Since childhood, my passion to create has driven me to search for the simplest truths within the world I live in. Throwbacks of pop culture have always decorated my life and their influences are directly reflected in my work. The nightly news, advertisements, pulp magazines, film, and music all play an extremely important role in my work as each influence becomes a layer of spirit and emotion in my mixed media paintings and photography. It’s those ordinary and mundane gifts that I find in each normal day that spill the truth and the essence of my life into my art. Popular culture has always filled my life with vivacity, passion, and a yearning for creativity. Admittedly, I’ve long been an artist that gets lost in the contemporary message of my work. I do after all own it and somewhere in my creative mind the process of creation and the object as art become my unified gospel in a sacred delivery and message. I absorb my surroundings, dissect it, rearrange it, and spit it back out to the world as a reinterpretation of the original, and on occasion transform it into something totally original within itself.

I seek to pose questions about what people overlook or don't consider when viewing art in order to interpret what they see. When working on a project, I purposely retain the effect of my hand. The false crudeness is enhanced by my use of seemingly impoverished materials. This is akin to seeing the fishing wire holding up the miniature spaceship as it flies through the sky. This document was created with Microsoft Word XP.

No Japão, o fenômeno otaku se popularizou no final dos anos 1980 por causa do assassino em série Tsutomu Miyazaki. A mídia japonesa rapidamente o identificou como um otaku, uma pessoa obcecada pela indústria do entretenimento, e nos anos 1990 o indivíduo otaku ficou conhecido como um grande problema social. Contudo, nos anos 2000, o governo japonês colocou em prática seu plano político Cool Japan, que promovia a divulgação da cultura pop japonesa ao mundo. O indivíduo otaku, sendo um grande consumidor de cultura pop japonesa, deixou de ser considerado um problema para se tornar parte de uma solução política. O fenômeno otaku foi pesquisado com o objetivo de descobrir como essa transformação ocorreu. Para isso, foi necessário pesquisar: a origem do indivíduo otaku; sua relação com sociedade; e a teoria filosófica de Hiroki Azuma sobre a relação entre os consumidores japoneses e a cultura pop japonesa. Foi possível afirmar que a imagem do indivíduo otaku melhorou porque a sociedade japonesa mudou sua relação de consumo com os produtos culturais. Assim como os indivíduos otaku, a sociedade japonesa passou a consumir não pelo produto em si, mas pelas configurações que possui em suas imagens japonesas. Não houve evidências o suficiente para afirmar, mas no final houve a suposição de que talvez a imagem do indivíduo otaku tenha melhorado porque a sociedade japonesa esteja se tornando otaku. / In Japan, the otaku phenomenon became popular in the late 1980s because of the serial killer Tsutomu Miyazaki. Japanese media identified him quickly as an otaku, a person obsessed with the entertainment industry, and in the 1990s the otaku became known as a major social problem. However, in 2004, the Japanese government started its political plan named Cool Japan, which promoted the dissemination of Japanese pop culture to the world. Being a major consumer of Japanese pop culture, the otaku was no longer considered a problem, but became part of a political solution. The otaku phenomenon has been investigated in order to find out how this transformation occurred. Thereunto, it has been researched: the otakus origin; his relationship with society; and the philosophical theory of Hiroki Azuma on the relationship between Japanese consumers and the Japanese pop culture. It was possible to state that the otakus image improved because Japanese society changed its consumer relationship with cultural products. As well as those considered otaku, Japanese society began to consume not because of the product itself, but because of its settings in Japanese images. There was not enough evidence to affirm, but in the end there was the assumption that perhaps the otakus image has improved because Japanese society itself is becoming otaku.

Review of Alcohol in Popular Culture : An Encyclopedia. Rachel Black Greenwood. 2010. 229p, 9780313380488, $85.00.

"Blue & Red" is about sound, sense, paranoia, and experience. When intuition goes awry and projections are shot in all directions the camera and eye can go, poems are bound to be nearby. From beginning to end, the reader may wonder what landscape the wanderlust traveler walks on. Where he may settle. Is he a boy? What is manhood? Has the prince stolen the key from the queen? "Blue & Red" has tautological hair, performance anxieties, and actualizations. Sentimental at times, we remember. Some traumas are daily. "Blue & Red" stands on the argument that if you put all of your heart, soul, spirit, body, and mind, into a poem, the process will yield an art/entertainment for the thinking person. It rests on the fact that love and gratitude are not lost. It rests on intangible things we must agree on. It lastly rests on the autonomy of the free mind.

