The Final Leg

This week concludes the end of a class that has exposed me to different forms of public media, and this one last post for my ALES 204 class is a reflection of all that I have learned.  I was by no means at all naive upon registering in this class about technology, yet I still find that this class has had a lot to offer and I am certain that it will help me in my future endeavors.  The creation of an online blog, a professional Facebook page, learning about how to make a Wikipedia page and also lectures from many different people concerning the enormous world of online communication are only a few of the things that I have taken away from this class.  While I could spend a lot more than four paragraphs reflecting upon this class, I will speak of the things I found to be most valuable, and also of things that I wish we covered in more detail.     

Luz Tapia, Harmony Pond, Retrieved on April 11 2012 from http://lunalove-hero.deviantart.com/

The highlight of this class for me was creating my Wikipedia article.  While this project was difficult and the end product is still far from complete, I am very proud of my work.  Not only did I learn how to navigate the Wikipedia system, but I was able to see for myself how easy it could be for someone to post unreliable information.  Upon beginning this class, I was a little surprised that we would be using Twitter as a way to communicate and had absolutely no intention in keeping it after I had finished.  However, I now find myself using Twitter several times a day outside of class and find it to be an extremely valuable tool that I will keep and continue to use. By using hash-tags and following people I have become a part of a community of people with similar interests, and I am able to instantly receive information about areas of interest.    I have heard in increasing frequency in the news recently that many companies do Facebook background checks, and trouble people have gotten into when posting inappropriate content.  I have always been careful about what I have posted online, and by creating a professional Facebook page with a resume included, it will be easier for potential employees to find what I want them to see.  I am not too sure however, how viable having a professional Facebook page is as a student, when I also have a personal Facebook page under the same name.  Surely someone who is doing a Facebook background check would check both the pages?

The internet is a wonderful place filled with endless possibilities; This was the main message of the class.  We touched upon finding useful information, how to cite materials properly and were also cautioned about what we put on the internet will be forever online.  I do agree that the internet is a wonderful place, but I am also aware of the many dangers that we risk when using the internet.  When we hear that the internet is a dangerous place, many think of unsupervised children, yet the majority of the dangers target the adult population. While I am aware of these dangers, such as scamming, phishing, trojan viruses, and fraud to name a few, I am certain many people push these dangers into the back of their heads while surfing the web, myself included.  An article I found addressing some of these concerns can be found here, and I recommend that everyone takes their to time reads this.  For those of you that clicked on, or thought about clicking on the provided link should be aware that I could have linked absolutely anything, from an inappropriate website to a file that could have contained malicious malware.  While I am sure that many of us are aware of these risks, I am sure it was the last thing we thought of.  Fortunately, the link I provided is what I had promised.  A valuable module that could be added to the class would be one that focuses on these dangers and perhaps going over options for computer protection.  This class may not be a computer programming class or intended to teach software, however learning about computer protection is an extremely practical and useful skill to have.  

I would like to thank Dr. Laccetti, Pamela Bentley, Erin Dul, the other teaching assistants, along with my classmates for an enjoyable term, and I wish everyone the best of luck on final exams.  I would also like to give a special thanks to Sydney, Erin, Jessica, Sarah and Hannah who's blogs I commented on throughout the term.  If anyone is considering taking this class, I recommend it.  Not only because it is better than English, but also because I'm sure like me, one will find that this class has a lot to offer. 

 

Ozarg Tiger Soccer (2011), Thank You For Another Great  Summer Sizzler, Retrieved on April 12 2012 from: http://ozarktigersoccer.wordpress.com/2011/07/17/thank-you-for-another-great-summer-sizzler/

May all your dreams come true, except for one so that you always have something to strive for,

Josh Perryman

Hunting Down a Stub Post

My most recent project has been to turn a Wikipedia stub article into an article that meets the requirements to be a good article on Wikipedia.  This last week made me appreciate how much effort and time has gone into making Wikipedia what it is today.  Continuing the trend on hunting from my last post, I decided to create a stub article on Turtling, or the hunting of turtles, into a full fledged article.  The complete Wikipedia entry can be found here.  Creating the Wikipedia article was no where near as easy as I had anticipated, and took hours of research on the subject, and another while choosing the most relevant information.  The time that took the most amount of time though was learning to navigate Wikipedia's system and creating the article itself.  Once I had started creating the article I was determined to make a piece that I would consider to both informative and complete, and I feel that I accomplished my goal.  In much the same way as Curtis Vieville, who also transformed a stub article, I am finding myself becoming attached to my article. Below is a picture of a typical green turtle.  My research found that around 22 000 of these green turtles have poached around Mexico each year for the past decade.

