Saturday, December 28, 2019

Jane Austen s Death On The Nile Essay - 1267 Words

Society throughout time has held particular values close to their hearts, which people are expected to respect at all times, though many do not necessarily agree with them. Death on the Nile, written by Agatha Christie in 1937, is about many upper-middle and upper class families enjoying a cruise until a murder occurred, and the story revolves around the murder case being solved alongside the different family values and perspectives around the case. Pride and Prejudice, written by Jane Austen in 1813, tells the story of Elizabeth Bennet, and her relationships between her family and families beyond her class and the issues that arise between the different class statuses. Agatha Christie and Jane Austen have similar perspectives on the values that the upper class hold dear, such as gender roles, importance of social status and reasons for marriage. Agatha Christie and Jane Austen both reveal the expectations for women in their novels in terms of behaviour and knowledge. Christie shows through her male characters what the male-dominant society expects of women. Simon Doyle is a character who demonstrates the typical ‘man’ in society, and views women in a way where they must follow certain rules and behave in a sane, collected manner, for [t]here s no reason why women shouldn t behave like rational beings, (Christie 77). Simon essentially summarizes the expectations placed on women. Women must always be rational, always keep up a good appearance, while men are excused for

Friday, December 20, 2019

The Effects of Globalization on Music Essays - 1798 Words

The influence that music has throughout the world is immeasurable. Music evokes many feelings, surfaces old memories, and creates new ones all while satisfying a sense of human emotion. With the ability to help identify a culture, as well as educate countries about other cultures, music also provides for a sense of knowledge. Music can be a tool for many things: relaxation, stimulation and communication. But at the same time it can also be a tool for resistance: against parents, against police against power. Within the reign of imported culture, cross cultivation and the creation of the so-called global village lies the need to expand horizons to engulf more than just what you see everyday. It is important to note that the role of†¦show more content†¦This has been referred to by Lomax as a â€Å"cultural grey out.† Basically what this theory says is that cultural lines are meshed together so much that is almost impossible to distinguish between them due to the fact that they have so many similar characteristics. Lomax also states that due to the widespread distribution of â€Å"industrialized† music and the loss of music that exemplifies cultural aspects and characteristics, civilizations are not maintaining a sense of national pride and identity. Without these distinguishing lines, Schiller states that at one time it was cultural diversity that flourished, and now we are witnessing the diffusion of such a process. He goes on to state, as well as warn, that if such a process of cultural breakdown were to keep evolving, we would have to face a â€Å"global consumer monoculture.† As stated previously, it is important to realize how big of a business culture has become. Through the use of quantitative analysis we can see the control that the major conglomerates have over the distribution of music. Burnett, in empirical studies of market concentration in music (1990, 1993), reports that seven corporations together controlled no less than 50 percent of market share in any country where they had operations and up to 80 percent in some countries (1990, pp. 104-105). The seven corporations, with their nation of origin and reported 1990 sales, are: Sony (Japan, $3 billion), Time/Warner (U.S., $2.9 billion), PolygramShow MoreRelatedEffects of Globalization Towards Our Culture721 Words   |  3 PagesHow does Globalization Affect Cultural traditions? Globalization is very synonym to us since the past few years. It can be defined as process by which regional economies, societies and cultures have become integrated through a global network of communication, transportation and trade. Globalization also has made a vast change in every angle of humans life and one of it is, our cultural tradition could be affected due to globalization process. Culture is what people eat, how they dress , beliefsRead MoreHow Does Globalization Affect Cultural Traditions in the Arabic Communities?923 Words   |  4 PagesThe modern phenomena of globalization is having effects on Arab cultural traditions in Arab communities in many ways, like in language, education, media and customs. Globalization is making the world becoming a global village and the result is Arab communities cultural traditions are changing and are threaten to be lost . Globalization is not easy to define, but we can say it is process of integrating the worlds economies, trade, business and communications together. The problem is the cultureRead MoreCulture Drives Globalization Essay1559 Words   |  7 PagesThe term ‘globalization’ did not come about till the twentieth century however the processes of globalization had been around since the era of imperial domination. â€Å"The controversy surrounding the on-going debates about globalization is whether unfettered market forces will further diverge or converge income the world over. On the one hand, proponents of globalization say it has promoted information exchange, led to a greater understanding of other cultures, raised living standards, increased purchasingRead MoreThe Impact Of World Music On Music And Culture1168 Words   |  5 Pagesworld music and globalization. According to Bohlman, world music is music people face ubiquitously, and includes popular, folk and art music prac ticed by either professionals or amateurs; it may be Western or non-Western, acoustic, electronic, and so on. Bohlman notes that world music can be marketable, profane, or sacred, and that musicians may highlight genuineness while greatly relying on media to propagate it to as many markets as they can. The consumers of world music may accept the music as howeverRead More Global Opportunities for Turkey Essay1583 Words   |  7 Pagesabout the whole world, it is that globalization is affecting and changing it. Turkey is located at the center of the Europe, Asia and Africa, therefore the political and economical circumstances of it are important both for the Western part and the Eastern part of the world, then, the role of the globalization is very important to Turkey. Since the country has improved by the global changes that have effects on the whole world for the last few decades, globalization is good and necessary for TurkeyRead MoreEssay on The Globalization of Hip Hop Music1498 