Road to PhD

I'm Back

2005-08-02T23:50:00.000-07:00

Time to rethink this technology. Guess I'll start today.
Can a person just stop and start as they wish?
I hope so....

NetLogo

2004-12-04T16:15:00.000-08:00

At first, I didn't understand this program but I every time I tried it got easier (zone of proximal development is lessening?).

The two snapshots below are my attempts in understanding how changing just the number of learning objectives effected the simulation.

1. Maximizing posed/answered graph. Could not do it. I could get it to spike up to 2/3 but I could not get it to stabilize. Hints? The best I could do are listed. By playing around with patience and the number of learning objectives I could get a greater ratio AND a bonus of a growing Student knows....so two for one.

What did I learn?

I think Netlogo or NetLOCO as I was calling it does provide many of the varying aspects of self-organization. Creation: the opportunity to be a "researcher" and discover things. Configuration: there are certain parameters and filters within the context. Regulation: Same as Configuration? Steering: The way I was able to change certain parameters (not their outcomes). Maintenance: program was available and stable; I could save my trials etc. Reproduction: Not sure if NetLogo had this, I'm I could create my own model based on another’s. Reference: the topic itself OSOSS had meaning in how students could/do learn.

2004-12-04T14:50:00.000-08:00

Best attempt posed/answered

2004-12-04T14:46:00.000-08:00

Max Ave student

2004-12-02T13:17:00.000-08:00

Beginning

2004-12-02T13:15:00.000-08:00

First try

5 Star MMO Learning and Teaching

2004-11-28T19:20:00.000-08:00

Dr. Merrill's 5 star criteria:
1. Learning is facilitated when learners are engaged in solving real-world problems. First…engaged?
Absolutely, no question people in MMO's are engaged and creating opportunities for communication and cooperation. So are the journey types of MMO's being applied to "real-world problems"? It depends on how you look at what the problem is. In a world were our systems (economic, social, educational etc.) are interconnected, how do we communicate effectively within those systems? I would say that any opportunity whither online or not that provides a forum of communication further helps our society to function effectively. So why not make it fun and interactive?

2. Learning is facilitated when existing knowledge is activated as a foundation for new knowledge.
Going from IRC's and Lambda MOO I gained certain about of understanding and knowledge of cooperation, gaming and collaboration in online environments. I use that information to effectively navigate in new MMO environments. Not to mention my understanding of computer skills are further applied and supported.

3. Learning is facilitated when new knowledge is demonstrated to the learner.
This happens all the time in MMO and for me, it happened in Lineage. One night John Roe helped me learn to whisper, then I taught my wife (who is now hooked on the game as well, I might add). This constant learning and demonstrated understanding is helped me gain a better knowledge and understanding of this forum and game.

4. Learning is facilitated when new knowledge is applied by the learner.
So, what I learn in the Lineage...can help me other places right? Absolutely, the gaming skills I leaned in playing the game helped me to play in other levels and will help play in other similar games with less of a learning curve. The “real world” component is my understanding of why and how online environments are important ant for my personal and professional knowledge.

5. Learning is facilitated when new knowledge is integrated into the learner's world.
I am currently working on this. I want to investigate how the course I teach for incoming freshmen would benefit from playing this or similar game. I am bringing my experience and knowledge into my framework and daily life. I know that Fan fiction will be integrated into my course, MMO's may be an essay that they will have the students explore and write about.

So this is where I am now, how do I incorporate these environments into my method of teaching? I do think learning happens differently, but just as effectively. Differently in that time and physical components are changed and redefined. However, the emphasis for me is that effective learning must come first, the technology is just the support mechanism to ensure learning. I like the opportunity these environments provide. For example, the feeling that I can "put myself" out there and not be overly worried about a grade or wanting to please a teacher. I think other students would feel the same.

Online, you gain another perspective and feedback mechanism, for me personally I like it!Finally, I firmly believe every student needs to be supported in how they learn individually (and also be challenged). So, if for some reason online environments create the necessary spark to motivate learning...then why not find appropriate opportunities to do so?

