Class highlights

JOUR 2 was hands-down my favorite class this quarter! I liked learning more about media and the press. My favorite aspects of the class were the weekly blog topics and class discussions. I have a much better idea on how the media works and know what media literacy is now. Under The First Amendment I will say FUCK YEAH JOURNALISM!!!! Sure the FCC won't be pleased about the way I worded that statement, but they can SHOVE IT!

I can see myself as a journalist since I am already a "citizen journalist".
I have decided to major in Journalism because it's intriguing to me and I'm passionate about it.
Finally! The day has come! I chose a major!!!!

Also, this class has inspired me to START a brand new FM radio station, possibly for De Anza College (if I can get enough help and support, see flyers plastered all over school)

The FCC is offering many new FM radio stations across the country in October to ordinary people like you and me!

FREEING THE AIRWAVES OF CORPORATE CONTROL!!!!

To find more or to get involved email me: infernalslut@yahoo.com
and check out this website
http://www.prometheusradio.org/

Vals

Maker/Experiencer

Your primary VALS™ type is Maker, and your secondary type is Experiencer.

The primary VALS type represents your dominant approach to life. The secondary classification represents a particular emphasis you give to your dominant approach.

So true! I do have a dominant approach to things. And hella DIY ethics... Brands don't really mean much to me. When it comes to clothes, I'll buy any brand. However, I only buy used clothing! It's better for the environment (here are some statistics), plus why would I want to support the corrupt garment industry? I also like to make a lot of my own clothes. As for food items, I'll buy "generic" cereal or peanut butter because it tastes the same to me and it's made out of the exact same shit as the more expensive well-known brand! I enjoy making my own stuff or owning items that were made by real people. I love trading, I just gave away some pins and rare zines to my friend in exchange for 4 thick bars of her amazing all natural soap. Me and my neighbors trade bags of fruit because we all have trees and gardens.

I think marketers use the greenwashing techniques to attract my type, especially companies that try to seem really hip and progressive. When Ben & Jerry's said they supported the Occupy movement I was like that's cool

internet addicts

I've been shopping online for a long time now. It started in middle school when I couldn't find any shirts of bands I liked at Hot Topic or Spencer's. You can find so much online, usually with better prices! To avoid animal tested chemical bull-crap, I buy all my makeup from people who make it themselves on etsy. It's cheaper, better for your skin, and ethical. Also, I collect unicorn and narwhal nick-nacks. I get 3-4 packages a week from my constant online shopping. I also sell online, here is my etsy shop.

My boyfriend is severely addicted to online gaming. He plays battlefield and other games until 4 or 5 AM. I hate the fact that he drinks these terrible unhealthy energy drinks as he stays up all night. It's already bad enough that he is sleep deprived and staring at a screen for several hours at a time, but consuming 3 cans of diet rockstar per night? Ew.

He needs an intervention. I need a new boyfriend.

Music Recordings

My favorite album released in the last year would have to be SHELLFIRE! by Water Torture. This grindcore/powerviolence album is sludgy, dark, and RAW AS HELL.
Available for FREE DOWNLOAD HERE!!!

You can also buy the 7" inch off that website.
MP3 and Vinyl are the only available formats (unless you want me to burn you a CD)

I would also highly recommend checking out their recently released Split 7" with SEA OF SHIT.


My all time favorite band is riot-grrrl indie punkers Bikini Kill from Seattle in the good ol' 90's. The first time I heard them was six years ago on a cassette my girlfriend had been bumping on her boom box.

This is my favorite song ever!! Listen to the whole thing, it's less than two minutes. Kicks major buttocks.

The Young Homo Sapien

Name: "The Young Homo Sapien: cool shit for cool people in a SICK SAD WORLD"

Concept: Interesting news articles written for young adults. Broad variety of topics and articles. Music, fashion, politics, alternative lifestyles, and more.

Readers: Young adults of any race, gender, or social class. Covers world-wide news so readers could be from any country. People who are open minded and enjoy a sarcastic sense of humor. Dudes who work in offices and dudes who worship Satan. It's factual, interesting, mildly unusual, and borderline sassy. Lots of different people dig that.

Other magazines serving this demographic: Since my magazine is really broad and has a wide range of topics, I'm not really sure if there are any similar existing magazines.

Five advertisers: Hair dye companies, Music festivals/tours, independent new outlets, Vegan or organic restaurants/food companies,  and marijuana dispensaries lolz

Five articles I might include:   Recipes, DIY how-to's, Any updates on imprisoned Russian feminist band Pussy Riot. World Wide news. Concert or album reviews. Slut Walk, Occupy Wall st, and other rad movement/protest/rally coverage. Healthy lifestyle tips. Interviews with bands, reviews, and more.

