Discussion Post: Week 15

Well, we’re reaching the end of the semester. I’ll be sorry to see you go when class ends for the last time, but at the same time, I’ve been delighted to see the skills you’ve showcased throughout the term. Remember, if you’re speaking in the last week, be sure to submit your outline to the SafeAssign link on Blackboard at least 48 hours before your scheduled presentation date.

Let’s jump right in! Earlier this week, a number of web servers connected to Amazon.com ceased to function, resulting in outages for a wide range of sites that were hosted by Amazon. Even popular sites like Reddit and Quora were negatively affected. Does this call into question the viability of a cloud computing infrastructure, or is this an isolated incident that could have been just as bad, or worse, under another framework? Do you think that this will affect Amazon’s credibility moving forward?

Apple’s winning big in the mobile phone market, as the company passed Nokia in the first quarter of this year to become the world’s largest mobile phone retailer in terms of earnings. It doesn’t seem to matter what carrier the phones use, whether it’s Verizon or AT&T. Apple phones just sell, regardless of carrier or even country. That success bodes well for the iPhone 5, slated to begin production this summer. Not that all the news is positive — recent reports revealed that a set of hidden files on iPhones record detailed information about the user’s location, store it on the device without any encryption and transmit that data to Apple as well as any other device with which the iPhone is synced (such as, for instance, a computer with iTunes). It is believed that the location tracking file is a bug that could be fixed in a future update. Curiously, law enforcement has been using the location data in criminal investigations for quite some time, but news of the tracking files has angered lawmakers who believe that the tracking function may represent an invasion of privacy and a personal security risk. What do you think about Apple in terms of its success as well as this new controversy? How did the company’s phones become so popular? What qualities of the phones, the company, or the marketing strategy attract customers? Do you think that the location-tracking revelation will dampen consumer trust in the Apple brand and allow competitors like the upcoming Droid Charge to gain ground, or will customers ultimately ignore such concerns? Has Apple committed any wrongdoing here? What are the ramifications for public policy? How about other privacy breaches and questions about other services, such as security flaws in the Android phone, Facebook’s ever-changing privacy policy or Dropbox’s ambiguous terms of service? For that matter, should we even be worried about our whereabouts or other personal information being monitored?

Jeff Immelt, who was appointed the U.S. “jobs czar” in January, has come under fire due to the unflinching unemployment rate and growing offshoring trend. With the value of the dollar falling and gas prices jumping, some analysts are saying that capitalism as a whole isn’t working for the middle class on the new global economic stage. The government has been having plenty of fiscal problems as well, but many deficit proposals continue to face fierce opposition from voters. President Obama has targeted the GOP in the midst of the crisis, apologizing to voters for compromising with Republicans on the issue and calling the GOP’s proposed budget “radical, not courageous.” In the meantime, ratings agency Standard & Poor’s changed its outlook on the U.S. economy from “stable” to “negative” for the first time in the group’s history, sending stocks spiraling downward. However, some analysts are hesitant to trust the S&P report given past conflicts of interest, as they may have skewed reports preceding the current recession. What are your thoughts on the ongoing economic calamity, challenges for both employees and the unemployed, and the way in which administrators are handling the situation? What does it mean for the upcoming elections and legislation in the near future? How will the crisis ultimately end (if, in fact, it is brought to a close)?

Expanding our gaze for a bit, Libyan rebels are fighting back and moving into territory long held by Moammar Gadhafi’s regime despite the relative lack of direct U.S. involvement in the conflict. While NATO has perhaps played the largest role in assisting rebel forces, President Obama has ordered the deployment of armed drones to assist in the battle, a development welcomed by Libyan opposition forces. The support won’t restore the lives of those who have fallen, including prominent photographers Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros who were killed during a Wednesday skirmish, but rebel forces hope that overthrowing Gadhafi will restore some peace to the bloodied region and prevent similar tragedies in the future. Little has stabilized elsewhere; From Syria to Yemen, Turkey to Belarus, and Pakistan to Egypt, national unrest is leaving its mark on the international community this year. And, of course, Japan is still dealing with plenty of problems of its own. The latest nuclear recovery plan? Air conditioning. Contrast that with Kyrgyzstan’s leaders, who sacrificed seven rams before their Thursday morning meeting in order to banish “evil spirits,” and… well, you can decide for yourself how you feel about that.

