The Future of Accessing Information!

As we have discussed throughout this entire course, there is an endless amount of information you can access of the World Wide Web!!! Within the global economy, the web has made it possible for people all over the entire planet to be connected. It is crazy to think that ten years ago you would have to make a long distance phone call to talk to someone a few counties over from you. Now, you can see and talk to people on the other side of the globe because of the internet and video products such as Skype! 

The Internet currently has around 2 Billion users! These users are mostly in what we refer to as the "Global North", meaning they are industrialized countries where internet is expected to be accessible in every day life. Countries who are not as dependent on the Web and do not have every day access are known as the "Global South", and these include Africa,  Latin America, and many others!

I believe within the next ten years, however, that many of these countries will become more globalized and be part of the information pool! I think in the future we will be run-over with information overload, because there will be so much information that can be transmitted by the click of a mouse or an enter key!

To see a distribution of how many people use the internet around the world, see the following link:

http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm

Plagiarism in the University Setting

In response to the scholarly article on plagiarism which was distributed in class, I agree that plagiarism is an issue in our universities today. However, I do not believe it is as big of an issue as the article makes it out to be. Because of software such as safeassign, where students are required to submit their work through a reader which monitors and points out plagiarism, I believe plagiarism has declined in recent years. The main thing that keeps students from plagiarism, I believe, is the fear of being caught!

It is important to note, also, that as a college student gets closer to graduation, they are less likely to plagiarize. Not only because they have more on the line, but also because they value ownership in their work and take pride in the papers they have written. The shift from high school to college can be a rough transition for many, because in high school teachers teach to the test. This promotes students to copy answers straight from a textbook. In college, these same students must shift more towards the end of critical thinking, and for freshmen and sophomores, this can be a tricky task. It can also be a misleading transition because all professors have different standards on what is acceptable in terms of plagiarism. 

To read more on plagiarism, see the following link:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/

My New Addiction

There are tons of neat websites out there in cyberspace that we all get hooked on. At first it was Xanga, then myspace, then facebook, and now twitter. We are always getting attached to something new! Well- I have found my new addiction! PINTREST! It is the coolest thing ever. It is like a social network, but not like Facebook or Twitter. People "pin" things they find online to their "boards", which are categorized! There are very interesting, neat ideas for household crafts, cool food ideas, and other things! I love it, and I continuously find myself wasting time on it! ha!

I advise everyone to check it out!! :D

pinterest.com/

Cite your Source!

When writing scholarly papers, it is VERY important to cite your sources! This is usually done on a works cited page at the end of the piece. There are many different formats you can use when citing your sources, and the professor will usually inform you of which one he/she wants you to use. 

So-you may wonder, why is it so important to cite your sources? This should be common sense! So you do not get slammed for plagiarism! You need to give credit to whoever you obtained your information from! Afterall- they spent all that time researching in order to find it in the first place!

The formats are rather specific in how they want the source cited! Everytime I have had trouble, I find the following two websites very useful and helpful!

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/

http://www.calvin.edu/library/knightcite/

The end of software ownership- and why to smile!

In today's day and age- you rarely see people owning hard, physical copies of their works. Most people have their music, pictures, and even books online where they can access them through the internet or their PC. This is what the article "The end of software ownership-and why to smile" addresses. In the article, the idea that "emotional attachment of ownership" comes with having a hard copy of your materials. And I agree, it just is not the same having all of your stuff on the computer! I learned my lesson the hard way. A few weeks ago, my Dell laptop crashed and I lost all of my music and photos. This was devastating, and now I will make sure to print out hard copies of all my photos. 

The article also addresses sharing electronic copies of works that one may purchase.If you go out and purchase a hard copy of a book or CD, it is completely acceptable to loan it to a friend. However, it is somewhat frowned upon by many if electronic copies of materials are shared through the web. So the question is- where do you draw the line? There is so much gray area, that it is hard to determine! 

The following website is an example of how some books and materials are public domain and can be used by any!

http://projectguttenburg.com/

How to Boil Eggs!

I love eggs! They are one of my favorite foods! I like them in any form, whether it be scrambled, over-easy, sunny-side up, poached, or deviled! However, my FAVORITE way to eat eggs is when they are hard boiled! When I moved out of my home in Marshall County to go to school in Murray, I had to learn how to cook my favorite food all of these different ways! Scrambled was the easiest, but what I found the most difficult is boiling them! :( It is so confusing to know how long to leave them in the water! I am super picky, and have to have them just right! If they are undercooked, they are gooey in the middle and don't do well on salads or in tuna! And if they are overcooked they turn a weird color and they don't look or taste right! So- I googled how to hard-boil eggs and tried it last night! It works perfect! See the following link for some expert advice! 

