Ads on the Internet

            Ever wonder how they choose which ad to put up while you are browsing the internet (Facebook, Youtube, Google, etc.)? Well the answer is fairly creepy. The government monitors your activity of internet use to discover what your interests are and what kind of ads would attract your attention. 

            For example, go to your Facebook home page. Now scroll down and when you see an ad, stop and look at what this ad is about. Now think back a bit. Does this ad have anything to do with a website you recently visited, something you looked up on Google, or a page that you ‘liked’? Odds are, it probably is. 

            So why does the government do this? Companies pay to get their ads on websites, and every company needs to get their ads seen so that they make profits. The only way that the companies will make profits is if the right people see their ads. So in order to get the ads seen by the right people, the government monitors what you are doing on the internet so that they know where to put certain peoples’ ads so that they will be seen and noticed by people who will be interested in each ad. 

Adult Humour in Movies

How many of you have ever seen a childrens' movie? My guess is all of you have at some point in your life, but have you ever really paid attention to the comedy in said movies?

                I'm going to narrow it down and focus on mainly Pixar movies. Animators and writers at Pixar have stated that their movies are for adults, just as much as they are for children. So what they do is throw in humour that only the adult are supposed to understand. Most people have seen the classic movies such as Toy Story, The Incredibles, and Cars, So let me use these three as examples.

In the movie Toy Story, made in 1995, there are actually numerous jokes and humourous occasions made so that only adults, and possibly some children, would understand.  For instance, When Bo Peep says to Woody, "Whadda ya say I get someone else to watch the sheep tonight?", it is inferred that she is probably referring to having sex.

Mr. Potato Head draws a threat to hang Woody

In the movie The Incredibles, made in 2004, there is a montage after Bob accepts a job and kissed Helen. During this montage, Bob and Helen are seen sneaking past their daughter, Violet's, bedroom, and they both pinch each other's butt's while passing through each other.

In the movie Cars, made in 2006, there is a truck stop called the Top Down Truckstop, and on the sign for the stop, it reads "All Convertible Waitresses", meaning that all the waitresses are, in a sense, topless.

All of these are examples of jokes and remarks made within Pixar movies, and there are many more. I realize that these remarks are designed so that only adults should understand them, but as our generation grows, it seems that the minds of children are maturing rapidly, and many children are finding these jokes humourous already at a very young age. Although adults need to enjoy the movies that their children watch, I feel as if companies need to cut down on the level of their remarks and humour, and just use jokes that are funny for all ages. 

Disney and Copyright

Over the years, copyright laws seem to have been getting more and more strict and serious. Today, it seems that copyright laws are getting too far, but is it a good idea to be taking these laws to the next level?

                Take Disney for example. One of the most famous corporations in the entire world. Disney has created and used millions of songs, clips, movies, shows, et cetera, and the company's first original characters, songs, and shows are starting reaching the age where their copyrights will no longer exist. Since their copyright will soon expire, anyone will be able to get the right to characters such as Mickey Mouse, and the first person to get it, gets it, which means that Disney has a very small chance of getting the rights to their own characters after the copyrights expire.

                Because of the soon to expire copyrights of Disney, the corporation is trying to extend the copyright laws to 150 years instead of the usual 95 years from publication or 120 years from creation (whichever comes first) so they have longer rights to their own creations.

                In my opinion, this may be a good thing, but it is kind of pointless if you think about it. What is 30 extra years going to help them with if their copyrights will expire eventually anyways? I feel that Disney should just take a risk, like they will have to eventually, leave the copyright laws as they are, and try their best to get their rights back as soon as they expire.  Even if they don't get their rights back first, I'm sure they have enough cash to buy them back from whoever it may be who got them first. 

                                     

Insane Ticket Prices

                It seems that in today's economy, all anyone is interested in is making money. So what is the best way for an artist to make their money? Live concerts of course. But it seems that the bigger the performance, the more expensive the tickets are.

                It seems that the people who just want people to listen to and enjoy their music, sell their show tickets for much less than the "new" artists who are more interested in the cash than their fans musical taste. But in order to get this cash, what do they need to do? Look good, have a huge performance, and sell tickets for 7.5 times the amount they are worth.

