Ohhhhhh what I wouldn’t give to work for Dazed and Confused.

Dazed and Confused: the magazine. Dazed Digital: the website.

The crème de la crème of all things in art, music, fashion, culture, design… its “agenda-setting” editorial is writing at its finest… in my opinion, at least.

AND… it was founded by photographer Rankin. For God’s sake, how cool… HOW COOL IS THAT??

AND! Nicola Formichetti is the Creative Director. You don’t get to be Lady Gaga’s go-to style guru for being mediocre… you can check out his blog for proof of his awesome awesomeness if you need it.

Basically, I want to crawl inside the pages of Dazed and Confused and live there forever, encased in its exquisite layout and accompanied by its marvelous contributors. If I could, I would.

Ahem… anyway… it’s been around since the 90s, and it’s still independent! How about that.

“Today, still 100 per cent independent in ownership and in spirit, Dazed & Confused is perhaps the most influential monthly magazine in the world. Far from resting on its reputation, Dazed Digital is now pushing its taste and influence into new areas, bringing the brand to life in more ways than ever, and engaging a new generation of switched-on, intelligent, aware and influential individuals.”

Amazing.

My only complaint: subscriptions to the print magazine are only available in the UK, so I have to depend on my British relatives to send copies to me whenever they can/remember to. However, when DazedDigital.com was launched about a year ago, the quality of my life improved so dramatically that now I really have no reason to complain.

I guess this is a post about Rich Lowry

The day of Rich Lowry’s visit, I did a little bit of research on him since I had no idea who he was as of a few weeks ago. I dabbled on the National Review Online website, and was thoroughly bored to tears – I usually find politics completely uninteresting, but NRO makes them even boringer… at least in my opinion. Anyway, I still didn’t know who Rich Lowry was so I went straight to his Wikipedia entry where I found a terse, yet informative bio… which I’m pretty sure was written by someone considerably more liberal than he:

Following the 2008 Vice Presidential debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin, Lowry gained some publicity and was selected as liberal commentator Keith Olbermann’s Worst Person in the World for writing: “I’m sure I’m not the only male in America who, when Palin dropped her first wink, sat up a little straighter on the couch and said, ‘Hey, I think she just winked at me.”

“Oh,” I thought, “that’s gross, but now I actually want to hear what he has to say.”

I went to the Q&A session with a few questions in mind, but unfortunately couldn’t stay. Since the mid-October, I’ve been struggling with a combination of chronic Bronchitis and severe Mono… and between shooting a photo documentary for class, making news packages for News II, working two jobs, getting homework done and taking 18 credits, all I ever want to do is catch up on sleep. So, unfortunately, I had to leave the Q&A early because I ran out of Kleenex and couldn’t keep my eyes open.

Had I been able to stay, I would’ve wanted to hear about NR and NRO as an operation. I know that he tried to keep the political conversation to a minimum, which I can appreciate – I mean, we all know that NR is to conservatives what Women’s Wear Daily is to the fashion world. And, at a notoriously liberal college in a liberal community with  liberal townies, it was a wise decision on his part – and I think his ability to stay cool when asked about it said something positive about his character. Plus, NRO is an especially interesting website – structure-wise, that is. The mélange of contributors makes the single-minded website somewhat multifaceted. There’s a nice range of topics, and the 10 featured blogs are a nice addition – the two I spent time on were Phi Beta Cons – “The Right take on higher Ed” –  and Planet Gore – “The hot blog” (it’s all about the “absurdity” of global warming, if you didn’t get that from the sarcastic title and tagline).

I also briefly checked out Rogue: The Sarah Palin Book Blog… I have an application on my web browser that replaces advertisements on web pages with modern art. There must be a lot of ad-space right next to all those blog posts singing the praises of Palin, because all I saw were very pornographic paintings done by controversial artist Jeff Koons… which was delightfully ironic!

Another (much less serious) question I might have asked Lowry: Why movie reviews? I find the so-called “movie reviews” on NRO kind of funny – especially the one on Brief Interviews with Hideous Men – a film that is supposed to be a study of males and post-feminism. Why do right-wingers (or any-wingers for that matter) need party-specific movie reviews? It could just be coincidental, but come on. I don’t think New York Times movie reviewers have a political agenda in mind, so NRO should just suck it up and read those reviews… they’re better than the ones they’re putting out.

