In the future ...

What will people be using now in 5 years and what will they be using it for?


Assuming that networks like myspace, facebook, tumblr, and other blogging sites will probably still be popular five years from now. I'm sure they will change, probably become even more addictive. Five years from now, we will probably be using those sites a little differently as well. They have already turned a different directions since they have started. More people meet over the internet rather than face to face. A lot more advertising and spam will take over some of those sites. Money will start to play a bigger role in new applications for those type of sites. Maybe even the news will begin to get more involved just because those sites are usually the most populated. It's hard to say what will be going on over the internet 5 years from now, it changes so frequently that we almost don't feel the changes that are happening. We connect a lot through this the internet. It's possible that a lot more jobs will start to form where you spend most of your time on the internet. There probably will be a lot more help lines to where you talk to someone over the internet rather than over the phone. Maybe we won't even actually talk to a person but rather a computer.


new technology .... I'm guessing books will probably be less likely to be printed and more popular on screens.




15 years from now ....


Technology-wise, a lot will change. The technology we use now, what makes it 15 years, will probably be smaller. New companies will have formed promoting their new technology. Maybe a company like Apple will make it, or maybe a new company even more popular will come along. Our music, tv shows, movies, and cyperspace will all be affected. CD's have already become less popular, I'm guessing in 15 years most of our music will be bought through something to where we don't even have hard copies. Movies, like dvds, blu-rays, and now 3d disks will probably stay around a little longer. Everything we see will probably be a little more in your face, popping out like we're wearing 3D glasses. I can assume then that healthy-wise we will all be affected. Such as worse eye sight, hearing, headaches, ect. Our media will probably become a little more controlling, not that it isn't already but it will be even more so. Everything will move at a much more rapid pace, new technology will show up that will make us even lazier. There's really a lot of possibilities and the weirdest thing is that their are people out there that already know what our future will look like. The first flying cars might come out but probably not be popular yet, faster transportation, less actually face to face communication. A lot will be digital.


50 years from now ...


There will defiantly be an over population of people, technology, trash, ect. The types of jobs we have now probably won't be as popular anymore. Technology might take over a lot of the jobs we have. The way we live will become closer, everything will be much more populated. I can't really see there being too much ground space, or as much as there is now. A lot will change in technology, a lot is always changing in technology. What we see or do now will be out of date. Our laptops, maybe they won't even be laptops. As popular as they are now, if they are around the size of our cell phones now will be our laptop sizes with expandable screens. I'm thinking our screens will probably be like holograms. Our bodies will probably have our own new technologies built in. We might all have this type of communication build into us to where we connect more in that way.








other subjects to consider for the future ......


sports - I know that sports right now, and have always been, really popular. I'm assuming that our feelings toward sports aren't going to change. What I see changing is how we play sports. I feel like the way we play against each other will be more like clocking in to a building, stepping into a room or area of your own. Where a type of computer will download your skills and you will play virtually against other teams that could be in a different rooms or buildings, or maybe states, countries, ect. Distance will not be as much of a problem. It might be rare to actually see other teams. But there will also be a way to view those players actions so that it still looks like a game.


exercise - For me, this is important. This is something that already really isn't that popular anymore. I really want to know how they are going to change exercise in a positive and useful way in the future. Already there are things like WiiFit, but those types of things aren't as beneficial as they advertise. I have yet to hear a "success story" involving exercise and technology. Maybe our exercise will be just how we will play sports. We'll go to our own private rooms, clock into a computer and have the ability to change the temperature and scenery of the room to better fit our atmosphere to how we like to workout.


food/health - What I think about is also from the movie the Island. To where a computer tests your sugar levels, cholesterol levels, and your overall health to decide what we will eat. I can't really imagine how food will change, but it most certainly will. There will be a day in the future where we won't go to grocery stores, we'll have some sort of hook up in our houses that our food will get sent from and we'll pay like atms.


transportation - I know flying cars are already a possibility but I wonder how our trains, airplanes, buses, and subways will be effected by the changes of the future. We will have a need for them if we have cars that fly? Will they travel faster? Will public transportations become more popular or even less popular?

