PLN 31

What matters in the world today is a piece of the famous Newton apple tree that is being taken on a ride into outer space on the space shuttle Atlantis. What started as an ironic joke is now turning into larger project. Originally one of the astronauts just thought it would be funny to have a piece of the 350 year old tree that helped discover gravity, in a zero gravity environment. But it has lead scientist to begin testing what happens to plants in outer space. The thinking is that if plants can still grow in zero gravity, then it might make space colonization possible. Obviously the plant would have to be provided with necessary water and light, but otherwise hope is good for the survival of the zero gravity photosynthesizes. This matters to the world because in the case of Armageddon, it we would have a possibility of survival. People could be transported to large space stations, or even bases on another planet. This effects education because of all the opportunities it will present. With space farms, longer periods of time could be spent in orbit with out having restock flights. This matters to me because it is showing that Obama was true to his word when he gave money to NASA to continue the manned space flights that I have discussed before.

PLN 30

What matters in the world today is that the Obama administration has disclosed the size of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. The article on Yahoo! News says that the Pentagon has admitted to having 5,113 nuclear missiles along with several thousand decommissioned nukes waiting for dismantling. This is easily enough to wipe out a large portion of world. The escalation of nuclear production during the cold war, put the initial number in the tens of thousands, but SALT 1, reduced that number to its current point. The new treaty with the Russian government has set a limit of 1,550 active nukes. Even though this is still enough to wipe most of the population, the idea is that it will reduce efforts by countries like Iran from trying to achieve nuclear power. The number of atomic weapons held by the United States was previously top secret information, but now that the treaty has been signed, there is no longer a point in hiding it from the world. The impact this is going to have cannot be predicted. It could just fuel Iran into making more bombs with the goal of becoming more powerful then the U.S. Or it could be perceived as peace, and tensions will relax, and no one else will try to create more nukes. This could also lead to a more open research of nuclear weapons. Kids could learn more about what nukes are capable of and how they can be dismantled. Personally though, it raises several questions. One, why did we not know this before? Who really cares if the world knows how many nukes we have? To me it seems like this number is shocking to some people, and in my eyes, it is good to know that other threatening countries are scared of our power. Two, what is the plan of action if Iran or North Korea decides that they have had enough and launch nukes at us? If we are busy destroying our nukes, we will not be ready to protect our selves from attack, or retaliate with our own strike. This issue will have to be watched very closely in the future, because nuclear weapons are extremely dangerous in the wrong hands.

PLN 29

The article, 2txt? Or Nt 2txt by Garrison Keillor talks about how young men have been hurt by texting. He talks about how teenaged men have lost their social skills because of texting and e-mail. Keilor also states that girls have somehow maintained their personal relationship abilities through these tough technological times. I have written before about how IM and txt are removing the personal aspect of relationships, but I disagree with Mr. Keillor. I personally still have the ability to talk to new people and be outgoing; which as Keillor stated, is important when trying to get a job or when working the job. In my own experiences I have found that I am still very capable of holding an intellectual conversation with adults or with new people. Even though I still hold all of the traits that he attributed to this decline in people skills. Such as sending an average of 75 msg. everyday, and having the instinct to "beat other men senseless with clubs and seize the big butt of the wild swine carcass and thereby win the loyalty of the large-breasted, blue-eyed babe." I can talk to my teachers, waiters, girls, other guys, and anybody else you can think of without having much of a problem. The case might not be the same for other guys my age, but I know that I have no problem, and neither do most of my friends. Thus I am forced to disagree with Mr. Keillor, and say that I am just as capable as any girl, of maintaining good people skills while texting constantly.

PLN 28

What matters in the world today is the article, “Our boys are falling behind in education” by Dottie Lamm. This article states that boys are falling behind girls academically because of verbal differences. It explained how girl’s brains are able to become verbally faster by 3½ years; where as the average boy takes 5 years. Yet, a school in Aurora separated kindergarteners into gender classes and the boys were just as successful as the girls. My feeling about this is that the verbal difference is not the problem but instead things like attention span. Being in two all boys classes myself, I find that there is no difference in my performance whether there are girls in the room or not. The article goes on to say that the world will have a switch in society and the women will be in more powerful poisons’. However I don’t feel this is true, because boys eventually reach the same level as girls and are currently still producing stronger results in math and science. Girls will some day rise to a perfectly equal level as boys in the executive world, but they will not move a head because of education difficulties. I personally think that the only difference between boys and girls is their ability to concentrate on learning. Thus I think that lessons should be made more interactive so that boys will stay attentive. Obviously, the struggle that guys are said to have can be fixed and just because guys may struggle in school that doesn’t mean that they will fail in the real world.

PLN 27

What matters in the world today is a shuttle launch preformed by the Air Force on April 21. The X-37-B was sent on a nine month unmanned orbital test mission and will be landing in California on an undisclosed date. This is a follow up to my previous post, PLN 19, about Obama canceling manned space flight and how the Air Forces X-37-B could be a hope for continued missions. Yet, president Obama just recently gave $6billion to NASA to develop a deep space manned space craft, which makes me wonder what the Air Force will use the X-37-B for. With the nine month capability and possible manned crews, I believe that it will be used as an intelligence gathering ship. It could easily be upgraded with equipment that can read satellite messages and pictures. This would allow for quicker review of information, which will lead to quicker action if necessary. This would be a great improvement to the defense of our nation. For example, if a nuclear war head were launched at the United States, satellites could pick it up, quickly relay the message to the X-37-B, who could then alert the Air Force, which could take the necessary action. This is just my personal hypothesis of what the Air Fore will use the X-37-B for, but it seems like the best logical use of the craft at this time.

PLN 26

What matters in the world today is an article on hotjobs.yahoo.com "Ten Phrases That Can Sink Your Resume" by Liz Ryan. The article is about things in resumes that may have been helpful at one point, but now fall flat and hurt your chances. In the article the author lists ten things that are traditionally placed in resumes, such as "Results-oriented professional." Ryan explains that anyone could say this, thus it doesn't gain you anything in the employer's eyes. She claims that it would be better to replace phrases like this with examples of things you have done in the past, or saying "I love to solve thorny supply-chain problems." I think that this is a very important article for kids our age, because we are searching for our first jobs, and we want to make a good impression. I personally will think about these things when I compose my own resume, and will most definitely recommend that my friends read this article for advice. I think this matters to the world, because a lot of people were fired or laid off during the recent recession, and many people are looking for jobs. This article could help people to regain employment, and by getting jobs, they would have money to invest back into the economy. In the end this would help the economy to rise back up to more comfortable levels.

PLN 25

What matters in the world today is the fact that Obama made $5.5 million in 2009. This all started with a memoir, Dreams from My Father in 1995. Then he wrote The Audacity of Hope in 2006, earning him $4 million in royalties. Then when he became the first African American president, his book sales sky rocketed making millions last year. He also makes $400,000 a year on the presidential salary. Now granted he gave his Nobel Peace prize money to charity so he can't be called greedy. Yet my question is, if he is already a millionaire, why should he be taking tax payers money in the form of the presidential salary? Ross Perot ran for president as a millionaire with the money from his company Electric Data Systems. As a millionaire he promised to not accept the yearly presidential salary. I don't know why, that in these economic times, Obama would continue to take tax payers money when he is already a millionaire. If he is really all into helping the economy, he wouldn't waste tax dollars he doesn't need. I'm not comparing him to Prince John from Robin Hood, but his pocket book obviously isn't empty like some Americans.

