Sorces_Clinton Wright

http://ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=9509057732&site=ehost-live

http://ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=9508087545&site=ehost-live

http://listverse.com/2009/11/02/10-notorious-cases-of-the-bystander-effect/
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?&id=GALE%7CCX3406000108&v=2.1&u=psucic&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-5424131-504083.html
Most of these were found while in the library.

Mascot_Clinton Wright

A potential research question that the author could have started with would be “What is the history of the Seminole Tribe in Florida?” This question would lead him into the history of the tribe and then possibly lead him into the connection with the university. The purpose of the article he wrote is to explain to the reader why Florida State University built new statues that reflected the Seminole nation. Lapointe’s purpose is to talk about the ruling of the N.C.A.A. and how it affected Florida State University’s relationship with the Seminoles. Lapointe interviews students of the university who have Seminole heritage and how they feel about the new statues; the interviews help to back up the author’s ethos. The interviews are a part of the research he did while writing the article as well as research the ruling of the N.C.A.A. and how the Seminole Indians felt about the ruling. He also researched the history of Florida State University’s mascots and gave a description of an old one and the one that they currently use. Interviews with representatives from the tribes’ historical departments are used well when the author talks about how the Seminoles feel about the university and how the mascot represents the tribe. The author did a lot of background research and all of it helped to back up the point he was trying to make.

Is Google Making Us Stupid_Clinton Wright

 Before the Internet, people were on their own to find information they were searching for. If one wanted to know a particular date in history or the formula for a calculus problem, they would have to spend significant time in a library searching through books. Now, these same actions can be done in a matter of seconds with Google. The human mind is not required to strain itself interpreting the words in a book or critically thinking when trying to find an answer. As mentioned in the article, this is causing our brains to expect answers without working for them. We are getting so used to the “efficient” way of obtaining information that we are losing our ability to really understand a long essay or paragraph. The article makes a valid point stating that reading is not instinctive, but learned. The human mind is taught how to interpret words and in turn, what way it should go about interpreting said words. Sergey Brin and Larry Page, the founders of Google, said, “Certainly if you had all the world’s information directly attached to your brain, or an artificial brain that was smarter than your brain, you’d be better off.” If this were true, the human brain would cease to think for itself. It would never need to process anything to come to a conclusion. The Internet does not allow for independent thought. The creativity of the brain is seen as a “bug that needs to be fixed” as stated in the article. Our brains are adapting to the style of the internet, quick and to the point. Eventually, we will get to the point where we no longer think for ourselves but simply choose the fastest, most efficient route to solving problems.

Joy Response_Clinton wright

I would characterize Bill Joy’s primary concern being the idea that machines will take over as the dominant race on Earth. He fears that because this will probably happen gradually, humans will just accept the change and then not be able to do anything about it. While I do not agree with what he is saying, Joy explains many examples that have well-qualified individuals backing up the ideas. He uses meetings with friends and other specialists as evidence to set up the problem. He combines anecdotes and examples at the same time when he does this. He tells the anecdote of when he actually talked to the person about what they thought and then follows up the anecdote with the example of what they wrote. He uses this technique when telling the reader about his trip to Los Angeles to meet and talk to his friend Danny Hillis. He also leads into the article with the anecdote and explanation of Ray Kurzweil and his book. A time when Joy just uses an anecdote is when he tells the story about his childhood and the first time he saw Star Trek. The most effective technique is when he combines both the explanation and the anecdote; this is most effective because it provides the reader with a proper background of who provides the insight.

The issues discussed in “Why the Future Doesn’t Need Us” are less relevant now because robots are not progressing as fast as thought eleven years ago. Even though technology has greatly increased, it has grown in a different way than what the professionals from the article believed it would. Nanotechnology has grown but not in a way that will quickly lead to robots, especially ones that have consciousness. Technologies invented by Apple and other computer companies are impressive and much more different than in 2000, but are still not able to take over humans as a dominant race. The closest robot or computer being able to challenge humans is Watson, the supercomputer that was designed by IBM. While Watson is incredible, the computer is huge and takes up nearly a room just so that it can function. Machines will have to become much smaller and maintain efficiencies like Watsons’ if they are to challenge human beings. Because computers have not grown as exponentially better as thought they would in 2000, my take is that the problem is now less relevant than as it was eleven years ago.

News_Clinton Wright

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/03/20/coast-guard-investigating-reports-oil-spill-gulf/

The problem is that there might be a large oil spill in the Gulf Coast that was just discovered a few days ago and is suspected to be leftover from last years BP spill. This is important because it would mean that oil has been drifting around for nearly a year and no one knew about it. If it is oil, it would also mean that someone made a big mistake last year and BP did not do a complete search of the surrounding areas after the spill.

http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/nation/washington/20110319_ap_obamaseekstoresetrelationshipwithbrazil.html

The problem faced here is that the United States has been frustrated with the former Brazilian President regarding his lack of cooperation in Iran. The fact that there is a new president is important because we can now work to regain the lost relationship with Brazil. Another reason that it is important that the United States stays on good terms with Brazil is that there has been recent discoveries of oil reserves that will be available for export off the coast of Brazil.

News_Clinton Wright

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/18/arkansas-fracking-earthquakes_n_837485.html

Fracking is a technique used in trying to find natural gas wells. The problem is that dangerous chemicals are used that can be harmful to water sources when dumped into the ground. There is some evidence that fracking is causeing minor earthquakes and should be stopped immediatly if the is solid evidence because of the dangers to the wells surroundings.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/03/18/wisconsin.budget.restraining.order/index.html

The problem is that the Wisconsin law takes collective bargaining rights away from state employees. The exigence would be that the workers lose rights that were previously given to them and do not want to lose their rights completely.

National news_Clinton Wright

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/19/science/19plume.html?_r=1&ref=us

The article talks about how the radiation from the Japan crisis has reached the U.S, but in very small amounts. The problem is that the radiation can be extremely dangerous to a large amounts of people and needs to be controlled and stopped.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/09/business/economy/09gasoline.html?scp=1&sq=rising%20gas%20prices&st=cse

The article about rising gas prices talks about how consumers worry the rising prices will end the recovery in the economy. While this will not happen unless they rise dramatically, the problem is that it will most likely not drop much lower. The only way to avoid prices at the pump is to find alternate fuels/energy.