User:Morganalex

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Introduction
My name is Morgan and I currently am a student in CIS2 taught by professor Valerie Taylor. I enjoy traveling and revel in the experiences gained through visiting remote locations of the world, and being capable of appreciating the unique cultures they have to offer.

Midterm Project - Carbon Sequestration Methods
Throughout my MidTerm project I was able to research a new but vastly intriguing topic of carbon sequestration. Whilst this field is still in its early and trial stages, it is of invaluable importance to our globe. Carbon sequestration, while not widely known to society, offers an alternative to the harmful burning of fossil fuels and other harmful pollutants. Carbon sequestration consists of first separating carbon from these pollutants through a multitude of methods, as no definite process has proved most efficient to this point. Once extracted, the carbon must then be sequestered deep underground, and the two most common options of this are deep under our ocean of underneath specific areas in which the sediments are able to constrain the carbon. Most important about storing this carbon underground is that it is in an area that is neither harmful to the surrounding environment or has the capability of escaping. Carbon sequestration could be vital as a solution to slow down or eventually possibly even stop global warming, although through my research this method has to make tremendous strides in order to even make the most minute of differences. Although carbon sequestration has the room and possibility to develop, the economical side of it seems to constricting this opportunity. The cost is so immensely high in these early stages that most companies (who are the main polluters) are not currently interested in investing into this field. Hopefully this will change before it is too late for society to stop this horrifying issue of global warming.

Final Project
In my personal opinion, the topic which I felt constructed the most well-developed discussion threads throughout the quarter would fall into our week 7 discussion on evaluating and controlling technology (with week 8 in a close second place). I felt week 7 called for more opinionated responses that inspired students to develop their own ideas and support it with various articles. This therefore called on students to read other viewpoints and possibly change their original opinions on the matter which they may have held at the start of the week. My favorite article I read in this class actually may not be directly related to computers in society, but is without a doubt very strongly related to this course and in our now technologically advanced lives as a whole.

https://medium.com/bright/how-to-never-succumb-to-boredom-cb87a10881eb(Learning Literacies - BEST)

This was just an exceptional read and really changed my viewpoint in a multitude of ways. I truly hope students continue to be exposed to this article as it is a great resource and inspiration.

http://www.technologyreview.com/view/530566/the-impact-of-the-internet-on-society-a-global-perspective/ (Selected Media Article)
This article really questioned what I considered to be the consensus of how the internet was affecting society. It seemed to me, to be common knowledge, that society was becoming less social and less involved on important issues around the world. If one really analyzes the idea of "sociability", it becomes more evident that the amount of communication and social networking creates a new sense of "sociability" completely.

Most interesting about my reflection of my former comments is the fact that this idea is not generally supported throughout the rest of this course. This self-thought and the articles depiction of "sociability" contradicts a high majority of the articles and comments my peers have posted this quarter. Having said this, I do still find this perspective exceedingly intriguing. I hope in the future this concept is developed more although I now see the areas in which this idea falters. This course allowed me to further see the how sociability can also be viewed as decreasing and the ways that it has hindered society in this resolve.

http://www.marcandangel.com/2014/04/02/18-chances-you-will-not-regret-taking-in-life/ (Learning Literacies)
Although I did not select this article, upon further review I found it quite an enjoyable read. It is extremely motivational and I think an excellent article to have in the first week of class. The articles calls on you to step out of what is known as your "comfort zone" which I feel is an important thing to keep in mind whilst taking this course. Since this is not a traditional course, it becomes all the more vital to allow yourself to step out of your normal learning strategies and to let your enthusiasm for life and learning guide you.

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20141022-are-we-getting-smarter (Computers and Society Websites - Best)
The article discusses the idea of the unique ways of learning that can be with online education. How video-game-like classes are being created to make education a more interactive and entertaining experience for students. This leads to my discussion questions which is posed in the article on a much smaller level. The author refers to a quote from Alfred Spector, "How do we learn grit?" when it comes to education only. My question goes even further here, and asks, with how much can be done online, are we losing site of what it is to "hit the pavement", now that seemingly everything can be done in bed on our laptops? Are we forgetting what it is like to put your head down, work hard, and get the job done? Are we spending too much time trying to make everything easier and more fun, and if so is this a bad thing?

