Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Film and Popular Cinema Essay Example for Free

Film and Popular Cinema Essay After reading this week’s assignment and researching different types of film and popular cinema, I have realized some of the differences between the two. I always thought they were the same thing but found that to be far from the truth. Film is a way of putting art into motion. I viewed several pieces on different websites, in particular, on YouTube. I watched one called White Noise. It had no plot or storyline, but showed very interesting art concepts and pieces. Many artists made work addressing social, sexual and racial issues, renewing links with what survived of the ‘community video’ movement of the 1970s. By 1990 video installations had featured in several large international exhibitions and were a familiar presence in galleries and museums, assuming fresh authority through the work of such artists as Gary Hill and Marie-Jo Lafontaine. Read more:  Philippine Cinema Analysis Essay Artists making single-screen work exhibited increasingly on television, and the medium of video was merging with that of the computer. Film, no longer novel nor wholly dependent on a gallery context, had become part of an increasingly elaborate network of electronic communication (Mick Hartney, 2009). Popular cinema is designed around selling tickets and making money at the expense of catering to the demands of global audiences. An example of popular cinema is any of the Twilight movies. They are movies produced from the novels written by Stephanie Meyer. The first movie was a huge success, making audience demand for a sequel a high priority of the producers and distribution companies. The same result came of the sequel and they made the third. Originally, the deal was to make a movie for each book, but if the movies did not succeed in the box office the projects would have been terminated. As, a matter of fact, it is so successful that the last movie based on the last book has been split in half to make two more subsequent movies instead of one. I find myself appreciating both of these forms of art. I have opened up when it comes to  the appreciation of art because I have learned the subtle, and some not so subtle differences between different art forms. References Hartney, M. (2009). Video Art. Retrieved from http://www.moma.org/collection/details.php?theme_id=10215 Sayre, H. M. (2010). A World of Art (6th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Negative Effects of Fast Food

Negative Effects of Fast Food Fast Food – The Recipe for Death What if I told you that these French fries that you are happily devouring will lead you to your death in 10 years? You will for sure consider me insane. Here are some real statistics to prove my point: according to The Telegraph, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence says that each year, 40,000 deaths occur in Britain alone as a result of eating junk food and high levels of fat and salt contained in it (Smith). In 1976, an extremely satirical pop number written by a singer named Larry Groce hit the music industry. What was unique about this song was that it was not about a long lost love, romance, marriage, personal freedom or something like that. The interesting thing about this song was that it talked about the double life that many people were leading then and we are still leading today (Orel). These double lives revolve around eating healthy food some days and sneaking in junk food whenever we can and this is what is leading us fast to our early deaths. It is time for us to stop consuming junk food and start saving our lives. There are an infinite number of reasons for why junk food is dangerous for human health and should not be consumed. However, I shall focus on only the top three basic ones here. So, why should we not be eating fast food? The answer is that it contains sodium and trans fats, it causes great problems in digestion and it is a leading cause for various life-threatening diseases such as heart disease, kidney disease, liver damage, type 2 diabetes and even cancer. Although there are a number of unhealthy substances and ingredients that are used in fast foods, but the primary harmful, unsavory components that they contain are trans fats and sodium. These two compounds have the ability to wreak complete havoc in our bodies and cause a great amount of damage. Let us first see what sodium does to our body. An average adult has a minimal need of 500 mg of