My Internships Got Me Where I am Now!

Two weekends ago I graduated from The University of the District of Columbia, majoring in  Mass Media and Television Production. During my three years in college, I did four internships. The first one at the Cooperative Extension Service, Center of Nutrition Diet and Health at the University of the District of Columbia. The second one was at a post-production house called RedEye Professional Post, a small boutique post house where I was taught how to edit video on Final Cut Pro and worked for clients such as the National Park Trust, Black Enterntainment Television (BET) "Lift Every Voice," David Morey and some famous US Senators. The third one was at UDC Cable Television's educational show called "The Nonprofit Edge." There, I worked as associate producer of the show; creating content, script, booking and pre-interviewing guests prior to the tapings. Here I learned how to deal with TV studios, producers and talent. I was there for my last two semesters at UDC.

My last and the best was a wonderful internship at CBS News Washington Bureau, working for the Special Events Unit who follows President Obama everywhere around the country and the world. There, I realize that I was really into planning and managing events.
During these three years of school and internships, my best tool was the INTERNET. Especially social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. YouTube to upload my videos and create my own channel and of course, LinkedIn to be connected with prospective employers.
Although the saying "It's all about WHO you KNOW" is usually true, It is also about WHAT YOU KNOW! Employers are not looking for kids who only got straight A's in school. There are looking for some work experience and if not that INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE. They want to be able to contact former bosses, internship coordinators, etc. They want to know what you learn at each of these places and also why you did not stay there and got a job offer from them.
From my own experience, I can assure you that when you go on an interview; they will ask about your internships, not much about school. Furthermore, employers want to know what exactly you are trying to pursue while working for them. What are your goals, career path, and so forth.
I would highly recommend that if you are a college sophomore, junior and/or senior; that you read:

"What Color Is Your Parachute,
" and other articles on internships and how to get started and get some work experience, even while in college. Yes! It sucks to be an intern, "the slacky" and not get a penny for all your work; however, it is WORTH IT! You will make so much more money and have better jobs if you do internships. Money will come soon! Trust me! ;)

An Article About Internships By Phyllis Korkki

I truly recommend this article for young college students. It is very important to do internships while in college... Check this article below by NYTimes journalist, Phyllis Korkki:

 http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/jobs/27searches.html?_r=1&emc=eta1#

The Internship as Inside Track

By PHYLLIS KORKKI

Published: March 25th, 2011

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WANT to land a full-time job after college? Get an internship or two, or even four or more.

Internships have long been a part of the collegiate learning experience, but have never been more closely tied to permanent hiring than they are today, said Trudy Steinfeld, executive director of career development at New York University.
Of course, internships aren’t the only route to employment. But companies increasingly view them as a recruiting tool because they are a way to test-drive potential employees, she said. Conversely, interns can test-drive the company to see if it’s a good fit, professionally and culturally.

http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowldc/files/original/gotInterns2.jpg

