Space Tourism
In the early years of the nineteen-hundreds, leading up to the first flight, the thought of an airplane wasn’t a concern for many. But with passion and dedication, the Wright brothers took their stance in history creating the first powered aircraft flight. Today we arrive at a similar but quite more complex situation. Richard Branson, the business mogul behind Virgin Mobile, has officially begun the initial construction of Spaceport America which will facilitate the launch of aircraft of tourist to outer space. The facility, located in New Mexico, will launch aircrafts 50,000 thousand feet above earth with up to six tourists. From there, the aircraft will release a spaceship, which will be powered by rockets to move throughout space. These trips will cost passengers, on average, around $200,000.
By 2020, the developers predict to have spaceports in California, New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, and Wisconsin with in the United States and in other countries as well such as Singapore and Dubai. Around this time passengers will also be able to hopefully take a two week trip to the moon with a private astronaut, or pilot.
The idea of flying into space for the day with business partners or clients is incredible. When we were all growing up the idea of space travel was merely science fiction or fantasy. It is finally becoming reality. Society will most definitely benefit from this new form of travel in that they will “not only have a feeling of separation but a feeling of connection,” says a source with CNN. The feeling one would have when actually peering down onto the earth and able to see 1,000 miles in any direction is unimaginable. The fact alone that we have the technology and sophistication about space to have the confidence to take the average Joe with a few bucks on a trip, literally, “out of this world” is impressive. This is a huge step towards discovering more about space and the limits society can achieve current generations and many to come.
Reference Used:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/space/06/20/new.mexico.spaceport/index.html#cnnSTCText
Additional References:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/04/30/space.tour/index.html#cnnSTCText
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/10/20/future.airports/index.html#cnnSTCText
http://money.cnn.com/2008/07/31/news/companies/siklos_virgin_america.fortune/index.htm
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Journal 11, June 21
The Ocean Working For Us
NASA, among many other developers, is building prototypes that could eventually save society thousand of dollars a year. Continuous research has shown that turbines placed deep in the ocean darkness or in other heavy flowing water supplies could potentially produce enough electricity to power a couple thousand homes each. The idea is essentially the same as that of a wind farm out in the middle of now where except this time the wind mills are under water, making them hydrokinetic energy producing water turbines. The way these turbines operate is by being placed in an area that catches the roughest ocean currents, tides, and waves and uses that force to transmit electricity through underwater cables to the land. This idea is highly correlated to that of hydroelectric plants which use the pressure of the water once it is released from the dam to turn the turbines. The only difference here is that hydroelectric plants are limited in the amount of water they can release each time to turn the turbines therefore resulting in limited energy. The advantage underwater turbines have over the traditional hydroelectric plant is that the energy supply is not only predictable depending on seasons but the currents and tides constantly flow. Meaning the energy being produced could be a non-stop process. NASA currently has many test sites that are constantly collecting data; one being in the Manhattan River. Other researchers are testing the idea near Scotland and Britain where the power and speed of the tides is among the highest.
Using Mother Nature in a beneficial way such as this almost seems strange. Most of the time it is us attempting to go against Mother Nature whether we are building the tallest skyscraper or taking a cruise across the ocean against a vigorous storm. But this time, we are using the driving force of the ocean to benefit society in an attempt that meets all green standards. I think putting the ocean to work to help generate electricity for thousands of homes per machine is an excellent idea. Not only will society as a whole, including individuals' homes but corporations as well, save money but the pollution and health hazards stemming from nuclear-power plants will be greatly minimized. The only concern would be similar to that of the wind mill farms when it comes to migrational patterns. There would have to be safeguard measures put in play to prevent species from getting sucked into these massive turbines (just something to think about). Despite that concern that can easily be maneuvered around, I see no harm in this project, only divine results.
