Digital copyright laws are a tough issue to keep up with and enforce for law-makers. The rapid change in technological capabilities and software/hardware available to the public and media manufacturers changes as fast as laws can be drafted and put into effect, but the Digital Millennium Copyright Act tries to keep things current by allowing the Library of Congress to review DRM exceptions every three years. This year, some (semi)major changes came into effect. Rather than write all this out, I'll give you the link:
Listing of exemptions made this year
Gizmodo's take on it
So the big takeaways for me:
Now I can legally jailbreak my iPad, allowing it to do all those little things that I wish it could do before but Mother-Apple didn't see fit to allow me to do. I may try it out tonight if I have time.
Also, I can take clips from movies and use them for my own "non-commercial" videos...okay, that doesn't really concern me since I don't really make videos, but I can see that news as exciting. Now I can watch Pokemon/Family guy mash-up videos anytime I want!
July 26, 2010
July 25, 2010
Thumbs up to MIT
I discovered it last year sometime, and was then reminded of it when browsing the internet today. If you have any interest in advancing your knowledge in a subject that isn't in your major, or one that is not offered by your college, take a look. This would also be a great resource for students starting out their college career or who want more insight into prospective majors. Of course, you don't get credit for doing the online classes, it's a great resource, and I give MIT a big thumbs up for this one.
July 21, 2010
How to Grow a New Body
If you haven't noticed, I'm kind of a big fan of medical technology (I can't wait until they implant a chip in my brain that makes me instantly know Chinese). Anyway, humans in most developed countries tend to die from cancer or heart disease. We've pretty much eliminated most other significant killers out there, but your body was not made to last forever - even if you never get sick - so eventually, organs wear out and break down...UNTIL NOW!
That's right, Harvard Bioscience has successfully grown rat lungs in a bioreactor (that means, the lungs grew in an artificial environment), and then transplanted said lungs into several rats. Okay, the technology may not be ready for human testing - the rats died within 6 hours - but I think this shows feasability in the idea, and I can imagine that research will continue. Pretty cool stuff if you asked me, but I don't want science to stop there...
If I start getting old and "wearing out", I want them to go ahead and transport what memories and cognitive ability I have left into a completely new body. Harvest me all new organs, slap some skin on me, do a little reconstructive surgery to make sure I look right, and send me out for round two. My mom used to read me "You're Only Old Once" by Dr. Suess as a kid...not anymore, Doctor Geisel!
That's right, Harvard Bioscience has successfully grown rat lungs in a bioreactor (that means, the lungs grew in an artificial environment), and then transplanted said lungs into several rats. Okay, the technology may not be ready for human testing - the rats died within 6 hours - but I think this shows feasability in the idea, and I can imagine that research will continue. Pretty cool stuff if you asked me, but I don't want science to stop there...
If I start getting old and "wearing out", I want them to go ahead and transport what memories and cognitive ability I have left into a completely new body. Harvest me all new organs, slap some skin on me, do a little reconstructive surgery to make sure I look right, and send me out for round two. My mom used to read me "You're Only Old Once" by Dr. Suess as a kid...not anymore, Doctor Geisel!
July 19, 2010
The job search
I've had a number of friends graduate this past spring, and have been surprised at the large number of them who have not succeeded in finding a start to their career. Many have been able to get some sort of job, but even among my fellow engineering students, the offers are not as plentiful as they once were, and many I know have settled with a job that may be far from their desired field. This has just solidified my decision to take my time completing my undergraduate degree (especially because my scholarships will go for up to 6 years), but I'd like to take a little time to offer up my tips on job-hunting for anyone out there who's interested:
1. Be Proactive. I don't just mean go to career services and ask them for a list of companies who will be coming to the job fair. Do research. This is especially true if you have a very specialized major, or have very specific goals in the long-term, but even if you don't, you need to know what you're looking for out there in the real world. Job fairs are a great resource, and should never be skipped in hopes of finding work else-where (that face-to-face meeting usually works in your favor), but don't forget to do a little digging, and see what other companies may be out there.
2. Network! Don't pass up the chance to talk to any company representative, at any time, ever. If you get the opportunity to meet a rep at a job fair, class, or special event, take advantage of it. Like I said above, face-time with recruiters is the ideal way to make a good impression. Be confident, look them in the eye, shake their hand, remember their name, and ask them questions about their company, and who they are looking to hire. Finally, I won't leave the networking section without giving the suggestion to use the internet. This is something that is not nearly as personal as a face-to-face meeting, but it can help you in ways that you probably don't realize. Say for example, you follow GE's "ecomagination" on twitter.com. If you got the chance to meet a company rep for GE, you could bring up the latest news that was shared on twitter, and probably show that you really do follow the company, and keep up with its latest innovations.
3. Just keep trying. This may be the hardest thing for some people, as being rejected time and time again can really start to wear on a person's confidence, but you're not alone in your struggle for that perfect job. If you follow Ask A Manager (one of my personal favorites), you will see many stories from working professionals who have sent dozens or hundreds of resume's out, and received no offers back. Finally, along these lines, I don't recommend "taking time off" for a year after college. Maybe spending a couple months traveling isn't a bad thing, but if I were an employer, I'd be much more impressed by an applicant who spent his time volunteering for a year while looking for a job than just living at home, mooching off his parents as long as he could.
For what it's worth, that is my advice. Feel free to comment, or add your own suggestions, and best of luck to you all!
1. Be Proactive. I don't just mean go to career services and ask them for a list of companies who will be coming to the job fair. Do research. This is especially true if you have a very specialized major, or have very specific goals in the long-term, but even if you don't, you need to know what you're looking for out there in the real world. Job fairs are a great resource, and should never be skipped in hopes of finding work else-where (that face-to-face meeting usually works in your favor), but don't forget to do a little digging, and see what other companies may be out there.
2. Network! Don't pass up the chance to talk to any company representative, at any time, ever. If you get the opportunity to meet a rep at a job fair, class, or special event, take advantage of it. Like I said above, face-time with recruiters is the ideal way to make a good impression. Be confident, look them in the eye, shake their hand, remember their name, and ask them questions about their company, and who they are looking to hire. Finally, I won't leave the networking section without giving the suggestion to use the internet. This is something that is not nearly as personal as a face-to-face meeting, but it can help you in ways that you probably don't realize. Say for example, you follow GE's "ecomagination" on twitter.com. If you got the chance to meet a company rep for GE, you could bring up the latest news that was shared on twitter, and probably show that you really do follow the company, and keep up with its latest innovations.
3. Just keep trying. This may be the hardest thing for some people, as being rejected time and time again can really start to wear on a person's confidence, but you're not alone in your struggle for that perfect job. If you follow Ask A Manager (one of my personal favorites), you will see many stories from working professionals who have sent dozens or hundreds of resume's out, and received no offers back. Finally, along these lines, I don't recommend "taking time off" for a year after college. Maybe spending a couple months traveling isn't a bad thing, but if I were an employer, I'd be much more impressed by an applicant who spent his time volunteering for a year while looking for a job than just living at home, mooching off his parents as long as he could.
For what it's worth, that is my advice. Feel free to comment, or add your own suggestions, and best of luck to you all!
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