Wednesday, December 25, 2019

The Chronicles of Is Digital Communication Good or Bad Essay Topics

The Chronicles of Is Digital Communication Good or Bad Essay Topics Definitions of Is Digital Communication Good or Bad Essay Topics People with anxiety problems, higher blood pressure or insomnia might also wish to try limiting coffee for some time to see whether it helps. Caffeine has been demonstrated to protect against a plethora of problems. It is a highly addictive compound that many people have come to depend on for the perception of increased energy. The History of Is Digital Communication Good or Bad Essay Topics Refuted As a consequence, there ought to be no considerable differences as soon as it concerns the health benefits they provide. Less Caffeine, Less Benefits Caffeine has some terrible effects but in addition, it provides several health benefits. Conflicting information regarding the consequences of coffee abound. Women who are thinking about becoming pregnant should be cautious in an excessive amount of consumption. Whatever They Told You About Is Digi tal Communication Good or Bad Essay Topics Is Dead Wrong...And Here's Why Among the intriguing things about instant coffee is it can get the job done well in a wide variety of recipes. When consumed in moderation, it can be very good for your brain. Unlike alcohol, it is not a social lubricant. For example, it can help to relieve constipation. While millions of people are able to drink many cups of coffee every day, many individuals are sensitive to caffeine. There are lots of other drink options besides just water that you are able to enjoy on a ketogenic diet. Some people today react strongly to just a minimum sum of coffee. You've got to drink quite plenty of black coffee to stain your teeth five to six cups per day,' he states. Finding the Best Is Digital Communication Good or Bad Essay Topics Coffee also contains large amounts of the antioxidants tocopherols and chlorogenic acid, in addition to minerals like magnesium. Caffeinated coffee may improve glycaemic metabolism by decreasing the glucose curve and raising the insulin response. Studies demonstrate people who drink coffee regularly may have an 11% lower chance of developing type two diabetes than non-drinkers, because of ingredients in coffee that could affect levels of hormones involved with metabolism. Studies have revealed that coffee affects estrogen levels but the result is different based on your race. It is crucial to use a paper filter to get rid of some harmful substances. Coffee is among the absolute most polyphenol-rich substances in the planet, and among the key compounds it contains is chlorogenic acid. It is frequently used formatively, to inform the plan procedure, and channel it in the proper direction. Although some evidence suggests this popular beverage may help you avoid joint pain, the caffeine it contains might actually result in more flare-ups should you already have gout. Excellent counseling sessions include things like learning specific abilities and methods for success. It was really enjoyable and a gorgeous area with all these wildflowers, prairies, amazing views, and amazing mentorship conversations. It was impressive to find the evidence that we're planting a seed in every participant and watching it grow. The Tried and True Method for Is Digital Communication Good or Bad Essay Topics in Step by Step Detail Be attentive to the way you truly feel whe n you reintroduce coffee. Following that, coffee starts to stale. Coffee consumption and moderation On the flip side, it's obvious that coffee isn't for everybody. In spite of common belief, coffee doesn't ease constipation. What's less ambiguous is that coffee is the most popular dietary supply of antioxidants on the planet. So let's uncover the truth relating to this aromatic beverage that a large part of us love. Where to Find Is Digital Communication Good or Bad Essay Topics TYPE 2 DIABETES There are lots of studies suggesting that drinking plenty of coffee is related to a reduce chance of type two diabetes. Researchers feel that a few of the chemicals in coffee may help lessen inflammation, that has been found to play a part in several aging-related health issues, including dementia and Alzheimer's. Coffee also seems to improve cognitive function and lessen the chance of depression. BONES Too much coffee could raise your chance of crumbly bones or osteoporosis, because it might accelerate bone loss.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Calvins Problem as an African American - 1209 Words

From the moment I heard of Calvin’s problems in his history class, I needed to make sure that I could completely understand the context of the problems he is experiencing in class. Calvin and I have had prior positive interactions, and I want to make sure that I am not making assumptions about him and his experiences. However, based upon other teacher’s and experiences with Calvin, this seems to be the only class that he is not performing well in. This tells me that there is a deeper problem occurring between the teacher and Calvin. Successful African American students, like Calvin, do not receive much attention in school systems and research. The underachievement and low- level course enrollment of African American males is well documented and seems to be a construct in the educational system. Behaviors from students tend to be a tool of coping that clashes with the Euro-American worldview of culturally acceptable behavior. When it comes to Calvin’s history teacher, I believe that she has her own preconceived notions and stereotypes about African Americans that seem to have affected her understanding of the Calvin’s classroom experience. When thinking about the comment the teacher made about the Calvin’s automatic reaction to be â€Å"negative and angry†, explains the teacher’s thoughts about African Americans having difficulty controlling their anger. According to Sue and Sue (2013), White Americans