An Attempt in Copying...

So, as per request, I found a text book that would work for the homework assignment. Elementary Number Theory: Fourth Edition by David M. Burton. Furthermore, I've sent out my first email, to two addresses, because they list about thirteen email addresses on the publisher's website McGraw-Hill. It was fun looking at them all and trying to decipher what I needed to do. No matter.

Unfortunately, after half an hour, I was still unable to come up with any contact information for Burton, so I'll just focus on the publisher. But I'm sure no one really cares about that. What you want to know is what the email said. Actually, you might not even care that greatly about that, either.

My email:

From: "Berman Christy Lynnn" Subject: Permission for Copying Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:24:17 -0400 To: customer.service@mcgraw-hill.com, legal@mcgraw-hill.com

To The McGraw-Hill Companies,

First, allow me to apologize for sending this email to
multiple addresses listed on your website. However, I am
unclear as to which address would handle this request.

I am a college student at Hood College and my professor has
set up a project for the class where each student presents
and teaches a specific mathematical topic. In order to
present my topic, I request the ability to copy Chapter 8,
pages 149-170 of David M. Burton's "Elementary Number
Theory: Fourth Edition."

Thank you for your time,

Christy Berman

Now, you might be thinking, "Wow, you could have been a lot more detailed in your description on what you sent." And I could have. I could have tried to cover all aspects, but I'm kind of curious as to how they will respond if they don't really have a lot of information to go on.

Besides, it was spur of the moment creativity in that email and I kind of like it as is. That may very well change in a few days, when I really analyze it, but it's too late for regret.





The cake is a lie!

Buy a Computer! Back in the Day.

I checked the blog multiple times, but alas it was to no avail. Sadly, I found many of the YouTube links on this blog to be unavailable or would only play without sound, so my timeline of computer commercials is a bit compromised. Therefore, I can't really have any opinion on several ads.

Atari 400 - unavailable

Commodore VIC 20 - The Commodore VIC-20 ads remind me of my father and brother, actually, in the sense that my father doesn't see how video games are worthwhile but he makes certain that his computer is the very best and can handle any current games that my brother wants to play. It seems like that's the kind of attitude these commercials are presenting: computer games aren't useful, but if you're going to play them, then play them on the best machine available.

Commodore 64 - The Commodore 64 ad puts down the current competition to bolster the 64 itself. This is accomplished by only showing text graphics on the other three computers (Apple II, IBM PC, and Radio Shack TRS-80), which incidentally displays "Commodore 64" in every case, while showing mostly charts, graphs, and other displays in multiple colors. Personally, I dislike ads that target specific competition; it's a cheap tactic to me. If you can't acquire customers by the quality of your product, then improve your machine and don't try to put down others. I'm kind of weird about things like that.

Commodore 64 - the second ad unavailable

Coleco ADAM - unavailable

Texas Instruments 99/4A - Maybe it's just me, but the Texas Instruments 99/4A ad didn't sell me anything. The only thing it talked about was the rebate on the computer; there were no details about the quality of the machine or what it was capable of. I like to see what I'm getting before I spend that much money on something. A computer isn't like a bed; a rebate doesn't mean anything if the machine can't preform half as well as a more expensive model. While I love my TI-83 scientific calculator, I can't say that this ad gave me high expectations for the computer. The entire selling point was "it's cheap" and, really, with computers you get what you paid for.

Kaypro II - I really liked the Kaypro II computer ad. It's funny to me because of how true it is today that a computer itself might cost one thing, but all of the peripheral devices jack the price up significantly. Like the Texas Instruments ad, this one was talking a lot about money, but this one actually ended with a quick display of the working unit. Granted, it was only a monitor of green text, but it's an improvement over a non-functioning machine that makes a cameo appearance in its own ad. I think the biggest selling point of this ad would be the comedy factor. I'm not sure that I would buy this computer, but the commercial definitely sparks my interest.

Apple Macintosh "1984" - unavailable. Although I loathe 1984 and I never want to read it again, the commercial might have been interesting

IBM Personal Computer - unavailable

Windows 1.0 - Windows 1.0 bothered me. I don't watch TV anyway, but if I do happen to be with someone who's watching TV, I cannot stand the car commercials that are like this. I don't like getting yelled at to buy a product, and I don't know anyone who does. The only redeeming grace of this commercial is that, according to the original blogger, it isn't an actual commercial.

Amiga 1000 - The Amiga 1000 doesn't do much for me because it repeats the same graphics instead of showing a bigger variety. Also, it seems to me that Commodore likes sheet music, since similar graphics were on an earlier model. The ad itself is something I'm more prone to look at because it expands on the abilities of the computer and compares them to the need in current society, instead of simply trying to show up other models.

