U.S. Historical Events: 1980's-Present

1980: Mount St. Helens Erupts
Located in the Cascade Range, of southern Watshington, this was the worst U.S. volcano eruption in our history. 57 people were killed, and thousands of animals and surrounding plant life.



1981- Assisination attempt of President Ronald Reagan

A man by the name of John Hinckley Jr. shot at the president outside a hotel in Washington. President Reagan was hit by one bullet that puntured his lung. The president survived the ordeal, the nation was shaken, but he was okay.

1983- Martin Luther King Jr. Day becomes a national holiday


1984- AIDS virus is discovered. This caused much panic in the United States due to people misundestanding the true cause of the disease and how it is spread.

1987-The Dow Jones dropeed 23 points in one day, referred to as "Black Monday."

1989-Exxon Valdez oil spill occurs in Alaska, spilling million of gallons into the ocean.

1990- U.S. involvement with the Gulf War begins after Iraq invades Kuwait.




1993-World Trade Center is bombed. 6 people killed, thousands injured.

1998- U.S. President Clinton impeached, due to evidence of an extra marital affair with his sectrary Monical Lewinsky.

September 11, 2001: The World Trade Center collapses and the Pentagon is attacked by terrorists, after they hijacked four air liners. Over 3,000 people were killed, beginning the start of the war against Al-Qaeda.

2005- Hurricane Katrina hits the United States in New Orleans. Over 1,300 people perish, hundreds of thousands were without homes, and causing billions in damage.

2006- U.S. population reaches 300 million people. Also instilling a debate on foreign immigration and immigration policy.

2009- President Barack Obama is sworn into office making him the first African-American president in the history of the United States.

Works Cited

About. (2010). 20th Centrury History. Retrieved April 28, 2011, from about.com: http://history1900s.about.com/od/timelines/tp/1980timeline.htm

America's Best History. (2010). 2000's The War on Terrorism. Retrieved April 28, 2011, from America's Best History: http://americasbesthistory.com/abhtimeline2000.html

Assignment 5-1 Netflix

NETFLIX

Netflix is a quickly growing company that allows users to watch movies and selected tv shows on their computer or on their tv, through another device such as a Wii, Xbox 360, or Playstation. Their account users have no contract, and pay only $7.99 a month for unlimited use of their movies and tv episodes (Netflix, 2010). Since I am not a current user of Netflix I wanted to gain knowledge on this company and compare the pros vs. the cons of having a Netflix account.

The pros of using Netflix are that you get unlimited access of their media for a small set price. Also Netflix users have the convenience of selecting their movies and tv shows from home. Another pro to being a Netflix member is that there is no contract, so you can cancel at any time. Also one of the best pros to having Netflix is there are no late fees!

 Some of the cons of being a Netflix user of that if you do not use their services for the whole month, then you still get charged the monthly fee, if you have not cancelled. In addition, if you do not have another device that will allow you to watch on your tv, you can only watch Netflix on your computer. 

 In conclusion, I believe that the pros of being a Netflix member outweigh the costs, as long as you have a device to transfer Netflix on your tv, and will frequently utilize the services you are paying for. Netflix accounts have grown to more than 20 million members globally (Netflix, 2010). They are quickly paving the way towards becoming a new trend in movie rentals.

References:

Netflix. (2010). Unlimited TV episodes and movies instantly. Retrieved April 27, 2011, from Netflix: http://www.netflix.com/HowItWorks

Assignment 5-2 Formula Analysis

Analyzing the formulas of the Disney movies Tangled and Cinderella
 

Most people know the story of Cinderella, about a beautiful girl raised by her evil stepmother. She was forced to cook and clean for them. Some beliefs of the story are that a fairy godmother will save you in a time of need, that mice can talk to people, and that one day your dreams would come true. The myths of the story are the good vs. evil and the romance myth. The good vs. evil is represented by the battle of Cinderella, who is good, against her evil stepmother and her stepmother’s daughters. The romance myth is shown when Cinderella and the Prince instantly falls in love, and they get married. The formulas for the movie, Cindrellaare that good beats evil in the end, the girl lives happily ever after, and everything is black and white/ good or evil. Also despite Cinderella being raised by her stepmother, she remained gentle and kind.

For the movie Tangled, the parallels to Cinderella are very similar. Tangled follows the traditional story of Rapunzel, with some modern twists. An evil witch steals the princess, Rapunzel, in the night. The witch keeps her hidden in a tower and use’s Rapunzel’s magic hair to keep herself young. The two myths of the story are the good/evil myth and the romance myth. The formulas for the story are that good will beat the bad and the main characters live happily ever after. In addition, despite Rapunzel being raised by the evil witch, she remains good and kind. Also as Rapunzel is facing adulthood she is dealing with the struggle to rebel and live her own life, while still wanting to please her mother. 

