Welcome to AnnenBlog!

What Happened to Freedom of Information?

A little scary: evidently the University of New Mexico recently banned access to Facebook on their campus, citing both legal concerns and problems with spam:

http://www.dailycolonial.com/go.dc?p=3&s=1297

or

http://badgerherald.com/news/2005/10/17/new_mexico_bans_face.php

and here for a poll taken by the UNM student newspaper on whether or not students feel the ban to be fair:

http://www.dailylobo.com/main.cfm?include=results&poll_question_id=14449&

If I found out that USC banned access to a site like this I would be most displeased, to say the least. Who would have thought a university would engage in censorship of this sort? Not me. What is up with this?

--E.W.

ASCMA Jazz Night

Listen to some good jazz!
If you're thinking that you haven't had any chances to socialize/network with your fellow students.....well here you go! The Annenberg School for Communication Master's Association (ASCMA) is hosting an event for all Annenberg Grad., students.
What: Jazz Night
When: Nov. 10th, starting at 10 pm
Where: The Victorian
2640 Main St.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Why: To socialize and network with fellow Annenberg Grad. students.
Questions: aaquino@usc.edu

Who We Are

Thought I'd take this opportunity (while I should be working on some office projects, hee hee) to introduce us folks behind the Annenblog development - David Scholsberg, Tze Wei Leong, Eddie West, and myself, Johanna Holan. We are creating Annenblog in part for our 599 course, Online Communities, and in part because we thought it would be useful for Annenberg grad students to have a forum to discuss All That Is Grad School. We are all Comm Mangagement "scholars" gearing toward some level of Marketing focus. We, as well the community of Annenberg grad students, look forward to your contributions and comments!

Email Annenblog@yahoo.com to post your thoughts!

All the Best!
~ johanna

Howdja get that job?!

Now, I am all about shelling out money for grad school just as much as the next guy, but at the end of the day - I think it helps to look at where this is all going. In some respects, it all surmounts to one big savvy career move, hopefully helping us further reach our professional goal that we will one day land our fulfilling, enriching, all-important DREAM JOB.
So - I am curious - have any of y'all out there found that your experience with Annenberg has lead to you scoring a position that you don't think you would have gotten otherwise? If not, what resources do you feel have helped you toward getting better career footing? What's worked for you?

Personally, I have not landed said perfect dream job just yet, but I thought I'd share my story the method that helped me score a more fulfilling positon.
I was very surprised last spring (before starting school) at getting the position via an unlikely resource: posting my resume on Monster. I wasn't even looking, I just realized that I hadn't reposted it on there since I graduated college (in 2001, ahem). So I did and it was crazy! Recruiters calling, all sorts of leads. (Mind you, its not like I have scads of experience or anything, just a few years in project management and graphic design). I guess that's where they go to first (my cousin who is a recruiter confimed this). Perhaps it is an obvious step in job-hunting, but for some reason I had overlooked for a long time. Anyway, it worked! So that would be my resource I recommend, posting your resume, even if your not looking...right now.

LA, OC, Chicago - Where Do We Live?

So, you think your commute is bad? I might have you beat - I currently commute each week from Chicago to USC for a class as I pursue my Masters in Communication Management. Let's just say I luv southwest airlines.

I am in the process of moving from Chicago to LA. I've checked out some cool neighboorhoods but am wondering. Where do most of USC's, especially Annenberg grad students live? So far my favorite neighborhoods are Santa Monica and Manhattan/Hermosa area. I currently stay with friends who live in Los Feliz, also a pretty cool area. Where do you live? What do you recommend?

David Schlosberg.

Wasn't the weather just crazy on Monday?

image from www.latimes.com

See today's article and photos on LA times. The weather was awful yesterday. Cold, wet and gloomy. Some places even had hail. So many people were probably caught in the rain or stuck in traffic. On my way to school, I saw 4 accidents on just about 3/4 mile stretch of Freeway 110. This is so not Southern Cali weather! Today's slightly better but still gloomy...looks like it's going to rain this evening again. I'd better set off for class earlier. *yawn* I feel so sleepy when the weather's like this...

- Tze Wei

Don't be a Film Snob in LA

Ok, I know we're in Los Angeles, but people forget that big time hollywood blockbuster films aren't all trashy pseudo-epics with more special effects than badly-designed methodologies (for all you nerdy types out there like me).  Sure, you'll occasionally get a good REAL independent film like pi which will suddenly come along and make people's eyes explode out of their heads (proverbially of course), but let's not forget that seeing films is really about the experience of going to a quiet theater for a good time.  That being said, let me detail a few places which might bring back those memories of the good ol' yesteryear in films...

