Turn the page review

      
 This project was a very good idea on how to get people study material for whatever they are studying all in one place. Many textbook companies will charge people a lot of money just to get access to a book that they would only use for a semester or  year and then never use again. It leads many people to having to take loans out just to get through the class and then do it all over again for the next class. The idea for this project was very good and I do agree that this is a good way to get information and textbooks for the classes all in one place. The problem I see is how would this not be considered plagiarism. We did discuss this in class and I do agree that just posting texts to rent or for people to look at can lead to one believing that it could be plagiarism by taking the book and posting it for a cheaper price. The group would need to figure a way around that or try to come up with another solution to this problem. If not, it could lead to many legal actions being taken against the group if this was ever posted up to be a real website. Other than that I think this is a very good way to help people who may need the study material for a class but may not have the money to get the books they need. Many people come from poor backgrounds or low income families so I can see the issue that the project raises. I think that the group also mention that the group plans to help those who are affected by DACA. I feel that this is also a good idea to help those who are affected by the changes and by the recent news of it getting removed all together. The group would need to iron out the edges and the problems with the idea but I could see that as being a really good idea for help those people. Overall, this project has some really good ideas that could make difference with the issue raised by this and can help with people affected by the targeted audience of what the group was going for. There are some problems that the group would need to fix and adjust but other than that it is a good idea.

A better meal review

        This projects has a good idea on how to help with food waste and helping feed those that may need food though there are some major issues with the idea that would need to be revised. First, I think that there are a lot of food that we waste, especially first world countries. Restaurants just throw out perfectly good food that hasn't been eaten and wastes it. I think that there should be an alternative to help reduce the waste produced. The idea raised by this group tried to help with the app and device that they made. The problem I can see with this is that they would need to find a way to deal with the problem of getting the food received  to people and eaten by those people in a short time. The device would let the owner of the device when their food would be bad and if they wanted to donate that food to their food donation bank but the food would probably go bad really fast if they decide to donate the food that about to go bad. It would leave very little time to get the food to people fresh. Another problem would be the lyft drivers they said would be the ones getting food from people and getting that to the banks. I think that they should make their own delivery service for that purpose. Other than that I can see this being a nice idea that could reduce food waste and feed people at the same time. I honestly do agree that we are very wasteful when it comes to food and that we have a lot of people that don't even know where their next food is coming from. I come from a low income family so I know the feeling of where is our next meal coming from. I think that it this idea were to be real with all of the problem fixed that this would be a really good idea and could lead to stopping hunger in many areas in the nation or even help in the world. Overall, this was a nice idea and could be a very impactful thing that could help a really real issue in the world. The problems would need to be fixed but other than that, I could see this being a real thing that can help a really big issue of hunger.

A Better Meal Review

            A Better Meal was an attempt to feed the hunger but the means were terrible. The idea to give hungry almost expired food bothered me. I almost did not like the idea of taking excess food from restaurants because what if the food is bad or burnt. Sometimes restaurants are not clean and can hurt the customers if the food is bad. How would the food be regulated? I think it would be better to focus on nonperishable food because you are asking the food banks to rush and cook whatever they are given. Another problem is what if the food the food bank is given has been tampered with? If the food bank received the food, they would have to cook it that day for the homeless and this is a bad idea. Since the food bank already has plans of what is going to be cooked that day, they would need some type of way of knowing what is coming in so they can know what they are expecting and what they may need to change.

            I thought the app was an interesting concept. I thought it was cool how it can look at a receipt and know when the food would be expired. But now that I think about that is problematic and unachievable. How would an app know what day it was made or selected and what kind of app is able to scan the exact food you are talking about? Would this app be tied to every grocery store and have a barcode system linked in? Also how many days would it be before the app lets you know that it is time to take it to the food bank? Final question about the app, will the food you already used automatically disappear or would you have to remove it from the app manually?

            The reach of this app is wild. First of all, no Lyft driver, or Uber, or any driver that gets paid in that way for that matter will driver all the way to someone’s house just to pick up almost expired food and drive it to one of the very few food banks in Memphis just for free. Also, this app is only aimed at older people who go shopping and cook often. Most apps are used for the younger crowds and this does not reach them. Overall, the idea was nice and important to acknowledge but it has more flaws that were not thought out. 

