AHA Moments!!

#1 MPAA is "voluntary"

#2 Advertisers are evil and use psychological techniques to appeal to a demographic

#3 MPAA is not okay with movies potraying the sexual pleasure of a woman (it caught my attention because I am also taking a women's studies class)

Media Law/ Ethics

Keeping Online Speech Outside of Schools

This article speaks about cases were students have taken their rights of freedom of speech online and they have suffered consequences at school, which is violating their First Amendment rights. Nonetheless some of these students have inappropriately used their freedom of speech to cyberbully peers. Other students vent their anger towards their school officials and have ended up suspended for doing so, but the court judge for this particular case thought there was nothing wrong with the online venting since there was nothing threatening for calling the principal a "fat whore."

Personally I see nothing wrong with venting online since it helps us all maintain our sanity, although I will say purposely cyberbulling and threatening is wrong. It is never nice nor appropriate to hear that someone wants to kill us or see us dead.

Propaganda in Advertising

Lysol

In their advertising campaigns Lysol, a company that make household cleaners and disinfectants, they use propaganda techniques such as appealing to fear and joining the bandwagon.
The company appeals to the audience's fear by stating that their products help cease the H1N1 virus from spreading. By doing so th company is jumping on the bandwagon of people disinfecting and sanitizing everything to stop the spread of germs and illnesses. (Lets remember that at one point people were so paranoid about the H1N1 virus aka "swine flu" that stores had empty shelves where hand sanitizers use to stand)

Internet

I am not big into the online networking scene so I only was familiar with about 8 of the listed sites on Wikipedia. It ws a pretty long list, but not as long as I thought.

I researched a bit on the site DSI (Dont stayIn) which is most common in the UK. It is a social networking site based on clubbing.Members upload picture galleries to the site for events they've attended, add events and venues. The site was also ranked continuously from April 2006 to December 2008 in the top 3 websites in the UK.

When I did a bit of online social networking was when Myspace was fresh and new before it became over-rated. I joined in order to keep in contact with friends and family when I moved away for a few years. I did not use it for meeting new people since I'm too paranoid about creeps and weirdos. I especially did not intend to use it for dating purposes.

The perfect example on why I stopped using Myspace was because it can be used as a malicious tool. My older sister whom I have been fighting with since I was born, joined the site and found me. I never accepted her friend request due to her evil nature, but my dumb friends accepted her request. With that opportunity my sister viewed pictures they had on their pages of me and would exaggerate stories to get me in trouble with my parents. Until this day I want to strangle my sister!!! GGGRRRRR!!!

Television

Length: 2:19
Description: This video discusses how copy"right" laws are not "right" all the time.
Chapter: 6 & 7
Question: Where does the copyright clause appear in the U.S. Constitution?
Answer: Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8

Research Project

After agonizing hours of brain draining research I decided to do my project on the media's impact on mental health. I plan on examining how the internet and television have impacted negatively and/or positively to people getting help for their mental illnesses.One huge culprit to this topic will be the internet due to its blogs, forums, chat rooms, and many other sources of information where people may find inaccurate information and may even create online groups- good and bad; either help one another or enable one another.

Movies

My favorite movie of 2009 (as cheesy as it was) was The Proposal with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. I am a sucker for romantic comedies! I enjoyed it so much because it wasn't completely cliche with the couple falling in love at first sight it was a bit more different, although not completely original. I'm also a Sandra Bullock fan.

Now my favorite movie of all time is my childhood preference, Thumbelina. I remember I found the story so compelling beause it proved that anyone could fall in love and there was someone out there for everyone. In my young fantastical mind the plot was heart-warming. When I watch this movie as an adult I can't help remember my childhood memories and humorous thoughts. This is a movie I plan on sharing with my children!

Concept Magazine

Name: Utter PERFECTION!