                For example, I was checking out the ticket prices for the upcoming Justin Bieber/Carly Rae Jepsen tour, as I was confronted about the prices. It turns out that each floor ticket is worth $450.00 before taxes and shipping prices. Some people told me that the reasoning behind this was because he is back in Canada, his home country, so people are willing to pay the price to see him perform.  I find this quite funny, because back in February, I attended a concert consisting of four bands (three of which are CANADIAN): These Kids Wear Crowns, All Time Low, Marianas Trench, and Simple Plan, and I paid approximately $60 before taxes and shipping prices, a total of 7.5 times less than the Justin Bieber/Carly Rae Jepsen, and to see four bands instead of two individuals. The difference between these two concerts is that These Kids Wear Crowns, All Time Low, Marianas Trench, and Simple Plan care more about what their fans want to hear, and Justin Bieber and Carly Rae Jepsen want to put on a large show to gain more viewers (more viewers = more $$$).

                Ticket prices are become insanely overpriced because more and more people are buying into the performance of a show instead of the music being played.  What's the point?

What Happened to Music?

Do you remember when a band consisted of about four people, each one playing an instrument, playing music that they wanted to play, and could actually play their music? Those were the good days. But now, one doesn't even need talent in order to be in a band, have a record label, and be a famous millionaire.  

With all this "new technology", auto-tuning has basically been turned into a necessity for almost every singer, band, musician, and group there is. A band used to be a group of people who could grab some guitars and a set of drums and play a whole show for their fans. Fans who were there to listen to their music, not to see what outfit the singer was wearing, or what crazy thing the guitarist was going to do this time.

Today, things are different. Think of your favourite band from when you were, say, 11 years old. Why did you like that band so much? Was it because the music related to you, or because the music was so catchy that it was annoyingly stuck in your head 24/7? Would you want to see them live because it would mean the world to you to be in the same building as your musical hero, or because you wanted to see if they did something crazy and stupid? Hopefully your answers to these questions were the first options provided.

It seems music has evolved into, not the sound of the band, but the image of the band. If the band doesn't "look the part", then they are nothing anymore. I never thought that they way that a musician looks or dresses has anything to do with how good the music sounds! Now ask yourself, is this really how you want music to be? It's your decision.

Music and Identity

There's no harm in music, correct? Everyone who said yes, well I'm sorry to say, but you are quite wrong. In todays society, music is everywhere. Restaurants, school, the beach, and all over the internet. People listen to music everyday, whether it's on the radio, in gym class, or just as something to keep them from getting bored.

                The music people choose to listen to is the type of music that can change them as a person. Studies have shown that people who listen to classical music have a higher grade point average than someone who listens to something such as rap or rock.

                Also, more aggressive music, like rap, metal, rock, et cetera, can affect how a person acts in public. Lyrics like in the song Justt Don't Give A F*ck by Eminem suggest that people should just, well, not give a f*ck.

Please excuse the Language

So when you see me on your block with two glocks

Screaming Fuck The World like Tupac

I just don't give a fuck!!

Talking that shit behind my back, dirty mackin

Telling your boys that I'm on crack

I just don't give a fuck!!

So put my tape back on the rack

Go run and tell your friends my shit is wack

I just don't give a fuck!!

But see me on the street and duck

Cause you gon' get stuck, stoned, and snuffed

Cause I just don't give a fuck!!

          Telling teenagers and younger/older audiences that this is how a celebrity lives his life, will most likely cause them to react and try to do the same. This is not good!

                Whatever music someone listens to may also cause them, not only to act differently, but to dress differently, talk differently, be friends with different people, etc. For instance: if someone listens to mainly country music, they may dress in "country-style" clothing like plaid shirts, blue jeans, possibly a pair of cowboy boots and a noticable belt buckle. They may also try to talk using the language that country singers and bands use, their type of lingo. And, not saying this is all true, friends can also be chosen by the type of music they listen to. What is one of the first questions that comes up in a conversation with a complete stranger? "What type of music do you listen to?" If you are a big fan of indie rock, and the person you are talking to says they are really into r&b, while you hate r&b, are you really going to want to hang out with them ALL the time? Most people would say "It doesn't matter what type of music they listen to, it's all about their personality."