:D

http://www.incredibleegg.org/recipes-and-more/recipes/basic-hardboiled-eggs

LOR 101

Throughout my past five semesters of college, I have learned there is nothing more important than staying on top of things! Throughout this course, I have found it relatively easy to keep up with the class work and assignments. The readings are what I have the most difficulty in finding time for, because some have been rather lenghty. However, the blog assignment has been very fun for me! I enjoy blogging and am thrilled it is 180 points of our grade in the class! I have kept up very well, always making sure to do AT LEAST 3 posts per week! Whenever I don't feel like studying for Anatomy and Physiology or Clinical Phonetics, I always resort to blogging because it is a stressfree assignment and I am still getting something done! The response papers have been fairly simple for me because I treat it like an extended blog post. The midterm was very fair because everything that was on it had been covered pretty extensively in class discussion. I tend to learn the most in classes where attendance and participation are key, and usually find them the most enjoyable! LOR 101 has been a very helpful course in teaching me how to do research, and I am very glad I chose to take it!
The library link has been the most helpful piece of information I have gained throughout this course!
http://lib.murraystate.edu/

RED OCTOBER!

THE SAINT LOUIS CARDINALS ARE THE 2011 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!

In watching every game I was able to during the past week or so of the 2011 MLB World Series, I honestly thought there was no possible way the Cards would win! Although I rooted for them the entire way, they made many mistakes, and had to dig themselves out of a few holes in order to end up on top! Game six was the most exciting, when the red birds came back after being one out away from losing twice! They finally got it together and played an amazing game last night in order to take their title as the World Series Champs!
This is the 11th time the Cardinals have won the World Series after appearing 17 times in the history of the event! David Freese was rightfully named the MVP of the Series! I found the postgame celebrating by the players to be very exciting, also. The players, their families, and their friends all rushed the field in excitement! The link shows one of the most popular pictures taken right after Alan Craig caught the last ball for the last out on Friday night's game!
http://www.inquisitr.com/151562/2011-world-series-schedule-rangers-start-as-narrow-favorites/

Seeking Info!

In taking library orientation 101, I must admit that my expectations anmotives were to fill a 3 hour elective spot and earn an easy A! While this has held true, I have, however, learned an immense amount of information throughout the course! Before taking this course, I had no clue of how much the library here at MSU had to offer. The thing I have found most helpful is the online virtual library which has completely changed my "information seeking behavior".
Before this course, I found it no big deal to use any ole website I found when I searched my topic on Google. I did not take authority, relevance, and reliability into account.
Now that I have been informed on the correct way to conduct research, I think the next few semesters here at MSU will prove to be much easier! I have three semesters left to obtain my Bachelor's Degree, and then I plan to enter graduate school, where I am sure all of the knowledge I have gained from this course will be very helpful to me.
I think it is very important to be informed on how to search for credible information online because that is where most research is done here in 2011! The following link gives a few more helpful hints on researching using the World Wide Web:
http://www.elearners.com/guide/success-in-an-online-program/tips-for-tests-papers-and-homework-assignments/how-to-conduct-research-online/

Copyright Laws -Class Discussion-

During the class meeting on 10-26 we discussed copyright laws in the United States. When it comes to copyright laws, I believe there is alot of gray area on what should and should not be protected under these laws, and what is considered fair use! I understand books, scholarly articles, etc clearly have a reason to be protected. However, today, even dance is being held to copyright laws. I believe the progressing strict copyright laws hinder one's creativity because if someone even thinks of something remotely like someone else's idea, they can be accused of copying it. I believe that eventually, Americans are going to run out of unique  ideas on which to base books, movies, etc.
The idea of fair use is also debatable among many. It is considered fair use if you aren't making a profit, which is understandable. However, the percentage that is used from the piece is also considered. So, who decided where to draw the line?
The following link provides a bit more information pertaining to guidlines for educationalfair use:
http://www.adec.edu/admin/papers/fair10-17.html

Copyright Laws

The article distributed in class written by Lawrence Lessing was very interesting in the way it addressed copyright laws. If you think back, you have probably violated a copyright sometime in your life. Have you ever downloaded a song you really like, or burned a CD for one of your friends? If so you have violated a federal law! Lessing points out in his article that copyright laws extend for a very long period of time, this being the lifetime of the owner plus 70 years after their passing. He points out that they basically go on forever. 