Reference Used:
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/tideenergy.html
Additional References:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article3694859.ece
NASA, among many other developers, is building prototypes that could eventually save society thousand of dollars a year. Continuous research has shown that turbines placed deep in the ocean darkness or in other heavy flowing water supplies could potentially produce enough electricity to power a couple thousand homes each. The idea is essentially the same as that of a wind farm out in the middle of now where except this time the wind mills are under water, making them hydrokinetic energy producing water turbines. The way these turbines operate is by being placed in an area that catches the roughest ocean currents, tides, and waves and uses that force to transmit electricity through underwater cables to the land. This idea is highly correlated to that of hydroelectric plants which use the pressure of the water once it is released from the dam to turn the turbines. The only difference here is that hydroelectric plants are limited in the amount of water they can release each time to turn the turbines therefore resulting in limited energy. The advantage underwater turbines have over the traditional hydroelectric plant is that the energy supply is not only predictable depending on seasons but the currents and tides constantly flow. Meaning the energy being produced could be a non-stop process. NASA currently has many test sites that are constantly collecting data; one being in the Manhattan River. Other researchers are testing the idea near Scotland and Britain where the power and speed of the tides is among the highest.
Using Mother Nature in a beneficial way such as this almost seems strange. Most of the time it is us attempting to go against Mother Nature whether we are building the tallest skyscraper or taking a cruise across the ocean against a vigorous storm. But this time, we are using the driving force of the ocean to benefit society in an attempt that meets all green standards. I think putting the ocean to work to help generate electricity for thousands of homes per machine is an excellent idea. Not only will society as a whole, including individuals' homes but corporations as well, save money but the pollution and health hazards stemming from nuclear-power plants will be greatly minimized. The only concern would be similar to that of the wind mill farms when it comes to migrational patterns. There would have to be safeguard measures put in play to prevent species from getting sucked into these massive turbines (just something to think about). Despite that concern that can easily be maneuvered around, I see no harm in this project, only divine results.
Reference Used:
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/tideenergy.html
Additional References:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article3694859.ece
Journal 10, June 21
Musically "Alarming" Diapers
New research indicates there could possibly be a solution to a common problem occurring in the early stages of a developing family. It doesn't matter who your parents or who you know. Every child has to be toilet trained and some simply take longer than others to learn. Although I have yet to be a parent, hoping that will continue to stay true for many years, many parents out there wish there was a device to make their lives easier when it comes to "potty-training" their children. Well, may their wishes be granted.
To efficiently create a solution to this problem, researchers have developed a musical diaper. This "incredible" diaper is designed to notify the child's care-giver whenever their diaper has been soiled. The only stipulation is the adult must be within the vicinity of the child in order to hear the alarm, or music (this shouldn’t be a problem anyways). The diaper has sensors integrated into the bottom portion of the diaper itself that sends a signal notifying the alarm to sound due to wetness. Parents can then take the necessary action to resolve the issue. Random populations of thirty-nine children between the ages of 18-30 months were selected for the study. At the end of a ten day testing period, the results showed that almost 52% of the time the children had more control over their bladder and did better than 8.3% who were given a placebo.
What will they come up with next? The creation of a musical diaper seems extraordinary. This device will relieve parents of that much more pressure and assist them in using their time as efficient as possible. After all, taking care of young children is time consuming and stressful enough as it is. The musical diaper will allow the parents or caregivers to continue with their daily tasks without having to stop every couple minutes to check the child's diaper to see if they have soiled yet another one. Although I think this is a great invention the only question I would raise is in regards to the side affects. It seems that these convenient diapers would be powered by batteries and may not only be un-comfortable sitting on a battery pack, but what happens if the battery leaks. The articles did not state how the battery or power device was stored or any safety precautions involved but I would hope there would be some preventative to ensure the child receives no burns in the event the battery has a tiny leak. Another concern may be the power portion of the device that was not intended to get wet actually got wet. Would the child get electrocuted? Like I previously said, a musical diaper sounds like a helpful and efficient invention as long as the previously stated concerns are dealt with and prevented in the highest regard.