Lineage Newbie

2004-11-22T16:28:00.000-08:00

Quote from Nicole Gomez (my wife): "You have to play this game for homework?"
Jose's response:

"I am to explore the social software environment known as Massively Multiplayer Online game, also known as MMO's. It consists of the ability of many "players" to interact and build relationships, friends, and social and community dynamics. But it has a purpose; these environments have journeys, challenges, character development and identities, and visual and written artifacts. This further provides the possibilities for social interactions across the world! This environment has the opportunities to change people’s learning schemas. The only way to truly understand the complexities and dynamics of this environment is to fully engross myself."

Nicole: "Sure."

Jose (big smile :-) ): "Cool, huh."

Lineage Character: SirGomez

Not creative, but I wanted to make sure if someone from class was also playing they would recognize me. I am a Knight...since the game suggested it. I am on level 7 and I am really getting better at finding objects and knowing when to fight. I can't tell you how many Goblins beat the crap out of me when I began. Now they fear my wrath.

I still am having a hard time going into the dungeon. I haven't enough understandings and character items to beat those snake ladies. So I'm still dying a lot. But I finally learned how to add and take off shields, armor, and use different swords so now its getter better.

Final profile:
SirGomez
Knight

Lawful

HP 82, Mp 9, Armor -2,

One of the only hispanic knights in town.

Identity and Cooperation

2004-11-17T15:59:00.000-08:00

So I getting it... The interconnectness of the internet allows people to seek our relationships that they may not have. I love the MOO and MMO environments. Cooperation. You win/lose/explore with others. It's more than just a game, it provides real dynamic interactions and conversations. With cooperation you can gain information, explore subjects, play games, with people from around the world. Incentives. So what is, the incentive of working in these types of online communities. Again...communication with people from everywhere. Exploration within a fantasy or real world that may have never happened. Reputations/Identity. I/we get to become more dimensional online. The emphasis is on addition more to my personality and identity. I can add to conversations in my expertise. I can become an entrepreneur of information, product, or expertise. How cool is that? As Donath put it...I get to add or expand my "voice." I get to develop how my want to portray myself online. I agree that trust and reputation can come into question...but why and who cares. Even in face to face interactions we are full of mixed signals, held emotions, secret thoughts and deceptions.

Finally, cooperation can succeed without trust, efficiently and effectively? Maybe not. But as I continue to explore in IRC and Lambda MOO and I do not necessarily trust what is being discussed or portray...yet I continue to "use" others for information and fun.

The IRC Playground

2004-11-06T10:23:00.000-08:00

Ok, first you have to understand that this was the largest learning curve thus far for me. Three hours just understanding how to access channels, servers, lists etc. Finally, hour five (of day three)...success sort of.

I figured out how to connect to various servers: quacknet, funnet, cnn is where I spent most of my time.

Some the channels I explored were funfactory, unreal, cnn.

The most exciting thing I encounter in this CMC was all the discussions of the US election. I guess empowering people with a keyboard and 6% beer can be a dangerous combination. The vulgarity and angry people were astonishing.

LambdaMOO was borderline racy for me, but I could see that most people were there to talk, explore and have a comfortable medium to do that. In the IRC's that I was in, people did not care about their misspelled words or their angry and vulgar talk. Basically I think there was a missing netiquette in the IRC forums.

WHY? Hum...perhaps LambdaMOO's wizards help corral people and keep the communication focused and moving. I liked what Reid said about IRC framework: it's like a playground. That is how I felt...a playground with bullies, adventure, chaos, fun, and seemingly incoherent noise. But if you listen closely and get closer to just one group on this huge playground you could find a friend or at least an understandable conversation.

One of the frustrating parts of the IRC is that many of the channels were not in English. I saw less of this in LambdaMOO. Truly the IRC network seemed to span a greater audience.

The other thing I had a hard time was the confusion, going back to the playground and noise analogy... From far away a playground could be heard as noise and as one gets closer to the people on the playground you can begin to decipher and understand what is being done and said. Herring explains that CMC has this same impression. From far away, if looks like confusion. However some users "exploit the potential of loosened coherence for the purposes of play and to enjoy intensified interactivity, especially in synchronous modes." I agree, the more experienced users didn't seemed put off by the interruptions and the side comments of people coming and going as I did.

