Tuesday, March 31, 2015

How Deep Learning Will Change Every Aspect Of Our Modern World -- Very Soon



The concept of artificial intelligence is nothing new -- it has been around in popular culture for decades now. Hollywood seemingly makes a movie every couple of years or so around the concept of technology superseding human capabilities, often leading to dystopian futures in which we are taken over by our own creation. However, until the recent explosion in the field of Big Data and data analytics, combined with the constant increased computing power that is allowed from Moore's Law each year, artificial intelligence has been in the realm of science fiction.

Today, deep learning already exists, and all of the megacorps. in technology (i.e. Google, Microsoft, Apple) are all vying for the most qualified and experienced scientists involved in the field of machine learning, and they are buying them all up. IBM has already created their supercomputer Watson, which has already been shown to have the capability to surpass human capabilities in games which we had traditionally believed that they would not be able to, such as Jeopardy and chess. In the 1960's this was made possible by an individual who sought to teach a computer to beat him in chess. Instead of using the traditional method in which we code computers, however, which is by inputting each instruction that we would like the computer to carry out, he instead chose to have the computer learn the game on its own, in the same way that a human would learn to become good at chess. So he ran thousands and thousands of simulated games in order to allow the computer to learn, and it did exactly that, and it was not long before it began to beat him very easily. This was the first instance of the field of machine learning. This technology was created in the 1960's, though, so why should we expect anything to really drastically and quickly change in the realm of artificial intelligence?

Google has been the first company to really utilize this process of machine learning on a much larger scale than ever before. They created a sophisticated computer algorithm which is able to interpret and understand various different things using data alone, and it can categorize and organize them in an efficient manner, similar to how a human would be able to. This is fundamentally different than the method in which we have traditionally thought about programming computers; rather than input each task that we need the computer to perform, we are instead allowing it to analyze the data itself and allow it to use that to generate its own interpretation and understanding of what it is being asked to do. Therefore, no longer are we coding the computer to do specific things, we are just inputting large volumes of data, and allowing it to then in turn formulate its own understanding of how it should make sense of the material. And already today we are exposed to the byproducts of machine learning on an almost daily basis in the form of personalized recommendations and advertising based on data from your online footprint. For example, about a year ago I was searching for a certain type of basketball shoe on eBay, and consequently, the computer began to feed me advertisements for that exact same shoe anytime I logged into Facebook. Eery.

The difference between the present day and the 1960's, when machine learning was first conceptualized, is that now all of the other tools that are necessary to advance the technology exponentially have been improved and refined over the years. This improvement and refinement of our understanding comes from many different fields: data, brain imaging and understanding of neural networks, and increased capabilities of processing components of computers. All of these things combined have enabled companies like Google to use sophisticated algorithms to interpret their large databases in a way that is similar to the functioning of how the human brain learns. 

This has enabled computers to now think. Think about that for a second. Computers already can think. To illustrate this and its infinite potential applications, IBM's Watson supercomputer has already begun reading and analyzing hundreds of thousands of published scientific papers. This is something that would take even the most capable humans an extremely long and tedious process. Even more shocking, Watson, after reading all of these papers, it was able to create new innovations and theories once it had interpreted the database. And 99% of the theories that it had produced, after we studied them a bit, were absolutely correct. It actually even determined that, in cancerous cells, the cell that is cancerous is not the only important cause of the cancer itself. It found that the surrounding cells were critical in determining whether or not the cancer became activated or not. 

It only gets worse. Computers now can even see better than the human eye. In 2011, the first algorithm was demonstrated in a competition to be able to recognize traffic signs twice as accurately as a human. And the capabilities are constantly increasing with each passing day. In 2014, computers are down to a 6% image error rate in recognizing all types of different images on the web. This is much less than humans, and is able to analyze data at a rate infinitely faster than a human could.

Oh, it can also interpret and understand previously conceived to be extremely sophisticated components of knowledge -- complex sentences, even abstract things like humor, are now able to be understood at nearly human capacity, thanks to a Stanford algorithm.

As you can realistically expect, they can also write. It has been shown that a computer can take random images from the web, and it can describe exactly the content of those pictures in a coherent and understandable way, allowing for the labeling previously unlabeled data.


The Implications of This Technology's Future Impact

In a different post, I had mentioned an idea that Ray Kurzweil had pointed out in one of his speeches -- that we should not be apprehensive of technology displacing human jobs, because, as he noted, history is full of examples in which there have been similar concerns of technology altering economic fluidity, and each time there have been new opportunities for work that come out of these breakthroughs in which we did not previously conceive.

However, it is increasingly becoming my understanding that this change may be fundamentally different than those in the past, and there may be valid cause for concern. In the TED talk given by Jeremy Howard (link below), he shows a graph which displays countries in which the labor force is primarily service-oriented. Among many other developed countries, the United States is one of the countries in which our workforce is composed of over 80% of individuals provide a service. Services are also exactly the same areas that computers have just learned how to do more effectively and efficiently than humans. Not only that, but while human performance grows very slowly and gradually, deep learning grows at an exponential rate. And their rate only increases, as computers become more intelligent and capable, they will only be able to build and create even better and more capable computers.

We have successfully created a species which is superior to us in every aspect. Now is the time to think about how we are going to shift our perceptions of society and economy in order to adapt to this impending change, and we must begin planning a course of action in order to allow for a smooth transition. Time is the only true limiting factor.

Change is inevitable and constant, but in no way does that mean that preparation for it is not essential -- because it is.


Larry Page -- "Where's Google going next?" 





Jeremy Howard: The wonderful and terrifying implications of computers that can learn




Saturday, March 28, 2015

On The Inherent Flaws In Our Industrialization Of Higher-Education



In my article entitled "Noah Chomsky's Thoughts On Capitalism", I outlined a few of the inherent problems with our current system of what I refer to as "extreme capitalism" -- capitalism that excessively extends itself to aspects of society whose purpose is a direct conflict of interest with the purpose of capitalism -- and I attempted to make the argument that we must reform these societal necessities, assuming we actually care about the continued strength and vigor of the future of our nation.

Disclaimer for intense Republics or anyone who is hesitant and/or apprehensive of any conception of reforming policy: it is my firm belief that altering these institutions and modernizing them would not at all inhibit their ability to also generate economic productivity, and I may even go so far as to say that it would potentially allow for their eventual growth beyond their current levels (which I will explain using an anecdotal modern-day example later). And even further, while it is nearly impossible to quantify (though I have faith that Google has at least tried), when the general populace feels optimistic and contented with the policies that govern them, there is a social benefit that can be felt by everyone in all aspects of daily life. It doesn't take long living in Chicago to keenly understand that this is an especially true statement. 

