Impossible you say? Never fear, my talents for trolling the Internet and stalking celebrities have once again paid off. Bo Burnham is a comedian I've actually know about for a long time. I might have even gone around singing one of his songs for a whole week during high school. Might.
Anyway, the bottom line is that he's hilarious. Here's one of his raps.
My favorite song is his is "New Math." That's the one I went around singing for a week.
Hope this gave you something to smile about on what was maybe not a great day!
Love-this-guy yours,
The Renaissance Girl.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
153: Occupy Chapel Hill Going Strong
Occupy Chapel Hill warns the public that "if people don't wake up, we're all going to be in trouble."
Johanan Gaddy, 34, of Chapel Hill, N.C., gave this statement Tuesday morning, referencing the entire point of the Occupy movement. Occupy Chapel Hill is a rally about "starting the conversation" and "educating ourselves so we can educate others," he said.
Occupy Chapel Hill officially began at 10:30 p.m. Saturday night and plans to go on indefinitely Gaddy said. "We're going to stay until we see change," he said. As of Tuesday morning, there were 10 people camping out in the Courthouse Square, the headquarters of Occupy Chapel Hill.
Every day at 6 p.m., Occupy Chapel Hill holds a General Assembly where the group works through its daily agenda. This includes deciding how money is going to be spent, making major group decisions and letting voices he heard. "Everyone's voice is equal," Peter Pendergrass, 22, another spokesperson for Occupy Chapel Hill, said Tuesday.
Gaddy stressed that although the members of the Occupy movements range from "anarchists to Tea Party members," the movement does have some rallying points. One of the most important points, not being emphasized by the media, Pendergrass said, is the fact that Occupy Chapel Hill is an open movement. It is not exclusive, elitist or extremist. "We're not making incredible demands," he said, "We just don't want the system to be abused."
Pendergrass explained that "we are the 99 percent." Approximately 43 percent of the country's wealth is controlled by 1 percent of the population. That percentage of the population now has the ability to affect policy decisions and the government, through monetary donations. This was one of many impetuses for the Occupy movements, including Occupy Chapel Hill.
The movement is starting to move out of cities and deal with issues on a state level. On November 2, there will be a protest against Duke Energy's attempt to raise their rates by about 17 percent. November 5, officially Bank Transfer Day, the Occupy movement will be urging the public to take their money out of corporate banks and put it into non-profit credit unions. For more information, check out occupychapelhill.org or occupywallst.org.
Occupy Chapel Hill has the simple goal to develop the community and make people more aware about the real issues, Gaddy said, "And we're not going to quit if it fails."
Johanan Gaddy, 34, of Chapel Hill, N.C., gave this statement Tuesday morning, referencing the entire point of the Occupy movement. Occupy Chapel Hill is a rally about "starting the conversation" and "educating ourselves so we can educate others," he said.
Occupy Chapel Hill officially began at 10:30 p.m. Saturday night and plans to go on indefinitely Gaddy said. "We're going to stay until we see change," he said. As of Tuesday morning, there were 10 people camping out in the Courthouse Square, the headquarters of Occupy Chapel Hill.
Every day at 6 p.m., Occupy Chapel Hill holds a General Assembly where the group works through its daily agenda. This includes deciding how money is going to be spent, making major group decisions and letting voices he heard. "Everyone's voice is equal," Peter Pendergrass, 22, another spokesperson for Occupy Chapel Hill, said Tuesday.
Gaddy stressed that although the members of the Occupy movements range from "anarchists to Tea Party members," the movement does have some rallying points. One of the most important points, not being emphasized by the media, Pendergrass said, is the fact that Occupy Chapel Hill is an open movement. It is not exclusive, elitist or extremist. "We're not making incredible demands," he said, "We just don't want the system to be abused."
Pendergrass explained that "we are the 99 percent." Approximately 43 percent of the country's wealth is controlled by 1 percent of the population. That percentage of the population now has the ability to affect policy decisions and the government, through monetary donations. This was one of many impetuses for the Occupy movements, including Occupy Chapel Hill.
The movement is starting to move out of cities and deal with issues on a state level. On November 2, there will be a protest against Duke Energy's attempt to raise their rates by about 17 percent. November 5, officially Bank Transfer Day, the Occupy movement will be urging the public to take their money out of corporate banks and put it into non-profit credit unions. For more information, check out occupychapelhill.org or occupywallst.org.
Occupy Chapel Hill has the simple goal to develop the community and make people more aware about the real issues, Gaddy said, "And we're not going to quit if it fails."
Monday, October 17, 2011
Cool Advertising
I guess, since I'm an advertising major, I should share some advertising with you. Here's some good ones I've seen recently.
This is a billboard for McDonalds. It takes the M and turns it into a sundial. Then, at various times in the day, it points to a different McDonalds menu item that goes with that time of day. It's cute, interesting, memorable and quick. It's everything a good ad should be.
This is an ad for soundproof walls. It's a simple, striking visual with no body copy, making it easy on the eyes. A great ad done by Ogilvy and Mather, one of my favorite agencies.
