Thursday, November 14, 2019
Essay examples --
It all started in the summer of 2007 when a crisis hit the U.S., and because of the huge government interventions that were made, the U.S. and most European countries got into a recession. The EU crisis was also caused by big debts made mostly in Spain and Italy, before 2008. The private sectors (companies and mortgage borrowers) who were taking out loans were the main reason for this crisis. There was a decrease in the interests rates in southern European countries when they joined the euro and that resulted and caused the countries to go into a huge debt. This had negative effects on the financial markets, a slowing down of the economic growth in the industrialized countries, and impacted the European labor markets. After the Second World War the unemployment rates in Europe were already low, and with the crisis the percentage of the unemployment rates just increased in the following years. All of this was due to different problems and occurrences that they were facing such as; the two oil price shocks, the decrease in the production growth, the disinflationary policy of many Central Banks, and so on. This recession resulted in very high unemployment, and the increase in unemployment during that period was made by using some internal measures (such as flexible working time arrangements, temporary closures, etc.) but the unemployment was not equally shared between the different groups of people (the largest differences occurred due to the sex, education, age, etc.) but at the end these measures only delayed the process of significant labor unemployment, it didnââ¬â¢t help the situation go back to how it used to be before the crisis. The labor force of a population is involved with the people who are employed and unemployed. The Inte... ... face many problems, the European labor market was affected by this crisis as well, and there were many other problems that were faced during this hard period. The EUââ¬â¢s plans for the future are to minimize the job losses and prevent unemployment, improve job creation, and to recover the economy in a full and stable way. In order for them to make this happen and in order for them to improve and develop the flexibility of the labor market and in order to raise the labor supply, they made some cuts in the income taxes, improved the access to non-standard forms of work, redirected the active labor market policies, and similar activities like these were made. But even though the EU crisis has influenced the European labor market and has created many problems and struggles with unemployment, in the past couple of years they managed to increase the unemployment rate by 2%.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
A Book Review On: Nothing To Fear By Adam Cohen
Cohen, an editorial writer at The New York Times, makes extensive use of both primary and secondary sources to unmask the clear, compelling story of how the prevailing circumstances of the nation ââ¬â together with the attitude of its political leaders ââ¬â reshaped American society in so brief period of time.Franklin Delano Roosevelt faced extraordinary economic challenges when he assumed the presidency of the United States in March 1933.Nothing to fear reveals by Adam Cohen explains in vivid prose of the decisive first 100 days of Franklin delevaro Roosevelt in office at the worst moments of America which coincidentally was the era of great depression. A remarkable, timely and informative blue print for political firststarts, it shows how 5 inner-circle liberals jumpstarted those remarkably historic first 100 days of Roosevelt in office.He and the inner circle members initiated the new deal and launched the delivery of modern America. The book is simply the evaluation of th e watershed in the modern America and it is a reality of the pivotal days in modern America; the crisis-ridden first 100 days of FDR in office .FDR and the inner circle wiped the old order and replaced it with new order i.e. the government acceptance and execution of her responsibilities.At this time in history, , there was 85% drop in stock market,25% of Americans had lost their jobs and banks had gone on holidays to prevent further crises ,farmers were openly angry and hungry men and women were eaten from refuse and garbages.40% of Americans at this point were living on agriculture and à farm income had decreased by 40%.Those who had jobsà were struggling for sustainace on their wages.Those who picked cotton in Arizona were reportedly collecting 30 cents after a weekââ¬â¢s job excluding the food and housing payment. The period also witnessed close to 90% of school children being underweight while another percentage being malnourished.Radicalism and ââ¬Å"hunger matchesâ⠬ by the jobless