I think I will stick to SimpleMU, because it allows me to read and think about my responses. Also the conversations seem to "go" somewhere. IRC's is still too much "noise" for me.

MOO...I Like Beef

2004-10-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

So I had been trying to connect to lambda for a couple of days, but the connection would time out. So I figured I would just read the articles and some others to see what this MOO, MUD's are about.

Different that AOL messenger or WebChat? I guess what is unique to MOO sites is the jargon, the group acceptance or rejection, and it is encapsulated with a "game sense." Wheat I mean is there is a sense of a task, journey, exploration, accomplishment. But communication with others is essential. Barltle's article was most helpful in understanding that there are often four types of player interactions:

Achievers
Explorers
Socialisers
Killers

I think right know I am a little of achiever, and socialiser, but mostly an explorer. I definitely want to understand and excel at this new topic/technology that I am experiencing (achiever). Threw my wandering and exploration of the MOO and looking at maps and running the tutorial I am being an explorer. Finally, the context of the MOO requires me to communication and ask question. I enjoy that part (socialiser).

I question the comment that the rooms, trees, landscape are essential to this type of social software. I think people just need some sort of boundaries or visual image to allow themselves to interact. So it makes sense that programmers use what we are used to...homes, rooms, landscapes.

So today it finally worked...I was able to sign on to lambda.

Communication in this fashion takes some time to get used to. I have took the lambda tutorial twice and then began to talk on the MOO. I guess it gives the players another form of connection...we all speak this MOO talk.

I had a hard time writing things down...then I found out that there are window based shells to help newbie’s like myself. I downloaded simpleMU and it made reading and responding much easier. I don't think I am totally hooked, I think it is because there is a large learning curve for me to make the interaction work...I wonder if this was the same for my peers?

Fun Site...

2004-10-27T08:41:00.000-07:00

Maybe you have already seen this site but I found it interesting.

It has great timelines of computers components, networks, and the internet...the link below is the time line for internet history:

http://www.computerhistory.org/exhibits/internet_history/

Enjoy

Reputation and Trust...A Buyer's Thoughts

2004-10-24T22:04:00.000-07:00

I have had many opportunities to purchase on eBay, Amazon.com, Overstock.com, etc. I would estimate that I have purchased about 75 items ranging (1.00 to 250.00) over the past three years. This past Christmas I would estimate half of my gifts were purchased online, many via auction houses. Of those purchases I have had approximately three bad experiences, one of which I discuss later.

My experiences have taught me that reputations and trust go hand in hand in any online community. However, when you increase the risk of a online relationship by introducing a financial interaction, the relationship, I believe take on a new twist. This interaction is what I am focusing on in this writing today.

What I am getting at is, when I post a comment on a blog or web chat environment, I could ask myself; what are the risks if something goes bad? Plummeted to death by words? Could I be sent vindictive spam or a possible virus by an upset blog host? However, when I ask myself; what are the risks when dealing with monetary exchanges? Well…MONEY! I have learned that people are most attached and protective of four things/subjects: religion, politics, family, and money. So it is no surprise to me that Kollock (1999) addresses this issue because the environment has a lack of an “external enforcement mechanism” within online trades. Although, I would argue that auction houses are creating better enforcement mechanisms (other than those listed by Kollock). I discuss these later as well.

I agree that the risk is placed more on the buyer since they are the first to invoke trust and risk by giving their payment before the item is sent. So what can buyers arm themselves with? Most would say a reputation system helps provide the necessary information and enforcement for these online interactions (Kollock, 1999; Resnick, 2001; Resnick, Zeckhauser, Freidman, and Kuwabara, 2000). These systems allow a buyer to investigate and evaluate the amount of risk they are willing to take with a potential seller. I agree that buyers must be willing to spend the necessary time to decide on the amount of risk the buyer is willing to take. For a buyer, the incentive to do this is to protect your monetary interests. It is difficult to trust someone you can’t see and interact with. However, by using reputation systems you can gain a general idea of the seller’s reputation.

The notion of trust is different online. Social software has the opportunity to investigate how to increase trust and perpetuate the power of the Internet. By creating forums to record and evaluate each other we can be better consumers. I know that if I review negative feedback on a potential seller, it has often turned me away from pursuing a trade. However, I have had bad experiences.