Not only do college interns garner more job offers than applicants without that experience, but jobs that grow out of internships tend to command higher starting salaries, said Edwin W. Koc, research director at the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
But while more companies are offering internships, the competition has become more intense. And more high school students, too, are seeking them, adding to the competitive pressure, said Lauren Berger, chief executive of Internqueen.com, an online internship listing site. Ms. Berger herself had 15 internships while attending the University of Central Florida, mostly in public relations, entertainment and communications, she said.
So what is the best way to find an internship? It sounds so basic, but many students don’t take the logical first step — visiting career services centers at their colleges, Ms. Berger said. Career centers in each major, and for the college as a whole, can offer leads, and free services like mock interviews and help with résumés.
Beyond checking with your college, use Web sites, social media and networking. Another option is to call a company that interests you and ask whether it needs an intern. “If the employer tells you they’ve never had an intern before,” Ms. Berger said, “ask them if you can be the first.”
She recommends making a list of 10 companies where you could see yourself working, then finding their Web sites and the contact information for their internship coordinators. Then note the materials needed to apply, as well as any deadlines.
Treat each application individually, she said. “I always recommend a cover letter even if the employer doesn’t require one.” she said. If you don’t hear back from the company in two weeks, she advised, send a follow-up e-mail.
On Internships.com, which posts openings, just 34 percent of the internships listed by employers are paid positions, said Robin Richards, chief executive of the company. But that varies widely by industry. Glamorous jobs like those in fashion and entertainment tend not to pay, whereas fields like engineering, technology and finance are more likely to offer money.
Students need to view unpaid internships as an investment in the future, by perhaps working 15 or 20 hours a week at them and taking a part-time job to support themselves, Ms. Berger said.
Check whether your school can help with financial aid. New York University is among the institutions that award stipends to students with unpaid internships.
 The stereotype is that the intern makes the coffee and the copies — and that can still be true in some cases. But Ms. Steinfeld said that now more than ever she sees interns perform professionally meaningful tasks like managing projects and making presentations. That is partly because many of today’s employees have growing workloads and are happy to delegate assignments, she said.
An internship should always have a learning component, Ms. Steinfeld said, and most companies are good about providing it. But to avoid an unfulfilling experience, ask questions during your interview and when you get the offer. Find out what tasks you will perform, what past interns have accomplished, which decision makers you will work with, whether you’ll have a mentor or another advocate, and how the internship might fit in with your long-term career goals, Ms. Steinfeld said.
At the same time, realize that some of your tasks will be mundane, and make sure to do them well and without complaint, said Ms. Berger, who once caused a coffee machine to explode during an internship. “Students need to absorb everything they can,” she said, “from the small tasks to the big ones.”
At times, you may have nothing to do — one of the top complaints that Ms. Berger hears from interns. If that happens, knock on doors and ask people if they need help, she said, or see if you can sit in on meetings. Don’t surf the Web, check Facebook or text your friends, she said — that shows you’re not taking the internship seriously.
When the internship is over, there is still work to do. Ms. Berger, 26, has a decidedly old-fashioned suggestion: send a handwritten thank you note to the internship coordinator. Then send e-mail updates throughout the year to the people you’ve worked for, so that you’ll be in their minds when a job becomes available.

E-mail: thesearch@nytimes.com.

Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray and Love" : A Summary

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Once given the opportunity to write a whole summary on a book review for this class made me think of this book: "Eat, Pray and Love" by Elizabet Gilbert, which is a New York Times best seller nonfiction book that has been on this list for over 200 weeks. Although there have been several critics for its spirituality and self-consciousness issues, I enjoyed reading it on the plane going home for winter break on December of 2006. I did though have a painful time at the movie theater last August 2010, when my girlfriends and I went to watch the movie with Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem- yep, kind of depressing.

 Elizabeth Gilbert was born in Waterbury, Connecticut in 1969, and grew up on a small family Christmas tree fram. From ealiest memory, all she ever wanted to do was write.

In 2000, Elizabeth published her first novel, STERN MEN (a story of brutal territory wars between two remote fishing islands off the coast of Maine) which was a New York Times Notable Book. In 2002, Elizabeth published THE LAST AMERICAN MAN - the true story of the modern day woodsman Eustace Conway. This book, her first work of non-fiction, was a finalist for both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Elizabeth is best known, however for her 2006 memoir EAT PRAY LOVE, which chronicled her journey alone around the world, looking for solace after a difficult divorce. The book was an international bestseller, translated into over thirty languages, with over 10 million copies sold worldwide, and a movie version in the making, starring Julia Roberts. The book became so popular that, in 2008, Time Magazine named Elizabeth as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/eatpraylove.htm
Eat, Pray and Love was published by Viking, on February 2006. It comes as a hardcover or paperback with 352 pages. It was the American Booksellers Association Acclaimed Best Seller and number 1 on the Booksense Paperback Nonfiction List for over a year and there are over ten million copies in print. In terms of its retail price, when it was first published in 2006 it was 19.99 (hardcover) and 14.99 (paperback). Now it is available on Amazon New starting at $7.28 and used starting at $2.74. Barnes and Noble and Borders (maybe cheaper now that is closing) have it for similar prices as well.
Personally, I truly enjoyed reading this book. The day I bought it I was at the airport and needed something to entertain myself with; in case I did not like any of the movies playing on the planes. And I did. I loved reading about Elizabeth's adventures across the world in, having delicious food, wine and learning new languages, meeting new people and most importantly getting to know what she really wanted to do with her life.
Some great quotes from this book are still fresh on my memory and these are the following:

