Changeling: Film Techniques and Son Essay

Changeling is a 2008 inspiring film directed by Clint Eastwood. It is based on an American drama known as the â€Å"Wineville Chicken Coop†. Christine Collins, played by Angelina Jolie, is a single mother in the 1920s whose son mysteriously goes missing. The film goes on a journey with Collins leading her to discover the corruptness of the Los Angeles Police Department. Though the film incorporates multiple plots, the main narrative revolves around Christine Collins and her unbreakable spirit as she attempts to solve the mystery of the kidnapping of her son. The theme of the movie is that through a horrible tragedy, a triumphant success can come out of it. Furthermore, it shows that hope and love can overcome all pain and suffering. It is because of the film’s use of cinematography, editing, camera movement, composition and overall mise en scà ¨ne that the theme of the film is clearly represented. The opening sequence of the film gives significant information about the setting and the narrative. This is accomplished with the use of establishing shots. The film begins with a black backdrop and plays non-diegetic music. The slow tempo music provided by brass instruments gives the film a sense of a cryptic effect. As a result, we get a vision of what genre this film could be. The music also helps trigger tension and stress from the audience. Besides the music, a teardrop on the black backdrop is shown, hinting to a sad, drama genre. A fade-in then takes us into a nearly black, almost white establishing shot of the city of Los Angeles. The date and location of the shot are provided at the center of the screen as â€Å"Los Angeles. March 8, 1928.† In regards to cinematography, the lack of color that is provided informs us that the story takes place in the past when everything was presented on televisions in black and white. This occurred during the â€Å"Jazz Age,† which also explains the instrumental music that is playing during the opening sequence. The cinematography additionally helps illustrate much of the California setting and time in which the film takes place. The high angle camera begins in the sky and moves down towards the traffic, people, and other objects which make up the setting. The production set includes old fashioned cars, palm trees, milk trucks, and the distinctive vintage look of California during the 1920s. As the opening sequence fades out, we are transported to the first scene of the film into a house by a camera pan. Collins is suddenly awakened by her alarm and then wakes up her son Walter. The use of light and shadowing in this scene was quite apparent. It showed the joy and love between the mother and son during this scene before an unfortunate kidnapping took place. As the sun was shining brightly through the window and mother and son were smiling, we get a feel for the close relationship they have for each other and their unconditional love. During this scene, the camera angles also showed the loving relationship the both of them shared. A prime example is when Walter looked up to his mother with an upward camera angle showing his admiration for his mother. While Christine looked at Walter with a downward camera angle to show her gratitude for her little boy. The exchanging of dialogue between the characters occurs next, which also gives us a sense of the strength of their conne ction. We then see the mother and son exiting a trolley while the camera neatly closes in on their hands as they come together. A lot of framing by windows and doorways is shown in the film. One example is after the mother and son exit the trolley and stand by the school. The camera stays in the trolley and the two figures are perfectly framed by the trolley window. This is done to create a feeling of isolation or loneliness. The audience is therefore not let into a lot of personal moments like the one outside of the school which makes the audience wonder how the main character is feeling. The last part of the scene before her son is kidnapped occurs when Collins is preparing to leave for work. This particular moment is intensified by the dramatic camera movement. Collins firmly stands outside the house as her son glances from the window. As she slowly walks away, the camera follows her and pulls away from the house. From that distinct moment in the film, that shot would foreshadow the sepa ration the mother and son would soon face. The next scene is when Christine enters the house and discovers that her son is suddenly missing. The lighting in the house is very dark and gloomy, which describes how Collins is feeling at that moment. The camera then takes an omniscient view when we watch the high angle camera show Collins searching the house for her son. The emptiness of not only her house is represented with this angle but also how she is feeling at that moment when she finds out that her son is missing. As she calls the police to report the disappearance of her child, the camera takes on the omniscient view once again. The camera is placed right above her ear in which the receiver is held against. This angle is done to give an impression of someone watching Collins make the call. We find out that the authorities cannot do anything within the 24-hour window frame of his kidnapping and this foreshadows the police department’s inability in helping Ms. Collins’ find her son. The next noteworthy scene is when Collins speaks at a conference addressing the media about the events concerning her son. In this specific scene the weather is wet and dreary and because of that, the lighting and coloring looks meek and cold. The use of ambient lighting in this scene reflects the trouble Collins is going through and the heartbreak she is feeling trying to convince the authorities that the boy who was given to her is not her son. The coloring is a blue tone which symbolizes a despairing mood. Though the use of ambient lighting in the beginning of the film when Collins was with her son gave a gentle and complimentary effect, it progressively changed to a more unflattering effect as the movie unfolded. Editing during this scene involved a matched cut. First we see Christine and then the camera shows different views of the action around her. This editing technique was used to provide a sense of continuity and to highlight this important event in her life when she lets society know that the Los Angeles Police Department was not doing their job properly in discovering her son. Another scene that incorporates many film elements is the scene in the police station when Collins continues to argue that the boy the authorities gave to her is not her son. During this scene the lighting was once again very murky and it was even raining. The frame was positioned by a window and though you could not see the rain, you could see the shadows of it dripping on the wall. Throughout much of the film and this scene, rain was another symbol of the despair Collins was going through at the time. The lead acting role of Angelina Jolie in this scene involved a lot of use of body language and expression. She held her hands to her head indicating the frustration she was feeling and that she could no longer keep her emotions bundled up inside. And throughout much of the film, her emotions are not hidden and are displayed not only for entertainment, but they are used to provoke sympathy in the audience. The use of close up shots in this scene was also noticeable to connote the fear and anxiety Collins was feeling. While the long shots were used to connote the feeling of loneliness and separation. The key light in this scene was also shown above the police to show female disempowerment. During these times, females did not have the same rights as men and it was clearly represented in the movie through lighting. An example would be when a police officer would walk into the room, the room would suddenly appear darker and this showed the dominance they had over Collins. The next significant scene is when Christine is admitted in the psychopathic ward by the authorities for relentlessly denying that the boy who was given back to her was not her son. The scene was very obscure and it was one of the lowest points in her life. But when she thought of her son during a positive train of thought, the sun would suddenly appear and the room would get brighter. This lighting choice symbolized her hope and that she would never give up because she felt her son was still alive. Throughout many of these important moments an editing choice of flashbacking was made to startle the audience. One particular flashback occurred to show multiple plots going on when the scene would out of nowhere travel to a ranch where all the boys were kept and the serial killer was about to pick one to kill. This decision by the editor and the director gave the audience a harsh simultaneous view of the struggles Collins was going through and the tragedy these innocent boys were encountering. During this flashback there was also use of a canted angle in which shows an environment of a ranch where a man is walking out with a gun in his hand. This canted angle reflects the obscurity of the event as a little boy (Walter, Collins’ son) is seen running away from him. A hand-held camera movement is then used to follow the little boy running. This is used to make the audience feel the perspective of the person chasing him, which in turn makes the boy seem even more unprotected. The last notable scenes that use film elements in which show the enduring quality of Collins is the scene at the prison and the very last scene when a sense of closure has finally come. When Collins has a private meeting with the serial killer to interrogate him about the killing of her son, the room is very dark but the key light is on Jolie. It is interesting to see how the lighting changed from the meeting with the authorities to this meeting because they no longer have dominance over Collins as the light is shown over her now. The scene evolves into the abductor not telling her the truth and he is dragged out of the cell while the camera pans away from Collins holding on to the prison bars. This camera movement suggests that Christine is trapped in her own mental state of a prison and her hope for closure has still not arrived. But as the closing of the film presents itself, we receive closure when another boy tells his story of survival and lets the authorities and Collins know that without Walter, he wouldn’t be alive. As the movie concludes, the same non-diegetic music that was played during the span of the movie to symbolize sorrow and pain was played, but this time it was for a different reason. It was played to symbolize hope; the hope of Collins that she never gave up. The Oscar nominated 2008 film Changeling is a film about female disempowerment, corruption in political hierarchies and about children and violence during the 1920s in Los Angeles, California. It involves many elements that the make the film what it is. From its cinematography, to its acting, to its production design, to its editing, the film wouldn’t be the same if it missed any of these filmic elements. It is because of the lighting and coloring that we get gentle and soft moments and dark and cold moments. It is because of the music that we get emotions of tensions, despair and hope. It is because of the narrative that we get the journey of the determination of Christine Collins. It is because of the production design that we get the feel of how it really was in LA in the 1920s. And it is because of all of the individual choices and decisions for this film that it was able to express the theme or the lesson of this film, which is that hope and love can overcome all pain and suffering.

