AM 1111 2011 Bentley group 1
Sunday 22 January 2012
Hells angels
in April 2002 the hells angels had a gunfight in a vegas casino with another motorcycle club "the Mongols" this resulted in 2 hells angels dead and a mongol dead. Members of the cub are truly dedicated to the cause and extensive initiation takes place in order to approve new members, it can take years.
The hells angels are seen as part of the American culture despite the fact that they are seen all over the world in different chapters, they define freedom for many people. Another motto of theirs is ride hard and play hard. they are seen as a group of people having fun and a strong community of brothers. This said they do have a shadier side and crime is a daily occurrence for them to get by. Biker culture is a culture seen as the modern day cowboy's, a modern take on a proud time for America gone by
Saturday 10 December 2011
Women In America
Fitzgerald's Ideas Today
Is the only real way to achieve the American Dream through crime or inheritance?
The Great Gatsby is a novel about how the American dream is fast becoming the American nightmare due to its misguidance and people trying to achieve it through any means possible. The hard work ethic and honesty we saw in Ragged Dick no longer exists and Fitzgerald suggests to his readers that the only way to achieve the American Dream in the 1920s is through crime or inheritance.
Gatsby is only able to buy all of the material items he owns because he inherited $25 000 from a man who saw potential in him. He then continues to be make money only through criminal activities such as bootlegging.
Although this idea of crime/inheritance making you rich was dominant in the 1920s there is still evidence that some of the richest people in the U.S today made their money through criminal activity or inheritance. For example social networking Facebook which was valued at approximately $84 billion earlier this year, was an idea stolen by “founder” Mark Zuckerberg who is reportedly worth $13.5 billion. The whole site was created by Zuckerberg based on an idea that came from someone else, surely this is stealing and makes it criminal? Apparently this criminality does not matter and Zuckerberg at age 27 ranks 52nd Forbes World’s Billionaires list.
Inheritance is still another way people become rich and supposedly achieve the American dream. Just like criminality this is still evident in contemporary U.S society, maybe even more so than in the 1920s. The worlds richest women, Christy Walton inherited her husbands money when he died in a plane crash in 2005. Her husband's family were the founders of Wal-Mart and today Christy is worth $26.5 billion thanks to this. She repeatedly appears on rich lists despite none of the money actually being earned by her.
From these examples we can see that inheritance and more commonly criminality still dominant American society and the people who achieve wealth through these means are said to have achieved the American dream. Which raises the question, what is the American dream? Is it just about being rich as these examples and The Great Gatsby suggest it should be? Or is it more individualised than that? Despite Gatsby obtaining wealth he still is not happy, his American dream is evidently Daisy and being rich did not help him achieve his dream. If anything it was the downfall of his dream. I believe that there is not one collective American dream. It depends on who you are and where you came from. As Fitzgerald suggests through The Great Gatsby the American dream became misguided and people forgot its actual meaning resulting, in what is now for a lot of Americans, the American Nightmare.
Monday 5 December 2011
mustang
Sunday 4 December 2011
Have your people call my people.
Friday 2 December 2011
American Consumerism - Chrysler
American Consumer Culture
Saturday 26 November 2011
The Horatio Alger Myth Today
We are used to hearing the 'Horatio Alger myth' used in such positive circumstances in America. Although it's now known more conventionally as the American Dream, 'the myth' lives on to this day and is no doubt a source of inspiration and hope to many Americans. However, the article I have chosen to analyse illustrates the misuse and the misunderstanding of Alger's 'myth'. Mary Sanchez, the writer of the article is very explicit in her dissection of 'the myth'. She even goes as far as completely reversing its principles, explaining how 'young people today do not lack initiative; they lack opportunity'. If we compare this to Alger's novel Ragged Dick we see clearly dissimilarity.
Friday 25 November 2011
The Horatio Alger Myth; Contemporary Use
Thursday 24 November 2011
The Horatio Alger Myth is Alive and Well in American Culture
Sunday 20 November 2011
Week 9 - Tutorial.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQo-orO8UHU
What was the NRA's response?
For background information on gun law read this website debate:
http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Debate:_Concealed_carry_vs_open_carry_gun_laws
And, what does the map tell us about gun use?
John
PS - So pleased to see that everyone had posted promptly! Well done - full marks.
Guns in America
year, of all types for those of you without a calculator.That probably
includes arms made for the military. "
Saturday 19 November 2011
Gun Control
Friday 18 November 2011
Gun Control in America
Thursday 17 November 2011
Gun Control in America
Most posts are signed off with a signature quote, usually similar to this:
""Those who hammer their guns into plows, will plow for those who do not." ― Thomas Jefferson"
The posts on this web page are all pro-guns and the page introduces itself as a page and forum attempting to "Promote, Support & Defend" the second amendment.
