I Have Become a Face and not a Number.

 

 

#40577 is No Longer!

 

Today's posting will follow the "FATP" format, and illustrate the effort needed to overcome the abuse suffered in that euphemistic world of "Corrections."

 

Form - Mahara Journal

Audience - Classmates and Instructor (All of whom can become conscientious voters)

Topic - The Long Tail, Social Media, and Cloud Computing

Purpose - Synthesis of and Reflection on This Week's Resources

 

Guiding Questions:

1.  How has the Long Tail, Cloud Computing, and Social Media influenced my life?

2.  Why do I need to know about these things in my field?

3.  Why might have your instructor opted not to use the Cloud for this course.?

 

1.     Now that the most important part of my life isn't performing the "naked monkey dance," required by our State "Correctional" officers for their enjoyment and my ability to avoid being locked into a prison cell eighteen hours a day, I am happily influenced by the Long Tail, Cloud Computing and Social Media every waking hour of the day. Every morning I venture into a new and exciting part of these worlds that I have never seen before. Albeit, it is scary as well, navigating the possible traps of signing up for things that I've never worked with before. I have an entire notebook set aside specifically for passwords and usernames. I have memberships with all sorts of groups, organizations, and businesses who all want my attention from the moment I awake--and I want their attention as well. It really is a part of the Self-Actualization process that Maslow and Chris Anderson spoke about in "A Synthesis of Free". In fact, I had this discussion with a fellow inmate right before leaving the Northern State Correctional Facility in Newport, VT.  We were advocating for any possible use of the Internet for inmates, even if it were highly censored, like communist countries.

       By 5am, I am down to check my emails, then my emails from my "Candidate's Committee," who have a direct link to "Corrections" and I have to use a censored email service that charges outrageous prices. (Definitely not "Free" to communicate with slaves, literally or figuratively.) They are slaves because the 13th Amendment says they are, as well our Vermont Constitution in Chapter 1, Article 1 (eventually, I'll learn to add a link here). I then check my text messages, a whole new concept, but the only sure-fire way that my nineteen year old son will answer me. I then tackle my two online classes that both have to do with using technology, and proving that I still have the mental fortitude to persevere through all sorts of unknowns. After having my mind opened to all these new possibilities of using multimedia applications, I try to sign up and use a new application each day, just so that I can feel the maximum amount of frustration and elation simultaneously. Bottom line, I love it! Although I am still coming to understand all the applications of the Cloud, I believe my Apple Music is lost in this Cloud somewhere, and I am glad to know that I don't have to "buy the taxi" as Tim and Michael so appropriately described it for an old guy to understand. I am sure the Cloud will continue to increase it's influence in my life as my life continues on in the "Free" world. As far as the Long Tail influencing me, I guess that as soon as I start finding Apple tunes to pay for, or some other sort of site that allows me to find all these "misses" then I'll be a winner too. For now, I've only had 21 days of freedom and influence, in a direct way; I'll keep you posted as we journey onward to the race for governor, using a self-produced, multi-media portfolio for our campaign.

 

2.     It is so important for me as a gubernatorial candidate and as a future governor to be able to use these items in a way that I can communicate with the citizens of Vermont, and to know how these things are affecting our State's population on an individual basis.  The Cloud concepts of: 1. Scalability, 2. Instant Availability, and 3. Saving Money, are all obvious advantages for individuals, businesses and government operations. This makes it imperative for me to fully understand the infrastructure and it's applicability for making appropriate use of the Cloud technology. Also, being able to explain to folks the wisdom of venture capitalist, Kevin Laws, and his observations that: "the biggest money is in the smallest sales" and that "the most successful businesses on the Internet are about aggregating the Long Tail in one way or another," is very important for our Vermont economy, especially our more rural areas that are still struggling to have broadband Internet services. The whole idea of the Long Tail opens up markets for that "99%," or as Vann-Adibe describes the "misses," found in products/services which could be provided by any of our creative and entrepreneurial Vermonters who lack big start-up and marketing monies. I find the Long Tail, Cloud Computing and Social Media absolutely essential to my new field of public service, hence my reason for a  planned, total-emersion into all applications immediately upon my release from VTDOC.

 

3.     I honestly do not know why we are not using the Cloud, but I have a few ideas. Maybe it is because we wouldn't be able to access all the information in a group format. In other words, maybe one of the Cloud's limitations is that it can only be accessed by individuals that set it up or have special access. Maybe it's because we are all in different remote locations. This is an area that I will have to further research, but I look forward to seeing how and why this decision was made and how it will affect my use moving forward.

 

All in all,  every assignment we have is an awesome adventure of learning and fun for me. I truly believe this is the avenue of Self-Actualization, and until we infuse it into the oppressed segments of our population, we will suffer as a society. Thanks for tuning in, and stick with me as I move into my fourth week of being exposed to these multimedia applications. Please register to vote, it may be the only way we keep this awesome privilege. (Another place I wish I had a link for you to register online.)