Monday, December 30, 2019

Abraham Lincoln And The American Civil War - 1322 Words

The freedom of America’s slaves has always been accredited to Abraham Lincoln, but he was not always the complete abolitionist as he is commonly portrayed. The â€Å"house divided†, as Lincoln depicted it in his famous â€Å"House Divided† speech, of the United States during the Civil War was not always led towards the freedom of all mankind and there is sufficient evidence to support this claim. The sixteenth president of the United States is most commonly remembered for inducing the courage and determination to end the American Civil War with the Emancipation Proclamation although, when it is more closely studied, he did not cross the great divide of enslavement vs. freedom with the submittal of that fabled document. When reviewing the many famous†¦show more content†¦or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become alike lawful in all the States... Have we no tendency to the latter condition? (House Divided Speech abrahamlincolnonline.org) This quote from Lincoln’s very famous â€Å"House Divided† speech thoroughly accentuated his opinion on slavery. He depicted how the nation would either become all for slavery or all for freedom. The states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas seceded when Lincoln was sworn in president in January 1861, while Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia seceded when the war started in April 1861 (Confederate States of America history.com). The states of Maine, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, California, Nevada, and Oregon remained with the original United States,(Civil War Facts nps.gov) they were then suitably dubbed the â€Å"Union† in light of their unity towards the freedom of slaves and the abolition of slavery. Lincoln was advocated into this position as president, and he had to make many compromises to end the upcoming battle. â€Å"Many free countries have lost their liberty and ours may lose hers-but if she shall, be it my proudest pleasure not that I was the last to desert but that I never deserted her,† (qtd. in Humes 25), Lincoln fully acknowledged the fact that the union may not win.

Saturday, December 21, 2019

The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne - 999 Words

Nathaniel Hawthorne is the author of the prodigious book entitled The Scarlet Letter. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne commits adultery with Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. Her husband, Roger Chillingworth, soon finds out about the incident after it becomes clear that she is pregnant. The whole town finds out and Hester is tried and punished. Meanwhile, Roger Chillingworth goes out then on a mission to get revenge by becoming a doctor and misprescribing Dimmesdale. He does this to torture Dimmesdale as a form of revenge. Hester is publicly punished and is contrived to wear a scarlet letter â€Å"A† on her bosom. This is how she was punished. This was a way to shame her and seclude her from society. Hester was forced to stand on a scaffolding and stare out over the people that were watching her with her scarlet letter â€Å"A† embroidered on her chest. Over time the scarlet letter â€Å"A† in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter, acquired many meanings including adultery, able, and angel. The scarlet letter â€Å"A† originally meant adultery in Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Scarlet Letter. Hester is made to wear the letter A once the town s people see, that she committed adultery by bearing a child by some other soul than her husband Roger Chillingworth. Adultery was a sin and was sometimes punishable by death. Hester was lucky in this instance to only have to wear a scarlet letter â€Å"A† on her chest. This A was used as a form of punishment. What Hester did was prodigiously againstShow MoreRelatedThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1242 Words   |  5 PagesLYS PAUL Modern Literature Ms. Gordon The Scarlet Letter The scarlet letter is book written by Nathaniel Hawthorne who is known as one the most studied writers because of his use of allegory and symbolism. He was born on July 4, 1804 in the family of Nathaniel, his father, and Elizabeth Clark Hathorne his mother. Nathaniel added â€Å"W† to his name to distance himself from the side of the family. His father Nathaniel, was a sea captain, and died in 1808 with a yellow fever while at sea. That was aRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne960 Words   |  4 Pages3H 13 August 2014 The novel, The Scarlet Letter, was written by the author Nathaniel Hawthorne and was published in 1850 (1). It is a story about the Puritan settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, set around 1650 (2). The story is written in the third person with the narrator being the author. The common thread that runs through this novel is Hawthorne’s apparent understanding of the beliefs and culture of the Puritans in America at that time. But Hawthorne is writing about events in a societyRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne919 Words   |  4 Pagessymbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Scarlet Letter†. Symbolism is when an object is used in place of a different object. Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of the most symbolic writers in all of American history. In â€Å"The Scarlet Letter†, the letter â€Å"A† is used to symbolize a variety of different concepts. The three major symbolistic ideas that the letter â€Å"A† represents in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Scarlet Letter† are; shame, guilt, and ability. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Scarlet Letter†, the firstRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1397 Words   |  6 PagesFebruary 2016 The Scarlet Letter was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850 which is based on the time frame of the Puritans, a religious group who arrived in Massachusetts in the 1630’s. The Puritans were in a religious period that was known for the strict social norms in which lead to the intolerance of different lifestyles. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the puritan’s strict lifestyles to relate to the universal issues among us. The time frame of the puritans resulted in Hawthorne eventually thinkingRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne1037 Words   |  5 Pagesthat human nature knows right from wrong, but is naturally evil and that no man is entirely â€Å"good†. Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of the classic novel The Scarlet Letter, believes that every man is innately good and Hawthorne shows that everyone has a natural good side by Hester’s complex character, Chillingworth’s actions and Dimmesdale’s selfless personality. At the beginning of the Scarlet Letter Hester Prynne is labeled as the â€Å"bad guy†. The townspeople demand the other adulterer’s name, butRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1517 Words   |  7 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne composes Pearl as a powerful character even though she is not the main one. Her actions not only represent what she is as a person, but what other characters are and what their actions are. Hawthorne makes Pearl the character that helps readers understand what the other characters are. She fits perfectly into every scene she is mentioned in because of the way her identity and personality is. Pearl grows throughout the book, which in the end, help the readers better understandRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne1488 Words   |  6 Pages In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter, the main character, Hester Prynne, is a true contemporary of the modern era, being cast into 17th century Puritan Boston, Massachusetts. The Scarlet Letter is a revolutionary novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne examining the ugliness, complexity, and strength of the human spirit and character that shares new ideas about independence and the struggles women faced in 17th century America. Throughout the novel, Hester’s refusal to remove the scarlet letterRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1319 Words   |  6 PagesPrynne and Arthur Dimmesdale are subject to this very notion in Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Scarlet Letter. Hester simply accepted that what she had done was wrong, whereas Dimmesdale, being a man of high regard, did not want to accept the reality of what he did. Similar to Hester and Dimmesdale, Roger Chillingworth allows his emotions to influence his life; however, his influence came as the result of hi s anger. Throughout the book, Hawthorne documents how Dimmesdale and Hester s different ways of dealingRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1714 Words   |  7 PagesSome two hundred years following the course of events in the infamous and rigid Puritan Massachusetts Colony in the 1600s, Nathaniel Hawthorne, descendant of a Puritan magistrate, in the 19th century, published The Scarlet Letter. Wherein such work, Hawthorne offered a social critique against 17th Massachusetts through the use of complex and dynamic characters and literary Romanticism to shed light on said society’s inherent contradiction to natural order and natural law. In his conclusive statementsRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne1172 Words   |  5 Pagesfreedom, peace, and introspection. However, until the last century, the wilderness was often regarded with fear and resentment. Written long before John Muir and the conservation movement, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne was well ahead of its time for its depiction of wilderness. In The Scarlet Letter, Arthur Dimmesdale leaves the beaten path and seeks refuge in the forest. There, he gains the strength and willpower to throw off seven years of hopelessness and take his fate into his own hands

