Dexter the Sociopath

Hi again!!!

I was recently hospitalized after getting jumped, and suffered from a severe concussion. This event was horrible, but led to a television watching frenzy on Netflix instant video cue. I had already started watching Arrested Development, a darker comedy based on a man who is put in charge of caring for his "wonderful" family after his father was put in jail for fraud and tax evasion. I crammed the last few episodes within a couple hours, and then it was time to discover a new addicting show. My buddy Sam suggested I watch Dexter an even darker comedy based on a serial killer who serves justice in a cold corpse neatly packaged in a garbage bag.

photo credit to imdb.com

I was hesitant considering I prefer lighter comedies that don't involve at least one gruesome murder per episode. However, I was instantly drawn in by his character, and from that point on it was nothing but Dexter and percocet that was left to cure my head. I watched episode after episode, taking breaks to throw up when my stomach was writhing. The show offered a common ground for any viewer because Dexter led such a normal life on the surface. He faces many possible downfalls of his career in bloody justice, but manages to escape them with quick action in covering up his footsteps. He deals with family values, and struggles to make decisions because of his lack in emotion. However, throughout the seasons his emotions become more apparent, and this confuses him to no return because he has never felt anything before. Repressed memories are brought back to life, and he is able to see where the killer inside was born. I highly recommend this show to anyone who is willing to have a little scare mixed with a ridiculous sense of humor. Just lock your doors and windows, close the shades, and you are ready for your first viewing of Dexter.

Datsik was DATSICKK

Hey there fellow bloggers!!!

I'm back with another crazy night out on the town. Recently I went to see Datsik, a Canadian Dubstep artist that performed at the local club Metronome (above Nectars). I was originally with a large crew of wacko college kids looking to dance and bop around all night to the heavy bass and ominous tones. I gave my phone to my good friend Kara on account of my lacking in pockets. However, Kara didn't get into the show, and I was left without any mode of contact for the night. I could have cared less at this point in time, but little did I know that I would want my phone more than anything towards the end of my night. I made it into the show with my good friend Evan, only to find a large group of my good friends who had already made it inside. The 2KDEEP crew opened the show, and ripped some really hardcore bass. It was a great start to the night, and I continued to run into familiar faces throughout the night. I love seeing people, but my favorite thing about any show of this nature is the amount of new friends I am able to meet in one night.

photo credit to Kyle Tansley

The night continued on with a bunch of 2KDEEP crew members tearing club Metronome a new one. Finally, Datsik came on stage, and he didn't show his skill until at least 1 am. From that point on it was complete insanity, I had seen him once before at a much larger venue at a festival. I was able to appreciate his skill much more from the front row rather than at the back of a 2000 person dance tent. He was able to get the whole crowd involved, and even had us screaming lyrics like in this video of him performing live in Denver, Colorado:

SNOWBOARDER MAGAZINE

Photo Credit to Snowboarder Mag

TITLE: Snowboarder Magazine

THESIS: Snowboarder Magazine spreads information based on the latest hot spots, riders, gear, and much more that revolves around the sport of Snowboarding. The Magazine rehashes the evolution of snowboarding, and how much bigger riders go today than when the sport was first invented.

FIVE FACTS: FIVE FACTS ON RECENT ISSUES OF SNOWBOARDER MAGAZINE CAN BE FOUND HERE.

BRAIN: The Limbic brain is most active when reading Snowboarder magazine or viewing the videos on their website. Due to the music and colors changing throughout the video you are completely drawn in through your Limbic brain function. Your Neocortex kicks in when you ask the questions like: Are these guys crazy? How hurt do they get? And resulting in the conclusion of they are crazy, I can’t do that. However, once I am on the mountain I find myself taking risks I normally wouldn’t or dealing with cliff drops that are a complete surprise, which is where the Reptilian brain takes hold of your actions.

8 TRENDS: Snowboarder Magazine uses both the traditional WORD format as well as DIGITAL MEDIA CONVERGENCE. It uses articles that have been written by various authors and journalists, and then manages to incorporate videos and music to go along with the text.

