National Security, or National Database?

What is this picture? What is this ominous, black building? Well, it  has an equally ominous purpose. This is the headquarters of the National Security Agency, or the NSA. This is a government agency which has been executing mass surveillance on all civilians, without warrant or reason. This agency is the reason why people use the deep web, VPNs, proxies, and other security measures. They  monitor and collect all the data that they can, sift through it at an alarming rate, find "Threats" (They haven't really done much for the past couple years they have been operating).

    So what are they doing, if they only caught 50 cases of terrorism and played less than a 20% role in catching terrorists? Well beyond gross violations to privacy and our basic constitutional rights, and the fact that they are storing all the data and forcing companies to give them information, not much but being a money drain and a reason to despise the government. What is this data being used for? Why are they collecting data on everyone? Why does this sound like 1984? Now that I said all of that, I await the arrival of NSA officials or, more likely, some FBI/CIA agent to arrest me for either some made up charge or because they can.

    This is what internet activists have been fighting. They have been under assault from a government which is violating everyone's rights. Organizations such as FFTF, ACLU, and many others have been fighting these violations as much as they can. The only way to stop these programs is for more people to be aware and to stand up against such atrocities.

Computer Science and Big Data: @BigData

There is an estimated 1.2 zettabytes (1.3 trillion gigabytes) of data on the internet. That’s a LOT of data, more than what me and you can fathom. Web searches, web pages, downloads, code, games, YouTube, email… the list goes on. But here's an interesting question: How does one sift through this literal sea of data. There is WAY more data than people at a company, and attempting to go through all of this data requires a complex system of data reading and scanning. Online privacy is a joke; online archives store your facebook post. In fact, there is a bot which is almost guaranteed to read all of your posts. GoogleBot, the name of the googlebot that sifts through hundreds of thousands of web pages, is given access to all of your facebook posts. But what is this bot doing? When it travels through websites, it collects data that the website has. So statistics, key phrases, and many other key points of data that the site has. So what’s the point? What does all of this data do?

The answer is advertising. Google makes most of it’s money from advertising, and this funds all of their projects and data collection. It can target ads to you based on your search history, the websites you browse, etc. Also, some companies sift through massive amounts of data to provide investors with advice and statistics on trending companies and services which would be profitable soon. Big data has a lot of applications, from just a simple advertisement to millions of dollars in the stock market.

So what is big data doing? It is monitoring everyone. This can be used for good and bad.

Raped or Not?

Article: “Son, Men Don’t Get Raped.” from GQ Magazine, written by Nathaniel Penn.

Key Passages

1. “Sexual assault is alarmingly common in the U.S. military, and more than half of the victims are men. According to the Pentagon, thirty-eight military men are sexually assaulted every single day. These are the stories you never hear—because the culprits almost always go free, the survivors rarely speak, and no one in the military or Congress has done enough to stop it.”

Analysis: This statistic is alarming and people definitely do not understand what is going on behind the military walls. I think this shows that military personnel feel as if they have so much power, rationalizing this cruel act in their mind. The victims of these crimes are too afraid to speak because no one is taking the action to stop the risk. If the military or Congress was willing to put in an effort to stop this from happening, stories would be told and culprits would be arrested.

2. “The moment a man enlists in the United States armed forces, his chances of being sexually assaulted increase by a factor of ten. Women, of course, are much more likely to be victims of military sexual trauma (MST), but far fewer of them enlist. In fact, more military men are assaulted than women—nearly 14,000 in 2012 alone. Prior to the repeal of "Don't ask, don't tell" in 2011, male-on-male-rape victims could actually be discharged for having engaged in homosexual conduct. That's no longer the case—but the numbers show that men are still afraid to report being sexually assaulted.

Analysis: I think this passage shows the strength and bravery it takes to join the army. With statistics like this, showing your chances of sexual assault go up by a huge amount when you join the army,  it is shocking that so many people still inlist. This paragraph is trying to inform that men and women are both targeted for this crime. Unfortunately there is still so much wrong going on in the military, but this passage shows there was a positive change. Men no longer get discharged for getting raped.

