Eric's Weblog

The rest of today, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday before 6:30 is all the time I have left here before I go home. But I wouldn't be going home if it wasn't for my skateboard incident which happened the first day of the Fall semester. I just came back from hanging out with some friends who I have met in the summer semester, and as I was walking back my feet had the urge to skateboard. I noticed a pretty steep road right next to my halls. It's Burrowes street, and it looked like so much fun that I had to go. I ran to my dorm, grabbed my skateboard, and headed up to Curtain Rd to the top of the steep road. I got on my board and with one kick, I was already gaining a bunch of speed. I really didn't feel like how steep it was so I slowed down occasionally by lightly making contact with the sole of my sneakers with the road. Tired of constantly slowing down, I made a decision that I would suck up my fear and fly down the road. I was doing great...up until my board began to wobble. It was all downhill from here...hahaha get it?
Anyways, my board began to wobble more the faster I became. I kept trying to regain control of the board but the wobble would start again every time I, tried to regain my balance. I looked ahead and saw that the road would begin to change to zero slope and I figured I would lose a lot of speed. To my dismay, a couple feet before the road straightened out, the road suddenly became rocky and sandy. I knew there was nothing I could possibly do to save myself from giving the concrete a high five with my body so I began looking for the best place where I could fall. Luckily my loss of balance decided where I would fall. So yea, I ended up falling forwards (actually I remember posing like superman in the air which is quite awesome) and fell on my left knee. Luckily, for some weird reason, instead of placing both my arms in front of me, only my left arm tried to brace for the fall, and my right arm just flew right in front of my face without me even thinking about it. It must have been my subconscious side doing it because if my hand wasn't there, I'd probably have smacked my face pretty darn hard on the road. But unfortunately for my right knee, I didn't have a third arm to save it, and that's the part if my body that I ended up falling on top on. I stayed on the floor for about a while and in the corner of my eye, I saw a man looking at me, and just stood there. What a great bystander. He deserves a medal for watching me struggle to get up. Anyways, I got up and felt an immense amount pain but I had to get back home. I struggled back up the road, arrived at my hall, waited literally 10 minutes for the elevator, screamed profanity that I ripped my favorite jeans, took a shower, massaged my knee which was pretty bloody for 10 minutes, and fell asleep, only to wake up to the pain of my knee as I rolled face-down in my sleep. This is why I am going home this week. That and because my insurance doesn't cover me here. Plus, it's my birthday.

