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

Brain Food for the ACT 11 Best Exam Snacks

Brain Food for the ACT Best Exam Snacks SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Looking for the best snacks for the ACT? You should be! Snacks are an underrated yet crucial part of planning for the ACT. Good snacks will help you succeed on the ACT, giving you the brain boost you need, while bad snacks can suck your energy and make you more hungry. In this article, I’ll address why snacks are important, the qualities of the best ACTsnacks, and give you snack options. I’ll also give you some tips to succeed on test day. Why Are Snacks Important? Snacks keep your stomachfrom grumbling during the test.The ACT is difficult enough without any added distractions.Eating snacks to avoid feeling hungry and unfocused.However, you need to make sure that you choose a snack that will satisfy you and fuel you without causing an energy crash or making you crave more food.Good snacks will help you succeed on the ACT while bad snacks can worsen your ACT performance. To make sure you feel full and fueled during the test, bring two good snacks (or one snack that you have three portions of).That way you can have one snack for each break (since there are two breaks during the ACT). The Qualities of Good ACT Snacks While sugar and simple carbs are tasty and give you a quick boost, they also can lead to an energy crash.A crash means you might lose focus and feel sleepy, which would be killer during the ACT.Furthermore, these empty carbs can make you crave more food, so try to avoid foods that are made up of only simple carbs, sugar, or corn syrup. What is a great snack?One that is packed with healthy fats or protein.Healthy fats make youfeel full, so there won’t be any grumbling.Also, healthy fats and protein help your brain function, boosting your power and helping you succeed. The best snacks will also be convenientto transport, so you caneasilyeat them at the test center. Yum! The Best ACT Snacks If you're looking for brain food for the exam, try one of these delicious(and portable!) snacks. #1: Jerky Jerky is a tasty and easy grab and go snack that’s loaded with protein to keep you going.It doesn’t matter what jerky you choose: beef, pork, turkey, salmon are all good choices.Choose whatever kind you enjoy! #2: Nuts Nuts are fabulous because they’re packed with protein and healthy fat, yet low in carb.They will keep you satisfied while fueling you.Any nut is great: almonds, cashews, walnuts, macadamia nuts, etc. However, try to choose plain nuts or nuts and dried fruit trail mixes instead trail mixes that add in chocolate or candies.The added sugar could cause a crash and make you feel sleepy. #3: Veggie/Corn Chips and Guacamole This is a great option for those with allergies since there are no nuts, wheat, dairy, or eggs involved.Additionally, guacamole is a tasty source of healthy fats.You can pick up single serving packets of guac by Sabra or Wholly Guacamole at your local Target, Walmart, or another grocery store. I suggest eating your guac with corn or veggie chips since they’re healthier than potato chips, but potato chips are a decent substitute. #4: Carrots/Celery Sticks and Nut Butter For picky eaters like me, this is a tastier way to eat nuts.I don’t like raw nuts, but nut butter is delicious and just as nutritious as nuts.Nut butters will satisfy your hunger and fuel your brain. Try to choose a nut butter that is natural rather than one with added sugar and/or corn syrup, but if you can only find one with added stuff, that's okay. A spoonful of peanut butter helps you ace the ACT! #5: Carrots/Celery Sticks and Hummus This snack makes another great option for students with allergies or intolerances since you can avoid dairy, eggs, wheat, and nuts.Also, this snack is yummy and satisfying. However, I’d suggest you only eat this for one of your two snacks since this snack is not as satisfying as the other on this list.Balance this one with a higher fat packed snack such as the veggie chips and guac to make sure you stay full and fueled throughout the test. #6: Cheese Cheese is an awesome snack for picky eaters because who doesn't like cheese?Also, there are several easy to transport and eat cheese options such as string cheese and Babybel.Cheese is loaded with fat and protein to keep you feeling full and to power you to ACT success. You won't want to share! #7: Apple/Banana and Nut Butter Another yummy snack for the picky eaters out there.As I said in the veggie sticks and nut butter section, you should try to choose a natural nut butter over a processed one with sugar and/or corn syrup, but if the processed is all you have, that’s fine. #8: Dried Fruit Dried fruits are full of nutrients to give you the extra boost you need.If you can, try to pick dried fruit with no added sugar.If you only find dried fruit with added sugar, then you should try to mix them with nuts to create a trail mix that offsets that sugar with healthy stuff. If you don't mix the dried fruit with nuts (whether due to allergies or a dislike of nuts), only eat dried fruit for one of your two snacks; it’s not as filling as other snacks on this list.Select a fat and protein packed snack such as the veggie sticks and nut butter as your other snack. #9: Seeds Seeds are a treat usually reserved for the baseball field, but they make an excellent snack anytime.Seeds are full of the healthy fats that will keep you focused during the ACT.Choose any seeds you like: pumpkin seeds (aka pepitas), flax seeds, sunflower seeds, etc. Another option is to mix different seeds with nuts to create a nutritious trail mix.No matter how you choose to eat them, seeds are easy to transport snacks that will satisfy your cravings and help you maintain your focus. Don't plant them! Eat them! #10: Fruit and Nut Bars These bars are delicious, and that’s coming from a very picky eater.Check out KIND or Larabars because they contain only natural ingredients.Made up of mostly dried fruit and nuts, these bars are loaded with healthy fats and nutrients. Choose a flavor without chocolate since you don’t need any added sugar.Also, only use this for one of your two snacks since the dried fruit have some sugar.Offset it with another snack on this list such as cheese. #: Water Okay, water isn’t really a snack per se, but you must bring water with you to the ACT.Dehydration can cause you to lose focus and potentially lower your ACT score.Bring one bottle of water with your two snacks. Hey, Dora, won’t there be a water fountain at my test center?Well, there might be, but you can’t count on it.Also, you don’t want to wait on a line to drink from the water fountain during your short breaks. Note: it’s also important to avoid drinking too much water because you don’t want to feel the need to pee in the middle of an ACT section.Split the one bottle of water you bring into two imaginary portions.Consume at most one portion (Â ½ of the bottle) at each break. What Foods You Should Avoid You can definitely bring another snack that may not be on this list, but you should avoid sugar or corn syrup filled snacks such as candy and simple carbs such as potato chips.These snacks are neither satisfying nor nutritious.After eating them, you'll just want more food. Additionally, avoid coffee.If you don’t normally drink coffee, don’t try it on test day.If you normally are a coffee drinker, then only have one cup.Too much coffee will make you jittery and can cause an energy crash.If you want more caffeine, try green tea! Green tea is delicious and nutritious! 3 Tips for Test Day Success You want to go into the ACT feeling calm and prepared, so follow our three tips for test day success. Tip #1: Put all of your ACT materials in a bag the night prior to the test, so you're not running around the morning of the test. Remember to include your ACT admissions ticket, picture ID, calculator, extra batteries, pencils, eraser, pencil sharpener, watch, snacks, and water bottle. Tip #2: Get at least eight hours of sleep, which means go to bed early. You want to feel well-rested. You also want to feel awake for the test, so wake up at least an hour before you need to leave for your test center. By the time you get to the test center, you’ll feel very awake. Tip #3: Eat a large, healthy breakfast before the test. Eggs, greek yogurt, and oatmeal are all great choices. Also, while you eat, read the newspaper to get your brain going. Take our advice, and you'll be well-rested, calm, and ready to rock the ACT. What’s Next? Preparing to take the ACT? Learn how you should spend the night before the ACT. Also, check out the rules and regulations for the test, so you don’t make a mistake. Do you know what your dream college is? Find out what ACT score you need to get in! Learn about what is important to colleges. Not sure where you want to go to college? We will help you find your target schooland help you figure out what your ACT target score should be. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Romero Surname Meaning and Origin

