In March of this year, the Nielsen-funded Council for Research Excellence found that the average American spends 8.5 hours in front of video media per day..this includes, computers, television, cell phones and other gadgets. 142.50 minutes of this time is spent on the computer alone.
With all this time spent on the computer..browsing the web, updating our facebook status, watching those weekly episodes of our favorite television show we may have missed, possibly writing that ten page paper? With new media we socialize now more than ever through the vast network of tubes connecting us all over the world. The information age may have started in the late 80s but it's growing faster than ever. Is it pushing us farther away from everyday physical human interaction? Has technology made us lazy? Dumb? Even less responsible?
We may not have those answers just yet but we can certainly take some initative.
I direct you to the "New (Media) Workout Plan".
Break a sweat!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
save karyn?!
More often than not my mindless online searches lead me to websites I'm more disappointed than happy with. I recall watching a television segment which featured a woman who made a website dedicated to donations for her credit card debt after she lost her job. (http://www.savekaryn-originalsite.com/) Believe it or not--she actually received money. I'm filled with curiosity, anger and straight up confusion! Why would anyone send money to a total stranger for their own financial problems? Needless to say, this cry for help turned into a money making scheme--she has since published two books and a movie about her story is in the works. "TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! You see, I'm done with my frivolous ways. I've stopped buying designer clothes. I've stopped using department store products. I decided that I really DO like Oil of Olay. It really DOES work just as well. And Old Navy is actually kind of cool. I've done my part, now I need you to do yours. I believe that this world is a good place, and if someone needs help, then they should ask for it." -SaveKaryn.com
UN-BE-LIEVABLE!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
My Rushmore
I just finished screening Rushmore, for the COMM 225 course I'm taking this semester, and I must say, I was awfully impressed. The film reminded me of a 90's version of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, particularly, the image of a witty high school student causing havoc in all the right ways. Embedded in the humor and strong personalities is a story of love and friendship—both old and young. One of my favorite parts of the film was the soundtrack, I really enjoyed the way the songs spoke volumes during certain scenes, one of which I've included below. I was impressed with Jason Schwartzman’s acting. I’ve previously seen him in Shopgirl and The Darjeeling Limited. I suppose my only disappointment was that Schwartzman’s character Max looked much older than fifteen, but by the middle of the film I was able to overlook that. I highly recommend this film!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
the view from above
Eating dinner with your feet on the ground is so passe. That's right. Imagine eating a four course meal hanging from a crane, 150 feet above the ground. Dinners, events, meetings even weddings are occuring high in the sky, with Dinner in the Sky. Australia, Hungary, Belgium, Sweden, Lithuania are only a few out of twenty-five countries that participate in this adventure. So next time you're in Las Vegas or Florida be sure to join the "Mile High Club" and stop by one the most unusual restaurants on this side of the atmosphere.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
like music to my ears
Catch Me If You Can, Frida, The Perfect Storm, A Beautiful Mind, 300, Mississippi Burning, A League of Their Own
What do all of these movies have in common? These are all based on actual events, people and/or stories--and this is only the tip of the iceberg. Now, whether or not they are accurately depicted is another side of the coin. Nevertheless, I've been captivated and moved by these films--I've found myself running to the library to pick up books related to these stories. I’ve spent endless hours reading articles and biographies on the internet. Just over the weekend, I watched The Soloist, a movie based on the Los Angeles Times journalist, Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) who befriends a homeless, gifted street musician, Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx). Their friendship results in an utter transformation and greater understanding of both characters. After watching the movie I found myself, once again, sitting on my computer researching. I came across this video—which includes Mr. Ayers, himself, doing what he does best, playing music.
What do all of these movies have in common? These are all based on actual events, people and/or stories--and this is only the tip of the iceberg. Now, whether or not they are accurately depicted is another side of the coin. Nevertheless, I've been captivated and moved by these films--I've found myself running to the library to pick up books related to these stories. I’ve spent endless hours reading articles and biographies on the internet. Just over the weekend, I watched The Soloist, a movie based on the Los Angeles Times journalist, Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) who befriends a homeless, gifted street musician, Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx). Their friendship results in an utter transformation and greater understanding of both characters. After watching the movie I found myself, once again, sitting on my computer researching. I came across this video—which includes Mr. Ayers, himself, doing what he does best, playing music.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
red red wine
Every now and again I'll shoot around the web in search of the some informative, positive news to uplift my spirit. As I am sure we've all realized, the media loves to focus on negative stories, so I find it only appropriate to share my findings with you.
