Survivor

One of my all time favorite shows would have to be Survivor. I have been an avid watcher since 2007. Survivor has been on the air for over a decade and is currently on it 25th season. Survivor is one of the longest reality t.v. shows. Even though it was started over a decade ago it is still able to draw in viewers. I find it quite amazing that a show in this day and age can last that long. Most shows are wiped out almost immediately after one season or only make it for four or five seasons before viewers lose interest and move on to something else. Survivor has by passed all of this by having a show that is both relatable yet still a competition at the same time.

Throughout the years I have found quite funny and intriguing to watch the players that become the "evil masterminds" of that season.  A few key players of survivor from past seasons that have fit this description are Russel Hantz and Todd Herzog. Both these players are famous for multiple blindsides and, having multiple alliances with almost every other person on the island.

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In a sense it is quite fascinating to watch ordinary people be able to manipulate their peers so easily. From tricking people to giving up their immunity idol and them voting them out to forfeiting challenges just because they believe that it will make them seem as if they are less of a threat so that they won't get voted out.

I believe that survior has been on the air for so long because it forces real people with real lives to put everything behind and to go live on an island for 30 days and compete. It shows just how much people have to rely on their wits and problem solving skills when they don't have the comforts of everyday life to sustain them. It also tries to answer the age old question of how far people are willing to go for money.

I'm really excited for this current season of survivor and it's been really good so far! I just hope that it continues for the rest of the season and for many more seasons to come!

It's Always a Good Time!... Unless You're Being Sued

Canada's newest starlet, Carly Rae Jepsen, is facing a lawsuit. Her collaboration with Owl City has been gaining controversy because apparantly they ripped it off from a song created in 2010 by an artist known as Allyson Nicole Burnett. When I heard of this lawsuit it made me think of the mashup class that we had just had. To what extent is something considered "new" and not a copy of another persons work?

Created By: LunchBox LP

I listened to both songs, and I can hear the similarity, but in only about a 10 second snippet of the song. The beat wasn't stolen, and not even the lyrics. The only similarity is when Carly Rae is singing, "Whoah Ah Oh Ah Oh Ah Oh". Even that part of the song, I don't find as being that similar. If I had heard each song individually without hearing that one was being sued for stealing the other, I would not have thought that they bore any resembelance.

Take a listen to Good Time, and to Ah Its a Love Song. What do you think? Is it a rip off? Is it just coincidence, or did Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen just get inspiration from this song?

Wattpad

I myself am someone who loves READING! I would even go as far as calling myself a bookworm. My love of reading started at young age and is still going strong today. I love to read a multitude of genres from Science Fiction to Horror.

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Something that I have recently noticed is that reading has started to slowly become more and more electronic. From Kobo to  Kindle almost any book that has been printed in hard copy can also be found online. Recently I started this new found trend of online reading and discovered a website named Wattpad. Wattpad allows amateur writers to upload their stories and as well as offering a few books that are actually published.  It includes multiple sections for different genres such as action, horror, fan fiction and romance. Readers are able to share links to stories they have read via Facebook and Twitter. They are able to comment on every chapter as well as directly message the author of the book as well. Wattpad also has another section on the site called Watty Awards. These awards allow readers to vote for books that they love. The books that get the most votes are able to win cash prizes as well as titles such as Best Fantasy book and Best Teen Fiction to name a few.

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Along with offering an interactive interface for reading. Wattpad is also portable. Wattpad comes in an app form that is available for Android, Ipod and, and Blackberry. This makes it even easier to for readers to access their favorite books at anytime. I for one absolutely enjoy this aspect, it makes it ten times easier to read on the go. Instead of taking a hardback book with me when I leave the house all I have to do is make sure that I've updated my Wattpad library on my phone before I leave the house which only takes a matter of seconds!

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I have to say that I thoroughly love this website. At first I was a bit apprehensive at reading stories from people that weren't published authors but, after sifting through a few of the stories I managed to find a few that I enjoy! Some of my absolute favorites include A Pirates Kiss, Forces of Nature, The Kissing Booth and Crossing Court.  Even though I'm not ready to give up reading hard copies of books just yet Wattpad has been able to introduce me to a new way of reading!

American Horror Story

I've always been a fan of scary movies, regardless of how many sleepless nights they have caused me. American Horror Story is basically a scary movie in the form of a TV Show. It's not your regular corny scary TV show. What I like best about this show is that it plays on the idea that it could be real. I haven't seen the first season, but anyone wanting to get into the show doesn't need to. Each season has its own story line, new characters, and even takes place in a different place in time. Because every season changes, the series is labelled as an anthology series. This season is known as American Horror Story: Asylum; the name speaks for itself. The season starts off with Adam Levine and Jenna Dewan Tatum (Maroon 5 front man and Mrs. Channing Tatum) in present day visiting an old haunted asylum known as Briarcliffe Manor. As they are exploring, and umm... having some "fun", when they hear a noise and go looking for the source. Next thing you know a psycho in a mask rips off Adam Levine's arm! The show then goes back in time to 1964 when the manor was an asylum run by the Catholic Church, and there are many dynamic characters introduced to the audience.

