Iran’s Misty Wonders Essay

In Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi, both the movie and the book were able to portray the main idea of Marjane Satrapi â€Å"Marji’s† life. The main idea being for us to look at how Marji evolved into a grown women with struggles along the way. Throughout both we were able to clearly understand what a difficult childhood she lived and we were able to get a sense of what her life was like back then. Like in many cases, the book informed us of every detail possible in order to get a clearer message across. When it came to the movie, it lacked many details that were included in the book and if you would not have read the book it would cause you to be confused and lost. There are a couple scenes in the movie that seem to just happen, there was no type of development or leading actions involved. There was a specific scene in the movie where Marji and her mother walk past a conversation that her father and neighbors are having, the female neighbor seems to have some type of sca r in her cheek but we are not sure what it is and if it even matters. If we take a look at the book we see that the scene is different. Marji and her family briefly talk with their neighbors, a husband and wife, and the husband tells her father â€Å"Look! A bullet almost hit my wife’s cheek,† (44). This was a piece of information that could and should have been briefly added because it gives us a bigger picture of how dangerous their lives were during the revolution. This would only help us, the viewers, have a bigger reaction to the plot. Another example that comes to mind was the absence of certain characters. The family’s maid, Mehri, as well as Marji’s good friend, is never mentioned in the movie. This was an important factor because throughout an incident that is described in the book we are able to learn the big issues with social class and in the movie it is something that we miss out on since it is not mentioned at all. The incident was that Mehri falls in love with the neighbor’s son and once Marji’s father knows of this he tells Hossein, the neighbors son, that she is a maid therefore Hossein decided to stop seeing her. Marji’s Father explains to Marji, â€Å"You must understand that their love was impossible.†Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Becau se in this country you must stay within your own social class,† (37). Many of the characters are also lacked full description, for instance, Mohsen, and Anoosh. From the movie all we hear about Mohsen is that he is found drowned in a bath tub and it leaves many unanswered questions such as why did it happen and who was he. In the book we know that he visited the Satrapi family the same day that Siamak visits but that is never portrayed in the movie. When it comes to Anoosh, in the movie towards the end of the story he is telling Marji, she asks if he has any family, and ends the conversation. On the other hand, in the book he tells Marji â€Å"†¦I married and had two children, two girls†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And we are also able to learn that his marriage did not turn out very well. Although, there were many details missing in the movie that were included in the book, I do not think that it takes away the intention of the book. A message is clearly stated throughout the movie as well as the book. In both resources we are able to see how the main character grows up and how her surroundings, and everything she has experienced, influence the person she became. In my personal opinion I feel as if the book was more appealing than the movie. The movie was short and brief and got to the main points of the story and was still able to get a message across. I feel as if the book was more detailed which made the plot clearer. Every character was described perfectly and every scene made sense and fell into place with the other scenes, so that they could all make sense. The details that are included in the book make the story bring more emotion to the reader for the fact that everything is explained, even the smallest details. The visual style for the movie was the same as the book, both were comics. The movie is all cartoons, which is something that I found interesting. I feel that making it into a cartoon was a smart decision because it makes it so simple and easy to follow. I enjoyed the fact that I was able to understand the movie very well, although it was in French, because many of the scenes were similar to the book. In the end, I think both the book and movie were enjoyable. What helped was that I had read the novel, before watching the movie. The lack of details and description of characters could have easily confused someone. On the bright side, a message was still able to get across through both sources.

All Quiet on the Western Front Essay Essay

A soldier must have the mentality of, â€Å"I must kill or I’ll be killed† or they will surely perish. Taking this idea to heart can be a very moralistic test that most people can’t handle. All Quiet on the Western Front is one of the greatest war novels ever written because of its exposing graphic depiction of war. In the short note before Chapter One, Remarque lets the reader know exactly what themes he intends. War is savage, unjustified and unnatural. He intends to explain why the war was responsible for the destruction of an entire generation. Remarque is very clear on the strength of his themes, and uses graphic imagery to show the reader the physical and psychological impact that war has on a person. War brings about hardship, pain and suffering to all involved. It is the battle of two sides made of young men; many of them do not understand what they are fighting for or who they are fighting. Remarque’s novel All Quiet on the Western Front helps portray the image of war and idea of warfare in a pretty gruesome way. He also made his point through the physical deterioration, but mostly through mental and emotional destruction of Paul Baumer and his comrades. In the novel, Remarque does a flawless job conveying the horrible misfortunes of war. Through the eyes of Paul Baumer, a story is told of hopelessness and desperation on the German front lines of WWI. As Baumer and his comrades experience starvation and injury among other hardships, the reader begins to comprehend how tragic war is. They experienced things that can and will traumatize most human beings. â€Å"It’s unendurable. It is the moaning of the world, it is the martyred creation, wild with anguish, filled with terror, and groaning. Ch. 4, p. 62. This scene was the most graphic and horrendous part of the book. It really exemplified the tragedy of war. Detering was very disturbed by this because he’s a farmer. He believed that the horses have innocent souls and that they’re beautiful and should never have been involved. Detering has a special place for animals in his heart so much so that he’d risk his life to find them and put them out of their misery. Remarque knew that war changes people mentally and emotionally, more often than physically. It is very possible that he himself was damaged mentally and emotionally through his service in WWI. â€Å"We have lost all feeling for one another. We can hardly control ourselves when our hunted glance lights on the form of some other man. We are insensible, dead men, who through some trick, some dreadful magic, are still able to run and to kill. † Ch. 6, p. 115. This quote embodies the thesis that Remarque was portraying in this novel. It explains how the soldiers notice their mental and emotional corrosion caused by the horrific things they have witnessed and committed during the war. They can’t really understand why they are still able to fight, but they know that they can’t stop under any circumstances. Soldiers are forced to adopt the dominating mindset of â€Å"kill or be killed. † Remarque realized that when this embracement happens it’s just a matter of time before they become â€Å"dead men. † During WW1 men between the ages of 18 and 30 had to enter the military draft. This meant that post teens would be fighting for their country and risking their lives, while all they knew was school and the safety of their own homes. The protagonist in Paul Baumer was only 19 years old in the novel and he frequently thought about girls and liked to drink a lot. In many ways, Paul is ordinary, and that’s why it’s so easy to relate to him. We see ourselves in Paul, and because of that, the war he suffers through seems all more horrible to us. This age group during WW1 was a damaged and broken generation. They fought for the principle of hatred and the dream of going back home to their families. â€Å"We are none of us more than twenty years old. But young? That is long ago. We are old folk. Ch. 1 Pg. 18 The war has altered these boys; it has turned them into matured old men. Remarque was just solidifying the idea of the bad effects that war can have on a person. These boys are just out of school and most of them have probably experienced some sort of traumatic stress, which can permanently damage someone beyond repair. War affects everyone and everything it gets its hands on. It turns innocent boys i nto murderous men right before your eyes. It obliterates generations and makes millions suffer through the benefit of no one. Erich Remarque was a German war veteran and experienced firsthand the atrocity that warfare can bring. All Quite on the Western Front symbolizes war exactly. It portrays the horribleness of war through the German soldiers; Baumer and his companions. Remarque has them killed, brutally injured and mentally destroyed, all to prove how terrible war can truly be. Through this novel we can truly go back and see the experiences of WW1 soldiers and how the war changed them in every way possible, as a result All Quite on the Western Front is considered one of the best war novels ever written.

