PowerPoint part 1: Computer Fundamentals

          I wish the instructors would provide entertaining power points as is expected of the students.  One of the first courses I took at the online university was in computer fundamentals.  I did not know much about
PowerPoint at that point.  In fact, my baby girl knew her way around it much better than I as she had not only used it before, but enjoyed doing it.

          I don't know if we (the students) had been introduced to the "speaker's notes" part of the PowerPoint at that time.  I know I didn't use them in that particular class.  Yet I still received full credit.  We were given certain requirements for completing these assignments:

Create a professional 6 to 8 slide presentation on the topic of our choice. 

Our  PowerPoint was to include all of the following: 

1.      Title slide with your name, course, date and title of the presentation

2.      A standard design theme for the entire presentation

3.      Clip Art

4.      Smart Art

5.      Word Art

6.      Transitions between each slide

7.      At least 1 animation

          Insructor PowerPoints are generally 20 - 40 slides long.  No animation, few use word art or smart art.  I have only seen one use transitions.  Several have used Clip art.  Very few (if any) PowerPoints have entertained.

          For my first power point assignment, I made the topic obviously simple.  I used animations for all of my slides.  I had Jenna help me with some of it.  These are three of the slides  I ended up with:

          For our other power point assignment, I was  required to find a celebrity who had gone into the same major as I and do a power point on that person.  I learned that both Bob Newhart and Kenny G both accountants.  Who knew?  I remember I did research for them both.  I don't know why I ended up doing Bob Newhart instead of Kenny G.   Kenny G. has been a major investor in Starbucks (here) I find that interesting.

 

          So my Bob Newhart videos featured only three slides about him personally.  One on his background: 

his accomplishments:

and where he is today.  The images for the slides had to be retrieved from Window insert provided by Bing.  I would have liked to use this picture for "Where he is today" but was not allowed as it did not come up in Windows by is protected by copyright (I have not always honored that as I hadn't considered that aspect - figuring if they came up on Google images, I could use them.  But I have learned that isn't so, and apologize to any I may have offended by using copyrighted pictrues on my earlier posts and will remove those who send a request for me to do so.

Each slide was numbered and had my name at one side.  The next powerpoint I did my first philosophy class (here)  I did not use a numbering system in that class.

Integrity

I have many thoughts in my head, but need to write them and haven't done well with the timing.  So here is a very real situation that may tie my readers over.  Same Theatre.  One actor possessed integrity, the other didn't.

Stephan had auditioned for a local theatre and signed a contract that paid 16 dollars a performance - which really isn't much.  The show was a parody of Star Wars. Though he absolutely LOVES Star Wars and seems to see the humor in many parodies, he really did not care for the show.

At some point during before the show had started but still practicing, Stephan was contacted by a colleague who needed a fourth for putting on the show "Forever Plaid" something that Stephan was familiar with as he had performed at college.   Forever Plaid's payment would have been $40 a show, plus expenses (as the group would be traveling) which sounded so sweet to Stephan's ears, but he explained that he had signed a contract and had to honor that.

Stephan stayed with the company for several years and was among the highest paid actors by the time he left the theatre to move to another state.

 Ian was also hired on a 16 dollar per show contract.  I believe he was hired more for his looks than his acting ability.  Ian had enough resemblance to be cast as Leo Decaprio in a Titanic spoof.  After a few performances, Ian was contacted by a film studio that would pay him over 100 dollars a day - or so Ian believed.  Ian decided to leave the theatre and pursue a career in film.

The director was upset with the challenge of having to replace Ian after the performances had already started and tickets had been sold.  Ian's film career was a bust.  The project was canceled.  And because of his decision to quit during the performance, Ian had been blackballed from every theatre in Utah.  

What may or may not seems like a big deal at the time may have a great impact on one's future.  Integrity is so important.  Be the person who honors his word so that others may also.