The characters can be split up as patients and employees. The employees are Nuns, Doctors, and Priests. Sister Jude, who is played by Jessica Lange, is the head Nun of the asylum. She runs the asylum with an iron fist, and nothing happens without her knowledge. Sister Mary is portrayed by Lily Rabe and she is the sweetheart of the asylum. She tries to please the Doctor and Sister Jude, who have opposing views. Dr. Arthur Arden (James Cromwell) is the very creepy doctor, who has created some sort of monster and seeks to heal the mentally insane through torturous methods.The final employee of the asylum is Dr. Oliver Thredson who is played by Zachary Quinto. Dr. Thredson is the only employee who actually cares about the well being of the patients, and is looking to help them through therapy and not torture.

 

There are four main patients. The first is Kit Walker played by Evan Peters. His story is quite interesting. He got married to a black woman (remember the show takes place in 1964) and is keeping it a secret from his friends and family. One night while they are together, he 'trips out' and believes he was abducted by aliens. When he wakes up, he discovers that he has been arrested and being told that he murdered his wife. The way in which she was murdered matches other murder cases that have recently occurred, so he has been charged for all these murders. He insists that there were aliens present that night, which is what gets him placed in Briarcliffe Manor. Lana Winters is a journalist who sneaks her way into the asylum to get the first interview about the status of the murder. Because she sneaks into the asylum, this angers Sister Jude. She doesn't take too kindly to people sneaking into her establishment, so she forces Lana into becoming a patient because she is a lesbian. Grace is Kit's only accomplice within the asylum. She believes that Kit is innocent and is doing whatever she can to help him. The show is yet to elaborate more on her back story and what brought her to Briarcliffe Manor. Our final patient, and who is the comic relief of the season, is Shelley. She is a funny, outspoken, nymphomaniac who is put in Briaricliffe for that reason. In the first episode she has half her head shaved by Sister Jude, yet she doesn't let that get her down. She makes her move on all the men who work at Briarcliffe, even though she gets rejected.

I find it interesting that the shows creator is Ryan Murphy, the same guy who brought us Glee! The scariness of the show is pretty realistic, and is better than most scary movies I have seen. If you can handle a good scary movie, I recommend checking out American Horror Story.

Imagine Dragons

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I have always been the type of person that likes to find new kinds of music to listen to on a regular basis. Recently, I have started listening to a band named Imagine Dragons. Imagine Dragons was formed in 2008. Current members include Dan Reynolds, Ben McKee, Wayne Sermon and Dan Platzman.

The first thing that caught my attention was the name. With a name like Imagine Dragons I was immediately intrigued towards how their music would sound with such an unusual name. Let's just say I was pleasantly surprised! I can honestly say that this album is one of the best and most original that I've heard in awhile. The sound of their music isn't really pop, but it's not rock or indie...it seems to be a fusion of things put together. Some of my favorite songs on the album include (even though it's hard to just pick a few since the whole album is so AMAZING! ) are It's Time, On Top of the World and Amsterdam.

Their first studio album Night Visions went straight to #2 on the billboard Top 200. Their song On Top of the world is to be featured at the Fifa 2013 World Cup and, their single It's Time was also used in the background for the movie trailer of the Perks of Being a Wallflower.

These are just a few of the feats that the band accomplished before their album was released. I see them going far in the future with a unique sound such as theirs.  To watch the music video of their song It's Time click HERE!

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Just Dance?

If any of you own a Playstation 3, Wii or an Xbox you've probably heard of all the different kinds of dance games that have been released. After the release of the Playstation Move and the Xbox Kinect, the amount of these types of games that were released skyrocketed. Wii was the first to release the line of Just Dance, which included songs from Katy Perry, Cyndi Lauper, Spice Girls, as well as many more artists. Once the other systems upgraded their technology, the quickly jumped on the train and came out with their own versions of Just Dance. Xbox released Dance Central, which included songs from Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Beastie Boys and many more. Up next was Playstations, Everbody Dance, which featured music from Avril Lavigne, Coldplay, Elton John and that's just the beginning of the artists featured. There doesn't appear to be much of a competition between the games, as the audience would generally buy which game went with their system, that is until Just Dance became available on all three of the consoles.

Created by: Alfred Hermida (http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/flickr-64817925-hd.jpg)

Personally, I have played these games on all three systems and there are many differences between the three. I first played Just Dance on the Wii, and found it to be quite fun, but there was one major issue with it; the game only followed the motion of the Wii controller, which was only controlled by one hand. The game is still extremely fun, but it's not very motivational in the aspect that it doesn't actually require full body movement. The Playstation Move, is kind of in the same boat as the Wii, as it only follows the movement of the controller rather than your whole body, which is where the Xbox Kinect comes into play. When you play a Kinect game you use every part of your body requiring the individual to fully participate in the game they are playing. Dance Central for Kinect is a fun game, but has much more complicated choreography and requires a little bit of skill and practice. If you're not one who has the dance "gene, " then Just Dance may be more in your league. Just Dance is my favorite of the games, as its choreography is a lot less complicated and is solely there to keep you entertained and moving. Another great part about Just Dance is that up to four people can play at one time, where as in Dance Central only two can play and it's also only in the form of a dance battle, rather than a dance together as a group.

