Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Medical expenses †deductibility in personal income taxation Free Essays

Government Income charge code determines the for the most part deductible costs in the individual tax collection from a person which incorporate clinical costs, certain duties, contract premium, venture intrigue and altruistic commitments. These conclusions referenced in the section are known as ordered derivations. It must be noticed that any uses not explicitly permitted as organized derivations are not admissible against the individual salary subject to burden. We will compose a custom paper test on Clinical costs †deductibility in close to home salary tax collection or on the other hand any comparable subject just for you Request Now Clinical costs paid out by the available individual on himself, life partner and wards are permitted as an organized conclusion. The extra focuses to be noted are that the derivation is permitted uniquely to the degree to which the clinical costs are not repaid and the reasoning is restricted to 7.5% of the citizens Adjusted Gross Income. 1.0â DEFINITION OF MEDICAL EXPENSES The meaning of clinical costs is exceptionally expansive to cover not just the costs brought about for the finding, fix, alleviation, treatment, or counteraction of the sickness yet in addition covers costs caused for preventive wellbeing spread and expenses of intermittent physical and dental assessments of the citizen. The significant point here is that such reasonings are permitted in any event, when the citizen is healthy. Subsequently, such clinical costs caused for the treatment of infections influencing any structure or capacity of the body are named as clinical costs to evaluate the salary for charge purposes. 2.0â COSMETIC SURGERY-DEDUCTIBILITY Costs brought about for Cosmetic Surgery are deductible when the medical procedure is important to enhance a distortion emerging from an amicable anomaly or an individual physical issue or A distorting malady. Any clinical costs acquired on corrective medical procedure for purposes other than those which are pointless are not deductible. For instance, charges paid to a corrective specialist for a cosmetic touch up of an individual of 75 years age to improve his appearance is pointless and thus not deductible. In any case, the expense of reestablishing the face by restorative medical procedure, which is deformed in a mishap, is deductible. 3.0â DEDUCTIBILITY OF CERTAIN OTHER EXPENSES 4.1 COSTS INCURRED IN A NURSING HOME/HOME FOR AGED At the point when an individual is conceded in a nursing home or home for the matured principally to get clinical consideration, at that point the costs brought about for the nursing home costs including dinners and housing are passable as a conclusion. In any case if the essential worry for being admitted to the nursing home or the home for matured is close to home, just the costs paid for clinical or reviling is deductible, though, expenses of housing and suppers are not deductible. 4.2 TUITION EXPENSES At the point when a ward is sent to a school having uncommon assets for lightening the ailments brought about by mental or physical incapacity, the educational cost costs paid to the school is a suitable finding. In such cases, the expense of dinners and housing notwithstanding the education costs is admissible. 4.3 MEDICAL EXPENSES INCURRED FOR SPOUSE AND DEPENDENTS A citizen is qualified for guarantee the derivation in his balanced gross pay of the clinical costs brought about by him on his/her life partner and for an individual who is reliant on him/her at the time such costs were acquired. Again the reliance is to be resolved based on specific rules as spelt out in the Act and the calendars. 4.4 EXPENSES INCURRED ON TRANSPORTATION, MEALS AND LODGING FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT Transportation costs like transport, taxi, train or plane passage, charges for rescue vehicle benefits and cash based costs for the utilization of a car for driving to and from a state of treatment for clinical consideration are deductible. The citizen is qualified for pick either a mileage stipend or genuine cash based car costs. Derivation is took into account the related stopping expenses and cost charges, though the expense of dinners, on the way are not permitted as a conclusion. Likewise the expense of transportation of a parent going with a debilitated kid or an attendant or other orderly going with an individual who is making a trip to get clinical consideration is permissible, if it is so the patient can not travel alone and needs a guide to go with during the excursion. The Lodging costs which are brought about basically for clinical consideration, when the clinical consideration is given by a specialist in an authorized medical clinic or center are permitted as finding. No rich or unrestrained housing costs including noteworthy component of individual joy entertainment or excursion in the movement away from home is permitted as derivation. The cutoff for such housing costs qualified for conclusion is $50 every night for the patient just as the individual who must go with the patient. 4.5 ALLOWABILITY MEDICAL INSURANCE PREMIUMS AS DEDUCTION The greatest furthest reaches of 7.5 % of the balanced gross pay of the citizen passable as reasoning incorporate the clinical protection premiums, independent of the way that such premiums are paid under a gathering or individual arrangement. At the point when the clinical protection premium is paid by the business such premium is excluded from the pay of the citizen and it can't be remembered for the employee’s clinical cost either. Protection premiums paid by an independently employed individual are permitted as a business pay. The premium paid for the mate and wards likewise meet all requirements for finding. Premiums paid by organizations on their workers social insurance is permitted as business use for the organizations concerned. 4.0â DEDCUTION OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURES INCURRED FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES When swimming is a piece of a clinical treatment and there is no accessibility of a local pool then the capital costs acquired on building such pool will get qualified for reasoning. Likewise a Window Air-conditioner which isn't perpetual in nature, dust end framework, lifts and a room worked to house an iron lung are a portion of the instances of permissible capital consumption. The essential standards in deciding the admissibility of such use is that they are required as clinical need upon the counsel of a specialist or doctor, the office is utilized principally by the patient alone and the consumption is sensible. Thus use like building passageway and off-ramps to the living arrangement broadening corridors and entryways to suit wheelchair, introducing bolster bars and railings in washrooms and other lounge rooms and modifying any electrical outlets or installations offer themselves qualified for reasoning given that the consumption is brought about to empower a truly debilitated individual live freely and profitably. In the event that a capital use is permitted as a clinical cost, at that point the reasonable cost is deductible in the year caused. Every one of these costs are permitted dependent upon the general roof of 7.5% of the balanced gross pay. 5.0â DEDUCTION ARE ALLOWED ON A CASH BASIS Whatever be the technique for bookkeeping received by the individual, the clinical costs are deductible on a money premise. This implies the are deductible just in the year in which they are paid with a special case on account of expired individual, when the costs are paid inside a time of death then the costs would be considered to have paid when they are acquired. Reasoning isn't permitted as of now for any clinical costs that will be caused later on, subject obviously to the special case that the citizen has a commitment to pay the expenses ahead of time under the approach of the doctor or the establishment outfitting the clinical consideration.                    Works Cited    â€Å"Hoffman, Smith, Wills †Individual personal expenses 2007 Part 10 pp 10-2 to 10-8 West Federal Taxation (Thomson)    Step by step instructions to refer to Medical costs †deductibility in close to home pay tax assessment, Essay models

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Edger Allan Poe essays

Edger Allan Poe papers Ssshhh! Whats that commotion underneath the floor? Sound natural, possibly you have heard this updated expression from shows like, The Simpsons or Friends. That expression originated from The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe, who was a compose comparatively radical. He delivered numerous exemplary books that are still understood today, however like all writers he needed to begin from the earliest starting point. Edgar Poe was conceived on January 19, 1809, in Baltimore, Massachusetts, to father Dave and mother Elizabeth Poe. Edgar had a sibling, William Henry, and a sister, Rosaline. Presently, his family moved to New York where his dad, David Poe, continued his acting profession. David before long quit acting and relinquished his family. He passed on a brief timeframe later (Wagenknecht). Before long a short time later, Edgars mother, Elizabeth, created tuberculosis at the age of twenty-four and kicked the bucket, The picture of his moms youthful, despite everything, white face was to frequent Edgar for an amazing remainder (Wright). A youthful tobacco vendor and merchant from Richmond, John Allen and his significant other Frances, took in Edgar. His more seasoned sibling, William, was taken by his granddad and his sister, Rosaline, was taken by another relative that lived in Richmond. They cherished him like their own youngster. This was the manner by which Edgar got his center name Allan, tossed his new family. In 1815, John Allan moved his family to England and keeping in mind that there Edgar was sent to non-public school. For a long time he concentrated in England with his new family that he cherished without question. After his five years in England the Allans moved back to America. It was said that Mrs. Allan adored Edgar without a doubt, however the story was diverse with John. Despite the fact that Edgar and Johns relationship may have appeared now and again cold John consistently dealt with Edgar and consequently he had Edgars regard (Wright). In 1826, Edgar returned to America; there he went to the University of Virginia. He was an exceptional understudy and exceeded expectations in vario... <!

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

The Essay Experts LinkedIn Advice Covered by U.K. Career Blog!