While reading a recent article in the NY-Times entitled "'Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be’ and ‘The End of College’", this idea was once again brought to my attention. We have to figure out an alternative to our current method of higher education through reform. Without government intervention, however, this will not be possible, due to the inherent nature of the way the system is currently designed and operating. In its conception, higher education has served an incredibly beneficial role and can be very reasonably attributed to the strength of our nation as a whole, as it has led to countless innovations and untold financial output. This has worked nearly perfectly throughout the entire history of university in this nation -- which is evident in the idea that Harvard's historic renown and prestige has remained since it was established in 1636 as the first university of America. The idea that the brightest and most capable individuals of our nation are all concentrated in one location, that those individuals are then able to improve their wisdom and refine their abilities, go onto achieve financial success in industries which they have been trained, and eventually donate some of their earnings back to the university, has been brilliant. Historically. 

Presently, all of these things have become simply ideals, and the processes of each of them over time have become fatally flawed. And in the age of micro-analyzing Big Data, it seems almost inevitable that all of these processes have become less practical and more bottom-line. Allow me to explain a little further about my reasoning behind how the modern world has adversely impacted higher education. 

From a student perspective, there is a tremendously overwhelming amount of pressure on them regarding nearly every aspect of attending university. They must consider so many things, which perceivably could significantly impact their entire lives. Choosing a school, making sure that it is credible or looking for "brand names", considering the financial impact, living and eating situations, choosing a major, determining their career path, making sure their grades are up to par, finding a job, taking placement exams, landing an internship, joining clubs or activities, involvement with Greek life, among many other, more everyday concerns (i.e. social interactions, friends, hobbies, etc.). Simply writing that list is enough to induce a mild aneurysm. How can students prioritize and focus on the ultimate goal of higher education -- gaining knowledge -- when there are so, so many other things on their plate at one time? The fairly obvious answer is that many of them are unable to. Instead, they are stretched thin over their many different obligations, leaving them without much time for prioritizing the supposed purpose of the institution in the first place: gaining knowledge. After all, who gives a $%#& about knowledge, there's no section for that on your resume. But there is for all those programs that you consumed all of your time concerning yourself with, so congratulations, you have officially paid ~100k+, in order to learn how to receive instruction, fill in some bubbles, half-heartedly attempt to align your self-identity with some organization that in reality you likely do not care much about at all, and then write down that you did that thing on your resume. You also learned how to be stressed the $%$% out, which will be a useful tool once you are thrust out into the real-world with your piece of paper signifying your "knowledge", of which you likely actually have very little. 

As universities are intended to generate profit, the impracticality and paradoxical nature of their application extends also to the perspective of their professors and institution itself. Universities all compete for governmental funding and assistance, which is provided to them based on certain different metrics which they combine in order to determine the proper amount. Therefore, due to the nature of how the process is set up, they understandably are forced to cater to these various metrics, in order to receive much needed federal resources in the form of grant money. The problem is that, in doing so, they are dedicating their resources and effort into refining minute numbers, which is neither beneficial for their students or for society, simply for the sake of receiving funding. The consequences of doing so inhibit the ability of the universities to function effectively, efficiently, and any sort of innovative way. It directly impedes their ability to accomplish what is, in theory at least, their intended purpose: fostering innovation, productivity, & understanding. This is evident when attempting to put into perspective the role of professors in this modern form of higher education. First, it is important to understand that universities which receive the most government funding are institutions which produce the greatest amount of published research papers per professor. This has led to what some of my professors have referred to as the phenomena of "publish or perish" sentiment amongst university professors, particularly those at institutions of merit. This phrase is intended to highlight the pressure that is put onto professors to constantly churn out research papers, or consequently find a new career. Individuals who are content with their own ability to have succeeded in their chosen career may be tempted to argue that this is the natural order of things, and the best professors will be the ones who are able to retain their position, by churning out papers. However, you can not apply that mode of thinking to industries like higher education, which should not be an industry, and is not in many developed European countries (where it is government subsidized). The best professor is, theoretically, an individual who is most apt at engaging their students in learning and investing themselves into the development of their students and their ability to succeed in life, not the individual who can write the most papers.   

From the university perspective, there are also many pressures. They must compete with all other universities for their slice of the grant pie, and resultantly, they must improve their metrics in order to gain a bigger slice, to ensure their own livelihood and sustainability. They must constantly pester their alumni seeking donations, in order to raise more money. They must put pressure onto their professors, to produce as many published research papers as they possibly can given their constrains on faculty sizes and resources availability, in order to attempt to receive even more government funding. They must increase brand recognition, awareness, and credibility, in order to encourage the most capable students to enroll at their institution. They must also comply with the countless different metric systems which attempt to rank and analyze colleges, most notably the U.S. News & World Report Rankings, again to encourage enrollment. Oh, right, they have to teach their students, too. But you can easily see how that ideal quickly becomes an afterthought, as there is no real metric to determine this, and having knowledgable students does not translate quickly enough to meet the financial burdens that they are bound by, and therefore is not necessarily as imperative as fulfilling these other obligations. 

In conclusion, the method which we have chosen in governing higher education is paradoxical, impractical, and every aspect of it has become excessively applied to the point that it is almost wholly flawed in nature. Reform is vital to ensure the sustainability and prosperity of this incredible nation. Instead of blindly continuing on our current trajectory, which will only continue to become increasingly flawed, almost corrupt, we must allow ourselves to stop clinging onto the archaic, bureaucratic, profit-driven conceptions of how higher education should function. We are living in a much different world now, and as we have always done, we must adapt our practices and institutions to fit the contemporary landscape of society. The role of the university in higher education has fulfilled its role effectively for hundreds of years, and while we can admire and respect its historical value, it no longer is effectively serving its purpose in any logical sense. It is simply serving to perpetuate the hierarchical and imbalanced nature of our societal structure and increasing the wealth disparity. As my intent is and always will be to serve the greatest benefit for the most people (utilitarianism ideology), there is no argument which would persuade me to believe that the institution of higher education is permitting this, and as I have pointed out in other articles, this is detrimental for the well being of the entire country. 

I have more than a few proposals which would allow for both the prosperity and financial well being of the nation as well as an increased standard of living for the people, some of which I may explore in-depth in other articles or if requested, but I don't think it would be beneficial for me to list them here. I think that it will suffice to say that, every time that some aspect of our society changes other aspects, we are able to adapt to it, and eventually over time we are able to improve it beyond its previous constraints. Think about the music industry. With the advent of digitalization and mp3 music, people in the industry were in an absolute frenzy, as they believed that this marked their collapse. But that is not what happened. Things simply adapted; now you can purchase individual songs or albums through iTunes, whereas you previously went to the store and grabbed your favorite album. And, tellingly, the industry of music, despite being more digitally widespread and open than ever before, has not collapsed, but rather, it has expanded to even greater levels of profitability than previously possible. 


