Artificial Intelligence

I loved the movie on Ansgar as it reminded me of myself when I am trying to learn new things on the computer and get stressed out. Sometimes in class, I want to just say "Stop-lets do that again. I haven't quite got it." The movie was quite comical. I found Bradford to be amazing as I'm sure that is the direction we are heading. The one thing we don't currently have today is the ability for our computers to interact verbally with us as if they were a virtual person who could assume the role of secretary for us taking messages and returning phone calls.
I found an article on AI under the link: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=technology&res=9401E2d71639F934A25,and according to it, Artificial Intelligence is coming to your personal computer in a sure but limited way. According to the article in the New York Times, new software is being released in the Fall of 2008 that will " allow the user to tell the computer in plain English what to do. It is being introduced by Symantek.
Another system available allows you to query your computer on a specialty topic with complex questions, and the computer will query back, "guiding one through the maze of stored knowledge. In addition, a program called Ractor is available that allows you to actually have a conversation with your computer by typing in questions. Your computer then responds to you. As you can see, Artificial Intelligence has arrived, and will be improving daily. I bet Bradford will be here before we know it.

Thomas Barnett: The Pentagon's New Map For War and Peace

I found this TED talk to be very interesting. I am the mother of a son who went to war twice, so this is a very personal topic for me. He was a front line soldier in both Afghanistan and Iraq with the 82nd Airborne. I am in complete agreement with Barnett that you cannot expect our soldiers one day to be shooting to kill, and then trying to make peace the next. You are messing not only with their heads but with the people of the countries that we are invading. As Barnett said "you can't ask a 19year old to do it all."
The world is well aware that we are a power to be dealt with.I agree that where we fail is in the aftermath. You cannot go in, tear a country apart by toppling its leader (No matter how brutal he was -for in most cases that is all that they have known), and then just expect to leave, and think they are going to pick up the pieces. Take Afghanistan and Iraq for example. These countries have been waging wars amongst each other for centuries.It is what they know, and will probably continue to do for centuries to come. They haven't the foggiest clue of what a democracy is. I think that you would have to bring many of those people here to this country,and plop them down for 6 months before they would even begin to understand the concept and the possibilities.
This is not to say that we should just ignore the atrocities and genocides going on in the world, but we cannot be the gatekeepers for everyone. I think Barnetts idea of an A-Z system is an interesting concept with its Leviathon Force and Sys Admin Force. As we have all seen, accessing the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq were never the problem. It is what do we do now to bring peace and stability? What is missing is that network system. Asking our 19-23 year old soldiers and older to do 4 and 5 tours is not the answer. The real test of Barnetts proposal will be if the two proposed forces can keep the peace with each other. One will always be ready to go to war-the other ready to compromise.

Carl Honore: Slowing down in a world built for speed

Finally,somebody else who feels like I do! By this, I mean that life does not need be a rat race. Carl Honore is a journalist who wrote a book on slowing down in life, and the benefits that it can provide to not only your health but also your diet, work, and relationships. He has found that "everyone wants to know how to slow down, but wants to know how to do it quickly." There seems to be something wrong with that.
We are a society that is obsessed with speed. The faster the better. We have speed-dialing, speed-dating, speed-walking, speed-reading, and even speed-yoga. Honore says we are a society of "road runner living" and are "hurrying through our lives instead of living them." I could not agree more. In our society, time is money, whereas in other societies, time is based more on the cycles of living. For instance, in Europe people work much less than here in the West (6 week vacations are the norm). The outcome-productivity goes up. The Nordic countries are a prime example of this.
This is a topic I have thought about quite often. It seems everybody has to be on 24/7. Cell-phones are attached to ones body almost as if they have grown another appendage. We have to constantly be on the go. Family dinners around the dinner table are practically non-existant. I worry about children the most. It is like they are on overdrive all the time with homework, extra-curricular activities, camps, jobs, cell-phones, text-messaging, or video games. Nobody knows how to just sit and daydream anymore. Even the idea of just sitting and reading a book seems to make people nervous. It is like they cannot physically slow down enough to just sit. Even people who go on vacations seem to take the first 2-3 days just to unwind enough to relax. I think there is alot to be learned from the Europeans and the way they live life.
As mentioned previously, they all take six weeks of vacation. The shops in most countries shut down in the afternoons for 2-3 hours, and people go home and take naps or just rest. This is a fact in Italy. Around 5, the shops reopen.Europeans take time to shop the markets for their foods, cook them themselves, sit down to family meals, and just enjoy what they are eating and eath others company. Rushing through fast food is not their normal way. They just seem to savor the simple ways of living and you can tell just by looking at them that they they seem more relaxed. Americans on the other hand, always seem to have a nervous energy about them. Maybe it is time for us all to remember that we are all going to die one day, and that life is not so much about the race, but enjoying the journey. Take the time to just look up at the sky on a sunny day, or really look at a flower that is blooming in a garden. Notice the birds singing, and pay attention to that piece of cake or slice of pizza you are eating.You might be pleasantly surprised.

