Day 2- Power Point

My optimal presentation is bullet points, solid backgrounds and simple. It shouldn't be too busy but it should be somewhat bright to keep the audiences attention. The information should be limited and should be expanded on verbally. My presentation will be on training systems in credit unions, specificlly how I can improve People's Alliance Federal Credit Union. If I decide to not do my presentation on that, I will do a biography on Mariano Rivera.

Power Point Presentations

After viewing several presentations, I discovered that it is a better presentation if the background is solid and the words are big and contrast the background color. Background pictures make the words hard to read and from a business perspective, it is optimal to only have key facts on the slide so the presenter can expand from their own knowlegde.

Google Docs

“Critical Analysis of Google Docs”
Google Docs is Google's on-line competitor to Microsoft Office 2007. Featuring a word processing suite, spreadsheet suite, presentation suite, and data collection/form suite, this product is clearly aiming its sights at Microsoft solutions. After creating a free account with Google, users will also have access to tools for email communications, calendaring, photo sharing, and personal website hosting. Clearly, this suite can give Microsoft a run for its money.
When multiple users are signed up, it is also possible to collaborate with each user able to edit and change the same document via the Web. Because all the documents are hosted online, this also means that you can access your work from any computer anywhere else in the world -- but it also means that without the Internet you cannot access your work.
Understanding the layout of Google Docs, and the meaning of all the little buttons in the interface, should be a fairly easy task if you have previously used any kind of word processor. Definitely, if you use the posting tools on the website opportunity, you will already be familiar with a large number of icons and symbols used in Google Docs and many other tools.
The front page of Google Docs is also fairly simple to understand. Open up a new document and Google will ask if it is a word document, presentation, or spreadsheet. Forms are available that can be emailed out to anyone, with the responses submitted to Google and their results compiled for you. Documents of all types can be easily grouped together into different folders and moved around as needed, and the user's view can also be restricted to a specific folder or organized according to date or name.
For those needing even more advanced editing features, Google Docs also allows the user to modify the HTML of the document in question. Yes, Google Docs is a borderline web page creator. So if you are unable to find a way to accomplish a particular effect or appearance using the standard menu tools (Google Docs does not have the feature to select multiple cells in a table for instance), some HTML knowledge might get you there easily. It is nice being able to edit the raw file, but some users may find that too intimidating. HTML editing might also be needed to change page margins, page orientation, or the number of columns in the document -- there is no easy way to accomplish these tasks from what we can tell.
Images and drawings can also be edited into documents much like competitors, but charts are not to be found in this program. It is not as easy as copying and pasting into the document since users need to manually upload the images, which can be tedious. Imagery and charts can also be aligned to the left, right, and center, but we never found a way to float text around the documents or do any advanced layouts without manually editing HTML code. It is even possible to import hand drawn images into the document using Google Docs "insert drawing" feature.
College students should take note that Google Docs is missing one feature you might have learned to love -- an equation editor. In Office, complex equations and derivations can be easily written out, but no similar feature can be found in Google Docs. If a complex equation needs to be placed on screen, you might have to resort to an unprofessional drawing of the equation or use another tool like LATEX to generate an image.
While Google Docs does have a word/spelling checker feature, it does not check the spelling of the document in real time like Office; the tool has to be manually invoked through the menu bar. Google Docs does not have the ability to check the actual grammar or language of the document, so there's no easy way out of trying to figure out if you have any incomplete sentences. But Google Docs does have one very interesting revision control feature; it lets users browse through the history of the document, view changes between revisions as the document is edited over time, and helps divulge which users have made what edits and when. That is really useful for when you want to put retrieve that paragraph you deleted a week ago -- it is as simple as browsing through the history of the document.
Google Docs is a great tool for all to use. It is basically an online briefcase and can be very beneficial in transporting documents or files for business, school, etc. I think Google Docs is very simple to use and everyone should make an account because it is a very reliable source.

Work Cited
http://www.penn-olson.com/2009/07/27/what-is-google-docs/
http://www.labnol.org/internet/office/google-docs-guide-tutorial/4999/

