We are more than this.
Congratulations to the Grey-Bruce area. We've made PerezHilton.com. Why? Because of sexism. We are an area of great generosity, beautiful landscape and history. But, we are the internet sensation of the day because of the blatant intolerance that still manages to linger in the area.
It brings me an incredible amount of satisfaction and pride knowing that so many people here are speaking out against this discrimination and putting their money where their mouths are. I do not have the words to express the amount of hope that I have that this will finally open up some kind of dialog about the discrimination that exists here.
We can't keep pushing it under the rug.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
18
http://fishki.net/comment.php?id=32304
Above is a link that has been graciously provided to me by my dear friend Daniella. It is a Korean art project that takes children's doodles and turns them into photographs. I have no commentary on this currently, beyond the fact that it is FANTASTIC!
Feel the warmth friends.
Above is a link that has been graciously provided to me by my dear friend Daniella. It is a Korean art project that takes children's doodles and turns them into photographs. I have no commentary on this currently, beyond the fact that it is FANTASTIC!
Feel the warmth friends.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
17
On Thursday, I went to go see a pre-screening of Iron Man at my friendly local movie theatre. I went into the film with mixed emotions. I went in knowing that the likelihood of my previous experience with action movies would probably reign true: glorified racism, sexism – pretty much any ism would be alive and well. But, the trailer was badass. What was a girl to do?
I went in thinking that I would probably feel as if I had been robbed of the $8.00 admission price, $3.50 for a trough of diet coke, and the two hours of my life that the film was going to cost me. After seeing my 22 year old cousin leave Spiderman 3 with more sadness and deep melancholy than a 3rd grader whose puppy had just died, I was looking for retribution, something to make up for all of the disappointments I had seen previously. And, I am happy to report that Iron Man delivered. It was entertaining. Just enough violence, a hint of love story, clever dialogue: Iron Man is the most palatable Marvel film I’ve seen yet.
With all of this said, the reasons why I enjoyed the film parallel the reasons why the film offended me. Because it follows that tried and true format of the action film. Americans, good. Enemies of America, bad. I am getting damn tired of seeing Arab people as not only a) the perpetrators of all that is terrible and evil in the cinematic world and b) seeing the general population portrayed in a manner that results in them in need of a heroic and strapping young white American lad to come in and save them from their fellow citizens turned macho terrorists. Is this just reflecting the ridiculous climate that the American public has been thrust into?: yes. Movies are great indicators of what the political climate of the era it was shot in.
I am aware that when I go see this sort of movie, I am going to be watching the enemy of the week on the screen, doing their dastardly duty. But, I’m getting to a point of exhaustion watching this regurgitated crap over and over again. Action movies need villains. Good. Great. But the complete lack of ingenuity is beginning to piss me off more and more.
Are you even trying anymore Hollywood? Why not try to spice things up, and pick some other enemy to dominate with phallic weapons and absurd bravado? The Bush administration has plenty of enemies: environmentalists, the endangered species that aren’t cute OR cuddly, left wing college students. Take your pick.
Obviously, I’m not trying to make the fact that we unfairly reduce Middle Eastern people to the binaries of terrorist and peasant a joke. I’m just attempting to point out that when you’ve boiled the people involved in a complicated and unjust situation to two categories, it is inane and ridiculous. Clearly this portrayal keeps happening because the viewing public either doesn’t realize that this is happening or doesn’t care.
There is a formula here because the formula works. But, why don’t we give ourselves more credit than that and actively seek something better?
I went in thinking that I would probably feel as if I had been robbed of the $8.00 admission price, $3.50 for a trough of diet coke, and the two hours of my life that the film was going to cost me. After seeing my 22 year old cousin leave Spiderman 3 with more sadness and deep melancholy than a 3rd grader whose puppy had just died, I was looking for retribution, something to make up for all of the disappointments I had seen previously. And, I am happy to report that Iron Man delivered. It was entertaining. Just enough violence, a hint of love story, clever dialogue: Iron Man is the most palatable Marvel film I’ve seen yet.
