Movie Theatres Going Green?

While browsing through the AOL news I came across an interesting article that I thought fit well with our past class discussions. There seems to be a mobile movie theatre circulating around England and is known as Sol Cinema. This movie theatre is actually set up in a tiny trailer and runs completely on solar energy. The article explains that although the U.K. is not famous for sunny days, it still manages to get enough sun to run the entire trailer and all its necessary appliances. The company never has a utility bill to pay and basically has the ability to perform anywhere and at anytime.

Although the theatre is not very large due to its housing it has played 400 films since its debut this year. It uses an LED projector, powered by solar energy. The theatre shows a wide variety of genres and tends to show more independent films rather than "Hollywood" films as they call them. They also do not show anything too mainstream or anything that encourages violence. It unfortunately only has seating for eight, but it has already won awards. One of the advantages of being housed in a trailer, they have the ability to move around and go to different places. With that said, the founders have planned a tour schedule throughout Europe and may be coming nearby to Los Angeles in the upcoming year.

Being that we have been discussing movies for the last few classes I saw this to be fit for a blog discussion. I think the idea is great, it just goes to show you that you can go green and keep the environment healthy without having to give up things you enjoy doing on a daily basis. It seems to be not only environmentally friendly but also economically friendly. Who doesn't love to save some money every now and then? With the expenses that movie theatres put into showing films based on electric and things of that sort it seems obvious why movie tickets have risen to such high prices, well besides the greedy factor in many people today. But, it makes me wonder, if all movie theatres found a way to go green, I am sure they would be able to lower the prices of their tickets. With all the money they would be saving without having to pay an electric bill every month it would be simple for them to lower their prices a few bucks. I think this would result in happier customers as well as owners.

With this small trailer becoming more and more popular and word reaching us here in the U.S. maybe it is possible we will see some more of these popping up. I think it is an interesting idea for major movie theatres to consider and I think it would result in positive outcomes all around!

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Army Recruitment Via Video Games?

Taking a step back to the PBS video we watched in class, I found the new recruitment technique that the army has began to use very interesting. They have recently opened an army experience center where people are able to come and experiment with the war-like simulator as well as play video games, such as Call of Duty. Through this center the army hopes to encourage young people to sign up.

However, a problem has arose from this new center. Some parents have expressed concern with this action that the army has taken and personally I can not help but agree. It almost seems as though these young children, mostly boys, are being somewhat tricked. Sure these children love to play these video games and are certainly not being forced to attend these centers and play these games but is it ethical? These children enjoy these games mostly for the challenge of fighting off the enemy, but can an eight or ten year old boy or girl really tell the difference between a video game and reality? In a video game if you are shot and killed you have other lives or you can restart the game, however, this is clearly not the case when it comes to war and the army. Once you are shot and killed at war there are no do-overs or extra lives and certainly no restart button. This seems like a very important aspect that these young children may not fully be aware of. I am almost certain to say that no one at these centers are making the attempt to even try and explain the difference between these video games and actual war.

These centers have recruiters which are constantly walking around telling these children how well they are playing and that they are the "best" player they have seen yet. From here they may be encouraged to try the simulator to see how good they might be in an actual war-like situation. After trying this, they may be told the same thing as before, that they were very good at it and would make an excellent candidate for the army. If they are not told again, they may just start to believe it on there own with all the encouragement they have been getting up to this point. It is only natural for one to want to continue doing something they are good at and especially when you have someone watching and cheering you on. How can these young children be expected to know the difference between these innocent video games and the danger and reality of actual war?

I can not help but agree with these parents that have expressed concern. If I were a mother, I would not want my young child going to these centers and being told every day how great of a soldier they would make. Of course we need soldiers to fight for our country and defend us and we always will, but I think it is best to let those people decide on their own. The experience of war and killing another human being is not something that someone should be pressured or manipulated into. I do not think it would work out well for anyone mentally or even physically.

