Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Awareness or anorexia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Awareness or anorexia - Research Paper Example This essay will examine will examine the reasons why it is essential to be aware of anorexia. It is important for one to be aware of anorexia since it is affecting a lot of people without their knowledge. As Anna notes, ââ¬Å"Anorexia can cause the social life of a person to be greatly affected. People suffering from anorexia tend to suffer from low self-esteem and general body dissatisfaction, and this is mostly seen in girls and women.â⬠This condition can in turn make them develop body image disturbances and this eventually, leads to anorexia. This can lead to extreme psychological and medical consequences. People suffering from this disorder have more chances of committing suicide, it cause cardiac arrest to an individual, and it can cause death due to starvation. A majority of anorexia is caused by genetics. Media is another cause of anorexia this comes about when one shares some environmental factors. Newspapers, magazines, and televisions contributes to a great extent to raising these complications since it portrays emaciated people as being a fashion and, super models and this makes majority of the public to emulate them (Anold 1). According to National Eating Disorders Association, ââ¬Å"Eating disorders exists in three major forms, this include; bulimia, anorexia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.â⬠Generally, those individuals suffering from bulimia and anorexia nervosa tend to suffer from low self-esteem, and they have a desire to have a perfect body weight and shape. A person suffers from anorexia nervosa when the weight of the body falls by 15 percent from the normal weight that is expected when compared to their height. Individuals with anorexia nervosa may seem to exercise excessively and can even resolve to force themselves to vomit the food that they have taken. As Anold says, ââ¬Å"Anorexia nervosa may be characterized by the stopping
Monday, October 28, 2019
Analysis of Keplers Three Laws
Analysis of Keplers Three Laws Introduction: Cosmological principle is a hypotheses of that the Universe is homogeneous and isotropic on a large scales (Random House Dictionary, 2017), which means that the Universe(U1 or U2) will be seen as the same distribution of objects no matter where to see. Thus, the same physical laws and models applied on the Earth will also applies in all parts of the Universe(uoregon, N/A). It was believed that the model of Earth-centred until the Renaissance. Copernicus came up with his geocentric model In this article, the laws be investigated is Keplers three laws, and demonstrates how new observations are found by observing the knowledge from previous. Kepler, who correctly defined the observation of Copernicus that the planets revolve around the Sun, came up this his laws of planetary motion and correctly the orbits of planets. Kepler in virtue of astronomical observations and records of Tyche Brahe, who was a wealthy astronomer and believed in Earth-centred model of universe, to found the orbits of the planets followed three laws (NASA, N/A). Hence, Keplers three laws of planetary motion are 1st law of Ellipses, 2nd law of equal areas and 3rd law of harmonics(Air University, 2003), which each of them will be explored specifically in the following paragraphs about the evidences that support the theory initially and currently. Theory: Ã Ã Keplers first law states that the orbits of the planets are ellipses with the sun at one focus(reference). This means that the Sun, as one of the points(foci), is not the centre of the ellipses; and the planet follows the ellipse in its orbit, which the distance of the planet and Sun will changing constantly as the planet moves around in its shape of ellipses. This can be illustrated in Figure__, where the sum of the green and blue lines are always constant. Secondly, Keplers second law describes the area of a planet connected by a line to the Sun travels in its ellipse orbit is equal to the area sweep in a fixed time period. This can be illustrated in Figure__, which v1 is the velocity at perihelion (when the position is closer to the Sun), v2 is the velocity at aphelion (when the position is far from the Sun), r1 and r2 is the distance from a planet to the Sun at perihelion and aphelion. The law of areas allows as the area swept are the same. Divide both side by to make it as ratio . If the distance of aphelion r2 is 2 times longer than perihelion, the velocity v2 will be 2 times slower than v1. Hence, this indicates the speed of the planet is faster when it is positioned close to the Sun, and slower when the distance of the planet to the Sun is far. In addition, Keplers second law supports his first law, as the velocity vector is constantly changing in its magnitude and direction. The magnitude of the velocity would be the same If th e orbit were circular. Therefore, this further justified Keplers first law that the shape of the orbit is ellipses. Furthermore, the third law makes a comparison between the motion