I ain't trying to pay no taxes

BY: Jamal Love

With these elections coming up around the corner social issues are in the forefront. One of the biggest issues is the subject of should the wealthy pay more on their taxes. The video below will show Governor Jerry Brown of California’s standpoint on this topic.

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/rich-moral-obligation-pay-higher-taxes-jerry-brown-135940376.html

At this point and time I agree that the rich should pay more taxes because the wealth gap is growing wider. I come from a middle income household that is trying to support two kids in college. This is becoming difficult due to the current economy.

My question to you all is should the rich pay more taxes or you all feel that since you earned that money you shouldn’t be taxed just because you are in a different bracket?

Syria Children of War?

By: Kayla Jackson

The wave of Arab unrest than started with the Tunisian revolutions reached Syria on March 15,2011 when civilians of a small town protested against the torture of students who had put up anti-government graffiti. The government quickly responded and demonstrations quickly spread across the country and the world to bring attention to Syria. Recently by November 2012 Syria was into a full-blown civil war. Many people have died and even more have been arrested. In addition, according to the UN approximately 2.5 million Syrians needed aid inside the country.

President Bashar al-Assad, a British-trained doctor who inherited Syria’s harsh dictatorship from his father, Hafez al-Assad, had at first wavered between force and hints of reform. But in April 2011, just days after lifting the country’s decades-old state of emergency, he set off the first of what became a series of withering crackdowns, sending tanks into restive cities as security forces opened fire on demonstrators. As result the United States and other countries looked down upon the President Assad and demanded that the Arab League monitor the country. Tensions have spilled over into bordering nations and fears have increased with evidence that Al Qaeda was behind a rise in suicide bombings in 2012.

It is interesting how the United States always gets involved within other country’s political affairs. Sometimes when our government gets involved it sparks global attention and in this case the attention received can be viewed as ambiguous. The more demonstrations that have occurred in Syria or outside of Syria have lead to more violent acts in response within the country as well as outside. Despite the positive media gained from the demonstrations I don’t think that it is advantageous for the US to be involved in global affairs such as the situation in Syria. We should raise more awareness about the consequences of these demonstrations so that we can help Syria in others forms (i.e. donations, toiletries, etc) until the violent acts calm down. Children are suffering from the decisions of government officials and demonstrators across the world and since they are innocent should they really suffer? My condolences go to the many children who have lost their lives due to the many violent acts. Below is a video/ photo story of the Syria Civil War of 2012:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UTpwhRI4C0

In class we discussed the evolution of technology and I believe this has contributed to the massive spread of information surround the violence in Syria. Nowadays information spreads so quickly and sometimes the wrong information surrounding global issues are shared as well. Cyber information can really mess up our perceptions of everything and sometimes I don’t know if that is a good thing or bad thing, for the government doesn’t tell us everything, which is always why I am very cautious when approaching massive political wars such as these. What do you think about the violence in Syria or about the above information? Also, how do you feel about America always intervening in global affairs? Do you think technology has altered our perception of what the problems really are and who is at fault?

Bigger Isn’t Always Better

BY: Cameron Gilbert

Today we discussed in class the innovative campaigning efforts by Barack Obama and his supporters. In 2008 he swept the country with his presence in social media much like Franklin D Roosevelt’s adoption of the radio and John F Kennedy’s usage of the television. He captured the hearts and votes of many by tapping into a world that has never been exposed to presidential campaigning. His Twitter account amassed more followers and Facebook had more friends than either of his two opponents.

This election, campaign spending was at an all time high. As shown in the video below, the 2012 campaign spending even dwarfed the record numbers set in 2008 by the Obama Campaign:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtG6Atjr7Ac

During this campaign Obama was at a disadvantage in the amount of money the campaign had. Romney, known for his fundraising prowess and being backed by the top end of the Republican National Convention, didn’t disappoint. You can see here the disparity between the two campaigns.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/13/mitt-romney-ad-spending_n_1963850.html

However, bigger isn’t always better. Barack Obama had to figure out a way to overcome the funding disadvantage. Simple presence on social media sites wouldn’t deliver a win like it did in 2008. He needed to market himself to the right people at the right time. His campaign can be compared in size to a Fortune 500 company. However, in terms of advertising, there are a few lessons that can be learned from the Obama

campaign:

http://www.businessinsider.com/5-lessons-from-obamas-ad-campaign-2012-11

In class we came to the conclusion that this campaign was a classic example of quality over quantity. Though Mitt Romney had more money, the Obama campaign effectively used canvassing tools and real time data to efficiently advertise and campaign in areas where people were either undecided or Obama supporters. They recognized that going after avid Romney supporters is a waste of time and money. I’m glad they were able to cut that out of the bottom line because bigger isn’t always better.

