the end.

I just finished reading the last article for the course and I must say I really enjoyed it. Both the articles by Feiski and Edmundson’s were very interesting. For starters I found reading something not full of technical terms very refreshing, especially as my mind is starting to wind down. But I also really liked so of the points that were made, especially in Edmundson’s article. I understand that close readings are important, but I also think it is important to read for oneself – whether it be for enjoyment or personal growth. I believe I had one of those moments he was talking about, where you go “Ah ha!” while I was reading his article. After a year of close readings, critiquing and analyzing everything that was read, it was good to remember that it is ok just to read sometimes.

I can’t believe that this year is already coming to an end, it just flew by!!! It seems like just yesterday we were all sitting down in Dr. Pound’s class for the first time. Everyone a little terrified at the idea of this theory class, and shocked at the idea of writing a weekly blog. It seems to me that this blog has been a pretty good tool when it came to figuring out the course material, even if it was just to get your ideas out there to see what people thought. I think I will actually miss my weekly bog updates; they were such a good mode of expression. The course itself turned out to be much better than I thought it would be and I think Dr. Pound did an excellent job of conveying all that knowledge that was smushed into one course.

Well good luck to everyone on the exam, and have a great summer!!!

The Wild Wild West

Here I thought that this essay would be a walk in the park, however, after today’s class I realized just in-depth the Copyright issue is. Here are my thoughts thus far….

When it was asked if copyright was connected to phrases in music I immediately thought about my current Intro to Music class. In the class we have been looking at music throughout history, all the way back to the Medieval Ages and up until the Twentieth Century. Many of the composers throughout the years have been borrowing phrases from each other. The most recent that comes to mind is Aaron Copland’s 1938 ballet, Billy the Kid. Copland borrowed phrases from a lot of the popular tunes of the time, many of them western. To my knowledge there was never a copyright issue over the matter. I find it interesting how copyright infringements have been going on for years; however it is only recently that they have become issues.

I don’t remember then names of any of this, but I couldn’t believe when Dr., Pound was talking about that artist who used super small phrases from a variety of artists, got sued and lost. It is understandable, especially when you’re going up against someone as big as Michael Jackson. However, the fact that people have been doing it for years and suddenly it’s such a big deal…unno.

I guess this means I am more on the side of people having access to other people’s work. Although I do think that people should get recognition for what they do. In that sense I think that Creative Common is awesome. It works under such a great concept of individualizing what you allow done with your work; I think it is a great step to figuring out the digital Copyright laws.

And here I thought I had nothing to say…well good luck on the LAST ASSIGNMENT everyone.

the good side

When I logged on to the internet this morning I found an article on MSN.com. It is about the uses of technology to save lives. There were a couple suicides that were stopped by twitter or Facebook, a man was found using the GPS on his phone and a couple other incidences. I think it is good to see an article that focuses on some of the good in technology, especially since it is here to stay and there’s nothing we can do about it…
Here is the link…
http://tech.ca.msn.com/photogallery.aspx?cp-documentid=23647361

from face to face

I found today’s class really enjoyable and interesting. Even though I feel like I knew a lot of what Dr. Pound was saying I don’t think I knew it consciously. It was a real eye-opener to how much technology has changed our lives. I especially liked the activity where we had to write on a word. I think this activity really helped with the whole eye-opener thing. It really is interesting when you compare generations of technology. Like I said in class technology has made my long distance relationship way easier. However, when Dr. Pound asked me if it was weird to change from in person to Skype I was really taken aback by my answer. It wasn’t weird. Of course I like in person much better, but Skype is a fairly decent second best. It is odd to me that I didn’t find this change weird. It really affirms how submersed our generation is in technology.

