What will become of Facebook?

I was just wondering if facebook will always be popular, or if it will die off and something else will come out. I think by changing the layout frequently and adding new features, facebook is able to keep their content fresh and inviting. Myspace couldn't make the leap with facebook in terms of popularity. I don't even know who uses Myspace anymore. I think facebook may be here to stay for a long time. There are stories about people who have been harrassed on facebook, but thank god for privacy settings! I did hear stories about being charged for facebook, but I guess it was only a rumor. I was just thinking though, if they even charged a penny per month, that would still be tons of money in profit.

Iron Man 2, robert downey jr., and Burger King

I just saw a commercial for Burger King featuring a promotion for Iron Man. It seems like every popular movie uses Burger King as a platform for promotions. I was wondering how much it would cost the production company to get its movie on burger king commercials? This seems like a good form of advertisement, especially for movies leading into the summer. I'm not really excited for the new Iron Man to come out, I feel like the first one was more publicized. I just hope Robert Downey Jr. can give a good performance. The first Iron Man really resurrected his career. Now, it seems he is in a new movie every few months. He was just in Sherlock Holmes, which I thought was ok, though I found it hard to follow, and his accent was hard to understand. I do believe everyone deserves a second chance, and I'm glad he was able to get his career back with all the legal trouble he went through.

Toyota Recalls

Even with all the recalls on Toyota's recently, I still trust the company to put out a very good vehicle. I feel they have handled all the recalls professionally, and just want to make sure their customers stick by them. Everyone Toyota owner I've asked, about the recalls, say that the recalls don't influence them not to buy a Toyota, because of their long reputation of excellence. I think being well established is something that is often underestimated with companies. Companies that have been around since say 1900, have withstood the test of time, through up and down economies, and changing times. There is something to be said about the number of years a company has been in business for. Companies can develop clientel that will be loyal to them no matter what. Now I see why small businesses that first form have a hard time staying in business, this is because they haven't been around long enough to establish themselves. I guess everything in life takes time and patience. Like everyone says, patience is a virtue.

Virtual Classrooms and online classes

It has always fascinated me how much more poplular online classes are becoming. Schools like the University of Phoenix and now other schools getting into the act, online schooling in my opinion is exploding in popularity. I have wondered if anyone has done research on what is the better learning experience? Is it face-to-face in a classroom, or online where a person has the freedom to learn at their own pace. I have always felt that going to school and sitting in a classroom is the best way to teach responsibility to student's. Getting up at 7 am when you don't want to and driving or walking to class teaches motivation, which is something you can't get out of an online class. I would think that employers look at these types of educations differently, and that a person who "goes to a class" to learn, would be more likely to get a position. I really am not quite sure about this though, because I mean this is an online class, and I feel like I am learning alot about how the media functions. I am not going to sit here and write about how going to class is better than taking online classes, it is just fascinating the way in which education has evolved, and how it is becoming so much more technologically based with the use of computers. I would really like to hear people's opinions on the pro's and con's between taking all online classes, and classes you have to "physically" go to.

5-week summer classes!

I plan on taking 2 classes during the summer to fulfill my math and art requirement. I love that I can do this, it is very convenient for me. Even though I know there will be quite a bit of work, because it is all condensed into 5-weeks, I feel like this will motivate me to do my work. I know people generally hate going to school during the summer, but it's not all that bad. I've taken summer classes before, and the time fly's by. It's definitely easier to move around, and it does not take you forever to get out of campus waiting for the hundreds of cars in front of you. Taking classes this summer will allow me to graduate in the time I plan on, which keeps me focused on the prize. I also find that summer classes are very laid back and less stressful. Maybe the warm, sunny weather makes it feel just a little better going to class. It won't be that bad though, summer session II ends august 10th i believe, so I'll still have like 3 weeks of vacation to take a break from school before the marathon cranks up again for the final year. Anyone else plan on taking summer classes?