Ateneo Entrance Exam Essay Essay

â€Å"I am pretty unextraordinary.† – Hazel Grace Lancaster (The Fault in Our Stars by John Green) This little line from one of my favorite books helped me start my journey of self-discovery. Before, I really did consider myself as someone very unextraordinary. To the world, I’m just an average girl that nobody will ever notice. Maybe I never will be noticed in an extraordinary way, but I’m determined to make my mark. But first things first, I had to discover myself and define who I really am. My first moment of self-discovery began, actually, when I first developed my love for books. And that moment happened way, way back when I was still a young child. Nothing made me happier than going to National, Power Books or Fully Booked to go see what new storybook, magazine or novel was available. To this day going book shopping, an activity most people my age would find as agonizingly boring, is an opportunity to expand my knowledge and vocabulary. The only thin g I need to improve on right now is, admittedly, my book choices. My Dad constantly reminds me to move onto more young adult publications and cut back on the children’s novels. Books are my first great love. Through them, I can go on fantastic adventures that become almost real in my imagination. I also relate to the characters in terms of their personalities and the things they do in the story. From the protagonist, antagonist and all the other characters in between, I can find someone or even something I can relate to in a book. My current favorite books are The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, where I have learned a great many deal of new words such as hamartia, toroidal, prototypical, narcissistic, bacchanalia and so many other terms that were once too sophisticated for me to understand until I looked them up in the dictionary. The Fault in Our Stars is a heartwarming and yet also heartbreaking love story of two young cancer-stricken teenagers who find their own little infinity together within their limited number of days. I’d tell you more but I wouldn’t want to spoil the entire novel. Second in my favorites list would have to be The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Here, I saw World War II and the horrors of the Holocaust through a young girl like myself, who was unable to read and write until she was given to a foster family in Germany. Liesel Meminger then later befriends Max Vandenburg, a Jewish man who hides in her family’s  basement to escape the Nazis. Again, I will not spoil this great work and you will have to read it yourself. This book really strikes me as something that can really make us all question our humanity. As almost all of us know, the Holocaust in World War II was the most horrifying genocide in the entire world. Millions of men, women and children all executed just because of their religion. If you ask me, Adolf Hitler must have been both insane and blind. Did he not know that in World War I, approximately 96,000 Jewish soldiers fought for Germany? It pains me to think that Hitler did not remember that. The Book Thief is most definitely one of those war novels that will have you questioning mankind’s humanity. As for a favorite book series, I would have to say that the How to Train Your Dragon series by British author Cressida Cowell. I admit, it’s a children’s book s series but I really enjoy reading the books. The series is funny, compelling and the books have helped me fine tune my imagination. In fact, this beloved series has been turned into two films and a TV show. But I’ll tell you all about it later. Indeed, through reading books of all kinds I have discovered things about myself I didn’t even know were there. I discovered that I have a talent for writing and storytelling. And I have grown to love these two hobbies, which I hope that I can turn into a job by becoming a writer or a journalist when I grow up. Aside from reading, I have also experienced being in academic contests in my school where I have begun to define myself as an intellectual. One of those contests is the Essay Writing Contest the school has every year. I never really win any prizes for my compositions but it’s always so much fun to compete. Through essay writing contests, my writing ability is steadily honed and constantly improved with every essay I write. So part of my journey of self-discovery has been accomplished through the means of books and writing. The other part is, hon estly, what I’ve been recently obsessing about. â€Å"Everything we know about you guys†¦is wrong!† – Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (How to Train Your Dragon Movie) That line from an animated movie by DreamWorks Animation has always been embedded in my memory. The first part of this essay focused on my love for books and how reading and writing have helped me discover who I am in terms of what I can do in this world. This part will now focus on who I truly am as a person. How to Train Your Dragon is a 2010 animated film directed by Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders under DreamWorks Animation. Its story revolves around a  young Viking teenager named Hiccup (Yeah, I know. The name is pretty unusual.) who lives in the fictional dragon fighting island of Berk. In Berk, fighting dragons is as necessary as breathing air to live. However, Hiccup is the runt of the village and is physically unable to fight dragons and cannot live up to his father’s expectations. Incidentally, his father, Stoick the Vast, is the tribe chief. But when Hiccup creates an invention that shoots down an ultra rare dragon species known as the Night Fury and attempts to sl ay it, the young Viking then finds himself unable to do so. This then leads to him freeing it and establishing a forbidden friendship with the dragon, whom he names Toothless. In Hiccup’s world, befriending a dragon is the highest act of treason. And yet in the end, Hiccup and Toothless’ amazingly strong bond enables them to change the relationship between the dragons and Vikings of Berk. Yes, it is an animated movie. But it is not strictly for kids only. I had a real moment of self-discovery and self-definition when I watched this at my best friend’s recommendation. And I was immediately awestruck by the movie on so many levels. The detail on the animation was superb, the lighting was perfect, the music score was just phenomenally beautiful. But what really touched my heart was the story. I really relate to Hiccup. He is left-handed, physically not in the best of shape, intelligent and extremely different from the rest of his peers. I, myself, am also left-handed, physically weak, mentally strong and†¦different. I often look at my friends and other people and I can’t help but sometimes feel that I’m just too different. I don’t like all the things everyone else likes and sometimes I don’t even understand current trends and stick to the things I know. Like Hiccup, I am different. And also like Hiccup, I have embraced my difference. Thanks to this film (and its TV series and sequel) I have figured out who I am as a person. Everyone discovers a new trend and they all go along with it. Sometimes I do that but I’m more comfortable staying in my comfort zone. And when someone tries to change me, I steadfastly refuse to do so. I am an individual. And I am proud of it. I’m different from everyone else and that’s okay. Truth be told, we’re all different. We’re just scared to show the world our individualities. That’s  why I try hard to stay true to myself and make sure nobody and nothing turns me into something I am not. But I also remind myself to keep an open mind and broaden my horizons. When I experience new things, it helps me discover more interesting characteristics that help define myself as a person. And that’s exactly what Hiccup does. He accepts his individuality and tries to do things nobody has ever tried before. Throughout the film, TV series and sequel, Hiccup stayed true to himself and didn’t allow anyone to change him. If you must know, I have recently watched How to Train Your Dragon 2 and had another great moment of realization. In the second film, Hiccup is now a young adult and is currently trying to find himself. This is exactly what I’m doing right now, even as I write this. I apologize if this essay may seem haphazardly constructed. I must admit, my writing style does tend to confuse some people. But that’s essentially how I have defined myself as a person, through books, writing and dragons. And to tell you the truth, self-discovery and defining yourself as a person never stops. As the years go by, you will have more experiences, more moments that help you realize that there’s more to you than meets the eye. For me, I’m still pretty young so I still have a long way to go until I can complete my personal definition. In case some of you may not fully know me yet, allow me to tell you once again who I am. I am an individual with a love for writing, making stories, reading books, obsessed with dragons. And basically, I am different. And I am proud to be different.

How Consumer Attitudes & Behaviors Affect Their Purchases Essay

How Consumer Attitudes & Behaviors Affect Their Purchases - Essay Example These savvy marketers understands their consumers’ behavior and thus able to distinguish between attitudes and beliefs. Every year, firms (through their marketing departments) heavily invest in researches to identify consumers’ attitudes which are more likely influence their purchasing behavior. Marketers go ahead to persuade consumers through promotions and advertising in order to win consumer loyalty. Consumer Attitudes In marketing, attitude is defined as â€Å"the general evaluation of a product or service formed over time† (Maxfield, 2012). Attitude greatly affects the purchasing and buying habit of consumers as well as satisfying personal motives of the consumers. As such, consumer attitude is defined as a composite of beliefs, behavioral intention and feelings. On the other hand, behavioral intention of consumers is defined (in marketing content) by consumers’ beliefs and feeling about a given product. Consumer feeling and behavior are treated toget her as they are relatively interdependent, thus collectively representing purchasing force of the consumer. This relationship and interdependency can be represented as below: Attitude is majorly a psychological term that applies in all fields involving human beings. Attitude refers to the inner feelings and understanding of individuals towards certain object or concepts. Attitude may be either negative or positive depending on the existing environmental factors triggering the feeling. Behavior on the other hand, refers to individuals’ reactions or actions towards certain environmental elements in response to the internal or external stimuli. Attitudes and behaviors of customers have almost similar effects on the buying trend of certain product. Attitudes exist in three main components that include cognitive, affective and behavior. Cognitive component of consumer attitude relates to the general consumer’s belief about a certain product. Affective component of the consu mer attitude attributes to feelings and emotional response of customers towards particular objects. Behavior component on the other hand, entails learned tendency by consumer to react in particular manner towards particular activity or objects. In this way, the psychological effects that drive the understanding of consumer/rational choice are clearly understood and noted. Beliefs Belief is a fundamental component of consumer’s purchasing powers and influences. A consumer may either hold a positive or negative belief towards a product or a store. For instance, some consumers may belief that coffee tastes good while those with negative belief towards this product will say that it stains papers and is easily spilled. Though rare, some consumers have a neutral belief on a product (e.g. coffee is black). Other group of consumers may have an indifference belief about a commodity. Notably, the beliefs consumers carry on products have no to be accurate and at times may be very contra dictory. Since consumers hold a number of beliefs towards the range of products, it is quite had to reach the ‘bottom line’ of such variations in beliefs. Brand equity and consumer attitude Brand equity is an important concept in building and developing marketing strategy. Brand equity is an indication of profitability index as perceived by marketers. However, brand equity depends on brand attitude. From consumers’ point of view, brand equity entails positive brand attitude founded on

Semantics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Semantics - Essay Example The conversive relations are distinguished by primary, or sole, derivatives of the conclusive aspect. Conversive relations, in general, describe actions that result in the creation of a single discrete end product. Converses are at some point called relational opposites for example buy whose opposite is sell, borrow whose opposite is lend, and precede whose opposite is follow. Converseness is binary but each member expresses same relationship from different participants’ perspectives. Converseness also one presupposes the other (Cruse, 2004). On the other hand reversiveness is binary and each member denotes change of state that is reversible. For example enter whose opposite is leave, ascend whose opposite is descend, and tie whose opposite is untie. Reversive opposites comprise those adjectives or adverbs that signify a quality or verbs that mean an act or situation that reverse or undo the eminence, action, or state of the other (Riemer, 2010). Although they are neither conflicting nor opposing provisions, they present a comprehensible opposition. Since they all describe activities that result in an object undergoing a change from one state to another the tow members of the reversive pair involve the same two states, but the direction of change is different in each

