Our Attention Span Gets Longer!

Pod cast 2

The known fact is that people on computers only have the attention span to watch short video clips. But according to the New York Times that has clearly changed! 

Virtual Strip Seach Sparks Privacy Fears

Podcast 1

CNN - Virtual Scanners Video. See how the Scanners work! Its a really interesting video!

Click here to watch the video!

Html Exercise

My web page. 

Image Manipulation Exercise

Number of Layers: 10

Topic of Your Images: TIGERS

Filters and Effects:

-Sepia

-Fade Image (bottom to top/linear)

-Brightness/contrast

-Curves (Input: 89 Output: 44)

Our audacity experiment. Erica Sillin and Rachael Baldwin

News Discussion 6- Palin Email Hacker Said It Was Easy

Someone obtained access to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's private Yahoo e-mail account on Tuesday. The hacker revealed his simple steps he took in ordered to gain admission to her private email and information. The hacker hoped to find incriminating evidence that would “derail her campaign”. He reported all he read though was, “personal stuff, some clerical stuff from when she was governor…And pictures of her family.” According to the hackers detailed posting of the crime the hack didn’t don’t require any real skill. He simply reset the password using her birth date, ZIP code and personal information that could be acquired just by searching the World Wide Web.

This article didn’t come to a surprise or shock me. After addressing the issue of security and hacking in class you realize how easy the process is. Even though this particular hacking incident didn’t involve much skill it’s a great example about how even the simplest information about you online can be helpful to anyone. Doing the class exercise which involved us finding personal information about people you certainly realize how easily facts can be obtained if you know where to look.

The hacker admitted to finding all the information he needed to change her password on the web. After a short amount of research he was able to find her birth date (found on wikipedia), Zip code (the United States Postal Service website), and even where she met her husband. Which was the last answer the hacker needed to obtain entry to her account. Just by doing some simple research he found she eloped with mister Palin after college and continued his search to find where they met. Eventually he found more details and guessed “Wasilla high” and was correct. Scary stuff.

News Discussion 5-Can you trust your email?

Can you trust your e-mail? It’s the first thing you check when you wake up and may be the last thing you do before you go to sleep. But can you trust it? Professors at three business schools reveal new research. It is easier to mislead and stall in written communication because you are without the visual clues that help you determine if someone is lying. Also people ac­tually feel more justified when lying in and email.

Not being physically present with the person you are communicating with changes a lot of things. Now lying can be made easier but even uncomfortable conversations are easily avoidable just by typing or texting. Its easier to break plans with someone, apologize or lie through a email. Technology is making it easier to avoid contact with other people and addressing situations properly. Through email, searching online for information, texting etc you can avoiding human contact that once wasn’t a choice. No wonder I am so uncomfortable approaching people. I have always found a way to avoid making a phone call, asking for help or talking to people I don’t know by using the internet, emailing questions I need answered and texting.