Although Lessing takes the side of the public domain over copyrighting, he still understands the need to copyright some materials to an extent. The article gives me the notion that copyright laws hinder ones creative thinking because anymore you can not even share the same idea as someone without violating copyright laws. With all the movies, book, etc that we have in today's world, it is hard to come up with new ideas. Copyright laws may have some effect on the stifling of this creativity!  

To read more on this idea, follow this link:

http://sloanreview.mit.edu/the-magazine/2009-winter/50203/does-current-copyright-law-hinder-innovation/

Living is Expensive!

College life is great in some ways, but in other ways it really sucks!! It is so expensive! Groceries, gas, rent, bills! Life  is expensive... And I don't want to grow up! I work at a grocery store in Benton, Ky, and in the past two years I have worked there I have watched the price of milk, bread, and other household staples double! It scares me to think about what is to come. I am very greatful to have wonderful parents who help me out, because I could never do it without them! They help me with my rent and groceries. I dread thinking about when I am out on my own and have to pay for all of this stuff by myself!! All I can say is that it's a good thing I am going to college! The following link is one I use to find the cheapest gas prices around my hometown!

http://autos.aol.com/draffenville-ky-gas-prices/

Evaluating Sources

When researching, it is very important that you evaluate your source when using it in scholarly writings. When doing this, you must evaluate the sources authority, reliability, and relevance. When was the source updated? Is their bias? what credibility does the author have? These are all questions you must ask yourself when evaluating information to use as a source in research!

An example of an uncredible source is Wikipedia! You should not EVER use this when writing work for school! However, if you are researching a topic you have no prior knowledge to, it can be useful to pull keywords from. Examples of reliable and credible sources are scholarly, peer-reviewed articles. You can use the databases offered through the MSU website to access these on and off campus. Follow the link and login with your MSU password and username to see an example of a way to find credible information!

http://lib.murraystate.edu/dbatoz.htm

"Information Cocoons and Wikis"

The article distributed in class titled "Information Cocoons and Wikis" was an interesting read because it brought to my attention that we should be informed about opposing viewpoints and not surround ourselves with our own "info cocoons". I believe we tend to surround  ourselves with information that is similar to our own opinions because it is comforting to us. Humans tend to oppose change! We do not like to think outside of our box, but sometimes, especially when gathering information about certain topics, we need to! The article points out that we cocoon ourselves because we do not like to hear what we do not believe. We tend to stay away from information that is generally in contrast to what we believe. One example would be which news sources we follow. Everyone knows that Fox and CNN provide biased reports on the happenings around us. This, however, may not be such a terrible thing because it is helpful to know both sides to a story (This still does not make me want to watch Fox news)!

For my local information I usually rely on the Benton, Ky newspaper! You can visit their website by following this link!

http://www.tribunecourier.com/

A World Wide Web of Change

The article distributed in class, "A World Wide Web of Change" was a very interesting to read in that it discusses the issue of censorship and the Internet. It is hard to decide what is too far when arguing this point. 

The article points out that the web has changed nearly every aspect of our lives. It also points out that "the web is not powered by fairy dust and wishes." This explains that the web is ran by real people creating different website every single day! Anyone can create a website, just as I created my blog! It is very important for us to consider our sources and have information literacy. 

In the article, Wikileaks is discussed in depth. It points out that thanks to this website we now have information about private things we would have never known about otherwise! Visit the following link to view things still being posted on Wikileaks even today!

http://wikileaks.org/

You can find ANYTHING online!

The vast amount of information you can access online is endless! A popular acronym supports this idea- if you ask someone a question, they may respond with JFGI (just freaking google it!) 

This is the case in today's online world! Any question you could ever have can be answered by simply typing it into a search engine. Some websites, however, may be more credible than others! They include websites with the ending .gov and .edu. These are government and educational sites. Less reliable sources may end in .com, referring to commercial sites. 

When searching the World Wide Web, we must serve as our own filters. You can find basically anything online, and you must decide what you will and will not view. I am very pleased that we have the right to serve as our own filters, because in countries such as China, access is denied on some sites. 

