Reading reimagined: Speed Reading with Spritz

Spritz is a new tool to help people reader at a faster rate. The application's creator, Frank Waldman, "claims it can increase a user's reading speed, without any special training, to 1,000 words per minute" (Reading). The tool works by displaying moving words or phrases across the screen at different speeds to increase the reader's comprehension speed.

This tool is great for practically everyone because reading is an important task to master no matter how old you are. You can be in preschool, high school, working, or retired; it doesn't really matter! And for those who master this tool, "reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone [would take] 77 minutes"(Reading).



The technology used in this tool is based off of the RSVP method (rapid serial visual presentation), which is when text is shown one word at a time on the screen at a constant speed. Increasing the speed after a slower speed is mastered, is what helps readers see and comprehend the text faster.

This tool increases your comprehension process because "only around 20 percent of your time is spent processing content, [and] the remaining 80 percent is spent physically moving your eyes from word to word", so when the speed is at a faster rate, your brain sorts through the text faster, because your eyes have to see the text first.

I think that this is a great tool because its versatile, its handy, and it helps with the one tool that everyone uses. So many different people can use this and any language can be programmed into the tool, giving people the option to learn a new language through Spritz. Virtually anyone can use this tool, except for those who cannot read, and those who are blind.



This invention does effect me, and the people around me because I actually have this app installed on my phone. It works great and has effectively helped me read and understand what I am reading at a faster speed. It also helps my sister read, who has always had problems reading because she has troubles focusing her eyes. With this tool, she can see the text and understand it with no problem.

The purpose of using statistics in the article and video is to inform readers how this invention works. By stating that readers only use one fifth of the time they read to comprehend, the author explains how Spritz would help strengthen a person's reading. The statistics also give the reader a sense of professionalism, and also lets the reader know that actual experiments have been tested for this invention.

"Reading Reimagined: Speed Reading with Spritz." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, n.d. Web. 16 March 2014. <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/technology-video/10692164/Reading-reimagined-speed-reading-with-Spritz.html>

Blain, Loz. Spritz reader: Getting words into your brain faster. Photograph. Gizmag. Gizmag, 04 March 2014. Web. 16 March 2014. <http://www.gizmag.com/spritz-speed-reading-galaxy-s5/31063/>

Physicians' Stethoscopes Spreading Disease?

"Physicians' stethoscopes more contaminated than palms of their hands." ScienceDaily. n.p., 27  Feb.2014. <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140227134841.htm>



Recent studies performed by investigators at the University of Geneva hospitals have shown that physicians' stethoscopes often contain more dangerous bacteria than their hands do. These studies have proven that these doctors actually spread many of the germs that infect and make citizens sick. Discovering these results is the first of many steps to learning new and more effective ways to prevent the spread of bad bacteria.


                                        

Sergey / Fotolia. Untitled. n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2014.

The numbers of deaths from viruses and the flu have increased over the past year, but doctors couldn't understand why. Now that this discovery has been acknowledged, many physicians have made the connection between the two. More precautions have been made to lessen the spread of contagious germs such as MRSA.

This article relates to my First Aid class the most because we learn about the different diseases you can contract from performing CPR on a victim, and how to prevent it. Even though a doctor's appointment isn't as dramatic and hectic as giving or receiving CPR, it is always good to know how to prevent the contraction of a disease. It is good to know they are doing something about the matter because after finding out about this newly found discovery, I didn't feel very safe going to the doctor's office.

This does effect me substantially because the germs from the patient before me may have been the thing to make me sicker than I was before. This is a problem, because then if people start associating doctors with further sickness, then no one will want to go, increasing their chances of dying from untreated illness. This also effects me because if my friends or family die because of germs caught from the physicians' stethoscope, I will be very upset and distraught.

Killing Centers During the Holocaust

During the Holocaust, Nazis needed efficient ways to exterminate Jews. Killing centers, along with death/concentration camps were the places Jews and gypsies were sent during the Holocaust. Depending on what race and gender they were, they were either sent to a camp where they were forced to work, or a camp that killed them by either being shot, gassed, or scientific experimentation. The first killing center opened was Chelmno, in December of 1941. A year later, they opened the Belzec, Sobibor, and Treblinka killing centers. These camps were referred to the Operation Reinhard camps. Auschwitz-Birkenau was by far the most imfamous killing center, killing as many as six thousand Jews a day. Majdanek was thought to be the sixth killing center of the group, but was later found to be a place to store valuable objects taken from Jewish victims. It also occasionally acted as a killing site for those who couldn't be killed at any of the other various killing centers.


"Killing Centers: An Overview". Ushmm. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, n.d. Web. 20 February 2014.

http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007327

Blog #3: Meditation Makes You More Creative, Studies Show

Studies performed by cognitive psychologists show that certain types of meditation techniques can promote creative thinking. Findings of this research further back up the idea that meditation is more than simple relaxation, but actually much more. Meditation can have long lasting effects on human cognition, such as the way we experience events and how we think.

 

Byheaven / Fotolia. Untitled. Photograph. ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, n/d. Web. 14 February 2014.

                        <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419102317.htm>.

 

These same types of meditation techniques are practiced to show effects on the divergent and convergent styles of thinking. Divergent thinking is what allows many ideas t be generated, such as thinking up ways a pen can be used. Testing for this type of thinking is called the Alternate Uses Task method. Convergent thinking is the process of identifying a common relation between things of a particular problem, such as finding the similarity between 'time', 'hair', and 'stretch', which is 'length'. This uses the Remote Associates Task method.

