Jimmy Fallon & Justin Timberlake – “Hashtags” by Burke Ackal (Multimedia Storytelling Class)

Hashtags are used on social networks, especially on Twitter. Hashtags occur when a hash precedes a word or phrase or pound sign to identify messages on a specific topic. The reasoning people perform this activity on social networks is to connect with others to see what he or she tweeted that was relevant to theirs.

Jimmy Kimmel did a sketch with Justin Timberlake on how annoying if we use hashtags in everyday conversation and I found it really funny because I find hashtags kind of annoying when used in other situations that does not involve using Twitter, for example, I find it irritating when people use hashtags on Facebook because hashtags are a better fit for Twitter use for connection and interaction. Facebook is more of a personal use.

Miranda Adams (MCJ 300) response: Science of Persuasion

Is there a science to advertising? Speaking with authority and using propaganda to persuade people proves very effective. Other tricks, like leaving a gift (a mint, fortune cookie, etc.) for customers, is a subtle, yet very productive way to gain tips at restaurants.

This video shows a lot of little-known facts about the way people influence us without us even knowing! What do I think of it? I think it’s helpful to know now, but it kind of makes me unsettled to think that a small, nice gesture from someone may actually be a ploy to get something from me.

Twerking Fail – Sense of Reality

Twerking Fail – Sense of Reality

As a common user of YouTube and other forms of social networking sites, this video was definitely one of the most intense of them. What was thought to be breaking news and a horrific event of what appears to be a young girl “twerking” and eventually falls into a glass table. After seeing how quick this video went viral and even began taking spots on local and national news broadcast, my sense of reality really was questioned. I’m all for funny videos, however, when the video is intentionally designed by Jimmy Kimmel to trick the minds of its viewers really bothered me.

We all see videos go viral but how often do news outlets broadcast those videos in an attempt to inform viewers on the dangers of perfuming such actions. News and media outlets are there because we as viewers trust their expertise. Now that people are going the extra mile to trick viewers into believing their recordings and other things are true, we’re now faced to decide for ourselves what is true and what is not. In my opinion, the reality of what is real and what is fake has definitely caused me to raise an eyebrow and do more research regarding a story. 

Museum Trips Make the Grades- or not.

http://video.foxnews.com/v/2789699142001/museum-trips-make-the-grade/?playlist_id=1034196603001

This video is great and it has a lot of truths in it. One of those truths is to not always count on spell check. During the video, they tried to say, “Graduate from College,” but they said, “Graduate from collage.” It was a poor and unfortunate mistake.

The content in the video was great, however. They give a valid point and show how important visiting museums can be.

Dear Rod Blagojevich, how could you appoint someone to Senate seat?

Could this really be true? Embattled Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich actually went ahead and tapped someone to fill President-elect Barack Obama’s Senate seat.

Sorry. I’m just confused. Blagojevich, do you realize you are under investigation on accusations that you tried to sell that seat to the highest bidder?(Which is against the law, by the way.) And that you’re facing federal charges? And that the Illinois House has begun impeachment proceedings?

I ask this because I’m just dumb-founded. Even if you’re innocent, even if you’ll eventually be cleared, why would you do this? Why would you pull such a stunt?

I realize that Blagojevich’s appointment — which was Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris by the way — may not stand. Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, who must certify the appointment, has told The Associated Press he won’t do so. (Although a HuffingtonPost post cites legal scholars who say the Burris appointment seems likely to be permanent.)

Reading about Blagojevich’s antics makes me sad. Sad for Illinois. Sad for our country. Sad that someone as sad as him could climb to power.

And it makes me sad if there is really nothing we can do to stop an appointment so tainted by, well, taint. (Nothing against Burris, per se, unless that $4,500 donation that HuffPost says you’re listed as giving to Blagojevich factored in the appointment.)

You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Blagojevich. I’m disgusted. I really am.

— bitchy mommy

Caroline Kennedy finally submits to an interview

OK, Caroline Kennedy finally sat down for a full-fledged interview with a journalist for the first time since she announced 11 days ago that she’s interested in being appointed to the remainder of U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton’s seat in New York. (Clinton got the nod to be Barack Obama’s secretary of state.)  It’s about time, if you ask me, and I’m not too impressed with what she said.

