Final Blog Reflection

     Blogs growth in popularity largely stems from the fact that it is an easy medium to use to establish an opinion on any given subject. Through the use of the internet, blogs give people the freedom  to express their view point to any given audience. They can write about a current issue affecting the world or inform their readers of a past problem. Blogs allow a sense of creativity that few other outlets do and make up one of main components of the internet - opinions.
     Opinions are part of what drive the internet. Sure there is factual information, gossip, and rumors but opinions allow not only the writer but also the reader to establish a position on a particular topic. My blog for example covered the Los Angeles rock band the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I believe them to be a great band worthy of their soon entrance into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame but others may not agree. This forms the basis of not only blogs but also opinionated writing. I use my blog as an example but all of the blogs I covered provided insight into economic and political issues effecting the world. All the authors of these blogs also established a position on the topics they covered to a certain extent.
      Blogs are a great way to share an opinion on virtually anything . It can be more professional based or just a casual writing piece. Either way blogs are a great way to express an opinion, I learned this first hand with writing my blogs over the last month. Blogs carry a great value and will continue to exist and give people interesting points and positions on various issues.

Summary/Analysis 4 - Jeffrey Goldberg

    Jeffrey Goldberg, columnist for the Atlantic and formerly a correspondent of the New York Times addresses many noteworthy topics on his self - titled blog, mainly touching on economic and foreign issues especially those dealing with Iran. He uses a unique American perspective and comparisons to display his points. He does this in order to show how Americans perceive outside conflicts and how they feel about the recession. His audience is anyone interested in the economic and political situation in the United States.
    One of Goldbergs most recent blogs shows his concern that Iran may already be under attack. He initially points that "Goldblog deputy-editor-for-monitoring-Iran-obsessively Adam Chandler"  gave him the idea "even-though-Goldblog-himself-also-monitors-Iran-obsessively". This not only compares the two as coworkers who think alike but also provides the reader a background on the blog topic. Goldberg then uses his unique perspective as well as his jewish background to describe the tensions between Iran and Isreal. He further explores attacks made by Iranian Students on a UK embassy.

Blog 4 - Greatest Hits Albums

Over the last 28 years the Red Hot Chili Peppers have released two greatest hits albums, neither career spanning and that presents a problem.
The first What Hits!? was distributed in 1994 by EMI the bands first record label. This covers the bands first 4 albums (1984 - 1989) and also includes the mega hit Under the Bridge (1991). With its 18 songs it provides a solid representation of a decidingly unsuccessful era for the band which even the label itself pokes fun at with the album title. However the era is underrated because it shows the bands evolution towards stardom and many of the songs display the bands ability to write catchy songs. Not only that but a few of the songs were actually hits from Knock Me Down a tribute song to deceased former guitarist Hillel Slovak, to the bands cover of Stevie Wonders Higher Ground. The hits collection received average reviews and went gold in the US but wasn't hugely successful
The Second was simply titled Greatest Hits and was released in 2003 by Warner Bros. This collection only includes 16 songs but two of the cuts are newly recorded. The new tracks are excellent additions to the chili pepper catalog but its the actual hits that aren't up to par. Its not that they aren't great songs but when an era as expansive as 1991 - 2002 is being covered it is tough to include just 14 songs. It does include Higher Ground from the bands 1989 album and includes most of the hits from Blood Sugar Sex Magik and Californication (safe Around the World). However both One Hot Minute and By the Way are misrepresented. Only My Friends is included from One Hot Minute while Can't Stop and the Zepher song are missing from By the Way. It was nonetheless very successful and has sold over 7 million worldwide.
My proposal for a future Greatest Hits collection is a 20 song album that culls most of the hits from all the bands albums in chronological order. No new songs would be included. The list I have come up with goes like this (Note - This does not take into account the fact that some songs are EMI property and others are Warner Bros).

My Greatest Hits (In order of release):

1. Knock Me Down
2. Higher Ground
3. Give it Away
4. Under the Bridge
5. Breaking the Girl
6. Soul to Squeeze
7. Warped
8. My Friends
9. Aeroplane
10. Scar Tissue
11. Otherside
12. Californication
13. By the Way
14. Can't Stop 
15. Universally Speaking 
16. Zephyr Song
17. Dani California
18. Tell Me Baby
19. Snow (Hey Oh) 
20.  The Adventures of Raindance Maggie

Of course this still ignores three of the bands albums that produced no hits as well as several hits that couldn't be included but it nonetheless provides listeners with some of the best the band has to offer.

