Module # 2

Note To Followers:

I will be out of town this week participating in a Habitat for Humanity (building a house) project in South Carolina. I will not have access to the internet until I return on Monday, February 23. I hope to put up many photos and videos when I return :-) . I added a video of the presidential inauguration to my first post and links for watching TV shows online as well as a Dave Matthews Band music video in this post . ENJOY!

-DOTCOM David S.

BOOKS

I have always appreciated literature and its effect on he world around me. My favorite books include the Ender’s Game series, the Harry Potter series, and several of Shakespeare’s plays, although it is hard to narrow my favorite books to a short list. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I recently finished reading Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in English class and I greatly enjoyed this book. I found it interesting how a book seemingly about a boy and his hilarious journey down the Mississippi River could subliminally highlight issues such as religious morality and racism (although I do not find this the most outspoken book against racism). I have also recently finished reading Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics in philosophy class. I valued his focus on the pursuit of knowledge as a tool to help an individual lead “the Good Life”, however I did not appreciate his opinions concerning the lower classes of ancient Greek society and their inability to pursue happiness. I have always loved to read in my free time, and I take classes in school that will give me the best oppertunity to combine my school work with my love of reading.

NEWSPAPERS/MAGAZINES

I am a subscriber of Newsweek Magazine, TIME Magazine, National Geographic Magazine, Poplar Science, and Popular Mechanics. I enjoy TIME and Newsweek because they are both an excellent way to stay informed about the world around me. These magazines highlight political news in particular, although there is an occasional article about health or science. National Geographic is one of my favorite magazines because it highlights nature, science and world cultures in a way that most other publications do not. I read Popular Science and Popular Mechanics to satisfy my love for science and how things work. I get the majority of my daily news from various news websites online as well as on a weekly basis through the Sunday Boston Globe.

MUSIC

Music is quite possibly my favorite medium. I play violin, viola, bass, mandolin, banjo, guitar, ukulele and piano. I play violin, viola and bass in my school orchestra and I am classically trained in these three instruments as well as the piano. I love to learn new instruments and I taught myself how to play the ukulele, mandolin, banjo and guitar. I have played a few of these instruments in small ensembles and I have even played an electric violin in a rock band. I listen to every type of music, although I have lately focused on classical music and rock. My favorite band is The Beatles, although I have recently gotten into Dave Matthews Band for their musicality and use instruments not normally found in modern popular music (such as violin and saxophone). I usually listen to music on my mp3 player because of the portability and convenience of this music format. I occasionally listen to radio, and Internet radio, and the occasional CD when in the car.

Here is Dave Matthew's Band Playing Ants Marching, I hope to add a video of my friends and me playing this song later...

Ants Marching lyrics - Dave Matthews Band lyrics

Ants Marching Video - Dave Matthews Band Music Videos

Music Videos by VideoCure

TELEVISION

I am a pretty busy kid and I find it difficult to regularly follow any TV shows. My favorite shows are South Park, which I frequently watch online now that every episode is posted on the South Park website, The Simpsons, which I have been watching with my dad ever since I was a baby, and House, MD, which I enjoy because I want to be a doctor, and because the medical cases on the show are often bizarre and outrageous. I have been recording episodes of House on my computer and watching them when I have free time ever since I installed a tuner card on my computer.
-WATCH SOUTH PARK EPISODES ONLINE (view at your own risk :-D)
- WATCH THE MOST RECENT EPISODES OF HOUSE ONLINE

VIDEO GAMES

I have recently been too busy to truly enjoy the gaming experience. However, when I have free time, I like playing video games either with my friends on their game systems, or on my Nintendo Wii. I enjoy both the classics, like Super Mario Bros. for the Gameboy, as well as the most recent titles such as the latest edition of EA’s Madden Football. I prefer games that have a social, multi-player aspect to them, as it is always more fun to play with friends than to play alone. Foe this reason, my favorite games at the moment are Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii and Madden, which can be played on any of the three major game platforms as well as the two major handheld devices. I have also recently gotten into playing simpler games on my iPhone, which has as online store in which many of the applications are free.

COMPUTERS

Computers have revolutionized the ways in which the modern world works and plays. I use my computer and programs such as MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, to complete school assignments. I use programs such as Finale, and Garageband to write and edit music. I use programs such as iMovie and Windows Movie Maker to edit video for both school and for outside of school projects—the capabilities of such versatile machines are endless. I use computers to access the Internet, to record my favorite TV shows when I don’t have the time to watch them (I installed a tuner), and even to learn new languages (through software such as Rosetta Stone). I use computers to buy and enjoy music and videos—computers are both a tan efficient tool and a source of infinite entertainment.

