Evolution of Technology

The current state of the IT world is in a current flux.  The revolving doors of new technology flooding in have created a transition period for the technologic world.  Everyday new types of technology is discovered which creates more and more technology possibilities.  The only question is how long will we have to wait until enough technology is discovered to take us to the next stage of technologic evolution. 

            The state of the current Internet as of 2009 is as expected.  According to Focus, an international business website, the technology world has slowly become nothing but a numbers game.  The original technologic generation of kids uses the Internet the most.  That group consists of people who are roughly 20-30 years of age.  As the age group rises the percentage of Internet users goes down. As a whole about 74% of people use the Internet.  The Internet is also roughly used at home about 37% of the available time.  This phenomenon would also kind of explain the reason for obesity.  To put it in retrospect, 37% of a 24-hour day is a little more than 8 hours a day. That’s 8 hours a day on a computer.  The explanation behind the 8 hours may be connected to the fact that about 58% of people own a desktop.  Another interesting fact that increases computer use is that 46% of people own a laptop.  As time moves on and more discovers are made, we can assume that these numbers will continue to grow and move in a less beneficial direction. 

            Everyone understands that the Internet is slowly becoming the global icon of the world.  Despite the new things being discovered everyday, there is a negative to the globalization.  MSNBC most recently discovered the origin of negative feedback from the Internet due to the creation of online gangs.  Social networking sites such as facebook, myspace, and twitter have recently been reported for online harassments.  The original incident came when a few selected gang members began using twitter and facebook to communicate on a supposed hit.  This was the first incident of its kind and fortunately it was stopped before anything came of it.  Luckily it created a domino affect of investigations that eventually lead to the halt of many more potential dangerous online attacks.  The Internet is slowly becoming an online network for the good and the bad.

            The ever-continuing evolution of technology has also lead to the potential creation of artificial intelligence.  According to the Japanese site of WalYou,  the most recent discovery has shown that there have been studies of artificial intelligence that evolve on their own and create adaptive habits.  Military studies have proven that certain robots are capable of developing hunting like capabilities.  The evolution of artificial intelligence did not happen overnight, it took over 100 generations to fully reach its potential.  It’s a scary thought that artificial intelligence can slowly evolve overtime.  It makes movies such as “I, Robot” and “Terminator” a scary realization. 

            The ever-continuing evolution of vehicles continues to impress its users.  The creation of cars has come such a long way since its original invention in 1769 (Self-Propelled military tractor).  In the most recent discovery, CNNMoney has advertised that Honda has created a wireless car that is capable of detecting wireless signals.  The idea behind this invention is the ability to use the wireless adapter to pick up wireless signals.  To set the point straight the invention just picks up wireless signals; it does not emit them.  However it’s only a matter of time until the creators find a way to make a wireless router inside of a car. 

            Since the evolution of cars is a popular thing, the evolution of underwater transportation continues to be an impressive feat.  CNNMoney has also advertised the most recent creation of underwater transportation is an underwater plane that is capable of going over 10,000 leagues under the sea.  This is a very impressive feat considering that the previous lowest depth was less than 1,000 leagues.  It just goes to show how much transportation has truly come.

            As the technologic world continues to evolve, there are some people that ask questions that bring up a legitimate wonder.  The main question that is brought up the most is what’s the limit to our technology potential.  As of right now the sky really is the limit as new technological advancements are discovered everyday.  

It’s the little things…

SItting here during easter….it’s tough to fathom that in a couple months I will be on my own.  My family is still residing in Hawaii, where I am literally on my own in Riverside.  The only sense of family that I have here on the mainland are those that live in Sacramento.  Which lead me to the realization on how important the little things are in life.  Celebrating easter with your family is just one thing.  Even the most ridiculous small things make the biggest difference.  

