Jon's Sci-Tech Blog

Journal 15, July 1

2009-07-01T18:31:00.001-07:00

MADD Increases Breathalyzer Usage

The group everyone is well informed of, Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD), is attempting to go above and beyond like never before. State highways operators are already responsible for the drinking age to begin at 21 years old and the limit to be 0.8%. Now, MADD is taking this one step further. Already you can get a DUI and install a breathalyzer in your car in order to stay out of jail. A breathalyzer, according to alcoholalert.com, is an ignition interlock device that prevents a previous offender of drunk driving from starting their car until they have breathed into the device. This device tells reads the offenders blood alcohol content and will not start if they breathe over a 0.8%. Mothers Against Drunk Driving are now trying to implement a strong law that mandates these interlocked devices are installed in every car throughout the United States. Already these devices have reduced drunken accidents in New Mexico by 35%.

I think this is a great idea but needs some tweaking. Obviously drunk drivers account for a majority of the accidents on highways across the nation every year and are also responsible for numerous fatalities. While installing a breathalyzer in every car is a good idea I do not think it is practical. What if someone were to go out to dinner and a ball game and perhaps had a beer or two – would their car still start or would it assume they are drunk or incapable of driving? Also, this idea sort of falls in contradiction of our rights and freedoms, does it not? It is hard for me to understand where MADD gained the rights or knowledge to assume everybody drives drunk all the time. I understand their motive and good-will, I just don’t find it too practical. I do believe it would dramatically decrease accidents and other alcohol related dilemmas every year but it needs a little more thought and test trials before being mandated otherwise serious ethical issues and controversies may arise from the public. Society would greatly benefit from its overall affect though.

Reference Used:
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1907493,00.html?cnn=yes

Additional References:
http://www.alcoholalert.com/car-breathalyzer.html

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2006-04-24-breathalyzer-usat_x.htm

Journal 14, July 1

2009-07-01T10:48:00.001-07:00

Fatal Technology Dependence

As our dependence on technology increases, it seems we become more prone to it acting against us. Early last week two trains collided in the D.C.-Maryland area killing nine people. The rails are automatically operated by a system that dates back to the late 1970s meaning it is over 30-years old. Around 5 o’clock in the evening, two trains seemed to have bypassed the system and ran into each other. The systems emergency program should have realized that the conditions on the track were not suitable for both trains to be traveling the directions they were. For whatever reason, which is still be investigated, the message relayed by the sensors on the track never made it to the control room. Officials state, however, that these computerized control rooms that operate automatically, for the most part, are actually safer than humans operating them and human error occurring more frequently. Most large cities and metropolitan areas operate their rail systems on similar programs and have yet to have such a catastrophe. These cities include Boston, San Francisco, Miami, and hopefully soon-to-be Charlotte. The systems are actually extremely safe and receive updates and maintenance regularly.

Riding the train not only saves you money but is more efficient and safer, in majority. People in society are actually more at risk when driving than a being involved in a train wreck. The only stipulation with riding the train is that, more often than not, when a crash does occur multiple people are usually hurt if not killed. One of these particular trains was notified of safety concerns in 2006, states MSNBC, but failed to follow through with compliance. If society is going to give up driving themselves and ride public transit, they need to have to utmost trust in the city with their safety. Studies show that a majority of the people who drive believe they are better than average drivers when in fact only a small percentage are even somewhat descent at the task. Therefore, like I previous stated, in order for people to put their lives in the hands of public transit they need to be one-hundred percent positive the city has taken every precautionary measure to ensure their safety and well-being; I am doubtful that a train is any safer than a car when it comes to wrecks. However, we must remember we can not hide from accidents all our lives and riding the train is better on our wallets and the environment.

