Sunday, December 22, 2013

The Correlation Between Duck Dynasty and Governmental Mass Media Diversionary Tactics

Duck Dynasty, Promo 
Tampa, (Fl) --- It can sound as a weird theory, it can even sound that the idea came from Ray Bradbury or George Wells. It's is a theory of the mass communications as well public relations, that entities of power can use mass media in order to create a diversion from a problem that is happening in the country, to create catharsis among the citizens and let them blame it on a celebrity up to a problem that is not relevant and doesn't need a solution.

<< Two minutes hate>> as it was called on 1984, are two minutes where members of the Party express their hate to members of the opposition; in actually it can be seen today, as it been happening where the media creates a frenzy towards any celebrity in order to avoid informing what is really happening in matter of economics as well regional and international politics. Keep the people as dumb as possible.

I am not a fan or reality television, I am not a fan of Duck Dynasty, but I guess it had found its niche; but, yet for me is a bunch of over-glorified rednecks with a lot of money that through the television show connected with middle-class Americans.

Yet, we are ignoring what is happening around us on terms of civil rights, economics and politics. Such, as another upcoming government shutdown (let's face it, Republicans and Democrats are hurting the people equally on this little war they have toward the economic monopoly), the war is still on; the assassination of Andy Lopez, where police brutality is a serious problem and almost everyone are looking to one redneck this time.

Yes, there is a fine line between free speech and hate, Duck Dynasty has offered to the viewers the fine lines between what has turned "political correct" and what has become a problem into the rhetoric of a group of people that are defined into Fundamental Christians albeit they don't define the religion and the groups as whole.

I don't defend Phil Robertson, as an LGTBQ individual I really detest any form of hate speech, as a humanist I hate when people act in a aggressive way but after reading the interview I see an answer that is honest according to the man's principles, because there is not going to be an homogeneous reaction to every issue in the world.

As, you become a celebrity or an individual of interest, you have to become aware that everything you say it will be scrutinized by everyone. That is a rule of entertainment; but as many people rise to fame with realities, the magazines as well other communication service use the scandals in order to make a profit but at the same time, as it was said early they create a diversion from what the people had to be paying attention to.

It's not weird to see how the media gets into a frenzy before the government gives bad news, such as in October 2013 where Major League Baseball had more prevalence on the news than the Government shutdown (and how Ted Cruz and Co. screwed thousands of people). So, how knows will happen next.?

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Mafalda and The Modern Critique to the Expansionist System of the First World

Mafalda Strip
Tampa, (Fl) --- Probably if you had lived your life in North America, you haven't heard about Mafalda; a comic strip that debuted on 1964 by the author Quino, which in the origins of the strip was a total different cartoon as it was a marketing strategy to sell products from the electronic company Mansfield in Argentina, which the company requested to the author, that the mascot should had the letter M in his/her name. That is a brief explanation on how the character was born, but it wasn't going to be until September, 29 of 1964 when the little girl would made her first appearance in the now defunct magazine Leoplon, who was under the tutelage of Quino's friend Miguel Brasco.

Almost, everything in the iconography of Mafalda offers a strong social critique about the problematic of the decade of the publication, yet still today (as the graphic on the top shows) there are some applicable about cultural identity, history and self-perception that can be used for today standards on how the younger generations are identifying themselves all due the globalization.

In a series of unrelated events, the idea of using children to express voices of discomfort is not new, one of the most memorable ones in the American culture were the creation of Bill Watterson "Calvin and Hobbes", were the use of critique was masked behind the shenanigans of a 6 year old and his pet tiger. The speech given in both comics is not very different, even with the eras and cultures there is always a similar pattern - discomfort through the system. -

Mafalda's conception comes from an era where the sexual revolution was on is apogee and Vietnam was an issue that affected the entire world; but, on a local level we have to analyze the political aspects that the Argentinian society was going through, such - as being an ally of the United States in the South African Border War, the fight between the fans of the soccer teams of Argentina vs. Peru that caused 315 fatalities, the space exploration and the influence of North America in the global culture - ; all those events and more, prompted the conception of Mafalda as a voice to critique the actions that molded the era, but overall to show the differences between the countries of the "north" vs. "the south ones" where the socio-economical struggles are discussed through the history of the strip.

