Griffith Goas

Practice of Human Communications

2007-11-26T19:20:04Z

How is it, that the practice of human communication is so common, and yet so complex? One would expect a common occurrence to be simple in nature, but all too often, when one really inspects that common occurrence, they find numerous elements that contribute to its cause. A wrist watch is able to tell you exactly what time it is, but there are many intricate moving pieces on the inside that allow it to perform that function for you. I’d like to discourse on some of the intricate pieces that allow for the practice of human communication.

]]> When I asked one of my colleagues, Srikant Devaraj, to give me one key word that described human communication, he said, “human communication is unavoidable.” I found that to be a pretty meaningful statement. In order for humans to have any kind of quality in their lives, they must first have the ability to effectively convey their thoughts, feelings and ideas onto other people. Humans, and their ancestors, have always functioned in groups. They have always relied on communication to survive. With each generation, human communication has gotten more complicated, but because it is necessary for our survival, we have not only been able to adapt to the changes, but we have thrived on those changes. The reason human communication is so prevalent in our lives is because it is one of the main reasons for the survival and eventual success of our species.
One of my other teammates, Senthil Natchimuthu, said, “human communication is indefinable.” While I don’t necessarily agree with this statement, I do understand why he said it. Human Communication is very difficult to define. Just because it is an intangible, abstract concept, does not mean it is impossible to define. Communication happens everywhere, over many different mediums, using many different encoding and decoding processes. It is used so often, that most people don’t even think about it as they’re doing it. People don’t often step back and ask “why?” I like to think of Human Communication as: a person’s ability to send and receive messages with another person(s). It is communication between or amongst humans.
“In human communication, your words have a function beyond mere transfer of information. Your message has value as an act.”(Theories of Human Communications, Littlejohn, Foss, p103) Value is key in communication. Your message should hold meaning. If you ask for something, it is a request. If you tell someone to do something, it is a command. Each time you communicate, it is a call to action. (Occasionally, the call to action requires no action at all) Each communication you transmit adds value to the receiver(s), and each transmission you receive adds value to your life.
Cross-cultural communication is another element in human communication that influences the way we communicate with each other. In his book, Thriving on Chaos, Tom Peters highlights a great point about being an internationalist. “American management in the past has been singularly blind to the needs of human beings. Management wants to eliminate the human equation from business…. That puts businessmen at a disadvantage overseas because so many businesses are based on human relations and friendship.” There are great cultural differences in the way we communicate, and in the way other cultures communicate. Understanding those differences will be an important process in developing our communication skills. Once we understand the difference between appropriate and inappropriate behaviors, gestures, and words in other cultures it will be much easier to successfully communicate with those cultures. Peters finishes the paragraph by saying, “But all over the world, if you have friends, you can do anything. That’s how the system works.” (Thriving on Chaos, Peters, p151)
The practice of human communication has developed from the origins of our species. It has become an essential part of our culture and every day life, it is based on the value of our message, and it is quickly linking and merging cultures together, even if those cultures are separated by great distances. Human communication is easy to participate in, but difficult to define. It requires a great deal of our energy, but at the same time, it is one of the main things that propel our lives forward. It is important to think about human communication, but our survival requires us to apply it effectively.

References:

Foss, K. A., & Littlejohn, S.W. (2007) Theories of Human Communication (9th ed.), 103.
Thomson Wadsworth

Peters, Tom. (1987) Thriving on Chaos: Handbook for a Management Revolution. 151
New York, Harper and Row

(Senthil Natchimuthu, personal communication, 22 October 2007).

(Srikant Devaraj, personal communication, 22 October 2007).

Peter Jennings Biography

2007-11-21T20:51:21Z

This was written as an assignment for ICS 640, but i thought i could include it here too.

Peter Jennings was the anchor and senior editor of ABC's "World News Tonight." While working at ABC, he was responsible for breaking news, election coverage and special events. Peter was there to report to America, many of the important events in human history. He was in Berlin in the 1960s when the Berlin Wall was going up, and he was covering it in the '90s when it was torn down. He reported on the civil rights movement in the southern United States during the 1960s and the struggle for equality in South Africa during the 1970s and '80s. He was one of the first reporters to go to Vietnam in the 1960s, and covered the “killing fields” Cambodia in the 1980s to remind Americans that, unless they did something, the terror would return.

