Saturday, November 30, 2019

Specific cinematic techniques Essay Example For Students

Specific cinematic techniques Essay Graeme Turner describes film as a signifying practise. With close reference to at least one film studied on the unit, Identify the ways in which specific cinematic techniques (lighting, sound, editing, mise-en-scene, film stock, camera angles etc) contribute to meaning(s) in the film.  Graeme Turner states, semiotics allows us to examine the cultural specificity of representations and their meanings by using one set of methods and terms across the full range of signifying practices. This essay will show the ways in which The Royle Family uses different filmic devices in order to convey meaning. A sense of relation is needed to enjoy The Royle Family? This essay will attempt to discover if relation is necessary to get pleasure from the programme. Without this sense of relation enjoyment can be seen as being on a very simplistic level. Meaning that we are simply laughing at slapstick elements within the plot without relating their circumstances to our own lives. It can be said, generally by people of an upper class, that the Royles entire existence is pointless. It is. But then again isnt everyones? We will write a custom essay on Specific cinematic techniques specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The characters happiness in the programme is clearly apparent. They live in a world that could be conceived as without actual substance. People of other classes and/or backgrounds can see this lack of substance as enviable. Mainly because they feel that their lives are full of problems, they have a drive that cannot be sated by watching television, as the members of the Royle family seem to have. We are privileged, as the upper classes, to view this spectacle. It is presented to us as an insight, an insight that we need to have to understand other people. The programme shows intricate details of their lives. On some level this is reality television at its best. Showing how everyday people react to everyday life. Nothing of any great consequence happens and yet theyre undeniably happy with their way of life. Conventions of situation comedy are disregarded and are replaced with something new. The audience is not spooned fed a picturesque existence; instead the audience is given a dose of a familys real life. Stock characters are not used as the programmes aim, or inadvertent aim is to challenge the normal conventions of, not just television, but happiness. The audience is placed in a position of the guest, a spectator to the ordinary events, or non-events, of the Royles lives. The characters are caricatures or overly exaggerated representations of people from that class. Their inane banter provides escapism for the people who watch the show. A fact mirrored in the opening sequence of the programme. In this opening sequence we are presented with a collage of images of the Royles in their living room watching television. This is not only mirroring what the audience is doing at that moment in time but also encoding the message that it is acceptable for them to want that existence or if they already do, why change? It is important to state that the Royles do not view their lives as unimportant. They believe that they are and that is all that is important to them. They are not striving to get out of that existence they have accepted it with open arms. This provides escapism to the audience as it shows that you can be happy with what youve g ot. I believe the documentary like style is employed to emphasise the idea the feeling that we, as the audience, are watching these people in their natural habitat. Pans, low angle shots and even close ups are used to mimic the documentary style. We become the guest to the living room of this fictional household. This aids the audience to assimilate their way of life, we are literally seeing through the eyes of a guest. .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75 , .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75 .postImageUrl , .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75 , .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75:hover , .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75:visited , .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75:active { border:0!important; } .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75:active , .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75 .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua1c2b67a614c7f72f79e7dc2c7198f75:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Baz Luhrmann's Act 1 Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet EssayThere is a vast difference between the film stock used on The Royle Family than most sitcoms. For example, Friends uses a film stock that will make the actors/actresses on the show look perfect. On The Royle Family the film stock used is of a lesser quality. This leaves the audience with a grainy image on the television screen. I believe that this lesser film stock is used in order to reflect reality. This grainy image combined with the lighting shows us the reality of life. We are able to see all of the actors clear facial faults that we all have in reality. Relation to the characters is important in enjoying the show, although this is not imperative as you can enjoy the programme on different levels. We have all seen people who dress, talk and act similarly to the characters within the programme. We may even see aspects of ourselves within the characters featured contained in this programme. Therefore humour, or at least interest, can be achieved from gaining an insight into these peoples lives. Suspension of disbelief is required by some of the people that watch the show. These are the people who are not in the same, or similar, situations as these characters. This group of the audience is finding humour in the characters stupidity. The group that can relate to the show uses they personal context to relate the characters to people that they know. This means that this group of the audience finds satisfaction in seeing aspects of themselves or people they know as they can relate to the show.  The Royle Family uses intra-diagetic sound and employs comedy simultaneously. In the wallpapering episode two of the male characters and the main female character have their hi-fi on with an upbeat dance-like track playing. The characters all end up dancing to this track as they would do in everyday life.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Camera Lucida essays

Camera Lucida essays The book Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography was written by Roland Barthes and is 119 pages long. Camera Lucida was the final book written Barthes and is actually part of a trilogy which also includes the books, Roland Barthes and A Lovers Discourse. Camera Lucida discusses several aspects of the art of photography according to Barthes. The topics discussed in the book include; Emotion as Departure, Photography as Adventure, and photography as a casual Phenomenology. Barthes also explores the responsibility that photography has to inform, to surprise, to signify, to paint and to waken desire. Barthes begins the book by explaining his amazement with photography from an early age. The author describes a photograph of Napoleon's youngest brother saying that he was immediately intrigued by the eyes of the young men. This particular photograph actually caused Barthes to desire to know more about the art of photography. In the book Barthes mentions that he was "overcome by an ontological desire; I wanted to learn at all costs to what Photography was in itself" (Barthes) Barthes spent the rest of his life in pursuit of the definition of photography. Barthes also explains that the motivation behind writing the book was the death of his mother. Barthes asserts that he had a difficult time finding a photograph of his mother that really captured her personality. After search through hundreds of pictures Barthes actually chooses a photograph that was taken of his mother when she was five years old. The author refers to the picture, which also features her seven year old brother, as the Winter Garden Photograph. Barthes explains that this picture helped him to uncover who his mother truly was. He seemed to believe that this photo captured a time in his mother life when she was being her authentic self. Barthes also suggests that the picture is so pure becaus...

