Research Proposal

For the third essay, I chose to research and analyze the show Californication on Showtime. If you are a viewer of the show or even somewhat familiar with the show, several of Galician's myths appear blatantly obvious due to the sexual content the program offers. Beyond the obvious, I will attempt to clarify the myths that forward and which ones are counter. My premise for my research is to show that not all shows containing sexual explicite content further these myths and that the content of the show does offer valid countering as well. I am curious to see how many of these myths are forwarded and what countering if any exists in the context. While I am definitely a fan of the show, I was also shocked by the content as well. I guess my working why/ how question would be How does the first season of Califonication forward and counter the myths by Dr. Galician myths along with analysis of prescriptions. My audience for this paper will be my peers and any person who watches the show. Many of my classmates will not be familiar with the show and some descriptions and examples of situations will be nessessary. I want the audience to be able to think for themselves and not rely on a text to tell them. I will attempt to complete this task by providing evidence of the myths and why or why not they are furthering the myths.

My sources will need to include primary sources such as the shows themself and the secondary research will consist of material to help me back up my points or even show how the author's of these articles can show bias. As for the timeline of the project, I will follow the due dates as well as conducting research this week and writing post-research. I hope to address the fact of how the author's attitude toward a topic can lead to the misinterpretation of the myths and analysis.

What I observed while watching mindless television

First of all I want to preface by saying that I was extremely bored and had a few drinks in the sun. But I was skimming through the channels and up came Woman's Beach Volleyball. The reason it caught my eye even though I hate volleyball was the women scantily clothed in small bikinis that exposes half of the butt cheeks. As the camera panned around the crowd, there were promotional girls that were also scantily dressed. Not only is this a poor ass attempt at gaining more viewers and sponsors, but it degrades women and lessens the accomplishment of female athletes. The female athletes that compete in this league are some of the best athletes in the world and the fact that they are just objects to some takes away from the competitive nature. Along with this act of objectifying women to further the league viewership and making more money, Indy Car racing did just the same thing with Danica Patrick. Danica Patrick is a marketing and promotional ploy to bring interest into a boring sport. I had to change that channel because I almost fell asleep. Looking further into the Danica Patrick discussion, she lets herself be objectified by the website Godaddy.com. Also appearing in Maxim and other magazine with little clothing on. Who is to blame for these obviously tasteless marketing? Is it the marketers? The fans(Who is buying the materials/watch the program)?

I think it is the marketers but they are just people trying to come up with original promotions but all they can think about is sex. Are we that simple of a culture that sex sells and we are buying the shit out of it? Yes, I believe we are. Look at the movies that have been coming out in the last few years, not so good if you look deeper into the movies. I just do not know if the current trend will end unless we all open our eyes and remain conscious at all times. But people do not like to think much anymore or argue about things, they become too offended.

Blog #2 - Looking Beyond Course Content

I just want to clear up a few things that may be offensive or seem like I am challenging the whole aspect of the class. What I want to be able to do is show how unethical advertising affects areas beyond sex, love and romance in advertisements. For instance, every commercial on television shows people bonding and having great times while drinking alcohol. You can check out the Coors Light commercials when everybody is having a shitty day and all of a sudden a huge F-ing train comes by and gives beer; everyone is happy. Another commercial involves a hot night and a six-pack of Smirnoff Ice's and everyone getting half naked while having a good time. As a recovering alcoholic, I see the ill effects that alcohol can cause on a person and a family. The outcomes of alcohol abuse are not fun but the consequences of binge drinking are never shown. How can the government make it illegal to advertising Cigarettes on commercial and not alcohol?

The answer may seem easy and its not that alcohol does not cause cancer like smoking. To me the reason seems clear, advertisers and marketers do not give a shit. The more effective the advertising campaigns the more the commericials will be viewed. We cannot drive anywhere without listening to ads or viewing big ass billboards about alcohol or tobacco. It is culturally acceptable to drink and we glamorize these behaviors due to all the bullshit movies and advertising we are exposed to. Looking at the complete picture, alcohol abuse and cancer due to tabacco is just fine in the minds of these immoral jerk offs but the trying to get younger people addicted to these substances is downright bullshit. My goal of this blog was not to compare objectifying women and the consequences to society with the consequences of our current advertising practices, but to shed light on other immoral practices involved in marketing.

Blog #1 - AKA introduction

My name is Chris Marini and I am a lazy senior at good old Ohio University. I am also a first time blogger because I have never had anything interesting to say to complete strangers, but I will try to be a good blogger. Ever since I completed a 15 page research paper on Wikis and Blogs in the work place, I have not wanted to see what blogging is really like. Hopefully no one will look at this because I am a private person but some may call me shy or anti-social. My major(s) is Management Information Systems and Marketing even though I am anti-corporation and I consider myself an aspiring Buddhist. I do not really get along with the philosophy of all of my professors but I respect them but I like to argue for the sake of arguing. Sometimes I may come off as brash or disrespectful, but I guess that is just the way I am.

On the topic of writing I love to write but I rarely have time to write or read due to my ADD. I do not know if I have ADD but most of my free time is spent programming or designing websites until I can make my way out to San Diego. My experience as a writer is poor to average at best. I do not mean that I am all around poor at writing but I just cannot think artistically. Research papers and rewriting assignments are my strong points while creative thinking makes my brain hurt. I like to read when I am at the beach enjoying a few beers and listening to the ocean while smelling the ocean air. My favorite author and pretty much the only author I read is Chuch Palinak. Some of you may know him as the author of fight club or the newest movie masacre of Choke. I hope that I can get my brain to think critically for this class as I am on my way out of Ohio University and into the real world. As for 308j, I hope this course will be fun and hopefully I can learn a few things.