According to The Associated Press, Kennedy, in explaining why she wants the seat, cited the legacy of her father — President John F. Kennedy — and noted that the 9/11 terrorist attacks and supporting Obama for the presidency encouraged her to seek public service. OK, that’s all well and good, but, Kennedy, what qualifies you for the job — and what will you do for our cash-strapped, recession-ravaged, on-the-brink of disaster state if you get it? That’s what I want to know.

The AP story reveals that Kennedy failed to vote in a number of elections since registering in New York City in 1988. In fact, she didn’t vote in the 1994 election when Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan was up for re-election for the seat she hopes to take over, that story says. Not a selling point in my mind, but probably not a deal-breaker either if she gave us some content. We need some content from you, Kennedy. What do you stand for? How will you help our state? Why should you be selected over many viable potential candidates, including my favorite, Andrew Cuomo, whom I believe has done amazing things as New York attorney general. (Only thing that scares me about Cuomo is that I thought the same about Eliot Spitzer’s success as attorney general, and then he became governor and the whole high-priced call girl scandal hit the fan. I hope my faith in Cuomo isn’t as misplaced as it was in Spitzer.)

In the AP story, Kennedy explains that she has ignored the press until now because she isn’t campaigning for office and she wanted to “respect the process.” Please. How could you think the right thing to do is to slam a car door on a reporter’s face after refusing to answer even one question, as you did in Syracuse? How could you think it was the right thing to do to answer “to my car” when a reporter asked where you are heading next? How could you think it was the right thing to do to visit only the Democratic leaders in Syracuse and not any community organizers?

Yes, you’re not campaigning now. But if you get this appointment, you will be campaigning two years later. And you’d be representing us. You’ll be representing me.

When your name surfaced, some worried that you’d be considered just because of your name. That wasn’t fair. But then you acted like you didn’t have to explain why you want this job and why you’re qualified. In essence, you acted just like a person who should be considered just because of her name. I’m sorry. I’m still not impressed.

— bitchy mommy

Caroline Kennedy refuses to answer reporters’ questions in Syracuse

Caroline Kennedy

This morning I was really on the fence regarding what I thought of Caroline Kennedy’s pitch to become a U.S. senator in New York. She has told New York Gov. David Paterson, who gets to make the appointment, that she’d like the seat Hillary Clinton will vacate when she becomes President-elect Barack Obama‘s secretary of state.

Sure, Caroline Kennedy doesn’t have any elective office experience, but, for me, that wouldn’t necessarily rule her out. Other experience can prepare one to lead, I think.  I really felt I didn’t know enough about her to assess her. She’s been involved with a lot of nonprofits, but I’m not in that world. I don’t know if that is  experience that would prepare her to lead in our troubled state, or if her involvement was little more than lending her celebrity name to an agency’s letterhead.

Earlier today, I read a blog, which I found made compelling arguments to support her. I wasn’t sure if I bought it all, but it did make me think. I guess, though, in the back of my mind, I couldn’t help feeling that Caroline Kennedy was a woman seeking an office that’s she’s not quite ready to seek. Like Sarah Palin, she seems like a woman with an asterisk next to her. I thought: Gosh, there are qualified women; why not pick them. It seems to reinforce negative stereotypes about women’s lack ability when the ones who rise to the top aren’t really the cream of the crop.

Then Caroline Kennedy came to my hometown in Upstate New York, and how she behaved really influenced my opinion of her. She refused to answer reporters’ questions about her experience — or lack thereof — or even about where she was heading next. (She actually told a reporter, she was heading “to the car,” when obviously he was asking what city she might be traveling to.)

After I listened to her ignore the press, I knew I could never support her candidacy.  Admittedly, I’m biased. I believe those who govern us or seek public office should be transparent to the public, and, in our country, that’s still done mainly through the media.

To me, there’s only two reasons why someone who seeks to lead in our state would refuse to answer any questions: She’s so arrogant that questions from Upstatate hicks like us don’t really matter or  she doesn’t know what to say.

Either reason is a deal breaker for me. It reminds me too much of Sarah Palin and her inability to answer even the simplest question (like what newspaper she reads)  without being coached. If Kennedy can’t handle a  handful of reporters from Syracuse, N.Y., asking questions that Kennedy should have anticipated she’d be asked, what could she answer?

To me, I found the answer to the question that I started this day with:  Is Caroline Kennedy ready to be my senator. I think not.