3. “An overpowering shame prevents many enlisted men from reporting an assault—a sense that they must somehow be complicit in what has happened to them. Straight men often question their own sexual orientation, while gay men may struggle to find intimacy in relationships because they don't trust other men (or their own judgment). Telling the secret ruptures families and friendships. So does not telling.”

Analysis: This passage shows the emotional toll that sexual assaults take on people. With the already judgmental world and military, it can be extremely taboo to talk about a situation like this. The emotional struggle is already extreme that they are dealing with being sexually assaulted, while now they struggle with relationships and individuality.

Kill People with Kindness

Kindness is a virtue that people have been taught since they were a little kid. It’s the golden rule. People might think “obviously it’s important to be nice to people” but when put in situations of high stress or anger, we as humans, tend to lose sight of it.

Image Source

Article: "How Kindness Will Change Your Life and the World" from the Huffington Post Author: Tina Williamson (Student of Buddhism) Link to Source

Key Passages

1. “It is said that The Buddha first taught kindness to a group of monks meditating in the forest. These monks were scared of "spirits" in the forest. Likely just afraid of the dark, their fear turned into anger and their anger turned into hate. Many conflicts arise this way; we mistaken and exaggerate our fear of the unknown. The frightened monks went to the Buddha and asked for advice. Through meditation and mindfulness, they were taught how to live a life of kindness, they learned to protect others. The monks went back to the forest with a refreshed outlook. As they practiced the teachings on kindness the forest began to feel safe. They no longer feared ‘unknown spirits’ and with a heart of kindness the creatures and aliveness of the forest became beautiful.”
   
   Analysis: I think that when people are constantly paranoid about others being a threat to them or take things the wrong way, they tend to have negative attitudes toward those people. This passage shows how rather than assuming people are rude, it’s important to take the first step and go out of your way to be nice to someone. That’s only the real way to find out if those around you have the potential of being a friend to you. If they act negatively towards you, at least you tried by being kind to them.
   
   
2. “When our mind is full of agitation and aggression we become overly sensitive to everything that happens to us. Irritation arises at the slightest provocation. If you dwell on other's negative habits you won't get along with many people, we all have faults, big and small. Those who annoy you will increase -- not decrease. When you look at the world through a lens of kindness, non judgement and compassion, you would see good people. People just like you -- people who want to be happy.”
   
   Analysis: This passage teaches how we should not constantly be critical of those around us. We can’t let the negative things happening in our life or little irritations affect the way we treat those around us. Everyone is going through hard things in life, and treating people poorly because you’re having a bad day isn’t a good excuse. If you are having issues with someone that isn’t worth real confrontation, kill them with kindness rather than giving them a cold shoulder.
   
   

3. “Don't underestimate the ripple effect of your actions on the planet. And don't underestimate the boomerang effect your actions will have on your own life; even if not immediately apparent. Allow kindness to become the natural and spontaneous response to every situation, with this increased ability to respond compassionately, true success will follow.”

Analysis: We normally, as humans, don’t think that saying “hello” or smiling at a stranger will make a difference, but it really could make someone’s day. Something as simple as that. This also makes me think about “the bystander effect” we learned about in Psychology. If someone drops their books in the hall or just fell on the ground, we usually think “oh, someone else is going to help, I don’t need to”. It’s important that we start being that person who IS going to help out that person and not wait or assume that someone else will. Small acts of kindness go a long way.