Saying “Please” and “Thank you”

Looking at someone in the eye during a conversation

Shaking hands upon meeting

Telling someone they look handsome/beautiful

Even replacing the toilet paper after your done, something as dumb as that can make a difference.  Easter isn’t considered one of the major holidays.  Obviously we all celebrate it and the fact that Jesus has risen.  But it is on a different level than the likes of Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Halloween.  But the little things that brought me to this conclusion.  Spending easter with your family doesn’t seem like much.  It may not even seem like a big deal.  But believe me that it is.  It’s a big deal when you realize you don’t have your family to lean on.  It’s a big deal when a major holiday happens you can’t spend it with your family.  It’s a big deal when the only thing keeping you and your family connected is a telephone.  It’s the little things….

Did you know?

The length from your wrist to your elbow is the same as the length of your foot.

Your heart beats 101,000 times a day. During your lifetime it will beat about 3 billion times and pump about 400 million litres (800 million pints) of blood.

It is impossible to lick your elbow. Well, for almost everyone… but a few can.

Your mouth produces 1 litre (1.8 pints) of saliva a day.

The human head contains 22 bones. More on the head and brains

On average, you breathe 23,000 times a day.

Breathing generates about 0.6g of CO2 every minute.

On average, people can hold their breath for about one minute. The world record is 21 minutes 29 seconds, by David
Merlini.

On average, you speak almost 5,000 words a day – although almost 80% of speaking is self-talk (talking to yourself).

Over the last 150 years the average height of people in industrialized nations increased by 10 cm (4 in).

In the 19th century, American men were the tallest in the world, averaging 1,71 metres (5’6″). Today, the average height for American men is 1,763 m (5 feet 9-and-half inches), compared to 1,815 m (5’10″) for Swedes, and 1,843 m (5’11″) for the Dutch, the tallest Caucasians.

The tallest nation in the world is the Watusis of Burundi: 1.98 m (6 feet 6 inches) tall.

If the amount of water in your body is reduced by just 1%, you’ll feel thirsty.

It is impossible to sneeze and keep one’s eyes open at the same time.

55% of people yawn within 5 minutes of seeing someone else yawn.

Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, suggested that a woman could enlarge her bust line by singing loudly and often.

A person can live without food for about a month, but only about a week without water.

You’ll drink about 75,000 litres (20,000 gallons) of water in your lifetime.

After a certain period of growth, hair becomes dormant. That means that it is attached to the hair follicle until replaced
by new hair.

Hair on the head grows for between two and six years before being replaced. In the case of baldness, the dormant hair was not replaced with new hair.

Men loose about 40 hairs a day. Women loose about 70 hairs a day.

In the Middle Ages the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow was called an ell.

A person remains conscious for eight seconds after being decapitated.

The first successful human sex change took place in 1950 when Danish doctor Christian Hamburger operated on New Yorker George Jorgensen, who became Christine Jorgensen.

The muscle that lets your eye blink is the fastest muscle in your body. It allows you to blink 5 times a second.

On average, you blink 15 000 times a day. Women blink twice as much as men.

A typical athlete’s heart churns out 25 to 30 litres (up to 8 gallons) of blood per minute.

We have four basic tastes plus umami. The salt and sweet taste buds are at the tip of the tongue, bitter at the base, and sour along the sides; umami is a mixture of tastes sensed along the center of the tongue.

Not all our taste buds are on our tongue; about 10% are on the palette and the cheeks.

Unless food is mixed with saliva you cannot taste it.

The liver is the largest of the body’s internal organs. The skin is the body’s largest organ.

On average a hiccup lasts 5 minutes.

Fingernails grow nearly 4 times faster than toenails.

Your middle fingernail grows the fastest.

Your finger nails grow at 1 nanometre per second (0.000 000 001 m/s). Your hair grows at 4 nanometres per second (0.000 000 004 m/s).

It takes about 3 months for the transplanted hair to start growing again.

About 13% of people are left-handed. Up from 11% in the past.

In 1900, a person could expect to live to be 47. Today, the average life expectancy for men and women in developed countries is longer than 70 years.

A newborn baby’s head accounts for one-quarter of its weight.

King Henry I, who ruled in the England in the 12th century, standardized the yard as the distance from the thumb of his outstretched arm to his nose.