Cable vs. Satellite Tv Essay

Cable TV: Cable TV companies lay wiring throughout the areas they service, including amplifiers to make sure signal strength is good throughout. Cable can then be easily brought into your home and connected to a cable box or directly into your TV. Satellite TV: Satellite TV companies send their signal to a satellite in space, which then sends it down to the dish on your roof. The dish then needs to connect to a receiver box, which connects to your TV. What kind of equipment do I need? Cable TV: If your home is not wired for cable TV, an installer will need to run cable into your home and create a wall plate with a connector on it. You can plug directly into your TV if you want to receive a basic channel lineup. To receive a fuller menu of digital and HD channels, a cable box is required for each television you plan to use. DVRs and HD-DVRs are generally available that deliver digital and HD channels as well as extra features like the ability to record/store programming and pause live TV. Satellite TV: You’ll need to have a dish installed outside on something like a roof or balcony that has a clear view of the southern sky. Set-top boxes are required for each television you plan to use. DVRs and HD-DVRs should be available that deliver digital and HD channels as well as extra features like the ability to record/store programming and pause live TV. What kind of programming can I get? Both cable and satellite TV offer digital and HD channels, along with varying amounts of on-demand and pay-per-view programming. Cable TV almost always offers a full range of local channels, while satellite TV’s local channel availability is much more robust now than in years previous (most cities should have access to a full list of local channels). Can I get service where I live? Cable TV: If you live in a medium to large-sized city, you will very likely have access to cable TV. If you live in a very small town or isolated area, you may not be able to get service due to a lack of cable lines in the area. Satellite TV: Satellite TV can provide programming to city and countryside residents alike, as you only need to have a clear view of the southern sky for your dish. It can be problematic for renters, however, who don’t have access to a southern view or who have to pay extra building fees to install a dish. Are there any issues with reception quality? Cable TV: There are outages with cable TV service, but they are infrequent. Some areas of the country and some companies will experience this more than others. While the level of outages is quite low, when service does go out in an area, it can last for a couple of hours or longer. Satellite TV: A satellite TV signal can be affected by things like severe weather, causing a loss of picture that usually lasts a few seconds to perhaps a few minutes. Also, if your dish is knocked down due to something like high winds, you will lose reception. In the early days, someone probably denounced cable by saying, â€Å"Television is like water, and no one will ever pay for something they can get for free.† Still, people subscribed. Cable provided a tremendous service for those who couldn’t receive signals by local affiliates. It rapidly became part of the television landscape. Fifty years later, the television world is littered with cable conglomerates who now compete with satellite companies by offering hundreds of digital channels and consumer-friendly interactive services. Their goal is to get your business. Here is a comparison of common services generally provided by cable and satellite companies in the United States and Canada. PRICES Because satellite providers don’t have to pay taxes levied by local governments and feature smaller infrastructures, consumers get more bang for the buck with satellite. Right now, cable’s low-end price is better, but with a third of the channels it’s not an easy sale when compared to satellite’s lowest package. Cable companies have millions of miles of outdated lines buried below ground, and are in the process of converting their technology to digital, which will be expensive. While satellite offers lower programming packages across the board, companies do charge fees per room receiving the signal. Though, some cable companies do, too. Edge: Satellite PROGRAMMING Remember the talk of a 500-channel universe? It’s here, and cable and satellite companies are ready to transport the consumer there. While both offer similar channel packages, each has an advantage over the other. Satellite offers both east and west coast feeds and alternate sports programming for channels like ESPN and Fox Sports. Sometimes sports stations televise games based on regional interest. Their alternate feed allows the satellite viewer the choice of either game. Of course, accessibility to some of the alternate feeds might require an additional price. Cable counters by offering plans for around twenty dollars for those who want good reception without paying for the 500-channel universe, and local programming not carried by satellite providers like public access stations. Edge: Even EQUIPMENT Cable has an advantage for subscribers who don’t want digital programing because there’s no equipment needed other than a television. For the digital subscriber, cable and satellite are similar. You’ll need a converter box, remote, and compatible television. Satellite needs an unobstructed view of the southern sky to receive signals, which is a huge disadvantage for renters because their leasing company might require a deposit for satellite installation. Homeowners also assume a minimal risk by installing a dish to a side wall or roof. Edge: Cable AVAILABILITY Cable only reaches as far as their infrastructure is built while satellite has the entire southern sky. This is significant because in some deregulated markets, all cable companies don’t reach all homes. Edge: Satellite DIGITAL, HDTV, and DVR Concerning digital, high definition, and digital video recorders, cable and satellite companies are equal with one exception. Some satellite companies require an upfront purchase of the DVR and HD box. Others are like cable companies and lease boxes on a monthly basis. Purchasing a receiver is an advantage over time because monthly charges add up. All major companies offer all services in one way or another. Edge: Even BUNDLED SERVICES Bundling services is an adaptation of survival by cable and satellite companies. They either own or form partnerships with other telecommunication companies to offer television, phone, and Internet service for one low price. An example of a bundled service is SBC joining with Dish Network and Yahoo! to offer phone, satellite, and DSL. All major cable and satellite companies will offer some sort of one-bill service because that’s the trend in today’s market. Edge: Even CUSTOMER SERVICE Satellite companies flourish without store fronts because of phone and online customer services. However, store fronts are convenient because they’re a place to pay bills, change out equipment, and voice a compliment or complaint face-to-face. Edge: Cable OBLIGATION Some satellite companies require contracts and some don’t, but very few (if any) cable companies require the consumer to commit to a minimum subscription length.

