Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla essays

Godzilla versus Mechagodzilla expositions Artistic researchers have contended for quite a long time over which is this greatest, meanest, and coolest beast ever. Given the decision of Godzilla or Mechagodzilla: a great many people would pick the radioactive reptile over the space robot, in light of the fact that Godzilla won against Mechagodzilla. What these individuals neglect to acknowledge is that Godzilla had an out of line advantage in that fight. The two titans battled with all their capacity and when they arrived at an impasse, Godzilla enrolled the assistance of King Seeser the 120 meter hound like beast. While Godzilla held Mechagodzilla down, King Seeser beat the robot into accommodation. I have spent quite a while thinking over who might win in a reasonable battle. In spite of the fact that they appear to be an equivalent match, the two beasts have altogether different traits. The two beasts have an attempt at manslaughter style of battling. Godzilla can move undetected in the water. This leaves him the alternative of shocking his rival or making a speedy retreat when fundamental. Godzilla may have his stunts, yet in the territory of moving, I offer credit to Mechagodzilla for one explanation. Mechagodzilla can fly. Flight empowers him to assault or retreat at incredible speed, just as making him a hard objective. Godzillas awkward reptile aura is no counterpart for Mechagodzillas fly like speed. Protective quality is another significant factor in a skirmish of galactic extents. Godzilla and Mechagodzilla can both endure a shot. Godzilla has exceptionally thick and extreme skin. Regardless of whether something were to penetrate his defensive layer like scales, he has the extraordinary capacity to recover. In the event that you hit Godzilla, he sucks it in and continues battling. Mechagodzilla was structured by outsiders utilizing space age metals and is for all intents and purposes indestructible. Robots dont know the significance of the word torment. On the off chance that you hit Mechagodzilla, he feels nothing and continues battling. Sadly, Mechagodzilla can't recover, which leaves Godzilla with the guarded edge. ... <!

My history as a reader and writer in Russian and in English Essay

My history as a peruser and author in Russian and in English - Essay Example Composing is a craftsmanship that expects one to have energy and readiness to counter the difficulties that identify with the principles of good composition. My involvement with perusing and Writing in school is very not the same as that of secondary school. In secondary school, the vast majority of the composing included basic creations and rundowns. In school perusing and composing requires profound investigation of the substance and the understanding of those substance. Learning another dialect is very testing yet I am resolved to consummate my new aptitudes inside the briefest time conceivable. My qualities in this new dialect are the dedication I have in my examinations through customary practice to upgrade my talking and composing abilities. I am additionally acceptable at reviewing realities and materials realized which upgrades my exhibition in English and Russian dialects. My shortcoming is the poor dominance of new expressions, particularly in the new dialect. To counter this shortcoming, I am buckling down by perusing numerous articles and taking note of everything that I read in my note pad. The principle objectives for this course are to improve my explanatory abilities, which will empower me to be a great innovative author later on. I likewise need to improve my use of action words particularly the right utilization of action word tenses, which will empower me to compose the excellent language structure. I likewise need to compose my work well overall and rival a portion of the world’s famous journalists in innovative and inventive composition. Perusing and writing in the two distinct dialects will assist me with speaking with more individuals and make numerous companions who have comparative interests.

Argument essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Contention - Essay Example Oversight debilitates monetary development by thwarting business advancement; this has a tremendous negative effect. This is clear while considering the quantity of the motion pictures that are being restricted or rejected off because of the sole choice of a person that the substance of the motion pictures are said to be unfit for open review. This isn't all together regardless of the way that people may on occasion be pompous of it naming it as assurance (Reichman 66). The job of film arrangement officials is in this way put into question as it is muddled why a panel is left to figure out what movies are watchable and which are not in spite of the unmistakable certainty that the controllers place the age limitations very higher than they ought to really, making an antagonistic effect on the business characters. Data is power and a populace that is enabled is in an ideal situation than that which is denied data. This effect was found in Ireland for instance in the year 2000 on the fi lm called, ‘The juice house rules,’ a film which was given a more than 18 declaration announcing that the data that it introduced on fetus removal and interbreeding wasn't right. In giving such limitations, they contend that any person who needs to approach such a film should initially have a thought of the film substance and the message passed (Caso 172). This might be right however the more youthful populace should get to the message conveyed by the film particularly with the beginning of mechanical development combined with the way that innovation is and will keep on being a significant mainstay of monetary development. Thusly, numerous organizations are antagonistically influenced when limitations as far as laws and guidelines are set up in such a situation (Lederer and Richard 312). Likewise, oversight precludes people their opportunity from claiming articulation and access to data, since it is helpful for one to have the option to settle on very much educated choi ces, however it is disheartening when a few areas inside the general public impact, and spot limitations on people to shape the estimations of the general public individuals regarding what they ought to do or not do. It is just conceivable to clarify and all around educated choices when the people have all the fundamental data to settle on such choices. This is the thing that control denies the populace, the opportunity to make their own autonomous and all around educated decisions by impacting their choices and decisions toward a path of their inclination (Lederer and Richard 72). In any case, the way that individuals ought to be permitted to settle on their own choices doesn't mean similar individuals will put their endeavors in acts that would conflict with the standards of the general public. The guidelines set have come about into circumstances whereby people can't settle on basic choices like those that include the decision of educational programs in schools. This powerlessnes s is ascribed to unseemly data that has made it very hard for the school going characters to be in the situation of picking additional educational plan exercises and applicable collegial gatherings than they had the option to previously. Accordingly, oversight ought to be disheartened since it even cuts