Some drink to forget..but should we actually be drinking to remember? Researchers from UCLA believe that red wine may in fact reduce the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease, a form of degenerative brain disease. David Teplow a Professor of Neurology at UCLA working on this research claims that, "no disease-modifying treatments of Alzheimer's now exist, and initial clinical trials of a number of different candidate drugs have been disappointing.” Thus, their findings of polyphenols, which block the production of proteins that destroy brain cells, could potentially be a colossal breakthrough. Researchers experimented with mice, treating the proteins that killed their nerve cells with grape seeds. This could ultimately lead to a huge advancement in the work of Alzheimer’s research, they plan on performing human clinical trials soon. Grab a glass and drink up!
Some drink to forget..but should we actually be drinking to remember? Researchers from UCLA believe that red wine may in fact reduce the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease, a form of degenerative brain disease. David Teplow a Professor of Neurology at UCLA working on this research claims that, "no disease-modifying treatments of Alzheimer's now exist, and initial clinical trials of a number of different candidate drugs have been disappointing.” Thus, their findings of polyphenols, which block the production of proteins that destroy brain cells, could potentially be a colossal breakthrough. Researchers experimented with mice, treating the proteins that killed their nerve cells with grape seeds. This could ultimately lead to a huge advancement in the work of Alzheimer’s research, they plan on performing human clinical trials soon. Grab a glass and drink up!
Monday, September 7, 2009
i've been stumbling
Nineteen point two billion web pages were indexed by Yahoo! in August of 2005. Four years later--it's safe to say that number has probably doubled. It's no wonder we spend hours upon hours surfing through the infinite abyss that is the World Wide Web. It's entirely too easy to get lost in cyber space. So, one day, the heavenly gods from above graced us with the wonder of the Stumble button. This enables you to literally stumble through web pages of your desire. After setting up an account you are prompted to set up a profile and choose your interests..sports, music/movies, media, commerce, health-hobbies, etc...which are then, subcategorized into more specific interests..weddings? birds? poker? vintage cars? dating tips? marine biology? UFO's!? The button, like magic, will appear on your web browser's tool bar and may you forever enjoy endless hours of stumbling..
My recent stumbles:
My recent stumbles:
Friday, September 4, 2009
The Beginning of the End
Wednesday, September 2, 2009 will forever remain a milestone in my life. Compared to other achievements, the traditional birthdays, weddings and graduations that we habitually celebrate, it marked the beginning of the end.
We tend to gauge the passing of time by our accomplishing of goals that society sets as the norm. We anticipate turning sixteen, then eighteen and perhaps the most celebrated of them all, twenty-one. These are all ages signified by attainment of more rights—driving, voting, drinking, etc. September 2nd was a day unlike that. It was a day characterized by epiphany, melancholy, uneasiness and much beyond all of this, a sudden feeling of astonishment. It was the first day of my last year of college.
Over the past three years college has defined me. My daily routines worked around my class schedule. My social life was constructed around my colleagues. My education was concentrated on my chosen major. The communication tools I utilized, such as the internet, facebook, instant messenger and e-mail enabled me to stay connected to the social web that formed around me. My college career was everything I expected it to be and more. September 2nd only reinforced the notion that college, like many things in life is but a fleeting moment.
Nevertheless, I wouldn’t take back even a second of the past three years. I would be running around in circles if I wasn’t able to move forward. I'll dive in head first and I won't hesitate to explore and discover. So, I refer to a card my parents gave me when I graduated from high school in 2006. A quote from novelist John Updike reads,
"You cannot help but learn more as you take the world into your hands. Take it up reverently, for it is an old piece of clay, with millions of thumbprints on it."
We tend to gauge the passing of time by our accomplishing of goals that society sets as the norm. We anticipate turning sixteen, then eighteen and perhaps the most celebrated of them all, twenty-one. These are all ages signified by attainment of more rights—driving, voting, drinking, etc. September 2nd was a day unlike that. It was a day characterized by epiphany, melancholy, uneasiness and much beyond all of this, a sudden feeling of astonishment. It was the first day of my last year of college.
Over the past three years college has defined me. My daily routines worked around my class schedule. My social life was constructed around my colleagues. My education was concentrated on my chosen major. The communication tools I utilized, such as the internet, facebook, instant messenger and e-mail enabled me to stay connected to the social web that formed around me. My college career was everything I expected it to be and more. September 2nd only reinforced the notion that college, like many things in life is but a fleeting moment.
Nevertheless, I wouldn’t take back even a second of the past three years. I would be running around in circles if I wasn’t able to move forward. I'll dive in head first and I won't hesitate to explore and discover. So, I refer to a card my parents gave me when I graduated from high school in 2006. A quote from novelist John Updike reads,
"You cannot help but learn more as you take the world into your hands. Take it up reverently, for it is an old piece of clay, with millions of thumbprints on it."
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