The following link is one that gives some examples of comical things people have googled! This will give you an idea of the wide variety of information people use the Internet for!

http://www.tiptoptens.com/2011/01/28/top-10-most-funny-google-search-suggestions/

Navigating Databases

Within Murray State's online virtual library, there are numerous different databases you can use for research! You can search by subject or search by individual database. If you aren't sure exactly what you are looking for, though, it may be easier to search by subject. For instance, if I were writing a paper about something dealing with my major, communication disorders, I could simply search that subject and it would bring up which databases would be most helpful in conducting my research! Knowing how to use this system is going to be very helpful in my educational career here at MSU!

Within each database, there is a different interface. For example, Ebsco Host has a single background page used for each search you enter, and that will be the same for all Ebsco host databases. Jstor will use a different layout, but still hosts many different databases in which you can find similar information. 

When using databases, you must keep in mind that you are not using an "online" source! It is simply a print source that is housed electronically. Within some databases you can create accounts which will store the inormation you want to save so you can access it and print it later!

Databases are one of the most useful resources in research, as they contain thousands and thousands of peer reviewed journals for whatever the topic may be! An example is WorldCat, a world wide database, and can be accessed through the following link:

http://www.worldcat.org/

Copyright Suit

The article distributed in class published in "The Chronicle" addresses the copyright law dealing with placing digital copies of text online. The lawsuit against HathiTrust, among many other universities, sought to take the digital repositories from them in that they could not be distributed online. It asks them to impound and lock up all unauthorized copies of copyright protected works. 

In a sense, I see where the lawsuit is coming from, and I agree that authors should be protected and people should have to pay for their work. However, at the same time, the works which have no known author it should not matter whether or not they are distributed online. In the article it states that only certain people can use the readings, because they have strict limited user access. This should be okay because they are being used mainly for scholarly purposes.

This is where the world is going. All online! It is comparable to people downloading music from sources like LimeWire and ShareBear. Although it may not be completely ethical, everyone is going to find a way to share things online. Who knows- someday we may be doing all of our reading online!

For more on fair use in copyright, see the following link:

http://www.bitlaw.com/copyright/fair_use.html 

Jobs dies at Age 56

Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple and mastermind behind the iPhone, iPod, iMac, and iTunes, has died at age 56. This man will never be forgotten, as he played an enormous role in technology in the United States and around the world. 

Neither his family or Apple would reveal what he died from, but it has been known in former years has fought pancreatic cancer. He co-founded Apple computer in 1976, and has since then been a main source in innovations the company has produced. 

This man has single-handedly impacted my life, as well as the lives of many around me. I have been the owner of an iPhone for the past five years, and could not imagine a day living without it. I rely on it to check the weather, browse the internet, check my bank account, among numerous other things. Steve Jobs was the genius behind this piece of equipment. 

To read more on his passing, see the following link:

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/steve-jobs-apple-ceo-dies/story?id=14383813

Christmas in September?

It is only October third, and three weeks ago I began to see Christmas items in stores!! Cracker Barrel was the first place I walked in to in the middle of September and laid my eyes upon large, decorated trees and Christmas sweaters! I thought I was dreaming! It seems absurd to me that stores begin stocking their Christmas items earlier and earlier each year! Before long I believe they will just start keeping Christmas stock out year-round! 

Don't get me wrong- I love the holidays. I love all the tasty food and of course, the presents! But jeez people- at least wait until Halloween is over! 

While searching for a link to post with this blog, I ran through some pretty amusing articles! The one posted below supports the opinion that yes, stocking early does help people "plan in advance", but there are also many disadvantages! He says placing the word "Christmas" in front of items is almost like placing the word "wedding" in front of something. This alone, gives retailers and excuse to triple the price. I mean, think about it- you have shoes, but then you have wedding shoes. You have cake, but a wedding cake is much more expensive! The article below compares Christmas to this same phenomenon! 

http://www.moneygap.com/too-early-for-christmas/

My Intercultural Experience!

I am currently in an intercultural communication, which got me interested in the ESL (English as a Second Language) program at Murray State. I am paired with a very nice young woman named Jiyhe. Julia is what she goes by in America. She is from South Korea, and speaks very good English. I wanted to learn a little more about her culture so it would help me understand her background.

While doing a little research, I found out that the United States has a major thing in common with South Korea-and that is most people in South Korea follow Christianity. Even though most follow this religion, Confucianism and Buddhism are also common among some.