Tandy 1000 - Tandy 1000 focuses on what is necessary for the workplace and goes into detail on the programs useful to get ahead at a desk job. That's all well and good, and I'm sure it attracts customers who want to be professional and get ahead in their careers, but I'm a gamer and I could tell I wouldn't want the computer before the ad was half over. Don't misunderstand me, though: the ad is good in that it shows functioning machines and their capabilities.

IBM P S/2 - unavailable

Apple II - unavailable

Apple PowerBook - unavailable

Apple Newton - unavailable

IBM ThinkPad 701C - The IBM ThinkPad 701C highlighted a laptop that would be just as useful as a computer, especially in the workplace. This is definitely true when working on projects, and I know my dad carries his laptop with him everywhere because he always needs to pull information off of it. While there would not realistically be a meeting with everyone surrounding a single machine, the point it gets across is that the ThinkPad is a very convenient and useful device. Personally, I think the music was the biggest hook.

Windows 95 - Windows 95 is entertaining because it's all about imagination. The video gives the impression "If you can think it, you can use this machine to create it." While that is only implied, and the original blogger isn't certain that the video is even a commercial, I think the message there is more apt to bring in customers than a lot of other ads.

Packard Bell - The Packard Bell commercial baffles me. It seems to be telling people that libraries are bad and being in contact with others is painful - be a hermit! I know the ad is attempting to let the viewers know that a home PC is more convenient, but it really doesn't come off that way to me.

IBM - unavailable

Gateway 2000 - unavailable

Apple "Think Different" - Apple's "Think Different" ad was interesting in that it makes the viewer look at life from a different perspective, however it really doesn't make me want to buy a computer. I am not a fan of ads that don't tell me what they're selling until the very end. I'm even less of a fan of ads that don't ever tell me what they're selling, even at the very end. This is kind of a mixture, since it's never really explicit, but if you are interested in computers than you recognize the logo at the end. I guess that's a good way to target potential buyers - if you recognize the logo then the ad is meant to inspire greatness ...and imply that greatness is achieved through Apple products.

iMac - The iMac ad failed to interest me simply because I want to know the capabilities of the computer. While the skin is nice to personalize, if the machine performs poorly then I really don't care if it is the coolest and most interesting looking thing on the planet. I don't want a really cool, really heavy paperweight. I want a machine that does what I ask it to do.

Pets.com - While I don't really know what a Pets.com commercial is doing in the list of computer commercials, really bad singing repulses me and this commercial definitely had just that. Also, on a not totally irrelevant note, I don't know anybody who goes out specifically shopping for pet food while dressed for work.

Windows XP - The Windows XP commercial was a lot like the Windows 95, in that it's all about expression. The intention of the ad was geared toward what you can do in leisure time on a PC, instead of what you can do at work. Granted, flying is not included, although that would be awesome, but the combination of scenes and song makes for an uplifting ad. The way that the words panned on the commercial made me think it was supposed to be kind of subliminal because your eye is drawn to the bizarre - people gliding in the air, over the pale white text in the corner of the screen.

Apple "Switch" - I cannot say that I liked the Apple "Switch" ad simply because of the style. Even if it isn't true, the spokesperson definitely seems like she's on some kind of drug. True, she mentions the versatility of the Apple and how portable it is, but I'm not certain I should be taking advice from a girl who seems like she's made quite a few bad choices in life. Bringing a computer to the beach? That's a surefire way to break it fast. I will say, however, that I enjoy the fact that she says "it's silver and exciting" in the most bland, uninterested voice ever.

IBM Linux - Much like Apple's "Think Different", IBM's Linux commercial is meant to inspire but it says nothing about the machine the ad is supposed to be for. I can gather nothing about Linux beyond that it should help me achieve the ability to leave my mark on the world. That is wonderful and all, but I want to know more about what I'm actually forking over money for.

Apple "Get a Mac" - Actually, this ad made me instantly think of this comic, which is why I don't mind the commercial as much as I normally would. Again, this is an attack, but unlike the Commodore ad, this is PC versus Mac and there isn't a specific company Mac is targeting. Still, the unsubtle "Mac's are new, young, and exciting while PCs are boring, old, and only for work" campaign is annoying.

Recommendations

Class Blog: Ashley's. Why? I'm being shallow and I think her dog is cute.

Website: The Devil's Panties
I had an unfortunately difficult time deciding which website I wanted to post, but this is the best, I feel.

Picture: The Cow that Didn't Make It
I might not be that interested in the little lullaby, but my fondness for cows wins me over in this one.

