"Graffiti"

As someone who is a part of hip-hop culture I have always thought of graffiti as an artistic expression and feel that it can be used to show both powerful messages and meanings. I have always thought of graffiti as a part of the hip-hop culture, and it is, but in many ways it has branched off to create it's own culture. I am a supporter of graffiti and it is one of my favorite art forms however I do consider it people's right to have it on their own homes or business' because they own that right, it is their property. I felt the best point was said in class, which I fully agree with, we don't say anything about the advertising everywhere so why is graffiti such a big deal? That's something to think about and for me this really puts it in perspective and shows how so many people are both trained and immune to think a certain way, and it is no accident.

Reflection on the Advertising Group

I enjoyed hearing from the advertising group because not only did I like their presentation but more importantly I felt the message they portrayed was very important. This kind of message is especially relevant in today's society where being sucked into advertising has become second nature to most individuals. These ads are only benefiting big corporations through persuading people to buy their product and it works convincingly hence the reason companies spend millions of dollars annualy to do so. This kind of subject needs to be brought to attention and the internet is one of the only working ways to do so due to the amount of individuals it can reach. This subject will rarely be on public television or cable because these are the people who profit from the advertising. Sadly we are all victims to the consumption that advertising creates and it is almost impossible not to be in today's world with ads everywhere you look but to be aware of this problem is of great importance. This subject also relates to my groups project because our slogan is to "wake up and smell the roses" stressing the fact that society needs to start focusing on what really is important in life.

The Subconcious Art of Graffiti Removal (film)

This film is expressing the idea that even though the purpose of these government employees is to rid graffiti from existence they are actually contributing to it's production. I really enjoy this idea because the government employees are sent out to be obedient and uphold laws but instead they are helping create public art. What I found most interesting as well as disturbing is that anti-graffiti campaigns are more funded than the arts, to me this is ridiculous and shows the screwed up priorities of our government, instead of finding solutions the government makes laws. What also comes to my mind when watching this is the tax payers dollars going to removing art, isn't there better things to spend money on? Overall I really enjoyed the different perspective(s) this video brought because whenever you see removal of graffiti you always know what was previously there, to me this is a symbol of artistic presence and success for the artist, that the state actually took time and money to cover their art.

Audio Blog: 100 words per minute

http://www.archive.org/details/100words

For the audio blog I chose to record my mom typing at her computer. I chose this because she is an amazing typer and can record 100 words per minute, hence the name of the blog. I also added in my voice saying 100 words per minute so I could spice it up and give myself some shine. I chose to add in a funny voice from the show Curb Your Enthusiasm, the guy saying "Whatsup Hal..." because me and my brother are always saying this to one another at random moments and I thought it would work well with the sequence. Although I didn't get to use Pro Tools because the station I was on didn't have it, I used Final Cut Pro and it worked really well. The most enjoyable part of the process for me was mixing the audio and overlapping some of the sounds, I had to draw myself away from the project because I could have played with the audio all day. I have been having trouble with the audio so if it doesn't play on the blog you can cut and paste the link above to listen, enjoy.

Novel in Three Lines...

Barack Obama passes all racial barriers and history is made, the United States of America will have its first African-American President. On January 20th, 2009 Obama will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States and change is promised (New York Times).

Michelle Obama to be first lady and many are interested in the approaches she will be taking. She has been compared to Jacqueline Kennedy with her calm and rational ways of being. Michelle states her first priority is the transition for her children(Seattle PI).

Several bomb attacks in Iraq kill many innocent people as well as U.S. soldiers. The President of Syria blames the U.S. for the instability in Iraq calling on the U.S. troops to leave(Seattle PI).

Man arrested at bar after scuffle with police. He tried to pay his 32$ bar tab with gum wrappers. He later was detained on misorderly conduct and assault on a police officer(Seattle PI).

Border patrol expands in Washigton, setting up several checkpoints to cut down on crime and illegal immigrants, they have made several arrests. But some say they have gone too far, the issue of invasion of privacy and too much security comes up with it diminishing our liberty(Seattle PI).

Police shoot and kill innocent man in Everett, the 31 year old was known to be a good man and volunteer. The officers got a call of a burglary and instead of shooting the criminal they shot the the co-owner of the home. The police as of now are all on paid leave until further investigation (Seattle PI).

