THE END

Stay safe and have a great summer! =)

STRIKE THAT! TTC STRIKE AVERTED!

The strike will not occur! We can go off to work, school and continue life in peace. I wonder what took them so long? Although I understand parts why the TTC union was upset, part of me thinks it is asking too much. Workers get 75% of their salary when they are off work due to injury but they want 100%? How is this fair? Please refer to my earlier entry for the reasons why I think some of these people are overpaid. I can understand if certain situations will call for more compensation than others but if you were say… spit on… I do not think that you would need to be off the job for very long, and if you were, it does not deem worthy of a 100% workers compensation rate.

FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL

So I went to the movies last night and watched a new release, Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I was actually quite impressed. It was better than I expected. The characters were not the typical 2-D ones that are in every other movie. They have reasoning’s behind their actions and they have feelings that movie goers can related to. It was hard to find a single character that you did not like and this appealed to me as I felt that most movies today contain many characters that are set out in their roles so clearly that it became predictable.

CHARGING FOR DUMPING GARBAGE

The City of Toronto has decided that they must now start charging households for throwing out more than 1 bag of garbage. This is bad because it is only making people think of new ways to cheat the system and littering will definitely be on the rise. The city oppresses on thing, but in the end, I believe that it will cause people to start throwing their garbage in dumpsters outside restaurants, where they won’t be charged. If you are to charge households, charge schools, restaurants, shops, be equal for all! Let’s hope this plan of theirs does not backfire terribly.


Source(s):
http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://wvs.topleftpixel.com/photos/2006/08/toronto_kensington_garbage_01.jpg&imgrefurl=http://wvs.topleftpixel.com/06/08/16/&h=1178&w=750&sz=318&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=j_lTxz9XyakrwM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=96&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtoronto%2Bgarbage%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN

GAS PRICES

So I heard that Gas Prices are on the rise again. I do not own my own car, but I do share driving privileges with my family. We own two cars, one of which uses premium gas. This means that gas prices for this car is typically 11 cents higher than regular priced gas. It is predicted that gas prices will reach $1.50/ litre by the end of the summer. This is ridiculous and just unacceptable. Where I live, public transit does not go up north enough. For me to pay twice to get where I need to go puts a financial strain on me. I am a student, with a part time job, but the costs of living do not match the income I make. Is there no way to cap the prices so that users can offset their costs somehow? Watch any news channel and the reasoning’s behind the gas prices rising don’t make sense! It’s like saying watermelon prices are rising therefore it will have an in adverse effect on the prices of gas.

BLOG: MY COMPLIMENTS

It is hard to choose just one specific person to compliment. There are so many people who make a positive contribution in my life. However, recently, there has been one person that has particularly made an impact in my life, and that person would be my older sister, Amanda. Amanda is the eldest sister of the four of us. Although she has been there for me my entire life (so far), it hasn’t been ‘til recently that I realized how much she does for me and how much she puts up with me, let alone my two other sisters. She is the eldest, and it is hard for her to set good examples for the little ones to follow. Her and I have always had our arguments and differences, yet she some how always had the strength to put up with my younger sisters and me. She has always looked out for us, and sometimes, even looking after us as if we were her own children. She would try her best to help us in the best way possible; from our homework, to picking us up from work, to simply making sure we have a ride home any time of the day. She would often go out of her way to help us, even if it ruined what she had planned that day. So Amada, if you’re reading this; thank you. Thank you for all the times I took my anger out on you, and you just took it in. Thank you for the times you went out of your way to pick me up at 2am in the morning. Thank you for all the times you’ve lied for me, even when you put yourself in the position of possibly getting in trouble. Thank you.

MCDONALDS AND HONG KONG

Recently, I had read an article that as required for one of my GNED courses; Globalization. It was about The essay, Mcdonald’s in Hong Kong by James L. Watson talks about how Hong Kong adapted to the Western culture and cuisine, and even after so long, Hong Kong still maintains their culture and beliefs. As a student with limited knowledge to Globalization, I was unaware that something like fast food and cuisine could affect culture in such a substantial way. I never stopped to think about the cultures and race that something: like McDonalds could do, and the affect it had on their life and the general society. I feel that the introduction of McDonald's has been a benefaction towards globalization. With the advancement of technology and communication, fast food into foreign cultures have allowed the opportunity for them to keep up with this fast pace. I am convinced that the evolution of China has advanced into something more. Nevertheless, it is important for cultures to keep their values and beliefs, and not let the vast advancement of civilization change what they strongly believe.

HARRY POTTER SERIES *CONTAINS SPOILERS*

The last Harry Potter book was so bittersweet. An era in literature history has ended. I am conflicted as to what I wanted to happen to him. I am happy he got to live but I also wanted there to be a more dramatic ending. It was almost predictable. I heard a rumor that the only reason that the ending came out the way it did was because a leaked version of the book came out, and a reader was so upset that Harry Potter died that she committed herself. Yes, sounds so unreal and I don’t know if it is an urban myth but the fact that it is even remotely believable is just frightening.

