The Hundred Secret Senses Essay Example For Students

The Hundred Secret Senses Essay In ?the hundred secret senses? by Amy Tan, it slowly shows how Olivia?s character portrays the sister she was cut out to be. Amy Tan makes the readers recognize how Olivia treated her half-sister, Kwan and also how she progressed with her relationship towards Kwan. Olivia somewhat treated Kwan with disrespect, for example, she would tell her stupid meanings of things that did not make sense because she felt irritated or annoyed by her company. Olivia basically only thought of her own needs and was deeply frustrated with Kwan living with the family but there would be times when Olivia would feel for her and treat her with respect. In the beginning of the story, Olivia was very young and confused. She had lost her father at such a young age and did not understand why he had died. Her father?s last wish to the mother was to look for his daughter, Kwan, whom he has not seen and bring her to live in America. Kwan was not that excited about having a new sister living in the house. She thou ght that her mother would have less time for her. Kwan?s relationship with Olivia was thought to be wonderful for her. On the other hand, Olivia was practically annoyed and irritated by Kwan and her stories. Their relationship grew in ways that were unexplainable because of Olivia?s actions towards Kwan. But I thought those actions of hers was her way of saying that she loved Kwan very much!Kwan was more like a mother for Olivia since her mom was hardly around. Kwan took care of Olivia through out the whole story. Olivia tried to be distant with Kwan as they grew older but Kwan always insisted on getting together or just making surprise visits. The tremendous outcome where Kwan and Olivia?s relationship with each other even more or it deepened was when they had gone to China (Simon, Kwan, and Olivia) together. A terrible thing had happened when they had arrived in China and were on their way to Changmain to visit ?Big Ma? and the rest of Kwan?s family or close friends. Big Ma had go tten into an accident along with others who were also on the same bus with her. Big Ma had answers for Kwan and Olivia that they wanted to know. Having this happen, Kwan became quiet but yet still calm. Another tragedy also happened that shut down Olivia and made her become a little on the crazy side was when she thought Simon was lost or dead. Kwan and Olivia?s relationship grew even closer than you can imagine. They camped out together hoping and waiting for Simon to appear and in that time being they were bonding with each other. Olivia recognized the love for her sister. We will write a custom essay on The Hundred Secret Senses specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Bibliography:book

Market for eco

Market for eco The hospitality industry is increasingly adopting green strategies as part of its corporate strategy. This need stems from the realization, among hotel owners, that they have a part to play in making the world more sustainable. Perhaps another key driver that is primarily responsible for this move is response to customer needs. Buyers, now more than ever before, are aware of man’s impact on the planet.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Market for ecos of the firms that have achieved this certification include Hotel Alantico in Portugal and Sunwing Resort in Greece. Several global brands are using the green strategy in huge proportions. One such organization is Marriot, which has a conglomerate of about 300 hotels worldwide. The hotel has established LEED certification for some of its hotel buildings. Here the hotels abide by strict sustainability standards. It plans on doing the same for the rest of its branches by 2015. Other relatively smalle r hotel chains have also embraced the strategy and are located in different parts of the world. For instance, Six senses is a hotel in Con Dao Vietnam. It is committed to environmental sustainability by purchasing building materials from sustainable sources. The hotel also changes its ventilation system in order to accommodate them. Hotel Tierra in Chile is yet another hotel that relies on local labor for all its furnishings. The building’s walls are made of wood so as to control internal temperature without using artificial heaters. In Puerto Rico, the country has a hotel called Hix island, which uses solar to power the facility.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Additionally, it collects rain waters and also tackles grey water. Kenya has a hotel known as Campi ya Kanzi. It is solar-powered, and all the parts of the building came from naturally-fallen trees (Petronzio 26). Options vary on how a hotel can choose to execute its eco strategy. Some competitors prefer to focus mostly on operational aspects while others take a more holistic approach. The building as well as the materials used to furnish the hotel may become the preferred option. Even interactions with locals can become part of one’s strategy. The more holistic a hotel is, the more marketable it becomes to eco-travelers. Statistics indicate that although several ecohotels exist, it is mostly the large hotel chains that appear to dominate this industry (Grigoras 3). Scientists explain that their propensity to go for eco-strategies stems from their economies of scale. Many large hotels buy supplies in bulk. Furthermore, some of the cost savings that stem from energy preservati on or water conservation are better-felt by large hotel chains. This advantage means that they are more likely to stick to the strategy, and this will lead to better marketing of the same. When an organization can boast of greater use of eco friendly products, it is likely that it will impress more eco-conscious travelers than those that only use green strategies to a smaller degree. Large hotel chains may be the dominating party in the eco-hotel industry. However, not all consumers are interested in large chains. Environmental travelers want family-friendly and cozy atmospheres that do not replicate images of large-scale hotel chains. They prize facilities that are as close to the environment as possible. Therefore, if an independent hotel can commit to environmental principles, but still stay small and comfortable, then it will provide added advantages to buyers. This combination of qualities will make an impact in the eco-hotel industry. The marketing plan will fulfill the gap in the competitive landscape. It will be a refreshing alternative to the modern hotel designs that have crowded the hotel industry. Travelers want intimate locations that are as close to nature as possible. Therefore, these qualities will make the proposal a tangible solution to the current environment. Grigoras, Oana. Chain hotels go green easier than independent competitors. 2013. Web. Orams, Mark. Types of Ecotourism. Wallingford: CABI Publishing, 2001. Print. Petronzio, Matt. 30 gorgeous eco-friendly hotels. 2013. Web. Wall, Geofrey. â€Å"Ecotourism: Change, impacts and opportunities.† Bulletin 5(2007): 108 -118. Print. Weaver, David and Laura Lawton. â€Å"Twenty years on: the state of contemporary ecotourism research.† Tourism Management 28(2007): 1168–1179. Print.