The task undertaken in this dissertation is to determine the extent of the challenge facing the major firms (majors) who currently control over 80% of global sound carrier and publishing revenue in the popular (pop) music industry. The aim of this thesis is to explain the disorganising effects currently being experienced. Specifically, the central question guiding this thesis asks: what will be the effect of new technologies on the future organisation of the music industry? I focus broadly on recent universally accessible digital technologies which have raised questions about the future of the industry’s current organisational structure and processes both in terms of input (creation of music products in their commodified form) and output (access and consumption of music products). The industry’s processes are highly integrated and its business model is complex because it centres around the sophisticated management and aggressive appropriation of intellectual property (namely copyright) for repeated exploitation for decades after its initial acquisition. The purpose of this research, therefore, is to examine not only the tangible aspects of the manner in which the industry’s organises its products but also the intangible dimension. Significant recent changes experienced by the industry are identified. The literature is not conclusive in terms of explaining these developments. While existing research exists on recent developments, a comprehensive analysis of the organisation of the industry both in terms of input and output remains underdeveloped in the literature. In particular, in relation to product re-organisation and consumer behaviour, copyright development and corporate restructuring, the literature is not fully developed. Current research is focused on illegitimate technological attacks – namely digital piracy. However these do not adequately or comprehensively explain current disorganisation in the industry. This dissertation remedies this deficiency by proposing four separate but interconnected factors are affecting the highly concentrated status quo. Together, the positive and negative impacts of emerging technologies have created a serious dilemma in terms of product commodification for the controllers of the industry. I argue interconnected illegitimate and legitimate technological challenges are at play suggesting re-organisation is occurring multidimensionally. The research undertaken is empirically grounded, and though primarily based on qualitative data (and subsequent quantitative data for statistical corroboration), the current work has implications for understanding the industry’s methods. Together, these approaches form the basis of the dissertation’s methodology. The research reported in this dissertation attempts to determine to what extent the use and consumption of these different technologies can be regarded as the primary catalyst for the challenge to corporate control of the music industry, and the manner in which it is structured. If the dominant few intend to identify and rationalise challenges in terms of their corporate model, then they must understand the dynamic nature of interacting technologies.

The task undertaken in this dissertation is to determine the extent of the challenge facing the major firms (majors) who currently control over 80% of global sound carrier and publishing revenue in the popular (pop) music industry. The aim of this thesis is to explain the disorganising effects currently being experienced. Specifically, the central question guiding this thesis asks: what will be the effect of new technologies on the future organisation of the music industry? I focus broadly on recent universally accessible digital technologies which have raised questions about the future of the industry’s current organisational structure and processes both in terms of input (creation of music products in their commodified form) and output (access and consumption of music products). The industry’s processes are highly integrated and its business model is complex because it centres around the sophisticated management and aggressive appropriation of intellectual property (namely copyright) for repeated exploitation for decades after its initial acquisition. The purpose of this research, therefore, is to examine not only the tangible aspects of the manner in which the industry’s organises its products but also the intangible dimension. Significant recent changes experienced by the industry are identified. The literature is not conclusive in terms of explaining these developments. While existing research exists on recent developments, a comprehensive analysis of the organisation of the industry both in terms of input and output remains underdeveloped in the literature. In particular, in relation to product re-organisation and consumer behaviour, copyright development and corporate restructuring, the literature is not fully developed. Current research is focused on illegitimate technological attacks – namely digital piracy. However these do not adequately or comprehensively explain current disorganisation in the industry. This dissertation remedies this deficiency by proposing four separate but interconnected factors are affecting the highly concentrated status quo. Together, the positive and negative impacts of emerging technologies have created a serious dilemma in terms of product commodification for the controllers of the industry. I argue interconnected illegitimate and legitimate technological challenges are at play suggesting re-organisation is occurring multidimensionally. The research undertaken is empirically grounded, and though primarily based on qualitative data (and subsequent quantitative data for statistical corroboration), the current work has implications for understanding the industry’s methods. Together, these approaches form the basis of the dissertation’s methodology. The research reported in this dissertation attempts to determine to what extent the use and consumption of these different technologies can be regarded as the primary catalyst for the challenge to corporate control of the music industry, and the manner in which it is structured. If the dominant few intend to identify and rationalise challenges in terms of their corporate model, then they must understand the dynamic nature of interacting technologies.

The task undertaken in this dissertation is to determine the extent of the challenge facing the major firms (majors) who currently control over 80% of global sound carrier and publishing revenue in the popular (pop) music industry. The aim of this thesis is to explain the disorganising effects currently being experienced. Specifically, the central question guiding this thesis asks: what will be the effect of new technologies on the future organisation of the music industry? I focus broadly on recent universally accessible digital technologies which have raised questions about the future of the industry’s current organisational structure and processes both in terms of input (creation of music products in their commodified form) and output (access and consumption of music products). The industry’s processes are highly integrated and its business model is complex because it centres around the sophisticated management and aggressive appropriation of intellectual property (namely copyright) for repeated exploitation for decades after its initial acquisition. The purpose of this research, therefore, is to examine not only the tangible aspects of the manner in which the industry’s organises its products but also the intangible dimension. Significant recent changes experienced by the industry are identified. The literature is not conclusive in terms of explaining these developments. While existing research exists on recent developments, a comprehensive analysis of the organisation of the industry both in terms of input and output remains underdeveloped in the literature. In particular, in relation to product re-organisation and consumer behaviour, copyright development and corporate restructuring, the literature is not fully developed. Current research is focused on illegitimate technological attacks – namely digital piracy. However these do not adequately or comprehensively explain current disorganisation in the industry. This dissertation remedies this deficiency by proposing four separate but interconnected factors are affecting the highly concentrated status quo. Together, the positive and negative impacts of emerging technologies have created a serious dilemma in terms of product commodification for the controllers of the industry. I argue interconnected illegitimate and legitimate technological challenges are at play suggesting re-organisation is occurring multidimensionally. The research undertaken is empirically grounded, and though primarily based on qualitative data (and subsequent quantitative data for statistical corroboration), the current work has implications for understanding the industry’s methods. Together, these approaches form the basis of the dissertation’s methodology. The research reported in this dissertation attempts to determine to what extent the use and consumption of these different technologies can be regarded as the primary catalyst for the challenge to corporate control of the music industry, and the manner in which it is structured. If the dominant few intend to identify and rationalise challenges in terms of their corporate model, then they must understand the dynamic nature of interacting technologies.

