https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1RnYfFZK2k

Initially, I had planned to cover this for my final paper, but I found a better scene to do. This scene, however, fits a blog perfectly.

The largest draw from this scene for me was via the technical perspective. The way the scene was made was so incredibly complex, yet, it is something that Wes Anderson has done in the past. The scene shows Steve Zissou's boat, which he explores the world in as a marine documentarian. The actual boat they use for filming the scenes is built more like a traditional set, yet, this scene features the boat cut in half, specifically built for this. Notice how the camera doesn't break often, and it just glides across the scene. The true sets of the scenes in the boat were filmed on a real set, as opposed to in the fake boat they built for this scene. A truly impressive feat.

Another concept in which we have covered this semester that the scene exemplifies is selectivity. In the case of the scene, our selectivity is derived from each stop on the tour of the boat, showing, in detail, what lies within that room. The film forces us to be selective in what we view, though, it is still selective, as we are not looking at the piece as a whole. We are engaged in selectivity.

Finally, I found this piece to be a good example of a viewer having to use constructivism for viewing the image. This is due to the image being broken up into so many parts, yet, the camera only views small parts of this at a time.

(Pre-note: I had to scour my old Facebook events for a decent graphic design picture. This is one from a show I went to on NYE this year to say goodbye to a really cool punk venue in Cohoes, run by the vocalist/guitarist of Prince Daddy. His band started touring a bit more, so they decided to stop hosting shows at the venue. The night was filled with fun, and I thought, what better way to really put it to rest than by writing a blog on it.)

In the punk community, you will tend to find a lot of DIY jobs. The Icehouse was no exception. Virtually every poster for a show was designed by a high school student and aspiring graphic designer (probably) named Sarah. Her first few weren't the best - they contrasted poorly, lacked unity, and were just all over the place - but by the end of her time designing posted for the Icehouse, she honed in on how to truly make a good poster.

The poster is very well unified where the type appears. Just by reading from the top down, you can tell how it all belongs together. "The Icehouse - Last show ever" followed by the cost, date, and time, with the date especially bolded, makes a lot of sense to a potential reader. The placement of these elements, followed up with using the same colors on the date and venue, make for the unity. The four bands playing are also listed together, and as with unity, like objects being placed together make fliers easier to read. Having them come after the date make it easier to tell that they are indeed the performing acts.

Another masterful element of the flier is the balance. The two most important things when you're looking at a flier for an event are the date and location. The designer made these in a light blue against the dark blue background, as well as making them significantly larger than their surroundings, making them pop out to the viewer. Although the cost, time, and performing bands are smaller and in a different color, they are generally things that you'd look at after the date and venue. Even so, if we consider the venue and date to be large, the bands playing are medium, as they are of importance, and the time and cost are small, as they are simply after thoughts in the general scheme of making the flier. Overall, the designer balanced the image well.

Alongside the balance of the image comes contrast. Although I touched on it earlier, let's go more into depth. The artist contrasts the color of the "large elements" in the venue and date as a baby blue to stand out against the dark blue background. This comes off as visually pleasing, as it pops out to the reader. As well as the venue and date, the designer used contrast to make the names of bands, as well as time and cost stand out against the background. Although they are balanced as smaller objects in the picture, the white text helps it stand out much more against the dark blue, even if it is smaller.

The rhythm of the poster, I've found, is most noticeable in parts of the background. The snowflakes have a jagged rhythm, as they aren't symmetrical and appear scattered through the image and don't pass through text. To have a more flowing or regular rhythm, the artist could have put snowflakes throughout the image before adding the text to allow the snowflakes to have more of a rhythm. The rhythm can also apply to the text. The largest text is at the top, which flows into a subheading, into the next largest text, into a similarly sized text on the next two lines. Even with two lines of the same sized text, the slow decrease in font size provides a flow to the text.

