Science fiction film studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Science fiction film studies - Essay Example c world that is not real, asks you to suspend your disbelief and pretend that it is, and then return to reality, hopefully, with some new insight for this world. At least that is the basic idea. However, sometimes the medium (or all the gimmicks) becomes the message and it is just for fun. There is nothing wrong with that either, as long as you know which side of the toast the butter is on. In other words if you started out making a message film but it got lost in the medium, than the message never gets out and the film usually winds up being a milquetoast event. All the films in this list have a message and were, supposedly, made to get that message out, let us see how it worked by analyzing a few. One can only imagine the audience seeing Fritz Lang’s Film, â€Å"Metropolis† for the very first time in 1927. The effects had to be as spellbinding as the audiences in 1977 seeing the premier of â€Å"Star Wars.† These two films as well as most others of the genre that have held the test of time as message driven movies have one thing in common. Their message is mythological. As Malcolmson notes in his article, The Matrix, Liberal Education and Other Splinters in the Mind, that, â€Å"Audience fascination with the character types is related to the power of myths.† (2004: 148) Whatever the innate and archetypal need for mythology, beliefs, religion is in the human psyche, it’s presence in sci-fi movies is profound and moving. When this connection is lacking, the movies is usually relegated to the b-movie section of the class. B-movies are fun too but that is another topic of discussion. However, while the effects of mythology in filmmaking are often profound their interwoven texture in the movie should not be too obvious, or it can become a little heavy-handed and the message can get blurred. Malcolmson also notes that â€Å"The Matrix† is â€Å"densely allusive† (2005: 141) and we find that was the intention of the Wachowski brothers as he quotes Larry

A critical review of the reading materials Assignment

A critical review of the reading materials - Assignment Example The review credits the rise of the Western type of film to that of a way to reflect on American history. The author of the article hints toward the fact that sometimes a rise in a certain area of movies has a particular motive in terms of influencing society. I had never really thought of it like that but in times where there are different societal issues, it does seem true that within the realm of film, media is another way to influence or inform a whole audience, several theaters or DVDs at a time. It seems as if there is one movie about one type of subject, then a few others pop up to mimic it or have similar story lines all around the same time (especially if a movie has performed exceptionally well at the box office within its initial running). Unforgiven begins with a fast pace cut from opening credits which the author of the article discusses. There is brutality shown in the context of the film and establishes where the movie is to be set. It is apparent through the use of characters such as a cowboy and a whore, guns and a saloon in the initial setting that this will be a Western film and early on establishes that with the films audience. This sets the initial mood of the film rather fast and the descriptiveness the author used to describe the opening scenes is somewhat intense and summarizes the scene of violence. Not only is the setting of the film to be in a small one-horse town but it is noted early on that this is a reflection to the olden days when trains were a useful means of transport. It also indicates that there is some level of civilization or industry as symbolized by the railroad shown in the film. Though a person has to travel to the nearby railroad, this is also symbolic that this is small town that is a little bit off of the regular beaten path but is connected to the rest of the world regardless. The author continues to describe events in the

Business economic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business economic - Essay Example Thus, a double-dip recession occurs when the GDP rises to positive levels (the recovery period) followed by negative levels (another recession) (Quiggin, 2010). It is often referred to as the â€Å"W-shaped† recession (Quiggin, 2010). One of the most prominent double-dip recessions took place in the 1980’s in the United States (Appendix 1) (Quiggin, 2010). Two recessions occurred in the 1980’s in the United States. Initially, the economy shrunk by 8%, then grew at 8% after which the economy dipped into the second recession due to the Federal Reserve’s policy to raise interest rates to curb inflation (Quiggin, 2010). Following that, the economy re-entered into growth for the rest of the years (Quiggin, 2010). Although, there are no definite characteristics that define a recession, there are a few symptoms that are generally agreed by economists. First is the inverted yield curve model which was determined by Jonathan H. Wright which uses 10 year yield of Tr easury Securities as an input (LaBonte et al., 2010). Second, is