User:Jnetojr

INDEX


 * Bio
 * Final Project
 * Midterm Topic

BIO

I'm a creative type, father of 3, musician, and love the outdoors. I'm also currently enrolled at De Anza College. My classes this quarter are EWRT1 and CIS2.

FINAL PROJECT: Highlighted entries are to be considered my BEST choice



Introductions

  http://teachthought.com/uncategorized/20-basic-rules-for-digital-citizenship/ (Related Media/Society) 20 Basic Rules for Digital Citizenship - This article outlined the do's and don'ts of how to act on the internet. This was a great piece to start the course off with. It was full of advice that I often find myself sharing with younger members of family. My favorite "do" is "Be Wary of Your Footprint" because it's important to know that what you post on the net is fair game to the public, and it may come back to haunt you. My favorite "don't" is "Don't Feed the Trolls." I must admit, I've fallen game to frenzy of feeding trolls on the Internet. It's easy to get frazzled over words or comebacks posted on facebook or in an online forum, but really all you are doing is giving more enjoyment to the troll. Diverting from troll interaction is always going to be a better outcome.  http://www.lifehack.org/283462/10-lists-keep-you-want-successful?uid=116478&ref=mail&mid=20150803&feq=daily (Related Media/Find It)  10 Lists to Keep If You Want to Be Successful - This article reinforced some knowledge that I gathered many years ago, keeping lists is way to keep your thoughts organized. Much like you need to clean your house (or some younger adults, clean your room), in order to keep your household organized, you have the same responsibilities to keep your thoughts, goals, and expectations centralized and organized. I go over my list of goals and expenses weekly...whereas I go over my tasks list on a daily basis.  https://youtu.be/7o35ruCZ6S4 (Related Media/Society) </li> How Technology Has Changed the World -This video contains some great clips. It starts with clips from one of my favorite movies, History of the World, Part 1..., a movie that I still consider one of my favorites! I got a good chuckle out of that. Besides the great clips, the video gives a pretty good glimpse at some of the major advancements achieved by humans. I would have to say that harnessing fire and traveling to space are my two favorites. The ability to create fire revolutionized the way early humans were able to survive. I can only imagine how the were able to fight off cold nights or much it improved their ability to eat a vast variety of foods, that could now be cooked. </li></ul> </ul>

Privacy and Freedom of Speech</li>

 http://www.businessinsider.com/snowden-leaks-timeline-2014-6 (Discussions/Privacy and Freedom of Speech keywords/N. Reed) </li> Snowden: Here' s Everything We've Learned In One Year of Unprecedented Top-Secret Leaks - The Snowden case had enormous ramifications on how businesses and governmental departments work with one another. In the wake of 9/11, the Patriot Act enabled governmental agencies to spy on anybody and everybody by listening into to phone calls or checking browsing/search records held by some major companies. It also opened the eyes of American (and other Nationals) as to how we should be more careful of how we expose ourselves on the net or over unsecured phone lines. </li></ul> http://blog.chron.com/techblog/ (Discussions/Blogs of Interest) </li> Chron: Techblog - I found this blog to be very helpful and informative, and have even started using it for my own profession. This blog has a lot of trending ideas on how to use new technologies, and easy hacks for existing technologies. I found the Solid State Drive replacement factor for older computers a great resource, and have increased the speed of my own computer by changing out the drive from a traditional layered disc drive, to an SSD flash memory drive. There are a ton of more great hacks and technology advancements within this blog that could benefit the amateur and/or professional online enthusiast. </li></ul>  https://www.eff.org/issues/free-speech (New Search) </li> Electronic Frontier Foundation: Free Speech - The EFF website is great resource to find what is legally going on in the world of technology. At the forefront of EFF's mission is the right to keep the internet free of censorship. On the Free Speech page you can see what current cases the EFF are involved in, how they pertain to the topic of free speech, and what you can do to make your part in the fight. The site gives a great archival history of the fight for free speech on the web, and is also very up-to-the-minute with current events that are in today's news. </li></ul> </ul>

