Super, mega, ultra, annual blog #15: Reflection

 Since I started Lagcc in september, I have learned more about the world and people in general. School was kind of a foreign environment to me; I didn't go to much school so it was definitly new being in a class room environment. The Sal typing this blog right now feels much more comfortable with the whole topic of school then the Sal in september. Fortunately I have good class mates and great teachers who make school a comfortable place for me and not a source of anxiety; like it once was.

  I have learned more about myself for sure. Before coming to this school, I had my mind set on a certain academic program. Of course I did not enroll in that program, but I met other people who had experience in that field and they gave me some valuable insight. The course of my life has changed. I decided to explore other options instead of resigning to one particular field. I am in no rush.

 I guess you could say the Sal writing this blog is a bit more experienced then the Sept-Sal. I have branched out and tryed to experience as many different things as i could. Ranging from extra carricular activities to even new foods; I have tryed to take the opportunity of being around so many different cultures at Lagcc to broaden my horizons.

 Sept-Sal would have also been more pessamistic then current Sal. I have restored hope for the world and for myself since having a over all positive experience in college. I have met new friends, established new connections, got back into a more positive routine, and most importantly I have become richer for having these experiences. It is a deeply satisfying feeling knowing that you are living your life in a positive way, for positive energy attracts positive energy. Negativity only attracts more negativity, so being in a positive environment is all Sept-Sal would have asked for; but he wasn't expecting it.

 Life is what you make of it. The lessons I have learned at Lagcc are part of my quest for self discovery. You got to try on a few hats before you find one that suits you, right? I would have liked to have learned more from a academic stand point, but my collegiate carreer is still in its infancy. I am in no rush.

Super, Mega, Ultra, Major research paper.

English 103

Dr Luke Vasileiou

Salvatore Saviano

15 November 2010

                                 Network: Reality, Illusion or both?

Have you ever seen a movie that moved you on many different levels? A movie that had hope, fear, reality, fantasy and a surprise ending; I believe Network had it all. This movie takes place in New York, 1975. It is a cynical view on corporate America, ideology, how a television network is run and the process that management goes through when making executive decisions. Since depicting corporate America, naturally, it is quite ugly. The movie may seem to be a completely fictional story, but the realities behind it are truly scary. Network is widely regarded as a masterpiece in the field of cinema. There have been few movies that capture the dark qualities of our society, while keeping them with in believable parameters. When comparing Network to the real nineteen seventies culture, I find that it was surprisingly on point despite the dark image the movie cast on society. Of course we have to make provisions for the lack of disco references. When examining the way people interacted and communicated on a social level in Network, I find it to be dark and accurate indeed.

During the nineteen seventies, New York and America were undergoing serious change. There were social and political events taking place that was reshaping society. There was an economic recession during the mid nineteen seventies and there were many contributing factors. One being the end of the economic boom America was going through since the end of world war two and the beginning of a recession. Another factor was the oil crisis and energy crisis that the New York and the whole world were feeling. (1).

1861                                                                         1916                                                                    1971                                           2006

                                              Oil consumption chart. Source:  Energy Information Administration (2)

 The economy was not showing signs of improvement, and there seemed to be no light at the end of the tunnel. Most people were already living in poverty, and times were just getting harder.   

                   

                            Graph depicting the economic recession of the seventies. (3)

Society was in upheaval as civilians began developing an attitude gearing towards change. Former President Richard Nixon resigned from his position as commander and chief. This was largely due to the Watergate scandal (4); a heinous act of dishonesty that epitomized the executive mentality in this country perfectly. The Republican Party that sponsored Nixon hired five men to break into the democratic national committee headquarters in hopes of tipping the scales in Nixon’s favor; showing blatant disregard of ethics and morals. Even the highest ranking government officials were as corrupt as a modern day mobster. Every country has the government that they deserve; so what does that say about seventies society? Nixon resigned to avoid any further disgrace and embarrassment and relinquished his role as leader of the country to vice president Gerald Ford (4).

Gerald Ford finished Nixon’s term as president but did not seem to gain any more popularity. There were two attempts on Gerald Ford’s life with in a three week time span in nineteen seventy five while he was dealing with the financial crisis that New York was going through (5).  During that year, Gerald Ford made it a top priority to fix the financial crisis that New York was going through during the seventies. He made a public speech in Washington D.C claiming that New Yorkers were suffering financially due to improper management. He claimed the city was being run completely inefficiently and blamed the state government for improperly managing their funds. He was against the government bailing out the city because " The primary beneficiaries would be the New York officials who would thus escape responsibility for their past follies and be further excused from making the hard decisions necessary to restore the cities fiscal integrity" (7) Gerald Ford is basically saying that the executives who run New York were irresponsible and caused the cities financial perils and that he would not bail them out with a easy fix. His decisions reflected his concern for the long term safety of New York. 

The civil rights movement was in full swing in New York, as women fought for feminist rights. There was a feeling of awareness that was unlocked with in every one during the late sixties and it carried over into the nineteen seventies. This was evident by the sudden need for expression within the public. Either there was more injustices occurring than ever, or society was “mad as hell and they weren’t going to take it any more” as Howard Beale put it. Other social groups also began to fight for their rights in the seventies.

It started in nineteen sixty nine in New York; gay Americans were forced to live underground; they were forced to live two separate lives because homo sexuality was illegal. There were gay clubs and bars placed throughout New York by mobsters who would gladly profit off of discrimination. Police routinely would raid these bars and clubs until the gays fought back one night and didn’t stop protesting for three days.(5) The first gay pride parade was held in 1971 in New York relatively shortly after the fiasco. Later, in 1973, homosexuals succeeded in officially removing homosexuality from the list of mental dieses (5).

 Census data shows that a majority of New Yorkers were not living in the middle class range, but the lower class range at this time. Approximately 19.7 percent of New Yorkers fell into salary range of 19,000 – 25,000$.  39.2 percent of citizens made between 10,000$ and 25,000$.  45 percent of New Yorkers made less than 10,000$ a year. This was portrayed accurately in the movie, where it suggested on numerous occasions that money was scarce, and people were experiencing dark times both socially and financially (6).

 The television was destined to become a powerful weapon and important tool for social change during the seventies.The east coast has the most influence over what gets aired through out the country. Ninety five percent of people in New York owned a television (that’s 5.6 million people) with roughly nine percent of people falling into the category of “below poverty level” (that’s about three hundred and fifty six thousand) (6). As Howard Beale said in Network “This tube can make or break presidents, popes, prime ministers... This tube is the most awesome God-damned force in the whole godless world, and woe is us if it ever falls in to the hands of the wrong people”. Howard Beale was well aware of corporate incentives and corruption and was trying desperate to make everyone else aware of it too. With the depressing economy and social inequities evident in all facets of society, people were expressing their feelings discontent.

There was very little compassion in the society portrayed in Network. In the opening scene of the movie, Howard Beale, a newscaster for the U.B.S network, announces on the air that he is going to lose his job due to poor ratings and has decided to end his life. He even makes a comment about his suicide being good for ratings; which projected his spite and disdain for the Network.  Naturally, any one in touch with their emotions could tell what state of mind he was in; depressed, psychotic and lost. The network brass however, was initially outraged. Then, after inspecting the ratings, they decided that a angry, loose cannon on television was exactly what the network needed to boost their ratings and finally turn over a profit.

“I don’t want conventional programming; I want television that will articulate the rage of the public”. This social commentary highlights New Yorkers tendency towards sycophantic programming. At the time, there were only three broadcasting networks in the country so it was highly competitive. The east coast, New York particularly was the largest market share so that’s who the networks gear their programming towards. This is a accurate portrayal, considering televisions history of producing low cost, high profit and low quality programming.