]]> Jennings was named anchor of "World News Tonight" in 1983. In more than 20 years in the position he earned almost every major award given to television journalists. But all of this shouldn’t come as much of a shock, considering his upbringing, in which broadcasting played a crucial part.
Peter Jennings was born in Toronto, Ontario. His younger sister’s name was Sarah, and his parents were Elizabeth Osborne and Charles Jennings. Charles was a radio broadcaster for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Peter started broadcasting career at the age of nine, when he hosted Peter's People. It was a thirty minute, Saturday morning, CBC Radio show for children.
Peter wanted to follow his father's footsteps in broadcasting, but his first job was as a bank teller for the Royal Bank of Canada. The company transferred him to its Brockville, Ontario branch. It was at that time that he explored his acting potential with the Orpheus Musical Theatre Society. Brockville was also the place where Jennings began his rise in broadcasting.
In 1959 CFJR, a Brockville radio station, hired him as a member of its news department. Some of his stories were picked up by the CBC. By 1961, Jennings became a member of the CJOH-TV staff (CJOH-TV was a new television station in Ottawa). When the station began in March 1961, Jennings was an interviewer and a co-producer of a late night news show called “Vue.”
At 24 years old, Jennings was hired by CTV (the first private Canadian Television station) (competitor of his father’s company, CBC) as a co-anchor of its late night national newscast. Jennings was the first Canadian journalist to arrive in Dallas, TX in 1963 after President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated. The following year, when he was assigned to cover the Democratic National convention, he met the president of ABC news, Elmer Lower. Elmer offered Jennings a position as a correspondent for ABC, which Peter initially refused, but later accepted.
At the age of 26, Peter Jennings was moved from a correspondent position, directly to an anchor position. To this day he is still the youngest anchor to ever be reporting U.S. Network news. But after only three years at the anchor position, Jennings found it difficult to compete with the anchors on the other networks. Anchors like Walter Cronkite at CBS and Chet Huntley and David Brinkley at NBC took a great deal of the audience away from Jennings, and after the third year, he gave up his anchor position and became a foreign correspondent.
Jennings left his first anchor position to build his journalism credentials abroad. In 1968, he established ABC's Middle East bureau in Beirut, Lebanon. It was the first American television news bureau in the Arab world. As ABC's Beirut bureau chief, Jennings soon became familiar with the Arab-Israeli conflict. He conducted the first American television interview with Yasser Arafat. While he was stationed in the Lebanese capital, Jennings dated Palestinian activist Hanan Ashrawi, who was then a graduate student in literature at American University in Beirut.
In 1972, Jennings covered his first major breaking news story, the Munich Olympics massacre of Israeli athletes by Black September, which some consider to be one of the defining moments of his career. His live reporting, which drew on the expertise he had acquired in the Middle East, provided some background for Americans who were unfamiliar with the Palestinian group. Jennings was able to provide America with clear video of the masked hostage-takers.
Jennings came back to the U.S. at the end of 1974 to become the Washington correspondent and news anchor for ABC's morning program “AM America.” ABC was hoping that the show would challenge NBC's “Today.” “AM America” debuted on January 6, 1975. The show never gained ground against “Today,” and was canceled after ten months. In November 1975, Jennings moved abroad once again, this time as ABC's chief foreign correspondent.
He married ABC correspondent Kati Marton in 1979. That same year, he became a father when Marton gave birth to their daughter, Elizabeth. In 1982, Jennings' and Marton's second child, Christopher, was born.
On August 9, 1983, ABC announced that Jennings had signed a four-year contract with the network and would become the sole anchor and senior editor for “World News Tonight” on September 5. Jennings would anchor the program from New York City. The announcement signaled the beginning of the "Big Three" era of Jennings, Dan Rather of CBS, and Tom Brokaw of NBC. Rather had already been elevated to anchor in 1981 after the retirement of Walter Cronkite, and Brokaw of “NBC Nightly News” was set to become sole anchor the same day as Jennings.
The Gulf War started on January 16, 1991. Jennings spent 20 of the first 48 hours of the war on-air, and led ABC News to its highest ratings ever. During the mid-1990s, Jennings was commended by television critics for not focusing on the O.J. Simpson murder case. In place of the Simpson case, Jennings covered the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina, anchoring three hour-long prime time specials on the subject. ABC dedicated more time to covering the conflict than any other network. Jennings was also given credit for raising the profile in the U.S. of the Quebec referendum in 1995. The Canadian press was pleased with his in-depth coverage of the issue, and he was the only U.S. anchor to broadcast from Canada during the referendum.
On December 31, 1999, Jennings was on the air for 23 straight hours to anchor ABC’s millennium eve special, “ABC 2000 Today.” An estimated 175 million people tuned into at least a portion of the program. Jennings' American prime-time audience, an estimated 18.6 million viewers, easily beat millennium coverage of the rival networks. This made the broadcast the biggest live global television event ever. Production costs totaled about $11 million (compared with $2 million each for NBC's and CBS's millennium projects). ABC made a profit of $5 million. ABC's evening newscast spent the first week of January as ratings leader, before dropping back to second place.