This discussion could not have come a more opportune moment. Recently, I purchased a portable DVD carrying case on eBay. The total was less than $20.00. Two weeks pasted and I did not receive the item. I email the seller...no answer. I began to search eBay on what to do…they suggested I email the seller. I did again. Still nothing. I began to research what else I could do. I elicited the help of Squaredeal.com (a social software solution J). They promised they would help. If I paid them, I was promised that they would do everything they could to find the seller and get a refund for me. They do have a free service. The free service would seek out viable information on the seller and send an email to them of my complaint. So I did the free service. Nothing has happened with them.

I remembered that I made the purchase via my PayPal account (I know that eBay is connected to them but I’m not sure how). PayPal has a way to report fraud and investigate the purchase. If they can not solve it within 60 days I will be given a refund of my purchase of up to $200 (again, social software to the rescue!). So I will see what happens (it’s only been ten days). Will I ever trust that seller again? No. Will I ever trust any seller again? Absolutely. So…what about the feedback forum on eBay you ask? I tried, when I attempted to report negative feedback, eBay reported the seller as a no longer registered seller and allowed no feedback...information I could have used before I entered into this transaction.

Now, had the transaction happened at a local merchant, I would have had a easier time getting my money back. I would have a physical address to seek compensation. I could investigate business records and license and find home address of the business owner etc. I would send a letter to the BBB. I could hold a boycott in front of the store (can you do this online?). So when I am making an online purchase…I have to decide if it is meeting my parameters. I leave this information to anyone who is thinking about making an online purchase and how to be a more informed consumer.

Look at the email address, possibly your only contact will be via an email account, so you need to be careful of those free account addresses (Kollock provides further insight).

Read the feedback…it does tell you a lot about sellers reputation.

Set a maximum risk/benefit amount. How much are you willing to lose? If the purchase is reaching your maximum of how much you are willing to risk for an item, then I suggest additional guidelines:

Email the seller before hand. Verify the address and anything you may have read on the feedback forum. Ask a stupid question or ask how they resolved a negative transaction listed on the feedback.

If possible, email the buyer in the seller’s negative feedback to see if things were corrected. Asked what happened and what they (both the buyer and seller) did to try to get things resolved. Most upset buyers are willing to share.

I suggest using PayPal, they protect your financial information and they provide “insurance.”

Finally, decide how important the product is to you. For example, I was going to purchase some automobile parts. The safety of the transportation for my family is obviously important. Getting the part and getting the correct part for my automotive is imperative. So, when I compared the prices of the auto parts online versus my local auto parts store and found that online I could save about $50 dollars. So I had to ask myself, is this auto part important enough to me that if something went wrong (wrong part or possibly not getting the part), how upset would I be? I decided that I was not wiling to risk it; I would pay $50 more in knowing that I could walk into a physical building and have any dispute handled. You have to weigh how much risk you are willing to take. How much trust are you willing to extend?

Fanf(AD)iction

2004-10-16T20:33:00.000-07:00

So I haven't heard from my posting yet...but I am surprised how many young people are posting to this. Dr. Wiley brings up a great point...why are they interested in writing in this particular environment.

My thoughts are they think it's cool so now it's cool to write.
These Echoboomers dig technology, and it cool to work in groups and teams. So I think this type of interaction really fits in well with echoboomers. More on echoboomers:
http://www.keyfindings.com/healthcare/article2.htm

My posting:
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2097800/1/

Homer Simpson is asked to create a parenting guide. Just a general outline of ideas I have actually got excited about...who knows it could turn into something.

My thoughts:
Fanfiction is an organized method of communication and creativity. As I stated in my response to Dr. Wiley question for the week, this this creates an environment that is open, powerful, and fun for all ages. Now, for younger students, you get to have a place to write and know that you are not necessarily going to get a “grade” just comments. Those comments can be useful or delete if you just don't care. The influence this environment has is that it promotes creativity in a new and organized way. It allows for historical archiving. It allows for communication and community.

Fanfiction.net exploration

2004-10-15T22:50:00.000-07:00

I'm glad to have been given a heads up on the long registration process. But I have been able to explore fanfiction.net.

