January 2008 Archives

Is a fairly recent invention; for me individually and for the whole information environment. I personally don't know when it began, and if I were some sort of professional journalist I might spend the time and look up the historic fact. I personally don't really care. And that's the beauty of blogging.

Today in class we discussed a study conducted by the PEW Internet & American Life Project. What it basically said is this: people don't write blogs to be news reporters or journalists, they write blogs to express themselves. It is in essence a new art media. This I like. It's based on the idea that you can say whatever you want, and the internet will receive it. It's up to you to determine what you want to convey, it isn't a mandated process.Later this week I'll be making my first mandated post. I really don't mind. But this is supposed to be the build up to what I say in my next post. Meanwhile,  here's a new Russian police uniform I found on digg.




Source

So I've taken a gamble and will be the first to present this semester in class. Not only will I be getting this assignment out of the way, but I'll be given double credit for my bravery. Finding an interesting, recent, and relevant issue related with such a broad subject has proven more difficult than expected. Every time I get what seems to be a good idea, I usually criticize it to the point where I don't want to do it anymore, and I begin the process over again. However, after extensive research I had finally come to a topic of interest.

I have decided to do my presentation on the One Laptop Per Child program, which was discussed recently in the online Wall Street Journal.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119586754115002717.html?mod=hpp_us_editors_picks

The article discusses the development of the idea and computer. From conception to implementation. The idea itself was so novel it faced immediate competition from for profit companies.  The non-profit project OLPC began with the idea of Mr. Nicholas Negropante; he envisioned the merging of the technological gap. This bridge between developed and undeveloped nations would be possible through the development of an economically affordable PC laptop.

The project's original goal was to design a 100$ laptop. Although the current price for an OLPC laptop is roughly $200, the impact that this laptop may have in the future is just as great as it was when conceptualized.

Technology is an extention of human ability, created for the sole purpose of easing human activity. Today in class we discussed the absurd notion that technology is self-creating, and the development of technology is linear and determined independently. However, throughout my own personal human experience I have realized a few things about technology. One, it is that technology and I can have an incredibly intimate relationship. And secondly, through this relationship, I've realized that the internet and all technological tools are merely an extention of my mind, a tool for probing introspectively and externally. But all of this is only possible through the human mind. Be it development or utilization of technology, it is always controlled by humanity's ability to innovate and the uncontrolable chaos of the universe.