This was one of my favorite points made in the class this quarter. It really made me question about whether or not we has lost the "nitty-and-gritty" of what it takes to dig in and accomplish something. This may be in part to the enormous increase of white collar jobs in comparison with blue collar ones, but I believe this article wants more than that simply answer. I believe it asks whether or not society has become complaisant with having to do hard-work and things they may not want to truly do. Is this a direct result of technology? Only time will tell whether we continue to get lazier as technology advances.

https://ourpangea.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/today-social-media-is-everywhere-thats-why-it-is-so-important-we-do-it-right/ (Keywords - Best)
I personally believe this article should resonate with all millenials as we make the transition from a once social-media-care-free-teenager to a working adult. Personally, I have found myself going through social media websites and consistently asking myself what image I wanted to portray at this stage of my life. I realized that social media is a reflection not only of yourself, but also of who you want to be. Social media truly is everywhere nowadays and it has become increasingly important to monitor your pages and ensure that you are aware of the impression you are giving to future employers about yourself. More emphasis needs to be put on learning how to truly "do social media right" as it can be an exceptionally valuable resource to yourself if you are smart about it.

http://archive.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2006/05/70908 (Privacy and Personal Information Discussion Thread)
The above article consists of evidence against AT&T which wire-tapped one of their rooms locally here in San Francisco. The article state that they were ordered to do so by the NSA although there are not many specifics on this. Whilst the article may be a bit astray at first glance, I think it brings to light a great discussion and issue that is widely debated in society and is an excellent resource for our class.

This topic, in my opinion, has a particularly compelling argument from both sides and has grown to become a highly controversial issue in today's society. While I personally, believe that safety is the foremost concern for our country, and therefore if wiretapping allows for greater protection for criminals and terrorists, I have no issue with it. However, I also understand the other side of this issue, as it poses the question, if everything we say is being monitored by our government, do we truly have any privacy and complete freedom anymore?

It is quite an intriguing issue, one that will be around, seemingly, as long as technology is. While I don't feel that I have been personally affected by the NSA's mass data collection, I do feel it is an integral part of keeping our country as safe as possible and have no issue with the government monitoring my conversations.

I think the main issue we have here is one of morality; is it more important to ensure our privacy, or to keep us and the rest of our country as safe as possible? There is no correct answer to this as we will all have differing opinions, however it is a great discussion topic which much room to develop and learn from those around us who have different views.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/06/protect-data-hackers_n_3671138.html (Learning Literacies)
This article is more of a poster with how easy it is to hack someone in this day in age. Although it is in a significantly more formal display than most educational articles, it does contain a significant amount of credible information that can lead to protecting oneself from hackers. At the end of the poster there is a section with which they inform you the possibilities of what can happen with your choices, and basically debunks some common myths in order to keep you as best informed as possible.

http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2015/06/three-of-the-most-commonly-misunderstood-music-copyright-laws.html
What I found extremely interesting about this article was the third law of "fair use". The article discusses how in this aspect of intellectual property, there are not necessarily clear laws stating what is prohibited and what is allowed. It seems to rely heavily here on doing what is morally correct. I find it bewildering how with so many issues of online privacy and intellectual property right issues, due to growing online presence, stricter laws have not been enforced. Why ethical laws make sense to the common citizen, it has no real deterrent on the crimes that are occurring under this "fair use" issue. With a growing online presence, which will only contribute to growing intellectual property fair use crime, this issue calls for more scrupulous laws to be established in order to make any significance headway in this perpetual issue.

https://medium.com/bright/how-to-never-succumb-to-boredom-cb87a10881eb (Learning Literacies - BEST)
I think this may be my absolute favorite article throughout this course. It a brilliant read with so much to offer and such an important message that everyone should have the opportunity to learn. The article pertains to the usage of the word "bored". It discusses the experience a young boy had when he muttered these words in class and his teacher informed him how in a world so full of information and adventure, how can you ever be bored of it?

