Cell Phones and Automobiles

One new danger to society that has developed with technology is cell phone usage while operating a motor vehicle. Anyone in high school within the past decade has been lectured on the dangers of using a cell phone while driving. The truth is that texting while driving, or "Driving While InTEXTicated" (DWI), is a serious safety issue for all who commute especially in the USA. "Because text messaging requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver, it is by far the most alarming distraction" (Distraction.gov). In 2011, 23% of all car wrecks in America involved cell phones. That comes out to about 1.3 million wrecks all because of cell phones. http://www.textinganddrivingsafety.com/texting-and-driving-stats/ . By the way, of those 1.3 million cell phone induced collisions in 2011, 3,331 people lost their lives, many of them being teenagers. As the phones get smarter the driving gets worse, with Facebook, Google, the Chive, and so many more websites available on the phones, drivers aren't just texting, their surfing too! The temptation for distracted driving has never been higher and the roads never more dangerous. Check out more facts about the dangers of driving distracted at:  http://www.distraction.gov/content/get-the-facts/facts-and-statistics.html

Youtube

How to change a tire. How to tie a tie. How to upload a picture to the internet. The technological advancements that have led to the development of Youtube allow everyone to become an expert in anything in 15 minutes. I am a youtube addict, whenever I have a question about how to fix or do just about anything, I turn to the tube. Since its birth in February of 2005, Youtube has been very popular on the internet among the young and the old. More than a handful of people have achieved fame and stardom from their starts on youtube. Several shows on television today are based solely on funny videos found on the website. Phrases like "oh this is gonna go viral" were not in existence before the creation of Youtube. I enjoy posting some of my own videos on youtube. My only videos involve things I've done with the Gopro but I'd like to start making how to videos. Youtube also provides a new place for advertisements. Often times, a short clip will play before your requested video that promotes some type of business. For more on the societal affects of youtube, check out : http://www.certmag.com/read.php?in=3525

Here's a video of me trying to teach my lady friend how to spearfish, it too is bound for youtube.

Fun With Technology

Today I want to talk about how technology affects one of my hobbies in a very positive way. Surfing, one of the most low-tech activities around, is still very much changed by technology. One bit of new age technology that augments the sport is the GoPro camera. This camera is capable of capturing 11 megapixel video and photos, that is super HD! The GoPro is also very small (about 3in. by 2in. by 1in.) the small size of the camera allows it to be attached almost anywhere. Some places I like to put my GoPro are on a head strap and on the nose of my board. These attributes of the camera are directly linked to advancement in technology but the thing about GoPro that affects me personally the most is indirectly related to tech advancement, cost. Advancement in manufacturing technologies and automated machines allow the GoPro to be relatively affordable.
Another type of technology that makes surfing better is the invention of internet apps. From the palm of my hand, I can look into the future up to a week and half to see when and where the swell is going to be the best. This is all thanks to a little app called magic seaweed.

Here are a few clips of my friends and myself messing around with the GoPro on a small day at our local spot.

Research: 9-12-13

Over the past few days I have noticed an area that technology has changed people with the invention and availability of Global Positioning Systems. The GPS is everywhere now, if its not in your car on a tomtom or garmin, its for sure on your smart phone in your pocket. This availability of information and direction has enabled much more efficient travel to unfamiliar places. Yesterday I was navigating through Beaumont, TX like I'd lived there my entire life because Siri was just telling me where to go. Not only has GPS allowed millions of people to travel without getting lost, Parents are literally lo-jacking their children using the GPS capabilities of the kids' phones. Check out this link, its obviously pretty biased toward GPS but the site brings up some valid points.          http://rachelgreenberg.tripod.com/id12.html

Pre-research Attitudes and Ideas

           My attitude toward technology has always slightly negative but my opinion on the net affect of technological advancement on the human race is yet to be determined. From global warming and rampant use of pornography to life saving pediatric transplants and ease of world-wide communication, technology has unquestionably changed the way humans behave.

            The way I plan to investigate this issue for my bog is to carry on daily life with a heightened sense of how and why advancements in technology has changed the lives of humans in particular the college experience. Once an observation on a particular issue is made, I will investigate it on the Internet and get some facts and statistics. Hopefully by the end of this blogging assignment I will have a fairly convincing argument on weather technology is furthering the betterment of society or driving us to our doom.