Eric Herrera
September 06, 2007
IST 110H
Andrea Tapia

The internet has had a great change in my life. In some aspects of my life, it has changed for the worse, and for others, it has changed for the better. But then isn’t life always like that - imperfect? There will always be a flaw in the most perfect portrait ever painted. Maybe there is one eye slightly bigger than the other, or maybe it doesn’t have eyebrows (the Mona Lisa)! And the use of the internet is no exception. From my experience, I have found myself doing the “proper” stuff on the internet, and at other times doing the “wrong” things as well (do not think about porn). And as the internet progresses, what the future will provide is more things to do either proper or wrong.
When I first started using the internet in 1999 (6th grade), because I was naïve about the internet, I found myself doing the “proper” stuff. I went online and researched what I needed to research for my homework, and signed off. Occasionally I chatted with classmates online, but I really wasn’t into it due to the fact I was an internet noob. But I loved it because it saved me a trip to the library and was able to get me directly to the information I was looking for, instead of looking through books trying to find the best one. Now instead of going to the library and taking out books and worrying about forgetting the due date, I was able to go online, Sparknote the book, and bada-bing-bada-boom within a good ten minutes, I now knew the entire book like the back of my hand. Or at least obtain enough information to complete a book report. This went on for about the rest of my sixth grade year, and for some reason, once I entered junior high school, it all went down hill from there.
Playing games, watching pointless videos, downloading music and movies, IMing…etc. are all activities have taken up 90% of my time online ever since I first found out about them in junior high, and they still do. Thanks to the internet, I have gained a lot of regretful pounds, have turned in late homework, have stayed up for hours waiting for a movie to download or for my AOL to update (back when I had dial-up), and have gotten worse eye vision. I also find myself creating many grammatical errors such as using the letter u in replacement for the word you, not capitalizing my i’s, not using periods, and other proper English errors (at least I had fun doing it). In contrast, the internet has also been just as helpful as it has been distracting (I am doing this essay and watching music videos at the same time). It has provided me with so much information about anything I ever wanted. Instead of waiting for the ten o’clock news, I am able to find out the latest news in any part of the world whenever I log on the internet. I am also able to find information on products before I buy them, find out more information on the types of medicine I am taking, find out the routes I had to take to get to Penn State from New York, researched Penn State before I came here (the IST needs a better website), and other useful stuff that has saved me the trouble from going long distance for information.
It is because of the internet that I feel updated. Because I am in college, I usually do not turn on my TV just to watch the news or watch commercials to see the latest movie trailers, but instead to play some Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80’s, and any other games my roommate has. I also feel connected to my family even though I am four good hours away, and with traffic a good six hours. Not more than ten minutes ago, before I continued writing my paper, I was told via Facebook that one of my sisters has become temporarily deaf in her left ear due to excessive wax build-up. I do not think I could be more connected to my family any more than that, the fact of the matter being that I am so far away. I can only imagine how different life would be in the future with the Internet advancing every time I go on.
As predicted by specialists, the Internet will get rid of TV’s, close down a lot of stores: book stores, clothing stores, basically any store whose products can be purchased over the Internet is at risk at closing down. I personally can see this happening, only because I can relate. I cannot remember the last time I went to the mall to buy clothes or went to Barnes & Nobles to buy books with cash. I have also streamed live events on the Internet as a replacement for the TV. I can also see people video chatting with friends and family through AOL Instant Messenger instead of some lame, annoying buddy icon. I would love it if I were able to see the expressions of the faces of the people who I am currently communicating with just to see if their “lol” was true or not.
I can only see the internet making me less mobile in the future. Sure there is the occasional “going out” with friends, but there will be no more walking to: the book store, clothing stores, shoe stores, Best Buy, school, work…all of the products/services offered by each business will be available over the internet. Currently anyone is able to take courses online and print out a diploma, can work straight from their home, and order almost anything over the internet (mail order brides). The thought of how else life will become easier through the use of the Internet is just beyond my thinking, but I will be sure to expect the unexpected. Instead of having a big screen TV, a bookcase, and a closet full of business attire, there will be one PC with a big screen panel handling the job of all three – school, books, and a job.

No, she didn't sleep with a kid, or her face isn't falling off. It is just that while recently scrolling down the various Vlogs in my Youtube subscription in my Google Reader account which displays all the recently viewed videos on the site, I have been coming across many, many Britney Spear's VMA performance, along with disappointing and sympathizing comments.
What has been just as popular would be videos of die-hard Britney Spears fanatics ranting, screaming, and crying about leaving "Poor Britney Alone." One would be Chris Crocker crying and screaming about leaving Britney Spears alone, and another video opposing Chris Crocker by SuspiciousClowns who, hahaha, sorry, I just find it funny, makes fun with this video -> Suspicious Clowns HIV #2 Leave Crocker Alone!.
I truly believe she brought it upon herself. She could have chosen not to have gone on stage, but she did, and probably under the influence of something as her weird behavior while on stage displays. And now that everyone is criticizing her through Vlogs and Blogs, she thinks by her going to the Emmy's and making a public apology, it will stop all of the hating. Just take Michael Jackson for example. He didn't hurt anybody (dangling his child didn't really hurt the child!) but just things like dangling his child from his balcony is what causes bad publicity. I'm no Celebrity judge, but it seems like with most celebrities, once the love starts coming, their common sense starts packing.

After searching forever for fine sounding blogs, one after the other I became bored with just after the first entry or so. Luckily, I somehow landed on The Firefighter Blog and almost instantly became interested in it. This blog includes many interesting entries that deal with wild spreading fires and their aftermath. A couple of entries included a story about what happened with the fire, which usually had a couple of firefighter deaths. This blog also has some interesting looking photos of landscapes showing the "hot spots" of that location. The Firefighter Blog also gives plenty of information surrounding each forest fire and the amount of money gone to save the forest. I will most definitely be keeping up to date with this blog, since I am part Nature lover as well as technology lover. I have always thought that a firefighter meant saving people from fires and extinguishing fires, now I learned that a blogger can be a firefighter, by reaching the news on forest fires and the causes of them to millions everywhere, hoping that it will get more people to realize the importance of nature and how the future of the humans lies in the hands of mother nature. The more we destory mother nature, the closer we humans bring about our doom.