The Essay Experts LinkedIn Advice Covered by U.K. Career Blog! Last Sunday I was interviewed by Luca Rosi, Editorial Manager at Hays, a leading global professional recruiting group based in the U.K., for his career blog, Keeping ahead of the game. I answered 13 questions and Mr. Rosi published 12 of them in two blog articles on December 1 and 2: How to write a KILLER LinkedIn profile 1 and How to write a KILLER LinkedIn profile 2. If you’re curious to read my answers to the questions below, please visit Luca’s blog. You might also like his most recent entry on how to make an impact at an interview! How to write a KILLER LinkedIn profile 1 Has the role of the traditional CV now diminished given the stellar rise of LinkedIn? Is it as simple as uploading my CV and sprinkling a few keywords to make my profile search friendly? What’s the biggest mistake professionals make with their LinkedIn profiles? What three things can I do today to build my personal online brand? Do I really need 500+connections? What can I do to boost my numbers? If I’m unemployed, should I reveal this in my headline for example? How to write a KILLER LinkedIn profile 2 Would you recommend that I upgrade to a premium account to boost my chances of finding a job? What’s the protocol for recommendations? Surely I shouldn’t have to ask Apart from joining groups (the QA section is no longer), how else can I demonstrate my expertise? How regularly should I be sharing updates and do they all have to be related to my industry? Should I be using more of partner applications such as Slideshare? And finally, what’s the best piece of career advice that anyone has given you? What happened to the 13th question and answer? Here it is: The average age of a LinkedIn user is 41. Is this the platform for graduates or first jobbers? BB: Some of those 41-year-olds are recruiters and hiring managers. So absolutely! Also some new features on LinkedIn are more specifically geared toward younger job seekers. Are there questions you want me to answer? Please post them in the comments!

Sunday, May 24, 2020

The On Liberty And The Pursuit Of Happiness - 1467 Words

In the United States, we really put an emphasis on liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is one of our founding principles; however, in some areas, we seem to want to limit that. For example, in our education system, our society has been arguing for quite some time about whether or not there should be options or whether everyone should be required to attend the standard brick-and-mortar public schools. While those schools serve a critical purpose in our society, that does not mean that other types of schools are worthless. Because we are all different, we need to value and provide options in our education. Not every person learns in the same way. Our brains process things differently, and our personalities can be vastly different. Trying to make every student conform to the same way of learning is like trying to fit a circle in a square peg; it does not work. According to the National Science Teachers Association, â€Å"Students actually learn best through various styles: personal meaning, conceptual learning, how things work, and self-discovery.† The article goes on to say that those who learn by personal meaning process things well using discussion, while those who learn best by conceptual learning are more solitary. As you can see, the former would probably do well in group learning; however, the latter may benefit from being at home or in a solitary environment. Some kids might like to learn with hands-on learning while others like to learn from books.Show MoreRelatedThe Liberty And The Pursuit Of Happiness1065 Words   |  5 PagesThe Declaration of Independence dec lares that human beings have certain unalienable rights, â€Å"that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.† Through slavery, these rights were systematically denied to a select class of people. George Santayana (1905) commented that, â€Å"those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.† Although abortion is legal in this country, the debate on whether it should be or not is far from settled. In November of 2014, Colorado Amendment 67 (TheRead MoreThe, Liberty And The Pursuit Of Happiness1679 Words   |  7 Pageshold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These words represent the ideals of our country, but at the time that they were written, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness were withheld from many members of american society. Racism, the belief that the physica l appearance of a person or group determines their capabilities and that oneRead MoreThe, Liberty, And The Pursuit Of Happiness1999 Words   |  8 Pages​â€Å"Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness† are the ideals the United States was founded on. This means that everyone has a right to live and do what makes them happy. They are able to do this without fear of punishment, retaliation, or persecution. However, some countries throughout history, believed that this was not the correct way for their people to live. They felt that the government should have absolute control over everything the people did. In light of this, such a country may be ledRead MoreThe, Liberty, And The Pursuit Of Happiness1728 Words   |  7 PagesThe words â€Å"†¦ that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.† are the building blocks that gave rise to on e of the greatest countries, the United States of America. Without the help of influential leaders, such as Thomas Paine and his thought provoking writing Common Sense, this country’s independence would have ceased to exist. In April of 1775 the war began which would beRead MoreLiberty And The Pursuit Of Happiness2764 Words   |  12 PagesAccording to the Declaration of Independence, one of the documents on which our country bases its government on, â€Å"all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.† So is there a reason, or cause that someone could lose these God given rights? What would bring about the stripping of a citizens birthright of the enumerated freedoms, laid out by the United States Constitution? Perhaps a violationRead MoreLiberty, And The Pursuit Of Happiness2015 Words   |  9 Pages Thomas Jefferson, as well as other American enlightenment thinkers at the time, held the belief that â€Å"all Men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their CREATOR, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.† (US, 1776) This line from the Declaration of Independence does not make a distinction between any groups of people – it specifies that ALL men have access to these unalienable rights, which proves to be in conflict with the systemRead MoreLife, Liberty And The Pursuit Of Happiness789 Words   |  4 Pagesshould declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We reaffirm today these truths to self-evident, that all people are created equal, that they are endowed by creation with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. - That these rights are secured by Governments instituted among Men and deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, - And when Government has become destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alterRead MoreLife, Liberty, And The Pursuit Of Happiness902 Words   |  4 PagesAs a citizen of the United States, you are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This is a VIRTUE that everyone embarks on; however, what if you were told you were doing it wrong? Aristotle begins his STORY stating that â€Å"EVERY art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and pursuit, is thought to aim at some good; and for this reason the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim.† He goes on to say then, becaus e these ends at which we aim are onlyRead MoreLife, Liberty, The Pursuit Of Happiness1852 Words   |  8 Pages Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness; this is one prime reasons why America is so great. Very few places can you go and get what America has to offer. ‘Of, relating to, or characteristic of the United States or its inhabitants†, this is the definition of ‘American’ according to Google. Why is this ‘relevant’, you might ask? Lets take a look back, Apollo 13 and Argo films showed just what its like to represent America, and embodied what the American dream is made of, and what it is like to comeRead MoreWomen, Liberty And The Pursuit Of Happiness Essay1197 Words   |  5 PagesWe hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.† Despite our founding stating that all men are created equal, the course of history has proven otherwise. Throughout the 19th and 20th century, reforms were m ade, but the lack of equality still remained unresolved. Today the conquest for racial equality and reform still remains a prevalent