Also, I really like one of the idea’s talked about in the article for today. The electronic textbook idea. How much easier life would be!! By putting everyone on the same page we get a better quality of learning! It could also be made so there is a national curriculum, which I love the idea of. Right now if I wanted to switch to a university outside of Ontario I would lose my Education credits because of the different expectations for the program. With electronic textbooks this could be fixed. Even if the schools teach different things the access to the textbooks used at a prior university would make the switch possible. Also if this extended to high school I think that the transition from high school to university would be much easier since everyone ahs access to the texts. I also love the less money paid too:)

I also tried to find a link to this slideshow I found on msn.com, but no luck. It was about mistakes people made on Facebook. The one I remember most is t his girl was angry at her boss and said so in her status. She also suggested that he made advances at her. She girl however did not remember she had added her boss as a ‘friend’ on Facebook. Needless to say, she was fired over Facebook. There really is no more privacy lol.

I love my lampost picture:) Although, it may have more to do with cyborgs then technology.

the rabbit who visited the wizard in the matrix

Due to this assignment, I watched The Matrix for the first time. I had no desire to every see this movie, however I really enjoyed it. I think my favorite part of the movie was all the allusions to Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz. I think this was a really good idea because both stories have a similar concept to The Matrix, however since they are classics people are familiar with them. In giving the audience something they are familiar with allows them to follow the story line to The Matrix better, I know it helped me.
Here are some of the allusions I picked up….
Alice in Wonderland
• “follow the white rabbit” – to Neo, ended up being a tattoo
• “I bet right now you’re feeling a bit like Alice, tumbling down the rabbit hole” – to Neo as he is introduced to the new ideas
• If you take the red pill, “ you’ll stay in Wonderland, and I’ll show you how deep the rabbit hole goes” – Morpheus to Neo about what pill to take
• Neo looks through a looking glass just before he is taken out of the Matrix
The Wizard of Oz
• “buckle your seatbelt Dorothy, Kansas is going bye-bye” – to Neo before he is taken out of the Matrix
• “Mr. Wizard, get me the hell outa here” – Trinity to Tank, running away from an Agent
I just thought this was the coolest part of the movie and that it was a major aspect in the flavor of the movie.

the 'real' hockey

I think that last class was one of the best classes we’ve had yet! For starters I’m understanding!!! (Which after the class before, I am pretty happy about). I think that the hockey reference was a really good one to illustrate the concepts that we’ve been talking about. For one thing, everyone knew about it, and even if you aren’t an avid hockey fan like me, it was still a great moment. Therefore I think we we’re all able to grasp the concept because we were all so excited.

Another reason that class was pretty awesome, was the national spirit that was going on. This is the first Olympics that I’ve ever really been interested in and I think a large part of that was due to it being on home turf. I only recently am starting to enjoy watching hockey (I’m not huge into sports; I am a slow learner lol) and yet I felt my blood boil when the States scored in the last 24 seconds of the game. When Crosby scored my boyfriend in Edmonton texted me instantly and when I went on Facebook, the statuses of my friends across Canada was something about that goal. For me this further affirms the idea that this goal is only a signifier. It linked all of Canada together, whether you’re a hockey fan or not. It was something we were all excited about and all heard about – as a result it is a common experience, even if we have to see it in replay.

Something else the Olympics demonstrated was different realities. Each country went into the games with a slightly different reality. The Georgian team; mourning the death of their team mate, were competing in his memory. For them it was not purely a joyous occasion. Canada’s reality was shaped by hosting. I think the different realities is most evident when you look as the silver medalists. Most of them were thrilled to have won silver, however, whenever the States did it was like their world was crashing down. Granted, I could understand how much they wanted gold, but they did place. As a result I think the States have an entirely different reality.

Dr. Pound mentioned language and how it is not connected to reality but working in a system. I think that is why I am having trouble with this theory. For a theory that has realized the system of language and that there is no reality, how can it be described using a system that has been linked to reality for so long. I feel like we don’t always have the words to describe this theory.
That’s all for now….tata

brains to bones

First off, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I don’t think my brain has hurt this much since the start of our course. I’m finding these ideas really hard to sink my teeth into. Though the examples at the end of class really helped...I think.

