An Ugly Toll of Technology: Impatience and Forgetfulness

Tie-In:

Both Pope and Carr discuss the fact that the immediacy of information coming from the Internet is changing who we are as people. Pope mentions that it is changing our personality because we are more impatient and impulsive. Also, she mentions that we are more forgetful. While Carr mentioned his concern with our intelligence because we have become so dependent on sites like Google. We are no longer able to keep our focus on long articles or novels. He also discusses how back in the day Socrates was concerned that writing would change how people learned because they would become less studious and forgetful. This is interesting because I feel as if it wasn't for the written word nowadays I wouldn't have learned all the things that I have. However, Carr is making the comparison that maybe the Internet is actually helping us more than hurting us. However, I couldn't help noticing that what Socrates said about the written word is exactly what Pope was saying about the Internet nowadays. I believe both authors make a good point because I feel as if the Internet has changed our society but don't believe it was all for the worse. Since I feel as if that just like books I have managed to learn a lot more because it is very easy to Google information unlike searching in encyclopedias for something. Also, I do have to admit that I am a tad impatient and tend to forget some of the things that I recently learned.

After reading the article by Tara Parker Hope I couldn't help but agreeing with most of her points. I feel as if people are very dependent on their devices. I have friends who spend time with me but 75% of that time is them checking their facebook, them checking their e-mail, or texting their other friends. I have to admit that I can be easily distracted when doing my homework because I constantly check my facebook or e-mail. I have the hardest time being able to focus on my homework because I feel as if I need to know what other people are doing on facebook. I think the worse is when I go on the internet to research a topic because I will see something else that I want to know about and somehow I end up shopping for a new shirt. I never know how I completely shift from one topic to the next but I tend to blame the hyperlinks or the ads on the side of websites. I agree mostly that people have to learn how to moderate their usage of the internet because I gave up my facebook for two years and the only thing I had to check was my e-mail or phone. I felt some relief not having to check my facebook every three seconds like I do now. When I leave my house without my cellphone I feel like a part of me is missing and that is probably abnormal to feel about a piece of technology. But this is probably because I am addicted to my phone and technology in general.

Response to Get Smarter by Jamais Cascio

The article Get Smarter posed a lot of ideas and ways to look at the technological advances and breakthroughs that we endure everyday. Being in the first generation that has grown up with the use of the internet it is hard for us to imagine life any other way. But we have also witnessed breakthroughs that blow our minds day by day. We have seen the development of everything from electronics to pharmacy drugs and others that we ourselves find hard to believe. Living in an era of advances makes it easy for us to absorb large amounts of knowledge in so little time. I agree with Cascio that the future in which we are about to witness is something that we must approach with caution. There is so much available for us that we need to be able to filter the information and weed out the nonsense that is irrelevant to our lives. I do not agree with the idea that we should allow our brains to become computer chips. I think that we need to let our brains develop naturally. The idea that everyone would be on the same level playing field eliminates the need for competition and strive to do better in life. Technology has already put a toll on some of the jobs we used to know. Technology is making it to a point where it doesn't take any skill for a job to be done. Once something that took knowledge and learning to complete that set you apart from Joe Smo that lives next to you is becoming vanished. In the future the same people that today work at McDonalds with the aid of technology could be tomorrows doctors! After reading the article I believe that technology does have a lot of positive aspects to it but we need to proceed with caution. The individuality and strive to be something should never be lost due to technological advances.

Get Smarter by Jamais Cascio

In the article Get Smarter by Jamais Cascio he starts by talking about how in the past we have become smarter by having to adapt to different situations that posed threats to our survival. Our brains change to meet different challenges that life throws at us. Technology that is present today is so detailed and advanced from what it was in the past but so out of date to what we will experience in the future. With looking at technology everything that we develop is only one break through away from being out of date. Not only has technology come a long way with the electronics, video games and details in which go into it. We have also made break throughs with Pharmacological advances. With pills that you can take that can let you concentrate for hours past normal abilities. It is not the pill that is giving us the knowledge but its allowing us to figure things out that would of been impossible before without the concentration. Technology and modern ways of living has allowed us to start having "fluid intelligence." This meaning that with so much information out there we pick up little bits of information and store it without even having to think about it. Think of it as the information being a waterfall and you having no choice but to endure it. Cascio also mentioned the ability of in the future of there being a bio-genetics and how the brains of tomorrow could be programmed computer chip instead of a biological piece of machinery that we ourselves need to build up. With this comes the danger not everyone should think alike. It takes the differences and cultural backgrounds to allow us to grow as humans with the ability to solve problems by contrast. Throughout it all Cascio believes that technology has made us smarter but there are always things that you must be careful of. The potential of the future is far from measurable and we as humans have to be willing to adapt to what will be coming our way!