Financial Analysis Case Study - 1100 Words

Financial Analysis (Case Study Sample) Content: DIAGEO PLC COMPANYby Students NameCourse Code + TitleInstructorInstitutionCity, StateDateDIAGEO PLC COMPANYCompany Summary Diageo PLC Company was incorporated in October 1886 and is engaged in international manufacture of premium drinks. It deals with a wide range of brands inclusive of brands like Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, JB, Windsor, Buchmans and Bush-mills whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc, and Ketel One vodkas, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Jose Cuervo and Guinness. These brands and many more are classified as spirits, beer, wine and ready to drink. The firm's business is structured in Europe, Africa, North America, Latin America, the Asian Pacific and the the Caribbean. Diageo boasts of selling its products in over 180 markets all over the world (Neely, 2002). It has a strong team of roughly 36000 employees, constituent of a diverse workforce working towards the growth and nurture of their business and brands. Contributions made towards giving deeper insights on consumer needs and enhanced relationships with their stakeholders have been attributed to the different backgrounds of these colleagues. With a market capitalization of 79.45 Billion and revenues of up to 20 Billion annually, it is amongst the best performers in the market for its variety of ventures (Bichler, Shimshon; Nitzan, Jonathan 2010). The firm's strategy is to drive growth and margin expansion in a responsible and sustainable way so as to deliver long term wealth and value creation for its shareholders in the long term period. To achieve this Diageo has at its disposal a broad band range, geographical reach to its customers and expertise of its employees who share the same values. 0perating costs skyrocketed by  £339 million from  £7,564 million in 30th June 2012 to  £7,903 million in 30th June 2013 due to an increment in the cost of sales of  £215 million from  £4,228 million to  £4,443 million, an increase in marketing spend of  £96 million from  £1,691 million t o  £1,787 million, and an increase in other operating expenses before exceptional costs of  £28 million, from  £1,645 million to  £1,673 million. Cost of sales was  £4,443 million in 30thJune 2013 compared to  £4,228 million in 30th June 2012. The 1% volume increase together with some favourable mix impact added  £37 million to the cost of sales. Increases on utilities, logistics and materials amounted to around 4% of cost of sales Net sales were  £76 million in the year ended 30 June 2013, up  £6 million compared to last year. Net operating charges were  £149 million as observed in the year ended 30 June 2013 having been  £165 million in the year ended 30 June 2012. The reduction comprised a  £10 million decrease in corporate costs, primarily due to a reduction in acquisition costs and  £6 million favourable exchange rate movements (Nemethy, 2011). In the year end 2012, sales increased to  £14,594 million from  £13,232 million in the year ended 30 Jun e 2011. Operating costs increased from  £7,052 million in the year ended 30 June 2011 to  £7,574 million in the year ended 30 Jun 2012 as a result of an increase in cost of sales of  £245 million, an increase in marketing expenditure from  £1,538 million to  £1,691 million, and an increase in operating expenses of  £114 million. Cost of sales summed up to  £4,228 million in the year that ended 30 Jun 2012 compared with  £3,983 million in the year ended 30 June 2011. This amounted to a 2% or so increase in volume amounting to  £110 million to cost of sales. Increase in cost of materials and utilities amounted to 5% of cost of sales. Operating profit noted for the year ended 30 June 2012 was observed to have increased by  £563 million up to  £3,158 million (Reddy, Appannaiah Sathyaprasad, 2010). In accordance to the group's overall strategy, the groups management is committed to improving shareholder wealth in the long term, by investing in the various brands o f the diverse business to ensure delivery of continued improved results on the return from these investments and by managing the capital structure. Diageo manages its capital component to maximise flexibility, achieve capital efficiency and give the necessary level of accessibility to debt markets at favourable costs. To ensure management of the same, the group regularly reviews its debt and equity capital levels against its agreed upon policy for capital structure. Financial Performance analysis (past five years)Income statement data2013 million2012 million2011 million2010 million2009 millionSales 15,48714,59413,23212,95812,283Operating profit3,4313,1582,5952,5742,418Profit for the yearContinued operations2,594 2,083 2,017 1,762 1,704 Discontinued operations0 (11)0 (19)2 Total profit for the year2,594 2,072 2,017 1,743 1,706 Dividend per share (pence)47.443.240.438.136.1 The table above shows steady growth of the company's financ ial position and performance as indicated by the growth in sales volume and operating profit of the company over the past five years. Return of shareholders funds has as well increased steadily over the years leading up to the year end June 2013 as indicated by the dividend per share. Continued growth of profits for year end is indicative of a steady rise in earnings per share for the shareholders profitability (Alexander, Sinnett, 2005). The two major competitors facing it off with Diageo (DEO) in the premium drinks market are SAB Miller (SAB) and Pernod Ricard SA (PVT1) (Martin Nissan, 2003). In the Trailling twelve Months (ttm), statistics put SAB miller ashead in terms of having the highest revenues at 22.31 billion in comparison to 19.41 B and 11.15 B for SAB and PVT1 respectively. The industrial average for the same is 19.14 B showing that both SAB and DEO are doing well at their level of performance. In all other respects however, SAB performs at relatively poor in compar ison to DEO as indicated by the Gross Margin, Earnings before Interest aand Tax (EBITDA), operating margin and net margin in the ttm. Figures stand at: EBITDA of 6.65 B and 5.85 B; Operating margin of 0.32 and 0.20 and an operating margin of 4.46 B and 3.38 B for DEO AND SAB respectively. Generally, SAB does not have as much exposure to the premium beverage market as does DEO. It does however, have more exposure to emerging markets around the globe. With the growing demand for beer in the market SAB stands at a better advantage as opposed to the more dorminant spi...