The Boston Marathon

Every year at this time of year, people in the city of Boston get ready for the annual Boston Marathon. I look forward to this event every year, because it's such a tradition. Being that it's always held on Patriot's day, and that the Red Sox play in the morning at fenway (11 am start), makes this even more noteworthy. I always think about how the participants get through 26.2 miles of running on foot. I run 5 miles on the treadmill and couldn't even imagine running that much. I do want to run it someday though, but I will need to train for a while to even think about attempting a marathon. I do have a beef with the event though, and that is I think it should be a Massachusetts only event, because it would give one of our residents a chance to win. I know it will never happen, but I mean noone else celebrates Patriot's Day, that is a massachusetts only holiday. So why not keep the marathon to residents only? Boston is a small enough city to be able to do this. I say let people outside of massaschusetts run the marathon in New York City, it's a way bigger city! I know people will disagree with what I say on this, and that's ok, I love to debate people!

Fitzcarraldo Review

I just finished watching Fitzcarraldo last night directed by Werner Herzog. This was a masterful movie in my mind because of the unbelievable cinematography that was done throughout. I especially noticed it when a huge steamship was being hauled up a mountain through the jungle. The camera angles were breath taking because they were shot in such a way that the viewer could not tell whether the ropes were going to snap or not. From a cultural stand point, I liked how the natives in the movie were portrayed. They were shown living their daily lives, and it almost looked unscripted the way they behaved. This is an excellent action and story driven movie. In some ways, it reminded me of Indiana Jones type movie, but with more of a deeper story line twisted in. The movie also features themes about having hopes and dreams, which is something everyone can relate to. A man sets out on a mission in a steamship with a crew to accomplish a goal, and there are barriers of objects, physical, and emotional barriers to overcome. I would recommend anyone to check out this movie, just for the cinematography!, if nothing else.

4 year degree's vs. 1 year certificate programs

I was just thinking the other day how going to Massasoit for a 1 year certificate program might get someone a better job than going to school for 4 years,(in my case way more) and also pay more money. Is it just me, or is a 1 year certificate better than a 4 year degree? This just can't be the case I would think, because 120 credits is a lot of credits, and I would think many jobs would open up to someone with a 4 year degree. Take teaching for example, you only need to get your certificate, then you can start teaching and making pretty decent pay. I just don't understand the education system. Why would someone going to school for less time be able to get a job right away vs someone who has been in school 4 times as long. These are things to ponder, and make me extremely frustrated.

BSC Theatre

I went to a performance by the BSC dance team tonight, "the pops". I have to be honest, I was very impressed with the dancers. It was very entertaining and informative at the same time. It was cheap too, only 4 dollars. The program was neat and easy to follow as well. My girlfriend dragged me to it, and I thought I would hate it, but it wasn't bad at all. The auditorium was packed and the atmosphere was good. I never really stopped and thought about how talented a lot of these dancers are, and what poise and courage it takes to get up in front of a bunch of people and dance almost seamlessly. I like how the performance tells a story, just by the movement of the dancers. I'll definitely make an effort to get to more performances at BSC because it beats anything I could have possibly watched on television.

Reality Television is getting old and dull.......

I don't know about anyone else, but i'm finding reality shows to just be boring these days. Not to mention the fact that a lot of these show's plots are just absurd. I was watching the new Kirstie Alley "reality show" the other day. I can't believe she is trying to make money off of her physical size. Does she need the money or something? It's basically about how she lives her life on a day-to-day basis. Who really cares? Then she has conversations with her kids about how she needs to get in shape and lose weight. Ok Kirstie.......your not the only person in the world who needs to lose weight. The show kind of reminds me of the Anna Nicole Smith show, an ex star who desperately needs the money, so they try and create their own show. I wonder why networks even agree to do these shows? I doubt there is enough interest in Kirstie Alley for her to have her own show. These reality shows are seriously getting ridiculous, it's time to get back to the basics with television.

Hulu Talk

How much has Hulu affected the way you watch programs? For me personally, I find myself glued to my laptop rather than sitting in front of the TV. It offers the ability to multi-task, because I can be working on something important and watching tv at the same time. I can also bring my laptop anywhere with me, so I can watch movies and shows in any location with wi-fi. I guess the one downfall would be that Hulue doesn't have up to date movies on there, which makes sense because those would cost more to broadcast. I find Hulu convenient if I wanna see any episodes of a particular show i've missed. I also like that when you scroll over the pictures of the movies, a description describing what the movie is about is displayed. Does anyone else regularly use Hulu? If so, I would like to hear others feedback for how they like this website.