Reference Used:
http://www.lockergnome.com/news/2009/06/12/study-evaluates-use-of-diaper-alarm-for-toilet-training-children/
Additional Reference:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/152610.php
New research indicates there could possibly be a solution to a common problem occurring in the early stages of a developing family. It doesn't matter who your parents or who you know. Every child has to be toilet trained and some simply take longer than others to learn. Although I have yet to be a parent, hoping that will continue to stay true for many years, many parents out there wish there was a device to make their lives easier when it comes to "potty-training" their children. Well, may their wishes be granted.
To efficiently create a solution to this problem, researchers have developed a musical diaper. This "incredible" diaper is designed to notify the child's care-giver whenever their diaper has been soiled. The only stipulation is the adult must be within the vicinity of the child in order to hear the alarm, or music (this shouldn’t be a problem anyways). The diaper has sensors integrated into the bottom portion of the diaper itself that sends a signal notifying the alarm to sound due to wetness. Parents can then take the necessary action to resolve the issue. Random populations of thirty-nine children between the ages of 18-30 months were selected for the study. At the end of a ten day testing period, the results showed that almost 52% of the time the children had more control over their bladder and did better than 8.3% who were given a placebo.
What will they come up with next? The creation of a musical diaper seems extraordinary. This device will relieve parents of that much more pressure and assist them in using their time as efficient as possible. After all, taking care of young children is time consuming and stressful enough as it is. The musical diaper will allow the parents or caregivers to continue with their daily tasks without having to stop every couple minutes to check the child's diaper to see if they have soiled yet another one. Although I think this is a great invention the only question I would raise is in regards to the side affects. It seems that these convenient diapers would be powered by batteries and may not only be un-comfortable sitting on a battery pack, but what happens if the battery leaks. The articles did not state how the battery or power device was stored or any safety precautions involved but I would hope there would be some preventative to ensure the child receives no burns in the event the battery has a tiny leak. Another concern may be the power portion of the device that was not intended to get wet actually got wet. Would the child get electrocuted? Like I previously said, a musical diaper sounds like a helpful and efficient invention as long as the previously stated concerns are dealt with and prevented in the highest regard.
Reference Used:
http://www.lockergnome.com/news/2009/06/12/study-evaluates-use-of-diaper-alarm-for-toilet-training-children/
Additional Reference:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/152610.php
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Journal 9, June 14
A World of Robots
As technology rapidly advances, the use of robots and their interaction with society also progresses. Robots were originally created to assist mostly in large manufacturing plants to help lift large heavy materials or hot metal in the early 1960s. Today, robots do nearly everything humans do and even some participate in activities humans normally would not. The army and police units use robots to detect bombs and mine fields while a normal household may have a robotic device that cleans the kitchen floor or mows the front lawn.
The capabilities of robots get larger all the time. Robots have already been created that assist manufactures in building tiny microprocessors, mass produce vehicles, and even help doctors perform a surgical procedure half way across the world. Doctors can now hook sensors to various parts of their arms and head to operate a robotic arm located miles away from them. The robot senses the doctors’ movements and replicates them accordingly on the patient. To help cut down on manufacturing costs robots have replaced plant workers to create lower product costs and work more efficiently. The only question that arises as robots become more sophisticated is in regards to their cognitive progress. Currently the law supports humans in ways they can put a patent on their ideas and inventions. But what happens if and when a robot eventually has its own thought or idea? The law only supports human inventions. The question comes into play of whether the robot inventor should obtain the patent or something be arranged with respect to the robot it self.
Robots should definitely be closely watched and analyzed before they start to process their own ideas and inventions. Otherwise it could lead to destructive actions or the turn on humans, which would be the ultimate dilemma. As far as rights and patents are concerned, I do not think society is ready for that discussion or decision process. First, society needs to see and trust robots to be sure they want them interacting in everyday tasks. Next, we need to actually create robots that can think and act on their own. With that said, I think it will surely be a few years, not long though, before this question needs to be answered.