The social realities of the film seemed to be fairly accurate. Generally speaking, the common man portrayed in the movie was well represented. Poor people lived in poor neighborhoods and wealthy people lived in wealthy neighborhoods.  The movie shows the segregation of class throughout New York City in the seventies; you see wealthy business executives being chauffeured around in beautiful, shiny cars. You also see the angry masses chanting in unison from there balconies and out there windows “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not gonna take this anymore”. The complexes range from project buildings, smaller apartment complexes, to small family homes. The message was clear however; the citizens of New York City were upset at the way their society was developing and they vocalized it. This is accurate based on my research of the many civil rights movements going on and the numbers back it up.

Economically speaking, Network director Sidney Lumet, went out of his way to make sure the viewers understood the dire economic straits of the time.  In virtually every scene possible, the poor economic, political and social situation was stressed. Whenever the Executives of the network meet, they take into consideration the low profits of their programming and try to deliver cheap programs that are going to take people’s minds off of the recession and corrupt politicians. If someone was to question the ethics behind their programming, they would not hesitate to threaten to fire them citing “good luck finding a job in this economy”. That also goes back to the social realities of the time; virtually no compassion between their fellow man. It’s like every one lives together with the same problems, but still cannot find common ground and a reason to place ethics above monetary incentives.

Politically speaking; Network made the bold claim that “democracy is dead” and only corporate practices exist. Coverage of the political scandals of the times has become repetitive to their target audience; society had acknowledged the unfortunate political situation.

“You have meddled with the primal forces of nature, Mr. Beale, and I won't have it!! Is that clear?! You think you've merely stopped a business deal. That is not the case. The Arabs have taken billions of dollars out of this country, and now they must put it back! It is ebb and flow, tidal gravity! It is ecological balance! You are an old man who thinks in terms of nations and peoples. There are no nations. There are no peoples. There are no Russians. There are no Arabs. There are no third worlds. There is no West. There is only one holistic system of systems, one vast and immane, interwoven, interacting, multivariate, multi-national dominion of dollars. Petro-dollars, electro-dollars, multi-dollars, Reichmarks, Yen, Rubles, Pounds, and Shekels. It is the international system of currency which determines the totality of life on this planet. That is the natural order of things today."

 –Arthur Jensen: a fictional character and president of the UBS Company. I believe this to be case back then and still to this day; society has not come that far.

The inhuman way of approaching Howard’s suicidal situation represented in my mind, an accurate portrayal of corporate protocol. It shows where their priorities were; not with the individual but with the profits of the corporation.  It is understandable to be concerned with profits; after all it is the lifeblood of any business, but what is not ethical by any means is the exploitation of such an event. They were not even viewing Howard as a man with problems. They viewed his pain as a tool they could use to create a connection to the “angry public” and increase their ratings. This kind of inhuman like behavior was the clear and blatant motif throughout the movie. I believe this is an accurate portrayal of what would happen if such an event was to occur. 

The influence television has over our society is scary. New York is the flag ship for modern television stations; meaning what airs in New York is likely to be aired all over  the country. The east coast is extremely important when it comes to broadcasting; a show airing in New York can make or break a television station.. Most people in the world, not just New York watch television; it was the most powerful mass medium at the time and as such, was very volatile.
 “You're beginning to believe the illusions we're spinning here, you're beginning to believe that the tube is reality and your own lives are unreal. You do. Why, whatever the tube tells you: you dress like the tube, you eat like the tube, you raise your children like the tube, you even think like the tube. This is mass madness, you maniacs. In God's name, you people are the real thing, WE are the illusion.” –Howard Beale. I know a lot of people who grew up receiving an education from television rather than school and I can assure you, it warps your perception of reality. It narrows the human perspective by showing you what is to be expected as normal.
 Next time you watch television and notice a political debate or a commercial, analyze it. Don’t accept what is presented before you as reality; dig deeper and think about why you are being presented this information. The conclusion you will draw will not be a happy vision; you will see that politicians lie, ads spin the truth and none of it is produced with you, the consumer’s best interest in mind. It is all in order to make money; we inherently understand that, but do we know the consequences of such ambitions? Look around next time you walk outside, buy a news paper, read the internet and you’ll see them for yourself.

"1970s - Oil Crisis." Enlightenment - The Experience Festival. Web. 23 Nov. 2010. http://www.experiencefestival.com/1970s_-_oil_crisis  (1)

U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis. Web. 23 Nov. 2010. <http://www.eia.doe.gov/>. (2)

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) - Bea.gov . Web. 23 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bea.gov/>. (3)

Bombing, By German. "On This Day: President Gerald Ford Survives Second Assassination Attempt." Web. 23 Nov. 2010. <http://209.73.4.141/news/on-this-day/September-October-08/On-this-Day--Sara-Jane-Moore-Attempts-to-Assassinate-President-Gerald-Ford.html>. (4)

"Gay Liberation Movement - Page 2 | St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture." Find Articles at BNET | News Articles, Magazine Back Issues & Reference Articles on All Topics. Web. 23 Nov. 2010. <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g1epc/is_tov/ai_2419100495/pg_2/?tag=content;col1>. (5)

"Access Denied." Web. 23 Nov. 2010. <http://www.socialexplorer.com/pub/reportdata/htmlresults.aspx?ReportId=R10004034&ItemsPerPage=100>. (6)

Ford, Gerald. "Vital Speeches of the Day." Speech. Washington D.C. Academic Search Complete. Web(7)

Super, Mega, Ultra, Major research paper

English 103

Dr Luke Vasileiou

Salvatore Saviano

15 November 2010

                                 Network: Reality, Illusion or both?

Have you ever seen a movie that moved you on many different levels? A movie that had hope, fear, reality, fantasy and a surprise ending; I believe Network had it all. This movie takes place in New York, 1975. It is a cynical view on corporate America, ideology, how a television network is run and the process that management goes through when making executive decisions. Since depicting corporate America, naturally, it is quite ugly. The movie may seem to be a completely fictional story, but the realities behind it are truly scary. Network is widely regarded as a masterpiece in the field of cinema. There have been few movies that capture the dark qualities of our society, while keeping them with in believable parameters. When comparing Network to the real nineteen seventies culture, I find that it was surprisingly on point despite the dark image the movie cast on society. Of course we have to make provisions for the lack of disco references. When examining the way people interacted and communicated on a social level in Network, I find it to be dark and accurate indeed.

During the nineteen seventies, New York and America were undergoing serious change. There were social and political events taking place that was reshaping society. There was an economic recession during the mid nineteen seventies and there were many contributing factors. One being the end of the economic boom America was going through since the end of world war two and the beginning of a recession. Another factor was the oil crisis and energy crisis that the New York and the whole world were feeling. (1).

1861                                                                         1916                                                                    1971                                           2006

                                              Oil consumption chart. Source:  Energy Information Administration (2)

 The economy was not showing signs of improvement, and there seemed to be no light at the end of the tunnel. Most people were already living in poverty, and times were just getting harder.   

                   

                            Graph depicting the economic recession of the seventies. (3)

Society was in upheaval as civilians began developing an attitude gearing towards change. Former President Richard Nixon resigned from his position as commander and chief. This was largely due to the Watergate scandal (4); a heinous act of dishonesty that epitomized the executive mentality in this country perfectly. The Republican Party that sponsored Nixon hired five men to break into the democratic national committee headquarters in hopes of tipping the scales in Nixon’s favor; showing blatant disregard of ethics and morals. Even the highest ranking government officials were as corrupt as a modern day mobster. Every country has the government that they deserve; so what does that say about seventies society? Nixon resigned to avoid any further disgrace and embarrassment and relinquished his role as leader of the country to vice president Gerald Ford (4).