Child Labor in Egypt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Child Labor in Egypt - Essay Example One example of the central reasons behind the development includes; highly challenging living conditions. This reflects on the cost of living across Egypt. Apparently, the cost of living is hiking while the wages remain constant. Additionally, the necessities of life are never constant. Basic necessities such as food, clothing and shelter are listed among the common expenses incurred by any population across the world. The increased cost of living has implicated increase expenses, with regards to basic survival. Families in Egypt have resulted into the adoption extreme adaptation measures in order to make extra coins for survival. Such measures include the embrace of eventualities such as child labour. A poor family with children in their middle age is forced to engage them into income earning activities in the quest of increasing the tally it accrues by the end of the day (Wahba 145). Other factors that are contributing to the development of these cases include the increased cost of basic education in Egypt. Unlike in several countries in the continent which have endorsed full or partial subsidise of basic or elementary education, Egypt is yet to adopt such measures on its education system. Parents living under challenged income eventuate into being unable to cater for basic education. This implies that their children can no longer engage into education since they are unable to sponsor them through the system. This development leads to the emergence of populations of increased school dropouts, or young children who are not attached to any schooling system. Presence of uncommitted children in a family is rather frustrating in accordance to their increased demands and necessities. This leads to a build-up of frustrations in the system, prompting the parents to seek for alternatives. Another fuelling factor over the topic of child labour is the benefits associated to their deployment. Their services are extremely cheap since they have reduced negotiation edges. T his is due to the fact that their presence is fuelled by the demands of their families, other than their personal needs. They, therefore, beg for opportunities since a day without will imply difficulties in survival back at home. The employers of child workers are fully conscious of this aspect. They instead readily embrace it towards their own gains. This includes exploitation of the young children since they have undermined defences. On average, an Egyptian child labourer earns an average 150 pounds (almost two US dollars) in a day. The girls are rather discriminated since they earn an average of 100 pounds in a day. This is irrespective of the equity in some of the tasks which they are anticipated to perform (El-Gabalawi 87). In some situations, the parents organize for their absorption, leading to reduced inconsideration or victimization in terms of wages. However, they are still subjected to several other risks. This includes the lack of employees cover to the rest of the labou rers. Such cover caters for various topics, amongst them medical and pension schemes. This implies that the children subjected to remunerative labour are not covered over the risks that may eventuate during their span of operation. This is inconsiderate, especially towards the children especially when considering the fact that children are the propellers of the future generation. Subjecting them to conditions that jeopardize their health

Globalization Questionnaire Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Globalization Questionnaire - Research Paper Example Because of globalization, international market or global market came into existence. International or global market then is composed of different countries trading products and services with each other. Companies have been going out of their home countries and starting to build their names in other countries. This is basically the reason why we see imported products being displayed in supermarkets and department stores such as wines from Italy, gadgets and cellular phones from Asia, and shoes from Germany. Some of the international trade theories that support globalization are mercantilism, free trade, comparative advantage, absolute advantage, Heckscher-Ohlin theory, the product life-cycle theory, new trade theory, and Porter’s theory or the national competitive advantage. Rugman (2009) argued that globalization has four major drivers: market, government, competition, and cost. Market globalization drivers are factors that usually affect the demand for a specific product or service such as consumers’ common preferences, increasing consumers from different countries, and global market distribution. Governments had taken the initiative to take off international trade and investment barriers and establish free trade. They also reduced trade tariffs and eliminated restrictions in the quantity of products and services to be imported or exported. Globalization is greatly influenced by competition. For instance, a company might consider establishing a satellite office in another country to deliver their products to foreign consumers. Because of this act, other competitors would also want to go global and promote their companies to diverse markets. Other examples of competitive drivers are increasing number of alliances between multinational companies and increasing globally-centered companies. Almost all companies would want to maximize profit thereby minimizing their costs. There are countries where production and

How to make Good Decisions in Business or something like that Essay

How to make Good Decisions in Business or something like that - Essay Example The need to take action in time is testing the limits of the command-and-control model that has subjugated commercial and military leadership for generations. To maintain a bias for action and stay centered on the appropriate goals both realms are coalescing around and emerging leadership model that rebalances traditional attitudes toward two crucial decision factors: risk and control. (Garvin, 108-116) In the corporate world today, decision makers need to have a higher tolerance for, and comfort level with risk. Multi month task forces are the buggy whips of leadership. Today, failure to decide and act quickly can pre-empt options altogether. However, business decisions are frequently made on input information that are either biased or manipulated. Input bias is defined as the systematic misuse of input information in judgments of outcome quality. While researchers note that the quality of a decision is often "positively related" to the quantity of the inputs used to make that decision, the relationship between input quantity and output quality is not automatic. In many cases, inputs are misused, misrepresented or even negatively related to outcome quality. a) Poor Framing: This involves allowing a decision to be "framed" by the language or context in which it is presented. Often times, in making a decision, the whole system or situation surrounding the problem or opportunity needs to be carefully analyzed. (Andrew, 8) For example an opportunity that arose from a visit to ones village should not necessarily translate to the decision being centered only in that village. It may even be that the decision to provide a service in that village is transferred somewhere else since the success guarantee in higher in another location. b) Recent Effects: Making decisions based on recently seen information. It may also be known as availability bias. A careful analysis of that information may have eventually

The Federal Reserve Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

The Federal Reserve - Essay Example Therefore, in pursuing these functions Fed aim to stabilize prices and attain maximum employment. The Federal Reserve tightened it policy after the country suffered from a 2008-2010 financial crisis. Moreover, the bank increased regulations in the financial sector to check on bank lending behavior that caused the housing bubble to burst. These measures have achieved tremendously as indicated in the recent Beige Book. The economy at a national level is growing, and this shows that the country is on the path out of the financial crisis. The Board says that consumer confidence has increased, and business buoyancy is rising too. The Beige Book (2013) reported that the national economic conditions have expanded during the month of September to October. All the twelve Federal Districts had similar rates of growth, though some like Richmond, Philadelphia, Kansas and Chicago showed slowed growth rate as compared to earlier reports. Moreover, the Districts were optimistic of growth in future economics behaviors, but they also feared uncertainty as a result of increased debate on the debt ceiling and government shutdown. The country has increased consumer spending and people are travelling more in all most all the districts. Furthermore, tourism has also increased, and businesses are now growing. This can be attributed to increased payrolls in many Districts. The Fed reports that there is increased demand for manufacturing activities and nonfinancial services. Residential construction has resumed, and it is increasing pace by pace. The lending rate has remained modest, and there was little change in the financial balances. The agricultural sector has been affected, and most districts reported that drought impacted the sector. The energy sector has expanded, but there has been reduced production of coal. Therefore, the overall price condition and wage was stable and without pressure (Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 2013). Economic Indicators That Guide I n Stabilizing the Economy Economic indicators are voluminous statistics of the economic conditions that are used by the government in measuring and evaluating the growth of the economy. There are many economic indicators and each function differently from the other. Some indicators have short term effects on the economy while others have short term and long term effects. These indicators include real gross domestic product, money supply, consumer price index, consumer confidence, employment rate and housing starts. Real GDP help the Federal Reserve to know how it will utilize monetary policies to the changes in the economic conditions. Its shows the market cost of a countries goods market produced at the current period. Real GDP shows the country’s wealth by demonstrating the returns on capital and the growth of profit in businesses and service industries. Real GDP, therefore, measures the well being of a country economic activity. Consequently, Fed must use tight monetary po licies to ensure that the interest rate is not below the set target of 2%. Low interest rates render the Federal Reserve policies ineffective in controlling the money supply (Labonte, 2013). Employment is the other economic indicator the Federal Reserve ought to address to maintain the path of economic growth. The employments statistics are derived from the payrolls, retail trade, construction and manufacturing and are used in determining the level of unemployment and the well being of the country. Increase in wages enhances

Dream Interpretation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Dream Interpretation - Essay Example Thus, the attitudes or responses vary due to the particular contexts. "An attitude is the predisposition to respond in a certain way (Fernald & Fernald, 2003)ii". Undeniably, people intend to satisfy desires by their performing attitudes in day-to-day lives. It is unanimous that dreams are psychologically significant and meaningful expression that meant the implication of the life of the dreamer and connotes a specialty of the occurrences of life. 'The Interpretation of dreams' by Freud has added a new dimension in the development of psychoanalytic explanation requiring the successful dream analysis. The book has opened the floodgate in dream interpretation and helped people bringing an epoch making change in this concern. Prior to the emergence of Freud's theory, the ongoing explanation regarding dream interpretation advocated that dream is the manifestation of mental activity of human being during sleep. With the arrival of the eminent book by Freud, the period of 19th century being marked as the turning point bringing a revolutionary change in global context for dream analysis. Due emphasis is stressed on the neurotic symptoms in interpreting the dreams as the thoughts and ideas of people in awakening hours become visible in dreaming. In regard to the length and clarity of the dreams perceived, there are two sorts of dreams as categorising manifest dreams and latent dreams. Manifest dreams are consciously perceived and subsequently remembered just after the dreams are being dreamt while the dreams that cannot be easily remembered and seemed quite vague are the latent dreams. Of course, in many cases people cannot remember what they experienced in dreaming just with the awakening from the sleeping. This missing of the incidences of dream may be the result of the existence of some repressive forces. The core reason behind the manifest dream is the conglomeration and dominant presence of some latent thoughts. Such manife st dreams mirror the fulfillment of the wishes as regards the issues about which the dreamer was not conscious. However, they were left in the unconscious part of the mind. For instance, if someone expects to satisfy his or her hunger for food or money, is subject to dream the same. In this connection, an excellent example has been drawn by Freud stating that a medical student who routinely is to report to the hospital early in the morning with a view to making rounds, dreams of lying in a hospital bed, and continues to sleep, comforted in the thought that she is already in the hospital. As regards the correspondence of wishes with dreams, there are certain objections since the wishes may not be equally good rather to some extent subject to be hostile in nature. Such hostile or adverse wishes may certainly drive the dreamer to take some repressive actions or dream alike things. At the same way, a dreamer who wishes to do better for someone may dream that he is doing so or rescuing anybody from the net of danger or adverse situation. Psychological Explanation As every dream has a psychological structure, it is significant to hold that every dream has a psychological explanation. Hence, much significance of psychological interpretation is laid on it. The obscurity or clarity of the dr