Mosaics and Islam Culture

The Mosaics' Importance to the Islam People Islamic mosaics have had, and still have a great part in Islamic culture. Traditional mosaics had many uses in the Islamic World. They were very detailed in their patterns and designs, and had great religious meaning to the Muslim people. Mosaics had different uses in the Islamic World, as they do still in modern life. Normally, mosaics were used for decoration of mosques. They were sometimes used also for pottery. The great Mosque of Damascus has amazing mosaics decorating it and adding even more splendor and beauty to its design.The patterns and designs on mosaics are important and of great significance. The designs often had floral images and were very geometrical. Grids were put down on hard backings to make sure of exact measurements. Beads and tiles were used; calligraphy was often seen as well on mosaics. Mosaics can have great meaning to Muslims. The Great Mosque of Damascus has a mosaic on its walls that shows a paradise. Nature an d scenery is often displayed on mosaics; these scenes show meaningful places. Humans and animals were banned from being displayed on mosaics and abstract colors were shown often.Sayings, meaningful words, and verses from the Qu’ran, the sacred book of the Muslims, were often seen. Mosaics are a great part of Islamic culture because of its many uses, detailed designs and its great meaning to the Muslim people. My mosaic fits into and connects to Islamic art and culture because it is detailed, has meaningful words and is very geometrical. Beads were used to create my mosaic. The beads are in precise locations and the Arabic words are exact. The colors correspond with Islamic art as well.The Arabic words on either side of my template mean â€Å"Arabic Language† and are completely legible. These words represent the importance of Muslims learning Arabic. My mosaic is in the shape of an octagon, and is symmetrical, as are most Islamic mosaics. A large grid was put down on a hard foam core backing to help make the shapes more accurate. My mosaic connects to Islamic culture and traditional mosaics because of the detailed design fitting in with Islamic designs. It has words that mean something to Muslim people, and is exact and geometrical.

Change Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Change Experience - Essay Example People are always ready to resist change as an effort to retain their well-known methods of operations. Resistance to change was the main challenge of the new information system in the pharmaceutical marketing. People offered both intentional and unintentional resistance to the new operating system in their operations. Intentional resistance involved avoiding using the system intentionally. This meant that people adopted the traditional method to obtain information about a certain product. In such cases, people were fully aware of the benefits of using the new system but they opted to bypass it. In the unintentional resistance, people developed a negative attitude toward the new system. The negative attitude was developed from consideration of the cost and the efficiency of the new system. Although the conventional method of prescription is efficient and fast it lacks accuracy. The new system, on the other hand, enhances accuracy but it is time-consuming and hence inefficient (Rokeac h, 1973). Learning new ideas is always a challenge to many people and, this had an effect on the new system. Although the system is user-friendly, most people working with the system were incompetent and, this contributed to their resistance. Having been trained using the traditional operation system meant that the new system was a challenge to both my career and industrial operation. Throughout our training, we had been taught how to have as much information as possible concerning a certain pharmaceutical product.... Learning new ideas is always a challenge to many people and, this had an effect with the new system. Although the system is user friendly, most people working with the system were incompetent and, this contributed to their resistance. Having been trained using the traditional operation system meant that the new system was a challenge to both my career and industrial operation. Throughout our training, we had been taught how to have as much information as possible concerning a certain pharmaceutical product (Borkowski, 2005). This meant that we had used all our resources, time learning, and memorizing information about pharmaceutical product. When I first encountered the new information system, I felt betrayed. This is because I considered my education system as a waste of time and resources. I considered the new system as nullification of our education and experience in the pharmaceutical industry. I also felt betrayed since any ordinary person could use the new information system to perform a similar task as that performed by a trained pharmacist. Revolutions resulting from adopting technology in various firms and industry are inevitable. This indicates that learning or adopting new technology is the best method of enhancing sustainability in the modern business world (Funigiello, 2005). This awareness challenged me to learn how to use the new information system. Despite the challenges and feelings of betrayal, I had to learn how to use the new information system in order to save my profession. Learning how to use the system involved substituting my ordinary knowledge about prescription with the working of the new system. The second action involved

Police Brutality. Is it increasing Is the Media Making It more then it Research Paper