were on the increase both in the urban and the sacred rural American farm belt.Rooselvelt on assuming office charted a different pathway from that of his predecessor-Herbert Hoover. Hoover had turned deaf ears to the hues and cries of Americans.His approach was an absolute privatization of all sectors of the economy with no favor to the poor .His wickedness was later revenged by Americans when they made epithet of his name. Hoover lost the 1932 election to Roosevelt and managed to win only 6 states.In his introduction, Cohen tactically gave a summary of the first Hundred Days:While the public story line of the Hundred Days was about how Roosevelt, through his eloquent public statements and legislative initiatives rallied a desperate nation, behind the scenes his advisers were battling over what shape the New Deal would take. Perkins, Wallace, and Hopkins worked with members of Congress, farm leaders, union officials, and other progressives to promote their agenda .Douglas worked with business leaders and other conservatives to pull Roosevelt in the opposite direction. In the first month of the Hundred Days, through the passage of the Economy Act, Douglasââ¬â¢s side prevailed. For the rest of the Hundred Days, Perkinsââ¬â¢s side did. While Douglas won the early battles, Perkins, Wallace, and Hopkins won the war.America According to Cohen in the early part of the book, there is a gradual metamorphosis of the great depression into a real and full blown financial and social collapse .After these 100days, FDR had reached a full blown acceptance of responsibilities to the needs and warfare of Americans.He worked with the 5 members of the inner circle to bring transformation to America. He relied on their pieces of advice and preferred if it is conflicting so as to be able to choose the best.à On assuming office, FDR came with few plans to combat the great depression. The inner circle encouraged FDR to embrace activist agendas.FDR was a fi scal conservative as well as a pragmatic politician .For this, he had close relationship with Frances Perkin and Lewis Douglas who were advocate of social warfare programs and cutter of budget respectively. In most cases, Douglas was at odds with other FDRââ¬â¢s members .FDR being not ideological, preferred varieties and a policy that is ââ¬Å"bold, persistent experimental.â⬠He featured in the most feverish and agitated period of America history that brings about the modern America.Nothing to fear is an attention holding, fascinating account of the personal dynamics that realign the catastrophic early period of FDRââ¬â¢s relationship and a character X-ray of one of Americaââ¬â¢s distinctive leaders in a period of crises. However, Cohen points us to the political blunders of this period over warfare situation, government laws, agricultural policy, and according to him they are still with us till today.
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Film Analysis – Blade Runner
MAC 170: INTRODUCTION TO FILM STUDIES ASSIGNMENT ONE ââ¬â FILM ANALYSIS FILM CHOSEN: Blade Runner (1982) EXTRACT: INT ââ¬â Sebastianââ¬â¢s Building, starting with the shot of Deckard climbing up the wall. Duration: 9 minutes (Chapter 30, Blade Runner: The Final Cut, 2007) The following essay will be a close analysis of an extract from the 1982 film Blade Runner, which was directed by Ridley Scott. Blade Runner is a science-fiction film based on the book ââ¬ËDo Androids Dream of Electric Sheepââ¬â¢ which was written by Phillip K. Dick.This essay will also explore how Ridley Scottââ¬â¢s use of mise en scene and editing in Blade Runner can exhibit him as an auteur. An ââ¬Ëauteurââ¬â¢ is known as the ââ¬Ëauthorââ¬â¢ of the film; a director that uses recognisable and similar traits and themes throughout a number of their films. The ââ¬Ëauteurââ¬â¢ was created through the ââ¬Ëauteurââ¬â¢ theory, which argues that the director is the most importan t person behind making a film. It was first established by an establishment of film makers in 1950ââ¬â¢s Paris. Some of these film makers were Francois Trauffaut, Jean Luc-Goddard and Jacques Rivette.They were angered by a critical establishment in France that lauded a filmââ¬â¢s fidelity to a screenplay or novel and regarded the film director as merely a translator of material from the verbal medium to the cinematic. For this view Trauffaut and company substituted a notion of personal cinema ââ¬â a cinema in which the director, not the screenwriter, could be seen as the controlling force behind the film. (Allen & Gomery, 1985: 71-72) This quote explains how the auteur theory was established, and how Trauffaut created la politique des auteurs, which is a policy in which the director is the main creative force when making a film.Ridley Scott can be classed as an