Traffic Accident Essay Example for Free

Traffic Accident Essay Traffic accidents are considered modern problems which are causing enormous human and material losses to many people and resulting of them many temporary and permanent injuries and they cause enormous damages to the public and private properties. It is not an exaggeration to say that victims of the road accidents are more than the victims of wars and terrorist operations in the world. Some statistics indicated that the number of deaths resulting from car accidents were over (300) thousand people annually, and the estimated number of the injured people between the (10-15) million. Moreover, statistics indicated that the numbers of injuries in the United States alone were more than three and a half million yearly (Butler et al. , 1999). It is sad that (10%) of those injured people are children and the percentage of children who are exposed to injuries caused by traffic accidents in some countries might be increasing to reach more than (20%) as indicated in the Bulletin of Jordanian Traffic Institute. Some reports indicated that more than (300,000) children are exposed to injuries caused by road accidents in the United States alone (Hauschildt, 2002). What should be mentioned in this regard is that the victims of traffic accidents in the developing world countries are much more comparing with those in the developed countries as referred to in bulletin of the World Health Organization (Gender Health, (2002). All governments make efforts to reduce accidents and thus reduce their negative effects. It is unfortunate that the negative effects of car accidents are linked to the minds of many as material loss, pain and suffering physical disabilities only, but the psychological effects perhaps because of its disappearance of the human eye wasnt paid attention to and was ignored by many other people even by those who linked to researchers in the third world. It is logical that physical injuries and some psychological symptoms resulting directly from the accident receive priority in care and attention, but scientific researches confirm that some of the road accidents or those who witnessed them could show that they subsequently cause psychological disorders which may develop into severe symptoms (Butler et al. , 1999). Although the injured in traffic accidents may receive some kind of social support of their natural resources like relatives and friends in attempting to ease the negative effects resulting from traffic accidents, there are things we must draw attention to, which are: I.  All the people who were exposed to such incidents do not receive the appropriate degree of support. II. Ordinary people had been unaware of the type of the appropriate or desired social support for the victim (of an accident). III. Professional specialists have the necessary knowledge to monitor the indicators or symptoms which may be hidden from ordinary people, or difficult for them to interpret, especially in the light of the available knowledge. Although many of the symptoms resulting from traffic accidents do not appear immediately after the accident. It should be noted here that psychological wounds which inflicted on those who are exposed to traffic accidents may stay with them for a long time even after physical injuries heal. Perhaps the reason behind some athletes not recovering to their previous levels of performance before their exposure to an injury is psychological wounds are not less damaging than physical injuries; they even might be more serious in their effects. It is striking that the insurance companies in the developed countries pay profitable compensations for the effects of psychological wounds resulting from car accidents (Butler et al. , 1999). In this context, traffic accidents partially result of violations committed by an individual who hurt another individual or group of members of the society. Perhaps the gravity of the dangers of traffic accidents increases the awareness and stimulates efforts to alleviate the psychological effects. Accidents cause numerous physical and moral losses reflected on the drive r and society alike, represented in human losses up to death of the driver himself or a member of his family or his\her entire family. The losses may fully exceed in one accident to several persons or a family, and the driver remains alive. There were losses that reached cutting one of the organs or an injury that caused the driver a permanent disability. All of this would deeply generate painful psychological disorders and wounds, such as psychological trauma, depression and excess irritable emotions and loss and lack of concentration at work, thus we can sum up the problem of the study that there are psychological disorders and problems resulting from traffic accidents of the 3rd category private license drivers who are responsible for traffic accidents. The importance of this study could be formulated in the following: First: The theoretical aspect: The issues of traffic accidents and what these accidents backward of damages considered from the humanitarian issues affecting society feelings and leaving deep wounds in the human soul. The results of traffic accidents are not only confined to the participants in the incident only, but to the whole society, whether the psychological, social, human and economic level.This research is considered a serious attempt to shed light on the psychological disorders suffered by the driver, who cause accidents.  Second: the practical aspect: Access to results that help to reduce traffic accidents results on the human psyche. This research paves the way for the subsequent researches in different and divers environments, cultures and variables. The following nihilism hypotheses have been formulated to answer in this study: I. There are no statistical differences between traffic accidents and psychological trauma for the drivers who are involved in the traffic accidents from the holders of 3rd category-private driving license. II.  There are no statistical differences between traffic accidents and a state of depression among the drivers who are involved in the traffic accidents from the holders of 3rd category-private driving license. III. There are no statistical differences between traffic accidents and cases of nervousness for the drivers who are involved in the traffic accidents from the holders of 3rd category-private driving license. IV. There are no statistical differences between traffic accidents and the lack of concentration at work for the drivers who are involved in the traffic accidents from the holders of 3rd category-private driving license.

Good Night and Dance in America Essay Example for Free

Good Night and Dance in America Essay Death is inevitable and comes in different cases, and when it’s nearly there people has different ways on how they deal with it but the most affected of all are the people around them. Just like in Lorrie Moore’s â€Å"Dance in America† and Dylan Thomas’ â€Å"Don’t Go Gentle into that Good Night† both features dying people and how they live knowing anytime soon, they could die. Life is a gift from God; everyone should learn to value his life, maximizing what he can do while he is still alive, especially for his family, friends and other people around him, because nobody knows when will be the final hour. The poem â€Å"Don’t Go Gentle into that Good Night† is strongly emotional and by reading each line, you can feel the author’s anger or bitterness about death. Thomas used the term â€Å"good night† to represent death with respect to the Christian belief that death is a peaceful rest of the body as it enters the next life. Though it can be interpreted in different ways, as a personal note, the poem summarizes his thoughts about the inevitability of death and the way people deal with it. He states that people know that death is for certain, that people already accept the fact that everyone will come to their end according to the will of God but, at the end of the day, they fear leaving the world and regrets start to bother them. He mentioned in his poem about wise men that despite their wisdom cannot truly tell why death is inevitable and just accept the fact that they are dying; of the good men who did good deeds but still end up with death; and those men who lived with serious illnesses who should have enjoyed life more than just wait for their final hour. Then when their time comes, it would be too late to regret things and time wasted. Thomas also addressed there his father as he witness how his father suffered from blindness and illness, crying in pain but seems like just waiting for his end. He doesn’t like the idea that one should readily accept his death but instead, one should fight for his life and struggle against death, whether you are a wise, good, wild, or grave man. Gently accepting death, for him is narrowness, that God’s greater plan is being given up: there’s more to life. For him, death is not the end of life on Earth and the beginning of another life. Life could be more valuable and may be lived longer if people would never give up easily and fight death. (Thomas, Dylan) In Moore’s work, she also tackled the different issue in life including death. A seven year old boy named Eugene was born with a disease that affects the lungs called cystic fibrosis. He got the disease from his father. He also had some relatives who died with it. In the story, Eugene’s case had become more serious that he generated too much liquid in his lungs. But despite the graveness of the health condition, the researchers, doctors, and his family lose no hope that somehow he can survive. But like any parents, Eugene’s experience brings them sadness and grief knowing that their child is suffering from a very serious health problem. They don’t want to lose him not just because he is their only child but also because they believe he is such a good boy for God to let him die at a very young age. Eugene, himself, is also very open-minded about his condition. He understands everything and the disease didn’t pave the way to make him enjoy his childhood. He and his parents are making sure he is enjoying every moment of his life, making things seem normal. (Moore, Lorrie) The death of Simone’s first husband is also mentioned. That he killed himself after she dumped him. The author indirectly tries to say that life is unfair and ironic. There are people who longs and would do anything for a healthy life but then there are people who were granted with a normal life and healthy body would just give it all up and commit suicide. (Moore, Lorrie) In comparison, the two authors both discussed about death and the way people deal with it. Some readily accept their death and some even waste the opportunity to live, while some still fight as long as they are alive. They question its inevitability. They show that death comes unexpectedly. Life is unfair. Thomas argues about struggling in life, same as Moore as she presented the life of Eugene who is fighting against cystic fibrosis. Life is worth living and therefore it should be greatly valued by people. Their writings both presented a clear visualization of the scenarios. The works are both full of emotions and imagery. Thomas’ work is very conversational, that it is directly telling people to value life and struggle against death, especially in the part where he is talking to his father: â€Å"And you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. † (Thomas, Dylan) He is saying â€Å"curse me for being still alive saying all these things, and bless me as well. You should have not readily accepted your death just like that. Life is worth living. † While in Moore’s, she leave the emotion and the message for the readers to interpret to themselves what she is trying to say by just presenting circumstances and issues. â€Å"Don’t Go Gentle into that Good Night† has an angry, sorrowful, and persuasive tone which strikes through the heart, while â€Å"Dance in America† has mixed emotions such as fun, sorrow, and anticipation which is more entertaining. The works of these two great authors agrees with the same thing, that life is worth living. Everyone is entitled to take care and value his own life for you’ll never know when it will end. Life can be very unfair and ironic. Live and enjoy your life as if everyday would be the last. Value it knowing there are some people who would have wanted to be in your shoes for having a normal and long life. For those who have serious illness or is determined to anytime soon, one should not lose hope for there are more good things to come and instead of getting bored in life or get yourself stuck on your room crying and just wait for the final hour, spend your time exploring the world with your family, friends and loved ones. There are just too many reasons for someone to stay alive and embrace life whole-heartedly. Do what you want before it is too late. Take care and value life just like what Dylan Thomas said in his poem, â€Å"Rage against the dying of the light! † You can make your light shine brighter. References: Moore, Lorrie. Birds of America. USA: Picador, 1999. Thomas, Dylan. Do not Go Gentle into that Good Night. 19 March 1999. 21 August 2007 http://www. cs. rice. edu/~ssiyer/minstrels/poems/38. html.