Police Brutality. Is it increasing Is the Media Making It more then it is - Research Paper Example Several injuries and deaths have been recorded by the use of police powers in the form of chemical sprays, restraints, electro shock, dogs, and guns etc. More over a term â€Å"POLICE BRUTALITY† is best used to explain the above mentioned acts. It can be defined more precisely as: â€Å"Police brutality is the ill or irresponsible use of excessive force, usually physical, but potentially in the form of verbal attacks and psychological threatening by a police officer or police† (Dudley, 1991) The term â€Å"Police brutality† was coined 1st time in 1893 in THE NEW YORK TIMES, described an incident of beating of a civilian by a police officer. Modern police system was based on the developments in 17th and 18th century in France (Dudley, 1991) Brutality cases’ were seemed to be raised with labor strikes, such as â€Å"steel strike 1919†, â€Å"Great Railroad Strike 1877†, â€Å"Pullman Strike 1894† etc. (Rofleff, 1999). It is important to note that, it is understood that police brutality targets people, belonging to a less effective, powerless groups like (poor, disabled etc.). Police brutality has its root in many countries. Police brutality includes acts like (Racial Profiling, political repression, sexual abuse, false arrest etc.). In Indonesia, police targets Islamic extremists; they are either killed or captured. On august 30th 2010, police officers in Central Sulawesi province opened fire into a crowd of people which was claiming and protesting against the local man’s death, 34 people were injured and 5 killed (Rofleff, 1999). In People’s Republic of China, several â€Å"police harassment cases† have been reported by foreign journalists. In Russia, it is claimed by the Human Rights activists that â€Å"tortured techniques are used by police to gather false or wrong information from the arresters etc. There are mainly two reasons, 1st is concerned with individual’s acts (psychologica l state) and 2nd is dealt with the system and organizational practices of the police departments. Police brutality is greatly concerned with the approach one individual has, that is it is mostly done by the bad officers or cops who are likely to use powers over others or one who wants to suppress others on behalf of powers. It is also a justified argument that police work does attract those individuals who are fond of use of powers and to threat others. Researchers develop basically 5 unique types of officers, which are: â€Å"personality disorders, previous traumatic job-related experience, young inexperience and macho officers, officers with personal problems and officers who are not perfect with their patrol styles† (Gerdes, 2004). Some examples like personal disrespect that is when officers are disrespected by anyone. The officers annoys and to please his ego he can do something which is a crime in front of law , also there is a situation of racial profiling, so the offic er is likely to charge crimes on individual of particular class or race wrongly which is counted as brutality (Dudley, 1991). On the other hand system and organization has its own impact, it is assumed or theorized that excessive powers’ use by some officers is being taught by the more higher or experienced officers to the younger ones. Some young police officers when enter the force comes in direct link with group of officers and experience a re-socialization process. Many officers think that their training is just a â€Å"

Characteristics of the Ideal Man and the Ideal Woman in Three Essay

Characteristics of the Ideal Man and the Ideal Woman in Three Different Cultures - Essay Example This means that the qualities that are associated with masculinity are intelligence, daring, courage, wisdom, and physical strength. Women in Muslim culture are expected to be caring, patient, considerate, kind, and obedient to their husbands. The Muslim culture holds that women are different from men in significant emotional and intellectual ways. That means that their trust of the decisions made on their behalf by male members of the family is paramount to their well being (North and Trip, 2012). In Hindu culture, men are also expected to be the primary breadwinners in the family. Jobless men are not respected as much as those who have steady jobs. Intelligence, wisdom, physical strength, virility and perseverance are qualities that are attributed to real masculinity in Hindu culture. Hindu women are expected to be caring homemakers who respect the values of their ancestors. Even though modern Hindu women are embracing working lives in increasing numbers, traits such as submissiven ess and quietness are still valued in the Hindu woman in Hindu society. The United States has more balance between the roles of men and women in society than most other cultures around the world, and so there is not much variation between how men and women are expected to behave. ... g the ‘perfect’ women in this book tend to be homemakers and daughters who remained faithful to their male relatives even when their lives were negatively affected by their sacrificial obedience. Muslim cultures revere their examples and expect their women to emulate their examples. On the other hand, the Qur’an stipulates that men have been put by â€Å"allah† in positions of authority over women. This means that women’s obedience to men is indisputable; and that any woman who does not believe this is risking her immortal soul. Muslims therefore tend to adhere to rules concerning the roles of the sexes in a more rigid fashion than is the case with other cultures (Long, 2005). In the Hindu culture, the attitudes about the roles of the sexes and the preferable traits for both sexes are influenced by the Vedas, which are the sacred texts in the Hindu religion. In the partriarchal system supported by this texts, a man’s masculinity is confirmed b y the obedience of all women in his household to his rules. If a man does not rule over his wife, then the perpetuation of the rules of the Vedas concerning the continuation of rightful authority are broken. If a daughter refuses to serve her father and brothers or a wife disobeys her husband, then the established order of communication between the male and female sex is disturbed and this disorder will be observed in other elements of nature. The importance of perpetuating these believes about the roles of both genders therefore has a religious basis, just as is the case in the Muslim cultures. In American culture, the changes that are now evident in society concerning the roles of men and women were not always there. Just a century ago, women were mainly expected to concentrate on bearing children and maintaining the

Problems of philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Problems of philosophy - Essay Example Therefore, it can be deduced that philosophical problems do not exist far from the mere lay sense. These serious philosophical problems are compounded together and assigned either questions or names in line with the reasoning behind every method. This synthesis has afforded, the would be untenable, categories of philosophy to be managed easily and vividly in their respective assigned topics. These topics, among others, are; logic, epistemology, metaphysics, theology, aesthetics and ethics and in this paper I am going to shown how each of the readings of units 8 though unit 12 has dealt with at least each of these problems. Unit 8A is Interview with Spinoza/ David Brahinsky In this interview we get the opportunity to list to an interview between David Brahinsky and Spinoza. Baruch Benedictus Spinoza is counted among the greatest rationalists of the west. The discussion starts by Spinoza being given an opportunity to talk about his religion and he is categorical in stating that he beca me non-religious when such an idea was rare in the society. Although later in the discussion we see him stating that reasoning can be boosted by the understanding of the divine itself and for that case the divinity of God. His rationalism as a topic of philosophy is expounded by his strong belief in the power of reason, thought and logic. According to Spinoza reason can impact our thinking and lives and these include also our emotions and spirituality. This is where his metaphysics meets with his rationalism and we see even his interviewer being interested in the way Spinoza’s ideas have been incorporated in the constitution of the current United States. What also strikes is his disbelieve in duality and he holds hat there is nothing like body and mind, just like there is no superior mind which watches over us. In this speech the writer tries to expose all what Spinoza held dear in his philosophy although there is a leading voice in the way he conducts the conversation and mo st of the ideas discussed are in line with the writer’s right wing in philosophy. Unit 8 Dialogues Of Philonous and Hylas Readings: Gill, 257-275 In this dialogue, Berkeley launched a discussion through a dialogue between two men; Hylas and Philonous. The idea of epistemology kicks off the dialogue with both men discussing critically their nature of experiences on how things come to be known. The argument is hinged on metaphysics, specifically seeking to explain the ultimate nature of reality; immaterial and material. As a branch of philosophy, metaphysics seeks to examine the world and the basic tenets of being and in its rudimentary form; it seeks to answer two fundamental questions: what is there and what is it like. Therefore, the way we define object is the import and subject matter of this problematic branch of philosophy. Back to our conversation between Philonous and Hylas, another problematic topic is deployed as a means of justifying metaphysics. This is none other than epistemology which seeks to define knowledge, the way it is acquired and the way we know that we possess such knowledge. Both men in this dialogue, therefore, attempted to justify their metaphysics epistemologically, an approach which could be the easiest for these two intertwined topics. This use of epistemology becomes therefore an approach to trying to solve the problem of answering the questions; what is there and what it is like. It is agreeable that Philonous represents a wise philosopher and teacher because of his clear reasoning and authoritative assertions. Hylas is as if being treated to a lecture which is evident in the way his questions are being responded to by Philonous and the way he is taken through a logical

