Link: https://pdnpulse.pdnonline.com/2020/01/ami-vitale-top-photo-decade.html

“Save The Animals!” We hear this message all the time, whether it’s an Instagram post or an on-campus club. Whenever I hear about this issue, I always bury it in the back of my mind. I feel like I’m way too busy to do anything about it. Also, there are more important problems to solve, right? Journalists from the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya released this photo in 2009. This photo photographs the final moments of the last Northern White Rhino on the planet. The picture is filled with subliminal messages, and it was released for a purpose. This photo begs the audience to shift their focuses to preventing global animal extinctions.

It’s important to note the bracelets in the photo. Everyone comforting the rhino in its final moment is wearing a specific type of bracelet. Odds are these people all work at the conservatory. I believe they all wore these similar bracelets to prove a point. The bracelets are all similar, signifying unity among the helpers. This could mean “only local people see how bad the issue is” or “we need to unite together to prevent this from happening”. Either way, the bracelets were designed to send a message.

Another detail I noticed was the camera’s focus. The Camera is focused on the rhino’s head, showing him suffering and dying. The rhino takes up the majority of the picture; his eyes are closed symbolizing his near end. The emphasis on the rhinos closed eye is important. I think it could symbolize the world in the sense that we don’t see (or choose not to see) issues like animal extinction.

In addition to the bracelets, two of the arms are wearing watches. Both of the watches don’t show a time (maybe due to camera angle). I think the blank watches are metaphors for how we are “out of time” to help the Northern White Rhino. The rhino in the photo is the last on earth so we are too late.

This powerful photo invokes sadness in the audience. The photo is meant to show failure; we are too late. The conservatory’s mission is done but they don’t want us the give up on other animals. This photo wasn’t posted as a “we give up” post but rather a “we have to try harder” message. There are more animals around the world fighting against extinction (whether it’s human-related or not). We need to step up our game before its too late for other animals.

PAS Series: In this Passion blog series, I will be broadcasting my top eight artist(s) that influenced the way I play and write music. As a music theory appreciator, I enjoy playing in my band and writing musical pieces. I want to appreciate the artist(s) that helped inspire my musical hobbies by ranking them in a series of blog posts. Each post, I will feature an artist/band that helps me craft my style. Stay tuned to each post to see who is at number one! 

Finally, my dramatic countdown series comes to an end. The top band has been around since 1998 when they formed in New York. They still produce music to this day which is adored by the pop and alternate world. Here’s a hint: They are widely considered one of the cornerstone alt-bands. Did you guess it? Well if you haven’t odds are you still know The Strokes. Julian Casablancas, Fab, Nick Valencia, Albert Hammond Jr., and Nikolai Fraiture have produced six highly rated albums. Their critically acclaimed music has defined the genre. I first listen to The Strokes my junior year; I was hooked from that moment.

My favorite Strokes song is “You Talk Way Too Much”. This track off Room on Fire is super catchy and is relatively new to me. I’ve listened to all The Strokes songs in ten folds. For some reason, I never really played this song on repeat so I am not fully sick of it yet. The instrumentals on this song are basic, but it’s in their simplicity that I find comfort. The song gives me this nostalgic feeling of winter. The song reminds me of night drives with my friends and skiing trips. I find this ironic since I never really enjoyed this song back then. For some reason, it made a place for itself in my heart.

My favorite Strokes album is “The New Abnormal”. This was the first Strokes album that came out while I was a fan. This album is the greatest album ever created in my opinion. There is a perfect blend of old Strokes fashion with a new funky style. The album is so diverse yet each song is just as good as the next. This is the only album I´ve listened to where there were no bad songs.

The main reason I got into music is the strokes. I’ve been learning different instruments all my life, but never with a clear purpose. When I started playing music with my friends (around the same time I heard of The Strokes), my life changed. I started to invest more purposeful time into music. I started to learn how to drum and then added guitar. After that, I bought a MIDI and me and my friends got to work. The Strokes channeled my love for music into the creative production sphere.

So why should you listen to The Strokes? The Strokes are fundamental musicians; their music is a demonstration of the full potential of music theory. Not to mention they’ve created some of the best songs in existence! “You Only Live Once” so go give The Strokes a listen.