Jennings was also there to cover the September 11 attacks of 2001. He anchored ABC's coverage of that day's events for 17 continuous hours. Jennings led the network's coverage of the Sept. 11 attacks and America's subsequent war on terrorism. He anchored more than 60 hours that week during the network's longest continuous period of news coverage, and was widely commended for providing a reassuring voice during the time of crisis. He and the other network news anchors were widely praised for guiding Americans through the tragedy.
Jennings had an interest in broadcasting for the next generation. He did many live news specials for children on subjects ranging from growing up in the age of AIDS, to prejudice and its effects on our society. After the events of September 11, and again on the first anniversary 2002, he anchored a town hall meeting for children and parents entitled, "Answering Children's Questions."
He anchored the news for America for a number of years, but never became a true American Citizen. Then in 2003, after 9/11, and his work on "In Search of America," he decided to become a duel citizen of Canada and the United States. He made a statement about his decision: "I think that 9/11 and the subsequent travel I did in the country afterwards made me feel connected in new ways. And when we were working on the America project I spent a lot of time on the road, which meant away from my editor's desk, and I just got much more connected to the Founding Fathers' dreams and ideas for the future." His work as a news anchor during a great number of historical events in
America prepared him for the citizenship test, which he passed. "Can you imagine I, who just finished a whole series on America and had been an anchorperson for an American broadcast...could you imagine if I had failed?" he asked. "It would have been horrendous." Jennings' formal pledge of allegiance took place at a regular citizenship ceremony on May 30 in Lower Manhattan.
By late 2004, Tom Brokaw had retired from his anchoring duties at NBC, giving his position to Brian Williams. Dan Rather stepped down in March 2005. Jennings and ABC saw an opportunity to gain viewers, and initiated a publicity blitz bragging about the Jennings' foreign reporting experience.
Peter had almost always reported from the scene of any major news story, but he was unable due to an upper respiratory infection in late December 2004. He had to anchor from New York during the Asian tsunami, while the other network anchors traveled to the region.
Jennings' voice began to sound uncharacteristically gravelly during his evening newscasts in late March of 2005. On April 1, 2005, he anchored World News Tonight for the last time. His health also prevented him from covering the death and funeral of Pope John Paul II. On April 5, 2005, Jennings informed ABC and the viewers through a taped message on World News Tonight that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer, and was starting chemotherapy. "As some of you now know, I have learned in the last couple of days that I have lung cancer," he said. "Yes, I was a smoker until about 20 years ago, and I was weak and I smoked over 9/11. But whatever the reason, the news does slow you down a bit." Although he intended to continue anchoring whenever possible, the message was his last appearance on television.
Just after 11:30 PM, on August 7, 2005 Charles Gibson interrupted regular programming on ABC to announce Jennings' death from lung cancer. He read a short statement from the family, and reveiled that Jennings had died in his New York apartment with his wife, two children, and sister at his side. The anchor's ABC colleagues, including Barbara Walters, Diane Sawyer, and Ted Koppel shared their comments about Jennings' life. The next morning, Tom Brokaw and Dan Rather paid a tribute to their former rival on the morning news shows. "Peter, of the three of us, was our prince," said Brokaw on Today. "He seemed so timeless. He had such élan and style." American President George W. Bush and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin also offered statements of condolence to the press.
Jennings won many honors and awards during his career, including 16 Emmys and two George Foster Peabody Awards. His work on "World News Tonight" and "Peter Jennings Reporting" consistently won Overseas Press Club and DuPont-Columbia awards. At the most popular point in his career, Jennings was named "Best Anchor" by the Washington Journalism Review in 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1992. The Radio and Television News Directors Association awarded Jennings its highest honor, the Paul White Award in 1995, in recognition of his lifetime contributions to journalism. In 2004, he was awarded with the Edward R. Murrow Award for Lifetime Achievement in Broadcasting from Washington State University.
Eight days before his death, Jennings was told he would be awarded the Order of Canada, the nation's highest honor. His daughter, Elizabeth, accepted the award for him in October 2005. On February 21, 2006, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg dedicated the block on West 66th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West as "Peter Jennings Way" in honor of the Jennings. The block is home to the ABC News headquarters. In October 2006, The Walt Disney Company, which bought ABC in 1996, posthumously named Jennings a Disney Legend, the company's highest honor. He was the first ABC News employee so honored.
Throughout his career, Peter Jennings reported the news to the American people. The manner with which he carried himself was the reason why millions of people respected him, listened to him, and trusted him. He was able to influence history by reporting it.

