Artifact #4a Uncanny Droid? #4b Old School? Or What?

In viewing the video about the droid, I definitely found it to be uncanny.  The supernatural characteristics of the droid  were uncomfortably strange, however, fascinating as well.  I felt as though I was watching Star Wars and Child's Play (Chucky) at the same time. Creepy. It was strange because when the droid spoke, it appeared that the movement of her mouth was further ahead of what she was actually communicating. It was like watching a foreign movie when the voice seem to be put in later. In other words, the droid's movement was unnatural (no emotion or expression), not convincing or realistic; unlike humans.  Even though the droid was strange, its ability to even attempt to portray human-like behavior was fascinating.  I know that artificial intelligence has been around since the ancient times and with the steady advancements of technology, it wouldn't surprise me to see one of these things walking around.  The question is, though, would we know the difference?
 

I am not really sure what to think about the pencil sharpener.  The pencil sharpener was for sure an upgrade from the manual ones we used in grade school.  The old school sharpeners would eat your pencil if you didn't take it out in time.  It doesn't appear that you would have that problem with this model. Actually, some of the features include an unique two-step sharpening process with auto-stop when the point is achieved.  The problem I have with this pencil sharpener is it requires a lot of work just to sharpen a pencil.  I mean you have to put the pencil in one side to sharpen it then put it in the other side to make it pointy.  It almost doesn't seem worth it.  I guess if you like a very sharp point, and don't mind the extra work of dual sharpening then this may work for you.  I will just stick to using mechanical pencils.

Artifact #3: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains

According to Nick Carr, author of "The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains," the internet works against our ability to foster our own ideas.  It provides distracted and superficial thinking.  Carr worries that we are losing our ability to think for ourselves.  And this conclusion is shared by many  psychologists and educators, he adds.  Carr proceeds by going into great detail on why we have trouble focusing at length on any given thing.  He explains, that the more stimuli in an environment, the shallower the focus must be to receive all of the information.  And this can create 'information overload', which decreases our depth of concentration and working memory.

I remember when these very same things were said about television. Television allowed us be exposed to more conversation and social interaction as well as seeing the world, more than one can experience on their own.  The internet does a similar thing in a more interactive way . We need more than conversation to form a world view. We need visual, auditory, and social interaction.  The television and internet do all of the above in ways that conversation and reading cannot. I believe that television and the internet has improved the quality of intellectual and social life for those who use it well.

 As the pace of our lives has quickened our desire for fast-moving diversions has grown. I am constantly online and multi-tasking through email and Facebook. However, I am able to concentrate and engage in deep thought when necessary.  So I feel that I have a good balance of connectedness and disconnectedness.  As with everything there will be positive as well as negative effects. So I agree that the internet has changed us but disagree that it is causing our minds to become shallow; unless we are shallow to begin with.

Artifact #2: Hamlet's Blackberry

According to William Powers, one who is not connected is the one left behind.  He began this concept of connectivity with the idea of paper.  Paper used to be the connection, what the world calls today 'Snail Mail' was once the world's 'Facebook or Email'.  Although paper is the past, it will never die it lingers in the backround as a tangeble object...  Paper is eternal.  So what of the people who are not connected?  There was once a time, not too long ago that email was the new thing, cell phones were making a debut as big bulky 'walky talky' type objects that were primarly held by cops and business men and women. 
Today we have slimmer cell phones with email, texting, music and video/photo capabilities and internet connection on the go.  There are people who have lost the ability to read maps as well and rely on a GPS system to get them from A to B.  In the music industry we went from Vinyl records in the 50's, 8 tracks in the 70's, to tape decks in the 80's and early 90's to CD's.  Now any type of CD is technically obsolete with I-pod, I-tunes, Amazon and free download torrent sites.   Like paper, Vinyls are eternal because they are tangible and somewhat prized in the fact that they are the product of the music.  William Powers has observed that when not connected people miss out on the movement of a community and the movement of the world as a whole.  But for the ones who choose to turn off cell phones pagers and ipods they are able to come back to a time when you could stand and watch something happen... Anything and have the ability to appreciate it.  Yes technology is a luxury, but it leaves us to wonder would we know a little more about ourselves and how we learn if we could take a break!  'Connectedness is balanced by disconnectedness... both matter.'

Internet or Television?

I personally prefer the internet as my main news source.  I've been getting my news via the internet for as long as I can remember.  Mainly because it is a faster and more convenient means of getting information.  The only time I do watch the news on tv is to check the local weather if there's a storm in the forecast. Other than that, I stick to what I know best.  I know a lot of people that much prefer to get their daily dose of news this way versus the traditional way, wiht the exception of my grandma of course.  Facebook and Twitter are great news sources that host tons of info.  So it's really no surprise that the internet is killing television.