Google Street View

Question: If the government did something like Google Street view we would freak out. Why don't we freak out if a private corporation does it?

The public seems to be much more sensitive when the term government is incorporated.  We see this as an invasion of our privacy and an encroachment into the territory of our own rights.  It is a constant fear that the government is trying to gain control of their lives reducing freedom.  No one likes the fear of the government having a view of our houses, streets, schools, etc. available at the tips of their fingers.  This point of view was seen when, in the past, the government began listening in on phone conversations.  We see this as a total invasion of privacy.  With government comes government enforced rules, the question of how long they have had the information, and the possibility of a fee to access the database (since there are taxes on almost everything).

When the public thinks of a private corporation doing this same exact thing, we believe that there is a reason that is beneficial to us.  These corporations are thought to be doing it for the public good.  These private corporations also don't have a hand in our lives.  It is also key to point out that anyone, with access to a computer, is able to see it equally. Private corporations are also subject to the laws created by the “government” which are there to protect the privacy of the public. 

One specific example for fear of government is Marxism.  The pure fact that the government was scared of Communism (a fear which the public picked up pretty fast) and enforced a law that said even without proof we will condemn you for pure belief is crazy!  If anyone thought that you were a part of espionage, they were able to report it to the government who would then prosecute you.  This invasion of privacy and rights led to an epidemic of government fear.  Even more so then before, people learned anything the government created had the possibility of danger, specifically stemming from all of the power they hold.

Facebook Terms Ethics Debate

After reading the Terms of Use for Facebook I am completely surprised.  It seems like every clause is made to cover their own needs and concerns.  They have created a social platform which has allowed numerous people to share pictures, information, etc. with their friends and strangers, yet when you sign up you don't see the fine print of how this information you upload to share with your friends and family will be used for their own purposes as well.  They create privacy settings and application settings, but they leave a clause about how they "cannot guarantee" the absolute execution of it.  Specifically I find it interesting that they provide the provision for safety that "you will not bully, intimidate, or harass any user" yet later in the document they make sure that any cases which are brought up find Facebook employees free of "any claims and damages, known and unknown, arising out of or in any way connected with any claim you have."  They seem to contradict one another.

When applied to moral ethics which we have recently learned about I feel as if the entire document serves a relativist approach.  I find that everything secretly says, whatever you decide is good for you is fine as long as I don't do it.  It holds no responsibility for Facebook themselves.  But they also try to push the idea of duty seen in a Utilitarianism approach.  They ask you not to lie, not to hurt others, not to use other people for your own personal benefit, but yet they have no punishment or enforcement of it.  They try to regulate it, but out of the many users currently signed up, they can't guarantee they will be able to find or take it down.  It's quite confusing...

I look forward to hearing more about it during class today.  So that I can clarify and see clearly how to apply it more specifically to these moral ethics ways of thinking.

Portfolio ! :)

Hi Everyone!  I created my own portfolio using Wix.com -- Here it is!  It includes my TED Talks, my Final Question, and my Slide Share.  I'm pretty impressed and it took a lot of time. But I think I learned so much about creating a website!  Check it out!

My Portfolio

TED Advice

After watching numerous TED Talks, creating my own, and observing others I have learned several important rules one should use when creating one. After presenting mine I thought of a million things I could have changed: Say this instead of that, use this joke, ask this question. So here is what I have developed.

1. Engage your audience!
Make it interesting for your audience.  If not they will daze off and fall asleep.  Nothing is worse then sitting through a presentation when you glaze off and can't help but yawn over and over.  Plus your meaning is lost and no one walks away wowed.  I suggest asking questions, playing a humorous video, or involving them in an activity.

2. Don't use to many charts and graphs!
Some people in your audience don't benefit from charts and graphs because they aren't numbers people.  I'm one of them.  If you need graphs keep them to a minimum or have them move.  The movement will keep even the none numbers people engaged.  Or try to make a graph using words.  I have an example of this earlier in my blog posts using Graph Jam.  Look it up -- give it a try.  ( I used this in a presentation for another class and it worked out GREAT! )

3. Be short and too the point.
Don't ramble on for hours and hours if your statement is clear.  No one likes to listen to someone who sounds like a broken record on repeat.  Vary it up, take different angles to achieve your point.  This can be used and achieved through simple variation of examples - Video, Picture, Graph, Effective Question. These different ways are engaging but don't come across the same even if they do have the same point.

