Academic Blog for Animal Cruelty- Horse Carriage

Hello NYS assembly member Michael Cusick, 

My name is Shannon Hui and today I’d like to talk to you about banning horse carriages in NYC.

I would like to start with a statistic, close to 70 horses are unaccounted for at the end of each year in New York City. Horses aren’t protected under the Animal Welfare act so the only protection that they have come from local animal control officials. The problem with this is that according to the experts, the anti-cruelty laws aren’t even ideal for horses. The officials also don’t have the resources to monitor whether or not the operators are following the regulations. This makes the whole process unenforceable and difficult to regulate.

Second, I would like to inform you of the instances in which horse carriages create dangerous situations for themselves and the people. Being that NYC is one of the most fast-paced cities in the world, these slow-paced carriages don’t stand a chance. Horses are prey animals and they fall victim to loud noises and startling situations. Because they are thrust into the danger of NYC transportation and traffic, they can easily be scared into making sudden movements and hurting themselves and others. NYC has the highest horse carriage accident rate in the country.

I would also like to mention the conditions in which horses are forced to work in. By law, horses can work for up to nine hours a day, seven days a week. With that being said, I want you to remember how they are literally nose to tail pipe for the majority of their workday. Sucking up exhaust fumes can cause respiratory illness and death. In addition to this, horses in New York City are forced to walk around with steel shoes on concrete floor. This is an unnaturally hard surface and can cause lameness. After a long day of work, most of these horses are forced to go back into stables less than half the recommended size by horse experts. This makes it virtually impossible for them to lay down or stretch their legs after a long day of work. It is barbaric the way we treat these poor, innocent animals and it’s time we made a difference.

To end my statement, I wanted to share a quote with you by Milan Kindera. “Humanity’s true moral test, its fundamental test, consists of its attitude towards those who are at its mercy: animals. “ With that being said, I ask that you, assembly member Michael Cusick have the heart and morality to sign the petition to pass the bill to ban horse-carriages in New York City for in order for us to create a difference, we must lead by example. 

Animal Testing According to BUZZFEED

Animal Testing and what we can do instead!

WARNING: IMAGES THAT MIGHT BE HARD TO SWALLOW

Look at this little guy! Do you see how cute his teensy little hands are? Doesn't he look like he just wants to be loved?

Now look at this guy. This is image they want you to see. This is what they want you to think animal testing looks like. 

This is what it ACTUALLY looks like.

Each year, more than 100 million animals—including mice, rats, frogs, dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, monkeys, fish, and birds are killed in U.S. Scientists like to use the excuse that it's a small price to pay for science but these animals are forced to pay by inhaling toxic fumes, having to endure getting their skulls drilled in, and have their skin burned off. 

They are treated as if they are disposible. They are forced to live in cages, aren't allowed to socialize, and are tortured. 

IT'S JUST NOT NECESSARY!!!

Animals are biologically different than people. The test results are unreliable and inaccurate. The drugs/cosmetics they try on animals just can cause a different reaction in people! 

Aysha Aktar (a neurologist) states: No two humans are alike in their physiology. Even identical twins differ in their susceptibility to diseases and their responses to medications. If we can't reliably extrapolate from one identical twin to another, how can we expect to extrapolate results from different species to humans?

ALTERNATIVES

Scientists could use more modern vitro/silico methods which consist of studies with human volunteers, advanced computer modeling techniques, and using human cells/ tissues. By doing these methods, studies would be more cost/time efficient and more accurate. 

YAY!!!!!

Academic Blog

Social media has an all-consuming relationship with it's users. Social media has transitioned into a hobby being used solely for social purposes, into being heavily relied on for classes and for future careers. Social media impacts young people who are enrolled in academia. Social media sites, like Facebook, are now used as an interactive communicative resource for students and professors to swap and exchange information quickly and efficiently. Most courses now incorporate social media websites like Facebook and Twitter as class requirements, especially classes focused solely on communication. 
However, there should be more classes focused specifically on social media. These courses should not only be targeted just for communication majors, but should also be offered for business and marketing courses. The use of social media should be offered as general education course because of its permanence and relevance in almost every young person's life. Even if some people are reluctant to join social media sites like Instagram, almost every young professional has a Linkeden, which is used as a networking site. Being able to navigate the social media climate is integral for businesses to market their products. It is important for young college students to be offered courses on social media and how to use it to their advantage, either for personal branding or for business marketing.
Universities should offer more courses on social media because there is specific language that makes communication most effective depending on what site you are using, as well as there is a specific audience. If you are active on Instagram, the communication cues you would use would be visuals with filters appropriate to your layout. If you are on twitter, the language you would use would have to be short and concise, as you only have 140 characters to get your point across. It is important to know which language to use in each social media forum. With each social media site there is multiple channels you can communicate through, whether it be video, pictures, or text. All of these sites use hashtags, which help you communicate with a broader audience, especially if the hashtag is trending.
Social media classes should be taught on college Universities because many businesses are active on social media and use it to promote their businessness. Social media is an integral part of a young professionals life- socially, academically, and professionally. Social media can be used for self-promotion regarding jobs, especially now that employers will do background checks on social sites and generally require employees to have some skill in computer mediated communication. Social Media has become a profession and career in its own right and there should be classes on how to navigate the social media climate to most efficiently market yourself.