Perhaps you know them from Tiktok, or maybe from movies. Maybe you were there at the release of their debut album (in the records as the most successful Alternate Rock album of all time). If you haven’t heard of them, you’re probably living under a rock. Arctic Monkeys are considered one of the greatest alternative rock bands of all time. The band leader Alex Turner started the band in 2002. The band consists of four highly talented members: Alex Turner, Jamie Cook, Matt Helders, and Nick O’Malley. I first heard the Arctic Monkeys as a kid, but I only grew to appreciate their talent my junior year.

My favorite Arctic Monkeys song is hands down, “A Certain Romance”. This song was the last track on the band’s debut album. I first heard this song my junior year, when I finally gave the band a chance. Unlike the other songs on the album, “A Certain Romance” is over five minutes long. I find that this song perfectly sums up the album since it combines the calm and fast styles we hear on previous tracks. The instrumentals and lyrics on this song are near perfect. I’ve been a fan of this song for a while and it just never gets old to me.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that my favorite Arctic Monkeys Album is their best-rated one. For once, I will ride the bandwagon. What Ever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (yes that’s the actual name of the album) was their highly successful debut album released in 2006. The only album to come close to topping this album’s greatness was their most recent release Tranquillity Based Hotel and Casino. Their debut album is my favorite because of its unmatched energy and style. No album after this one quite matched their pure punk roots.

In my own music, the Arctic Monkeys are my second biggest inspiration. The only band to beat them out will be featured in next week’s post. Alternative rock is my favorite genre and Alex Turner is one of the few people who inspired me to create it. My skillset in this genre is limited at the moment, but through more experience, I hope one day my music can sound more like his.

Arctic Monkeys have a wide variety of alternate music. Their diverse albums across various genres make them a versatile band. It’s hard to get a taste for the band by just listening to one song or album. I suggest listening to one song off each album and picking the album in accordance with your favorite of the songs.

PAS Series: In this Passion blog series, I will be broadcasting my top eight artist(s) that influenced the way I play and write music. As a music theory appreciator, I enjoy playing in my band and writing musical pieces. I want to appreciate the artist(s) that helped inspire my musical hobbies by ranking them in a series of blog posts. Each post, I will feature an artist/band that helps me craft my style. Stay tuned to each post to see who is at number one! 

In the famous words of show host Ed Sullivan, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you The Beatles!” Ed Sullivan unknowingly started a movement that night as The Beatles were introduced to America. “Beatlemania” as it was so-called swept the world the next day. Today, The Beatles don’t need an introduction. You may know them as the “most popular band of all time” or maybe as “that one band my grandad listens to”. Either way, there is no denying their greatness and influence on music. I first listen to The Beatles as a young child; I was hooked from that moment on.

My favorite Beatles song is “Act Naturally”. This song is most likely my favorite because of its inception in my recent playlists. This is one of the few Beatles songs I still can listen to on repeat since I haven’t fully exhausted it. In terms of content, this song is interesting. “Act Naturally” combines a very upbeat track with a rather sad message. Sad songs typically have a down-to-earth instrumental to complement their messages. “Act Naturally” breaks this barrier by still sounding happy, despite its depressing lonely message.

“Act Naturally” was the first song I heard of Help!. This album was one of The Beatles’ last albums before their Psychadelic Phase. Once I investigated this album further in grade school, I was hooked. Help! is most known for its two popular songs “Yesterday” and “Help!”. Although these songs impressed me, it was the lesser-known tracks like “Ticket to Ride” and “The Night Before” that won my affection. This is the second-best album of all time in my opinion. The high beat party tracks combined with the mellow songs make it perfect for any occasion.

With their vast influence on music in general, almost everything I write is influenced in some way by them. The Beatles revolutionized the idea of a band. All members wrote songs (although Macartney, Lennon, and Harrison’s songs were mostly used). This is the same model me and my friend use in our music. He is more skilled on the guitar than me so I let him take expertise in guitar-based songs. Similarly, I help him with drums and piano-based songs. This no leader band dynamic helps us to be more creative in jam sessions.

So if you haven’t listened to The Beatles by now, go do so! They are “the most popular band of all time” for a reason. What are you waiting for? Go take a trip in the Yellow Submarine!

