Tutoring

If you ever want to test your communications ability in person, become a tutor. Anyone can communicate online, heck pedophiles do it on a daily basis, but in person is where your skills and ability really matter. I have been a tutor for a class for some time, as i have mentioned in other posts, and i have really been tested. You have to be able to adjust how you talk to people, take into account other cultures and values to not offend others, you have to take into account learning styles, and how to deal with those who just wont listen! But it will not only test you it will most definitely teach you, and if you are open to new expiriences and meeting new, different, people. BECOME A TUTOR! 

Semesters End

Its almost here, tomorrow is my last day of classes! I have enjoyed this semester to some degree but I am thankful that it is over. Ive decided to end doing internet classes, nothing against this particular one, just think I rather go to class and meet people. Ive never considered myself a people person but I have started to enjoy taking to people in the last few semesters, so internet classes just really dont interest me anymore. I tutor now for a class for the "PAL" program (if you havent heard of it you will soon) Ive enjoyed it so much but as much as you enjoy being a tutor for particular students, you also can't wait to see them go, it is a lot like interesting courses, you love to go to them but you also love to see them end.

Reality Court TV

Im sure we have all seen a Judge Judy episode, a day off from work/school or a sick day should almost never go without watching an episode of a reality court show. I watch them from time to time while I do my homework, its something to have on that wont distract me to much. I have actually learned a lot from it, not so much legal terms and principles, though you do pick a lot up from these shows, i have learned some general morals. Obviously i had a decent set of morals to begin with but its amazing to see what others do to eachother and why its important not to do it. Not only for financial reasons, though that is enough incentive, but to avoid looking like an idiot to others for sure, but definintely on national television. 

PATS

Ive been watching the patriots all season and I believe they will likely make it to the superbowl and even win. But since this is not a sports blog, though that may be interesting, i think it would be a good idea to talk about the coverage of the PATS. Ive realized that we as a sports culture spend more time analyzing, theorizing, and in general thinking about the possible outcome of the game rather than we do for the actual outcome. Pre-game shows tend to run longer than post-game. For some reason we have decided that people in suits (regardless of expirence) are people worth listening to. I believe anyone could make similar 'predictions' that some of these sports analysis do. I think we only listen to them to feel more secure.

TV ADS

I was just thinking about television ads. But not so much the ads themselves but how long they run for. I was watching a tv show today and the commercial break lasted 6 minutes! Thats a little to much ads in one break dont you think? how many commercials must there be before you can continue watching your program? Im just thankful for hulu, DVR, and On-Demand now there is an end in sight for long commercial breaks.

Video Editing

When I was in High School I really had no hobbies or interests, that was until I was a senior and edited my first video. Editing film or videos is really fun. It is one of those tasks that you just lose track of time on, where things just flow. But the implications of what video editing can and do do is not so comforting. The reason why reality TV is really not reality is because it is edited and pieced together to seem more dramatic as it really is. If you were to watch the footage of these reality tv shows without editing it might actually seem half-way feasible. Instead we get what we see a TV show.

Blogs

Im not a fan of blogging. I realize this to be the case because I have nothing to really talk about. I dont care for exchanging my opinions or thoughts online. I am more of a in-person type of communicator. I have to admit when i was in High School i could hardly talk to people without being akward but now if its not in person i dont want to communicate at all. I have a cell phone but i hardly use it, I have a facebook account and I hardly access it. I challenge whomever reads it to try to talk to someone in person who you would never have talked to otherwise. It will be rewarding!

To Tired To Sleep

When watching TV we often see tons of commercials displaying the sleep deprived population. Drug companies love to sell the quick fix. In psychology it is often noted that all people need to do to sleep is change behavior, like not watching tv while trying to sleep. Advertising, specifically drug companies, have us convinced they have the answer. Some people may need drugs to aid them to sleep, but how did we become a nation of insomniacs right around the time these drugs came out. Odd?

Im Sick

Ive been sick all weekend! which sucks. But i did manage to see this youtube video that went viral back in 2006 that I had never seen before. the idea of a youtube video going viral is much like the cold virus (hense the name viral) one see its and passes it on to the next. The idea of 'viral' we like to think as a new invention because of the internet but this has sort of been around since the beggining of story telling. I mean stories like the odysesy passed on by word of mouth. Really going viral whether it be a cold or a story has little to do with media and everything to do with simple communication and contact with others.