About Thoughts and Emotions:

"You need to learn how to select your thoughts just the same way you select your clothes every day. This is a power you can cultivate. If you want to control things in your life so bad, work on the mind. That's the only thing you should be trying to control."

About God:

"Look for God. Look for God like a man with his head on fire looks for water."

You were given life; it is your duty (and also your entitlement as a human being) to find something beautiful within life, no matter how slight."

"There’s a crack (or cracks) in everyone…that’s how the light of God gets in."

About Self-Esteem:

"You are, after all, what you think. Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions."

 When it comes to relationships:

"When the karma of a relationship is done, only love remains. It's safe. Let go."

"Having a baby is like getting a tattoo on your face. You really need to be certain it's what you want before you commit." - Elizabeth Gilbert

Some authors praise Gilbert for her book such as Alan Richman and Anne Lamott. Magazines and Newspapers also have great reviews for "Eat, Pray and Love." Here are some listed on her website:

Alan Richman's take on "Eat, Pray, Love"

"Spilling out of this funny (and profound) circus car of a book are dozens of mesmerizing characters, people you'll envy Liz Gilbert for finding, valuing, loving and, I couldn't help noticing, joining for irresistible meals. I've never read an adventure quite like one, where a writer packs up her entire life and takes it on the road." -- Alan Richman.

Anne Lamott on "Eat, Pray, Love"

"This is a wonderful book, brilliant and personal, rich in spiritual insight, filled with sorrow and a great sense of humor. Elizabeth Gilbert is everything you would love in a tour guide, of magical places she has traveled to both deep inside and across the oceans: she's wise, jaunty, human, ethereal, hilarious, heartbreaking, and God, does she pay great attention to the things that really matter." -- Anne Lamott

NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

“If a more likable writer than Gilbert is currently in print, I haven't found him or her. ... Gilbert's prose is fueled by a mix of intelligence, wit and colloquial exuberance that is close to irresistible, and makes the reader only too glad to join the posse of friends and devotees who have the pleasure of listening in.” by Jennifer Egan

TIME MAGAZINE

“An engaging, intelligent and entertaining memoir…her account of her time in India is beautiful and honest and free of patchouli-scented obscurities.” by Lev Grossman

LOS ANGELES TIMES

“Gilbert’s journey is full of mystical dreams, visions and uncanny coincidences…Yet for every ounce of self-absorption her classical New-Age journey demands, Gilbert is ready with an equal measure of intelligence, humor and self-deprecation…Gilbert’s wry, unfettered account of her extraordinary journey makes even the most cynical reader dare to dream of someday finding God deep within a meditation cave in India, or perhaps over a transcendent slice of pizza.” by Erika Schickel

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER

"This is an intriguing and substantive journey recounted with verve, humor and insight. Others have preceded Gilbert in writing this sort of memoir, but few indeed have done it better."  by John Marshall

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS

“Fine, sometimes startling…Gilbert doesn’t wear spirituality like a fresh frock she hopes will make her pretty, but nurtures the spiritual seed within herself to find the beauty and love in everything.”  by Sarah Peasley

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

"A" - "This insightful, funny account of her travels reads like a mix of Susan Orlean and Frances Mayes...Gilbert's journey is well worth taking." by Jessica Shaw