A Survey Of Student Attitudes To Alien Life Essay

A Survey Of Student Attitudes To Alien Life - Essay Example According to a research conducted by the an organization called The Third Millennium, almost forty six percent of students believe that aliens or UFOs actually exist as compared to only twenty eight percent of them who believe the provision of social security will exist by the time they retire. This study simply goes on to show how strongly students believe on the existence of a thing they haven’t ever even seen in their life! Goes on to show what an impact media has created on the minds of young people through its depictions about aliens in shows and magazines. A survey from college going students about aliens and other like creatures resulted in somewhat a very expected outcome. When asked if they believe in the true existence of aliens or extra-terrestrials, forty nine percent of students replied in the affirmative, twelve percent of them said they did not whereas the remaining thirty nine percent â€Å"weren’t sure†. However one thing that to which almost all of them agreed to was the fact that aliens are unable to abduct human beings. Interestingly enough, many students believe that aliens can survive without any form of food and water. They believe they gain energy from sun rays and the light given out by the stars and meteors. This factor pretty much seems to make sense as a recent American movie, a massive international hit on the box office, â€Å"ET – Extra Terrestrial† showed a human friendly alien on earth. Apparently, he was left behind on earth as he failed to reach on his UFO on time. The movie showed how ET gained his energy from the rays of the sun and used his magical powers to help people who spotted and took care of him on earth. That movie created a very sharp image of aliens by showing them as friendly creatures who love being with nice people and are against evil of all kinds. When the students were asked if they think the US government had a hidden hand behind the UFO matters, the bulk of the students, almost fifty three percent said they believed the government did possess knowledge relating to UFOs and their sightings and that such information was kept away from the public. Twelve percent of them disagreed to any such idea while the rest, as usual, came under the â€Å"no idea† category. The survey also came up with some very interesting answers. Some students held aliens responsible for the Stonehenge while other believed that they are responsible for crop circles. Another discovery which was much unexpected was that thirty eight percent of the students surveyed believed that aliens were involved in the construction / designing of the pyramids! There were differing views when students were asked since when have aliens existed. Almost thirty three percent of the lot was of the view that they have existed ever since there has been life on earth. Seventeen percent said they didn’t agree to the former’s view, thirty percent were of different views including the fact that aliens exited even before there was any sign of life on earth whereas the final forty percent of the sample believe that aliens developed with the â€Å"science age† and are relatively new on earth compared to various other forms of life. A great split was noticed in student’s views when they were asked if aliens have been monitoring or are in any case aware of human activities. Twenty one percent replied in the affirmative and were

Accelerating Virtual Team Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Accelerating Virtual Team Performance - Essay Example fact, as virtual teams become more and more prevalent, businesses edge ever closer to a culture where "job" means logging in to companys online project management site from ones home or collaborating with individuals who each work for various teams or roles at their local co-working setting. "Company headquarters" is becoming more and more of a concept than an actual premise (Duarte & Snyder, 2013). . And as physical establishment becomes less essential, companies today can hire the best talent regardless of their geographical setting. In addition, firms can enhance efficiency in their operations by handing off work across different time zones, enabling the companies to be productive around the clock. Therefore, there is a link that exists between performance boosters and virtual team. Through appropriate performance, boosters perfect virtual team leaders can be selected to enhance growth of the company. Virtual team leaders are required to be very diligent about how they coach, infl uence, recognize and hold team members for meeting commitments as the skills are essential in long-run efficiency of virtual teams (Duarte & Snyder, 2013). Physical Observation Limitations in the past caused lack of trust. Building trust was the greatest challenge in the past in creating successful virtual teams in the organization. Trust has always been referred to as the real glue of the global workplace. Most of leaders of the team in the past tends to be arranged on the assumption that workers cannot be relied upon or trusted, even in tiny matters of management. For instance, in the past the organization believed that it is unwise to trust workers whom they do not know well, employees who the company felt they have not observed in action over period of time, and who are not committed to the same goals. When trust lacks, it can undermine every other safety measure taken to ensure successful virtual work channel. What could have been done to combat the problem was by recognizing

Critical Thinking Blog Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Critical Thinking Blog - Essay Example However, they do not indicate the start number of the cancer patients. The high percentage indicating the increase to some extent inflicts fears on people wondering if they are next. Health statistics can sometimes be misleading. So the question bugging everyone at the end of the day is what is the true meaning of the numbers presented in the research? Yes, it may be true that the number of cancer patients is likely to have increased since it was first discovered as would be expected. However, it would be effective if people actually knew how much this 30 percent increase actually is. The minute one hears about cancer, they are bound to associate it with death simply because of the thousands of lives lost over the years to the disease (Blastland, 2008). In conclusion, at the end of the day, as much as the numbers presented in the media and news may be misleading, it should however not be a reason for one to ignore them. The exaggeration may be a way for the media to gain some effect in the public and get people to reconsider their way of living. It is not bound to work on everyone, but the little impact it has is enough difference (Blastland,