Reference Used:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/06/25/automatic.system.washington.crash/index.html

Additional Reference:
http://articles.directorym.com/Train_Accidents_Maryland-r995-Maryland.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31495088/ns/us_news-life/

Journal 13, July 1

2009-07-01T05:16:00.000-07:00

Full-Body Gaming System: Microsoft

In ten years or so one could potentially use the principal behind a full-body gaming system to train for their job. Recently talked about on Newscientist.com is Microsoft, the company that brought you the PC and Xbox among other things, has begun the creation of a full-body gaming device. This system is like no other of its kind. With the code name Natal, this new system will be the most realistic in comparison to movements and emotions. Natal is based off of an inferred camera system made in the Middle East except this particular system only uses two cameras. One camera will focus on the depth between the individual and the object they are focusing and be within two centimeters without error. The second camera will be geared more towards catching the aspects around the individual such as color and texture. The only stipulation they have encountered so far is that the cameras will not pick up what is surrounding or behind the player. Also equipped with Natal is an emotion detector, if you will. The website Wired states that Natal will be able to sign players in by recognizing their facial characteristics as well as use their emotions while playing the game to increase reality. Emotions will also be analyzed through voice recognition. Although they have not come up with a way to work through the voice recognizer being successful in a room of a few people talking at once, some solutions are in talks. One possibility is to use lip-reading software while others suggest software that can recognize up the three voices at once when talking at the same time.
With gaming systems being created ever so quickly and becoming more realistic in the sense of graphics as well as replicating the user, training for high profile jobs such as military, swat team, or even pilots could use systems like this that would fully prepare them, in most cases, for what their job is really like. I find it extremely hard to believe that by the time this project is complete, the younger kids of today’s world will compare this to Atari when I was a kid. That is how much progress has been made in the gaming world since I was a child or just technology in general. With Microsoft creating a device that involved such involved I think this will widely open the doors for many new useful innovations.

Reference Used:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17258-innovation-behind-microsofts-fullbody-gaming-interface.html?page=2

Additional Reference:
http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2009/06/e3-microsoft-live-blog/

Journal 12, June 21

2009-06-21T20:10:00.001-07:00

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

Journal 11, June 21

2009-06-21T16:26:00.002-07:00

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

Journal 10, June 21

2009-06-21T16:26:00.001-07:00

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

Journal 9, June 14

2009-06-14T17:11:00.001-07:00

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

Journal 8, June 14

2009-06-14T15:38:00.001-07:00

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

Journal 7, June 14

2009-06-14T12:39:00.001-07:00

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/

journal 6, June 7

2009-06-07T16:10:00.001-07:00

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=

Journal 5, June 7

2009-06-07T15:20:00.001-07:00

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

Journal 4, June 7

2009-06-05T10:37:00.000-07:00

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/

Journal 3, May 31

2009-05-31T12:02:00.000-07:00

National Cyber Security

Technology is getting more sophisticated every day and its creators are equally as wise. With the creation of new technology, there are people out there who are figuring out ways to attack other countries and people just as quick. I am referring to cyberspace. Cyberspace opens the doors for highly intelligent people, of our country and foreign, to gain access to our Nation’s most prized secrets and networks. Criminals have figured out ways to jam particular administrative and government networks, as well as traffic grids and airport security. As the technology sector grows, cyber warfare becomes as greater concern for our top ranked political leaders and security professionals. Just last week, President Obama announced his concerns to this topic. He claims our greatest worries would be China and Russia for they have developed technologies that have the capability of blocking sensors for aircraft radar along with traffic grids and internet networks. Obama also brought to light that his website was actually hacked into during his presidential campaign. Many people, however, fear by the government using such high-technologically based policies, the opportunity would arise for them to intrude the private sector of the States and use these techniques to interfere with citizens personal lives. The Obama administration replied that they respect the private lives of the people and they will be not be bothered. The purpose of this policy is to safeguard the United States from a cyber attack as well as to “ensure the ‘freedom of action in cyberspace’ to protect America’s interest” (www.yahoo.com).

It is about time America takes the cyber world seriously. With today’s rapid advances in technology and everything else it uses and produces, it is extremely evident this world in soon to be, if not already, heavily based on technology. I personally feel implementing cyberspace policies to safeguard American citizens is an extraordinary measure that must be executed properly. With our traffic grids and aircraft controls solely geared around high-tech devices, it would not take much to send the country into frenzy. Gaining control of the cyber world, for us, will be a critical step in maintaining our power but more importantly our freedom.