As you can see the commonalities between Cinderella and Tangled are many. For example, the setting, myths, and some stereotypes and formulas are similar. Since these are both animated films and they both are princess fairy tales, they have the same storyline. A beautiful good girl is raised by an evil woman, but they fall in love and lives happily ever after. The formulas are similar because good trumps evil in the end. The main differences in the stories are that Cinderella was made in the 50’s and Tangled was recently made in 2010 (Cha Cha, 2010). Since the views on woman have changed, Cinderella’s character is more helpless then Rapunzel’s.  

Refrences:

Cha Cha. (2010). When was the original Cinderelaa movie made? Retrieved April 27, 2011, from Cha Cha : http://www.chacha.com/question/when-was-the-original-disney-cinderella-made

Assignment 4-1 Easter

Who is the Easter Bunny?
 

               The Easter Holiday is a widely celebrated holiday in the U.S. and among Christians around the world. Most of you know the religious reason for celebrating Easter; Jesus resurrected from the dead and rose up to Heaven. However, in today’s society many families celebrate by having the “Easter Bunny” come and bring candy and small toys to children, decorating Easter eggs, and having Easter egg hunts. So where do all these rituals come from and how does it affect modern society?

                First of all, the Easter bunny originated in 13^th century springtime Germany, where they worshipped Eostre, the goddess of spring (D'Souza, 2011).  She was represented by a “comely maiden carrying a basket filled with dyed-red eggs and little cuddly baby hares (D'Souza, 2011).”  Eventually the idea of the basket, eggs, and bunnies stayed, while the goddess became an Easter Bunny. These rituals were passed down to early settlers in the United States. In the early 1700’s children even left carrots out for the bunny to eat if he got hungry along the way (D'Souza, 2011).   The mixture of pagan and secular views were mixed together over time to combine the tradition of the bunny with eggs, and the religious holiday of Easter, since both celebrations take place during the spring.

                This holiday has affected popular culture today because this holiday is marketed to the media. Some rituals we celebrate are the purchasing of Easter baskets, Easter candy, toys, dying eggs, and having Easter egg hunts. Also girls and boys are expected to dress up in their best “Easter outfits.” Since I work at a retail store, the purchase of dresses and suits and toys has increased in the past two weeks. Many people may worry that the true meaning of Easter is lost. I believe that the religious message of the Easter holiday can still be maintained if you make it the focal point of your celebrations. Anyways, would Easter still be as fun without the Easter bunny, candy, and egg hunts?

Works Cited

D'Souza, K. (2011, April 19). Why is there an Easter Bunny? Retrieved April 22, 2011, from MercuryNews: http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_17869734?source=rss&nclick_check=1

Assignment 3-3 Stereotypes of Pirates

I'm sure that you have all heard about stereotypes. The true meaning of a stereotype is to characterize or give a fixed form to (Dictionary, 2011). In the Pirates of the Carribbean: Dead mans chest movie many stereotypes of pirates are portrayed. Some of the stereotypes of pirates include them being percieved as drunken, dirty untrustworthy womanizers, who are thieves, and love buried treasure. Even though this does not paint of pretty picture of pirates, the characters are still likeable. They do have a sense of humor, somewhat of a moral code, and stand up for those they care about. This movie feeds into our stereotypical beliefs of pirates because it is appealing to people.

Their are many example of stereotypes in the movie One includes the stereotype of pirates being drunks, where Jack Sparrow says, “Why is the rum always gone?” then he stands up and starts wobbling, and says, “Oh that’s why.” He was clearly already intoxicated as he said that. Even Jack Sparrows own crew has abandoned him before and marooned him on a small island. This follows the stereotype of pirates being untrustworthy.

The forces that have impacted our stereotypical beliefs of pirates are represented through cultural forces such as books, movies, and television. I believe that stereotypes emerge because people get assume things and like to categorize people. Then these stereotypes become ingrained in other people’s ideology about a certain group, race, nationality, illness etc. The media tends to romanticize these ideas. For example, with pirates life on the seas has been made to seem thrilling and fun. When in fact, many pirates dyed young and were persecuted (National Geographic, 1996-2009).  Many stereotypes are passed down from parents to children. Since these beliefs are also instilled at an early age, educating children to understand and have acceptance of these differences is key in eliminating stereotypes.