The concept of the struggles between Norte y el Sur (sic. trans. North and South) goes on the concept of developed and underdeveloped countries, on how the countries went to the historical and economical points that they are. Maybe religion did influenced the development of the countries; as essentially North America is a country were Protestantism is the mainstream religion and in the south hemisphere, the Catholic Church is the body that executes influence.

It's a contradiction to think as the influence of religion could be subtle, depending on the sociopolitical location. Argentina itself is one of the countries where in matter of civil rights on the America's spectrum is years ahead of what is North America as a nation. Argentina, has itself problems related to the populism and the terrible legacy the Kirchner had left on an economical ground; yet, related to the LGTBQ rights, Argentina is "20 steps ahead" of North America.

Probably on a molding factor, the ideology of the Protestantism vs. Catholicism at the moment of fitting into the birth of a nation could had played a decisiveness in how the countries run on an administrative level, as well how people live their lives on their respective locations. The Catholic doctrine place humility and don't support the idea that the followers should enjoy their personal wealth, while Protestants go on the search of work as the path to find personal wealth and a collective well-being.

Mafalda herself borders on the line of feminism and a radicalism that shows a reality that had been lived through many generations; the lack of female dominance because of the archaic matrilineal ideals that support patriarchy and put the woman on a second plane, beside that she goes on an intellectual level  where she exposes a problem - Runaway brains- the phenomenon where intellectuals as well educated leave the country due lack of prosperity, and, the inversion of the State into education and improvement became null.

Probably that is the reason why Latin America in terms of a technological level is so far away, because there is no future and the different perspective to achieve a boom with technology as well to improve the financial reality are scarce. Not even thinking that making a decision based on the gender could create a difference, as it doesn't matter if there is no education, take a look at the case of Argentina where Mafalda comes from and the current dignitary has achieved almost nothing.

Monday, December 16, 2013

How the Rick Scott Stole the Christmas

Gov. Rick Scott
Tampa, (Fl) --- Every Trailer Park Trash in Florida Liked Christmas;
But the Scott,
Who lived just North of Kissimme-Villa,
Did Not.!
Rick hated Christmas.! The whole Christmas season.!
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
It could be the false promises, and the Tea Party,
It could be, perhaps, the patrons that bought his way to the Big House,
But I think that them most likely reason of all,
May have been that his brain was four sizes too small.

But,
Whatever the reason,
His brain or his suit,
He stood there on Christmas Eve, hating the any of the Jews,
Staring down from his mansion with an angry, Grinchy frown.

At the warm lighted fire by the bonfire below town,
For he knew every Pimp and Whore who were singing Christmas Carols on the Streets Down Below,
Was full now, hanging a mistletoe wreath.
"And they're hanging their guns.!" he snarled with a sneer.
"Tomorrow is Christmas.! It's practically here.!"
Then he growled, when he saw the Wal-Mart near the East of Gainsville.
"I must find a way to keep Christmas from coming.!"
"Maybe I can promise them jobs and they will buy stuff that THEY CAN'T afford."

For, tomorrow, he knew..
... All the whores and pimps,
Would wake up bright and early, after the effects of the booze and their sex toys had faded.!
And then.! Oh, the budget cut, Oh, the budget cut, and the jobs he promised that would came.!
The pimps and whores, young and old, would sit down on a test clinic that it was going to be close.
And they scream,! And they'd scream.!
While walking to the Soup Kitchen that was East on 56th Street.
They would start on Bitch-Pudding, and some rare Pop Corn Chicken from Sweetbay and more.
Was was something the Scott couldn't stand in the least.!
To see easy women and all the chicken he could devour,
and THEN

They'd do something he liked least of all.!
Every Floridian vote Democrat,
the tall and the small,
even the big fat ones, who couldn't move because their scooters went bad,
Would stand close together, with their ballots cards near,
They'd stand hand-in-hand. And they Scott started to cry,
Would stand close together, with Protest bells ringing.
they'd scream, And they'd scream.!
AND they'd weren't HEARD.! HEARD.! HEARD.! HEARD.!