Professional Blog- Social Media and reality

 Social Media has become another "reality" for it users. It has become their "best" reality. Social media has laid out a platform for its users to present the best versions of themselves. What you see on social media may not be an accurate representation of the person's real life. Mostly everything on social media is constructed or contrived to heighten the appeal of someones day to day image. It is both literally and figuratively a filter on a person's life. Social media is everyone's highlight reel.   There was an article on babble addressing the way social media can hinder our perceptions of reality. They shared a YouTube Video that I felt strongly validated their point which is a point this blog post is attempting to reiterate.
 Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxVZYiJKl1Y 
 People who use media to present their best selves often forget that the people they follow are doing the same exact thing. The constant comparisons made on social media can be detrimental to young people's mental and physical health and overall affects their sense of self. Recently, a young YouTube and Instagram star, Essena O'neill, came out and openly talked about how social media and her excessive use of it made her depressed and unhappy. The constant need for reassurance through likes made her lose her sense self worth.  She could never get enough likes, or enough attention. She changed captions on various pictures on her Instagram in bikini clad photographs and said "...Stomach sucked in, strategic pose, pushed up boobs."
Here is the article:http://www.buzzfeed.com/beckycatherineharris/instagram-star-reveals-the-truth-behind-her-photos
Social Media and its devoted users are losing sense of their reality.  It is impossible to resist comparing your own life to someone else, especially if their page is filled with glamorous perfectly edited posts.  Social media and it's excessive use by its users is ruining peoples self worth and affecting their mental state.

The Candidates and their Plan

Their are too many issues for me to list for each candidate. Listed below will be their plan for one issue and underneath will be a link to their website to read up on it,. All info comes directly from the candidates website.

Hillary Clinton :
Economic Plan: Hillary believes the defining economic challenge of our time is raising incomes for hardworking Americans.

Too many families are working harder and harder, but still not getting ahead. Our country is standing again, but we’re not yet running the way we should be. From her first day in office to the last, Hillary Clinton will fight for you and for more take-home pay so you can get ahead and stay ahead.

Hillary understands that in order to raise incomes, we need strong growth, fair growth, and long-term growth. And she has a plan to get us there.

Website: https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/

Donald Trump:

Immigration Reform: "When politicians talk about “immigration reform” they mean: amnesty, cheap labor and open borders. The Schumer-Rubio immigration bill was nothing more than a giveaway to the corporate patrons who run both parties.

Real immigration reform puts the needs of working people first – not wealthy globetrotting donors. We are the only country in the world whose immigration system puts the needs of other nations ahead of our own. That must change."

Website: https://www.donaldjtrump.com/

Bernie Sanders: 

College: "In a highly competitive global economy, we need the best-educated workforce in the world. It is insane and counter-productive to the best interests of our country and our future, that hundreds of thousands of bright young people cannot afford to go to college, and that millions of others leave school with a mountain of debt that burdens them for decades. That shortsighted path to the future must end.

As President, Bernie Sanders will fight to make sure that every American who studies hard in school can go to college regardless of how much money their parents make and without going deeply into debt."

Website: https://berniesanders.com/issues/

Ben Carson:

2nd Amendment: "It was no accident that our Founding Fathers enshrined the right to own firearms as the 2nd element of the Bill of Rights, immediately after establishing our free speech rights. I cannot and will not support any efforts to weaken The 2nd Amendment.

The 2nd Amendment is a central pillar of our Constitution. Our Founding Fathers added it explicitly in order to protect freedom in the United States of America. It provides our citizens the right to protect themselves from threats foreign or domestic."

Website: https://www.bencarson.com/issues

I know that their are more candidates and more issues but I wanted to give everyone a taste of the candidates leading in the polls. If you would like to read up more on each candidate check out their website. Their is power in knowledge.

Why Don't The Wilpons Spend Money? Academic Blog

The New York Mets are coming off their most successful season in 15 years and the future looks very bright for their young staff and other upcoming prospects.  Now that its the off season the Mets have several areas to address in the offseason.

The big question everyone is thinking are 1)Will the Wilpons and Sandy Alderson give Yoenis Cespedes a 7 year deal? 2) Will Daniel Murphy accept the $15 qualifying offer?