the change in unemployment rate over a three month period (LaBonte et al., 2010). Third, lower prices of assets including real estate and financial assets as well as large personal and corporate debts (LaBonte et al., 2010). ii) The contraction in Ireland’s economy was of particular significance at a time when other Euro nations were showing positive growth rates. This fall in Ireland’s GDP is attributed firstly, according to Author of the Bulletin, Dr. Dan McLaughlin, Group Chief Economist, Bank of Ireland, to the drastic fall in capital spending. Although capital spending decreased by 11%, on average, throughout the rest of the developed world; in Ireland it fell by a drastic 30% along with a 34% decline in building and construction activity (McLaughlin, 2010). The share of construction in general, and house-building in particular now accounts for only 2.5% of Ireland’s GDP, compared to 12% in 20 05 (McLaughlin, 2010). Secondly, consumption expenditure also saw a decline throughout the Western regime by 1.1%, due to reduced employment and falling growth in wages (McLaughlin, 2010). In the case of Ireland, employment slashed by 8% along with decline in wages which partially contributes to the fall in real consumer purchase power of Ireland (McLaughlin, 2010). A significant trend emerged at this point; that of higher savings. Although real disposable income dipped in Ireland, it was accompanied by a rise in the marginal propensity to save, leading to a higher savings ratio (McLaughlin, 2010). At the same time, Ireland’s exports fell by much more than that of its Euro competitors, implying that Net Exports also declined. Thus, to sum up; since all the components of GDP including consumption, investment and government expenditure along with net exports fell, GDP was bound to decline. iii) A Keynesian style stimulus package is a policy measure used by policymakers and inst itutions that involves stimulating one or more of the components that make up aggregate demand in an attempt to increase employment, income and output of an economy (Tool & Samuels, 1989). This approach is consistent with the Keynesian theory that negative output gap can lead to a bottleneck in the economy; a situation it finds difficult to escape. The paradox of thrift comes into force whereby loss of valuable consumer and investor confidence combined with high propensity to save exacerbates the recession (Meltzer, 1988). If such is the situation,

Person Centered Counseling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Person Centered Counseling - Essay Example His professional struggle against orthodox psychiatry has reminded a scholar of Martin Luther’s stand against the catholic church. Roger’s person centered approach (to psychotherapy; to education; to small encounter groups; and to larger groups assembled for the purpose of improving transitional understanding, exploring intergroup conflicts, and learning the nature of culture and its formation) has been committed to such contortions. For example, there is a proposal to wed the person-centered approach with Taoism’s technique of the â€Å"microcosmic orbit†, and no less serious, coupling the person-centered approach with a French Physician’s philosophy of human development based on the architecture of the human inner ear. Another past time is to construct elaborate arguments to show Rogers was in the Existentialist line of dissension and then scold him for not admitting his debt to his forbearers. The fact is what are called existential attitudes and behaviours in his approach developed independently of any contact with the philosophy of extentialism. It was while he was director of the counseling center at the University of Chicago and Roger’s major work on psychotherapy was well established that his intellectual trajectory intersected with the Extentionalists. His intention as a psychotherapist and his research methods concentrated on the phenomenon of effective therapy. Thus, one may find many examples of phenomenology in his work.. The Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, while writing on the "collective unconscious", is said to have coined the term translated "transpersonal". Like most of psychology, transpersonal psychology intends to help individuals realize deeper self-understanding, improve the health of their minds and bodies and lead more effective lives. In working with individual clients, transpersonal psychologists are said to be dealing with more than just the mere persona. Thus, they focus their attention on the whole person: "Spirit, mind and body". Though this may be the goal of other psychotherapies, it is the means that transpersonal psychologists may differ from their colleagues. To accomplish their objectives, they may analyze dreams, explore "peak experiences", or delve into paranormal phenomena, such as revelations from "past lives". Other methods may involve provoking altered states of consciousness through the use of drugs, hypnosis, guided fantasies, breathing exercises, meditation, and other "spiritual" practices. It is unlikely that Rogers would have approved of some of these activities, particularly where the therapists exerts authoritarian control over the client. Certainly he could not be considered to be a transpersonal psychologist in an unqualified sense. Roger's world view and his practice of psychotherapy should be understood as a integrated approach that he cultivated over his entire life. His (person-centered) approach evolved over time out of a specific stance or way of being, which can be described as consisting not only of certain beliefs and attitudes, but also abilities that improved with