7 PRINCIPLES: In terms of TRADE-OFFS the magazine promotes a view on snowboarding that is glamorous and very uplifting. I completely agree, however there are negative outcomes to becoming this good at boarding. For one thing it is dangerous, time consuming, and restricts your travel options to colder climates or places of a high altitude. Snowboarder Magazine presents a wide variety of PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES: Sound effects in the videos, music to vibe with the actions, fonts to emphasize articles and riders names, video that promotes riders, the magazine, gear, and a variety of other techniques. The EMOTIONAL TRANSFER is used to portray a life of risk and adventure into any other person’s life whether they are at their desk in the offices smallest cubicle reading, or on their way to an Alaskan peak in the helicopter. The PACING of Snowboarder Magazine allows the reader to casually flip through the articles without reading them in any certain order. VALUE MESSAGES consist of a positive outlook that in my mind tells me to get out there, have fun, and take risks to get better and be happy.

29 PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES: BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE is used all throughout Snowboarder Magazine for example it says subscribe now to see where this is (showing a rider ripping a huge kicker with beautiful women in two piece bathing suits boarding and staring at the rider in the air). BIG LIE is used when there is a fold out advertisement for Burton Snowboard but on the outside it states “same great flavor” and “tasty products inside!” PLAIN FOLKS is used when on a montage of pictures of professional boarders hitting crazy jumps; the title of the montage is “Sick Days” referring to the common man who takes a day off work to hit the slopes.

#3 Mid-Term Thoughts and Analysis

Mid-Semester Reflection

1. The main concept that has been covered throughout the class as well as text readings is the transformation of medias different mediums and how they’ve adapted to modern day technology, or if they just died out all together. For example our most recent reading discusses newspapers, and how even though many people don’t read the actual paper anymore, they still end up reading it digitally. All search engines may lead you to newspapers.

2. My reading comprehension still struggles, but when the information is rehashed and discussed in a classroom setting it refreshes my memory and keeps me involved. I like to think that I chime in with insightful comments that in turn make fellow classmates think and challenge my opinions. I truly enjoy face-to-face unedited human interaction, especially when it is geared towards an educational debate. My thoughts run deep when analyzing the brain, so it takes me some time to come to solid ground.

3. The blog is outrageously helpful, and I get a lot of use out of the text, but if I had to add something it would be more notes. Not in class notes, but I would make flash cards of key concepts and new terms from each chapter. Also I would have literally laminated my power tools, and studied in the shower because my quiz taking was weak, and all the mini quizzes add up.

4. I would personally vouch for one quiz every week instead of a quiz twice a week for each class. Or as an alternative have one quiz based on power tools, and the other based on the most recent chapter(s) reading. The fresher the information is in my mind, the better I will do and I’m sure most of my peers agree.

5.

· Power Tools: Very useful for mini-quizzes. The main use I found for power tools understood the structure of my own mind. My brain is all over the place and always has been. When I snap I can blame it on my reptilian brain, it’s human nature! But with smaller conflict my Neocortex is able to take control in rational decision-making. Most importantly my Limbic brain is very strong and always doing its thing, because music is my one true love that triggers many other brains to get going.

· Our course blog is like a chapter review written in words that are easier for me to absorb. I love it because it is like a big notebook that I am only one piece of the educational puzzle. I have some trouble with blogger that can be frustrating such as right now. It is nothing more than technological issues that can be easily solved.

· I enjoy the freedom our personal blog allows. It makes work fun, allowing me to write about enjoyable media experiences I have had. I love going to concerts, meeting new people, and seeing new films. Now I have the chance to rant to the world about my everyday routine. What is better than talking about yourself, and others good times as a homework assignment? Not much.

· Our in class quizzes definitely keep me on my toes. I just dislike the regularity of them. Like I stated before I would love one quiz a week as apposed to one every time the class meets. Just based on that chapters reading rather than the power tools also.

· I love our films because I am able to absorb a lot more from a visual with dialogue and music, rather than a chapter reading. For example the video we watched on radio.

· The book we use is very up to date, and full of interesting articles that apply to our modern day technology. I can easily say it is my favorite textbook. I find most books to be outdated or just boring, but that is not the case with our current readings.