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Posted on June 5th, 2008 by leibaluv.
Categories: Uncategorized.
I just renently watched the Movie Glory featuring Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman and Matthew Broderick.
During one scene Denzel’s character tells his fellow soldiers about himself he makes a joke that probably still would have been hilarious as little as five years ago. I know I would have laughed.
Maybe someday soon this joke will make absolutely no sense to future generations watching Glory and it will require an explanation similar to the “Plastics” comment in The Graduate.
ICM 501 Overview
Posted on May 6th, 2008 by leibaluv.
Categories: Uncategorized.
After attempting to complete a program in Health Policy this past fall, I am so happy to get back to my original goals. unlike the Health Policy courses I took, I did not feel like I was being tortured as I read the materials for this course.
Each module was well planned and although some of the readings were not exactly exciting material, it tied in very well to the lectures creating an efficient learning process for me.
I loved being able to listen to the lectures at my own pace. Also, I was able to repeat them as needed which was a huge help. Blackboard was very easy to use and helped me to keep up-to date with my assignments.
Blogging had to be my favorite part of the course despite the fact that technical difficulties can make Web based learning a little bit of a challenge. Reading other blogs were especially fun and I think the lack of limitations on content really unleashed my curiosity.
I learned so much form this class but I learned equally as much from writing my blog.
I would love to take classes online in the future and I have done so with Penn State but this course was a lot more interactive. This time around I really felt like I was a part of a class and not just part of a group of poor souls that are in it to fulfill a requirement.
I look forward to meeting everyone face to face in the future in order to get a chance to connect the dots.
I swear I am gonna hear that weird intro music followed by Dr. Halavias’ voice in my dreams…This is lecture number 876 muhaha!!!! (evil laughter)
It’s been a pleasure
(DIS)Connected
Posted on May 6th, 2008 by leibaluv.
Categories: Uncategorized.
All Talked Out
A recent Hallsmark post talks about the idea being connected to others via text messages. This reminds me of a high school friend that I have not spoken to in years who I recently contact through a friend on MySpace. I gave her my phone number and she decided to text me. At first it was OK but then my thumbs were tired so I text “Just call me” and she said “Oh OK I always text I will call you when I can.”
This is a perfect example of how relationship are being held together by a thread (Facebook, MySpace, Texting, AIM and the like).
My Theory: We are so accessible that we don’t want to be bothered.
The following video maybe offensive to some, (Mention of the N-word several times)the message is interesting: Viewer Discretion is Advised!…I always wanted to say that that.
The Boondocks
Electronic Parenting
Posted on May 5th, 2008 by leibaluv.
Categories: Uncategorized.
A recent ABC News special talks about a new service available to parents called “Parent Connect“which allows parent to get “real time updates on their child’s attendance, test scores and more. With this service, parents even have the option to receive these updates Via cell phone.
Although parents who use Parent Connect see it as a way to become more involved in theirs child’s academic affairs, some are worried that the use of this service is a means of “substitute parenting”.
At first I thought what a great idea this would give parents a way to stay on top their child’s development but then I thought a lot of parents do this the old fashion way; talking and PTA meetings. I could not imagine this sort of micro-parenting being inflicted on me as a teenager as I can remember not doing so well on quizzes but doing very well over all. I am positive that my mother in particular would have blown each potentially negative report out of proportion.
Children need guidance not total surveillance and control. Think about it, form the moment a child is born, there is a constant countdown to total independence (Hopefully). I think that kids are capable of managing their school work on a day to day basis if they are trained to do so and if not then they will need someone to “Parent Connect”them at work and in their personal lives.
Technology and Identity
Posted on April 29th, 2008 by leibaluv.
Categories: Uncategorized.
Who Are We?
As Neil Gershenfeld discussed the ideas of “Personal Fabrication” in his talk, “The beckoning promise of personal fabrication” (TED), he argues that the is an ignored “Fabrication divide” within our culture.
