TWITTER

Not being a facebook fanatic, it was to my own surprise when 1.) I opened an account with Twitter and 2.) found that I actually really like it. Twitter is an online short messaging service that was started 3 years ago, but seems to have recently become the new "it" network. What I really like about twitter is that you can follow celebrities, news sources, magazines, companies, and more. I can sign on to Twitter and get all my news updates at once, with no added frills or obstacles. Just now I signed on and found out from usweekly that David Letterman tied the knot, Anderson Cooper informed that a Madoff employee is breaking his silence, and Women's Wear Daily reports from the runway about Tokyo's latest fashions. Twitter is a way for me to get all the updates from sources I care about, and a genius marketing tool for businesses. It also narrows the barrier between celebrities and their fans. Musicians like John Mayer and Lance Armstrong twitter their random thoughts throughout the day from the road. It was so cool to click to "follow" Maria Shriver yesterday and today find that she had requested to follow me too. Rumor has it that even President Barack Obama has one. This is where the future is headed.

Inner Workings of the Mind

It seems that it is always when we are occupied that we realize something else. I feel like it is when I am busy working away at a task that I either realize all the other things I need to be doing or have an epiphany of some sort. I think every time I sit down to write a paper or study for a test I have a great thought, which inevitably overrides my studies for a few minutes at the least. My best thoughts come to me when I'm busy doing something equally important (at least at the time), not when I'm lounging around looking for something to do. It is as if our minds work better when they are full. I think what it is is we need one thought to trigger our minds and from there our thoughts branch out in a million different directions. The mind map is a good example of this phenomenon. It starts with one single idea or word and from there our mind instantly draws connections to other ideas and so on and so forth until we end up with hundreds of random words and phrases that seem so disconnected at first glance, but are actually related in that they have the same original thought. Hmm that makes me think...

Bad Movies

A commercial for this movie came on yesterday and not soon after my roommate asked me why they make bad movies like these. My first reaction was, well, obviously no one makes a movie thinking it will be bad. But then, after seeing this trailer, I wonder if some movie makers know that their movie is not going to be any good and go through the process of making it just to make money. I hope this isn't true but I can't imagine the executives at Walt Disney listening to the pitch of this movie- a spoiled talking chihuahua that gets uprooted from Beverly Hills and sent to Mexico- and thinking great idea! She made a good point in saying that the money, usually multimillions of dollars, would be so much better off spent elsewhere. What is the point of spending millions of dollars making a bad movie ?

Why We Freak Out When We See Celebrities

As I was walking to class last week I looked over as I exited a building where I saw a small crowd of people to my right. Since I had been let out of class early I decided to see what all the ruckus was about. When I saw a handful of men in identical black suits and sunglasses a thought ran through my head and quickly out because there was no way. But sure enough, it was President Bush on campus. I knew it would likely be my only opportunity to meet a one-time President so I approached, patiently waited my turn, then swooped in to shake his hand and tell him how nice it was to meet him. I left the scene blushing and wandering if that had really just happened. This feeling continued throughout the whole day. While I know I had every right to be consumed with meeting the former President of the United States, I thought to myself, why do people get so caught up when meeting/seeing celebrities? I've seen a lot of celebrities before, and for some reason it never fails that I am awe-struck all day. It's the funniest thing, but almost everyone I know does get/would get star-struck upon seeing a famous person. Maybe it's that our society today treats celebrities like gods, so we actually start to buy into it a little bit. Or maybe we are just so used to seeing them on TV and in magazines we are shocked to see them up close (and person, in my case with President Bush). If you think about it, in the case of entertainers, their faces are all over the place, but they don't do anything beyond extraordinary to the point where the illicited reactions make sense.

Nimrods

I found this ad from 2004 and thought it was really cool. It was done by Weiden and Kennedy. It got me, even though it's for ESPN. Enjoy....

http://www.wk.com/?#/works/989/

Goodbye to Books?

Rumor had it that Google was truing to digitize every book in the world. Turns out the rumors are true. I read an article online that revealed the website is leading an initiative to scan every published book ever written onto the internet so they can charge readers to read a copyrighted book while both they and the copyright holder take a percentage of the profit. There is now a class-action lawsuit by writers and publishers against the mega-giant who think the initiative violates their copyright laws. In order to find all the copyright owners of the world, Google has now launched an effort to alert copyright owners. Ironically enough, the majority of this effort is taking place via newspaper and magazine notices. A website has been founded and direct-mail efforts are in action as well, but Google has so far put out over 200 advertisements in over 70 languages. Some books are still in copyright, but no longer in print which means that in order to reach authors and publishers Google will have to place at least one ad in every newspaper in the world. They just recently sent one to a newspaper with a circulation of 2,500 people in the Cook Islands in the South Pacific. Aside from the craziness of this global initiative, it is hard to believe even books are becoming obsolete. Imagine what it will be like to no longer hold a book in your hands to read and instead have to state at a computer screen. I don't know if I'm ready for that.

