Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Edgar Wright - Hot Fuzz And Shaun Of The Dead - 1262 Words

Edgar Wright - Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead By Brearna Sandri Shaun of the Dead In this close viewing I will be using the films Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, directed by Edgar Wright, to show significant aspects/techniques of different scenes used in both films. I will be focusing on the features of sound effects, dialogue and comparing near same scenes within two different films and the aspects that Edgar Wright was trying to cover. Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz both have fence jumping scenes. In Shaun of the Dead, the scene is opened with Shaun opening the gate quite forcefully along with the rest of his team. Shaun says â€Å"The Winchester’s just over there† and David says in a sarcastic tone, â€Å"Just over there behind the 20 garden fences?† When David is saying the last bit of his sentence the camera pans over the fences in which they have to jump to show audiences what they have to jump over. For example, to show why David is being sarcastic towards Shaun, and why it’s being used in that particular scene, Shaun then says â€Å"What’s the matter, David? Never taken a shortcut before?†, and smirks while turning behind, and tries to jump over the fence but ends up making the fence fall over. He then picks himself back up and subtly tries to make it seem like he didn’t just break the fence. The background noise in this scene is filled with car alarms, house a larms and deep music/sound effects. This creates the effect of a crisis situation, as they are in a zombie apocalypse.Show MoreRelatedCharacter Analysis Of Hot Fuzz933 Words   |  4 Pagesseriously. Comedic films have provided entertainment to the people of the world for years. They are the go-to method form of comic relief and is valued greatly in the world. A great example of this would be the movie, Hot Fuzz. Directed by Edgar Wright and released on March 14, 2007, Hot Fuzz is about a London police officer, Nicholas Angel, who is very good at his job and is â€Å"too good† for London, and is reassigned to a quiet town called, â€Å"Sandford†. In this town, the police force is completely uselessRead MoreAnalysis Of The Film The Flies By F. Scott Fitzgerald1410 Words   |  6 Pagesbeing sent to Sanford. Many lines are repeated 3 times over. This could be in reference to fairytales always using the number 3, since this plot seems far-fetched like a fairytale. How ever, it could also be in reference to the trilogy of films that Wright and Pegg made together. Then, there is the swan symbol. Swans typically symbolize grace, beauty, and peace. In the film, though, the swans symbolize an overbearing distraction. Nicholas is constantly surrounded by them in the hotel he stays at, which

Monday, December 23, 2019

Descartes’, Spinoza’s, and Leibniz’s Response to the...

Since Descartes many philosophers have discussed the problem of interaction between the mind and body. Philosophers have given rise to a variety of different answers to this question all with their own merits and flaws. These answers vary quite a lot. There is the idea of total separation between mind and body, championed by Descartes, which has come to be known as â€Å"Cartesian Dualism†. This, of course, gave rise to one of the many major responses to the mind-body problem which is the exact opposite of dualism; monism. Monism is the idea that mind and body one and the same thing and therefore have no need for interaction. Another major response to the problem is that given by Leibniz, more commonly known as pre-ordained harmony or†¦show more content†¦They exist as substances and according to Descartes they are the only two substances that exist in the universe. His argument for dualism is, â€Å"†¦on the one hand I have a clear and distinct idea of myself, insofar as I am merely a thinking thing and not an extended thing, and because on the other hand I have a distinct idea of a body, insofar as it is merely an extended thing and not a thinking thing†¦(50)†. Descartes says that we exist insofar as we are unextended thinking things and thus can exist without a physical body (50). Furthermore, Descartes reasons that there are certain things that the mind can do that the body cannot do and vice versa (50-51). For instance, Descartes says that the ability to imagine and understand things must exist solely in the mind because there is no available option for the body to understand on its own (51). Much in the same way he reasons that the mind cannot move or change shape and thus must exist in some other substance (51). It is here that we see Descartes’ distinction between mind and body and how they do not exist in the same realm as one another. Descartes also makes the distinction between mind and body by saying the body is divisible at all times and the mind can never be divided (53). That is to say that he thinks that the body can be split up into smaller sections each of which are then considered in their own right, but the mind, however, is always one substance and cannot be divided up into smaller

