The 21st century has been one of major differences. Did you ever think that there would be a cell phone that you could access things like get on internet, facebook, have a gps, find resturants that are nearest to you, have a ipod on it, I could go on forever. The possibilities with the i-phone are endless and almost unimaginable. The i-phone has changed the way we communicate today. You can update your facebook, find directions to anywhere, google search, chat with others on internet, it has taken cell phones to a whole new level. The i-phone is owned by thousands and thousands of people and for good reason. Its like having your own laptop that fits in your pocket. I think that it has been a great thing for society to communicate through one source at an even faster rate than loading your computer and waiting for everything to load up. But the i-phone is an addictive source of media communication. people are just relying on one source and are not expanding there possibilities of communication that is available to them. The i-phone is slowly if not already taking over the communication world one step at a time.
By Jordan Bell
Monday, November 30, 2009
The OC
By: Danielle Gilford
The OC was one of the most popular TV shows of the 2000s. When FOX aired the teen drama in 2003, 9.7 million viewers tuned in to see what it was about. The OC is centered on a group of teens and their wealthy families that live in Newport Beach, CA. A large amount of the focus of the show is on the Cohen family, who took in a troubled teen. Many viewers were initially drawn to the show because of the exclusivity of the group that the teens belong to. By viewing the show, viewers feel like they are included in this "cool kids" group. Although this show was fictional, it was the beginning of a string of shows revolving around rich Southern Californians such as Laguna Beach, The Real Housewives of Orange County, and others like that.
The OC was one of the most popular TV shows of the 2000s. When FOX aired the teen drama in 2003, 9.7 million viewers tuned in to see what it was about. The OC is centered on a group of teens and their wealthy families that live in Newport Beach, CA. A large amount of the focus of the show is on the Cohen family, who took in a troubled teen. Many viewers were initially drawn to the show because of the exclusivity of the group that the teens belong to. By viewing the show, viewers feel like they are included in this "cool kids" group. Although this show was fictional, it was the beginning of a string of shows revolving around rich Southern Californians such as Laguna Beach, The Real Housewives of Orange County, and others like that.
The Use of Facebook as a Social Crutch
Lets face it, we live in a society today where people are incapable of face to face interaction. While I'm on it, most people can't even pick up the phone and call each other. Due to vast popularity social networking sites, such as facebook and myspce, people are simply taking the easy way out and making this their central means of communication. We live in a society today where everyone seems to be on the go. Because of this, people also seem to want to communicate on the go as well. We all know that it's much easier to send an instant message over facebook than pick up the phone and call, but is it better for interpersonal relationships. People seem to be taking these social networking sites, such as facebook, and using it to communicate with others because they just aren't accustomed to face to face interaction. They can use excuses like it's much easier and accessible, but I feel otherwise. I feel that people just don't know what to say around each other anymore. Facebook has turned our society into a socially challenged one. It's much easier to get online and see what so and so are doing, rather than going to visit them. This, in turn, causes us to not know how to handle ourselves when we are put in the latter situation. In my opinion, we need to stop using these websites as social crutches. Broken relationships between people are mostly caused by a lack of communication between both parties. Lets try our best to prevent future generations from becoming socially awkward.
Josh Staggs
Josh Staggs
the nature of reality show audience's
The nature of the audiences of reality shows are very common. The reality show entitled "For the Love of Ray J" is one of the most common reality show today. It has been stemed from a lot of other shows that came before it. The basic theme is a common one,it starts out with about thirty women all after one guy, that being Ray J. The women are asked to do different competitive things to show their "so called" love for Ray J. They are all in competition for his time and ultimately his love. This theme and concepts makes you wonder about the nature of the audience. You can wonder is this audience full of young and old men. Then you can also wonder if the audience is a group of young ladies with the desire to be participants on the show. Or could it be both, this would include a convergence of the audience because of their different an also their common interest. The nature of the audience is one who definetly enjoys the playful, competitive, and funny gameplay to show a love for an individual.
by David Boyle
by David Boyle
The bias toward media time of dominate sport teams
By Chris Terrell
I myself am a fan of some very good teams, and I also like some teams that are not all that good. So today I want to talk about the bias toward media time of dominate teams in college and professional sports. Being a Yankee’s fan living in Kentucky it would seem to be hard to watch games on television, but it really is not hard at all. Since they are such a power house in the major league there is usually at least one game a week that is showing the Yankees. Another sport team that I like that is easy to watch on television is Kentucky wildcat basketball. It does help that I live in Kentucky but their games are always being shown by someone. Another example of this is the Indianapolis Colts in the National Football League. It seems no matter where they are playing their games are always on television.
There are some teams that are not very dominating in their sport that television overlooks sometimes. Look at Kentucky football, this past weekend they were playing Tennessee. It was a SEC match up and the outcome of the game had some significance to what bowl the teams play in. It was on television but not on a main station. Instead of showing the game on basic cable it was shown on ESPN U. This made it hard for me to see the game. I ended up missing a great football game that went into overtime. Another team that I use to like to watch was the Seattle Mariners. Since they play across the country and they are not very good I do not get a chance to watch hardly any of there games. I think that networks need to realize that there are fans that live in differnt states and they are in fact bias and that they need to try to give all teams an equal amount of air time.
I myself am a fan of some very good teams, and I also like some teams that are not all that good. So today I want to talk about the bias toward media time of dominate teams in college and professional sports. Being a Yankee’s fan living in Kentucky it would seem to be hard to watch games on television, but it really is not hard at all. Since they are such a power house in the major league there is usually at least one game a week that is showing the Yankees. Another sport team that I like that is easy to watch on television is Kentucky wildcat basketball. It does help that I live in Kentucky but their games are always being shown by someone. Another example of this is the Indianapolis Colts in the National Football League. It seems no matter where they are playing their games are always on television.
There are some teams that are not very dominating in their sport that television overlooks sometimes. Look at Kentucky football, this past weekend they were playing Tennessee. It was a SEC match up and the outcome of the game had some significance to what bowl the teams play in. It was on television but not on a main station. Instead of showing the game on basic cable it was shown on ESPN U. This made it hard for me to see the game. I ended up missing a great football game that went into overtime. Another team that I use to like to watch was the Seattle Mariners. Since they play across the country and they are not very good I do not get a chance to watch hardly any of there games. I think that networks need to realize that there are fans that live in differnt states and they are in fact bias and that they need to try to give all teams an equal amount of air time.
The iphone is legit
Although I am not an owner of the infamous iphone I have seen how much it has impacted the way people gain knowledge. Owning an iphone helps you stay in the know with just about anything you feel necessary. As a college student, I feel that being able to check your email, read a quick article, and keep yourself updated on any sports event can keep you ahead. By ahead I mean ahead in your classes of course but most of all ahead in the social world. iphone owners always know any kind of news before I do because they are informed of it with the touch of a finger. In my case I have to hear it from the iphone owner, go back to my room and catch it on t.v., or find a computer to keep myself up on the times. An iphone can also dominate a discussion when annoying users look up every topic and feel the need to let you know the exact score or the exact mileage for every situation. Don't get me wrong I would most likely be that guy if I owned one but as of now I will be a little bit behind on current events until the day comes that I can have a phone that keeps me in the know at all times.
Tom Cherry
Tom Cherry
Blog Session Obsession
I am addicted to many forms of social media (facebook, twitter, fml, etc) but one form I am not addicted to is blogging, but I know plenty of people who are. There are blogs about anything and everything, from parenting to movies and other forms of media and everything in between. Social media, especially blogs, sometimes creates an outlet for people to create high intensity situations and release steam. This often leads to debates that then lead to free-for-alls, but to some the whole attraction of blogging is the drama it creates. I had a friend who was obsessed with baby blogs. She followed some mothers blogs from the time the pregnancy was discovered to the birth of the baby and after. Her “break times” from studying to eat dinner became “read blog time” and her actual study time became blog time. She was often just as happy as some of the to-be mothers when they found out they were pregnant and started their blogs even though she had no clue who the person was and would even cry if the pregnancy ended sadly. She became more than consumed in the baby blogging world. In her case especially, blogging becomes so addictive sometimes because she follow their stories so closely she felt connected to other bloggers as if she knew them.
Sarah Beth Mounts
Sarah Beth Mounts
The audacity and absurdity with freedom of speech
By: Pete Thackston
Generally many people would refer to the audience of media being passive to some extent when being subjected to various media influences. My first blog will focus on how the audience of media is not passive; rather the audience is generally active. The idea of audiences being active can specifically be related to recording artist Kanye West. As of recently West has been heavily talked about due to his seemingly unnecessary actions at the recent VMAs. The following are examples of an active audience.
1. Kanye Wests’ seemingly controversial statements live on NBC in 2005 with Mike Myers during the Hurricane Katrina aftermath is an example of active audience. “I hate the way they portray us in the media. You see a black family, it says, "They're looting." You see a white family, it says, "They're looking for food." And, you know, it's been five days [waiting for federal help] because most of the people are black. And even for me to complain about it, I would be a hypocrite because I've tried to turn away from the TV because it's too hard to watch. I've even been shopping before even giving a donation, so now I'm calling my business manager right now to see what is the biggest amount I can give, and just to imagine if I was down there, and those are my people down there. So anybody out there that wants to do anything that we can help -- with the way America is set up to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off, as slow as possible. I mean, the Red Cross is doing everything they can. We already realize a lot of people that could help are at war right now, fighting another way -- and they've given them permission to go down and shoot us! “ Shortly after this statement he says, “George Bush doesn't care about black people!” Here it is apparent that the audience, Kanye West, is being active in his thoughts and beliefs the Katrina aftermath. Furthermore, examples of an active audience would be the media’s reaction of West’s statements. The Washington Post’s Lisa de Moraes referred to the facial reaction of Mike Myers right after West’s statement of Bush as, “Myers, now looking like the 8:30 to La Guardia turned around and caught him square in between the eyes.”
2. The second instance of an active audience again deals with Kanye West and his actions at the VMAs against Taylor Swift. The first example in this situation is Kanye being active in his belief of Beyonce having the best music video of the year, and of all time. West voiced his active opinion by stealing the microphone from Swift while on stage. Cnn.com in an article title Anger over West’s disruption at MTV awards reports, “Celebrities and fans alike expressed their disapproval of West interrupting Swift’s win for Best Female Video to tout his appreciation of nominee Beyonce.” Later in the evening another example of an active audience engagement was when Beyonce verbally expressed her apologies and allowed Swift to come back on stage.
There is also the appearance of a domino effect within the media when various audiences act on their beliefs and in-return other groups or individuals reacting to prior actions of others.
Generally many people would refer to the audience of media being passive to some extent when being subjected to various media influences. My first blog will focus on how the audience of media is not passive; rather the audience is generally active. The idea of audiences being active can specifically be related to recording artist Kanye West. As of recently West has been heavily talked about due to his seemingly unnecessary actions at the recent VMAs. The following are examples of an active audience.