Intellectual Property</li>

 <li>http://www.whoishostingthis.com/resources/student-copyright/ (Related Media/IP: Copyright) </li> <ul><li>Ultimate Guide to Copyright for Students: Working at a University, I create tons of DVDs with video clips from movies. I had to learn early on what entails Fair Use vs. Copyright infringement. This guide is a great outline at pretty much every question I have every asked, or been asked. It's an A-Z guide to everything from the simple definition of copyright to the explanation of what is public domain. </li></ul> <li> http://www.elon.edu/e-web/imagining/surveys/2014_survey/2025_Internet_Impact_anon.xhtml (Discussions/Imagining the Internet Predictions Database) </li> <ul><li>The 2014 Survey: The Biggest Internet Impacts by 2025: The feedback from this survey is extremely important to digest. Some of the industries top level leaders and thinkers share their vision of impacts the internet will have by 2025. One of the more important items that came to head from most of the responses I read, was the creation of a closer global community, that will bring us closer together for a greater good. The other important item gathered was that we would be more connected in an unseen matter. Our devices that stay with us (phone, watch, etc.) would communicate with the devices in our dwellings, at our workplace, or while traveling. </li></ul> <li>http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2015/06/three-of-the-most-commonly-misunderstood-music-copyright-laws.html (Related Media/ IP: Copyright) </li> <ul><li>Three of the Most Commonly Misunderstood Music Copyright Laws: This short article is a great 1, 2 ,3 punch for artists trying to figure out what is allowed and what is not allowed when performing other artists music. I'm in a band, and we often play cover songs (along with original music) to make up for the 3 hours they hire us to play for. It was brought to my attention about 3 years ago, that the clubs we play in need to pay ASCAP or BMI a royalty wage so that cover bands can play music by other artists when they perform in their clubs. This includes Jukebox music. This article sheds light on Performance Rights, what rights you have to record another artists song, and how fair use plays into all of these live music instances. </li></ul> </ul>

<li>Crime</li>

<ul> <li>http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-five-computer-crimes-protect/(Dicussions/Computers and Crime/L. Leon) </li> <ul><li>Top Five Computer Crimes & How to Protect Yourself From Them: I'm still so surprised at how many people don't follow the proper security measures when it comes to online activity. Working in an IT department, I see computers get hacked or compromised at least once a week. Usually the cause is malware, mostly because they were surfing the net and saw something that looked interested or were tricked into clicking something that looked legit. Next thing you know, you have been attacked! This article outlines the (5) major online scams (Malware, Spam, Identity Theft, Cyberstalking, & Pornography) and how to avoid them. </li></ul> <li>http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/02/16/bank-hesit-cybersecurity-kaspersky-report/23509937/ (Discussion/Computers and Crime) </li> <ul><li>Hackers Steal Directly from Banks in 'New Era' of CyberCrime: I think this article and topic are extremely important to discuss. How can we regulate laws and security across borders to keep international hackers at bay? In this article a bank heist is highlighted, that went on to steal $1 billion from 100 banks across 30 countries. Here's the kicker, they were never caught! We need to make sure this doesn't happen again, or it could happen again with dire consequences. What happens if this same tactic is used to steal money from government run agencies like the police or fire departments, or from hospitals. How will these international hackers be dealt with in the future? </li></ul> <li> http://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/index.html (New Reference) </li> <ul><li>Stopbullying.org: I found this site after going through some of my peers discussions, and reading about cyberbullying. In doing my own research, I came across this website. There is a lot of good information on how to identify, prevent, and report cyberbullying. Being a father of three kids, I'm thankful that I haven't had to discuss bullying or cyberbullying just yet, but I'm prepared to do so. It's such an important topic to 1) make sure our kids are aware of the signs and to not be afraid to talk about it with their parents or trusted adults, and 2) prevent our kids from becoming bullies. </li></ul> </ul>

