blog post 8 EOTO 2

Total Information Awareness (TIA) 

 

         In 2002, after the 9\11 attacks which took place on September 11th, 200, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, (DARPA) of the U.S department of defense launched a research and development effort known as the Total Information Awareness program, that was later renamed as the Terroism Information Awareness program. According to Google Scholar, TIA was a research and development program that was intended to prevent terrioism by developing and integrating information analysis. The program also included the development of a system/ network to provide an environment for conducting human experiments .

 google scholar

         TIA was focused on transactions and data that were already being connected and resided in various databases, privacy implications, and databases  that might have contained the digital signatures of most Americans as they conducted their daily lives. The program also included  high power search engines using secret matching criteria to analyze personal information. This technology was established as early as 2004. The Bush administration had been secretly monitoring emails, internet searches , and phone conversations of millions of Americans without their knowledge , the approval of congress or warrant issued by a judge . However, according to Google scholar, in 2008, congress passed the 1978, Foregin Intelligence Surveillance Amendments act, which required a search warrant for any electronic communication passing through the US. This new legislation, demolished the 1978 act and gave the green light to continue warrantless surveillance of millions of Americans. However, the IAO initially budgeted for the development of software that was intended to build into the TIA program, privacy and security protection. Unfortunately, when the project was transferred to the NSA, the technology came to a halt. It is clear  that this  software has the potential for horrifying violations of the right to privacy. As it was mentioned before, it is also clear that the Bush administration also violated the 1978 act. Ultimately, the goal of TIA program is to create information technology that America’s national security community can use to detect and defeat terrorist networks before they attack. However, according to springerlink.com, the TIA program is now designed as an experimental, multi- agency prototype network that participating  agencies can use to better understand , analyze, and make decisions based on whatever data they currently have legal access to. The TIA program was designed to incorporate multiple things such as providing focus warnings within an hour after a triggering event  that occurred such as 9/11. TIA is also able to automatically queue analysis based on parietal patterns that cover 90% of all previously known forigen attacks. TIA also supports collaboration, analytical reasoning, and information sharing  so that analysts can predict and propose theories and strategies , so that decision  makers can effectively evaluate the impact of policies and the course of action. Overall, we think that TIA will do us some good in the future, still seems a bit questionable to me. However no one really knows how the TIA program will affect us and the government. Today no one really knows the social and political impact that the TIA program will have on the society as a whole . 

blog post 7 privcay

privacy

Based on the TED talk videos we watched, I noticed that the main issue of privacy is deeply connected to surveillance by our government.This deeply affects our generation considering that the 21st century is surrounded by technology, mainly our telephones. In one of the videos, there were several points made about telephones which seems very scary but sadly true. The third TEDtalk video with Christopher Soghoian, he states that “our telephones and the networks that carry our phone calls were wired for surveillance. Throughout the video, he also states that “ apps that are used by hundreds and millions of people around the world, such as WhatsApp which is owned by Facebook, have built strong encryption technologies into its product which means that people in the global south can easily communicate with family and friends without their governments wiretapping their text messages. Another interesting thing that Soghoian points out is “what upsets  the government the most, is that tech companies built these encryption features into their products by default’.Therefore some government officials believe that all of these communications should be available to them. As a daily telephone user, sometimes I fear whether or not our American government or other governments , even hackers, could be listening to every phone call, or tracking every email, or text message that I send to my family and friends. My friends and family are also frequent telephones users and some of them have the same concerns as I do.I think that the government should put certain laws in action that address data security, and most importantly, the government should consider how some agencies handle and protect personal information.

Based on what was mentioned in the TED talk videos, ways that we can protect ourselves from invasions of our privacy include, limiting personal information we share on social media. When we provide too much information on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter ect, can become easier for cybercriminals to obtain identification which also allows them to steal identity or access financial information. Another way that we can protect ourselves from invasions of privacy is to use more virtual private network (VPN) which is a network that gives you privacy by creating a private network on a public network.

blog #6 what I learned EOTO1

Motion pictures

(what I learned ) 

Based on our EOTO technology presentations, the most interesting technology that really stood out to me was motion pictures. When I watched the presentation, there were several interesting facts about motion pictures that I found very intriguing. What makes motion pictures so important is when motion pictures were invented, audiences loved the way motion pictures told stories. According to this presentation, I learned that the first motion picture was taken in 1826. I also learned that the quick spread of movies  allowed motion pictures to become one of the most accessible and beloved forms of entertainment in the world. It seems as though motion pictures document all historical events,  and capture visual meaning.