1. Kanye Wests’ seemingly controversial statements live on NBC in 2005 with Mike Myers during the Hurricane Katrina aftermath is an example of active audience. “I hate the way they portray us in the media. You see a black family, it says, "They're looting." You see a white family, it says, "They're looking for food." And, you know, it's been five days [waiting for federal help] because most of the people are black. And even for me to complain about it, I would be a hypocrite because I've tried to turn away from the TV because it's too hard to watch. I've even been shopping before even giving a donation, so now I'm calling my business manager right now to see what is the biggest amount I can give, and just to imagine if I was down there, and those are my people down there. So anybody out there that wants to do anything that we can help -- with the way America is set up to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off, as slow as possible. I mean, the Red Cross is doing everything they can. We already realize a lot of people that could help are at war right now, fighting another way -- and they've given them permission to go down and shoot us! “ Shortly after this statement he says, “George Bush doesn't care about black people!” Here it is apparent that the audience, Kanye West, is being active in his thoughts and beliefs the Katrina aftermath. Furthermore, examples of an active audience would be the media’s reaction of West’s statements. The Washington Post’s Lisa de Moraes referred to the facial reaction of Mike Myers right after West’s statement of Bush as, “Myers, now looking like the 8:30 to La Guardia turned around and caught him square in between the eyes.”
2. The second instance of an active audience again deals with Kanye West and his actions at the VMAs against Taylor Swift. The first example in this situation is Kanye being active in his belief of Beyonce having the best music video of the year, and of all time. West voiced his active opinion by stealing the microphone from Swift while on stage. Cnn.com in an article title Anger over West’s disruption at MTV awards reports, “Celebrities and fans alike expressed their disapproval of West interrupting Swift’s win for Best Female Video to tout his appreciation of nominee Beyonce.” Later in the evening another example of an active audience engagement was when Beyonce verbally expressed her apologies and allowed Swift to come back on stage.
There is also the appearance of a domino effect within the media when various audiences act on their beliefs and in-return other groups or individuals reacting to prior actions of others.
What a Humorous Life Experience
by Kelly Kreiner
Many websites I’ve come across promote an addictive use of media. I know this because I’ve lost many hours to these websites when I should have been working on something. So, as a disclaimer, make sure your homework is done before clicking any of the links I’m about to mention.
New websites that I call “humorous life experience sites” are becoming very popular. Postsecret.blogspot.com is a site where anonymous revealing postcards are shown. People create postcards as a way to confess a secret and mail them in. the website is updated every Sunday, so many people will visit the website every Sunday—almost like a ritual. I think this is addicting because it’s real people’s thoughts and feelings and people can relate. Other people can be fascinating even people you don’t know. Waiting for the new postcards each Sunday can give people something to look forward to but also cause an addiction to the website because you check in every week.
More “humorous life experience sites” that are similar to each other are www.textsfromlastnight.com, www.fml.com, and www.peopleofwalmart.com. These websites are addicting because they are funny, simple, relatable, and not happening to us. This media allows anyone to post about an experience in their life. The addicting quality is that it is real and anyone can just keep scrolling though mindlessly while laughing. Texts From Last Night are text messages that people have received from their (typically) drunk friends. You can look for texts from your area code and texts voted on as “best night ever” and “worst night ever”. FML is similar, but is just anecdotes of people’s bad days/moments. They all end with “FML”, meaning “f*** my life”. The most recent and perhaps funniest of these websites I’ve come across is People of Walmart. People post pictures taken of the ridiculous people and things that they’ve seen at Walmart. This website is addicting because most can relate, having seen strange things at the local Walmart. One keeps clicking, even though some pictures hurt the eyes, because you think to yourself, “I cannot believe these people really exist.”
These examples of a part of the aughts represent the simplicity of using the new media and the addicting qualities of having a sneak peek into the good and bad of other people’s lives and experiences.
Many websites I’ve come across promote an addictive use of media. I know this because I’ve lost many hours to these websites when I should have been working on something. So, as a disclaimer, make sure your homework is done before clicking any of the links I’m about to mention.
New websites that I call “humorous life experience sites” are becoming very popular. Postsecret.blogspot.com is a site where anonymous revealing postcards are shown. People create postcards as a way to confess a secret and mail them in. the website is updated every Sunday, so many people will visit the website every Sunday—almost like a ritual. I think this is addicting because it’s real people’s thoughts and feelings and people can relate. Other people can be fascinating even people you don’t know. Waiting for the new postcards each Sunday can give people something to look forward to but also cause an addiction to the website because you check in every week.
More “humorous life experience sites” that are similar to each other are www.textsfromlastnight.com, www.fml.com, and www.peopleofwalmart.com. These websites are addicting because they are funny, simple, relatable, and not happening to us. This media allows anyone to post about an experience in their life. The addicting quality is that it is real and anyone can just keep scrolling though mindlessly while laughing. Texts From Last Night are text messages that people have received from their (typically) drunk friends. You can look for texts from your area code and texts voted on as “best night ever” and “worst night ever”. FML is similar, but is just anecdotes of people’s bad days/moments. They all end with “FML”, meaning “f*** my life”. The most recent and perhaps funniest of these websites I’ve come across is People of Walmart. People post pictures taken of the ridiculous people and things that they’ve seen at Walmart. This website is addicting because most can relate, having seen strange things at the local Walmart. One keeps clicking, even though some pictures hurt the eyes, because you think to yourself, “I cannot believe these people really exist.”
These examples of a part of the aughts represent the simplicity of using the new media and the addicting qualities of having a sneak peek into the good and bad of other people’s lives and experiences.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Stuck on facebook
By Brenton Curry
Facebook is the new media central all over the world for internet users. It was founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts on February 4, 2004. It first started off very slow where only college students could access it. As time grew on facebook became widely used by many different colleges. When this stated happening people from different age groups where interested in having their own profile on facebook. The web sit was then was sold. Now facebook has become bigger and greater than before. Now you can instant message friends, play games between friends, share video, become a fan, and watch and share music videos. Because of this facebook has become very addicting to its users. It is said that over 8 billion minutes are spent on facebook in a single day. There are over 300 million users of the web sit and 50% of them log on everyday. Because facebook is so easily accessible, many go to facebook when taking a break from work or are board. Many user states that they intend on only spending a few minutes logged in but find themselves on facebook much longer. Bottom line is that many online users want some form of entertainment. Facebook offers many different forms of entertainment and a social connection.
Facebook is the new media central all over the world for internet users. It was founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts on February 4, 2004. It first started off very slow where only college students could access it. As time grew on facebook became widely used by many different colleges. When this stated happening people from different age groups where interested in having their own profile on facebook. The web sit was then was sold. Now facebook has become bigger and greater than before. Now you can instant message friends, play games between friends, share video, become a fan, and watch and share music videos. Because of this facebook has become very addicting to its users. It is said that over 8 billion minutes are spent on facebook in a single day. There are over 300 million users of the web sit and 50% of them log on everyday. Because facebook is so easily accessible, many go to facebook when taking a break from work or are board. Many user states that they intend on only spending a few minutes logged in but find themselves on facebook much longer. Bottom line is that many online users want some form of entertainment. Facebook offers many different forms of entertainment and a social connection.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Throughout the Decade
By: Andy Froehlich
Throughout the past decade, there have been many events that have greatly changed things. The effects of these events were felt throughout the United States, and sometimes even throughout the world. Even if a particular event didn’t affect someone personally, chances are they knew someone personally that it did effect. In early 2005, something happened that shook the Catholic world. On the second of April, 2005, Pope John Paul II passed away, ending his 27 year papacy but making him one of the longest serving popes throughout the last few centuries. Throughout his 27 year papacy, John Paul II traveled to 129 different countries and logged over 725,000 miles in travels.
Throughout October of 2002, residents of Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C. and all the surrounding areas lived in fear every time they left their homes. Throughout a three week period during October, ten people were killed in shootings and three more people critically injured, all of the shootings being linked together. During this time, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo traveled along the Capital Beltway and Interstate 95 shooting random victims along the Interstate and throughout the Washington Metropolitan Area. During this three week event, many people feared being outdoors in any public place, especially gas stations and parking lots. Finally, on the 24th of October, the killing spree came to an end as both Muhammad and Malvo were arrested at a rest stop in Maryland.
Throughout the past decade, there have been many events that have greatly changed things. The effects of these events were felt throughout the United States, and sometimes even throughout the world. Even if a particular event didn’t affect someone personally, chances are they knew someone personally that it did effect. In early 2005, something happened that shook the Catholic world. On the second of April, 2005, Pope John Paul II passed away, ending his 27 year papacy but making him one of the longest serving popes throughout the last few centuries. Throughout his 27 year papacy, John Paul II traveled to 129 different countries and logged over 725,000 miles in travels.
Throughout October of 2002, residents of Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C. and all the surrounding areas lived in fear every time they left their homes. Throughout a three week period during October, ten people were killed in shootings and three more people critically injured, all of the shootings being linked together. During this time, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo traveled along the Capital Beltway and Interstate 95 shooting random victims along the Interstate and throughout the Washington Metropolitan Area. During this three week event, many people feared being outdoors in any public place, especially gas stations and parking lots. Finally, on the 24th of October, the killing spree came to an end as both Muhammad and Malvo were arrested at a rest stop in Maryland.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
The O-Factor
By: Jordan Rowe
He’s the spokesman for the common man. American television icon Bill O’Reilly has continued to rack in ratings over the course of the 2000s. The O’Reilly Factor (originally called The O’Reilly Report) premiered on the Fox News Channel in 1996, but it didn’t hit its stride until the turn of the century. For those readers who are unfamiliar with the show, Bill O’Reilly will discuss controversial political and social issues with guests. His “cut through the clutter” style has become widely popular, and has distinguished him from other news anchors. He has a wide variety of titled segments, such as the Talking Points Memo, which begins each show, and the Pinheads and Patriots segment, in which he praises someone who’s done something good for the country and chastises another individual who has demeaned the country’s moral.
But back to ratings. The O’Reilly Factor passed Larry King Live in 2001 as the most-watched cable news show in the country. More than 3.5 million viewers enter the “No Spin Zone” every night. And with 106 consecutive months at the top, there are no signs of the masses gravitating anytime soon. O’Reilly’s audience is up 37% from a year ago. But, the Fox News Channel’s ratings in general are up. In July of 2009, the network boasted it was up 48% in everyday ratings, and up 70% in primetime of viewers in the 25-54 age bracket. The network also showed the biggest market growth in the younger demographic. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that FNC was beating CNN and MSNBC combined in ratings halls. But it all harkens back to Obama in the White House.
Aside from wars overseas, the Obama Administration is fighting one on the home front…against Fox News. Obama senior advisors have referred to FNC as, “not a news network.” Obama himself has gone on the record to say about FNC, “If media is operating basically as a talk radio format, then that’s one thing, and if it’s operating as a news outlet, then that’s another.” To formally show their disapproval, on September 20th Obama appeared on all the major news programs in one day to voice support for his health care bill. But, he forgot one…Fox News. Not that they care…the Obama Administration’s consistent snubs have only provided a bigger wave of ratings for FNC. And Bill O’Reilly’s content to ride that wave…all the way to the bank!
He’s the spokesman for the common man. American television icon Bill O’Reilly has continued to rack in ratings over the course of the 2000s. The O’Reilly Factor (originally called The O’Reilly Report) premiered on the Fox News Channel in 1996, but it didn’t hit its stride until the turn of the century. For those readers who are unfamiliar with the show, Bill O’Reilly will discuss controversial political and social issues with guests. His “cut through the clutter” style has become widely popular, and has distinguished him from other news anchors. He has a wide variety of titled segments, such as the Talking Points Memo, which begins each show, and the Pinheads and Patriots segment, in which he praises someone who’s done something good for the country and chastises another individual who has demeaned the country’s moral.