Let’s lighten things up a bit. How would you like a singer called “Sweet Micky” running your country? Well, that’s who Haiti’s getting. In a landslide election, Michel Martelly won the presidency with 67.6% of the votes, handily defeating the country’s former first lady Mirlande Manigat. Having lost two of every three voters to the pop star, Manigat declined to contest the results. Do you think that Martelly will make a strong statesman, looked upon in the same way that some Americans remember former president Ronald Reagan, and aggressively tackle the challenges his country is facing? Or does this whole affair remind you more of the old Snickers “President” commercial? I’m not sure even that can beat North Las Vegas’ recent “high card wins” city council primary that was decided casino style.

Earlier this semester we spoke quite a bit about the space shuttle Discovery, so it’s only fitting that as we near the end of the term, we consider Endeavour’s last launch, scheduled for next Friday. The first family will be in attendance to watch the start of NASA’s second-to-last manned mission. How do you look upon the event? Now that you’ve had more time to think about it, what are your thoughts on the end of NASA’s manned spaceflights? What does it mean to you that the program will end 30 years after NASA’s original projection for a Mars mission? Do you think that such lofty goals are important in this day and age, or would we be better off to explore newly discovered lands on our own planet for awhile longer or just view the cosmos from afar? In light of the great difficulties in reaching Mars, does it make sense to seek alternative means of reaching that goal, such as corporate sponsorship?

Finally, given that the long-celebrated wedding between Britain’s Prince William and Kate Middleton will also be on the 29th, it’s about time it earned a place in our course blog. The nuptials have garnered tremendous media attention, whether viewers are scrutinizing Middleton’s dress or hats, the couple’s honeymoon or three wedding receptions, or the future princess’ vows and the prince’s quest for normalcy. Some are chatting about it every ten seconds, some wish that William would get to kiss the bride (it’s forbidden), some are scrutinizing Middleton’s inheritance rights, some are stunned by the $163,000 wedding bill handed to the Middleton family, some think that Middleton should have accepted the multimillion-dollar tabloid offers following the couple’s brief split three years back, and some are more interested in the broader trend of royal-commoner marriages. Perhaps most divisive, though, is that some see this as “the party for a generation,” filled with soon-to-be priceless merchandise (well, maybe not), while others just want the media frenzy to stop. What are your thoughts on the wedding? Is this as significant an occasion as the media coverage would indicate? What does all this mean for the future of Great Britain and the international community?

You know the drill by now — you can comment on any of the stories in this post, or make a post of your own. Until next time!

Other articles of interest:
A Soccer Ball That Can Kick Start Your Cell Phone
Video: Watch Philadelphia’s baseball robot deliver the first pitch
The Psychology of Cheating
Indiana high court rules in favor of NCAA in Final Four ticket case
Yahoo! Sports Minute: NFL prospect’s hair color an issue
Bud Selig: Baseball playoffs likely to expand to 10 teams in 2012
New Tiger, old Tiger, they both sound the same
Man runs 99 miles home after completing London Marathon
Paralyzed Bride Jennifer Darmon Walks at Wedding
Sony blames ‘external intrusion’ for PlayStation Network outage
PlayStation Network Goes Down, Anonymous Is Not Responsible
Report: Sony, Microsoft Aren’t Launching New Consoles Until 2014
Wii 2 controller sports 6.2-inch touchscreen?
PCs Are Adopting Features from Tablets Like iPad
Quantum Teleportation Breakthrough May Pave the Way for Quantum Computing
For AP Students, a New Classroom Is Online
Amazon Kindle Library Lending to Roll Out This Year
Bergdorf Goodman Invites Consumers To Design Fendi Bag on Facebook
Greenpeace Criticizes Apple, Twitter, Facebook for ‘Dirty’ Data Centers
BP oil spill: Forgotten but not gone
CDC: Entire U.S. Will Have Non-Smoking Laws by 2020
DOT Requires Taxes, Fees Be Included in Advertised Prices
Blagojevich watches jury selection for corruption trial
Would U.S. voters tell Trump, ‘You’re hired’?
Army, Navy add citizenship option to boot camp
FBI investigating after pipe bomb found on Columbine anniversary
Lower IQ in children linked to banned insecticide
You Know Your Blood Type. What About Your Gut Bug Type?
Check out the world’s most advanced … toilet?
CIA Cover-Up Alleged in JFK’s ‘Secret UFO Inquiry’
McDonald’s Lawsuit is Three Fries Short of a Happy Meal
Taco Bell asks litigious critics: Would it kill you to say you’re sorry?
Russian leader dances to “American Boy”
Lady Gaga’s Ears Are Broken
Frey, Glass, and Blair: Where are they now?

