A Look Back

Coming into this class, I was not very excited about having to take a literature class.  I really do not enjoy reading unless it is a book I stumble across that looks enjoyable (namely John Grisham books).  However, this class was nothing like I had expected it to be.  The class discussions were really fun to have, and it was interesting to hear everyones take or side from each reading we were assigned.  There was one smaller reading that really kind of annoyed me and sort of angered me too.

The one article that called us the dumbest generation actually kind of got under my skin.  The author has no idea what our generation knows considering we are just now getting into the workforce.  Having all this information literally in the palm of our hand with cell phones we can always find out something.  Information does fall right into our lap with laptops, and this does not make us lazy in my mind, it makes us efficient.  Why spend hours upon hours looking through encyclopedias when all the information or answers we need is only a mouse click away.  How does not knowing classical music, old art painting makes us dumb?  That stuff has no relevance in our life.  We don't read as many novels either, who cares that stuff is fictional, when i read articles on yahoo, espn, penn live which are actually taking place and have some kind of impact on my life.

In my own personal opinion this does not make us lazy or stupid, its just our way of life.  The author does not understand that because he grew up in another time period from us.  We will probably thing the generation below us is dumber then us since we are not accustomed to their style of living.  This will go on forever, but attacking the generation and calling us the dumbest generation ever is actually very offensive.  All I would have to say to him is I'm about to get my college degree, the same thing he got back in his "genius generation."

To close it out I would like to say thanks to everyone for making this a fun class, and to my group you guys made it fun to come to class and enjoyed how we could joke around and yet still get all our work done and have great discussions.  Good luck in the future to all of you!

"Burning Book"

At first thought when I would think about a world without book, I really did not think too much of it.  Honestly in the short run I do not think it would affect me much.  However, the more I think about it the more I think the world would be a worse place without any books.  For starters our education is very important when it comes to books.  People who read books usually have a stronger vocabulary since they see the different words in the books that they read.  Secondly, reading keeps your mind sharper then just watching TV.  When watching TV you just go into a trance sometimes and you stay in that trance even after you stop watching the TV.  When reading a book, you have to process what is written to what you imagine it looks like.  This keeps your mind constantly working and keeping it sharp and keeps you alert in general.  Right now I do not think I would miss books, but when I have been out of school for a little bit and books are no longer a requirement to read and do not appear to be a chore for me to do I think I would miss them.  I personally can never see books ever being outlawed.

We burn books everyday by instead of reading the books we just spend 2 hours to watch a movie that is depicted from a director's imagination which is not your own.  I admit that I am definitely guilty of "burning books", because I would much rather watch the movie instead of reading the book.  Also, back to the reality TV topic is a way of burning books.  They provide us with not literate knowledge, or even educational lessons that books can teach us.  So instead of reading a book that is meaningful, we watch a fake "reality" TV show.  Also, these reality stars have a horrible  vocabulary, and watching them may actually hurt our IQ.  So instead of watching them, we should read books to extend our vocabulary and trigger our imagination to keep our brains sharp and full of meaningful knowledge.  I know I contradict myself a lot when talking about this since I next to never read books, and always watch TV, but some day I really would like to change that.  In my honest opinion once I get out of school and no longer see books as "work" I think I will enjoy them more.

Hunger Games

In Hunger Games my response kind of varied throughout the book.  At first it was kind of like the lottery in like why would a civilization have something like this in place.  Sure I understand that it is supposed to keep the districts in line and keeping the civilians from rising up and rebelling.  However, as the book went along the more I could see the connection to modern day reality TV.  How the tributes acted different in front of the camera and how the viewers watched it and got attached to certain tributes.  They played up the romantic situation between Katniss and Peeta makes me think about either Teen Mom, 16 and Pregnant, Ronnie and Sammie in the Jersey Shore.  Finally, it was very similar to Survivor (minus the killing) since they teamed up with other tributes to try to keep themselves alive and use the skills and resources to succeed in the Hunger Games.

I kind of connected with Peeta, because deep down inside he was not a killer at all.  He even stated that he wanted to die like himself, which proves to me he would not be a good reality TV star.  I myself do not think I would be either since I do not change just when a camera is in front of me.  He was also kind of smart on how he picked the tributes to team up with, and was smart to confess his love for Katniss.  Overall, he has a very high like ability factors, which makes me think of why I connected with him the most in the book.

