The Internet is taking capitalism to a whole new level with the Google Books issue. Google wants to put books online to be printed off by whomever feels the need, at a cost. The writers of the books online would get royalties, but to the books which are unclaimed or dead authors, google will reap the benefits. This is wrong on a few levels. First, google should not be recieving royalties for ANY transactions! They scanned a book, big deal. Why should they recieve compensation for someone else's work? Second, they are making the regular search engine, and regular librairies basically obsolete. If no one has to access anything but google, then that is considered a monopoly. I am opposed to the entire idea, not just of google doing this, but also of the microsoft exploration of the matter and Europeana. I believe that no other country/corporation would have an issue if they had had success in this endeavor themselves; it was just a matter of time. Microsoft, Amazon, France and Germany are all leaders of the march against the Google Books project. Right now Google is in a 125 million dollar settlement suit to try and get rights for a book rights registry.
People are divided on this topic. Some say copyrighted works are controband from being copied, and that it shouldnt matter if it is digital or not. This is an international matter due to the fact that other nations across the globe have authors that are being used. France states that what google is doing is against the law in thier country, yet they openly support the European version of this idea, Europea. The Authors guild is in support, i think mainly because the authors will get paid. The Europeans are also complaining that the documentation from google are written in only English. Doesnt most of the world speak English? Or have a language tool online they could scan the document and translate it easily.
There are a few concerns with this projects discretion as well. Will the books be censored for content? If an under age person can go in and copy explicit materials, can google be sued? How will google protect our children and the authors? Google is a part of so many other technological devises already, such as search engines, cell phones, imaging, email, ect. Many fear that google is trying to take over as a monopoly, much like microsoft was in the 90's. With competition that stiff, it would make exposure to other technology difficult. I know if I need help, or someone I know does, the first thing that pops into my mind is 'I dont know, google it'. It would be just as easy to ask jeeves, or use bing.com. For some reason, the google search engine is a much wider known source.
Intellectual devices play a minimal role in my life (Or maybe I just dont realize how much it controls me). I can turn on my computer. I have a cell phone, and yes it would be nice to have a camera on my phone, but i dont have one yet. i dont feel the need to have email sent to my phone or play games. I have a life, and dont believe in letting computer technology rule me. I would rather go back to having a house phone, it is much cheaper. Cell phone rates are ridiculous. I know in the 15 yrs since cell phone technology started being widespread, alot of things have changed. I remember when texting was new... lol. I wouldnt even have cable if i didnt have kids. I am definitely guilty of not keeping up with the technology demand. And I am happy that way. But it has made things both more simple and more complicated. Digitalization has made everything faster, easier to store in one location, less paper to use and more accuracy in numbers. I also enjoy the flexibility of my online classes. But if the computer crashes or you lose power, there is no retrieving the information easily. So to be safe, you would have to print anything important and have a back up copy of whatever it is on disk; And miss class should a blackout occur.
All of this is much to think ponder over....
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Craigslist and Ebay
There are alot of different online forums that are there for anyone to use. They can be in the form of chat group, cyber games or selling items. Two such groups are Ebay and Craigslist. These forums are great tools, but if used by the wrong people could be costly and deadly.
Craigslist is one of my favorite consumer tools. Alot of people will go through thier garage finding items they dont want or need anymore and sell them for cheap to someone else via internet. This tool has eliminated the need for an actual garage sale, and has broadened the customer potentials. Anyone can use the forum, they dont actually need an account. The only thing provided by the poster is an email address, and ad. The items sold are not limited to material things. You can view real estate, pets, see community adds or events and jobs as well. There is even an option for barter. This tool is used completely at the discretion of the consumer, and the arrangement for exchange of goods is settled privately via private email. Craigslist does not take responsibility for either party. They do, however, include in the services a help selection with frequently asked questions, and a scamming section with warnings to ensure people's safety. There are pro's and cons for enlisting this service. In favor of craigslist, it is an easy dummy-proof way to sell your items, and to maximize the potential buyer. You can set your own price and negotiate in private, without having to answer to a corporation, and there are no fees associated with it. The con's can be a bit tricky, however. You can easily get scammed, especially if you dont buy locally, and one party decides to scam the other out of either money or product. If this should happen, there is no buyer protection. Also, if the pick up is arranged in person, this could prove to be dangerous. You will never know what kind of person you are meeting until they reveal it to you. The recent press has proven that in the case of the craiglist murders. So my advice, use it with caution, and definitely read the rules on safety before you meet with someone you dont know.