Iraq s Capital And Its Impact On The World - 1110 Words

Introduction The foundation of a people’s economy, politics, and security lies in its knowledge. There is no more lasting way to transfer such knowledge than through a book. With a vision of securing the future of Muslims, ancient Arabic-Islamic civilization worked hard to build public libraries where every son and daughter of Allah could learn from the past and build the future. Perhaps, no city has played a more major role in this pursuit than Baghdad. Baghdad, through the ages, has fueled the development of the arts and the sciences. The reputation of Iraq’s capital was synonymous to learning in the ancient world. Its academic influence spread to different countries, cultures, and dialects. Baghdad is also a reflection of the challenges that Muslims faced in their goal to preserve knowledge. Just like the famed city, other Islamic cities and states have lost many libraries due to conflicts and wars. It is estimated that throughout history, the Muslim world lost near ly eight million books and great libraries, like the Cortoba library in Iberia and Dar Al Elm library in Egypt. To better appreciate the Islamic civilization’s contribution to knowledge and to understand the issues that hinder us from developing our academic sources, this essay will discuss the rise and fall of one of the world’s greatest libraries, Bait Al Hikmah, more commonly known as, The House of Wisdom. The Rise of the House of Wisdom Baghdad: Where It All Began To study The House of WisdomShow MoreRelatedBurger Fuel Is A New Zealand Gourmet Burger Restaurant1628 Words   |  7 Pagesprovide a healthier menu than its competitors by reducing salt, sugar and additives. Burger Fuel have their own radio station. Part 1.2 – External Environment Burger Fuel is a part of the Food/Hospitality Sector. Three external factors that might impact our business are: Economic – The economic factor is important to burger fuel and the fuel industry as a whole as it affects the company’s growth. Since the economy has been getting back on track after the recession, there is more money to be spentRead MoreReasons For The Country Of Iraq1505 Words   |  7 Pages This essay is going to cover the country of Iraq. Due to my experience with three deployments to this country, I have found its history very interesting. I will share knowledge and facts about the Country, culture and military. This country has an astounded religious and cultural history documented. I believe Iraq was once self sufficient because of its Dictator however a great threat to the world. Sometimes I am very puzzled how we successfully invaded the country and changed theirRead MoreThe Islamic State Of Iraq And Al Sham1471 Words   |  6 PagesJoshua Bacon Ed Rowe American Security Overview 26 January 2016 The Islamic State, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), follows a distinct variety of Islam whose beliefs about the path to the Day of Judgment define its strategy, and can help the West know its enemy and predict its behavior. Its rise to power is less like the triumph of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt (a group whose leaders the Islamic State considers apostates) than like the realization of a dystopian alternateRead MoreAfter The Attacks Of September The Eleventh On The United1402 Words   |  6 Pagesattacks of September the eleventh on the United States the world has transformed drastically; the events of 9/11 2001 was followed by a string of similar attacks and suicide bombings all around the world that terrorism has become a major threat to our planet. With the help of the media in dramatizing these attacks, fear of terror has become a major concern to people around the world. Terrorism has somehow played a major role in shaping our world in the twenty first century and the past decade. Some ofRead MoreThe Relationship Between Inflation And Unemployment On Growth1553 Words   |  7 Pagesunemployment on economic growth as follows: ―historically, all possible combinations have occurred: inflation and unemployment with and without development, no inflation and unemployment with and without development. The main problems facing the economy of Iraq today are unemployment and inflation. These problems are persistently complex and cause economic and social dilemma to the economy as a whole. The inability of government to provide a lasting solution to these twin challenges has contributed to a seriousRead MoreInfluence Of Iran Relations On Fdi During Saudi Arabia And Gulf Countries1105 Words   |  5 Pagesis any risk because of the war in Iran, the projects will be retreated. Many of the foreign capital aim to enter Gulf region for investing and financing, especially from international banks, because of the economic and high c ommercial growth in these countries (Aleqt, 2007). In addition, it has been mentioned by Aleqt report (2207) that the Gulf States are aspirated by many of the foreign capital, many of international and western banks plan and keen to enter this market in order to financeRead MoreDoes The Ends Justify The Means?1597 Words   |  7 Pagesa basis of one’s ethics and moral judgement. The Doctrine: Does the Ends Justify the Means? The question: Does the Ends Justify the Means? is brought to discussion in the text by Riemer, Simon, Romance (2014) with regards to Niccolo Machiavelli s political strategy of the lion and the fox stating â€Å"Where the very safety of the country depends upon the resolution to be taken, no consideration of justice or injustice, humanity or cruelty, nor of glory or of shame should be allow to prevail† (p.Read MoreBy Definition, An Exchange Rate Is â€Å"The Price Of A Nation’S1578 Words   |  7 PagesBy definition, an Exchange rate is â€Å"The price of a nation’s currency in terms of another currency† (1). It is one of the most important measurements for determining a country’s economic strength, and it impacts people’s daily life too. As a foreign student studying in America, we have to pay very close attention to the exchange rate, and this promoted our interests in why exchange rate is floating all the time. In general, exchange rate can be affected by many factors include inflation rates, interestRead MoreWhy Oil Act Different Kinds Of Roles1160 Words   |  5 PagesExperienced workers can distinguish oil from different regions by the composition and appearance. Oil is regarded as the world s most important energy, even some people agree that oil is the blood stream of the world economy. In 2012, 88% of oil is used as fuel, the other 12% is used as raw material for the chemical industry. From the geographical knowledge, the world s oceans cover 360 million square kilometers, about 2.4 times compared with the land. Continental shelf and continental slopeRead MoreDam Building : The Magnificent Engineering Edifices Left On The Landscape1058 Words   |  5 Pageseconomy’s growth, dam-building has been a primary focus in many countries around the world. Dams create reservoirs, whose water in turn is used for agricultural irrigation, within the industrial sector, and also as human consumption. In additio n, dams are used to create hydroelectric power. With all these positive economic effects, one can argue that dams are necessary for a nation; however , dam-building has many impacts on the environment, on surrounding populations, and on their respective economies