Whether you prefer to play you dance games on the Wii, Playstation or Xbox, the important thing is that these games keep you up and moving. In a society where the majority of our time is spent in our cars, at school or work, it is important to fit in time for daily exercise. These games can do exactly that in a fun and effortless way. Every time I've played these games I really just feel like I am having some fun with friends, but it turns out you're getting a really good workout; sweating like you just ran five miles. So many people like to play video games, and this is a wonderful way to get them up off the couch and moving while they do so. Technology has come so far, it's absolutely incredible the things we are able to do with the use of our bodies and a machine. I'm sure many other people have played one or more of these games, what attracted you to them? And if you have played more than one of them, which one was your favorite?

TSWIFT

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Taylor Swift has just recently released a her new album called Red on October 22, 2012. This album contains 16 songs, or on the deluxe edition it contains 22 songs. Swifts new album sold 1.2 million copies in the first week! That's pretty impressive, especially because it's the second time that her album has sold more than 1 million copies within the first week. Speak now, which is Swift's third album, was also sold over 1 million copies within the first week when it was released. It is impressive that Swift is the only woman that is able to sell two albums with over 1 million copies within the first week of its release.

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Everyone who is a big tswift fan knows that almost all of her songs are about love and heartbreak. A lot of them deal with personal experiences because it is easier for her to express her feelings in a song rather than discussing personal issues in person. A lot of her songs deal with her past relationships with boyfriends such as, John Mayer, Joe Jonas, and Taylor Lautner. A lot of the heartbreak and love are mostly in her album "Speak Now, but that's not the interesting part, I was reading online and found that in her lyric booklet that comes with her album, it contains secret codes in capital letters. The lyrics in her booklet for the song "The Story of Us, which is about avoiding an ex at an awards show, spells out CMT AWARDS. This song deals with John Mayer and her heartbreak because turns out that John Mayer did a number with Keith Urban at the CMT awards held in Nashville. In the lyrics of "The Story of Us", "How'd we end up this way? See me nervously pulling at my clothes and trying to look busy and you're doing your best to avoid me. I'm starting to think one day i'll tell the story of us, how I was losing my mind when I saw you here, but you held your pride like you should have held me. Oh i'm scared to see the ending why are we pretending this is nothing? I'd tell you I miss you, but I don't know how. I've never heard silence quite this loud." It really expresses her true feelings towards the whole "avoiding the ex" at the awards show. She expresses how it was hard and frustrating for her to pretend like nothing had happened between the two of them and how she misses him and it was hard for her that he was avoiding her and she did not understand how things turned to an end.

Taylor Swift's songs has a lot of true feelings and emotions in her lyrics. She expresses them so well and i'm sure almost every girl can relate to her lyrics at some point in their life. She is a very successful artist considering she is the only woman to sell over a million copies with 2 of her albums. If any of you like Taylor Swift - What is your favorite song by her and why? I'm curious to know! My current favorite is "I Almost Do" on her new album, Red. I feel like it currently applies to my life right now and I just relate to it. It's about missing someone who was once apart of your life and thinking of them and maybe you've become strangers with this person, but you don't like how it is and you're just thinking about them and every time you want to talk or have anything to do with this person you almost give in and it takes everything in you to reject that feeling or notion. 

Amanda Todd

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I'm sure all or most of you have heard about the death of Amanda Todd. If you're not familiar with the issue, Amanda was a 15 year old teenage girl who had committed suicide from being bullied both online and physically. She made a video on her YouTube account about her never ending story about being bullied. It's honestly such a sad video and breaks my heart. You can all watch it by clicking here.

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In the video she's holding a bunch of cue cards with words on them to explain her story. When she was in grade seven she started having video chats with her friends and met new people. In one of the cards that she's holding in her video it says, "Then got called stunning, beautiful, perfect, etc....", isn't that what every girl wants to hear? especially if you're a girl with a low self - esteem or don't often get called those terms? I know words like that make every girl feel happy. It probably made Amanda feel good about herself too which as a result caused her to flash a 32 year old man, but never thought it would come back to haunt her.

This 32 year old man knew things about her personal life, such as her address, school, list of her friends names, etc. even when she had moved away. He threatened her to give him a show or else he would post her picture of her breasts everywhere, and as a result he did. It ruined her life because she was never ever going to be able to get that picture back or go back in time and change what she had done.

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Amanda was not only cyber bullied, but also bullied physically. She had a guy friend who she started talking to and he told her he liked her, and he lead this poor girl on. He had a girlfriend, but invited her over one time to hook - up and she did. She said that it was a huge mistake. The guy's girlfriend found out and both of them including 15 other's had shown up at Amanda's new school, and had physically abused her. She said this made her feel like a joke in this world. She did not want to live anymore and drank bleach to try and kill herself, but it didn't work. When she got home from the hospital all she saw on Facebook were comments such as : "she deserved it.", "did you wash the mud out of your hair?", and "I hope shes dead." These kids had no sympathy for this girl who tried to kill herself because she was bullied.

