The Seven Deadly Sins in Media

I'm sure you've heard of the seven deadly sins. You know, those pesky little attributes that everyone is supposed to shy away from in order to live a life bound for heaven when we die. Of course, I don't ask you to believe in these things and to each their own, but I ask you to make some connections with me between these ways of life and media as we know it today.

We all know that we should try to give in to these vices as little as possible, but media makes it so much easier and attractive to lose our way. Here are some connections I have made between the deadly sins and media-related trappings.

1) Gluttony - Epic Meal Time
As our geography teachers and mothers constantly remind us, there are starving children in Africa! And yet we have so much food in the Western world that we can afford to make grotesque "feasts" out of large amounts of food, not to feed ourselves or to gain sustenance, but for the sole purpose of Youtube views. What a world.


2) Pride - Facebook
Finally, a social place where those who are vain enough to stare at themselves in the bathroom mirror for hours can allow us to do the same! Facebook users have gone out of control with this incessant profile-padding. I don't need to be assured of how "hot" someone is, or how many friends they have, or just how straight they can get their hair with fourteen hours of hot-ironing. And I definitely don't need to know that your so-called "father" is listed on Facebook as your friend named Katie. Unless that is true. In which case, I retract my comment.

3) Sloth - Online Gaming
I don't know that much about these kinds of games, but I have seen firsthand what they can do to your average human male aged 12-40. These are the events that take place (in roughly the same order each time a new game comes out).

1. Discover future release of game
2. Pre-order game
3. Obsess over release of game
4. Buy new television, cancel work shifts for next four months
5. Buy game
6. Play game for 36 hours straight
7. Bathroom break/Food eating (optional)
8. Play game until sleep/death sets in

I have never seen Cooking Mama Cook-Off do this to anyone. JUST A HINT.

4) Envy - Better ____ (Fill In The Blank) Magazines
You have seen them on the newsstands, Better Living, Better Kitchens, Better Cars, etc, why do we always feel like we need these objects that will "make our lives better" such as new blenders or electric foot baths. I dare the people who read these magazines not to buy a single item for a whole day. What a challenge!

5) Greed - Advertisements
There are so many advertisements all around us, all because corporations just want to get richer and richer off of our stupidity and lack of self-control. We have advertisements in our movies, email, breakfast cereal, milk cartons, even in places where we don't even know we're being advertised to!
Exhibit A)

Did you notice the iPhone in that picture?

Exhibit B) The judges of American Idol always have Coke glasses (in their iconic shape) in front of them, with the logo just-so partially showing to the camera. This is all purposeful.

6) Wrath - The Art of Suing and The Impact of Violence
I have two schools of thought for this one, and they kind of blend into each other. We have all become so incredibly desensitized to violence, whether it be in video games, action films, rap songs or anything else, that when we see violence in real life, we don't even blink an eye. Not only that, but the problem has escalated to the point that we are actually copying the things we see in these violent video games, for example, and we are causing real-life harm to ourselves and others.

Furthermore, everything in media has a name-tag attached to it. Everyone wants their credit (whether it is due or otherwise), and we will do anything to get it. That may mean suing others because they came up with an idea that, in some small way, relates to an idea we "say" we came up with first. We feel that we are entitled to some form of the compensation they are earning, things just escalate from there. And, in a horrible mix of these two things, many people are suing video game companies because their children are emulating the things they see when they play the video games. The whole thing has spiraled out of control and I think everyone needs to just calm down.

7) Lust - Sexually Inappropriate Song Lyrics or Music Videos

I just don't even know what to do with this.

I really like the song. It's good. Don't get me wrong. But this video, what is the message here? I completely understand if you didn't watch it all the way through. I didn't want to. Nothing really needs to be said about the video that you can't glean from watching it, so I'll just leave it alone.

Well, there you have it, you now know exactly what to watch out for in these technological days of yonder. I hope you are able to use this handy guide in your daily life, and if you want to know more about the seven deadly sins, you should watch the movie Se7en. It's a great take on the sins as represented in our modern times.