Square

BY: Courtland Walls

Since technology today is becoming more advanced and people need things to be done quicker people have began to make things to accommodate these needs. One of these creations is an application for mobile and cellular devices that is called square. This application assists handling money of anyone and acts as a cahsier allowing any type of business to makes sells on the go by being able to charge a person’s credit card without the need of a register or stationary machine. It can also allow you to open a tab with a certain restaurant or maybe even retail store and allow you to buy good and pay them back later all at one time.

This app is very good and on a personal level this app comes very in handy because of the small business I have of my own. This allows me to make sales basically anywhere and at anytime and keeps track of the money that I’ve been earning. The only down part is that they deduct a small fee from any sales you makes that aren’t with cash. Square is big on supporting small businesses and this article talks about that as well.

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505268_162-57391279/twitter-co-founder-on-new-payment-device/

Jack Threads In The Cloud

BY: Kamau Austin  

In class we discussed everything moving to the clouds. Cloud computing is the practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the internet to store, manage and process data. In other words, you can access and work from anywhere in the world as long as you have access to WIFI. Here’s a link to a video that expresses the future of the world, specifically businesses, with the growth of usage in cloud computing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bu3kIAZAKTs

When thinking about the effect of cloud technology on business, you find that it’s extremely more effective. Cloud technology can cut your expenses by reducing cost on equipment, applications, power and rentals of buildings. Also, being in the clouds makes your business more agile. You can expand your business on a global scale. A business that I found that utilized this very well was Jack Threads. Jack Threads is a members-only online shopping community for men. Here’s a link to their store. They have great discounts

https://www.jackthreads.com/

CEO of jackthreads.com, Jason Ross said “My house was our office and warehouse over the first year until semi-trunks started showing up on my colde-sac”. Ross launched Jack Threads in the master bedroom of his house in Columbus, OH. His online retail store started only hosting sales with 6 brands. When he first launched his website, jack threads gained several hundred members, and sold 8 items. 2 years later Jack Threads website’s estimated net worth based on its traffic value and online website advertisement revenue is $194,118. They also now have 600,000 members.

Here’s a link below to their Fall/Holiday 2012 featured line, ARSNL

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_BpOf51NmY&list=UU68Qct37COhb9_dJ2EZvwnw&index=5&feature=plcp

The future of the new entrepreneur is in technology, specifically the clouds. From marketing to actually selling your products, cloud computing puts you in the most advantageous position.

What we Learned

BY: Turon Jackson

The semester is finally over. Throughout this course I have learned a whole lot of valuable information that I can share with other people. Not only technical things but everyday life things as well. I feel like this course has taught me more things that I will actually use and remember than any other class at Morehouse. In class, we have learned how to use excel, vlookup, Google fusion tables, and pivot tables just to name a few.

These are some of the things that will help all of us in the long run as technology advances. But we also learned other things like how to make a budget, how to start an online business, how to beat speeding tickets, and even what would be a good age to get married. The class overall probably took a lot more away from this class then they even think. Below are a few sites to help young people get a head start on life:

http://www.wikihow.com/Save-Money

http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/8_Healthy_Ways_to_Start_Your_Day

http://www.cnbc.com/id/31663961/5_Things_You_Must_Do_In_An_Interview

These sites explain how to start a savings account, how to start your day off right, and what to do in an interview. In this day and age even though technology is rapidly changing every day we need to remember that technology does not run are lives. We must remember to step back from technology every once in a while and refresh our minds. Maybe go camping or read a book.

In conclusion, I feel like this class has really given us some of the tools we need to be successful and gave us a little look at what our future is going to be like.

Facebook Gift Shopping?