I will leave this article with recounting the most memorable feedback that I ever received from a professor while attending Loyola University, in my Honors Science and Society class, which was about how our federal government decides to fund scientific research in this country. The professor showed us a graph of some sort, I cannot remember exactly what it was, regarding the governmental contribution amounts to different universities. It may have been regarding lobbying, or something along those lines. In any case, he asked us to analyze and interpret this graph in our own words, upon which I eagerly and emphatically bursted out an idea that had been lingering in my mind for some time, but being a lower-middle class student amongst very upper-middle class, Jesuit private-school conservative majority, I had previously chosen to refrain from saying it: "IT'S A PONZI SCHEME". I will never forget his reaction. He gave me a slight smirk and just sat silent for a moment, allowing my burst to resonate throughout the room, and give the students some time to process the implications of such a statement. After the brief pause, his response was this: "Yes, that is a conclusion that has also been reached by many of those in my intellectual circles." Keep in mind, he is an honors professor conducting research on black holes at a very prestigious institution, so his circles are likely not composed of dull minds. Think about that a bit. 

What happened to moderation? Data is good. Numbers are good. Analysis is good. Capitalism is good. Money is good. Applying any of these to all aspects of society is bad






How-To: Create Your Own Personalized Home Theater/Streaming Media Center Using Kodi (XBMC)

Stream all of the latest movies in an organized media center -- FREE
In a previous post, I had outlined the process of streaming cable TV on your PC, for free. In this post, I will go into further detail about how to go about customizing Kodi with some notable add-ons which will enhance your media center content that is at your disposal.

First of all, if you do not have the Kodi (XBMC) software, click here to follow my step-by-step guide for installation and setup.

Once you have installed the software (including the add-on installer), you're ready to start streaming virtually unlimited free content, whether it be in the form of music, videos, TV, or movies, from a vast array of different third-party sources.

In order to start streaming your favorite content, however, you must first identify and install the channels that are most suited to your interests. In this guide, I will highlight a few of the channels that I have found to be my favorites and that I think would be of interest to many different sorts of people.  These are in no specific order.

1) Open Kodi. Go to videos --> add-ons --> video add-ons --> get more.
2) You are presented with a list of all of the video add-ons that are available for download. Below is the list of add-ons that I have deemed to be most interesting and useful. Based on your own personal preferences that I may have left out, I would still encourage you to skim the entire list of add-ons for yourself, in case I do not share the same niche interest as you.

Best Kodi Video Add-Ons:

For General Use -- Anyone would benefit in some way from installing the following video add-ons.

  • 1Channel
    • This add-on is self-explanatory. It attempts to bring you everything that you would ever need -- in one channel. It has an extensive library complete with documentaries, reality-TV, tons of movies, and tons of regular TV shows. If you could only have one add-on, this may very well be my choice.
  • Phoenix 
    • This channel also has a wide array of content. The most notable aspect of this add-on in my opinion is that it has live TV options which are sorted by their networks, as they would be on a normal TV guide. It also features news videos and videos for children.
  • ProjectFreeTV
    • For anyone who mostly enjoys network TV, this app is an absolute must. It seemingly has every network TV show that airs, and the interface allows you to view shows by date, as well as add a list of your favorite shows, for easy access.
  • Icefilms
    • In the same way that ProjectFreeTV is a must for anyone who mostly enjoys network TV, Icefilms is a necessity for any film buff, as it has the most expansive collection of movies available. 
  • Netflixbmc
    • Allows you to stream your Netflix content in the same location as all of your other media options.
  • USTV
    • If the channels provided by ProjectFreeTv and 1Channel are not enough for you, you could also check out this app for the most comprehensive TV guide available for free.
My Personal Recommendations -- Those who share similar interests may also be interested in checking out these more niche add-ons.

  • ESPN3
    • My biggest disappointment in not having basic cable is the lack of ability to watch ESPN. This app takes care of that. Any sports fans, this is a must have.
  • YouTube
    • Stream YouTube videos.
  • TED Talks
    • View TED talks given by the most intriguing and intelligent individuals as they give speeches on breakthroughs in their field and changes which may alter the way we perceive the world around us.
  • Khan Academy
    • Useful videos for any students or anyone who has to learn difficult concepts in any subject area.
  • VICE
    • Anyone who is not familiar with VICE already, they offer a wide variety of different documentaries that are very interesting and unique in nature. They cover subjects that are often too controversial for mainstream media news outlets, and their content is very, very appealing, to say the least.
  • TMZ
    • If you also enjoy indulging in the occasional guilty pleasure of celebrity gossip and/or you simply enjoy dulling your mind with mindless gossip and ridiculous lifestyle choices, TMZ has got what you desire.

Friday, March 27, 2015

Kickstarter Campaign is Live: Show Your Support and Invest In My Technology Start-Up!

Kickstarter Campaign Link: Lynked
GoFundMe Campaign Link: Lynked




My business is designed to allow the individual consumer to purchase products for a price that is significantly lower than the market value using sophisticated methods to promote the benefit of both the consumer and producers of products. Until the patent for the exact mechanisms that will be employed to accomplish this, the description of the business is deliberately vague. Once the patent process is complete, I will elaborate further on the intricate details, but until then, I am simply asking for your show of faith in investing in an individual who has proven to be unrelenting in accomplishing what I set out to do.

Pledging your faith in my business start-up's potential for growth does not come without benefits. Donations will allow you special promotional opportunities, based on the amount donated. Here are the three tier brackets for donating:

$10 investment: 
Have your name posted on a list of donors on our website that indicates you believed in the conception of this startup from its beginning. Allows you to gain some public recognition, as well as the ability to brag about your prophetic gift, with verifiable proof.

$100 investment: 
Access to our premium membership service for life. This membership will be similar to Amazon Prime's service details. Membership includes: 
--Free expedited shipping
--No company surcharge fees
--Promotional free products
--On-demand 24/7 customer support line
-- Additional benefits yet to be determined
We will show extreme gratitude to those willing to show their faith in our business' growth potential.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

The Dauntless Oracle's "Domain Authority"

Don't believe me? Search any website's domain authority ranking here.


As I just started this website a couple of weeks ago, I'm still in the preliminary stages of developing it into a full-fledged site. While I was in the process of researching the process of gaining website traffic using SEO techniques, I stumbled upon a metric that essentially measures the authority and overall quality of the content and layout of a website. Because of the fact that I have just (very) recently created this site, obviously I was assuming that this metric would show that I have a virtually nonexistent authority as of yet.

So you can understand how shocked I was to see the results of the test: 93. Out of 100 possible. On a logarithmic scale (i.e. it is increasingly more difficult by a power of 10 for each interval; moving from 20 to 30 is much easier than from 80 to 90). 

Just thought I'd share. This is a very encouraging revelation and I am pleased that, at least quantitatively speaking, it is good to have some feedback and know that at least some people are finding this to be interesting and/or helpful in any way. 

Which means that I will definitely continue to expand and grow the content of this site. Subscribe if you'd like updates or notifications to article postings. Or if you don't necessarily want all that, but you still enjoy some of the content or think others would, feel free to share on social media (links in right sidebar)!



Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Our Paradoxical Application of Extreme Capitalism & Its Consequences (& insight from Noah Chomsky)



In a previous post, I had mentioned some of the downfalls to our current system of what I would describe as "extreme capitalism". I would define extreme capitalism as the unnecessary and irrational need for every aspect of our society, whether it be things like education or law enforcement, being solely designed to increase profit and eliminate costs. For most industries, this is simply the force of  a free market economy, and that is a very beneficial and beautiful natural process, and works very elegantly, in most cases. 

So please do not interpret my criticisms of our economy as an advocation for communism or any other sort of system, because that's simply not my intention. I do believe that capitalism is the absolute best system of governing modern life; those who need or desire to attain wealth may do so if they are motivated and put in the effort, while those who are more concerned with understanding, examining, and enjoying their short time here are also free to do so.

But that does not mean that every aspect of our society functions most effectively under the guidelines of capitalism, as their intention is in direct conflict with that of capitalism. This is most evident in institutions which are designed to serve a public good, things like: health care, law enforcement, judicial system, etc. In all of these instances, capitalism is a direct impediment to their effective and proper functioning. And it seems as though each day, the "middle-class" American is the one who is left to carry the weight, as each of these various industries slowly but surely nickel-and-dime the populace to death. Health care should absolutely not be the leading cause of bankruptcy in the most financially wealthy nation on Earth, and we should be ashamed that it is. Have we all really become so emotionally numbed by the capitalist ideal that we are willing to allow those around us to die because of it? 

Today, the notion of business ethics has been altogether forgotten, to the extent that The Wolf of Wall Street may seem tame in comparison to what some of these MegaCorps can do. It seems as though the consumer is in direct conflict with the service provider in a sparring match of hidden and implicit fees. But as soon as you click that 'agree' button that you didn't have the time or desire to read anything about, your head is already in their noose, and you are virtually completely at their will. The problem is, everybody today is too constantly pressed for time and have so many obligations to fulfill that nobody has a chance to notice that there is an invisible war between corporations and their walking dollar signs (consumers). Even worse, I think the problem is that people don't even care anymore, and they think that their role is so insignificant somehow, that they cannot have a voice to change the way things are. Millennials and Generation X haven't really had any demonstrations or impact through public and social activism in their recent history, or they simply don't remember the sentiment of those times, but generations before us would absolutely be shocked to witness our complacency with being oppressed so blatantly and thoroughly.

It's as if there is an insatiable need for our government to deplete us of all our worth, when in fact, it would be more beneficial for them in the long run to allow us to retain some loose definition of financial independence. The strength of this nation has ALWAYS resided in the hands of the majority, and that is what really makes it a great place to live, but it seems that this is eroding from under it's very foundation. All of the most prosperous times in our country's history have been marked by the stability and vigor of the middle-class, and their relationship is one of causation; that is, the success of the middle-class sector of Americans in turn allows the nation as a whole to prosper. And, therefore, without that strength, the entire nation consequently suffers.

Allow me to cite and explain further the ways in which I feel that government and private sector are excessively depleting average Americans of their finances. It seems that, being a young, male driver (admittedly who may appear as a "trouble-maker"), I cannot go a month or two without being pulled over for seemingly unknown reasons anymore. So much so that the DOT is, to me, a fairly routine trip that I know I will have to make every so often. And I definitely am not the most cautious driver, I understand that. I get it. That's not the argument that I'm making, I know that there are definitely times that it has been plausible for me to be pulled over. But there's a difference between that, and law enforcement scanning people to identify potential targets of revenue.

"Look, that kid looks like he probably smokes pot, get him!" 

This has also become more and more noticeable with online-based companies, and it is much more discrete and thus harder to find without micro-analyzing all of your transactions. Recently, I've started using eBay more frequently than I have in a while, and combined with PayPal, their virtual monopoly has become very much more adamant about finding every possible loophole available at their disposal to excessively charge you and, in some cases (mine), even withhold all of your funds for 6 months, with absolutely no desire to be compliant in assisting their customers. And because of the way that things are, there are very limited means in place to challenge their supreme authority. This is not an example of the force of the free market, but rather the force of corporate giants levying power and control over the federal government to maintain their dominance. And there is no incentive for either party to have it any other way, because that would relinquish the absolute control that they currently possess. If the government is to have any influence over the free market, they should be providing the means and opportunities for small-businesses to compete with these large established corporations, when in fact the exact opposite is true.

In my (relatively, but nowhere near completely) humble opinion, the modern world is so much vastly different than the archaic foundations that it is currently still operating under. These things have worked, and they have worked very well, for hundreds of years, but at some point, we have to wake up and realize that times have changed drastically, and even though, due to the bureaucratic nature of our institutions, political and economic change is often much slower and calculated than social change, at some point we must inevitably alter our mindset and shift courses if we want to maintain any sense of decent standards of living that we currently enjoy. The problem is, every aspect of the system that is in place is inextricably bound to every other aspect, and altering one facet is the equivalent to removing a Janga piece from the puzzle, as everything else collapses on top of it. But regardless, things must change and will change eventually, so why are we so willingly choosing to remain negligent and go about our days as if there aren't very pivotal decisions that we must face as a species in the near future. Many Asian countries are already being forced to wear surgical masks on a  daily basis in order to cope with the extreme smog caused by pollution, caused by our over-consuming global economy. Is that really the world that we all want to live in?

Anyways, Noah Chomsky had some similar comments to say in a video that I was watching that I found to be fascinating, so I decided that I'd talk about my perspective a bit more. Noah Chomsky, for those who aren't aware, is "an American linguistphilosopher,[21][22] cognitive scientistlogician,[23][24][25] political commentator, social justice activist, and anarcho-syndicalist advocate. Sometimes described as the "father of modern linguistics",[26][27] Chomsky is also a major figure in analytic philosophy.[21] He has spent most of his career at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he is currently Professor Emeritus, and has authored over 100 books. He has been described as a prominent cultural figure, and was voted the "world's top public intellectual" in a 2005 poll.[28]" (Wikipedia)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noam_Chomsky

15:10 "The Labor Movement has traditionally been at the forefront of progressive social change, and for that reason, and others.. it is under severe attack . . . fierce attack from the business world.. which pretty much runs the country." 


Something to think about, at the very least.



Check out the video below.









Saturday, March 21, 2015

How We Will Reprogram Our Physical and Perceptual Reality



If you are not already aware of this fact, our perception of reality is not actual reality. Instead, our sensory organs allow us to essentially render a simple framework of reality. Think of it as an outline, rather than an actual, detailed picture. And historically, this has benefitted us very greatly, as we are instantly aware of any sudden movements, physical objects in our path, noises, etc. Evolutionarily, over time, our bodies have determined and refined the most advantageous perceptual qualities which ensure our survival. If we could actually perceive all of reality, that is, all of the electromagnetic pulses, energy transformations, wavelengths, radiation, etc., we would quickly become overwhelmed with constant arousal of our sensory systems. Because of this, our perceptual system filters out the things that we do not need.  In fact, at a recent TED conference, David Eagleman asserts that we are only actually able to perceive less than one-trillionth of actual physical reality. But because our species is not wired to sustain high levels of arousal for any significant period of time, our perceptual systems serve to filter out the things that we do not need. Thus, we only see what we really need to, in order to survive.