But back to ratings. The O’Reilly Factor passed Larry King Live in 2001 as the most-watched cable news show in the country. More than 3.5 million viewers enter the “No Spin Zone” every night. And with 106 consecutive months at the top, there are no signs of the masses gravitating anytime soon. O’Reilly’s audience is up 37% from a year ago. But, the Fox News Channel’s ratings in general are up. In July of 2009, the network boasted it was up 48% in everyday ratings, and up 70% in primetime of viewers in the 25-54 age bracket. The network also showed the biggest market growth in the younger demographic. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that FNC was beating CNN and MSNBC combined in ratings halls. But it all harkens back to Obama in the White House.
Aside from wars overseas, the Obama Administration is fighting one on the home front…against Fox News. Obama senior advisors have referred to FNC as, “not a news network.” Obama himself has gone on the record to say about FNC, “If media is operating basically as a talk radio format, then that’s one thing, and if it’s operating as a news outlet, then that’s another.” To formally show their disapproval, on September 20th Obama appeared on all the major news programs in one day to voice support for his health care bill. But, he forgot one…Fox News. Not that they care…the Obama Administration’s consistent snubs have only provided a bigger wave of ratings for FNC. And Bill O’Reilly’s content to ride that wave…all the way to the bank!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Horror Movies of the Decade
I never got to watch R-rated films when I was a youngster so I have been trying to make up for it in the last few years. Something I have realized in my cinematic trek through time is how much this decade has not only pushed the envelope in terms of content and gore, it has also evolved the genre to some degree, challenging old architects that had once seemed permanently cemented into the formula.
In terms of sheer amount of Gore we see in today's cinema's, look no farther than the Saw series to stretch the envelop with each new entry. Sure, in the eighties we had a few decapitations here and there, but nothing to the degree of cutting off limbs or having a shut gun type collar go off. From what I have seen in my extensive "research", is that in terms of going for more intense gore on the big screen, it was the seventies that came closest to what we've seen today, the biggest difference being the quality of effect, as now most(effects) from the 70s seem outdated.
On aspect of a horror movie that will always be present, is that "he/she who has sex must die!" We have seen this element in cinema going all the way back to the original Halloween and see it today in its remake as well; almost a golden rule if you will, or the best way to get abstinence out to teens. Something that has changed however, seems to be he profile of your horror movies typical hero/survivor. As of late, women seem to be filling the role of last one standing, something that really began with Jamie Lee Curtis in the 1978 Halloween, as well as Heather Langenkamp caring the torch of strong female lead in 1984's Nightmare on Elm street, but took a back seat in the 90's for male protagonist. The 2000's, especially the late 2000's have seen a return of the Female lead as they no longer are the damsels in distress(examples being;Jeepers Creepers, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Grudge).
One last trait of Horror movies of the last ten years seem to be remakes, ass we have seen a return of Dawn of the Dead, Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th, The Omen and many more. One positive is that with every remake you at least get something different, look at Rob Zombies' Halloween for example. While I do believe some movies should never be touched due to their sheer perfectness, I can at least appreciate this for this genre, I find this a better approach than making four or five sequels, the likes of which the eighties were plagued with. Hang on though, hasn't there been Six Saw's already? Hm, well, the more things change, the more they stay the same...
-Austin Conway
In terms of sheer amount of Gore we see in today's cinema's, look no farther than the Saw series to stretch the envelop with each new entry. Sure, in the eighties we had a few decapitations here and there, but nothing to the degree of cutting off limbs or having a shut gun type collar go off. From what I have seen in my extensive "research", is that in terms of going for more intense gore on the big screen, it was the seventies that came closest to what we've seen today, the biggest difference being the quality of effect, as now most(effects) from the 70s seem outdated.
On aspect of a horror movie that will always be present, is that "he/she who has sex must die!" We have seen this element in cinema going all the way back to the original Halloween and see it today in its remake as well; almost a golden rule if you will, or the best way to get abstinence out to teens. Something that has changed however, seems to be he profile of your horror movies typical hero/survivor. As of late, women seem to be filling the role of last one standing, something that really began with Jamie Lee Curtis in the 1978 Halloween, as well as Heather Langenkamp caring the torch of strong female lead in 1984's Nightmare on Elm street, but took a back seat in the 90's for male protagonist. The 2000's, especially the late 2000's have seen a return of the Female lead as they no longer are the damsels in distress(examples being;Jeepers Creepers, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Grudge).
One last trait of Horror movies of the last ten years seem to be remakes, ass we have seen a return of Dawn of the Dead, Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th, The Omen and many more. One positive is that with every remake you at least get something different, look at Rob Zombies' Halloween for example. While I do believe some movies should never be touched due to their sheer perfectness, I can at least appreciate this for this genre, I find this a better approach than making four or five sequels, the likes of which the eighties were plagued with. Hang on though, hasn't there been Six Saw's already? Hm, well, the more things change, the more they stay the same...
-Austin Conway
2004, a little of what happened
By: Brenton Curry
Over the year of 2004 many of things had happened. Beyond all of us living through it there were something’s to look back at so that we can recognize how fare we have come in such a short time and how they now play a factor in our lives today. One of which I know effects my life everyday is facebook. On February 4, 2004 facebook was created in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In the beginning this was only a means of communication between college students. Today it has grown into something so great that is advertised virtually almost anywhere online. You can send messages, video, blog, Share pictures and many other things. It has turned into a multi communication central for internet users. Not only now do college students use it, but anyone can now access facebook.
Another huge event was the 2004 summer Olympic Games that took place from August 13-29 in Athens. This was a huge event because it did not only involve the United States and the rest of the world. Families and friends watched from all over the world to observe this event. New times and standards were brought for to make the challenge even more difficult to achieve.
This was also a big year for movies especially for horror films. Many of the horror movies were starting and continuing trilogies. One of which was the trilogy Saw. This was a huge box office hit when it first came out and has continued to be a huge success to today. Just recently the finish as to what we think of the trilogy with Saw 6. Another trilogy is the Grudge. This was a continuing from the movie The Ring which came out in 2002. The Ring was one of the first of its kind to shock audiences the way it did. When the Grudge came out the creators looked to do the same but in a different form to get a different feel from the same type of horror. Out of 2004 continuing and starting trilogies there was The Exorcist, Blade, The Seed Of Chucky, and Dawn of the Dead.
Over the year of 2004 many of things had happened. Beyond all of us living through it there were something’s to look back at so that we can recognize how fare we have come in such a short time and how they now play a factor in our lives today. One of which I know effects my life everyday is facebook. On February 4, 2004 facebook was created in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In the beginning this was only a means of communication between college students. Today it has grown into something so great that is advertised virtually almost anywhere online. You can send messages, video, blog, Share pictures and many other things. It has turned into a multi communication central for internet users. Not only now do college students use it, but anyone can now access facebook.
Another huge event was the 2004 summer Olympic Games that took place from August 13-29 in Athens. This was a huge event because it did not only involve the United States and the rest of the world. Families and friends watched from all over the world to observe this event. New times and standards were brought for to make the challenge even more difficult to achieve.
This was also a big year for movies especially for horror films. Many of the horror movies were starting and continuing trilogies. One of which was the trilogy Saw. This was a huge box office hit when it first came out and has continued to be a huge success to today. Just recently the finish as to what we think of the trilogy with Saw 6. Another trilogy is the Grudge. This was a continuing from the movie The Ring which came out in 2002. The Ring was one of the first of its kind to shock audiences the way it did. When the Grudge came out the creators looked to do the same but in a different form to get a different feel from the same type of horror. Out of 2004 continuing and starting trilogies there was The Exorcist, Blade, The Seed Of Chucky, and Dawn of the Dead.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Top 5 Most Memorable Quotes of the 2000s
By: Jordan Rowe
There is no denying the fact that the 2000s had their fair share of slip-ups, gaffes, and light-hearted moments. From Katrina’s wrath to the election path, America’s best and brightest have offered us many memorable quotes over the past ten years. So without further ado…I give you the Top 5 Memorable Quotes of the Aughts!
#5 “It’s not surprising then that they get bitter and they cling to guns or religion or antipathy towards people who aren’t like them.”-Sen. Barack Obama (2008)
A mistake wouldn’t you say? Obama recited this statement behind closed doors in San Francisco while on the campaign trail, describing rural Pennsylvanians as “bitter” and “clinging to their guns and religion.” Obama’s attempt at blowing off steam caused Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity to have a field day. And his image took a severe hit, causing many blue dog Democrats to support Hillary Clinton. But, obviously, it didn’t cost him the presidency. We enjoyed seeing your true colors though, Barack.
#4 “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.”-Kayne West (2005)
Who else would make such a statement? Following Hurricane Katrina, West got on the airwaves during a telethon alongside Mike Myers and recited this statement. Myers instantly went pale and his eyes looked like saucers. This just goes to prove that Kayne was Kayne even before his rant at this year’s VMA Awards. Kayne proceeded to march up on stage after Taylor Swift won Best Female Video and shouted, “I’m sorry, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time.” What would we do without him?
#3 “Change has come to America.”-Sen. Barack Obama (2008)
It’s the true genius of America…that it can change. On a chilly election night, soon to be President Barack Obama stood in Chicago’s Grant Park to give a victory speech for the ages. As a man who preached change on the election trail, Obama stood before the world on that night proclaiming the greatness of America and its people. The election marked a turning point in the decade, and an even bigger point in history.
#2 “The difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick.”-Gov. Sarah Palin (2008)
Mom’s everywhere had a twinkle in their eye. They had finally found…their candidate. As John McCain’s surprise pick for Vice President, Sarah Palin had a lot of proving to do. And it was this speech at the Republican National Convention that solidified her place as a hero of conservatives. From this point forward they knew that her gaffes in an interview with Katie Couric, or Tina Fey’s parody of her on Saturday Night Live didn’t matter. Everyone realized that she was just your average hockey mom…no biggie. She had passed the test as far as they were concerned.
#1 “Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job!”-President Bush (2005)
In hindsight, you can’t help but laugh at this remark from President Bush to former FEMA Director Michael Brown. At the time, however, things were quite serious. New Orleans and the state of Louisiana were in utter havoc following Hurricane Katrina, and Brown appeared as little bow peep afraid to enter the fray. To make matters worse, President Bush tells him he’s “doing a heck of job.” Brown resigned just a few short days after President Bush made this remark. And New Orleans continued to look like a third world country for many months afterwards. Clearly, this remark of #43’s presidency is used as political firewood for many Bush haters. And it certainly is true that the administration’s response to the storm was one of its most troublesome aspects in Bush’s 8 years in the White House. We must forgive, but not forget Bush's statement.
There is no denying the fact that the 2000s had their fair share of slip-ups, gaffes, and light-hearted moments. From Katrina’s wrath to the election path, America’s best and brightest have offered us many memorable quotes over the past ten years. So without further ado…I give you the Top 5 Memorable Quotes of the Aughts!
#5 “It’s not surprising then that they get bitter and they cling to guns or religion or antipathy towards people who aren’t like them.”-Sen. Barack Obama (2008)
A mistake wouldn’t you say? Obama recited this statement behind closed doors in San Francisco while on the campaign trail, describing rural Pennsylvanians as “bitter” and “clinging to their guns and religion.” Obama’s attempt at blowing off steam caused Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity to have a field day. And his image took a severe hit, causing many blue dog Democrats to support Hillary Clinton. But, obviously, it didn’t cost him the presidency. We enjoyed seeing your true colors though, Barack.
#4 “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.”-Kayne West (2005)
Who else would make such a statement? Following Hurricane Katrina, West got on the airwaves during a telethon alongside Mike Myers and recited this statement. Myers instantly went pale and his eyes looked like saucers. This just goes to prove that Kayne was Kayne even before his rant at this year’s VMA Awards. Kayne proceeded to march up on stage after Taylor Swift won Best Female Video and shouted, “I’m sorry, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time.” What would we do without him?