auteur for his repeated use of strong female characters, which are present both in Blade Runner, Alien (1979) and Thelma & Louise (1991), the future and the unknown, and the ââ¬Ëcreatedââ¬â¢ human. This essay will explore these points using the close analysis of Blade Runner, whilst also comparing Blade Runner to Alien. Ridley Scott can be classed as an auteur for his use of setting in his films; he tends to create a post-apocalyptic setting, mainly set in the ot-so-distant future. This can be seen in the extract of Blade Runner, from the wide angle, long shot of Deckard on the roof. The tall buildings, which are close together, help to connote an industrialised city, and the lack of organic matter helps to show the futuristic world as very bleak, old and dirty. The use of space surrounding Deckard when he is hanging from the roof help to establish that the city lacks people and is very de-humanised and an almost dystopia, which is very similar to Alien.Alien and Blade Runner warn us against a capitalist future gone wrong, where such feelings and bonds are so severely truncated that a qu ite literal dehumanization has become perhaps the gravest danger. (Byers, 1990: 39) This dehumanization feature which Ridley Scott has placed into both Blade Runner and Alien gives both films a sense of fear to the audience when both films were first released, that the possibility of the earth being dehumanized is quite great.The shot of Deckard hanging from the roof also shows how high the building is, with the audience barely being able to see the floor, which helps to connote a sense of uncertainty from the audience, as they are unsure as to whether or not Deckard will fall. The use of rain in this scene is very powerful, as it makes the scene feel very depressive, creating a bleak aspect to the film whilst also creating a ââ¬Ëbad feelingââ¬â¢ for the audience, as it connotes to the audience that something bad is going to happen.This helps to establish a bleak, industrialised future, a one in which there are little humans on earth in Blade Runner, similar to Alien which can help to describe Ridley Scott as an auteur. Ridley Scott can also be defined as an auteur for his use of strong and determined protagonists, especially in Blade Runner and Alien. In this scene extract, Deckard can be seen as a strong protagonist due to his determination to ââ¬Ëretireââ¬â¢ Roy. This scene however, also shows the audience the similarities between Roy and Deckard.The cross cutting editing used at the start of the scene when both characters are dealing with their similar hand injuries helps to show the similarity between Roy and Deckard as they are both dealing with the same sort of pain. Deckard in this scene seems very determined to retire Roy, however when Roy does die, the audience seem to get the feeling that Deckard seems sad about this. The editing in this extract is quite slow at first, using long shots before cutting helping to create a slow pace to the scene.The extract then changes pace however, when Roy is ââ¬Ëhuntingââ¬â¢ Deckard, the editing b ecomes quite fast and rapid making it exciting for the audience to watch. The shot when Roy smashes his head through the wall helps to show the slow pace turning fast. The way the editing is quite slow and then there is a jolt ââ¬â the point where Roy smashes his head through the wall ââ¬â the editing then speeds up a little after this shot, until Royââ¬â¢s death where the editing slows down rapidly, using slow-motion to evoke sadness from the audience.The Roy smashes his head through the wall helps to show a sense of power from Roy, which creates a sense of danger toward Deckard from the audience, making them feel like he is not safe. There are a lot of cross-cuts between Roy and Deckard, which helps the audience to see the similarities between the two characters, almost hinting that Deckard could be a replicants too. The fading between the dead Roy and Deckard, and the use of close ups on Deckardââ¬â¢s sad face makes the audience feel quite sad too.In this scene we l earn that Roy just wanted to live and not be a ââ¬Ëslaveââ¬â¢ which creates empathy from the audience. The significance of the dove which is released when Roy dies connotes that the bird was almost a representation of Roy ââ¬â and the shot of the bird flying away is a symbol of Roy finally being ââ¬Ëfreeââ¬â¢ which leaves the audience feeling sad and almost regretful that they saw Roy as the villain, especially when we see him jumping in and out of the shadows at the beginning of the scene, as if this was almost a game to him.In this scene, Roy can be seen as the anti-hero. The use of lighting surrounding Roy when he has died makes him appear almost god-like, signifying him as powerful, which he has been throughout