With all of this said, the reasons why I enjoyed the film parallel the reasons why the film offended me. Because it follows that tried and true format of the action film. Americans, good. Enemies of America, bad. I am getting damn tired of seeing Arab people as not only a) the perpetrators of all that is terrible and evil in the cinematic world and b) seeing the general population portrayed in a manner that results in them in need of a heroic and strapping young white American lad to come in and save them from their fellow citizens turned macho terrorists. Is this just reflecting the ridiculous climate that the American public has been thrust into?: yes. Movies are great indicators of what the political climate of the era it was shot in.
I am aware that when I go see this sort of movie, I am going to be watching the enemy of the week on the screen, doing their dastardly duty. But, I’m getting to a point of exhaustion watching this regurgitated crap over and over again. Action movies need villains. Good. Great. But the complete lack of ingenuity is beginning to piss me off more and more.
Are you even trying anymore Hollywood? Why not try to spice things up, and pick some other enemy to dominate with phallic weapons and absurd bravado? The Bush administration has plenty of enemies: environmentalists, the endangered species that aren’t cute OR cuddly, left wing college students. Take your pick.
Obviously, I’m not trying to make the fact that we unfairly reduce Middle Eastern people to the binaries of terrorist and peasant a joke. I’m just attempting to point out that when you’ve boiled the people involved in a complicated and unjust situation to two categories, it is inane and ridiculous. Clearly this portrayal keeps happening because the viewing public either doesn’t realize that this is happening or doesn’t care.
There is a formula here because the formula works. But, why don’t we give ourselves more credit than that and actively seek something better?
Monday, April 14, 2008
15
I haven't been up to a lot lately. This is mostly because I have had a long, long stretch of time between my last exam and my final paper. Thusly, I have been doing an incredible amount of dicking around. Up until today this was something that I assumed was futile and a waste of life. But, turns out that my incredible sloth actually ended up being the reason why I found something to blog about. Silver lining? I think so.
I'm a little slow on the uptake about this, but apparently there has been a Toronto Media Activist, calling himself Phreak615 that has been hacking into Much Music's signal over the past few weeks. Exploiting the inadequate knowledge of new techonology by the company's employees, Phreak615 is claiming that he has direct access to Much Music's digital server and has rigged a way to broadcast himself.
I have seen these grainy, 10 second interruptions twice today. One with phreak615 holding up a sign with his website scrawled on it, while he said "I am Britney Spears," and another time a woman shrieking in a tone that was not totally audible with another plug to the blog.
Feeling somewhat optimistic in recent days, I'm hoping that this is the real deal. I want more than anything for someone with an actual agenda to successfully find a way to be subversive and to have this broadcast into the homes of the thousands of people who are watching. But, this is where my cynicism creeps in.
For someone who has gone to great lengths to discover a way to hack into Much Music's broadcasts and calls themselves a media activist, I'm not really seeing a whole lot of activism going on. Sure, it is a statement in and of itself that this guy has figured out a way to weasel onto the air and interrupt Mat Babel and Leah Miller's pithy dialouge about beautiful people and shiny new products. But, if you had that kind of a platform, and had enough drive to worm your way onto the television sets via one of the most recognized staples of Canadian television while (probably) breaking the law, don't you think you'd have something to say? Something beyond "I am Britney Spears" or only plug your blog that has no mission statement or sense of direction? I am intrigued that this man has been attempting to get people to create videos so that they can be broadcast as well but if you have no mission statement, then what are these people supposed to say? This entire thing to me seems a) a little lack luster and b) probably a huge con.
This is probably going to be revealed as some sort of wonderful promotion that taps into a cultural phenomenon, not unlike the that marketing that Cloverfield had. If this is the case, good one Much Music, way to tap into the viral video craze that those kids out there today sure do seem to love.
So, to wrap this up, on behalf of culturally interested people every where, please stop getting my hopes up Phreak615. Please don't lead me on to believe that these interruptions actually mean something and are not just shameless self promotion. Please do not abuse our soft spot for viral video and make this a marketing ploy that we are all bound to fall for because of our tiny attention spans coupled with a desire for rebellion sold us in a neat little viral packages. Please, let this be something that has some sort of cultural significance after all is said and done.
