Thursday, May 13, 2010
Blog 19
The game is strictly about W. Eugene Smith and interesting facts about him! It will be a card game will resemble the game memory. Smith’s photography and pictures of himself will be on one stack of cards as well as information and fun facts about him on another stack. The players will have to match the photos with the facts and so on. The objective of the game is for the player who wins will also have the most information about him and have learned the most about him.
Blog 18 : Ashley Winehouse & Chris De La Fuente Chi Chi
Ashley, Chris and I are working on a eclectic, artistic video for the final. We will base the video on many different levels and push boundaries exploiting the media through research on politics and the mainstream definition of beauty and what sells in our nation, commercials & television & our voices through art. we will also come up with a kick-ass website. We know that this will take a lot of time and dedication and we are devoting our free & private time to making the best out of our project/ experiment. We will begin working this Friday and continue to meet up during the week to edit and paste things together.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Blog 17
A lot of experimenting and camera footage. I will create my webpage today and gather up my ideas !!! I am really excited about this.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Blog 16
Fernando Torres
Dr. Smith
English 101/103
May 4, 2010
Nixon’s claim in the book “The matrix and philosophy” states how it is possible for humans to be living in the matrix but not probable. It seems to be in the same direction of what I’m thinking. I believe that we may be living in a robotic, computer generated world but in the end it is man that takes control and works the computers and system simple, everyday devices take charge of the way we do things. Alarm clocks cell phones, the internet, stop signs, school bells, sounds in general such as police and fire sirens are a part of our daily lives and it’s become second nature to us. A good example but rather sad experience I had been working in the postal service at JFK airport. Seniorities and regular employees who were in the union and had been there for years were demoted from positions that were being eliminated and were losing their jobs because they were being replaced by robots who could do the job of four men 5 times faster. By replacing employees with robots the service would save millions on costs for health insurance and salary.
This has become very common in the work field especially in the auto mobile industries where robots were replacing mechanics and thousands of workers lost their jobs. Companies would benefit from changes avoiding vacation time and sick days. Televisions and computers have never been this important since we’ve fallen into a recession. Most people, to avoid spending money outdoors, have chosen to stay home and enjoy television or watch a movie. We’ve become dependent on technology.
I believe, although in many ways we are shifting in a more technologically advanced nation or world, that we choose to participate in these activities. TV commercials promote the latest tools and gadgets and there’s no doubt that some of us just want it. We are all being affected by machinery and robots and all of these programs that might be overwhelming and eventually the technology will control the majority of our resources and we will be ruled by machinery. I do not believe that we are living in the matrix but gradually, yes we are fading into a more technological world. We are witnesses to the changes being made by technology such as our transportations and commute, the way we handle our businesses, banks, and you can literally almost do anything online. If in fact we were living in the matrix, I believe that things would run a bit moiré organized and would be a bit more cleaned up.
Although, machines can sometimes fail because of viruses or have to be rebooted, machines should still be strong and our world wouldn’t be as chaotic as it is. I don’t believe we are living in the matrix but something very similar and I believe that computers and robots will be very important in our future.
Dr. Smith
English 101/103
May 4, 2010
Nixon’s claim in the book “The matrix and philosophy” states how it is possible for humans to be living in the matrix but not probable. It seems to be in the same direction of what I’m thinking. I believe that we may be living in a robotic, computer generated world but in the end it is man that takes control and works the computers and system simple, everyday devices take charge of the way we do things. Alarm clocks cell phones, the internet, stop signs, school bells, sounds in general such as police and fire sirens are a part of our daily lives and it’s become second nature to us. A good example but rather sad experience I had been working in the postal service at JFK airport. Seniorities and regular employees who were in the union and had been there for years were demoted from positions that were being eliminated and were losing their jobs because they were being replaced by robots who could do the job of four men 5 times faster. By replacing employees with robots the service would save millions on costs for health insurance and salary.
This has become very common in the work field especially in the auto mobile industries where robots were replacing mechanics and thousands of workers lost their jobs. Companies would benefit from changes avoiding vacation time and sick days. Televisions and computers have never been this important since we’ve fallen into a recession. Most people, to avoid spending money outdoors, have chosen to stay home and enjoy television or watch a movie. We’ve become dependent on technology.
I believe, although in many ways we are shifting in a more technologically advanced nation or world, that we choose to participate in these activities. TV commercials promote the latest tools and gadgets and there’s no doubt that some of us just want it. We are all being affected by machinery and robots and all of these programs that might be overwhelming and eventually the technology will control the majority of our resources and we will be ruled by machinery. I do not believe that we are living in the matrix but gradually, yes we are fading into a more technological world. We are witnesses to the changes being made by technology such as our transportations and commute, the way we handle our businesses, banks, and you can literally almost do anything online. If in fact we were living in the matrix, I believe that things would run a bit moiré organized and would be a bit more cleaned up.