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Genetically Modified Organism - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1412 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2019/02/14 Category Health Essay Level High school Tags: GMO Essay Did you like this example? Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) is one of the most important issues currently happening not only in the United States, but around the world. According to Megan Westgate, a researcher and supporter of a non-gmo lifestyle, says, â€Å"A GMO, or genetically modified organism, is a plant, animal, microorganism or other organism whose genetic makeup has been modified in a laboratory using genetic engineering or transgenic technology.†(Westgate, non-gmo project). In shorter terms, bio engineers remove DNA from the experimental subject and manipulate it to try to improve its original form; for example, the point of GMO meals is so that food products look more beautiful, have a brighter color, and be larger in size. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Genetically Modified Organism" essay for you Create order Improving the looks of food sounds great, but what about all the dangerous chemicals bioengineers are inserting in the food products. Bioengineers are currently manipulating the crops DNA stems, so that pests die once they come in contact with the food; but somehow, it’s no be harmful to humans. Would eating an oversize fruit be appealing to anyone, knowing that it kills pests after consumption? GMOs are harmful to our health, lead to damages in the environment, and companies are just trying to manipulate the food-market. GMOs should be labeled and people should recognized how dangerous GMOs actually are. From the beginning of human history, crop products were always organic. Back then crops were grown just from the plants leftover seeds. Now in the modern world, GMOs have injected genes from another species what could be dangerous to the people. Most of the food that contain GMOs have yet to be proven to be safe for human beings. Biochemist can’t guarantee that GMOs’ side effects would be long-term and proving the food to be safe is beyond the capacity of current technology. People who supporter genetic engineering argue that biotechnology could improve the nutritional contents of various foods. This would mean that people would be able to receive all the vitamins in just a single food product. Having all the vitamins from a single food product could be a great advantage, but our foods will no longer be natural. The harmful effects of GMOs can cause food allergy reactions, escalate the rate of cancer, and even affect the immune system. Currently there are Several studies over GMOs, but a study that started the research was conducted by Dr. à rpà ¡d Pusztai at the Rowett Research Institute in 1998. Steve Connor a biochemist talks about Arpads first research results in an article from 2016. Arpads had said, â€Å"feeding GM potatoes to rats led them to malfunction of immune systems.† (Arpad, Article 2016). Other researchers have studied that manipulating the DNA of a fish and putting it back into the water; the population of the fish at one point would come to an extinction. Biochemist are putting GMOs in corn (commonly used in high fructose corn syrup, corn tortill as, cereals), Sugar, Soy lecithin (Used in packaged foods), Papaya, Zucchini, Canola oil, Tomatoes, and Dairy products. Evidence shows that GMOs are harmful to our health and to the animals, so why should GMOs be allowed to be in the food? Our environment is very important to keep clean in order for plants to grow rich in natural soil, but GMOs in the past decade have destroyed the environment and organic farming industries by contaminating organic foods. Biochemist assure that GMO crops contain harmful insect resistance and herbicide resistance and this would help to reduce environmental contamination. However, the resistance genes injected to the crops could easily spread to the ecological system (which is the relationship between humans and nature). Consequently, injecting the crops has resulted in the growth of super weeds and super insect by spreading the genes to them. Also, the mutation by biotechnology has also altered the ecology that killed useful insects and now the insect produces the toxin. GM crops have a disastrous effect on organic farming, especially on the most important parts of organic crops which is keeping cleanness and lacking of pollution. Seeds of GM plants are carried by wind and contaminate the natural plants. There is no way to stop the contamination of GM plants and organic plants. GMO Cross-contamination set up buffer zones between GMO farming and organic farming, but contamination still occurs. Once a farmer’s field is affected, there isnt a way to restore its natural state. GMO pollution caused by pollen spreads into GM crops cultivation areas. GMO contamination will occur once GM crops are cultivated. Therefore, Genetic pollution will destroy organic farming industry. Humans need to grow organic foods to avoid GMOs from taking over all of our real crops and natural soil. Lastly, GM crops are being forced onto the whole world by biotechnology multi-nationals seeking money for their products. Agriculture in many countries reorganized their own farming industry to increase productivity and try to make agriculture be depended on their industry. Agriculture in the world is going to be ruled by Multinationals; having a lot of output, consumers and farmers get a small profit, but companies such as The Monsanto would get the most. In The Monsanto Company, soybean products are being sold in which they use 2-5 times more herbicides than non-GM plants. The Monsanto company sells different types of seeds, which not all farmers have, and this way The Monsantos could make great businesses. These big companies will have the whole world food markets in their hands. When all food in the world becomes GM foods or their products, we would not have a choice to eat healthy organic food. GMOs would now be forced on the people. Industries would be holding onto the last rea l seeds on our planet, and probably start making a market out of that as well. These industries are not looking to benefit the peoples health or stop world hunger. These industries are only looking out for themselves to make enormous amounts of profits. Banning GMOs would be the best idea to save the world from company frauds, and fake food products. Currently in America, we have GMOs in many of our foods that some don’t recognise dangerous for our bodies. To prevent eating GM products, all foods should be labeled and people should be able to identify what foods they would like to consume. Most of major crops in the US came from GMO products. 92 percent of the corn grown in the US contains GMOs. Most of the food we eat are corn products, so all GM food must be labeled for protection against potential risks of eating the foods. Labeling is consistent with the right to know for consumers. Labeling food is the correct thing to do for consumers who want to stay away from manipulated crops. Once more people know how bad GM foods are people will then stop buying these foods and big companies won’t make major profits off of them. Awareness for GMOs is required, so that the people could recognized what GM food does to their health. Also, so that the people know what GM does to crops and how it damages the natural environme nt. Lastly, so that the big industries can’t get away with their hidden agenda. GMOs should be labeled all over America, so we could stay away from dangerous foods. GMOs should be banned around the world because we still don’t know all the side effects of each product in the long run. We shouldn’t risk our health with these GMOs by consuming these modified foods. Eating something without knowing what chemicals are inserted in your foods could cause harm to your body. If industries plan is to stop world hunger, GMOs is not the solution. We need to know how to share in order to stop world hunger. World hunger is not due to a shortage of food- globally there is enough to go round and if people make the right decisions, we can continue to feed the world despite population growth and climate change. It’s all about not being greedy and help the people in need. There is enough food in the world to feed third world countries, so creating GMOs is not one of the solution to world hunger. There are more benefits of living a health life without GMOs than using them. If people become more aware of modified foods, then one day we could co me to terms in banning GMOs for our health and for the benefits of a healthy green growing planet.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Odyssey, Analysis of Hubris, Ate, Nemesis Free Essays

The Cycle That Continues Today Many people get off a plane and think that was a terrible trip because the security lines were long, the flight was delayed, and the food was terrible. Odysseus’ journey is guaranteed to be a hundred times harder. He spends ten years trying to get home after the Trojan War and has a series of mishaps along the way. We will write a custom essay sample on The Odyssey, Analysis of Hubris, Ate, Nemesis or any similar topic only for you Order Now Homer, who was a famous bard in Ancient Greece, tells Odysseus’ story in the epic poem, the Odyssey. Throughout the poem, many characters go through the cycle of Hubris, Ate, and Nemesis, causing hardships that never needed to happen, and their mistakes teach readers lessons. The cycle begins when a character is arrogant, acts upon it, and then gets punished based on their actions. Iros, a beggar, decides that he doesn’t want to share the space with Odysseus, who he thinks is a weak old beggar, but he pays in the end. The suitor, Antinoos, leads the pack of men taking over Odysseus’ castle; he dies for his disloyal actions toward the king. Finally, Odysseus’ plan to return to Ithaka is slowed by over eight years after he angers Poseidon’s son by being arrogant. Iros isn’t closely related to the suitors or Odysseus but he still goes through the cycle. Iros’ experience with the cycle results in a loss of food and shelter after he commits his Ate. Iros meets an old and weak beggar whom he thinks he is better than because he is much younger and looks stronger. Then, during his Ate, he challenges the beggar to a fight for the castle‘s Great Hall. In his Nemesis, the beggar, who is actually Odysseus, breaks his jaw in the first punch and then hurts his leg with just a quick kick. Readers can learn through Iros not to judge others by their looks or age. Before the fight, Iros encourages the suitors to pay attention and cheer him on. Iros tells Odysseus, â€Å"Clear-out grandfather or be hauled by the ankle bone. See them all giving me the wink? That means, ‘Go on and drag him out! ’ I hate to do it. Up with you! Or would you like a fist fight† (Fitzgerald 335). When Iros commits his Ate, he angers Odysseus by insulting him. This shows that people should learn to share, and not take advantage of elders. The cycle continues throughout the story in Antinoos. During Odysseus’ absence, Antinoos thinks he can take over the castle and his wife; this causes him to lose his life. When Odysseus doesn’t return from the Trojan War, people begin to question if he is alive or not. Antinoos and the other suitors decide to take advantage of this opportunity by invading the castle. His Ate is committed when they drink Odysseus’ wine, slaughter his cattle, and mistreat Penelope, Odysseus’ wife, and the other servants. When Odysseus finally returns, still disguised as a beggar, Antinoos throws a chair at him. In the end, his nemesis is being the first suitor to die, since he is the leader of the pack. Readers can learn not to take advantage of others or take what has not been earned. Odysseus and his most trusted servants lock the suitors in the Great Hall, in order to try to kill them. Homer writes, â€Å"He drew the cruel head of an arrow for Antinoos just as the young man leaned to lift his beautiful cup†¦ Odysseus hit him under the chin and punched up the feather through his throat† (Fitzgerald 409). Antinoos’ Nemesis is death at the hand of Odysseus’ arrow, and it is revenge for taking over his castle. Although Odysseus causes the Nemesis of Iros and Antinoos, he experiences the cycle himself. Even though Odysseus is considered the hero of the poem, he still goes through the Hubris, Ate, and Nemesis cycle. In order to escape Polyphemos’ cave, where he is trapped, Odysseus blinds the Kyklopes. After escaping the cave, he boards the ship and with arrogance reveals his name and where he is from. In anger, the Kyklopes asks his dad, Poseidon, to punish Odysseus by making it almost impossible to return to Ithaka, Odysseus’ home, this is his Nemesis. The lesson the reader can learn is that boasting can get in the way of the ultimate goal. Bragging makes others even more mad, and they try to get revenge. Odysseus couldn’t just leave quietly. Polyphemos tells his dad everything he knows and how to punish him. He yells, â€Å"Oh hear me lord, blue girdler of the islands, if I am thine indeed, and thou art father: grant that Odysseus, raider of cities, never see his home again. Laertes son, I mean, who kept his hall on Ithaka. Should destiny intend that he shall see his roof again among his family in his fathers land, far be that day, and dark the years between. Let him lose all companions, and return under strange sail to biter days home† (Fitzgerald 161). Polyphemos determines Odysseus’ fate. It takes ten years for him to return home finally. All of his crew dies, and when he arrives, he finds that suitors have invaded his castle. The lessons learned from Odysseus’ mistakes are important for people today, not only for people the past. Arrogance can’t always be controlled, and still today self-importance gets in the way of peoples life goals. The Odyssey’s exciting adventure teaches lessons about life and human nature. None of the characters are perfect, so this allows people to relate to their personalities and mistakes, keeping this poem popular. How to cite The Odyssey, Analysis of Hubris, Ate, Nemesis, Papers