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to Wikipedia, Hip-hop music, also called rap music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted. It developed as part of hip hop culture, a subculture defined by four key stylistic elements: MCing/rapping, DJing/scratching, breaking/dancing, and graffiti writing. Hip hop is also characterized by these other elements: sampling (or synthesis), and beatboxing. Hip hop music developed from party DJsRead MoreThomas Friedman’S Introduction Started With A Brief History876 Words   |  4 Pagestechnology and globalization changed people’s lives and many people didn’t realize it. His first two paragraphs were difficult for me to understand because I was mainly visualizing the historic events. And I couldn’t see how he related globalization to the earth being round or flat. In Friedman’s globalization analyses, he was referring in a general aspect to the impact that the advancement of technology created. He used past events as observations to prove his point of view in globalization. The wayRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Samir Moussa 1168 Words   |  5 Pagessampled the cultures and settings of 11 different countries, I do not share his view of having only â€Å"the World to call home.† I consider my home to be with my family in England. Although Samir feels he is able to draw inner strength from the effects of Globalization, through his ability to see value and diversity in humanity, his ability to speak four languages, and his ability to draw parallels between them. He also admits that it has caused him outer frustration, though a sense of isolation from hisRead MoreThe Effects of Globalization on Cambodia Essay888 Words   |  4 PagesGlobalization is defined as the act of creating connections between countries across the globe in terms of culture and economy. Almost on every part of the world, citizens have become a part of the global village. Even though various researches stated that there are negative effects of globalization for particular reasons, the positive impacts were clearly shown to be stronger especially in developing countries such as Cambodia. To begin with, tourist travel is one of the main negative impacts ofRead MoreEssay about Street Dreams and Hip Hop Barber Shops Critique1169 Words   |  5 Pagesand bus stands, seamstress tables and video halls, was carried out in the northern Tanzanian city of Arusha. In â€Å"Street Dreams and Hip Hop Barber Shops† Weiss does a great job observing the everyday life of the people in Arusha. He explores how globalization and neoliberalism affect the mindset of a community and shows the reader how gender role, media, and self-fashioning can play a big role in a person life. Weiss’s fieldwork and observation is very accurate and informative for the most part but

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Key Role in Tampering the Financial †Free Samples for Students

Question: What Is the Key Role in Tampering the Financial? Answer: Introduction Lehman Brothers initially offered international financial services to its customers until 2008, when it became bankrupt and had to lose its title of being the fourth largest investment-banking firm in the United States. The prime reason behind such bankruptcy was the improper evaluation of risks on the part of the management and failure on the part of auditors to warn the management about the consequences of the same (Manoharan, 2011). It can be said that the catastrophe occurred due to the collective failure and hence, lead to a massive loss. Therefore, effective strategies and control measures are the need of the hour so that enhanced procedures can be easily carried out. Besides, if the auditors had not been negligent on their part, the firm would have been saved from a downfall. In other words, if the auditors had not concealed relevant data from the financial statements, such a tragedy would not have occurred. Significant facts that must be considered during preparation of financial statements There was a major boom phase betwixt the year 2001 and 2008 in the housing market that forced Lehman Brothers to borrow a large amount of money and invest the same in the market. However, the expectation of Lehman regarding the phase to be a profitable venture was quashed when the situation deteriorated with the fall in the sub-prime mortgage business in the same segment. This sheds light upon negligence and improper evaluation of the outcomes that could follow in lieu of such heavy investments in risky assets (Jubb, 2012). In addition, the firm invested its own funds into real estate businesses and private financing that worsened its situation. Instruments took into use Lehman Brothers had undertaken a very inappropriate and improper decision by falsely utilizing Repo 105 transactions. The reason behind this decision was to depict an effective image of the firm in the eyes of financial institutions and public investors. Furthermore, this decision could have allowed the firm to procure more borrowings from the market (Wiggins et.al, 2014). It needs to be noted for the purpose of raising funds various decisions are taken by the term that erodes the entire goodwill and leads to major losses. Thus, by keeping its securities as collateral, the firm settled all its debt obligations from the borrowed funds (Arens et. al, 2013). However, such repo transactions were the key cause of the firms destruction as these deteriorated the securities by reflecting the transactions as inventory sale for securities. Nonetheless, the auditors played a significant part in concealing the duplication of securities forming part of the balance sheet and also hiding the firms actions regarding reflection of securities as collateral by third parties as nothing in the financials (Zhang et. al, 2007). Furthermore, the borrowed loans were depicted as sale proceeds of investment securities and hidden from the financial statements as well. Commercial papers and Repo transactions Both commercial papers and repo transactions assisted the management of Lehman to procure short-term loans by mortgaging the long-term investment securities and other assets. However, Lehman took advantage of the same and procured immense borrowings on a regular basis, thereby generating huge risks. Nonetheless, due to such decisions and measures, the downfall of Lehman occurred (Messier, 2013). Besides, the failure of Lehman to meet its obligations and restrictions on the part of financial institutions to accept additional securities as collateral made the firm prone to immediate risks. Furthermore, not even a single concern regarding the firm was depicted in its financial statements as the auditors concealed every material fact. If such concealment would not be made by the auditors (Ernst and Young LLP), it would be possible to safeguard the firm from collapse or delayed it