JUNO

Has anyone seen this movie? It’s cute and for some reason it works. Ellen Page is an up and comer Canadian actress and she’s very sincere in the role. Quirky, different and real. I won’t say much more about the movie but I will say that the character was more than just your average (is it ever just average?) teenage pregnancy. She brought a lot of depth into the character. I believe that every viewer has a part of them inside that is very much like her character Juno, and though we won’t admit it, we probably are all dorks inside.


Official Website Campaign: Juno Movie

Source(s):
http://www.firstshowing.net/img/juno-poster2-big.jpg

LEARNING CHINESE

I think I regret not putting more effort into learning to speak, read and write in Cantonese. I never thought that it would make a difference in my life but here it is, 2008, and having more than one language under your belt can put you above the rest. Doing business with China is going to be one of the major things that Canada will do in the near future. I always thought that I could get by and make a difference for myself but I realize that there are many more out there who are better than me, who can read and write, speak more fluently, have a wider vocabulary. Am I screwed? Darnit, I wish I listened to my mom when she said that I would regret this. BOO her for being right. Mothers really do know best.

“SERIOUS BABY”

THIS BABY IS TOO CUTE!!! He follows his (presumably) dad’s orders and makes an evil eyed look and then starts laughing right after! It’s great! It’s almost as if he knows what he’s doing. I believe that baby’s are smarter than they look. Has anyone ever seen that movie Baby Genius? There are baby’s who have their own language, where knowledge is great and passed down the generations. After they reach the age of 2 or so (whenever they start speaking) and then they pass the threshold where they can speak with adults but no longer understand their younger peers. It makes me think, I wonder if this is true? Maybe babies around the world are secretly laughing at us and the many stupid things we do.

Source(s):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5ALIL7T764

GUITAR HERO ADDICTION

Possibly the most addicting game ever. It has taken the world by storm. My music collection has grown and I have now learned about some of the greatest hits of all time. I must say I am getting quite good, now if only I put as much time into playing a real guitar as I do this game, I might actually really become a Guitar Hero. But part of me plays so I can beat my sisters’ scores =)

Guitar Hero II: You Really Got Me - Van Halen


Source(s):
http://www.guitarherogame.com/gh2/
http://www.youtube.com/v/P_HuJXuWeOI&hl=en

“OPRAH’S BIG GIVE”

How altruistic are people in the real world? The premise of this show is to do as much good for random strangers are these contestants can. They are given money and must use it to spread joy, ease pain and bring happiness into someone’s life. However, there is a surprise at the end, the winner gets 1 million dollars from Oprah. Here is my gripe, does altruism really exist? Are people really giving and helping for the sake of helping or are they doing it for the benefit that they will get from it? I don’t think so, and also, the advertisements being seen by the shows viewers also make it difficult to decide whether or not the show is truly used to help others.

BLOG: MY CREATIVITY AND MY EDUCATION

My education has always been purely based on the “books” aspect. I’ve always learned based on rules and facts, and that creativity often did not play a part in education as a whole. However, I was lucky that my parents were so supportive of my interest for art and design. Mind you, Chinese parents can be quite stereotypical at times. To them, art would not get you anywhere in life. You would either have to be a doctor, lawyer, or engineer to be "successful. I've always had an interest in art. I remember when I was in grade 2, I would spend "Activity time"; instead of playing house or at the water center with all the other kids, I was one of the many few who always did something related to art and crafts. I always knew I would grow up gearing more towards the art and design side of the industry. I consider myself very luck to have not just my parents, especially knowing how expensive art can be; from the paints, to the printing, to the immense amount of rubber cement I use for each project.

I gradated from Dr. Norman Bethune high school, and fortunate to have two amazing art teachers to guide me. The school also offered courses such as photography, computer arts, architecture, which gave me option to what I wanted to do in the future. If it weren’t for my wide range of options, I would have definitely stuck to something more theoretical in the studies – which I could definitely say it would have been a big mistake on my part. Whether I am good at what I do or not, I like it and that is all that matters to me.

BLOG: MY MANIFESTO

Here is my manifesto of some of the things I personally believe in. These things are just some of the things of what I believe in, and are what gets me through the rough times. They can, but do not have to relate specifically to design.

1. Think outside the box
This pretty much speaks for itself. Try not to constraint yourself to just one idea. “Think outside the box”. That often gets you far.

2. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind
Do not be afraid to say how you feel, no matter what the situation is. There will come a time when speaking your mind will come in handy.

3. Stick up for yourself and others you care about
Do not ever walk away from something you strongly believe in. If you were ever put down, or even someone you care about; do something about it. Do not just walk away simply because you are afraid to speak up for yourself. It is courage that will get you far in life.

4. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes
Making a mistake is not the worse thing in the world. Nobody is perfect and it is ok to make mistakes.

5. Live and learn (and have fun)
It doesn’t hurt to try something new each and every day…and to have fun at the same time. Every body needs a little fun every once in a while, why not incorporate some fun into it?....”ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY”

6. Live life to it’s fullest
Do not be afraid to try new things. It is like every body sys, you only have one life to live.

7. Learn to forgive and forget
This is something I have yet to acquire “skill” in. It is hard to forgive someone, especially when they have hurt you in the past. However, forgetting is the first key to forgiving. If you just learn to forget about the past and let go, forgiving just comes hand in hand.

8. …and finally; Have an eye for design
This speaks more directly towards design. Sometimes, it doesn’t hurt to think towards more of a design aspect of things. You never know, sometimes it could help you when you’re in need.

FACEBOOK GRIPE

Yes, I understand that Facebook is a force to be reckoned with! Even Rogers, and Blackberrys offer programs that will allow people to view their facebook pages while their out. But it bothers me that it is now a sellout. It was fine the way it was before, but the addition of new applications and advertisements just makes me feel used. Yes, I can ignore it, but I don’t think it’s fair that a ‘free’ service is being used to advertise for huge market conglomerates like Wal-Mart and Axe Body Spray. When is it considered too much, and when have we crossed the line? Also, why are their so many fakers out there? Search up any celebrity and you will find at least 10 – 15 accounts with the same name, people whom obviously posing and pretending. It sucks that people aren’t honest.

Source(s):
http://www.facebook.com

TAPIOCA CARBS?

I just found something out from a friend, I wonder if it’s a rumor! My friend told me that for every one tapioca that is in those Bubble Tea drinks, it contains the amount of Carbohydrates as one slice of bread! If this is true, it means that every one Bubble Tea drink will have the carbs of …. TWO… loaves of bread…. Well that shoots my carb free diet in the foot. And here I was thinking I was doing so well, eating healthy and feeling great. Now to go find out if this rumor is true…


Update: 100 g of bread is less that 30g of carbs, 100 g of tapioca is 84g…. that can’t be good =S

Source(s):
http://images.jupiterimages.com/common/detail/26/59/23045926.jpg

BLOG: DESIGN POWER: GIVEN THE OPTION, WHAT WOULD YOU USE YOUR POWER TO PROMOTE?

Given the option, I would use my power to promote world peace. I know sounds a little cliché, but war is a bit issue that is happening within our world right now. Specifically, the reason I chose to promote world peace is because gas prices are at such a high rate in Canada at the moment because of the Iraq war. However, aside from high-priced gas, world peace would solve a lot of other problems as well. There is so much violence in the world that even the slightest bit of world peace would do a great deal in our society. Then we could all concentrate on other issues like; world hunger or global warming. There are just too many issues that having one power would not solve the numerous issues within the world; cancer, abuse, environmental issues, etc.

BLOG: AIGA & Design Trends

After watching the AIGA Design Conference, it made me realize how important presentation is. A person could take something boring and dull, and turn it into a convincing and bold through a something as simple as a good presentation. The contestants on Command X were amazing in both their choice in style of design, and in their presentations. What made the conference really work was the humour incorporated into the presentation. It definitely made the contestants feel a little more comfortable up in front of 2000 professionals.

The remaining 3 contestants; Kelly, Matthew, and Michelle did an amazing job. To be able to make it to the top 3 speaks volumes on both their design skills and their ability to communicate to a big audience. The last challenge was a voting campaign that was targeted to an audience of their own age group. This was an interesting challenge because the contestants were allowed to use any means to convince their audience. This challenge was one of the best yet, because it made me realize that something as simple as words can be so convincing. Not surprisingly, Michelle won the judges hearts with her inspirational and touching words. So, relating back to "Writing is Design", I agree that writing is a form of design. Writing can be convincing, and mentioned previously, as well as visually pleasing when placed appropriately.

Looking back on the conference, I would never be able to present in front of such a big audience. It is, without a doubt, so inspiring to see such talented designers who are able to complete a task in such a short amount of time, AND present in front of a big audience. It makes me realize that complaining about school and assignments and presentations is nothing compared to the contestants on Command X.

Source(s):
http://designconference2007.aiga.org/dc-commandx

BLOG: WRITING IS DESIGN

Is writing design? Yes, I feel that writing is considered design. Being able to write something that can influence a person or change their mind about something is design. Poetry, novel writing, song lyrics; they are all forms of design. Poetry usually expresses a thought or opinion through the means of writing, a novel is writing that is used to entertain the reader. Song lyrics express a song through words and often poetry, and powerful words that have meaning can have an effect on a person easily through persuasion. So design does not always consist of images and illustrations. Writing is design; creatively communicating through words and expressing through poetry is design.

