On the contrary, if one really did want to end the “circle of clutter” then the best method would have to involve some form of government intervention which would limit the freeness of the American economy.
Having freedom in the marketplaces allows companies like Song airlines to market however way they see fit, and for them they chose to strongly target females.
I believe that Song Airlines is extremely sincere in the marketing pitch based on the amount of research they put into learning about the female flying experience.
The documentary mentioned how the company conducted countless interviews with women flyers and even created a make-believe woman to further understand the needs of women customers.
However, I do think that Song airlines tended to focus more on flying with their airline as an event not just some regular airline.
Their goal was turn “Song” into an adjective and have people say, “That’s so Song”.
In that respect, I think they lost some of their drive to target the female passenger and tried to emphasize the traveling experiencing.
The technique used by Song Airlines is a classic example of the evolution of advertising.
Instead of focusing on the product advertisements today focus a concept or idea of what that product can do for you.
Referring back to the Song example there are plenty of airlines that will take you from point A to point B, so advertisements have to sell on the potential of what that product can do beyond transportation.
In the movie they showed a Cheerios commercial with a grandma feeding her infant grandchild.
But, rather than talking about nutritional value of the cereal they used each cheerio as a different city of where family members live.
I was able to immediately identify with this because when I eat Fruit Loops cereal, I like to pretend that each different colored loop is a country and I act a war battle as I enjoy my breakfast.
In today’s advertising all of the products are the same and advertistiments need to do more than have a quality product to get consumers to buy their products.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Persuaders Movie Review Part I
The Frontline and PBS documentary, “The Persuaders”, is a movie about the advertising world and it touched on many themes, concepts, and ideas involved in advertising.
Some of these ideas are: the circle of clutter, the marketing technique used by corporations, the evolution of advertising, “brand loyalty”, product placement, and the power of advertising has on its consumers on a personal level.
To paraphrase the movie from the moment we leave our house we are bombarded with advertisements everywhere we go.
Due to numerous advertisements on television, on the radio, or just walking down the street it leads to more advertisements being created just to be noticed.
This is known as the vicious “circle of clutter”. The question at hand is whether this circle can ever be broken and although you should never use the word “never”, I think that the “circle of clutter” will always remain in free market economies.
The reason why is because there are so many different companies selling the exact same product. For example printers, printers simply print the image/document from the computer, however there are several companies that make and sell printers.
Such as Dell, Epson, Compaq. It is for that reason, multiple companies selling the exact same good or service, that the circle of clutter will not be broken.
Personally, I think that it should continue because competition is always a good thing.
I feel with all of the companies and advertisements competing for my dollar should cause those companies to either lower its price or continue to create better products.
Some of these ideas are: the circle of clutter, the marketing technique used by corporations, the evolution of advertising, “brand loyalty”, product placement, and the power of advertising has on its consumers on a personal level.
To paraphrase the movie from the moment we leave our house we are bombarded with advertisements everywhere we go.
Due to numerous advertisements on television, on the radio, or just walking down the street it leads to more advertisements being created just to be noticed.
This is known as the vicious “circle of clutter”. The question at hand is whether this circle can ever be broken and although you should never use the word “never”, I think that the “circle of clutter” will always remain in free market economies.
The reason why is because there are so many different companies selling the exact same product. For example printers, printers simply print the image/document from the computer, however there are several companies that make and sell printers.
Such as Dell, Epson, Compaq. It is for that reason, multiple companies selling the exact same good or service, that the circle of clutter will not be broken.
Personally, I think that it should continue because competition is always a good thing.
I feel with all of the companies and advertisements competing for my dollar should cause those companies to either lower its price or continue to create better products.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Henry Mayo Hospital Expansion
When Hospitals and schools are downsizing, Henry Mayo Hospital is expanding.
The Santa Clarita City Council announced Tuesday that it will grant $40,000 to a consulting firm to determine how much expansion is needed for Henry Mayo Hospital.
The expansion is to counteract the growing number of residents leaving the community as they cite inadequate health care by the hospital as a reason why.
“The sent my mother to a hospital in Tarzana, because they [the hospital] could not accommodate her,” said Langston Tajun who lived in the community for 16 years prior to moving.
Mayor Marsha Mclean and fellow council members in a unanimous vote agreed to pay Kurt Soloman Associates to conduct a one month study to determine the appropriate amount of expansion needed for the hospital.