References:
(2005) Jennings’ times, and ours. Retrieved November 18, 2007, from USA today, Web site: http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-08-08-jennings- timeline_x.htm
(2005) Peter Jennings dies of lung cancer. Retrieved November 19, 2007, from CNN, Web Site: http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/08/07/jennings.obit/
Baerkircher, F. (2007) Peter Jennings: A Reporter's Life. Library Journal, 03630277, 11/1/2007, Vol. 132, Issue 18
Jennings, P. (2005) Letter from Peter Jennings. Retrieved November 17, 2007, from ABC World News, Web site: http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=715587 Mcshain, Walton, White. Peter Jennings Defining Moments, Retrieved November 17, 2007, from Helium.com, Web site: http://www.helium.com/channels/559-News- Industry/knowledge/3142-peter-jennings-defining-moments
Taylor, C. (1995) Jennings At His Zenith. Retrieved November 19, 2007, from the Seattle Times, Web site: http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=2103056&date=19950203
Waite, C. (2005) Jennings, Peter. Retrieved November 17, 2007, from the Museum of Broadcast Communications, Web site: http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/J/htmlJ/jenningspet/jenningspet.htm
WNT (2005) Peter Jennings. Retrieved November 19, 2007, from ABC News, Web site: http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=126542

European Renaissance (part 2)

2007-11-19T19:43:42Z

The European Renaissance, or the European rebirth, was a new and exciting time for Europe. It started in Italy, in some of the more wealthy cities, like Florence and Venice, where people could afford to spend their money on paintings, sculptures, and learning.

]]> They also became interested in new forms of painting , art and sculpture. During the Renaissance, artist were no longer regarded as artisans, as they had been in the past, but for the first time, they emerged as personalities, similar to poets and writers. Many artists merged math with art , in order to become more precise in their measurements and to make sure an object was supported both rationally and porportionally. As a result painters tried and often suceeded in making their painting a window into the world. Artists also studied the way light hits objects and the way our eyes percieve light. This is where oil paint got it's start. This allowed the artist to create texture, mix colors, and allow more time for corrections before it dried.

Art from the Renaissance has survived today, and it has inspired many people to strive to create their own unique styles.

European Renaissance (part 1)

2007-11-18T03:13:57Z

The Renaissance in Europe had an effect and still has an effect on society. Many people are now interested in politics, and that interest came from the Renaissance. Also, people became interested in the world outside of thier towns. That fact has increased exponentially, because today, we need to know everything about the world around us in order to function properly in this global society.

]]> Many people became explorers and mapmakers. They traveled, were able to document their surroundings, and bring that information back to their home towns.

The printing press was probaly the most important advance in technology. Europeans were the first to use movable type to print a book. These could then be arranged to form words and sentences. Johan Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press, is given credit for the first book printed, a copy of the Bible.

By the 1500's printing presses where wide spread throughout Europe. The printing press had many effects on the world. First of all, it made books much easier to come by. Common people could afford them. Literacy became more widespread, compared to the Middle Ages where usually monks and church officials, and the rich were the only ones able to read. Second, since many more people were able to read, they wanted to read subjects other than religious or scientific works, and because of that need, books on other subjects were published. Also many books were published in languages other than Latin, such as English, Spanish, French, and Italian. A third effect was that scholars had better access to other works. this information sharing became a big reason for the improvement of society.

Information Renaissance (part 2) How wikipedia has revolutionized the way we research

2007-11-16T20:29:37Z

So, I was researching for one of my classes the other day, and i found a great summary of what IPTV consists of. Guess where i found it? That's correct. I found it on the first google link after searching for IPTV, on Wikipedia.

]]> But i wasn't allowed to reference the information that i had found. Apparently it isn't considered a credible source. But who determines whether or not something is credible? If people cite it enough, and reference it enough, doesn't it become credible?

I also think that the more people input about a topic, and the more people critique the input of others, the more accurate the information becomes.