PLN 24

What matters in the world today is a high school football stadium in Allen, Texas. Allen high school is building a $60m field. A double decked, video score board, NFL worthy field. The money came from a state grant of $120m, which also went to building an equally expensive performing arts auditorium. This matters to the world because, one it is outrageous, and two it shows that people are having more confidence in the economy. Expanding on my first point, building a $60 million dollar stadium for college or NFL is just fine, but for high school it seems a little extreme. No high school, even in Texas, needs to have a $60million arena devoted to football. What it really comes down to is that poverty is still a problem and we shouldn’t be spending that amount of money on a high school football team. My second point about the economy is that if people are willing to spend $60,000,000 on a high school, then they must have more confidence in the economy. This is a good thing, if people start buying more, the economy will rise, taking us out of the recession; which in the end is good for America all around. So obviously there are better places to spend $60 million, but this is a good sign for America.

PLN 23

What matters in the world today is that Obama just awarded NASA a $6 billion budget increase. The goal, according to Washington reporters, is to create more than 2,500 jobs in Florida. The article also says that Mr. President wants NASA to work on a "heavy lifting" rocket. A design will be decided on in 2015, and the new rocket will be employed to "carry astronauts deeper into space." This matters because he is completely going back on his word. Earlier he had canceled the manned space program, which I disagreed with. I am totally behind this new decision, but there is one problem with it. Our president is going back on his word. He made a decision and is now changing it; I do not believe that this is a good quality for someone who is in command of the most powerful country on Earth. Next he will pull back his healthcare bill, or his foreign policies. For all we know, he could start a war, and half way through decide it was a bad idea. I was never a fan of Obama in the first place, but now I am straight up disappointed. Although I like the idea of continuing manned space exploration, I have lost all confidence in our president. By doing this he is showing that he is inconsistent and is incapable of setting his mind to something. This could eventually be very bad for America, because other, more radical, countries may see this as a sign of weakness and decide to attack us. Presidents in the past may have made bad decisions, but they never turned around and contradicted themselves four months later. Like I said before, I am all for the continuation of manned space flight, but I have lost all confidence in Mr. Obama and I think America made the wrong choice.

PLN 22

What matters in the world today, is the destruction of the Dallas Cowboy's former stadium. With the construction of the new stadium, the old stadium was just taking up space. The precisely placed explosives caused the stadium to implode. This caused no damage to surrounding buildings. This big event was for one main reason. The owners of the stadium held an essay contest to find a kid to "push the button." What they found was a little boy of twelve that was into football and like all other boys his age, wanted to blow something up. But the important thing about this boy is the topic of his essay. He wrote about all of the charity work he had done, and it touched the owners of the stadium. The boy they found had been working in varied charities since he was 8, and this is what caused the owners to believe that he deserved to blow the stadium sky high. I think this is important because the boy is being honored for his hard work. This is special because he probably was not expecting his charitable services to be rewarded in such an amazing way. Personally I think it would be really cool just to have the chance to demolish a giant building, but it would be really great if I knew it was because I did something great.

PLN 21

What matters in the world today is a NYC pizza delivery man who fended off two armed robbers while delivering the pie. Assami Semde was delivering two pizzas and was stopped by two armed men. The men tried to take the pizzas from Assami, but he refused. One of the men hit him over the head with his gun, at which point Assami punched him and threw him into the wall. The other men punched Assami and the two began fighting. Assami screamed, which attracted the security of the apartment building he was in, and the two men fled. Assami is a recent immigrant to America from Africa, and has been told by his boss to just hand over the pizza if something like it ever happens again. This made me wonder, did Assami instinctively fight for the food because it was how he grew up? Most African countries are impoverished and most people starve every night. So maybe Assami was accustom to having to defend himself. If this really is the case, I think that more aid should be sent to Africa; not in the form of money because that is just consumed by corrupt governments, but in the form of things like the Peace Corps. People should be sent to hand out food and help as many people as they can. From my point of view, people should not have to fight each other for food, and although what Assami did was heroic, he should never have been forced to react in that way.

PLN 20

What matters in the world today, is the new defense system that has been developed by the Israeli government. The new system involves tanks that are equipped with anti missile systems that not only detect incoming projectiles, but shoot them out of the air. The system is called Trophy, and is so small that it can fit into any tank desired. Before this "active defense" system, tanks relied on increasingly thicker armor and a "reactive defense" system. The reactive defense system would set off a small explosion when impact occurred. This would counter act some of the force, but not all. The new Trophy system can defend any anti tank weapon, which will leave mines as the only threat to tanks. The Trophy is estimated to cost approximately $200,000 a piece; which isn’t much considering how many lives will be saved. This system matters to the world because it will not only keep all tank crews alive, but it will give Israel a great advantage in the future. With nearly unstoppable tanks, the only power that would be able to stop Israel from conquering the rest of the middleeast would be the United Sates. This new system matters to education because now engineers all over the world and far into the future will be studying how the system works. Trophy runs on a program that cannot only recognize a threat, but neutralize it all together. It is extremely hard for humans to hit a moving target, but for a computer, it would be even harder because of how long it would take to process. Obviously the new Trophy defense system will be put into effect in the future and used to protect the operators of a key battle field machine.

PLN 19

Hope for manned space exploration. The X-37 B OTV is a space shuttle that is 1/4 the size of the original. Developed by Boeing, the X-37 was intended to carry 6 astronauts to and from the space station. Because of its size, the new shuttle would have been more efficient and less costly. Yet, when the decision was made to stop manned space flight, the shuttle was sold to the air force. It has been modified to be an unmanned, reusable craft. Its job is to do research on reusable space vehicle technology. The air force, will not divulge more about the project. The X-37 is scheduled to launch from the cape next month. Why does this matter? It matters because the X-37 may be the new way for the U.S. to reach the stars. Without the X-37, the cancelation of the space shuttle missions would have required us to rely on rides form the Russians. Now, the air force has the ability to pick up where NASA left off. Even though it is intended for research only, the possibility of reconverting it still exists.

PLN 17

What matters in the world today is a debate that was started after Gunner Sandbergh was hit in the head with a line drive that was traveling at approximately 130 mph. Gunner was pitching for Marrin Catholic High School at the time of the injury. He was rushed to a hospital and put into an induced coma so that doctors could remove part of his skull to allow his brain to swell. The line drive was hit with a regulation, High School level, metal baseball bat. High School bats are light weight and engineered to be light and have what players call "pop." Pop is how well the ball comes off the bat. If a bat is "dead" the ball doesn't fly as hard or fast. That is why injuries are so much more likely. The baseball travels much faster off of a metal bat than a wood one. New York and North Dakota have already banned metal bats from play and have agreed to follow major league rules and use wood bats. Gunner’s father is urging California to do the same. The debate is whether or not changing to wood bats would make a difference. I personally do not believe it would. Several years ago, Rockies minor league first base coach, Mike Coolbaugh, was killed by a foul ball to the head. That ball came off of a wood bat. So as a player, I disagree with the suggestion to change to wood bat play in High School. In all sports there are dangers. Changing to wood bats would not make a difference in the fatality of a line drive to the head. Even if wood bats have less pop, a line drive traveling 120 mph, is still going to do almost the same amount of damage as a 130 mph one. I believe that using wood bats would also make the game less exciting. Hits wouldn't go as far, and it would make the game less enjoyable for players and fans. I also think that it is more Gunner's fault then the hitter's or the bat's. In almost every game that is played, there is a hard hit back to the pitcher, and only 1 in every year causes injury. Every other time, the pitch either doges the ball or catches it, because he is ready and paying attention to the ball after he throws it. If you watch the video, Gunner finishes his throw with his head down, looking at the ground instead of the ball. If he had finished with his head up, he most likely would have been able to get his glove up and catch the ball back at him. I personally live by the rule, never, never, never, take your eye off the ball. I'm not saying that Gunner deserved to be hit in the head; it was still a horrible accident. Yet it was one that could have been avoided, and nothing to do with the type of bat that was used.