Friday, December 13, 2019

Profit Maximization Model Free Essays

SAMPLE ANSWER FOR QUESTION 5 Profit-making is one of the most traditional, basic and major objectives of a firm. Profit-motive is the driving-force behind all business activities of a company. It is the primary measure of success or failure of a firm in the market. We will write a custom essay sample on Profit Maximization Model or any similar topic only for you Order Now Profit earning capacity indicates the position, performance and status of a firm in the market. In spite of several changes and development of several alternative objectives, profit maximization has remained as one of the single most important objectives of the firm even today. Both small and large firms consistently make an attempt to maximize their profit by adopting novel techniques in business. Specific efforts have been made to maximize output and minimize production and other operating costs. Cost reduction, cost cutting and cost minimization has become the slogan of a modern firm. It is a very simple and unambiguous model. It is the single most ideal model that can explain the normal behavior of a firm. Main propositions of the profit-maximization model The model is based on the assumption that each firm seeks to maximize its profit given certain technical and market constraints. The following are the main propositions of the model. 1. A firm is a producing unit and as such it converts various inputs into outputs of higher value under a given technique of production. 2. The basic objective of each firm is to earn maximum profit. 3. A firm operates under a given market condition. 4. A firm will select that alternative course of action which helps to maximize consistent profits 5. A firm makes an attempt to change its prices, input and output quantity to maximize its profit. The model Profit-maximization implies earning highest possible amount of profits during a given period of time. A firm has to generate largest amount of profits by building optimum productive capacity both in the short run and long run depending upon various internal and external factors and forces. There should be proper balance between short run and long run objectives. In the short run a firm is able to make only slight or minor adjustments in the production process as well as in business conditions. The plant capacity in the short run is fixed and as such, it can increase its production and sales by intensive utilization of existing plants and machineries, having over time work for the existing staff etc. Thus, in the short run, a firm has its own technical and managerial constraints. But in the long run, as there is plenty of time at the disposal of a firm, it can expand and add to the existing capacities build up new plants; employ additional workers etc to meet the rising demand in the market. Thus, in the long run, a firm will have adequate time and ample opportunity to make all kinds of adjustments and readjustments in production process and in its marketing strategies. It is to be noted with great care that a firm has to maximize its profits after taking in to consideration of various factors in to account. They are as follows – 1. Pricing and business strategies of rival firms and its impact on the working of the given firm. 2. Aggressive sales promotion policies adopted by rival firms in the market. 3. Without inducing the workers to demand higher wages and salaries leading to rise in operation costs. 4. Without resorting to monopolistic and exploitative practices inviting government controls and takeovers. 5. Maintaining the quality of the product and services to the customers. 6. Taking various kinds of risks and uncertainties in the changing business environment. . Adopting a stable business policy. 8. Avoiding any sort of clash between short run and long run profits in the business policy and maintaining proper balance between them. 9. Maintaining its reputation, name, fame and image in the market. 10. Profit maximization is necessary in both perfect and imperfect markets. In a perfect market, a firm is a price-taker and under imperfect market it becomes a price-searcher. A ssumptions of the model The profit maximization model is based on tree important assumptions. They are as follows – 1. Profit maximization is the main goal of the firm. 2. Rational behavior on the part of the firm to achieve its goal of profit maximization. 3. The firm is managed by owner-entrepreneur. Determination of profit – maximizing price and output Profit maximization of a firm can be explained in two different ways.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Total Revenue and Total Cost approach.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marginal Revenue and Marginal Cost approach. Profits of a firm are estimated by making comparison between total revenue and total costs. Profit is the difference between TR and TC. In other words, excess of revenue over costs is the profits. Profit = TR – TC. If TR is equal to TC in that case, there will be break even point. If TR is less than TC, in that case, a firm will be incurring losses. In this case, we take in to account of total cost and total revenue of the firm while measuring profits. It is clear from  the following diagram how profit arises when TR is greater than that of TC. 2. MR and MC approach In this case, we take in to account of revenue earned from one unit and cost incurred to produce only one unit of output. A firm will be maximizing its profits when MR= MC and MC curve cuts MR curve from below. If MC curve cuts MR curve from above either under perfect market or under imperfect market, no doubt MR equals MC but total output will not be maximized and hence total profits also will not be maximized. Hence, two conditions are necessary for profit maximization- 1. MR = MC. 2. MC curve cut MR curve from below. It is clear from the following diagrams. Justification for profit maximization 1. Basic objective of traditional economic theory. The traditional economic theory assumes that a firm is owned and managed by the entrepreneur himself and as such he always aims at maximum return on his capital invested in the business. Hence profit-maximization becomes the natural principle of a firm. 2. A firm is not a charitable institution. A firm is a business unit. It is organized on commercial principles. A firm is not a charitable institution. Hence, it has to earn reasonable amount of profits. 3. To predict most realistic price-output behavior. This model helps to predict usual and general behavior of business firms in the real world as it provides a practical guidance. It also helps in predicting the reasonable behavior of a firm with more accuracy. Thus, it is a very simple, plain, realistic, pragmatic and most useful hypothesis in forecasting price output behavior of a firm. 4. Necessary for survival. It is to be noted that the very existence and survival of a firm depends on its capacity to earn maximum profits. It is a time-honored hypothesis and there is common agreement among businessmen to make highest possible profits both in the short run and long run. 5. To achieve other objectives. In recent years several other objectives have become much more popular and all these objectives have become highly relevant in the context of modern business set up. But it is to be remembered that they can be achieved only when a firm is making maximum profits. Criticisms 1. Ambiguous term. The term profit maximization is ambiguous in nature. There is no clear cut explanation whether a firm has to maximize its net profit, total profit or the rate of profit in a business unit. Again maximum amount of profit cannot be precisely defined in quantitative terms. . It may not always be possible. Profit maximization, no doubt is the basic objective of a firm. But in the context of highly competitive business environment, always it may not be possible for a firm to achieve this objective. Other objectives like sales maximization, market share expansion, market leadership building its own image, name, fame and reputation, spending more time with members of the family, enjoying leisure, develo ping better and cordial relationship with employees and customers etc. lso has assumed greater significance in recent years. 3. Separation of ownership and management. In many cases, to-day we come across the business units are organized on partnership or joint stock company or cooperative basis. In case of many large organizations, ownership and management is clearly separated and they are run and managed by salaried managers who have their own self interests and as such always profit maximization may not become possible. 4. Difficulty in getting relevant information and data. In spite of revolution in the field of information technology, always it may not be possible to get adequate and relevant information to take right decisions in a highly fluctuating business scenario. Hence, profits may not be maximized. 5. Conflict in inter-departmental goals. A firm has several departments and sections headed by experts in their own fields. Each one of them will have its own independent goals and many a times there is possibility of clashes between the interests of different departments and as such always profits may not be maximized. 6. Changes in business environment. In the context of highly competitive and changing business environment and changes in consumer’s tastes and requirements, a firm may not be able to cope up with the expectations and adjust its policies and as such profits may not be maximized. 7. Growth of oligopolistic firms. In the context of globalization, growth of oligopoly firms has become so common through mergers, amalgamations and takeovers. Leading firms dominate the market and the small firms have to follow the policies of the leading firms. Hence, in many cases, there are limited chances for making maximum profits. 8. Significance of other managerial gains. Salaried managers have limited freedom in decision making process. Some of them are unable to forecast the right type of changes and meet the market challenges. They are more worried about their salaries, promotions, perquisites, security of jobs, and other types of benefits. They may lack strong motivations to make higher profits as profits would go to the organization. They may be contented with only satisfactory level of profits rather than maximum profits. 9. Emphasis on non-profit goals. Many organizations give more stress on non-profit goals. From the point of view of today’s business environment, productivity, efficiency, better management, customer satisfaction, durability of products, higher quality of products and services etc. have gained importance to cope with business competition. Hence, emphasis has been shifted from profit maximization to other practical aspects. 10. Aversion to reduction in power. In case of several small business units, the owners do not want to share their powers with many new partners and hence, they try to keep maximum powers in their hands. In such cases, keeping more power becomes more important than profit maximization. 11. Official restrictions over profits of public utilities. Public utilities or public corporations are legally prohibited to make huge profits in many developing countries like India. Thus, it is clear that a firm cannot maximize its profits always. There are many constraints in the background of multiple objectives. Each one of the objectives has its own merits and demerits and a firm has to strike a balance between all kinds of objectives. How to cite Profit Maximization Model, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Marvin Hugley Jr. (3303 words) Essay Example For Students