BLOG: ARE DESIGNERS OBLIGED TO DO PRO BONO WORK?

I do not believe designers are required to do work for the good of the public. It is a matter of personal preference, whether they choose to do it or not. A graphic designer should usually get paid if they were doing work for a client that is under contract. However, if a designer chooses to design work for a friend or family member for free is another question. Because there are so many companies out there who take advantage of graphic designers who are unfamiliar with the design industry, it is hard to decide when someone should get paid for their work, and when they are not. I feel that all work that is done should be paid for, any roughs or concepts that are presented should get some credit for.

Yes, I personally would do work for free depending who my client is and what contract I am under. If I were asked to design something for a family member or a friend, yes, I would definitely take the time to help a friend or family. Someone should never feel forced to do work if they do not feel comfortable doing. In the end, it all comes down to the designer's decision and how they feel about doing free work.

BLOG: A LIST OF WHAT I'VE LEARNED SO FAR

- Communication skills
- Importance of getting a long with others
- Times management
- Self dependency
- Responsibility
- Technical skills

If someone were to ask me to give them a list of something I’ve learned so far, the list would be endless. However, if someone asked me to give them a list of what I’ve learned since I’ve stepped foot into Humber College, there are many things I’ve learned that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. One big thing I’ve learned so far is my ability to communicate with others. Communication is a big part of society, let alone life itself. It allows us to communicate with others in ways that is just more than verbal. Without communication, the world would not be able to function successfully. Communication is a big part of design, design is communication. To be able to tell them how what you think and give them your input on something is crucial.

Another thing I’ve learned so far is how important it is get a long with others. Communication and the ability to get along with others come hand in hand. If a person was unable to communicate with a person, that person would definitely not be able to get along with others. In the design industry, the ability of getting a long with others is so important.

Time management is of the biggest things I’ve learned since I came into Humber. It is so important to manage every thing you do by time to ensure every thing that needs to be done, gets done.

I could say that I am definitely looking forward to acquiring new skills throughout the rest of my education at Humber College. I feel that I could really learn more from the instructors and peers at Humber that I will carry with me through the rest of my life.

"MAKE SIGNS THAT MAKE SENSE"

I saw this ad on the subway and the first thing that came to mind was; communication = graphic design. Graphic Design is more than just good graphics, and interesting designs. It is the process of communicating visually across to the viewer, using texts, images and illustrations to present the message across. I felt that this ad was a good example of graphic design, and how important it is to do “good” graphic designing. It definitely helps explains the importance of information design, and how crucial it is to understand it through the viewer’s eyes.

Source(s):
http://www.accesson.ca/NR/rdonlyres/DE811FD5-8D8A-49E3-BA60-1E82DBFFFA84/1975/information1.pdf

BLOG: ARE ADVERTISING AND GRAPHIC DESIGN MOVING TOWARD DELIVERING "EXPERIENCE" AS THE END RESULT?

Looking at advertisements and graphic design, delivering experience to the viewer and target audience is crucial. Advertising promotes and sells a product to viewer's, trying to communicate the product through images, illustrations and words. Giving them the "experience" through images is important because clients want their target audience to "know" the feeling of owning or tasting that certain product they are trying to sell. As a consumer, I would like to know how it feels to own a certain product before I spend my money on it. If I am convinced through an ad, that would definitely speak volumes on the designer and ad itself. Experience is important. Experiencing something is different than just knowing about something, which can change the mind about how someone feels about something by just experiencing. A person could hate coffee knowing that it's bitter. Now, after they've experienced the taste of coffee, knowing they could add sugar and cream so they can alter the taste of the bitterness allows them to "experience"- which could possibly change their mind in the end result.




An example would be the new 5 Gum. Their ad commercial is all about the experience - "Stimulate your senses". The commercial wants the viewer to experience the flavour by watching the commercial. I recommend that you watch visit the website to get your experience of the 5 Gum flavours!

Official Website Campaign: 5 Gum - Stimulate Your Senses

Source(s):
http://www.5gum.com
http://youtube.com/watch?v=n98KQEpDroU

BLOG: WHAT DESIGN WOULD YOU REFUSE?

Design and personal ethics -- where is the line?

Designing is something a person enjoys doing. It is a hobby or interest, and should never feel forced to do something they do not believe in. If I were ever asked to design something that I did not feel comfortable doing, I would refuse to do it.

One thing I would be uncomfortable deigning, and would most likely refuse to so are any racial and sexist designs. I do not feel that racism is appropriate in any circumstance. I feel quite strongly about that issue today, and how there are so many racial issues in our society even after so long. Sexism is also another issue I do not feel should be tolerated. If I were ever asked to work along any of those lines, I would refuse to. . It all comes down to how a person deals with the issue and how strongly they feel about it.