I also learned that it is polite to greet someone with a bow in South Korea. Gift giving is popular, and they consider it a personal violation to be touched (hand shake, pat on the back, etc.) unless by a close family member or friend. They enjoy dining together, and tipping is sometimes considered offensive.

Through doing a little background research, I am now aware of the immense changes Julia has went through in her move to Murray State University from half way across the world.

If you want to learn more on Korean culture you can follow these links:

http://www.ediplomat.com/np/cultural_etiquette/ce_kr.htm

http://www.learnkoreanlanguage.com/Korean-Culture.html

Tagging

When I think of certain things, I think of descriptive words that go along with those things. For instance, when I think of "MSU", I think of the words blue, gold, racers, college, etc. This process is known as "tagging", and sometimes our tags may not match up to how other people would describe the word or thing. We "tag" things every day, even though we may not be aware of it. When we see words or pictures, descriptive words instantly come to our minds. 

This "tagging" process is very important when it comes to doing scholarly searches. When typing in a search bar what we wish to find, we must think outside the box because someone else may have tagged that article or journal differently than what comes to our minds. For instance, if I wanted to do research on communication disorders, specially swallowing disorders, I may want to be more specific in my search and type in "dysphagia". 

When doing research, we must keep in mind that someone else may have tagged the piece of work differently than how we see it, so we must be open minded with our searches!

For more tips on effective tagging follow this link:

http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/webbuilding/page5508.cfm

Classification Systems

Two ways libraries can classify their materials are by the Dewey Decimal System and the Library of Congress. You may not be aware of the difference between the two, as I was not before the class discussion! After comparing the two, I prefer the Library of Congress classification system over the Dewey Decimal system. This is because the LC has many more sub-categories, and offers a much wider range of classifying things. There are numerous broad headings, and within them there are hundreds of different sub-topics! Within the Dewey Decimal system, you are limited to far fewer categories! The LC, however, has a very random way of assigning which categories go with which letter. For instance, while M is the music category, fine arts is the N category. Despite this minor setback, I still prefer this system over the other. It is a good thing, because the libraries at MSU use this classification system!

Although Wikepedia is sometimes not a reliable source, it gives an accurate list of the categories of the Library of Congress classification system. To view these, follow this link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_of_Congress_Classification

Information Content

When researching, it is very important to consider the content of your information, and make sure the sources you use are reliable, on topic, and unbiased. In doing this, you must consider what type of resource you are using. Is it a book, a newspaper, a website, or a magazine? Whatever it may be, the information in each of these is different, due to how quickly it was published after the topic you are researching. If you want same day info, you may reference the TV, radio, or Internet headlines. If you want information the next day, you may look to a newspaper. If you want to use information that has been analyzed and gives  a somewhat "historical" perspective, you may wait years, and reference books and films. New sources are constantly added as time goes on.

 

It is also very important to consider the differences in the library versus the internet. The main thing to focus on here is quantity versus quality. Withing library, scholarly resources, you will get a smaller amount of quality information, whereas, with the World Wide Web, you will recieve tons of information that may or may not be reliable! You must keep in mind, that information pulled from the virtual MSU library online would not be considered part of the "quantity" information. Through this, you can pull scholarly journals which have been peer reviewed! This is a great way to conduct research for college papers.

 

The following website is a popular example of information that may be considered "quantity", and one that may be laughed upon if used in scholarly research!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

 

Valuing Information

We all value information! But we all must admit some bits of information are more important to us than others. Whether the cowboys lost last nights game or Nissan shares go up today, personal opinion and bias affect which information we choose to value. Our personal values and interests will have the greatest effect on what information we prefer.

The article we read in class about valuing information brings out an interesting point: Flow of Infomation. This concept looks at how information travels and how it travels so quickly! You must consider, through what means is it getting to the individual? There are so many pieces of technology nowadays that information travels "at the speed of light".

Within the realm of information out there, there is a vast amount purely for consumption. This is information that we read only for pleasure and entertainment. This can include anything from magazines, to celebrity blogs, to following famous people on twitter. 
Information I enjoy reading for entertainment purposes can be found by following this link:

http://espn.go.com/

The Job Market

With me being a junior in college, what better topic to research than today's job market? Well-truthfully, it is a little too late for me to be looking in to this, because I have already decided on a major, and am well over halfway done with my Bachelor's degree. (I am going straight through to obtain a Master's, as well- but that is irrelevant!) But I decided to take a gander on some job stats in the United States today.

