Category: technology

Never Fixed

indigoshellLeave a comment

In Journalism class, we watched Shattered Glass. Or most of it, anyways. I was having a terrible, awful, no good, very bad day, so it heightened the suckage of the movie for me.

Well, it wasn’t a bad movie really. It followed the, slightly antagonistic, days of Stephen Glass, and appeared to be a lovely movie at first. Stephen Glass seemed to be charming, witty, awkward, and an easy to talk to person. He was a journalist and was loved by his co-workers and boss, Michael Kelly. After a strange “punishment” of circling commas beheld the crew, Michael tried to defend them and ended up getting fired.

Their new boss, Chuck Lane wasn’t too hot for Stephen. Or at least lacked the bond that the last boss shared with the workers.

One of Stephen’s stories was about a teenage hacker, how Ian Restil hacked into the company Jukt Micronics’s computer system and how he became a hero among other hackers.

Guess what? The whole story was total bullcrap. Whoaaaa plot twist of the century.

Ugh.

Anyways a reporter at another company, Adam Penenberg at Forbes Digital Tool, got suspicious and researched the company. Him and his co-workers discovered an amateurish website for Jukt Micronics and nearly no evidence that any of the story actually happened whatsoever.

Aaand Stephen Glass is suspended. For two years.

That’s about where we left off in the movie. In reading of the movie’s Wikipedia page, I discovered that Stephen had admitted that 27 of his articles were fictional in at least one part.

I can understand the pressures of writing, I can. Our school’s journalism program is pretty intense, and, even as a rookie, I’ve found myself one or a few times thinking “maybe I’ll just pretend this happened…”

I didn’t though. I did my best to stick to the truth, however boring or difficult the truth may be. If Stephen had made up one of his stories, maybe two, I would’ve been a little more forgiving towards his character. But no, he had to make up 27 different stories and that is just ridiculous and weak.

Drive Safely.

eternity1030Leave a comment

A few days ago, one of my friends in China got injured from a car accident, in which the driver was texting while driving.

The tragedy reminds me of an informal survey I did during this summer. The survey was based on the new policy about “texting-while-driving.”

Gov.Andrew Cuomo signed new legislation increasing penalties for teens caught texting-while-driving, and the penalties apply to any kind of cell-phone activity while driving. Under the proposal, violators’ licenses would be suspended for 60 days after their first conviction.

The number of cellphone-related car accidents in New York State increased by 143 percent between 2005 and 2011, according to New York.

According to my informal survey of 10 New Yorkers from East Village area, teenagers spend more time on texting than the older group and about 10% of people interviewed drive and text.

Drivers talking on cell phones are 18% slower to react to brake lights in front of them and they take 17% longer to return to their original speed after braking, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Also, early CBS reports showed that Harvard researchers estimate about one in 20 U.S. traffic accident involve a driver talking on a cell phone.

The legislation brought people in agreement. Most of people think the policy was fairly helpful and efficient.

However, there are still lots of people who remain neglectful the importance of not doing something else while driving. I think it is not only the governments’ responsibilities to reinforce the laws, but also people’s obligations to control themselves.

Please, when you drive, do not do anything else.
Texts can be delayed, lives can not.

Do video games make people violent?

infamousdolphinLeave a comment

Due to the new release of Grand Theft Auto V, the fifth part of a huge franchise well known for its irrational amount of violence, anti-gamers from all around the world have risen to social media to protest.

GTA 5

Their purpose is to stop violent video games from entering the hands of the so anticipating gamers. Their argument? Video games turn people into violent murder machines. However, considering that the most violent thought I get while playing this game or any other is how brutally I wish to devour a pack of Doritos, it is safe to assume that a large portion of gamers are not influenced in real life by actions performed in-game.

