The Irony of Enterprise

In the series Star Trek: Enterprise, they give us hope that we may live on a world free of war... or do they?

The irony of Enterprise is that they are constantly talking of being above war and violence, but they go and get into trouble because of the same mindset that got us into wars. They meet new civilizations; they act as though they are better in some way, forcing their beliefs onto the aliens. They then make enemies with the alien races that they encounter, and by the middle of the series they successfully have three different alien races actively going against them the most recent building a mass weapon to destroy all humanity from the planet. This doesn't seem like they have learned to do things different at all, but maybe, just maybe, that was the intent of the writers.

Garfield Minus Garfield

I love the idea behind "Garfield Minus Garfield." What is it? The site's description says it better than I can: "Garfield Minus Garfield is a site dedicated to removing Garfield from the Garfield comic strips in order to reveal the existential angst of a certain young Mr. Jon Arbuckle. It is a journey deep into the mind of an isolated young everyman as he fights a losing battle against loneliness and depression in a quiet American suburb."

Because, really, Jon spends his time talking to a cat. Imagine now that that was an ordinary cat that didn't respond...yeah. You start to see the reality portrayed behind the strip. Each situation changes when you just look at Jon, living alone... 

It's sometimes funny:

 

 

 Sometimes sad:

 Sometimes bewildering: 

 And sometimes just make you wonder about his sanity:

 

 

So check it out: www.garfieldminusgarfield.net

Hope?

 I saw this commercial the other day and had to find it again...and then I thought I'd share it. All you ever hear about is how the world is going down the tubes, but maybe, just maybe, if people share enough Cokes it will offset all the evil in the world and we'll finally have world peace.

Yeah, kidding about the Cokes, but it's nice to see some stats reporting good stuff for once. They had to go digging for it, yeah, but that's probably because the bad stuff they juxtapose with the good is a bit more catastrophic...stock market crashes vs. number of versions of "What a Wonderful World," etc. The message there, I believe, is that good acts may be less newsworthy in society's eyes because it's quieter, but there is more of it and often it affects each of us more personally.

So, maybe there's hope for us yet, if moms keep making chocolate cake and factories churn out more teddy bears. Here's hoping.

Upside Down

Unfortunately, Upside Down was a limited release movie that didn't get a lot of attention. Fortunately, Thanksgiving Point thought it was worth a try. Unfortunately, Thursday was the last day it showed, but fortunately I went to see its last showing with my cousin.

It was a good movie, surprisingly clean with almost no swearing and absolutely no nudity. Violence was kept to a minimal as well, and they still managed to deliver a good movie. Crazy, huh? Anyway, if you remember back to my post on suspended disbelief, this is one movie that absolutely requires it. The movie starts with an explanation of the break they've made from normal physics....namely, that there are two worlds almost touching that have opposite gravities, so when you look up you see the other world instead of the sky. Even if you make it to the other side, your world's gravity still applies so you'll just fall up to your world again.

The story goes that one person from Up Top and one from Down Below meet where mountains from each world converge, thusly:

 

Of course, they fall in love, but it's forbidden, yada yada yada. Eventually they're discovered and they get in huge trouble because the worlds aren't supposed to mix. The guy, Adam, goes on a quest to make it to the other side and find his love, Eden.

Plot-wise, it's pretty much what you expect, but the idea behind the parallel worlds is so refreshing because you're working with new concepts of how science would work in that situation and there are so many directions you could take it and...it's fun. Who doesn't love a good excuse to blatantly disregard the laws of the universe and play around with new physics? Plus, you get some great graphics. Loved that part of it.

If you look, you can find some minor errors with combining the worlds, etc, but it's a movie I'd definitely recommend, though now you'll have to wait until it comes out on DVD.

Rowling

Here's a letter I just wrote to J. K. Rowling, letting her know that the collective we I identify myself with in the Harry Potter generation wants more Harry and less Barry. Having written opposite poles with Harry Potter on one side and Casual Vacancy on the other, I wanted to cast my vote with Harry for her future works.

Dear Mrs. Rowling,

I am a proud member of the Harry Potter generation. I read the books, I watch the movies, I philosophize over their content and meaning, I buy the merchandise, and I've visited the theme park. I believed in Harry Potter, and I believed in J. K. Rowling.