It could be said that the people who run this site are not only rallying their support for guns in America, but also defending their rights. Users of the site are digraced that the government could have the right to take away the source of their enjoyment (Hunting, shooting ranges) especially seeing as it was written down so many years ago, that it was fully legal.
Given the current political stance on guns in America, a "current events" page was added to the site, for users to discuss the goings on, and how Obama was going to "take our guns" - but, no one wanted to use it, and the majority of posts remained solely related to guns and the surrounding topics.
Overall, this web page is formally set out, with many forum posts but the conversational tone and sarcasm used in posts littered with smiley faces an emoticons give it a relaxed feel for people who genuinely just enoy using guns for hobbies.
My anti-gun web page, is one that is advertising the Brady Campaign.
This webpage has a clock in the corner which reads;
People shot in America this year so far; 86,557
People shot in America today; 157 (7.00pm)
These are shocking figures, but considering how large America is, when the public think about how those numbers are spread over the states who still have the Concealed Carry or even Open Carry law in position, the numbers seem more realistic.
This webpage is actively trying to get people involved in their movement, by having quite a few brighter tabs, linked as "LEARN MORE" "YOU CAN GET INVOLVED TODAY" "DONATE TO SAVE LIVES TODAY" This can be seen as a determination from the Brady Campaign who are really striving on getting their ideas struck into the public. The Brady Campaign pride themselves on being "...devoted to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in our communities."
After examining both sides of the argument, I would personally say I am pro-guns. Only because I believe in what pro-gun websites say when people should be able to protect themselves, in particular cases like Dr.Suzanna Hupp's mentioned in my first paragraph.
(Dr.Suzanna Hupp is a noted survivor of the Luby's Massacre Oct.16, 1991, who later went on to become a Texan Politician in favor of the CC law, or the OC law.)
Sunday 13 November 2011
Look out point
The Wish Bone: Winslow Homer (1864)
Oridnarily, with pictures of this time and place, we see illustrations of death, despair and fear during the harsh days of the Civil War, but at the end of 1864 Winslow Homer created the above image.
This depiction became an image of hope, bringing joy to the troops, and hopefully reminding them of the little things in life that make the days a little bit easier to endure.
In this image, we can see soldiers pulling on a wish bone, after presumably finishing their Thanksgiving Meal.
It can be said that they look peaceful, the soldier in the middle has a serene look about him - calm and determinate. The soldiers are enjoying a small moment of happiness in a time when happiness was hard to find; "it's almost as if they know that while the war is not yet over, it soon will be and they will be able to return to their families."
[http://www.sonofthesouth.net/winslow_Homer_Wishbone.htm accessed: 13.11.11]
Relaxed, smoking, and with their empty plates surrounding them these soldiers seem repleat after dinner whilst the two pulling on the wishbone are enjoying the game, the other is watching on, refereeing.
I chose this image, because it symbolises that even in the dark times (The Civil War) even the smallest of things (The wish bone) can make the day a little bit brighter.
Friday 11 November 2011
Native American School Picture
There were a variety of 19th Century pictures of America available on the archives website, but I chose to pick this image of Native Americans as it stood out from the other pictures on the site. Instead of presenting the Native Americans as very primative and old-fashioned, this picture does otherwise. It captures the boys from the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania dressed smartly and looking healthy and well-groomed. This immediately warps the image that we have of the typical Native American, as we tend to imagine them as unkept and rough, as a result of their outdoor lifestyle.
The part of the photograph which draws my attention more than any other however, is the way the boys are dressed and their posture. These two things are very distinctive when we consider the stereotypical view of a Native American. We tend to associate the natives with extravagant clothing and a relaxed, natural stance/posture. This picture, however, captures them in smart, seemingly carefully designed shirts, trousers and jackets whilst obtaining a very rigid, upright posture. These componants would typically be considered 'European'. This suggests that even as early as 1880, the Europeans had began to influence the indigenous people even in ways as subtle as posture.
A deeper look into the hidden representations of the picture reveals a great deal to us as well. Firstly, it is evident that at least four of the boys are looking away from the camera, suggesting that they aren't used to being photographed; in turn showing how this in fact wasn't a usual occurance and this sort of practice wasn't a typical scenario for Native American boys. On the other hand, the fact that every boy has short hair suggests that their aparent distinction from the typical depiction of Native Americans is genuine. Long hair is seen as something very Native American, so their short hair could suggest that the European influence on these people was becoming substantial.