Our world and Western society post-9/11 has become a mess of visual stereotyping with a deep root in Islamophobia. As a result of fear mongering, the visual stereotype of a person wearing any kind of headscarf, regardless of their cultural origin, or a person with brown skin or an accent is immediately categorized as one of the Islamic faith. On top of this stereotype of Muslims, along comes the stereotype imposed by extremist and fundamentalist groups, such as Al Qaeda or ISIL. These are the stereotypes that are imposed by our media, and it's definitely not right.
There should be no debate over whether or not these stereotypes are harmful. In 2015, PEW Research conducted a study on how many Islamic people were in the world. They found the number to be around 1.2 billion, and growing. PEW states that by 2050, if Islam continues to trend up the way it has been, the Muslim population will eclipse the Christian population, which currently stands at 2.2 billion, or about 31% of the global population. Regardless of this, the population of extremist Islamic people is so incredibly small, and the amount of support they have is even smaller, the stereotype is almost always unjust and untrue. PEW found that "most people in several countries with significant Muslim populations have unfavorable views of ISIS." This includes 94% of people in Jordan, and 91% of people in Lebanon. This puts Islamic people around the world in a vulnerable position of being stereotyped as a violent and disgusting misrepresentation of their culture.
Further more, the stereotype of Muslim people, and the Middle East in general, is continually supported by the Hollywood film industry. When you look at the 1950's, war movies were valorous, and full of bravado, yet, it's taken a somewhat sickening turn in recent years. Most prominently, American Sniper, featuring Bradley Cooper playing former sniper Chris Kyle in a true story, has been noted as political propaganda, displayed a violent and dangerous rhetoric in full view for the American people to consume.
Chris Kyle, the American sniper with the most confirmed kills in history, wrote in his memoir, "the enemy are savages and despicably evil," and his only regret was "that he didn't kill more." His racism is translated to the big screen as a patriotic effort, with pro-war subtleties, that, according to the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), increased anti-Islam threats on people of Middle Eastern descent. According to BBC, days after the film, the ADC came across numerous, vile threats, which they connected directly to the release of American Sniper, and it's portrayal of Middle Eastern citizens caught up in conflict. This directly related to strings of hateful messages posted online, mainly via Twitter. One user, Ragan Brock (@theraganbrock) tweeted out, "[Not going to lie] teared up at the end of American Sniper. Great f------ movie and now I really wanna kill some f------ Ragheads." Another user, Reece Filon (@ItsReeceyYh) tweeted, "American Sniper made me appreciate soldiers 100x more and hate Muslims 1000x more." (Ed: The irony in this is that, if he's appreciating soldiers more because of the movie, as according to his statement, he must appreciate the Taliban soldiers for their bravery and tenacity, right?)
While American Sniper may have been the most egregious of anti-Islam propaganda in America, many other countries portray Muslim people in a negative light. The most prominent example would be that of Charlie Hebdo, the infamous French satirical newspaper who endured a terrorist attack in 2015, around the same time that American Sniper premiered. Charlie Hebdo were no strangers to taking jabs at the Muslim people, seemingly antagonizing them, and vilifying them simultaneously, with their mockery of Muhammad, the Prophet. One such cartoon, posted via Nabilah Irshad on Twitter, featured the headline "If Muhammed Were To Come Back," with a man dressed in all black, with his face covered and a knife to Muhammed's neck, saying, "To death, infidel!" Not only is this a stereotypical portrayal of a terrorist, it is also a direct insult to the Muslim people, pressing the issue and making it more socially justified and normal to make fun of the Islamic faith. According to the International Business Times, Charlie Hebdo was sued for their negative portrayal of Muhammed in 2006 by the French Council for Muslim Faith. The magazine responded by stating that, "just because the Muslim people cannot depict their prophet does not mean non-Muslims cannot either."
So, what's the actual result of these stereotypes in action? Let's look at a few recent and specific cases. According to the Independent, a Sikh man, recently granted asylum in the United States from India, was arrested on a Greyhound bus in Texas, during a journey from Arizona to Indiana. The man, Daljeet Singh, wore his beard and turban on the bus, and sat with another Sikh passenger. Singh, speaking little English, and the man conversed in their native Punjabi language. A woman on the bus falsely accused the men of talking about a bomb, and the bus detoured in Texas, where the men were arrested. This is a direct result of American stereotyping. The fact that the man was wearing a turban, and not speaking english made the woman feel uncomfortable, and thus, she acted on a stereotype to have them removed from the bus. One of the most disappointing aspects of this case is the fact that Singh is not Muslim - he is Sikh. The stereotyping of Muslim Americans is centered on physical appearance which makes this unique case convuluted. Singh's physical appearance resembles that of the stereotypical Muslim American. Not only is stereotyping a Muslim American's by physical appearances wrong, in this case, it's completely irrational since he is not even a Muslim.
On a grander scale, the entire town of Dearborn, Michigan battles with the far right pundits over their detrimental stereotyping. In an article Nancy Kaffer for the Daily Beast, appropriately titled "Dearborn, MI: Where Muslims Are... Americans," Kaffer tackles the false assumption that Dearborn is the American festering ground for Sharia Law. According to Kaffer, out of the 95,000 residents of Dearborn, 35% are Muslim-Americans, or of Arab descent. "In reality," Kaffer says, "that means the city has some pretty great restaurants, a handful of mosques, and a more genuinely multicultural feel than most Midwestern towns—McDonald’s serves halal meat, business signs are bilingual, and every diner serves hummus." For all intents and purposes, Dearborn is just like any other community in the United States, except, instead of churches, you have mosques, yet, they face severe discrimination and stereotypes from around the country. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has repeated and perpetuated the Sharia Law myth, while Koran burning preacher Terry Jones has visited the city to stir up trouble. Even with all of this adversity, Dearborn is still a thriving American city. Rana Elmir, a Dearborn native and member of the Michigan American Civil Liberties Union, contests that, even when presented with the facts and figures that prove Dearborn is safe, functioning, and thriving, the information "doesn't comport with the information they have already invested a lot of brain power and emotion in. They can't imagine that journalists and politicians are telling a lie."
Well, believe it, xenophobes, because the stereotypes are dangerous and detrimental. The City of Dearborn and the average citizen battle everyday for their rights, and to not be discriminated against. They battle the stereotypes, no matter how detrimental.