Gerald Ford finished Nixon’s term as president but did not seem to gain any more popularity. There were two attempts on Gerald Ford’s life with in a three week time span in nineteen seventy five (5). The first attempt was in Sacramento, California where a female attempted to shoot him as he was walking but the gun didn’t go off. She was still sentenced to life in prison. Three weeks later, a former FBI informant, Sarah Jane Moore pulled out a gun from her purse while attending a speech ford was giving to the foreign affairs committee in San Francisco. She fired once, but it was high and a disabled former marine stopped her from getting off a second shot (4) All over the country, there was outrage and anger. In New York, social change was more important than political change.

The civil rights movement was in full swing in New York, as women fought for feminist rights. There was a feeling of awareness that was unlocked with in every one during the late sixties and it carried over into the nineteen seventies. This was evident by the sudden need for expression within the public. Either there was more injustices occurring than ever, or society was “mad as hell and they weren’t going to take it any more” as Howard Beale put it. Other social groups also began to fight for their rights in the seventies.

It started in nineteen sixty nine in New York; gay Americans were forced to live underground; they were forced to live two separate lives because homo sexuality was illegal. There were gay clubs and bars placed throughout New York by mobsters who would gladly profit off of discrimination. Police routinely would raid these bars and clubs until the gays fought back one night and didn’t stop protesting for three days.(5) The first gay pride parade was held in 1971 in New York relatively shortly after the fiasco. Later, in 1973, homosexuals succeeded in officially removing homosexuality from the list of mental dieses (5).

 Census data shows that a majority of New Yorkers were not living in the middle class range, but the lower class range at this time. Approximately 19.7 percent of New Yorkers fell into salary range of 19,000 – 25,000$.  39.2 percent of citizens made between 10,000$ and 25,000$.  45 percent of New Yorkers made less than 10,000$ a year. This was portrayed accurately in the movie, where it suggested on numerous occasions that money was scarce, and people were experiencing dark times both socially and financially (6).

 The television was destined to become a powerful weapon and important tool for social change during the seventies. Ninety five percent of people in New York owned a television (that’s 5.6 million people) with roughly nine percent of people falling into the category of “below poverty level” (that’s about three hundred and fifty six thousand) (6). As Howard Beale said in Network “This tube can make or break presidents, popes, prime ministers... This tube is the most awesome God-damned force in the whole godless world, and woe is us if it ever falls in to the hands of the wrong people”. Howard Beale was well aware of corporate incentives and corruption and was trying desperate to make everyone else aware of it too. With the depressing economy and social inequities evident in all facets of society, people were expressing their feelings discontent.

There was very little compassion in the society portrayed in Network. In the opening scene of the movie, Howard Beale, a newscaster for the U.B.S network, announces on the air that he is going to lose his job due to poor ratings and has decided to end his life. He even makes a comment about his suicide being good for ratings; which projected his spite and disdain for the Network.  Naturally, any one in touch with their emotions could tell what state of mind he was in; depressed, psychotic and lost. The network brass however, was initially outraged. Then, after inspecting the ratings, they decided that a angry, loose cannon on television was exactly what the network needed to boost their ratings and finally turn over a profit.

“I don’t want conventional programming; I want television that will articulate the rage of the public”. This social commentary highlights New Yorkers tendency towards sycophantic programming. At the time, there were only three broadcasting networks in the country so it was highly competitive. The east coast, New York particularly was the largest market share so that’s who the networks gear their programming towards. This is a accurate portrayal, considering televisions history of producing low cost, high profit and low quality programming.

The social realities of the film seemed to be fairly accurate. Generally speaking, the common man portrayed in the movie was well represented. Poor people lived in poor neighborhoods and wealthy people lived in wealthy neighborhoods.  The movie shows the segregation of class throughout New York City in the seventies; you see wealthy business executives being chauffeured around in beautiful, shiny cars. You also see the angry masses chanting in unison from there balconies and out there windows “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not gonna take this anymore”. The complexes range from project buildings, smaller apartment complexes, to small family homes. The message was clear however; the citizens of New York City were upset at the way their society was developing and they vocalized it. This is accurate based on my research of the many civil rights movements going on and the numbers back it up.

Economically speaking, Network director Sidney Lumet, went out of his way to make sure the viewers understood the dire economic straits of the time.  In virtually every scene possible, the poor economic, political and social situation was stressed. Whenever the Executives of the network meet, they take into consideration the low profits of their programming and try to deliver cheap programs that are going to take people’s minds off of the recession and corrupt politicians. If someone was to question the ethics behind their programming, they would not hesitate to threaten to fire them citing “good luck finding a job in this economy”. That also goes back to the social realities of the time; virtually no compassion between their fellow man. It’s like every one lives together with the same problems, but still cannot find common ground and a reason to place ethics above monetary incentives.

Politically speaking; Network made the bold claim that “democracy is dead” and only corporate practices exist. Coverage of the political scandals of the times has become repetitive to their target audience; society had acknowledged the unfortunate political situation. “You have meddled with the primal forces of nature, Mr. Beale, and I won't have it!! Is that clear?! You think you've merely stopped a business deal. That is not the case. The Arabs have taken billions of dollars out of this country, and now they must put it back! It is ebb and flow, tidal gravity! It is ecological balance! You are an old man who thinks in terms of nations and peoples. There are no nations. There are no peoples. There are no Russians. There are no Arabs. There are no third worlds. There is no West. There is only one holistic system of systems, one vast and immane, interwoven, interacting, multivariate, multi-national dominion of dollars. Petro-dollars, electro-dollars, multi-dollars, Reichmarks, Yen, Rubles, Pounds, and Shekels. It is the international system of currency which determines the totality of life on this planet. That is the natural order of things today.” –Arthur Jensen: a fictional character and president of the UBS Company.  I believe this to be case back then and still to this day; society has not come that far.

The inhuman way of approaching Howard’s suicidal situation represented in my mind, was an accurate portrayal of corporate protocol. It shows where their priorities were; not with the individual but with the profits of the corporation.  It is understandable to be concerned with profits; after all it is the lifeblood of any business, but what is not ethical by any means is the exploitation of such an event. They were not even viewing Howard as a man with problems. They viewed his pain as a tool they could use to create a connection to the “angry public” and increase their ratings. This kind of inhuman like behavior was the clear and blatant motif throughout the movie. I believe this is an accurate portrayal of what would happen if such an event was to occur. 

Even though Network was a supposed to be a cynical view on our society, I believe it was one of the most accurate portrayals of American culture. Most movies have a story line that revolves around noble causes and heroic deeds; Network however revolved around the opposite, but that is reality. Our society is filled with a lot more injustice then happy endings. It is not realistic for movies to end happily when so often in life, situations do not end up the way we want them too. Largely due to existential factors, like social and political barriers.

The influence television has over our society is scary. Most people watch television; it was the most powerful mass medium at the time and as such, was very volatile. “You're beginning to believe the illusions we're spinning here, you're beginning to believe that the tube is reality and your own lives are unreal. You do. Why, whatever the tube tells you: you dress like the tube, you eat like the tube, you raise your children like the tube, you even think like the tube. This is mass madness, you maniacs. In God's name, you people are the real thing, WE are the illusion.” –Howard Beale. I know a lot of people who grew up receiving an education from television rather than school and I can assure you, it warps your perception of reality. It narrows your perspective by telling you what’s normal and how you should think. If people could avoid falling into this bear trap laid by corporate America, we would have the will power and knowledge to efficiently fight social, political and economic injustice. This was the point I believe Network was trying to make.

