Big Ben’s ‘not so private’ life.
Recently, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was the center of several sexual assult accusations. Accusations made by three different females. In order to get the story, the press used tactics that may have been unethical, or pervasive. The press overlooked some of the values which shape their profession in order to “get the story”. In doing so Roethlisberger felt harassed and manipulated, and argued that his privacy had been invaded during this period. Unfortunately, even though the press had good intentions behind their actions, there are certain guidelines which they must abide by. 
The press was not trying to defame or vilify Roethlisberger. In fact, they were acting as a public service. They felt that is was important for individuals, especially females, to know about what had transpired, and what kind of person Ben Roethlisberger truly was. But, in doing so, the line between public service and invasion of privacy became less and less defined. These claims of invasion of privacy have not been taken to court, or made officially legal. Therefore, there has not been a ruling on whether or not it was proven that the press was guilty of invading Roethlisberger’s privacy. Although there was not an official ruling I do agree that Ben Roethlisberger’s privacy was jeopardized by the press. While I commend persistence, and the desire to do what you feel is right, you can not discount an individuals rights, because they may be proven innocent, which Ben Roethlisberger was; on three separate occasions.
The press has every right to perform their civil duty, and provide citizens with pertinent, essential information, but they have no right to neglect a persons rights to do so. Ben Roethlisberger was a victim of privacy invasion, and unfortunately he has not the first, nor will he be the last. If Ben Roethlisberger does choose to pursue these accusations on a legal level, it could place even more restraints and constrictions upon the press and how they will be able to perform their “civil duties”.
Reggie’s Big Blunder.
Recently, NFL running back Reggie Bush was found guilty of violating several National Collegiate Athletic Association (N.C.A.A.) policies, namely accepting $290,000 in gifts from sports marketers while he played college football for the University of Southern California (U.S.C.) Trojans. These sports marketers expected to be paid back once Reggie Bush reached the NFL, but instead Bush refused to repay them despite signing an endorsement deal with Adidas worth $5 million dollars. In addition, Bush was drafted to the New Orleans Saints who rewarded him with a contract worth upwards of $20 million dollars. Despite his lavish endorsement, and extravagant contract, Bush did not reimburse the men. Snubbing these men financially resulted in lawsuit that made the N.C.A.A. violations public.
Due to Bush’s actions, the N.C.A.A. has not only penalized him, but his alma mater as well. U.S.C. has been stripped of its 2004 Grantland Rice Award, given to it as the national collegiate football champion. Members of the Trojans football program knew of Bush’s financial deal, but did nothing to stop it. Furthermore, the Trojans will not be considered for the award in 2010, no matter how well they perform. In fact, they are not even eligible to participate in postseason play for two years. This was the first time since the Grantland Rice Award was first given out in 1954 that a national champion was forced to forfeit the title. As if that were not unfortunate enough, the N.C.A.A. sanctions against U.S.C. included stripping the school of 30 scholarships over three years and banning it from bowl games in 2010 and 2011. In addition, U.S.C. was been placed on probation for four years. Finally, after the NCAA found that Bush accepted improper benefits while at USC and was ineligible during the 2005 season, he was stripped of his Heisman Memorial Trophy; an award given to the most outstanding player or a particular football season. Therefore Bush became the first player in the 75-year history of the Heisman Trophy to have the award taken away. 
In order to change the perception of Reggie Bush I would begin a campaign supporting Reggie Bush entitled “Reggie’s Recall”. During this campaign I would analyze Bush’s NFL schedule, team up with various charitable youth organizations, and set a strategic itinerary for Reggie to Visit and speak with the children about life decisions. Reggie will speak to the children about his experiences, how to conduct themselves, and make good choices. He will also lead the children through numerous entertaining football activities. Finally, Bush with make a contribution to each charitable organization we visit in order to restore his image amongst the community. This plan may backfire because the Saints organization may not support how much time I am consuming that could be used to improve Bush’s skills. Furthermore, Reggie may not be willing to comply, because he is a professional employee and he may be penalized for the time he may miss while involved in this campaign each week. All of the code of ethics would be abided by except possibly fairness, because I may be jeopardizing fair treatment of my clients’ employer.
A “Progressive” approach to advertising.
Progressive is an auto insurance company that utilizes numerous forms of media to promote its’ services. Progressive has been in business since 1937 and currently is one of the largest auto insurance groups in the United States. They have more than 10 million policies in force, and growth continues as more people choose Progressive for their vehicle insurance needs.
