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A See - Ya Later!

Page history last edited by nassia985@... 14 years, 11 months ago

 

 

 A See - Ya Later! 

Nancy Assia ("A See-Ya").
hOW cOuld yOu caLl it a liFesTyLe
whEn yOu dOn't liVe yOur liFe in sTyLe *
 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

Week 1

 

Who I Am

 

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First Things First

I guess the first thing I should do is introduce myself. My name is Nancy; 23 years ago I was born into a traditional Syrian family in Hackensack, New Jersey. Has anyone ever watched "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"? Well... besides being Greek and the big fat wedding, thats my family in a nut shell. Loud and overwhelming... and I wouldn't trade them in for the world! Which now leads me to July of 2002 when my parents decided to pack us up and move my sister, my brother, and myself to Florida to be closer to the whole clan. Yeah sure at first it was difficult (difficult being an understatement), but its a lifestyle I EVENTUALLY became adjusted to. It's not the easiest thing in the world making new friends, moving your home, joining a new high school your senior year, and joining a new dance studio. Horrible huh... joining a new dance studio??? LoL! I was a dancer since the age of 4. It was basically my life. After a long day at school I would come home, eat, do my homework, and then go to dance class five days a week. It's where I made my closest friends and it's what kept me out of trouble. On the upside, if I never moved to Florida, I would have never become a choreographer. Which I was for three years until I decided to take a temporary break.

So now here I am years later, enrolled in USF, sitting at home writing my very first Wiki entry. Nice to meet you!''

 

 

Why I'm Here

I am currently majoring in Marketing. It hasn't always been that way. Going into college I was planning on majoring in accounting but after taking a few accounting courses i realized... IT WASN'T FOR ME! All i knew is I had to find something that would keep me interested; thats where Marketing came in.

 

Branding a product as Kristie had mentioned, advertising, and visual displays for stores have always interested me. I would love to be a part of a business which has people remembering your work for years. Here is an article discussing the best and worst marketing ideas... ever.

 

 

 

 

"Papercut" by Linkin Park 

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Why does it feel like night today? 

Something in here's not right today. 

Why am I so uptight today? 

Paranoia's all I got left 

I don't know what stressed me first 

Or how the pressure was fed 

But I know just what it feels like 

To have a voice in the back of my head 

Like a face that I hold inside 

A face that awakes when I close my eyes 

A face watches every time I lie 

A face that laughs every time I fall 

(And watches everything)  

So I know that when it's time to sink or swim 

That the face inside is hearing me 

Right beneath my skin  

It's like I'm paranoid lookin' over my back 

It's like a whirlwind inside of my head 

It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within 

It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin

I know I've got a face in me 

Points out all my mistakes to me 

You've got a face on the inside too and

Your paranoia's probably worse 

I don't know what set me off first 

But I know what I can't stand 

Everybody acts like the fact of the matter is 

I can't add up to what you can but  

Everybody has a face that they hold inside 

A face that awakes when I close my eyes 

A face watches every time they lie 

A face that laughs every time they fall 

(And watches everything)  

So you know that when it's time to sink or swim 

That the face inside is watching you too 

Right inside your skin  

It's like I'm paranoid lookin' over my back 

It's like a whirlwind inside of my head 

It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within 

It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin  

The face inside is right beneath your skin  

The sun goes down 

I feel the light betray me 

The sun goes down 

I feel the light betray me  

The sun

I feel the light betray me 

The sun 

I feel the light betray me  

It's like I'm paranoid lookin' over my back 

It's like a whirlwind inside of my head 

It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within 

It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin  

It's like I'm paranoid lookin' over my back 

It's like a whirlwind inside of my head 

It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within 

It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within 

It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within 

It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin   

 

T e t r i s M A N I A:

 

 

The first games I ever played were on my Nintendo. You know the games I'm talking about: Mario Brothers and of course the game where you use an orange gun to shoot the birds and UFO's. Aaaa those were the days! Simplicity! Unlike the games that are sold now-a-days that are so complicated you need to read a manual for hours to understand how to begin playing. There is one game that has never failed to entertain me. TETRIS. What can I say, I love games that deal with different shapes that you try syncronizing to form a solid line so that line would disappear and eventually you excel to the next level.

