The Rising of Facebook

Facebook: The Rise and Rise of a social media giant ebook

Facebook started in 2004 in a college dorm at Harvard. It was designed by a IT student. Firstly it was meant to be an application for his fellow students at the university he was studying, but soon the program spread trough the whole of the university. Soon after that it also spread to other universities. It became an application platform and soon after that an entire web ecosystem. The designer is Mark Zuckerberg and in 2011 his was elected most influential person in the UK's media. His simple idea of connecting people in networks by sharing some personal details made him famous and one of the wealthiest persons on the planet. The latest development is that there is now also a book published writing about the rise of this internet application.

Martin Belam, guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 4 January 2012

http://www.guardian.co.uk/search?q=facebook&section=&date=date%2Flast7days

 

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Photograph: Paul Sakuma/AP

Opinion:

I already knew this story and I think it shows that sometimes the simplest ideas can be the most succesful. I wonder how Mark felt when he realized that his idea has become world famous and made him one of the richest and most influential persons on the planet.

Besides the fact that facebook can be a lot of fun, I do also have some concerns. Some people post all the details of their life online, from whether they are in a relationship to when and where they are going on vacation. And some post even  more personal details. I believe when not thinking trough what you post online, Facebook can be dangerous place as well. There already have been reports about teenagers being harassed through Facebook and some research says that all these online possibilities are heaven for pedophiles and other bad people. Maybe the next thing Mark could do is make a "Facebook for Dummies" in order to prevent troubles and serious problems...

Flying Visit to Climate Event

Will.i.am arrives by helicopter for flying visit to climate event

Last year rapper WIll. I. Am visited the climate event in Oxford by arriving in a helicopter. When giving an interview at the event, the rapper expresses his frustration and confusing towards the fact that so little people are worried about the climate changes. He feels that it should be on everyone's priority list. Will. I. Am hoped that social media would help spreading the information about climate change. According to the rapper the best way to change the climate for the better is by using companies to make these changes. But on the other hand, isn't ironic that superstars promote action to improve the climate fly around in a polluting helicopter?

Duncan Clark guardian.co.uk, Thursday 24 May 2012

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/may/24/will-i-am-climate-debate?intcmp=122

Will.i.am with Prof Myles Allen of Oxford University at the Radcliffe Observatory this Monday talking about climate change and the Weatherathome project. Photograph: Duncan Clark/guardian.co.uk

Opinion:

I found this a very funny article. Especially since Will.I.Am is so motivated to talk about environmental changes but comes to a climate event in a HELICOPTER! I do like his approach on solving the climate problems. When thinking about it I also think that for solving the climate problems it will start by companies making "green products".I think that when it becomes easier and cheaper to buy green products, people will buy these products more. But if Will.I.Am really wants to make a statement he should stop flying his helicopter...

Special Educational Needs Budget Controlled by Parents?

Parents to control special education needs budgets

In the biggest reform of SEN in 30 years it is suggested that parents should be given control over the educational needs budgets. By giving the parents control it will be prevented that they are sent from "pillar to post". Because of this change bureaucracy is diminished and children will get suitable help sooner and more efficiently organized.

Alison Ryan, policy adviser for the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, hopes that agencies will plan their services together. She also adds though that many parents will be the best to present their child and decide what is best, but this cannot be said of every parent.

Ben Quinn, The Guardian, Tuesday 15 May 2012

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/may/15/parents-special-educational-needs-budgets

Sarah Teather, the minister for children and families, said thousands of families have had to battle for years to get the care their children need.

Opinion.

This is an interesting discussion. I do believe that by giving parents the control over the budgets for their children, things will be arranged sooner and more efficient, because there is less bureaucracy. On the other hand are all parents suitable to manage such a budget? Will parents be guided and helped with making the decisions about the budget and what is best for their child? And how will be checked if the budget is actually spent on Special Educational Needs. In short, I think there are a lot of advantages, but there are also some critical remarks to be made that should be researched, before this plan is put in action.