PLN 18

What matters in the world today is a post on Dan Maas's blog that has several questions about lap tops in class rooms. The first question is, what is it like to have lap tops in class? Having lap tops in class, gives us access to the internet and many other recourses. We no longer have to go to the library to do research; we can just pull up a Google page. The second question that Mr. Maas has presented is, what can you do now that you couldn't do before? Before we had lap tops in class we would have to go to the library or the computer lab to do research. We also have connection to the rest of the world through the internet right in front of us. We can also email our projects home allowing us to work on it no matter where we are. The next question he posed was, what would it mean to you if you couldn't have lap tops in class next year? I personally would not enjoy the class as much because we wouldn't have the resources that we currently have now. It would also make things just that much more difficult. It would also be disappointing because just being able to use technology is fun and interesting. The last question he asked was, have you changed as a student since you started using lap tops in class? I don't believe so, the lap tops have made my life as a student easier but I do not believe that I have changed the way I learn because of that. All of these are great questions and they relate back to the Dr. Warschauer blog. I will re-sate what I said then; lap tops are a good resource and have made class easier.

PLN 16

What maters to the world today is the Sixth Sense project at MIT. The project is developing a cell phone based system that can be used as a resource for research and much, no matter what the location. As seen in the video, the man can be told which paper towel is most compatible to his life style, or he can dial his phone on his hands, and even draw a watch to know what time it is. This is truly amazing because the camera and projector work together to recognize the environment and instantly give information on what is going on. This matters to the world because it will make our lives much easier. The program helps us with everyday situations and guides us towards what is best. I personally like the program because it has the ability to show information on people you meet. This leads to people getting to know each other faster and starting an opinion of that person. This could also be helpful with security. At airports, guards could identify people who are terrorists or people who intend to cause trouble quicker and easier. This technology could change the world.

PLN 15

What matters today is the effect of the Chile earthquake. an article on Yahoo! News, talks about how NASA thinks that the 8.8 tremor, might have shifted the Earth's axis ever so slightly. The scientists are reporting that the shift has made our days shorter. This means that the quake caused the Earth to speed up its rotation. The shift isn't much; the days are only shorter by 1.26 milliseconds. Yet that short amount of time could cause the Earths magnetic poles to adjust, and the gravity could be affected. If the polarization is disturbed, not only will compasses not work right any more, but the weather patterns could change. The jet steam could move causing air traffic problems. If the gravity is affected, the moon could move closer, or farther away. Things would also feel lighter, effecting scales and weights. Now obviously the effects will not be too drastic because it is only 1.26 milliseconds, but if only one degree in temperature (global warming) can cause more severe hurricanes, what could speeding the rotation of the planet cause. I think that scientist should begin to work on a way to stop, or at least detect earthquakes before they cause destruction. I also think that the NASA people need to release more information on what this shift could do to life as we know it. For all we know, it could cause and early demise of the human race.

PLN 14

What matters today is an iceberg, about the size of Lexington (European country between France and Germany), that collided with the Mertz Glacier in Antarctica, and shaved off a new ice berg of the same relative size. The new iceberg is 48 miles long and 24 miles wide. It is said to hold roughly the equivalent of a fifth of the world's annual total water usage. This event matters because now, the two are floating relatively close to the Australian coast. This is a problem for multiple reasons. One, it could be a boating and shipping hazard. Big cargo ships do not have the maneuverability of a speed boat, and the pair of giant Rhode Island size chunks of ice could cause ship wrecks. Two, the closer to the equator that the two ice bergs travel, the more likely they are to melt. This is a major problem because of their size. If they were to melt, water levels around the world would rise half an inch. That may not seem like much, but adding just that much more water can cause hurricanes to become more frequent and more deadly. Number three; this is a sign of global warming. The average temperature has risen to a point that allows giant pieces of a completely frozen continent to fall off. That should be a big enough red flag to cause more people to go green.

PLN 13

What matters in the world today is a world record breaking diamond sale in Great Britain. The article on Yahoo! news, talks about a 507-carrot rough (un-cut) diamond that sold for $35.5 million. The Cullinan Heritage is in the top 20 largest, pure, un-cut diamonds in the world. Experts estimated the value at $25 million and are very excited that it sold for more. The purchase was made by Chow Tai Fook Jewelry Co. in Honk Kong. The Cullinan mine, where this diamond originated, has been the source of many large diamonds, including the world's largest rough diamond, the Cullinan, at 3,106 carats. That gem was cut into the Star of Africa stones that are now set in Britain's Crown Jewels. This matters to the world because diamonds are one of Africa's largest resources, and if companies like Cullinan were to give back to the community, then lives of African natives might improve. Life in Africa is so low compared to America. People die every minute of Aids, or malaria, or starvation. The diamond business currently only brings more violence to the continent, and if company’s like Cullinan could help, it would make another part of the world a better place.

PLN 12

What matters today is the lost gold medal of Sven Kramer, the long track speed skater from the Netherlands. In what is possibly the biggest blunder of the games, Sven is disqualified from the 10,000 meter, the event in which he holds the world record. The Dutch skater was entering the last lap of the race with a commanding lead and was setting what would have been the gold medal time. Kramer was going down the back stretch of the oval, where skaters are to change lanes to even the distance. At the last second his coach, Kemkers, tells him to move to the inside lane. Kramer was supposed to be moving into the outside lane, but he assumed that his coach was right. He was then disqualified for being in the wrong lane. Kramer is a super star in the Netherlands, where the past time is speed skating. The 23 year old is already a millionaire from assorted sponsorships. It is said that the sponsorships are also on a bonus system, and seeing as he had already won gold in the 5,000 meter, winning the 10,000 would have given the kid almost a 300,000 euro bonus. The metal error by his coach lost him an Olympic Gold and almost half a million dollars. Now granted, Kramer probably should have been keeping track of his lane, but his coach should not have made the mistake in the first place. This whole scandal matters because Kramer holds the world record in the 10,000 meter race, and he deserved to win gold on the highest stage possible. This matters to me because of the sponsorships. No 23 year old should be making that much money; they would not know what to do with it. They have been playing their sport instead of going to school and gaining the knowledge of what to do with millions of dollars. It is not just him either; America is the worst at promoting sports before education. Young kids out of high school go into the NBA or MLB because they want the money. Students work harder at their sport than at school because they think that they have a shot at making it to the big time. Yet less than 10% of them will actually make it to a major league team. Americans lives revolve so much around sports and money that kids end up forgetting about what is important.

PLN 11

What matters today is a plane crash, similar to 9-11, in Austin TX. A man, who was mad with the IRS, crashed a plane into the revenue service building in Austin. This matters because he killed many people, just because he had personal issues. Not everyone at the IRS deserved to die, and this man out of anger, destroyed not only his life but many others. This situation matters because it shows that people can do horrible things with technology like airplanes, all because of their emotions. With so much technology today it is very easy to eliminate life, and people who are emotionally unstable, have the power to do so. This shows that using technology the wrong way, can turn a helpful tool like a plane, into the equivalent of a bomb. That is why we have to be careful with things like nuclear weapons, because eventually, we will end up destroying ourselves. This man had some personal issues, and he used the readily available technology to solve his problems.

