Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Introduction to Materials Management - 169665 Words

From the Library of Girro From the Library of Girro@qq.com Introduction to Materials Management SIXTH EDITION From the Library of Girro J. R. Tony Arnold, P.E., CFPIM, CIRM Fleming College, Emeritus Stephen N. Chapman, Ph.D., CFPIM North Carolina State University Lloyd M. Clive, P.E., CFPIM Fleming College Upper Saddle River, New Jersey Columbus, Ohio From the Library of Girro@qq.com From the Library of Girro Editor in Chief: Vernon R. Anthony Acquisitions Editor: Eric Krassow Editorial Assistant: Nancy Kesterson Production Editor: Louise N. Sette Production Supervision: GGS Book Services Design Coordinator: Diane Ernsberger Cover Designer: Jeff Vanik Production Manager: Deidra M. Schwartz Director of†¦show more content†¦In this textbook, materials management includes all activities in the flow of materials from the supplier to the consumer. Such activities include physical supply, operations planning and control, and physical distribution. Other terms sometimes used in this area are business logistics and supply chain management. Often, the emphasis in business logistics is on transportation and distribution systems with little concern for what occurs in the factory. Whereas some chapters in this text are devoted to transportation and distribution, emphasis is placed on operations planning and control. Distribution and operations are managed by planning and controlling the flow of materials through them and by using the system’s resources to achieve a desired customer service level. These activities are the responsibility of materials management and affect every department in a manufacturing business. If the materials management system is not well designed and managed, the distribution and manufacturing system will be less effective and more costly. Anyone working in manufacturing or distribution should have a good basic understanding of the factors influencing materials flow. This text aims to provide that understanding. APICS defines the body of knowledge, concepts, and vocabulary usedShow MoreRelatedProcurement: Purchasing Management Association1205 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction to Procurement Introduction  to  Procurement     Quiz  #  1   True/False  (1  mark  per  question)   1.   Competition  today  is  no  longer  between  firms;  it  is  between  the  supply  chains  of  those  firms.   True  Ã‚   False   2.   There  is  a  definitive  and  prescriptive  set  of  supply  chain  measures  that  applies  to  all  supply  chains.   True   False  Ã‚   3.   The  knowledge  and  skills  demanded  of  today’s  supply  professional  is  the  same  as  before.   True  Ã‚   False   4.   The  key  to  the  success  of  any  company  is  the  quality  of  its  employeesRead MoreThe Role of Materials Management in the Financial Performance of a Manufacturing Organization Case Study: East African Breweries Limited1513 Words   |  7 PagesUGANDA MARTYRS UNIVERSITY The role of materials management in the financial performance of a manufacturing organization Case study: East African Breweries Limited SUBMITTED BY: SAMUEL KISUKI Jr REGISTRATION NUMBER: 2012-M101-10005 A research Proposal submitted to the Faculty of Business Administration and Management April 2013 Supervisor: Mrs. Lillian Walusimbi CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 INTRODUCTION In this chapter, the researcher will talk about the background to the study, statementRead MoreLogistics : Logistics And Distribution Of Physical Goods Essay1166 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Source: Leeway Logistics, 2015 Logistics is considered as an operational process which includes activities such as storing, transporting and distribution of physical goods. E- Commerce has made a big change in logistics and distribution processes. Due to introduction of online purchases, way of handling materials have also been changed. Online retail industry is being expanded year to year. According to Goldman Sachs, Online Sales will reach $750B mark by 2016 with annual growthRead MoreThe Importance Of Materials Handling Procedures For The Safe Storage And Handling Of Materials1252 Words   |  6 PagesMINE1002 Essay – Materials Handling In layman’s terms, materials handling is the identification, storage, and movement of materials between locations. (Siddhartha 2017) A more complete definition suggests that materials handling is â€Å"a system or combination of methods, facilities, labor, and equipment for moving, packing, and storing of materials to meet specific objectives.†(Kulwiec 1985) Regulatory bodies provide organizations with guidelines for the development of procedures for the safe storageRead MoreIlm M3.18943 Words   |  4 PagesLEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT ILM/L3DipLM/0308 Introducing the qualification The ILM Level 3 Diploma in Leadership and Management has been specially designed for first line managers looking to develop a wide range of management and leadership skills suitable for their role. The qualification also develops both understanding and application of leadership skills through the use of action learning. The Diploma consists of six mandatory units ‘Understanding change’, ‘Planning change’, ‘Time management’, ‘An introductionRead MoreCase Study : High Tech And Global Engineering Group901 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Sandvik is a high-tech and global engineering Group with about 46,000 employees with a strong commitment to enhancing customer productivity, profitability and safety. Our operations are based on unique expertise in materials technology, extensive knowledge about industrial processes and close customer cooperation. This combination, coupled with continuous investments in research and development (RD), has enabled us achieve world-leading positions in the following areas: †¢ Tools andRead MoreSamsung Group, An Electronics Company1625 Words   |  7 PagesNgampak and Phruksaphanrat state â€Å"design and the flow of materials have a significant impact on performance of manufacturing system [1]. Wearable technology requires integration of computer and wireless technology in a form of a watch or some other wearable item, there is a lot of manufacturing required. Estimated process cycle time for the new product introduction The technology will consist primarily of electronic parts and materials and the process time should not exceed 3.5 days per unit.Read MoreBus/210 Week 7 Checkpoint -the Impact of Hrm Essay659 Words   |  3 PagesThe Impact of HRM After reviewing chapter 13 of Human Resource Management: Acquiring and Building Employees’ Skills and Capabilities; I have reached the conclusion that the best way to improve the management of human resource is to: †¢ First place to start improvement would be to improve employee’s skills. Improving employee skills would be very beneficial to any company. Training is important as an employer I want to boost character, commitment, competence, Read MoreIntroduction Of A Supply Chain Management1564 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Introduction A supply chain (SC) consists of a set of organizations that work together to take in raw materials, convert the raw materials into higher value products, and sell the products to the end customer (Kelly 2005). The management of these flows to generate profit is known as supply chain management (Sodhi and Tang 2012). Supply chain risk management (SCRM) is defined, very broadly, as the identification, analysis and evaluation of events that can have a negative effect onRead MoreLogistics : Logistics And Distribution Of Physical Goods1165 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Source: Leeway Logistics, 2015 Logistics is considered as an operational process which includes activities such as storing, transporting and distribution of physical goods. E- Commerce has made a big change in logistics and distribution processes. Due to introduction of online purchases, way of handling materials have also been changed. Online retail industry is being expanded year to year. According to Goldman Sachs, Online Sales will reach $750B mark by 2016 with annual growth

