What is Your Current Event?

Blog 10/18

In class we talked about current events, we picked a couple of articles then voted on the one we wanted to talk about; today we talked about a panda who was put down. While I recognize the sadness behind the story of the world’s oldest panda being put down I do not agree that it was the most important topic or article. The other articles were stories on: Michelle Obama’s speech, Bill Clinton, and a local Arizona story about a company donating one million to a charity in opposition to prop. 205. These are events and problems that we can fix, and or be a part of to make better; these are the things we need to know. We cannot help the panda since it’s dead; it had a good life and a very long one (the world oldest panda). We need to educate ourselves on the important events in today’s world. I feel like my age group is reading stories on Facebook and that is the “news” they read for the day. I hope I am wrong.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/17/asia/worlds-oldest-panda-jia-jia-dies/

This is the idea of algorithms for people on Facebook and what they are searching. We all have a selected a filter on your newsfeeds without even knowing it, creating an almost bias news cycle. This is if you keep clicking on the fluffy/happy stories and articles then you keep filtering more stories like that into your feed. With out knowing you are for setting yourself up to miss articles or stories that you did not even know you are leaving out. This is the same way if you like on post they will keep popping up on your page. We are allowing the internet to cut us off with out even knowing it, editing out information from are newsfeeds. 

The main problem with people reserving their news to only social media is it not from the most reliable source. I try to use read article from all different news companies: New York Times, Arizona Daily Star, CNN, and more. These are all credible news sites that have the best fact checkers in the business working for them. On the other hand, the problem with Facebook and some of the articles people post is that they do not have fact checkers. You know the saying, “you can not trust anything or everything you read on the Internet!”

 

Image 1: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/17/worlds-oldest-panda-in-captivity-dies-in-hong-kong/ 

Image 2:http://giphy.com/gifs/math-zach-galifianakis-the-hangover-5yLgoceFO3BdJW1zvFu

Image 3:http://gov20class.blogspot.com/2015/09/newspapers-versus-cnncomnytimescom.html

Open Source Software

Blog 10/15

            Open Source Software is something that people can change and modify, due to the codes being accessible and free. What this means is that anyone has access to the code the software so they can update or tweak the software. They are all different forms of open source software from design, video editing, sound editing, office supplies, and more. There are many benefits to this type of software for the users and the software itself.

            Within the open sources software anyone who knows how to use code and programing can edit the software. This gives people the chance to help one another and collaborate online through the software. While privately owned software programs can only be edited or updated within the company or those who created it. For example the company Micosoft Word can only be changed or updated by the company and the ones that created its code. The updates have to be done from an employee.

            With Open Source Software the codes are open to use for anyone with a computer. A company that has this is Google Docs. Personally, I have had more problems on Word than Google Docs. I use both a lot, with an equal amount to each other. From my understanding, I believe Open Source Software is a better way to go for the users in terms of collaborating, user experience, and accessibility.

Photo 1:https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/open-source-software-development-jerin-joseph
Photo 2:https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwin4aLn797QAhXINiYKHXhRDGYQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thefiscaltimes.com%2F2015%2F04%2F15%2F10-Things-Stress-Out-About-Now-Tax-Day-Over&bvm=bv.139782543,d.eWE&psig=AFQjCNEh3jaib5tgzrxLNDE0NFr1NigAVg&ust=1481089851770595
Photo 3:http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/07/exploring-the-world-of-foss-android-can-a-smartphone-be-open-source/

Guest Speaker

Blog: 10/6

In class we had a guest speaker come in and talk about her thesis paper, in the form of a presentation.  This was over blogs she found when researching the community of the online eating disorders. This presentation had the pros and cons of the anorexia community. The community is formed over media with hash-tags, and this is the tracking system users and followers keep track of. The site that the people are connecting on is Tumblr.

One positive aspect of this online community is for sense of belonging, to allow people to have the understanding that they’re not alone in what they’re going through. The users also gain emotional support from each other. The fact that these blogs are highly searchable and pervasive helps within health care providers; meaning this is where healthcare researchers can look deeper and study the minds and behaviors of people with anorexia.

A negative side to this would be is there are no censorship, or filters to keep the online energy in a positive form. This could create a negative light with it forming a user to become depressed. The group cannot always truly connect with one another on a personal level due to the lack of face to face connection. People have the ability to say more unkind comments to one another over a screen, rather in person. Users are able to post pictures, and comment on one another’s but this may not always be good things to say.

Photo 1:https://about.twitter.com/company
Photo 2:http://www.cfaw.com/blog/category/industry-practice-groups/healthcare/
Photo 3:http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/anorexia-could-caused-bacterial-infections-7822740