Week 10

The aspect of this class I most appreciated was Rob’s enthusiasm on the media and its many mediums. Class is more enjoyable when the teacher likes what they teach and that was definitely the case for this term. I really liked doing the blogs and thought they did a good job of reflecting our stance on the subjects presented. I did have fun. I think the blogs were the most important part of the class and should be focused on a little more.

The only thing that could’ve been added is a look from the other angle. Internet, TV, radio, movies, and music are all great things but maybe showing the negative aspects of media would be also useful. We did cover some negative things but we should’ve also looked at how social networking can also prevent one from getting a job or how it is slowly making us unsocial beings who stare at their phone all day. Also, more John Oliver!

I do feel like the quizzes were not that useful in showing what I've learned. I don’t think quizzes or tests ever show what a student truly knows. However, the tests were easy and open book/internet, but that may be all the more reason to cut it.

Week 9

                Admittedly, I listen to some pretty indecent music at times. A few years ago, my mom and younger sister visited and I had to skip every other song because she was only 12 years old. I didn’t want to subject her to the vulgarity of my music for obvious reasons. I felt a little weird about it but I changed the song immediately so there wasn’t any awkwardness.

       

                 Led Zeppelin, Alice in Chains, Krayzie Bone (from Bone Thugs n Harmony), Old Crow Medicine Show,  and Bob Marley are my five favorite bands, however, I don’t normally look at things like “top five” because I like a lot more music than just that. I have a very diverse music collection from Dixie Chicks to Tech N9ne or Rosemary Clooney to System of a Down, I like a lot of genres. My favorite genre is probably reggae because most of it pushes a very positive message.

               

                Starting a campus radio show is totally feasible, but I think a web show or a podcast is a little more valuable to students today, for most of us would rather see images with the audio. However, if more people wish to start a radio station, I think we should support them.

                

                The first program I would try to build is the “Vegan Network” or the “The Vanity of Veganity” which would focus on getting the vegans up to date news on restaurants, events, or even a new vegetable that’s coming out. I’m not vegan, but many Oregonians are, so I think that it may be a niche worth pursuing.

               

                The other program I would try is a program that focuses on all other college sports, excluding Beavers and Ducks. Beavers and Ducks are everywhere, but I hear almost nothing about the other college’s teams. I know most people like the Ducks or the Beavers, but as an outsider, it would be nice to hear how WOU’s basketball team is doing or LBCC’s baseball team for that matter.

                

               For “The Vegan Network,” students could have a farmers market or events like that to help raise money for their cause. They may also be able to visit other farmers markets in hope to have a booth and raise money there too. The program that focuses on non-Beaver or Ducks sports could raise money by fund raising at the local sports events. There are many sporting and non-sporting activities that both ideas could raise funds awareness at, for all colleges have numerous different events going on like plays, sports, or parties.

Week 8 Topic 1 & 2 Books

                Unfortunately, I’m not a reader. Don’t get me wrong, I can read, but I don’t enjoy doing it. I haven’t read any of the books on the list but I have seen a few of the movies that were made from some of the books listed on ALA. “Fifty Shades of Grey” I have only heard about, but what I have heard was pretty explicit. One cannot blame a parent, teacher, or a student for finding some of the topics too sexual. The other book I’ve seen the movie to was “The Hunger Games.” Honestly, the first time I heard about it, I thought it was an eating competition or something. After seeing the movie, I was shocked. I listen to vulgar music, watch vulgar movies, and play some rather vulgar video games, but there was something in “The Hunger Games” that really got to me. To put young kids, as young as eight or nine years old in a deathmatch against 18 year olds is really messed up to me. The explanation of why the world of Panem sacrifices 23 children every year is sad and reminiscent of today’s society. Americans seem to like movies that have children kill each other, yet when a tragedy like UCC happens, it devastates the nation. The books should be banned from schools! In college or public libraries no regulation should be initiated, but I definitely think we need to regulate what our children read. I do not own any books that most would. I have a lot of books on mythology and religion that have no authors because I like ancient history. I also have a lot of manuals, maps, farming, cookbooks, and medical books which obviously shows that I read for function, not pleasure. I like to have knowledge on certain things and my books reflect that about me.

                One of the things I found was that I like the thought of students picking their teachers. I had many teachers in middle and high school that I didn’t mesh with. If I had options, maybe my high schooling would have went smoother. I also liked the thought that school should be an incubator, teaching us what we need for life, not just school. High school needs to change and become more like college, allowing students freedom in classes and teachers.