 I realize I have no say in the matter. If Paterson taps her, she’ll serve until Clinton’s term is up, and then she’d have to run. But I hope she won’t be his pick.

— bitchy mommy

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, resign already!

Dear Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich:

I just don’t get why you still think you should be in public office. Do you get that you were arrested? Do you get your are accused of trying to “sell” a Senate seat, and you were captured on wiretaps in a pretty compromising way? So, resign already. Spare us all the drama. Just resign. It’s over for you. Even if you didn’t do this, which I — and likely millions of other people — doubt, it’s over for you.

A recent news report says you’re weighing your options. A defense lawyer from California speculates in an msnbc.com story that Blagojevich might be trying to make the same kind of deal for his resignation as he’s accused of trying to make for President-elect Barack Obama’s senate seat.

“I would be saying, ‘Let me see what I can get in exchange for you resigning. Don’t just give it up for nothing. Let me see if I can get you a better deal,'” said Steve Cron, a defense lawyer from Santa Monica, in the story.

Please. Don’t drag this on any more. It won’t help you, and it will hurt the nation and Obama.

— bitchy mommy

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich charged with corruption

Dear Illinois Gov.:

Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich

 

What were you thinking? Duh? I mean really. You’re accused of going on a corruption spree that included attempts to sell or trade the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama.

OK, what exactly were you thinking? Did you think you were Boss Tweed of the days when Tammany Hall controlled New York City politics with an iron hand (and a lot of corruption)?  Well, you missed that era by nearly 100 years.

I guess I understand greed, but I don’t understand why people who try to sell Senate seats think they won’t get caught. If you did this, I’m glad you were charged, and I hope you’re punished.

Rod — can I call you Rod? — do you see our nation is facing one of its largest challenges? The economy is in shambles. We are in the midst of a prolonged recession that’s likely to get worse before it improves, according to Obama.

And — if what you’re accused of is true — you were worried only about lining your own pockets? Shame on you. Really.

— bitchy mommy

Dear New York state: Why spend $21,000 on a rug during a recession?

Here’s yet another example of stupid governmental decisions that piss me off. Someone in state government made the ill-advised decision to purchase a $21,000 custom-stitched, antique Turkish carpet for the Executive Mansion?

Now, granted, the rug was purchased in July, before all of us fully got that our economy was going down the toilet. But at that point, Gov. David Paterson was already making a round of cuts to the current budget — taking away money that was already promised.

Sure things got worse and worse and worse. (I’d like to hope the purchase wouldn’t be made now, but I can’t say I’m confident of that.)

Also, I’m sure the governor himself knew nothing of the purchase — or at least I hope not. But the thing with being in charge, you get blamed whether it’s your fault or not. (You also get credit for what your underlings do well, so it all evens out.)

Why does this rug thing bug me so much? Because, like the big three automakers swooping in a corporate jets asking for a handout from taxpayers, it belies the message we keep getting from politicians and corporate leaders. Sorry, we can’t fun programs for early education or schools because we don’t have the cash. Hey, we need money to keep our business afloat but we’re not willing to drop our standard of living one bit in the meantime. (Yes, I realize the big three changed their tune eventually but only after being publicly flogged.)

But we can go buy a rug that’s more expensive than me, you or most people we know would ever be able to spend. (And, yes, I get that in the state’s massive budget $21,000 is like a couple hundred bucks in mine.)

Since the economy got bumpy, my husband and I have really cut our spending. (I know that adds to the economic malaise, but we’re worried we might not have secure jobs.) We’ve stopped eating out, except very infrequently. I’ve cut back on buying coffee; I fired the cleaning lady and started dyeing my own hair. These are all small “nickel-and-dime” type of savings.

But the thing is: True savings comes from these nickel-and-dime savings. Sure, I could save lots of money if I stopped paying my biggest bill — my mortgage, but I’d also be out on the street. So the only way most people can really trim their own costs is by doing a lot of little things that add up. Somehow government doesn’t seem to get this, or at least it seems that way. Instead, they try to cut big chunks out of the budget, but that doesn’t work. The state still needs to function even as it trims costs.

Here’s my message for the state (and federal) government: Take a cue from the Kit Kittredge movie, a film based on an American Girl doll character that is set during the Great Depression: Use it up; wear it out; do without. That’s what I’m trying to do.

— bitchy mommy