Sunday, December 15, 2019

The Golden Lily Chapter 19 Free Essays

string(19) " once he was gone\." â€Å"SHE WAS LEAVING TOWN,† I reminded him. â€Å"Not until tomorrow.† He was right, I realized. We will write a custom essay sample on The Golden Lily Chapter 19 or any similar topic only for you Order Now When we’d spoken to Sonya last night, she’d said two days. â€Å"Are you sure she’s really disappeared?† I asked. â€Å"Maybe she’s just†¦ out.† â€Å"Belikov’s here, and he’s freaked out. He says she never came home last night.† I nearly dropped the phone. Last night? Sonya had been gone that long? That was nearly twenty-four hours ago. â€Å"How did no one notice until now?† I demanded. â€Å"I don’t know,† said Adrian. â€Å"Can you just come over? Please, Sydney?† I was powerless when he used my first name. It always took everything to an extra level of seriousness – not that this situation needed any particular help. Sonya. Gone for twenty-four hours. For all we knew, she wasn’t even alive if those sword-wielding freaks had caught her. Brayden’s face was a mix of incredulity and disappointment when I told him I had to leave. â€Å"But you just†¦ I mean†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It was a rare moment of speechlessness for him. â€Å"I’m sorry,† I said earnestly. â€Å"Especially after being late and ruining the museum. But it’s a family emergency.† â€Å"Your family has an awful lot of emergencies.† You have no idea, I thought. Instead of saying that, I simply apologized again. â€Å"I really am sorry. I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I nearly said I’d make it up to him, but that was what I’d said when I left the Halloween dance early. Tonight was supposed to have been the makeup date. â€Å"I’m just sorry.† ADRIAN’S PLACE WAS CLOSE ENOUGH that I could’ve reasonably walked, but Brayden insisted on driving me, since dusk was falling. I had no problem accepting. â€Å"Whoa,† said Brayden, when we pulled up to the building. â€Å"Nice Mustang.† â€Å"Yeah. It’s a 1967 C-code,† I said automatically. â€Å"Great engine. My brother’s. He’s moved it again! I hope he wasn’t out driving anywhere he wasn’t supposed to – whoa. What’s that?† Brayden looked at where I was staring. â€Å"A Jaguar?† â€Å"Obviously.† The sleek, black car was parked just in front of Adrian’s Mustang. â€Å"Where’d it come from?† Brayden had no answer, of course. After more apologies and a promise to get in touch, I left him. There was no pretense of a kiss, not when he was so disappointed in the evening’s outcome and I was too anxious about Sonya. In fact, I forgot all about Brayden as I walked up to the building. I had bigger concerns. â€Å"It’s Clarence’s,† said Adrian, as soon as he answered the door. â€Å"Huh?† I asked. â€Å"The Jag. I figured you’d want to know. He let Belikov drive it over since Sonya left with the rental.† He stepped aside as I entered and shook his head in dismay. â€Å"Can you believe it was locked away in his garage the whole time I lived with him? He said he forgot he owned it! And there I was, stuck with the bus.† I would’ve laughed under almost any other circumstances. But when I saw Dimitri’s face, all humor left me. He was pacing the living room like a trapped animal, radiating frustration and concern. â€Å"I’m an idiot,† he muttered. It was unclear if he was talking to himself or us. â€Å"I didn’t realize she was gone last night, and then I spent half the day thinking she was out gardening!† â€Å"Did you try calling her cell?† I knew it was a foolish question, but I had to begin logically. â€Å"Yes,† Dimitri said. â€Å"No answer. Then I double-checked to make sure her flight hadn’t changed, and then I talked to Mikhail to see if he knew anything. He didn’t. All I succeeded at doing there was making him worry.† â€Å"He should,† I murmured, sitting on the edge of the couch. Nothing good could come of this. We knew the Warriors were obsessed with Sonya, and now she’d disappeared after going out alone. â€Å"I only just found out she came to see you two,† added Dimitri. He stopped pacing and glanced between us. â€Å"Did she say anything at all about where she was going?† â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"Things didn’t exactly†¦ end well between us.† Dimitri nodded. â€Å"Adrian implied the same thing.† I looked up at Adrian and could tell he didn’t want to get into it any more than I did. â€Å"We had an argument,† he admitted. â€Å"She was trying to push Sydney into some experiments, and Sydney refused. I jumped in when Sonya kept pushing, and finally she just took off. Never said anything about where she was going.† Dimitri’s face grew darker. â€Å"So, anything could’ve happened. She could’ve been taken right outside on the street. Or she could have gone somewhere and been abducted there.† Or she could be dead. Dimitri was speaking in terms of her still being alive, but I wasn’t so sure. The hunters who had jumped us in the alley had seemed pretty intent on killing her then and there. If she hadn’t come home last night, the odds seemed good they’d found her then. Twenty-four hours was an awfully long time to keep a â€Å"creature of darkness† alive. Studying Dimitri’s face again, I knew he was well aware of all of this. He was simply operating on the hope that we had a chance to do something, that we weren’t powerless. Resolved, Dimitri strode for the door. â€Å"I have to go talk to the police.† â€Å"Missing person report?† asked Adrian. â€Å"That, and more importantly, to get a search out on that car. If she was taken†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He hesitated, driving home the fear that lurked in all of us. â€Å"Well. If she’s hidden away somewhere, she’s going to be very difficult to locate. But it’s a lot harder to hide a car than one woman. If the police can get its description out there, we might get a clue if it turns up.† He started to open the door and then glanced back at us. â€Å"You’re sure you don’t remember anything else she said that could help?† Adrian and I reiterated that we didn’t. Dimitri left, giving us unnecessary instructions to alert him immediately if we thought of anything or – if by a miracle – Sonya showed up. I groaned once he was gone. You read "The Golden Lily Chapter 19" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"This is my fault,† I said. Adrian looked at me in surprise. â€Å"Why on earth would you say that?† â€Å"Sonya came here – left when she wasn’t supposed to – because of me. Because of my blood. Who knows what would’ve happened if I hadn’t refused? Maybe a few minutes difference, and the hunters wouldn’t have been around. Or maybe if she hadn’t been so upset, she would’ve been able to defend herself more.† A million memories tumbled through my head. Sonya making the lily grow for me. Sonya talking to the queen on Adrian’s behalf. Sonya showing me pictures of bridesmaid dresses. Sonya working diligently to stop Strigoi and redeem herself. All of that could be lost now. â€Å"Maybe, maybe, maybe.† Adrian sat down near me on the couch. â€Å"You can’t think like that, and you sure as hell can’t blame yourself for the actions of some crazy paranoid fringe group.† I knew he was right, but it didn’t make me feel any better. â€Å"I should call the Alchemists. We’ve got ties to law enforcement too.† â€Å"Probably a good idea,† he said, though his words were a little halfhearted. â€Å"I’ve just got a bad feeling about those guys. Even if†¦ well, even if she’s alive, I really don’t know how we’re going to find her. Short of some miraculous, magical solution.† I froze. â€Å"Oh my God.† â€Å"What is it?† he asked, looking at me in concern. â€Å"Did you remember something?† â€Å"Yes†¦ but not what you’re thinking.† I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. No, no, no. The thought in my head was crazy. I had no business even considering it. Dimitri had the right idea. We needed to focus on normal, concrete methods of locating Sonya. â€Å"Sage?† Adrian lightly touched my arm, and I jumped at the feel of his fingertips against my skin. â€Å"You okay?† â€Å"I don’t know,† I said softly. â€Å"I just thought of something crazy.† â€Å"Welcome to my world.† I looked away, conflicted about the decision before me. What I was contemplating†¦ well, some might argue it wasn’t so different than what I’d done before. And yet, it all came down to the fine line between doing something by choice and doing something because I had to. There was no question here. This would be a choice. An exercising of free will. â€Å"Adrian†¦ what if I had a way to find Sonya, but it went against everything I believe in?† He took several moments to answer. â€Å"Do you believe in getting Sonya back? If so, you wouldn’t be going against everything you believe in.† It was odd logic, but it gave me the nudge I needed. I took out my cell phone and dialed a number I almost never called – though I certainly received texts and calls from it all the time. An answer came after two rings. â€Å"Ms. Terwilliger? This is Sydney.† â€Å"Miss Melbourne. What I can do for you?† â€Å"I need to see you. It’s kind of urg – no, no ‘kind of’ about it. It’s urgent. Are you at the school?† â€Å"No. As shocking as it is, I do go home on occasion.† She paused for a moment. â€Å"However†¦ you are certainly welcome to come to my house.† I don’t know why that made me uneasy. After all, I spent plenty of time at Clarence’s. Surely a vampire’s sprawling estate was much worse than a high school teacher’s home. Of course, said teacher was also a witch, so I wasn’t certain if I could expect a boring suburban flat or a house made of candy. I swallowed. â€Å"Do you keep a lot of the same spell books at home that you do at school?† Adrian arched an eyebrow at the word spell. Ms. Terwilliger hesitated for much longer this time. â€Å"Yes,† she said. â€Å"And more.† She gave me her address, and before I could even hang up, Adrian said, â€Å"I’m coming with you.† â€Å"You don’t even know where I’m going.† â€Å"True,† he said. â€Å"But lack of information’s never stopped me before. Besides, I know it has something to do with Sonya, which is good enough for me. That, and you looked scared to death. There’s no way I can let you go alone.† I crossed my arms. â€Å"I’ve faced scarier things, and last I checked, it’s not your place to ‘let’ me do anything.† There was such concern in his face, however, that I knew I wouldn’t be able to refuse†¦ especially since I was kind of scared. â€Å"You have to promise not to tell anyone what we’re going to do. Or talk about what you see.† â€Å"Damn. What’s going on, Sage?† he asked. â€Å"Are we talking animal sacrifice or something?† â€Å"Adrian,† I said quietly. He grew serious again. â€Å"I promise. Not a word, unless you say otherwise.† I didn’t have to study him to know I could trust him. â€Å"Okay, then. But before we go, I need your hairbrush†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Ms. Terwilliger lived in Vista Azul, the same suburb Amberwood was in. To my surprise, the house really did look quite ordinary. It was small but otherwise blended in well to its older neighborhood. The sun had long since set when we arrived, and I was conscious of the school’s approaching curfew. When she let us into her house, I found the interior a bit more in line with what I’d been expecting. Sure, there was a TV and modern furniture, but the decor also featured a lot of candles and statuary of various gods and goddesses. The scent of Nag Champa hung in the air. I counted at least three cats in the first five minutes and didn’t doubt there were more. â€Å"Miss Melbourne, welcome.† Ms. Terwilliger took in Adrian with interest. â€Å"And welcome to your friend.† â€Å"My brother,† I said pointedly. â€Å"Adrian.† Ms. Terwilliger – fully aware of the Moroi world – smiled. â€Å"Yes. Of course. You attend Carlton, correct?† â€Å"Yeah,† said Adrian. â€Å"You’re the one who helped get me in, right? Thanks for that.† â€Å"Well,† said Ms. Terwilliger, with a shrug, â€Å"I’m always happy to help star pupils – especially those who are so diligent about keeping me in coffee. Now then, what’s this urgent matter that brings you out at night?† My eyes were already on a large bookcase in her living room. The shelves were filled with old, leather-bound books – exactly the kind she always made me work on. â€Å"Do you†¦ do you have a spell that would help locate someone?† I asked. Each word caused me pain. â€Å"I mean, I know they’re out there. I’ve come across them in my work a couple of times. But I was wondering if there was maybe one that you’d recommend over another.† Ms. Terwilliger laughed softly, and I looked away. â€Å"Well, well. This is definitely worth a late-night visit.† We were in her dining room, and she pulled out an ornate wooden chair to sit down. One of the cats brushed against her leg. â€Å"There are a number of location spells, certainly – though none are quite at your level. And by your level, I mean your constant refusal to practice or better yourself.† I scowled. â€Å"Is there one that you could do?† She shook her head. â€Å"No. This is your problem. You’re going to do it. You need to.† â€Å"Well, not if it’s beyond me!† I protested. â€Å"Please. This is a matter of life and death.† That, and I didn’t want to taint myself with her magic. Bad enough I was encouraging her at all. â€Å"Rest easy. I wouldn’t make you do it if you couldn’t handle it,† she said. â€Å"To make it work, however, it’s imperative we have something that can connect us to the person we’re looking for. There are spells where that’s not necessary – but those are definitely out of your league.† I produced Adrian’s brush from my purse. â€Å"Something like a strand of hair?† â€Å"Something exactly like that,† she said, clearly impressed. I’d remembered Adrian’s complaint about Sonya using some of his personal items. Although he apparently cleaned the brush regularly (and really, I’d expect nothing less from someone who spent so much time on his hair), there were still a few lingering red strands. Carefully, I plucked the longest one from the bristles and held it up. â€Å"What do I need to do?† I asked. I was trying to be strong, but my hands shook. â€Å"Let’s find out.† She rose and walked into the living room, studying the shelves. Adrian turned to me. â€Å"Is she for real?† He paused and reconsidered. â€Å"Are you for real? Spells? Magic? I mean, don’t get me wrong. I drink blood and control people’s minds. But I’ve never heard of anything like this.† â€Å"Neither had I until a month ago.† I sighed. â€Å"And unfortunately, it is real. Worse, she thinks I have a knack for it. Do you remember at all when one of the Strigoi in your apartment caught on fire?† â€Å"Vaguely, but yeah. It kind of all got brushed aside, and I never thought much about it.† He frowned, troubled by the memory. â€Å"I was out of it from the bite.† â€Å"Well, it wasn’t some freak accident. It was†¦ magic.† I gestured toward Ms. Terwilliger. â€Å"And I made it happen.† His eyes widened. â€Å"Are you some kind of mutant human? Like a fire user? And I use mutant as a compliment, you know. I wouldn’t think less of you.† â€Å"It’s not like vampire magic,† I said. Some part of me supposed I should be pleased that Adrian would still be friendly with a â€Å"mutant.† â€Å"It’s not some internal connection to the elements. According to her, some humans can work magic by pulling it from the world. It sounds crazy, but†¦ well. I did set a Strigoi on fire.† I could see Adrian taking all of this in as Ms. Terwilliger returned to us. She set down a book with a red leather cover and flipped through the pages before finding what she wanted. We all peered at it. â€Å"That’s not English,† said Adrian helpfully. â€Å"It’s just Greek,† I said, skimming the ingredient list. â€Å"It doesn’t seem to require much.† â€Å"That’s because a huge part of it is mental focus,† explained Ms. Terwilliger. â€Å"It’s more complicated than it looks. It’ll take you a few hours at least.† I took in the time on an ornate grandfather clock. â€Å"I don’t have a few hours. Too close to curfew.† â€Å"Easily remedied,† said Ms. Terwilliger. She picked up her cell phone from the table and dialed a number from memory. â€Å"Hello, Desiree? This is Jaclyn. Yes, fine. Thank you. I have Sydney Melrose out here right now, helping me on a very crucial project.† I nearly rolled my eyes. She was perfectly aware of my last name when she needed to be, apparently. â€Å"I’m afraid she might be out past the dorm curfew, and I was wondering if you’d be kind enough to allow an extension. Yes†¦ yes, I know. But it’s very important for my work, and I think we can all agree that with her exemplary record, she’s hardly the type we need to worry about abusing such privileges. She’s certainly one of the most trustworthy students I know.† That got a small smirk from Adrian. Thirty more seconds, and I was free of curfew. â€Å"Who’s Desiree?† I asked, once Ms. Terwilliger hung up. â€Å"Your dorm matron. Weathers.† â€Å"Really?† I thought of stout, motherly Mrs. Weathers. I never would’ve guessed her first name was Desiree. It was the kind of name I would associate with someone sultry and seductive. Maybe she had some scandalous life outside of school we didn’t know about. â€Å"So, do I have an all-night pass?† â€Å"Not sure I’d push it that far,† said Ms. Terwilliger. â€Å"But we certainly have enough time for this spell. I can’t make it for you, but I can help you with the ingredients and supplies.