             WikiMedia Commons: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
Retrieved on March 22 2012          

After completing my article, I realized how the information I had created was accessible on the Wikipedia site almost immediately.  While I have been told that Wikipedia should not be used for literary sources, I had thought that the work uploaded was looked at to see if it contained relevant information, which I now know at least does not happen instantly.  I usually use Wikipedia several times a week for personal questions and also to complement my school textbook.  Completing this assignment has made me realize that perhaps Wikipedia is not as reliable as I had once thought.

I found it interesting that I completed my first section of my article less than a day ago, and someone has already been through the article and made slight adjustments to my work.  One of the adjustments that was made was removing the stub article listing at the bottom of the page.  At first I felt exhilarated that my article had been approved by Wikipedia, I later realized that none of my grammatical errors I had left in the article to fix on my return were corrected.  After viewing this persons profile in anticipation that it was in fact a Wikipedia creator, I realized that the profile was in part controlled by a bot that uses Autowikibrowser and automatically makes repetitive edits that would take humans hours of work.  After further researching this profile, I noticed several awards at the bottom of the page about the contributions of this person, and I also noted that all of the contributions made were on the topic of turtles.  While my article was not completely edited, I felt proud that someone/something had at least noticed my changes and made me aware of how big the Wikipedia community really is!

While I now know that Wikipedia is not as reliable as I had previously thought, I will still continue to use Wikipedia.  However, I will now check the references at the bottom of the page to see if it links to primary sources before I rely on the information.  Maybe in the future I will continue to transform stub articles and give back to the system that has helped me so much.

Take care,

Josh Perryman
 

The Way Propoganda can Guide our Opinions.

Canadian Seal Hunters and Their Catch (2011).  Retrieved
on March 1st 2012 from http://www.msnbc.msn.com

It is coming to that time of year again when the Canadian Seal Hunt will begin, and hundreds of thousands of seals will be hunted and their pelts sold, creating a profit of over 15 million dollars for local fisherman and their families.  Over the next few months, media of all forms, will once again turn towards Canada as animal right groups speak of animal cruelty and the Canadian government will speak of the economic benefits of this age old tradition.  In much the same way as everyone else who has not participated in the Canadian Seal Hunt, the only knowledge I have of this sport, or massacre, are photographs of hundreds of dead seals piled on top of one another with blood stains blanketing the arctic as far as the eye can see.  As with most forms of propaganda, there is a certain truth behind the photo, but not all cases of seal hunting are on such a large scale or done inhumanely.  There are regulations for the Canadian Seal Hunt, limiting the amount of seals allowed to be killed, and also all animals must be killed humanely.  It was reported, that last year 98% of all known seals that were hunted were killed humanely, with either a single shot or swing with a hakapik.  While the average of 15 million dollars of profit that the seal hunt brings into Canada may seem relatively small, fisherman argue that the sale of seal product is what supports their families throughout the year.  I myself do not hunt, but those who I speak to about hunting often eagerly await the chance to go into the bush in pursuit of deer and other game.  On one hand, if seal hunting is no different than hunting deer, then why should it draw so much attention.  On the other hand, I find myself wondering then how Canada is one of the many countries that oppose Japan and the dolphin slaughter it practices year round.