Aspect of acting

Aspect of acting The Technical Aspect of Acting Acting was developed in ancient Greek Theatre. The Greeks were the ones who introduced theatre and bought out an individuals talent known as acting. However in those days the technology had not advanced and there werent any films, the only source of entertainment the people had was through theatre. Theatre acting and acting in films differ vastly from each other. According to actress Kim Stanley â€Å" No matter what you do in film, it is, after all, bits and pieces for the director, and thats marvelous for the director but it doesnt allow the actor to learn to mold a part. In films, its the director who is the artist. An actor has much more chance to create on stage.† (Giannetti, 2008) Film acting is a basic tool of the director to make his film successful. Indeed it requires talent and learning for the individual in the field of acting. He needs to understand the role and connect himself emotionally to the character and then enact it for the audience in a way that it may see m real. A film actor gets several chances for displaying the emotions in front of the camera and a director may take several takes till the time the right emotions are bought out to his satisfaction. Unfortunately this is not the case for stage actors; they do not get several chances to bring out the reality in their acting, they only go on stage once and thats it, it is then in their hands to grab the audiences attention and do their best. Film has different categories of actors; extras, nonprofessional performers, trained professionals and the stars. Extras are the actors who are merely used to fill the camera frame, they are the unnecessary people needed to surround the main actors or just to be a part of the set. For instance if a film shows a market scene; to make it real the director puts in several people in the frame just to show the crowd in a market place. Nonprofessional actors are those that are not really good in acting; they dont master the art but; their physical appearance and presence on screen suits the characters personality on the basis of outlook. Trained professionals is that particular category in which majority of the actors are. They are those actors who have the ability to fit into any character and play any role according to the directors will. The last kind of an actor is the star. The stars are the actors who are successful in the film industry and their talent is admired and appreciated by the audience and the critiques. They often grab the audiences attention through their acting as well as their physical appearance. In the history of cinema the first kind of motion pictures that came out were silent films that did not have many dialogues. In those times acting was much more challenging then it is today. The emotional display of character was done through the facial expressions and the movement of the actor. The actor had to work hard to make the audience cry or laugh merely through his actions and expressions. Slowly and gradually as the technology advanced, there was advancement in cinema as well. There was more dialogue added to the film and now it was a challenge to the actor to develop a style of acting which would help him convey his message through dialogue delivery alongside, with the expressions and body language. Now the actor did not only have to make sure that his facial expressions were good but; he had â€Å"to know what words to stress and how to stress them, how to phrase properly for different types of lines, when to pause and for how long, and how quickly or slowly a line or sp eech ought to be delivered.† (Giannetti, 2008) The talent bought out in an actor is basically the art every director has. The actor works the way his director wants him to. If the director is successful in explaining what he wants and the way he wants it, and the actor is a master in his profession, the film ends up being a hit. The director also brings out the acting in a scene through the kinds of camera shots he takes. If he wants his audience to closely relate to the actor he would take a medium or a close up shot of the actor. The audience feels the intensity in the emotion the actor displays. For instance if the director is capturing an emotional scene and wants his audience to feel the sorrow the character is going through, he would want to take a close up shot; where he might zoom in from a medium shot moving his camera towards the actors eyes and showing the drop of tear that falls from his eye. The way the camera zooms towards the actor that is the time when the dire ctor grabs the audiences attention and they feel the intensity of emotion that the director is trying to bring out and many a times the actor is so good and the directors shot is so perfect that the whole scene seems real and makes the audience cry as well. There are several different techniques that make a film successful and all of them are very closely related to each other. Acting is closely related to the technique of mise en sense and editing. Mise en scene is everything shown within the screen frame; such as, the entire background, the set, the objects and the actors in a particular scene. It is the technique where the director places everything in the screen frame of his shot. Mise en sense would be incomplete without acting and acting would be incomplete without the technique of mise en sense. The technique of acting can be brought out with a perfect frame the director would set up. If the frame is empty or in other words there isnt any frame then the actor alone would not be able to do well on his own. Acting and editing are also very closely connected. A director takes several shots of an actor and then in the end its the editing that puts it altogether. The connection of shots appropriately is all in the hands of the editor. If edited correctly the acting seems perfect, an editor may edit a single shot in several different ways and chooses one p articular shot that brings out the best acting that the actor has shown. Director Akira Kurosawas Rashomon was one of the foreign films which proved brilliance in the acting technique. The first impression that the viewer forms in this film is confusion because there are different stories going on at the same time or rather one story with the same characters being told by different people with different angles. The major star cast of the film includes; Toshiro Mifune (the bandit), Masayuki Mori (the husband) and Machiko Kyo (the wife).C:UsersAfifaDesktopR1.bmp The film revolves around a crime committed by Mifune; he raped the wife and murdered the husband. The main plot of the film is how this story is interpreted and told to the jury from different point of views and how each character gives a different outlook to the entire situation. The actors have done quite an amazing job with their acting, according to a review â€Å"Direction is excellent. Shot completely outdoors, the camerawork is flawless. Toshiro Mifune gives a sterling performance as the ver min-ridden bandit. Machiko Kyo supplies a role of dramatic intensity as the wife. Masayuki Mori lends an impassive, glowering presence to the part of the husband.† (Rashomon Review) The actors of the film are certainly talented actors. As said earlier that the film has one basic story which is told from different point of views through different characters. Whenever a character tells the story, it includes the main actors of the film; the bandit, the husband and the wife. However the role each one plays in the different stories told by the witnesses and the victims changes the personality of the character completely. Each individual tells a story in the way he or she wishes. We see the story through the way the director wants us to. It certainly is a very challenging task to bring out the actors talent, where the character changes time and again. There is one story in the film where the director wants his audience to feel sympathetic towards the wife. Kurosawa very smartly has been successful in changing the audience view. There is a scene in one of the stories where the wife is being attacked by the bandit and she denies to him and tries to save her life. In that scene we see Machiko Kyo extremely hurt and asking for help and pleads the bandit to release her husband and let go off them. In that scene the director successfully portrays that the wife is weak and in pain and makes the audience feel very sympathetic towards her. The same story when told by another eye witness proves the wife to be very smart and cunning. In that scene the wife is flirting around with the bandit and asking him to mar ry her and kill her husband. In that scene the viewers dont really like the wifes character and get a bad impression about her character. She proves to be a woman who is selfish; doesnt care whether her husband lives or dies as long as she survives and is in safe hands. C:UsersAfifaDesktopR2.bmp Two different stories being told in the same film by two different people but the story has the same characters with different characteristics. Each time the story has been told the characteristics of the actor changes, in one scene he is shown weak and in the other scene very sharp and cunning. Kurosawa has been successful in bringing out the acting skills of his actors in this film, in the scenes where he wants us to feel sympathetic, he has taken long shots, in which we see the wife being mistreated by the bandit and the husband tied up in the other corner. The frame covers all three characters in the story. However in places where he portrays the wife to be very cunning, he takes medium to medium close up shots and captures the sharpness in the facial expressions of the wife, and shows her flirting with the bandit and motivating him to kill her husband. In that scene the focus is on the bandit and the wife and lesser on the husband. Its the camera shots that the director takes an d the way he shoots the scene which brings out the acting skills of the actors in a perfect manner. There are several scenes in the film that are magnificent in their structure and in the setting as well, which as a result brings out the simplest scene acted in the most simplest manner to look extraordinary. The director wants the bandit to look as wild as possible, even when he is seducing the wife is one of the scenes and expressing his liking for her, there is a constant vicious look on his face. He is perfect in presenting the role of a wild bandit roaming around in the woods; just the sight of the bandit would scare its viewersC:UsersAfifaDesktopR3.bmp. Mifunes performance as the bandit was greatly admired by the film critiques; he was successful in bringing out the intense vulgarity in his acting that ideally represented evil. Mifunes acting style has been applauded by critiques from Japan itself and even the American Cinema (Smith). The American critiques drew a conclusion that his acting was so wild and closely related to an animal from the wild. Kurosawa was looking for the animal in that character and he even told Mifune to connect himself to the lion and show the ferociousness of a lion. No doubts the actor was a perfect choice and representation of the bandit. For the acting to have a stronger impact on the audience and make them feel the character the director takes his medium close ups quite often so that the anger and frustration is bought out through the actors eyes and facial expression. Kurosawas Rashomon is a foreign film liked by many critiques all over the world; for its acting techniques and camera techniques were over powering. Many reviews and critique state that the film was one of its kind and the actors had done a marvelous job since it was very challenging to show different characteristics at one time in the same film. References: Giannetti, L. (2008). Understanding Movies. New Jersey : Pearson Prentice Hall. Japanese Film Greats . (n.d.). Retrieved decemebr 11, 2009, from http://asian-films.suite101.com/article.cfm/japanese_film_greats_akira_kurosawas_rashomon kleph.com Rashomon . (n.d.). Retrieved december 11, 2009, from http://www.kleph.com/blog.php?b=1e=1175pg=Rashomon Rashomon Review. (n.d.). Retrieved december 11, 2009, from http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117794327.html?categoryid=31cs=1 Smith, G. M. (n.d.). Greg Smith, Greg M Smith: Critical Reception of Rashomon in the West. Retrieved decemeber 11, 2009, from http://www2.gsu.edu/~jougms/Rashomon.htm#Schemata

