Must See TV Top Three

With as many stations as there are on television, you would think there is bound to be something good to watch. And yet, despite infinite channel surfing, you can rarely find something of interest. This makes it even more difficult to say which three TV shows were the most influential or important. I would have to say that The Simpsons, the original Star Trek, and Survivor are three shows that have had a definite impact on culture or evolution of television programming. Survivor pretty much kicked off the reality show phenomenon as we know it. It began as a major hit television show in Sweden called Expedition Robinson in 1997. In 2000 it made its way to the U.S. and was a huge success. The Situation Comedy was soon replaced by the Reality Show. Soon to follow was The Bachelor, Joe Millionaire, America's Next Top Model, The Biggest Loser, The Apprentice and Big Brother. You name it, there is a show about it! It could be argued that MTV's Real World was the origin of Reality TV, but it was really survivor that changed the format and began the craze that we have today. The Real World was the first to throw strangers together and give them a confessional, but Survivor made it a competition. Reality TV today is almost always based around that competition - voting someone off, and awarding a prize to the last person standing. This is a very different concept from the original Real World which is why after vacillating over which program was more influential on Reality Television I opted for Survivor. The Simpsons is the longest running American sitcom and animated series. It is also the the first animated series to be aired in prime time other than the Flintstones. The show deals with political, religious, and other controversial issues through humor. The Simpsons have permeated pop culture and are part of people's general knowledge. Who hasn't said "D'oh" on one occasion or another (which by the way is an actual word in the Oxford English Dictionary) or told someone to eat your shorts! People love The Simpsons; there is merchandise to collect, fan clubs to join, and don't forget to try to solve the mystery of their true location. Here is an ad that uses Marge Simpson to demonstrate how well the product works, but also demonstrates how identifiable the Simpsons have become. The consumer can immediately interpret this ad because Marge has become part of people's basic understanding. The success of The Simpsons also led to the creation of other animated series such as Family Guy and South Park. The original Star Trek aired in 1966. This television show generated five related series, ten movies, as well as a legion of fans affectionately known as Trekkies. Gene Roddenberry wanted to address existing challenges on Earth, but its setting in space provided a non-confrontational situation for its viewers. Star Trek dealt with heavy issues such as warfare and discrimination. Lieutenant Uhura was an African-American woman with a respected title and role. Star Trek even had the first interracial kiss between Kirk and Uhura. They didn't stop there; there was also a Japanese American, a Scotsman, and a Vulcan. This ability to live in harmony despite obvious differences was a major statement within the show. Star Trek also played into the populations interest in space travel as the race for space with Russia coincided with the show.

Midterm Continued!

This is just a post to let people know that I am having odd issues with this blog. If you want to see my blog with a blogroll please go here! I will try to figure out what is going on. I switched my blog to blogger in beta, but it didn't change anything. It still comes up with the same tabs and expects you to edit html. Because it wasn't originally created in blogger-beta, it still runs like the old blogger.

Stern stands the test of time

Howard Stern, the Shock Jock, has revolutionized radio through his outlandish and sensational behavior. His controversial sexual and racial humor has always balanced on the edge of obscene. He pushed boundaries and tested regulations. If he could get away with it, many other stations would follow. He would constantly push the envelope and sometimes face the repercussions. And though he may have had to deal with the penalties, in return he got a fan base with unprecedented loyalty. An article published by Sirius Radio says, "he is the number one national radio host among males 18-49 years old and ranks number one in many of the 46 major markets where his show is broadcast." There are no real set guidelines from the FCC and Howard was always willing to find out how much he could get away with. When the Federal Communications Commission started to pressure Stern to tone down his act, he opted to move to Sirius Satellite Radio instead of changing his persona or selling out. Sirius is excited the Shock Jock is joining their company. They recognize his talents and the strength of his fan base. Sirius believes it would only take 1 million subscribers to pay for the deal, and with the current scope of his audience, this would only be a small percentage of his regular listeners.