Music has changed drastically since its inception. When we show our current music fancies to those in older generations, they typically question our sanity. Music changes so much from decade to decade. One of the driving forces behind this shift has been the evolution of profanity lyrics. Major cultural shifts have changed public perception of profanity within mainstream music. Today on all major music charts, you will always find more songs with profanity than without it. The goal of my Evolving Ideas Essay will be to capture and analyze the separate shifts that lead up to this massive cultural change.

In order to show how we got to this point as a society, I will need to find all the small shifts that happened along the way. I have begun initial research on this portion and have found several obvious shifts. My starting point will be in 1935 with the Patricia Norimans incident. This point is a good starting point because it shows the introduction of “profanity” into mainstream music. l explain these shifts in detail and then analyze them throughout my essay. In my analysis, I will aim to explain their importance and then their actual effect on culture.

In terms of the topic in general, the topic should be important to the audience whether their aware of it or not. It’s important for the audience to step out of cultural influence. When profanity becomes more accepted into mainstream music, we evolve to this idea. Our standards for censorship drop dramatically (consciously and even subconsciously). This is important to acknowledge because it forces us to consider our stance on profanity. If not for us, then for the younger audience who may hear it when we play it around them. Do we want younger generations to be exposed to such adult vulgarities and profanities?

Overall, my interest in this subject stems from my interest in music. If you’ve read any previous PAS blog posts, you know that I fancy myself in music composition. I’ve spent a lot of time on the instrumental side of production but not the lyrical one. This essay will be both interesting and informative for me.

Main Research Questions:

• How did society respond to openly expressed sexual themes in music?
• How did society react to violent themes in music?
• How did society react to aggressive political feelings in music?

(Important note: These would be profanities within these realms. This makes it easier to find specific events for analysis)

Subsidiary Research Questions:

• What generations didn’t like the lyrical non-censorship?
• What did society and major radio do to prevent the vulgarities in music?
• Today, how much of aired radio is censored?

Link: https://www.ted.com/talks/mona_chalabi_how_long_does_it_take_to_get_over_a_breakup

How long does it take to get over a breakup? Data journalist Mona Chalabi explores this question in her online Ted Talk. Mona addresses several self-healing tactics to explain her theory on recovery time. To boil things down, Mona believes that many of the mainstream tactics to help breakups are nonuniversal. Mona theorizes that some tactics simply don’t work. Mona goes through several past theories and addresses the paradigm shift in this field. Other tactics she addresses in her talk are better alternatives. In the end, Mona explains how tactics’ effectiveness varies between individuals.

On her offense, Mona attacks several breakup strategies. The first strategy she attacks is the “11-week recovery” study. Mona attacks this strategy’s merit; she says how this study didn’t have enough data points to be generalized to the human population. Mona also hits on the “why my ex hated me” strategy. This strategy has the subject dwell and reflect on all the mean things their ex said or did to them. This strategy does separate the subject more from their ex but is also makes the subject extremely unpleasant.

To find the best answers, Mona talks to a doctor in couples therapy. In partnership with him, Mona discusses a better strategy. The strategy is distracting yourself. If the subject can do more of the things he/she likes, then the subject will eventually forget the feelings for the ex. Despite this, Mona says that there are complications with this strategy. The feelings a patient has for his/her ex will always find their way back to haunt. In conclusion, we will probably never know the answer to the question of breakup heal time. There are simply too many variables and expenses to conduct a fully functional study on the subject.

In my opinion, Mona does a great job of presenting this information in an understandable way. She does this by bringing up strategies and falsifying their merit. This presentation style is very effective since it’s easy to follow and agree with. One of her other strengths is illustrating her findings with a more credible figure. By bringing in Dr. Hod Tamir, she can reinforce her findings on the strategies. Her use of personal experiences is also effective in reinforcement. Despite all this praise, Mona makes her main point unclear by adding in another thesis at the end of her speech. Her main points reinforce both the ideas of “old false strategies” and “how we will never know the true time of breakup healing”. This thesis at the end leaves an impactful message on the audience, but it also blurs the speeches intent.