A Fork in the Road

            Many of us may have a destination in mind.  Some are fortunate enough to choose a path that they wish to follow.  For others, it may seem that life threw them a curve ball and the path they are on is not one of their choosing.  For example, you may be in a car accident on your way to work.  You may experience back injuries that will stay with you for the rest of your life.   

            You may have a son who is a victim of a knife wound that damaged his brain.  He can still carry on a conversation, even an intelligent one, but his social skills will always be like that of a nine-year-old and it will be frustrating for you to watch a forty-year-old man resort back to his immature childish reactions.  He might not be embarrassed when others snicker at him but perhaps you are.

           

            Your mother may get Alzheimer's or another form of dementia. She forgets names and events.  Her reality takes her back to another place in time - a time that you, yourself, have not experienced.  Her reality and yours are no longer the same. 

            Your niece had made plans of attending a more prestige high school in another city, but your sister gets pregnant with her second child.  Your niece now has to attend the local high school as your sister is now on bed rest and unable to drive her to the other school every day.

            Or you recently started having seizures and have been to several hospitals and doctors in less than a year and end up in a wheelchair.  You are not even seventeen.  This path you're on was definitely not part of your plan.

            Or your spouse dies three years after you marry and your only child hasn't even turned two yet.  Of course, all of these statistics affect many people.  We become caregivers or call on others to assist.  We don't wish to be a burden to anyone, nor do we wish to have our lives disrupted - not only emotionally but many feel financially drained as well.  So why does it happen?

            Why do some lose their minds at such a young age while others live to be old and just as sharp as ever?  Why are some more physically fit than others who have worked so much harder to stay in shape?  Why do some people always seem to have money while others struggle from paycheck to paycheck and never seem to get ahead?

            We might not be able to choose our trials, but we can choose our reaction - though at times displaying a positive attitude seems to be more of a challenge than our situation.  I feel bad for not being in Utah to be with my great aunt and uncle.  When my daughter-in-law passed, we went back for the funeral.  When my great uncle passed, we did not. 

            My great aunt has always been in good health and aware of his surroundings.  Her hearing had declined over the years - but she was sharp.  Both her and my uncle until his dying day.  She took a fall one Easter back in 2013.  She was in a rehab center for a while in 2013 and seemed to be getting better.  She passed the center and returned to her house. She gradually declined after that.  My cousins and family have been taking care of her.  In a way, I wish I was there to help them.  In a way, I am grateful that I have an excuse to not have to go through it again.

            Attitude is everything.  I pray that I may always have a grateful attitude.  Especially when I don't understand why the destination of the path doesn't look the same as where I thought I (or we) was/were headed.

Third Assignment for Philosophy 310

        I have been an online student for almost two years now.  During that time I have had only four instructors make comments on each page of the assignment.  Most will make a comment by the grade but not explain specific details within the paper.  I still don't know the difference between relativism and contextualism but did get 100% on my assignment.

        The online school that I attend requires APA (American Psychological Association) for written assignments. My blog does not.  Rather than include the list of APA cited references, I will just include the link in my parentheses references should you be interested in more research on the topic.

"The moral values, ethical codes, and laws that guide our choices in normal times are, if anything, even more, important to help us navigate the confusing and disorienting time of a disaster" (Fink, 2018).

          Values are the things that are most important to us.  We may achieve these values through our moral outlook.  For some, there is a distinction between ethics and morals, but others may use these words interchangeably (Values, 2013).

Part I - Contextualist

            It appears that a relativist and a contextualist may be closely related - that is they understand right and wrong but are aware of the exceptions to absolutism.   For example, those who lead or follow dictatorship are using a form of what I believe to be absolute.  It is "their way or no way" where everything is black and white and there are no shades of grey. 

            A relativist and a contextualist both look at the exceptions to things like capital punishment, abortion, and things of that nature.  I think the relativist will consider whether the capital punishment is relevant to a certain individual and the contextualist may look at abortion to mean different things to each individual.  Is the abortion the only option for saving the mother?  Is the abortion to prevent a bad seed from spreading (for example, what grief may have been saved if Adolph Hitler's mother had had the option of abortion when she was pregnant with him).