Although, machines can sometimes fail because of viruses or have to be rebooted, machines should still be strong and our world wouldn’t be as chaotic as it is. I don’t believe we are living in the matrix but something very similar and I believe that computers and robots will be very important in our future.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Blog 15
Fernando Torres
Mass Media
Dr. Louis Lucca
April 29 2010
Is television a reflection of us? Or are we a reflection of what tv portrays? Violence on television, brutality in movies, aggressive and offensive lyrics in music is seen and heard everyday but are we becoming more violent or are we just continuing this up and coming cycle that has become extremely popular in this generation? Throughout this paper we will explore how tv and other sources of media has exposed us to many truths of other people and has become a main concern of promoting violence.
Television, from birth, has always reflected our society. However, what part of society is it truly reflecting? Popular shows from the 1950’s depicted the “perfect” family image, but was a perfect family back then? Most of television owners in the 50’s were white and relatively well established. But what about the flipside of the 1950’s culture?
The United States, a melting pot of cultures, is not limited to just the white American. Minorities were not considered to be apart of society, therefore they were not represented in media. Now however, most cultures are represented in American media. Because this generation has become more exposed to other cultures and ideologies we are witnesses to other forms of struggles and lifestyles. The changes in American media also gave insight to a deeper and more complex look on the white American experience that wasn’t viewed before. Once tv shifted towards a realistic reflection of all cultures in America, viewers were exposed to a more truthful and not so picture perfect image of life.
“Reality” shows such as The Real World showcase a group of individuals facing preset “real life” situations. The show intentionally places individuals whom they might not otherwise associate with, and whom might be at odds. In many occasions, the show’s characters become very physical with each other through acts of sex, violence and addictions. The show grew very popular in the 90‘s for portraying conflict and clashes different ethnic groups.
Could violence on tv be a reflection of our suppressed primitive instincts? The more evolved we are the more civilized we’re supposed to be - but aren’t we animals after all? Television touches upon all our suppressed instincts and inner thoughts. It reflects our fantasy of being superior through the primal violent impulse we have learned to restrain throughout the centuries.
Our culture has repressed so much of the violent tendencies by expecting us to be more civilized, yet everything around is based on violence. Our entertainment culture is driven by competitiveness, deceit, lies and violence is often a result of these things. According to the article “Has TV changed Bhutan?” on BBC News Online it discusses how TV affects humans. Within just five years of King Jigme Singye Wangchuck’s introduction of Televisions and the internet Bhutan, being the last nation in the world to turn on a television, have experienced crimes. Many Bhutanese blame the introduction of televisions for the cause of the crimes however others argue that this can not be entirely true being that seventy percent of the country live without electricity yet alone televisions.
Another example of human tendencies towards violence are the multiple Law & Order series. Although these shows aren’t directly showing violence, their showing death as a result of it.
Along with this, documentaries such as Lockup: Raw and Gangland show’s the consequences of violence and how it affects not only the individual who’s violent but the those who are victimized. These shows can desensitize the viewer to death and it’s complexities. It’s second nature for these individuals to consider violence as the main source of their livelihood. Their explanation for participating in such acts goes back to survival of the fittest. Some of the gang members who are now reformed get into the whole concept that an act or multiple acts of violence is a way of proving themselves to the group they are trying to get into. There’s no sense of consciousness or guilt for what they performed because these acts of violence are just a normal part of their psychological reasoning. Their power comes from the fact that they all find comfort in packs. This pack mentality is very similar to how the animal kingdom works and how family is united and protect one another at all cause. Gang life and it’s violence is also portrayed in film.
Overly violent films such as Scarface and The Godfather play on these instincts by focusing on the release of violent and angry energy. We tend to watch things that can relate to us. Watching a sad film can make us very depressed if we are going through a tough time as well as watching a comedy to make us laugh. We rely on television or movies to act violent for us in times when we can’t. Quentin Tarantino is a director who specializes in gory films. In his recent film Inglorious Bastards, their were many graphic scenes at points where you saw a baseball beating and scalping of the mans head. Also in the fire scene, you see how one man shoots another in the face repeatedly and the skin is lifted off the face. Tarantino has proved that as a director he speaks to the audience’s more primitive nature. Violence in America sells. The most violent films have been great box sellers. Training Day sold over 76 million, Silence of the Lambs sold over 130 million and The Godfather sold more than 133 million in movie theaters. Soundtracks to feature films can also have violent music that relates to the film.