PAS Series: In this Passion blog series, I will be broadcasting my top eight artist(s) that influenced the way I play and write music. As a music theory appreciator, I enjoy playing in my band and writing musical pieces. I want to appreciate the artist(s) that helped inspire my musical hobbies by ranking them in a series of blog posts. Each post, I will feature an artist/band that helps me craft my style. Stay tuned to each post to see who is at number one! 

Despite their menacing name, Vampire Weekend is a very soft pop-rock band. Vampire Weekend was formed in 2006 by music prodigy Ezra Koenig. Koenig is the head of the band, but Chris Tompson, Chris Bao, and Rostam Batmanglij help play his music. I first listened to Vampire Weekend as a child. Their catchy music and unique style drew me in.

My favorite Vampire Weekend song is without a doubt “Oxford Comma”. This instant classic does an amazing job of using simple instrument riffs to create a masterpiece. I first heard this song in my junior year of high school. I never got around to this popular Vampire Weekend song until I began my alternate music journey. This song is a mix of soft pop and rock. When I heard it for the first time, “Oxford Comma” sounded like a blend of all other brackets of Vampire Weekend. “Oxford Comma” features a great hook and vocals. “Oxford Comma” is engrained in my head because of its swagger.

My favorite Vampire Weekend album is Vampire Weekend. This was the band’s first studio album released in 2008. “Vampire Weekend” is arguably the best debut album created by a band. This album was a wild success when it was released in 2008. This album had several major hits such as “A-Punk” and “Campus”. The album does an amazing job of making songs within the same genre sound extremely diverse. Each Vampire Weekend album has a diverse sound. This album utilizes very simple instruments to make short loops. These loops when combined create amazing songs that own the soft indie genre.

In my own music, I often try to replicate Vampire Weekends style. Their style doesn’t sound complicated, however, it’s in their many simple loops that their musical syntax is achieved. I have had success so far in creating these small loops. Not everyone can be musical geniuses like Koenig however. What makes his music so successful is the technique in which he combines these loops together. Koenig’s music theory is elite. I will have to become more experienced in music theory to produce one of his most basic songs.

If you haven’t listed to Vampire Weekend by now you’re missing out. Vampire Weekend is a very easy ban to like. If you’re a fan of pop or rock, Vampire Weekend is the best of both worlds. Their swagger style is perfect for doing homework or having fun at a party.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of the ongoing Taiwan China conflict. Taiwan has been independent of China since 1949 at the end of World War II. Taiwan has been recognized as the Republic of China, or ROP for short. Since their separation, various Chinese leaders have tried to get Taiwan to consolidate back with China. This is not ideal for Taiwan since their style of government is conflicting with China’s. China’s recent moves have shown slight aggressions which make their threat of military action a concern. The United States has been supplying the small Island of Taiwan with defensive weapons amid these threats. The possibility of war between the US, China, and Taiwan is now more realistic than ever.

The picture I chose to analyze shows pro-Taiwan protestors carrying signs. The two visible signs read “One China” and “Taiwan Independence or War”. The “One China” sign is confusing since it seems to be promoting China’s cause. I believe however that the sign is meant to be mocking since the next sign over is promoting independence.

The “Taiwan Independence or War” sign is showing the extreme circumstances the Taiwan people are willing to go to to keep their independence. China has a much stronger military than Taiwan does. China has been an established country for longer than Taiwan, so they have a stronger military force. Also, in terms of population, China has a population almost fifty times that of Taiwan. Going to war on Taiwan’s part would be pretty much suicidal. This suggestion of war for independence suggests that Taiwanese citizens are willing to sacrifice their lives for Taiwan and their current form of government.

In terms of these signs’ effectiveness, I believe they are very effective. The “Taiwan Independence or War” poster shows the degree of the issue to the world. It’s important to point out that this sign is written in English, unlike the other signs. This is most likely meant to appeal to a worldwide audience, and even more specifically, the United States. Since the United States is the main nation aiding Taiwan, their perception of the situation is critical. The English writing also tells the world that Taiwan will not succumb to Chinese force easily.

The one question that prevents this protest’s argument from being perfect is the “One China” sign. On initial analysis, this protest appeared to be pro-China to me. It wasn’t until I saw the other poster and the large Taiwan flag that I understood the argument. If the sign was meant to be sarcastic, a question mark after the statement would have led to a smoother communication of the message.

