Friday, January 15, 2010

LB 1-5 Period 5

99 comments:

  1. That is so cool how someone posted on our blog and we have not even gotten to class!

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  2. When do you guys think this book was set?

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  3. I think this book was set modern day as their technology mirrors our very closely.

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  4. Good question Janie.
    I was thinking the same thing!

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  5. So it seems like Marcus (Winston) plans on revenge. So how is he going to try and get revenge when he is being watched.

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  6. Class do you think that we as human guard our privacy and dignity so closely?

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  7. But there are not systems for computers in our world like there are in the book... or are there?

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  8. Janie-
    The novel seems to be based in the present or near future.

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  9. Janie-
    It seems like the technology is a lot like ours. We probably do have the technology but at the moment they are not used the way they are being used in the book.

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  10. Monick-
    I hope that the technology now isn't like the technologies in the book! It's freaky the way that things are run in their world!

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  11. Janie-
    It seems like it is set in present day or future because in the bookt he reference 9/11 and other events that happened recently.

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  12. Janie-
    To me it seems like we have a good amount of the same technology but it may not be used in the same ways as the book.

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  13. Janie

    Computer systems in the book already exist today, such as the keylogger in his laptop and the server he used.

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  14. Ya that is true Janie.
    It just makes me wonder, what kind of things are there in our society that we really don't know about?

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  15. Class-
    Has anyone ever worked with similar technology that is used in the novel? Has anyone done research on the technology?

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  16. Chloe-
    I think that we guard it so closely because its our own personal space. It exactly like what he said in the book. Everything we do is out there, and these little things of privacy that we have we want to keep.

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  17. Chloe-
    This is a great point. I forgot that they used refrences to 9/11.
    Josh-
    How do you know that technology isn't being used that way? What would you do if you found out it was being used that way?

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  18. The way they track the books is not that much different from the way the government can track our phones. So why not use that same technology to track other things.

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  19. Chloe-
    I think that humans try to guard our privacy because we feel like it is the one thing that can never be stripped away, but in reality we really are just trying to guard ourselves.

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  20. Chloe,

    I think that because we are human we think that we have total control over our privacy. People think that if they have an online account with a password everything they post is secure. However, they are wrong. There are people (hackers) that can access anything.

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  21. Alex-
    I haven't researched any of the technology but I do understand some of the technology that Marcus uses like putting a lock on phone and having your email delete messages every minute.

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  22. Alex


    I have messed with some of the technology mentioned in the book. Servers, keyloggers, and more importantly the software they use to monitor people. Those already exist in the form of viruses, spyware malware, etc. Some are undetectable, while others can be found using anti virus software.

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  23. Janie-
    That is a great point because we never hear about the way some of these things are being used. The cameras could be using the different things described in the text.

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  24. Monick-
    Your point is the scary thing about technology, Who's to say that we won't have all the tehnology they do?

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  25. Nathan/Jay-
    I can see where both of you are coming from. Many people think that their privacy is guarded and it's ther own. However we forget to remember that privacy is a priviledge not a right.

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  26. Monick
    Have you seen the Dark Knight? They use phones to see everything in the city. They use that same type of technology there.

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  27. Ryan-
    Whose to say that we have the technology, just we don't know how to use it! Maybe more people are hackers than we know!

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  28. Ryan

    The technology used in the book already exists today just not as powerful or plentiful.

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  29. Class-
    What thoughts do you have about the disappearance of Darryl?

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  30. Alex-
    I think that he is still in the prison due to his injuries but it could be that he was completley ignored and died in the street.

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  31. Edmond-
    I'm curious, how do you know about those types of technologies? Where did you read that? Or hear that?

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  32. Nick-
    Yeah I have seen that movie. There is also the movie Eagle Eye, about this Super Computer that the government created that can access anything on the web or connect to the satalites. Who says the government isn't already keeping track of all information?

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  33. Alex
    I think that Darryl was not cooperative with the government and that they are holding him until he does cooperate

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  34. alexd- I have a feeling that Deryll died. He was bleeding on the ground, there is no way he could have survived bombing or the harsh treatment of homeland security. I think his purpose in the book is to fuel Marcus's need for revenge.

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  35. Janie-
    That is a great point. There is a great possibilty the technology exists because we would have know way of knowing unless we are told and that's really scary.

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  36. Alex-
    I think that Darryl may have been more involoved then we know.I think he must have been more aware of the terrorist attack then anyone else, or he probably would not have been taken for so long.

    Or he is dead.

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  37. Alex-
    I honestly don't know what happened to Darryl but I think that he either was killed and that is going to lead Marcus to take down the Department of Homeland Security. Or he could be alive and Marcus will go and find him.

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  38. Going to the idea about cenorship that the inner circle is talking about. We are already censored. In school we can't do or say things. We can't access certain websites online. In the real world, some people can't get their music or movies produced because it is something an innocent person can't see.

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  39. Chloe-
    As humans we have the choice to keep to ourselves, or put our whole life on Facebook. It all comes down to a persons choice.