BY: Russell Spruill

Facebook already has access to some of your most precious memories, online habits, whereabouts, and daily tasks you choose to share. What’s next? Your credit card information. When Facebook stock began to fall, they needed a way to please disgruntled investors. Over the past month, Facebook has implemented a new app that allows you to purchase things such as chocolate, coffee, socks, and other real-life presents and send them to friends and family while the company takes a cut as revenue. Users are able to click a “gift” icon seen on a friend’s page or purchase a gift when the birthday notification shows up. Not only must the purchaser provide credit card information and billing address, but they must provide the recipient’s address as well.

https://www.facebook.com/about/gifts

Some people may not find much of a difference between this and the usual online shopping done on retail store’s websites. The major difference between the two is security. We’ve all seen, and possibly fallen for, the Facebook links that contain viruses, or allow your profile to be “hacked”. What protects this app from hackers attempting to steal personal information? For us who know better than to trust things on Facebook, it’s an easy decision to steer clear of putting our credit card on there; but what about our parents, or aunts and uncles who aren’t as familiar with the annoying Facebook hacking?

2012 Elections

BY: Vidura Ufeli

Every four years, Americans are given the opportunity to choose whether they will evolve and grow with a new administration, new congress members, and a new commander in chief. Unlike many developing nations, America has a long and extended history of fighting to elect governmental leaders that are for the people, by the people, and of the people. However, as more and more Presidents were elected, less of them fully represented America’s demographics. Suddenly, the choice that we all believe we are blessed with when we are born or when we migrate to America, seems far from any real option or opportunity for Black Americans. Due to the presence of Jim Crow Laws and the inequalities in America, Black Americans have been kept from utilizing this “choice”. Furthermore, even when Black Americans finally achieved the right to vote, Blacks faced challenges in the racial and cultural underrepresentation in U.S. political factions, especially in top ranking positions, such as the U.S. President. As we entered into the 21^st century, discussions about eventually achieving a Black president became relevant and seemed to become a possible reality. Fortunately, our hopeful reality was finally brought into fruition, when then, U.S. Senator Barack Obama took a courageous stride to run and accept the nomination and position as President of one of the most powerful nations in the world. Thus, Barack Obama’s win in the 2008 election is often considered a win for the entire Black American population, because on that cold Inauguration Day in 2009, we could look upon the stage and see a reflection of ourselves and our obstacles in the face of Pres. Obama.

After four years of continuous challenges for the Obama Administration, due to the treacherous state of the union under the term of President Bush, Obama and the Black American people were faced with yet another challenge. Black Americans had to demonstrate to the world that America truly had made a positive stride towards achieving total equality and balance in our political system. America’s reputation was truly at stake before the 2012 elections, and similar to Obama’s familiar slogan, we all had to dedicate ourselves to moving “Forward”. Therefore, President Obama’s reelection is far more important than solely improving the state of our nation or the appeasement of the American people, his reelection is a reflection of the changes that are finally being made after more than 300 years of strife and discrimination against the Black American. Finally, America truly is moving forward and we can ALL say that we are moving towards a government system that is for ALL of the people, by ALL of the people, and of ALL of the people.

So You’re on Tech?

BY: Izere

Over the course of the semester, Professor Sistrunk has guided us through thinking about the

more practical side of how technology has changed the way businesses and people, respectively,

interact with one another. This has been particularly helpful in making sense of details we may have

otherwise not paid attention to such as the function of an PBX within a small or large business –

nonetheless it has been a great introduction to thinking about how technology will become increasingly

relevant as we progress through our lives as businessmen. Professor Sistrunk has also made it a point to

stress financial responsibility as well as building wealth, so let’s get to the meat of this post – investing in

technology for outsize returns moving forward. Technology is the future, right?

Below: two primers on the stock market and some terminology for you to acquaint yourself with lest

you shake yourself out while discussing the market with your friends.

A stock market primer from MyStock MarketNews

http://saraserina.hubpages.com/hub/How-The-Stock-Market-Works-An-Easy-Primer-to-Understand-

Stocks-and-the-Market

When we look at some technology giants like Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOG), Cisco (CSCO), take a second

to explore long-term price charts – and how beneficial it would have been to invest when these

companies and their technologies were still at an early stage. Unlike more opaque industries which we

may not understand (metals & mining, durable goods), technology companies which produce hardware

we use can be easier to understand. Early stage companies are inherently riskier (lack of performance

history, but with more risk comes more reward.

