Mediascape 5 years from now

Loralei Hurlock

11.30.10

Lit & Media Studies

I believe that in 5 years Facebook will be an everyone, everyday kind of thing, which probably means the Newspaper will be on its way to becoming extinct. 3D T.V's will most likely be a lot more popular than right now, because they were just released not too long ago. I also think blu ray's will be more popular, as well. Although, they may start becoming the new dvd to vhs, as in Blu ray would be in and Dvd's would be out. I think books will still be around, but may not be as wanted. I know a lot of people love reading, but kindles are on a rise. The more they become liked and popular, the word will spread and people will still want the newest, quickest piece of technology. It's almost like people will be like well if it's here and easier and really cool, why wouldn't you want to use it?

In 15 years, I'll be 34... I really hope I can keep up with technology, but I think things are going to be a lot more advanced then in 5. The design of vehicles will be different, probably houses and all our everyday things. We cannot tell if any natural disasters will alter our lives, so that may change the way media works. I do believe media will still have control over the younger generation and be able to brain wash them. Books may or may not exist, perhaps they'll be collector's items, which I personally hope doesn't happen. There will have to be some sort of new phone, although I cannot tell what they'd be considering we already have smart phones and they basically do everything you need. It's just a matter of finding out a more simple way of putting it, because that's what people will keep wanting in the future.

In 50 years, I can't even fathom what will happen. I do possibly believe, because our generation's so advanced, that when we're in our 60's we may not act or seem as old as people of that age in previous generations. I say this, only because we keep advancing in medicine and technology and such, so what if we found the cure for cancer by then, then people would possibly live longer, because not as many are dying from disease. I think we could possibly fly by then, instead of driving, although I don't know if they'd get rid of driving or if you had the option, which is crazy to think about. Clothes will probably be different looking, but I can't think of if we'll dress very futuristic or rotate back to fads that were popular 'back in the day', because for some reason fads die and then 15 years later, they arise again.

Beautiful Katamari

Loralei Hurlock

Gaming Literature

Lit & Media

11.26.10

I played a game I purchased while I was sick this summer called Katamari. I would not say it is a piece of Literature. Honestly, it almost doesn't have a purpose, but it can keep you entertained for sure. A katamari is a ball like structure that your little person rolls around collecting things, just anything. You learn the basics in a level, but they usually start you off in a room and you can only collect small things, but the bigger you get the larger the object can be. Also, that bigger you get the more places you can explore. For instance, you can start in a toy/candy store and have to pick up things in that room until you reach a certain size, it'll allow you to leave the room and explore some more. However, the overall objective is to roll up planets, stars and moons by doing these levels and achieving the task (I'll explain that in a minute) and get them as large as you can, because in the final level it all ties up together. You basically start off at the start, but you end up having to roll the entire galaxy up, in hopes that your Katamari will be big enough to plug up the black hole. It's quite a ridiculous game with a funny Japanese Pop-ish soundtrack and the there's also a couple ways to achieve the tasks. For instance, in some levels you have to make it a certain size within a certain time limit. Another one specifically, you have to roll up hot things to make it 10,000 degrees K, but if you pick up cold things you lose heat and if you fall into the water you automatically fail. Most of the levels show you specific things to pick up for example: Japanese, Riches, Food, Plants and things of that sort. It's a very addictive game, I think because it compels people to achieve a goal, yet they are so simple and mindless. I know my competitive side wants to redo all the levels to get a bigger Katamari, but I wouldn't put that in the category of Literature at all. It doesn't even follow a story line or connects with anything else I've ever played or read.

Analyzing Facebook

Loralei Hurlock

Lit & Media Studies

Extra Credit

11.17.10

I decided to analyze the largest social network of the internet, Facebook. Facebook, according to a study done in January 2009 compete.com, is the largest social network with more than 500 million users as of July 2010. The crazy part of it all is that Facebook was only launched in February of 2004. That's 6 years of time for it to become so popular, but it makes me wonder what happened for this website to get so large so rapidly.
Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg, with the help his roommates and fellow computer science students. Initially, Facebook was limited to Harvard students and then spread to other colleges in the Boston area such as the Ivy League and Standford University. After a while, it opened up for high school students and eventually it became a website for anyone over the age of 13 to join. Facebook has the most worldwide active monthly users, followed by Myspace.