this scene. The long shot of Roy and Deckard, when Roy has just pulled the dangling Deckard from the roof to safety signifying that Roy can be seen as an anti-hero, connotes that Roy has more power over Deckard. The way Deckard is lying on the floor at Roy ââ¬â¢s feet shows Deckard in a submissive way, that humanââ¬â¢s are powerless against replicants.The close up, low angle on Royââ¬â¢s face after this, makes the audience feel quite scared of Roy. His eyes are big, almost ââ¬Ëcrazyââ¬â¢ and the way Prisââ¬â¢ blood is running down his face make the audience feel scared of Roy. Ridley Scottââ¬â¢s lack of lighting in this extract can help to identify Ridley Scott as an auteur, as he also uses a lack of lighting in Alien. The shot of Roy behind the barbed wire, almost signifying a caged animal which replicants have shown similarities to throughout the film, creates a sense of fear and uncertainty for the audience.The way the light is shining behind him creating a lot of shadows, makes Roy seem a little mysterious as the audience are uncertain as to what is going to happen next. The way the lighting throughout the extract creates a lot of shadows, making the extract feel bleak and dark, creating almost a Film Noir fee l to the film, creates a bleak, and dark feel for the audience. Throughout the extract, the only lighting we see is artificial, as the only light comes from lamps, bright lights from a ââ¬ËSpinnerââ¬â¢ advertising the new world or bright neon billboardââ¬â¢s which helps to give the film an artificial and futuristic tone.Ridley Scottââ¬â¢s use of dark colours in this scene, such as grey, black and blue, creates a sinister feel to the scene making the audience know something bad is going to happen. This is similar to Alien, as all the lighting in that film is artificial too, coming from the lights from the ship, and the 1984 Mac advert which Ridley Scott directed, can define him as an auteur. The way Ridley Scott continually uses similar features and themes among his films helps to exhibit him as an auteur.Blade Runner and Alien are very similar in terms of editing and mise en scene, the use of this in Blade Runner helps to establish Ridley Scott as an auteur as he uses th ese themes and effects in many more of his films. Word Count: 1505/1602 Bibliography Allen, R. C. & Gomery, D. (1985) Film History: Theory and Practice, McGraw Hill Byers, Thomas B. (1990) ââ¬ËCommodity Futuresââ¬â¢ in Kuhn, A. (ed. ) Alien Zone, Cultural Theory and Contemporary Science Fiction Cinema, London: Verso. Caughie, J. (ed. ) (1981) Theories of Authorship, London: Routledge Nelmes, J. (ed. ) (2003) Introduction to Film Studies, London: Routledge
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Will The Rhine model of capitalism be the preferred capitali essays
Will The Rhine model of capitalism be the preferred capitali essays Peter Ludlow, Director of the Center for European Policy Studies once said We are all Germans.... The whole EEC is obtaining German virtue- low inflation, a strong currency and a good mix of growth and social welfare (Hampden-Turner and Trompenaars 201). Although the European Union has changed since Ludlow spoke about the European adoption of the German social economic system, Germany remains to be the most important aspect of the European Union. After the Second World War that ruined the European economies, the Rhine model had reign over Europe. Although they had strong control, the Rhine model is now struggling and is losing grip on the European economy. On the other hand, the Anglo-Saxon model of capitalism is catching up and is ahead in areas such as shareholder value and corporate governance, not to mention information technology (Hunt). Nowadays the European Union is split up in two segments of both Rhine model and Anglo-Saxon capitalism, but eventually the Rhine model will be accepted as the preferred capitalistic system in the European Union over the Anglo-Saxon model. The other major capitalistic system is the Anglo-Saxon that has its roots in the British economy. In both the United States and the United Kingdom Anglo-Saxon capitalism, which is also known in the United States as the Anglo-American model, is the leading form of capitalism. Madsen Pirie argues that the Anglo-Saxon model capitalism is based on two basic philosophical principles. The first is the adversarial principle. It basically means that there is a competitive market. Pirie states the market is a battlefield in which ritualized combat takes place. There is a constant battle for supremacy in the market, where everyone is on their own. The second principle is the evolutionary principle. In addition, the theory says that change is not best accomplished by sudden and violent disruptions which overthrow the status quo...
