The End

This is a reminder that today is the last day of the marking period and no work will be accepted after midnight tonight, Jan. 20, 2012.


Important! I will start doing my final check on your blog posts today starting around 2:00 pm. If you add to your blogs after 2:00 pm today you must email me at monzingoinfotech@gmail.com to let me know (in case I have already checked yours.) Thanks.


Monzingo

Censoring the Internet?

Go to Wikipedia today, January 18, and read what it says about The Stop Online Piracy Act (Sopa) and Protect Intellectual Property Act (Pipa)

Click on learn more.

Also look what Google has done to bring attention to the same issue.

If you wish to, you can choose this topic to express your opinion instead of the other topics for assignment 15

UPDATE -Jan 19

The following is an article from BBC news posted Jan. 19

Sopa and Pipa protests not over, says Wikipedia

By Dave LeeTechnology reporter

Wikipedia's blacked-out message of yesterday's protest was replaced with a white "thank you"

Continue reading the main story

Related Stories

• US anti-piracy bill loses support
• Viewpoint: For and against piracy protest
• Wikipedia - after the blackout

After a 24-hour blackout, Wikipedia has returned to full working order but declared: "We're not done yet."

The site had blocked its content for 24 hours in protest at proposed anti-piracy legislation in the US.

The encyclopaedia said the site had been viewed 162 million times, with eight million people following instructions to contact politicians.

The protest led to eight US lawmakers withdrawing their support for the proposed bills.

Two of the bill's co-sponsors, Marco Rubio from Florida and Roy Blunt from Missouri, are among those who have withdrawn their support after "legitimate concerns".

But backers of the legislation, led by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), described the action as an "irresponsible" publicity "stunt".

The Stop Online Piracy Act (Sopa) and Protect Intellectual Property Act (Pipa) have caused considerable controversy among internet users and businesses since the plans were proposed in October last year.

-read more at-http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16628143

Assignment 15 What's Your Opinion?

One big reason that blogging is so popular is because people love to give their opinions. On blogs you will find people's opinions about The Giants going to the Super Bowl, about if Obama is a good president, or if a cup cake recipe is any good. Your blog is a great place to state your point of view. 


Your opinion is important to you and you would like others to agree with you, right?  A good way to get people onto your side is to persuade them by adding some facts and information that help support your viewpoint. That gives some weight to your opinion.

1. DIRECTIONS- Choose at least one of the topics on the list. Decide if you agree or disagree. Clearly state your opinion about it and give all the reasons you think the way you do.
2. Then do an Internet search and find someone or some article posted that agrees with you. Give the facts and quotes you find as evidence that adds strength to your opinion.

TOPICS

• The NY Giants will lose to the San Francisco 49'ers next week.
• The United States should end the criminalization of marijuana, which costs money to enforce, and make money instead by taxing it like cigarettes and alcohol.
• Eighteen years old is the age you are legally an adult. It is wrong that the legal age to drink alcohol is twenty one.
• School uniforms make students more serious about their education and improves their attitudes in school which leads to better grades.
• The supreme court ruling that corporations are 'people' is totally wrong and should be abolished.
• The Occupy wall street people will never accomplish anything with their crazy demonstrations. No one is listened to them.

Assignment 14- You Review a Website.

For this assignment you will choose a website you like and write a review about it. You will share on your blog the things like about that website, the information you can get from it, and make critical opinions about how well the website is organized.


Rules. For this assignment, do not review another student's blog. Also do not review a website that is designed to sell a product such as clothing, sneakers, or electronic devices. Also no social networking  sites such as facebook or tumbler. No search engines such as Google. No YouTube. No sites that are blocked by the DOE. If you have any doubts, ask the teacher.


Explanation-  Blogging is popular because people like to give their opinions and talk about things that interest them. People blog about music, sports, politics, cupcakes, games,  favorite movies or TV shows, or just about anything. People might think something is cool or new or hot and blog about it because they want to share that information with others. This is why it is fun to blog, along with the idea that you have something valuable to say. You may end up following blogs of people who share the same interests or they might follow your blog, or both!


Things to include in your review of a website-

• Why did you pick this website to review?
• Why are you recommending this website?
• Why do you think it is a good website?
• What is the purpose of the website?
• What information you can find on the website?
• Is the website well organized?
• Is the website easy to navigate? (3-click rule of web design = can you find what you are looking for in 3 clicks?)
• Include a graphic, a banner, or picture from the website, or a screen shot of the website.

