Entries in the Category "In an iPod World"
Annoying Computerized Voice Systems...
Don't you hate it when you have a hard time reaching a human when calling a customer service number?
This is definitely my most common technology frustration. Whether I am calling to pay my insurance, to question my verizon bill, to make an appointment with my doctor, or to solve a computer problem, it seems I am speaking with a computer on a daily basis. I usually try to hit zero several times, or just say "what" when they ask you to say your policy number, your account number, your telephone number, your zip code, or your medical record number. Then, the computer usually says, "I'm sorry. I cannot understand what you are saying. Let me transfer you to a customer representative." I figured the latter one out one day when I was calling a customer service number, and my friend kept asking me questions, so naturally I was paying attention to her and not the computer. I was saying things that the computer could not recognize. Well, after several times, the computer automatically transfers you to a human if it does not understand your request. It's amazing!
On Sunday, November 27 I came across an article from The Plain Dealer titled "Sick of automated customer service centers? Dial 0 for human." I thought this article sounded interesting because this is exactly what I was going to do for my technology frustration story. As I read the article, I found various statistics given by different people, who have the same frustration as me! One man by the name of Paul English actually created a cheat sheet on his website to reach a human. He started with the ten companies that frustrated him the most and invited people who visited his website to add to his list. The list grew to 108 companies as of Wednesday, November 30! You can find a copy of this cheat sheet at http://paulenglish.com/ivr/
Other interesting statistics include:
1) By 2010, it is estimated that self-service will account for 58% of all service interactions, up from 35% today.
2) It is estimated that an automated customer service system can handle a query at a cost of 8 to 15 cents a minute. The same query handled by a customer service representative in India or the Philippines would cost 20 to 40 cents a minute, and 65 cents to $1 a minute if handled by a U.S. agent.
3)It is estimated that 40% of the people who call a company's toll-free number immediately dial 0 looking for a live person.
Paul English's point of the article was that companies should adopt a universal standard for reaching a human, preferably by dialing 0. Wouldn't you agree?
The company is paying to have this toll-free number. Therefore, one has to wonder, as Professor Yoo mentioned in class, how long people take on average trying to figure out how to answer their questions through a computerized voice system, and some people just hang up and call again if they do not feel they are getting their question answered by the numbers they pressed. That would be an interesting statistic to see if, in reality, companies are really saving money by having an automated answering service or losing money!?
WHAT TO DO!?!?!
I am so confused right now on what I want to major in...
I came into Case and declared my major the first year as biochemistry. I feel as though I did this because my roommate was doing it, and it sounded interesting. Little did I know how much work was involved! I do not so much mind the work because I know I am capable of it. However, I am not interested in the material. I feel as if I am doing something that I do not want to do!
I knew I had to make a change if I wanted to be happy for the rest of my college career. Therefore, I looked around and started talking to various people in my classes about their major. I knew I didn't want to lose everything I have done thus far, so I wanted to major in something a little more appealing where I didn't have to start from scratch.
As I talked to more and more people and examined the 2005-2006 handbook, I decided nutrition would be quite fascinating. I met with my biochemistry advisor and spoke with her about my options. She recommended to do what I want to do because it is my life not anyone else's. I am the one who will have to live with this degree the rest of my life, so the real question is... Does it make ME happy? Then, I briefly met with a nutrition advisor to sign my change in major form.
I choose to change my major to nutrition and follow in the path of the dietitian program, and I scheduled my courses last Wednesday accordingly. I realized that I would not have to take physics 115 and 116 or chemistry 224 and 234, which were definite pluses. However, I would lose math 125 and 126, chemistry 233, and also biology 215, which is a bummer. I knew there were going to be advantages and disadvantages. If you look at it this way, I am pretty much losing a whole semester of courses, but I am gaining my happiness. Which is more important? Definitely my happiness!
Now to break the news to my parents... I told my parents on Thanksgiving, which was a huge mistake! My dad was telling me that I am trying to take the easy way out, which is not true because the courses are very similar to that required for biochemistry. My stepmom was telling me not to short change myself, which I didn't see how I was doing that!? My mom was just speechless. My oldest sister Melissa was like you are going to Case to be a nutritionist? Of course, sisters have to put you down. However, there was one person who actually encouraged me. Surprisingly, that person was my older sister Lisa. She is usually the one to criticize every aspect of my life, but she said as long as I receive a degree from Case, she is happy! Oh, I cannot forget my boyfriend, who always supports me in any decision I make.