Don't get me wrong, I think this center is a great place for people to attend to learn more about the army. However, I think it is a great place for those who are already interested in joining or have questions about it. The simulator seems like a great idea for people who may be entertaining the idea of signing up for the army. It provides a better idea of what you will be likely to experience and maybe figure out if it is something that is really right for you. This is just another example of the many technological advances our world is experiencing today.

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FAME

Her meat dress was pretty disgusting and her justification a little far-fetched, but nothing less is expected from the Media Queen that is Lady Gaga.

Some people call her crazy, weird, insane, "out there," and just simply living on another planet, but there is something that screams "genius" about her. She manages to keep herself in the media at all times and by whatever means necessary. She absolutely uses the media to her advantage and clearly has no shame. She's been in every form of media one way or another: newspapers, magazines, television, radio, movies, and yes, even books (biographies). She is able to stay in the public eye by doing, saying, and wearing bizarre things.

Lady Gaga has a huge following consisting of her "Little Monsters," she being the "Mother Monster," who would do just about anything for her. In South Carolina, a 48 year old man claims to be of her millions of "Little Monsters." He has traveled the world to see her perform more than 28 times; he met her 5 times; and he owns 300 copies of her record on vinyl. He also runs a Lady Gaga fan site. But what is even more baffling is that this man is a professor at the University of South Carolina at Columbia and he has created an entire course devoted to Lady Gaga and her fame. The class is titled: "Lady Gaga and the Sociology of Fame." He hopes that she will pay his class a visit...I wouldn't be surprised if she did.

Her Monster Ball continues into next year, making at stop at Nassau Coliseum on April 23rd...who's going?

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Black Eye Friday

Everyone knows that the day after Thanksgiving is notorious for being... a little more than hectic for those who wish to participate in the festivities of bargain hunting. Whether you ate turkey at 5pm and have been napping ever since, or you had to deal with your crazy family and didn't finish eating till midnight, there's a good chance you'll be standing outside the mall at 4am waiting for the doors to open.

In hopes of changing things up a bit his year, I spent my Black Friday swimming with sea turtles, far away from home. Some might say that nothing is worth missing the amazing deals you find only on that one day of the year, but I'd have to disagree. I have to say that I'd rather be followed by a 5 foot barracuda for thirty minutes again, than be kicked and shoved into an isle by a 4 foot tall, 80 year old woman, with her eyes set on that last box of moth balls that are marked down 60%.

Major corporations, from clothing to electronics, film commercials, post ads in papers and

hang up poster ads all in hopes of getting the most people in their stores on the biggest shopping

day of the year. Some commercials, such as the one below, exaggerate (hopefully) what people act

do in preparation for this big day.

So what's the big deal? Is it really worth it to leave your family on Thanksgiving to stand in front of a shopping mall in the freezing cold to spend 50 dollars less on an Xbox? That's obviously a personal preference, but I'd like to point out that saving 50 dollars on anything isn't something to sneeze at in these hard economic times. Would I trample an employee opening store doors? No. Would I stay up all night standing outside a store to be the first in line? No. Would I shove a small child through a clothing rack, attempting to take MY 50% off shoes? Well.. maybe.

Some people's reasoning is that it's a tradition, and if it's not a tradition, some like to be caught up in the moment, viewing it as a social gathering. Whether it's tradition, a night of shopping, a time to get your family's Christmas list over and done with, or your own unique way of relieving stress by running old ladies over with your shopping cart, there's something here for everyone. Although I must say I can't be upset that I spent my Black Friday in the Caribbean, I am a little... curious as to what my Black Friday experience would have been like if I were home. Maybe next year I'll actually wait outside Westfield Mall at 12pm to get a fresh pair of Nike's for half price, but who knows, maybe I wont.

Tradition? Fun? Stress relief? A night out? I want to know what your reason is, if any, to participate, or not to participate every year on Black Friday.

