Chapter 6, Work, part 1

Name Brittany Murphy                                                                                              Class time: 11am

Author: Baase

Date of Publication: 2013

Book: A gift of Fire

Sections read: 6.1-6.3

1.       (Questioning) After reading this chapter/article what relevant questions do I have?

Should you manipulate your social media presence?

2.       (Knowledge)Tell three interesting elements of this chapter:

a.  In 2000 there was the lowest level of unemployment that America has seen (4%) despite technological change        

b.  Some companies are ridding their practices of off shoring as the negatives have outweighed the positives.       

c.  In retail, theft by employees exceeds that of shoplifting.        

3.       (Comprehension) Summarize what is being discussed within this chapter?

Due to the integration of technology into society, there have been many changes in the work environment as a result. For example, modern society has seen a movement of jobs that were traditionally done in a companies residing country are being moved to across seas in search of cheaper labor. One of the most common jobs moved overseas that effects peoples day to day lives is that of call centers. Almost everyone in America has experienced calling for information on a product or service they have purchased and ended up speaking to a person in India with a heavy accent. There are positive and negatives to this, as Americans are able to receive products at a more affordable price, yet they may have to sacrifice quality of service. Also, with the advent of technology there has been changes in the workplace. For example, employers are better able to track your work and what you are doing on company time and what you are using company technology for.

4.       (Connections) How does one element in this article specifically relate to Postman (or at times I will ask you to compare to a different article read in class- edit as appropriate)?

Postman was quoted saying that there are positive and negatives to every technological change. Due to technological advancements society has been able to streamline and automate work processes in order to provide cheaper goods and free up labor for more advanced positions. Negatively, technology has dismissed many jobs and moved others out of the original country, causing concern with unemployment.

5.       (Application) Name a specific example or NEW solution for this type of problem/similar situation in society or that you have experienced – be specific and explain?

One solution to jobs moving overseas is to make sure that our education system accounts for that. It is important to prepare children for the future that is coming, rather than attempting to hide them from it.

6.       (Analysis) Compare one of the situations in this chapter/reading to something that does not relate to computers, technology, or the Internet? Be sure to reference the chapter and your solution. What ideas NEW can you add to the issue that is being presented within the reading?

7.       (Synthesis) Address all that apply. Do you agree with what is being said within the article (Why/Why not? Back up with FACTS, reference)?

Baase spoke about finding a common ground between employees and employers, in which social media is used with consent of both parties. This is a great start as to believe that everyone acts the same in their personal life as they do in a work environment.  Yet acccording to this study 1 in 10 are rejected because of their social media platforms. Yet, until a common ground is reached it is important to keep social media behaviors in line as 1 in 9 employers use social media checks in the hiring process.

8.       (Evaluation) Address all that apply. Judge whether or not this topic is relevant in today’s society? Are there any ethical considerations (see Chap1-1.4 for exp of Ethics)?  What new ideas will you make after reading this chapter/article?

With technology advancing at a more rapid pace than ever before this topic is more relevant in modern society than ever before. See video below to not the rapid pace of change:



There is a also valid ethical concern over many things discussed in this chapter. For one, there is the concern of off shoring jobs and unemployment in the home country. Is ethical to take job from the home country? Well, according to Baase off shoring has not been shown to correlate with unemployment rates, therefore one can argue it's not unethical. 

9.       (Conclusion) After completing this assignment, based on new thoughts and evidence

a.        What new conclusions have you come to about this topic ?

It is crucial to monitor your social media usage and also to be sure you are educated to succeed in the modern economy.

10.   Below restate your questions from #1 and include the  answer based on your new conclusions.

Should you manipulate your social media presence?

Yes. It is important to continue to evolve with technology as hiding from the realities of it will not change anything. 

References:
Below, include any additional web reference that you include on your blog, including any websites or video.

Chapter 6, Work, part 1: Jobs of Yesteryear (summary)

Brittany Murphy
Harry Morrow

Dairy Farmers-

Before the advent of milking equipment people would milk their cows one at a time, by hand which was a tedious, time consuming process.  With the invention of milking equipment it has allowed farmers to utilize a more efficient manner in to milk their cows. This has caused an increase in the size of dairy farms and has put many smaller farmers out of business.

Travel Agent:

Previously if a person wanted to travel they would call a travel agent and book their trip. Now there are websites available for an individual to do it.

Individuals are able to find better deals on their trips and skip the step of paying a travel agent. 