I am currently questioning all the times I have said this, what I now consider, awful phrase, and can ensure myself I will not be uttering it again. It is truly astonishing how many times myself and others around the world have used this meaningless phrase, without truly thinking about what lies beyond it. How can we be bored with so much to learn and experience? In modern day society how can we still whisper these words when we have the entire universe at our fingertips through the internet? I have taken for granted all the world has to offer and all that I have to learn in order to grow. Time is so precious that I do not wish to waste a minute longer of it with empty thoughts in my head and a blank look on my face. We live in an era of increasing intelligence, with so much left to be discovered. This article is not only a truly fascinating read but a motivator to go out and experience all that the world has to offer us.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/music/how-spotify-and-pandora-are-hurting-artists/ (Art and Computers Discussion Thread)
I found this site to be particularly enticing as I myself am a user of Spotify. I consistently seem to receive a large amount of adds whenever I listen to this music outlet and had always envisioned artists making large sums of money for the ads. I was shocked to learn the minute amount of money an artist makes on non-subscription versions of Spotify and Pandora.

The article dives deeper into the details of how much artists are making from both Spotify and Pandora, and how subscription services are the only way they can truly accumulate money out of these outlets. It's intriguing to me how illegal downloads are  only half the battle these artists are facing nowadays, as live streaming radios are once again taking money directly from the pockets of these artists.

While the internet has brought a new level of promoting and advertising out that does benefit artists, it also has brought with it a wave of new music streaming that has seemingly brought more problems for artists. It is truly devastating that we may be losing out on great artists because they cannot afford to keep making these infinitesimal amounts on their music and they now must seek work in other careers.

I think this article can inspire a lot of discussion if posted in the right form as these companies are fairly prevalent in the lives of millennials and can make them reconsider how our choices are leading to how the artists are getting hurt. Throughout week 3's discussions it becomes obvious how majority of the students felt the artists are the victims in these scenarios, but are they willing to change the way they do things in order to protect them? It would be interested to see how my peers would react and the extent at which their pity would motivate them to help these celebrities.

Week 4 - Crime
==== http://www.justice.gov/criminal-ccips/reporting-computer-internet-related-or-intellectual-property-crime (Computers and Crime Discussion Forum - Best) ==== This is a great resource for those interested in learning a bit more about the specifics of cyber crimes and the agencies that enforce each one. Future students would benefit immensely from just having this article as a resource which they could refer to in the case they that they ever had any questions as they themselves partake in these group discussions.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tonybradley/2015/10/16/cybercrime-is-the-modern-day-mafia/2/ (Computers and Crime Discussion Forum)
This article depicts the truth behind how cyber criminals are operating in current society. Tony Bradley, the author, explores the idea that criminals are banding together in order to maximize their profits from their online criminal activities. Most of these current cyber criminals have specific skills that when combined, create the "perfect" team of criminals. As Tony describes it, this is a modern day mafia, using specific members of their team to hack in and steal the information, others to turn the stolen information into something valuable, and others to organize the operation and put it in play. Tony discusses how cyber crime can be stopped as long as companies invest in bringing in security in order to keep themselves and their consumers safe. He further develops this idea by saying these "criminal mafias", if challenged by a strong security system, will give up and seek other opportunities.

Whilst I find the idea, criminal mafias, posed in this article to be fairly beguiling, I don't firmly believe that criminals will simply give up when their is a strong security in place. If everyone had security in place, according to Tony Bradley's theory, there would never be any criminal activity online.

In my opinion I think stopping cyber crime is an unattainable task. While I believe companies should all have strong security in place, I don't believe that cyber criminals would be willing to forgo the immense profits due to the increase in work it would require. I feel the largest form of proof of this theory, lies in the fact that although security systems have been getting increasingly more challenging to break through, there is still a rise in cyber attacks.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/01/technology/personaltech/ad-blockers-mobile-iphone-browsers.html?_r=0 (Discussion Thread)
The above article allows for the reader to dive more into the idea of ad blocking and to view both sides of the issue. Whilst it makes it much easier for the consumer to browse without the constant nuisances of ads, it also takes away significant money for those paying for these ads. This will usually lead to social browsing sites to lose significant amounts of money, therefore needing for this cost to made up in some other way. Most commonly this will be at an expense to the browser who will then need to make up for the loss of profits which begun with these ad blockers. The article does an excellent job of advocating for each of these differing opinions.

http://webaim.org/simulations/dyslexia-sim.html(Disabilites Simulation Forum)
This was quite an intriguing stimulation as I felt it truly gave insight into what it would be like to have dyslexia and the issues you would face doing simply tasks like reading a small paragraph. I was shocked to learn the extent at which I struggled to read each sentence and actually learned more about the inhibitions dyslexia poses as before I had only assumed it scrambled the order of the letters and or numbers.

http://boingboing.net/2015/05/04/edutainment-failed-me.html(Keywords)

In the above article the authors discusses his experience in edutainment. Through his personal experiences, he examines the reasoning of why most edutainment games he played cast a gloomy shadow on learning and did not encourage kids either educationally or entertainment wise. The author also discusses several of the games he played in order to pose both some of the stronger examples of edutainment and the reasoning behind why so many are failing.