sodium per day (Coila). However, fast foods are â€Å"very high in sodium† (Sodium†). Our kidneys are responsible for expelling extra amount of salts from our bodies. Due to this high quantity of salt, our kidneys have to overwork for eliminating this extra salt. This in turn puts too much pressure on kidneys, increasing the possibility of kidney disease (Pendick; Stiavetti). Moreover, consuming too much salt (sodium) causes the compound to accumulate in our bloodstreams. As a result, our heart is forced to work much harder than what it actually is meant to do. This extra work by our heart causes heart disease and high blood pressure (Stiavetti). Trans fats are some other deadly substances which are created by adding hydrogen to liquid oils. The fat that is produced as a result is termed as the deadliest fat substance by American Heart Association as it can lead to strokes, heart attacks and diabetes (Stiavetti). Fast foods are known for their bad reputation for various reasons. Another reason why fast food is damaging to your health is because it is ruining your digestive system. The more you consume it, the faster it will impair your digestion. Research shows that people who eat a diet loaded with junk food are highly likely to experience digestive problems and frequent stomach upsets. Irritable bowel syndrome and GERD are the conditions that primarily develop as a result of consistently consuming fast foods (Stiavetti). Proponents of fast foods claim that fast food, if taken in moderation is not detrimental to physical health (â€Å"Healthy†). However, this concept is far from truth. Fast foods are mostly deep fried. The oil contained in them deposits in the stomach and causes acidity. They are also very spicy and cause excessive irritation of the stomach lining. Furthermore, they also do not have appropriate amounts of fiber which is important for proper digestion (Rupavate). Finally, the one main reason why we should say outright no to junk foods is that they have the power to cause our death way earlier than it is meant to happen. The intensity of the risk that it puts our bodies to is difficult to put into words. First of all, it causes severe fluctuations in the body’s level of blood sugar, thereby putting our metabolism to excessive stress. Moreover, the increased amounts of sugar require pancreas to produce greater amounts of insulin to protect the body from experiencing a sudden spike in blood sugar levels (Rupavate). Junk foods do not only have an adverse impact on our digestive systems. It also badly affects our brain functions. According to a study published in ‘Brain, Behavior, and Immunity,’ eating fast foods for one week is more than enough to cause impairment in rats’ memories. Similar studies conducted on animals prove that junk foods contain fats that can hamper the ability to acquire new skills. Similarly, junk foods also lead to serious life threatening diseases such as kidney and liver damage, Type 2 diabetes and in severe cases, even cancer. Something worth mentioning here is the reason for why it is difficult for us to say no to fries and other junk foods. As these foods are high in processed salts, it increases the amount of enzymes being secreted and also increases salivation. This can also affect the kidney function adversely (Rupavate). Cancer is also propagated by over consumption of junk foods. According to a research published in European Journal of Cancer Prevention, people who consume a lot of junk foods high in fat and sugar are at risk for developing colorectal cancer. A similar study conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center revealed that prostate cancer was common among men who indulged in fried foods more than two times in a single month (Rupavate). Then, we shouldn’t forget obesity which is the mother of many illnesses like high blood pressure, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, reproductive disorders, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, gallstones and cancer (â€Å"Health Risks of Overweight and Obesity†). It is a known fact that consuming fast food contributes to weight gain. One fast food meal can have 1,500 calories alone, while we need 1500-1800 calories in a day (Muntel). Though, all of these realizations are shocking, but not to those who have actually experienced the side-effects of fast food. After coming to America and being away from home, I got hooked on fast food. I started gaining weight and felt lethargic all the time. Movement became