In my search to find the fastest growing fields, highest paying careers, etc., I found some interesting information. The Bureau of Labor Statistics provided me with endless facts! At the top of the list for highest paying jobs in the United States, oral and maxillofacial surgeons held the number one spot! (Go figure!) That career path, along with orthodontists, prosthodontists, physicians and surgeons, all generally make more than $166,400! Hmm-what I would do with all of that money! Underneath them, making a measly $110,000-$140,00 per year, were dentists, lawyers, pharmacists, physicists, and astronomers! (Please note my sarcasm!)

The occupations adding the most jobs per year are registered nurses, home health aides, customer service reps (which I found odd), and retail salespeople. The fastest growing occupations included biomedical engineers, financial examiners, and physician assistants. 

I am planning on becoming a speech and language pathologist, and, although that did not make any of my job search's top lists, I seem to have at least chosen the right field. The medical and therapy field are growing at an unbelievably high rate. It seems as though every bit of information I looked at contained occupations in the medical field. The job outlook for speech and language pathologists is expected to grow 19% within the next seven years. This gives me some incentive to push through my next four years here at Murray State University!

To find out more, see the following links:

http://www.bls.gov/oco/content/oohinfo_faq.stm#earn

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos099.htm#earnings

Information Landscape at MSU

I never realized the vast amount of information that is available to me right here at Murray State University free of charge (well-besides that $3,300 for tuition). Anything I could ever possibly need to do any kind of research is available within Murray State's three information sources- the Waterfield Library, the Pogue Library, and their online virtual library. The Pogue Library, or the Overby Law Library, contains special collections and archives, while the Waterfield Library contains the circulating collection and other resources. Also offered at MSU, is the new Racer Communication center, where you can go to perfect your speeches and get advice from proffesionals! There is also the writing center, which is a very helpful resource for any of you who have English classes! The most helpful thing to me, I believe, will be the virtual library. It is very easy to navigate, as you can click directly on your field of study to begin your research! I am very lucky to have all of this right at my fingertips! I feel like the information landscape at Murray State University will come in handy to me as I finish up my next two years for my Bachelor's degree in communication disorders, and then begind my Master's in Speech and Language Pathology.  The following link will lead you to MSU's virtual library.
http://lib.murraystate.edu/bb/

Information as a Resource

Information is everywhere! Every single day we are bombarded with tons of new information that our brain could never store it all. This concept, known as information obesity, is becomming more and more common, mainly because of how easy it is to transmit information in today's modern world. The article distributed in class, "Information as a Resource", points out the meme theory, which explains how information spreads. The way information spreads can be related to Charles Darwin's survival of the fittest, in that some information is forgotten, and other information survives, and it spreads like wildfire. Gossip is one popular type of this information. With today's world, we communicate instantly through email and text messaging, that hundreds of people can catch wind of something within minutes. The sphere this information is transmitted in is labelled by Vladimir Vernadsky as the Noosphere. The article points out that we are exchanging information at "light speed", which is a very deep concept to consider. This is because the world keeps progressing, so you must ask yourself if we have reached a time of "maximum dynamism", or if technology will continue to advance and information will ever be able to be transmitted on a larger, faster scale.

The following link describes the history and relation between the noosphere and biosphere, as described in the article "Information as a Resource"
http://www.lawoftime.org/noosphere/theoryandhistory.html

9-11

It is hard to believe that Sunday marks the ten year anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Those events are among the most notable in history, and affected the lives and families of millions of Americans. One question I have been asked many times this week is, "Where were you and what were you doing on September 11, 2001?"

As I reflect back to ten years ago, it is not hard for me to answer this question. I was in fifth grade and Mrs. Michelle, my teacher, was teaching us how to play chess (who knew this was a required skill to pass fifth grade?). We had all partnered up and went into the hallway to practice, and shortly after that, all of the teachers came running out telling each other to turn their TVs on. We all went back into our classrooms and watched the events unfold. At that time I did not understand the importance or significance of the event, but it was not long before I began to realize that it would be one of the most known terrorist attacks in history.

After the attacks, people were scared to fly on airplanes because of security issues. So the big question today is whether or not airport security has in fact increased and gotten better since 9/11/01. I think that it has increased, mainly because of all the things that are not allowed on airplanes anymore. I have flown on a plane twice since the attacks and felt completely comfortable in doing so.

If you're interested in reading more on airport security and how it has progressed in the past ten years, see the following article!

http://www.todaysengineer.org/2005/Jun/security.asp 

Consider Your Source!