PLN 10

What matters today is a YouTube video about the "new" Call of Duty game, "Modern Warfare 3." The video is a fake news cast that makes fun of how unrealistic current games are. Supposedly, in this new game, players take part in tasks that real soldiers would be performing. Such as guarding a warehouse all night, or settling arguments between fellow soldiers. At the end of the clip, the game is advertised to be sold with a 17 and 1/2 pound wii control (replica of an actual assault rifle) that the player has to "carry around all day and is not allowed to fire unless given explicit orders to do so. This clip is important because it shows that war isn't fun like in video games, and that there really isn't that much action. I think it is important that kids realize that the video games they play and the movies they watch are not real life. Now obviously this is a fictional game, but the video could open the eyes of many young gamers

PLN 9

"Students Helping Students" is a support program at K-State University. The group collects money and then uses it to help students who are financially troubled to stay in school. The clubs president was diagnosed with cancer when she was 20 years old. The group helped her out, and as a result, she joined the group. K-State Proud, buys things like books, lunches, or even will pay your rent for a week. In the video some of the students even help a kid park his car, and then go on to carry a girl across the street. This matters because it shows that the students care about each other and are willing to help each other out. The school obviously is a very tight knit community. I would like to believe that Arapahoe has the same connection, which is why this matters to me. Groups like Link Crew and sports teams always do their best to make the new kids feel at home, and this is good because it encourages kids to get involved. This is important because it allows kids to get the most out of their school experience. The group at K-State matters to the world, because if organizations like the UN took on the same mentality, things would be allot better. Third world countries would be able to make things a little better for their citizens. This would also lower hostilities because everyone would be just a little bit happier. So maybe the president of K-State Proud should give a speech to Congress or the UN about how to take care of one another.

PLN 8

What matters in the world today is how low teacher salaries are. Teachers deserve to be paid more than they currently are. They have more value to the community than any pharmacist, and yet the educator is paid less. Teachers shape the minds of our children and have a lot of effect on every child that sits down in their classroom everyday. Teachers deserve to be paid more, thus I have devised an action plan. Both the state and federal governments should be reviewed for wasteful spending. The profits saved would then be added to teacher salary funds. Some government officials might claim that there is no wasted money, and yet $112 million dollars is spent by the National Defense Department on unused flight tickets. Just that amount alone would be enough to greatly increase the salaries of deserving teachers. George W. Bush had a plan to eliminate the top ten most wasteful items the government spent money on, but it was never put into action. Through my course of action, I intend to mail a letter, to both Governor Bill Ritter and President Obama, with a list of wasteful, unneeded expenditures that can be eliminated. The list will include several of the items from President Bush's list, along with several that I have deemed wasteful, such as the war in Iraq and the Middle East. Teacher salaries should be raised, and I intend to bring awareness to that fact.

PLN 7

What matters in the world today is the post The Lessons of American Idol on the blog Stager to Go. This post lists 19 lessons that could be learned from American Idol and applied to academics. My personal favorite is "You learn by working outside your comfort zone." I believe that this statement is 100% true, because you never know if you like something until you try it. This article is also important because it shows that reality TV isn't all bad. It proves that you can learn something useful in just about everything you do. Yet, I don’t think that the main point of the post is to show that American Idol has a lot of life lessons. I think the point is to show that things can be learned every second of the day just by paying attention to your surroundings and watching what other people do. This is a very important lesson in its self, because by watching other peoples' successes and failures, we can learn how to do things without being in the classroom.

PLN 6

What matters in the world today is Barac Obama's new budget plan for NASA. An article on Spacenew.com explains that the new budget is discontinuing manned space exploration. Instead private companies would be hired to carry out missions. This could cause many problems. NASA has the experience that other companies do not. As a result, the private companies will end up making the same mistakes that NASA has in the past, and this will cause more fatalities and accidents. Private companies will compete with prices and speed. Neither of which are good in the space program. If companies compete for price, they end up developing product as cheaply as possible. This could cause companies to skimp on safety measures and other precautions that could determine whether an astronaut makes it back to Earth. Competing for speed is also bad, because it will end up causing another space race. If space craft are built as quickly as possible, it results in things being forgotten or left out. This again, could cost life. That is why NASA should be aloud to continue the manned exploration of space.

PLN 5

What matters in the world today, is a clock that is made to last ten thousand years, the 10,000 year clock. This clock, when it is finished, will stand approximately 68 ft high, and the main display, showing all years until 12000, is 20 ft in diameter. The display will rotate 31 times through the 10,000 year period. The clock is also programmed to play a different chime everyday until the ten thousand years are complete. The clock is strictly mechanical; it keeps time by tracking the sun everyday at noon. The clock also tracks the planets in our solar system using equations that correspond to the path around the sun. All of the algorithms and designing were first dreamed up by Danny Hillis, current designer of supercomputers. This clock matters because even when humans are no longer around, it will still be running. While other batteries will die, this clock runs on solar power only. Yet there are some flaws in the mechanism. It cannot tell you what time it is right now, only the date. The clock measures in days, months and years instead of seconds and hours. So if you where to visit the clock, you would be able to check the date, where the planets are, and listen to the chimes and that is about it. The other problem with the design is, if there is a cloudy day the clock will become slightly off track. Another problem is that if something breaks in 5,000 years, no one will remember how to fix it and the cause will be lost. The clock is a good idea and will be really cool when it is done, but it still has some flaws that need to be worked out.

PLN 4

What matters in the world today is the on going argument about whether laptop computers or pen and paper should be used in schools. Recently Dr. Warschauer visited a few LPS schools to research just that. The only problem is that he only visited fourth and fifth grade classrooms. The high schools are more computer oriented than elementary schools. Arapahoe for example has wi-fi access every where in the building, and I use a laptop everyday in English. This matters to me because I have experienced the use of both in the process of my education. I personally like laptops better than paper, mostly because of spell check, but also because it allows research to be done right there in class. Laptops also make us more connected, with email and blogs, we can talk to anyone. The only problem I see with this on going struggle is that the kids who have experienced both pen and paper, and regular laptop use, have no say in the matter. Schools could suddenly decide that computers are not the right way to go and take away the laptops. That would hurt the kids who had benefited and improved because of computers. So my solution to the argument is let the student decide if they want to write on paper or with a keyboard.

PLN 3

What matters in the world today are the problems in Haiti. The huge 7.0 earthquake devastated the country and people are in need of food and medical care. The situation has become so escalated that people are looting and rioting in the streets. The problem is, local law enforcement are also facing the hard times and cannot control the citizens. The article on Telegraph.co.uk, shows just how desperate the people are. The article tells a story of police firing on looters and killing people out right. A 30 year old man was the first to be shot, when he fell, the man next to him stole his backpack and ran off. Police then surrounded the group in an attempt to gain control and order, but more chaos erupted. This mattes because aid cannot arrive quick enough, and the body count in the capital city alone is over 50,000. The UN has also reported that because of the disorder, it may be the biggest disaster they have ever dealt with. The people in Haiti need all the aid they can get. The U.S. has the ability to supply some of the help needed, which is why I believe that we should focus more of our efforts towards helping Haiti.

PLN2

What matters in the world today is an article on Forbes.com about Tiger Woods salary. Tiger is the highest paid athlete in the world with an annual salary of $112 million. Most of this is contributed by his Nike sponsorship, but other parts come from tournament winnings and smaller sponsors. This matters because he is being rewarded for the wrong thing. He should not rake in $112 million a year just because he is really good at a sport. He, along with other athletes, should not be paid millions to show off their god given talent of athleticism. The money should go towards people who do good things for the community, like firemen and teachers. People like teachers deserve to be rewarded because they are willing to help the community and enjoy doing so. Now granted, the recent injury and scandal will put a dent in Mr. Woods income, but he will still be living near the top of the rich list.

PLN1

What matters today, is the annual question posted by Edge magazine. The question presented to the world for 2010 is, how is the internet changing the way we think? I believe that the internet has caused us to become more connected and made life easier in general. Instead of having to figure out a problem ourselves, we are now able to just Google it. This gives us a quick easy answer to whatever question we ponder. The internet has also made the world a very small place. Current events are now available instantaneously, instead of having to wait until the nightly news or the news paper. This mattes to school because, as commonly seen in commercials, classes can now talk and share ideas with class in other countries. The new thinking affects me in my everyday life. I do not go a day without Googling something or checking my e-mail. So my answer to the question is, the internet is changing the way we think in a positive way.