We need a new Fenway Park!

I'm not going to rant about the Red Sox or anything, this blog is about Fenway Park and why we need a new ballpark. I think it's time for a new park, I mean seriously, the place was built in 1912, and it is extremely uncomfortable to sit in, not to mention the poor angles it offers to watch the game from. Sure the monster seats are great and all(even though they are wicked expensive), but the ownership could have built a new park with all the money they've spent on renovating the old place. I really don't understand the logic, because I feel like a new fenway would be a huge money maker. The current fenway holds about 38,000 people, and it sells out every night. If a new fenway was built with about 45,000 seats, that would create more tickets for people to get their hands on, and create even more revenue and memorabilia sales. it's just time to say good-bye to the old fenway and build something fans can feel comfortable sitting in. I feel like you have to weigh around 80lbs to feel good sitting in any seat at fenway. From reading this, you can definitely tell i'm not a "save fenway" kinda guy.

Shattered Glass!

I just wanted to talk about this movie more. I thought it was a great film portraying betrayal, trust, selfishness, and the dangers of lying. It was amazing though how he could fantasize all of these stories in his head and put them in text, and people bought into it. Maybe if he was writing for a fiction magazine his work would be well recognized. He should have realized that he wouldn't get away with it because eventually someone would catch on to his fake stories. I did some research on Stephen Glass and where he is today, and I guess he went to law school to become a lawyer. This is funny!, because lawyers probably lie more often than not. I don't know who would even give him a job after this incident. It takes alot of guts to make up stories to a major company. I don't know if it's me or not but when information gets "fact checked", do people look into the names to make sure they are credible? If this is the case why didn't the people in charge of "fact checking" his stories get questioned for actually doing this to make sure the names were names of real people. Maybe someone could either correct me?, or give me some more incite?

Smart Cars!

Has anyone seen those real ugly looking cars on the roads these days? They are called smart cars, and I guess they are suppose to get about 41 miles to a gallon. They look pretty dangerous with the way they are designed. I mean, in terms of safety, they are so small, that if someone were to get into an accident, they would probably be crushed. I was just reading up on the safety features on the smart car, and I guess the strength of the frame can be compared to a nut's shell. There is some kind of steel housing that protects the front of the car from any severe impacts. So I suppose looks are not everything, especially with a car, because as I was reading, even though the car looks flimsy, it is very safe. It is also very eco-friendly, because it produces extremely low emission. So it is very good for the environment. I wouldn't buy this car though, because of just how it looks. I'm sure it is very, very safe, and has been proven so, but I mean seriously, would you really want to be driving around in something that looks like an Urkel mobile. If it was maybe a little bigger, I might consider it. Take a look at this!!!

I'm hearing Facebook may cost $$$$$$

I saw a page recently that said something about the owner selling off the social networking site Facebook, then charging customers $14.99/month for the service. If this does indeed happen, I won't be on Facebook much longer. I only have it because it's free! I did kinda wonder when they would start charging to use it, because it would be silly not to charge, think of all the money that would be flowing in. I know people will still pay for it, because some people just can't live without it...... I dunno, as for myself, I could care less about it, especially if it's going to cost money to have it. I am actually shocked that we don't pay for it now.

The NHL is a pathetic league!!

I was just listening to sports talk radio(yes I love this stuff), it was 98.5 the sports hub. A couple of the hosts were talking about the hit to the head Marc Savard received from the Boston Bruins from one of the Pittsburgh Penguins player. The hosts, and most fans who call in, think the bruins should retaliate in some way, shape, or form. The reason why I feel the NHL is pathetic is because they are making tonights game into an "event", because of the possible fighting that might happen on the ice. The NHL is so desperate for an audience, they will do what they can to make money off of tonight's Bruins vs. Penguins game with television ratings. If any retaliation should have happened whatsoever, it should have taken place immediately after Savard got hit. Ever since the NHL rules changed, basically following the 04-05 lockout, the NHL lost a vast majority of its fan base. If they want to reclaim their place as one of the major hockey leagues in North America, they need to make some drastic changes to their rules.

