Orwell was British Right?

Another tid-bit from our friends in the UK. I know I might sound paranoid, but trust me - I'm not. On my last post on the texting of immigrants to go home there was mention of biometric cards, so I had to check out the low-down. Who do you think will be the first nation into the fully fledged world of Big Brother: the US or the UK?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3556720.stm

Is American Idol really about singing?

So if you have been hooked by the oh-so-popular show, you are probably as stunned as I am not only that Antonella Barba lasted as long as she did, but that Sanjaya made the top 12. It really does beg the question that Simon is often asking, "Is this really a singing competition?"

Well, yes, and no. It is a popularity contest, and part of what makes you popular is a good voice. But that is not everything. CLearly, looks plays a role, especially for the girls. How else do you explain Antonella making it into the top 20? Personlaity also plays a role, as defined by Sanjaya, who certainly lacks the powerful voice (although it's not bad, just weak) but is seen as such a sweetheart that he pulls in votes.

But would it be better run as a radio contest? I think we would be more likely to choose the ultimate singer, but so much of artist's success is media driven, not just talent driven. And the Media loves pretty, personable people. I find it amusing that it is now so often Simon who is bothered by the way the voting is going, when it was he who in the choosing process told people that they "looked," or "didn't look," like an American Idol. An idol is someone admired, and beauty is something that most of us admire. We are not unthinking though - not every idol has been a true "looker."

Texting Immigrants to Go Home

Stumbled upon this interesting little tid-bit. So Governments of 1st world countries are thinking about sending text messages to illegal immigrants to remind them that they have to go home. Is that crazy or what? I mean, who would have guessed or dreamt up such a scheme? I mean I can just see the picture now: your an immigrant toiling away picking fruit in some orchard when all of a sudden your cell phone gets a text: Please Go Home. So you drop your gear and go pack all your stuff - I don't see that happening. Sounds like Big Brother is going to be a nagging older sibling as well, great!

http://news.uk.msn.com/Article.aspx?cp-documentid=3850123

Another dead philosopher

Jean Baudrillard, the french postmodern philosopher who's work explored the "blurring lines between simulation and reality" died on Tuesday.
here's the story:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7761639
The story focus is on his influence on the Matrix movies, which lifted heavily from his work.
In the years since he first published his work, virtual reality technology has developed, giving form to his theories. The article says that, despite the Matrix movies, he felt that the best illustration of his theories in real life was Disneyland.
This seems like really dense stuff and I am intrigued, so, of course, I have to Wikipedia him now.

Rosie's Depression

The Associated Press released an article today talking about Rosie O'Donnel's depression. She will be talking about it on her current talk show as well, the View. Rosie says that her depression started after the Columbine shootings in 1999 because she felt as though her own children had been killed. While her own were safe, she clearly empathized with the parents, and suffered a reaction that probably many of them also did.

I appreciate her honesty in talking about depression. I think itis a major problem in our world today, and it is important to have people with some exposure willing to talk about it without it hitting the tabloids. In our time, I think it may be true that depression is overdiagnosed, which I also believe about ADD and ADHD in children. However, I think there are legitimate cases for sure, and that people deserve to be treated - whether with medication like Rosie, or just with therapy.

I can't help thinking- probably as a result of this class - that this could also be a ploy for media attention. Rosie has not exactly been a headliner lately, and although the story is likely true, it is most often something people keep private. Could it be that she decided to share this story to get some publicity? I would certainly not put it past anyone in Hollywood to put her personal life in the spotlight if it brought them along for the ride.

R.I.P. Captain America

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/07/AR2007030701540.html

After 66 years, Captain America was shot dead by a sniper in his last comic which was released today. Many in the comic book community are mourning the loss of America's beloved superhero.

Captain America was first introduced in 1941 as a patriotic adversary for Adolf Hitler. His Alter ego, Steve Rogers, enlisted in the army only to be rejected because of his physical infirmities. Later Roger's take part in an experiment and is injected with "super soldier serum" created by General Chester Phillips which eventually makes him incredibly strong and powerful.

I wrote about this today because I never thought the death of a superhero would e such a big deal. I love superheros, especially x-men, but I never saw myself becoming sad when one of them "died." Although, superheros never really die, their alter ego dies and someone else could potentially take over. Which is was happened in 1993 when Superman died.