Marvin Hugley Jr. (3303 words) Essay Marvin Hugley Jr. Eric NelsonCinema 1075/8/17LA Confidential and Film NoirOne of the most influential film movements in the 1940s was a genre that is known today as film noir. Film noir was a recognizable style of filmmaking, which was created in response to the rising cost of typical Hollywood movies (Buss 67). Film noir movies were often low budget films; they used on location shoots, small casts, and black and white film. The use of black and white film stock not only lowered production costs, but also displayed a out of place disposition that the conventions of film noir played upon. It is these conventions: themes, characters, lighting, sound, and composition, which are seen in the movie LA Confidential (Curtis Hanson, 1997). This paper discusses the techniques used in LA Confidential that link the movie with the typical cinematic conventions of the film noir style. Film noir often tackled subjects that dealt with common underlying themes: corruption, deceit, mystery, etc (Sobchack, 271). One of the most well-known and acclaimed pioneers in film noir is the movie The Maltese Falcon (John Huston, 1941). This film was based on a private investigator, Sam Spade, hired to investigate a case. The Maltese Falcon is now viewed as the typical film noir style movie because it contains traits and qualities of filmmaking that were adapted by film noir filmmakers. Film noir started during the mid 1940s and has been a popular film style ever since, yielding such contemporary movies like The Usual Suspects (Bryan Singer, 1995), Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994), and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (Guy Ritchie, 1998). These films have proved that film noir is not a method dedicated to past decades, but rather an innovative style of film that influences movies today. LA Confidential, like other contemporary film noirs utilize many stylistic qualities that the earlier film noir movies grasped. Often film noir movies were based upon corruption, usually in an urban type setting. Location in these movies would often consist of nighttime scenes in a busy city. Los Angles, the location of LA Confidential, is a typical setting for film noir movies due to its newer west coast image and the absence of rural traditions. The city was chosen largely because of its informality. People living in a city do not interact with each other as people of a small town might. Film noir played upon the idea of loneliness and solitude; two traits that are easily found in a big city (Monaco 246). Nighttime scenes were chosen because of the mystery that comes with darkness. Night projects a feeling to the viewer that he or she would not absorb in the daytime, very much the same way horror movies play themselves upon the night. Just like the basis of the big city, film noir acts upon the conventions of mystery and suspense: it is easier for the filmmaker to play with the viewers emotions if he or she is placed in a setting of uneasiness. The nighttime images in LA Confidential portray that anxiety and allow the mystery of the plot to expand. This use of nighttime and darker images lends the movie to take advantage of the stylistic low-key lighting. The movie begins with the narration of Sid Hudgens, editor for Hush Hush magazine, a sleazy tabloid concerned with getting a news story no matter what the consequences are. Typical of film noir, the story is adapted from a tabloid or pulp fiction novel. Sid Hudgens describes a town of beauty, filled with beaches, people, and economic potential. He tells how anyone can achieve the American dream in Los Angeles and how it truly is the greatest place to live. Sids voice suddenly turns sour as he reveals the truth about Los Angeles: an image is sold to the gullible; a pleasant image sent throughout the media. Unfortunately, its all a lie. The story continues with the addition of Edmund Exley to the Los Angeles Police Department. Exley is a skilled detective with all the book smarts a cop could possess. Usually, the protagonist in film noir would have an inner conflict between what he feels is right, and what is expected of him. In the movie, Exley must decide if giving up his chance for promotion is reason enough to fight for what he believes is right. The catch is that he immediately clashes with the rest of the force. It turns out that behind the honorable image of the LAPD, the force is a horribly corrupt authority revolving around money, power, and fame. Film noir commonly hid themes of corruption, deceit, and crookedness behind an idea of the American dream (Schatz 113). This idea is boldly seen in the movie American Beauty (Sam Mendes, 1999). One of the arguments in the movie suggests that behind every seemingly normal family is a household of embarrassment. Edmunds co-workers, Bud White, Jack Vincennes, and Dudley Smith are more interested in advancement than hones ty. When a case is solved in Los Angeles, there is a big to-do about the man behind the case. This publicity allows an officer to advance in the department, but also blurs the truth about the actual case findings. Edmund comes to a point in the movie where he decides to testify against his peers, throwing away any chance he has for betterment, but at the same time preserving his integrity. This was common in film noir: the idea that sacrifices must be made for absolute justice. Edmund believes that a cop should do everything by the book and honesty, where Bud White believes that as long as justice is served, justice is served. In the movie, Bud decides to shoot a suspect, and manipulate the scene as though it appears that the suspect shot at Bud first. Bud did this to prevent the suspect from getting off on some loophole in the justice system. As it turns out, the suspect was innocent of the crime. This is another film noir convention: the first suspect is usually not the one that t he protagonist is after. In addition, the LAPD distorts the truth not only in favor of serving justice but to make some extra money as well. Sid Hudgens pays cops like Jack Vincennes to create stories for Hush Hush magazine. Edmund Exley is the typical good cop. He was the son of a cop who unfortunately had the same reputation as the other cops; the lawless reputation that led to the police forces downfall. Edmund, we quickly see, is not a team player only because the team will not let him play. He quickly achieves respect from Dudley Smith, the captain; however, is never fully liked by him because he constantly gives up opportunities to advance. Edmund, unlike his co-worker and co-protagonist Bud White, believes that a cop is a respectable job, unneeded of extra attention: a well-done job is all the reward anyone could ever want. This idea that the hero often avoids the fame of success because is compromises his moral code is typical of film noir. It is also the idea that Bud White is taught to grasp throughout the movie. Bud White is the exact opposite of Exley: he believes that the right thing to do is to get justice before asking questions. Buds character is written so that he clashes with Exley, often times a quality in film noir and also cop films. Usually there embodies a duo whose other half is a total opposite. Using these two distinct personalities, film noir allows the two main characters to build upon one another, helping in the development of the story. It also allows each of the characters to understand their own particular flaws; that is they learn from the mistakes of the other one. Bud also interacts with Lynn Bracken, the femme fatale, and the two build upon each other as well. We can immediately see the corruption in the movie through a seemingly cut and dry case, when it is linked to a larger conspiracy. Like the Maltese Falcon, the movie involves a mysterious case with several twists throughout. Those twists are often established with an e ssential character known as the femme fatale. In The Maltese Falcon, as well as many other film noir movies, the femme fatale plays an important role in creating a character that builds in development throughout the movie. Lynn Bracken, a prostitute cut to look like Veronica Lake, plays the part of the femme fatale who aids in the development of Bud White. We see in the movie that Miss Bracken is a small town girl with real hopes, dreams, and ambitions. In some film noirs we are led to believe that the femme fatale is the destructive force which leads to the protagonists downfall (Maxfield). In LA Confidential, Curtis Hanson uses the femme fatal as an aid to help the protagonist mend his errors. This is the role Lynn plays aside Bud White, a cop with a weak spot for women, and a vengeance for those who beat them. In the LA Confidential screenplay, Brian Helgeland and Curtis Hanson do a remarkably well job of developing Miss Bracken into an unforgettable femme fatale. We are first in troduced to her as a person and not an object, despite the fact that her job makes her look like an object rather than a person. We are to immediately react to her personality, finding something in her that we understand with. She is an innocent person being driven by a more powerful force. In most film noir movies, the femme fatale is a stereotype. Lynn Bracken however, is not a stereotype in the way that most other film noir movies make the femme fatale: that is that the femme fatale uses her appeal to distract the protagonist. Nonetheless, we still see her as a stereotype: the hooker with the heart of gold. Film noir movies like to project an image that tends to hide or obstruct reality. As mentioned before, the image of an honorable police force mocks the actual corruption. It is then ironic, that the police force in LA Confidential is affiliated with the television show Badge of Honor. Hanson uses the show to project an image into our subconscious. In the television show, the m edias interpretation of the Los Angeles Police Department is emphasized. Equally ironic, the show Badge of Honor is just as corrupt as the police department is; cast members are blackmailed in favor of obtaining stories for Hush Hush magazine. Hanson also uses cinematic and film techniques to help project the typical conventions of film noir. Some of these techniques are used very much in the same way older style film noir movies were done in, while other techniques were created to adapt to the modern expectations of the viewer. In addition, some techniques used mostly because of modern Hollywood conventions are actually used to help the film noir develop. Looking at the film stock used in LA Confidential compared to film stocks used in other film noir movies, both film stocks display a concept that enhances the film noir style. The Maltese Falcon was filmed in a high speed, grainy, black and white film stock. Black and white film was originally used because it was cheaper to make a nd develop than color. Black and white also created a documentary feel to the movie, and projected a sense of realism. Quickly, the use of black and white added to the mood of film noir, making it a common practice. The graininess of the film stock helped in distorting the film into an unbalanced media. Using black and white film turned this genre into a no longer clean cut, pleasing film style. It was intended to keep the viewers on the edge of their seats, and the grainy film stock help in doing just that. However, the film audiences over the years have come to trust in color film stock, as it shortens the separation from the imaginary and the real. Hanson however, uses the color film to his advantage, creating a seedy mood. In Body Heat (Lawrence Kasdan, 1981) for example, Kasdan uses the color to his advantage much like Hanson does in LA Confidential. Both use color to heighten the impact of certain items on the viewer. In the night owl scene, Hanson takes advantage of the psych ological effects that blood portrays in the movie. With black and white film, blood looks like chocolate syrup, which does very little in grabbing the audience for commiseration. If we can see the deep redness of the blood, the killing seem more real, the case more important, and the need to discover the truth more significant. Another imperative aspect of filmmaking is the idea of lighting. Now it is important to know that in film noir the concept is lighting, not illuminating. Where illuminating is used to generate enough light to visually see the subjects, lighting provides the right amount of light to create a mood. It is also important to know that the typical way to light a scene is to use a three point lighting system. This method consists of three lights, each having their own purpose on lighting the scene. The key light is used to generate the majority of the light, or to illuminate the scene. However, if a subject is shot with one light, severe shadows are attached to the subject. To drown those shadows out, a fill light is used. This fill light is placed at the opposite corner, almost like a second corner of a triangle. The harsh shadows are then washed out, providing an even light at the subject. Then a third light, the back light, is placed behind the subject and off to the side to illuminate the back of the subject. This separates the subject from the background, creating a sense of depth in the two-dimensional screen space. LA Confidential uses unconventional lighting to portray disturbing images. Instead of three lights, only one or two lights are used. Or sometimes the low-key lighting is achieved by turning down the fill light, creeping up the shadows. This technique is used to break the film free from the conventions of the classical Hollywood style, which is what film noir did in the 1940s. For example, there are dimly or low-key shots of the villains to portray a negative image of that character. Likewise, a brightly-lit hero can project t he protagonist as more of a likeable character. In addition, by using no back light, the subject might tend to be lost into the background, adding to the sense of disorientation that is carried throughout the film. Other movies have made use of stylistic lighting as well. In The Godfather (Francis Ford Coppola, 1972), Coppola uses a single light above Marlon Brandos face to create a seriously disturbing image. With the light positioned directly above his face, pointed down, Brandos eye sockets are completely darkened. We can only see certain parts of his face, and what we do see is not very complimentary. Of course, the idea was not to portray Brando as a bright, happy person, but a dark, seedy villain instead. Composition also helps in the conventions of film noir as seen in LA Confidential. Canting the shot, or using a Dutch angle, tilts the scene to one side, creating another typical uneasy event. Usually, canting a shot symbolizes that something is about to or has already gone w rong. The Dutch angles also compliment the skewed lines that are formed in the mise-en-scene. Film noir tended to use the mise-en-scene to compliment what was going on in the story at the time. Film noir took these conventions from German expressionism, which was developed in order to portray an eerie reality (Schatz, 116). Hanson uses these type of shots during the shoot-out scenes between the police force and the enemy. Another, and probably most impressive use of canting is when the police force riots against the prisoners. We are shown overhead with an abnormal angle, with the camera jerking us around, creating as sense of confusion. Various shots are often used to send signals to the viewer in the film. Edmund Exley is often times shot from below. This creates an angle in which Edmunds physique is distorted, making him look more powerful and more of a hero. In Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941), many shots are used from underneath the character, to make them appear more powerful and more heroic than a normal front view shot would have appeared (Schatz, 121). Likewise, shooting a subject from above creates a downward angle on the screen. This degrades the character, creating a shallow and horrible person. In LA Confidential, Hanson uses these angles for the criminals. A soundtrack is also imperative in portraying a theme in film noir. To start out, the musical score in a film reflects on the characters and the growth taking place at the time. In LA Confidential, when Edmund is dejected by hi colleagues, the soundtrack is a somber, almost slow type of music. When Bud White reveals himself to Lynn Bracken, the music is soft, adding to the sentimentality of the scene. When both Edmund and Bud solve the case at the end of the movie, the music is more uplifting. However, at no point in the movie does the music become too upbeat: even when the music is uplifting, it still has traits of depression, a quality in film noir music. In addition to the soundtrack, sound is used to help the film along. In a typical street scene, we might hear the sound of other people talking, cars passing by, or a radio playing. In LA Confidential, the absence of sound as well as the focus of sound is used. Instead of walking down a busy street with people talking, Edmund is walking down a dark, vacant street. We can also hear nothing but his footsteps, adding to the feeling of loneliness in the city that film noir tends to portray. Simple sounds such as gun shots, pencils tapping against a desk, or doors closing are heightened so that we are made more aware of them. Hanson wants us to feel the loudness of the gunshot, heightening its impact upon the target. In closing, LA Confidential makes use of cinematic and story-line techniques to link the movie with the conventions of typical film noir movies. Though LA Confidential, like many other contemporary film noir movies adapt certain practices to a modern audience, the filmmakers find ways to make those adaptations necessary in developing the film noir style. A basic message is portrayed by both generations of film noir: corruption is hidden behind a facade of honorable images. It is safe to say then, whether film noir comes in the form of LA Confidential, Pulp Fiction, Chinatown, or ever The Maltese Falcon, film noir is a genre accepted and loved by all generations, keeping it a method of filmmaking that will never fade. Loyalty To Family In The Short Story barn Burning EssayWork Cited Buss, Robin. French Film Noir. New York: Marion Boyans, 1988.IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2017Maxfield, James. The Fatal Woman: Source of Male Anxiety in American Film Noir, 1941-1991. London: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1996. Monaco, James. How to Read a Film. New York: Oxford University Press, 1981. Schatz, Thomas. Hollywood Genres: Formulas, Filmmaking and the Studio System. New York, New York: Random House, 1981. Sobchack, Thomas and Vivian C. Sobchack. An Introduction to Film. Boston: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1987.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Advertising CopyOpt, CopyScreen, CopyTest, and CopyCheck free essay sample