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
The Simple Guide to Effectively Describing The Setting of Your Story
The Simple Guide to Effectively Describing The Setting of Your Story How to Describe the Setting of a Story Need help writing your novel?Click here to download my ultimate 12-step guide. One of the toughest nuts for any novelist to crack is where to start. How do I know? Well, two-thirds of my 192 published books are novels, so Iââ¬â¢ve faced this dilemma nearly 130 times. Trust me, it doesnââ¬â¢t get easier. But there are common errors to avoid. I know because Iââ¬â¢ve made them. And because I love asking agents and editors what mistakes they see in beginnersââ¬â¢ manuscripts. Ready for the most common error? The apparent feeling that you must start by describing the setting of your story. Setting is important; donââ¬â¢t get me wrong. But weââ¬â¢ve all been sent napping by novels whose covers and titles promise to transport us, and yet begin with some variation of: The house sat in a deep wood surrounded byâ⬠¦ Gag. Pro tip: Readers have little patience for description. In fact, they often skip it to get to the action. If your main question is how to describe the setting, I have a simple answer: Donââ¬â¢t. But, you say, I have to establish where we are and set the scene, donââ¬â¢t I? Yes. Like any other reader, I like to get an immediate feel for where and when things take place. But we writers make a mistake when we make that- describing the setting- a separate element. If you do it at the beginning, you should do it for every scene in a different setting, right? Sorry, but that will quickly transport your reader from slumber to death. Well, you say, how do I set the scene without describing it? You donââ¬â¢t. But you make description part of the narrative, part of the story. It will become almost invisible, because mentions of what things look and feel and sound like will register in the theater of the readersââ¬â¢ minds, but they will be concentrating on the action, the dialogue, the tension and drama and conflict that keep them turning the pages. In the end they wonââ¬â¢t remember how you worked in everything they needed to fully enjoy the experience. Consider these setting examples: Describing the setting of a story before starting the action: London in the 1860s was a cold, damp, foggy city crisscrossed with cobblestone streets and pedestrians carefully dodging the droppings of steeds that pulled all manner of public conveyance. One such pedestrian was Lucy Knight, a beautiful, young, unattached woman in a hurry to get to Piccadilly Circus. An eligible bachelor had asked her to meet him thereâ⬠¦ I shouldnââ¬â¢t have to inform you that such an opening is all telling, no showing, and that the question of how to describe the setting has been answered, but not correctly. Describing the setting by layering it in tothe story: Londonââ¬â¢s West End, 1862 Lucy Knight mince-stepped around clumps of horse dung as she hurried toward Regent Street. Must not be late, she told herself. What would he think? She carefully navigated the cobblestones as she crossed to hail a Hansom Cab- which she preferred for its low center of gravity and smooth turning. Lucy did not want to appear as if sheââ¬â¢s been tossed about in a carriage, especially tonight. ââ¬Å"Not wearinââ¬â¢ a ring, I see,â⬠the driver said as she boarded. ââ¬Å"I beg your pardon?â⬠ââ¬Å"Nice lookinââ¬â¢ lady like yourself out alone after dark in the cold fogâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ââ¬Å"You neednââ¬â¢t worry about me, sir. Iââ¬â¢m only going to the circus.â⬠ââ¬Å"Piccadilly it is, Maââ¬â¢am.â⬠First, the location tag, flush left before the first paragraph, saves us a lot of narration which can be used to let the story emerge. And yes, the second sample is longer, but thatââ¬â¢s because weââ¬â¢re not telling, weââ¬â¢re showing. The reader learns everything about the character from the action and dialogue, rather than from just being told through description. So try the technique youââ¬â¢ve likely heard about since the day you decided to study writing: Show, Donââ¬â¢t Tell Youââ¬â¢ll have to remind yourself of this daily for the rest of your life, but once you add it to your writing toolbelt, youââ¬â¢ll find it adds power to your prose and keeps your readerââ¬â¢s interest. The key, as you can see from the examples above, is to layer in your description. Maybe when Lucy meets her new gentleman friend, he grabs her and pulls her into an alley, saying, ââ¬Å"Come here where no one will see us.