Regardless, when I was surfing the web this morning for stories I found something about the death of Captain America on almost every page. Some of the headlines read; "Captain America shot, killed" "Captain America Dead at 66," and "Captain America Dead: National Hero Since 1941."

I don't know about anyone else, but I got the feeling that he was a real person when I read those headlines. Although, some weren't as serious; "Captain America Dead: Movie Still in Development." Nice. Way to acknowledge our national superhero! :)

Cell Phones as Bookkeeping Device?

http://uwnews.washington.edu/ni/article.asp?articleID=31066

Talk about innovation. Who would have thought to use cell phones as data collectors instead of what they are intended for, talking.

I found this article to be quite interesting. A doctoral student at the UW has found a way for third world countries to use modern technology (one that we take for granted on a daily basis), and use it for bookkeeping purposes, and for authenticating whether or not coffee farms are organic.

Leading countries (like the US), have certainly found innovative ways to help the world! I appreciate that Tapan Parikh took a chance on proposing, and finding funding for his project. He is doing a great service not only for the people of India, but for us as well. He is establishing that innovation is not left to just those at Microsoft, Boeing, Smith Klein Beecham, or any other big name innovator or research facility, but people that have a passion and desire to help those that are definitely less fortunate, and don’t have the luxury or means by which to obtain our technology.
The farmers don’t object to this either. According to the article, they had to schlep journals (paper) with them wherever they went, and god forbid that they would drop their journal in a puddle! The new system affords these people of downloading the information and sending it to a main server, thus preserving the information. It’s a great idea, and my hat goes off to Tapan.

Wikipedia

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=2928756&page=1

Even in our age of rapid speed technology, and having information at our fingertips, there is just no substitution for libraries.

Wikipedia is under fire for not authenticating its editors for the online web site. What I found most interesting is Middlebury College has banned students from citing information found on the site. Even though I’ve referenced the site, it should be obvious that most www sites are not authoritative.

With the Internet, it certainly eases the task of having to write lengthy research papers when one is able to hop online instead of making the trek to the local library. Who wants to sit wading through book after book, when you can go online and find virtually anything about anything?

I do think it’s important that when doing Internet searches that credible sites are used for citing and/or when making a determination about a subject or matter. I’ve done numerous searches on health issues, and have found soooooo many inconsistencies, that it is hard to believe that any source is telling the truth or is factual. I’ve learned that there is only one medical site that should ever be referenced when using the Internet (MedWatch), and think that when doing research, especially school related, that it’s important to find sites that journalists use, or actual scientists reference.
There is so much information flying out there, that it takes a sleuth to figure out what is fact and what is fiction. And, above all, DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ!

REPERATIONS: officially not going to happen…anywhere.

I found this article on the BBC Americas page, and was blown away that I hadn’t heard a thing about it from our local media. Maybe because I was out of touch with technology for three whole days, I could have just missed it. The article discussed a recent vote held within the Cherokee Nation on whether or not to extend the rights and privileges of Nation membership to the descendants of Black slaves owned by members of the Nation. Needless to say a resounding NO! was heard in the Nation’s community. A 76.6% of voters denied access to tribal registration, and the turnout to vote no eclipsed the last constitutional ratification vote held by the Nation. Should membership privileges be extended, then the descendants would be eligible to apply for the federal funds, housing allowances, and medical benefits. Either way I found quite interesting the juxtaposition of the use of western democracy to enact the denial of rights/benefits to a minority, previously enslaved population. It seems that unfortunately the treatment of native populations and forced assimilation to western tradition was finally successful; the mistakes of the USA have come round to being repeated, imitated, and acceptable. It really doesn’t pay to be Black in America; every culture with any leg up seems quite content to deny opportunity to those who helped put them there. How interesting that education, health care, and housing still seem so hard to come by.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6416735.stm