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Celebrities Boycott Social Networks

Celebrity Alicia Keys is at it once again. Hoping to raise funds for her charity, "Keep A Child Alive", Misses Keys has started a new campaign she calls Digital Life Sacrifice. The idea is to have celebrities join together and sign off of their favored social network starting tomorrow, December 1. Celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Usher, and Justin Timberlake have agreed not to sign back onto their social network accounts until 1 million dollars has been raised for the Keep A Child Alive charity.

This call to arms has grown quite popular and has spread throughout the celebrity community. Other public figures such as Ryan Seacrest, Jennifer Hudson, Kim Kardashian, Elijah Wood, and Key's husband, Swizz Beatz have all filmed videos, known as "last tweet and

testament".

These videos will be shown in ads which depict each celebrity laying in a coffin, signifying their "digital death".

As you can see, Kim Kardashian is shown on the left, on her campaign add.

The Foundation, started in 2003, is accepting donations via text messages and bar-code scanning, which is featured in the charities "Buying Life" campaign. Alicia states that "it's really important and super-cool to use mediums that we naturally are on". Seeing as almost everyone I know and their mother... and grandmother has a facebook or twitter, I'd have to say that she's taking strides in the right direction.

President and co-founder of the Keep A Child Alive foundation, Leigh Blake reports that "We're trying to sort of make the remark: Why do we care so much about the death of once celebrity opposed to millions and millions of people dying in the place that we're all from". All raised efforts are being used to support families effected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India. She goes on the say "It's about love and respect and human dignity".

With popular backing, and enough media coverage, I hope that this campaign will easily raise not only 1 million, but much much more. Will you be one to help?

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Is The Verizon iPhone Finally Here!?

     The rivarly between iPhone(AT&T) users and Android(Verizon) users seems to have been carrying on longer then the Isreali-Palestine rivarly in the middle east.  Only until recently has fustrated Verizon users seen the light, this is because several news sources have official proof that the long awaited Verizon iPhone 5 is coming soon and here to stay.  Fortune magazine has issued perhaps the strongest-worded statement to date on the Verizon iPhone, confirming that the device does exist, and that it will ship in early 2011. In a lengthy cover article published online on Oct. 29, Fortune contributor Sarah Ellison says that the Verizon iPhone is a "fait accompli," and notes that the device has been configured to work on Verizon's CDMA network.

     But what does this mean for AT&T?  According to several financial sources it won't put too much of a dent into AT&T's sales of the current iPhone 4, and they predict they won't loose many users to the new Verizon iPhone.  Primarly because current AT&T users don't won't to pay a termination fee if they choose to reactive their contract with Verizon Wireless.
     As a current iPhone user, what fustrates me is that the new Verizon iPhone 5 is rumored to have better performance upgrades, bug fixes, better network, and a slightly bigger screen.  While the current iPhone 4 will remain unchanged.  In my own personal opinion if AT&T doesn't want to loose valuable customers they should either come out with the same updated iPhone 5 as Verizon is getting at the same time.  Or if they don't get the updated phone they should offer current customers cheaper rate plans, because I would't want to pay extra money for a inferior service provider that has a reputation for dropped calls and high premiums.

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Blog #4: Warner's Edgy ' Harry Potter' Campaign Pays Off, by Brooks Barnes

The new movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 1 generated 125.1 million in its first weekend. This was the second biggest opening for the Harry Potter franchise. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire grossed 127.4 million in the first 3 days in November 2005 of its release. Harry Potter is very popular amoung people of all ages. Publicity for the movie was widespread. They used initals HP7 and put fake blood on billboards to advertise the movie. According to Barnes, 25% of the audience in North America was in the age range of 18 to 34 years olds. In contrast 10% of the audienice for the first Harry Potter came from that age braket.

This Movie Alice In Wonderland to be the opeining movie in history of IMAX. 12.4 million in the box offfic sales accorced for the IMAX showing. IMAX international showings accounted for 16.6. By compariosn Alice In Wonderland only took in 12.1 million in the u.s in IMAX showing at 15.3 in international IMAX showing Mr. Fellman, Warner's preisdent of domestic distribution of films says that no other franchise has been able to expand through the age groups. Extensive advertising has help the sals greatly

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