                One way I would change college is, its cost. It needs to be free and as soon as possible. I shouldn’t have had to sign my life to the military in order to get a good life for myself. If we truly want America to be the better place we all think it is, we need to educate everyone! Another way I would change college is by reforming the text book monopolists. For too long, our education has been controlled by a few powerful companies. Creating new editions to books has long been the way to screw the average college student and it needs to stop. Adding a few words does not justify charging someone 200 dollars for a textbook. Pearson and many others need to be shut down, for they’ve made enough money. Both of these changes would save students money, which is obviously very important these days.

Week 6 Topic 1 & 2

           

After watching this week’s videos and reading “WWGD,” I believe that one of the changes I would recommend newspapers should make is to stop selling the newspaper, for today’s news is free and I think that’s an idea they need to give in to. With the ease of finding news on the internet via computer or phone, most people do not pay for the news outside of paying their phone or internet bill. If they take an internet-style approach towards ads, they wouldn’t need to charge people for papers that are going to end up at the bottom of some bird cage anyway. They would save a fortune and still have their name all over the place because people would rather not pay for the paper. If the newspaper was free, then more people would take advantage of it and if more people are reading it, the advertisements would then be more ideal for the companies who have left due to lack of readers.Another way newspapers may evolve to better suit the readers of today is taking the Utko approach. Design is
everything and newspapers have long been as boring as can be. A little color, better quality pictures, and a strategic layout would make the world of difference, for if it pleases the eye, more people will see it, read it, and even share it. This is why Coke and Pepsi change the look of their cans every year or two, to appeal to new consumers.

                

           One example of the news or media not living up to my expectations is the ignorance that surrounds Middle Eastern people and how the media has long painted them as “terrorists.” After 911, the world changed, but it changed for some, way more than others. After serving in the military for about 4 years, I soon realized that the people I was trained to fight, were not the people I thought they were. Contrary to the way our media portrays Muslim people, they are not all terrorists. Most Muslims are very good people and wouldn’t hurt a fly. Yes, there are a few bad apples, but that doesn’t mean we should throw away the whole batch. There is plenty of violence in Chicago, Memphis, New Orleans and Detroit for the news to cover, yet we dwell on other countries problems.  Other than RT News, I’ve only seen negative press on Middle Easterners and Fox News definitely paints the worst picture of the Middle East, for it is known as a “republican” network and very much supported the two recent wars. As we speak, there are thousands of Muslim refugees in Europe, who came from Syria, that the news has made a circus out of. They use Muslim people and problems to boost their ratings when they got nothing that’s “news-worthy.” It is the "ultimate bullshit that's going on behind us." Being from the military, one may think I hate Muslims like our media seems to, but after knowing them on a personal level, I see that they are not who I once thought they were. 

Media Blog Project 2: "Jurassic World"

             For my second media blog project, I chose to do option #4, a media product review on the newest movie in the Jurassic Park films, “Jurassic World.” I decided on Jurassic World because its new and I liked the movie. I had high hopes for the film and thankfully, it did not disappoint. Here is a small clip of some of the beautiful CG work the film crew did and the official trailer.
      The first "Jurassic Park" was made in 1993 and was directed by the very famous Steven Spielberg, who was also an executive producer on the latest movie, "Jurassic World" as well. The 1993 film was groundbreaking for many reasons. It was by far the most advanced movie, in terms of special effects or props, of its day. Not only did it have great action scenes, but it also broke almost every record the box office had, including first day/night sales. The original movie featured Sam Neill and Laura Dern as the main characters, as well as two young kids. All of "Jurassic Park's" records have long been broken, but the movie makers are probably very happy to see the newest installment in the series, "Jurassic World" shattered almost every record once again. I believe the success of this film had a lot to do with the original, and that many remakes of older movies have done very well at the box office as of late.

                The film was directed by Colin Trevorrow, who has also been announced as the director of Star Wars: Episode IX. Yes, I said Episode IX. He has very little on his resume, but I think Jurassic World spoke for itself. One the movies main actors is Chris Pratt, who was on Parks and Recreation and Guardians of the Galaxy. He does a good job of bringing some comedy to the movie, for without him, the only comical part was the young boy’s haircut.

                The movie starts with a "stereotypical suburb" family, whose kids are sent off to visit their aunt, who works at the Jurassic Theme Park. The kids arrive to find an aunt (Bryce DallasHoward) who doesn’t have the time to kick it, so she sends them on their own. After dealing with the boys, the aunt visits with the dinosaur behavior expert (Chris Pratt) near the new indominus rex pen. They notice that the dinosaur is missing so Chris Pratt’s character, Owen, heads inside to take a look. The dinosaur wasn’t missing, for it used one of its hybrid-dino powers to make himself undetectable. It breaks out of the poorly secured pen and begins his rampage. Bryce Dallas Howard’s character, Claire, realizes she is responsible for her nephews, so she asks Owen to help her get them.