#3 “Change has come to America.”-Sen. Barack Obama (2008)
It’s the true genius of America…that it can change. On a chilly election night, soon to be President Barack Obama stood in Chicago’s Grant Park to give a victory speech for the ages. As a man who preached change on the election trail, Obama stood before the world on that night proclaiming the greatness of America and its people. The election marked a turning point in the decade, and an even bigger point in history.
#2 “The difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick.”-Gov. Sarah Palin (2008)
Mom’s everywhere had a twinkle in their eye. They had finally found…their candidate. As John McCain’s surprise pick for Vice President, Sarah Palin had a lot of proving to do. And it was this speech at the Republican National Convention that solidified her place as a hero of conservatives. From this point forward they knew that her gaffes in an interview with Katie Couric, or Tina Fey’s parody of her on Saturday Night Live didn’t matter. Everyone realized that she was just your average hockey mom…no biggie. She had passed the test as far as they were concerned.
#1 “Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job!”-President Bush (2005)
In hindsight, you can’t help but laugh at this remark from President Bush to former FEMA Director Michael Brown. At the time, however, things were quite serious. New Orleans and the state of Louisiana were in utter havoc following Hurricane Katrina, and Brown appeared as little bow peep afraid to enter the fray. To make matters worse, President Bush tells him he’s “doing a heck of job.” Brown resigned just a few short days after President Bush made this remark. And New Orleans continued to look like a third world country for many months afterwards. Clearly, this remark of #43’s presidency is used as political firewood for many Bush haters. And it certainly is true that the administration’s response to the storm was one of its most troublesome aspects in Bush’s 8 years in the White House. We must forgive, but not forget Bush's statement.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Top 10 Sports Moments of the Decade
By: Jordan Rowe
Like any other decade, the 2000s brought their fair share of exciting shots, kicks, passes, and hits. I'm talking about sports here. It's hard to even begin to fathom the greatest sporting achievement of this past decade. But, I love a challenge. So straight from your humble correspondent, here are the Top 10 Sports Moments of the 2000s:
#10. Texas Defeats USC in Rose Bowl (2006)-Texas Quarterback Vince Young will live in the minds of Longhorns fans forever for his 8 yard touchdown run on 4th Down with 19 seconds remaining. Texas followed with a succesful two-point conversion and defeated USC in their backyard...41-38. USC had been heavily favored in the game, entering with a 34 game win streak.
#9. Div. I-AA Appalachian State Defeats #5 Michigan (2007)-In a page right out of the epic David defeats Goliath book, Div I-AA Appalachian State defeated 5th ranked Michigan at the Big House, 34-32. Michigan still hasn't reclaimed its former glory since this defeat.
#8. #11 George Mason Reaches Final Four (2006)-They were America's Cinderella Story in 2006. George Mason went through Michigan State, North Carolina, Wichita State, and Connecticut to become only the second double digit seed to reach the Men's Basketball Final Four. Many analysts consider George Mason's run to be the best by a mid-major school in history.
#7. USA Men B-Ball Reclaim Gold (2008)-Determined to put an end to their failure for Gold in 2004, the USA men's basketball team soundly defeated their opponents in the 2008 Beijing Olympics to reclaim the Gold Medal.
#6. Bonds Hits #756 (2007)-Considered by many to be the greatest record in all of sports, Hank Aaron's Home Run Record was broken on August 8, 2007 by a man named Barry Bonds. Looked at my many as a fake, Bonds endured criticism and hate on the way to passing Aaron. Many in baseball still refuse to acknowledge the new home run King, but no doubt it caused shockwaves throughout the sporting world.
#5. Lance Armstrong Wins 7th Tour De France (2007)-If biking were a more popular sport, Lance Armostrong would be higher on this list. Because the cancer survivor's 7th straight Tour De France win is among the most spectacular sports triumphs in history. We continued to be amazed by Armstrong as he, year after year, continued to win a race that's more than 2,000 miles long and lasts three weeks. Even more amazing is the fact that he was able to return this year and finish third in the race after taking a year off.
#4. Tiger Wins U.S. Open on One Leg (2008)-It's probably my favorite sports moment of the past decade. Limping down the fairway, Tiger Woods was forced to play 91 holes to win the U.S. Open over Rocco Mediate in 2008. He called it his best win ever. Forced to play on a bad knee he would later have surgery on, Woods had to play a 19 hole playoff to stave off Mediate at Torre Pines.
#3. Phelps Wins 8 Golds in Beijing Olympics (2008)-Average humans watched in awe as freak of nature Michael Phelps swam for 8 Gold Medals in Beijing. I can still see the Sports Illustrated cover with Phelps and his 8 Golds now. Mark Spitz had won 7 Golds in the pool in the early 70s, but Phelps seemed to have a demeanor that Spitz never possessed. In two races, Phelps was lucky to get out alive. In the Men's 4x100 Meter Relay, fellow temmate Justin Lezak chased down France's Alan Bernard on the anchor leg (insert image of Phelps flexing). Phelps' second nail-bitter came a few nights later, when he touched the wall ahead of Milorad Cavic by one-hundreth of a second. Talk about calling it close...
#2. Red Sox Break Curse (2004)-The Boston Red Sox hadn't won a World Series since 1918, no other franchise has had that long of a drought except the Chicago Cubs (who will never win another World Series). But, the Red Sox seemed to have magic on their side in the 04 playoffs. Down 3 games to none against the NY Yankees, the Red Sox rallied back winning four straight games to win the AL pennant. They then proceeded to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals to win the world series. Many Sox fans thought they'd never see the Sox win a World Series. But, the Curse was broken 5 years ago...
#1. NY Giants Defeat New Englad Patriots in Super Bowl (2007)-They ruined perfection. The New England Patriots entered the Super Bowl as possibly the greatest football team to ever play the game at 18-0. But, left Arizona that night feeling like just another good team. The Giants came into the game as 14 point underdogs. But became the first NFC wild card team to win the Super Bowl by edging the Patriots 17-14. Eli Manning's pass to David Tyree might be the greatest play of the decade. Tyree was able to keep the Giants drive alive by catching the ball in the air and pressing it against his helmet as he fell to the ground (see picture above). Just as it was the greatest Super Bowl upset in history...it is the greatest sports moment of the decade.
Did I miss anything?
Like any other decade, the 2000s brought their fair share of exciting shots, kicks, passes, and hits. I'm talking about sports here. It's hard to even begin to fathom the greatest sporting achievement of this past decade. But, I love a challenge. So straight from your humble correspondent, here are the Top 10 Sports Moments of the 2000s:
#10. Texas Defeats USC in Rose Bowl (2006)-Texas Quarterback Vince Young will live in the minds of Longhorns fans forever for his 8 yard touchdown run on 4th Down with 19 seconds remaining. Texas followed with a succesful two-point conversion and defeated USC in their backyard...41-38. USC had been heavily favored in the game, entering with a 34 game win streak.
#9. Div. I-AA Appalachian State Defeats #5 Michigan (2007)-In a page right out of the epic David defeats Goliath book, Div I-AA Appalachian State defeated 5th ranked Michigan at the Big House, 34-32. Michigan still hasn't reclaimed its former glory since this defeat.
#8. #11 George Mason Reaches Final Four (2006)-They were America's Cinderella Story in 2006. George Mason went through Michigan State, North Carolina, Wichita State, and Connecticut to become only the second double digit seed to reach the Men's Basketball Final Four. Many analysts consider George Mason's run to be the best by a mid-major school in history.
#7. USA Men B-Ball Reclaim Gold (2008)-Determined to put an end to their failure for Gold in 2004, the USA men's basketball team soundly defeated their opponents in the 2008 Beijing Olympics to reclaim the Gold Medal.
#6. Bonds Hits #756 (2007)-Considered by many to be the greatest record in all of sports, Hank Aaron's Home Run Record was broken on August 8, 2007 by a man named Barry Bonds. Looked at my many as a fake, Bonds endured criticism and hate on the way to passing Aaron. Many in baseball still refuse to acknowledge the new home run King, but no doubt it caused shockwaves throughout the sporting world.
#5. Lance Armstrong Wins 7th Tour De France (2007)-If biking were a more popular sport, Lance Armostrong would be higher on this list. Because the cancer survivor's 7th straight Tour De France win is among the most spectacular sports triumphs in history. We continued to be amazed by Armstrong as he, year after year, continued to win a race that's more than 2,000 miles long and lasts three weeks. Even more amazing is the fact that he was able to return this year and finish third in the race after taking a year off.
#4. Tiger Wins U.S. Open on One Leg (2008)-It's probably my favorite sports moment of the past decade. Limping down the fairway, Tiger Woods was forced to play 91 holes to win the U.S. Open over Rocco Mediate in 2008. He called it his best win ever. Forced to play on a bad knee he would later have surgery on, Woods had to play a 19 hole playoff to stave off Mediate at Torre Pines.
#3. Phelps Wins 8 Golds in Beijing Olympics (2008)-Average humans watched in awe as freak of nature Michael Phelps swam for 8 Gold Medals in Beijing. I can still see the Sports Illustrated cover with Phelps and his 8 Golds now. Mark Spitz had won 7 Golds in the pool in the early 70s, but Phelps seemed to have a demeanor that Spitz never possessed. In two races, Phelps was lucky to get out alive. In the Men's 4x100 Meter Relay, fellow temmate Justin Lezak chased down France's Alan Bernard on the anchor leg (insert image of Phelps flexing). Phelps' second nail-bitter came a few nights later, when he touched the wall ahead of Milorad Cavic by one-hundreth of a second. Talk about calling it close...
#2. Red Sox Break Curse (2004)-The Boston Red Sox hadn't won a World Series since 1918, no other franchise has had that long of a drought except the Chicago Cubs (who will never win another World Series). But, the Red Sox seemed to have magic on their side in the 04 playoffs. Down 3 games to none against the NY Yankees, the Red Sox rallied back winning four straight games to win the AL pennant. They then proceeded to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals to win the world series. Many Sox fans thought they'd never see the Sox win a World Series. But, the Curse was broken 5 years ago...
#1. NY Giants Defeat New Englad Patriots in Super Bowl (2007)-They ruined perfection. The New England Patriots entered the Super Bowl as possibly the greatest football team to ever play the game at 18-0. But, left Arizona that night feeling like just another good team. The Giants came into the game as 14 point underdogs. But became the first NFC wild card team to win the Super Bowl by edging the Patriots 17-14. Eli Manning's pass to David Tyree might be the greatest play of the decade. Tyree was able to keep the Giants drive alive by catching the ball in the air and pressing it against his helmet as he fell to the ground (see picture above). Just as it was the greatest Super Bowl upset in history...it is the greatest sports moment of the decade.
Did I miss anything?
Thursday, November 19, 2009
The three most important TV shows of the aughts
By: Jason Phillips
As an educator in communication and media, one of the most frustrating things for me is the way audiences and creators alike blindly accept the logic that the current ways of doing creative and economic business are the best ways to go about it. “You have to do it that way” is something I hear a lot. Why? Think about how many TV shows fail each year. Many more than succeed. Think about how many recording artists sell barely 100,000 albums. And say a film makes $50 million. That’s considered a solid haul…and most don’t make that much. Well, that’s only 5 million butts in the seats. Hardly mass approval of Hollywood ‘convention.’ Truth is, the balance sheet says, no Virginia, convention DOESN’T work.
