I agree that "pink think" still exists today. It is disappointing to think of how many women try to shape themselves to be what men want instead of just trying to be themselves instead. Through finding the right makeups to having the right body type to acting in a proper way around men, women try too hard to please the opposite sex.
I will admit, I am one of those girls who cannot leave the house without makeup on. Though this does boost my self-confidence, it could also be because I know that men are going to be more attracted to me (hopefully). I know so many friends that are now dieting just to be one of those girls that looks like someone right out of a magazine. I also find many of my friends and sometimes even myself acting a certain way because I believe that it is going to attract a guy's attention.
How wrong I wish I was. Men should love women for what they are, not for what they attempt to be and how much effort they put into that attempt. It is sad to think of how many people truly adapt to each of these situations just for love. Love should be about what you are like even at your worst times, not simply about how you seem at your best times.
Geek think seems to me as something that would require an avid knowledge of computers and technology of all sorts. In fact, I know some people that would be included as people who believe in geek think. Without knowing as much about computers as they do, they do not think that they are going to be able to get the jobs that they wish to have. In fact, they now are learning MORE about computers to expand their knowledge. In doing this, they are guaranteeing that they are secure in the job market, knowing everything that there is to know about their specific area of study. This is a very good way to stay ahead of the job market, even though it is not needed at this time. Someday, they are going to realize that they truly prepared for their future while everyone else is then going to be learning about the updates to software and programs that these people in fact learned years before.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Blog #1
I chose to evaluate the sentence, "Committed gay and lesbian couples should have the legal privileges of marriage."
The definition of marriage is the state of being united to a person. Therefore, if a gay or lesbian couple decides to spend the rest of their lives together, they should lawfully be permitted to obtain a marriage license. In my opinion, they are no different than any other couple, and therefore should not be treated like they are abnormal. Love is not limited to the opposite sex. It is a feeling, not something with a true definition that creates limits. If limits are imposed, it is like putting limits on which religions are allowed in the United States. We live in a free country, so why should we have restrictions on our feelings?
The definition of marriage is the state of being united to a person. Therefore, if a gay or lesbian couple decides to spend the rest of their lives together, they should lawfully be permitted to obtain a marriage license. In my opinion, they are no different than any other couple, and therefore should not be treated like they are abnormal. Love is not limited to the opposite sex. It is a feeling, not something with a true definition that creates limits. If limits are imposed, it is like putting limits on which religions are allowed in the United States. We live in a free country, so why should we have restrictions on our feelings?
Milblog Review
Before the class and even now, I have been anti-war. I do not understand why we have troops stationed in Iraq when it seems that they should be able to handle some of their own problems without our help. That is part of what we fought against with Great Britain in the Revolution, and here we are trying to govern another country that is fully capable of handling itself.
Reading the milblog and all of the experiences that the soldiers have posted has only reinforced my idea that we should not be in Iraq right now. I support the soldiers, but not the war. At all.
Reading the milblog and all of the experiences that the soldiers have posted has only reinforced my idea that we should not be in Iraq right now. I support the soldiers, but not the war. At all.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Coldplay Essay
In the essay criticizing Coldplay, the author slams the band throughout, giving little credit to the band's success. At one point, he even criticizes the fans of the band.
Though his paragraph and sentence structure is good, I was greatly distracted by how much he allowed his emotions to get in the way of his argument. It seemed as if his dislike for the band drove his entire essay instead of bringing in a mix of facts and stories to bring the reader to empathize with him. I was also distracted by how many contractions he used. At my grade school that highly pushed English grammar, I was taught to almost never use contractions in formal writing. His essay was strewn with them! I was also distracted by the many sentences that began with "and" and "but." Again, something I was taught never to do in formal writing. Had he eliminated these grammatical issues, the essay would have came across as less elementary, even though his critique could have also used some help.
I would probably have given him a B- due to this.
