Child-Parent Military Reunions on Youtube

I recently read an article on the New York Times website about a advancement in You tube videos; the filmed reunions of child and military parent. The videos often show a child, unsuspecting, at school, a sporting event, or at home, shocked when their parent, often a father shows up after a deployment from Iraq. Sometimes they are filmed on home cameras, but often the media are called, though this raise another issue; what if the child doesn't jump up, cry, and run to the parent. As said in the article, by Lillian Connolly “But I recommend to families not to surprise children. The child has been without a parent for so long. The child can hold anger. You never know how they’re going to react.” Is it fair to the child? As the article states, "Do these videos celebrate or exploit?" I think it definitely depends on the family, but it does seem extreme to put up on You tube, or another similar video interacting site. In the end, everyone always seems happy to finally be reunited with their family, but this may not be the way to do it. The children, often very young, may not even really have known the parent, making it difficult for everyone in the situation, but then to film it, and put it up on the internet? Technology and the use of the internet truly seems to have advanced the world in some ways, but at the same time, it has blurred the lines and make everything a little bit more complicated.

Here are some examples of videos:
(see article and videos: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/fashion/29video.html?ref=technology)

Holiday Technology Advances

As the holidays approach, the prospect of buying and receiving new technological gifts loams. On the New York Times website, I recently read a what's what guide of the newest and best items this holiday season. The list included items such as the E-book/ Kindles, kitchen technologies, smartphones, televisions, computers, cameras, etc. Reading the list, not only did the volume surprise me, but more so the variety. As our world expands, so does our dependence on technology. Think of every room in the house; from the kitchen to the bathroom, to the bedroom, almost every aspect of our lives relys on technology. Reading through the kitchen techologies list, I notices a number of interesting and at times, eye-opening, devices. Some of the items mentioned included the Oregon Scientific Grill Right Wireless Talking Oven/Barbeque Thermometer, the Musical Cake Tray by Deni, Viking Portable Induction Burner, and the Connectland USB Cup Warmer With U.S.B. Hub and Clock. By no means are these necessarily essential, everyday appliances, but it is amazing how far technology seems to be taking over our lives. For the first item, the Wireless thermometer, you can "mingle at your party" while still monorting the food. You simply pick your type of meat and what tempurature you want it at (rare, medium, etc.) and the device alerts you at the time its ready. The Musical Cake Tray not only sings the song of your choice, but also allows you to pick the measure of slice, and lights up the exact points at which you should cut. The Induction Burner allows you to cook anywhere, and uses magnitism to create a stable oven-top; it may be handy, but it is also $600. The last item, the Cup Warmer, keeps your drink mug warm all day, allowing the user to pick a tempurature, and it doesn't even need a plug (it can pug right into your computer). While this devices are incredible, it is a little scary (at least to me) how involved technology is in our lives; in 50 years, will we do nothing for ourselves?

[image 1: (the the left) Oregon Scientific Grill Right Wireless Talking Oven/Barbeque Thermometer, image 2: (the the right) Connectland USB Cup Warmer With U.S.B. Hub and Clock- http://www.nytimes.com/gift-guide/holiday-2009/tech-pogue-kitchen/list.html]

Craiglist Killer

I recently read an article on the Vanity Fair website, talking about a number of murders that we facilitated by technology. In this post, I not only want to talk about the subject of the article, but also the way in which technology and news have combined.
The article, entitled, "Killer@Craigslist" talked about the lack of safety and awareness that people have regarding the internet. The article also made a really interesting point about the fact that no one actually knows who anyone is on the internet. It began, "He was Andy and she was Morgan. Both were fake names. They never actually spoke to each other; all their communication was by e-mail or text message. He used a disposable Trac phone that would be hard to trace; her friend and employer pretended that she was Morgan when setting up their meeting via cyberspace." The article goes onto say that they "met" via Craiglist. Her name was actually Julissa Brisman, and his Philip Markoff. After a long string of text messages, im messages, and emails, they finally decided to set up a meeting at 10:00 pm. As the article states, "A few minutes after 10, all pretense and politesse were dropped. Julissa Brisman was dead." She was found in a local hotel, dead and bound by plastic ribbons. A similar case was also reported, but the victim remained alive. Both crimes were commited in a very "personal, violent way,” which almost makes them even more frightening.
Crimes such as these have been reported way too frequently. From facebook, to myspace, and in the case, Cragslist, there have been countless crimes, often murders, regarding identitfy and safety. As our world progresses, especially in the field of technology, I think it becomes more and more important to learn how to stay safe; a skill that many are lacking in. Even with fake names, numbers, and so-called "untrackable devices," the internet is the unknow, the mystery. Even with years of experience and training, even a minute of letting your guard down can lead to bad situations. I think that for all of history, mankind has been used to adapting to new technologies, but I don't think that it is even possible to become totally aware of and about the internet; I think that people are mistaking time and experience with true knowlegde when it comes to the intnet, assuming that just because they have been using it for a couple of years that they've learned everything they need to know. This is not to say the the victims of cyber-crimes are at fault; just that you can never be too safe. It is frightening the number of articles that I have read in the last couple months concerning this topic. I take them as cautionary tales, and hope that others do to.