This song by Sugarland called Take Me as I am is kind of like the love affair going on between Peeta and Katniss.  He said before the Hunger Games that he liked Katniss ("If you want it come get it").  Finally, the line "Take Me As I Am" is like saying I am who I am and I am not changing for the camera of reality TV. 

Jersey Shore

I have watched the Jersey Shore ever since it first came out like 2 years ago.  This season I watched it from start to finish.  This past Thursday was the Season 3 finale, and it did not disappoint.  The guys were just out getting drunk, and trying to "hook up" with girls, while the Situation continued to try to cause drama.  Ronnie and Sam continued to fight and try to work out their relationship which does get quite annoying.  Snooki and Deena just tried to find someone to hook up with their last night in the beach house, and J-Woww started up a new relationship with her summer crush.  

http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/635756/we-never-made-out.jhtml#id=1660594

This video was from the beginning of the episode and what started the new drama for the season finale.

http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/635762/lets-be-blunt.jhtml#id=1660594

This video was the climax of their fight (sorry about the language)

http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/635763/i-need-my-space.jhtml#id=1660594

This video was the aftermath of the fight and them trying to work things out, which doesn't happen.

I think this is actually real for the most part (as sad as it is), but at the same time I think it is staged to keep the viewers coming back to watch each episode and each season.  I do believe the guys in this show act like this whether they are on camera or are just out for the night.  The girls drama is somewhat staged I think.  I think they are told to always cause a problem with each other then to make up to make them look mature, but then again I could be wrong.  Finally the Ronnie and Sammie saga is quite annoying, but real and fake at the same time.  I do believe they love each other, and want to be with each other, but disagree with each other.  The fake aspect of their relationship is how much they react to things.  I think they are told to overreact about everything to keep the people interested and keep them coming back for more.  In my opinion I respond to Vinny and Pauly D (the hostages) the most just because they never want to start drama and are always just trying to have a good time when they go out.  When I go out I enjoy having a good time (not even close to the level they do), but at the same time they joke around and have fun which is funny to watch.

I really enjoy watching the show, mostly because it is funny to watch how these people can actually live like this.  There is a perfect mix of comedy, and drama to keep me coming back to watch it again and again.  My role as a viewer is just to be entertained by the shinnanagins going on during the episodes.  One thing that annoys me though is obsessed people get when these characters come around to bars or other social gatherings.  I do not care that they are around, because they are kind of disgusting people and not good role models one bit. Reality TV just like any TV show would not exist if people did not watch them.  I think reality TV will be around for awhile as programs think of little things to change to make each show a little different from the ones before.  Which isn't that just like any television program or movie we watch?   

Big Brother Is Watching

In the novel 1984 Big Brother is always watching them through the video screens everywhere.  Either writing or thinking is the only way you can have privacy.  Today in our society we are starting to see that we have to give up some freedoms for our security and safety.  After 9/11 our world change completely, and we have to give up some of our privacy to ensure our safety.  The Patriot Act was enacted shortly after 9/11 by the Bush administration.  Some people complained because it is similar to "Big Brother" because gov't officials could tap into phone calls if they were some kind of risk or other key word warning that enacted an alert.  People said this was an intrusion of privacy, and while it sort of is, if you have nothing to hide then what is the big deal.  Also, this past year the TSA are now able to pat you down and give you searches that may make some people very uncomfortable.  There was a big issue raised because it once again invaded your privacy.  My viewpoint of that is if this stops bombs from being put on planes, or other threats then I have no problem with that.  I would rather be alive then having a few privacies lost

.http://daveandjimmy.wnci.com/cc-common/mediaplayer/player.html?redir=yes&mps=daveandjimmy-NEW.php&mid=http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/30273/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/30273/3827/richmedia/11-23-10touch-your-ass.mp3?CCOMRRMID=20667559&CPROG=RICHMEDIA&MARKET=COLUMBUS-OH&NG_FORMAT=&NG_ID=&OR_NEWSFORMAT=&OWNER=3827&SERVER_NAME=daveandjimmy.wnci.com&SITE_ID=3827&STATION_ID=DJMZ-IP&TRACK=

This link is a parody that 99.3 Kiss FM in Harrisburg has played about the TSA thing.  It is pretty funny in my opinion.  Hopefully the link works, I had some trouble with it sometimes, but I think I got it fixed.