There are five freedoms to animal welfare; the freedom from hunger, thirst and malnutrition, freedom from fear and distress, freedom of movement, freedom from discomfort and freedom from pain, injury and disease.  These freedoms, which create many animal protection acts, are put in to place for animals which are held in captive, but should also be respected while hunting.  While some may disagree, on the most part these five freedoms are adhered to with the seal hunt.  The seals live in their natural environment so therefore humans on the whole do not have an impact on the freedoms of these animals.  So long as the seals are hunted humanely and their distress is kept to a minimum the laws are not being broken.  While I myself do not support the Seal Hunting industry, nor would partake in it should I have the chance, I believe that so long as the seals are treated respectfully and humans are not wasteful of the seal that there is no problem with seal hunting. However, just because I can force myself to understand the reasons for the seal hunt, does not mean to say that it does not sadden me to know that seals are being killed by the hundred weekly.

Myself and a dolphin (2012). Photo
taken by Motiejus Osipovas.

I did not intend on spending so much time discussing the Great Seal Hunt as I did, but with such a controversial topic I feel I could finish this post on it.  However, I would also like to discuss something that relates this.  This time last week I was in Cuba, where I opened myself up to another culture and went on several excursions.  Before going to Cuba, I researched using the internet and even Twitter feeds using the hashtags, suggested trips that I could go on to enjoy myself.  One of excursion that was recommended to me, and one that I ended up going on was a catamaran trip that included going to a private beach, snorkeling and where I would be able to swim with dolphins.  Unfortunately, when reaching the dolphins I realized that the dolphins were held captive within a small facility.  In hindsight, the marketing of the excursion and how they did not say the dolphins were in captivity was very clever.  I continue to be amazed at how different ways of communicating can impact the way people think.  At first, I felt guilty that I supporting a form of what I perceived to be animal cruelty.  However, sitting there for a few minutes I immediately began to think of the five freedoms of animal welfare and how they were all being met.  I would have much rather seen the dolphins in the wild, and while I still feel sad to see such an intelligent animal in captivity, I soon forgot about my original hesitation and really enjoyed the excursion.

Animal right groups oppose all forms of animal captivity and sometimes even animal consumption.  For Cuba, the tourism industry is of huge economic importance.  The dolphin that I interacted with seemed to be treated well by the staff.  In much the same way as people may view this as cruel, it is no different than the Canadian Rodeo, in which many Canadians, including my colleague Nicole Briggs who has been a participant, consider to be a great importance.  I'm beginning to wonder if the only reason the Canadian Seal Hunt is considered to be so much more inhumane than normal hunting, and other ways we use animals, is because of the way it is advertised.  Morale of the story being, make sure we don't blindly agree with and follow whatever we see and hear on the television or internet and look at everything critically!

Until next time,

Josh

When Facebook Becomes Professional

Good day, and a good day it is.

Edmonton Humane Society. Ottawahumane.ca

My second post comes at the end of my third week of the term and I find myself keeping busy with homework, dodgeball and soccer, and also cleaning!  With two midterm exams next week, along with several assignments due, (this blog post being one of them) I am surprisingly calm and not as stressed as I would have been last term.  I have my New Years resolution of 'getting a good nights sleep' to thank for that!  In my animal sciences class this week, I went the Edmonton Humane Society and watched a presentation about, and had a tour of the facility, - this was definitely the highlight of my week!  My favorite presenter was from a lady who enforces the APA, or Animal Protection Act, and works with people to ensure that companion animals live in a safe and healthy environment.  I found it extremely interesting that some of the animal abuse cases are reported on the Edmonton Humane Society Facebook page, and also that animal rights groups often post on the page.  When I came home I decided to explore the Edmonton Humane Society Facebook page.  I was very impressed with the layout and professionalism of the page; this brings me to the reason for my blog today, - the announcement and release of my very own professional Facebook page!

We now live in an era of technology and public media, where anything and everything can be found online if one knows what to search for.  Recently, police have been using sites such as Facebook and Twitter to track criminals, while large companies use these sites to learn about a person before employment.  Guidelines such as the following found at opic.ab.ca, have been implemented owing to the increase of social media background checks.  By creating my own professional Facebook page, which can be accessed here, I hope to be portrayed positively when being subject to these background checks.
While creating and maintaining this page is an ongoing project which I aim to continue to work on, a brief overview of my page to date is as followed.

