My Final Website

Dear Reader,

My final webpage is here I had talked to Jill and she said i could use my website I built for another class with a few additions. So please check out my site and let me know what you think. Thanks a lot!

You Started It...

We have developed ourselves into a society of cyborgs. Try taking a cell phone away from a high school student, college student and now even middle school student and see if they don’t freak out. I bet if I took your cell phone away from you, you would probably freak out. IT is pathetic how we have become so reliable on our internet and cell phones. Remember when IMing was the happening thing to do. What do you think that led to? I’ll give you a hint, texting.

We can all thank web 2.0 for making our lives that much more controlled by the media. Not only do we base everything around what celebrity is having sex with what other celebrity and what clothes they are wearing while they do it, but we are giving up even more civil liberties by letting the media in even closer to us. Try denying that the media companies don’t have a track on your cell phone when certain words are used. They were doing it to us when land lines were the most popular form of communication. I wonder if parents even still teach life skills to kids anymore, or do they just pawn them off on a video game or TV show to teach them everything.

I wish I knew what Rift went through. I wish I could have lived in the time where trying was not a mouse click away. I wish I knew what REAL life was. I wish kids knew how to find information without using the internet…

People can’t even keep in contact with other people anymore without the internet. I admit I was a victim to web 2.0 as well. I set my myspace account and pimped that page like it was an appendage of me. I feel now I am the fool. A webpage is not how I want people to know me, or about my thoughts. I think that is the cheap way out. This is why I don’t like blogging. If you wanted to get to know me come hang out with me listen to my music drink a beer with me throw some darts join my hockey team go see a baseball game with me. I’m not text on a fancy background. I AM A PERSON. Have we forgotten what it means to be human and have personal relationships without “commenting on your wall?” It will be a sad day when you meet someone and say, “Hey are you Cardsfan08 on myspace? OMG I know all about you.”

This is a sad time we live in where everything is based around the internet. I can’t apply for a job and use the skills I am good at like speaking to people because I have to a pply online. What does that tell you about someone? They can use the internet… WOW…

When was the last time you wrote a letter to a friend? A hand written letter not an e-mail. The last one I wrote asked, “What is your email address?”

Pathetic!



(This man changed my life... Open your eyes)

Writting on the Wall

Republicrat or Demicran, one party system!

The 2008 presidential race will go down in history as a lot of firsts. There is a woman who tried getting the democratic nominee and a black man who received the democratic nominee. Obama is running against a very old frail man who I really don’t care about except for his extraordinary military service record. McCain has elected a woman to run as his vice president, however, I do not think will help his chances. All of these attributes combined will make for some exciting election coverage.
The presidential debates are, for me, extremely boring. You can tell by looking at each of the candidates they are very stressed out and have pretty much no idea what to say to any question asked to them, but rather just dodge the questions all together and go on a completely random topic, or back to foreign policy. The presidential debate has to be one of the most stressful things a person could ever experience. Every election it is the same thing. A couple of old guys (or girls) sit around and talk about how they are not going to do what the president before is doing and how they are going to make false promises to win your vote. All I can say right now is I am glad that someone is taking over the white house that isn’t a Bush.

Obama attacked McCain saying he will only continue what George W. Bush is has been doing for the past eight years. I would have to agree with what Obama said, though McCain disagreed, and then proceeded to get flustered and told Obama, “if you wanted to run against Bush you should have ran eight years ago.” I felt like my grandfather was reprimanding me for saying he was to old to do something. Ha! We need to get the republican out of office. This economy can not handle another four to eight years of a republican. The only thing republicans want is to make the rich richer and the poor poorer. They could careless about the working man, or the guy making minimum wage at three jobs to support his family. The republicans are giving tax breaks to companies who ship jobs overseas!!! We’re trying to stabilize our economy and all they can think about is sending jobs overseas! Come on people open your eyes!

I’m sure everyone knows someone or knows of someone serving in Iraq. Well, if McCain gets elected he has no exit plan of Iraq. He just wants to keep our fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, and mothers over there. He doesn’t care about the soldiers he just cares about the money in the ground. I think it is time to bring home our brothers and sisters, and so does Obama.

Anyway we all have our opinions and everyone has there own idea of how they think the country should be ran. We have to give some sort of respect to both these candidates, because anyone who can handle these couple years of political thrashing deserves a pat-on-the-back.

What Do You Mean By "You People?"

