White Girl Problems

Twitter is now the next big thing. You can update your status, retweet other peoples statuses, and follow any celebrity of your choosing...my personal favourite part ;) Since I myself am a white girl, who tends to whine when things do not go my way (how bratty) and a twitter page is dedicated to that.

The page is called, White Girl Problems, and literally, she tweets about every bad and random thing that can happen, and which usually does. I tend to to retweet her tweets all the time, due to the connection they have to my personal life.

During this time of year, with summer coming up, and vacations to look forward too, I am always looking for a good summer read. To my surprise and pleasure, White Girl Problems is now a novel. Babe Walker, a spoiled brat from Beverly Hills, and the creator of White Girl Problems, is now a New York Times best seller. Each chapter is a "white girl problem," and they are all absolutely hilarious.

For all my fellow white girls out there, I suggest you pick up this book, or at least check out her blog... It will make your problems seem not as bad.

Baby Maxwell's first photo shoot

A couple weeks ago, I informed you all about Jessica Simpson and her fiance Eric, and their new baby girl Maxwell Drew. They were paied quite a large sum of money, from People Magazine, to be the first to release photos of the beautiful baby.

The day has arrived, folks. Maxwell Drew is now a baby model. This weeks, People magazine, has Jessica Simpson, and her daughter on the cover.

Celebs, posing with their babies, has truly become a way of making easy money. It all started with Tom Cruise, and daughter Suri, and now...all celebrities who have not done too much lately, make quick easy cash with releasing the first photos.

Enjoy the newst, and first pictures of baby Maxwell!

Bad Bieber...

Everyone who thinks teen sensation, Justin Bieber, is a calm and collected guy needs to think twice. On Sunday, Justin got it a physical altercation with a paparazzo. The paparazzo purposely boxed in Justin's car, so he could catch a picture of Justin and his girlfriend, Selena Gomez. Justin went into the paparazzo's personal space, and now, Justin Bieber has a court date against the paparazzo.

Paparazzo, Jose Sarros, does not have a lawyer at this time, but with the court date pending, he definitely needs one.

Justin's fans, who were following Selena and him all day, saw what happened and are behind him 100%. Justin's recent tweets have indirectly been about the fight, but just thanking his fans for their love and support.  

“Best Singers of All Time”

“Best Singers of All Time”

Michael Jackson was the best singer of the world who can be admired much, no doubt about him he was the man with sympathies who know to control his voice  .he had an amazing vibrato and sang across just about every genre of music... It is one of the things he is known for. It's sad that some just don't know enough yet comment or merely dismiss him because he was a fantastic dancer as well and somehow they not recall what he was initially known for, which was singing from a very immature period with the spirit of an skilled adult. The emotion and excitement he sang with was so genuine and clear. He was mutually a unbelievable singer as well as dancer. He was the total wrap up as an artist.  My favour song of Jackson was” I love you all” this song was 1980s. Michael Jackson. To me Jackson has insane vocal range and could do so much with his God gave him talent as vocalists. I believe some of you like the superstar his songs or the King.

Although we lost him but soul is still alive in our hearts, He is the best ever king of all in music. This I am saying to every Michael Jackson admirer. I like all his songs very much.

popular culture

Popular culture

In the late 1970s fashion in the courageous, fashion has changed through the years in many ways.  The popular culture involving the clothes girls would wear in the 1970s such as hippies fashion was hot pants for a couple of years.  I feel this fashion, with shorts covered by a short dress; contribute towards a poor image for women. If women wore this clothing to the office, the women would send a negative message to people.  Later the 1990s, the dress in the office was to wear pants or suits for business wear.   This was the time when companies’ expectation for business dress was more formal than the business dress in the work place today.  In the later 1990s, the women referred to the dress for an office as business casual, which was considered more casual wear as such. Popularized knee-high boots, http://www.skwirk.com.au/p-c_s-14_u-189_t-508_c-1883/fashion-in-the-1970s/nsw/history/australia-s-social-and-cultural-history-in-the-post-war-period/social-and-cultural-features-of-the-1970s the changes in fashion that were made have been adapted to the fashion needed for the period of time in my life but also conveying a positive image to the people.