However, there are always people who dislike what has been told on a book or perhaps what the author portrays of its characters, places, topics, themes, etc. And here are some "not-very-nice" critics:

Maureen Callahan of the New York Post disliked the book because of its spiritual themes, especially its focus on Eastern religion. She heavily criticized the book, calling it "narcissistic New Age reading," and "the worst in Western fetishization of Eastern thought and culture, assured in its answers to existential dilemmas that have confounded intellects greater than hers." In addition, she was critical of Oprah's focus on the book, as well as Oprah's fans who enjoy the book, asking why her fans are "indulging in this silliness," and why they aren't "clamoring for more weight when it comes to Oprah's female authors."

Katie Roiphe of Slate agreed with Egan about the strength of Gilbert's writing. However, she described the journey as too fake: "too willed, too self-conscious". She stated that despite the apparent artificiality of the journey, her "affection for Eat, Pray, Love is ... furtive", and that "it is a transcendently great beach book." The Washington Post's Grace Lichtenstein stated that "The only thing wrong with this readable, funny memoir of a magazine writer's yearlong travels across the world in search of pleasure and balance is that it seems so much like a Jennifer Aniston movie."

Overall,  it has been great to do research on the details of this well-known book and its author, Elizabeth Gilbert. I truly enjoyed reading about her adventures in Italy, India and Indonesia. I did not like the religious/spiritual part of the book though. I am a firm believer that Me and only Myself should think and decide what to do with my life. I am a Christian-Catholic, I believe in God and I always pray to Him to give me strength and wisdom, love and good health. I do not believe someone should go to a 'guru' or some type of foreign spiritual expert to tell you what to do with your life. There are still some questions left out for Gilbert about the book and her own life:

Jennifer Egan, on The New York Times Sunday Review published on February 26th, 2006 says:

"But wait a second — Gilbert is a New York journalist who has spent the prior several years traveling the world on assignment. In her chosen milieu, it would be unusual if she were married and raising kids in a house at age 34 — by her own account, she left her husband precisely to avoid those things. I'm willing to believe that Gilbert despaired over having failed at a more conventional life even as she sought out its opposite — complications like these are what make us human. But she doesn't tell that story here, or even acknowledge the paradox. As a result, her crisis remains a shadowy thing, a mere platform for the actions she takes to alleviate it."http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/26/books/review/26egan.html

As Egan says, the only one who knows the answers to this is Gilbert... or perhaps her Balinese adviser?

 

A Visit to the National Gallery of Art: West and East Buildings

A Visit to the National Gallery of Art- West Building

I truly enjoy this visit to the West Building because I was able to see paintings of very famous artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Rembrandt, etc. I also had a blast there because there were European and American art pieces from the thirteenth century through the nineteenth century- Something I had not see since my last trip to Italy, two years ago.

The five paintings that struck me the most emotionally and intellectually were the following:

1.    “Madonna” by Giotto

This painting is the fifth piece I saw on the first gallery which was The Bizantine (before the renaissance), so during the dark ages. As we discussed in class, during these times most painters were asked to draw and paint a holy figure and they would usually use models or already made layouts. However, Giotto was the first one who had someone pose for him and painted while he was actually seeing the person. That way, he was able to blend the colors and capture the highlights and shadows of the image and transferred it onto the canvas.

In short, Giotto changed the way people perceive and thought of images.

2.    “Ginevra de’ Benci” by Leonardo da Vinci

Once we enter this gallery, we were seeing only portraits without depth of field. The artists at that time were trying to make their paintings have a background, middle ground and foreground. However, none of these artists in the gallery got it. Leonardo da Vinci however, nails the technique blowing everyone’s mind away. According to the West Building Highlights handout, “Ginevra’s face displays the delicate translucence of porcelain.” This is totally true. In addition, da Vinci is able to create a beautiful and perfectly blended background that makes the portrait come to live. This is the only painting of Leonardo da Vinci in the Western Hemisphere- Most or all of them are found in different parts of Europe.