Nokia Vertu - Case Study Analysis Free Sample

Question: Prepare a case analysis for Vertu Nokias Luxury Mobile Phone for the Urban Rich? Answer: Introduction: This assignment helps to analyze the case study of Vertu. It is a brand of luxury phone manufactures that is operated by the Nokia. Vertu offers various types of luxury phones those have manufactured by utilizing luxury products, like diamonds, exotic leather and sapphires. It was founded officially in the year of 1998 in United Kingdom. During the time of its launch, it has sold many luxury phones in various countries of world (Vertu Official Site,2015). Therefore, this assignment conducts the SWOT analysis of this company. SWOT analysis on Vertu: Strengths Exclusive ranges of luxury phones, attractive series of Signature, Symbian etc Phone technology Microsoft Windows Cost advantage compared to other companies of luxury phones Rich people of U.K are the targeted customers of Vertu Associated with the brand name of Nokia which is a popular multinational company of phone and related equipments Weakness Limited to one specific market sector All systems are not user friendly Application of these phones have become outdated Phones are high priced High price but the features are not high like other smart phones Opportunities Promoting the brand within some untouched areas This company has started to enter into several new market sectors This company can manufacture products for low as well as medium price market Vertu should expand its marketing activities to various developing countries Threat Emergence of new technologies in mobile phones, like android phones, Apple smart phones are counted as immense threat for this luxury phone Level of increased competition Lack of better software in this luxury phones Lack of better gaming facilities and other updated applications Many companies are coming with extra as well as updated version of mobile and phone technology with extra ordinary and effective application Table 1: SWOT analysis of Nokia Vertu As stated by Schrempf (2011), Vertu has expanded its business area in many countries. However, the business activities of Vertu are still missing in the developing countries. It has operated its business activities within United Kingdom and other countries. The main focus of this type of phones is the rich people of the market. Therefore, it has operated its effective business within one specific sector of market. New technological evolution has become and various types of mobile phones, like apple, android and Smartphone has come to the market with effective and updated features. However, Vertu has to face immense competition as because the new technological advancement is lacking in this phone. On the other hand, Langbour (2011) criticized that, innovative capacity is missing in this company. This brand slowly accepts the new technological advancement. The software application needs to be updated. Case study analysis of Vertu: Vertu, the company that is operated by Nokia, has produced luxury mobile phones that are manufactured by utilizing many valuable materials, like silver, gold leather etc. Vertu has launched the first luxury phone ever in the market. Attractive craft of these phones are very popular feature of this phone. These phones are generally made from gold, ceramic, diamonds, sapphire, exotic hardwood etc (Vertu Official Site, 2015). This luxury phone manufacturing industry has the potential market of rich people of different countries. Major rich customers are located in Germany, United Kingdom, United States, Japan etc. On the other hand, Schrempf (2011) argued that the economy of the developing countries has been increased. Therefore, several companies like Gold Vish, Tag Heuer, and Christian Dior has entered within the market sector of luxury phones. Therefore, Vertu has suffered from lack of new technological advancement within the technology of the phone. Therefore, Doz and Kosonen (2011) stated that, the mother company Nokia has also faced several internal issues, like accountability, internal collaboration, leadership. The capacity of producing innovative luxury phones with high technological devices has been decreased. There are various new types of phones, like Android, Apple and other Smartphone has entered into the market segment of luxurious phones. This company also offers some value added services like, online facility, CNC facility etc. However, Vrontis and Thrassou (2013) stated that, Vertu is lacking from different innovative idea for producing this type of phone. Vertu needs to expand its business into the developing countries. This company also needs offer those luxury phones at a low cost and with high technological devices in order to attract the customers of all levels of market. Conclusion: This assignment has discussed some drawbacks of the company of luxury phone, Vertu. This company does not acquire new technology that will help to compete with the apple, smart phones and other android phones of the mobile market. However, this company has produced many attractive series of luxury phones. Reference list Books Vrontis, D. and Thrassou, A. (2013) Innovative Business Practices. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. Journals Doz, Y. and Kosonen, M. (2011) Letter to the editor: Nokia and Strategic Agility: A Postscript. California Management Review, 53(4), pp.154-156 Langbour, N. (2011). Krief, Huguette : Entre terreur et vertu. Et la fiction se fit politique (17891800), 2010. Kritikon Litterarum, 38(3-4), pp.189-192 Schrempf, J. (2011). Nokia Siemens Networks: Just Doing Business or Supporting an Oppressive Regime?. Journal of Business Ethics, 103(1), pp.95-110 Websites Nokia, (2015) Nokia [online] Available at: https://company.nokia.com/ [Accessed 10 Mar. 2015]. Vertu Official Site, (2015) Vertu Official Site [online] Available at: https://www.vertu.com/ [Accessed 10 Mar. 2015]