Silent Movie Theater on Fairfax

image from www.seeing-stars.com

This place you need to see for yourself, they have a live pianist in the front playing along to the quirky comedic/melodramatic thaterical flick and it's really just a great experience all in all if you're looking for something interesting to do.

The Nuart or The Rialto

   
image from www.cinematreasures.org

image from www.latimemachine.com

The Nuart Theater on Santa Monica Boulevard in West LA or the Rialto on Fair Oaks in South Pasadena are both great small theaters that do one thing really well: sell out older films.  If you never got the chance to see films like Edward Scissorhands, The Goonies, Double Indemnity, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Mean Streets, or Dr. Zhivago in theaters, these places specialize in this films nightly.  During the day, they're known to show cool, newer cult films like Miyazaki's film Howl's Moving Castle and the Jim Henson Company's recently released MirrorMask.

The Cinerama Dome

image from www.editorsguild.com

You've probably already seen it at some point off Sunset Boulevard next to the Amoeba Music, but the Arclight's Cinerama Dome is a massive theater where you're designated a seat to sit back, relax and get completely immersed in the massive semi-circular screen.  Wait until the next action blockbustery kinda film and hit this place up to see it.  You won't be disappointed, they don't even put commercials up before the film (that in itself is a plus)

The Vineland Drive-In


image from www.drive-ins.com

This place needs the free promotion more than any of the others because it's just really awesome.  There are practically no 1950s, straight-outta-the-film-Grease-style places in LA anymore, which is pretty sad I think.  So this is your one-shot: it's east of Los Angeles in the City of Industry and they show all the films you'd expect to be out in theaters, but the whole experience is really laidback and fun if you've never done anything like this before.  Drive-In theaters used to be a staple of LA, but most of them have closed down, so be sure to check this place out when the weather is nice.

The LACMA

image from www.imageg.com

Wouldn't think that an art gallery would do such a great job at showing films, the LACMA on Wilshire is great about showing films all the time, none of which came out before 1980.  This is actually great since, in most cases at USC, you probably haven't seen Howard Hawk, John Ford or Alfred Hitchcock film on the screen in all of it's glory so it's just amazing to get really into the plot and dialogue of these kinds of films.  They even do free outdoor films on the weekends, so you need to look into that.

Laemmle Music Hall

image from www.laemmie.com

This is really just an honorable mention, but it's a great place to drop by and check out for yourself.  The films are from all over the world and they're really good about showing films with bits of controversy in them, just to get the crowd riled up.  I think you'd appreciate it if you are really in the mood for someting completely different.

Anyway, you can always hit up other cool places with good atmosphere like the IMAX in the Universal City Walk or the ever-promoted Mann's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Blvd, but what's the point in me listing them?  I'm sure you already know. 

- Tony Chavira

Who's planning to take 541 Integrated Comm Strategy (Prof Hollingshead)

I've been lamenting that there isn't enough marketing comm classes this fall...i want more!!! So I'm really excited to take Comm 541 Integrated Comm Strategy in spring. I remember that Prof Hollingshead said during orientation that  this course was really relevant to marketing comm but I forgot what it was about. Anyone remember? Anyone planning to take it?

-Tze Wei

Professor Jonathan Taplin & The Concert for Bangladesh

Tuesday, October 25
Screening & Discussion: The Concert for Bangladesh, Revisited

Join communication professor Jonathan Taplin for a screening of the new DVD release of The Concert for Bangladesh, the film documenting the 1971 concert organized by the Beatles' George Harrison to raise awareness and financial support for Bangladeshi refugees during the country's fight for independence from Pakistan. Prof. Taplin, who was road manager for Bob Dylan, was one of the producers of the event, which is regarded as the first major rock benefit concert. The event featured a who's who of musicians from the era, including Dylan, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Leon Russell, among others. Following the screening, Prof. Taplin will lead a discussion with Olivia Harrison, widow of George Harrison, and Jim Keltner, one of the drummers who played in the concert. RSVP's requested.  Reception follows. 6:00 pm. Annenberg Auditorium.

Tito's Tacos Rocks!

This place is a real institution in L.A. A GREAT place to go for cheap, fast and delicious Mexican food. There are lines no matter how late you show up, but they move fast. Check it out...

11222 Washington Place (near the corner of Sepulveda and Washington, not far from the 405) in Culver City