But how about those who are? For example, Andres Breivik, a Norwegian mass killer guilty of murdering 69 people and setting bombs in government facilities was linked to the extended use of violent video games. However, Breivik was diagnosed with Paranoid Schizophrenia and was also abusing illegal substances. Also, his motive for the attack was Islamophobia, which is not preached in any video game. Anyhow, Breivik did refer to games such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 as training tools that helped him sharpen his aim.

After the massacre, some video game retailers in Norway banned violent video games temporarily. Blaming video games for the actions of a criminally insane man is as ridiculous as blaming the car for the actions of a drunk driver, or even blaming alcohol.

Sources:

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

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2013/09/12/training-simulation-mass-killers-often-share-obsession-with-violent-video-games/

Phonebloks: The Phone of the future

callmemaybe32Leave a comment

Last night I was on Facebook, just cruising as I do and I see a link shared by my Dad’s company.

The caption of this video was this, “Very interesting idea. Would you adopt this phone technology? // #phoneblocks”

I was like, “well this might be interesting.”

I have had an iPhone for 5 years. I got the iPhone 3 on my 13th birthday, and from there I haven’t thought about having any other phone.

Droids have come out and the iPhone still seems better. The Galaxy series came out, and still the iPhone seems better, but this Blok phone is the 1st phone that I have thought about actually switching to.

This phone isn’t out yet, but the concept is great.

Electronic waste is an ever-growing thing in this world, and our phones are contributing to this issue greatly.

Our phones aren’t made to last, they are made to last until a new one comes out and then suddenly stuff starts to break.

This block concept eliminates the phasing out of the entire phone.

There is a block for every component of the phone, so if one breaks, you just replace that block.

It allows the user the ability to customize their phone. Photographers can upgrade to a bigger camera, old people can go simple so they know what the hell they are doing and don’t have to ask me how to press a button that says “phone” to use the phone.

(Love you mom).

This idea needs funding, and it needs to be spread across to all of the executives across the country so people know about it.

On October 29 they will send a blast out to all major companies to try to get the process rolling.

They need our help to get the word out.

Go to phonebloks.com and join the Thunderclap so that they can get enough people to make their dream a reality.

Not only could this introduce a brand new, very cool phone to the market, but it could cut down on waste and help the general well-being of the world we live in.

Pokemon

backinphillyLeave a comment

There’s a lot of different sides to me. There’s the Eagle-fanatic side that just loves the NFL and his Eagles. There’s the Honey Badger, my deranged, athlete side who simply has no regard for his own or anyone else’s well being. That side is also known as my “power trip”. And then, there’s my nerd side.

I am a bit of a nerd. I am an absolute Star Wars addict. I could look at a picture of a character, and probably give you a solid name and specific event that occurred in that character’s theatrical life.

But, as into Star Wars as I am, I’m a huge video game freak. My favorite franchise is the Super Smash Brothers series made famous by those awesome people at Nintendo. But there’s always been a very close second.

That would be the Nintendo-produced Pokemon franchise. Everyone knows about Pikachu, but I know about the other 600. It’s a whole world that I just love to immerse myself in from time to time. In fact, over the weekend, I went out and purchased one of the newest installments in the franchise, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon.

I just realized how lame that actually sounds, but the game is once again very entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable.

Read More »

My Favorite sneaker

displacedlocalLeave a comment

Boston is as pivotal to sneaker culture as any city in the US. It is home to one of the most beloved brands making sneakers today, New Balance. New Balance has created an extremely loyal following, and for good reason, they provide quality and reliability. It is a home to some of the greatest silhouettes of all time, among them is the 999. It is a complex upper on a 3 paneled midsole, yet manages to be refined and beautiful.

Concepts saw this and wanted to pay homage to the great historical city of Boston with the Kennedy New balance 999. Inspired by John F. Kennedy’s love for sailing, this sneaker featured nautical details and was executed to perfection. This is often noted as the sneaker that brought New Balance back.

Featuring tonal grey and tan suede along the upper accented with vibrant blue and red it works beautifully. The colors and tones combine to create a toned down beauty, something that New Balance and John F. Kennedy would be proud of. A masterpiece. There is something magical about a sneaker than can manage to pull so many themes and colors into a shoe that can become and instant classic and be ranked amongst the greatest sneakers of all time.