“The specific function of KSA will be whether more doctors, rooms, or medical facilities would be most beneficial to the hospital,” said Councilmember Tim Ben Boydston.
A viewpoint that does not make any sense to CEO and President of Henry Mayo Hospital Roger Seaver, “Obviously, if you have more rooms, you will need more doctors.”
“It’s about money, their trying to get away with the bare minimum,” said Seaver. Currently, Henry Mayo is the primary hospital in the Santa Clarita Valley with a population of 151,088 according to a U.S. Census report.
The council in a previous meeting agreed to add 55 beds to the 217 bed hospital. The expansion is in the early stages of a 25 year plan.
The Santa Clarita City Council announced Tuesday that it will grant $40,000 to a consulting firm to determine how much expansion is needed for Henry Mayo Hospital.
The expansion is to counteract the growing number of residents leaving the community as they cite inadequate health care by the hospital as a reason why.
“The sent my mother to a hospital in Tarzana, because they [the hospital] could not accommodate her,” said Langston Tajun who lived in the community for 16 years prior to moving.
Mayor Marsha Mclean and fellow council members in a unanimous vote agreed to pay Kurt Soloman Associates to conduct a one month study to determine the appropriate amount of expansion needed for the hospital.
“The specific function of KSA will be whether more doctors, rooms, or medical facilities would be most beneficial to the hospital,” said Councilmember Tim Ben Boydston.
A viewpoint that does not make any sense to CEO and President of Henry Mayo Hospital Roger Seaver, “Obviously, if you have more rooms, you will need more doctors.”
“It’s about money, their trying to get away with the bare minimum,” said Seaver. Currently, Henry Mayo is the primary hospital in the Santa Clarita Valley with a population of 151,088 according to a U.S. Census report.
The council in a previous meeting agreed to add 55 beds to the 217 bed hospital. The expansion is in the early stages of a 25 year plan.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Breaking News: Young People Don't Vote
Americans the ages of 18- and 25 are not involved in political activities so they are less likely to vote in elections, said Deputy District Director of Los Angeles John Bwarie in a telephone interview.
“It’s concerning that a lot of people in that age group don’t have the time to participate … or do not know a lot about the issues,” said Bwarie, who is a staff member for Los Angeles Council member Greig Smith, who represents the 12th district.
To combat this growing concern, Bwarie said, Smith and his staff began hosting four annual community events in the San Fernando Valley (SFV)and working with California State University, Northridge organizations to help create political awareness.
“The last event we had back in April got about a couple hundred people, which is encouraging,” said Bwarie.
“There is another event scheduled in November, and myself and council member Smith are anticipating a higher amount [of participation] because we’re getting closer to the presidential elections, said Bwarie.
In addition to hosting events, Councilman Smith and his staff is giving speeches on various school campuses in the SFV, predominately high schools, said Bwarie.
One of the things Bwarie is banking is the advancement of technology to lure people to the polls.
The increased usage of technology by young people is causing a disconnect between political participation because the Internet creates a sense of immediacy and people don’t realize how these issues affect them, he said.
Another problem is that young Americans are less likely to vote, so if they don’t vote chances are they aren’t participating in other political arenas, said Bwarie.
It seems Bwarie has the stats to back his claims.
In a “fact sheet,” The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) reported that in 2006 youth voter (18-25) turnout was approximately 24 percent based on the 2006 National Election Pool’s National Exit Poll.
CIRCLE reported that there is close to 27 million citizens in that age bracket.
In California, the percentage was less than 24, according to the fact sheet.
Exit polls are the only method of estimating youth voter turnout and updated information will be available in November when the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey is released.
Among 18-24 year old voters, Minnesota had the highest youth voter turnout with approximately 69 percent compared to 45 percent of California voter turnout and 36 percent of Arkansas, which was the lowest, in the 2004 presidential elections, reported by CIRCLE’s state by state comparison of young people who vote.
CIRCLE does research on the civic and political engagement of Americans between the ages of 15 and 25.
“The main ways to improve upon turnout numbers is to create more awareness,” said Bwarie.
Bwarie, 28, has been working for Councilman Smith for over two years and started working in politics at age 22, he said, because he wants to affect change in his community.
Bwarie is optimistic that by continuing organizing community events and speaking to young voters, that turnout numbers will rise, he said.