However, there are other issues in the world I do not agree with, but I would take work for if I were asked to. For example, smoking. I have never smoked a cigarette a day in my life, and do not agree with it either. If I were asked to design an ad for a cigarette campaign, I would. Everybody knows that smoking is bad for them; it causes cancer and other deadly diseases that do not just harm the individuals themselves, but the people around them. If designing an ad is “promoting” smoking, then that is their problem they should deal with. A person does not have to smoke, and the decision of smoking is their choice. If someone feels that smoking ads are promoting the wrong message to their child or children, they should speak directly to their children about the issue.

Everybody has their own opinion to speak for themselves. A designer should never feel like they “have” to design something when they feel so negatively about it.

BLOG: 10 THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY

There are so many things in the world that can make me happy. Usually, that varies from how I am feeling that day, to something as simple as what I ate earlier that day. It doesn’t take a lot to make me “happy”, and what makes me the happiest the most are the simple things in life.

(the list ranks in order from 1 to 10, 1 being the thing that makes me the happiest)

10. Shopping
9. Sleep
8. Food (sushi, Swiss Chalet, chicken)
7. Listening to my music
6. Computer/Video games (Brain Age!)
5. Random drives in the night
4. Simple walks around the neighborhood on a warm summer evening
3. My friends
2. My boyfriend
1. Spending time with my family

BLOG: ME VS. MEDIA

This is just a rough estimate of my time well spent on different sources of media. It's quite surprising how much time I spend on a certain form of media, compared to another. Now, if this was recorded a few years back from now, I really feel the results would have been different. It just comes to show how much media has changed our lives and what we do on a regular basis.

READING:
Books = 1 hours
Newspapers = 10 min
Magazines = 30 min

LISTENING TO THE RADIO:
2 hours

LISTENING TO MUSIC:
25 hours

WATCHING TELEVISION:
10 hours

WATCHING MOVIES:
DVD: 0 minutes
Theater: 0 hours

CHECKING EMAIL:
2 hours

ONLINE:
Forums: 8 hours
IM/Messenger: 20 hours

TIME ON THE PHONE:
14 hours

** That was just a rounded estimate

ALL YOU NEED IS CHEESE

This billboard advertises cheese (obviously!), but plays on the "All You Need Is Love" slogan. I love how the creator of the billboard uses a grater as part of the billboard, making it look as if the billboard is a hunk of cheese being grated along the side. I believe that we need more advertisement/billboards that incorporate the 3D effect, which usually attracts the viewers a little more effectively. However, I've always felt that billboards or outdoor advertisements are a big distraction to the driver, usually a big reason for the cause of accidents.

Official Website Campaign: All You Need Is Cheese

Source(s):
http://branddump.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/cheesebillboard.jpg

30 DAYS OF NIGHTS

Over reading week, I watched a movie called "30 Days of Nights". I usually enjoy movies with a little horror in them, but this movie really affected me in a different sort of way. I didn't think the movie would be so gory and graphic. There were scenes in the movie where they literally axed a person's head off, as well as other profound scenes. The movie was filmed in such recent times makes it that much more believable if something like this ever happened, although that would be a little far fetched. Even something as simple as a virus that could swipe out the entire colony, leaving only the surviving ones makes me wonder what society would do if something like that would ever happen. There several similar movies called, one that comes to mind called "The Legend" starring Will Smith; a long the same lines of a virus exterminating the entire city leaving only a number of survivors. Yes, this movie is only a fiction but it does take my imagination to the extreme, wondering what the world would do if something even remotely close to that ever happened.

Source(s):
http://www.black-magic.co.nz/home/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/30daysposter.jpg

90 DAY JANE

A few months ago, I heard about this girl, Jane, who was going to kill herself in 90 days because, "as an atheist I feel life has no greater purpose". She started this online blog as a record of her last 90 days on earth. Every day, she would post a blog on her blogspot until the 90th day, and then kill herself. Then two weeks after she had started her "time bomb", her blog was taken down. Recently, she had started a new blog from Jane explaining why she had done what she did, and what it all meant.

MY THOUGHTS AND OPINION:
Although her blog seemed a little unreal, I really felt sympathetic for her, and that angers me. Why would you take something as serious as suicide and use it as a topic of "art" or "discussion"? They are the ones who "open eyes" for others in society, causing more drama than necessary. I guarantee that in the near future, there are going to be many others who will attempt some sort of similar act, once again, causing more drama. For all we know, there could be someone who is on the urge of suicide but nobody will take it seriously because of these certain individuals who abuse the situation and use it as an art experiment. She had an original blog created from the beginning counting down her 90 days, but had been taken down probably due to the inappropriate context. However, a lot of the comments made by anonymous viewer's were quite surprising. Right from the beginning, there were comments like, "why are you still alive?" and "just kill yourself already!". It comes to show how cold hearted some people can be, and that's just really sad how bitter society has really come to.

