When Measuring

I came across a report today that measured the revenue of a company. In review of this report I saw that the most expensive product that is renewable for our clients was not included in this graph.

Under first thought I considered it was just a lack of realization, but how does this occur?

Data is our most precious tool, but it can be easily abused, misused  and manipulated. Sometimes intentionally, and other time non-intentionally, but when
ever it is skewed it ruins the whole reason for paying attention to it!

Successful VS. Unsuccessful

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/user/IXWebHosting

Topic Anylist; Assignment 5-1

One current popular topic is cooking. There is a variety of cooking shows on television, cooking reality shows, and even day time television shows structured around cooking. The movement towards all of this cooking may stem from the unhealthiness of the American lifestyle that has came out of the last thirty years.

The reasons why a person should cook, and eat at home are very basic. It is cheaper, and healthier to cook yourself, and eat at your home. Popular chefs like Rachel Ray that has her own day time television program knows how to keep people interested while learning the basics of home cooking. The concept of cooking goes a long with the instructions of how movies, books, video games, and so on are developed. They all follow a basic recipe for success.

For the economical purposes, and the health purposes the cooking trend blowing through the nation is much needed. Personally I have been a food enthusiast for many years, but the new over load of interesting cooking shows has intensified my passion for food. I hope that this popular culture does the same for others.

Popular Culture Anylist: Week 4

As I did research for this week’s journal article I came across a word that gave me inspiration for a topic that I wanted to cover. The word was rehab, and I immediately thought about the current popular culture of rehab inflicting Hollywood, reality television, and the personal lives of people throughout the Country.  

The article that is being used is called, “Jeremy London's 'Celebrity Rehab' visits a scam”. In the article, the author discusses the reality television show, “Celebrity Rehab”, which is a cable network production about celebrities that are sent to, or request to go to a rehab facility, and are videotaped throughout their process. The reasons that people need rehabilitation vary from drug addiction, sex addition, alcohol addiction, and even behavioral issues. While these are all serious issues, and topics the current pop culture is handling, dealing with, or seeing these problems, and the people experiencing them as something “cool”.


There has been musicians, athletes, celebrities, politicians, and many well known people enter into the reality television show. Either some take it seriously, while others make fun of the situation, which sets a very bad example for the viewers, or they are kicked off the show for not remaining on their set plans for rehabilitation. Regardless of the reason why someone may need rehab it is never “cool”. People that are suffering from an inability to live a socially responsible life, and function as a productive member of society are situations to be considered “cool”.


The individuals who are influenced by popular culture and may be vulnerable to the influence of reality television shows are receiving a message that is not correct. Doing things in your life that lead to the need for rehabilitation is not “cool”, and the process of rehab is not “cool”. People who have went through rehab and remain focused on living a productive life is “cool”, but that is not the information that the media follows, or makes reality television about.   

References

Scheffler, J. (2010, July 30). Jeremy London's 'Celebrity Rehab' visit a scam ? Retrieved October 23, 2010, from Examiner: http://www.examiner.com/pop-culture-in-cincinnati/jeremy-london-s-celebrity-rehab-visit-a-scam

Assignment 3-1; Mickey Mouse

One of America’s and most of the world’s icon is the famous Mickey Mouse. Mickey Mouse is rooted into popular culture, and has been for over seventy-five years. He is the mascot for the Walt Disney Corporation, and all of their sub corporations along with the star of many films, television shows, and books. Children and adults of all ages have been, and are in love with this mouse.

Perfectly said by the CEO of the Walt Disney Company, "it's a true testament to Walt that he was able to create Mickey Mouse with such depth and personality that, on his 75th Anniversary, Mickey continues to take us on adventures, make us laugh and inspire us” (PR Newswire , 2010). This statement resonated with me, and highlighted what popular culture is truly all about. Reminding me that popular culture is inspiring, enlightening, and can provide hope.

It is not that all of popular cultural items or things are good, and cause great things to transcend, but the fact is they can. Mickey is a prime example of a popular culture item that creates happiness, brings joy, and has inspired people for years. The Mickey empire continues to grow, and I do not see an end in sight for this wonderfully created mouse called Mickey.    

References

PR Newswire . (2010). Mickey Mouse Celebrates 75 Years as Pop Culture Icon, Entertainer & Friend. Retrieved October 16, 2010, from PR Newswire Europe Ltd: http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=112267

Walt Disney Corp. (2010). Google Images. Retrieved October 16, 2010, from Mickey Mouse Photos: http://www.google.com/images?rlz=1T4ACAW_en___US368&q=mickey+mouse+photos&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=6va8TIi6J4SClAfB7d2qCw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CDIQsAQwAA

Assignment 1-3, Week 3, Holcomb, Journal Artical

The article from the Journal of Popular Culture titled Sex and the City by Deborah Jermyn is an assessment of the book Jermyn wrote about the cable television show the Sex in the City. Also the author of the article Ronald Helfrich gives his view point towards the television show, and clarifies, rebuttals, and informs the reader beyond what the title suggest.