To that end, I thought I’d blog about what I consider the three most important television shows of the aughts. And, of course, each defied conventional logic about storytelling, marketing, and public tastes. All three have made a lot of people a boat load of money by NOT doing it the way the TV biz says you have to do it.
1. South Park – The show began in the late 90s, but hit it’s creative and commercial peak in the new millennium. The show’s ratings, while never stellar, have held amazingly solid for 13 years. Beyond making a home for the ‘crude’ humor of successors like Family Guy, the show refused to accept the Big Brother-esque dictum that…gasp…you can’t DARE offend anyone. Nobody will watch if you do! It would take less space to name the groups, causes, and public figures South Park HASN’T taken shots at in it’s run. In an era of sanitized music, film, and TV, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone carved out a mini-empire by doing it their way…and by taking no prisoners in the process. Further, the show stands, in my mind, as the single most important form of cultural critique in my lifetime. There is really something classical and Aristotelian in how the show takes whatever is relevant at any given moment, mercilessly dissects each side’s pretensions and assumptions, and ends with a cogent, logically and morally sound conclusion…and one that is usually quite conservative (albeit laced with fart jokes). Trey Parker deserves no less than to be mentioned in the same breath as the greatest philosophers and social critics of all time, you know, all the dead guys you study in your boring classes…and he takes a back seat to none of them.
2. Lost – Audiences have to have TV dumbed down for them. So goes the mandate from television executives. Well, enter the Lost boys, Damon Lindleof and Carlton Cruse…two veterans of television who said, ‘no, you know what…we’re gonna confuse the hell out them…and we’re gonna make them chase clues all over the internet, all over video games, all over books, and all over supposedly ‘real’ commercials. We’re gonna make the audience work. And we’re gonna reference obscure literary and cultural works that dumb people just don’t get. And if they don’t like the plan, then they just won’t watch. Well, watch they did. The myth is that lots of viewers left as the show’s mythology became more tangled, disperse, and intellectual. But here’s the math: the show has “lost” (pun intended) 4.5 million viewers from season one up until now. That’s really about average for most long-running shows. Nearly the same as, say, a stalwart like SVU. It’s about half the loss of Desperate Housewives, it’s partner in big 2004 TV premieres. The show has actually held it’s ratings as good as, if not better than, most shows of similar age. And it did it while telling stories that got ever smarter, more complex, and that defied all conventional logic about how to build a television show and a mythological universe. Lindleof and Cruse proved that, when it comes to television, if you build something smart and difficult, but good, then the viewers will come. Further, the show’s intense and fearless treatment of issues such as community, religion, the consequences of war, and the tension between fate and free offers a nearly perfect snapshot of the social and political concerns of the aughts. Indeed, Lost stands, in my opinion, as the ultimate choice if we had to pick a TV show for a “time capsule” to teach future generations about this decade.
3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Joss Whedon is just smarter than you or me. Let’s get that out of the way. The 1992 film, which was a shell of his original screenplay, put the television show behind the eight ball when it premiered in 1997. Indeed, the title alone, with it’s suggestions of camp or comedy, probably cost the show viewers all along. But Joss understood that a show built on a title or a ‘bumper sticker’ slogan has no juice anyway. No, his creation built (really, rebuilt) his original idea from the ground up, and expanded it with poetic genius for seven years into the aughts. Before Buffy, you weren’t supposed to blend comedy or drama. Audiences want it clean cut one way or the other. But Buffy and her allies were likely to crack a joke AND shed a tear in the same scene. Pure genius. Of course it would work. Because it reflects how we all experience life: Complicated, contradictory, and never clean or simple. Someone should have had the guts to try it before. The show also revolutionized the way women, in particular women heroes, were treated in popular culture. It’s not a coincidence that the U.S. got it’s first female Speaker of the House a mere three years after Buffy saved the world one last time. Finally, the show is the mother of the current vampire craze in popular culture. Joss made vampires cool again. More importantly, he made them relevant artistically and culturally. And, for you Twilight fans, compare Buffy and Bella. Buffy wins every time: in strength, in heart, and in an understanding of how to be a young woman in a male-dominated world. And, for the Edward lovers in particular…vampires don’t sit in trees. Angel and Spike…those are vampires WORTH swooning over. And, here at GC, Joss directly inspired a certain professor to make a web series. Hardest thing I’ve ever done. And I’m a better person and educator for having gone through it. Thank you, Joss…for everything.
As an educator in communication and media, one of the most frustrating things for me is the way audiences and creators alike blindly accept the logic that the current ways of doing creative and economic business are the best ways to go about it. “You have to do it that way” is something I hear a lot. Why? Think about how many TV shows fail each year. Many more than succeed. Think about how many recording artists sell barely 100,000 albums. And say a film makes $50 million. That’s considered a solid haul…and most don’t make that much. Well, that’s only 5 million butts in the seats. Hardly mass approval of Hollywood ‘convention.’ Truth is, the balance sheet says, no Virginia, convention DOESN’T work.
To that end, I thought I’d blog about what I consider the three most important television shows of the aughts. And, of course, each defied conventional logic about storytelling, marketing, and public tastes. All three have made a lot of people a boat load of money by NOT doing it the way the TV biz says you have to do it.
1. South Park – The show began in the late 90s, but hit it’s creative and commercial peak in the new millennium. The show’s ratings, while never stellar, have held amazingly solid for 13 years. Beyond making a home for the ‘crude’ humor of successors like Family Guy, the show refused to accept the Big Brother-esque dictum that…gasp…you can’t DARE offend anyone. Nobody will watch if you do! It would take less space to name the groups, causes, and public figures South Park HASN’T taken shots at in it’s run. In an era of sanitized music, film, and TV, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone carved out a mini-empire by doing it their way…and by taking no prisoners in the process. Further, the show stands, in my mind, as the single most important form of cultural critique in my lifetime. There is really something classical and Aristotelian in how the show takes whatever is relevant at any given moment, mercilessly dissects each side’s pretensions and assumptions, and ends with a cogent, logically and morally sound conclusion…and one that is usually quite conservative (albeit laced with fart jokes). Trey Parker deserves no less than to be mentioned in the same breath as the greatest philosophers and social critics of all time, you know, all the dead guys you study in your boring classes…and he takes a back seat to none of them.
2. Lost – Audiences have to have TV dumbed down for them. So goes the mandate from television executives. Well, enter the Lost boys, Damon Lindleof and Carlton Cruse…two veterans of television who said, ‘no, you know what…we’re gonna confuse the hell out them…and we’re gonna make them chase clues all over the internet, all over video games, all over books, and all over supposedly ‘real’ commercials. We’re gonna make the audience work. And we’re gonna reference obscure literary and cultural works that dumb people just don’t get. And if they don’t like the plan, then they just won’t watch. Well, watch they did. The myth is that lots of viewers left as the show’s mythology became more tangled, disperse, and intellectual. But here’s the math: the show has “lost” (pun intended) 4.5 million viewers from season one up until now. That’s really about average for most long-running shows. Nearly the same as, say, a stalwart like SVU. It’s about half the loss of Desperate Housewives, it’s partner in big 2004 TV premieres. The show has actually held it’s ratings as good as, if not better than, most shows of similar age. And it did it while telling stories that got ever smarter, more complex, and that defied all conventional logic about how to build a television show and a mythological universe. Lindleof and Cruse proved that, when it comes to television, if you build something smart and difficult, but good, then the viewers will come. Further, the show’s intense and fearless treatment of issues such as community, religion, the consequences of war, and the tension between fate and free offers a nearly perfect snapshot of the social and political concerns of the aughts. Indeed, Lost stands, in my opinion, as the ultimate choice if we had to pick a TV show for a “time capsule” to teach future generations about this decade.
3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Joss Whedon is just smarter than you or me. Let’s get that out of the way. The 1992 film, which was a shell of his original screenplay, put the television show behind the eight ball when it premiered in 1997. Indeed, the title alone, with it’s suggestions of camp or comedy, probably cost the show viewers all along. But Joss understood that a show built on a title or a ‘bumper sticker’ slogan has no juice anyway. No, his creation built (really, rebuilt) his original idea from the ground up, and expanded it with poetic genius for seven years into the aughts. Before Buffy, you weren’t supposed to blend comedy or drama. Audiences want it clean cut one way or the other. But Buffy and her allies were likely to crack a joke AND shed a tear in the same scene. Pure genius. Of course it would work. Because it reflects how we all experience life: Complicated, contradictory, and never clean or simple. Someone should have had the guts to try it before. The show also revolutionized the way women, in particular women heroes, were treated in popular culture. It’s not a coincidence that the U.S. got it’s first female Speaker of the House a mere three years after Buffy saved the world one last time. Finally, the show is the mother of the current vampire craze in popular culture. Joss made vampires cool again. More importantly, he made them relevant artistically and culturally. And, for you Twilight fans, compare Buffy and Bella. Buffy wins every time: in strength, in heart, and in an understanding of how to be a young woman in a male-dominated world. And, for the Edward lovers in particular…vampires don’t sit in trees. Angel and Spike…those are vampires WORTH swooning over. And, here at GC, Joss directly inspired a certain professor to make a web series. Hardest thing I’ve ever done. And I’m a better person and educator for having gone through it. Thank you, Joss…for everything.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Top 10 Tycoons of Two-Thousands:Part II
By: Jordan Rowe
In case you missed my last post, I counted down the Top Tycoons 10-6 of the 2000s decade. Glenn Beck came in at #10, Simon Fuller at #9, Lebron James at #8, Sarah Palin at #7, and Michael Jackson at #6. But, let's continue on through the countdown starting at #5.
#5 The Google Guys-The success of Larry Page and Sergey Brin is unprecedented. Two Standford geeks you've never heard of that are up to their eyeballs in cash and influence. They head the world's premiere search engine. What's most remarkable is that they originally had no advertising model for Google, refusing to put ads on its home page (it's still that way). They earned the trust of the company by charging them only if a consumer clicked on one of their ads during a search. They have nearly 20,000 employees with a net income of over $4 billion. They also swallowed a little internet sensation called YouTube in 2006 for a cool $1.65 billion. No question the google geeks are tycoons of the two-thousands.
#4-Mark Zuckerberg-He's the founder of Facebook. And unless you've been in a hole the past decade, you know the social networking site has taken off like a brush fire. The website currently boasts of over 300 million members, and was ranked as the most used social network by worldwide active users. What's even more impressive is the fact that his net worth is $2 billion and he hasn't even finished college! Surprisingly enough Zuckerberg was recruited by Microsoft and AOL after he built a music player called Synapse in high school. Looks as if both companies missed on a millionare...no billionaire!
#3-J.K. Rowling-She should have been higher than #3. As the author of the Harry Potter book series, Rowling had us daydreaming about a boy wizard and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry during the 2000s. We anticipated her book releases like there was no tomorrow. Her story is the classic rags to riches...on welfare and rise to stardom. Rowling was on a train trip from Manchester to London when she conceived the idea of the book. The books adaptations to films have made her even more famous. Forbes named her the first billion dollar book writer...though Rowling has disputed this claim. Nevertheless, her fame is undisputed as well as that of Harry Potter.
#2-Barack Obama-He was "change" the country could believe in. Obama's rise to the Presidency began in 2004, as a young Illinois Senator who delivered the key note address at the Democratic National Convention. He outlasted Hillary Clinton in a fight for the nomination, and mowed over John McCain in the general election to become this nation's first black President. Whether you love his politics or hate them like the plague, everyone must acknowledge the magnitude of his achievements. Only time will tell if he is up to the job before him as Commander in Chief. But, this change agent was a major player in the 2000s.