Extra Credit

• If you have finished assignment 13 you can do an extra credit project.
• For extra credit do another photo essay, following the same directions as assignment 13.
• Choose the ten pictures from this link- 
• http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/12/the_year_in_pictures_part_ii.html

Assignment 13- Photo Essay Blog

For the next post on your Blog you will create a new photo essay.

• You will choose ten photographs from the following source

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/12/the_year_in_pictures_part.html

• Place the photographs in your post using the picture icon on the tool bar.
• Under each photo provide a comment. 
• The comment can contain information from the origninal photo's caption, BUT YOU MUST ALSO WRITE SOMETHING ORIGINAL!!!  In other words, DO NOT only cut and paste the text  that goes with the picture. Here are some things you can write about the pictures.
1. What is the purpose of the picture?
2. What information is in the picture? 
3. What is the emotional impact of the picture?
4. Who picked the picture?
5. Does the picture show anything about the opinion of the person who placed the picture on the website?
6. Why did they choose this picture?
7. Does the choice of that picture show any  positive or negative bias?

Assignment 12- My First Blog Post

Now that you have set up your blogspot account you need something to write about.


What is interesting about when you check out someone's blog, you can learn about that person.
Their personality comes through in the writing.


FOR THE FIRST POST WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING APPROPRIATE FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. 


We have just come through the holidays where we traditionally think of others, give gifts to make people happy, and help people who need it. And now it is the start of a NEW YEAR, 2012, and we tend to make 'New Year's resolutions' and to think about how can we do things better this year. It is a good time to think about the question- 

HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS A BETTER WORLD TO LIVE IN FOR EVERYONE?

That is the topic of this post- What things do you wish for, what things would you like to see changed in the world around us?  


Please write a paragraph or two on this topic. You can include a list if you like.

Explanation

The reasons that blogs are popular is that they are an easy way to write about things you care about, talk about things you are interested in, state your opinions, write stories, share information and experiences, AND PUBLISH IT!


Some people just like to say what they want to say and PUT IT OUT THERE for others to check out.


Maybe after this class you will never blog again, but it is good to know HOW EASY IT IS!


And of course after this marking period is over, you can delete the whole thing if you want to.

Welcome to 2012!

Welcome back from vacation! There are only a few weeks more of this semester so here are a few things you should know!

• Assignments 9 and 10 are due now.
• To pass this marking period (and for some of you, to pass the SEMESTER) you must do a good job on assignment 10. Please follow the directions and make sure you have the MLA style bibliography at the end.
• Assignment 11 is posted next!

• Note- Over the vacation I was unable to check the work you sent me. I brought my laptop to Florida with me (my mom doesn't have a computer!) but the WiFi network was down all week at the "Clubhouse" where I usually can log on. I planned to check your work as I hung out at the pool but instead I was forced to just lie there and get a tan. 
• Therefore, be patient. If you have sent me assignments 9 and 10 already, I will get them checked in and update Jupiter Grades. Look for comments from me in your emails. I will send you advice if you need to rewrite anything for a better grade. 

Assignment ELEVEN- Make my own blog

• Go to Google.com. 
• Locate the word "More" on the top banner. Click on it for the drop down menu.
• On the drop down menu locate the words "Even more."  Click on that .
• Scroll down and locate Blogger. Look for the orange "B"

• You will be asked to log in using your Gmail username and password.  LOG IN.
• Follow the directions to start your own blog page.
• Name your blog. THINK OF A NAME (SCHOOL APPROPRIATE) this is the TITLE THAT WILL APPEAR IN THE BANNER. 
• Choose your blog address (url)   SEE WHAT IT SAYS HERE!!!

How to Name Your Blog Address

(For this class)

After this Semester is done you can delete this and start A NEW blog and CHANGE THE ADDRESS to what ever you want, but not now!

1. First name
2. Initial of last name (capital letter)
3. p4 (or) p7 (or) p8
4. infotech

So, If your name is Justin Timberface and you are in the period 7 class, your blog address will be:

JustinTp7infotech.blogspot.com

• Continue to follow the instructions and choices for templates to create your blog page.
• Email me at monzingoinfotech@gmail.com to tell me when you have successfully completed your page and send me a link to it.
• The next assignment will have a topic for you to post about