Reference Used:
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/future-tech/66915.html
Additional References:
http://www.irobot.com/sp.cfm?pageid=74
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robots
As technology rapidly advances, the use of robots and their interaction with society also progresses. Robots were originally created to assist mostly in large manufacturing plants to help lift large heavy materials or hot metal in the early 1960s. Today, robots do nearly everything humans do and even some participate in activities humans normally would not. The army and police units use robots to detect bombs and mine fields while a normal household may have a robotic device that cleans the kitchen floor or mows the front lawn.
The capabilities of robots get larger all the time. Robots have already been created that assist manufactures in building tiny microprocessors, mass produce vehicles, and even help doctors perform a surgical procedure half way across the world. Doctors can now hook sensors to various parts of their arms and head to operate a robotic arm located miles away from them. The robot senses the doctors’ movements and replicates them accordingly on the patient. To help cut down on manufacturing costs robots have replaced plant workers to create lower product costs and work more efficiently. The only question that arises as robots become more sophisticated is in regards to their cognitive progress. Currently the law supports humans in ways they can put a patent on their ideas and inventions. But what happens if and when a robot eventually has its own thought or idea? The law only supports human inventions. The question comes into play of whether the robot inventor should obtain the patent or something be arranged with respect to the robot it self.
Robots should definitely be closely watched and analyzed before they start to process their own ideas and inventions. Otherwise it could lead to destructive actions or the turn on humans, which would be the ultimate dilemma. As far as rights and patents are concerned, I do not think society is ready for that discussion or decision process. First, society needs to see and trust robots to be sure they want them interacting in everyday tasks. Next, we need to actually create robots that can think and act on their own. With that said, I think it will surely be a few years, not long though, before this question needs to be answered.
Reference Used:
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/future-tech/66915.html
Additional References:
http://www.irobot.com/sp.cfm?pageid=74
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robots
Journal 8, June 14
Solar Energy
With pollution and global warming being a heated subject in the minds of many within society, developers are coming up with new ways to meet the energy demands of the world. Back in the day, everyone used gasoline and other natural resources to supply power to their homes and manufacturing plants and equipment. The aftermath of their, and our, actions is starting to prey on the minds of millions. The concern of emissions and their effects on global warming are becoming more visible year by year. People are beginning to look into other forms of energy such as hybrid cars, wind power plants, and solar energy cells. All have their advantages and disadvantages.
Wind and solar energy seem to be the most popular when it comes to powering manufacturing plants, oil rigs, and homes while hybrid energy is mainly focused for cars. Jack Steinberger, the 1968 Nobel Prize winner, claims that although wind mills produce clean energy themselves, the batteries that back them up create the disadvantage. His preferred vehicle of energy is solar cells. These cells are placed on top of building, homes, or anywhere up high and in the open, and absorb the sun’s rays and heat. The light and heat are then transferred into energy and used to power various objects such as homes, building, and even some cars. Jack believes if a plant were built in Africa and underwater cables were run to Europe, solar thermal power could possibly provide electricity to 80% of Europe by 2050. Although solar mirrors are expensive to build, the possibilities of them saving you thousands of dollars in the long run is extremely high. Some have even created plans to lease individuals the solar mirrors to place on their homes over a 20 year period since they are so expensive to purchase and install.
Solar thermal power is the new source of electricity. With all of our depletions of natural resources and current concerns for global warming and o-zone complications, I feel strongly towards the mass production and required use of solar energy. I think this would save society millions of dollars as a whole as well as give back to the earth and use its greatest and most free resource, the sun. Using this form of energy would be cleaner as well as be a way of keeping up with new and modern age technology.