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

The Rock And A Hard Place - 1596 Words

Between a Rock and a Hard Place seems to be quite an appropriate title for this HBO documentary whose executive producer and star is Dwayne â€Å"The Rock† Johnson. Young men with serious criminal charges and significant prison sentences are provided a second chance by participating in the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department’s Boot Camp Program in place of serving their entire prison sentence. Dwayne Johnson greets 38 cadets starting the program, lectures them on their opportunity and asserts that he wants the world to see the importance of the program. Lastly, he tells them bluntly, not to â€Å"†¦f**k this up.† (Rock and a Hard Place). For most people it would appear that participating in this 16 week program would be easier†¦show more content†¦With this insight, I found that every participant to be likable on some level and was able to see that the program increased the cadets strength of their character and their resolve. The documentary covers the support the program supplies for its participants through the various exercises, counseling sessions, classes and work opportunities. The program offers each of these benefits at different phases. The documentary presents each participant in a way that it is difficult not to find some way to relate to each of them and to even care for them or their sense of purpose. Notably, the program appears thorough with its design to offer support systems and provides various means of addressing potential obstacles of a cadets’ success, such as lack of education, lack of support from family, anger management and substance abuse. Even so, a viewer cannot help but question some of the harsh treatment. For example, in the beginning you are introduced to two young men who struggle with understanding the English commands that a drill instructor is barking at them. Later within the documentary, these same cadets are taken aside and told they are expected to work harder to overcome the challenge of not understanding English. Towards the end one cadet ends up breaking down sobbing because he fails one of his critical tests towards graduation, due to the language barrier. Though there are classes to help the participants learn to prepare for a GED, there are no tools to helpShow MoreRelatedThe Rock And A Hard Place1482 Words   |  6 Pages Between a Rock and a Hard Place seems quite an appropriate title for this HBO documentary whose executive producer and star is Dwayne â€Å"The Rock† Johnson. Young men with serious criminal charges and significant prison sentences are provided a second chance by participating in the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department’s Boot Camp Program in place of serving their entire prison sentence. Dwayne Johnson greets 38 cadets starting the program, lectures them on their opportunity and assertsRead MoreBetween A Rock And A Hard Place: Is It Really Hard In These1776 Words   |  8 PagesBetween a Rock and a Hard Place: Is it REALLY hard in these Streets? A large portion of the homeless population is living on the sidewalks and streets of America. However, for some of them, that is by choice. Various places offer housing for the homeless, but the most exclusive choice is the homeless shelter. Homeless shelters are a type of homeless service that provide temporary residence for homeless individuals and families. Through the utilization of these shelters, homeless people are assumedRead MoreBetween A Rock And A Hard Place Seems To Be A Very Appropriate1474 Words   |  6 Pages Between a Rock and a Hard Place seems to be a very appropriate title for this HBO documentary whose executive producer and star is Dwayne â€Å"The Rock† Johnson. Young men with serious criminal charges and significant prison sentences are provided a second chance by participating in the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department’s Boot Camp Program in place of serving their entire prison sentence. Dwayne Johnson greets 38 cadets starting the program, lectures them on their opportunity andRead MoreThe Marketing Mix Hard Rock Cafe1259 Words   |  6 PagesThe Marketing Mix Place The marketing mix consists in total of 4 elements (Product,Price, Place, Promotion) which are often referred to as ‘the four Ps’. One of those four Ps is â€Å"Place†: Place represents the location where a product can be purchased. It is often referred to as the distribution channel through which goods and/or services are moved from the manufacturer/service provider to the user or consumer. It can include any physical store as well as virtual stores on the Internet. In ourRead MoreHard Rock International - Crm1613 Words   |  7 PagesHard Rock International Executive Summary Hard Rock International is chain of cafà ©s, hotels, casinos, and theme parks spread across 53 countries. It has the world’s largest collection of rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia that the customers can see when they visit any of Hard Rock’s locations. Hard Rock’s main business model was built around a customer-centric approach. As the business was growing, the customer queries were hitting the numbers close to 56000 inquiries annually; a number that was gettingRead MoreHow to Hard Rock Cafe Success1396 Words   |  6 PagesHard Rock Cafà © is a success story in operation management. From its very first London pub in 1971, after 39 years of existence Hard Rock cafà © continued expanding and succeeding in many different countries. This paper will discuss how the 10 decisions of the Operation management were made on Hard Rock Cafà © as well as operation management challenges and opportunities confronting Hard Rock Cafà © when considering an expansion of its business in Hanoi. 1. Critically evaluate the operations managementRead MoreMusic Is Always Changing With The Times1749 Words   |  7 Pagesthere are many key attributes that help place this music around songs with similar sounds and musical ideas. The first I notice right at the beginning (during the intro up to the 0:07 mark) that hypnotic orchestral string sound. Then right after the screaming and growling sounds, the lyrics begin. Instrumentation that can be heard seems to follow the modern rock setup. You can hear hard pounding drums, heavily distorted guitar, not sure if a bass is in it hard to tell, and screaming vocals. The songRead MoreHard Rock Cafe Case Essay789 Words   |  4 PagesGroup find with the Hard Rock’s three main internal information systems (restaurant operations, merchandising, and financial)? Why was this a problem? [table – indented white bullets answer why] Restaurant Operations | Merchandising | Financial | * Different owners/franchisers implemented own restaurant management systems * No standards = hard for corporate to analyze sales * Processes broken communication worse * Different experiences at different Hard Rock Cafà ©s, any bad experienceRead MoreEssay on Media Effects975 Words   |  4 Pagesbonfires were reported. The firefighters, feeling they were under control, let these bonfires burn. Then Limp Bizkit came on, another hard-core band. In their song Breakstuff, the audience climbed a television camera tower and began ripping equipment and other electrical devices off of them. After Limp Bizkit, Rage Against the Machine, another hard-core band, played hard-core music that could have easily incited violence. When the smoke cleared away Monday afternoon, not only were thirty-seven peopleRead MoreSample Writing : You Are A Tour Operator1400 Words   |  6 PagesContent Writing Test 1. You are a tour operator offering tours and experiences and a tourist group approaches you for a tour around your city. Write an itinerary stating all the important information like the sequence of the itinerary, the places that they will visit and how the tour will be conducted (guide, mode of transport etc). Oueen of the Hills! With its crisp Mountain air, lush green hills and beautiful period architectural buildings Shimla can indeed lay claim to being the most popular

Monday, December 9, 2019

Report On Apn Outdoor’s Capital Structure †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Report On Apn Outdoors Capital Structure. Answer: Introduction The purpose of this report is to provide information on the capital structure of APN Outdoor Group (APO) which is listed in the ASX and advice whether the firm has been successful in maximizing wealth generation for its shareholders. The report is divided four chapters as follows. In chapter one, which is the introduction, I discuss the layout of the report. In chapter two, I discuss the approach used to analyze the capital structure of APN Outdoor Group. In chapter three, we analyze other financial ratios in respect to the company. In chapter four, I conclude my analysis by providing information on whether APNs has been successful in maximizing wealth generation for its shareholders. Analysis Of Capital Structure In order to determine the capital structure of APN, we need to analyze the following information based on the companys financial reports (Lee, Liang, Miglo, 2014). Determine APN Outdoors debt to equity ratio. Perform comparison of debt/equity ratio with other similar companies in the advertising industry. Determine APNs optimal capital structure Determine APNs Weighted Average Cost of Capital. Compare APN Outdoors capital structure over past three years. Total Debt to Equity Ratio The total debt to equity ratio measures the relationship between equity capital and debt. A high ratio suggests that a company has taken more debt and consequently, is more aggressive with a higher risk (Investopedia, 2017). In 2016, APN outdoors debt to equity was 0.67. Thus its total debt was 0.67 times its equity (Yahoo Finance, 2017). Comparison of Debt to Equity Ratio to oOH! Media Ltd A similar company is oOH! Media Ltd (OML). oOH! Media is also an advertising company that specializes in billboards (oOH! Media Ltd , 2017). The 2016 debt/equity ratio for oOH! Media was 0.65 which was slightly below APN Outdoors. Weighted Average Cost of Capital Also written as WACC, the Weighted Average Cost of Capital is the expected return on the securities for a company. WACC = Weight Debt * cost of debt *(1 corporate tax) + Weight equity *cost of equity Optimal Capital Structure Lets assume that APNs corporate tax, T is 36%. Furthermore, lets assume the pre-tax interest rates for each level of debt is given as below. % financed with debt Pre tax cost of Debt 0% 0% 10% 0% 20% 5% 30% 5% 40% 7% 50% 7% 60% 9% 70% 9% 80% 12% 90% 12% Table 1: Pre Tax Interest Rates The cost of equity can be determined from CAPM. To determine the optimal capital structure of APN Outdoor Ltd, we need to find the level of debt and equity that will result in lowest WACC. To do this we can use Hamada equation (Lee, Liang, Miglo, 2014). I.e. L= u*[ 1 + (1-T)(D/E)] Where L - beta of firm that uses debt u- beta of firm without debt T- Corporate tax D/E- debt/ equity We determine that APN Outdoors unlevered u is 0.8822. We then calculate the WACC for each level of debt (see Table 2) % financed with debt Debt/Equity Ratio Beta Cost of Equity Cost of Debt-After Tax WACC 0% - 0.88219 6.46% 0.00% 6.458% 10% 0.1111 0.94492 6.75% 0.00% 6.072% 20% 0.2500 1.02334 7.11% 3.20% 6.326% 30% 0.4286 1.12416 7.57% 3.20% 6.260% 40% 0.6667 1.25859 8.19% 4.48% 6.706% 50% 1.0000 1.44679 9.06% 4.48% 6.768% 60% 1.5000 1.72909 10.35% 5.76% 7.598% 70% 2.3333 2.19959 12.52% 5.76% 7.787% 80% 4.0000 3.14060 16.85% 7.68% 9.513% 90% 9.0000 5.96360 29.83% 7.68% 9.895% Table 2: WACC We determine the lowest WACC is 6.072%. Therefore the optimal mix that will maximize the value of APN Outdoor is 10% debt and 90% equity. Comparison APN Outdoors Capital Structure over Past Three Years From the financial reports in Yahoo Finance, we note for year 2015 and 2014, the debt/equity ratios were 0.57 and 0.68 respectively. This suggests the company had taken little debt in 2015 in comparison to 2016 and 2014. Otherwise the company was still not at its optimum capital structure. Other Key Financial Ratios Liquidity ratio These ratios determine the liquidity risk for the company. They include current ratio, quick ratio and cash ratio. In 2016, APN Outdoors had a current ratio of 1.9 and a quick ratio of 1.89 (The Wall Street Journal, 2017). A high current ratio suggests greater assurance that APNs current liabilities can be paid using its current assets, thus the company does not have a liquidity risk problem (Subramanya Wild, 2009, p. 530) Profitability Ratios These ratios measure the profitability for the company. They include return on asset and return on equity. In 2016, APN Outdoors had a return on asset of 10.63 and return on equity of 17.27. Since the ratio is high, APN is doing well (Subramanya Wild, 2009). Efficiency Ratios Efficiency Ratios measure how the company is using its assets. They include inventory turnover. In 2016, APN Outdoors had inventory turnover of 10.38. A high ratio suggests strong sales (Subramanya Wild, 2009). Conclusion- Shareholder Value Shareholder wealth maximization involves increasing the share price. One of the ways to create value in a firm is by utilizing an optimal capital structure. In the case for APN Outdoors, we can see that indeed the company is not at its optimum capital structure of 10% debt and 90% equity. However, their key ratios indicate that it is making profits and dont seem to have any liquidity risk. In conclusion, APN Outdoor Group does not appear to create maximum value for its shareholders. It should aim to minimize its cost of capital so that the firms value is maximized in the long run. Some of the ways APN can minimize its WACC include lowering its interest rates and managing its operational risks. References Investopedia. (2017). Debt/Equity Ratio. Retrieved from Investopedia: https://www.investopedia.com Lee, Z., Liang, S., Miglo, A. (2014). Capital Structure of Internet Companies: Case Study. Retrieved from https://faculty.nipissingu.ca/antonm/files/2014/06 oOH! Media Ltd . (2017). About Us. Retrieved from oOH! Media Ltd : https://www.oohmedia.com.au Subramanya, K., Wild, J. (2009). Financial Statement Analysis. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. The Wall Street Journal. (2017). APN Outdoor Group Ltd. Retrieved from The Wall Street Journal: https://quotes.wsj.com/AU/XASX/APO/financials/annual/balance-sheet Yahoo Finance. (2017). APN OUTDOORS LTD. Retrieved from Yahoo Finance: https://au.finance.yahoo.com

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Violence On Children Essays - Dispute Resolution,