to some extent. Communication of significant audit matters in independent audit report ASA 707 was incorporated into financial reporting on December 15. The standard intends to keep a record of significant audit matters that must be communicated to the management of any audit firm. Furthermore, such standard operates like a boon for the users of financial statements of a company as they can now observe the relevant matters related to the company in order to make significant decisions in the future and avoid losses as well. Besides, in relation to Lehman, users would have easily determined such financial statements if the auditors endeavored to avoid concealment of relevant facts (Reed, 2008). Nonetheless, it is the responsibility of the auditors to concentrate on matters, which are more relevant during their audit processes. In addition, it is the auditors duty to find details on matters that possesses a high risk of fraud or material misstatement, matters associated with large-scale uncertainties, and influence of all these matters on other transactions during the course of audit procedures (Wearden et. al, 2008). Auditing issues that resulted in the collapse of Lehman Brothers Since ASA 701 was absent at the time of occurrence of Lehman Brothers case, it could not safeguard the firm from disintegration. Moreover, auditors gained leverage due to the same and endeavored to conceal material facts from the financial statements. Furthermore, the reason behind the disintegration of Lehman can also be attributed to the presence of loopholes in the regulatory system (Fox, 2009). The auditing issues that resulted in the downfall of the firm are as follows: Concealment of wrongly stated leverage ratios In the year 2008, the leverage ratio of Lehman reported a significant decline in comparison to the past years. Furthermore, the firm made use of Repo 105transactions in order to reflect such decline as false or temporary in nature. The key influence on such leverage ratios was because of untimely payments of repo transactions debts that were made at the termination of fiscal quarter periods (Hoi et. al, 2009). This assisted in recreating the securities in the firms financial statements. Moreover, all this could have resulted in minimizing such ratios to a level that would force the auditors to depict the same in the audit reports and financials of the firm. Matters that were required to be reported to the management reflect the key concerns that played a major role in the downfall of Lehman. Besides, if there existed ASA 701 auditing standards during the collapse of Lehman, auditors could not have dared to attempt such unethical steps, thereby safeguarding the firm from downfall (Ghandar Tsahuridu, 2013). Ultimately it can be commented that the funds that were raised were classified in a wrong manner. Approval of Repo 105 transaction for falsification of financials Lehman Brothers created the Reverse Repo policy and Repo 105 policy with prior permission from the auditors. Moreover, it was done by the firm to depict the same in its financial statements in the form of investment trading. Besides, it was the major duty of the auditors to indicate the happenings of such steps. The disclosures were not provided by the auditors that created a risky situation. The acts of the auditor were unethical that ultimately lead to the downfall (Story Dash, 2010). Nonetheless, the firm also started reflecting its equities as collateral in opposition to fixed-income securities in order to conduct smooth operations of Repo transactions. Failure to disclose non-approval of true sales opinion in the United States Lehman Brothers were responsible for procuring a true sales opinion in the United States that would allow it to conduct its affairs in a smooth manner. This was because of the firm reflecting the Repo 105 transactions under FAS 140 as Sales. Moreover, in order to procure such permission, Lehman had to enter into an agreement with the financers of UK because they were unable to attain such permission in the US. The agreement was that the firm had to trade and reflects their securities only within the UK that allowed it to conduct billions of dollars of transactions (Elder et. al, 2010). However, eventually, the firm attempted to transfer American fixed-income generating securities that were worth billions of dollars. Besides, auditors being aware of the same never reported the same in the firms financial statements. Non-disclosure of improper treatment of repo transactions in Notes to Account and Auditors report It was the decision of the firm to prevent disclosure of impacts of the Repo 105 transactions because disclosure of the same would make the firm vulnerable to inadequate situations by exposing its huge debt obligations and unaltered leverage ratios as well (Tepalagul Lin, 2015). Furthermore, auditors in concealing material impacts caused because of the transaction played the key role. Nonetheless, these are the reasons why the firm attempted not to disclose such data. Approval of financial statements that hide Repo 105 transactions It was not disclosed anywhere that the firm had a liability to buy back billions of securities from third parties as temporarily transferred resources. Furthermore, both the auditors and the firm endeavored to depict such transactions as minimal fluctuations in the financial statements (balance sheet) based on the report of the management. Therefore, a major disclosure was concealed by the auditors that had the capacity of affecting Lehman Brother. In addition, the firm depicted that re-procurement of securities were done at a lesser cost and was depicted and concealed under derivates of large-scale nature (Tepalagul Lin, 2015). Besides, Lehman made clever attempts to put all such transactions at the footnotes of its financials. Moreover, every such thing was done prior to the permission of the auditors. Classification of inappropriate funds raised and used through Repo transactions by FAS 140 Lehman attempted to depict its short-term financing transactions under sales through utilization of repo transactions. Furthermore, the securities that were depicted as collateral were quashed and removed from the balance sheet of the firm. In place of this, Lehman attempted to minimize the liabilities in order to reflect the image that the firms securities were being provided to the third parties as compensation and there was a reduction in the leverage (Ghandar Tsahuridu, 2013). In addition, the loans procured by the firm were intended to form part of the balance sheet until their repayment had been made. However, the transactions were treated as sales so the sold securities were subtracted from the assets and there was no indication of liabilities. The above-discussed points clearly state what were the chief matter in the Lehman Brother case that needs to b