Tag: technology

Until It Happens To You

mushuooLeave a comment

Photo Credit: http://www.lawyer.submitinfo.com (not my accident)

Before every Thanksgiving break, the Ojai Valley School’s upper campus receives a speech from headmaster Mr. Cooper about safety. This talk consistently includes the statement, “the most dangerous thing you can do it get in an automobile.”

I listened attentively, but never truly comprehended how accurate Mr. Cooper’s statement was.

On the first night of break, I got into a car accident.

Although it was much more complicated than just an accident, I need not go into detail about the chaos that followed.

I am okay and that’s all that matters.

I write this blog simply as an attempt to open the eyes of other young drivers, like myself, and help them realize that have a license is absolutely NOT a right, it is a privilege.

All it takes is one split-second to change someone’s life forever. Whether it is your fault or the other driver’s, the physical and mental damage affects every person involved.

It is not that I didn’t take my parent’s advice about driving seriously, or that I did not do well on my driving test, but it was honestly an accident, hence why they are called “accidents”, not “on purposes”.

From the age of 16, we drive these large, metal death-traps around, unaware of the mass amount of damage that can be caused by them. We are taught about the dangers of drinking and driving, and speeding, but none of us knows the honest abilities of our cars until we experience it for ourselves.

Currently in recovery mode, I have the daunting task of deciding how to continue as a driver and monitor the collateral damage that has come from this event.

You can do everything possible to prevent accidents from happening, but every time you get in a car, you are choosing to take that risk. Stop for a second next time, and evaluate what you are capable of as soon as you turn on the engine.

You never think it will happen until it happens to you.

 

 

I Made My Own Desktop

instalockerLeave a comment

Simple Crystal Rainmeter Skin

About four years ago, I used a program called Rainmeter. The program is a manager for add-ons that accessorize desktops. It allows users to fully customize their computer desktop to their liking.

Users can easily download other users add-ons through places like DeviantArt and Reddit. Or they can code their own plugins and create an entirely personalized one-of-a-kind desktop.

Most people share their creations and submit their skin, which is the entire desktop, to the sub-Reddit and the individual plugins to Deviant Art. Four years ago, I did not realize its potential and saw it as a handicap slowing down my computer.

Now that I have a computer with a solid state drive, Rainmeter is a lot easier to run. So I started using it again. I love it so much I change my skin almost every week, but for the first time I have made my own skin. I used a lot of other people’s plugins, but I still had to do my own coding.

I customized things like font size, colors, and positioning, and  I also made my own basic plugin after reading several guides to learn how to do this. The skin is pretty simple and I posted an image with a guide on Reddit.

Now that I am more familiar with the programming of the plugins, I know I can make better ones, and I most certainly will. Instead of asking for help now, I can give the help to the “noobs”, like the mid-level skin makers did for me.

Even though my skin will probably never be the most popular skin, it’s nice to know that my contributions have added to the giant pool of creativity that is the Rainmeter sub-Reddit.

Dirty Feet Blues

kennyrooLeave a comment

I want to live a life with permanently dirty feet.

The assertion that one is obligated to be confined in shoes, at a job, where you sit in the same spot, and do the same thing everyday.

When I was younger I would play for hours on end without shoes on my feet.

I’d like to think of my dirty feet as an accomplishment. You’ve connected with the earth for so long that is has had time to change you.

The wicked cycle of an endless suburbia is keeping our feet much too clean. The same thing every single day.

Switch it up, take those damn shoes off — forget about your work emails for half an hour and take a minute to be alone.

Uninterrupted, just you and the earth. Breath it in. Feel the dewy grass tickle to spaces between your toes. Feel the rough asphalt grind away at your skin.

I would like to live a life with permanent dirty feet. In this technological age, people are seeming to forget that they’re washable.

You can get as dirty as you want because you can be cleaned. You can wash away the silt from your socks but you can’t replace the feeling of truly connecting with the earth.

Stop checking Twitter and take a look around. See the life that you’re missing out on being glued to the screen of your phone and go get dirty.

You’re too busy Instagraming at the tops of mountains for the likes rather than the memories and sense of accomplishment.

 

Whether you hold this true to yourself or not — this time we’re living in feels so artificial.

So, disconnect from the screen and go connect with what’s green.

Geniuses are the downfall of society

instalocker
Image credit to preventdisease.com

Throughout history there have been people who are different from the rest. These “different” people are famous in the history books and are considered geniuses. I’m not talking about great warriors or generals. I’m talking about the scientists, engineers, architects, the innovators of the world, the geniuses. People like Davinci, Wright brothers, Alexander Fleming, Marie Curie, and Steve Jobs. They are some of the smartest people to have lived and most people are thankful for their contributions. I’m not thankful, however; I say screw them. The human race will die at their doing. The contributions they made have greatly impacted the earth. The damage done is beyond repair and at this rate, Earth has 100 years left. I am thankful for the lack of contribution made by everyone else; they should be the ones in the history books. Sure, there have been people that have made designs that help the world, but it’s not enough. I can only think of a few things that could save the human race: Intergalactic travel or time travel, and I don’t see that happening anytime soon. Thanks a lot smart people.