Friday, November 22, 2019

The History of the Palladian Window

The History of the Palladian Window A Palladian window is a specific design, a large, three-section window where the center section is arched and larger than the two side sections. Renaissance architecture and other buildings in classical styles often have Palladian windows. On Adam or Federal style houses, a more spectacular window is often in the center of the second story - often a Palladian window. Why Would You Want a Palladian Window in a New Home? Palladian windows are generally enormous in size - even larger than so-called picture windows. They allow a great deal of sunlight to enter the interior, which, in modern times, would maintain that indoor-outdoor intent. Yet you would rarely find a Palladian window in a Ranch style home, where picture windows are common. So, whats the difference? Palladian windows project a more stately and formal feeling. House styles that are designed to be informal, like the Ranch style or Arts and Crafts, or created for the budget-minded, like the Minimal Traditional home, would look silly with an overly large, Renaissance-era Italian window like the Palladian window. Picture windows often come in three sections, and even three-sectioned slider windows may have grids with circular tops, but these are not Palladian style windows. So, if you have a very large house and you want to express a formality, consider a new Palladian window - if its in your budget. Definitions of Palladian Window Window having a broad arched central section with lower flat-headed side portions. - G. E. Kidder Smith, Source Book of American Architecture, Princeton Architectural Press, 1996, p. 646 A window of large size, characteristic of neoclassic styles, divided by columns or piers resembling pilasters, into three lights, the middle one of which is usually wider than the others, and is sometimes arched. - Â   Dictionary of Architecture and Construction, Cyril M. Harris, ed., McGraw- Hill, 1975, p. 527 The Name Palladian The term Palladian comes from Andrea Palladio, a Renaissance architect whose work inspired some of the greatest buildings throughout Europe and the United States. Modeled after classical Greek and Roman forms, such as the arched windows of the Baths of Diocletian, Palladios buildings often featured arched openings. Most famously, the three-part openings of the Basilica Palladiana (c. 1600) directly inspired todays Palladian windows, including the window in the 18th century Dumfries House in Scotland shown on this page. Other Names for Palladian Windows Venetian Window: Palladio did not invent the three-part design that was used for the Basilica Palladiana in Venice, Italy, so this type of window is sometimes called Venetian after the city of Venice. Serliana Window: Sebastiano Serlio was a 16th century architect and author of an influential series of books, Architettura. The Renaissance was a time when architects borrowed ideas from each other. The three-part column and arch design used by Palladio had been illustrated in Serlianas books, so some people give him the credit. Examples of Palladian Windows Palladian windows are common wherever an elegant touch is desired. George Washington had one installed at his Virginia home, Mount Vernon, to illuminate the large dining room. Dr. Lydia Mattice Brandt has described it as one of the houses most distinctive features. In the United Kingdom, the Mansion House in Ashbourne has been remodeled with a Diocletian window AND a Palladian window over the the front door. The Wedding Cake House in Kennebunk, Maine, a Gothic Revival pretender, has a Palladian window on the second story, over the fanlight over the front door. Source Serliana, The Penguin Dictionary of Architecture, Third Edition, by John Fleming, Hugh Honour, and Nikolaus Pevsner, Penguin, 1980, p. 295

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Diversity Management, a New Organizational Paradigm for Equality Essay