CopyOptTM (Advertising Optimization) CopyOpt is a Decision Analyst proprietary advertising optimization system, is used to help create prototype advertising concepts by determining the optimal combinations of the variables. How Does CopyOptTM Work? The basic variables of a brands advertising are positioning, messages, and images. Once the basic variables of effective advertising for a brand are identified (based on qualitative research and/or innovation services), those variables are used for CopyOptw, Decision Analysts Advertising Optimization system.This is achieved by presenting target-audience consumers with hoice-modeling experiments. Different positionings, messages, themes, illustrations, imagery, music, etc. , can represent thousands of possible ads. CopyOptTM tests subsets of all of these possibilities to predict the effectiveness of every possible combination of elements. Each respondent usually sees five to 10 scenarios (i. e. , combinations of variables). Choice modeling is used to derive the potential selling value of all possible combinations. CopyOptw permits hundreds of creative possibilities to be evaluated efficiently. We will write a custom essay sample on Advertising: CopyOpt, CopyScreen, CopyTest, and CopyCheck or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The top 10 or top 15 advertising concepts are identified or additional testing, beginning with [emailprotected] [emailprotected] An early-stage advertising research system to evaluate embryonic advertising ideas and concepts in print-ad format in batches of 10 to 20 at a time. [emailprotected] helps identify the most promising creative concepts. The creative process often begins with a large number of creative concepts (or advertising ideas). How well advertising works depends on the strength of the creative concept†the basic underlying logic, messages, and images.Once generated, creative concepts can be tested to narrow the choices down to only the best ideas. How does [emailprotected] work? The advertising concepts or ideas are translated into rough print ads†each with a headline, body copy, and artwork. Then a representative sample of 200 to 300 target-audience respondents review and evaluate the rough print ads online. Each respondent sees all of the rough print ads (up to 20) twice and answers a series of four questions about each advertising concept.The answers to these four questions are fed into a mathematical model that computes an overall score for each ad. These scores identify the advertising concepts that are worthy of further development. [emailprotected] An online advertising research system to help evaluate and improve advertising concepts, early-stage print ads, TV storyboards, and radio scripts. Advertising tends to work on the strength of the creative concept (i. e. , the basic underlying logic, themes, and images).The creative concept can be tested in the form of a rough execution†before the expense of final production. How Does [emailprotected] Work? A representative sample of 75 to 100 target-audience consumers are recruited to view each advertising concept. The respondents see only one ad (i. e. , monadic test) and then answer a series of questions about their eactions, including both open-ended and closed-ended questions. [emailprotected] provides a directional estimate of an ads probable effectiveness and provides insightful diagnostic feedback in the form of normative data.The report also includes verbatim consumer responses to open-ended questions. The verbatim responses are extremely helpful to the agencys creative staff in guiding creative development as the advertising moves into final production. [emailprotected] is often used in place of focus groups to help improve creative concepts. [emailprotected] (Copy Testing) [emailprotected] is a comprehensive, online advertising pretesting and copy testing ystem to predict the effectiveness of semifinished to finished commercials and advertisements. Copy testing is a safeguard†to make sure you are getting your moneys worth. Decision Analysts [emailprotected] system helps take the guesswork out of advertising. [emailprotected] gives you the diagnostic insight to improve your advertising from year to year. Better advertising, in turn, helps build brand equity and boost long-term profitability. How Does [emailprotected] Work? Typically, a representative sample Of category users is exposed to the advertising under a controlled, forced exposure setting over the Internet.Respondents see the advertising twice. Then the respondents complete a battery of 60 questions and diagnostic ratings about the advertisement. Recommended sample size is 150 to 200. The results are input into the SellingPowern analytical model to calculate overall advertising effectiveness. Based on historical normative data, internal diagnostics, and analytical models, the respondents results reveal whether the advertising is likely to be effective or not, and indicates what needs to be changed to improve the advertising.SellingPowe Model This analytical mathematical model is the primary measure of overall dvertising effectiveness based on 20 key measurements. The major variables in the SellingPowerTM model are: * Persuasion (brand purchase intent) * Brand reinforcement * Possible Increase in frequency of usage * Attention value * Brand registration * Brand remembrance * Stimulation * Empathy/ldentification * Wearout * Memorability * Pass-along potential [emailprotected] Advantages: * SellingPowerw [emailprotected] relies on a predictive mathematical model to determine overall advertising effectiveness. k Diagnostics. [emailprotected] seeks to explain why a commercial is effective or not. * Geographic Flexibility. [emailprotected] can be executed in any geographic area with its online research methodology. * Normative Database. While a normative database of advertising pretests is maintained to serve as a rough benchmark, Decision Analyst strongly recommends the use of competitive and historic pretests to help set action standards for a brands advertising. Worldwide Internet Panels.Decision Analysts global Internet panels, containing over 8 million consumers, provide sampling flexibility and a consistent, precise data collection platform across countries. * Validity. Major measurements in [emailprotected] are validated for new and established roducts. * Media Breadth. [emailprotected] is one of the few systems that measures all types of advertising. CopyRecalIT (Advertising Recall) A comprehensive, online, day-after, advertising recall system to measure visibility and memorability of finished commercials through a real-world, on- air test.Respondents answer questions concerning the following topics: unaided recall of brands advertised * Aided recall of commercials * Brand linkage to commercial * Advertising message recall * Advertising evaluation ratings is a sound method of determining if a commercial is intrusive enough to be noticed and remembered. [emailprotected] (Advertising Tracking) A system composed of standard modules for measuring an advertisements awareness, message recall, trial, usage, brand image, etc. , in real-world environments over a period of [emailprotected]†our industry-leading, online advertising tracking system, can help you monitor the effectiveness of your advertising over time†compared to major competitors. It can tell you when a campaign begins to wear out. It can identify which commercials and ads are doing the best job. No one knows for sure how an advertising campaign will play out over time in the real world. Even if the advertising is ested before airing its virtually impossible to predict its long-term effects. As soon as a campaign goes on air, five types of distortion begin to occur. They include the following: * Competitive Activity. Competitive advertising campaigns can confuse consumers and blur the messages they actually * Perception Bias. Consumers tend to notice certain parts of commercials more than other parts. * Memory Bias. Consumers tend to remember some messages and images from the advertising better than other messages and images. * Threshold Effects. Your advertising campaign (or parts of it) might not achieve threshold levels sufficient to break through he clutter and noise. * Contamination.Other marketing variables (sales contests, trade promotions, consumer promotions, distribution levels, publicity, etc. ) can interact with media advertising. The data are collected via continuous, or pulsed, Internet interviews. [emailprotected] is tailored to the product category and the clients objectives. [emailprotected] is designed to accurately measure an advertising campaigns long-term effects, including: Brand awareness * Advertising awareness * Advertising recognition * Brand image * Media usage What Types of Advertising Can Be Copy Tested? * Television advertisementsTelevision storyboards * Television animatics and photomatics * Television commercials * Radio advertisements * Radio scripts * Radio commercials * Print advertising * Newspaper and magazine advertising concepts * Newspaper and magazine advertisements * Internet advertisements * Banner advertisements * Interstitial advertisements * Rich media advertisements * Unicast advertisements * Outdoor adv ertisements Qualitative Research For Advertising Research Nowhere is qualitative research (focus groups, depth interviews, ethnography) more valuable than in the realm of advertising exploration and development.Good qualitative research can help marketing staffs, advertising agencies, and creatives better understand the fundamental issues and help them develop more effective advertising. Qualitative research is especially valuable at the very beginning, before any advertising concepts have been created. At this stage everyone is still open to ideas. The second great opportunity to use qualitative research is to tweak and fine-tune ads and commercials toward the end of the development process.Innovation Services For Advertising Research Once basic consumer motivations are understood and some of the basic lements of strategy are visible, consumers can then be used to help in the advertising development process. Not just any consumers will do. Highly creative individuals are the key. They can help create starter ideas for breakthrough advertising. Decision Analyst maintains a panel of over 2,000 highly creative people (called [emailprotected]), who work in small groups, online or offline, to generate hundreds of advertising ideas for a brand. Naturally, these starter ideas must be developed into final ads by agencies and should go through standard copy-testing procedures. Advertising Testing Services Decision Analyst is a leading international marketing research firm and a recognized leader in advertising testing.Our staff has copy tested thousands of different commercials and ads for foods, beverages, restaurants, packaged goods, retailers, and other categories over the 3 decades. Decision Analyst is a leader in the development of analytical techniques to enhance the learning from advertising research. If you would like more information on Advertising Research, please contact Jerry W. Thomas, President/CEO ([emailprotected] com), or call 1-800-ANALYSIS (262-5974) or 1-817-640-6166. Additional Resources from Decision AnalystAdvertising Research Brochures * [emailprotected] Brochure (opens a pdf file) * [emailprotected] brochure (opens a pdf file) * [emailprotected] brochure (opens a pdf file) * Complete List Of Decision Analyst Brochures Advertising Research Case Histories * Advertising Testing Among Hispanics * International Advertising Research * Market Mix Modeling: Measuring Return from Advertising in the Fresh Food Industry * Taking Advertising to the Next Level Advertising Research White Papers * Advertising Effectiveness * Advertising Research * Advertising Tracking * In Creative Self-Defense * Oh!We of Little Faith * Strategic Marketing Tracking Project Report on Advertising Effectiveness Project Report Advertisi ng/Advertisement Effectiveness, What is Advertising promotion of ideas, Basic Features of Advertising, goods advertised, Functions of Advertising, new product features, Promotion of sal es, new product awareness, Consumer advertising, Comparative advertising Role of Advertising Effectiveness on Consumers, Most popular slogan, Sales of Coca Cola Cold drinks, Brands of Pepsi, Sales of Pepsi Cold drinks, effective media of advertisement Ad.Effectiveness, TV is most effective media of advertisement, advertisement effectiveness of cold drinks, making the dvertisement, sale of cold drink, advertisement effect the consumers, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Fanta, Mirinda, Maaza, Pepsi, improvement in present advertisement Project Report on Advertising Effectiveness The objectives of all business are to makes profits and a merchandising concern can do that by increasing its sales at remunerative prices. This is possible, if the product is widely polished to be audience the final consumers, channel members and industrial users and through convincing arguments it is persuaded to buy it.Publicity makes a thing or an idea known to people. It is a general term indicating efforts at mass appe al. As personal stimulation of demand for a product service or business unit by planting commercially significant news about it in a published medium or obtaining favourable presentation of it upon video television or stage that is not paid for by the sponsor. On the other hand, advertising denotes a specific attempt to popularize a specific product or service at a certain cost. It is a method of publicity.It always intentional openly sponsored by the sponsor and involves certain cost and hence is paid for. It is a common form of non- personal communication about an organisation and or its products idea service etc. hat is transmitted to a target audiences through a mass medium. In common parlance the term publicity and advertising are used synonymously. What is Advertising : The word advertising is derived from the Latin word viz, advertero ad meaning towards and verto meeting towards and verto meaning. l turn literally specific thing. Simply stated advertising is the art says green. Advertising is a general term for and all forms of publicity, from the cry of the street boy selling newspapers to the most celebrate attention attracts device. The object always is to bring to public notice some articles or service, to reate a demand to stimulate buying and in general to bring logethel the man with something to sell and the man who has means or desires to buy. Advertising has been defined by different experts. Some of the quoted definition are: American marketing association has defined advertising as any paid form of non personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods or services by an identified sponsor.The medium used are print broad cast and direct. Stanton deserves that Advertising consists Of all the activities involved in presenting to a group a non- personal, oral or visual openly, sponsored message regarding a product, service, or idea. This message called an advertisement is disseminated through one or more media and is paid for by the identified sponsor. Advertising is any paid form of non personal paid of presentation of ideas goods or services by an identified sponsor.Advertising is a non- personal paid message of commercial significance about a product, sen,ice or company made to a market by an identified In developing an advertising programme, one must always start sponsor. by Identifying the market needs and buyer motives and must make five major decisions commonly referred as 5M (mission, money message, media and measurement) of advertising. Basic Features of Advertising On the basis of various definitions it has certain basic features such as : . It is a mass non-personal communication. 2. It is a matter of record. 3.It persuades buyers to purchase the goods advertised. 4. It is a mass paid communication. 5. The communication media is diverse such as print (newspapers and magazines) 6. It is also called printed salesmanship because information is spread by means of the written and printed work and pictures so that people may be induced to act upon it. Functions of Advertising For many firms advertising is the dominant element of the promotional mix articulars for those manufacturers who produce convenience goods such as detergent, non prescription drugs, cosmetics, soft drinks and grocery products.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Seasonable vs. Seasonal