Personally, there has been so much controversy on whether or not she deserved to die. There are just as many people giving sympathy as there are people who are saying she deserved to die or that she doesn't deserve sympathy. I think this girl did not deserve what she had been put through. She made mistakes and she was aware they were mistakes, but she tried moving on with her life but nobody would let her. That 32 year old man came back to constantly haunt her about the picture of her breasts. Other teenagers physically abused her and said she deserved to die, and that maybe she should try and drink a different bleach next time in hopes that it would kill her. This girl was physically, emotionally, and psychologically damaged. Everyone makes mistakes but that should not justify who someone is. I think some people need to show a little more respect towards Amanda Todd's death. I know there are numerous people who say that Amanda Todd does not deserve any sympathy or respect because there are people out there who die from cancer, or get murdered, etc. and she chose to end her life when she could have lived, but these people don't know what it was like to be in her shoes, these people don't know how she really felt or what she really went through. If you had a daughter who was bullied to death how would you feel if there were people who were disrespectful towards her death and said she deserved to die? I know I would definitely not feel good about it. It's heartbreaking to hear people dying so people need to either not say anything at all, or at least give respect.

Vinyasa scarf : lululemon

So it's winter now, which means most people are pulling out their scarfs to add on as a cute accessory or keep them warm! Lululemon has this scarf called a Vinyasa Scarf. It's made out of Lululemon's own fabric called Rulu, which stands for Running Luon. It's a fabric that feels cottony soft. An advantage to this fabric is that it is already preshrunk for you and the fabric offers a 4 way stretch. It also has a high percentage of Lycra in the Luon fabric, which means it helps the fabric not stretch or bag out. 

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The Vinyasa scarf is not only made out of a cottony soft fabric that offers a 4 way stretch, but you can also transform this scarf into numerous things. This scarf has snaps on either end of it so you could wear it numerous ways; either wrapped or unwrapped, done up or undone, as a shirt, as a dress, and many other things.

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For those who shop at Lululemon, you all know that it's not cheap and it can be pretty expensive. This scarf is only 48 dollars, but for what you get it's worth it! This scarf is so incredibly soft and it keeps you warm and you can also wear it multiple ways. What other scarves can you wear multiple ways and transform it into numerous ways? Not many, at least not many that I know of! This scarf also comes in a variety of colours such as black, grey, purple, blue, and brown. These Vinyasa Scarfs are also great  for Christmas presents! I bought one for my friend last christmas and she loved it and went out to buy more.

Jane by Design

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Nowadays it seems as though there are constantly new shows popping up on television. Every year a multitude of new shows are put out onto networks with only a few of them actually being taken on for a second season. A show that has recently caught my attention is Jane by Design.

Jane by Design is show about a high school student named Jane Quimby who accidentally gets mistaken for young up and coming fashion designer. At first Jane tries to deny being this designer put upon finding out how much people are willing to pay to have her work for them she takes on the job of being a designer as well as trying to keep her high school life in check as well. This obviously then leads to many problems along the way such as keeping her double life a secret from her friends and family as well as trying to figure out the big secret that her best friend Billy has been keeping from her all summer.

After a summer of constant reality shows such as Big Brother, America's Got Talent and So You Think You Can Dance it was refreshing to finally watch a light hearted comedy/drama that is relatable to many people. Jane by Design is show that depicts the ideas that you can do anything you want once you put your mind to it. Also, that you shouldn't give up on your dreams no matter how hard you try.

Many shows  on T.V. today are mainly based on drinking, partying and back stabbing. Jane by Design provides a happy and slightly more wholesome show to watch. It is a show that can be watched by the whole family. It actually has a storyline to follow rather than just watching constant drama and fighting between people that are supposedly best friends.

I for one am hoping that this show gets picked up for a second season! To watch the Trailer for the show click HERE!

Britney Spears vs. Sam Lufti Trial

Even though it the whole situation occurred over five years ago, many can still recall the infamous breakdown of Britney Spears, and to this day she is still dealing with it. Although she is still living with the repercussions of her mental breakdown, the biggest haunting comes from her former manager, SamLufti. After being accused of several legal issues involving the pop star, he decided to file a defamation lawsuit against Britney and her family, as well as to fight for fifteen percent of her earnings while he was working for her. Just like any individual, I'm sure all Britney wishes for is for all of these issues to be put behind her so she can continue on with her private life and career; unfortunately, Sam Lufti is not allowing her to do so, forcing her and her family to relive the past events that occurred. The allegations being presented by Lufti in the court room each day, are becoming more and more shocking to the public eye, but are quickly denied by either family or other past employees of Britney.

For those of you who hadn't heard about Britney's meltdown, she had essentially went on downward mental spiral, which had people wondering if she had been abusing drugs or if she needed be to diagnosed with a mental disorder. The breakdown found the star on the streets during the middle of the night, talking and having fights with the paparazzi, shaving her head, as well as many explicit shots of the singer in little clothing or without her undergarments. All of this leads to two different rehab stints at Promises Rehab Center in Malibu, with her checking out after a month of treatment; her erratic behaviour still continued. After much speculation about her condition, Britney was set to make a "comeback" at the MTV Video Music Awards, the expectations were put extremely high, but she didn't deliver the way people had been expecting her to; the performance was unrehearsed and once again had people talking about the singer and her issues. It wasn't until the beginning of 2008 that the public fully realized the extent of her condition when emergency crews were called to her house after she refused to return her children after a custody visit. This was when she was placed on psychiatric hold and evaluated at the UCLA Medical Centre. All of these events are what have led to claims made by former manager, Lufti.