            I think I'm more of a contextualist than a relativist as I tend to overanalyze everything.  I do not mean to, but the older I become, the more exceptions I can find to each rule - except math.  Math is absolute.

Part II – Virtue Ethics

            Regardless of each students' major, we are all given certain core classes, among which are History and Philosophy.  Many have questioned why. I believe the answer is to examine our own personalities and the way we interact with others.  Why do we trust certain individuals and not others? How do we present ourselves to others? What do we expect in return? (Ethics, 2017)  These guidelines are necessary for us to develop a new way of thinking (CrashCourse, 2016).

            My husband and I were watching 60 Minutes earlier this week. One story focused on a company in China selling inferior plastics to companies like Boston Scientific (Pelly, 2018). They in turn use to work with the human body after surgery.  The problem is the plastics have caused more damage.  I see this as a story of dishonesty and greed.  Some corporations have gotten so large and have so many employees in upper management; often it is hard to know who is responsible for allowing such a devastating thing to happen.  This is one of many corporations that have purchased inferior products for whatever reason. I think the value was placed on financial gain rather than the safety of mankind.

            There are many business majors in each of the classes I take.  Many have the dream of starting their own business and perhaps even creating a recognized empire.  This class is to teach them to focus on what is important to each of them and how to obtain their desires.  We need to be aware of moral values in others as we climb the ladder of success.  We want those we hire or work with to share our ethical values so that there we are all on the same page as far as accomplishing the goals or what it is the company is trying to accomplish.

Part III – My Outlook (Similarities)

            I think that both relativism and virtue ethics look out for the greater good or the interest in persons either individually or as a group (Mugerditchian, 2014). I want to work for a company that values humanity and kindness; I do not wish to work for a business in which the sole purpose is to get rich.  I would not continue working for a corporation if I thought there was dishonesty with inaccurate accounting or having knowledge of the purchasing inferior or illegal products.

           

Part IV – My Outlook Differences

          For the above, I would consider this kind of exception: a business for covering up a well-intended scandal.  For example, working in a bakery during Hitler's reign.  It might appear as a wholesome bakery, but in reality, there is the act of smuggling people out of Germany in the bakery delivery truck. Things like that really happened, and it was unfortunate for so many not knowing who they could trust.  Although it does not appear to be either vitreous or ethical, I believe the context for which I am "committing a grievous sin" (Fairweather, 1932).  I believe it is for the greater good.  I will always put people's lives and welfare over that of a business. 

Conclusion: What was Learned?

            I learned the names of moral values.  We each have our differences from culture to culture and person to person. We all form opinions.  There is no right or wrong to one's opinion, but perhaps the reasons are valid or invalid.  Who is to say?  Even philosophers do not agree on meanings or definitions (CrashCourse, 2018). It is what it is.

            I noticed some grammatical errors as I was reading over this before posting to my blog.  There weren't a lot, but enough that I know many instructors would have docked me for leaving out the punctuation or keeping "Who" when it should have been changed to "Why".  I am happy to know that this assignment was graded more on content.  That actually seems to be rare at this school. At least that is how it feels.

Philosophy and Religious Values

        I've been quite emotional for the last couple of weeks or so.  Watching "The von Trapp Family: A Life of Music" and seeing the horrors of bullying by supporters of Hitler. Crying over different stories featured in 60 minutes.  It's almost like five years worth of PMS took over.  What's up with that?

            In my philosophy class, I was supposed to take a quiz and post my results about taking the quiz.  I just now finished the assignment of what I learned about contextualism or relativism and explaining the similarities between those and virtue ethics.  Actually, I am only supposed to pick one value and one ethic.  I am really quite confused by moral values - which, by the way, are part of my religious upbringing and NOT philosophy.