Ebay is a similar search toolm but there are some major differences. First, ebay is a world wide organization. You must be a member of Ebay in order to post items for sale. The seller has the option to list as an auction, or to buy it now. On the webpages viewed are the terms of the purchase, description and pictures. The seller will normally include any shipping fees for the items purchased. The fact that this is a world wide venture leaves more room for anonymity. Because Ebay is worldwide, they have created a banking system for exchanges using peoples personal bank accounts, though the seller will never see the personal information. The company has also set up a paypal credit card for those who shop ebay. The plan determines where you can use it. Some are restricted only to ebay, others have free roam of ebay and other stores. Mosty people do not meet up for a private exchange, so the risks are minimal there. There are alot of scams however. In personal experiences, we have been asked to send money via western union before the shipping would 0ccur, the purchaser stating they dont have a paypal account or a private bank account. Both of these methods would make it easy for authorities to track them, but western union doesnt track thier transactions, therefore a scammer would not be caught. There have also been times where I have purchased an item through the legal ways and just never recieved the item, though my money was taken.
There is a plan through ebay that allows for the scammed to recieve thier money back. You can submit a claim through the ebay company and within a few days, you will recieve your money back, and the seller will either have to pay up or lose priveledges to ebay.
The last thing I would like to note is though the internet shopping offers convenience, it also takes alot of trust too. You have to trust the quality of the product, trust where your money is going and trust the seller to not be a serial killer, rapist, or scam artist. And if that isnt reason enough to limit online shopping, I cant help you :)
Craigslist is one of my favorite consumer tools. Alot of people will go through thier garage finding items they dont want or need anymore and sell them for cheap to someone else via internet. This tool has eliminated the need for an actual garage sale, and has broadened the customer potentials. Anyone can use the forum, they dont actually need an account. The only thing provided by the poster is an email address, and ad. The items sold are not limited to material things. You can view real estate, pets, see community adds or events and jobs as well. There is even an option for barter. This tool is used completely at the discretion of the consumer, and the arrangement for exchange of goods is settled privately via private email. Craigslist does not take responsibility for either party. They do, however, include in the services a help selection with frequently asked questions, and a scamming section with warnings to ensure people's safety. There are pro's and cons for enlisting this service. In favor of craigslist, it is an easy dummy-proof way to sell your items, and to maximize the potential buyer. You can set your own price and negotiate in private, without having to answer to a corporation, and there are no fees associated with it. The con's can be a bit tricky, however. You can easily get scammed, especially if you dont buy locally, and one party decides to scam the other out of either money or product. If this should happen, there is no buyer protection. Also, if the pick up is arranged in person, this could prove to be dangerous. You will never know what kind of person you are meeting until they reveal it to you. The recent press has proven that in the case of the craiglist murders. So my advice, use it with caution, and definitely read the rules on safety before you meet with someone you dont know.
Ebay is a similar search toolm but there are some major differences. First, ebay is a world wide organization. You must be a member of Ebay in order to post items for sale. The seller has the option to list as an auction, or to buy it now. On the webpages viewed are the terms of the purchase, description and pictures. The seller will normally include any shipping fees for the items purchased. The fact that this is a world wide venture leaves more room for anonymity. Because Ebay is worldwide, they have created a banking system for exchanges using peoples personal bank accounts, though the seller will never see the personal information. The company has also set up a paypal credit card for those who shop ebay. The plan determines where you can use it. Some are restricted only to ebay, others have free roam of ebay and other stores. Mosty people do not meet up for a private exchange, so the risks are minimal there. There are alot of scams however. In personal experiences, we have been asked to send money via western union before the shipping would 0ccur, the purchaser stating they dont have a paypal account or a private bank account. Both of these methods would make it easy for authorities to track them, but western union doesnt track thier transactions, therefore a scammer would not be caught. There have also been times where I have purchased an item through the legal ways and just never recieved the item, though my money was taken.
There is a plan through ebay that allows for the scammed to recieve thier money back. You can submit a claim through the ebay company and within a few days, you will recieve your money back, and the seller will either have to pay up or lose priveledges to ebay.
The last thing I would like to note is though the internet shopping offers convenience, it also takes alot of trust too. You have to trust the quality of the product, trust where your money is going and trust the seller to not be a serial killer, rapist, or scam artist. And if that isnt reason enough to limit online shopping, I cant help you :)
Friday, September 18, 2009
Political Uses of the Internet
The internet has made the lives of millions of people and businesses less complicated. Work and personal mail can be distributed faster, and information is just at the touch of a button. Knowing this information, it is no surprise that polititians have jumped on board to utilize these tools for the benefits of the campaign.
