War of the Worlds

I just got done listening to the radio lab War of the Worlds. I have to say I laughed, at the same time I can definitely see how and why people thought this was real. In a way it amazes me how much control the media has over the people. But in a much bigger way, it really isn't surprising at all.

First, let me start off by saying, I think that people depend on the news (whatever the medium may be) to honestly tell them whats going on in the world. Now this isn't always true, and the more I learn in this class the more I realize this is becoming less and less true, but people still turn to their favored medium for their daily news. So when something like the War of the Worlds happens, the last thing on the peoples mind is, "This must be a joke."

Second, I too am one of those people who watches the news then feels like there's no hope for the world. Like it just keeps getting worse everyday. Though my grandma and I have had talks about media and the effects it has on people (mostly television)I still let it get to me. At the end of the radio lab the announcer speaks on the news and its fear factor and how it keeps people watching/listening. I personally agree with his statement. Though it makes me mad feeling like the news organizations are taking advantage of my emotion, I cannot offer a solution to this problem.

Is there a solution? Can we as people loosen the tight grip the media has over us?

Photoshop Effects

I was very surprised and very intrigued by what we learned in class today. The amazing effects photoshop can have on pictures.

I have a friend, who lives in Phoenix, and she photoshops all her pictures before she puts them on the Internet (i.e myspace). She mostly does it to smooth the skin on her face so you cant see all her scars, from acne and fights. She might even add some words or a picture frame just to personalize the picture. All this i was familiar with and very aware of.

Even the models in magazines, I knew that their hair and make-up is done by a team of professionals and that their bodies are airbrushed. But its this tool that's called the "liquefying tool" that astounded me. For those of you not familiar with this tool, what it does is basically manipulates the pixels of an image. It can move them anyway to want, most of the time creating a completely different image. Below is a short video by dove that barely scratches the surface of the amazing effects photoshop has on a picture.



The big debate now days, is whether or not there should be a disclaimer on every picture/ad that is photoshoped saying just that. Maybe something like, "Warning: This image was photoshoped. This is not reality." Ok, so maybe scratch the reality part, but you see where this is going. I am on the affirmative side of this argument. I agree that there should be a disclaimer on these pictures for 2 reasons. 1) So young girls (and boys) are very aware of whats real and whats not. That the images they are looking at are real images and not a manipulated version. 2) So the people who spend hours and hours a day going over every detail, photoshoping pictures, get the credit they deserve for producing these immaculate images.

What do you think?

Bigger Than The Great Depression

I'm sure you've seen the headlines, "House to Vote on $700billion Bailout Plan" and "DOW Drops 500 Points, At its Lowest in History", but this is just one company. If you turn to channel 58 (MS NBC) or 59 (CNBC) (and watch the little moving columns at the bottom of the screen) you'll notice that 9 out of every 10 of these companies shares are in red, meaning that the companies worth per share is down/decreasing in value. Decreasing in value drastically and its not just in the US. Its all over the world!

So I was up last night till about 3 in the morning watching the stock market over in the UK. I, myself, do not hold stocks nor do I have a great interest in them. However, i do realize there importance in the world and how it effects the economy. As i am watching, i notice that not only is the stock market in the UK down drastically but the Prime Minister over there is purposing the same idea as our government. A "Bailout Plan", which in my opinion, says "We're going to print as much money as we need to..." but what they don't tell people is it might cost a $100 for a loaf of bread. Being that the value of our dollar (which is already almost nothing) is going to be worth even less.

I went and spoke to both of my grandparents about this issue wanting some knowledge about what to expect and hopefully a little comfort that it will all be OK. What i got was 2 very different opinions. My grandpa said that basically, "This will be a worldwide depression!". That people who were rich last week (even well off) are broke on their ass today, because of the market. That jobs, food, and especially money is going to be very scarce in the world for awhile. But when i spoke with my grandma about it she said that, "She thinks America needed the 'slap in the face'. That people now days are to fat and to lazy, and this is a wake up call we've been needing". Adding that - her grandma (my great, great grandma) lived through the Depression of '29, in Durango, and the only way it really effected us here was that certain things were rationed. Meaning when you went to the store to buy them, you'd get a piece of paper saying that they were out and you were guaranteed one on the next shipment.

In conclusion, I know this has been going on for a least 8 years now. The Bush Administration has a huge part to with it being that before Bush's presidency the US had no national debt! I hope my generation can elect a good official to represent our counrty and to help with the economic state of the US.

Hurricanes of 08

This year we were hit hard by 2 major hurricanes. Taking many life's and causing serious damage to the US and other countries

The first was Hurricane Gustav one of the costliest, major tropical cyclones in the 2008 Atlantic season. It formed on the morning of August 25 about 260 miles of the coast of Haiti. It turned into a category 3 hurricane early the next morning ripping through Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, and steadily headed toward the US, moving across the Gulf of Mexico. On September 1 it hit the US at a category 2 hurricane (1 mph under a category 3). It came in along the Louisiana coast and slowed down significantly before moving on through Arkansas.

As of September 15, there were 138 deaths and $13 billion in US damage along with $3 billion in damages in Cuba.