† I tapped the book, forgetting about my fear as I scanned the lengthy list. Details like this put me back in my comfort zone. â€Å"You have all of these?† â€Å"Of course.† Ms. Terwilliger led us down a hall that branched off from the kitchen, where I’d expect to find bedrooms. One room did indeed give us a glimpse of a bed as we walked by, but our eventual destination was something else altogether: a workshop. It was kind of what you’d get if you crossed a wizard’s lair with a mad scientist’s lab. Part of the room had very modern equipment: beakers, a sink, burners, etc. The rest was from a different era, vials of oils and dried herbs, along with scrolls and honest-to-goodness cauldrons. Plants and herbs lined the sill of a dark window. There were two more cats in here, and I was pretty sure they weren’t the same ones I’d seen in the living room. â€Å"It looks chaotic,† said Ms. Terwilliger. â€Å"But I daresay it’s organized enough, even for you.† Upon closer inspection, I saw she was right. All of the plants and little vials were labeled and in alphabetical order. All of the various tools were equally identified, enumerated by size and material. The room’s center was a large, smooth stone table, and I set the book down on it, careful to stay on the page I needed. â€Å"What now?† I asked. â€Å"Now, you construct it,† she said. â€Å"The more of it you do on your own, the stronger your connection will be to the spell. Certainly come and get me if you have trouble with the ingredients or the directions. Otherwise, the more of your focus and concentration that goes into this, the better.† â€Å"Where are you going to be?† I asked, startled. As much as I disliked the thought of working with her in a creepy, arcane lab, I disliked the thought of being alone here even more. She gestured toward where we’d come from. â€Å"Oh, just out there. I’ll entertain your ‘brother’ too since you really do need to do this alone.† My anxiety increased. I’d protested Adrian’s original request to come here, but now I wanted him around. â€Å"Can I at least get some coffee?† She chuckled. â€Å"Normally, I’d say yes – particularly if you were just doing grunt work to build an amulet or potion. Because you’ll be using your mind, the magic will work much better if your thoughts are free and clear of any substances that affect your mental state.† â€Å"Boy, that sounds familiar,† muttered Adrian. â€Å"Okay, then,† I said, resolving to be strong. â€Å"I need to get started. Sonya’s waiting.† Provided she was still alive to wait. Ms. Terwilliger left, telling me to get her when I was on the spell’s last stage. Adrian delayed a moment to speak with me. â€Å"You sure you’re okay with all of this? I mean, from what I know about you and the Alchemists†¦ well, it seems like you’d actually be pretty not-okay with this.† â€Å"I’m not,† I agreed. â€Å"Like I said, this goes against everything I believe – against everything they’ve taught me. Which is why you can’t tell anyone. You heard her passive aggressive remark about me not practicing? She’s been on me for a while now to develop my so-called magical skills, and I keep refusing – because it’s wrong. So, she has me research spell books for my independent study with her, in the hopes of me learning by osmosis.† â€Å"That’s messed up,† he said, shaking his head. â€Å"You don’t have to do this. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.† I gave him a small smile. â€Å"Well, I want to find Sonya. So I do have to do this.† He gave me no smile in return. â€Å"Okay. But I’m just going to be out there – having a tea party with her cats or whatever it is she has in mind. You need me? You yell. You want to leave? We go. I’ll get you out of here, no matter what.† Something clenched in my chest, and for a moment, the whole world narrowed down to the green of his eyes. â€Å"Thank you.† Adrian left, and I was alone. Well, almost. One of the cats had stuck around, a sleek black one with yellow eyes. It was lying on a high shelf, watching me curiously, like it wondered if I could really pull this off. That made two of us. For a moment, I couldn’t move. I was about to willingly work magic. All the protests and arguments I’d given Ms. Terwilliger were like ash in the wind now. I started trembling and felt short of breath. Then, I thought about Sonya. Kind, brave Sonya. She’d devoted so much energy and time to doing the right thing. How could I do any less? As I’d noted to Ms. Terwilliger, the spell was deceptively simple. It didn’t require half as many steps as the fire amulet. I had to keep water simmering in a copper cauldron and add different ingredients to it, most of which were clear oils that had to be measured with exacting care. The air soon grew heavy with the scent of bergamot, vanilla, and heliotrope. Some of the steps had the same ritual redundancy I’d done before. For example, I had to pluck thirteen fresh mint leaves off one of her plants, dropping each leaf in one at a time while counting them off in Greek. Then, when they had simmered for thirteen minutes, I had to remove each one with a rosewood spoon. Before leaving, Ms. Terwilliger had told me to stay focused and think about both the steps of the spell and what I was ultimately hoping to accomplish. So, I turned my thoughts toward Sonya and finding her, praying that she was okay. When I finally finished these initial steps, I saw that almost an hour had gone by. I’d barely noticed it passing. I wiped a hand over my forehead, surprised at how much the steamy room had made me sweat. I went out to find Ms. Terwilliger and Adrian, uncertain what weird activity I’d find going on. Instead, things were pretty ordinary: they were watching TV. Both glanced up at my approach. â€Å"Ready?† she asked. I nodded. â€Å"Smells like tea in here,† said Adrian, as they followed me to the workroom. Ms. Terwilliger examined the small cauldron and nodded her head in approval. â€Å"It looks excellent.† I didn’t know how she could tell at a glance but figured I’d take her word for it. â€Å"Now. The actual scrying involves a silver plate, correct?† She scanned her shelves of dishes and pointed at something. â€Å"There. Use that.† I pulled down a perfectly round plate about twelve inches across. It was smooth, with no ornamentation, and had been polished to such brilliance that it reflected almost as well as a mirror. I probably could’ve done without that part, though, seeing as my hair and makeup were showing the wear and tear of the day. Around anyone else, I would have felt selfconscious. I set the plate on the worktable and poured one cup of water from the cauldron onto the silvery surface. All non-liquid ingredients had been removed, and the water was perfectly clear. Once it stopped rippling, the mirror effect returned. Ms. Terwilliger handed me a tiny bowl of galbanum incense, which the book said should be burning during this last stage. I lit the resin with a candle, and a bitter, green smell wafted up, contrasting with the sweetness of the liquid. â€Å"You still have the hair?† Ms. Terwilliger asked. â€Å"Of course.† I laid it across the water’s smooth surface. Part of me wanted something to happen – sparks or smoke – but I’d read the directions and knew better. I pulled a stool up to the table and sat on it, allowing me to gaze down into the water. â€Å"Now I look?† â€Å"Now you look,† she confirmed. â€Å"Your mind needs to be both focused and spread out. You need to think about the components of the spell and the magic they hold, as well as your desire to find the spell’s subject. At the same time, you need to maintain a perfect clarity of mind and stay fixed on your task with razor sharp focus.† I looked down at my reflection and tried to do all those things she’d just described. Nothing happened. â€Å"I don’t see anything.† â€Å"Of course not,† she said. â€Å"It’s only been a minute. I told you this was an advanced spell. It may take a while for you to fully muster the strength and power you need. Stay on task. We’ll be waiting.† The two of them left. I stared bleakly at the water, wondering how long â€Å"a while† was. I’d been excited when the spell seemed so simple originally. Now, I wished there were more ingredients to mix, more incantations to recite. This high-level magic, relying on will and mental energy, was much more difficult – mainly because it was intangible. I liked the concrete. I liked to know exactly what was needed to make something happen. Cause and effect. But this? This was just me staring and staring, hoping I was â€Å"staying fixed† and using â€Å"razor sharp focus.† How would I know if I was? Even if I achieved that state, it might still take a while to manifest what I needed. I tried not to think of that yet. Sonya. Sonya was all that mattered right now. All of my will and energy had to go into saving her. I kept telling myself that as the minutes ticked by. Each time I was certain I should stop and ask Ms. Terwilliger what to do, I would force myself to keep looking into the water. Sonya, Sonya. Think about Sonya. And still, nothing happened. Finally, when an ache in my back made sitting unbearable, I stood up to stretch. The rest of my muscles were starting to cramp up too. I walked back to the living room; almost an hour and a half had passed since I’d last been out here. â€Å"Anything?† asked Ms. Terwilliger. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"I must be doing something wrong.† â€Å"You’re focusing your mind? Thinking about her? About finding her?† I was really tired of hearing the word focus. Frustration was replacing my earlier anxiety about magic. â€Å"Yes, yes, and yes,† I said. â€Å"But it’s still not working.† She shrugged. â€Å"And that’s why we have a curfew extension. Try again.† Adrian flashed me a sympathetic look and started to say something – but then thought better of it. I nearly left but paused as a troublesome thought nagged at me. â€Å"What if she’s not alive?† I asked. â€Å"Could that be why it’s not working?† Ms. Terwilliger shook her head. â€Å"No. You’d still see something if she wasn’t. And†¦ well, you’d know.† I returned to the workroom and tried again – with similar results. The next time I went to talk to Ms. Terwilliger, I saw that it hadn’t been quite an hour. â€Å"I’m doing something wrong,† I insisted. â€Å"Either that, or I messed up the initial spell. Or this really is beyond me.† â€Å"If I know you, the spell was flawless,† she said. â€Å"And no, this isn’t beyond you, but only you have the power to make it happen.† I was too tired to parse her esoteric philosophy nonsense. I turned without a word and trudged back to the workroom. When I reached it, I discovered I’d been followed. I looked up at Adrian and sighed. â€Å"No distractions, remember?† I said. â€Å"I won’t stay,† he said. â€Å"I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.† â€Å"Yeah†¦ I mean, I don’t know. In as much as anyone can be with all of this.† I nodded toward the silver plate. â€Å"Maybe I do need you to get me out of here.† He considered for a moment and then shook his head. â€Å"I don’t think that’s a good idea.† I stared up at him in disbelief. â€Å"What happened to me not having to do anything I didn’t want to do? And you nobly defending me?† One of his knowing little smiles played over his lips. â€Å"Well. That was back when you didn’t want to do this because it challenged all your beliefs. Now that the line is crossed, your problem seems to be a little pessimism and not believing you can do this. And honestly, that’s bullshit.† â€Å"A little pessimism?† I exclaimed. â€Å"Adrian, I’ve been staring at a bowl of water for over two hours! It’s nearly one thirty. I’m exhausted, I want coffee, and every muscle in my body hurts. Oh, and I’m about ready to throw up from that incense.† â€Å"Those things all suck,† he agreed. â€Å"But I seem to recall you giving all of us lectures recently about enduring hardships to do what’s right. Are you saying you can’t do that to help Sonya?† â€Å"I would do anything to help her! Anything within my power, that is. And I don’t think this is.† â€Å"I don’t know,† he speculated. â€Å"I’ve had a lot of time to talk to Jackie – she lets me call her that, you know – and I’ve learned all about this human magic stuff. There’s a lot you can do with it.† â€Å"It’s wrong,† I grumbled. â€Å"And yet here you are, with the ability to find Sonya.† Adrian hesitated and then, reaching some decision, stepped toward me and rested his hands on my shoulders. â€Å"Jackie told me that you’re one of the most naturally gifted people she’s ever encountered for this kind of stuff. She said that with a little practice, a spell like this’ll be cake for you, and she’s certain you can pull it off now. And I believe her. Not because I have proof you’re magically talented but because I’ve seen how you approach everything else. You won’t fail at this. You don’t fail at anything.† I was so exhausted I thought I might cry. I wanted to fall forward and have him carry me out of here, like he’d promised earlier. â€Å"That’s the problem. I don’t fail, but I’m afraid I will now. I don’t know what it’s like. And it terrifies me.† Especially because Sonya’s life depends on me. Adrian reached out and traced the lily on my cheek. â€Å"You won’t have to find out what it’s like tonight because you aren’t going to fail. You can do this. And I’ll be here with you as long as it takes, okay?† I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. â€Å"Okay.† I returned to my stool after he left and tried to ignore the fatigue in my body and mind. I thought about what he’d said, about how I wouldn’t fail. I thought about his faith in me. And most importantly, I thought about Sonya. I thought about how desperately I wanted to help her. All these things churned within me as I stared at the water, crystal clear except for the hair floating in it. One red line against all that silver. It was like a spark of fire, a spark that grew brighter and brighter in my eyes until it took on a more definite shape, a circle with stylized lines radiating from it. A sun, I realized. Someone had painted an orange sun onto a piece of plywood and hung it on a chain-link fence. Even with the shoddy canvas, the artist had gone to a lot of care in painting the sun, stylizing the rays and making sure the lengths were consistent with each other. The fence itself was ugly and industrial, and I caught sight of what looked like an electrifying box hanging on it. The landscape was brown and barren, but mountains in the distance told me it was still the greater Palm Springs area. This was kind of like the area Wolfe lived in, outside of town and away from the pretty greenery. Through the fence, beyond the sign, I caught sight of a large, sprawli ng building – â€Å"Ow!† The vision vanished as my head hit the floor. I had fallen off the stool. I managed to sit up, but that was all I could do. The world was spinning, and my stomach felt queasy and empty. After what could have been three seconds or three hours, I heard voices and footsteps. Strong arms caught hold of me, and Adrian helped me to my feet. I clung to the table while he picked the stool up and helped me sit back down. Ms. Terwilliger pushed the silver plate aside and replaced it with an ordinary kitchen plate filled with cheese and crackers. A glass of orange juice soon joined it. â€Å"Here,† she said. â€Å"Eat these. You’ll feel better.† I was so disoriented and weak that I didn’t even hesitate. I ate and drank as though I hadn’t eaten in a week while Adrian and Ms. Terwilliger waited patiently. It was only when I’d practically licked the plate clean that I realized what I’d just consumed. â€Å"Havarti and orange juice?† I groaned. â€Å"That’s too much fat and sugar for this time of night.† Adrian scoffed. â€Å"Glad to see there’s no lasting damage.† â€Å"Get used to it if you’re going to be using magic a lot,† said Ms. Terwilliger. â€Å"Spells can deplete you. Not unusual at all to have your blood sugar drop afterward. Orange juice will become your best friend.† â€Å"I’ll never get used to it, seeing as I’m not going to – † I gasped, as the images I’d seen in the silver plate came tumbling back to me. â€Å"Sonya! I think I saw where she’s at.† I described what I’d seen, though none of us had any clue about where or what this place might be. â€Å"You’re sure it was like a regular sun? With rays?† asked Adrian. â€Å"Because I thought the hunters used that old Alchemist one – the circle and dot.† â€Å"They do, but this was definitely – oh God.† I looked up at Adrian. â€Å"We have to get back to Amberwood. Right now.† â€Å"Not after that,† said Ms. Terwilliger. She was using her stern teacher voice. â€Å"That took more from you than I expected. Sleep here, and I’ll make sure everything’s cleared up with Desiree and the school tomorrow.† â€Å"No.† I stood up and felt my legs start to buckle, but in the end, they held. Adrian put a supportive arm around me, clearly not believing in my body’s recovery. â€Å"I have to get back there. I think I know how we can find out where this place is.† Adrian was right that the sun I’d just described wasn’t the design that had been on the sword or brochure. Both of those had used the ancient symbol. The one in my vision was a more modern adaptation – and this wasn’t the first time I’d seen it. The sun in my vision was an exact match for Trey’s tattoo. How to cite The Golden Lily Chapter 19, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Abandoned Medically Fragile Infants Assistance Act of 1995 free essay sample