The impressions illustrated by the media are seen everywhere such as in flyers sent out by the retail market. And also music, television and filmmaking internet is also easily accessible in many homes offering the consumer shopping without leaving homes. We use the internet to learn about the fashions that is now available in the stores and acquire the knowledge needed to make good decisions on fashions.  The internet and popular are form of mass media which is easily accessed from within the home.

Today’s youth culture encourages females and males alike to embrace their sexuality and allows a freedom of expression. But it seems this freedom of sexual expression has ended up glamorizing the idea that females are nothing more than sexual objects. I understand that people need ways to process information and grouping people by perceived similar characteristics can be helpful when looking at the world. But the problem is that sometimes people are so focused on their narrow views that they fail to realize that one size does not fit all.

And the winner is...

DONALD DRIVER!!!!

If you have been as attached to "Dancing with the Stars," as I have, I am sure that you are all happy to hear that football star, Donald Driver, and his partner Peta Murgatroyed won!

I have been dancing since the age of two, and am a member of a professional dance company, so I know first hand how much hard work it takes to be a champion. The stars of season 14, Dancing with the Stars, only had limited number of weeks to perfect their numbers, to be performed live, in front of the nation. Donald is a true man of competition, setting his mind to something, and achieving it, just like he did with the superbowl, with his team, The Greenbay Packers.

I don't know what the whole love affair of celebrities dancing is, but regardless, it is good TV. For season 15, Dancing with the Stars, is doing an All Star cast, bringing back fan favourites and past winners. I personally hope they bring back Kate Gosselin, because she is a piece of work...and a terrible dancer.

Like I said before, since I am a highly trained and competitive dancer, I will be watching any show that includes my two favourite things; dance and celebs looking crazy! Congrats again, to Donald and Peta, for a job well done!

Sports. Hollywood. Gladwell. Why you should be reading Grantland.com.

While he is known primarily as one of the most prolific writers in sports journalism today, Bill Simmons reputation as a keen observer of the circus of popular culture is nearly as well established.

Last summer, the EPSN alum launched Grantland.com, a grab-bag collection of journalism which features writing on everything from the volatile racial politics of the Trayvon Martin case to a hilarious list of classic board game commercials on YouTube. While topics range from the sobering to the absurd, one constant of Grantland is that the calibre of writing on display is absolutely top-shelf.  The site is regularly updated with some of the funniest and best informed analysis available online, whether it be Simmons' meticulous writing on NBA stars, equally detailed analysis of plot threads and characters on Mad Men, or a remarkable story about an all-boys baseball team who were scared of losing to a girl.

For those looking for informed discussion on the complex intersection of business and sports, Grantland is a godsend. Best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell has written several essays for the site regarding the economics of owning a professional sports franchise, and the ongoing discussion of the long-term ramifications of violence in sport has been though-provoking as well. There is a disturbing piece on the consequences of head trauma in youths, particularly football players, which qualifies as an absolute must read as well.

Those articles which discuss topics in pop culture often have tongue in cheek reference towards the sporting roots of the site; Hollywood Prospectus tips its hat to the popular baseball statistics site and during the 2012 NCAA basketball tournament in March, Grantland published an ongoing "smacketology" series which played upon the intimidating nature of characters on HBO's series The Wire. Despite the disdain which Wire creator David Simon appears to hold for such endeavours, these goofy pieces are written by informed and talented writers, who demonstrate an appreciation for their work not generally found on most "review" sites.

All told, while Grantland is certainly heavy on sports writing, there is such a broad range of  content from witty writers (Chuck Klosterman, David Eggers) that even non-sports fans should find something worth reading. 

Best New Music of 2012 - Blunderbuss - Jack White

Jack White has accomplished more in fifteen years than most musicians will ever dream of.