All At One Point/ The Aquatic Uncle [Short Stories 4 & 5] & Oryx & Crake [novel 7]

My main thought that All At One Point brought up was that it's amazing how people can occupy the same space and never really get to know each other. How people can be in the same room and never say hi. How quickly we forget those people once time has passed. I guess that's a little bit of a depressing thought, but it's true and I can't pretend otherwise. It always seems that at the end of something is when you finally start to get to know people then your time is up and it's time to keep moving on. On a happier note, it is also wonderful how

We already discussed in class that The Aquatic Uncle was about evolution but I also think it is about change. Change is constant and for a lot of people it is hard. In this story we have the uncle who is a fish that doesn't want to face having to live outside of water even though the world is changing around him. He is given plenty of options to go about change in a more comforting way but of course no one really likes change. I think this story is relevant to a lot of people's view on change. I enjoy that the author added a character who was the complete opposite of the uncle and that the main character had both of these people in their lives. By having someone who is on the opposing side that is also an understanding person really makes a big difference in people's view of change.



Oryx & Crake

So I actually started this book a few weeks ago because I thought we were suppose to read it for a different week. When I found out that we weren't suppose to read it I stopped reading it but will probably finish it for my last entry post. So this is what I thought about it so far; 

Parts 1-2 [chs 1-6]

I thought the opening to the book was pretty great. Since I am not a guy, I can only guess how they would act in such a situation as the snowman is put but from my point of view for Margaret, who is obviously a female as well, to capture the feeling of a male as her main character is dead on. Too often authors stay in their gender groups when writing because of course it is easier for someone to write about a gender mindset when you are indeed part of the gender group as well. I enjoy how she is getting the mindset of a guy, which we can especially see every time that snowman's/Jimmy's mother is mentioned. So far when the mother is mentioned we get this frustrated and defending mother who wants her child to both grow up and stay young at the same time. I think this is very typical in mothers and maybe it's also a little gender-typical, but none the less it supports the guys' mind.

The first part for me displays some of the things I'm worried about for the future. They don't fully get into what is really going on but at this point I have a feeling that Crake is the owner of this company, I'm guessing OrganInc Farms that we are introduced to in part 2, that during time ends up being the largest company. So large that they decide how the human race will evolve. Such as men not having facial hair. It would be very interesting to know what type of alterations we would have if we gave someone the power to change us and to take away things that we are used to, that make us human.

One of my favorite parts so far is when Jimmy is explaining how they lived when he was younger when  OrganInc Farms's workers had their own community and relates it to medieval times.

"So are we the kings and dukes?" asked Jimmy.

"Oh, absolutely," said his father, laughing.

I'm finding it difficult to explain why I enjoy this little exchange between son and father. I think it shows a lot how the book is going to go. How Jimmy is going to grow up having had his parents, mostly his father, work at this huge company and live a higher class life than most people but then he's going to be completely against the after effects of this company. 

So far I think this book has a lot to do with change, realization, and how both of those ideas are going to effect each other. Such as, how the main character is going to try to get through to the next day realizing he can't change the past.

Bloodchild [short story 3]

I have enjoyed reading some short stories lately, it's something I rarely do because I kind of forget that they're there. When you usually finish a novel they make you feel as if you're glad that you've been told this story. They have this completed sense about them, even series have this completion and when they don't we feel as if something was left out. Short stories don't really need to solve anything, they don't need to make you feel as if everything turned out alright.

So when I said that this story was strange, I really meant that it's different. Yes there were a lot of unusual elements to the story but that's not necessarily bad. After talking about the story in class, it's pretty clear what this story is about; survival. It's not about survival of the fittest, which I dislike that phrase anyway because it's selfish, but it's just plain and simple survival. Doing exactly what you have to because you might not know any better, it's expected of you, or out of sacrifice. I feel as if the main character gave into this life because he didn't know much else, he was almost forced into it in that sense because he didn't have a choice and the only choice he had was sacrifice. It's easy to stand back and judge him for giving in, for not fighting more, for not wanting something different for himself. I can't decide if I feel his actions were heroic or stupidity. When I think about what I would have done in his case, it's hard to say that it was stupidity. To one's self it wouldn't feel like a heroic act but as an outside realizing the sacrifice how can you not say it's heroic. Then in the same sense I think he was foolish. He was foolish to give up his life to just live for bearing the alien's offspring. 

