Career Plans

        The career I'm interested in is that of a computer analyst. I have chosen the said profession to fulfill to my desire to work in the field of computers. I say this because, simply put, I enjoy working with and on computers.

        The reason why I thought of this career field is because I have had a rather substantial amount of exposure to computers has been since the time of my youth, as my father has worked in the field for the entirety of my lifetime. With that being said, the idea of becoming a computer analyst does not seem far from reach.

        If my hopes become reality, I picture myself working vigorously yet swiftly on every assignment given. Taking time to truly analyze and create solutions for swifter operation so that the final product can be released into the consumer market as part of my responsibility. I imagine what was just mentioned as a typical day, although not entirely exciting in nature, the pay makes the hassle rewarding, and I believe I would enjoy it to an extent, given my previously mentioned enjoyment in computers.

Questions answered:

• What are the special skills, talents, traits qualifications needed for the occupation you're interested in?
• In what ways are you suited for this career?
• Where could you gain experience NOW for this career? What steps (think creatively) could you take to gain experience - before you graduate?
• From your searching, the number of jobs available in California and what the Department of Labor & Statistics states about the "job outlook" for your career field - what did you discover?

        The special trait qualifications needed for this career path is a bachelors degree in a computer of information science, skills in computer programming is also recommended.
        I am suited for this career because I have a great amount of interest in computers and in solving the problems presented to me.
        I can gain experience for this career at the present moment by taking classes on the subject, or simply asking my father to teach my on the matter.
        During my research on the job through the usage of the 'Department of Labor and Statistics' and several other sites, I learned that most work more than 40 hours per week, as well as that the Job outlook is said to increase much faster than average, a staggering 25%.
        The minimum requirement tends to be a bachelors degree in in a computer or information science field, but is not always required.

Don't Text and Drive PSA Poster

My topic was about the issue of texting and driving at once. My assignment was to construct a PSA poster to make people of my age group understand the consequences of texting while driving, in an attempt to prevent them from doing so.

I learned, from a graphical standpoint, that different colors can have different persuasive subliminal meanings. From a research standpoint on the topic, I learned several facts regarding the subject, such as the amount of collisions that involve the use of a mobile device or distraction. From an organization point of view, I learned that one must first make a rough draft in order to have a good end result. I came up with a rough draft first but eventually changed quite a bit of it when it came to the final draft.

The interesting facts I used from the website DontTextDrive where as follows:
That texting while driving increases your chances of driving by 23.

My rough sketches and ideas are here...

My finished PSA informs and educates the viewer by making the connection between a broken phone and an accident. My attempt is to try and visually show them (through the screen of the phone) that accidents can very well by influenced by mobile devices. It is for this reason why the screen is cracked, it represents the collision, followed by a more visual and literal example inside of the phone itself.

PSA Don't Text and Drive Designed by Joshua

©2013 All Rights Reserved

         Copyright, as portrayed by Dictionary.com, is defined as 'the exclusive right to make copies, license, and otherwise exploit a literary, musical, or artistic work, whether printed, audio, video, etc'. Given the definition, several scenarios admitingly done by several people may be infringing copyright law, which in turn, is an illegal action. Such examples include that of downloading an artists music without charge nor consent to the creator of said music; as well as taking credit for the work of another individual(s).

         Furthermore, one may be dismissed from such illegal actions given that said individual follows the act of fair use. Fair use is when one uses a fragment of copyrighted material for the intention of 'transformation'. Simply put, it is a form of defense if one were to ever find him or herself in the middle of a copyright infringement claim. There are only a few exceptions for that of copyright, these are known as commentary, criticism, and parodies. For example, if one were to 'ridicule' the work of another for comedic purposes, then said person would be protected by copyright. Granted, the art of parodying requires fragments from the original work in which the parody is based off of, it is in this scenario in which the legal defense known as fair use comes into play in the sense of dismissing the normally illegal action as one of legal virtue. 

         There have been incidents where even those of a professional stature find themselves in violation of copyright. Take for instance, Shepard Fairey, the creator of the famous red, white, and blue portrait of President Barack Obama. Fairey was order to pay a fine of $25,000 in fines for a dispute that can be traced back to they year of 2009. He claimed that his use of the photo was protected under the fair use doctrine, unfortunately, a wrong move was made in which he tampered with evidence to better favor his story. Due to this, he has recently been sentenced to two years in probation. On a positive note he states that he accepts, "full responsibility for violating the court's trust." Nonetheless, this goes to show how even the creator of such a famous photo can wind up having to battle copyright.

         There are however, ways in which copyright may be completely avoided altogether without one having to interpret the fair use doctrine, and that is through what is known as public domain and Creative Comments. 'Public Domain' is, according to UCC, is defined as 'consisting of works that are either ineligible for copyright protection or with expired copyrights'; while Creative Comments is defined as, 'the sharing and use of creativity and knowledge through free legal tools.' (According to the official website)

Examples of websites/links that grants one access may be found here for Public Domain and here for Creative Comments. 

  
Halloween before image used with permission, Creative Comments.

Playing with Photoshop - Exploring what Liquify, Dodge + Burn, and Clone Stamp Tool can do.

Color Psychology

In the color psychology article, the author states that color is an influence to our every day lives. This can be said in the sense that colors affect our emotions and state of mind. Different colors trigger different things. For example, looking at the color red can increase your heart rate, the result of this is that of an increased amount of adrenaline being pumped into your bloodstream. While blue on the other hand, may result in a more peaceful and comfortable environment.

The article reference can be found here: Color Psychology: The Emotional Effects of Color.

Color in advertising
According to an article by Sydney Moyer, entitled Thoughts on Pink: Feminism and Advertising (which can be found here at the website  of 'digilib.bu.edu'), it is best to keep things plain and simple when one attempts to advertise. Throughout the article, the other describes different methods one can do to keep something straight to the point while at the same time keeping the overall design like 'eye candy'. The author goes on to say how at times, color is used in advertising, such as with the color pink, which is universally known as a 'feminine' color. It is in this sense that it applies to 'Color Advertising'.

Dream Destination Getaway

Japan is a dream destination for me because of the several tourist attractions. For example, Japan is home of anime and several other TV Shows, some of which have made there way to American Television. On top of this, Japan is also known to be one of the most advanced places in the world technology wise. I personally love technology and would enjoy seeing all the unique and new gadgets in Japan that have not made its way to America. Furthermore, I would find it fascinating seeing Mount Fuji in person and perhaps take a hike along its exterior. It is for this reason that Japan is my dream destination.

The official website for more information on Japan (such as travel updates, places to go, and an in depth description regarding the geographical and traditional information) can be >>Seen Here<<

I imagine visiting this location and my experiences being like the image I illustrated below with me having the time of my life, my souvenirs in one hand and sushi in the other. As the picture shows, I would enjoy visiting and learning about several of Japan's architecture, history, and landscapes.