Fought Facebook addiction

Last week in the middle of my week long assignment of staying off Facebook. I could barely stand not going on a social media outlet. I was In North Carolina at the time and even though there wasn't a computer in the house my fingers got twitchy and I felt a little uneasy. I couldn't see what all of my friends are doing and what they were thinking and it made me feel left out and forgotten.

Facebook addiction and me.

I read the article Managing Your Social Network Addiction and i thought of if I matched any of the criteria that was stated. I think that something that could help me manage my Facebook use is to prioritize, because I always end up doing things last minute because of Hulu, Facebook, or Digg. If I could prioritize thing more then I would have more time to use the social media and not have to worry about doing homework or when to turn in a project.

Somethings that wouldn't help me would be If I tracked my time while i was using the Internet because I would just ignore it and keep on using and ignoring the work that would need to be done. If I also use my networks productively I could get more work done quicker. Most of the people on my Facebook page are very smart and If I need help on a subject they may be able to help guide me through it. Also going outside wouldn't help because nothing really makes me want to got outside in the winter, not even the snow.

My fight against Facebook

Since I started my Facebook addiction test I have kind of been on edge. Even though I just get on Facebook occasionally there are still signs that I need it. Every once and a while I get the urge to type in the words Facebook and check messages or notifications. It is becoming really difficult to cope with the pressure of all of my friends on Facebook, and I can't.

Since i decided that I would make the best of the time I have to not be on Facebook, I have started exercising to pass the time by. Anytime I get an urge to get on Facebook I do 10 push ups, which ends up at about 70 push ups a day.I have been trying other alternatives like reading or relaxing but I don't think that you can beat a nice couple of minutes on Facebook. 

I still have 6 days to go on my "Facebook Strike" so I can't let the Facebook commercials and email update get to me. Technology consumes those who plugs in the cord. If you want to see if you're addicted to Facebook like me. Unplug the computer for a while and see how long you last.

Electoral college

Electoral college has been debated about for over 200 hundred years. But I think that instead of eliminating electoral college altogether, They should try to make it more fair. They should tally up all of the votes and then give that's states votes to the highest party.  


Most of the states in America(48 to be exact) already do the method of tallying the votes and then giving the electoral votes to the party that won. The two states that do not use this method are Maine and Nebraska. Instead they appoint electors to each congressional district for there votes. Even tho Pennsylvania a state that has been an electoral battleground, has been throughout the years republican has been overwhelmed by a 55% vote for President Obama. 


Even tho Popular vote would be the best way to get a exact vote the electoral college is still the main way of voting to keep all of the votes fair and takes less time to do.

Segregation in Maryland

Back in the 1950's The Hillandale community of Silver Spring, Maryland mainly consisted of white people. Now there are different cultures and ethnicities every where in the community. Across the counrty all-white neighborhoods are vanishing rapidly. You would think that it is African American's with the reigns but it is the Asian and Hispanic ethnic groups that are " Re-Colonizing" are suburbs. America now is more diverse than it has ever be.

In the District 1 in 3  neighborhoods is strictly segregated. 10 years ago more than half were. fairfax is the most diverse with only 2% segregated. There are major alterations goin on like the teachers for public school teachers like hiring people whose second language is English, parking, and house regulations. White people won't move into black neighborhoods but black people continue to move into black neighbor hoods and the vacancies in white neighnorhoods.


Most people are moving into places that are more american so places in the midwest are not growing, but shrinking. John Logan who is a socialist said  Asains and Hispanics paves the way for African Americans to move into white neighborhoods. It is still rare for White people to move into minority neighborhoods but they still excell in there own neighborhoods.

New Hampshire school trying to turn it around

At Oyster River middle school in Durham, New Hampshire a teacher by the name Linda Reif has her students do a semester long project on subjects of there choice and are then given an author. The other students in other classes have similar projects. the science students have to build an underwater vassal, and the history class has to re-enact the Boston massacre.

Even tho there test scores were at 85% for the school they were on the No Child Left Behinds "deemed to be failing list." So they have a new motto to get serious about testing. " Fill the Box" says Jay Richard the Principle of the school. "The best way to past the English portion is to fill in the entire box on the essay." 