Organisational Sustainability

Introduction The past two decades have been characterised by an unprecedented rate of globalisation, technological developments, and competition, which have led to a remarkable revolution within and across organisations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Organisational Sustainability specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Despite the changes arising from the macro environment, businesses have to maximise their level of profitability. This assertion highlights the need for organisations to develop sustainability, which entails balancing environmental, social, and economic factors that might affect an organisation’s long-term performance. Devinney (2009) emphasises that sustainability has become one of the most important management agendas in organisations’ operations. However, one of the major challenges faced by organisations in their quest to achieve sustainability relates to climate change. The aspect of climate change is quickly becoming an integral part of business operations, especially in the wake of global warming. Governments are increasing pressure on organisations to control their greenhouse gases emissions (GHG). For example, Russia ratified the Kyoto treaty in 2004 (Hoffman 2005). In a bid to eliminate intervention from the government and other regulatory agencies, it is imperative for organisations to formulate effective climate change strategies. Orlitzky et al. (2003) suggest that the long-term performance of business is influenced by the strategies set on market and nonmarket environments.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This paper evaluates two main aspects, viz. the role of HR in enhancing organisational sustainability in a large supermarket chain and an evaluation of climate change strategy in Toll Holdings. Sustainability and human resource management A str ong relationship exists between organisational sustainability and the stakeholder theory. In the course of their operation, businesses have a responsibility to satisfy the interest of various internal and external stakeholders such as employees, shareholders, customers, the public, and the regulatory agencies. In a bid to achieve organisational sustainability, it is imperative for businesses to ensure that the needs of external shareholders are met satisfactorily. Human resource management can aid an organisation in achieving organisational sustainability in a number of ways as evaluated herein. First, an organisation can utilise its HRM tools, skills, and knowledge to entrench organisational strategy through partnering, engaging, and aligning. Businesses influence the society in which they operate in either a positive or a negative manner. Porter and Kramer (2011) are of the opinion that an organisation has to create a set of effective share values between the society and the firm in order to enhance organisational performance. In the quest to enhance their long-term success, it is imperative for firms to collaborate with the society, which can be achieved by formulating a comprehensive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Cohen (2010) asserts, â€Å"The Human Resource (HR) function is the key partner in embedding corporate social responsibility and sustainability initiative in any organisation† (p.34).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Organisational Sustainability specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As one of the leading supermarket chains in the world, Wal-Mart is committed towards achieving organisational sustainability by enhancing its CSR. One of the areas that the firm has focused on relates to environmental pollution. The firm has formulated a policy that will result in reduction in the volume of plastic shopping bag wastes in all its outlets. The firm intends to achieve this goal by incorporating reusable bags. Consequently, the firm will minimise environmental pollution. Moreover, the firm ensures that it does not engage in activities that can result in overexploitation of natural resources, which is a critical element in positioning a firm as a socially sustainable company (Dyllick Hockerts 2002). In addition to environmental sustainability, Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club are committed towards providing customers with high-quality products. In a bid to achieve this goal, the firms ensure that their employees understand the organisations’ vision and mission. Moreover, the firms are very concerned about understanding the employees’ interests. Thus, the firms’ HR managers are in a position to collaborate with the employees. Developing a high level of engagement with external and internal stakeholders is another strategy that HR managers can adopt in their quest to embed sustainability. Wal-Mart has integrated a number of engagement policies with various external stakeholders such as the Live Greener Working Group [LGWG] and environmentalists.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This collaboration assists the firm in understanding various issues such as poverty and resource degradation; hence, improving the effectiveness with which it undertakes managerial functions such as planning, organising, staffing, control, and directing. The well-being of an organisation’s human capital is a key determinant in achieving organisational sustainability (Pfeffer 2010). Littig and Griessler (2005) posit that HRM can enhance organisational sustainability by enhancing its ability to develop a strong workforce. Thus, effective employee selection strategy is vital. Some of the elements that should be considered in the selection process include teamwork and collaboration skills. Moreover, it is fundamental for the HR manager to select employees who are characterised by a high degree of fit with the organisation. Employee training and development is another major contribution of HRM in enhancing organisational sustainability. Training employees contribute towards the de velopment of a high degree of understanding and commitment of an organisation’s sustainability goals and values amongst the employees. This aspect increases the degree of employee commitment and alignment towards the set organisational values hence improving organisational performance, as the employees have adequate understanding of their job roles. In 2010, Wal-Mart formulated personal sustainability project through which it trained 1.3 million of its associates on sustainability. The training program has aided Wal-Mart in improving the associates’ morale and productivity. In a bid to improve the employees’ capability successfully, it is imperative for an organisation to ensure that the training process is continuous. Formulating and implementing a comprehensive employee training and development program can improve the degree of organisational identification. The training and development program improves the employees’ perception with regard to the contr ibution of the organisation in their career path. This aspect reduces the rate of employee turnover, hence increasing the likelihood of achieving economic sustainability. Pfeffer (2010) emphasises that job satisfaction minimises the rate of employee turnover. Therefore, the likelihood of the organisation developing a strong financial base increases. Providing adequate managerial support and communication is another way through which an organisation can enhance organisational sustainability. Nurturing an effective internal communication system is fundamental in enhancing development of sustainability behaviours amongst employees. This goal is achievable via ensuring that employees are adequately informed about various issues affecting the organisation by integrating company-wide internal communication campaigns. Frequent and effective communication between the top and the lower level of management assists employees in connecting with sustainability values. An effective internal commu nication system will not only ensure that employees understand their roles, but it will also improve information and knowledge sharing amongst employees. ASDA, which is a well-established retail chain in the UK, has developed an all-round internal communication system in its quest to sustain a high level of collaboration with its ‘colleagues’. Sustainable leadership strategy should also be incorporated in an organisation’s effort to connect its employees with the organisational vision and purpose. Moreover, it is also important for an organisation’s management team to ensure that the employees are concerned with agility, which can be achieved by preparing employees for any change that might emanate