Google and tug of war

If you have not read an article on what happens to your search history, well you should.
http://www.news.com/FAQ-When-Google-is-not-your-friend/2100-1025_3-6034666.html?tag=nefd.top
is a good site for doing so. After I read it I was terrified but then reflected back to a class discussion about privacy and the digital world. America, along with the rest of the world, is moving to a more digitalized world every moment. Some places you can only buy certain items online, and how do you do that? With a credit card. Every purchase made on a credit card is stored in an information bank. Advertising is trying to work with the information to personally target "you" with advertisements that interest you according to previous purchases. Along with that may be Internet search records. Every item a person types in as a search is stored for unknown amounts of time, except AOL admitted to keeping there's for only 30 days.
I personally think this is all an invasion of privacy. If I had a weird fetish and googled it, there is a record kept on it. If I look up how to make drugs or bombs, there is a record that could potentially be used against me in a court case.
Example: I am in high school doing a report on marijuana for health class. I want to know how it is made and the process of getting weed on the streets. I search "how marijuana is made." I get the information and complete my project. Years later the Supreme Court starts a drug war and wants to know who makes marijuana. They can order a subpoena that then leads the court to my name. Simple search leads invasion of what I do in my personal time and possibly law issues.

Also on the Internet, there is a potential to have a battle over speed through provider. Companies that provide the availability to the Internet are starting to realize they have control. Could Google pay more money to have their site run at a faster rate than any other site to lead people to use Google? Could Google suffer because MSN bought the fastest speed so people are using them? All of this is in the air and could present many problems. For more information read: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/21/AR2006012100094.html
The article goes as far to say "Network neutrality is a solution in search of a problem."

readings week 4

The preposition part made me laugh because I’ve heard it too many times. The story goes a speaker was at a Harvard and was asking a student “Where is the library at?” The student responded “Here at Harvard we don’t end out sentences with prepositions” The speaker said “Let me rephrase. Where is the library at asshole?”
Some of the other tactics reminded me of my mother. Which is quite sad but she used to use many of these. Thankfully she has changed but it still gives me experience with the "conversational terrorism."

The Virtual Education article was interesting. "These kids had maybe never had the feeling of being transported by a good book," but could eventually support themselves by working computer programs. That is my favorite part but by far the saddest yet so true. Children are being taught so much new stuff and being loaded with new technology information but missing simple and basic principles. It even said working with computers helps improve test scores.
In Weeds, when Shane is asked what he learns in school he responds, "How to pass the state tests so our school can get more funding." I agree. Schools focus so much on the curriculum that will be on tests that students do not actually learn. My senior year of high school, my economics teacher handed out the study guide for the final and that was all we worked on all semester. It seems like schools are training robots.

answering questions

Sorry Shane. I forgot to address the questions in my other blogs. Aren't our final portfolios online resume(insert accent mark over "e" here)s? so the information would be school, work, volunteer, and overview! Target: future employers.

ps (fine-side note)- how did you know I critiqued the class website?

That covers it so see you in class. candy this time?

Janel Shackelford

Big-J and Aubologna

Janel is my greatest friend! Love her to death. If i ever need anything she is there for me. Who knows where my life would be without her?!
One day we plan on moving in together, maybe in New York.
I miss her dearly!

more profiles with weekly reading review

Facebook and families. I would never add my parents to a myspace or facebook profile of mine. It is bad enough having siblings on there, no offense to any of them. Personal profiles are like small communities, parents find out where you are and what you are doing before you get there. My sister found out about my tattoo online from a comment a friend left me. Nothing I posted, just on my profile. I am pleased reading the mom understood that her daughter did not want to "friend" her. My real mother would be hurt and make a huge deal if she got a myspace or facebook and I said stay away.

I eas surprised to read about the Drudge report. It almost made me laugh that a website got clogged because so many readers of the DrudgeReport followed a link on global warming. It made me realize just how many people actually use that site. Very interesting. Interesting indeed!

Jobs and Online Profiles

http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060827/NEWSREC0101/608270307

The website above is an article mentioning how online profiles can impact job hunting.

Many young adults use an online profile, such as myspace or facebook. I have both. On these profiles many post personal information, pictures, and give a great insight to the person they really are. Employers are increasingly using such profiles to help them find "the perfect hire." Some people look great on paper and seem like well-behaved great employees. On a profile a boss or manager could find that you get wasted on the weekends and are stealing the mints from work.

The idea of using the profiles is to see the real person. The profiles represent the person, it is kind of the point. It is scary to think that potential employers, school officials, and almost anyone can view your profile and personal information and use it to judge you. If a friend of mine posted a comment on my myspace joking about how wasted I was over the weekend and how I need to take the partying down a notch since she really thinks I am not partying enough for college, someone could see that as I am a huge partier with a drinking problem. There is no tone in writing that everyone views the same. I would know she was kidding but others may not.

Profiles through the internet are not as private as most would think. Be careful what you post online.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!