Facebook, employing over 1,400 people and having 8 offices, gathers most of their revenue through advertising, which is another unique thing about Facebook. It does not bombard you with advertisements, except for some on the sides, which pertain to your interests. Most people don't want to deal with pop ups and annoying ads, so Facebook dodged a big bullet with their easy to operate design. Facebook has also been banned in several countries and in most working environments, including schools, it has been banned due to it being so distracting.
Personally, I used to use Facebook. I knew people who had accounts and swore that I would one day give in and make an account. Unfortunately, they were correct, as I was trying to fight the media and the urge. But to be honest, the way it's presented and how easy it works, with all the options it allows you to have make it a lot better than Myspace. Even myspace realized that Facebook had a certain something that was attracting all of the users and began doing the little options you could do on Facebook, but not on Myspace. At the beginning, I would keep in contact with my friends and family back home in Toronto, Ontario in Canada after I moved, which was an easy way of having them close to me, although not physically. After it started becoming the new best social network, Facebook began to expand more so on the photo aspect, games, quizzes and the style of the entire site. It's now read like the paper, everyday, to a younger generation, yet even the adults have sprung an interest to this website. I can firmly say that my entire family on my dad's side has a facebook, which is a lovely way to keep in touch, but there are always consequences.
There used to be something called privacy. It's quite rare now and I almost am not sure if it exists anymore. For example, Twitter is a site where you can update what you're doing all of the time, which to be blunt, no one really cares what others are doing every ten minutes, so whats the need? We've glorified diminishing privacy and then complain we don't have any. All in all, I think Facebook will be the top social network for a good amount of time, unless we decide more privacy is a good thing.

Modern Media-Original

I kind of made these so the image is about the media the quote is applying too, but they're both about how times have most definitely changed and everyone is guilty of using the technology and being sucked in by the media, whether we think its negative or not.

A Woman's Body Image

This photograph is well known, at least in my department of Photography and Digital Imaging, because it’s so over photoshopped, it isn’t realistic at all. A Ralph Lauren advertisement of Filipaa Hamilton, which if you’ve ever seen her, isn’t this stick thin or awkwardly shaped. When I look at this, honestly, I’d like to believe it’s a mistake, but this is a very good example of media pushing its limits with body image. Unfortunately, there are young girls and woman who base themselves off of these images, and they just aren’t realistic. I see a sick woman in some nice clothing and that’s about it. But people with body issues, see a beautiful girl that is skinny, beautiful, and well dressed. I think people have been trained to see these kinds of images and believe them. I’ve recently actually been astonished to find out that friends of mine had no idea you could touch up skin. This is faulty representation of what woman are supposed to look like. For example, Marilyn Monroe. Although, she wouldn’t have been as big of a celebrity if she didn’t die at the time she did, she was a real representation of a beautiful woman. A size 13 has never looked so good and she wore it well, which reflected the women of that time and how people felt about themselves. I think the magazine’s intentions were to use their product, along with a female, to portray a certain feel or outcome of there product. For example, if you use Ralph Laurens product you will be this beautiful, skinny, “perfect looking”, I guess.

Modern Media- Redo

I created these pages with the intentions that the image would explain the quote and vise versa. The first two are about how much we depend on technology and that times have most definitely changed. Everyone is guilty of using technology and being sucked in by the media, whether we think its negative or not. I thought the other day, how weird it is that my generation's kids won't have to even have to know what a VHS is, even though they weren't from THAT long ago. I feel materials are depreciating like books and newspapers, we technically don't even need to watch the news to receive the daily happenings of the world. So the quote about Jesus, I found a little comical, because it would probably be very true.






This page would be directed more towards an audience of my generation or even a bit younger, where everything in media revolves around being obnoxious almost, or just being loud and seen. I felt this picture of Perez Hilton was a perfect representation of what I am talking about and it pertains to the quote, as well. He is such a loud, obnoxious, drama filled person and that's what the media is glorifying for some reason, but they aren't the right role models for younger audiences. I don't necessarily agree with this at all, it isn't fair that people who are just as smart or smarter don't get heard, because they do things properly or are just normal and quiet. For example, when there are elections it always becomes a he said she said war, which isn't the point at all. I rather be told why I should vote for you, not why I shouldn't vote for someone else. We spend too much time worrying about everybody else and the media only glorifies it.