Identifying companies to invest in may be a challenge. Mr. Odebode mentioned 3D Systems (DDD) a 3D

printing company, however there are many, many more. Find below Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500, an

annual ranking of the fastest growing technology companies and a three-year old Forbes article on

choosing technology companies. Happy investing!

http://www.deloitte.com/assets/Dcom-UnitedStates/Local%20Assets/Documents/TMT_us_tmt/us_tmt_fast500_winnersbrochure_111212.pdf

http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/29/stock-picks-venture-capital-technology_0129_pick.html

Refocus & Finish Strong

By: Harold White

As we all know the semester is coming to a close and it can become very easy to lose focus now. Additionally, with the Thanksgiving holiday over and Christmas around the corner, I know that I am unquestionably ready to take a break from Atlanta while finishing the semester on a good note. So being able to focus and concentrate is definitely a necessity in handling daily activities from here on out. So here are 3 tips to assist with refocusing:

1. Prioritize your Schedule – Make sure you set aside enough time to be able to accomplish tasks that need to be completed.
2. Get a Good Night’s Rest – Yes! Although we are in college and late nights & early mornings are a part of everyone’s college experience, getting a good amount of sleep definitely helps.
3. Eat a good breakfast – Nutrition is a crucial component of focus and achievement.

Many college students say they feel overwhelmed by the workloads during college matriculation at some point and not having the concentration to fulfill their responsibilities as a student is undeniably not a good thing. Without focus you can end up taking too much time to complete specified tasks or worse, not finish the task at hand at all. Upholding your focus and concentration is a major success skill that has proven to be problematic for many individuals, but is a principal characteristic we all can and should possess. So it is very important to learn how to focus more, regardless of any situation.

Listed below are links to a few sites with information on finding focus in school:

http://bettermarksnow.com/ten-tips-to-stay-focused-in-school/

http://www.valorebooks.com/campus-life/5-methods-for-finding-focus-in-college

Additive Manufacturing / 3D Printing

Additive manufacturing or 3D Printing is the process of printing a 3-dimentional object, layer by layer, from a digital diagram. 3D Printing has been around since the mid-80’s, but only recently has the technology advanced enough for printers to be affordably mass-produced. 3D Printing is utilized in a variety of industries including: aerospace, dental, medical, architecture, automotive, etc.

3D printing has many advantages over current manufacturing techniques in both small scale (home) manufacturing and on a mass scale of manufacturing. The biggest advantage comes from the customization aspect of 3D printing. Since products are printed from a digital model, they can be replicated exactly how the creator envisioned. This aspect is really useful in the medical industry. Doctors use the printers to customize prosthetics and braces specifically for each individual patient, increasing effectiveness and decreasing the price of these devices. Customization also helps when trying to create replacement parts. Imagine that a handle on your fridge broke and the fridge was either discontinued, so replacement parts were not available, or the replacement part was too expensive for you to repair. With a 3D printer, you can design a replacement handle to exactly replicate the broken handle in minutes. Now you do not have to worry about the headache of finding a replacement part or even replacing the fridge all together. Other advantages include cheaper manufacturing, less waste, better quality, more accessibility, more sustainability and more combination possibilities of materials.

The two biggest companies in the 3D printing industry are 3D Systems and Stratasys. Both companies are currently racing to acquire market share in the industry seeing that 3D printing is at its most pivotal stage in its development: the implementation stage. Last month Stratasys acquired Objet (at the time the third biggest 3D printing company), giving them a clear advantage in market share. Currently, 3D System has the cheapest 3D printer on the market, the Cube, which costs $1,300. Stratasys’ cheapest printer is the Mojo, which costs $9,500. If you are looking at the feasibility of implementing 3D printers from a consumer’s, price prospective, then 3D Systems is the clear-cut leader of the industry. Now, for $1,300, consumers can create 3D objects in their own homes in minutes. Imagine the price of 3D printers, when they are fully implanted in households. Experts in the industry believe they can be as cheap as ink printers are now-a-days.

Below are videos and links to more information on the industry.

Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP1oBwccARY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmxjLpu2BvY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5POu62l_Wo

Printers:

http://cubify.com/cube/

http://www.mojo3dprinting.com/default.aspx

http://www.makerbot.com/

Encouragement from a Young Prodigy

Charles Wolford  BY:

 

From day one in this course, Professor Sistrunk has taught us the importance of making sure we know how to effectively use resources such as excel to be able to gain an advantage over others in the workplace. I believe that there is an even greater lesson to be learned from his advice. If we make it our goal to become educated and to educate ourselves in areas that commonly get overlooked we will be able to open doors for our future that our degrees alone can not. For example we've learned the importance of understanding our budgets and how to invest our money properly and how many people our age are overlooking the importance of doing so. I'm beginning to see that this course is about much more than learning computer skills but it also about learning and developing life skills that will prepare us for the future.

