Today’s Homework: March 8, 2019

This is a college level, challenging assignment.

  1.  After reading pages 1 through 27 in the book entitled “The Truth“, tell me your process for finding consistently accurate, truthful, honest, reliable informationEmail me your answer by Sunday, March 24th.  Perfect spelling, grammar, and capitalization.  And, short sentences too.  Thank you.
  2.   Then, read pages 40 through 53 in “The Truth” textbook.  If you have any questions about anything you read or view on these pages, I encourage you to email me your questions for clarification.  I want to help.
  3.  Next, complete ACTIVITY 3 on page 56 – 57 of “The Truth” textbook. I am asking you to SET UP AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET where you will segment (organize) and rate data in specific categories on 3 hypothetical, separate neighborhoods.   Check the SPREADSHEET sample I created for you on page 57.  Your spreadsheet will enable you to easily analyze the data you have segmented to make a logical decision on which neighborhood you would like to live inIF YOU NEED HELP SETTING UP YOUR EXCEL SPREADSHEET, SEE MS. AVARISTA IN ROOM 222.   She told me she welcomes all of you for help setting up an Excel spreadsheet any Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday.  Finally, you are expected to bring your printed Excel Spreadsheet to class on March 29th to show how you used the data you segmented and then analyzed to decide on ‘the best neighborhood to live in‘.  Email me any questions you have about this assignment.

Today’s Homework: February 15, 2019

  1.  Please imagine you have just finished a job interview at a real company you want to work for and a job position you are really interested in.    We spoke today about the importance of a ‘follow up’ email to the person in the company you interviewed with.  Please compose a ‘follow up’ email to the person you interviewed with.  You can make up a name for this person who interviewed you but reference the company by its real name in your email.   PLEASE REMEMBER THE IMPORTANCE OF  PROPER GRAMMAR, PERFECT SPELLING AND PUNCTUATION IN THIS ‘FOLLOW UP’ CORRESPONDENCE.  Then, send this letter to my email address as soon as possible but no later than Wednesday, February 20.
  2. For those of you who wish to ‘follow up’ with Nan Quinlan at any time to say ‘thank you’, or a request for advice or feedback, here is Nan’s email address –  quinln@verizon.net

Today’s Homework: February 1, 2019

1. Watch this video, please.  The rest of this assignment is meant to have you pause, think, reflect, hopefully, arouse your curiosity, stimulate creative thinking, maybe even cause you to collaborate with a smart person you know, in order to reinforce the lessons of our FUTURE FORUM, i.e. technology, specifically artificial intelligence (AI), will continue to have an increasing impact on the jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities in our future. The challenge, hopefully the excitement, for us all will be how we exploit, take advantage of, the capabilities of technology for our exciting career and/or entrepreneurial opportunities.

2.  Please tell me if you could ever see your self working on a farm like the one in this video.   YES or NO.  Then, tell me why.

3.  Please tell me if you could imagine a company you start, or work for, where you would work closely with AI (artificial intelligent) technology: robots, androids, drones, computers, computer programs, on-line portals like Amazon, etc.   YES or NO.   If you answer “no“, please tell me why you would not like to work at a company which uses artificial intelligent technology.   If you answer “yes, please briefly describe the company you would like to start or work for which uses some form of AI.    Please send your WELL WRITTEN email answer to me with PERFECT SPELLING, SHORT SENTENCES, correct PUNCTUATION (periods, commas, etc) and grammar as soon as possible but no later than Wednesday, February 6, 2019.     Please notethis assignment is not about identifying something which is probable.  It’s about identifying something which might be possible!!!!!   I look forward to reading your answer. Thank you.

 

THE NEXT VIDEO IS NOT PART OF THE HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT.  I’VE INCLUDED IT BECAUSE I thought some of you would be interested in watching this conversation between a human, named Carlos, and Sophia, the AI humanoid robot we observed at the FUTURE FORUM . Sophia is teaching Carlos how to meditate. After the ‘greet and meet‘ and the start of Sophia’s instruction, most of the video is silent as you observe Carlos and Sophia meditating. However, don’t miss the end of the video when Sophia brings Carlos out of his meditation. Interesting? Unnerving? Weird? Sad? Was Sophia disappointed Carlos had to leave? Human tendencies? What do you think?  BY THE WAY, the company which created Sophia, Hanson Robotics, has created 9 robot humanoid “siblings” of Sophia named Alice, Albert Einstein Hubo, BINA48, Han, Jules, Professor Einstein, Philip K. Dick Android, Zeno, and Joey Chaos.