I am in love with this campaign. There are lots of different ads like this, with the animals represented through hands. It's done for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). I think it's truly stunning.
It's nice to know there's good advertising out there, besides the thousands of used car commercials that make my eyes want to bleed.
Feeling-good-about-my-major yours,
The Renaissance Girl.
This is an ad for soundproof walls. It's a simple, striking visual with no body copy, making it easy on the eyes. A great ad done by Ogilvy and Mather, one of my favorite agencies.
It's nice to know there's good advertising out there, besides the thousands of used car commercials that make my eyes want to bleed.
Feeling-good-about-my-major yours,
The Renaissance Girl.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Halloween Movies that Aren't Scary?
I hate scary movies.
More importantly, I won't watch them. Oh, I'll wikipedia the plotline so I get all the jokes and references, but I would rather write a 10-page paper than be forced to watch a good scary movie.
You would think Halloween would be my least favorite time of the year. And you would be wrong. (My least favorite time of the year is mid-January when it's cold for no reason.)
So why do I still like Halloween? One, you get to dress up. Who doesn't love that? (I think I might be a Bop It this year. Last year I was a Magic Eight ball.) Two, when you're little, Halloween means lots of candy. When you're an adult, it means getting really drunk (but only if you're over 21!). Three, there are still some good Halloween movies that aren't really scary. Here's 2 of my favorites.
1) Halloweentown
Okay, laugh all you want at my love of Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOMs), but I love this movie. It's so cute and whimsical! And it puts you in the Halloween spirit without scaring the crap out of you.
Basically, the movie is about a girl who, on Halloween, discovers that she's a witch and has magical powers. Naturally, her mother has denied these powers and decided to live in the mortal realm. However, her awesome grandmother is a full-fledged witch who actually doesn't even live in the mortal realm. She's from a world called Halloweentown where it's always Halloween and there's monsters everywhere.
The movie is super cute and I love watching it. Lucky for people like me, Disney made a series of movies about Halloweentown. The second one, Kalibar's Revenge is pretty good too. But after that the magic sort of fades away. But the first two are definitely worth seeing and great Halloween movies.
2) Hocus Pocus
Oh, this movie. CLASSIC. It's just perfect. Bette Midler singing, witches rising from the dead and 1990 clothes and slang? What more could you ask for?
The movie is set in 1993 in Salem, Massachusetts. 300 years ago, three sisters (the ones on the cover) were hanged for being witches. But before they died, they put a spell on themselves that, under the right conditions, they could return from the dead to continue their work.
Of course, these conditions are met in 1993 by a teenager, his love interest and his little sister. Then the movie just sort of continues from there.
Another classic Halloween movie, it just puts you in the Halloween mood without being so scary. Another favorite of mine and definitely worth the watch.
I really do love Halloween and the whole season around it. And these movies are perfect for getting you in that Halloween spirit. But I still hate scary movies.
Counting-down-the-days yours,
The Renaissance Girl.
More importantly, I won't watch them. Oh, I'll wikipedia the plotline so I get all the jokes and references, but I would rather write a 10-page paper than be forced to watch a good scary movie.
You would think Halloween would be my least favorite time of the year. And you would be wrong. (My least favorite time of the year is mid-January when it's cold for no reason.)
So why do I still like Halloween? One, you get to dress up. Who doesn't love that? (I think I might be a Bop It this year. Last year I was a Magic Eight ball.) Two, when you're little, Halloween means lots of candy. When you're an adult, it means getting really drunk (but only if you're over 21!). Three, there are still some good Halloween movies that aren't really scary. Here's 2 of my favorites.
1) Halloweentown
Basically, the movie is about a girl who, on Halloween, discovers that she's a witch and has magical powers. Naturally, her mother has denied these powers and decided to live in the mortal realm. However, her awesome grandmother is a full-fledged witch who actually doesn't even live in the mortal realm. She's from a world called Halloweentown where it's always Halloween and there's monsters everywhere.
The movie is super cute and I love watching it. Lucky for people like me, Disney made a series of movies about Halloweentown. The second one, Kalibar's Revenge is pretty good too. But after that the magic sort of fades away. But the first two are definitely worth seeing and great Halloween movies.
2) Hocus Pocus
The movie is set in 1993 in Salem, Massachusetts. 300 years ago, three sisters (the ones on the cover) were hanged for being witches. But before they died, they put a spell on themselves that, under the right conditions, they could return from the dead to continue their work.
Of course, these conditions are met in 1993 by a teenager, his love interest and his little sister. Then the movie just sort of continues from there.
Another classic Halloween movie, it just puts you in the Halloween mood without being so scary. Another favorite of mine and definitely worth the watch.
I really do love Halloween and the whole season around it. And these movies are perfect for getting you in that Halloween spirit. But I still hate scary movies.
Counting-down-the-days yours,
The Renaissance Girl.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
153: Veteran Journalist Urges Aspiring Reporters to Truly Understand Conflict
Michael Schmidt, senior investigative journalist, explained the importance of forgetting personal bias and seeing the entire conflict in conflict reporting in a talk Thursday at the UNC School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
When asked what his advice was for journalists reporting on a conflict they might already have an opinion on, his answer was, "You probably have everything wrong."