Compare the royal dictatorships of two balkan countries in the 1930s Essay

Compare the royal dictatorships of two balkan countries in the 1930s - Essay Example Bojinovic views that while Balkan region had always been absorbed in its internal politics, it did not prove itself as cooperative towards the outer world. â€Å"Economically and culturally,† Bojinovic submits, â€Å"the Balkan states until the 20th Century were not intensely cooperating with the rest of Europe; only the mentioned coastal parts were connected with the West. As exposed above, the economic and socio-cultural element resulted in a perception of Balkans as ‘other Europe’–very different, even strange.† (Todorova 2001: p 25; quoted in Bojinovic, 2004: p 5) The present paper aims to make a comparative analysis of the nature of the political developments introduced and adopted by the two Balkan states, i.e. Bulgaria and Greece, during 1930s, for both these countries experienced monarchical dictatorship in their political systems during that era. Like other Balkan states, Bulgaria also witnessed grave financial crisis during 1920s, which lasted in 1930s too to a great extent. â€Å"Bulgaria might have escaped the usual turmoil, thanks to its stable peasant economy and the absence of large ethnic minorities. However, two elements led to crises and authoritarianism: rural-urban tensions and terrorism among Macedonian refugees.† (Retrieved from staff.lib.msu.edu) The main reason behind the financial turmoil was political uncertainty and dictatorial regime of Boris III, which put the future and growth of the country at stake in order to prolong his personal rule. Similarly, another Balkan state i.e. Greece underwent similar characteristics. Greece is regarded as one of the most primitive civilizations of the world, which had been source of wisdom, knowledge and inspiration for centuries. In modern times, she had to undergo continuous threat from the neighbouring countries, particularly from the Ottoman Empire. Situated at

STOCK EVALUATION Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

STOCK EVALUATION - Assignment Example The company’s stocks are traded at New York Stock Exchange and it also forms one of the companies in Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the S&P 500. The company’s total revenue for the year 2011 was over USD 67.41 billon with a net operating income and net income of USD 12.75 billion and USD 11 billion respectively. Its total asset and equity for the year 2011 was USD 189 billion and USD 81.19 billion respectively. Between the year 2000 and 2011, the company has regularly paid dividends to its shareholders, quarterly, with Average dividend of 0.19, Maximum dividend of 0.32, and Minimum dividend of 0.09. Economic Analysis The State of Overall Economy The economic analysis of a business comprises of analyzing not only the fundamentals of the business, but the overall Macro-economic as well as Micro-economic factors. It is also known as the top down approach because a stock analyst observes the macro and micro economic variable like, GDP, inflation rate, Repo rates, Interes t rates, consumer spending, various indices, political and economic stability, government policies, competitors, industry performance, etc. to judge the overall state of business, by analyzing first the Macro factors and then the micro factors – industry and competitors and then the company. ... It has direct impact on the consumer borrowing and lending. So, the lower rates encourages more borrowing and consequently creating more jobs and leading to economic growth. Consumer spending – It depends on the fiscal budget prepared by the government every year. The budget allocated to each sector of economy determines the retail prices, which is higher than wholesale prices. Thus, consumers will be encouraged to spend more when retail prices for the goods and services are lower. Higher spending will create more demand and more jobs that will expand the growth of economy and increase the GDP. Inflation – It is condition when the overall prices goods and services increases due to various reasons including demand-supply mismatch, increased government spending, etc. High inflation rates reduce the real value of money and hence low inflation rates are favorable for economic prosperity. Industry Analysis Nature of Industry The nature of the pharmaceutical industry is that this industry develops or produces and markets generic or branded drugs with the license for the use in various medicines. The most important part of this industry is the Drug License Authority that clears drug licenses of the companies belonging to the industry and the drug patenting. The regulations regarding testing, efficiency, patents, marketing of drugs is guided by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States. Major Competitors Some of the major players in the industry are GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Abbott Laboratories, and Eli Lilly. According to a study conducted in 2008, Pfizer topped the list of pharmaceutical companies all over the world and emerged as the market leader. It was followed by Novartis from Switzerland and