Diversity Management, a New Organizational Paradigm for Equality Policy-Making - Essay Example According to the paper the different diversity can be categorized into two, the social allied and the individual allied. In the social diversity, it is further subdivided into what is referred to as the six strands of diversity, which includes; ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender, age, and religion. In the individual differences, they can be classified into the following castes; personality, lifestyle, appearance, work style and education. The equal opportunity tends to downplay the aspect of discrimination based on the diversity factor. It is hinged on the emphasis of equal treatment of the individuals regardless of their social groups. The equal opportunity aspect is anti-discrimination program intended to provide relative social justice in the process of individual selection. From this study it is clear that most of the human resource managers in organization today appreciates the need to embrace diversity in the human resource and they have realized that if taken po sitively, the diversity aspect can make an organization realize it goals in the most efficient and predictable way. The tolerance for counterparts in the work place is highly encouraged and any discrimination unfairly advanced to anybody be it on social or individual level is taken seriously sometimes to the legal redress. How Management of Diversity Has Contributed To Equal Opportunity The realization of the dangers of discrimination based on diversity led to the consideration of what is referred to as Equal Opportunity. In the equal opportunity aspect, politics have gotten into it and there are several schools of thoughts, other arguing that it is like a baskets of fruits -this it to mean that even though there is equal treatment and opportunity for all, individual differences can still be recognized and be used in their reference. The other school of thought is that equal opportunity is like a melting pot, it assumes that under equal opportunity there is no recognizable differenc e among those to be considered. In this regard, the neo classical and the sociological approaches of understanding equal opportunities are interchangeably used to satisfy certain selection criterion. The union of trade organization has addressed the issues, laws have been enacted in the legislative assemblies, and the issue of equal opportunity has become not just a matter of benevolence but also that o procedural way of going about things. Acts of parliaments have been adopted and violations of the acts by anybody in the employment area will be liable for the charges of demonstrating discriminatory tendencies of a given nature.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Aldi, Lidl and Netto Supermarkets Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Aldi, Lidl and Netto Supermarkets - Case Study Example The macro economic players include government's regulations, global economic trends, development of technology, and social aspects of living. Analysis of the business environment is very important before coming up with a marketing strategy. The marketing style adopted by the three supermarkets (Aldi, Lidl and Natto). The most important players to consider when designing a marketing scheme are the clients and the competitors so that the buyer behaviour can be manipulated to benefit the business by purchasing more while keeping a competitive advantage over competitors (Creevy 2008). Basically the current business environment shows that the number of buyers is reducing as the credit crisis has led to loss of jobs and the consequence of this is reduced purchases as many people cut down of some expenditure. The current estimated consumer cut down is about 57%. The prices of basic products increased considerably over the past few years according to the Mysupermarket.co.uk estimated at 11% per year. The three supermarkets are struggling very had to stay at the top of the business and also venturing into other countries like Germany where they have already won the war. The risk of recession presents an opportunity and the three supermarkets have advertised their land requirements in the media and have predicted an enormous increase (Creevy 2008). The three supermarkets should strife to maintain and increase the market share which is currently at 40% combined with over 500 stores. The marketing mix has been very unique approach as the supermarkets stock assortment of well recognised brands like Nescafe and Heinz plus other Dutch and German products. Over the next twelve to eighteen months, the Aldi, Lidl and Netto supermarkets should improve on their display of products to add glamour. The products range from alcohol brands, bakery, cereals, desserts, sweets, fruits and vegetables, pasta and dried foods, pets and health and beauty. The foods are displayed in fridges and this offers wide-ranging effects of sausage and other snacks. The aisles should be designed in attractive manner in that the discount tags are colorfully displayed with the clothing stacked in an organized manner (Leroux 2009). To diverse the product portfolio, the supermarkets should provide seasonal delicacies like barbecues. Aldi, Lidl and Netto should adopt price cuts and give offers in order to keep up with the competition from other players in the market like Tesco which is greatly competing with them. The current statistics reveals that the value line of Tesco products is lower making these gods cheaper than those offered by Aldi, Lidl and Netto (Leroux 2009). These supermarkets should now realise that customers are very informed and they a understand that discounts do not imply poor quality hence if the use of offering discounts as a marketing strategy is implemented, then the supermarkets are bound to increase their sales by a greater margin. Lidl property director has confirmed that the supermarket is ready to take an extra mile in order to keep competitors at bay and this would include stocking and dealing in any product that would make commercial sense (Duxbury 2008). For this purposes the supermarkets have placed their interests to purchase land on the media as mentioned before, this is as a result of property slump. The supermarket need to maintain good working

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Extended Family Cover Essay Example for Free

Extended Family Cover Essay Survey respondents believe that women are not as â€Å"internationally mobile† as men, yet 80 percent of female expatriates have never turned down a relocation, compared to 71 percent of men. A second powerful assumption is that women encounter more work-life conflict while managing a global schedule. However, nearly half of both women and men report that they find work-life balance difficult. Finally, survey respondents believe clients outside the United States are not as comfortable doing business with women as they are with men. In fact, 76 percent of women expatriates said being a woman had a positive or neutral impact on their effectiveness overseas. Both women and men, managers and human resources executives, hold the preconceptions that emerged in this study about womens ability in the international arena. Yet paradoxically, 90 percent of female expatriates, 91 percent of women with global responsibility who havent relocated, and 93 percent of men married to expatriates said they would accept their current assignments again. In fact, current expatriates (85 percent) and former expatriates (86 percent) believe global experience makes them more marketable to other companies. Compared in the past, companies at present become more open in having women as part of the workforce and consider them in equal footing as their male employees. Working Woman magazine cited Philip Morris as a company where 31 percent of all managers are women. With respect to international assignments, Philip Morris makes sure that women are tapped for those assignments. Another company, Hewlett-Packard, has a woman leading the company. The chair, president, and CEO of Hewlett-Packard is Carly Fiorina. She makes Hewlett-Packard one of only two companies in the Fortune 500 with a woman as chair, president, and CEO. Hewlett-Packard, which has a strong international presence, has a long history of supporting and promoting women (Palagano Lee, October 2005). The next items are the list of favorable companies that provide as much benefits to working mothers in their organization: Microsoft, Bacardi and Computer Associates all offer family healthcare benefits packages for partners and their children. It helps to maintain high worker performance and establishing a caring reputation are the important motivating factors, as employers believe satisfied employees will spread the word about a companys practices (Extended Family Cover, 2004). While BMW Plant Oxford, manufacturer of the Mini Cooper, presents different options of flexible, voluntary family benefits, that include insurance products, dental coverage and healthcare cash plans; workers have an option to devise their own benefits packages tailored to individual family needs. BMW also offers family social events, it is one of their strategies to improve worker morale and performance, intensifying job engagement and encouraging better relationships among employees (Extended Family Cover, 2004). IBM provides its employees with schedule flexibility, extended personal leaves and dependent care referral services. Also, IBM has recognized the need to conduct training programs that sensitize its managers to the problems that employees may encounter as they try to balance family and job demands. (Extended Family Cover, 2004). A pioneer in lactation support benefits, Procter and Gamble (PG) has such programs at all its major worksites and in most of its production plants. This kind of strategy has helped maintain high morale and retention rates. It is also enhanced productivity and reduced absenteeism among female workers. Mothers schedule their own breaks in lactation rooms that have hospital-grade pumps, refrigerators for storing milk, curtained-off nursing stations for privacy and a supply of educational materials along with a registered nurse for onsite support (Callahan, 2005). Aetna Inc. s Mothers at Work program, which received a 100% satisfaction rating from participating nursing mothers, has lactation rooms in its 50 locations and an in-house Web site with information for breastfeeding mothers returning to work. Nursing mothers receive an individual pump and professional lactation consultation. In 2004, 62% of Aetna employees nursed for six months, as compared with the 27% national average of nursing mothers (Callahan, 2005).

