Extra cred.

                The internet! A teenager’s dream cure for boredom: screw reading, extracurricular activities, or other ways of having fun. You can now read electronically, “work out” on your WII consol and express artistic talents using the wonderful Photoshop. So, to answer your question: of course I had a blog before this RTF class. The 13 year old’s perfect blog at the time was xanga, and I mainly blogged because I was bored with my life and felt like maybe writing out how bored I was meant I wouldn’t be bored anymore. It sort of worked….and by sort of, I mean didn’t.
                I liked blogging for this class, because though this was a weekly assignment, it didn’t feel like it. Instead of “homework,” it was more like a fun way to discuss lectures. Instead of a group discussion or an analysis of the material, it was more engaging and fun to just write a paragraph or two about the topics in blog format. I also liked this blog because it was a nice way to take terms and ideologies from class and use them with our own examples.  
                I like to consider myself techno savy, so I didn’t really have any problems with the blogs. If I had a problem (conceptually) it was with finding an outside topic to write about. But, once I found my topic, it was easy to take the topic (like Mad Men, or The Lion King, or His Girl Friday) and relate them with terms from class lectures and readings. But, I think I easily overcame these problems by just thinking outside of the box. I thought about things I liked and therefore came up with ways to relate them to our lecture.
                The topics about film production the most fun. Also, it was fun to take examples from movies and really dissect them and make sense of them using film terms. The 3 act structure was my favorite topic, but watching the Lion King as homework was a lot of fun, too. Advertising blog prompts were fun, but only because I liked looking up pictures of Marc Jacobs’ ad for “Bang.” Guilty.
                Blogging should rule the university universe and dominate the “analytical essay.” I absolutely love writing analysis essays, but I think blogging is more fun. It doesn’t feel like a homework assignment, but another form of engaging in media (which is appropriate since this class is Media Studies…good usage of the class title, right?). I think more classes should have blog assignments, simply because it’s simple, doesn’t take up too much time or energy, and can be fun.
                If anything, all that I would change is more extra credit blogs…hell, they’re easy and fun, therefore I think more people would be more willing to do them. Plus, who isn’t a fan of extra credit? That’s right, no body! Also, you are more than welcome to use by blog for future references.

Wise Words of Wisdom....with The Beatles

Through music and a simply magnificent song, I must say that the Beatles surely provided a great definition of “globalization,” singing: “One thing I can tell you is you got to be free, come together right now over me.” (okay, so it may just be the one little part, but I really enjoyed it…plus it’s a lot more entertaining that just looking up a definition on dictionary.com, right?) Course it sounds like a long shot, but globalization is all about being interconnected, not only through people among our society, but nations, and even cultures. Therefore, I think “coming together” is a great way to provide a definition of globalization. And I am sticking to my Beatles reference. =]
 To explore globalization further, let’s take a look at the concept of cultural imperialism. There is a big difference between cultural imperialism and cultural influence. The former is sort of like the “taking over,” or dominance, of one culture or a trend. We don’t allow for one thing to slowly starting becoming a part of the community or society. Cultural influence, I think, learns towards heavily pushing the idea of something, so that is DOES become part of a new society. Let’s use the example of the expansion of everyone’s beloved restaurant, McDonalds! Now, this is something that is all over Western culture, and we never think “I wonder if there is a McDonalds around…,” simply because we KNOW that somewhere there is a McDonalds nearby. But McDonalds is slowly expanding to other nations and cultures. Some of these people may not like it because the western culture is managing to bleed within the cracks of their societies. While doing some research, I’ve read that the French had a giant outcry when the first McDonalds opened in France. And who could blame them? They don’t want cheese burgers and (although it would SEEM appropriate) French fries (haha, French humor) to become the new “French meal.” I do remember that when in Paris with friends and other people from the States, all of us at one point or another wanted to spot the golden arches and have a tasty meal (that we were accustomed to back in the States). We did manage to find one, only after struggling with placing an order in French, but we were all really bummed that there didn’t seem to be many McD’s all over like back home! And alas! An example of cultural imperialism. McDonalds is all over the US, and rarely we do find it throughout the streets of Paris, but this chain does manage to step outside of the States and in some way “connect” everyone. It is kind of sad that this restaurant is what connects us, but our western culture is managing to make its way to other people. Not necessarily to take over, but to make a common connection between people and cultures.
Hey, I still believe the Beatles said it best.

Sex Sells: A True Story

This is clearly a powerful ad, in many different ways. Though it is an ad to promote cologne, there is also the need to put in the man who made the cologne, Marc Jacobs. Not only do they feel the need to throw him into the photo shoot, but he is also nakedly promoting his own cologne.
When we think of the ways this ad appeals to audiences, we mainly think about how sex sells. With the ubiquity of the ad, this picture captures the attention of readers regardless of their sex, sexual preference, or age. The picture holds our attention, but not because we are interested in Jacobs' new cologne, but rather because of Jacobs is behind his cologne, in a sexy and naked pose. Through sex appeal, this ad works to grab everyone's attention as well as to "promote" his cologne.
But this ad is just one of many that uses sex as a form of appealing to audiences. Even the name of the cologne itself, Bang, is one that makes you question if there is any innuendo behind the name. But, we wouldn't be guessing if there is any sexual connotation behind Bang if there was not a naked man within the picture. This advertisement does a great job of putting two different things together, and allowing the reader to put the two puzzle pieces together: to form a sexual advertisement. There is a pro within this ad, and that is the ad stimulates the purchase of a new product. Of course, many people see this ad and think they need to go out and buy the product because the ad is that hot. But we don't really need new cologne do we? Here lies the con within this ad. We think just because the ad is powerful enough to hold our attention and we begin to drool over it, that we need to spend money on worthless things we don't NEED. And in this case, many men have said that this cologne doesn't even smell good! This equals an even BIGGER waste of money. It is true what they say, sex does sell.