from the external environment. Climate change strategy; Toll Holdings Sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Toll Holdings Climate change is one of the major challenges faced in the modern society. Its occurrence has diverse impacts on individuals, businesses, a nd the society. Firms that ignore the element of climate change do so at their own peril. Consequently, it has become a key concern of various stakeholders, including businesses. Hoffman (2005) is of the opinion that organisations have a responsibility to ensure that their actions do not contribute to increment in the rate of climate change. Consequently, it is imperative for organisations to incorporate optimal climate change strategies. Businesses emit a substantial amount of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which stands out as one of the major factors contributing to climate change. This aspect explains the rationale behind the need for organisations to integrate strategies that will lead to reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Emission from vehicles and other modes of transport is one of the major sources of GHGs. Toll Holdings operates as a transport and logistics firm. The firm developed an efficient road, air, rail, and ocean network that aid it in offering effective l ogistic services across the world. By offering transportation services through this mechanism, the firm emits a substantial amount of GHG to the atmosphere. Therefore, one can assert that the major sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Toll Holdings are its fleet of airplanes, trucks, trains, and ships. Toll Holdings climate change strategy Hoffman (2005) asserts that an organisation can utilise various strategies in order to minimise its impact on climate change. Some of the strategies being adopted include trading in carbon credits and altering the firm’s operational processes. Toll Holdings is cognisant of its impact on climate change. Consequently, the firm has incorporated the concept of environmental sustainability. The Toll’s management team is committed towards reducing the firm’s impact on the environmental footprint. The firm has adopted a number of voluntary greenhouse gas-reduction strategies in this regard. The first strategy entails adjusting its operations into being cleaner and greener. The firm is in the process of incorporating new practices and technologies in its operational strategies, which will aid in reducing the volume of GHGs emitted. For example, the new technologies will let the firm shift from utilising non-renewable sources of energy such as petroleum-based fuels into using renewable energies such as electricity. The firm is in the process of evaluating how it can incorporate other viable types of green energy. Incorporating green forms of energy will aid the firm in transforming its operational strategy into more sustainable logistics (Toll Holdings 2013). In its quest to position itself as an environmentally sustainable organisation, the firm has adopted Smarter Green Program. The program aids the firm in responding to its negative impact on the environment. Moreover, the firm has incorporated a number of performance measurement initiatives in an effort to assess its progress with regard to greenhouse gas e missions. The firm’s smarter green initiative is comprised of six main aspects, which include smarter driving, smarter vehicles, smarter planning, smarter facilities, smarter fuel efficiency, and smarter energy (Toll Holdings 2013). Current and emerging climate change threats and opportunities Climate change is a major business issue that organisations have to integrate in their operations. It presents a set of risks and opportunities that entrepreneurs and firms’ management teams should take into account. One major threat that Toll faces due to climate change relates to the occurrence of floods across its distributional networks. Climate change is one of the major factors increasing the occurrences of floods. For example, global warming increases the likelihood of snow melting hence the rise in the volume of water in major waterways. Such an occurrence may affect major transport gateways, hence limiting the firm’s effectiveness in its distributional efficiency. As a result, the firm’s competitiveness may be affected (McKibben 2012). The occurrence of natural phenomena such as storms due to climate change presents a major threat to Toll Holdings, as the firm cannot be in a position to quantify the financial impact of possible damage. Consequently, the likelihood of the firm incorporating an effective risk management strategy such as mitigation and risk transfer, for example through insurance is reduced. Moreover, the firm cannot be in a comfortable position to avoid the risk. The firm’s degree of exposure to risks associated with climate change such as storms may adversely affect its attractiveness amongst investors. Consequently, the competitiveness of the firm in the international market might reduce. Moreover, the occurrence of a high rate of climate change in areas where the firm operates may lead to an increment in carbon tax levied against companies. Such a strategy may be adopted in an effort to push companies to minim ise their greenhouse gas emissions. Ultimately, the firm’s level of profitability might be affected (Hoffman, 2005). Despite the above threats, climate change can assist Toll Holdings achieve optimal long-term positioning. For example, the firm can adjust its operational processes in such a way that it aligns its operations to the prevailing needs (Kiron et al. 2012). This move will culminate in improvement in the company’s public image and reputation amongst investors, lenders, regulators, and insurers. Incorporating strategies such as green energy may aid the firm in attracting investors. Climate change also presents Toll with an opportunity to improve its risk management strategies. For example, the firm can insure itself against such occurrences (Hoffman 2005) Recommendations on Toll’s climate change strategy Toll Holdings should consider the most effective climate change-management strategies. Some of the strategies that the firm can integrate include Inco rporating a carbon footprint trading policy- The trading policy will assist Toll Holdings in improving its commitment to reduce the occurrence of climate change. Toll Holdings should adjust its operational processes by integrating various forms of renewable energy. Some of the forms of energy that the firm should include bio-fuel, nuclear energy, and electric power. Conclusion The paper shows that firms can integrate a number of aspects in order to achieve organisational sustainability. Some of these issues relate to improving the firm’s HRM strategies and integrating climate change strategies. In summary, firms should focus on three main facets of sustainability, which include environmental, economic, and social aspects. These aspects will stimulate the firm’s ability to achieve sustainable development. Reference List Cohen, E 2010, CSR for HR: A necessary partnership for advancing responsible business practices, Greenleaf, Sheffield. Devinney, T 2009, ‘Is the socially responsible corporation a myth? The good, the bad, and the ugly of corporate social responsibility’, Academy of Management Perspectives, vol. 23 no. 2, pp. 44-56. Dyllick, T Hockerts, K 2002, ‘Beyond the business case for corporate sustainability’, Business Strategy and the Environment, vol. 11 no.2, pp. 130-141. Hoffman, A 2005, ‘Climate change strategy: The business logic behind voluntary greenhouse gas reductions’, California Management Review, vol. 47 no.3, pp. 21-46. Kiron, D, Kruschwitz, N, Haanaes, K Von-Streng-Velken, I 2012, ‘Sustainability Nears a tipping point’, MIT Sloan Management Review, vol. 53 no. 2, pp.69-74. Littig, B Griessler, E 2005, ‘Social sustainability: A Catchword between political pragmatism and social theory’, International Journal of Sustainable Development, vol. 8 no. 1, pp. 65-79. McKibben, B 2012, The Reckoning; rolling stone. Web. Pfeffer, J 2010, ‘Building sustainable organ isations: The human factor’, Academy of Management Perspectives, vol. 24 no.1, pp. 34-45. Porter, M Kramer, M 2011, ‘Creating shared value’, Harvard Business Review, vol. 89 no.2, pp. 62-77. Orlitzky, M, Schmidt, F Rynes, S 2003) ‘Corporate Social and Financial Performance: A Meta- Analysis’, Organisation Studies, vol.24 no.3, pp.403-41. Toll Holdings: Corporate social responsibility 2013. Web. This essay on Organisational Sustainability was written and submitted by user Pedro Green to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Apollo And Daphne