And the more the Rick Scott thought of the Pimp-Christmas-Protest-Song,
The more the Scott thought, "I must stop this whole charade.!"
"Why for four more years, I've put up with now.!"
I MUST stop impeachment from coming.!
and not even on the Holidays.!
"... But HOW.?"
Then he got an idea.!
Blame it on the gays,
An Awful idea,
The Scott,
GOT A WONDERFUL, AWFUL IDEA.!

"I know just what to do.!" The Scott Laughed his coke down in his throat,
and he made a quick decision to blame the Gay, Lesbians and every person who was brown,
And he chuckled, and clucked, "What a great Grinchy trick.!"
he placed his his best suit and asked someone to write his best deliverance.

Sunday, December 15, 2013

An Open Letter to Bill Waterson

12/15/2013

From Tampa, (Fl);

To Bill Watterson,

Dear Mr. Watterson, I don't know if you ever going to read this but a part of of me really wants to believe that maybe one day, with the power of the Internet this letter will reach to you.

It's been almost 20 years since the ending of Calvin and Hobbes, I used to read it when I was in my birth country; among, Peanuts your work was the other one that helped me to deal with loneliness as I could relate to Calvin and Hobbes as characters, as well to your line of work because not all comics strips (as well comic books) had a message and could make the reader think; I think the tradition will die when Garry Trudeau decide to end his strips anytime in the near future.

You were right Mr. Watterson it was right to retire at the moment, otherwise the impact that the strip had probably wouldn't be the same as it has been on the last 19 years; but as you said on the interview that you offered to Mental Floss "I suspect comics will have less widespread cultural impact and make a lot less money"; that is true on a certain extent but not fully, as the cultural impact of comics themselves is probably not anymore on the newspapers but on the Internet in the webcomic format.

,Mr. Watterson your legacy is still on, and it keeps inspiring a lot of newcomers to do venture on their comics in a freelance matter, using the vast internet hosting servers. I dream not far away in the near future to leave a little legacy of my own in the world, but first I want to go back to school and finish the first segment of what I want to achieve with my education as well to get the tools that will help me professionally. It scares me but I am not fearful, it makes me happy that I can do it.

Bill, I hope life there in the North had been amazing, thank you very much for everything, even if it was a little piece in a moment of time.

Thank you,
Gus

Saturday, December 14, 2013

The Simple Modern Aspects of Calvin And Hobbes Towards The Millenials


Tampa, (Fl) --- There are several analysis that can be made to Calvin & Hobbes, from the philosophical traces of Bill Watterson to the use of science as a component of the satire. There is not going to be another Calvin and Hobbes and there is not going to be any spiritual successor of this comic, that has been concluded since 1995.

It's amazing that's been almost 20 years since Calvin and Hobbes ended, and the comics strip it is still as fresh as it was on November 18th of 1985. It's quite amazing to think how much the world has changed in the last 29 years. Paris is Still Burning and Jenny Livingston went to make television, AIDS is still a menace, the newer generations are focused on more of the sensual pleasures (not to mention, clicktivism) where they ask for anything without even working; school system keeps failing and becoming more intolerant with everyone... The list can keep going on because the topics that the cartoon dealt are still valid, because even with the time people can always find a point to argue using critical analysis.

The juxtaposition of Calvin and Hobbes personality goes on practicality vs. impulsive actions; not necessarily old vs. young; as Hobbes if we go on the idea of imaginary friend is just a mere reflect on Calvin's more mature persona but yet with the ambiguity and analysis of relation toward reality. We can think, that Hobbes is just a mere reflection on what Calvin will become, maybe it could be applied towards the Millennials if they learn to look beyond the sensuous pleasures in life and learn how to work their lives out.