So, when I learned that a new J. K. Rowling book was coming out, I already had my plans booked. Obviously, I was going to be the first one in line to get that book, whatever it was. After seven books, it was obvious what to expect. No, not necessarily wizards and magic, but top-of-the-line, inspiring storytelling.

Months later, my wish came true, and I stood at the front of the line. Okay, well, I was the line, but there I was, way more awake than any of the store associates at the counter. They had to ring up my copy of The Casual Vacancy a couple of times because we hadn't actually hit the release time yet, but then I was happily on my way. Apologizing to my homework, I knew the book would be done before the end of the day, If I had anything to do with it.

The first lesson we learned is that muggles are pitiful. Barry gets one head-splitting headache, gives up, and dies. How embarrassing. Harry's head split open every other chapter and you didn't see him putting up such a big fuss.

Unfortunately, that's the only lesson we learn. We learn that while stories about wizards are full of courage, daring, moral strength, sacrifice, friendship, and love, stories about muggles are filled with vulgarity, immorality, and abuse. Indeed, I was done with the book before the end of the day, but not because I had finished reading it.

Surely, I thought, there are two J. K. Rowling's. There is no way such opposite works could be penned by the same hand. On one side, one of the greatest masterpieces to grace a bookshelf in our age, and on the other a handful of pages containing such trash as I would never touch, much less willingly invite into my library. Not even the name 'Rowling' could get me to read more profanity, sex, and disrespect for all Harry taught us to live by. I sadly made my way to the store and returned what I had expected to be the book of the year.

I thought I believed in Harry Potter and J. K. Rowling. The Casual Vacancy corrected me. I still believe in Harry Potter; that has not changed. It's just that I must now consider it distinct and separate from the author's name on the cover.

I would very much like to believe in J. K. Rowling again. If that means waiting for more "children's books," so be it. We have read quality, legendary literature from you before; we know it is possible. We are the Harry Potter generation, and we expect Harry Potter values. If you abandon them, we will not follow. If you  have more stories worth telling, we ask to hear them and will accept and love them. If you only have more Casual Vacancy in you, we will be grateful for what we have received in Harry Potter but mourn that it was the end of Rowling.

Hoping for the best,

Joseph Simonson

Media in a Prosocial Alternate Reality

I just discovered a fascinating site called Thumbs and Ammo. Their motto is "Real tough guys don't need guns; they just need a positive, can-do attitude." What they do is take popular media images from action movies and photoshop out the guns. In their place...well, I'll let you see for yourself.

 

 

 For some movies, the titles had to change to reflect their new, prosocial message, so the movie Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot! (yeah, I've never heard of it, either) becomes Stop! Or My Mom Will Be Encouraging! From the Judge Dredd catchphrase "In the future...one man is judge, jury, and executioner," 'executioner' becomes 'positive reinforcer.'

What do you think? How does this change our perspective on our favorite action heroes? I think they still look pretty awesome like this...but then some plot lines would need to change, and things could get complicated. It would definitely put an interesting twist on things, and could be an interesting experiment to try with one movie or episode, cutting out the weapons and replacing them with a thumbs up. I would approve of such an endeavor, and it looks like Rick Grimes would, too.

 

Debt Limit

In my finance class a little while back my teacher, Dr. I, was talking about the current situation in the US with concern to our income and our "outgo," if I may adopt the phrase. The situation looks bad; we're in debt and we're not getting out of it any time soon. It's hard to understand the situation when we're talking in trillions of dollars, though, so it's media to the rescue to help put it in perspective. Sure, we could just use the tables at the end of the clip, but seeing it dramatized is so much more...more. It draws you in and keeps you engaged. It makes it more enjoyable and memorable. So...yeah. Click play.

Megamind

So I love Megamind. It's hilarious, and laid the groundwork for the "What if I don't want to be bad?" movement among super villains. He's the bad guy because people expect him to be so. In the nurture vs. nature argument, he's only bad because he was raised for it. On the other hand, we later see Hal, as Tighten, become a villain due to nature.