 

Has anyone ever played Tetris for hours and you feel like it messes with your head? Well we're not alone!

 

David: This is much more scientific than I thought it would be. Apparently, the tetris effect is on the same level as hallucinating.

Nance: Maria, thats so funny you posted that game (1st game) because I watched that show when I was in Sweden and I loved it

Maria: Fun video parodies about Tetris. Talk about messing with your head

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bogost Chapter 1 

I did not enjoy Chapter 1 in Bogost like I enjoyed reading Comics. It was kind of an annoying read with the word usage which couldn't allow me to stay focused on my read. All I have to say about Chapter 1 is that yes games can be used for more than just entertainment. It can help with strengthening the mind and increase social skills. There are also educational games that can be played to help children improve their minds.

 

Link Pile

 

 

License Agreement

The only way we can learn from each other is if we are all willing to share so ... what's mine is yours.

 

Creative Commons License
A See-Ya Later! by Nancy Assia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.

 

 

 

 

 

Week 2

 

McDonald's Video Game

I used to love eating at McDonald's my early teen years. As I got older I realized how unhealthy it was haha. It's interesting to me how this video game was created to bash the McDonald's Corporation. I believe that the company has created the game themselves to get people talking. No publicity is bad publicity.

 

I found the game difficult to understand. I played a few times and lost all my money! I found the game to be hilarious but after playing for a few minutes I became immediately bored with it. I kept going back and forth from the farm to the board room but didn't understand how to keep my company afloat. I believe that no matter how much people are told about how the way the company is run, it will not effect the popularity of McDonald's. It will continue to be the most eaten at fast food resturant.

 

 

MixMaster Blog on Branding

I am a marketing major so I definitely find branding extremely interesting. As a frequent "mall-goer", I buy all sorts of clothing, handbags, shoes, and accessories. If the products appeal to me, I will buy it. I don't stop and think that the company is trying to pull one over on me by using me as a billboard a.k.a a walking advertisement. If the product appeals to me immediately than the company has done their job with promoting their merchandise, and for that I am impressed.

 

I have agreed with Kristie many times on this one topic. About how when you think of a product, you use the specific name to descirbe what you want. For instance when you need pain medicine, you would say I need Advil or Tylenol.

 

I also found what Aldijana had said about how we market ourselves from birth very interesting. You don't realize the actions you take and how you carry yourself allows people to have an opionion about you just like a piece of merchandise. For instance when it comes to dating, you are disecting someones everything to see if that person is right for you. Like a pair of shoes, you try on many different pairs to see which shoe you want to purchase.

 

 

McCloud Chapter 1 

I was never into comics as a kid. I was around them all the time because my male cousins were all about them. Now as an adult, I find them very fascinating and so do many people who have overlooked them in the past. Now because so many movies have been inspired by the comics, I have become a big fan. Comics allow you to feel like you are part of a world that is extreme and completely out of the ordinary. People don't always want to have to face reality. They want to be captivated by an idealistic universe and I feel like comics have that affect on their readers.

  

Ito: Living and Learning with New Media

Every year there are new developments in technology. As I was growing up, the internet wasn't a must have. Now in the year 2009 without the internet you can barely function. It's the best way to network, make online relationships with random strangers, and the best way to advertise for your business. Everything you need is just a click away which makes it easier to accomplish our important errands such as bills, research, homework, searching for recipes, etc. I couldn't imagine not having the internet to do help me with my daily routine and keep me connected to my friends all over the world. The only reservations I have about the internet is now we are forgetting how to do things the old fashioned way. Also with children using the internet at such a young age i feel as if they aren't enjoying life outside the house and forgettng about outdoor games such as kickball and tag. Is the new media the cause of children growing up so rapidly?

 

 

 

 

Week 3

 

Peer Review

My view my peer's pages

 

 

Peer Review on Definitional Arguments

My thoughts on my peer's Definitional Arguments.