His mention of “Fab Labs” all around the world, people of all ages to do things typically done by trained professionals and engineers. This is the first time I had ever thought about the fact that regular people could experiment with technology. This ideas of Personal Fabrication “allowing us to create rather than consume” is empowering as if blurs the lines between the gifted/educated and the average person.
watching that young girl work on her invention was remarkable and I found myself trying to recall all of the specific things I have thought of as good ideas but could only wait until some company came up with it.
Maybe we can all be inventors with the right equipment and the opportunity to try out anything we want. Looking at technology from a personal fabrication perspective gives technology the power to breaks barriers of how technology is used.
What we can do?
Technology can help to improve on are limitations as human beings. In an On the media interview, Brooke Gladstone asked Gordon Bell, a 72 year old scientist, whether or not his computer had become “an extension of his brain” as he used technology to help him recall everything imaginable. His only set back was that his human mind had not yet determined how to sort his technological add-on brain.
Brooke later asked “technology wiz” Clive Thompson” whether or not an electronic memory could make us a “fuller and more complete person.” Technology can help us see better, move faster, remember more etc. but what if technology can change who we are as individuals?
Clive Thompson talked about the idea that loosing the useful ability to “subtly distort” memories could change our mental development. I wonder how technology has already changed us for the worse.
What we look like?
I have been looking into how the images we see affect how we see ourselves. Technology has empowered and cured but it also has the power to limit and degenerate. For example, we live in a processed culture where nothing organic survives.
The video in my previous post was a clip from a documentary titled “Before the music dies” and it demonstrates very clearly how music has been watered down by technology. The music video has stifled standards of talent.
Friendships have also been watered down by online social networks. Thought processes have been watered down by Ipods and other portable constant noise.
I think we need to pay attention to the ways that technology is changes us on a long term bases and be wise about how deep we allow it to penetrate our lives. I have my own personal scream machine it’s called self-control.
Processed Talent
Posted on April 29th, 2008 by leibaluv.
Categories: Uncategorized.
It’s a shame Milli Vanilli did not postpone their musical debut for a couple of decades because now a days singing is just a small part of what it takes to be a pop star. Wanna be a star?….How do you look in a bikini?
Jingle-Jangle
Posted on April 25th, 2008 by leibaluv.
Categories: Uncategorized.
While driving in my car I heard a commercial claiming that the “5 dollar foot long” song had become so popular that Subway has decided to offer an extended version that could be downloaded from their website. I heard a snibbit of the song and I thought “Now why would anyone want to download that?”
As it turns out, people can’t get this jingle out of their heads. A Yahoo user posted the following question on Yahoo Answers “Who hates the “five dollar foot long” Subway Commercial???”
Several users responded to this question and the general consensus seems to be that a lot of people find the commercial ”catchy” but “annoying”. However one user admits that although the commercial is annoying he/she did ”buy a five dollar foot long last weekend, so there might be something to it!
$5 Curse
According to a Slate.com article titled “Jingle Hell”, ad executives Jerry Cronin and Jaime Mambro wanted to see how many times they could say the phrase “five dollar foot long” with in one ad. “Let’s mention the it as many time as we can without making someone hurt us.” they said.
Although some people do like the Subway “$5 Dollar Foot Long” song some people find it’s repeatative lyrics hard to shake.
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can
When it comes to advertising, the use of jingles is not a new trend. Repetition can also be a power advertising tool as repetition makes concepts virtually unforgettable. Another popular repetitious ad campaign is the Head On “Apply directly to the forehead” commercials which repeats this phrase at least three times. Miralus Healthcare, the company that manufacturers the product probably wanted to make sure that everyone on the planet knew exactly what to do with it. In case you forgot “Apply directly to the forhead.”
Anyone remember those Jenny Craig commercials from the 90’s? 1-800-9(whatever year it happened to be)-Jenny. For some reason ever now and again I still sing that song. (Apparently 94 the most memorable year)
Works Cited:
Five Dollar Foot Long, April 22, 2008 Slate.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HeadOn
http://crm.ducttapemarketing.com/2008/04/five-five-dolla.html
The tell tale wallet
Posted on April 23rd, 2008 by leibaluv.
