#7: Before a year ago, did you know what Melamine was?

*All pictures taken from Melamine news articles*

“Cadbury Recalls Chinese-Made Chocolate As 22 More Are Arrested In Milk Scandal“, “"White Rabbit creamy candy" found to contain melamine”, “Two more samples fail melamine tests in Hong Kong”, “Taiwan bans baking agent after melamine detected”, “Japan finds melamine in egg powder”, “Judge Approves $24M in Pet Melamine-Poisoning Case”, “Vietnam finds 3 more melamine-tainted milk imports”, “U.S. company recalls cookies over melamine concerns”.
Does it scare you?

This example of the current milk problem China is facing displays how mass

media sometimes falls under the category of the Powerful Effects Theory, as well as use’s the Agenda Setting Function to send and

control its message.

Many different types of media’s are addressing this issue

worldwide through a variety of mediums such as newspaper, television news broadcasting and the radio. Through these mediums, the information is distributed fast and efficient, it is easy to announce updates, and the message strikes the audience hard as they tend to believe that “the media is always right”.

As a result of releasing this information, anyone who is aware of it, even the slightest bit, have an instant change in mindset when making consumable purchases. Common changes before making any purchases are, stopping to think whether it contains any milk, flipping it over to check the ingredients, then where it was manufactured / distributed / imported from, and even if the product doesn’t have the word China stated anywhere on the packaging, they’re still hesitant to purchase.

Although the public may think or say that they aren’t affected by the mass media for one reason or another, at times where it may concern “us” directly, we suddenly believe and break-a-sweat about it.

People start talking about it everywhere, in work, at school, on television, and it even becomes topics on our popular radio stations. In fact, there are even people on Yahoo! Answer’s posting up questions about it! (http://answers.yahoo.com/ )

When we think about media influence we think narrowly, in terms of perhaps fashion statements, a newly discovered healthy diet, global warming, plastic surgery, AIDS statistics or the thinnest mobile phone released.

However when a bomb goes off somewhere, or a couple countries have some food products recalled, everyone starts taking it personally and it becomes like worldwide gossip channel out there, where stories after stories get mixed up, next thing you know you’re being told that Chinese vegetables contain melamine, and you get all confused, so you decide to just stick to wheat or some other product you are “sure” is “safe”.

It is clear by now that the public are affected by this news, but now the question is why.

The mass media use’s the Agenda Setting Function to set the importance of this issue using by ensuring repetition of information to build up a heightened awareness which then leads to fear, side-by-side with priming,

so the message is conveyed across clearly with a strong impact.

An example of the repetition was obvious at the beginning of this entry where different countries with the same problem were being reported, however, even the same specific country with the same exact problem is repeatedly addressed as shown; “Melamine Scare Expands After Alabama Finds Tainted Chinese Cookies”, “Melamine Tainted Cookies Found in Alabama”, “Alabama Launches Poison Cookie Warning” and “Sparks: Melamine found in cookies sold in Alabama”.

At the time this concern first started hitting headlines the information was unobtrusive, where people were unable to moderate what they were witnessing because before then they most probably had never even heard of Melamine. After learning more about the topic from the volume of news coverage, the information became obtrusive to the point where people became cautious of what they were consuming, with the implication that there “just might be melamine in it”, even if their country had no occurrences. Take note that the tone of the media is cautioning, and suggests danger and threat to its audience. Even though some reports suggest that products have been taken off the shelves to ensure health, or that there are some products now passing the melamine tests, the reports still serve as a constant reminder to the public of such an issue, and that there is still the chance of sickness as products are still being “taken off shelves”.

Images have been shown of children who are affected, as well as products which have been found to contain melamine.

Pictures increase’s our fear significantly, as the saying goes “seeing is believing”, and pictures just state the facts bluntly, and assists to make a point that even the most harmless or common food items may contain a “potential sickness”.

Judge yourself, and ponder the question, “how affected are you really, by the media?”

Has your point of view changed since before you considered the things “which do affect you”?

It is a common habit for people to think about all the things that don’t affect them, and conclude that they’re unaffected, but once you’re pointed out the things that do affect you, somehow, things tend to look different from there on.