                According to businessinsider.com, Jurassic World is the only movie to make $500 million in its first weekend. It did pretty well at the box office and I’m sure Netflix will make another large fortune off of it. It was released on Blu-ray and DVD on October 22. Variety.com claims they sold almost  three million units in the first week alone. 

                This movie was similar to the other “Jurassic” movies, but it also had its differences, for in this movie people are everywhere. In the first movie it was a handful of people, but not in Jurassic World, so there is a bit more chaos and action. Although this movie was really good, it did have inconsistencies from the original story line. It seemed like they picked and chose what they wanted to keep and didn’t want to keep. There was no park that ever opened up in the past movies, so for them to start twenty years down the road like they had the park up the whole time, didn’t fit in my opinion. Some of the stereotypes that one may notice is the role Chris Pratt plays, which is the tough-cool guy role. The children in the movie definitely reflect the styles of the youth today. The teenage kid, played by Nick Robinson, is the stereotypical teen, who has way better things to do with his time than go to some theme park. 

                This movie is important for us to see what dinosaurs may have been like. It does reflect that our movie industry lacks good ideas, for we are remaking buttloads of old movies. This movie had a large target audience. From middle aged people, who loved the original, to young kids, who get to experience what I did back in 1994, they will enjoy this movie. Although I'm sure it doesn’t do very well among 50+. However, it's main audience was most likely people of my age group, 26-40 because they would have seen the original, probably liked it and would've likely wanted to take their kids to it. Parents want their kids to like the same stuff they did as a kid, and this movie is a great way for that to happen. 

                The movie’s strengths are the CG work and story line. The CG was flawless, in my opinion, for it had bright colors and daytime footage, unlike its predecessor. I loved that they added more dinosaurs like the huge aquatic one, but it did have fails also. The "t-rex-headed" flying dinosaur was poorly designed, in my opinion. Its biggest weakness is the casting for the youngest kid. This is a good movie and I think it comes close to the original, but I still like the original a little better. I think the movie is very memorable and it has already announced sequels, so I think it will stick around for years to come. Many critics disagree with my review though like Wall Street Journal’s Joe Morgenstern, who blurts “Mr. Pratt’s charm is no match for the crude filmmaking or the stupid plot that keeps him running around in a constant state of artificial animation.” There will always be those who don’t enjoy movies like this. Here is his actual review. Ann Hornaday of the Washington Post states "The set pieces, admittedly, are impressive, especially when the benighted Indominus stomps her way to freedom, crushing, impaling and of course eating 

everything in her path."Her review is a little kinder, but overall, the critics were pretty harsh on this 

record breaking film that also did great in DVD and Blu-ray sales.

            
                Here is a link to some tweets about "Jurassic World." The movie did a great job of bringing their brand to life. Instead of making just a boring Facebook page, they made what looked to be the page of an actual Jurassic Theme Park. It is very interactive and is very original. It has maps, schedules, and even "fresh baked churro's" advertised on the site, which gives a very real feel to it. I think we'll see more movies use these unorthodox methods because of its success. Although I don’t use social media ever, I did get the opinions of others on the movie, young and old. Honestly, nobody I know disliked it. My mother, 51, and my sister, 13, both loved it, and my mom hates everything. Yeah, there may have been some parts of the story that could have done better, but that doesn’t make it a terrible movie. I own the movie and would pay another eight bucks at the movie theater to see its sequel.

                Overall, I would recommend this movie to anyone, for it is a good waste of a couple hours. I did learn that the Jurassic Park series dropped the ball on the velociraptor though. Not so fun fact: velociraptors were the size of chickens, but boy does there name sound scary. The Utahraptor is the really scuurrrry one.

Week 5 Topic 1 & 2

                If one looks up Justin Bieber’s troubled life on the net, they’ll find stuff about drugs, vandalism, and how he’s dropped the “N-bomb” featuring the hard E-R on several occasions. That is unacceptable to me, for I’m not from Oregon and I actually have black friends. The hypocrisy of this kid is apparent, for there are many photos of him kickin’ it with many different black people like Oprah, Puff Daddy, Michael Strahan, Usher, and Drake. His racist comments on black people went too far. Not much can be done, except for those who do like him, should maybe question why and stop buying his music.

