West Side Story & The GAP

The Gap did a commercial some years ago advertising colorful cropped denim. The did a dance number where they acted out a song from West Side Story. This was one of the commericals that came to my mind when we were asked to blog about intertextuality and identify either a horizontal or vertical characteristic. This one I think, is pretty simple to understand. West Side Story has been around since the late 1950's. It was a hit movie and its been popular ever since. If you are American you've probably heard of this musical. I think the Gap did a really good job linking everything. The scenery was the same, the clothes very similar. Fashions alway returns and by what better way to show than to show a blast from the past. The ad used a movie to connect a new trend The Gap was launching to the market. For this commerical the genre the connected was a movie and really nothing else. I think it was pretty cool to see a new version. The video I found on youtube is a little blurry and not so good quality as when it first aired.

AT & T & everything else

To my knowledge At & T was first a telephone company. Then made its directory book. Then internet. Then was cable. Then was cell-phone. Okay, well I don't know exactly what order these things were developed or implemented as a service at AT & T. What I think will happen is that since they already have so much power over communication and media that perhaps they will create their own magazine or newspaper to continue to take over as much as they can. I just think its annoying to see so many companies merging and becoming one, buying out, or selling to a bigger company. I know its a good thing that companies get bigger and make more money because that is good for the economy, but it just looks like they become too powerful. AT & T has so much control, they are huge! If AT & T was shut down for a day that would cause economic catastrophe. Millions of people wouldn't be able to communicate. Already with that blackberry disruption of service a couple weeks ago, really angered thousands of people. Basically, I just think that companies should try to take over everything that they possibly can, but that's probably only going to happen in a perfect world...oh it doesn't exsist.

Yesterday I went to the O'Neil lecture. The guest speaker was Allan Sloan who is a business journalist. The topic was whether journalism was dying. I agreed with a lot of the things he said, and it was actually interesting to hear someone talk about their career of 40 years. One thing he mentioned was that perhaps newspaper subscriptions would keep declining and maybe in the future it would be mostly online format. I agree with that because the internet is part of a lot of people's lives. Especially recent generations. Its so convienient to just look things up online. I usually read what Yahoo's top news are and just because they are top news there doesn't really mean they have the most news value to me, I just read them because they are on the cover. Mr. Sloan also mentioned that recently The New York Times stopped charging for the online edition and that now everyone can access it. I think that in the future online news will have subscriptions. Perhaps in the future your computer will turn on automatically and be programmed for ones interest that it will display news that matter to that individual. Basically I think that news will continue to evolve in the way that they are delivered to us and be customized to what interests we have. I think this will also affect advertising because now it will be more specific target segments of the market.

Everyone should wash their hands as often as possible, before eating, touching a baby, taking your contacts off, etcs. Okay, I'm not a germaphobic, I just like to feel that my hands are clean so I carry with me hand sanitizer in my bag and in my car. I think that because its alcohol base, somehow it kills germs. Of course I don't think that hand sanitizer replaces a good old scrub of soap and water, but sometimes it will do just fine. But how effective is hand sanitizer really? I looked on the governments web page Center for Disease Control and Prevention and this is what I found some interesting things. According to many studies done across the country, hand sanitizer has proven to kill bacteria. Although it may not be 99.9%, it is still very safe to substitute sanitizing gel for soap and water when needed. They also recommended using sanitizers with 60% or more alcohol base because they are more effective. I think that it is great that there is hand sanitizer all over campus and I think that there should be hand sanitizer in even more places other than schools. I think the Dart Train should install some pumps inside and grocery stores should have hand sanitizer close to the fruits and vegetables isles. I think it was a great invention who ever invented hand sanitizer, I am a fan, of course there is nothing like soap and water and a good clean scrub.

We LIVE We LOVE

....we live we love we forgive and never give up cause today we are given a gift from above and today we remember to live and to love....