continue to cling to the images of dangerous, violence-prone, and antisocialS how MoreRelatedTaking a Look at Calvin Coolidge1083 Words   |  4 PagesJr. also had a teenage sister named Abigail Grace Coolidge but she unfortunately died several years later also. Calvins earliest family ancestor dating back into the American culture was also John Coolidge and he dated his arrival back as early as 1630. His great-great-grandfather was also named John Coolidge and served as an officer in the Revolutionary War. Now to talk about Calvins education. You might wonder where Silent Cal got his education, well that place is known as Amherst College, locatedRead MoreCharacter Analysis of From Prison to Home Essay1126 Words   |  5 Pagestrying to live life with obstacles and stay out of trouble. Now this movie in particular follows four men who have been released and are going through a special program, this program is called the African American Program. This program in particular is supposed to be able to help out African Americans get the help they need so they can stay out of trouble. The four men that this movie follows are; Richard, Arthur, Calvin, Randy. This whole movie is based around these four men and to discuss themRead MoreFundamental Case Study Essay examples3534 Words   |  15 Pagesanother assessment takes priority at this time. D.   Check for deviation when the client sticks out his tongue. Considering the client’s recent history of nausea and vomiting, another assessment takes priority at this time. 3. Three hours later, Calvin’s wife calls the nurse, stating that he seems to be experiencing increasing abdominal pain. The nurse asks Calvin where he is experiencing pain. He points to his right lower abdomen. Fifteen minutes after receiving the antiemetic, Mr. Dunner hasRead MoreMartin Luther ( 1483-1546 )2808 Words   |  12 Pagesfollow him, and the strict Lutherans who accused him of deviating too much from Luther’s theology. John Calvin (1509-1564) – Rather than attempting to become a leading reformer, John Calvin sought simply to study Scripture and to write about it. Calvin’s greatest contribution to Christianity was perhaps the way he systematized the Protestant theology during the sixteenth century. One of the ways in which Calvin provided that systematized theology was through his manual Institutes of the ChristianRead MoreApush Chapter 1 Notes3298 Words   |  14 Pageshunted seals o Pacific Northwest- Salmon fishing ß Permanent Coastal Settlements ß Constant violent competition for access to natural resources o Far W- Wealthy and densely populated, based on fishing, hunting small game, and gathering. †¢ Other North American Societies o Primarily agricultural o Most developed/elaborate- SW ß large irrrigation systems created to allow farming on relatively dry land ß Large Towns- centers of trade, craft, religion, and politics ß Pueblos- Large apartments bade of stoneRead MoreCalvin Coolidge Essay1817 Words   |  8 Pages Death never discouraged him though. He kept moving up in the political world, never giving up, and always trying to be the best man he could be (Moran, 7, 21). Calvin Coolidge had a good education and loved to learn. At the age of fifteen Calvins father enrolled him at Black River Academy. When he was not in school he enjoyed pastimes such as horseback riding and reading. Coolidge was a good student, making high grades and applying himself diligently. He often took long walks just to thinkRead MoreThe Essential Questions5521 Words   |  23 Pagesthat men could only be saved by the grace of God. He believed that only the Elect would be saved and that no one knew who the Elect were. He also believed in Predestination, which is the idea that your entire life is already planned for you. Many of Calvins ideas were controversial, but he improved the morals of the Church drastically. Calvin developed the pattern of church government that is today known as Presbyterian. Martin Luther and John Calvin achieved great results, but went about it in different

Monday, December 9, 2019

Concept of Business Excellence-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Concept of Business Excellence by an Organization in their Industries. Answer: Introduction This report aims to explore the concept of business excellence by an organization in their industries. This study has two organizations which are Wal-Mart and Nike case study with its strategy and theories that helped it to reach at the top of their industries. Hence, this report has key theories like business model innovation, competitive advantage, commonalities of the organization that made its achievement bigger. Wal-Mart Wal-Mart is one of the largest and most successful retailing china in US. It was commenced in 1962 in Arkansas, US. It is headquartered in Bentonville, US. It has been located worldwide with more than 11695 stores. It offers almost all the products of household and grocery along with the electronics, home and furniture, movies and music, jewelry and health and beauty products. In 2016, company has earned estimate US$ 485.87 billion (Wal-Mart, 2017). This company has been selected because it is well renowned around the world for all products at the same roof in lower prices. The company has the most incredible and effective supply chain management that helps in making and assembling low cost products. Wal-Mart competes in retailing and superstore industry with other well known competitors like IKEA, Tesco, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and Marks Spencer. Wal-Mart targets middle and upper class individuals in the customer segment. It has made a value in the retailing market as store which fulfills every need of the customers for better life (Wal-Mart, 2017). The global presence of the company is one of the strongest points of the Wal-Mart. It offers products to the customer in very low price in compared to other competitors are the unique proposition of the company (Nilsson and Rapp, 2005). The