A building in Syria is attacked by troops killing many innocent civilians both women and children. The U.S. claims there was suspicion of Al-Qaeda and terrorist acts at the location. The Syrian President is very dissapointed with the lack of investigation and the actions taken by the U.S. Army (Seattle Times).

A blockbuster trade in the NBA with both the Denver Nuggets and the Detroit Pistons swapping superstars. Allen Iverson will go to Detroit in exchange for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess. It should be interesting to see how things turn out with both ball clubs(espn.com).

Kit Bakke - Miss Alcott's E-mail

When going to see Kit Bakee I had no prior knowledge of her or her book. I am very glad I attended because I found not only the history of Miss Alcott and everything she fought for to be intriguing but also Kit's side of writing and all that goes into it from the idea to the publication process. I was very suprised that the author, Kit Bakke, was a member of the weather underground as well as an active protestor in the sixties. I couldn't see it in her at first but as she continued to speak it came clear. I admire the cause she fought for and the courage it took to do some of the things she did, it was also very cool that she had a 40 page FBI file. She seemed like one of those people whose brain you'd like to pick if you got the chance.

In regards to Miss Alcott she was a very active person in the mid-18th century who was also a writer and is famous for the book Little Women, which she wrote in one draft (amazing). Miss Alcott seemed to be a very brave soul who was a honorable figure at the time and really stood up for what she believed in. There were two things I distinctly remember from listening to Kit concerning Miss Alcott: One was the effort she made to fight in the Civil War and when turned away she became a nurse although she wasn't qualified at the time to be one. Secondly was that Miss Alcott was the first women to register to vote in her town (for the school board). These both show Miss Alcott's bravery and courage of standing up for herself in a time where unjustice was common.

I really enjoy listening to writers and different people who have been successful in their work and what they have been through in life because everyone has a story. It also gives you a perspective on the different paths people take and what it may take to get to where you want to be. Kit is a good example because she was a political science major and never had plans to be a writer but it just came to her one day (while she was sitting in a dentist chair).

- Reflection on Leslie/Ackerman Films -

The car ride in Leslie's film differs from my own car rides because I am often driving alone, for me a car ride can be very peaceful with rolling down the sun roof and listening to music, I use it as a time for reflection and a way to organize my thoughts or just let go for the time being. In relation to the film I understand the drivers position because of my own experience from carpooling to school with a friend. My friend is a morning person and more often than not he will just continue to talk and talk. The driver and I have some of the same actions of just sitting there with our eyes peeled on the road. Another way the film is similar to my own experiences with driving is I too am often driving in the inner city and downtown area where the noises are very loud and distinct but often times are just absorbed and you forget they are there similar to the end of the film where it becomes something close to white noise. I can also relate with the awareness you must have as a driver when downtown because because you never know what can happen whether it's a car making a wrong turn or a pedestrian running across the street.

As for Ackerman's film I have never really rode the subway except for when I was little and I barely remember it but I think I was in Washington D.C. on vacation. When watching the film as the subway was being shown I was thinking to myself when is this going to cut to another scene but as time went on I started to appreciate it because it did seem as if there was real beauty involved with the everyday people and life moving in and out as well as the different subways making their rounds. In relation to my own life it reminds me of when I was going to highschool and I used to always take the bus everywhere no matter where I was going. At first I hated it and everyone used to say to me man that must suck taking the bus everywhere. But as time went on I enjoyed it and started to appreciate it, I actually felt I was living more and becoming more a part of the world through my everyday life. I would either put on my headphones, fall asleep, or just sit there and observe the everyday life the bus had in it from the different types of people from business men to bums and the different scenes I would encounter and beleive me there were a lot. With the subway although we didn't really hear any particular discussions there was still life and the sounds of the subway were what I enjoyed.

This blog, especially the subway part, reminded me of a Woody Allen interview I saw where he said a lot of the ideas for his movies come from just observing people in their everyday lives whether it is at a park or any public place. This relates to our course and our studies because this is proof you can take something from anything even if it is just a little idea you get from a stranger, who knows what dividends it will pay and how it may benefit you in your future.