My Own Feed

Choice #3

1.  Nike

This would be the top feed since I own a lot of Nike brand stuff.  Almost all the shoes I own are Nike brand. I really enjoy them and think they feel very comfortable.  Whether I need shoes for running, basketball, or just casual wear around campus, I usually can be seen wearing Nike shoes.  I also own a couple t-shirts from them, and a majority of my athletic shorts are from Nike.  Nike also sponsors some of my favorite teams and players.  My feed would let me know when my favorite athletes get a new sponsorship, or when Nike comes out with a new product, or a new shoe.

2.Sony

 

I love playing with and using Sony's technology.  I play the PS3 quite often, and could play it more if my life wasn't quite as busy with work and schoolwork.  I used to have a Sony laptop, and liked it a lot.  It finally stopped working but only after 5 reliable years.  My new laptop is not a Sony, but when I have the money to be picky about what laptop I get, I think I will get a Sony again.  My feed would help me find deals that would save me money, and also keep me updated on the fast paced technology world.

3. AT&T

I have had couple different phone providers in my life, but I am very happy with AT&T.  They cover 97% of America, and I have not had any trouble with their service, or any problems with drop calls.  I plan on continuing to use this service, and my Feed would keep on keeping me in the loop with new phones and everything in that area.  Also, my feed could download immediate updates for my phone, and help me keep up to date with everything AT&T has to offer.

4.Blue Moon

After a long day at work, or when I need to take a break from studying, Blue Moon always hits the spot.  Whenever I go out for dinner, I usually will get a Blue Moon with it.  The orange slice that comes with every Blue Moon draft really brings out the orange flavor that the Blue Moon has in it.  My favorite place to go out to is in Harrisburg, because they always have Blue Moon for $2, and you cannot beat that deal.  Hopefully since Blue Moon is in my feed, they can give me some free beer.  My feed would look out for deals at different places and let me know where I can get it the cheapest.

Solitude

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately..."  I think I could actually do that.  Not for a long time, but sometimes it is nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.  I go up to a hunting camp about once a year where there is no running water, and no cell phone service.  It is in the middle of the woods with a little creek running behind it with only dirt roads leading to and away from it.  I love sitting by the creek with the sound of running water and bird sounds and rustling of the trees in the wind.  However, that is only for a few weekends throughout the year, and not for weeks at a time.  This I think lets me know that I do not live with a "feed" installed in my head.  I can get away and survive without all the technology around me.  

This leads me to the extra credit assignment.  Right now at this time in my life, I could not go a week without using my cell phone, or my e-mail.  I do not have a land line at my apartment, and my supervisors from my internship would have no way to get in touch with me.  The majority of my classes include group projects which are going to be due in the next month require me to constantly check my e-mail, and text on my phone about meeting times, and what is due on what days.  I think it would be interesting to see if I could go without tv, because I love watching sports in the evening to relax and enjoy a few minutes away from my stressful school life.  Also, I do not think my girlfriend would be too happy with me if I stopped using my phone for a week. 

With all of this being I said I do think our society needs to learn to live without technology for a few weekends throughout the year.  Our culture runs on technology, while there is nothing wrong with that, I do think some time away from it is good for everyone.  

"The Dumbest Generation"

After reading the article "The Dumbest Generation" it kind of saddened me, and kind of annoyed me as well.  I hate being lumped into it this category, but I feel like with the education I have received in high school and four years of college I know a basic understanding about many subjects and history.  The guy interviewed in the clip we watched in class (I forget his name) seemed to be a little to picky about what the members of our generation should know judging by the topics he used.  This is an example of each generation looking at the one below them, and saying they are "dumber" then us.  Even in class today our group was saying how the generation below us is going to be so much worse then us.