Face it, today's crowd won't buy it

"A guitar beats a woman every time," and while I don't know about that, I would say it probably beats this movie! This quote couldn't better exemplify the womanizing, obnoxious, egotistical character of Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes, played by Andy Griffith. This movie gives an accurate depiction of how power granted through fame in the media can corrupt someone, but as far as entertainment value is concerned it is lackluster and repetitive. The cheesy and over-dramatized acting leaves something to be desired, while the plot is sluggish and drawn out. Lonesome Rhodes is a drunk hiding from the pressures and responsibilities of life when he is discovered by Marcia Jeffries, played by Patricia Neal. She meets Lonesome while broadcasting her radio show appropriately named "A Face in the Crowd," from the county jail. She becomes intoxicated with his rambunctious and powerful personality, and persuades him to become a regular on her radio show. His booming voice, maniacal (and annoying) laugh, and down-home honesty captivate his audience. It turns out America loves him just as much as Marcia, and as Lonesome's ratings increase, so does his ego. Through his success Marcia becomes the woman behind the force, but also becomes a woman in pain. Despite his invariable philandering, Marcia's naivete lets her trust and believe his steady stream of lies and unfulfilled promises. This becomes a prolonged theme in the movie that quickly gets tiresome. All this leads up to an anticlimactic ending salvaged only by Walter Matthau's honest and candid monologue. As the release of the 50th anniversary DVD approaches, I would strongly recommend that you spend your money elsewhere.

Oh, Cosmo

I almost hate to admit this, but like many other girls in our class, my favorite magazine is Cosmo. As a 22 year old female, it appeals to me...gossip, cute guys, oh, and sex, sex, sex. Here is the break down of Cosmo: 65% advertisements, 35% sex and 10% other. Now, once you actually break it down, it makes you question, "Why the hell am I reading this crap?" Does liking this magazine make me a shallow person with no concern for the real issues? I don't think so, well at least I hope not. People enjoy reading magazines for entertainment; it is the superfluous info that has no real world value that most people look for when they pick up a magazine. If I wanted to hear about the issues, I'd read the newspaper. I don't read this magazine for its adept writers, and skillfully composed prose. It is a fun magazine suited for its audience. A woman doesn't want to read "How to Please Her Man" or "How to Look Good Under $100" like she's reading the New Yorker. She wants it simple; this is strictly leisure reading. This isn't something she picked up for educational puposes, (well at least not in the traditional sense) so she doesn't want to have to read it like its a text book. The features are exactly what the typical reader is looking for. As for the advertisements...there are far too many, but this is a woman's magazine filled with info on makeup and designer clothing, what do you expect? And the reality of the situation is, I am not willing to pay any more than I already am. Like I said, it is fun, light reading; not something I really want to invest a lot of time or money in. So with all these advertisements, do I think they affect the content of the magazine, well that depends. I don't believe the advertisements affect whether or not articles about makeup or clothes will get published; those types of articles are the basis for the magazine. In fact, I am sure they would write about lipsticks anyway, but when it comes to the brand selections, there is no escaping the fact that Cosmo uses complementary copy. Cosmo may write about lipsticks, but the fact that Revlon placed an ad, has quite a bit to do with the reason Cosmo suggests Revlon as the lipstick of choice. At least I am aware of why they suggest Revlon or Covergirl; it isn't an unbiased, researched suggestion, more like a symbiotic relationship. People recognize most women's magazines are practically catalogs, but you have to look past that, and enjoy the magazine for what it is...entertainment. That's it...fun, easy, superficial entertainment.

Trigger Happy Much?