Schmidt is a seasoned conflict journalist, having spent time reporting in South Africa, the Sudan and Lebanon. Recently, he has started incorporating photography into his reporting.
Photographing conflict has brought a new idea about conflict into his reporting, he said, and he now better understands the importance of seeing the entire conflict.
He used his time spent reporting in the Solomon Islands as an example of how the media tends to make conflict about race and doesn't focus on what the conflict is actually about. It's important, as a good journalist, he said, to try to really find out what the conflict is about.
He urges reporters to ask themselves, when there is nothing but shouting going on, "Who is benefiting from all the shouting?"
By talking to locals, Schmidt discovered that the conflict in the Solomon Islands was actually over the way land was dealt with. It was not a conflict of race, as other media had reported.
Schmidt said that "conflict is much more than people fighting with one another" and that a reporter must try to capture all of it. He advised journalists to break away from the herd and to go for the counter-intuitive.
Schmidt reminded journalists that "areas that we work in are all borderlands," whether physically or mentally.
"Conflict isn't reserved for the other side of the Earth," he said. A good journalist must be aware of all the conflicts around them and all the nuances within a single conflict.
"The uncomfortable truth is that human beings allow monstrosities to happen," he said. A good journalist should be able to see and report the conflict for what it truly is.
When asked what his advice was for journalists reporting on a conflict they might already have an opinion on, his answer was, "You probably have everything wrong."
Schmidt is a seasoned conflict journalist, having spent time reporting in South Africa, the Sudan and Lebanon. Recently, he has started incorporating photography into his reporting.
Photographing conflict has brought a new idea about conflict into his reporting, he said, and he now better understands the importance of seeing the entire conflict.
He used his time spent reporting in the Solomon Islands as an example of how the media tends to make conflict about race and doesn't focus on what the conflict is actually about. It's important, as a good journalist, he said, to try to really find out what the conflict is about.
He urges reporters to ask themselves, when there is nothing but shouting going on, "Who is benefiting from all the shouting?"
By talking to locals, Schmidt discovered that the conflict in the Solomon Islands was actually over the way land was dealt with. It was not a conflict of race, as other media had reported.
Schmidt said that "conflict is much more than people fighting with one another" and that a reporter must try to capture all of it. He advised journalists to break away from the herd and to go for the counter-intuitive.
Schmidt reminded journalists that "areas that we work in are all borderlands," whether physically or mentally.
"Conflict isn't reserved for the other side of the Earth," he said. A good journalist must be aware of all the conflicts around them and all the nuances within a single conflict.
"The uncomfortable truth is that human beings allow monstrosities to happen," he said. A good journalist should be able to see and report the conflict for what it truly is.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
De-stress Tips
I know that I've been really stressed out lately. It seems we're at that time of year when midterms are being given, papers are due and people are more on edge. Here are some quick de-stress tips that work for me.
1. Take a nap. Research shows that either a 20 minute nap or a 90 minute nap will make you feel refreshed and ready to go. Anything in-between could leave you feeling even more tired, since you would be waking up in the middle of a sleep cycle.
2. Listen to music. Anything that calms you down or just takes your mind off whatever you have to do usually helps a lot.
3. Make a list of what you have to do. Writing everything down can help you see what all you need to do and can help you prioritize.
4. Exercise! A good sweat can help your body relax. Focus all your mind power on the workout so you're not worrying about all that you have to do. You'll feel loads better afterwards.
5. Pace yourself. Trying to do everything in one night is a surefire way to not really get anything done. Take your work one assignment at a time and reward yourself when you're done, like with 10 minutes of free time or something.
There are lots of stress tips and our lord Google can help you find them. These are just some of my favorites.
As a blogger, I feel it is my duty to give you a video to watch to get your mind off whatever is bothering you. Here's a new favorite of mine:
Hilarious. And who doesn't love Beauty and the Beast?
Trying-to-relax yours,
The Renaissance Girl.
1. Take a nap. Research shows that either a 20 minute nap or a 90 minute nap will make you feel refreshed and ready to go. Anything in-between could leave you feeling even more tired, since you would be waking up in the middle of a sleep cycle.
2. Listen to music. Anything that calms you down or just takes your mind off whatever you have to do usually helps a lot.
3. Make a list of what you have to do. Writing everything down can help you see what all you need to do and can help you prioritize.
4. Exercise! A good sweat can help your body relax. Focus all your mind power on the workout so you're not worrying about all that you have to do. You'll feel loads better afterwards.
5. Pace yourself. Trying to do everything in one night is a surefire way to not really get anything done. Take your work one assignment at a time and reward yourself when you're done, like with 10 minutes of free time or something.
There are lots of stress tips and our lord Google can help you find them. These are just some of my favorites.
As a blogger, I feel it is my duty to give you a video to watch to get your mind off whatever is bothering you. Here's a new favorite of mine:
Hilarious. And who doesn't love Beauty and the Beast?
Trying-to-relax yours,
The Renaissance Girl.
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