company also offers ' Every Day Low Price that facilitates same prices throughout the chain and has famous events like Black Friday with throw away prices of the products. This strategy has revolutionized the retailing industry by implementing new and creating one business model at a time with initiation, integration, ideation and implementation of strategies. Wal-Mart always works on the new business model innovation that mainly focuses on the supply chain management that helps the company in achieving competitive advantage (Mason and Evans, 2015). The organization works with various local vendors that help in multiple supplies of raw materials. It is being managed by the latest technology like RFID and ESOP that creates transparency between the relationship of suppliers and employer. Moreover, the company lowers its cost of production through economies of scale (Jin and Lin, 2012). Wal-Mart has also eliminated all the middle men from its supply chain that also reduced its cost of products. Hub-and-spoke distribution centers are being used as highly efficient logistics network by the company that is situated only one day of driving distance that cuts the operating cost of Wal-Mart. Along with this, the transportation system of the company is also very effective and efficient that helps it in lowering its cost of products (Porter, 2008). The company has around 2.2 million workers which are considered as valued employees and has strongly committed top level management that always bring something new to the market (Wal-Mart, 2017). The company also has its own brand and innovative and special customer loyalty programs. Wal-Mart has also used digital information system as an essential need of modern world that helps it in selling its product. The company has its onlin e website that helps the customer to shop online. Wal-Mart also involves in delivery of products at the doorsteps of the customers with anything and anywhere. In addition to this, Wal-Mart is being honored by many awards for excellence in customer services and focus (Jin and Lin, 2012). Wal-Mart is very competitive due to its business models innovation and offers new prices every day to the customers that are less than other competitors that gives value to the company. Nike Nike is one of the most trusted and well recognized companies in sports shoes segment all over the world. The company manufactures specialized sports shoes, sports equipments, accessories and apparel (Nike, 2017). The company is in lifestyle and retailing business since 1964 and headquartered in Oregon, US. Nikes revenue in 2016 was US $32.376 million. The total number of employees of the company is more than 62600 people around the world. The company is being selected due to its leadership in high quality sports products continuously as a strong brand. Nike is successful because of its extensive research and development as well innovative strategies in the market (Hennig-Thurau and Hansen, 2013). Nike is worlds leading brand in sports equipment that targets on men, women and children from upper class and upper middle class. The principle competitors of the company are Converse, Puma, Fila, Adidas, Reebok, New Balance and Bata. It majorly focuses on the sports enthusiast customers and offers expensive high quality of products and services that give comfort and satisfaction that builds value in the market (Nike, 2017). Nike has excelled in the sports related equipments and shoes due its unique designs and high quality products which used as sustainability with continue radical innovative RD. Nike is one of the companies in fortune magazines 100 best companies to work for. This shows that Nike is very good in utilizing its resources and capabilities. The top level management of the company is also very cooperative and committed. The company is collaborated with various companies worldwide such as Apple which show its effective business relationship building. Some of the products are Nike watches, Music Players and Nike+Ipod with these collaborations (Nike, 2017). Nike sponsors various big events that have famous celebrities and held for the good cause which also acts as good marketing strategy which is an innovative way to generate revenue in this industry (Hill and Jones, 2007). The company also top ranked company that uses eco friendly products and placed in climate friendly companies (Mahdi, et al., 2015). The main key success factors behind the achievement of the company are extensive research and development that creates demand of the products with smart and creative way which is a competitive advantage of the company (Ros, 2011). The company has a well managed supply chain management and efficient management and group of people that works for them. Furthermore, the company is recognized for its marketing strategies that includes famous celebrity athletes, professional teams and college athletic teams to whom they also involve in sponsorship agreements (Ros, 2011). Nike acts very socially responsible and outreaches various communities for the same purpose that enhances their brand name in front of customers and creates value proposition. They are also digitally encouraging their existing and prospective customers through different means of social media platforms (Mahdi, et al., 2015). Not only this, Nike made a YouTube series named Margot vs. Lily as marketing campaign which have ove r 80M views. These strategies with the helps theory of initiation, ideation, integration and implementation have helped the company in revolutionizing the lifestyle and retailing industry which is very essential to be successful than other competitors (Pantaleo and Pal, 2008). Conclusion From the above discussion, it can be concluded that every organization in the leading position works exceptionally good to make its product appealing. Along with this, the implementation and recreation of business model innovation is very necessary by the companies to be competitive in the market and achieve