Prominent technology developers such as Microsoft, Google, and Apple try to manage and control how we use the internet.

Personally, I think these companies are clever in their tactics.

Because of the advances major developers have made, the internet is easier to access and easier to learn. Apple is continually producing new software and new products that make internet access convenient. New technology such as the iPad allow lay people and business people to connect to the internet almost anywhere at any time. I wouldn't necessarily consider this "controlling" - more or less "aiding" the culture in gaining affective and profitable internet use.

The more these major technology developers compete, the more society's internet use will continue to rise. The internet is becoming an integral and vital part of our culture, and it is necessary for these companies to keep up with the revolution.

THE INFORMATION AGE
Within the past ten years, the Internet and web have made a tremendous impact on our culture.
It will be difficult to summarize the impact on my simple "I Love the Library" blog.


Today, the Internet is a part of our every day life.
The Internet is a primary source of communication and information retrieval.
Now, majority of the population has a "smart phone" that can access the internet at any time.
Media and news is easily accessed, and people essentially are more "in the know" than they were just ten years ago.

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the impact of the Internet is the Music Industry. With everything going digital, there are hardly any profits being made from CD production. Musicians and artists are losing a lot of income due to illegal downloads or music applications such as iTunes. The following is a quote from an article found on Bloomberg Businessweek

"The new world of music looks very different from the old. With the new Web, services' listeners don't put CDs into a stereo or download tunes to their iPod. Instead, their music sits on a server somewhere else, waiting to be played from a computer or any other Net-connected device."

It will be interesting to see how the Internet continues to expand and the affect it will continue to have on our culture.

I love the outdoors.

Some of my favorite spots in the country are:

Bernheim Forest (Louisville, KY)

Smokey Mountains (Gatlinburg, KY)

Redwood National Park (Crescent City, KY)

I love to hike. I love to kayak. I love to ride my bike.

I am very thankful for the internet, and for state parks and forests that have good websites. When I'm planning to spend the day at Bernheim Forest in Louisville, I can pull up the park map on the Bernheim website and map my course. Also, when wanting to travel to a state park or forest that is far away, I can look up directions easily on their websites. Almost every national park provides directions on their website.

Do You Believe in Magic?

I do not always believe everything I read on the internet.

There are a lot of sites that I frequently visit to gather information on the news and culture. Some of my top sites are the following:

CNN (news)

BBC (news)

Between Two Worlds (theological blog)

I know these sites to be credible because they always reference their topics, and uses reliable sources to gather information.

It would not be wise to believe everything you read on the Internet. Most sites (Wikipedia) are easy to access, and information can be easily altered. Most sites on the internet offer opinions on a certain number of topics. Opinions are not facts. The internet is a gold mine of information, and sometimes it is hard to figure out what is good and what is bad. It would be helpful to be a critical reader and the check the sources on the website.

I am not a fan of online advertising. Only because I find it extremely annoying when I'm trying to get work done, and my desktop is flooded with pop ups advertising for homeowner's insurance and travel coupons.

Even though I am not a fan, I understand the economic advantages to online advertising. Advertisers can deliver information immediately, and the content of the information is not restricted to time nor space. Also, online advertisements offer a myriad of features. Advertiser's can link several different pages to an online ad, they can connect their ads to popular social networks, and consumers can instantly interact with the advertiser.

Advertisements that really peeve me - Email ads, Facebook ads, the ads that pop up before you try to watch a video on YouTube or Hulu. While these all may be necessary for websites to be successful, I'd rather do without them.

LOR 101

This class is not what I expected it would be.

It has EXCEEDED my expectations. I'm not ju

st brown-nosing.

Just being honest. I think I came into the class thinking I wouldn't get anything out of it.

I've sat through eight library presentations from Linda Bartnik, all of which were AWESOME and informative and helpful. Signing up for this class, I kinda felt like I had "been there, done that."

So here's to you, Ms. Farmer.

One of the most interesting topics we have covered in this class is the Library of Congress. The Library of Congress is home to the rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, and over 32 million cataloged books and other print materials in 470 languages - the archival super center of American history. I am intrigued. I want to go. I am thankful for our country's ability to document and preserve primary sources. Better than that, there is an online database for the Library of Congress. YES!

The Dewey Decimal System, Boolean Logic, Truncation...all of these topics have contributed to me becoming a more efficient researcher. But most of all, I have enjoyed learning about the Library of Congress.

Tri Sigma Step Steam 2010 (I'm in the checkered zip-up)

It's that time of year, folks. To get "All the way turnt up!" and put on your steppin' shoes.

This Tuesday on Murray State's campus is the 11th Annual Alpha Step-Off.

If you dont know, you need to know.

This is a campus event that generates high attendance and impeccable entertainment.

Check out Tri Sigma's performance last year:

"Sigma Sigma Sigma Mob"

If you are confused on what Step is... check out the history of it, in this article.

Stepping, Saluting, Cracking, and Freaking. - The Cultural Politics of African American Step Shows (from JSTOR)

Step is one of my favorite things to do. I love to dance, but that doesn't mean that I can. This is a good outlet for us rhythmically challenged people to "bust a move."
Tuesday, March 8th, at 7pm in Lovett Auditorium. BE THERE!

The database I use the most is JSTOR. My english professor my freshman year introduced me to this gem of a database.

The front page reads, "Used by millions for research, teaching, and learning. With more than a thousand academic journals and over 1 million images, letters, and other primary sources, JSTOR is one of the world's most trusted sources for academic content."

The world's most trust sources for academic content. JSTOR is credible and efficient. I know how to navigate and access this database more than a

ny other database I have been introduced to in my college career. The online database is simple and produces fast results. I am thankful that my professor introduced this gold mine to me three years ago.

One of my favorite things about JSTOR is the variety of categories. There are plenty of "disciplines" to choose from, but it is not an overwhelming list. This helps me to narrow down my search.