Like Ye or Not, You Ears Are About to Experience an Album Like Nothing They've Ever Heard Before

Kanye West is no stranger to controversy, attention, or praise. Thanks to his new album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, he won't have to, well just yet anyway. I'll be the first to tell you that I'm not particularly a fan of hip hop or even rap. My musical collection seems to fall into a neat little Indie/Alt Rock, Folk package. But I won't deny that I enjoy a hip hop beat or a decent rap verse every now and then, and I definitely won't turn down a listen at the masterpiece that this album turned out to be.

Kanye West isn't exactly a likable guy, remember that Taylor Swift VMA incident? Or even farther back, the New Orleans rant? He isn't George Bush's favorite person, (but then again people aren't exactly quick to jump up and claim George Bush as their favorite person either) but he sure knows how to produce an album. This album shouldn't work, and maybe that's where the beauty lies. It combines hip hop, with progressive rock, classic piano, disco, tribal beats, some cello, and of course that lovely auto tune. Kanye doesn't just mix genres, he hosts a collection of featured artists from Elton John and John Legend to Nicki Minaj and Rihanna. He doesn't miss a beat, literally, and it comes together better than it should. The fourth track on the album "All of the Lights" exemplifies this go big or go home style perfectly. Boasting an impressive eleven featured artists, yes eleven, it steals the show.

The lyrics are as clever as ever with "too many Urkels on your team, that's why your wins low"on Dark Fantasy and political on Gorgeous' "Inner-century anthems, based off inner-city tantrums/Based off the way we was branded/Face it, Jerome get more time than Brandon/and at the airport they check all through my bag and tell me that it's random."With this album, Kanye sets the hip hop world back on track. He not only begs us to demand more out of our mainstream artists, but delivers a masterpiece that they can look to as an example.

Photo credit: MTV News, video Youtube.

Facebook Stalking, Soon to be Our Generation's Past-time. PB#4

What was I doing with my life before Facebook? Oh, that's right... not wasting countless hours of my time learning minuscule details of stranger's lives. Facebook is a genius invention, it provides us with the ability to take our social scene (and a few others) and have it at our finger tips. The success lies in our desire as humans to look at people that we know on our computer screens. It also allows us to lurk our "friends" and figure out all the details that they are willing to share, which is more than you might think. This, my friends, is what we call Facebook stalking.

And thankfully, Mark Zuckerberg and his lovely team have made this infinitely easier with the new "View Friendship" option. All you have to do is click that little button, and the relationships and interactions between your stalkees is neatly compacted into easily readable and organized sections. Talk about convenience.

I'm sure that almost every person with an active Facebook account has lurked a few times, (or a few hundred) after all that is half the fun of Facebook. Find your ex significant other, check their relationship status, scan their pictures, a process that millions of people have engaged in. Facebook collects all of the small things we wonder about our friends and acquaintances and presents them in a pretty package that is just so easy to unwrap.

Is this healthy? Probably not. But is it normal? Absolutely. Gone are the days of having to ask around about a person's views, morals, and character. (How boooooooring) All we need is a computer, a Facebook account, and a few hours to waste.

Photo Credit: http://hubba-u.com/page/4/

How Far Is Too Far.. ? PB #3

Most everyone could agree that the internet is a wonderful tool for communicating. It is an outlet for sharing ideas and information. Though it has many advantages it can also be utilized in a malicious way. This can be seen in the case of Dayna Kempeson. Dayna got into a terrible accident and when firefighters got to the scene, instead of aiding Dayna, they took footage of her mangled body. The firefighters can be heard saying such things as "Smell like she's been drinking. There is a piece of skull right there on the console" and "I was wondering what that smell was. Hold that down for me. Oh, my God!" The video was eventually uploaded to the internet and spread virally. Dayna's parents received news of the video two months after her tragic accident. You can read the full story here.

This is without a doubt a horrible situation. It is heartbreaking to watch her parents speak about the incident. And it is terrible that a firefighter, someone who's job it is to take care of the public could be so heartless. The real question lies though in why this video circulated so virally. In a digital age it is no surprise that our culture is heavily reliant on sharing news through the web, but where is the line drawn on what is appropriate? Would physical hard copies of these photos have been passed around so freely? And how has our reliance on technology shaped our way of handling a situation? It troubles me that the fireman's first response was to take footage of this dying woman, and that his companion saw nothing wrong with it. We live in a world where it seems that the first response we have to a situation involves updating our Facebook statuses.

Technology can be a wonderful thing, but as with all things discretion needs to be used. Etiquette and moral responsibility should not be tossed aside on the internet. We as citizens need to stop hiding behind our computer screens, and stand up for ethical use of the internet. Sharing information is vital, but there is a line, and it needs to be re-traced.

Photo credit: CNN.com

Real Simple Magazine

Thesis:

This national women's multimedia magazine strives to provide it's readers with tools to de-stress, simplify, inspire, and help make their lives more satisfying.

Five Facts:

• Real Simple's reader demographic is equally divided between the age groups of 25- 35, 35-45, and 45-55 years old.
• The design of the magazine appeals to educated women, and is strongly based in a strict color palette, and white space.
• Each issue has a tear out section in the back with a featured recipe, inspirational quote, wallet calendar, and quick organizational tip.
• Each issue has a section called New Uses For Old Things, that uses old household items in new innovative ways.
• Real Simple marketing plan involves sending a free magazine to anyone who wishes to preview it.

Triune Brain

This magazine is word based and relies heavily on the use of the Neocortex. There are many informational and organizational techniques that exercise the neocortex. The limbic brain is also effected by the use of white space, "clean" colors, and beautiful pictures that implement lighting.