But of course as soon as I say that we have to get into the idea of humans and the fact the so many people give up almost all they have to their children. I don't think people should have to feel that way. If having a child makes someone so unhappy because they have to leave their old life, then don't have one. There is nothing worse than making someone feel regret for something they cannot change. Though that's sort of another subject entirely.

Another aspect of the story that I thought was different was the connection between the main character and the alien. Sure he grew up being shown diagrams, he sort of accepted the fact that his life was planned out for him. He lived in the reserved pretty much like a caged animal, sure he was safe, sure he wasn't going to be given away to a stranger and these situations seem great because either way his fate was sealed. He had this bond with the alien, and it was strong enough for him to do what he needed to do and not resent her for it. I guess that's what I think was so odd about their relationship, the fact that there wasn't any resentment. How can you feel the same about someone if the only choices they give you are negative. Either you let my children feed off of you and when they are ready to come out it could kill you or your sister gets it. Then you think about it what does being upset about it do for you, bitterness? If she asked him for such a sacrifice then why didn't she sacrifice her children. She wanted to watch him grow up that's why she chose him, he basically was her child, how can you put that type of burden on someone you love just for your own sake. 

I enjoyed the brother as a character. I think he was the easiest to relate to about how I felt about their situation. Yet I pity him, he wanted out, he didn't want his fate to just be like everyone else's. I'd like to think that maybe he changed his fate but since the story was about survival I know that is unrealistic. There really was no way for him to run away no matter how hard he tried. I still admire his spirit to want more. This is something I rarely say because I usually find something to relate to in people but I despised the mother, she was weak in my opinion. She felt that she owed the alien one of her children because the alien introduced her to her husband. Could she not realize that the alien was practically breeding them there was nothing selfless in her actions. So she just stood aside, practically ignoring the fact that her sons were being given up as incubators.

The story was written a little gory, I enjoyed how the alien's children were refereed to as grub. That was a nice little touch, made them seem like leeches. I didn't really think about the author as male of female, I guess we could say that it's much more likely that a female would write about birth but I don't think we can completely rule out that fact that a guy could write this story. So I did like this short story, there was a lot to think about and I always think that's a positive thing.

the future.

I'm a bit torn about how I feel about the future and where technology is going and how they are going to effect each other.

In some ways I wish technology would stay the way it is now, but I know that isn't going to happen. Then there is another part of me that can't help but deny that some of the future technology will be extremely beneficial to us.

I'm one of those people who grew up without technology as well as with it. Meaning that I didn't start getting into technology till I was in middle school. I lived in a smaller city, which at that time there was more land than houses but of course now it is no longer that way, and we didn't really get that into computers till later. Once DVDs started coming out both my sister and I tried to deny the fact that they were going to replace VHS but now that DVDs are popular we like it that way, same with blu-rays. We also still have never had tv channels at our house so we're used to not watching tv.

But I feel like there will be types of technology that will help us such as replacing legs, arms, or other body parts. Then there are things that I feel are unnecessary, such as 3D tvs. I'm really not excited to see where tv technology is going to go. I guess that's because I don't watch tv. Since I do watch a lot of movies, I still feel a dislike for 3D. I already get really wrapped up in movies and I think too many directors will chose to or be forced to make 3D movies and they will rely on that 3D effect rather than focus on better story plots.

I also know that with the way the world is heading involving the environment we will probably need to change our technology so that we can continue to function.

So as I mentioned before, I'm torn because I understand that somethings I just won't be able to change, other things I wish I could change, and then there's also those things that I know we need because everything is changing.

Aye & Gomorrahby Samuel R. Delany [short story 2]

At first as I was reading this short story I felt so confused, and slowly I felt less confused and then at the end I realized I still felt confused. Then I thought about what I had just read and realized I wasn't as confused as I thought I was. I actually felt like I really understood something important about the story and after listening to what other people had to say about it in class I know what that important thing was. After reading this and figuring it out I feel as if I've learned something about myself. The actions in the story itself don't reflect in my life in any way but the motives to those actions do.