 

I would like to share with you all a news story that has motivated me to better understand and take advantage of the resources that have been given to me. Here is a story about a 15-year old boy named Kelvin Doe from Sierra Leonne who is a self-taught engineer. The video shows the story behind why he started to invent and teach himself different things in order to better himself anf the community he lives in. Because of his great acheivements Kelvin became the youngest person in history to be invited to the "Visiting Practitioner's Program" at MIT.

 

http://youtu.be/XOLOLrUBRBY

 

I chose this story because it reminded me of how many opportunities we have as men of Morehouse College that we take for granted, but meanwhile there are people who are less fortunate but still inventing ways to impact their communities and the world with their minds. We should not only make it a goal to make oursleves successful but to inspire others along the way to do the same. So lets apply these skills we have learned in class and become the sucessful inspirational men that we are all destined to be.

To Jailbreak or Not to Jailbreak, That is the Question

BY: Rodrick L. Williams

Every year millions of Americans jailbreak their iPhone, iPods and iPads to reap the benefits that they feel Apple restricts them from. When one jailbreaks their Apple device they strip the limits Apple places on the product which grants them access to free apps, apps not approved by Apple and unique customizable functions. With these benefits one may ask why so many people are hesitant to jailbreak their Apple device. The reason behind the skepticism in jailbreaking Apple devices is the damage that can form from the stripping of the limitations that Apple provides. These damages include, but are not limited to: the voiding of warranties, excessive use of data and security concerns.

When jailbreaking one’s Apple device the person must take note that the warranty does not cover any damaged caused by jailbreaking. Even though the vast majority of problems that occur when jailbreaking can be fixed with restoring the device, there are some problems that simply cannot and require more work that Apple will not provide. For example If one cracks their phone screen and they take it to Apple to be fixed while their phone is jailbroken, the company can refuse to fix the simple damage to the phone. In addition sometimes jailbreaking just does not work, what is one to do then? The jailbreaking system messes up something in the operating system and the person has to go out and get a whole new device. Also, jailbreaking requires a lot of data space. If the person does not have an unlimited data plan, their bill will sky rocket. This is a concern mostly for iPhone users though. Finally, there have been complaints of security breaches in which one’s personal data has been stolen off of their Apple devices. This is the reason why most people are skeptical about jailbreaking their device. Given the risks stated here, would you jailbreak your phone; why or why not?

Technology’s Great Impact on Donations to Storm Relief and Non-Profit Organizations

By: Sean White

Hurricane Sandy impacted the lives’ of a little more than a million Americans just a few weeks ago. Since then, many organizations have been working diligently to raise money and provide relief to the victims all across the east coast. The victims of the storm need food, clothes and shelter. According to weather.com, “It will cost approximately 50 billion dollars to rebuild the areas destroyed by the hurricane.” To raise funds for victims and the restoration of the east coast technology has began to play a major role.

Budge and Raise5 are two apps that are making it possible for donors to give by simply using their cell phones. Not only do these apps make is easy to make a contribution to storm relief, but to hundreds of other charitable organizations. Budge mentioned that they are aiming to make donating to charity social.

In class, Professor Sistrunk, taught about short codes being used by businesses to reach their customers. Non-profit organizations have adopted this new and fast growing technology to bring in donations. All the donors have to do is send the keyword to the short code and the desired donation will be added to the donor’s phone bill.

This Tuesday, my Uncle Kevin received a heart transplant. In order for him to be placed on the list to receive a heart, he had to raise $5000, for the post-surgery treatment and medication. My family used the website, fundrazr.com. This website provides people in need with the necessary resource to raise money online. Your fundrazr.com account can be linked to social network sites including Facebook and Twitter, etc.

If you are looking for a way to help those who have been impacted by Hurricane Sandy or if you want to donate to other causes, click the links below and give what you can. Remember, NO DONATION IS TOO SMALL. It’s the thought that counts.

www.redcross.org

www.architectureforhumanity.org

www.savethechildren.org

Homework #9 - Linear Regression

Homework #9 is due by Sunday November 18, 2012 at midnight. Of course, there is a 10 point late fee.

