"Cyber Relationships" by Innovative Designs for Education

Cyber relationships. Retrieved April 7, 2011, from http://www.idecorp.com/WBS/cyber.htm

Cyber Relationships

The invention of the Internet provides new ways to communicate. Talking over the Internet, email, or messaging are some examples of communication. When doing so, it makes it easier for people to reach out and be open with complete strangers, commonly called "e-converse." It is often enjoyable to build these relationships with people and create connections fast and easy. The problem with this is that cyber relationships often get confused with real relationships. Talking to someone over the Internet prevents them from being able to see facial expressions and body language. Communicating with someone over the Internet isn't like communicating with someone in person. The Internet does not provide the crucial communication skills that are needed in reality. Cyber relationships are good in creating new friends and having companions but not for the only source of a social life. Technology has made it possible to talk to somebody from thousands of miles away instantly. The difference that needs to be made is that relationships over the Internet aren't real, although technology has made it easier to feel that way.

"Florida Detectives Use Skype to Obtain Warrants" Fox News

Florida detectives use skype to obtaine warrants. (2011, March 29). Retrieved April 7, 2011, from http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/03/29/florida-detectives-use-skype-obtain-warrants/

Florida Detectives Use Skype to Obtain Warrants-Fox News

In Palm Bay, Florida, detectives have turned to the technology of Skype to obtain warrants for DUI cases. Skype was originally used to make voice calls and chats over the Internet. The advantage is all the calls are free from computer to computer. It's interesting that the program has helped detectives in cases. The officers would use Skype to quickly obtain warrants and send the document to judges. Instead of traditionally waiting for evidence to send to a judge, then waiting for the judge to grant a warrant, this has made that process faster. This also helps officers get warrants to draw blood from suspects in DUI cases. After sending emails to the judge, they can also hold conference calls via Skype afterwards. "They say the technology can be expanded to other types of crime." If that is true, technology would aid in helping keep the public safe from drunk drivers, and hopefully over time, other crimes. Skype is a simple way to communicate, and creatively turned into a "virtual office and courtroom."

Launch of Apple's iPad 2 Could Drive Advances in Mobile Health Market- iHealthBeat

Launch of apple's ipad 2 could drive advances in mobile health market. (2011, March 8) Retrieved April 7, 2011, from http://www.ihealthbeat.org/articles/2011/3/8/launch-of-apples-ipad-2-could-drive-advances-in-mobile-health-market.aspx

iPad 2 and Advances in Mobile Health Market

According to Information Week, they predict the launch of the new Apple iPad 2 could help in advancing health care facilities. In recent studies, the original iPad has been used for electronic health record use by many clinicians. With the advancements the iPad 2 embodies, it can manage EHRs and keep other useful medical information. John Halamka, the CIO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, claims the iPad helps when engaging with patients and allowing doctors to show images to them. Another use for the iPad is at St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center in New York. They want to get the new iPad so they can easily access documents during important meetings. Other uses would be to manage the ventilation and air conditioning in facilities. The only limitations that were discussed was the short battery life and the screen resolution. This article shows how useful advances in technologies can be. The original iPad was useful in documenting, keeping pictures, etc. The new iPad, with improvements, probably will be used in more health care facilities.

"Is Technology Good or Bad? Yes." by L. Gordon Crovitz

Is technology good or bad? yes. (2010, August 23) Retrieved April 4, 2011, from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703579804575441461191438330.html#articleTabs%3Darticle

Is Technology Good or Bad? Yes.

This article describes both the pessimistic and optimistic side of technology. Nicholas Carr argues that "the internet is changing how our brains work, figuratively and physiologically." His studies show that technology has lead us to read hurriedly, think with many distractions, and superficially learning. He even touched on the science of neuroplasticity,  which shows the brain changes in those who spend the majority of their time on the internet. Opposing
those ideas, Clay Shirky admits that people spend more time being entertained by meaningless television, but also concludes that a brief redirection to useful social media can be quite easy and important. He concludes that "what matters now is not the capabilities we have, but how we turn those capabilities, both technical and social, into opportunities." After reading the post, I agree with them both. The internet has opened many doors to knowledge, and has made it easier to access also. Unfortunately, there are also many websites, like stated in the article, lolcat.com, which doesn't contribute to the advances technology can create. Since there are both effective and ineffective inventions of technology, it shows that as advanced as technology has become, there is still a long way of improving ahead. No matter what, there are always going to be those websites that don't contribute to effective technology use, but that still doesn't undermine the positive advances there are.