http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/02/02/dearborn-mi-where-muslims-are-americans.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/sikh-man-detained-on-greyhound-bus-after-being-falsely-accused-of-terror-bomb-threat-a7008116.html
http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-30972690
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/rania-khalek/american-sniper-spawns-death-threats-against-arabs-and-muslims
http://www.ibtimes.com/charlie-hebdo-attack-prophet-muhammad-cartoons-may-have-caused-paris-magazine-1775898
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/12/07/muslims-and-islam-key-findings-in-the-u-s-and-around-the-world/

"THIS TIME, I WON'T FORGET THE IMAGE."

This one might get weird.

This image is the back of the vinyl copy of Neutral Milk Hotel's legendary folk record, "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea." I found this image to be quite striking when compared to gestalt principles. The image features a band of 11 members, plus a leader in the forefront of the image. We can draw the conclusion that the 11 members are related, as well as the leader, with the gestalt theory of similarity. The leader does not necessarily fit, but the 11 members of the band are in a line and wearing similar uniforms. The band members also illustrate the principle of continuation, as they appear to become shorter down the line, creating a diagonal line which our eyes can easily follow. I related the band's leader, and refer to him as their leader, due to his proximity to the band themselves. The leader is very close to the band, even overlapping with some of their legs. While this isn't a larger whole in the traditional sense of a gestalt, I feel as though it really helps to complete this aspect of the image. The background features trees and plants, which seeming make a loop across the back of the image in a continuation movement. 

There are also other theories this image can be viewed through. The second easiest theory I found to view this image through was the cognitive theory. Although the legs are exaggerated and the faces aren't necessarily clear or even realistically human, we are able to distinguish the fact that the artist did intend to make them human. The same goes for the leader, who is incredibly small compared to the other band members. We are not only able to determine that the band and leader are human, but we can also determine the fact that they are a band and leader. Though some of the instruments either look antiquated or unrealistic, we can still tell they seem to be marching band instruments. This is also influenced by the outfits the members are wearing.
The image for this blog wasn't easy to come by, but after much searching, I think I was able to find a rather solid picture to do this blog on. It can be related to both gestalt and cognitive theories.

The first time I saw the cover image for Give Up by the Postal Service, immediately, I thought of The Giver by Lois Lowry. It's desolate, minimal. Seeing this image, the same feelings flowed through me that had when I read about the pilot flying astray and scaring citizens of Lowry's dystopia, only to deduce he'd been executed.
The lack of color was the first thing that made me make the connection, but it's also the background outside the window that made me think of it. In the sky, you can see eight aircraft, which to me are flying saucers in a futuristic society. They are flying in some sort of formation, above what appears to be a castle of sorts. Now, it doesn't match up with the description of Lowry's town, but to me, it screams of a dystopia. The castle is raised high, almost in the clouds. The coloring, the grays and whites, just make me think of despair, bleakness. It also gives a mysterious vibe to me, they way it's not totally clear and it's put off into the back. In the forefront of the image, the bedframe and window stick out the most. They're the most defined elements of the picture, but definitely not the focus. The focus being so deep into the image and so unclear makes it misleading, and it makes it more difficult to truly determine the focus, which I believe is a result of the coloring and shading. Not many people would notice it on the first glance.
I'm sure that nobody looks at this image and feels the same way I do. I've asked multiple people who have listened to the record and looked at the cover, but nobody has the unique connection to it I do. Nobody I know has ever said, "it makes me think of The Giver" or anything remotely similar.
All in all, I think the cover's minimal nature is a reference to the minimal beats and synth loops used on the album, along with slow ballads and fuzzy sounding samples. The cover is simply setting the scene for the music on the album.