I decided on these three:
Movies>Fifth Element>The fifth and a half element.
I just really liked the movie Fifth Element and thought that this author had a good idea of two the main characters having a child.

TV Shows>Soporano>Too Good For Me
Get past the violence (or should you?), this series has had me hooked. So, when I saw that there was a fanfiction I began to explore. I have always though that the characters created in this series are complex and intriguing.

Cartoons>Simpson>Ralph Wiggums' Diary
If you have read other posts, you know that I am a big fan of Simpsons, so this where I began my experience with Fanfiction.net. This particular author is on to something...very funny. Ralphie is one of my favorite characters.

Blogs Part Dos...Final Thoughts

2004-10-10T07:57:00.000-07:00

So I am officially hooked. Every day this past week I have gone to those edublogs (and I admit the others from last week too). What a community of experts, newbies, and those just want a quick answer.

The blogs I followed this week...

http://david.davies.name/weblog/categories/edtech/
Educational technology subjects
This weeks this site has been discussing blogs for every student and how it could be done. By the way...I posted this point on the website earlier this week. I posted the question on whether it would be helpful to have students create blogs in their student portals. David Davies repose (which was also emailed to me) was to try it but make sure it has a deeper purpose.

http://headspacej.tripod.com/blog.html
Various instructional design topics and blogs.
This week has been discussion on how K-12 blogs are being discouraged because of privacy issues and age maturity (more of this from http://anvil.gsu.edu/EduBlogInsights/2004/09/27#a655). Very interest ding.
He didn't respond to my adding of a ninth factor of "hot buttons for education marketers to push in the K-12 school market" this year in the U.S.
I added that teachers pay based on testing results.

http://kairosnews.org/
Weblog for Discussing Rhetoric, Technology & Pedagogy
Here is how blogs can help learning in higher education. (from the site)
* Students grow into blogging and gradually figure out WHAT it is best for them to blog and how;
* Connections in the course blogsphere develop organically over time;
* It becomes a metalearning tool that allows students to make connections across subjects;
* It has the potential to contribute to a department wide sense of learning community.

The current discussion does bring into light how to use blogs in higher education. I am continue to watch and learn from this cite. PS. Dr. Wiley... I posted your web site and a great example of using blogs for learning about online communities.

http://anvil.gsu.edu/EduBlogInsights/
On starting a weblog.
Here the topics really were broad enough for me to follow. Just on how to start using blogs in educational settings, ideas and possibilities.

http://www.edublognews.com/
On how to use Blogs in education.

Much of the discussion was on the "bugs" of blogs and how to work around it. I asked to see some slides of a presentation on blogs in education...Nothing yet.

<>
The so what

1. These topics interested me because I want to know more about how blogs work, what they can add to our learning methods and what is the up and coming technology to incorporate such learning methods.

2. I was watching closing on how blogs can be introduced in the higher educational setting. Certainly some issues are across the board (privacy issues, learning curves etc.). However in higher education it seems from many of the sites I followed, blogs should be encouraged one site in particular explained how to incorporate blogs in education

http://anvil.gsu.edu/EduBlogInsights/2004/10/05#a668

<>Technology is only as good as we explore it most outer possibilities. Blogs are just one facet of the future.

Blogs Part Dos

2004-10-04T16:04:00.000-07:00

I spent hours today discovering which sites to watch, read, and participate... Mostly chosen on whether it made me give them a three-eyed look or it made me laugh...

http://david.davies.name/weblog/categories/edtech/
Educational technology subjects

http://headspacej.tripod.com/blog.html
Various instructional design topics

http://kairosnews.org/
Weblog for Discussing Rhetoric, Technology & Pedagogy

http://anvil.gsu.edu/EduBlogInsights/
On starting a weblog.

http://www.edublognews.com/
On how to use Blogs in education.

Tech Talk:

Flickr – have no idea what it is…help
google building own browser…why
google mail…what is so cool about this? Lesson spam?

