Blog 17: The Parable of the Ring Around the Collar

Lysol Ads consistently show Mothers spraying down kitchens, bathrooms, toys, high chairs, and much more in order to kill 99.9% of bacteria and germs. The ads also consistently show that the germ producers are animals, husbands, children. These ads show women doing all the cleaning while dad is rarely in the picture. Maybe he is away at work being a provider while the woman is at home fulfilling her gender roles.

Not only do the ads play out gender roles, but they use fear to sell the product. Cleaning up is not enough, everything must be disinfected. Mothers must protect their children by making sure everything is disinfected. Animated imagines of enlarged masses of bacteria are layed over imagines of hands, toilets, and toys to expose the deadly threats.

In reality, using the cleaning products are likely to be more dangerous than the common bacteria we encounter on a daily basis. Breathing in the product and dermal contact are dangerous. Our bodies have a natural defense system against bacterias. Living in a sterile environment doesn't help to build any immunity to the bacterias. Other steps can be taken to clean a household without sterilizing it like a hospital.

These ads also give the impression that cleanliness is a part of meeting the social status. I don't think many people in today's society could make it in the times before cleaning products. Just like being able to afford a maid as a sign of elite social status, having a clean house portrays the same concept. All the households shown are clean and tidy. I can only imagine that these Mothers can afford to be stay-at-home-moms. I know from experience that it is extremely hard keeping the household clean while working, taking on 12 units, and taking care of four kids.

The women in the ads are happy to clean and act as a maid for their family. Not only are they smiling while they clean, but they look good too. These imagines are showing society that women must love cleaning and men should not be seen doing such things. Is this why most bachelor pads are messy and gross because they're just waiting for their Mother, girlfriend, or maid to do all the cleaning.

Overall, these ads prey on the fears of people. No one wants to get sick or die as a result of the bacteria they could have avoided with a cleaning product. With the use of natural cleaning solutions, hand washing and a healthy immune system the harsh chemicals aren't needed.

Blog 16: Analyzing Advertisements

The main focus of this ad is a beautiful young woman who is very happy and satisfied. She looks like she going to a Christmas party because of the colors in the ad. The soap and background are Christmas tree green and her lips, cheeks, and top are red. In the background a man is looking at her with admiration. He seems to be longing for her love. The background is dimmed, but the woman is bright and literally popping out of the picture. The statements about beauty are in a pretty and large font that looks handwritten.

The purpose of the ad is to sell a bar of soap that cleans your skin while bringing out your beauty. It is even recommended by doctors and tests show it works if you use it three times per day. The ad does make the ugly green bar of soap look appealing. The ad describes the soap as being mild and pure which may relate to why the soap is green. Green gives people the feeling of being natural. There are even a row of fresh beautiful flowers in front of the soap giving the message that it provides a fresh, natural beauty.

The ad targets adult women of an upper class or those who want the feeling of being in an upper class. It's telling women that they need this product to look beautiful. By putting the doctor approved part on the ad, women can be assured that it works to make them beautifully clean. Another assumption the ad makes is that all a woman has to do is smile and look beautiful to get the attention of men.

This ad for the 'beauty bar' is unrealistic and gives the illusion that women can be one of the beautiful upper class by using their product. In reality the soap is not going to change your insecurities or the way you feel about yourself. The constant use of soap three times per day only strips the skin of it's natural oils which help moisturize the skin and keep it looking young and healthy.

Blog 15: Killing Us Softly 3

After viewing Jean Kilbourne's video about the advertising industry exploiting women to sell their products, I was left feeling mad, sad, disturbed, and disgusted. I have always felt that a lot of advertising seemed wrong, but I had never analyzed it like Kilbourne. It is very clear to me now that the internal tug of war feelings I had when I was a teenager were a partial result from the constant exposure to this advertising. This type of advertising is like subliminal messages, especially for pre-teens and teenagers. I remember trying to figure out how I was supposed to be as a woman and was very confused about how I was supposed to be innocent, but sexy at the same time. As a teenager and even into my early 20's I was feeling compelled to purchase beauty products in order to meet the image standards. I was left frustrated with results that did not get me what the ads promised.

I think that advertisers do have a moral responsibility to society for creating the problems resulting from the ads objectifying women. They should be concerned for their friends and family who are women. At the very least, they can be indirectly affected by those outside of their circle. I hope they know the negative affects the ads are having on America, but I know that greed almost always supersedes moral obligation.