Clever Advertising

Today, I was on Facebook. Now, don't look at me like that, I don't normally use Facebook for more than 15 minutes a day, if at all. But this was a scientific experiment you see. My friend mentioned to me a while back that apparently, Facebook takes all of the information you put into your "Info" area of your profile and provides specific ads on the sidebar which relate to the information you have shared. Can you believe the incredible craftiness of that? I mean, first, I didn't believe this to be true. Then, I promptly forgot about it, and then, I remembered it and went on Facebook to see if it was true.

First, I looked over the information I had provided to Facebook. There wasn't a lot of it, except for a few art-related hobbies and other things. I have never really seen a point in keeping up with my "info" page because no one really reads it anyway and if anyone I have on Facebook wanted to gather information about my interests, I hope they would just ask me in person (which here means posting on my wall, of course). The only area that I keep up to date is the music section, because it is linked to an application that tells me about upcoming concerts near me. Handy, right?

I made a list of all of these interests and miscellaneous things, and then I surfed Facebook with no real purpose but to take careful notice of which ads appeared on the sidebar. Here are my findings.

I don't know how I feel about this! I actually found some really cool links through these ads, like Modcloth Clothing, and a now-extinct indie dance game site LoudCrowd, but is this a misuse of the information we post on Facebook? Should the fact that our info is used in this way be more circulated? I didn't know about this until a month ago and I have been using Facebook for five years. Now that I think about it though, if I had been more observant, I might have been able to spot it. I remember once seeing an ad for a fashion surveying company, seeking females exactly my age. After my birthday passed, I saw the ad again, with the age changed to fit my new age. I have also been seeing a lot of formalwear ads, so I wonder if Facebook takes into account that I am a senior and assumes that I am shopping for a dress for May/June.

If you want to test this theory (as I have no proof...yet), try putting really obscure things into your Information and see what ads Facebook provides you with. Or better yet, make every single topic (activities, interests, music, books, etc.) the same thing (i.e. sauerkraut) and see how many ads come up with a relevancy to preserved German foods. Remember to report back!

Decline of Board Games

I don't know about you, but I love board games. And I don't mean playing board games, I'm saying that I love the whole idea of them. The mix of tactile sensation of all the little pieces and cards and dice, some friendly competition, and inclusion of your favourite people all gathered around a small, flimsy piece of cardboard keyed up with bright primary colours.

Back before video games and television primetime, what did people do? When families used to actually have conversations, what did they do to pass the time? They played board games! These days, no one really appreciates them as much as they used to, even as much as ten years ago, when there was a steady pace of board game commercials on television as well (and not lame ones, either, but actual, honest-to-goodness well constructed board games).

I think we need to penetrate the 'gaming' market again with board games. As opposed to video games, they are great for bringing people together socially and actually stimulating conversation and companionship. The only conversation that video games establish is when you scream curses at your teammate at the top of your lungs for accidentally shooting you instead of your opponent. And more often than not, you don't even know your teammate because you're talking to them through the magic of internet from halfway around the world. If people actually forged relationships this way, I might see some benefit but all I have ever experienced through these inventions is either pranking or just plain cruelty for the fun of it.

The way I see board games, they are very inviting. No matter what your skills and weaknesses are, they are usually manufactured in a way to allow anyone to win. Even Trivial Pursuit (my arch-nemesis in board game format) is designed to cover a wide variety of topics so as to provide an even chance of winning to everyone. And in my experience, by the end of the game, no one remembers who won anyways. It's one of those "not the destination, but the journey" things.

One store downtown has the right idea. Snakes and Lattes Cafe is self proclaimed as the "first board game cafe in Toronto with 1500+ games and specialty treats". The website has a catalog of all of its boardgames on file at the cafe, with stats like playing time, minimum and maximum players, and lots more info so you can make an informed choice. The cafe itself has all the classics as well as a lot of rare/old board games from exotic countries that you may never have heard of before. For example, I found "The Settlers of Catan,"
 a game of German origin which has not only won Game of the Year in its own country in 1995 and in the U.S. in 1996, but it is also continually rated as one of the "best games ever" by boardgamegeek.com, who describe the game as this:

In Settlers of Catan, players try to be the dominant force on the island of Catan by building settlements, cities, and roads. On each turn dice are rolled to determine what resources the island produces. Players collect these resources to build up their civilizations to get to 10 victory points and win the game. Multi-award-winning and one of the most popular games in recent history due to its amazing ability to appeal to non-gamers and gamers alike.