PLN 29

What matters in the world today is the new, limited edition, 24-karat gold-plated Playstation 3. This edition of the PS3 is made by a company called Computer Choppers, and is to start at $4999. The Computer Choppers Company also makes cases and covers for Blackberry ($1,199), Mac Book Pro, and a platinum plated iMac monitor. The company is also promising jewel encrusted versions of each item they currently make. This company is outrageous, who is going to buy gold plated or platinum cell phones or computers? Only the extremely rich, and American's will buy this product, because only the extremely rich can afford it, and American's will just use their credit cards and kids college funds. This company its self is a great example of what America has become. It shows that we are greedy and are willing to buy things that we don’t need. I would like to meet the people that are willing to buy things like this and are not Bill Gates, or royalty. The other reason I am so astonished by this company is how impractical their products are. 24-karrot gold is very soft, you can dig into it with your finger nails, so obviously you couldn’t use it anywhere that you didn't know it was safe. If you where to scratch it, spill coffee on it, or drop it you would waste thousands of dollars. Obviously, no average person is going to buy a gold plated Playstaion 3, or any other product sold by Computer Choppers.

PLN 28

What matters in the world today is that we are trying a little too hard to go green and save the environment. Yes, saving energy and fuel is important, but some of the new "green" inventions are ridiculous. Take for example the "Solar Powered Drink Coasters" (currently on sale for $14.00). This invention collects solar power all day, and then at night it will light up your glass and make your drink look radio active. This invention is completely pointless, how much energy or carbon emissions can a coaster give off. This invention along with some others, have made Yahoo.com's Tech Ticker Dumbest, Green Inventions List. Also on this list is the "Eton Solar Link Radio" this radio is an emergency crank radio, which can also run for a few hours on a full day of direct sunlight. It is equipped with a USB port, a cell phone charger and a clock. But if you were to need it in an emergency, there better not be water involved, because the Eton Radio is not water proof. Another invention on this list is the "Bedol Water-Powered Clock." This device is a digital clock, about the size of a tennis ball, which runs on a mix of water and lemon juice. This clock uses only a fraction less energy than a normal clock, and it doesn't even have an alarm. But, the most outrageous green invention in my opinion is the "Energy Curtain." This is a window blind that collects the energy from the sun all day, weather it is rolled up or down, and then at night it glows blue so you don't need to use the electric light. This sounds like a good idea, until you find out that to keep it from glowing at night; you have to completely cover it with a cloth during the day. This would be a hassle, because if you were to forget the cover, your blinds would be glowing all night and keep you awake. This curtain might keep you from using the lights, but what is the point. All of the inventions on the list either take the place of items that use no energy (the solar powered coasters) or barely use less energy than the supposedly non-energy efficient things they replace. I'm not saying that we should stop trying to be green, I just think that there are more effective and efficient ways of gong about it, than with water powered clocks and glow blinds.

PLN 27

The helicopter ejection seat, vertical propulsion coupled with spinning over blades, is currently in the top five worst inventions of all time. To most people it would obviously be a horrible idea, but this invention matters to the world to day because currently the Russian Kamov Ka-50/52 attack helicopters are equipped with this method of evacuation. The Ka-50 black shark and the Ka-52 alligator are the worlds first ever co-axel attack helicopters; co-axel helicopters have two sets of rotors instead of just one. The Ka-50 black shark has been in use by the Russian army sense 1995 and it along with the Ka-50 alligator, are the only helicopters to equip a zero-zero ejection seat. The initial idea of the ejection seat sounds ludicrous, but in the plans the Russians programmed the blades to be launched off with explosive charges in the event that the pilot pulls the ejection cord. In other words, an originally stupid idea is now the most advance helicopter safety system in the world. This ejection seat could end up saving thousands of lives, because it would allow for a quick escape, instead of having to get out of the cock pit, move to and open the door then jump out of a helicopter spinning out of control. By adding this system to helicopters everywhere, it would cut down on deaths, because most helicopter related deaths happen during impact with the ground. By ejecting out of the aircraft, fewer lives will be lost. I personally would not trust the system, because what if the explosives that blow off the rotors fail or malfunction. Or what if the rotors come off but the seat doesn't eject and you’re stuck in a falling helicopter that has no propulsion system. Even though I find some limitations with the current system, I believe it could be modified and used to save lives in the future.

PLN 26

The book The Men Who Stare at Goats, by Jon Ronson, that was rescently made into a movie, matters today because it gives an insight into the secret workings of the American military from the 1970's to the present. The story is about a reporter, Jon Ronson, who travels the country researching a former U.S. military program to create super soldiers. These soldiers were hand selected from the ranks of the U.S. Special Forces. They were trained by many people who where masters, gurus and scientists involved with the new age movement. The goal of these "Jedi warriors" was to reach a state of ultimate tranquility, a state of mind where levitation, walking through walls, bending metal, and psychic spying can be achieved. The most powerful of these Jedi, were said to be able to stare at a goat and stop or burst its heart, just by using their minds; thus the title of the book is The Men Who Stare at Goats. The whole story is about Jon interviewing people involved with "goat lab" in an attempt to find out if it really existed, and if the U.S. military had really achieved supernatural powers. This book, is not a fiction book, it is based on a true story. That is why this book matters in the world today. If the U.S. military really did have psychic spies, then they would be able to find where Bin Laden is, they would be able to spy on people right here in America, violating our amendment rights. Obviously this is a very scary topic because "nobody would want to mess with an army that could do that."(walk through walls and kill things with their minds). According to the book the ideas came from Vietnam veterans, who did not want future soldiers to have to go through the same perils they did, so they devised the First Earth Battalion, or a unit of super soldiers. If these soldiers really did exist, they did not accomplish their goals, because if they had, they would still be around today. If this unit had existed, it was not very practical, because in the accounts told in the book, it took at the least two days for a Jedi to stare the goat to death, in that amount of time on the battle field, they would be dead. This story is still shrouded in mystery, and I personally want to believe that the army really did achieve these powers, because that would be really cool. If they did have people capable of the supernatural, I am willing to bet that we would never know the truth about it, unless we were there. So now I ask you, what do you think happened? Most likely, we will never know.

PLN 25

I recently saw a video form the World Science Festival featuring Bobby McFerrin. This video matters because the things that Bobby can get the audience to do, baffles the scientists. Bobby uses the pentatonic scale, which is the black keys on a piano, to get the crowd to sing with him. Bobby gives the crowd the first two notes, and then when he jumps to the third, the crowd follows with out him having the pitch given to them. Bobby then uses the whole scale to get the crowd to sing a song with him, which amazes the neuron scientists behind him. They can not understand how the crowd can sing a note that they are not given. Bobby explains that no matter where he is and no matter who is in the crowd, it always works the same way. That is the power of music; the human mind understands it and can follow without question. Unlike counting from one to ten, where not only do you have to know the numbers but what order they go in, music is very simple. Music is away to bring cultures together, like in my PLN 23, about the Tunak Tunak Tun video, everyone understands that it is music, even if we do not understand what the worlds in the song mean. I think it is really cool that music comes naturally to the human brain, because it means that no matter how different our views may be we are all connected by sound.