Music has a capacity to persuade us into whatever emotion it wants us to feel. The instrumentation, the pace, the bass and the rise and fall of the music creates an atmosphere for the listener. Depending the genre, music can shift the listener from one set of emotion to another. Rock music contains a fast or deeper tempo in their songs. Also, the typical image for the artists playing this music is very dark. People who listen to this type of music could be effected negatively and those who may have a weaker tolerance may find music to trigger their violence. The Columbine High School Massacre was a pure example on how music contributed to an act of violence. Although, music can not be fully responsible for the act.
Politically themed groups can also add fuel to an already existing fire. Rage Against The Machines is a popular communist band in the United States. Many of their songs consist of screaming and powerfully moving lyrics which can push the audience in a specific direction. Other bands have strong song titles such as The Dead Kennedys, an early punk 70’s group, have two songs called “I kill children” and “I kill the poor”.
Trends in video games have become recently violent. Violence has become more interactive and realistic. In his article Regulating Video Games: Parents or Uncle Sam?, Adam D. Thierer states:
“Long before ‘Pong’ and ‘Pac-Man’ revolutionized the world of children's entertainment, kids found many ways to play interactive games that included violent themes, such as ‘Cops and Robbers’ or ‘Cowboys and Indians.’”
Violence in children is not a new concept. The imagination of children has always contained a level of violence. The games in this generation are just pushing violence further into the child mentality. A recent article on The Wall Street Journal .com directly speaks about California’s battle against violent material and children:
“California said violent videogames harmed minors psychologically and made them more likely to exhibit violent antisocial or aggressive behavior. The state also said that industry self-regulation was a failure.” (Kendall)
Children enjoy these violent games because they are fantasy but many of these games show real life situations and show real life guns so children take these acts lightly and transfer them to real life, reenacting them with the thought of it being right. According to the article 10 Most Violent Games Named by Brendan Sinclair, he lists the ten most violent games and the top three listed were Resident Evil 4, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and God of War. These games offer a variety of brutal acts that can potentially lead to cruel and aggressive behavior in the real world. When children become tired of playing these games they might go on to seeing a movie or turning on the television and these violent images become a part of their lives and it’s what they expect out of these mediums in the end. When children turn to another form of media such as tv, they are bombarded with images equally as disturbing as those of the video games.
Humans are in constant search for satisfaction and if these mediums provide what we’re lacking or desires then we will continue to worship television by cable, the internet, going to the movies, playing video games and listening to censored music. It’s much like the question “Which came first the chicken or the egg?”. In some instances television is a reflection of our inner desires. Television might reflect on certain groups of people and certain groups of people might reflect television, they both might come hand in hand. As long as there’s something that can mirror our society there will always be a reflection of what we long for or what we hide subconsciously.
Work Cited
1. BBC News, “Has TV changed Bhutan?”. Entertainment. BBC News Online, 17 June 2004. Web
2. Box Office Mojo. “The Godfather”. Movies A-Z. IMDb, April 2010
3. Box Office Mojo. “The Silence of the Lambs”. Movies A-Z. IMDb, April 2010
4. Box Office Mojo. “Training Day”. Movies A-Z. IMDb, April 2010
5. Kendall, Brent. “High Court to Hear Videogame Case“. Technology. The Wall Street Journal, 26 April 2010. Web
6. Thierer, Adam D., “Regulating Video Games: Parents or Uncle Sam?”. Individual Liberty, Free Markets and Peace, CATO Institute, 14 July 2003.Web
7. Yahoo! “ 10 most violent games named.” Video Game News Online. Yahoo!, November 2005. Web
Mass Media
Dr. Louis Lucca
April 29 2010
Is television a reflection of us? Or are we a reflection of what tv portrays? Violence on television, brutality in movies, aggressive and offensive lyrics in music is seen and heard everyday but are we becoming more violent or are we just continuing this up and coming cycle that has become extremely popular in this generation? Throughout this paper we will explore how tv and other sources of media has exposed us to many truths of other people and has become a main concern of promoting violence.
Television, from birth, has always reflected our society. However, what part of society is it truly reflecting? Popular shows from the 1950’s depicted the “perfect” family image, but was a perfect family back then? Most of television owners in the 50’s were white and relatively well established. But what about the flipside of the 1950’s culture?
The United States, a melting pot of cultures, is not limited to just the white American. Minorities were not considered to be apart of society, therefore they were not represented in media. Now however, most cultures are represented in American media. Because this generation has become more exposed to other cultures and ideologies we are witnesses to other forms of struggles and lifestyles. The changes in American media also gave insight to a deeper and more complex look on the white American experience that wasn’t viewed before. Once tv shifted towards a realistic reflection of all cultures in America, viewers were exposed to a more truthful and not so picture perfect image of life.