Car Chaos

mushuooLeave a comment

This week, I stumbled across yet another technological advancement while reading news articles.

Since September 2014, Google has released roughly 50 self-driving cars out and about on the streets of California. These futuristic Lexus’ and Audi’s have been roaming the streets in hopes to prove that they are safe to drive themselves.

So far, there have been only 11 accidents that were minor and included no injuries.

“Not once was the self-driving car the cause of the accident,” said Google’s Chris Urmson.

In my opinion, although self-driving cars sound kind of cool, they also sound terrifying. What if we know something is wrong with our car, but we cannot control it because the car is in control of itself?

However, Google makes some very strong points as to why their cars are safer than human driven cars: robots do not get tired, they are not emotional, they are over-cautious rather than fearless, and these cars can see things human’s cannot always see.

Is this an unrealistic plan with too many issues involved? Or what our future will be like?

Photo Credit: extremetech.com

Drone Control

mushuooLeave a comment
Photo Credit: http://www.newsobserver.com

As the 21st century continues to barrel forward, new technology begins to come forth.

One of the newest technological advances is drones.

Yes, they have been around for a while, but usually for recreational or military use. Now, ideas of having drones become more involved in everyday life are becoming more prominent.

Amazon has expressed that they are interested in being one of the first companies to deliver packages to residential areas.

However, this brings up a large list of legalities.

How high can drones fly above someone’s private property? What if someone does not want to have packages delivered by drone? Can a homeowner shoot down the drone if it gets too close for comfort?

A couple of days ago, my mom was outside gardening in our yard. She was going about her business when she heard a loud, buzzing noise. Not knowing what it was, she walked all around our house until she found what the noise was: a drone hovering twenty feet above our roof.

She had never seen a drone in residential areas, and when she told me the story, she was furious, as someone else’s drone was being obnoxious above our property.

My mom is not easily angered, so to see her reaction was shocking. I can’t imagine how the rest of the world would feel about this.

Everything It’s Cracked Up To Be

kennyrooLeave a comment

Trivia Crack a game that’s taking over smartphones worldwide. Trivia Crack is an online trivia game very similar to the board game trivial pursuit.

There are six question categories: science, art, history, entertainment, sports, and geography. Win 3 questions in a match to earn a crown, and you must get six crowns to win a match.

You are afforded three lives and your lives are replenished one per hour. When the game opens, you spin a wheel to randomly select your topic.

The question is presented in multiple-choice fashion with a thirty-second time limit to answer it. If you answer the question wrong, the right answer is flashed on the screen momentarily.

This game is not only addicting but educational as well. Most students and teachers on campus are challenging each other with questions all through the day.

While I’m sure at some point this game will fade out like all other iPhone trends, but as of now, the widespread rush of trivia knowledge is ever so present.

Photo Credit to: http://www.whatishub.com

 

Unplug

kennyroo
cnn kid with phone
photo credit to: http://www.cnn.com/

When I was younger my brother and I shared a flip phone and we were over the moon thrilled. Our house had one big black computer, and my dad had a laptop for work. Adults had small flip phones to text, call, and take horrible quality photos — but that was it.

Phones weren’t buzzing and beeping 24 hours a day, and we could all get through a meal without even mentioning technology. Today, I have my phone with me most, if not all of the time. I can’t even go into a mall without seeing at least a handful of toddlers playing on tablets, or crying because they don’t get to watch television on their mother’s phone. The kids that are being born today are being born into a generation of technology – a generation that cares more about taking pictures of their lives, rather than actually living them.

Maybe we should all unplug. Take a break from other peoples’ lives and start living your own.

Observation

displacedlocalLeave a comment

Power lies not with those who rule intellectuals, but who rule the fools. An Intellectual knows when his rights are being taken away, they fight and resist to no end. Fools can easily be owned. Their faith can be bought with the simplest of things. They will believe anything they hear, which is exactly hat makes them dangerous.

-Unknown author 21st century.

In the second half of the 22nd Century a computer virus spread that wiped the data from millions of servers across the country. This outage caused The U.S. to be sent back to the dark ages. There was no way to contact the military overseas, the internet was the only way to control a military that was entirely robotic. Although when you think about it, the enemy’s army was entirely robotic as well. I always thought it was a ridiculous thing, to make machines just to break each other, piling millions of dollars into robots that served the express purpose of destroying other robots. A huge waste of money.

Back to the revolution. The people grew increasingly angry with the government. Martial Law was in effect in most states, and people were starving. The programs that ran the farming equipment had been shut down, and most towns had no ability to provide for their populations. Villages began to fight over food and water. We became barbarians over night. Thousands of years of morality lost in an instant.

Hunger changes a man, his instincts take over. Food becomes one’s only thought, and those who had it had the power. The smart ones like myself read books from museums to learn how to farm and grow food for ourselves. We had a garden with a few vegetables growing, and life was good. Well, at least until the town got word of our little establishment.

When people get angry they riot, when people riot they destroy, and when people destroy, nothing can be saved. They devoured what little food we had and burnt our home to the ground. An incredibly foolish gesture considering that the books they burnt were far more valuable than the vegetables, but alas, fools have no time for critical thinking in a riot. They think only for themselves.

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.