The benefits of using the internet for campaigning purposes are numerous. Alot of the tools are free to use, such as social networks to include email, myspace, facebook, youtube and blogging sites. Subscribers can view the information at will, make donations via credit card and be privately active in the campaign of thier choosing. They can sign up to recieve weekly updates on the issues, and remain current in the debates. This past presidential election, Barack Obama was able to raise more funds in small increments in this manner. Sixty percent of his 193 million dollars came from donations of a hundred dollars or less via internet (Washington Post, Jose Vargas 4/1/2008).
Another benefit for using the web for advertising/informational and fund-raising purposes is that it levels the playing field. Some candidates may already have deep pockets, whereas others are struggling to gain backers. The elections of old, the people with alot of money have always won, and now the future of elections dictate that the citizens have more say, and can contribute freely anytime. In my opinion, another benefit of the internet campaign is that the ordinary citizen doesnt see an act all the time. Everyone thinks a person in a position of power isnt human; they dont react to sticky situations or have biases like the rest of us, right? Wrong. Youtube is a website where anything goes; people post thier happy, embarrassing,sad and fun times on this site for the public to view. Anyone in politics who says the wrong thing or falls in public is sure to be seen or heard; if it gets posted, millions of people have access to that footage.
The downside of this political use of the internet is that everyone has access to it. People have the ability to scam each other, to say or write harmful slander. One ill-tempered posting online could jeapordize an entire campaign. Whats worse is that they know it, and use the internet as a ploy to undermine each others character. From this past election alone, if you go one youtube.com and type in Hillary Clinton or Sarah Palin, you get a tool bar of at least 5 different postings of embarrassing, hurtful videos. These include Hillary Clinton farts, Sarah Palin rap, Sarah Palin Turkey, Hillary Clinton song ect. Online is an unregulated territory , so those who participate in slander or verbal cyber warfare on a candidate will most likely go unpunished. the final downfall to using the internet during a campaign instead of watching the news is that if a supporter never researches the people they dont want to support, they will only get one side of the story, and will be biased in information. This could lead to poor decisions on the part of the voter, which it goes without saying that this could jeapordize our country in more ways than I can mention. It is important to stay impartial, and listen to both sides of any arguement, especially when it is our freedom that is at stake.
I am not sure how to forsee the future of the internet or even campaigns using the internet in the next few years. I have a pretty hard time keeping up with technology these days, due to the fact that it is ever-changing.I just hope that someone can regulate this to make it fair game for everyone. One rumor, one lie can ruin a reputation, and the chances for a better future for everyone.
campaignsonline.typepad.com 11/7/2006
www.washingtonpost.com "Campaign USA: With the Internet Comes a New Political Clickocracy" Jose Vargas, 4/1/2008
The benefits of using the internet for campaigning purposes are numerous. Alot of the tools are free to use, such as social networks to include email, myspace, facebook, youtube and blogging sites. Subscribers can view the information at will, make donations via credit card and be privately active in the campaign of thier choosing. They can sign up to recieve weekly updates on the issues, and remain current in the debates. This past presidential election, Barack Obama was able to raise more funds in small increments in this manner. Sixty percent of his 193 million dollars came from donations of a hundred dollars or less via internet (Washington Post, Jose Vargas 4/1/2008).
Another benefit for using the web for advertising/informational and fund-raising purposes is that it levels the playing field. Some candidates may already have deep pockets, whereas others are struggling to gain backers. The elections of old, the people with alot of money have always won, and now the future of elections dictate that the citizens have more say, and can contribute freely anytime. In my opinion, another benefit of the internet campaign is that the ordinary citizen doesnt see an act all the time. Everyone thinks a person in a position of power isnt human; they dont react to sticky situations or have biases like the rest of us, right? Wrong. Youtube is a website where anything goes; people post thier happy, embarrassing,sad and fun times on this site for the public to view. Anyone in politics who says the wrong thing or falls in public is sure to be seen or heard; if it gets posted, millions of people have access to that footage.
