Spiderman and Superman

Artifact-Spiderman

beliefs -He believes he can help those in trouble.
Myth - He is a man dress as a human spider.
Hero - He has senses when bad things are going to happen; he can fly; and climb buildings.
setting - New York, 2002.
Ritual - To help others.
Stereotype - He is a good person, who wants to save other good people from the bad people.
formulas - Superhero, romance, action, scientific.

Artifact- Superman

beliefs - He goes when the world calls him.
Myth - He was born on a planet that is now dead, so he is being raised in Kansas by his adoptive parents.

Hero - He has special powers, he can fly as well as sense when he is needed to help.
setting - Kansas or Earth in general. 2006
Ritual - To save the Earth from harmful people.
Stereotype - He is a good person who wants to help others. As well as saving Earth, from the harmful creatures.

formulas - Superhero, action, scientific.

Artifact- Commonalities in Each Column

beliefs - They both go when needed for help.
Myth - Live with someone other than their parents.
Hero - They both have special powers, such as flying.
setting - Living on Earth, and helping others that live there.
Ritual - Help others.
Stereotype - Good person, who wants to help save others from harmful creatures.
formulas - Superhero, action, scientific.

Spiderman and Superman

While viewing the movie Spiderman, I found the formulas that could be identified were romance, action, and science-fiction. The romance formulas came throughout the film. Peter who is the main character in the film is a teenage student. He is very much interested in a popular girl, name Mary Jane. Peter is not at all popular; actually he would be considered a weakling. The action formula begins to show, after Peter gains his special powers. The science-fiction formula would also begin after he gains his powers and becomes the human spider or Spiderman. (Raimi, 2004).
The two movies I chose to show their commonalities are Spiderman and Superman Returns. Spiderman or Peter is an orphaned teenager growing up in New York; being raised by his aunt and uncle. He is just an average kid, until he is bitten by a spider while on a school field trip. Peter then learns he has special powers. These powers consist of climbing walls, sensing when someone needs help, and throwing webs. (Raimi, 2004). Superman or Clark Kent, has been raised on a farm in Kansas by his adoptive parents. Long before Superman was born on this planet, he was born on another planet that has died. Although he was raised in Kansas, by humans; he is still not one of them. Clark, can do things humans can only dream of doing, therefore he must live a boring dull life until he can secretly become Superman. He only becomes Superman when the world cries out to him or needs help. (Singer, 2006). The two movies have several commonalities the first would be that they were both raised by someone other than their parents. Neither are the bad guy, both are out to help those in need. Another commonality is both only become the creature when needed.
Yesterday’s formulas are still the same in many ways, but have changed as well. Today’s formulas are comedy, romance, horror, action, or scientific. Yesterdays were those as well, but in yesterday’s formulas many movies were made about mid-evil times. Those movies still exist today. Some movies from yesterday’s formulas were made by performance of plays instead of films. Viewing something by play would change the formula than if it were viewed my film. So, in this case, the formulas would change. Since many of the formulas are still the same today as they were yesterday, they are still accepted in today’s society.
If I could be a director of the film, I would change the romance formula in the Spiderman movie. Instead of the movie having romance, I would just let him help everyone. I would have more real life examples; this would show that he is more of a hero, instead of trying to get the girl.



References
Raimi, S. (Director). (2004). Spiderman [Motion Picture].
Singer, B. (Director). (2006). Superman Returns [Motion Picture].

Christmas Rush

Every year on December 25, we know we are going to exchange gifts. So, why is there such a rush after December first? I personally obtain my Christmas gifts all year round. I know am going to have to buy for my immediate family as well as my in-laws. Now, I know not everyone stays the same size, so you cannot exactly purchase clothing. You can buy perfume, designer purses, or toys. I also understand that not all toys are offered all year, but why wait until the last minute. People, who do this, take chances on not purchasing the correct gift or it being too late to return the gift. I understand if you have to purchase an additional gift for a new someone in the family or at the office, but why wait until it is Christmas to start buying gifts. For example, I personally know one woman in my neighborhood, which has 26 grandchildren a long with children, great-grandchildren, in-laws, and friends to buy for; she never starts her shopping until the second week of December. Is it the rush or excitement of purchasing gifts all at once? What happens if you forget someone?
According to the American Research Group, in 2007 the average shopper spent 859 dollars on gifts. Before 2007, many people spent as much as 1,052 dollars on gifts. (2009 Christmas Spending Plans Slightly Below 2008 Levels, 2009). Frequently this much money was spent from those who are last minute shoppers. If you spend all year round, buying and storing up, then it seems you do not spend as much. Technically you do not, for the unpretentious fact that you catch things on sale or at a bargain price so you do not pay full price. If you are a last minute shopper, you do not always catch those deals, because you are in need of a gift to mark someone off your list. So, why the last minute shopping? Why the rush? Why not take your time, purchase nice gifts all year long, and enjoy the Christmas holiday?


References
2009 Christmas Spending Plans Slightly Below 2008 Levels. (2009, November 24). Retrieved December 8,2009, from American Research Group Inc.: http://www.americanresearchgroup.com/holiday/

Assignment 5-1

Legalized or Not?

The topic I would like to discuss with everyone is the drug usage in our nation. Many people are voting to legalize marijuana. Eighty seven percent say it should be legalized. (Tyger, 2007). Many say if it were legalized it would take the marijuana growers out of jail and make room for real criminals. That is true, but marijuana is known as a “gate way drug”. Although it is used in many other countries as a medicine to cure different illnesses, should it be legalized for everyone to use?
According to the article since 1990, nearly 5.9 million Americans have been arrested on marijuana charges. This has increased by 800 percent since 1980. The prison population in the United States is higher than the European Nations by ten to six times. In 2000, more than 734,000 people were arrested in this country for marijuana-related offenses alone. (09De). As I stated earlier, marijuana is a gate way drug. The article states, that it is like any other substance. In this case, it could be like harder drugs. So if marijuana is legalized should we legalize everything else as well? Although marijuana has never caused death as other substances have, could it later? I am sure that at one time, prescription drugs were not causing deaths and were taken correctly, but in time all things change.
My personal opinion, I have seen harder drug usage in the area where I live, so marijuana is a gate way drug. The people who I personally know who are on harder drugs, started experimenting with marijuana when they were at very young age. I understand that not everyone who smokes marijuana becomes a junkie, but there are quite a few that do. I think American should work on being a drug free environment. If you legalize one drug, the next will be to legalize another and before you know it crystal meth, heroin, and crack cocaine will all be legal. Although, the jails are being filled with marijuana growers instead of murders; should drugs be legalized? I grew up in the early 90s, you rarely heard about people overdosing, unless they were a movie star who could actually afford expensive drugs. Now days, there is something on the news everyday about someone who died from an overdose. No, these people do not die from a marijuana overdose, but somewhere in their life this person had smoke marijuana. Therefore, the marijuana “buzz” was not good enough, or it got old; so their goal was to move on to bigger and harder drugs. Marijuana just gave them the first buzz, to get over their fear of experimenting with drugs. So, in my opinion, no I do not agree with marijuana being legalized.



References
(n.d.). Retrieved December 02, 2009. From http://legalizationofmarijuana.com/

Tyger, R. (2007). Retrieved December 02, 2009. From Marijuana.com: http://www.marijuan.com/legalization-decriminalization/23871-legalize.html

Assignment 4-1