Seasonable vs. Seasonal The words seasonable and seasonal both relate to the seasons of the year, but their meanings arent quite the same. The adjective seasonable means usual or suitable for a particular season of the year; taking place at an appropriate time. The adjective seasonal means relating to, dependent on, or characteristic of a particular season of the year. See Usage Notes, below. Examples After enduring two years of severe drought, we are finally enjoying some seasonable weather this summer.The old English song â€Å"John Barleycorn Must Die† describes the seasonal ritual of rendering grain into ale. Usage Notes Heat and humidity are seasonable here in summer means theyre normal for this season of the year. Sentimentality is seasonal at Christmas means its typical or characteristic of Christmas seasons. Seasonable can also mean opportune or in time, as in Their arrival was seasonable, just when we hoped for it. If people arrive seasonably, they are on time or even a bit early; if they arrive seasonally, they visit annually at about the same season of the year. Never use seasonable for seasonal (the other possible confusion almost never occurs.) Unseasonable, unseasonal, unseasonably, and unseasonally are precise antonyms of seasonable, seasonal, seasonably, and seasonally respectively.(Kenneth G. Wilson, The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. Columbia University Press, 1993)Seasonal is used much more frequently than seasonable. A seasonal job is one that is available only at a particular time of the year: seasonal employment such as selling ice-creams in the summer. A seasonal chan ge is one that takes place at a particular time of the year: Allowing for seasonal factors, unemployment dropped slightly last month.(Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of English Spelling. Wordsworth, 1999) If youre talkin winter, spring, summer or fall, youre talkin seasonal; only if youre talkin about whats right and proper for those times are you correct to use seasonable.(William Safire, The Right Word in the Right Place at the Right Time. Simon Schuster, 2004) Practice (a) The lack of _____ clothing was one of the greatest hardships experienced by the children of the frontier.(b) In the early nineteenth century, there was a significant increase in the scale of _____ migration from Ireland to Britain during the harvest season. Answers (a) The lack of  seasonable  clothing was one of the greatest hardships experienced by the children of the frontier.(b) In the early nineteenth century, there was a significant increase in the scale of  seasonal  migration from Ireland to Britain during the harvest season.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Premise Ato Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Premise Ato - Essay Example Debate also suggests that washing hands by health care providers might not be the primary way to prevent the spread of disease however, due to the results that do show that these prevent the speared of disease, the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued through recommendations promoting hand washing by health care providers (Lucking, Maffei, Tamburro & Thomas, 2012). Having highlighted how important it is to wash hands, the adherence to hand washing guidelines by healthcare providers and especially by physicians is notoriously poor (Lucking, Maffei, Tamburro & Thomas, 2012). For this research paper, evidence from Chengdu, China is looked at, where 6 hospitals were observed for hand washing adherence. Doctors and nurses were asked about their hand washing practice and observations are recorded. Surprisingly out of 1535 activities where hand hygiene is considered necessary, only about 17.8% of the times the healthcare providers complied with hand washing safety standards (Han, Dou, Zhang & Zhou, 2011). These results don’t reflect the situation in the US however this is an eye opener as to what can be expected in case there is no scrutiny regarding hygiene. Speaking of overall situation of hand hygiene, in practice it is only observed half of the times it is required for patient care (Carayon, 2011). And interestingly, healthcare providers have their reasons for not completely adhering to hygiene practices; less number of sinks, soap causing irritation or dryness, less number of paper towels and soap, wastage of time as they are too busy with patients, they even complain about faucets and sinks being located at odd places (Carayon, 2011). This complaint from nurses of not having enough time to pay attention to their hand hygiene is also endorsed by Lautenbach, Woeltje & Malani (2010), where they showed that lack of hand hygiene in hospitals was the major cause of transmitting pathogens. Poor