               
        One thing I found alarming in RiP, was the amount of money that the documentary would’ve had to pay for using copyrighted songs. I think a little gratuity may be in order but not 4 million dollars. One concern I have with copyright laws is not that much of an issue anymore and that is the record companies profiting more off of a musician than the musicians themselves. I like the artist not the label. I agree with a lot of what is in RiP to an extent. I grew up in a time where one had to pay for the cd they thought was going to be so good, for it to turn out to be a dud. I’m glad there are other options today.

Katherine,

Because we need to do a comment for next week’s blog that involves others, I think this post is super important and deserves another comment. After reading your post, it made me think of that movie "Precious" from 2009. It’s about a girl who isn't Google's definition of beautiful and struggles with confidence. I think Hollywood needs to use actresses who don't fit that mold, so we as people can evolve past shallowness. I really like how you brought attention to something that we don’t hear enough. Google’s definition of beauty is very shallow, so the fact that Dove is shattering that image is a great thing. Women have often been held to an unrealistic standard when it comes to appearance and makes some feel inferior for not fitting that mold.   I also came across a Men's version of the sketches that the women had. I soon realized it was a parody, but it shows the hypocrisy between gender expectations. Although I can’t make a link in your comments, I will provide the address: Here.

Week 3 Topic 2: Arts and Crafts Tony Romo

                The ad I think stands out is “The Arts and Crafts Tony Romo” commercial that markets the Sunday Ticket which is exclusive to DirecTV. First off, I hate Tony Romo, just wanted to let that be known right off the bat to show my bias. Having said that, the commercial is hilarious. DirecTV has been doing these commercials with Rob Lowe and recently they had the Manning sisters and even Andrew Luck. The reason why the Tony Romo commercial stands out more to me, is that I think he is Arts and Crafts Tony Romo. It’s not an act. He totally looks like he could have a cupcake-brownie baking fetish and I think the paper macheing  isn’t out of the realm of possibility, for he does have a lot of free time at the moment.

                The target audience of this commercial is people who live in a state where their team is not played locally and fantasy football nuts. I would think that this would mainly be guys over the age of 25 but maybe some women too.The persuasive techniques used would be a hybrid of famous person testimony-steryotypes and maybe even snob appeal. Obviously, Tony Romo is famous and he recommends getting the Sunday Ticket so that’s the famous person testimony. The characters they make around the NFL players are a strange way of stereotyping and the snob appeal comes in where they tell you to “not be like Arts and Crafts Tony Romo” which echoes the snob appeal.

               

     Let’s be honest, they don’t need to advertise very much, for us fans that are separated from our team already know we got to go sign our soul to DirecTV to watch them. It may help in getting the people who may be on the fence about it, but I’ve lived away from Wisconsin for about 4 years and I’ve had DTV all 4 years. Until they un-monopolize it, we have no choice. The contract with the NFL was vastly more important to the success of DirecTV’s Sunday Ticket than any Petite Randy Moss commercial did, but I will say that’s my second favorite commercial in the series. Overall, they make me laugh, so I don’t hate the ads, but I don’t think they are doing much to help sell the Sunday Ticket package, so I would say its a dud.

        A commercial campaign that works in my opinion, is the “If it’s not an iPhone, it’s not an iPhone” commercials, as well as every other Apple commercial ever made. To be blunt, I would never buy or use an Apple product and I truly mean that. If it was given to me, I would sell it. There are numerous reasons why I feel that way, but that has nothing to do with their marketing, for they have Americans eating of their hands. Their campaign name says it all.

                It’s not hard to notice that more than anything, Apple hits Americans with the SNOB APPEAL or SNOB APPLE?, for it’s in this campaign as well as anything Apple promotes. I think that Apple appeals to people who are 40+ and those that are easily fooled. Its “easy to use” reputation definitely aims at those aren’t “tech savvy, even though they think they are.”

                These techniques worked because obviously according to the Brand Z report, they’re making it rain in Seattle with all the money they’re raking in from American sheep, who are so easily molded. My take on Apple may be a bit harsh but it’s not like Apple users will listen anywhoo. 

Week 3 Topic 1: Fallout 4 on Twitter

After searching for Fallout 4, a new game on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, on Twitter, I see that there is a lot of information about its upcoming release as well as things about the game that one might want to know like PC requirements, so you know whether or not your crappy Dell will play it. Most of it does seem like rubbish to me, like the video of Vince McMahon integrated into the game. I didn't get it.  