            So I start off the discussion by saying that I really don't put much value into logic quizzes or emotional evaluations.  Keep in mind that I do not appreciate being analyzed and find the results of the test confusing.  I found the explanation of values even more confusing.  If I understand the definitions it seems I would fall into the category of contextualism more than relativism.  Even during the lecture I was in agreement but have not retained what it was I thought I had agreed to. So perhaps I accept either relativism or contextualism.  

"Let you give you an example and perhaps you can help me with the analyzation.

          "My mother has always expected each of her children to tell the truth.  She was a woman with a sixth sense or eyes in the back of her head or something.  She ALWAYS knew when we were lying.  Always.  The fact that we often got punished more for lying than whatever we had done wrong made us realize it would be better to just tell the truth and not bother with trying to hide it from her.  I was taught to tell the truth.  Not everybody has learned the same values I was taught.  I get that.  I can even accept that.  This next part of the post is what I'm having issues with. 

          "About ten years ago she was diagnosed with a form of dementia (she did not have Alzheimer's) and lost touch with reality - though in her mind everything she spoke was the truth.  Her children were told to "play along" and accept her reality - because really, what was the point in making her sad or angry by correcting her on something she was just going to forget in five minutes anyway.  When she was up for an evaluation, I opened the door to two strangers.  One sat with her and asked her questions while I took the other into my mom's room to show her what medications and dosages my mom was taking for various things.

          "When the two aides left, my mom got really defensive and asked why she had been interrogated.  I lied to my mom about who they were and why they had come.  [My exact words were, "Oh, those weren't your visiting teachers?" though I knew full well that they weren't] It was easier for both of us for me to do it that way.  That doesn't make it right.  The evaluation was more necessary than my telling the truth.  Still, it bothered me as I have been taught not to lie and there I was lying to the one that had taught me not to.  Is that contextualism or relativism? Does it matter?"

            Before I was more than halfway into my thoughts, I was crying about the lie and dementia and missing my mom.  I'm crying because my arm hurts as I haven't had it in a relaxed position while trying to operate the mouse.  I cry because I'm not able to have a face to face conversation with different family members like I used to. An uplifting post this is not.  Sorry about that.  But if it's of any consolation, I am feeling better than when I initially wrote this (I think it might have been Monday?)

3 generations of '80's music

I graduated from high school in 1980- the same year that Rupert Holmes released his recording of “Him”.  I think think it must have been at college or perhaps it was at an institute dance when a live band played that Rupert Holmes song.  Many of us listened intently wondering how they would incorporate the lyrics “Over by the window is a pack of cigarettes” and laughed when they sang “a pack of Wrigley’s gum”

                I thought it an odd song to play as the theme implies that his wife is having an affair, but I still liked the song.  Many times we listen without understanding the meaning but may find it has a great rhythm or melody or what have you.  The ‘80’s seemed to spin out a wide variety of popular music that continues to be played at Chruch dances.

                I remember when Jenna was born, I was feeling out a baby book and one of the questions was what are some of the popular songs the year you are born.  I didn’t have a clue.  I asked the boys and they gave me titles such as Survivor’s: “Eye of the Tiger” or some hit from Journey. 

                “No, these songs are older than you.  Those were the songs played when I went to college” but that’s all they knew – songs of the 80’s. 

                Though Jenna and her brothers are technically all of the same generations, there are 15 plus years between her and them.  And, as she likes to remind us, she was born in a different century.   

                Last month we took her to her first dance.  The ad was featured as a “Mormon Prom”.  It was in Eugene, which I thought was a long way to go.  We spent hours looking for a dress before settling on one that fit her personality but didn’t look like your typical prom dress.  But it was a church dance with a strict dress code – or so I thought.  Turns out Eugene is a lot more lax than Salt Lake.  A LOT more.

                We went to Roseburg to pick up Manuel and took the two of them to Eugene.  Roland and I had a dinner date while the two of them stayed at the church eating food and making comments about what others were wearing and if they thought it looked appropriate for church or not. 