â⬠There she might scrape her knuckles against a brick wall and wish both hands were free so she could tighten her coat against the wind. Incorporating description that way- showing rather than telling- can alone revolutionize your novel. Apply This Setting Technique Immediately and see how it picks up the pace and adds power. It will force you to highlight only the most important details, triggering the theater of your readerââ¬â¢s mind. If itââ¬â¢s not important enough to become part of the action, your reader wonââ¬â¢t miss it anyway. But youââ¬â¢ve read classic novelists who use description exactly the way Iââ¬â¢m advising against. What gives? Two things: 1- If those novels were written before TV and movies (let alone smart phones), they were aimed at audiences who loved to take the time to settle in with a book for days at a time. 2- If those novels were written in our generation and still succeeded with that kind of writing, itââ¬â¢s because the author is a master. If you can write at that level, you can break all the rules you want. I canââ¬â¢t, so Iââ¬â¢ll stick with what works for todayââ¬â¢s readers. How about you? Need help writing your novel?Click here to download my ultimate 12-step guide. Still confused about how to describe the setting of a story? Give me examples from your own work in the comments below.
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Business Management And Leadership - Planning (U2IP) PowerPoint Presentation
Business Management And Leadership - Planning (U2IP) - PowerPoint Presentation Example The use of standard project management techniques has facilitated the development of quality software with minimal redundancy and rework. The sole driving point in driving the employees is lead by example. The key personnel in the company demonstrate profound efficiency and mettle in dealing with everyday situations and this serves as live examples for other employees to follow. Additionally, employees are encouraged to contribute to their optimum levels by way of financial incentives and bonuses. The company has clear policies for handling difficult and challenging situations that help in taking stock of the situation at once, whenever the need for adopting such a procedure arises. All project development activities are constantly monitored by the management by way of project management techniques mentioned above, which introduce a sense of clarity into the whole management
Friday, November 1, 2019
Critically analyse the challenges faced when developing and Essay
Critically analyse the challenges faced when developing and inplementing an information system - Essay Example 123-127). The essay will start from the definition of the IS which will lay down the foundation stone for the forthcoming analysis. It will also discuss the current situation in the implementation of IS. Some of the other discussions will revolve around the factors which play a part in the implementation of IS as well as various challenges that exist in developing and implementation process. Some of the previous research papers on this topic will also be the discussion grounds. Information system is the complete studies of networks of software and hardware that are used by people in an organisation to collect, filter, create and distribute the data that is obtained. The main aim of the information system is to support the operations, help the management in making decisions. In a company the IS has become an integral, interactive online tool which is present in every operation performed in the organisation (Lucey, 2005, pp. 144-147). The IS has been able to alter the economic conditions of the organisation because of its importance and presence in every step. It can help the organisation in the following ways. IS also affects the cost and the quality of the information that is transferred. It helps the company to shrink in size as it helps in reducing the transaction costs which in turn also reduces the production cost of the company (Grant et al., 2010, pp. 123-127). This essay looks towards various theories and concepts to analyse the factors which influence the implementation of IS and to identify the challenges faced when developing and implementing an information system. This particular study will enhance in better understanding of the concept of IS where the information regarding the evolution and also the importance of the IT in any organisation is studied from various articles, books and so on. This essay is
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