<li>Employment, Education and Entertainment</li>

<ul> <li> http://er.educause.edu/articles/2015/8/data-technology-and-the-great-unbundling-of-higher-education (Related Media) </li> <ul><li>Data, Technology, and the Great Unbundling of Higher Education: This article examines the challenges schools and universities will face in the future, unless they change the way they operate. One of the topics within this article that caught my eye was the explanation of the "full-stack model," which is essentially a way for the school to pull elements of being the employer, a lender, a school and a recruiter, in order to make their students more successful. I see this model used at my current workplace, Stanford Law School. Our school first and foremost offers some of the best courses being taught by leaders in their field instructors (school). Next, our school offers LRAP (Loan repayment assistance program) services. Graduates enrolled in the Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) receive an interest-free loan, from Stanford Law School, used to pay off educational debt (lender). We also have one of the best clinical programs in the country, allowing students to join a clinic in their specified field of law, and work with real cases within that clinic. Some even arguing or preparing cases for Supreme Court litigation (employer). During the 3 years students spend at Stanford Law School, they are involved in multiple job fairs and job interview processes, that either place them in jobs while studying or enables them to make the right connections for jobs after graduation. Most of the students that graduate from SLS are already working in jobs that they were placed in before graduating (recruiter). </li></ul> <li>http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/di/ws/webaccessstds.asp (New Reference) </li> <ul><li>Web Accessibility Standards: One of the biggest challenges of creating web content, in higher education, is making sure that it is accessible by those with impairments; of both the physical and environmental nature. My job as a video editor requires that I place captioning on some of our more visible videos that we make public. Our web department has similar guidelines when creating content for our website. I've had the experience of working with a blind student, and it was eye opening (no pun intended) at how confusing a website or video could be without the appropriate accessibility standards applied. This website gives a host of information that should be followed by all web content creators and managers, and it shows the standards that all CDE (Calfornia Dept of Education) websites need to follow. </li></ul> <li>http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/stem-k-8-engineering (Discussions/K-8 Engineering) </li> <ul><li>STEM: K-8 Engineering: The STEM programs that are evolving across K-8 education is an important topic that needs more attention. My children attend a a school that has elements of the STEM program embedded within it's academic standards, and I find that it is a great tool for giving our children the experience they need to be creators and problem solvers. In this article, the positive outcomes of STEM programs and how it reinforces the engineering and design process that is critical in order to regenerate a new generation of engineers and scientists. </li></ul> </ul>

<li>Mid Term Project - Grand Challenges</li>

<ul> <li>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrnQtItGjuI (YouTube)</li>

<ul><li>Reverse Engineering the Brain: David Cox discusses the work being done to find the algorithms that the brain uses to figure out human computation. The goal is to crack the neurological algorithms that our brain uses, so that we can apply those to machines that could help us drive better and with less effort, help us work more efficiently, and help with everyday life. The study of the brain will also help us identify what causes brain dysfunctions, and possibly help us find a remedy.</ul>

<li> http://www.solarenergyworld.com/2012/11/12/how-solar-energy-can-help-the-economy/ (Discussions/Grand Challenges)</li>

<ul><li>How Solar Energy Can Help the Economy: This article gives us three examples of the positive effect that switching to solar energy as a main power supply would have. First, the growth in demand for solar electricity in the private and consumer sectors has created more jobs. Second, Solar power reduces our dependence on fossil fuels. Fossil fuels burn dirty and will eventually run out and go dry. The sun is a renewable source, that doesn't seem to be ending any time soon, as far as humans can calculate. Lastly, the money saved by using solar energy is a major reason solar panel installations have spiked in recent years, outgrowing it's projected growth, already.</li></ul>

<li>https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_pritchard_invents_a_water_filter (Discussions/Grand Challenges/TED Talk)</li>

<ul><li>How to Make Filthy Water Drinkable: The LifeSaver water purification bottle is a great product, that helps people in dire need of cleansing dirty water sources, that are nearby, for drinking water. These bottles would not only help poor people living in extreme poverty, but it would also help people that fall without water due to a natural disaster.</li></ul> </ul>