Masculinity In Hong Kong Action Films Film Studies Essay

Masculinity In Hong Kong Action Films Film Studies Essay The study of film masculinity still tends to concern itself with the products of local society. The focus of the essay is to represent a close approach to masculinity in Hong Kong cinema. Chinese old traditional genres such as Kung Fu, historical costume drama, and the Chinese opera had been the staples of Hong Kong cinema since it has been established (Kei, 1994). This essay analyses two films of a uniquely Hong Kong perspective. The two main titles referred in this essay are A Better Tomorrow (Woo, 1986), the gangster image that revitalized the filmmaker s career by the success of his first gangster movie, and City on Fire (Lam, 1987), produces a city on fire season of new type of undercover agent movie early time in Hong Kong. Each film represents typical and modern Hong Kong gangster movie on earlier 80s. Both of these two directors created a new gangster and cop character in films, they defined a local cultural identity in Hong Kong filming industry and influence the stylist of west action cinema (Vesia, 2002). This essay approaches the study of masculinist text of my emotion tone and feels of the two films, and attends to address ideology of male relationship and gender difference as a masquerade. A Better Tomorrow tags with Hong Kong gangster leaders whose name are Ho (cast by Lung Ti) and Mark (cast by Yun-Fat Chow), and Ho was double-crossed and arrested in Taiwan. After he was released, Mark tries to persuade him to go to their old criminal life. But, Ho is more concern about his brother Kit (cast by Leslie Cheung) who is a Hong Kong police officer, and his responsibility for the death of their father. And Ho s gang leader was replaced by his old subordinate, Shing (cast by Waise Lee) who plays brother against brother Ho. At the end, Mark and Shing die, while Ho and kit were reunited and head back to prison. City on Fire concerns Ko Chow (cast by Yun-Fat Chow) is an undercover agent who betrayed his criminal friend to the police force. The criminal boss Fu (cast by Danny Lee), whose gang is terrorizing the town with numerous robberies and the forthcoming, big robbery of a jewelry store. Ko and Fu become friends as Kos mission is again to go undercover to Fus gang and give details to the police about the robbery. so the criminals could be arrested and sent to prison. Unfortunately, Ko notices it is too late to undo what hes done again, again he finds himself betraying a friend, but this time the results are more horrific. As described above, these are some features in common in these two films: both of them are extremely violent; both starred by Yun-Fat Chow who was the most famous Asian character; both revolve around the story of gangster and police; and both are talk about individual friendship and loyalty of male character. It is possible that gangsters and cops have something in common in our real world. It is also possible that an undercover has true friendship with a gangster while they are in the opposite position of the law. Furthermore, It is not surprising that the relationship between gangster and cop can reduced by true friendship. It is clear that the brave police and thriller gangster other side of them. If the main elements are cop and gangster, then it dig the deep inside of unknown natural character is the key point to solve. However, from Man on the Brink (Cheung, 1981) to On the Edge (Yau H. , 2006), undercover film seems trapped in a frame set an undercover agent end with a tragic death. However, there is no specific detail on describing the agent s mental activities that how to convince themselves to become an undercover agent, while they have a mission. Most of this genre of film only pays attention to the strategy and courage of agent. There is not on the characters actor on deep inside activities. While the undercover film has already manipulated by director nowadays, City on Fire is one of the transition or a stage that undercover film goes to a higher levels of representing. It is earlier to be accepted by the audience as these undercover become a real part of film. Ringo Lam and John Woo both are likely to represent the brotherhood in the film. Woo s undercover philosophy mind is If there is something reason may not from themselves, they have to do is to do , while Lam s philosophy is I would ra ther not to do it instead of Betraying my friends . Furthermore, the lighting and color of these undercover films are cold, Woo s film presenting a romantic atmosphere, whereas Lam always manifest warm and funny scene. For example, the last police chase scene in City on Fire, the background music is the allegro of Christmas songs, and originally the preceding is very depressed. These two directors are also good at editing some humor and plot on the film, such as By throwing food to attract beautiful women pay attention to small scene to rich a film so-called giant inside, detail outside in Lam s film. In my opinion, the difference between Lam and Woo is the theme of each film. Woos theme always is to revenge for friendship, brother, and lover, and this routine will never end with. While Lam s theme is to bury alive with the dead for friendship, brother, and lover, it is enough for regretless while lives. Different from Woo s films, they tended to romanticise the gangster figure without any moralistic judgment (Vesia, 2002). It is the main reason Lams film conveys this message to audiences. Finally, the myth letter in City on fire, Ko s lover to leaves audience an message that does she wait for Ko in Hawaii? Instead of the issue if China is relevant to lead and guide Hong Kong s future after 1997. Then, it can be said that nothing is perfect to make up to audience taste. Thus, Lam s films achieve the success of Yun-Fat Chow, and Chows performance is accomplishing Lams film. Yi-Qi (Code of Brotherhood) in Hong Kong gangster films: Codes such as brotherhood, filiality and loyalty are not just one sign to look at the masculinity onscreen, it also is familiar to the Chinese cinema which links to the social order both in the film and the society outside. Fuery points that code order signs as well as provide rules of exclusion, combination, and hierarchy (Fuery, 1997). As such, code in the social order of Chinese films representation is a social justice and the moral domain within different national and non-national settings (Berry Ann, 2006). It represents the symbols of ethnic heritage and the myth old tradition of a nation. The concept of YiQi ( ) is Code of Brotherhood which includes: Loyalty (Zhong ), Filiality (Xiaoà Ã‚ ¢), Benevolence (Ren ), Brotherhood (Yi ) to explore the wide debates around social structure, gender and nation in Chinese nation. These codes are the core of Chinese law and custom that the ordered nation refer to the debates within the Chinese moral health and local structure of the social problems. The Code of Brotherhood reflects reciprocal family-based relationships which with male privilege (Berry Ann, 2006). The family code related to the social and nation networks of power. It focuses on codes of behavior between subject and ruler, between father and sons, and between brothers.These rules often operates the Chinese mythic underworld-JiangHu ( )-it have its own rules in this world but it does not exist in the real world. There, Woo s gangster movies value Chinese traditional rules of family and friendship in Hong Kong modern society, brotherhood involves strong customary ru les that translate into a range of genres, from revolutionary comrade films to martial arts and gangster movies. And the code of honor applies to heroes on both sides of the law. In A Better Tomorrow, Ho and Mark are at ease only in all-male societies: the gang, or the taxi company in where Ho found the job. On the family ties, Kit refuses his gangster brother because of Ho s responsibility to their father s death, so Mark becomes Ho brother, in other words is to replace kit to be a substitute. Ho is trying to be a good man, but kit does not trust him. They father die for his son Ho. and Ho save Shing, Mark is crippled when he is revenged Ho. It is a sensibility that is well illustrated through Woo s characterization of Mark as a humble hero representing traditional codes of honour and bravery in a modern era (Vesia, 2002). Then, Ho and Mark steal the tape for Kit to risk their lives. This is a chain rule around Mark, Ho and Kit indicates the Code of Brotherhood that is typical Chin ese hero. Furthermore, the Code of Brotherhood has mythic status in terms of the contemporary Chinese culture and the order of society. Joseph wrote that the rules such as Filiality (Xiao) were right in Chinese old tradition (Needham, 1954). In City on Fire, the protagonist undercover employs death defying stunts. But, Lam ends his gangster film for memories the death of Ko Chow to executed criminals. In the last battle scene, Ko said to Fu (Danny lee Sau-Yin): I was an undercover agent, please shoot me, you still have time for it, because i own you too much. It was a kind of humanitys struggle with the friend and brother. They opposite position have been upgrade to a new level of the friendship. Ko resists on his bottom line of the distinction between gangster and undercover. But its a human debt on the friendship have never been fixed. Thus, at the end of City on Fire, Kos death perhaps is the best way to end his friendship debt. Because Ko was suffered by betrayed a friend earlier, his nigh tmare of intense fear, horror and distress feeling leads to He always blames himself due to betray his friends. It perhaps to arrange this death of character is to explain the injustice, violence as ongoing features of society. Both of the death of Mark and Ko is to the result of Loyalty (Zhong) to his friendship. And also it explains the Righteousness (Yi) why the true friendship is worth to risk their lives or sacrifices themselves for their brothers and friends. Finally, the Code of Brotherhood of Chinese masculinity, in other words, male bonding is one metaphor way to presents the Hong Kongs future relationship with China. Specifically, these films seem to represent the fantasy of a relationship between equals (analogous to a relationship between men) rather than between unequals (i.e., between men and women); and it is a fear of China that makes the homoerotic element such a compelling fantasy (Sandell, 1994). Male and man power can be seductive and attractive indorse to focus on the representation of Chinese cinema.the balance between sexual difference in cinemas which indicates fair relationship of brotherhood and unfair relationship between men and women. In A Better Tomorrow, The result to plot only one woman who is Kits wife and she is facing sharing suffering, and hinges on a male ethos of loyalty. In contrast, City on Fire is around the theme of loyalty and friendship between gangster and undercover agent at opposite position of the law. Kos lover appears in the film is slowing down the tension of the undercover, and it prevents the normal progress towards in terms of approach the reality of personal inter-relationship. Thus, it is successful to treat women in similar depth. When a woman is discussed, it becomes a wider study in Chinese cinema. Influence to the west: Reid point out that Woo has remade traditional martial arts genres by replacing swords and knives with guns (Reid, 1993-4). Woo said his action film was most inspired by earlier Hong Kong martial arts. Especially his mentor Zhang Che, his film is not only representing strong masculinity, loyalty, chivalry figures on the martial art action, but also he is emphasis on the symbolic slow motion to express this movement. However, Woo s stylistic influence upon Reservoir Dogs (Quentin, 1992) and True Romance (Scott Tarantino, 1993). Quentin also inspired from City on Fire (Lam, 1987) and it is upon the themes of city on fire season to express his passion and admiration to Hong Kong filmmakers. One might certainly conclude from this that Hong Kong action film industry achieves an oversea and cross-culture to such international visibility. Therefore, Kung Fu was the most popular elements both in Eastern and Western films. Kill Bill I II (Tarantino, 2003-4) describes how a woman overthrows patriarchal authority to revenge for her daughter. In the coffin box, Beatrix Kiddo (Uma Thurman) was bury by Budd (Michael Madsen), then she use her learning from Chinese martial arts master Bai Mei (Chia Hui Liu) and gather all strength on one hand for breaking the coffin and then she can escape outside. Within the martial artists performance, clarity can be achieved not only through the precision of the movement but also an effort to focus the entire bodys energy in each gesture (Yau E. C., 2001). To compare earlier Hong Kong film patriarchal society, Tarantino s film represents the punishment of patriarchal hegemony. His work aims to explore the origins of the cool and the way in which images (or reputations) are echoed in the realm of popular culture (Poleg, 2004). And he is showing that there is no different between man and woman in our modern society. It also critics the corresponding to patriarchal authority of Hong Kong cinemas to arousing people conscience and social justice then seeking for the solution of the gangster in sin city. For instance, the yellow suit of protagonist Beatrix Kiddo in Kill Bill is to show his admiring to martial arts master Bruce Lee. Conclusion: Chinese cinematic imaginary provides a rich store of regimes of justice and power through which men relate to, and fight with each other (Berry Ann, 2006). Both Woo and Lam are dealing with the tension of loyalty and friendship and social order of Chinese traditional heritage, and also apply to heroes on both side of law. The difference is the theme Woo s revenging and Lam s burying for friendship, brother, and lover, they heroes from both side of the law is to justice the male bonding related to the unsteady society tone and the anxiety of Hong Kong s future after recover it in 1997. Both Woo and Lam focus on the relationship of male to indicate the changing representation of Hong Kong cinema. They are the new wave pioneering directors in order to balance the theme of the human relationship and entertainment with vision and sound effects. Moreover, western critics and film scholars also began to take Hong Kong action into mainstream theatre cinema seriously and made many key figure s and films part of their canon of world cinema. In short, Hong Kong cinema defines a new genre of hero image in action film valuing traditional distinctive feature of patriarchal authority. It also produces superstars such as Yun-Fat Chow who became a worldwide popularity star due to his cool performance. However, as the development of the modernization, directors pay attention to these women who are economic independence and autonomy character in order to appealing audience taste of female onscreen.