#1-Steve Jobs-He's the man responsible for the entire iculture that has consumed the United States. The ipod was released at the beginning of the decade, and everyone in sight coule be spotted with those ridiculous white earbuds. The iphone has been an absolute phenomenon since its release and has challenged every previous convention of media technology. Whatever you are intending to do..."there's an app for that." He's also contributed to Mac's rise in market share against Microsoft. Apple's Mac/PC commercials have been a major success. He was Fortune Magazine's Most Powerful Man in 2007. No doubt...this man was the American iCon throughout the 2000s.
So there you have it...the Top 10 Tycoons of the Two-Thousands. Did I miss anyone big?
In case you missed my last post, I counted down the Top Tycoons 10-6 of the 2000s decade. Glenn Beck came in at #10, Simon Fuller at #9, Lebron James at #8, Sarah Palin at #7, and Michael Jackson at #6. But, let's continue on through the countdown starting at #5.
#5 The Google Guys-The success of Larry Page and Sergey Brin is unprecedented. Two Standford geeks you've never heard of that are up to their eyeballs in cash and influence. They head the world's premiere search engine. What's most remarkable is that they originally had no advertising model for Google, refusing to put ads on its home page (it's still that way). They earned the trust of the company by charging them only if a consumer clicked on one of their ads during a search. They have nearly 20,000 employees with a net income of over $4 billion. They also swallowed a little internet sensation called YouTube in 2006 for a cool $1.65 billion. No question the google geeks are tycoons of the two-thousands.
#4-Mark Zuckerberg-He's the founder of Facebook. And unless you've been in a hole the past decade, you know the social networking site has taken off like a brush fire. The website currently boasts of over 300 million members, and was ranked as the most used social network by worldwide active users. What's even more impressive is the fact that his net worth is $2 billion and he hasn't even finished college! Surprisingly enough Zuckerberg was recruited by Microsoft and AOL after he built a music player called Synapse in high school. Looks as if both companies missed on a millionare...no billionaire!
#3-J.K. Rowling-She should have been higher than #3. As the author of the Harry Potter book series, Rowling had us daydreaming about a boy wizard and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry during the 2000s. We anticipated her book releases like there was no tomorrow. Her story is the classic rags to riches...on welfare and rise to stardom. Rowling was on a train trip from Manchester to London when she conceived the idea of the book. The books adaptations to films have made her even more famous. Forbes named her the first billion dollar book writer...though Rowling has disputed this claim. Nevertheless, her fame is undisputed as well as that of Harry Potter.
#2-Barack Obama-He was "change" the country could believe in. Obama's rise to the Presidency began in 2004, as a young Illinois Senator who delivered the key note address at the Democratic National Convention. He outlasted Hillary Clinton in a fight for the nomination, and mowed over John McCain in the general election to become this nation's first black President. Whether you love his politics or hate them like the plague, everyone must acknowledge the magnitude of his achievements. Only time will tell if he is up to the job before him as Commander in Chief. But, this change agent was a major player in the 2000s.
#1-Steve Jobs-He's the man responsible for the entire iculture that has consumed the United States. The ipod was released at the beginning of the decade, and everyone in sight coule be spotted with those ridiculous white earbuds. The iphone has been an absolute phenomenon since its release and has challenged every previous convention of media technology. Whatever you are intending to do..."there's an app for that." He's also contributed to Mac's rise in market share against Microsoft. Apple's Mac/PC commercials have been a major success. He was Fortune Magazine's Most Powerful Man in 2007. No doubt...this man was the American iCon throughout the 2000s.
So there you have it...the Top 10 Tycoons of the Two-Thousands. Did I miss anyone big?
2004; Looking Back
BY Laura Hoffman
In this year, Sen. John Kerry and George W. Bush battled for position of top dog… Bush was sworn into his second term on Jan. 20, 2005. Shamefully, U.S. media released graphic photos of American soldiers abusing and sexually humiliating Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison. The images sparked outrage around the world. In Massachusetts, gay marriage was legalized (finally)… it was U.S. state to legalize unions between two people of the same sex.
In July, the Senate Intelligence Committee finally admitted that they were mistaken about the “weapons in Iraq” and called their predictions overstated and flawed… they were just WRONG!!
In pro sports, New England defeated Carolina in the Super Bowl, Boston defeated St. Louis in the World Series and Detroit defeated Los Angeles in the NBA Championship game. In college sports, Connecticut defeated Georgia Tech for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, and Southern California won the NCAA Football Championship. Smarty Jones was the horse of the year by winning the Kentucky Derby.
In entertainment, everyone’s favorite domestic lady was ARRESTED! Martha Stewart went to prison after being found guilty on four counts of obstruction of justice and lying to federal investigators. The Google search engine went public (oh, and made its creators BILLIONAIRES)! Dan Rather got CBS news in a lot of trouble after announcing that President Bush might have received preferential treatment when he joined the National Guard and later when he served in it… proving once again… don’t mess with little Georgie. Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ was HUGE! Everyone saw the movie, either because they wanted to, or because they’d feel guilty if they didn’t. Michael Moore’s documentary, Fahrenheit 9/11 became the highest grossing documentary of all time while bashing the President, (watch out Michael!) The Federal Communications Commission fined CBS, which broadcast the Super Bowl, $550,000 for Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson’s “costume malfunction”. Basically everyone “accidentally” saw Janet’s right breast after Justin ripped off the skimpy leather patch that was covering it. Considering that everyone watching the Super Bowl that year saw her… I’m just gonna guess that her record sales went up a little.
Big songs of the year include Kenny Chesney’s When the Sun Goes Down, Usher’s Confessions, and Gretchen Wilson’s Here for the Party and Redneck Woman. Important deaths include Ray Charles, Julia Child, Christopher Reeve, and Ronald Reagan.
In this year, Sen. John Kerry and George W. Bush battled for position of top dog… Bush was sworn into his second term on Jan. 20, 2005. Shamefully, U.S. media released graphic photos of American soldiers abusing and sexually humiliating Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison. The images sparked outrage around the world. In Massachusetts, gay marriage was legalized (finally)… it was U.S. state to legalize unions between two people of the same sex.
In July, the Senate Intelligence Committee finally admitted that they were mistaken about the “weapons in Iraq” and called their predictions overstated and flawed… they were just WRONG!!
In pro sports, New England defeated Carolina in the Super Bowl, Boston defeated St. Louis in the World Series and Detroit defeated Los Angeles in the NBA Championship game. In college sports, Connecticut defeated Georgia Tech for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, and Southern California won the NCAA Football Championship. Smarty Jones was the horse of the year by winning the Kentucky Derby.
In entertainment, everyone’s favorite domestic lady was ARRESTED! Martha Stewart went to prison after being found guilty on four counts of obstruction of justice and lying to federal investigators. The Google search engine went public (oh, and made its creators BILLIONAIRES)! Dan Rather got CBS news in a lot of trouble after announcing that President Bush might have received preferential treatment when he joined the National Guard and later when he served in it… proving once again… don’t mess with little Georgie. Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ was HUGE! Everyone saw the movie, either because they wanted to, or because they’d feel guilty if they didn’t. Michael Moore’s documentary, Fahrenheit 9/11 became the highest grossing documentary of all time while bashing the President, (watch out Michael!) The Federal Communications Commission fined CBS, which broadcast the Super Bowl, $550,000 for Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson’s “costume malfunction”. Basically everyone “accidentally” saw Janet’s right breast after Justin ripped off the skimpy leather patch that was covering it. Considering that everyone watching the Super Bowl that year saw her… I’m just gonna guess that her record sales went up a little.
Big songs of the year include Kenny Chesney’s When the Sun Goes Down, Usher’s Confessions, and Gretchen Wilson’s Here for the Party and Redneck Woman. Important deaths include Ray Charles, Julia Child, Christopher Reeve, and Ronald Reagan.
The Economic Downfall of the Century, thanks to.......
By Bianca Rugimbana
It appears the years of 2008 and 2009 have brought about much commotion and in my previous blog, the stir of the greatest economic downfall seemed to be the problem rocking the United States' economy and affecting millions of civilians. Although this to me, seems to be the most memorable event from these two years, it is important to understand how and why this Recession actually came about and one person that may be thanked for this downfall, is former President George. W. Bush. With his plans to "help" those in need, "protect" America and provide for a more stable economy has landed President Obama in an even bigger problem then Bush was faced with. Obama has now been sent into clean up the issues that Bush created and begin to rebuild the United States from scratch. In early 2008, as Bush began to come to his final days in the presidency role, he initiated 3.1 trillion dollars into the Federal Budget whilst America was already in debt by billions of dollars. This was just another extra piece of "help" that he added to the United States' economy and now today in November of 2009, we see Americans in a slump and the economy in a major recession. Oil prices are rocketing, unemployment has increased dramatically and more and more people are becoming infected with swine flu without the proper health care to assist them while they are sick. All of these contributions are not solely the blame of George W. Bush, however, the issues of today stem from the work of yesterday and it raises many questions in the heads of Americans as to whether or not these problems would be like this, if better decisions were made previously? That is just food for thought though. Time will tell as to whether Obama can reform and reshape the United States of America as we know it.
It appears the years of 2008 and 2009 have brought about much commotion and in my previous blog, the stir of the greatest economic downfall seemed to be the problem rocking the United States' economy and affecting millions of civilians. Although this to me, seems to be the most memorable event from these two years, it is important to understand how and why this Recession actually came about and one person that may be thanked for this downfall, is former President George. W. Bush. With his plans to "help" those in need, "protect" America and provide for a more stable economy has landed President Obama in an even bigger problem then Bush was faced with. Obama has now been sent into clean up the issues that Bush created and begin to rebuild the United States from scratch. In early 2008, as Bush began to come to his final days in the presidency role, he initiated 3.1 trillion dollars into the Federal Budget whilst America was already in debt by billions of dollars. This was just another extra piece of "help" that he added to the United States' economy and now today in November of 2009, we see Americans in a slump and the economy in a major recession. Oil prices are rocketing, unemployment has increased dramatically and more and more people are becoming infected with swine flu without the proper health care to assist them while they are sick. All of these contributions are not solely the blame of George W. Bush, however, the issues of today stem from the work of yesterday and it raises many questions in the heads of Americans as to whether or not these problems would be like this, if better decisions were made previously? That is just food for thought though. Time will tell as to whether Obama can reform and reshape the United States of America as we know it.
The Hire of the Decade
In 2009 coach John Calipari was hired as the University of Kentucky’s new head basketball coach. He took over as head coach knowing that it would be probably the toughest head coaching job he possibly could have gotten himself into. As a Kentucky basketball fan this was an extremely important moment considering how much pride Kentucky fans take in their basketball team. Calipari knew what he was doing when he signed his eight year contract with Kentucky making 31.65 million and calling his new job a “dream job”. This salary is a big deal considering John Calipari is the highest paid college coach in the country and seems to be at Kentucky with a fire under him to win us some basketball games.
By: Tom Cherry
By: Tom Cherry
Biggest things in 2006-2007
By: Ryan Anderson
One of the biggest things that happened in 2006 and 2007 was the releasing of Playstation 3 and Wii. everyone was going crazy trying to get there hands on one if not both. it was like these things had gold inside them and were worth millions. lines were going out the door just to have a chance at obtaining one. people were selling them on ebay for over a thousand dollars around christmas time.
another thing that exploded on the web was the creation of youtube. a guy that wanted to show his video over the web uploaded his video so that people could see what he was doing, now he is sitting at a desk somewhere making money by the min, as ppl upload videos everyday. its crazy how one min the guy was normal and now he is worth millions.
the third that stands out in my mind is that Pluto is not considered a planet anymore. i remember in grade school loving the planet pluto bc it was blue. its crazy now that one day i will be teaching my children that pluto is not a planet. also another thing is that Massacre at Virginia Tech. a student that attended the school walked down the hall and started shooting other students. i know that some professors wouldnt let him in some doors but the damage was done, killing several students and couple of professors. just goes to show you that it can happen at anytime, anywhere. one always has to be on the lookout for danger.