<li>Evaluating and Controlling Technology</li>

<ul> <li>http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elisha-goldstein-phd/technology-vs-humans-whos_b_812305.html (Discussion/Article) </li> <ul><li>'Technology vs. Humans: Who's Controlling Whom? - 'This article struck a chord with me. The author describes the effect that technology is having on our habits, and how it could be controlling our emotions and brain functionality. I often have the same anxious feeling about having my technology always within a hand's reach away. The article goes onto explain how much attention our phone gets at dinner, short walks, at stop lights, etc. </li></ul> <li>http://www.wired.com/insights/2014/11/the-internet-of-things-bigger/ (new research) </li> <ul><li>The Internet of Things is Far Bigger Than Anyone Realizes: Article discusses the future potential of the Internet of Things. The article goes on to discuss how the Internet of Things works by the usage of smart sensors relaying to machines that analyze the data and function based of the analytics. The reason I chose this article is because of it's emphasis on the great potential of the Internet of Things...everything from self driving cars to smart city infrastructures are on the horizon, and the Internet of Things will be smack dab in the middle of it all. </li></ul> <li> http://readwrite.com/2015/12/04/digital-divide-project-loon-internet-org (new research) </li> <ul><li>Bridge the Digital Divide: Don't Forget the Other Billion People - This article talks about the digital divide between the developed and the undeveloped regions of the world. More importantly, it gives examples of what some companies are bring technology, electricity, and banking to poorer regions and communities throughout the world. </li></ul> </ul>

<li>Risks, Failures and Responsibilities</li>

<ul> <li>http://prospect.org/article/coming-terms-our-cyber-dependence (Discussion/keywords) </li> <ul><li>Coming to Terms with Our Cyber Dependence:Will our dependency on Technology, become our downfall? Our current city, state, and national infrastructures are built and controlled by technology. It begs to ask how susceptible are we to a digital attack? This article raises some good questions, that I believe we should be asking. </li></ul> <li>http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/10/5-reasons-why-you-should-teach-kids-to.html (New Research) </li> <ul><li>5 Reasons Why You Should Teach Kids to Code:With the increase of digital advancement in our society, there is and will continue to be a strong demand for programmers. Teaching kids to program in the early grades is no different than teaching them math, science, or even a foreign language. Much through my coding school days, I often associated it with learning a new language. Once you learn how to speak in a certain "code language" you can unlock a whole new world of exploration. This article explains how teaching kids to code will make them smarter, give them a sense of empowerment, and transition kids from playing with technology to creating technology. </li></ul> <li> http://www.futureforall.org/futureofmedicine/medical_technology.htm (Discussions/Medicine and Computers) </li> <ul><li>Future Medical Technology: This list of possibilities for future medical technologies gives us an idea on what the future of medicine will look like. Everything from creating new limbs to new organs using a 3D printer will help preserve life much longer for some, in the very near future. Brain interfaces would enable us to always be logged into the cloud, and allow for instant analysis of our health and mental states. At some point these technologies will assist with slowing down our aging process, and we could live much longer. </li></ul> </ul>