Secondly I would like to tip my hat to Klages. After finishing her last chapter I would like to note that I found her text to be extremely helpful with tackling this course. There are so many ideas and theorists; I found her material to be an excellent guide for the majority of the year.

Finally, something that comes to a shock for many of my friends is my family’s TV situation – we only have four channels (including the French one). How do we manage? We have a lot of DVDs and our favourite TV shows on DVD. The most recent TV show to our collection has been the first couple seasons of Bones (which has quickly become a member of my top five favourite shows). The show is about a forensic anthropologist, Dr. Brennan (aka Bones), her team of scientists (‘squints’) and her partner, FBI special agent, Seeley Booth. The two investigate crimes where the victims are less body and mostly bones.

The reason I bring this up is in the first season Bones’ assistant Zack, said something that I thought fit with today’s class. Zack is brilliant, and very rational. The team was being interviewed by a government agent to determine whether or not they would be a threat when dealing with sensitive matters. The agent purposed a scenario to Zack, ‘If you had a piece of knowledge that was very sensitive, could I get it out of you?” She then went on to list a series of ways she would try, beg, bribe, etc. To all of these he responded ‘no’. Finally she asked if he would give it up if she presented a logical, reasonable argument. At this he faltered, and nearly agreed.

(SPOILER) In a later season it is this reasonable logic that causes Zack to become the apprentice to a cannibal following a secret society.
Zack followed the Humanist idea about absolute truths to a t. A reasonable (scientific) argument was the only way of convincing him. It was this that was his undoing. As a result I feel that this is an argument against a humanist existence, and perhaps one of mixed humanist and postmodernism ideas.

** the images title was a bone lampost

gun to revolver

Last week I was driving around when Madonna and Lil’Wayne’s song Revolver came on the radio. I immediately thought of Dickinson’s poem. I found it interesting that the metaphor of a gun was still being used, though after looking up the lyrics I realized the imagine of a gun was about as far as the connection went. I actually find the song sort of regressive. Dickinson has a much more progressed view of women then the song does. Considering the time difference between the two it’s pretty shocking.
I found the song sort of catchy and had my blog all figured out. And THEN I read the lyrics and all my thoughts were ill-placed. I still wanted to mention the song because for some reason the connection is stuck in my head.

Everyone Cries

The majority of our theory class is currently sitting in the showing of Boys Don’t Cry. I could not attend because I have a class, which I could not attend tonight because I’m too sick. So, here’s my blog for the week...

For years I have gone to the Dentist and every time they tell me that I have to floss more. Every time I say “I’ll try” and it never really turns out. However, at my last appointment they had some new technology. This time I saw the ex-rays up on a computer screen. I also saw the spot that will grow into a cavity, if I do not start flossing more often. Oddly enough I have flossed every day since. It did not hit me how important this is until I say the effects.

I feel the same way about the issues addressed in Boy’s Don’t Cry. I knew they were out there. I knew people committed hate crimes. I knew people were targeted for just being themselves and I knew that there are people out there born in the wrong bodies. But now that I have seen a depiction of some of these issues in action I know they are out there and I now realise just how brutal these things actually are.

Boy’s Don’t Cry made me physically ill. The rape scene was a violent depiction of the reality some people have to face. I have never seen a more violent and accurate depiction of what some people have to go through. However, I’m glad I watched it. It was a real eye opener, really well done and I think it is an important movie for everyone to see.

i saw

Last night i watched Boy's Don't Cry because I will be unable to attended Monday night. I have something to write about. But I'll wait till after Mon.

FBI and children

For some reason I have a bit of writers block this week, so I have decided to take Dr. Pound’s advice and just start to write.