NEW- Cellphone-Microscope Invention

I recently read an article about new technologies that enable a cellphone to be used as a microscope. Microscopes are incredibly important in the diagnoses of disease, identification of organisms, etc., but they can be very expensive and inconvenient. This new advance is not only an incredible feat of technology, but also of medicine; the previous necessity of a full lab and scientists is no longer necessarily needed, but instead, simply a cellphone. “We convert cellphones into devices that diagnose diseases,”stated Aydogan Ozcan, a professor at the University of California, and the inventor of the device. He also recently started Microskia, a company that will hopefully comercialize the tool. A simple, inexpensive attachment and a standard camera-cellphone is all that is needed. The sample device can be used by inserting a blood slide over the cell's camera sensor. The phone can reigster what exaclty is in the blood, and will send this information to a hospital or health center. The phone can detect abnormal or diseased blood cells, which may imply infection. David J. Brady, a profesor at Duke University stated, “There’s no need for lenses in these devices because the magnification can be done electronically. You don’t need optics at all.” This new advance is said to be particularly effective for identifying malaria, a disease plagging many all over the world. Profesors and scientists all over the country are astounded by this incredible new technology, including Yvonne Bryson, at the Geffen School of Medicine at U.C.L.A, M. Fatih Yanik, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the previously mentioned Dr. Brady, and many more.

[image: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/business/08novel.html?emc=eta1]
example of cellphone and inexpensive attachable miscroscope-device

Disney Releases Mobile App

Disney has recently released a mobile app named, appropriately, Mobile Magic. This application is only available on Verizon Wireless phones. Mobile Magic allows visitors of all Disneyland/ Disney theme parks to maps, showing exactly where character, rides, restaurants, etc are, for $9.99 for a 180 day subscription. It is currently not available on Blackberry's, or other non-Verizon phones. The information found via the application can also be found on m.disneyland.com or m.disneyworld.com.
To learn more about Mobile Magic, please watch this video.
This is just one example of the numerous advances companies, such as Disney, are making. As mentioned in a previous post, Disney is also looking to expand Disney stores, including built-in movie theaters, "magic mirrors," tech-related merchandise, etc. The pressure to increase all uses of technology within the industrial world is incredible, especially given the current economical situation. It seems that companies are desperate to attract customers, and will do anything to achieve this.

Facebook Steps to Safety

In the past couple of months, I have been reading more and more articles concerning Facebook, especially issues of privacy and identity. Apparently, 30% of employers are looking at possible hiree's facebook pages, and as the worlds largest network site, this can be very ominous. Without even knowning it, you can easily allow hundreds of people to acess your picutes, wall posts, friend's walls, etc., by simply clicking "OK" to an application or game. Skimming over the New York Times technology page, I immediately noticed a tab, entitled "5 Easy Steps to Stay Safe (and Private!) on Facebook," and without hesitation, opened it... The steps are very interesting and important; I would definitely read them, and if possible, follow them, for the safest cyberspace experience.
Step 1: Make Friend Lists
Though this can sound tedious, it is an easy way to sort through friends, and if need be, delete old contacts. If you haven't talked to a person, via cyberspace or in person, do you really need to be able to see their profile? Or let them see yours?

Step 2: Who Can See Your Profile?
By clicking "Settings," then "Privacy Settings" you can easily decide who can, and cannot, see your information, pictures, wall, etc. For most settings, it is probably a good idea to click "Only Friends," because you may not want random strangers looking at all of your pictures...

Step 3: Who Can See Your Adress and Phone Number?
One way to avoid random friends seeing your adress, phone numbers, emails, etc. is to not put up the information in the first place, but if needed, by going to the "Privacy Settings" page, and clicking, "Contact Info" you can change exaclty who can see it, and who cannot.