I do believe that advertising is getting slightly better. Maybe as a result of more women rising in the ranks of ad companies. Or maybe the ad companies are just trying to appeal to a broader audience by including normal looking women in ads also. Today, I am more likely to try products that have normal looking women in them, but in the end I know the ad companies will do anything just to sell a product, whether or not it really does what it promises to do.

Now that I am empowered with this information I can pass it on to my two daughters in hopes that they can make better decisions for their life and happiness.

Research Paper Topic

Topic: Technology in agriculture
Tentative argument: Technology in agriculture (Ag) has created a situation where Americans have a major disconnect with their food while concurrently having negative effects on health and the environment.

Sources:

‘A Conversation with ‘Food, Inc.’ Director Robert Kenner’
By John Birdsall from Sf Weekly
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2009/06/a_conversation_with_food_inc_d.php

‘Environmental Impacts of Agriculture’
Adam Litterman, Tolu Onigbanjo and Teresa Soroka, Princeton University
http://www.princeton.edu/~chm333/2003/agriculture/index.html

‘Food, Inc.’
Film

Mothers for Natural Law
http://www.safe-food.org/-issue/dangers.html

I have been inspired to do this research essay after reading the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbra Kingsolver, but I wasn’t exactly sure the direction I wanted to take it in. It seemed like perfect timing when I saw previews for Food, Inc. on KQED. I watched the movie and knew I had to do my essay on this topic. It is shocking to see the way industrial technology is used in the food industry. It struck me as very unnatural and left me wanting to learn more.

I’ve learned that Ag was a technologic advancement from hunting and gathering. Ag changed the way people lived. It used to be that people moved to where the food supply was, but Ag made it possible for people to permanently live in one centralized location and form communities.

The industrial production of meat, vegetables, and grains is extremely unsustainable. Not to mention that the industry is monopolized by a few big companies who are mass producing cheap food with heavy reliance on petroleum-based chemicals (pesticides and fertilizers). The food can also be contaminated due to unsanitary practices of mass production farming.

Americans are no longer connected to the origin of their supply beyond the supermarkets. This is not surprising due to the fact that mass production companies do not advertise their farming techniques. In an interview with SF Weekly, director of Food Inc., Robert Kenner states that "All we want is transparency and a good conversation about these things."

Genetically engineered foods look safe, but in reality there is not enough evidence or a large enough time span to prove they are completely safe for consumption. Genetically modified crops can contaminate natural crops by cross pollination. If this increasingly happens to natural crops and even wild plants, then there will be severe decreases in genetically pure plants. Where will be when the world comes to realize that GMO foods are not an option, but so much genetic contamination has resulted in no other options?

The industry seems to want to continue to rely on technology to solve the problems that current technology is causing. Maybe the answer is in less reliance on technology and going back to basics.

"The First Technological Revolution and It's Lessons"

Technology can be scary, especially in the hands of those who either abuse it or for those who lack the understanding of the details and consequences. For example, technological advances in the agricultural industry have allowed for genetically modified (GMO) food. Many Americans do not know enough about GMO (or even how their food is grown and where it comes from which is another side affect of technology). It is not a requirement to have food labeled as GMO which seems deceptive to me. In fact, GMO technology has not been around long enough for even the experts to deem it safe. So, we are the guinea pigs of this technology, but we do have options. Although it is not always easy to change, GMO technology can be avoided by eating organic.

On the other hand, GMO is essential in certain circumstances. It is saving the lives of those who do not have access to grow their own food organically. GMO has made it possible for plants to produce higher yields in order to feed more mouths. GMO has also helped to keep food fresh for a longer period of time in order to increase shipping distances.

In the end, I don't think that people should completely rely on GMO foods because of the unknown health consequences. When at all possible it is best to eat organic.

Favorite American Vacation Destinations

Part 1
Leisure time has really changed over the past several decades. I believe that this is mainly due to electronics. The more electronics brought into homes equals less time utilizing the natural surroundings available to use to relax and have fun. Leisure time of the past was simple. Today's leisures seem to take more planning and cost more money. Many people don't want to stay close to home, so they seek leisure elsewhere. It seems that today people have a hard time being content with what they have, instead they know there is always something bigger and better to be done or had.