And, as a special bonus to you readers, I have compiled a nice reference for you to better choose your next board game to play.

1) The Classic - Monopoly
# of Players: 2-10 (depending on whether you're okay with using a penny or ring as a playing piece)
Time: 180 min
Special Skills: Monopoly is the all of the entrepreneurs (both realized and at heart), you'll ahve to be a shrewd businessperson in order to succeed! Or blow all your money on Oriental Avenue. Teal is a pretty colour. Don't eat the pieces, they're made of metal!

2) The Realistic - Game of Life

# of Players: 2-6

Time: 60 min

Special Skills: Spinning that dial is all in the wrist! But, as life itself, this is a game of complete chance. Try to use your psychic powers. And always go to college. You'll pay off your student loans by your tenth turn!

3) The Stressing - Operation!

# of Players: 1-6

Time: 20 min

Special Skills: No room for tremors here! Bring your dexterity and maybe a little extra for the guy over there with the shaky hands. Practice is recommended with the buzzer turned OFF before the game is attempted. Sidenote: this game will quickly and effectively determine your aptitude to become a brain surgeon

4) The Social - Guess Who

# of Players: 2

Time: 20 min

Special Skills: This game is lots of fun, just make sure your racism is in check. I have seen it get pretty ugly, pretty fast. Playing in public places adds a whole new level of fun in comparing the faces to actual people walking by or sitting near you.

So why not try playing a board game? Let me summarize those pesky facts:

• obviously, they're fun!
• your eyes won't burn into the back of your head from staring at a digital screen
• no batteries, controllers or connection cables needed (usually)
• better friendships with your friends/family
• expand your skills in fine motor skills, knowledge of useless trivia, etc

Are you convinced yet?

Passover 2011 = Social Media

I have found the best video on the internet. Here, just...watch. Oh my word.



For those who know the story of Passover (old traditions) and use a variety of social media (new traditions), this is the funniest video I have seen in a long while. I myself grew up with the story of the Exodus and Passover seders (usually on birthday, causing a quite atrocious Passover cake of the jelly roll variety) and, being a teenager, I find the mash-up of these social networking websites and a new coming of the Exodus to be a very clever way of relating old and new.

Passover is, in my opinion, a very tedious holiday. We read a very long and dryly written history of what happened when the Jewish people were forced out of Egypt, which is actually not done the least bit of justice. The story really is a very exciting one; complete with murder, water turning into blood, the parting of an entire body of water, and even some cool cracker-type things, but it isn't really something I would sit down and read on a rainy afternoon. So for people like me, as well as those who don't know the story of passover, a condensed version that is more relatable (word of the day) to topics and ideas that we are used to, is a refreshing change.

Can I add God on Skype? Does he have a webcam? What is his display picture? Maybe he is a plain Skype logo kind of guy. Who knows. All I can say is, Pharaoh never answers my wall posts. Even when I'm not asking him to let my people go. He must not use Facebook that much.

Based on my Facebook Un-friends post in March, what kind of Facebook friend do you think Pharaoh is? Does he answer your wall posts? Or does he just "like" all your statuses but never actually post any comments, like a creeper? Based on the story of Passover, I bet he is a Trigger-Happy Facebooker. The more Facebook friends he has, the more potential slaves he has, right? Makes sense to me.

But what about our old traditions? Let's not forget about those. No matter how much knowledge you have of this holiday, do you think that this video's use of modern technology to explain the story of Passover is disrespectful to the ancestors who actually trialled through these hardships? All in all, the Jewish people went through quite an expanse of hard luck in those times (to put it lightly) and even though we have a lot of good humour about it, it still is meant to be remembered as a time of strength in the face of adversity. So, is this kind of humour downplaying the actual seriousness of the events that took place?

And in every piece of media that plays down the seriousness of a situation in light of a humourous approach, is it better to learn about a terrible time in history through the use of misplaced and inappropriate humour than not to know of it at all? I think there are lines that shouldn't be crossed in using humour to bring light to serious historical situations, and sometimes those lines are too easily crossed. Maybe it all depends on our upbringing and our own personal experiences. Maybe we become less sensitive to these things as we grow older, or as new generations arrive. Maybe we become more sensitive. I want to add God on Skype. I bet he would always be online. And he could have infinity conversations at once without his computer lagging.