I went to NYC over break.....

I went to NYC during spring break, and I must say, it is enormous. I went to central park, it thumps the boston common in terms of size. There were a few what looked like film students trying to shoot footage for documentary alongside the main street. I noticed that there are alot of movies which show central park, and NYC in general. Rockafeller plaza was not as big as I expected, I guess everything looks bigger on television though. Grand Central Station was elegant in the way it was set-up. It had a very 19th century feel to it, which was interesting to say the least. What I thought was most amazing though, was times square. The amount of advertising was insane! Pretty much every square inch of times square has some sort of advertising on it. It actually made me a little dizzy. The colors, fonts, and designs were eye-popping in the way they were displayed. I really like the electronic newsboard that had top headlines streaming above, it was very unique and slightly entertaining. I actually hadn't been to NYC since I was 10. I guess everything must have looked big when I was that small. Does anyone else have any fond memories of NYC? Oh and by the way, I still hate the yankees..........

Texting while Driving!

I'm sure everyone has done it, or does it alot. I'm talking about texting while driving. It is a habit people just have, and sometimes can't do anything to stop it. It's all about using common sense though when doing it, like only doing it when stopped at a red light. I believe massachusetts is trying to pass a law banning it altogether. I know a number of states have already banned texting, and I'm sure many more will follow. What is it about texting that people love? I think it's the convenience of being able to have a conversation without actually speaking words. Personally, I only text when I absolutely have to, otherwise I just call the person up and talk to them. I'm sure studies have been done on this, but I was thinking how texting has affected our verbal language to one another? In terms of being able to effectively speak to someone in in clear and concise language, how has texting affected individuals ability to carry on a conversation verbally? Anyway texting while driving is extremely dangerous, I almost got into an accident the other day because someone was either talking or texting on their phone and not paying attention to the road. Danerous stuff indeed!

State Colleges Vs. Private Colleges

I really never understood why there is such a discrepancy in whether someone attends a state school over a private school. I feel like your paying for the name when you decide to go to a private school, which looks better on your resume. I'm not going to sit here and bash private schools, I'm sure they have great education systems like state systems. I just do not understand why some of these private schools think they can get away with charging thousands and thousands of dollars for an education i can get for much much less. Last weekend, I went to Emerson College up in Boston, and I must say i was not impressed at all with the library system. The library was barely one floor, and they only had like 5 or 6 public computers. It just seemed wrong to me that a school that charges so much money, can't afford to have better facilities. I'm not going to drink the kool-aid for BSC and say our school is much better than there's, but I must say that our library blows Emerson's library away hands down.

Movies in 3-D!

I was just thinking how popular seeing movies in 3-D has become. I mean, it isn't exactly new technology, it's been out for a while now. But with movies such as Avatar, and disney movies appearing in 3-D, people have more reason to want to go to the movies than ever before. Maybe movie theater companies are trying to get audiences back into the theaters by offering more 3-D attractions. I like to watch 3-D movies, because it offers interaction with the movie for more intriguing viewing. Even though theaters charge more to see 3-D movies, I think it's worth it because it offers variety.

The media made Tiger into what he is today......

I'm not going to get into the Tiger Woods discussing too much, since everyone has their own opinion on this. I do want to say that I have heard alot of talk lately discussing that the media is responsible for making Tiger into this sort of of global icon. We have to acknowledge that this is true because the guy hasn't ever lived without being in the spotlight in his entire life. When he was four years old, he was on late night shows showing off his skills, being plunged into a media craze. I guess you could say that the media is his family in a sense. What I am trying to get at here is that i'm not at all surprised he has done this, because we all know what the old saying is, that noone is perfect. In hearing his apology speech the other day, I thought it was scripted and not at all from the heart. If he was really sincere about his apology, he wouldn't need a script to read off from, and writers to write it for him. He even tried to fake a cry, but couldn't even manage to do that. I guess it goes in saying, that all the money in the world can't buy you love and happiness, and Tiger certainly proves that. I know alot of people don't care about Woods and all his affairs, but I'm sure even those people were glued to their tv's friday afternoon, listening to him "try" and apologize to everyone. It's been interesting hearing everyone's opinion on the Tiger Woods scandal. It does make me sad though, not for Tiger, but the fact that someone that has worked so hard in life, and someone who has always tried to do the right thing throughout their life, just throws it all away with rebellious and selfish behavior. Yes, you will succeed doing the right thing in life, but you must be careful not to stray away from the path......