Forum: click here

Source(s):
http://s3.amazonaws.com/bloghoax/90dayjane.jpg

FROZEN GRAND CENTRAL

I found this on a forum a while back, and it just sparked my creativity and imagination. I often wonder how people come up with these things, let alone convince an entire group of people to play along. Would I ever be able to pull this off? I Definitely don't think I would! If I ever walked into a room full of "frozen" or "paralyzed" people, I would probably start questioning my sanity. I could not even imagine how I would feel if I ever came across something like this. This group of people also do other stunts in various different parts on the world; Los Angeles, Singapore, San Diego, and other places. It usually requires a team of at least 12 people for them to pull off a stunt, but the outcome generally result in the high scale.

I truly recommend that you take a bit of time to check out their website on some of the other improvs they have done; http://improveverywhere.com/


Source(s):
http://www.youtube.com/v/jwMj3PJDxuo&rel=1

BLOG: SUPERBOWL ADVERTISING THEMES

(One of my favourites!)

Since the beginning, Superbowl ads have become a pop-culture ritual. Looking over this year's Superbowl Ads, the thing that came to mind first was the fact that they were all humourous; attractive women, celebrities, introduction of new products. I also noticed that a lot of the commercials were based on going to the "extreme". There were a lot of stunts and But overall, it was a huge exaggeration to reality. Because society is entertainment based, humour is the best way to go. It definitely keeps the viewer's entertained, but I did not consistent throughout the entire commercial. A lot of the comedy was not maintained through - making viewers wait until the end for the punch line.

Were the ads convincing?
Although the ads were humourous and entertaining, I personally feel that the ads did not work for me. I thought they were a little too humourous, not making it very believable. When it comes to advertisement, there are certain ads that need to be taken seriously in order for it to convince the viewer's that they are serious about what they do.

Source(s):
http://www.youtube.com/v/XmD7joJNE0c&rel=1
http://adage.com/superbowl08/

COMPUTER AND COFFEE ON THE GO

Nothing to enjoy your coffee in the morning than the newspaper...on your mug! Although this idea has yet to be manufactured, but the design and overall concept has been well thought out. This is a personal PC designed to make your mornings without holding you back to a PC, the newspaper or sitting in front a TV or radio waiting for the daily morning weather report. This mug has almost everything a palm pilot has; from news, weather, traffic, time, stocks and more. You can even upload your own images and display it as your wallpaper or screen saver. Now, I am not sure how realistic this idea is. Although it would be very convenient to have everything you need in one place, the thought of hot, steaming coffee being poured into a fully wired seems to be a bit hazardous. I could not imagine this device would last very long, and it would eventually get quite annoying having to rotate the cup around and around as your read your daily news.

POCK-IT

This little innovate idea can be used both ways, writing notes and storing little items as a reminder. Although this design/object does not serve a big purpose, just the idea of it says a whole 'lot. Even something as small (size wise) as Pock-It can be so creative just proves that anything can be considered design or art. Although this is not something that can be looked at and critiqued like a "regular" piece of art would be, it is definitely still considered design in one way or another. They are the little things like Pock-it that make art and design that much more sophisticated.

ENJOY THE FIRE AT ALL ANGLES

This beautifully designed interior makes living at home that much more enjoyable. Instead of having a fire place from one angle, this fireplace has four sides. It's attractive, visually pleasing to the viewer, and it serves the purpose that it should. You could even consider it more practical than a regular fireplace since the warmth can be shared all around. The only negative thing about this fireplace is the safety of it; particularly for younger children and toddlers. Since it has to be located in an open area, it is more prone to accidents especially if the base of the fireplace is heated.

THE DRY SIDE

Imagine taking a walk outside after a horrible rain storm; the sun is out again, the grass is green, the birds are chirping. You're walking down the park and you decide to sit and breathe it all in. However, as you are walking towards the bench, you realize the clean wooded benches are still damp from the storm. As disappointed as you are, you have no choice but to continue walking.

A clever innovation, designed by Sungwoo Park, currently living in South Korea. This amazing revolution allows those who enjoy walks to the park an advantage, especially after a rain storm. This design was created with slates on the side of the bench, which can be flipped around and rotated to the dry side by cranking the handle. It's an invention that is not only pratical, but looks clean and simple.

SOAP BANK: SOAP DISH

This innovative design is for those who throw away their little pieces of soap once it nearly reaches the end. A bar of soap becomes smaller and smaller, and it comes more and more difficult to use, so it tends to get thrown out before you finish it. This great invention helps us to save those small pieces of soap, as it helps the user finish the entire box of soap he or she paid for. Small pieces of remaining soap are inserted through the top of Soap Bank, where they call into the mesh net below. Soap Bank can be attached anywhere, as it comes with a hook to attach to the wall. The net can be detached and the hook can also be used as a towel holder - ingenious and convenient! I often go through the trouble of using the last bit of the soap, and struggle with the process of lathering my hands. Sometimes, the piece of soap even slips out of my hand and falls into the drain of the sink. Now, I can freely lather my hands without having to worry about the soap slipping away before I even get a hold of it. This invention will definitely make my life easier, as well as the lives of many others who go through the same problem.