Eventually, Wikipedia will be one of the main sources for credible information. IT already has one of the largest concentrations of human knowledge in existence, and it is increased every day. It makes information easy to find, easy to understand, and easy to apply. That is why i think Wikipedia is going to be a great contributing factor in the Information Renaissance that is taking place.

Information Renaissance (part 1) The Real Time Update

2007-11-16T03:36:23Z

The development of the real-time update. I was recently involved in a project that dealt with the Stock Market. We had to look up prices of individual stocks, and track them over a period of time. I noticed that when I checked on my stock during the business day, I was able to see it's changes instantly. Every time an investor bought or sold, I could see the change on the screen in front of me. I realize that there was probably a slight delay between my computer screen, and the actual Stock Market, but still, I was impressed.

]]> And then, I found myself checking on my favorite NFL team. I was looking for their injury report to see who would be out, and who would be playing again. On the ESPN website, they had up-to-the minute scores and results of any game going on at that moment, be it men's and women's college basketball, NBA, college football, NFL, and NHL.

Again, I thought to myself, "what an age we live in."

And finally, Ebay! It tells you exactly how many seconds till the bidding ends on any item. How does it know? I'm not sure, but I'm impressed. Information is given to the user exactly as it happens.

Real-time updates are beginning to happen more frequently, in many different fields. They are a major indication that we are in the midst of an Information Renaissance.

facebook (Web 2.0) Social networking and user control

2007-11-03T06:30:00Z

Facebook, one of the largest social networking websites, and one of the most popular of it's kind since social networking sites came into existence, is a great example of web 2.0. It has developed over time to include many different functions and features, but at the same time it's purpose has remained constant. It's purpose of course being for you to let all of your friends exactly what you're doing and how you're feeling every minute of the day.

]]> It's second function is for you to know exactly what everyone else is doing. This allows you to stay connected to every person you've ever met, and know exactly how they feel about the homework that they are doing or how good of a weekend they're going to have.

But has social networking gone too far? You have some control of who views your profile, but you never have total control of the actions of others.

I am a heavy user of this particular website, and have been since it came to Ball State in 2004. It has taken control to the point where i feel like if i don't check the site every day, or every few hours, i might miss some important development in one of my friends' lives.I wonder what people did before Facebook? How did they keep track of concerts, parties, relationship news, photos, videos, and many other facets of their lives? It doesn't seem like it was possible in the time prior to this website.

IPTV Applications and Services

2007-10-21T21:56:20Z

IPTV will offer users many different applications and services. While no IPTV service is currently superior to satellite or digital cable services, they are beginning to offer features that are comparable. Video-on-demand, digital video recording, and high definition programming are a few things that digital cable and satellite television are good at. IPTV is going to try and offer the same services at over internet protocol.

Applications and Services provided by IPTV include:
Digital Broadcast Television
Video on Demand (VoD)
Anywhere Television Service
Global Television Channels
Personal Media Channels
Addressable Advertising

]]> The first service that will be discussed is Digital Broadcast Television, or DBTV. IPTV will give users the opportunity to receive conventional digital TV through internet protocol. As of February 17, 2009, analog broadcasting of television channels will stop in the United States. The Federal Government intends to free up parts of the broadcast spectrum for public safety, and other uses. Because internet protocol is an entirely digital format, anyone using IPTV will not have to worry about the conversion when that day comes. (Lee, C. (2007), DBTV Explained)
Digital Broadcast TV gives IPTV the potential to carry a greater number of channels and a larger variety of programs than other TV providers. Instead of broadcasting every channel at once, like other TV providers, IPTV suppliers only delivers the channels that are being viewed by the users, and can potentially offer an unlimited number of channels.
Another service that will be provided by IPTV is Video on Demand (VOD). It allows users to interactively request and receive television channels and stored media. This application gives the subscribers the freedom to view content at their convenience. VOD is a form of Time shifting. Typically those watching VOD on a TV can pause, fast forward, and rewind as if they were watching the program on a VCR, DVD, or DVR. While in the past this was often known as Interactive Video on Demand, now it's become a standard. ((2007) VOD dictionary)
Anywhere TV allows you to watch and control TV from anywhere in the world, including channel surfing/changing, personal video recorder control, and scheduled recording from any computer … now on a mobile phone, any Windows-based Wi-Fi PDA device, and any computer with an internet connection. IPTV can be operated like a television extension. Once the Internet address of the user is registered with the Internet Television Service Provider (ITVSP), a user can view IPTV from any Internet connection point. This also includes mobile devices. (Internet Protocol Television)
Global Television Channels are, as the name suggests, television channels that can be viewed globally. This gives content providers the opportunity to distribute content beyond their local areas, and outside the reach of local governments. The content providers can avoid local regulations, and it reduces the costs of distributing the content on a global level. (IPTV Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved September 10, 2007)
Personal Media Channels are user-friendly communication services, which give users the freedom to select and view media from different media sources such as video or music. An IPTV customer can be assigned a personal television channel. The user can then upload their media and allow other people to access it. (Internet Protocol Television)
Addressable Advertising allows for a measurement of the efficiency of advertising campaigns. The IPTV service providers observe the viewing profile of the subscribers, and determine whether or not the advertising message is appropriate for that viewer. Business will then be able aim their advertisements toward their target audiences, which will cut down the cost of advertising, and ensure that their advertisements reach their pre-determined audiences. Currently ads that are sent through digital or analog cable and satellite systems and are broadcast to the entire region. The ads may be filtered after reaching the user's set-top box to display alternatives but these are based on demographics. Addressable advertising has the potential to increase advertising revenue per viewer by over 20 times while the viewer experience becomes more personalized. This means that targeted advertising may become the single most important reason for the rapid introduction of IPTV. (Christian, P. (2005) Addressable IPTV Advertising)

