Nana Mouskouri: ADAGIO

Dear Nana, it is has been a long time since I have not heard your voice so touching….I just participated at a HIT on Amazon.com. How amazing to see that some people still remember you, including me. I have chosen: ADAGIO this time. This is the link I typed on the internet:

http://www.song-list.net/nanamouskouri/adagio/tracks

I like this song and now hearing you I can see your classical music background which I never felt as a child. Boring for certain, but for me it is a true rediscovery of a musical universe, forgotten in memories.

Google Health and Privacy

I started my search using Google News. I typed Google and privacy and got a very blog post from the Wall Street Journal in the Health blog section. Victoria E. Knight wrote the blog. I chose Google News because I really like to see what’s on the news. Moreover, I was curious to see if Google would publish articles about their privacy on their news website. The search led me to an article only but the article would give access to the report on consumers’ privacy put together by the World Privacy Forum:

http://www.worldprivacyforum.org/pdf/WPF_PHR_02_20_2008fs.pdf

The article is in fact a blog on Health and privacy. As Google came out with Google News or Google scholar, it possible to go to Google Health online. This online feature allows consumers to record and track their medical records and features information about health, medical conditions and diseases. People can create their own digital-health records. Google is not the only company who started doing business in the medical field. There is competition from Microsoft’s Health Vault and myoptumhealth.com. Some are in favor of the digital medical records but others oppose its use saying that it may damage consumers’ privacy. In particular, the World Privacy Forum argues that privacy is at stake. also, the Health insurance Portability and Accountability  Act (HIPAA) provides minimum privacy for health insurance companies and providers. The medical record itself is not protected. As a result, companies like Google Health are not considered covered entities by the HIPAA.

This article was useful to me because I did not know that Google Health existed. I also did not know that other corporations were going into the digital health record business. It is something new for me. I only typed “Google and privacy” in Google News and this article came out as second on the search results. I am not familiar with the Wall Street Journal so I decided to have a try. The blog was published on the Wall Street journal Health blog section on December 1st, 2008.

The information is not trying to convince me. I feel that the information is informing me on a issue related to health, security and the internet. To be honest, I am glad to have found this article because I know now that these type of digital health features exist online. The point of the writer is to make us aware of the existence of these tools and also to make us think about the privacy of our personal information. Some people might feel safe to write their medical information on the internet. Other people might feel insecure. It is up to the readers to decide what works for their interests; however privacy is still a big issue and Google and the other companies will have to reassure the public of securing private data.

Blog can have comments and everybody can share his/her opinion. On the same day, this article received many comments. Some of them in favor of the service, others criticizing the lack of privacy of it.

Here is the link for the blog:

http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/12/01/unitedhealth-takes-on-microsoft-google-with-online-health-venture/

 

WEB 3.0

I really enjoyed reading this article about Web 3.0. The first thing that I really like about Web 3.0 is the fact that he could help us make appointment if we had to go to the doctor or to the dentist!!! No seriously, we would be capable of taking direct actions just through surfing the web. It means that the web would be connected to the doctor’s office of our choice, and linked to their reservation database. I think it is a brilliant idea for the end-users. However, I am concerned that it might not help in terms of helping someone get a job. I mean, if the computer can do all that, there is no need to hire a medical secretary. The doctor can check himself or herself who is coming in: “Lucy’s Semantic Web agent can also check potential appointment times against her mother’s busy schedule, reschedule other appointments if need be, and more” (Cade Wetz).

I also liked the idea of the 3D web. I think it is a great idea because we will not spend time traveling to certain places if we can see it on the web. Let’s say for instance when you want to rent an apartment. You could view everything online without having to take a bus or the subway to get there. Apartment search is so time consuming that the 3D web would be more than needed in that area!!!!

The semantic web is also interesting. It is true that google cannot make  the difference between Paris Hilton and the Hilton hotel in Paris:”Right now, search engines can’t tell the difference between Paris Hilton and the Hilton in Paris,” says Jeff Bates. I think that a better updated tool that could help us better differentiate our searches is needed. Computers are not like human beings but I am sure that it is possible to get far advanced in terms of computer semantics.

If Web 3.0 is capable of doing these three features, I would consider that it has become very advanced. Maybe the web of the future would allow us to do more things but to be honest, right now the web does a lot: pay my bills, educate, watch movie, make a dinner reservation, search or trip planning. I do not see anything else the web can do.

RSS/ Blogs/Delicious

Well, I have to admit that I like my blogs. I just find that the information found in blogs and the set up is much more organized than RSS. And to be honest, I would use “Delicious” only if I want to post something on a particular topic that know will catch the interest of delicious readers. Blogs are just much easier to use and to create. I like having the opportunity to register my blog and talk about topics that I want to talk about. I feel that RSS is very narrow minded in content. I can easily register to the ones that I find interesting but still, I will get news in my mailbox about specific articles only. What happened to creativity?

Maybe I am wrong and it is my personal view on these three methods of exchanging information. Nevertheless, they are good tools. I like the fact that RSS allow you to subscribe to specific newspapers or magazines. I think it is pretty cool. I usually go to the NY times website and scroll down articles that I want to read. At least with RSS, I can pinpoint my reading. Delicious is not a site that I would use to be honest. I do not feel attracted to it at all. Some people will have to explain the reasons they feel drawn towards that site but I do not feel the connection at all. I like the pinkish layout, that’s about it.