Upon a second review, while I do still hope to hear other positive alternatives to edutainment, this article is a great resource against edutainment with specific examples and an asthetically pleasing page.

http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3754742 (Keywords - Best)
This article discusses how electronic devices are now being used in schools which allows for students to gain a better understanding of these devices for their future. Furthermore, the author of this article highlights the benefits these electronic devices bring in order to cater to the unique individual needs of each student to better their learning opportunities. I was previously unaware of this unique opportunity that mobile learning can bring which can even be changed in a multitude of classes based upon each students learning preferences. That is extremely beneficial for students who may have slight learning disabilities as they attempt to keep up with the rest of their class. In a way it evens the playing field for students making everyone feel that the can succeed to the same extent of their peers, which may also negate bullying and teasing done to students with learning constraints.

http://www.toray-watertreat.com/seawater/ (best)
I found this topic of providing clean water to be one of the other great options for the grand challenges. This article depicts how a Japanese company known as Toray is using a technologically advanced desalination system in order to take abundant sea water and make it drinkable in various areas of the world. What is so profound about this device is that it requires astronomically less energy making it more cost-efficient, which will be best for the locations that can benefit the most from these tools.

http://gadgets.ndtv.com/science/features/microsoft-co-founder-launches-500-million-quest-to-build-an-artificial-brain-750629
This is a very enthralling article that discusses a project currently being conducted by Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen. It aims to create a brain of artificial intelligence that can pass a high school level science test. It would be an amazing feat if this was accomplished and a giant step towards securing a close future with artificial intelligence at the seam of this.

'''http://saskpowerccs.com/ccs-projects/boundary-dam-carbon-capture-project/ '''

Referred to as the Boundary Dam Carbon Capture Project, SaskPower is extracting the carbon burned from coal and releasing it into pipelines which will then transport it underground to oil fields located in Saskatchewan. Why transported to oil fields you may ask? You must first understand that carbon dioxide can help in the process of extracting oil. It is important to note that this is in trace amounts. As seen in this project, only so much carbon can be released in these fields to benefit oil extraction, whilst the rest must be sold off to other areas. In SaskPower's Boundary Dam Project the extraneous carbon is being stored in the Aquistore Project (another project by Saskpower that is storing carbon deep underground). This project is capturing approximately 95% of the carbon being used at this coal-fired plant which amounts to about 139MW. The process used in this process is Post Combustion, which captures and extracts carbon dioxide after combustion has taken place. Here it will mix with amine which will form a weak chemical bond making it easier to extract and store. While this site has been promising thus far, the next issue is cost. Up to this point the project has cost $1.3 billion, with hopes to cut cost 20-30% for the next unit. This seems immensely expensive but there is also a financial benefit with teh ability to then sell of the extracted carbon dioxide, sulphuric acid, and fly ash.

http://www.shell.ca/en/aboutshell/our-business-tpkg/upstream/oil-sands/quest/technology.html

This operation demonstrates how big oil companies are now investing into carbon sequestration as this process is gaining momentum and public support. The project has been named Quest, and consists of Shell, Chevron, and Marathon Oil banning together to form a plant that turns tar sands into economically and environmentally friendly products. With the extracted carbon dioxide, done through "ADIP-X amine-based capture technology", carbon dioxide is separated along with hydrogen sulphide. This process is slightly more efficient than that of the one used by SaskPower as they are able to extract approximately 98% as opposed to SaskPower's 95%, which in the amounts of CO2 extracted is actually an enormous difference. What is extraordinarily different about Quest is what is done next with the carbon dioxide. Once properly extracted, the gas is then heated, dehydrated, and compressed into a liquid. The change of the state of CO2 is so valuable due to the size decrease, allowing for smaller storage necessity for carbon. Quest actually transfers the now liquid carbon to the Basal Cambrian Sandstone in Alberta, Canada and is injected deep underneath the ground. The sandstone found here has the capability to store the liquid carbon without any fear of release into the atmosphere. This site however costs a meager $1.35 billion dollars which Canada has invested nearly $865 million of it. Whilst this project is in the early stages and therefore the benefits are not entirely proven, it seems to be a prominent and promising example of the direction carbon sequestration hopes to go.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/demand-for-robots-artificial-intelligence-rising/ (Keywords)
This articles ideas of developing future opportunities for the application of machine intelligence is quite informative. I also found it interesting about the cost surrounding machine intelligence as I was not previously aware of the actual hard-cut numbers. Artificial intelligence is truly a spectacular topic and I think this article showcases why it is so highly regarded in an intriguing way. The article showcases the incredulous increases for the demands of robots that has sprung up as a result of this rapidly growing field. It also has links included in the article that allows you to verify the statistical numbers and even some that take you to articles of specific robot for a better understanding of them.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vala-afshar/6-qualities-of-great-onli_b_5674926.html (Keywords)
Huffington Post discusses how online communities can be beneficial to business on the cost-effective side as well as growing their firms. I really enjoyed the information within the article as I felt there was strong evidence supporting various claims along with images that allowed for an interesting read altogether.