JELLY-CLICK: BLOW UP MOUSE

This is a portable blow-up jelly mouse that makes every other portable mouse look big and inconvenient. Jelly Click is a flat portable mouse that is both portable and usable of a laptop mouse. All the electronic circuity lives on a small flexible board, and the outer shell is made of a soft plastic. Whenever you need a mouse, just give the Jelly-Click a quick blow up, attach the USB cable and you're good to go. Although the mouse is not very practical in use, design process of it makes life really convenient and easy to use anywhere. This piece of design is the start of many other designs to come. It gives the design industry creative and innovate ways to recreating objects for the every day use.

BLOG: RESPONSE: DISCUSSION POINTS

What print do you consume?

- online article
- online forums
- emails
- web blogs
- magazines

When it come to print media, there is not a very wide range of media I consume. On those random occasions, I would look over a newspaper article on my ride to school very day. For leisure, I would consume forms of print such as; Applied Arts magazine, Cosmopolitan, online blogs and forums.

How will the current state of the design world change the form of print media?

Today, our society still consists of tangible forms of print media; newspapers, magazines, books, etc. Since the state of our design world is growing at such a drastic rate, I feel that the form of print media will outgrow it's current stage, which will evolve into more advanced forms. Even today, you can subscribe to online newsletters where they email you the daily newspaper over the internet.

Will print die?

Eventually, all media will be internet based and all forms of print media will vanish within time. Although everything is so electronically based in today's society, I personally feel that books will always remain in print form. When writing systems were invited, nearly everything that could be written on was used for writing. Books have made such a big impact in the society that it will always stay around.

BLOG: DESIGN IS...

an idea or thought process that is executed into a tangible of visual form. Although the definition of design is so broad, it is hard to give just one definition of design. Everything around us is design one way or another. Everything is designed by a certain person, which either appeals to them or a certain group of people who simply find it appealing. Design could be something as simple as a piece of modern living furniture, to an oil painting on a canvas; from the design of a room, to a design of an architectural building, to a design of a bridge. Although anything could be considered design, what is considered good design? That question is based on the viewers themselves, and their personal opinion. Many people can argue that design is something that has a distinct pattern or feel to it, though others argue that anything that is evidently visible.

BLOG: HOW DO YOU VIEW YOUR INDIVIDUL RESPONSIBILITIES AS A DESIGNER?

As a designer, I feel that my individual responsibilities is to keep up with the world of modern technology and design itself. Because modern society is improving in such a vast state, it is crucial that us, as designers, keep up with it to fulfill a clients or viewers needs to the best of our abilities. We need to possess the ability to understand the clients with what they require in us to execute their needs as a client.

THE MARILYN MONROE BUILDING

"Stunning and sensuous, dipping and curving 'in all the right places'." - Christopher Hume of the Toronto Star,

This gorgeous piece of design was created by Yanson Ma, the founder of MAD Architectural Design Studio in Beijing. Yanson designed this tower for an international design competition, and although is still a design in planning, this 50 story condo would be located in Mississauga, Toronto, Ontario. I believe it will be a great tourist attraction for Toronto, especially something that so design based. It will allow people to look at this construction as more than just a building, and since it was designed by an architect from across the world, it should bring an even wider range of tourists, making Toronto that much more diverse.

For a full story, click here

FOOD SEX-ESTEEM

Something I found recently with a bit of humour in it. I really wanted to share this because I thought it was funny yet appropriate enough to be shared with my fellow classmates. This image could well be used for an ad, and would make a great impact sending a message out to viewers if used effectively. This ad gives off an innocent, yet playful feel to it. I love the classic "Everyone Loves Lucy" 1950's look, and the chosen typeface used for the graphic.

BLOG: HOW HAS APPLE CHANGED THE WORLD OF DESIGN FROM 1984 TO TODAY?

On January 24th, Apple computer will introduce Macintosh. And you'll see why 1984 won't be like "1984".

Since 1984, the success of Apple has given designers the opportunity to design to their full potential with this innovative graphical user interface. Before the development of Apple, users were only able to communicate through the means of text, until the first Macintosh came along. The first Macintosh, the Macintosh 128k, was released on January 24, 1984 and has been a major success in the industry ever since.

From text to graphics, the innovation of this interface has allowed the design world today to express what they can do to the best of their abilities. Macintosh has allowed users to design and print with text and graphics. Initially, desktop publishing was only made for the Macintosh, but then eventually was made for the PC as well. Everything about this machine was user friendly; from easy access, to the well thought out interface, making it everyone’s dream computer. If it weren’t for the invention of the Macintosh, then the world would only be designing images out of text.