So Megamind is really a good guy at heart. Yes, he's trying to kill Metro Man, but as he himself says, he never thought it would actually work. Once he "kills" Metro Man, he has his moment of triumph but then grows melancholy because he's not really evil, he doesn't really have evil plans of destroying and killing, and he doesn't really want to be the bad guy. He just wanted to have a purpose, to be accepted. In the  old system, he had purpose because Metro Man needed a nemesis. Otherwise, there would be no one to save his people from.

With Metro Man gone, he thinks the answer is to make a new hero so he can fight someone like in the good old days. This plan backfires and eventually he must become the good guy to fight the bad guy he created to be the good guy. He finally finds acceptance, the people see that he is good, and he ends up happy as the hero.

I love Megamind's personality, as he acts the part of the villain while really having a good heart, telling the now evil Tighten that he shouldn't be doing bad things and teaching him moral lessons, etc. etc. Megamind is never actually evil, but only judged and rejected and trying to fulfill to the best degree he can the role given him.

To close, a couple of good lines from the movie:
 

Metro Man: We all know how this ends; with you behind bars!

Megamind: Oh, I'm shaking in my custom baby seal leather boots!

Megamind: In case you've noticed, you've fallen right into my trap.

Metro Man: You can't trap justice. It's an idea, a belief!

Megamind: But, even the most heartfelt belief can be corroded over time.

Metro Man: Justice is a non-corrosive metal.

Megamind: But metals can be melted by the heat of revange!

Metro Man: It's 'revenge', and it's best served cold!

Megamind: But it can be easily reheated in the microwave of evil!

Metro Man: Well, I think your warranty's about to expire!

Megamind: Maybe I got an extended warranty!

Metro Man: Warranties are invalid if you don't use the product for it's intended purpose!

 

Roxanne Ritchie: [sarcastically] Could someone stamp my frequent kidnapping card?

Megamind: *laughs* You of all people know we discontinued that promotion.

*Roxanne starts to throw things at Metro Man*

Roxanne Ritchie: How could you do this? The people of the city rely on you and you deserted them. You left us in the hands of...HIM! *points at Megamind*

Roxanne Ritchie: (to Megamind) No offense.

Megamind: No, I'm with you!

Inception

So I heard an interesting theory about Inception that I wanted to test out. According to the theory, you can tell when Cobb is dreaming and when he's in reality because of his wedding ring. In reality, he's never wearing it after Mal's death; in dreams, he's always wearing it. So, I watched the movie, and with the help of my cousin identified that yes indeed, the theory holds true.

It even clued me in to some scenes I hadn't realized were dreams. Specifically, during their planning they talk about buying out the airline and I never realized before but they're in the lobby of the hotel they use in the dream. Only, there's no one at the concierge desk, no other people, and Cobb has his wedding ring on. I guess making plans in a dream was more secure...or just more awesome.

This puts an end to the whole debate over whether or not Cobb really does make it back to reality or not. Everyone sits there staring at the top to see if it will topple, when I believe we can just get the answer from the wedding ring perspective. Did he make it back from Limbo?

Yes.

People say it's hard to tell if he's wearing his ring or not in that final shot, but you can clearly see he's not wearing it on the plane and in the airport, thus showing that he has returned to reality and that if the final shot were a dream he would have to have knowingly entered a new dream. He never wanted to see his kids in a dream, only in reality, and now that he is free to do so, seeing them in reality is the only logical course.

Samwise the Wise

Frodo: I can't do this, Sam.

Sam: I know. It's all wrong. By rights, we shouldn't even be here…but we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo, the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn't want to know the end…because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was…when so much bad had happened?

But in the end, it's only a passing thing…this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines, it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you…that meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going, because they were holding on to something.

Frodo: What are we holding on to, Sam?

Sam: That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it's worth fighting for.

*Shire theme plays*

Good old Sam. I love the guy. Here they are coming off a Nazgul attack, with Shelob and more right in front of them, and he can think well enough to shed some hope on the situation. Hope is often one of the first things to go when we look at how awful the world is getting, but while there is terrible wickedness and darkness all around us, there are still pockets of light dotting the Earth, and as Frodo and Sam proved, that one little light can make all the difference for the world.