Chapter 6, Work, part 1: Telecommuting CNN reading (summary)

Brittany Murphy
Harry Morrow

There is a growing number of professions that allow people to work from their home, which is particularity attractive to the younger crowd as they crave that flexibility in their schedule. For example, there is the ability to see your children while working and also work in casual clothing.  Look to the beginning of this video:

  As Postman would have said, with any technological advancement there are both positives and negatives to contend with. In this case, the positives are that working from home allows for a flexible schedule, more family time and more freedom in life. Also, there is much less overhead if one staffs virtually. The negatives are that there is minimal if any face to face contact, which could hinder work efficiency and output. To offset this it is suggested to meet face to face once a week.

Chapter 5, Crime: Readings 2 (Anonymous and Hackers)

1.  Anonymous, LulzSec Respond To FBI Arrests Of Suspected Hackers

Anonymous and LulzSec responded to the arrests with three of their own terms stating in short that governments lying to their people, the corporations supporting them and the lobbyist groups who finance further corruption will not be tolerated. Anonymous made it clear that they are not done, and it is impossible to arrest an idea, presumably the idea of freedom of the people. Despite the arrests Anonymous remains undeterred and claims to have swiped restricted files from NATO's website.

2.  LinkAnonymous Comes Out In The Open

As Baase wrote about, there is a need for groups like Anonymous in society. Anonymous focuses on protecting the basic human writes of freedom of speech and does so with nonviolent protests, true hacktivists. According to the article, Anonymous is coming out from behind the computers and conducting protests out in the open. Of course they continue to have their faces hidden by guy faux masks and the protests remain nonviolent, but Anonymous is determined to let the officials know that they will not be stopped by arrests. Anonymous grabs a great deal of success in todays culture due to the internet, which opens the door for a small group of people to do significant amount of damage. This new phenomenon also allows for the group to disassemble when needed, protecting them from officials.

3.  LinkHackers: It Pays to Be the Face of Anonymous

A man by the name of Barret Brown, admitted heroin addict and spastic writer has written a book on the work of Anonymous, making himself the "face of Anonymous". He signed a six figure book deal with Amazon for his book and has been pedaling it on all the major news stations. It appears that many members of Anonymous see him as just riding on the mystique of Anonymous to a book deal. He was also the face of the alleged "war" against the drug cartels, where a member of Anonymous was allegedly kidnapped by a cartel. It is unclear whether any of his stories are true.

Post Title: Chapter 5, Crime: Readings 1 (Anonymous and Hackers)

1.  Know your Anonymous from your LulzSec by James Ball, The Gaurdian

Anonymous is a loosely tied group of people who use their hacking skills to support movements, while Lulzsec is a spin off of the Anonymous group. Lulzsec went on a series of deliberate attacks in Britain in 2011, breaking into many large security firms software. Anonymous typically floods websites until the denial of service issues arise. Both groups have focused on outing corruption and security flaws.

2. What Is 'Anonymous' And How Does It Operate?

Anonymous is a loosely organized groups 
who according to their members " promotes access to information, free speech, and transparency". The group does not have any formal leadership and are known as hackivists, who attack primarily using DoS on organizations that have violated what they promote and endorse. The video to the right is a great tool to understanding what Anonymous is about directly from one of their members. Yet as Baase pointed out, hacktivism is not always received well, and there have been people prosecuted for their actions. There have been many arrests of alleged Anonymous members and the government is not going to let them continue on without struggle, yet the members have made it clear they have no intent of stopping. 

Chapter 5: Crime

Name   Brittany Murphy                                                                                            Class time: 11 am

Author: Sara Baase

Date of Publication:2013

Book: A Gift of Fire

Sections read: 5.1-5.3

1.       (Questioning) After reading this chapter/article what relevant question do I have?

I remember once reading of the Google Wallet, how safe is that?

 

2.       (Knowledge)Tell three interesting elements of this chapter:

a.         The Average loss from a computer fraud is more than $100,000

b.         People have been hired by companies that they have hacked into the systems off.

c.         There are actual websites referred to as 'honeypots" where governments study hackers habits.

3.       (Comprehension) Summarize what is being discussed within this chapter?

With the beginning of the Information Age came a new age of crime. Instead of directly stealing from people or establishments, there is now the capability to do it remotely without ever seeing the people that you are stealing from. Along with that, moving all of our confidential information online has posed the issue of hackers being able to reach it. Lastly, what should the punishment be for those who illegally access information? What if it was for entertainment or to aid the company? By a minor?

4.       (Connections) How does one element in this article specifically relate to Postman (or at times I will ask you to compare to a different article read in class- edit as appropriate)?

Postman had said that technological change is ecological in that once it is implemented it will effect everything, even the unexpected. Nobody ever expected that the internet would pose such problems when it was implemented, yet we are seeing more and more risks associated with our use of technology. With those risks though, there are benefits. For example hackers can actually have the best interest of the people in mind. For example, anonymous is a loosely organized group of hackers who have defended victims of suicide and made the American people aware of their governments action, as the latter is demonstrated in the video below.