Step 4: Who Can Find You via Search?
If need be, and you don't want to be found by certain people, you can go to "Privacy Settings" and clicking "Search." Here you can set it so that everyone can search for you, friends, networks, friends of friends, etc. This can be a really useful step.

Step 5: Stop Sharing Information with Unknown Applications
This is a really important step; every time you sign up for an application or quiz, you are allowing the creater to acess all of your photos, information, friends, etc. At times, the creater is known, but at others, you could have no idea. To delete certain application off your page, you can go to "Privacy Settings," and then "Applications."

I would strongly recommend following these steps to stay safe and careful on the web.

Does the Internet Helpr or Hinder Your Social Life?

Recently there have been many articles, books, and blog posts discussing the issue of the internet, and whether it increases or decreases people's ability to be social; though many have sided with the latter argument, I recently read an article that supported the first. ‘Social Isolation and New Technology,' a project created by the Pew Internet and American Life, have found that people who use technology are more social and have a larger and more diverse friend group. Many have stated that the internet is to blame for social isolation, but a telephone survey, conducted by Princeton Survey Research International earlier this year, have found that social isolation has not increased since 1985 (that year that it said to mark the beginning of the internet's harmful effects). On average, the size of people's discussion networks is 12% bigger among cell-phone users than non cell-phone users, 9% bigger for those who share photos online, and 9% bigger for people who use instant messaging. It was concluded from this survey that the internet does not harmfully effect the soical networks of cyberusers. I thought this was really interesting, but I'm not sure I agree with with either argument. I don't think there is any survey or questionaire that can really answer a question with so many variables and expections. Overall, I think that, as true of most things, there can definitely be too much of a good thing. The internet can help people, but when used incorrectly, or harmfully, or even too much, it can become chaos.

Facebook Girl, 17, Found Dead in Field

I recently read an article about a 17 year old girl, named Ashleigh, who was found dead in a field in Sedgefield, County Durham on Monday night; she was kidnapped and murdered by Peter Chapman, a 32-year old sex offender, whom she met via facebook. It has not been concluded whether or not she was sexually assaulted. Studying childcare at Darlington College, Ashleigh was a "well-liked, kind, very bubbly" girl, who was a "always popular." She left her house at 7:00 pm, telling her mother, Andrea, that she would be sleeping over at a friends house, but instead met up with Chapman, never having met him prior to the attack.
Andrea, the mother, has been reaching out to other parents who also lost a child in similar situations, and has also been warning other parents about the perils of allowing sites such as facebook without monitoring exactly what their children are doing.
Chapman has been charged with kidnapping and manslaughter.
The head master of Darlington College stated, "We will try to remember Ashleigh not in terms of her passing, but as a student at Hurworth, and one we were all fond of."
Only after her death did her parents find her conversatoins with Chapman on her computer.
I definitely think this is a causionary tale; I don't think it means that no one should have a facebook, but that one should always be safe and careful, and not speak to those that you don't actually know in the "real world."

Read more: (both images) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1223270/Sex-offender-charged-Ashleigh-Hall-kidnap-killing.html#ixzz0VdWQAqOs

(image right; Chapman; image left; Ashleigh)

Technology Around Us: What is it?

This past weekend, I took the time to look around and take note of how much technology surrounds us. Just looking around my room, I can see countless examples of technology; lamps, phones, computer, ipod, alarm clock, heaters, fans, chargers, etc. are some of the first item I noticed, but at a second glance, I thought, What is Technology? What defines it? Who came to define it? Is it the process of creation or the item itself? Do my curtains count as technology? What about the drawers, books, and racks?
When we tend to think about technology (at least when I think about technology) I tend to think of electronic, computerized, digital, items or products. They are normally expensive and important. But why is this technology? The New Oxford American Dictionary states that technology is "the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes; machinery and equipment developed from such scientific knowledge; the branch of knowledge dealing with engineering or applied sciences." Though "sciences" are mentioned, the actual definition it quite general. Why don't we normally think of curtains or hinges are technology? My guess is that each generation thinks of the modern advances of their day as technology... Maybe 100 years ago, the general, everyday idea of technology was the current advances of the early 1900's. When speaking about technology, I think that more specific words should be used, such as "scientific..." or "electronic..." to exactly describe that which is meant.