The bones in your body are not white – they range in color from beige to light brown. The bones you see in museums are white because they have been boiled and cleaned.

Our eyes are always the same size from birth.

Every person has a unique tongue print.

If all your DNA is stretched out, it would reach to the moon 6,000 times.

Approximately two-thirds of a person’s body weight is water. Blood is 92% water. The brain is 75% water and muscles are 75% water.

The colored part of the eye is called the iris. Behind the iris is the soft, rubbery lens which focuses the light on to a layer, called the retina, in the back of the eye. The retina contains about 125 million rods and 7 million cones. The rods pick up shades of gray and help us see in dim light. The cones work best in bright light to pick up colors.

We actually do not see with our eyes – we see with our brains. The eyes basically are the cameras of the brain.

Benefits of having a savings account

Money is everything right?  In our current economy money is hard to come by.  So the question must be asked, is it too early for college students to start saving money?  To some people saving money while attending college is tough because of the tuition commitment.  Some find a financial cushion by working part time jobs during their collegiate career. While it may seem tough, it is very plausible to maintain a steady savings account while attending school. 

            First off the benefits of having a savings account should be obvious.  You’re planning for your financial future.  A working student should be able to have a place to store their money.  It may be tough to resist spending money on that new Guicci bag or that new pair of Jordan’s, but it will financially help you down the road.  Saving money is crucial to the future of any student. 

             The great thing about having a savings account is that for the most part you’re money will be safe.  Some people prefer to keep their money on hand in cash form.  However there’s a much bigger risk of something happening to the cash than money deposited into a savings account.  Not only will money be safer in an account, but also it will slowly continue to grow.  Like all bank accounts there is something called interest that will slowly build up over time. A lot of banks offer an interest-paying account, without a minimum balance requirement, by charging an annual fee. Considering the rates of interest on savings and checking accounts, which is around 2% to 3% per annum, the returns you get from these interest-bearing accounts are very small when compared to the fee you pay. The most important rule to remember when considering your interest is – your cost for maintaining the account must never be more than the interest you earn. Find the banks that offer competitive interest rates and charge the lowest fees.

            However having a savings account is as equally a responsibility as it is a privilege. Take care of your savings account.  Think of it as a huge piggybank that needs to be fed every payday. You get to earn interest annually from your savings account as well.  Remember to not let your savings account be below the maintaining balance or else a bank fee will be deducted from your account.  Aside from keeping your money secure, you now have a passive form of income however little it is.

            Finding the perfect bank account and getting the best deal may take a significant amount of effort and time. Using the internet can make it easier to research on the different banks and the accounts they offer.  The National Endowment for Financial Education is one of many organizations that can offer money saving plans.  Also known as NEFE, they offer free online financial education for college students.  This site is highly recommended to further inform you about all your money needs.

            So there you have it.  I’m sure that the majority of you out there already have a savings account and this is merely just a review.  No matter how young we may think we are, it is never to early to start saving money.  

Hawaii vs. Mainland

Aloha and Mahalo.  The beautiful islands of Hawaii have been known as a tropical paradise as long as we can remember.  Despite what we think we know about the 50^th state, do we really know all that much about it?  What are the first things that come to mind when we think of Hawaii?  Native Americans? Hula Skirts? Drinks from coconuts?   The list goes on and on of stereotypes believed by people worldwide. 

First off it should be know that Hawaii truly is a paradise.  It is one of the leaders in tourism year round and has continued to add new attractions to increase guests visitation.  The sandy white beaches and the beautiful mountains are just a few reasons why vacationing in Hawaii is a no brainer. 

However despite what we are advertised, Hawaii actually isn’t all its cracked up to be.  The residents of the islands will confirm that Hawaii is the priciest living area in the United States.  If Hawaii was cheap everyone would want to live there right?  Not only is Hawaii expensive, but the opportunities for jobs are also the lowest in the country. 

The culture aspects of Hawaii are also significantly different than what most Californians are accustomed to.  Hawaiian’s are much more laid back and lacksidasical. 