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Lufti recently claimed that the pop star had been addicted to crystal meth, which he also claims was the reason behind her highly talked about head shaving incident. It doesn't happen often in a celebrity's life, but an individual came forward and stood up for the pop star, claiming that Lufti was lying about the drug claims. Leah Frand, who was Britney's former Nanny, came out and claimed she had lived in the house during the months of her breakdown and slams his claims; saying that any individual would have went "crazy" with him constantly controlling their life and living in their home.

Created by: Anirudh Koul (http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/flickr-3505873289-hd.jpg)

As I have said in previous blogs, I am a huge Britney Spears fan, and honestly, I find all of these claims to be absolutely atrocious. Whether or not what Sam Lufti is claiming is true, it is absurd that this has all come back to haunt her after five years of recovery. She has finally been able to get her life back on track and continue her always successful career, and it has really caused me to wonder if that is why he has suddenly tried to come back into her life; is he just here for the fame, now that she is back on top again, or are his acts really just for the money he claims he earned? I know that being a celebrity comes with its downfalls, but I think that they should be able to live their lives, just as we get to on a day to day basis. Hopefully all of this blows over and doesn't affect Britney in the way her past life with Sam Lufti had. Whether you're a Britney fan or not, deep down I think that everyone is rooting for her to be successful and come out on top, as in the end her well-being is what is most important.  As fans of Britney, or not, what do you think about this lawsuit and her past breakdown?

Pranked by J Biebs

Photo Credit: Z Love, Wikemedia Commons

 

 

Being a business student and a marketing major, I try to stay current with marketing and celebrity information, as much as possible. So one of the latest celebrity scandals that I heard of was Justin Bieber's laptop being stolen from his managers office backstage at a concert. Justin took to Twitter, asking for his stuff back, mostly because of the memories on the laptop. Photos, videos, everything sentimental that any person would have on there. Not even 24 hours later an anonymous blogger/Twitter user, tweeted a snippet of a video of Justin partying in a pool with some random girls, and none of them were Selena! Beliebers were in an uproar, and we all know how crazy passionate Justin fans can be. This Twitter user, Gexwy, continued to tweet threats to Justin, saying that he had footage that he was going to leak. First thing most people thought were either nudes or a sex tape, which would not do so well with his younger fans. Apparently this footage was supposed to leak at noon on October 12. Being the Bieber fan that I am, I patiently awaited for this footage to come out. At noon, Justin tweeted about how over the years people have said mean things about him, made up scandals such as impregnating someone, drugs, nudes, but now he gets to be part of the fun. It was actually the release of his new music video for Beauty and a Beat featuring Nikki Minaj! I think this was an awesome way to leak his new video, beat One Direction for the most views in 24 hours on a music video, and to have fun with his followers. If you haven't checked out the video yet, click here to check it out!

The Walking Dead

After a long week at school all I ever find myself wanting to do on the weekends, is sit back and relax, enjoying all of my favorite shows among the company of my friends. Much like everyone else, I generally watch an entire television series over a few weeks, leaving myself to find a new show to captivate me. I had recently finished watching Pretty Little Liars, and found myself dying for the next season to start; I had to find another series to watch that would capture my attention as well as Pretty Little Liars had. After reading online about the recent records The Walking Dead had broke, I decided to give it a shot; even though it wasn't a show that I would normally watch. After watching the first few episodes, I had fallen in love with the storyline the show had followed.

After looking into the background of the show, I found out that the series was based off of a comic book series written by Robert Kirkman, and illustrated by Tony Moore. It was first issued in 2003, by Image Comics, and was produced into a television show by the American cable channel known as AMC.

For those of you who haven't watched the show, or who haven't even heard of it, the show follows the life of a police officer who wakes up from a coma to a world that has been overtaken by zombies. Doesn't sound interesting? You would really have to watch the show to decide for yourself, but the storyline is what makes the entire show. Zombie type shows are the last thing that I would have found myself watching, but the storyline that is followed throughout the show is what really makes it interesting and keeps the audience captivated. It always leaves the viewer’s wondering what is going to happen next, leaving you wanting to come back each week for more; this is exactly what I look for in a television series. I do have to admit, I do get quite frustrated with waiting each week, which is why I generally watch all shows on Netflix, unfortunately, I've watched all the current episodes and I’m stuck waiting each week for the new one to premiere on cable.