While this has worked perfectly fine throughout history, we are now entering into a new era. After taking a course my sophomore year, the psychology and biology of perception, my thinking on this subject began to expand significantly. Think about it: everything that we think, perceive, feel, all have evolutionary roots to which they are attributed. To illustrate this point more clearly, I will use my own biology as an example. I am a fairly short and skinny individual. In principle, historically, this would mean that I am more susceptible to predation by larger, stronger people. As a result of this, my body has perfectly adapted itself over time to accommodate my survival. Thus, I have very large eyes and I am highly neurotic, because these traits have allowed me to more quickly identify a potential threat. Further, I am very athletic and can run very fast, which allows me to evade the threat. Beyond that even, I consider myself to be a fairly intelligent individual (I would give credentials to validate this but it would seem like I'm gloating when that is not my intention), therefore my cognitive processing has also been adapted to ensure my survival. My ultimate point is this: our physical, mental, and emotional capabilities all stem from an extremely lengthy refining process of evolution. Everything that we perceive or feel has roots in our evolution, and has been very slowly, but efficiently, edited over many generations. 

However, we live in a new day, where these things are no longer necessary, as human progress has afforded us the ability to no longer have to rely on these personal traits in order to ensure our survival. And, for example, as I mentioned that I am fairly neurotic, this leads to increased stress and anxiety, neither of which is either fun or necessary to have to deal with in the modern world, and they serve to inhibit a person's potential to be successful rather than enhance it. 

While our evolutionary systems have been sufficient in the past to produce feelings which consequently indicate our needs, it is nowhere near perfect. For example, our ability to feel hungry indicates to us that we must eat in order to continue surviving, however, as we are all too familiar with, we are unable to detect at what point we are overindulging. This happens because this is the historical foundation upon which our species was created; we are programmed to associate things linearly. So when you are eating and it feels good, our brain associates the two as being connected. More food must mean better feeling, right? No, because, at some point, which our body does not tell us, there is significantly diminishing returns of the benefits of eating. 

This leads to our tendency to indulge too much into our desires for that gratification, most often taking the form of food, water, and sex, because these are some of the most gratifying experiences that we can engage in. Because of the fact that we are hardwired with the idea that feeling good indicates that we are doing something right, in reality, after a certain point of necessity, we are simply increasing our appetite for these things in the long-term. There also becomes decreasing gratification when we overindulge, leading to an inability to reach that same feeling that we had experienced before. This concept is easily understood by anyone familiar with alcoholism. 

Because of all of the aforementioned reasons, I believe that it is time that we reprogram the human body, in the same way that we reprogram software updates. Only, instead of binary code, the language of the software is our genetic code. Currently, with the advent of Big-Pharma, we are simply putting a band-aid on the mental, physical, or emotional tolls that we have to deal with on a daily basis, as a result of our evolutionarily determined traits. And these band-aids have proven to have their own problems, as the side-effects of many of these pharmaceuticals can often outweigh their initial benefits. 

Reprogramming Ourselves to Enhance Our Reality
As you likely already know, other animals evolutionary processes have utilized different perceptual characteristics than humans. There are countless examples to highlight this point, and you probably can think of at least a couple off the top of your head. Snakes have infrared vision, dolphins have SONAR (which is how we learned to create the technology of SONAR), dogs have heightened smell and hearing, and the list goes on (check out this link for a simple, detailed list of many other extraordinary animal sensory systems). 

Enabling Ourselves to Physically "Feel" Big Data
Today, we live in an increasingly quantified world of Big Data, all of which can be very tedious and meticulous to analyze and organize any sense of meaning from without devoting a significant amount of time and energy. 

David Eagleman is seeking to change this, by allowing us to "feel" live, streaming data, so that we are able to effectively utilize it without the need for any focused, strenuous need for cognition. He even demonstrates in the video that a man who has been deaf his entire life was able to utilize the technology in order to feel words, based on a pattern of vibrations. 

To me, these sorts of things are absolutely fascinating. Check out the video using the link below.

Link to 2015 TED talk given by David Eagleman on enhancing our perceptual capacity: http://www.ted.com/talks/david_eagleman_can_we_create_new_senses_for_humans#t-1030531

Reprogramming Ourselves To Eliminate Disease
Instead of bandaging these issues, we should instead seek to fix the cause of our unnecessary mental, physical, and emotional suffering. And, after spending a few years going to university in Chicago, the alleviation of human suffering has long been a primary concern of mine, as I bore witness to some of the most intense suffering in our country today. All of this has led to my fascination in the field of Gene Therapy. Gene therapy is a field that has the potential to eradicate human disease. Diseases are caused by a network of genes which have began to no longer work properly; thus, gene therapy is dedicated to replacing these faulty genes with synthetic, working genes.

Incorporating Our Physical Self With Technology
If you are lucky (and by that I mean wealthy) enough to afford Google's $1000 glasses, you have already equipped yourself with the first piece of technology which seeks to expand our perceptual awareness with the aid of technology. With Google Glass, you are able to seamlessly interact with the digital world in your physical reality. While I am admittedly unfamiliar with the exact functionality of Google Glass, I know that, at some point in the near future, it will be able to recognize an individual's face and bring up their social media profile, give you their background information, and countless other seemingly intrusive things.

If this makes you apprehensive of the future of technology, there's only one thing that you can really do about it: get used to it. Ray Kurzweil, one of my personal favorite people to listen to speak, as he is incredibly bright and very well articulates his ideas, has a track record spanning 30 years of accurate predictions of the future. That might be one of the reasons that he is CEO of Google (on the contrary, it could be that he has been correct because he has access to the Biggest Data in the history of humanity, but either way).

It would be futile for me to attempt to articulate his ideas here, because he articulates them so well himself. Check out the link below for his discussion on the impending Singularity. It's absolutely brilliant.

Ray Kurzweil on the Singularity:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzWLqxQptnY

Ray Kurzweil on Immortality by 2045 (lengthy but fantastic speech)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlRTbl_IB-s


Update March 28th, 2015
While reading the comments of an article discussing Stephen Hawking's thoughts on the next stage of human evolution, I read a comment that I found to be particularly interesting, and thought it related to this post:

"Whether you believe in the concensus physical and biological sciences or your roots are of a more spiritual nature, you should agree that we human beings are fundamentally "information". The genetic data which was our foundation and the epigenetic (non-DNA affecting) environmental data which has formed us into the person we are can be modeled by a computer system. Yes it's the Matrix for real, and it's coming within most of our lifetimes. Prepare to live within our collective imagination."