Summary/Analysis 3 - David Brook's Blog

    Respected moderate and journalist David Brooks examines many key intellectual issues in his eponymous titled blog which is distributed through the New York Times Opinions Page. Brooks incorporates Life Reports from his blog followers that add an ethos and pathos appeal to his blog, he defines words like humility that allow a better illustration of the intellectual issues covered in his blog. He does this in order to give the readers a better idea of the intellectual issues affecting the world. His audience is anyone who wants a greater understanding of the key intellectual problems in the world.
    Brooks recent blog entries show his commitment to his senior readers and his willingness to share their stories. By simply relisting these stories with a little of his insight added in, he gives his blog a more emotional filled approached. This also give his blog a better understanding of the intellectual issues both positive and negative that affect a person over the course of their life. His definition of humility as something that is necessary over a child's life because it makes them less egotistical and more self - aware. He beliefs that mistakes are also necessary to the intellectual growth of all humans.

Blog 3 - By the Way

By the Way (2002), the eighth album by the Red Hot Chili Peppers continued the success the band achieved from their previous release Californication. The same lineup returned for only the second time in the bands history and this allowed for the band to explore new musical directions without changing lineups. The album takes a more melodic and subdued approach in comparison to the bands previous outputs and this leads to a ultimately unique set of songs from the band. Several of the non singles are standouts such as Don't Forget Me, This is the Place, and Midnight which are all great examples of the bands shift to more melodic music and insightful lyrics. The singles too are cleverly written and instantly memorable. Be it the title track which became the most successful track off the record, to one of the few fast rockers on the album in Can't Stop. The Zephyr Song, Universally Speaking, and Dosed were all successful as well and add further credence to the new melodic style of the band. Perhaps the best song is the closing track Venice Queen --- a tribute to the late Gloria Scott a rehabilitation therapist who helped the Chili Peppers lead singer Anthony Kiedis through his drug addiction --- which is truly one of the best written songs by the band from a lyrical standpoint. The B - Sides aren't nearly as good but the cover of Teenager in Love is enjoyable. Nonetheless this was the third most successful album by the band to date and is thoroughly entertaining from start to finish. Another highly recommended album especially for those interested in lighter more melodic rock.

Tracklisting:

1. By the Way
2. Universally Speaking
3. This is the Place
4. Dosed
5. Don't Forget Me
6. The Zephyr Song
7. Can't Stop
8. I Could Die For You
9. Midnight
10. Throw Away Your Television
11. Cabron
12. Tear
13. On Mercury
14. Minor Thing
15. Warm Tape
16. Venice Queen 

Summary/Analysis 2 - Paul Krugman's Blog

     Professor and Nobel prize winner, Paul Krugman tackles many important worldwide economic issues in his New York Times blog The Conscience of the Liberal. Krugman uses straight up evidence as well as various comparisons to back his view points. He does this in order to make the audience aware of these issues in a factual sense and allow them to assess these problems in comparison to past problems. His audience are people interested in the state of the economy not only in the United States but in other areas around the world.
     Krugman's recent blog entries show his interest in the recession that the United States is currently struggling through. He compares this recession to "the 80s recession, and for that matter like what happened in the 70s" as this recession too is creating a "clockwise spiral” in the unemployment chart he presents. However this recession's chart spiral has been "scrunched as if it’s bouncing off a hard surface at or near zero". Not only does this suggest the economy will continue to struggle as rises in employment rates have been minimum but it also does in a factual way that uses similes to compare this recession to those of the past. He also takes a look at austerity, a policy of deficit cutting and lower spending. He takes an existing article on the subject, critiques it, and adds his own insight as well. He uses a chart of British unemployment rates in the 1900's and again tries to draw comparisons between those unemployment rates and those of the United States currently.

Blog 2 - Californication

Californication (1999), the seventh album by the Red Hot Chili Peppers was upon release, described as a revitalization for the band and its easy to see why. The return of John Frusciante (who played on the bands 4th and 5th albums) saw the band yet again change direction in their music. The differences are vast, Frusciante and previous guitarist Dave Navarro are far different guitar players, but nonetheless these changes work extremely well. The hits, which drive the album are all excellent. The symbolic Scar Tissue is the best descriptor of the bands rebirth through song and fittingly became the most successful track off the record. Another major hit was Otherside. This track is especially important to me as it was the first Chili Pepper song I ever heard. This was back in 2000 when the song was on its way to becoming a huge hit. The third big hit Californication has one of the most memorable riffs created by the band. The album isn't without other great tracks from the energetic Around the World, Get on Top, and Right on Time to the more subdued This Velvet Glove, Savior, and Road Trippin. A few of the tracks such as Porcelian and I like Dirt aren't nearly as good and may have been better being replaced with the excellent b - sides Bunker Hill and Quixoticelixer. I personally wouldn't describe this album as a rebirth despite its place as the bands best selling album. This is due to my belief that the bands previous record One Hot Minute is exceptional as well. This is another highly recommended listen.

Track listing:

1. Around the World  
2. Parallel Universe  
3. Scar Tissue  
4. Otherside
5. Get on Top  
6. Californication
7. Easily"
8. Porcelain  
9. Emit Remmus
10. I Like Dirt  
11. This Velvet Glove  
12. Savior
13. Purple Stain 
14. Right on Time 
15. Road Trippin