Blogs are the best!!!! And I love to comment when I read something very interesting online. Moreover, they are very easy to set up. I can see myself using blogs a lot in the future as a way to express my views on issues dominant in today’s actuality.

I am for a change in copyright laws

I am for a change in copyright laws. The idea is great because it is for protection of works. However, I feel that the music labels and the book edition companies are making much more money in comparison with what the artists usually get. How many Beyonce Knowles do we know? How many Hemingway do we know? Not a lot….I think it is time for artists to take full ownership of their work. I know so many people with potential in the domain of arts who are dictated how to do their work because they depend greatly on these big corporations to make a living. It should not be the case. Now, that the information is easily accessible via the internet, I hope that copyright laws will continue to protect but stop protecting the interests of these big companies. Artists need to be put in the center, creative output should be the main focus, not money!

Music labels are saying that they are making less money now because of information sharing. Maybe, it is time for them to change their marketing strategy. And as I remember, a CD has never been affordable. A CD, even back in the days would cost you on average $10. OK, if I am an adult, I can maybe purchase a CD. As a teenager, with no job, I have to wait until Christmas to get my CD. Now, with the information sharing, I can access a computer at the library and download for FREE my music. I think it is brilliant because it allows everybody to have the same musical opportunities, no matter how well I am doing financially.

Selected Poems: Emily Dickinson

I read a poem called “Escape” and the other one is called “Compensation”. I feel that reading on the screen is more difficult than reading on the paper. On the screen, you have to make sure that one of your hands handles the mouth properly so that the page can go down a liitle further to continue the reading. It takes more manipulation but when you read on paper, let’s say one page, the only thing that moves is your eyes. Not much effort is needed from the hands only to turn pages. The advantage on the screen is that letters are big, so for somebody wearing glasses, it helps a lot. When reading a book, usually letters are written in small character, and it is diffuclt to see without glasses.

I think that Google Book search is effective in giving a preview of the book readers are interested to read because they can read select passages. However, the CUNY+ system helps you identify the locations of books, meaning that you can borrow the books for FREE. Google would probably redirect you towards a seller like Alibris or Amazon.com where you will have to buy the book. You coud get the book at a discounted price but you still have to pay for shipping fees. CUNY+ lets you borrow books for a period of time. Now I believe that both CUNY+ anf Google book search are effective tools but have different purposes. To be honest, I would use both. in case I need more information on a book, I would use Google Book Search. After that, I would use CUNY plus to see if the book is available at any CUNY library. At least, if it is, I will not have to pay to get the book.

Don’t Like Palin’s Wikipedia Story? Change It”.

I chose that article about Sarah Palin and Wikipedia of the NY times because I felt it was so relevant to our present political context. The story tells how Sarah Palin’s wikipedia page was being prepared few days before she got nominated as VP of the Republican party. I would recommend everyone to check it out.

Click on link http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/01/technology/01link.html

or go to Lexis Nexis and type: “Don’t Like Palin’s Wikipedia Story? Change It”

How I keep updated with the news

Hi Everyone,

I usually buy the Daily news or New York times once every two days. In case I cannot read the newspaper, I go online and go to www.nytimes.com and read the news over there. I usually concentrate on reading the NY section because I feel that the news over there is very relevant to my life and what is going around in New York City. Apart from that, I love Amy Goodman’s show, called “Democracy Now”. I think it is brilliant because you get to hear the REAL news not what’s on TV. You can go to her website : www.democracynow.org and read the news or watch the online podcast. I think she is a brilliant journalist. I am mostly interested in politics because of the election. Although I cannot vote, I support Barack Obama because I think he is the most positive candidate. John McCain freaks me out!!!!

McCain

I got an article entitled “McCain says Senate silence Was Act of Bipartisanship”written by Michael Abramowitz for the Washington Post. It was written on October, 3rd, 2008. The audience is all the readers of the Washington post. I do not think the article is meant to buy votes. I see this article as an indication of who McCain is really and his reasons for remaining silent during the progress of the bailout rescue. I do not necessary agree with his views on that but he is entitled to have his own opinions.

To get this article, I googled McCain and got a series of links. I chose this one because of the fact that the Washington Post is a well-know paper from D.C. I felt that the information in it would be relevant, more than the information in the NY Post for instance!!!

Barack Obama

I have chosen an article from the Chicago Tribune (www.chicagotribune.com) entitled: “Obama lays into McCain over the economy”. It was written by James Oliphant from the Washington Bureau. The article was written on September 28th, 2008. I do not think the article is trying to sell me an idea. It just tells how Barack Obama may have some advantages on votes compared to McCain. This article is for all readers of the Chicago tribune.

In order to find this article, I just typed Barack Obama in google.com and got a series of links. I chose this article because I know that the Chicago tribune is a well-know newspaper and I was expecting to see credits given to Obama due to the fact that he is Illinois senator. As a matter of fact, I got a relevant observation on the presidential race and quotes about how Barack Obama criticized McCain for stating the the fundamentals of the U.S economy were strong.