To be, or not to be.....a MAC

I have been thinking about whether I want my next computer to be a MAC or not, and weighing the positives and negatives. I know that they are growing rapidly in popularity, but I feel like the convenience of getting PC parts is easier than Apple, and this inhibits my decision. Moreover, I don't feel comfortable with how the cd rom is configured in a MAC. It simply slides into the computer, with no tray. What if the CD gets stuck in my computer, it just scares me that it won't pop back out. I mean i'm sure theres warranties on that stuff but i still don't feel comfortable. The whole format of the MAC is different also, because it runs off of a different operating system. I have no problem learning another system, but i would be hesistant to go into certain programs not knowing what i'm doing. I do like other certain programs on MAC that are applicable to my career, such as Final Cut Pro, which is a pretty sweet editing program i want to learn. I also like MAC's version of powerpoint called keynote, which in my mind is a better way to display presentations. Aesthetically speaking, a mac is also way more appealing than a regular PC. I think it all comes down to what I can afford, and I just can't afford converting to apple right now in my life. I hope eventually though, i'll be able to try the computer that's all the rage now in the world.

Fast food Advertisements and brainwashing thoughts

Me and my brother were having a discussion the other day about how Burger King, Mcdonalds, Wendy's ads work on television. He thinks that these companies shouldn't be allowed to air these commercials encouraging people to eat junk and food that causes obesity. I told him that they have a right to do it, because of freedom of press. It does make me wonder though, should these tv ads put disclaimers in that say that eating these foods in excess may cause health problems? I mean, cigarrettes already do it on the side of the box, but should these food commercials be treated the same way. I know people have choices on how to live life, but i do feel sometimes that these fast food commercials are trying to brainwash us into thinking that eating these foods is the right thing to do. Especially when they depict super models eating cheeseburgers, or other people in really good shape. I feel like these ads are lying to us about what is reality. It's sometimes very hard to ignore, but again, we ultimately make choices in life that are either good choices, or not so good. I still feel like it's wrong to do this. Take a look at this pic below and you see what i mean.

All these channels and there's nothing on!

I was just thinking about how sometimes, when i'm flipping through the channels, can't find anything on i'm interested in. With the hundreds of channels i have, you would think there would be something i would wanna watch? Turns out more often than not, there isn't much on tv that really excites me. I think it may be all the commercials. I think commercials fill up so much dead air space, it's ridiculous. I once taped a patriots game, without the commercials, and i must say that it only took about about an hour worth of tape. The game usually lasts 3 to 3 1/2 hours. So that's like 2 hours of just commercials. I just think there should be some kind of limit to how much commercial time there is given to certain programs, or even all programs for that matter. Any thoughts?

Going Retro Style!

After seeing the old pepsi labels come out recently, it made me wonder if this was a way to get more people to drink the product? I think for the most part it is, but i also think the company may just be celebrating its history on the drink market. I must say though, it is refreshing to see something different for a change to keep it fresh and interesting. What a label looks like on a drink does influence me on whether to purchase it or not, i have no idea why, but i'm guessing there is an attractiveness factor to the product. Whether "it's sexy" looking or not, influences me and im sure millions of other people who drink any kind of product. We see retro coming back in all forms these days. It is especially true in sports nowadays. Teams wear retro uniforms more often than ever before, as this is what i have observed over the last few years. From a marketing standpoint, i think retro anything is making a comeback because more revenue can be generated from it, thus more money to be made. In the end it all comes down to money with most things in life. Comments are welcome!

Ways of Advertising!

