EXTRA: AI

AI can be something that may be useful in the future I believe if we just have amazon alexa just evolve AI may not be too bad. I fear AI getting too smart and too powerful. It's something that once its out of the bag it can't go back. Elon Musk, Steven Hawking, and Bill Gates are all against AI. I completely understand it is evolving too fast and can become a problem if the right conditions happen. It can become the smartest intelligence and who knows what it could justify and be ok with.  For the time being AI is harmless and things like Tay AI was a massive flop. If you don't know what Tay AI is, it's an AI that was on twitter made by Microsoft. People figured out how it learned and would soon make it say racist and inappropriate things Tay would get shut down but is even more interesting is that there was a version in japan and it ended up like Tay where it was saying inappropriate things and would be shut down. In China there's a version that works because of the control over the people China has. Another thing I think about when it comes to AI is Roko's Basilisk. This can be harmful if you take this thought experiment too seriously. Roko's Basilisk is a world-ending AI that is insanely smart. It takes prejudice to anyone who didn't help create it or hindered its creation so anyone who didn't help it torches as horribly as an AI can so you ask yourself should you help create this AI? There's many answers but it's far beyond my lifespan were something of this level will be made. What is super close to being done is neuralink, another health helping technology that can help people with brain issues. It's kinda like the amputee in the video we saw. Another note from the video I liked is the fact Will I am said AI has to look funky or like AI so if it gets too real we will have problems. I also am surprised that Will I am doing stuff with AI. 

EOTO #1

The technology I researched is email. It was invented by Ray​​ Tomlinson who was working on email with MIT students for the military. They wanted long range communication. Tomlinson created ARPANET and would send the first email in 1971. The timeline of events for email: started in 1972 with the first transaction via email, 1978 - first automated email, 1988 - Microsoft Mail is created, 1990 - spam filter is added to emails, 1992 - attachments extensions to add files to emails, 1993 - Outlook and AOL email services are created, 2002 - Black Berry is the first mobile platform to have email, 2004 - Gmail is created, 2007- IPhone now has email, 2015- 2.6 billion users worldwide , 2021- 4 billion users worldwide. 

A big problem with email for a while was just like computers and the internet, that it took a mathematician who could read DOS code to do anything so the barrier for entry of email was pretty exclusive to those who were rich or were nerds. It wasn't until the worldwide web was created when normal people could start using the internet, use email, and benefit from all the new technology. Once everyone could use computers, email, and the internet because the entry level had been lowered, and now the impact is insane. You can contact anyone all over the world within minutes, if they have an internet connection. Communication will not be the same until there is another big advance in technology when email replaces mail and until something replaces email which will not happen in my lifetime. There are downsides of email such as spam and information overload. There is also more of a downside because with gmail and emails that track your cookies you get targeted ads and unless you know how to block it, it makes it so the internet and email know a lot more about you then it should. What is nice with some of that though is the convenience of being able to have a gmail account that lets you sign in to different sites on the internet, like quizlet or blogspot. This coupled with having a few alternate emails to use for personal use so your cookies do not follow your professional email. 

The biggest pro of emails is that it is faster than mailing a letter. There is also no need for postage or fear of losing it in the mail. Mass Messaging is far easier. It’s free to use, all you need is an internet connection and a device to access it. It’s easy to reference. It’s paperless so if you send a long email you're not wasting paper. It’s easier file sharing for photos, music, and videos. Access is pretty much anywhere with an internet connection. Cons of email are lack of a personal touch so mailing a letter might be more beneficial if you need a personal touch. There is definite information overload with the amount of emails being sent out daily. Spam emails don't always get sent to the spam folder. Scams emails are super prevalent such as phishing. Another big con is that emails can’t be deleted. People often think when you move an email to the trash section of the email or delete it it's gone, but the email is just moved in a server and it is not actually deleted, and it can still be recovered.  