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/10/americans-are-more-afraid-of-robots-than-death/410929/ (Discussion Thread - Best)
I am the first to admit that I am a bit biased on this matter, as I firmly believe that the amount of fear placed on technology is illogical in my opinion. However, this article gives an intriguing insight as to why we so gravely fear technology, and that is mainly due to the fact that we are afraid of things we "depend on but don't have any control over". Technology has made such immense advances that the average citizen (in developed countries) relies so greatly on technology, whether they support it or not. Robots, the technology with arguably the most room for advancement, have seemingly been tapped as the face of this enemy. The article showcases why we are so intimidated by technology and even pose the thought that people are more intimidated by technology as opposed to the fear they place in dying. Whilst I feel this statement is slightly skewed, it does to an extent make sense. The article argues that technology is seen in almost all aspects of life in modern societies and therefore is more prominent to greater numbers of people of all ages. While dying is only thought about mostly by those who are close to it. Although I wish there was more substantial evidence for both sides of the argument, I do disagree that we, as a society, fear tech to this extent.

I think technology is more sincerely feared by those who have not grown up with it. It is more foreign to older generations as they have seen the changes brought about since the evolution of technology, whilst newer generations feel more in control of tech, as they do not truly know a world without it.

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/01/02/371945110/researchers-create-artificial-organs-on-microchips (Medicine and Computers - Best)
This is a great article as it discusses the possibilities of replacing real organs for chips that have all the same organ benefits, but are made completely of technology. Quite an amazing feat if this turns out to become a practical alternative. This could realistically put an end to these never-ending wait lists where human beings have to wait for extended periods of time in order to see if they will be able to receive a life-saving organ. This technology has the capabilities to revolutionize the world and it is surprising that we have not heard more about this as it can be such an incredible device.

The article includes pictures that give a better understanding of what the device/chip will look like as well as a description of what each facet of the device is necessary for.

http://www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/technology/articles/pages/technologyerodingprofessionalism.aspx (Keywords)
The article here discusses how technology has created a deteriorating sense of professionalism in the work force. With social media sites colleges and future employers are able to construct a picture of you that includes images and comments that you would never want your future boss to see or hear. The issue here does not lie solely within social media sites however, as phones and other various gadgets have become an irritant for HR managers simply from a distraction standpoint. Millennials are unaware of the proper etiquette revolved around being professional and respectful even, and will answer their phones at even the most un-proper times. It is an interesting concept posed here as you begin to wonder if professionalism will only continue to disinegrate as kids become more consumed with their technological devices.

http://www.webroot.com/us/en/home/resources/tips/ethics-and-legal/ethics-netiquette-and-online-ethics-what-are-they (Keywords)
This article describes what online ethics are and why they are such an important part of becoming an online user. Although humans are capable of communicating with no face-to-face interaction, the same etiquette and respect that would be applied in person must be done so online. There is a common misconception that the anonymity that the internet provides allows for users to often gain a sense of freedom without rules or fear of retribution for their actions. This article accurately showcases why we need to change how we view the internet and the responsibility we assume once we grab hold of that mouse and keyboard.