3.    “The Alba Madonna” by Raphael

This oil panel was transferred to canvas in 1510. There is a harmonious blending of colors on the background, middle ground and foreground. There is a sensation of three-dimensionality and a mix of highlights and shadows on the Virgin Mary, baby Jesus and the angel by their side. The drapery of their clothes makes it feel as a realistic portrait also.

4.    “The Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew” by Jusepe Ribera

   This is a European oil painting painted in the late sixteenth century and early seventeenth century (1634). What struck me on this composition is the realism of the portrait. It almost looks real, like a photograph. Ribera is able to target the highlights and shadows on the bones and muscles of Bartholomew as well as the light reflecting on his cheeks and left shoulder.  The guy with the brown robe is about to attack him but Bartholomew has an expression of a martyr as if he was asking God to take his spirit and be ready to die. This painting reminds me of the Jesus’s wound paiting because of the similarity of the highlights on the victim (Jesus and in this particular one, Bartholomew).

5.    “The Veil of Veronica” (1622) by Domenico Fetti

                                                                  This oil painting was an emotional meaning to me as a Christian. It represents the biblical scene when Veronica hands Jesus Christ a washcloth to wipe His face off of sweat and blood. She considers it holy and it seems as if His face is printed on it, showing his humanity and holiness while paying for our sins. Fetti is able to create a sensation of texture on the washcloth as if it is wrinkled and damp from wiping Jesus’s face.  When seeing the painting from far away in the gallery, it surely stands out from the rest.

 

Now my visit to the East building was also a lot of fun, much more contemporary art. Such as the following: 

Overall, these visits to the West and East Buildings were a great experience for me. I look forward to going back with my loved ones when I have more free time and spend more time on each gallery.

       

The People of Walmart

http://media.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/2504.jpg

During my little spare time, I usually like to explore new sites and pictures and videos from around the globe.Lately, my main focus has been politics and international relations, such as the situation in Egypt, Tunisia and now Libya. This past long weekend though, I came across this site called "The People of Walmart." My first thought was "THIS IS COMPLETELY FREAKY!" When we go shopping, usually around Black Friday- when people stay up late or wake up very early in the morning to get the best deals on electronic devices, clothing, etc- we see many customers wearing their pajamas or as if they just crawled out of bed, grabbed their wallets and hit the stores! But this! this is scary!, what it is portrayed in this site are DAILY PICTURES of Walmart customers doing shopping. Some of them are funny, some of them are so gross that some people might even feel nauseous if they take a look at them. But I found one in particular in which a young-looking mom is buying plastic bins, laundry basket and piling everything on her cart, where her small son (around 3 years old) is sitting, being smashed by these items. Is this possible? Did anybody say anything to this woman?, like a "Hey! You are smashing your child with all your containers and cleaning products."
Here is a link to the site and the picture ( see above) I am talking about.
www.peopleofwalmart.com
This site as you can see, really caught my attention. It's interesting to see what mid America looks like, right? :S
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1rTSazpCJs

The Tortoise and The Hare: Who Wins This Race?

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/The_Tortoise_and_the_Hare_-_Project_Gutenberg_etext_19994.jpg

 The Tortoise and the Hare is an Aesop's fable that is number 226 in the Perry Index. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tortoise_and_the_Hare

According to theHerodotus (Greek historian), the fables were written by a slave named Aesop, who lived in Ancient Greece during the 5th century BC. Aesop is also mentioned in several other Ancient Greek works including works by Socrates, Plato and other philosophers.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesop%27s_Fables