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Effect of Slavery on the Identity of Cuba Essay examples -- Slaver

The Effect of Slavery on the Identity of Cuba The Caribbean is a diverse region with a unique history. The progress and advancement of each island complied with the European country in control of it at the time. The Caribbean was conquered and colonized soon after Columbus’ discovery in 1492. A similar aspect of the heterogeneous region has been its plantations. The plantations were an important aspect of the cultural history of the Caribbean. Mintz believed that the plantations tied the colonies in the Caribbean to the European country that was colonizing it. He states: "the plantation system was an agricultural design for the production of export commodities for foreign markets- a means for introducing agricultural capitalism to subtropical colonial areas, and for integrating those areas with the expanding European economy"(Mintz 26). The plantations of the Caribbean are also useful tools in learning more about the history of the island who once inhabited the island, as Benitez-Rojo states in his essay, From Plantation to Plantation, "the plantations serve as a telescope for observing the changes and the continuities of the Caribbean galaxy through the lenses of multifold disciplines, namely economics, history, sociology, political science, anthropology, ethnology, demography, as well as through innumerable practices, which range from the commercial to the military, from the religious literary"(Benitez-Rojo 38). The plantations in the Caribbean played a significant role in shaping each colony in the development from colonialism to the modern society. In the other readings in class, we learned that Michelle Cliff (Abeng) despised the plantation systems because the Europeans profited from the sugar plantations, whic... ...combination. The blending of the Spanish guitar and the African drum gives Cuban music its distinctive form, the rumba and son are good examples. Today Cubans are peoples of all different colors. The islands complicated history is evident in its inhabitants. WORKS CITED Beckles, Hilary& Shepard, Verene. Caribbean Slave Society & Economy, New York, 1991. Cliff, Michelle. Abeng. Penguin Group, 1984. Knight, Franklin. The Caribbean: The Genesis of a Fragmented Nationalism. New York, 1990. Paquette, Robert. Sugar is Made with Blood. Middletown, CT, 1988. Perez, Louis. Slaves, Sugar & Colonial Society, Wilmington, Delaware, 1992. Benitez-Rojo, Antonio. The Repeating Island, Duke University, Durham & London, 1992. Mintz, Sidney W. The Caribbean as a Socio-Cultural Area, Peoples and Cultures of the Caribbean, Garden City, New Jersey, 1971.

Monday, November 11, 2019

My opinion about Four Generations By Joyce Maynard Essay

Joyce Maynard in The Four Generations has skillfully described her grandmother as a frail individual who used to be so dynamic once. Her style of writing makes her script colorful and does not let the reader get bored. She uses simple words yet implies deep meanings. In addition, not only does she bring examples to show the characters but she also uses the exact quotations to express the very same idea of them. Joyce Maynard’s strong ability to portray moments is another admirable skill of her in writing. Her use of words in simple sentences clearly shows the characteristics of her grandmother. We can realize that her grandmother was a naughty energetic woman who â€Å"cracks† nuts and was able to lift a car off the ground. She was also emotional, since she used to â€Å"weep† every time she had to say goodbye to her children, and nurse her relatives of her generation and even though she was old enough to forget everything, she wrote down notes to remind herself of her granddaughter and her child whom she had not seen yet. Instead of imposing an idea, Joyce Maynard brings examples to let the reader know her grandmother better. We can get from the text that she was determined. Though she never had much money she did not hesitate to let her daughter take piano lessons and elocution lessons; moreover, she sent her to college. We can see how caring she was, by paying attention to even a one-year-old child to see whether anybody takes care of her. And her physical power is stated when Joyce refers to a car accident where her grandmother lifted the car. The use of quotations is a good element to make her script more colorful. Many times Joyce brings exact words of her grandmother. To let the readers know her grandmother by her own tone of speaking. To show that she believed to be different -and in fact she was- Joyce repeats her own words at the illness bed when she was suffering from pancreatic cancer:† Now I am different. I’m yellow. † And to show her firm character she states † I’m not always like this. † Even though her grandmother had said she was ready to die, what she said in her last words to Joyce was † I wish I had your hair†Ã‚  and † I wish I was well. â€Å" When Joyce wants to depict her grandmother’s powerlessness in her last days, she mentions her body movements in a way that the reader can imagine it in all ways. Just like a puny baby, her grandmother waved to Joyce’s child in a kind of slow, finger-flexing movement and got the same reply from the little kid. Her way of speaking also shows that she wished to be better and enjoy the little child’s presence. Finally Joyce illustrates the loss of her grandmother in a way that her own mother has lost a source of kindness and love. Her use of language and simple words and vivid examples and quotations made her essay more effective and powerful. She leaves the readers concentrating on the idea that once a mother passes away her beloved child is not a daughter anymore but just a mother who unquestioningly loves her own daughter.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Improving Labor Standards In Developing Countries Economics Essay