and rejoined, "Your arrows may strike all things else, Apollo, but mine shall strike you." So saying, he took his stand on a rock of Parnassus and drew from his quiver two arrows of a different workmanship, one to excite love, the other to repel it. The former was of gold and sharp pointed, the latter blunt and tipped with lead. With the leaden shaft he struck the nymph Daphne, the daughter of the river god Peneus, and with the golden one Apollo, through the heart. Forthwith the god was seized with love for the maiden, and she abhorred the thought of loving. Her delight was in woodland sports and the spoils of the chase. Many lovers sought her, but she spurned them all, ranging the woods, and taking no thought of Eros nor of Hymen. Her father often said to her, "Daughter, you owe me a son-in-law; you owe me grandchildren." She, hating the thought of marriage as a crime, with her beautiful face tinged all over with blushes, threw her arms around her father's neck and said, "Dearest f ather, grant me this favor, that I may always remain unmarried, like Artemis." He consented, but at the same time said, "Your own face will forbid it." Apollo loved her and longed to obtain her; and he who gives oracles to all the world was not wise enough to look into his own fortunes. He saw her hair flung loose over her s... Free Essays on Apollo And Daphne Free Essays on Apollo And Daphne Apollo and Daphne in Myth Daphne was Apollo's first love. It was not brought about by accident, but by the malice of Eros. Apollo saw the boy playing with his bow and arrows; and being himself elated by his recent victory over Python, he said to him, "What have you to do with warlike weapons, saucy boy? Leave them for hands worthy of them. Behold the conquest I have won by means of them over the vast serpent who stretched his poisonous body over acres of plain! Be content with your torch, child, and kindle up your flames, as you call them, where you will, but presume not to meddle with my weapons." Aphrodite's boy heard these words and rejoined, "Your arrows may strike all things else, Apollo, but mine shall strike you." So saying, he took his stand on a rock of Parnassus and drew from his quiver two arrows of a different workmanship, one to excite love, the other to repel it. The former was of gold and sharp pointed, the latter blunt and tipped with lead. With the leaden shaft he struck the nymph Daphne, the daughter of the river god Peneus, and with the golden one Apollo, through the heart. Forthwith the god was seized with love for the maiden, and she abhorred the thought of loving. Her delight was in woodland sports and the spoils of the chase. Many lovers sought her, but she spurned them all, ranging the woods, and taking no thought of Eros nor of Hymen. Her father often said to her, "Daughter, you owe me a son-in-law; you owe me grandchildren." She, hating the thought of marriage as a crime, with her beautiful face tinged all over with blushes, threw her arms around her f ather's neck and said, "Dearest father, grant me this favor, that I may always remain unmarried, like Artemis." He consented, but at the same time said, "Your own face will forbid it." Apollo loved her and longed to obtain her; and he who gives oracles to all the world was not wise enough to look into his own fortunes. He saw her hair flung loose over her s...