Though the working part of my life hates it when I see students on their laptops browsing the web, sitting down in a chair with piles of garbage that I know that they are not going to throw away, the non-working part of me thinks its cool. At Starbucks, right when I am about to close, there are always a bunch of these non-leavers who stay up until 12 am drinking coffee and eating our pastries who stay there for only the free Wi-Fi provided by Starbucks. It's at this point when I think these customers are a bunch of losers with no lives (only because I have to clean up their mess once they decide to leave), when in fact I do the same thing from time to time. According to this article I found in the beloved site TechDirt, providing Wi-Fi can actually increase sells, and stores will start seeing profit by the first year! Isn't that enough of a reason for every single store (that provide chairs and tables) to acquire this new piece of technology? Well, unless its a fancy restaurant strictly for food, but shouldn't all cafe's follow Starbucks and other stores that have Wi-Fi? Plus, it would help for those slow times in the day when there is no one coming in. It'll will always be occupied, and other people may not share my same view, but if I see a place that always has customers or people inside, it gives the impression that that store is better than others and will draw me in. Wi-Fi has in fact changed people's lives. No longer are people bound by boundaries involving the internet, no longer do you have to go to the library or cyber cafes to reach the internet elsewhere besides your home, but now you can take your laptop wherever you go, and by chance, catch some Wi-Fi somewhere. Just ask Penn State students. Why use your bandwidth when you can be online forever and not use a single bit of your bandwidth when you have a wireless card?

Pallimed
Cosmetic Surgery Blog

The type of information presented by Pallimed is knowledge that would be beneficial to surgeons written by surgeons who know their profession. There are discussions about different techniques, medicines available, treatments available and general surgical procedures focused on cancer. The terminology used by the surgeons is in a professional tone intended for fellow professionals to understand. There is no personal information included, however the tone is the writing is casual, as if to suggest nothing is out of the day-to-day routine for the author. The style of the blog is professional, but easy to comprehend and informational. The tags that are included link to similar articles within the website itself that deal with with similar topics.

The cosmetic surgery blog on Blogspot.com is written by a cosmetic surgeon, but is not a professional blog. It is more of a commentary type blog that focuses on plastic surgery. There are many links included to in depth articles written by authors (not plastic surgeons), and usually after each link listed, Dr. Sali comments on the subject. Popular topics for discussion are pop culture figures, well-known people and celebrities. The tone is very casual, but an attempt is made to make it seem as credible as possible. The implication suggests that the readers can read about topics within the field of cosmetic surgery written by a credible professional within the field.

The intended audiences of the blogs vary, Pallimed is written for professionals and Cosmetic Surgery (blog) is written for the average person. Pallimed's language is rich in medical terms and Dr. Sali's is rich in celebrity gossip and descriptions. The intentions of their blogs vary greatly as do their professions.

Who would have known that every single electronic device would contain internet. Starting with computer/laptops, then PDA's, then phones, then MP3 players, and now cameras? I would have never guessed it, and maybe this is old news, but I have never ever heard of this until now. This camera, the Nikon Cool-pix S51c, comes with Wi-Fi, and a Flickr account, with the ability to upload the pictures straight to your Flickr account, Blackberries, and even your own blog!. Now, people all over the world will be able to share pictures almost instantly. I wish I knew about this before, I am definitely getting this for myself for Christmas. I just cannot wait until I have this baby and take great pictures, upload to my Flickr account, and then call my family and friends to go online and see them. This is so amazing.

I am not saying that this is not cool or anything like that, but for real??? A cell phone watch? Come on! We are living in the year 2007, not 1985. Cell phones always come with the time if you have not noticed, just open a damn phone and it will tell you the day, a nice little picture in the background, and oh yeah, how could I forget, the TIME. On probably every single bloody phone that is out on the market has the time right on the cover of the phone so you would not need to even open it! Why on earth would people make a cell phone watch let alone buy that piece of junk for $1,100? My summer roommate had a wrist-cellphone holder, and that was all free! Come one people, are you kidding me! It is a good thing it isn't sold here in America, because God knows there are plenty of morons here waiting to buy that.
Comments that made me laught:

BY Paradise AT 06/23/06 02:25 PM
your cellphone watch is so big it gives the person next to you cancer. oooooooh snap.