The Concepts X New Balance 999 is perfect, from the story and inspiration all the way down to the red flag hangtag that reads CNCPTS. A legend.

Bioshock

backinphillyLeave a comment

By now, a lot of hardcore gamers have heard of the popular series Bioshock. Just recently, the third installment, titled Bioshock Infinite was released.

It is already being called the Game of the Year. That includes its competitor, Grand Theft Auto 5, which is due out later this year.

I think its premature to call anything the game of the year when its only April. We still have 9 more months before we pick a winner. But, let’s look at how popular Bioshock has been.

Bioshock was marketed as a horror/action/adventure game, and is well worth those labels. Up until recently, however, I had zero interest in the Bioshock series. When I was younger, about 3 years ago maybe, I stayed over a friend’s house, and he played Bioshock at 2 in the morning. I was petrified and swore that I would one day conquer the game. Recently, the Apple Mac App store released an app version of the first Bioshock game. I waited for a sale to cut down the 30 dollar price (I bought mine for 10 bucks) and started playing.

I haven’t finished yet.

I am in awe. I played until 3 AM the other day, and thank god it was Friday night. It wouldn’t have mattered if it was a Tuesday night. I couldn’t put the game away. It’s intensity is completely unmatched.

Big Daddies are my favorite characters.

This picture should explain just about everything.

Yes, he’s that large thing. He goes completely psychotic is you so much as breathe the wrong way. See that little girl next to him, she’s the little sister. If you touch her EVER, you’re going to die. That drill for a hand is not for show.

The Crashing Eagle

frog32 Comments

gg5

A nation’s spending out of control.

A flying spark of hope flies across the sky.

A weathered bird has served its time well.

Its has flown high in the sky.

It has been prey.

It has been a predator.

It survives its ordeals only to come crashing down.

It is shot down by bureaucracy

The replacement threatens to out shine it.

A mighty eagle, the replacement is swift and strong.

The hopes of the nation come crashing down.

The mighty eagle crashes, its strengths is its undoing.

Exorbitant costs and empty coffers force the nation to abandon the eagle.

In it’s destruction the eagle robs the nation of its hope.

Never again will hope rise so highly in the nation.

The Perils of Innovation

frog3Leave a comment

r4g44g

Innovators often suffer for their ideals.

Not grounded in reality dreamers always dream.

An ideal that can change the world and the faith of its residents.

The age of gasoline will end.

Men such as Musk will lead the way.

Media and politics conspire against him.

A shady review is circulated.

His lighting vehicle, once a savior is now vilified.

The media in this instance is false.

His lighting vehicle is a miracle but personal vendetta got in the way.

Reports laced with malice were found false.

Who is to blame?

The media, politics, or the man.

The blame rests on are culture and the industries that allow it to thrive.

Timeflies

callmemaybe32Leave a comment

I recently came across a musical group called Timeflies.

I was drawn in by a rap that I found while studying for finals called “Adderall and Redbull,” that raps about staying up late studying for finals.

I thought that the vocalist Cal had extreme talent in his vocals and his ability to rap.

The song featured above was a freestyle on a track previously made by another artist.

To have the ability to freestyle is something I wish I had, but it is extremely difficult and takes great talent.

He shows his great freestyle ability in a cover of Ke$ha‘s “Die Young.”

In this song he has his friends write down random topics on which to rap about.

He gets the basket while in the booth and makes great music out of it.

Cal and Rez have only been around as Timeflies since 2010 but are growing in fame with the great music they are producing.

Most of the songs feature an electronic track with great vocals and raw raps.

The song “Turn it Up” features a more electric/dubstep ish style.

The groups ability to merge genres is something that they have been credited with since performing in high school and college bands.

His album “The Scotch Tape” can be found by clicking on the link.

Hope you enjoy the music