Monday, May 4, 2020

Web Communications in International Gadgets

Question: Describe about the web communications in international gadgets. Answer: TO: Staff of International Gadgets FROM: John Moore DATE: Ms. Karen Sazasaki SUBJECT: Web communications in International Gadgets DATE: 10th June, 2015 The standards of web communications that are to be implemented in the company have been successfully drafted. It has been brought into notice a few days ago that our manufacturing unit at Detroit could not meet certain deadlines due to miscommunications or late communications between them and the sales department. Certain similar issues have also been noticed in the past. Using the standards of web communication that have been developed, we will be able to prevent such incidents any further. Immediacy is an important characteristic of web communications: any documents, records and/ or messages can be immediately sent from one department to the other. Such communications are also interactive as both the parties involved in the communication can actively take part in it. The web communication system will be accessible to only those personnel who are assigned the task of communicating departmental issues with other departments. This specific application can also be used for the transmission of messages, reports/documents, orders or any such information within the organization. Access to this application will be restricted to only those employees who are at present assigned with these activities and will be safe guarded using user names and corresponding passwords, which will be provide by the organization. The web communication tool will also be helpful in maintaining a corporate credibility of our organization (Baek, Kim, Yu, 2010). We will be able to communicate with all our customers and dealers in a more efficient way than before. We need to build up a social media network for facilitating such communications in a serious manner. The products and services that are provided by our organization need to be of a prime quality, such that they can be utilized more efficiently so as to establish a credibility of our brand. The privacy and security of data and/ or information is a prime concern to any organization that utilizes the internet for performing all or some of its operations (Kim, Tao, Shin, Kim, 2010). As most of the communication channels used in this organization will be based on the internet from now onwards, security and privacy issues might creep in into our system (Breitsohl, Khammash, Griffiths, 2010). Official websites of various organizations frequently face certain attacks and/or threats which disrupt the services frequently and can also target the data integrity of the organization. However, our IT solution provider are looking into implementing security measures in the system and they will also providing some basic training to our employees (Balzacq, 2010). The basic ethical issue that we need to consider is whether we can use the personal information provided to us by the customers for any other purposes other than to communicate with them. The standards that we are implying would allow us to only gather this information from the customers that are absolutely essential to us and we will be using those only to communicate with them. At present, only the computing devices that are provided by the organization will only have access to the system. However, the management has already planned for adapting policies that will enable other device to connect to the system. The web application that has been designed contains an entire process which can be accessed in case the employees require any help regarding the use of the application. I hope to have the cooperation of all the employees of the organization in this new venture. Best, John Moore References Baek, T. H., Kim, J., Yu, J. H. (2010). The differential roles of brand credibility and brand prestige in consumer brand choice.Psychology Marketing,27(7), 662-678. Balzacq, T. (Ed.). (2010).Understanding Securitisation Theory: How Security Problems Emerge and Dissolve. Routledge. Breitsohl, J., Khammash, M., Griffiths, G. (2010). E-business complaint management: perceptions and perspectives of online credibility.Journal of Enterprise Information Management,23(5), 653-660. Kim, C., Tao, W., Shin, N., Kim, K. S. (2010). An empirical study of customers perceptions of security and trust in e-payment systems.Electronic Commerce Research and Applications,9(1), 84-95.

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Free Essays on Symposium

SYMPOSIUM Throughout history Love has been a topic of conversation. As the topic to the Symposium Socrates and his intellectual partners discuss what Love is and twist it’s meaning in every possible way. Each attendee of the dinner is given an opportunity to express his feelings and ideas about Love. Love can be molded to fit many styles, shapes, and types. Of those who were attending the Symposium, the majority of the men were homosexual or like Socrates bi-sexual. In this era, men commonly befriended young boys and taught them about Love. In exchange for sharing their knowledge, the older men gained sexual satisfaction. This started a cycle, when the young boys grew old they passed their knowledge on. The young boys in which were taught showed their appreciation by performing sexual acts. Love occurred in several ways. Physical and emotional attractions were the two main sources of Love. Love based on a single physical feature is just as possible as love of a person’s entire body and physical beauty. As talked about in the class discussion, Love of a person can be based on the Love of a physical feature. An individual can fall in Love with another even if he or she is not attracted to the other person’s mind. Opposite personalities can fall in Love with each other and do not need to base their Love on compatibility. Others base their Love on an emotional connection. This type of Love is the type thought to be most accepted by society, especially by women. In the class discussion, the females seemed to accept Love based on emotion and not based on physical beauty. It is hard to believe that Love can be formed solely on physical attraction and not on a spiritual connection. Emotional Love differs from physical Love due to the reason that no matter how much the person being loved changes physically, he or she will still be accepted and loved. Emotionally based Love can change according to the personality change of the loved one.... Free Essays on Symposium Free Essays on Symposium SYMPOSIUM Throughout history Love has been a topic of conversation. As the topic to the Symposium Socrates and his intellectual partners discuss what Love is and twist it’s meaning in every possible way. Each attendee of the dinner is given an opportunity to express his feelings and ideas about Love. Love can be molded to fit many styles, shapes, and types. Of those who were attending the Symposium, the majority of the men were homosexual or like Socrates bi-sexual. In this era, men commonly befriended young boys and taught them about Love. In exchange for sharing their knowledge, the older men gained sexual satisfaction. This started a cycle, when the young boys grew old they passed their knowledge on. The young boys in which were taught showed their appreciation by performing sexual acts. Love occurred in several ways. Physical and emotional attractions were the two main sources of Love. Love based on a single physical feature is just as possible as love of a person’s entire body and physical beauty. As talked about in the class discussion, Love of a person can be based on the Love of a physical feature. An individual can fall in Love with another even if he or she is not attracted to the other person’s mind. Opposite personalities can fall in Love with each other and do not need to base their Love on compatibility. Others base their Love on an emotional connection. This type of Love is the type thought to be most accepted by society, especially by women. In the class discussion, the females seemed to accept Love based on emotion and not based on physical beauty. It is hard to believe that Love can be formed solely on physical attraction and not on a spiritual connection. Emotional Love differs from physical Love due to the reason that no matter how much the person being loved changes physically, he or she will still be accepted and loved. Emotionally based Love can change according to the personality change of the loved one....

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing - Assignment Example Martha should subdivide the market further. There are a lot of professional women who does not stay at home and who are equally busy as men. There are also students, single women, etch. What Martha should initially target are the house wives who stays at home that takes care of the children. They are the natural market of Trap-Ease it protects the infants and toddlers from the threat of poisoning of other rodent control products. But Martha should not stop with the mothers, she should include the fathers too which is another segment of the market. In fact, the right market segmentation for the product is not merely stay home housewives but should be parents. But given the outlay of the investors that she needs to recoup, this market segment may not enough to cover the cost. So she should expand her market to other segments like business establishments who has the same need for rodent control. This is a promising market for Trap-Ease as the product is nicely designed that would not be an eye sore in a corporate setting. Also, it is ideal for this market for it will spare the workplace from the foul smell of a rodent brought by other similar product category. 4) Describe the current marketing mix for Trap-Ease.

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Strategic Leadership Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Strategic Leadership - Coursework Example e the resources of the company are correctly and effectively being used and activities are being correctly and accurately being reported (Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson, 2012). Some of the examples of these controls include budgets, bank reconciliations, cross segregation of duties e.g. for book-keeper posting cash and the receiver of mails, etc. Therefore, from the definitions and examples above, it is evident one major difference between the two is that, strategic controls affect the whole company activities (internal and external) while financial control focus on the internal environment more specifically, the financial resources of the company (Bert, n.d.). It is important to note that a leader’s influence can only be felt within the organization if such a leader behaves ethically. Therefore, given that the human capital play a significant role in determining the company’s success, then there is need for me as a manager responsible for developing and training employees to behave ethically in order to cultivate a better culture in the subordinates. Moreover, I believe that my position is in tandem with many strategic leaders because of the changing workplace environment due diversity in culture, attitude and work ethics. Therefore, to be able to retain better and efficient talent within the organization, many strategic leaders have started investing huge resources in developing and nurturing the talent of subordinates by ensuring that they behave ethically to be able to exercise maximum influence on the