When Jack and drummer Meg White formed The White Stripes in Detroit back in 1997, future world tours and platinum record sales would have been an unrealistic expectation. As a minimalist blues duo, the band focused on achieving maximum volume through the simplest of equipment, often eschewing the sterile predictability of digital recording devices in order to use analog equipment decades old. For the span of their career, the band's stage set-up consisted of a no-frills drum kit and a lone amp with guitar. This deceptive presentation allowed the prodigiously talented Jack to stretch out on guitar; material from the band's early days consisted of a wide range of music from Led Zeppelin and Dolly Parton covers to original tunes of Jack's creation.

As the garage-rock revival of the early 2000's took hold of the music industry, The White Stripes began to gain national attention, due to their infectious single  "Fell In Love With A Girl" and its innovative video. Within a few years, hype had become reality as the band exploded with the throbbing pulse of "Seven Nation Army", a crossover hit which catapulted the band up international sales charts. The band would come to dominate rock radio airplay in the 2000's, before breaking up following a string of commercial and critical acclaim.

Since then, White has firmly established himself as one of leading voices in rock today, whether proudly blasting out blues-based rock with The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather or producing country music legend Loretta Lynn's comeback record Van Lear Rose.

But it is White's most recent release, Blunderbuss which is his most impressive recording thus far. All sides of his personality as a songwriter are on display on the record; the throwback riffs of "Sixteen Saltines" stand as proud as the tender duet "Love Interruption", performed with singer Ruby Amanfu. White is indeed a remarkable guitar player, but his fretboard pyrotechnics are largely kept in check in the interest of song structure on Blunderbuss. The result is some of the catchiest, most appealing rock music being created today, with a fair bit less of the feedback squalls which turned away potential White Stripes fans.

The response to Blunderbuss has been near-unanimous praise, whether from the notoriously critical reviewers at Pitchfork or the always looming billboard charts, where the record first appeared at number one. The credit is much deserved for one of the most innovative and hard-working musicians around today.

Buried Treasures of Netflix - Bottle Rocket (1996)

Though the service has only been around for a few years, Netflix has firmly established its reputation as the go-to app for avid film and television fans. Even casual viewers of such entertainment should have little regret when parting with around ten dollars each month for unlimited viewing, as the price is still less than two physical "rentals" usually cost at video stores. Rather, used to cost. Netflix's innovations in content streaming have effectively destroyed the entire video rental market. Good riddance.

One admittedly annoying commonality between Netflix and the old guard of rental stores: both are full of garbage. While there is a great deal of flexibility with regards to user preferences and the type of films and shows that appear while browsing Netflix, one is still inundated with all kinds of banal programming. For every academy award winning film, there are a dozen awful-looking straight to video films.

But there are diamonds in the rough to be found. One such gem is Wes Anderson's Bottle Rocket, a bizarrely appealing film which signified the start of Anderson and the Wilson brothers' careers. Anyone familiar with the more critically acclaimed of Anderson's works, such as The Royal Tenenbaums or The Fantastic Mr Fox should be right at home with Bottle Rocket; quirky characters with bizarre tendencies are a commonality between all of Anderson's films, and Luke and Owen Wilson are ideally suited to play the roles of amateur criminals in the film, Dignan and Anthony.

Bottle Rocket is in essence a heist movie with a comedic bend to it. Rather than devolving into a typical "buddy" comedy with slapstick scenes, much of the film is dialogue driven and dependant on agile performances from the Wilson brothers. It is crucial that both of them are able to convey deadpan seriousness in the face of absurdity, as many scenes involve preposterous scenarios and conversations which encourage laughter from the audience while the characters are in fact being "serious". The most obvious example of this is the seventy-five year plan that Owen Wilson's character Dignan hatches for the two of them, which obviously involves a fair bit of assumption on their part. There are a great deal of laughs in the film, and the chemistry between the Wilson brothers is engaging, despite their characters inherent weirdness.

Considering the critical acclaim that has been consistently directed toward Wes Anderson for the majority of his career, it is impressive to see that the wacky niche he has carved out for himself in the film industry. Bottle Rocket is a charming film that should appeal to anyone looking for an of-kilter laugh with a touch of lunacy.