The answer to those questions are most likely no and no.  This offseason you will most likely no and no.  The Mets cannot be handing out big contracts with all the young talent they will have to be locking up in the upcoming years.  Yes, Cespedes was a great pickup for the team in 2015, but giving him 7 years and over $200 million decreases the chance that they will keep all 5 of their young aces.

Daniel Murphy had a phenomenal postseason for the Amazin's and a great 8 year career in New York, but he can get more money elsewhere, so he'll more than likely go elsewhere.  Plus the Mets are high on 22 year old second base prospect Dilson Herrarea.

Now in the following seasons, starting at the end of 2016, the Mets and the Wilpons will have to focus on locking up their young aces.  It will be interesting to see what happens when they get to that point in time.  Even though the Mets play in the biggest market in the country, the Mets had the 21st payroll in the MLB last season.  The Wilpons are very heistant about giving out big contracts.

A big factor in this that no one really talks about, is their role in the Bernie Madoff ponzi scheme.  Its been reported that the Wilpons have lost $700 million as a result of Bernie Madoff.  Many people are saying that the Wilpons are hoarding money because of the payouts they had to do, but its hard to believe that when they are still not one of the highest payrolls in baseball.  It will be interesting to see how the Mets handle the contracts of their young guns in the upcoming years.

The Wilpons Must Spend Some to Keep the Mets a Winning Team

Despite a tough World Series in 2015, it was a great season for the New York Mets and there fans.  For a season that most thought would be a development year for the team, turned into a National League East division title and raising the National League pennant for the first time in 15 years.

Now that the season is over, general manager Sandy Alderson has a lot of decisions to make regarding free agents.  The team has several free agents including Yoenis Cespedes, Daniel Murphy, Tyler Clippard, and Juan Uribe.  It is unlikely the Mets bring back any of these names next season though.

A lot of these guys are asking for too much money or they just simply won't fit with the team next season, so I can see why Sandy and the Wilpons won't resign them.  What concerns me is locking up the young pitchers.

Many baseball analysis's and former big leagues have said that the Mets young pitching could potentially be the best rotation in major league history.  In order to do this the Wilpons are going to have to open up the checkbook and lock these guys up.  The Mets have 5 aces on their team, so they are going to have to be paid top money like aces.  Over the next couple of seasons their contracts are going to expire starting with Matt Harvey at the end of the 2016 season.

As a Met fan I'm so excited for our pitching, but worried about the future and how the Wilpons will handle this.  Event though the Mets play in the biggest market in the country, the Wilpons are very hesitant about handing out big contracts.  They handle the payroll as if the Mets play in Tampa Bay or San Diego.  The time to win is now and it all starts with signing Harvey, DeGrom, Syndergard, Matz, and Wheeler in the upcoming seasons.  The Mets have something very special that does not happen very often.  Its your move Mr. Wilpon.  Sign these pitchers long term and years from now we'll be talking about the greatest pitching staff in baseball history.

Knowledge on the Candidates

The Presidential Elections come around every 4 years. It is always a big time for the United States. This is the time that we will chose a new leader to run the country for the next four years. Voting is one of the most important ways to let your vote be known. However their is a big chunk of people that chose not to vote. Some people don't vote because of lack of knowledge, forget, no time, etc. I think if people knew of the problems we faced as a country they would care about who took over the White House. I will list a few of the major problem that we need to take care In the United States we have a problem with Mass Incarceration. We have about 5% of the population on the earth but hold about 25% of the incarcerated population in the world. We have a Gun Problem. Where any day of the year their could be a shooting killing multiple people because we care about guns more than we care about human life. We all have our own problems that come to mind when we talk about politics. The process may not be quick but it is necessary to move this country forward. Electing the right official will keep the country moving forward.

The Kardashians and social media short

Whether you love them or hate them you cant deny the Kardashians success on social media. The Family combined has over 100 million followers on Instagram, and close to that on twitter.

They have used social media to hone their "appeal.  Mixing “personal” and brand-driven content on Instagram and Twitter is an ideal way to break out from the “sell, sell, sell” model that can be off-putting to your audience. Move towards a format that includes both, and always make sure that your “sell” posts are visually appealing a key component to the digestibility of the Kardashians’ more brand-heavy posts. Kourtney put this casual dinner shot up on her Instagram:

How the kardashians are dominating social media

Through out the past few years the Kardashians have been gradually expanding more. Between the family actually growing, along with their celebrity status, they have become unavoidable. They have been utilizing social media to its fullest capabilities to share this growth. Whether you fond of this family or not, you can't deny that they've been achieving this. The Kardashian's hit reality show began on the E! channel iin 2007, and has remained there ever since, and expanded with several spin off shows like "Kourtney and Khloe take Miami."Within this time frame, the Kardashians have raked in followers on all of these sites Kim Kardashian has 36.7 million followers on Twitter. That’s more than McDonalds, Starbucks, Walmart, and Coca Cola combined. I’ll just give you a moment to let that sink in.But Kim isn’t the only Kardashian dominating the social media landscape. Sister Kourtney clocks in at 16.5 million followers on Twitter, while Khloe trails at a mere 17 million And there are more Kardashians where they came from with an equally dedicated social media presence. Kendall has 13.3 million, followed by Kylie with 12.2 million. 