Final Thoughts: Blogs, Blogs, Blogs

2004-10-02T15:40:00.000-07:00

Blogs are certainly a powerful communication tool. It allows users to:
1. Develop and discuss topics and ideas.
2. To provide support and feedback (with time not being such a factor)
3. Certainly is catharsis for many of the writers and readers.
4. Allows for history archives
5. Group membership and acceptance (in most cases)
6. Allows for "networking" (linking)

Most importantly they provide a format, forum, or environment that allows users to express and experience many what they many not within other environments. It's technology allows for organized and formatted environments to ease and interaction.

There is a "culture" certainly. They have artifacts (web pages), language (blog jargon etc.), group dynamics (people pose and respond and self correct). There is format for interaction and feedback within the members of the group and culture.

I can see why "blogging" could take up much of your time. There are hundreds and thousands of ways to interact. Personally, I was quite compelled. It was as if I was reading diaries and personal insights into people and groups that I had no idea existed. Intriguing would probably be a better word.

Previous post describes my "observations" with the five blogs:
http://www.livejournal.com/community/_thesimpsons/BMW (79 matches)http://www.livejournal.com/community/bmwclub/Showing off, wanting to buy/sellDieting (91 matches)helphttp://www.livejournal.com/community/ana_parts/PhD (29 marches)http://www.livejournal.com/community/gradschool_hell/
http://fortydaysfortynights.blogspot.com/

Each of the blog had a different tone or "attitude." Most just wanted a place for support and catharsis (for lack of a better word).

Day Two/Three: Blogs, Blogs, Blogs

2004-09-30T14:16:00.000-07:00

I am still baffled by all this...

Are blogs a communication tool (journal) where you allow the world to read and respond to?
Are they a chatting device?
Are they organized community based on subjects of interested?
Is it just a fancy website building/interaction device?

Simpsons - Fans of all types. Not really "academic" topics. Mostly favorite episodes or characters.

BMW - Various debates of best and work models. Also on whether buying a expensive care up front balances out with less car repairs and longevity.

Dieting - This is the one that most baffles me. People in search for support of their eating disorders? WOW.

PHD - Love this group...Very supportive and funny..."This isn't an office...It's hell with fluorescent lighting."

Presidential Election - Lost of work on who is going to "win" this debate. Also discussions on if you can really call it a "debate"

Blogs, Blogs, Blogs

2004-09-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

Day One: Sept 28
I signed up for Livejournal and began my search.

I began with my favorite: the Simpsons (216 matches),
What they were doing:
People posing question, survey types, giving various links, opinions ie. Homer for president
Site to followup:
http://www.livejournal.com/community/_thesimpsons/

BMW (79 matches)
http://www.livejournal.com/community/bmwclub/
Showing off, wanting to buy/sell

Dieting (91 matches)
Mixed, some supporting anorexia,a purging, some just want help
http://www.livejournal.com/community/ana_parts/

PhD (29 marches)
http://www.livejournal.com/community/gradschool_hell/
Just support, some whining I think. Very Funny ie.
Being a PhD student is like being all of the 7 dwarfs.
In the beginning you are dopey and bashful.
In the middle you are usually sick (sneezy), tired (sleepy) and irritable (grumpy).
But at the end, they call you doc and then you are happy.

On random Blog..I came across
http://fortydaysfortynights.blogspot.com/
On the Presidential election
Very simple, very current. I like.

So, Blogs: fancy word for public journal? Readings are telling otherwise.

Diets: Threaded Mini-Analysis

2004-09-25T02:09:00.000-07:00

After today's assignment I can see how easy it is to spend hours with a newsgroup or usenet. I have been looking through google diet groups for over six hours!

I wanted to look into an import subject to me and to our society. DIETS.

These are my biases/understandings of diets:
1. They are personal and you really don't want the world to know that you are on a diet.
2. You are supposed to be happy the way you are
3. You can't change genetics

I get all hyped up on how diets are such a large part of our society i.e.: http://womensissues.about.com/cs/bodyimage/a/bodyimagestats.htm

So my research question or investigation surrounds these evolving thoughts:

Given that dieting is a popular topic of discussion in our society. If diets are personal life choice, how does an online community support or affect our attitudes on diets. Are people really honest online? Could an online environment lessen the hurdles of people not wanting to share their diet goals to the world and would those environment provide the necessary support to encourage people to lose weight?