A screen shot of my Facebook page. Retrieved, January 26 2912, from: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Joshua-Perryman/312706105432055 

A great thing about creating a professional Facebook page, is that I have the ability to turn around a social background check that aims at narrowing the range of potential employees, into a tool much like a resume.  By adding a list of my academic history, job experience and a small sentence that describes my future goals, I create for myself an online persona that hopefully reinforces everything I will say in an interview.  By adding in a few references as well, I might be able to catch the eye of an employer and increases the chances of my own employment. 

For many people, most likely those who would not read blogs such as this one, the world of social media and technological advancements can be unnerving.  For myself and other students in my class, such as Hilary Baker whose blog can be found Here, these changes open up many doors and possibilities - To quote a book by Aldous Huxley, it's a brave new world! 

The time has come for me to bid you all a good day,

Until next time,

Josh

An Introduction to me, myself, and I

Howdy!

My name is Josh Perryman, although I'm sure if you have made it this far you already know that!

Bristol Computer Support (2012). Grand Pier of Weston-Super-Mare , Retrieved, January 19 2012, from: bristolcomputersupport.co.uk

Blogging  isn't something I've done before, but I'm almost entirely sure that I should start with a small description of myself =).  I was born in a small sea-side town in England, called Weston-Super-Mare and I moved to Canada in 2001, ten days after 9/11.  Having left most of my family back home, using Facebook is a fantastic way in keeping in touch with distant family and friends.  Ever since I can remember, I have had a passion for the great outdoors;  once a Boy Scout, I have been taught to respect and appreciate nature, and I am certain that I want to pursue a career that has nature close to heart.

I'm Currently a second year student at the University of Alberta in the Animal Health program specializing in Companion and Performance animals.  Another student in the same program as me, is Hayley Kosolofski and her blog can be found here.  I was originally planning on being a vet, but  the closer I am to finishing my degree the more I am considering alternative futures owing to the competitiveness of the program.  Virology and Epidemiology might be the road I take, or even joining with the RCMP and specializing in dog handling/training.  I keep telling myself I'm still young and have plenty of time to finally decide on what I'm going to do, but time is running away from me!  I might even end up perusing veterinary medicine after all.  I currently work at the University of Alberta Hospital as a CT Tech assistant, paying for own way through school and becoming accustomed to working in a fast paced environment, where team work is essential.  I have to say I absolutely love working in the hospital, alas other alternatives for my future, and it is helping me obtain and master skills that will be needed in all areas of my life.  Working in the hospital, it is very clear that public media is the primary way of communicating with individuals - health alerts, hospital wait times, and general announcements are such examples. 

A photo of Paul Hamilton and myself (2011). Photo taken
by Motiejus Osipovas.

Apart from work and school, I am a huge fan of Football/Soccer; I watched every game of FC Edmonton's season with the North American Soccer League (NASL) last year, and I already own season passes for the next year.  My team hero is Paul Hamilton, a center defender for the team and gives every game his all.  Apart from FC Edmonton, I follow International football supporting, you name it, England!  Thanks to the streaming of matches online, I was able to watch games that I would have other wised missed. I am very much looking forward to next FIFA; I plan on saving up my money to fly down to Brazil and watching it live! Unfortunately, when it comes to football I have no natural talent; I played last night for the first time in 3 years, and while I scored a goal, I woke up this morning with blisters all over my feet and having pulled a muscle in my foot.  Oh well, it was fun and I play again next week!  

Public media is extremely important in my student, social and my career life.  No matter the winding road I decide to follow, I am certain that public media will have a strong impact on my career.  In much the same way as working in the hospital, veterinarians and epidemiologists will use public media to issue advisories to citizens/clients.  They will also use public media to follow information issued by other professionals, creating extensive networks of information and communication.  One such website is Health Map, that monitors disease outbreak globally.  In recent months, the police and RCMP have even begun to use Facebook as a way to help solve the unknowns in crimes, such as figuring out the last time a victim has been seen in order to approximate activities prior to death.  While public media has been very influential and powerful in the past century, it is sure to continue to grow and expand in the next.  I am excited to have to the opportunity to study public media with my ALES 204 class, a communication class offered by my faculty, and to also take the information from this class and use it in my future endevours.  Hopefully this blog will still be running this time next year after my class, currently I do plan on continuing with this life long project.

Anyway, enough talk for now.

Until next time,

Josh