###
“It’s concerning that a lot of people in that age group don’t have the time to participate … or do not know a lot about the issues,” said Bwarie, who is a staff member for Los Angeles Council member Greig Smith, who represents the 12th district.
To combat this growing concern, Bwarie said, Smith and his staff began hosting four annual community events in the San Fernando Valley (SFV)and working with California State University, Northridge organizations to help create political awareness.
“The last event we had back in April got about a couple hundred people, which is encouraging,” said Bwarie.
“There is another event scheduled in November, and myself and council member Smith are anticipating a higher amount [of participation] because we’re getting closer to the presidential elections, said Bwarie.
In addition to hosting events, Councilman Smith and his staff is giving speeches on various school campuses in the SFV, predominately high schools, said Bwarie.
One of the things Bwarie is banking is the advancement of technology to lure people to the polls.
The increased usage of technology by young people is causing a disconnect between political participation because the Internet creates a sense of immediacy and people don’t realize how these issues affect them, he said.
Another problem is that young Americans are less likely to vote, so if they don’t vote chances are they aren’t participating in other political arenas, said Bwarie.
It seems Bwarie has the stats to back his claims.
In a “fact sheet,” The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) reported that in 2006 youth voter (18-25) turnout was approximately 24 percent based on the 2006 National Election Pool’s National Exit Poll.
CIRCLE reported that there is close to 27 million citizens in that age bracket.
In California, the percentage was less than 24, according to the fact sheet.
Exit polls are the only method of estimating youth voter turnout and updated information will be available in November when the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey is released.
Among 18-24 year old voters, Minnesota had the highest youth voter turnout with approximately 69 percent compared to 45 percent of California voter turnout and 36 percent of Arkansas, which was the lowest, in the 2004 presidential elections, reported by CIRCLE’s state by state comparison of young people who vote.
CIRCLE does research on the civic and political engagement of Americans between the ages of 15 and 25.
“The main ways to improve upon turnout numbers is to create more awareness,” said Bwarie.
Bwarie, 28, has been working for Councilman Smith for over two years and started working in politics at age 22, he said, because he wants to affect change in his community.
Bwarie is optimistic that by continuing organizing community events and speaking to young voters, that turnout numbers will rise, he said.
###
Monday, August 11, 2008
Homeless Musician on Tour?
Perhaps you have never met Ralph Clark but chances are you have heard him serenading the WEST 118 freeway exit of Tampa Avenue.
Clark is a homeless man who everyday for the past 12 years has been playing his saxophone to help himself survive.
“It’s a good thing I don’t have to pay rent…because with my salary I can barely afford a $0.99 cheeseburger,” jokes Clark.
Clark’s salary ranges from $15 to $45 a day however his top performance earned him a $200 check that ironically bounced.
Unlike other homeless people, Clark decided to not ask for handouts but rather tips.
“A lot of people say that homeless people are just that bums with no work ethic and I don’t want people thinking that about me…I got the idea to play the saxophone for residents from [former President] Bill Clinton, he played the saxophone and look how well he turned out,” said Clark.
And, Clark is still following politics.
As the presidential race heats up between McCain and Obama, Clark is curious to learn more about what each candidate plans to do to deal with the homelessness issue in the United States.
“Ha! Probably not much since we don’t vote they a lot of other people don’t care about us,” said Clark as he eats a Jumbo Jack sandwich while being interviewed.
Perhaps, Clark is onto to something most candidates avoid the issue of homelessness in the United States as a self inflicted wound dating back to the late President Ronald Reagan.
In all the debates between the Republican and Democratic Party during the primary season, the issue was rarely brought up if even at all and the one time the topic got serious was when homelessness was mirrored with immigration.
“It is something a lot of Americans do not want to deal with because most homeless people are minorities, unattractive, uneducated, physically weak, and perceived drug abusers, said Timo Basset of the Feed the Hungry Campaign.
However, many Americans may have to deal with this issue sooner rather than later.
Homelessness is on the rise in every major metropolitan city with Los Angeles suffering the highest increase and it isn’t expected to slow down.
As the housing market crisis continues to take homes from more families many analysts are projecting homelessness to continue rising.
Homelessness is defined as not having a permanent residence... so anyone living out of motels or in one’s car is considered homeless said Tent City Coordinator Lisa Foire.
In a sense of truly modern thinking both Basset and Foire think eventually someone will solve and fix the homeless situation.
