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Friday, January 22, 2016

D.W. Griffith


Film Appreciation

He is considered the "Inventor of Hollywood." David Llewelyn Wark "D.W." Griffith is best known for directing Birth of a Nation, an adaptation of Thomas Dixon Jr.'s The Clansmen. The 1915 feature film is a story during the Civil War and Reconstruction era where the speaker of the house is portrayed to punish the Southern whites and empowering former slaves. In the film, the Ku Klux Klan is shown to protect the White Southerners.

Born on January 22,1875, Griffith is credited for being innovative in his film-making techniques and co-founding United Artists.




Thursday, January 21, 2016

The Integrity of Journalism and Blogging


PARDON THE INTERRUPTION 

There is a huge difference between journalism and blogging.

As defined by the AP, journalism is the activity of gathering (researching), assessing (investigating/evaluating), creating (writing), and presenting news and information. I'd add further that before a piece is printed, there is a form of review by editors.

Blogging, as defined by Webster, is a web site on which someone writes about personal opinions, activities, and experiences.

Unfortunately, we live in a society where many obtain news from unsubstantiated sources, such as social media and blogs. Many of these blogs have questioned the integrity of journalism--a source of substantiated information (see definition above).

What's worse is when news organizations take blogs (a source of personal opinion) as credible information and report it as "factual."

When blogging, I try to practice my journalistic education, but at the same time offer my opinion and perspective. The main purpose of many of my entries are more to share what I learn and what I experience. However, in no way do I feel that readers should take my entries, although many well researched, as factual.

Monday, January 18, 2016

blink-182 - All The Small Things


Music Appreciation

Selected by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the "100 Greatest Pop Songs," Blink-182's "All the Small Things" was released on January 18, 2000. The song was written by Tom DeLong as an ode to his wife and his favorite band, the Ramones.

The music video, which won an MTV Video Music Award, featured the band doing parodies of pop boy bands and Britney Spears and Christina Aguilar.

One of the most memorable thing I remember is the album cover for Enema of the State, which featured famous porn star Janine Lindemulder.




via Blink182VEVO


Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_the_Small_Things



Sunday, January 17, 2016

Eric Bowman


Art Appreciation

I came across the art work by Californian artist Eric Bowman, while surfing one of my favorite art blogs, Art Odyssey.

What caught my attention from this self-taught and award winning painter is the use of light to emphasize the detail of the subject and emotion he wishes the viewer to feel. For example, you can feel the singer in the painting titled Burgundy Blue.

You can see more of his work HERE.


Burgundy Blue via via artodyssey1

No Privacy Backstage via artodyssey1

Take Five via artodyssey1

Sources:

http://ericbowman.com/
https://www.facebook.com/eric.bowman.5076
http://ericbowmanartist.blogspot.com/
http://artodyssey1.blogspot.com/2014/07/eric-bowman.html
http://wikipainting.blogspot.com/2015/10/eric-bowman.html

Friday, January 15, 2016

Sam Shaw


Photography Appreciation

Sam Shaw is best recognized for his photographs of famous people. One of his iconic photographs is that of Marilyn Monroe's "flying skirt."

Shaw was born on January 15, 1912 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. After high school, Shaw shared an art studio with artist Romare Bearden, considered one of the most important American artist of the 20th century. His career started as a photojournalist for Collier's, a weekly publication, before becoming a contributor for Magnum Photos. His photographs have appeared on several publications such as LIFE and Haper's Bazaar

You can see more of his work HERE.


Marilyn Monroe, The Seven Year Itch, 
New York City (1954) via blogs.telegraph.co.uk


Sources:

http://shawfamilyarchives.com/
http://www.biography.com/people/sam-shaw-20900275
http://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/09/arts/sam-shaw-87-film-producer-and-photographer.html
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/photography-sam-shaw-75208
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/culture/timwong/100072792/remembering-sam-shaw-a-photographic-genius-who-made-marilyn-monroe-an-icon/

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Spice Girls - Wannabe


Music Appreciation

"Tell me what you want what you really really want..."

Shot in on take at the Midland Grand Hotel (St. Pancras Renaissance London Hotel), "Wannabe" was the debut single by the Spice Girls. The music video introduced us to Sporty, Baby, Ginger, Scary, and Posh Spice.

I was a junior in college and remember being more attracted to Sporty Spice (Mel C) while my friends were more into Ginger Spice (Geri Halliwell) and Posh Spice (Victoria Beckham). Perhaps it was the ponytail.


via emimusic

Sources:

http://on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/music/jan14.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wannabe_(song)
http://www.zimbio.com/Beyond+the+Charts/articles/X_zgFqOcckx/21+Things+Don+t+Know+Spice+Girls