One of the biggest things that happened in 2006 and 2007 was the releasing of Playstation 3 and Wii. everyone was going crazy trying to get there hands on one if not both. it was like these things had gold inside them and were worth millions. lines were going out the door just to have a chance at obtaining one. people were selling them on ebay for over a thousand dollars around christmas time.
another thing that exploded on the web was the creation of youtube. a guy that wanted to show his video over the web uploaded his video so that people could see what he was doing, now he is sitting at a desk somewhere making money by the min, as ppl upload videos everyday. its crazy how one min the guy was normal and now he is worth millions.
the third that stands out in my mind is that Pluto is not considered a planet anymore. i remember in grade school loving the planet pluto bc it was blue. its crazy now that one day i will be teaching my children that pluto is not a planet. also another thing is that Massacre at Virginia Tech. a student that attended the school walked down the hall and started shooting other students. i know that some professors wouldnt let him in some doors but the damage was done, killing several students and couple of professors. just goes to show you that it can happen at anytime, anywhere. one always has to be on the lookout for danger.
The Dynasty Begins
The New England Patriots began their run at a dynasty in 2002. Early in the season their seasoned veteran quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who had already led the Pats to the Super Bowl once before, went down with an injury and in stepped inexperienced backup Tom Brady. Many Pats fans felt like the season was over when Bledsoe went down, until Brady stepped in and defeated the Indianapolis Colts, a power in the AFC, in his first start. Things kept rolling for the Pats and they were able to head to the AFC Championship game against the Pittsburg Steelers. However, Brady and Bledsoe’s rolls were then reversed in that game and when Brady was injured; Bledsoe stepped in and led the Pats to the win and a birth in the Super Bowl. Many people believed that the high powered offense of the St. Louis Rams was going to be too much to handle for the Patriots; however the defense held the Rams to just 17 points and Adam Vinitieri sealed the win for the Patriots as he drilled the game-winning field-goal as time expired. It was special season for the Patriots and all of America I think, because of the "Proud to be an American" attitude that took place after the events of 9/11, to have a team named “The Patriots” win the biggest sporting event of the year…just seems fitting.
By: Alex Stewart
By: Alex Stewart
the disaster of the decade
Hurricane Katrina was the most memorable event that took place in the entire decade. The things that stood out about the hurricane was the lack of support from the government. To witness or to hear the stories of the victims who suffered in this tragedy is very sad. I cant say which is worst the actual storm or the aftermath of the storm. If their is anybody who does not have an understanding or idea of what actually took place i advise them to watch spike lee's documentary "When the Levees Broke". This documentary showed exclusive footage from the victims and the scene of this coastal disaster. It showed how 80% of an entire city was under water leaving the elderly and children to be left on their roof tops and stranded in their attics. The film also showed the victims who sought out shelter at the convention center and the super dome. The conditions were inhumane no food, no water, and the to suffer from the scorchimg heat of the summer made some of these victims very ill to the point of even death.
Storm of the Century
By Laura Hoffman
In 2005, the USA was attacked... by Katrina. Hurricane Katrina mainly hit New Orleans and Louisiana, and when it did, it flooded almost 80% of their cities. At least 1,836 people died in the natural disaster, and caused over $100 billion dollars worth of damager (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina). The most devastating part about the hurricane, is the way our nation handled it. A lot of the people in New Orleans and Louisiana decided to stay and wait out the storm, most of their reasoning being "it's too expensive to evacuate" and "this is my home, and I'm staying put". That's all well and good because, well, this is America, and if you want to stay in a little shed throughout a massive deadly hurricane, then you're allowed to. However, after the storm hit and people in these states were suffering, it took DAYS for government relief to come to their aid. The moment throughout Hurricane Katrina that shocked me most is the fact that the media called the people trying to leave New Orleans and Louisiana to find relief, refugees. What kind of a country do we live in, where when people in need seek help, we call them refugees? They were American citizens who needed support from the rest of their country and we help them by calling them condescending names like refugee. For a country who responded so well to a terrorist attack in 2001, we sure didn't respond well to a natural attack in 2005. I guess if there's no one to blame, then we don't have a lot of incentive to act.
In 2005, the USA was attacked... by Katrina. Hurricane Katrina mainly hit New Orleans and Louisiana, and when it did, it flooded almost 80% of their cities. At least 1,836 people died in the natural disaster, and caused over $100 billion dollars worth of damager (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina). The most devastating part about the hurricane, is the way our nation handled it. A lot of the people in New Orleans and Louisiana decided to stay and wait out the storm, most of their reasoning being "it's too expensive to evacuate" and "this is my home, and I'm staying put". That's all well and good because, well, this is America, and if you want to stay in a little shed throughout a massive deadly hurricane, then you're allowed to. However, after the storm hit and people in these states were suffering, it took DAYS for government relief to come to their aid. The moment throughout Hurricane Katrina that shocked me most is the fact that the media called the people trying to leave New Orleans and Louisiana to find relief, refugees. What kind of a country do we live in, where when people in need seek help, we call them refugees? They were American citizens who needed support from the rest of their country and we help them by calling them condescending names like refugee. For a country who responded so well to a terrorist attack in 2001, we sure didn't respond well to a natural attack in 2005. I guess if there's no one to blame, then we don't have a lot of incentive to act.
Y2K
Y2K, or the year 2000 problem, was a very short lived event of the aughts decade. In 199 there was a lot of hype leading up to the year 2000 because of Y2K. Many people believed that at the stroke of midnight on January 1, 2000 that all of the computers would crash and we would be left virtually without technology. However, the major of the problems that surrounded the Y2K problem were very insignificant and minor. It turned out that all of the hype and hysteria surround the Y2K problem was all for nothing. At the time of the Y2K problem I did not really understand what the deal was, and I was slightly afraid that we would be in a chaotic state of anarchy for several days trying to get our technology back online.
By: Alex Stewart
By: Alex Stewart
Death of Anna Nicole
By: Ryan Anderson
Former playmate Anna Nicole Smith would have to be one of my events that i will remember for a while. Smith did a lot of different things in her 39years on earth. She was a playmate for a while, then when she gained all of her weight she became a spokeswomen for slimfast, lost all of the weight then gained it back. Became the host of her own T.V. show and married a 85 years old man because "she fell in love with him." basically she was a gold digger. Something interesting about Smith is that on her death certificate it says that her level of education is 8th grade or less. just proves that one doesnt have to be smart to be worth millions.
Former playmate Anna Nicole Smith would have to be one of my events that i will remember for a while. Smith did a lot of different things in her 39years on earth. She was a playmate for a while, then when she gained all of her weight she became a spokeswomen for slimfast, lost all of the weight then gained it back. Became the host of her own T.V. show and married a 85 years old man because "she fell in love with him." basically she was a gold digger. Something interesting about Smith is that on her death certificate it says that her level of education is 8th grade or less. just proves that one doesnt have to be smart to be worth millions.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Top 10 Tycoons of Two-Thousands: Part 1
By: Jordan Rowe
When you think about a tycoon what comes to mind? Do you think of someone powerful, like a big oil man? Or, do your thoughts drift to someone who wields a great amount of influence, like the President? Merriam-Webster defines the word tycoon as a person of rank, power, or influence in a certain field. More from curiosity than anything else, I decided to rank the Top 10 Tycoons of the 2000s. I wanted to determine who wielded the most power over the past decade, or who was able to extert the most amount of influence across the popular culture. Now, this isn't a Top 10 Earnings List. Though money may follow success, it doesn't often determine it. The Aughts are interesting because unlike previous time periods, a shift in control occured from the more traditional moneymakers to more tech-savy players. So without further ado...I give you 10-6 of the Top 10 Tycoons of the 2000s.
10. Glenn Beck-Beck has come a long way since the beginning of the decade. The Glenn Beck Program first aired in 2000 on a Tampa, FL AM station, but has grown to over six and a half million listeners on over 280 radio stations. His switch from CNN's Headline News to Fox News in 2008 has only increased his market value. As of September of 2009, Beck's TV program drew more viewers than the competing time-slot shows on MSNBC, CNN, and HLN combined. He's also written a number of best sellers during the decade including his recent NY Times best seller...Aruging with Idiots. You'd have to be an idiot not to agree that Beck is a tycoon of the 2000s.
9. Simon Fuller-He created the 2000 phenomenon American Idol. Idol debuted in 2002 on Fox and is arguably the most popular show on American TV's. It's currently #1 and has been at #1 in the Nielsen Ratings for five consecutive seasons. America has been blessed with Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and David Cook because of Simon Fuller.
8. Lebron James-The nation was first captivated by "The King," when ESPN began televising his high school basketball games. A phenom right out of high school, James has taken the Cavaliers to elite status...though he's still missing a ring. Recently named the NBA's Most Valuable Player in 2009, Lebron's stock just continues to increase. Aside from his cool 15 million dollar salary, he does endorsements for Nike, Sprite, Upper Deck, State Farm, Bubblicious, and Glaceau. We should have known all along...the man has "Chosen 1" tatooed on his back!
7. Sarah Palin-Oh, Sarah! John McCain's surprise pick as Vice-Presidential Candidate in the 2008 GOP campaign has taken the nation by storm. Her new book...Going Rogue...came out today and she appeared on Oprah Monday to begin her book tour. Even long after the campaign, America is fascinated by her family and life in Alaska. Her decision to step down as Governor of Alaska sparked a great amount of discussion on her running for President in 2012. No doubt, this hockey mom is a tycoon of the 2000s.
6. Michael Jackson-Maybe more popular in death than in life, Michael Jackson's passing caused the world to shed tears. The King of Pop first came to life long before the Aughts saw their first breath. As the lead singer of the Jackson 5, America got their first dose of Michael singing I Want You Back on the Ed Sullivan Show. His change of appearance and child sexual abuse accusations have tainted the Jackson legacy. But, his death this past year, for many, signaled the end of an era in popular music. For over four decades the King of Pop brought us dance moves and music to last an eternity.
The Top 5 Tycoons of the Decade will be released Wednesday, November 18.
When you think about a tycoon what comes to mind? Do you think of someone powerful, like a big oil man? Or, do your thoughts drift to someone who wields a great amount of influence, like the President? Merriam-Webster defines the word tycoon as a person of rank, power, or influence in a certain field. More from curiosity than anything else, I decided to rank the Top 10 Tycoons of the 2000s. I wanted to determine who wielded the most power over the past decade, or who was able to extert the most amount of influence across the popular culture. Now, this isn't a Top 10 Earnings List. Though money may follow success, it doesn't often determine it. The Aughts are interesting because unlike previous time periods, a shift in control occured from the more traditional moneymakers to more tech-savy players. So without further ado...I give you 10-6 of the Top 10 Tycoons of the 2000s.
10. Glenn Beck-Beck has come a long way since the beginning of the decade. The Glenn Beck Program first aired in 2000 on a Tampa, FL AM station, but has grown to over six and a half million listeners on over 280 radio stations. His switch from CNN's Headline News to Fox News in 2008 has only increased his market value. As of September of 2009, Beck's TV program drew more viewers than the competing time-slot shows on MSNBC, CNN, and HLN combined. He's also written a number of best sellers during the decade including his recent NY Times best seller...Aruging with Idiots. You'd have to be an idiot not to agree that Beck is a tycoon of the 2000s.