 

 

Definitional Argument: $3 Million Super Bowl Ads

 

 

 

Week 4 

 

Definitional Argument: $3 Million Super Bowl Ads (Final Copy)

 

Peer Grading

 

 

 

 

Week 5

 

Class Canceled

 

 

 

Week 6 

 

Bogost Chapter 2

In Bogost Chapter 2 it is explaining how the government fail to react quickly in disasters. For instance when it came to hurriane Katrina and the attacks on the world trade centers the governement were down played. Not only is bosot disgussing just the American government but also other governments around the world. In my opinion the government controls what information the media recieves and what they can air on televison so it wouldn't cause panic in the country. I also feel higher officals all over the world react slowly to natural disasters, attacks, and diseases slowly is because it is population control. 

 

Week 7

 

 

Week 8

 

McCloud Chapter 2

I really enjoyed Chapter 2. It boggles my mind how we see things for something they aren't. For example how we see a smiley face when we type :) (a colon and a parenthesis). It's crazy how our mind sees things so much it automatically registers as a visual thats not really there. Also with drivers feeling that the car is apart of them. I know exactly what McCloud is saying in this section. I noticed when I am tense my driving is different, when im calm, I'm a calm driver. The car becomes apart of me. It is weird to actually read about things we do subconsciencely.

  

McCloud Chapter 3

I found the beginning of this chapter really interesting especially when he spoke about children playing "peek-a-boo". I always thought it was hilarious how kids really get a kick out of the game. It's funny how they don't realize the person on the opposite side of their hands didn't disappear.

 

The way McCloud put that as a society we believe what is told to us was very eye openning. Like he said, I haven't seen the Earth as being round myself, but I still believe what scientists have told us. The beginning of the chapter really made see things in a different light rather than the way I've always seen them.

 

Cause and Effect Paper (Rough Draft)

 

 

Week 9

 

Peer Reviews

 

 

Week 10

 

Mid-Term Reflection

 

Section 1 

Please read the description of the course goals as they are listed on the course website. Do you feel we are proceeding towards these goals? What is so far proving most useful? What would you change, and why?

At first this class was very confusing to me because I have never experienced this type of teaching method before. I can honestly say, I was excited to try something new. Because I enjoy reading, I have always wanted to become a better writer. I feel because we aren’t rushed to complete and assignment in just one week, it gives me more of an opportunity to get more creative. I can definitely see an improvement in my writing.

 

What are you learning in class? What more do you think you could learn in class? How can class be structured to help you learn what matters to you?

I am learning how to think “outside the box”. I always thought that writing had to be done in “perfect” English. Because of this class, I have been noticing that I can write the way I see things instead of the way things should be seen. The only thing I would change is, having to read three books. I really enjoy McCloud but the other two; I don’t find them to be entertaining.

 

How do you define your responsibilities to this class? How are you living up to those responsibilities? What are your greatest contributions to class? What can you improve?

I definitely am not caught up on all my assignments because it took me a while to get the hang of the “online” aspect of the class. I appreciate that Dr. Conner is lenient with assignments because it’s not as stressful, and I don’t think writing should be stressful. It should be a way you can expression. I honestly feel that I could participate in class discussions more. I feel the only thing that holds me back is that I’m not a writer so I enjoy sitting back and hearing what the writers in the class are thinking.

 

How do you define ShareRiff's responsibilities as teacher of this class? Is ShareRiff fulfilling those responsibilities? What more or different can he do to help you fulfill the work of this class?

I feel as if ShareRiff allows our class to socialize which makes our class more comfortable with each other. If it wasn’t for that, I would be embarrassed to share my work with my other classmates. The only thing is sometimes I do get confused because of the lingo ShareRiff uses but I find it interesting and makes him less intimidating which also makes me feel more comfortable.

 

What more or different can ShareRiff do to help you understand the work he is asking you to do?

I mean as I said before, I used to find the setup of how the assignments are issued to be confusing. Now after being in class for many weeks, I find it easier to comprehend what’s going on.

