"Baby baby baby oooh..." Oh Justin Bieber... so young; so naive. He's cute, he can sing, and he's got a new girlfriend?
Another case of fan jealousy has arose: this time, more ridiculous than ever: fans are threatening Kim Kardashian. Bieber Tweeted that Kim is "a very sexy friend but a friend. No need 4 threats. Let's all be friends and hang out often." This kid is what, 14?
The controversy began when the two were seen together at the White House Correspondence Dinner, and since then, Kim is shocked at the response of his crazy fans. I feel like this is all a little out of control. An article posted on People Magazine's website reported these ridiculous claims, and is pretty much poking fun, as I am as well, at the whole situation, regardless of the fact that Kim's life is "in danger". With these threats lurking, does the media have responsibility in keeping Kim safe? If other death threats arise, should they take matters into their own hands, or continue to report, knowing the danger her life is in?
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Fat is Phat?
What role should media play in telling us we're fat? What affect do they have on our countries obesity? Not just how much we weigh, but how we look at weight itself. Is it possible that they are the ones convincing us to lose weight, or maybe they are showing that it is okay being obese.
Oprah, Kirstie, Tyra: just a few women who have publicly dealt with obesity. Because they are public figures, we are more prone to notice their weight gain, and either encourage them to "be themselves", or criticize them for being fat.
I guess sometimes I wonder if having figures like Oprah come out and say, ya know what, fat is phat: it's okay to be who you are and not worry about how more quickly you're dying because of your fat: just love yourself, jiggly and all. Is that simply a cover up because she can't lose the weight, so she has to act like she loves it? Regardless, I think that not only her view, but all public figures' views on obesity have an affect on our society, and the larger we get, the more accepting of it we are. Should we be? Should we be encouraging an unhealthy society in order to deal with the emotional problems that come from obesity?
I am by no means encouraging eating disorders or starvation, but rather healthy steps that can be taken to lose those extra pounds and live a longer, healthier, more stress-free life.
Oprah, Kirstie, Tyra: just a few women who have publicly dealt with obesity. Because they are public figures, we are more prone to notice their weight gain, and either encourage them to "be themselves", or criticize them for being fat.
I guess sometimes I wonder if having figures like Oprah come out and say, ya know what, fat is phat: it's okay to be who you are and not worry about how more quickly you're dying because of your fat: just love yourself, jiggly and all. Is that simply a cover up because she can't lose the weight, so she has to act like she loves it? Regardless, I think that not only her view, but all public figures' views on obesity have an affect on our society, and the larger we get, the more accepting of it we are. Should we be? Should we be encouraging an unhealthy society in order to deal with the emotional problems that come from obesity?
I am by no means encouraging eating disorders or starvation, but rather healthy steps that can be taken to lose those extra pounds and live a longer, healthier, more stress-free life.
Hannah Montana, killed by Miley Cyrus
Kids kids kids. They all grow up... eventually. Some faster than others. Hannah, I mean Miley, or maybe it is Hannah? grew up faster than most. She was thrown into the spotlight at a young age, thanks to her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, and has remained in it ever since.
She enjoys being the center of attention, and is indeed very talented. She was respected by many as a good role model for young girls, vowing to remain pure, and not an idolizer of celebrities. But then things started to crumble for sweet, innocent Miley... and Hannah.
While her show remained on the Disney channel, her career as a pop star arose, and so did undesired photos and videos of her in her everyday life. Because of her young age, and her influence on younger girls, sparks flew! The media gave her more attention than she had ever desired, and it became evident that Miley was Miley: not Hannah anymore.
Recently, Cyrus released a controversial video, where she is somewhat scantly dressed and provocatively dancing. The question arises: how much impact do videos like this, and images of her half-dressed, have on her younger fans? And when will she make the break from Disney child star to someone who the media views as a Hollywood start?
She enjoys being the center of attention, and is indeed very talented. She was respected by many as a good role model for young girls, vowing to remain pure, and not an idolizer of celebrities. But then things started to crumble for sweet, innocent Miley... and Hannah.
While her show remained on the Disney channel, her career as a pop star arose, and so did undesired photos and videos of her in her everyday life. Because of her young age, and her influence on younger girls, sparks flew! The media gave her more attention than she had ever desired, and it became evident that Miley was Miley: not Hannah anymore.
Recently, Cyrus released a controversial video, where she is somewhat scantly dressed and provocatively dancing. The question arises: how much impact do videos like this, and images of her half-dressed, have on her younger fans? And when will she make the break from Disney child star to someone who the media views as a Hollywood start?
TV:Sink or Swim
Whale Wars, a show on the Discovery Channel, exposes the sad world of illegal whale hunting, and helps to stop Japanese Whalers. It is a fight that has been going on for a long time, but has just recently been placed on cable television for all to see.
While this is not "news" per se, the show is exposing information that most would not generally know about, and could potentially show interest in. Things are always happening to, like just recently, when a Japanese Whaling boat tore apart the crew's new $2 million ship. While no one died, it put a big damper in the "take-down" process. But the efforts to stop this violence will continue, despite the set-back.
I feel like events like this should be more publicized: Oprah's on T.V. all the time for her "good deeds", but here people are risking their lives to stop illegal violence, and we don't find out about it until a series of shows comes out.
The Sea Shepherds are not the only people who help to stop this cruelty: there are many others, yet there is very little about it in our media, and I do believe that events like this are news. Poor whales.