                But let's be serious. Would you ACTUALLY want to hang around with someone who absolutely detests your favourite genre of music? My guess is, probably not. People are basically shaped by their favourite type of music, whether it's rap, reggae, rock, metal, screamo, country, punk, r&b,  pop, hip hop, techno, you name it! Everyone is changed by the music they listen to, we don't really have a choice. 

How Does the Media and the Messages Brought to Us Affect of "Identity"?

The media is everywhere. On television, internet, magazines, even in schools and on the streets. Almost everywhere you look, there is something being advertised in one way or another. These advertisements send out messages to people that strongly affect our "identity" or who we are/will become. Now how does this happen? 

                Companies have targetted a certain group of people for their products. For instance, a clothing company such as American Eagle or Hollister would target teenagers, therefore, they need to think of a way to sell their products to these teenagers. In order to do this, they send out advertisements of teens wearing (or not wearing) their line of clothing.

One may also be affected by the prices of the product. They may feel like they fit in better if they have a more expensive brand than the cheap Walmart clothes, and since they wear these more expensive clothes, they now fit in with the rest of the teenage population.

This can change a person's identity because once someone sees these images and these advertisements,  they may feel they need to have the product, or they need to change so they can be like the person in the ad.

Making Chemistry With Dentyne Ice

Before you read this, please take 33 seconds from your day to watch the video posted above. I don't know about other people, but I personally find this commercial very offensive.

First of all, I'd like to point out that this commercial is supposed to be advertising gum, but in the commercial, it portrays a girl. This girl seems to be looking for her perfect match, and where does she go to do this? A club, in the middle of the night! Before she even gets inside, she is scoping out guys, showing their personal traits from what she observes in the 3 seconds she looks at them. Of course, this is how one finds true love, right?

Not only does she find her "Mr. Right", but she completely ignores this guy, who just so happens to be the one for her, and goes for "Mr. Right Now" implying that she is a complete and utter slut, who would rather flaunt herself in front of a guy who she will probably only be with for one night.

Now let me ask you this question: If you wanted to impress a guy, would your first thought be to pop a piece of gum in to your mouth? And if you were a guy, would that be what you would want to see from a girl trying to impress you? My guess is probaby not.

This commercial, which is supposed to be advertising their brand of gum, switches what gum should be –giving one fresh breath or something to chew on- to, what other than, sex. Because it seems that all marketing companies think everyone wants to see sexual advertisements for gum on their television every day. 

So Many Days

So many days have passed. So many laughs.  So many cries. So, so many days. But not a single day has passed that the thought of you has not crossed my mind.  

 I write this as I sit here, curled up in your sweater, wondering, knowing that you are reading every word that I type. You are here with me, but I cannot see you. You are now just alive in my memory. In my imagination.

                I worry about you sometimes. Up there. Not alone, but yet so lonely. What have you thought about through these many, many days? The same as I, perhaps? Only you know, but maybe you don't. I will never know.

                Are you still here with me? In the minds of many, you are. But I know. I know that you are never here for long. Short visits, sometimes. But never forever. I know you better than the many who think differently than I. I know where you are, all the time.

                Are you proud of me? This is the question that haunts my every move. Will you approve? I can never be sure. You don't approve of much unless it has anything to do with your interests, dated back to 19—who knows when? I try, I really do, but I never know if you approve. I want to tell you so many things but I can't make up the nerve to do it. You already know. I don't have to tell you because you already know.

                So many days, so many accomplishments. I know you know. But there's still so much to tell. So many things I wish to share. So, so many things. These things are sometimes good, but that's not always the case.

                I try to live by you. By what you have done, what you have taught me. But I cannot remember. Sometimes I lie, but I lie so well that I believe these lies about you. I know there's so much shame in this but sometimes I just can't help myself. I feel like these lies bring back memories of you, though they never happened. I just don't want to forget.

                So many days have passed. So many laughs. So many cries. So, so many days. But not a single day has passed that the thought of you has not crossed my mind. 

How My Father Changed My Life

Before you read, I'd like to start off by saying that this is an essay I wrote for grade 10 Enlgish class. The topic was "Who/what has made the biggest influence on your life?". I read this in front of the class the day my father died, probably around the same time ambulance and police crews were arriving to try and save him. That is just something to think about while reading. 