Reference Used:
http://news.cnet.com/greentech/solar/?tag=rtcol;tags
Additional Reference:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10218788-54.html
With pollution and global warming being a heated subject in the minds of many within society, developers are coming up with new ways to meet the energy demands of the world. Back in the day, everyone used gasoline and other natural resources to supply power to their homes and manufacturing plants and equipment. The aftermath of their, and our, actions is starting to prey on the minds of millions. The concern of emissions and their effects on global warming are becoming more visible year by year. People are beginning to look into other forms of energy such as hybrid cars, wind power plants, and solar energy cells. All have their advantages and disadvantages.
Wind and solar energy seem to be the most popular when it comes to powering manufacturing plants, oil rigs, and homes while hybrid energy is mainly focused for cars. Jack Steinberger, the 1968 Nobel Prize winner, claims that although wind mills produce clean energy themselves, the batteries that back them up create the disadvantage. His preferred vehicle of energy is solar cells. These cells are placed on top of building, homes, or anywhere up high and in the open, and absorb the sun’s rays and heat. The light and heat are then transferred into energy and used to power various objects such as homes, building, and even some cars. Jack believes if a plant were built in Africa and underwater cables were run to Europe, solar thermal power could possibly provide electricity to 80% of Europe by 2050. Although solar mirrors are expensive to build, the possibilities of them saving you thousands of dollars in the long run is extremely high. Some have even created plans to lease individuals the solar mirrors to place on their homes over a 20 year period since they are so expensive to purchase and install.
Solar thermal power is the new source of electricity. With all of our depletions of natural resources and current concerns for global warming and o-zone complications, I feel strongly towards the mass production and required use of solar energy. I think this would save society millions of dollars as a whole as well as give back to the earth and use its greatest and most free resource, the sun. Using this form of energy would be cleaner as well as be a way of keeping up with new and modern age technology.
Reference Used:
http://news.cnet.com/greentech/solar/?tag=rtcol;tags
Additional Reference:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10218788-54.html
Journal 7, June 14
The iPhone Has Competition
For many people, especially those in the business industry and top executives or political leaders, cell phones have become a very important item in their lives. Many can go for a limited amount of time without access to their cell phone and top contacts. Cellular phones have obviously come a long ways in recent decades and are accomplishing more every year as time goes on. The top phones around today allow you to virtually do anything, more thanks to the Blackberry and iPhone that happen to be in the midst of the technology advancements these days. These phones allow you to place calls, send messages, check email, find restaurants, and even figure out where you parked your car. With all of this competition, Sprint has released a new phone called the Palm Pre. This phone is the answer to all the iPhones and Blackberries out there.
The Palm Pre has a magnitude of capabilities and should have over one hundred different applications within its first year on the market. The applications will assist those working in medical, business, and many other fields requiring constant up-to-date information. Many of these phones allow you to download music onto the phone making it an mp3 player as well. People are becoming more and more reliant on these phones capabilities and demanding that they be more useful in their daily routines as they get more accustomed to them.
I am a huge fan of most of the recently released cell phones and their current abilities. It is a problem of how reliant society has become on them but at the same time it makes life more efficient in the ways of business and receiving urgent information when you need it. I do believe that as these top cell phone companies manufacture and produce more phones, the technology involved within these phones will be extraordinary. The ideas stemmed from such devices could eventually save many lives and help do everyday tasks. Cell phones will soon be the new personal computers and society’s best friend, if they aren’t already.
Reference Used:
http://www.palm-pre-phone.com/
Additional References:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/13/palm-pre-everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know/
For many people, especially those in the business industry and top executives or political leaders, cell phones have become a very important item in their lives. Many can go for a limited amount of time without access to their cell phone and top contacts. Cellular phones have obviously come a long ways in recent decades and are accomplishing more every year as time goes on. The top phones around today allow you to virtually do anything, more thanks to the Blackberry and iPhone that happen to be in the midst of the technology advancements these days. These phones allow you to place calls, send messages, check email, find restaurants, and even figure out where you parked your car. With all of this competition, Sprint has released a new phone called the Palm Pre. This phone is the answer to all the iPhones and Blackberries out there.