competitive advantage on the constant basis. References Hennig-Thurau, T. and Hansen, U. 2013. Relationship Marketing: Gaining Competitive Advantage Through Customer Satisfaction and Customer Retention. Springer Science Business Media. Hill, C. and Jones, G. 2007. Strategic Management: An Integrated Approach. Cengage Learning. Jin, D. and Lin, S. 2012. Advances in Electronic Commerce, Web Application and Communication. Springer Science Business Media. Mahdi, H. A. A. et al. 2015. A Comparative Analysis of Strategies and Business Models of Nike, Inc. and Adidas Group with special reference to Competitive Advantage in the context of a Dynamic and Competitive Environment. International Journal of Business Management and Economic Research, 6 (3), pp. 167-177. Mason, R. and Evans, B. 2015. The Lean Supply Chain: Managing the Challenge at Tesco. Kogan Page Publishers. Nike. 2017. Annual Report. [Online] Available at: https://s1.q4cdn.com/806093406/files/doc_financials/2016/ar/docs/nike-2016-form-10K.pdf [Accessed on: 18 August 2017]. Nilsson, F. and Rapp, B. 2005. Understanding Competitive Advantage: The Importance of Strategic Congruence and Integrated Control. Springer Science Business Media. Pantaleo, D. and Pal, N. 2008. From Strategy to Execution: Turning Accelerated Global Change into Opportunity. Springer Science Business Media. Porter, M.E. 2008. Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. Simon and Schuster. Ros, A. A. 2011. NIKE Strategy: Strategy Management. International Journal of Competitive Intelligence, Strategic, Scientific and Technology Watch Sciwatch Journal 4(1), pp. 1-2. Wal-Mart. 2017. Annual Report 2017. [Online] Available at: https://s2.q4cdn.com/056532643/files/doc_financials/2017/Annual/WMT_2017_AR-(1).pdf [Accessed on: 18 August 2017].

Sunday, December 1, 2019

The Simpsons Essay Example For Students

The Simpsons Essay The SimpsonsThe Simpsons is a cartoon series produced by Gracie Films for Twentieth Century Fox and Fox Network. It began as a series for The Tracey Ullman show on April 19, 1987, and premiered as a series on December 17, 1989, in the 8pm-time slot. It started to be shown regularly on Sundays beginning on January 14, 1990. The second, third, fourth, and fifth seasons were brodcasted by Fox on Thursday nights in the 8pm time slot. It then returned to Sunday nights beginning with the sixth season. The first three seasons were animated by Klasky-Csuupo, who also worked on The Tracey Ullman show. Film Roman animated the fourth fifth and sixth seasons. We will write a custom essay on The Simpsons specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Matt Groening changed television forever when he brought animation back to prime time with The Simpsons. Groening also wrote and the fox entertainment series Futurama. The Simpsons was Matt Groenings introduction into the world of animation. Groening has also published many Simpson Comics. Itchy and Scratchy Bart and Lisas favorite cartoon. Bartman, Barts secret identity. Radioactive Man, Barts favorite comic book. Lisa Comics and Krusty Comics. The Simpsons Family was created in fifteen minutes while Matt Groening waited in the foyer of James L. Brooks office. The Simpsons family consists of six people. Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie, Grandpa, and Santas Little Helper, the family dog. Homer Simpson is 36 years old and weighs around 260 pounds. He works as the safety inspector at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. His favorite foods are donuts, pork rinds, and Krusty Burgers. His favorite beverage is Duff Beer. Marge Simpson is 34 years old and weighs about 135 pounds. She has fe ars of flying and has been convicted of shoplifting at the Kwik-E-Mart. Her hair color is blue #56 and her favorite singer is Tom Jones. Grandpa is around the age of 65 and has two sons; Homer J. Simpson and Herb, the result of meeting a girl at a carnival one night. His real name is Abraham Simpson, he lives at the Springfield Retirement Castle and his favorite past time is napping. There are three children in the simpsons family; Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Bart is ten years old and his idol is Krusty the Clown. His best freind is Millhouse and he is famous for classroom disruption, prank calls to Moes, practical jokes, and vandalism. Lisa is eight years old and admires Ralph Wiggum and Millhouse Van Houghte. Her hidden talent is picking winning football teams and her rival is Allison Taylor. Her mentor is the late Bleeding Gums Murphy and her first word was Bart. Maggie is a year old and her first word was Daddy. Her rival is baby Gerald and her downfalls are drinking out of the dogs water bowl, and falling over easily. Santas Little Helper was found in the parking lot of a racetrack by Bart and Homer and was given to the family for Christmas. The Simpsons may not be the typical American family but they have been serving Americans with entertainment for over ten years. Whether it was a meltdown at the Power Plant or a Teachers Strike at school, they always made us laugh. Documentarywww.thespringfeildfiles.comwww.simpsonshistory.comWords/ Pages : 521 / 24 The Simpsons Essay Example For Students The Simpsons Essay The American animation The Simpsons is now in its 10th season as a show in its own right. It was created by Matt Groening as shorts for the Tracy Ullman Show and was bought by the Fox Network, which began screening it as half-hour shows in 1989. Initially its success was restricted to the 9-16 year old age group, and for animation there is nothing remarkable about this. Its success grew quickly and it is now popular in many countries with many different audiences. In the 1990s we are seeing dramatic transformations in media industries and media cultures. We will write a custom essay on The Simpsons specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now In geographical terms, these transformations may be seen in the shift from national to global