Romero Surname Meaning and Origin The Romero  surname originated as a nickname applied to travelers from the western (Roman) empire who had to pass through the eastern (Byzantine) empire on their way to the holy land, from the word  romero, meaning  a pilgrim, or one who visits a shrine.  According to the Instituto Genealà ³gico e Histà ³rico Latino-Americano, the Romero surname originated principally in the Spanish areas of Galicia, Aragà ³n, Valencia, Catalonia, Andalusia, and Castile. Romero is the  28th most common Hispanic surname.  Romarin is a French version of this surname, while Romer is the German variation. Surname origin:  Spanish, Italian Alternate surname spellings:  Romerro, Romarin, Romer Famous People With the Surname Romero George A. Romero: American film director, best known for Night of the Living DeadOscar Romero: Former  Archbishop of San SalvadorCà ©sar Romero: Cuban-American actor and dancer Where Do People With the Surname Live? The surname distribution data at  Forebears  ranks Romero as the 227th most common surname in the world, identifying it as most prevalent in Mexico and with the highest density in Honduras. The Romero surname is the 12th most common surname in Argentina, 13th in Venezuela, 15th in Ecuador, and 18th in Spain and Honduras. Within Europe, Vargas is most frequently found in Spain, according to  WorldNames PublicProfiler, especially in the southern provinces of the Andalucia region.  The surname is also common throughout the southwestern United States, especially in the state of New Mexico. Genealogy Resources Research Hispanic Heritage: Learn how to get started researching  your Hispanic ancestors, including the basics of family tree research and country-specific organizations, genealogical records, and resources for Spain, Latin America, Mexico, Brazil, the Caribbean, and other Spanish speaking countries.Romero Family Crest - Its Not What You Think: Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Romero family crest or coat of arms for the Romero surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.  Romero Family Genealogy Forum: Search this popular genealogy forum for the Romero surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Romero query.FamilySearch - Romero Genealogy: Access over 2.6 million free historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Romero surname and its va riations on this free genealogy website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. GeneaNet - Romero Records: GeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Romero surname, with a concentration on records and families from France, Spain, and other European countries. Sources Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