One of my favorite songs titled We Live We Love by Superchick. In the song the talk about a man who waits for his medical test to see if the cancer has spread yet. Then he asks himself why did he wait to live till it was time to die. I think that some people when they approach death wish they would have done things differently in life. I think that some people don't value life like they should. We have one life on this earth, only one, and there is so many careless, reckless and hurtful people in the world. I believe that there is a heaven and there is hell, the way that our world is I have to believe there is something better. I don't want to let the years go by without doing things that I want to do. One of my biggest dreams was to come to SMU and I'm living it now. I value my education. I value my family and friends, what could be more important on this earth than them? I also think that there is a lot of people that live mediocre lives. If everyone did their best at the things they were best at our society and world as a whole would be so much different. There are people or all ages and all cultures that press forward with the best that they have, that; is a waste of life.

The Lofts at SMU opening in 2010

If you take a look around Dallas you will surely see new high-rise apartments, lofts, and luxury townhomes being built. I think that SMU should follow in the those steps and tear down all the old apartments and just build some cool new lofts. If I was in charge of the development plans this what I would do. First I would tear down all the old apartments like I mentioned before. I would construct a new building 20 stories tall. I would have 12 lofts on each floor. I wouldn't add a fitness center or pool since we already have those amenities on campus. Pets would be allowed but smoking would only be permitted outside. Although technically lofts should be one room,I would make most lofts two bedroom and two baths. I would have a lot of stainless steel in the kitchens and install energy saving refrigerators. I love big windows that let light in. That would be a main feature at The Lofts at SMU. I think it would be a great idea to try to keep students as close to campus as possible. Anyway, there really aren't any plans to build lofts at SMU as far as I know.

...........ZZZZZZzzzzzzzz...............

Sleep...I need more sleep. I think anyone can say that. For me, getting up at 5:00am Tue, Wed and Thurs has really messed up my sleeping schedule and eating habits. I rise and shine early in the morning so that I can be at the Daily Update from 6:00am to 8:00am. I don't understand how some people can function with 4 hours of sleep. Some students at the DU come in saying "Man, I only got 4 hours of sleep" or less. I really want to make an effort to go to bed earlier or perhaps take a 2 hour nap in the middle of the day to somewhat catch up on some sleeping hours. Its also so wierd to me that some people are more awake and alert during evening and late hours. That is not the case for me. If it was up to me I would probably go to bed at 10 and get up at 6 every morning. That would be 8 hours of sleep. Perfect. If I get more than that I feel even more tired. I think its so rude when people fall asleep in class. I've been in a room before where the student started snoring, I'm sure its embarrasing for them but its more disrespectful for the everyone else. I think its really admirable that some people work owl hours or get up at 4 am to be on a morning show, put on a happy face for the camera, and look good doing it. There is also so many nurses and doctors and police officers and post men and other service jobs that are needed around the clock.

Pennies = 80 Million Dollars

I've always heard that it cost about 2 cents to make 1 cent. I was watching a news video online that was titled 'Making Cents'. They said that the government spends about 135 million dollars to make 80 million dollars. I know the math doesn't add up assuming that 2 cents=1 cent, but anyway, I just want to say that Abe should retire and pennies should be taken out of circulation. I actually keep all my change in a jar and then go to the bank and get bills. Some people don't care about their change, this is money falling between the cracks of your couch, getting stuck under your car seat, or just getting lost. If we stop using pennies then the government could save about 60 million dollars and use it for something more productive. Now, doesn't that make more sense? I've even seen people throw away their pennies, to some people they are worthless. I just think its silly that it cost more money to make than what the face value is. Congress should stop circulating pennies, let every American in the world go to the bank and exchange them for bills, then proceed to rounding every price tag in the country to the nearest five cents. I know it would be a very complicated process.