media. The Simpsons can be seen as both a remarkable piece of global culture and as a hugely successful piece of global television. (One need only look on an Internet search engine to discover that there are literally millions of Simpsons fan-sites around the world.). The Simpsons themselves are a simple family in a small town in Middle America called Springfield. They are: Homer (loyal but stupid father), Marge (dissatisfied, trapped housewife/mother), Bart (rebellious son), Lisa (unappreciated genius daughter), and Maggie (silent baby). The show also revolves around a number of other of the townsfolk, such as Mr Burns (Homers miserly boss), Smithers (Burnss loving assistant), Apu (Indian shop owner), Principal Skinner and Moe (owner of the local bar). There are a number of reasons why we cannot simply view The Simpsons as a cartoon like any other. The rules and conventions that it follows are far more those of television or cinema than those of animation. The humour within The Simpsons exists on many different levels ranging from the obvious to the subtle, from the literary to the movie reference, and beyond. But most importantly we must consider the shows ability to make significant social comment, on general issues of culture and society, but more specifically on television, film and media, and on audience viewing and acceptance of these media. Traditionally, cartoons have been action driven and animation. Aside from the use of cameras to create the visual illusion of depth (Walt Disney famously explained the complicated technique used to allow Mickey Mouse to walk along a street without distorting depth or perspective), cartoons had a language of their own, unique and separate from that of cinema or television. They were simple and without layered meanings. They had their own conventions that were regularly used and easily understood by children. These included falling anvils, cannon balls, dynamite and gunpowder. Generally most situations in traditional cartoons are very simple and similar. They are based on a basic relationship between the chaser and chased. For examples look no further than childrens television and you will see Tom chase Jerry, Wylie Coyote chase Roadrunner and Yosemite Sam chase Bugs Bunny. So what makes The Simpsons different from these more traditional cartoon forms? Both the characters in The Simpsons their roles and situations are far more complex than in traditional animation. Indeed, what are seen as sub-characters are often the bases of stories, as executive producer Bill Oakley explains: Over eight years weve developed a town full of characters?Moe, Mr Burns or Principal Skinner can all provide the engines for stories. Producers of The Simpsons say they concentrate more on scripts than on animation, making the show more humour and script based than action based. But despite The Simpsons being seen by many as a sitcom, Oakley likes to keep the show fresh, and generally avoids sitcom writers: We want people who are not ruined by the standard sitcom form. One of the most important factors in explaining The Simpsonss cross-generational and broad demographic appeal is the sophistication of its writing. It is constructed to exist at many different levels. In terms of its humour, creator Groening says: There are the obvious jokes, the visual sight gags, the subtle literary allusions and at the most subtle, what we call the freeze frame gags. While I agree with Groening, I would categorise the humour slightly differently. The first level is blatant comedy. This includes obvious jokes. The appeal to children that originally heralded The Simpsons is based on blatant comedy and the antics of Bart, such as his famous phone pranks: Bart phones Moes tavern. Moe: Moes Tavern. Bart: Hello, is Al there? Moe: Al? Bart: Yeah, Al. Last name: Coholic. Moe: Lemme check Phone call for Al. Al Coholic. Is there an Al Coholic here? Wait a minute.. . Listen, you little yellow-bellied rat jackass, if I ever find out who you are, Im gonna kill you! This level also includes other forms of blatant humour, such as juxtaposition, and many of the visual sight gags. It can also include the simplistic use of repetition, such as catch-phrase comedy. Many of the characters have catch-phrases which are repeated wherever possible. The most famous of these are Homers Doh! and Barts Eat my shorts! Other repetitive jokes are in the form of the opening sequence, of which there are many variations. They are the lines that Bart writes during his detention and the way the family sits down in front of the TV together. The second level refers to more subtle humour. This type of humour has accounted for the expansion of appeal to a more adult audience and includes a more sophisticated repetition type joke. For example: Homer tells Marge about a work night out: Marge: So how was the office birthday party? Homer: Oh, it was de-lightful! The frosting on the cake was this thick! And Eugene Fisk (my poor sucker of an assistant) didnt know the fruit punch was spiked, and he really made an ass of himself putting the moves on a new girl in valve maintenance. Ha ha Marge: Does this girl like him? Homer: Pffft. I have to warn you Marge, I think the poor young thing has the hots for Yours Truly! The same episode jumps to six months later, when Homer is explaining about a little get-together with the boys at work. Eugene Fisk is marrying some girl in valve maintenance. Marge: Mmmhmmm. Eugene Fisk, isnt he your assistant? Homer: No! My supervisor. Marge: Didnt he used to be your assistant? Homer: Hey, what is this! The Spanish Exposition? Marge: Sorry, Homer It is unlikely that younger viewers will notice or understand this sort of humour. Other more subtle jokes include some of the signs on streets and buildings, like the one on the Springfield Hall of Records that says Not The Good Kind Of Records Historical Ones. There is a form of highbrow humour in The Simpsons that will account for its appeal to the educated and academics. This