Violence On Children Many children`s television programs involve a substantial amount of violence in one form or another. What impact if any, might these programs what impact, if any might these programs have on the development of aggression? Since the advent of television there has been growing concern about the apparent effects of violence on the attitudes, values and behaviours of children. Much of the research has focused on the effects of violence on television and aggression expressed by children. Some researchers and theorists believe that violence on television is inextricably linked to human aggression while do not believe a conclusive body of evidence exists to justify this view. The debate surrounding whether violence on television influences children`s aggressive behaviour has typically occurred within a social learning framework. There have been two major criticisms of the current debate. The first of these attacks questions the validity of applying effects found in laboratory studies to the real-world. More specifically, these criticisms address the artificial and unrealistic nature of the laboratory evidence used to illustrate an effect between viewing violence on television and expressed aggression in children. The second argument attacks the use of the social learning framework as it ignores any evidence which might suggest a biological or genetic component to human aggression. (eg Miles & Carrey, 1997). Social learning theory however manages to successfully address these criticisms thus maintaining its status as the major single theory used to explain the influence of viewing violent programs on children`s levels of aggression. (Neapolitan, 1981; Walter Bandura, 1965 ;Berkowitz & Alioto, 1973) Social learning theory explains human behaviour in terms of continuous reciprocal interaction between cognitive, behavioural and environmental influences of the individual. A prominent proponent of social learning theory is Albert Bandura, The social learning theory of Bandura emphasises the importance of observing and modelling the behaviours, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others. Two basic principles are involved in observational learning: acquisition and performance. Acquisition describes the response by which the behaviour is learned through observation. Performance is the process by which the observer acts out the newly learned response. Acquisition of a behaviour however, does not automatically lead to its performance. Whether or not aggressive behaviour acquired will be acted out depends on the perceived consequences of the actors behaviour for the actor and the consequences of aggressing for the observer. Furthermore, whether a learned aggressive response is performed depends, to some extent, to whether the observer and/or actor is rewarded for doing so. The effect of reinforcement on aggressive behaviour has been illustrated by numerous researchers, (Singer, Singer, Desmond, Hirsch Sanson Neapolitan, 1981). One of the most noted being a series of bobo doll studies conducted by Bandura. In a 1965 Bandura study, children saw aggressive behaviour of a model being either rewarded, punished or suffering no consequences. Children who observed a model being punished subsequently had fewer imitative aggressive responses than did those who saw the model rewarded or treated indifferently. Later, however, each child was offered a reward for performing the response carried out earlier by the model. The addition of this incentive cancelled out the effects on imitative aggression of reward and punishment of the original model. Children in all three treatment conditions had apparently learned the model`s behaviour equally well with reward acting as a facilitation for performance of these learned responses. Other studies also illustrated that children are more likely to model behaviour if they identified with the model and if the model had an admired status and the behaviour expressed had a functional value. (Bandura, 1969) These findings have direct bearing on the implications for the effect of violence shown on television. In a recent study in the Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media (1995), it was found that good characters, or heroes, commit 40% of violent acts; More than one third of programs feature bad characters who aren`t punished and physical aggression that is condoned; and that more than 70% of aggressors show no remorse for their violence and experience no criticisms or penalty when violence occurs. This suggests, working within a social learning framework, that violence viewed on television by children will result in increased levels of expressed aggression in children. Since according to this theory it is under these conditions, where violence is seen as desirable and unpunished, that modelling is most likely to occur. Bandura`s studies, amongst others, imply that environmental influences moderate and control the expression of aggression. One of the most influential environmental influences on a child`s life is parental. A number of researchers are of the

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

The role of anti-semitism for the final solution essays

The role of anti-semitism for the final solution essays The stage was being set throughout Europe in the late 19th century with anti-Semitism running in the veins of most Germans and other European nations. This answer to the Jewish Question was to be addressed by Heydrich and Himmler at the Wannsee conference in their Final Solution. At the turn of the 19th century, much of the common outlook of Jews in populist Germany held the belief that all economic woes of the times were due to the prevalence of Jewish businesses. Many Germans held the belief that one day, the Jews will rise up and dominate Germany and cast out any traditional German values. One of the first anti-Semitic rises came out of rural Germany through Otto Boeckel who had believed that Jews were the blood enemies of Christ (Weiss p.99). Jews were the major moneylenders for many rural Germans who, during the 1870s, suffered through a depression. Many had lost their land and others had to go to Jews for loans with outlandishly high interest when banks would turn them away due to high risk. In cities, many independent retail establishment owners were big supporters of the anti-Semitic rallies. Jews started mass retail stores that could out sell and outbid many prices of family run businesses in Germany. This caused many family businesses t o go into bankruptcy. Glagau, Stoecker, Boeckel, and Marr were just some of the voices speaking for populist Germany. Nationalism and elections were the major concerns among the German elite in the late 1800s. It was a feeling within the German elite that Jews had other motives that did not include an allegiance to Germany. With so many international ties, how can Jews be true to the German culture? Anti-Semitism became an essential component of a German nationalist. Reversing the rights of Jews was a priority of Conservatives. Conservatives embraced and underscored anti-Semitism when it served them best. Conservatives found that...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Non-Member Countries of the United Nations

Non-Member Countries of the United Nations Although most of the worlds 196 countries have joined forces to tackle global issues like global warming, trade policy, and human rights and humanitarian issues through joined the United Nations as U.N. member states, two countries are not members of the U.N.: Palestine and the Holy See (Vatican City). Both, however, are considered Non-member States of the United Nations, which means they have permanent invitations to participate as observers of the General Assembly and are provided free access to documents of the United Nations. Although not specifically dictated in provisions of the United Nations, the non-member permanent observer status has been recognized as a matter of practice in the U.N. since 1946 when the Swiss Government was given the status by the Secretary-General. More often than not, permanent observers later join the United Nations as full members when their independence has been recognized by more members and their governments and economy have stabilized enough to be able to provide financial, military or humanitarian support for international initiatives of the United Nations. Palestine Palestine currently operates on a Permanent Observer Mission of the State of Palestine to the United Nations because of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and its subsequent fight for independence. Until such a time as the conflict is resolved, though, the United Nations cannot allow Palestine to become a full member because of a conflict of interest with Israel, which is a member state. Unlike other conflicts in the past, namely Taiwan-China, the United Nations favors a two-state resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict wherein both states emerge from the battle as independent nations under a peaceful pact. If this does happen, Palestine would almost certainly be accepted as a full member of the United Nations, though that depends on member states votes during the next General Assembly. The Holy See (Vatican City) The independent papal state of 771 people (including the Pope) was created in 1929, but they have not chosen to become part of the international organization. Still, Vatican City currently operates in the United Nations as a Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the U.N. Essentially, this just means that the Holy See- which is separate from Vatican City State - has access to all parts of the United Nations but does not get to cast a vote in the General Assembly, largely because of the Popes preference to not immediately affect international policy. The Holy See is the only fully independent nation to choose not to be a member of the United Nations. States Without Non-member Observer Status Unlike the U.N.s official permanent observers, these states are not recognized by the U.N. However, they are recognized as independent states by some of the U.N.s members. Name Recognized By Kosovo 102 U.N. member states Western Sahara 44 U.N. member states Taiwan 16 U.N. member states South Ossetia 5 U.N. member states Abkhazia 5 U.N. member states Northern Cyprus 1 U.N. member state Kosovo Kosovo declared independence from Serbia  on February 17, 2008, but has not gained complete international recognition to allow it to become a member of the United Nations. Still, at least one member country of the U.N. recognizes Kosovo as capable of independence, though it technically still remains part of Serbia, acting as an independent province. However, Kosovo is not listed as an official non-member state of the United Nations, though it has joined the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, which are two other international communities focused more on international economy and global trade rather than geopolitical issues. Kosovo does hope to one day join the United Nations as a full member, but political unrest in the region, as well as the ongoing United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), have kept the country from political stability to the degree required to join as a functioning member state. Today, Kosovo is recognized by 102 U.N. members. Taiwan In 1971 the Peoples Republic of China (mainland China) replaced Taiwan (also known as the Republic of China) in the United Nations, and to this day the status of Taiwan remains in limbo because of political unrest between those claiming Taiwanese independence and PRCs insistence on control over the entire region. The General Assembly has not fully extended the non-member state status of Taiwan since 2012 because of this unrest. Unlike Palestine, however, the United Nations does not favor a two-state resolution and has subsequently not offered non-member status to Taiwan as to not offend the Peoples Republic of China, which is a member state. Today, Taiwan is recognized by 16 U.N. members.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

How could pivotal events in America have turned out differently Argue Essay

How could pivotal events in America have turned out differently Argue for an alternate history into the present using evidence - Essay Example as popular with the troops in Korea, he believed that with his command of the UN forces, and US support, he had autonomy from the American government (Pak 42). Truman viewed the war as a war against North Korea while MacArthur observed it as a confrontation with both North Korea and China. By 1950, the General began contemplating of the notion of utilizing nuclear strikes because the Chinese kept their forces closely together and thus vulnerable to air strikes (Malkasian 5). The idea of utilizing A-Bombs would have resulted in the successful detonation of 28 atomic bombs and thus would have changed the course of history in reference to the war. With various regions in Korea bombarded by nuclear weapons, the Korean War would end as a result, for various reasons. During the war, Chinese forces were closely knit together, and an airstrike would alleviate any actions they had planned. In the 1950s, the Chinese government lacked the ability to develop nuclear weapons and thus did not possess any atomic bombs. Therefore, Communist China would surrender in view of preventing a nuclear strike in their homeland. The main concern for the American government would be the Soviet Union as they also developed nuclear weapons at the time, which had the potential to cause tremendous problems (Dijk, Ruud van et al. 37). Consequently, with United States and Soviet Union utilizing weapons of mass destruction, nuclear weapons would turn out to be conventional weapons of combat by numerous countries around the globe. Therefore, in a world where the Soviet Union developed atomic Bombs, such a pursuit of victory would have resulted in World War III due to the wide spread of atomic bombs. As nuclear weapons would play a significant role in the WWIII, traditional bombings, infantry matches and armor offenses would typify the warfare. The effects of the A-Bomb would have various ramifications of a political nature internationally and in the United States. The utilization of the atomic