A New Pair of Eyes

U.S./European Union Flag on the left, Ukraine in the middle, Russia on the right (source: www.social-searcher.com)

A couple of weeks ago, I ran into a kid in Florida. What are the odds that I am following the Ukrainian-Russian conflict and he happens to be a seventeen-year-old junior in high school that speaks Russian that spent several years living in the Ukraine, where his family is from? To gain a different perspective on the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, he allowed me to interview him to see how a Ukrainian kid living in the United States feels about what is going on. These are the questions followed by his response:

1. What is going on between the Ukraine and Russia?

“Ukraine and Russia are two neighboring countries that have a very long, shared, tense history together. During many episodes in history, they have been one combined nation. In other instances, Ukraine has been independent from the classic world power to the East. All that is happening now is that Russia is seizing the opportunity to attempt to take back what has at many times been theirs, taking advantage of glaring political weaknesses that have plagued Ukraine in the past decade. Many of these political failures have resulted in large chunks of the Ukrainian population challenging the notion of whether or not they are capable of self rule, and therefore favor an annexation from the apparently more stable Russia. Russia in turn welcomes the opportunity, because while unstable and rebellious, the Ukrainian territory is one of the richest chunks of land in the world, in terms of natural resources, which the government of Moscow would love to once again control.”

2. How do you feel about the annexation of Crimea?

“The annexation of Crimea is the first step in Russia’s plan to annex Ukraine back. I feel that many could call it a flagrant invasion, but really, the population of the area seems to be divided on the matter, so it’s difficult for westernized countries to judge.”

3. How accurately do you believe the American media is portraying what is going on?

“The American media has not portrayed ANYTHING accurately, even in its long, shameful history of ‘reporting on matters,’ and these issues between Russia and Ukraine are obviously no exception. This attitude has traditionally been particularly true when it comes to discussing matters related to Russia and its dealings with its neighbors and its foreign policy.”

4. Should the Ukraine fight to get the land back?

“Ukraine needed to fight to stabilize their situation long before any of this started, and they didn’t. Now, their population’s opinion is divided, and they first need to work to redefine their identity before they ‘fight’ for meaningless issues, like territory that they can’t control on their own.

5. Should other countries, such as the U.S. and those in the European Union, get involved?

“They should, if their intentions are to help stabilize the region, insure that there are no human rights violations, and help justice prevail. But really, they shouldn’t because in reality what they do, they do so to wield their own influence in the region, defend their own interests and reputation, and undermine their enemies like bickering children."

The results of this interview are very interesting. Although a Ukrainian native, the young man gave a very intriguing and different perspective on the entire situation. In all the articles I’ve read about this conflict, nothing has ever come up about the Ukraine’s instability in the first place. Even though I’ve heard it before, it’s shocking to see how this young man feels about the U.S. getting involved in the conflict. In the U.S., our country is portrayed as a helper and hero; however, in the eyes of some of these Ukrainian people, the U.S. does not have a positive reputation at all.  

WKB St. Louis Legacies

Photo by Janet Weed

With the wealth William Keeney Bixby accumulated throughout the years he was able to contribute much to the city he thrived in, St. Louis. The question is what exactly did he contribute? His most significant lasting contributions are seen in the Washington University in downtown St. Louis, the St. Louis Art Museum, and the Missouri History Museum. In Sally Bixby Defty’s book, Passionate Pursuits: William Keeney Bixby, she addresses these contributions, which I will further explain in the list below.