Categories: Uncategorized.
According to an MSN.com article, the condition of your wallet and the floor of your car can say a lot about your attitude towards finances.
The article titled What your wallet says about you claims that if your wallet is unorganized with “crumpled currency and raggedy receipts” that could be a direct reflection of your inability to keep track of money.
This article was particularly interesting since I do suffer from some of the financially careless symptoms described in this article like “change in the bottom of you pocketbook or even the floor of your car.” and not know how much cash is in my wallet at all times.
Not knowing how much money is in your wallet and having loose change all over the place is usually correlated with not knowing how much money is in your bank account and/or credit cards.
Bad Impression
An ezine article goes further to say that an unorganized wallet can turn off business associates and potential employers.
“Digging out crumpled bills out of your pockets probably looked alright when you were in school. But, such a habit doesn’t have a place in the business world.”
The article goes on to say that appearing “unpolished” is always a no-no and having messy wallet might be something small but noticeable by others.
I can’t help but wonder is handbags have the same effect as women are often guilty of carrying huge handbags with everything but the kitchen sink in them. (Guilty) Could handbag clutter also be a representation of a unkept person?
Going light green
Posted on April 22nd, 2008 by leibaluv.
Categories: Uncategorized.
Today is Earth Day and if you do any shopping today, take a plastic shopping bag at your own risk.
In a EcoHome Guy Post, shoppers are advised to BYOB (Bring your own bag). Many grocery stores are now selling shopping bags in an effort to cut back on the amount of plastic bags used by shoppers.
According to EcoHome Guy, “paper and plastic bags represent a huge environmental problem.” He also goes on to say that Americans use billions of plastic bags requiring “millions of barrels of oil to produce.”
Sold
I have always been conscious of where my plastic bags go. In an effort to reuse all off my bags, I kept them in a cabinet in my kitchen. This habit became a little bit of a problem as I mainly used the bags for my bathroom garbage which was not full that often. I became a plastic bag hoarder.
One day I came home and my bags were thrown out by a very brave soul who continues to throw them out as I shop. I can not take the guilt so I have decided to just buy the reusable bags.
I have not quite figured out how I will store them or if they will become a terrible inconvenience but I am going to take it one day at a time.
If what EcoHome Guy says is true then buy using just 10 reusable bags, will be saving “1,040 plastic bags”. I think that’s a huge impact although I can’t really participate in some other “greener” activities like not using any energy during peak hours (when are peak hours?) or driving a hybrid. (You buy I’ll drive.)
EcoBroker
EcoHome Guy call himself a Certified EcoBroker which he calls a “change agent”. I am not sure exactly what that means but it sounds good. I am always concerned about how practical some of these “green” suggestions are as I have heard somethings that sound a little too hippy for me. For now light green will have to do.
Government=Paparazzi?
Posted on April 22nd, 2008 by leibaluv.
Categories: Uncategorized.
Bottom Line
In a recent Hallsmark post, compared the government to paparazzi as the some of the data mining companies stated usage is a big part of what the vast majority find acceptable. If a restaurant used footage of it’s patrons dining simply to capture the rare occasion in which someone picks their nose and then sold these images to a local magazine, many people would not subject themselves to it.
If the government collects information soley for our protection, then than process is not comparable to what paparazzi do and why they do it. I am sure the family of the victims of the drunken driver in the Big Brother video were happy that the new technology was able to help get a conviction. He probably would have killed someone else in the future so we all should glad.
Access
The real question is who should be able to record, store and access this data? I was more concerned with the fact that government agencies are not the gatekeepers of our private information themselves but merely subscribers. That seems a little reckless.
There should also be some sort of line when it comes to using private information for marketing purposes. If a company can uses something like Google searches and more to find out about what your interests are, it seems that consumers do not stand a chance. Ad designed to hit us where it hurts can be considered good effective advertising or brain wash. Maybe soon ads will scan people as they pass billboards and trailer ads differently to their interests.