Texting Tidal Wave (Revised)

We can all agree that technology has changed the way we go about our lives, in good ways and in bad. I want to focus primarily on the way cell phones have changed our way of living. I also want to talk about how texting has made my life miserable. Every year cell phones change, and so do the people holding them.
            When I first started high school, my parents didn't think twice about letting me have a cell phone. In high school these days, gossip spreads like wildfire thanks to the influence of cell phones. I got the first hand view on how things changed when I started school because I was the only one without a phone. When I talked to people, I listened to the person talking to me, and got a first-hand glimpse of what was going on in my circle of friends. By the time my senior year came around, I found myself talking to walls. People became way more interesting in their texts, then my voice. I remember getting that hold on a second finger like 10 times in half an hour. Then came the rules. There were so many rules about not having your cell phone in class, and people still did it. It was the whole sneak it under the desk when the teacher is not looking and it never really worked. The punishment for breaking this rule was your cell phone was taken and locked up until a parent came and got it. Seems pretty childish.

This is something I wouldn't have imagined when I first started high school. If you walk through a cafeteria at lunch time these days, you will likely see 3/4ths of the student’s have their heads planted into their cell phones. My favorite of course is when people bump in to you because they are walking and texting. I am almost completely against texting in general. Texting has changed the way we interact with one another.

 A huge issue we are seeing today is texting and driving. People are dying left and right because of texting while driving or being hit by someone texting. In my eyes, texting while driving is almost the same as drinking and driving. Both impair your judgment on the road. Statistics are even showing texting and driving kills more people. States are banning texting and driving now, and I just cannot believe it has gone that far. http://texting-while-driving.org/tag/texting-while-driving-statistics shows you the comparisons between drunk driving and texting while driving.

            I know there are many people who completely disagree with me. Some people feel texting is the greatest thing to ever happen on Earth. They do not need to call someone all the time, they can just shoot them a quick text. Now, you can also access the internet on your phone. I feel this just means there will be more people bumping in to me now. Another huge problem with texting and cell phones is cheating, which was why it was banned in schools in the first place. People now have the ability to text the answers to tests to other students. What happened to the good old write the answers on the eraser trick? In a recent study, more than 1/3 of teens admit to cheating with cell phones. To see the other parts of this study, visit  http://www.commonsensemedia.org/hi-tech-cheating .

           Overall, I feel texting is doing more bad than good for us. People need to quit texting and driving, and cheating through their phones. In the end, it is not worth it. I cannot believe it has gotten this bad, and I hope the future improves. Almost all teens have cell phones now, and it just keeps increasing. It is a dangerous tool.



Foretelling the Future

     Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 is a science fiction book that has proven itself over the past 50 years. I feel that Bradbury really felt that censorship and knowledge were going to head down hill, and in many ways, it has. A few years ago, a thirteen year old girl took a brand new Harry Potter book to school, and ended up with detention. For a long while, Harry Potter was banned from schools. This was due to the magic and the fact that many people had classified it as 'satanic.' Does this story remind me a lot of the information that Fahrenheit 451 predicted? Yes, it truly does. It was not until a few years later that it was allowed in the school libraries. I feel that schools should be encouraging children to read, not giving them detention based on the book. This makes me feel Bradbury was right in predicting the future. In many ways, censorship can be both good and bad. To learn more about the thirteen year old and whether or not censorship is good or bad visit http://www1.epinions.com/content_2629345412.

     No matter what, people will have different views about whether or not television and the Internet has destroyed American's ability to read and think critically about ideas. It is actually a very good argument because both sides have great points. Many people can argue and say shows like Dora, CSI, and the Internet itself has indeed helped to make us smarter. Dora teaches you how to read and write in Spanish, CSI has helped us with our critical thinking skills, and the Internet has allowed us to further our knowledge. On the other hand, many people say the Internet and television has completely dumbed people down. The television is thinking for you now, and you are no longer thinking for yourself. Or, instead of using critical thinking to figure something out, you just hop on the Internet. Things like Microsoft Word has made it to where people lose the ability to read and write because they just spell check it. My position on this argument is that it has not destroyed the ability to read and think critically. I feel it has helped us in the long run. There are more goods than bads in my opinion. To see the many different views visit http://www.frihost.com/forums/vt-68796.html.