The Palm Pre has a magnitude of capabilities and should have over one hundred different applications within its first year on the market. The applications will assist those working in medical, business, and many other fields requiring constant up-to-date information. Many of these phones allow you to download music onto the phone making it an mp3 player as well. People are becoming more and more reliant on these phones capabilities and demanding that they be more useful in their daily routines as they get more accustomed to them.
I am a huge fan of most of the recently released cell phones and their current abilities. It is a problem of how reliant society has become on them but at the same time it makes life more efficient in the ways of business and receiving urgent information when you need it. I do believe that as these top cell phone companies manufacture and produce more phones, the technology involved within these phones will be extraordinary. The ideas stemmed from such devices could eventually save many lives and help do everyday tasks. Cell phones will soon be the new personal computers and society’s best friend, if they aren’t already.
Reference Used:
http://www.palm-pre-phone.com/
Additional References:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/13/palm-pre-everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know/
Sunday, June 7, 2009
journal 6, June 7
Pandemics could be halted by cell phones
Japan is on top of the world in innovation and when it comes to cell phones they soar. Japan already uses their cell phones to purchase drinks at a vending machine, take attendance in class, and hop on board the train by scanning their phones at the gate which contain their tickets. But now the government is funding a study that may help decrease the spread of disease by 97%. A study shows that when one person is infected and passes three people and those three people pass it to three more people, after the second week, more than 60,000 people are infected. By using a cell phone to notify people of the infection and only two people are infected at a time, this number drastically reduces to 1500. The idea for the experiment is that every student will be equipped with a cell phone that tracks their every movement and who they come into contact with. A few students will be virtually infected and who ever they cross paths with will be notified by their cell phone to get checked out by the doctor. This has raised many privacy concerns as too whether or not people wanted to be tracked 24/7 and how efficient it will be. It is one of twenty-four tests.
The idea that cell phones can notify of a disease you may have just been infected and if should see a doctor is extraordinary. This innovation could potentially solve huge pandemics and help with situations and wide spread diseases like the swine flu. The only concerns I have are that I would not want to be tracked all day everyday nor would I want a message saying I was infected when really I was not at all. Many people these days are extremely concerned with their privacy, as they should be. So what makes companies and governments think they want to be tracked through their cell phones every where they go and with whom they visit. Don’t get me wrong, I think this is a great idea but no one wants their where-abouts known to someone random. Also, what would happen if you received a message saying you just contracted a rare, highly fatal disease through your cell phone in the middle of meeting? Would you not completely freak out? And the worst part would be if the message wasn’t even intended for you. So you leave the meeting in a fury and haul tail to the doctors to find out it was a false alarm. Good effort by the inventor but inefficient. They definitely need to figure out away to ensure the messages are 99.9% correct and sent to the wrote person before this product is released to the public otherwise it could cause society to go into complete chaos in the matter of minutes and turn the city, state, country up side down.
Article Used:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/06/07/business/AP-AS-TEC-Japan-Mobile-Pandemic-Stopper.html
Additional References:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Using+Cell+Phones+to+Stop+Pandemics&aq=f&oq=&aqi=
Japan is on top of the world in innovation and when it comes to cell phones they soar. Japan already uses their cell phones to purchase drinks at a vending machine, take attendance in class, and hop on board the train by scanning their phones at the gate which contain their tickets. But now the government is funding a study that may help decrease the spread of disease by 97%. A study shows that when one person is infected and passes three people and those three people pass it to three more people, after the second week, more than 60,000 people are infected. By using a cell phone to notify people of the infection and only two people are infected at a time, this number drastically reduces to 1500. The idea for the experiment is that every student will be equipped with a cell phone that tracks their every movement and who they come into contact with. A few students will be virtually infected and who ever they cross paths with will be notified by their cell phone to get checked out by the doctor. This has raised many privacy concerns as too whether or not people wanted to be tracked 24/7 and how efficient it will be. It is one of twenty-four tests.
