Avatar...And I'm Not Talking About the Movie

NICE CRIB!

Has anyone actually looked into this new technology before?... It's called "Second Life"

It takes the whole idea of Sims to a whole new level. In the article, Virtual World, Real Money in 'Second Life', the author states that the ability to perform any task is endless. It mentions how you can earn REAL money by trading products and services in VIRTUAL world. The article also mentions how professors can use an innovative tool such as Second Life to provide lessons and field trips from the location of one's computer desk. How cool is that?!

The second article I happened to read was a transcript of an interview, Firms Seek Elusive Real Profit in Virtual Business. I understand that one can use services and buy things in the Second Life world by paying real money, but I couldn't help but think how odd it is to "live" in Second Life. Everything is based in a virtual reality, so how could it possibly effect me in the real world? I can see why it would be used for education purposes.

That's all for this week

Stay tuned...CHANDOO OUT!

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I Heard It's the New "In" Thing

Talk about the most efficient way to network and get a job

Linkedin now makes it easier to find a job and/or get obtain those crucial connections for the real world, not the show.

When reading the articles, Job Hunting with Social Media and How to Change the World: 10 Ways to Use LinkedIn, I found myself questioning about how certain I was to find a good job once I graduate. I was wondering if I wasn't making myself visible to the public enough and being to limited in my job searches.

Both articles made it very clear that the world was changing, technology wise, everyday and that social networking media is a crucial aspect to obtaining networks for the future. We can no longer search for jobs the "old fashioned way" due to the increased intensity of job search due to recent lay offs. Online networking media is the future of job finding.

As much as I am eager to graduate, I am anxious that my job hunt will deem unsuccessful. At least there aids such as Monster.com or LinkedIn that can help you with finding jobs and make those networking connections for life.

That is all for this week. CHANDOO OUT!

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Ohh, It's Gettin Hot In Here Alright

Its been happening everywhere

The craze even hit American University's main quad just last year

What is it you ask?....Flash Mobs

When looking at the video clips from 24 Flash Mobs You Need to See to Believe, it made me realize how much planning and coordination it took to organize the one at American University. On top of that, the ones at Grand Central and Trafalgar Square were at a larger scale. Making hundreds of people freeze and unfreeze at the exact time is not as easy at it sounds.

Last year's flash mob at American University was organized through Facebook. It's interesting what social networking sites are used for these days.

The next and more serious article I read, Rise and Rise of the GPS Mobile, was talked about smartphones and GPS enabled phones. I agree with the article about the pros of GPS on phones, but i felt as if the cons weren't stressed enough. There already has been issues with the FBI tapping cell phones and listen into every conversation and cell phone user has even when the phone is off, but now there is another security issue on the table about the precise location of all phone users at all times.

I feel like one of those kids that have GPS chips implanted in him so when I get lost my Mommy can find me. It's kind of sick. I'm all about privacy and making sure I have the right. I don't want everyone knowing what I'm up to, or what I'm talking about. My private life isn't Facebook for the whole world to see.

What do you think?

Until next week. CHANDOO OUT!

Corporate Blogging- A Way of Life

SNOWMAGEDDON is over! (Now we have to deal with the aftermath of shoveling ourselves out)

I had a great weekend, but now its time to get back to that school week mode. Today, I read "On Corporate Blogging: Interview with Don Martelli of MS&L"and "Shut Up- You're Helping the Customer!".

The first article I read, "On Corporate Blogging...", was an interesting introductory to corporate blogging. Up till taking this ITEC class, I never would have thought that blogging could be a significant asset to a company. I figured corporate blogging was like Twittering, the constant update of what is going on with the company, but I never would have thought that it was a another way for advertising and marketing...the things you learn about blogging every week amazes me

The second article, "Shut up- You're Helping the Customer!", was a very intriguing article that left me thinking of a lot of questions and really doubted my trust in big corporations, i.e. Fortune 500s. How can it be perfectly natural for companies to not trust the image of their organization in the hands of their employees? On a daily basis, employees are presenting their organization's reputation through products and services. It seems very silly that companies will not allow employees who specialize in a product or service to provide input or give feedback to comments about a product.

The world is becoming more dependent on internet services while consumers are becoming more dependent on information from blogging. While blogging may not provide 100% fact, it does provide an opinion and information that had to be addressed.
INFORMATION = POWER

That's all for this week. Hope everyone enjoys the day off tomorrow! (YES! NO SCHOOL ON MONDAY!)

Stay tuned next week. CHANDOO OUT!