Community: Gamers
Members anyone who plays video games frequently, especially online. They interact online in games and websites, especially forums and gaming news sites. Investment of time and money for games, TVs, PCs, etc, is required.
People join the community because they enjoy one or more aspects of gaming, including teamwork, challenge, competition, and absent minded fun.
Characteristics of the community include dedication, immersion in the language and culture of gaming. Advantages include fast spread of news about games, and a large potential pool of team mates. Problems include many things associated with the internet in general, such as trolls, misinformation, arguments, etc. News of glitches, exploits, hacks, and other unfair advantages spread this way.
I personally enjoy the competition, discussion, bonding with friends, and having fun actually playing.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Reflections on Myself as a Student.
I learned that I am a very punctual about both my work and being where I'm supposed to be.
I was surprised that I can wake up at 5am every morning and not fall asleep during the day, or even lose focus.
I'm very proud that I haven't earned an infraction, and there isn't anything that I'm disappointed it.
The things I'm most proud of is the work on my blog, my scores on the Tech midterm and final, my consistent professional attitude, my willingness to speak out during plus/delta sessions in class, and my motivation to succeed which has kept me from slipping up and earning an infraction.
Things I could improve on is making sure I help myself before being distracted by helping others, getting to bed on time and making sure I get enough sleep, and giving my colleagues more of a chance to share their knowledge and participate even if I know I'm right, and that it will move the discussion along faster.
I was surprised that I can wake up at 5am every morning and not fall asleep during the day, or even lose focus.
I'm very proud that I haven't earned an infraction, and there isn't anything that I'm disappointed it.
The things I'm most proud of is the work on my blog, my scores on the Tech midterm and final, my consistent professional attitude, my willingness to speak out during plus/delta sessions in class, and my motivation to succeed which has kept me from slipping up and earning an infraction.
Things I could improve on is making sure I help myself before being distracted by helping others, getting to bed on time and making sure I get enough sleep, and giving my colleagues more of a chance to share their knowledge and participate even if I know I'm right, and that it will move the discussion along faster.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Miguel Lopez Starring in 'The Barbed Wire Fortress Of Love'
I am who I am despite the neighborhoods I've lived in.
I've lived in these neighborhoods in this order:
I feel like I dodged a series of bullets growing where I did, but I also believe that it was the support of my family that kept me from the path too often walked by young Mexican men, jail, death, and general low expectations. It was this support that really nullified any negative factors inherent in these neighborhoods, the sad fact of the matter is the lack of a present and supportive father is all it takes for young men growing up in the places I grew up in to start on that slippery downward slope.
I was shielded from any negative influence in my childhood and teens thanks to my parents, and thanks to them, to me all my neighborhoods were just the place we lived. Now as an adult, I can really take a critical stance on my current neighborhood and the real and measurable ways it has influenced me.
On the whole, I feel Vallejo is a city in decline. Maybe it's because I wasn't raised here, and I don't plan on staying, but I can stand back and look at the goings on in this town through the eyes of a critical outsider, and not the hopeful eyes a genuinely concerned long term resident. Aside from the standard retail jobs and small businesses, there is no beating heart of economy in this town. The most prosperous in town job I can think of is probably 'store manager', or maybe 'car lot owner', yet the city insists on renovation and renewal, while closing down high schools and killing a planned new school. They overlook serious social problems in favor of luxuries the real working class population aren't asking for.
Vallejo has influenced me. I can't go outside without thinking to myself I can do better than a place like this.
I've lived in these neighborhoods in this order:
- East Oakland, right on Foothill Boulevard
- North Oakland, on San Pablo Avenue
- Vallejo, in a pocket going through urban decay
I feel like I dodged a series of bullets growing where I did, but I also believe that it was the support of my family that kept me from the path too often walked by young Mexican men, jail, death, and general low expectations. It was this support that really nullified any negative factors inherent in these neighborhoods, the sad fact of the matter is the lack of a present and supportive father is all it takes for young men growing up in the places I grew up in to start on that slippery downward slope.
I was shielded from any negative influence in my childhood and teens thanks to my parents, and thanks to them, to me all my neighborhoods were just the place we lived. Now as an adult, I can really take a critical stance on my current neighborhood and the real and measurable ways it has influenced me.
On the whole, I feel Vallejo is a city in decline. Maybe it's because I wasn't raised here, and I don't plan on staying, but I can stand back and look at the goings on in this town through the eyes of a critical outsider, and not the hopeful eyes a genuinely concerned long term resident. Aside from the standard retail jobs and small businesses, there is no beating heart of economy in this town. The most prosperous in town job I can think of is probably 'store manager', or maybe 'car lot owner', yet the city insists on renovation and renewal, while closing down high schools and killing a planned new school. They overlook serious social problems in favor of luxuries the real working class population aren't asking for.
Vallejo has influenced me. I can't go outside without thinking to myself I can do better than a place like this.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Reflections on "The Poverty Business"
The assigned reading tackled a really big, hard to dissect issue, the problem of people so poor they can't pull themselves out of poverty, and the businesses that take advantage of them. These companies offer up all sorts of services, and the transiency of the benefits of these services are far outweighed by the burden of interest, and in the long run, pile more debt onto the plate of our most financially vulnerable citizens.
These services or programs are disguised as helpful, seemingly useful alternatives for people with incomes so low that maybe ordering a computer sight unseen on an unclear payment plan is the only way they could own a computer in the first place. The problems lie in the hidden interest, the unclear, often purposefully deceptive terms of agreement, the ignorance of the consumer, and the fleeting, uncertain nature of any income the consumer might have.
The interest and penalties for not paying on time on these loans are so steep that the buyer ends up paying an exorbitantly larger amount for the item than normal. The logic behind this is that doing business with people who have so little money is a high risk enterprise, and any deviation from the strict payment plan warrants gouging the customer for what little money they have.
It's very easy to blame the victim here, but these people, in many cases, have run out of or haven't heard of any other options. I think that therefore, the responsibility lies with the companies so ready to take everything they can from these struggling people. I believe the only way to help those unfortunate enough to fall prey to these schemes is free financial education and consulting, and loans with for less severe penalties and lower interests. I don't think anyone can see this situation and not understand what part these companies play in keeping the poor, poor.
These services or programs are disguised as helpful, seemingly useful alternatives for people with incomes so low that maybe ordering a computer sight unseen on an unclear payment plan is the only way they could own a computer in the first place. The problems lie in the hidden interest, the unclear, often purposefully deceptive terms of agreement, the ignorance of the consumer, and the fleeting, uncertain nature of any income the consumer might have.
The interest and penalties for not paying on time on these loans are so steep that the buyer ends up paying an exorbitantly larger amount for the item than normal. The logic behind this is that doing business with people who have so little money is a high risk enterprise, and any deviation from the strict payment plan warrants gouging the customer for what little money they have.
It's very easy to blame the victim here, but these people, in many cases, have run out of or haven't heard of any other options. I think that therefore, the responsibility lies with the companies so ready to take everything they can from these struggling people. I believe the only way to help those unfortunate enough to fall prey to these schemes is free financial education and consulting, and loans with for less severe penalties and lower interests. I don't think anyone can see this situation and not understand what part these companies play in keeping the poor, poor.
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