Doomsday Artic Seed Vault

Never have I heard about any vault containing seeds in case of emergency. I thought that was just in movies, I remember one about a spaceship that carried DNA of all animals that had ever exsisted on Earth. This spaceship then got to a different planet where life would begin again. In an ABC video they showed such seed vault that contains millions of seeds from around the world. They explain that in case of a catastrophe, nulcear destruction, or extinction, this vault will safeguard these seeds. Norway was chosen because of the constant cold temperature and the distance that it is based on previous wars. I searched online about this vault and many results came up, even articles written over two years ago. I think its actually pretty scary to think that our Earth has power to destroy itself 10 times. I agree its a good idea to store seeds, even DNA like in that spaceship movie. However, if the Earth ever needed these seeds to reproduce plants again, humans are assuming that humanity still would exist even after mass destruction of vegetation. There is also another vault in Sussex England, and I know there is more around the world. I think it will be interesting to see these vaults pop up all over the world in the next decade.

Louis Vuitton Commerical

I found this Louis Vuitton commercial supposingly made by Ogilvy & Mather. Somewhere in the article I read it said this was the first tv spot for LV and that it was launched Feb.15th. I've never seen an LV commercial other than print. I think it was actually a really good ad. I like the message about a person's journey. But the whole time I was expecting to see at least one suitcase. I don't understand any other reason why LV would fit into a journey. Some people that they showed in would never purchase an LV item, such as the painter on the side of the rode or the smiling old Asian man. This commerical could advertise any product and its meaning wouldn't change, obviously except for the product. There are some instances where the ad became a bit fuzy, there are some scenes I couldn't really tie in with the message. Sometimes a certain frame was unrecognizable (is that a word?). I think the ad was really calming to watch, it was in a way motivational. I liked the ad, loved the whole thing about a journey, liked the tone, its peace and flow.

The Toyota Touch, Literally.

This Toyota commercial is actually pretty creepy. They don't show any characteristics and actually alter much of a the simple things a car has. I don't think this commercial makes people want to buy this vehicle, it was pretty interesting to watch, made my 13 year old brother laugh. I tried to pause the video and on the part where it was parking, and if I'm correct its a silver smartcar. The guy in the video also must have been driving for a long time before he got to his destination because he the showed the light features at the end. I don't even know what culture their aiming this commercial at. The statement at the end is in English, and I know the car is imported from Japan, and everyone in the ad seemed Asian. The driver really had a hands on experience!

Smartcar Crash

I really like the smartcar but after I saw this video all I can hear in the background is my dad saying it not big enough of a car to protect from a collision. I don't think I would get this car after seeing this video. If the dummies can out with broken everything, can you imagine what a human's body would be left like after the an accident. I saw other videos after I saw this one, but this one was probably the worst. Like that famous saying, one should expect the worst but hope for the best. I can relate that to a car collision because sometimes is completely out of one's reach or control. If you have a bigger car to protect you from the impact, its probably a safer way to go. The video is not in English but the images speak for themselves!

Y > ST

I don't think anyone in Dallas has ever heard of Young Street. Its a show hosted by Angelique Tege and Henry Guerrero. This show is targeted to people 18 to maybe late 30's. Angelique and Henry go around Dallas trying new restaurants, clubs, bars, boutiques, music events, and other entertainment destinations. Overall I think the show has a really cool concept. They even have a blog on wfaa.com. I see so much potential in this show, but to be honest, I don't see it lasting very long. It has good content but I feel like in needs to be presented with more energy. The host are not bad but they seem to present as reporters and I don't think thats the way it should be. I think the show is a great idea but it needs more umph. It needs to be pumped with energy like I mentioned before. If I was the producer or director I would choose different hosts. I would use a a different layout for their logo. The one above is their current. I like the Y>ST but not the designs they used. Young Street airs on Sundays at 5:00. I think it only last 30 minutes. And last but not least, I want to mention they totally are missing the advertising concept. Perhaps they have never heard of it. I am an avid wfaa watcher, for news and other shows. The only reason I know about Young Street is because I check out their website constantly. I hope that this show can evolve and capture its target market, otherwise its not going to make it into the digital era of television.