As I was looking through my collection of past magazines (I save old ones) I found a great ad for BMW which reminded me of something I had wondered before: Why do luxury brands advertise so much more in magazines than on TV? If I had to venture a guess it would be because they think their target market is more reachable through the pages of those magazines. I would think their chances of reaching their market would be best via TV ads, but maybe these magazine publications have a more concentrated following of their target market. You don't see ads on TV for Dolce and Gabbana, but even nowadays you don't see TV ads for the Gap, but they have 6 page spreads in Vogue and Vanity Fair. What struck was about 2 months ago, to my surprise, I saw an ad on television for Louis Vuitton, a brand that is synonymous with luxury whose ads I had never seen beyond expensive publications. Take a look..

Banksy...Again

I blogged about Banksy earlier on, but here is another one of his projects I couldn't resist posting. This is a little more outrageous than his graffiti works. In what appears to be a pet store- perhaps because it is called "Village Pet Store"- the artist displays animatronic "pets" in the window of a store in the West Village of New York City. Such displays as Chicken McNuggets dipping in barbecue sauce, a rabbit putting on makeup, and hot dog wieners lounging under heat lamps are clear political mockeries of society. Art? I don't know about that. But, again, whether or not you agree with the guy, he is doing something totally subversive.

http://www.woostercollective.com/2008/10/the_village_pet_store_and_charchoal_gril.html

"Coraline" and Why Creepy Movies Can be Good for Children

If it were suggested that you take your child to a movie whose focus was loneliness would you do it? The likely answer is no, but this is the concept of the new children's animated movie Coraline. It is a common thought that children's movie should contain no violence, no bad language, hardly anything upsetting at all. The likes of Tim Burton, Guillermo del Toro, and Henry Selick, the director and writer of "Coraline," disagree. You are probably more familiar with the works of Burton, whose films include "The Nightmare Before Christmas," "The Corpse Bride," etc. Coraline's parents neglect her and when she moves states her loneliness sets in and she begins traveling into a parallel world of her own where her parents are loving and doting and everything is more spectacular. While childhood is, for the most part, a time of bliss, it is also a time of uncertainty between true and fake. I think it is healthy to expose children to this at an early age. Yes the creepy visuals on the screen may seem a little unsettling, but children have such vivid imaginations these are the type of things they like to see. On that note, children enjoy a little bit of fear when moviegoing. They are so used to the same emotions they get from most "G" movies, a tinge of unease is exciting for them. Case in point: the wildly popular "Harry Potter" books are based on the life of a boy who was orphaned by his parents and can't seem to escape giant spiders and evil wizards who make it their sole mission to kill him.

Talk of University Museum Shutdown Causes a Ruckus

I read an article in the New York Times a few weeks ago that Brandeis University was considering auctioning of its esteemed Rose Art Museum's well-developed collection of art work due to a significant drop in the University's endowment. Once the news broke, a backlash soon surfaced amongst power houses in the art world who were upset with the idea of disjointing such a cultivated collection with the sole purpose of raising money. The University's trustees voted to shut down the museum with the intent of raising money with sales of the art. Such controversy has erupted in the art world that today the University released news that the school has decided to assign a team of to consider the museum's future. It is interesting to see the extremes of how different people feel about the value of art. On the one hand there are those who see the decision as a no-brainer, those who think money that will help the University's endowment is the only rational choice. On the other hand, there are those who are passionate about the collection and feel that many peoples' efforts have gone into cultivating the works and they are too valuable in themselves and the museum is too much a part of the school's history to shut down. It will be interesting to see what comes of the debate.

Beyond Bourbon St.

I recently learned that Mardi Gras, universally known as Carnival, celebrates the end of winter and the coming of Spring. The only reason I know this is that I looked it up. A bunch of my friends went to New Orleans 2 weekends ago for Mardi Gras. They were more excited to go there than to go on Spring Break. When I though about it I realized I didn't even know what Mardi Gras celebrated. I asked them... neither did they. It is weird that we can get so excited and go all out celebrating a holiday for which we don't even know the purpose or history. Even after having lived in New Orleans for 4 months last year, I myself was completely ignorant. I'm all for celebrating for the sake of having a good time, but it's funny that the point of a holiday is to celebrate a moment our culture found significant, yet many are clueless as to the occasion that one of the most celebrated holidays marks.