Heat Guard Review

Heat Guard is a creative idea to solve the problem of leaving a child or pet in the car. Many of us would say we wouldn't leave our loved ones in the car but it is something that can happen to anyone. We all have rough days and days when we can't even handle our own self. Those are the days when we make small mistakes like leaving your keys in the car, forgetting your phone in the store or even losing your wallet. Mistakes happen and it can happen to anyone. The problem isn't who will leave their child or pet in the car, the problem is how can we decrease the number of incidents that are caused by leaving a loved one in the car. Well, Heat Guard addresses that issue by creating a seatbelt that senses and alerts you when their is a living being left in the car. Especially, I believe that a lot of people leave their pets in the car on purpose and believe that by leaving the window cracked it won't affect them. I myself have done that, but I was also quick to leave the store and acknowledged the temperature outside. There is no excuse for leaving your love ones in the car and Heat Guard not only addresses the importance for it but also gives a usable technology to solve that issue.
     The only issue that is in my concern is that I believe this will only be effective for higher class people or people who are getting a vehicle. I know we addressed this issue in class but I do not see a way around it. The group mention that it would cost around $150 but I do not believe that is considered cheap for a lot of people. Yes, it is not expensive but let's be honest would we really buy something like that? The reason people leave their children or pets in the car is because they forget and many don't believe that they are capable of that. Other just believe that cracking the window is good enough. Most people do not have that kind of budget to spend $150 on something when they think they can avoid the incidents. I know that the group mentioned that they would place certain cameras and things in every car but it would still be a lot to work with. Keeping that in mind, not everyone buys new cars or cars from the dealership. Most people with economical issues by cheap used cars from the internet or from other people. Other than that concern, I believe that if the group finds a good way to promote the product and make it successful it would be an awesome idea and for a great cause!

Mentality Reality Review

I think Mentality Reality was a great project.  I think the website, if it were real, would help a whole lot of people. I believe the group worked very hard on the concept for their project. Mental health is something that many people tend to overlook but it is a major issue for lots of people in the world. The group was very thorough with and did a good job on explaining their mission and what things you could do to help. I like how they explained the different types of mental issues and that people with these problems are not alone in life. I also enjoyed that even some group members did videos of themselves drawing/playing an instrument and put it on the website. I especially liked when the dad had his little dancing video. I know of people that have mental health issues. I think music is a great idea for the website. Music has been said to be a great way to relieve stress and calm people down in some situations. Music is a great stress reliever for me, especially. Art is also a great addition. I was surprised by the art video and how calming it actually was. It made me want to look into it more. Some people love to look at art as a way to calm themselves. I would add some types of things that appeal to people who like to watch videos in hopes that the videos would help them relax when they have mental health complications. Like videos about how things are made, or videos about people painting or creating something. Another good addition would be to add an exercise section. Often, some people find doing physical exercise as a good way to relieve stress and relax from problems of mental health issues. For instance, some people like to run, or bike, or do things like yoga. Yoga for beginners and intermediate would be something nice. It could be added to give people an option on other things to do. I do not recall if this was apart of the presentation or not, but I think there should be some type of suggestion section for hot lines to help people talk through what they are feeling. Along with that I believe there should perhaps be a section for comments. Mentality Reality is probably one of the best presentations I have seen.

A review of Mentality Reality

Why would I visit a website that offers video complications of drawing, dancing and playing an instrument? There are Youtube channels based on doing exactly those things. So what the point in the website? I don't really know. There were offers for games on the website too but you have to buy them either way unless they create their own. Websites like Steam allow you to play games that can be free or you pay for. Mental health is a huge issue that isn't discussed that often. I think it would have been a better idea to offer a service to teach people about issues in mental health. I would have preferred to see a solution to combat mental health issues instead of a distraction from them. I do understand the need to relax, to get out of your head for a little bit. As someone who has depression, I find myself watching drawing videos on Youtube but I never probably cope with my problems if I constantly push them away. "Make your dreams a reality". My dream is to not have to deal with that complete numbness I feel from my depression but how can watching videos do that? They can't. There is no one cure for depression. Yes, I might feel slightly happy after watching a dad attempt to mimic a professional dancer but my issues aren't being properly dealt with. If I willingly ignore my problems and cope by distracting myself, I am not making a healthy decision. I am masking the numbness of depression with a temporary happiness. After a while, I will no longer feel that happiness from watching videos and I still have depression. All in all, I don't see how this website would be helpful to someone suffering from those kinds of illnesses.