Dictionary. (2011). stereotype. Retrieved April 13, 2011, from Dictionary.com: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/stereotypes

National Geographic. (1996-2009). Blackbeard Pirate: Terror at Sea. Retrieved April 13, 2011, from Natio;nal Geographic: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pirates/bbeard.html

Wilson, T. V. (1998-2011). How Pirates Work. Retrieved April 14, 2011, from How Stuff Works: http://people.howstuffworks.com/pirate5.htm

3-1 JcPenney profits and competition

Retail has been a popular topic among business sources and online. Especially during the holidays, retailers compete for those holiday sales, because these sales can be the most profitable.  As an associate for JcPenney, I feel it is necessary to be somewhat knowledgeable on how well the company is doing compared to other leading retailers. Some of JcPenney’s competitors are Macy’s and Kohl’s.

                JcPenney was founded in 1902 by James Cash Penney, and operates more than 1,100 department stores nationwide, and in Puerto Rico (J.C.Penney, 2010). Since JcPenney first began in the early 1900’s the company has been innovative and quickly changing with the times. They began as a small dry goods store, and quickly grew into the major retail chain that exists today. The popular catalogs that JcPenney used, has been phased out since e-commerce hit the market. JcPenney now has an online store that contains most in store merchandise, as well as many items not available in the store. This transition has helped JcPenney adjust to changes in markets and keep up with the customer demand.

                During the fiscal year of 2010, JcPenney’s profits were 389 million, had a one year growth of 1.2%, and an income growth of 55% (staff, 2010) These sales figures are pretty good consider the economy just recently came out of a recession. Macy’s reported steep earnings that increased 50% to $667 during the fourth quarter, including the end of 2010 and beginning of 2011 (Cho, 2011). This sales increase for Macy’s means that they will be competing with them throughout the year. Kohl’s reported a 14% increase in net income and $493 million in income (Wichita Business Journal, 2011). While these other two retailers are competition to JcPenney, their increase in sales is also a good thing because this means that the economy is slowly improving, and that expected sales results should increase during this year.

Cho, J. (2011, February 22). Macy's profits jump 50%. Retrieved April 16, 2011, from Cleveland.com: http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/02/macys_profits_jump_50_percent.html

J.C.Penney. (2010). Our History. Retrieved April 16, 2011, from J.C.Penney: http://www.jcpenney.net/about/jcp/default.aspx

staff, J. (2010). JcPenney sales, profits rise. Retrieved April 16, 2011, from JCK The Industry Authority: http://www.jckonline.com/2011/02/25/jcpenney-sales-profits-rise

Wichita Business Journal. (2011, February 24). Profits jump for Kohl's. Retrieved April 16, 2011, from Wichita Business Journal: http://www.bizjournals.com/wichita/news/2011/02/24/profits-jump-for-kohls-in-4q.html

2-1 Cell phones and our Society

When cell phones first came out in the 1970’s they were a far cry from the popular mobile devices used today. In the 1970’s cell phones were big, bulky and required the use of a backpack or portable handset (TopBits, 2011). Eventually in the 1990’s, cell phones were upgraded to be made smaller, and cheaper that appealed to public. Cell phone use in the United States and worldwide and changed the way we do business and conduct our day to day activities.

                With the addition of text messaging, apps, and the internet use on cell phones, they have become not just a device used for talking to people. Many people, including myself, feel lost if they don’t have their phone with them. The first new addition to cell phones has been text messaging. This has changed the way many people communicate with each other, and has greatly affected young adolescents as to become a popular means of contact.  However, both positive and negative effects have come out of text messaging. The negative effects are higher risks in car crashes due to drivers trying to text and drive. In fact, according to a study at the Virginia Tech Institute, drivers who are texting while driving are 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash (Guevin, 2009). The positives to text messaging are an easier and quicker way to communicate with each other.

                Most phones purchased now contain downloadable applications or apps, as they are called, which include anything from maps, games, to ringtones. These apps are can be free while other can be downloaded for a small charge. These have influenced society because they have added the addition of smart phones to the market. The popular iphone has drawn some of the most appeal, due its technological savvy features including, a portable media player, access to e-mail web browsing, video camera, and touch screen. Since smart phones contain all of these features, a sort of competition has been going on to see who has the best cell phone on the market.

                The internet use on phones has also changed effected society. I can now easily access the weather, current news, and my social networking sites via my phone. This has increased the availability for many people to communicate quickly with each other. In fact, a recent study has shown that people, who seek news on their cell phones, are more likely to engage with people around them, versus someone talking on their cell phone (Goscicki, 2011). This shows that the addition of the internet and access of news on phones has actually contributed to people socializing more. Cell phones have significantly impacted society, and change the way we communicate.

Assignment 2-2 Icon Analysis

Three contemporary icons are Dora the Explorer, Johnny Depp, and Batman. The reason I chose these three icons is because they represent what is significant to me and my children’s lives. What these icons mean to me is they are examples of role models to look up to, real or make believe. Each icon has affected me or my child’s lives in a positive way.