A study on the New Jersey legislation, Abandoned and Medically Fragile Infants Assistance Act of 1995. This paper examines the New Jersey legislation, Assistance Act of 1995 for abandoned and medically fragile infants, which was designed to curb the continuously increasing numbers of infants who were either abandoned by parents who are simply incapable of providing proper nurturing environment for their child. It explores the possible social reasons for the abandonment. The paper describes grants and provision of services available and foster families and foster care institutes to better utilize them for the benefit of all those medically fragile infants. Table of Contents Review of the Act Purpose of the Act Congress Research Findings Grants for Projects/Services Priority in Provision of Services Case Plan With Respect to Foster Care Administration of Grant Requirements of Application: Grants to provide nurturing home environments family-centered services for medically fragile infants Evaluations, Studies Reports by Secretary Definitions Abandoned Abandonment Dangerous Drugs Natural Family Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Secretary Authorization of Appropriations Recommendations Works Cited On March 16, 1995, In the House of Representatives, Mr. We will write a custom essay sample on Abandoned Medically Fragile Infants: Assistance Act of 1995 or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Payne of New Jersey introduced a bill, which was referred to the Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities. The main motive behind this act was to establish a program that would assist abandoned and medically fragile infants. Consequently; the bill was cited as Abandoned and Medically Fragile Infants Assistance Act of 1995.