 

What suggestions do you have for how we can improve class, to help you learn more, and enjoy the class and the learning more? (you can bullet your list for easier reading) 

I honestly enjoy class. I find it to be pretty entertaining. As I had said previously, I find it to be an interesting way to teach a writing course. The only thing I would change is, because there is an age gap with some of the students, I get confused about some things mentioned in class, so I would find it interesting to actually watch the movies that are brought up and referred to from time to time.

 

 

Section 2: 

Cover Letter

Because of McCloud, I began seeing things in a different light. For example, your face not ever being seen by you, but only seen by other people. Ideas like that help me with my writing because I am trying to get the reader thinking and looking at things differently. Ideas such as those keep the reader guessing. That’s what I shoot for when I write a paper, especially my opening statement. I want to get the reader captivated from the get go.

 

It was very simple to choose a topic for the definitional argument. It was Super Bowl season and a huge part of that was advertising. Being a marketing major, I immediately became curious on how the marketing aspect of the event work. It was a little more difficult to find a topic for the cause and effect essay. It really came to me when I was watching television and was noticing how the media portrays everyday women.

I feel as if our essay captivates the audience right off the bat because as I said previously, it allows the audience to see “vanity” in a different light. By having our peers reflect on our work, it really helps me know what the reader is thinking. I am always improving my writing with others advice.

 

 

Week 11

 

Spring Break

 

 

Final Draft of Casual Arguement

Cover Sheet

1. What is the purpose of your argument?

The purpose of this argument is to show how the media affects the choices people make when it comes to their appearance, such as plastic surgery.

2. Who is your target audience?

Our paper is to target anybody who has been affected by the media and what they are selling as beautiful.

3. What is your thesis statement?

Our thesis statement is… some may feel that plastic surgery is the key to happiness, the key to confidence, and the key to being that model on the cover of Vanity Fair or GQ magazine. What causes us to go under the knife and what are the effects of doing so?  

4. Did you learn/try anything new while growing this composition?

We  always knew that media has always affected the way people feel about themselves but after researching for this paper we realized just how much.

5. What do you like best about your composition? About your composition process? Here's where you talk about your best experiments (Did you mix genres? Where you able to integrate ideas from different sources with your own? etc)

We really enjoyed working in a group. It allowed us to collaborate together on one common idea. If we were to do this separately, we feel that our paper will include a lot of repetition. So it made our paper that much better to work in a group.

6. Of the feedback you garnered in our workshop, what piece of information was most valuable/helpful?

We always find it very helpful when we receive feedback from our peers. We had taken our peers’ entire critic into consideration when we go back to revise our paper.  

7. Where would you like to see the most feedback/advice on your final draft?

The feedback that we would like to receive is to know if there was anything else that I could have done to improve our paper.

 

--

Rough Draft

 

 “Vanity: excessive pride in one’s appearance.” Better known for, the disease with no cure. We eat, sleep, breathe image. And for what; to show-off something that we can’t even see unless we look into a mirror? We are just never satisfied. How could we alleviate this illness if the media is constantly rubbing perfection in our faces?  Some may feel that plastic surgery is the key to happiness, the key to confidence, and the key to being that model on the cover of Vanity Fair or GQ magazine. What causes us to go under the knife and what are the effects of doing so? 

            When we open up a magazine or turn on the television, we are surrounded by models and actresses that are appearing as if they are getting younger and skinnier. There is a thin line draw between the superficial images of a runway supermodel and the images of ordinary, everyday women. The two worlds are beginning to collide which is now causing many women to examine themselves vigorously in the mirror and find flaws in their exterior. Four out of five patients have reportedly said that their decision to get cosmetic surgery was due to the influence in the media. Hollywood’s standards of beauty are being forced on us causing people, especially women to take drastic action. The media purposely promotes youth and thinness as an essential criterion for beauty. Liposuction is one of the most common surgical procedures that have reached an ultimate high.  As of 2003, 320,022 women have gotten the surgery. Another surgery that continues to escalate in popularity to “improve” the body is a breast augmentation, and 245,140 women have gotten this surgery. The media continues to instill the idea that if you are already thin, then a flawless, youthful face is a must-have. 12,112 have received cheek implants, and 128,667 have gotten facelifts last year.