            This story is about a hare who is very full of himself and underestimates a tortoise (for being as slow as they are) when they are going to race. During the race, the hare runs as fast as he can and makes fun of the slow-moving tortoise whose shell is so heavy that makes him move much slower than him. The Hare, thinking that he was "way ahead" of the tortoise decides to stop and take a nap under a tree. Meanwhile, the tortoise keep on going without stopping and starts to get very close to the finish line, the hare then hears the crowd cheering and shouting at the tortoise and realizes that he has fallen asleep and has to catch up. The hare runs as fast as he can, however the tortoise has already arrived to the finish line and wins the race. Slowly but surely, the well-determined tortoise wins the race! Several experts believe that this fable has many meaning and morales.In my opinion, the morale that I got from reading this fable as a child and watching the 1934 Disney cartoon film was a saying that we use in Spanish: "A camaron que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente." The literal meaning of this saying is : If a shrimp falls asleep, the stream will drag him..." Now the real meaning of this saying will be that a person must be aware and cautious of situations, not underestimate others for their speed, height, age, etc. We see this happening over and over on a daily basis, at work, in sports, wars, and more. For example, three years ago my favorite Peruvian soccer team was going to play against a not-so popular (not good) soccer team. My favorite team decides they will go partying all week and train only 1hour a-day while the other team decided not to go out anytime during the week and practice throughout the whole time. At the end, the "not-so popular team" beats my team 4-1. Why? my team underestimate the other team and just believed they did not have to make any effort to win the National Champion League.

My Personalized Script

                                     VIDEO                                                                AUDIO                   

FADE IN:                                                                                    FADE IN MUSIC:

"Big Race Tortoise VS. Hare" sign shows up.                         Fast-pace classical melody and animals 

Animals lining up and clearing up the way.                              cheering and talking.

Hurry Hare appears as a winner                                            Animals cheering at Hurry Hare.

Tardy Tortoise appears cheering and excited                         Animals and Hurry Hare mocking him.

Hurry Hare gives his hand to Tardy Tortoise                          Hurry Hare and audience laughing at Tardy 

and takes it away before Tardy Tortoise shakes                     Tortoise.

his hand.

Rancid Raccoon starts the race by shooting                          Sound of the pistol shooting...

his pistol up in the air.

Hurry Hare rushes and starts running as fast                         fast-pace music playing...

as he can, while tardy Tortoise is moving 

very slowly.

Tardy Tortoise runs at his "own pace" while                       Slow-pace music playing...

singing a song.

Hurry Hare keeps on running until he spots                        Fast-pace music and slow-pace music playing

Tardy Tortoise from far away in the back and                    when Hurry Hare decides to rest...

decides to take a nap under a shady tree.

Tardy Tortoise keeps on moving ... he's                            Slow music quickly turns into a faster pace tune.

determined to win this race... 

He passes by Hurry Hare without stopping.

Hurry Hare keeps sleeping peacefully.                               Dreaming music playing...

Tardy Tortoise keeps on running and is                              Animals cheering and shouting at Tardy Tortoise

almost to the finish line...                                                    happy music on the background...

Hurry Hare suddenly wakes up and notices                       Surprise music and fast-pace music playing also.

Tardy Tortoise almost to the finish line... 

He runs as fast as he can...

Hurry Hare is almost catching up with Tardy                      Winning music on the background while animals

Tortoise but Tardy Tortoise, stretches his neck                   cheer at Tardy Tortoise and boo at Hurry Hare.

and legs and makes it to the finish line.

Tardy Tortoise is picked up by bigger animals                    Winning music and finale...

as the only winner and throws a big smile with 

his arms up in the air.Hurry Hare is left behind...

FADE OUT                                                                   MUSIC FADES OUT.

Here is a link to the 1934-Disney cartoon film on "The Tortoise and The Hare."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoljArB8oZE

 Hope you enjoy it as much as I did now and when I was little...