Myspace and Facebook

Critical Analysis of Myspace and Facebook

Myspace and Facebook are different websites but have the same purpose: Social Networking. Social networking is the “latest craze” these days. Teenagers have been abusing Myspace and Facebook for the past decade. Recently, adults have been using these to catch up with old friends and just to network in general.
Specifically Facebook has been increasingly popular. The website has over 400 million active users from all over the world and it was only launched in 2004.
Myspace has now turned into an advertising medium. There are many bands that dominate the site and that is why many users have switched over to Facebook.
These two social networking sites are great for communication because it is worldwide.
In Business, these website can be great tools. On Myspace, if you are an aspiring music artists, a producer could be impressed with your music and contact you through Myspace. On the flip side, there could be things on the Facebook and Myspace that are negative and if your “future employer” or admissions officer sees it, then your chances of what your goal was is gone.
Socially, these websites are phenomenal. If “Aunt Jane” lives in California, she can easily connect and efficiently communicate and see pictures of her new nephew that was just born in New York with a click of the mouse. Then again, if there are negative things that you don’t want certain people to see, these sites can hurt you.
For entertainment purposes, Myspace is a perfect example if you want to hear some new music from aspiring artists. Facebook also has many applications for games. There is no downside to the entertainment aspect of these social networking sites.
As for news, Facebook and Myspace have many applications that have news. People can be updated daily about news in whatever topic they like. These websites also include social news, between friends. There is really no negatives to this.
Similarly to social aspects, recreationally, Facebook and Myspace provide social networking for people to connect in their leisure time. There are many applications, games, music and more that allow recreational purposes.
These website are very well at connecting people to network if they are used in the right way.

http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/15/is-myspace-good-for-society-a-freakonomics-quorum/

Linked In

Critical Analysis of LinkedIn

Linked In is a great social networking site. It is used by people all over the world to help make connections. In business, the main concept to be successful is to know somebody. A great way to network is using Linked In. It is more commonly used among professionals and large business. Although, many small companies and striving business men and women use it too. This website also acts as “people search” to find connections in the field you need.
There are many benefits to this website for the business world. It provides direct connections with people. This could make the difference to get the job. There are no negatives to this website for the business industry. If a business executive is connected through a potential employee, it can help a lot. It will provide him with information such as education and previous jobs. It is helpful to have before an interview or meeting so people can know each other better.
Socially, people can keep connected with this website. As mentioned before, it is mainly used for business, so there are other sites that are for social networking including Facebook and Myspace.
This is also somewhat useful in the entertainment world. There are some executives of some celebrities that people can network with. This is not very common so it is not very beneficial.
This site is not beneficial news wise. It does not provide information at all.
Once again, this site is not for recreation. It is focused towards business networking.
I think this is a very good site for business networking, but not any other type of networking. You can find people to make the right deals and aid in decisions simply by searching and getting acquainted.

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/apr2006/tc20060410_185842.htm

Twitter

Brittney Jacks

Critical Analysis of Twitter

Twitter is the new “microblogging” program used today. It lets people post up to 140 characters of what they would like. It is similar to Facebook in the way it is like posting “statuses”. The messages sent are called tweets. These messages are view by people who choose to “follow” you if your Twitter account isn’t private. These tweets can be sent from a mobile device as well as online. It is a quick way to inform others in half the time it takes to blog simply because it is portable and short messages. It was launched in 2006 and now is a $400,000 business.
Twitter is very useful in the business world. It is used to promote and advertise. Combined with Facebook, Twitter is unstoppable. Companies can have a Twitter and post updates on new products or any news to keep people immediately updated. However, the downside to having Twitter in the business world is that it is very distracting to employees.
Socially, Twitter is very widely used. People who are avid users of Facebook are usually Twitter users. This is for the person who constantly wants everyone to know what their doing, yes there are people out there like that. Of course, this is not necessary but as a form of entertainment, if you will. This also is a distraction to life if other work needs to be done.
Twitter is also widely used in the entertainment world. Many celebrities including Reggie Bush, Kim Kardashian, Nick Swisher and Tyra Banks have a Twitter account these days. Fans of these celebrities “follow” them to get the most updated news. This is very beneficial to the fans because it is pretty much direct contact. All the latest, true, news and “gossip” is spilled. The downside to this is there are some fake accounts and spoils some of the entertainment world.
In News, Twitter is very effective. It provides quick information in a mass way to the right target “market”. This is great for people interested in news. For example, President Barrack Obama has a Twitter and he posts messages that anybody can see to keep them updated via the Internet. There is no negative side to this unless something that was not supposed to be released gets released.
Very similar to socially, Twitter is used recreationally. This is a fun way to communicate with friends while get the latest news from officials, celebrities, athletes and others. The downside is can be distracting.
This could potentially be abused because it provides too much information that other people don’t need to know about.