I wrote this one about Violence in the media as of late and how it's been on a fast rise for some time. Before the rise, there were violent movies, video games, and books, but it wasn't excessive. For some reason, it's become who can be the most extreme or best in everything, so we just keep trying to make the new scariest, grossest, most violent stuff we can think up. It makes me sad, because I don't think there is anything we could do to get rid of what we've done or even just moderate the violence. Moderation is key, and my dad taught me that, I just wish the world would feel the same way.



I decided to make one that wasn't necessarily negative towards the media, although it focuses more on the fact that we're feeding the media. The only reason it's still around is because we're being sucked in and are allowing ourselves to do so. I agree with this quote all the way, we feel it's this big bad thing, which is it, but we invented it and are keeping it alive. The human race tends to create things and then realize that it wasn't that great of an idea. Media unfortunately, I feel, will never disappear, especially with the younger children. I remember being 12 and 13 buying those teenie bopper magazines, because everyone wants to know whats "in" and who is the biggest celebrity at the moment, not to mention the fashion trends. It's a vicious cycle that we created and I doubt we can stop it. There's always going to be young teens who want to know what's in, or how to look that pretty, or that want to see cute pictures of the opposite sex, because that's when you start becoming interested. On the other hand, you can't completely give the media no credit, after all they do know what strings to pull to encourage the viewers to buy the magazine every week.

Federico Fellini- Director Essay

Loralei Hurlock

10.13.10

Lit & Media

Fellini Essay

Federico Fellini was a well reputable Italian film director born on January 20^th 1920 and died on October 31^st 1993. Although, he has passed away he is still and will be considered one of the most influential directors of the 20^th century. He has a certain style, although his movies vary from comedy to tragedy, they are very baroque styled and very fantasy/dream filled. The three movies of Fellini's I chose to watch were La Strada (1954), Roma (1972), and Amarcord (1975). After watching all three, I have been able to discern similarities between them, but they also each had many differences that made that movie unique and memorable.

First, I watched Roma, which is very fast paced. I'd like to start by saying he definitely is fully involved with his films, wether he is directing it, or acting as well. He's very autobiographical, which I noticed a lot with Roma. It's a film about his youth in Rimini, Rome and is a collective of a series of random episodes of his life. There were two stories going on throughout the movie, which made it a bit confusing for me. One is him as a young man in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The second one is of the director of a film crew creating a film about Rome. Another Fellini technique I observed was that he switches a lot between reality and things that have already happened, or between two narratives like this one. It makes it very interesting, but it was hard to keep up sometimes.

Secondly, I watched La Strada, which is strange to compare to Roma, but I enjoyed both. La Strada is a film about Gelsomina, played by Fellini's wife Giulietta Masina, who was sold to a gypsy Zampano by her mother for 10 000 lire, in order to take place of her dead sister, Rosa. She's entirely adorable and just wants to be an artist and appreciated. Zampano and Gelsomina travel as a circus type act to different towns for some cash. Throughout the entire movie she was faithful to him and would do anything for him, but he increasingly depreciates her and resorts to cruelty to maintain his dominance. It's a rather sad story, even though still comical, it was quite a change from his other movies I watched. He got the idea from a man he remembers frim his childhood of the character Zampano, once again drawing from his own experiences, specifically childhood memories. I thoroughly enjoyed this film, it was easier to follow, because it was a lot more slow paced then his other films. He is more linear with his shots, compared to Roma or Amarcord, which he used a lot of panning.

Last, but not least, I watched Amarcord, which was very, very random at times. It's a comical drama film with some references of his youth and coming of age story. This movie, like Roma, was quite fast paced. I feel like it was more confusing, only in regards to how random things were and as to why certain things were happening.

Overall, I really enjoyed his films and would like to watch more and broaden my experiences with older films. Fellini is a very egotistical person, not necessarily in a bad way, but it shows in his movies. The films seems to generally include memories, dreams, fantasies and desire, which makes it easy for everyone to relate to, as well.