1-3 Journal Article Analysis

Undressed for Success: Beauty Contestants and Exotic Dancers as Merchants of Morality


The journal article I chose for analysis was an article entitled Undressed for Success: Beauty Contestants and Exotic Dancers as Merchants of Morality by Brenda Foley. The article touched on how women are exposing themselves albeit in different arenas in different scenarios. Foley speaks about beauty pageant contestants, exotic dancers and even those that dance or pose naked. Foley explains that while these display of talent, for a lack of better words, are in different areas, they are actually one in the same.
The art of burlesque started back in the early 1840’s. Since then the art has transformed into many different versions. You’ve got your striptease used mostly by exotic dancers and also just the eye candy that you’ll find in most pageants. In the analysis of Foley’s book, there’s mention of the comparison between dancers and beauty pageant contestants. A very good point was made when this comparison was done. Pageant contestants often enter the competition for scholarship money when exotic dancers average $1000 on days they work. It thought that if a pageant contestant were to enter a wet t-shirt contest, they’ve have a better chance of paying for their college education quicker than winning a pageant. Actually if you were to watch some of the movies that featured exotic dancers, you’ll hear the majority of them say that they are dancing for college money.
Foley writes that some American women’s idea of achieving success financially and becoming a socialite may prompt the actions of entering beauty pageants and exotic dancing. The analysis not only touches on the areas of beauty pageant contestants and exotic dancers but also women that are apart of wet t-shirt contests and any other arena that women are portrayed or allow themselves to reveal a great percentage of skin for viewing pleasure and even to be judged.
Brenda Foley wrote Undressed for Success: Beauty Contestants and Exotic Dancers as Merchants of Morality in 2005 and it was published by Palgrave Macmillan. Her book has been read by many college students and professors highly recommend this reading because it’s enlightening and also thought-provoking about the similarities between pageant contestants, strippers or exotic dancers, and women of burlesque. She is praised for the awesome comparisons and exposure of cultural history.


Reference:

M.J. Bumb (2008) Undressed for Success: Beauty Contestants and Exotic Dancers as Merchants of Morality The Journal of Popular Culture 41 (1) , 164–166 doi:10.1111/j.1540-5931.2008.00497_4.x

Assignment 5-1

Weekly Written Analysis 5

Texting While in Motion

Time news in partnership with CNN has an article on the cover about texting and walking. Evidently pedestrians on a busy street in London have been videoed walking with their heads down while texting or sending emails on their PDA’s or cell phones causing them to bump into stationary objects like trash cans and poles. London’s answer to this problem, pad the poles, unbelievable. (Hylton, 2008)
How often have we passed a driver on the road and looked over to see them texting while driving? What about texting while driving, shifting gears, smoking a cigarette and changing lanes at the same time? Now that was super interesting, I saw it last week. It appears that today’s society is overwhelmed by the technology at our fingertips, literally. In some states in the US they are considering making it unlawful for cyclist to text while riding. I’m not an avid bike rider but I would assume that texting and cycling would be really difficult to do. Imagine a motorcyclist trying to text and shift at the same time. It gets more interesting by the moment.
While I can’t say that I disagree with some states law to ban driving and texting because of the extreme dangers, I do agree that we as a technology savvy society should be more responsible about our use of these devices while in motion. Should it take a law, or padded posts, or even lost of life to heighten the awareness of the dangers of texting in inappropriate situations? Please be mindful of those dangers and responsible for your actions. Texting is fun and a quick way to respond but it could be hazardous as well in more ways than one.

Weekly Written Analysis 4

Honesty in today’s society

Lately it seems like society has taken pride in robbing, stealing, concealing, and swindling each other out of their hard earned money and material things. You see on the news daily how people are robbed and even possibly killed for their belongings. In entertainment media such as movies and music, entertainers proudly explain how they take from people with no remorse like it’s a game. It’s rare to find honest people especially when no one is looking.
I read a story on CNN.com about a thrift store worker in Pomona, California that found 30,000 while going through some things donated at the store. (Associated Press, 2008) Apparently this woman found the funds that belonged to a deceased lady and gave it to her supervisor. No one knew anything about the worker finding this money and she could have easily just walked away with this money and no one would be the wiser. The supervisor did return the money to the deceased woman’s family and they gave the worker a reward.
I find this level of honesty to be quite refreshing. Especially in a society where it appears to be popular or it seems that you get more recognition for doing the wrong thing because it makes you look tough. We’ve congratulated so many negative actions by purchasing the music or watching to movies that exploit and magnify all the wrong things and have gotten away from producing media that reflect positive things and examples. Perhaps society could use more positive entertainment and that could perhaps contribute to a more positive impact on the actions in society.