http://current.com/technology/89900951_does-society-really-need-twitter.htm

Blogging Critical Review

Blogs are a very important way of communicating in today’s society. Sometimes it can be a great thing, while other times it is not. Sometimes blogs are abused and used for the wrong reasons but for others it can help keep connected throughout the world.
The world has evolved so much by starting with writing hieroglyphics on a cave wall to communicate to blogging. We went through news, email and now “we have shifted to towards endless words on a screen.
In a way, blogging is an art. People can speak their minds freely and it reflects their personality. People from all over the worlds can read it and interact. This is a great way to “meet” people and gain knowledge. Another great thing about blogging is that it is instant so it is very convenient. It is a “true democracy at work”.
In the business world, blogging is used as a company Intranet. It helps greatly with contact to mass employees. This especially helps large businesses that needs a quick and easy way to contact and inform employees. This method is very inexpensive and doesn’t require a web designer. There are no disadvantages to a business blog with the exception that it might not be as professional as a regular Intranet but the blog can be personalized to fit the bloggers needs and wants. Some business blogs include Research Buzz and Gizmodo. This, in turn, can lead to direct sales. Blogs helps companies appear accessible and authoritative because clients and customers are accessed freedom for all your visitors to post comments. Also, customers will be much more likely to use your service or purchase your goods if they see you as an authority on a particular subject. Lastly, they build relationships. A difficult aspect of building a relationship with customers is building a bond with them. A blog enables you to speak more freely and in a more informal and personable style than your Web site does, and your readers will soon feel like they know you. The more they know, like and trust you the more likely they are to visit your main site, click your links and purchase your product. Blogging not only helps businesses, but they helps transport the news to the world, socialize with people of similar interests to your own and even for simple enjoyment or pleasure.
Blogs have their numerous benefits, however they do have some cons. Blogging without the right mindset is perhaps one of the worst things you can do when blogging. Let’s say you work for a large company and you tend to share a lot of knowledge with your customers through the use of blogs. This is a good thing, until you’re doing it for the wrong reasons. When a person blogs a lot and is fairly decent at it, it can lead to fame in the virtual world, with readers from all over the country and world going online and visiting your blog site. The problem with this is when you start becoming popular you don’t want to lose your status. So you’re more then likely going to be trying to write either more or better blogs to keep your readers coming back, while staying consistent. Now the problem comes when you honestly don’t have anything to write about yet you write anyways. This is where blogging can turn pointless and risk turning into an all about you article. We, the readers, already know you’re an awesome writer; you don’t need to go on an ego trip and brag about yourself, doing so will typically do the opposite of what you want and turn off readers from your site. Blogs also take away the great feeling of finding things on your own through research and exploration, and blogs aren’t always accurate. Which leads to the next point, you don’t want to believe everything someone says or blogs about. Don’t be a sheep, no matter how popular or famous someone is, do some of your own research as well. Blogs tend to be a one way conversation, you post and receive a comment, typically will not go any further. When you do actually write a good blog you have to compete with others just to try and get ranked or even have your blog read. Another downside to blogs is you don’t get paid to write them unless you are extremely good. It’s also hard to be original these days because so many people have written about the same or similar topics over and over. Therefore, that explains how blogging can sometimes be abused and can cause us to lack our human nature and have others disapprove of our blogging.
In sum, blogging is a new form of electronic chat that continues to gain popularity. It allows for freedom of expression and audience interaction. Blogging can be viewed in the context of a university or an organization, as a site for family and friends to interact with each other, as a tool to help with academic research, or simply as a voice for oneself. Blogging is a new way of communicating, and academics in the fields of public speaking, composition studies, and technical communication can augment their understanding of the nature of communication by giving it critical thought and study. The power of the media is in our hands and whether personal or professional, we are the people that can change technology.

Works Cited

http://www.gerrymcgovern.com/nt/2004/nt_2004_08_23_blogging.htm

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_18/b3931001_mz001.htm

http://sbinformation.about.com/cs/ecommerce/a/bblogs.htm


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Jackie Robinson game footage

The Great Jackie Robinson

It's Cano, Don't Ya Know

Robinson Cano blasted two home runs last night, on Jackie Robinson Night. It is ironic because Robinson Cano is named after his father's favorite, Mr. Jackie Robinson. Cano wears number 24, which is the flip of Robinson's number becuase he couldn't get 42. This was for 2 reasons:





1) Mariano Rivera already wears the number.





2) It was retired in 1997 for all MLB teams; the players already wearing the number can wear it until they retire.






The Yanks ultimatly won the game 6-2 against the Angels going 2-1 in the series.

Jackie Robinson Night

Yesderday was the night all teams in the MLB honor the great Jackie Robinson. A little hitory for you...





Jackie Robinson was the first African American that played in the MLB. He broke the color barrier in baseball that impacted not only the professional sport of baseball but had some impact on civil rights throughout the country. He made his debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. This is not to be confused with the associated Negro League.





In honor of Robinson, every player on all the MLB teams wore number 42.

Fun Fact:

Mariano Rivera, best reliever to ever pitch, is the only current man to wear number 42 although it is retired.