Concept: This magazine will feed into the inner divas of millions of women who seek to symbolize feminine beauty and perfection. This magazine will cover different cosmetic procedures to improve and adjust the body to look younger, perfect, and comfortable. It will compare procedures, costs, risks, as well as before and after photos that will speak for themselves.

Readers: A large amount of readers will consist of upper class women.

Competition: Online magazines such as "Cosmetic Surgery Magazine," questionable accuracy since it is only online.

Advertisers: anti-aging products, make up, designers, cosmetic surgeons, online medical resources

Articles: new safer breast implant, non surgical face lift, online resources to finding a surgeon, vaginoplasty (does it improve sex?)

Cover Description: Tasteful nude photo showing off the beauty of the body, blurbs on the sides in order to attract attention. The name of the magazine in red luxurious letters that pop out at the reader

Most Influencial Books

1. One of the most important books I have ever read was The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. I consider it as the most influential book I have ever read because this book is the reason why I grew to love reading and why I was reading at college level in third grade.
2. Now this book has been in my heart since I finished it because it was the first book that evoked such strong emotions. Where the Red Fern Grows was the first book to show me that books are indeed powerful and capable of having a similar effect of television with just words.
3. Last but not least I have Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. This was the very first book of its kind, by that I mean it takes place in the 1700s or so, that I read. I use to watch the movies with my dad and I would fall asleep so I never dared to go near a similar book. Ironically, I have read this book over and over again. This book took me into an era of beautiful gowns and jewelry that also consisted of a twisted and unfair society. It was one of the first times in which I learned the past oppressed roles of women in history. I was shocked to learn that women have not always been treated like Princess' and Queens!
   

Research Paper Idea

I propose to research the media's impact on the common thinking in regards to marriage. I think that the media has falsely portrayed what marriage is suppose to be, according to the cultivation theory, and it may be at fault for high divorce rates. I plan on creating a survey and taking random sampling of couples. I will also be integrating cultural studies and gender studies as well. I will take a look at different ages, backgrounds, and religious beliefs to see if there is a connection between selective exposure and selective perception. Is selective perception the reason why people have different attitudes towards marriage or is it due to religious beliefs or culture? Do people reinforce bad habits by selective perception? Is the lack of opinion leaders who have a positive view towards marriage a factor? Is there any desensitization toward the sanctity and commitment of marriage? The way that the media portrays marriage among the two genders, is there any correlation between their current thinking? I hope to uncover shocking truths!!

Media Autobiography

• Books:I have always enjoyed reading books, ever since I learned how to read. I would finish a book or even two on a daily basis. I still enjoy reading books as a pass-time. I am currently enjoying reading Mr.Darcy takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll, which is the second book to the initial Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin. I read as much as I can every night. I highly recommend it!
• Magazines: Just like books I also enjoy reading them. I enjoy a wide range of magazines which includes anything from medical magazines and fashion magazines, although with the exception of car magazines. Unlike books, I read magazines on rare occasions or when I find myself in a doctor's office.
  
• Newspapers: I read newspapers at least once a week to keep myself current on issues and other things around me. I usually read local newspapers like the the "Palo Alto Weekly."
• Movies: Aside from books and magazines I also watch movies as a pass-time. I prefer to mainly watch movies at home comfortably rather than in a theater. Netflix has become my new best friend! I enjoy watching various genres except horror because I like getting a good night's sleep.
• Recordings/Radio: I became bored of the public radio stations and their repetition that I have switched over to internet radio. I just plug-in my iphone into my car and I can hear anything I want clearly.
• Television: Television is one of the most accessible pass-time that it is at the top of my list. The downside to that is that most shows remain the same all week long. Then I just switch over to HBO and watch movies until my niece gets home and steals the remote.
• Internet: Internet is probably No.1 on my list because I have an iphone. Everywhere I go I have internet and the internet is the portal to the rest of the world and anything else my heart desires to do. My only problem is that when my phone is low on battery or it happens to run out of battery I have a big problem.