"Five Clues That You Are Addicted to Facebook" by Elizabeth Cohen

Five clues that you are addicted to facebook. (2009, April 23) Retrieved April 4, 2011, from http://articles.cnn.com/2009-04-23/health/ep.facebook.addict_1_facebook-page-facebook-world-social-networking?_s=PM:HEALTH

Five Clues That You Are Addicted to Facebook

This article, posted in CNN Health, describes the addictions some people have with Facebook. The story profiles a mother, Cynthia Newton. Cynthia Newton is a unanimous name because she was too embarrassed to use her real name. Newton has admitted to spending up to 20 hours a week, half the time she spends at work, on Facebook. Since "Facebook Addition" isn't a medical problem, therapists say this is no longer "social networking, but social dysfunction." Paula Pile, a marriage and family therapist, concludes that Facebook itself is not the problem, but a problem arises when people start to neglect family and work because the Facebook world is more enjoyable than reality. The misconception that Facebook is real is compared to the 1998 "The Truman Show" starring Jim Carrey, about a "fabricated world where nothing ever goes wrong." The article concludes with five clues to indicate if you are addicted to Facebook: You lose sleep over Facebook, you spend more than an hour a day on Facebook, you become obsessed with old loves, you ignore work in favor of Facebook, and the thought of getting off Facebook leaves you in a cold sweat. Pile suggests, "Try going a day without Facebook. If you find it causes you a lot of stress and anxiety, you need to get some help." This article shows the huge influence technology has over some people. Facebook is meant to keep friends in touch, not a way to get away from reality. Having a Facebook account gives you full control over what people see, unlike in real life. That is the addicting factor because people can post the enjoyable moments, and pretend the other ones don't exist.

"Where I Lived, and What I Lived For" by Henry David Thoreau

Thoreau, H. (2011). Where i lived, and what i lived for. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.


In David Thoreau's essay, he describes his life in his cabin at Walden Pond. He enjoys living in his cabin because it gives him a sense of "simplicity". It allows him freedom, away from reality. He thinks of his cabin as godlike, not in the sense of superiority, but a freedom to create his own world. Thoreau decides to choose his own reality, and in doing so, he has more freedom in life. Living in his cabin, away from the real world and advancing technology, is life fulfilling to him. I understand his point of view, and would also find it relaxing, for a short time. Thoreau enjoyed being away from technology, or newspaper, because he wanted to choose what to know about the world. Since advancements in technology, the word "simplicity" has changed meanings. In some opinions, the internet, newspaper, and television has made life simpler in  efficiently delivering news to the public. I think those ways have made the circulation of information easier and faster. As Thoreau describes, living in Walden Pond brought him peace from his meaning of simplicity, but living with the help of technology is also a source of simplicity to those who chose to take advantage of it.

"Television: The Plug-In Drug" by Marie Winn

Winn, M. (2011). Television: the plug-in drug. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's


In Marie Winn's essay, she claims that, "culture generally has been transformed by television." She describes that when television was first introduced, it was thought that it would bring families closer together. In the earlier days of television, this might have been true because owning a television was extremely expensive that most families had one. Now though, most families have multiple televisions in various places in the house. This allows for every family member to watch what they want, in different rooms. Television also affects children's daily rituals. In Winn's essay, the majority of the activities done by children are watching television, eating dinner, or doing both. With so many options available, it is hard to keep families together when watching television. Another issue with television is the relationships between not only family members, but other people in general. If somebody watches television more than interacting with friends, Winn describes that it would be hard to relate to real people instead of a television. I agree with her essay because technology has changed many families over the years. When I was younger I remembered sitting around watching television with my family, now that I have my own room and television in it, I spend most of my time there when I am home. When I'm not at work, school, or out with friends, I'll be at home watching television. I still go out and do things with my family, but not as often as we used to, not only because of television, but how unmotivated television has made me, and so many other families. Technology is a blessing, used in the right proportions.