Fewer Coins Game

Fewer Coins

Fewer coins is a relatively simple game where 14 coins are placed in a pile. 2 players have the option of taking out 1 or 2 coins at a time.  To win the game you must be the last person to pull out coins from the pile.

Selfies

Gavin Sheets

Dr. Butts

Writing 111

The advancements of Selfies

            As time moves forward, and technology continues to grow and grow; we as people will see the world in a new view.  In this new phenomenon called taking “selfies”, we have now begun to be able to communicate not just through words.  We can now have a sense of experiencing things never before seen because of selfies.  We are now capable of feeling what it would be like to be in space, we can travel the world just by receiving images from friends and the public in places we would never think of going to.  When comparing these two pictures, one of Frank Sanatra and the other of Barry Wilmore, we see how far we have come and how we live in a completely new age.

            First, what is a selfie? What do they try to accomplish? We are in a world that is now controlled by social media and gaining “followers” and just being overall popular.  Selfies are a way for people to get likes on Instagram, impress people with where they are and who they are with, or just to try to impress people with their looks.  In an article done by The New Yorker, it says, “For teen-age social-media users, who generally prefer on-the-go mobile applications, like Instagram and Snapchat, the self is the message and the selfie is the medium.” Selfies have now consumed the teen-age population as well as all of the celebrities and athletes in the world.  Selfies have brought people closer to their favorite public figures and allow them to feel as though they have become friends.  Selfies give people the opportunity to feel as though they are loved when they post them to instagram in order to get hundreds of likes.  People will go to social media as a way to try and feel less lonely and feel as though they have people around them who look up to them.  Selfies are the new “cool” things to do.

           

            Lets start with what is called the first selfie taken by Frank Sanatra as a young man.  This picture was taken before cameras had a frontal camera and before Iphones were even thought of.  However, the idea behind the picture has not changed any.  It is still a person in his teens taking a photo of himself at a time when he feels he might be looking “cool”.   Unlike technology now a days where we can filter and edit the photo to make someone like Shrek look like George Clooney, this is an unedited version of young Frank.  When we compare this selfie to ones now a days there is no comparison, the places are more exotic, the picture much clearer, and many more people to view it.

           

            This selfie defines the era we are now in with technology.  We are now capable of bringing social media into space and allowing the public to experience what it would be like to be thousands of miles away from Earth.  The quote that went with this picture perfectly sums it up, .@NASA astronaut Barry Wilmore takes incredible spacewalk selfie: http://abcn.ws/1DpPEwh In the century we live in now, we have the capabilities of allowing people to be with us in our journeys and see what we see when we explore.  Yes, people can still try to impress each other with their looks and popularity; but it also now opens up the world for all of us.  For things that started as MySpace profile pictures and mirror reflection pictures, to what we have now; it is a completely new world that technology opened for us.

            When comparing these two photos we see how selfies have truly expanded in what they do.  After once being ways to impress the opposite sex, to now being able to place yourself in front of some of the worlds wonders shows the expansion.  The quality of our new cameras makes it as though we are right next to the astronaut while looking at Frank Sanatra’s selfie makes it look like an artifact. Something that was once seen as obnoxious may not be a necessarily bad tool anymore. 

            Selfies have come with the times and technology; what were once pixilated images are now HD images taken in space.  Although they can at times be obnoxious, they can also open our eyes to a whole new world.  If we can stay away from the corny selfies and actually have interesting and cool backgrounds, then the art of selfies would not be a bad thing.  A little less of Frank Sanatra selfies and a little more of Barry Wilmore’s is what the world needs. 

Work Cited:

            ABC News(@ABC) .@NASA astronaut Barry Wilmore takes incredible spacewalk selfie: http://abcn.ws/1DpPEwh Feb. 26 2015, 10:30am. Tweet.

            Losse, Kate. "The Return of the Selfie." 31 May 2013. Web. 27 Feb. 2015. <http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/the-return-of-the-selfie>.