Today’s Homework: January 18, 2018

Pick a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday over the next two weeks and record what you do each day on the time management survey I passed out in class. It will be interesting to see if your daily actions support your PERSONAL PRIORITIES.

1. The purpose of this assignment is for YOU to collect some credible (truthful) data to analyze so you can get better than you are now simply by using ‘time’ more efficiently, more effectively. Your use of one of your most valuable resources, TIME, to maximize/develop your MANY talents will create more opportunities to be the successful person you want to be.  Seguro!!! Please hand in your ‘time management‘ schedule to me at the beginning of our FEBRUARY 1st class.  Thank you.   I hope you find this ‘time management’ activity helpful to make sure you use your time wisely to support your personal priorities and be the successful person you aspire to be.

Today’s Homework: December 14, 2018

Today’s HOMEWORK reading assignment.

 

  1.  I am asking for your opinionDo benefits, like protection from terrorist attacks, new medicines to cure diseases, personalized commercials sent to us, fun video games to play and smart phone technology to use,  justify, or make it ok, for companies and governments to continuously collect and use data about us all?    YES or NO.    If you said ‘yes’, please explain WHY you think it’s ok for governments and companies to collect and use data about us as long as we continue to have benefits like safety from terrorist attacks, new medicines to fight cancer and other diseases, personalized commercials sent to us, and fun video games to play.  If you said ‘no’, please explain WHY you don’t want governments and companies to have the right to collect and use data about us.  Please send your well written answer with PERFECT SPELLING and CAPITALIZATION, good punctuation and grammar, to my email address by Monday night, December 17, 2018.  Thank you.  THANK YOU.

Today’s Homework: December 7, 2018

1.  Please tell me if something you did during FUTURE FORUM 3 surprised you.  In other words, tell me if you did something at FUTURE FORUM 3  you previously had doubts you could do as successfully as you did.  You essentially pushed yourself out of your comfort zone and you felt good about what you did.  Please send this statement with perfect spelling, good grammar and punctuation and SHORT SENTENCES to my email address by Monday, December 10th.  Thank you.

2. YES or NO –  Have you sent a follow up email to at least one of the people you met during FUTURE FORUM 3?     Please send your answer to my email address by Monday, December 10th.  Thank you.

3.  Constructive Criticism –  what can I do to make FUTURE FORUM 4 next year better than this year’s event?  Please send your suggestion with perfect spelling, good grammar and punctuation and SHORT SENTENCES to my email address by Monday, December 10th.  Thank you.

Today’s Homework: November 30, 2018

After reading “Lisbet’s Future Shopping Scenario” found below, please answer these 2 questions:

  1. What’s your reaction to the world Lisbet will be living sometime in her not too distant, 21st century future?  Do you like this world – yes or no – and then explain why you like or dislike it.  Please send your well written answer with PERFECT SPELLING, GOOD GRAMMAR and PUNCTUATION and SHORT SENTENCES to my email address by Monday evening, December 3rd.  Thank you.  I look forward to your opinions about Lisbet’s FUTURISTIC shopping life.
  2. . Why do you think I (Stephen Cronin) am giving you Lisbet’s Future Scenario to read just 5 days prior to FUTURE FORUM 3?  What possibly could my objective be for giving you this assignment at this time.  Please send your well written answer with PERFECT SPELLING, GOOD GRAMMAR and PUNCTUATION and SHORT SENTENCES to my email address by Monday evening, December 3rd.  Thank you.

 

Lisbet’s Future Food Shopping Scenario:    

Hello, Lisbet!   Welcome to Mr Cronin’s Superstore.” Sensors at the entrance of the store welcome Lisbet in her favorite ‘Lionel Messi’ voice as she proceeds into the store to get a shopping cart.  Lisbet still enjoys going to the market and the food shopping experience rather than simply ordering her food from her WeChat app for later, same day delivery.

As the cart handlebar completes a scan of her face and fingerprints, it immediately matches the results with the Artificial Intelligence (‘AI’) profile of Lisbet and then quickly displays a list of the groceries she needs.  Lisbet’s AI profile has been scanning her food shopping habits for several years and, based on the data collected from the last time she shopped PLUS what’s been used and now missing in her ambient (IOT – Internet of Things) refrigerator and pantry, produces a list of items for her to buy.

Then, from her carriage handlebar, comes this message – “Let me know, Lisbet, if you’d like to add or subtract anything for this list.  And, based on what’s on your list and in your refrigerator, it looks like your diet will be needing some fiber and calcium.  Shall I add some milk and some almonds for a delicious spinach salad with salmon, strawberries, and asparagus I know you like?”   Lisbet smiles and responds “sure!”.     Lisbet then proceeds to make a few adjustments to the list based on the fact she’ll be hosting a dinner for three former classmates from her college, Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland, where she majored in “ AI Marketing” and “Business”.   One of her classmates is from Florence, Italy and the other from the North End of Boston, so Lisbet will be making a few pasta dishes.  “I always make my own sauce, so let’s add tomatoes, garlic, cheese, lean beef and, of course, pasta for a few recipes I have in mind” she speaks to her shopping cart handlebar.  Instantly, the items appear on her revised list as well as the isle in the store where each item can be found.  “Will do, Lisbet” her cart responds to her additions.

Her autonomous shopping cart proceeds a few feet ahead of Lisbet and pauses as she checks out some ripe eggplants she considers adding to the dinner she’ll prepare for her visiting Loyola classmates.   As Lisbet places each item into her cart, cameras on the carts side bars recognize each item and sensors weigh the vegetables and fruits at the bottom of the cart before producing an item cost and the accruing total cost.

As Lisbet rounds the corner onto another isle, a well-dressed man raises his eyes from his mobile device to greet her.  From her AI Marketing classes, Lisbet realizes the important sales and marketing role the store concierge plays in a store, the access the concierges has to her data profile, and how well the concierge is paid.   “Hello Lisbet” the concierge says as Lisbet approaches.  “We’ve just received some deliciously, elegant Napa wines.  I understand your sister’s birthday will soon be here and I wanted to offer you a 15% discount on your first purchase of any one of our Napa Valley vineyard selections.  I know you and your sister like Christian Brothers wines.  Would you like a tasting of one of the most popular varieties?”  Lisbet just smiles and says “yes”.  The concierge knows her passion for Christian Brothers wines from her data profile.  Lisbet  accepts the tasting from a delicate wine glass.  “It’s wonderful” Lisbet tells the concierge. “I know she’ll love it.  Thank you so much.  I’ll take two bottles.”   The concierge responds “that’s great, Lisbet.  You can continue shopping while I gift wrap the bottles and bring them to you in a few minutes.”   The concierge then places each bottle on a table for a nearby android to place in a box and then gift wrap in beautifully designed wrapping paper with the Mr Cronin Superstore logo prominently yet elegantly displayed.

When the bottles are delivered, seemingly within one minute, Lisbet notices the colorful instructions on the wrapping paper encouraging her to scan her smart phone over the Mr Cronin Superstore logo for a video about a popular pasta recipe from the famous Italian chef, Giada Pamela De Laurentiis.  Ms De Laurentiis is an Italian-born American chef, writer, television personality, and the host of the current Food Network television program “Giada at Home”.  Lisbet has watched her guest appearances on NBC‘s Today show and has used some of her recipes in the past.