“The Swan”, “Extreme Makeover”, and “Dr. 90210” are a few of many shows that are based around the idea of “improving ones image”.  Viewers are tuning into these reality shows and seeing normal, everyday women getting a quick-fix with plastic surgery for their “problems”. Some people are seeing themselves in these patients and sympathizing with them causing them so feel less confident in themselves. Although it isn’t wrong to have plastic surgery, if you thoroughly weight your options, but television is making it seem as if plastic surgery is a minor procedure. Procedures such as gastric bypass surgeries, face lifts, liposuction, and nose jobs have become known as “all too common” in households.  With these drastic changed to ones appearance, how does it affect someone after the surgery is over?

Plastic surgery is no longer just for the rich and famous. Middle-class Americans are now also trying to improve themselves no matter how expensive the surgery is. The cost of cosmetic surgery can put a huge strain on the family budget, particularly when the cost exceeds the estimate (“Negative Effect of Cosmetic Surgery”).  Patients don’t usually realize that an estimate is usually only for the procedure itself and not for the anesthesia that will be used. Not to mention, the amount of time that a patient would spend in a hospital if there are complications. Also medication would need to be purchased regardless if there are complications or not. Two-thirds of patients are usually not satisfied with their first surgery, they become obsessed with improving themselves which causes them to go back for a second surgery.  With the exception of reconstructive surgery, elective cosmetic surgery is not covered by insurance (“Negative Effects of Cosmetic Surgery”). The cost of cosmetic plastic surgery is not the only negative effect. Psychologists are finding that often there is a heavy emotional and psychological price to pay for cosmetic surgery (“Negative Effects of Cosmetic Surgery”). Many patience of cosmetic surgery begin to suffer from body dysmorphic disorder, which is a condition where the patients continue to find defects in their body and no matter how much surgery they’ve had, it won’t correct it. There is even a greater risk of having cosmetic surgery than their financial situation; there is a big risk of organ failure during the surgery, infection, and an allergic reaction to the medication. With all things that are negative, there comes positive.

Not every patient suffers some sort of depression after surgery. According to the American Medical Associations, more attractive people have the upper hand in the business world, especially in sales. For instance, when Ashlee Simpson had a nose job and Brad Pitt had his ears pinned back nobody even questioned it because it is something that is common in “their world”.  The change in a cosmetic surgery patient’s appearance can build a certain confidence that they could take into their work place.  For example, all else being equal, a good-looking woman will negotiate better for a company than anyone else—even a good-looking man, according to research by Sara Solnick of the University of Miami and Maurice Schweitzer from Wharton. Good-looking women drive harder bargains than everyone else, and good-looking women get more concessions than anyone else. (Makes sense, right? Since these are the women in highest demand for reproducing, the genes for good looks must come with genes for having a sense of entitlement when it comes to negotiating a good deal.) (Trunk, Penelope). 

This trend is here to stay because since the beginning of time, “we can’t get no satisfaction”.  If you are considering cosmetic plastic surgery, do not let the media be your main influence.  Take into consideration that reality television is not always a reality. Is plastic surgery for you?

 

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Peer Reviews

Haven't recieved any peer reviews

Now you have had a peer review Kevin's Grade

 

--

Feedback

no feedback

 

 

--

Refelction on Feedback

no reflection on feedback

 

 

--

Final Draft

The Media and Plastic Surgery

“Vanity: excessive pride in one’s appearance” better known for the disease with no cure. We eat, sleep, and breathe image, and for what; to show-off something that we can’t even see unless we look into a mirror? We are just never satisfied. How could we alleviate this illness if the media is constantly rubbing perfection in our faces?  Some may feel that plastic surgery is the key to happiness, the key to confidence, and the key to being that model on the cover of Vanity Fair or GQ magazine. What causes us to go under the knife and what are the effects of doing so? 