communicate with the ones charged with governance. The presence of ASA 701 at that point of time (Auditing Standard) for Lehman Brother and auditors then such matter could have been restricted and the investor community could be saved. Huge losses could have been averted if the standard were present at that point of time. Hence, ASA-701 could have been a strong protector and lead to a strong course of action of the investor community. Recommendation It is upon the auditors to reflect the real image of the financial statements of the firm. The company and the society rely upon the auditors because they depict a real image of the company in each way and in order to adhere to the same, the auditors are required to comply with auditing standards. It is, therefore, imperative that the auditor must act in a way that is beneficial to the company and the investor. Moreover, it is expected that an independent view must be provided by the auditor. In relation to Lehman Brothers, the auditors can be held liable for the suffered losses by third parties who significantly depend on the firms financial statements made by auditors. It is the duty of auditors to shed light on the errors of the management that exist in the financial statements. Furthermore, the downfall of Lehman Brothers depicts the loopholes in the statutory measures demanding an effective and strict guidance. Besides, it is very important for the policy makers like ASB (Accoun ting Standards Board), IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards), and Basel to take into account the loopholes in the regulatory system to implement proper and stricter rules and regulations. Conclusion The downfall of Lehman Brothers offers stricter illustrations to all the companies irrespective of the fame to follow all moral standards in association with the corporate governance. Furthermore, it is the management and auditors duty to comply with the rules and regulations effectively. Moreover, the organizations must think and understand that such rules are made for their self-advantages because these are implemented by taking into account all the segments of financial issues necessary during the event of the drafting of financial statements. Nonetheless, it is the need of the hour that there must be an effective and proper reflection of the books of accounts in the companys financial statements. On a whole, it is primarily needed that the companies must prepare reports that can assist in avoiding misguidance to the stakeholders about the firms financial transactions. In such a scenario, the company must make steps to implement a proper way that can assist in the adoption of audi ting standards and statutory accounting practices. References Arens, A. A, Best, P. J, Shailer, G. E. P Loebbecke, J. K, 2013, Assurance Services and Ethics in Australia, 9th ed, Australia: Pearson. Elder, J. R, Beasley S. M. Arens A. A 2010, Auditing and Assurance Services, Person Education, New Jersey: USA Fox, J 2009, Three Lessons of the Lehman Brothers Collapse, viewed 19 May 2017 https://content.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1923197,00.html Ghandar, A Tsahuridu, E 2013, The Auditing Handbook 2013, Australia: Pearson. Hoi, C. K, Robin, A Tessoni, D 2009, Sarbanes-Oxley: are audit committees up to the task?, Managerial Auditing Journal vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 255-67. Jubb, C 2012, Auditing: A Business Risk Approach, Australia: Cengage Manoharan, T.N 2011, Financial Statement Fraud and Corporate Governance, The George Washington University. Messier, F. W 2013, Auditing and Assurance Services - A systematic approach, 9th ed. Australia: McGraw Hill. Reed, K 2008, EY sued over Lehmans audit, viewed 19 May 2017 https://www.accountancyage.com/aa/news/1934026/-sued-lehmans-audit Story, L Dash, E 2010, Lehman Channeled Risks Through Alter Ego Firm, viewed 19 May 2017 https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/13/business/13lehman.html Tepalagul, N. Lin, L 2015 Auditor Independence and Audit Quality A Literature Review, Journal of Accounting, Auditing Finance vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 101-121. Wearden, G, Teather, D Treanor, J 2008, Banking crisis: Lehman Brothers files for bankruptcy protection, viewed 19 May 2017 https://www.theguardian.com/business/2008/sep/15/lehmanbrothers.creditcrunch Wiggins, R.Z, Piontek, T Metrick, A 2014, The Lehman Brothers Bankruptcy A., viewed 15 May 2107 https://som.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/001-2014-3A-V1-LehmanBrothers-A-REVA.pdf Wright, M.K. Charles, J 2012, Auditor independence and internal information systems audit quality, Business Studies Journal vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 63-84 Zhang, Y, Zhou, J Zhou, N 2007, Audit committee quality, auditor independence, and internal control weakness, Journal of Accounting and Public Policy v

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Ways of Seeing Free-Samples for Students-Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss about the The Relation between what we see and what we know is never settled. Answer: The relation between what we see and what we know is never settled. As quoted by John Berger in his book Ways of seeing conceptualizes the fact that seeing usually comes before words. Each evening humans perceive sun setting in the west knowing that Earth turns away from the Sun[1]. However, the explanation and knowledge does not fit the sight perceived. Words that we speak are just mere attempts to set the message at right track despite the fact that the relation between perception and knowledge are not quite similar. John Bergers statement has been hence analyzed that helps in connecting the textual as well as visual perception providing adequate justification. John Berger stated that fashion, trends and attitudes changes along with perception hence words cannot define something abstract such as love[2]. Hence, words come after visuals and therefore models are usually constructed from assumptions as they provide a hint and insight towards reality. An image always conveys a message which when written in words are often not described in a perfect manner that has been felt through visualization of the image. For example if we see an image full of Romans piercing Jesus Christs heart with the spear of destiny, no matter how hard an author tries to describe the pain and suffering Jesus bore for the sin of humanity, it remains nondescript which can only be felt through perceiving the image with emotions. The relation between what is seen and what is known is a never ending dispute which clearly seen by the Sun which is seen to be rising at East and setting at West[3]. However, that thing which science has proven is that Earth moves around the Sun and hence there is a dispute. Another issue arises when a transgender