Mr. Hechler's Hardware Presentation

Mr. Hechler's presentation was informative. I learned quite a bit about how to take proper care of my electronic devices, particularly my laptop. He taught me certain aspects of my computer that I never realized impacted the functions of my computer.

I learned that the touch pad on laptops is made of a very sensitive membrane. I'm sure it was obvious, but I never realized that liquids, even in small quantities can dissolve the membrane. I also learned that companies are now making touch screens which also have a similar membrane on their exterior.

He also taught us the importance of cleaning the keyboard often, as an accumulation of dust and other objects can limit the function of the keyboard. Most importantly, he revealed to me why I have never been able to connect to the network- my wireless card does not fit the network requirements and is incompatible.

All in all, I learned quite a bit from his presentation, and I enjoyed seeing the innards of computers.

Rachel Fuerst

The Downing Street Memo

The Downing Street Memo

Plans for My PowerPoint Presentation

For my PowerPoint presentation, I have chosen to present on the current war in Iraq. Specifically, I will be discussing Iraqi history from the time of the British Mandate to the current situation between the Sunni and Shi'a. Between these two religious groups I will be focusing on the Shi'a Clerics and their impact on the insurgency. 

Rachel Fuerst

Power Point Presentations

My advice for fellow classmates regarding PowerPoints would be to keep them simple, while still maintaining the substance of the presentations. I would suggest not putting too many long definitions or text on the slides, but rather discuss your points and have the slides reinforce your ideas. 

Rachel's 5 Important Guidelines for PowerPoints:

1) Use as little text as possible on each slide- it is better to speak to the audience, than have them read your points. 

2) Do not use flashy graphics, like noise and text movements during the transition between slides.

3) Use appropriate pictures which directly relate to your presentation.

4) Make sure to reinforce your main point throughout your presentation, to reiterate the purpose of your presentation. 

5) Do not use many different colors for your slides or flashy background in PowerPoint presentations.

Rachel Fuerst

Chris Nolan's Presentation

I didn't necessarily learn anything that surprised me. But, I did learn a few new tricks and information on how to use Google. Firstly, I learned how and why certain sites are listed first on a list when you search. The whole process was too complex to describe, but he told us that these sites are chosen based on their popularity and the number of hits they receive.

I also learned that if you want to search Google for websites in other countries with separate Internet codes, you merely type in "site .iq" (Iraq) after your search terms. I never knew this until his presentation, and this will be extremely helpful for me because I'm an International/Comparative Politics major. Currently, I'm writing a research paper on Shi'a clerical perspectives on the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Research on this topic has been elusive, as it is such a current issue. Thus, this tip will be helpful in finding clerical websites as well as perspectives from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Bahrain, and Iran- all countries which have large Shi'a populations.
Overall, it was a great presentation and I learned important tools for searching on Google.

Rachel Fuerst

Comments on Eirik Solheim's Blog

As a matter of principle I think that photos taken from the Internet for publication should be attributed to the photographer who took the photo. Or, the organization or individual using other's photo should at the very least ask for permission to use the photo. Solheim appears to have an interest in photography and media laws which predisposes him to battle companies and individuals who take advantage of individual photographers. His blog reveals this combative nature. He was willing to hire expensive lawyers to pursue his case. He is ensuring that "huge amounts of people" join in his sentiments of "hate" for Vinderen Elektriske. To me, it appears that Mrs. Solheim blew the situation out of proportion. A company took his photo and used it without compensating him or attributing him to the photo. Yes, this is a violation of the law and reveals an unethical practice used by the editors of the catalogue. But, my question for Mr. Solheim would be: "Are you really surprised?"
Any time an individual posts photos online he or she risks those photos being used indiscriminately. In our globalized world, we cannot expect the law to protect every piece of property (in this case, photos) we own. We should expect it, but we will often be disappointed by our high expectations. This is the reality of the Internet and technology- lines are easily blurred because of the enormity and infinite nature of the Web. Thus, photos and intellectual property which are essential to individuals (such as a photo of your son) should not be posted online. The Internet has reared an ugly beast, and the only way to counter it is to avoid its pitfalls.

Rachel Fuerst

Effective Power Point Presentations

Effective Power Points can make or break the idea, thesis or theme of what the presenter is trying to get across. Ineffective Power Point presentations contain a number of problems, ranging from distracting backgrounds to drawn out definitions which are spoken. An effective Power Point contains clear, defined thought processes, simple yet stylistic themes, and a combination of spoken explanations and sparse notes to lead the audience.
I have seen many effective Power Point presentations created by Professor Nadeau in the Religion Department. His presentations were effective because he kept the audience captivated throughout his presentations. His ideas flowed smoothly, and this conclusions were readily apparent to the class. He included interesting pictures, comics, and occasionally video clips to engage the class. His presentations were also consistent throughout the course-the class knew which aspects were important and which were less important as test material. His slides were not overcrowded with definitions or phrases. Dr. Nadeau was also an effective speaker- he didn't read off his slides, but rather used his slides as a supplement and foundation for note-taking on behalf of the students. Every class period he passed out an outline of his presentation, which also reinforced his ideas. Dr. Nadeau's presentations were instrumental to my understanding of Asian Religions, and were extremely useful.
Rachel Fuerst

Microsoft Word

On my Dell Inspiron I have Microsoft Word 2003 installed. I have been using this software for 3 years and essentially have no skills in Word 2007. I am learning a great deal about Word 2007 and I hope to use those techniques in my future academic endeavors. I would like to review how to make a Table of Contents with all of the numbers aligned at the end, because I am not sure if I did this correctly on the homework.
I would also like to review how to ensure that every page has a footer with its corresponding page number.

Until next time,
Rachel F.

My non-existent computer skills.

My experience with computers could only be described as awful. I've lost two hardrives, approximately 9,000 tracks of music, countless pieces of writing, and about 500 pictures.I forgot to add that these two hardrives crashed during two separate finals weeks. I think I just have bad luck, or maybe computers just hate me, or maybe I'm just too simple-minded to fully understand technology. I've always been seriously creeped out by the Internet. The idea is absurd! I mean it's something that exists in reality, and is so essential, but completely intangible. It does not have any physical properties, doesn't physically encompas space, and yet it's imperative to our world. The idea that files can travel through something that doesn't really exist, and at any moment could crash, or go ballistic, or explode, makes me nervous. I like tangible things, like sheets of paper, staplers, and pens. Basically, I'd rather write something out, than type it on a computer, because what you work on could be gone in a split second. That business freaks me out. But moving on, I own a Dell Inspiron 700. It's tiny. And I take it everywhere. And I've bonded with it. But other than that, I couldn't tell you what sytem it has or how big the hardrive is (I think it's 70 gigs). It cannot connect to my Y: drive because I am not a part of the network. Every August I try to get on the network, but I have failed every year. My computer is just not compatable. :-( So I cannot access the class and group folders.In this class, I suppose I'd like to learn how to trust this technology stuff more. If I know how to use technology, maybe I won't be so skeptical about it anymore.

Rachel Fuerst

Things about me.

There's not much to say. I'm from the 505 (New Mexico), which makes me infinately more insane than most Americans. I enjoy snowboarding, biking, longboarding, hiking, camping, and the outdoors. I also really like going to concerts, the symphony and bookstores.

I am a History and Political Science major, and I plan on attending law school and/or grad school for History after I graduate from this lovely institution. I'd like to do human rights law or international law, and eventually get my Ph D in History. I want to be a professor later on and write books about the Holocaust. Morbid, but an interest of mine.

If you feel compelled to do so, send me a private post to my email!

Rachel Fuerst