Next time you watch television and notice a political debate or even a commercial, analyze it. Don’t accept what is presented before you as reality; dig deeper and think about why you are being presented this information. The conclusion you will draw will not be a happy vision; you will see that politicians lie, ads spin the truth and none of it is produced with you, the consumer’s best interest in mind. It is all in order to make money; we inherently understand that, but do we know the consequences of such ambitions? Look around next time you walk outside, buy a news paper, read the internet and you’ll see them for yourself.

"1970s - Oil Crisis." Enlightenment - The Experience Festival. Web. 23 Nov. 2010. http://www.experiencefestival.com/1970s_-_oil_crisis  (1)

U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis. Web. 23 Nov. 2010. <http://www.eia.doe.gov/>. (2)

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) - Bea.gov . Web. 23 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bea.gov/>. (3)

Bombing, By German. "On This Day: President Gerald Ford Survives Second Assassination Attempt." Web. 23 Nov. 2010. <http://209.73.4.141/news/on-this-day/September-October-08/On-this-Day--Sara-Jane-Moore-Attempts-to-Assassinate-President-Gerald-Ford.html>. (4)

"Gay Liberation Movement - Page 2 | St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture." Find Articles at BNET | News Articles, Magazine Back Issues & Reference Articles on All Topics. Web. 23 Nov. 2010. <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g1epc/is_tov/ai_2419100495/pg_2/?tag=content;col1>. (5)

"Access Denied." Web. 23 Nov. 2010. <http://www.socialexplorer.com/pub/reportdata/htmlresults.aspx?ReportId=R10004034&ItemsPerPage=100>. (6)

Super, Mega, Ultra Minority blog report

  I believe that if the system was better then the prior system, then it should stay. What was the old system? Jail is a revolving door. Its a business run with profit/loss ratios like any thing else. This should not be the system we have in place if its going to promote corrupt behavior and corruption is inevitable when you have monetary incentives. The pre cog system was built on the idea of abolishing murder. It wasn't conceived with the notion of profits, so that makes the pre cog system of purer intent then the former one. Naturally when your have purer intent your also going to have more effeciency.
 So what if it wasn't perfect; there are many imperfect systems out there. Its a matter of weighing out the pro's and con's of the new and old; were there more innocent people put away in the older system or the newer one? Were the confines more or less pleasant overall for the prisoner? Does the new system work better then the old one? And the winner is, by unanimous decision, the pre cog system.
  The only fucked up thing was the imprisonment and sedation of the precogs. That shit wasn't cool. These humans were gifted with some thing powerful. Spidermans uncle always said "with great power comes great responsibility". I dont think he would want Peter to run around saving people, and he wouldnt want agatha to give up her life/freedom in order for her murderous dreams to be projected on a big screen t.v. We cannot treat any human like a slave, no matter what there potential; it's still there decision and she didn't seem too happy floating around in that pond.

Super, mega, ultra MOMI adventure.

 When I went to the museum, the first exhibit I saw was about commercialism. The first thing i saw was Star magazine covers from the last century. I saw hollywoods attempt at creating celebrities in its earliest form. At some point -probably when the first star magazine was in circulation- studios realized people will pay money to see certain  familiar celebrities. Rather than focus on innovating in the industry, Hollywood focused on hyping up the actors and actresses. This made the actors very famous, rich, and powerful. I saw the earliest attempts of this strategy right when I walked in the door.

 The next thing I saw was a display of all the bi-products of fantasy movies; there were board games, stuffed animals and anything else that can be dubbed a "collectable". It was commercialism at its finest. On display were the accomplishments of different film studios, but all I was seeing was glorified consumerism. The tour guide informed us that some movies gross more money off of merchandise then the actual film. So I’m thinking to myself  "oh great, they're gonna try and sell me a bunch of crap". Fortunately, the tour got more informative. There was more, and it didn’t have to do with buying crap.

 She took us to a video game area. There were arcades set up that were older than me. I got to show off some serious pong skills as me and Garrick battled it out for two, intense volleys. The ball came to me, I moved my paddle down. The square ball ricocheted off my paddle and trusted its way towards Garrick. He was not prepared as the box-ball went off the screen. He was unable to return the box-ball; I was the victor.

 The tour guide, guided us to some stuff that actually pertained to films; things like the outfits some famous actors have used throughout the years. They had the fat suit from Mrs. Doubtfire, which was awesome. I remember watching that movie as a kid and watching the scene where they created the fat suit for Robin Williams to wear. When I saw it, I had to touch it. That didn’t go to well, as the tour guide let out a contained shriek "don't touch anything".... the story of my life. It was worth it though.

   After that display, I realized that I had the misfortune to start the tour with the commercialism display and then made our way to the interesting and informative stuff. They had scripts from legendary movies, with famous quotes highlighted. The movie that I chose for my midterm, which I have been wanting to see for almost 2 years and have not seen it yet, had its script displayed with a powerful scene highlighted. I read it and thought about what the actors who originally read the script thought. I wondered what kind of emotions they had when they read the script, and if they had any idea of how they were going to depict the highlighted scene. It reminded me also why I picked this movie and why I have wanted to see this movie for a long time; because it's powerful, emotional, and the message aligns with my beliefs fully. Watch Network (1976); educate yourself and you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Super, Mega, Ultra mid term

 Salvatore Saviano

Professor Louis Lucca

Mass Media and Communication

28 October 2010

                             Woodstock: Unity, peace, love and music.

            How did Woodstock affect our society today? Well for one thing, I don’t know a single person who has attended Woodstock and claimed that it did not change their lives. “There is a Woodstock type that has to be approached in a certain way. They’re not the people carrying cellular phones, with mace in their back pockets and 400$ c.d players in their 300$ running suits” (1). To me this speaks volumes. You have your 1920’s-50’s persona that wears suits and ties. How many suit and ties did you see at Woodstock? The answer is zero. More people were nude then dressed nice. How many people do you see every day, walking down the street, wearing a suit and tie? I would say one out of two hundred people would be a fair.  The reason being; were observing a generation that broke the old traditions and made there own. The people who came out of the sixties generation were radically different then any other generation prior. With the introduction of rock and its “pervasiveness”, we saw the evolution of our society occur quicker then ever before.

We saw a culture that no longer believed every thing that they were told. No longer were the masses listening to every piece of propaganda handed to them.  People began thinking for themselves, and not allowing the U.S government to think for them. Citizens all across the nation all realized at once, they had a voice and it will be heard. The right to protest and the right to gather would be on display through out the sixties and was capped off with the largest musical gathering/ mass protest in history; Woodstock. Those who attended Woodstock, the baby boom generation, would discover a higher level of spirituality that left a indelible mark on the world forever.

The baby boomers believed that there was some thing missing in our lives; peace, love, and music. They knew that there was a force in the universe stronger then us, stronger then the government, and stronger then even the dollar. Love and spirituality was not only a theme at Woodstock; it was a palpable force that was felt by all who attended, never to be forgotten, and forever changed their lives.

The music that played at Woodstock was legendary; no rock venue before or since Woodstock has ever come close to the amount of people that attended. There were over 500,000 people at Woodstock 1969 (3). That’s hard to believe, I know. It is even harder to imagine. When I watched the footage from Woodstock: my jaw dropped in disbelief. “It looked like an army invaded” (2). Watching the footage myself I had to agree.

The highways were closed. It was the biggest traffic jam in the history of roads (1). People were abandoning their cars, and walking on foot because there was no end to the traffic. The venue planned on holding 20,000(3). They could never imagine that half a million people were coming from all over the country to watch this concert, which was barely promoted, and took nine months to scrounge up sponsors (1). They stopped charging people for entry at that point. They obviously couldn’t accommodate that many people or keep them from entering the first rock concert ever to be held on a dairy farm in Bethel, New York ; so they rented out all the land they could in and around the concert so every one could get a view of the show. This tactic isn’t the most profitable alternative, but the anti corporation vibe was undeniable at Woodstock. Money didn’t matter, not when you have three days of peace, love and music.

