3 Possible Topics Pitch

Our cause is to save the endangered sea turtles of the world. 3 topics that I think important to cover include:

1. Conservation strategies, both ones on a larger scale (what are we doing?) and a smaller scale (what cant he reader do?)

2. Educational information about the turtles, life cycles, mating habits, migration habits, food source, common predators, etc.

3. Turtles in media, where do they show up, why are they such a fixture, and what do they represent

Reaction to Ning

I thought it was interesting to learn that Ning doesnt just create pages bu rather "networks". In their own words, they have "...more than 1.7 million Ning Networks created and 37 million registered users, millions of people every day are coming together across Ning to explore and express their interests, discover new passions, and meet new people around shared pursuits." This was particularly interesting because i have never heard of Ning before this class.

When I reviewed the product page, I was surprised to see how in depth you could be with the profiles created. Some examples shown on the home page were fantastically done, and really allowed both user interaction and the owner to tout information on their subject of choice. It seems pretty balanced. This program/service seems a bit daunting after the tutorial/run through, but I look forward to using it.

Reaction to Boyd/Bennet debate

First and foremost, although I disagree with most of Bennet's ideas, I have to say that he is well cited and has done his research, having more than enough sources to support his key points. That being said, his idealistic views of how the internet should be utilized with today's youth (turning away from traditional teaching) did not sit well with me. Traditional teaching is traditional for a reason, which is something coming out of 20 year old college student's mouth. I am not saying that the power of the internet should be ignored, rather only mildly incorporated. I do not think the world is ready for an entirely e-oriented society, nor do I think that young student have the maturity to be able to learn from the internet effectively.

Boyd also made some fantastic points about the use of social networking sites as spamming for political activists. I can 100 percent agree with that statement because while Boyd may not cite research, it is something I have experienced often in my own life. (See psychology's "person who" theory on how I can justify refuting the clearly presented reseach of Bennet). All in all, I thought both arguments had interesting points, but I will continue to support Boyd's theories.

Reaction to Social Networking Sites Article

This article wasn't terrible. In fact, it had a lot of interesting information; I found the history time line of social networking sites especially interesting. I would praise this article because it is well-researched and explores several topic that I wouldn't think to consider when talking about social networking sites. It also reviews several sites (Friendster, Myspace, etc.) and what caused their success and downfall, further shedding light onto what makes SNSs prosper. I thought the section on privacy was most illuminating because I didn't realize there was actual research on students attitudes towards SNSs and privacy. To me, it seemed common sense, since I have grown up with the internet, but it's interesting to see someone taking their thoughts to an official level.

On the other hand, the article was extremely lengthy. While I appreciate it's depth, I cannot say that enjoyed the read. As previously stated, often times I feel rather well informed on these subject, if only because I grew up in the midst of the SNS maelstrom. All in all though, it was a solid, informative read.

5 Causes

I don't have very many causes. In that respect I am the epitome of an blissfully oblivious college student. I suppose if I had to choose causes that I could support and not be a total hypocrite, I would choose the following:

1. Recycling at URI
2. Alternative Energy Sources (developing and using)
3. Gay Marriage Rights (Failed "Say NO to Prop 8" in California, Recent Addition in CT)
4. Care for Returning Veterans
5. Japenese Whale/Dolphin "hunting"/poaching

Last Reflection on Website Design

I think this project was helpful, if not entirely interesting. I like having knowledge about possibilities that are open to me, and if I ever need to create a website, I now have the ability to do so. I also know a bit more about the design of websites, which will make me a more conscientious reader. I hope I don't turn into one of those people that can't enjoy things because of their knowledge though (i.e. film majors critiquing ever movie they see, unable to enjoy the storyline because of their focus on camera angles, etc.)

I would like to say, even though our project was on redesigning a poor website, I didn't think Scandinavian Sun Tanning was that horrible. They had links and information, it was poorly organized, but there. Of course, our redesign was better. But I think the main problem with the site is that it was just hideous. Honestly, there were some poor theme choices. Overall, I think our redesign would benefit the company, but their current website is at least operational.

SST Update

The Scandinavian Sun site is going well. It is extremely basic and I would like to add more color and fancy-ness but ultimately the layout and design are better than the original. Since that was the aim of the project, I feel satisfied. We still need to add Benefits of UV light and Pricing tabs. Also, I would like to rearrange the order of the tabs but am having some trouble figuring that out. No one ever said I was technologically saavy. As my group continues through the week, I expect to see the site improve. Our final site will be sharp, easy to read, well thought out, and just all around better than its predessesor.