8 Values of Free Expression

 In America, free speech is a core value to each citizen. Being able to say what you want is important.There's controversial issues going on constantly and being able to say how you feel  is important. This is especially true now in times of the internet where people say what they want constantly online.  In the area of the internet and all sorts of views the 8 values of free expression mean more now than ever. The 8 values of free expression are important but I am going to lay out the 3 bedrock principles of free speech 1 first amendment protection is not absolute i.e. incitement, true threats, public endangerment . 2  first amendment is not a shield vs laws of general acceptability applies to all, no exceptions. 3 First amendment freedom of press is a “fundamental personal right” not institutional. With that being understood within our area of the internet protecting dissent is very important on the internet with many things like the Kyle Rittenhouse case people all over the internet were talking about how they felt about the case whether or not people are an opinion you agree with or not the fact they get to have one is great and it's part of America. 

Another key idea is the marketplace of ideas. The fact that we can exchange ideas freely without government interference is amazing. We can talk about our history freely and can critique events. It's not like China where you get integrated for referring to Tiananmen square. That fact we can do that is amazing, America is unlike anywhere else in the world for that. I also think twitter on its own uses promote innovation and promote tolerance on its platform as well as marketplace of ideas. The platform on the internet where people spread ideas and it creates new ideas and within the left being politically correct to promote tolerance. Without free speech we wouldn't be able to talk about how we feel about issues we would be able to debate and make compromises. It would also make it harder to see both sides of an issue at hand.  I also like the fact we can criticize the government like in class where you talked about Julian Assange or the Iran war. The  Check on Governmental Power free expression theory is important because with our input some things change if the proper sources or route of protesting and being vocal about the issues. While we may not be able to do much on the issues of Julian Assange or the Iraq war there is stuff we can do with being vocal for public policy. While it would be nice to actually have a say within policy and laws the only thing we can do is be vocal and vote for the candidate we deem most appropriate for the job. While that creates issues like mentioned in class where they keep the Iraq war up for many presidents and it feels like new boss old rules and feels like things have not changed we still have our freedoms and free speech and at least we can be vocal about it.  

SCOTUS

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What did you learn about the Supreme Court that you didn't already know?

That the Chief of Justice also presides over trials of impeachment against the President of the United States that the U.S. Senate of all things considered with Trump's presidency and that I didnt know this…. ? 

What is the most important take-away point about the Supreme Court?

With over 200 years of cases the Supreme Court has judicial review and so much power and that they may be the most powerful branch.   

What was the most surprising thing you learned? 

They described the room when they are making decisions as quiet as during a storm and also when they said you do your best work after three years,  five years, or when you forget your working for the Supreme Court. Considering the fact most justices were judges,  I didn't think it would take so much time to get acclimated to the job.  

 

How did the video change the way you thought of the Supreme Court?

I learned that I have a much better understanding from the inside of the courts where hearing how they describe being a justice and how they interact with each other. It’s interesting the way they want to be able to respect each other if they don't agree on cases and made me feel like it’s an honor to be justice. It’s hard and they treat it as it should be treated. 

As a whole the article and videos are a great resource for anyone who is interested in the Supreme Court. There's a lot within its way, they talk about laws prescient and amendments and how they impact the courts. Seeing their way of thinking as a whole is very interesting and they have this open mindedness where it seems like they are ready to listen to their colleagues point at the drop of a hat. Listening to Wendel Thomas refer to past court cases with such detail it seems his memory is deep and infinite. There are so many takeaways from these videos within the Supreme Court. I recommend even if it doesn't interest you to watch them as it may just make you a bit smarter about the United States government.  

My Top 5 News Sources

1. Fox News 

As a whole, I enjoy watching Fox News because of its television personalities. I enjoy watching Tucker Carlson and the whole Fox crew.  I like that they try to make the news easy and digestible. While I do understand Fox's bias towards the political right, I understand that and keep it in mind. What I also like about Fox is the local syndicate stations because you get to see what's going on in your state or county. Fox News is easy to find through apps, emails, newspapers, YouTube, websites, and their many social media platforms. While other networks do have a similar presence like Fox; I think they do it best. Their convenience makes them a top choice and an easy pick for me.   

