Recursive Public Paper for Editing Newsletter Grant Alternatives Writing Pods Mizuko Ito Open Source Who Am I? Mt. Zion

Recursive Public

I found the beginning of this article was very similar to the DIY essay that I wrote.  It recounts the author’s two friends, Sean and Adrian, who decided to start a medical technology company from the ground up. This project called Amicas began with 5 employees sitting in a living room and grew to hundreds of employees in a corporate setting.  They started this company in order to provide a better product and to compete with the corporate giants that they despised so much, but as a result turned into just about everything that they hated. This really isn’t an uncommon scenario and it goes back to the phrase “selling out” found in DIY culture. Sean and Adrian did not sell out when they sold their technology to their corporate sponsor. Instead this happened when they lost touch in everything they worked so hard to achieve. The reason why Amicas began was to provide “unbroken” medical image archiving software, but under their new management they became just what they hated. Sean and Adrian both share a passion for the Internet and open source software, which is where their new project is headed. MedCommons will provide an easy way to manage healthcare data. This seems as sort of their one shot at redemption. A new product that can help shape the medical world again and this time do it on their own terms without the need of starting another company.

Paper for Editing

Here is a paper I did for earlier in this semester, but was unable to make it to the peer reviews. It can be found at the bottom of the page.

DIY

Newsletter

It was agreed on that for the first newsletter we would concentrate on USF's effort to aid Mt. Zion. In order to effectively execute this we should all post updates on the status of each groups project here.

Today in class I think it would be in our best interest for Jacob Parker and I to discuss the technical aspect of the newsletter, such as a template, schedule, and production costs.

What is needed in newsletter production:

- Reliable Production Software

- GANTT Chart

- Style Sheet

- Editing Guidelines

It is important to choose software that best suits the needs of the client, as well as the designer. For out purposes I feel that the best program to use would be Microsoft Publisher. Publisher is available on all campus computers and is very user friendly. Although we are trying to integrate open source software into Mt. Zion, it may not be possible to obtain publishing programs.

A GANNT chart is a type of bar graph that illustrates a project schedule. Once I find out when the newsletter should be completed and sent to printer, it will be possible to make one.

SCRIBUS INFO:

Visit this link for complete installation instructions for the Macintosh OS('s).

Grant Alternatives

As we develop various programs for Mt. Zion it is important to not limit ourselves to just grants. Donations from various local businesses can prove just as useless. This seems especially true for the gardening grant project. Local nurseries would be willing to donate various gardening supplies, such as tools, seeds, and plants. Should we spend time compiling a master list of these businesses and contacting them?

Writing Pods

I would like to not limit myself to just one writing pod, but instead work within a few. Jesse and I talked briefly about mutual interests and decided to create a pod based around music. Currently we are still in the planning stages, but hope to have something in the near future. The pod’s page can be found here.

Last year Jacob Parker and I revamped the Unitarian Universalist Church of Saint Petersburg’s newsletter. It was a real learning experience that taught me more about technical writing than any book could. By joining the Mentoring pod I hope to use my knowledge in the creation of newsletter to aid Mt. Zion.

Mizuko Ito

We are in the age of the Internet. Found within is an unlimited amount of information that is changing as I type this. So it is of no surprise that the Internet is shaping the minds of our youth not only mentally, but also socially. Social networking programs are allowing millions of users to connect and interact with one another. Through these sites a person is able to start anew. You don’t have to be the “nerd” or “jock.” Without face-to-face interaction a person is able to act and speak as they wish. The Internet acts as a mask. This is detrimental to our youth. By sitting in front of a computer all day you are not learning the basic communication abilities needed to function later in society. It is a scary to think that computers now are not only used for performing tasks, but also becoming the preferred method of communication.

Open Source

What does open source mean to me? Two words come to mind, freedom and creativity. Most importantly it is providing free software for people and organizations that otherwise may not have been able to afford it. Programming open source software seems like a selfless act. They are able to create what and how they want and distribute it for free to the masses.

At work we are using many open source programs to aid us in the tasks we are trying to accomplish. For instance we use the program Gimp instead of Photoshop. Gimp provides the same options as Photoshop, but saving us hundreds of dollars.

To my knowledge Mt. Zion is currently installing open source software on their computers, which will give the students there a head start at learning programs that are a necessity. If this software was not available to them for free, the chance of learning these applications are slim.

Who Am I?

Introductions are always hard for myself. I am not sure if it is because I am shy, or just uninteresting.

Currently I am a professional/technical writing major hoping to graduate after next semester. It seems cliché to say that music is a big part of my life, but in a way it is. After graduation it would be my dream to find a job in the music industry, preferably writing press releases for musicians. If that does not pan out I have always wanted to work in the comic book industry, either editing or creating my own stories.

I try to not religion govern me in anyway, but instead follow a set of moral codes. Really what it all comes down to is living life as you want and not letting anyone tell you different.

Supporting local music is important to me, whether the artists are from Gainesville or Tampa. I am also a big advocate of the vinyl format and have hundreds of LP’s and various 7”s and 10”s.

We were born to sin
We were born to sin
We don't think we're special, sir
We know everybody is

Mt. Zion

I have been spending this past week deciding on how I can have an impact on Mt. Zion and the children currently attending it. It made me reflect on my own experiences and interests and how they can shape the minds of somebody much younger than me. Over the weekend I compiled a list of my top three favorite things, which are: whiskey, graphic literature, and music.

Unfortunately the students attending Mt. Zion are not of legal drinking age, not to mention they probably could not hold their alcohol.

Reading always seems to be a problem for students in the elementary and middle school levels. I know for a fact I hated reading at that age. Could this dilemma be solved by simply providing them material that is not a drag to read? The comic industry is now at a point where more and more award winning stories are being made for kids their age, a fine example being Bone by Jeff Smith.

I have had a love for music longer than I can remember. It has always astonished me how one simple song could change the life of the listener. From what I have witnessed since my first visit to Mt. Zion is that it is not in the best of neighborhoods. The crime rate is high enough to influence even the youngest mind. What is not to stop these children from following in their neighbor’s footsteps? Music could provide them with a way out of the life they did not choose to surround themselves in.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.