Sources:

http://www.asiaone.com/Health/Eat%2BRight/Story/A1Story20080921-89066.html

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2008/10/18/lotte-melamine.html

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-10/18/content_10215780.htm

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/10/18/asia/AS-Taiwan-China-Tainted-Milk.php

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/National/2378680/Article/index_html

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20081017TDY01306.htm

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/10/16/asia/AS-Vietnam-Tainted-Milk.php

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1066293/Chinese-biscuits-pulled-UK-shop-shelves-melamine-contamination.html

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ijkqdP60dIBRNRNIddCL6G7ljaigD93SI7FG0

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvgXWQiNxHponzf8wk1zYw8jzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20081001155646AAEL3kg

What exactly is religion? Is it really that funny??

Religion is one-big-fat-joke.
Don’t agree with me??? Well neither do I.
Yet how come we see it as a large source of laugher and target for mockery?

After reading this excerpt “Religion on broadcast TV” from www.startribune.com, I decided to watch the movie Little Nicky. This is a short plot summery taken from imdb.org:
“Little Nicky is "daddy's little girl" in Hell. He's the son of Satan, who got the job from HIS father, Lucifer. Satan wants to retire, but none of his sons are good enough for the job. His two evil brothers Adrian and Cassius have just escaped from Hell and are wreaking havoc on an unsuspecting earth. His dad is disintegrating and it's up to Nicky to save him and all of humanity.”

Little Nicky isn’t the only film to use inaccurate and out of context stereotypes (think for a second, what do you consider IS accurate and in context??) to produce an entertainment piece, other such examples are South Park, Bruce Almighty, and Family Guy.
Although to some, these movies are seen as unethical (because it either goes against their religion, or because it mocks their beliefs), to many others it’s just a source of laughter.

What exactly is religion, who / what is god, and how do we know what is being followed (religion) by a substantial amount of people is even correct / true to begin with? How come so many suffer from ethnocentrism?
Your probably thinking, “how come she talks of what she doesn’t know / understand!?”, but do you even truly know?
Does anyone, including the people whom we quote from in our Bibles and Korans???
Yet there is so much Prejudice between different religions, it’s like society can’t run unless everyone is at war with someone else (even if it isn’t personal).
Religion can be doubted, but not proven (whether it is true or not). So what keeps it going through all these generations?

Perception and Interpretation of Reality (in accordance to culture) keeps religion alive, along with fear.
The one thing all religious people fear is hell, but who really knows what hell is?
I hear that it is sinful to question faith / religion, causing Anxiety and Withdrawal, therefore no one dares to ponder these questions.
Is that what religion is all about? Fear?
In marriages, conversion is a must, if not it’s a sin. Your family and god will look down on you.
Sex before marriage, I quote my friend’s mother when I say “shouldn’t you test the merchandise fully before making a purchase?” as in some marriages, sex is looked upon as another common ground.
Religion, is it guidance? Because I thought it’s a person’s choice whether or not they want help, and from whom they seek it from. However, if you convert you will go to hell?

Muslims for example, a few of their no-noes are that they can’t eat pork, drink alcohol or have sex before marriage (those which I mentioned above). These are very basic, surface things about their religion. Yet how many Muslim’s actually follow by these simple rules? I’ve known many Muslims and have heard about many others. Surprisingly, almost all of them have completely different versions of what makes them Muslim. Is there an Assumption of Similarity? Lots of them have tattoos, piercings, aren’t married but aren’t virgins either, and are high (on drugs / alcohol) every weekend; nevertheless they are “Muslim”.

This is just my understanding of identities within cultures, and I’m honestly not sure if all I’ve said are facts, it’s just what I’ve been told from the “religious”.
So if I’m wrong, how many of you might be too?
Are you sure in your sense of self?
After all, I am just quoting what I hear.

*Perhaps there was a miscommunication in the language and message making between our understandings of each others cultures?*
Just a thought.

Source:

http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/tv/30714804.html?page=2&c=y

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=little+nicky+full+movie&emb=0&aq=f#

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0185431/

I am not racist or anything of the sort (response to Singaporeans in COM class)

I would just like to state that I am not racist. Lol

I don’t think Singaporeans are rude / not nice or that everyone’s always in a rush (although yes, from what I’ve heard from friends, Singaporeans are certainly more go-go-go then those in other countries such as Australia, which is more relaxed)
I was merely stating a stereotypical point of view (my instant reaction when being singled out by the teacher, and not having any thoughts on the matter at the given time).

