Public Opinions

While watching the “6 Billion Others� testimonials about nature, I found it interesting that almost every person viewed nature as a beautiful thing that should be preserved. The man from Hong Kong said he felt fear towards nature, but this was more specifically directed at the jungle around him. And though he doesn't share the more conservationist viewpoints of the others, his position does show a type of respect for nature, albeit a more fearful than grateful one. Even the woman from India, who pointed out that humans are equally important (reflecting India's current struggle with rapid population growth and unregulated pollution problems) still stated that nature is something we should value and use only within our needs. Personally, I was very impressed with the testimonial from the Reunion Islands, in which the man described humans and trees as being completely interconnected as well as symbolically similar.

Continue reading "Position on 6 Billion Others: Nature - by Vince Ferguson" »

Posted by fergu229 at 7:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Apple has just released the new version of iTunes, iTunes 8.0. This program features all the usual upgrades, but there is one in particular that caught my attention. Apple released a new upgrade to iTunes entitled, “Genius.�

“Genius,� has the ability to access the music files that are currently in anyone’s iTunes folder and recommend music for the particular person. It makes these recommendations by comparing artists, song titles, and genres. But the question becomes, is it right for Apple to access our music files on our computer and recommend new songs? By Apple accessing our computer files and folders, do they gain a marketing advantage that violates our privacy?

Before I explain my stand on the issue, there are many other websites that use this same method. Here are a few of them: Facebook, Myspace, and Wal-Mart.com. They use a tracking method that allows them to post advertisements on your page that appeal to you. Wal-Mart online tracks every product you look at in a particular day. The company uses this information to post similar products that may interest you. Facebook and Myspace use this technique as well. These particular sites track the other websites that a person’s computer visits and from that information posts the advertisements that are most like the sites visited.

ITunes “Genius,� sets up a side panel in your iTunes and every time that a user clicks onto a song the “Genius Bar� recommends popular songs by the artist and popular artists. When you first install the program, iTunes uploads all of the information within your iTunes and uses that information to make new suggestions.

One argument on this topic would say that what iTunes and companies like it are doing is wrong. These companies should not be able to view files on a person’s computer. Information on a personal computer should be confidential and protected.

In the example of iTunes, “Genius,� uses an unfair means of marketing. With this new software, it is as if iTunes has a sales representative luring you into make purchases for every second you’re using iTunes. With the new software their advertising schemes have been brought to a new level. Because of this, their profits will most likely increase.

The other side of the argument is that by having a computer select songs for a particular person, the user can save time and effort in finding enjoyable music. By giving iTunes access to your music library, it’s not handing out any personal information that’s crucial to your life. It is necessary for iTunes to have this access to help you find music.

“Genius,� is not a mandatory program. After installing the new iTunes software on my computer, I realized that this was something that had to be signed up for. Therefore, iTunes needs user discretion before it can upload your library.

Facebook and Myspace are awesome networking programs, they give us the ability to keep in touch with so many other people that we might not otherwise talk to. Facebook and Myspace do not charge users anything. They cover costs by advertising for companies. Facebook advertises for companies on every page within the site. This is what pays for the site to be up and running.

My opinion on this topic is allowing these companies to access a minimal amount of the information on our computer is good. These sites all contain disclaimers that explain what each company has access to. When we rush and click through the license agreement statement, “I agree.� We agree to everything these sites can do. Within in those statements it explains the actions that the website can take.

Facebook tells its users that whatever material is posted, (wall posts, photos, videos, etc.) Facebook owns. As a user it’s his or her responsibility to make sure that he or she understands all that website can do. That’s the reason it is not recommended to fly through licensing agreement pages. One should carefully read each statement as best, but at least make sure to skim the main points.

Apple is not looking to rip valuable information out of everybody’s computer, but rather to help their users be satisfied with their products. By suggesting music that may appeal to a customer helps them to gain a better image of customer service. Apple wants people to use their products so that they have a profit increase. By inventing new applications and updating their software, it helps to for this image.

By coming up with this new style of software, Apple may create a trend. Companies accessing our information and buying trends may be something that we, as consumers, may have to view as normal. As the world becomes more reliant on computers these types of programs will start to grow. It’s because of this that programs like Apple’s “Genius,� are justified in what they can do.