I know how my family is though, especially my dad. They have to see it to believe it. We discussed going to law school, which is also an option for me, since as long as you pass the LSAT, you can have any degree to get into law school. That made him a little more comfortable with the idea of switching my major.
It's funny because my dream is to get married and have children immediately after I graduate. I do not want to work until the children are old enough to go to school. My degree is just going to be framed on the wall until I want to use it! My dad gets so mad when I say that, but I want a big family, and I always have. I am smart enough to know not to depend on a man and to have an education to fall back on in case things do not go as planned.
Well, whatever! We will see where the spring semester will take me. I will see if I even like nutrition. It is not like I cannot switch back. I still have time to decide.
The Wonderful World of eBay
eBay has to be my favorite past-time. It has everything... whatever you want, you can find!
I was first introduced to eBay by my boyfriend about three months ago. Since then, I have been shopping and buying like crazy! I even have my own registered name now as well as a PayPal account, even though I always use his PayPal account! :o)
The deals are incredible! For instance, my first purchase was a 4.4 cubic foot refrigerator, which goes for about $179.99 in stores. This one was from Sears and had a couple of minor dents from the stockroom. Therefore, I bought it for only $24.95. Of course, it was almost $50 for shipping, but I still saved about $100. I was so excited when I received it that I couldn't wait to open it. I went after my SAGES course, and it was too large to fit into my car. Thank God Neil Ursic was walking by at the time... He helped me bring it to my room and unpackage it. It was like Christmas for me. He was laughing at me because I was so ecstatic. You could barely notice the dents, and it was brand new! After that purchase, I couldn't wait to see what else I could find...
It wasn't long before I started bidding on things like crazy. I bought a car charger and a wall charger for my boyfriend for only $0.10 a piece. I was shopping with my roommate for a car charger and a plastic clip for hers, her brothers, and her parents' phones in the Verizon store, and the prices were ridiculous. In the Verizon store, a car charger was $30 and a clip was $20! I purchased everything on eBay for about $45 and that included shipping.
I also bought accessories for my iPod nano, which were incredibly cheap. The car FM transmitter/charger was about $75 in the Apple store, and I bought it on eBay for $20 with shipping! I also bought three skins for my nano, which came with another set of ear phones for just $0.01! In addition, I bought my boyfriend all of his birthday gifts.
There are a couple of drawbacks though. I absolutely hate waiting for the products to come in because sometimes you need the item right away like the gifts for my boyfriend's birthday. Also, I hate bidding on an item and being outbidded at the very last second. I was just informed that there is a program that does just that. It is called sniper, and it places your bid at the very last second. I think they only charge $1 or so for each item it wins, which isn't bad. I'll have to look more into that program. Usually, I just get the Buy It Now products. This way, you can be sure you get the product, and you don't have to keep checking to see if you are the highest bidder.
My boyfriend and I are so obsessed that we bring a laptop with us everywhere we go now to keep track of our bids. Yesterday, we actually pulled over to try and get wireless because he forgot his auction was about to end for a winter coat he had been bidding on! We were laughing at how addicted we have become!
I could spend all day just searching the website. The prices are amazing! It's perfect for us college students, who can't afford to pay the store costs.
PayPass?
Don't you hate it when you get those credit cards in the mail saying you've been "pre-approved" for some amount? I get those all the time, and I ordinarily just cut up the card without reading about it. However, this time was different...
I still get my mail sent to my dad's house, and when I go over there for dinner, he gives me a huge stack of mail. It is usually about 85% junk mail. The only pieces of mail that I get over there that actually matter are my bank statements. I have an account at Key Bank because my sister works there, but I rarely use it. Therefore, I just open the bank statement to see my balance, and then I shred it.
The letter I received this time from Key Bank did not appear to be a bank statement. There was a debit card in it. I thought this was extremely strange because I already have a debit card from there, and it was not a credit card!? At the top of this letter in large print, it read "Congratulations. You've been tapped," so automatically I thought it was junk mail. Despite this appearance, I decided to read the first paragraph to see what this was all about.
It stated: "We're adding a little excitement to your KeyBank Debit Card, called MasterCard PayPass. It makes your card even faster and easier to use than cash. So you can speed through lines at convenience stores, pharmacies, movie theaters, video stores, and drive-thrus. Soon, you may even be able to use it for mass transit, parking garages, and tolls."