INTERNET

The Internet is one of modern society’s most versatile tools. Because of this, it is incorporated into many aspects of my life. I own a phone with Internet capabilities, which ensures that the Internet is never far from my fingertips. I can always check my e-mail, check facebook, or look something up quickly on google. I use the internet for downloading music, watching online videos on sites such as youtube.com, for keeping in touch with my friends on facebook.com, tuenti.com (like a Spanish version of facebook), or through e-mail, for watching TV shows such as South Park online, and, most importantly, as a source of globally shared knowledge. If I ever have a question, there is at least a 95% chance that there is an online answer. The Internet has become an invaluable tool, aiding me in the pursuit of both work and greater knowledge, as well as in leisure time.

MEDIA PREFERENCE

1. Music
2. Internet
3. Computers
4. Books
5. Magazines
6. Television
7. Video Games

THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING (and 100% relevant to DOTCOM)!!!

Module #1: Knowledge Tree

About Me:

I was born in Miami, Florida, the birthplace of my mother and my father’s adopted hometown after he emigrated from Cuba. I moved to Tampa after Hurricane Andrew, and a few years later my family moved to Massachusetts. This is where I live now. I am a junior in high school and I go to a public school in one of Boston’s suburbs. My favorite subject in school is science, biology in particular, although I am taking chemistry this year and I am finding it very interesting. I also like philosophy, which is my history elective this year. I am a musical person and I am in the school orchestra where I play viola, violin and bass. I play several other instruments outside of school, too. I like sports and I play football (American) in the fall, I throw shot put in the winter and I play rugby in the spring. I’m currently trying to combine my love of rugby with my love of music and comedy, and I working on musical called RUGBY ON ICE, THE MUSICAL: Part II, even though the performance will not be on ice and it will be the first musical I have ever written. I’m a very outgoing person, I love to have fun and I am happy to bring my curiosity and sense of humor to everyone else in this program.

The Media and Me!

I have always been one to appreciate a good book or movie. I just finished reading Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in English class and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I found it interesting how a book seemingly about a boy and his hilarious journey down the Mississippi River could subliminally highlight issues such as religious morality and racism (although I do not find this the most outspoken book against racism). I have also recently finished reading Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics in philosophy class. I valued his focus on the pursuit of knowledge as a tool to help an individual lead “the Good Life”, however I did not appreciate his opinions concerning the lower classes of ancient Greek society and their inability to pursue happiness. I am a subscriber of TIME Magazine as well as Newsweek Magazine. I also read National Geographic Magazine regularly. As far as music, I love classical music (I attend Boston Symphony Orchestra concerts), the Beatles and I have recently gotten into Dave Mathews Band because of their use of instruments not usually found in modern popular music, such as violin and saxophone. I love movies in general, comedies in particular, because the world becomes too serious quite frequently and it’s important to take a step back and laugh every once in a while

Local Concerns:

What is happening to the global economy is affecting everyone. In my local community this is most evident in school budget cuts. Education is incredibly important to me, and to see it suffer is very painful. In fact, education is so important to me that when a tsunami devastated Southeast Asia in 2005, my sister, my cousin and I started a relief project that raised over $200,000 to build schools in Sri Lanka. We felt that establishing safe places for children to learn was vital to the restoration and future of Southeast Asia. In my local community, arts and athletic programs are being cut as well as many core electives such as AP Biology. Many faculty members are losing their jobs and class sizes are going to increase dramatically. I have played an active role in my student government, fighting to protect certain programs in the school and lobbying parents to vote for an override budget. However, I understand that many members of my community are facing economic hardships, and fear paying higher taxes at such a time.

What I’d Bring to DOTCOM Workshops:

I am a very curious individual, I am eager to share my knowledge and I love to learn. I also love meeting new people. I hope to bring my sense of humor to DOTCOM program workshops, and my technological skills. I can’t wait to meet everyone and start reading your blogs!

First Entry!

This evening marks the final few hours of one of modern America's most meaningful holidays. This holiday of course is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. On this day, America remembers everything that Dr. King stood for, both through his life, and through the tragedy of his death, and we celebrate the progress that we have made as a country. On this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, as I prepare to join my peers in the DOTCOM program, I want to remember Dr. King's stance on global equality. Dr. King truly believed that all men were created equal, regardless of color, ethnicity, religion, political beliefs, nationality, sexual orientation or any other criteria that people use as a tool to separate the "us" from the "them". I am incredibly excited to embark on this DOTCOM journey, to meet individuals that I may have a lot in common with, but individuals who also have their own distinctive backgrounds to share.

Tomorrow also marks a very unique American experience. Tomorrow, at noon, America will inaugurate a new president. This president, Mr. Barack Obama, is a truly exceptional individual. As America's first African American president, Mr. Obama represents the same equality that Dr. King fought so valiantly for. From a political history standpoint this election displays America's ability to peaceful transition from one leader to another, a precedent first established by Thomas Jefferson in the election of 1800.

As each coming day brings excitement and adventure, I hope to begin meeting some of my DOTCOM peers.

I hope everyone reading this enjoys my Blog,

David S.