The idea that cell phones can notify of a disease you may have just been infected and if should see a doctor is extraordinary. This innovation could potentially solve huge pandemics and help with situations and wide spread diseases like the swine flu. The only concerns I have are that I would not want to be tracked all day everyday nor would I want a message saying I was infected when really I was not at all. Many people these days are extremely concerned with their privacy, as they should be. So what makes companies and governments think they want to be tracked through their cell phones every where they go and with whom they visit. Don’t get me wrong, I think this is a great idea but no one wants their where-abouts known to someone random. Also, what would happen if you received a message saying you just contracted a rare, highly fatal disease through your cell phone in the middle of meeting? Would you not completely freak out? And the worst part would be if the message wasn’t even intended for you. So you leave the meeting in a fury and haul tail to the doctors to find out it was a false alarm. Good effort by the inventor but inefficient. They definitely need to figure out away to ensure the messages are 99.9% correct and sent to the wrote person before this product is released to the public otherwise it could cause society to go into complete chaos in the matter of minutes and turn the city, state, country up side down.
Article Used:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/06/07/business/AP-AS-TEC-Japan-Mobile-Pandemic-Stopper.html
Additional References:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Using+Cell+Phones+to+Stop+Pandemics&aq=f&oq=&aqi=
Journal 5, June 7
Threatened by online aerial imagery
Like I have mentioned in a previous blog, the internet can create an array of security concerns, such as privacy, wherever you may be. A more recent security concern is in reference to aerial imagery offered by many internet and satellite companies. Many people feel that although it is our right by the First Amendment to have such freedoms, the internet is becoming a more and more potentially dangerous place. With certain programs or internet sites you can simply go online and after a few simple clicks, be looking at your neighbor’s backyard, the railroad tracks up the street, or even well known landmarks across the country. In recent attacks in Middle Eastern countries, terrorists have engaged in online aerial imagery sites in order to help plot their attacks. For this reason, much concern is now being raised about the issue. Multiple resolutions have been offered in order to attempt to fix this problem, one way states blurring or deleting certain pictures or aerial shots of landmarks and monuments.
I feel that no matter how hard we try, if people want information about a place, whether its aerial images or data, they will obtain it. Many satellite companies that offer aerial imagery to the public think they should be able to continue to offer these images because that’s what the customers want. I personally think this is the wrong state of mind. Many of these programs are free to begin with and if every company was limited to what pictures could be offered to the public, and then no business would be lost. Having clear aerial shots of nuclear power plants or government buildings puts us at high risk for terrorist attacks. These types if infrastructure should be required to be blurred when posted online for the publics use. Although it is true someone flying on a commercial aircraft could take pictures of what below them, which we can not prevent, it is also true that would just create a bigger hassle for them. By doing so, it would buy us more time to have the chance to figure out their plan and hopefully stop it or minimize the attacks impact.
Source:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/06/05/aerial.images.security/index.html
Additional Source:
http://www.csoonline.com/article/221515/_Ways_Google_Is_Shaking_the_Security_World?page=4
Like I have mentioned in a previous blog, the internet can create an array of security concerns, such as privacy, wherever you may be. A more recent security concern is in reference to aerial imagery offered by many internet and satellite companies. Many people feel that although it is our right by the First Amendment to have such freedoms, the internet is becoming a more and more potentially dangerous place. With certain programs or internet sites you can simply go online and after a few simple clicks, be looking at your neighbor’s backyard, the railroad tracks up the street, or even well known landmarks across the country. In recent attacks in Middle Eastern countries, terrorists have engaged in online aerial imagery sites in order to help plot their attacks. For this reason, much concern is now being raised about the issue. Multiple resolutions have been offered in order to attempt to fix this problem, one way states blurring or deleting certain pictures or aerial shots of landmarks and monuments.