Discussion Post: Week 14

Hello once again! Our class is almost done, with only Persuasive Presentation II remaining. Please remember, as before, to submit your outline via SafeAssign at least 48 hours before your scheduled presentation date.

Let’s jump right into the deep water this week and review the world stage. Moammar Gadhafi is still fighting back against the rebellion, as the regime’s military has been using cluster bombs against civilians in Misrata, the last town held by rebel forces. Civilians lashed out at NATO for failing to protect them from the deadly assault, while NATO, in turn, attacked Gadhafi’s hometown of Sirte. U.S. President Barack Obama argued that the military battle has reached a stalemate which will ultimately end in Gadhafi’s departure, but some analysts speculate that the battle cannot be won without an influx of ground troops to combat a possible al-Qaida role, which would represent a classic case of mission creep. Elsewhere, the Syrian government is coping with its largest wave of protests yet. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad promised on Saturday to lift emergency laws that have stood for 48 years and to make further reforms to rectify corruption in his government, although that promise has done little to placate protesters angered by his mixed messages of reform alongside further violence and control. Yemen’s protests have remained peaceful for the time being, Nigeria held its first peaceful elections in over a decade — although there have been reports of voting irregularities — but the Ivory Coast is investigating its own ministers in blood crimes. Radioactivity is sharply increasing in seawater around the crippled nuclear plant in Fukushima, and the parties bidding to conduct the cleanup have projected that it may take anywhere from 10-30 years. There’s enough here that, if you’re interested in these issues and have been keeping up with the events as they’ve unfolded and we’ve discussed them here, you’ll be able to find something to discuss, so I’ll just let you decide on the important questions instead of suggesting them myself.

Apple is facing a class-action lawsuit from a father of two Pennsylvania girls over unauthorized in-app purchases. The lawsuit alleges that the 15-minute window between entering a password and making purchases allows anyone who gets the device within that time period — whether or not they’re the actual owners — to freely purchase whatever they want. In the case of Garen Meguerian, his nine-year-old daughter purchased around $200 in games. Apple has since changed its policy to require a password for in-app purchases, but Meguerian argues that the company has already pocketed millions in unauthorized purchases, that the system was tantamount to “child exploitation,” and that even the new password system is insufficient. What are your thoughts on this, and what are the implications for other online communications? Should other retailers tighten their policies as well? Do you see the problem of electronic identity verification extending to other domains besides sales?

The House passed a $5.8 trillion spending cut on Friday that has immediately divided Republicans and Democrats, as every Democrat voted against the bill. The showdown could have implications on the 2012 Presidential Election, especially since Obama was caught on tape bashing the GOP on the budget issue when he didn’t realize he was being recorded. The Republicans have not been free of criticism, either, as some analysts believe that the proposed changes will generate other budget and policy problems. Where do you stand on the issue? What do you think about the divided political scene and the recording of Obama? How will this bill and the caustic political climate affect our government and nation in the future?

In a stunning move, the FBI shut down the three largest online poker sites, PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker, on Friday, a “bold move that brings serious question to the law.” All three sites have been charged with bank fraud, money laundering, and illegal gambling. Restraining orders were also issued against over 75 bank accounts used by the sites. There have long been concerns that internet gambling might be considered illegal based on current laws — some have speculated that allowing prominent sites to remain active would prevent difficult-to-track underground rings from surfacing — but “Online Poker’s Black Friday” will certainly test the legislation. It’s also unclear what will happen to players’ money now that the accounts have been frozen. What do you think about the legal action taken here? Do you think that it was appropriate or justified? What are the consequences of shutting down these sites, both for online poker and for other industries?