BY TheZodiac AT 06/23/06 12:37 PM
Welcome to 2 years ago. Nice job.

BY Tweak4 AT 06/23/06 12:26 PM
And I thought kids with calculator watches in the 80s were prime targets for school-yard beatings...

BY uhm...Bob AT 06/23/06 11:11 AM
"Black Ranger, ready to morph!"

BY Fats AT 06/25/06 03:33 PM
...but is it available for lefties?

The three blogging policies I looked up were IBM, lawfirms, and healthcare practices.

IBM's policies can be found here, lawfirms policies can be found here, and healthcare practices policies can be found here.
These three types of business all have policies concerning vulgarity restriction, citation of information, and including personal information on the blogger. It goes to show you how important these three policies are, even though they may be included last in the list. The fact that these business all included the same policies makes it seem that those three reoccuring policies are not stressed enough and are considered very important to every big business that contains personal information on clients.
The kind of policies that these three business differ in include:
Lawfirms- Who may blog, who will train workers to blog, and who oversees it.
Healthcare practices- Always tell the truth, never delete old posts, disagree respectfully, and reply to comments whenever possible
IBM-Blogging is for one's own time, always state that ideas or thought do not concern IBM, and always write interesting and important information.
I think that the three reoccuring policies must be present in every guideline or policy, plus, every blogger must write that the thoughts expressed does not concern the ideas of the company. The company shouldn't suffer for one man's ideas but that one man. The main three:Vulgar restriction, citation, and blogger's personal information should really be cut down to two. Personal information on a blogger should be kept somewhere where only the company may be able to find it in case of any failure to follow the blogging policy, not open to the whole public unless decided by the blogger. Lets say I hated the guy working next to me. I wouldn't want to cause problems by telling the guy I straight up hated his guts, but would rather take it out on my blog. If my personal information was accessible, I might as well carry a big sign on my chest saying "I hate the guy working next to me" the next day because all my information: who I am, where do I work is all out there. There will be no doubt that the next day, the guy working next to me would be waiting for me with a vengance and a weapon(maybe it is not that extreme but hey, you never know). So if I had to pick and choose the policies that I believe would work best for my company, if I had one, would be no use of foul language, don't say anything stupid: ie. no rascist comments, no threats, and no "leakage" of anything exclusive that concerns my company. Always obtain permission to use someone else's published work, always write that the ideas expressed in bloggers blog does not reflect the company's ideas or thoughts, and don't write as if you were in kindergarden.

I was browsing through videos on good old youtube when I found a video that really blew me away! You know those torches people use to heat metal, and do you know how the blow torch uses gas for fuel, well Vivick Klein has found a new way that will hopefully in the near future revolutionize the way we use fire, and gas fuel in general. Klein has found a way to change the blow torch from using gas as fuel to using water as its fuel, creating a flame just as hot. With this new invention, Klein then moved onto a bigger project, this time with four wheels. Thats right, Klein was able to run his 1999 Ford Escort on his HHO invented chemical. Now, the government has asked Klein to build them a half hater half gas powered Hummer. Hopefully, we will be seeing this kind of technology very near in the future.

Coming from NY, seeing an endless amount of people selling bootlegged DVD's is as wrong to me as a little kid picking their nose in public. It's weird, but at the same time, who cares! But to the parents who have to walk along side that kid, it makes them want to fill that kid's nose with with cement so he won't be able to do it anymore. Same thing with the DVD manufacturing companies. The more people that buy the pirated copy, the more money the DVD manufacturing companies lose, and the more they want to put an end to this act of larceny. This leads to more money put into making hard-to-crack DRM's which consequentially leads to an increase in the price of the product. (This is in the thought that the reason for DVD manufacturing companies loss is because of Piraters, and not because they just are not making business). I get where they are trying to get to. They think that once they beat hackers, they'll own the DVD marketing business once again, but in my eyes, that dream may come true one day, but NOOOOWHERE NEAR SOON! Just ask the hacker who is battling Microsoft for an unbeatable DRM program. According to the story, a hacker called Viodentia first created a program stripping music of its copy protection. Microsoft answered back by making Viodentia's hacking tool useless. In return, Viodentia reanswered with another program which Microsoft has yet to render it useless. Pretty funny huh?