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Evaluation for the first episode of Gracepoint Essay

Evaluation for the first episode of Gracepoint - Essay Example Gracepoint investigates the highly mysterious murder of a young boy in a small town. There is only one season to this drama and all the loose ends are tied up by the creators in this single season. Instead of solving a new mystery murder in every second episode, a single investigation stretches over an entire season in Gracepoint. Young adults and middle age people constituted the audience of this show. The lowest ratings were seen in the 14-49 age demographic (Fletcher). This age group actually forms a majority of all viewers across America. Crime shows tend to become quite popular in this age group, but Gracepoint failed to cast a highly memorable impression on many people from this age group. However, it is also believed that crime shows like Gracepoint have more loyal followers from the age group of 42-55 as more mature people tend to become more interested in such shows than younger people. It can be assumed that adults and senior adults formed main audience of Gracepoint in Ame rica. The plot of the first episode is not so complex, but quite interesting. In this episode, the female detective named Miller becomes infuriated when another male officer named Carver is given the highly coveted position in an investigation which she was promised earlier. A young boy’s body is found dumped at the base of cliffs. Both Miller and Carver arrive at the crime scene and Miller becomes particularly distressed. Blunt force trauma is later confirmed as the cause of Danny’s death. The news instantly becomes a media bonanza in the town with one reporter after another arriving at the crime scene. Tom, Miller’s son, is presented as a mysterious young fellow because he is shown removing evidence from his mobile and laptop upon hearing the news of Danny’s death from his mother. A footage reveals that Danny skateboarded down a