Christmas in the Bahamas

An article on MSNBC entitled "Smith's death has been boon for Bahamas," highlights how this small island chain has dealt with the media attention surrounding her burial. Barricades were established, tattoo parlors offered "Anna Nicole" tattoos, and people were offered a tour of the hospital, mansion and church where many events in this saga took place. This article and the whole circus around Anna Nicole Smith's death has been overblown. Circus mentality is proven in a statement by a Nassau resident comparing Anna Nicole's memorial and burial to Christmas. The fact that a big majority of Nassau's residents extorted and manipulated the media is a statement relating to the goodness of people these days. It should make everyone feel a little queasy to know that others can and relish the opportunity to find anyway to turn a buck. Interestingly enough, the concern of the island residents forms a strange dichotomy. Are people these days really good or evil? There is no direct and clear answer, but there is no doubt about the revenue huge media events can bring to the Bahamas. The article also goes into some of the other lengths local residents went to for “Anna Nicole” viewing. One shop resident set up scaffolding and charged $500 for any media outfit to have a view. Other places like the mall which was adjacent to the cemetery was going to charge $5000 for access until the large majority of people spoke out. All of these actions seem to perpetuate both a fascination and sickness we have these days with death. Curiosity is sometimes effective to help us grow as people, but sometimes, it borders on invasion.

watch your mouth

MSNBC reported that conservative columnist Ann Coulter used a deogatory slur at the American Conservative Union’s Political Action Conference on friday. She called presidential hopeful John Edwards a "faggot." Both democrats and republicans alike have spoken out against her use of language in her speech, and Edwards has started a campaign to raise $100,000 to "fight back against the politics of bigotry."

Clearly, one person's opinion has gathered far too much weight and media attention since word spreads so fast these days via the internet. Not only should it not have ever been said, it also should not have made the news, for that only intensifies the effect which politicians supposedly wanted to downplay. For Edwards to capitalize makes me question him as well. Not his sexuality, honestly, who cares? But I question his integrity for using something that should have just made the reporter look like a jerk to make a profit for himself. Why does this reporter have so much weight that candidates find themselves in a tizzy over her comments? Shouldn't a wise politician (especially a liberal one) just say, "Well, I'm not gay (or, I am gay), but my sexuality has nothing to do with the platform of my running for President."

link to article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17458248?GT1=9145

Fighting Crime with YouTube.com

Police are turning to a popular website to help nab criminals. Police departments are using YouTube.com as a law enforcement tool, asking the Internet-using public to help identify criminals. Video clips of suspected criminals are posted on the site and departments ask the public for their help in identifying them.

The most publicized clip was a surveillance recording in Hamilton, Ontario Canada that was posted on the site in December. The video showed a suspect in a fatal stabbing case that occurred outside a hip-hop concert. Detectives posted links to the clip on popular hip-hop Web sites to draw attention to it. Even though it was only 72 seconds long, the clip received more than 35,000 "hits" and led to an arrest within two weeks.

Members of police forces aren't the only ones using YouTube.com to their advantage. Groups that monitor police behavior use the site to post videos of arrests where officers used excessive force or abuse. Last year, a clip of an officer in Los Angeles repeatedly punching a suspect in the face triggered an FBI investigation.

Critics of the new law enforcement tool argue that posting the videos is an invasion of privacy. They feel that police should be required to gain consent of bystanders or victims before making the videos public. They also suggest that the videos be dated and removed once legal action has been taken. Critics also point out the risks of fruitless tips and misidentification problems.

Police departments can legally post surveillance videos online as long as the video doesn't somehow falsely accuse or defame someone. Experts say it's logical for departments to use the Internet to connect with the public. It provides them with the opportunity to reach younger Internet users who may know valuable information. Police are happy to be using the latest technology tools but still argue that it "will never replace the feet-on-the-street."

http://www.komotv.com/news/tech/6299067.html

A recent article on MSNBC is based on the new information reveals a disturbing trend among our United States soldiers. Many of the soldiers are learning interrogation and torture tactics from shows like “24” and others. This relates back to an already established set of concerns about the influence of television violence and themes. Upon further reading, I have realized that it is more the lack of training by the military’s soldiers that is the root cause. Because of this deficiency, military people have to use outside sources for motivation and instruction. Television is a convenient media and available to many people across the world. This curious statistic and trend brings up a huge debate among military people and political people. What role does and should torture play in today’s military? Many civilians in the United States would like the all out violence in Iraq to subside. So can torture deter or stop would-be car bombers from detonating outside a crowded shopping plaza? Torturing is about getting answers and people will ultimately tell you whatever you want to know if you torture them long enough. The United States military has met with Fox and the producers of “24” to try to persuade them to be responsible about what they broadcast. At the same time, Fox has to maintain ratings and portray a message, good or bad. All peoples on both sides know that torture is wrong and that everyone should be responsible for their actions. The military cannot also be primarily responsible for a small population of its soldiers who act out on unrealistic scenarios dealing with terrorism and war