The Mind and Body Connection in Psychology :: essays research papers

When we think of the mind and the body psychologist and historians have provided theories that correlate these two ideas and their functions that make us humans. Without the mind our body cannot fulfill its purposes and without the body our mind is left useless. These two branches influence each other and can cause different chains of reaction to erupt in our mental world [mind] and our physical world [body]. There are relationships between what we experience, (such as thoughts and feelings) and what our biological processes are (such as activity in the nervous system), (Morris, 2005). The link between the mind-body is that they are not separate entities, rather they are intricately connected, interacting with each other to function properly. The five basic issues that psychologist have associated the mind-body with are biological psych (dealing with the nervous system and its function), sensation/perception, consciousness, motivation/emotion, and clinical psych (dealing with disor ders/therapy). These five issues are an uprising principle that relates how the mind-body interacts. In biological psychology we discuss the scientific study of mental processes and behavior, coinciding with the performance of some cognitive activity. In sensation and perception, ?sensation refers to the process of sensing our environment through touch, taste, sight, sound, and smell. This information is sent to our brains in raw form where perception comes into play. Perception is the way we interpret these sensations and therefore make sense of everything around us.? In terms of consciousness we associate that with the state of being awake and aware of what?s going on around you. This is also a quality of the mind which attributes to our attentiveness. When dealing with motivation and emotion, psychologist has defined motivation as the initiation, direction, intensity and persistence of behavior, which has a temporal and dynamic state non-related to one?s personality or behavior. Emotion is w hat is described as ?an intense mental state that arises autonomically in the nervous system rather than through conscious effort.? It can evoke a negative or positive response which will correlate in the way we behave. Clinical psychology deals with researching and treating psychological distress, dysfunction or disorder. Psychologists who are focused in this field treat more severe disorders, such as phobias, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. (Rishel, 2000) The nervous system is our ?body's information gatherer, storage center and control system.? It collects information about the external conditions in relation to the body's internal state, to analyze this information, and to initiate appropriate responses to satisfy certain needs (Maintain Homeostasis).