Monday, November 25, 2019

In the Skin of a lion Essays

In the Skin of a lion Essays In the Skin of a lion Paper In the Skin of a lion Paper In the novel, In The Skin Of A Lion, by Michael Annotated, Patrick Lewis is put through events and has certain expectations placed on him that greatly affect his perception and his method of handling situations that he Is placed In. Patrick Lewis Is always expected to be compassionate and affectionate towards others no matter what the situation, this leads him making some dramatic decisions in the book. He grew up in a very isolated area which always made him an immigrant towards wherever he went and this alienated him from everyone around him. Lastly, Patrick evolves a relationship with Alice Gull which exposes him to a whole new world. Their relationship changes his perspective towards the people around him and his view of the world. Michael Annotated uses the expectations placed on Patrick, his life In isolation, and his important relationship with Alice to show Patrick s journey of self discovery and the idea of adaptation and change. Michael Annotated starts the book off by introducing and expanding on a very key element towards showing Patriots self discovery and adaptation, his environment. Patrick Lewis Is born and raised In a very Isolated environment which causes him to sake some decisions and learn live lessons In a very distinctive way. From his young years, Patrick is always isolated from the world, He was born into a region which did not appear on a map until 1910, though his family had worked there for twenty years and the land had been homesteaded since 1816. In the school atlas the place is a pale green and nameless. (Annotated 10). This quote clearly states how isolated Patrick is from the world as it was not even recognized on the map. Due to his isolation he Is going to have no knowledge of the outside world causing him to be an immigrant to where ever he goes. The quote: In the way he steps from the dark house and at the doorway of the glowing kitchen says to the empty fields, I am here. Come visit me (Annotated 10) explains that due to a lack of colonization he tries to adapt and begins to call out to the insects for some colonization. Patrick is going to be the type of immigrant that is always going to be looking towards fitting in with other people. His first interaction with the outside world was Clara, his first love. He explores a new world outside his community with a companion. He Is forever hanged and was not going to give It up as he Ignores a chance to riches given to him by Smalls to leave Clara alone but that chance he did not take. He did this to maintain his first connection to the outside social world and to attempt to leave the isolation he grew up in. Furthermore, Patrick Lewis Is expected to be compassionate and kind, him following his expectations helps him meet people that are very Important in his life. Patrick met his first love, Clara, due to his caring personality and he even let her go with her first love due to him love for Clara. Another sign of his compassion was hon.. When he attended a show at the Waterworks and there he watches an actress bang her hand repeatedly on the floor. He then rushes to help the women which turn out to be Alice. His sense of compassion took over as he rushed thinking that the woman was a stranger. Also his realization of compassion was after the show where he began to talk to Alice, Compassion forgives too much, you could forgive the worst aware Why leave the power in his hands. There is more compassion in my desire for truth that your image of compassion (Annotated 123-124). In this conversation teen Alice and Patrick, Patrick realizes the expectation of compassion as being compassionate he gives people a chance to socialize with him. If he had not been compassionate he would not have even tried to mingle with the immigrants, save Aggravating, or even met Alice daughter Hanna. His compassion was plentiful that after Lices death he began to raise Hanna as his own. Above all getting to love and decipher Alice light a very bright light in Patriots life which was taken away after Clara left with Smalls. Alice introduces Patrick to see the world and its people in a different perspective. She began by making him realize his compassion towards others which opened up a lot of important things in Patriots life. Alice also taught Patrick that not all things are set in stone and you have to adapt to ever situation that you are put in. Alice says to Patrick, muff name the enemy and destroy their powers. (Annotated 124), which summarizes Lices dreams or ideals. As after Lices death Patrick goes into depression and then remembers this quote and begins to pursue Lices ideals and her dream in a very dramatic fashion when he attempts to destroy the city, mainly the rich. Therefore, Alice is a vital part of his life and he lives on through the ethics and lessons she has taught him. In conclusion, throughout the book In The Skin Of A Lion, Patrick Lewis expectations and influences help him towards self discovery. Patriots childhood in an isolated area allows him to become more self-sufficient and allows him to appreciate his companions. His compassion and kindness helps him meet important people in his life and further understand himself. Last of all, his relationship with Alice gives him a new perspective on life and teaches him some valuable live lessons.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Good Grocers, Inc Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Good Grocers, Inc - Research Paper Example The settlement may provide a cheaper alternative than court proceedings. August, Mayer & Bixby (2013) are of the assumption that court proceedings may dent the publicity of an organization if the plaintiff presents a believable argument. The organization should seek for an outside court settlement as a public relation strategy (August, Mayer & Bixby, 2013). In this case, Ms. Greene requires to be provided with benefits that are offered to employees who work on a part-time basis. The new demand would require more than the $15 per hour wage. In addition, she will be provided with additional incentives that are not provided with contractors. However, before she can be granted the request, the terms and conditions of her contract should be reviewed. If Ms. Greene knew what her contract entailed, she cannot alter the terms of the product. Emerson (2009) asserts that an employee contract binds their relationship with their employer. They further point out that the terms on a contract can only be changed when it is necessary (Emerson, 2009). In this instance, it is not necessary. The store has enough employees, and Ms. Greene supplements the three days her services are

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The Man Who Was Almost a Man Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

The Man Who Was Almost a Man - Term Paper Example Throughout the story, Dave is seen to be a frustrated young adult since people never took him as a man as he wanted and acquiring a gun was a way of getting power and would demand respect using it even if it would mean killing a man. â€Å"The first movement he made the following morning was to reach under his pillow for the gun; in the gray light of dawn he held it loosely, feeling a sense of power could kill a man with a gun like this (Wright 75).† â€Å"Kill anybody, black or white, and if he were holding his gun in his hand, nobody could run over him; they would respect him (Wright 75).† However, instead of gaining the respect he was demanding, possession of the gun led him into more trouble and ruined his respect greatly. Some of the factors that were making Dave feel less of a man was the fact that his mom was waking him up every morning in order for him to go and work in the plow fields. To make the matter worse, she would go ahead and keep Dave’s money for him for she still felt that Dave was an immature young boy. Moreover, Dave is seen to be uncomfortable with the treatment he was getting at the field, claiming that he was not being respected as a man. All these factors pushed him to purchase a gun, which he bought from the olds man Hawkins’ store (Wright para20-23). However, Dave had to beg his mom like a little baby so as to be given some money to buy the gun, to a point of deceiving her that the gun would be for his father. Finally, the mother gave in on the conditions that Dave would be bring it straight back to her immediately he buys it as well as ensure that he return it to her every night before going to bed. A critical analysis of this story shows a complete failure by Dave to make himself recognized by the society as a man. A man is a male individual who possess qualities like strength, courage, fortitude and most importantly honor or respect among other

Monday, November 18, 2019

Business forecasting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business forecasting - Essay Example Budgets do not simply indicate the upcoming period’s expenses and revenues, as competition in the market place increase, companies have recognized the need to accurately predict their future operations’ outcomes and the related resource requirements. Budgeting involves use of forecasting techniques, it is an organization-wide process and is central in strategic planning. Effectiveness of the budgeting process depend on the accuracy of forecasts, reliability, simplicity, and cost effectiveness, this accuracy can be enhanced by use of various techniques, using more than one method of forecasting, and obtaining enough and more accurate data (Rasmussen 2003, p. 113). Where budget forecasts fall far from actual outcomes for the period, it is likely that poor decisions on future projections are made and management may end up lacking trust in budgets made while the whole organization may suffer poor planning. Poor budgeting forecasts results from poor budgeting tools lack of s taff training on forecasting techniques, too little time allocated in making correct projections. Correct budget forecasts makes financial planning and execution of operating activities like staffing, inventory management, marketing plans, and performance easier. Budget forecasting is used in making different types of budgets including purchase of raw materials, inventory levels, adjusting incentive plans and staffing levels. Budget forecasting is central in project planning and costing, financial outlays and staff.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Strategic Business Planning Management And Decision Making