Being internet addicted in China

http://www.mediachannel.org/wordpress/2007/02/22/china-stern-treatment-for-young-internet-addicts/

China doesn't mess around with people whose "souls are gone to the online world". As part of a nation wide campaign, people, mainly young between the ages of 12 and 24, are being forced into hospital treatment for internet addictions. These relatively new clinics use "a tough love approach that includes counseling, military discipline, drugs, hypnosis, and mild electric shocks."

This is, by our standards, over the top (at least the electric shocks). But this does reflect a world wide phenomenon, which is my main interest in the story, of declaring any undesirable behavior as a mental disorder that can be treated with drugs as if it is diagnosable disease. Is personal responsibility, as a social imperative, going to be a thing of the past? It can’t be our fault if it is disease. Is drugging ourselves to perfection going to be the new world order? I find this trend to be very disturbing. We may criticize China for its harsh approach (on many levels and issues) in an attempt to achieve some sort of social and moral greatness. But no country compares to America in the levels of medicating our youth and adults in the same attempt.

Other approaches China is taking to tackle this “grave social problem” is banning kids from internet cafes and electronically booting them off online gaming after a 5 hour time limit. These seem like more reasonable approaches. But whatever happened to the parent’s ability to just pull the plug, and taking charge and responsibility for their child’s use of time. OK, maybe economic forces have changed the family structure disallowing quality time with our children. I’m looking forward for the new drug that will allow us to get away with only one hour of sleep per day. That should solve everything.

Narcissism

Today’s youth are becoming more narcissistic; this is good and bad. A report has come out stating that college students are more narcissistic then ever before (they began the report in 1982). This might be due to how parents began really trying to improve their children’s self esteem in the 80s. Our society is in a pattern of repeatedly telling our children how special they are and how nothing can stop them if they put their mind to it. This article spoke of a song commonly sung to the tune of “Frere Jacques” in preschool: “I am special, I am special. Look at me.” I personally have never heard a child sing this song, but I can imagine what an impact it would be on a young child who repeatedly sung this tune.

“Narcissism can have benefits, said study co-author W. Keith Campbell of the University of Georgia, suggesting it could be useful in meeting new people "or auditioning on 'American Idol. Unfortunately, narcissism can also have very negative consequences for society, including the breakdown of close relationships with others," he said.” The article states that narcissists are more likely to not have extended romantic relationships, lack of emotional warmth and have over-controlling violent behaviors. They also take criticism poorly, which does not play any kind of positive role in bettering our society.

The younger generation does seem to be more confident in them-selves and assertive, which are good qualities to have, but when taken too far it can become a negative. We are being encouraged to act this way though, threw new technologies such as Myspace and YouTube. Both encourage people to seek attention and do what ever it takes to stand out.

http://www.kirotv.com/education/11119883/detail.html

Antioxidant Study

Just recently there has been a comprehensive study done of if popular antioxidant really help you live longer. The answer so far is they do not. That Americans should be very careful when taking supplements. There has been several studies and one declared that people taking antioxidant were 5% more likely to die than those who were not. Another test was that consuming garlic does not lower cholesterol. That beta-carotene increased instead of decreased the risk of lung cancer for people who smoke. And vitamin E does push the overall risk of death. All of these were stated in the article that I read.

What caught my attention about this article was that people thought that taking antioxidant could help them live longer. You can read this statement two ways at least I did. First that they want to life as long as they can and by taking a certain supplement they could do so. The second way of looking at this is that people thought they could live to be very old at least older then the average. When I think about this it sounds crazy to me that the only thing I have to do is to remember to take my special vitamin every day and I will live longer. It is what I consider to good to be true. There are many other things you have to do to stay healthy and to live as long as you can then just a vitamin. You have to exercise to keep your blood pressure and heart going. You have to sustain a certain weight for it is very unhealthy to go back in forth in weight by big amounts. You have to eat healthy or at least in this part take your vitamin. You have to have annual check ups with your doctor and dentist. All of these things play a huge part in living longer. Also if you smoke or not or if you drink a lot. Then of course you have to think about your family history as well.