1. WKB first emerged as an important public figure when he was named to the head of the Fine Arts Commission for the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. Bixby was picked for this leadership role due to his already extensive knowledge of art from around the world. Bixby’s role as the head was to choose different art pieces to be displayed during the fair. This demonstrates the esteem that Bixby had gained throughout the years and the respect that others paid to him. Having such an educated worldview and cultural understanding others saw him as a highly influential individual who had a lot to offer to society.
2. As Washington University in St. Louis was becoming established, Bixby saw the university as a great investment. Going along with his interest and admiration for the fine arts, in 1921 WKB donated $250,000 [$3 million in 2010] that led to the construction of the W.K. Bixby Hall of Fine Arts on campus. By 1926 art students were able to use these new facilities. Although this was a great opportunity for the college, it also served as another mark and reminder of the importance of Bixby’s economic expenditures in St. Louis.
3. Not only did WKB contribute to the Hall of Fine Arts at Washington University, but also him and three other St. Louisians each gave $150,000 [$3.4 million in 2010] to endow four chairs at the medical school, which established the William K. Bixby Professorship in Surgery. I believe this donation shows that with Bixby’s financial resources he knew that he both could do good for the local school, as well as continue to establish a legacy that we clearly see now.
4. Bixby was a major donor to the St. Louis Artists’ Guild, both as the principal contributor to the Guild’s building on Union Boulevard in 1908 and in the funding for prizes. This guild eventually became the St. Louis Art Museum in 1971 when tax support for the museum was approved by residents of the St. Louis County. Once again, this shows Bixby’s passion for art and his desire to make it a prominent sector of the St. Louis culture and something that would come to attract individuals to the city in the future.
5. The Missouri Historical Society, founded in 1866, was relocated to a structure on the north side of Forest Park in 1912. That building, now known as the Missouri History Museum, was very important to WKB. He was a mainstay of the organization and served twice as president. He believed that this was the perfect place for the museum to be located, in the center of the St. Louis, allowing easy access to both residents and visitors.
6. The list of Bixby’s gifts to the Society in one month alone, March 1915, takes up 35 pages in the Society’s minutes. The museum now houses an archive center that includes all records of the World’s Fair and documentation of the history of St. Louis and the state, the Mississippi and Missouri valleys and the Louisiana Purchase. Once again, this shows how Bixby wanted to influence future generations by making sure they were able to learn about the history of St. Louis.

Bixby was gracious enough to contribute his knowledge and material wealth to the city of St. Louis. He made it possible for those who come to St. Louis, both those who are visiting and live there, to learn more about the rich history of this city and have access to copious resources.

How Great Britain Shaped Who America is Today

A Police Officer salutes the American flag. source: nytimes.com

There are certain fundamentals that America and its citizens treasure that make the United States of America a unique country including its dedication to freedom and  it’s pride. These three characteristics, although taken for granted and sometimes disliked, are the root of the American Dream. We have Great Britain to thank for all of this.

When Great Britain put their soldiers above the colonists, imposed unfair taxes, punished for speaking (or writing) out,  they were framing the ideas that our countries’ Bill of Rights lays out. Freedom of speech, freedom of the press are two of the most influential and impactful privileges that our citizens have because it creates a feeling of safeness and an openness that many people in other countries don’t have. Our freedoms which include speech, press, religion, guns and privacy. These freedoms directly correlate to events where the British abused colonists, and the new American framers wanted to make sure it couldn’t happen again. There have been issues in the recent past which affect the view of America’s dedication to equality. For this, I think if we all, as Americans, went and studied the fundamentals of what this nation grew on, many people would have a different view on these issues and racism as a whole. America needs a call to action to come together and act as proud Americans, not a separated bunch of people from different countries. The pride that one feels when studying how the oldest people from our nation fought for our freedoms could somewhat help the issues, I believe.

The effect of Colonialism and Great Britain’s oppression created the basis of what our country was built on. We see this, also, through the ways our laws were/are created, how our government works. The system of checks and balances we subscribe to is a key part of our nation’s government and part of it comes from Great Britain’s oppression. The creators and editors of our government system wanted to make sure one area didn’t have too much power, because before becoming an independent nation, the British government that ran the thirteen colonies had too much power. This is why we have a system to make sure that no single part of government is too powerful or abusing the rights that we’ve laid out in the Constitution. The separation of power lets more people have a say and allows for equal discussion and interpretation of the nation’s possible laws and rules; which differs from how Great Britain ran the colonies by randomly announcing new laws without explanation or notice for the public. Now we, as the public, have the ability to know what is being legislated months, and sometimes years, in advance, so there are never surprises. If our government was still run the way Great Britain ran the Thirteen Colonies, there would be huge issues every time a piece of legislation was passed. The oppression created a desire to be knowledgeable and in-the-know about what was happening in the country, and now Americans have that.  

Great Britain didn’t intend on creating the most powerful country in the world with it’s oppression, but through its actions, it did. Americans, although always disagreeing, should be proud of the country they live in and the fight that has already been won. If thirteen colonies can win against the then-most powerful country in the world, we as a country can overcome hardship and unite.