5.       (Application) Name a specific example or NEW solution for this type of problem/similar situation in society or that you have experienced – be specific and explain?

Google Wallet, although has not taken off as expected is a technology of the future that poses many questions. Google Wallet is a technology that allows the user to store their credit cards, gift cards and other information digitally within its program for use at physical stores.  According to this article anybody can hack into a Google Wallet account by simply clearing the users pins. If it is this easy for the average person to do, imagine the field day that an established hacker could have with this technology? It could be dangerous, and as with any new piece of technology there are many unknowns to contend with.

6.       (Analysis) Compare one of the situations in this chapter/reading to something that does not relate to computers, technology, or the Internet? Be sure to reference the chapter and your solution. What ideas NEW can you add to the issue that is being presented within the reading?

There have been bank robberies since there have been banks. The banks have learned to keep less money on hand, making theft less attractive to thieves. Unfortunately, this did not just stop crime, crime has just moved locations. Now, with a credit card number you can wreak havoc on a persons life, with a host of numbers you are able to damage the lives of many. According to Baase that has brought upon the use of more sophisticated authentication practices, just as the banks learn to better protect their assets, the technology giants are going to have to continue to evolve and do the same.

7.       (Synthesis) Address all that apply. Do you agree with what is being said within the article (Why/Why not? Back up with FACTS, reference)?

Baase laid out a great base argument for hackers and also the inherent risks with that behavior. It can be incredibly beneficial to have young adults with the knowledge to hack into systems, figure out the flaws in security and inform the company. These young adults could be priceless to a companies security in the future, which is likely why they are occasionally offered a job. Yet as with anything, there are people who will take advantage of a system. Which is why there is a need for increased security and increased punishments for those committing crimes, yet the issue arises when you think of punishing those who hack for a hobby, as you do not want to put a bad taste in their mouth regarding the system.

8.       (Evaluation) Address all that apply. Judge whether or not this topic is relevant in today’s society? Are there any ethical considerations (see Chap1-1.4 for exp of Ethics)?  What new ideas will you make after reading this chapter/article?

With increasing use of the internet and technology in day to day life, the topic of hackers and fraud will continue to become more pressing in society. When questioning ethics there are many things to consider, for example is it unethical for a person to hack into a site in which the security of that site is imperative to users? Is it ethical to sentence children who hack into systems as a hobby? Of course, you do not want to overcorrect those children and stop their creativity, as that will pose problems for our future safety. If there is no one looking out for our safety on the internet, than we are posed to lose everything, financially and perhaps even socially. In the instances of identity theft, that can even prevent a person from being hired.

9.       (Conclusion) After completing this assignment, based on new thoughts and evidence

a.        What new conclusions have you come to about this topic ?

Nothing is safe. As you watch the video above, no matter what device we are using, from a car to a cellphone there is an inherent. It is only going to become more of an issue as technology advances. There are wireless networks everywhere, and these can be reached from many different angles.

 

10.   Below restate your question from #1 and include the  answer based on your new conclusions.

I remember once reading of the Google Wallet, how safe is that? As stated above, Google Wallet is not safe at all. It in fact can be hacked by the average person who knows how to clear a pin number, the majority of the developed nations.

References:
Below, include any additional web reference that you include on your blog, including any websites or video.

Chapter 4: Watching Rip! A Remix Manifesto

Your Name                                                                                        Class time:

Name of Movie: RIP! A remix manifesto

Year: 2008

Executive Producers: Daniel Cross, Mila Aung-Thwin, Ravida Din (NFB), Sally Bochner (NFB)

Produced: Mila Aung-Thwin, Kat Baulu (NFB), Germaine Ying Gee Wong (NFB)

Your questions after watching the film:

v     Does the general public benefit from hearing Girl Talks music?

v      Does Girl Talk take profits from the bands who's songs he uses?

v     Is there a solution to appease the majority?

1. There are 6 significant people in this film. Name 3 of these people, and why they are included in the film (Who are they, what do they do?)
1. Gregg Gillis- Better known as Girl Talk and uses other people songs to make remixes 
   
2. Lawrence Lessig – Professor at Harvard Law and is an advocate for lesser copyright law
   
3. Dan O’Neill- Founder of Air Pirates and is also a cartoonists who was using Mickey Mouse in his illustrations. 
   

2. Why are the above people included in the film? More specifically, why is their testimony an important contribution to the film? (Comprehension):

Gregg Gillis was the inspiration for this film, as his remixes are illegal, yet a favorite among other people. Dan O’ Neil who was famously sued by Disney for his cartoons that used Mickey Mouse is an important to this film as Disney is the reason for many of the current copyright laws. Walt Disney himself was a fan of the use of others work in making your own, but after his passing the corporation changed tunes. When Mickey Mouse came to the time of being of public domain, they petitioned the court to extend the copyright laws, and won. Lawrence Lessig is a political advocate who has argued for more realistic copyright laws as a result of the digital age and contributes his well-educated opinion to the film. Watch the following video to learn more about his work.