Though his paragraph and sentence structure is good, I was greatly distracted by how much he allowed his emotions to get in the way of his argument. It seemed as if his dislike for the band drove his entire essay instead of bringing in a mix of facts and stories to bring the reader to empathize with him. I was also distracted by how many contractions he used. At my grade school that highly pushed English grammar, I was taught to almost never use contractions in formal writing. His essay was strewn with them! I was also distracted by the many sentences that began with "and" and "but." Again, something I was taught never to do in formal writing. Had he eliminated these grammatical issues, the essay would have came across as less elementary, even though his critique could have also used some help.
I would probably have given him a B- due to this.
Excellence vs. Mediocrity
In comparing the quality of TV journalists, one would have to compare their personality on camera, the quality of their reports, and also how comfortable they seem with covering a variety of topics. For instance, a mediocre journalist would want to stick with a certain kind of story to cover, not wanting to go outside the box for new stories. They might also seem somewhat dry on camera and give just basic facts about the story. To reach the point of excellence, they should let their personality come out on camera, but not enough that it distracts from the story. They should offer opinions from both sides in a controversial story. They should also be willing to cover any kind of story, whether they know anything about the topic or not. Research may have to be done to give them a better understanding of what they are covering.
One area that I am not as familiar with is fashion designers. It seems that, in order to distinguish between mediocrity and excellence, one would have to find out how the designer keeps up on new trends, and also what kind of effort they put into doing this, along with how successful the designer is. With that, I would also want to know what kind of consumers they target and how successful they are within that consumer group.
One area that I am not as familiar with is fashion designers. It seems that, in order to distinguish between mediocrity and excellence, one would have to find out how the designer keeps up on new trends, and also what kind of effort they put into doing this, along with how successful the designer is. With that, I would also want to know what kind of consumers they target and how successful they are within that consumer group.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
An Inside View
I have been noticing that lately many of the blogs that the soldiers have been writing have dealt with experiences more than feelings, as the blog about religion was. While it is interesting to hear what the soldiers are thinking and feeling, it is equally as interesting to hear about the actual occurrences.
One of the blogs actually dealt with both of these. The soldier was describing his "Alive Day," where he had a near death experience, but still made it through to tell the story. As we have discussed in previous weeks, this extracts empathy from readers while also informing about daily life and happenings.
Another blog informed people of a project that is designed to connect soldiers with their family members. A collection has been started to gather cell phones that can be shipped to soldiers so that they can more easily make calls to their families. I love this idea. I have family that lives in Australia, so I only get to talk to them a couple of times per year due to the huge phone bills we have for calling. I have always believed that family is important, and I am always eager to support ideas like this that bring families closer, even when they are so far apart.
I have found myself reading more and more of these milblogs each time I visit the site, eager to read more about what is really going on over there. It really is amazing to hear from the soldiers themselves rather than simply the media portraying the stories. This gives it a more realistic feel to it. Through reading the blogs, the war is not just something I see on television or hear about on the radio anymore. Now it is so much easier to connect the occurrences with real people, therefore making the war more real to me.
One of the blogs actually dealt with both of these. The soldier was describing his "Alive Day," where he had a near death experience, but still made it through to tell the story. As we have discussed in previous weeks, this extracts empathy from readers while also informing about daily life and happenings.
Another blog informed people of a project that is designed to connect soldiers with their family members. A collection has been started to gather cell phones that can be shipped to soldiers so that they can more easily make calls to their families. I love this idea. I have family that lives in Australia, so I only get to talk to them a couple of times per year due to the huge phone bills we have for calling. I have always believed that family is important, and I am always eager to support ideas like this that bring families closer, even when they are so far apart.
I have found myself reading more and more of these milblogs each time I visit the site, eager to read more about what is really going on over there. It really is amazing to hear from the soldiers themselves rather than simply the media portraying the stories. This gives it a more realistic feel to it. Through reading the blogs, the war is not just something I see on television or hear about on the radio anymore. Now it is so much easier to connect the occurrences with real people, therefore making the war more real to me.
You Know What They Say About Big Feet...
On the website for the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization, the layout chunks information into individual interest areas. For instance, they use one space to draw attention to the latest sighting, the sidebar to show regions which readers can then use to explore possible sightings, and another space to advertise for their next exploration.