The optimism does not extend to Clark who in his twelfth year literally on the streets said, “they will never solve the homeless issue because all the people in power are not homeless so what do they care.”
Clark went on to say, “politicians, the people, and powers that be are all more concerned with helping and saving people overseas, or flying to the moon, or cutting greenhouse emission rather than help me buy some grocery’s.
Clark may be onto something again as latest polls show most Americans consider gas prices to be the top priority.
Clark, Basset, and Foire are all trying to remind people the seriousness of homeless and hope their voices will be heard by the powers that be but I don’t it.
Why… well Obama and McCain have dinner fundraisers to attend of course.
Clark is a homeless man who everyday for the past 12 years has been playing his saxophone to help himself survive.
“It’s a good thing I don’t have to pay rent…because with my salary I can barely afford a $0.99 cheeseburger,” jokes Clark.
Clark’s salary ranges from $15 to $45 a day however his top performance earned him a $200 check that ironically bounced.
Unlike other homeless people, Clark decided to not ask for handouts but rather tips.
“A lot of people say that homeless people are just that bums with no work ethic and I don’t want people thinking that about me…I got the idea to play the saxophone for residents from [former President] Bill Clinton, he played the saxophone and look how well he turned out,” said Clark.
And, Clark is still following politics.
As the presidential race heats up between McCain and Obama, Clark is curious to learn more about what each candidate plans to do to deal with the homelessness issue in the United States.
“Ha! Probably not much since we don’t vote they a lot of other people don’t care about us,” said Clark as he eats a Jumbo Jack sandwich while being interviewed.
Perhaps, Clark is onto to something most candidates avoid the issue of homelessness in the United States as a self inflicted wound dating back to the late President Ronald Reagan.
In all the debates between the Republican and Democratic Party during the primary season, the issue was rarely brought up if even at all and the one time the topic got serious was when homelessness was mirrored with immigration.
“It is something a lot of Americans do not want to deal with because most homeless people are minorities, unattractive, uneducated, physically weak, and perceived drug abusers, said Timo Basset of the Feed the Hungry Campaign.
However, many Americans may have to deal with this issue sooner rather than later.
Homelessness is on the rise in every major metropolitan city with Los Angeles suffering the highest increase and it isn’t expected to slow down.
As the housing market crisis continues to take homes from more families many analysts are projecting homelessness to continue rising.
Homelessness is defined as not having a permanent residence... so anyone living out of motels or in one’s car is considered homeless said Tent City Coordinator Lisa Foire.
In a sense of truly modern thinking both Basset and Foire think eventually someone will solve and fix the homeless situation.
The optimism does not extend to Clark who in his twelfth year literally on the streets said, “they will never solve the homeless issue because all the people in power are not homeless so what do they care.”
Clark went on to say, “politicians, the people, and powers that be are all more concerned with helping and saving people overseas, or flying to the moon, or cutting greenhouse emission rather than help me buy some grocery’s.
Clark may be onto something again as latest polls show most Americans consider gas prices to be the top priority.
Clark, Basset, and Foire are all trying to remind people the seriousness of homeless and hope their voices will be heard by the powers that be but I don’t it.
Why… well Obama and McCain have dinner fundraisers to attend of course.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Journalists have little Protection and need a Shield Law or Two
LOS ANGELES- A federal shield law protecting journalists from revealing their sources would increase the flow of information said Lance Williams, in a panel discussion, at the University of Southern California campus.
Having stronger shield laws would positively impact the world of reporting by giving the public more independent access and obtain information other than from officials, said Williams.
Williams, a journalist, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for refusing to reveal a source in the BALCO investigation but avoided the term when an attorney pleaded guilty.
Williams wasn’t the only panelist to be sentenced to jail.
Panelist Judith Miller said via telephone that “without this bill, every prosecutor could go after us…we need this bill now.”
Miller, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, is in Dubai reporting on another story and communicated to the audience and panel via telephone.
She served 85 days in jail for refusing to name a source in the Scooter L. Libby case.
Perhaps Congress heard the pleas from Miller and Williams because earlier this month, the House of Representatives passed a shield law bill and the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a shield law bill.
The House passed a veto proof bill, 398-21 that would protect journalists fromrevealing confidential court cases in most federal cases.
The Senate Judiciary Committee passed its advancement 15-2 that would protect reporters from revealing sources and would not allow prosecutors to file charges on unpublished information.