Diversity in the news room should not be an issue. I’m sorry but I feel that someone should get a job because they are the best for the position. I’m not racist so don’t get the wrong idea but we need to stop giving people who are not qualified quality jobs just because they are a minority. If I get beat out of a job by someone that is better and more qualified than I am, good I didn’t deserve the position, but I’m not going to cry and go to the press because I wasn’t hired because of my skin color! Come on people! You were not hired because someone else was better than you. Tell Jesse Jackson to go home and try to find something else to complain about. I’m so sick of every minority using there skin color or whatever makes them a minority to get them better things/jobs. I have to work for what I want just like you! There is no slavery anymore and society is tolerant of every ethnicity. Get out of the 1950’s and grow up. Actually work for what your goals are, not just get them because you played the “race” card. If I started a “WET” I would be racist, but the :”BET” is completely fine. Give me a break! We’re all equal. The constitution says it.

There is no more discrimination. Look over the past and at the future. Stop using and abusing your skin colors. The way I see it is minorities are more racist to themselves than any other group of people. If something happens that is newsworthy it will make the news, and the reporter who gets the job got it because it was convenient for the news team not because they are Asian or Hispanic. This whole topic infuriates me. You’re all acting like children. Grow up and stop yelling for mommy because you didn’t get what you wanted! Work harder for it. It’s a dog eat dog world right? Not a - I’m black I should get the job because if I don’t I will get the BBB on your company - world. Whatever, disagree with me, please, is it because I’m white?

We've Had Enought Of These Military Scoreboards

Media… what exactly is media? Media is everything; everything we see, hear, or even touch. The government is media. Hollywood is the most recognizable media, but what about the one thing in life that connects us all. Every person has a favorite of it, and it always has something to say. Weather it is funny, political, or sad. I for one thank god everyday for it, but is it influencing us. Is our oldest form of expression and escape controlling us and training us how we are supposed to feel. Absolutely music is controlling us!



Let’s take a look in the past and how music influenced people. The slaves would sing songs with hidden messages to plan and learn without the masters finding out. Music is everywhere. People relate to music, and it is a vital role in finding niches and target markets/segments.

(How whould YOU feel)


I have noticed in the recent years just walking into, what used to be my favorite store to buy clothes, Pac-Sun. I loved the clothes there and they fit great and lasted. Out of nowhere though Pac-Sun decided to go with the emo/screamo trend the indi music was going. Now I can’t stand the clothes at the store, and it is sad because I really liked them.

I have music to thank for getting me involved with world problems and politics. Yeah, we can all thank Rage a little bit, but the real influencers are the ones behind the radio. The musicians that don’t get the radio play and constantly tour for what they believe in and their fans. Thanks to websites like Myspace and Facebook it is easier for us to find the music that we can relate to.

(The Dispatch Foundation)


Music influences us in our thinking processes, style, and attitudes. Just check out some of the pictures below. You can’t tell me music people do this to themselves just because they feel like it.




I am happy that I found the artists I listen too. The music is like an appendage of myself. I think about it and use the values of it in my life day to day. I recently, within the past year, have taken a lot more interest into what I am passionate about and my beliefs. I was sick of the everyday news and media coverage, so I started learning on my own. I will question my teachers when they teach classes, because I want to know the truth. The moment we are born we’re taught to not believe everything we read or hear, so I’m questioning the people we are supposed to believe. Hey, Christopher Columbus was no saint he was a rapist and murderer, bet you didn’t get taught that in elementary class, and even this summer in history with Professor Whaley didn’t mention it. Why do our systems hide the truth for what they want us to believe? Propaganda… we’re born into that.

History is held with the hand who writes the text books.
Ignorance is held when falsified thinking is taught
To the youth instead of past mistakes and mind elevation
Like the graves that manifest that destiny has created.
--Matt Embre

But I could go on and on…

(Why Pop Stars Sell Silicon)

When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Stuff Gold...

One of my good friends, Brian Duga, went to New Zealand for a year for college. I don’t really know to many international students here at Lindenwood, and I think a lot has to do with me being a commuter student. I interviewed Brian about his experiences with the media in New Zealand, and found some pretty amazing things.
Brian is an outdoors person. He enjoys anything he can climb on, hike to, or swing from. He traveled almost the whole country of New Zealand. When I asked him what he remembers most about the media in New Zealand he said, “risqué.” Apparently in New Zealand a lot of ads show a lot of skin, and like we all know, sex sells.
It wasn’t just the skin though; in New Zealand they don’t have billboards like in the US. Instead, they put ads on side of buildings. Here, in the densest part of the cities, is where companies advertise, but their ads are about 70-80% sex ads. They advertise, for the whole public to see, pills for penis enlarging and sex stamina. This is what Brian said was everywhere.
In New Zealand there is a lot of American culture. Family Guy is one of the top rated evening programs for the country, and it is everywhere. Brian told me that you can not open a magazine, watch a commercial, or drive down the street without seeing some sort of Family Guy advertisement, but it is mainly in the bigger cities.