           

            

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                                                   "The Future is what you make it to be"

Gavin Sheets

WRI 111

Dr. B

1/28/15

                                                       Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride

            Wouldn’t life be easier if we took out all the stress of driving? How would you like to be able to sit back, relax and allow the car to take care of getting you from place to place?  Sure, people can say talk is cheap, but Mercedes has actually begun to put this idea into action.  Being that Mercedes has been at the top of its class for such a long time, proves that if anyone has the capabilities of making this happen it would be them.  Once Mercedes finalizes this project it will not be long until every car manufacturer creates the models.  Before long no one will be driving their own car, instead they will be sitting in their swivel seats playing cards with the other passengers as they ride down the road. 

            Some might question how an invention like this would work and why people would want to put their trust in technology.  In an article done by GIZMODO, it discusses how others on the road will know whether the car is being self-driven or driven by a human, “Outsized LEDs, on the front and rear, that communicate whether the car is in autonomous mode or under the driver's control.” By having this feature it allows for others on the road to be aware of their surroundings and gives them a sense of caution knowing that it is being self-driven.  With laziness being a characteristic that most people attach to Americans, this is the perfect future invention that will sweep this entire nation. 

            Some say this will never happen, but that was also said about touch screen cellphones and voice controlled TV’s.  Besides, manufacturers have already begun to send out cars that can park themselves without assistance of the driver.  The future is a scary but also exciting thought, the possibilities for what is to come are endless.  With all the technological advancements that we now have, anything is now possible and autonomous cars are only one of the exciting innovations to come.

Work Cited:

            Barrett, Brian.” The New Mercedes Self-Driving Car Concept Is Packed Full of Future”. Gizmodo. 1 January 2015.

Gavin Sheets

Dr. Butts

Explanation

            So why write on a broken bat about what to me is necessary in life?  Well, my first response to that question is, “why not?”  However, there is also another reason behind it.  In my piece of writing, I discuss what I believe in and feel is extremely important to me to hold onto throughout my life.  Baseball, being one of them, clearly is a big part of my life and will always be a big part of my life.  Now although it is not what I prioritize as #1 in my values, it is a big part of who I am and how people see me.  Everyone has that one thing that people relate to him or her and associate them with, and here at Wake Forest it is baseball.  Just because baseball is a huge part of my life does not mean however that it is who I am.  In my piece I talk about who I am and try to relate a message to whoever reading it; that no matter who you are or what you do, always be true to yourself.  At the end of the day when you look in the mirror, only you are to blame for your actions and for who you are.  We are stuck with ourselves for our whole lives whether we like it or not, and if we let others control our direction in life then we will never be who we truly want to be.  This writing assignment was fun for me because it allowed me to write something that actually matters to me.  It allowed me to portray a message that I would want others to hear and to grasp.  With this being said, this is why I would be ok with it being my last words.

Gavin Sheets                                                                                                                          

3-5-15

Dr. Butts

            If your kid is looking for the perfect piece of technology that will get him through school as well as keeping him up to date on the games, then the Lenovo ThinkPad is what you are looking for.  The laptop holds all the needed features, and not to mention the price is ‘right’.   With the new lightweight, sleek feature of the outer core it allows for extra room in ones backpack while still having the same capabilities of all other laptops.  The design makes it not only easy to use and store, but also makes it highly efficient.  With a touch screen toolbar, it makes complicated functions become easily maneuverable and simple to use.  Not only does this computer offer touchscreen, it also has a voice command system that allows for hand free communication.  The HD picture on the screen allows for a near perfect picture, which will almost leave yourself thinking it is real.  The new and improved charging chord now charges your phone within 15 minutes, keeping it out of the outlet and on your lap longer.  The new auto save feature allows one to not stress out if an unexpected error occurs. The new feature will save all work every time you make a new edit to whatever it is you are working on.  When it comes down to it, this computer will make your kid the talk of the school and all of his classmates will revere him for this flashy new device.