William Kamkwamba:How I built my family a windmill

Everyone should listen to this TED talk and learn from this humble, gentle now 19 year old about how the most simple basic thing that we all take for granted-electrical power, can bring such joy. We live in such a fast paced world where everyone wants the latest gadget, technology, or wants things instantly. We all forget that there is a whole world out there that doesn't even have the basics such as a simple light bulb, running water, or the luxury of hearing a radio much less downloading their latest ITunes or movies.
William was simply a 14 year old who wanted to provide power to his mud hut for his family. He comes from a small village in Tanzania. He decided to read a book called "Using Energy", and from there he built a windmill using a bicycle frame, pulley, plastic pipe, and wooden poles.He basically used scraps that he found. It provided enough wattage for 4 light bulbs and a radio. When questioned about the windmill, he replied simply " I tried, and I made it."
How many other average 14 year olds would even think about taking on this project? In our society,they are all too busy text messaging, playing their latest video games, or worrying about their MySpace.The idea of not even having power probably never even crosses their minds. It is a given. I think our society today is too wrapped up in themselves. This boy now wants to build a bigger windmill that will pump water and irrigate crops for his entire village.His focus is on "What can I do for others?" Only by watching the TED video can you see the joy on his face in having been able to build this first windmill,and you can tell that he realizes what the second windmill could mean to the life of the village. Our modern world here could do well to learn lessons from this young man. It is not always about having the latest and wanting more.Sometimes, we need to stop, and be grateful for all that we do have and maybe start focusing more on how to help those who are just looking for the basics. There should not be such disparity in the world.

Group 3 Project

Phishing/Internet Scams

Although many people have run into problems with both Phishing and Internet scams on their computers, I have been very fortunate to not have had experiences with either.I don't know if that is because I do not use the internet alot or if I don't email alot (most of my family and friends live right in Tappahannock with me). Maybe,I have just been lucky. I do know that it has been a real problem for many people esp. the elderly who fall for the internet scams offering them money if they send in a certain amount of money first or forward a bank account number. You read about it in the paper all the time. It is heartbreaking and infuriating to see people lose what money they have to these scams and to the phishing that goes on with people falling victim, and giving out their personal information. I do get surprised by the number of times that this does seem to happen. It seems that enough information is posted in newspapers, magazines, and on the TV warning people about these problems. Nevertheless, people still fall for them. Hopefully, if people can keep reading about it, be warned by family members, or see it on TV enough,these incidences will lessen.

A Voyage Inside The Cell

David Bolinksky is a medical animator who is the creator of a fascinating movie that recreates the life that goes on inside the basic living cell.He helps people understand truth and beauty in the biological sciences through animation.I think in a sense that he wants people to realize that although we all think we see something when we look at it, we are not really looking at it and truly seeing. Bolinsky wanted to create for medical students "a mental image of the cell as a large bustling city of micromachines". One need only watch the film to see that he certainly succeeded.It is an amazing film showing how the most basic simple thing that is the start of all life is really a network of "micromachines" all working together to provide the cell what it needs to survive and thrive. Without them, there would be no cells, and hence no life. It forces one to really visualize and use their imaginations to realize that nothing is so simple. There is complexity in everything but one must really take the time to look, and see. Upon doing so,one must then be willing to contemplate upon the real wonders of life, its beginnings, and the possibilities and secrets that it still holds.

Surfing The Web

Surfing the web can be a lot of fun. I wish I had more time and high speed. Unfortunately, I still have dial-up which can take up a lot of time. I usually only spend about three to five hours on surfing because I just have too many other things going on right now.I visited the following sites this past week:
1. www.rcc.vccs.edu to do my college work on Blackboaed, check my college email, check assignments, etc.
2. www.ted.com for my Internet Services class assignments.It is a site with all kinds of different talks on different topics.
3. www.nasdaq.com
www.nsye.com Both of these sites were for my Business 100 class. We have a stock exhange project that we have to do, and these sites list all kinds of stocks and their prices.
4. www.southernlivingplans.com I was checking out this site because my husband and I are looking to add a Florida/Sun room onto our house and it is has some plans for doing such.
5 www.blogger.com This site was for doing my blogs for this class.
6. www.google.com This site is a great starting point for when you are looking for a site to go to, but don't know the web address. You type in a few key words and Google does a search for you. All the related web sites pop up, and you can choose from there.
7. www.beachhouse.com
www.vacationrentals.com
www.century21thomas.com
www.elliottrealty.com I checked out all of these sites because my family and I are looking to rent a beach house in Myrtle Beach S.C. this summer for a family vacation. They all popped up when I plugged in Myrtle Beach S.C. in Google.