            In my opinion, the effectiveness of using Twitter to advertise the games release is nearly pointless, for Fallout fans are a cult fan base that already know damn well when it’s coming out. Most games advertise for weeks online and on TV, but I’d put money on Bethesda, the game maker, not putting a TV commercial out until maybe a week before the release. They don’t need to advertise and they know it. In fact, they kept the release and just the fact that it was being made for a long time, about 6 years. 

            In “WWGD?,” the concept I thought was surprising was the idea of having a great product and customer service and the customers will stay loyal. I wish more companies would adopt that belief because most of today’s products are crap. It seems like a hit or miss on the net sometimes even with the reviews that one can scour. I will say that when I find a brand that I think does make a good product, I stick with them. Seagate external hard drives till the day I die! They work great and if you do something stupid to ruin it, they replace it, no questions asked. They don’t need good advertising, they just put out a great product. 

Media Blog Project: "The Carbanaro Effect"

                 I chose to do my Media Blog Project on “The Carbanaro Effect” on TruTV on September 30^th 2015. The episode is named "The Doughy Parts." This show is unlike any other and barely fits into the reality genre, in my opinion. Before I summarize the episode, I’d like to explain a little more about the show, so it’s more easily understood. Michael Carbanaro is a magician who came up with a very strange idea for a show. Every episode, he tries to fool the people he encounters by using his own weird style of magic, which can get very comical. He has convinced people that his shoe laces tie themselves, he has a shrink ray, and he’s even convinced someone that they killed another person via super strong tanning bed that turned them to ash. It’s reality show that features a magician that attempts to bend the reality around the people he encounters, who have no idea that he is a magician. Check out a clip here: (The Carbanaro Effect).

            Michael Carbanaro is a magician who grew up in New York City, NY. He has been in a few things prior to "The Carbanaro Effect" but nothing major. The show is in its second season and its mainly filmed in Atlanta at various businesses. The show is on every Tuesday at 6 PM. The show has similarities to shows like "Impractical Jokers" and even some elements of "Punk'd" in it. If one is old enough to know what "Candid Camera" is, then there are aspects of that in the show as well. Although there are similarities in these shows, nothing is like the amazement on the people's faces that he encounters. The difference between his show and other shows like it is, he gets people to believe in the impossible, even if it is a little silly. Also, the way he interacts with his subjects is very smooth and doesn't feel fake, but is often improvisational. 

               "The Doughy Parts" starts with Michael in an art museum, where he instructs a man to help him remove paint from brushes by painting it on a piece of paper in splotches. After getting as much paint off the brushes as he can, the man jokes about whether or not they should hang his splotches, which Michael has him sign. Then, Michael has the man help him open a box that looks as if something valuable is in it, to find an eerily similar picture of random splotches as they guy just drew. When Michael reveals that the painting that looks almost identical to the man’s splotch painting, is a 500,000 dollar painting, the man’s mind gets officially blown.

                The next victim Michael has is a quirky looking lady. Michael has her hold an egg that is made out of “Persian catacomb clay” to her face to show that it’s cool to the touch. He then has the lady set the egg on a stand and read some special instructions, where it says that the egg shouldn’t be handled without gloves. When the lady notices a large hand print located on the egg Michael was holding that protrudes out, she looks back at her egg. She is blown away to find that the egg has changed into a clay version of her face with her hairdo. Michael leaves in haste like usual.

                Michael then changes location and finds himself in an office as though he is there to interview for a job. The secretary makes small talk and Michael asks if he can pitch his ideas to her pre-interview. He uses an over-sized bag that may hold blueprints to cover most of his body, and when he puts it down, the lady realizes something is different, for now Michael has on some weird Elton John glasses and something behind his ear, like a joint. She busts him out and asks him how he changed the way he looked so quick, and then Michael uses his sliver tongue to confuse or ignore the woman’s claim, which is often very funny. He holds the huge bag up again, to reveal that now he has on completely different clothes, and once again the lady thinks she’s crazy because she was so sure he had on a suit when now he is wearing casual wear. Then, when you think it’s all over, he bedazzles the mind once more by making a bag of cheesy puffs appear out of nowhere and he turns his coffee into a large soft drink. As the seen ends, the lady is questioning life itself and seems like she’s almost in tears.

                The next scene starts at the same desk but a different lady, and once again Michael is there for a job interview. There is a basket of bagels behind her and he asks her for one. She hands him a bagel and he tells her how he’s on a no carb diet and that he scoops out the middle part of the bagel before eating. He slowly starts pulling dough out of the bagel, and pulling, and pulling. He accumulates a few handfuls worth the dough, and even some of it looks way too fresh like it wasn’t baked at all. Then he dumps a pile of sesame seeds out, which was probably two or three handfuls itself.  The lady is shocked that that much stuff came out of a bagel.