http://www.cyberalert.com/blog/index.php/geolocation-the-newest-movement-in-mobile-marketing-and-measurement/ (Keywords)
This article explains how businesses are aiming to using location services in order to better advertise and market to their consumers, while also speaking to the consumer readers by explaining why geo locators benefit them as well. The author also included a survey which asked how many people would be willing to give up their privacy to locating services to allow for the tracking to work, which was a surprisingly high number. Overall a very informative article which sounds like their are a multitude of benefits of these locating services that can lead to positive impacts on both sides.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2014/02/12/can-paypal-beat-apple-google-amazon-and-icahn-in-the-wallet-wars/ (Keywords - Best)
An extremely intriguing article giving a much greater insight into the competition behind the e-wallet. PayPal has implemented a seemingly different (than all the rest at this point) e-wallet app that allows you to scan a bar-code and watch check updates instantaneously on your PayPal app. Quite ingenious if you ask me (especially for money-conscious people trying to shyly watch their money), however their is a flaw. The restaurants need a bar code in order to be able to scan, and PayPal needs to due more diligence to see if this can spread fast enough to where it is in the majority of restaurants.

The article discusses another gold-rush is taking place in this e-wallet field and is exceedingly exciting to see who the winner will be. Great read for anyone hoping to keep up to date on the PayPal e-wallet device and the competition.

http://www.cnet.com/news/how-e-wallets-could-be-a-gold-mine-for-credit-card-companies/ (Keywords)
The article explains why ewallets will actually benefit the credit card industry and the boom that we will most likely see within them over the next several decades. Although I originally wold have assumed ewallets would stray away from the credit card industries like Visa, MasterCard, and American Express, the author explains how it will actually increase the amount of transactions taking place with credit cards leading to much larger profits for these companies. Furthermore, the author suggests that companies like Apple will most likely come to agreements with these companies as they already have such large consumer bases giving them more power over the ewallet.

http://www.trustedreviews.com/opinions/10-awesome-things-people-are-doing-with-3d-printers-trustedreviews (What's New Discussion - Best)
I have always been intrigued with 3D printers as there are so many spectacular things society is now doing with them. This article allows readers who may not be as knowledgeable about 3D printers to really gain insight as to the possibilities they have created for society. What I found most enjoyable is that it did not focus only on big world solutions it has created, but also just minor things that have added another layer to our society. Helping "man's best friend" put an enormous smile on my face and the pictures were just heart-warming. Just a few steps later you get to see beautiful food designed with 3D printers and then towards the end how they are printed human trachea's. Just an all-around delightful read.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/251202/microsofts_3d_transparent_interface_makes_us_feel_like_were_living_in_the_future.html ==== ==== This is a computer that is being developed by Microsoft that is run with a keyboard and also is 3D using your hand motions to move screens. Whilst it is still experimental and never actually be released to the public it is incredible that something like this is in the process of being developed. It simply looks like something from the future with its transparent screen and motion sensors. Not only does it use hand motions to manipulate the screen but also can do so with head and eye movements. Although we have seen many depictions of devices such as this in movies showing the "future" not until now has it really seemed reasonable. It is such a far leap from what we are currently using that it is almost unfathomable for these devices to be available, but this article proves it is a possibility, and one soon. I cannot wait for something like this to hit the market as it is truly a step above anything else available.

http://www.businessinsider.com/ways-the-world-will-be-terrifying-in-2050-2015-3?op=1
Whilst we have made astounding strides in technological advancements, we are forgetting about solving the true issues of the world. The above article discusses this issue and how horrifying these big world problems will get unless we do something to solve them. A common thread amongst most of these issues are natural disasters. Most of these are due to technological causes mainly global warming brought on by the over-burning of fossil fuels and other human-causes. Although these outcomes may not arise by 2050, there is not stopping these catastrophes unless we address our causes contributing to these. Global warming is no longer a matter of if, but one of when and through projects like carbon sequestration we can attempt to save our planet, one small step at a time. Technology has the power to reverse some of these outcomes and as a society we need to put more emphasis on solving these immense global issues and focus less on tech gadgets made merely for recreational use.

This article brings into question what we as a society care more about. Are we so enthralled by materialist items that we are willing to forsake saving our planet in the hopes of purchasing the next iPhone? I think this is a bit of a slippery slope however. Whilst there is no doubt a change must be made in order to protect Earth, we also cannot shift our innovation so drastically towards solving these problems at the expense of our economy. There needs to be a balance created in order to appease both sides, that is the only way society will continue to evolve with our economy.