is seen dressing in a feminine costume that often confuses people regarding the feminism perceived and character biology known[4]. Evidence and reasons provided by John Berger includes perceiving an art from the past that provides the opportunity to place oneself into the history. Men and women having different social presence are evaluated based on their degree of power. The power evaluated is measured against physical, moral and economical context. This is evident in the European oil painting The Nude that features illustration of Adam and Eve. Old Testament provides evidence that after Adam and Eve ate the apple provoked by Satan from the tree of wisdom; they looked at each other and realized they were naked. Previously they were unaware of being naked thus providing evidence that knowledge fuels perception. Key of dreams is also provided as an evidence by John Berger that there is a gap between seeing and knowledge. Berger further provides the example of fire that was worshipped by the Zoroastrians and Hindus in ancient Yazd and India however in Middle Ages until now it has served various purpose like develo pment of steam engine, industries and cooking. In addition, fire is also considered as a destroying element that causes hazards. The argument presented by Berger is a strong one as people only believe in what they think is right to believe. It is stated that the presence of women culturally is very much different compared to that of men where male presence highlights ability and power[5]. However, presence of a woman shows the process that can be done to her without herself. It is reckoned that women are present to take care of men and were aware as well as self-conscious of their presence at such times. If a nude woman appears on a picture, often men look at her and admires her beauty, few men are sexually aroused by the view while some other simply perceive the picture as a representation of the artists character[6]. The first image, which has been considered for analysis, is the world-renowned fresco by Masaccio The Tribute Money. The scene depicted in the fresco is drawn from Matthew 17:24-27 where a group of Pharisees tries to set up Christ (PBUH) in incriminating himself through asking a question whether they should give tribute to Caesar as the coin has an image of Caesar on it. However, Christ (PBUH) replies that Caesar should be rendered of the things that belonged to him and God should be rendered that belongs to God. Figure 1: The tribute money (Source: assignment question first image) The fresco depicts money from fishs mouth, which depicts Florences wealth coming from sea however, it is not possible to analyze from our knowledge that wealth can come from sea especially from fishs mouth[7]. Few of the disciples that could be understood from the image involve Peter with the iconic beard and grey hair along with yellow and blue attire. John can also be identified as the beardless man standing next to Christ (PBUH). The disciple with darker face is identified as Judas, which might not be the case as it depicts racism. Figure 2: The banquet of Cleopatra (Source: assignment question second image) Second image which has been analyzed is the The banquet of Cleopatra by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. It shows Cleopatra in a Victorian era costume with Antony the Roman in traditional Roman attire. Other slaves and entertainers are also depicted in Victorian era costumes. Few of the people in the image appear in a Semitic appearance with beards and turban. The utensils are not Egyptian arts and the architecture is a Graeco-roman banquet hall. Hence, it is rather Antonys banquet hall instead of Cleopatras banquet hall. Common knowledge also portrays that Cleopatra is not wearing traditional Egyptian clothes rather wearing Victorian era clothes that clearly leads to a gap of knowledge. It can be concluded that the gap between what we see and what we know always persists due to the knowledge portrayed by the image is inadequate and hence cannot be judged precisely. For example, the image of Victorian era painting simply portrays a courtroom banquet of Cleopatra where the background and the details of the painting lack Egyptian taste. Further The Tribute Money also shows that there is a knowledge gap between the portrayal of Judas and Masaccio himself and the portrayal of the image from Matthew 17:24-27. References Berger, John.About looking. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015. Berger, John.And our faces, my heart, brief as photos. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014. Berger, John.Ways of seeing. UK: Penguin, 2008 Berger, John.Ways of seeing. UK: Penguin, 2008. Berger, John.Ways of seeing. UK: Penguin, 2008. Berger, John.About looking. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015. Berger, John.Ways of seeing. UK: Penguin, 2008. Berger, John.And our faces, my heart, brief as photos. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014. Berger, John.Ways of seeing. UK: Penguin, 2008. Berger, John.And our faces, my heart, brief as photos. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014. Berger, John.Ways of seeing. UK: Penguin, 2008.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Best Film Schools free essay sample

Academy (China) (in Chinese) Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (Hong Kong) (in English) Hong Kong Baptist University (Hong Kong) (in English) Best Film Schools in Ocenia AFTRS Australian Film, Television amp; Radio School (Australia) VCA Victorian College of Arts (Australia) University of Auckland (New Zealand) Best Film Schools in Africa Pretoria Technikon (South Africa) University of Cape Town (South Africa) Best Film Schools in Antartica Antartica International Film School (I am just kidding:-)) The best film schools in the world http://www. hollywoodreporter. com/news/best-film-schools-world-26870 International Academy of Film and Television in the Philippines AUSTRALIA The Australian Film, Television and Radio School The Australian Film, Television and Radio School has undergone some significant changes in the past two years, including the move to a new state-of-the-art campus in Sydneys film hub and an overhaul of the courses it offers to students and established industry practitioners. The 37-year-old national film school, funded annually by the Australian government with $22 million last year, holds a key position in the Australian film community with more than 2,000 graduates passing though its doors in that time. We will write a custom essay sample on Best Film Schools or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page AFTRS alumni include Oscar-winning cinematographers like Dion Beebe (Nine) and Andrew Lesnie (The Lovely Bones) and director Jane Campion (Bright Star). An array of courses covering producing, digital media and