Murdoch is a tool, Bing sucks, and it looks like net neutrality is in peril

Seriously… have you ever used Bing? I don’t care if I can customize the background to a picture of a sunset or a side street in Italy. It’s totally cumbersome and unnecessary and the flight search thing is unhelpful and stupid.  Microsoft has had to dip into its expansive cash reserves to pay corporations to use and promote it because it just isn’t working the way they wanted. I know I’m a little behind the times here, since Bing was launched a while ago.But I just had to let you know how I feel about it because of its relevance to this post.

I should also tell you how I feel about Rupert Murdoch, but I hate to be redundant.

Anyway, there have been “early talks” that these two delightful entities could be joining forces all too soon… sort of. I first learned about this a few days ago from a New York Times article, (for the record, I don’t usually read NYT for its news content… I only pay attention to their amazing photos and photographers!).

A quick summary of the issue: Murdoch’s media conglomerate, News Corporation, has started discussing the possibility of a pact with Microsoft about removing its news content from Google’s search engine and making it exclusively available on Bing. News Corp. would be paid by Microsoft to do this. Murdoch has expressed quite a bit of interest about getting paid for the company’s online content lately, since News Corp. owns a whole crapload of newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, the Times of London, etc. The Financial Times first reported on the discussions, which are very likely to involve Microsoft paying News Corp. to index its content on Bing.

Says the NYT article: “It’s unclear how a partnership with news organizations that fragmented search results and content on the Internet would be received. The notion of walled off communities on the Web falls into a thorny area of debate.”

The concept would give the newspaper industry the potential to finally generate revenue from online news beyond advertising. Whatever, that’s fine… I like newspapers, and I don’t mind Murdoch’s soft spot for the newspaper industry.

But if something like this actually happens, we can say goodbye to net neutrality forever. If the majority of the world’s online news content can be privatized by Murdoch, then the possibilities are endless for corporations everywhere. It’ll be a win-win – control which news the world has access to, make obscene amounts of profits in the process.

How is this not restraint of trade?? I sincerely hope that the FCC will step in before this idea can gain too much momentum, but who knows.

And, legal matters aside, how could News Corporation literally remove content from search engines… like, what would be the internet mechanics involved? I know I’m no computer whiz, and I just don’t get it. If anybody’s reading this and knows how, please explain it to me!

It was frightening to explore the issue in class… but it’s sickening to find examples of it happening outside of class because it makes you realize just how real and plausible it is.

But, on the lighter side… if net neutrality goes to hell and corporate ownership of online content becomes a trend, then I would like to buy and control all of the world’s internet porn. Seriously. I think it would make me richer than Murdoch himself.

Indie art!

Now that the semester is winding down, I can’t seem to stop thinking about next semester. I’ll be spending it in London, and I’m so excited. My favorite thing about London is the art scene – it’s gritty, diverse, vibrant and expansive.

I was pleasantly surprised to stumble across this event taking place at The Rag Factory – a fabulous new creative space in the city:

Art Barter, an exhibition created by Lauren Jones and Alix Janta, was created to equalize the fine art scene. The goal is to make art available to a more diverse crowd – not just people with disposable income. At this exhibition, money will be completely useless – buyers will have to barter for their art! They’ll have 3 days to fill out a barter form stating what they’ll offer for a particular piece of art. Then, all the forms will be sent to the artists for them to choose from.

Oh, and the bartering will be done solely on the aesthetic value of each piece… buyers won’t have any idea who created what until after their forms have been sent in and the show is over. Since the show features a mix of really well known artists, (Tracey Emin, Gavin Turk and Mat Collishaw to name a few…) the show will draw a pretty avid group of art collectors… however, the up-and-coming artists will probably benefit the most, and the show could be a wonderful breakthrough for many of them.

It’s not totally relevant to class, but I do consider art as part of the media. This exhibition shows the re-independent-ization of art appreciation, which is refreshing to say the least!

South Park has done it again.

They’ve parodied Scientology, Kanye West, the Mormons, the economic depression, dead celebrities, the Jonas Brothers…

Well, they’ve finally done it… they got Glenn Beck!

Episode 13 of season 13, “Dances with Smurfs,” aired on November 11. The full episode isn’t (legally) available online yet, but you can watch clips of it here.

Eric Cartman, the show’s narcissistic loudmouth, starts offering gratuitous commentary on the elementary school’s student government while reading the morning announcements. Somehow, this evolves into a full-blown TV show, which is pretty much a cartoon version of The Glenn Beck Show.

“I’m nothing special, I’m a normal student just like you,” says Cartman. “The only difference is that I’m the only one brave enough to ask questions.”