                We finished our dinner before the dance had ended and chose to wait in the foyer and do some crossword puzzles while we waited.  I could hear some songs from the ‘80’s and smiled knowing that Jenna was listening to the same tunes that I had listened to in College and her brothers had listened to just before and after she was born.  She will sing along with Journey, Cyndi Lauper and Cultural Club.  I am so impressed!

1980’s produced some fun music.  I’m so happy to hear that it hasn’t retired. 

More About Me - Fill in the Blanks

The first thing I'd do after winning the lottery is... stay put.  Fix up my house.  I would hire professionals to replace all the carpet with other floorings, re-shingle the roof, move the thermostat to a better location, turn the back porch into another room, cut into the hill for plant tiers.  There's no telling what amount I would win.  But if it was millions, I would continue living in this house or one similar to it.  I could put my money in the bank and contiinue paying bills without sacrificing groceries or maintaninac or some other thing because we're always struggleing.  

I'd like to annonomously donate genrous amounts to the local libraries, schools and local fire departments. I could bring family members up for a visit, rent a bigger car to fit all of us.  Maybe buy another house where they could stay.  But overall, I wouldn't be changing my lifestyale.  I would not be moving into a bigger and fancier house just because I can afford it.  I would like to live struggle free for a while. (I guess I kind of answered this in the last fill-in-the-blank post)

I can't stand when I forget to set my alarm and miss out on something because my mind doesn’t work as well as it used to.

I really need to… gain a better understanding for critical thinking and how moral values and argumentative connect.  My critical thinking class has been quite a challenge - which is good.  I just feel so overwhelmed right now.

One goal I want to accomplish in my lifetime is... spend time with my entire family at Disneyland.

 I learned how to swim when I was….when I was a youth.  I had learned to swim at Deseret Gym - which used to be where the Conference Center is now.  See here.  

Something I remember from my first job... the front page of “the Green Sheet” was an ugly shade of green.  It was later cleaned up to a totally white paper with the flag of the paper printed in a brighter more inviting green. It was a community paper that may not exist anymore.

I’d like to have the voice of... Olivia Newton-John when I sing – even Elton John’s voice would sound better than my own.

I would love to invent…air conditioned underwear.

My favorite beverage is water really.  Other than pure and natural, I love evil Mountain Dew and knock offs.

  

If I could bring a famous musician back to life, it would be... Daniel Balavoine.  I believe that's his name.  Corey had a recording of many of his songs.  I don't know French well enough to know what he is singing, but I do like the music.

If I was stranded on a deserted island and could only eat one food, it would be... Fettuccine Alfredo.  May get tired of it if it was the only thing I could eat day after day, but I'd certainly be willing to give it a try.

 

I don't know that there's any one thing in which I could devote hours and hours, not at once anyway.  I get bored doing the same thing for more than two hours at a time - even the things I enjoy like some word puzzles, organizing photos and blogging.

Critical Thinking Argument

This week my critical thinking class is focusing on arguments.  For our discussion post, we were each supposed to find an article and provide premises and a conclusion and identify whether it was valid or sound.  This week's assessment introduces us to this video.  I wished I would have watched it before participating in the discussion

This is what was posted to my discussion:

     A crime, by definition, is a harmful wrong geared toward an individual, community or society (C. Law, n.d.).  Ransomware is a malware sent to computers for the purpose of denying user(s) access to stored information by changing passwords and not releasing new password until a ransom is paid.  This has proved to be harmful to businesses and other public forums (Safety, 2018).  Ransomware is a crime.

       In the article I read, a local school district was targeted just yesterday.  There is information that cannot be released to the media at this time as the criminal act is still under investigation (Harrell, 2018).

       The article goes on to compare this same crime that took place in another state earlier this year.  The school district had been adviced to pay the ransom.  The hackers, in turn, sent the password to unlock the files.  This really irks me that it would be encouraged to pay the ransom.  I think providing a ransom will encourage the hackers to do it again.

