February 21st

1. Network Publics Reading

• I found a few key points that are mentioned in this reading to interest me. The first being that over the time that the internet has been released and devoloped, we're become so connected that we've become disconnected. By this I mean we're always on cell phones. When we go to a cafe, we bring out best friend the laptop. When we need to spread an idea or concept or though, we email someone. All of this has distanced ourselves from the reality of living with one another on the same planet. (RPI is a great example of this - there are people that won't look you in the eye, but they'll be your best 'clan' friend.)
• Going along with the first point it just reminds me that everything has its pros and its cons. It's just the balance of life and the world around us. Nothing can ever be completely perfect and so the internet brings us great stuff but also brings us illegal usage, file sharing and other negative things.
• Lastly the downfall of newspapers and print has become an issue lately as huge corporations have been laying people off. (Los Angeles Times) The internet is killing print work, yet saving trees. Again, I'm not sure if there is a good answer for this. Maybe just the balance between them.

2. For my paper I'd like to research Google. From where they've come from to where they're going. I have a contact within Google who I plan to use as a reference.

3. I feel like I've expressed my thoughts on the map project. I think we should each take our own pictures of things we like downtown and around Troy. Then I think the map should be hotspotted or have rollovers to pop up our pictures. (Like Google Maps of entertainment)

-Emelie