While this is not "news" per se, the show is exposing information that most would not generally know about, and could potentially show interest in. Things are always happening to, like just recently, when a Japanese Whaling boat tore apart the crew's new $2 million ship. While no one died, it put a big damper in the "take-down" process. But the efforts to stop this violence will continue, despite the set-back.
I feel like events like this should be more publicized: Oprah's on T.V. all the time for her "good deeds", but here people are risking their lives to stop illegal violence, and we don't find out about it until a series of shows comes out.
The Sea Shepherds are not the only people who help to stop this cruelty: there are many others, yet there is very little about it in our media, and I do believe that events like this are news. Poor whales.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
CNN stays solid amidst the rubble
One of the worst places to have an earthquake had not only an earthquake: a catastrophe. And while thousands died, and many official lines of communication were down, user-generated content played an import role in spreading news about the earthquake in Haiti.
Twitterfeeds included impressive pictures, and CNN had the most material on the quake of all of the news organisations, produced by seven reporters on the ground.
Despite communications being down in Haiti, in one day 218 quake iReports from Haiti were sent to CNN, with 17 being vetted by CNN, and 212 reports of missing loved ones, with 13 of them being verified.
This form of communication and ability to mass-publicize information was not only helpful for the earthquake, but will be helpful in the future. Despite my previous wrath let out about Twitter, in this situation, for some reason, people were able to send information quickly to the states, which helped to contact relatives in the States. And CNN gained a lot of publicity about its effectiveness with this horrific event. They didn't just give information: they were there; they told the story.
Twitterfeeds included impressive pictures, and CNN had the most material on the quake of all of the news organisations, produced by seven reporters on the ground.
Despite communications being down in Haiti, in one day 218 quake iReports from Haiti were sent to CNN, with 17 being vetted by CNN, and 212 reports of missing loved ones, with 13 of them being verified.
This form of communication and ability to mass-publicize information was not only helpful for the earthquake, but will be helpful in the future. Despite my previous wrath let out about Twitter, in this situation, for some reason, people were able to send information quickly to the states, which helped to contact relatives in the States. And CNN gained a lot of publicity about its effectiveness with this horrific event. They didn't just give information: they were there; they told the story.
Conan vs. Leno
A horrible dark war between the two comedians arose despite the light soft earthquakes that killed thousands. Sarcasm. But really: gotta love America. I understand that the continuing earthquakes was getting a little heavy, but a television war over two comedians, Conan O'brien and Jay Leno, both who think have very little talent compared to, oh I don't know, David Letterman, a Ball State University graduate, is just plain ridiculous and irrational!
Not only was this great debate between two television stations, but governmental news and all other forms of news got involved: it was like a political debate between Republicans and Democrats and winning the presidency or something.
While I can understand why this topic may be of some importance to us because of their place in late night television, and more deeply the stations and how these decisions represent their choices, I don't think that the topic should have been spread out for so long on so many different broadcast stations.
Who cares about the fight: in all reality, all you want to know is who won.
Not only was this great debate between two television stations, but governmental news and all other forms of news got involved: it was like a political debate between Republicans and Democrats and winning the presidency or something.
While I can understand why this topic may be of some importance to us because of their place in late night television, and more deeply the stations and how these decisions represent their choices, I don't think that the topic should have been spread out for so long on so many different broadcast stations.
Who cares about the fight: in all reality, all you want to know is who won.
Tweet this
TWITTER! puke-in-mouth. Okay, I'll admit: I have one. When was the last time I've been on it: I have no idea. You see, it's one thing to have a Facebook status that may describe "what's on your mind", which could be anything from a literal description to a song's lyrics, or a funny quote. It's another thing to say, "in the shower, washing, rinsing and repeating". Shut up! I don't really care. Nobody really cares. Yet for some reason, when Ashton Kutcher sneezes we must all know and "re tweet?". Stupid.
Could we seriously get any creepier or stalkerish? Yes, they are putting it out there for us to stalk, I mean 'follow', but we are also encouraging this strange act of telling the world, in 140 characters or less, how horrible or delightful our day is; how many times we've used the bathroom; or to remind themselves of something later because their life is too absorbed in everyone else's life (via Twitter) that they can't remember their own.
Why should celebrities gain even more attention through this site too? That's another problem I have with Twitter: you can follow your favorite 'celebrity' and know where they are and what they're doing- when some of the biggest news is first spoken of through such a website- when you can idolize someone you don't even know even more by 'following' them. Every day on Live With Regis and Kelly, Kelly would be tweeting on air about what was happening, or talking about other people tweeting to her. I love the show but HATED that part!
I guess the part that I hate the most is privacy: being able to find out so much about people you don't even know... and the worst part is that they're the ones that feel compelled to tell you so much. What is privacy anymore? Really.
Could we seriously get any creepier or stalkerish? Yes, they are putting it out there for us to stalk, I mean 'follow', but we are also encouraging this strange act of telling the world, in 140 characters or less, how horrible or delightful our day is; how many times we've used the bathroom; or to remind themselves of something later because their life is too absorbed in everyone else's life (via Twitter) that they can't remember their own.
Why should celebrities gain even more attention through this site too? That's another problem I have with Twitter: you can follow your favorite 'celebrity' and know where they are and what they're doing- when some of the biggest news is first spoken of through such a website- when you can idolize someone you don't even know even more by 'following' them. Every day on Live With Regis and Kelly, Kelly would be tweeting on air about what was happening, or talking about other people tweeting to her. I love the show but HATED that part!
I guess the part that I hate the most is privacy: being able to find out so much about people you don't even know... and the worst part is that they're the ones that feel compelled to tell you so much. What is privacy anymore? Really.
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