Poker Essay -- essays research papers

Poker: Draw Vs. Hold 'em As the room fills with smoke from cigars and cigarettes, I look across the table at the last guy in the hand. I think to myself, â€Å"Why did he just raise me?† I just raised the pot $25 on two pair. The other guy re-raised the pot another $25. My heart is beating like a freight train racing down the tracks, I’m doing everything in my power to stop from sweating and I’m trying to keep my face stone cold straight as to not give myself away. I’m pretty sure at this point that this guy is trying buy the pot, but it still makes me nervous. I decide to call his raise and when the cards are turned over I realize that I had just made the right call. I won the pot and fought off his bluff. Poker is a card game that has been around for hundreds of years. Although the origin of the game and the name itself are debatable, the game of Poker is played more than any other card game in the world. The scenario I explained took place during a game of Five Card Draw. This is a very popular rendition of Poker. Poker has evolved over the years and hence has numerous types of games that still fall under the Poker category. My favorite games are Five Card Draw and Texas Hold ‘em. Both games are similar because they derive from the original game of Poker, involves betting, and using playing cards. They also differ because of the betting, the number of cards used and the way the cards are dealt. Five Card Draw is o...

The Role of Nature in the poetry of William Wordsworth Essay -- Litera

In William Wordsworth’s poems, the role of nature plays a more reassuring and pivotal r ole within them. To Wordsworth’s poetry, interacting with nature represents the forces of the natural world. Throughout the three poems, Resolution and Independence, Tintern Abbey, and Michael, which will be discussed in this essay, nature is seen prominently as an everlasting- individual figure, which gives his audience as well as Wordsworth, himself, a sense of console. In all three poems, Wordsworth views nature and human beings as complementary elements of a sum of a whole, recognizing that humans are a sum of nature. Therefore, looking at the world as a soothing being of which he is a part of, Wordsworth looks at nature and sees the benevolence of the divinity aspects behind them. For Wordsworth, the world itself, in all its glory, can be a place of suffering, which surely occurs within the world; Wordsworth is still comforted with the belief that all things happen by the hands of the divinity and the just and divine order of nature, itself. In William Wordsworth’s poem, Resolution and Independence, Wordsworth describes the moods of the poem through the description of nature. The first appearance of the speaker, himself, is shown in (line 15); where he classifies himself as a traveler who has been seduced, as he states, â€Å"The pleasant season did my heart employ† (line 19). We see the traveler as a bright and joyful person as Wordsworth’s characteristics of nature as a means of description continues throughout the poem. As the poem progresses, the speaker’s attitude changes in (line 26), where he tells us that his mood is lowered. It is here that the speaker presents himself as â€Å"a happy child of earth† in (line 31); as once again Wordsworth... .../ Of the unfinished sheepfold may be seen / Besides the boisterous brook of Greenhead Ghyll,† showing the growth of human beings in relative notion to nature. William Wordsworth has respect and has great admiration for nature. This is quite evident in all three of his poems; the Resolution and Independence, Tintern Abbey and Michael in that, his philosophy on the divinity, immortality and innocence of humans are elucidated in his connection with nature. For Wordsworth, himself, nature has a spirit, a soul of its own, and to know is to experience nature with all of your senses. In all three of his poems there are many references to seeing, hearing and feeling his surroundings. He speaks of hills, the woods, the rivers and streams, and the fields. Wordsworth comprehends, in each of us, that there is a natural resemblance to ourselves and the background of nature.

The Great Depression Essay -- essays research papers

The Great Depression was a time of sadness and poverty for many. It became an unforgettable historical time in American history. The author of the book The Great Depression, Pierre Berton gives a clear view of what happened from 1929-1941. He basically outlines the Depression event by event, explaining what happened where and who was involved. Although many books can tell stories of the depression, I think the author of this book did a good job getting all the facts and letting the reader know exactly what happened.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is easily shown that the author, Pierre Berton, didn’t show much opinion in this book. He mainly focused on just the facts. He would however give some personal views of reasons for certain things or explanations. He probably got most of his information from a textbook or actual documents. He did a good job compiling these facts into a time line of events. He explains who each important person is that was involved in the times of the depression and all important laws passed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He began talking about the crash of the market, dubbed Black Thursday. The crash spelled disaster for the national economy. Corporations with heavy investments faced a sudden shock to their assets. This was the beginning of the depression. The national income slipped lower each year from 1929-1932, and it did not return until World War II. Unemployment became the most important problem of the depression to the people living in the US. Another major problem was that the agricultural prices were cut almost in half, and many farms foreclosed because of it. The author goes on to say that there are many different theories as to why the stock market crashed that day. One was that the attempts of the US government and the Federal Reserve Board to stop speculation caused an overreaction in the market, leading to the selling panic.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The next big event in the book was the effects the stock market crash had on America. The author did a great job by including interesting statistics and facts. In 1930, farm income had fallen to the lowest it has been since 1921. A result of this was that farmers didn’t have enough money. According to Berton 5 percent of farmers lost their land. Nowhere was it worse than in the dust bowl, a farming area in the Midwest. Many farmers were forced to move west because o... ...ever got off subject at any time. The reviewer also compliments Berton on his writing style. The way he would write was a way that he always made sense and made it interesting. I can’t disagree with that either, I found the book very interesting, it was hard to put down.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Great Depression was full of facts and interesting information, and I learned a lot from it. Pierre Berton didn’t present his information with any kind of bias, he just stated what was true. Occasionally he would add in some personal views, but they never strayed far from the truth. The book basically told the story of exactly what happened to the economy during the depression, and Berton did a great job explaining each part of it. He never tried to put in his opinions and state that they were fact. He never had an argument, he was just telling a story of the depression. Therefore there was no side he could’ve taken one way or the other. He wrote his words so that it was understandable for all. He made sure to add in some interesting facts and tell stories in order to keep the reader interested. I think Berton did a great job in summing up the cause and effects of the depression.