What is linear regression? Its a statistically analysis of the relationship between two variables (dependent vs independent). For example, what is the relationship between Google stock and the Dow Jones Industrial average? Another question .... What is the relationship between a NFL quarterback's passing rating and win/loss of the game?

Multiple regression differs from linear regression because multiple regression determines the relationship among more than two variables ( dependent vs any independent). For example, predicting who wins the football games based on average yards rushing, quarterback rating and red zone effectiveness.

For more information about linear regression, see the video below. If you have not studied this, you will soon. When you see this again, use excel.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb4qqX4uhYA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KADYlV95Bd0

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The assignment is to compare the annual Dow Jones Industrial Ave vs the annual Stock Price of any company. Go to the following web site: http://www.1stock1.com/1stock1_112.htm

1. Select the DJIA and pick a ten year range.
2. Copy the output into excel.
3. Keep the Year Column and either the Beginning Column or Ending Column, delete the rest
4. Select a company (click link alphabet first .... example: B Stocks)  
5. Select same 10 year range you used for DJIA
6. Copy the output into excel
7. Keep either the Beginning Column or Ending Column (same as DJIA - Beg or End), delete the rest
8. Save this spreadsheet before you start working with the data.

You need to reopen your excel file with the data you just pasted and then create a graph, followed by the "best fit line", regression formula. The videos below will walk you through the process.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExfknNCvBYg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKW0ucmCbpM

Remember to upload your homework through the blog.



Power of Excel

BY: Philip Prevost

           As we draw near the end of our time in Professor Sistrunk’s MIS course; we have begun to see the importance and capabilities of Microsoft Excel.  However we have only scratched the surface of such an amazing computer software.  Excel has been designed to fit employers and employees with crucial information.  Microsoft Excel has become a growing necessity for companies in the workforce when it comes to recruiting employees. 

 

 

            Employers look for individual’s competent in Excel due to the fact that it has practically become a part of their day-to-day operations on every level.  For example, the program allows individuals to create charts or graphs, make decisions based on future calculations, import data from the Internet, calculate percentages, maintain inventory, plot trends and creating concept maps by sequentially ranking information of importance.  This program is flexible in accommodating companies on all levels of work.  Excel provides enormous amounts of space for customization as it may pertain to a particular company’s need or want.  Excel has become a favorite for many organizations in doing business.  It is only justifiable that an individual be knowledgeable of Excel in this day and age.

            In the information age, data is everywhere and it’s up to us to make sense of it all.  The computer software is now being used in almost all professions of work.  The program is not only used in business but also in everyday life.  You may want to customize the program to calculate your debt to asset ratio, sales tax of a purchase or even the temperature changes outside.  The possibilities are endless with Excel. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dwzZeHNYI4

Texas Secede

BY: David Quinn

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/12/15117305-petition-for-texas-to-secede-from-us-reaches-threshold-for-white-house-response?lite

The article is about an online petition that is requesting that the State of Texas be excluded from the rest of the nation and become a separate country with its own government and laws.  This petition currently has 34,000 signatures, which passes the 25,000-signature mark in order to be reviewed and decided upon by the White House.  Micah H. created the petition and it states the economic situation that we are in and says that the State of Texas has enough resources and the correct budget to branch off from the nation.  I personally do not agree nor believe in this petition. The petition will not be considered at all and what about the rest of the people of Texas, not everybody approves.  If Texas were its own Government how would they defend themselves from attacks? The people that signed this petition probably want to return to the Civil Rights Days. What are your opinions?

Cameras and Cloud Technology

BY: Brandon Chase Thomas

In light of the coming of a new age and the progression of information and technology many phones have integrated from in storage hard space to external space know as the “cloud”. The cloud has been a very integral part of class.  In addition the cloud aids to the productivity of our lives wither we know it or not. The growth of the cloud extends not only in to our work lives but our personal lives as well. I myself love photography because it makes memories immortal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_3eSY7QP_o

The benefit of the cloud now allows one to be able to keep memories even when your phone is stolen or you doing have a cord to sync information to your computer. The advancements of camera on phones have increased tremendously. Allowing for full 1080 video recordings even down to instant portrait shoots that in less than a min we can upload to social networks for our friends and family to see and experience second hand.

