Does Rap Music Promote Violent Behavior in Adolescents?
Rap music is one of the most controversial genres of music, yet it continues to be the most popular among adolescents today. ”Gangsta” rap was introduced in the 1990s and contains lyrics that focus on street violence, sex and drugs. Researchers have been studying the negative effects that rap can have on individuals for a long time. I think this issue is important because of how much teenagers are exposed to music on a daily basis, whether it be on the radio, television, or video games. Also, because hip hop music is one of the fastest growing forms of music in America right now, we need to be familiar with its possible effects. Studies have concluded that the more an adolescent is exposed to violent rap music, the more likely they are to act aggressively toward other students or teachers. Studies have found a positive correlation between third and fifth graders getting in fights and their exposure to MTV. Those that watched more MTV were described as more verbally and physically aggressive than other kids by their peers. Also, girls who are exposed to more violent rap music videos have a much greater acceptance of violence against women than those who were not. This was so upsetting to me! I never thought of rap music affecting woman as much as men. It makes sense though because rap videos these days always disrespect woman and when that video/music becomes popular, girls think that is the way they should be treated. It was also found that adolescents who listen to rap are more prone to use alcohol and drugs. This raises the question if rap and hip hop artists should stop being used to market alcohol beverages because so many adolescents are fans of the music and it may influence their behavior.
PR | Comment (0)“The Dark Knight” Sets New Record
“The Dark Knight” hit theaters Friday and has set a new weekend box office record. The weekend ticket sales were $155.3 million, making it the hottest movie release of the summer. “It just took on a life of its own,” said Dan Fellman, Warner’s president for theatrical distribution. “You never expect anything like this.” No one could stop talking about the movie, especially Heath Ledger’s character. Whether people heard of his performance beforehand, or they just wanted to see the last movie that Ledger would ever appear in, people flooded the theaters Friday to catch a glimpse of the actor. Most people thought the movie was getting all the hype because Heath Ledger is no longer with us, but in reality it turns out that he was being praised for playing such an amazing character. The joker was dark and creepy and no one can forget that morbid grin of his. Ledger’s acting skills allowed him to create a character that no one had seen before. He shocked viewers with his ability to turn into such an evil villain. Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker felt so real and while you were watching, you wanted to stop him from doing bad things, but at the same time you kind of felt for him. Ledger didn’t even play the main character, yet that’s all anyone could talk about. In a way I felt bad for Christopher Bale because he was good in the movie as well but since Ledger’s death, all the movie hype was on the Joker and not the actual main character: Batman.
PR | Comment (0)CBS Cleared of Super Bowl Fine
After the 2004 halftime show at the Super Bowl featuring Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake, the commission charged CBS with a penalty that could have cost them numerous fines. On Monday they dropped the fines saying that CBS could not be held responsible for the performer’s acts, saying they were “independent contractors hired for the limited purposed of the Halftime Show.” This decision raises a lot of concerns because right after the halftime show aired, the commission received over half a million complaints and I’m sure people are not content with the final verdict. I personally believe that CBS could not have avoided it because they did all the sound checks and dress rehearsals and Jackson never exposed her breast. It was a poor decision on the artist’s part and shocked audiences watching all around the world. The fines amounted to $27,500 for each of CBS’s 20 television stations. That fine happened to be the largest one that the commission has issued against a television company since 2003. The F.C.C. said they could have had a stronger case if CBS had prerecorded the halftime show and the incident still occurred. But that did not happen so there is no way they could have known about the so called “wardrobe malfunction.” I think this was a good decision on the commission’s part because I do not think that CBS should be punished for two people’s irresponsible behavior. If anyone should be punished it should have been those two artists who pulled the stunt. Or even MTV since they were producing the halftime show. But in the end, CBS is free from fines and I’m sure they will take extra precautions in future shows/events.