(2007) VOD dictionary, Retrieved November 22, 2007, Web site, <
http://www.itvdictionary.com/vod.html>

Christian, P. (2005) Addressable IPTV Advertising, Retrieved November 21,2007, Web
site,

Internet Protocol Television (IPTV). Retrieved September 10, 2007.

IPTV Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved September 10, 2007.

Lee, C. (2007), DBTV Explained, Retrieved November 22, 2007, Web site, <
http://www.leemark.com/digitaltv/index.html#edtv>

Blogging for the sake of Blogging continued (2)

2007-10-16T18:22:59Z

So there are many different kinds of blogging. There is blogging to contribute information, there is blogging to voice your opinion, there is recreational blogging, and I'm sure people have found other, more creative blogging uses. Could blogging be a part of the Information Renaissance? Is it really a rebirth of information? or is it just a means by which people can distribute information they feel is relevant to the rest of society. I think it is just a delivery method people are utilizing, so others can hear their voice, and read their thoughts, no matter how ridiculous or relevant their ideas might be.

]]> Like now, I don't consider this particular blog to be a contribution to knowledge. I'm actually interested in asking questions, that might in turn stimulate someone else to answer.

Is wikipedia a blog? It is after all, a bunch of people contributing information on a website.

Somehow, i don't think it is exactly the same thing, but then again, who am i to say?

Anyway, I don't really know what else to say here. hopefully someone will post a comment about wether or not wikipeida can be considered a blog, and that might stimulate further discussions down the line.

And while i haven't contributed a whole lot during the past 3 blogs, i still think these have been more enjoyable posts than the ones i'm required to write, because i had control of the content.

I've just been blogging for the sake of blogging.

Blogging for the sake of Blogging continued

2007-10-15T22:16:36Z

So I found a paper i wrote as an undergrad for ADD in adults. Perhaps this will help in regards to my last blog?