characteristics of different planets, which result in the squared ration of the orbital period of a planet is equal to the ration of the cubes of the distance it to the sun(semi-major axis). This can be expressed in formula , which that T1 and T2 are the orbital period of the two planets; and A1 and A2 are the distances from the Sun to the planets for the two planets. The results table in Figure__ demonstrates how the average distance (au) of the planets away from the Sun effect on the period (year) of the planets trave. Thus, it informs that the furthest the planets from the Sun are, the longer periods they are travel in their orbits. Furthermore, Newtons laws support Keplers laws and provide corrections. Newtons law of gravitation is found to describe the motions of all in the universe, which also justified the cosmological principle. As the velocity of the planet orbit is constantly changing, there is an acceleration in the movement; and the areas sweep by the planet- Sun line are equal in their equal times, this indicates that there is a force directed acting on the planet to the Sun. This matches Newtons second law that there is an implied force that acts on the planets continuously. Newtons third law, which sates the size of forces acting on the two different interacting objects are the same, implies the force is proportional to the product of the masses for the planet and the Sun.[JZ-01] Thus, Keplers laws are supported by the Newtons laws. http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~blackman/ast104/newtonkepler.html Nicolaus Copernicus firstly proposed his heliocentric view of the universe that the Earth was not the central and like all the other planets circled the Sun (First print of Heliocentric model by Nicolaus Copernicus see Figure__). However, he was not be able to publish his theory until his death duo to people believed he was not concerned about the Churchs approval. Furthermore, the evidence for Copernicus model is gradually mounted. Galileo observed the phase of Venus by his telescope, which proved that the planet orbits the Sun. Kepler corrected and defined the planets orbits after he became the assistant of astronomer, Tycho Brahe, who asked him to defined the orbit of Mars and passed his collection of astronomical observations to Kepler after his death. Brahe was attempt to prove his theory with all his extensive astronomical records collected through his lifetime, which later on Kepler adapted his records and used to prove heliocentrism and found the orbits of the planets followe d three laws. This was proved initially that Kepler started to describing the Earths orbit before the orbit of Mars, as Mars was observed from a moving Earth. As he followed the traditionally believed that the Earths orbit was circular, he noted the linear speed of the planet changed with the distance from the sun, which matches with the astronomical observations of the motions of Earth with a circular orbit collected by Brahe. Thus, the orbit of Earth is close to a circle defined. However, Mars was moving too quick at aphelion perihelion and too slow at the sides while using the model established initially for Earth. Therefore, Kepler decided to change the shape of the orbit to represent Mars position more accurately. Thus, the orbit is an ellipse was justified by applying the area law to calculate. Eventually, his discovery about the area of the planet to the Sun swept in equal times led to the realization of Keplers first law that the planets orbits are elliptic with the Sun at o ne focus point. Newton corrected Keplers law with his laws of motion and law of universal gravitation, which makes small change that the planets are orbited around the sun but around common centre of gravity. This helps to discover other planets in the other stars. The Hubble space telescope of NASA has taken the first visible- light snapshot of a planet circing another star. The Hubble image of Fomalhut from the Hubble shows that the new discovered planet Fomalhaut b orbits its parent star. It also shows a ring of debris appears to surround the new planet (NASA, 2008). https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/science/fomalhaut.html furthermore, Keplers first and second laws can also be supported by the weather and time on Earth, which if the orbit were a circle, the earth would travel at a constant speed and spend half of the time in both summer and winter. However, the winter time is about 2 days fewer in the winter half and the earth moves faster in the winter half(Stern, 2005). In conclusion, keplers laws are still vaild today and have an important place in the history of science, astronomy and cosmology. They are the key step in the revolution which moved from Earth-centred model to the heliocentric model, and they led the discovery of Newtons laws. . As the modern scientists are still discover more about the universe and working in the light of discoveries made by earlier fellow scientists, thus, it justified Newtons statement, that if I have been able to see any further, it was only because I stood on the shoulders of giants. Ã Ã [JZ-01]Rephrase this sentence.
