Er, ERD?

Although many things have changed since the days of our fathers, some tools have simply been altered and renamed to reflect the modern era. The Rolodex, a contact organization tool, is not as obsolete as one might think. No longer are large, circular paperweights adorning desks of CEOs and salesman who remember the strife of those in Glengarry Glen Ross – they are located on our computers. And with the progression of technology, these Electronic Rolodexes are now used for so much more. Researchers are now using them to categorize and organize the information they come across during their study. ERD could simply stand for Electronic Rolodex, but it can also be an abbreviation of the term, Electronic Research Documentation.

With an ERD, one can document the source of their information. Items such as author, title, date and city of publication, and location of the source can be inputted into an ERD. Further, much like an annotated bibliography, notes, comments and critiques can be added into the file. This aids researchers by allowing them to return to the file and determine which articles should be used when synthesizing their findings into a scholarly writing without poring over a cluttered desk rife with useless material. Establishing an ERD is not only useful, it is easy to accomplish as well.

By utilizing Microsoft Word, one can create a table for the information they wish to save. Items such as the aforementioned as well as an area for critical reflection are commonplace in ERDs. By storing the file on the computer, a cluttered desk is now a sanctuary for personal knickknacks and photos of family. As technology changes, so too does the image of a productive work-space. Save yourself from insanity and stress by implementing the use of your computer for more than surfing the web and emailing clients. Use an ERD next time you wish to organize your contacts, products, research or simply as a task manager.

What's The Point?

One could claim that I am continuously on the back-swing of technology. I still own an XBOX (the original, not the 360), I have never owned an Apple product, and my year-old Facebook account is now outdated by the raves regarding Google+. However, one aspect of the Age of Technology in which I feel that my peers are in need of catching up to me is the utilization of Power Point during presentations.

The bane of the college experience, oral presentations, is rightfully feared. Having dozens if not hundreds of blasé eyes darting between the clock and your nervous quaking leads one to believe that time slows to the point that a five minute presentation takes upwards of an half an hour. Microsoft’s Power Point program can not only take the focus off of shuttering knees, it can also entertain the eager-to-escape classroom convicts.

From pictures to music and even automated narration and slide advancement, the capabilities of Power Point seem endless. An easy way to start making your Power Point slideshow pop is by choosing an appropriate theme to go along with the content. Located under the “Design” tab on the top toolbar, there are dozens of different themes with differing layouts and colors. After you have selected an appropriate design, go ahead and start filling in the slides with your information.

After your basic construction of the slideshow, it is time to make your Power Point your own. Each slide can incorporate different animations and transitions. By playing around with these options, you can quickly create an exciting show. Transitions and animations can all be timed and ordered by configuring the settings on the left side of the toolbar. Spend some time getting to know these capabilities and you will be ahead of the class at your next presentation.

Audio can also be inserted into the slideshow. Clicking on the “Insert” tab allows you to add pictures, videos and audio. By utilizing an audio program like Audacity, you can even record your own narration. Now, instead of standing nervously trying to read the chicken-scratch you call notes, pre-record the entire presentation, add some interesting animations, press play and sit back – your presentation is done!

Ethics In The Computer Era

The ethical use of computers is an important yet often overlooked practice in the modern era. Whether at work or at school, people often forget that they are not utilizing their own personal computer and jeopardize the safety of themselves and others. Computers in a professional environment are designed for authorized use only. But, what is authorized?

Many companies and institutions have policies regarding how their computers can be used. Sometimes, however, the policies can be hard to find. If you are unsure as to what constitutes as ethical use of the computer, contact the Information Technologies department or your manager immediately. They will be more than happy to inform you as it also benefits them. By using only authorized programs and visiting approved websites, the risk of viral infection to the network is minimalized.

CSUMB has their policy regarding Acceptable Use of Computing and Information Technology Resources available on their website at http://policy.csumb.edu/acceptable-use-computing-and-information-technology-resources-0. The policy explicitly outlines the dos and don’ts of computer use while on campus.

Not only should authorized use of programs and visitation of websites be regarded, when to do so is also of importance. Just because a program is authorized does not mean that it can be accessed at any time. Do not waste others’ time by being distracted on the computer. Use common sense when interacting with others and give them your focus if they desire it. As the population grows, it can be easy to ignore those around us, but we are all living on this rock and need to show each other respect and courtesy. Ethics is more than what is right and what is wrong, it is about what is civil and humane.

I Think We're Gonna Need A Smaller Boat

Collected on August 18 near Malibu, California, Monterey Bay Aquarium’s latest acquisition is creating quite a thrill. Added to the Open Sea exhibit on September 1, the 4’7”, 43-pound predator is drawing attention away from the previously favored scalloped hammerhead sharks and my personal favorite, the mola mola – or ocean sunfish. He is the sixth of his kind at the aquarium. He is the fearful, ferocious great white shark.