<li>Anytime, Anywhere</li>

<ul> <li>http://lynda.com (Discussion/MOOCs) </li> <ul><li>Lynda.com: The future of education will see spike in the amount of MOOCs that will be available. Sites like Lynda.com are already an example of what is on the horizon. We already see major universities following suit, and creating their own MOOCs and making them available to the public. It's this type of educational tools that can be accessed anywhere that will students in remote and poorer areas get the knowledge they need to succeed. </li></ul> <li>http://www.websmithgroup.com/blog/geofencing-technology/ (Discussions/Keywords) </li> <ul><li>Geofencing: The future of Geo-Location Technology: This articled emphasized the increased application of geo-location services on mobile devices being used in geo-fencing type environments. It states that these type of geo-fencing environments are the future of geo-location applications. For instance, with geo-fencing technology installed on central air system at home, it could be controlled by your location in and out of y our home. When you leave, your system detects your location from your phone and turns the thermostat off or turns on the lights in the house as you enter. The article could’ve been longer, but I was intrigued enough to inspect items that I use that currently use this type of technology. I just got a new car, and it has this keyless entry system. As long as I have the key in my pocket, and I’m in close proximity to the vehicle, I can unlock the doors from a finger sensor on the handle. With the starting of the car, it’s a little different. The key has to be inside the car. Perfect application of geo-location, and it’s application in a geo-fencing environment. </li></ul> <li> http://extras.mercurynews.com/redefined/index.html (new research) </li> <ul><li>How Tech Redefines Us: In this 8 part series about how we live with technology in our day to day lives. Some examples of topics covered are: Gratification we receive from communicating socially over the internet with friends, family, and often complete strangers; Knowledge we have have instant access to is larger than it has ever been in the history of the world, all at our fingertips; Convenience of having everything at your fingertips have made us a little more reliant on our smart devices to do the thinking for us, or entertain us; Relationships can take shape from an online interaction with a person clear across the globe, the internet has brought us closer to people we normally would never meet in our regional locations; Privacy had been infringed upon, the more we are connected, the more our privacy is invaded. The more we put up on the net, the more of our private lives gets exposed; Fame can be achieved in many formats today. The digital media revolution has brought forth terms such as "YouTube star" to your daily vocabulary; Consequences are often an afterthought, but should be taken more seriously. Your actions could be posted for all to see, or you could invite harm into your life if you are not careful. There are a lot more ways to be exposed for things you would rather keep private. </li></ul> </ul>

<li>Technology Advances, Social Trends</li>

<ul> <li> https://youtu.be/NhJQB8NwCmE (Discussion/Tech Awards with Major Impact) </li> <ul><li>The Tech Awards 2015 laureate: DayOne Response: First, there were some really great inventions and applications of technology throughout the award finalists...it was really hard to choose just one. The DayOne Response water purification bag seems like the invention with the largest impact. The fact that they are lightweight, easy to use, and readily available should in the event of a natural or global catastrophe, makes it all the more practical and is why it tops my list. Clean water is a real issue worldwide, especially in poorer, reclusive areas of the world. This bag can help save lives of children and adults alike. In the wake of natural disasters, like Hurricane Katrina or the Japan Tsunami, tainted water becomes a real issue for 100's of thousands of people. Having a way to create clean water, for a family, in minutes, is an amazing feat. This invention will go on to help millions of people worldwide. </li></ul> <li>http://www.businessinsider.com/the-world-in-2050-2014-6?op=1 (Discussion/Future of Computers) </li> <ul><li>15 Ways the World Will Be Awesome in 2050: In the article, 15 Ways the World Will Be Awesome in 2050, the authors share many adjustments the future has in store for us. Of these adjustments, it seems that advances in health and the treatment of ailments come to the forefront. Improvements in vaccines could have us living longer, healthier and free of any major diseases. The decline of poverty and the ability to improve technology in less developed regions of the worlds will help combat child mortality rates. The study of and preservation of the brain could allow humans the ability to virtually live forever. Also, the creation of artificial organs and body parts are already leading to successful transplants, and opening the door to life saving procedures. </li></ul> <li>http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Growth-of-Time-Spent-on-Mobile-Devices-Slows/1013072 (Discussion/Interesting Quantitative Facts) </li> <ul><li>Growth of Time Spent on Mobile Devices Slows: The article, I chose, analyzes the growth of time spent on mobile devices in 2015, and it’s projections into 2016 and 2017. The numbers show that over the previous years the numbers have grown dramatically, but in 2015 the numbers continued to grow, just at a lower rate. </li></ul> </ul>

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MIDTERM TOPIC

For my midterm topic, I chose to research the Grand Challenge of reverse engineering the brain. In my research, I discovered that there is a ton of money being spent by entrepreneurs like Paul Allen, from Microsoft, on recreating a synthetic brain that can make humanlike decisions. One of the goals, from the team financed by Paul Allen, is to progress the AI technology so that they could have a robot that could pass a high school exit exam. Some of the questions left in my mind from this research, how will the advancements in artificial intelligence affect our lives in the future. Will AI robots be there to serve us, or to extinguish us.