DC Radio

DC radio stations arent coming in to well here. I hope its not my car stereo, but if it is i should have that checked out. I dont have satelite radio, though I hear thats the future of radio I never found it nessessary to pay to listen to music that is relatively free otherwise (pandora, youtube, etc.). Maybe I will go to the news media museam they have here, if I were offered extra credit maybe but somehow I dont think that will happen, oh well I'll probably end up going anyways, gives me something to do to fill in my day!

Psych Comm

We were talking about relational cultural theory today. Reminded me a lot of foundations comm. I really like when the topics overlap, it make me feel confident that maybe someday all of this material will be useful. I just hope its not just in school. I also hope that one day when and if i use this information i can actually remember it that to me is less likely to occur.

25th anniversary of Back to the Future

There are very few characters in film today that could pull off what the Doc and Marty McFly did in 1985. Id hate to see it be remade but I'm sure that is not to far behind, unfortunately. I'm not much of a "remake" fan, Id much prefer a true reimaging, or better yet, a completely original idea. The only "remakes" or "reimageings" i really enjoy seem to be the comic book films, batman for an example. But besides that there are not to many others. If you can not get the original cast and director the film is probably not worth going back to or continuing for a sequel, nevermind be re-done. I hated when A Nightmare on Elm Street was reimaged, the original was awesome and the new one, well, not so much. Ok maybe the 80's version was comical and silly when compared to today's standards, but maybe its best to leave some things in the past as Back to the Future has shown us mess with the past and you might get in trouble.  

DC comm history

It’s only a few days until ill be in D.C! I’ve been there before its always amazing to see the different people that come to see the capitol, U.S citizens along with other global citizens. But it’s really always amazing to see the history that is there. In many ways the museums represent how America has changed and evolved over the years. One thing you will see is how communications has gotten stronger. It’s always odd to imagine a world where breaking news may have happened weeks ago. Actually come to think of it up until the radio and television it was fairly for those who had no access to newspapers to be uniformed about what may have been going on in the world. Imagine living without any consistent source of information, it’s hard enough to go a few hours without internet access.

Colbert Rally

Yes on October 30th I will be at our nations capitol to rally to keep fear alive! Rallies seem to be a reoccuring trend this year. I think its the human need to have physical contact as opposed to tuning in every night hundreds or thousands of miles apart from one another. Our ability to communicate has reached its peak yet we still seem to have that desire to organize and gather in mass demonstration to display power, unity, and most likely that we aren't alone. Sometimes the internet, TV, radio, or telecommunications are just simply not enough.

My Computer Ate My Homework

Of course this is not true. AT least not yet. My computer does not yet have the capability to eat my homework, unless of course I tell it to or because of a malfunction. However many believe that within our lifetime it may be feasibly possible that computers may become so advanced that they may become "self-aware", much like in the films Terminator or I-Robot. Of course these only offer negative perspectives and the dangers of this occuring. Is it possible this may actually be good for us? No longer will you have to spend money on grooming your dog, or having to clean the litterbox, your computer wont be growing hair or have the need to defecate. I think thats a good thing. And if my computer does in the future eat my homework, I would expect the computer to be the one to rewrite it, after all it would know more than me.  

Social Networks

"Say it Forget it. Write it Regret it". I don't know if there is anyone left who uses social networking that wished they had not said something. Texting, social networking, blogs, they are all are own worse enemies. Employers, parents, teachers, or your spouse/significant other, can all use Facebook to confirm their worst fears....that you are human. Obviously we have a right to make mistakes, again we are human, but maybe we should try not to make our mistakes so public. Maybe you don't have pictures of that great party you just had last weekend but you might have posted an opinion that does not quite make you look very great either. Just saying I think a world without social networking might actually be better then we realize, and besides the postal service could sure use the business.

Pandora Radio

Ive recently started using Pandora Radio which if you havent used it before plays music based on artists and song that you like. This is a great way to hear songs you may never have heard otherwise. Music is probably one of our culture if not humanities most valued asset. No matter the time period, living conditions, race, or class we all have music to share between one another. I like to see how in such a diverse world we are all so connected. We may all like different music but really all that differs are the patterns in which notes or lyrics are used. If only humanity could realize what we share as oppose to what makes us different. I would imagine problems like immigration, terrorism, or bullying would all be forgotten. Maybe for once we wouldn't have to rely on the government to try to fix our problems. 