Lead a Passionate Life

This week I decided to listen to a talk by Ben Dunlap on: The Story of a Passionate Life.Mr.Dunlap teaches at Woolford College in South Carolina and it was there that he met a Jewish immigrant by the name of Sandor Teslor. He was by then 90 years old, had started at the college in his 80's, and had taken all the courses in the college catalog.
Mr. Dunlop's talked focused on the hard life that Mr. Teslor had led from being born with 2 club feet, to he and his family being arrested and taken to the death camps by the Nazis. After surviving that, but losing his business in Yugoslovia, he immigrated to the U.S. where he finally settled in Spartanburg, S.C.. There the Clan was taking hold, but again Mr. Teslor would not be beaten and was able to be successful again. Here was a man who had faced unhuman cruelty and hardship, but never let his spirit be broken. He also never let his love of learning stop. It was in one of Mr. Dunlops lectures that he even begged to differ on the state of human beings and humbly argued that "Human beings are fundamentally good". Quite an amazing statement from a man who had survived the Nazis and prejudices again in the deep south.
We could all learn a lesson from this humble man about living life to the fullest, appreciating every day we are given, forgiving those who have hurt us, and never giving up our passion to learn. This is a man who could have easily given up, become bitter, and lived a life of hatred. Instead he chose to forgive, look beyond, and if you listen to the talk, learn how he wisely handled the prejudices and segregations of the South.

Education and The Internet

I have been out of High School for years now, but have used the Internet extensively in my studies at RCC. I'm really not sure that you could pursue a higher education today without access to the internet. It is needed for everything. I have used it for Flo classes, research purposes, and to be able to communicate back and forth with my professors and fellow students.
In five years, I'm not sure lower education and the internet will change much.While some public high schools now provide laptops for every student, money is still the big issue. Some private schools already require them. Computers are expensive, but I have been seeing articles lately about new computers that are coming out that are relatively inexpensive.Until this country really gets serious about its children and their educations, I'm afraid computer access and the internet on a daily basis for education will probably be limited to some library use or computer classes much as they are now.
There are lots of changes that need to be made in education with the first being that people in this country need to realize that the children are our future and by future, I mean our leaders, inventors, and caregivers. They need to be educated.Education takes money and in schools, money comes from taxes.Taxes are the first thing the average citizen gripes about, but for better or worse, our world is now one of technology. If we are to keep up and compete along with connecting and understanding people of other nation's and cultures, our children need to be computer literate and internet savvy.In order to connect the different peoples and nations on an academic level, it is almost as if a curriculum needs to be established on a world level.It would be created so that all students would have the same level of understanding and knowledge in order to function later on in the world much like all students learn the same basic math, reading, and writing principles.

Macworld 2008 New Releases

At Macworld 2008, four new exciting products were revealed.
They included:
1.The Mac Air Notebook-the world's thinnest notebook.
2.New software updates for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and Apple TV.
3.The Time Capsule which is wireless back-up for all Macs.
4.iTune movie rentals.
How great is all of this for the Mac users out there? For more info on these new introductions, you can go to www.apple.com.

Sir Ken/ Do Schools Kill Creativity?

Sir Ken Robinson gave a very interesting speech contending that our schools are killing creativity in our children and offers that " creativity is as important as literacy in education" and "that instead of growing into creativity, we grow out of creativity". As the mother of three children, I wholeheartedly agree. It seems that schools are focused on one thing these days- the SOL's and accredidation. Gone are the days of creativity, the arts, music, and just using your imagination. We are turning out robots that just just spew out facts to a test. When there is a budget crunch or time factor, the first thing to go are the arts. Children are not meant to fit into a mold or box. Every child has their own talents or gifts, and schools have a responsibility to discover that gift and nurture it to help that child grow and reach their fullest potential. It seems to me that when liitle Johnny can't sit still, the first thing a school wants to do is have him diagnosed as ADHD and put him on Ritalin. Maybe, he is just a creative soul who needs to be able to express himself through art, music, dance, or hands on learning. Not sitting still at a desk for 8 hours. I believe some children are meant to work with their hands versus books. That does not make them any less smarter or valuable. As we all know, when our pipes bust or car breaks down, we want that plumber or mechanic ASAP.
As for creativity, I would point to my own daughter as an example. She is a Pastry Chef. Do you have any idea how creative you have to be to be in that field? It also involves a tremendous amount of math,chemistry, imagination,presentation, and time management. You are still adressing your math, chemistry, and English skills in recipe formulations but just in a different way.It doesn't make it any less valuable than say Algebra. After all, we all love to eat out. I would even contend that the skills are even more important, as can any of us really say that we use Algebra on a weekly basis?
As for what we can do about it, I would say that parents have to start being much more involved in their children's education. Speak up. Recognize your childrens talents and push them in that direction. Don't worry about what Susie or Johnny is doing. That is the problem now. Everyone is so afraid to think outside of the box and thinks they have to follow the same formula of AP classes, college, and so on. Listen to your children. Let them follow their hearts. You might be surprised by the results. I sure am. I'm eating more desserts than I can handle.

My ITE 130 Video Introduction

My First Blog Post

Wow! I'm actually making a blog. It's up and working too. This is going to be fun.