Effects of Tv

Effects of TV Television is one of the effective media used to promote all kinds of products. Unsupervised television watching in children can lead to early exposure to things they may not understand or may misinterpret. Television advertisements may influence the children to resort to improper measures. Commercials about fast foods, cold drinks or other such products that are not good for health, are bound to leave an impact on children watching them. Attractively presented advertisements and film stories deeply impact young minds, thus influencing the thoughts and behavior of children.It has a severely negative impact on the minds of the watchers Spending too much time watching television, consumes the precious time that can rather be spent in fruitful and healthy activities like exercise or reading. It also uses up the time that you can rather spend with your family and friends. Chatting with your near ones, spending time with your close ones is a better expenditure of time than i n watching TV Children today watch television for long hours. Many a time, they spend their evenings watching their favorite programs on TV.At times they stay up late to watch films. This activity adds to their sedentary hours. The addiction to television deprives them of their time to play. Children should rather engage in physical activities during the evenings. They should go to the open spaces to play with friends or spend time reading some good books. Moreover, watching television is detrimental to one's eyesight. These activities can help them live a healthier living. Studies in psychology have shown that watching intense emotions on television leaves a long-lasting impact on one's mind.Horror scenes, ghosts, frightful scenes that are featured on television have a negative impact on the minds of people watching them. Violence, murder, bloodshed and physical abuse that is shown on television impacts the thoughts and emotions of the spectators. In today’s society, televis ion is the largest part of the public media; it has also become a major industry all over the world. Because of its technical developments, television has come to dominate our lives. Television is used in many industries such as the health and education industries.Nowadays, people can find at least one television in almost every home. That machine has control over people and their lives. The effects of television have been researched many times over the years. There are positive and negative effects of watching television, but overall, its effect is negative. The biggest negative implication of television is on health, the second most important effect is on families, especially children and young people, the final negative implication of television is on leisure activities.Negative effects of television on health: In today’s society people become addicted to television. They believe they have to watch certain television series and television shows such as continuous series, s oap operas. This    dependence could cause serious health problems such as obesity and diabetes. These health problems can be seen especially in children. Firstly, obesity has been rising since the early 1960s. Obesity could be caused by behavioral, environmental and social aspects (Arnas, 2006). Television is related with all these three points.Television, with advertisements, could change people’s behavior then change the eating habits. As a, social factor, television series and shows could change people’s eating customs as well. Researcher’s found that, most of the food advertisements in television, are not about healthy foods with high nutrition levels, but they are all about unhealthy food with high levels of fat and sugar (Arnas, 2006). Television advertisements directly affect the eating habits of a person. So these unhealthy foods could cause obesity