BLOG: FIND, DISPLAY AND DISCUSS YOUR FAVOURITE DESIGN OBJECT

My favourite design object at the moment would have to be a famous photographer that goes by the name of Peter Schafrick. I came across this photographer's website a while back when I was flipping through my Applied Arts magazine. His work really inspires me to take up photography even though photography is not one of my strongest skills. I love the careful effort put into each photograph; from a picture of an egg to the picture cosmetic products. The careful thought and effort put into each photograph just shows how seriously he takes his work. I can never seem to get bored of looking at his work. I admit, I visit his page at least 4 times a week and even though nothing changes, I still seem to be so mesmerized by his work every single time. I am truly inspired by his talent, even if it's something as simple as taking photographs of meaningless objects.

http://www.peterschafrick.com/

A REASON TO LOVE OUR VEGETABLES

I found these images on a discussion forum and I just thought they were so cute! These images are playful and artistic at the same time. I guess when your parents say, "Don't play with your food", they can let this one slide because it is so creative and imaginative. Although the images have been Photoshopped and altered to make them look that certain way, just the thought of using fruits and vegetables as the main object point is quite resourceful. It definitely makes me look at something as simple as a vegetable and turn it into something creative that sparks imagination.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY?

So, I had recently bought something from the Apple store and apparently, they have changed their system a little; instead of giving you a receipt at the end, they would email you a proof of purchase after you had purchased the item. Now, the reasoning behind that brilliant idea is because that way, it is more “environmentally friendly”. Personally, I found it a little ironic. The Apple company has diminished the whole idea of giving out receipts to prove you had purchased something because it is "not very environmentally friendly". However, they are willing to package their products with plenty of plastic and cardboard, and stuff their boxes with styrofoam insulation ‘til no end but they are not willing to sacrifice a measly little slip of paper. Sometimes, I really wonder what society has come to.

BLOG: CHAPTER 1: The Mediated World - Analyze Assignment

For this assignment, we were asked to analyze and observe a classmate of choice. As I browsed the cold, quiet yet intimidating classroom, I came across Krista Lam.

AUDITORY-VOCAL:
As I engaged conversation with Krista, she spoke calmly and quite monotoned at first. As we got deeper into the conversation, there would be certain times where her tone would pick up a little, making her pitch slightly higher as though she was excited or interested in the topic of conversation. Overall throughout the entire conversation, Krista kept a loud and clear tone/voice so it was easy for me to understand and pick up during the conversation.

VISUAL:
Krista maintained a very calm body language as she spoke during conversation. Although there were those odd times she would reach over and touch with her hair, she did not seem to use very many hand motions relating to conversation, nor did she point or make any apparent hand gestures as she spoke. I noticed that she did not give eye contact as we communicated. From time to time, she could glance over and look at me as though she was actually paying attention to the gibberish that was coming out of my mouth (I'm sure she was!).

TACTILE:
During conversation, Krista only made use of tactile when she was felt awkward of self-conscious of what she had just said. She would lean over and press her head against your arm as though what she said was wrong. Then she would laugh and pull herself away. Also during conversation, I noticed that Krista would be constantly fiddling with either an object or her hair as she listened/spoke with the other person. Despite the fact that she was distracted by such small objects, she was able to respond and keep up with conversation quite well, although often responding with short one-worded answers.

OLFACTORY:
I did not notice a strong smell to Krista as we communicated. From time to time, I could smell a light sweet scent, which I recognized to be Britney Spears' Curious perfume. Krista's light fragrance was very welcoming, making it easy for me to engage in conversation than if she had reeked with odor.

During my observational analysis, these were all the things I noticed of Krista when we engaged in conversation.

THE HAPPINESS FACTORY

Here is another cute video I thought I'd share with the viewers. This is just something cute that I came across a while back and saved it, and it's been saved in my bookmarks as one of my favourites ever since. Once again, the creativity put into the idea of the Coca-Cola machine makes me wish this was actually real. I feel the execution of this video was done so well and precise. The imagination put into the thought of the video seems as if it came from the imagination of a child, yet it appeals very much to an older audience as well. It gives that whole feel of childhood, and it makes me reminisce of the things I watched as a kid. This video is definitely an example of something we need more in today's society.

ANIMATION VS ANIMATOR

Animation vs Animator I


Animation vs Animator II


I just wanted to share these video's with my fellow bloggers. I loved the creativity put into the animation; very simple and well thought through. I really liked how the animator based the animation on Adobe Flash, which was probably the main program used to create this. They're the little things like this that motivate and inspire me.

WELCOME

So, my blog is officially up and running. Nothing too much and out of the ordinary. Please drop by from time to time, and do not be afraid to comment on any of my postings; as most of them will consist of my personal thoughts and feelings on certain topics.