4.  Be confident!
Remember that this is your presentation.  You know the material, no one else.  So if you stumble on something keep going.  No one else will know but you.  When your confident it shows and everyone else believes in you.  It will be portrayed in your presentation - be it slides or another kind - and the audience will be much more engaged.  They will feel like you truly know what you are talking about.

5. Practice, Practice, Practice
No one can ever practice too much before they present.  Many professionals, including Steve Jobs, practice over and over before a presentation.  This is how they learn what works and what doesn't works.  They also learn how to avoid bad pauses, ums, likes, or other safety words you may use when presenting.  This will also help your presentation move smoother and make it more effective. Nothing is more distracting then the presenter saying like every 5 seconds (once the class notices they will begin to count how many times - therefore your meaning is lost! )

Final TED Talk

Ted slides

View more presentations from azentner.

TED Talk

Description:  Alexandria Zentner takes a closer look into the social media spectrum of Twitter in regards to professional athletes and owners.  Leading a prolific discussion on the good, the bad, and the downright ugly tweets over the past few years.  Ladies and gentlemen please sit back, relax, and enjoy the show of uncensored twittering.

Our blog this week is to post our slides for our presentation.  First, I will provide a link to a youtube video which I would like to show first, followed by the slides.  I would love to hear some feedback in regards to what you think, what you would like to see, and anything inbetween. :)

YOUTUBE:

Ted slides

View more presentations from azentner.

Thanksgiving can't come soon enough <3

Blog post: In your blog post this week highlight 3 TED Talks that you find really interesting and engaging. Describe 1) why is each talk interesting to you? 2) How is each talk engaging? (vivid slides? audience interaction?)

Benjamin Zander on Music and Passion:
Benjamin Zander was a name I had previously heard from the context of my Music History class I am currently taking, so when I saw he was a top rated I was sure to click this. Once his talk began it was clear that he was very engaging. He was constantly moving onto the stage and then down to the crowd, being very interactive. He also used the piano to demonstrate his purpose which goes as follows: Most people will say that classical music is a dying art, but this is not the case. Instead, everyone can find meaning and joy in classical music, you just have to listen.

Zander believes that no one is tone deaf because we all can pick up emotions on the other end of the phone. Instead you must try and relate it to your life. He does this by asking the crowd to envision someone who has passed away while listening to a piece of Chopin. Every single person seemed to be moved, therefore displaying that classical music is something everyone can enjoy.

Jonathan Harris: The Web's Secret Stories:

This TED talk by Jonathan Harris takes the concept of how expression has evolved onto the internet and displays how.  Some examples of this are diaries and editorials that are now posted online via newspaper websites and blogs.  He displays how people are constantly using different websites to post how they feel now via the We Feel Fine Study.  This study pulls any statement that starts with I feel/We feel and places them into a database, which increases by 15,000-20,000 per day, and places them by age, geographic location, weather, etc.  People are able to go to this website and read random status' from all over the world and have the ability to connect with the person.  It also is able to show data for those recent hours.  For example, right now: 2.2 times the normal level are feeling comfortable, whereas 1.3 times the normal level feel right.  IT is pretty awesome!!  He is able to engage with the audience by displaying what people are saying right at the exact moment and going through the different features (such as pictures, climate, age, etc.)  Some of the examples he uses are comical therefore engaging the audience.  Also, the display of what the most felt emotion at that moment was pretty interesting. 

The LXD: In the Internet Age, Dance Evolves:

This was by far the most interesting talk that I watched.  It began by dancers doing extreme dance moves including flips and spins.  Then the director, John Chu, a film maker discusses how after directing Step Up to the Streets he created this group "The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers."  He feels that the internet has helped develop and advanced dancers across the universe.  He uses the example of a dance that was posted onto YouTube, which kids in Japan develop even further, and then kids in the US develop into a new dance technique.  These examples are inspiration for others.  John Chu's speech was short and too the point and followed up by individuals doing dance moves such as MADD CHADD who is known for being a master of mechanical movement.  Then for the finale -- a big dance number is done full of more moves I could never do in a million years.