Monday, January 27, 2020

Key conventions comprising works of writer and director christopher nolan

Key conventions comprising works of writer and director christopher nolan Chapter 1 Introduction I think audiences get too comfortable and familiar in todays movies. They believe everything theyre hearing and seeing. I like to shake that up. (The Auteurs, 2010) Christopher Nolan made his feature debut with Following in 1998 but it was the cult classic Memento, released in the autumn of 2000, which lead to his breakthrough in Hollywood. Despite only a handful of subsequent box office successes later, Nolan had soon established himself as both a blockbuster writer and director of the highest calibre. With Nolan rapidly constructing a key signature of his work that chronology would take a back seat to character with an identifiable undertone of film noir, is Christopher Nolan an auteur of the 21st century or merely a product from the likes of David Lynch and David Fincher? Consequently, this assignment will aim to answer this very question and will make a judgement on whether Christopher Nolan is in fact an auteur. In order to make a final judgement the dissertation will pursue the following procedure: Chapter three will aim to define what characteristics constitute an auteur, and will thus provide an informative analysis of the cinematic theory so that a context for the discussion can be established. This dissertation will benefit largely from the combination of both Alexandre Austrucs relatively elementary definition of auteurism as well as Andrew Sarris and John Caughies more modern, in-depth interpretation of the film theory. Employing approximately 50 years worth of academic analysis in regards to auteurism, a precise and thorough definition of an auteur will be produced, essential when drawing an accurate conclusion. Similarly, Chapter four will provide a brief summary of both the history of film noir and the neo-noir motion picture, informing the reader through an analysis and development of the genres codes and conventions. Joan Copjecs publication explores the origins of this classic period of Hollywood cinema and offers a perspective upon the films themselves, viewed in light of contemporary social and political concerns, and from new theoretical insights. She also analyses the re-emergence of noir cinema in recent years and how neo-noir remains a popular choice for the big film studios. Another publication which has been hugely beneficial during my research is that of Dr Frank Krutnik. Krutniks book combines both theoretical and historical research through the examination of individual films through a generic framework. In a lonely street is an extremely valuable text as it is especially successful in combining both historical research and textual analysis. It is important to note that Chapt er three and four of this dissertation are effectively the foundations before producing a smooth transition into the rise and success of writer and director Christopher Nolan. The vast bulk of the evidence gathered will be contained between Chapters five, six and seven. Chapter five will observe a number of Nolans cinematic trademarks, beginning with non-linear narratives. The International Society for the Study of Narrative states that narrative is the telling of a story or communication of a chain of events, fictive or real. Aspects of narrative include how the story is told, the context in which it is presented, and the construction of the story (Narrative, 2010). Therefore, in order to achieve an in-depth deconstruction of the non-linear narratives of Nolans first two motion pictures, Following and Memento, the aid of a narratological theory will be required whilst an analysis of all aspects of narrative must also be attributed. One narrative theory which has been specifically chosen is that of Tzvetan Todorov. Lacey (2000) argues that one name has become synonymous with that of Narratology over the years, Todorov, who simplified the concept of narrative while allowing a more complex interpretation of film texts with his theory of Equilibrium an d Disequilibrium. First proposed by Russian Formalists, there should be two individual narratological traditions: thematic and modal. According to research by Professor Meir Steinberg (Narrative, 2010) the former is largely limited to a semiotic formalization of the sequences of action told, while the latter examines the manner of their telling, stressing the importance of voice, point of view, transformation of the chronological order, rhythm and frequency. Numerous academics however, have insisted that thematic and modal Narratology should not be investigated separately as they both undoubtedly benefit one another especially when investigating the function and interest of narrative sequence and plot. Therefore, one must ensure that both a modal and thematic stance has been incorporated into the investigation of each text. The study will then progress on to observe the role of the morally dubious protagonist, a feature which dominates the majority of Nolans texts. For this purpose, Memento, The Prestige and Batman Begins have all been chosen for evaluation. This chapter will also undertake a vigorous breakdown of recognisable mise en scene traits and themes which will be identified throughout the volume of Christopher Nolans films. It will be this section of the study that will ensure a balanced debate as we look at the impact of other members within the production process such as Wally Pfister, a cinematographer, who Nolan has hired for all but one of his feature films. We also consider the influence of Chris brother, Jonathan, who has helped co-write several texts. The introduction to the conclusion, if you will, will help summarise and determine the significant influence the noir conventions that have been stated throughout this discussion have had on the development and originality of certain Nolan films. The dissertation will then conclude that despite the fact that Christopher Nolan, like many of his predecessors, has inherited a vast wealth of cinematic codes and conventions, his body of work, all be it relatively small, provides a unique stamp thus establishing Nolan as an auteur alongside the likes of Scorsese and Spielberg. Methodology. (3 pages) The following Firstly the information collected for this dissertation will be purely qualitative rather than quantitative as it focuses upon film theory through the form of textual analysis. The Secondary research will specifically involve the consultation of academic textbooks on the dissertation topic. This will be essential in developing prior knowledge on the subject and will allow discussion in order to reach the overall aim. The opinions of film academics and authors will be utilised in order to validate or oppose various issues raised within the dissertation. By using published or peer reviewed sources it increases the reliability of the information referenced and in turn the dissertation. The dissertation will also consist of narrative analysis of moving image. Stokes states that narrative analysis involves very close reading and is best conducted on a limited number of texts (2003, p. 69) which is why the dissertation particularly examines and deconstructs the works of a sole director and writer. However, there may also be a negative effect of investigating the work of one artist as Stoke (2003) claims there can become a danger of bias by steering away from a critical approach if you admire the work of the particular auteur. She states that one must go through a process of developing a critical distance and a way of watching which is detached and dispassionate. Therefore in order to ensure that the investigations results are as reliable as can be, one must aspire to analyse with complete objectivity. Whether or not this is entirely possible is another matter. Stokes (2003) also offers seven steps in order to conduct narrative analysis effectively. These guidelines will be extremely useful when deconstructing the narratives of Following, Memento and Batman Begins. Chapter 3 The Auteur Theory. More than a theory. In 1954 film critic and film director FranÃÆ'ois Truffaut coined the term auteurism, a concept which would later provoke much controversy and debate within the world of cinema. The politique des auteurs, later referred to as the auteur theory, originated in 1950s France as an abstract aesthetic rooted in the works of prestigious film journal cahiers du cinema. The fundamental works of this cinematic movement were Alexandre Austrucs Un camera stylo and Francois Truffauts Une certain tendance du cinema FranÃÆ'ais. Both of these concepts promoted the idea that as the author of a motion picture, the truly great directors must have a distinct visual style and identifiable themes which ingrain all of their work. (REFERENCE) Alexandre Astruc in his celebrated essay The Birth of the new avant-garde: the camera-stylo, announced that: The cinema is quite simply becoming a means of expression, just as all the other arts have been before it . . . After having been successively a fairground attraction, an amusement analogous to boulevard theatre, or the means of preserving the images of an era, it is gradually becoming a language. By language, I mean a form in which and by which an artist can express his thoughts, however abstract they may be, or translate his obsessions exactly as he does in the contemporary essay or novel (cited by Corrigan and River, 1999, p.159). Caughie (1988) states that as a term, Austrucs camera-stylo (camera pen) failed to take root, however the insistence on film as an individual self-expression, had a considerable polemical importance, forming the basis of Franca Truffauts cinema dauteurs. Traditionally, the reference to the auteur in French film criticism was associated with either the author who wrote the script, or, in the more general sense of the term, the artist who created the text. Before too long the latter sense came to replace the former and the title auteur was attributed to the artist whose personality had been written in the film. Inspired by the critics of cahiers du cinema, US film academic Andrew Sarris demanded a more detailed definition of the term la politique des auteurs and would later transform the notion of an auteur into an acclaimed cinematic theory. The auteur theory was never, in itself, a theory of the cinema, though its originators did not claim that it was. The writers of Cashiers du Cinema always spoke of la politique des auteurs. The translation of this into the auteur theory appears to be the responsibility of Andrew Sarris (Caughie, 1988, p.24). In his Notes on the Auteur Theory in 1962, Sarris proposed three key traits in order to identify an auteur; the first being the technical competence of a director as a criterion of value. The second; the distinguishable personality of the director. Over a group of films, a director must exhibit certain recurring characteristics of style, which serve as his signature. The third premise refers to a more mystic interior meaning: Interior meaning is extrapolated from the tension between a directors personality and his material. This conception of interior meaning comes close to what Astruc defines as mise-en- scene, but not quite. It is not quite the vision of the world a director projects nor quite his attitude to life. It is ambiguous, in any literary sense, because part of it is imbedded in the stuff of cinema and cannot be rendered in non-cinematic terms. (Cited by Pearson, 1997) It is fairly evident when scrutinising the words of Andrew Sarris, that there are in fact numerous weaknesses in regards to his academic approach towards the auteur theory. The first two traits are fairly self explanatory, as he claims that a director mustnt simply be a master of his craft but that he must also present a style which is clearly distinguishable as his own. The weakness in Sarris approach however, lies in his third and final point, as he produces a vague description of what he defines as interior meaning. This definition is simply too unclear making it near impossible for other film academics to evaluate and measure an auteurs interior meaning. This point is indisputable as Sarris himself claims that his third principle is in fact ambiguous (Cited by Pearson, 1997) to say the least. Once Andrew Sarris had developed the notion of the auteur theory, he began to break the boundaries set when analysing auteurism in cinema. He took note of films within Hollywood and the commercial system where a large number of directors whose work, displayed a consistency of under-lying themes and a style which Caughie believes was unusual as it was difficult for a director to express personality and uniqueness within the industries constraints: In fact, the struggle between the desire for self-expression and the constraints of the industry could produce a tension in the films of the commercial cinema which was lacking in the art cinema, encouraging the auteurist critics to valorise Hollywood cinema above all else, finding there a treasure-trove of buried personalities, and, in the process, scandalizing established criticism. Uniqueness of personality, brash individuality, persistence of obsession and originality were given an evaluative power above that of stylistic smoothness or social seriousness (Caughie, 1988, p.10). Despite the director as author approach becoming increasingly popular in the 1960s, its weaknesses soon became apparent as it wasnt long until the notion of auteurism had been extended to include both producers and actors. The auteur theory had now developed to the extent where it would only accept rigorous analysis of films as oppose to unclear references to themes and style; With its emphasis on the importance of systematically analysing a body of texts, auteur-structuralism conceives of the author as a set of structures identifiable within a directors films. (Crofts, 1998, p. 315) Film critics would therefore now attempt to deconstruct the common themes and style of a given director rather than simply producing a vague interpretation. Caughie (1988) states that a weakness of the auteur theory lays in the fact that it requires a means in which to measure value. Sarris suggests films become valuable in so far as they reveal directorial personality. He therefore does precisely what s hould not be done: he uses individuality as a test for cultural value (Caughie, 1988, p.27). After utilising a number of interpretations in regards to the auteur theory, a single definition must be produced in order to validate the conclusion drawn at the end of this investigation. The definition which has been selected is that of John Caughies as it is both simplistic yet precise. Caughie, is his text Theories of Authorship, stipulates that an auteur is purely a valued member of the production team whose personality can be traced in a thematic and/or stylistic consistency over all (or almost all) of his/her films (Caughie, 1988). It is therefore fair to suggest that a personality, arguably a synonym for auteur, simply refers to a number of unique codes and conventions which have been persistently drawn upon for a large percentage of his or her (in this instance, a directors) work. Chapter 4 A History of Film Noir and its progression into the Neo Noir motion picture. More than a genre Paris, summer 1946. This moment marks an incredibly important event in cinema history, not for production but for exhibition. For this was the summer when, after the hiatus of the Second World War, French critics were again given the opportunity to view films from Hollywood. The films they saw prompted the naming and theorisation of a new phenomenon: film noir (Copjec, 1993). Silver (2004) simply defines classic film noir as one of the most influential movements in cinema history. This definition seems rather