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

The Business Cycle & Policy Response in France Coursework

The Business Cycle & Policy Response in France - Coursework Example In 2000, France growth was close to 3%, its unemployment fell twice, and when compared to Europe it was a 1.5-percentage decline for France versus 0.7-percentage in Europe. The introduction of the single currency marked the period of strong growth. From this, we conclude that, in the last twenty years, it is evident that the periods of falling unemployment always coincided with periods of strong economic growths (French Ministry of youth affairs, 2007:4). A fall in a country's GDP relates to contraction in the economy, when the country does not show any improvement in the GDP it may result in an economy recession. Reasons may be due to inflation, or massive unemployment in the country, a rise in the GDP conforms to an expansion, stability of a country s currency, a peak relates to a continuous rise in the country’s GDP (Trading Economics.com, 2005:4). All forces of supply and demand affect business cycle. The availability of capital does boost a healthy expansion a rise in the price of assets at this point leads to inflation, the stock market then rectifies this by creating fear and contraction(About.com, 2001:1). A rise in GDP signals an expansion in the business cycle whereas a fall in the GDP signals a contraction. Reports show that the GDP of France expanded 1.6%in the second quarter of 2011. Historically France annual GDP growth was1.9% its highest observed in 1988 at 4.9%, a record low was -3.90% in march 2009. Judging the country's  state  at this point of the cycle, it will be  right  to  say  France’s economy is in  contraction.  We look at France in 2009, where its GDP shrank by 1.2% in the first quarter, however, this  was counteracted  by a 3% in the third quarter, another  fall  was recorded  1.5% in the final quarter.  The  recession  observed when we experienced two quarters of negative growth. In 2008 president, Nicholas Sarkozy gave a speech in Toulon he thought that there was the need to rethink the  entire  world’s financial system in  connection  to the economic crisis that the world faced. The president stated that what France was facing at that time was an economic recession and that it was a long-term problem. According to the latest  data  the French economy contracted, a 0.3% in the 2nd quarter in the year 2008, from the  previous  data economists concluded that the two quarters recorded negative growths. These data raised fears of a further recession in the economy.  This recession resulted in the rise in unemployment and a  struggle  in households to try to beat the recession (France 24, 2008:1). We  further  look at the  fiscal  policy and how it functions in stabilizing the  economic  fluctuation. How this is a  solution  to the recession problem?  According to Weil,  fiscal  policy involves utilising of government

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Persuasive Letter to Hon Tony Clement Essay Example for Free

Persuasive Letter to Hon Tony Clement Essay Clearly, there are supporters and opposition concerning using human eggs for stem cell research. However, it is my opinion that when the donor does so of their own free will, this should be allowed by law. In fact, with minimal studies results indicate that stem cells are vital in the future cures of many diseases that plague our nation –and the world. Personally, I believe donating human eggs for stem cell research should be as common as giving blood. Women are permitted to donate eggs for in vitro-fertilization; therefore, I feel there is little to no difference in donating for stem cell research. If there is any indication of a difference it is in the number of lives that can be saved through this much needed research. Furthermore, there are no increased health risks poses to women who donate eggs, according to a report commissioned by the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (Medical News Today, 2007). The Bedford Stem Cell Research Foundation has made available a large amount of information on the social, political and medical aspects of donation and research. However, when reviewing this information, I find the opposition most often base claims against stem cell research on the interference of egg use for other research needs (Romney, 2006). If more people would educate themselves on the positives of stem cell research, they would clearly see that egg donation is a gift. It is a gift that works in much the same way as organ or blood donation. In concluding, I ask that you think of those who are watching their loved ones suffer from ailments such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. Imagine the differences such advancements can make in the lives of so many who would otherwise be facing turmoil and the end of their days. Is it not worth it to allow women to give freely of themselves to save the lives of others?

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Poweful Writing of Henry David Thoreau :: Biography

Why was Henry David Thoreau such a wonderful writer? He had many great qualities, but the most important were his devotion to nature and writing, his desire for independence, and his experiences he encountered throughout his life. Henry David Thoreau looked to nature as the basis of life and writing. He believed that nature is the reflection of inner spiritual reality. He spent his life in search of the essentials of reality and of experiences that would bring him close to these essentials. He lived in a hut for two years at Walden Pond to rid his body of inessential things. During Thoreau's stay, he completed his first book titled, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers(1849). Here, he also filled his journals with materials for his most famous piece, Walden. After he left the hut, and after college, he became a literary apprentice by writing essays and poems and by helping edit the transcendentalist journal, The Dial. When success did not come, Thoreau remained dedicated to his program of "education" through intimacy with nature, and also through writing that would express this experience. It was his life in nature that was his great theme. In order for Thoreau to write so much on nature he had to be familiar with it. His knowledge of the woods and fields, of the rivers, the ponds, and swamps, of every plant and animal was outstanding. Emerson even stated, "His power of observation seemed to indicate additional senses." Thoureau wrote a book titled Walden(1854) in which the theme of it was the relationship to the order and beauty of nature in the human mind. This book consists of records of Thoreau's stay at Walden Pond. Thoreau's love and devotion to nature and his writing was a key to his excellence in writing. Henry David Thoreau also felt that individualism was a great necessity to his writing style. In his piece of literature titled "Civil Disobedience", he expressed his belief in the power and the obligation of the individual to determine right from wrong, independent of the dictates of society. Thoreau's friends agreed with his views, but few practiced it in their own lives as consistently as he. Thoreau demonstrated his idea of independence in many ways. He worked for pay intermittently, he made relationships with many of the towns outcasts, he never married, he signed off from the First Parish Church rather than be taxed automatically to support it every year, and he lived alone in the woods for two years, in seclusion. His nearest neighbor was at least a mile away. While he was living independently in the woods, he thought of many new The Poweful Writing of Henry David Thoreau :: Biography Why was Henry David Thoreau such a wonderful writer? He had many great qualities, but the most important were his devotion to nature and writing, his desire for independence, and his experiences he encountered throughout his life. Henry David Thoreau looked to nature as the basis of life and writing. He believed that nature is the reflection of inner spiritual reality. He spent his life in search of the essentials of reality and of experiences that would bring him close to these essentials. He lived in a hut for two years at Walden Pond to rid his body of inessential things. During Thoreau's stay, he completed his first book titled, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers(1849). Here, he also filled his journals with materials for his most famous piece, Walden. After he left the hut, and after college, he became a literary apprentice by writing essays and poems and by helping edit the transcendentalist journal, The Dial. When success did not come, Thoreau remained dedicated to his program of "education" through intimacy with nature, and also through writing that would express this experience. It was his life in nature that was his great theme. In order for Thoreau to write so much on nature he had to be familiar with it. His knowledge of the woods and fields, of the rivers, the ponds, and swamps, of every plant and animal was outstanding. Emerson even stated, "His power of observation seemed to indicate additional senses." Thoureau wrote a book titled Walden(1854) in which the theme of it was the relationship to the order and beauty of nature in the human mind. This book consists of records of Thoreau's stay at Walden Pond. Thoreau's love and devotion to nature and his writing was a key to his excellence in writing. Henry David Thoreau also felt that individualism was a great necessity to his writing style. In his piece of literature titled "Civil Disobedience", he expressed his belief in the power and the obligation of the individual to determine right from wrong, independent of the dictates of society. Thoreau's friends agreed with his views, but few practiced it in their own lives as consistently as he. Thoreau demonstrated his idea of independence in many ways. He worked for pay intermittently, he made relationships with many of the towns outcasts, he never married, he signed off from the First Parish Church rather than be taxed automatically to support it every year, and he lived alone in the woods for two years, in seclusion. His nearest neighbor was at least a mile away. While he was living independently in the woods, he thought of many new

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Melodrama in British Cinema Essay