Progressive sells insurance directly to customers online and by phone, and we also offer insurance through more than 30,000 local independent agents. Progressive has several memorable commercials, as well as the “#1 auto insurance website for 2010”. Progressive has held this title ever since 2007. Furthermore, Progressive has several apps for their customers to access on their mobile devices. Progressive also adopted numerous innovative concepts which help them connect with their customers. One of these innovations helped lead to Progressive overseeing all elements of the claims/repair process on behalf of drivers involved in accidents. This alteration reduces the time drivers spend managing repairs from about four days to 15 minutes. Customers simply drop off their cars at a claims service center, located in select markets, and pick them up once the repairs are complete. Progressive takes care of everything in between. Another adjustment Progressive made was combining with sites such as, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to help persuade audiences to use their insurance. Progressive also advocates for their company through articles and blogs. Progressive has many captivating commercials that use varying tactics to gain the audience’s attention. Generally Progressive commercials are aired during the day time, on a multitude of stations in order to gain more customers. Progressive seemingly does not discriminate against any particular stations or audience; they are attempting to gain the attention of any prospective customers. Although progressive does advertise on several stations, it seems as though they target the stations with the largest audiences in order to compete with other large auto insurance companies.
It seems progressive has been very effective with reaching their target audience, and expanding that audience to incorporate more people. Initially progressive was strictly sold car insurance, but now in addition to auto insurance, Progressive offers the following types of insurance to customers throughout the country: boat/personal watercraft insurance, commercial auto insurance, homeowners insurance, motorcycle insurance, RV insurance and Segway insurance. Progressive also offers rewards to good drivers in order to add incentive and have individuals to switch to their insurance. Ultimately Progressive wants to be the most sought after insurance available, and with their innovative mentality and responsive attitude they will undoubtedly achieve that goal, through being what the name of their company implies; progressive.
Don’t Believe the Hype!
Don’t Believe the Hype is a non-fictional book, which strives to reduce the “hype” associated with race relations in America, by fighting cultural misinformation about African-Americans. Although the information and statistics in this book may be a bit outdated, the overall message of the book remains relevant. The author of this book, Farai Chideya, explains that misconceptions about other races exist due to their inaccurate portrayal in the media. Also, she discusses how it is very rare for different cultures to live in neighborhoods together. Therefore, all they know about another culture is what they see in the media. In “Don’t Believe the Hype” Chideya wrote, “American’s of different races still tend NOT to live together, socialize together, or chart their paths in society together. Therefore, what we know about one another in secondhand, passed through a filter—the filter of the media.” One main reason for this skewed representation is the fact that there are significantly less blacks than whites reporting news on cable television. As a result, one culture may have a significantly distorted perception of another. Chideya wrote this book in order to give her audience a chance to question the depictions of race that have become standard through media. Being a journalist herself Chideya claims that, “American journalism is often misleading, myopic, and unreliable when it comes to detailing the lives of African-Americans”, and “Blacks are far from equitably represented in the stories, programs, and advertisements we see, hear, and read today.” 
She hopes this information will ultimately help blacks and whites understand each other better and work toward coexistence.
As you can imagine the information presented in this book was extremely insightful and influential. This book not only enlightened me on the misunderstandings between different cultures in America, but it also made me want to do all I could to personally terminate any of these existing fallacies. The only way to know and understand a culture is to experience it yourself. Furthermore, if there is something about a culture which you are not sure about do not simply manufacture an opinion based upon what you see in the media, do the research and develop a reasonable verdict.
I read this book this semester for my African American studies class. It caught my attention because we were able to choose a book to do a project on, and I liked the title of the book. The saying “don’t believe the hype” has been utilized in numerous instances in history. When referring to things ranging from an athlete’s abilities, to how good a musical artist is. This adage warns people to ignore the media, marketing, buzz, or rumors around a story, object or person because it’s nothing special. This title caught my attention because I use it frequently, and it is the title of one of my favorite hip hop songs. My group members and I got the book from a local library.
This book has drastically altered my attitude toward individuals of other cultures who are misinformed about blacks. The reason blacks are so misunderstood is due to a combination of how they are depicted in media, as well as other cultures lacking the desire to find the truth. This book helped me realize that we all must be willing to educate, and willing to learn if we have any hope of achieving coexistence.