Since the website uses a design that separates each topic into its own bubble, it is fairly easy to see the separation between each new topic. Therefore, the pictures found within the bubbles have text next to it that correlates with the picture. The size of the graphic usually complements the text pertaining to it. The site uses a black background, and on the page then lies a grey box as a background for the stories and a blue box for the sidebar. On the grey box, each story has its own brighter color that draws attention to the story. Each page still has the black background, but the layout of each one changes to give a personal look and feel. This works well for the website because there is so much information present that the slight layout changes make it more interesting for the reader and does not make them feel as if they are looking at the same page over and over.
Since the website uses a design that separates each topic into its own bubble, it is fairly easy to see the separation between each new topic. Therefore, the pictures found within the bubbles have text next to it that correlates with the picture. The size of the graphic usually complements the text pertaining to it. The site uses a black background, and on the page then lies a grey box as a background for the stories and a blue box for the sidebar. On the grey box, each story has its own brighter color that draws attention to the story. Each page still has the black background, but the layout of each one changes to give a personal look and feel. This works well for the website because there is so much information present that the slight layout changes make it more interesting for the reader and does not make them feel as if they are looking at the same page over and over.
A Little Late...
This cartoon is by David Horsey of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and was published on March 3, 2003. In it, the United States is depicted as a strong man rolling his sleeves while exiting the bar, and Europe is represented by a smaller, weaker-looking man carrying a mop. Inside the Bad Guys Bar, it looks as if there had just been a huge bar fight. The American man is remarking on the European making it just in time for cleanup. This cartoon plays off of Europe's ever-late entrance to conflicts, saying that they arrive for the end after all of the difficult work has been done. It also displays America as the big hero once again. Through this, Horsey conveys the frustration that so many have with the lack of help that the United States receives when it steps in to attempt to help other countries.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
This Is What We're Reading About?
On http://www.instapundit.com, bloggers post newspaper articles and interviews that prove to be somewhat controversial or just absurd. For instance, one of the posts quotes a news report that mentions “winged monkeys” being the reason for traffic problems.
Throughout the site, some bloggers allow readers to find the fallacies in the arguments while others point them out for the reader. In a blog post by Kurt Brouwer discussing the correlation between women’s hemlines and stocks, he mimics this so-called effect, calling for “hemline research.” Sarcastically, he highlights the issue, obviously labeling it as absurd.
Most of the articles deal with political and economical subjects, though some deal with topics that are just ridiculous. In one, a CNN video was posted showing an “alien” behind President Bush just above his right shoulder during one of his speeches.
The site also allows a person to comment on posts, which in turn helps those that still can’t see the fallacies when they are not pointed out. Crazy headlines like “Bush’s alien overlord peeks through window during speech” help readers to see the absurdity in stories.
One of my other favorite links off of the website is a story called “Osama Bin Metrosexual.” One of the pictures of Bin Laden showed him with what seemed to be a darker, less grayed beard. Obviously, this could not have been the work of photoshop. He had to have dyed his beard, meaning he was metrosexual. It then continues to describe how the look does not work for him. Is this honestly what we’re concerned about with Bin Laden? You would think that the terrorism is kind of a big deal, but his beard color is apparently far more important.
I think it is interesting to see others posting these stories. It also makes me wonder where they find the ideas for them. Some of them are so far-fetched that I have to laugh. I guess that a little imagination can go a long way.
Throughout the site, some bloggers allow readers to find the fallacies in the arguments while others point them out for the reader. In a blog post by Kurt Brouwer discussing the correlation between women’s hemlines and stocks, he mimics this so-called effect, calling for “hemline research.” Sarcastically, he highlights the issue, obviously labeling it as absurd.
Most of the articles deal with political and economical subjects, though some deal with topics that are just ridiculous. In one, a CNN video was posted showing an “alien” behind President Bush just above his right shoulder during one of his speeches.
The site also allows a person to comment on posts, which in turn helps those that still can’t see the fallacies when they are not pointed out. Crazy headlines like “Bush’s alien overlord peeks through window during speech” help readers to see the absurdity in stories.