One quote I like from this article was "Like professors shocked to encounter students who respond with a blank-eyed "huh?" to casual mention of fireside chats, Antietam, or even Pearl Harbor."  For me fireside chats  were a big childhood memories from going camping or going to the cabin at least 5 times a summer with friends or family.  Finally the Pearl Harbor this is shocking, because it is a major day/event in the our nations history.  The blame for the generation can either be put on educators for not teaching the students about it, or our generation not caring and just being plain lazy.  For me, I know what Pearl Harbor is, and cannot comprehend how someone around my age does not know what Pearl Harbor is.

Finally in response to the Miss Teen America clip that was played in class all i can say is WOW!  That is so embarrassing for her, and the sad part is that she is not alone with the stupidity from our generation.  During, Tosh.0 a show on Comedy Central, comedian Daniel Tosh gives her a Web Redemption.  Now I know it has nothing to do with the dumbest generation but I love Tosh.0 and will always use any excuse I can to put a clip of it on my blog.

Second Skin

Watching this little segment about the online gaming world brought out the feeling of disbelief, and some humor out of me.  First of all, I can not imagine playing the game for 11 hours a day, working 8 hours, and only leaving 5 hours for sleep, eating, and other daily life operations.  To me I see this as a definite addiction to the game, and  find it hard to believe that someone can actually believe that the game is real life.  For instance the characters on the game are obviously made up creatures, and the "evil" creatures are made up as well.  They do not even look real in these types of games.  Another feeling of disbelief came when the one girl (Heather I think), was getting jealous when the fictional character of the man she liked would flirt with other characters in the game.  That is absolutely craziness in my mind.  Also, to say that she had fallen in love without even meeting this guy face to face is unreal to me.  Finally, the other thing that seemed unreal to me is how well that one girl who was expecting twins put up with the amount of time her fiance was gaming.  Hopefully he realizes that he needs to cut out the gaming and focus more on his family in the future.

Some humor I got out of this is that people will actually pay for gold in the game, and there is actually "goldfarmers" in China that get paid to play to earn gold to sell to American people.  That just adds to the example of "plentitude" that the American society has.  It actually kind of makes me sick thinking that people will pay real money to advance in a fictional world.  It just does not add up for me.  Overall, this segment about a second skin was kind of interesting to see how much of an addiction it actually was, and that there are halfway houses for addicted games.  It is interesting to see addiction stories that are caused by something other then drugs or alcohol.

This clip called LEROY JENKINS is all I could think of while watching this segment.  If you do not feel like watching the whole thing just skip to the 1:15 mark.  All these world of worldcraft guys are discussing a strategy, and Leroy Jenkins just runs in screaming his name and they all get killed.  For some reason I find this hysterical.  Hope you all enjoyed my thoughts on second skin, and feel free to leave comments.

Introduction

Hello everyone, my name is Bradley Weaver, but I go with Brad for the most part.  I am 22 years old and from New Holland which is in Lancaster County.  I am a senior management major with a concentration in Human Resources, and will be graduating in May of this year.  My interests include playing basketball and softball, watching pretty much any kind of sport (favorite teams are the Flyer, Eagles, Phillies, and the Lakers), playing video games, and just going out and having fun with all of my friends.  I really enjoy any kind of music minus heavy metal and music that includes screaming.  Rap/Hip-hop and country are probably my favorite 2 types of music.

I have an internship with Hershey Entertainment and Resorts as the HR intern for the food/beverage and ride operations office.  I also have been landscaping the past 4 summer for my summer job to earn some extra cash.  On campus, I work at the Shippensburg University Phone-a-thon and have been working there for about 3 semesters now.

The reason I took this class is mainly because it satisfies my last gen. ed. that I need to graduate, and the last book I read was probably Bleachers by John Grisham.  I like almost all John Grisham books and he is definitely my favorite author.  I do not have much knowledge about literature, and I probably haven't taken a literature class since high school.  Literature to me is kind of boring other then the occasional book I pick up and cannot put down until I finish it.  I would like to read more, but with my internship, my second job, and 5 classes there really isn't that much time in between for leisure reading.  Hopefully after graduation I can start reading for leisure again, and start enjoying books rather then hating textbooks!  Hope you all enjoyed my little introduction, feel free to leave comments if you want to learn any more about me.