Killing Us Softly Reaction Blog
Killing Us Softly 4 was arguably the most compelling and insightful film I have ever had the opportunity to see. The underlying messages which are conveyed through advertisements are all exposed in this film. Ideologies are implanted within all of us. These ads drastically alter our perception of the world without us even knowing. The main analysis of an add occurs subconsciously. Therefore, we may feel as though we are not affected by these ads, when in reality we are. Two major points that caught my attention in this film were the objectification of women and the eroticism embedded in ads. 
I was intrigued immensely with the information that Jean Killbourne provided. Consequently, I did research of my own to discover other messages which have been uncovered in advertisements. These ads affect the psyche of any individual, no matter age, race, sexuality, or other factor. In most cases “consumers facing an imminent decision are confronted with the negative possibility of failing to fulfil their purchasing goal. When the purchase is still far off in the future, however, consumers are likely to be fairly optimistic about succeeding and less concerned with the possibility of goal failure.” The positive and negative messages in these advertisements daily impact society. “Given that most products can be advertised as a means to promote something positive or as a means to prevent something negative, these findings are highly relevant to advertisers and marketers in their efforts to attract consumers to their products.
Disney’s Offspring
There is hardly a child in America who did not grow up with cassettes of Disney classics spread across their floor, each holding a special and unique place in their childhood. The memories of these films monumentally impacted the development of these children, teaching morals, values, and to some extent beliefs. Each Disney movie had a deep underlying message which helped the children watching learn how to handle certain situations. Whether they have a fear they need to overcome similar to Simba in The Lion King, or if the needed to learn to accept others despite their differences like Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Furthermore, these movies not only had countless underlying messages, but also points which were addressed through song. Such as, not worrying about the small things in life and living care free in “Hakkuna Matatah”, or understanding he worth and importance of friendship as expressed in “You Gotta Friend in Me” From Toy Story. 
There were many common theses which ran through all of these movies, from a love interest, to overcoming obstacles, and even the cliché never give up on your dreams. Every possible childhood lesson can be learned through watching these insightful movies. Walt Disney was nothing short of a genius for creating this empire. Disney evolved from a simple corporation to an entire way of life, dominating all facets of media. Film, television, music, internet, books, radio; you name it and Disney is most likely involved in it. They are able to market just about anything due to how successful and powerful their company is. In fact Disney was so influential in my childhood that I was surrounded by the merchandise and movies but mainly the songs. The songs which I learned from these movies hold messages which still ring true today. They are songs that I will never forget because the lyrics were so catchy as well as moving. Although Disney no longer remains a substantial part of my life I still enjoy the movies and find them rather entertaining. But I also feel as though the impactful messages which were relayed in the movies when I was young no longer exist in modern Disney movies. The Disney films nowadays are more so strictly for entertainment purposes and making the movies bearable for the adults who take their children to see them. This may be due to the fact that all of the possible story lines and life lessons have been expressed in one form or another by Disney, so now they have moved on to a different way to make their movies. Disney will always remain the paramount figure when it comes to films for children because of the way they market and how innovative they remain. In addition, they teamed up with Pixar to make some of the industry’s most influential films.
Hip Hop Ya Don’t Stop
Hip Hop for many individuals, including myself, is not simply a genre, but a way of life. I was born and raised around Hip Hop and learned to love and appreciate all of its intricacies. From the role it plays in fashion, to the impact it has on politics. Hip Hop culture has been well documented since its creation in the early 70’s, and is still. The internet was the main reason for the globalization of Hip Hop. As Hip Hop culture diffused through the globe it overcame countless obstacles, which were previously deemed insurmountable. Hip Hop was relative; no matter what race, social class, religion, or gender. This was all made possible by the internet. Through blogs, social networks, and forums artists were able to share their music with the masses and let their voice be heard. There are three main blogs which I follow to further my knowledge of Hip Hop. 2dopeboyz.com, Rapradar.com, and illroots.com are all very reliable and credible hip hop blog sites. The purpose of each blog is to keep its audience up to date on new hip hop music, events, and information. The target audience is people in the underground Hip Hop community. There is a large difference between mainstream Hip Hop, which is played on the radio, and underground Hip Hop which is rarely ever heard, unless you have a strong desire to hear it. Each blog is more so news than anything, because they all provide valuable information on what is going on in the Hip Hop community as it happens. On the other had there are small sections of all of the blogs which showcase the personal experiences of the bloggers, but they still tend to deal with Hip Hop in one way or another. The bloggers are quite similar. The differences which do exist are fairly small. For instance they all have different layouts, and all the sites have slight variations in the information present. 2dopeboyz is strictly underground hip hop and nothing else, while rapradar is a combination of underground hip hop, mainstream hip hop and some rhythm and blues. In comparison, illroots is more entertainment than information. I prefer 2dopeboyz the most because the Hip Hop artists I enjoy are mainly presented on that blog site, and I have discovered several new artists I enjoy through that particular blog. In my opinion what makes each of these blogs credible is the information they choose to post on their sites. In the world of Hip Hop there is pertinent information which should be shared with everyone, and then there is information which is not imperative. These sites all give their audiences the imperative information the moment it surfaces. In the future if I were to create a Hip Hop blog I would have a lot of similarities with these sites but in order to make mine stand out I believe I would allow my followers to post their own music as long as I approve and critique it first, so that the blog experience becomes more interactive. This format also allows new artists to get their music heard and possibly reach stardom.