Assignment 3-1 Weekly Written Analysis 3

Home schooling your children has been a practice that has caught on tremendously over the last decade. And with all the violence going on in the schools, whether public or private, people are considering home schooling more today than ever. However, a judge in the Second District Court of Appeals in Los Angeles, California ruled on February 28, 2008 that the only way to teach kids from the age of 6 to 18 is to have the proper credentials. If parents desire to teach their kids this means they must have a teaching degree. Judge H. Walter Croskey has stated that it will be considered criminal if any teaches children in this age bracket without the proper teaching credentials.
Parents feel that home schooling allows them to have more time with their children. Also, they feel it gives them more choice on the materials that they feel are appropriate learning material for their children. Other government officials in California are fighting this ruling agreeing with the parents that this ruling impedes upon the parent’s right to choice what’s best for their child.
This has been a hot topic of discussion especially around my workplace. I have a co-worker whose wife home schools their 3 children and a co-worker whose children attend public school. The debate has been will the children that are home schooled really get the diverse exposure that children in the system gets, will they be able to function in society because they have been confined within their own comfort zone. The opinions vary from one side to the other. There are some that feel that being home-schooled provides a greater education because of the concentration level and student to teacher ratio. Others feel that going to public school gives their children the necessary tools to be able to deal with different personalities and backgrounds with is important in society. As I’ve read articles and spoke with other individuals about home-schooling, these seem to be the same opinions the vast majority of society have as well.

Assignment 2-1 Weekly Written Analysis 2

I chose Barack Obama for this week’s analysis paper. Personally, my reason for choosing him was to learn about him and his campaign. I have not been following this years election madness so I used this opportunity to learn about one of the candidates and the opinions some members of society have about him. I’ve been told he has a strong voice for health care and insurance. He is striving for affordable healthcare for the working class as well as dependents up to age 25. Once elected he plans on bringing our troops home and has made it known he’s been against the war since the beginning.
Some members of society are behind him because of the desire for change and they feel he’s the best candidate. They think his background from Harvard, being the 1st black president of the debate team, a lawyer by profession and the past senator of Illinois contributes greatly to his fight. Those uneducated about Obama’s history think that he’s Muslim because of his name when he’s originally from Hawaii. His father is Indonesian, but after divorce, his mother re-married a Muslim from Kenya and that’s where the name came from.
Because of his young age, some feel he’s not experienced enough. Though his attitude, and his calm and level-headed demeanor portrays that he’s very professional but yet passionate. Some people admire that when he speaks he first acknowledges his wife.
When he began, because of the issues, he had a huge middle class following, and after more exposure, he’s gained the attention and support of most high class professionals and celebrities. Obama is not using his campaign time to lobby for money like most candidates, he uses his campaign time to get the issues out there. The majority of his funding comes from donations. I’ve learned that one of our democratic candidates for Presidency is respected by a great deal of people for a wide range of reasons.

I consider The Geico Gecko, Brittany Spears and Tyler Perry to be examples of contemporary icons. I chose them each for varying reasons, one extreme to another.I chose the Geico Gecko because he is extremely hilarious. I think the writers of these commercials are very talented in using this reptile as a comparison to Gieco Insurance. The Gecko is so crafty in making the audience believe that it has real life issues and should be respected as an upstanding member of society.
I chose Brittany Spears because I feel so sorry for her right now. It seems that no matter where she goes she’s centered and targeted. The Paparazzi has really done a great job of making her appear as if she’s lost her mind. Reading and listening to the news makes me believe she’s completely clueless and I’m not sure if that’s healthy. She lost her children and it appears her life is crumbling all around her. That’s a bad place to be in my opinion.
I chose Tyler Perry because he is such a gifted man. He’s a writer, actor, producer and just an overall wonderful spirited person. He has overcome such adversities to become a real world icon and example of positive entertainment.

Assignment 1-4

The Apple iPhone joined the wireless circuit on June 29, 2007, and it’s been the buzz of cellular and technology aware consumers even before its release. Consumers were all anxiously anticipating the arrival of this new fangled device that promised features and capabilities that were out of this world. But with every new technological fad, it has its pitfalls. The iPhone is only carried by one wireless company, AT&T. So if you have another carrier and were hoping to upgrade to the iPhone, you will be switching companies completely. Also, the data plan that’s required for your new iPhone is probably much more costly than the plan you currently have with your carrier. And, if you choose to disconnect your wireless plan, you lose those great features including the iPod.
Users have made it very clear that they are unsatisfied with some missing features that the cellular phones of old have as standards. The iPhone lacks features like using your own music as a ring tone. Also, you cannot send a photo as a text message. That seems to be everyone’s favorite feature if you have a cellular phone with a camera. And there is no option for internet based instant messaging. Another issue, if you lose battery life and need to replace the battery, you have to send your phone back to the manufacturer to have it replaced. Consumers are not happy about that. The question is, “what will I do without my cell phone?”
The iPhone has such wonderful features and overall consumers are happy with the device. And naturally Apple is aware that the iPhone is a work in progress and are working on upgrades and new software releases. It goes without saying that the consumers have spoken with a list of discrepancies and complaints but all the while are sporting their popular new gadget with grins of satisfaction.




Reference:
Snell, Jason (2007) Groundbreaking wireless communicator really lives up to the hype. Retrieved February 20, 2008, from BETA Macworld Web site: http://www.macworld.com/article/58733/2007/07/iphone_rev.html?t=215