What I said in class, was not specific, nor clearly stated, as time doesn’t permit a lengthy explanation.

Also, if you’re looking for a western perspective, I am not the best person to turn to, as much as I may seem to be. I was brought up in Asian societies my whole life, so as far as “What I think of Singaporeans”, it’s not that I’m comparing them with my self-biasness of western culture(if that makes sense), in fact I consider myself more Singaporean / Asian than of any other western heritage.
I guess, in terms of my response that “Singaporeans are rude”, it’s most likely just my personal opinion when compared to myself and my interaction circle (rather than any particular cultural society). Also, people tend to remember / recall the negative things (in life, in a person, in an occasion etc) rather than the positive, as the effects are more imprinting. Therefore, perhaps my response is to do with the people I encounter daily whilst taking public transportation, those who I bump accidentally (that get angry with me, as if I did it intentionally), those who bump me (and get angry at me ANYWAYS.), those who deliberately stand directly in front of the MRT doors (instead of at the side of either door, so passengers can leave the train first) just so they can get into the train faster, even if they have to literally stare right into the faces of those trying to get out.

I just wanted to state:
• My reasoning for what I said earlier in class today,
• That I’m not racist,
• And that, when I give an opinion, it’s not necessarily a “cultural” based one. I’m just an Asian who perhaps grew up in a different education system to you, and looks different to you. But when it comes to a “Cultural aspect”, I still grew up in the country as you, and I’m exposed to the same people (public) as you. If anything, I’m more confused then you, growing up in two very different Asian societies, surrounded by international students (Western and Asian), and now being in a some-what local education system (at least the most local I’ve ever attended) rather than “international schools”



* Know not to judge me by what I say without reasoning, because, I always have reasons to why i say what I say * (confusing) * It just means i didnt have time to explain my point of view *

#5 China's milk is infected. Let's all have Australian milk instead...?

You know how people say "a picture speaks a thousand words"?
Well this one will only speak 300. (hehe sorry, I just couldn’t help myself... yes i know, lame! =P)


The other day while I was in a bus, I noticed this advertisement (the bus had stopped at a bus stop, hence the photo's unprofessional shot hehe), and I took a photo of it because it made me laugh -not with the intention to use it on my COM blog-.

Note that the advertisement is very basic, consisting of a company logo, 4 words (which clearly isn’t even the company slogan), and a picture of items most households have in their fridge.
So what makes this advertisement special, or even worth publishing?
Timing.

With China's milk market hitting news headlines titled "Another China milk product withdrawn - www.theaustralian.news.com.au", "Taiwanese 'brawl' over bad milk - news.bbc.co.uk" and "Tainted Chinese milk products found in Russia - www.iht.com", there is no better time for this simplistic yet effective advertisement.
The simple and subtle use of effective intentional non-verbal communication is apparent in the above advertisement, yet goes unnoticed by its intended audience.

The placement of this advertisement for a start, being at a bus-stop, the intended audience is the general public that are on the move, for example those we would walk by the sign, car’s that may be in traffic, or buses stopping to load and/or unload passengers.
Secondly, important to note is the layout of the poster. As the audience are those on the move, the message being transmitted has to be able to reach the receiver in the given amount of time (whether it being 3 seconds or 1 minute) as well as ensure accurate decoding, hence the poster’s simplicity.

Repetition of idea is the main focus in this advertisement, as all 3 parts (logo, words and picture) circulate around the key idea, which is (Australian) Dairy products.
The logo, which says “Dairy Farmers” emphasises that this advertisement is about dairy products, and is most likely not from China because it is in English.
The wording is restricted to 4 bold point-making words “Weekly Airflown from Australia”, which clearly states that it’s Australian (indirectly targeting the “China media frenzy”) and fresh (“Weekly” subtly hints at fresh in the readers mind).
The eye-capturing part about this advertisement is not the smallish logo, or the 4 boring mono-coloured words (which are both effective, just not as captivating), but the main picture of the many different types of dairy products offered by the “Dairy Farmers”. This part of the poster repeats the main idea by visually illustrating the advertised dairy products.

Not once did they mention China, or their current milk problems, yet this advertisement still remains as effective (and perhaps even more so, because it’s less wordy; considering the intended audience).
This is just a mere example of the power of effective non-verbal communications.
Just imagine its possibilities.