This was a new debit card designed to make life a little easier and maybe even safer. You do not have to swipe your card anymore. "It's as simple as a tap." Therefore, your card never leaves your hand, which could make a person feel more secure. On the other hand, the letter also stated that you do not have to sign for purchases under $25 at participating locations. I do not know if that is exactly safe, since anyone can pick up your card and use it. Even though it is only $25 here and there, it adds up! The letter states that "you'll have $0 liability if your card is lost or stolen," but of course, there are restrictions! It states at the bottom in little print "when certain criteria are met." Whatever that means!
Not every place has a PayPass reader, so there is still a magnetic strip on the back. Therefore, you can still use your card as a regular debit card.
The point of this story being how fast technology is advancing! Rumors are pretty soon you will be using your fingerprint, so your identity is kept secure.
The TENS Unit...
I do not think my life could get any worse right now... Well, it probably could, but I do not even want to think about it!
I just started physical therapy again as I mentioned in a previous blog. I currently go four times a week, which occupies a lot of my time (I missed a lot of school and work this week because of this as well as strep throat)! My back and neck are in terrible condition! There is one thing that makes me feel better though, and it is the T.E.N.S. unit, or Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation.
What is it? This unit is a pain control treatment, which uses mild, safe electrical signals to help control pain. This machine has the power to work miracles.
How does it work you ask? This device lessens pain by sending painless electrical impulses through electrodes (sticky patches) placed on the skin. The electrical signals travel from the TENS unit through wires to the electrodes. The signal then passes to the nerves under the skin. These nerves take messages to the brain about what they feel, such as touch, warmth, pressure, and pain. TENS signals can replace the message of pain on these nerves with a tingling sensation. This changes your impression of the pain. The TENS signals may also increase the amount of endorphins, which are pain-relieving chemicals made naturally by your body, in your body.
When I was in physical therapy for the first time last year, my therapist actually gave me one to try out at home. It was horrible! I could not find the time to do this treatment. It was very hard for me to relax at home because I was constantly thinking of all this stuff I could be doing. It was very hard for me to find the exact pain spots where I should place the patches. Then, I always forgot to turn off the machine before I removed the sticky patches and would shock myself! It was much more relaxing just to have my therapist do it at the facility with all the proper knowledge and gear.
My therapist uses this device on me every visit. She places the sticky patches where I feel the most pain on that particular day. Then, she adjusts the control knobs making the signal either strong or weak. I usually get mine extremely strong, since I am in a lot of pain. I did not know what to think about the feeling at first, but after half an hour, the tingling really started to relax me. I usually fall asleep because it is so relaxing. After the treatment, I almost feel worse, but as the day goes on, I can tell my pain lessens.
Anyway, the point of this blog is just to explain a device I am currently using and the amazing technology that goes along with it. Who ever thought of using electrical signals to control pain? I want to thank whoever did!
Meeting with Donald Kamalsky...
Suzy, Sheila, and I are researching The Village at 115 for our final group paper. We figure we have a good variety in our group considering Suzy lives in Clark Tower, Sheila lives off campus, and I live at The Village at 115.
Last Wednesday, we had a meeting with Donald Kamalsky, Director of House and Residence Life, to discuss The Village at 115. He actually gave us very good insight into this new apartment-style housing. It was especially interesting to me due to the fact that I got a chance to get all the questions I had regarding this housing answered.
It is amazing how much technology there actually is under the surface. It was very interesting to hear about how they went about putting together their ideas. It was a little like that video clip we watched in class of that group of people writing down their ideas, then discussing them. I'll save the details for an upcoming blog after our group writes the paper. Right now, I'm still revising my other paper!
Thanks Professor Yoo for referring us to him! He was very helpful.
No More Accidents...
I don't know what it is about me and accidents, but I feel like I am always in one. It is absolutely ridiculous!
A little over a year ago, my friend and I decided we should start riding our bikes to get a little exercise. So one beautiful August afternoon, we rode our bikes through the Metro Parks like I used to do when I was a child.
Everything was going well until on our way back... this guy was obviously not yielding to pedestrians, or even paying attention for that fact. My friend and I were about to cross the street. We thought it was clear, since the little white person was displayed across the street signifying it's okay to go, and the new device the city has developed for blind people was saying, "It's okay to cross." Well, we were wrong... BAM! A car was making a right turn on red and only looking to his left for oncoming traffic. The man obviously did not look to his right for any pedestrians. I was in front of my friend, and he ran directly into me. I flipped over my handlebars, right onto the windshield and slid off.