Independent Study Essays

Independent Study Essays Independent Study Essay Independent Study Essay Film stars are complex signs whose significance is created partly by themselves acting out their personas, by taking on particular fictional roles, but also by their studios and publicists who promote their real non screen persona, by the popular press and by the audiences who buy into and use them for their own entertainment. [1]A star is said to build up a persona through the different roles that they play in films and have become brands in their own right. Film companies have been quick to notice this and exploit the brand for a maximum profit. Stars are therefore used as a marketing tool in order to publicise the film. The idea of using stars as a marketing tool to engage audiences for their film began in the early years of the Hollywood film industry. This led to the classification of A-List stars, and to them being capable of opening a film simply because of the presence of their name above the title.'[2] This is due to audiences forming a fan base for a particular star and therefore being interested in this constructed image that is being presented of them. A stars image is built up from several different types of media; personal appearances, film and television performances, fan magazines etc. and is prone to change over time for some actors due to a change or development in their constructed image. An example of this includes actors such as Will Smith whom appeared as a comical character in television shows such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990) and evolved into an iconic hero in later films such as I Am Legend (2007). His image has been constructed in a way that sells the idea of his family values and ideologies to a mass audience. A prime example of this is the film The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), where Smith works with his son, Jaden Smith, to present the true story of a salesman who has financial difficulties resulting in the break-up of his marriage. Smiths character, Chris Gardner, applies to a stockbroker internship in the hope that it will lead to a stable income for him and his son, Chris struggles to pay the rent whilst undertaking this internship and results in a period of homelessness, reinforcing the idea of family life with its difficulties, that eventually pay off. Theorists such as Dyer argued that for the star to attract an audience there must be some representativeness, some apparently recognisable element which an audience can relate to.'[3] This relates to the persona of the star, instead of being interpreted as the constructed image that they are, stars are compared with audiences and to particular elements that is liked about them. This could be seen with actors such as marilyn monroe, who came to be the sex symbol, probably for all time,'[4] inspiring a complete change in the way society reacted. Monroe had created such a powerful persona that she was able to create a single particular meaning as a star, becoming known for her roles as the innocently sexy dumb blonde.'[5] This role is particularly shown in films such as Were Not Married (1952) where Monroe plays the role of a beauty pageant contestant, young, beautiful and happy, being featured in revealing costumes such as a bathing suit and short dresses throughout the competition. When her and her husband find out they are not married, they both begin to question their relationship due to her dream of becoming a model, in which she puts before her husband and young baby. Following this, Monroe starred in Gentlemen prefer blondes (1953) and How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), both films contribute to her dumb blonde persona that she has built up over time and adhere to the audience expectations of her. These images are all clearly used to exploit this representation of her which links in with Laura Mulveys male gaze theory in which states that women are merely represented to provide visual pleasure for men'[6]. This reinforces the ideology that males are more dominant than females, and therefore plac ed in a position of lower authority. It is argued that the study of stars cannot be limited to the analysis of specific films of star performances. Star images are the product of intertextuality in which the non-filmic texts of promotion, publicity and criticism interact with the film text.'[6] This refers to her off set persona and the other promotional work she is involved with, such as Monroes work with Playboy in the 1950s and her red velvet photograph that was featured in the first edition of the magazine which became hugely popular as it brought sex out of the closet into the glaring light of day and emphasised that it was not something to hide or be embarrassed about,'[7] From this it can be seen that Monroes provocative nature was apparent in all aspects of her career and personal life and she did not attempt to act converse to this. Later, stars such as Madonna produced the music video for Material Girl which was taken from the clip of Monroes film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, as she performed Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend. This is an example of post modernism where Madonna is said to have used this image in order to become associated with the connotation of Monroes image as a star, the sexy dumb blonde persona. Marilyn has maintained such a dominant position in history that more recent stars of today are aware of her and manipulate her stereotype in order to publicise and create this stereotype for themselves. Another example of an As of his work include; Liar Liar (1997), Me, Myself ; Irene (2000), Bruce Almighty (2003) and Fun With Dick and Jane (2005), all of which were huge financial successes. Liar Liar, for example, took $31,423,025 in its opening weekend alone. Therefore, Careys star image was built up through both his filming within this genre and also by his personal appearances. An example of one of his personal appearances is on David Lettermans Late Show (2005), where Carey is promoting his latest film release, Fun With Dick and Jane. Here, Carey is introduced as the always entertaining, therefore representing his character as a constructed star image, not himself as a person. This is continually reinforced throughout the interview with Careys comical responses and interaction with the audience. It was not until 2007 with the release of The Number 23 that Jim Carey attempted to move from his typical comedy film and change his image by appearing in a suspense, thriller. This film only managed to make $14,602,867 in its opening weekend and received much negative critical attention stating it used a desperate attempt to prove itself with essentially hollow characters'[9], leading to further criticism of Carey himself and how he is unable to leave his persona behind and develop a more serious role. From watching The Number 23 it became apparent why the film received such negative criticism due to the characters cast. Although Carey was used as a successful marketing tool, by the use of his name above the title, in order to attract audience to watch the film, the role was unsatisfying due to the lack of his character persona and humour presented. Intertextual references were taken from films such as Liar Liar, where the character of Carey used phrases such as I rest my case your honour'[10]. Here, Carey shows little emotion and uses the phrase in a simple, monotone sentence. In Liar Liar, contrastingly, Carey is over enthusiastic about winning his case that he results to leaping onto a table. It is almost as if the audience is waiting to see Carey react in this same manner, leading to disappointment. However, the storyline of the film was intriguing for the audience that partly compensates for Careys acting, however, it is clear that Carey is out of place within this genre. It could be considered that Carey is unsuccessful due to his status. After spending over 20 years in the film industry building up the image of a comedian it was an enormous change to then star in a suspense / thriller and try to play a very serious role. It has been stated that the casting of a particular actor has important on the effect the characterization will have.[11] As we can see from films such as Ace Ventura and Fun With Dick and Jane, Careys role has adapted slightly into a more romantic comedy with successful characterisation, therefore showing that it is possible for a role to be adapted, but it could be argued that there is a limit to how far before the casting becomes out of context. From looking at this, it can be seen that it is not always possible for stars to successfully change their image, depending heavily on the change in which they intend to make. As Metz theory suggests, the star is presented as an object for the spectator who view him or her voyeuristically'[10], although this is not intended as a fetish, stars are generally seen as iconic and audiences often aspire to be more like them. By changing their image it can therefore change the way in which the audience perceives that star, often leading to negative publicity and therefore a lowered star status. The traditional Hollywood saying is your only as good as your last picture'[11], therefore if the actors fan base do not enjoy the most recent persona of the star, their success as a film star and entire career could be in jeopardy. This can be seen in Careys career after The Number 23 where he returned to his original role in comedies and took on the lead role in Yes Man (2008), however, due to his performance in this previous cinema production this film only managed $18,262,471 in its opening weekend. Comparing this to what he has achieved in previous films it can be seen that Carey is no longer as successful as he was. Contrasting this, A-List stars such as Julia Roberts have proven successful in adjusting their persona, without it having a negative impact on their overall success. Roberts first became successful in 1990 with the release of Pretty Woman, which in the opening weekend alone grossed $11,280,591. Here, her persona was developed as a young sex symbol, like that of Marilyn Monroe. This links to the typical representation of women within Hollywood where their success appears to lie primarily on their looks. Without this physical attraction it would be much more difficult for a female star to reach the status of an A-List celebrity. Shortly after this, Roberts appeared in several movies that did not suit her persona such as Mary Reilly (1996), in which the horror genre did not suit her personality and become known as a critical and commercial failure'[12]. Roberts then decided to return to her original persona for films such as Runaway Bride (1999), once again reclaiming her success, possibly due to the fan base she had already acclaimed from her previous roles, and being successful enough to have not lost them. Still elements of her as a sex symbol E.g. seduction of the man in order to get paperwork. Over time, Julia Roberts has appeared to be successful in developing her persona to that of a mature young woman with a high level of social conscience towards the world around her. This can be seen in films such as Erin Brockovich (2000), which is based on a true story. Here, Roberts plays the role of Erin, who fights a lawsuit against a company known as PG;E for bringing a threat of an extensive illness into a small town. Here, Roberts demonstrates her maturity through her battling responsibilities of being a single parent and a dedicated worker, this has enabled her persona to develop into a strong independent woman with a sense of fun and a potentially rebellious streak'[13]. This development in persona can be seen as extremely successful due to the opening weekend box office figure of $28,138,465 and the nomination for 5 Oscar awards. It is also relevant to consider the further success Roberts received in later films such as Oceans Twelve (2004), receiving $39,153,380 in the ope ning weekend alone. It must therefore be considered how one star is able to successfully develop their persona, yet another is not. Both stars have reached enormous success as stars, both gaining the reputation of A-List celebrities, yet Julia Roberts has become more successful with this development as can be seen though her box office figures that more than doubled in the new role she acclaimed. Jim Carey however has become less popular, as can be seen through the box office figures that seemed to half. After this, it can be seen that Carey attempted to return to the comedy genre, however, he remained unable to reclaim his previous position in the industry. Other more successful actors such as Brad Pitt have also managed to adapt their persona. Brad Pitt is most commonly known for his role in action and thriller films such as Se7en (1995), Fight Club (1999), Oceans Eleven (2001) and more recently, Mr ; Mrs Smith (2005). Pitts personal life outside of filming is also widely reported due to his level of fame and the public interest in his life. In 2000 Brad attempted to leave behind all of the previous connotations of his constructed image and star as supporting director, Guy Ritchies Snatch. Here, Brad plays the role of an Irish traveller who gets caught up with a London gang and ends up fighting for serious amounts of money. Pitt is used as a supporting act within this film, given no leading role and his name is not used to market the film with the use of a slogan on the case of the film or being exploited in the trailer, it is as if his identity is almost hidden, taking on a role you would not expect to see him in and a whole new identity. Snatch managed to receive $8,005,163 in its opening weekend. Comparing this with the box office figures of Mr ; Mrs Smith, $50,342,878, it could be considered that his role within the film is not significant enough to have made it successful, had his name have been exploited the film may have had a much wider target audience and could have reached a much higher level of success. Howeve r, it must be considered that for a à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½6,000,000 budget, this film did manage to make a profit and would therefore be considered a success. Therefore, it could be argued that stars cannot cross genres due to their persona being built up within the same area of work. This also links into Dyers argument that one of the key characteristics of the successful star is consistency of image in order to deepen the characters that they play; they stay broadly the same in order to enhance recognition.'[16] This can still be proven true with Julia Roberts as elements of her being portrayed as a sex symbol remain present; she has simply matured and become more sophisticated. Her lowered social status is also present due to her working for a male lawyer that continually dominates the case she is building. It has been suggested that the star can change meaning over time,'[17] however, there is little theories stating that a star is able to change their image entirely. From looking at box office figures of the top ranking star it can be seen that with the 2005 figures, Jim Carey ranked 10th and Julia Roberts 14th, [18] however, by 2009, after the release of The Number 23, Julia Roberts ranked 10th, Jim Carey 14th and Brad Pitt 29th[19] therefore proving that Carey was unable to alter his star persona, yet Roberts overall success increased after her adaption to her persona.