Brian lived outside the biggest city in New Zealand, Auckland. In the rural areas you will never find a McDonalds or Burger King like in the major cities. Everything is mom-and-pop shops. Brian says it is actually nice because it is very intimate. When someone gets food somewhere one doesn’t just eat and leave, they have conversations and interact with people. I think that would be nice, and I wish American would slow down and stop to say “thanks for visiting our store” or a simple “hi.”
Like any country, New Zealand is a country of pride. They have their own values and beliefs. They take their pride and use American ideas for their own country. Instead of American Idol they have New Zealand Idol. New Zealand will copy whatever works from the US. Which is smart for television stations, producers should study American culture and television because what works here will most likely work in their country, and remember it’s all about the money. American (New Zealand) Idol can bring in a lot of money.



My opinion about New Zealand is I think it would be a great country to visit. I don’t want to make anybody mad, but I love my country. We are the greatest country on Earth for a reason. I could never live somewhere else, and to tell you the truth, with the world as it is right now I am a little afraid to leave the US. New Zealand sounds like a great place to go and relax and just get away. The countryside is beautiful their, but don’t let people know your American. We really are not liked around the world. Brian said he was at a bar one time and they found out he was American and everyone wanted to fight him. He had to leave. That’s fine with me though, after-all they steel our ideas and businesses for their profit.

For more information about New Zealand go
here

Pshh!

I would like to say that we are the best generation. I’m not just saying this because I am part of it. We get things done! Yes, this is true, at least for me. I would like to defend myself to all the grumpy old people who label us. I have been working since I was 14 because my parents said they wouldn’t buy me a car or pay for college. I’m working full time in college too.






I work all the time!!! And I still get everything i need done and on time. I was raised differently than a lot of my friends though. I have seen the people that these videos talk about, and I think to myself it is just not fair. I couldn’t do those extra after school activities and studying abroad, because I didn’t have any money, and when I get to applying for my career job I’m going to be looked down upon because I didn’t do a lot of extra stuff like that when I was in school. Sorry boss, but working 40 hours a week and being a full time student is a hard time, and I’m still broke. It will all work out in the long run though. The people that work hard and take pride in their work will get noticed. I’ll get noticed.




I really don’t think that people should be too worried about us entering the work force. We know how to get things done, and we have the resources to get them done quicker than most. We are good at multitasking, we will not admit it, but we enjoy it. We pick up on tasks and technology easily. We will do great things. YOU need US.

Spoken Word

As I grow, from day to day, I find myself thinking more often about the little and the big. I wonder, why? And question my idols and "respected" elders (used conservatively). I am probably the oldest person in this class, so not only am I going to try and pass (witch should be pretty easy because I have taken most of the courses we are over viewing), but I want to show you, my classmates, some interesting and different sides of life, or everyday living we don't think about to often. I believe if people opened their eyes more to issues and control, meaning our LEADERS, we could help "the small" better.

(this is a very important concern please take time to watch and consider helping)

Join Zimbabwe's Song from Dispatch Foundation on Vimeo.




I don't mean concentrate on abortion or gay rights, but how about things that actually matter! I'm talking about: we can't help out a country in need because our troops are spread so thin, Russia invading Georgia. Did you hear, Vladimir Putin laughed when Sen. McCain said, "we'll come after you." WE DON'T HAVE THE TROOPS PEOPLE. Which, is a big concern, because you think we have enough national guards to protect us. We're lucky we have the right to have guns, because that is the only thing stopping another country from invading us.

Give it 40 more years. You think we're strong, best country in the world, FREEDOM? Take a close look at the world. Keep your eyes on countries like India, China, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. We're going to be behind them soon in world power. Do you know why Iraq and gas prices don't care about the US? We're not their biggest buyer anymore, China is.

I'm going to stop rambling but I wanted to voice my opinion. Take your time to read the following and watch a clip. It is spoken word from a great artist - Sage Francis. He'll help try to explain what I want to say, he is a much better writer than I will ever be.


Hey Bobby - Sage Francis
*WARNING EXPLICT LANGUAGE*
Hey Bobby by Sage Francis