Created by: Jim Fitz Simons (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTCRy3KBx5wBdP9aQk-jtfOdJFHuF4bKv-lgDXoxlKm8mGtc5jpwEqFQdOhi78qhaYybRsgUwqv_XsRuZGfc8rsN1_f0arg-XwQP7T2UaATf56NgqvY7rFarewouuTMkWVp0XzCJxzJ2I/s1600/netflix.gif)

I love talking about this show, but I do not want to give away any of the storyline to anyone who hasn't watched yet, but is interested in starting to watch the show. I would recommend this television series to pretty much anybody, but beware there are large amounts of gore throughout the entire series; although it is totally worth it. The one other aspect of this show that I really enjoy, is that it is one of the rare shows that both myself and my boyfriend can enjoy watching together; he generllay watches all the shows I enjoy, without a complaint, so it is nice to find one we both find interesting. For those of you who do watch the show, what caught your attention and hooked you onto the series?

iPhone 5 Camera and Photos!

Recently I finally received my brand new iPhone 5! I mentioned about a month back that I was anxiously awaiting my soon to be new phone (on my blog post from September 21). I have to say, the camera and photo's are amazing - it's the best thing about my new iPhone by far! The high definition, bright and clear pictures, and the panorama option is awesome! The month long wait was well worth it!
 

• The camera has: 8 megapixels, panorama ability, HD video recording capabilities, LED flash, face detection, and auto-focus! (Check out the specs on the camera of the iPhone 5)

I went to Banff with friends a couple weekends ago, taking my new phone (of course) -- and ended up taking plenty of photos! I fell in love instantly with my new iPhone!
 

Take a look at some of these beautiful pictures I took in Banff, AB!

I love Alberta - we live in an amazingly gorgeous place! We are so lucky and blessed.

 

I love this photo! This is near Lake Minnewanka at a roadside turnoff. Absolutely stunning scenery and the snow covered trees and mountains were truly beautiful!

 

We drove up Mount Norquay which overlooked the town of Banff. We got some great photos up there! I love the clouds in this photo!

 



 This photo is of my friend and I at Lake Minnewanka! We used the panorama option on my phone and got this great picture. The water was completely still and the air so crisp and fresh!

 

This picture was taken from our room at the Banff Springs Hotel. It had snowed over night and this is what we woke up to. So pretty! Winter wonderland for sure :)

 

Lake Minnewanka and the scenery was stunning. Panorama view of the lake and the mountains in the background! This panorama option is so cool.

 

 

These are just a few of the lovely pictures I took. By the end of the trip I felt like a professional photographer with thanks to my wonderful new iPhone 5! We got great pictures and it was an amazing getaway. Banff is absolutely beautiful - especially at this time of year! I recommend you to take a weekend trip to relax, stay a couple nights, and go walk around and do some site seeing!

 

 

Have you picked-up your new iPhone 5? Well if you haven't - make sure to one pick-up on your way to Banff!

 

 

Obama vs. Romney

**Ding, Ding!**

 

In the left corner weighing in at, approximately 190 lbs -- is Mr. Presssssident, Barack Obamaaaaa!

 

And, in the right corner weighing in at, approximately 210 lbs -- is Governor Mitttttttt Romney!

 

 

Yes folks the battles have begun - it's that time of year again when the two fighting for Presidency come face-to-face with their gloves off and their arms swinging. 

 

It's the Presidential debates: Obama vs. Romney!

 Picture From: Wael Attili

Source: http://sha3teely.com/?m=200811

 

  Vs.

   Picture From: Austen Hufford

Source: http://www.geografi-tjek.dk/foto.aspx?id=858

So did you happen to follow and watch the debates? They were definitley entertaining and interesting to follow. If you did not get a chance, I've provided some links to videos of the debates (click the links below):

• The first debate was on: Wednesday, October 3
• This debate was between President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney
• This debate focused on domestic policy
 
• The second debate was on: Thursday, October 11
• This debate was between Vice President Joe Biden and Congressman Paul Ryan
• This debate focused on topics of domestic and foreign policies 
 
• The third debate was on: Tuesday, October 16
• This debate was between Obama and Romney
• This debate focused on domestic and foreign topics
• Citizen's were allowed to ask questions
 
• The fourth and final debate was on: Monday, October 22
• This debate was between Obama and Romney
• This debate focused on foreign policy

I happened to catch the first three debates. I personally think Romney took the win for the first debate, Vice President Biden took the win for the second debate, and Obama took the win for the third debate. I'm not exactly sure who I think is going to be elected President of the United States - but I'm leaning towards Obama taking the seat for the second time round?!

Check out the Election Polls to keep posted on who's in the lead (looks like Obama and Romney, at this point in time, are head-to-head - it's a close one)! The election date is scheduled for November 6, 2012.

 

I had the honour of being invited to attend and participate in the 2013 Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C in January! Thanks to my honour society I have the opportunity to attend a 5 day conference with guest speakers such as, Jeb Bush and Reverend Jesse Jackson! I'm pretty excited to learn more about the American political system and definitely see what transpires in the next little while! The Presidential Inauguration is on January 20, 2013.

 

So who do you believe will come out on top? Will it be Governor Mitt Romney? Or will President Obama stay on for another term?