â€Å" The modern transnational corporation ( MNC ) is an economic, political, environmental, and cultural force that is ineluctable in today ‘s globalised universe † ( Chandler and Mazlish, 2005: 19 ) . Todays planetary economic system and political relations are greatly influenced by the forces of globalisation[ 1 ]. In this context, Multinational Corporations ( MNCs ) phenomenal growing since 1980s has witnessed an impact on every domain of modern life ; such as cars, commercial aircraft, Information Technology, consumer merchandises, nutrient and drinks which makes its function important in this ‘global era ‘ ( Chandler and Mazlish, 2005: 2 ) . With the liberalization of international trade and free flow of capital, big Numberss of developing states have espoused into international trade agreements ; which have significantly shaped the planetary forms of trade and international division of labor ( Zammit, Forthcoming ) . In this context, MNCs are planetar y houses that manage production, grosss, and investing beyond its boundary lines along with a pool of international human resource. With the coming of globalisation epoch, the inquiry of set uping minimal labor criterions for developing states has raised multifaceted issues, such as economic, political and moral which to day of the month remains combative[ 2 ]. For past two decennaries efforts have been made by the United States, along with other beforehand state authoritiess, and the International Confederation of Free trade Unions ( ICFTU ) , to set up many-sided regulations in the World Trade Organisation ( WTO ) to implement higher labor criterions globally. These criterions were being placed to take rigorous trade steps against states deemed unable to keep core labour criterions. ( Singh and Zammit: 2004 ) . However, this enterprise did non happen as developing states opposed this thought and marred this talk by veiled protectionist schemes. In this context, this paper focuses on the outgrowth of ‘global concern revolution ‘ since 1980s and the mode in which it affects labour criterions in developing states. The paper has two cardinal purposes, foremost to measure the cardinal issues in this on-going argument on labor criterions in the literature, and 2nd to analyze the ability of large concerns to better labor criterions in the labour intensive export-oriented work force in the context of planetary value ironss based in developing states. In making so this paper will analyze work conditions of workers employed at the underside of value ironss in developing states. This paper structures ‘ around five elements: I ) an overview of the international labor criterions, this subdivision will research the contention around core labor criterions and it significance from the position of large concern ‘ ability to better them ; two ) Economic development and labor criterions, this subdivision will discourse nature and form of international trade and investing and the its effects on rewards, employment ; three ) the paper so examine the development of planetary production webs and value ironss, in making so the paper will look at the impact of planetary production on working status in the informal sector concentrating on dress and footwear industry in Pakistan, as these industries are labour intensive ; four ) the consequence of developing state trade on labour market conditions in the North ; V ) a brief expression at the possible function of International Labour Organisation ( ILO ) , host authoritiess, Non-government administrations NGOs, W orld Trade Organisation ( WTO ) and Trade Unions to better labor criterions by partnering with planetary large concern. This paper argues that aˆÂ ¦ .International Labour Standards: The On Traveling ArgumentThis subdivision focuses on divergent positions of developed and developing states on planetary trade and labour criterions. The conflict between advocators of a planetary labor criterions and oppositions of the criterions is based on economic and political struggles between developed and developing states. In order to asses the ability of MNCs to better labor criterions in developing states, it is indispensable to be clear about what is meant by labour criterions and understand why they are extremely combative. The contested labor criterions are embodied in ILO 1998 Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, as the benchmark to mensurate labour criterions. Of these criterions, I ) freedom of association and right to collective bargaining ; two ) freedom from forced labor ; three ) the abolishment of child labor and four ) the riddance of favoritism in the workplace are considered to be core labour criterions ( CLS ) . These criterions were jointly accepted by the member state provinces to continue them ( Singh and Zammit, 2004 ) . However, this has non been the instance. These core labor criterions are viewed by many NGOs as basic human rights. The nucleus criterions are besides known as â€Å" societal clauses † on the footing of human-centered evidences. However, Singh and Zammit argue, by categorising nucleus labor criterions as human rights will forestall any farther argument to take topographic point on happening a favourable manner to implement them in developing states ( Singh and Zammit, 2003: 10 ) . The Declaration clearly states that â€Å" We reject the usage of labor criterions for protectionist intents, and agree that the comparative advantage of states, peculiarly low-wage developing states, must in no manner be put into inquiry † ( WTO, 1996 ) . However, there is differentiation between nucleus labor criterions and other labor criterions, which besides factors into ‘social clause ‘ and normally embodies labour criterions such as minimal rewards, restriction of work hours, and occupational wellness and safety. The function of other labour criterions can non be underestimated in the visible radiation of nucleus criterions as they play a important function to analyze the influence of MNCs on criterions. Therefore, â€Å" labour criterions can be understood as societal ordinances † that are â€Å" designed to turn to fairness, wellness and safety † , and at the same time economic in nature to modulate r ewards and control motions in the market ( Mehmet 1999: 90 ) . Although, liberalization of free trade has offered both challenges and chances to states based in South ; Elliott and Freeman note, that many developing states are committed and inclined to better nucleus and other labor criterions. Many of the developing states have Torahs to keep ‘decent labour conditions ‘ ( Elliott and Freeman, 2003: 11 ) . However, due to weak economic constructions and deficiency of resources and inability to implement labour codifications, shackles the betterment of criterions in developing states. Hence, argument over labour criterions is on-going, the inquiry is what are the ideal criterions and what is the best manner to integrate them ( Singh and Zammit, 2004: 3 ) . It is proposed, that as labor criterions aid equilibrate the involvements of workers and capital within states and within the planetary economic system ; workers through corporate brotherhoods should take upon themselves to implement these criterions. [ Connect ] Singh and Zammit argues that since nucleus labor convention do non include minimal pay, hence, execution of nucleus criterions will hold no impact on pay degrees and other labor costs and hence, developing states should follow this criterion.II Nature and Pattern of International Trade and Investment: Consequence of developing state trade on labour market conditions in the NorthThere is complex relationship between the labor criterions and economic development. The International trade enlargement has brought labour markets of developed states in close contact with those of developing states[ 3 ]. This economic relationship has reaped great benefits such as heightening the development in the development states through the transportation of cognition and foreign direct investing ( FDI ) from the North. On the other manus, developed states in the North has benefited from this trade relationship by seeing lifting criterions of life. However, Wood notes, that this relationship has affected the unskilled labor of North, by diminishing rewards and doing them excess ( Wood, 2004: 1 ) . The 1947 preamble of the original General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade ( GATT ) stated: â€Å" Relationss among states in the field of trade and economic enterprise should be conducted with the position of raising criterions of life and guaranting full employment † ( cited in Harvey et Al, 2000: 4 ; Chan, and Ross. 2003: 1012 ) . This facet of globalisation has an impact on workers from both South and the North. For illustration, developed states are concerned that trade with low-wage states which is non synonymous for low labor criterions states are responsible for increasing pay inequality and loss of employment chances in developed states. Nolan argues that the â€Å" planetary concern revolution † has â€Å" changed the nature of the capitalist house, the form of competition and the manner in which economic production is forming in much of the planetary economic system † ( Nolan, 2006: 1 ) . This development of planetary concern has generated competition at planetary degree, which compels houses in similar industries to unify their resources in order to accomplish economic systems of graduated table and derive competitory advantages of houses. Therefore, these amalgamations and acquisitions make MNCs powerful entity to play a dominant function in the planetary production and trade. ( Connect with following parity ) The ordinances of the new planetary production system and trade have been redefined under the counsel of transnational corporations and their subordinates, developing ‘system planimeters ‘ in planetary value ironss. The planetary retail merchants employ new engineerings and methods acquired through amalgamations to exercise force per unit area on houses in supply concatenation. These system planimeters posses unequal bargaining power in value ironss, as they put force per unit areas in the retail sector, for consolidation to their first grade providers for ‘right monetary value ‘ and ‘right clip ‘ , who further pass the force per unit areas to bottom of the supply concatenation which is normally labour intensive and outsourced to developing states to entree cheap labour. Therefore, making ‘cascade consequence ‘ to obtain economic systems of graduated table. Nolan argues this â€Å" ‘cascade consequence ‘ will hold profound deductions † for southern states houses â€Å" in catching up † at the planetary degree, that may make entry barriers into planetary concern ( 2006, 155 ) . From developing states ‘ positions, entry into value concatenation plays a important entry point for their local corporations to hold entree to â€Å" the planetary trade good ironss of nucleus houses † located in developed states ( Nolan, 2006: 3 ) . Therefore, less developed states ‘ houses admission is non entirely managed by the trade policies but besides by the tactful determinations of the parent houses in the value ironss. Although MNCs play a important function in developing states by puting in different industries and supplying employment chances with their economic and industrial power, the developed states ‘ authoritiess have exploited the ‘weak bargaining place ‘ of developing states to make more avenues for large concern ( Madeley, 2008: 17 ) . How Labour criterions and patterns Therefore, â€Å" MNCs are non merely economic entities but portion of complex interplay of factors † , that has both positive and negative effects on societal, cultural environment of the host states ( Chandler and Mazlish, 2005: 3-4 ) .