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  40. Going back to one of the first questions, I think this book was set not to far into the future because it talks about myspace and Smith showed us the "sixth sense" technology and if we have that now then not too far into the future we could have so much more

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  41. Class-

    Do you think that there is a coincidence that both the main characters in Little Brother and 1984 are named Winston?

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  42. Monick
    Yeah, thats what you have to think about, I mean look at 1984 thats how it all started, the government whatching people.

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  43. Nate-
    Yeah I thought that was totally weird!!!

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  44. Janie

    I've built computers and learned about the software used with computers. All the technology I've seen him use so far in the book already exists. The lock on his cellphone, the ways he makes things hidden on the computer is like some viruses that exist today.

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  45. ryanh-

    I agree. Their is no way for us to know if we are being watched even as we sit in this classroom right now. For all we know, the Department of Homeland Security could be just as corrupt and cruel as Doctrow portrays, and we would never know.

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  46. Edmond-
    Wow, that's crazy. It's scary to think that perhaps if more people read this book... Who knows what people could obtain and start controlling and hacking?

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  47. Nathaniel-
    technically it is Double-you-one-enn-five-tee-zero-enn

    But, yes I think that they are both warning us about the future, and it would be a way to connect the books, and help readers who have read 1984 better.

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  48. Class- Why is privacy so important to many? In your opinion, do you think privacy is worth giving up for security. Is Marcus justified in his rebellion.

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  49. nate-
    I think it is really weird that both characters names are Winston. It gets you thinking why are they the same what was Doctorow's thinking in using the same name?

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  50. Jay-
    That's true. We as humans and with the technology out there sometimes put so much information about our private life on the internet. Sometimes we delete it but even when it's deleted the information is still always there. So when people get hacked or tracked down because of the information we give it's our fault because we're setting ourselves up to get our privacy taken away.

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  51. Class-- Going on what Michelle said about corssing certain lines, who says we have lines that we cross. Is it just our imagination that we have certain lines, or are there actual lines that we as humans do cross.

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  52. Janie

    People already control and hack things today. Facebook is periodically hacked and personal information is stolen. Emails are hacked and again personal information is stolen. Technology is so advanced now that your cellphone is more powerful than a computer 15 years ago.

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  53. tatianaa-

    Maybe Doctorow used the same name to show similarity with 1984. I imagine Doctrow wanted to warn us that the warning in 1984 has not passed. We still are willing to give up our rights for what feels secure or easy.

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  54. Melissa-
    My privacy is my first priority. I canprotect myself but if i dont have privacy, then everyone will know everything about me so i wouldn't be able to protect myself.

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  55. Class- This book has raised a question for me. How much should we trust our government?

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  56. melissa-
    That is a good point. Maybe his thinking is it is even easier now with the technology we have to become a soicety like the one here or in 1984

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  57. Monick-
    In Democratic societies, citizens create a series of "lines" or limitations, to help them feel secure. As in the novel 1984, reality and truth exists only in the mind.

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  58. monickc2013

    There are social lines that are drawn and looked down on if crossed. There is the line between sanity and insanity. There is the line between trust and untrustworthy. So yes, there are lines draw but they are visible to everyone.

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  59. Melissa-
    I really don't know how to answer that. Before, I thought that I could trust my leaders... But 1984 and Little Brother have made me think twice about this. It's strange, and definitely spinning things in a new direction for me.

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  60. Melissa-
    I think our only choice is to trust the government because we don't know a lot of things. But since we don't know everything the government does we almost have to openly trust the government.

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  61. melissa
    I'm not sure if we should trust the government at all. How do we know that is going on? We don't. So maybe we should not put exstensive trust into the government.

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  62. Going off of the question Kyler asked in the circle did the dad change and if so why did he? Why is he so for homeland security and all of that?

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  63. Alex & Silvana
    But aren't all those lines created by different perspectives. Its all about perspective I think. Like how Alex said, democrats and rebulicans have different lines. Something a Rebulican might do is to far overline the line for democrats. So I find it difficult to draw lines when there are so many points of views.

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  64. Melissa-
    As long as my back doesn't have a scratch on it, I will trust my goverment.

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  65. Melissa-
    How do we know how much information is censored from us by the government?

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  66. Janie-
    I agree with you and now I wonder who to put my trust in. I think these books want to show what authority might become but I also wonder if they want us to know what kind of authority we need to survive.

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  67. tatiana
    Maybe it is becasue he is scared. People give up freedom to get what they think is "Safety."

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  68. tatianna-

    I think you pose a good point. People tend to trust the internet too mcuh, and so leave tons of personal information for all to see. Also, in order to moniter its citizens, a government needs the technology to watch everyone. In our school alone, I have seen cameras. Imagine how else we can be monitered. I believe people give into monitering when we want to feel safe. I think Doctorow might also be trying to tell us as Americans that, although we tend to take our freedoms for granted and think that we will never give them up, we are quite ready to give up freedom. We do so with the patriot act because we want to feel safe from terrorism.

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  69. Janie-
    The thing is we have no idea. The only way for us to know is if we find out or we are told, but if we are told will we believe it?