Video: Zombie War
This was a bit harder than the others because, while I watch a lot of things on Youtube, the vast majority of them are not things that I would normally post. Oh, and before I forget, this is for humor. I don't like talking politics with anyone; don't get offended.


Unecessary Bonus!
The other three websites I was considering: Something Positive, Ctrl+Alt+Del, Looking for Group
Can we tell I'm big on web comics?

The other pictures I was wavering on: Saïx, of Organization XIII (Kingdom Hearts, anyone?) and Three of Hearts. Justification for these two pictures? I really like the three best friend heros of Kingdom Hearts and the picture, to me, exhibits the care they have for one another. As for Saïx, I simply like the mood expressed in the picture.

The video I've been playing a good fifteen times in a row while searching through blogs: Loathing. No, I haven't seen the muscial Wicked; I just like the song.

And, if you ever have time, watch things by Avenue Q. They're hillarious.

Also, the guys who do Looking for Group made a music video to Disney's "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid, but they have their own lyrics and it really, really isn't for the squimish. By that I mean that there's animated, cartoon violence. Thus why I haven't linked to it here. However, if you want to see it, it's on YouTube. In the search bar type Looking for Group: Slaughter Your World and it's the first option. If you didn't bother looking at the webcomic, LFG has to do with World of Warcraft.

At this point, after you've realized that I do, in fact, have a lot of interest in gaming, I would like to reference the title of my blog. Enough said.

Legal or Illegal?

Can the government intercept communications without a court order? Well, according to the Patriot Act of 2001 it is perfectly legal. The program set in place by the Patriot Act allows for warrantless searches of anyone; this is an action that has no backing in any previously created privacy laws. After U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor ruled that the National Security Agency (NSA) program is unconstitutional in 2006, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales spoke for the Bush Administration and appealed the ruling. According to Gonzales, the program is reviewed periodically by lawyers. Furthermore, according to Press Secretary Tony Snow for the White House, "The program ... targets only international phone calls ... where one of the parties on the call is a suspected al Qaeda or affiliated terrorist." That brings up a whole new issue of what exactly makes the government suspect someone of being a terrorist. However, being that that particular issue is one that could have many, many answers, I won't get into it. Sufficed to say you can be suspect based on anything from something as simple as looks (and let's face it, while that is profiling and is considered "wrong," everyone forms an opinion on someone else based on the first impression of looks) to something as complex as particular actions that can be observed without invasive monitoring.

Now then, I bet this looks like I'm drawing the conclusion that the government can intercept communications without a court order. Well, that does seem to be the law now, however the Patriot Act is under criticism for a good reason. Any bill passed into law must go through America's checks and balances system to prevent too much power from one part of the government. The Patriot Act was not passed properly and the issues of both the Democrats and Republicans who saw the bill were never properly addressed and even ignored by the Bush administration; the media never got their objections because the NSA program was highly classified. The media spurs on all kinds of false points about the debate, sheilding the real issues and burying problems behind mountains of facts and ficitions. Pointing fingers back to prior administrations as doing the same types of searches is a common tactic that actually works against the current administration, but only if people know the whole truth of the matter. Both Clinton and Carter approved surveillance without a court order, however both of them included the stipulation that this was foreign policy and could not be enacted upon U.S. persons a.k.a. anyone inside of the United States, citzen or otherwise. Another thing sited for defense of the Patriot Act is the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which again has stipulations about being solely between foreign powers and protects the privacy of Americans. Also, that particular Act has a time alotment of information gathering of 15 days maximum, and it is only after Congress has declared war. A different often used tactic is that of either being "for" national security and safety or "against" security so that you can keep privacy. There is no such simple split in the matter. It is more than a question of for or against, the Patriot Act is a question of authority and balance. Unfortunately, the majority of individuals are not well informed. After all, whatever the media tells us must be true.

For now, due to the Patriot Act of 2001, the government can intercept communications without a court order. It's up for debate whether that will continue to be legal. I, for one, agree with Judge Taylor that the NSA surveillance program "violates the separation of powers doctrine, the Administrative Procedures Act, the First and Fourth amendments to the United States Constitution, the FISA and Title III" and therefore should be revoked (CNN). As much as I morally disagree with the way the Act was implimented and pretty much all of the details surrounding it, taking a stance on pure legality still brings me to the same conclusion. This isn't about feeling violated about loss of privacy or anything else. This is about circumventing the system put in place to keep the United States as democratic as the Founding Fathers had envisioned. It's about those great, nebulous qualities of truth and justice. The surveillance of members of the United States without a court order should not be legalized. As Thomas Jefferson said, a man who places security over freedom deserves neither.


Information from:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/08/17/domesticspying.lawsuit/index.html
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-05-10-nsa_x.htm
http://mediamatters.org/items/200512240002