Do Now 12/15

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." ~Mahatma Gandhi 

          The things that help ignite the desire for me to help make the world a better place, is seeing people in need of the simple necessities of life. When I notice that people do not have certain things, (such as clothing, food, water, and shelter) it really hits home, because I've always had these things without having to worry about ever losing them. It makes me want to help them because even though I have never had to deal with that, I know that I would never want to. In other cases such as disease, I feel the same need to help because even though I have never gone through what they have, I want to help them overcome it. I can use my future goals to help make the world a better place because no matter what I do I will keep the people in need in mind and make sure to donate or put time aside to help others. By helping others you are making them happier, and by making people happy you are spreading positive vibes; positive vibes are all we need to make the world a better place.

Blog- Post Assessment

         Have you ever been to Gino's Pizzeria? If not, you are definitely missing out. Gino's is my favorite restaurant by far and I think everyone would love it if they went! It is located in Jersey City, NJ and has been family owned for decades. They serve classic italian dishes in a casual space- the perfect combination! To see the Gino's menu, click here!

         My favorite meal to eat at Gino's is baked ziti. It is absolutely delicious and is also my favorite food overall (not just at Gino's, but this pizzeria definitely inspired my love for it). The best thing about Gino's is that it is both a pizzeria and a restaurant. One side of Gino's is casual and comfy, whereas the other side of the building is much more secluded from the public and great for family parties!

Find out how to make my favorite meal down below!

     


         Lastly, another fantastic feature of Gino's is the people. Because Gino's is a family owned and ran, all of the workers make you feel so welcome and comforting- just like you are at home and part of the family. If Gino's closed down, I have no clue where I would go, because I have been going to Gino's with my family since before I can remember. We go there at least once a month and we have such a close bond with the owners. Everyone that works there is so kind and hilarious. This type of environment is exactly what a restaurant needs and it makes me want to go back more and more because they are truly so happy and loving. Gino's is an excellent restaurant/ pizzeria and if more people knew about it, they would realize just why I love it so much.

RSS Feeds Project

1. Why did you select the sites you subscribed to?
I selected the sites that I did because I feel they keep me the most updated on my favorite topics. I also chose some news sites and government run sites to keep me up to date with current world-wide and local news.
2. Was it easy to find feeds and to subscribe to them?
Somewhat, because if I found a website I liked, it was a matter of choosing the sub topic that became the problem. For example, if I chose a makeup website I would then have to find the feed for an individual topic of makeup. Overall though, it was surprisingly simple to add my feeds to the digg reader.
3. Which sites were your favorites?
My favorite site to subscribe to was the "Tonight Show." This is because I am a huge fan of Jimmy Fallon and since I always watch the show, it is really nice to get the subscription to see who is guest starring every night.
4. What else can you use RSS feeds for?
You can use RSS to stay updated with your favorite topics or even people! You can subscribe to your favorite celebrities' social networks to constantly get their updates, so if you are a big fan it could be really cool.
5. How likely are you to continue to use RSS feeds in the future?
I am most likely going to continue to use RSS feeds in the future. I honestly love the idea of getting all my updates sent to one website as opposed to going to every single one. It is really cool that this exists and I am very happy that we learned about it.

Tech Article 12/4/14

Logitech Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard

• The Logitech Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480 is designed for use with up to three devices.

• No matter what computing platform you have, the keyboard will be perfect for you. 

• Now, you can work on a report on your computer, and with the flick of the Easy-Switch dial, respond to a message on your smartphone or type a tweet on your tablet.

• You can do all of this from the Logitech Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480.

• The price of the Logitech Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard is $49.99.

To find out more about this Keyboard, click here! Even better, to watch a video about this keyboard click here!

New Class

       The topic of my new class, if I were a teacher, would be film and design. This class would have two time slots to choose from, one during the day and one at night. The day-time class would be two periods during the school day and the night-time class would be an hour and a half from 6:00 pm-7:30 pm. The students would need much more time than a regular period during the day, because they would need time to put the set together before acting, or they would need time to get supplies if they were apart of the design portion of the class.
       Like I mentioned before, the class would consist of both film and design aspects. This means, if they were apart of the film portion they would learn acting skills and better ways to present your self on camera. If they were about of design they would learn to tips and tricks on how to embrace their creativity and put it into designing a new set for the film. the class would eventually work together and make a film to present to an audience for the end of the year. The beginning of the year they would reinforce basic skills and I just know the students would have a great time! It would be an amazing experience and it would look awesome for college applications.

Tech Article 11/21

Livescribe Echo Smartpen

• The Livescribe Echo Smartpen allows you to record audio while you’re taking notes
• You can then play the notes back later
• You can save and share interactive notes to your computer
• They can also be saved to an iPad or iPhone via a micro-USB connector 
• The USB connector also allows you to recharge your pen 
• The memory storage holds 400 or 800 hours of recorded audio (depending on the model)
• Includes an OLED display that makes it easy to navigate smartpen apps
• The pen's price starts at $169.95

To learn how to use the Smartpen Click Here!