This is my new media oral presentation

New media is broadly defined as media accessible through the Internet. With the coming of new media, there come new dangers, but also new positive effects that people should be aware of before writing off the Internet as a whole. Let's begin with the drawbacks.

1. Identity Theft
Identity theft is becoming more and more common with the Internet. It's quite easy to have your personal information stolen if you're not taking the proper precautions. For example, if you're purchasing something through a website you don't normally use and the checkout process isn't through a reputable medium such as PayPal, you may have your credit card information stolen. Another common example is if your computer is stuck with malware. Malware is also known as malicious software, and is most commonly called a virus. Some virus's can track keystrokes, see your computer screen, and steal personal information from a remote location. There are ways to combat the dangers of having your identity stolen, though. Starting simple, having an anti-virus installed on your computer is a great start. It keeps malware from being installed onto your computer, and keeps your much safer. Another pro tip is keeping away from sketchy websites with weird checkout procedures. Also, keeping your information locked up and not giving it out for no reason is also helpful.

"ID Theft and Fraud." Stay Safe Online. National Cyber Security Alliance, n.d. Web. 17 July 2015.

2. Law of the Incorrect Tweet
Much like in real life in some cases, incorrect information will travel faster than it's correction. That is exactly what the Law of the Incorrect Tweet states, according to Poynter. This makes traversing the Internet for information a little bit more tricky, especially on Twitter. Twitter is such a wonderful thing, the way citizens can essentially be journalists on their own, but all of the information may not be entirely correct. I'll get to that more in a bit. One should be wary about incorrect tweets, or any incorrect information on the Internet.

Silverman, Craig. "Visualized: Incorrect Information Travels Farther, Faster on Twitter than Corrections." Poynter: A Global Leader in Journalism. The Poynter Institute, 7 Mar. 2012. Web. 05 June 2015.

3. General Educational Drawbacks
Using the Internet can be time consuming. Sure, there is so much information at your fingertips and it is accessible quickly, but it is also a major distraction for many people. Using Facebook as a specific example, a study done by Kirschner and Karpinski in 2010 showed that students spending more time on Facebook than studying had significantly lower GPAs than those who spent more time studying and less time on Facebook. Not even just Facebook is time consuming, though. Twitter, Tumblr, and even Wikipedia can be time consuming and be detrimental to education and other commitments that may come up lacking due to the amount of time spent on the internet.

Kirschner, P. A., & Karpinski, A. C. (2010). Facebook and academic performance. Computers in Human Behavior, 26, 1237–1245

And now, let's go to the positives of new media!

4. Citizen Journalism
Citizen journalism is such a wonderful thing. Basically, it's what people on Twitter are inherently a part of. For example, in 2009, when US Airways Flight 1549 when down and landed into the Hudson, a man tweeted about the plane and it spread like wildfire. He was one of the first people to report on it. Citizen journalism via new media is generally uncensored in a really different way than people might expect. Many citizen journalists don't have a job to lose by reporting on things that are happening near them or that they've uncovered. For example, if they were to see a large group of police officers moving towards a specific location and they were to Tweet it out, they wouldn't get in trouble for it like CNN possibly could. Citizen journalists can also challenge local government openly on the Internet, and speak more critically of it than many news stations would allow. Even though these forms are very basic, Poynter has a detailed list of 11 layers of citizen journalism, starting with opening to public comment, which is basically just someone on Twitter, all the way up to something like a print version of citizen journalism, where things are collected into one.

Outing, Steve. "The 11 Layers of Citizen Journalism." Poynter Journalism, 2 Mar. 2011. Web. 17 July 2015.

5. Connections
Family connections are so important on the Internet. I've spoken about it so many times in my previous blogs, and I truly think it's one of the best parts of the Internet. It's so much easier to connect with friends and family across long distances via the Internet, as opposed to trying to locate their phone number. If you have no other purpose for using the Internet, use it for this, please. More than anything, family and friend connections are so important, and the Internet does so perfectly at keeping those connections there. For example, I'm friends on Facebook and regularly communicate with a cousin who moved to Belgium when I was very young. She has lived there for more than 15 years, yet, it's still very easy for us to get in touch with each other and plan meetings when she is back in the States. Part of Facebook's main purpose is to connect family who have drifted. (Facebook.) Other than Facebook, keeping in touch with family is possible via Twitter just as easily. Although the information comes in shorter packages and it's more difficult to have an in depth conversation, it still gives an intimate glimpse into their lives.

"Facebook Connects Friends and Families That Have Drifted."Facebook.com. Facebook, 26 Aug. 2010. Web. 17 July 2015.