Assignment 2-1 Weekly analysis

Harold Camping predicted that the world would end on May 21st, 2011 and as you can tell since you are reading this, that it didn't happen.. He also said the world would in back in 1994, but obviously, that didn't happen either.  What I don't understand is how this man has garnered such a big following and gotten all this media attention.  I know he owns the Family Radio Network and has the ability to reach thousands of listeners and followers, but as the Bible states in Matthews 24:36, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

It doesn't matter what kind of mathematical equation he used because of what the preceding quote just said.  Harold Camping put up all these billboards across the country using donations to pay for them.  In my opinion, he should have used that money to help people in need.  Our country is already struggling with economic issues, why would you want to stir up the pot and make people feel even worse?  Scare tactics and fear may drive a lot of people, but don't kick 'em while their down.  That's just mean and cruel.

Instead of leading by fear, one should lead by example, hope, and inspiration.  You will be surprised by how the simplest little things can brighten a stranger's day.  For example, on Saturday, I bought a new grill and was waiting outside of the store for them to unlock my new grill so I could load it into my vehicle.  As I was waiting, another man bought the same grill I did and we talked about it for a couple of minutes, and then he went to load his new grill in the back of his truck.  No one from the store was helping him, so I took it upon my self to give the man a helping hand.

I am no saint, by any means, but the man was really appreciative and said Thanks!  That made my day.

ICONS

 

The three icons I have chosen are the Ford Mustang, Lady Gaga, and the National Football League. 

The Ford Mustang has been around since 1964 and has been an icon for muscle car enthusiasts. Lady Gaga is a singer/entertainer who has taken over the pop culture scene in the last two years. The NFL is, in my opinion, the most popular sport in the United States. 

I choose the Ford Mustang as my first icon because of my love for muscle cars.  It is one of the most popular cars in Automotive history. The Ford Mustang is true American muscle and was built to go fast, and be naturally stylish too.  The one pictured is my 1993 Mustang GT 5.0.  I have had the car for quite a few years and have been restoring it in what spare time I have and love working on it as a hobby.  

Secondly, I have Lady Gaga pictured because of her rise to fame in the last two years and she has dubbed her fans as "Monsters." Her bizarre fashion is one of the things that has kept her in the spotlight.  She is also a very talented singer, which is why I called her a singer/entertainer.  She will sing live on TV and concerts, unlike some "pop stars" who lip sync everything.  Her ability to stay on the top of the Billboard charts, her bizarre fashion, and her outspokenness has drawn comparisons to Madonna, who has been an icon since the 80's. 

My third icon is the National Football League.  I consider the NFL the most popular sport in the United States.  The NFL only has 16 regular season games and part of that season is during the winter and most teams STILL sell out every game!! I am a former season ticket holder of the Cleveland Browns. The season runs from September through January, including the playoffs.  Even though games aren't being played the rest of the year, fans talk about the NFL Draft in April and also free agency. The NFL has fans of all ages, of both genders, and many ethnicities.  Many kids dream to play in the NFL, make the big bucks and be in an ESPN highlight reel.

Assignment 1-4

The next generation of the cell phone is called the “smart” phone.  These smart phones not only allow calling and texting but they also have applications, or apps, that you can do almost anything with, from counting calories to playing games with other smart phone users.  They also allow the user to check email, surf the internet at speeds comparable to laptops and can be used as music players as well.  The cameras on these smart phones are now as strong and clear as a digital camera alone.  The Droid X has an 8 megapixel camera and allows you to record video in High Definition! You can watch movies on smart phones and some can even be connected to your High definition LCD television, like the Droid X, and play movies on your LCD from your smart phone.

Smart phones have taken mainstream pop culture by storm.  Advertising is everywhere for smart phones by many different manufacturers and cell phone service providers.  These devices are literally mobile computers that are convenient to have, inexpensive to keep, and are a standard in pop culture.  It’s amazing how much a smart phone plays into our daily lives these days.  I hear the teenage generation at work ask how people used to live without having a cell phone or the internet.  It’s an easy question to ask when you have the power of both in the palm of your hand.  If you want to “Keep up with the Jones’”, you need to have a smart phone with you at all times.

Assignment 1-2 Pop Culture

Popular culture to me is what is happening in the mainstream of our society and how it affects everyone in our society, whether directly or indirectly.  Popular culture has one constant element and that is change.  Fashion and technology are two great examples of how rapidly things change or improve. 

Cell phones have vastly improved over the last few years.  Texting was the thing to do, then came the camera phone, and then you could play music on your cell phone.  Nowadays, if your cell phone isn't a "smart" phone, you are out of touch.  Smart phones allow users to surf the Internet, check email, download apps, play games, listen to music, take pictures, record videos, text, and also make calls all on one portable device.

The future of smart phones will continue to evolve.  I saw a Verizon commercial where the smart phone was used to swipe credit cards!!  Now if they can only get it to do my laundry.....

photo retrieved from: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://cdn.venturebeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/droid_x.jpg&imgrefurl=http://venturebeat.com/tag/droid-x/&usg=__dTyoOLA7aok0B9G5e6cUB1-f3n0=&h=564&w=300&sz=55&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=OEzoQNXfa25vvM:&tbnh=159&tbnw=87&ei=ytTZTc-bJqra0QGe7en8Aw&prev=/search%3Fq%3DDroid%2BX%2Bpic%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26biw%3D1436%26bih%3D813%26tbm%3Disch%26prmd%3Divns&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=449&sqi=2&page=1&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&tx=54&ty=71

Hello!

Hello to All!!   I am in my final trimester and will be getting my BS in Forensic Accounting in August!!  This class is is nothing like any of my other classes and should be interesting to see how it opens my eyes to Pop Culture!

More Posts to come!

Joe