Monthly Archives: November 2016

Pets Without Research

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For my project I am thinking about talking about something sort of “animal rights”-ish, but specifically I want to address two problems. First of all, I want to talk about the purchase of animals as gifts, especially small or exotic animals. I would like to address how surprising somebody with an animal as a gift can not only be stressful to the receiver, but can be very detrimental to the animal in question, and can lead to an unhappy relationship between animal and caretaker- if it doesn’t ultimately end in abandonment. I will probably focus my attention on Christmas and Easter a lot, since you have a lot of trouble arising when people think getting chicks and bunnies for the holidays is a good idea.

It ties in to the second and primary thing I want to talk about, which is purchasing pets without doing research (or buying for your kids without research!) You can probably get buy having a dog or a cat without extensive research, but other types of small animals all have really specific needs that people don’t really think about, like rabbits and fish for example. I mentioned that bunnies are targeted a lot at Easter, and they are not low maintenance animals and most people are not prepared for the work that has to go into them. Fish are another good example because there are a lot of misconceptions about how you care for certain types of fish, especially concerning take maintenance. I think I would probably like to do an infographic and an animation or some sort of video. However, I don’t know how I want to break up my information yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Military Base Realignment and Closure

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The United States is easily the most powerful country in the history of the world. Not only that, but the global influence of the U.S. cannot be overstated. Rife with worldwide conflict, the 20th century saw the rise of the U.S. as a global superpower — and global peacekeeper.

Today, the United States operates more foreign military bases than any other country on the planet. The U.S. also spends more on their military than the next eight nations combined. And a large part of this money goes to keeping these military bases up-and-running. The U.S. has around 800 military bases around the world, more than any other country. In fact, combining the foreign bases that every other nation has outside its own borders would only add up to around 30 bases.

Many of these bases opened after World War II, with the U.S. exerting its newfound global influence to keep the world in peace. Adding to this, the Cold War made a strong global presence crucial to U.S. strategic goals.

Now, even with the major crises of the 20th century over, the United States still holds massive amounts of troops on foreign soil. Taxpayers are paying highly for these decisions. Keeping these 800 foreign bases open costs taxpayers between 70 and 100 billion dollars per year, more than any other government agency receives, including agencies such as the Department of Education.

Lawmakers and taxpayers should carefully weigh the benefits of keeping so much money out of our economy, and into other nations on the far corners of the globe.

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To tackle the topic I will create a remixed video as well as an original infographic. The remix will be a good platform to show video from the U.S. bases, as well as giving the option of showing text on-screen with facts. A voiceover might be a good touch as well. I will use some artwork from the infographic in the remixed video to give the website a cohesive feel.

Impacts of Knock-off Products

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The direction I am taking for my Capstone project is the issue of counterfeit and knock-off merchandise manufacturing, specifically in the areas of apparel and accessory design. My goal for the project is to inform on why this is not only an ethical and legal problem, but also a fiscal issue for many established brands. Similarly, it will also touch on the distinction and legal gray area between a counterfeit good and a knock-off, and as a consumer, why it is better overall to commit to the real deal. My website will feature 3 webpages, the first being the homepage. This will include an introduction to the topic and more information regarding the scope and background of the issue itself. The second will contain a remix video, the content of which I am still researching and compiling. Currently, it is looking something like a compilation of various industry professional’s commentary discussing how and why the production of consumer products impacts a company’s image and profit. This will act as more of a persuasive method, why the viewer should care about the issue and act on the message of the project. The third page will be an Illustrator infographic that addresses some key points regarding steps consumers can take to avoid unknowingly purchasing these products, as well as some information regarding aesthetic and quality differences. This will act as a final “how to”, and the webpage will also contain source links and other resources used in the making of the project.

Barn/ Cage Raised vs. Free Range

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I am going to be looking at the issue of barn raised vs free range raised chickens and the cost that are associated with these forms of production. The other issue that will be covered is the humaneness of each method of farming. These are a social issue since we all eat chicken and are concerned with the treatment of these birds that we are consuming at a rate almost equal to all red meats.
The media objects that I will be using is the infographic and mash up video. The infographic with illustrate the treatment of chickens and give statistics on the types of uses for the chickens. I will also cover the weight consumed each year compared to other sources of meat. I will be using Illustrator to produce the infographic.
The second type of media object will be a mash up video of the living conditions and reasons behind the production of chickens and the issues they face just to feed us. In the video I will be using text along with video clips to illustrate the importance of how we treat these birds. I will also show some of the side-effects of the methods of farming of chickens. The video will cover different cultures and their methods of farming chickens.
These two objects will compliment, each other to produce a web page that will inform visitors who want to learn about the difference in types of chicken farming.

African Clean Water Crisis

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For my capstone project, I plan on discussing the clean drinking water crisis in Africa. In 2008, it was reported that roughly 5 million people in South Africa didn’t have access to water and 15 million didn’t have access to basic sanitation. As reported in 2015, 332 million people who live in Africa don’t have access to water as well. Not only do a lot of people struggle to access water in Africa, those who do are exposed to unclean water. This lack of unclean drinking water has a great impact on peoples’ health and well-being. Unclean drinking water and inadequate access to sanitation account for up to 80% of sicknesses in developing countries. Since women and young girls are most likely to be responsible for gathering water, the water crisis effects them the most. The lack of proper sanitation and clean water often leads to schools not having proper bathrooms and toilets, which causes many girls to drop out of school after puberty. The clean water crisis in Africa is a serious issue that concern everyone, not just the people it directly effects.

I plan on creating an infographic and mash-up video for my project. My infographic will include information about the water crisis in Africa and its effects on people who live in the continent. I want to create a mash-up video to avoid repeating information through an animated infographic. I’m going to use clips of people discussing how difficult it is for them to live without access to clean water. My website will include both of my media objects as well as a page of resources for people who want to learn more about the issue or want to help find solutions.