What also makes motion pictures so fascinating, is that filmmakers around the world started experimenting with new technologies, and also the Lumiere brothers created the first film, motion pictures also allowed technology to advance overtime. There are some negative things that I learned about motion pictures. I learned that  filmmakers oftentimes have to rely on blockbuster films and also the majority of films are produced by a powerful corporation. Filmmakers have relied on streaming services in hopes to get their films made . I also learned that there is a great deal of censorship when it comes to motion pictures. Some positive things that I learned about motion pictures are,  Some of the best films come from overseas, which further explains why movies make more profit abroad and also releasing films abroad first also ensures that film studios won’t have to worry about English privacy, and this allows them to make more money in the Box Office.

blog post #5 ANTIWAR

 

Exploring these two websites, lead me to believe that in most cases when it comes to mainstream news, there is a certain agenda that is pushed that oftentimes comes across as biased.This further explains why certain news websites such as Google News, along with other news websites, pushes certain topics that then become available to us as viewers. Looking at ANTIWAR.com and the American Conservative website, there were several things I noticed about the writers.

On one of the websites was an article called. “Remember Pearl Harbor, Mr President”? Written by Douglas Macgregor, former advisor to the secretary of Defense in the Trump Administration, carefully breaks down the history of Pearl Harbor which includes dates of certain events that occurred. Throughout this article, Macgregor questions president Biden’s policy positions on Eastern Ukraine and Taiwan. However underneath this article I noticed that there were some interesting comments that were made about this particular subject. One viewer pointed out how European allies see Russian troop concentration in Eastern Ukraine as a confirmation for approaching Russian invasion. The reason why we did not hear about these issues is because the media, along with the government, chooses what we should and should not know in regards to the way our government operates based on news that we see on television everyday. The reason why we seek obscure websites in order to hear strong antiwar voices, is because the writers have views that need to address some of the questionable motives behind the American government.

blog post (EOTO) assingment

 

The VCR 

 

Introduction

 

For the EOTO(Each One Teach One ) project, the technology I chose was the VCR. The reason why I chose the VCR is because it is very nostalgic. Not only is it nostalgic, but it was one of the first technologies to define American television culture within the homes of families and generations.

When was it invented ?:

 

https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/charles-ginsburg

According to my research, the inventor of the VCR was Charles Paulson Ginsburg, also known as the “ father of the VCR. he was born in San Francisco , 1920. He received his Bachelor's degree from San Jose State university. In 1948, Ginsburg worked as a studio and transmitter engineer at a radio station in San Francisco. In 1952, Ginsburg then went on to work for Ampex, which is an American electronics company that was founded by Alexander M. Poniatoff in 1944. There , Ginsbuhatrg had the opportunity to lead a research team which developed the first broadcast quality Video Tape Recorder known as the (VTR). The VTR revolutionized television broadcasting. Tape recording of television signals traces back just after WW2, when audio tape recorders were used to record very high frequency signals needed for television. These early machines were pushed to their limits that ran tapes at very high speeds up to 240 inches per second inorder to achieve a high frequency response. However, Ginsburg and his team came up with a design for a new machine that could run at a slower rate. The ampex VRX-1000( later renamed the Mark IV video tape recorder which was introduced in 1956. However, Ginsburg held the position of vice president of advanced development at Ampex from 1975 until his retirement in 1986.

What makes the VCR special and its impact :

According to the “Television and the American Family”, https://books.google.com/books?id=VbSPAgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

The VCR was first introduced in 1975, at a price of $2,500 which symbolized the beginning of the cultural revolution. In 1980 the VCR was owned by 1.1% of television homes in America. By the end of 1997 the percentage increased to about 89%. By the year 2000, the percentage had increased to 93%. However , the VCR served at least three functions in the home and video culture. It supplied home entertainment, it replaced other leisure activities and most importantly provided social unity. There are several reasons why the VCR plays an important role in our home and video environment. According to “Television and the American Family”, the VCR is the first video communication medium that allows us to have control of when , where , how and what to watch on television. While doing my research about the VCR, some of the most interesting facts about this technology that really stood out to me was the structure of the VCR. VCR’s are built for the reception and recording signals that are transmitted by a direct broadcast satellite. Another thing that I found the most fascinating about the vcr was that an active vcr user is even more mentally and physically active than an average active t.v. audience member. Overall, the vcr will stand out as one of the most significant contributions to the 20th century.