]]> Griffith R. Goas
HSC 160
Dr. Bock
4/17/07

ADD in Adults

Until about the last ten years, it was believed that ADD was a childhood disorder, which would usually disappear in adolescence. Research has shown otherwise. It is now known that many individual's symptoms continue into adulthood and cause problems in adult life. It often creates difficulties in managing the everyday tasks and responsibilities of everyday life, such as work, school, relationships, running a household, and parenting. Unfortunately, perhaps millions of American adults have ADD and have not been identified or treated successfully.
Adult attention deficit disorder is the term used to describe the neurological disorder (ADD) "attention deficit disorder" when the conditions present in adulthood. One of the theories out there, is that ADD is the result of less than normal activity the frontal cortex of the brain, which is responsible for the regulation of attention, impulse control, emotions, and motor activity. It is largely inherited and tends to run in families. Because of the difficulty of diagnosing it, the exact prevalence in adults is unknown.
Adult ADD is a lifelong disorder, but the pervasiveness in adults is difficult to measure because individuals differ in their level of affliction, as well as their abilities to compensate for their difficulties. Many only notice symptoms in adulthood and some stop seeking treatment in adulthood. For those who seek treatment, over time, may develop coping skills and other forms of adaptive behavior, which make symptoms less noticeable to themselves and others.
So what is the difference between ADD and ADHD? ADD is often used as a generic term to describe the whole disability. The term ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. A person may either be diagnosed with ADHD or ADD depending on whether they are hyperactive or not. It is possible for someone to have ADD without being hyperactive. To accommodate this possibility, ADHD is often written with brackets around the "H" (i.e. AD(H)D). You may also see it written as AD/HD. I have read about three types of AD(H)D:
Combined Type (hyperactive, impulsive and inattentive)
Inattentive Type
Hyperactive, Impulsive Type
Identifying the cause of ADD is often difficult, because no particular organic signs or set of neurological indicators are specific. The primary signs are behavioral and vary with situation and time. Social and medical histories and school reports are normally used for diagnosis.
As with general intelligence, math skills, athletic ability, artistic talent, etc., many researchers believe that the abilities and limitations that comprise ADD are largely inherited and passed down within the family. As many as 80% of ADD cases are thought to be the result of genetics, with the remainder caused by toxins, trauma or illnesses introduced during pregnancy, delivery or the newborn period. If a family member has been diagnosed with ADD, there is a greater possibility that a sibling, parent, child or blood relative also has ADD.
The treatment for adult ADD centers on managing symptoms through behavior modification, medication or combining mediation and behavior therapy. Behavior therapy uses different learning techniques, which change human behavior. When it comes to treatment, most of the experts in the field of ADD endorse the multidisciplinary approach. Medications, if indicated, often will provide positive results but are not the answer to treatment. Individuals and families require education about ADD, its causes and the development of compensation skills to overcome specific problem areas in the person's life. “This might include: how to become more organized and successful in accomplishing tasks that need to be done; overcoming procrastination; eliminating clutter; controlling impulsive spending and managing money; developing time management skills; improving interpersonal relationships; acquiring communication skills; managing your mood; and becoming more effective as a parent or spouse. Also, ADD does not exist in a vacuum. Co-existing problems (anxiety or depression; substance abuse; low self-esteem; family or marital discord; work or school problems; conflict with others, etc.) may need to be addressed.” (http://www.akrongeneral.org/portal/page?_pageid=153,146423&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL)
A complete evaluation is necessary to establish a diagnosis, in order to rule out other causes for the problems and determine if there are any co-existing conditions. ADD cannot be self-diagnosed and requires an evaluation by professionals with special knowledge and experience in diagnosing and treating ADD. It is commonly overlooked or obscured by other significant difficulties or emotional problems. For adults suspected of ADD, the evaluation would include a family, childhood and school history to determine the presence of symptoms and problems commonly experienced during childhood as well as a detailed review of the person's adult history to identify symptoms and problems typically experienced by ADD adults.
About three to five times more males than females have been diagnosed with ADD. However, some researchers believe many girls who "daydream" or "drift away" in school have ADD that simply hasn't been noticed. ADD can make life harder A recent Harvard study of adults with ADD found they are more likely to bounce from job to job, to suffer from depression, or to abuse drugs or alcohol. However, effective medications and behavior treatments are available.
Living with ADD is different for everyone. People can learn to manage their individual symptoms by realizing that they do have strengths and positive attributes.
Brainstorming ideas usually comes easily to people with ADD, so they can consider all possibilities and solve problems in a creative way. Having a lot of thoughts can add to the liveliness and enthusiasm in conversations.
Everyone has trouble concentrating, restlessness and recollecting or losing things occasionally. However, inattentive or impulsive behavior that never goes away could be a sign that you have adult ADD. There is a higher risk that you have adult ADD if your problems have existed since childhood.

Blogging for the sake of Blogging

2007-10-14T15:12:26Z

I've been blogging since it was cool, back in high school. Usually it was because I had nothing better to do, and sometimes it was because i had other things to do, and i was just procrastinating as long as possible. Usually, i wrote about what i was thinking, and what i was up to. I doubt very many people actually read them, but if someone ever did, they would know all about the joys and struggles of being Griffith R. Goas as a young teen. I was able to blog for the simple pleasures of blogging. It was a release that helped me through that awkward phase that just about everyone goes through.

]]> But these 602 blogs are something completely different. They're not blogging for pleasure, but more for points. I've been trying my hardest to force myself to sit down and write about the mandatory topics, but nothing ever comes out.

Back when i was a frequent blogger, i had so much to say, and i posted it all, plus a little extra... but give me a topic, and force me to write about it, and i'll develop the biggest case of writer's block in the history of the world. I wonder why that is?