I remember very few things, but I was filled in later by my friend and parents. I remember surrounding pedestrians and cars stopping to see if I was okay. The next thing I knew, there were fire trucks and police everywhere. I went into shock. The firemen thought my arms had tire marks all over them, but they were hives. I have never had hives in my life! My dad and stepmother came to the scene, and my stepmother rode in the ambulance with me (I remember her crying). The worse pain was having to stay so straight on the flat board that it was extremely uncomfortable!
Once I arrived at the hospital, I was examined, x-rayed and given painkillers. My stepmother had called my boyfriend, which I had just begun to date, to inform him of the situation, since I was supposed to meet up with him later that day. Worried, he rushed up to the hospital. I mean, it sounds really horrible when someone says, "Lauren is in the hospital because she got hit by a car while riding her bike." I was so embarrassed because I was kept thinking about those movies where a girl is riding her bike, and she waves to some cute guy and runs right into a parked car, even though in my case it wasn't a parked car, Thank God!
When I got home, I was so drugged up that I just fell asleep. I woke up with my boyfriend next to me. It was the strangest thing because my dad would never ever approve of boys sleeping over. He wouldn't even let a boy in my room if he was over (we slept on the futon in the basement though, he wasn't in my room). I guess he really liked my boyfriend, which is probably one reason why I am still with him today.
I had to call my attorney, make a police report, and go to therapy 3 times a week. The whole situation was chaos!
I was in so much pain; I still am. However, I just finished therapy a little while ago, and then... BAM! I got into another accident this past Saturday.
My friend picked me up, and we were going to grab some lunch in Little Italy. Well, we were turning left into a parking lot, waiting for an opening in the oncoming traffic, when BAM! This huge handicap-accessible van plowed right into us. We looked at each other and didn't know what had happened. We were stopped for a good 10 seconds, so obviously this lady was sight-seeing. I guess that's what happens when people don't see Little Italy everyday of their lives like Case students do!
We pulled into the parking lot, and my friend and I felt immediate pain. It was a good thing we both had our seatbelts on! We exchanged information with the lady, who said she was on her way to a wedding, which was weird because both my friend and I also had weddings to attend.
Anyway, I called 911, and they said if the cars were drivable, and the people in the accident could walk, then to just drive to the police station ourselves to make a report. I have never heard of such a thing! I called my dad, and half way through the conversation, I flipped out and started crying. He didn't know what to do. I just couldn't believe that I was only 20, yet I had the body of a 60-year-old. I just finished therapy and wasn't even fully recovered, and now, I have to go back!
I called my boyfriend, and he took me and my friend to the emergency room where we were examined, x-rayed, and prescribed several painkillers. After several long hours, we headed to the police station to make a report, which took a little over an hour.
The painkillers I was prescribed knocked me out. I was so drained. I called my attorney and told him about the whole situation, and he told me he would take care of everything. He said I needed to go back to therapy and take care of my body. I couldn't believe this was happening again!
I laid around all day at my mom's house on Sunday, and she catered to me. When I got home, I could not stay awake and had to write my biology professor that I didn't feel prepared for the test on Monday (the following day) due to everything. My painkillers had a side effect of drowsiness, and let me tell you... they knocked me out! My professor understood and wanted documentation like I would make something like that up. I guess you never know what people will do to get out of something! My professor told me I could take the exam on Thursday, but there would be no multiple choice; it would be all essay. Great!!
The sad thing is it's already Tuesday, and I am still not prepared. I didn't go to school or work yesterday because I could not get out of bed. I had a math test today, which I was actually able to study a little for. I stayed up with my roommate until 2:30am studying. I don't know how I did it, but I did! I could barely wake up this morning for my 8:30am biology lab, but I did. I did not go to work once again. I feel like I am pushing myself so much, and I am not going to get better!
To top it all off, I have had this sharp pain in my ovaries since Sunday. It sounds funny, but I have two friends who had the same pain, and they both ended up with ovarian cysts. Wonderful! Just another thing to add to my list. Even with the painkillers, I still woke up Sunday night in excruciating pain. It was horrible. I have an appointment scheduled on Thursday for an ultra sound to try and find out the problem. I don't know how I am going to fit in this biology exam and actually be prepared!? I am a M-E-S-S!!!
Hopefully, things will get better soon. They better!!
One Step Closer...
Oh Great!! Another thing has gone wrong with my laptop. All of a sudden, the volume just decided not to work. It was working one minute and the next, it wasn't. I don't know what is going on!? I took my laptop back into Best Buy yesterday, and thankfully, I guess, the Geek Squad could not fix it, so they had to send it back to Toshiba.