Or, at least let me in on the joke Much Music. I can take it. I like to laugh too.
I'm a little slow on the uptake about this, but apparently there has been a Toronto Media Activist, calling himself Phreak615 that has been hacking into Much Music's signal over the past few weeks. Exploiting the inadequate knowledge of new techonology by the company's employees, Phreak615 is claiming that he has direct access to Much Music's digital server and has rigged a way to broadcast himself.
I have seen these grainy, 10 second interruptions twice today. One with phreak615 holding up a sign with his website scrawled on it, while he said "I am Britney Spears," and another time a woman shrieking in a tone that was not totally audible with another plug to the blog.
Feeling somewhat optimistic in recent days, I'm hoping that this is the real deal. I want more than anything for someone with an actual agenda to successfully find a way to be subversive and to have this broadcast into the homes of the thousands of people who are watching. But, this is where my cynicism creeps in.
For someone who has gone to great lengths to discover a way to hack into Much Music's broadcasts and calls themselves a media activist, I'm not really seeing a whole lot of activism going on. Sure, it is a statement in and of itself that this guy has figured out a way to weasel onto the air and interrupt Mat Babel and Leah Miller's pithy dialouge about beautiful people and shiny new products. But, if you had that kind of a platform, and had enough drive to worm your way onto the television sets via one of the most recognized staples of Canadian television while (probably) breaking the law, don't you think you'd have something to say? Something beyond "I am Britney Spears" or only plug your blog that has no mission statement or sense of direction? I am intrigued that this man has been attempting to get people to create videos so that they can be broadcast as well but if you have no mission statement, then what are these people supposed to say? This entire thing to me seems a) a little lack luster and b) probably a huge con.
This is probably going to be revealed as some sort of wonderful promotion that taps into a cultural phenomenon, not unlike the that marketing that Cloverfield had. If this is the case, good one Much Music, way to tap into the viral video craze that those kids out there today sure do seem to love.
So, to wrap this up, on behalf of culturally interested people every where, please stop getting my hopes up Phreak615. Please don't lead me on to believe that these interruptions actually mean something and are not just shameless self promotion. Please do not abuse our soft spot for viral video and make this a marketing ploy that we are all bound to fall for because of our tiny attention spans coupled with a desire for rebellion sold us in a neat little viral packages. Please, let this be something that has some sort of cultural significance after all is said and done.
Or, at least let me in on the joke Much Music. I can take it. I like to laugh too.
Friday, April 4, 2008
14: bow out gracefully
So kids, this marks the end of my postings for the purpose of being graded. I'm probably going to keep my blog up, as I mentioned earlier today. I can't be sure as of right now what direction I'll be taking this. But, reflecting on the entire experience and looking over my work, I've come to realize that I put a lot of stake into co-optation and incorporation. I hope that I'll be able to expand on this theme throughout the summer, and incorporate more of Duncombe's ideas not only into my analysis of media, but into my everyday practices.
It's been great getting to know all of you; take care of yourselves. You know how to find me.
-kayla
It's been great getting to know all of you; take care of yourselves. You know how to find me.
-kayla
13
I was going to leave my blog as is for evaluation, but I couldn’t pass this up.
So, this my friends is a KFC compilation of southern rappers laying it down about how KFC is soul food, comforting, liberating and, brace yourself kids, heritage. I’m posting this mostly because it’s hilarious, but it also reminded me a lot of the Heath and Potter article we looked at a while ago.
Obviously this is about taking a lifestyle and appropriating it to sell politically incorrect chicken legs. The main stream hip hop culture has been no stranger to this sort of cross promotion and branding. I mean, let’s face it; no one loves Bacardi that much. Companies have been paying artists to throw in references to their products for a very long time, but why this really got me was because there was no attempt to make this seem as if it was being used for altruistic purposes. Beyond the name, “Hitmaker,” which would leave you thinking that this was an outlet for struggling artists to finally catch a break (which it does not), there is no indication that anyone can submit a song. Hey, if you can make a million dollars throwing in some references, it’s your business. But when KFC starts parading artists around with lyrics about its product being soul food, something that really “sticks to your ribs,” it’s very misleading and genuinely absurd. I’m positive that most of the people who come across this are going to think that it is as funny and as I did: Everything about it just screams lame. But, it does provide some insight into how marketing works and the lengths to which companies are willing to go to manipulate culture to sell.