                The next scene is by far the funniest and it takes place at a public pool. A lady is told to watch the people and to make sure everyone there has a wristband. Michael walks a suitcase across the pool from her and sits down directly in her view. The suitcase Michael brought looks a little bulgy and very heavy. A few moments later, Michael unzips the suitcase to reveal that a lady is in the suitcase. As she slowly exits the suitcase, the lady who was told to watch the pool was absolutely shocked. The lady cannot believe what she is seeing and a couple moments later she calls security about the lady not having a wristband and how she snuck in. By the time security arrives, Michael has the lady get back into the bag and zips her back up. Michael moves towards the gate but it is cut off by the lady, and she asks him why the lady is in the suitcase. She explains to him that it is a safety issue and that the lady that’s in the bag, needs to come out. When he does so, she is shocked to find a blow up doll and not a real person at all. The lady is blown away and looks around a bit. She tells him to put it back in the bag. When he does his big reveal that he does at the end of every show, the lady and Michael chuckle about how she thought she was going crazy as the episode ends.

Analyze:

                The style of the program is very difficult to explain and should be watched to understand the idea, but in my opinion, it is a reality show with comedy included. There is only one character and that is Michael. All the other people featured on the show are supposed to be unsuspecting strangers. Michael dresses up a little different in every scene in order to disguise himself as well as fit in to the store that he may be in. Michael does a great job of “double speaking,” which is basically altering the persons question to fit what he wants to answer. There is no show on TV that is even close to the premise that "The Carbanaro Effect" has, for it is unlike any other. It is very hard to explain, so I do recommend watching an episode to fully grasp the concept of the show.

Interpret:

                Stereotypes are not that big of an issue on "The Carbanaro Effect,"
but Michael does dress up in attire that may fit the store he is playing tricks in. Sometimes, the outfits he uses are very stereotypical when analyzing the “job” he’s doing in that skit. After watching the commercials, I would guess that it’s directed at younger adults, which does make sense, for I would imagine that younger people enjoy watching the show more. The commercials featured were Mt. Dew, Icebreakers, Doritos, KFC, and Mobil 1. The show is a little confusing until you fully realize what Michael is doing that episode. If I was from another country, the show would be very hard to understand because of the premise that really never gets explained. One may assume that the products he shows people are actually real, which is not the case. My guess is that the show appeals to the 18-25 age range. I would guess the income of viewers may be at the bottom end, for college kids aren't usually rich. I would guess that men and women probably like it the same, but maybe more towards the woman side, for it doesn't have action in it. People that are not in a relationship are also more the target audience, due to the minimal time one has if there is a significant other.

Evaluate:

                The shows strengths are that it’s like no other show on TV, as well as it being very captivating, in that one wonders how he does the things he does. Its weaknesses are that it’s a little hard to grasp at first and some may never understand what’s going on. It does something that no other show does in that he doesn’t tell them he is a magician, so the people’s reaction to what happens is raw. Their reactions are amazement and wonder, and it reminds me of a kid seeing something for the first time. It’s definitely memorable and worth talking about with friends, for all the little ideas he has often come to mind when I see other things. I’ll never see a tanning bed the same again. Neil Genzlinger of the New York Times says that “what makes it all succeed are the reactions of his targets. There is bafflement, but it’s mixed with a 21st-century credulity.” This echoes my same reactions to the show. There are those that didn't enjoy the show as much as I did. I found one on IMDB by lilmul 123, that claims "If you try really hard to suspend your disbelief, you will find entertainment in the show." They rated it as 3 out of 10 stars and was easily the worst review. However, there are many more like Kelly Bate, also on IMDB, who think its a "Great Idea!"

Engage: 

                 I do watch this show on a regular basis. I tried to get my mom to watch the show, but she just didn’t get it. My roommate and I watch it every week though. I’m not a fan on Facebook, nor do I visit the website. Michael is on Twitter and it seems like he uses it a lot. I like that he adds additional insight to the bits that he does. “I love this woman's Sassssssss.... the BEST faces! #poolsideguard #talkingtoherself #carbonaroeffect” is a tweet about the same lady, who was supposed to watch the pool (The Carbanaro Effect on Twitter).