Kony who?

Remember a couple months back how the biggest topic of conversation was the Kony 2012 video? I would go into great deal about what it is but, I think that half the planet knows about it so I will take my chances. Now that this ordeal has long been forgotten the only traces that are left are the very offensive but hilarious memes that circle the internet.

At first, when I saw numerous videos posted on friends Facebook walls, I thought that this Kony individual was a skateboarder or something of the sort. Then within a couple hours at least 150 friends on Facebook had posted about this Kony character . So I finally decided to give the Kony 2012 video a watch.

I sat through the whole entire thirty minutes of it and thought to myself how inspiring and touching these young individuals are. The movement of the Invisible Children seemed to be pretty legitimate so I thought about going to the website and donating. Being the person I am, I do not like making decisions until I know all the information. As I began to research the Invisible Children and Kony's terror a lot of things came out that made me a skeptic of the charity behind it. One major issue is that much of the money was not actually going to the children. Most of it was going to the film making, travel expenses and other management finances.

Another issue that I had is that many of the critical problems that were spoken of in the video were already in the midst of being resolved. I also have had several friends that have traveled to Uganda and have read countless of articles and the re-occurring statement that is said by many is that much of the representations were over stated and were not as factual as they were made out to be.

The point is to research your charities before you choose them . : )

On a side note, did anyone even do anything on April 20th?

From Tumblr to Pinterest

Pop-culture is based on popular mainstream tastes, ideas and cultures. Since our blog is about Pop-culture I wanted to bring up the large phenomena and now mainstream website ; Tumblr. A few years ago, I discovered the site Tumblr. I did not know much about it at the time other than it was a blog of sorts. All I would  do was find random pictures or quotes I would like and then would post a couple of them a week on the site.  As my number of followers grew, my posts became more frequent as well.  I felt quite popular among this internet site.

As my popularity grew there also were many people that did not like my Tumblr account what so ever.  These people would say that I am "stealing" pictures and quotes or even things that I had written myself. I found that as the site grew more popular too, the more complicated and less enjoyable it became.

This blog was just something I did in my spare time as a way to relax. I was not in any way, shape or form trying to steal things that were not mine or break any laws of any kind . All I wanted to do was go home after school and escape from real life for an hour a day to mindlessly surf Tumblr and re-blog anything that suited my fancy.

All the rules, regulations and terms and conditions had become so complex that I eventually gave up on Tumblr all together. I thought what is the point of even having a Tumblr account to relax if it actually is more of a stress than school is. 

I read this article about a year ago, and I found it interesting as well as helpful. It was called A Guide to Happy (and Legal) Tumblr-ing . This article by Luke O'Neil in the Wall Street Journal, goes over the basics over Tumblr and how to enjoy it without feeling you are breaking the law. He mentions the importance of the usage of Creative Commons, Flickr and citing your sources.  Which are all important practices of blogging (as we have learned in Michele's class thus far).

The article mentions many valid points and ways to enjoy Tumblr which may make me want to re-join the website. Unfortunately, I have no time and little energy to waste on checking if each picture I re-blog has a creative commons licence. So for now I will have to find another outlet for relaxation. 

Hot Yoga anyone???

In other news: Kim Kardashian

Let me start off by saying that I love the Kardashian family . They are the most entertaining and dramatic family to watch on television! Although, I wish they would cut out any part of the show that Kim is in . She is probably one of the most self centered individuals I have ever seen. I have not even met her and I somehow have such a strong dislike for her. I think part of the reason is that every single episode Kim is complaining about something or another. She acts like she is a 14 year old girl NOT 31 years of age. 

The reason why I fell in love with the Keeping Up with the Kardashians show was mainly because of the dynamics among the three sisters; Kim, Khloe and Kourtney. The one thing though that you could tell from the beginning of the show in 2007, is that Kim number one priority was herself. As the seasons went on this became more apparent. She also believed that her two sisters were jealous of  her . Which she would announce on the show at least every other episode. She took it so far to the point of actually "tweeting" to her over 2 million followers on numerous occasions about how jealous her sisters are. How immature can you be?