Why Education is the Real Solution to the Minimum Wage Debate

The minimum wage is a really tough issue to write on. We all are effected by how much the wage is either directly or indirectly. I would like to take a minute to explain my position on the minimum wage debate, and to offer some ideas and thoughts to think about.

The minimum wage hike can be thought about like this inference:

Coffee drinkers are more likely to have heart disease than those who do not drink coffee.

Well if the stats show this to be true than it must be true.... Right?

Wrong...

This is a common case of what we call in philosophy an Uncaused Correlate

The correlation between those who drink coffee and those who have heart disease is drawing a false connection in order to confuse the public (you and me) as to make you second guess that cup of coffee.

But what about a missing variable? What about something that could cause heart disease, and also have to do with drinking coffee?

The truth is, coffee does not lead to heart disease, Cigarettes do.

And it just so happens that those who drink coffee, are more likely to smoke cigarettes.

Ahh there is the problem.... we didn't have all of the information in order to come to the right conclusion!

It's not that coffee leads to heart disease like this example shows: Coffee >>>>>>> Heart disease

Its actually more like this: Coffee >>>>>> Cigarettes >>>>>>>> Heart disease

AND IT IS HERE THAT WE SEE THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM!!!!!


THE MINIMUM WAGE IS EXACTLY LIKE THIS EXAMPLE.

A lot of people say that raising the minimum will lead more people to have greater economic success.

BUT this is wrong!

In fact, the minimum wage increase will decrease money for many Americans, but will also increase the costs of the products themselves.

It is very foolish to think that Corporations will take a loss and say "Okay America, you can have your money and we will comply."

Ha.... If that would ever happen

Rather,

1. it will lay off thousands of hard working Americans by greedy Corporations
2. decrease job opportunity for small businesses that can no longer afford to pay employees
3. Increase costs of products
4. make it impossible for startup businesses to succeed
5. Promote laziness and undervalue education

The solution then is not to increase the minimum.... but what?

FOCUS ON EDUCATION!!!!!

The only way to re-stabilize the fading middle class is to increase the opportunity of education for the poorest of families and those who cannot afford most colleges.

This will lead to more success and motivation for those who wouldn't have been able to afford education the past.


Then and only then will people have the knowledge and skills to succeed and take back the middle class.

So yes....

It may seem like that cup of coffee is causing your heart disease, or that a higher minimum wage will put more money in the pockets of those who don't have.

But as we have seen

There is always more that meets the eye.

Unite with Blue and White.

Israel is a peace and loving nation and demonstrates its nation in such a way. When you go to Israel, you will grasp the happy, positive, and accepting county that is Israel.

Israel stands for peace.

Israel is the ancestral homeland for the Jewish people and stands for peace. Israel has championed vast advancements in technology, the medical field, and the sciences in order to make the world a better place. Under all of the stressors that are going on in the Middle East, the Israelis make the best of their situation and is always peace oriented. To hate a state that all it is doing is positive things, is insane.
President Obama even visited the state of Israel and agreed that Israel promotes peace. "President Barack Obama’s speech in Jerusalem’s International Convention Center still resonates in the Israeli public arena. The President talked about the overall Israeli experience — its historical sources, the threats to its existence, its struggles and victories. Between his promise to the Israelis that they are “not alone” and his citing of Israel’s rare success, Obama aspired to transmit one simple, lucid message: That peace is possible, necessary and just." This message was delivered but people are still not seeing that Israel gives off a positive, welcoming, and happy vibe.
The state of Israel stands with peace and everyone should be aware.

Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/03/from-start-up-nation-to-start-up-peace.html#ixzz3rsoDJ8Ep

Why a Higher Minimum Wage doesn't Solve our Problems

The minimum wage is a really hot issue at the moment and with the wage about to increase at the turn of the new year, here's a couple reasons why this will be bad for our economy:

1. Opportunity: 

While the minimum wage increase seems really nice and would be able to help out a lot of families with lower incomes, this idea is really wrong! All this change in policy would do is make employers have to use robots to do people's work, and/or lay off a lot of workers because small business cannot afford to pay their employees that much.

2. The 1% will not be effected:

There is a lot of buzz going around that this increase will "stick it to the man" and serve as an equalizer to struggling families. This is crazy logic as the people at the top of these big corporations aren't going to take a pay cut, they are just going to use loopholes and tax breaks in order to avoid it. Trying to raise the minimum is the wrong way to approach this problem.