Part 2
For the most part, Disneyland has stayed the same and is succinctly American. Of course, they have expanded, but one can always rely on Disneyland as a destination of happiness and fun. I could never imagine anyone leaving Disneyland with ill feelings. I love that I can go from everyday life to a world of fun and childlike fantasy within seconds of passing through the admission booth.
Mr. Disney describes it best: "To all who come to this happy place: -Welcome- Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past...and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America...with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all in the world."

Why We Travel

The points I really connected to in Pico Iyer's "Why We Travel" was his analogies of travel to that of being childlike and being in love. If a person is truly on an adventure to a new place then they will feel as though they are a child again. Most adults wish they could be children again. And for those who don't relate to that can surely relate to wanting to feel in love. I laughed when reading that traveling is like being in love because one is unable to communicate properly or know where you're going or who you are falling in love with. Just like being in love this is what makes traveling adventurous and exciting!

Iyer describes travels to foreign countries that are very different than America. It seems that he stays away from the popular commercialized way of travel. He instead explores places by practicing the regular routines of the culture and as this is done, his own culture is being admired by those native to the area. With this he(the traveler) can begin seeing what he thought he knew in a different light. "We travel, then, in part just to shake up our complacencies by seeing all the moral and political urgencies, the life-and-death dilemmas, that we seldom have to face at home." I believe this is an important part of travel and can improve people's lives. We often take too much for granted which leads to unhappiness, but experiencing other cultures can leave a traveler more appreciative to return home.

Travel Ads: 1930's to Present

The first ad depicting the airline travelers stood out the most to me. The ad doesn't need any subtitle for it is a true example of how a picture is worth a thousand words. The happy couple is enjoying a buffet of wine and appetizers with attentive service. There is lots of room and privacy since there doesn't seem to be any travelers in any of the other seats.

I doubt if one could find an experience like this anywhere today unless it was on a private jet. Today, airline ads do not show the inside of the plane, but instead concentrate on discount fares and are less about the experience of flying and more about the destination.

After viewing all the ads it seems like the main differences between now and then include the following: 1) Today is more about family travel and the past just showed couples. 2) Past vacations were more about luxury than adventure. 3) The ads of the past made it a point to mention the level of social order or class. Today's ads are not so blatant about class, but there are still different packages depending on one's financial status.

In the end, any vacation, past or present, is a chance for the traveler to take a break from the everyday activities and is a time of relaxation and less worries.

Changing Ideas of Home

‘A Christmas Memory’
Truman Capote’s reflective essay was very endearing. During a time of his life where his home was ‘broken’ he found solace in a relationship with his elder cousin. It seemed that Capote was able to bond more with his cousin than with his own parents since they seem to be absent from the story or at least part of the clan of barely there undesirable and uncaring adults. This older woman, his cousin, was able to connect to Capote by being young at heart, but with a wise mind.

I can relate to about 98% of this story with the only differences being in the memories that I had with my Grandfather. My parents split at the same age and I lived with my Mother, sibling, and Grandparents for a few years before my Mother remarried. While everyone else was busy working, watching TV or not wanting to be bothered, I was always welcome to tag along with my Papa. I always felt so comfortable and safe in his company due to the fact that he was always truthful, caring, and honest with me during times when the other adults in my life were the exact opposite. I think that Capote was able to feel safe with his cousin because of the same reasons. I sincerely empathized with Capote when he was forced to move away. I can vividly remember my own feelings of a similar time from when my Mother remarried and I was forced to move away from Papa.


‘Cooking Trends Echo Changing Roles of Women’
A few semesters ago I was briefly introduced to this subject, so I am glad to have read this more in depth essay of the history of cooking trends and women. It is very eye-opening to learn about how cooking changed due to more and more woman joining the workforce and how marketing further pushed the quick meals and convenience which then in turn allowed even more women to join the workforce. Furthermore, men have been increasingly part of the workforce in home cooking(I believe this is mostly due to the electronic cooking toys). In my experience, I thought that it was so strange when I saw my step-father doing most of the cooking because in the first part of my life I was accustomed to my Dad and Grandfather rarely preparing anything other than a bowl of cereal or oatmeal.

I am happy to see that within recent years Americans are realizing a more hands-on approach to cooking and family dinners are important. For the most part I grew up in a household where both parents worked, so meals were plain and quick. Today, being a parent of two young daughters I can’t bring myself to feed them like my parents fed me. I want to be able to say I know what is in their meals and that they are eating a balanced diet. I am thankful for the changes that happened with cooking as far as men playing more of a role in the kitchen. This is important because two tired overworked people can more manageably cook a good meal than one tired overworked woman.