Click here for the link to the article.

8 Ways 3-D Printing Will Revolutionize the Global Economy



3D printing has been around since the 1970's. This begs the question: why is it that we have only recently began to hear about it's applications? The answer: computer-directed modeling. Until recently, the software technology had simply not been on a level playing field with the hardware technology, as is the case in many industries. Recently, however, progress has been made. Ten years ago, products took weeks to generate a 3D digital model. Now, that process can be done in only hours. 

Currently, however, the predominance of this technology has yet to impact the average individuals life in any significant way. Why? Because 3D printing is still too slow. In fact, at the recent TED conference, Joseph Desimone made the bold assertion that "there are mushrooms that grow faster than 3D printed parts". Using the power of Moore's Law, it is very easy to envision that it is only a matter of time before the capabilities become much more widespread and affect the lives of everyone.

As a point of reference to allow yourself to envision the revolutionary impact that this technology will inevitably have on society, I encourage you to think of social media. Social media allowed for every individual with a smartphone to voice their opinion with others, instantly and effectively. In the same way, 3D printing will allow for a much lower cost of entry barrier to enter the market, and as a result, many more people will be able to enter the market who previously were restricted. This will implicitly lead to much lower cost and more personalized products, and especially in businesses like fashion, corporate giants will crumble to the infinite customization that this technology will afford.

Here are 8 major implications for the future of 3-D printing technology:

1) Medicine Will Be Individualized 
3-D printing allows for personalized objects to be printed instantly, perfectly conforming to the patients body. Further, organs (this has already been done successfully in the lab with mice) will be allowed to be personalized and therefore would eliminate the majority of the current problems with organ transplants (i.e. lack of supply of healthy organs, finding compatibility, bodies natural rejection of some organs). 3-D printing is already producing personalized hearing aids, dental restorations, orthodontic braces, and even skulls (smithsonian). 

2) Economies will become more localized
Time will become a more important factor once 3D printing expands. Thus, no longer will we rely on the current method of producing very cheap products abroad, and then ship them out across the globe to fetch a higher price tag. All of this will be able to be more efficiently done at the local level instead. 

3) Shifting Back to Resource-Based Economy 
Rather than our current market-based economy, we will become a resource based economy. Once there is a 3D printer in the majority of households, people will no longer find it beneficial to purchase a completed product which will subsequently then be sold for some multiple of what the product actually cost to produce. Instead, they will simply purchase the raw materials necessary for the product, and allow software to manufacture it. 

4) Legal & Criminal Implications
Crime will become more widespread and easy (however, Big Brother will almost inevitably hinder this). Currently, there is a growing concern among law enforcement that 3D printers already have the capability of producing untraceable weapons. 

5) Products will be essentially infinitely customizable. 
As a result, I would expect that industries, such as clothing, will be very significantly affected.

6) Labor-intensive economies (i.e. China) will be significantly affected
Instead of relying on their mass-manufacturing model which has been the source of strength to their economy, they will instead have to rely on their domestic market as the primary source of revenue, because no longer will there be an incentive for companies to waste valuable time and resources shipping across the oceans when any country would be able to print their products domestically in an instant.

7) Transportation, handling, storage costs will all decrease.. So EVERYTHING will be cheaper
When you buy a product, you are implicitly paying for all of the costs that it took for that product to reach the retailer. Thus, when these costs are eliminated through 3-D printing, the cost of the product will be allowed to be much more affordable.

8) Products will become much more quickly updated and upgraded
Currently, it takes a vast amount of resources to make alterations on a current product, which is why it also takes years in between different models of products. Ideally, one could envision a time when software applications will update themselves. Further, the concept of 4-D printing is attempting to create products which would be able to re-assemble themselves in the case of damage. This is truly an incredible time period we are living in.

While 3-D printing is inevitably going to revolutionize the world around us, we are simply not there yet. "Traditional methods of production in low-wage countries are still far faster and cheaper than additive manufacturing when large numbers of parts are needed" (Smithsonian). 

Currently, due to the slow nature of the process, 3-D printing is thriving in industries such as medicine and aviation, industries that rely on low volume, high complexity products

This will all soon change, isn't that right, Mr. Moore? 



Thursday, March 19, 2015

How-To: Stream Live Cable TV On Your Computer For Free



What you will need:

-- PC w/ XBMC Server installed (download link: www.Kodi.tv)
-- internet connection

1) Download and install XBMC.
2) Follow this link and follow the instructions in order to install the add-on helper.
3) Follow this link to download and install the ProjectFreeTV add-on.
4) Follow this link and follow the instructions in order to add the ProjectFreeTV add-on to XBMC.
5) Optional: Connect your computer to your TV monitor via HDMI cable in order to watch on a larger monitor.


That's it. Now you can stream live TV straight to your computer for absolutely free.

Note: since XBMC is streaming from various different online sources, some of the shows that you click on may possess links that do not work.

How-To: Build A Powerful 1080P SFF Gaming PC for $700



Looking to upgrade or replace your current desktop PC without breaking the bank in order to do so? Then you absolutely want to build your own custom PC, as it eliminates all of the extra costs for things that you do not need and the implicit cost you are paying for the brand name.

First, let me explain what I want out of my desktop computer. What I wanted was fairly simple: the fastest, most powerful machine that is capable of handling mid-high range gaming. Most importantly, I wanted it to do all of these things for the absolute lowest price. If this does not describe your similar intentions, then you may want to search elsewhere for certain components, which I will try to mention, as they may be unnecessary for your situation. 

Note: the custom PC that I chose to build is a SFF (small form factor). This means exactly what you'd think: it is smaller than the traditional, clunky desktop of the past. However, these are not quite as small in size as the NUC, but because I wanted to run games on high quality settings, I opted to not go with a NUC, because they simply are too small to pack the power necessary to do so. 

Build For Budget Mini-ATX Desktop PC:

1) Processor: Intel Core i5 4690k ($230)

The processor is the most important component in determining the performance of your computer. Therefore, it is essential that you determine the right processor to fit your needs. The Intel Core i5 4690k offers the greatest performance for the price (~$230). For any user who does not need extremely CPU-intensive processes (i.e. photo and video editing software), the core i5 is more than powerful enough to handle any tasks you would ever need. It is also very fast; the Geekbench benchmark test proved to be about 2.5 times as fast as my current 2012 Macbook Pro, which has an intel i7 quad-core 2.9 Ghz. processor. 

2) Motherboard: ASRock B75 Pro3-M ($100) 

I must admit, I have absolutely no idea about the intricacies of different types of motherboards. What I can say is that the only real difference is between which ports and connectivity options each offers, and whether or not all the other components are compatible with the specific motherboard that you choose. All I know is that this motherboard has all the necessary ports and fits the processor listed above, as well as any of the Intel processors. It is the recommended one on the website that I read tech. information about, so that's the one I chose.