difficult; I felt out of breath after little exertion. So, it started affecting the quality of my life. Luckily, I recovered in time; started cooking at home and saved myself. Thus, these shocking realizations call for some serious changes in government policies and food production, so that healthy lifestyle changes could be encouraged, and the horrendous amount of saturated fat and salts that the world consumes could be significantly reduced. These steps would lose weight if taken only on governmental level. It is useless to hope that anything would change unless we as individuals understand the severity of the situation. It is time for us to take control of our lives and start today. It is we who choose how we are going to fuel our bodies. It is our responsibility to protect our lives and those of our loved ones and junk foods are not giving us life, but leading us to our untimely deaths.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Never Lose Hope :: essays research papers

Never Lose Hope William Blake, born on November 28, 1757, in London is one of the greatest English poets. His work is studied today all over the world. One of Blake’s poems, â€Å"The Chimney Sweeper†, shows many signs of immortality. In this poem, immortality can only be reached by maintaining hope in a hopeless world and embracing happiness. An example of this is line 20: â€Å"He’d have God for his father, and never want joy†. Immortality is something people have chased for years and have never been able to capture. In Webster’s dictionary, immortality is stated as, â€Å"Not mortal, deathless, living or lasting forever.† In â€Å"The Chimney Sweeper†, Blake saw immortality in a different sense than Webster states. Blake saw immortality as happiness throughout life and the importance of hope.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Chimney Sweeper† is a great title for Blake’s poem. The title is a symbol representing the harsh life of a chimney sweeper and his life as a child. He states, â€Å"When my mother died I was very young, and my father sold me while yet my tongue†, (ln 1-2). This is saying that his mother died when he was young and his father gave him up. Blake’s unhappiness resembles being mortal in a sense that his unhappiness is like being dead. Blake has two meanings when he says, â€Å"So your chimney’s I sweep, and in soot I sleep†, (ln 4). This line denotes that he is an adult now with the responsibility of being a chimney sweeper. Blake is really saying that his childhood was terrible like the work of a chimney sweeper. Now Blake introduces a new character into the poem, which is Tom Dacre (ln 5). In the second stanza, Blake is stating the mortality, or unhappiness of Tom. The author’s tone changes for a moment in stanza two when he says â€Å"Hush, Tom! never mind it, for when your head’s bare, the soot cannot spoil your white hair†, (ln 7-8). The author has two meanings in these lines. The obvious is that he can’t have hair for the fact that his hair would be full of soot. The tone change comes in where the meaning is not so obvious. The tone up to line six is mournful. Lines seven and eight also have a mournful tone in the obvious state. They connote that Tom needs to keep his head up and not let his job get to him, or simply to keep hope alive.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Biblical Flood Myth of Genesis and the Flood Myth of the Epic of Gilgam

The Flood of the Bible and the Flood of Gilgamesh      Ã‚  Ã‚   The story of Noah’s Ark, as told in the old testament, tells how God punished the world because it had become corrupt. God accomplished this by flooding the world, and annihilating all the creatures upon it, except for Noah and his family and a pair of each type of creature on the earth. Each decade, more insight is gained into the origin of the flood story. Based on the information available at the present time, one could argue that the story of Noah’s Ark was based on the Epic of Gilgamesh. The story of Noah’s Ark was first written as part of the old testament by the Jewish people. However, it is predated by far by the story of the Epic of Gilgamesh, a story that originated in the same area that holds many striking similarities to the tale of Noah’s Ark. Though the story was modified to accommodate new characters, many properties of the story are similar, from small details like the creatures used as scouts to the religious purpose of the flood itself. For example, both the flood stories start with the characters re...