basic, however, despite five decades of attempted classification and debate its categorisation still remains problematic as it is marked by what Krutnik (1991) coined as a division between opposing camps of theorists and historians. Perhaps it is easier to suggest what characteristics constitute film noir rather than attempting to identify it wholly as genre or a period of history. Silver and Ursini (1998) in their book Film Noir Reader claim that the boundaries of this classic period stretch from John Hustons The Maltese Falcon (1941) to Orson Welles Touch of Evil (1958) and emerged from crime fiction in the United States during the Depression. The iconic visual style of film noir set in the 40s usually tends to be low key lighting with use of dark, dramatic shadowy patterns. This style is particularly noticeable in Carol Reeds The Third Man. In an analysis of the visual approach of Kiss Me Deadly, critic Alain Silver (1995, p.222) describes how cinematographic choices emphasize the storys themes and mood. In one scene, the characters, seen through a confusion of angular shapes, thus appear caught in a tangible vortex or enclosed in a trap. Copjec claims that this new form of cinema that emerged in 1940s America reflected the anxieties of a country entering a new era, an era perhaps dark and ominous. Film noir had therefore become the antithesis of Hollywoods glamour productions of the 30s. Literally meaning black film, film noir was first introduced by the French critic Nino Frank in 1946 as he noticed how dark and often black the settings and themes of these Hollywood films were (Wolfgang, 2003). Unlike other forms of cinema, film noir has no elements that it can truly indentify as its own. Rather, film noir makes use of elements from other forms, most notably from the crime and detective genres, but often overlapping into thrillers, horror, and even science fiction (Copjec, 1993). The primary moods of classic film noir are melancholy, alienation, bleakness, disillusionment, disenchantment, pessimism, ambiguity, moral corruption, evil, guilt and paranoia (Wolfgang, 2003). Whereas much work has been published on classic film noirs, produced between 1940 and 1958, little criticism has been written about the newer films, produced between 1966 and 2010, defined as the neo-noir motion picture. For some there has been a tendency amongst film critics to exclusively use the term noir for the classic films of the 30s, 40s and 50s. Although in recent years, there has been an increasing flexibility in regards to the classification of noir, especially as far as a chronological broadening is concerned. Some film academics believe that the genre has expanded from pre-World War Two cinema to the modern day phenomenon of the Neo-noir motion picture. This therefore suggests that the label film noir now has over sixty years of film history behind it. The term Neo-Noir was first coined by Todd Erickson in the 1990s in his widely credited essay Kill Me Again: Movement becomes a Genre where he claimed that neo noir only became a genre in the 80s, when it emerged from its embryonic state in the sixties and seventies (Silver and Ursini, 1998). He also discusses the emergence of noir motifs in films subsequent to the canonical period and suggests studying them as a new genre. Contemporary film noir is a new genre of film. As such, it must carry the distinction of another name; a name that is cognizant of its rich noir heritage, yet one that distinguishes its influences and motivations from those of the bygone era (Silver and Ursini, 1998, p.321) Erickson expanded on his definition stating that Neo Noir encompasses films released after the classic period which fulfil central aspects of the genre but take other different generic approaches (Lee Horsley, Crime and Culture). These central aspects of iconography, to which Erickson refers, a re: The visual style, in terms of cinematography with the use of symbolic lighting on certain characters to portray a particular characteristic. Academic David Watt (2002) highlights these codes and conventions within a framework of David Finchers Fight Club. Watt argues that Fincher has accomplished a particular style of lighting through the relationship between the central characters. In various scenes, Jack is in the foreground of the shot lit in high key with Tyler in the background hidden by shadows, thus representing that Tyler is hiding something from Jack (Watt, 2002). Another piece of iconography within the narrative structure is the common use of flashbacks in film noir where the protagonist will narrate their own story. Watt states that Fight Club fulfils this narrative device and plays on it through creating a flashback from another flashback, setting the film further back and expanding on the convention (Watt, 2002). The third and final key element of film noir is the i nclusion of certain Character types who the audience recognise as a recurrent motif of the genre. For example, perhaps the most identifiable character type in film noir is that of the anti hero, a convention that will be discussed in greater detail later in this study. Watt proclaims in his dissection of Finchers Neo Noir Blockbuster that the anti hero: Poses as the central character but does not follow the rules of society in the diegesis and contrasts heavily to the typical high concept hero. Fight Club immediately introduces the audience to the anti hero through a typical film noir convention of the introductory close up. Fincher has taken this convention to its extreme though and begins the film from literally inside the protagonists brain and then spirals out, disorientating the audience as they are forced to identify with this nameless character. Jack acts as the anti hero but his traits of the character type are expanded and again, took to their ultimate extreme. He does not trust anyone and is a loner, so much so that his name is never clearly identified and he is only recognised as Jack through the narrative voice over of I am Jacks wasted life (2002). The similarities between both the protagonist in Fight Club and Christopher Nolans Memento will be hugely evident when we analyse Nolans use of the anti-hero in his own Neo Noir epic. If we return briefly to the genre itself, many of the Neo-Noir films, especially of those created in the 70s and 80s, including for example Chinatown released in 1974, are what Lacey (2001) considers as pastiches that knowingly, and fondly, recreate the style of earlier noir cinema albeit in colour and with a modern sensibility. These films express a retro and nostalgic avoidance of contemporary experience with the intention of escaping from contemporary issues (cited by Wolfgang, 2003) Horsley (2002) corroborates this statement by arguing that in recent years one question is frequently raised in critical debate, pondering whether the fashionable trappings of neo-noir are themselves symptomatic of commercial postmodern nostalgia. He moves onto suggest that the sense that noir created in the 70s and 80s was a retro and nostalgic avoidance of contemporary experience has been encouraged by the often-cited essay, Postmodernism and Consumer Society, in which Frederic Jameson assigns to fi lm noir a central role in the vocabulary of commercialized postmodernism. However, Lacey (2001) claims that there are also numerous Neo Noir motion pictures which push the genre forward and avoid pastiche. One director whose films arguably fit this mould is Christopher Nolan, a writer and director whose work has instigated this very investigation. Leaving aside for the moment the matter of nostalgic pastiche it could be argued that Neo noir is not so much a genre of film but rather an identifiable visual style which has been adopted by a large number of contemporary film makers. As an aesthetic and ideological set of principles, the traditional conventions of noir are very visible in the works of modern auteurs: David Lynch, Michael Mann and David Fincher. However, there is still an obvious difference between both Film Noir and Neo noir as they each have their own underlying social and political context which undoubtedly affects a films perspective. As stated earlier, Film noir is very much a response to post war disillusionment and can be categorised into certain distinct phases, Neo noir on the other hand is far more difficult to isolate as the genre itself continues to evolve. Despite the 60s and 70s providing some telling illustrations of Neo noir, it was not until the early 80s that the genre gained widespread acceptance and credibility. This could arguably be down to the success of Ridley Scotts Blade Runner which would later be followed by other influential directors David Lynch (Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive) and David Fincher (Seven, Fight Club). As Lee Horsley suggests: The contemporary refashioning of noir themes is a manifestation of the flexibility and responsiveness to social change that have characterised noir from its inception and of the continued vitality of the form. The transformations of the genre in neo-noir have helped to clarify some of the constant, recognisable elements of the noir vision, most importantly the moral ambivalence of the protagonist and his (or in neo-noir often her) ill-fated relationship with a wider society that itself is guilty of corruption and criminality. (Horsley, 2002) One director whose body of work notably contains recognisable elements of the noir vision is that of Christopher Nolan. Thanks to his unique, stylised, time-bending reformation of film noir conventions, Christopher Nolan has established himself as a creator of psychologically demanding films that defy categorization. When Nolan spoke to journalist Chris Roberts in October 2000 he was asked Have you always loved film noir?: Very much. Im a big fan, but interested in making those materials live for this time, this place. To create something new, whilst not abandoning the things I love about the genre. Which include the intrigue you can get out of that triangular relationship between three main characters. Who does what to whom is the driving force of both the narrative and the psychology. You judge them on their actions, rather than a lot of back-story and conversation. I just think it would be a marvellous thing for film-makers to have some of the narrative freedom that novelists have had for hundreds well, thousands of years. In other media, its always been accepted that you dont have to tell stories chronologically. In films, you have the flashback concept, but Stanley Kubrick and Nicolas Roeg were pioneering and pushing other boundaries in the Seventies, and it seems criminal to me not to keep using the freedoms they hard-earned. You should always be a little ahead of your time. I dont mean in a me dicinal, here-take-this-its- good-for-you way, but keeping people on their toes is a fun thing to do. Citizen Kane pushed things forward ambitiously, but in a real, instinctive, not gimmicky sense. And some of the aggressive, avant-garde devices Godard patented are accepted mainstream tricks now (Roberts, 2000). This insightful interview helps display some of Nolans key influences and motivations and yet the man himself remains in many respects an enigma. Before discussing the key conventions which comprise his work, lets begin with the man himself. Chapter 5 The Rise of Christopher Nolan More than a director Christopher Jonathan James Nolan was born in London on the 30th July 1970 as a child of a British Father and American Mother. Nolans introduction to film production began as early as seven when he began making war movies with his older brother using his fathers super 8mm camera and an assortment of male action figures. His passion for films increased with age whilst he is said to have been influenced to produce short science fiction films in the same vein of George Lucas space saga, Star Wars. After spending his childhood years residing in Chicago, Nolan returned to England to attend boarding school at Haileybury College, he then progressed to University College London where he studied literature. While an undergraduate, Nolan shot the surreal shorts Tarantella and Doodlebug with young actor and friend Jeremy Theobold starring in the lead for both films. Theobold would also take up the role in Nolans first feature film, Following, a no-budget black-and-white movie produced in London over a one year period. This ultra-low budget indie received wide acclaim receiving numerous awards such as the prestigious Rotterdam International Film Festivals Tiger Award and the Slamdance Black White Award. Despite Nolans success within Europe, it wasnt until he wrote and directed Memento (2000), a cult classic revenge story with its unique narrative structure, which held him up on the global stage. Hailed by critics, Nolans reputation almost changed overnight leading to him becoming a highly sought after talent. Returning in 2002 with Insomnia, a remake of Erik Skjoldbjaergs 1997 film of the same name, he proved he could direct some of the worlds top actors such as Al Pacino and Robin Williams. It was in 2005 however, with a reimagined take on a long-defunct film franchise, Batman, that propelled Nolan to the upper tier of Hollywood directors. His dark, brooding take on the avenging crusader was much more aligned with its original intention than any other subsequent incarnation. (Screenrush, 2010) With more recent box office successes, The Prestige (2006) and The Dark Knight (2008), Nolan has undoubtedly secured his reputation as a one of the top directors and writers working in Hollyw ood today. Now we know the man behind the lens, lets start dissecting the key conventions which comprise his work. We begin with Nolans use of the non-linear narrative. Chapter 6 Narrative More than a story. When Christopher Nolan released Memento in the autumn of 2000, few suspected the impact it would have on cinema goers worldwide and its significance not only on neo-noir as a genre, but also its effect on how audiences and critics perceive narrative within film. As a fragmented, non-linear narrative structure, Memento is a text which has received broad investigation in recent years. Its true meaning however, if in fact there is one, remains very much an enigma even a decade after its initial release. Nevertheless, the use of a non-linear narrative is nothing new, as stated earlier, as it has often been used in the past by noir directors to slowly reveal relationships among characters and circle the story back to a key precipitating event. What makes Memento special however is that its non-linear narrative structure puts the audience into the shoes of the protagonist. Through this device the viewers become detectives themselves. For the most part the audience struggle as much as Leonard does, creating a coherent narrative out of all the evidence they witness. Nolan gives the film noir genres tendency to confound the viewers expectations a conceptual twist by linking the flow of the narrative to the condition of the protagonist. (Wolfgang, 200 3) Memento would not be the first film Nolan would experiment with narrative structure as his first feature film, Following, applied this tool by using visual clues to aid the viewer in re-ordering the story chronology. This device would be something Nolan would return to in Memento, using the scratches on Leonards face as a marker-point for the time-line, rather than indicating the passing of day or night (Mottram, 2002, p.78). Christopher Nolan gives an insight into his trail of thought during the production process: When I had written the script, which seemed to work on the page, the feeling was if youre going to use this unconventional structure, such as the three time-lines in the Following, then my impulse at script stage was to teach the reader the structure, to do it very quickly with small scenes,