Friday, October 25, 2019
Formal Speech Analysis :: essays research papers
Formal Speech Analysis In the past, I have participated in a lot of classes and training dealing with many different topics, but unfortunately, public speaking and/or communications was not one of them. In fact, the last class that I took even relatively close to this one was while I was in the military. In some sense, I guess that this class could be thought of as a good experience, because now I can learn at a college level and be more at ease with getting up in front of a group of people and giving a presentation. Ã Ã Ã Ã Ã My goals for this class are fairly numerous, but all are based on all around knowledge and improvement of public speaking in a general sense. I want to be able to get up in front of a group of people and deliver a message in a way that makes people want to listen. I am planning a career in the field of psychology, and as much as I may not like it, I think public speaking will definitely show its face many times. My specific goals for the course include improving on my stance, speaking more clearly, and improving on my fear of speaking in front of a large group. After reviewing my videotaped speech and also in previous presentations, I have noticed that, among other things, I am constantly fidgeting and doing something with my hands like playing with my note cards or something. Also, I am clearly not comfortable with standing up there. Although it is not overly visible on the tape, I can tell that I look very nervous, and I tend to stutter a little and lose my place and focus in the middle of the speeches frequently. I really do not understand why speaking in front of the class bothers me so much. If I were to give the speech from my desk, even though everyone would still be looking at me, I think that I could do a much better job and would be more relaxed as well.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Advanced Boot Options
The recovery tools available in windows 7 are ? ? ? Advanced Boot Options Menu Startup Repair Tool Backup & Restore Center System Protections Frequently used recovery techniques are Event Viewer ââ¬â if OS doesnââ¬â¢t load in normal or safe mode, check the event viewer for problems occur in security, system and apps logs. Safe Mode: Loads minimum of services & drivers only needed to load win 7. Can troubleshoot the devices and drivers. Last Known Good Configuration Startup Repair Tool Backup & Restore Center System Restore Using Advanced Boot options: Used to troubleshoot error that allows windows 7 from successful booting.To access press F8 while startup. The options available are Safe mode Safe mode with networkingââ¬â safe mode with networking enabled Safe mode with command prompt ââ¬â safe mode in CLI Enable Boot loggingââ¬â creates log file ââ¬Å"ntbtlog. txtâ⬠records all process occur during booting. Enable low resolution video (640Ãâ"480)- uses stan dard vga drivers for display. Last known good configurationââ¬â Restores last Config that runs in good condition. Directory Services Restore Mode- Used for domain controllers Debugging Mode- Runs kernel debugger.Advanced troubleshooting tools Disable Automatic Restart on System failure- prevents system from restarting when it fails to boot. Disable driver signature enforcement- enforces driver to install that donââ¬â¢t have valid signature Start windows normally- Normal startup Startup Repair Tool: If system files of windows 7 is failed to boot or corrupted or deleted, using windows 7 media can able to restore it. But this tool cannot handle Hardware failures Backup and Restore: Used for user of windows 7 to protect their personal data from disaster.This tool is used for making a backup of your data and also it can able to restore the backup data. This tool can be opened in ââ¬Å"control panelackup and restoreâ⬠In that console user can find advanced boot options o Tur n off the schedule ââ¬â backup schedule is turned off o Create a system restore image ââ¬â Backup OS files o Create a system repair disk ââ¬â Create bootable disk Creating System Image: It captures the snapshot of entire hdd & stored in specified location Control panel -> Backup & Restore center-> CREATE system Image link -> choose location -> START backup-> no for system repair disk.After the above process the image is created Restoring Image: Load win 7 media to dvd rom, reboot the machine ->enter in to ââ¬Å"Repair your computerâ⬠Now select OS-> system recover option appears->choose windows complete pc restore-> select the image-> Restore it.Using System Protection: It creates backup and saves the configuration info of system files and settings It donââ¬â¢t overwrite, it saves in previous versions which is called as ââ¬Å"restore pointâ⬠So user can return to multiple possible configurations It creates restores points automatically if file system in NT FS, manually also can create. To open ââ¬Å"sysdm. cplâ⬠open system protection tab.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