Strategic Business Planning Management And Decision Making The term strategy has found a limited definition arising, principally, from military origins. This definition has been expanded into the business context where many authors have argued strategy in terms of quantitative and qualitative processes. However, it continues to defy a singular, definitive definition. In order to understand strategy, we must look beyond its military antecedents and identify strategy as a life process. Different possible definitions of strategy are: Strategy is the direction and scope of an organisation over the long term, which achieves the advantage in the changing environment through its configuration of resources and competences with the aim of fulfilling stakeholder expectations. Strategies are developed in order to achieve the goals and objectives of the organisation. Aconsistency of direction based on a clear understanding of the game being played and an acute awareness of how to manoeuvre into a position of advantage. Strategy is not just a notion of how to deal with an enemy or set of competitors or a market. It draws us into some of the most fundamental issues about organizations as instruments for collective perception and action. Scope and nature of strategic business management and planning: Scope and nature of strategic business management and planning is a widespread topic and it is hard to list down every aspect of it. I am using JSW model to describe some of the key aspects of strategic business management and planning: The organisations long termdirection: no specific timescale is envisaged but one should think in terms in excess of one year and more probably of several years. The scope of an organisations activities: This will include both the overall roles and purposes the organisation accepts for itself and the activities it undertakes in pursuit of them. For commercial organisations and for many not for profit organisations too, strategic planning will be about gaining some kind of advantage in competition. Strategic decisions are affected by the values and expectationsof organisations stakeholders. Stakeholders are people who have a legitimate interest in what the organisation does. Characteristics of strategic business management and planning: Using JSW model as an reference, some of the key characteristics of strategic business management and planning are: Decisions about the strategic planning are likely to be complexsince there are likely to be a number of significant factors to take in to consideration and a variety of possible outcomes to balance against one another. There is likely to be a high degree of uncertaintysurrounding strategic planning, both about the precise nature of current circumstances and about the likely consequences of any course of action. Strategic planning and management have extensive impact on operational decision making, that is, planning and decision at lower levels in the organisation. Strategic planning affects the whole organisation and requires processes that cross operational and functional boundaries within it. An integrated approachis therefore required. Strategic planning and management are likely to lead to changewithin the organisation as resource capacity is adjusted to permit new courses of action. Changes with implications for organisational cultureare particularly complex and difficult to manage. Key strategies of British Airways are: Be the airline of primary choice for long haul premium customers: So people will want to fly with us at any time they can. We will carry on to come up with great stuff such as the new business class seat on long haul and a restyled First cabin. Deliver a incomparable service for customers at every touch point: By training crew, on the ground and in the sky, in world-class warmth and customer service. Customers can check-in from their mobiles or PDAs. Grow our survival in key global cities around the world: To render the best global connectivity for our customers. In addition toour new long haul service from London City to New York JFK, our network depth will strengthen with more flights to Dubai and Johannesburg and a return to Saudi Arabia. Build on our leading stance in London: The worlds biggest aviation market. Ensuring Heathrow remains a world classhub is vital to give us a powerful London base to cater the largest international long haul markets. We will obtain new slots, support plans for athird runway and work with BAA to improve baggage and terminal conveniencesat Heathrow. Meet our customers needs and improve profit margins through new revenue streams: By coming up with profitable supplementary services that offer customers great value and re-enforce our brand. Our aspire is to grow our mileage business and further revenues from third-party engineering, in-flight sales and a new online retail website. On ba.com we have now launched a variety of great value hotel and car hire options packaged with our flights. The decisions we are taking now will establish how strongly we materialize from the downturn. The airline industry is in a period of unprecedented change and we have developed a clear strategy for our business. In order to become the principal global premium airline, we necessitate to look at the way we work as well as what we are doing as a business. For that rationale, along with our five key strategies, we have launched a three-year change programme Compete 2012 correlated to our sponsorship of the London 2012 Olympics. This programme is being progressively rolled out across our business to revive our culture and will reform the way we work. Need of strategy in global environment: Todays environment is very much dynamic. Organisations are in a constant exercise of realigning themselves to the needs of the environment. Defined and thorough strategy plays a vital part here. Especially for a globally operating organisation like BA, it could be a matter of success or failure. Managers must be aware that markets, supplies, investors, locations, partners, and competitors can be everywhere. Successful businesses will take advantage of opportunities wherever they are and will be prepared for downfalls. International strategy is the continuous and comprehensive management technique designed to help companies operate and compete effectively across national restrictions, For example, some companies form partnerships with companies in other countries, others acquire companies in other countries, others still develop products, services, and marketing campaigns designed to appeal to customers in other countries. Some rudimentary aspects of international strategies mirror do mestic strategies in that companies must determine what products or services to sell, where and how to sell them, where and how they will produce or provide them, and how they will compete with other companies in the industry in accordance with company goals. Generally, a Company develops its international strategy by considering its overall strategy, which includes its operations at home and abroad. We can consider four aspects of strategy: (1) scope of operations, (2) resource allocation, (3) competitive advantage, and (4) synergy. Besides the fact that well defined strategic business management and planning processes bring structure, control and consistency to the overall decision making of the organisation but we (the company) should also consider that the formal decision making model discussed above may distract managers attention from controlling actual process as making strategic plans is not the same thing as managing the process. A split may also develop between the people responsible for planning and those responsible for implementation. Particularly in large organisation like ours (BA) the planning system may be too complex and extensive for even quite senior managers to understand the way it works. Over-formal planning systems and over-rigid control can hamper innovative thinking. As the national and international environment is always in a constant move so one can say that there is no one best planning and management model. Now a days the environmental factors and most importantly the customer are in a greater power than before that influences the overall structure, strategy, planning and management processes of the organisation. Prescriptive and Emergent (Mintzberg) strategies: In real world, 100% intended or prescriptive strategies does not get realised. Some intended strategies fail as predicted environment keeps changing. Emergent strategies arise in response to unexpected changes in the environment and may be better than intended strategies. Hence, organisations should keep some room for emergent strategies alongside the formal process i.e. Rational model. Following diagram is a snapshot of how a mix of prescriptive and emergent strategies get realised in the practical world: Different levels of strategy and their relationship with each other: (Hofer and Schender) Strategic business management and planning can be formulated on three different levels: Corporate level. Tactical or business level. Operational level. Corporate level strategy makers analyze the common needs of business units and add impact to the whole system in addition to individual development of participating business units. Issues with reference to the introduction of new products or growth into new markets or segments are all a part of this strategic level. Corporate level strategy forms the stem of the strategic decision tree and the management has to be wholly responsive of its implications as well as the sensitivity of all succeeding strategies, no matter at what level. It is of prime substance that corporate level strategy is entirely associated by and large with the vision of the business and the values and prospect of stakeholders. Business or tactical level strategies are in essence position strategies whereby businesses safe for themselves uniqueness and spot in the market. The endeavour here is to augment the business value for the corporate and stakeholders by increasing the brand understanding and value professed by the customers. The third level of strategy is the operational level which chiefly is concerned with successfully implementing the tactical decisions prepared at Corporate and business unit level through optimal consumption of resources and competencies of the business unit. A methodical understanding of the three levels of strategy makes their strong co-dependence and non-hierarchical nature obvious. All strategies have to be in absolute harmonization with each other since the accomplishment of one is inseparably related to the other. So as a substitute of being in a top-down order, the inter-connecting can be visualized as a triangle with the three corners indicating the three levels. Visions, missions and objectives: The two organisations which are to be contrasted and compared are British Airways (for Profit) and Oxfam (Not for Profit). Vision: Vision means the category of intentions which are broad, all-intrusive and forward-thinking. The corporate success is reliant on the vision set by the top management. A vision is the image that a business must have of its objectives before it sets out to reach them. It describes ambitions for the future, without specifying the means that will be used to achieve those desired ends. Vision of British Air : The Vision focuses on employees and customers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.it emphasizes BAs desire to be the worlds global airline. Vision of Oxfam UK : Oxfams vision is that diverse communities of people living in poverty will exercise their rights to a decent and secure standard of living in developed society. Mission : A mission statement is an organizations vision converted into written form. It makes tangible the managements view of the direction and purpose of the organization. Mission of British Airways : To be the undisputed leader in world travel for the next millennium. Mission of Oxfam : The main areas of Oxfam mission focus are poverty alleviation, action against violence, making people exercise their rights, removing gender inequality and preventing and reducing environment damage. Objectives : Objectives give the organization a clearly defined target. Planning can then be made thereafter to achieve these targets. This is helpful in motivating the employees. It also allows the business to measure the progress towards to its stated aims. Objectives of British Airways : The main objectives of British Air revolve around the following key areas: Employee satisfaction and retention Customer Satisfaction Being more effective as an international carrier as compared to other airlines. Making efficient use of resources. Using methods that are environmentally friendly. Making the airline more competitive in terms of fares while at the same time focusing on profitability. Objectives of Oxfam : The main objectives of Oxfam address the following: Creating programs for people to make them exercise their rights. Taking measures to reduce environmental damage. Creating awareness among women and thus working towards gender equality. Taking practical measures against the use of violence. Methodology for creating Vision, Mission and Objectives: The methodology used would be: Vision: Based on the views of the management to create a certain image of the airline in the long-term and how the founding members/key stakeholders want to see the organization in future. Mission: It will be based on the vision and the methodology used will depend on the need for to stand out amongst the airline industry. Objective: The Objectives will be decided comparing the performance of other airlines and the key steps / indicators required to translate the vision in to tangible results. Methodology for creating Vision, Mission and Objectives: Vision: This will be decided according to the core principles on which a charity like Oxfam is founded. The factors considered would be the environment in which the charity operates and the people affected by its activities. Mission: This area is decided according to the aims of the key stakeholders and the different areas on which Oxfam focuses including poverty reduction, disaster relief and development projects around the world. Objective: The objectives will be set for the short or long term and the performance measures for the charity taking into consideration the main areas of operations as well as the likely hurdles in attaining a particular goal. Strategic business management and planning method: Strategic Business Management and Planning Method of the organization : One of the main methods used is the SWOT Analysis and the PEST analysis. It takes into account the likely impact of the steps taken by British Air to meet its objectives taking into account the competitors as well as the global conditions existent in the world of travel and transport. This will focus on the main areas which can have a direct impact on the running of the airline including the fuel prices , customer satisfaction, competitor fares etc. Strategic Business Management and Planning Method of the organization : The methods used for a non-profit like Oxfam would be different as they will focus on key achievement areas in its global relief and humanitarian efforts rather than profitability. A key method might be the Value for Money (VFM) process. The likely areas taken into account during these methods might include the amount of donations received, the number of people served and the effectiveness of the work undertaken by Oxfam. The influence of corporate governance and regulations: Influence of Corporate Governance and Regulations: British airways has to take into account different areas of corporate governance including the performance of the board and the regulation concerning the executive pay, the roles and duties of chairman and the chief executive , regulation concerning the functioning of board committees, shareholder accountability , environmental regulation. Influence of Corporate Governance and Regulations: Oxfams corporate governance procedures will take into account the requirement for directors and trustees and adhering to a code of conduct(based on the Nolan Committee Principles of Standards in Public Life),also looking into possible conflicts of interests . The specifications of the memorandum of association and the key charitable aims of the charity. Relevance of visions, missions and objectives: Many organisations never explore their reasons for being in business. They are so involved in day-to-day actions they fail to see the bigger picture. So what is the significance of having an articulated Vision, Mission and Objectives? It starts with establishing your core values. Core values are things that drive an organisation. They are the driving force of an organisation. They are fixed and do not change over time. Once the core values are established, the next step is the Vision, a long-term goal. It can be something minute or something that is huge. The Mission flows from an organisations Vision. A Mission is important because it embraces the commitment of an organisation to staff, customers, and the community at large. It may define the company ethos, core beliefs of the owners, service levels, quality, excellence, training and commitment. Setting objectives is the stage that comes next in the process. It is important because it shows how an organisation delivers on the promises made by its Mission. If there is clarity in both the Vision and Mission, it is easy to decide on the objectives. Objectives can be set for each key area of the business along with a time-line for completion. Objectives may be corporate, product, market, sales, financial, operations, or staff related or any combination of these.As can be seen, this is a trickle down system with higher level aspirations that flow down to every level of the business and become the glue that holds everything together. The benefits of having a vision, mission and objectives are clear and unambiguous. Every step that an organisation takes is in pursuit of its articulated end game.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