Utopia or Dystopia??
The year is 2035. Our world is overrun with obesity due to submission to the convenience of technology. Having technology at our fingertips was initially welcomed and praised. People embraced the idea of manufacturing technology to give them a helping hand. Unfortunately, that preliminary mentality was abandoned once people discovered just how is life would be if they simply utilized advanced technology. Now the most simplistic tasks are handled by machines. No one gardens. No one cooks. No one farms. They have all chosen to simplify their lives with the “benefits“ of technology.
"Big Brother"
No one ever realizes how detrimental these advancements can be to our health and well being until it is far too late. It was not until shortly before this year we realized that the radiation emitted from cellular devices was decreasing the hearing of each generation. Now the current generation is almost all deaf due to incessant cell phone use. In addition, countless households we burned to the ground all across the globe due to the malfunctioning jet packs which would turn on suddenly without anyone controlling it. As if that were not horrible enough, skin cancer is more prominent than ever because innovators created a synthetic o-zone layer in order to fill in the areas which had been ruined by gaseous toxins. Regrettably, the new “fill-ins” magnified the effects of having a hole rather than eliminating it, but this information was not uncovered until after several years of deliberation and experimentation. The technology which is supposed to be beneficial and is meant to aid humanity, is weakening and eliminating it. When will they have the realization which many of us had years ago? There is such a thing as too much technology.
The year is 2035 and humanity is thriving. The current technological advancements have been so revolutionary that they have finally created world peace. All of the differences between countries were able to be resolved through reasonable communication and understanding, which was gained through a machine called N.E.Time. This machine is similar to a virtual reality simulator, and it allows you to go back to any point in time and experience what was happening in that place at that time. The government used this technology to show the leaders of conflicting countries how similar they were to their adversaries. They shared the same history, and endured the same hardships, therefore they should be working together to better their countries, rather than fighting against one another to further weaken them. This technology also nearly eliminated crime because investigators could simply go back in time while the crime was taking place and identify the suspects, then locate and arrest them.
Crime, eliminated.
The best thing about N.E.Time is that you can go back and view things from any perspective but you are not altering history. The past still remains the past but this technology is obviously greatly affecting the future. Proof that there can never be enough technology.
In 2035 I will be overjoyed with all of the technology which surrounds me. It will not only be intriguing and insightful but it will cause me to look into what could possibly be created next. New technology will always be fascinating because it opens the doors of your mind to things you never thought would be possible. Furthermore, I firmly believe that these technological advances will contribute to the discovery of numerous cures for diseases which plague humanity. I will be pleased to be in a world which has the potential to be safer in terms of health for me and my family.
Commandment XI: Thou Shalt Not Live Without Media!
Though the title of this post seems rather extreme, modern society lacking media is nothing short of a travesty. Media is so intrusive and overwhelming to the point that at times you are entirely unaware that you are even consuming media. I knew from the start that I would not be able to refrain from indulging in media all together, therefore I chose one pivotal item to remove from my life for two days, my cell phone. I thought this slight alteration in my life style would cause some issues, but would not drastically change my behavior. Saying I was simply incorrect would be a massive understatement. Due to the fact I was raised around this technology, and it has always been in my life, removing it from my life is comparable to an intervention. Everything about the two processes correspond; Sprint is my dealer, the cellular device is my syringe, and texting is my heroin. Consumers fail to realize that cell phone use is similar in many ways to an addiction. According to a compelling article on digitaltrends.com, “The worst plague sweeping the world these days is smartphone addiction.” Waking up in the morning and the first thing you do is check email, texts, news, and weather all through once device. You go through your day waiting and yearning for someone to text you, or to see that someone has commented on your Facebook, and if you do not receive that communication you endure a state resembling to withdrawal. I experienced 48 hours excruciating of this treachery, and I never want to do it again.