SmartCar

Heard of Smartcar yet? By far it is the smallest car I have seen around Dallas. A silver and hot pink one was parked on the SMU campus a couple of weeks ago. I remember seeing people stare at it wondering if it was a joke, or perhaps were just really impressed with its size. I went online to look it up and according to their official website the US is the 37th country to sell this model made by Mercedes Car Group. The price range is from $11,590 to $16,590. Smartcar is 8.8 feet in length and a little over 5.5 feet in height. And a gallon will allow you to travel 40/city and 45/highway. Sounds gas efficient doesn't it? I would love to own one. Why? I just like the way it looks. It looks almost like a big little toy car. I think it would actually fit in a "compact car" space. However, in a car collision I don't think there is much to crash, so can you imagine the inside? My dad has always liked big cars for that reason, he says that there is more body to protect the people inside. So, even though its not an expensive car, he wouldn't get it for me. The picture shows a smart car dispenser in Germany, cool building. I wonder how the get the cars out. Maybe there is an elevator they drive on to and descend.

I love chicken marsala, pasta primavera, and the classic lasagna. Italian food is my favorite, but why do I hesitate going to an italian restaurant? I love chicken fajitas with rice and beans, tamales and flan. Mexican food is my second favorite. But why do I hesitate when going to a mexican restaurant? It is my parents fault. They are the best cooks around! My dad has been a chef for 20 years specializing in the italian cuisine. And my mother, well she's from Mexico, need I say more? Every time I go to a restaurant I am so critical of the food, always comparing to what my parents make back home. I'll think to myself, my dad adds more chicken than this! Or, my mom's rice has more flavor. I love trying new foods and exploring new restraunts around Dallas. But I always take a bit of time before agreeing to go to a Mexican or Italian place. I don't mean to be so critical, but my tastebuds don't lie.

Obama Rally

It was completely a spur of the moment decision to attend the event today at Reunion Arena. Everyone there was pumped up to see Obama and hear his message for Dallas supporters. I currently have no political stand, sad to say because I am a citizen of this country and I should be more aware of what is going on. I hope that by election time I am well informed and prepared to cast my ballot. Anyway, at the event there was thousands of people lined up outside in the chilly breeze. People of all ages from babies in strollers to senior citizens anticipated their entry to the arena. Once I got inside I scanned the audience and it was a majority of African Americans. It made me think about a comment that I heard the other day on TV. They said that is was perhaps a really difficult time for African American women since they were torn between voting for a women or an African American. I think it is completely ignorant to look at the situation like this. No one should vote for someone based on their race or gender but for the things that they stand. Does this canidate seem to hold your similar values and morals, to me is a more important question. I am very proud to be Hispanic but just because a Hispanic canidate was running that doesn't necissarily mean I would blindly vote on him or her. People have to look at the bigger picture.
Obama talked about uniting our country and I can totally see he shadows Martin Luther King Jr. in the things that he says. Reunion Arena was almost a full house, according to wfaa more than 15,000 attended.

$2,000 Mansion

A couple weeks ago I decided to drive down Greenville to see where it would lead me. I actually enjoy driving around aimlessly to check out places I've never been before, its a strange hobby. Anyway, I came to Swiss Avenue and it only took a couple secounds to realize that the neighborhood mansions were in historic district called Munger Place. Some of them look like the houses on Home Depot commercials advertising paint for the exterior of houses. Some look like homes in movies from the early 1900's. In the surrounding area the houses get smaller but the characteristics and beauty of these homes don't diminish. There is houses that look like bunglows or have a praire style to them. I looked up theses houses and their market values. Some start at $300,000 and some go way beyond $500,000. When in 1905 they were around $2,000. The great depression almost wipped out this area when homeowners started to turn their houses into apartments. In 1980 over 250 homes became officially a historic district and now is the largest collection of praire-style homes in America. Enough with the history lesson! Well to me theses houses represent a part of Dallas history. Its like a blast from the past just taking a look around this neighborhood. Its really cool to imagine what it was like to live in the early 1900's. These houses represent the wealth of that era. I hope that new homeowners abide by the districs laws and when remodeling and renovating keep style and history those homes are meant to represent.