Re-Releases

So I love that every time we figure out a new trick in movie-making we have to do a complete over-haul of our movie collections. "That's a nice wall of VHS' you have there, but there's this new thing called the DVD and we're gonna need you to switch over." Then, of course, we had to upgrade to Blu-ray, and while we're at it let's just get digital copies as well.

It's not just the hardware that's changing, either. How many different versions of the same movie are offered? Extended editions, director's cuts, limited/collector's/Diamond-whatever editions, etc. The new big thing, and the one that sparked the thought for this post, is re-releasing every movie that ever existed, one by one, in 3D.

I'm in the theaters today, and amid the trailers of new movies coming out is one for Jurassic Park. Jurassic Park...coming up on its 20th anniversary here, but hitting theaters again because it's in 3D. Now, I've nothing wrong with Jurassic Park; I love it and it'll be cool to see in 3D, but you can forget it if you think I'm buying another version of it.

With current trends and the expense of recreating entire movie libraries every so many years, I think I'll just wait for complete cinematic immersion in virtual reality theaters. Yeah, I think I'll hold out for that. Until then, I'm just buying one copy of each movie, thank you very much.

Geography

Hudson Bay, New York, Denver, the Bering Strait, the Sunshine State, Hawaii, Vienna, California, Seattle, Puget Sound, Maine, Nebraska, Alaska, L.A., Miami Beach, West Palm Beach, the Midwest, Fort Lauderdale, Tokyo, San Francisco, Paris, New Jersey, Tampa Bay, Juneau, Thailand, Prince Edward Island.

These are the specific places Adam Young mentions in his songs, but on top of that you'll find his many references to celestial bodies like the moon, sun, stars, and the galaxies that contain them. If you still want more variety, you can look at all the places without names that he visits in his works: caves, oceans, fields, mountains, forests, rivers, and more.

It's not the only thing he talks about, but it is revealing of some of his major themes. He loves nature, obviously; the beauty and wildness of it, as well as the sense of wonder it instills in us. Juxtaposed with that, though, is a strong current of modern and future technology, of travel through the stars and architectural  design placed amidst the treasures of nature.

Adam started producing his music as a remedy for his insomnia. What things occupied his mind? Apparently, the wonder of the natural world created by God (who he talks about in a number of songs), mixed with the marvel of human ingenuity and our place in the universe. Then, of course, he also talks plenty about love, loneliness, and the varied topics that comes to one's mind in the stillness of the night when you really should be sleeping but can't help staying up instead to wonder and think.

Background

In class the other day a study was mentioned where it was found that people who studied while listening to sound of any kind (music, traffic sounds, anything) did better when tested on the material. I know there are a lot of people who need silence to study, but I've found that for me music really helps me to concentrate. Of course, that doesn't apply if I'm just watching music videos on YouTube, because then there's no studying happening, but just putting on a playlist and getting to work does help. Sometimes I think it's because that part of my brain that wants to distract me and get me to check Facebook is already occupied listening to the music, or maybe it is that it helps my brain work better. There's always the possibility it's both. What about for all of you? Do you need silence to study, or do you prefer having music or some form of background noise?

Adam Young

I would have titled this Owl City, but since Adam is also Sky Sailing, we have to make the distinction. Whatever he's calling himself at the time, I love his music. I love the mellow tone of most of his songs, especially the older ones. But, of everything, what gets me most are the lyrics. He sings a lot about travel, flying, water, relationships, and places he loves.

Now, sometimes it's a bit tricky to tell exactly what connection he's trying to make with some of the words in his songs, but that can make it even better. Even when you wonder exactly what he means, the words add to the overall feel of the song. His lyrics often seem a little random associative, in that there is always a connection, but the looser the better. He uses puns, oxy-morons, sharp juxtaposition, and just clever little twists of thought paths that make sense but you know you never would have thought of on your own.

In that way, it fulfills one of the great principles of music. Music expresses things there aren't words for, and in Adam's seemingly random lyrics I feel he gets across those things that normal, linearly logical lyrics can't.