Persuasive Writing Essay Example for Free

Persuasive Writing Essay The next type of writing we will do is the persuasive essay. In this essay, you will be working to convince your reader of the rightness of your point of view on a specific topic. As I have already said, in some ways every type of writing is a form of persuasion: you are always trying to make your reader see the correctness of your opinion. In this assignment, however, you will stake out your position on a particular topic and argue forcefully and explicitly in favor of it. As always, you want to state your opinion explicitly in your thesis statement (of course, without saying, â€Å"I think that. . . .†). As always, you also want to pick a topic that is fairly focused, narrow, and specific: pick a topic that you can adequately discuss in four to five paragraphs. I will say it again: it is always better to say a lot about a small topic than to try to say a little bit about many aspects of a large topic. (For those who are counting, that is the 3,248th time I have said that this year.) Use the first paragraph to state and fully explain your thesis. The rest of your essay should then be the marshalling of evidence in support of your thesis statement and an explanation of and commentary on your evidence. Facts are necessary to support your thesis, but by themselves facts are not enough. You need to explain and comment on them fully; show how these facts support your view and not the view of the opposing side. Try to find three or four really strong pieces of evidence to support your opinion. There is no way you can say everything or think of every point; choose the strongest evidence you can. While arguing in favor of your position, you should also include arguments against the opposing view. For example, if I am writing about the wrongness of capital punishment, I should also include arguments showing the wrongness of arguments made in favor capital punishment. Try to anticipate the other side’s arguments. That will show you are thinking and will also strengthen your argument. In general, it is best to work from your weakest to your strongest argument. As usual, conclusions are difficult. End with a strong, powerful concluding paragraph that brings together your various ideas but does not merely restate them. Certainly do not end by saying something like, â€Å"For all these reasons . . . .† I have listed below a few sample thesis statements and a number of possible topics. Please do not be  limited by my suggestions. As with any piece of writing, you will do the best job if you write about something you care about. I will give you a sample essay. Your essay should be 1-2 pages typed or 4-5 sides handwritten, double-spaced either way. The essay is due Tuesday, 30 January. It is worth 100 points. We will work on the essay in class; you can always show me drafts. Do your best. SAMPLE TOPICS the dress code (or, better yet, some more significant and meaningful issue at school!) your allowance or curfew or some other family issue gun control, abortion, capital punishment (or any other political issue) your view on dating or relationships advocating for a particular religious or spiritual practice: for example, meditate everyday the need for more late-night activities for teenagers the war in Iraq of course, anything else you feel strongly about SAMPLE THESIS STATEMENTS Limiting civil liberties is not an appropriate way to keep this country safe from terrorism. Capital punishment is an unjust and immoral way to punish criminals. A vegetarian diet is a sensible and meaningful response to world starvation and environmental destruction. The dress code provides a meaningful way to minimize the economic competition between students and unite them in their common academic purpose. A vegetarian diet is a sensible and meaningful response to world starvation and environmental destruction. So many Americans are often caught up with finding the â€Å"perfect† diet. While such a diet does not exist, a vegetarian diet provides significant health, environmental, and political benefits. Choosing such a diet is a simple but significant way to make a real difference in one’s own life and the world. First of all, a vegetarian diet is far more healthful than the traditional  American diet that emphasizes meat. A meat-free diet is higher in fiber, lower in saturated fat, and richer in a wide range of vitamins and minerals than a meat-based one. While we do hear conflicting evidence about the various health claims of different diets, nutritionists and scientists seem to agree that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables provides the greatest health benefits. Some people might say that a vegetarian diet is boring: quite the contrary. Compared to the relatively few kinds of meats and ways to prepare them, there are scores of vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes and almost countless ways to prepare them. A meat-based diet also puts far too much protein into the body, taxing the kidneys and wasting expensive food. As it is, Americans eat too much protein; eating a vegetarian diet is one way to reduce our intake of excessive and expensive protein. Eating a diet based on fruits and vegetables also creates less environmental havoc than a meat-based diet. Raising the animals necessary for the traditional meat-laden diet requires large amounts of land, mountains of processed feed, and the disposal of tons of waste. But a family of four could, if necessary, live for a year off the fruits, grains, and vegetables produced from a few acres of land. And, once the crop is taken, there are few or no ill effects. If the agriculture is done organically, vegetarian eating has even fewer harmful effects upon the land. In an age of diminishing arable land and resources and increasing populations, we need to find ways to get the most nutrition from our land use. A vegetarian diet provides such efficiency. Finally, a meat-rich diet consumes many more scarce resources than a vegetarian diet. It takes about 800 pounds of cattle feed to produce one pound of beef. In a world in which nearly one-fourth of the planet’s population is malnourished or starving, a meat-based diet is simply a luxury we can no longer afford (if we ever could have). In good conscience, it only makes sense to eat lower on the food chain – as we do with a plant-based diet. If everyone in the world ate a vegetarian diet, there would be an immediate surplus of food available to feed people at far lower cost and with wiser use of precious resources. In this way, vegetarianism becomes a moral choice. For reasons of politics, environment, health, and justice, vegetarianism is the only intelligent and compassionate choice in a world of scarce resources and increasing population. It may take some getting used to, but the benefits and rewards of a vegetarian diet – for the planet, the self, and the human race – far outweigh whatever minimal sacrifice may be involved. sentence in bold: thesis statement underlined sentences: topic sentences for each paragraph