Article Used:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090530/pl_afp/usitobamacomputercybersecuritymilitary

Additional References:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/30/cyber-security-strategy-unveiled/?page=2

Journal 2, May 31

2009-05-28T12:12:00.000-07:00

Learing By Way of The Internet

There was an interesting article that caught my eye as I browsed msnbc.com earlier today. This article title read “Toddler buys earthmover in online auction.” The reason I chose this article was because I thought it went well with all of the controversy out there in regards to children using the internet, an increasing learning tool and technology dependence. Supposedly, the mother of the toddler was using the internet earlier to bid on toys for the young child. She accidentally left the screen up and went to bed. The toddler then got on the computer and began messing around as any other child would do. In doing so, he accidentally clicked the mouse a few times and actually purchased an earthmover in New Zealand for about $12000. When checking her email the following day, the mother realized the mishap and was able to correct the situation.
Children today are very observant and eager to learn. They closely watch the adults and try to mirror their actions without knowing the appropriate time to do so or reasoning behind their actions. Internet is increasingly becoming a huge learning tool for children as well as within the technology industry. It is the root of most technology providing vital information to all types of people in various fields of study and interest. You can access essentially anything you want with a few clicks of the mouse. With that said, it is highly important to monitor your children during their interactions with the internet and similar forms of technology.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children’s website (http://www.naeyc.org) brings up a few good points on this topic. First, they state that seeing how children are taught their addresses, phone number, etc. at such an early age, they must also be taught when and where to provide that private information. Children browsing the internet daily and exploring new worlds are especially prone to exploiting their information on the wrong site simply because they may not be educated quiet enough to know which sites are safe and which could potentially bring harm upon them.
In the case of the toddler purchasing the earthmover, I feel the mother is obviously at fault and this is a great example of how children must be actively monitored when using the internet and other forms of new technology. Since technology changes almost everyday with bigger and brighter ideas, it is harder to educate such a young child on everything. For this reason, it is especially important to make sure they understand the basics of technology, such as the internet, to ensure they remain safe or at least as far from harm as possible. Having the proper knowledge of past and recent technology gives the child a leg up when entering the real world and given the opportunity to explore bigger and better forms of these technologies to come.

Article Used:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/30885324/

Additional References:
http://www.naeyc.org/ece/1998/18.asp

Journal 1, May 31

2009-05-28T09:23:00.000-07:00

Are You Prone to Data Theives?

In today’s day and age, people have become extremely reliant on the technology they possess. This reliance creates a more vulnerable state for which they are to live in. Meaning, there are people out there who can hack into your personal devices, whether it’s a laptop or smart phone, and retrieve all your most prized data. An article published on CNN.com, entitled “How to safeguard your data as you travel,” speaks on ways in which one can protect themselves from having their information stolen or breached. Many people use “hotspots” located in local diners, airports, and other high traffic areas in order to check personal accounts and business related issues. By doing this, some believe you could be putting yourself at risk by being connected to the same network at someone who may be seeking to gain the data on your personal device. Others believe that if someone wants it bad enough, there is absolutely no way to avoid this situation. Professionals familiar with the subject claim that by encrypting your computer or smart phone with a password you can dramatically reduce the risk to which you are exposed to when using a public internet access. It is also highly recommended that you use a screen protector on your laptop to prevent others from looking at your screen as well as keeping a close eye on your belongings. However, like I previously mentioned, if someone wants your information bad enough, they will find away to obtain it.

I personally think that people should not live in fear of their information being stolen. What’s going to happen will, in fact, happen. However, by taking the necessary precautions, you can reduce the risk you are exposed to tremendously. This may mean saving highly confidential data on a highly secured network or even a personal USB. A majority of companies that constantly work with confidential information on a daily basis, such as large corporations, have adopted multiple software and security programs to ensure their clients information is safe as does not get leaked or spread throughout the public. According to infoworld.com, (http://www.infoworld.com/d/security-central/guard-your-data-against-insider-threats-145) these companies have programs that can actually detect when one of their operating software is inappropriately used or sketchy information is saved to a USB. Programs like these ensure that information is kept where it is suppose to be and moved only to places it is needed for honest business use and not fraudulent activities. With that said, I am a strong advocate for properly securing your personal information as well as any information a company may withhold in order to fully minimize the risk one faces everyday by using any high-tech device.

-Jon Ferrer

Article used:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/business.travel/05/28/computer.security/index.html

Additional References:
http://www.infoworld.com/d/security-central/guard-your-data-against-insider-threats-145