Fraudulant Websites (5-1)

How often are you on the website Craigslist? Craigslist is a website that is like an online newspaper. You can find anything from jobs and apartments to baby clothes, cars, or skies. Although this website has been found to be convenient and useful it has also been found to be a scam or rip off. Have you ever went on Craigslist and tried to find a job? If you click on the field of the job that your looking for it pulls up a ton of jobs, the only problem is that more than half of these jobs are scams posted by Craigslist. How it works is that they post an ad then it has a Craigslist email address. You reply to the email and instantly you get an automated response sent to you. The response tells you to go fill out this form for pre-consideration for the job. I have learned from experience not to respond to anything that only post a Craigslist email address. Jobs that are legit have a legit email address or they include a phone and/or a fax number.
This site is also known for posting ads for erotic sites. This link allows people to post advertisement or for people to search for entertainment. The bad thing about this link is that it asks is the user 18 and older but you check the box off and it lets you go right into the sight. Some of the pictures on the sight are explicit and are not for the viewing of kids under 18. However, Craigslist really doesn’t have anything in place to prevent this from happening.
The website seems to attract a lot of scam artist and most recently a murder. Many people go on the website and post things for sale and once someone is interested they make arrangements to exchange the money and items. A couple months ago there was an incident where a guy was supposed to be meeting another guy to purchase some stereo equipment. Once he got to the destination the guy was jumped on and beaten up. Most recently the “Craigslist” killer has been in the news accused of meeting girls from off of Craigslist and then robbing and killing them.
The internet in general can be very useful however, without proper usage it can be a very dangerous place. However, sites like Craigslist shouldn’t exist. This website is a now hiring ad for criminals. Government officials should step in to keep sites like these away. Some police departments have undercover cops who go online looking for sexual predators. There should be someone like that who goes online looking for websites like Craigslist and forces these websites to shut down. Craigslist is a dangerous site and should be used with CAUTION. There are many more sites like it. The internet has become a thieves paradise. The only way to prevent such things is to use precaution and common sense.

The Online Dating Phenomenon (assignment 4-1)

Whatever happened to good old fashion dating? The type of dating where you see someone, who you may be interested in and you approach them, exchange phone numbers, and get to know them. Nowadays people are fascinated by having a quick fix and are moving toward online dating. While online people are more likely to express the things they are thinking. They are more prone to share deeper information. Social network sites such as MySpace, eHarmony, and SinglesNet are just some of the sites that are used for online dating. There are several issues with this new dating phenomenon. The first issue is that people tend to fabricate their stories online. They have a tendency to lie about their lives, their appearance, as well as their age. The second issue is the most serious and that’s that some people are online searching for victims to prey on. The most common trend is older men talking to teenage girls and getting to know them. They trick these girls by pretending that they are their friend when in all actuality they are grown men looking to rape them. They don’t tell the girls their ages though they like and talk like they are around the same age as the girl. The most recent example is the “Craigslist” Killer. He went online looking for services and met up with the girls tied them up, and tried to rape them. One of his victims he actually did kill and he is in jail currently for the crime. Despite these horrific trends many people still use sites such as eHarmony, and SinglesNet to find love. EHarmony is a very well known dating site that requires a membership fee to join. People don’t expect sites such as these to have people on them that are cold blooded killers. The fact of the matter is that whenever you go online looking for love you are putting yourself in danger. The best way to find love is the good old fashion way. Let people who are attracted to you approach you and vice versa. Meeting someone face-to-face you are more likely to tell the truth when sharing information. When online people feel more comfortable and relaxed and people become the person they want to be instead of who they are. The moral of the story is to just keep it safe by only talking to people you know when you are online, leave the online dating thing alone and date the old fashion way.

The New, Covenient way to communicate (assignment 3-1)

