Author: MICHAEL CHAN

For the group presentation, our team for intellectual property decided to involve not only teaching, but entertaining. A rough draft of our presentation plans is to first start off with a skit talking about intellectual property in current events, mainly the Apple vs Samsung lawsuit involving infringement on patents. The skit will hopefully grab the attention of the audience, entertain them, and spark their curiosity. The skit would be our segue into the our main topics. We would go over the material we researched ourselves, and from that move on to connections from what we learned in class to our presentation. We would finally end our presentation in a eloquent way referring back to the skit from the beginning of our presentation.

I feel that planning wise, our group is well prepared and has done a great job. The problems I feel would be to build on the scaffolding we made for our presentation. I think material wise we have a lot to work with to the point that we may have much we have to leave out to keep it within our time limits. I also think that finding the line between being informative and entertaining will be challenging. I want to find the balance that teaches the most while simultaneously captivating the audiences attention and forcing the inquisitive nature of our peers.

I have good feelings about this presentations and can’t wait to get deeper into this. Looking ahead I feel that I am adequately informed and hope not to see any unforeseen hindrances.

Outdoor survival 101, plus it’s just pretty cool to make a torch.

To start, find one long and relatively thick branch or stick. In this case it is the bigger the better. Having a bigger stick means greater distance from the fire and your hand, also thicker means a greater margin of error for if the fire burns through the flammable material. Next get some fuel for the fire. In the wild, tree sap, and animal fat work well. This slows the fire down your torch will last more than a few seconds of burning. Next is the burning material like tree bark or clothes. Next you will also need something to tie your torch together like thick vines, roots, or if you’re prepare metal string. Finally something to start a fire like rocks, matches, or other branches.

So here’s the list of materials for your torch.

1.Thick branch

2.Burning Fuel

3.Flammable Substance

 

4.Tying Utensil

5.Ignition Device

Now here’s the steps.

1.Wrap your branch with your flammable substance and burning fuel. Leave space in between for airflow, because fire requires oxygen.

2.Tie everything together with your vines or string.

3.Light a fire on your torch. Rocks smashed against each other with enough force will create sparks, or one piece of wood spun on another will create enough friction for the wood to combust.

4.Make sure the fire doesn’t spread to your handle and your torch is ready.

Enjoy mastering fire like cave people before you.

 

Extra Tips.

Fire safety is no joke. Remember to have water nearby for emergency situations.

If your torch came out improperly, drop it, and douse the flames. Better to try again than burn yourself.

And for your zombie apocalypse uses, keep the fiery end near the zombies and the stick end by you!!!

 

Technology’s non stop evolution has reached the point where we have 3d printing, the ability to transcend dimensions that was just out of reach. I firmly believe that this is a step in the right direction that will allow for much greater possibilities not only on a more generic population level, but also on global, or even an interstellar level. The ability to create a variety of objects of previously difficult to handle materials allows for greater micromanagement of other technologies, the creation of new technologies, and even the ability to modify existing technologies to better conform to our needs. For example, satellites and space stations have problems replacing damaged or none functioning parts for lack of resources, but something like this or something on a more advanced scale and solve problems like these. However, the greatness of this is not without its drawbacks and limitations. While there are many possibilities for 3d printing, so are there hindrances for it. Many I see already would be its ability to balance general safety with creation capabilities. Materials like steel or other metals come with inherent risks due to their high melting points and even toxic qualities. Most importantly is the requirement of knowledge to operate this machine and how to distribute it to the market population.

Personally I am partially interested in owning current 3d printing. The uses would be purely recreational and so the price tag that comes with it would definitely outweigh my desires for one. When a more consumer friendly version that contains an affordable price tag, a more user friendly interface, lesser printing times, and a more developed usable material selection is created, I think I would have one at home. My plans for it would be to create plastic model figures that I currently build as hobby, and whatever modifications I feel possible for existing things I own. I prefer makeshift things to solve problems, but mentally i would feel more content with something that seemed more professional.

Finally, in regard to our class 3d printing is a prime example to new media. As professor Gershovich has shown us, a whole community like Thingiverse exists where people can share their innovations with 3d printing. Its a new form of expressions and it allows for an almost previously undone way of communication. The ability to give physical form to images from ones mind is equivalent of written words being the form of thoughts.

My final thoughts would be that 3d printing is only a steeping stone to something greater. A prototype to something greater. 3d printing now is an incomplete work, but there is definitely  a place for it in the future and more importantly a place for it now.

I wrote this paper like I would have any other paper. I make a thesis to work on and continue on that path. I write out my thoughts first as they come, as I think of each point, until I stop. The organizing of these thoughts and ideas happen after its all written so i can structure the paper and essentially my argument. I prefer to really think out what happens from the quote rather than really drawing from the work. So in this particular assignment i wrote of McLuhan’s talk of discoveries. I likened it to evolution and the advancement that he saw stemming from the mixing of ideas like the basis of his book. It really intrigued me when you think about the grand sense of things. Thus i just really talked about grand ideas but spent most of my argument supporting my points with details rather than make a variety of claims i was thinking about. i really focused on proving my points rather than developing my argument. I guess overall it was pretty simple to write since it was mostly in my mind rather than other peoples ideas. I guess i see McLuhan more like how the professor described as a visionary. looking back i kind of overlooked the importance of digital tools and media. I focused on my own ideas rather then those two ideas.

 

Quote i worked on

Our time is a time for crossing barriers, for erasing
old categories—for probing around. When two
seemingly disparate elements are imaginatively
poised, put in apposition in new and unique ways,
startling discoveries often result.

The “Mind Is The Massage” contains many thoughts and one that I think is worthy of examination is that pertaining to the developments due to printed word. Like the book discussed before written words, we as a people used only verbal communication. Our world was that of a community which relied of co-dependence and co-reliance. Introduction of books and literature allowed the gaining of knowledge without people to people interaction creating a self isolated growing process. Hence I feel that this event shaped our current society. The eventual lead to compartmentalization by this invention of written word created a way of division for humans. With the necessity of human interaction lessened the connections between people have grown thinner. The idea of public transfer of knowledge becomes individualistic advancement. Without the need for constant communication, public relations become more burdensome and ultimately less practiced. I feel it’s fair to say that printed word created the possibility for isolationism and that is a path that we see common in this current world. I ponder the question of a world without printed word. Would humans have stronger communal ties? Would strong communal ties mean less arguments or conflicts? Is the world better off with printed words? This idea may be a bit over the top, and I agree, but the possibility exists. In conclusion, I feel that printed word could have  lead to a separation in human relationships, and that maybe without this invention people would be closer to one another, more reliant on one another, and ultimately friendlier with one another.

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