MILITAINMENT INC. - what you don't know makes us stronger

1- To accurately analyze social media interpretations of wartime situations we must look harder and deeper, through the lies and misconstrued fabrications of popular media giants.

2- All recorded video footage we see on television goes through a rigorous filtering process before it reaches us viewers.

Many major televised events in wars are staged (or organized) by the government.

Nearly 1,000,000 Iraqis have died since the start of the war.

American 'intelligence' sometimes leads to the unjustified deaths of alliance reporters.

By not showing the everyday lives of the "enemy population" we as viewers become dis-attached from the realities of the hardships that they face each and every day.

3- This piece of media stimulates both the neocortex and the limbic system in the sense that it creates (through visuals) a strong emotional connection for the viewer as well as (through intellectual processing) mental decision making spurred from difficult subject matter and morally questionable content.

4- There has been a major shift in the amount of general media coverage of wars in america. Sure, WWII was captured by media but was not displayed publicly as much as the War in Iraq. It seems as though the war is like a game, with constant updates and information about every little move.

There has also been a shift in the medium in which we receive this new, constant information. As we progress into the 2.0 and even 3.0 age we begin to receive constant information about the war on multiple levels and in many new media forms (such as blogging and internet videos).

Another shift that can be addressed is the shift from straightforward media presentation to filtered and diluted media coverage.

5- What is the best (least biased) way to receive news in a changing word?

How can we, as media viewers, accurately interpret what we are seeing in media today?

Will there be a day when media information is completely fabricated?

How can I help spread the word about false media/ biased media?

6- beautiful people (government backed movies)
questions (what will you do for your country?)
card stacking (the war on terror)
humor (various movies depicting war)
plain folks (current military ads)
bandwagon (be all you can be)

Media Meditations #1- RSS and Google Alerts

Ok, so when i first set up my RSS feed and my Google Alerts I honestly didnt know what to expect. Initially I didn't want to use the services thinking that they were just a waste of time and were going to become just another one of those online additives that i would never check. However, because I received an email each day with results from the services I actually found myself using the services a lot. Thanks to Google Alerts I have managed to find really good deals on skateboard and car parts and have also managed to find several possible internships for this summer!

It is a truly unique experience using RSS feeds and Google Alerts. I was amazed after I realized I could search and get feeds on literally ANYTHING that interested me... from funny movies to realistic career opportunities. Don't pass your chance to use these services... they may just brighten your day or help you find a new job.

I never thought I would find myself saying this, but I definitely recommend setting up some RSS feeds or (better) a Google Alerts feed.