PR | Comment (0)Obese Upset with the Movie Wall-E
After the Pixar Animation movie Wall-E premiered, there have been complaints that the movie offended the obese. They show the future of human beings being fat and lazy and basically…worthless. Wall-E is a silent film about two robots who are the only ones left on earth after it was abandoned seven hundred years earlier. The two robots get along by just saying a few words. They probably said three words to each other in the whole movie and two of those include both their names: Wall-E and Eve. But the controversy is over the people that are on a space cruise ship who are only capable of sitting in a chair and eating. Whether Pixar portrayed humans that way to be humorous, some people are not laughing. The question people are asking is should Pixar have portrayed humans like that? I honestly think it is just an exaggerated look into the future. With an increase in the obesity rate, it just shows that in 700 years, no one knows what a ”normal human being” will be like. I think the movie should be taken with a grain of salt and people should just enjoy the cute, robotic love story that makes Wall-E such a great movie!
PR | Comment (0)No More Starbucks on Every Street Corner
The economy has seen better times and so has Starbucks. The world’s largest coffee chain just recently announced that they will be closing 600 stores in the U.S. this year. This will cause them to lay off 12,000 employees, which is the most in the company’s history. The New York Times article on July 2 mentioned that 70% of those stores that will be closing have only been open for less than three years. This gives hope for all you dedicated Starbucks customers who have visited the same one for years and even hang out there on a daily basis. This may not be a shock to some because Starbucks stock has dropped 24 percent this year! This caused them have the all time lowest quarter of any company. Along with closing 70 stores, they will also open up 200 stores which is not as many as they originally planned, but they are taking one step at a time. Starbucks is trying a new route as well to see if they can attract more customers. They have introduced fruit smoothies and are focusing more on their music/merchandise sales. They are examining anything that they control relating to sales in order to increase sales this coming year.
PR | Comment (0)Learn How to Kiss on Craigslist?
People are finding crazy ways to use the Internet for their personal benefit. Fox News interviewed a 20-year-old Georgia Tech student who put an ad on Craigslist to learn how to kiss. It is not a joke either! He has never kissed a girl and was honestly trying to meet someone online to tell/show him how to kiss. He met a girl recently that he really likes and wants to make a good impression on her. This is too funny to me! This shows that you can find just about anything on the computer these days. But who thinks of these outlandish things to post on websites such as Craigslist for anyone and everyone to see?! For those who are not familiar with Craigslist, it is a website that has local classifieds and forums for anyone to use. You can search for houses, jobs, spouses and if you are like Michael McCarty and want to learn something specific such as kissing, you can post an ad for that as well! McCarty made it clear that he didn’t do this to just get some action, but that he legitimately does not know how to kiss and needs to learn before his online girlfriend comes to visit. Who would have thought that this ad would be recognized by one of the largest news channels? I am sure McCarty had no idea of the coverage he has now received. This just goes to show that anything you do/have on the Internet can be used for your benefit or even against you. In this instance, it was to recognize his needs/help support him in his findings. It will be interesting to hear if he found what he was looking for in order to have a successful first kiss with his new girlfriend!! You can check out McCarty’s ad at: http://atlanta.craigslist.org/stp/744997359.html
PR | Comment (0)New Christian Gym Opens in Florida
A new type of gym opened up in Clermont, FL that caters to Christians in their community. Jason Russell, manager of the Lord’s Gym in Clermont, found it difficult to work out in a setting where women were prancing around in spandex and guys only cared about how buff they were. He knew he had to not only protect himself but also help others with their relationship with God. Russell discovered Lord’s Gym and can’t get over the positive/Christian like atmosphere. The atmosphere that was created is what keeps people coming back. It all goes back to community relations which is a big part of public relations. A mother and daughter who like to walk on the treadmill in the morning while discussing/reading the Bible would not be comfortable doing that elsewhere. Lord’s Gym is participating in a large way within their community to enhance/maintain its environment and that’s what community relations is all about! They are fulfilling Christian’s desires by giving the community a positive reputation along with new opportunities. The gym has put into action the three strategic levels that need to be planned in order to conduct themselves in a positive manner. They use a defensive strategy by guarding their community against negative acts by setting dress code rules and providing a positive atmosphere where negative attitudes/behaviors are not wanted. They also use a proactive strategy. They are concerned with positive acts that appeal to the Christian community in Clermont. “These are places where fitness is important, not sex or vanity,” said Professor Griffith in a New York Times article on June 6, 2008. There’s a sense of comfort at Lord’s Gym because you know everyone around you shares the same moral values as you do. They also use a maintenance strategy. The gym is retaining relationships with their publics on a daily basis. They push/encourage their spiritual growth by providing classes called “Yogod” and “Chariots of Fire” where they bring in Christian values. I think Lord’s Gym has successful community relations which is a significant aspect of public relations. They not only help their reputation as a Christian company but they more importantly help their community become fit and stronger in their faith.