I feel that no matter how hard we try, if people want information about a place, whether its aerial images or data, they will obtain it. Many satellite companies that offer aerial imagery to the public think they should be able to continue to offer these images because that’s what the customers want. I personally think this is the wrong state of mind. Many of these programs are free to begin with and if every company was limited to what pictures could be offered to the public, and then no business would be lost. Having clear aerial shots of nuclear power plants or government buildings puts us at high risk for terrorist attacks. These types if infrastructure should be required to be blurred when posted online for the publics use. Although it is true someone flying on a commercial aircraft could take pictures of what below them, which we can not prevent, it is also true that would just create a bigger hassle for them. By doing so, it would buy us more time to have the chance to figure out their plan and hopefully stop it or minimize the attacks impact.
Source:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/06/05/aerial.images.security/index.html
Additional Source:
http://www.csoonline.com/article/221515/_Ways_Google_Is_Shaking_the_Security_World?page=4
Friday, June 5, 2009
Journal 4, June 7
Could roads be the new power plants?
A constant concern in people's minds is pollution and ways we, the public, can potentially avoid further pollution. This has led us to thinking "green" in everything we do. From bags you get at the grocery store to the close on your back, more and more companies are trying to shift their gears to being more "green" and eco-friendly.
The topic of carpooling is big in some people's lives. Some find it ridiculous that everyone thinks they have to drive places by themselves and don't think twice about carpooling. People in Israel have taken their approach to a whole other level. Scientists there are developing a road that would enable drivers to generate electricity by simply driving their cars down the street. There would be thousands of tiny crystal like objects in the asphalt called piezoelectric crystals. These crystals would produce up to or more than 640 kilowatts. Some say it could provide energy to power the cars driving above them or be put back into the city grid. In fact, some nightclubs in London already have dance floors that produce energy for the club by using peoples' movements and steps on the floor to generate power. Gyms in foreign countries are also using the same technique but with their treadmills and ellipticals to supply power to the gym itself.
I personally think these are all great ideas. The fact that we have developed something that allows people to continue on in their daily lives without changing their habits and, at the same time, produce enough energy to allow those same people to have the electricity to engage in those activities is amazing. Innovations like these are extremely efficient and beneficial for everybody. This is because not all people are as "green" as they should be, if at all, and by producing the capabilities to generate power while going through your everyday routine the possibilities of what is next to come are endless.
Article Used:
http://ccnmag.com/article/road_generating_electricity_from_moving_cars
Additional Reference:
http://www.greendaily.com/2009/01/05/roads-generate-electricity-from-passing-cars/
A constant concern in people's minds is pollution and ways we, the public, can potentially avoid further pollution. This has led us to thinking "green" in everything we do. From bags you get at the grocery store to the close on your back, more and more companies are trying to shift their gears to being more "green" and eco-friendly.
The topic of carpooling is big in some people's lives. Some find it ridiculous that everyone thinks they have to drive places by themselves and don't think twice about carpooling. People in Israel have taken their approach to a whole other level. Scientists there are developing a road that would enable drivers to generate electricity by simply driving their cars down the street. There would be thousands of tiny crystal like objects in the asphalt called piezoelectric crystals. These crystals would produce up to or more than 640 kilowatts. Some say it could provide energy to power the cars driving above them or be put back into the city grid. In fact, some nightclubs in London already have dance floors that produce energy for the club by using peoples' movements and steps on the floor to generate power. Gyms in foreign countries are also using the same technique but with their treadmills and ellipticals to supply power to the gym itself.
I personally think these are all great ideas. The fact that we have developed something that allows people to continue on in their daily lives without changing their habits and, at the same time, produce enough energy to allow those same people to have the electricity to engage in those activities is amazing. Innovations like these are extremely efficient and beneficial for everybody. This is because not all people are as "green" as they should be, if at all, and by producing the capabilities to generate power while going through your everyday routine the possibilities of what is next to come are endless.
Article Used:
http://ccnmag.com/article/road_generating_electricity_from_moving_cars
Additional Reference:
http://www.greendaily.com/2009/01/05/roads-generate-electricity-from-passing-cars/
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