Second, was Hurricane Ike which was the most intense storm in the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. It formed September 1 of the coast of the Cape Verde Islands and by September 4 it had become a category 4 hurricane. Ike's diameter was 450 miles and its wind speed peaked at 190 mph! Ike claimed 147 lives, primarily in Haiti (who was already recovering from Hurricanes Fay, Gustav, and Hanna) and the US with many deaths taking place inland. The US estimated cost for damages will be $27 billion for coastal areas, with an additional $4 billion in damages in Cuba.

Both of these hurricanes were not only tragic, but 2 of the costliest hurricanes of all time in the US.

OUTFOXED

Today we watched the movie "OutFoxed" and now I feel more educated about our news channels. This movie helped to remind me that you always must question where our news is coming from. No matter who broadcasts' it.

After the movie I was pretty set on Fox News being a very biased news network. I went home and talked with my grandfather about this. He is a very educated man who watches MS NBC and Fox News all day everyday. I told him about the movie and how I felt about Fox News being biased. He did not agree with me saying, that he thought Fox News was a pretty fair and balanced news network!! However, he did agree with me about Bill O'Reilly, and my thoughts on him being a cynical asshole.

I took my grandfathers opinion into consideration, but i am still going to question how factual the news is, and try to figure out for myself what is really going on. No matter where i hear/read it!

Drug Money

Authorties in Genesee County (located in the southeast lower part of Michigan) made one of the largest drug-and-cash bust in the counties history.

They found more than $500,000 cash ($644,833 to be more exact) laid out in stacks of $100 bills, $50 bills, and $20 dollar bills. They found another $2 million in drugs - all convinscated by the Genesee County Police Department from one drug dealer in the city of Flint.

My question is: Where does all this money go?

According to the Druf Enforcement Administration, when the DEA (in a certain disrict) takes down a dealer, that department gets a cut of the cash - a pretty large cut in this case.

"The sheriff's posse will get about $312,000 of it," said Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell. "And then we have to divvy the money up among the other police agencies that worked on it."

Now, although the DEA needs to get paid back for the time and effort the spend on a case like this, wouldn't you think they would put some of that money back into the communties where they live? Especially when they come up on over $300,000? Not to mention the $2 million in drugs that will setting in evidence......? Just a thought

Big Bang Machine

The new scientific wonder of the world was switched on today after 14 years of preparation. Europe's Large Hardon Collider is the worlds biggest 'Big Bang' machine (simulator). For those of you unaware of the Big bang Theory - its the theory on how our universe came to existence. Its use is intended to help us probe things such as dark matter, missing antimatter, and unseen dimensions of space.

Less than an hour after being turned on the beams of LCH made its first full clockwise circuit. However, it will take a year for LCH to reach its full potential. Once it reaches its full potential the machine will produce two streams of visible protons spinning in opposite directions around an underground racetrack at 99.999999 percent of the speed of light (186,000 miles per second). When the two waves of protons slam into each other, scientists expect particles to melt into bits of energy up to 100,000 times hotter than the sun's core!! Thus replicating the state the universe was like an instant after it came into existence.

More than 10,000 scientists, engineers, and other workers were involved in this revolutionary research opportunity.

Drug Money

The U.S Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in connection with Mexican Police made the "largest drug-cash seizure in history"when they raided a home in Lomas de Chapultepec, Mexico City, Mexico.

They confiscated $205.6 million in U.S currency, 200,000 in euros, and 157,500 in pesos, along with cash, luxury vehicles, weapons, and a pill-making machine from a residence in one of Mexico City's wealthiest neighborhoods (home to ambassadors and business magnates).

The money found hidden inside walls, suitcases, and closets came from the the profits of methamphetamines sold in the United States.

Seven people were arrested and are being held for 3 months while the investigation continues.

"The money was connected to one of the worlds largest networks for trafficking pseudo ephedrine (main ingredient in methamphetamine)," said Mexican Attorney General Eduardo Medina Mora. The ring had been operating since 2004 and is said to be run by a native of China who had gained Mexican citizenship. The alleged ring leader is suspected to be in hiding, somewhere probably outside the country.

The operation could reduce the supply of methamphetamine in the U.S, where Mexican drug gangs control at least 80 percent of the market.

Kelis Acquitted of Charges

R&B singer, and wife of east coast rapper Nas, was acquitted on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting an arrest today (Sept. 9), in Miami court.

Kelis was originally arrested in Miami on March 2, 2007 for screaming racial slurs and lunging at 2 female officers who were posing as prostitutes. Authorities said Mrs. Jones (Kelis) was disrupting with an on-going investigation.

Miami court judge ruled that there was no basis for her arrest.

"I'm thrilled that justice prevailed in the end," Kelis told E! reporters. "Racial profiling is a very serious matter. Unfortunately, most victims learn to deal with this form of harassment in their daily lives because they feel that they don't have a voice or because they're not able to absorb the costs to legally fight it in court. I hope that this sheds light on the fact that wearing a uniform and carrying a badge does not allow you to act above the law."

The R&B singer plans to pursue charges against the Miami Police Department.