Monday, November 18, 2019

Operation management and decision making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Operation management and decision making - Essay Example This is an area of some uncertainty in the capacity planning process. Hitachi Ltd is one of the companies used capacity management as the main tool to plan and control its production processes and improve performance. Hitachi Ltd. is a global leader on the electronic market specialized in Electronic Devices, Power & Industrial Systems, Digital Media & Consumer Products, High Functional Materials & Components, Logistics and Financial Services. The paper and analysis will concentrate only on one sphere of its activity: Electronic Devices. These are represented by the following types of products: power tools, measurements tools, electronic devices, semiconductors, etc. A special attention will be given to one product, semiconductors. In this segment, the efforts of executives to improve the management process have resulted in an influx of technological advances. Semiconductors are manufactured in Japan and Asia (Hitachi semiconductors 2008). For Hitachi Ltd, capacity planning is not visionary or futuristic thinking, but an example of process versus substance. Capacity management for semiconductors is the process that creates a balance between what is desired and what is possible. Capacity management enables managers to distinguish truly important decisions from less important ones and to build a strategic agenda. It is a process that deals with interdepartmental issues and allows the organization to develop synergy among functional components. It is a process that helps managers deal with turbulent, complex, and influential environments. It helps to identify critical success factors or key result areas, to avoid incremental thinking, and to effectively deal with change. The main products for semiconductors are Interlayer Dielectric Materials, High Heat resistance Photopolymers, die bonding paste, different types of bonding films, Epoxy Molding Compounds, liquid encapsulants, a high heat resistant coating. The product pu rity is strongly affected by many upstream variations (Hitachi semiconductors 2008). Local engineering systems help stabilize the columns to insure that the product meets minimum market specifications. These variations result in higher energy consumption and lower production capacity. At times, large variations disrupt the column operation to such an extent that it is necessary to shut down and restart. The fundamental source of such variation is easily traced to variations in the rates and concentrations of the many feeds that are pumped to the tank farm. In this case, as a recycle facility, it is not practical to negotiate with the suppliers for more consistency in the raw materials. There is little choice but to take the recycled acid as it comes, variation and all. There is a possibility, however, of reducing the magnitude of the problem by modifying the process and control system designs to be less sensitive to such unavoidable upstream variations. The plumbing of the tank is c hanged to make better use of the capacity of the inventory to reduce the magnitude and the frequency of the variations seen by the columns (Chase & Jacobs 2003). The main outputs are power semiconductors (high voltage, diodes), semiconductors for communication systems, and SDRAM for electronic technology (Hitachi semiconductors 2008).. "Improvements in production and inventory control translate