Strike 2!! 1 more and here comes my brand new laptop! I am so excited... I just hope something else goes wrong by itself, and I don't have to break it because I wouldn't know where to begin! Although, I have several ideas thanks to my friend, who's a computer genius; Oh, and of course, thanks to Professor Yoo!! Ha Ha!
The only problem is I am without a computer again. It's not easy getting by without a computer as a college student. I feel like I am always on it, and now, what am I going to do?
Oh well, it's worth it in the long run. In the meantime, I have my roommates' computers, my boyfriend's computer and wonderful Nord!
I'm almost there... I'll keep my readers posted.
Exams, Papers, Lab Write-ups...
I cannot believe these past couple of days and don't even want to think about the next upcoming days...
I think I have finally come to the point where I have had enough! I do not know how much more of school I can take. I have had more than my fill of college right now. There have been more exams, papers, and lab write-ups due around the same time than I can handle. I understand all of the professors are on pretty much the same schedule, but this is ridiculous! It is like one test after another, then a paper, then a lab write-up. It's enough to turn the sane, INSANE! As soon as you are done taking one exam, you have to start studying right away for the next one and also fit in writing a paper and a lab write-up in between. It's too hard to study for all these tests at the same time because the information just gets jumbled. Therefore, I try to take one at a time, which doesn't always work considering all the assignments are back-to-back.
Let me just give the reader an idea of what I am taking about (if you are a student, then you probably don't need an explanation because you are in the same shoes)...
It all started last Monday when I had to prepare for an o-chem lab test, which didn't seem too bad until I actually did the study guide. Thank God we were actually provided one, since most teachers leave you in the blue, and you have no idea what to concentrate on. The study guide ended up being 18 pages long once typed! You just had to memorize the information and practice the equations. I went over it and over it until I couldn't take it anymore.
In the middle of studying, I got a phone call from my mom telling me that my aunt had passed away, and the wake was scheduled for tomorrow right before my o-chem test. I had to e-mail my SAGEs professor to inform him that I was not able to attend class due to my aunt's wake. Unfortunately, I had to miss the cake, biscotti and coffee as we finished a book we were reading. The wake was a disaster considering it seems like everyone in my family has some sort of problem with one another. It was so upsetting to see everyone not getting along. I don't think I'll ever get over the way my aunt and my uncle, who is also my godfather, treated me. For some reason, they think their family is above and beyond everyone else's family, and they have this huge attitude! Well, I decided to be the bigger person and approach them to say hi. To say the least, they gave a little nod and completely turned their back to me. I was so hurt, since I never did anything to hurt them, that I had to leave with my boyfriend because I felt the tears swelling up in my eyes. I cannot get over how immature some adults can act!
Getting back to the o-chem lab test (I tend to get off topic)... I knew the material, so I guess it wasn't too bad despite the limited amount of time, which brings me to another point... I don't know what it is this year, but I have not had enough time to finish one of my tests to the best of my ability! It is crazy; I'm always rushing in the last five minutes. Anyway, getting back to the o-chem lab exam, it actually was not that bad. There was a lot of matching, which took up way too much time, and some of the definitions weren't even clear!
Well, that was done and over with. Now, for the actual o-chem lecture test...
I guess you could say chemistry is not my strong point. It used to be in high school, but this is NO COMPARISON! It was enough just to get through reading three whole chapters but to actually apply the material...UGH! I was so fed up by last night that I just decided that a good night's rest was better than staying up all night stressing myself out about this exam, so I went to sleep. Oh, I forgot to mention the fact that I had an o-chem lab at 8:30am the morning of my o-chem lecture exam. The lab is supposed to run three hours but always runs over with our class, since we are the first session to do the experiment. My o-chem lecture professor was informed, and he said we could get there when we wanted. However, we would have to sit in the front row and sign in when we got there, so we would have exactly fifty minutes like the rest of the student, which was fair. In spite of this, I am always very flustered when I get out of lab because I always feel so rushed, so I was determined to get in there and get out, which was exactly what I did. I was the first person finished with my lab, and I cleaned up my stuff and headed to the test, which was at least in the same building. Thank God!
