he was holding a girl down yelling "bitch, bitch, bitch" while he was pointing his finger at her. His mother didn't speak to me for weeks and never did acknowledge that is what he was saying even though there were fifteen adults standing around. This same kid, now almost five years later, was sent to the principals office last week for cussing and causing problems on the playground. My reaction to bullying is to get the school systems to do more and be more proactive but in a situation like this boy, it is very much a parenting issue. His parents are bullies. They are competitive, selfish and will walk over anyone to get something their way. How does the education system teach this kid any different? It's a very sad situation. We request every year not to be in his class and the school respects that but I wish something else could be done.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
The Bubble Dome
When I was in high school we called our school "The Pine View Bubble Dome." Pine View is a school for gifted students in Florida. It is a public magnet school that requires specialized IQ testing before a student can enroll. We referred to Pine View in this manner, because the school was composed of a 95% WASP population. There was rarely a fight or any type of violent drama, which was not the case at the other nearby schools. Events at my school took place within the confines of the campus, which really made it feel like we were all in our own community--a small world isolated from the rest of the "real world."
This week, I watched Zuckerman (Yes, I know; ANOTHER post about Zuckerman!?) on his TED video, and I couldn't help but be reminded of the Pine View Bubble Dome when he spoke about xenophiles. Is America xenophobic? Is that why our news/media is so focused on US-based national stories rather than globally-based international ones? Does this further explain our fears about immigration? Our adversity to foreign films? Our reluctance to experience ethnic foods? Our lack of acceptance for non-conforming religions?
Perhaps we ought to remember where our country came from. America is a melting pot of races, religions, cultures, and traditions from all over the world. That is what makes us so great, right? Are we afraid that exposing ourselves to global influence might change that? Does that even make sense?
My "Aha" this week, thanks to Zuckerman, comes from the realization that we are living in our own US Bubble Dome. (To a certain degree, we even live in our own Kansas City Bubble Dome. Just look at this Breaking News top stories from one of our local news station's website: http://www.kmbc.com/news/25665092/detail.html) International news is incredibly important, yet it rarely sees the front page of the newspaper in any city in America. And try to see what's happening in other countries during the 6:00 news...yeah, right. Heck, even CNN--perhaps the most globally-conscientious news network--dedicated less than 3 minutes out of the 60 minutes of news I watched today to what was happening in other countries. That's nuts. We really are living in a bubble dome.
This week, I watched Zuckerman (Yes, I know; ANOTHER post about Zuckerman!?) on his TED video, and I couldn't help but be reminded of the Pine View Bubble Dome when he spoke about xenophiles. Is America xenophobic? Is that why our news/media is so focused on US-based national stories rather than globally-based international ones? Does this further explain our fears about immigration? Our adversity to foreign films? Our reluctance to experience ethnic foods? Our lack of acceptance for non-conforming religions?
Perhaps we ought to remember where our country came from. America is a melting pot of races, religions, cultures, and traditions from all over the world. That is what makes us so great, right? Are we afraid that exposing ourselves to global influence might change that? Does that even make sense?
My "Aha" this week, thanks to Zuckerman, comes from the realization that we are living in our own US Bubble Dome. (To a certain degree, we even live in our own Kansas City Bubble Dome. Just look at this Breaking News top stories from one of our local news station's website: http://www.kmbc.com/news/25665092/detail.html) International news is incredibly important, yet it rarely sees the front page of the newspaper in any city in America. And try to see what's happening in other countries during the 6:00 news...yeah, right. Heck, even CNN--perhaps the most globally-conscientious news network--dedicated less than 3 minutes out of the 60 minutes of news I watched today to what was happening in other countries. That's nuts. We really are living in a bubble dome.
Xenophile
Our world is becoming flat in a way. An earthquake happens in China and the BBC finds out about it via Twitter. With the increase in technology one would think there would be more xenophiles in our mist. For those who don't know what a xenophile is I will you refer to http://www.thefreedictionary.com/xenophile
xen
A person attracted to that which is foreign, especially to foreign peoples, manners, or cultures.
We have the world at our finger tips, yet most of the news we view is local or at most national. There are wars and tragedies occurring all over the globe which can and probably will have an impact on our lives in some way, yet we don't hear about them or seem to care to hear about them.
Here is a talk by Ethan Zuckerman, "a senior researcher at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University. His research focuses on the distribution of attention in mainstream and new media, the use of technology for international development, and the use of new media technologies by activists. He and his team recently launched Media Cloud, an open-source platform for studying online media that enables quantitative analysis of media attention." (http://www.ted.com/speakers/ethan_zuckerman.html)
Ethan Zuckerman: Listening to global voices | Video on TED.com
How much do you engage in educating yourself on what is going on outside of your own world? Try to find out something new about a different part of the world every day or once a week. Reach out to another flock and expand your flock of knowledge.