On one of the story arcs, where the family goes on a camping trip Calvin shows a total annoyance to be in contact with the nature as there were no amenities or technology that he could use; to think the strip had the beginning on the late 1980's and see how a child can't focus his attention because there are no technologies is some of a "problem" that is still seen today, where kids can't see themselves without a functioning tablet, computer or handheld video games.

Calvin, is on the point of finding his own cultural identity, there are no points that can relate them to the counter culture movements of the previous ones, there is not a solid ideology and some of the political ideas are related to grassroots waves that create influences because of the Internet weight. Probably Calvin is more keen to Generation X, both generations tend to be interrelated on the use of technology and also to be more liberal on certain ideas opposite to the Baby Boomers.

Calvin and his parents could be seen as both generations living under one roof, but yet the depth of his parents was never explored to know if they were more progressive than they looked on-panel; maybe, Calvin himself could be a reflection of his parents ideals on how to deal with reality and with people, even on an intellectual level.  

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Students Lag in Global Academic Ranking - The Problem is Not the American Idiot

Tampa, Fl --- Is not that students are stupid, it just that problem relies in there is no challenges in school, families don't incentive any intellectual aspects and Creationism is taught as a real science; sure, we can blame the government but let's blame also the religious influence, PR stints from "empty" shelf celebrities, trends and other idiotic behavior that are making this society worse and probably Florida even worsen.

OK, maybe we can blame the government, since more of the budget that could be destined to education as well arts is being invested in war and spying people for anything.

Recently released test results by the Program for International Student placed Floridians in a hot water towards math, science and reading. Maybe the problem the problem is not into preparing for the real world, because if we face what is on the real world your personality and look is what is count, anyone who is a high school drop out can end up working and becoming a retail manager just based on their looks and charisma.

Terry Boehm, President of the Pinellas Education Fund said that educators should prepare kids for what they want to do with the rest of their lives. It brings so many problems as it was said early, because the world is far more complex than what you can find in a classroom but in a classroom there could be the change that the State as well the country badly needs; because, there is human talent.

So what is the problem comes strictly from the classrooms.? The solution has to be to modify the curriculum that the students face it, make it more actual and modify the teaching methods to reach more people to achieve their potential through academic principles.

The Common Core Standards which have come under heavy fire for not creating more technical people, albeit supporters claim that is the opposite but yet it shouldn't be viable to measure the academic failures as well achievements with a standardized test as the populations of different countries tend to be heterogeneous and some other are more concentrated on being homogeneous.

So next time, don't feel you are stupid; maybe, you haven't reached your full potential. You probably will reach it one day and realize what you are capable of, probably it will never happen but never feel less, unless you believe that a race of reptilians control humanity. .

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Yes, Virgina there is a Santa Claus but it Gives More to Rich Kids - It's the Season For Consumerism

Tampa, (Fl) -- Virginia, there is no Santa Claus and even if there is one it will give it more to the upper income families - There are plenty of situations and things that during the winter solstice brings happiness to the people, at least some faked aspects about their lives.

People are hypocrites and you can see it better when Thanksgiving is arriving but nothing better than when Christmas is around the corner and specially New Year.

Yes, I sound bitter but it's still better than to have unrealistic expectations about this season, about the cycle that repeats every year; maybe, we are ritualistic as a species. Maybe, we had lost the meaning of the solstice, the celebration and we have moved into a path of consumption and being fake just to impress other people.

What happened to measures how loved you are by your actions,? instead people love to be measure by their material possessions and we are teaching to the younger generations that. Who has the best television, the latest video game, the best gadget, who went to the most expensive trip; situations as that, are placing the younger generations, the Millennials into a kaleidoscope of who can buy what, instead of -what I can do to help my community.-

But, who knows, maybe we had become fearful of social interactions and we place over head masks in order for people to avoid seeing the real us and during the last weeks of the year, what better time to do it. Maybe is true, Santa does gives more to rich kids than poor kids, because the parents can afford more than the ones living in section 8 but that don't stop the people to go and flood the shopping centers.