In studying melodrama as a genre we can note that this term has a link to cinematic â€Å"realism†. The term realism is used by many writers as a basis to which other cinematic forms can be compared or contrasted. This also includes melodrama. Moreover, what may constitute realism is somewhat recognizably associated to its historical background. Hollywood refers to it is ‘relationship films’. One can define cinematic realism as being the presentation of â€Å"a coherent reality in which individual identity is clear and in which characters’ actions are goal-oriented, motivating a formulaic plot pattern.† (Byars 1991: 107) Moreover, this coherence is aimed at creating an image of [clearness], with the intention of presenting film not as a constructed product, but as a believable recording of things are (ibid. : 27) This type of mood in British film was shown in wartime productions. Christine Gledhill, in her prominent book Home is Where the Hear is (1987), establishes the link between melodrama and the bourgeois revolutions during the 18th century. Primarily, the plays were meant to entertain the aristocrat elite as manifested in their defined dialogue that portrays the standards and ideas of the upper class. Soon after, their has been a growing urban audience, categorized by the ‘middle class’ including the industrial working-class, who equally insisted on the same amount of entertainment which later paved the way to the realization of ‘folk’ art and other popular traditions such as â€Å"dumb show, pantomime, harlequinade, ballets, spectacles, acrobatics, clowning, busking, the exhibition of animals and freaks, and, above all, musical accompaniment and song† (Glendhill 1987) Antonia Lant, a renowned writer for Women’s roles in Cinema, once stated that modern-day critics advocate British cinema improved and made use of a new form of realism in order to â€Å"produce films without false emotion or sentimental heroics† (1991: 14). He further suggested that there has been a widespread perception that British thoughts and ideas could be expressed and represented only by realism (ibid. : 34)Melodrama has been an important subject for film and media studies since it deals primarily with ‘popular culture’. This focus on what is popular suited the theme of the film against more traditional academic views of ‘high culture’. This is also associated more with the feminine rather than masculine issues. That is why the term â€Å"melodramatic† is often used in abusive form for it may relate to a dramatic movie scene or behaviour in real life. The discussion of this genre’s relation with women will be further discussed in this write-up. Melodrama deal mainly with emotional conflict, much of it focused around family and sexual relationships. Since most of the elements of melodrama are presented in almost all cinematic genres, melodrama as a stand-out type of cinema is quite hard to define in precision and accuracy. To understand this fully, it can be divided into several sub-genres. Raymond Henry Williams, a Welsh academic, novelist and critic, classifies melodrama within the genre; the â€Å"earlier and always numerically common ‘costume epic’, people by pirates, bandits, soldiers, and ‘historical’ figures of all kinds† (1983: 16). Conversely, family melodrama and romance are sub-genres that can be considered in these films. The emblematic forms of this type of drama have been the issue in the analysis and understanding of film studies. In some aspect, this is because of the feminist criticism to ‘reclaim’ the area of ‘women films’ which was once neglected and given less emphasis. The reproachful usage of that term among the male-dominated ‘critical brotherhood’ which Haskell states refers to â€Å"a term used by primarily male academia, it infers that women’s experience and emotions are â€Å"of minor significance†Ã¢â‚¬  (1987: 154). The perspective that the body of melodrama solely focuses on the experience and intended for an audience of women has strongly been discounted in within the patriarchal set-up. Further to note that this type of genre which is intended for female audience is of significance to various writers. One of the major concerns â€Å"is whether the films expose the contradictions of masculinity, dominant male society (Gledhill 1987: 10) and women’s roles and places in the society, or if â€Å"they merely reinforce the dominant ideology† (Lehman 1980: 2.) Byars points out that the â€Å"struggle over [the production of] gender films† must be evaluated; it is not solely a way of showing discourse to the dominant ideology or its creation with the influential patriarchal system, â€Å"serving solely to reinforce patriarchal patterns† (1991: 6). With this, it can be said that gender in all common understanding is an area of discussion, not merely perceiving it as either conforming or deviating to dominant ideological standpoints. Melodrama â€Å"provides a significant index to cultural aspirations, dreams, and fantasies† (Landy 1991: 189) especially shown in the films made by Gainsborough, a British film studio, where it is noted that they particularly â€Å"constitute a unique contribution to women’s representation† further stating that they also â€Å"touched on everyday conflicts concerning women’s experience† (ibid. : 195). Writer and researcher Marcia Landy also expressed on the manner with which â€Å"the form of the melodrama costume allows the expression of ideas that could not otherwise be raised in a cinema context. † (1991: 196) In a quote she made from Harper that says that the films’ â€Å"popularity can be in part explained by their representation of a female sexuality denied expression through conventional social forms and signifying systems† (Landy 1991: 196). Landy is noted for her work that discusses about historical films, films of empire, war films, melodrama, comedy, science fiction and social problem films; and changing attitudes towards class, national identity, sexuality, and gender (Princeton University Press). Although the portrayal of women in the movies are those that involved â€Å"rebellious females,† â€Å"conflicts over class and status, and, above all, the quest of the female characters for adventure† (Landy 1991: 196); it is also in these films that women are seen to be divided and bear clashes with one another. On the other hand, Landy generalizes that the men are oftentimes portrayed as antagonistic, cruel, or domineering. Women in Britain during those times were faced with various environmental factors that somehow contributed to the inspiration of the melodramatic films. Such factors are the employment of women where they were engaged in occupations ranging from factory and white-collar work (Bruley 1999: 101-102). Also, there has been some suggestions that although women did not gain a simplistic â€Å"liberation as a result of this work, a greater degree of liberation was achieved (ibid. : 93). Writer, Sue Bruley, further asserts that during this period sexuality became much more evident. Divorce was also an important issue; the hardships in this historical perspective suggested that women felt â€Å"a kind of yearning, a moment when [they] were desirous of greater freedom† (1996: 91) but unfortunately unable to satisfy. â€Å"There was however a large rise in the divorce rate at the end of the war† (Summerfield 1995: 314). European melodrama is concerned with expressing the struggles involving class, race, and gender issues. Melodrama has always appealed to the broad and diverse audiences, extending from the lower classes to all sectors of the middle class, and other times even the members of the aristocracy. On the contrary, as Sergej Baluchatyj implies, it invariably works with â€Å"any group of spectators whose hearts are open to such affecting emotional experience. † (Baluchatyj:00) He further adds, that such primitive spectators, constitute an extremely broad group, even their range of emotions is limited. Due to its wholesome aesthetic appeal as well as its origins in the â€Å"illegitimate† theater of post revolutionary France, melodrama is widely considered an inherent democratic genre (Gledhill 1987). Melodrama served as the genre of choice of the historical voiceless and with that has been the tool used to discuss problems involving class conflicts. It was also a diversion to the people to be entertained despite the chaos such as the economic problems of the Depression and other social conflicts. Like class, race, and ethnicity, gender also played role in the establishment of melodrama as a genre. Although it is said that melodrama must not often be related to a woman genre, but the centrality of emotion and feeling as shown for moral value continue to tie melodrama to the feminine realm. We may then be able to conclude that melodrama can be perceived as a genre vulnerable to breaking codes – not only of gender or sexual orientation, but also of ethnicity and social class. This has served as way for women to freely express emotions that are not privileged for the male counterpart. In conclusion, the decline of British melodrama has affected women in the sense that their once dominated genre no longer became the avenue where they can portray their dreams and aspirations. The statement of Landy suggested that the films were able to function as escapism; however they can still capture the â€Å"everyday conflicts concerning women’s experiences† (1991: 195). One major criterion of melodrama is on how the twist of the story and the ending would go. For the American cinema it revolves around a ‘happy ending’ in comparison to Europeans who are perceived to be ‘over sentimental’. The Japanese and Chinese melodrama projects their strict codes of honor and with the inevitability of defeat and destruction, in contrast to the ‘bittersweet’ taste of the Austrian stories. In Britain, however, there seem to be some ‘repressed emotion’ that lead to a sudden outburst from the usual restrained characters. But in the most basic level, melodrama is mainly concerned with only two features: expressive style, and concern in personal relationships. Melodrama is further considered as a form of facilitating the recognition of contemporary issues in most of their films. Overall, Landy’s other statement says that the narratives involved conflicts over class, status, and above all, the quest of the female characters for adventure (ibid. : 196). The melodrama films encompass conflicts on status, gender, and other social issues and thus this is a way of viewing the events in ones life through film. The dominant feeling of feeling of earlier times that marriage is more of exploitation than equality is very well represented in the melodramatic films that in some way they acquired the feeling of vindication just by knowing that filmmakers understand their predicament. To show that marriage is a thing to be escaped from, and avoided by the inexperienced. This movie theme can be perceived as link to the present discourse of divorce and the probability of women to gain independence. At that time British women are not privileged of a vote. Once they get married, their legal personalities were assumed into that of their husbands. Not many received education, and they were discriminated against and were underpaid in their workplace. All these contributed to the longing of wanting to be heard. Ironically in some cases, the show of emotions is restricted while they go about their daily lives. The cinema is then a way for all of these to surface. The culminating emotion that is normally felt in melodramatic movies is the one with a happy-ending especially to the romance narrative, wherein women are given the hope to strive for another day. It is not always hardships that they experience during those times, but since there is a great divide between the places of women and men in the society that these movies provided a channel for women to relay their circumstances. In some extent, these types of movies go beyond entertainment. They also played a role in the shaping of ones culture.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Research paper about Marijuana Essay