I got to the exam only managing to be about five minutes late. I just went through the exam as quick as I possibly could, since I have been running out of time lately. Well, I just finished the exam in time and headed to work, which is where I am now. Now, I have a biology test on Monday, calculus test and four experiment lab write-up on Tuesday along with a SAGEs paper that I need to redraft. I don't understand why adults say that college was the best years of their life!?!?! I definitely do not see it now, but hopefully I will later in life.
I have SAGEs at 2:45pm, which I have not even read for. I feel like I am so behind in every one of my classes, so I have to go now and read the first two chapters of "Internet Galaxy: Reflections on the internet, business, and society." This book better be more interesting than the others!
I Want a New Laptop!!
I guess I sound a little like a brat, but I have had my laptop since November 2002 and feel that I am due for a new one.
Let me just begin by explaining what I had to go through to get my first laptop...
You know those huge "the day after Thanksgiving sales"? Well, if you don't, they are amazing! Every store has some kind of awesome deal going on, and depending on the item, you usually have to get there super early in order to get the product you want.
One day, as my family and I were looking through the newspaper ads, we came upon a Best Buy one that was advertising a Toshiba laptop for a deal that you couldn't pass up. Of course, there was only a limited amount available, and first come, first serve. My dad looked at me and told me that if I wanted a laptop for college, he would pay for it, but I would have to go at 6am when Best Buy opened the day after Thanksgiving to get the Toshiba laptop. I was very much against getting up so early, but then I had the idea of just staying up all night and going there. BIG MISTAKE!!
Thanksgiving Day started off with the usual fighting with my sisters about who is going to help mom do what. The family came over, we ate, and I went into the usual food coma and took a long nap. For some reason, I always end up going out after I wake up. Well, I ended up going out with my boyfriend (my ex-boyfriend now) and a couple of his friends and my friends. I figured I could convince someone to come with me and wait in that horrible line, which I knew awaited me outside of Best Buy. Boy was I wrong!
After going out, we went back to my boyfriend's friend's house and hung out awhile in his hot tub. Everyone was getting real tired around 4am and wanted to go home. I knew I had to be at Best Buy by at least 5am to get a good spot in line, so I could get my hands on one of those laptops. I could not persuade anyone into going with me, so I had to go alone.
Not surprisingly, it had to start raining. That is just my luck! So now I had to stand in the freezing rain by myself. Well, I got there around 4:45am, and to my amazement, there were already people there camping out. It is astonishing what people will do for a good deal. They had lawn chairs and blankets; they had lunches packed. It was crazy! Needless to say, I obviously did not come prepared!
The workers finally began to go down the line around 6:30am and start shouting out their special offers. I was the third in line, and by this time there was a line wrapped around the building, all the way through the parking lot, which ended at the street! I could not believe my eyes. I asked one worker how many laptops were available, and he told me twenty. I was so excited because I knew one would belong to me!
Sure enough, I received a piece of paper stating that I would get my laptop when the doors opened. When the doors finally opened around 7:30am or so, I rushed in only to find out I had to wait in front of customer service in another crowd of people for my number to be called. Well about two hours later, my number was finally called, and I had to fill out all this paperwork and wait for them to program all these things into my laptop.
I finally got out of there around 11am and headed straight home. My dad and step mom were in the kitchen waiting, and they were so excited and all I wanted to do was go to sleep. I just gave my dad his credit card, said thanks, gave him the rebates to fill out, placed the laptop and all the accessories on the kitchen table, and ran upstairs to go to sleep. I slept all day long, and my sleeping schedule was out-of-whack for a couple of days. I may sound a little dramatic, but that had to be the worst day of my life!!
Getting to the point...as mentioned in one of my earlier blogs, my laptop was recently in the shop for about three and a half weeks right at the beginning of the school year because it refused to turn on. Good thing I purchased the four year warranty plan for my laptop. The "Geek Squad” (that's such a funny name) at Best Buy fixed it for free (they had to install a new motherboard). However, I was hoping to get a brand new one.
The reason why I thought I would get a new one is because my boyfriend bought me a digital camera for Christmas last year, and it would pick and choose when it wanted to power on. Thank God for the four year warranty plan! I guess they discontinued the camera I had, so I got a credit for $400 that I could use on any camera I wanted. I was ecstatic! I got to replace my camera with a brand new one that was even better.
Therefore, I thought maybe since my laptop is so old that they would just give me a credit for a new one, but to my dismay they didn't. They told me in order to get a new one, the laptop had to be in the shop for the same thing three times or for something, which they could not fix. Well, I asked this guy I know from school, who is quite experienced with computers, how I would go about breaking something inside my laptop that they would be unable to fix. After a little bit of thinking, he told me to leave my laptop on, close it, and walk around campus with it. Soon, the little disks that keep the laptop running will get off track from all the bumping, and the laptop will be destroyed.