3) Memory (RAM): 8GB Crucial Ballistix Sport ($60)

RAM is basically the amount of memory that your computer is able to utilize at any given time. When your computer slows and crashes because you opened too many programs or too many tabs, that is indicating to you that you have attempted to exceed the RAM capacity of your machine. For casual use, you could get away with 4GB if you are a person who simply wants to use their computer to check e-mail, browse the internet, etc. But generally, if you can afford it, I would recommend getting at least 8GB of RAM to be sure that your computer will consistently be able to handle any multi-tasking that you may have to do. Especially since I wanted to do limited gaming with my computer, I definitely needed the 8GB. 

4) Internal Memory (Hard Drive): 240GB Kingston SSD V300 ($85) & Seagate Barracuda 1TB HDD ($50)

Obviously, internal memory is the amount of storage your computer will have. The important thing to note here is that the drive that I chose happens to be an SSD, instead of the traditional HDD of the past. The SSD option allows for significantly increased boot-up and program load times. Until now, they have been extremely expensive, and they are only recently becoming affordable for the everyday person who is not a tech guru. The reason that I included the 1TB HDD is so that I can have plenty of room for storing all of my files without having to put them all on the SSD, which would reduce it's speed. You could also opt for a hybrid drive, which combines both into one, if the motherboard that you choose only has one slot for internal memory. 

5) Graphics Card: Sapphire Radeon 7770 ($100)

The graphics card is going to determine the quality of the graphics of your system. This is the main component that may differ if you do not want to use your computer for gaming. And there may be others with different preferences for cards, and they may be right, because I do not know anything regarding video cards, but I do know that this specific card is capable of performing high-quality gaming on very taxing games, such as Watch Dogs, and is also very affordable. Enough said.

6) Power Supply: Corsair CX430M ($50)

What matters here in determining what is best for you is the wattage output that your system will require. Below is a link to a website that you can input your CPU details and it will identify the needs of your system. If you are using the build with the parts I have listed above, this power supply will suffice.

      --Wattage Output Based on CPU: http://support.asus.com/PowerSupply.aspx?SLanguage=en

7) Case: Linkworld Blade Steel Body Mini ATX ($40)

This is the most subjective part of the build. It is truly a matter of personal preference to determine the right one for you. I chose this one because it was steel and I know that I am prone to tragedies, and I would be devastated if something happened to my new custom PC. Also, it looks pretty sweet.

Total Cost of Mini ATX Build: ~ $700

There you have it. Now just wait a couple of weeks to get all of your component pieces, and you've got an extremely powerful, yet portable, system that is capable of producing the same quality of graphics as a PS4 or Xbox One. The standalone cost of buying a current-gen gaming system and a computer with similar specs. could easily cost you $1200-$1500+. 

Total Money Saved: Somewhere between $500-$1000.






Tuesday, March 17, 2015

How-To: Create Your Own Wireless Network Without An ISP (Using Just An iPhone!)




This is a very useful trick that enables an individual to have internet access anywhere at all times. This was necessary for me, as I just moved into a new apartment, while I was waiting on an ISP to come out and install my equipment to set up my internet connection.

What you will need:

-- jailbroken iPhone
-- Laptop 
-- (optionally -- this device would strengthen the signal connection, ~$6 on eBay) USB WLAN dongle 

Steps:

1) Install tetherme (or any other similar program if this one doesn't work for you) onto your jailbroken iPhone. 
2) This app will allow you to either use USB tethering, that is, using your phone's internet connection in order to give your laptop internet access, or a personal wifi hotspot, with no need for USB connection. Simply check your desired option and it should work.
3) (optionally) Connect USB dongle to strengthen network speed and increase range.

NOTE: Depending on your laptop you may have to change some network settings additionally to get it properly working.






Monday, March 16, 2015

The Imminent Demise of the Traditional Desktop PC (also, the state of Apple's Corporate Policies)



My Macbook Pro has been an incredible machine for around 3 years now. I am by no means an Apple fanatic or fanboy in any way, but I am more than willing to give credit where it is due, and their exorbitant prices are certainly a result of the unparalleled quality and stability of their products. As a testament to this, their operating system is so well designed that it is essentially invulnerable to malware.

Despite this, I am no longer willing to put up with their business practices, which are ridiculously restricting and controlling. And Yosemite is great looking, but it seems like it pretty much broke every app and functionality of the laptop, and every time I want to do something, it seems I must install drivers and countless other workaround-type operations. Even the hardware of their products is much more deliberately difficult to upgrade and customize. 

What good is a product that I can't even make my own to allow it to do the things that meet my needs? The answer is: their bottomline might be affected if you could upgrade it yourself for cheaper rather than buy the entirely upgraded model for an outrageous price. They are currently attempting to exert their influence over other luxury items that make up the biggest investments in a person's life (i.e. cars, homes, etc.), so look forward to the continued dominance of this corporate juggernaut. And since I mentioned juggernauts.. anyone willing to buy an I, Robot? (couldn't resist mentioning)

All of these things have led me to be in the market for a new PC. Initially, I was curious about the advent of Chromebooks. These are very affordable laptops (about $200-400, depending) which are designed on the idea that you do not physically store anything on the hard drive of the computer itself, but instead, to their cloud storage service (some laptops offer 1TB free cloud storage with purchase). This allows the computer to possess very minimal internal memory, which is expensive, in order to be able to be very fast as well as relatively cheap intended for casual use. They also feature a new OS, Chrome OS, whose fate is as of yet uncertain. They are also very sleek and modern looking, only adding to their appeal.

After looking through Chromebooks, I somehow stumbled upon the announcement of Intel's new NUC kit. This is the future of the traditional desktop PC. Basically, you buy this mini PC, which is about the size of a router. They run about $350-400. This only includes the GPU and CPU, however, and they come standard with very little in the way of internal memory and RAM, so those you upgrade at your own choosing. Also, you need to provide your own computer screen, keyboard, and mouse, but that's fairly straightforward, as you probably already have those things laying around somewhere. They include a multitude of ports for all the connectivity options that you would ever need. So, for about $500 on average, you have a fully functional, very capable, portable, compact, PC and possibly even gaming machine that connects to any TV screen that you desire, or multiple monitors even. While they may not be capable of extremely intensive tasks, for the everyday user, they are capable of doing anything and everything that you would ever need.

The PC market is bracing for the continued downtrend in sales, and I believe that in the next 2-3 years, they will become the archaic and clunky boxes that they were destined to become. A relic of the past, as Moore's law continues to prove itself as valid.







How-to: Play Call of Duty (or any games, really) On Your TV Using Only An Android



Let me begin by saying this is not actually Call of Duty, but rather, Call of Mini. Nonetheless, it is a very smooth and intense 3rd person shooter with a halo-2 feel and matchmaking style. It is available now for free on the Google Play Store.