PLN 24

What matters today is a tower being built in India, called the Burj Dubai Tower, because it is going to be the tallest tower in the world, when completed. Construction stated on September 21, 2004, and the tower will officially open on January 4, 2010. When completed this tower will stand at 819 meters, or about 2768 feet, and will have used enough rebar to reach 1/4 of the way around the world. This tower shows exactly how far the world has come. First, the Wright brothers recorded the first powered flight, then there was the atomic bomb, then we landed on the moon, and now there is a tower 819 meters high. This tower is just another step towards the future; eventually someone will build a taller tower, or walk on Mars. In the mean time though, this tower will be able to hold lots of businesses, boosting India's economy. It will also inspire kids to believe that one day they could build something like it. Personally, I want to meet the guy who engineered it, because he has to be one of the greatest engineers of our day. To build a tower that size, not only would you need somewhere to put it, but it needs to be stable. You have to calculate wind speed to keep it from falling over and it needs to have an effective way to get from top to bottom (when completed the building will have the fastest elevators in the world). The building also would need to have allot of power, and be able to hold up all of the people within it (including the highest restaurants in the world). I would hate to be Babu Sassi. Babu is known as the man on top of the world because he operates the crane at the top of the Burj tower. Not only does he work, but he lives in the crane cab, because it would take to long to climb all the way up and down every day. So until the job is done the young man will be up there, making more than 30,ooo dirhams ($8,168) a month, compared to the 800 dirhams of the average worker. Obviously this tower represents how far the world has come and how far we will be able to go in the future.

PLN 23

I recently saw a video called "Tunak Tunak Tun" on Youtube, by one of the biggest pop stars in India, Daler Mehndi. This video is important, because it shows that America is taking some interest in other countries cultures. This video is a perfect example of the Indian culture, and the fact that it has 12,154,971 views, on Youtube is a great thing. I believe that every one should take the time to learn at least something about another person’s culture. Practicing this would expand world peace, because we would know more about each other, which would cause conflicts to become less escalated. Schools are already doing this; most colleges require at least a year and a half of foreign language class. By learning other languages, we learn more about the culture, which will lead to better understanding. I personally think this video is not only entertaining, but gives us insight to part of the Indian culture. I would recommend watching it several times, and studying the dance, the sound and the colors, because every time I watch it I notice something new. By noticing theses things we will understand the culture better. Thus I believe that this video is important, because it shows that people are taking more interest in each others culture, which will eventually lead to people understanding each other a littler bit better.

PLN 22

What matters in the article "Put forth our best writing selves" by Douglas Hesse, is the fact that the new versions of comunication, texting, twitter and email, could end up deminishing the writing ability of people today.

PLN 21

The article "iPhone App Translates Baby's Crys" by Ki Mae Heussner, Ned Potter and Liam Berkowitz, is extremely important. It is about the new application for the iPhone, that was released last week, by Barcelona-based Biloop Technologic which can supposedly use "sound analysis technology" to tell the emotion being expressed by babies. This new app. can supposedly identify the five emotional states of hunger, fatigue, annoyance, stress or boredom, making it easier for parents to give their babies what they want. If this works, it will make new parents lives way easier. They wouldn't have to continually guess at what their child is begging for. It will also bring more relief to the general public, because there will be less babies crying in restaurant, stores, or on a really long flight. This will also reduce shaken baby syndrome, where in an attempt to stop the crying, a sitter or other person shakes the baby and severely injures it. With this new technology babies will be calmed and less will be shaken and injured. This technology can also be used in other ways, such as in espionage to identify voices. Voice recognition security systems to make things safer, or in translating from one language to another by helping to understand the emotion and message the person is trying to convey. So in general, if this technology really does work, it will make everyones’ lives better.

PLN 20

What matters in the article "Giant Crack in Africa Will Create a New Ocean" co-written by the LifeScience staff, is that there could be a new ocean. The article states that according to scientists, what is happening in the desert of Ethiopia, is also what happens on the bottom of the ocean. Therefore, they have determined that the 35-mile rift through the desert will create a new sea. According to the article, it is the African and Arabian tectonic plates spreading apart that is causing the crack through the Afar desert. The crack began in 2005 and is causing great excitement in the scientific world. The scientists that wrote the article say that this is what is theorized to be happening on the bottom of the ocean, but seeing as they do not have the technology to reach the bottom of the ocean, they are very excited to use this new site as a "unique and superb ocean-ridge laboratory." Doing this will break a lot of new ground in the world of oceanography. There is also another subject, brought up by the rift, which has the religious world excited. Scientists say that this is also "splitting the Red Sea." They claim that volcanic activity under the Red Sea is causing it to split, and alarmingly fast. According to the article, there is also a rift like this under the Red Sea, and volcanic activity under the surface is filling the rift with hardened lava, or magma rock. This is raising the rift and splitting the sea into two bodies of water, but then more shifting of the tectonic plates lowers the rift again, back to one body of water. The scientists say that this is an extremely fast process and could happen and be over with in a span of just three days. This is affecting the religious world because it has proven that maybe there were other factors at play when Moses split the sea and saved the Jews. This is obviously something to watch closely, because if one of these rifts showed up under a city or poisonous gas was released from within the Earth, who knows what the consequences would be. Anyway you look at it, this new rift, whether it creates an ocean or not, will cause some great new discoveries.

PLN 19

What matters in the post "Teaching, Testing and Counseling" on the blog "Webblogg-ed", is the fact that teachers are going to be treated differently and their salaries changed depending on the test scores of their students. I believe that this is a totally fair thing. Teachers need an incentive to do their job and do it well. But there are some problems I see with this new method. One is that sometimes it is the kids’ fault, for not paying attention in class, or being difficult and "un-teachable." Kids like this could cause a problem, because if these kids don't learn, it is their own fault, and the teacher should not have to pay. Another problem is what if kids don't test well, or straight up don't get the subject. In my own personal experience, I did not understand parts of my math class last year, it would take me 15 minutes to work out a problem. But I guess it was the teachers method, or it just took time to sink in, because this year after summer vacation, I can do the same type of problems in my head and twice as fast as before. A third problem that I can find in this system, is that some teachers will now only focus on test scores. My school already focuses a lot on writing because the test results were so bad in that area last year. So now I am doing a lot of writing in almost every class but geometry. If this new system comes in to play then the schools will have a bunch of kids who test well, but it doesn't necessarily mean that those same kids learned what they were suppose to in the class. Obviously, this new system has flaws, and it probably won't work to the benefit of everyone.

PLN 18

The Nobel Peace Prize is given to the person who makes the greatest or most advances towards world peace every year. The newly elected president Obama, did really nothing to deserve this prestigious award, that once belonged to Theodore Roosevelt. In an article on Chicago's Sun Times website, there is a quote from Obama himself, that he is accepting the award "as an affirmation of American leadership." What matters in this article is the fact that President Obama does not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize. The article goes on to say that it is more of a "you’re not George Bush" prize. This is backed up by saying that the world hated President Bush, and that they love Obama. The article backs this point up with the fact that Bush was hit with a shoe the last time he went to Iraq. Now Obama my not deserve the peace prize, but I think he should make up for that by following in the steps of former recipients, like T. R. and do something within his time in office, that really does deserve this prestigious award. He would for sure be marked down in the history books if he followed through and did something great to make up for the undeserved house warming gift. By doing something that does deserve the prize he will become even more liked and admired by the leaders on the world stage. This would also improve the image of America in the eyes of the world because it would show we truly are one of the greatest countries on earth, and that we do good things for other countries who need help.

PLN 17

On Karl Fisch's bolg "The Fischbowl," there is a video by the name of "The Bionic Eye." This video matters because it shows the kind of environment Americans now live in. The Bionic Eye is a new app. for the iPhone or iTouch, and when held up to it’s surroundings the application displays the nearest places of interest; as in, restaurants, subway stations and other things. This is really cool because now we can find things quicker, but this technology points out a problem with American society. In the video when the man held up the device to demonstrate, the application found two McDonalds, three Starbucks, a Burger King, and a Wendy’s. Now most people would think that this is a great thing, but I took a step back and thought about the meaning. America is such a fat and lazy country these days that the people need a device to find the McDonalds, Starbucks, and Wendy’s, that are all so close together that 8 of them can be found on the screen of and iPod. This goes to show that America not only needs 4 McDonalds and 3 Starbucks all on the same block, but that we are so lazy that we need a device to find the one that is closest. In the video the man also said that the application is available to Russia, Britain, China, and Japan. I don't believe that theses countries will use this application as much, or at least not in the same way, as the U.S. These countries most likely don't need this application unless they are visiting a new place, and even when they do use it, there probably will only be one Starbucks, and McDonalds on the screen. Personally I think this technology is really cool, but eventually it will just end up contributing to the nation’s obesity problem. When that happens, we won't be able to fit into the tiny little, eco friendly cars, which are now being made. If all of this is added together, it really isn't iPod's fault. America needs to take steps to reduce its obesity and make it so that this application doesn’t find 4 of every fast food places all in the space of one screen.