Literature Review On Mobile Apps Information Technology Essay

Literature Review On Mobile Apps Information Technology Essay In order to achieve a competitive edge over competitors by investing into emerging ICTs and growing their international market, Mobile Construction Ltd is considering innovative ways of providing their service to global customers. As the Global Reach Manager, the CEO asked to explore the potential of delivery and retrieval service for enterprise-wide, on-demand mobile Apps. Also, the Global Reach manager needs to identify benefits and barriers of using mobile Apps, as well as strategy for effective use of existing Apps and development of new Apps. 2 Literature review on mobile Apps 2.1 Mobile Application Market Early mobile application solutions required enterprises to choose between cradle-based synchronization through a wire line network or a pure online wireless solution (PENTA group, 2010). However, Mobile applications are a rapidly rising segments of the international mobile market, which consist the software runs on a mobile device and performs certain tasks for the clients. Because of the various functions including user interface for basic telephone and messaging service as well as advanced services, mobile Apps are widely used by customs. Also, mobile Apps are a large and continuously growing market and served by an increasing number of mobile App developers, publishers and providers (the Mobile Marketing Association group, 2008). New research suggests that the global market for mobile applications will explode over next two years. Research has been done for Getjar, the worlds second biggest Apps store, said that the market will grow to $17.5bn (Â £12bn) in the next two years and downloads would rise from 7bn last year to 50bn by 2012 a 92% increase (BBC News, 2010). 2.2 Existing Mobile Applications For a technical aspect, mobile Apps can be divided by the runtime environment they are executed: Native platforms and operating systems, such as Symbian, Windows Mobile and Linux. Mobile Web/browser runtimes, such as Webkit, Mozilla/Firefox, Opera Mini and RIM. Other managed platforms and virtual machines, such as Java/J2ME, BREW, FlashLite and Silverlight. (Mobile Marketing Association group, 2008) IPhone has acted as a revolution of global mobile phones. It has set a platform to develop all sorts of mobile Apps helping paint a better picture in mobile computing. The advantages of iPhone is that it is numerous with multi-touch interface, accelerometer, GPS, proximity sensor, dialer, sqlite3 database, OpenGL ES, Quartz, Encryption, Audio ,Game and Animation , Address book and Calendar including latest features of iPhone Gaming . Windows mobile application is the latest technology every mobile technique should process. This technology allows the user to browse the internet, send receive mails, check with schedules contacts, and prepare presentations, in short manage your whole business with the usage of your mobile. Android has been creating waves in the coming times with high technical interface in the mobile world. This latest innovation helps the publishers to deliver applications directly to the end user and easy downloads of applications can be achieved. The term BlackBerry has become the synonyms of the word Smart and Trendy. BlackBerry Smartphone are the worlds most desired integrated communication device. This brilliant application not only meets a single need of one person but the usage can extend to an entire enterprise be it a small scale or a huge industry. (Maadesigns.co.uk, 2010) 2.3 Infrastructure Cellular technology have largely expanded the frequency use of mobile phones, the first generation cellular mobile telephones developed by using incompatible analogue technologies while the second generation cellular mobile telephone and GMS was developed by using digital technology in 1980 (Gans G.S. et al, 2003). Over thirty years of mobile cellular networks advancements, data transmission over cellular systems has been major breakthrough in recent years. Third generation systems (3G) have been developed as new mobile cellular networks, which is known as IMT-2000 (International Mobile Telephony-2000) by ITU(Wiley J. Sons, 2005). 3G have met the single-user data rates requirement of the IMT-2000 on a technical level. However, it is limited 3G services in some areas such as video telephony (Agilent Technologies, 2008). ITU has received six candidate technology submissions for the global 4G mobile wireless broadband technology known as IMT-Advanced. And it is expected in October 2010 , the selected technologies to be accorded the official designation of IMT-Advanced to qualify as true 4G technologies (ITU, 2009). The south Korean government is already developing 5G access which may be ready soon after 4G service put into market, although 4G cellular wireless still waiting (MNM Media, 2009). Cloud computing is described as both a platform and type of application. As a platform, cloud computing can be physical machines or virtual machines dynamically servers as needed. Advanced cloud computing include other computing resources such as storage area networks (SANs), network equipment, firewall and other security devices. As a type of applications, cloud computing use large data centres and powerful servers host Web application and Web services since it can be extended accessible through the internet. It is said that anyone can access a cloud application with a suitable internet connection and a standard browser (IBM, 2007). Typically, it can divid cloud computing into three levels of service, which support virtualization and management of differing levels of the solution stack, offerings: Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) (Oracle Corporation, 2009). 3 Opportunities for mobile Apps in construction The PENTA team (2010) insists that the construction industry is a mobile workforce, which comprised of a range of companies with self-performing Electrical and Mechanical contractors to Engineering and Construction firms to specialty concrete and plumbing. Mobile phone is the most convenient device to deliver mobile Apps, particularly for emerging because of it is a daily used device. The most use mobile Apps in construction industry are calculation, drawing, management, measurement and video records which are based on variety of software. 3.1Calculation It is quite normal for using smart phones as calculators in different areas. In construction industry, calculations can be used anywhere, such as, material supply, finance calculation, dynamic calculation, structure calculation and calculation in measurement and design. Generally speaking, the calculation in construction industry is not too complicate, therefore it is convenient to install calculation software for smart phones in order to get emergency result and check and calculate. Currently, there are several kinds of mobile apps such as Construction advantage calculator 2.0, AFHTech RC Columns and Beams 1.0.0 and PocketStatics 2.01. 3.2 Drawing Nowadays the architecture drawing is mainly based on computers, by using powerful design software architects can get the most accurate and clear drawings. Smart phone can also works as minicomputer for architecture drawing by using related software to check the original drawing and do some changes. Also, the architects can create the sketch work and get design ideas in record time without leaving the clients. Furthermore, they can use massage function of smart phones to send their works or ideas to the company. Power CAD Site Master CE 1 has been welcomed by construction workers for years. 3.3 Management Computer is used by construction manager and builder to get technological solutions of scheduling and delivery the construction process efficiently. Also, site managers and builders use computer to manage contracts, manage delivery, record construction process and manage and record risk happened in construction process. Since, site manager and builders cannot get computers anywhere, it is quite convenient for them to use smart phones with mobile Apps to check and complete their works, particularly in emergency situation. The popular Apps for construction management are Construction Manager 2.5 and Penta Mobile Field Reporting. 3.4 Measurement Instead of big and heavy measurement equipment for construction measurement work, smart phone with mobile Apps can work well for the measurement task. By using GPS function of smart phones, you will not lose or cannot find the construction site. Also, mobile Apps can make smart phones work as plumb, to get horizontal, vertical and spirit level measuring. Most popular Apps are Kais Bubble Level.Net 2.2 and Plumb-bob. 3.5 Camera record Camera record is a powerful App for smart phones using in construction area. It can take pictures and videos for the visible construction information such as gather site information, get risk information, record construction process, store property information and so on. The Apps can get literature record works together with camera can make the construction information more clear and visible. Also, it will make video conference on mobile phone become more and more popular. 