Despite popular belief, there are actually extremely few Hawaiian’s living in the islands.  The Hawaiian race is slowly disappearing and the oriental race is on the rise.  Roughly sixty percent of Hawaii’s entire population is oriental.  The funny thing about Hawaii is that every race can be considered the minority. 

Hawaii is extremely big on family. If any of you have ever seen Lilo and Stitch, the phrase “Ohana means family” is pretty much dead on.  Hawaii is a very small state and requires everyone to contribute and pull their own weight.  The interesting thing about families is that everyone is considered an “Aunt” or “Uncle”.  An aunty or uncle can be referenced to any adult or relative.  Just because you’re not blood related to them doesn’t necessarily mean that they are not a part of your family.   

Things I wish I had told myself when I was 5

- Everything you learn now will be pointless when you’re 22

- Barney is stupid

- Save your money now, you don’t need the full set of power ranger action figures

- No matter how hard you try, you won’t be heading to the NBA

- Sports in high school will probably be as good as it gets

- Invest in Microsoft or Apple

- Eat as much crap now as you can, you won’t be able to when you’re older

- Girls do not have cooties

- Enjoy the little things

- Be different, don’t be part of the herd

- Always think about the big picture

- Lastly, at some point in you’re life you will fail, it happens

You know what really grinds my gears?

- Gas prices….I drive a truck 18mpg….and gas cost 4.25 the last I checked..ouch

- Utility bills….man they really screw you over with water, electricity, and garbage

- Finals week…alright given that I’m a senior and have maybe two finals….but still

- Playing any type of sports with old guys who we’re legit back in the day, but are way          past their prime now

- Going to class only to find out it was cancelled after sitting their for 10 minutes

- Having an itch on your back that’s awkward enough for you not to be able to reach it

- Traffic being formed because there’s a cop on the side of the freeway

- NBA playoff games with scores like 45-47 at the beginning of the fourth

Owning a pet

First and foremost let me say that I am not an animal person at all.  My philosophy is that why would anyone want to pay to add responsibility to their lives?  Obviously getting a pet is more of a test for married couples to see if they’re ready to handle a baby, but I’ve noticed a trend of graduating students wanting to have an animal companion right out of school.  You’re paying for responsibility.  Not only are you compiling more responsibility on yourself, but the money put into an animal is overwhelming.  There are shots that are needed, food, permits, mandatory doctor visits.  There’s so many things that can be said on why having a pet is unnecessary.  

I can’t help but say these things because I have two dogs living in my house at the moment.  Don’t get me wrong they’re good animals for the most part, but those days when you’re having a bad day it really is annoying to have them jumping all over you when you just want to be left alone.  The surprise no.1 and no.2’s aren’t anything to be excited about either.  But to each their own as people say, and if people want to keep dogs in their lives then it is their decision.  I for the most part feel that a dog or any other type of animal will not be in my future. 

Did those four years really go by that fast?  

It was nearly four years ago that I was almost in an identical spot that I am in now

A graduating senior, ready for the next step of his life.

Although this time around it feels a heck of a lot different than it did four years ago.

Four years ago I was a simple high school student.

It was exciting for me that I would be heading to California for school.

After all I had been a Hawaii native for my whole life. 

This time around I have been a “Californian” for roughly four years, and the next step in my life will be as life changing as it was when i graduated high school.

But did those four years really go by that fast?  

I can’t believe it, and the next four years of my life will hopefully be just as exciting as the previous

How do you use your facebook?

The question came up to me in my kinesiology class when the teacher asked the class what we were all doing on our computers.  She walked around and noticed nearly half of us were on facebook.  Then she asked the golden question, “What exactly is there to do on facebook that you guys are on for it for 50 minutes?”  

It was a rather interesting question.  Although the class and the teacher herself laughed it off, it really left me wondering of all the things we do on facebook.  There are so many gadgets now that it isn’t merely a social site.  There’s various games such as farmville and tetris, and then there’s even an instant messaging system.  Before the big changes it was a simple “wall-to-wall” conversation.  Now there’s poking, messaging, playing games with each other, it’s amazing to see how far it has come.