Trends

This magazine exemplifies the trend of convergence by being available in both print and on

the web.

Principles

Real Simple uses a wide variety of production techniques, words, pictures, interactive segments, and how to videos. There is emotional transfer in some of the personal stories and examples (love, inspiration, happiness.)The segments are pac

ed in a way that doesn't overwhelm the reader.

Persuasive Techniques

Real Simple relies heavily on the plain folks technique, incorporating tip, advice, and stories that feature and pertain to every day women. Testimonial is also involved as seen in many articles being written by educated and informed consumers. Las

tly, value messages are strongly implemented by reinforcing that a simple lifestyle is the key to happiness.

Mid-Term Exam- Ravishing Reflective Response!

1. I think the most important thing that I've learned so far is how to change my attitude about media. Before this class I went through the motions, without really stopping to think about what I was consuming. This class has taught me to question and analyze the things that I come across every day. As I surf the web ( I can't believe that I just used that phrase) and stumble upon media, I now look in depth at what is on my screen. What messages are being conveyed to me? How is this shaping my attitudes and actions? All in all this class has made me a more educated and informed citizen of (media &) society. Oh and I learned that Twitter is actually pretty cool too.

2. I've learned that I enjoy blogging, it comes easily to me. I also have come to realize that I enjoy media more than I had originally thought. In turn I have become more immersed in this course, leading to me thinking more in depth about the world that I live in.

3. I wouldn't really change how I've approached this class. I always read the chapters and blog on time. I engage myself, and focus all of my attention on the subject at hand. I think I've missed one blog, so I guess if I took the class over I wouldn't have that happen.

4. In all honesty I wouldn't change a thing about this class - it's close to perfect. I enjoy coming here everyday and leave with my head spinning, thinking of media. The only thing I could suggest is incorporating the book more, and additional open discussion about trending topics.

5. Films- The films are a nice break from time to time, but I'd rather watch the short clips on Youtube, most of the time they are more powerful and informative. I thought that Reel Bad Arabs was an excellent choice though, it really engaged the whole class.

Personal/Class Blog- The blogs might be my favorite part. It's a perfect way to implement media into our class as well as share our opinions, views and personal stories with each other. It's a good way to get my classmates opinions that I might not have heard otherwise.

Power Tools- I have mixed reviews about the Powertools. I think they are an important part of the class, and that they teach us many important aspects of analyzing media. They are an imperative part of our learning process but at the same time I feel like we focus too much on them. The class is called Media and Society, not Powertools 101.

Quizzes- I think these are implemented well. They are good "check up" on the lessons. Also I like when we go over them, it is nice to hear other student's thoughts and ideas.

Book- I love this book. It's probably the most enjoyable textbook I've had to use. It's current, engaging, relatable, and interesting. PLEASE USE IT MORE.

South Park Mirrors Reality.. Which is Scarier? PB#2

So while thinking about what I would blog on my personal blog (because I'm obviously thinking about Media & Society 24/7) I was sitting on my friends couch when the No Internet episode of South Park came on. This is one of my favorite South Park episodes because it is so startlingly true. The episode begins with the family discovering that they have no internet, they soon run over to their neighbors who also realize there is no internet (gasp!) Panic obviously ensues, as seen here.


Even South Park "out delivers all cable programs among boys and men ages 12-34" (pg.193) it relates to all of society.While this show is obviously funny in general, as lewd as it can be- it's actually quite terrifying. Terrifying because it is an accurate portrayal of what would happen if the internet suddenly stopped working. We are a society so dependent on our internet that even if the internet went down in one small town it would be treated as a disaster. I witness it in the halls of my dorm as students struggle to get their internet to work . Obscenities are screamed, tears are shed and lives are threatened. (it's that extreme, I swear) Lives fall apart when there is no internet. Period. This episode forces us to take a good luck at what the availability of internet has done to us- the way it has altered our daily lives. Looking into the mirror isn't always a pretty thing, it can be an eye opener. But just like the summer diet I tell myself I'll go on after looking in the mirror every pre-summer season, the effect doesn't last long. Until my life turns into this episode of South Park, I'll probably just appreciate and soak up all the internet I can, while it's still here. And while I'm at it, I'll watch some more episodes of South Park.

It Gets Better... Hopefully on a Global Scale Too. PB#1

It seems that the only news we hear about these days is whether or not Lilo will end up in the slammer, while this may be engaging to some the real focus should be on the civil rights movement of our time. I'm not about to go on a rant of how ignorant the people of our society can be, or how in the 21st century we could still be so small minded (even though I should) instead I'm going to shed light on a wonderful project that a man named Dave Savage started. This project was founded to raise awareness about the recent rise in suicide among gay teens. You can read his article, and visit the youtube channel.

This channel encourages adults to film videos of themselves discussing the issues and obstacles they have overcome. It shows that even though society can be cruel and unjust in relation to gays, it can be overcome. The videos are personal, inspiring and often heartbreaking. The message remains clear though, thing will get better. Hopefully these videos will reach the countless gay teens out there who are constantly ridiculed for simply being human, for wanting love and companionship. It is a tragedy that this debate is still going on, but a small victory that this channel perseveres on youtube sharing the message for the interworld to see. Celebrity Gossip columnist Perez Hilton even hopped on to show support.


As this project continues to spread and grow, hopefully so will tolerance and understanding. After all ignorance breeds fear, and the only way to qualm these fears is to educate, and in a society so reliant on media(especially the internet and youtube) this will serve to teach the many out there that gay rights are human rights, and that gay teens need not to worry any longer about being mistreated.

Things will get better, hopefully for all, and for good.