Business economic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business economic - Essay Example Thus, a double-dip recession occurs when the GDP rises to positive levels (the recovery period) followed by negative levels (another recession) (Quiggin, 2010). It is often referred to as the â€Å"W-shaped† recession (Quiggin, 2010). One of the most prominent double-dip recessions took place in the 1980’s in the United States (Appendix 1) (Quiggin, 2010). Two recessions occurred in the 1980’s in the United States. Initially, the economy shrunk by 8%, then grew at 8% after which the economy dipped into the second recession due to the Federal Reserve’s policy to raise interest rates to curb inflation (Quiggin, 2010). Following that, the economy re-entered into growth for the rest of the years (Quiggin, 2010). Although, there are no definite characteristics that define a recession, there are a few symptoms that are generally agreed by economists. First is the inverted yield curve model which was determined by Jonathan H. Wright which uses 10 year yield of Tr easury Securities as an input (LaBonte et al., 2010). Second, is the change in unemployment rate over a three month period (LaBonte et al., 2010). Third, lower prices of assets including real estate and financial assets as well as large personal and corporate debts (LaBonte et al., 2010). ii) The contraction in Ireland’s economy was of particular significance at a time when other Euro nations were showing positive growth rates. This fall in Ireland’s GDP is attributed firstly, according to Author of the Bulletin, Dr. Dan McLaughlin, Group Chief Economist, Bank of Ireland, to the drastic fall in capital spending. Although capital spending decreased by 11%, on average, throughout the rest of the developed world; in Ireland it fell by a drastic 30% along with a 34% decline in building and construction activity (McLaughlin, 2010). The share of construction in general, and house-building in particular now accounts for only 2.5% of Ireland’s GDP, compared to 12% in 20 05 (McLaughlin, 2010). Secondly, consumption expenditure also saw a decline throughout the Western regime by 1.1%, due to reduced employment and falling growth in wages (McLaughlin, 2010). In the case of Ireland, employment slashed by 8% along with decline in wages which partially contributes to the fall in real consumer purchase power of Ireland (McLaughlin, 2010). A significant trend emerged at this point; that of higher savings. Although real disposable income dipped in Ireland, it was accompanied by a rise in the marginal propensity to save, leading to a higher savings ratio (McLaughlin, 2010). At the same time, Ireland’s exports fell by much more than that of its Euro competitors, implying that Net Exports also declined. Thus, to sum up; since all the components of GDP including consumption, investment and government expenditure along with net exports fell, GDP was bound to decline. iii) A Keynesian style stimulus package is a policy measure used by policymakers and inst itutions that involves stimulating one or more of the components that make up aggregate demand in an attempt to increase employment, income and output of an economy (Tool & Samuels, 1989). This approach is consistent with the Keynesian theory that negative output gap can lead to a bottleneck in the economy; a situation it finds difficult to escape. The paradox of thrift comes into force whereby loss of valuable consumer and investor confidence combined with high propensity to save exacerbates the recession (Meltzer, 1988). If such is the situation,

Corruption in the Teamsters Union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Corruption in the Teamsters Union - Essay Example (Myint, 2000), notes that the lack of Accountability, mingled with Economic Rent, here defined as a unique feature in a person which causes them to be at an ad vantage with the competitors, and Discretionary Powers, defined as the allowance for leaders to twist rules in their own way brings about corruption. Taking this in mind, most trade union members join the unions just their work rights insured. They hence don't give a keen thought to a leader's character as long as he or she is representing their rights well. Therefore, Trade Unions provide an even field for greedy men and women to propagate their activities without confrontation. Mismanagement and embezzlement of collective funds has led to the collapse of famous trade unions in several countries. This increasingly destructive vice has spurred an unprecedented input in research on the Causes, effects and cures of Corruption in Trade Unions. Surprisingly, the issues of corruption continue in increasing numbers. Nevertheless, we have a better knowledge and deeper understanding of the causes and effects of Corruption, not just