Picture From: Mick Rogers

Source: http://thewhizzer.blogspot.ca/2008/11/post-mortems-who-needs-em.html

 

Picture From: Cliff Weathers

Source: http://nyaltnews.com/2012/08/ryan-vp-pick-romney-doubles-homophobia/21633/romney-ryan/

Anti Bullying

Amanda Todd's story has been all over the news. From trending on Twitter, support pages on Facebook, to covereage on your local media station, it has been everywhere. The notion of bullying is not a new one. Bullies have existed since the dawn of time. The way that bullies can reach their victims is what has changed. No longer can someone find solitude in the comfort of their own home from a bully, when that bullying is now put online and sent through text messages. For those of you who haven't heard Amanda Todd's story, you should check out the YouTube video she posted about a month before her suicide. This story hit home for me because of someone I know that has committed suicide due to bullying.

But through all of saddness and emotions, it has brought awareness to those in higher up positions about the impact bullying can have on people. MP, Dany Morin, is pushing to have legislation put in place to help prevent bullying; his aim is not to punish after the math, but to be promote prevention. It's tragic that another death had to occur at the hands of a bully in order for this to become a national issue.I do feel that this is what Amanda Todd was seeking to do with her video, to educate and inform people on the damage that their actions and words can have on a person.

I researched her story a bit to figure out what happened to her. In the 7th grade (she would have been in 2009) she flashed someone on webcam. This person took a picture of her and about a year later they messaged her threatening to show the world. She never responded to the threats, and before she knew it her photo was sent to everyone she knew. She switched schools, she stopped talking to the people who bullied her, yet they still persisted. They created Facebook pages about her, telling her to die, calling her a slut and much more. She went through councilling, she switched schools yet again, and tried to rebuild her life, yet the bullies wouldn't stop. After 3 years, people would not let her live it down. She attemped to committ suicide before but did not succeed, and she was bullied for that too. I've heard many people talk about Amanda Todd, saying that she deserved it, that she's to blame because she is the one who flashed on webcam, and other people give their support to her. What I ask all of them is, have you not ever made a mistake? Have you ever gone through something that you just wanted to forget? Most people have, and Amanda was no exception. She tried to move on from what happened but her peers would not let her. I give my condolences to her family and friends and hope that no one ever has to feel as low as she did. The light at the end of the tunnel is the idea that one day there will be adequate legislation put in place to protect victims of bullying, that there will be adequate funding for resources such as Kids Help Line and that there will be more resources readily available.

If you or anyone you know has been through bullying and needs help, do not let them suffer in silence. Be a support to that person and do whatever you can to help them get the help they need to feel good again.

Don't Copywrong!

Recently our 'Writing in Digital Context' class was asked to review some documents in regards to "Recognizing Plagiarism" and "Avoiding Plagiarism". This task was assigned to refresh our memories on how to properly cite and reference and to be able to avoid and recognize plagiarism. We then read and discussed a recent controversial issue in the news regarding a professional writer for the Globe and Mail who was accused of plagiarizing (Margaret Wente). The general class consensus was that this woman was guilty and should be punished accordingly for her actions - fair enough (although some ideas of her punishment were harsher than others).

This method is a standard that we, as university students, understand, are very aware of, and are held accountable for. Being able to properly cite and reference others' ideas is something we should understand and know how to do. It is enforced at our university that we use these methods of referencing and if students neglect the proper use, the consequences are severe - from receiving a failing grade, being reported, being expelled, a tainted reputation, and this acquisition permanently being on your record. Therefore, if we students are subject to these rules and hard punishments - a professional writer should be held accountable too, right?! Well sure, absolutely! So if we believe she knew what she was doing, it couldn't have been a honest mistake, and there should be no second chances given for error - what happens if the tables turn? But how could they, I know how to properly cite and reference - this could never happen to me!.. Well do we ourselves really fully understand the complexity behind what is considered to be plagiarising? I thought I did - but apparently I didn't!
 

Our class also had a session on the difference between "Copyright" and "Creative Commons". Copyright being a protection act whereby it allows no one to use the authors work unless given direct permission (if work is used without the authors permission, legal action can take place). Whereas the Creative Commons license allows different stipulations in regards to how one can use the authors work - the license displays how the work can and cannot be used. I understood the concept of the Copyright - although I didn't realize to what extent one had to go to use their work with having to contact the author for permission. I merely thought  referencing and citing their work properly by giving appropriate credit to them would be sufficient enough (apparently not). I also had no idea there was even such a thing as a Creative Commons license - no clue what it even meant or was used for. Good thing I learned these differences - otherwise I could have been in some serious future trouble!

When I was researching the proper use of these licenses and how to accurately cite images for my blog posts, I came across a post called: "Blogger Beware: You CAN Get Sued For Using Photos You Don't Own on Your Blog" by Ronie Loren (please take a look at this blog!). This opened my eyes again to the scary reality! You are not safe, you may think you know (but you don't), and you better learn how to properly cite and understand the licenses and regulations of use, inside and out - to save your bacon!

Having this knowledge is crucial, especially with this particular assignment of making and contributing to blog posts. Not only is this understanding important for the members of our class, but to our generation as a whole! If people don't have knowledge of this - there are serious consequences. I honestly believe that a majority of these people would be oblivious to illegally using the authors work - even if they were properly citing and referencing. So do you still believe for an honest mistake you should be punished, labeled as a plagiarizer and end up owing money as a fine or worse, to someone who has a copyright license?