One of my other favorite links off of the website is a story called “Osama Bin Metrosexual.” One of the pictures of Bin Laden showed him with what seemed to be a darker, less grayed beard. Obviously, this could not have been the work of photoshop. He had to have dyed his beard, meaning he was metrosexual. It then continues to describe how the look does not work for him. Is this honestly what we’re concerned about with Bin Laden? You would think that the terrorism is kind of a big deal, but his beard color is apparently far more important.
I think it is interesting to see others posting these stories. It also makes me wonder where they find the ideas for them. Some of them are so far-fetched that I have to laugh. I guess that a little imagination can go a long way.
Wiki!
http://kowan01.pbwiki.com/
I'll admit it. I am having a little bit of trouble trying to figure out how to create links to my pages on my wiki, but for the most part, I'm doing pretty well in navigating my way around.
Wikis seem like they would be a very useful tool for work, school, and teaching. The ability to easily create separate pages makes it incredibly convenient for readers. I am excited to learn more about my wiki and add more pages and features, that's for sure!
I'll admit it. I am having a little bit of trouble trying to figure out how to create links to my pages on my wiki, but for the most part, I'm doing pretty well in navigating my way around.
Wikis seem like they would be a very useful tool for work, school, and teaching. The ability to easily create separate pages makes it incredibly convenient for readers. I am excited to learn more about my wiki and add more pages and features, that's for sure!
I Thought It Was Different in America...
One of the blogs that I read this week dealt with one soldier and beliefs being forced on her through the military. Even after she said that she felt uncomfortable because she did not hold the same christian beliefs as everyone else, they told her that "It's not hurting you any."
I thought that in America, we believed in separation of church and state, that everyone was free to hold his or her own beliefs without having it thrown back in our faces. Clearly, this is not the case. For a government official to tell someone that their opinion does not matter is ridiculous. It just contradicts everything that our government has told us it stood for. So much for consistency.
I really hope that she can figure out a compromise to feel more comfortable during meetings than what she currently feels.
I thought that in America, we believed in separation of church and state, that everyone was free to hold his or her own beliefs without having it thrown back in our faces. Clearly, this is not the case. For a government official to tell someone that their opinion does not matter is ridiculous. It just contradicts everything that our government has told us it stood for. So much for consistency.
I really hope that she can figure out a compromise to feel more comfortable during meetings than what she currently feels.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Milblogs 2
Every time I read another of these posts, I wonder what must be going on in these soldiers’ minds every day that they are immersed in this war. Most of us cannot even begin to imagine their emotions or grasp the intensity of their experiences. Yet, here so many of us are, enjoying our daily life, rarely giving a second thought to our men and women in Iraq. People see the images on the news, but then forget the conflict.
Reading the milblogs helps me to connect with the soldiers and remember what’s going on, while also giving me insight to more than just the images we see in the media. Suddenly, it becomes somewhat personal, as if I’m getting to know the soldiers through their writings, and, in doing so, makes me more thankful for what they are doing over there. Even though I am against the war itself, I am totally in support of our soldiers.
Reading the milblogs helps me to connect with the soldiers and remember what’s going on, while also giving me insight to more than just the images we see in the media. Suddenly, it becomes somewhat personal, as if I’m getting to know the soldiers through their writings, and, in doing so, makes me more thankful for what they are doing over there. Even though I am against the war itself, I am totally in support of our soldiers.
Web Page Easily Displays Campaign Info
http://www.tomhenryformayor.com
By having a website, Tom Henry’s objectives can easily be viewed by voters without time restrictions, like having to be home at a certain time in order to watch television debates. A website can be accessed at any time, and also is a convenient way to describe his stances on issues, update voters on the latest news involved with his campaign, give voter registration and election day information, and also offer volunteer opportunities.
Along with time convenience, a website offers voters a chance to spend as much time researching a certain platform as he or she desires. Through live and multimedia presentations, a person only has so much time to think about and react to an issue, then is forced to move on to thinking about the next issue. With print text, the information may become physically bulky. Through the website, everything is conveniently one mouse click away, not page flips and folds away. The separated topics also allows for a reader to search through the information and pick what they want to read about without searching through other information before getting to that topic.