Business- Its Legal, Ethical, and Global Environment - Quiz Essay

Business- Its Legal, Ethical, and Global Environment - Quiz - Essay Example offices. The four were catching up on their electronic mail. The four soon discovered each others presence on electronic mail. One commissioner wrote to the other three, â€Å"Lets get some business done so long as were all here. We could resolve that unfair competition case thats pending for next month. We can iron out our differences via e-mail.†Ã‚   The electronic exchanges of the commissioners would: (Points: 8) 5.  TCO C: Susan Sandren purchased a toaster from Standard Electric. While using the toaster the day after it was purchased, Susan discovered that the toaster slots were too small for a thick piece of bread. The bread was stuck in the slot. With the toaster still plugged in, Susan used a knife to pry loose the toast and was electrocuted.   In a suit by her family against Standard Electric: (Points: 8) Tort defense includes Volenti not fit injuria, which means there was no intensions to cause harm and the injured took a risk of being injured. For example, if a person goes to a hockey game and they get hit by puck, they are taking the risk of getting hit, which is not the fault of the hockey player. Illegality is where the injured is in the wrong doing while being the defendant’s property. In a case, a thief jumps out of a building to avoid being arrested, the property owner cannot be held liable. 7.  TCO C: Will Chancit, a 36-year-old attorney, was killed when his Ford Fairlane collided with some metal fence on the Harbor Freeway in Los Angeles.   He was traveling at a speed between 50 and 70 mph.   After the collision, the car spun and the driver’s door flew open.   Chancit was ejected from the car and sustained fatal head injuries.   Had the door stayed closed, his injuries would have been relatively minor.   Chancit was not wearing his seat belt.   Discuss the negligence theory for recovery in the suit Chancit’s widow has brought against Ford Motor Company, the