Sleep Deprivation

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For my capstone project, I will be focusing on the importance of sleep and how it affects your overall well being and health. I chose to discuss the importance of sleep because I personally never get enough sleep. As I was looking for topics to base my project on, I found it interesting that sleep deprivation is actually a lot more then just missing out on a few hours of sleep. In fact, sleep deprivation can lead to weight gain, insomnia, stress and even depression. Within my capstone project, I will be highlighting various sleep facts and why sleep is so important in a re-edited and remixed video. If I can’t find more than one good video to showcase, I plan on creating an animation of some sort instead to replace the remixed video. I will also be creating an infografic through adobe illustrator that presents the importance of good sleep hygiene and the benefits of getting enough sleep each night. Although sleep deprivation is my main focus, I plan on discussing everything sleep related considering my topic is the importance of sleep and not just sleep deprivation.

https://twitter.com/sleepcapstoneks/status/795904334655426560

https://twitter.com/sleepcapstoneks/status/795903738158268416

https://twitter.com/sleepcapstoneks/status/795892140047900677

https://twitter.com/sleepcapstoneks/status/795890143487889409

https://twitter.com/sleepcapstoneks/status/795888695798706176

Capstone Project

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For my Capstone Project, I decided the topic I would focus on will be homelessness. I chose this topic because living so close to Portland,I have grown up around seeing many homeless people, sometimes a whole block of them. I  also chose this topic because of the charities that help the homeless, whether it be with food, shelter, donating toiletries, or even charities that provide “makeovers” for homeless people have always interested me and I am excited to really research it for the project. Homelessness is also both a social and cultural topic because many people and many cultures view being homeless differently. I plan to create an info-graphic and a mashup video that show the statistics of homeless people in the US and close to our home, Portland. The info-graphic will provide many facts about homelessness, including what percentage have had jobs before, the average age rage, and how many plan to get back on their feet one day. The info-graphic will also answer common questions about the homeless. The mashup video will provide an inside look into the lives of homeless people. The mashup will also give new perspectives to the audience about what homeless people experience in their everyday life, and the struggles and thoughts they go through daily. Both of my chosen medias relate to my website because they will be showing facts and truths behind homelessness. My website will be focused on getting the audience to view homelessness differently and also giving them ways to help.

Capstone Project: Acne & Self-Image

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For my Capstone Project, I have decided to focus on acne and its effects on self-esteem. It is a fact that the majority of people have experienced acne – in fact, it is “…the most common skin condition in the United States, affecting up to 50 million Americans annually”. Unfortunately, acne is also known to cause “…significant physical and psychological problems such as permanent scarring, poor self-image, depression and anxiety.” And while it can affect everyone, the ones most commonly affected are teenagers, who are the most at risk for self-esteem related issues.
The purpose of my project will be to campaign for a better way of thinking – the self-deprecation that often comes along with acne is tough to get through, but it can be overcome, with a change in attitude. And while it is important to treat the acne, which can be done through seeing a dermatologist for treatment, as well as doing things such as getting enough sleep and eating healthy, it is just as important to treat mental health. This means healing the underlying self-esteem issues that can come with acne. In order to accomplish this, I will be creating an infographic with information about treating both sides of acne – taking care of your skin and your mind. I will also be creating a video with some animated elements, with more of a focus on how acne can make an individual feel, and how to overcome. I hope that all of those affected by acne, upon seeing my project, will finally say with confidence, “My acne does not define me.”

How Art Accesses The Brain

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For my Capstone Project, I plan to explore the idea and question of how art accesses the brain. In other words, what kind of benefits does art provide for mental health, performance, education, and overall happiness? Having a great personal appreciation for the arts, this is a topic that I personally stand true behind, and want to encourage others to express themselves freely through artistic and creative works. It has been a very meaningful outlet in my own life through various life struggles, and want others to feel the same passion that I do.

To employ this idea, I will be creating an infographic, as well as an animated infographic to illuminate the most well-researched and important information that has been shared in regards to this topic. A theme in this information that I would like to focus on is based off a quote by Leo Tolstoy, stating “Art is not a handicraft, it is the transmission of feeling the artist has experienced”. I would also like to inform the viewer ways in which art can heal, make an impact in various aspects of one’s life, and further enhance learning abilities. Art as a form of therapy is also something that falls into this category of art accessing the brain, and how developing interpersonal skills, reducing stress, and accessing both the right and left side of the brain are involved. There are many avenues in which art can better enrich our lives, and can leave a powerful influence in doing so. Because of this, I hope to educate and inspire viewers of my project to actively participate in just one opportunity that art can provide for your overall health.

Importance of Water in human life

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The subject for my Capstone Project will be about the water in human life. Without water, the body would stop working properly. Water makes up more than half of a body’s weight, and a person cannot survive for more than a few days without it. In the United States, we have many different options for our drinking water, but they are not all healthy. Drinking the wrong kind of water may do more harm than good. Children and teenagers in today’s world do not drink water at all. They tend to drink soft drinks, which can harm their health rather than drinking water.

The two media objects I will do for my project are an infographic and a remix video. The infographic will illustrate the benefits of water. I want to show the importance of water for the human body and how much water we should drink in a day. For the video remix I will explain interesting and useful water facts, showing the good types of water that we should drink to be healthy and the reasons to use a whole house water filter.

I will create this two media piece plus a website .I will present information about water and it’s benefits. I hope with my project I can encourage people, at least one of my classmates, to think about what we drink; get an idea of all the different types of water that we have and choose the best type; and show the importance of water for our human body.