The task undertaken in this dissertation is to determine the extent of the challenge facing the major firms (majors) who currently control over 80% of global sound carrier and publishing revenue in the popular (pop) music industry. The aim of this thesis is to explain the disorganising effects currently being experienced. Specifically, the central question guiding this thesis asks: what will be the effect of new technologies on the future organisation of the music industry? I focus broadly on recent universally accessible digital technologies which have raised questions about the future of the industry’s current organisational structure and processes both in terms of input (creation of music products in their commodified form) and output (access and consumption of music products). The industry’s processes are highly integrated and its business model is complex because it centres around the sophisticated management and aggressive appropriation of intellectual property (namely copyright) for repeated exploitation for decades after its initial acquisition. The purpose of this research, therefore, is to examine not only the tangible aspects of the manner in which the industry’s organises its products but also the intangible dimension. Significant recent changes experienced by the industry are identified. The literature is not conclusive in terms of explaining these developments. While existing research exists on recent developments, a comprehensive analysis of the organisation of the industry both in terms of input and output remains underdeveloped in the literature. In particular, in relation to product re-organisation and consumer behaviour, copyright development and corporate restructuring, the literature is not fully developed. Current research is focused on illegitimate technological attacks – namely digital piracy. However these do not adequately or comprehensively explain current disorganisation in the industry. This dissertation remedies this deficiency by proposing four separate but interconnected factors are affecting the highly concentrated status quo. Together, the positive and negative impacts of emerging technologies have created a serious dilemma in terms of product commodification for the controllers of the industry. I argue interconnected illegitimate and legitimate technological challenges are at play suggesting re-organisation is occurring multidimensionally. The research undertaken is empirically grounded, and though primarily based on qualitative data (and subsequent quantitative data for statistical corroboration), the current work has implications for understanding the industry’s methods. Together, these approaches form the basis of the dissertation’s methodology. The research reported in this dissertation attempts to determine to what extent the use and consumption of these different technologies can be regarded as the primary catalyst for the challenge to corporate control of the music industry, and the manner in which it is structured. If the dominant few intend to identify and rationalise challenges in terms of their corporate model, then they must understand the dynamic nature of interacting technologies.

The task undertaken in this dissertation is to determine the extent of the challenge facing the major firms (majors) who currently control over 80% of global sound carrier and publishing revenue in the popular (pop) music industry. The aim of this thesis is to explain the disorganising effects currently being experienced. Specifically, the central question guiding this thesis asks: what will be the effect of new technologies on the future organisation of the music industry? I focus broadly on recent universally accessible digital technologies which have raised questions about the future of the industry’s current organisational structure and processes both in terms of input (creation of music products in their commodified form) and output (access and consumption of music products). The industry’s processes are highly integrated and its business model is complex because it centres around the sophisticated management and aggressive appropriation of intellectual property (namely copyright) for repeated exploitation for decades after its initial acquisition. The purpose of this research, therefore, is to examine not only the tangible aspects of the manner in which the industry’s organises its products but also the intangible dimension. Significant recent changes experienced by the industry are identified. The literature is not conclusive in terms of explaining these developments. While existing research exists on recent developments, a comprehensive analysis of the organisation of the industry both in terms of input and output remains underdeveloped in the literature. In particular, in relation to product re-organisation and consumer behaviour, copyright development and corporate restructuring, the literature is not fully developed. Current research is focused on illegitimate technological attacks – namely digital piracy. However these do not adequately or comprehensively explain current disorganisation in the industry. This dissertation remedies this deficiency by proposing four separate but interconnected factors are affecting the highly concentrated status quo. Together, the positive and negative impacts of emerging technologies have created a serious dilemma in terms of product commodification for the controllers of the industry. I argue interconnected illegitimate and legitimate technological challenges are at play suggesting re-organisation is occurring multidimensionally. The research undertaken is empirically grounded, and though primarily based on qualitative data (and subsequent quantitative data for statistical corroboration), the current work has implications for understanding the industry’s methods. Together, these approaches form the basis of the dissertation’s methodology. The research reported in this dissertation attempts to determine to what extent the use and consumption of these different technologies can be regarded as the primary catalyst for the challenge to corporate control of the music industry, and the manner in which it is structured. If the dominant few intend to identify and rationalise challenges in terms of their corporate model, then they must understand the dynamic nature of interacting technologies.