After publishing a book called What Happened to My School?, Cartman decides to invite the class president on his show… I don’t want to give away the ending, but I assure you – it’s hilarious.

YouTube favorites

After discussing the wonders of YouTube today in class, I decided to post a few gems I’ve found over three years of homework procrastination.

Pedophile Beards was made by Jon LaJoie – an independent filmmaker of sorts (he’s all over the blogosphere and FunnyOrDie.com) who has become a YouTube staple. He now stars in The League, a comedy series that just premiered on FX. In addition to his latest role, he released a comedy album called You Want Some of This? in January, and will film a Comedy Central Presents show this month.

HASTILY MADE CLEVELAND TOURISM VIDEO and HASTILY MADE CLEVELAND TOURISM VIDEO 2ND ATTEMPT (which has been removed from YouTube for “copyright reasons” – disappointing!) are two videos from Cleveland comedian Mike Polk, who goes by bishopvids on YouTube. They’ve gotten 1,722,825 and 1,626,300 views respectively, and are frequently referenced in pop culture. I love these because I myself hail from Detroit – and if I have time, I’ll shoot a similar video for my hometown over Thanksgiving break, maybe it’ll do something for our tourism…? Probably not.

Gift of the Titan Smile comes from the creative minds behind SCADshorts.com, which was started in 2002 by Savannah College of Art and Design students (now alumni). All of their videos have the same ambiguous, ethereal quality – and showcase the wonders of impeccable production and high-def camera work.

Of course, one of the most successful YouTube stories ever is that of The Lonely Island – yes, that is Andy Samberg from Saturday Night Live. The trio was invited to write sections of the 2005 MTV Movie Awards, hosted by Jimmy Fallon, after gaining some television and internet fame. Fallon introduced them to Lorne Michaels of SNL, Samberg fulfilled a lifelong dream of auditioning and being cast on the show while Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone were invited to join the writing staff. These guys are responsible for SNL’s most memorable digital shorts: I’m on a Boat, Jizz in My Pants, Dick in a Box, Like a Boss… the list goes on and on. As if SNL fame weren’t enough, Incredibad, their debut album, was released in February.

This last one isn’t very relevant to indy media, but… if you don’t at least smile while watching Shopping Penguin, we cannot be friends. Basically, a family in Japan rehabilitated an injured penguin, and then the penguin never wanted to leave their home. So, they gave him his very own penguin backpack and taught him to go to the market for fish. SO CUTE! Then, Parry Gripp made a catchy song about it around the same time I worked as a summer camp counselor, and then I taught my entire cabin of 10-year-old girls to sing it in unison before lights-out every night. I don’t think Parry Gripp is making any money off of his videos, but that one sure makes me laugh.

I am taking Arianna’s advice/All about Michelle Phan

I’ve already made it clear that I don’t like blogging. Here’s why: I am extremely insecure about my writing. I’ve probably written about 10 drafts on WordPress, but I just can’t bring myself to hit ‘publish’ – I end up deleting them instead. I don’t like the idea of other people reading my writing for the same reasons I don’t like speaking up in class: I don’t think I have anything to say… and if I do, my classmates usually say it better than I do.

Nevertheless, my phobias won’t get me out of completing a class assignment, will they?

During yesterdays’ Q&A session, someone asked Arianna Huffington how they could become a better blogger. Her answer? Make sure you’re passionate about whatever you’re blogging about.

So here’s something I’m passionate about: Makeup. I LOVE makeup. All I’ve ever wanted to become is a beauty editor at a major fashion publication. Every time I see a tester display in a department store or a boutique I can’t stop myself from testing  foundation formulas on my wrist or sticking my fingers in all the eyeshadows or trying on lipsticks or comparing mascara brushes…

… anyway, I spent most of my summer internship standing next to the makeup counter, and on slow days I’d let shoppers believe that I was an actual makeup artist and give them mini-makeovers (sorry, Susan and Patrick…). And, for the record, no one could tell that I actually had no idea what I was doing, and I made quite a few beauty sales.

So how can I make my passion for cosmetics relevant to independent media? The answer: Michelle Phan.

Because of her soothing style of narration and methodical makeup demonstrations, Phan has been affectionately dubbed “the Bob Ross of makeup” by commenters on her YouTube channel. The self-taught painter and illustration major launched the online makeup tutorial phenomenon with a simple concept: accessible, yet professional makeup instruction. She’s uploaded more than 80 self-produced, educational videos covering everything from basic daytime makeup to more complex club or catwalk themed looks – “Makeup for glasses” and “Lady Gaga’s Pokerface” are just two examples of her range of expertise.