Reaction to Technology and Forgetfulness

In the article the author says that we spend alot of time with our devices, and it has become an addiction to us. I agree with the author Tara Parker Pope, because I do believe that our dependence on cellphones and the internet is an addiction and controls our lives. The internet is taking a toll on my life because I find that it is distracting from what I need to do. I will study for a test or another subject I have to do for school and then I will spend hours and hours on the internet and totally forget my school work. I go on the internet more times a day than actually do work for school. I have facebook, and I find that I have to go on everyday because I am addicted to it, and feel that if I do not go on it I feel that I am not able to survive. I also have a cell phone and feel that I need it on me all the time because I spent most of my time texting and even when I am not texting I look at ti all the time. The only time I do not have my phone on me is when I am charging it. I agree with this article because I do believe that technology is interfering with our daily lives. I spend all my time using technology, whether it is facebook, the internet or my cell phone.

An Ugly Toll of Technology

The article according to Tara Parker Pope states that, people that rely on technology may be reshaping their personality. They become distracted and impatient. The article also metions that since we spend alot of time with our devices, it is an addiction that we need to control. Technolgy also interferes with our daily lives, because it distracts us from the real world. The last thing the article mentions is that technology is like food, which is important in our everyday lives.

the place to go

Shane Dougherty

College Composition I

Ms. Bateman

3/1/11

The Place to Go

Want to get something to eat and tired of eating at the Student Center at Rowan, then check out PB’s Diner right off of route 47 on 500 Delsea Drive North, across from Burger King. It has everything for everyone and can meet all of your needs. For me, it’s an easy choice because when my Aunt and Uncle lived in Glassboro, my family and would go there often. Not only was the food always good but it also was a place where you share memories with your family. Now that I am attending Rowan University my family has come back to PB’s Diner, and it still has the true values that make it a diner.

Having lived in Audubon, NJ which is only twenty minutes away from Glassboro, my sister, mom and I would often visit my Aunt and Uncle. During our visits, the place we went to eat the most was PB’s because it was close and the food was good. PB’s also offered the quality of a diner, that was it offered a setting in which you were able to make memories. Unlike a fancy restaurant, where everything is businesslike, a diner like PB’s invites you to be who you are. My Aunt, a former Glassboro State, now Rowan University, student Kathy Lizzio said, “It was perfect. We took the kids there a lot. I have lots of good memories from that place.” Now a resident of Pennsylvania my aunt still remembers the fun times she had with her family at PB’s diner. Not only with us but also with just her husband and kids.

The idea that makes diners such a great place to go is they have both good food and welcoming settings, which reach out to everyone. According to Deena Yellin, staff writer for The Record from Hackensack, NJ the term “diner” refers to a diner for its, “hip look, homemade food, friendly atmosphere and 24/7 service.” These ideas are what set diners apart from regular restaurants. These qualities are what make diners unique. Yellin continues in her article “Diners Freshen Menu to Serve New Generation” published in 2005, that there are 2200 diners left in the United Sates, 500 of which reside in NJ, known as the diner capital in America. She goes on to say that even in NJ, the diner capital of America, they have lost “nearly ten percent of its diners the past decade.” So with all of these diners closing down due to changes in society PB’s diner continues to run. Some people question how a place like PB’s can continue to thrive while up against all these new fast food chains and places like such. The answer is simple; they must adapt like society is adapting. For example, Yellin believes in changing the menu to suit newer customers. So she says, “out went the meatloaf, and in came the salads, seafood, and steak.” However, it’s not just changing the menu it’s also changing the overall look of the restaurant. You have to make it more appealing to your younger customers while keeping it a diner. Currently PB’s is under renovations on half of its side in order to attract more customers, but to also keep the qualities that make it a diner.

Along with qualities of a diner one of the most important ones is having versatility while maintaining quality. Versatility, not only with the menu, but also with the occasions in which you can go there. Zach Grady, a senior at Rowan University believes, “PBs offers a friendly atmosphere; the perfect place to go on a first date.” One wouldn’t immediately think of PB”s as a place to go on a date but it can be if you need it to and that is what makes PB’s diner one of the best. However, versatility is nothing without quality. According to tripadvisor.com PB’s diner ranks fourth out of fourteen restaurants in Glassboro. So whatever your needs are PB’s diner is an excellent choice because of the qualities it has.

Regardless of what you want to eat or why you are going to PB’s diner is a great fit for all your needs and that is what makes it such a great place to go. Along with it being affordable and only five minutes away from Rowan University it’s the perfect place to go to get away from Rowan. All Rowan University students should take advantage of such a place being so close by, especially if they are getting tired of eating the same food everyday at the Student Center. PB’s can accommodate anyone and it has kept the qualities that make it a true diner, which is why it’s the perfect place to go.

Works Cited

“Diners Freshen Menu to Serve New Generation.” The Record Hackensack, NJ. Deena Yellin. Dec. 5, 2005. Feb. 25, 2011. www.northjersey.com. Newsbank access worldwide.

Feb. 21, 2011. “Trip Advisor”. www.tripadvisor.com.