Marijuana marijuana or marihuana, drug obtained from the flowering tops, stems, and leaves of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa (see hemp) or C. indica; the latter species can withstand colder climates. It is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world, following only caffeine, nicotine, and alcoholic beverages in popularity. In the United States, where it is usually smoked, it also has been called weed, grass, pot, or reefer. The Plant C. sativa grows as a common weed in many parts of the world, and drug preparations vary widely in potency according to climate, cultivation, and method of preparation. Mexico, Paraguay, and the United States are the top marijuana-producing nations worldwide. C. indica is a shorter, hardier variety with rounded blue-green leaves, grown in Afghanistan for hashish. Most marijuanas grown in the United States since the late 1980s are hybrids of the two and yield a much more potent product than the marijuana of the past. The resin found on flower clusters and top leaves of the female plant is the most potent drug source and is used to prepare hashish, the highest grade of cannabis. The bud of the female plant, called sinsemilla, is the part most often smoked as marijuana. The Drug The effects of marijuana vary with its strength and dosage and with the state of mind of the user. Typically, small doses result in a feeling of well-being. The intoxication lasts two to three hours, but accompanying effects on motor control last much longer. High doses can cause tachycardia, paranoia, and delusions. Although it produces some of the same effects as hallucinogens like LSD and mescaline (heightened sensitivity to colors, shapes, music, and other stimuli and distortion of the sense of time), marijuana differs chemically and pharmacologically. The primary active component of marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), although other cannabinol derivatives are also thought to be  intoxicating. In 1988 scientists discovered receptors that bind THC on the membranes of nerve cells. They reasoned that the body must make its own THC-like substance. The substance, named anandamide, was isolated from pig brains in 1992 by an American pharmacologist, William A. Devane. Marijuana lowers testosterone levels and sperm counts in men and raises testosterone levels in women. In pregnant women it affects the fetus and results in developmental difficulties in the child. There is evidence that marijuana affects normal maturation of preadolescent and adolescent users and that it affects short-term memory and comprehension. Heavy smokers often sustain lung damage from the smoke and contaminants. Regular use can result in dependence. The Legalization Question With the increase in the number of middle-class users in the 1960s and 1970s, there came a somewhat greater acceptance of the view that marijuana should not be considered in the same class as narcotics and that U.S. marijuana laws should be relaxed. The Drug Abuse Prevention Act of 1970 eased federal penalties somewhat, and 11 states decriminalized possession. However, in the late 1980s many states rewrote their drug laws and imposed stricter penalties. Beginning in 1996, however, a series of states began enacting medical marijuana laws (two fifths of the states now have one), and in 2012 voters in the states of Colorado and Washington approved the legalization of marijuana. Opponents of easing marijuana laws have asserted that it is an intoxicant less controllable than alcohol, that our drug-using society does not need another widely used intoxicant, and that the United States should not act to weaken UN policies, which are opposed to the use of marijuana for other than possible med ical purposes. In 2013, Uruguay became the first nation to legalize the growing, selling, and use of marijuana, a move it undertook in part in an attempt to undermine drug cartels. Uruguay’s legalization, which was a source of controversy in the country, also was critized by international authorities for contravening treaties to which Uruguay was a party. Medical Uses Controversy surrounds the medical use of marijuana, with proponents saying it is useful for treating pain and the nausea and vomiting that are side effects of cancer chemotherapy and for restoring the appetite in people with AIDS. Its active ingredient, THC, was synthesized in 1966 and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1985; synthetic THC is available by prescription in pill form as dronabinol (Marinol) and nabilone (Cesamet). Proponents of medical marijuana say it is not as effective as the herb and is more expensive. In addition to THC, another cannibis derivative (or cannabinoid), cannabidiol (CDB), is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant and also moderates THC’s psychoactive effects. A 1999 U.S.-government-sponsored study by the Institute of Medicine found that marijuana appeared beneficial for certain medical conditions, such as nausea caused by chemotherapy and wasting caused by AIDS. Because of the toxicity of marijuana smoke, however, it was hoped that further research might lead to development of new delivery systems, such as bronchial inhalers. A number of studies since 1999 have shown that smoked marijuana has pain-reducing effects when compared with marijuana stripped of its cannabinoids. The Office of National Drug Control Policy has opposed legalization of the medical use of marijuana, citing law enforcement issues and the possibility that some would use it as a pretext to sell marijuana for nonmedical use, and the FDA said in 2006 that, despite the 1999 report, that marijuana â€Å"has no accepted or proven use in the United States.† Proponents, disregarding the law, have set up networks for the distribution of the drug to people who they judge will be helped by it and continue to lobby for its legalization for medical use. In 1996 California enacted the first state law permitting the use of marijuana for medical reasons, and about one third of the states now have some sort of medical marijuana legislation. As a result of a Supreme Court ruling in 2005, however, these laws do not protect medical users with a prescription from federal prosecution. In 2009 Attorney General Eric Holder ordered that federal prosecutors not focus on persons who  clearly comply with state medical marijuana laws, but federal law enforcement officials have moved to close many so-called marijuana dispensaries despite compliance, arguing in part that many prescriptions for marijuana are not justified medically. Another, lower court ruling permits doctors to discuss medical use of marijuana with their patients but forbids them to help patients obtain the drug. A number of countries, including Canada, permit the medicinal use of the drug. History of Marijuana Use Marijuana has been used as an agent for achieving euphoria since ancient times; it was described in a Chinese medical compendium traditionally considered to date from 2737 BC It also has a long history of use as a medicinal herb. Its use spread from China to India and then to N Africa and reached Europe at least as early as AD 500. A major crop in colonial North America, marijuana (hemp) was grown as a source of fiber. It was extensively cultivated during World War II, when Asian sources of hemp were cut off. Marijuana was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1850 until 1942 and was prescribed for various conditions including labor pains, nausea, and rheumatism. Its use as an intoxicant was also commonplace from the 1850s to the 1930s. A campaign conducted in the 1930s by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Narcotics (now the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs) sought to portray marijuana as a powerful, addicting substance that would lead users into narcotics addiction. It is still considered a â€Å"gateway† drug by some authorities. In the 1950s it was an accessory of the beat generation; in the 1960s it was used by college students and â€Å"hippies† and became a symbol of rebellion against authority. The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 classified marijuana along with heroin and LSD as a Schedule I drug, i.e., having the relatively highest abuse potential and no accepted medical use. Most marijuana at that time came from Mexico, but in 1975 the Mexican government agreed to eradicate the crop by spraying it with the herbicide paraquat, raising fears of toxic side effects. Colombia then became the main supplier. The â€Å"zero tolerance†Ã‚  climate of the Reagan and Bush administrations (1981–93) resulted in passage of strict laws and mandatory sentences for possession of marijuana and in heightened vigilance against smuggling at the southern borders. The â€Å"war on drugs† thus brought with it a shift from reliance on imported supplies to domestic cultivation (particularly in Hawaii and California). Beginning in 1982 the Drug Enforcement Administration turned increased attention to marijuana farms in the United States, and there was a shift to the indoor gro wing of plants specially developed for small size and high yield. After over a decade of decreasing use, marijuana smoking began an upward trend once more in the early 1990s, especially among teenagers, but by the end of the decade this upswing had leveled off well below former peaks of use.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Free Essays on Product Of Society

In today’s society, short and often simple sayings are exhibited freely and boldly in order to pronounce an individual’s firm opinion. The ever so common comedic bumper stickers have been widely replaced by slogans reflecting strong views or status. Individuality, endless opportunity, and independence have sparked a variety of new slogans into the picture. Progressing controversial issues such as abortion and feminism clutter the backs of cars with arguments like, â€Å"Pro-family and Pro-choice† and â€Å"A woman with out a man is like a fish without a bicycle.† Materialistic values are often exploited with sayings such as â€Å"Whoever dies with the most toys, wins.† These overwhelming and rigid statements are products of the time and will enhance already determined beliefs or will remain fruitless for disbelievers. During the most recent years abortion has plagued our country with a substantial amount of arguments from both pro-choice and pro-life activists. Abortion being the most debatable argument has several opposing views, which disagree with a mother’s right to choose. The catchphrase claiming â€Å"Pro-family and Pro-choice† has a different standpoint on abortion. Pro-family gives a conservative aspect, which favors abortion as the right choice to promote healthy family life under certain circumstances. Although it does not promote abortion it gives the unprepared mother an alternative. In some conditions choosing birth may be a dysfunctional, irresponsible, and even a cruel descion. Unprepared situations such as rape, insecest, and age of mother may encourage a decision such as abortion. Acknowledging that single parent homes are not always the most ideal situations it promotes a substitute to giving birth and supports middle class family values instead of forcing a n unwanted child into an unjust situation. Responsibility, stability, and values are needed to exist in order to have a model home for a child. ... Free Essays on Product Of Society Free Essays on Product Of Society In today’s society, short and often simple sayings are exhibited freely and boldly in order to pronounce an individual’s firm opinion. The ever so common comedic bumper stickers have been widely replaced by slogans reflecting strong views or status. Individuality, endless opportunity, and independence have sparked a variety of new slogans into the picture. Progressing controversial issues such as abortion and feminism clutter the backs of cars with arguments like, â€Å"Pro-family and Pro-choice† and â€Å"A woman with out a man is like a fish without a bicycle.† Materialistic values are often exploited with sayings such as â€Å"Whoever dies with the most toys, wins.† These overwhelming and rigid statements are products of the time and will enhance already determined beliefs or will remain fruitless for disbelievers. During the most recent years abortion has plagued our country with a substantial amount of arguments from both pro-choice and pro-life activists. Abortion being the most debatable argument has several opposing views, which disagree with a mother’s right to choose. The catchphrase claiming â€Å"Pro-family and Pro-choice† has a different standpoint on abortion. Pro-family gives a conservative aspect, which favors abortion as the right choice to promote healthy family life under certain circumstances. Although it does not promote abortion it gives the unprepared mother an alternative. In some conditions choosing birth may be a dysfunctional, irresponsible, and even a cruel descion. Unprepared situations such as rape, insecest, and age of mother may encourage a decision such as abortion. Acknowledging that single parent homes are not always the most ideal situations it promotes a substitute to giving birth and supports middle class family values instead of forcing a n unwanted child into an unjust situation. Responsibility, stability, and values are needed to exist in order to have a model home for a child. ...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Reason for Facebooks Age Limit

Reason for Facebook's Age Limit Have you ever tried to create a Facebook account and gotten this error message: You are ineligible to sign up for Facebook? If so, its very likely you dont meet Facebooks age limit. Facebook and other online social media sites and email services are prohibited by federal law from allowing children under 13 create accounts without the consent of their parents or legal guardians. If you were baffled after being turned away by Facebooks age limit, theres a clause right there in the Statement of Rights and Responsibilities you accept when you create a Facebook account: You will not use Facebook if you are under 13. Age Limit for Gmail and Yahoo! The same goes for web-based email services including Googles Gmail and Yahoo! Mail.​ If youre not 13 years old, youll get this message when trying to sign up for a Gmail account: Google could not create your account. In order to have a Google Account, you must meet certain age requirements. If youre under the age of 13 and try to sign up for a Yahoo! Mail account, youll also be turned away with this message: Yahoo! is concerned about the safety and privacy of all its users, particularly children. For this reason, parents of children under the age of 13 who wish to allow their children access to the Yahoo! Services must create a Yahoo! Family Account. Federal Law Sets Age Limit So why do Facebook, Gmail, and Yahoo! ban users under 13 without parental consent? Theyre required to under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, a federal law passed in 1998. The Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act has been updated since it was signed into law, including revisions that attempt to address the increased use of mobile devices such as iPhones and iPads and social networking services including Facebook and Google. Among the updates was a requirement that website and social media services cannot collect geolocation information, photographs or videos from users under the age of 13 without notifying and receiving consent from parents or guardians. How Some Youths Get Around the Age Limit Despite Facebooks age requirement and federal law, millions of underage users are known to have created accounts and maintain Facebook profiles. They do so by lying about their age, often times with full knowledge of their parents. In 2012, published reports estimated some 7.5 million children had Facebook accounts of the 900 million people who were using the social network at the time. Facebook said the number of underage users highlighted just how difficult it is to enforce age restrictions on the Internet, especially when parents want their children to access online content and services. Facebook allows users to report children under the age of 13. Note that well promptly delete the account of any child under the age of 13 thats reported to us through this form, the company states. Facebook is also working on a system that would allow children under 13 to create an account that would be linked to those held by their parents. Is the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act Effective? Congress intended the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act to protect youths from predatory marketing as well as stalking and kidnapping, both of which became more prevalent as access to the Internet and personal computers grew, according to the Federal Trade Commission, which is responsible for enforcing the law. But many companies have merely limited their marketing efforts toward users age 13 and older, meaning that children who lie about their age are very to be subjected to such campaigns and the use of their personal information. In 2010, a Pew Internet survey found that: Teens continue to be avid users of social networking websites – as of September 2009, 73% of online American teens ages 12 to 17 used an online social network website, a statistic that has continued to climb upwards from 55% in November 2006 and 65% in February 2008.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