My Philosophy of Education Essay -- Philosophy of Education Statement

My Philosophy of Education All children can learn. This has been a philosophy of mine ever since I won a contest in fourth grade. All fourth graders were asked to submit a saying a that was going to be put on our school flag. To my surprise, I won and that was what made me realize just how true that statement is. However, that philosophy can be broken up into five components. The first being the purpose of education. Second, the nature of knowledge. Third, the nature of the student. Next, the method used in teaching. Last, but of course not least, the curriculum that is taught in schools. I feel the purpose of education is to create a better person as well as a better society. In today’s society, people need an education more than ever. If a person has an education , they will have better job security which means they will not be as likely to lose their job to technology. Technology gets better by the day. Jobs that required manual work fifteen years ago are now being done by computers or machines. Car factory assembly lines is a good example because the machines can now put the parts together. Another good example is in libraries, when people used to check out books they would have to fill out a card and write down all kinds of book information. Now however, the librarians simply scan the book. I do not know, nor do I want to know how it would feel to have a nonliving â€Å"thing† take your job. This could cause a person to have some serious mental downfalls which brings me to Rousseau. I agree with him when he said people should be able to ma ke their decision and have the right to choose to be good, physically fit, and happy. These three things are so important when it comes to bettering a person. The nat... ... After graduation, I hope to get a job that will give me the opportunity to make these ideas reality. I know that after a few years of teaching I will make a lot of changes as well as adjustments. Seeing the varieties of teaching styles through my co-workers will give me different ideas on teaching. I eventually would like to be able to join groups of with other teachers and professionals that will allow me to learn more about teaching. Well, there you have it. My philosophy of education. I am aware that there are many ways of teaching and I am going to be very open minded about other teachers philosophies and not criticize them. The variety of people is what makes the world go ‘round and that is why all teachers have a different way of teaching. However, I feel that the importance of these five components need to be stressed throughout all classrooms. My Philosophy of Education Essay -- Philosophy of Education Statement My Philosophy of Education All children can learn. This has been a philosophy of mine ever since I won a contest in fourth grade. All fourth graders were asked to submit a saying a that was going to be put on our school flag. To my surprise, I won and that was what made me realize just how true that statement is. However, that philosophy can be broken up into five components. The first being the purpose of education. Second, the nature of knowledge. Third, the nature of the student. Next, the method used in teaching. Last, but of course not least, the curriculum that is taught in schools. I feel the purpose of education is to create a better person as well as a better society. In today’s society, people need an education more than ever. If a person has an education , they will have better job security which means they will not be as likely to lose their job to technology. Technology gets better by the day. Jobs that required manual work fifteen years ago are now being done by computers or machines. Car factory assembly lines is a good example because the machines can now put the parts together. Another good example is in libraries, when people used to check out books they would have to fill out a card and write down all kinds of book information. Now however, the librarians simply scan the book. I do not know, nor do I want to know how it would feel to have a nonliving â€Å"thing† take your job. This could cause a person to have some serious mental downfalls which brings me to Rousseau. I agree with him when he said people should be able to ma ke their decision and have the right to choose to be good, physically fit, and happy. These three things are so important when it comes to bettering a person. The nat... ... After graduation, I hope to get a job that will give me the opportunity to make these ideas reality. I know that after a few years of teaching I will make a lot of changes as well as adjustments. Seeing the varieties of teaching styles through my co-workers will give me different ideas on teaching. I eventually would like to be able to join groups of with other teachers and professionals that will allow me to learn more about teaching. Well, there you have it. My philosophy of education. I am aware that there are many ways of teaching and I am going to be very open minded about other teachers philosophies and not criticize them. The variety of people is what makes the world go ‘round and that is why all teachers have a different way of teaching. However, I feel that the importance of these five components need to be stressed throughout all classrooms.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Wal-Mart and Nordstrom

Wal-Mart and Nordstrom are well known companies and established brands listed on Fortune 500 list. Wal-Mart caters almost all needs of its customers from grocery to clothing while Nordstrom operates in fashion retainging industry. It keeps collection of more than 500 brands in its store. Wal-Mart Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in America. These discount stores became part of American’s life in 1960s. At present it is operating in 15 countries, it employs more than 1.8 million associates worldwide. The number of stores is nearly 6,500 stores and serves more than 176 million customers per week. The â€Å"most admired retailer† according to FORTUNE magazine has just completed one of the best years in its history: Wal-Mart generated more than $312.4 billion in global revenue in the fiscal year ended January 31, 2006, establishing a new record and an increase of 9.5 percent. The company earned almost $11.2 billion in net income in fiscal 2005.[1] Wal-Mart has gone through considerable changes through the year 2003-04. Wal-Mart had increased its advertising budget by $434 million between 2003 and 2004. The mission of Wal-Mart has been to provide good jobs, good works, and citizens and do good investments in 2004. The vision of Wal-Mart has always been to provide customer each and every product at the lowest price. Wal-Mart focused on cost cutting by its strategy on the merchandise mix and various operations. It utilized its database for consumer and requirement analysis. This helped it to understand the demand pattern of various products and helped in inventory management to make products available when customer wanted it most. The marketing activities revolve around the equation People+ Price+ Product=Value. Company’s promotional strategies are not limited to a particular source. Company has utilized all the traditional and modern channels to reach its customer with its best offers. Wal-Mart adopts simple price promotion strategy in all its strategies. Its website is colorful attractive and displays various products and offers in each of its web page. Wal-Mart uses billboards and signboards which are placed at the public places and the places with high visibilities. The pamphlets and print materials are used for both in side the store promotion as well as outside the stores. Nordstrom Its one of the largest fashion retail stores in US. Its annual revenue is $7,722.9 million. It is ranked 8th in the general merchandiser group of fortune 500 companies. â€Å"Today, Nordstrom has grown from one downtown Seattle shoe store into a nationwide fashion specialty chain with renowned services, generous size ranges and a selection of the finest apparel, shoes and accessories for the entire family. The company's philosophy has remained unchanged for more than 100 years since its establishment by John W. Nordstrom in 1901: offer the customer the best possible service, selection, quality and value.† This claims to provide branded clothes in the best minimum prizes. It adopts various promotional strategies for the promotion of its store. These strategies include electronic medium such as internet and computers, events and programs and printed materials. Events like designer clothes events, in store beauty events, sales events and many others. The web presence of the Nordstrom’s website is elegant. It also works as a platform for the promotional strategies. Currently $ 5 shipping campaign is going on this website.   Its webpage has various attractive pictures creating interest about the products as well as self promotion of the company. It has its own e-catalogue which list all its product and accessories for the information and shopping purpose. Each of the company uses almost all kind of promotional tools to reach their target consumers and other stake holders. The use of web pages in both the cases has been different with similar objective of attracting consumer and selling. However the e-catalogue of Nordstrom and images used in the website is more urban and attractive. Wal-mart tries to attract mass and it is evident from its website presentation. Nordstrom conducts various events as one of its most important promotional strategies. Reference: Kotler, Philip, Marketing Management, Prentice-Hall Inc. New Jersy, 10th Edition, 2000 Nankani, Economic Growth in the 1990s: Learning from a Decade of Reform retrieved on 22 January 2007   from http://www1.worldbank.org/prem/lessons1990s/chaps/01-Ch01.pdf Serres, Chris Target vs. Wal-Mart, Is Target Corporation Any Better for Workers? May 22nd, 2005 retrieved on 22 January 2007     from http://www.reclaimdemocracy.org/walmart/2005/target_better.php http://investors.target.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=65828;p=irol-newsArticle;ID=233786;highlight=accessed on 22 January 2007 http://www.sathguru.com/Note_on_Retail_Industry.pdf accessed on 22 January 2007 http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/snapshots/957.html accessed on 22 January 2007 http://about.nordstrom.com/aboutus/companyhist/companyhist.asp accessed on 22 January 2007 [1] http://walmartstores.com/GlobalWMStoresWeb/navigate.do?catg=5

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Evil Hour in Columbia by Forrest Hylton Essay

Forrest Hylton in his book Evil Hour in Columbia, describes the historical background of Columbia in the context of the re installation of Alvaro Uribe as the president. He emphasizes how the current government has a nexus with the drug cartel. How the current government uses systematic displacement, murder and terror to further the interest of the drug interest group and capitalists interest. When Alvaro Uribe Velez became the president of Columbia on 7th August, 2002, the outlaws became powerful. Uribe’s father has suddenly found wealth, power and influence in the mid 1970s as a political broker. Uribe Sierra was connected to the influential family that joined the upwardly mobile contrabandists to form the infamous Medellin cartel. When he attended a meeting of the drug cartel at Napoles, he was removed from the post as a mayor of Medellin. When his father died in 1983 and left behind a huge debt Alvaro Uribe took charge. As the governor of Antioquia, between 1995 and 1996, formed close alliances with Pedro Juan Moreno Villa, the main importer of potassium permanganate a chemical important for the manufacture of cocaine. Forrest Hylton explores the conflicts that are currently harming Colombian lives, property, communities and region. Hylton shows a sense of hurry, a rush to convey how control, property and power have been appropriated by a few powerful persons who have used the weapons of terror, subjugation and financial depredation to maintain their position. Forrest Hylton systematically builds the case against Alvaro Uribe. He traces Uribe’s record as the governor of Antioquia. He is reputed to have supported the anti-guerilla militias who rendered homeless 200,000 peasants. In the banana export enclaves there was a spate of murders when he became the governor. The author’s plea reaches desperation when Alvaro is elected for the second term on May 28, 2006. The author is hurt by the jubilation of the US state and other allies at the election of Uribe. He feels an urgency to convey his apprehensions to the reader. It seems that Hylton is perturbed by the re election of Uribe because of the negative impact on the society and economy of Colombia. Hylton’s plea is well intentioned. He does not want the social struggles to continue, he does not want a state that supports the narcotic carte, he does not want to support the amalgam of the government and illegal perpetrators or crime nor does he want the exploitation of the majority of the people of Colombia. He is making a plea for an end to the exclusionary social fabric that is supported by the capitalist countries. Â  One of the reasons why Hylton makes a plea is that Colombia is a country where normal forms of confrontation and struggle are difficult. Trade unionism is perilous; in 2006 alone there were 70 deaths of trade unionists. A large number of workers who show opposition are killed. The killings of the worker leaders have been engineered by military and paramilitary forces. Capitalist’s interests are held culpable for dispossessing the Colombians of their land and property (Hylton 35). The modus operandi is to displace people from mining regions and appropriate their property. According to Hylton the effect of this domination on the economy is disastrous. Sixty four percent of the population lives below poverty line. A large proportion of the population cannot afford food, health requirements of the population are not met and employment is scarce. Health care and education is available only to the elite. On the other hand the US government depreciates the Columbian society for having a ‘tendency towards violence’. Hylton feels that such explanations are unjust as neither history supports such explanations nor does the behavior of people in neighboring countries give credence to these claims. The Columbian model Hylton feels has been adapted in Iraq and Afghanistan and may be adapted in different countries that use counter terrorism. Hylton chronicles his account from 1848 when there was popular political system and Colombia was one of the leading Atlantic democracies. He describes in great detail the century and half since then and the downturn from that point and the resistance against the negative forces. His book is a plea for a socially mindful political system, a documentation of the futile attempts to do so and the growth of officially backed narcotics alliance and its ‘paramilitaries’. Hylton is trying to draw the attention of the world on the brutal acts of repressions, the wasting of the Columbian agricultural system and the proliferation of coca for the production of cocaine. To sum, Hylton in his book Evil Hour in Columbia points out the social and economic frustration of Columbia with the election of Uribe. He feels that this will perpetrate a regime that is backed by and controlled by the drug lobby on one hand and the capitalists on the other hand. He points out that Uribe has a despicable past. In the past his government has caused displacement of peasants and murders. His installation as the president causes apprehension that Columbia is doomed to another period of exploitation, deprivation and poverty. Reference: Hylton, Forrest, Evil Hour in Colombia, Verso London and New York, 2006.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Wemmicks character analysis Essays