I told him I didn't know if I could do that and came up with a better idea...I recently noticed a little pigment problem; there are little specks of discoloration on my screen. I decided I am going to bring it in to the "Geek Squad" for those to be looked at and fixed. Then, I would keep finding little things wrong and bring it in before my warranty expires (November 2006). I figure eventually they will get sick of me and want to give me a new laptop to prevent me from coming in all the time! We will see if my plan works!?!?!
PRS Transmitters?!?!?
I have been meaning to write this blog for awhile now...
The week before classes I received this e-mail from both my biology and chemistry professors stating that we needed to buy a PRS transmitter from the bookstore. I was a little confused. I asked my roommates, "What the hell is a PRS transmitter?" They had no idea either, so we all went to the bookstore and bought these transmitters. Then, we had to register them on-line using our Case user id and the number on the back of the actual transmitter. Looking at the transmitters, they appear to be little remotes. There are buttons with numbers and their corresponding letters. They range from 0 through 9 and A through J.
We brought the transmitters to the first day of classes. Our biology class did not have the all the receivers hooked up yet, so the instructor gave us four different colored pieces of paper. Using this paper, we could experiment and get an idea of how these transmitters would work inside the classroom. The teacher put a question up on the projector, and we were to hold up what color paper corresponded with our answer. However, it was still not clear to me how we would use this technological device.
Next, we went to chemistry class where the receivers were actually working. We were asked a question, and then we were to point our transmitters, which came to be known as "clickers," toward the nearest receiver and press the button of our answer. The professor switched back and forth between the question slide and a slide showing all our registered numbers. When our answer went through, our number would turn a different color. We were able to enter how correct we thought our answer was by pressing a button for high confidence as well as for low confidence. There was a limited amount of time, such as 30 seconds, when everyone could enter their answers. When the time expired, the professor displayed a graph on the projector showing how many people chose A, B, C, or D.
It was neat in that it reminded me of the show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" where the contestant is allowed to ask the audience. It was a little exciting; I'm not going to lie. I thought it would make class more interesting; however, I was wrong. It is actually quite annoying, since our biology professor examines how many times you clicked in during the semester. It was a way for her to determine attendance in such a large lecture room. Sometimes, it is bothersome because our answers do not always go through, since there are probably many people aiming at the same receiver. Although on the other side of the spectrum, it is nice that we are rewarded for going to class in that if we answered 70% of the time, then she will add 10 points to our final exam.
So that's my story on how technology has played a role in my classes this semester. What will they come up with next?!
What is going on?
(Sounding of an alarm)
What in the world is going on? Is that the fire alarm?
It all started last Wednesday around 8:30pm. You see, I live with five other people in House 6 of The Village at 115, and it tends to get a little crazy in there sometimes. Two of my roommates, Vicky and Courtney, decided to go to the o-chem SI, but I decided to stay in the comfort of my bedroom and study in there with the door closed, since SI's don't really seem to help me.
I was minding my own business when I heard a loud scream. I ignored it at first because it's not unusual for our apartment, and I recognized that scream right away as Sonia's, one of my roommates. I thought nothing of it because she is usually a loud girl. Then, I heard all this chaos and people opening and closing doors, and I heard people pounding on the doors saying, "Get out!"
I was getting a little worried by now and listened a little closer and heard some kind of alarm that seemed to be talking. As I opened the door, it became super loud, and our fire alarm was flashing bright lights. A woman's voice was coming out of the alarm saying, "A fire has been detected in the building. Please exit using the nearest staircase. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT use the elevators." The alarm sounded then the woman's little speech then it sounded again, and I began to think it was not just a drill. Usually, they warn us when there is to be a fire drill, so we are not alarmed, but this time they didn't.
I realized my one roommate Sarah was in the shower, and I walked back and forth in the hallway between her bathroom and my bedroom pondering what to do. I didn't know whether I should get her out, and if it was real, should I grab my purse and some valuable belongings? I was so confused.
Finally, I decided to open the door to the apartment and look out into the hallway. There were two Case security guards saying, "Go outside." I told them, "I have a roommate who is in the shower." He said, "Get her out right now!" I ran to the bathroom and pounded on the door saying, "Sarah, you need to get out and go outside QUICK!" I grabbed my keys and went outside with her. I was only wearing a t-shirt, and she was in a towel! Well, there happened to be a boy's soccer game going on, and she was real embarrassed. I was laughing so hard. Everyone was looking at her like "What is going on?"