            This kind of generosity was a characteristic of the baby boom generation. These new age humans were operating on a more spiritual level, quit different then that of any previous generation. This can be attributed in part to the influence of one mind altering chemical; L.S.D. Lysergic acid diethylamide is a powerful, mind altering hallucinogenic that was used not only by those who attended Woodstock, but the performers as well. “It enhanced the spiritual experience. It made the music visible, the vibrations palpable, and every one felt connected” (4 Holt). “No one could complain about the kids; ‘it was sir this’, ‘sir that’ and ‘thank you this’ and ‘thank you that’. No one could complain about the kids“(2) . Even though L.S.D was made illegal for its “dangerous” effects, it most certainly contributed to the lack of violence at the event. The effects of L.S.D didn’t only enhance the spiritual experience of Woodstock, but it was responsible for the feelings of peace and serenity at the event that can still be felt today if you were to visit that dairy farm in Bethel,  New York.

The utilities were practically non existent. There were simply not enough porter potties for every one to use, so naturally there was an excess amount of fecal matter present at the event. There was not enough food or water either; many people in the town and who attended the event had very little food available to them. “I had to eat corn flakes for two days because I couldn’t go into town to get any food”(2).  A large portion of the attendees did not bring enough food and water for the three day event, but in the presence of unity and love; it was impossible to not be charitable and ignore a fellow human in need; Mike Vitiello, art director of BBDO worldwide was 19 when he attended Woodstock. He fortunately had a father that worked for the Nabisco biscuit company and send him and his friends a trunk full of crackers and cheese. They distributed it all at the event “What stands out most for me is that feeling every one was in this together, cooperating. There was no ‘hey get out of my face’ attitude” (3). There was a barn that served rice, vegetables, water and cabbage to any one that was in need (4). There was a universal feeling of happiness at Woodstock that has never since been replicated. Every one wanted the best for every one else around them and did not care who they were. For three days; racism, hatred, war and negativity didn’t exist. Poverty was alive and kicking, but it didn’t matter. Every one was thinking about every one else, so they didn’t have to think about themselves. The attendees were not the only ones to feel the groovy vibes at Woodstock; the legendary and iconic performers were forever changed during that 3 day festival as well.

            The greatest rock bands of its era performed at Woodstock. Never again in history has such a diverse collage of musicians joined together in not only music, but in beliefs as well, and played at a venue of that size. Some of the greatest musicians ever had there iconic status fortified at Woodstock. There was a new sound in music. Not just the revolutionary lyrics, but revolutionary sound as well. Woodstock showcased the sound of the overdriven guitar, which was used by many of the performers and had not been showcased before.

            Jimmy Hendrix closed Woodstock, and was probably the most remembered figure at the entire event. Every one knows Jimmy Hendrix played at Woodstock. I have seen the references in pop culture dozens of times in my short history on this earth. Even though Jimmy Hendrix didn’t have more then one hit song, he played a song that would go down in rock history; the Star Spangled Banner to an overdriven guitar. When Jimmy Hendrix started playing the anthem, the whole crowd grew silent and simply took it all in, and no one forgot it. Not even those who were born after Woodstock. That performance has been immortalized, and referenced to in pop culture more then any other single performance that I can recall. When I first started playing the guitar, I was inspired to learn that song as soon as I could and I had never considered myself a Jimmy Hendrix fan, but that is the kind of power Jimmy’s guitar had; even after 30 years his performance is remembered.

            For some one with out much commercial success, Jimmy Hendrix is one of the most iconic figures of that era. In our world, Jimmy Hendrix is one of the most recognized musical figures ever. He did outlandish things while playing the guitar that people were just not used to seeing. He would pick up his guitar and play with his teeth, he would break his guitar after his performance, and he produced a sound that was rare and hypnotic. His songs may not have made it in the top 10, but his musical ability was appreciated by all and forever evident. Jimmy Hendrix died a year after Woodstock on September eighth nineteen seventy, but not before cementing his legacy at Woodstock.

Hendrix was not the only icon to attend and have there names cemented in rock history at Woodstock; Janis Joplin came and sang her heart out. She was known for her passionate lyrics and even more passionate singing style. She would get on stage, her mouth would open up, her face would curl in expression and she would unleash her beautiful and thunderous voice out on the world. Her impact on the world was not just in the world of music; like other artists who attended Woodstock, Janis Joplin was some one who had strong convictions. Those convictions were to think critically for ones self. She never accepted things as they were and was always willing to fight for change if she believed in it. She believed in freedom; the right to express ones self in any way he or she pleases. She believed in equality, peace and love. She was not a commercial singer at all. She was very spiritual and understood, like most who attended Woodstock, that war and politics were not a part of peace; they were weapons to bring oppression and money. She had a beautiful voice, and she used it to express herself and let other people know that it is ok to think differently. It’s ok to think for yourself. Woodstock was not just about showcasing the amazing musicians, it was equally important for the musicians to have a stage that’s free of corruption and negativity.

Woodstock created a sub culture in America, which was radically different back then, but has now grown to become the primary culture. Society was very much segregated at the time. People were not used to individuals dressing in tie dye colors. They were not used to people walking around barefoot, playing a six string acoustic guitar. They weren’t used to hearing songs about what is wrong with the world. They were not used to hearing songs that brought attention to political and social injustices.. Society was not used to individuals thinking for themselves while simultaneously caring about others; ignoring the artificial hatred for other races and country’s that was

perpetuated by the media. Woodstock is largely responsible for shaping the youth of this country from an uptight, capitalist loving drone, into freedom loving individuals that don’t have to do what they are told; and for that I am thankful.

Mass protests were a theme through out the sixties and seventies. Never in history were the masses so unified in there beliefs that they were not being steered in the right direction. This generation let the government, corporate America, and anyone else who caused problems in their lives know how they feel. This kind of action is why today we have the freedom to protest against the powers that be and to not blindly accept corporate objectives as our ideology. Woodstock captured the music of the times in one event, but gave birth to the 70’s revolution of music. Rock ran rampant, as folk and country took a back seat. With the emergence of bands like Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, and Black Sabbath; rock was preparing to enter its next phase in music history.  Music was not about black and white artists, folk and country, it was about the message behind the music. Since Woodstock, it was more popular then ever to write a song about social change, feelings and experiences made an impact, and to restate ones beliefs. Music was still controlled by corporations, but the playing field had changed; it was more acceptable to be different and rebellious.

            If you were to go to a rock concert now of any popular band; you would be hard pressed to find a music group that doesn’t use an electric guitar with overdrive and tone. Its sound is as popular as capitalism. Bands like The Who, the grateful dead and Santana all played at Woodstock with overdriven guitars and are largely responsible for starting this trend. The sound was clear as they shredded there guitar strings; the crowd was

united under its melody as dance broke out throughout the crowd.  The feeling of unity that the music brought was legendary.

            Woodstock did not just change the music, but the way we enjoyed music. Concerts, by today’s standards, are largely to make money. Concerts are set up with the expectation that you will spend ten dollars for a bottle of water, and fifty dollars for a t -shirt. This marketing strategy came to fruition by observing the events at Woodstock. The

majority of the people, who attended, did not have enough food and water to last the whole event. Multiply this by 500,000 people, and you have a potential disaster on your hand. However, people fortunately chipped in where ever they could and managed to get everyone fed, but the need for services were evident. And when there’s a need; there’s money to be made. A lot of free supplies were given out at Woodstock due to emergency situations. Future concert holders made sure to learn from the mistakes at Woodstock. “At the time, Woodstock was on of the few models you could look at for massive music gatherings. Today it’s so organized. We have learned so many lessons – we’ve changed the business and production structure to better handle traffic, food and water” (3). Any concert you attend now would have security, water, food, and a venue large enough to contain a crowd. The wondrous gathering that occurred at Woodstock was magical in terms of spirituality, but a financial flop as well. The promoters actually lost money on Woodstock (3). The money was made after by the hype, the myth, and the films it spawned. This was a business mistake, and that is why concerts are what they are today; expensive and contained.