    This last topic of whether or not authorities will burn our books for the good of the people is hard to grasp. Do I think they will burn books for the good of the people, definitely not. Do I feel that authorities will burn books if they are conspiring against the government or higher figures, yes. That is a hard and out there answer to give, but if books are making mass amounts of people hate the government and conspire against them, I could not say no they wouldn't burn the books for their own good. The other point is no I do not feel the people will allow this to happen. Ray Bradbury is a man that has inspired people to not allow this to happen without a fight. I feel the authorities would not burn all books, but maybe a few if the time comes to it. People can argue and say this would never happen, but I have learned to never say the word never. Technically burning books is not illegal in most cases, so lets hope and pray our world does not end up like Fahrenheit 451. In our time, many books have been banned, to see a list visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_books_banned_by_governments

     In conclusion, Fahrenheit 451 did predict our future in some ways. Yet, I still do not believe that television and the Internet is destroying our ability to think critically. Do I feel we will ever come to a time where the government and authorities burn books? Not necessarily but maybe. If this happens it is definitely not for the good of the people.

Bring on the Learning

     Reasoning skills are skills that process basic to cognition of all forms. Reasoning skills are skills that you will need for your entire life. Many poeple believe that children in primary school are way to young to learn about reasoning skills. In my opinion, I feel that children should have to learn these skills at younger ages to help them in the future. I feel that primary school is a great way to at least introduce these skills.
      When you are younger, it is easier to process bad and good. If you are taught what is right and wrong when you are young, and are constantly reminded, you are more likely to not make the mistake. Why not inform children now of the proper reasoning skills they will need later in their life. The earlier the better. In a way, no matter what, reasoning skills are being taught somehow in school.
      I feel that children should get a jump start on applying these skills they will learn in everyday situations. Not only in school, but out of school as well. Reasoning skills can also increases childrens motivation, and learn things in different contexts. They can start thinking critically early, and process things easier and quicker later on in life. http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1995/1/95.01.05.x.html
       People feel that teaching all these scientifical and mathematical reasoning skills are not helping children in the long run. You need reasoning to solve problems and put things together. They say reasoning is too hard, and does not come to children easily, so they get confused faster. Curriculum gets harder every year, and reasoning skills should wait till middle school, or even high school. If anything, it drops their grades. I disagree due to the fact that all it can do is help kids make better and smarter decisions.
      Recognizing bad reasoning skills early can also help children out a lot. Whether it be drugs, math, or getting a job, you will need these skills. I feel the earlier you start, the easier it gets. That is the same for a lot of things. http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/Corinne_Zimmerman_Final_Paper.pdf
     Overall, reasoning skills are very important in developing yourself, and should be taught in primary school. Without reasoning skills, it would be hard to find a job, pass school, and build your life. I feel starting realy will help later on in life. It not only helps you with jobs, it makes you sharper.  http://www.criticalthinking.com/company/articles/verbal-reasoning-skills.jsp
   

Technological Tidal Wave

We can all agree that technology has changed the way we go about our lives, in good ways and in bad. In this blog, I want to focus primarily on the way cell phones have changed our way of living. I want to talk about the way smart-phones allow us to access the internet while we are traveling on a family vacation, but first, I want to get in to how it all came at us like a title wave.
     When I was first started high school, my parents didn't think twice about letting me have a cell phone. In high school these days, gossip spreads like wildfire thanks to the influence of cell phones. I got the first hand view on things when I started high school. I talked to people, I listened to the person talking to me, and got a first-hand glimpse of what was going on in my circle of friends. By the time  my senior year came along, there were rules not to have your cell phone in class or they would be taken away. This is something I wouldn't have imagined when I first started high school. You walk through a cafeteria at lunch time now, and everyone has they're head planted into their cell phone. There was a time when social networking was in person, not on Facebook or Myspace. "Facebook is tantamount to social suicide". (http://jezebel.com/5350259/can-facebook-make-or-break-your-social-life). Online social life can ruin a young person's real life outlook.
     On the other hand, how much does it cost to travel across the continent or globe, if you are going to have a meeting with someone? In these dire economic times, even million-dollar corporations are trying to save a dollar here or there. With the revolution of cell phones, people now have the ability to hold a meeting without traveling across the globe. Not only that, but they have the world wide web at the click of their finger on their phone, while the meeting is still going on. You have access to e-mails, can pull up quick facts to impress the other person, or have knowledge of a different country's culture and the way they do business (http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/index.php).
   When it all comes down to it, technological advances in cell phones has both helped and brought down human society. Personal point of view is very important. Their are pros and cons to every different person with the advancement of technology. In my personal view, I can do my blog on a Blackberry (http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/technology-explained-what-is-blackberry-technology/) or the awesome Sprint 4G phone that's on television and adds in movie theatres all the time. I can accomplish my priorities even if my computer crashes, or if I am traveling to visit my parents out of town.

My first blog

Hi im devin. Not qute sure what to do here but I think just saying hi is our first blog. So HI<3