is a level that I call educated reference humour. It is made up mostly of literary and academic references. They are usually references to art, politics, philosophy or literature. (Sometimes they are cultural and as such will be dealt with in more detail later on.) Some examples of this higher level of humour are when Sideshow Bob refers to the documentation of his political corruption as Machiavellian art. A particularly good example is the Ayn Rand School for Tots. Ayn Rand was a founder of the strict philosophy of objectivism. There is much irony and humour in having a kindergarten based of Rands philosophies, and Ms. Sinclair, who runs it, explains `Our aim here is to develop the bottle within. Hence the humour in the posters inside the kindergarten: A is A and Helping is Futile. Other highbrow references include the TV show Rock Bottoms correction that Women arent from Venus, men arent from Mars and a boys references to the work of photographers Helmut Newton and Diane Arbus when the children look at a photograph of Homer and a belly dancer. The subtlest humour of all the is the freeze frame humour. Groening explains: Jokes you can only get if you videotape the show and play it back in freeze frame. What we try to do is reward people for paying attention. There are a number of freeze frame jokes in the corrections in Rock Bottom (a parody of TV show Hard Copy. For example: Cats do not eventually turn into dogs The Beatles havent reunited to enter kickboxing competitions Bart is bad to the bone Everyone on TV is better than you If youre reading this you have no life These were corrections to stories that the show must have previously run. In this context they are quite amusing, but most viewers will miss them. .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 , .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 .postImageUrl , .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 , .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5:hover , .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5:visited , .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5:active { border:0!important; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5:active , .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Importance of Punctuality in the Military Essay This gives the show greater appeal as people know they are there and will want to find them. They will watch the shows over and over and form a cult following. If youre reading this you have no life is a reference to this cult following, telling people that they are wasting their time (just as William Shatner told Star Trek fanatics in an edition of Saturday Night Live). However, in doing this, the writers are continuing to put in place the mechanisms that first created the cult following. There are of course many grey areas here. Many jokes fit into two or more categories, and many jokes will also fit into issues of satire, culture, intertextuality and self-reference, which will be dealt with later. As previously mentioned, what makes The Simpsons visually different from other animations is its televisual rather than cartoon style. While other animations tend to be direct descendants of the comic strip, as a full show The Simpsonss closest ancestor is The Simpsons shorts which appeared on the Tracy Ullman. The basic signifying unit of film the basic unit of cinematic meaning was not the scene?and not the unedited film strip?but rather the shot, of which?there may be virtually limitless number within any given scene. The Simpsonss realisation of this is the key to its style. The use of televisual and filmic grammar has allowed The Simpsons to do so much that has given it a real TV style, to the point where it may not really be considered a cartoon. The show shares some convention with much sitcom. Just as in Friends you will see an establishing shot of the outside of a location before you see an internal shot, if we move around the regular locations of Springfield we will often see the same sort of establishing shot (e.g. outside the Simpson house, or outside Moes Tavern). However, the fact that it is a cartoon also allows it to move around without budgetary problems. Episodes have been set in India, England and even in space. The use of the shot has allowed for juxtaposition comedy (such as when Marge wants to get a job and Homer tells her that they really dont need the money in the next shot we see the house begin to subside into the ground). It has allowed for the development of editing style that allows simultaneous actions in two separate locations to be followed such as in Barts telephone pranks. The use of shots and editing like animation allows for a non-linear style. This is seen in the various recap and flashback episodes, but is also parodied well. In classical film a scene would cut to a clock face which would then dissolve to the same shot at a later time and then fade down and up into a new scene. This trick has become a clich? and it is a tribute to the audiences understanding of it that The Simpsons can parody it. In one case the shot moves up to a clock and fades into a new shot of the clock, and down to the scene some time later. But time has only moved on by one minute, and this parody is used to emphasise that much time has not actually gone by at all. Camera angles in the programme are generally at eye level. This is perhaps because soap operas use a similar technique to try to represent reality. By doing this, when more complex shots are used the effect is stronger and can allow for comedy or emotional responses. An example of this is when the Simpsons go to Itchy and Scratchy Land. In order that they will be able to find their car again they make a point of parking in the Itchy Lot. The camera then zooms out to reveal what must be millions of cars parked in the huge Itchy Lot. Were it not for this filmic technique the comedy would have been lost as we would have seen them park among a million other cars