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The Diversity of Over- and Under- Compounds

The Diversity of Over- and Under- Compounds The Diversity of Over- and Under- Compounds The Diversity of Over- and Under- Compounds By Mark Nichol Becoming familiar (or more familiar) with words beginning with over and under must include taking into account that these compounds can be both literal and figurative (or only figurative but rarely only literal) and can serve as various parts of speech. This post discusses some examples. Overboard has a literal meaning, referring to someone or something falling or being thrown from a ship or boat. (Board alludes to the wooden deck of a ship.) However, it also has the figurative sense of discarding an idea as if it were being thrown from a ship and of excessive enthusiasm; remarking that someone has gone overboard implies that the person is not on the firm footing of reality or sensibility. Similar, overthrow can be literal, as when describing an athlete throwing a ball too far, causing a teammate to be unable to catch it, as well as figurative, as with the sense of â€Å"defeat,† â€Å"depose,† or â€Å"upset.† Overhead originally meant, literally, what was above one’s head, but it also serves as a noun with several meanings: It can refer to a stroke that a player in a game of tennis or a similar sport makes over his or her head, to a ceiling in a marine vessel, or to basic business expenses that do not fall under the budget for a specific project. Overtime is the extra time after the regulated period of play in a competition (as to provide contestants with the opportunity to break a tie) or the standard workday or workweek (or, by extension, the pay for additional time spent working), but it can also refer, more casually, to when participants in a project work extra hours to complete it. Many words beginning with over-, such as overlook (which can mean both â€Å"provide a view from above† and â€Å"fail to see†) and overtake (â€Å"catch up to and pass†) are verbs, and some in which over is the second element of the compound are nouns transformed from verb phrases, including handover (â€Å"transfer†) â€Å"and takeover (â€Å"forced or otherwise hostile transfer of power†). Likewise, words beginning with under serve various grammatical functions. Underhand is an adjective referring to an action undertaken to avoid detection or to a motion made with the hand moving up from below the shoulder (and underhanded means â€Å"deceitful†), and as an adverb, it means â€Å"secretly† or â€Å"with an underhand motion.† Underline and underscore both denote a line inserted beneath one or more words to emphasize them but also serve as verbs with that literal meaning and with the figurative sense of emphasis. Understand is an outlier, in that it has only a figurative meaning; one does not use the word to refer to posing beneath something. (The Old English word for that action is undergestandan.) The sense is of standing close to or in the midst of something and thus being familiar with it, although under may stem not from the Old English preposition under but from the homonym related to the Latin word inter, meaning â€Å"between† (though the homonyms may be directly related). And though underworld once referred to Hades (as well as, occasionally, the earth, as being located beneath heaven), it came to refer to the lowest level in the social ladder and, by extension, the figurative collective of criminals, especially those in organized crime. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:25 Subordinating ConjunctionsThat vs. WhichGrammar Review #1: Particles and Phrasal Verbs