PLN16

What mattes in Dr. Wesch's video The Internet Has a Face is the fact that Youtube is changing the world. Youtube has changed the world in two different ways, represented in the video. First is that Youtube and the internet are causing humans to be less socially inclined. An example is of one of the girls who admits a bunch of stuff on camera that she probably wouldn't tell people otherwise, like the fact that she has joined a dating site, or that she is on drugs. Another is the guy who is giving a response to some girl, and does it over and over again. I find it lame to respond to a girl via recorded message, or to willingly admit things on the internet that you wouldn't normally tell people in person. The second reason Youtube is changing the world is it is bringing people together. At the end of the video it shows examples of movements started via Youtube. One guy even started a charity, and other people started movements that dealt with more political issues, even some court cases were supported. So I take this all back to my digital footprint essay, the internet is a two faced convenience. People do things on camera that they wouldn't do normally. But on the other hand, it can be used for good and change the world for the better.

PLN15

What matters on The Official Google Blog is the post "Our Googley Advice to Students: Major in Learning." This post matters because it gives a general description of what companies look for in employees. It does this by going over what Google looks for. For example, Google wants people with analytical reasoning, communication skills, willingness to experiment, people who are team players, and a passion for leadership. I connected these things back to PLN14, and the "Rigor Redefined" article, and the fact that the thing that companies are looking for have changed. My analysis of the requirements in both the Google article and "Rigor Redefined" is that businesses today want people who are more independent and out going. I can see why, business has evolved in the twenty first century, things are more interactive. With things like skype, e-mail, and txt, people are constantly communicating, and companies want people who can utilize these new technologies and get things done. In other words, it is the way of the future and if you don't take part you will be left behind. Thus why it is important to read articles such as these and learn about what it is going to take to succeed in the 2000's and beyond.

PLN14

There are several things that matter in the article "Rigor Redefined" by Tony Wagner. Number one is that students today may not be prepared for work in the twenty first century. According to the article the requirements for jobs these days have changed drastically, and students may not be prepared for these new jobs. Number two, is that some teachers aren't doing there jobs correctly or well. Two example of this from the article are the chemistry class, where the boys did something wrong and simply shrugged their shoulders; and the U.S. Government class, where the kid in the front mumbled the answer that no one else could hear and the teacher didn't even give the answer to the rest of the class. I am glad that none of my teachers are like that. All of these facts worry me, because I want to be prepared for my future, and I don’t want end up driving a trash truck. This is why I am so glad I go to Arapahoe. The teachers are good, the environment is great, and I know that they will prepare me the best they can because they want me to succeed. To sum up, students today would be a lot better off if they went to a school like Arapahoe, with great teachers, and basically a promise to prepare you for your future.

PLN13

From my own personal experience, I write better and faster when I use pen and paper. Although, now I use the computer more, I am becoming more proficient at creating good writing with the technology. So, I both agree and disagree with the study by the NSBA conducted by Virginia Berninger, because I do write well with a pen, but can do just as well with a keyboard. I know for a fact that my spelling isn’t very good, which is why I prefer the computer because of spell check. Though, when I use pen and paper I write much better essays and paragraphs. For this reason I am going to agree with the study. I do write better with a pen, but I like writing on the computer more. It makes me feel technologically advanced and I enjoy feeling superior to apes.

PLN12

What matters in the article "Footprints in the Digital Age" by Will Richardson, is that he has researched and confirmed what was said in my Digital Footprint essay. He is worried about his kids future just as I am worried about my future. The only thing differnet is that he made a list of ways to stop the problem. He baisicly said that to make sure that your digital footprint has a good influence in the future, you have to post and do good things on the internet. This means that things have to be spell checked, read for good gramar and made to have a good reflection of you. I agree with him, if someone in the future Googles me and the first five things Google comes up with are not good, or even worse, nothing is found; it would send the mesage that I am not technalogicaly savy. Nobody wants a persn who doesn't use the internet, or can't operate a computer past playing solitare. That is why I think there should either be a law that prevents people from using digital footprints to judge you, or a law that sets standards for the internet, and thus eliminating the problem all together. I am more in favor of the first law, because although it is unpractical, it keeps our First Amendment rights intact. I hope that the article by Will Richardson will have more of an affect on people than my digital footprint essay.

PLN11

Karl Fisch's video "2020 Vision" intrigued me. Through the video I wondered about how this would affect my future. I soon realized that the video was not just about the class of 2020, but about the world. The fact that Google might accomplish all of those things, and become worth $1.5trillion makes me want to go out and buy Google stock shares. Another interesting thing that caught my eye during the video was that it claimed Obama would still be president in 2018. My question is, did he loose his second race for office or is he to be only the second president in history to take three terms? I then started wondering, if this is all predicted for 2020, who is going to accomplish all of this? I remembered Mr. Fisch's other video "Did You Know" and how it predicted that most of the jobs that will exist for my class, don't exist now. I had finally discovered how this affects me, it is going to be people my age or a little older who do all of these amazing things. Be it the GCam, Gcast, GPanles, the first working quantum computer, iMagine, or eyeMagine(which I think is the coolest of all because it is a computer screen projected on your retina) people my age, maybe even me, will be accomplishing these great technological feet’s. This could be true because my class is to graduate college somewhere between 2017 and 2022. This gives me hope for the future, but I am also saddened that it can not be my class that has a chance to experience all of these things as we grow up and go through high school. Another thing that the video made me think about is my great grandma Polly. My mom and grandma Paula always tell me how she has lived through the age of inventions, she has seen the invention of the T.V., the microwave, a ton of things that we now take for granted today. I started wondering if I was going to be saying the same kind of thing about my parents, or my children about me. All of the wonderful things this video predicts really make a person think about how it will affect them, but that is the story of Americans, always thinking about ourselves.

PLN10

On Karl Fisch's blog, The Fischbowl, the post, "Who Ya Gona Call" shows exactly what this world has come to. The story about how Ms. Orf found an old friend on Facebook, and is going to use Skype so that he can talk to her business class about being an entrepreneur is a prime example of how the internet can be used. This shows that, by using the internet, as it is today, it is possible to find anybody, anywhere, and then have a conversation with that person wherever they are. I personally think this can be a good thing, and a bad one at the same time. Take pedophiles for example; pedophiles use the web to stalk children and whoever else they want, and things like Facebook are being used as their tools of evil. The web is good though because it can be used to do things for education, like what was described on Mr. Fisch's blog. This all ties back into the digital footprint essay we did for class, the sites on the web that are intended to help us, can have a down side too. I would like to see an age where the internet is completely safe, and yet can still be used to its fullest extent, but that is probably not going to happen for a very long time.

PLN9

On the blog Weblogg-ed the post “Don’t Don’t Don’t vs. Do Do Do” by Will Richardson, talks about the internet policies at schools. He had an experience at a school where the students and teachers were all given an 8 page packet on what not to do on the internet, which basically said do not use the school internet for socializing. He then claims that having blocks on the web prevents students from interacting with other students, experts, and other teachers that would benefit the students learning. He also said that if students were taught from an early age how to use the internet responsibly, they would not sit around and play games instead of learning. I agree with Mr. Richardson, because I do not normally play games on the internet anyway, and being able to chat with other people about a subject we are learning in class would be really cool. It would be like the web cam Mrs. Smith has set up for the kids who are sick, but instead of being at home we could talk with someone from another country, that would help immensely with foreign language credits. All in all I agree with Mr. Richardson, because kids can’t get a full experience with a computer if they cant use it to it’s fullest extent.