Sex in the City was a television show that aired on a cable television station called the Home Box Office (HBO). HBO was the producer of the show, and was accredited by the show’s popularity and success explains Helfrich in the article. He goes on to explain that the book Jermyn wrote was one of two published works that attempted to explore the multifaceted television show, and fell short. However he does acknowledge the fact that a book is limited by page numbers, and could not possibly address all of the aspects of the show (Helfrich).  

Helfrich's language and topics throughout this article suggest that he is writing to a mature audience. He addresses the fact that the television show won over fifty awards during its six seasons of air time. Also the amount of viewers the show drew to the cable network, and compared it to titles like, I Love Lucy, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and The Mary Tyler More Show. These are all reasons why I feel the audience he is addressing is a more mature audience between the ages of twenty-eight and forty-five (Helfrich).

This article lacked a great deal of facts that I would like to know about. The article tells us how many viewers this show had, and says it was a great deal higher than any other typical cable television show has, but does not offer any comparable numbers. Also, there is no information about which viewers were the millions that tuned in weekly, and why he thought that this group of people did tune in (Helfrich).

There is much more information about the television show that can be addressed. Facts about what the author of the book was attempting to achieve in her writing would have been nice to have understood further the information we were being given. Over all the article is very well written and gives a broad view of information over a wide range of topics regarding the book, and show The Sex and the City.

Helfrich, R. (n.d.). Sex and the City. Deborah Jermyn. Detroit, MI: Wayne State. EJC: Book Reviews , pp. 662-663.

   http://0-journals.ohiolink.edu.olinkserver.franklin.edu/ejc/pdf.cgi/EJC_Article.pdf?issn=00223840&issue=v43i0003&article=662_satc

Holcomb; Assignment 2-1

One current popular culture topic is food. Many different food issues are very popular in today’s American culture, and the culture of many other countries. It is not just what kinds of food we eat, how much of it people eat, or the lack of food there is for some people, but food in general.

The issues surrounding food is as deep as its roots go. From how the food is grown, killed, or protected for consumption to the words that companies place on their packaging to sell their products. The American trend of fast food restaurants is spreading throughout the world, and people truly desire healthier food products not the high fat, greasy, salty, quick alternative. Quick is a desire, but in healthier options says the article that can be found at http://www.faqs.org/nutrition/Ome-Pop/Popular-Culture-Food-and.html (Rodriguez, 2010).

This article discusses the obesity issue, and how so many Americans are fighting the weight battle, and the rise in obeis children has rised so high througout America. There is also the dieting battle that many try to conteract the weight problems they may have. Yet these diets can cause issues a great deal of the time instead of actually helping. People purchuse food products that they think may be healthier for them because they claim in writing on the package that they are low in fat, no suger added, lower your cholesterol, and numerouse other tactics (Rodriguez, 2010).

Unfortunitly it has been proven that these words on the packaging of food means nothing. If people want to become healthier there is no other way to do it then to eat fresh, unprocessed food. Follow the food pyramid, get ragular excersize, and enough sleep. This article goes on to discuse television food, eating disorders, ethnic foods, supplements, and more. I highly recommend exploring all of the current topics listed in this article.    

References 

RoDriguez, J. C. (2010). Popular Culture, Food and . Retrieved October 10, 2010,             from faqs.org:                                          

 http://www.faqs.org/nutrition/Ome-Pop/Popular-Culture-Food-and.html

Assignment 2-2; Icons

 
    

 

The three contemporary icons I chose are the President, Dale Earnhardt JR, and Pop of any variety. The first chosen icon is the President of the United States. People have multiple feelings about President, and is being voted into office stood for many different things to many different people, but for me he represented hope, power, vision, and clarity. I truly see him as a person who desires greatness for this country, and for every person in the world.

Next I chose Dale Earnhardt JR because he has one of the biggest followings in Nascar yet he does not perform well, or has not performed well at his sport in quite some time. His following of fans seem to stay by his side regardless if he wins, or losses. Most athletes do not experience this type of loyalty, but Dale JR faced a great deal of hardship in his life, and I believe that is why his fans are extremely loyal to him, and stay with him through everything. This type of undying loyalty is why I chose Dale JR it does not seem to be a constant in our current times that people show compassion for one another, but I believe the fans of Dale JR give him their loyalty because of their compassion for his life.  