A Comparison of W.K Clifford and William James’s Arguments

Clifford and James Summaries of W. K. Clifford and William James’s arguments for belief | In this paper, I hope to effectively summarize W. K Clifford’s (1879) argument on the ethics of belief, followed by a summary of William James’ (1897) argument on the right to believe, and finally, provide an argument for why W. K Clifford’s (1879) argument is stronger by highlighting its strengths while simultaneously arguing against William James’ (1897) argument. According to Clifford (1879), there is an ethics to belief that makes it always wrong for anyone to believe anything on insufficient evidence.Clifford (1879) begins his paper by providing an illustrative analogy – one where a ship-owner is preparing to send to sea a ship filled with innocent men, women, and children. Prior to its departure, doubts had been brought to his attention regarding its condition and the possibility of a failure to complete the voyage. The ship-owner, now in a dilemma , successfully convinces himself that because the ship had weathered so many storms and successfully completed so many voyages, it was fit to believe that the ship was fit to sail.He acquired a sincere belief that the ship would successfully complete the voyage despite its apparent faults. Eventually, the ship sank. Clifford (1879) argues that the ship-owner is responsible for the death of those innocent men and women – not only did the ship-owner ignore the doubts regarding the ship’s capabilities, but he acquired a false belief by simply stifling his doubts. Yes, he felt sure about the ship’s capabilities; but, he only acquired such a conviction by allowing himself to believe it, and not based on sufficient evidence.Clifford (1879) also argues that in the event the ship had not sank and had completed the voyage, the ship-owner â€Å"would not have been innocent, he would only have been not found out. † (498) In essence, Clifford (1879) argues that the o utcome has no effect since the origin of his belief was flawed and based on whims rather than evidence. In another analogy where a group of men are accused for manipulating children, Clifford (1879) argues that those who accused the innocence of the men based on self-propagated beliefs are not â€Å"honourable men,† (499) regardless of whether the accused were guilty.He illustrated the ideology that no accusation can be made unless there is sufficient evidence to supplement it; if sufficient evidence cannot be found, then the individual loses the right to believe that certain belief, as he will harm himself and humanity. Clifford (1879) argues it is right and necessary to examine evidence on both sides of any belief with patience and care. Right, because when a man is so consumed by a belief so as to not entertain other grounds, he can still choose the action stemming from that belief – thus, he has a duty to investigate â€Å"on the ground of the strength of his conv ictions. (499) And necessary, because those who become consumed by their self-sponsored beliefs must have a rule to deal with actions stemming from those beliefs. Clifford (1879) argues no one belief is isolated from the action that follows, and no belief is ever truly insignificant. No individual can judge the validity of his beliefs in an unbiased manner; thus, the actions following beliefs, regardless of being true or false, can have strong implications on our future if not corrected now. Clifford (1879) argues it is essential to continuously judge our beliefs and validate them based on sufficient evidence.Finally, Clifford (1879) argues our beliefs are not personal property; rather, â€Å"our words, our phrases and processes and modes of thought are common property. Belief†¦ is ours not for ourselves, but for humanity. † (500) Because our actions – which stem from our beliefs – affect those around us, Clifford (1879) deems it a universal duty to constan tly doubt our closely held beliefs. Although â€Å"we naturally do not like to find that we are really ignorant and powerless,† (500) Clifford argues it would be a crime and a sin on humanity to acquire a sense of power when the belief has not been sufficiently investigated and earned.Clifford (1879) is a strong proponent of proof-based beliefs and of the continuous criticism of beliefs held backed by loose evidence. In order to advance as a fair and just society, our beliefs must be evaluated and supported by evidence which is fair and just, and not by apparent truisms which satisfy our personal power struggles, insecurities, and lack of interest. William James (1897), on the other hand, attempts to define the permissible cases in which it is intellectually respectable to believe without sufficient evidence.James (1897) begins by providing three criterion for judging beliefs: either beliefs are 1) living or dead; 2) forced or avoidable; or 3) momentous or trivial. A live hyp othesis is one where the hypothesis appeals to the existing beliefs of the individual; a forced hypothesis is one where one must choose between alternatives, and cannot proceed without doing so; and finally, a momentous hypothesis is one where there is a lot at stake and/or when the decision is irreversible. James(1897) argues that certain actions and convictions need pre-existing beliefs which do not require sufficient evidence.He uses Pascal’s Wager as an example – James (1897) argues Pascal’s Wager may force individuals in choosing to either believe in God or not, regardless of there being sufficient evidence to prove the existence of the former or latter. However, James (1897) argues that different propositions hold varying meanings and importance to different individuals; it is individuals’ pre-existing beliefs which form future beliefs once further information is received. James (1897) acknowledges the fact that many beliefs are pre-supposed and wit hout sufficient evidence.To challenge Clifford (1879), he says â€Å"our belief in truth itself†¦ that there is a truth†¦ what is it but a passionate affirmation of desire,† (505) effectively questioning Clifford’s (1879) double-standard; if Clifford (1879) requires sufficient evidence for beliefs, where is the sufficient evidence to support the belief of truth held by scientists and philosophers alike? Then, James (1897) extends the argument to say we want to have a truth – it is our will which pushes us to believe in a truth and â€Å"puts us in a continually better and better position towards it. (505) In discussing telepathy, James claims scientists do not want to consider the evidence for telepathy because â€Å"they think†¦ that even if such a thing were true, scientists ought to band together to keep it suppressed†¦ It would undo the uniformity of Nature and all sorts of other things without which scientists cannot carry on their pur suits. † (505) James argues that â€Å"[the] very law which the logicians impose upon us†¦ is based on nothing but their own natural wish to exclude all elements for which they†¦ an find no use. † (506) Thus, James effectively argues that even the scientists’ passionate convictions and prejudices form their beliefs, as we see in the case of telepathic research. Finally, in this section, James (1897) argues such behaviour re-inforces Pascal’s Wager – a pre-existing belief can generate further beliefs, and that logic alone is not enough. Then, James (1897) takes two approaches in looking at the â€Å"duties† in matters of opinion – that we must know the truth, and we must avoid error.James (1897) argues it is impractical and unrealistic to know the truth while simultaneously avoiding error; â€Å"it hardly ever happens that by merely disbelieving B we necessarily believe A. We may in escaping B fall into believing other falseh oods, C or D, just as bad as B,† (506) says James (1897). Then, James (1897) argues that the risk of being wrong or in error is trivial compared to the possibility of stumbling upon real knowledge and of â€Å"indefinitely guessing true. † (506) In his opinion, it is better to continue to guess or hope for the truth than to continuously deny certain beliefs until sufficient evidence surfaces.He believes it is better to be light-hearted in the regard of accepting certain beliefs than to constantly question and doubt. James (1897) argues that in most matters, the decision to choose between various options is not so momentous and urgent that a false belief to act on is better than no belief at all. He says â€Å"seldom is there any such a hurry†¦ that the risks of being duped by believed a premature theory need be faced. † (507) James (1897) then goes on to state that modern science’s â€Å"nervousness† and yearning to technically verifying the tr uth may â€Å"cease her to care for truth by itself at all. (507) In extending this argument, he states that although technical evidence is strong and important, human passions are stronger. He then poses his final question – that of weighing the perils and benefits of waiting with â€Å"impunity† until the sufficient evidence is found. In essence, he asks if there are forced options in man’s already speculative questions, and whether it is wise to continue to wait until â€Å"sufficient† evidence arrives. In leading up to his conclusion, James (1897) argues that the desire for a certain truth can help bring about its existence; so, desire or the will to discover a fact can help create the fact.He infers this to mean that the beliefs conjured and held by our passionate minds may prove to be instrumental in providing the sufficient evidence to justify those beliefs. In conclusion, James (1897) argues that because religion is forced and momentous, we canno t remain skeptical and continue to wait, as we will lose the good provided by religion if we continue to wait in the same fashion that we choose to disbelieve in the first place – James (1897) argues that it is better to risk the chance of error than the loss of truth.Finally, James (1897) argues that to believe in religion or God with the notion of being right is the prerogative of the individual and is undertaken at his own risk – if the individual wishes to put himself in the best position possible to enjoy the fruits of the after-life, then society and/or science’s imposed rules and laws of requiring â€Å"sufficient evidence† for the verification of that God or religion is unjustified. It is the individual’s personal decision and he alone assumes the risk – as such, his right must be respected.James argues that individuals have a right to believe without sufficient evidence so long as the belief is live, momentous and is forced. He argu es that it is impractical to continue to wait for sufficient evidence to surface while the chance to believe gradually dissipates. Now that I have summarized Clifford (1879) and James’s (1897) articles, I would like to elaborate further as to why Clifford’s (1879) argument is stronger than James’s (1897) in the area of religious belief.In his article, James (1897) made a number of references to the apparently frivolous actions of scientists and their narcissistic habits of â€Å"waiting† for sufficient evidence. However, his rendition of live hypotheses still does not give sufficient reason to believe in a certain belief without first establishing a basis for its verification. First, in any experiment, â€Å"sufficient evidence† is to be based on objective proof which can reasonably prove that the latter cannot hold truer than the former. However, when beliefs are formed based on passion and human emotion, how can one achieve any objectivity?How ca n there be fair grounds for comparison? How can one individual, who, in his own right, is passionately convinced of his belief – based on nothing more than emotion – convince the other that his belief is superior when the other individual believes on the same token? Second, James (1897) continually criticizes scientists for their ways and states science’s search for â€Å"technical verification† is a shun for the truth; however, would modern science have discovered the cure of diseases and made significant inroads in the field of medical research had it stuck with one belief and not explored other avenues of growth?Is it, then, morally right to continue to hold certain medical hypotheses valid while simultaneously rejecting other possibilities when such an act could concern the lives of millions? Should there not be room for a reasonable amount of doubt and criticisms within one’s beliefs to continually improve, rather than degrade, as James (1897) suggests? Yes, James suggests that evidence should be required when the matter at hand is a significant one – but who can be a fair judge on the magnanimity of such a topic?Thus, although it may be tedious and inconvenient to continually question and doubt one’s basis for belief, it is necessary and categorically the right thing to do. We owe it to ourselves and to mankind to be honest with one another, and not believe just to satiate our personal thirst for power. Finally, James (1897) asks that those who believe – regardless of whether they have evidence or not – must be left alone and have the right to â€Å"live and let live. † I vehemently disagree.As Clifford (1879) suggested, beliefs turn into actions, and by the time we realize the action undertaken was an immoral one, it is usually too late. We are all connected – any thoughts in my mind, or yours, can affect others in an infinite number of ways. As James (1897) stated, most everyd ay beliefs will not affect others drastically; however, there is a fraction of beliefs which can turn actions affecting many people or any one person in profound ways, either negatively or positively.In such a scenario, do we want to leave open the possibility of unfounded beliefs adversely affecting some person’s life? Do we want to run the risk of hurting a loved one and/or our reputations because we were too lazy or did not find the issue momentous or live enough to gather sufficient evidence for a belief? Thus, although Clifford’s (1879) proposition may seem, again, tedious or time-consuming, it is the only way of ensuring we close the cracks and do our best to ensure a fair society.After all, in the presumption of innocence, our legal system works in a similar way – the legal system ensures every accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty, regardless the magnitude of the verdict, because it knows the implications of sending an innocent man to prison. Thus, every belief by the prosecution and defence must be backed by sufficient evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. After analyzing the summaries of the respective philosophers – W. K.Clifford (1879) and William James (1897) – I hope it has become evident that sufficient evidence to support beliefs is not only right and necessary for us, but for humanity as a whole. As a society, we cannot shun substantive, technical evidence because we are satisfied with our pre-existing beliefs. To advance as a society, it is our universal duty to continually question our beliefs and search for sufficient evidence in forming our new beliefs. References Pojman, Louis, & Rea, Michael. (2012). Philosophy of Religion: An Anthology. Boston: Clark Baxter.