For starters I loved this weeks classes!! The discussions have been great and the atmosphere in the class is a good one. To be honest I was worried about this theory. Some of the issues discussed are controversial and I was not sure what we were going to get into with our spirited class. But it seems I had nothing to worry about!:)

Last class I was reminded of the movie, Miss. Congeniality. For those of you who aren’t familiar, Sandra Bullock plays a masculine FBI agent who has to go undercover to a beauty pageant. Because she chews with her month open, drinks beer and doesn’t own a bikini, she has to be transformed. She is transformed into a heel wearing, polite, FBI agent in a ball gown. Basically, the main character is too much of a man. To fulfill her job and relationship requirements she must become the “perfect woman”. I thought this movie fit what we’ve been talking about really well.

When Dr. Pound was talking about his son and how he likes to play I was reminded of the six year old I babysit. He makes up all the rules to every game we play, wins at everything and if he doesn’t he changes the rule. This really has nothing to do with anything theory related, however I thought it was cute.

I really can’t come up with anything more, hopefully I’ll be able to after watching the movie!

is this a good thing or a bad?

For the first time in what feels like forever, I’m actually getting the majority of what is being said in the articles for this theory. I also think this is perhaps the easiest to grasp theory. That may be because we have a tonne of knowledge to build from now or it’s because our society is so used to this theory. It’s sad to think that or society is so used to racist ideas, whether we support them or not, that this is the theory that is easier to grasp. On the other hand, it could have something to do with the fact that this theory is based in history and facts. You would think that I would be thrilled about actually getting this theory, but it’s just so sad. Like that article Dr. Pound read us today broke my heart. I don’t really even know what to say on that subject, just that it was heart wrenching.

I was talking with another member of the class and she brought up how the new movie Avatar fits perfectly into this model, and she is so right! That movie is exactly what Europeans have done to other continents. When I was sitting in the movie theatre I thought that this could have taken place in the early Americas. Another movie that portrays these ideas really well is District Nine. My boyfriend said I would love the movie, yeah, well, I didn’t. I could not believe how real it was (not to mention pretty gross). The thing is, the conditions are like refugee camps, the aliens that are being experimented on are like prisoners of war; it’s so real.

I know this is an intellectual setting, and some might say I should be looking at this at a more detached point of view, but it is so hard not to feel with this theory.

life isn't fair...among other things

My thoughts from today…

A) I think this is one of the hardest classes we’ve every had. Not that I didn’t enjoy it, because I did, but when talking about race the proper terms become so important. When referring to other races it’s socially important to be politically correct, and sometimes that is easier said then done. When you think about it, if we did not grow out of a racist society the terms wouldn’t matter. People would be people and they would not get offended by what someone is calling them. It would make life so much easier if there was not such a harsh line between races. Not that we should all be the same, but if there was a better understanding among us all.

B) Even today, in movies and books, or just in reference, what race is most accossiated to gang life and slums? It’s sad to say that it is still African-Americans. I think this grows from the lack of education these people had (as talked about in class). This also enforces that race is cultrally constructed. If the media did not portray these ideas, you can bet they would be less wide spread.

C) I wonder what kind of racism goes on in other countries, is it possible that what Dr Pound said, people of colour will never experience what white people do (not word-for-word), does not exist or exists less in other countries? Like Africa or China. Does it differ due to what nation you’re in? I hope it does, I think it is a sad thing that the whole world revolves around one race.

D) When Dr. Pound started of class today with the statement “Life is not fair” it reminded me of my dad. Whenever my brother or I would say that growing up the response from my dad was “Who said life is fair” (always in a joking tone). I don’t know what relevance this has, except that even children realize the world is not a fair place to be.

E) Finally I was reminded of the movie, “Grand Torino” with Clint Eastwood. For some odd reason my boyfriend was convinced I would love this movie. Well, needless to say I did not. It portrayed perfectly the issues of race, in a very graphic and brutal way.