The Simpsons Are Sociologically Savvy: a Postmodernist Perspective
The Simpsons are Sociologically Savvy: a Postmodernist Perspective Using The Simpsons, a long-running American animated continuing series, as a case study I will analyse the links between audiences, production and text in the creation of meaning. Using a triangulated approach of close textual reading, and theoretical models of post-modernism and queer theory to question the role of agenda setting in contemporary society, I will identify particular mechanisms of agenda setting within this example. The Simpsons, described by Paul Cantor (1999) is a ââ¬Å"postmodern re-creation of the first generation family sit-comâ⬠(p738) which can be used effectively to illustrate innovative and radical themes and encourages critical thinking. David Arnold (2001) describes The Simpsons as ââ¬Å"an irresponsible text, one rich in associations and connotations [â⬠¦] a self-parodic, self-referential pastiche of previous textsâ⬠(p264). I will endeavour to show that despite the fact that The Simpsons is associated with cartoons, which in their very nature are assumed to be childish and frivolous, it is because of all of the above associations that the postmodern Simpsons are useful as a pedagogical tool (Hobbs, 1998) and can be used to teach adults and children various sociological issues including sexual identities and hegemony. The Simpsons lends itself to be a vehicle of a ââ¬Ëmedia-virusââ¬â¢ which according to Douglas Rushkoff (1994) can carry [the] ââ¬Å"revolutionary message conveyed in an apparently innocent, neutral packageâ⬠(cited in Irwin et Al 2001 p254). Such programmes appear to have proven to be the most acceptable and accessible spaces to show such subjects as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (glbt) identities because of their separation from reality. Arnold (2001) claims that the ridiculousness of the funny yellow looking characters who pop up on your television and look almost human, but with crazy storylines and unbelievable un-human like behaviours ââ¬Å"increase their ability to function as satiric signifiersâ⬠(p262). Itââ¬â¢s because of their unfeasibility, their ââ¬Å"lack of seriousnessâ⬠that Diane Raymond (2003 cited in Dines & Humez) maintains allows programmes like The Simpsons to ââ¬Å"â⬠¦play with themes under cover of humour where those themes might be too volatile or even too didactic for another sort of audienceâ⬠(p101). The Simpsons creators and writers rely on the history of other shows and they take from them all the best titbits rewarding their viewers according to Rushkoff (2004) with ââ¬Å"a-ha momentsâ⬠or ââ¬Å"pattern recognitionâ⬠(p296). Whether it is Maggie in ââ¬ËA Streetcar Named Margeââ¬â¢ (1992, 9F18) attempting to rescue her dummy-tit at Springfieldââ¬â¢s day-care centre to the theme tune of The Great Escape by Elmer Bernstein. Or when Homer arrives to pick her up some of the babies are precariously perched and watch on, which to the media literate is an obvious spoof of The Birds a classic Hitchcock movie from 1963. The wedding scene from The Graduate is spoofed in ââ¬ËOne fish, two fish, blowfishââ¬â¢ (1991, 7F11) where Homer bangs on the living room window and shouts ââ¬Å"Margeâ⬠at the top of his voice. ââ¬ËLisaââ¬â¢s Substituteââ¬â¢ (1991, SF19), is where we see yet another classic scene from the The Graduate, where the substitute teacher is seen at the front of the class through Mrs Krabappelââ¬â¢s leg which is hitched up on the desk and Bartââ¬â¢s teacher says those famous words ââ¬Å"Mrs. Krabappel, you're trying to seduce me. Some of the audience, children moreover adults may see the ridiculousness of the scenes as ââ¬Ëfunnyââ¬â¢ but may not see the more hidden intertextual message due to their time spent viewing media texts. However David Buckingham (2001) claims that children are more active, and sophisticated users [â⬠¦] that they see much more television and are able to detect and decipher the ââ¬Å"formal codes and conventions about genre