from the start . These film and televisual techniques lead us on to the intertextual and self references in The Simpsons. The show often makes references to other media in a number of ways. It can parody television programmes or more commonly films by actually taking a piece of a film and turning it into a part of an episode, or by having a show shown on the Simpsons television. To fully understand the cultural relevance of these references we must understand a little about the post-modern concept of intertextuality. Post-modernists take the view of Roland Barthes and reject the concept of a self-contained text. The text cannot be self-regulating and the power lies in the interpreting of the text. Hence the post-modern viewer and the viewer of the post-modern is the most empowered viewer. Post-modernists feel that if we cannot treat a text in isolation we risk missing much of what is being said. Intertextual references are as important as the text itself and are an integral part of the text. Intertextual effects radiate out from a text and have an impact on all other texts . Indeed, post-modernists believe that everything in the universe is related and to understand anything one must bear in mind all its references. To illustrate this point they refer to chaos theory: A butterfly stirring the air today in Peking can transform storm systems next month in New York . The point is that to fully understand all the cultural messages of The Simpsons we must understand its intertextual references. The first level of intertextual reference is the way in which the programme often lifts sequences from movies and animates them into the show. One of the most famous of these is the send-up of the Hitchcocks classic Psycho. In the episode Itchy Scratchy Marge , Homer is in the garage. The same musical sound effect as that of the famous shower scene is used as Maggie hits him over the head with a mallet. Homer grabs the tablecloth (shower curtain) as he falls. Red paint (blood) pours down the drain, there is a close-up of his eye. At the end of the scene we see him lying the floor just as Janet Leigh lay on in the bathtub. This is a clear, obvious and effective intertextual reference. There have been plenty of less relevant ones, such as when a moose is eating Homers rubbish (Northern Exposure). An interesting aspect is that intertextual interpreters of The Simpsons must come under the same scrutiny as iconographic interpreters of traditional art (such as Roger Fry). They often read too much into an episode and see references that are not there. In a TV interview for BBC1 James L. Brooks, a producer of The Simpsons said that if the movie is not a big film then the reference is probably false. Yet we see in every Internet listing for every episode of The Simpsons huge numbers of unconfirmed references. These include in the Dancin Homer episode a reference to nearly any other movie about baseball . Another way the show uses intertextual references is in the Simpson familys actual viewing. Often certain types of shows are shown, generally as being poor quality programming. These commonly include self-help programmes and info-mercials. (Homer is usually seen to fall for the dreadful item on sale and this seems to reflect the apparent view of the writers that most of the TV viewing public is both fickle and stupid. ) A particularly interesting case however, is the regular cartoon show, Itchy and Scratchy. This is a bloody, violent, gruesome version of Tom and Jerry, where the two characters find new and more disgusting ways to kill each other every episode. This is a very significant reference point because it is dealing with cartoon violence. Some believe that by putting the violence in this context the animators can get away with it. .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce , .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce .postImageUrl , .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce , .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce:hover , .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce:visited , .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce:active { border:0!important; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce:active , .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Genetics of Violence Essay This is not the point. The point is to continually raise questions about censorship, violence and effect, and to satirise the gravity that the whole matter is dealt with. The Simpsons in itself is a violent cartoon, and so when Marge takes on cartoon violence in Itchy and Scratchy, she is actually taking on the existence of The Simpsons . This form of self-reference is not unusual in The Simpsons, and it is one of the most post-modern aspects of the show. Self-reference exists at many levels. A subtle reference occurs when Maggie is not allowed a dummy . She tries to suck on some toys, and the toy that she is most happy sucking is a little Bart Simpson doll. Self-reference is also present in an indirect form. There is a lot of comedy at the expense of the Fox Network. Ned Flanders says: So the network slogan is true: Watch Fox and be damned forever. Other self-references are very direct. Take, for example, The Simpsons Halloween Special II . In this episode Bart has a dream that the Simpsons are rich and famous. As they enter a posh restaurant, a customer is talking about the Simpsons (but is she talking about the Simpson family or the show as a whole?) Woman 1: If I hear one more thing about the Simpsons, I swear, Im going to scream. Woman 2: At first they were cute and funny, but now they are just annoying. This is a view that has been expressed about The Simpsons time and again, particularly in Australia where the show did not perform nearly as well as expected in the longer term. The same episode also parodies the heavy marketing and merchandising of The Simpsons. A boy is in a shop where he sees the very same Simpsons T-shirts as are actually