Nike Corporation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nike Corporation - Case Study Example Founded in the year 1972 by a man named Philip Knight who is the co-founder and the Chairman today and by Bill Bowerman both set out with a dream and that has gradually taken the shape of reality. Nike has its head quarters situated in the United States of America and to be more specific it is situated in Beaverton, Oregon. The word Nike has been adapted and taken from the word Nike which was the name of a Greek Goddess of Victory. Nike today has many product lines each of which cater to different sports and sport areas, names such as Nike golf, Nike pro, and Air Jordan are just a few of the lot. And these names are also vastly known as trusted when it comes to the various products that are manufactured and marketed under them. Nike is one company that produces a very widespread range of sports equipment. The first ever products that Nike produced were shoes that could be used as track running shoes and shoes that could be used to play basket ball. Once that started going well they began manufacturing different kinds of sports wear such as jackets and trousers for tennis, football, and cricket etc. Nike belongs to the sportswear and sports equipment manufacturing industry and when it comes to athletic shoes, apparel and other sports equipment it is known to one of the major American suppliers. Nike currently has factories in many countries come of which are China, Taiwan, India, Turkey and Pakistan etc, and to date has about 500 factories working at manufacturing their products. The biggest rivals of Nike currently in the market of sportswear and sports equipment are quite a lot as Nike is seen as a threat to many sports and even some fashion brands but the leading rivals are Reebok which came along in the year 1980. After that the advent of Adidas brought its own level of threat and the rivalry increased for Nike. The board of directors for Nike contains people such as Mark Parker, Timothy D. Cook and Jill Ker Conway. CURRENT SUCCESS STATEGY: The story behind or the reason behind Nike being such a successful company is embedded in its marketing strategies. Besides the advertisement and promotions of its many products there has always been deep focus by the heads of this company on the following details which has lead to it being the leading brand name today. Pricing is one of those details the price of Nike products has always been higher than that pf competitors, its products have always been kept to go with the changing trends and are always upgraded to fit new profiles and the new generation. Placement of sales outlets has been another key detail that has helped. And last but not least the advertisement of its products being shown and made in different times and languages to accommodate their consumers with full understanding and satisfaction guaranteed. That all combined with its catchy brand slogan "just do it" gives the consumer a reliable, trendy and durable product