Well that’s it for today’s class, tata for now!

becoming a cyborg

I was thinking about the different ways I could be classified as a cyborg and the list is pretty endless. I would also argue that by the definition we talked about in class there are very few people left in this world who would not be concerned a cyborg. In taking medicine alone that’s a tonne of people. Then there are hearing aids, mobility aids, visual aids, entertainment aids and the list goes on and on. I actually think that it is quite sad that we have become so modified. I wonder if we have it a wall when it comes to evolution. Maybe we can’t evolve anymore or maybe society has become too impatient for these things to occur and have taken matters into or on hands.
Regardless I found the whole topic to be clearer after Tuesday’s class! I really enjoyed this passed class, and I think it had something to do with the discussion going on. It was very thought provoking, with the most back and forth discussion I think we have had. Also, this week’s article was so impossible to get to; I was so relieved that Dr. Pound addressed it in class, especially with the upcoming essay. This is another matter entirely, for some reason this assignment feels more daunting than others. I can’t quite put my finger on why that is, perhaps its a case of rusty pen and confusing readings.
With the talk of the Olympics, I was wondering if all equipment could make people into cyborgs? Though the swim suits is the most prominent issue that I can think of, this argument could be applied to any number of sports. The sails used in the summer Olympics, the skies in the winter Olympics. Each piece of equipment has the potential to become an extension of the athletes’ body, and therefore become a controversial issue. Perhaps the committee should start looking at this as a reality and put restrictions or allowances in all areas, just like in drug use. Either that or I’m worried there will be a free for all.
I think that’s all I’ve got for today, I am feeling much less inspired then I did last week...hopefully next week is more insightful, tata for now!

Bro Code, Paper Bag Princess and Cosmo

Here are some of my thoughts that I have acquired from the last two classes…

First off I thought I was a feminist. If I lived back in the day I would have been an advocate for women’s right to vote and I have always loved stories with female protagonists. However, after reading the articles for this week I think I’ve changed my mind. I find many of the readings to the extreme and I know understand what Dr. Pound meant when he said women would say “I’m not a feminist, but”. I think I would say “I’m not a feminist, but I’m an equalist”. There are some aspects of feminist that I can appreciate and some others that I can agree with, but I can’t agree with all the ideas, therefore I don’t think I fit under the title of Feminist.

Next thought…

My boyfriend (Evan) came up for a visit over the Christmas holidays and through some series of discussions he and my 17 year old brother (John) both understood what the “bro code” is. Apparently it’s this list of rules that guys are supposed to follow. Evan lives in Alberta and John lives in T Bay, so this code is significant enough that it transcends provinces. While we were at Chapters Evan found the book Bro Code and bought it for John. When I asked about it I was told that in the code it states you are not allowed to talk about the code to your significant other. (kind of like Fight Club). The point of my story is, women don’t have anything like the code and I found the whole thing rather odd. But in a patriarchal society this kind of code fits. I am determined to read it.

Another thought…

I remember reading an article in” Cosmo”. It had something to do with what a women wore and why you aren’t attracting the guys. Apparently there are two different kinds of cute, boy cute and girl cute. Clothes like baby-doll shirts and boyfriend jeans fall under girl cute. But skinny jeans and low cute shirts fall under boy cute. Even though the majority of boy cute clothes are less comfortable the article was saying this is what you had to wear to get noticed. It goes along with what Dr. Pound was saying about men symbolically dismembering women. Boy cute clothes are more sexual and allow men to take the women wearing them apart. I’m not saying these clothes are bad, we all wear them. When I read the article I thought it was pretty pointless. However, with the knowledge gained from these classes this kind of article does fit into what feminists are saying of our society.

My final thought is that the Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munch is an excellent example of a story that feminists would like. Most of the story follows the traditional Princess and Prince Charming story. Except the Princess goes off to save the Prince. In the end the Prince doesn’t want the Princess because of her clothes; she is too dirty. So the Princess leaves him with the dragon ( I think), and goes off on her own adventures. All in all this is a great story that is a positive story for young girls.

That’s all folks!!