Guide to the Boro - Best Pizza at Rowan

Colleen Nauss
Professor Bateman
CC1
3 March 2011
Best Pizza at Rowan University

At a very young age, almost all American children are introduced to pizza. It is easy to make, easy to eat, easy to clean up, and something about it appeals to people nationwide. One of the reasons this item is sold nationwide is because it can be made in so many different ways; from a fast food chain to a gourmet restaurant. Any topping can be put on pizza in order for it to fit specific taste buds. The “easy” factor behind pizza is why it is such a big food at colleges. College students are on their own for the first time and resorting to eating frozen/microwaved meals and also eating out. Ordering pizza is fast, easy, and fits right into a college student’s budget. At Rowan University, there are over twenty pizza places in the area, but Nick’s Pizzeria seems to be the overall favorite.
Food is typically a main topic on a college student’s mind. Since pizza is a food eaten campus-wide, finding a favorite pizza place may be on the top of a freshman’s to-do-list. There are many factors that come into play when choosing a favorite pizza place: taste, price, acceptance of BoroBucks, delivery, location, and closing times. Clearly these preferences change from person to person, but there is still a general consensus of what is most people’s favorite. I polled fifty students at Rowan in order to see what this consensus was. The students polled varied in age, gender, and living situations. Of the fifty students, thirty-four said Nick’s Pizzeria, eight said Cicontes, four said Papa John’s, and four said Dominos. Clearly, Nick’s Pizzeria was the overwhelming winner.
When Nick’s was the answer of about seventy percent of the team, it was clear that Nick’s had something that the surrounding pizzerias did not. I don’t think it was just because of the good taste, because any fresh cooked pizza will taste amazing compared to Ramen, EZ Mac, and the cafeteria. I think one of the main reasons that this polled so high is because they take BoroBucks. When choosing how to spend money in college, a student must be economical. Mainly, BoroBucks are put on a student’s Rowan card at the beginning of the semester along with the meal plan, so they are prepaid. For many, this is paid for by our parents, making it that much better to pay with it rather that our own cash. Nick’s Pizzeria is one of the only pizzeria’s nearby that accepts BoroBucks; Cicontes, Papa John’s, and Dominos do not. This may be a reason that Nick’s trumped any other pizzeria in the poll. For the people who do not have or run out of boro bucks and have to pay cash, Nick’s is still cheaper. It is simply $10 for a large pizza at Nick’s, while it is $12 at Cicontes. It is clear that cheaper pizza will win over “poor” college students as a whole, so Nick’s knows how to please.
Location also has a lot to do with picking a pizza place if you do not want to pay a tip and choose to pick up your pizza. Nick’s is located in a plaza on Delsea Drive, which is a three minute drive from anywhere on campus but you cannot walk there. Cicontes, on the other hand, is located on Rt 322 right next to Campus Crossings, Triad, and Beau. The students who live in these buildings have the option to walk here and save gas and tip money. The option of delivery is not a factor for any of the four pizza places that were given because they all deliver. This may have been why these three were chosen over some of the other ones nearby, but most of the pizzerias deliver because they know they need the college students’ business. Although location may not be a factor for all students, it is still important for some.
Closing time may also affect the favoritism of certain pizza places. College students are known to stay up all hours of the night, and during these hours they might be compelled to order pizza. This is when Dominos knew how to attract customers and keep them coming; they are open until 3am every night. Nick’s, Cicontes, and Papa John’s all close at 10pm, making it only available for dinner, not a midnight snack. This may be why four people chose Domino’s as they’re favorite pizzeria. Not for taste, price, or location, but simply because that’s the only place open when they order. If Nick’s is the overall favorite even when closing early, imagine how their business would skyrocket if they stayed open until 3am.
It is apparent that the sample size of fifty that I chose seems to be relatively comparable to the Rowan University campus body as a whole. I believe this because I chose to ask both Nick’s Pizzeria and Cicontes about how many pizzas do they average on a daily basis. I thought that this could show how others would clearly agree with the choice of the sample size that I polled. When asked this question, Nick’s manager estimated that they average 150 pizzas each day while Cicontes manager estimated only 100. Nick’s triumphed Cicontes in votes 4:1 and pizzas 3:2. By analyzing these statistics, one may come to the conclusion that the best pizza place on campus is Nick’s Pizzeria.
It is clear that pizza is a large part of college students’ diet, and the choice of what pizza depends on many variables. A pizza place that wants to have the best business must accept BoroBucks, deliver, be open late, be cheap, and last but not least taste good. According to fifty students from Rowan University, Nick’s Pizzeria is the best place to get pizza around campus. It fulfills everything the average students may desire in a pizza place. It is also apparent that such a diet is not only common to college students. Onion Skin Press calculated that there are 3 billion pizzas sold each year in the US; 350 slices eaten each second.





















References

N/A. "Pizza Trivia & Statistics." Your Guide To Pizza. Onion Skin Press, 2010. Web. 07 Feb.
2011. .
Manager at Nick's Pizzeria. "Pizza Statistics." Telephone interview. 7 Feb. 2011.
Manager at Cicontes. "Pizza Statistics." Telephone interview. 7 Feb. 2011.