An International Relations - The Soviet Unions Invasion Case Essay

An International Relations - The Soviet Unions Invasion Case - Essay Example Despite the harshness of its land and its multi ethnic society, it is one of the most historically attractive land for conquest purposes.   It had been invaded by armies from Persia, Greece, Macedonia under Alexander the Great, Arab hordes, the Mongols and other warriors from central Asia.   In the 19th century, Great Britain and Russia competed for control of Afghanistan with Britain successfully invading it in 1839-42 and in 1878. Despite the harshness of its land and its multi ethnic society, it is one of the most historically attractive land for conquest purposes.   It had been invaded by armies from Persia, Greece, Macedonia under Alexander the Great, Arab hordes, the Mongols and other warriors from central Asia.   In the 19th century, Great Britain and Russia competed for control of Afghanistan with Britain successfully invading it in 1839-42 and in 1878. But it was in late 1979 that a significant event occurred and various countries’ interests in Afghanistanâ₠¬â€some overt and some covert—took hold. The situation began on December 27, 1979 with Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan. This was to set off a chain reaction that would involve dozens of other countries, both American and Russian cold war proxies. Afghanistan would effectively become Russia’s Vietnam—but Russia would pay a higher price than the United States. Throughout the war, from 1979 to 1989, countries such as the USA, Great Britain, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan, China and Egypt were drawn to the conflict.

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Legal System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Legal System - Essay Example The lack of education or literacy rate in a country could lead it to the high crime rate among young people that provides incentives for committing crimes due to instable economical situation. With the provision of education in the people the rule of law may be strengthen. The primary and secondary educations are very important in this regard; they work as a base for the future education of an individual. We should strengthen the legal system and provide education to the people for strengthening the society. To provide a crackdown on the crimes and to eliminate unhealthy tendencies in the society we should understand the importance of law and the matters falling in the purview of the law should be left to the judicial institutions. It is not legal for an individual to directly concern himself with such matters. One should be careful about inner discipline. Legal problems should be left on the shoulders of the state and the government to decide. If an individual intervenes in everything than it would be very difficult for the people to understand the importance and integrity of the law. Violations of laws disturb the society, self-personality, family and friends. Everyone in the society should make efforts to strengthen the law at large extent as it provides security, mental satisfaction and causes progress for the country. There should be no tendencies of ignoring or violating the laws in the country. Indispensable legal systems should be implemented in the country. By the passing of time, the law has been divided into different subjects and topics; the reason was to make it easily understandable in terms of different aspects of the law. The law is also being taught in different topics and subjects. Even cases are decided on different grounds. To make the process easy, different courts have been established that deal with different kinds of cases in their purview. Following are the different topics of the law: Legal Kinds of Law: Criminal Law. Contact Law. Tort Law (Breach) Property law Trust and Equity Law. Administrative law. International Law. Legal Systems Civil Law. Common Law. Religious Law. Institutions of Law Judiciary Legislature. Executive. Military and Police. Bureaucracy. Civil Society. Legal Profession. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law) Law as Legal Subject Almost in every country, the law is taught in different subjects/topics, like in England, the knowledge of law is provided in almost seven different subjects. All laws have the same approach and legal system and same issues around the world, although different names are used to elaborate laws. For example, in the Civil law contract and the breach of contract would fall under the purview of law of obligations and trusts and will be processed under legal regimes or under the international conventions and agreements. Outside of the Europe international laws are being dealt under different agreements other than European laws like North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA), South American Community of Nations (CSN), Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other different trade and other agreements to settle the dispute. But it is worth mentioning that there is

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Working in a Virtual World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Working in a Virtual World - Essay Example This brings in the best of the talent present in the multiple locations in which the virtual world exists. Moreover, the virtual world brings forth the use of many technologies, which makes it even more interesting, as communication and collaboration becomes easier and working on any project becomes a dream-come-true even if each member of the project is kilometers away from each other. The barriers that would have been present in any virtual organizations - that of time and distance - have been conveniently removed by the technologies that are used, essentially that of telecommunications and computing. Furthermore, the virtual organization is flexible, because it is the management of an organization over a virtual set up. This also makes the virtual organization dynamic and ever-changing; it is restless in nature and dares to experiment with new ideas and creative techniques of operation. And lastly, the most important attribute which gives virtual organizations a unique touch is th e integration that results and which enhances and brings out the best in all individuals to level out complete synergy and work in favor of the organization. There is always a limit as to the efficient performance of the communications network that has been set up. As will be mentioned in the next few pages, handling and managing communication with remote workers will be one of the biggest challenges for the organization. For example, there will be a potential limit as to how much of transmission can the bandwidth set up do. Therefore, the moment that limit is crossed, the speed of communication gets slowed down and thus collaboration gets difficult. (Gareth, 1998) A very big disadvantage for virtual organizations lies in the fact that there may be hardware and software compatibility issues with the remote workers. The hardware that the remote worker uses will most probably be personal and would not be a specialized computer, rather just a simple one to keep at a house. The software that the management expects the remote worker to use would be specialized and would not be that efficient on an old, slow or mediocre computer. Thus, this mismatch is likely to result in low productivity and frustration of the employee to get things done the way management wants him to do. Computer security is an issue for the virtual organizations because they exist on around a million personal computers of all their remote workers. Leakage of information is highly likely. Technology that is being used in managing a virtual organization is most likely to evolve over time. Updating it in the many computers of the many remote workers would be difficult. The Advantages - Employee and Employer The virtual organization has many advantages for the employee: Often organizations experience an increase in production, but there is no as such acceleration in productivity, as should be the case. Therefore, implementing a virtual organization helps increase productivity and the number of output per worker, thus improving quality and not just the quantity of work that is being produced. Moreover, the employee is always at a pressure from all the

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Dorian Gray And Death In Venice Analysis English Literature Essay