Thanks for reaching out to the community KFC. Your hard work and dedication to the promotion of good family values is really appreciated in the community. Oh, and your commitment to proper nutrition? Stunning.
So, this my friends is a KFC compilation of southern rappers laying it down about how KFC is soul food, comforting, liberating and, brace yourself kids, heritage. I’m posting this mostly because it’s hilarious, but it also reminded me a lot of the Heath and Potter article we looked at a while ago.
Obviously this is about taking a lifestyle and appropriating it to sell politically incorrect chicken legs. The main stream hip hop culture has been no stranger to this sort of cross promotion and branding. I mean, let’s face it; no one loves Bacardi that much. Companies have been paying artists to throw in references to their products for a very long time, but why this really got me was because there was no attempt to make this seem as if it was being used for altruistic purposes. Beyond the name, “Hitmaker,” which would leave you thinking that this was an outlet for struggling artists to finally catch a break (which it does not), there is no indication that anyone can submit a song. Hey, if you can make a million dollars throwing in some references, it’s your business. But when KFC starts parading artists around with lyrics about its product being soul food, something that really “sticks to your ribs,” it’s very misleading and genuinely absurd. I’m positive that most of the people who come across this are going to think that it is as funny and as I did: Everything about it just screams lame. But, it does provide some insight into how marketing works and the lengths to which companies are willing to go to manipulate culture to sell.
Thanks for reaching out to the community KFC. Your hard work and dedication to the promotion of good family values is really appreciated in the community. Oh, and your commitment to proper nutrition? Stunning.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
12
Well, to unveil my official opinion about the Vogue cover that I know you’ve been waiting for with baited breathe is that I pretty much refuse to have an opinion about the Vogue cover. I’m not pretending that it doesn’t exist, I’m just thinking along the lines that if we, or I, feed into an idea like this that it just perpetuates a problem rather than finding any actual answers.
The issue of the cover raises a lot of questions though. And maybe they’re questions that need to be asked in a mainstream forum. Is it racist because we READ racism into it? Is that reading in and of itself inherently racist? Does it say more about us as people, as a conglomerate if we see there being this intertextuality between an image of a white woman and a black man to King Kong?
There has been a lot of focus on this cover, and a lot of it I can say is needless. But, when talking about representation in media, I thought about how when you flip through a Vogue, how many images of minorities do you see? I have a copy of the Vogue at my house and have looked through it, and there were some stunning photographs of Bundchen and James together. So why this cover? Why not this cover?
All in all, I don’t really have an answer, just a series of questions following questions. I think that a dialogue about representations of minorities in mainstream media definitely needs to be opened up and embraced, but I question the validity of this cover to be the catalyst for this. I fear that this is all going to be chalked up to a debate over what is politically correct; another means to gloss over the actual problem rather than facing issues head on. But we shall see.
The issue of the cover raises a lot of questions though. And maybe they’re questions that need to be asked in a mainstream forum. Is it racist because we READ racism into it? Is that reading in and of itself inherently racist? Does it say more about us as people, as a conglomerate if we see there being this intertextuality between an image of a white woman and a black man to King Kong?
There has been a lot of focus on this cover, and a lot of it I can say is needless. But, when talking about representation in media, I thought about how when you flip through a Vogue, how many images of minorities do you see? I have a copy of the Vogue at my house and have looked through it, and there were some stunning photographs of Bundchen and James together. So why this cover? Why not this cover?
All in all, I don’t really have an answer, just a series of questions following questions. I think that a dialogue about representations of minorities in mainstream media definitely needs to be opened up and embraced, but I question the validity of this cover to be the catalyst for this. I fear that this is all going to be chalked up to a debate over what is politically correct; another means to gloss over the actual problem rather than facing issues head on. But we shall see.
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