Stereotypes, Metaphors, Signs and Symbols

On this posting, I will talk about stereotypes, metaphors, signs and symbols. I believe these four media concepts are very important and might define what we think as human beings, media producers and viewers.
According to Wordnet, a stereotype is "a conventional or formulaic conception or image) "regional stereotypes have been part of America since its founding"  http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=stereotype
There are several examples of  stereotypes, for example that most people from India are doctors, engineers or information technology specialists, some of them working at International Call Centers.
http://globalvillagetoday.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/india-inc-cover1.jpg

http://globalvillagetoday.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/india-inc-cover1.jpg

http://image.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/68543/68543,1172963854,5/stock-photo-hispanic-male-gang-stereotype-2799963.jpg

Or for instance, Hispanics (also called Latinos) living in the United States are either from Mexico (crossed the border illegally) or from the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico.
The media stereotypes women as well. For example, in the music industry in which young girls who want to become famous have to be skinny, blond so that they can become successful singers who will be exhaustively admired by other young girls, attracted to men and followed by paparazzies.I can use the example of Colombian-born singer Shakira, who in her early years as a Spanish-Pop singer had black hair, and voluptuous body. A few years later, in order to captivate the American audience, she died her hair blond, had to go through multiple surgeries and training to appear skinny and conquer the American/commercial world, like Britney Spears and the newest, Lady Gaga. Now, when you do a  Google image search on Shakira you will only see pictures of her as blond and skinny.I literally had to dig in to find an image of her as a brunette and chubby singer. Check this out!

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/31503669/Shakira+9st8.jpg

http://www.terra.com/addon/img/musica/113c1c6shakira_1996_01_mzcp.jpg

AFTER





 



                  BEFORE
I truly believe that this latter stereotype about women is wrong. It induces girls and young women to do whatever it takes to copy their favorite 'perfect body' celebrities. The American research group Anorexia Nervosa & Related Eating Disorders, Inc. says that one out of every four college-aged women uses unhealthy methods of weight control—including fasting, skipping meals, excessive exercise, laxative abuse, and self-induced vomiting. (http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/women_and_girls/women_beauty.cfm)


Now moving onto another concept, according to Sartar a metaphor is "a fundamental mode of communicating meaning in which a relationship between two things is suggested through analogy or a simile. (Methaphors) they communicate the meaning of an unknown by transposing it into the terms of the known.
Most of us use metaphors to describe or explain something underneath an idea. Here is a great video that explains some common metaphors:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFgRj-5d5Ac&feature=related

Many world leaders used and currently use metaphors to explain socioeconomic and political issues and make concepts a bit easier for all people to understand. For example here is a famous quote from Thomas Jefferson using a metaphor: "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants."http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/Thomas.Jefferson.Quote.EFEC

In conclusion, metaphors are a great way of explaining and understanding certain abstract topics that can be confusing or just need more clarification. It is vital to use them on a daily basis.

And last but not least, we have symbols and signs. A sign is something that stands for something else, while a symbol is something that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention. Something visible representing something invisible. A symbol can be embued with rich layers of meanings.http://www.symbols.net/signsymbols/

 A great example of a symbol is the Ying yang that symbolizes the abstract concept of perfect balance in the Chinese culture. "This symbol represents the primal opposing but complementary forces found in all things in the universe. Depicted as it is, it also outlines the necessity of balance in all things." http://www.whats-your-sign.com/yin-yang-symbols.html 

http://z.about.com/d/taoism/1/0/0/-/-/-/yinYang.gif

http://z.about.com/d/taoism/1/0/0/-/-/-/yinYang.gif

Another one is the symbol for "going green" or recycling. he universal recycling symbol (♲ or ♻ in Unicode)  It is an internationally recognized symbol used to designate recyclable materials. It is composed of three chasing arrows that form a Möbius strip or unending loop. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recycling_symbol

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/4361345/2/istockphoto_4361345-recycle-symbol.jpg

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/4361345/2/istockphoto_4361345-recycle-symbol.jpg

http://comps.fotosearch.com/comp/UNC/UNC214/stop-sign-mark_~u14629813.jpg

 A good sign example is the universal STOP sign http://comps.fotosearch.com/comp/UNC/UNC214/stop-sign-mark_~u14629813.jpg