Tonight on CBS Eyewitness news there was a piece that I couldn't believe! Check it out for yourself! A man lost his dog to a trigger happy cop in South San Francisco. The owner took his year old boxer to the park where it often played with other dogs. His dog and another began to play rough, at which point the owner of the other dog screamed. Her husband, an off-duty police officer, ran over and shot the boxer. I mean come on! Dogs play rough! The cop couldn't give the owner a chance to get his dog before he killed her? Dog fights aren't over within seconds; there is no need to take such drastic action so quickly. Not to mention they weren't fighting... I know we have had our dog problems in San Francisco, but these cases were due to negligent, stupid owners, who often trained their dogs to be aggressive. What about the lady who used to lock her son in the basement so the dogs wouldn't attack him, and then was shocked when the dogs killed her son. The woman was an idiot, a dog that displays that kind of aggression needs to be put down. Don't jump to conclusions about a breed or dogs in general because of the morons in the world. The owner of the boxer described the scene and could barely talk he was so upset. He said his dog had the other dog by the ear, which is one way a dog will play, (I have two that always tug on each others ears) if she had gone for the neck of the other dog it might be different. Once the officer shot the dog he described how she just went limp, and died. What a sad, ridiculous thing to happen. Anyone who has a pet knows how they become part of the family. To watch your dog get shot because she was playing...well there are no words. You would have to shoot me too in order to get me off the guy. That is some bull shit right there, and totally uncalled for. How infuriating!

Help...

Ok...so I was just wondering if anyone else has come across this problem. I can't create more than one paragraph in my blog. I have noticed this problem before, but since it didn't seem to matter too much, I just let it go. Now we have our Kite Runner Essay due (See Below) and I can't get any differentiation between paragraphs. The "....." is a lame attempt at distinguishing the paragraphs. Do you actually need to write in HTML to drop down a line? I can't imagine so...anyone got some info on this?

Propaganistan

The Kite Runner is a rich story that is so well written the characters and places become three-dimensional. It is this powerful writing which makes the book such powerful propaganda. Amir goes through some of the most potent emotions a human can experience: guilt, fear, loss, and the need to belong. The reader can identify with Amir; and during his return trip to Afghanistan, the reader feels as though Amir is not the only one who has lost a sacred land. Amir's sadness and struggle becomes your own. It is this emotional attachment to the story that allows Khaled Hosseini to change our perceptions and feelings toward Afghanistan and its people. I wouldn't say The Kite Runner is propaganda in the sense that most people associate with the word. I don't want to put that negative spin on it. When people hear propaganda, they feel they are in some way being deceived, which isn't the case in The Kite Runner. I believe that the terror and hardships that are described are probably accurate, that isn't to say it's not propaganda; it still persuades your ideas and opinions. It is simply good propaganda; presented in a respectable and candid manner. Hosseini's description of Afghanistan during Amir's return trip home, is much like I had pictured in my mind; a run-down, barren area, filled with deserted homes, rubble and beggars; a land that has been ravaged of her resources and left for people to scavenge. Children with no fathers live on the street, trying to survive. It is this image I have known since I can remember. Scenes of the gulf war, and current battles in the Middle East all paint the same picture. What surprised me was the description of Afghanistan before the Russian invasion. Hosseini describes it with bustling markets, and beautiful homes. Maybe it is nostalgia, but he speaks of Afghanistan with such splendor and refinement. You find yourself sitting under the pomegranate tree listening to Amir's stories, and watching the kites dance in the sky. You find a connection to this place, and feel the loss of its beauty on your trip back in 2001. It is this loss that changes your perceptions of Afghanistan. It is almost as though if Afghanistan had always been the way it is today, then it wouldn't bother you. But knowing of the happiness and brilliance that once existed changes everything. The tragedy of today's Afghanistan can no longer be justified with, "Well, that's how it's always been, and that's how it'll always be." Hosseini doesn't only change your opinion of the country, but of the people in it. In the post 9/11 world we live in, there are severe and harsh stereotypes associated with Afghan people. They are considered heathens, who insist on waging war with someone, many times with themselves. They are never going to be a peaceful people, so why should we send our men over there to die? These are comments I hear all the time. After reading The Kite Runner, you understand these people are being tortured; they're held captive in their own country. When you find out Hassan has been killed, you are infuriated, and left to mourn a fictitious character. The public stoning in the stadium is gruesome, and when Assef speaks of feeling liberated by "standing in a room full of targets and letting the bullets fly," you feel sick. Even the biggest anti-immigration lobbyist would find himself rooting for Sohrab to get his visa. You realize how horrible the Taliban truly is, and the power they possess. The rest of the people are left to suffer and try to find a way to survive. If they try to escape the vicious Taliban by coming to the United States, they must then face the vicious stereotype set by the same men. Even in their freedom, they are reminded of the evil of the Taliban, reflected through the perceptions of Americans. You understand why people flee to this country; the scornful glares only strip you of your nang and namoos (honor and pride), but to stay in Afghanistan means certain death. I believe this is an important novel for Americans to read right now. So many of us are questioning the decisions this country has made, and blaming the Afghan people for the losses we have suffered. Maybe it won't change all American's opinions of Afghanistan and her people the way it has mine, but it might help them understand. Help them understand why we are there; that these people are being tortured and exterminated. They need help. Their dignity is eradicated, and they live a life where they have to question whether or not they might see the sunset that day. Their life is in a state of constant unrest. This is not a choice for these people; their old way of life hangs in the balance as the Taliban creates shockwaves that threaten to disturb any remnants of hope that life will ever return to its normal state. This book let's you feel the fear and sadness that these people are forced to deal with daily. When you come to the end of the story, you realize the emotional rollercoaster you just went through is only that, a story. For them it is real life, and despite the words you just read, the story becomes unimaginable. It is this power in words that makes it such a significant story for Americans. I don't believe Hosseini wrote The Kite Runner deliberately to serve as propaganda, but his poignant prose, and vivid descriptions impregnate the reader with a sense of who Afghanistan really is. His eloquent words, and gripping story bring the reader into the heart of Afghanistan. The emotions you feel are genuine and compelling. As you follow the life of Amir, you are forced to explore your own opinions and stereotypes.