Dorian Gray And Death In Venice Analysis English Literature Essay In chapter one I have shown that both Aestheticism and Nietzsche promote art for arts sake and believe that art justifies itself and does not need to have a purpose since art is purpose in itself, the purpose of life. Nietzsche urges artists to look inside themselves and give importance to both the Apollonian, that is, the rational and the Dionysian, that is, the passionate side of their personality. According to him, only by achieving equilibrium between these two opposite and, in the meantime, complementary forces will artists be able to create authentic works of art. This chapter centers on the analysis of The Picture of Dorian Gray and Death in Venice from the Aesthetic and Nietzschean perspective. In both novels, the protagonists are artists that cultivate beauty in their works and lives and that oscillate between the Apollonian and Dionysian. Since Nietzsche points out that both the Apollonian and the Dionysian govern the human existence, I will show how these two forces compet e in each character in their search for beauty. Both Oscar Wilde and Thomas Mann struggled against what was prevalent and what was expected of an artist in their eras. They fought against becoming what Lord Henry criticises in The Picture of Dorian Gray: Modern morality consists in accepting the standard of ones age. I consider that for any man of culture to accept the standard of his age is a form of the grossest immorality (Wilde 92). Wildes new version of the old aestheticism deploys subjectivity, individuality, and the autonomy of art against the supposed objectivity and professionalism of nineteenth century science and its offshoot in literature, that is, realism. In Oscar Wilde, Thomas Mann discovered much of the essential Nietzsche, his furious war on morality and his transvaluation of moral into aesthetic values. As affirmed in The Decay of Lying, Oscar Wildes philosophy on art insists on the fact that art should find perfection in itself, that it has as its object not simple truth, as Victorians expected it to express, but complex beauty. As he points out in the preface of the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, the artist is the creator of beautiful things and those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated (Wilde 5). A common feature of The Portrait of Dorian Gray and Death in Venice is their celebration of beauty in artistic creation. Thus, Lord Henry Wotton believes that Beauty is of the great facts of the world, like sunlight, or spring-time, or the reflection in dark waters of that silver shell we call the moon. It has its divine right of sovereignty (Wilde 29) and Aschenbach thinks that nature itself shivers with ecstasy when the mind bows down in homage before beauty (Mann 460). The artists pursuit of beauty constitutes both their inspiration, the purpose of th eir creation and their perdition. Through their celebration of art as a main theme, The Picture of Dorian Gray and Death in Venice share some common points in their analysis of the artist. In his work, The Birth of Tragedy, Nietzsche affirms that artistic creation depends on a collaboration between two opposite forces which he terms the Apollonian and the Dionysian. He believed that true artistic creations have to be generated by people that were not only highly civilised and cultured, but also passionate. According to him, only in the balance of these forces could art arise. Nietzsche described the good artists as maintaining a balance between two forces, the Dionysian, or those associated with the god Dionysus and the Apollonian, those associated with the god Apollo. While Dionysus was the god of fecund nature, spring, regeneration, wine, and intoxication, and orgiastic extravagance, Apollo was the god of light, of form which shapes drives and instincts into clarity and order. While Dionysus was often associated wi th music, a passionate, engrossing art form, Apollo was associated with sculpture, a rigid, detached art form. Like Nietzsche, Oscar Wilde and Thomas Mann believe that the conflict between conscious will and uncontrolled passion, between rationality or morality and passionate art represents a very serious struggle in human existence. This is the reason why the artists trajectory towards death in both fictional works is a descent to either extreme and a failure to maintain equilibrium between these two opposite forces. In The Picture of Dorian Gray, the three major characters, Basil Hallward, Lord Hnry Wotton, and Dorian Gray are at the same time different aesthetes and parts of the same self. In Death in Venice, the poet Gustav von Aschenbach is the only protagonist and artist in the novella, but he has common features with all three different characters from Oscar Wildes novel. Each of these artists, unique in their mode of thinking and personality, undergoes serious changes provoked by factors beyond their control. Aschenbachs resemblance to Basil is manifested in his Apollonian concern with exhausting work. They both believe that hard work leads to perfection and that perfection is the key to the artistic talent. They both reject passion because they think it blocks the pursuit of excellence. Hallwards aestheticism is manifested in his complete devotion to exclusive artistic creations. His ambition and struggle is to become one with his art. He searches in the outside world for the perfect manifestations of his soul and when he finds them, he can create masterpieces by painting them. His fatal misake is that in creating the portrait of Dorian Gray, Basil puts too much of himself into it, (Wilde 18), which Lord Henry criticises for at some point in the novel, by arguing that an artist should create beautiful things, but should nothing of his own life into them (Wilde 25). Gustave von Aschenbach is introduced as the extreme case of the civilised Apollonian, neoclassical artist who becomes a hero of the times given his self-controlled manner of labouring on the edge of exhaustion: Gustave Aschenbach was the poet-spokesman of all those who labour at the edge of exhaustion; of the overburdened, of those who are already worn out but still hold themselves upright; of all our modern moralizers of accomplishment with stunted growth and scanty resources. (Mann 426) He is, thus, the prototypical modern artist. However, the fact that he has spent his entire life without acknowledging his passions and desires foreshadows possible problems in the future because, according to Freud, repressed passions will sooner or later rise to the surface. Thus, he gradually abandons his commitment to Apollo when he first journeys to Venice and, later, when he decides to remain there. He passes beyond balance and reason, substituting beauty for morality, even though the cost of such a choice is death. Far from being fruitful to the artistic purpose of their lives, their vulnerability to the perfect classic beauty of both Dorian Gray and Tadzio overshadows the resulting art itself. Both Basil and Gustaves worlds start revolving around their muses and, unawares, they grow dependent on their presence. Thus, Hallward admits that: I couldnt be happy if I didnt see [Dorian] every day. He is absolutely necessary to me (Wilde 18) and Gustave, once he meets Tadzio, can no longer leave Venice, even though the city does him serious harm: He felt the rapture of his blood, the poignant pleasure, and realized that it was for Tadzios sake the leavetaking had been so hard (Mann 455). The obsessive admiration for the perfect physical beauty is what binds Basil Hallward and Gustave Aschenbach and what leads them towards destruction. Once they discover perfect beauty, the Dionysian force is unleashed and it can hardly be controlled. Both artists worship beauty in their creations. As Aschenbach declares, in almost every artists nature is inborn a wonton and treacherous proneness to side with the beauty that breaks hearts, to single out aristocratic pretensions and pay them homage (Mann 441). The ideal of beauty is represented in The Picture of Dorian Gray and Death in Venice by the youthful Dorian and Tadzio. Basil confesses that Dorian is all my art to me now (Wilde 16) and Gustave decides that [Tadzio] should be in a sense his model, his style should follow the lines of this figure that seemed to him divine (Mann 461). However, the beauty of the two young men is not only a source of artistic inspiration, it very soon starts exerting influence on the artists. Basil argues that [Dorians] personality has suggested me an entirely new manner in art, an entirely new mode of style. I see things differently, I think of them differently. I can now recreate life in a way that was hidden from me before (Wilde 17) and in Aschenbachs case, [Tadzios lovely apparition] was that filled him with content, with joy in life, enriched his stay, and lingered out the row of sunny days that fell into place so pleasantly one behind the other (Mann 457). Once conscious of the serious role beauty plays in their lives, Basil Hallward and Gustave Aschenbach become concerned to hide it, fearful that if they reveal it, they will in fact, unveil their souls. Thus, Basil tells his friend, Lord Henry, that he will not exhibit the portrait, his grand masterpiece, because I will not bare my soul to [the worlds] shallow prying eyes. My heart shall never be put under their microscope. There is too much of myself in the thing, too much of myself (Wilde 18). Aschenbach, too, feels a strange relief because the world sees only the beauty of the completed work and not its origins nor the conditions whence it sprang; since knowledge of the artists inspiration might often but confuse and alarm and so prevent the full effect of its excellence (Mann 461). The tragic ending of Basil and Gustave is a consequence of their inability to find a balance between the Apollonian and the Dionysian sides of their lives. Lord Henry warns the artist that the only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous and unlawful (Wilde 26). Accustomed to resist any other thoughts than those related to artistic creation, Hallward and Aschenbach find themselves incapable to control their excessive admiration for beauty and they are, therefore, destroyed by it. Lord Henry Wotton is an aesthete of the mind. If Basil is an artist who uses the brush, Lord Henry is an artist who uses words. Lord Henrys philosophy on life and art resembles in a great measure that of Nietzsche, in that they both celebrate the primacy of individual senses and feelings over reason and morality. Lord Henry, like Nietzsche, urges the artist to accept his Dionysian, dark and mysterious world of the instinct, to live his life fully and take advantage of its pleasures, for art is a form of exaggeration, the product of spontaneity: I believe that if one man were to live out his life fully and completely, were to give form to every feeling, expression to every thought, reality to every dream, I believe that the world would gain such a fresh impulse of joy that we would forget all the maladies of medievalism and return to the Hellenic ideal, to something finer, richer than the Hellenic ideal, as it may be. (Wilde 25) Lord Henry, like Nietzsche, believes that the unsatisfactory status of modern art is due to the individuals fear to acknowledge their passions, that is, the Dionysian side of their own selves, and turn them into something beautiful and authentic: The mutilation of the savage has its tragic survival in the self-denial that mars our lives. We are punished for our refusals. Every impulse that we strive to strangle broods in the mind and poison us (Wilde 25). The influence that Lord Henrys philosophy exerts on Dorian Gray can be compared to the influence that the trip to Venice has on Gustave Aschenbach. Both Lord Henry and Venice represent the voice that alerts the repressed side of Dorian and Aschenbach. Both Dorian Gray and Aschenbach change completely when they come in contact with the delightful influence of Lord Henrys magic words and the exoticism of Venice. When he meets Henry Wotton, Dorian feels that the few words that Basils friend had said to him had touched some secret chord that had never been touched before, but that he felt was now vibrating and throbbing to curious pulses (Wilde 26). The perspective of travelling to Venice unleashed in Aschenbach a craving for freedom, release, forgetfulness which the artist admitted to be an impulse towards flight, flight from the spot which was the daily theatre of a rigid, cold and passionate service (Mann 420-421).

Friday, October 25, 2019

Hollowicked and Arcane Battle Against One Another Essay -- Fantasy Genr

In the following, I will analyse the film Arcane in order to clarify whether it constitutes a fantasy genre. To do so I will concentrate on the characteristics of a fantasy genre. How it can be recognised. Fantasies are what depart from our understanding of reality. To answer the initial question, a closer analysis of the structural elements (cinematography), the narrative approach and the theme of Arcane will disclose if it departs significantly from our understanding of reality. Only if I can discover the answer to this question to be proven, it is possible to proceed with the following question. Nochimson (2010) stated, â€Å"Hollywood trains us to expect escapism, to enter into a fantasy world where the colours are brighter, all desires are fulfilled, and there are know obstacles that the hero cant overcome.† The first scene of analysis is the opening scene, for the very reason that it shapes the audience’s expectations of what is to come. From a cinematography point of view, there is a great use of abstract dark colours, like the unusual metallic blue used to give a night-time effect. Arcane is in his astounding costume and Valerie’s opposite him walking slowly towards each other through the overpowering rain. The actions taken place already suggest a significant departure from reality, as it is very hard to identify with the depicted surrounding and its properties which seems to create an unrealistic atmosphere. Through the use of jump cuts this atmosphere is enhanced: they disrupt the continuity (Brown 2002) of the viewer’s perception and therefore add to this feeling of estrangement and awkwardness. Subsequently we end up in Nick’s bedroom upon waking from his dream. Between the two scenes the colours used give a clea... ...ut his desires. The moral of the story is that he learns that friendship is more important. Striving to get with the girl, Nick grows as a character. D.Ledesma mentioned, â€Å"Quests help the characters to grow as they strive for an object or ideal. The struggles between opposing forces are to achieve or restore balance to the world. Themes of heroism and coming of age bring about growth in characters. Other themes appear in Fantasy but these are the major ones† Given the definition of fantasy, it is fairly clear to claim that it is highly probable for the film to constitute a fantasy genre, because all scenes analysed from above and the short comparison with Brazil displayed a significant departure from reality. Having discovered that the elements needed for a film to constitute a fantasy genre are present in Arcane, I am now able to move on to the next question.