 

In the end, results show that not all types of meditation used had the same effects on creative thinking. Open Monitoring Meditation, which is when the participant doesn't focus on any particular thing, had a positive effect in the participant's outcome in the divergent thinking test method. This test didn't have much of an effect on the cognitive thinking side, though. The other meditation used, called  Focused Attention Meditation, was unsuccessful in both fields of thinking. This leads scientists to think: What meditation can trigger an acceleration in the cognitive thinking process?

 

I feel that this article on meditation connects to my day to day life because it could help me live a more productive lifestyle. Meditation may become an important part of a busy bee's life for those people who have a hard time focusing their mind constantly, such as some students at GECHS. I think that any exercising of the brain, whether it be through a game, schoolwork, or peaceful meditation, can be very beneficial for one's thinking process.

 

This article relates to my classes because many of our projects/assignments call for being creative, but some students may lack creativity. Meditating using the Open Monitoring method may help achieve better grades in school. I think that if there is any possible way of a positive outcome from meditation, its worth a try. I will probably do some further research on meditation, and start to practice it when I can.

 

 

Citations

 

Universiteit Leiden. "Meditation makes you more creative." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 19 April 2012. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419102317.htm>.

 

Byheaven / Fotolia. Untitled. Photograph. ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, n/d. Web. 14 February 2014.

                        <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419102317.htm>.

Historic Freeze Brings Rare Danger Warning

Over the past few weeks, Chicago and other cities have had a record low temperature due to the artic sweep across the country. These snow storms have caused many accidents, illnesses or deaths, and other problems. Temperatures have been so cold, zoos have pulled their typical artic animals such as polar bears and penguins inside until it warms up. Chicago's record low was minus eleven, and "Nashville, Tennessee was 40 degrees colder than Albany, New York; Memphis 20 degrees colder than Anchorage, Alaska; and Atlanta colder than Moscow, Russia", according to Matt Smith and Josh Levs.

This weather effects me a lot, because even though it isn't snowing here, it is still cold and accidents can still happen. It has been raining a lot lately and the roads ice easily. I am also worried about my loved ones, because they live in the northern states and they don't handle snow well. I just hope this weather passes because I am tired of the cold and gloominess that is 'winter'.

I knew something was up with the weather, but I had no idea how severe it was. Temperatures are so backwards, and people are getting sick and dying. Wind chills in the minus forties can cause frostbite in a minutes, the National Weather Service warned. I have seen stories on the news where truckers freeze while trying to tend to their trucks, which is terrifying because my step father drives trucks. The worst thing is that  meteorologists haven't really predicted how long it will last, but its been going on long enough, in my opinion.

I am scared to know how much worse this weather can get, if that's even possible. A lot of people weren't ready for this shift in temperature and weather. Many people are unable to get to work and school, even in the more northern states, where snow is more common. Hopefully things switch up, and spring comes early this year.

How does the author support his claim? Use evidence from the selection to support your answer.
The authors use the real life situations of citizens around the country and statistics from weather reports. This article states that the "'polar vortex' pushing into much of the United States is not just another winter storm", but much more. These are some of the coldest temperatures between now and the last twenty years. The weather was so bad, the "Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton ordered the state's roughly 2,000 public schools to close, the first such order [in that region] since 1997". This weather is dangerous, so hopefully it passes soon.




http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/06/us/winter-weather/

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Literacy Blog 10

1) What are the benefits of global warming, according to the author?

Governments are benefiting from it financially, which is allowing people to have the necessary precautions for storms, drought, and disease. 


2) How will increasing wealth enable us to adapt to climate change in the future?

 "Global warming has so far cut heating bills more than it has raised cooling bills. If it resumes after its current 17-year hiatus, and if the energy efficiency of our homes improves, then at some point the cost of cooling probably will exceed the cost of heating — probably from about 2035, Prof Tol estimates."


3) Why should we care if climate change has caused a 1.4% increase in global economic output?

 Because For some people, this means the difference between survival and starvation.


4) Is it possible to compare the costs and benefits of global warming? If so, what does this tell us about what policies we should make? If not, what does this tell us about the policies we should make?

I don't think it's really possible to completely lay our the overall costs and benefits of global warming. 

http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/9057151/carry-on-warming/

Literacy Blog 9

I feel that this is pretty crazy, but also very believable because many people in this country are obese and this may be one of the reasons why. Many people no good and well that these kinds of foods, whether they be cakes, crackers, ice cream, candy, etc, are bad for them... but they don't stop eating them. Other people keep away freom them but see them as a reward. If i run 4 miles today, I get five oreos. That would be my grattification for acheiving that goal. Either way, these foods fill a significant place in our brains- a place that creates pleasure. The taste of sugary and fatty foods seem to create a pleasurable feeling neurologically for us. I think its because if its something that we aren't suppose to have, we want it. And the fact that our taste buds react positively to sweet things also goes along with that. This is probably why we find these foods as a reward. I thing it is slightly different from taking drugs, however, because it seems to me that drugs feel like such a need. They have to have it, or that is what their body is telling them. But food is more of a want. Food is more of a comfort thing and drugs are more of a'trip'. Drugs are used to forget pain and reality. But I feel like in extreme cases of food addiction, food can have the same effects as drugs. I know that "Even though we associate significant health hazards in taking drugs like cocaine and morphine, high-fat/high-sugar foods may present even more of a danger because of their accessibility and affordability." The risk of extreme obesity is way higher, because debbie cakes and oreos are a lot cheaper than cocain, or crystal meth. I feel that this is a serious problem.