9. Simon Fuller-He created the 2000 phenomenon American Idol. Idol debuted in 2002 on Fox and is arguably the most popular show on American TV's. It's currently #1 and has been at #1 in the Nielsen Ratings for five consecutive seasons. America has been blessed with Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and David Cook because of Simon Fuller.
8. Lebron James-The nation was first captivated by "The King," when ESPN began televising his high school basketball games. A phenom right out of high school, James has taken the Cavaliers to elite status...though he's still missing a ring. Recently named the NBA's Most Valuable Player in 2009, Lebron's stock just continues to increase. Aside from his cool 15 million dollar salary, he does endorsements for Nike, Sprite, Upper Deck, State Farm, Bubblicious, and Glaceau. We should have known all along...the man has "Chosen 1" tatooed on his back!
7. Sarah Palin-Oh, Sarah! John McCain's surprise pick as Vice-Presidential Candidate in the 2008 GOP campaign has taken the nation by storm. Her new book...Going Rogue...came out today and she appeared on Oprah Monday to begin her book tour. Even long after the campaign, America is fascinated by her family and life in Alaska. Her decision to step down as Governor of Alaska sparked a great amount of discussion on her running for President in 2012. No doubt, this hockey mom is a tycoon of the 2000s.
6. Michael Jackson-Maybe more popular in death than in life, Michael Jackson's passing caused the world to shed tears. The King of Pop first came to life long before the Aughts saw their first breath. As the lead singer of the Jackson 5, America got their first dose of Michael singing I Want You Back on the Ed Sullivan Show. His change of appearance and child sexual abuse accusations have tainted the Jackson legacy. But, his death this past year, for many, signaled the end of an era in popular music. For over four decades the King of Pop brought us dance moves and music to last an eternity.
The Top 5 Tycoons of the Decade will be released Wednesday, November 18.
The Recession of the Decade
By Bianca Rugimbana
As the decade of the 2K seems to be flying by it seems that so many memorable moments have changed the lives of people all around the world. It seems like yesterday at the age of 13 and living in Australia, that 2000 would be the century of technology and it would surprise scientists if people were without power and eventually the world would end. But surprisingly, the world is still up and running, well for the moment being considering 2012 is fast approaching and conspiracies surrounding that moment is time is also up in the air. At the moment in year 2009, the world has already gone through and overcome disaster, devastation, miracles and pandemonium, all of which have landed America with history making new African American president, an epidemic outburst of a disease known as H1N1 which seems to be quickly eliminating the human race and a recession which is adding to the oil prices surging over 147 dollars per barrel. An event of 2008-2009 that is affecting not only me but everyone around the world is the recession. Unemployment is high, gas prices are through the roof, disease and sickness is overcoming a lot of the human population and food is becoming rapidly unavailable to a lot of countries around the world. Is this cause for alarm? Is this cause for a dramatic change? Will it all be alright if the world just ends in 2012? What should be done? The questions are endless and it seems no one has the answers, not even the President. Technicalities? Glitches in the system? None of these serve the purpose to really understanding why the world is suffering the way it is and why no one can seem to do anything about it. The recession has been called the worst global recession in decades, almost close to that of the Great Depression in the 30’s. The recession has seen the worst GDP output, unemployment rates rising to 8.5 % and a rampant inflation on commodities, affecting anyone and everyone in the United States. This situation is something that may require more than direction from the U.S president, peace between countries and bills passed in Congress. This seems to need a drastic change, almost dramatic and soon, to be able to save the United States and the world as we know it. The question is what change do you propose?
As the decade of the 2K seems to be flying by it seems that so many memorable moments have changed the lives of people all around the world. It seems like yesterday at the age of 13 and living in Australia, that 2000 would be the century of technology and it would surprise scientists if people were without power and eventually the world would end. But surprisingly, the world is still up and running, well for the moment being considering 2012 is fast approaching and conspiracies surrounding that moment is time is also up in the air. At the moment in year 2009, the world has already gone through and overcome disaster, devastation, miracles and pandemonium, all of which have landed America with history making new African American president, an epidemic outburst of a disease known as H1N1 which seems to be quickly eliminating the human race and a recession which is adding to the oil prices surging over 147 dollars per barrel. An event of 2008-2009 that is affecting not only me but everyone around the world is the recession. Unemployment is high, gas prices are through the roof, disease and sickness is overcoming a lot of the human population and food is becoming rapidly unavailable to a lot of countries around the world. Is this cause for alarm? Is this cause for a dramatic change? Will it all be alright if the world just ends in 2012? What should be done? The questions are endless and it seems no one has the answers, not even the President. Technicalities? Glitches in the system? None of these serve the purpose to really understanding why the world is suffering the way it is and why no one can seem to do anything about it. The recession has been called the worst global recession in decades, almost close to that of the Great Depression in the 30’s. The recession has seen the worst GDP output, unemployment rates rising to 8.5 % and a rampant inflation on commodities, affecting anyone and everyone in the United States. This situation is something that may require more than direction from the U.S president, peace between countries and bills passed in Congress. This seems to need a drastic change, almost dramatic and soon, to be able to save the United States and the world as we know it. The question is what change do you propose?
Monday, November 16, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Director of the Decade
By: Jordan Rowe
What would the past decade have looked like without former President George W. Bush? The man's entire presidency was a pickle, beginning with his defeat of Al Gore in the 2000 Presidential election. In what was the closest election ever, Bush's lawyers finally got through to the Supreme Court, and the recount was stopped in Florida. He signed a major tax cut shortly after making it to the White House, and American's began to buy into the Bush presidency. In one of this country's darkest hours (9/11), Bush shined like a beacon. He went on national tv the night of the attacks to assure the American people, promising justice on the perpetrators. Many credited his win in 2004 to his handling of the attacks. And so we invaded Afganishan in pursuit of Osama Bin Laden. His approval ratings were the highest of any President ever...over 90%! But, war waged on and we began fighting on two fronts, invading Iraq because of the suspicion of weapons of mass destruction. Mission Accomplished...or so it seemed. Little did Bush realize that 6 years after he stood on the USS Abraham Lincoln and declared our mission in Iraq finished that we'd still be there. Bush's popularity began to decline, but was above 50% at the time of the 2004 election. Kerry swithed sides and Bush weathered another storm for the better. Katrina hit in 2005 and devastation was wide spread in New Orleans. Picking up the pieces was the job of FEMA director Michael Brown, though he didn't have slighest clue of what was going on in the city. Either did Bush. Remember this statement..."Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job!" Brown was fired days later and Bush looked like a baffoon. From there it just continued to spiral out on 43...the economic crisis was the final nail in the coffin for many folks. Even when he made a step in the right direction, he drew criticism. For example, Bush received no credit for the surge's success in Iraq. And what about Bushisms...they seemed to increase in severity as his presidency continued. Maybe he just stopped caring after he was re-elected in '04? Make no mistake, Bush had a rough couple of years in the Oval Office. But, when you think back to what went down in the decade...through the best of times and worst of times...Bush was there in the spotlight, directing, for better or worse.
What would the past decade have looked like without former President George W. Bush? The man's entire presidency was a pickle, beginning with his defeat of Al Gore in the 2000 Presidential election. In what was the closest election ever, Bush's lawyers finally got through to the Supreme Court, and the recount was stopped in Florida. He signed a major tax cut shortly after making it to the White House, and American's began to buy into the Bush presidency. In one of this country's darkest hours (9/11), Bush shined like a beacon. He went on national tv the night of the attacks to assure the American people, promising justice on the perpetrators. Many credited his win in 2004 to his handling of the attacks. And so we invaded Afganishan in pursuit of Osama Bin Laden. His approval ratings were the highest of any President ever...over 90%! But, war waged on and we began fighting on two fronts, invading Iraq because of the suspicion of weapons of mass destruction. Mission Accomplished...or so it seemed. Little did Bush realize that 6 years after he stood on the USS Abraham Lincoln and declared our mission in Iraq finished that we'd still be there. Bush's popularity began to decline, but was above 50% at the time of the 2004 election. Kerry swithed sides and Bush weathered another storm for the better. Katrina hit in 2005 and devastation was wide spread in New Orleans. Picking up the pieces was the job of FEMA director Michael Brown, though he didn't have slighest clue of what was going on in the city. Either did Bush. Remember this statement..."Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job!" Brown was fired days later and Bush looked like a baffoon. From there it just continued to spiral out on 43...the economic crisis was the final nail in the coffin for many folks. Even when he made a step in the right direction, he drew criticism. For example, Bush received no credit for the surge's success in Iraq. And what about Bushisms...they seemed to increase in severity as his presidency continued. Maybe he just stopped caring after he was re-elected in '04? Make no mistake, Bush had a rough couple of years in the Oval Office. But, when you think back to what went down in the decade...through the best of times and worst of times...Bush was there in the spotlight, directing, for better or worse.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Aughts Preview
By: Jordan Rowe
It’s hard to believe we are about to turn the page on the 2000s. Truth be told, I’m not sure any other decade in recent history can compare to the so called, “Aughts.” Granted, this is the first decade that I am able to accurately reflect back on since I was born in 1990, and have rough if any sketches of the late 90s. But, stop and think for a moment. America and the world have traveled a long way since the problem of the 00s existed. The nation fought over who won Florida in the 2000 Presidential Election. We cradled our children upon seeing the attacks of 9/11. Our society discovered social networking, and hasn’t been able to get off Facebook since. We cheered with Iraq’s citizens upon the toppling of a statue of Saddam Hussein. The nation fell silent upon word of the shootings at Virginia Tech. We watched Michael Phelps swim, night after night, for 8 gold medals in Beijing. We were awed by a pilot’s landing of a plane in the Hudson River. And we saw the first black man elected to the nation’s highest office. But, I have only scratched the surface of the major events of this past decade. That’s why over the course of the next few weeks, “The Aughts” Project will summarize and analyze the events of the past decade, in depth, two years at a time. The Project also seeks to identify overarching themes of the period in hopes of differentiating it from other previous decades. So please allow us to raise a glass to the past, and take a look back at the first decade of the 21st century.
It’s hard to believe we are about to turn the page on the 2000s. Truth be told, I’m not sure any other decade in recent history can compare to the so called, “Aughts.” Granted, this is the first decade that I am able to accurately reflect back on since I was born in 1990, and have rough if any sketches of the late 90s. But, stop and think for a moment. America and the world have traveled a long way since the problem of the 00s existed. The nation fought over who won Florida in the 2000 Presidential Election. We cradled our children upon seeing the attacks of 9/11. Our society discovered social networking, and hasn’t been able to get off Facebook since. We cheered with Iraq’s citizens upon the toppling of a statue of Saddam Hussein. The nation fell silent upon word of the shootings at Virginia Tech. We watched Michael Phelps swim, night after night, for 8 gold medals in Beijing. We were awed by a pilot’s landing of a plane in the Hudson River. And we saw the first black man elected to the nation’s highest office. But, I have only scratched the surface of the major events of this past decade. That’s why over the course of the next few weeks, “The Aughts” Project will summarize and analyze the events of the past decade, in depth, two years at a time. The Project also seeks to identify overarching themes of the period in hopes of differentiating it from other previous decades. So please allow us to raise a glass to the past, and take a look back at the first decade of the 21st century.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