PAS Series: In this Passion blog series, I will be broadcasting my top eight artist(s) that influenced the way I play and write music. As a music theory appreciator, I enjoy playing in my band and writing musical pieces. I want to appreciate the artist(s) that helped inspire my musical hobbies by ranking them in a series of blog posts. Each post, I will feature an artist/band that help me craft my style. Stay tuned each post to see who it at number one!

What do you call a band that clashes country with rock? A folk music band? Who makes Folk music anymore? Eagles is a band formed in 1971 in Los Angeles. The band is comprised of four members: Don Henley (guitar), Glen Frey (vocals), Bernie Leadon (guitar), and Randy Meisner (Bass). The four members were originally brought together through a gig as the instrumentals for a country star. After that experience, they went off on their own to an eventual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legacy. I first listened to Eagles in 2017 at the beginning of my freshman year. One of my older friends showed me some of their music; from that day on, I got hooked.

My favorite Eagles song is easily “Peaceful Easy Feeling”. I first heard this song end of my freshman year. This song was on one of the Eagles albums I missed the first time around. I regard this song so highly because of its relaxed country sound combined with amazing vocals. This song is perfect to blast when rolling down the road in the summer. To me, this song is also the epitome of Eagles music. This song combines all the elements and styles Eagles use throughout their tracks.

Furthermore, with all this unique style, Eagles’ albums won many awards. Almost every album they released went platinum, meaning it has over a million sales. Although all their albums are arguably good, my favorite album is On the Border. This is the most fun Eagles album to me. The high energy and loud vocals give me nostalgia of summer days. There are few calm songs on this album. Although there isn’t much folk country, I still love the high rock energy given off in this album.

In my own music, Eagles fueled my passion to learn guitar. Don Henley is one of the greatest guitarists of all time. The way he writes and plays music is elite. I am still a beginner on guitar, but I’ve learned a few Eagles songs. Most of Eagles good music is very hard to play because of their complicated chords progressions. However, Don Henley’s amazing music has inspired me to learn these difficult songs.

Whether your fan of excessive bajo playing or not, Eagles are a band worth listening to. Their combination of folk, rock, and country is an experience. Their classic American anthems instill a sense of pride in their listeners. If you want to take flight in the American experience, listen to Eagles.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7IP5SV6GqQ

While browsing messed up and odd commercials for this post, I came across many disturbing advertisements. No advertisement bothered me as much as the Love’s Baby Soft 1974 commercial for their new fragrance. This commercial was targeted towards adults and more specifically, the adult male population. Although the fragrance was designed for women, the advertisement encouraged men to buy it for their significant other. Although this doesn’t seem too out of the ordinary, the methods used in the commercial to persuade the viewer to buy this product were unorthodox and borderline criminal.

So, what was so bad about this commercial? Where do I start. The whole premise of the commercial is that innocence is sexy and pleasurable. Even though this message isn’t necessarily bad on its own, the commercial makes this message inappropriate by portraying innocence as a baby.

The commercial uses this concept in several persuasion techniques to get the attention of the viewer. First off, the commercial repeats the phrase “innocence is sexy” in a deep male voice. This phrase is a hook meant to stay in your head, and to persuade you to their concept of “sexy”. Another technique the commercial uses is its very symbolic imagery. There is a lot going on in this commercial visually.

Since this commercial is from 1974, it lacks a lot of color. We see a women dressed in bright white baby garments surrounded by a pink room. The woman is seductively licking a baby raddle while the camera slowly zooms out. The woman is dressed as a baby but acts in a very adult and seductive way. From her pose to the way she stares at the camera, the woman is clearly using a baby appearance to help illustrate the sick message of the commercial.

Despite the commercial not using a real baby (rather an adult woman dressed as a baby), the overall message still sexualizes babies in a way. Out of all innocent things in this world to choose, Love’s Baby Soft decided to illustrate this message with babies. This is highly disturbing for several reasons but mainly because of the value of children’s innocence to our society. We hold babies as pure since they don’t know of the world’s troubles and evils yet. This is a much different connotation for “pure” compared to that the ad references. If these types of advertisements were ever normalized on TV, I will completely lose hope in the world’s moral values.