Wiki Research

1. How can a wiki be used in a current class on your schedule (not this course)? Pick a class and be specific how the class could create and use a Wiki on a regular basis (tip: Use the Internet, here is a good source).
• A wiki can be used in many classes that I have throughout the day, but the best one is probably World History. Wikis are good to use for history because it makes it a lot easier to share and look up information about historical figures and events. Each student of my class could log on and each add their own bit of information and answer questions that someone else in their class may not be able to answer.
2. What are the benefits of using a wiki in class?
• The benefits of using a wiki in class are that everyone can be informed on the same thing, as long as ONE person writes it into the wiki. Another benefit is that it is easy access for all students to get to and log on. It also makes it a lot easier to keep everyone on the same topic as they all add their own personal opinion/knowledge during the class discussion on wiki.
3. How can we create a wiki in this class, what would we contribute to it and how would we utilize it on an on-going basis?
• We can create a wiki by having one person create a page and sending the link to everyone. Then, we can split apart the positions each person would have on the account. For example, whatever the topic is the classmates could each answer specific questions about the topic, giving us all the answered questions at the end. We could use wikis on an on-going basis because it makes it much each to share our tech articles or important links/videos that we find.
4. What experience do you have using or creating wikis?
• I have a lot of experience using wikis because I use them all the time for history projects. Our class separates into groups and then each group uploads their topic of research. It works great because in the end everyone in the class can go on the wiki and study from all the information other groups wrote about.

Tech Post 11/14

• This is a power adaptor which provides it's  own plugs.
•  It also has mini wire connections for phones
• You can use it as an AC output
• You can charge two USB devices at the same time
• It's also easy for transport because it folds up into a flat sided box 
• It's around 3.5" small

Do Now 11/10/14

      Over the weekend I did one main thing, watch Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl is a show on Netflix, that no longer airs on TV. The show is extremely entertaining and I am obsessed with it. The characters are all so creative and the actors are amazing. I enjoy watching Netflix because it relaxes me and it is much better than sitting around doing nothing all day. Although, I probably should have done something more productive, I just could not turn my laptop off; I regret nothing.

10/27 Do Now

Do Now

         To me, a presentation is something that is done to represent a subject you have worked on. A presentation should be interactive and interesting. The point of a presentation is to get the audience engaged in a topic you are talking about. Whether it be bribing, asking questions, eye contact, or even playing a game with the crowd- you have to capture the focus of as many people in the audience as possible.

Tech Article 10/10

Curing Blindess With Lasers

• Of over 250 million people suffering visual impairment around the world, four in five cases are preventable or curable.
• Blindness a key priority of the WHO, and a growth area for treatment. An expected 32 million cataract operations will take place in 2020, up from 12 million in 2000.
• Leading the charge is Dr. Josef Bille, the pioneering scientist who invented eye surgery using laser.
  
• Bille has gained dozens of patents and launched multiple companies that have together provided the majority of the 280 million laser surgeries carried out in the world to date.
• "There shouldn't be any blind person ten years from now in the world," says Bille.
• Key to his ambition are femtosecond lasers; ultra-short and focused beams of light that efficiently target the bumps and film of a cataract without any cutting that can cause collateral damage or complications in the healing process.
• The lasers are precise enough to pinpoint individual molecules and subtly adjust their focus while leaving healthy material alone. Numerous tests have proved they offer significant safety advantages over existing best practice.
• "It's a treatment which can make every eye perfect," says Bille. "We call it perfect vision, it is twice as good as normal vision, so you see twice as fine detail at much better contrast... Five times better contrast vision at dim lighting conditions, rain or in foggy areas."
• Perfect Lens, a Californian company that Bille works with, has adapted the cut-free process to plastic for advanced contact lenses, and the scientist expects it to make the jump to "in vivo" - in a living human - within a few years. Technolas, another of his clients, in one of the few companies to offer the femtosecond service.
• But Bille's assault on blindness is on several fronts. Development of another of his inventions, "wavefront" scanning, provides a map of the retinas of each patient so that surgeons can tailor their procedure.
• "There are first signs of deterioration of the functioning of proteins inside the cells twenty years before onset of any detectable micro-morphomatic change in the eye, so we have to look at the 50-year-old patient, and then if you detect it early you can set treatment which interferes with the metabolism of the cell. 

Click Here to Find Out More!

Tech Article 10/3

• In the next few years drones will become much more common and will be scene everywhere.

• The latest aerial offering is the Plexi Drone by Dream Qii.

• This drone is for photographers, who don't want to mess around with the new camera technology.

• It is NOT a toy and is designed for the average person to use.