Just for a taste, here's "Hello Seattle" for you:

Hello Seattle, I am a mountaineer
In the hills and highlands
I fall asleep in hospital parking lots
And awake in your mouth

Hello Seattle, I am a manta ray
Deep beneath the blue waves
I'll crawl the sandy bottom of Puget Sound
And construct a summer home

Hello Seattle, I am the crescent moon
Shining down on your face
I will disguise myself as a sleeping pill
And descend inside of you

Hello Seattle, I am a cold seahorse
Feeling warm in your sand
I sing about the tide and the ocean surf
Rolling in the evening breeze

Hello Seattle, I am an albatross
On the docks and moored boats
I sail above your inlets and interstates
Through the rain and open wind

Hello Seattle, I am an old lighthouse
Throwing beams of bright lights
Red in the morning, blue in the evening sun
Taking heed for everyone

Hello Seattle, I am a mountaineer
In the hills and highlands
I fall asleep in hospital parking lots

Take me above your light
Carry me through the night
Hold me secure in flight
Sing me to sleep tonight

Take me above your light
Carry me though the night
Hold me secure in flight
Sing me to sleep tonight

Commercials

So we just did our family commercial assignment in class, and everyone did really well. Though I don't recall it being mentioned in lecture, I noticed the use of music in a lot of the commercials, usually in the background, which always helps draw the viewer in and keep up the pace of the video.

Another element used by a lot of people were babies/children, which brought in the cute factor and really helped the overall success of the commercial. I know that casting my 18 month old nephew in our video helped boost our ratings significantly. :)

The last aspect of commercials I wanted to mention is humor/curiosity. I know they're different things, but I'm going to talk about them together. They're what keep me watching a lot of commercials (speaking outside our class' commercials, now), even when I know there's no way I'm going to buy their product. Honestly, some of the best commercials are about beer, but it's not like I'm watching it so I can compare beers and be an informed consumer. I'm there solely for the humor. Then, if it's a product I'm interested in, it's even better!

Video Games

I never had a lot of video games growing up. Everyone else got the newest games and systems as they came out, and we...didn't. I never found cause to complain about it; it just wasn't a big part of life. We had other things to do, and didn't think much of the lack of video games in our home.

Eventually, my parents bought a Nintendo 64, and that, together with some computer games, was our full measure of games. They were enough for us, and we played through them all happily. We never spent too much time on them, I don't think, though I don't remember if that was due to personal choice or parental management.

What I do remember is the time I developed my current view of video games. I'd found a new game and I was working hard on building up my avatar and crushing my opponents when, after a few hours' work, I died and had to start over from scratch.

I suddenly realized how much time I'd spent on something that had paid no dividends...if I started playing again, five hours down the road I could be eliminated and put right back to where I was now, and that would be my day gone. That's when I decided to put the controls down and find something else to do, and it's been that way ever since. Are video games fun, challenging, and entertaining? Of course they are! Some of them are very tempting, but for me, personally, I'd rather find my entertainment elsewhere. No offense.

1830

So I am super excited. I got an 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon today, and I can't wait to read it. Does that make sense? I mean, it's the same book as the one in my Quad, right? Yes and no. It has the same content (excepting a preface by the Prophet Joseph Smith in the 1830 edition we don't have today), but what makes the difference here is the format.

You see, the 1830 version has no footnotes, index, chapter headings, or verse numbers. Even the chapters are split up differently, so that 1 Nephi has 7 chapters instead of 22 and Alma has 30 instead of 63. That means each chapter is more of a complete story (1 Nephi 1 covers the whole leaving into the wilderness and going back for the plates story. Chapter 2 starts with them going back for Ishmael's family, etc). The double column thing doesn't exist either, and paragraphs are longer. Even without all the current stuff added in, the 1830 edition is about 50 pages longer, even though the font and page size is about the same.

In the end, what the 1830 edition is is less of a canonized study aid and more of a hardback novel. You open it up and that's that format. For me at least, it really increases readability, and though I'm going to defer to my current version with footnotes and index when I'm looking for some hardcore scripture research, I'm really excited about reading the Book of Mormon as a novel, reading it for the sake of enjoying it.