and narrative, and about the production processâ⬠(cited in Barker and Petely 2001). These pieces of intertextual fragmented texts have different connotations to different ââ¬Ëreadersââ¬â¢. For example in The Graduate the storyline, for the chief protagonist, was about the coming of age and losing his virginity and the power it gave him, this ââ¬Ërevolutionary messageââ¬â¢ would not be available in prime-time viewing unless such a vehicle as The Simpsons made it accessible through its animation. Ironically The Simpsons was created to be a ââ¬Ëbridging deviceââ¬â¢ for The Tracy Ullman Show to cross from the main parts of the show into adverts (Rushkoff 2004 p295). The Simpsons became more popular than the host show and Matt Groening the showââ¬â¢s creator was offered $10m and a 13 episode series at FOX Television (Ibid p295). According to Allen Larson (2004) technological advances, the availability of cable, federal deregulation and corporate consolidation were already in place from the 1980s and 90s but the media conglomerates further assisted the development of corporations like FOX Television which refined prime time sit-coms and the commodification of the audience, they ââ¬Å"re-imagined, and re-exploited profit maximisationâ⬠(cited in Stabile & Harrison 2004 p56). At the onset of the 90s production costs for a show like The Simpsons would have cost around $600,000 (Mallory 1996, Karlin 1993b cited in Stabile & Harrison p56) and so attention to attracting the widest demographic was crucial. Merchandising to children was the future as the cable-age children had already become consumers and so the conglomerates ââ¬Å"turned the full force of their attention towards maximising the potential revenue streams provided by childrenâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ (Ibid pp57-59). USA Today reported in 2009 that in the previous year ââ¬Å"Consumers worldwide spent more than $750 million on Simpsons-related licensed merchandise [â⬠¦]â⬠(Lieberman, 2009). Television programming is not only programming the viewerââ¬â¢s sets but the viewers themselves in order to sell them a product (Rushkoff 2004, p293) [â⬠¦] which would prove why ââ¬Å"advertisers spent $314. 8 million [in 2008] on the prime-time show on Fox and reruns that local stations airâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ (Lieberman, 2009). Postmodernism points toward the fact that we no longer create anything other than the texts made up from the materials which already existed and we patch them together to make fun of that which is present and now. Furthermore there is a notion of ââ¬Ëit doesnââ¬â¢t get any better than thisââ¬â¢ The Simpsons uses all the good bits from the past to fill the present, history is no longer being made it could be perceived. Arnold claims that The Simpsons ââ¬Å"â⬠¦lampoon and amplifies that cultureââ¬â¢s foibles up to and beyond the point of absurdityâ⬠(2004 p264). Jameson is in agreement (1984 and 1991) he insists that postmodernism has a ââ¬Å"new depthlessnessâ⬠and that globalised late capitalism does not allow for the text to be critically analysed but commodified and consumed. Jameson states that ââ¬Å"they no longer simply ââ¬Ëquote,' as a Joyce or a Mahler might have done, but incorporate into their very substanceâ⬠(1991 p3). Intertextual referencing is key to how The Simpsons works as a postmodern text, although legible to the avid reader of texts, a certain amount of media literacy is required which has taken many decades to achieve, leaving the adult to appreciate the intertextuality of high culture embedded in the ââ¬Ëfunny animationââ¬â¢. The timing with which The Simpsons emerged into mainstream television has proven to be crucial- The Simpsons could not have thrived on prime-time network television unless it was embraced by an audience so advanced in ââ¬Å"TV literacyâ⬠that they are able to recognize and relish the signs and symbols from TV culture which the show continuously throws at them (Bj? rnsson 2006). In various episodes The Simpsons have portrayed many sociological concepts, for example; Aging and health in ââ¬ËStark Raving Dadââ¬â¢ (1991, 7F24); Class and socioeconomic status in ââ¬ËBurnsââ¬â¢ Heirââ¬â¢ (1994, 1F16); Crime law and criminal justice in ââ¬ËHomer the Vigilanteââ¬â¢ (1F09). Homer has dealt with the urge to cheat on his wife Marge ââ¬ËThe Last Temptation of Homerââ¬â¢ and ââ¬ËLife on The Fast Laneââ¬â¢ (1993, IF07 & 1990, 7G11). The horror of war was tackled in ââ¬ËThe Principal and the Pauperââ¬â¢ (1997, 4F23) and homosexuality in ââ¬ËHomerââ¬â¢s Phobiaââ¬â¢ (1997, 4F11) (The Simpsons Archive, 2010). It is this last issue of other sexual identities in The Simpsons which I will be analysing using queer theory as an analytical framework. ââ¬Å"Queer is a category in fluxâ⬠according to Raymond (2003, cited in Dines & Humez p98). Historically the term was used in a negative or derogatory manner, although most recently the term is used to identify marginalised identities such as gay, lesbian bisexual and transgender (glbt). Queer theory identifies ââ¬Å"a body of knowledge connected to but not identical with lesbian/gay studiesâ⬠(Ibid p98). According to Raymond (2003) queer theory emerged in the 1960s and 1970s and ââ¬Å"unlike their earlier theoretical forebears like Marxism and feminism â⬠¦ [do not demand] exclusive theoretical allegiance or hegemony (Ibid p99). Instead it asks; what is the point in asking why someone is gay? Or what is the function the question of causation serves in the culture and in ideology? â⬠Queer theorists look less at the nature/nurture argument of Charles Darwin and in addition ask that we see the term as ââ¬Ëfluidââ¬â¢ and not ââ¬Ëfixedââ¬â¢. ââ¬ËHomerââ¬â¢s Phobiaââ¬â¢ (1997, 4F11) looks at Homer and his homophobic behaviour when he meets and befriends a gay man John who is voiced by writer and director John Waters of the critically acclaimed and very camp film ââ¬ËHairsprayââ¬â¢. John sells kitsch collectibles in a shopping mall and enjoys chatting to his customers. John tries to explain to Homer what ââ¬Ëcampââ¬â¢ means when he is showing him around the shop which Homer doesnââ¬â¢t understand. To explain John says that camp is ââ¬Å"The tragically ludicrous? The ludicrously tragic? â⬠When Homer still doesnââ¬â¢t get it, he adds ââ¬Å"â⬠¦more like inflatable furniture or Last Supper TV traysâ⬠The penny finally drops as Homer has made a connection, albeit a financial one, and replies ââ¬Å"and that kinda stuff is worth money? â⬠¦Man you should come over to our place â⬠¦Ã¢â¬Å"It's full of valuable worthless crapâ⬠. Johnââ¬â¢s views ââ¬Å"echoes cultural critic Andrew Rossââ¬â¢ argument that camp is primarily concerned with reconstituting historyââ¬â¢s trash as reasureâ⬠(Cunningham 2003). Ross (1989) writes ââ¬Å"The knowledge about history is the precise moment when camp takes over, because camp involves a rediscovery of historyââ¬â¢s wasteâ⬠(p151, cited in Cunningham 2003). This piece also serves to confirm Medhurstââ¬â¢s claim that camp ââ¬Å"is now absolutely everywhereâ⬠(1997 p289 cited in Sullivan, p194) and so Homer has become completely blind to it. Homer has not realised John is gay even though there have been quite a few stereotypical ââ¬Ëa-ha momentsââ¬â¢ (Rushkoff, p296) or ââ¬Ëknowing nodsââ¬â¢ to his sexual identity. John has knowledge of female Hollywood actresses and gossip, an appreciation of Margeââ¬â¢s hair John even answers in a ââ¬Ëcampââ¬â¢ manner with ââ¬Å"my heart is palpitating, hoo hooâ⬠. Marge conversely has determined Johnââ¬â¢s sexual identity and later, at home, informs Homer of it (much to his disgust). This may signal that the producers are aware of how different people have different ââ¬Ëcultural capitalââ¬â¢ (Bourdieu, 1977) or that Marge and women for that matter are more adept at reading the signals in media-represented images of sexual identities and can see the signifiers due to the time spent watching television. It may also signify the ways in which gay men have been ââ¬Ëreducedââ¬â¢ to the status of women i. e. engaging in tittle-tattle and pointing out good hair-dos. According to Gross (1995) misinformation and gay stereotyping in the media is due to ââ¬Å"lack of first-hand knowledge of gays and lesbiansâ⬠(cited in Raymond 2003). Media texts are ââ¬Ëpolysemicââ¬â¢, meaning they have many meanings to many people, although Stuart Hall (1980) states the texts do not have an infinite number of interpretations as they ââ¬Å"remain structured in dominanceâ⬠. Nicholas Abercrombie (1996) claims that ââ¬Å"audiences are not blank pieces of paperâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ (p140 cited in Hanes 2000). Reception Studies agree that the meaning is not inherent within the text itself and that the audience create the meanings using their own cultural capital. Morleyââ¬â¢s reception study ââ¬ËNationwideââ¬â¢ in 1980 will attest to this fact. In 1992 Morley revisited his ââ¬ËNationwideââ¬â¢ study and found that there were ââ¬Å"totally contradictory readings of the same