Upon doing some minor research with cameras I stumbled on a video that mention the advancement of camera speed more than quality.  And yes that is 1,000,000,000,000 frames per second. Which quite frankly places the expensive Cannon, Nikon, and Sony DSLR cameras to shame.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoHeWgLvlXI&feature=watch-vrec

 After watching the video I’m sure you heard him mention that  in the future phone cameras will be able to take pictures of produce and be able to see if its ripe on the inside. For those of you that didn’t take the time to watch the clip in its entirety having a camera that takes photos/frames this fast it will be able to take and record moving light. Which would allow people to see through objects without using a X-ray machine.

But until that time, how can we enhance the camera we already have.

Well with the iPhone, one of Apples most popular item has 3^rd party company’s working to meet this demand

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_4i1mzZkKI

Overall the camera is a powerful tool and one we have all used during some moment of our lives.  With the future around the corner, as well as your next photo it is very important that we are aware of the cloud. Yes it has its advantages, however, with cameras that can take photos around corners and possibly through our clothing it would be smart to be knowledgeable of this type of information.  

However, until then enjoy what we have now and be hopeful for medical advancements in the years to come. 

Education

by Elijah Thompson

Socrates says that a life unexamined is not worth living. It very important to think critically about the decisions you make and examine your life from a bird's eye view. I have found a very interesting documentary on college and the financial strain, that truly perplexed me. The facts told a story, that I almost didn't want to except.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHejvYsh5no

 

The documentary points out flaws in our education system and the burden four years of college tuition can place on you. It also highlights scandals within our education system which will lead to destruction.

Alarming Facts:

• Federal Law requires college tuition to increase!
• Credit Card Debt no longer is the greatest debt plague: student loans lead all debt!
• Most colleges and publishers have written agreements to eliminate the used textbook market.
• The easy lending practices by the federal reserve that lead to the real estate bubble are being utilized in the college lending process.
• It is easier to get a $100,000 student loan than it is to get a $10,000 car loan!
• The debt bubble will burst putting the lenders on their back and spreading to the rest of the country and creating a recession yet again.
• Due to technology education cost should be decreasing!
• The government has taken over the student loan business.

This is not to say that a college education is not important because it is by far one of the most important entities of your life. Education is the only way we as a people can innovate and move forward. The intangibles a college education will teach you set someone miles apart from someone who did not attend college or invest in higher learning. This is in fact a calling to be more diligent and take advantage of the opportunity that you have at Morehouse. There are many opportunities to get a scholarships, internships and become an expert at you field but a lot of times it seems student are reluctant to come to class. The last thing anyone wants if for you to graduate from Morehouse with a mountain of debt and no job. I also find it so important that black individuals become more subconscious about debt and spending habits due to our overall lack of wealth as a culture. We have all made the decision to go to college and I believe it was one of the best decisions we have made. I intend to further my education in graduate school due to the access to expert knowledge, but I would like us all to live a self examined life.

In class we spoke about budgeting, managing finances, and the high cost of school. This goes farther in depth about the struggles the next generation will face.

A short Video: http://vimeo.com/46579340

M.I.S. Blog - The Shift to Mobile

BY: Kenyon Scales

Last week was an exciting week that healed a smorgasbord of news stories. Many people focused on the election results and President Obama’s re-election victory, while others honed onto the days shortly after the election, when the U.S. equity markets plunged down roughly 4% with the S&P 500 down 2.42% for the week on mixed concerns that the fiscal cliff will punch the U.S. economy in the face with its automatic tax increases and government spending cuts combined with the re-installment of European growth worries by European Central Bank President Mario Draghi last Thursday. Amongst all of the news headlines, the buzz around the technology sector may have been lost in all places but our M.I.S. class.

Just days ago, we talked about the seemingly unlimited ways that Google has found its usefulness in our education, businesses, and lives. Professor Oscar Sistrunk has mentioned, many time in class, about how to popularize your websites and businesses through the use of AdWords and AdSence. The uses appear unlimited. The cost looks cheap. The demand seems limitless. The profitability… infinite? Not according to Google’s most recent quarterly earnings report. WSJ Summary Video:

http://on.wsj.com/S6h8Aw

Google, a technology company that generates 96% of its revenue from advertisements (see illustrative revenue breakdown: http://www.wordstream.com/articles/google-earnings), accidentally pre-released its third-quarter earnings on October 18^th, instantly plummeting the stock down 9% (from $754 to $657). The sell-off was due to disappointing numbers of lower than expected net revenues ($11.86 Bn est. vs. $11.33 Bn), EPS ($10.65 est. vs. $9.03), average cost advertisers paid Google per click (down 15% from a year ago), and the 20% drop in over all profits. 