                The first icon, Dora, is a cartoon character in her own show, Dora the Explorer. She has taught my children Spanish words, counting skills, colors, and acceptance of other cultures. Dora became the first bilingual Hispanic cartoon character on television. Her image is now on most children’s apparel, including clothing, shoes, backpacks, toys etc. Dora has broken the barrier to allow other character’s in different cultures to be on television as well.

                The next icon is Johnny Depp. He is an actor who has played in many movies including the popular Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, the upcoming Rango, and Sleepy Hollow. Johnny Depp has good talent and has played in many diverse films including horror, drama, action, and children’s films. Johnny is a role model for me because he puts his heart and soul into these characters to bring them to life. While being a famous celebrity, Johnny Depp has still remained humble and private in his personal life. I hope to portray the tenacity and modesty Johnny has in my future life and career as well.

                The last icon I chose is Batman. While Batman is an obvious superhero, he originally was a comic superhero that developed into a cartoon, and movies. Batman is a good role model because he tries to bring down evil, and saves people from harm’s way. While Batman is a fictional character, his values are good for modern society to hold on to.  I grew up watching Batman movies, and most recently the new Batman movies with Christian Bale. All of these icons are an important part of our lives, because they are good role models to look up to.

Assignment `1-4 Facebook

For this week’s analysis I chose the culture topic, Facebook. Facebook is a social networking site that allows users to virtually communicate with people through posts, videos, pictures, and even games. I chose this topic because Facebook has greatly influenced today’s culture. This website was founded in 2004, by Mark Zuckerberg. Since July 2010, Facebook has grown to over 500 million users (Facebook Inc., 2011).It has changed the way many people communicate with each other, and helped them reconnect with friends and family.

 There has been widespread media attention towards the young founder and CEO of the website, Mark Zuckerberg. He began the website as a Harvard sophomore to Harvard students, then to high school and college students (Facebook Inc., 2011). It quickly transgressed into the one of the largest social networking sites, overtaking MySpace. A movie was made called, The Social Network, about how the founder went from rags to riches in a couple years. While Mark Zuckerberg has downplayed the movie, as simply fiction, many of the ideas inspired by the story are true. For example, three other Harvard students have claimed that they originally came up with the idea for Facebook, and there is a pending legal lawsuit against Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook Inc., 2011).

In addition to the possible controversy and legal trouble, Facebook also has posed some privacy concerns for people with Facebook accounts. If you do not adjust your privacy settings on Facebook, anyone that has an account with Facebook can access your private information, such as photos, personal info, and wall posts. However, you can adjust your Facebook to allow as much or little information to be allowed by other users. Also many viruses have leaked through Facebook that have been despised as videos, “fake” friends, and through instant messages. I have myself, fallen victim to one of these viruses that integrated my entire system. This virus caused me to run antivirus protection software, and delete all of the dangerous Trojans. Now I am much more careful when opening up messages and aware of what I do on Facebook.

Despite the concern over Facebook’s legal trouble, privacy issues, and viruses; Facebook has still revolutionized the way people communicate and connect with each other around the world. It has allowed people to transfer information, join groups, and voice their opinion to many people at once. I believe that the outcome of Facebooks’effects on society will remain mostly positive as it allows a rapid exchange of vast sources of communication instantly. This empire has reached millions of people who continue to join daily, and has created a new market in the business world. 

References:  

Facebook Inc. (2011, March 29). Business Day. Retrieved April 1, 2011, from The New York Times: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/facebook_inc/index.html

People Magazine represents Popular Culture.

Popular culture is a, “system of attitudes, beliefs, behavior patterns, customs, and tastes that define the people of any society (Browne, 2005).” The term now defines the voice of the people, because it is easily carried and spread by the mass media.

What pop culture means to me. It’s important to make sure these influences are positive and represent the beliefs and values that we want our culture to have. We live in a democratic society inAmerica, so the voice and opinions of the people are represented through pop culture.

In the business world, it is important to know and understand popular culture. Being able to discuss current popular culture trends can be important for communication with employees and peers, and can help build relationships.

The artifact that I chose to represent an example of pop culture is People magazine. This magazine incorporates pop culture, by displaying pictures and articles about celebrities. This magazine keeps the media informed of what is going on in tv, movies, music, as well as celebrities personal lives. I chose this magazine because celebrities have a strong influence on the media. They revolutionize how we dress, wear our hair, speak, and even have political influences.

Reference:

Browne, R. B. (2005). Profiles of Popular Culture. Madison: The University of Wisonsin Press.