Lastly I picked pop for many reasons, but primarily because of the generation that I am in. Everyone I know drinks pop all day long. There is no nutritional value in pop, and can be very bad for you yet so many people drink so much of it. In a culture that is banning many things that are bad for you I believe that pop will be next on the table for either higher sales taxes (which are already higher than typical sales taxes), or banned period. 

All three of the icons I chose stand for major beliefs that I have. The first being that I believe that the people of the United States should judge individuals based on who they are, what they want, and what they do. The second is my desire for humans to show each other compassion. Lastly I do not think that governments should allow products to be made, purchased, and desired that they then turn around and charge you for wanting, or take away from you in the future.  

Social Networking on the Internet; Assignment 1-4

Holcomb; Assignment 1-4

Social Networking on the Internet

Shelby Holcomb

Franklin University, Jessica Price, October 3, 2010

Social Networking on the Internet

Social networking on the internet is a popular culture phenomenon. Different then most popular culture mediums because it is not limited by states, countries, or even continents; it is a global popular culture. There seems to be no limit to the amount of people that utilize this type of socializing, or what people will use it for.

One major question looms over this topic; is social networking over the internet a positive or negative aspect of our current popular culture?

The social networking internet sites were originally thought of for keeping in touch, or reaching out socially. Now  however in the year 2010 the social networking sites are utilized for business, marketing, events, games, messaging, photos, and so much more. Some of the most well known social networking sites are “ Facebook”, “MySpace”, “Twitter”, and “Blogger” (Boyd, 2007).  That is just a snapshot of the numerous places to find to socially network on the internet.

An article called “Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship” (2007), discusses all of the basics about this type of networking, and socializing. The definition, features, uses, history, and possible future of social networking sites are covered. With one specific fundamental idea that stood out about social networking on the internet, which is how people are able to hide, or present whatever parts of themselves they would like. When networking on the internet no one can know if they have all of the information, the correct information, or any information about someone that they are connecting with (Boyd, 2007).

One good thing about the fact that anyone can say anything about themselves, or you on the social networking internet sites is that most people only connect with people they have a relationship with in the real world. In the article it says that they “found that 85% of those respondents listed the maintenance and reinforcement of pre-existing social networks as their main motive for Cyworld use” (Boyd, 2007). The fact is that most people search for people they have already known, or have met not just random people that they find over the internet for the most part (Boyd, 2007).

Another aspect of this pop culture practice that is worrisome is the disconnection of functioning in a typical social environment, or the lack thereof.  The thought is do people, or have people stopped interacting in the real world while isolating themselves by the practice of social networking online? While the article that has been discussed within this essay was written over three years ago and only skims the issue of person to person interaction it is a definite topic of today. However, there is research discussed that the interactions that take place on the internet social sites do not replace the person to person relationships (Boyd, 2007).

        
The available tools of the current popular culture allow people the ability to reach all of their networks, family, and friends in one place very quickly. In today’s world time seems to be very limited. There is a great deal to accomplish everyday  and never enough time to accomplish it all. The social networking internet sites provides a fast, convenient, twenty-four hours a day, seven day a week place to keep up with people, places, and things that a person determines is important to them. The global ability to have an instant, running, dialog with someone from anywhere around the world is incredible. Regardless of the negatives or positives there is a definite place for social networking on the internet.       

References

Boyd, d. m. (2007). Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship . Retrieved October 3, 2010, from jcmc.indiana.edu:

            http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol13/issue1/boyd.ellison.html

Questions For the Start of the Class:

I am just starting my Humn 341 class, and these are my beginning focus questions that will start off this blog.

What is popular culture, and what does it mean to you?

I believe that popular culture is what is typical in the culture of people. Sometimes divided by individuals, families, groups, states, countries, and nations. Even though there can be many interpretations of what is current in popular culture there is most likely things that people can agree on. For example in the beginning of the technology era everyone would have thought that the computer was a sign of popular culture then. When the first airplane was flying, when the first television was invented, when movies where the most glamorous thing that happened. To me popular culture is what ever the people of the world is experiencing.

Why is an understanding of popular culture relevant to you in a business environment and in your present and future career?

Understanding what people think, feel, want, and how they live can help relate to them in a much better way. As employees, managers, or customers a business person needs to be able to objectively, and subjectively know what other people may be seeing, or thinking about. Also understanding the whys, when s and how's of multiple people is able to be achieved through popular culture research.

What would you consider to be an example of a pop culture artifact? And why would you choose it?

I chose a cartoon with a seemingly respectful person asking for a news paper. The librarian replies that the news paper would be found in the fiction section. I found this to be a "play" off of the current since that the public feels that they can no longer trust the news reports. There has been so many times that stories have been falsified, bias stories are a typical format, and to find out the real facts one has to have actually been there.