LOL; OMG; BRB. Welcome to the wonderful world of texting. Texting has become a huge phenomenon especially with generation Y. To show its popularity the Guinness book of records list the most text sent in a month from a girl who sent 182,689 texts in one month. That equals out to 6,100 per day. This has become the most popular form of communication. It has become so popular that cell phone carriers offer unlimited text messaging plans. Texting is most popular due the convenience it provides of being able to communicate with people anywhere you are at. The difference between using your cell phone and texting from your cell phone is that when your texting your not disturbing anyone. Texting allows you to communicate in places that you can’t use your cell phone such as at the library, at work, at school, etc. Texting is also a private form of communication. You’re able to say what you want to say without anyone hearing you as well as say things that you wouldn’t say on the phone. However, the advantages of texting aren’t all good, it has it’s downsize as well. Such as the new teen trend of “Sexting”. This involves kids sending naked pictures of themselves to each other. This brings about an issue of child pornography because these teens are under 18.There was an episode on Good morning America a couple of weeks ago regarding this issue. A girl sent a naked photo to one of her friends and that friend forwarded the photo and so on and so on. These teens are now being brought up on charges of child pornography. This brings me to my other issue with texting. You have to be careful with what you send via text. Once a text is sent it is able to be forwarded to other people and viewed. This could come back to haunt you if the message is something inappropriate or could possibly get you into trouble. Threatening people via text is another example of the ways people have began using this technology. Threatening someone via text could be used as physical evidence against you in court. Text messages are also used to solve legal cases; they provide detectives with times and dates, along with known associates. As this phenomenon keeps rising cell phone manufactures are creating phones to make texting easier. Many phones are now made with a QWERTY key board. This is a form of technology that has made communication easy, simple, and convenient for anyone. I anticipate the future of the world of texting.

Where's the Censorship? (assignment 2-1)

Bleep, bleep, bleep. This is the sound that you used to hear if someone used profanity on TV or the radio. However, censorship is becoming scarce as time progresses. I have noticed that television seems to censor certain words over others or only bleep out words when a person curses consistently. This trend seems to be something I have became aware of on cable television networks more often than on broadcast networks. Music lyrics seem to be the same, certain words seem to be bleeped out more than others. Why is the trend becoming ok to society? It is becoming apparent that the ethical and moral values of society are changing versus those who preceded us. It’s in our first amendment that we have freedom of speech. So, does this mean that soon censorship will cease to exist? Hopefully it doesn’t for the sake of parents trying to raise children with good ethical and moral values. I understand that in society people curse all the time, but when you sit down to watch television it’s supposed to be an escape away from reality. This word reality brings about the real issue with censorship. Reality TV seems to be the most popular form of television, which makes censorship harder when it’s unexpected. I believe a solution to this problem is that instead of the network being fined the person who uses profanity on TV should be fined. Maybe if it was a penalty behind the action it would limit the issue from happening. TV is becoming so bad that they have shows that look like cartoons that are using profanity. These shows look like they are catered toward children, but are really adult cartoons (South Park, The Simpson, and Adult Swim). As an adult we are able to fill in the blank of a censored out word, however a child isn’t which makes censorship a great thing. Children are like sponges and are constantly soaking up things that they learn this is why it’s vital to be careful what their brains are fed. I know that this is the job of the parent but it’s getting hard to supervise when the profanity is coming through cartoons that you perceived as being innocent. As technology and time progresses on I hope for the sake of the next generations that censorship improves. The times are changing, the people are changing, but censorship should definitely stick around. Allow people to make their own decision on what profanity they want to hear or allow their children to hear, but television shouldn’t be allowed to make that choice.

Icon Analysis (assignment 2-2)

Three contemporary icons that I would like to discuss are the show “Good Times”, pop star Michael Jackson, and the expensive jewel diamonds. Good Times was a television show that took place in the early 70’s and casted an African American family dealing with issues of that time. My second icon I chose was Michael Jackson. He started out in a group called the Jackson Five with his brothers. Eventually he became a solo artist and worked his way up to a world renowned pop start icon. He grew up in an abusive home where he was forced to grow quick and abandon his childhood. Due to his lack of being a child he grew up to be child like and connected to kids. He used his fame to help children world wide. The last icon I chose was diamonds. Diamonds are a stone that can range in price based on the four c’s (clarity, cut, carat, and color). They have been around for years and can be often tied to being a luxury stone.
I chose the show “Good Times” based on the fact that it represented the issues of African American and families living in poverty at that time. Many t.v shows today are very unrealistic and don’t emphasize tight nit families. Good Times casted the family living in inner city Chicago in the projects, which is something you would never see on tv today. Today tv tries to place a blanket over the viewer’s eyes as to what is really going on in the world. However, Good Times was a show that families could relate to because they were that family. The mother on the show Florida Evans, held the family together through her faith and belief in God. This is something that is rarely seen in television today. This show is symbolic to me because my family was this show. My grandfather worked hard to provide for his family just as James Evans did on the show. My grandmother was the spiritual one who believed through faith in God all things is possible. Good Times to me means family unity.