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Personality Attributes Essay

Locus of control  is a theory in  personality psychology  referring to the extent to which individuals believe that they can control events that affect them. Understanding of the concept was developed by  Julian B. Rotter  in 1954, and has since become an aspect of personality studies. A person’s â€Å"locus† (Latin for â€Å"place† or â€Å"location†) is conceptualised as either internal (the person believes they can control their life) or external (meaning they believe that their decisions and life are controlled by environmental factors which they cannot influence). Individuals with a high internal locus of control believe that events in their life derive primarily from their own actions; for example, if a person with an internal locus of control does not perform as well as they wanted to on a test, they would blame it on lack of preparedness on their part. If they performed well on a test, they would attribute this to ability to study. [1]. In the test-performance example, if a person with a high external locus of control does poorly on a test, they might attribute this to the difficulty of the test questions. If they performed well on a test, they might think the teacher was lenient or that they were lucky. [1] Those with a high internal locus of control exhibit better control of their behavior[citation needed], tend to be more politically involved[citation needed]  and are more likely to attempt to influence others than are those with an external locus of control. [citation needed]  They also assign greater likelihood to their efforts being successful, and more actively seek information concerning their situation. [citation needed] Locus of control has generated much research in a variety of areas in psychology. The construct is applicable to fields such as educational psychology, health psychology or clinical psychology. There will probably continue to be debate about whether specific or more global measures of locus of control will prove to be more useful. Careful distinctions should also be made between locus of control (a concept linked with expectancies about the future) and attributional style (a concept linked with explanations for past outcomes), or between locus of control and concepts such as self-efficacy. The importance of locus of control as a topic in psychology is likely to remain quite central for many years. Locus of control has also been included as one of four dimensions of  core self-evaluations  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ one’s fundamental appraisal of oneself – along with  neuroticism,  self-efficacy, and  self-esteem. [2]  The concept of core self-evaluations was first examined by Judge, Locke, and Durham (1997), and since has proven to have the ability to predict several work outcomes, specifically, job satisfaction and job performance 2. Machiavelllianism: Machiavellianism is also a term that some social and personality  psychologists  use to describe a person’s tendency to be emotionally cool and detached, and thus more able to detach from conventional morality and to  deceive  and  manipulate  others. In the 1960s, Richard Christie and Florence L. Geis developed a test for measuring a person’s level of Machiavellianism. Measured on the Mach-IV scale, males are on average slightly more Machiavellian than females  [6]  [8]. Motivation: A 1992 review described Machiavellian motivation as related to cold selfishness and pure instrumentality, and those high on the trait were assumed to pursue their motives (e. g. sex, achievement, sociality) in duplicitous ways. More recent research on the motivations of high Machs compared to low Machs found that they gave high priority to money, power, and competition and relatively low priority to community building, self-love, and family concerns. High Machs admitted to focusing on unmitigated achievement and winning at any cost. Due to their skill at interpersonal manipulation, there has often been an assumption that high Machs possess superior intelligence, or ability to understand other people in social situations. However, research has firmly established that Machiavellianism is unrelated to  IQ. Furthermore, studies on  emotional intelligence  have found that high Machiavellianism actually tends to be associated with low emotional intelligence as assessed by both performance and questionnaire measures. Both empathy and emotion recognition have been shown to have negative correlations with Machiavellianism. Additionally, research has shown that Machiavellianism is unrelated to a more advanced â€Å"theory of mind†, that is, the ability to anticipate what others are thinking in social situations. If high Machs actually are skilled at manipulating others this appears to be unrelated to any special cognitive abilities as such Self esteem: Self-esteem  is a term in  psychology  to reflect a  person’s overall evaluation or appraisal of his or her own worth. Conversely, low self-monitors do not participate, to the same degree, in expressive control and do not share similar concern for situational appropriateness. Low self-monitors tend to exhibit expressive controls congruent with their own internal states; i. e. beliefs,  attitudes, and  dispositions  regardless of social circumstance. Low self-monitors are often less observant of social context and consider expressing a self-presentation dissimilar from their internal states as a falsehood and undesirable.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Political Philosophy and Paine Essay