Mercury News Comparison

As I was reading some posts about the differences between the newspaper and the internet version of the Mercury News I realized everyone did the same thing. They compared an article that could be found in both mediums, but no one was finding any conclusive differences. Some people said the articles online were more informative while others believed the newspaper had more information. It just depended on the article they chose to compare. So I decided I would compare the layout and access to the information. As a consumer of news, I think it is important to be able to access the information you want quickly and easily. The front page of the newspaper has the beginning of various articles they feel are particularly interesting, as well as a small index in the bottom corner to show which pages different sections begin on. The home page of the website serves a similar purpose; there is a lot of information that generally leads you to other sections and topics. The layout of both the front page of the newspaper and the home page of the website offer major sources of interest and are often cluttered, but once you navigate past the front page, the website becomes so much quicker and offers a lot more. If you go out to the site map navigation becomes incredibly simple. It is cleanly laid out, easy to read, and lets you get to a section of interest quickly. The broad topics let you find what you want fast, then helps direct you to countless subcategories beneath it. It doesn't matter what your looking for, it helps you narrow your search quickly and easily. Trying to find something in the newspaper can be tricky and incredibly awkward; the big cumbersome papers never seem to fold the way you want. I realize that most of the information can be accessed through the homepage, but the site map offered a cleaner layout to follow. If you do decide to navigate through the home page, it provides a lot of extras the newspaper couldn't possibly offer like, breaking news, videos, blogs, discussion boards and podcasts. There is access to the yellow pages, traffic reports, and a Bay Area calendar. The calendar is great; I wait for Thursday's newspaper because it has the "eye" in it. This is a section that reports upcoming events for that weekend and the week to follow. It is practically the whole reason I subscribe! With the website I can actually search the calendar for specific types of events and dates. How easy is that? As far as access to information, you can't beat the website. It provides quick access and a lot more small interest articles, as well as tons of extras. You can look back on archived information and search by topic. Newspapers are big, awkward and don't offer any extras. In this up-to-the-second world we live in, the paper just can't compare. As a side note, and small pet peeve, I thought I would mention another thing about newspapers that I find very annoying. The fact that they'll print an article on two different pages, and we're not talking about page one and two! I don't want to start reading something on the front page and continue reading on page 4C (which is not even in the same section); I want to read the end of the article where I began the article. With the clumsiness of the newspaper, I hate having to peel it apart every time I start a new article. I realize everything can't go on the front page, but lets try to keep it in the same section!