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Overview of Toltec Gods and Religion

Overview of Toltec Gods and Religion The Ancient Toltec civilization dominated Central Mexico during the post-classic period, from approximately 900-1150 A.D. from their home in the city of Tollan (Tula). They had a rich religious life and the apogee of their civilization is marked by the spread of the cult of Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent. Toltec society was dominated by warrior cults and they practiced human sacrifice as a means of gaining favor with their gods. The Toltec Civilization The Toltecs were a major Mesoamerican culture who rose to prominence after the fall of Teotihuacn in approximately 750 A.D. Even before Teotihuacan fell, Chichimec tribes in central Mexico and the remnants of the mighty Teotihuacan civilization had begun coalescing into the city of Tula. There they founded a powerful civilization which would eventually extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific through networks of trade, vassal states, and war. Their influence reached as far as the Yucatan Peninsula, where the descendants of the ancient Maya civilization emulated Tula art and religion. The Toltecs were a warlike society ruled by priest-kings. By 1150, their civilization went into decline and Tula was eventually destroyed and abandoned. The Mexica (Aztec) culture considered ancient Tollan (Tula) the high point of civilization and claimed to be descendants of the mighty Toltec kings. Religious Life at Tula Toltec society was highly militaristic, with religion playing an equal or secondary role to the military. In this, it was similar to the later Aztec culture. Still, religion was extremely important to the Toltecs. The kings and rulers of the Toltecs often served as priests of Tlaloc as well, erasing the line between civil and religious rule. Most of the buildings in the center of Tula had religious functions. The Sacred Precinct of Tula Religion and gods were important to the Toltecs. Their mighty city of Tula is dominated by the sacred precinct, a compound of pyramids, temples, ball courts, and other structures around an airy plaza. Pyramid C: The largest pyramid at Tula, Pyramid C has not been completely excavated and was extensively looted even before the Spanish arrived. It shares certain characteristics with the Pyramid of the Moon at Teotihuacan, including its east-west orientation. It was once covered with relief panels like Pyramid B, but most of these were looted or destroyed. The little evidence that remains suggests that Pyramid C might have been dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. Pyramid B: located at a right angle across the plaza from the larger Pyramid C, Pyramid B is home to the four tall warrior statues for which the site of Tula is so famous. Four smaller pillars contain relief sculptures of gods and Toltec kings. A carving on the temple is thought by some archaeologists to represent Quetzalcoatl in his aspect as Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, the warlike god of the morning star. Archaeologist Robert Cobean believes that Pyramid B was a private religious sanctuary for the ruling dynasty. The Ball Courts: There are at least three Ball courts at Tula. Two of them are strategically located: Ballcourt One is aligned to Pyramid B on the other side of the main plaza, and the larger Ballcourt Two makes up the western edge of the sacred precinct. The Mesoamerican ball game had important symbolic and religious meaning for the Toltecs and other ancient Mesoamerican cultures. Other Religious Structures in the Sacred Precinct: In addition to the pyramids and ball courts, there are other structures in Tula which had religious significance. The so-called Burned Palace, once thought to be where the royal family lived, is now believed to have served a more religious purpose. The Palace of Quetzalcoatl, situated between the two major pyramids, was also once thought to be residential but is now believed to have been a temple of sorts, possibly for the royal family. There is a small altar in the middle of the main plaza as well as the remains of a tzompantli, or skull rack for the heads of sacrificial victims. The Toltecs and Human Sacrifice Ample evidence at Tula shows that the Toltecs were dedicated practitioners of human sacrifice. On the western side of the main plaza, there is a tzompantli, or skull rack. It is not far from Ballcourt Two (which is probably not a coincidence). The heads and skulls of sacrificed victims were placed here for display. It is one of the earliest known tzompantlis, and probably the one that the Aztecs would later model theirs upon. Inside the Burned Palace, three Chac Mool statues were found: these reclining figures hold bowls where human hearts were placed. Pieces of another Chac Mool were found near Pyramid C, and historians believe that a Chac Mool statue probably was placed on top of the small altar in the center of the main plaza. There are depictions at Tula of several cuauhxicalli, or large eagle vessels which were used to hold human sacrifices. The historical record agrees with the archaeology: post-conquest sources recounting Aztec legends of Tollan claim that Ce Atl Topiltzà ­n, the legendary founder of Tula, was forced to leave because the followers of Tezcatlipoca wanted him to increase the number of human sacrifices. The Gods of the Toltecs The ancient Toltec civilization had many gods, chief among them Quetzalcoatl, Tezcatlipoca, and Tlaloc. Quetzalcoatl was the most important of these, and representations of his abound at Tula. During the apogee of the Toltec civilization, the cult of Quetzalcoatl spread throughout Mesoamerica. It even reached as far as the ancestral lands of the Maya, where similarities between Tula and Chichen Itza include the majestic Temple to Kukulcn, the Maya word for Quetzalcoatl. At major sites contemporary with Tula, such as El Tajin and Xochicalco, there are important temples dedicated to the Feathered Serpent. The mythical founder of the Toltec civilization, Ce Atl Topiltzà ­n Quetzalcoatl, may have been a real person who was later deified into Quetzalcoatl. Tlaloc, the rain god, was worshiped at Teotihuacan. As the successors of the great Teotihuacan culture, it is no surprise that the Toltecs venerated Tlaloc as well. A warrior statue dressed in Tlaloc garb was discovered at Tula, indicating the probable presence of a Tlaloc warrior cult there. Tezcatlipoca, the Smoking Mirror, was considered a sort of brother god to Quetzalcoatl, and some surviving legends from the Toltec culture include both of them. There is only one representation of Tezcatlipoca at Tula, on one of the columns atop Pyramid B, but the site was heavily looted even before the arrival of the Spanish and other carvings and images may have been carried off long ago. There are depictions of other gods at Tula, including Xochiquetzal and Centeotl, but their worship was clearly less widespread than that of Tlaloc, Quetzalcoatl, and Tezcatlipoca. New Age Toltec Beliefs Some practitioners of New Age Spiritualism have adopted the term Toltec to refer to their beliefs. Chief among them is the writer Miguel Angel Ruiz, whose 1997 book has sold millions of copies. Very loosely stated, this new Toltec spiritual belief system focuses on the self and ones relationship to things one cannot change. This modern spirituality has little or nothing to do with religion from the ancient Toltec civilization and should not be confused with it. Sources Charles River Editors. The History and Culture of the Toltec. Lexington: Charles River Editors, 2014. Cobean, Robert H., Elizabeth Jimà ©nez Garcà ­a and Alba Guadalupe Mastache. Tula. Mexico: Fondo de Cultura Economica, 2012. Coe, Michael D, and Rex Koontz. 6th Edition. New York: Thames and Hudson, 2008 Davies, Nigel. The Toltecs: Until the Fall of Tula. Norman: the University of Oklahoma Press, 1987. Gamboa Cabezas, Luis Manuel. El Palacio Quemado, Tula: Seis Decadas de Investigaciones. Arqueologia Mexicana XV-85 (May-June 2007). 43-47