“Honest, elegant and artistic describes my videos best,” Phan says on her YouTube page – and from what I can tell, she’s absolutely right. They’re thorough and easy to follow… but most importantly, her technical skill and artistry never ceases to amaze viewers. She always provides a complete list of the products she uses for each look, and doesn’t skimp on professional techniques and terminology – two important details that really make each video a complete package.

My favorites? “New Year’s Eve” – a glitzy, yet elegant party look, and “Snow White” – a professional makeup artist’s tribute to the beloved Disney cartoon, (ok, the intro and music is a little cheesy… but bear with me, it’s an awesome lesson in liquid eyeliner and performance-grade cosmetics). Also, don’t miss “Guy Makeup” or “Kitty Litter facial mask” – once you get past the “eww” factor, it’s a very educational video… and the mask really works, trust me!

Besides her accomplishments in makeup application, there’s something to be said for Phan’s social media presence. In addition to becoming the #3 Most Subscribed  YouTube Guru on October 8th, 2009:

MichellePhan.com, her new blog, is updated daily (her post on eyebrows is a revelation… I know of quite a few people who should read it ASAP!)

Her twitter feed is “super daily”

Her Facebook page is a place where people can discuss her work and ask questions directly

After joining YouTube in 2006, Phan is now represented by Jed Root, Inc., an agency that represents some of the best artists, photographers, stylists, set designers, etc. in the entertainment industry. She also worked backstage at the Chris Benz show during New York Fashion Week 2009 and was hired by Lancôme.

With an arsenal of cosmetics, her MacBook Pro and a lot of talent, Michelle Phan has become one of the most recognized names in beauty – in just a few years. While indie political bloggers can become syndicated columnists and paid analysts, makeup artists can become professional gurus through the same social media. I am officially inspired.

Slow down and check out Chicago!

I am a  Midwesterner – born and raised. I grew up in the land of  Kroger grocery stores, Canadian pennies, Cedar Point, Faygo pop and NHL fanatics; I was blithely unaware of my “eeeeaccent” until attending college in New York State.

After hearing my friends and classmates talk only about making at beeline for New York City upon graduation, I have concluded that Chicago is a highly underrated city;  In terms of what it has to offer a college-age person like myself, it can totally hold its own with NYC, but it doesn’t smell like pee. Also, you can ask anybody on the street for directions and not only will they tell you exactly how to get there, but they’ll give you suggestions on where to eat lunch as well. And nobody walks around saying “Da Bulls, da Bears, Ditka,” anymore, sheesh.

I had the privilege of living in Chicago this summer while I interned at the CHANEL boutique on Michigan Avenue. Something that helped me assimilate with my new urban environment was a Web publication called Gapers Block. When I started reading it, I actually became cooler. It’s because of GB that I was able to find out about all the really cool stuff in the city that I wouldn’t have heard of otherwise – art exhibitions, street festivals, concerts, craft shows… etc. But in addition to an impressive calendar of events, GB boasts other impressive sections:

“Mechanics” is all about Chicagoland politics. Blog-style postings written by Chicagoans are grouped by sub-headings by their subject matter, which is very helpful if you want to know all about a certain topic that may not be covered very well in mainstream news. This month, topics range from the term limit debate to election campaigns to the amount of trash on Oak Street Beach (one of my favorite places this summer). It’s everything I, personally, want from a news website: short, sweet and to the point. Politics – especially local politics – tend to bore me, but GB provided an easy way for me to acclimate myself with the political atmosphere of Chicago without tempting me to give up and start reading Perez Hilton instead. Like all good news websites these days, reader-generated comments are very much encouraged.

In July, I had the pleasure of meeting the Gaper’s Block people at the 2009 Pitchfork Music Festival. They gave me a sticker and I put it on my tote bag. Then I asked them, “Why do you call it Gaper’s Block?” Apparently, traffic slowdowns resulting from accidents on the side of the road are called “gapers’ blocks” by Chicagoans. What a perfect name for a publication that encourages people to slow down and enjoy the city.

This is my bloggity-blog.

I am officially a blogger. I must admit, I’m resentful about starting one… I’ve always had a thing against amateurish bloggers; now I am one. I’ve sold out to the social media trend that’s been annoying me for the past year and a half.

If I have to get a Twitter account, somebody put me out of my misery. Please.