Finally, recently leaked E-mails appear to reveal that, during last year’s Gulf oil crisis, BP officials tried to control what scientists said about it. At the time, BP announced a $500 million pledge to research the impact of the oil spill, but new reports suggest that both the company and the White House were working to control the dialogue. Do you see any similar influential forces in your work or field? How does this affect the nature of science and its ability to improve society as large? Can scientists effective navigate these tensions to ensure that their work can have its intended impact?

Just as always, feel free to comment on any of the above or below stories, or make a post of your own. I’ll see you in class!

Other articles of interest:
Barry Bonds verdict shames the game
Scenes from what might be the final Sacramento Kings game ever
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones Saves The Day… Again
Buffalo taxpayers will be paying the Bills to not play football
NFL, players complete second day of mediated negotiations
Why BYU has asked Jimmer Fredette to stop attending classes
Video: Carson Wiggs hits a 67-yard field goal in Purdue’s spring game. Seriously.
Chicago school bans homemade lunches, the latest in national food fight
Another air traffic controller suspended for sleeping
The Most Dangerous Thing You’ll Do All Day
Just how much are those space shuttles worth?
NASA Space Shuttle Contractor Announces Layoffs for 2,800 Workers
Kepler satellite and citizen planet hunters
UFOs in FBI’s Vault
A taxpayer receipt: Calculate exactly where your tax dollars go
Mom on Facebook sentenced in son’s drowning death
Royal wedding watch: Jelly beans, rings and German cars
Techie Toilet Ships in April
Jerry Lawson, Inventor of Modern Game Console, Dies at 70
‘Wii 2’ Codenamed ‘Project Cafe’
Lack of 3DS Sellouts Not Due to Modest Demand
Apple Is Said to Ready White IPhone Following 10-Month Wait
Post office uses Vegas Liberty statue for stamp by accident
World’s oldest man dies in Montana at 114
Drug-resistant staph in meat — and what consumers need to keep in mind

Discussion Post: Week 13

Hello again, all! Just one more presentation to go. Please be sure to send in your topic before class on Tuesday!

We’ll return this week to the conflict in Libya, but let’s start with a different angle. Have you ever used the bit.ly URL shortening service? How about ow.ly, vid.ly, graphic.ly… the list goes on. But I’ll bet you never considered what the “ly” represented, did you? The suffix, which is ultimately controlled by Moammad Gadhafi of the Libyan regime, has long been attractive because of the adverbial potential (if you were hoping to register the smel.ly domain name, it’s taken). The Gadhafi link has caught a number of people off guard, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, the Human Rights Watch, and the U.S. military and United Nations, all of whom are distressed by the connection. What do you think about it? How does this affect U.S. plans to announce terror alerts via Facebook and Twitter? Is the Gadhafi link as big of a problem as some seem to think? If you led one of the organizations that used or otherwise relied on a .ly domain, how would you handle this situation? Does control over the unique suffix offer any strategic advantage to Gadhafi in the Libyan conflict?

Speaking of which, the back-and-forth struggle between Gadhafi’s military and the rebel forces has hardly let up, most recently centering around Ajdabiya, a key city 60 miles south of the rebels’ interim capital, Benghazi, with sizable oil reserves. As we all know by now, the unending conflict has cost countless Libyans their lives and, in the global economic scene, has been pushing gas prices skyward for weeks, but perhaps the biggest fiscal shock is that during the U.S. government bailouts over the past few years, one of the largest beneficiaries was the Central Bank of Libya, which received “tens of billions in loans from the Fed.” What are your thoughts on the continuing conflict and the international community’s role in it? What about the set of friendly fire mistakes by NATO? Where do policymakers go from here? How can the conflict best be resolved, and what can be done to limit international consequences as well? For that matter, since nothing on the world stage happens in a vacuum, how does the Libyan crisis relate to those in Syria, Yemen, the Ivory Coast, Egypt, and even Japan?

We haven’t talked much about the prospect of a government shutdown, which Congress seems to avert anew each week. That’s a particularly dangerous prospect when you consider that the U.S. military is presently scattered in various ongoing missions around the globe, and a shutdown might make it impossible to pay them or to keep other government departments running. Considering that the most recent act by Congress will only keep the government functioning through Friday and that its implementation just over an hour before the deadline required “painful cuts,” is such a failure ultimately unavoidable? Was the hurriedly-made deal at the center of this most recent aversion as much of a catastrophe as some experts suggest, or is President Barack Obama correct that it was a laudable step that will benefit the country’s future? What will happen if the U.S government closes its doors for the first time since the dual shutdowns of 1995-1996? What would the ramifications be for the 2012 elections, particularly given reports that the 1995-1996 shutdowns and restorations under a divided government boosted President Bill Clinton’s approval ratings?