I think people need to be more involved if they are truly trying to live long. That there is more to being able to live longer then just by taking a vitamin.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2003592944_vitamins280.html

Rats!

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2915161

I'm sure most have heard about the rat problem in NY restaurants KFC and Taco Bell.

The video of this is so disgusting, but worth watching if you like that sort of stuff :)
The restaurant from the video had been inspected the day before the filming, and was given the ok by the health board to operate. THANK GOD for journalists!
"An ADF-owned KFC/Taco Bell was closed by New York health inspectors last week after TV news crews peering through the windows recorded about a dozen rats skittering across the floors and climbing on tables and countertops."
This is where I applaud journalists for going the extra mile and revealing public safety issues. I cannot believe that a restaurant owner would feel it ok to continue serving food (and preparing) when disgusting vermin have been all over the place, contaminating everything!
From the exposure, it has brought out the failing in public health inspectors, and the need to start seriously penalizing restaurants that do not follow health and safety guidelines. There have been numerous programs that show food workers smoking in the facility, dropping food on the floor and still serving it to customers, spitting, shooting boogers (so disgusting), in food, not washing hands after using the restroom, and so on. Usually these types of places have been warned and warned that the establishment will be shut down if changes don’t occur, but rarely does that happen. The reason?? The city is not going to shut down a source of income for government. Period. I think public health officials really need to crack down on repeat offenders. I get so grossed out by stories like this, and know that it happens all the time – even in up-scale restaurants. I think journalists, when they find something like this, should continue to go back to these places and record, as they’ve done, to make sure owners are following health codes.

Flu Shots

Is it just me or does it seem that the media has created some sort of flu-shot epidemic. With the recent reports of school aged children dying from the common flu, it seems like the public is in a mad panic to find flu shots.

Everywhere I turn I'm seeing reports of kids dying from the flu. Channel 4, 5, 7, 13, and even the Seattle Times are reporting cases of children passing away from flu like symptons. When I watching the news the reporter ended his piece with a quick admittance that they couldn't be for sure if the child died from the flu or something else. One would think that they would really think about how they want to communicate these types of stories with the public. In my opinion I think the media has caused some scare for families. Last weekend at a public clinic in Bellevue, 2500 people showed up for free flu shots. The workers said they've never seen a crowd that comes close in comparison show up for flu shots and they've offered free flu shots for the past 5 years.

To not be sure why someone died, and to make a report that hits home with everyone that has kids, is potentially dangerous. You scare the heck out of everyone not knowing if you're assumptions are even accurate. I personally got my daughter a flu shot, but that's because she was a preemie and the doctor said she has too.

Crackdown on Students Illegally Sharing Music Online

Hundreds of college students are being accused of illegally sharing music online. The Recording Industry Association of America plans to sue the students for copyright infringement but are giving them the opportunity to reach settlements before going to court. Letters with discounted settlements are being sent to 400 computers at 13 different universities. The universities who will receive the letters include Arizona State, Marshall, North Carolina State, North Dakota State, Northern Illinois, Ohio, Syracuse, U. of Massachusetts Amherst, U. of Nebraska Lincoln, U. of South Florida, USC, U. of Tennessee Knoxville, and U. of Texas Austin.

The association began its crackdown on sharing copyright files in September 2003 and has successful sued 18,000 computers nationwide, about 1,000 of those were university students. The association claims the "theft of music remains unacceptably high" and is targeting universities because "it is especially the case on college campuses". They say that illegal sharing "undermines the industry's ability to invest in new music".
The Recording Industry Association of America is targeting students who use university Internet services to download music. They have already sent universities three times more copyright complaints this academic year than the previous year. The association hopes the schools will act by removing unauthorized content being shared on their network.

This article is especially interesting because it affects people just like us, students. No one at South or even in Washington State will receive a settlement letter and we're lucky but we could be next. The Recording Industry Association of America was smart to turn to universities because most students know how to download music (in this case illegally) and do download music.

The question I can't make up my mind about is what should universities do? Should they step up and create their own policy on illegal sharing? Do they block students from accessing the information? Or should they let the students learn a lesson the hard way and turn their head?

http://www.komotv.com/news/tech/6166946.html