The Beginning:

I went to google groups and researched diets. The immediate response was on google moderators and anti-spam. To the best of my understanding, there are a lot of spammers that want to get their product out to people. It was interesting to know that google groups are aggressive in blocking posts from people "advertising" or "soliciting" a particular product. Personally, most posts are advertising or soliciting something...an opinion, a favorite computer game, a great place to buy BMW parts etc...but I get the point.

Eventually I was able to find the main google group: alt.support.diet. Diets come under "support" a categories with the purpose of providing support and encouragement to those interested in a particular forum. They want to provide information, experiences, opinions, and guidance to all the group participants.

The thread first began in January 1997:

<>I need help. I really need to lose weight. And I have tried
lots of diets. I just can't get motivated this time. I start and after a few
days i'm eating crap. Now i'm the heaviest i have ever been. And getting
worried. <>If anyone has any suggestions please let me know.

thanks

<>tjordan@on-ramp.ior.com

Ok, it actually began with someone needing help with finding an email gopher…go figure. But the above link was the second post. The responses lead to discussions about getting books on how to lose weight. It also focused on weight lost that is simply less calories and more exercise.

However, within a few posts the "support" theme came raging in for example:

We never have more than we can bear.

The present hour we are always able to endure.

As our day, so is our strength.

If the trials on many years were gathered into one,

they would overwhelm us; therefore,

in pity to our little strength, He sends first one,

and then another, then removes both,

and lays on a third, heavier, perhaps, than either;

but all is so widely measured to our strength

that the bruised reed is never broken.

We do not enough look at our trials

in this continuous and successive view.

Each one is sent to teach us something,

and altogether they have a lesson which is

<>beyond the power of any to teach alone.

Although there were no direct responses to this poem, I began to understand how "support" was being provided for the participants of the group.

Not long in the thread did this pop up (March 1997):

I am about to read the Atkins book. So far so good.

So Atkins infiltrates the diet world, even in the usenet discussion.

I learned that people did not tolerate whining...A fine line to understand in this forum. A post was on the thread by a person discussing how they lost their home in Florida due to hurricane and how thankful they were to have their health etc.

A post followed with :

~snip~

no need to advertise for you

Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

send me 1.00 I'll send you 5.00 how's that sound? I'll even pay the

postage!

Get LOST

However, this was acceptable:

<>I am 41 years old and have over 100 pounds to loose...
this overwhelms every single part of my life. I've been feeling very depressed and alone.
I feel so isolated from my family and friends, none of them have a weight
problem and can understand what I go through. I accidentally found this group while on the internet this morning and was surprised. It was encouraging to see there were others in the same battle. The hardest thing <>for me right now is just getting started!!!

It was clear from the post that people wanted to share, they wanted information. And community members were more that happy to help and lend support. Most of the forum discussed "safe" ways of losing weight. Many would add other websites and support groups. In fact to my surprise I expected more spam and advertisement, but only in the beginning of the forum did this seem to be problem for this particular group. However, when I began to review other alt.support.diet subgroups such as the alt.support.diet.rx I found it riddled with products for sale and little on the discussion of actually annotated experiences of those using various pills and "quick fixes." Under the alt.support.diet, in May 1999 I did see a post about phen/fen. The .rx group however did have significant discussion: cortislim.

Someone began in seeking if anyone has had success. The initial response was to see a doctor first, and find out what cortisol is and how manage it (not with a pill). There was a post on someone using and it was working. I did enjoy a post that said: INFOMERCIAL means "it really doesn't do that." Cleaver and true in my opinion.

So, these support groups provide a range of interaction:

1. Provided a support environment those interested in dieting

2. Gave a forum to share success and failure

3. Provided information on questionable products

4. Provided an endless discussion where one can enter and exit at any time

Finally, it came down to what the third or forth post was saying in 1997, less calories, more exercises. The last few posts did emphasize the importance of water.

Conclusions:

Given that dieting is a popular topic of discussion in our society.

I learned that as long as diets are in discussed in our society and the human race is driven to perfection, online communities will live on indefinitely. That being said, usenet groups provide yet another outlet (inlet) of discussion and support.

