Required Reading

I just started reading an e-book I thought people might be interested in. The book is called "Education for a Digital World". From what I have seen so far, I really like the book and would highly recommend it.

Drum Corps International

This is a video of the world famous Blue Devils Drumline from Concord California. They are warming up for the 2007 Drum Corps International World Championships in this short clip. Drum Corps is an activity I participated in for several years as a high-school and college musician. This highly competative youth activity goes on each and every summer around the United States. If you would like more information about Drum Corps go to the DCI website. The drum corps I marched with was called The Glassmen and they are from Toledo Ohio. Good luck to all of those out there marching drum corps this summer.

My Weekend

On the road again

I had a great weekend of surfing and camping on the beach. It had been a few weeks since my last trip to the coast so it was great to get back in the ocean. The waves were really fun on Saturday so we pretty much got in the water as soon as we pulled up to the beach. I was so exhausted by dinner time that I just ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for dinner. Sunday was warm and sunny so we had something to eat and then went back in the water for more waves. All of the campers and surfers from Seattle had to rush back but we just took our time since we only needed to go back to our home in Port Angeles. Lucky for us. The weekend really reminded me of our big trip over the last few years where we
camped in our van
, surfed and explored from Washington to Panama.

My code of conduct

It is important to be a good digital citizen so as not to hurt people or cause harm to systems and the people that use computer systems. I believe that we need to behave online the same way we behave in "real" life. If you have something to say or do online but you wouldn't say it or do it in person or in real life than you should not do it online. The following is my personal pledge to be a good citizen on the Internet.

1. I promise to be courteous. That includes not sending hateful, hurtful, harassing or obscene email, forum posts, MySpace posts, blog comments or blog posts.
2. I promise to respect copyrights and copyright protected content.
3. I promise not to abuse computer hardware, software or networking equipment in any way.
4. I promise not to use the Internet to access or view pornographic content or any inappropriate material. I also pledge not to post this type of content to the web.
5. I pledge not to create, distribute and or download any programs meant to harass other users, infiltrate their systems or cause any harm to any computer system.

Eric Waterkotte

What Technology means to me

Technology to me, means things (artifacts) created by human beings and the ways we create those things or artifacts. Technology to me isn't just computers or cell phones or cars. Technology includes the stone tools used by the earliest human societies. My thought is that technology is the stuff that the aliens would find "made by humans" if they visited our planet.

My favorite technology right now is my bike. I use it everyday and it is FREE and provides me with a convinient way to get around. I don't like when my bike breaks, it makes me have to walk.

The thing I don't like about technology is that it can let you down when it breaks and you don't have a "backup". For example, I once wrote a really good paper in college and I didn't save it... guess what happened. Well, the power went out in the building and POOF... there went my paper. Gone. I learned to save my work early and often and to make a backup of my work.

Welcome to Eric's Blog

If you don't know by now, this is your teacher for Upward Bound 2008's Tech 100 class. My name is Eric Waterkotte but you can call me E if you like. I will use this tool to write about myself, share ideas and communicate with members of the Peninsula College Upward Bound Technology 100 class. This is just one of the many tools we will learn how to use and connect with.

Talk to you soon,
E