in Trade Unions, but also in other agencies. For the sake of this paper, I will examine Corruption in the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBP), otherwise called the Teamsters Union. The findings and recommendations will represent the possibilities in other Trade Unions. Background Information The IBP is the largest private sector labor union in the United States and Canada. It comprises of over 2 million blue-collar workers in the public service and private sectors. Unlike most Unions, the IBP divides into many strong smaller unions, with their own leadership structures and policies. The International Body acts only as a coordinating agent. IBP history dates back to the early 1900s, being a merger of two former Trade Unions. The Teamsters' National Union is the Foundation stone for the Union. It was established by truck drivers and deliverymen from Chicago who had defied the A merican Federation of Labor (AFL) attempts of creating a teamsters trade union. The Union later merged with Team Drivers' International Union (The Union formed by AFL), to form the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT). The new group now registered as an affiliated group to the AFL. At its inception, the Teamster Union aimed at ensuring fare working conditions for the members. Its leadership structure has smaller subsidiary groups called Locals. The Locals elect their own leaders who then elect the national leaders. The initial membership consisted of deliverymen using horse drawn vehicles, until in the 1930s after Truck Drivers surpassed them. From the onset of the Union, its mandate has been representing the rights of truck drivers, service deliverymen and other similar job groups. The Union has a great bargaining power, fueled by its large membership as well as its capacity to hamper the transportation of important goods. It has always been important to the AFL, for a stri ke by its members would hamper the movement of products throughout the nation. Inasmuch as, the numbers were important in ensuring a good bargaining power, the same was also a brooding ground for corrupt leaders. Most of its leaders are notorious in soliciting for bribes from

Harvard Business School Essay Example for Free

Harvard Business School Essay August 8, 1995 had taken an unexpected turn for Netscape Communications Corporation’s board of directors. Earlier that morning, the day before the company’s scheduled initial public offering (IPO), Netscape’s lead underwriters proposed to the board a 100% increase in the original offering price from $14 to $28 per share. This recommendation came in response to the remarkable oversubscription for Netscape’s shares, which had already prompted the underwriters to increase the number of shares to be offered from 3.5 million to 5 million. Under the current proposal, a company with a net book value of just over $16 million that had yet to turn a profit, was suddenly valued at over billion. The Board faced a pricing dilemma within the context of an extremely unpredictable industry. While its members wanted to be responsive to Wall Street’s current zeal, they also wanted to make sure that the fundamentals of Netscape justified such a dramatic increase in valuation. Netscape Communications Founded in April 1994, Netscape Communications Corporation provided a comprehensive line of client, server, and integrated applications software  for communications and commerce on the Internet and private Internet Protocol (IP) networks. These products enabled the growing network of servers on the World Wide Web to communicate through multimedia, including graphics, video and sound. Designed with enhanced security code, these software products provided the confidentiality required to execute financial transactions and to sell advertisements on the Internet and private IP networks. The company’s most popular product, Netscape Navigator, was the leading client software program that allowed individual personal computer (PC) users to exchange information and conduct commerce on the Internet. Navigator featured a click-and-point graphical user interface that enabled users to navigate the Internet by manipulating icons and windows rather than by using text commands. With the user-friendly interface as a guide, Navigator offered a variety of Internet functions including Web browsing, file transfers, news group communications, and e-mail. Initially shipped in December 1994, Netscape Navigator generated 49% and 65% of total revenues for the quarters ended March 31, 1995, and June 30, 1995, respectively. Netscape’s server software provided enterprises with the basic capabilities necessary for creating and operating Web server â€Å"sites,† or places on the Web which browsers could visit. Research Associate Kendall H. Backstrand wrote this case under the supervision of Professor W. Carl Kester as the basis for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation. Copyright  © 1996 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685 or write Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of Harvard Business School. Incorporating both browser and server functions, the company’s integrated applications software programs were designed to provide