If diets are a personal life choice, how does an online community support or affect our attitudes on diets.

Online environments do provide safe and less intimidating forum for personal life choices. I can discuss an important subject (such as dieting) without judgment or ridicule. A person can share their support and stories. Online environments can provide information to help inform the novice consumer.

Are people really honest online? Could an online environment lessen the hurdles of people not wanting to share their diet goals to the world and would those environment provide the necessary support to encourage people to lose weight?

With the walls of judgment and ridicule removed, I believe online responses are just as honest interactions as personal in-person confidences. Many of the threads were brutally honest:
My husband is getting out of the hospital due to a heart attack, how I can I help?
I am a college student who is trying to stop my bulimic tendency please help. Etc.

I am encouraged now to share how I lost weight and will lend support anyone who seeks it.

Final thoughts and open to discussion:

Honestly, which is more powerful?
Reading about the success of weight loss of person x, or listening one-on-one about person x's weight loss success?

<>"It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop." Confucius

Newsgroup Newbie

2004-09-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

I began my newsgroup experience around ten in the morning. It was difficult to catch on to how to search groups and how they were organized. I had to read the Google help section:

http://groups.google.com/googlegroups/help.html

Which was helpful.

I looked into two of my favorite subjects: Homer Simpson and BMW's.

The groups I focused on were:
alt.tv.simpsons
alt.autos.bmw

Later in the afternoon I set in new thread for the Simpson site:

>Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
>Subject: Can the Simpson’s Teach us about diversity or inclusivity in our society?
>NNTP-Posting-Host: 137.190.233.117
>Message-ID:

>I'm working on a presentation on how the Simpson's can teach kids
>about how to be more inclusive. What do you think?

I was sent an email stating it may take up to 3-9 hours for it to post. As of right now, it is not up. I hope to get some ideas.

***Overall Impressions***
It was confusing at first. After a few hours and a few hints from the google site I am catching on to the organization of the site.

In, alt.autos.bmw I found someone interested in selling their wheels...I sent in a few questions about the wheels. I haven't seen it posted yet either. Has anyone has this problem? I thought it would be instantaneous posts. I have learned to appreciate my car more...I see that many have similar issues with BMW's
>Lug blots instead of lug nuts.
>Horrible engine codes where BMW dealers are the only source to read them. However I learned there are products out there to go around this issue.
>Sensors that go out and are simple fixes.

I enjoyed learning that I was part of a community that I did not know existed. What a great experience!

In total I have spent about 5 hours exploring...but I'm still counting.

The Internet and Me...A Love Story

2004-09-09T11:41:00.000-07:00

My earliest recollection of using the Internet was at USU in 1994 when, for an English class I was at the library trying to find out articles and information on phobias. I remember spending hours looking through the schools catalogs and listings. A lab aid told me it would be easier to do this via Gopher. He showed me and I really became hooked. I did not know it was “new,” since everything I did to research during my freshmen year at USU was new. However, now I see that it was my first encounter with the Internet.

<>On a side note, as I was doing research at USU (same year) I found out that I could “chat” online. A lab aid was chatting to a friend in Arizona and told me how I could set it up. You see, I had a girlfriend stilling living in Layton (who later became my wife), and we were able to connect (I think it was Prodigy?) and talk. It saved me hundreds in regular long distance phone bills. <>

I remember having to learn about a new way of “talking’ or showing expression, I remember spending hours and days looking up various emoticons so I could understand others on the Internet.

I soon became very good at doing research on the Internet…in fact I would rather look up information and articles using Gopher than going to the library. When a professor indicated how many references I had on a paper, she asked me how I got all of them in such a short amount of time. I told her and the rest of the class what I did. A few days later I had a few peers ask me to show them. It was gratifying to know that I had a skill that few had. That’s why I believe social software has great power in knowledge sharing, and in my case it has me a sense of importance and confidence.

I’m curious if anyone else had a similar feeling. That they were “cutting edge” in using the Internet and it gave them a certain level of satisfaction in knowing that.

Hello World!

2004-08-31T14:31:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for me?

Welcome

2004-08-31T14:14:00.000-07:00

Wonder why the road to a Ph.D is so difficult?
Here's why: