Assignment 9-2

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THE INCREDIBLES

The Incredibles is an animated movie about a super hero family. This movie has your classic good versus evil theme or formula in it. The father and mother are a retired pair of super hero's living in suburbia. The dad ends up going on a secret mission and gets captured by the evil villain. The evil villain is a super hero wanna be who feels he was treated wrongly by Mr. Incredible. The evil villain is intent on destroying Mr. Incredible and taking over the world.

Mrs. Incredible figures out that her husband has gone off on a secret mission and is intent on going after him. She suits up and heads off to save her husband. Unknown to her the children stow away in the plane. Part way through the flight she discovers the stow aways and lectures the children about how they are endangering themselves by coming along. The children all suit up and realize they have super hero powers also. The children practice their powers on the plane. The plane gets shot down and the children use their powers to get safely to the ground. The mother is angry and tells the children to stay put and she's going to find the dad. The children wait and finally realize the mother was probably captured and they set out to rescue their parents. In the end they do rescue the parents.

The formula of good versus evil has been around forever. It is not a good film if evil prevails so almost all films are made with good prevailing over evil. This formula has remained untouched over time because everybody likes it when the good guys win. It give people a sense of happiness and a sense that all is right in the world.

Another formula represented in this movie is the trouble with a teenager finding her identity. The daughter in this movie was your typical teenager, always sulking around, withdrawn, didn't want to be around parents, and always fighting with siblings. She ends up finding her hidden super hero powers and in the process of developing these powers she discovers her identity. She finds her sense of self and becomes more confident, outgoing and charismatic. This is a formula that many teenagers face themselves daily. They have to choose what is right and what is wrong. Teenagers face many obstacles in defining themselves. This formula has been constant through out time as well. Children struggle daily with finding their purpose in life.

Some formulas may change over the years but many will stay the same. They may vary slightly but the underlying theme stays the same. For film people to produce well liked movies they have to stay on top of what entertains people and what formula or theme is the most prevalent.

ASSIGNMENT 9-1 DATE: 3/30/08

SMOKING
Smoking is a topic of great heated discussion these days. Back in the olden days, smoking was something that high society people did. You could look at somebody and tell what class they fit in based off many things one being the cigarettes they smoked. Back in those days they had long holders for their cigarettes that made smoking more elegant looking.

Cigarette manufacturer's have used very effective advertising methods throughout the years. The one that sticks in my head the most is the Marlboro man. He was the perfect tool to get girls to smoke, a gorgeous cowboy. Another one that was used was cartoon figures that made smoking look fun. Smoking has gone from a socially acceptable habit to a very bad habit.

These days there are always heated discussions about smoking. The city I live in has just passed a smoking ban in all public places. I feel this is a great step in keeping people healthier. By making smoking less attractive and less acceptable it will hopefully make less people start smoking and make more people quit smoking. I love the thought that July 1st if I want to go to the bar to have a drink I will come home not smelling like a smoke stack. I love the idea of going out to eat and not smelling smoke as I'm eating. Many people are complaining about this ban saying our rights are being taken away. Well my response is this...your still have every right to smoke, you'll just have to do it outside or in your vehicle.

Is everybody going to agree with every law or ban put in place? NO! If the bans or laws make society a better place to live in we shouldn't complain.

ASSIGNMENT 7-1 DATE: 3/16/08

NASCAR
The popular culture topic I chose this week is NASCAR. Auto racing has been around for over 50 years. NASCAR has really caught on in the last 10 years or so. NASCAR always had a lot of following but now it is becoming more mainstream. You really cannot go out in public without seeing several people with NASCAR apparel on. Advertising has really heightened the public awareness of NASCAR also. A lot of the driver's star in their own commercials for one or more of their sponsors. Talk about a great way to get people's attention. It seems like now you have two seasons: football and racing. NASCAR came from small beginnings and small payouts for drivers and has evolved into a huge sport with huge payouts. You can probably ask anybody about NASCAR and you will either find a fan or at least somebody who has heard of it. When you follow any sport you get a sense of belonging. NASCAR gives Americans another way to belong and fit in regardless of your skin color. NASCAR is also becoming a global entity. There is now racers from all over the world competing. NASCAR is a great sport and great entertainment for everybody.

Assignment 5-1 Date: 3/2/08

PSYCHICS

A popular culture topic that intersts me is the world of psychics. People with psychic abilities have been around since ancient times. The word psychic "refers to the ability to perceive things hidden from the senses through means of extra-sensory perception," (www.wikipedia.com). Belief in psychic abilities have been on the increase since the 19th century. One of the earliest most famous psychics was Nostradamus. He wrote books containing around 6,000 prophecies. "Edgar Cayce was one of the best-known American psychics of the 20th century," (www.wikipedia.com).

People believe that psychic ability is passed down from generation to generation. Many also believe that everybody is born with these abilities but lear to tune them out at an early age. People also believe that with training and discipline you can learn to develop your psychic abilities.

The most famous psychics of modern day are Sylvia Browne and John Edwards. Sylvia Brown has written many books, she appears frequently on Montel, she travels around the world giving lectures and readings and she has also developed her own church. She is my favorite psychic and an inspiration for all who believe in her abilities. John Edwards has also written a few books and he has his own television show where he gives readings.

What I find the most interesting is that we live in a society that is turning to be more spiritual. The belief in psychic abilities have been on the increase in the United States. Many people are still extremely skeptical but I believe they are just scared of the unknown.

REFERENCES
www.wikipedia.com

ASSIGNMENT 3-1 DATE: 2/17/08

WEEKLY WRITTEN ANALYSIS 2

The topic I chose for this week is Britney Spears. This is a girl who has risen to great fame as a child star. She continually keeps her name out in popular media. Britney seems to be having some real problems with her life. One major problem seems to be she may have some sort of mental disease or illness.

Mental disease or illness are not that uncommon and just because you are diagnosed with a mental disease or disorder does not mean you cannot live a happy life. Britney seems to just buck the system on this if she really does have a mental disease she needs to learn how to keep in under control. If she did that her life would probably get back to some sort of normal resemblance.

I believe there are a lot of driving factors in the breakdown of Britney. She was a star too young, all the celebrity went to her head, she married too young and to the wrong kind of guy, she has been in and out of rehab like many other young celebrities and she has had emotional problems dealing with her family. Any one of the problems mentioned above would be enough to drive some people batty.

Britney has to start taking her life back. She needs to get the proper help she needs and eventually she can pull her life back together. If she did this I bet a judge would let her have visitations with her children. The media needs to just leave Britney alone so she can concentrate on getting herself better. Mental illness is a huge part of American culture but one that not many people want to acknowledge or understand.

ASSIGNMENT 3-2 DATE: 2/14/08

ICON ANALYSIS

I have chosen three people as contemporary icons. They are Oprah Winfrey, she is a talk show hostess and humanitarian. The second person I chose was Hillary Clinton, she is a senator and is running for a seat on the presidential ballot. The third person I chose was Walt Disney, he is the maker of another icon Mickey Mouse and a brilliant cartoonist.

I chose Oprah Winfrey as an icon because she is the biggest talk show hostess of all time. Oprah is not only a talk show hostess, she has her own magazine and televsion network. Oprah is unbelievably generous, she has opend a girls school in Africa for young women. She is an amazing person and a role model for many young women. She is an inspiration to me to be the best person I can possible be each and every day of my life.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oprah_Winfrey)

The second amazing person I chose was Hillary Clinton. She is an amazingly smart woman. For a woman to break into the senate is amazing in itself but Hillary is more than just a senator. Hillary was the brains behind the 1st Clinton administration in my opinion. She has dealt with a lot of criticism and has the guts to stand up to that criticism. I believe she is a very admirable woman running for a spot on the ballot for President of the United States of America. I hope she gets it. Hillary Clinton is another great role model for young aspiring women politician. She inspires me to never quit fighting for what you believe in.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton)

The last person I chose as an icon is Walt Disney. Walt Disney basically transformed the cartoon world. He is an amazingly brilliant cartoonist who created many popular figures that will be remembered forever. He not only transformed the cartoon world he made family entertainment wholesome. I remember as a child gathering around the televison for the weekly Disney movie that was on. I loved those days. Walt Disney will forever be remembered as the greatest cartoonist ever.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_disney)

REFERENCES

images from

http://www.wikipedia.com/

ASSIGNMENT 1-2 DATE: 2/10/08

POPULAR CULTURE AND ENERGY DRINKS

“Popular culture is the culture of the people collectively and singly,” (Browne, 2005). “Pop culture is the shared knowledge and practices of a specific group at a specific time,” (Petracca and Sorapure, 2007). These are two different interpretations of popular culture. I would define popular culture as anything that happens to be the “cool thing” or what is catching on in society or what you like or dislike. Popular culture is influenced by economics, education, exposure, emotions and sensations. Popular culture changes from person to person, from state to state, and from country to country. Culture is all around us, it is in everything we do, wear, say and it’s in the way we act.

Understanding popular culture is extremely important. By understanding the culture of different people around you, you will begin to understand why they act the way they do and what influences them. I work in a manufacturing setting as a controller. Being a controller you get to deal with all employees. We have a diverse group of people working for us. Understanding their backgrounds and culture will make me able to understand them as individuals better.

ENERGY DRINKS

An example of a pop culture artifact would be energy drinks. Energy drinks are becoming very popular even though they are not that good for you. “Approximately 65% of energy drink users are under the age of 35 years old, with males representing approximately 65% of the market,” (http://www.wikipedia.com/). Energy drinks give you an enormous burst or high of energy but you crash afterwards and end up feeling more tired than before. Energy drinks or enhancers date back to the early 1900’s in other countries. In 1995 energy drinks were introduced in the United States. “By the year 2001, the US energy drink market had grown to nearly 8 million dollars per year in retail sales,” (http://www.wikipedia.com/). It is predicted that the energy drink market will reach 10 billion dollars in revenue by 2010. That is quite impressive and why I believe energy drinks can be considered as a pop culture artifact. Energy drinks accelerate heart rates and blood pressure and cause that jittery anxious feeling. Energy drinks contain high levels of sugar which can decay teeth worse than soda pop.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, popular culture is all around us. We all contribute to popular culture in our own ways. Energy drinks are one of many pop culture artifacts in our society today. Every person has their own ideas of what can be considered a pop culture artifact. What is yours?

REFERENCE

Browne, R.B. (2005). Profiles of popular culture; a reader, Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.

Petracca, M. & Sorapure, M. (2007). Common culture; reading and writing about American popular culture. (5th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Wikipedia. (2007). www.wikipedia.com. Retrieved February 8, 2007.