Final Blog: What Kind of Media Consumer am I?

This is my final blog, and as such, I would like to first and foremost thank everyone who took the time to read my thoughts and opinions (especially Lilly since she had to read ALL of them). I feel like my writing had improved immensely and as such, I am grateful for the experience. You might ask why then I won't continue to blog after this, and here is my answer: although I have learned a lot this semester about blogging and am grateful for the experience, I don't particularly like blogging as a way to express my thoughts and opinions. I still prefer the old fashioned paper to pen feeling, perhaps I was born in the wrong century (haha).

On the thought of what kind of media consumer am I, and how have I changed over the semester...well, I still consume about the same amount of media (178 days a year with the media in some form or another, 65 days on average that I spend without the media per year). However, how I consume the media has changed drastically. I am now much more aware of the type of Media that I am consuming, who the target audience is for that media, how that media is distributed, and the history of that media. I am also now much more aware of the kinds of propaganda that I consume everyday, and thus, am much more prepared to handle them.

I now look more closely at the media that I am consuming. I am much more critical as to what its real motives are and how truthful it is. I now think about things like: for what purpose was this produced, and what story isn't this media telling?

I think that although the amount and types of media I consume hasn't changed, what type of media consumer I am has changed drastically because I am now more aware and educated on all the forms of mass media.

Thanks everyone--for a great semester! And congratulations to anyone who is graduating this semester!

Bye guys :)

Movie Review: World Trade Center

In the movie "World Trade Center," director/producer Oliver Stone and screenwriter Andrea Berloff tell the story of two of only twenty survivors who were pulled from the ruble and the story of their families and a world watching the horror unfold on television. With a combination of painstaking detail and tactful emotion, they depict an event that is overwhelming on its own.

In the 2006 drama “World Trade Center”, the four lead actors all give wonderful performances, as people dealing with the emotions of being trapped.

Peña and Gyllenhaal, as the eager rookie cop and his headstrong and practical wife, are especially compelling adding even further to the reality of the movie.


This well-crafted World captures the panic and confusion surrounding the tragedy and serves as a worthy tribute to the heroes of that day. But it's not the devastating, gut-wrenching experience you might expect. With a unique look and feel and a jumpy script that removes the watcher from the drama is a great, but at the same time difficult to accomplish. Stone's safe “World Trade Center” is a fine film, but not what was expected by me and stands what I think as a respectful tribute.

Stone uses great camera angels, and special effects. An example: In one scene where the men are trapped in the tower, the camera pulls back from Cage and Peña's motionless body, sails through the hole in the wreckage above them, and continues to rise until it shows us all of Lower Manhattan and, finally, the whole Earth from space, as seen by a satellite. I think this special effect is symbolic for a “scar” on the earth. More so, how this wasn’t just effecting New York, but the world.

It’s a vividly designed piece of cinema, with equally brilliant acting by Cage and Peña, who have only their faces and voices to work with through much of the film, while trapped under the debris. While they wait, they whisper tales of their families and their lives, and at one point the image of Christ appears to Jimeno which is an emotional moment in the film.

Stone weaves the story back and forth also taking us outside the building to witness the after effects of the disaster on bystanders, rescuers and the families of the trapped men. Maria Bello and Maggie Gyllenhaal are terrific as the McLoughlin’s and Jimeno’s wives, who are angry, terrified, and helpless as their husbands are in the building.

Overall I would give this film an A-, and I would highly encourage anyone to go see it.

CWIT Computer Mania Day

Hey guys, continuing on the same theme, I stumbled across CWIT-The Center for Women and Information Technology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) who hosts Computer Mania Day to encourage girls' increased involvement with information technology. While boys are welcome, the focus is on girls because of their continuing under-participation in information technology classes and careers. This program is designed to provide an introduction to information technology applications to different and exciting careers. Students get together in small groups of no more than 25, and the groups rotate between information technology demonstration stations. At each station, the students learn about the application of technology to the world of work through fun and interactive activities. Students also visit tables where high schools present information and encourage recruitment in IT programs.

An adult program complements the day by providing information about causes for girls’ low enrollment in technology courses and what adults can do to encourage girls to embrace technology. I would highly encourage these courses for anyone interested (what a great way to try and make an impact in our already busy lives)

During the afternoon, parents and teachers participate in a series of breakout sessions covering a variety of topics, which help parents better prepare their children to enter careers in IT. Adults receive advice from IT business professionals, state education leaders, and school and college educators. Parents also have the option of visiting several special topic seminars and taking a tour of the campus. To enroll your self or a girl you know please go to http://www.computer-mania.info/