A Better Meal App

https://marvelapp.com/32hh0cd/screen/35695979

PTS-Talk

PTS-Talk is a website that allows people who suffer from Post traumatic stress disorder to have a place where they can find comfort. Post traumatic stress disorder is a disorder in which a person has difficulty recovering after experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event. PTS-Talk gives people with PTSD a place where they can explain their experiences and view other people's experiences and learn from each other. In today’s society, the internet is where people feel more comfortable and PTS-Talk gives their audience the ability to be behind a screen and not have to feel judged. This creates privacy and allows people to express themselves without fear. There may a problem with people who abuse the website and may discriminate people's experience. Other than that, I think the website is a great idea and would help a lot of people. 

 I have to say, that the group did a fantastic job presenting their presentation and the meaning behind each person’s motive to build this website makes the idea even more meaningful. They were great with public speaking and knowing their information. I believe that if the group decides to pursue this idea it would become very successful. I think that the website could not only help people with PTSD but also people who have suffered tragic events in their life. The website gives an opportunity for people to stay anonymous. I do not suffer from PTSD but I personally feel that I benefit from this website. 

A Better Meal Review

A Better Meal was conceptually a good idea, but I can't see this being able to really work out. When the group first mentioned taking the excess food from restaurants at the end of the day, I immediately threw up a red flag. I remember asking my dad about why restaurants throw out so much food when I was a bit younger and I don't remember exactly what he said. However, I did look this up and, as mentioned during their project, there are really no laws against good faith food donations. The problem comes in because of liability concerns. If any of the food they donate causes harm or sickness to anyone, the restaurant can be sued. So the biggest feat in that area would be convincing chains and restaurants that they won't be held possibly liable.

The receipt scanner was a really unique idea. Getting notifications when you're food reached close to its expiration date makes it a lot easier to keep up with what you really have available. Having links to meals you can make with these items is so handy. My problem with that is donating it to food banks. I respect and agree with the statement the group made about any little thing being able to help, but I don't think it's right to donate basically spoiled food. Where is the good in giving someone what is essentially garbage?

The Lyft ride is somewhat flawed. Mainly for funding and demand. This app would have to be very widely used for there to be enough demand regularly to have lyft drivers making these trips and then not even getting paid for them. I definitely think that this pickup service could and should happen but the drivers would have to be employed directly and specifically through the organization. Any other way would cause to much hassle for the driver and for A Better Meal.

The only other thing that kinda bothered me was the fact that this idea wasn't really targeted at our age group. Not many college student are buying groceries right now, and if they are, they are buying close to exactly what they are planning to use. This application would have to be for someone more stable into their career and probably with a family. And then, I don't think this audience would really take the time out to keep their receipt and actually take action when they get this notification to their phone. Other than theses fixes, which I do believe can be worked around, the concept could be very fruitful. 

Catfish

The narrative Catfish exhibited how the web can be extremely beguiling and manipulative. You never know who is on the opposite side of the web. Unfortunately, Nev took in the most difficult way possible when he discovered that the lady, Angela, he was informing and conversing with on the telephone was an indistinguishable individual from Megan, Abby, and alternate various individuals engaged with the string. Actually, I wasn't highly amazed because I am completely mindful of the many phony advertisements, news, and so on that the web gives to individuals. I totally understood why Angela did what she did, however I trust she wasn't thinking clear about how Nev would feel about it. That is to say, Nev truly thought he had a profound association with Megan, yet tragically, he was deceived by counterfeit love, in spite of the fact that I trust Angela had affections for Nev, however not the a different way.

