The Secret Science of Stardom

           This article, The Secret Science of Stardom, reminds me of the article we read from Patterns, Fame-iness. Elizabeth Currid-Halkett defines what she believes fame is saying, "The basic criterion for being a star is that society is collectively interested in someone for things that transcend their talent". Halkett also reminds the readers that some people are only famous for being famous. Halkett and her partner studied hundreds of celebrities and how many times they were photographed and how it correlated with their celebrity status. They wanted to see if talented stars act differently than the ones driven by the media. Halkett wanted to see the different behavioral patterns in different levels of stars. Paris Hilton, is the most photographed celebrity, but that is not because of her level of talent, but because she has gone to the most events and has gotten her photo taken everywhere that she goes. Halkett explained saying, "Hilton attended over three times as many events as Oscar nominee Brad Pitt" and "Viola Davis a mere four events in the very same year that Hilton attended 95 events". Halkett is not impressed by Hilton and uses logos to back up her thesis. 

              There is a method to becoming a star and at first you may need to be in every photograph, but once you are an Oscar winning actor, the less events you go to, the more famous and in demand you are. I am fascinated with the idea of fame and would love to experience it for myself, but only for a week or two. There is something about going out to eat and everybody would know your name and envy you, it would be thrilling. Back to reality, this piece pointed out that even though you see the Kardashians in almost every tabloid, it does not mean that they are a truly famous. Being famous, means that you need to have a mysterious side to you and you draw people in just to be seen a couple of times a month. Halkett knew her audience and wrote the article this week because of the Oscars on Sunday. 

http://www.salon.com/2012/02/24/the_secret_science_of_stardom/

How to Wear a Tux

            Ladies, we always complain about how men have it so easy when getting ready for a formal event and they do, but a tux can be tricky to pull off. The tie has to be pointy, but no too pointy and do not even think about wearing a pant that is an inch too long! Author Guy Trebay says, "A tailor is your best friend" and he lives by that saying. A suit needs to look classic, either in a black or midnight-blue fabric paired with a classic, formal shoe. A tie is not acceptable at the Oscars and neither is a colorful jacket that could cause controversy. Joan Rivers will tear a man apart if their tux is ill-fitted or they are in a black shirt. George Clooney was at the top of Trebay's best dressed list because, "He has, of course, an obvious advantage".

           As a fan of watching the red carpet, I know what a good tux looks like and too often I see a gorgeous superstar in a horrible suit. I enjoyed this article, aimed at men, but also at women who complain that the men have it too easy. The logos was the strongest, with quotes from many men's designers and tailors. Little comments added humor throughout this timely article. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/23/fashion/formal-wear-tips-from-mens-fashion-experts.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&ref=general&src=me

Happy (Early) St. Patrick's Day!

An Original Kaylee's Cupcake!

Key Lime Classic

-Graham Cracker Crust

-Lime Cupcake

-White Chocolate Ganache Center

-Lime Frosting

*Decorated with green sanding sugar and a mini shamrock*

The Things I Carry

         This article brought me back to when our class read, The Things They Carry. It was an interesting article about a traveler and the electronics needed for his job. The main question asked in this essay was, Is all of this stuff really made to make our lives easier? Author, Patrick Smith, seems to believe that in fact all of these gadgets are necessary as a journalist, but they are actually making his life harder. He did not even own a cell phone until 2006 and now he is carrying around all of these things to and from cities. He states his thesis as, "All of this, supposedly, to keep us “connected.” To make our lives easier and more productive. Does it?" (Smith). It is crazy to think that we really need all of these electronics, but some people do. If you have an iPhone, then you need the charger and then the connector and then you MacBook, but your camera does not work with the Mac connector so you need to get a different one and soon enough you have more wires than an electrician.
        Some people consider all of these things necessities, but are they really? I know that I could probably travel without some of these things, but Smith is a journalist who needs all of these to stay connected to his job. I feel bad for him, having to carry all of this around all the time, but I think he wanted to sympathy. If I was traveling I would most likely bring my phone and its charger, but I don't have a camera or laptop of my own, so that would cut down on the amount of cords. I always have my iPod and my headphones and my Burt's Bees lip balm along with a pack of gum and hand sanitizer. When I think about it, I too carry around probably more than I need, but hey, its the things that I carry.

http://www.salon.com/2012/02/15/the_things_i_carry/

Adele: Too Fat for Fashion Designer

            Tip for all the men out there, DON'T comment on women's weight, it will only get you in trouble. Top designer, Karl Lagerfeld, had to learn this the hard way, when he commented on pop singer Adele's weight earlier this month calling her, "a little too fat". The Chanel designer has co-authored diet books and has faced his own weight problems in the past, but he crossed a line. Adele is not trying to be a skinny pop singer who has to starve herself to stay on top and as a designer he should have respected a real women's shape. Lagerfeld also dug a deeper hole by saying, "If I was a woman in Russia I would be a lesbian, as the men are very ugly" and "Nobody wants Greece to disappear, but they have really disgusting habits – Italy as well". Some people in the fashion world shot back at Lagerfeld by posting on Twitter, "Love Adele, Boycott Chanel". In my opinion, Adele is perfect and I envy her voice. She should be proud of what she has accomplished and continue on singing. 
             Author, Mary Elizabeth Williams, states, "I actually prefer Adele, she is my favorite singer and I am a great admirer of her". I completely agree with everything Williams said in this article, defending Adele all the way. She used a lot of quotes from famous people defending Adele and used many of Lagerfeld's hurtful statements. Adele has nothing to be ashamed of, if anything she should be extremely proud of what she has accomplished in what some call, "The Year of Adele".