3. What are the main ideas being discussed within this movie? (Comprehension)

 The main idea being discussed in this film are the suffocating copyright laws of the twentieth and twenty-first century.  The film 

4. What is ReMixing? Specifically, why does narrator Brett Gaylor say that the computer is Gregg Gillis’ instrument. Explain what it does and how this technological advancement why it changing music? Be specific, show connections. (Comprehension)

Brett Gaylor  says that Gillis uses the computer as the internet because Gillis takes small clips of the songs of others, sometimes even a note of two and places them together to create an entirely new musical experience. Note the clip before:

 

 He takes samples of music and puts them together into one song and then plays them to the crowd.

5. Based on the main point off this film, where do you see connections to your experiences, society, or what you've read in the book/watched on Angel–
   Be specific, show connections.  (Application)?

Thanks to the internet, people such as  Jonathon Coulton have found great successes.  Jonathon Coulton was a 9-5 worker who started creating songs about his work and placing them for free on the internet. This allowed him to eventually quit his day job and just do what he loves to do; play his music.  Also, Electronic Dance Music  has become quite the musical phenomenon as of  recent time. Electronic Dance Music is the remixing of a popular song and can be found in clubs across America. Would that be copyright? As of 2009 nine the courts ruled no.  Courts dismissed case

Jonathon

 

6. Analyze what you've watched. What is the future of distribution, production and creativity of music? Secondly, within North America? Finally, and looking at this issue globally.  (Analysis

First I have to encourage you to watch this 4 minute video, an anecdotal song about the current industry practices: 

 Music used to be something people did solely out of love, and was distributed only at local establishments and places that people would gather to hear it play. Then the technology came about to record this art, then the record industry began. The record industry soon had control over music and who hears it and now they face losing that, hence the lawsuits. There is a panic in the industry at how the money is going to continue to flow in. Yet, the internet has allowed for the music industry to open its doors to more people and advancing technology has allowed for people like Gillis to produce music in ways that no one has been able to do before. The ability to be able to draw inspiration from many different sources and create something new is expanding the creativity in music, creating a new culture, and the internet allows that culture to reach more people. 

In North America, if copyright laws continue to become stricter, there will be a halt to this creativity. It discourages people to contain their creativity for fear of being sued. Globally, allowing access to all of this music for everyone could bring us to a more connected world.  John Maeda argues that this could bring us more creative leaders and in essence a better world.

7. Do you think that remixing is stealing someone’s Intellectual Property? Why or why not? Be specific, give examples and make connections to other materials presented in this class.  (Analysis)

No, I think remixing enhances the experience of music. For thousands of years music has been used as a means for expression and connecting people such as Tay Zonday's Chocolate Rain. People taking his song and making their own versions only allows it to reach a greater audience, which is what his intent was. 

8. How will the issues of copyright and Intellectual property affect the world in 10 years? Be specific, show connections use outside sources. (Synthesis)

If the copyright laws continue to become stronger, there will be a decline in creative freedom. Further than that, copyright laws have infiltrated our food systems as it is now possible to patent living things. Monsanto, food giant, has copyrighted all of it's seeds, preventing people from replanting every year. Not only are the seeds copyrighted, but if farmers are found using them the crops will be destroyed with 'terminator seeds': See  Monsanto Terminator.

9. Do you agree with the point that is being made within movie?  What shifts in your opinion on this topic have happened from watching this film?  What new ideas have you created after watching and thinking about this film? (Evaluation)

 I do agree with the main point of the firm, that copyright laws are becoming too strict to account for creative freedom. Watching this film I have a new respect for remixes as previously I was one who thought that they were just copies of the original music. Thanks to the music of Girl Talk, I can see the time and new creativity that goes into making these singles.

State your original questions and answer them below:

v      Does the general public benefit from hearing Girl Talks music? The general public has the opportunity to view their favorite singles in a new ways as a result of Girl Talk. Gillis presents the music in a way that would likely be foreign to the general public and allows them to open their mind to a new interpretation of different singles.

v      Does Girl Talk take profits from the bands who's songs he uses? I would argue that if anything, Gillis using the songs in his work highlights the artists who originally performed the songs. If he is in fact highlighting the artists, than they would consequently make more profits.

v      Is there a solution to appease the majority? In short, no there is not. To quote Postman, there are winners and losers in every technological change and unfortunately this is no different. As media become more accessible, there will inevitably be more people attempting to control it.