In both bills, sources must be identified if the information results in “imminent and actual harm” to national security.
Three of the four panelists were pleased with the actions of congress but panelist Josh Wolf is opposed to the language of the two bills.
“These bills do not protect student-journalist, bloggers and citizen-journalists,” said Wolf.
Both bills state that a journalist is someone whose primary income comes from reporting.
“If you take the strongest elements of both bills than an effective bill will be in place…but with the language of the bill as constructed, it would be better to have no shield law than these bills,” said Wolf in an interview after the discussion.
Wolf, 25, is a video blogger who served 226 days in prison, the longest prison sentence for refusing to give the police videotapes during a 2005 demonstration.
Wolf is also a running for Mayor of San Francisco.
An issue that all panelists agreed upon is that if the shield law was enacted it would not put journalists above the law.
An issue written about by author Norman Pearlstein, who was referenced in the discussion.
“Freedom of the press is in the first amendment of the Constitution, and is a unique form of civil disobedience…besides the three other panelists were sentenced to jail,” said panelist Theodore J. Boutrous, Jr, attorney at law, in response to that issue.
The discussion was forced to end after 70 minutes to allow people to attend other sessions.
The event had about 60 people.
The panel took place in the Annenberg auditorium on the USC campus as part of the California First Amendment Coalition presentation on Free Speech and Open Government Assembly.
Having stronger shield laws would positively impact the world of reporting by giving the public more independent access and obtain information other than from officials, said Williams.
Williams, a journalist, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for refusing to reveal a source in the BALCO investigation but avoided the term when an attorney pleaded guilty.
Williams wasn’t the only panelist to be sentenced to jail.
Panelist Judith Miller said via telephone that “without this bill, every prosecutor could go after us…we need this bill now.”
Miller, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, is in Dubai reporting on another story and communicated to the audience and panel via telephone.
She served 85 days in jail for refusing to name a source in the Scooter L. Libby case.
Perhaps Congress heard the pleas from Miller and Williams because earlier this month, the House of Representatives passed a shield law bill and the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a shield law bill.
The House passed a veto proof bill, 398-21 that would protect journalists fromrevealing confidential court cases in most federal cases.
The Senate Judiciary Committee passed its advancement 15-2 that would protect reporters from revealing sources and would not allow prosecutors to file charges on unpublished information.
In both bills, sources must be identified if the information results in “imminent and actual harm” to national security.
Three of the four panelists were pleased with the actions of congress but panelist Josh Wolf is opposed to the language of the two bills.
“These bills do not protect student-journalist, bloggers and citizen-journalists,” said Wolf.
Both bills state that a journalist is someone whose primary income comes from reporting.
“If you take the strongest elements of both bills than an effective bill will be in place…but with the language of the bill as constructed, it would be better to have no shield law than these bills,” said Wolf in an interview after the discussion.
Wolf, 25, is a video blogger who served 226 days in prison, the longest prison sentence for refusing to give the police videotapes during a 2005 demonstration.
Wolf is also a running for Mayor of San Francisco.
An issue that all panelists agreed upon is that if the shield law was enacted it would not put journalists above the law.
An issue written about by author Norman Pearlstein, who was referenced in the discussion.
“Freedom of the press is in the first amendment of the Constitution, and is a unique form of civil disobedience…besides the three other panelists were sentenced to jail,” said panelist Theodore J. Boutrous, Jr, attorney at law, in response to that issue.
The discussion was forced to end after 70 minutes to allow people to attend other sessions.
The event had about 60 people.
The panel took place in the Annenberg auditorium on the USC campus as part of the California First Amendment Coalition presentation on Free Speech and Open Government Assembly.
Friday, August 8, 2008
New Post Office in Moorpark
The Moorpark City Council unanimously approved to build a new post office.
The five-thousand square foot building with two full-service windows with retail services will be built on the west end of High Street.
The new post office will become the cities main postal service.
The United States Postal Service will construct the building, landscaping, driveways, and parking.
Assistant City Manager Hugh Riley says the new post office is expected to break ground by the end of this year.
The five-thousand square foot building with two full-service windows with retail services will be built on the west end of High Street.
The new post office will become the cities main postal service.
The United States Postal Service will construct the building, landscaping, driveways, and parking.
Assistant City Manager Hugh Riley says the new post office is expected to break ground by the end of this year.
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