Reconstruction of African Americans Dbq Essay Example for Free

Reconstruction of African Americans Dbq Essay New Societies, new people, and new communities usually originate as a result of migration. People decide to move from one place to another for better opportunities, better lives, and new challenges. This remains true for the African American race as well. It has been believed that the original migration took place in 1619 when African Americans arrived to Jamestown, Virginia. However, the first African Americans migrated to the United States almost a century earlier in the 1500’s coming from Mexico and the Caribbean to the Spanish territories of Florida, Texas, and other parts of the South. African-American Migration Experience Though many migrated to the U. S. voluntarily, most African Americans were victims of massive enslavement. War, slave raiding, kidnapping and political religious struggle accounted for the vast majority of Africans deported to the Americas. African Americans were forced into slavery. Many children were kidnapped and sold as slaves. There were those of which who rebelled by refusing to be enslaved that would be expelled from their homes and families then either murdered or forced to be slaves. Slavery developed because the Northern Africans had a monopoly over spices, gold, and other commodities that the Europeans wanted. Europe would send ships back and forth to Africa to trade goods and in the process they were able to grow comfortable with navigating the seas. As a result, Europe was able to develop very good shipbuilding skills that in turn led to the sending of large vessels. That moved the Portuguese to add an additional commodity to their cargo: African men, women, and children. The Portuguese then used African Americans as slaves to work their sugar plantations. Over time English and Dutch ships preyed on the Portugal vessels for slaves, while raiding and looting the African mainland. Slaves were brought to the United States of America during the triangular trade. Ships were built to handle a maximum of 350 people, but Europeans would transport over 800 men, women, and children under some of the harshest conditions. Slaves would be branded, stripped naked during the entire trip, lying down in the midst of filth, all while enduring unbearable heat. All slaves went through frightening, incredibly brutal and dehumanizing experiences. Women and children were raped for the pleasures of the crew. The sick were tossed overboard unto the sea. People who tried to starve themselves to death were forced to eat by the torturing of scolding hot coal pressed onto their bodies. African-American Migration Experience Those who survived the Middle Passage arrived to America only to encounter more grief. They were sent to plantations and farms for agricultural duties. They were used for mining, and placed in towns as servants. In South Carolina and Georgia they grew rice, cotton, and indigo. In Louisiana they slaved over sugarcane plantations. They labored over tobacco farms in Virginia and Maryland. This went on until 1808 when the United States abolished its slave trade from Africa. However, slave trade went on unabated until 1860. In 1898 the boll weevil ate its way through Texas and proceeded to eat its way East across the South. The cotton was destroyed and slaves were thrown off of the land. After WWI there was an economic boom that resulted in the need for agricultural work, but unfortunately most states in the South passed the Jim Crow laws that discriminated against African Americans and led to segregation. African Americans couldn’t attend the same schools as white Americans. They couldn’t use facilities such as restaurants, theaters, hotels, cinemas, and public baths. Public transportation was also segregated and in some states marriage between white and black people. African Americans were at the mercy of landlords, abusive employers, and almost anyone set on depriving them of their rights. This went on until president Franklin D. Roosevelt was forced to issue an executive order mandating the end to racial discrimination. The Fair Employment Practices Committee was created to enforce this mandate, which acted as the launching pad that would bare dividends in the future. Riots erupted in 1943, leading to beatings, deaths, and arrest. African American then resulted to boycotts and sit-ins during the Civil Rights movement. As a result, the Supreme Court reversed the separate but equal doctrine in 1954, ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. There was also the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act that signaled an attack on Jim Crow. The African-American Migration Experience This report reveals the enormous amount of pain, grief, and violence suffered by my ancestors during slavery. I am so appreciative to all those people who marched, boycotted, and endured the pain and suffering so that my children and I could have the freedom to eat in any restaurant, sleep at any hotel, drink water out of any fountain, and go to school to get a good education. I may not be able to relate culturally to the ethnic group that I have written about because I am way too young, but that doesn’t change the fact that I recognize what they fought and stood for and I plan to make sure that my children are taught the history of how African Americans migrated to the United States, and what they went through to get here. References In Motion. The African-American Migration Experience. Retrieved April 9, 2007, from http://www. inmotionaame. org/home. cfm.

Beauty & The Matrix :: Movie Film Compare Contrast Essays

Beauty & The Matrix Do you remember the story of Sleeping Beauty? A beautiful girl who had a curse put upon her at her Christening. She was to die by the prick of a spinning needle on her 16th Birthday. Her fairy aunts hid her from the curse and she was raised not knowing her real fate. Then of course she fell under the curse and could only be awakened by her true love. Who could forget this enchanting story? Beauty, by Sheri S. Tepper is just like that Sleeping Beauty story but with a twist around every corner. The movie The Matrix is an action pact adventure of a young man named Neo who was taken from his normal life style; and transformed to fit another one. In many different ways does Beauty coincide with the movie The Matrix. A few of them are that they have very similar worlds, according to clothes, food, and daily activities. Morpheus from The Matrix is just like Elladine from the novel Beauty. In the book Beauty the main characters name is also Beauty and in the movie The Matrix the main character is Neo. In the novel Beauty, Beauty is in search of her fairy mother, Elladine, that she hasnt seen since she was a baby. Elladine is Beautys key to unlock the secrets of the fairyland to Beauty. Beauty doesnt know anything about being a fairy except that she is part fairy and some unexplainable strange things have been happening inside her. Elladine, Beautys mother, is the only one who can show Beauty everything there is to know about the fairy life. Elladine will show her the magic to seeing how beautiful the fairyland is and how special Beauty is to be part of this magical land. In the movie The Matrix, a man named Morpheus is the one who found Neo and guides him through his new life. Morpheus believes in Neo enough to take him out of his normal world and introduce him to the Matrix. Morpheus believes that Neo with the right training and mental building will make the right decisions and in the end turn out to be the one. Morpheus guides Neo through the Matrix and teaches him all the things he needs to know about the Matrix. Just like Elladine teaches Beauty about the fairyland. Morpheus and Elladine are very similar characters in these ways; they act in the same part, a teacher and mentor to a younger person.