In order to convert the website to a live or print presentation, one would have to first come up with an organized, sensible format and flow. Then, in compiling the information, the bulleted points would have to be formed into full sentences and incorporated.
By having a website, Tom Henry’s objectives can easily be viewed by voters without time restrictions, like having to be home at a certain time in order to watch television debates. A website can be accessed at any time, and also is a convenient way to describe his stances on issues, update voters on the latest news involved with his campaign, give voter registration and election day information, and also offer volunteer opportunities.
Along with time convenience, a website offers voters a chance to spend as much time researching a certain platform as he or she desires. Through live and multimedia presentations, a person only has so much time to think about and react to an issue, then is forced to move on to thinking about the next issue. With print text, the information may become physically bulky. Through the website, everything is conveniently one mouse click away, not page flips and folds away. The separated topics also allows for a reader to search through the information and pick what they want to read about without searching through other information before getting to that topic.
In order to convert the website to a live or print presentation, one would have to first come up with an organized, sensible format and flow. Then, in compiling the information, the bulleted points would have to be formed into full sentences and incorporated.
Women in Advertising
Jean Kilbourne began her presentation by pointing out some shocking information, such as how the average person spends three years of their life watching advertisements. Another way that she grabs the audience’s attention from the start is by using visuals and incorporating jokes to keep the audience laughing, interested, and waiting to hear what she has to say next.
It is also interesting how she varies hard facts with light, yet serious, jokes, such as the advertisements about the most dependable fishing line in the world and the woman with no pores. Through this, she also incorporates new issues, like eating disorders, teen pregnancy statistics, and battery. It surprises the audience to hear the presentation begin to go in that direction, therefore drawing them in even more.
The entire presentation is strewn with visuals, as she is constantly showing clips from advertisements. Though some of the ads are humorous, like the ad about the woman losing weight to get married, others are just shocking, like the ad that claims, “Great hair never dies.” Also, many of the ads hint at the frequency of sexuality in ads. For an Evian ad, a girl is shown in a bathtub, looking at the bottles on the floor and Abercrombie ads that feature half-clothed girls.
While watching Kilbourne herself, one might notice that she does not wear revealing clothing, which shows that ideas can be conveyed without using sexuality to sell it. She has a mostly serious tone, though some lighter comments slip in through jokes to keep attention, and she maintains constant eye contact with audience in order to reinforce the seriousness of issue.
The most memorable parts of her presentation, in my mind, were the battery and sexually explicit ads. I was surprised to see the great hair never dies ad and the one with the man holding a gun to a woman. I never thought that such tactics would be thought of to sell product.
All in all, Kilbourne was able to keep my attention and leave an impression about women in advertising. She used many approaches to convey her thoughts to the audience, which kept me on my toes and eager to hear more.
It is also interesting how she varies hard facts with light, yet serious, jokes, such as the advertisements about the most dependable fishing line in the world and the woman with no pores. Through this, she also incorporates new issues, like eating disorders, teen pregnancy statistics, and battery. It surprises the audience to hear the presentation begin to go in that direction, therefore drawing them in even more.
The entire presentation is strewn with visuals, as she is constantly showing clips from advertisements. Though some of the ads are humorous, like the ad about the woman losing weight to get married, others are just shocking, like the ad that claims, “Great hair never dies.” Also, many of the ads hint at the frequency of sexuality in ads. For an Evian ad, a girl is shown in a bathtub, looking at the bottles on the floor and Abercrombie ads that feature half-clothed girls.
While watching Kilbourne herself, one might notice that she does not wear revealing clothing, which shows that ideas can be conveyed without using sexuality to sell it. She has a mostly serious tone, though some lighter comments slip in through jokes to keep attention, and she maintains constant eye contact with audience in order to reinforce the seriousness of issue.
The most memorable parts of her presentation, in my mind, were the battery and sexually explicit ads. I was surprised to see the great hair never dies ad and the one with the man holding a gun to a woman. I never thought that such tactics would be thought of to sell product.
All in all, Kilbourne was able to keep my attention and leave an impression about women in advertising. She used many approaches to convey her thoughts to the audience, which kept me on my toes and eager to hear more.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)