PNL8

In PLN8 I am going to compare two of the videos from Dr. Wesch with one from Mr. Fisch. This is hard to do because Mr. Fisch's video and one of Dr. Wesch's deal with the development of technology, while the other video is made of facts from students' lives. Now the only thing to compare is something that all three videos share, and that is the fact that they all share facts about life and how it will be in the future. The video from Dr. Wesch "A Vision of the Average Student" showed us how the average college student lived and gave us facts about their daily routine. While the video from Mr. Fisch showed us how technology and the current students of America would interact. Like how the average student today would have a job that doesn't even exist right now. Then in Dr. Wesch's video "The Machines are Using Us" shows how technology could eventually be bad and become smarter than the human race. The connection between the three videos is that all three of them prove that students use technology that will either help or hinder them in the future, and it all depends on how we use that technology.

PLN7

What matters in the post "This Would Be Really Weird" on the blog 2¢ Worth, by David Warlick, is very similar to what mattered in PLN 2. This blog post is about how women are becoming a larger percent of the work force and losing fewer jobs than men. The statistics that David brought up was that women make up 49.3% of the work force right now (expected to be 50% by November), and that sense December 2007 about 75% of the jobs lost have been held by men, and 25% of them by women. This worries me for the same reasons as PLN 2 did. I am worried that if I don’t do really well in school and go to a great college, I might lose out in the job race to a girl. This is a problem because one, I wont have a job and two, I don’t like losing to girls.

In PLN 2 the article talked about how women are taking more spots in colleges too. I was wondering if that fact directly leads to women having and holding more and more jobs. I want to have the job I want when I’m older, and I want it to be a good job, but if someone else, be they women or man, beats me out for it… well that would just not be good.

I am not saying that women should give up their jobs to men and just go home; everybody deserves a job that isn’t at McDonalds. But this being an all boys L.A. class, I want the guys to start doing better. If this trend keeps up all men will have left is professional sports. But women are even taking over sports, look at Danica Patrick; she is going to be driving NASCAR next year.

The fact that women are taking more and more jobs worries me about my future and what job I will get.

PLN6

On the blog Stager-to-Go the post “Another Radical Obama Supporter” by Admin, talks about Laura Bush’s reaction to President Obama’s speech to the school kids of America. I agree with Ms. Bush on her point of view; it was good for Obama to send a message to the kids of America. I also believe parents should have the right to keep their kid from watching it, but the speech he gave was all about “stay in school” and isn’t that the message parents try to give their kids anyway? I also thought that it is a good thing Ms. Bush approved of the speech. It is basically her accepting him in his new role as the President of the United States. This is good for the country to see that the former president’s wife is in approval, it gives the country a positive look on the future for Mr. Obama. This matters for the future because we are now more accepting of the new president, and maybe he will get some things done and make the country better.

PLN5

What matters in Clive Thompson’s article “The New Literacy” is the fact that technology is good. This article has totally contradicted the movies by Mr. Fisch and Dr. Wesch, because in those videos, it is predicted that technology is bad and will one day take over the world. In this article though, it was found that technology has improved literacy skills of today’s society. People constantly twittering and updating there facebook, it has caused us to write more often. According to the article we are writing far more and with better quality then the generations before us. This is good for the future because it will help our communication skills, and if we ever find life on another planet, those skills just might keep us from being vaporized. It would also be good if the trend continued. Because then the generations after us will be even better than we are personally. All of this adds up to the fact that as, race humans are becoming smarter and smarter, we can just hope that what Dr. Wesch predicted will not come true.

PLN4

There are two things that matter in Dr. Wesch's video "The Machiens Are Using Us". One is that using email and txt gives us a fasle sense of reallity. There is no emotion involved in what Dr. Wesch reffers to as a simulated conversation. This worries me because it will cuase people to use txt and email to convers because they don't know how to relate when face to fac with a person. Seccond and final is that as we try to make the "simulated conversation" more realistic the machines could use that programing to begin to think for it self and have conversations with other machines and humans. Eventualy the machiens would rule our live, because as the computers are programed to be smarter and smarter, they will eventualy out smart the human population and rule the world.

PLN3

What mattered on the Denver Post blog by Howard Pankraz is that the smoke from the California wild fire is steaming into colorado. According to the blog, it is causing breathing problems for some Coloradans. This is bad for people with asma or other breathng condtions and could end up adding to the total death toll of the fires. The other reason that this is bad is that if the smoke has made it to Colorado and is affecting us, wouldn't it be bad for the states inbetween, like Utha and Nevada. We need to get these fires under control before the death toll gets higher and California burns in to the sea.

What matters to Tait

Everything that matters to me is in the picture above, friends, sports, singing, family and my dog. These things are all important to me for different reasons. Family is important to me because they will always be there for me. My mom and dad will do just about anything I ask of them, and my grandparents are just happy to be around me. My cousins are some of my closest friends. All of these people love me and I love them because they are family, and that’s what families do, they love each other. Another part of my life represented in the picture above is sports, of witch I play two, wrestling and baseball. Over the last year I have reached the panicle of my pre high school sports carrier. I was captain of the Powell wrestling team last year and placed 2nd in districts. Over the summer I played on two baseball teams, my Cherry Creek AYL team, who I have played with for seven years finally won the Little League World Series. Then I also played on the freshman summer team Arapahoe. Our record wasn’t very good but we had a lot of fun, and it exposed me to the high school competition level. The other thing that matters to me and is school related is singing. In the collage above is a picture from the Powell Pops concert last year. I was in choir all three years at Powell under the direction of Ms. Kathy Summers and ending my carrier there in the Jazz Choir. I’m also in concert choir this year and so far its turning out well. The next thing that matters to me is my friends; my friends will always be there for me no matter what. They are always fun to hang out with and a good source for a laugh. The final thing represented in the collage is my dog. He should probably be considered part of the family but he is just a little to cool. His name is soda and he is all of 15 pounds not including the fluff. He is my bud who I play with when I’m bored and he doesn’t care who I am or what I do, as long as he gets fed. That basically sums up what matters to me, and I say just basically because a picture is worth a thousand words, and I don’t even have all my pictures up there.

PLN2

What matters to me for the future, education, and the world in the genre of gender differences is the fact the girls are getting more opportunities than boys. According to the articles we read on Friday, “Quite Gender Gap Hits Collegiate Balance” by The Post Editorial, about how the populations at colleges and the high paying desirable jobs are being taken over by women. That worries me for my future, because I want to get into college and get a good job. Now don’t get me wrong I’m all for women’s rights but it really worries me because I might not get the job I want when I’m older. Like being the CEO of a company or being part of a big law firm. I have decided that my personal goal, for when I am older, is to graduate at the top of my class and prove that not only girls can be success full these days.

PLN1: Did You Know

What mattered to me, in Karl Fitch's video "Did You Know", was the future. Something that worried me was the fact that in 2049 the average $1,000 computer is predicted to be smarter than the whole human race. What does that mean? Will computers control our lives and everything around us? That is a scary thought. The world would be completely different. We would have computers do everything for us. They would get us food dress us, and everything else. We would all be fat from lack of movement and exercise. Something else I'm sacred of for the human race is that we will be over populated. To many people not enough resources. both of these would affect the world majorly. the computer would control most of everything. While at the same time there would be way to many people on the planet. This will affect me because i will still be alive in 2049, and I'm not sure if I'm going to like being told what to do by a computer or being crowed all the time. That's why i recommend everyone watch this video, it gives you something to think about.