3. EVERYTHING is going to cost more: 

You got that right, everything is going to cost more. Your happy meal, your bag of apples, that cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee that keeps "America going". When companies have to pay their workers more, it's common sense that they will increase the costs of their products in order to not take a loss.

4. The Law of Demand: 

The Law of Demand in economics is a commonly used rule that has never been disproven. The law states that when something costs more to produce, less will be used. This law very clearly shows why an increase in the minimum wage will lead to more workers being laid off and the costs of our products increasing. a Minimum wage increase will inversely correlate will millions of workers being laid off.

5. Internship 

The internship is seen as one of the most valuable assets a student can have when trying to gain experience for a career. In fact, this is seen as such an important task, that most internships are unpaid. This is mutually beneficial for both student and employer as the student gains valuable skills needed for his/her career, and the employer can offer work to those who need experience without having to pay them finances they do not have. If the minimum wage increase goes to 15 dollars per hour, this is completely undermining the value of experience. Why would a student want to go to school when he/she can make more quickly by working at McDonald's? Also, if students are required to have paid internships, there will be not merely as many available and only select students will have the opportunity to actually experience one. This does not seem like a good solution.

6. Inequality Counter-Claim

Lastly, one of the biggest counter claims to my argument would be that a higher minimum is needed because of the racial inequality there is in the job market. I would agree this is a problem, but a higher minimum wage is not a solution. As i have explained, all this does is decrease opportunity and promote laziness to settle for low class jobs. What we need to do is reevaluate our educational programs in order to give minorities and underprivileged children a fair chance at succeeding. In this country, we are capitalists. Capitalism is an unequal system. But, capitalism stresses on the importance of equality of opportunity. It is impossible for everyone to be wealthy and successful. But it is more probable that we can give everyone a fair chance to getting there.

In conclusion, the minimum wage hike is only going to hurt families instead of help them. Unless you want to spend 10 dollars for a dollar menu item at McDonald's, you had better rethink your position on this issue.

Kadell Gregory

          I decided to do this assignment on labor day when we did not have class. I didn't get up till around 11, giving me a late start to the day. I realized a long time ago that when I first get up I grab my phone to see that time and any notifications I might have received while I was asleep. I don't have any other way to check the time so this has become a habit that I am sure I'm not the only one guilty of. I thought that my first type of communication would be through Instagram or text but surprisingly it was through snap chat. Even after this day was done I realized that snap chat was my go to form of communication. Instagram use to be the first thing I checked for a while until I deleted my Instagram account.  
         I spent most of this day in my suite/room with my suite mates and realized when I am bored I would go on snap chat, YouTube, and text to pass the time. I don't think I do as much activity outside the room because I am conscious of the battery life on the phone. I was watching videos on YouTube for 40 minutes at one time. I would never do in public. I think its a mix of knowing that my phone wont last long and other stimulates that keep me off my phone. When I was home I would hang out with my suite mates but their is only so much we could do.
        In conclusion I believe that snap chat is my first form of communication which is surprising to me. I also believe its not only mine. When I am awake I have a choice to go through hundred of seconds of snap chat stories from all my contacts. Peoples first option when they get up is to post a snap story and chronicle their day. Even though the snap chat stories are one to many it is the biggest form of communication for my age group. Also I believed that when I am home I use YouTube and other forms of communication at a higher rate then if I was out. Just looking through how much I used my phone to communicate that day I would have to say that this hypothesis is factual. I do agree outside of my home I do use my phone a lot but not at the rate when I'm at home.      

Journal Analysis

My Use of Media

Within my time studying my use of social media within my daily life, I have come to the generalization that I tend to use my media as a filler between my activities. I seem to be bouncing around from one activity to the next, whether that be with class, playing video games, doing homework, or even getting dressed in the morning. whenever I tend to have a gap, no matter how small or big it seems, I tend to fill that gap with some use of social media.

The media I decided to use at the time generally depended on the window of opportunity presented to me. If the window was generally big, I may reply to couple of text messages from friends, or go and watch a clip on YouTube. If the window was generally small, I seemed to just make small updates within my life, like checking my Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram feed, just to keep up to date with what was going on. Even so, most of the media I used tended to be on my phone and in tandem with something. For instance, if I was getting dressed in the morning, I may have decided to watch a YouTube clip or a live stream on Twitch.tv to pass the time of me getting dressed. If I was in between games on my Xbox One, I tended to respond to text messages or check my other social media outlets. The devices and media I used were also the ones I were more accustomed and more used to using. The main devices being my phone, Xbox One, and laptop, are the devices I use with high frequency everyday and the social medias are along the same aspect.