We're Fans Too

I am super happy about the comeback of records that's happening right now. Modern-day bands are releasing vinyl along with mp3 downloads and those old dusty CD's as well, which means album art ain't dead yet! Again with the touchy-feely, I love the whole idea of records and their big, glorious, clunkyness makes me very content. Putting a record on a turntable and playing it is a whole experience. Playing a song through your computer or iPod dock isn't even comparable to lining up the record hole with that little knob thing in the middle and placing the needle ever-so-carefully on the record. Who really knows where it will end up? You count the patterns in the grooves and try to place it on the song you want, but if you're a little off, you just listen to whatever starts playing because there just isn't a song on that entire album that isn't worth listening to. This is all a very experienced event, something done in a certain order for a specific outcome.

Maybe it has something to do with muscle memory, completing a physical action over and over so much so that even when you haven't completed the action for a long time, the next time you do, you remember exactly what to do.

Either way, records have a much better sound quality than any CD player or iPod dock I have listened to, something indiscernible but undeniably present in the music that just doesn't happen through any digital speaker. One mash-up of this near and dear topic and creative advertising is the new (old) Boom 97.3 radio station ads which have been popping up in bus shelters near you. 

A visual representation of the feeling that these people get when they listen to their favourite record. Their music embodies them, and here is a photo which further emphasizes that message. I love everything about these ads, and here is a list I have compiled of their awesomeness.

• they promote the awesomeness of classic rock/'old' music (let's have no more of this Ke$ha character, okay?)
• they promote the also awesomeness of vinyl (aforementioned)
• album art may have arguably met its peak at the height of popularity of vinyl, and is here appreciated yet again
• this is such effective symbolism of connecting individuals with their favourite music, and in a graphic and creative way to boot

Because I love them so much, I ventured into the basement depths of Sonic Boom and did a couple of my own versions.

Did you know that cellphone cameras are not of the best quality? I was shocked and appalled!

Beauty Born of Use and The "New" Old Object

As per a cutout courtesy of Toronto Life Magazine, I have been itching to visit the Textile Museum for some time. Finally, this weekend, the little scrap of paper on my refrigerator came to fruition.

Textiles are one of those peculiar human inventions which allow us a visual story of our past, present, and future. They are so versatile in that they may be created to fill a need, an installation of art, or simply to adorn ourselves. During my visit, I was lucky enough to be able to view exhibits highlighting each of these topics.

The exhibit which struck me as most interesting was entitled Beauty Born of Use: Natural Rainwear from China and Japan, which was incredible to experience both visually and intellectually. According to the exhibit's reading materials, these special rain capes have been handmade since before the Ming Dynasty in China as well as in Japan. They are made of completely natural fibres even today, woven with bamboo and straw. The exhibit describes these capes as a personal thatched roof, the picture of rainwear in design.

To me, they seemed rich in culture, beauty, craftsmanship and water resistance. These capes felt as though they were actually living, woven directly of the fibres of the culture who use them to this day. These garments actually take quite a long time to make, approximately four to six days (working straight) depending upon the size of the cape. The makers of the capes would travel from village to village, rarely taking time to rest at home throughout the rain season. When they found work, they would stay with the family who employed them until the job was finished. I imagine this would allow the maker of the capes to understand the trials and tribulations of family life all the better, and be perhaps better equipped to offer services more than that of a cape-maker while staying in a family dwelling. The roles of these craftsmen seem that they must have been revered at the peak of their time, and held at a high level of appreciation.

Much as our own culture tends to turn these days, these capes are becoming irrelevant in the face of modern technology. The availability of "yellow raincoats" is becoming a much easier and cheaper alternative to these rain capes, which are now mostly made as a decoration or wall covering. Young people are now uninterested in learning the trade of these magnificent capes, and so the craft may soon die out.

This is such a sad thought, as I have found that newer generations are taking on a habit of replacing old and worn objects instead of repairing them. There is a certain feeling that I have when I put on an old sweater or use a bowl inherited from my grandmother. Those items carry a history and a value, whether sentimental or otherwise, and should be cherished. If that old sweater were to sustain any sort of injury, I would do anything in my power to repair it for further use by myself or someone else who also appreciates its value, but I fear that not many other people of my generation agree with me.