(Premise 1) Hackers introduced a malware they would remove for a ransom.
(Premise 2) The district's computer was filled with a Ransomware malware
(Conclusion) No one from the district was able to open the emails.

The argument is valid as no one in the district was able to get into their emails.  The argument is sound as it has not been resolved.

 My own premise and conclusion:

(Premise 1) I think providing a ransom will encourage hackers to send out malware again.
(Premise 2) Ransom is paid to the criminal in order to obtain a password
(Conclusion) Therefore he may continue sending ransomware.  

The argument is valid.  There is no proof that the hacker will send out more ransomware.  It is not sound.

          I didn't provide a reason for being true or false.  I'm not the only one in the class who had "missed the boat" in posting the discussion.  I responded to one individual that seemed to have it down pat and another who seemed to be making an estimated guess.  The assignment was a lot tougher for me than the discussion was.

          For one thing, each member of the class is not only expected to write on the same exact topic but from the same article (here) as well.  We were given an example and outline and I have been doing research and writing for the last two days. After a final proof reading, I have just turned it in - though I'm still not 100% confident.  If those I asked to assist in approval find it needs to be changed, than I will resubmit it.  Tomorrow is the last day that I can turn it in. Hope that next week does not feel so rough.

Gifts Received

I don't expect gifts but they do come with Mothers' Day and my birthday - which happen to fall in the same month.  My birthday will be on Memorial Day this year. 

Jenna has already given me gifts that she made.  The first one (spoiler alert to any members in SU ward that are mothers of young women) she made in young women last week.  It is a magnet that spells out the wored MOM using her picture.  I love it!!!

  She brought the other when she returned home from school yesterday.   She had already asked me what she should make in woodshop.  I had given her a few suggestions, but not this:

  I think it is beautiful.  Both are beautiful.  My daughter is beautiful.  I love her very much.  Thank you, Jenna.

Just one more quick smile about the flowers in the background on the "Mom" magnet:

Two weeks ago, the only boy in my primary class had picked up four flowers to give to the four girls in his primary class.  I thought that was so sweet of him.

Feeling Blessed

            Not long ago, I'd been contacted by Riddle Fire Department.  We had been there a couple of months ago for an open house the RFD was putting on for fire safety and as a tribute for the family that perished in the fire the year before (see here and here).  One of the firefighters had asked if we had signed up for a smoke alarm.  I told them that we lived in Tri-City and didn't wish to take away from the residents of Riddle.  They said they were willing to come or pass the information onto TriCity.  While Jenna was in Portland, a firefighter from our neighborhood came to install two smoke alarms. 

            He told me that they had been donated by the Red Cross and asked if we slept with the doors open or closed and was relieved to learn we keep them closed.  An open door will feed the fire with the extra air.  A smashed window will feed it even more.  Jenna was excited to learn that she is allowed to knock the screen out and legally exit through her window in the event of a fire.

            The wind had blown our tarp off the roof and it no longer covered the car.  I had mentioned it to Roland, but it remained uncovered.  The sun's been blaring by the afternoon and we have turned on the air conditioner a few times, or else we'll leave the windows open and turn up the fan. 

           

            This morning I woke up to a clap of thunder sonic boom right over my head.  The lightening right on its tail.  There were no counting spaces between the thunder and lightning.  "NO,"  I thought.  It was pouring outside!  Please don't let the smoke alarms go off.  Please keep our house safe.  It was raining HARD.  The entire time we've been in Oregon, I don't remember a thunderstorm like that.  I thought for sure the waterfall would be back in our yare, but it is not.

            We have a man in our ward who works for an insurance company.  He has a device to keep tabs on exactly where the lightning is headed.  When he dropped Roland off this afternoon, he mentioned that the lightning had been directly over us.  I don't doubt it.  Feeling truly blessed that our neighborhood did not see a fire this morning. The storm lasted maybe an hour and a half.  We could hear it move away from us.  According to the news, the storm had headed north.  Weird.