                                                                                                                       

             When Woodstock ended, it was time for people to go back to their lives. The festival of peace, love, and music was over, but the vibrations were not. The attendees who were responsible for the massive mess afterward the event, also volunteered to clean up the mess they made. People from all over the country stayed for days after the event in order to reduce their carbon foot print and give back to the earth . They understood that without the earth; harmony would never be achieved, so first and foremost, keeping her

clean was a part of the Woodstock theme.  “I stayed for three extra days cleaning up as much as I could until I couldn’t pick up one more piece of trash. I walked down the highway, stuck my thumb out and went home to Kansas” (4).

            Though there will never be another Woodstock 1969, but there were other attempts. Four more concerts were put on with the Woodstock name, but without the Woodstock soul. The vibes and helpful disposition of those who attended Woodstock would never be replicated at any other event no matter how hard the promoters tried. What happened in 1969 was magical; it was an event that captured the essence of a generation and revolutionized the music industry. It created a counter culture that prided itself, and was celebrated on the premise of non conformity. It revolutionized what it meant to be at a rock concert. It set precedence’s that have never been matched and showed future generations that there is something more powerful than money, war and the “American Dream”: Peace, love and music.

Works Cited:

(1)Denitto, Emiliy. Advertising Age. August 08, 1994. “You can’t go home again, but you can go to Woodstock”. Pg 13.

(2)"YouTube - Woodstock 1969, 3 Days of Peace & Music (Director's Cut) PART 1." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 31 Oct. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR2TeAERVlc>.

(3)Shriver, Jerry. "Woodstock at 40: Does It Still Matter?" USA Today (2009): 1-5. Academic Search Complete. Web. 17 Oct. 2010.

(4)Holt, Mitch. Personal Interview, October 17^th 2010.

Blog response.

           
I believe genetic engineering would create a separation in society. It is only natural to label someone different then ourselves as “the other”. It also depends on how different the genes are. If the “superior” humans were substantially smarter and physically better looking than people without gene manipulation, we would see that carry over into the job industry. We hire people based on looks today, why wouldn’t we do it when we have it down to a science?

In gattaca, even though the characters were labeled as “invalids”, there was enough proof to the contrary for me to believe that the label attached to being a “invalid” was invalid. The main character showed that he did not need superior genes in order to accomplish something great. Human behavior is not black and white. There are emotional factors that cannot be given value, because they are invaluable; like the will to live. If a human being wants to accomplish something, chances are they can accomplish it so long as they believe it to be possible. I don’t think science can ever predict what someone is worth. That depends on how the individual views himself. If Ethan Hawke believed he couldn’t become a astronaut, then he wouldn’t have. If he didn’t believe he would beat his brother in swimming, he wouldn’t have. Science said he couldn’t have, but he proved that the human will cannot be measured, especially with a blood test.

 In a world where there is no sun; there is only darkness. Who would choose to live in a world of darkness? In "The Matrix" the reality of their world is that there is no sun, there is no light, and there is no life. There is only cold and calculating machines that cannot express emotion, nor appreciate beauty. This dystopian world however, is cleverly hidden from the masses. The world that most people see is the Matrix and not the barren waste land that is the earth. The Matrix is a virtual reality that machines have chained humans to in order to keep them pacified. It is a capitalist world set in the late 1990's. The machines have over thrown man as the dominant species and they use humans as battery's to power them in the real world. This reality sounds horrid, but in this world it is synonymous with freedom and I would gladly accept truth over a blissful lie.
   If ever faced with an ultimatum such as; leaving the false reality that is the matrix or staying in your comfort zone, what would it be? I would want to get out of the matrix and give those machines what’s coming to them. Most characters in the movie feel the same way, but there is one who does not; Cypher. In the text "The Allegory of the Cave", Socrates describes a world not to different from the Matrix. He speaks of a cave, which is occupied by a group of men chained to the walls -they are prisoners. There perception is based off exposure and having never seen the world outside of the cave; the group is ignorant to any other reality. When one of the prisoners leaves, he finds that he cannot return to his former life as he once knew it. He was enlightened, but in turn became an outcast.
   Cypher was at one point, a prisoner of the matrix. He was freed by Morpheus, but freed is an ironic term considering Cyphers opinion of his new reality. Cypher wanted to return to the matrix very badly. He could not be happy in the "real world" because it did not have what made him happy; a world of luxury and comfort. Cypher does not care if it is not really steak, so long as his brain thinks its steak. Fighting machines was not his idea of happiness. When the opportunity presented itself; Cypher killed some of his former friends in an attempt to return to the Matrix and bring himself into a blissfully ignorant, yet happy reality.
    This movie shows how there is no reality; only perception. The cave dweller may have been exposed to the real world, but he lost his sense of identity because he could not fit in with his former prison mates. His life and perception were forever changed. Cypher gained knowledge and was exposed to the hideous truth behind his reality, but was met with unhappiness and regret. If you learn anything from this paper or the matrix; it's that we cannot decide what is best for anyone else other then ourselves. It is up to us, the individual to decide what is more important; blissful ignorance or freedom bestowing truth.

SMU blog #8: The others

 All being are made equal, or least we are told. To me, everybody has to be respected because they have unique feelings and perspectives that can prove to be insightful. However, I am not above labeling someone as different as me. What differentiates me from you or us from others is defined by the individual. Matters that I hold in high regard could be unimportant to you. That is what separates me from "others"; is the fact that I respect each individual’s perspective. I would never ask someone to conform to my belief structure and anyone who would cast their opinion as fact (like religious zealots) could not be more different than me.
 Our belief structure is put in its place during our childhood and is fortified throughout our lives. We our highly influenced as children and as we age we become more confident in our view, so what was learned as child can never be unlearned. There are some people (like those zealots) that are taught that there are no other alternatives then there beliefs.  These people often have influential figures in their lives that instill their ideology into them. I on the other hand, built my ideology around the information my eyes received and not what was told to me. I think for myself, and learn or I and anyone who believes what they are told without completely thinking it through couldn't have a more different fundamental view of the world.
  Perhaps what separates me from the others is the fact that as a child I never had any one telling me what to make of the world. I was blessed with the ability to think about what was presented in front of me and to not blindly accept anything. I believe that if more people in the world were taught less about how to think as children and instead instilled with the tools necessary to think for themselves; we would have a more open minded and tolerant society because respect for others point of view is what will unite the world instead of intolerance keeping us apart.
 All my life I have experienced discrimination because of my belief that every ones perspective deserves respect. In school, if someone was getting made fun of for being different, I would be the first person to jump in and defend them. This immediately created a division between the two parties; me and the victim vs. everyone else. I didn't necessarily like the victim or agree with what he had to say. All I had to know what that the law of my life, respect, was being violated. Others who didn't understand or embrace this philosophy would interpret it as disrespect or as an offence. I quickly got used to this role of "the other" and would seek out friends who shared a similar way of thinking to me in order to bring some sense of comfort that I am not the only one who thinks this way. However, once a connection is established with a like minded individual, I find that it’s rewarding and worth the discrimination. To me, it is about quality over quantity.
 To make it simple respect others ideology. Ideology is defined as "A is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions" and since no two children are raised the same it is highly unlikely that there will be another individual who perceives things the exact same way you will. If we don't learn to respect others viewpoints; it’s going to be a long, lonely life filled with discrimination and confusion. But if we learn that there is no right or wrong and only our perception, we will see how much easier it is to get along with everyone else. We should look at every one else as "brother" and not the "other".

