Creativity Within Structure

In what is called the "Digital Divide" broadband connectivity in rural America is sporadic, prohibitively expensive, and nonexistent. Those of us living in or around metropolitan areas have a choice of provider services ranging from cable modem, telephone line DSL (digital subscriber line), fiber optic cable, WiMax, fixed wireless, satellite, and broadband over existing power lines (BPL). A study done by the Pew Internet and American Life Project indicated that while broadband adoption is growing in urban, suburban, and rural areas, broadband users make up larger percentages of urban and suburban users than rural users. Pew found that the percentage of all U.S. adults with in home broadband is 52% for urban areas, 49% for suburban areas, and 31% for rural areas. (Kruge, 2008)   For service providers deploying equipment is costly making the return on investment low due to the population density.   As pointed out in the same study, the greater the geographical distances amon

Multitasking in the workplace degrades the quality of work. Laser like intensity and single mindedness of purpose promotes quality. I am terrible at multitasking. I admit it, but only to myself. Is multitasking is a badge of honor? I doubt my co workers believe they are good at multitasking as well. Perhaps it's co worker peer pressure. During my typical workday as a UI web developer I have 3 Photoshop files open, my phone concerning head set on and dialed into a meeting. I'm composing a design document in MS Word for another project. I'm coding another project in my editor. I'm checking code into the repository before the cut off which is fast approaching, and 3 people are asking me questions on IM. Maybe its peer pressure in the work place exacerbated by the current economic environment. I dare not show I'm incapable of multitasking! As pointed out (Hillstrom, 2002) "Technology is also creating the ability to leverage the efforts of employees more and more.

Whether you are a do it yourselfer or a veteran financial planner, Morningstar's robust investment information makes it one of the most authoritative financial resources on the internet. A typical user may view a mutual fund's expense ratio, moving average, or current NAV value to help decide on a fund purchase. Another user may simply check on the “star rating” Morningstar provides for each fund. Information gathering can be at a high level or can be very granular depending on the user, how much they drill down into the information, and statistical data provided. There is a need for financial information that can be accessed in real time. For the day trader this information must be reliable and available constantly. It has been suggested that the market's volatility may be due in part to the ability to automate trading and stop loss orders through the web. I feel Morningstar is a major information resource for financial investing. Applying the usability guidelines offered

An analysis of the Medical Mirror's usability reveals a major challenge. Is a flaw in the system preventing the Medical Mirror from reaching its full potential? The Medical Mirror is a web cam, mirror, and computer system working together to provide immediate vital sign feedback to the individual looking into it. Ming-Zher Pooh an electrical and medical-engineering graduate student at MIT developed a technology that monitors pulse, respiration, and blood pressure through a web cam, computer and mirror (Mone, 2011). The web cam receives input in the form of reflected light waves, translates the information, and outputs a readable rate measurement on the mirror’s surface. Consider the immediate benefits for the health conscious individual in the way of heart rate, and blood pressure monitoring prior to a workout routine. Additionally, it can prove valuable in hospices, nursing homes, and hospitals. Uses can be extended to include infants, the elderly, or infirm where attaching mon

As they retreated into the studio it became apparent that Paul would rather be the guitarist for "his" tunes rather than George. Truth be told George's guitar playing early on was a bit behind the beat, and not very sure handed. From all accounts this was the cause of some concern among the other members. His lyrics tended to be of the simplistic "rhyming couplet" love tune variety. He started to come into his own around the "Rubber Soul" period. The chiming "If I Needed Someone", and the the testimony to individualism in "Think for Yourself". But his greatest contribution was the Sitar on Norwegian Wood. The beginning of his new voice. His focus becoming increasingly eastern. Perusing God consciousness rather than individual achievement within a ridged framework. The result, a sound unlike any musician of his time. If you seek a higher plane rather than "compete" at a lower level your true voice will emerge. For George ul

I've been more conscious of framing, and lighting. It makes a huge difference in the presentation of the image. Rather than keeping the sun at your back, I've been attempting to angle the sun of the upper right, or lower left. Highlight rather than full on lighting. In this shot I knew I was going for a soft back lit type of exposure. I focused on the center wild flower, but what I discovered upon viewing the image after I downloaded it was an incredible green/gold back lighting. The darker green leaves and the back lighting seem to be the theme of the image rather than the wild flower which was my original intention. The structure: Shutter Speed 1/160 Aperture Value 4.0 ISO Speed 200 Lens EF70-200mm f/4L Focal Length 160.0mm The magic is the unexpected creative shot that happens!

Saturday May 28th I had the opportunity to shoot my friend's band "Kick it Out". It was an outdoor event so lighting was not an issue. I used my Canon XTi with my f/4 70 - 200. For most of the event I used the lens hood as it was a sunny day, I also used the B&W polarizer at various times. The challenge for the most part was getting a good frame of all the musicians involved. I attempted to capture each one as they were performing. Some, obviously are more demonstrative than others in their performance. Owing to my background I had an intuitive sense as to the length of the solos and the crescendos of the various sections of music. I tried to capture from various angles, stage left, right, and even from behind from the musicians perspective. I think that was perhaps my favorite angle. In hindsight, I think I should have used the wide angle as well and captured the band from the bottom of the stage shooting up. Additionally, the level of the musicianship and the qualit