In conclusion, I tend to use my social media as fillers between the main events of my day. The social media I use generally depended on the window of opportunity I had. Some, such as Facebook and Twitter, were used when I had a small window and others, like texting, were used when I had a bigger window. I also used my social media in tandem with one another, like replying to a text while watching a YouTube video.

Trust Building Activity Group 4

Our group decided that the best way to trust each other is just to know each other better is just to ask each other questions, also known as 20 questions.

Too make this computer and app based we decided to make a Groupme.  Having a Groupme will also be helpful for us later in the semester as we go forward with our projects.

We made the GroupMe and started with simple questions like where are we from and what we want to do.  As we ask more questions we start being more comfortable with each other so we get more comfortable with each other.  We think this a great way to build trust with each other and be more comfortable around one another.

Trust Building Activity

Brandon Berman, Sam Anderson, Katie Bruno, Ian Morris, Devon Mitchell

Claim: With the use of mobile technology our team was quickly and efficiently able to answer the questions presented on family feud. A great way to build trust online is giving out your personal information to others with the hope that they don't abuse the privilege, which is hyper personal.

We played a game called family feud where your timed to find the right answer for a question. We relied on each other via group message to get the right answers as quick as possible so we could win the game. No one could slack off due to the lack of personal space, because everybody needed to be pay attention and participate. We also used mobile symbioses which helped us use the same mind set, and not in the public sphere.

New ways to communicate activity- Andy Gee, Olivia Fried, Andrew Vickers, Audrey M, Shannon Hui

In orders to gain trust of members within the group, we created a GroupMe chat so that all members of the group can communicate through a convenient mobile platform. Through the GroupMe we asked on the group various questions about each other such as favorite color, favorite cartoon, where you are from, and etc. Through this activity we learn various aspects about each group member. By learning more about each group member we are able to gain a common foundation with everyone. It is much easier to work in groups when you know more about each group member. This helps with being comfortable with the people you work with and can help gain trust between members when you have to rely on each other to get work done.

Trust Questionnaire

Raymond Chau
Derek Moses
Katherine Farrell

9/9/15

Questionnaire

Our group decided to make an ice breaker questionnaire to help develop trust within our group. This questionnaire will further dive into personal aspects of ourselves so, we become closer. We choose to use the application Group Me as a platform for our questionnaire. Using Group Me was the most efficient way due to the fact that most people are constantly on their phone.

Based on the reading that we were assigned, it says that to be an effective group, member support is very important.  By using the application Group Me, members can be engaged constantly and are forced to interact and work together especially when filling out this questionnaire.  Getting to know each other better will help us all develop stronger relationships and trust so that when it comes to our project we know we can depend on each other.

Reference:
Jarvenpaa, S. L. and Leidner, D. E. (1998), Communication and Trust in Global Virtual Teams. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication

How to write an academic analytic blog post

As I mentioned previously, this is a blog written and maintained by my computer mediated communication class. Part of the class requires students to contribute (depending on the class content) as either a group or an individual. So what goes into writing an "analytical" or "academic" blog post? How might it be different than a reporter's or a personal, special interest?

Well, first, the audience may be reading the blog post for a different reason than a personal or reporter's blog. They are not looking for the story only (although you may want to use a story approach to your writing). Like a reporter, an analytic or academic blog post will want supporting information. Unlike a report, however, an academic or analytic blog reader would like to have your educated input, either interpreting data/stories, creating a theory or hypothesis (based on your analysis of the data), and/or explaining how something is important and/or will impact the reader. This is partly opinion (based on analysis) backed up with supporting information. Using the basics of argumentation (claim-warrant-impact or claim-warrant-data), your reader should be able to logically follow your analysis.

Mechanics

When writing a blog post for Blogger, you have two options: Compose Mode and HTML.  If you comfortable using HTML, then HTML mode gives you more control over how your blog will look.   The majority of users, however, find the compose mode simple to follow.

Some of the features in compose mode you may want to use: The box on the tool bar on top that says "Normal" can be changed to heading, subheading, and minor heading. However, unless you want an entire paragraph enlarged and bold, you will need to make sure there is a space between the heading and your paragraphs.

You can link your blog to supporting information (as I did above, linking the text in blue to the Purdue OWL site).  This gives your reader choice in whether they want to access original supporting information or to take your word for it. Click on the Link button on the tab above.

You can also indent information you might want to import from another site (a long quote in most academic papers) Click on the quote mark on the left side of the tool bar, then cut and paste the section you want to include, click on the quote mark again (which closes the quote).  You should then put the author and/or website in parenthesis at the end of the quote and link the author's name to the original site.

Finally, you might want to include graphics such as a graph or table. The easiest way to do this is to create a GIF file of the graph or table (save as GIF) then use the picture feature (button that looks like a picture of the mountains on the tool bar at the top).

