Pixton Cartoon Project

http://www.pixton.com/embed/k8omr4uz

The article that I have chosen to write about this week was about e-waste and the disposal of our old electronics after we are done with them and kick them to the curb. Most of the waste we get rid of is put in dumps in third world countries. Some of these parts are very toxic for the environment and are ruining it in these countries. The solution to the problems over there come back to here and what we do with our electronics. One of the solutions offered up in the article said that paying a little bit more for electronics and then returning them to the manufacturer for a small buyback amount. One thing that I have seen on tv is advertisements for companies that buy your old smart phones, which is a really good start for solving the e-waste problem. Donating old computers to those without computers could also be a good solution. There definitely need to be more regulations on companies who dispose of e-waste because only 11-14 percent of all the waste gets sent to recyclers. A possible solution could be a tax break for companies that dispose of the waste properly or something along those lines. There a re a number of solutions that could be discussed but those are just a few.

The article that I used is right here: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2048908/trashing-bans-not-reducing-office-e-waste.html

Are we really protected?

The article that I have chosen to read about talks in a lot of detail about internet safety. It talked about how Snowden leaked all the information about the NSA, but even more about our safety as people on the internet. Im a person who has nothing to hide when it comes to the internet, but the fact that our personal information and such is available to be hacked and looked at is not a thought i like to bring to mind. Especially my online accounts where I have money on such as iTunes or Amazon where i really dont want people knowing my information. It is crazy to think that all of our personal information is at risk that easily and anyone who has a government clearance can look at it. This goes along with being careful with what you put on facebook, twitter, or even instagram when it comes to sharing information. This goes to show that you cant be too careful with what you post online. I personally stay away from posting too much on social media because the less that is on there the less I have to worry about. But that doesnt go for all other forms of web browsing because there is always some sort of information being  collected on what you do when you surf the web.

Here is the article this post is based off of in case you want to read: http://www.abc2news.com/dpp/news/state/johns-hopkins-researchers-discuss-nsa-snowden-leak-effects-on-cyber-security

Questions: "On a Democracy" by Robert A. Dahl

1. Do you believe that democracy was one idea invented at once by one group or the convergence of ideas and different groups?

2. What do you define as democracy?

3. Where do you truly believe the idea of democracy began?

4. Which of the methods of democracy in the reading did you like best and why?

5. Do you believe all people have the right to run a country or just those who are educated and in a higher class?

Digital Media and Social Justice- Is there still really privacy?

The article that I have chosen to reflect upon was written by Ken Dilanian of the LA Times and is about the Snowden's latest leak about the NSA. In the latest leak according to the article, Snowden said that the NSA was giving Israel the rights to look at the digital information of private citizens of the United States and hold it for up to a year. Meaning that the Israeli government can hold information on any random person who is not in the government for an extended period of time. Just think that your information on Facebook at this moment could be stored in another countries data base. This goes hand in hand with the issue of digital media and social justice because some people might view our private information being shared with other people as wrong. Most people would not be comfortable with this idea because it is their private information being shared with other people. The fact that we are just finding this information out is crazy. It goes back to the idea of personal privacy and if we are willing to give that up for security. Is there a justifiable claim for the government to give our personal information to a foreign power? How do you feel about personal information of US citizens being shared with other countries?

The link to the article for reference is right here :http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-nsa-intelligence-israel-edward-snowden-leak-20130911,0,5937942.story

About Dr. Shutkin

9. Write down a question or two that you would like to ask me about myself or the class.

-What is your favorite genre of music, and artists in that genre?

-If you had the choice to be any character from television who would you be and why?

Technology

6. What do you believe was the most important technological invention in history? Why?
-In my opinion the most important technological invention in history is the computer because it allowed for the rapid advancement of all technology in todays age. It allows us to have vast amounts of information at our fingertips. This invention also comes with controversy because the issue of privacy on the internet. It is a very debated topic in today's world because people are very concerned over the security of their search privacy on the internet and their various day to day activities. Even though the computer does come with some controversy it is still a very important invention.

7. Please list a number of technologies you currently believe to be essential to your life.

-Technologies that are currently essential to my life are the automobile, the computer, the internet, and my cellular phone because they all get a lot of use in my daily life and are essential in today's world for communication and travel.

8. Briefly describe your experience working with 1. computers, 2. digital media, and 3. social media and then rate your technical proficiency on a scale of 10 (I invented Facebook) to 1 (what are you talking about).
-My experience regarding computers varies greatly. I am proficient in using a pc, but am currently using a mac. I also have an iPad that I am very experienced with because I used to use it for school
-I am very familiar with the mainstream sources of social media. I have a twitter, Facebook, instagram, and a google plus (Even though I haven't posted since junior year of high school.)
-On a scale of 1-10 regarding technology proficiency I would give myself a 5, I have some idea what I am talking about regarding technology but there is always room for improvement.

Learning Style

My Learning Style: I am more of an interactive learner meaning that I learn by doing things firsthand. I would rather do things in the classroom than just sit there and listen. Most of the class has to be hands on for me to be really creative.