Friday, November 15, 2019

Preventing Denture Stomatitis

Preventing Denture Stomatitis Ghani F and colleages20 did a study on 50 denture wearers and 50 non denture wearers assessing candida activity through recording pH changes in candida selective medium. Results showed pathological candida activity was significantly higher in denture wearers. While in a study by Yilmaz HH78 27 patients with denture stomatitis and 23 patients without clinical signs of denture stomatitis were compared. They found that there was a relationship between poor denture hygiene and denture stomatitis and the relationship between denture stomatitis and candidal hyphae was not significant. Therefore proper hygiene is important to prevent denture stomatitis and antifungal drugs should not be prescribed without mycological investigation. Opportunistic growth of pathogenic yeasts such as candida is promoted by constant denture wearing which maintains anaerobic and low pH conditions between the denture and mucosa.18. It was revealed in different studies that nearly one third of the patients evaluated slept with their dentures 19,22,89. Similarly other studies have found significant association between denture related stomatitis with denture age and continuous denture wearing88 moreover candida albicans hyphae and lactobacillus was also found in the saliva and palate of denture stomatitis patients89 SURFACE TEXTURE AND PERMEABILITY OF DENTURE BASE: Highly polished surfaces are important not only for aesthetics and patient's comfort but also for low plaque adherence, oral hygiene and denture longevity84. In an in vitro study Van Reenen79 demonstrated that penetration of the unpolished surface which is in contact with the mucosa with candida albicans was greater than that of polished surface. It was confirmed further with the use of fluorescent dye. Another study18 confirmed that surface roughness and cracks facilitate development of biofilm and adherence of plaque. The authors also noted that prolonged brushing of acrylic denture with toothbrush and abrasive dentrifices create scratches that can enhance bacterial attachment and biofilm growth22. DENTURE LINING MATERIALS AND ADHESIVES: In a study by Sato Y and colleagues90 it was found that denture adhesives enhance retention and stability of both ill fitting and well fitting dentures. AL et al 91 suggested that denture adhesives contribute to mucosal inflammation in denture wearers as they are commonly used throughout the day. While in an assessment of 24 denture wearing patients Oliveira and colleagues92 evaluated the number of colony forming units(CFUs) and Candida species in saliva samples which were collected at denture placement, 7 day and 14 day intervals from patients using an adhesive denture strip. 12 patients using the adhesive were compared with 12 patients not using the adhesive. There was no statistical difference between the groups at the 2 weeks analysis. MANAGEMENT OF DENTURE STOMATITIS: Placebo-controlled studies reported that treatment with either oral fluconazole (50mg/day for 2 weeks) or topical miconazole (2% gel applied to fitting surface of the denture 3 times daily for 2 weeks) significantly reduced the presence of candida on oral mucosa and decreased inflammation in denture stomatitis93 . Cross LJ et al94 reported capsule and liquid formulations of itraconazole ( 100 mg 4 times a day for 15 days), fluconazole alone ( 50 mg orally for 14 days) or in combination with chlorhexidine applied to fitting surface of the denture 2 times a day for 2 weeks and amphotericin ( 40mg oral dissolving lozenges 4 times daily and topical cream applied to fitting surface of denture) all to be effective in the treatment of denture stomatitis. In a study by Mililla L et al95 amorophiline antifungal varnish was applied once or twice a week for 6 months in patients affected by nystatin resistant denture stomatitis. Results showed significant decrease in candidal count and improvement in symptoms of denture stomatitis. In a study photodynamic therapy was found to be an effective method for resolving candida spp. on dentures96 In a study by Webb et al97 nursing home patients with denture stomatitis were randomized to maintain their usual hygiene procedures or had their dentures cleaned daily with overnight soaking in sodium hypochlorite and microwaving. Relative to control group both cleaning techniques showed 100% reduction in candida colonization and clinical improvement in denture stomatitis. In another study 10% vinegar solution was used for the immersion of dentures and was found to be effective in decreasing the quantity of candida spp in saliva and the presence of denture stomatitis 98 . Cryosurgery is the treatment of choice in patients with Type III denture stomatitis along with prosthesis substitution34. POST INSERTION INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING MAINTENANCE OF THE PROSTHESIS: To decrease the levels of biofilm and harmful micro organisms , patients who wear dentures must do the following: Dentures must be immersed and brushed with an effective and non abrasive denture cleanser everyday18. Denture cleanser must only be used to clean dentures outside the mouth62. Dentures must be rinsed thoroughly after immersion and brushing with denture cleansing solution before reinsertion in the oral cavity16. Dentures should be cleaned annually by a dentist using ultrasonic cleanser to minimize biofilm coverage overtime27. Dentures must never be placed in boiling water77. Dentures must never be soaked in sodium hypochlorite bleach for periods greater than 10 minutes because it may damage the dentures28. Dentures should be immersed in water after cleaning, when not inserted in oral cavity to avoid warping16. MECHANICAL METHODS OF DENTURE CLEANING: Brushing with tooth brush, denture brush and pastes: Scanning electron microscopic images and microbiologic essays have demonstrated that cleaning the dentures with water and tooth brushes is ineffective at removing microorganisms62. While in a study by Nishi Y and colleagues 25 it was found that the quantity of micro organisms was significantly reduced in the outpatients who used a denture brush for cleaning the prosthesis. Salles AES and Macedo LD99 found in a study that brushing with a denture paste|(Corega Brite) was the most effective method of disinfecting dentures followed by brushing with neutral soap and brushing with water only was the least effective method. It was found by Lira AF et al100 that tooth brushing promoted higher levels of surface roughness when compared to chemical disinfection while boiled resins were found to be more prone to surface roughness and biofilm accumulation than microwaved resins. Pisani MX and Bruhn JP et al101 analyzed surface roughness and weight loss in acrylic caused by dentrifices. They found that the conventional dentrifice containing sodium bicarbonate produced greatest weight loss and surface roughness while dentrifices containing chloramine T and fluorosurfactant produced less weight loss and surface roughness. While in another study it was found that dentrifices containing 1% chloramine T and 0.01% fluorosurfactant decreased biofilm coverage but were ineffective against candida102. Ultrasonic cleaning: Ultrasonic devices are helpful in removing the plaque adhering to dentures by producing microscopic cavities that grow and burst creating voids that result in localized areas of suction 16. Gwinnet et al103 showed in different ways effective disinfection of inoculated dentures using ultrasonic treatment in a water bath as well as in various baths of antiseptic and detergent agents. In another study it was found that ultrasonic cleaning when combined with immersion in a peroxide based cleanser solution effectively reduces the quantity of micro organisms surviving on dentures25. Hence may be a suitable method for elderly who find brushing their dentures difficult. Studies have found that ultrasonic cleaning is not completely bactericidal but improves the killing of bacteria16. Chemical Methods: Soaking in household solution: Sodium hypochlorite diluted 1:10 in tap water is adequate for killing adherent micro organisms but is ineffective against calculus buildup and stains. Metallic elements in the denture acquire a black stain after soaking in bleach for greater than 10 minutes daily62 In a study done by Dr. Roshan Khan 5.25% sodium hypochlorite was more effective in disinfecting dentures as compared to 0.2% chlorhexidine at a 5 minute immersion period28. Surface roughness was evaluated by Paranhos HDO et al64 and they found that immersing the acrylic resin denture in 0.5% sodium hypochlorite solution every night for more than a year and a half resulted in increased surface roughness while no effect was noted regarding the flexural strength of the acrylic. A major issue in immuno compromised and hospitalized patients is the emergence of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) which increases mortality rates significantly 16. Lee and colleagues104 showed that MRSA can be killed effectively with sodium hypochlorite. The use of vinegar (acetic acid) was evaluated by Basson et al105 and they found it effective at killing adherent micro organisms albeit less effective than sodium hypochlorite. Vinegar has an advantage over bleach and it is that inadequate rinsing after soaking in vinegar does not result in mucosal damage. In another study vinegar alone is found to be least effective at removing denture plaque but when used in combination with brushing its results were comparable with those of denture cleansers24 Soaking in a commercial solution: Immersing the dentures in denture cleansers reduces the micro organisms and plaque and is found to be a suitable method for denture cleansing specially for geriatric patients106. It was found that soaking in alkaline peroxide every night for more than a year resulted in color alteration of the resin64. In a study it was found that the combination of brushing and peroxide cleansers was the most efficacious method to remove denture plaque24. It was found in a study by de Andrade IM and colleagues107 that the effervescent tablets are effective in reducing streptococci mutans and total aerobes from denture biofilm. However, they were not as effective against C. albicans Mc Cabe and colleagues108 reported that effects of alkaline peroxide solution were enhanced using water at a temperature of 50 centigrade. In a study done to investigate the relationship between the frequency of use of denture cleanser and the quantity of micro organisms adhering to dentures it was found that patients who used denture cleansers daily or 3-4 times a week had significantly lower amount of micro organisms than the patients who used the denture cleanser once or less per month25. While in a study by Jose A and colleagues23 it was concluded that denture cleansers were effective against Candida albicans activity both in terms of removal and disinfection but residual biofilm retention that could lead to re growth and denture colonization was seen. Hence alternate mechanical cleaning methods are required to enhance biofilm removal.. New materials for denture immersion contain silicon polymer that provides a protective coating on denture as a final step in cleaning process. Coating helps to minimize adhesion of debris throughout the day until the next cleaning27. MICROWAVE RADIATION Effectiveness of microwaving depends on solution in which the dentures are immersed, the time of exposure, the level of power of microwave oven and the types of micro organisms adhering the denture109. Senno P and colleagues110 found that putting the dentures in denture cleanser and then microwaving was efficient in disinfecting dentures with lower irradiation time and temperature than the use of microwave irradiation alone therefore avoiding denture distortion. While in another study it was concluded that immersing the denture in a cup of water to transfer heat uniformly during microwave sterilization was more effective111. While Kaskin et al112 showed that independent of solution used irradiation for 15 minutes at 500 watt achieved complete sterilization of acrylic resin base materials contaminated by Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, candida albicans and streptococcus mutans. It was concluded by Brondani MA et al109 that irradiation time above 15minutes and voltage greater than 850 watts may cause distortion and surface roughness of the denture while not affecting the hardness of the material. While in another study 50 seconds of exposure at 850 watt seemed to be sufficient to disinfect the acrylic denture without any adverse effect on the material113. ALTERNATE DENTURE CLEANSING METHODS: Chlorhexidine destroys bacteria by breaking their membranes and inducing cytoplasmic precipitation114. In a study by de Andrade IM and colleagues 107 60 CD wearers participated in a trial for 21 days after getting brushing instructions. They found that the biofilm coverage area after treatment with immersion in 2% chlorhexidine for 5 minutes was the lowest when compared to immersion in water and in 0.12% chlorhexdine for 20 minutes. While in a study by Uludamar A and colleagues26 it was found that patients whose upper dentures were sprayed with mouthwashes on palatal surface showed decreased candida count when compared to patients who used effervescent type denture cleansers for soaking and cleaning. It can be concluded that mouthwashes can be used as effective denture disinfectants. Tissue cleansing and massage is often neglected part of complete denture care. Brushing the tongue and residual ridges will improve the circulation and remove plaque and debris that may cause irritation of soft tissue and offensive odors 115. In a study by Marchini L116 it was found that 68% of the complete denture wearers didn't clean their tongue. PERIODIC RECALL FOR ORAL EXAMINATION: Patient recall must be a tool to help prevention, allow early intervention and ensure long term dental health117. In a study by Peracini A 51`% of the patients interviewed were not informed about their recall visits.118 An evidence based, patient centered approach taking into account multiple risk categories must be implemented in designing recall visits.119 The American College of Prosthodontists recommends that patients wearing complete dentures must be checked every year for assessment of oral health status, denture fit and function and for evaluation of bone loss as well as oral lesions such as denture stomatitis 16. This recommendation is based on the evidence regarding the relationship between proper complete denture oral hygiene and overall systemic health particularly in dependant elderly45.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Analysis on Marx’s Historical Materialism Essay examples -- Political

As one of greatest figures in human history, Karl Marx introduced not only Communism but also historical materialism to us. According to historical materialism, the mode of production would determine and foster mankind’s ideas, values, and beliefs. Many opponents of Marx attacked his â€Å"impossible† Communism but neglected his contribution in defining the relationship among important production elements. This paper would explain the theme of historical materialism and probed the relationship between consciousness and mode of production. Then, this paper would analyze how division of labor affect mode of production and conclude that historical materialism was realistic and applicable. Marx defined historical materialism in the preface of A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy that, â€Å"it is not the consciousness of men that determines their existence, on the contrary, their social existence that determines their consciousness.† In contrast to idealism, which prioritized the value of human ideas, historical materialism insisted that the existence of human kinds pushed the productions; and mode of production shaped human consciousness in return. The contradictory between Idealism and historical materialism lie between whether it was evolvement of consciousness steering for societal changes or the other way around. While choosing one of them as individual political philosophy, it was very similar of answering question, â€Å"which came first, chicken or egg?† Personally, I favor for historical materialism for â€Å"consciousness is determined by your beings† seems rational as well as logical. So what is consciousness? According to Marx, â€Å"Consciousness can never be anything else than conscious existence, and the existence of men is t... ... future stage would follow Marx’s blueprint or not. This beautiful image was worth of dreaming. Comparing with Idealism, which stressed the human ideas’ capabilities in shaping societies, I felt historical materialism was more realistic and applicable. Despite the communism’s unclear future, the equation between mode of production and consciousness (or ideas and values) was very understandable and logical. I was convinced by the theme of historical materialism, which was â€Å"life is not determined by consciousness, but consciousness by life.† (Marx 155) Works Cited Brooks, Mick. "What Is Historical Materialism." Maxism. 14 Nov. 2002. Web. 25 May 2012. . Marx, Karl, and Friedrich Engels. "The German Ideology." The Marx-Engels Reader. Ed. Robert C. Tucker. New York: Norton, 1978. 146-200. Print