Style

When writing for a blog, there are some things you need to keep in mind:

• Readers may be accessing blog on a cell phone or mobile device
• Readers may come back to reread portions of the blog
• Readers may just skim to ensure your post is what they are looking for

With this in mind, the blog post style may be different than an academic paper. Specifically:

• Headings and subheadings help to identify relevant material.
• Material under a heading should not be more than one computer screen.
• You should try to keep the length of a paragraph to 2 or 3 lines so they are easier to read on a mobile device. This is not always possible so make sure it still makes sense.
• Use lists and bullet points to make it easier to skim
• Make the sentences shorter, but not just declarative.  Questions help to break up a page and change the style. Linking words also help.
• Make the tone professional, yet conversational. You might want to read it out loud.
• Make sure you have checked grammar and spelling.  A mistake here or there will not lose a reader, but many mistakes and typos makes you lose your credibility.  Proof read in the "view blog" format and then go back and edit.
• Use white space to make it easier for your reader to skim and return.
• Include relevant resources at the end, either a bibliography or references with links.
• 
  

Sharing your blog post

So now you've written your blog post. It's really good and you want others to see it. How do you do that?

First, you use "labels", "tags", or "hashtags".  Under Post Settings to the right of the screen is a button called "Labels". Click on this and input key words for your post. For example, for this post I will include the label "student blogs""academic blogs""writing blog posts".  I will also include the hashtag #cmc.  This means when someone is searching using any of those key words, they will be able to find my post.

Next, I will share this post on RELEVANT social media sites.  If you use twitter, linkedin, or facebook for academic or professional reasons, you will want to share the link to your blog post. My facebook account is mostly used for interaction so posting this link on facebook would be inappropriate.

On twitter, I will post the link to 4 communities that I know are interested in this topic (#phdchat, #ecrchat, #adjunctchat, and #acwri).  In addition, I am a member of two academic communities: Academia.edu and Researchgate.net.  I will be uploading a copy of this post.

Finally, I will check as to how well received this was and take that into consideration for my next blog post.

CMC blog Andy Gee, Scott Batista, Shaina Rae Sanchez, Audrey Marcon

Our group chose to use Spotify as our mobile technology. This application is accessible on both web-based devices and mobile devices. Spotify allows users to download and stream music through the Sportify application. Not only can you download music but you can also create your own playlists and listen to playlists that Spotify has readily available. 

On a web-based device, Spotify provides more free options for users. For example the free application on your desktop allows you to play individual songs whenever you want. The application on your desktop is more organized and visually pleasing - everything is easier to navigate. While the free mobile application is more convenient, it contains a lot of restrictions that are not on the web based version. You cannot play individual songs unless they are already on a playlist or within the premium service. Even then, you are not allowed to choose which song to play on a playlist, everything is on shuffle. 

Shannon Hui, Katie Bruno, Jon Serrano, Kadell Gregory

9/2 class: Find an app that would work for you equally as well on a computer as on mobile technology. You will write a blog post about that technology. It will need to be unique from your class mates. Explain why this works for you on both devises. Include the strengths, weaknesses, considerations, and gratifications. Also, how would you use this on each of the devises? Would it differ? Be the same? This should be about 2-3 paragraphs.

The app we chose that works equally as well on a computer as on a mobile device is groupme. Groupme is an app that allows you to message people individually/as a group no matter what platform you use. For example, someone with an iphone can keep up with someone who has an android who can also keep up with someone who has no phone and only can access it from a computer. It's a favorited app between college students and workplaces to create a convenient place to collaborate different ideas.
The website has the exact same layout as the mobile app and it is very user friendly. You can change from conversation to conversation fairly quickly and easily. There are also emojis! The strengths of groupme is that it is easily accesible by anyone on any platform and anywhere. IT'S FREE!!! This includes international communication. One weakness is that it isn't marketed to the extent it should be. Most of us have heard about it through word of mouth. Also, when transmitted the video quality is not great. It's primarily used as a textual way of conveying information.
Almost everyone I know has groupme on their device because it's a primary form of communicating during group projects. On a website, you would type in groupme.com and login. On your mobile device you will just click the app and it'll open up.

Facebook Accessibility- Andrew Vickers, Brandon Berman, Katherine Farrell, Devon Mitchell

Andrew Vickers, Brandon Berman, Katherine Farrell, Devon Mitchell

Facebook is the most universal social network. It works well on both mobile devices and web-based devices. The creators of Facebook made the app to be fluid on-the-go or from a stationary place. Even with the introduction of the Facebook messenger app, it just became an easier way to access your private messages between people you are communicating with.

Facebook, with the amount of revenue they have made, has worked to make the site better, more accessible, and is making sure to keep up to date to what its users seem would make it better. They are constantly keeping track of their audience, and even trying to incorporate things from other applications to make Facebook more universal for all, on mobile devices and web-based devices.