Comparative things occur in the web like misrepresentation and tricks, where obscure people influence individuals to subscribe to something, purchase something, or open something. When they have somebody on their snare, just the most exceedingly bad can happen: wholesale fraud. Although some may think about this the most genuine case, I trust that what Nev experienced is significantly more noticeable and awful. Envision what number of children and adolescents approach the web. Nev isn't the main casualty as there are numerous other potential more youthful individuals who may look far more awful destinies then what Nev experienced.

At last, Nev didn't confront Angela with outrage and sickness after he got some answers concerning her. He rather needed to know every bit of relevant information and only reality. In the end, Nev started to understand the thinking behind Angela's doings, yet it didn't ease his sentiments towards the phony association he had with the nonexistent Megan. Actually, I figure Nev made the best decision of standing up to Angela and discovering why she did what she did. I figure individuals ought to do likewise and discover more about the individual he or she is conversing with on the web since you never know who's on the opposite side. From Nev's involvement, I figure we would all be able to discover that we should be careful of the companions you have on any online networking locales like Facebook. Some place in that companion's will be somebody who isn't generally them like we have found Nev would say. It's each of the a matter of being subjective about it and making a point to hit the acknowledge catch when you fill you know the individual exceptionally well.

CatFish

This documentary showed me what some people are capable of doing. It was centered around Nev and his internet friendship with a little girl named Abby It was filmed by his brother and his brother's business partner. They first got in touch after Nev took a picture that got featured in a magazine, Abby then sent him a painting of the photo that he had taken. After th at they became friends. Nev would take pictures and abbey would paint them. Abby was a really good painter and her mom told Nev that her painting were selling for a lot of money. Intrigued by their friendship Nev's brother decided that he wanted to document what their friendship was like.

It starts super innocent. Then he start talking to Abby's sister Megan and they kind of started to have a romantic relationship. One night she asked him to give him suggestions for a song that she would write him one. After she was done they discovered that the song that she said she wrote for him she didn't actually write it, or any of the other song that it said on her page that she wrote.

After they found this out they decided that they should see how much Abby' family had been lying to them. They discovered that the art studio that Abbey's mom said she owned was just an abandoned building. After finding this out they decided that they would drive up there and see what was actually going on. During the road trip New started to have doubts and his brother told him he can stop whenever he wants to. They all agree to keep going,because they all  wondered what exactly they had been lied to about.

The first place they went to is Megan farm. When they get there they collect the mail, which included the mail they sent to her. They drive up to the barn and Nev looks in. There aren't any horse like Megan said there was. After they figure it out they decide to leave and start preparing for the next day.

When they arrive at Abby's house the next day her mother Angela answers the door. She doesn't look anything like the picture that is on Facebook and neither does her husband. She also tells them she has cancer. There are also two other children in the house that Nev and them didn't know about. They tell them that Abby isn't there, but at a beach house and that Megan isn't there either.Later on they all go to the beach house. Abby is there but doesn't seem to really know who any of them are.  After talking to Abby and her friend they learn that she hasn't seen Megan in a long time.

After they learn this they figure out that Angela is in love with Nev and also the person that he has been talking to this entire time. They confront her the next day and she does tell them the truth.She tells them that she has made a lot of different facebook acoounts. She also admits to being the one who New has been talk in to this entire time. While she is drawing him she tells him that she feels bad causing him so much pain. When she is done they leave.

Later on he gets the drawing in the mail. We then find out the Anglea didn't have cancer. She deleted all of the fake Facebook accounts. She now has one of her own with her own picture. Nev is one of her friends on Facebook. We also learn that she now has a website where she sells her art.

If something like this ever happened to me I'm not sure what I would do. I don't think that I would be able to forgive them like New did. If I did forgive them I'm not sure if i would ever be able to trust them really. I don't think anyone should ever lie and say they are someone they are not. The documentary showed me that people are capable of doing so many different things.

Turn The Page Review

Turn the Page, i think the idea for this project had a lot of really really great potential.

First the issue with the college textbooks. while yes we as college students are getting robbed blind on text books i really do not know how practical this idea would be by copyright alone. Personally I believe the problem is with the colleges/professors themselves. At the end of the day the professors are the ones that are picking what books they use for their classes. Having gone to a college that actually made special edition textbooks for the school only i think actually being able to get all the books that a student needs would be really hard. Most if not almost all colleges use different textbooks for each class and most are subject to change from year to year. That being said i think this would be something to maybe take off that part of the website.