Sorry for this rant but I think someone needs to give her a reality check . She has made millions off of absolutely nothing. Okay scratch that, she has made millions for posing naked quite a few times, dating famous football players, and being the annoying sister on Keeping Up with the Kardashians. OH AND HOW COULD I FORGET!!! She also made a nice little paycheck off of marrying a famous basketball player; Kris Humphries,  for 72 days . What an nice publicity stunt that was! Especially that televised wedding that reportedly brought her in a whopping 18 million dollars. 

To each his own but a 31 year old should have more maturity than some of the stunts she pulled. Sorry but who wears 80,000$ earrings swimming and then loses them? (Please watch the video if you haven't yet!!!)  Only Kim Kardashian would. 

The Real Housewives of Vancouver

I will just come out and say it; I am absolutely in love with "reality" TV shows. Maybe it is the mindless hours of  entertainment or that these people's lives are more interesting than mine. Whatever it might be, I admit I am addicted. 

The Real Housewives TV series is one of my personal favourite. I have been a fan since the start. The Real Housewives of Orange County came out many years ago and because of it's extreme popularity they expanded to major cities in places such as; Atlanta, New Jersey, New York, and Beverly Hills. A couple of months ago, Bravo had announced that it was going to be taking the show internationally by branching into Europe, Canada and a few other countries.

At first I was a sceptic, thinking that I could never watch the Canadian version of the housewives show. Especially considering how many Canadian shows have turned out to be nothing but flops. For example; Canadian Idol, Canada's Got Talent, Canada's Next Top Model and so on. The list can go on forever. 

To my surprise, I watched the series premier of the Real Housewives of Vancouver and was immediately in love. The characters on the show all have very unique personalities and bring lots of excitement and drama to the show. One of the wives; Reiko, on the show is a car fanatic and collects luxury sports cars. Since I myself am a car fanatic as well, I became a little envious of her 3 Lamborghinis parked in her garage.

I all I can do is dream about having those many horses singing in my garage. For now I can just continue working on my degree and eventually either: a) land a good job or b) land a rich husband (this is a joke , please don't be offended). Maybe one day I will be on the show? Until then I will continue being a dedicated real housewives addict! 

Self Tanner

Okay, let's get real...It is almost summer, so who dosen't want a nice glow? I am personally not going to use a taning bed, just because I have seen Final Destination, and saw how a girl died in one, and also because I know how harmful they are to your skin. I am also not a fan of spray tanning, because I came out looking like an Oompa Loompa.
My favourite way to get a good glow, for an affordable price is the Marcelle Tanning towelettes. You can buy them online, or at your drug store. They are cheap, easy to use, and give you a healthy, not orange, summer glow!

Jessica Simpson's Baby Photos.

Hi friends,

The pop star, Jessica Simpson, gave birth to her first child, daughter Maxwell Drew, last week. This immediately got all the tabloids in talks about who can offer her the most money, for the first pictures of baby Maxwell.
Well...seems like People magazine won the bid! They are paying Jessica, and fiance Eric, $800,000
Sources say that the couple is disappointed with the offer being that low, but they are taking it anyways.

At least Maxwell has a university fund started! Hahaha

Ombre nails

The latest trend is Ombre. If you are unaware of what that is, that is when your hair goes from dark to light. I am overly attached to my hair, and am too scared to change the colour, but ombre nails are a commitment free way to try it out.
You can buy ombre nail kits, at Shoppers Drug Mart, and they are fast and easy to use!

Ombre nails are a fun way to stay on trend, and I am positive you will be getting lots of compliments on them!

Enjoy!

Celebrity Gossip

Hi all,
My name is Chloe, and I admit, I am one of those people who loves reading all of the latest celebrity news. I love to buy all sorts of tabloids, and even search online magazines!
If you like the same things as me, these online mags and gossip sites are great!
www.zimbio.com
www.celebuzz.com
www.perezhilton.com
www.justjared.com
Enjoy your gossip fix! :)