“Reality” shows such as The Real World showcase a group of individuals facing preset “real life” situations. The show intentionally places individuals whom they might not otherwise associate with, and whom might be at odds. In many occasions, the show’s characters become very physical with each other through acts of sex, violence and addictions. The show grew very popular in the 90‘s for portraying conflict and clashes different ethnic groups.
Could violence on tv be a reflection of our suppressed primitive instincts? The more evolved we are the more civilized we’re supposed to be - but aren’t we animals after all? Television touches upon all our suppressed instincts and inner thoughts. It reflects our fantasy of being superior through the primal violent impulse we have learned to restrain throughout the centuries.
Our culture has repressed so much of the violent tendencies by expecting us to be more civilized, yet everything around is based on violence. Our entertainment culture is driven by competitiveness, deceit, lies and violence is often a result of these things. According to the article “Has TV changed Bhutan?” on BBC News Online it discusses how TV affects humans. Within just five years of King Jigme Singye Wangchuck’s introduction of Televisions and the internet Bhutan, being the last nation in the world to turn on a television, have experienced crimes. Many Bhutanese blame the introduction of televisions for the cause of the crimes however others argue that this can not be entirely true being that seventy percent of the country live without electricity yet alone televisions.
Another example of human tendencies towards violence are the multiple Law & Order series. Although these shows aren’t directly showing violence, their showing death as a result of it.
Along with this, documentaries such as Lockup: Raw and Gangland show’s the consequences of violence and how it affects not only the individual who’s violent but the those who are victimized. These shows can desensitize the viewer to death and it’s complexities. It’s second nature for these individuals to consider violence as the main source of their livelihood. Their explanation for participating in such acts goes back to survival of the fittest. Some of the gang members who are now reformed get into the whole concept that an act or multiple acts of violence is a way of proving themselves to the group they are trying to get into. There’s no sense of consciousness or guilt for what they performed because these acts of violence are just a normal part of their psychological reasoning. Their power comes from the fact that they all find comfort in packs. This pack mentality is very similar to how the animal kingdom works and how family is united and protect one another at all cause. Gang life and it’s violence is also portrayed in film.
Overly violent films such as Scarface and The Godfather play on these instincts by focusing on the release of violent and angry energy. We tend to watch things that can relate to us. Watching a sad film can make us very depressed if we are going through a tough time as well as watching a comedy to make us laugh. We rely on television or movies to act violent for us in times when we can’t. Quentin Tarantino is a director who specializes in gory films. In his recent film Inglorious Bastards, their were many graphic scenes at points where you saw a baseball beating and scalping of the mans head. Also in the fire scene, you see how one man shoots another in the face repeatedly and the skin is lifted off the face. Tarantino has proved that as a director he speaks to the audience’s more primitive nature. Violence in America sells. The most violent films have been great box sellers. Training Day sold over 76 million, Silence of the Lambs sold over 130 million and The Godfather sold more than 133 million in movie theaters. Soundtracks to feature films can also have violent music that relates to the film.
Music has a capacity to persuade us into whatever emotion it wants us to feel. The instrumentation, the pace, the bass and the rise and fall of the music creates an atmosphere for the listener. Depending the genre, music can shift the listener from one set of emotion to another. Rock music contains a fast or deeper tempo in their songs. Also, the typical image for the artists playing this music is very dark. People who listen to this type of music could be effected negatively and those who may have a weaker tolerance may find music to trigger their violence. The Columbine High School Massacre was a pure example on how music contributed to an act of violence. Although, music can not be fully responsible for the act.
Politically themed groups can also add fuel to an already existing fire. Rage Against The Machines is a popular communist band in the United States. Many of their songs consist of screaming and powerfully moving lyrics which can push the audience in a specific direction. Other bands have strong song titles such as The Dead Kennedys, an early punk 70’s group, have two songs called “I kill children” and “I kill the poor”.
Trends in video games have become recently violent. Violence has become more interactive and realistic. In his article Regulating Video Games: Parents or Uncle Sam?, Adam D. Thierer states:
“Long before ‘Pong’ and ‘Pac-Man’ revolutionized the world of children's entertainment, kids found many ways to play interactive games that included violent themes, such as ‘Cops and Robbers’ or ‘Cowboys and Indians.’”