Meals and appliances designed to save time can be damaging. I think that it’s important to know how, what, where and why your food is placed before you. Maybe this comes from the mother in me, but in a world where natural disasters and terrorist attacks could happen at any time, I want to be prepared to know how to make meals with only the basics. In the 1940’s this was a similar feeling and in response many American’s planted victory gardens and made it a point to revive lost home skills. It’s important to know that in the event of a disaster I am not going to find any bananas or coffee growing where I live, or I’m not going to be able to cook from store bought cans and frozen foods or that I can’t eat/grow fresh winter vegetables in the summer and vice versa. I try to also be aware of what my alternatives are if I don’t have any power for appliances.

In the end, it is nice to have some time saving strategies especially if it means more quality time for oneself or with family, but it is important to be aware of what cooking used to be like.

“The Functions of Home: Dining and Hospitality”
Dining and hospitality is still very much alive in America today. This is especially true of affluent people who seem to have dinner parties often. It is a sign of status. People are able to show that they can serve a great number of guests an elaborate meal. It is a social setting where people of the same class are gathered together to talk about common interests. For those who are not as affluent, dinner parties may be small, less often or maybe dinner isn’t served at all. Instead it can be a cocktail party with a few appetizers.

"House Hunting"

I feel like Hido's photographs are cold and lonely. It is weird to see regular, everyday homes seem so lifeless even though there are lights on which would mean that life is inside. I can only envision zombie like humans in a lifeless home with glowing blue windows.

These photos differ a lot from Owens' photos because Owens takes snapshots of ongoing lives that we can relate to. Having people in the pictures with homes really changes the photo. I think this is because the people make the structure of a house feel like a home. Hido's pictures make suburbia look unhappy and a lot less perfect compared to Owens' photos with smiling individuals.

The NPR broadcast left me with the same eerie and unfriendly feelings. The man who wanted them to move away from his driveway was rude and his demand seemed unnecessary. Do the suburbs change at night? It makes me wonder what Hido would capture in the neighborhood that Owens photographed.

"Slowly Calling the burbs Home" & "Suburbia"

I was pleasantly surprised to see that the location of the pictures took place in Livermore, CA - the town I grew up in during the 80's and 90's. When I looked through the pictures I felt like I was looking at my same neighborhood, but just a decade earlier. I felt at home and the picture that stood out the most for me was the one of the two girls sitting on the sidewalk in front of a business with nothing to do. I couldn't help but laugh when I saw this and think of myself with my best friend doing the same thing. We'd both be longing for the day we turned 18 and could move somewhere more exciting. We often questioned why our parents could ever choose to live in such a dull place.

I enjoyed Lahrmer's article because she describes some of the little things that make the suburbs so comforting. I can relate to these comforts now that I have two young daughters of my own and I realize why my parents chose to live in a "dull place." As mature adults and especially as parents there are so many things to do and worry about, so it's nice to counteract that by residing in a location that lacks the hustle and bustle of the city. Life is so complicated and children are constantly keeping their parents on their toes, so why complicate it with further chaos?

Although, Lahrmer describes changes within the community, they aren't so often that it's hard to keep up with. Instead, these are gradual and noticeable changes that feel more personal due to the small community. It is comforting to have the convenience of knowing what to expect, most of the time. Just because the suburbs can be more mellow doesn't make it boring and I think it's what the individual makes of it that can make the lifestyle pleasing.

Criteria for a Healthy Landscape

One of my favorite places to go is Luther Burbank's Home and Garden located in downtown Santa Rosa. It is a city park that displays the home, garden, and grave of horticulturist Luther Burbank. It is a wonderful, peaceful place that I love to frequent and where I discover new things every time. I find it amazing to go back in time and see all that Burbank was able to accomplish during his lifetime(1849-1926).

In Paul Groth's article, "Criteria for Reading a Healthy Landscape," he has put together seven points that he sees as important in making up a healthy landscape. I would like to integrate some of these concepts with the landscape of the Luther Burbank Home and Garden:
1. "A healthy landscape connects its participates to themselves as individuals." Just as I was deciding to go into the field of horticulture I visited Burbank's Home and Garden. It only took minutes before I(the participate) felt a connection within myself to what motivates me.
2. "A healthy landscape connects its participants to their important social groups." This is a place where I can go to find people who have the same love and interest in plants as I do. This is where I can belong and connect with all kinds of people.