visual effects, art direction, documentary, screenwriting, screen music, production design and editing are offered, but at the heart of the school are its award courses for new and emerging filmmakers. They include a foundation diploma, a graduate certificate and graduate diploma. Positions in those highly competitive courses are given each year on a merit system based on students creative portfolios. Pip Bulbeck FRANCE La Femis Only 3% of hopefuls who take the entrance exam get into la Femis, the countrys most prestigious film school. Housed in Pathes old studios on Paris rue Francoeur, la Femis is a public institution under the French Ministry of Culture and Communication, meaning tuition is free to French students. It offers a well-rounded overview of the film business, including artistic development and technical training. Alumni include the creme-de-la-creme of French filmmaking, from Louis Malle, Alain Resnais and Costa-Gavras to newcomers like Francois Ozon, Laetitia Masson, Noemie Lvovsky and Rebecca Zlotowski. In their first year, students are initiated into all aspects of production before specializing in a specific field chosen from seven main departments: directing, editing, sound, set design, cinematography, screenwriting and production. More than 500 professionals come each year to give special classes or speeches, says Marine Multier, head of communications. This helps our students succeed in the professional world after they leave. Rebecca Leffler GERMANY Baden-Wurtemberg Film Academy While most European film schools focus on film history and the philosophy of cinema, at Baden-Wurtemberg they roll up their sleeves and get to work. When Roland Emmerich wanted a team to wipe out humanity for 1996s Independence Day, he went to the Baden-Wurtemberg Film Academy. Emmerichs friend Volker Engel, who taught animation there, recruited 14 students and graduates who would go on to win the 1997 Oscar for visual effects. Known for its practical approach to filmmaking, the academy is a leader in animation and visual effects training. In 2007, trade magazine 3D World ranked it the second-best animation college in the world, just behind Frances Supinfocom. The school fields regular nominees in the student Oscar race and has twice won the honor. Tike Constantin Hebbeln got it in 2006 for Nimmermeer and Thorsten Schmid in 1998 for Rochade. On-the-job experience is a key part of the academys teaching. Baden-Wurtemberg only admits students who have at least one of year of practical experience in the film business and two years for its producers program. The academy also works to expose students to an international network of filmmakers by organizing exchange programs with partner institutions like New Yorks School of Visual Arts and Polands National School of Film and TV in Lodz. Every year, Baden-Wurtemberg also organizes a Hollywood workshop, including studio tours and internships with production companies in L. A. Scott Roxborough Frances la Femis INDIA Whistling Woods International Despite being home to the worlds largest film industry, just five years ago India was in need of better-equipped film institutes. Enter veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai, who launched Whistling Woods International, Asias largest film, TV, animation and media arts institute. Located on 20 acres in Mumbais Film City studio complex and sponsored by Ghais Mukta Arts (which has produced some of Bollywoods biggest hits), WWIs faculty is headed by dean John Jerome Lee, a former entertainment industry executive. Its advisory board includes acclaimed director Shyam Benegal and superstar Shah Rukh Khan, DreamWorks Animations Shelley Page, Elizabeth director Shekhar Kapur and producer David Puttnam. Almost 80% of people working in the industry dont have professional training and hence end up learning on the job, which was the impetus for us to launch WWI, says Ghais daughter, Meghna Ghai Puri, who is also WWIs president. It offers a unique, two-year MBA in media and entertainment (for) people who want to be executives in areas such as marketing and finance. Specializations include directing, cinematography and editing, along with animation and acting. Tuition is about $28,900 for the two-year program. Nyay Bhushan ITALY Scuola Nazionale di Cinema Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia Michelangelo Antonioni, Dino De Laurentiis, Vittorio Storaro and Italian screen icon Claudia Cardinale are just a few of the famous names who began their film education at the Centro Sperimentale, the oldest and most prestigious film school in Italy. Once accepted by the schools highly selective board, acting students study with leading man Giancarlo Giannini, cinematography students learn from Giuseppe Rotunno (Fellinis lenser on 1983s And the Ship Sails On) and would-be directors work with helmer Roberto Faenza (By the Light of Day). Connected to the Cineteca Nazionale, one of the biggest film archives in Europe, the CSC regularly organizes seminars with international filmmakers, from Martin Scorsese to Wim Wenders. While continually upgrading its state-of-the-art equipment, Centros tuition is a very reasonable at $2,000 per year for the two- and three-year programs. One of Centros peculiarities is its total effort in involving the students in all the movies made by CSC Production, and introducing graduates into working crews, says dean Andrea Crisanti. Martina Riva JORDAN Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts Offering the first and only MFA program in cinematic arts in the Middle East and North Africa, RSICA is a joint venture between the Royal Film Commission of Jordan and the School of Cinematic Arts at USC. Located in historic Aqaba (which any aspiring filmmaker should recognize from Lawrence of Arabia), RSICA launched in 2008, graduating its first class of 21 students in May 2002. With tuition in the $25,000 range, the school is another step forward for Jordan, which has garnered Hollywoods attention recently through an aggressive campaign to expand its burgeoning film sector. Jordan is by far the most progressive and secular regime in that region, says James Hindman, dean and chief academic officer. They started developing a media plan in 2003 which included a very active, western-style film commission as well as training for crews. With students coming from all over the region, including Lebanon, Kuwait, Syria and Iran, Hindman says the goal is to offer practical training that will allow them to function on any film set in the world. We want them to be able to eat, he adds with a laugh. Kevin Cassidy PHILIPPINES The International Academy of Film and Television, Philippines Founded in 2004, the IAFT is located at Bigfoot Studios, a professional studio on the tropical resort island of Cebu, giving students access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. The