Drug Use and Abuse in America Historical Analysis

Drug Use and Abuse in America Historical Analysis Introduction Drug abuse has become a major challenge to the United States of America for a very long period of time now. During the 19th century, drugs such as cocaine, morphine, and heroin were discovered and this marked the beginning of incidences of drug abuse and rampant addiction (Abadinsky, 2008). At the beginning of the 20th century, America introduced stringent rules restricting the use of illegal drugs.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Drug Use and Abuse in America: Historical Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This action was taken due to the potential threat posed by uncontrolled drug abuse. Owing to the scope that drug dealing had taken, both domestic and international laws were enforced to regulate the growing of crops such as coca and opium (Crutchfield, 2000). These laws succeeded significantly in minimizing the impact of drug abuse. The paper discusses the history of drug abuse in the US from th e year 1950 to 2000. The Boggs Act of 1951 and the Media By the end of the World War II (WWII), drug abuse in America had decreased significantly until it was no longer a major social issue (Crutchfield, 2000). However, a few years later the problem reemerged and hence the need for immediate action. In 1951, the Boggs Act was introduced as a one of the most important drug law. It reflected the basis for effective drug legislation in America where the media perceived and reported an increase in drug abuse. This would imply that any such information resulted in the introduction of a new law to fight criminals. The new penalties would be harsher than the preceding ones and this was set for every single category of offense. During this period, the perception of increased drug abuse was drawn from the content of the media reports like in movies and television. For instance, it would be noted that there was an increased use of drugs among high school students. Subsequently, the Boggs Act of 1951 would allow the quadrupling of the penalties associated with every single offense category (Shahidullah, 2008). In particular, the application of the Boggs Act was more inclined to justifying and ensuring the prohibition of marijuana (Abadinsky, 2008). Law enforcers, while giving the rationale for the prohibition claimed that, despite being highly addictive, the drug caused insanity, increased criminality, and even death to the user. This claim, however, was quickly refuted by a renowned medical doctor who was a witness in case and he said that marijuana could produce passivity in the users. Another witness added a twist to the whole case when he said that marijuana was the major cause of heroin addiction. This, for the Boggs Act of 1951, was a sufficient rationale for the prohibition of marijuana and other related drugs (Staley, 1992). It was the perceived use of drugs by the ‘foreign enemies’ to subvert the American youth that inspired the tightening of drug l egislations.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More 1956 and the Daniel Act The second drug law within this period was introduced in 1956 and was known as the Daniel Act which was named for the then Texas senator, Price Daniel (Shahidullah, 2008). The new law was similar to the Boggs Act of 1951 in that it employed the same formula of using perceived increase in drug use in the country. As a result, it provided the rationale for the introduction of a new criminal law. In 1956, there were reports of organized crime in the US. This was through televised Senate hearings presented by the then senator of Tennessee, Estes Kefauver (Crutchfield, 2000). This, at the end of the day, created the perception that there was increased drug use in America. That the organized criminals were in the country and were making a lot of money through drug deals. Consequently, the Daniel Act was enacted and came with harsher penalties than those of the Boggs Act in every of the offense categories. The two acts, the Boggs Act of 1951 and the Daniel Act of 1956 formed the basis upon which states formulated and passed their own versions of acts. Between 1958 and 1969, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and Virginia itself had passed laws with the heavy penalties for crimes involving the possession of marijuana, or any other prohibited drug (Staley, 1992).This was occasioned by the fact that during the 1960s, drugs such as marijuana, psychedelics, and amphetamines were the most abused drugs. In fact, the mandatory least sentence that one would serve was twenty years and the accused was not eligible for parole. This could not be compared with the sentence served by first degree murder in the state of Virginia which had mandatory sentence set at five years less while rape case attracted a mandatory least sentence of ten years. On the other hand, one convicted of selling marijuana would serve a m andatory least sentence of forty years (Crutchfield, 2000). The 1969 Dangerous Substances Act In 1969, another drug law known as the Dangerous Substances Act was introduced and was quite unique in that it did not apply the formula used by the preceding drug legislations. Just like in the previous years, there was perceived increase in drug abuse but the penalties were lowered (Staley, 1992). It was also during this time that the â€Å"taxing† mythology was dismissed. Apart from nicotine and alcohol, the 1969 Dangerous Substances Act targeted the users and sellers of all other drugs. The 1969 act classified all drugs except nicotine and alcohol under the following: the drug’s medical importance and the drug’s potential for misuse (Crutchfield, 2000). The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration The 1970s also continued to witness the explosion of the drug culture and the US government responded by developing new drug laws and specialized agencies to deal with the con tinuing problem. In 1973, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration was established to ensure that the federal laws on drugs were fully enforced (Shahidullah, 2008).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Drug Use and Abuse in America: Historical Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It was during this period that cocaine reentered the market. In the 1980s, there was reemergence in the use of crack which proved very addictive and its users were characterized by excessive violence. This period was also filled with perceptions of increased use of drugs. Consequently, the government declared war not only on the drugs with high potential for abuse but also on the drug users and dealers (Abadinsky, 2008). Any Progress? The fight against drugs and drug users continued to the 1990s albeit with little success. One drug law after another with revised penalties was introduced. By 1990, about a third of the minority population of the City of Baltimore alone who were male aged between 20 and 29 were being supervised by the court for drug cases (National Urban League, 1989). This proportion is significantly high in spite of the strict drug laws which had been in place for sometime then. The Year 2000 Despite the declaration of war against drugs and its users, there has been evidently minimal success in the endeavor. After about half a century, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s toughest challenge is the dynamism exhibited by organized crime (Shahidullah, 2008). In the earlier years, the criminals conducted drug deals on American soil, however, the year 2000 witnessed the emergence of highly networked and powerful drug traffickers with headquarters spread strategically in foreign countries and controlling drug business in the U.S. Therefore, it is evident that the fight against drug abuse in America has a long and complicated history and new approaches of combating the ever growing drug problems need to be identified if the war is to be won in the modern information age. References Abadinsky, H. (2008). Drug use and abuse: a comprehensive introduction (6th ed). Belmont, CA: Cengage, Thomson-Wadsworth Crutchfield, R. D. (2000). Readings in Crime: drug use and abuse (2nd ed). Pine Forge Press National Urban League (1989). The state of Black America by 1989. The State of Black  America, 13. Transaction Plc.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Shahidullah, S. M. (2008). Crime legislations in America: laws, institutions, and  programs. University Press of America Staley, S. (1992). Understanding drug policy and the decline of America cities. Transaction Plc.