Friday, October 11, 2019

Niche Marketing

1) What is niche marketing? The word ‘niche’ is defined as: A special area of demand for a products or service. The word ‘marketing’ is defined as: The opportunity to buy or sell. Niche Marketing means buying or selling a product or service in a special area of demand. All that really means product or service is being sold to the people who are most interested in that particular product or service and not to the world in general. Often time big businesses use niche marketing. For example, a company that makes computers and computers accessories might advertise all-in-one such as copy, printer and scanner to the home computer user while at the same time advertising single function machines to large businesses. One of the things that make niche marketing so attractive to sellers is that their advertising budgets go further. It costs less to advertise to a specialized market that it does to advertise to a broader market. Niche marketing must be designed to meet the unique needs of the targeted audience. Niche marketers must tailor their product to meet those unique needs. Example, I have design a product to make poodle grooming easy enough for the untrained professional to do it, those who own poodles will be most interested in the products. Those who own Blood Hounds or cats will not care so much. 2) As an automobile retailer, what would you propose to increase sales volumes through niche marketing? Toyota is a huge multinational company. At first glance, it appears that Toyota focuses on the auto business as a whole both from a marketing and production standpoint. Notwithstanding this fact, Toyota is excellent when it comes to niche marketing. Toyota will search for niches for which it can supply a product in need. Toyota was one of the first companies to realize there was a group of car buyers who would be very interested in environmentally friendly cars. To answer this need, it came up with the legendary Prius. The Prius is the first mass production hybrid car. Where other car manufacturers saw Toyota taking a huge risk, Toyota saw it as an opportunity to identify a new niche and establish its brand in that niche. In marketing, it is often the first brand on the scene that takes the day. Once Toyota took the plunge, it pursued an effective niche marketing plan. It didn’t promote the Prius in just any media. It focused on media outlets that were watched, read or listened to by people concerned about the environment. For example, it heavily promoted the car through environmental groups and their publications. As the only game in town at that time, Toyota not only dominated the niche. 3) Explain the role of RMI. RMI create brand awareness and communication tools which have been use from any company’s. They publish their own magazine naming Automobil. RMI also responsible for assisting its members with all matters surrounding the motor industry while ensure that members do comply with high level of business and offers a revenue generating device through its unique niche status.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Gadget Toys Case Write-Up Essay

Gadget Toy Company is faced with a choice between two options to reduce project time for their new toy line. Gadget must cut down project time in order to meet their Christmas deadline that is 19 weeks away. Analysis shows that there are two critical paths for the current process, which is 20 weeks long and includes the following critical activities: obtain funding approval (A), finalize engineering (B), build dies/tools (D), raw material delivery (K), initial production run (L), ship product (M), train workers (F), and de-bug process (G). See figure below. Gadget’s first option is to reduce the amount of product advertising. Although this might reduce cost, advertising (J) is not a critical activity and won’t reduce the total project time. Beyond that, cutting six weeks of advertising – the maximum amount – will result in an estimated 30% decrease in sales. This is hardly worth the lower costs for a new product launch, and advertising is necessary if Gadg et wants the children’s toy line to be popular beyond the Christmas season. Gadget’s second option is to ask the production manager to work weekends for faster tool building (D). Although this would cost the company $5000, Gadget Toy Co. should accept the offer. Tool building is a critical activity and the bottleneck in the process flow. The next longest path in the process flow is 16 weeks, resulting in a slack time of four weeks. By accepting the offer from the tool builder the critical paths can be reduced to 18 weeks and the product can be launched within the 19-week deadline. Process Paths Before Decision: AHJM = 1 + 1 + 12 + 1 = 15 weeks AHIKLM = 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 3 + 1 = 10 weeks ABDKLM = 1 + 1 + 12 + 2 + 3 + 1 = 20 weeks (critical path) ABDFGLM = 1 + 1 + 12 + 1 + 1 + 3 + 1 = 20 weeks (critical path) ACEFGLM = 1 + 8 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 3 + 1 = 16 weeks Process Paths Before Decision: AHJM = 1 + 1 + 12 + 1 = 15 weeks AHIKLM = 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 3 + 1 = 10 weeks ABDKLM = 1 + 1 + 12 + 2 + 3 + 1 = 20 weeks (critical path) ABDFGLM = 1 + 1 + 12 + 1 + 1 + 3 + 1 = 20 weeks (critical path) ACEFGLM = 1 + 8 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 3 + 1 = 16 weeks Gadget Flow Chart Total Time to Delivery 18 WEEKS Total Time to Delivery 18 WEEKS Raw Material Delivery (K) 2 WEEKS Raw Material Delivery (K) 2 WEEKS Train Workers (F) 1 WEEK Train Workers (F) 1 WEEK De-Bug Process (G) 1 WEEK De-Bug Process (G) 1 WEEK Initial Production Run (L) 3 WEEKS Initial Production Run (L) 3 WEEKS Ship Product (M) 1 WEEK Ship Product (M) 1 WEEK Finalize Packaging and Artwork (I) 2 WEEKS Finalize Packaging and Artwork (I) 2 WEEKS Advertise (J) 12 WEEKS Advertise (J) 12 WEEKS Install Equipment (E) 1 WEEK Install Equipment (E) 1 WEEK Build Dies/Tools 10 WEEKS (D) BOTTLENECK Build Dies/Tools 10 WEEKS (D) BOTTLENECK Establish Advertising Plan 1 WEEK (H) Establish Advertising Plan 1 WEEK (H) Finalize Engineering (B) 1 WEEK Finalize Engineering (B) 1 WEEK Deliver New Equipment (C) 8 WEEKs Deliver New Equipment (C) 8 WEEKs Obtain Funding Approval (A) 1 WEEK Obtain Funding Approval (A) 1 WEEK After Decision

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 10

September 4, 1864 Midnight. Too late to fall asleep, too early to be awake. A candle burns on my nightstand, the flickering shadows foreboding. I am haunted already. Will I ever forgive myself for not finding Rosalyn until it was too late? And why is she –the one I vowed to forget–still on my mind? My head is pounding. Cordelia is always at the door, offering drinks, lozenges, powdered herbs. I take them, like a recuperating child. Father and Damon glance at me when they think I'm asleep. Do they know of the nightmares? I thought marriage was a fate worse than death. I was wrong. I was wrong about so many things, too many things, and all I can do is pray for forgiveness and hope that somehow, somewhere, I can summon strength from the depths of my existence to step firmly onto the path of the right again. I will do it. I must. For Rosalyn. And for her. Now I will blow out the candle and hope for sleep–like that of the dead –to engulf me quickly†¦. â€Å"Stefan! Time to get up!† my father called, slamming my bedroom door. â€Å"What?† I struggled to sit, not sure what hour it was, or what day it was, or how much time had passed since Rosalyn's death. Day faded into night, and I could never really sleep, only doze into terrifying dreams. I wouldn't have eaten anything, except that Cordelia continued to come into my room with her concoctions, spoon-feeding them to me to ensure that they were eaten. She'd make fried chicken and okra and a thick mash of what she called sufferer stew which she said would , make me feel better. She'd left another one, a drink this time, on my nightstand. I drank it quickly. â€Å"Get ready. Alfred will help you prepare,† my father said. â€Å"Get ready for what?† I asked, swinging my legs onto the floor. I hobbled to the mirror. I had stubble over my chin, and my tawny hair stood up on all ends. My eyes were red, and my nightshirt was hanging off my shoulders. I looked awful. Father stood behind me, appraising my reflection. â€Å"Y ou'll pull yourself together. Today is Rosalyn's funeral, and it's important to me and the Cartwrights that we are there. We want to show everyone that we must band together against the evil that's scourging our town.† While Father prattled on about demons, I thought about facing the Cartwrights for the first time. I still felt horribly guilty. I couldn't help thinking that the attack wouldn't have happened if I'd been waiting for Rosalyn on the porch, instead of lingering in the study with Katherine. If I'd been outside, waiting for Rosalyn, I would have seen her walking from the fields in her pink dress. Maybe I could have faced death with her, too, and she wouldn't have had to confront that nightmarish animal alone. I may not have loved Rosalyn, but I couldn't forgive myself for not being there to save her. â€Å"Well, come on,† Father said impatiently as Alfred walked in, holding a white linen shirt and a double-breasted black suit. I blanched. It was the suit I'd have worn at my wedding–and the church where we were mourning Rosalyn was to have been the site of the ceremony establishing our union. Still, I managed to change into the suit, allowed Alfred to help me shave, since my hands allowed Alfred to help me shave, since my hands were so shaky, and emerged an hour later ready to do what I had to do. I kept my eyes down as I followed Father and Damon to the carriage. Father sat up front, next to Alfred, while Damon sat in the back with me. â€Å"How are you, brother?