 The media seems to be purposely promoting youth and thinness as an essential criterion for beauty. When we open up a magazine or turn on the television, we are surrounded by models and actresses that are appearing as if they are getting younger and skinnier with age. There is a thin line drawn between the superficial images of a runway supermodel and the images of ordinary, everyday women. The two worlds are beginning to collide, which is now causing many women to examine themselves vigorously in the mirror and find flaws in their physical appearance. The way the media makes people of ordinary society look does not compare to Hollywood’s standards of beauty and while these standards are not only being forced upon us, they have also led women to take drastic action in common procedures such as liposuction. In 2008 alone, 341,144 liposuction surgeries were conducted.

Liposuction isn’t the only surgery that has become increasingly popular over the years. In fact, it is second to the most popular surgery, breast augmentation. With so much attention being put on the upper body, especially by men and the media, 355,671 breast augmentation surgeries were performed just last year and those numbers will continue to escalate. According to Society president Alan Gold, MD “for the first time in the twelve years these statistics have been collected liposuction is a runner up in popularity to breast augmentation” (Earth Times 2009). Could these new statistics be caused by the influence of celebrities on television and on magazines? It is a fact that four out of five patients have reportedly said that their decision to get cosmetic surgery was due to the influence in the media. This surgery will continue to escalate in hopes that women will get the “perfect” body like celebrities whose bodies they dream of having.

Not only is the media affecting the way women view their bodies, but it continues to instill the idea that that is just not enough. It leaves you wanting more and wondering what is a great body without a beautiful face to match? These messages being sent out by the media have not been taken lightly. Just last year, a total of 128,667 people went under the knife to get a rhytidectomy, better known as a face lift, and 12,112 people had cheeks implanted with a cheek augmentation surgery. While these numbers are on the rise, it makes it clear that the confidence of Americans is headed downward.

            If those adjustments to the face aren’t enough, there is more that can be done. A procedure so common in today’s society is a nose job, surgically known as rhinoplasty. Whether it’s to remove a bump, make it smaller, or to change the shape completely, hundreds of thousands of people are having their noses reformatted a year. Celebrities are in the spotlight every day, even if they are out at the grocery store, and they try to look as perfect as possible. With people making fun of their appearances it’s no surprise when they try to “fix” the way they look. There are even lists out there named “Top Celebrity Nose Jobs” which include Jennifer Aniston, Toni Braxton, Katie Holmes, and Beyonce. How are we expected to feel perfect when these beautiful women were being talked about for their “ugly noses” pre-surgery?

There are many shows on television designed around the idea of “improving ones image” such as “The Swan”, “Extreme Makeover”, and “Dr. 90210,” just to name a few. Viewers are tuning in to these so called reality shows to see normal, everyday women get a quick-fix to their “problem” with a little plastic surgery. Some people are seeing themselves through these patients and sympathizing with them, causing them to feel less confident in themselves. These shows are not only making people feel worse about themselves, but they are giving them the idea that surgery is nothing more than a one day process, when in fact the recovery time is at least a couple weeks. Even then, you are advised to stay away from some of your daily activities for an extended period of time. Cosmetic surgery isn’t exactly a walk through the park.

Although there is nothing wrong with having plastic surgery after thoroughly weighing your options, television makes it seem as if it is a minor procedure and you will be satisfied with the end result. Doctors often take a before and after picture of patients so that they are able to give them with an idea of “the new you,” however, it is not for certain that that is what the patient will look like. In addition to the before and after pictures, many people go under the knife hoping they will look like the picture of the celebrity they presented to the doctor, but they fail to realize those features are not for everyone and not everyone can look the same.

Plastic surgery has been becoming more and more popular over the last few years. With celebrities such as Carnie Wilson being a spokesperson for gastric bypass surgery, people feel more comfortable knowing that someone they’ve seen on television had a positive reaction to the surgery. After having his surgery, even weatherman Al Roker from NBC shed over one hundred pounds in front of the camera. Seeing him now and then definitely gives obese people of America the incentive to have gastric bypass surgery so that they can look and feel better about themselves.