A Ferrari Hybrid

Ferrari to launch its first hybrid car – a snip at £527,000+

Ferrari is producing its first hybrid car. It will be an Enzo and it will be presented at the end of the year. The car is reported to cost €660,000. The engine of the car will combine two electric motors with a twelve cylinder gas engine. This combination will make it possible to reduce fuel use with 40%. Despite this new technology Ferrari's are still the most polluting cars at the moment, with a greenhouse gas emission of 545g/km. According to new agreements on emission it should actually be 95g/km by 2020. The Committee on Climate Change hopes these changes will come in the UK. They expect that the market for electric vehicles will increase from a current 1% to a 16% in 2020.

Dan Milmo guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 15 May 2012

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/may/15/ferrari-launches-first-hybrid-enzo?intcmp=122

Ferrari founder Enzo Ferrari (1898 - 1988) poses with his cars at the Ferrari factory, Manarello, Italy, 1956. Photograph: Thomas D. McAvoy/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

Opinion.

Lately there has been a lot of talk about hybrid cars and that they should improve the environment. Many car manufacturers are working on new car types. There are even electrical cars nowadays. According to this article even Ferrari now launches a new type of car. I think this is a good development. Ferraris is always seen as a cool car which is very appealing. Actually Ferrari is in a certain way exumpted from the greenhouse gas emission rules, but the fact they are also trying to work on a green car shows that they are not only concerned about creating a cool car, but that they are also thinking about the environment.

Ladies, don't go living in London

London: the worst place in the UK to be a woman

Women in London are having problems. According to research, comparing London to the rest of the UK, women in London are less likely to work, get paid less than their male colleagues and have a high risk of getting sexually assaulted. Unemployment rates among women are rising and several cuts have been made which damage the financial situation of women. Experts fear the chance of women falling below the poverty line. The fact that women earn a lot less money than men is explained by the fact that men just have higher jobs and also work fulltime. A petition has been filed to raise awareness of the inequality between women and men.

Jane Martinson, 19 april 2012

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/the-womens-blog-with-jane-martinson/2012/apr/19/london-worst-place-women

                

Opinion.

This is an important article! It is a shame that there is so  much inequality between men and women in London! I am not aware of how these rates are in the Netherlands. This is the 21st century, it is possible to walk on the moon but it is not possible to make arrangements for women to go to work? It is important for women to be able to work, since more and more women are single or single-mothers, so they need to be able to provide for themselves and maybe their children.

To Shave or Not To Shave

Ladies: why you should stop shaving

Now that summer is coming closer women are  preparing to start shaving their legs, armpits and bikini lines. The advice is not to shave anymore. There has been done an experiment and it gives al the answers to your doubts. First of all, most men do not really mind and are proud of their girlfriend not shaving. Secondly it doesn't make you smell bad. Unfortunately some people do laugh at your legs and armpits. Going to the swimming pool is a bit strange at first, but you get used to it. According to this article you should stop shaving your armpits, since it is important work against 'gendered bullshit'.

Emer O'Toole guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 2 May 2012

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/may/02/ladies-why-you-should-stop-shaving

                    

Opinion.

I really liked this article because shaving my legs, armpits and bikiniline is something I truly hate, despite the fact that it can be done within minutes. Still it is annoying to do, not to mention the stubbles growing back. So I like the idea of not shaving anymore, but on the other hand letting my armpithair grow does not sound very hygienic, neither does not shaving your bikini line. Also both things do not sound very attractive either. So I must admit that I am not won over by the enthusiastic arguments of this article.

To the Gym!

Are no-contract gyms the future of fitness

The gyms are having a hard time, they have been in the news in a negative way and because of the crisis people to not have money to spend on the gym. So nowadays there are gyms that offer contracts that you only have to pay when you actually do a work out at the gym.

This gives a lot of advantage to the customers but there are downsides to it. Gyms are very busy because it is easier to enter and there are less extra's.

Still people like this new concept. They can use a gym without being stuck to it, so if they do not live up to their plans to exercise they did not lose a lot of money. People travelling a lot can get easier access to a gym as well. So for the future there will be 2 kinds of gyms.

Rachel Platt, guardian.co.uk, 2 May 2012

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/may/02/no-contract-gyms-future-of-fitness

Opinion.

I go to the gym twice a week. I like going there and I like it the way it is. I can understand that there a people who would like the gym without a contract so they are not wasting their money if they don't go. Everything has to do with the fact that they gym have to live up to the expectations of the customer. That is why there are so many different options possible nowadays. I don't really know whether all these options are a good thing, but as along as they are getting people to go to the gym more often it is a good thing, so far.