Journal #10: Typographic Wallpaper

For my last journal entry, I decided to use the tutorial for typographic wallpaper. The link is http://www.tutorial9.net/photoshop/creating-a-typographic-wallpaper/. I found it a little difficult to get mine to look exactly like the tutorials did. I added my own words and used the number 5 instead of 9 because 5 if my favorite number. Since 5 is my favorite number, I wrote words that described me or things that I enjoy. I used a gradient overlay on the words and the blur stroke to give it a little more detail and emphasis.

journal entry #9: text effects

Using the text effect tutorial, I created effects to my name and the word fashion. For the "fashion" text I used Gradient Overlay, Bevel and Emboss, Contour, Inner Shadow, Inner Glow, and Overlay. This is supposed to give a "plastic effect". For the "Courtney" text I used Gradient Overlay.

Journal Entry #8: Pick the Perp

The Pick the Perp website is amusing, addicting, and plain old strange. When I first clicked on the link I did not expect the site to be what it was. It relates to the Scientific Looking, Looking at Science chapter because the chapter mentioned mugshots and fingerprints to find criminals. Photography was used to remember things that happened in the past. A photograph of a criminal, or a mugshot, helps police to track down the case at hand. This website provided mugshots of five different criminals, and what they were charged with. You have to pick which person you think is most suspectful of committing that crime. At first, I got the first three correct, but then I continued choosing and got a lot wrong. It's really tricky to match a headshot with a crime. You usually think of women dealing with credit card theft or big muscular men with possession of drugs or grand theft auto, but through this website you realize that it doesn't matter what the people look like because anyone is capable of doing any crime. This is why fingerprinting is the best tactic to use when trying to solve a crime mystery. I would not be a very good detective because through stereotyping the looks of the people on the website, I thought they would do that act but really, someone I least expected was the real culprit.
Although this website is somewhat humorous and strange, there are some positive things about it. It can help people realize that sometimes, the people who you least expect to commit a type of crime, really can be the person who does. The dirtiest, most sluggish person might look like they would be a burglar when they really aren't. This website could also help detectives and police decide who committed what crime. The negative aspect of this website is that it is very stereotypical. I really want to know if each and every picture is of an actual criminal or if some are normal, innocent people. When looking through the pictures, you automatically pick out the people who would most likely commit a crime, usually a black or old man. You don't typically think of women doing these things but a lot of the times they are the suspects. This website might anger a lot of people. I found it to be very interesting and addicting because it makes you want to keep guessing more.

Journal Entry #7: Media is Corrupt

As my housemates and I were watching a news story on the swine flu in our living room the other day, one of them suddenly said, "the media is making the swine flu into such a big deal to scare everyone, when it probably isn't even that bad. The media corrupts people and turns everything into something negative." This is so true. You never hear about anything positive or good news on TV. News reports are, for the most part, very negative. You turn the news on and hear about how deadly the swine flu is (when it has barely killed anyone in the U.S. yet) or a stabbing in some inner city neighborhood. Or, you open up the newspaper and read about a potential terrorist attack or how poorly the economy is doing. Then, as you continue flipping through the pages of the newspaper, you will eventually get to the positive stories, but the article is most likely very short. The media loves to turn everything into a bigger deal than it really is, in order to draw in viewers. This makes perfect sense, because everyone loves to hear about the newest gossip on the street.
Although we are exposed to different types of media each day and don't think twice about it; today's society really has become corrupt due to media. Think of celebrity gossip sites; the media loves to poke fun at celebs and find every possible negative thing they can about them. Miley Cyrus, for example, is an innocent sixteen year old actress who gets put down by the media no matter what she does. The media doesn't let her breathe on her own...they will probably find something wrong with that also. And then there are the celebrity couples. Celebs can never keep a relationship or a breakup secret because once the media gets word of something they will let everyone know...and usually make it negative.
The one thing that really bothers me about this issue is how it portrays America as being so negative. It is depressing when every news story you read or hear about is something devastating. It's time for the media to start focusing on the positive news stories because the way our economy is going right now, Americans need some cheering up in their day to day lives.