Those who sustain a behaviour of replacing before repairing are an interesting folk. They prefer to buy something new, but they still possess a penchant for the seasoned or vintage product. For example, I was walking around in an Urban Outfitters and I saw at least eight different items that were made of new materials, but that I had seen an almost exact replica of at a church sale a mere couple of days prior. Isn't it interesting that some of these people would rather have a replica of the feeling that I get when I use an old item with a history, than to actually enjoy the real McCoy?

The above pictured raincape was labelled as such that it was purchased on Spadina Avenue in Chinatown. I plan to venture out there myself and see if I can't find a raincape of my very own. If you would like to learn more about these lovely garments or the museum itself, follow this link.

Remember:
"Repair before you replace"

Music Gathering Pie Chart

Okay kids, this is gonna get a little bit mathematical on you and for that, I apologize. But will it make things better if I note that this is all very music related? As you may know, I don't really like to listen to a lot of the so-called "popular" music these days. I really like what's been going on in the alternative/electro/synth beats/pop/lo-fi/whatever scene for the last while, and people sometimes ask me where I get my music from. Usually, they are asking in a mocking way, such as, "Jeez, I've never heard of this band, where do you get all this random music?!" or "Chloe, your music is so lame, tell me where you get it from so I know never to waste my time with that source!"

So, all you haters and lovers, here is a nice little pie chart for you to read/denounce/eat/love/set as your screensaver.

Complete with 3-D effects and everything! Pretty suave, I know. Let's break it down.

Podcasts are just great. There are so many different kinds of them, and listening to them while I am on the go is an added plus. I listen to a bunch of alternative music podcasts like PMAcast, GROOVELECTRIC and IndieFeed. It's a great way to screen new music in a compilation without going into iTunes and buying every song. Because I know that's how you all get your music, right?

Music Website Recommendations, like those little icons on the bottom of an album page in Amazon Music that make recommendations based on what you're searching for. They seem lame and annoying, but really they are usually dead on. If you like the sound of a certain band, search for it in Amazon Music or the iTunes store and you will be shown a list of bands that sound similar to that band. Ahh, the magic of internet.

The Wedge (and Much Alternative) through Rogers on Demand (or on the internet if you're not lucky enough to have a Rogers Box) are really in sync with new Canadian indie bands. I found Glasser that way and then only three days later, her music was playing over the soundsystem at the Gladstone Hotel restaurant! I felt very in-the-know, I can tell you.

Music blogs are the obvious ones. I guess this blog has turned to somewhat music-related topics (certainly not on purpose)! I love Stereogum and Hype Machine, but the little ones are good as well, like The Culture of Me. International blogs especially, show you cool music from different places in the world. Such as how I discovered the magic of Swedish music!

Good music magazines are sometimes hard to come by, but if you care to venture downtown, you can find magazines for every possible genre. It's actually kind of crazy, how many I found in this one store downtown. SPIN Magazine is the obvious choice for mainstream alternative music of course, and I also love Under the Radar Mag for the more obscure music.

If I try to lord my music over other people, they usually try to lord their music over me. So I usually listen to what they like just to shut them up, and sometimes it actually does turn out to be good. Even my parents used to listen to some good music at one point or another. Surprising, right? I still can't get over it.

T.V. Commercials, on the best of the best days, play some super-amazing music. And I don't just mean the Apple commercials, either. I remember the way I found one of my favourite musicians, Joel Plaskett, was through a Zellers commercial. A good way to find a song that you hear on a television commercial is to either a) remember the lyrics and google them, or b) google what the commercial was advertising. There is a really good website made just for finding music used in advertising here.

Sometimes, the opening acts for bands that I see live are just amazing. When I went to see the Decemberists, I forgot to check who the opening band was, and they turned out to be incredible. Their name is Wye Oak, and I love them. I actually find that listening to the opening band online before seeing them at the show sort of ruins the experience for me, because listening to them for the first time in a live setting has some sort of magic to it or something. These things can't really be explained, I guess.

Did you know that you can find some really awesome music at your local public library? That sounds insane, I know, but it's completely true! Ever since I got my first library card in wee little grade one, I have been combing the racks of broken jewel cases for cool album art. Don't judge me. They always said not to judge a book by its cover. Nothing in there about CDs. More often than not, I find these albums to be amazing, and I even come across a band I've been meaning to look up but haven't gotten around to yet. My first big find at the library was...The Trews. In 2004. So there.