Wemmicks character analysis Essays Wemmicks character analysis Paper Wemmicks character analysis Paper Wemmick is a clerk at Mr. Jaggers office. In this book, we get introduced to Wemmick during the second stage of pips life, in page 157. Wemmick is a very important character in the story as he greatly helps the protagonist, pip after he goes to London. He is the person who gives pip the money allotted to him by his benefactor, whenever required and furnishes him with his basic needs. Interestingly Wemmick has two different distinct personalities. One surfaces when he is at his work place and the other when he is back at home. Wemmic himself tells pip about this in page 192. He says, The office is one thing and private life is another. When I go into the office, I leave the Castle behind me, and when I come into the Castle, I leave the office behind me. At his work place we come across Wemmick as being very stern and unruffled. This characteristic in him can be seen in page 157, pip says, We found a new set of people lingering out side, but Wemmick made a way among them by saying coolly yet decisively, I tell you all, its no use; he (Mr. Jaggers) wont have a word to say to one of you and we soon got clear of them and went on side by side. In the page 157 again, pip describes Wemmick, while at work as a, dry man, rather short in stature, whose expression seemed to have been imperfectly chipped out with a dull edged chisel. Wemmick never seems to be bothered by the common din and the chaos around his workplace. He had an exceptionally calm disposition. This characteristic in him can be observed in page 158 where pip says, he wore his hat on the back of his head, and looked straight before him: walking in a self-contained way as if there were nothing in the streets to claim his attention. His mouth was such a post office of a mouth that he had a mechanical appearance of smiling. We had got to the top of Holborn Hill before I knew that it was merely a mechanical appearance and that he was not smiling at all. While this was the sterner, more coarse nature of Wemmick, back at home, he was much more concerned about various things and was very friendly. Wemmicks caring and concerned characteristic can be seen in page 238. Talking about his father he tells pip, He is in wonderful feather. Hell be 82 next birthday. I have a notion of firing eighty-two times, if the neighbourhood shouldnt complain and that cannon of mine should prove equal to the pressure. This also goes to show how much he loved his father. Wemmicks friendly nature surfaces when he at his home. This can be witnessed in page 192 where pip recalls, The interval between that time and supper, Wemmick devoted to showing me his collection of curiosities. And in page 193 he says, wemmick was up early in the morning, and I am afraid I heard him cleaning my boots. After that he fell to gardening and I saw him from my gothic window pretending to employ the Aged and nodding at him in the most devoted manner. Our breakfast was as good as supper and at half past 8 precisely we started for Little Britain. By degrees, Wemmick got dryer and harder as we went along, and his mouth tightened into a post office again. At last we got to his place of business and he pulled out his key from his coat collar, he looked as unconscious of his Walworth property as if the Castle and the drawbridge and the arbor and the lake and the fountain and the Aged had all been blown into space together by the last discharge of the Stinger. Wemmick cared a lot for pip. Eventually he becomes a good friend and adviser to Pip. His importance in the story is truly realized in page 334, where he saves Pips life by sending him a note cautioning him not to go home.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Atmosphere of Mystery and Suspense Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Atmosphere of Mystery and Suspense - Essay Example Focusing on films that we have covered this semester, namely, The Birds by Alfred Hitchcock,   The Birth of Nation by David Wark Griffings,   The Night of the Hunter by Charles Laughton, Sunset Boulevard by Billy Wilder, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari by Robert Wiene, Rear Window by Alfred Hitchcock, Grand Illusion by Jean Renoir, Ossessione by Luchino Visconti, The Battleship Potemkin by Sergei Eisenstein, The White Ribbon by Michael Haneke, The Song of the South by Wilfred Jackson and Harve Foster and Sunrise by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau there is a usual similarity to be observed. All the films are not set in the current modern setting, so one has to consider the fact that directors by then had serious challenges to technical skills and machine support. Nevertheless, one respects their works and seek to know how they accomplished their goals. For any successful film quality of Choice of characters, choice and quality of sound, camera angles and movement should not be compromised. T his is based on the fact that camera angles and sound system show the actual objective of the film, its meaning and significance. The actual setting and the actual nature of the characters is also evident in the film. It is also through these three factors we understand the emotions of the authors and the intentions of the director. Though the study did not exhibit modern technology in their development, the directors did beat the midnight oil to use techniques such as soundtrack system to explain their intentions. The sound is often measured in decibels. These are units which can be detected by a human ear when changed. Therefore, the composition of all of these factors determines the quality of the film. This paper shows an analysis of the films that exist in the society. Any director worth their professional standards understands the importance of settings in film development. This is based on the fact that the setting outline the plot and other vital aspect developed into a movi e. For instance, in the film, â€Å"The Birth of a Nation (1915),† showcase the reconstruction era in America. An individual is able to understand how time setting influences the development. The strategic use of camera and sound explain the plot development. This is evident through the use of cameras looking down Sherman’s March. It is significant to explain the use of camera angles and placement since it opens the audience's mind. It also creates a level of suspense through political happenings. That is why we also view the director’s choice of sound that has the VHS and DVD formats to maintain the quality of sound. The film explains the occurrence of the American civil war primarily by the Ku Klux Klan gang. It also evaluates the effects of the death of Cameron’s brother in the war. During the painful experience, uses the direction of camera angles set strategically to capture the anguish and pain of Ben Cameroon when he receives news about his hanging . On the other hand, sound cements the director's objectives as strange mysterious sound can be heard when Ben is suffering the realization that his other family members had actually died in the war. The setting of the film actually explains that the outcome of events for instance crime punishable by murder through hanging was common in those times. The film La Grand Illusion (1937), focuses on the fate of a small group of French Soldiers after the outcome of the war. The characters were prisoners of war and were plotting an escape. The timing is during the middle of the world war II when a castle build in Western France appear in the film.        

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Issac Newton Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Issac Newton - Research Paper Example There are, however, many facets to this man’s life, other than being a scientist, that are worthy to know. Perhaps that is what truly causes mankind to label an individual the â€Å"greatest.† Possessing not only scientific prowess but also religious and philosophical ponderings, Newton is still a focus of conversation in academic and theological circles nearly 300 years after his death. While people will certainly argue that Sir Isaac Newton should not be considered the â€Å"greatest,† the author of this paper will argue that he is certainly worthy of that title based on the magnitude of his scientific discoveries and the depth of his wisdom and thinking. Sir Isaac Newton, from England, made his mark on the areas of physics, mathematics, astronomy, natural philosophy, alchemy, and theology. That is quite an impressive resume to say the least. One interesting item to note when comparing Newton to other â€Å"geniuses† of the modern era is the fact that he really did not demonstrate his phenomenal abilities until after adolescence. In fact, he lived a rather normal and dull academic life through primary and secondary school. It was not until his time at Trinity College, beginning in 1661, that he began to really excel and get noticed. During this time period, academic life was dominated by the teachings of Aristotle, Descartes, Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler. Being somewhat of a loner, Newton spent much of his waking hours devouring the teachings of these great men. This is likely when he developed such a broad academic interest. It is amazing to consider all of the various fields previously mentioned that Newton ended up excelling in. Of course, he did not just excel in them; he ended up altering and changing the face of each of these disciplines, as we know them. It was during his time at Trinity that Newton discovered the binomial theorem in mathematics. He then, during these brief four years of undergraduate work, began to devel op infinitesimal calculus. Even with these major accomplishments, amazingly he still graduated relatively unnoticed and simply returned to his family home. It was there that he spent two years engrossed in theories on calculus, optics, and the law of gravitation. Upon completing them, he was lured back to Cambridge and became a fellow at Trinity. It was in this capacity that in addition to his scientific pursuits, he became intrigued by philosophy and theology. This was likely due to the fact that in England during this time period, fellows were required to become ordained priests in addition to carrying out their academic duties (Morrison 133-135). Even though he was heavily influenced by religion and philosophy during his time as a fellow, his pursuits in the areas of physics and mathematical theory continued to dominate his time. Later in his life, however, he began to write volumes on his philosophy about religion. In fact, during the 1690s he wrote a series of religious writing s that dealt with the literal interpretation of the Bible. Some of his religious writings were published; others were so controversial that they remained unpublished. That is the nature of a genius, however. His thought process revolutionized the way in which the religious world looks at theology. Since the field of theology is slow to change in comparison to the scientific world, however, much of his work was so groundbreaking that many critics of Newton arose and countered his arguments. Finally, it