EL NORTE

Alright Ive seen this movie 3 times before. Each year in my Spanish class in High School we watched this film. I personally never really cared for it, probably because ive seen it so many times in a class i never really wanted to be in. It does show the alternate side of immigration and how some maybe even most immigrants only come here to provide more for their families and themselves. It also shows how immigrants are treated poorly in the U.S, they are modern slaves. I don't support illegal immigrants, I personally would like to see the honest immigrants who want to come here to work and live the American dream go through a swifter system (which is not wrapped in red tape) so that they can enter legally and pay taxes and be treated fairly. El Norte stays away from much of the politics so if your not into the politics of it all then this film should not be as hard to watch.

Mockumentry Genre

The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity, Cloverfield, and so many other horror films have recently been embracing the "reality" craze. Ive seen the Blair Witch Project and I must admit it was just okay. And I say that because at least I did not turn it off half-way through, though I would understand if someone did. The horror part of it is really wondering if anything is ever going to happen. Regardless the genre has been doing fairly well. Could other genre's such as romantic comedy's try a mockumentry approach. Maybe? I think the War genre could do it more, I think even  dramas could. But I think horror will always be the best use of this innovative genre.

Christian Bale

Christian Bale is today's #1 guy in Hollywood. He's Batman, John Connor, and soon to be crack addict boxer in The Fighter. He uses an extreme form of acting and it shows. In the Machinist Bale was able to get his weight down to 120 pounds, and at 6 feet tall this is obviously not very healthy. He has recently lost, not as much, but enough, to appear "gaunt" in the trailer for The Fighter. Other actors such as Robert De Niro, Matt Damon, and Tom Hanks have all been known to gain and lose weight for roles. I personally am torn, is this bad or good for viewers? Is it good that even Hollywood stars have a great work ethic, it shows great commitment, and it shows talent; These traits could make a good role model. Or is this bad, does it send a bad message much like when models appear emaciated? Is it different when women transform their bodies as opposed to men?

3D

My opinion is that the new revival of 3D entertainment is simply hype. I recently went to best buy and got to test a 3D TV, what a rip off! 3D is being marketed as the next generation of entertainment but really it only makes you look more ridiculous watching television. I'm sure 3D computer monitors and laptops are soon to be released as well, wouldn't shock me. I personally am not a fan of 3D as I'm sure you have gathered thus far, but if it proves to be the next popular thing and if it in the end lasts than maybe I will give it a fair shot, but until then I'm sticking with what i know. Maybe that why older people resist joining social networks online or text with their cell phones?

Glenn Beck Hero or Villain?

Ive been thinking about this for some time now. Glenn Beck has become an icon for using the media to market and express his political views. He is often considered a hero by conservatives and the tea party but is seen as a major 'villain' by democrats and progressives, often he labels progressives as being 'evil'. whether what he says is true or false its clearly obvious that he believes what he says and shows genuine passion. With that considered, can you really call a man who truly believes and therefore speaks out against that 'evil' a villain? Perhaps if he were doing this simply for his own ego, which he may or may not be though most would agree his drive appears to be much more than that, than is he a villain? Is he a villain if he is just severely misinformed? Or is he a hero for standing up for what he believes in? Could he be considered a hero for being a classic case of practicing his first amendment rights, or even simply because his ratings surpass his competition and his rallies call thousands of Americans to our nation's capitol.

Can you be both?

Ipod is releasing a new model of the Ipod-Touch. It seems that despite the fact that they continue to launch the same products over and over with a few added amenities people are still willing to buy the product that really they already own. I myself am looking to buy the new I-pod touch even though I have a couple of nano's. perhaps the odd thing is even I recognize that Apple is so good at what they do that even though we know what they are doing is reselling their product we knowingly, including myself, continue to re-purchase them.

With the anniversery of 9/11 is coming up later this week. Its clear that the focus of the events of 9/11 and the coverage of the attacks by National Geographic and the History Channel has in earlier years shifted from showing the actual events to highlighting conspiracy theories and events that may or may have not surrounded the actual attacks. Whether or not you believe in these conspiracies is really not my business, despite the fact many (if not all) have since been proven to be inaccurate. We need to remember that the media in this case Television channels are always trying to maintain the highest ratings possible. As Americans it is in the end our responsibility to educate ourselves with what is fact and what is fiction.