Super, mega, ultra rough draft outline and bibliography

Thesis Statement: Woodstock epitomized the cultural revolution in 1969 and had a strong influence on all generations following.

Topic Sentences:  - The gathering of millions to view one concert, despite any factors like race or age, united to participate in a music event.

- Drug use was common at the event, heavy psychedelic drugs were used. These drugs were part of this experience and started a world wide trend.

-         Artists, from all genres, countries and ethnic backgrounds united to play at this concert.

-         Woodstock affected society afterward. This coincided with the baby boom generation.

-         First event of a new rock genre to be played live. It spawned many icons like Jimi Hendrix and Janice Joplin.

-         Showcased the revolution of the sound of the guitar.

Bibliography:

 http://www.youtube.com/. 2010. Web. 10-18-2010.

        http://www.woodstockstory.com/passingperformersbands.html  2010. Web. 10-18-2010

        www.squidoo.com/woodstock_69  Squido 2010. Web . 10-18-2010

Super, Mega, Ultra Heroic blog #6

           Here is a scenario you may have never thought about: if a plane crashed right in front of you with people trapped inside and the ship was on fire, would you attempt to save the crew? Would you knowingly risk your own life for the life of strangers in peril? This is the exact scenario Bernie Laplante was faced with, and he decided to go in the plane and risk it all in the movie "Hero". Bernie Laplante is a low life, two bit con artist who would steal candy from a baby if he had the chance, but with a twist of fate, he was presented with the opportunity to become a hero.

The movie shows us how any man, no matter what reputation he has, is capable of selfless acts of heroism. It also shows how Gayle Gayley, a media reporter, portrays such an event and the mutation any story undergoes in the media. The movie shows in contrast, the heroic acts of a horrible man, and the dishonest act of a brave and honorable man. With Bernie performing the heroic act and John Bubber receiving the adoration, you are allowed to see the very best and worst of human behavior. It shows cases the ambitions of members in our society, and how we prioritize decency and ethics.

 In any modern society, money is essential to survival. Without money, we cannot survive. Bernie Laplante is some one who is desperate for money and does many despicable things in order to gain it. He is showed stealing from his court appointed lawyer, after she already lent him money. He is later seen taking money from a lost wallet and leaving a diner through the back exit to avoid paying for it. He tries to sell any thing he can get his hands on, and taking any thing that isn't chained down. His apartment is shown to have miscellaneous items ranging from printer paper to watches that he attempts to sell to his landlord. He is some one who would not hesitate to steal in order to provide for himself. He works for a rug cleaning company, and he is habitually late. He hands his boss an excuse every time he comes in late. It is hard for people to respect Bernie when he conducts himself in such a disingenuous manner. No one expected him to risk his life for any one else.

            En route to see his son, Bernie witnessed a plane crashing at his feet. With his path blocked by the fiery plane, Bernie got out of his car to inspect the accident and he heard the cries of the passengers on board. They begged him to open up the door from the outside, which he reluctantly did, but that was not all that was asked of him. A boy who looked about his sons age asked him to find his father and bring him to safety outside of the air craft. After a couple of profane remarks, Bernie enters the plane; unfortunately Bernie couldn't find the boy’s father, for he had already escaped. But there were other passengers that needed Bernie's assistance

He was accosted by people in need who also needed to convince him to save them. One was Gayle Gayley, who he saw trapped in between seats. The opportunist in Bernie came out as he couldn't help but take Gayle’s purse with out her knowing during the rescue.  As soon as Gayle was safe, the reporter in her kicked in. She found herself concerned with the story behind the rescue, and not with the passenger’s health, or with what caused the accident. Her ambitions were to capture and sensationalize the tragedy that just befallen her, but Bernie was no where to be found. She was left with no hero to match her story. Bernie continued venturing towards his son's house to do what he set out to do before the plane crash; spend time with his son before he goes to jail.

Unfortunately, his ex-wife sees him as a bad role model for their son and wants to protect her son from his poisonous behavior. Unable to see his son, or make any progress with his ex, Bernie ventures back to his home and along the way meets a homeless man who lives in a Van; John Bubber. John and Bernie share stories about there night. Unknown to Bernie was the amount of attention and publicity his venture had created. He had only one shoe left from the fire, and decided to give it to John, because John told him he knew of some one with one leg that could benefit from the shoe. You can see how Bernie's concern is primarily concerned with him self, where John thinks only of others.

            Meanwhile, Gayle was at the hospital with the other victims of the crash. She asked all members of the air plane about the hero behind the rescue, but she could not figure out who it was. All that remained of the hero was a shoe.  She began covering the story, dubbing the hero as an "angel" who appeared and vanished as quickly as he appeared. The true identity and facts behind the "angel" was a mystery and thanks to the media, the perception behind this figure was that of a larger then life saint figure who cared not for himself, but for others

Bernie Laplante obviously did not fit this metaphorical shoe, but John Bubber did.  After hearing that there will be a million dollar reward for the hero, Bubber comes forward with the literal shoe left behind in the crash and receives the award that should rightfully have went to Laplante. With out any proof to the contrary, and his obvious disposition towards every one else, Laplante found it impossible to convince any one else that he was the angel behind the story and that Bubber is a fake. Further investigating showed that Bubber is a Vietnam War Veteran who saved his platoon while serving in the war. This further reinforced the image that Bubber is the angel, making it harder for Laplante to convince any one otherwise.

            Was it wrong for Bubber to come forward and accept the reward that doesn't belong to him? Who can say? The situation is not black and white. He did many selfless acts while receiving little to no reward in the past; shouldn't he receive some sort of compensation for such acts? Unfortunately in our society we don't reward kindness. For the most part, it is those who prey on others and take advantage of opportunities that end up successful, where those who think about others are not left with any one to think about themselves. So why shouldn’t Bubber have thought about himself for once and receive a little help even if he is lying?  Bubber himself said he just wanted to sleep in a bed and have a warm meal; his ambitions were modest. What he ended up receiving was fame and the adoration of millions across the country.

He became a national celebrity over night, while the true hero, Bernie Laplante, was left to piece together his broken life and continue bottom feeding. With Gayle and the news station she worked for backing him up,  Bubber toured across the state meeting and greeting any one, ranging from admirers to hospitalized children. When ever the opportunity presented itself, Bubber always lent a helping hand to the needy, while Laplante was hunting him down in an attempt to expose him and claim what’s rightfully his. The story is showing in contrast the good nature of Bubber, and the stereotypical disposition of Laplante and how differently they operate.

 Eventually the guilt was too much for Bubber to handle; he threatened to kill himself by jumping off of a building. He was ridden with guilt, and wanted desperately to alleviate the stress he put on himself by taking credit for some thing he did not do. Laplante had come to terms with what kind of person Bubber was and let go of his anger. He realized Bubber was a genuinely nice guy who only wanted to help others, while Laplante was a scheming con artist who couldn't care less about the well being of others. With this in mind, Laplante confronted Bubber on the ledge of the skyscraper and resolved the conflict. He informed Bubber that he did not care about the fame or the admiration, and just wanted some of the money. He knew that Bubber was not only the right image for the story, but the right man to be admired. Even though Laplante rightfully deserves it, he realizes he is not the kind of person that the masses would accept as a hero, and chooses to remain anonymous in return for some of the benefits.