1. Why do you think Thomas Paine writes Common Sense anonymously? How does he think his work will be remembered? Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense anonymously because the ideas he used in writing the book were contradicting the government at that time. If the government knew that he wrote it then they will take action against him to punish him. He probably thought that his work would remain as something memorable such as it was only there to raise the spirit of the colonist to fight back and to stand up against the government. 2. According to Paine, what is the difference between society and government? Paine states that society and government are completely different in purpose and also different in origin. Society is created innocently for the people’s happiness although the government is poison but necessary product made by desires of people to support people’s happiness by forcefully restraining desires of people themselves. 3. What is the meaning of ‘liberty’ in Paine’s thought? Equality? What is the relationship between the two? The meaning of liberty in Paine’s thought was the state of being free within society from cruel limits enforced by authority on one’s way of life, behavior, or political views. He described equality as the state of being equal in positions, rights, and opportunities. The relationship between the two is that they work hand-in-hand because everyone should have equal rights. 4. According to Paine, why is there a need for regulations and government in general? According to Paine, it is a necessary evil for two reasons. The first reason is for security and freedom, things that everyone wants, are the true intention and end of government. The second reason is a moral asset which is the foundation of society, but it’s incapable of governing. In other words government is inevitable, because it is there to supply the defect of moral asset. 5. Why does Paine consider the English monarchy to be ineffective? Paine considered the monarchy in particular to be ineffective because the king is not informed enough to match his power, he naturally will thirst for more and more power, he can ignore the people’ voices and more importantly, he doesn’t and sometimes, is incapable of making sure his words comes to the people exactly same as he meant them to be. 6. What is the view of Gideon that Paine uses as an example? â€Å"As the exalting one man so greatly above the rest cannot be justified on the equal rights of nature, so neither can it be defended on the authority of scripture; for the will of the Almighty† (Gideon). From this quote of Gideon, we can assume Gideon’s point of views. He thinks that all men are equal and no one man can be above the rest. He also thinks that only God can rule over people. 7. What does Paine think that America will gain by separating from England? According to Paine, America will gain by separating from England is that it would not get contaminated by the monarchy he has been criticizing. Then, America will gain wealth and most importantly it will gain independence. 8. Describe Thomas Paine’s life and background, including where he is originally from and what his reputation was before, during, and after writing Common Sense. On January 29, 1737, Thomas Paine was born in Thetford, England. His father had grand visions for his son, but by the age of 12, Thomas had failed out of school. The young Paine began apprenticing for his father, but again, he failed. So, by 1768 he found himself as a tax officer in England. Thomas didn’t exactly excel at the role, getting discharged from his post twice in four years. In 1774, by happenstance, he met Benjamin Franklin in London, who helped him immigrate to Philadelphia. Then in 1776, he published Common Sense. 9. What is Paine’s argument based on? What intellectual movement and why? Paine’s argument is mostly based on things that everyone in the colony would consider common sense. The intellectual part about the concept is that even though he demonstrated a great length of knowledge, he made it look like his knowledge is even with the colonists. The reason for that is he really wanted the colonists to believe that the book is written by but someone among the colonists. That way, it is much easier to move the colonists’ spirit. 10. What is the role, for Paine, of the wars in Europe on American independence? His role is to remind them and clear their desire to live a life without great changes so that they can stand up and fight for their own lives. Paine’s role in the wars was not that of a leader but a reminder of the people’s cause. Because of Paine, people started to remember to stand up and fight back for their rights. 11. How does Paine argue the opposing point of independence? How does he counter the â€Å"reconciliationists†? Paine explains why the current time is a good time to break free of Britain. Primarily, Paine focuses on the present size of the colonies, and on their current capabilities. He presents an inventory of the British Navy and gives calculations revealing how America could build a navy of comparable size. Paine recommends this as a way of ensuring America’s security and prosperity in trade. Paine also argues that America is sufficiently small as to be united now. 12. List the reasons why Paine thinks independence is necessary. What is â€Å"the most powerful of all arguments† for independence? Paine thinks independence because England is violently oppressive in way that it’s exploiting America for the good of England. Being a part of the British Empire will inevitably involve America in unnecessary imperial conflicts. And the most powerful of all arguments is that England is too far away to govern America effectively, even if it wanted to. 13. Paine begins his analysis from the state of nature. What is the rhetorical function of this? What political goals does this serve? What role does nature have in Paine’s thinking? Nature does not sanction division of men into Kings and Subjects. It is only customary. The State of Nature as tool of criticism because a government must not make things worse than they are in the State of Nature if they are to deserve compliance. 14. For Paine, what is the relationship between law and liberty? Paine begins this section by making a distinction between society and government, and then goes on to consider the relationship between government and society in a state of â€Å"natural liberty†. He next tells a story of a few isolated people living in nature without government, and explains that the people find it easier to live together rather than apart; thus, they create a society. As the society grows, problems arise, and the people meet to make regulations in order to mitigate the problems. As the society continues to grow, a government becomes necessary to enforce these regulations, which over time, turn into laws 15. According to Common Sense, what is the basis of just government? According to Common Sense the basis of just government are Freedom, Happiness, and Efficiency 16. What point is Paine making when he argues, â€Å"Europe, and not England, is the parent country of America†? How does he use the national origins of English monarchs to show that the colonists’ English origins are irrelevant to the decision they now face? By grounding political authority in reason, Paine is able to make a persuasive argument undermining the foundations of British government, which is based in tradition, religion, and custom. 17. How does Paine reject the arguments of â€Å"men of passive tempers† who wish for reconciliation with Britain? Paine says that as a colony of Britain, America lacks respectability on the international scene. They are seen simply as rebels, and cannot form substantial alliances with other nations. In order to prosper in the long term, the colonies need to be independent 18. How does Paine answer the question, â€Å"Where is the king of America†? Paine answers this question by stating he reigns above in America, and the law is king. 19. How does Paine reject the argument that the colonies have â€Å"flourished† as members of the British Empire? What was Britain’s true motive in defending the colonies, and what does this motive reveal about the relationship between the two? Paine states that America has flourished under British rule, and therefore ought to stay under the king, Paine says that such an argument fails to realize that America has evolved and no longer needs Britain’s help. Some say that Britain has protected America, and therefore deserves allegiance, but Paine responds that Britain has only watched over America in order to secure its own economic well-being. 20. What did you learn from reading this assignment? What is your opinion of the work? The first thing that I learn from the assignment is the importance fighting back because Paine’s ideas were inspiring and knowledgeable and also that this was an important event for US history. In my opinion, the book common sense was by far one of the greatest historical books. Thomas Paine writing style is both fanatical and graceful, demonstrating Paine’s disgust, rage and passion without having to degrade his social status.

Friday, January 3, 2020

The Pregnancy And Sexual Transmitted Disease ( Std ) Rates...

We all want to see pregnancy and sexual transmitted disease (STD) rates among adolescent become nonexistent. But each year twelve million unfortunate adolescent contract in STD and more than one million teenage girls become pregnant (IDPH). Therefore, the government pushes abstinence-only programs on adolescent in hopes that this would be the solution to this difficult problem. Unfortunately, these programs do very little to stop the increasing rates, but now have only pushed teens to continue in their sexual behaviors, along with denying them the tools to properly protect themselves. Even though research has disproven that abstinence-only programs work, comprehensive programs are still not being used in school. This is because there is an†¦show more content†¦Even though these two STDs are treatable with antibiotics, for the majority of people who contract these infections do not experience any symptoms and it can go without treatment for many years. If left untreated chlam ydia and gonorrhea can leave the person with devastating consequences like Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, infertility, and other health problems. HIV is another epidemic among adolescents, so much so that young people ages 13 to 24 make up the 1 out of every 4 new HIV infections each year (CDC). Young adults diagnosed with this infectious disease are forced to carry it with them the rest of their lives because as of now it is incurable. HIV is a serious disease that if not treated properly can cause the person to become extremely ill and can even cause death. Herpes is not far behind HIV, with one in every five adolescent and adults become infected and two-thirds of that number are young adults under the age of 25 (Teen Help). This STD is also incurable and secretly lives in the body, leaving the person to only guess when an outbreak will happen. Because â€Å"many adolescents underestimate their infection risk and they have mistaken ideas about what protect them from STDs and what d oes not,† (Brà ¼ckner 277) many do not take the proper precautions necessary to protect themselves. This leaves â€Å"[o]ne third of all sexually active young people [to] become infected with an STD by age