Violence in children is not a new concept. The imagination of children has always contained a level of violence. The games in this generation are just pushing violence further into the child mentality. A recent article on The Wall Street Journal .com directly speaks about California’s battle against violent material and children:
“California said violent videogames harmed minors psychologically and made them more likely to exhibit violent antisocial or aggressive behavior. The state also said that industry self-regulation was a failure.” (Kendall)
Children enjoy these violent games because they are fantasy but many of these games show real life situations and show real life guns so children take these acts lightly and transfer them to real life, reenacting them with the thought of it being right. According to the article 10 Most Violent Games Named by Brendan Sinclair, he lists the ten most violent games and the top three listed were Resident Evil 4, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and God of War. These games offer a variety of brutal acts that can potentially lead to cruel and aggressive behavior in the real world. When children become tired of playing these games they might go on to seeing a movie or turning on the television and these violent images become a part of their lives and it’s what they expect out of these mediums in the end. When children turn to another form of media such as tv, they are bombarded with images equally as disturbing as those of the video games.
Humans are in constant search for satisfaction and if these mediums provide what we’re lacking or desires then we will continue to worship television by cable, the internet, going to the movies, playing video games and listening to censored music. It’s much like the question “Which came first the chicken or the egg?”. In some instances television is a reflection of our inner desires. Television might reflect on certain groups of people and certain groups of people might reflect television, they both might come hand in hand. As long as there’s something that can mirror our society there will always be a reflection of what we long for or what we hide subconsciously.
Work Cited
1. BBC News, “Has TV changed Bhutan?”. Entertainment. BBC News Online, 17 June 2004. Web
2. Box Office Mojo. “The Godfather”. Movies A-Z. IMDb, April 2010
3. Box Office Mojo. “The Silence of the Lambs”. Movies A-Z. IMDb, April 2010
4. Box Office Mojo. “Training Day”. Movies A-Z. IMDb, April 2010
5. Kendall, Brent. “High Court to Hear Videogame Case“. Technology. The Wall Street Journal, 26 April 2010. Web
6. Thierer, Adam D., “Regulating Video Games: Parents or Uncle Sam?”. Individual Liberty, Free Markets and Peace, CATO Institute, 14 July 2003.Web
7. Yahoo! “ 10 most violent games named.” Video Game News Online. Yahoo!, November 2005. Web
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Blog 14
I am trying to figure out an intresting argument for the film " Sunrise". I've been rewatching the movie over and over again and i'm trying to find a creative point. Tonight I will finish putting together the entire paper
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Blog 13: Sunrise Draft
Not Finished! Really messy!
In this paper I will demonstrate how the actors
Acting style:
The wife:
The actress, who plays the wife, had these very sad loving eyes. Her eyes just broke me down in every scene because they’re so expressive and convey all of the emotions she is feeling with just one stare. She is so eager to get just any bit of attention from her husband. She portrays naturalistic gestures throughout the whole film and in one scene where the husband takes the wife on a boat trip and the husband returns the dog back to shore. Her face is priceless and she becomes sad again because their moment was interrupted. She looks down at her hands and starts to then realizes something was eerie and you can see her rise to get up but her husband had already came back.
The husband:
Since we first saw the husband he seemed unhappy and sad. The scene in the house where he is indecisive about leaving to see the mistress is a good scene. He has one hand in his pocket and The other is rubbing the back of his neck.
Editing:
The city shots behind the husband.
When the mistress and the husband were in the moonlight woods and images of the city and lights and a band playing shows above them.
When he asks the wife to go on the boat trip and visual of him pushing her of the boat and drowning her
Also while he was sitting he in visions the mistress caressing him and just there
F. W. Murnau
In this paper I will demonstrate how the actors
Acting style:
The wife:
The actress, who plays the wife, had these very sad loving eyes. Her eyes just broke me down in every scene because they’re so expressive and convey all of the emotions she is feeling with just one stare. She is so eager to get just any bit of attention from her husband. She portrays naturalistic gestures throughout the whole film and in one scene where the husband takes the wife on a boat trip and the husband returns the dog back to shore. Her face is priceless and she becomes sad again because their moment was interrupted. She looks down at her hands and starts to then realizes something was eerie and you can see her rise to get up but her husband had already came back.
The husband:
Since we first saw the husband he seemed unhappy and sad. The scene in the house where he is indecisive about leaving to see the mistress is a good scene. He has one hand in his pocket and The other is rubbing the back of his neck.
Editing:
The city shots behind the husband.
When the mistress and the husband were in the moonlight woods and images of the city and lights and a band playing shows above them.
When he asks the wife to go on the boat trip and visual of him pushing her of the boat and drowning her
Also while he was sitting he in visions the mistress caressing him and just there
F. W. Murnau
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