Let’s again try to close with a story that’s a little less depressing. In the wake of Sony’s lawsuit against hacker George Hotz, the group Anonymous attacked and successfully shut down several Sony websites. I won’t explain all the details about what “Anonymous” actually is in this post, as a complete explanation could easily span a full book (or just a Wikipedia article), but in this most recent attack they also “‘played’ with” the PlayStation Network (PSN), causing system instability which affected a number of users over the past week. However, the diffuse group has now announced the suspension of attacks against PSN, as their first efforts were detrimental to gamers as well as Sony. Just because their first efforts have been halted hardly means that Anonymous is done, however, as their next move is apparently an April 16 boycott of Sony stores. Do you think that the offline actions will be more effective than the PSN attacks? Do you think that they can successfully attack Sony without further inconveniencing gamers, or for that matter, is that in fact the group’s priority? How should Sony or, for that matter, law enforcement react to such activities? Do you think that Anonymous is correctly fighting for the people, or are they a menace that needs to be stopped? What about other individuals and groups that support Anonymous’ efforts? Finally, what are the ramifications of groups like Anonymous, and what does it mean that a group of individuals who do not even know one another beyond their common claim as “Anonymous” can be so effective in their efforts?

That’s all for this week’s post. As usual, feel free to post about any of the above or below stories, or make your own post on a new topic, if you like. Keep working on those final presentations, and I’ll see you in class!

Other articles of interest:
How one Oregon lawmaker convinced his colleagues to ‘Rick Roll’ the state legislature
Vote count ‘human error’ shadows Wisconsin Supreme Court election
Google’s Size Pertinent to Broad Antitrust Case
3 Ways Social Media Can Wreck Your Career
PlayStation chief: Nintendo makes ‘babysitting tools’
New book reveals Apple’s Steve Jobs mentored Google co-founders
The Sleepless Elite
Texas Speed Limit Raised: Is it Safe?
Is Your Brain Liberal or Conservative?
Six industries hurt by an NFL lockout
Purdy: Defense threw the better pitches at Bonds trial
Ramirez was a huge talent, colossal waste
Charlie Sheen Tour: What the Critics Say About the Disastrous New York Show
The New Commodore 64, Updated With Its Old Exterior
Video Games Help Stroke Victims Rehab Motor Functions
Your commute is making you stupid, study suggests
Is it a new particle, or just a fluke?

Discussion Post: Week 12

Another week down, with a dozen more presentations in the books! Hopefully this week we’ll finish up Persuasive Presentation I. Our odds are certainly quite a bit better now, at the very least.

Let’s start this week’s discussion with a bit of controversy. A recent archaelogical find is already being called “the major discovery of Christian history.” A set of 70 lead codices — basically, stone books — were discovered in a remote Jordanian cave five years ago, and some scholars now believe they could hold clues to the last days of Jesus’ life. Of course, a tense conflict is brewing over ownership of the credit card-sized codices, but given that initial metallurgical tests indicate that they are about 2,000 years old, they could be landmark finds indeed. Or perhaps they’re just a two millenia-old shopping list. What are your thoughts on these scrolls? Do you buy the claims that they have deep religious significance? How about scientific tests of their authenticity? For that matter, what do you think about the interaction between science and religion in general? Are they mutually exclusive entities or easily blended? What is the role of the scientist, as you see it, pertaining to religion?

In Spain, researchers from a small company called Bio Fuel Systems are working on mixing carbon dioxide and algae to promote the production of fossil fuels identical to those naturally created millions of years ago. According to engineer Eloy Chapuli, “We are trying to simulate the conditions which existed millions of years ago, when the phytoplankton was transformed into oil. In this way, we obtain oil that is the same as oil today.” There is speculation that this alternative fossil fuel could be available for public consumption in 5-10 years, representing an alternative to limited natural fossil fuels, electric power which demands lengthy vehicle charging, and nuclear power which, given the ongoing crisis in Japan, the public is less apt to support. Do you think that this alternative is as promising as many seem to think? How might it change the world around us and the subjects of major concern to us? By the same token, is this an ideal solution to possible energy crises, or are there problems with this alternative? What do you think should be done in the energy industry — and what plans do you think will actually be implemented?