available. Eighteen bucks for this? What a rip off! The episode features an album titled The Simpsons Go Calypso and Otto says that this has gone too far. In real life the third Simpsons album was due to be released this month. In another episode Chespirito (a Spanish television comic who dresses as a giant bee, generally with something attached to his backside) reiterates the words of Spike Lee. Credit the audience with a little intelligence, with the willingness to work it out, and they will reward you with their attention and their understanding. However, from viewing the whole section we see that the writers of The Simpsons think that the TV producers dont agree. Chespirito: Im just not comfortable with this lobster. Its the same tired old jokes. Lets give the audience some credit. Writer: How about a giant mousetrap? Chespirito: I love it! It is well known that The Simpsons deals with many cultural issues important to modern society. It has dealt with issues of modern family life, women in the workplace and the dumbing down/Americanisation of foreign cultures. When we look at all this together, the intertextuality and references to the media, the self-references, the comment on culture and so on, we can begin to see that the real comment that The Simpsons has to make is on the media. In so doing, it is also commenting on our reading and acceptance of media. The key episode to illustrate this point is Homer: Bad Man (episode 2F06). In this episode Homer is accused of sexual harassment and suffers a trial by media as all sorts of shows seem to victimise him. The sensational news programme Rock Bottom puts together a poorly edited interview to force Homer to admit his guilt. Following the interview appear in small letters the words Dramatization. May not have happened. A media circus erupts around Homer. Round the clock helicopter surveillance of the Simpson Estate is surprisingly similar to the coverage of the O. J. Simpson case , and the photographers who take photographs of Homer in the shower is a parody of the ongoing international problem caused by paparazzi photographers invasion of private privacy. We go on to see the different ways the media covers the story as Homer flicks through the TV channels. There is a daytime-television talk show. The introduction to the second show says: Today on Ben: mothers and runaway daughters reunited by their hatred of Homer Simpson. One woman is crying, saying: I dont know Homer Simpson, I I never met Homer Simpson or had any contact with him, but Im sorry, I cant go on. Presenter: Thats OK: your tears say more than real evidence ever could. Another yells: Lets have less Homer Simpsons and more money for public schools! The points made here are rather self-explanatory. These programmes do not treat the issues with any objectivity or fairness and are simply relying on the emotional responses of hatred and outrage. The media goes on to lure away Homers friends by offering them huge sums of money to tell their stories about him. Meanwhile TV news is stirring things up even further as it explains how Marge put the cat out possibly because it was harassed, we dont know. Lisa sums up the whole situation: The medias making a monster out of you because they dont care about the truth! All they care about is entertainment. The next aspect of the media coverage of the event is crucial to understanding the comment on the media and audiences being made. Having shown all this sensationalised and untrue material about Homer, there is a TV phone poll. Kent Brochman reads the results: 95% of the people believe Homer Simpson is guilty. Of course, this is just a television poll which is not legally binding, unless Proposition 304 passes. And we all pray it will. So now that the entire public has been influenced and the trial might really begin, Homer has already been judged guilty. Once again this is an important comment on the nature of the media and the way it deals with such situations, made very clearly. Of course it is also a comment on the viewers, showing how they will believe anything on TV. The show then moves on to comment on the nature of viewers and how they view TV. As Homer flicks through late night television he is upset because all the channels are making fun of him. When he finds one that is not he laughs along and forgets that they ever did. A joke is made about Mr T and Homer says, Man, I wouldnt like to be Mr T right now, forgetting that most people wouldnt want to be Homer Simpson right then. This shows how fickle the audience can be. At the end of the episode, when groundskeeper Willies home video has saved Homer, he sits down to watch Rock Bottom. It shows groundskeeper Willie calling him depraved. Homer: Oh, that man is sick! Marge: Groundskeeper Willie saved you, Homer. Homer: But listen to the music! Hes evil! Marge: Hasnt this experience taught you you cant believe everything you hear? Homer: Marge, my friend, I havent learned a thing. Homer: Lets never fight again. This re-emphasises the fickleness of the audience and how it will never learn. In essence the message of the episode is self-explanatory, however this is one of the most important meanings of The Simpsons as a whole, and this episode simply says it with clarity. While The Simpsons has a broad based comedy and a successful formula, we must really appreciate it for the message it tells us. The Simpsons clearly contains a strong message to the media but an even stronger one to the viewers. It is telling the viewers that just as the writers of the show can manipulate fact (or what is fact inside the world of The Simpsons) so can the other forms of media. It takes a cartoon to be able to tell us this because we are willing to accept that a cartoon can manipulate fact. It takes a cartoon to show us that non-animated, respected media of actuality can also manipulate the truth and manipulate the viewers. The Simpsons warns us to be wary of all we see on TV. Bibliography Movies and Television