† Damon asked above the familiar clip-clop of Duke's and Jake's hooves down Willow Creek Road. â€Å"Not very well,† I said formally, a stiff lump in my throat. Damon put a hand on my shoulder. The magpies chattered, the bees buzzed, and the sun cast a golden glow on the trees. The entire coach smelled like ginger, and I felt my stomach heave. It was the smell of guilt over lusting after a woman who was never to be–could never be–my wife. â€Å"Your first death, the first one you witness, changes you,† Damon said finally, as the coach pulled up to the white clapboard church. The church bells were ringing, and every business in town was closed for the day. â€Å"But perhaps it can change you for the better.† â€Å"Maybe,† I said as I descended from the coach. But I didn't see how. We reached the door as Dr. Janes hobbled into the church, his cane in one hand and a flask of whiskey in another. Pearl and Anna were sitting together, and Jonathan Gilbert sat behind them, his elbows perched on the edge of Pearl's pew, just inches from her shoulder. Sheriff Forbes was in his usual place in the second pew, glaring at the cluster of rouged women from the tavern who had come to pay their respects. At the edge of their circle was Alice, the barmaid, cooling herself with a silk fan. Calvin Bailey, the organist, was playing an adaptation of Mozart's Requiem, but he seemed to hit a sour note every few chords. In the front pew, Mr. Cartwright stared straight ahead, while Mrs. Cartwright sobbed and occasionally blew her nose into a lace handkerchief. At the front of the church, a closed oak casket was covered with flowers. Wordlessly, I walked to the casket and knelt down in front of it. â€Å"I'm so sorry,† I whispered, touching the casket, which felt cold and hard. Unbidden, images of my betrothed popped up in my mind: Rosalyn giggling over her new puppy, giddily discussing flower combinations for our wedding, risking the wrath of her maid by planting a covert kiss on my cheek at the end of one visit. I moved my hands off the casket and put them together, as if in prayer. â€Å"I hope that you and Penny have found each other in Heaven.† I leaned down, letting my lips graze the casket. I wanted her to know, wherever she was, that I would have learned to love her. â€Å"Good-bye.† I turned to take my seat and stopped short. Right behind me was Katherine. She was wearing a dark-blue cotton dress that stood out in the sea a dark-blue cotton dress that stood out in the sea of black crepe that filled the pews. â€Å"I'm so sorry for your loss,† Katherine said, touching my arm. I flinched and drew my arm back. How dare she touch me so familiarly in public? Didn't she realize that if we hadn't been carrying on at the barbecue in the first place, the tragedy might never have happened? Concern registered in her dark eyes. â€Å"I know how hard this must be for you,† she said. â€Å"Please let me know if you need anything.† I immediately felt a wave of guilt for assuming she was doing anything other than showing sympathy. After all, her parents had died. She was just a young girl, reaching out to offer her support. She looked so sad that for one wild second, I was tempted to cross the aisle and comfort her. â€Å"Thank you,† I said instead, sucking in my stale breath and walking back to the pew. I slid next to Damon, who had his hands crossed piously over a Bible. I noticed his eyes flick up as Katherine briefly knelt down by the coffin. I followed his gaze, noticing the way several curls had escaped from beneath her hat and were curling around the ornate clasp on her blue necklace. A few minutes later, the Requiem ended, and Pastor Collins strode up to the pulpit. â€Å"We're here to celebrate a life cut far too short. There is evil among us, and we will mourn this death, but we will also draw strength from this death †¦,† he intoned. I covertly glanced across the aisle at Katherine. Her servant, Emily, was sitting next to her on one side and Pearl on the other. Katherine's hands were folded as if in prayer. She turned slightly, as if to look at me. I forced myself to look away before our eyes could meet. I would not dishonor Rosalyn by thinking of Katherine. I gazed up at the unfinished, steepled beams of the church. I'm sorry, I thought, sending the message upward and hoping that Rosalyn, wherever she was, heard it.