In other world news, Libyan rebels are trying to hold recent gains after six weeks of fighting against Moammar Gadhafi’s forces, although the U.S. says it has no plans to send ground troops as support. NATO air strikes have had mixed results; a recent effort against Gadhafi’s army accidentally killed 13 rebel troops instead. The violence in Syria has also continued, with dissidents being seized from their homes and at least nine demonstrators killed and dozens more injured by security forces on Friday. That hasn’t slowed down protests, which continued on Saturday, inspiring some shops to close “in solidarity with with the protesters.” Attacks in Afghanistan have also recently increased, with seven U.N. staff killed on Friday and a suicide attack in Kabul on Saturday. The Taliban in claiming no responsibility, with a representative instead saying that “it was a pure act of responsible Muslims” in response to a March 20 Koran burning by Florida pastor Terry Jones. As for the Japanese nuclear crisis, Japan’s Prime Minister says that officials may have discovered why radiation has been leaking into the sea: according to Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), a crack in a concrete pit at the No. 2 reactor in Fukushima has been leaking water, releasing radiation at a rate of 1,000 millisieverts per hour. TEPCO staff have begun pouring concrete into the leak in an effort to limit further damage.

Okay, we’ll talk about the NCAA tournament one last time (unless Butler wins it all, in which case I’ll be obligated to at least mention it next week). Let’s return to the student-athlete dilemma first. Consider the superstars of college hoops who ultimately use the NCAA as a minor league of sorts on their way to professional basketball (or other sports, for that matter). What does that mean for the college scene that they leave behind (especially if they enter the pros before finishing four years of school), both on the court and in the classroom? As a student-athlete, how do you weigh the money from immediately jumping to the pros against the education of the last 1-3 years in college? On the university level, do the millions of dollars earned from collegiate athletics outweigh the (probably slight) decline in graduation rates or any social phenomena that may unfold around student-athletes who have little intention of finishing their degrees? What about coaches who make more money than anyone else at their university? Taking it to the larger organizational level, does it benefit the NCAA or the NBA to establish a minor league system akin to that of Major League Baseball? Why or why not? What about allowing NCAA athletes to be paid, as some have suggested? Would the benefits of such a change outweigh the drawbacks? And what about renewed allegations of NCAA rules violations by staff on two of the Final Four teams?

Finally, in stupid-internet-posting news, on Thursday a New Jersey first-grade teacher was suspended without pay for saying that “she felt like a warden overseeing future criminals.” Apparently the post spurred a large group of parents to demand her removal from what is, to be fair, one of New Jersey’s most troubled school systems. She’s hardly the first teacher to be suspended for online comments; a Pennsylvania high school teacher was recently suspending following similar comments on her blog, and a Chicago second-grade teacher is facing disciplinary actions after posting and mocking one of her student’s school photos on Facebook. What are your thoughts on these recent incidents? Should internet activity be used against employees in their real-world lives? I know that some of you have expressed interest in primary education, so what do you think about these teachers and their behavior? For that matter, how does the crossover between online activity and real-world consequences relate to the Rebecca Black story we discussed last week?

As always, please feel free to discuss any of the above or below stories, or post on another topic of your choice, if you prefer!

Other articles of interest:
Snooki Earns Higher Speaking Fee Than Toni Morrison
Google v Microsoft: Oi! You looking at me?
One-Armed Surfing Star Says Upcoming Biopic Is ‘Spot On’
BCS conducts shallow probe as party rages on
How did the tradition of cutting down the nets begin?
Israel, The Third Nation on the Moon?
AP-GfK Poll: Americans souring more on economy
President Obama intervenes in budget standoff
More US Women Having Children With Different Biological Fathers
Loophole means Utah sex offender set to be freed
New census data shows which areas of America are growing, shrinking
No ring? Will and Kate break from tradition, along with more couples
Rebecca Black’s Not To Blame: Meet The Man Who Wrote “Friday”
Stephen Colbert & Jimmy Fallon Sing Rebecca Black’s ‘Friday’