simply water

A shower makes me feel fresh! I mean who doesn't? Even after a long day a hot shower before going to bed takes away my tiredness. I'm not really sure what other people's showering patterns are. Some in the morning, some at night, some not daily (ew).
If I take a shower in the morning, it wakes me up. And at night, I sleep like a baby. Sometimes on Sunday morning I'm not considerate and take too long in the shower and leave hardly any hot water for my family (we only have one hot water heater in my house). Then, sometimes, I'm the last one shower and after a few minutes under the hot water, a burst of icy water pours over me. I know that I have taken things in life for granted, water is one of them. I don't ever think "hey this bottled water is actually a luxury, people in other places of the world don't even have tap." In some countries there is a scarcity of potable water, yet here in America we have plenty to water grass between the roads. Clean clear water at the turn of a knob, seems like such a simple thing. But in reality, we are so lucky.

Frozen. The Frozen in place video clip was really cool. I'm sure lots of people were confused, others seemed to be ignoring the fact that there was people around them not moving. That actually reminded me of the book Left Behind. Except people didn't dispear from the inside of their clothes. Its like time stopped for them, and actually, standing still is a lot harder than it looks. Another form of art using body movement is a group of people that make really cool formations. They actually performed for the Grammy's or some award show last year. They were also on Oprah not too long ago. Basically they wear skin tight clothes. It is a group of about 10-15 people and the all roll into the scene behind a white curtain. All you can see is their shadow. Then slowly they being to climb on to each other and suddenly the are in a really cool formation. I remember seeing them make a train, Oprah's dog, and letters.

What color do you see when you close your eyes? Do you see dark, black, empty? When I close my eyes I see the color of nothing, thats the best way I can describe it. Sometimes I wonder if there are any more colors other than what we already see. Something more than roygbif. Maybe in another dimension there is others colors that we can't possibly imagine because we have never seen them before. I just think that maybe our color spectrum doesn't hold all the colors of the universe. There has to be more...

Still modern in 2038?

okay, so this is the W hotel in Victory Park. It looks beautiful with its bright blue neons and modern luxury design. This hotel has the latest architecture and state of the art design that new and fresh to us, but what about in 30 years?

All the new contrstrution that I've seen around the Dallas area seems to have the same modern accents. Marble floors, stainless steel walls and doors, rectangle windows all different sizes. Just take a look down Knox or Victory Park. New buildings to me all looks like brothers and sisters. Nothing too original has caught my eye. I'm not bashing on the architecture, in fact I think its really cool. But have you ever stop to wonder what you'll think about these buildings in 20-30 years. My question is how long does something modern look modern to your eye? 1 year? 5 years? I dunno, I guess I'll just have to find out...in 30 years.

I am (FILL IN THE BLANK)

I was reading an assignment for my ethics of convergent media class when I came across an interesting statement in a case study. The topic was being a minortiy in journalism and either being chosen to do or not do the a certain reporting job. One journalist said that first she was a journalist. Second latina. Well okay, she might see that as her priority, being an ethical journalist. But when she was born, she wasn't born being a journalist. She was born latina. So, I guess I'm just thinking about what I consider myself first. I am Diana, a Mexican American girl. I am latina first. If you take a look at me its surly obvious! So if I was to look at the lady I wouldn't notice that she was a journalist until she told me. I would see the color of her skin. I think that there is two differences in describing oneself. First you are what you are, things that you can't change. Male or Female. Yes, I know there are surgeries, but no matter what you look on the outside, Doctors can't change your DNA. Then there is ethnicity. You can't change that either. Also, there is what you choose to become, a journalist, a student, a doctor. But that is after the fact that you are a girl or boy, chinese or german.