Linda Reif says  it's " complete stupidity." and that teachers should use sense. She also said that "  There is a fear in teachers and administartors I've never seen before. alot of faith in us has been turned aside by the tests.' No child left behind is supposed to help specifically poor children to succeed in school. But by next spring 90% of New Hampshire schools are to be deemed failing. The problem with no child left behind is that if even the special education kids would fail the whole school fails.


This information was pulled from The New York Times.

Second Chance

          A 52 year old man named Dewey Bozella is going to make his boxing debut. He was exonerated for murder after 26 years in prison and wants to fulfill his dream of being a professional boxer. He had a troubled childhood and was never given a chance to live his life even tho no physical evidence pointed toward him.

          His first boxing bout will be his last. " I want to go out there and give it 100 percent then move on with my life." Bozella says.  While in Sing Sing he earned a bachelors or masters degree from mercy college and a masters degree from the New York Theological Seminary while still in prison. While he boxed in prison he claimed the light heavy weight championship. He was saved by the Innocence project. A legal  clinic that helps overturn wrongful convictions. He could not find work, then a N.Y. gym in Newburgh picked him to teach boxing. Then ESPN became interested in his story.  He then went to ESPY awards and was awarded the Arthur Ashe courage award. He is believed to be the oldest licensed boxer to box in California. He failed the first test then after training under Bernard Hopkins trainers he lost 10 pounds and then passed the test.

          He says " No one is giving me anything for free. I can go out there and get knocked out, or I can knock the other guy out. it's that simple. I think that with the determination he used to train for this bout if he wanted to he could win. Then maybe if he wanted to he could win a world title. He wants to open his own gym for youngsters. The federal government threw out his lawsuit because they said that certain evidence was not given to his lawyers. He says that he would like the justice system to be fair .

This story was extracted from The NY times website.

How Technology Can Change The Developing World

Technology can help change the world for the better. There have recent struggles in Africa that if they had certain technological advances they could have made it through unscathed. with billions of people in poverty and most starving Technology can pave the way for a new era.


   I read an article that says technology can help end world hunger. The United States has become a global provider for food and needs technology to expand says Lowell Catlett PH.D in agricultural economics and agricultural business and extension economics. With America's technological advances I think that we should be able to help under privileged countries in place like Africa, Asia, and the middle east. Catlett says that process foods don't have to be unhealthy. Processed bread is said to reduce diseases like rickets and others harmful to children.


   There is an global network of thinkers and activist who creatively think of ways to make a better world for people to live in. The name of this network is GTI. Former developing countries are developed because of their newer technology. Some of those countries are China, India, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and the still slowly developing Brazil. 

I think that the world should all be equally sustainable. There is only one way to help  and that would be with the help of technology. 


   

The Facebook media gate

I recently read on the NewYorkTimes that Facebook is unveiling something big for all their users. They will be adding music on their site.Not all free but still music. The music will be provided by various users.And as a Facebook user I am happy that they are finally are adding something more exciting to their site. Personally I am tired of poking people and change is for the better. They are thinking of changing the profile picture to a primary Hub for entertainment. what I got from that was when you log on you'll already have music in on your page.What the article says is that some of the participating websites are Spotify,Rhapsody littler companies like Mog ,Rdio  ,and my favorite Vevo. Spotify says that it has two choices  for customers to make either you watch free with advertisement or you can pay $10 or $5 a month to watch without the advertisement most of these companies have the same rule. Facebook say that the competition between cloud services will thicken and it will be hard for the players not up to par to compete. Rhapsody also say if it joins Facebook it will keep it's monthly fee. And a question for you readers how will a profitable company coexist inside of a non profit company? The article says that the big guys will gain but the small guys will lose. How do you think the small guys would lose? Just a little question for brain food.

Redskins

I watched the redskins game earlier and when I was watching I noticed how HORRIBLE Rex Grossman played  in this game not good. Most people try to take up for him but come on two picks two drives in the first quarter.Then we won by our great running backs Hightower and Helu and Defensive will power. The score was close at 22-21 Redskins won and it was a good game but we could have done better. There is always room for improvement

I just read on Today that a pug pooped out ate and pooped 100 rocks!When I first read it, it brought a big smile to my face and I wondered why someone would do that to their dog? The dogs that participate in an event held by veterinary pet insurance and he got a RUNNER UP award that made me wanna know who won.Sadly it doesn't state the Dog or other animal that won the event.