2. Wall Street Journal 

I enjoy reading the Wall Street Journal. The problem is that there's a paywall on most articles. There are many ways to get around it using Google Chrome or Chrome extensions. Once getting past that the Wall Street Journal is a very great place to get news. There is not a consistent bias, but the lens that the author is writing of is one of making money and how it affects the economy. So any information that could make you or someone a buck or two will be in it. While the Wall Street Journal has a feel like the average reader is people like a Jordan Belford type.  That is not quite true as so many great and powerful people like Warren Buffet read it. The articles are well written and everything is well researched. As a whole, it is great, but I am not a fan of the paywall. Beyond that if you want to pay for it, get it delivered, or view it some other way as it is a great source of news. 

3. Politico 

There's so much I love about Politico. Their website is easy to navigate. Their articles are easy to read. They respect people's privacy with cookies depending on the browser you use. Politico started in 2006, when writers at The Washington Post left and started their own paper. That now means even more to the news world now considering the fact Jeff Besos now owns The Washington Post. The Washington Post has skewed its view since the change in ownership. This caused more viewers to jump ship from The Washington Post to Politico. Politico's articles tend to be unbiased; they try to report only the facts. But some writers skew more than others so always be aware who's in the article and who's writing it. Politico has some great writing, interviews, and articles. Their podcast is better than most NPR podcasts. If you need news for a school project or to cite something I recommend if it's a news outlet to use Politico. 

4. Barstool Sports

Barstool Sports covers more sporting events and stories than the news, but they cover all sorts of events and topics. Not all news I consume is traditional news. I would have considered different sources like Vice, All Gas No Breaks, or Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan for this list, but they aren’t that great at news and they tend to have the Gonzo style popularized by Hunter S. Thomson. The writer being involved in causing changes in the article tends to be more of an art form than news. Barstool Sports has a few articles where they are part of the event and go to tailgates or go to the Kentucky Derby. In their more famous instance, storm chasers caused students to storm college basketball courts all over the nation. Barstool Sports does what ESPN does but better. They report scores, stories, and talk about all things sports. Their personalities do not overshadow their sports. While they do have some wild takes from time to time. They do not do what ESPN does; Barstool Sports doesn't have a Steven A Smith or Skip Bayless where people tune in to see what nonsensical ideas they will have.  Their personalities that report the news and sports more so feed on the mood of the article. Barstool Sports also does polls and many events where viewers can tune in to help see what the thoughts of the people are. Barstool Sports has grown since they started in 2003 as a sports betting newspaper. Dave Portnoy, in himself, is a great person to follow. Barstool is a medium that doesn't take themselves too seriously. If you start the day reading The Wall Street Journal in a suit. Barstool Sports is what you end your day after taking your tie off. It is refreshing and I love Barstool Sports.  

5. Time 

While Time has a paywall as well they do give you a few free articles.  When you run out there's ways to figure out what to do when the paywall arrives. Time is a well known long running news outlet. If newspapers were stock this would be blue chip. They are the Coca-Cola of news. They are well known for their Person of the Year and I will have you know, I am Time's 2006 Person of the Year. If you get their magazine you can recognize their thick red border with the Time logo at the top. It is  very recognizable. It really doesn’t need a cover as you know it to be Time Magazine. Their articles range from worldwide to local. Their writing has gotten more and more biased over time. Their audience has gotten far older and tends to appeal to “boomers'' but they still cover some great news. They have great writers and are well known and it all makes Time an easy choice for my top 5 list. 

Honorable Mention 

The Onion 

What is great about this news source is that it is satirical. But that means it's news, but it's fake news. The thing is that there have been many articles from The Onion that come true and actually happen. The Onion takes our wild reality and tries to push it. It still makes headlines that are fake sound like something that may have happened. I share some stories on Instagram from their site and my friends tend to get fooled sometimes. The Onion is a site where you can laugh at how wild our reality is. I enjoy reading it from time to time when I need a laugh. The Onion is written better than some other news outlets. It looks legitimate at first glance and is a great place to visit for entertainment purposes.

Thanks for reading!