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Soap Opera developed from the American radio serials in the 1930s to a Essay

Soap Opera developed from the American radio serials in the 1930s to a major global television genre. Trace it s development a - Essay Example These ongoing serials, which first appeared on radio and later on television, were called â€Å"soap operas† because the leading soap manufacturers such as P&G, Lever Brothers, Colgate and others were the major advertisers, producers and financers of these soap operas (Katzman, 1972, p. 210). By the 1930s, most of the networks and advertisers were realising the potential and the size of the daytime market, as most men would spend their daytime on their job and children would spend most of the morning and afternoon at school and playing outside, which left the women and homemakers as an enormous untapped market (Baym, 1996, p. 149). Soap operas provided these networks to tap into this market and attract the advertisers since these women made most of the important purchasing decisions in their homes. Furthermore, with the advent of television and its widespread distribution and use in industrialised and modern economies, advertisers began to focus on developing soap operas on te levision and it is on television that the genre of soap opera has developed and nurtured (Nariman & Rogers, 1993, p. 152). This paper will make a brief attempt at exploring and analysing the development and evolution of soap operas in the global television industry with highlighting the significant and noteworthy changes that have taken place over the past few decades in terms of the format and content of soap operas. Discussion For the most part, a crucial defining element of soap operas has been its open-ended narrative nature, where the story line has the potential to go into so many directions. Every episode ends in such a way that it does need to explicitly run a ticker saying, â€Å"To be continued† because the viewers easily infer that the story will move on to several upcoming episodes. A soap opera may have several parallel story lines, which may intersect with each other and shape each other. Soap opera are least likely to bring all of their storylines to conclusion during the show and even if one storyline moves towards its conclusion, the other storyline is likely to take its place (Nariman & Rogers, 1993, p. 152). During the early years, when the soap operas represented stage plays and theatre settings, the actors relied heavily on blocking techniques. Every now and then, during conservations between characters, one character would suddenly change his or her direction so that they could both face the camera or the stage at the same time (Matelski, 1988, p. 37). The conversation or dialogue delivery, which takes place in such a setting, is not at all realistic but this was a technique which was heavily relied upon during the early years when most of the soap operas were shot in live format. The same does not apply to soap operas and television dramas of today, whether they are using single camera or multi camera format (Liebes & Livingstone, 1998, p. 68). During much of the 1940s-1960s, many of the soap operas never left interior settings or were shot in fictional settings of Midwestern midsized towns. Furthermore, since most of the early actors that took part in these soap opera were theatre actors, the focus remained on live broadcasting in order to provide a