Book vs. Movie

"One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kesey is a black comedy about the goings on in a mental institution.  It highlights the struggle of good vs. evil  and has become a highly touted book (as well as a personal favorite).  The movie, however, is not as highly regarded by some people, including Ken Kesey himself.  I think this is due in large part to the changes that were made to make the book into film.

Be a Skeptic

The three men and various experts brought in for the television show "Deadliest Warrior," promote critical thinking through the comparisons of warriors from two different eras.

Pop Music Website Analysis

Gungor is a band that mixes folksy, melodic instruments with heartfelt lyrics about their beliefs.  They have been around for several years, garnering a very loyal, if small, following.  In my opinion, their website is very well put together and works well to show the style of music that they play.

Magazine Audiences

Relevant, one of my favorite publications, strives to create and maintain a Christian progressive culture.  It is mainly aimed towards young Christians in the 20-27 age group.  In some ways it is like any other lifestyle magazine, chock full of ads, interviews, and opinion pieces.  However, from the first opening of the gloss cover, the reader can tell that something is a little different.

Lovemarks

If I had been asked whether or not I had a devotion to a specific brand name or family of product, I probably would not have thought I did.  However, after watching the Emotional Branding video it has become clear that I do express commitment and loyalty to one company, and one piece of equipment they make in particular: the Sony Playstation.

On The Same Page

I think it would be interesting to read "The Power of Habit: Why We do What We do in Life and Business" by Charles Duhigg.

Advertising at School

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 One of the main areas we focused on in class was the computer commons.  The computer commons had a lot of advertising geared towards students who may be in need of a snack break ( coffee machine) or students who were interested in continuing their education by transferring from Yavapai to a University.  Some advertisements even touted the ease of the YC2NAU transfer program.

Alien Tour Guide

I wanted to show the alien the computer commons (because the alien will no doubt be amazed at the level of intelligence)

Me: These are the computer commons where we can use computers to do homework, or just waste time
Alien: Why?
Me: Well, our homework is very important because it helps us get better grades
Alien: Why?
Me: Well, homework helps us gain a better understanding of the things we need to learn
Alien: Why?
Me: Because practice makes perfect.  One other thing about being here is that you must never sit next to someone unless there are no other possible seats.
Alien: Why?
Me:Because sometimes people like to be left alone
Alien: Why?
Me: Because then they don't have to make conversation when they don't want to

Fads and Trends

Fads and Trends are very much a part of everyday life.  They are seen from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep.  But, for the typical person, defining these things in our daily lives as either category does not often come up.  I view fads and trends as being very similar, but with one major difference.  A trend lasts long-term, a fad grabs our attention and disappears just as quickly as it came.  I also find it easier if I think of fads as being subsets of trends, for instance listening to music has become a major part of our society, but specific genres can sometimes last for very short amounts of time.  In this example, listening to music would be a trend and but the mix of rap and country would be a fad ( and thank goodness that one passed quickly).

So, without further ado here are some fads and trends from my own life.

My Tweeps

There are many things that matter to me in life, but mostly I center my time around music, Major League Soccer, and my beliefs.  That is why I chose the 3 Tweeps you see on the right.

My Twitter

My Twitter account is @DecoyJon

and yes, that is my wife's hand picking my nose in my profile picture...we are extremely mature.

HUM 101

This is going to be my blog for HUM 101- Intro to Pop Culture.  Yep.