Internship

             My mind is full of "what ifs" at the moment, "What if they don't like me?", "What if I make a fool of myself?", "What if I just stand there with nothing to do?. If I did the last option my teacher might kill me (not really), but she would be disappointed in me and then I would feel guilty. I over think situations way too much and everyone tells me that everything will be fine, but there will always be the "What if?" looming in the back of my mind. I am thrilled to be going to my internship, but it is my first day, I am like a child going off to preschool for the first time, not knowing anyone and not knowing what to expect. I just want to make it through the first day and then I will be fine (deep breath). I will be fine (deep breath). They will like me (deep breath). I am ready. 

The Absurd Life of an Abercrombie and Fitch Model

            This hilarious article about a twenty-six year old being "discovered" in New York tells the tale of Terry McCoy, an ex-Abercrombie and Fitch model. He began his day like any other, walking down the street, it was raining when a women came up to him and asked him if he had ever modeled, stunned Terry said "No". She "loved his look" and then took his contact information, McCoy never expecting this women to call him, but two days later she did. He was called into a recruiting session and got the job as an Abercrombie and Fitch model, getting paid $9 an hour. He had to learn catch phrases to say when people would enter the store and how to pose while folding clothes. To him, "It’s a confounding, bombastic and erotic slice of our American zeitgeist. Put another way: White people love it" (McCoy). On his first day he showed up late, hungover, and smelly, but to his surprise no one cared, not even the manager. He was given an outfit, but had to change many times because the pants were never tight enough. His job description was to be friendly and adorable, nothing more. McCoy also learned that, "At Abercrombie, I cannot overstate the cultural impact of wearing very skinny jeans, then plunging a thumb into each front pocket. This stance is very important. If you haven’t tried it before, I suggest you do" (McCoy). He quit two hours into his six hour shift, but no one really cared his manager saying, " Thanks bro! Catch you later!". 

            I laughed in my head many time while reading this story. His sarcastic and witty comments throughout his tale were perfect and charming. His ethos and personal experience made his story seem like it was playing out in front of you. This is my favorite article that I have read this year, actually reading every single word of it, even re-reading some. Apparently all you need is the right look and then you too could be an Abercrombie and Fitch model. 

http://www.salon.com/2012/02/04/the_absurd_life_of_an_abercrombie_fitch_model/

One's A Crowd

               Apparently, being lonely is the new relationship status when it comes to living in a city. More people are living alone more than ever, especially in busy cities, but compared to other countries America's percentage is low. Germany, France, Britain, and other world powers have a higher percentage of one-person-per household. Three of these world powers, China, India, and Brazil, all having fast growing economies. Could there be a link between single adults and a better economy? Is the fact that they are not committed to a person provide more time for them to focus on work, thus bettering the economy? Living along also," ... promotes freedom, personal control and self-realization" (Klinenberg). Another upside to being single is, "In fact, living alone can make it easier to be social, because single people have more free time, absent family obligations, to engage in social activities" (Klinenberg). Predictions show that living along will become more and more popular in the future.  

              The fact that living alone is no longer looked down upon is uplifting news for single people across the world. Maybe being single is not  so bad after all. I enjoyed reading this article and its positive outlook on life. Clearly written for single people, Eric Klinenberg, uses logos to defend his position. The possibility that being single could actually help the economy could suggest social change for the future and tax deductions for single people, who are helping the economy more than married couples. This article has the ability to change how people perceive being single. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/opinion/sunday/living-alone-means-being-social.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=general

The Upside of Dyslexia

          The upside to dyslexia is that a person affected by this reading disorder might be superior in science and art. Early evidence proves that "many people with dyslexia possess distinctive perceptual abilities" (Paul) and have sharper peripheral vision than others. People with dyslexia can also see a scene and rapidly "get the gist of it" quickly. Maybe dyslexia should not be seen as a disability, but as a talent? This early evidence is leaning in a positive direction for those impacted by dyslexia. 

          This optimistic article written by Annie Murphy Paul is truly good news for the 15% of Americans suffering form dyslexia. There is a lot of logos and pathos in this article using emotion and logic to make suggestions and prove her point. I am glad that many people are excited about this news and it will be helpful to tell a child having trouble with reading that they are better in other areas that some kids are not as good in. This also proves that there is an upside to everything. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/opinion/sunday/the-upside-of-dyslexia.html?hp

How Tanning Changes the Brain

           Tanning is bad, no matter what way you look at it and this article is just another piece of evidence proving that it should be outlawed. New research proves that tanning is addicting and that your brain can tell when you are experiencing UV rays and when you're not. The exposure to ultraviolet rays was suspected to be addictive and now scientist have proven that they are. Some people go tanning to reward themselves for their hard work and  "'What this shows is that the brain is in fact responding to UV light, and it responds in areas that are associated with reward,' said Dr. Bryon Adinoff" (O'Connor). Even with all of the warning about skin cancer and possible health risks tanning remains as popular as ever with about 30 million people tanning at salons every year. The experiment is set up so, "The tanners, questioned after each session, expressed less desire to tan after the real sessions, indicating they had gotten their fill. But on days when the tanners were unknowingly deprived of the UV rays, their desire to tan after the session remained as high as it was before the session began" (O'Connor). 

               I agree with writer, Anahad O'Connor, and his beliefs about tanning. Tanning indoors should be taken more seriously than it is today, there are just too many health risks related to extreme exposure to UV lights. The article is full of logos, O'Connor saying many statistics and scientific findings to prove his viewpoint. 

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/12/how-tanning-changes-the-brain/

Memoir #2

I chose my second memoir, Death Be Not Proud, by John Gunther, thanks to Talia Flamos and her persuasive presentation and description of the book during our english class. Hopefully, I will be able to easily compare my two memoirs in an essay. I am also looking forward to reading this book because my other memoir got dull towards the end and this book seems more interesting and more modern.