Works Cited:

http://www.apple.com/itunes/whatsnew/

http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2008/09/09/a-look-at-itunes-gen.html

http://blogs.computerworld.com/review_itunes

Posted by muell484 at 7:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Paul Koski
When I initially read this, I thought it was about some hippie type person who managed to start her own art gallery consisting of handmade arts and crafts. And for the most part I think I am right on that part, because the article was talking about art pieces and a gallery, nothing really useful like a table or a garage. So I thought well what is the big deal. Many people make handmade arts and crafts all the time, why is she so special. Why does she get to go on all these talk shows, concerts, and travel the country to talk about handmade art? I do not think I will ever get why she is so special, but I read a position paper by Nate Miller, which made me look at everything a different way. He did not talk about arts and crafts, but useful stuff, such as, cabinets and garages. Even though there was some art and craft type stuff like model cars, I found a deeper meaning in it all. He had been raised with traditions, the model car was a tradition, something his dad did, and now something he does, and will continue to pass down to his kids.

Continue reading "Do it Yourself: Does it Fit in?" »

Posted by koski120 at 7:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Liberty, it is word that can have many different connotations or meanings depending on who it is who is defining it. Some people consider liberty as any man for him self, the ability to do what you want when you want. Others might say that there is no liberty unless it is shared by all.

6 Billion Others is a website that conducts interviews on different subjects with people all over the world. Ranging from some thing as simple as laughter to more complicated and deep questions like the meaning of life, the website covers it all. However, I thought that the most interesting and thought provoking question of all was "What is Liberty?"

The dictionary states that Liberty is: the power of choice, free from physical restraint, the power to do what one chooses (Webster). I think that if most people were asked the same question then their answer would most likely be pretty similar to this definition. After watching the interviews and thinking about it for a while I think that the real meaning of liberty is deeper and more palpable then that. For example the prostitute from Thailand said that she had no liberty because she had become overweight in jail and now that she is out she cannot find any work. Now she has no money and she can't find another job.

My question is did she ever have any liberty in the first place, when she was working as a prostitute. The answer is no, she was not free from physical restraint; most likely she did not have the power of choice. This problem brings us to an even deeper issue. Whose fault is it that she has no liberty? I think that it is the fault of society and government in Thailand where a young woman has to sell her body and her dignity as the only way to get by.

There are anywhere from 800,000 to 2 million prostitutes in Thailand, with most of them being under the age of 18 (Sciaga). Many of these kids were taken from their homes at an early age and forced into the prostitution ring. If this is not a blatant robbery of one's personal liberty then I do not know what is. Looking at that fact makes me frustrated as to how ridiculous it is that people would let this happen in their country. Forced Prostitution is just one of 1,000 issues that one could bring up when talking about this issue of liberty. All over the world people’s rights are being violated.

People who disagree with the point that I am trying to make might say that it is one’s own responsibility to make sure that their liberties and freedoms are upheld at whatever cost. Now to some extent this is a true statement, and there are places in the world where people need to take control of a the situation for themselves. However I think that more often then not people don’t have the ability to step in on behalf of themselves. This is where we must step in for them.

Martin Luther King Jr. said that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice every where.� I think that this quote directly applies to the topic that we are discussing. When there is a violation of liberty, my belief is that it is not an isolated experience. There is a chain of responsibility that always comes back to us. Yes I mean people like you and me who are lucky enough to be in a position where we have the ability to help those who cannot help them selves. Now I might be being naïve when I say this but if you really look deep into the issue then you might be able to tell where I am coming from. For example, I am sure that there are people in Thailand who are against prostitution trafficking, this is pretty obvious. How ever many of these people don’t have the resources to do anything about the problem. The responsibility then falls to those who do have the power to a make a change for the better. Which makes me wonder if the real definition of liberty is not just a personal freedom of choice, but a collective right for everyone to be able to obtain the basic needs to live a happy life.

Continue reading "6 Billion Others" »

Posted by tipp0013 at 2:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I can't seem to find where he posted the topics for our position papers. I want to get one done by Friday, and also, do we just post them like this, as an entry that is? If you can help me with either of these questions you can comment or email me at koski120@umn.edu or just comment

Posted by koski120 at 12:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Watching this episode of Rocketboom, I was intrigued by one of the news items. It's actually from an academic journal. Ideas for research projects can come from many different places:

We demonstrate by means of simple, noninvasive methods (analysis of satellite images, field observations, and measuring “deer beds� in snow) that domestic cattle (n = 8,510 in 308 pastures) across the globe, and grazing and resting red and roe deer (n = 2,974 at 241 localities), align their body axes in roughly a north–south direction. Direct observations of roe deer revealed that animals orient their heads northward when grazing or resting. Amazingly, this ubiquitous phenomenon does not seem to have been noticed by herdsmen, ranchers, or hunters.

If you discover anything interesting, feel free to write about it here as "practice" for your position papers.

Posted by Jeff Ward at 2:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)