What this Country has come to....

It is really a shame that this is what the country has come to. There are people all over that don't have nearly half of what we do and yet we still complain about what we have and find a way to make it sound justified. Maybe the way it is portrayed in this video is comedic but it is just sad that the reactions in it are pretty much true. Just some food for thought

NY Times Articles

The BlackBerry as the Black Sheep: Oct. 17th

The once powerful and dominate company BlackBerry has seemed to fall to waste side in the smart phone race that has taken over the nation. According to New York Times, the percentage of BlackBerry users at a 10th of a precent from what it was 3 years ago (currently 5%). That means bad things for RIM, the software provider for BlackBerry. Major companies, and even the White House, have been switching their phones to iPhones or android phones. One saving grace to the BlackBerry is the presence of a PHYSICAL keyboard. Other than that, there isn't really too much they have going for them.

This article topic is very prevalent in my life right now. I have many friends that have traded in their BlackBerry, which the term CrackBerry was starting to be used, for iPhones and Droids. I have never had a one myself but I know that I glad I haven't just because of all the problems and horror stories I've heard.


Hey, That's My Ethics Professor Cursing Up There on the Stage: Oct 19th

Business students got a rude awakening in their business ethics class at Fairfield University. The typically relaxed and practical professor was not that in the least. In a collaboration between the art and science school and business school, professor Schimdt read a very explosive and forward monologue from Glengarry Glenn Ross that was rich with profanity. Needless to say, the students surprised, caught of guard, and a little bit nervous about the outburst. The meaning behind it was to give them a look into the real world of business and prepare them for situations they might be faced with.

When I read this article I couldn't help but laugh some. It is not uncommon to find my professors slipping a few curse words into their lectures and have them be very blunt about what life will be like after college. So naturally I found it funny that people would have a nervous, appalled, and taken back reaction to seeing their professor like that. But I also think it was a GREAT idea because it gives the students a first hand look at what they face after they graduate.

Sticker Project

I used the issue of parking in Baltimore for my project. I wanted to address the fact that there is very free limited free parking in the city and there also a lot of meters/pay stations around. I wanted to try to make people aware of how much they spend on the meter and other forms of transportation that is cheap and also free. I ended up putting stickers on the meters and pay stations the had facts and comments about parking.

 Here are some pictures of the stickers i used and how I put them on the meters. I made sure I didn't cover anything that was important like writing and the pay slot. I also made it easy for them to be taken off in need be.

Results:

I wanted to see some immediate responses to my project but the time that I did it kind of inhibited that. I did see a few people checking out and reading my stickers but when I stopped to take a pic they were either done or stopped reading and walked away. I was also asked what i was doing and if I was giving out tickets to people. I want to go back down and see if my stickers are still there or if people are actually looking at them.

Guerrilla Project

Social Issue:

The social issue I am going to base my first project off of is parking in the city. Parking is a very big issue every time I go into the city. There is never anywhere to park and you always waste a good amount of gas driving around trying to find a spot. Once you find one you have to put money in the meter so you not only waste gas but money too. There are a lot of spots where you cant park at all or you can only park between certain hours. So I am planning on making stickers to go around and put on meters and pay stations. These stickers will have facts and different comments on them about parking in cities and gas.

Some of the facts and comments would include:

• The average person spends $368 on gas a month.
• The money spent on this meter goes to help pay the salary of the person who would write you a ticket.
• That change would look a lot better going in a coinstar machine.
• No meter needed for a bike.
• This meter costs the same amount as a bus fare.

things of this nature to get peoples attention and spark interest in other means of transportation. I would use typography to make the stickers appealing so people will want to read them.

http://www.taphilo.com/tom/parkingmeters.shtml

http://money.cnn.com/2011/05/05/news/economy/gas_prices_income_spending/index.htm

Guerilla Art. What is it?!

What is it?

Guerilla art is often considered street art. It is a form of art where an anonymous artist leaves their piece in a public place as a way to express their views on certain topics and make an overt public statement. It started as an "underground" movement in the 80's. It doesn't use just one medium, it could use whatever type of expression that you want. It is often highly controversial and is meant to be very thought provoking to who every comes across it. Common forms of guerilla art are:

• Chalking
• Sculptures 
• Stickers
• Posters
• Graffiti 

http://guerilla-art.wikidot.com/what-is-guerilla-art

http://www.concepttshirts.co.uk/guerilla-art.php

http://www.squidoo.com/guerilla-art-crafts-gallery-cool-street-artwork-and-installations

"Its good for people to remember that public space is a battleground, with the government, advertisers and artists all mixing and mashing, and even now the cross-pollination taking place as street artists become brands, and brands camouflaging as street art creating complex hybrids or impersonators." 

- Mark Jenkins

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1911799_1912679,00.html

Top Ten Social Issues

1. Parking 
2. Instant Gratification
3. Trash on the streets
4. Profiling
5. Neglected Neighborhoods
6. Harbor Water Quality
7. Need for Monetary Exchange
8. Abandoned Houses 
9. Safe Places for Kids
10. Homeless

Design Thinking

There are many different ways to define what design thinking is, but i feel these two fit it best. Design thinking is the process of practical, creative resolution of problems or issues that looks for an improved future result.  A discipline that uses designers sensibility and methods to match peoples needs with what is technologically feasible and what a viable business can convert into customer value and market opportunity.
http://designthinking.ideo.com/?p=49
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_thinking

Here is a list of others ways to define design thinking : http://mootee.typepad.com/innovation_playground/2012/02/design-thinking-is-a-cognitive-and-intellectual-process-that-balances-the-rational-and-emotional-not.html

My understanding of "design skills" is that it is a way to measure the creative and personal abilities of a person when it comes to design. It doesn't have to be just with artistic design. It could lend itself to businesses, sports, journalism, television, and many other things. It can measure the ability of a persons way of communication an idea to someone as well.

Creativity, to me, is when someone puts their own spin and personality on something to make it unique and interesting to a large group of people. Creativity is something that comes naturally to every person. It's how we access that part of the brain and utilize that style of thinking that makes it more noticeable in certain people. Creativity is important to the success of a person because it is something that will set them apart from the rest of the people in their specific field. The webster style definition of the word is: the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns,relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful newideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality,progressiveness, or imagination.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/creativity

Social Issues of Baltimore