            I like to believe if faced with such a crisis, that most people would rise to the occasion, but how many others actually would? The characters in the movie showcase how self centered we can all be. It showed that in the face of a heroic act our instincts are to pervert such a story for the sake of sensationalism. Rather then billing the rescue as a random act of kindness, the media spun the story sensational act performed by a saint. Dubbing who ever saved the passengers as an "angel", and not just a man. It was impossible for Laplante to be heralded as a saint, but Bubber matched perfectly. Rather then integrity and ethics, we see personal ambitions take center stage in "Hero”, the very worst and best in our society.

Super Mega Ultra Revision: The Matrix Analysis

  In a world where there is no sun, there is only darkness. Who would choose to live in a world of darkness? In "The Matrix" the reality of there world is that there is no sun, there is no light, and there is no life. There are only cold, calculating machines that cannot express emotion, nor appreciate beauty. This dystopian world how ever, is cleverly hidden from the masses. The world that most people see is the Matrix and not the barren waste land that is the earth. The Matrix is a virtual reality that machines have chained humans to in order to keep them pacified. It is a capitalist world set in the late 1990's. The machines have over thrown man as the dominant species and they use humans as battery's to power themselves in the real world. This reality sounds horrid, but in this world it is synonymous with freedom and I would gladly accept truth over a blissful lie.
   If ever faced with an ultimatum such as leaving the false reality that is the matrix or staying in your comfort zone, what would it be? I would want to get out of the matrix and give those machines what’s coming to them. Most characters in the movie feel the same way, but there is one who does not; Cypher. In the text "The Allegory of the Cave", Socrates describes a world not to different from the Matrix. He speaks of a cave, which is occupied by a group of men chained to the walls -they are prisoners. There perception is based off exposure and having never seen the world outside of the cave; the group is ignorant to any other reality. When one of the prisoners leaves, he finds that he cannot return to his former life as he once knew it. He was enlightened, but in turn became an outcast. I wonder; would he exchange his new found enlightened perception for his comfortable, ignorant, old one? It would have to be a possibility first; we cannnot unlearn something. But Cypher had that luxury.
   Cypher was at one point, a prisoner of the matrix. He was freed by Morpheus, but freed is an ironic term considering Cyphers opinion of his new reality. Cypher wanted to return to the matrix very badly. He made a deal with the machines to return him to the Matrix. He could not be happy in the "real world". Even though the Matrix was a digital world, it felt real enough for Cypher. He desired a world of luxury and comfort. Cypher does not care if it is not really steak, so long as his brain thinks its steak. Fighting machines was not his idea of happiness. When the opportunity presented itself; Cypher killed some of his former friends in an attempt to return to the Matrix and bring himself into a blissfully ignorant, yet happy reality.
    This movie shows how there is no reality; only perception. The cave dweller may have been exposed to the real world, but he lost his sense of identity because he could not fit in with his former prison mates. His life and perception were forever changed. Cypher gained knowledge and was exposed to the hideous truth behind his reality, but was met with unhappiness and regret. If you learn any thing from this paper or the matrix; it's that we cannot decide what is best for any one else other then ourselves. It is up to us, the individual to decide what is more important; blissful ignorance or freedom bestowing truth.

Blog 5, super. mega, ultra brainstorming session:

 Potential topics:

 - Elvis Presley - Changed rock music. Incorporated sex appeal, and crossed over into movies. He became a icon for decades.

 - Jimmy Hendrix-  Was the first musician to experiment with tone, and overdrive effectively changing the way conventional guitar was heard and paved the way for modern musicians.

 - Howard Stern - Coined the term "shock jockey" by airing explecit and often perverse material on the radio. Angered millions while entertaining millions. Was forced out of public radio due to complaints so he moved to private radio (XM) and has since then inspired others to fight against censorship.

 - Ted turner- Created CNN. First cable television network.

What is the importance of the topic in the evolution of mass media

  It is important because tommorows innovations will be based off of yesterdays breakthroughs. We must realize that there was a deeper history to what is presented infront of us as every day norms in order to further evolve.

What kind of position will you develop in the paper?

  I will develop a realistic, and accurate portrayal of Howard Stern and his influence on the radio and the public.  My personal opinion of him is not the most positive, but nearly every one in the modern world has heard of him, and there in lies the reason why he is so famous.

What kind of sources will be available and what will be the best sources to use?

 There was a movie made about him, the internet has countless entries, as well as a long list of people who have crusaded against him. There is a broad range of opinions about him and I can't wait to present mine.

 INCOMPLETE

Blog 4: Super, mega, ultra reflection:

 What have  you learned about writing academics so far?

 I learned that writing is a process. Before, I relied heavily on my mind to organize and produce facts. I would think about one topic and let it flow from my brain, to my pen.  It was the most comfortable way for me, but after being exposed to better writings and new techniques to gather information, I am trying to change my ways. I learned that I’m a good writer, but I have a long way to go before I am a great writer.

 Did these concepts connect with things you already know and how did you make these connections?

 I was aware of concepts like thesis, topic sentences, myths and main ideas,  but I did not know the exact definition to them. Also,  I never actually wrote a outline to a essay, clustered, or brain stormed on paper—ever.  I have not wrote a essay utilizing those techniques, but I can’t wait. I am excited to see just how much I have improved by incorporating those techniques into my writing. I now see the importance in gathering facts to present an argument.  Not just present it in a manner in which the audience will understand, but to allow the audience to come to a logical conclusion on their own by simply presenting the data in a well organized composition.

 
If some thing was unfamiliar, how did you approach it?

 I had never written a formal summary before. I didn’t know how to make one and the non personalized concept seemed to deviate from my writing style, but I analyzed it further and asked some more educated people about it  and I see that we humans summarize things on a daily basis. Some people describe stories in summary format, and some people only recall events from a personal perspective. Facts are the most important part of any argument, and now I see how we subconsciously use these writing techniques in our speech and everyday lives.  This has helped me achieve a greater understanding of writing as a process, and the importance of each step involved with presenting a thesis.

 What is still puzzling you about these writing concepts?

 Nothing, and if there was, we would have discussed it till I got it.

What are you not sure of regarding them?

 Nothing.

 What did you think of your interaction with ena99? Does such interaction make blogging more meaningful to you or not?

 I enjoyed commenting on other classes blogs. It allowed me to see how different writing styles can be and showed  me from a teachers perspective what to look for when critiquing another person’s writing. This in turn helped me become a better writer. I feel like it made the blogging experience more enjoyable. I personally feel like I am doing more than presenting a argument when I write a essay, but also entertaining my reader.  Interacting with other blogs created the sensation that others were reading my writings as well, and not just for the purpose of receiving a good grade.

 How was writing to some one in another class different then commenting on a classmates blog?

 
 It was different because I could not see the other person. They were not watching me, waiting for me to post my comment so they could see what I thought. It allowed me to focus more on judging the work based on criteria, and judge it more objectively with out taking any personal feelings into consideration.

 Did trying to critique some one elses work  make you more confident that you know the criteria for a good summary?

 Definitely. In martial arts, the student becomes the teacher, and vice versa. It is a cycle that continues as long as you wish to learn martial arts because you are consistently looking at the same thing with a different perspective. It hones your skills and promotes growth. This is a useful tool for learning, and it worked great for writing.

 Area of reflection of your choice: What else would you like to share with us?

When I came into this school, I had quite low expectations.  Based on what I heard; I didn’t expect the teachers to be nice, care about the students, speak proper English, or treat me with respect.  I didn’t go to high school so my perception of school was based on here say. From my experience with the registering process, this did not seem that unlikely. Now that I have attended school, I can say that I am pleasantly surprised. I mean, I’m sure I will encounter mean, pompous teachers who don’t treat students with respect, but I’m glad they aren’t in this cluster.