 Conclusion:

               Upon further examination, I learned that the show has many fans, who love the people’s reactions to his “magic,” as much as I do. The kind of culture this show reflects naivety, and that we are very gullible. He is good, but I feel like his best acts are usually people who seem like they’d believe anything. One thing I would like to add, is that I believe I know one of his biggest secrets, and that is… He has an identical twin. Just a guess.

Week 2 Topic 1: Twitter is the worst!

       So there’s no hiding that I don’t use Twitter or any social media sites, but for this class, I did start an account. So if I had to follow people/organizations it wouldn’t be many but here is a few. First and foremost, the Green Bay Packers, for I am as big of a fan as one can get. I do read my Packers news every day from google and if I wanted more in depth updates than that, I would follow them on Twitter. The second thing on Twitter that I would follow is John Oliver. There are many reasons why I like his show even better than “The Daily Show” or what used to be “The Colbert Report,” but mainly it is John Oliver himself. I like his character on “Community” and his British minded takes on American issues is a little refreshing from the ordinary nonsense that most shows spit out. Also, I like that he exposes some of the things in America and the world that are inhumane, unfair, or just funny. Finally the last thing I would follow is Fallout News because I am a huge Fallout (video game) fan. When Fallout first came out in the mid 90’s, I loved it and when they decided to revive the brand with Fallout 3, it became my favorite game. It is very in depth and very interactive, so beginner gamers my find it difficult. Fallout 4 is said to be released on November 10^th and I will get it, but I won’t stand in line for a night or two like the WoW gamers do.

                

              Let’s be clear, I wouldn’t tweet anything but I think that the recent tweet by @MarsPhoenix was pretty important and should be talked about. The exact tweet was “Are you ready to celebrate? Well, get ready: We have ICE!!!!! Yes, ICE, *WATER ICE* on Mars! w00t!!! Best day ever!!” Although this discovery is super huge, it’s not really news in my opinion. Anyone with two eyes and a little knowledge about Mars could have told you there was ice at the polar caps of Mars. According to Space.com, Mars’ temperature during the day can reach 70 degrees F and -200 F at night and that frost forms over night. The pictures that show the blueish-white stuff at the caps have been out for over a decade and look not unlike the ice we have at our poles, and scientists also believe that Mars did have water at one time, so the fact that they announced there is ice there is not news to me.

                

               I don’t disagree with Shirky in that these platforms of interaction may empower some but definitely not all in my opinion. One may use Facebook or Twitter to learn about, stand behind, and even hate local representatives. Although, I have no faith in our system to begin with, for it has become a situation of who can spend the most money or, “campaign” as they call it, wins the race. On the other hand, these platforms can help people protest an issue they feel strongly about or enlighten one about an upcoming U2 concert that they’re JN201 professor didn’t know about. It can also update you on an injury your favorite athlete suffered or prevent you from getting a job because you have images or videos of you playing Edward Fortyhands (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Fortyhands). I don’t use or want to use social media like most do, but I do see that they can be used for good.

Week 2: WWGD

                One thing that stood out to me in “What Would Google Do?” was on the very first page where it says “Customers are now in charge. They can be heard around the globe and have an impact on huge institutions in an instant.” I totally agree, for I remember when there was no way to leave a comment on a product you love or wasted money on, let alone purchase it while sitting on your own couch. One can influence many by leaving a negative comment on a product or inspire someone to purchase said product due to the glowing review you gave on Amazon. The other thing that stood out to me was “Dell Hell.” I never did throw my money in the fire by purchasing a Dell, but my mom and quite a few friends did. My mother spent hours on the phone with their help line and my roommate’s computer was awful. I’m just surprised that so many had the very same problems my roommate and mother had.

                The concept of “customers are now in charge,” definitely relates because I don’t buy anything (to an extent) until I’ve done like an hours’ worth of research on which product sells the best stuff. I also prefer to buy online if possible, so often times I will pass on a product in store, to check if I can get it cheaper online or if the reviews suck. This empowerment has helped the everyday shopper if they have the time to do a little research and know how to do basic things on a computer or even phone.

                For me, it was hard to argue against any of the points made by Jarvis but one especially. The idea that there are idiots on the internet, Jarvis recognizes and notes that there are idiots everywhere and their message was in a more controlled form back then. One may argue that their voice shouldn’t be heard if they're such an idiot, but one must take the bad with the good. For every internet troll, there are people who offer info on all kinds of things for free.

                One example of how the internet is used by selfless people is online forums. Whether it’s a saltwater fish tank or fixing my truck, I’ve used forums that have walked me through fixing whatever issue I’ve had. Many people are forced to take their vehicles to a mechanic but I just scour the internet for a while until I find someone else who has experienced my same problem. 99% of the time I find what I’m looking for.