Gelaskins

Being the type of person that I am, I sometimes find myself at a crossroads. By that I mean, sometimes there comes along a product (the birth of consumerism) which has become so popular and so then has been revised so many times that it has reached perfection in the task it was originally made to accomplish, that I feel the need to obtain it for myself, even though I know that my owning said product will turn me into a braindead consumer as well as shepherd me into the flock of sheep currently large and still growing.

The most obvious example is the iPod. I love music as much as the next person, and was certainly finding it cumbersome enough to carry around a so-called "non-skip" clunky CD player and case of 24 CD's. So when I gave in to the iPod craze on November 9th, 2007 (Nano 3rd Gen in Black of course), I declared that I would find some way of making my iPod different from all the others in the world. And a lot of people bought that Nano, I can tell you. Who wouldn't want a cute little square iPod? It was very enticing.

I truly loved that iPod. My best friend gave me a rubber skin for Christmas of that year, after it had already slipped ever so many times out of my hand or pocket and scratched itself on the floor (bad iPod!), and I liked it but it was just plain blue and it didn't do a very good job after the small rip it sustained began to grow at an alarming rate.

And then, I found the answer. Where, you ask? What a silly question. Why, Urban Outfitters, of course! I was perusing the housewares and among the owl mugs and moustache flasks I came upon the most life changing item I had ever seen in all my years. It was a skin for the very iPod I owned, paper thin and plasticized. It boasted a brightly coloured background with snippits of paper and fabric in a collage-esque style. The back of the package laid claim to a scratch-free iPod, with style to boot! It was $14.95 CDN and I never looked back. Here is the sweet little skin.

I assume you can see the appeal. The skin did and does continue to protect the iPod from scratches (and possibly E. Coli. poisoning when I dropped it behind a very gross refrigerator once upon a time), well, as far as I can guess, because I haven't taken the skin off the device since I spent 30 minutes getting it exactly straight. When I was gifted with a new iPod Touch, I visited the website to find (to my delight) the countless designs available for a very wide range of devices. I ordered a skin for my new iPod and for my netbook.

The website also promotes artists through their designs made for the skins. The artist who designed this particular skin is named Colin Johnson and I never would have known about his work had it not been for gelaskins. All of the artists showcased on the website have amazing portfolios, so my artistic background was also satisfied.

I have noticed that these skins are of much better quality than those found at, say, a mall kiosk, and that most other skins do not provide a design for the track wheel and center button as these do. I have received countless compliments on my iPod and I find that it allows me to showcase my tastes in an exterior way as well as in the interior contents of the device, which is less accessible to others. Much as the Apple brand would have you believe that their products promote originality and the value of being unique, I find that these skins do a better job than the Apple advertisements in allowing me to express myself.

The website, found here, also allows you to use your own images as a skin for any of their products. I really recommend it if you dislike the bulk of rubber cases.

Over-the-top Pop Culture

Why is it that we will buy into any random item we see that is plastered with the logo of our favourite team/band/celebrity/whatever? Celebrities are paid millions and millions in royalty money just to lend their trademark to the newest toothbrush, christmas ornament, canned lunchmeat, and pretty much everything else. Case in point, the Rolling Stones. They were and continue to be so popular to this day that they still earn royalty money today for the ridiculous things plastered with their iconic lips and tongue.

And so I present to you:

The Rolling Stones Urinal.

Just when you thought you were safe. Walk into the bathroom, lock the door. You’re alone in here, at least. Right? NO. Staring you in the face…and your…other body parts…is the giant mouth that you will soon be peeing into.

Oops, sorry. Didn't see you there. I'll turn around while you do your business.

The one thing I can’t understand is why they didn’t think of the fact that some people probably have fetishes for these kinds of things…right? Or maybe they did think of that. Either way, I think this is pretty gross. Even the most obvious problem: the product is attempting to promote the band by having the population urinate onto its logo. Isn’t that usually a negative action?

I have to ask though, and you will forgive me: why didn't they include the tongue in this captivating design? Somehow, too raunchy perhaps? Or maybe it just didn't make ergonomic sense. Who knows. I certainly can't be held responsible for understanding the inner workings of the minds of the people who come up with these things.