In addition, Facebook has the most outlets out of any Social Network including Facebook messenger, Instagram, and video messaging services. Facebook also has the best branding out of any site. It is easy to distinguish, and since most companies try to connect with their audience through Facebook with groups, it helps to gap the connection between individuals and major companies.

Overall, Facebook is just a very solid Social Media app, being the top in their field. Its continuous updating to keep users happy, as well as bridging the gap between companies and the individuals is what makes Facebook the most reliable and the best in the business.

Group 3: Olivia Fried, Bryan Saur, ian morse, Sam Anderson

Our team believes that Facebook Messenger is an app that works equally as well on a computer and on a mobile device.  This app works well for both devices because it is equally as fast.  Not only can you just message through this app, but you can now take pictures, make video chat calls, and send links that can be opened on any device.  We feel the weakness for this app is we do not always check it when we do receive a message.  Sometimes we turn our notifications off so it does not bother our daily schedules.  As a result, we read our message later on and not when it is sent at that specific time.

However, the strengths of Facebook Messenger are the easy accessibility we have for it.  For example, if we do not have somebody's number, then we can easily Facebook message them for their cell phone number.  Also, group messages can be formed which helps tremendously instead of sending out mass messages to a lot of different people; it is all in one message.  Overall, Facebook Messenger is a great app that is easy to use, convenient for our everyday lives, and well liked by people of all ages.

Gabriel Bibuld, Abigail Banks, Raymond Chau,karesse rivero

Group # 5 has selected Youtube as their application of choice, when referring to compatibility on both mobile and desktop devices. Youtube is a video based application which enables users to both post and view videos that have been uploaded from around the world. This application has had major success as the age of technology has proceeded. It has not only become a profitable business through online advertising, but also lead independent video makers to instant fame. Youtube is one of the first websites in which people are able to freely share videos. Youtube also allows musical artists to view feedback on their newest video or musical work.
There appear to be both similarities and differences between the mobile and desktop versions of Youtube. The size of the video being displayed will always be bigger on a desktop , then on a mobile devise. There is also limited compatibility when using Youtube on a mobile devise, videos are sometimes not able to be played. Often times users of Youtube create tabs so they can listen to a constant stream of music, on the mobile app it is impossible to multi task.

A Change in Focus

This blog is a project of the Computer Mediated Communication class at the University at Albany. In previous courses, I have had students identify new technology or software and evaluate it for computer mediated communication.

 Much has happened in the last three years since I have taught this class.

 1) The computer mediated communication class is no longer the only course about online communication. With new faculty and new research projects, we now have 3 other courses this semester alone on various aspects of computer mediated communication. This means my course becomes more of a foundation or gateway course into CMC that can be used with other courses.

 2) At the time I was teaching this course 3 years ago, CMC researchers and developers were using Web 1.0, Web 2.0, and with the increased use of smart phones, Web 3.0. These terms are no longer as common as we now use terms like mobile communication, computational web, visual CMC or rhetoric, social media, and analytics when discussing the different types of communication using the internet and communication technology.

 3) There are many different categories of communication "technology" including communication devises (smart phones, tablets, wearable technology, streaming devises), software (apps, interactive web pages, multimedia integration online), and modes of communication (digital video, text, video conferencing, photos/visuals). This complexity has led to a need to understand CMC as a much richer and deeper environment in which there are many more factors (privacy, social, language, visuals, behavioral, technological) and nuances than predicted 3 years ago.

 4) Finally, the breadth of CMC and the rate of change means we need to concentrate on communication affordances, integration, and strategies that can be used across platforms, technologies, cultures, and environments. This requires more complex communication models and the ability to analyze the changing landscape of CMC to make it relevant (and not outdated the next day). At the same time, some of the predictions made 3 years ago about social media, the use of mobile devices, and the future of communication did not come to fruition. So there are some structural constants that are beginning to emerge as CMC matures.

 Changes needed in this blog 

 This blog is a perfect example of changes in CMC. When my students were studying CMC 3 years ago, blogs were undergoing a transformation. The were moving from an interactive software with ongoing deeper discussions to a source of information that others could comment on. Blogs have moved away from interaction to a platform where deeply developed ideas can be presented. These ideas then will be moved to other platforms, such as facebook or twitter, for discussion.

 My purpose 3 years ago were 2 fold: 1) have students interact with each other by commenting on others posts and 2) let students have a greater idea of who their audience was that they were writing for. Unfortunately, the interactive aspects of blogging were already changing.

 So with this class, I will have my students interact with their audience on twitter and facebook. I will also use the blog for my students to practice analyzing and observing online and computer mediated communication. They will also practice writing professional analysis for the internet and at the same time help researchers and professionals understand CMC best practices. Students will also have the opportunity to evaluate new software, apps, and devises, making recommendations for you, the audience.