I guess the fire drill was only for House 6 at the most awkward time. Who has a fire drill that late when people, especially at Case, are already sleeping? I understand that a fire could happen at any time of the day, but usually drills are during the day. Not to mention the fact that I could barely hear the alarm, since the new apartments are sound proof for the most part.
When Vicky and Courtney came home, we told they had missed all the excitement. We told them how strange it was that the fire alarm spoke to you. It was kind of neat in a way.
This story is just a little taste of what our group project is going to discuss. We will address all of the newest technology they have installed at The Village at 115.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'s Speech
Needless to say, I was not looking forward to attending a lecture at Severance Hall, especially when I found out that it was going to be from 11:30am-1:00pm. That is my definition of BORING! Every time I receive e-mails about lectures, I must confess that I don't even read them; I just click the delete button right away. I'm not real big on sitting still for an hour and a half and listening to someone talk about something that I'm probably not even interested in, but this one was different...
Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. has to be the most motivating speaker I have ever heard. Everything that came out of his mouth had such excitement in it. Dr. Gates was extremely interesting to listen to. He obviously had much experience in engaging his audience (as one could tell, his speech seemed to be extremely rehearsed, even his laugh was mechanical). Despite this evident reality, Dr. Gates' speech was absolutely amazing.
My first thought when he started to speak of the Encyclopedia Africana was that this speech was going to be directed at the colored audience, which most of it seemed to be, but his words still managed to be educational and inspirational to everyone. His tireless effort to get the Encyclopedia Africana published is incomparable. Dr. Gates reminded me a little of myself in his determination to finish whatever he starts. Regardless of many financial difficulties, Dr. Gates managed to get the project funded by Microsoft and Perseus Books. I find it intriguing how he keeps the stack of about 25 publisher's letters who had rejected his proposal for money.
Not only did Dr. Gates face monetary issues, but he also faced time constraints. He was given just 18 months to finish a 2 million word encyclopedia. Dr. Gates quickly gathered over four hundred scholars from all over the world and finished 2.25 billion words during the time frame given! He went above and beyond the expectation.
Dr. Gates is truly an remarkable person and deserves much respect. He is living proof that one can do anything as long as that individual puts their mind to it.
Frustration & Weiser's Article
Here I go... Hopefully, this works, since I have not been able to post a blog yet!
I am beginning to realize how difficult it is to live without a computer. I do not know how anyone does it. My laptop decided not to turn on the Saturday before school started... Go Figure!! It is about two years old, but thankfully, it is still under warranty through Best Buy. I took my computer to the store the next day (Sunday) to see if the Geek Squad could fix the problem. Of course, they do not have any idea what is wrong. Therefore, they decided to send it out to the manufacturer. I was informed it would be about two weeks until I would know if they could even fix it or not. How do they expect a college student supposed to get by without a computer for two whole weeks!?!?! I guess it is one of those technologies that blended into the background!
Anyway, the articles assigned for this week brought up some very interested concepts including the one mentioned above. Mr. Weiser's article for example emphasized the point: "The most profound technologies are those that disappear." This is very true in today's world. These techologies became part of people's everyday life until they do not even recognize life without them.
The example Mr. Weiser gave was writing. In looking for a way to communicate, people subconsciously put their thoughts down in writing. We see writing everywhere we turn; without even realizing it, we read.
Another very good example discussed was an electric motor. I do not think anyone with the exception of a mechanic really thinks about what he/she is doing when they stick the key in the ignition and start an automobile. This is a major invention I believe is taken for granted. One just expects that turning the key is going to start their car. God forbid, it does not work!
After reading this article, I became more aware of technology in my everyday life. Living in the world today, it is easy to take advantage of technologies. It is the way we were raised, especially at such a young age. I have been exposed to all of these inventions ever since I can remember. It is good to be reminded every once and awhile how lucky we are to have everything we take for granted.
First Day of Class
My first day in the class was very exciting. Receiving a complimentary memory stick was the highlight of my day, especially with it being such a dreary, rainy day!
SAGEs is a great class for me, since I love to communicate and voice my opinion. I chose this course because I am interested in technology and love to purchase the latest electronics. Therefore, I will have no problem sharing my thoughts and participating in the conversation. I am looking forward to the upcoming discussions.