• It can capture a true 360 degree view without obstructions. 

• Airborne photography is the most popular use for drones.

• This drone is definitely going to take over the market!

Do Now 9/29

          An editorial is an article written by or on behalf of an editor that gives an opinion on a topical issue. In the past my teachers have told me that Wikipedia is a bad source to use for work, for it can be changed and edited by anybody on the internet. Because of this, we are not allowed to use it for papers, homework, etc. They say it is an unreliable source and should not be trusted to have factual information because since anyone can edit the pages, than they could essentially write whatever they wanted. After reading this editorial my views on Wikipedia have definitely changed. I feel that Wikipedia should be allowed as a source on all papers because after reading this article, I know it can be very trustworthy. 

Tech Article 9/26

Charging Your iPhone 6 Costs Just 47 Cents a Year

• According to a study conducted by Opower, it costs just 47 cents a year to charge your phone.
•  Opower's estimate might even be too high (it assumes you charge your iPhone 6 from 0% to 100% once a day every day, but most people don't empty their batteries of juice every day.)
• It costs 52 cents to power up an iPhone 6 Plus, every year. The iPhone 5, meanwhile, costs just 41 cents for a year's worth of charging.
  
• They cost so little to charge, because smartphones (built to last a day on a tiny battery) are incredibly low-power devices.
• In comparison, a laptop uses 14-times more electricity per year, and a desktop computer uses 49 times more. 
• As smartphones continue to replace PCs, consumer energy usage, and bills, could sink.
• Smartphones have also eaten in to video game sales. Playing games on a smartphone instead of a television can save you even more money.
•  An Xbox One uses 61 time more power than an iPhone 6, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
• TV sucks up 72 times more electricity.

To find out how much it costs to MAKE your iPhone, Click Here!

World History

The content area class I have chosen to write about is World History. The World History class is taught by Ms. Garvin. Ms. Garvin is an amazing teacher for many reasons, one being that she is always there to help you with things you do not understand. Ms. Garvin is also a very down to earth teacher, so she talks to us like normal human beings as opposed to talking down to us. She is an avid runner and is in charge of the student council and NHS. Ms. Garvin does so much for our school because she truly loves it here.

When World History first started i expected to learn a lot about wars, which I am not a huge fan of. Once we really got into everything though, I found out that we are learning more on different times and current events an such, which in my opinion is much more interesting. So far in her class we have learned quite a but about the Renaissance time period along with medieval and modern. We were also focusing on art work evolution and comparisons throughout the centuries. Another great thing about the class is that Ms. Garvin has a great grading policy! As long as you do the work it is nearly impossible to not get at least a B in her class.Her grading policy is 40% for projects and tests and 20% for homework.

One of the most interesting aspects of World History is definitely the field trip we are going to be going on. I can't wait till May so we can go see the 9/11 Memorial. I also love the projects we do in that class because they help boost our grades and they are really easy and fun. It is also really cool that a lot of her stuff is on the computer so we have easier access to it. Besides that though, we don't use much technology in her class. Overall the class is probably my favorite because, I love history and Ms. Garvin knows how to teach it in an exciting and peppy way!

Here are a few helpful links to get to know Ms. Garvin and World History better!

http://wood-ridgeschools.org/Domain/208

http://prezi.com/skcarlmcmgek/world-war-i-the-powder-keg-of-europe-explodes/

Eduactional Technology and Copyright Laws

• Copyright is a United States federal law that protects original “works of authorship” which include literary, written, dramatic, artistic, musical and certain other types of works. 
• All content is copyrighted immediately and does not require filing paperwork. 
• When a student or anyone for that matter, draws a picture, writes a story, snaps a picture, scribbles on a notepad or hums a new tune, etc., the work is copyrighted. 
• The instant you create something, it is copyrighted. You now have four exclusive rights:

1. Reproduce the copyrighted work;
2. Display the copyrighted work publicly;
3. Prepare derivative works based on the copyrighted work; and
4. Distribute copies of the copyrighted work to the public by sale, rental or lending, and/or to display the image.

• Here is what copyright law states:

Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include—

(1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;

(2) the nature of the copyrighted work;

(3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and

(4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

• Many images are licensed. For example, images on iStockPhoto or Flickr Creative Commons are licensed and are not subject to fair use. For commercial sites such as iStockPhoto, you buy a license to use a photo.
• In classroom projects, it is fine to search for images on the Internet.
• First, try to determine if the image is licensed (not copyrighted…remember, almost everything is copyrighted). If it is licensed, such as a Creative Commons license, either use the image in accordance to the license or do not use is at all.
• If the image is not licensed, or your best guess is it is not licensed, use it according to the fair use regulations. Make sure to give credit to the creator if possible.
• The bottom line is, if you find a great picture on the Internet, chances are extremely good you can use it for educational purposes.