PR | Comment (0)Pregnancy Pact?
Since when do 16 year old girls get upset when their pregnancy tests read negative? At Gloucester high school in Massachusetts, 17 girls became pregnant at the same time and officials are trying to come up with an explanation. Are the parents to blame or could the media be to blame? After Jamie-Lynn Spears had a baby Thursday, the media has made teen pregnancy look glamorous in a way. The paparazzi would take pictures of Jamie-Lynn and her 19-year-old fiancee out shopping happily for baby clothes, houses, etc. They made it look as though it was the cool thing to do since Jamie-Lynn is a role model for most teen girls. Even if the media is glorifying young pregnancy, the parents should be communicating with their children. They should let them know that it is not acceptable and should be giving them the attention and love that they need so they don’t feel like they have to go out and find it through other means….sex. Keith Ablow, a psychiatrist and fox news correspondent, said “parents need to give their kids more opportunities to genuinely express themselves. Otherwise, teenagers will find another way to express themselves that will ultimately disappoint their parents and cause them pain.” If this is the case, the parents have not given them the time of day or the love that they need when going through their tough high school days. I still find this to be shocking! I did not know of anyone in high school that would actually go as far as finding a homeless guy to sleep with just so they can be pregnant at the same time as their friends. Where are these teenagers’ morals? The town has been fighting this problem for a while but never thought it would get this bad. The high school even has a day care for the high schools students and employees. I think there needs to be some major changes at this high school in order for this to not happen again. First, they need to educate students on sex and pregnancy. They need to show them the not so glamorous side of being a teen parent. They also need to meet with parents to educate the parents of this epidemic and how to prevent their kid from being the next one. The parents and school officials need to come together and figure out how to prevent this irresponsible behavior from happening again!
PR | Comment (0)The new and improved iPhone 3G
Just a year after Apple launched the original iPhone, they are coming out with a new and improved one July 11. Not only will the phone be faster but it will also be more affordable. Last year, the 8 GB iPhone sold for $599, which they eventually lowered. Well, the new 16 GB 3G iPhone will only cost $299!Apple has sold over 6 million iPhones within a year and with this new technology they will be even more successful. There has been unofficial talk the last few months about this new iPhone and now that the release day has been set, people are anxious to see the new craze. Although the iPhone has introduced us to a new wave of technology, it would not be as successful as it is if it was not for Apple’s smart advertising/promoting. On June 9, CEO Steve Jobs announced the so called “due date” for this 3G iPhone. Minutes later, Apple sent out a mass email to all of their users/customers to spread the word. In the email they briefly listed the new features it would carry. What was really impressive was the keynote address they offered in the email. In just one click you will be watching the unveiling of the brand new phone. CEO Steve Jobs goes through each improvement and new feature added to this new phone. All questions you may have had for the iPhone are answered in this video so I would recommend you watch it if you are interested in buying what is looking to be the hottest product of the year.At this time last year, I was so anxious to get my hands on an iPhone but talked myself out of buying one immediately because of two main reasons. First, the price was extremely high and I was hoping it would eventually go down. Second, I figured Apple would come out later and find a problem with it. Well, now the phone is a lot cheaper and Apple has not only fixed past minor problems but they have improved it to make it do some unthinkable things. These unthinkable things include a GPS system, high speed internet all around the world, enterprise support, longer battery life, etc. Because of the major improvements/changes, there is no reason why a person would not want to save up their money and buy this new gadget that is guaranteed to blow everyone’s mind!
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