These days, you can answer pretty much any question you have by the Internet. There are millions of websites out there that hold answers to millions of questions people have everyday. How warm is it going to be tomorrow? What was the score of the game last night? What is a good recipe for the casserole I want to cook this weekend?  You can answer every one of these questions through some website out there. However, some websites are much more easy to navigate than others. Some are more reliable than others, as well. So the question is-which one should you use?

Choosing from the list given in "Consider the Source", I decided to navigate ESPN's site and see how long it would take me to find out what the Cowboy's schedule was this NFL season. As it turned out, I found the answer to this question in under a minute. Their site was very easy to navigate, as it consisted of tabs for each professional sport (MLB, NHL, NFL, etc). Under the NFL tab it held a link for each team's schedule, then I selected 'Dallas'. Within seconds I was able to find the answer to my question.

Another good thing about ESPN's website is that it is updated on a very regular basis, so it's relevance is great! It is timely, updated often, and on topic. The people who update the site must have a great knowledge about sports in general. The content of espn.go.com is outstanding, as it has scores, schedules, rosters, ranks, and numerous other statistics about almost any sport you can think of (professional and collegiate)! I was very pleased with how easy it was to find the answer to my question. I have also now downloaded an ESPN app on my Iphone that will provide alot of the information on the website through my phone.

If you are a sports fan, this site is a great one for you! With the NFL season approaching us quickly, I have posted the direct link for any of you that want to see your favorite team's schedule this season!

http://espn.go.com/nfl/schedule

Is Google Making Us Stupid?

The article "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" which we read in class raised some very valid points about the way we find information and the way we think, read, and function in the every day world.The author of the article says that the World Wide Web is "changing the way he thinks," and that he can "no longer focus on long articles and novels."  Once this point was brought to my attention, it really got me thinking! In today's society we want instant answers! If we have a question, we aren't required to spend much time researching. All we must do is type it into Google and within seconds an answer that we are looking for is more than likely to pop up!

Google, along with other internet search engines, are reconstructing the way we think. We are so distracted because so much information we read comes from the internet, where there are links, ads, and other things that draw our attention away from what we actually started reading. Even as I write this blog post, I must admit, I have Facebook pulled up on one tab, Twitter on another, and WPSD on a fourth tab. As I switch back and forth between all of these information sources, I realize why it is that my attention span is much shorter than it used to be.

On a daily basis, I find myself searching Google for phone numbers, addresses, weather, and other information I might need to know. I completely depend on the Internet for many aspects of my life. I believe this is the case with many others, and society as a whole would be lost without the World Wide Web. Instant gratification is provided to us through search engines such as Google, and I do not believe we will ever draw away from that!

I found the following article very interesting, as it responds to the "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" article we discussed in class. It points out the perspective of a neuroscientist and how she believes visual stimuli through technology will eventually change the way we express ourselves and behave. I encourage you to check it out!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7459182.stm

Allergic to Exercise?!

I love physical activity! I love to run, workout, and kickbox! My favorite of all these, though, is probably running! Last summer I got involved in 5K races. Throughout the months of June, July, August, and September, I ran 12 5K races, all in which I placed in my age group. Running, along with any cardio workout, is very vigorous, and when I run, my legs seem to breakout in a horrible itchy rash, which sometimes hinders me from completing  my workout! I didn't know what the cause of this could be, so I decided to Google it! :)

My research on itchy legs while running was very surprising to me! The reason for my itchy legs during intense running is due to my body's allergic reaction to the release of histamines that are released during vigorous activity! The medical name for the condition is urticaria, also another name for hives. Although red bumps do not always appear, my skin always looks very red and blotchy. This condition is very frustrating and annoying, because I love to run and a lot of times I have to stop because the itching is so bothersome. During my research, I found that an easy prevention is doing a ten minute warm up and cool down. A more expensive way to prevent it is taking an allergy tablet before I run, such as a Claritin or Zyrtec.

To learn more on this strange symptom you can visit the following websites:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/211298-why-do-my-legs-itch-when-i-run/

http://www.wisegeek.com/why-do-my-legs-get-itchy-when-i-walk.htm

Cold Feet!

I am sure you have all known someone at one point who suffers from cold feet! Maybe you yourself suffer from the condition, and have been wondering why for quite some time. My boyfriend, no matter how hot or cold, if it is snowing or the sun is out, rain or shine, his feet always feel like ice. I decided to get to the bottom of his crazy chronic cold feet syndrome!