The downside of this political use of the internet is that everyone has access to it. People have the ability to scam each other, to say or write harmful slander. One ill-tempered posting online could jeapordize an entire campaign. Whats worse is that they know it, and use the internet as a ploy to undermine each others character. From this past election alone, if you go one youtube.com and type in Hillary Clinton or Sarah Palin, you get a tool bar of at least 5 different postings of embarrassing, hurtful videos. These include Hillary Clinton farts, Sarah Palin rap, Sarah Palin Turkey, Hillary Clinton song ect. Online is an unregulated territory , so those who participate in slander or verbal cyber warfare on a candidate will most likely go unpunished. the final downfall to using the internet during a campaign instead of watching the news is that if a supporter never researches the people they dont want to support, they will only get one side of the story, and will be biased in information. This could lead to poor decisions on the part of the voter, which it goes without saying that this could jeapordize our country in more ways than I can mention. It is important to stay impartial, and listen to both sides of any arguement, especially when it is our freedom that is at stake.
I am not sure how to forsee the future of the internet or even campaigns using the internet in the next few years. I have a pretty hard time keeping up with technology these days, due to the fact that it is ever-changing.I just hope that someone can regulate this to make it fair game for everyone. One rumor, one lie can ruin a reputation, and the chances for a better future for everyone.
campaignsonline.typepad.com 11/7/2006
www.washingtonpost.com "Campaign USA: With the Internet Comes a New Political Clickocracy" Jose Vargas, 4/1/2008
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
hello
Im raven! Just wanted to share thoughts on life with the world around me, and maybe share in some other strangers lives. I love to learn from everything. I will start by telling you all that I am 27 yrs old and the wife of a wonderful man, and the mother of two beautiful kids. Before you start yawning, know that with all of these awesome people I am responsible for, comes alot of happiness, sadness, drama and high points. All of which without, I would not be whole. I love my life, and though sometimes I wish I could be stuck on a remote island, just me and a martini, for better or worse, here I come!
Let me start by telling you that i am a wife of a US Marine. The military life isnt for everyone, but in my opinion I dont have it as bad a lot of others. My man isnt on the frontlines, he doesnt deploy all the time, he doesnt drink, and this job has allowed us to construct a life together that is mostly decent. Definitely not a fairytale by any means, but reasonable.
My kids are young. 18 months and 5 months. Beautiful, perfect angels with crooked halos. God help me I never want to go through pregnancy again, and though this has been a wild ride and fun as hell, I never want to be responsible for another human again. SO no more kids for me. CANT WAIT TO NEVER CHANGE A DIAPER AGAIN. My 18 month old should be potty trained, but he refuses. He will tell you when he needs to poop, then do it in his pants after sitting on the potty for a half hour. Ive tried everything I can think of. 5 Minutes ago, he did this, then stuck his finger in the back of his training pants searching for gold i think lol. Patience is a virtue..... I have some, and a sense of humor. But a part of me longs for those days of selfishness when i can sleep till noon if I feel the need, or go to the bathroom in peace.
And yes I have 2 male dogs, Rocket and JJ. A yellow lab and an Italien Greyhound. My yellow lab is 3 legged since he ran in front of a car. And JJ is HYPER and loveable. Just like my husband. He is houdini, can get out of every fence, and he thinks he is a pitbull, the way he growls at any shadow that comes around.
So this is our introduction. I will be back with stories and laughter and tears. You can bet on it.
Let me start by telling you that i am a wife of a US Marine. The military life isnt for everyone, but in my opinion I dont have it as bad a lot of others. My man isnt on the frontlines, he doesnt deploy all the time, he doesnt drink, and this job has allowed us to construct a life together that is mostly decent. Definitely not a fairytale by any means, but reasonable.
My kids are young. 18 months and 5 months. Beautiful, perfect angels with crooked halos. God help me I never want to go through pregnancy again, and though this has been a wild ride and fun as hell, I never want to be responsible for another human again. SO no more kids for me. CANT WAIT TO NEVER CHANGE A DIAPER AGAIN. My 18 month old should be potty trained, but he refuses. He will tell you when he needs to poop, then do it in his pants after sitting on the potty for a half hour. Ive tried everything I can think of. 5 Minutes ago, he did this, then stuck his finger in the back of his training pants searching for gold i think lol. Patience is a virtue..... I have some, and a sense of humor. But a part of me longs for those days of selfishness when i can sleep till noon if I feel the need, or go to the bathroom in peace.
And yes I have 2 male dogs, Rocket and JJ. A yellow lab and an Italien Greyhound. My yellow lab is 3 legged since he ran in front of a car. And JJ is HYPER and loveable. Just like my husband. He is houdini, can get out of every fence, and he thinks he is a pitbull, the way he growls at any shadow that comes around.
So this is our introduction. I will be back with stories and laughter and tears. You can bet on it.
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