Aha
This week we had to watch presentations about individuals who are deemed expertse in their fields. One of the presenatations I was assigned was from Mena Trott. In comparison to some of the others her presentation wasn't as flashy. She admits she writes, she doesn't produce flashy technology or isn't an experte on any thing but herself. While this may be true it would have been nice to know why she was deemed worthy of talking at this conference, about her and her company. After doing a Google search on her, the list of accolades is long and the company in which she founded with her husband is called Six Apart.
http://www.sixapart.com/about/
I also came to the realization that I was in the minority voice in my group. Most though blogs were useless and trivial, having no real meaning. I know most of the blogs I have run across are one person talking about their family or their hobby so do not interest the masses. To me it seems like a tool to use to help my family to keep in touch with me since I live in a different state and have siblings deployed in Iraq. They can spend time catching up on a blog or posting on themselves, especially my brother who has two young sons. Like Mena stated, it is a record. We take lots of pictures due to the ability of digital technology but most of the pictures are never seen once they are taken. Some find their way to social media sites like Facebook, but most are not printed any more, so can be lost.
Blogging may not be for everyone, but I can see how it could be useful for some. Much like YouTube, but you have more time to think and aren't judged by how you talk or look, just by what you write. Similar concept, just a different venue.
Six Apart has been at the heart of the blogging and social media revolution since 2001, powering many of the world's most influential websites and communities with its world renowned blogging services TypePad and Movable Type. Today, Six Apart helps smart marketers activate their brand advocates across the web through unique conversational marketing products that reach and engage bloggers and their huge audiences of readers.
I also came to the realization that I was in the minority voice in my group. Most though blogs were useless and trivial, having no real meaning. I know most of the blogs I have run across are one person talking about their family or their hobby so do not interest the masses. To me it seems like a tool to use to help my family to keep in touch with me since I live in a different state and have siblings deployed in Iraq. They can spend time catching up on a blog or posting on themselves, especially my brother who has two young sons. Like Mena stated, it is a record. We take lots of pictures due to the ability of digital technology but most of the pictures are never seen once they are taken. Some find their way to social media sites like Facebook, but most are not printed any more, so can be lost.
Blogging may not be for everyone, but I can see how it could be useful for some. Much like YouTube, but you have more time to think and aren't judged by how you talk or look, just by what you write. Similar concept, just a different venue.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Weekly aha - Gina Nellis
I continue to be fascinated by the digital world. Until this class I felt like I was pretty technologically savvy but I have now realized that I have only scratched the surface. I learned about Four-Square this week which is a company that Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter, invested. In looking at the site I found my own store on there and people had marked it as one of their places. It is amazing to me that I didn't know that. I created a Facebook page for my stores last year that I update regularly and I also customize my Google listings. It looks like now I need to "claim" my business on Four-Square and start Twittering about what's going on in the store. Actually, I'm not sure about Twitter but I'm overwhelmed by the information. As a business owner, I don't understand how one is supposed to keep up with this rapidly changing environment. Part of me thinks it is not necessary but then if I don't stay on top of it my competitors will.
The main point I took from this week is from the video by Alexis Ohanian. He said the internet provides "a level playing field" and I totally agree with that. It allows a small company being run out of someone's house to compete with a large organization. It no longer matters whether you have a beautiful building or a good customer lobby because the majority of your customers may not ever see it!
The main point I took from this week is from the video by Alexis Ohanian. He said the internet provides "a level playing field" and I totally agree with that. It allows a small company being run out of someone's house to compete with a large organization. It no longer matters whether you have a beautiful building or a good customer lobby because the majority of your customers may not ever see it!
TED
I am now addicted to the website TED and wonder why I have not heard of it before this week. I typed "internet" in the search field on the website and found several good videos relating to the topics of the week. Here is the link to one giving a poetical speech about the internet:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/rives_controls_the_internet.html
After this, I did a little more research on the website itself. TED was originally created as a conference to bring together ideas relating to technology, entertainment and design. It has evolved to much more. The website describes one of the conferences. I normally would not provide a quote this lengthy but it is beautifully written and makes me think of all of the things "that shouldn't work" but that do.
The website states "over four days, 50 speakers each take an 18-minute slot, and there are many shorter presentations, including music, performance and comedy. There are no breakout groups. Everyone shares the same experience. It shouldn't work, but it does. It works because all of knowledge is connected. Every so often it makes sense to emerge from the trenches we dig for a living, and ascend to a 30,000-foot view, where we see, to our astonishment, an intricately interconnected whole" (http://www.ted.com/).