In his book 'Letters from an American Farmer', De Crevecoeur notably refers to the natives as 'savage'. This illustration has been very common since the European settlement in the US, but pictures like the one I have analysed strongly suggest that the indigenous people were far from savage; adopting some of the same customs and formats as the European settlers themselves.
Thursday 10 November 2011
Indian Ball Game- George Catlin
Wednesday 9 November 2011
Tea Party
Patriots Tea Party
Sunday 6 November 2011
The Tea Party Patriots
This is the website I chose, the Official Page for the Tea Party Movement.
I chose this website because of its pushing boundaries between formality and informality. The crossover between public and "Patriots" blends well, to bring outsiders as such, into the movement.
This website uses a group forum style conversation page, similar to the one on our own Winchester site, but on the TP Movement page, users can become "Patriots" creating user names and profiles for themselves, whilst as "Patriots" completing missions and having the choice to utilize the pages media outlets.
The page uses both photo upload centers, and a space for users to watch and upload videos for the movement.
Why is it important to become a "Tea Party Patriot?" Well this is stated in multiple ways all over the page, but this one quote sums it up effortlessly;
"A community committed to standing together, shoulder to shoulder, to protect our country and the Constitution upon which we were founded!"
Now although, I am English, and this is a very American statement, I find it very motivating and enthusiastic toward the cause. This, to me, creates a positive webpage that people are enthusiastic about using.
Saturday 5 November 2011
Tea Party of America
The first thing to strike me about the webpage was its excessive use of images, and the lack of words incorporated. In many circumstances a heavy use of words is important in a Political webpage in order to express the party's policies and beliefs, but by using pictures that we deem typically American such as the bald eagle, the American outline and a mountain range; this site visually illustrates all that it needs to express.
Another part of the Home Page that caught my attention was the sites tagline, entitled "Restoring America from the Ground Up!" The use of the word "restoring" suggests that the Tea Party have found something wrong with America and are looking to fix it. However, stating that they want to do so from the "Ground Up" is far more optimistic, as it shows how they want to work with America and mould it, as opposed to changing it completely.
As well as the Home Page, the website has several other sections, ranging from 'media' to 'Patriot's Blog'. The traditional, communal nature of the Tea Party is established through links like 'events', 'contact/join us' and the 'blog'. They are designed for members of the movement to feel closer to the people involved at the top of the Tea Party structure, and seem to succeed at this. This is something that sets this webpage apart from many other Tea Party sites, and particularly from exclusively Republican pages. I can imagine the page makes Americans feel wanted and trully part of their nation's political system, and allows them to feel like they know the people directly involved in the party.
It can be suggested that the Tea Party, despite the way it appears through this site, is in fact a very aggressive, manipulative and false movement. The ideas expressed by the party itself such as equality and justice seem to often mysteriously discount several areas of American community. However, it is clear that through this web based example, that the Tea Party, through a strong use of images, limited use of text and a relaxed, non-political approach, are able to make their movement seem very desirable to an American.
Friday 4 November 2011
The Tea Party
Sunday 30 October 2011
Save The Peak
In the introduction (introduction page8) American identity is described as "...the largeness and fertility of the land are celebrated, as is personal determination and freedom from institutional oppression."
I am choosing to focus on the "celebration" of the lands, which De Crevecoeur again demonstrates in chapters four and six with the description of Nantucket and The Island of Martha's Vineyard.
I believe that this enthusiasm for surroundings in an aesthetically pleasing way as well as a historical way, is still prevalent in America.
For example...http://www.hollywoodsign.org/savethepeak.html is a website, on which people are protesting against the land around the famed Los Angelino landmark being used to build housing on. This would result in the famed sign being torn down.
However, in 2010 Hugh Hefner (the famed playboy) along with Tiffany & Co, Aileen Getty and other contributors including Hollywood leaders, and fans around the world, the view that people flock to the Hollwood Hills to see, will now be classed as a cultural landmark and is therefore protected.
Govenor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger spoke at the celebrity-attended press conference held on the Cahuenga Peak, and thanked Hugh Hefner and all other contributors for their help to "carry our efforts across the finish line".
According to www.hollywoodsign.com/savethepeak ;
The Sign now stands at:
H | 45 ft. high by 33 ft. 6 inches wide |
O | 45 ft. high by 33 ft. wide |
L | 45 ft. high by 31 ft. wide |
L | 45 ft. high by 31 ft. wide |
Y | 45 ft. high by 35 ft. wide |
W | 45 ft. high by 39 ft. 9 inches wide |
O | 45 ft. high by 33 ft. wide |
O | 45 ft. high by 33 ft. wide |
D | 45 ft. high by 33 ft. wide |