Photo courtesy of Monterey Bay Aquarium

Granted, at his meager size, the juvenile is not as “great” as his on-screen brother Jaws. But, the white shark is still a site to behold. After spending nearly two weeks in a holding pen for observation, the shark was determined to be ready for display, the pelagic rays and green sea turtles were removed for their safety, and he was placed in the newly refurbished million-gallon tank for visitors to marvel upon.

Excited, I traveled to the aquarium after class on Friday to gander at the most dreaded of all sea dwellers. Not to say I was disappointed, but the juvenile is indeed small. Outsized by both the larger of the hammerheads and nearly all of the dolphinfish, the shark seems mediocre when compared to his roommates. Not to be outdone by the “new guy,” one of the hammerheads wowed spectators with an impressive display of devouring an unfortunate sardine who had strayed too far from the safety of his school. Well played, hammerhead. Well played.

Regardless of his diminutive size, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see one of nature’s most voracious predators. I look forward to returning to the aquarium to see how quickly this little guy will grow into the nightmare of ocean-goers everywhere.

Safety Concerns Do Not Concern Administrators

CSUMB is one of the few universities to have a Service Learning program. Designed to increase the student’s understanding of their community and evoke compassion for those in a less fortunate facet of existence, the program has been rightfully lauded for its efforts. However, like many other promisingly beneficial programs, it has an opportunity to be tainted by disembodied and disconnected administrators. My experience with the program thus far has been one of disappointment and disbelief.

I chose to participate in the Monterey County Reads section of the program, excited to aid struggling elementary students in their desire to reach grade-level reading proficiency. When filling out the paper work, we were told that if we have our own transportation, there would be a possibility that we would be assigned to commute to Salinas. While I do not wish – nor have ever wished – to enter the Salinas city limits, the world “possibility” left me hopeful that I would be placed in an elementary school in my current home town of Marina. Surely there are children here who would benefit from my service.

My desire to remain in Marina was re-enforced by recent news reports of the shockingly increased violence occurring on the streets of Salinas. With five homicides in the last eight weeks, the news is claiming a “major spike in violence on the streets of Salinas” after “an unprecedented period…of more than 70 days without a shooting.” It is a sad state when two months without violence is an oddity. Further, “residents have grown accustomed to seeing violence.” When I brought up my concerns regarding my personal safety at the possibility of serving in Salinas, they were met with administrators changing their position from the possibility of me traveling to the gang-ridden area to the inevitability of it.

I was told to simply not wear certain colors; that if they allowed me to request a different area it would open the doors for other students to make similar requests. If other students are making similar requests, isn’t that an indication of a safety issue? In an institution that advocates adaptability in an ever-changing world, it is shocking the steadfastness at which they maintain their position. Why can’t other areas in need be serviced when the previous ones are now unfit to send students into? It is the administrations responsibility to create and maintain a safe learning environment, yet they are disregarding the concerns of the students.

It seems to me that the powers-that-be feel that since this class is a requirement for graduation, they have me backed into a wall. Not so. An animal fights its strongest when cornered. I am not opposed to community service. In fact, I have logged over a hundred hours in the last year with the Seven Stars Foundation, a non-profit organization based out of Big Bear City, California. However, I am opposed to having my life placed in jeopardy. It is easy for those who do not have to go to Salinas to say it will be okay. “We haven’t really had an issue” they claim. Then why must the qualifier “really” be added to the statement? Who are you to decide what constitutes as a “real issue” to the students? Shouldn’t any event that makes a student uncomfortable and afraid be “real?”

I sincerely hope that my disallowance of the normal customs of endangering student welfare allow administrators to rethink their practices as well as heed the concerns of those who pay tuition and ergo their salaries. Life is a string of choices. I choose to extend my string of choices.

KSBW: Shootings And 6 Juvenile Escapees Keep Salinas Cops Busy
The Monterey County Herald: Shooting Sprees Break Pattern of Gang-on-Gang Violence

The Onus Is On Us

HCOM 300L, CSUMB’s complementary lab for its major orientation class, is designed for the technological education of Human Communication students. The production of movies, websites and other utilities in the information age is the emphasis; using a hands-on approach, students learn to apply the tools presented in the class in the pursuit of social justice.

What does this mean for me? I will be taking advantage of the resources provided to increase my ability to critically think about the world around me. Those who know me know that I am not one to sit quietly, stewing in my disbelief of the ignorance, disrespect and selfishness of an increasingly large amount of today’s population. I am an avid disapprover of the adage, “it is better to remain silent and thought an idiot than speak and remove all doubt.” Yes, we should be as informed as possible, but if we do not speak erroneously, we cannot be corrected by those with greater knowledge. In an era rife with online media, social networking and peer-to-peer exchange, it is our responsibility to take advantage of the closeness of humanity and use these advances to encourage intellectual growth within the global village.

Whose onus is it? It must be on us.