Lisbet finishes her shopping and glances at her smart phone to review the itemized list of her purchases and total cost.  She then says “ok” for her smart phone to instantly approve the purchase.  No need for cash or credit card.     In fact, there’s no store cashier or check out area in the store.  Lisbet’s phone utilizes her WeChat Wallet app which links to her bank and withdraws the money from Lisbet’s account to pay the bill.   If Lisbet forgets to use the app, the store would then withdraw the money from her account by the end of the day.   Lisbet has 3o days to dispute any charge.  The app works everywhere, from stores like Mr Cronin’s Superstore to restaurants and concert venues.  Stores like the app because there is no processing charge like the credit card companies charge them which the stores end up adding to their customers’ bill.  Customers like the app because of its ease and better security than credit cards.

Once Lisbet removes ALL her purchases from the cart and places them in her UBER autonomous, electric car, the cart guides itself back to the rack at the front of the store to await the next customer to interact with.   In Lisbet’s future, it will be illegal for anyone to drive cars.  Too dangerous; data has proven autonomous vehicles to be MUCH safer AND less expensive to own and use.  Research has shown only a few people miss owning a car because autonomous vehicles are easier and offer a more relaxing and productive ride; you can do other ‘stuff’ while riding an autonomous vehicle.   Most people and businesses will prefer autonomous services like UBER, GOOGLE, TESLA, LIFT, and Chinese autonomous competitors DIDI and BAIDU as well as hyper fast public transportation. Finally, Lisbet’s home will feature ambient devices and features which connect to the Internet of Things (IOT).   The Artificial Intelligence in LIsbet’s home will turn on her air conditioning or heating system to the temperature she likes as well as the lights on the first floor 10 minutes before her autonomous UBER ride turns into her driveway after work. Her coffee maker will have a warm coffee prepared to her liking minutes before she wakes up in the morning.   All of these things will happen in Lisbet’s future because of the significant amount of data collected about Lisbet and her habits.  Similar data will be collected on all people because everything people use and do will be collected by sensors which are connected to the Internet of Things (IOT).   Personal data will be continually collected, analyzed and used by companies and governments to make peoples’ lives easier and safer.

 

Today’s homework:   #1.  What’s your reaction to Lisbet’s future lifestyle?     #2. Why do you think Mr Cronin is giving you Lisbet’s Future Scenario to read?

 

 

 

Next Future Scenario –    High School Education.

 

Today’s Homework: November 16, 2018

1.  This goal of this homework assignment is for you to use your IMAGINATION.  After listening to Catalina Martinez and Nikolai Pawlenko’s career stories at NOAA exploring the world’s oceans today, please imagine yourself accompanying them on a deep dive of one of the world’s deepest ocean floors.  Please share with me something ‘amazing’ or ‘surprising’ you encountered during your ocean exploration with Catalina and Nikolai.  Then, describe what you saw;  use adjectives to describe the color, size and shape of whatever amazed you at the deepest part of your dive to the ocean floor.   Send the story of your amazing discovery at the bottom of one of the earth’s oceans to my email address by Sunday evening, November 25th.  Please identify what ocean you were exploring when you encountered this amazing site.  Your story must be well written with perfect spelling, good grammar and punctuation, and short sentences.   Here are some interesting photos and a video from other explorations of the world’s ocean floors to help you liberate the imagination you have within you.

One of the highlights of a research robot dive was the encounter with a dumbo octopus at it uses his ear-like fins to slowly swim away – this coiled leg body posture has never been observed before in this species.

ROV Deep Discoverer explores the interesting geomorphology of Bryant Canyon in the Gulf of Mexico.  This photo is from the NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program on a 2014 Expedition

More than two miles down, the site of the bow of the great ship, Titanic, emerged from the darkness on a dive by explorer and filmmaker James Cameron in 2001.  A number of expeditions were previously launched to find Titanic, which sank in 1912, but wasn’t found until September 1st, 1985, during an expedition led by Robert Ballard.  Robert Duane Ballard is a retired United States Navy officer and a professor of oceanography at the University of Rhode Island who is famous for his work in underwater archaeology: maritime archaeology and archaeology of shipwrecks. He is best known for the discovery the RMS Titanic in 1985.  Catalina mentioned Mr Ballard during today’s class.  The RMS Titanic was a British passenger liner or cruise ship that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean in the early hours of April 15th, 1912, after colliding with an iceberg during her first voyage leaving from Southampton England to New York City. There were an estimated 2,224 passengers and crew aboard, and more than 1,500 died, making it one of the deadliest commercial peacetime maritime disasters in modern history. RMS Titanic was the largest ship afloat at the time. The ship might have survived a head-on collision with an iceberg, but a sideswipe across her starboard side pierced too many of her watertight compartments.