enterprises with the capability to manage large-scale commercial sites on the Internet. Such applications enabled these enterprises to conduct full-scale electronic commerce through a seamless system. Together, server and integrated applications software accounted for 36% of total revenues in the first quarter of 1995, and 28% of total revenues in the second. Of these revenues, the majority were generated by one of Netscape’s three server products, Netscape Commerce Server .1 Revenues from Netscape’s server and integrated applications products were expected to increase as a percentage of overall revenues in the future. In addition to product revenues, Netscape generated service revenues, which were attributable to fees from consulting, maintenance, and support services. These revenues amounted to approximately 5% and 7% of total revenues for the quarters ended March 31, 1995 and June 30, 1995, respectively. Financial Performance Netscape had incurred total losses of $4.3 million on total revenues of $16.6 million for its first two operating quarters ended June 30, 1995. The company expected to continue to operate at a loss for the foreseeable future. Exhibits 1 and 2 provide Netscape’s financial statements since its incorporation in April 1994. Operating activities for the six months ended June 30, 1995 had generated $7.3 million in cash. Cash flows from financing activities of $20.5 million were primarily attributable to the net proceeds of $17.3 million from the issuance of Series C Preferred Stock and borrowings of $2.2 million under a debt facility agreement. Cash used in investment activities of $22.1 million related to $16.6 in short-term investments and $5 million in capital expenditures. At the end of the second quarter of 1995, Netscape’s principal sources of liquidity were $8.9 million in cash and the $16.6 million in shortterm investments. The company expected total capital expenditures for 1995 of approximately $12 million. Industry Background The demand for Netscape’s products had evolved out of the development of the Internet in the late 1960s. The Internet was a global network designed to facilitate communication between some 35,000 computer networks using the enabling code termed Internet Protocol. According to International Data Corporation (IDC), in mid-1995 there were approximately 57 million Internet users. Of those 57 million users, IDC estimated that approximately 8 million were accessing information on the World Wide Web. Engineered in the early 1990s, the Web was a technology that linked one bit of information on the Internet with another so that users could share â€Å"webs† of ideas. The Web consisted of a network of Web servers that posted information in a common format described by the Hypertext Markup Language (â€Å"HTML†). Internet users were able to access information on the Web by implementing the appropriate Hypertext Transfer Protocol (â€Å"HTTP†). Because it necessitated complex coding, the Web had remained largely undiscovered by nontechnical users who simply wanted to browse, a popular pastime which came to be dubbed â€Å"surfing the Net.† 1Bundled packages of Netscape Navigator and Netscape Commerce Server accounted for about 10% of total revenues in the first quarter, while its contribution in the second quarter was immaterial. 2 Netscapes Initial Public Offering Netscape’s Entrance Meanwhile at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a group of computer science students working at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) developed the graphical software program that gave rise to the notion of â€Å"surfing.† Named NCSA Mosaic, the software program enabled nontechnical users to access and retrieve information on the Web. The Mosaic code organized Web information into neat collections of graphical electronic menus on which users could simply click-and-point to browse their contents. In April 1993, the founders of Mosaic, under the leadership of then senior Marc Andreessen, began distributing the software for free to anyone who had the technical means to fetch it electronically. The superb results of this strategy—two million Mosaic users within one year—made for more than cocktail conversation among high-tech gurus in California’s Silicon Valley. Jim Clark, the founder of Silicon Graphics, Inc. (known for its workstations that turned data into 3-D computer images), was among those who were impressed not only by Mosaic itself but by the broader vision of its creator, Andreessen. After hearing that Andreessen had moved to Silicon Valley in early 1994, Clark sent him an email asking if they might meet to discuss the future of  Mosaic. This exchange and subsequent discussions formed the launching pad for Mosaic Communications, which was shortly renamed Netscape Communications Corporation. In addition to dropping the Mosaic name, Netscape paid Spyglass (the company that had engaged in an exclusive licensing arrangement with the University of Illinois) a one-time $2.4 million fee for the rights to certain Mosaic code. With the original code, Clark’s management experience and $3 million in seed money, and Andreessen’s vision and technical expertise, Netscape made its entrance into the highly dynamic Internet market.