The website also has a tab that has the questions whether it is "elitist" which I found intriguing. Why would a company website have that? What I found is that a person has to apply to attend the conference and once accepted the fee to attend is in excess of $5200. The audience in these talks we are seeing are all the top performers in their fields. I guess we should consider ourselves lucky that they are humble enough to post their videos online for the general public to view.
It really is a fascinating website if you are interested in short speeches that share very good information. I love learning about different topics especially relating to human or organizational behavior so I think this is a great resource.
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/rives_controls_the_internet.html
After this, I did a little more research on the website itself. TED was originally created as a conference to bring together ideas relating to technology, entertainment and design. It has evolved to much more. The website describes one of the conferences. I normally would not provide a quote this lengthy but it is beautifully written and makes me think of all of the things "that shouldn't work" but that do.
The website states "over four days, 50 speakers each take an 18-minute slot, and there are many shorter presentations, including music, performance and comedy. There are no breakout groups. Everyone shares the same experience. It shouldn't work, but it does. It works because all of knowledge is connected. Every so often it makes sense to emerge from the trenches we dig for a living, and ascend to a 30,000-foot view, where we see, to our astonishment, an intricately interconnected whole" (http://www.ted.com/).
The website also has a tab that has the questions whether it is "elitist" which I found intriguing. Why would a company website have that? What I found is that a person has to apply to attend the conference and once accepted the fee to attend is in excess of $5200. The audience in these talks we are seeing are all the top performers in their fields. I guess we should consider ourselves lucky that they are humble enough to post their videos online for the general public to view.
It really is a fascinating website if you are interested in short speeches that share very good information. I love learning about different topics especially relating to human or organizational behavior so I think this is a great resource.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
You've got to be F-ing Kidding Me
Forgive me, but this is a rant from a music teacher who is angrily watching the news wondering if I'm going to have a job (AGAIN!) next year...
Are we really this short-sighted in America? How is it possible that, just 2 years after electing Barack Obama by what in political terms is practically considered a landslide, we are handing the House back to the same crazy people who dug us such a deep hole that we're still trying to dig ourselves out?
You've got to be F-ing kidding me.
The GDP is finally growing, we've passed a barely eeked-out healthcare bill (that is not even as progressive as what Jimmy Carter proposed in 1977), and it looks like we might finally get out of the middle-east (effectively, anyway, since for some reason we still occupy Germany--didn't that end over 65 years ago?), but rather than rewarding the people who are moving our country forward, we are giving the keys back to the idiots who only know how to drive in reverse--in a military-issue gas-guzzling Hummer, wielding machine guns and throwing gigantic bags of cash, but only to the people who are already wealthy enough that they don't give a flying crap.
I love this country, but I cannot believe there are so many uneducated people who live in it. Is it because the lower and middle class people truly believe in the American dream--that they will one day become independently wealthy millionaires living in mansions more spacious than the White House itself? Why on Earth else would "normal" people be convinced that the Bush-era tax cuts would be beneficial to them? Or are they really just that concerned that all the CEOs and fat cats might have to sell their second private jets or perhaps pay 39% of their income rather than 36%?
Un-freakin'-believable. Two steps forward in 2008, and 40-some giant leaps backward in 2010.
Are we really this short-sighted in America? How is it possible that, just 2 years after electing Barack Obama by what in political terms is practically considered a landslide, we are handing the House back to the same crazy people who dug us such a deep hole that we're still trying to dig ourselves out?
You've got to be F-ing kidding me.
The GDP is finally growing, we've passed a barely eeked-out healthcare bill (that is not even as progressive as what Jimmy Carter proposed in 1977), and it looks like we might finally get out of the middle-east (effectively, anyway, since for some reason we still occupy Germany--didn't that end over 65 years ago?), but rather than rewarding the people who are moving our country forward, we are giving the keys back to the idiots who only know how to drive in reverse--in a military-issue gas-guzzling Hummer, wielding machine guns and throwing gigantic bags of cash, but only to the people who are already wealthy enough that they don't give a flying crap.
I love this country, but I cannot believe there are so many uneducated people who live in it. Is it because the lower and middle class people truly believe in the American dream--that they will one day become independently wealthy millionaires living in mansions more spacious than the White House itself? Why on Earth else would "normal" people be convinced that the Bush-era tax cuts would be beneficial to them? Or are they really just that concerned that all the CEOs and fat cats might have to sell their second private jets or perhaps pay 39% of their income rather than 36%?
Un-freakin'-believable. Two steps forward in 2008, and 40-some giant leaps backward in 2010.
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