                

Week 1 Topic 2: Second Skin

I thought this weeks video “Second Skin” was interesting and did a good job of showing us what a “gamers” life is like. Although, it did focus on a particular style of online gaming, MMORPG’s which are very popular but not the only online video games by any means. The people in the video seem to gravitate towards these games to “escape the real world,” which is no different than watching a show like “Game of Thrones” or reading a book like “Twilight.” What seems to set them apart from your average video game player, movie buff, or bookworm is how much of their “real” life their willing to spend playing it. I play video games, probably more than your average 32 year old male, but I don’t “pee in jars” or spend my work vacation days on gaming. In the two Jane McGonigal videos queued this week, it shows how much video games may be able to cure some of the world’s problems and after seeing how dedicated these gamers are, I see the possibility, but we need to stop fighting Orcs in the Fairy Forest and start solving more molecular puzzles.

Some of the things the “Second Skin” video showed, I can definitely relate to, like the excitement of getting a new game that you know is going to be great. As a teenager, I stayed up for hours playing video games with friends and these memories are some of my favorites. However, I did not stand in a line for hours to get my game and I also used the bathroom to drain my bodily fluids. Those are things I cannot relate to.

Another thing that I think many people/gamers relate to, is the fact that many of these people have social anxieties or have a hard time making friends. For some of these people, it is the only way they can be their real self, in the sense that they can say what they truly feel and not have to worry about what others think. I’ve lived in Oregon for three years and I still don’t have any “real friends” other than my roommate who I moved here with. So I can relate to some of these people. In my case, I just don’t trust people and I believe that my days in the military have something to do with that.

Although I play video games often, I do not play online games for many reasons. I remember when online games first came out, and the first one I played was “Diablo” for the PC back in 1997. The game was fun offline, but online, it sucked. People seemed to love waiting by the door of the first dungeon and killing people who just started the game. I've played “Call of Duty” or “Halo” but they’re very repetitive and “point gun and shoot” games just don’t do it for me. I play offline video games because I think the stories, game play, and replay value of them are far better than crushing candy or chopping fruit. However, one of my favorite things to do is play old Nintendo games with a friend… that’s actually in the room with you.

Topic 1 Week 1

My name is Rex Betterly and I’m a disabled veteran who goes to school full-time. I’m currently at LBCC because I like the small class setting, but sometime in the near future, I will transfer to WOU. I plan to earn my teaching certification in Oregon and hopefully teach physical education at the middle school level (6-8). Although, I realize that gym teaching jobs aren’t the easiest to come by, so I also want to teach other subjects and even at an alternative school. I think that secondary or as it was called in my day, middle school is where I would fit best for any subject I plan to teach. History or Social Studies, Writing, Health, Science are some of the subjects I’m interested in teaching.

The thing I’m most interested in learning about the media is why social media via internet, phone, or even online gaming taken over people’s lives. I rarely, if ever, use social media, so this class may help me understand why people are so submerged in it. I currently have four friends on Facebook and they’re all family, so it’s obvious that I don’t use it very often. However, for someone to have over a thousand friends seems very artificial to me, for I’m not sure I know a thousand people to be friends with. After watching an episode or two of MTV’s Catfish, I found that my profile on Facebook would be considered to be fake because I have very few pictures and a low friend count. Pair that with the fact that I’m not on any other social media platform and my name doesn’t show up on anything in a Google search, I would be a prime candidate for being a catfish. I’m not a catfish, but it is crazy to assume someone may be, if they have a small number of friends on some social media site. I’d like to understand why it’s so important for me to spend my day on a website to make virtual friends. I don’t hate social media, but I definitely don’t understand it and I hope this class will help me do just that.

Something I’m very passionate about is the sports teams I root for. I did not grow up in Oregon and only moved here 3 years ago from Wisconsin. Being in the military, I’ve lived in a few states but spent most of my life in Wisconsin. Personally I don’t believe that I chose to be a Green Bay Packer fan, I believe that I was born one. In Wisconsin, football is about all we have and we are very proud of what we have. I watch every game and my blood pressure is through the roof until they get a little bit of a lead, then I’m sure it regulates a little. Last year’s NFC Championship game left me with nightmares, but after last Sunday night, I feel a little better to know we got a little revenge on the local favorite Seattle Seahawks. I’m also a big Milwaukee Bucks fan and I hope they stay in Milwaukee. I love their new logo and colors and they got a good young team but it would hurt badly if they relocated to Las Vegas or Seattle like the media reports.