The question people are asking now is: How fast is the switch to “mobile” and “tablet” really happening? The drop in revenue was due in large part to more people shifting to mobile devices, driving the price of advertisements down. This same question may also be what’s creating negative sentiment around the future profitability of Zynga and Facebook (See FB & ZYNGA charts below). 

 

 We may be entering an age where not only desktops, but also laptops are becoming obsolete. (See: http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=2079015). What this means for the future of the majority of the technology sector is unknown. However, what is clear is that the companies that survive in the next decade will be the ones who rapidly innovate their products, (whether they be advertisements, hardware manufacturing, or software) towards mobile devices.

The Online Revolution: A Journey to the Cloud

By: Quentin Sledge

In light of our recent class discussions and even our recent online class experience I felt it only right to discuss societies rapid progression from face to face interactions and paper trails to virtual offices and cloud storage. As a part of a generation ruled by technology I have noticed an emerging trend. Technology, everything ranging from laptops to cellphones and iproducts has invaded every fathom of our everyday lives.

One reporter notes, “Technology has come a long way in its day. Once thought that the world would need only a hand full of computers has turned out to each family having a hand full of computers. From computers filling up a large sized room to computers that fit in the palm of your hand. Technology has become faster, smaller and ever more affordable through time. The introduction of the microprocessor had greatly contributed to the development of computers and technologies. As technology has developed throughout the years, it has greatly affected society and the way we live in many aspects from everyday activities, to work and school. Four aspects of life and society that have been greatly affected is communications and the way we communicate, business, school and the automotive industry.”

Take communication for instance. Years ago people would send letters and make phone calls through an operator who had to connect them to one of the few other land lines in the U.S. Then this moved to the early, cellphone and email systems of the 90’s and new millennium. Now there are a myriad of ways people can communicate, through advanced cellphone technology, videoconferencing, social media websites, instant messaging, and even through an upgraded version of the email system. To get a visual of just how far communication technology has come take a look at the evolution of the cell phone and social media below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcnXOhrmDB8 Cellphone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErhX5Shg8c0 Social media

Now let’s look at technologies impact on business. As technology has evolved over the years most businesses and businesspeople realized that they no longer had to be confined to a physical location. Companies have moved online, some have even taken the office space into the cloud allowing their employees flexibility to work wherever they please. Other companies such as Amazon or Ebay completely started online and are run by individuals who may have never even met. Most companies have begun using videoconferencing, smartphones, and laptops as a part of their everyday operations; even parts of the stock market can found online with the introduction of NASDAQ. Below I have posted a panel discussion on the move to online businesses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfMe1Scitkk Video on companies moving online

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBki42Ol3PY Panel discussion

It is in school system that I can most clearly see technologies impact. As a student I am bombarded with a host of technological options to fulfill whatever desire I may have. Students take notes using laptops, or ipads and use their smart phones to take picture, send emails and even set up their class schedules. Professors assign online homework and tests and in some cases students can even take full classes online never having to come in direct contact with their professors or other classmates for that matter. Schools form a young age put a computer in the hands of children, giving them an early start on learning to use the technology they will be surrounded by as they get older. Class rooms have become more interactive to hold the students attention, using things like video chat, PowerPoint’s, interactive games, and cloud storage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzi2RIt8_nk Technology in the classroom

The automotive industry has also improved drastically because of technology. With the Model-T car and assembly line innovations of Henry Ford the evolution of the car was allowed to take off. Cars once only powered by small computers regulating radio, engine and light functions within the vehicle have been outdated by the master machines we operate today. Now some cars can park themselves, while others have means of contacting help in case of emergency. They come with GPS, and rearview cameras, thumb print recognition technology and push start engines. Cars have evolved drastically thanks to the many innovations in microchips and microprocessors.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2VduViwvlw Evolution of Automotive industry

With all these innovations in technology invading our lives I, like many others, can only wonder where our advances will lead us in the future. Will we as humans eventually become obsolete? That is a reality I hope to never see come true.