Secondly, the DACA issue while yes it is something that truly does need to be talked about i think the information available on this issue is not sufficient enough to be included in the website. I'm not trying to say its not an important issue for lots of people but having talked first hand to relatives and friends that are affected by DACA being resended I think the website including this issue itself is not the best idea given that there is literally nothing that can be done for them at the moment. After their DACA expires they are just left in limbo and i think awareness is important but  that doesn't stop the issue of the people that have DACA not being able to do anything once their DACA expires. Even the scholarships and financial aid would not be of use to them.

The tutors for each section and the ASL section of the website is a really great idea. I personally know people that would really benefit from this even not being in school so this would be something really great to have someone actually make.

Final Project Review: Mentality Reality

Mentality Reality was a very great project.  I think this group really worked hard on the concept for their presentation. Mental health is something that lots of people tend to overlook but it is a major issue for lots of people in the world. Knowing lots of people that have mental health issues and also knowing people that have committed suicide i think this website if it were real would help lots of people. For me personally music is something that always helps me when i'm feeling upset and also art. I am in no way an art major or even someone that can draw well but i do like to doodle when i'm stressed. A suggestion or considerations i would suggest to put under the art section i think would be to include some adult coloring pages. I know in recent years these have come around more. I think it would be another way for people to be able to take part in the art section even if they aren't the best artist and it something that is really easy to include and wouldn't be too hard to include it in the website. Another suggestion i would have under possibly the music section could be some links to some calming or upbeat songs. Music I find doesn't always have to be making music i find listening to music to be very calming and as a stress relief. As far as the physical parts i think a good addition would be yoga. Yoga for beginners and intermediate would be something nice just like the musical instrument instructions it could be added to just give people an option on other things to do. Overall i think the project was well thought out and its a really great concept that if actually made would be a great benefit to many people.

EDU Battery Presentation

Project Title: EDU Battery
Group Members: Erin Aulfinger, Jared Schools, Ian Dover

EDU Battery is a service dedicated to the Christian Brothers University community. Through its circuit forums TextSwap and GroupWith, it allows students to network with each other and collaborate on ways to save money and improve their grades. TextSwap allows students to collaborate on the necessity of a book for a class, and to find cheap alternatives to purchasing a physical text. GroupWith is an application forum where students can find others in a course, or other courses, with similar study habits and create study groups and schedules.

Presentation: EDU Battery Google Slides
Website: EDU Battery
GroupWith Google Form: GroupWith Application Form
Instagram: edu.battery

I.O.U. Transport

One group that presented offered the idea for a college transport service called I.O.U. Transport. The idea was loosely based off of Uber and looked to fix all the small errors that Uber clearly has. The group thought of having student drivers to help new students who don’t have a car or friends get around town. Not everyone has a car and some students want a job so this service could fulfill both of those things. The group stressed how Uber has shortcomings and this service was meant to create a close network within the college and also to help keep students safe. There are countless stories of Uber trips going wrong and women often the victims. But I.O.U Transport makes me wonder, how will they stay safe and protect their customers. Sexual Assault is very common in college, in fact freshman girls are most vulnerable. What can be done to prevent a possible male driver from taking advantage of girls he drives? Yes, you could fire them and have them arrested, but the poor girl has to live with that. How could that be prevented from the onset? Or can it?

            As to whether or not this is a moral issue, I am not completely sure. The premise of it is to help people get place to place when they do not know anyone else on campus. But that is what a taxi service does too. Is the fact that it is trying to create a safer environment for college students that makes it solve a moral issue? Or is Uber itself the moral issue? I am kidding on the last part. This project idea seems more suitable for a larger campus operation, but it would be safer on a smaller scale college such as CBU. What I mean by that is on a large campus, more students will be without a car and plus its more space on campus to travel. A small campus like CBU has everyone know everyone else and it won’t be too hard to find rides. But the fact that it’s a small campus makes the student more likely to know and trust who is driving them. The overall idea of this service is not a bad one, may need small improvements but it is promising.