These surgical procedures have become too common in the households. With these drastic changes to ones appearance, especially rapid weight loss, many can’t help but wonder how it affects the patient after the surgery is over. In some cases, having depression after plastic surgery is resulted in the reactions of others and adjustment to the new look, but “most factors causing depression are after surgery are medications, post-surgical traumatic stress syndrome, constipation from the medications and more over a long period of just lying in bed and being restricted to many activities” (Cosmetic Miracles). Post surgery depression is more difficult for men because “men usually reject their pain and not asking for any help can make the recovery more difficult” (Cosmetic Miracles). Having plastic surgery can also guilt you into feeling depressed because of financial status.

Though there are instances in which some are depressed, it is not always likely. Not every patient suffers some sort of depression after surgery. According to the American Medical Associations, more attractive people have the upper hand in the business world, especially in sales. For instance, when Ashlee Simpson had a nose job and Brad Pitt had his ears pinned back nobody even questioned it because it is something that is common for them. With their new looks they get more attention, and that is something that is important in “their world.” The change in a cosmetic surgery patient’s appearance can build a certain confidence that they could take into their work place.  For example, all else being equal, a good-looking woman will negotiate better for a company than anyone else—even a good-looking man, according to research by Sara Solnick of the University of Miami and Maurice Schweitzer from Wharton. Good-looking women drive harder bargains than everyone else, and good-looking women get more concessions than anyone else. (Makes sense, right? Since these are the women in highest demand for reproducing, the genes for good looks must come with genes for having a sense of entitlement when it comes to negotiating a good deal.) (Trunk, Penelope). 

Plastic surgery is no longer just for the rich and famous. Middle-class Americans are now also trying to improve themselves no matter how expensive the surgery is. The media has shown the affects of a good surgery and this will not stand in the way of those, even with a mediocre job. The cost of cosmetic surgery can put a huge strain on the family budget, particularly when the cost exceeds the estimate (Negative Effect of Cosmetic Surgery). Patients don’t usually realize that an estimate is usually only for the procedure itself and not for the anesthesia that will be used. Not to mention, the amount of time that a patient would spend in a hospital if there are complications. In addition to hospital bills, medication would need to be purchased regardless if there are complications or not. Two-thirds of patients are usually not satisfied with their first surgery, they become obsessed with improving themselves which causes them to go back for a second surgery.  With the exception of reconstructive surgery, elective cosmetic surgery is not covered by insurance (“Negative Effects of Cosmetic Surgery”). The cost of cosmetic plastic surgery is not the only negative effect. Psychologists are finding that often there is a heavy emotional and psychological price to pay for cosmetic surgery (“Negative Effects of Cosmetic Surgery”). Many patience of cosmetic surgery begin to suffer from body dysmorphic disorder, which is a condition where the patients continue to find defects in their body and no matter how much surgery they’ve had, it won’t correct it. There is even a greater risk of having cosmetic surgery than their financial situation; there is a big risk of organ failure during the surgery, infection, and an allergic reaction to the medication. With all things that are negative, there comes positive.

The media is not always shining a positive light on celebrities and plastic surgery and it is definitely not all glitz and glamour. For example, actress Tara Reid was a much talked about celebrity after her botched stomach liposuction and breast augmentation. Pictures of her failed attempt to look better were plastered all over gossip websites and magazines. Socialite Jocelyn Wildenstein, better known as the woman who tried to look like a cat, spent over 4 million dollars on cosmetic surgery. You might wonder why a woman would want to look like a giant cat. Simple. Her cheating husband loved cats so she tried to win him back by turning into one. His infidelities turned her into a scary, unrecognizable, woman. Who is most famous for their transformation over the years? He is none other than the King of pop himself, Michael Jackson. With his skin lightening procedures, face lifts, lip enhancements, eyebrow lifts, and multiple nose jobs, he is hard to identify as the same Michael Jackson that was once part of the popular group The Jackson Five. It is even rumored that he is unable to perform because his nose might fall off. The cause of such celebrities having botched surgeries has allowed the media to make a mockery out of them.

