Online Identity

The internet offers us a plethora of means to establish an online identity. Via the internet you can share yourself with the world but also create your own personal facade. You can be who you really are, or be anyone you want to be. One may argue creating a false identity is wrong, others may argue this is a part-and-parcel benefit of the cyber world.
Personally, with the recent boom of the online job market and employment community it is important to keep my online persona as accurate and professional as possible for future career opportunities. I see the online environment as an opportunity to build a more professional image of myself for when I apply for jobs. I believe most people could agree with me that during high school years our online identity was not nearly as important as it is today. It did not bother me to have pictures of me celebrating an occasion in which alcohol was involved - however, today as mature student entering the professional world I  have become very particular with what I post or someone else posts of me. Do not get me wrong, I enjoy having fun, celebrating, and having memories of those days - just not in public where anyone can see it and possibly making a sweeping character conclusion based off one tasteless picture. Some may argue the internet gives you the freedom of being whatever or whoever you want but everything has a set of limitations. Yes - the internet gives you freedom of identity but up to what point? How free you are with your online identity may actually constrict your real life opportunities.
I believe the internet is a powerful tool which can close doors before they are even open for you. It may also open doors in your life allowing you to live a successful happy life. In my case maintaining a professional immaculate online identity is absolutely essential for my future.
Here is an example of what you do NOT want, and what you want as your online identity:

    
                                          
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150106632061036&set=a.426202876035.210913.561976035&type=1&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=434961232348&set=a.434941962348.224710.736462348&type=3&theater

This is a perfect example of how strong images can be, but also how important it is to keep a clean online identity. These photos could impact a future career opportunity simply due to the fact that the employer make a character judgement before getting to know the person. I believe that this applies not just in my case of being student looking for a professional opportunity but for everyone who wants to have a clean, respectful identity online but also in real life.     

Google Article

As I was reading through the article of Google being fined 7 million dollars from 38 different states due to the collection of some WiFi information private data without the consent of the owners, I found that Google is not just a company used as a tool to obtain information via internet, but instead is a company that is not respecting peoples privacy and rights. I think that as mentioned in the article, 7 million dollars is minuscule to a company that makes close to 30 million dollars per day, but the lesson these states are trying to fortify imply is for Google to respect peoples privacy. The problem is that this is not Google's first time bypassing privacy, the Federal Trade of Commission fined Google in 2011 for 22 million dollars for bypassing privacy settings in the Safari browser. I feel like Google has been lately using deceptive techniques to obtain information without anyone's consent, and sure sometimes they do get caught and some penalties are imposed but if they have done it once than why not again. Google's latest gadget will be lunch in year 2014 "Google Glass", these glasses consist of a microphone, video camera, and GPS all integrated into the glasses. You will be able to record anything you want whenever you want and as you are recording all of these information will be transfer to Google main data collector. I think that if maybe by accident collecting WiFi information from businesses and households was a big deal for some states and people, how would these Google Glasses make it any better. Having a device that will records voice, video and location will be extremely disrespectful. I believe that this Google Glass idea violates privacy in so many different levels. You will not have any privacy at all anymore because maybe someone who might want to harm you physically, monetarily, or mentally is more than capable to do it without any consequences. This will be like having someone watching every move you make 24/7. Do not get me wrong it is a cool piece of technology but in the long run do we really want this in our lives, no privacy at all?

Smart Phone Era

In popular culture today we are able to experience firsthand the abrupt changes in technology and how such changes consume our daily lives. Electronic companies have molded society by capturing us into a vicious cycle of constantly needing to have the "latest-and-greatest" technology out there. Today technology controls every aspect of our daily lives - how we get up in the morning, how we commute to work, how we function at school or in the office, how we interact with others, how we raise our children, and how we mange our own well-being. Everything we do on a day-in and day-out basis is completely dependent on technology - whether we like to admit it or not. If we realistically evaluate our lives,  the first and last thing we do before going to sleep and  waking up the next morning is have some sort of contact with technology. Leading this life-consuming, ever-changing industry is the Smart Phone.

The Smart Phone is a trend that has literally swept the world off its feet. Off the top of my head, I do not think I know anybody who does NOT have a Smart Phone. Smart Phones are controlling our lives - particularly through the applications we can download or purchase. Smart Phones can literally do anything we want them to. At&t now has new software that can be downloaded into your phone from which you are able to control anything you can imagine - the light fixtures in your house, your television shows, door locks, thermostats, coffee maker, you are even able to connect cameras to your home to increase security. Ihealth is a monitoring system that works through the Smart Phone sensors connection to the internet to monitor consumers health. This company sells their own compatible software and hardware that read glucose levels and this data can then be downloaded wireless to your phone. Other health devices such as Fitbit which track your steps, floors climbed, sleep patterns, and eating habits provide you with daily suggestions to improve your personal health.  Chevrolet has recently launched an application for their new cars which monitors the consumption of gas as a function of your personal driving patterns and relays suggestions for how to improve your driving to save gas. More anatomically, you are able to turn on your car from anywhere, roll down your windows, turn on your heater, adjust the seating position, and turn the radio on to your favorite station - all before you even set foot inside your car. You want to check what's playing at the theater tonight? - There's an app for that. You want to see if your favorite store has the exact size and color of the shirt you want to buy before heading to the mall? There's an app for that. You want to pay for your order at Starbucks before even getting to the payment window? There's an app for that. You want to check travel options for a last minute weekend getaway with certain specifications and within a certain budget? - There's an app for that too. Wireless is the way of the future. This pattern has furthermore proven that technology is a major part of our lives and how the majority of technology applied is via Smart Phones.
I analogize the Smart Phone as the remote control of our life. It does not surprise me that we are able to manage every aspect of our lives at the touch of a wireless button. I think the reason propelling this trend of having the Smart Phone with the latest applications is that it is simple, easy to use, efficient, it can keep up with our daily lives (i.e. has a good battery life) and it is compact (making it easy to bring everywhere - even to bed). I see this technology as a vicious cycle which we buy into but also as progress for humankind to better themselves.   

The End of Hugo Chavez

Hey guys, huge news! what most of South American countries have been hoping for!

Since December 31 Hugo Chavez had been on life support due to cancer and was transported to Cuba for further operations. On March 5th president Hugo Chavez officially died. Many are sad but most are in joy, those who are in joy are looking forward to a new presidency election. It is said that Hugo Chavez asked the residents of Venezuela to elect Maduro as the next president. I pray that the people from Venezuela do not pick someone who would the the same or worse damage to the country. I believe that they should pick someone who will bring peace, control and wealth to the country because the resident of Venezuela have the means to run a successful and prosperous country and I hope they make the right choice this time. 
This is a new beginning for Venezuela and it is time to take advantage of it and not let the corrupted have any power. 
President Hugo Chavez body has not yet been displayed to the public to reassure his death, but from doing some research and watching various news-channels and reading some newspapers the chances that he is still alive are minuscule or none at all.
This new presidency  elections should be coming up soon! lets cross our fingers and hope for a brighter future.