PS: This magazine is free. It would come with participating band's merch or music purchase, or available at certain zine shops and art galleries. All the money would come from advertisers, merchandise,  and donations. Also, my online shop is advertised in every issue, so that helps :)

3 Books that influenced me

In 7th grade I read the book series "A Child Called It" by Dave Pelzer. These books made me cry, A LOT. I read two books in one sitting. They were extremely sad, but the fact that the author somehow got through his tragic life is inspiring to me. Amazon.com: A Child Called It

A few years later, probably in my freshman year of high school, I read the book "1984" by George Orwell. I really liked the story of this book and the way the main character narrated. It's an important book, it's still relevant today as it truly is a timeless classic. Amazon.com: 1984

Locked away in a minimum security county jail for something I didn't do, I came across ONE good book in the women's library at Elmwood detention center. Lakota Woman, written by Mary Crow Dog. Wow I can't believe a piece of literature this exciting and informative is sitting here in JAIL! This book is amazing, I had no idea of the struggles that Indian people were still facing in America even in the 60's and 70's. It inspired me to learn more about Native American history and related activism/grassroots/social movements. Amazon.com: Lakota Woman 

Media Impact: the way we view our bodies

The media causes all types of different problems for people. One of the most widespread issues is body image. Many researchers and regular people agree that the media portrays an unrealistic beauty standard, especially for women. Look at the cover of any modern fashion magazine, you will see a thin woman bearing flawless skin and a beautifully proportionate face with gorgeous healthy (usually blonde) hair perfectly arranged in this season's latest style. If you actually take the time to go through these mags, you'll notice that over half the booklet is made up of advertisements selling beauty products that will supposedly make us better. This "perfect girl" is depicted in those magazine ads, on billboards, in movies and TV, almost anywhere in media. Although the media's portrayal of ideal beauty through ridiculously skinny and perfect models is merely a marketing strategy for the products they're selling, it's still causing many women to feel insecure by placing a strong emphasis on the value of physical perfection. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, 47% of girls from 5th - 12th grade wanted to lose weight because of magazine pictures, ad 69% reported that magazine pictures influenced their idea of the "perfect" body shape. 

You can view more statistics and information here: ANAD: Eating Disorder Statistics


Here are some photos from media that have been photoshopped to meet the beauty standard:

This is supposed to be a Plus Size model! What plus size chick sees herself as the 2nd woman?

Rachel McAdam's super cute laugh lines, edited out of existence :(

Madonna, photoshopped to look extremely younger than she obviously is, the delicate wrinkles on her beautiful aged skin never to be published for the public eye to see. We've seen Madonna as a young woman throughout her entire career, I think it's time to stop being ashamed and embrace the inner cougar.

Gwen Stefani is in her mid 40s! She's not perfect, but I think they just should have just got rid of the zit and left her aged skin alone. Contrary to popular opinion, I  like the aged skin look, it's very attractive in a new way. No, her skin is not new, but the wrinkles are... it's like a new beginning.

Tom Ford explains this phenomena perfectly in an excerpt called "Forever Love"

“I am tired of the cult of youth. The cultural rejection of old age, the stigmatization of wrinkles, grey hair, of bodies furrowed by the years. I am fascinated by Diana Vreeland, Georgia O’Keeffe and Louise Bourgeois, women who have let time embrace them without ever cheating. Society today condemns this, me, I celebrate it..” 

Unfortunately, Tom and I are of the few people who feel this way. Because of the media's strong influence on most people, beauty standards will always be unrealistic. Girls will continue to viciously hate themselves and buy the products, and as time goes by the standard becomes more and more difficult to achieve (as it has).

Media Autobiography

Throughout my life I've had a very close relationship with media. It has always been my form of entertainment; giving me the ability to access multiple sources of information, convenient ways to communicate, and so much more.

Like most of the other American kids in my generation, I grew up watching unhealthy amounts of mind numbing television. Nowadays, I limit myself to viewing one independent newscast called "Democracy Now!", one of the few TV news broadcasts that are NOT corporate sponsored/government funded.

I love watching movies, especially documentaries. I usually watch them streaming for free online, or on Netflix. I used to have a huge VHS collection but I sold most of the tapes at the flea market.

Since middle school I've always had an mp3 player with me at all times, filled with music I got from ripping files from my friend's CD's or downloaded on the internet. I try to download two albums a day. Free and legal from bandcamp.com, or illegally from a pirated torrent or zip file. I collect cassette tapes to play in my car and boom box. I never listen to the radio because I get frustrated finding a channel that doesn't suck.

My parents never really emphasized the importance of reading, so I never read for my own entertainment and benefit until I was about 16 years old.  I love living next to the library and being able to access thousands of books for free. Sometimes I order certain books on Amazon because at the public library I am frequently unable to access the obscure radical literature that I crave.

My grandparents read the newspaper every single day. I'm not really into wasting resources to print articles most people can easily access online, but I respect their preference. I read some independent newspapers/newsletters when I occasionally come across them.

I utterly despise most mainstream magazines. Especially the ones targeted for young women, made up of mostly advertisements featuring "perfect" women promoting unrealistic beauty standards, and animal-tested products made with unnatural ingredients. I prefer reading "zines". Zines are small cheap handmade books or pamphlets that include articles written by the same person who xeroxed all 35 copies in existence. Zines are meant to be copied and redistributed. People who write zines usually hand them out for free or trade with other zine writers who share similar interests. You can buy specific zines for super cheap all over the web, and some zines are scanned and put online for your complimentary reading pleasure. I prefer to own and write/publish physical zines only.

I would love a job in the media, as long as I had full creative control and nobody restricting me from saying what I'd like to say.