academy prides itself on bringing Hollywood to Asia and a hands-on approach to filmmaking education, says Mark Martin, IAFTs executive director. He notes that, through Bigfoot Entertainment, students get to work on the sets of feature films for international release. The academy offers various diplomas in filmmaking, sound design and acting, and recently started a nine-month professional immersion program that guarantees students experience on one feature film from preproduction to post. IAFT has also signed an agreement with Jacksonville University allowing graduates to enter Jacksonvilles B. A. program as sophomores. About 70 students graduate each year, with fees ranging from $7,970-$14,290. Sonia Kolesnik ov-Jessop University of the Philippines Film Institute The University of the Philippines Film Institute offers a four-year bachelors degree in filmmaking, which combines film theory and production courses, as well as a masters degree in media studies. Both cost about $1,000 a year. The institute, which has about 75 film graduates a year, is equipped with basic camera and lighting equipment and has an editing lab for post production. In addition to lectures by notable Filipino cinematographers such as Nap Jamir and Neil Daza, the Institute offers workshops and short training courses covering all areas of production. UPFI produces filmmakers, not technicians, notes senior lecturer Sari Delana. Whether it is in mainstream filmmaking, independent filmmaking or television, many of our alumni have become directors. Recent alumni include helmers Raya Martin, who has had three films screened in Cannes, and Pepe Diokno, whose first feature, Engkwentro, won the prize for best debut at Venice last year.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Battle of Hattin in the Crusades

Battle of Hattin in the Crusades The Battle of Hattin was fought July 4, 1187, during the Crusades. In 1187, after a series of disputes, the Ayyubid armies of Saladin commenced moving against the Crusader states including the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Meeting the Crusader army west of Tiberias on July 3, Saladin engaged in a running battle as it moved towards the town. Surrounded during the night, the Crusaders, who were short on water, were unable to break out. In the resulting fight, the bulk of their army was destroyed or captured. Saladins victory opened the way for the recapture of Jerusalem later that year. Fast Facts: Battle of Hattin Conflict: The CrusadesDates: July 4, 1187Armies Commanders:CrusadersGuy of LusignanRaymond III of TripoliGerard de RidefordBalian of IbelinRaynald of Chatillonapprox. 20,000 menAyyubidsSaladinapprox. 20,000-30,000 men Background During the 1170s, Saladin began expanding his power from Egypt and worked to unite the Muslim states surrounding the Holy Land. This resulted in the Kingdom of Jerusalem being encircled by a unified enemy for the first time in its history. Attacking the Crusader state in 1177, Saladin was engaged by Baldwin IV at the Battle of Montgisard. The resulting fight saw Baldwin, who was suffering from leprosy, lead a charge that shattered Saladins center and put the Ayyubids to rout. In the wake of the battle, an uneasy truce existed between the two sides. Succession Issues Following Baldwins death in 1185, his nephew Baldwin V assumed the throne.  Only a child, his reign proved brief as he died a year later. As the Muslim states in the region were uniting, there was increasing dissension in Jerusalem with the elevation of Guy of Lusignan to the throne. Claiming the throne through his marriage to Sibylla, mother of the late child-king Baldwin V, Guys ascension was supported by Raynald of Chatillon and the military orders such as the Knights Templar.   Known as the court faction, they were opposed by the nobles faction. This group was led by Raymond III of Tripoli, who had been Baldwin Vs regent,  and who were angered by the move. Tensions quickly escalated between the two parties and civil war loomed as Raymond left the city and rode to Tiberias.  Civil war loomed as Guy considered besieging Tiberias and  was only avoided through mediation by Balian of Ibelin. Despite this, Guys situation remained tenuous as Raynald repeatedly violated the truce with Saladin by attacking Muslim trade caravans in Oultrejordain and threatening to march on Mecca. This came to a head when his men assaulted a large caravan traveling north from Cairo. In the fighting, his troops killed many of the guards, captured the merchants, and stole the goods. Operating within in the terms of the truce, Saladin sent envoys to Guy seeking compensation and redress. Reliant on Raynald to maintain his power, Guy, who conceded that they were in the right, was forced to send them away unsatisfied, despite knowing that it would mean war. To the north, Raymond elected to conclude a separate peace with Saladin to protect his lands. Saladin on the Move This deal backfired when Saladin requested permission for his son, Al-Afdal, to lead a force through Raymonds lands. Compelled to allow this, Raymond saw Al-Afdals men enter Galilee and meet a Crusader force at Cresson on May 1. In the battle that ensured, the outnumbered Crusader force, led by  Gerard de Ridefort, was effectively destroyed with only three men surviving.  In the wake of the defeat, Raymond left Tiberias and rode to Jerusalem. Calling his allies to assemble, Guy hoped to strike before Saladin could invade in force. Renouncing his treaty with Saladin, Raymond fully reconciled with Guy and a Crusader army of around 20,000 men formed near Acre. This included a mix a of knights and light cavalry as well as around 10,000 infantry along with mercenaries and crossbowmen from the Italian merchant fleet. Advancing, they occupied a strong position near the springs at Sephoria. Possessing a force nearly the size of Saladins, the Crusaders had defeated earlier invasions by holding strong positions with reliable water sources while allowing the heat to cripple the enemy (Map). Saladins Plan Aware of past failings, Saladin sought to lure Guys army away from Sephoria so that it could be defeated in open battle. To accomplish this, he personally led an attack against Raymonds fortress at Tiberias on July 2 while his main army remained at Kafr Sabt. This saw his men quickly penetrate the fortress and trap Raymonds wife, Eschiva, in the citadel. That night, the Crusader leaders held a war council to determine their course of action. While the majority was for pressing on to Tiberias, Raymond argued for remaining in the position at Sephoria, even if it meant losing his fortress. Though the precise details of this meeting are not known, it is believed that Gerard and Raynald argued strenuously for an advance and indicated that Raymonds suggestion that they hold their position was cowardly. Guy