Bansky

Check out this video of Banksy, the British self-dubbed "art terrorist" who is famous for his oft-political graffiti. The artist decided to take his art to the West Bank where he painted 9 works on the security wall that divides Jerusalem from the Palestinian territories. Israelis argue the wall protects Jerusalem, Palestinians, as well as Banksy, argue that it imprisons the Palestinian territory. Whether or not you agree with the controversial artist, the fact that he is expressing himself and practicing free speech on a structure whose purpose is to divide ethnic groups is very cool. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXSg8BApBwA

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Refreshment (in more ways that one) Courtesy of Clorox

This is to make up for that awful Clorox ad featuring a dirty car with the bumper sticker on the back. I love that Clorox crossed the boundary here and didn't just go with the tired convention of a scummy bathroom that magically glistens once a woman scrubs it with the product. I like when a brand surprises me, and Clorox did with this one. I was expecting that it would be for Disney World or Sea World, but nope. Take a look. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRX3uFh1Ywc

Guitar Hero goes Intertextual

Intertextual ads are ads that utilize society’s understanding of cultural texts from the past and expect us to relate the past to the present. Guitar Hero used the iconic image of Tom Cruise in Risky Business so viewers would make the connection between the fun he had in that scene dancing in his underwear and the fun these all-star athletes are having playing the video game. This is an example of a vertical intertextual ad because it crosses genres (film to advertisement), and a good one at that.

Not So Realistic Reality Show Concepts

I'm not a regular follower of "The Bachelor," the reality show- the first in a much too extensive series- about finding love. However, I heard this season's finale had a much publicized shocking twist so I decided to tune in. Watching, I wondered who came up with the concept of this show? While now there are far more ridiculous concepts on reality TV shows- anyone remember ABC's "Are You Hot?"or Fox's "The Littlest Groom"- this one has managed to maintain ratings and keep viewers entertained for fifteen seasons. Other successful reality TV shows actually have sensible premises such as physical and mental competitions on shows like "The Amazing Race" and "Survivor." It's interesting that the creator of "The Bachelor" thought the concept of 25 girls all dating the same guy, with the intent of him falling in love with and marrying one, would work. Most reality programs chronicle traditions that have been happening for centuries- competitions in singing, dancing, triathlons- and yet somehow this shows continues to pull in ratings even though it revolves around a concept that has never been a part of our reality. And if tonight's finale taught me anything, it is that this concept does not work, at least not 13 out of 14 times (only one couple thus far has stayed together). In tonight's show, the guy, a father and seemingly all around good guy, chose and proposed to one girl, only to confess to America and then her on the after-special that he had realized he was in love with the runner-up. It was shocking, but even more shocking is the fact that people will keep competing on the show, and America will keep watching. Season 16, here we come...

When Talking about Age, the Grass is Always Greener

The majority of people don't want to be the age they are. I've lost count of  how many times in the last two years I've been told, "I wish I could be your age" or "I would give anything to be back in college." When you're an adolescent you can't wait to be 16 to get your license. Once you're 16, it's all about turning 21. Then there seems to be some bizarre flip that causes us to yearn to be carded again. Before I left for college, my brother and sister (23 and 21 respectively at the time) both expressed their envy of me. I saw the glimmer in my bother's eyes as he gave voice to his wish of being able to go through 4 years of college at one school and then transfer to a new school school and re-do the whole thing all over again, freshman to senior year. Of course, I'm thrilled to be the age I am right now- old enough to make (most) of my own decisions, young enough to where my naïvité is still endearing. However, I do from time to time wish I was back in the days of my childhood. Part of the reason for this nostalgia is that I had such a great childhood I wish I could relive it and soak it all in. Another, more shameful plausible reason is that things were easier back then: less decisions, less responsibilities. I even sometimes wish could be older. Since I was 6 I knew that I wanted to move to New York when I was "grown up." Part of me wants to just skip to that part of my life that I've been looking forward to since my first trip to the city as a 6 year old. If you think about this phenomenon, it really isn't rational. We spend our time wanting to be another age, all the while a few years from now we'll wish we could be the age we currently are. But we're not even fully enjoying it now because we're living in the past (or future).  I always thought my grandmother was crazy for refusing to tell her age. Now, I think she might be on to something. Maybe we should listen to the saying "age is just a number" since it only distracts us from enjoying the moment. 

The magic of music

Why is it that music has such an effect on our mood? I've observed that my day seems to start off so much better if I listen to music while I'm getting dressed in the morning. I can be in the best mood and put on certain sad songs and within seconds be so down I feel like a manic-depressive. Vice versa, I can wake up on the wrong side of the bed and by listening to uppy music snap out of my pessimistic locus and realize life is too short or it could be so much worse. While my parents were in town this weekend we had drinks and listened to live music at their hotel bar. Listening to the raspy jazzy voices of the band in the dim oak bar made me want to run home that minute and finish filling out my application to study next semester in Paris. Not much later that same night my dad and I met up with some of my friends and their dads at a college bar. As we drank our beers, Journey playing in the background, my head was in a much less serious place. The next morning my mom picked me up and we drove as "American Pie" drummed from the radio. I thought how cool it would be to live in the late 50's/early 60's. It's interesting how much music affects our thought processes and the atmosphere. It ran through my head that maybe it's just me, maybe I'm especially moody, until today my roommate revealed to me how she can be running on the treadmill for 40 minutes at the gym and just when she thinks she can't go a second longer she can put on a certain song (the Veronica's, "Untouched," is what it is for her as of lately) and it gives her a jolt of energy (even if it is just for 3 minutes).