I find it interesting thinking about ways people advertise, whether it be products or companies, or even themselves. When i was interning at cramer productions, i received an email that was interesting to say the least. It was a collection of pictures showing the ways people display advertisements. I believe humor is a good way to advertise a product, because it will make the consumer want to relate to that product. I want to pose this question to other viewers. Why do you think it is important to be creative with advertisement? Is it something psychological that fascinates our curiosity with ads, and thus will make us more inclined to use the product? Or is it something deeper than that. Check out this website to see other creative ads, they are really neat! http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.wittysparks.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/15.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.wittysparks.com/2007/09/17/countless-creative-ads-at-one-place/&usg=__jlVDYeAycTdJV5xnzggOqJ7Z9uw=&h=375&w=500&sz=30&hl=en&start=13&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=LGWushASMAejwM:&tbnh=98&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcreative%2Bads%26hl%3Den%26um%3D1

Blogs and blogging talk

I have to admit, i do blog from time to time, but only about things i'm interested in. I like to follow blogs on ESPN, especially the hometown teams blogs. I often make posts about topics i'm interested in from time to time. Over the summer, I joined in a blog on this website sparkpeople.com, which is a diet website to help people lose weight. I will say, that looking on the message board everyday motivated me to lose weight, as i have lost about 70 lbs in 6 months. I think blogging is a good idea, because it gives people a chance to voice their opinions about issues affecting the world. It is also good to hear a variety of opinions on different topics to try and gain other peoples perspectives. There are those few people that take blogging to the extreme, by which i mean being offensive and rude on topics being discussed. As for the word "blog" itself, i find the word to be ugly in general, and i abosolutely hate saying it, it sounds odd.

the phrase "breaking news"

The phrase "breaking news", can be construed as another form of semiotics. For me personally, every time i hear "breaking news" on television, i find myself glued to what is going on the whole time newscasters are explaining what's going on. I feel like society has trained us to pay attention to certain things in life, although not all breaking news is even news worthy. Take for example some sports talk radio shows, sometimes they will announce there is breaking news, then say something that is merely insignificant just to get the listeners attention. They know that people will pay more attention, by turning up the radio, but i believe this is just a tactic to attract more listeners. I think it is very interesting how our brains are trained to be more aware of certain words we hear in society.

Attractiveness on television?

Anyone ever notice how tv stations always have good looking people broadcasting the news or weather. If noone is suppose to judge on appearance and employers are all equal opportunity, why is it just a coincidence that only attractive people make it on live tv? I notice that mostly all of the female meteorologists on tv are very beautiful. Is this to get the viewer to watch so the station gets better ratings? I just find this to be very disturbing. We are all suppose to think that this is not the case, but we all know deep down inside it is true sadly.

Media hype?

I have always wondered why different media outlets talk about stories in different ways. One station might be hyping it up too much, then another station will downplay it as not being a big deal. I notice this when big snowstorms are suppose to hit the area, it will be one news stations top story, then another station you won't hear about it till later in the program. Is this just the fact that each media outlet is trying to be different from each other? I would like to hear feedback of what people think about this subject. I was thinking that the stations with lower ratings will try to hype stories more to try and draw the viewer in.

Not Even Sure About Things Yet

Ok everyone here is the deal, i'm still a year off from graduating, and i'm starting to get too old to be in school, i'll be 24 next month. I have to admit, college has definitely been a struggle for me, but i'm doing the best i can trying to push through, the only class giving me a hard time is math!, because i'm just not interested in it so it's hard to stay focused. All i wanna do is finally graduate with my bachelor's, then maybe go to grad school. I say maybe because i'm STILL not sure what i want to do yet, is this bad at almost age 24? I think it is, but it is still the way i feel. I mean sure i'm very interested in media and broadcasting, especially sports broadcasting, but is this what i wanna do for the rest of my life? I just don't know the answer to this yet. I have always said that life is a long journey, with many peaks and valleys, and try and do the best you can traveling the journey

What will 2010 bring for different media tools?

With each passing year, I am always curious to think about the latest cutting-edge technologies to be created. Whether they are for business or pleasure, technology does earn the respect of making life just a little more convenient in this fast paced society. I did hear that google was coming out with their own phone with im sure dozens and dozens of applications. I do have a question for people to ponder, do we really need all of these applications on cell phones? whatever happened to the phone just being used to make a phone call. Sure some of the applications do convenience us as a society, but are some of them just pure overkill? Anyone have any thoughts on this?