My Point:
 

My point in all of this is that there is a serious issue with regards to a large part of the population not understanding copyright regulations, along with the accurate definition of "plagiarism". I would estimate that 80% of the population have no idea what content is safe to use and what is not - and of these 80% my guess would be that 70% would make an honest mistake of misusing someone else's work. These oblivious Joe's would end-up being accused of being a horrible monster  of a plagiarizer, copying and stealing other peoples work and ideas and claiming it as their own! Then these people would eventually have to deal with the wrath of society and the harsh reality of consequences - when it was a merely a case of not being properly educated on this matter!  

My Issues:
 

I have a little bit of a beef with the whole system on how we were taught throughout school growing up - this was never really something that was taught throughout my years of schooling prior to post-secondary. I had obviously heard and knew about about it, although was unaware how serious the repercussions were, and did not understand the exact purpose of it. Not to mention I had no idea the many rules and forms of citing and referencing. I never really understood what the big deal was until I went back to school to get my post-secondary education.

Another issue I have with the whole citing and referencing rigmarole is the fact that for different subject areas they use different referencing styles. I don't get why there is more than one referencing style in the first place. Also, every so often the APA or MLA people go change or tweak their rules on how you're suppose to cite or reference (and they wonder why they have to continue teaching these sessions over and over again in school -- HELLOOOO! haha). No wonder there is so many issues with not referencing or citing properly.

 

My Beliefs and Recommendations:

 

I believe that if plagiarizing is such a huge issue at universities - there is obviously some underlying reason behind it. I have found that over the last couple of years the universities have really started to crack down on the problem of plagiarism. I believe to correct this and ensure safety for students our primary schools need to start students right off the get-go with the proper tools to learn these referencing and citing procedures. It should be mandatory to learn these standards and practices throughout junior high and most definitely high school. I feel as though time is wasted on learning how to properly cite when we are at a university level (although I wasn't complaining after I was taught the apparently "proper" way to cite and reference - probably saved my bacon in the long-run).

All in all, I believe this issue needs to be addressed - and innocent people that are not educated in this area should have some sort of teaching or formal training to help save them from a possible future dilemma! Schools need to start their kids off at an early age with learning such things as referencing, citing, knowledge of the copyright and creative common regulations, etc. Also informing with information about how a majority of the pictures listed on say, Google image searches, are copyright - therefore you need to consult with the author for permission to use (realistically one should be avoiding the possibility of plagiarizing all together and not even bother to risk using them if you're uncertain)! Even having social media sites implement warnings to these people in regards to these concerns. I think this would make help to make a significant difference - helping to warn that unsuspecting Joe, along with appeasing authors (knowing people are not out 'stealing' their work)!

Try to get educated on this matter...
and don`t Copywrong!

 

 

 

Cruise to Sue

Magazines are known for exaggerating and sometimes fabricating rumors about celebrities. Usually the truth is found out one way or another, but only after the initial rumor spreads. These stories are used to create a dramatic celebrity world and attempt to keep us up to date on the latest Hollywood gossip. Sometimes the rumored celebrities have to defend or ignore what is said, whether it is true or not. Not very often do you see the stars fight back and prevent this from reoccurring. This is because they usually can't and unfortunately, it comes with their chosen career. However, one actor recently took a stand.

(http://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-131991820)

Tom Cruise is reportedly suing Life & Style and In Touch magazines for a whopping $50 million. His reasoning is that the "tabloids defamed him by reporting he had abandoned his 6-year-old daughter," Suri. I actually remember being at the grocery store and seeing a magazine with the headline "Abandoned by Daddy." My first thought that was that celebrities don't take marriage seriously enough, never mind kids, and he had been in 2 previous marriages already. I know, maybe I was a little harsh, but clearly I am proven wrong. Rumors fly around the media all the time, but Cruise doesn't seem to be close to letting this one go.

Despite his drive, it appears his lawyer doesn't even know if he will win. Apparently when you deal with such a large amount of money you have to have quite the proof that there was intentional harm (who would've guessed?). According to his lawyer, that will be difficult to show in court. Cruise just wants to keep his daughter and their relationship safe versus belittled. I don't blame the guy for wanting to protect what is left of his marriage with Katie Holmes, but $50 million does seem quite excessive. On another note though, he did state if he wins all the money will be donated to charity. With that in mind, I do hope he wins for the greater good of society. I can't imagine he needs the money anyways.

I think Cruise's move is sort of a good thing. Whether he wins or not, it will show to the tabloids they can't always get away with putting whatever they want on the covers. Sometimes there will be consequences and if they don't end up having to pay anything, it will be a hassle at the very least. Although $50 million seems pretty steep, if his intent is to donate it to charity what's the harm in trying? At least he will shake up the magazines.

A story with an outcome like this, makes you wonder how much the tabloids exaggerate rumors, the news or even photos. If Tom Cruise is willing to go this far due to a headline on a magazine cover, which usually pass within a week or two, there is no way the initial story could have been true. What else are the tabloids hiding from us?

Nonetheless, I haven't heard a celebrity taking such a drastic move on just a rumor. What do you guys think... too overboard or sweet, protective dad?