During my research, just as we had both suspected, his cold feet are linked to poor circulation. Although that is the underlying cause, there are many different medical disorders which they could be directly linked to. One reason for his chronic cold feet could be peripheral vascular disease, which narrows blood vessels and restricts blood flow to certain areas of the body, such as the feet. It also could be atherosclerosis, which results in fatty materials adhering to artery walls. Another possibility is anemia, which is the lack of red blood cells accompanied by cold limbs!

Whatever the reason for his icy cold feet throughout all temps of the year, my advice was for him to go to the doctor and get his condition checked out. With him being a hard-headed guy, he surely will not listen to my instruction! I suppose he will continue to ignore his chronic cold feet, in hopes they will someday warm up! :)

The following links offer more advice on freezy feet!
http://www.ehow.com/facts_5301072_do-feet-cold.html

http://www.medicinenet.com/cold_feet/symptoms.htm

Big Questions!

The article "Big Questions" by John Hodgman really got me thinking about how the endless amount of huge questions we have each and every day! The article includes question such as "why do we sleep" and "what is the universe made of". It compares how much we know today versus how much we knew 100 years ago. The amount of progress we have made is unbelievable, and it is mainly due to technology! 

A "big" question I have once wondered about is how McDonalds got started. Perhaps the biggest and most well-known fast food chain, according to the McDonalds corporation website, they operate over 30,000 restaurants in 100 countries on six continents. I pondered on this question during my middle school years when a McDouble and chicken nuggets were among my favorite meals. Of course, to find the answer, I was able to type it in to the search engine Google, and tons of sites spit out answers for me to review. 

As an uninformed 15 year old, I did not yet know about the importance of "credible sources", so I am sure I believed anything I read online. Now, as I go back to research the history of this enormous fast-food chain, I have learned that it was started by a man named Ray Kroc, who, in 1954, turned a run down car-hop business into a small fast-food restaurant which served a basic menu of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, fried, soft drinks, and apple pies. From that moment, this tiny business turned into what is possibly the largest chain in the world! The link provided is the McDonalds corporation website, which provides many more interesting facts and statistics! http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/McDonalds-Corporation-Company-History.html

Thesis Statements

The class discussion on generating thesis statements proved to be very interesting, and quite helpful to me! I am a communication disorders major, and will be entering the graduate program within the next couple of semesters. With that being said, I am sure I will have to come up with many thesis statements throughout my educational career. 

One of the most difficult times I had with formulating a thesis statement was during my sophomore semester in English 2, which I took at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. During this course, I was required to write a research paper over conspiracy theories and the attacks of 911. Writing over something you care nothing about proved to be a very difficult task in this situation. After weeks of gathering what I thought was pointless information, I finally neared the end of my research. My entire paper broke down and attempted to disprove the conspiracy theories about the attacks that happened on September 11, 2001. I used many books, youtube videos, and government documents to do so. This was the most difficult time I have had with formulating a thesis statement, mainly because I was not interested in the topic.

The class discussion directed towards formulating thesis statements was helpful, because now I know how to break down certain topics from general to more specific, use key words for research, and pick a side based on the direction of my paper. The following link to the Purdue Owl website also includes more detailed information on basing your thesis on what kind of paper you are writing, whether it be expository, analytical, argumentative, etc... http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/545/1/

Crazy Cat Facts!

So you may be entirely confused/bored by the topic of this post! But hey-this is my first go-around, so I am getting used to this "blogging" thing.  We wonder about different things every day-and I have decided to start finding some of the answers to my wondering questions! Throughout my life I have always been a "cat person". Not only do I prefer cats over any other animal and own a sweet little kitten, but I also have the personality that follows suit of a cat! I do not require great amounts of attention, and I like to be left alone for the most part! I do not like people touching me and close interaction with others. Perhaps the most apparent similarity is my LOVE for naps! :) So my question for this week is: How much to cats actually sleep?
While doing a little research I found out some interesting info! Mature healthy cats engage in deep sleep nearly 15% of their lives. They spend 50% in light sleep, leaving only 30 % awake time! This amounts to about 6-8 hours a day that they actually spend awake. This awake time is spent 30% grooming and the rest playing or eating! In my opinion, cats are the luckiest animals ever! Eating and sleeping all day- that is any college student's dream! The link is full of other amazing cat facts! http://www.xmission.com/~emailbox/trivia.htm