An ordinary book you can breeze through chapter after chapter, no problem. The scriptures, however, seem to have this something that makes you feel like you've read soooo much, tiring your poor, spiritual little self out after, what, three pages? The 1830 edition, however, I feel like I'll be able to read as other books, for the content, story, and principles, getting things out of it in a new way. Call me crazy, but the format of the book really changes it up for me. The difference makes it easier for me to read it as a leisure book, not just a study aid.

I can't wait to start. This is going to be good.

Expectations

So I don't really like my last post...at all. It was supposed to be this grand and glorious post showing stats for Coldplay's music from 1998 to today, drawing incredible insights and....nope. Instead I got a short little post about media misrepresentation. I felt good starting the post, but then I saw how late it was getting and how tired I was becoming, and it all fell apart. I expected more out of myself...and that leads us to my point here.

No, it's not so I can have a pity party; it's to ask how we react when someone's performance doesn't hold up to our expectations. As an example, let's take J.K. Rowling. Bless her soul, she brought us Harry Potter. I shouldn't have to say any more than that, and I actually don't dare. If I did, the rest of this post would be about Hallows and Horcruxes, thestrals and Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, curses and wand lore, and possibly even a eulogy for Fred Weasley. Instead, let's just leave it at calling Harry Potter a literary masterpiece.

Then, let's take a look at The Casual Vacancy. I tried to read it, I really did. I was there in the store before they were allowed to sell it, waiting anxiously so I could have the new J.K. Rowling book the second it was available. Obviously, I was looking for something comparable to Harry Potter. I mean, this was the same author, right? Instead, I found tons of vulgarity, detailed immorality, and a lack of...anything tasteful. After skimming through it to be sure, I gave up on it and walked away disappointed. Rowling let me down big time with that one. I wondered if it could possibly be the same author, what with the two works being such complete opposites.

So tell me, how do reputations influence our media usage? I'll admit to wanting to watch a movie just because of who directed it or who starred in it. What if you go to a movie because you trust that actor or director, and then they let you down? How many times can they let you down before you stop endorsing them?

If it happens enough, I think we just decide they've lost their touch and move on. We don't get as excited when their new stuff comes out; instead of camping out in front of the theater we wait to see the reviews or wait for it to hit DVD, if we watch it at all. In other words, we move on, forget them, find someone new to be a fan of. I know that makes it sound super dramatic, and I apologize, but it gets the point across.

So now it's your turn: when have you been let down, and what was your reaction to it?

The Whole Story

Can you lie about media portrayals? Oh, very easily. Let's take a look...using Coldplay. So I decided to run frequency counts on Coldplay's lyrics...and I found some fascinating things.

In 1998, the Top 25 list of most frequent words used has many concerning speed and travel (rush, faster, drive, car, change, go, anywhere), as well as change and improvement (bigger, change, stronger, better) that indicate a theme of dissatisfaction and desire for a different kind of life.

However, when you look at the full lyrics, you only see that theme in "Bigger Stronger." In fact, looking at it in context, the word "rush," which topped the list with 31 uses, is actually saying we should stop rushing. Hmm...context is important, no?

Now how about we pick and choose from 1999's list? Let's see, the top words used by Coldplay in their songs in 1999 include hope, confidence, love, live, beautiful, and trust. How positively prosocial of them! But what if we'd chosen to report other parts of their lyrics instead, such as:

Bones sinking like stones
All that we've fought for
Homes, places we've grown
All of us are done for.


I sleep but I will not move,
Too scared to leave my room.

Can anybody stop this thing
Before my head explodes
Or my head starts to ring? 

Not quite as positive any more, huh? Both reports are true, so whatever slant you pick, you have the material you need to put them in whatever light you wish.

This goes on and on, with whatever year you want, and really whatever artist or genre you want. When you practice selective listening/reporting/whatever, you're not going to get the whole picture. That's why we need to be informed media consumers.

One time I remember, everyone was outraged at the material found in a certain book. I had read the book without a problem, so I went to read the details of what had offended them...and quickly came to the conclusion that they had never read a single page of the book themselves. They accused the book of containing material anyone who had read it could tell you didn't exist.

Moral of the story? Be smart. Know for yourself how to judge media so you don't have to depend on the biased views of others. That's all.