blog post #3

5. Check on Governmental Power (aka Watchdog Role) — see Vince Blasi, Checking Function of the First Amendment

     As Watergate, Irangate, Clintongate and all the other "gates" demonstrate, freedom of the press enables citizens to learn about abuses of power — and then do something about the abuse at the ballot box if they feel so moved. We, along with the press, are part of the check-and-balance system to restrain government power and abuse of power.

  

 

Based on discussions that we had in our previous classes about the Government, I think that this statement resonates with me the most. Based on some of the behaviors of some of our leaders that we had in the past, leads me to question some motives and ways of our government. I believe that power is obtained by a number of things which include social class, and most importantly, social influence of certain traditions. I feel that this statement is most important, because there are many examples of powerful tactics that  we see particularly in politics and in the government that some of us really do not want to discuss. Some of these power tactics include bullying, criticizing, demanding, and manipulation especially within the media. This particular statement is really personal to me because there are many examples of some of these powerful tactics that are in action even today. I believe that there have been many instances of power being exercised by the use of force and violence. The  tragic death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor,  along with many other young African Americans who lives were taken in the hands of the police, the Black Lives Matter protests that occurred in Washington D.CThere was  an innumerous amount of force that was used, and Donald Trump , who was our president at the time, was so ignorant ,calling the BLM protestors an angry mob. However the incident that occured at the capitol, which was encouraged by president Trump, no force was used. However, I believe that this is a prime example of a leader that is very hostile, arrogant, and most importantly his biases and prejudices often appear in an image  of sexism, racism, and other discriminatory behavior that was unjustified. I also believe that presidentTrump and his administration  caused incitement which means,speech that causes violence or lawless action. I also believe that Trump caused  Racial divide.  According to the “Economist Education Article, there are ways in which the  abuse of power can be avoided by showing empathy and compassion to a certain topic, building a system of review by putting in place a structure that holds executives accountable for their actions which also can help to prevent  the corruption that can accompany  power and most importantly listening to critics. I also believe that forming an understanding that raising feelings, and becoming aware of those feelings can also be beneficial as well. 

blog post #2

The founding era and the idea of America 

Based on things that have been discussed in our previous class  about the supreme court, there were several things about the supreme court  that I learned but did not already know. Based on the overview about the supreme court  that was created by the History channel, I learned that the supreme court is currently made up of nine justices and the supreme court also has the power to check actions of the two branches of government, which is the executive branch of the president and the legislative branch of congress. Another interesting thing that I learned about the supreme court was that the supreme court’s justices are nominated by the president of the united states and nominations are confirmed or denied by the u.s senate. Here is a brief history about the supreme court based on the overview :1789:According to   SCOTUS History,

 the constitution allows congress to decide the organization of the supreme court.  The legislative branch exercises this power with the Judiciary Act of 1789. 

This act was  signed into  law by president George Washing at the time in which he specified that the court would be made up of six justices who would serve until they either died or retired.1790: According to   SCOTUS History,  as of February 1, the supreme court was assembled at the Merchants Exchange Building in New York city.

February 2 the courts early meetings were more focused on working out organizational procedures. One of the most surprising things about the supreme court that really stood out to me was as of january 2021 , there are 115 justices that served on the supreme court. Another surprising thing about the supreme court is that the chief justice is a member of the majority opinion  and the chief justice also has the authority to assign who writes the Court’s opinion, and also presides over trials of impeachment against the president of the United states. However the most important takeaway point about the supreme court is that the supreme court plays a very essential role within our constitutional system of government. The purpose of the supreme court is to interpret the laws and defend the Constitution.Based on the video that I have watched and the history of the Supreme court, my view of the supreme court is that it holds a lot of power and it is very essential to our government and its decisions. also the Supreme Court has seen numerous other nobles justices including

William Howard Taft who is the only person to serve both as president and chief justice.