Enron Corporation

The â€Å"crisis of confidence† on the public accounting profession was not something that happened overnight and it is not the fault of one group of people or individuals. The accounting profession is partly to blame for this crisis, as the necessary rules, regulations and guidelines were not in place to hold companies and accounting firms responsible for their actions. The lack of regulations also allowed companies to partake in misleading transactions. These transactions were perfectly legal at the mime, Just not necessarily ethical.Companies did not have to be 100% honest when sharing earning results and company structure with shareholders. Arthur Anderson & Co. Was also to blame as they were the accountants for Enron. They were the ones with the expertise who should have known better and looked to fully explain and disclose what they knew. Andersen's commitment is to the shareholders, not to their client and they needed to act in a way and present the statements fairly so that a user could make an informed decision and that the statements presented fairly.Enron is also to blame. They were focused on profits – which is not necessarily a bad thing, except for the fact that they were not forthright In how they were getting there. 5. I believe there has been a shift in regards to the concept of professionalism in relation to public accounting. After the Enron crisis, people began to second guess accountants and their work. There was fear that many other scandals and crises would occur. Because of this, the accounting profession had to be much more cautious and proactive In their approach.They have to err much more on the side of caution and pay close attention to ensure they are always acting ethically, responsibly and In the financial statement users' best Interest. This Is where SOX and other acts of Congress come Into play. It Is not to punish the auditors, but to help them and other accountants keep their reputation and ensure that firms are acting appropriately. It limits the engagement between and auditor and client and helps to ensure all understand the laws and expectations that are relevant to each arty.People are paying attention to auditing and audit firms now more than ever, the auditors and accountants know this and must be more diligent and professional than ever so that another scandal Like Enron does not occur. 6. I believe quarterly financial statements should be audited as a company could be deceiving shareholders for a full year prior to an auditor uncovering something. In the case of public companies, auditors are probably do some type of audit work year round so that would be rare, but Is possible.Currently auditors do not have any responsibility regarding quarter end financial statements as they are unedited and an auditor Is always only responsible for the fairness of audited statements not the statements themselves. I do not believe users of statements can make the best decision based on unedited fig ures. Thing, except for the fact that they were not forthright in how they were getting there. Cautious and proactive in their approach. They have to err much more on the side of responsibly and in the financial statement users' best interest.This is where SOX and other acts of Congress come into play. It is not to punish the auditors, but to than ever so that another scandal like Enron does not occur. 6. I believe quarterly financial statements should be audited as a company could be deceiving that would be rare, but is possible. Currently auditors do not have any responsibility regarding quarter end financial statements as they are unedited and an auditor is themselves. I do not believe users of statements can make the best decision based

“the Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Profit”

Businesses have many responsibilities, the primary role being, to make profit and then in turn grow and expand as a business in the hope that they increase profits. After all, not many people want to be in the business of losing money, it is simply the function of a business †¦ to make money. However, in saying that, I would disagree in saying that this is entirely a â€Å"social† responsibility. Businesses have a responsibility to their stakeholders and/or their shareholders to increase profits, but socially they are required to do so much more. In terms of â€Å"social† responsibility, in this current day and age, businesses have a responsibility to society. I believe consumers are generally not concerned about the profit businesses makes, they are more concerned about the quality, service and value they receive from dealing with a business, and more importantly whether the success of the business was gained by them following socially and ethically responsible business practices. In the past, businesses would forfeit their social responsibility at the cost of increasing profit. A good example of this is multinational conglomerate, Proctor & Gamble, identified by PETA as a corporation that actively participates in animal testing1 to ensure that their products are safe for people to use. Yes, they are fulfilling their â€Å"social† responsibility in ensuring that their products do not harm their consumers, but now society and organisations are pointing the finger and actively boycotting companies such as Proctor & Gamble, for ignoring their social responsibility. Businesses have had to turn things around to adapt to the views of changing society. Being socially responsible is now a costly exercise. Due to their previous poor business ethics, they have to date invested almost $250 million in alternative testing methods in an effort to abolish all forms of animal testing. 2 Not only now is it socially unacceptable to practice â€Å"bad† business ethics, but it is socially unacceptable for businesses that make too much money to ignore the needs of the needy. Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft together with the efforts of his wife Melinda have established the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The foundation donates millions of dollars every year, aiding many projects with their slogan being â€Å"all lives have equal value†. It is now the duty of businesses and many large corporations to be socially responsible and contribute to society on a larger scale. It is simply incorrect to say that increasing profit is the sole responsibility of a business. It is the social responsibility of a business to be socially responsible, in all facets. Portraying a ‘socially responsible’ image is detrimental to increasing profits, this has not always been the case, many companies that were once selfless entities who’s only mission was to profiteer at any cost have realised that with the changes in society, they have had to change the way they conduct their business. Sadly, many businesses and corporations participate in â€Å"socially responsible† activities for the purpose of increasing profit, businesses are not changing their packaging to pink to ‘secretly’ support breast cancer, they do so, so that you and I know about it. These so called acts of social responsibility are a form of advertising and they are done to show consumers just how â€Å"good† they can be. It is not the social responsibility of businesses to increase profit, but it is the social responsibility of companies to be socially responsible to increase profit.

R. R. Donnelly & Sons: the Digital Division

R. R. Donnelly & Sons: The Digital Division (Case Synopsis) R. R. Donnelley & Sons was suffering with an ad-hoc technology development process. Once this process had to be changed and new technology development process had to be brought in. R. R. Donnelley & Sons with 6% share of the $80 billion print market is certainly the market leader. But the level of competition was rising rapidly as well. The printing market was going online and electronic with the online service providers and software packages were making four color images available electronically.Smaller printing companies were also building alliances with firms that had high-capacity networks for transmitting files. Despite digital division being a good idea, it was essentially outside their core business. All divisions knew the potential of digital technology but did not know enough about the markets and were scared of unproven technology. The biggest issue faced by the Digital Division was whether they would be accepted o r not by other divisions in the organization itself. The company knew that digital technology was the future.And that the company needs to improve on demand printing and delivery on time as well. But the problem was convincing the other divisions. They could not do it with their arguments or with the incentives they gave. The solution would be to accept the advantages of the digital technology by the CEO, john Walter not as a different division. This is done so that the profitability and the existence of other divisions are not affected. It should benefit the organization not as a separate division. All the divisions in the organization must work together as one to contribute to the organizational goals and growth.