What you will need:

-- Android smartphone with Call of Mini and Screencast installed.
-- USB OTG cable (about $2 on Amazon)
-- TV with Chromecast dongle
-- xbox 360 controller (optional)

1) Once the chromecast is setup, go to the screencast app, and cast your android screen to your TV. 
2) Run Call of Mini (or other desired game), and it should appear on your TV. 

optional: connect and setup xbox 360 controller by connecting it to your phone with the OTG cable.

Simple as that. Now you are playing games for free and it feels like you're getting the console experience. 

Review: Sharp Aquos Crystal Smartphone (Sprint)




A couple of weeks ago I was looking to grab a new smartphone to replace my iPhone 5c. After doing a bit of research, I stumbled onto a promotional deal that was offering the Aquos Crystal by Sharp for $50 with a $50 mail-in rebate. Couldn't pass up an opportunity like that, and you should check with your local Sprint retailer to see if the offer exists in your area.


Performance:
For the price of essentially free, this phone is an absolute dream. While computer geeks will tell you that it offers only mid-range specs in terms of the current smartphone market, it runs a very clean version of android and it's processor is speedy, very noticeably quicker than my iPhone 5c. However, the downside is that it only offers 8GB of internal storage, and therefore, once you install all of your favorite apps and other media, the phone's performance begins to freeze and slow. Even worse, the current version of android is not cooperating with adding additional storage via an SD card.

Display:
This phone's display is undoubtedly it's "wow" factor. With the bezel ledge, edgeless glass display, it is sure to turn some gawkers heads. It is absolutely beautiful, and the stunning pixel resolution even somewhat gives a 3D feel to the experience. There are no physical buttons on the entire front surface panel, with only a small banner along the bottom of the screen displaying 3 virtual buttons: back/previous, home, and quick switch between apps. Simply put, the display alone is enough incentive to purchase this phone. In a market dominated that is starved for innovation, the Sharp Aquos Crystal certainly is one of the most unique products you could buy.

Camera:
Fairly average, sort of clunky feeling. Pretty slow. If the camera is a make-or-break aspect of your smartphone, you may need to look elsewhere. But for casual use, it does the job, and the picture quality is good enough.

For Root Users:
This is the most frustrating aspect of owning this phone that I have found (along with the SD card issue)... as of yet, there is no root available, and Sharp has been fairly reserved and withdrawn from answering questions regarding the possibility of releasing the information needed to root it. As of now, the future of rooting the Sprint Aquos Crystal 306SH seems bleak.

Conclusion:
This is an absolutely beautiful and stunning phone that will surely draw attention due to it's sleekness and incredible display. It is plenty powerful enough for the casual smartphone user, although if you have a ton of apps or content, it may start to give you some annoyances. If you can grab it while it's promotional deal lasts at Sprint, it is certainly worth the change, unless you'd rather shell out 6-8 times more money for the iPhone 6 or 6+. But that's your choice.

Rating:  8.5/10

Sunday, March 15, 2015

How-To: Connect to Chromecast on Public Wifi, Hotel, or University Network in 3 Steps



You will need:

-- PC with Connectify Hotspot software installed.
-- Chromecast
-- Ethernet cable
-- Smart phone

1) Connect PC to internet LAN using ethernet cable.
2) Install and run Connectify to create a wifi hotspot server.
3) Use Chromecast app on your smart phone to setup the Chromecast and connect it to the wifi network that you created with Connectify.

That's it. You should be ready to stream content.

NOTE: Mac users are able to do this by installing VMware Fusion or some other virtual PC to run Windows, and then follow the same steps.

For any troubleshooting, leave a comment, and I will do my best to resolve the issue.

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Fatal Paradox: The Global Economy's Addiction to Overconsumption




My freshmen year of college, I began to consume every kind of documentary videos that I possibly could; I found them to be both captivating and thought-provoking. College is a transitionary period to contemplate and understand the world around you as well as your role in it -- and that is exactly what I sought to do, and I absorbed, read, analyzed, and studied more information than I ever have in such a short time. Only after I had completed my freshmen honors seminar, however, and been shown the works of the greatest thinkers in history -- Socrates, Plato, Homer, Machiavelli, etc. -- could I honestly say that I attained wisdom from all of that information, which are not to be confused. And I vividly remember Facebook messaging one of my very liberal, intellectual-type of high-school teachers, expressing my disgust with the public school system that I had not been exposed to any real knowledge until I paid for it (though, to be fair, I was lucky enough to receive a full-tutition scholarship, so I suppose I can't be that mad about it).


So, what's the point?

Sometime throughout my first year, I stumbled upon a documentary relating to macroeconomics and the structure of the economy as a whole. And in that documentary, I was exposed to a cruel realization, which I'm sure all of us have contemplated at some point, but never been fully to articulate: the entire global financial system is essentially the most elaborate, intertwined, disguised, and sustained Ponzi schemes ever. 

I realize that I likely just caused any Republican or individual with an Ayn Rand-based ideology scratch their eyeballs out and leave this page. But it's true. Despite the comfort that having money in our pocket or our bank account may give us, it doesn't actually stand for anything. 

Don't believe me? Nixon even stopped backing the U.S. dollar with gold reserves in the 70's (https://www.richmondfed.org/faqs/gold_silver/). 

However, at this point, we are way too deeply dependent upon this archaic system, which was established at a MUCH different time period in human history. Capitalism is great, do not get me wrong, I enjoy it just as much as the next person. It works so perfectly and is in beautiful in so many ways; the intricate nature of the relationship between supply and demand precisely balancing out the value of any product. 

But.. it's nowhere near perfect. And it's only getting worse, with the advent of technology increasing the disparity between the rich and the poor to historic levels, which has resultantly allowed for the formation of Mega-corporations which have amassed such vast wealth and power that it is unfathomable for the everyday person. Our unwillingness to change reflects a natural human inclination, however, we are too intelligent of a species to allow ourselves to blindly walk down the path of our inevitable demise. 

Let me explain what I mean. Today, in our overly-Capatilistic global system, there are people who are constantly working to produce products that already exist, just for fractionally smaller production costs, attempting to undercut a company providing reliable and functional products. This is simply not an efficient use of our resources: time, energy, and the environmental impact. 

We must stand up to the big oil and other natural gas-related forms of energy production which are archaic, inefficient, expensive, and damaging to the atmosphere and humans. While I understand that these are just people who must provide for their families and ensure their own financial stability, that is the sacrifice that has to be made, as the free market does daily anyways, in order to preserve the well-being of our planet and species. We must stop thinking in our closed-minded, complacent, consumeristic society and allow ourselves to see the bigger picture that is becoming clear. We can no longer afford -- and have absolutely no excuse anymore with the wealth of data that exists -- to continue pleading ignorance. It is a new day, and as change is the only true constant in life, we must adapt as we always have, and fiercely and relentlessly encourage the development of alternative, renewable sources of energy. 

Free your mind. Forget the system. Save our species.