     There are a lot of people that I could write this speech about. Too many really. So before I started writing, I had to ask myself: “What has made the biggest impact in my life, and who caused this impact to happen?” After little contemplation, I came to my conclusion. I am grateful, above all, that my father, Rick Hanley, is here in my life. He has truly changed me to be who I am today.

     Along with many memories, I came across a quote that may help me and many others through life. “Don’t judge people… you don’t know their life.” If everybody obeyed this quote, I find that life would be much better. Everyone gets judged by people who don’t know their lives… including me. I haven’t told many people the life that I’ve lived, how I’ve changed since grade 8. So I decided that now is the time to share.

     Throughout the summer of 2008 my dad was getting these strange feelings. He described these feelings as his head “spinning”, not understanding what people are saying, everything being a blur, and not being able to pick out words. These feelings came to my dad often. Finally, on October 27, 2008, the day of my brothers 10^th birthday, he couldn’t handle these feelings any longer, my father decided to go to the hospital.

     The next day, he came home, sat me and my brother down, and told us the news that would change my life forever. My father had a brain tumor. Most people think that it’s sad, devastating… but I was only 12. I didn’t think of the possible damages that could happen to him. I thought that it would go away, that it was no big deal. But as I grew older my knowledge increased and I now know the outcome.

     My dad lost his license, lost his job, and lost most of his life. Because of the change in his life, mine was bound to change as well. It was unpreventable. My life was changed in a matter of days. I couldn’t make plans. If dad wasn’t feeling good, my plans disappeared and I stayed home to help him out. It wasn’t easy, but it was necessary.

     The tumor kept growing and never shrinking, so finally my dad had no choice but to get surgery. So on June 28^th 2010, he was off to London where I would not see him for another week. The surgery was a success, though they could not obtain the whole tumor. But after the surgery, I was there beside him, every other day, despite my plans. My dad turned out alright afterwards, only to thrust lessons upon me.

     Through him I learned to live on the edge and take life as it comes to me. He taught me a lot these past three years, and hopefully theres more to come. He has changed my life to who you all know me to be today. So overall, I am grateful, that my father, Rick Hanley, is here in my life. He has changed my life for the best.

                                                   ~Richard Hanley, March 7, 1961-

                                                                 April 28, 2011~

Night

Having fun at the party,
The fire burning high,
we had a few good memories,
but it's time to say goodbye.

It's beginning to get late,
The dark is coming soon,
so i whip out my flashlight,
now to see the moon.

I get into my car,
begin to drive away,
the stars in the sky remind me,
of the end of this beautiful day.

Finally I hop into bed,
and look out at the twilight.
But before i go to sleep,
I turn on my nightlight.

Goodnight!

Are Our Lives Decided by Fate or By the Decisions We Make?

    In my personal opinion, i feel that our lives are decided by the decisions we make. This is because if we make the right decisions, it could possibly lead to fate in the future. Sometimes fate gives you decisions aswell, which is almost the same as desisions leading to fate, but different. In order for us to experience fate, we need to make the proper decisions to bring us to the conclusion of fate.
    In the script, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Romeo Montegue deicide to go to the Capulet's ball, even though the Montegue family and the Capulet family are in a giant feud. Because of this decision, Romeo experienced fate, by meeting the love of his life, Juliet Capulet.
    In our lives, decisions are also the way that our lives are decided. For example, if we decide to do our homework, we get good grades and can go to school for a great job; if we decide to talk to people, we make a lot of friends and live a great and fun life. Another example in our lives is the decision of what food we eat. If we decide to eat healthy food, we become active and fit and healthy, but if we decide to eat junk food, we become less athletic, less fit, and less healthy.
    As you can see, everyones lives are determined by the decisions that we make on a day to day basis. All people today, all people from centuries ago, and even people that have been written in books. Every ones lives are decided by the same thing. This thing is not fate, but the decisions that we make.
    So in the end, my opinion on the question "Are Our Lives Decided by Fate or By the Decisions We Make?", the answer that I have come to the conclusion of, is that our lives are most definately decided by the decisions that we make every day.