Writing seminar Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Writing seminar - Assignment Example This was achieved through consultation with scholarly, professional and primary sources. The paper also sought to relate the relevance of Johnson’s patterns of innovation with our test environment. Steven Johnsons observes, most innovations come from improving and modifying all possibilities. He strongly argues with examples that you cannot reap from an engine that is powered by steam to fly a jet rather improvements on innovations. In his theory, Johnsons notes that most innovations and discoveries are replicated independently within a period of short duration. For instance according to Johnson, four individual carrying out their normal activity discovered sunspots at a same point. Two of them worked on developing a battery while the rest importance in genetically mutation. Another observation from this man was the size of the city. He holds that cities that are bigger are more innovative than small cities. However, he attributes this to more idea sourced from universities in these cities and the fact that they have more creative people. (OECD 2011, 329) It is however fascinating to note that his theory, contends that when people remain in close doors tend to be more creative. The important implication being, stuffing people in private offices would result into innovation. According to (Milton et al 2005, 98), there is a memory enhanced power that is gained from operating in a common place. Reading from Darwin’s book created a desire to discover links of association. Archimedes notes that taking mind away from the main task sometimes helps in building creativity. People sometimes wonder how you can free your mind. You can achieve this through taking a walk, answering a mail or helping children do their homework. Another way of facilitating innovation is reading. This include following great thoughts from authors of books and to some extents internet. When professional work closely or in a close proximity there is improved

Screening Asia (comparing two movies from different countries) Essay

Screening Asia (comparing two movies from different countries) - Essay Example Departure, on the other hand, is a Japanese drama written and directed in 2008 by Yojiro Takita. The film offers a look into the historic ceremony of â€Å"encoffining† in Japan, whereby professional morticians prepare and ritually clothe dead bodies prior to placing them in the coffin (Asai et al 31). While the two films follow contemporary themes popular with other Asian movies, they are unique in that they are grounded in aspects of culture that are peculiar to their countries of origin. All Japanese films need a hero and Daigo, the hero in Departures, is a likeable and impulsive young man who is easy to talk to and understand. Mika, his wife, adores and believes in him, quickly agreeing to return to the town where Daigo was born after they are struck by disaster (Miller et al 45). They move back to his old house that was left to him following his mother’s death, for which they have to pawn his cello in order to pay for the trip. This incident has negative impacts fo r him since he has no employment or instrument to make a living by, going back to where he started. He looks through the job ads and comes across one that sounds like a job in a travel company. However, after the owner Mr. Sasaki appears at the office where he goes to apply for the job, he finds out that it is an undertaking business, and he is offered the job and advance salary. He is then taken for a job orientation tour of the funeral home where the practice seems more humane than is usually shown in western movies. The ceremony is one of grace and precise ritual with sheets arranged to preserve the corpse’s privacy as it is dressed after washing. While most of the families are silent through it all, some of them show emotional outbursts and here begins Daigo’s life lessons. From his reluctance to tell his wife what job he is in, one can gather that undertaking is important as an occupation but not respectable (Miller et al 46). However, she finds out and tells him she must leave. Cape No. 7 is set in a little town South of Taiwan referred to as Hengchun, which is literally translated to â€Å"forever spring†. This town is sleepy, similar to the one that Daigo and his wife have to go back to; although, the town is on the seaside, and it has a pleasant beach. The residents of this town are also conservative, preferring to keep their old and traditional values, despite the fact that there are liberal tourists in the town going around the streets dressed in bikinis when holiday season comes (Wang 137). The town is also host to a yearly concert for rock artists held on the beach in order to attract the visitors. It is for this annual concert that some residents in the town come up with an idea to make a band, which they begin to do some three weeks before the start of the concert. Aga, who is a postman, acts as a new band’s lead vocalist. He also discovers several love letters from Japanese soldiers, which were written during the col onial period and not delivered. The address to which the letters are sent in Taiwan existed during the 40s and is no longer in existence, referred to as â€Å"Cape No. 7† Aga proceeds to deliver these letters prior to taking the stage in order to perform with his band. Although the original writer of the letters, who was a Japanese, was forced to leave the country and his lover following the end of colonization in 1945 (Wang 137), Aga persuades his girlfriend, who is also