3. "A healthy landscape connects its participants to outsiders." Burbank's garden is free and open to everyone. It does not matter how strong your passion for plants is or even if you have passion at all, everybody is welcome. I have seen all types of people passing through the garden and they all seem to find some sort of personal connection(s).

Luther Burbank's Home and Garden is a wonderful place and a healthy landscape.

24hrs at The Golden Apple

The broadcast “24 Hours at the Golden Apple” is filled with interviews of all kinds of people eating at the restaurant and gives the listener an idea of the types of people who come out at certain times of the day. This Chicago diner has three owners who are very present in running their business and the waitresses have made this job their career. These two factors, coupled with the diner being open for 24 hours in a centralized city location, plays a role in the type of people who frequent the diner. It seems like many people go there to achieve some form of friendly social interaction whether it be with the waitresses or the people sitting at the nearby tables. It is a sanctuary and a place where people can feel connected to a little piece of the world around them.

Chain restaurants such as Applebees try to make community a part of their image, but in reality it is not a place to go to feel closer to your community. Although, there are pictures and memorabilia of the community hanging on every inch of the walls, all the Applebees are essentially the same wherever you go. The people who work there do not portray a sense of openness and familiarity. The chain doesn’t hire employees who plan on making this their career; therefore you get service from a part-timer who needs a job while they are going to school and could care less about getting to know their customers. It is all about getting people in and out. Maybe if they spent less money on their image(thru advertising and décor) and more money on paying full-time career waiters they could achieve a true sense of community.

"K'Mart Has a Loveable Disorder"

I thought that the article by Hank Stuever, "K'mart Has a Loveable Disorder," was accurate and hilarious. Stuever described Kmart perfectly: "It has lipstick on its teeth and those days where it feels, you know, not-so-fresh?". I think that it's great that you can walk into Kmart without feeling the paradigms of social class. It is a place where you can go and shop without the crowded aisles like a Walmart or the uppity formality of a Target. I don't shop there often, but it's a good option when I need to jump out of bed first thing in the morning, wearing my PJs, to pick up a pack of diapers and not have to feel self-conscious.

I could imagine myself on one of Pierce Lewis' field trips, standing in an abandoned Kmart parking lot. Using his cultural landscape teachings, I would come to the conclusion that Kmart was a company that started in the 1970's and failed to meet the needs of today’s typical social demographics. Then if we were to analyze an open Kmart from the parking lot I would see that the parking lot is barely filled with ten-year old cars, seniors, and single mothers with at least three kids in tow.

People want to get good deals while shopping at one location. Kmart has a good deals, but not throughout the store. You may be able to get good deals in the food and clothing section, but the electronics are poor quality and priced the same as better quality items at Walmart or Target. So in the end I’m going to shop at a place where I can get all the items that meet my expectations.

'The Monument and the Bungalow'

I have always loved looking at older architecture and thinking about when it was built, why, and by who? I will always stop to look at the black and white blown up photos hung on walls of banks, grocery stores, city halls, and newly renovated buildings. It is interesting to see what has change over the years and what has stayed the same.

I think that the most important point made in this short essay by Pierce Lewis was that “students need to develop and cultivate the habit of using their eyes and asking nonjudgmental questions about familiar, commonplace things.” For myself, the concept of asking nonjudgmental questions really strikes me as important. Being judgmental is like building a ten foot wall that disables a person from seeing anything above and beyond their original judgments. In today’s world where everything is about aesthetics, the old architecture is sadly too often overlooked. One should look at their surroundings with the appreciation of what it meant for the people of that era.

If you truly want to be connected to your community then it is important to look from the foundations and upward, to better grasp the true history of your community.

A little bit about me...

Hi! My name is Danielle and I am 26. I grew up in Livermore and I am still trying to adjust to life here in Sonoma County. This is my last semester at SRJC and I am currently enrolled in 12 units. I will be graduating with an AS in Environmental Horticulture: Nursery Management. I work on campus at the Lark Hall Greenhouse and Nursery. Not only am I busy with work and school, but I have two daughters who are three- and one-years-old. I love being a mom and they love keeping me incredibly busy. I love spending my free time learning about and working with plants. I am obsessed with plants! They are taking over my house and my family has recently asked me to stop bringing them home!

English is not my best subject, but I do enjoy a challenge. The five unit topics sound interesting and I think that this will be a great course.