Last year, my little sister was diagnosed with ADD, or ADHD, or something. I'm not sure exactly which one it was, but when my mother told me about it, she said that I may have it too. She said it is passed on genetically, and many of the symptoms that my sis presented, were also traits that i had when i was her age. No one ever questioned why I always procrastinated, and day dreamed, and never lived up to my potential when i was growing up ( all are symptoms) nor did they catch onto the fact that i was able to compensate for my shortcomings with memorization ( also a symptom)

Perhaps that could be one of the reasons for my constant writer's block?
Who knows? I'll research it and get back to you.

SANs

2007-10-10T16:56:24Z

In case anybody out there was wondering what a SAN was, I did some research and here is what i found:

Storage Area Networks are high speed, special purpose networks that take data, which is usually located in or connected to, file servers, and put it onto a separate network. A SAN interconnects different kinds of data storage devices with data servers on behalf of a larger network of users. Disks, tape, and optical storage devices can be used with the SAN to store the data.

]]> It does not carry any application traffic, and that eliminates the bottlenecks associated with using a single network fabric for all applications and data storage.
The SAN is also able to improve data sharing. A LAN enables applications and end users to access data held in a central location, but a SAN moves that data onto a much faster infrastructure. This allows multiple computers to transfer large files at the same time, at rates comparable to locally attached disks over the SAN without adversely affecting the LAN.

http://www.commsdesign.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=192200416 http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid5_gci212937,00.html

What is Human Communication?

2007-09-04T19:32:14Z

Abstract:
Human communication occurs regularly, but it is usually very difficult to describe. I consider human communication to be the successful transmission of a thought, feeling, or message between two or more people using nonverbal, verbal, and written forms of language. Only after the message has been successfully received, can one say that human communication has occurred.

]]> What is Human Communication?
Human communication is the process by which two or more people are able to successfully exchange information. It can occur in several different forms. Communication can be physical in nature, by using body language, sign language, touch, or eye contact. It can be oral, using speaking and singing. And it can also be written.
Communication begins with the sender. The sender is the source from which the message originates. That person must first decide what content they want to communicate.
Then the sender gets to choose the best possible format in which the message should be broadcast. This decision is important, because the format needs capture the meaning of the message. If you wanted your message to convey passion and energy, then using the written form of language may not be the best choice. You may need to use a combination of oral and nonverbal communication to achieve that result.
After the format is decided, the sender then selects the medium by which the communication will be transmitted. The medium could be anything from talking, to writing, to gesturing, or even recording and broadcasting images of yourself on the Internet. Because of the advances in technology today, the options for communicating have become greater than ever.
The last link in this chain of communication is the receiver. They must be able to receive the medium, decipher the format, and understand the original content. Then they must be able to confirm that they have understood the broadcast. Only when the receiver acknowledges that have understood the purpose of the message can human communication have taken place. If the receiver does not receive the message in a way that they can understand, then the process of human communication has not happened.
Human communication is a very complex process that has taken thousands of years to develop. Each generation was able to build off of previous communication techniques, which has allowed us to be at the level we are today. Right now, there are many more ways to communicate thanks to technological advancements, and there are still many more to come.

Human communication on 1 page

2007-08-28T06:00:00Z

Human communication is the process by which two or more people are able to successfully exchange information. It can occur in several different forms. Communication can be physical in nature, by using body language, sign language, touch, or eye contact. It can be oral, or verbal, using speaking or singing. And it can also be written.

]]> In order for this process to occur, the two parties that are attempting communication must establish a few guidelines. First, you must decide what types of things are going to be communicated. This is usually decided upon by the source. The source of communication between humans is usually the person who broadcasts or conveys the content. They are the vessel from which the content originates.
Next, the source decides which format he/she should use to best communicate their message. This decision is important, because if the source uses an incorrect form, then they will be unable to convey their particular message effectively. Choosing the form could be as simple as deciding whether to use verbal or nonverbal language. It could also be as complex as choosing the best language, in order to convey the content efficiently.
After the form is decided, the next step is picking an appropriate medium to convey the message. Today, with technology advancing at a very accelerated pace, we have more options for our medium than ever. We can communicate face to face from 3 feet away, or three thousand miles away, thanks to advances in technology such as web cams and cell phones. Traditionally, the mediums have been things like written communication, verbal communication, and nonverbal communication, but in this day and age, we are able to use these three forms of communication with much more variety.
The next step in human communication is the receiver. He/she/they must be able to receive the broadcast from the source, be able to understand that broadcast, and then confirm that they understood. Only when the receiver acknowledges that have understood the purpose of the message can human communication have taken place. If the receiver does not receive the message in a way that they can understand, then the process of human communication has not taken place.