If plastic surgery is something you are interested in, it should be thought about long and hard. If you are going to learn something from the media, allow rapper Kanye West’s mother to be a prime example. Surgeons advised her not to do the surgeries she was looking for at once because it would be dangerous and they did not give her the medical clearance she needed in order to have such procedures done. In the end she went to a doctor that was untruthful which resulted in her death due to complications that could have been easily avoided. If there is one lesson that should be taken from the media, that is it.

 

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Bibliography

 

A Report on Mental Illness in Canada. (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2002).

Barbie boots up. (Time, Nov 11 1996). http://www.time.com

Canadian Women’s Health Network (Body Image and the Media). http://www.cwhn.ca/resources/faq/biMedia.html

Diet business: Banking on failure. (BBC News World Edition, Feb 5 2003). http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2725943.stm

Gage, Michelle "5 Reasons Why People Get Cosmetic Surgery." 5 Reasons Why People Get Cosmetic Surgery. 29 Mar. 2008. EzineArticles.com. 8 Apr 2009

http://ezinearticles.com/?5-Reasons-Why-People-Get-Cosmetic-Surgery&id=1077693

Gill, Steven. “US Newswire”. Plastic Surgery Reality Televison Influences (23 July 2007)

http://plasticsurgery.org

McMillan, Joyce. “The Brutality of Celebrity Culture.” The Informed Argument 7th Ed.

Robert K. Miller Boston, MA. 2007. 291-293

Nash Karen. “Under the Influence” How Does Media Influence Your Patience?”

Cosmetic Surgery Times 12, October 2007

Pacher C. Gerd. “Negative Effects of Cosmetic Surgery”. 2009 Buzzle.com. 23/February2008.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/negative-effects-of-cosmetic-surgery.html

Penelope’s Trunk: Plastic Surgery This Season’s Must Have. 8, April 2008.

http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/04/08/plastic-surgery-is-the-next-must-have-career-tool-maybe/

Wetzell, Linda Marie. “Must be TV Reality TV Influences Patient Choices.”

Cosmetic Surgery Times 10 (2007)

Women laserized to standardize dress sizes. (CNN.com, Feb 11 2008).

 

Week 12

 

Class Canceled

 

McCloud Chapter 7

I don't know how anybody can question if comics are art? Of course they are. It is art that tells a story. In the middle of the chapter, it has the character thinking they did a good job with the illustration, "just like a professional". When the character actually goes to a professional, he comes to realize that there is more to drawing a character than just pencil and paper. He is told that the anatomy of the character isn't accurate and that his vanishing points were all wrong. Until I read this chapter, I didn't realize that the illistrators put so much thought into the detail of each character.

 

 

Week 15

 

Freesounds Mash-Up

Freesounds

 

Week 16

Final Project

For our final project, Tracy and I created an online magazine that deals with female celebrities and the media. We wrote on different topics and tried to make the magazine look professional and appealing to our readers. We tried the link on school computers and it works perfectly, but for some reason we cannot see the table of contents link on our home computers. Hopefully it will work for you! Enjoy =)

FLASH Magazine

 

Comments (5)

David said

at 11:09 pm on Jan 12, 2009

Playing tetris that long causes schizophrenic delusions and hallucinations of descending colorful blocks, I've done it. Try sleeping after that and seeing what the dreams are like. Same thing if you listen to the same song 24 hours straight.

Anonymous said

at 4:19 pm on Jan 13, 2009

Everytime I play for hours, I begin rearranging things so that they would fit! Its crazy! I definitely understand about the sleeping issue. I play it on my phone mostly every night!

David said

at 3:33 am on Jan 16, 2009

Who the hell would invent this game without testing the side effects of looking at and rearranging cubes. It should be the most boring game, but for some reason, I haven't figured out why, I get addicted to it. It's like a relationship, its exciting in the beginning and then towards the end you're going crazy and wanna start over.

ShareRiff said

at 3:09 pm on May 5, 2009

Nancy, Tracy,

I can't open the FLASH magazine...could you possibly upload or email the raw contents?

assia319@... said

at 5:47 pm on May 9, 2009

Dr. Conner,
I e-mailed you the contents of our website a few days ago from my email- assia319@com. If you don't see it, check your spam folder.. sometimes my e-mails get stuck in there because of my last name.

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