Today’s Homework: November 9, 2018

  1.  Please send me an email identifying a grade you believe you deserve on your next report card and why you feel you deserve this grade.  Send your answer to my email address by Tuesday, November 13.   This is the criteria I consider when giving you the grade I believe you deserve:
    1. attendance –  “no absences” and never being late; if you must be absent or late, you always send me a text or email before the class informing me of your absence or tardiness.
    2.  homework – doing ALL HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS!
    3. pushing out of your comfort zonetry things you would not normally do like asking questions in class, being a class host to welcome our guests to Hope High and introducing them to your classmates at the start of class, going on field trips, etc
  2.  Hand in your permission slips for our November 30th field trip to LaSalle Academy next Friday, November 16th.

Today’s Homework: November 2, 2018

  1.  For those students who have NOT given me your resume, send your resume to my email address OR give me a printed copy next class.  Follow the resume format posted on the October 19th blog posted on this web site.  Your resume is important.  Thank you.
  2. Send your 5 Clifton Survey Strengths by Tuesday, November 6th, to my email addressI will add your strengths to your business card information.  I am hoping to have PRINTED BUSINESS CARD PROOFS for you to approve by November 16.
  3.  WE ARE PREPARING FOR DECEMBER 5th’s FUTURE FORUM.  As a result, please finish your reading of THE FUTURE book.   I am hoping your reading of the book will prepare you for the workshop portion of the forum where you’ll be asked in your small group to share an idea for a future career.  The forum workshop is meant to challenge you, to liberate your imagination, ignite your creative thinking, to share your ideas about a possible career or new business you could start;  it does not have to be probable, only possible.
  4. Please send me an email by Tuesday, November 6th  identifying a phrase, sentence, or photo you encountered in THE FUTURE book which resonated with you.  In other words, tell me the phrase, a quotation, sentence, or photo in The Future book which caused you to pause and think about ‘its‘ potential impact on you and your life.
  5.  Check out the agenda for the FUTURE FORUM workshop listed below:

Future Forum 3

Agenda

  1. 9:amMeet/Greet and Networking:
    Students meet and welcome our guests:   corporate ‘Futurists’ and visiting LaSalle Academy students.  Students will exchange business cards and continue to build their networks in the process.
  2. 9:30amOpening remarks by Stephen Cronin
    9:40amVisions of the Future:

    • Steve Cronin will interview 2 futurists about their visions of what our students will encounter when they enter an “artificially intelligent” (AI) influenced job market post 2024.

    10:00am – Workshop Activity.

             • Students will organize into small groups with one or two corporate ‘Futurists’ for a collaboration to determine an interesting, potential economically successful, ‘future career opportunity’. This activity will begin with each futurists taking 5 minutes to speak with students in their group about their career path and their present job. After each group’s collaboration about a POSSIBLE future job or career pursuit, a group spokes person will answer the following questions:
                 The service or product the student group creates and sells
                 The customer – who will buy the product or service the company sells; e.g automobile owners, aqua-farmers, space travelers, fashion retail stores, parents, adolescents, adults, everyone, etc
                The role artificial intelligence will play in the company; NB – please give at least 3 examples of tasks AI will perform in the company
               The name of the company the students start OR the company they will work for.
               Marketing channels (newspapers, television, social media, direct mail, etc) used to reach its customers and attract new ones
               The geographic market the company will serve; e.g international, just African countries, just United States, just Europe, just Iceland, just Texas USA, intergalactic, etc
             The role each student will play in the company
            The President of the company

    11:15am – Announcements – one student from each group will present their
    2025 career vision.
    11:50am –     Closing comments – Stephen Cronin
    Noon –        Networking over a delicious Lunch at Hope High School: follow up student networking opportunity with our guests.
    1pm –   Dismissal