4 Infrastructure/system requirements As mobile phone needs the infrastructures to support it works, the quality of infrastructure/system requirements is deeply related to the quality of mobile Apps service. The infrastructure/system requirements is summarized as: good network to support data requirement, developed device to support the Apps works, high speed operation platform to support the Apps work well. 4.1 Network Signal quality is almost the most important factor which effects the mobile communication and mobile Apps works. Since 3G network is the most popular wireless network for Mobile Apps, the majority of developed countries have been developed the communication technologies. Current mobile Apps are mainly produced based on 3G network system, and there are lots of limitation and restrict on improvement of Mobile Apps because of the limitation of data transmission. Therefore, it seems that it is impossible to widely develop the video transmission Apps at this moment. 4G system may make it possible for widely developed the Apps in construction areas when it become commercial used. 4.2 Device The mobile phone device is known as the hardware to apply Mobile Apps. The processor is the heart of Mobile device which must quick enough to support the calculation speed. As well, the battery is required powerful enough to support the mobile phone works long time. The screen and keyboard need to convenient for the use of Mobile Apps in construction area. The hard drive or storage space need to enlarge for video or files to store and the run of systems and mobile Apps. The newest Apple iPhone 3GS with 32 G storage space which can record clear video about one day on theory, however, the battery can just support the video process less than 3 hours. 4.3 Operation system Operation system is the platform of mobile Apps software and many mobile Apps software are produced based on the operation systems. For example, the operation system requirement of calculation Apps such as Construction advantage calculator 2.0, AFHTech RC Columns and Beams 1.0.0 and PocketStatics 2.01 is Windows Mobile 2003. Currently, the most popular smart phone operation systems are Apple OS, RIM Black Berry OS, Symbian OS, Android OS and Microsoft Mobile OS. The diversity of operation systems creates trouble for mobile Apps work well under different operation systems. The adaptability of mobile Apps and operation system should be improved because of the difference of the operation systems. 5 Implementation Strategy Since 4G system will make mobile Apps more powerful and more convenient, smart phones will play more and more important roles in construction industry. The implementation strategy on mobile Apps which used in construction will be created based on 4G system. Because of the 4G system can enhance peak data rates to support advanced services and applications and the targets of 4G system are established as 100 Mbps for high and 1 Gbps for low mobility (Agilent Technologies, 2008). Thus, by developing the existing mobile Apps in construction areas, it can create the implementation strategy based on 4G system can focus on e-business, video conference and GPS measurement. 5.1 E- business With the high speed data transfer speed, the mobile Apps for E-business can be developed. The construction companies can receive and send out their contracts immediately after the decision making. Also, the companies can negotiate the contracts price and amend their contracts without delay by mobile Apps. The construction managers can manage the contract by mobile Apps easily, by the wireless with their company computers. Furthermore, the implemented E-business Apps allow construction managers to get the detail information of their clients, material suppliers and their employees. Thus, it is quite necessary to implement E-business in construction organizations. 5.2 Video transmission 4G system can offer high data delivery speed which allows video conference and video transmission as mobile Apps more frequent and more effective. During the 3G period, it can also using video transmission though smart phones, however, the video transfer speed and quality is so poor that it cannot for widely use in construction area. This situation will be totally changed during 4G period when high speed data transfer can enable video conference and video record transmission during different stakeholders in construction organization. Also, video transmission can be developed as distance guidance programme, when the risk happens the recorded video can be transferred to the professional group who communication by video conference with smart phones, also they can guide the construction workers to solved the problems by video conference. Therefore, video transmission will share a large market of mobile Apps in construction area. 5.3 GPS measurement GPS measurement is frequently used in construction area, particularly in highway construction and energy supply line construction. The original GPS equipments is big and heavy to carry, it mean the mobility of GPS equipments are poor. It can implement the mobile phone to replace the GPS equipments as measurement tools through the mobile Apps. Currently it can use GPS Apps in smart phone for location guides. Since the smart phone is quite convenient to carry and it can work as plump equipment with mobile Apps, it is essential to implement the Apps work together with GPS Apps and developed new GPS measurement Apps. Also, Infrared measurements can be used as measurement apps in mobile phone. 6 Benefits and Barriers The benefits and barriers of the mobile Apps in construction areas are difficult indentified sometimes. However, it can general get the benefits and barriers factors for using mobile Apps in construction areas. 6.1 Benefits The benefits of using mobile Apps in construction areas cannot calculation by how many pounds or dollars, since you cannot evaluate the apps used during emergency. Generally, the benefits of using mobile Apps can be defined as saving transport fees and dealing with emergency. 6.1.1 Saving transport fees Mobile Apps are used for connecting with the construction company groups in different areas. Transport fees are saved since mobile Apps can take the roles of many function tools such as camera, pump and professional calculator and so on. As well, the mobile can used as camera, many managers are not necessary to get site visit in order to acquaint the construction site. 6.1.2 Dealing with emergency Many emergencies happened in construction area need professional tool to deal with; however, mobile phone with the Apps in construction area can act as the professional tools sometimes. There are huge benefits of mobile phone Apps used for emergency, which cannot measured by money. 6.2 Barriers Since it needs to develop mobile Apps for enterprise-wide and on-demand mobile service delivery, the network coverage level in different countries has great gap and the internet security problems cannot solved will be the main barriers. 6.2.1 Unbalanced Network coverage Because the unbalanced economic and technology development of the world, the developed countries such as the UK, the US and the EU countries have already complete their 3G network coverage a decades before, however, the developing countries such as China has just begin the coverage project of 3G network. The developed countries plan to develop 4G network coverage since 2012, but for the developing countries may be need another decade. 6.2.2 Security problems Using wireless connection in transferring information from construction site to the main office and having that information stored in mobile memory, the security is a big issue which is concerned by many construction organizations. The stolen of mobile device, the leak of commercial secret and the attack by hacker, all these problems will cased the lost of company benefits. Thus, it is quite essential to solve the security problems in mobile Apps. 7 New Apps Development The aim of the development this new Apps is offering the full service delivery for construction companies globally. The idea of the new App based on 4G system and cloud computing used in construction area, thus the name of the new App is cloud computing construction programme. 7.1 Cloud computing construction programme (CCCP) Cloud computing construction programme (CCCP) is an idea of new mobile Apps in construction area. The programme will developed based on 4G system, which requires high data transfer speed. The functions of the new App will contain commercial management, GPS measurement, video record and transmission, architecture drawing and risk management. Considering the compatibility of different functions Apps work in one programme, it is planned to divide the programme into small function programmes. The structure of the programme is showed as figure 7.1. C:Documents and SettingsxuweiweiDesktop11.jpg Figure 7.1 Cloud computing construction programme structure 7.2 Cloud Computing Since the CCCP is a big programme for smart phone device and operation system, it is considering the new App will use cloud computing to share the capitation and run speed by the Internet. Because of the App can share the Internet as part of processor, the hardware requirements of smart phones to run the new App will be greatly reduced. Also, by using advanced cloud computing to support the new App, it can share other computing resources and data centres and powerful servers host Web. Although this App is support by cloud computing, cloud computing is totally separate from the operational system of the mobile device. In this programme cloud computing is used both as Apps and platform. Conclusion The use of mobile Apps in construction organizations has great benefits and advantages. Also, there are many barriers for develop mobile Apps for enterprise-wide, on-demand mobile service delivery and retrieval. However, the barriers of mobile Apps in construction area will be less and less because of the development of mobile network coverage and mobile phone device development.