I thought this story was about desires. In my mind it almost played a role of celebrity vs a fan. You have these characters who are Spacers; they are desired, there's a much more limited number of them compared to the Frelk, they're a bit of an outcast as a group, people want them but at the same time don't want them around. Then you have the Frelk who make it part of their lives to desires these Spacers. They pay them for whatever it is that they desire. They can't actually be with the Spacers, they can't actually do much of anything but at the same time they want something from them and it's something the Spacers are incapable of giving, even if what they want is just some sort of emotion. I don't think the Spacers are capable of giving emotion to the Frelk. The way they conversed about them amongst themselves in the story seems as if they think very low of the people who think very highly of them.

It was interesting to read the story from the point-of-view that it was given, even if it did make it confusing. I liked how when the Spacer and the girl were talking they tried to understand each other a little. She didn't want to be a Frelk but she came to terms of the fact that she just couldn't help it. She wanted someone who couldn't possibly want her back. At the same time the Spacer sort of felt like "he" [I'll use the word he because he was a male before becoming a Spacer] wanted something from her but even though money was the most common thing that they wanted from Frelks he didn't want money from her. Even though the Spacers don't have desires in ways I think they do. I just think they don't act on those desires, they almost don't know what they are, and they certainly don't let it shape who they are.

The one thing I still don't understand about this short story is why so many people wanted them to leave. I guess I understand why the girl, at the end of the story, wanted the Spacer to leave, possibly because she knew she had nothing to give in return. Also maybe she was just so used to being lonely that she wanted to just end her fantasy because he couldn't give her anything and the only way to end that thought is to do what you can to get rid of it, by asking it to leave and hope that it does go away.

11/20/10 class notes

What makes it Sci-Fi; my idea of sci-fi

• space adventure
• adventures
• ranks on a ship, usually mostly about the operating group
• mysterious planets and the adventure there
• a mission given to the spaceship
• new technology, technology in general
• spaceship
• isolation, usually
• unknown force they have to go against, usually a new monster
• a lot of the planets looks the same, dry & dusty, so areas might have more greenery
• sometimes new races/creatures, but usually the main race is human

In-class ideas

• the future
• robots, artificial humans
• I Robot
• Post-apocalyptic
• Aliens, cross species relationships
• Good/Evil
• Fashion of space
• time travel

Star Light, Star Bright By Alfred Bester [Short Story 1]

I enjoyed the way this short story started out. It really got to the action and point quite quickly. What I liked the most about the beginning of the story was how the main characters name continued to changed but I liked how the author added all those names together so that you could better realize that it was the same person. I think it was an interesting way to make you really wonder what this person was doing. Such as why he was interviewing these people with the same last name. And why he was asking them as a different person with a different occupation and what seemed to be different motives. As I was reading I knew there had to be a pattern in his questions and then I soon realized that it was strange that a man acting as someone from the Science Institute, Association of National Broadcasters, and the Better Business Bureau would ask so many questions about the families kids.

The next thing I liked about this short story was that the main character who is a teacher who is looking through fifth-grade homework about a very common subject, their vacation, and reads this story that seems completely exaggerated and he actually believes the child. I like that we get to read the child's homework to better understand what it is that the main character is looking for. What I think is strange that he not only believes this child but he wants to find him for money. I'm not sure how many people would invest in such a crazy idea about this ten year old boy who could have just made up. What I also think is that this idea is kind of sad that they want to take these kids and use their powers that no one fully understands and sell, or control,  them for money. I'm sure the children don't really think about using their power except for things that only kids are worried about such as having to eat stuff they don't like or if they're a lazy children then they worry about having to get up and walk somewhere. There are much more dangerous things that they could be using it for and those things are what adults would use the powers for. I know these children don't fully realize their powers and of course they never mean to hurt anyone all they know is protection and realize what they need to do to keep who they love and themselves protected.