programme item [â⬠¦]â⬠. There are many criticisms of reception theories, Morley himself states that ââ¬Å"it shows an understanding of the micro-process of consumptionâ⬠¦and without reference to the broader cultural questionâ⬠¦ [which is then] of only limited valueâ⬠(1992, p272). Signs of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (glbt) identities are clearly shown in The Simpsons; in ââ¬ËHomerââ¬â¢s Phobiaââ¬â¢ (1997, 4F11) Roscoe and his fellow workers at the ââ¬ËSpringfield Steel Millââ¬â¢ are openly gay and host ââ¬Ëgay discosââ¬â¢ after working hours. The scene in the mill looks like a ââ¬Ëguerrilla attackââ¬â¢ where hundreds of gay men have descended on the unsuspecting Simpsons to make them feel like the minority in the ââ¬Ëqueered spaceââ¬â¢. ââ¬ËGuerrilla tacticsââ¬â¢ like ââ¬Ëqueeringââ¬â¢ are seen in America where glbt people gather in an unsuspecting venue. The venue would commonly be frequented by mainly heterosexuals, the dominant sexual identity. With a flood of glbt patrons the glbt have changed their position to a dominant one within that space. This encourages the audience to see what it must feel like to be in the minority, but also highlights that there are other sexual identities, that heterosexuality is not superior and that gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender people live in your street, work in your factories, they have worthwhile jobs contributing to society just like heterosexual people. Queeringââ¬â¢ extends to texts too as shown above and also in ââ¬ËThree Gays of the Condoââ¬â¢ (2003, EABF12) where Homer shared a room with Grady and Julio who were both openly gay. Glbt identities are also hidden, for example Judge Constance Harm is transgender in ââ¬ËThe Parent Rapââ¬â¢ (2001, CABF22) the judge refers to ââ¬Ëonce being a manââ¬â¢. There are also the characters such as Waylon Smithers and Dewey Largo who are still in the closet and all of these stories offer viewers a little ââ¬Ëqueer pleasureââ¬â¢. In ââ¬ËMy Fair Laddyââ¬â¢ Brunella Pommelhorst the gym teacher at Bartââ¬â¢s school tells her students she will return in the next semester as Mr Pommelhorst the new shop teacher (2006, HABF05). Margeââ¬â¢s sister Patty who ââ¬Ëcomes outââ¬â¢ to her in when Springfield became a same-sex-marriage tolerant town to bring in much needed revenue (after Bart brings it into disrepute). Agenda setting in the media is made accessible in The Simpsons and can be seen especially in ââ¬ËThereââ¬â¢s Something about Marryingââ¬â¢ (2005, 16E10). Mayor Quimby in a speech says he is ââ¬Å"happy to legalise gay moneyâ⬠¦ I mean ah gay marriageâ⬠. This may be in response to an article reported by Catherine Donaldson-Evans (2004) written for FOXNEWS. com that states ââ¬Å"Recognizing same-sex couples and families as an emerging market, large corporations have begun targeting the demographic in their adsâ⬠[â⬠¦] [the ads are] focused on the micro-lifestyles of the consumers, and same-sex families are a micro-lifestyle. â⬠This clearly shows the emergent culture of commodification of sexual identity. ââ¬ËThereââ¬â¢s Something About Marryingââ¬â¢ (2005 16E10) which is a clear intertextual reference to the film Thereââ¬â¢s something about Mary which itself may also be pointing out through the use of intertextuality the name given to Gay men i. e. ââ¬ËMarysââ¬â¢ or ââ¬Ëlittle-Marysââ¬â¢) was it seems written in response to the controversy in America over gay marriages which was ââ¬Å"a particularly hot topic in the US [at the moment] during election campaigningâ⬠(BBC 2004). In February 2004 ââ¬Å"President Bush announced his support for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, saying he wants to stop activist judges from changing the definition of the ââ¬Å"most enduring human institutionâ⬠(Huus, 2004). This makes for a difficult position to be in as a queer viewer. Jacqueline Rose (1986) has noted, ââ¬Å"The relationship between viewer and scene is always one of fracture, partial identification, pleasure and distrustâ⬠(p227 cited in Raymond, 2003, p100). The Simpsons are not subversive or anti-family, in fact they are probably quite conservative Homer attempts to vote for Democrat Barack Obama in ââ¬ËTreehouse of Horror XIXââ¬â¢ (S20E04, 2008) however the machine would not allow him and instead registered his vote for John McCain a Republican ââ¬Å"in a humorous take on the allegations of voter fraud that [had] occurred in prior electionsâ⬠(Stelter, 2008).
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