I chose Michael Jackson as an icon based on him coming about in the early 70’s and to the present he is still a legend. In the entertainment industry it is very common for people to come and go, especially as the pop culture changes and new generations come into the mix. I admire him for his strength and durability to strive to success despite his abusive relationship with father. He was born with a gift and he used that gift to help other children. He was an active sponsor and participant of Save the Children as well as the Make a Wish foundation. Michael Jackson to me represents selflessness. He represents what you can achieve in life through hard work and trials and tribulations. You can call him the iconic American Dream.

Lastly, I chose diamonds because they have several meanings depending on how they are used. For example a diamond could be worn to showcase ones wealth status, it also be given to someone as a token of their love and affection, and it could also be worn to symbolize marriage. Depending on where you are from in the world you opinion of diamonds could be frowned upon. Some people don’t buy diamonds because of the way in which they are dug up. Some South African diamonds are dug up by kids and adults who are forced to dig them up under cruel working conditions. So, depending on your view of diamonds they could represent several aspects. To me I like diamonds, but the ultimate diamond I am waiting on is an engagement ring. This is the most sought after diamond from women and men and probably if not most costly. As Marilyn Monroe said “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend”.

Latest Celebrity Trend (assignment 1-4)

Celebrities seem to be a big part of popular culture. Many of the things they do in their everyday lives are made public via the media. It seems like today people are obsessed with celebrities and celebrity gossip. Celebrity gossip is usually something that I pay little attention. However, they are currently creating a trend that for the right intentions is beautiful and done for personal gain is a heinous trend in the making. The trend that I am referring to is the adopting of children in third world countries. You’ve heard of it as well I am sure (Brad & Angelina; Madonna). Madonna seems to be the latest celebrity in the news regarding this situation. She adopted a little boy a couple of years ago from the country of Malawi. She has now gone back in hopes of adopting a little girl. However, the judge ruled against her. Despite the denial I’m sure this will not be the end. Adoption is a beautiful thing when your motives are in it for the sincerity. However, with all the publicity that it is gaining it makes me wonder if it’s being done to heighten celebrity exposure. Just think when is the last time you heard a Madonna song? But now you hear of her trying to adopt a child. I think that if this is something that they want to do then they need not publicize it. When celebrities have babies of their own the paparazzi isn’t in the delivery room, so if they can manage to keep them away for that extent of time, then why not for an adoption process? Either way I question their motives adoption of children in third world countries shouldn’t be a trend but out of sincerity.
If there should be a trend started of adoption then it should start in our own country. There are many children in adoption agencies waiting to be adopted. Let’s start in our own country and then maybe this can spread like a wild fire to “mainstream” society. Imagine if that trend started how many children could be with loving families? Imagine that!!!

Pop culture is the study of one particular component of culture. These components involve taste culture, elite culture, folk culture, and popular culture. Pop culture to me means the latest trends in society. Such as technology, celebrities, magazines, etc. Some things in pop culture today are ipods, digital cameras, digital picture frames, to the latest scoop on Brad and Angelina Jolie’s newly adopted child, to Madonna’s adoption process. Pop culture to me is every where you look. In an economic sense it’s what keeps money flowing into the economy. Whenever something new comes out as humans we want to be the first to have it or be apart of the group that can say we have it. Pop culture is what keeps society thriving.

Pop culture is relevant to me in the business environment because you have to be aware of what is going on “now” in order to serve people what they want. If your business is focused around people and things that are no longer popular within “mainstream” society, then you are at risk for going out of business. Trends are constantly developed and faded away just as fast. So, in order to keep a float a business must move with the changing times. In my present career I work as a Data Entry Supervisor for a basement finishing company. The effects of the current economy have also played a role in pop culture. At my job we have added additional products to try and keep a float. We now offer insulation and tubs. For years the business has survived off of basement sales alone. However, with the changing times of economic hardship the business has shifted resulting in higher sales in insulation. So, I have witnessed that as society changes you must change along with it. In my future I think that pop culture will influence what direction I will go in to seek employment. I may lean towards one area of focus now, but within two years of finishing my degree, society can and will change which may sway my focus to another area of employment.
I think that cell phones are a prime example of a pop culture artifact. I chose cell phones because in the technology “savvy” era that we live in people metaphorically will tell you that they can’t live without their cell phone. How many times have you left your cell phone at home and you turned around to go and get it? If you stop and think right now could you recite the phone numbers of five people you talk to all the time? Most of us cant because we are so used to going in are phone and just clicking on the person’s name. Phones such as blackberry’s and iphones have peoples whole work life in them; meetings, appointments, etc. This is a pop culture artifact that as time evolves it won’t fade away but keep improving to cater to people of the changing times.