Cell phones are so convenient and multifaceted that they have gradually solidified a position in contemporary culture.
Who isn't guilty of it?? Besides the Amish of course..
My phone has countless capabilities, but it will never reach its full potential simply do to the fact that I use it mainly for texts and calls. I have so many friends and family that contact me on a frequent basis, and to remove my cell phone from my life seemingly shut me off from the world. This notion is very dramatic and somewhat ill-conceived due to the fact that I can contact all of those people through my computer as well, but I am not always at a computer and neither are they; every ones schedule is different. Cell phone usage simply makes things more efficient and accommodating.
Even though I found this experiment rather anguishing, there was some good that came from it. I had a lot more time to fill since I was not spending countless hours texting, checking Facebook, and surfing the internet. Subsequently, I had far more time to devote to school work, and interaction with other people in my building. Although I was able to resist my own urges, I was constantly exposed to media involuntarily. Everywhere I turned some sort of media surrounded me, but this is the society which we have created. Will it ultimately improve our culture, or destroy it?? It’s up to us to decide.
Media: Man’s REAL Best Friend.
For every patron of media and technology, there is an adversary; opposed to the notion that media and technology are no longer concepts, but rather integral portions of our lives. Consumers are constantly exposed to them; be it knowingly or unknowingly. For two days straight I was bombarded with endless media. Music, television, internet, cell phones, advertisements, etc. 
Documenting all of this media intake was actually fairly overwhelming. I was not receptive at all to all of the media I consume in one day. During my 48 hour study I discovered that I generally consume multiple forms of media at one time. This media multitasking is something that has flooded our society, due to numerous technological advances in a short amount of time. As I recorded my information I noticed that the hours I spent texting on my phone were only slightly greater than the hours I spent on my computer. I text every day from the time I wake to the time I sleep, and I am on my computer during a large majority of that time. When I am not in class I am in my room on my computer. Simultaneously I am using my phone because I almost never stop texting. Media multitasking is very prevalent in our society. An article on newteeve.com stated, “Nielsen found that 59 percent of consumers watched TV while simultaneously surfing the Internet, up from 57.9 percent in December 2008. The amount of time they spend doing also increased dramatically; on average, Americans spent three and a half hours on the Internet while also watching TV in December 2009, up from two hours and 36 minutes just a year before.”
Being the huge technology enthusiast that I am, there was nearly no time while I was awake in which I was not subjected to media in one form or another. I wake up and immediately check my text messages, then head straight to my computer to surf the internet. That is followed my listening to music and possibly a little television. Everyday when I walk the campus I always have music playing and when I go to class my instructors fill my mind with even more media. It is almost in impossibility in our culture to escape medias grasp. The New York Times released and article entitled, “If Your Kids Are Awake They’re Probably Online.” This story summarizes the drastic effects media have on the youth and the nation as a whole. This research helped me realize that nearly my entire perception and understanding of the world is shaped through media, specifically the internet. Media is ubiquitous in ever sense of the word. It surrounds us and influences us until we are almost run by media
Reaction Blog – Media History: The Story of Film, TV, and Media
The video we viewed in class was intriguing on many different levels. My initial intrigue was triggered by the way the professors commented on the importance of communication. One professor proclaimed, “How we communicate is pivotal to how we develop”. As I thought thoroughly about this concept I began to realize the monumental importance of communication, and the profound and lasting effects it has on society. I was also interested by the way media “flip-flopped” from one ideology to another. Initially a small amount of mass media was targeted toward a substantial population, whereas today there is a very large amount of mas media that carve out pieces of the population and narrow them down to very specific groups. Groups ranging from age to gender to religion. Overall I found this movie very insightful and well constructed. I enjoy any opportunity to gain new information.
What’s the deal world!!?
It is your friendly neighborhood funny man, Senor Middleton here to bring you lots of laughs and lots of knowledgable feedback. I am really looking forward to this new and innovative way of having discussions and debates. With that being said, do no hesitate to contact me whenever you want to communicate or you just need a laugh.
-Deuces.
Sdotmiddleton's Blog 