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  70. I think that the government in itself should be trusted, but only to the extent of checks and balances. When our government system was created, a system to check the power of each branch of government was instituted. This system still exists today. I think that we need to trust those in positions of power to check each other to prevent the abuse of power.

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  71. Ryan-
    I don't know!!!! It's scaring me to know that people I like and trust may be lying and decieving all of us!!! How do we know ANYTHING is true anymore???

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  72. Class-
    How is our class similar to Marcus and how are we different? In the novel we can see that Marcus challenges the system often (at school and while he was detained by Homeland Security). In our class, we are also learning how to challenge the system, and question things rather than unknowingly accept them.

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  73. Danny
    But there will always be the abuse of power. How do we not know that isn't going on now?

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  74. Janie-
    I think that we don't know anything is true. After all, who invented the truth? What makes something true?

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  75. Alex-
    In my view, it seems that Marcus maybe challenges the system too much... Maybe he should just leave things alone sometimes. Challenging the system is a lot less effective if it happens all the time.

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  76. jayk-

    I agree that it is a good idea to have some trust in your government, but blind trust is dangerous. You say that you will trust the government until you have a scratch on your back, so wouldn't it make sense that the government would slowly move toward corruption and censorship and then scratch you when it is too late for you to do anything about it? I think we have to be careful. For all we know, the Patriot Act could be nothing more but a move toward a 1984 society.

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  77. Danny-
    I don't know. Who knows? How is anyone supposed to know?

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  78. Danny
    Proof makes things true. Physical proof can't be a lie.

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  79. Melisa
    I think that people tend to trust anything to anybody who remove choices from their lives. The wave from History is a great example their teacher took away decesions and they are happy.

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  80. Janie

    I agree if Someone challenges the sytem too much then it isn't really challenging the system if it is expected.

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  81. Janie-
    The sad thing is, we don't. I know that who ever came up with "ignorance is bliss" really knew what they were talking about. Another thing is a conspiracy theory is that we could know everything because these authors could just b writing out of pure imagination, but that is a slim chance.

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  82. Silvana-
    We don't know that if people in the government are abusing power right now. This is because we are not in power either. The checks and balances system was designed so that politicians would check each other's power. If one is corrupt, the person is able to hide it, but chances are that they will eventually be discovered, and the checks and balances system used for justice.

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  83. Alex-
    I think our class is kind of different from Marcus because our learning environment is different and he chose to challenge the system because something was taken away from him. We learn to challenge the system so things aren't taken away from us.

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  84. ryanh

    The fact that we do not know much about the government's doing does not mean to me that we have to trust them. If anything, this would make me more suspicious. Maybe a good thing to do would be to look for information on government actions from a variety of sources. The best way to be taken advantage of is to be ignorant.

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  85. Melissa-
    I said till I get a scratch on my back i would trust them, I never said that i would let them scratch me.

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  86. Melissa-
    If the government controls what is put into society there really is no other sources without violating the Espionage act. I don't think ignorance is a good thing but it's scary to think about all of this.

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  87. Chloe-
    Marcus feels as if his freedom is being taken from him by his school and Homeland Security. He feels that he should stand up for his freedom.

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  88. Dannyv-

    To me, it seems possible that the checks and balances system could be used toward corruption. We would hope that someone in the government would warn the public but, in certain situations, might the three houses try to work together to grab unlimited power? If you look at times of war, such as World War 1, all the houses worked to limit the right to free speech because they felt allowing people to speak out against the war was danger to the United States. This could happen now.

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  89. Melissa-
    I admit that I would like to know more of what is going on inside the government, but we also have to think about how secrecy helps to insure our safety. If we know about every high priority mission or weapon, ow would these assets ever be used successfully when deployed. The enemies of the U.S. would know exactly how to get past these defensive obstacles, leaving a public that knows everything about the government perfectly vulnerable.

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  90. i agree with what nick said. The Wave that we watched in History is a good example because the kids had no idea what they were getting into and before they could stop they were loyal to the WAVE and would do anything to defend it.

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  91. Alex-
    I know he does but in our class the books that we read and things we learn are how our freedom can be taken away and it tells how we should challenge the system. Our freedom hasn't been taken away from us yet.

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  92. melissa
    I really with your point! This really could happen now all over again.

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  93. ryanh-

    It is very frightening. That is why we have to be carefyl believeing what we hear through mass media and the internet.

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  94. Melissa-
    Moving to restrict the rights of free speech during World War I was a move for more power, but also for the welfare of the United States. The mental thinking of much of the public at this time was against joining the war. The government assumed that restricting the movement of tis thought would help the enlistment numbers, which in the end it did. This helped to win World War I, after just a breif restriction of rights.

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  95. Melissa-
    I agree. The mass media is very unrealible, but can also true so that's why we have to be so careful.

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  96. Dannyv-

    I agree that it is not a good idea for us to know everything, but I do not think that it is the best idea to allow censorship. Who should have the right to tell us what we can and cannot know? I also think that we need to be careful how many freedoms we are willing to give up for security. People in general will always suspicious and will always be afraid. I don't think we should give up our freedoms just because we want to be saved from fear. Freedom from fear is not always safety.

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