elected to push on in the morning. Marching out on July 3, the vanguard was led by Raymond, the main army by Guy, and the rearguard by Balian, Raynald, and the military orders. Moving slowly and under constant harassment by Saladins cavalry, they reached the springs at Turan (six miles away) around noon. Concentrating around the spring, the Crusaders eagerly took water. The Armies Meet Though Tiberias was still nine miles away, with no reliable water en route, Guy insisted on pressing on that afternoon. Under increasing attacks from Saladins men, the Crusaders reached a plain by the twin hills of the Horns of Hattin by mid-afternoon. Advancing with his main body, Saladin began attacking in force and ordered the wings of his army to sweep around the Crusaders. Attacking, they surrounded Guys thirsty men and cut off their line of retreat back to the springs at Turan. Realizing that it would be difficult to reach Tiberias, the Crusaders shifted their line of advance in an attempt to reach the springs at Hattin which were around six miles away. Under increasing pressure, the Crusader rearguard was forced to halt and give battle near the village of Meskana, stopping the entire armys advance. Though advised to fight on to reach water, Guy elected to halt the advance for the night. Surrounded by the enemy, the Crusader camp possessed a well but it was dry. Disaster Throughout the night, Saladins men taunted the Crusaders and set fire to the dry grass on the plain. The next morning, Guys army awoke to blinding smoke. This came from fires set by Saladins men to screen their actions and increase the Crusaders misery. With his men weakened and thirsty, Guy broke camp and ordered an advance towards the springs of Hattin. Despite having sufficient numbers to break through the Muslim lines, fatigue and thirst badly weakened the cohesion of the Crusader army. Advancing, the Crusaders were effectively counterattacked by Saladin. Two charges by Raymond saw him break through the enemy lines, but once outside the Muslim perimeter, he lacked enough men to influence the battle. As a result, he retreated from the field. Desperate for water, much of Guys infantry attempted a similar breakout, but failed. Forced onto the Horns of Hattin, the majority of this force was destroyed. Without infantry support, Guys trapped knights were unhorsed by Muslim archers and forced to fight on foot. Though fighting with determination, they were driven onto the Horns. After three charges against the Muslim lines failed, the survivors were forced to surrender. Aftermath Precise casualties for the battle are not known, but it resulted in the destruction of the majority of the Crusader army. Among those captured were Guy and Raynald. While the former was treated well, the latter was personally executed by Saladin for his past transgressions. Also lost in the fighting was a relic of the True Cross which was sent to Damascus. Quickly advancing in the wake of his victory, Saladin captured Acre, Nablus, Jaffa, Toron, Sidon, Beirut, and Ascalon in rapid succession. Moving against Jerusalem that September, it was surrendered by Balian on October 2. The defeat at Hattin and subsequent loss of Jerusalem led to the Third Crusade. Beginning in 1189, it saw troops under Richard the Lionheart, Frederick I Barbarossa, and Philip Augustus advance on the Holy Land.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Argument on Gay Marriage Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Argument on Gay Marriage - Research Paper Example Same – sex marriages have good aspects and bad aspects depending on which paradigm it is being assessed in to. The way I shall approach this paradigms are dependent on the current political discourse and on the social order of things. In the current political discourse, the Republicans are the ones who are strongly in opposition with the legalization of same – sex marriages; with the exception of Fred Karger. Fred Karger is an openly gay person who is vying for the presidential seat (Harris). He is the only in the whole nomination list of the Republicans who is in support of same – sex marriages, which is totally in contrast with his fellow Republican who are aspirants for the candidacy (2012 Republican Candidates). What makes him apart from the other nominees aside from being a supporter and part of the LGBT community? The answer is plain and simple. Each of them has separate standards. In most cases, the paradigms of the other potential bearers are mostly guide d by religious conventions. Assessing the paradigms, there are several contentions that must be engaged carefully. Political activity is considered to be free of any detrimental conditions. If there is a principle of separation of church and state in a democratic society like the United States, then there is a need to fully implement this matter. In a civil society, there is a need to secure the rights of the people because choices are part of it. Should anyone be deprived of their choice because of sexual orientation? Definitely, it should not be. Discrimination is seriously dealt with by constitutions where people should not be discriminated because of the choices made (Johnson and Kuttner 183). In this case, it can be considered that sexual orientation is also a preference that should be discriminated. Individuals have the freedom to decide what they want to do with their lives and the government must secure all the possible means to ensure that these liberties are protected. Rel igion, in most instances, has provided a fundamentalist approach when it comes sexuality due to institutionalized ethics it propagated (Johnson and Kuttner 180). This is where most of the contentions about sexuality and gender comes in. Does the religion have the right to forbade people who want to pursue their ideal as part of LGBT community? No. In order to fully understand this matter, there is a need to point out that marriages have certain types: the religious and the civil marriage. In religious marriage, sex and sexuality are means for procreation. In civil marriages, there is a need to include the freedom to choose partners. Marriage, in a strict sense, is a basic civil right (Johnson and Kuttner 186). People who are religious may opt to have a civil marriage, a religious marriage or both. All of them still boil down to the choice of those who wants to get married. Now, do LGBT couples would opt to have a religious marriage? Most likely, they would not. They would prefer to have a civil marriage where there is no religious intervention. The very act of the conservative and religious orders in preventing same – sex marriage is already an imposition. The predicament is plain and simple. LGBT marriages face double standards which can be quite problematic due to interference. In my opinion, I would even be sensitive to the LGBT couples attitudes and