Revising Response to Pop Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Revising Response to Pop Culture - Essay Example To many people, â€Å"True Life† lets them know they are not alone. The show sometimes focuses on very controversial issues that are not typically discussed openly, such as questioning one’s sexuality, dealing with debt or homelessness, or infidelity in relationships. MTV producers of the show really catch viewers’ attention with the title â€Å"True Life†. Every episode is further personalized with unique subtitle for every episode. Although what is aired may cause controversy at times, the show is still keeping audiences’ and the critics’ attention for its honest portrayal of the lives of young adults today. â€Å"True Life† allows viewers like myself to connect with people all over the world through a personal issue that is being shared. Finding a common ground between viewers and the subjects of the show, despite their differences, is what makes the show so popular. Many people do not realize how similar they are to someone from a different background until they are exposed to the other person’s daily life and how they deal with some of the same struggles and obstacles to achieving their goals. I think the show sends a very important message that despite our perceptions of people different from ourselves, at our core, we all face adversity and have to choose the paths we take to get to where we want to be. â€Å"True Life† is targeted mostly to MTVs typical audience of teens and young adults, however, in an interview with Betsy Forhan, MTV’s Executive Producer of â€Å"True Life†, we see how the show relates to other groups as well. â€Å"We have a constantly evolving audience and as the older people phase out, we have a brand new audience that is just being introduced to our show†, says Forhan. Forhan also credits the varied staff of the show with its appeal to so many people, â€Å"In our office, it’s a range of ages from our executives in their early 40’s t o the young people who are just out of college† (Forhan, 2010). Having a broad range of people work on the show to discover what’s happening now that will interest viewers in from different backgrounds really helps keep the â€Å"pop† in the popularity of the show. â€Å"You gotta keep moving with the times, things change so fast†. Forhan is also proud of the many awards her docu-series has won, including a 2005 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Documentary and a 2008 Emmy Award for Best Special Class Series. â€Å"True Life† has ultimately succeeded in doing what the producers intended: portraying the situations in life that are sometimes the hardest to accept. Anyone who has gone through an addiction of any sort, rehab or counseling, a big move, an uncontrollable disease or disability, perhaps an unexpected pregnancy or death, or even being gay can relate to at least one or more episodes. The show supports the notion, â€Å"that which does not ki ll you only makes you stronger† by letting the audience into the real dilemmas of people and watching them struggle, and hopefully succeed. Seeing others pull through, whether you know them or not, leaves you with a sense of being proud and keeping faith. At the end of the show, there is usually an update of how the subjects have faired after the show aired, which helps to further the emotional connection with the audience. There are negative sides to the show, however. One example would

Case Study Counselor Recommendation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Counselor Recommendation - Case Study Example According to their comments, I predict future conflicts and misunderstanding among them and the parents will find a hard time to make the children live together amicably. The positive thing that is evident in the new family is that every family member is optimistic that everything will go well and the family will be strong. They all have accepted to give it a chance and see whether the new family overcomes the future challenges and difficulties (Knox & Schacht, 2013). The things that the family will need to improve on include; playing ones role and averting conflicts. They should not be worried on the challenges that will come, but find credible ways of solving the tribulations that might arise. In utilizing the lessons learnt from the case study, terminal course objectives and threaded discussions in the family, it is significant to note that innumerable couples prefer cohabitation to marriage. This is because of the economic and emotional trauma from the preceding divorce, which af fects them mentally. It is established that parents given custody of the children by the family court are the ones involved in remarriage (Knox & Schacht, 2013). These parents always lack moral support and face economical impenetrability; hence, they always look for someone or a place to comfort. In this case, the family has to understand and accept the common argument that states that a stepparent will never be as good as a real parent. Hence, the Rose and Jason have to understand that in stepfamilies, the issues of biological parent will always be somewhere in the picture. For this reason, the parents have to teach the kids to accept the change and learn to be corrected and accept them as... In utilizing the lessons learnt from the case study, terminal course objectives and threaded discussions in the family, it is significant to note that innumerable couples prefer cohabitation to marriage. This is because of the economic and emotional trauma from the preceding divorce, which affects them mentally. It is established that parents given custody of the children by the family court are the ones involved in remarriage. These parents always lack moral support and face economical impenetrability; hence, they always look for someone or a place to comfort. In this case, the family has to understand and accept the common argument that states that a stepparent will never be as good as a real parent. Hence, the Rose and Jason have to understand that in stepfamilies, the issues of biological parent will always be somewhere in the picture. For this reason, the parents have to teach the kids to accept the change and learn to be corrected and accept them as parents. They have to accept correction by their stepparent and listen to his/her advice before making any judgments.

Ishmael Bernal and Religious Interpretations Essay Example for Free

Ishmael Bernal and Religious Interpretations Essay Ishmael Bernal’s films have received countless acknowledgements throughout the years because of his unique style of â€Å"working out patterns of symbolic details† (Lumbera 25). And through these patterns, Bernal was able to portray his views on things as an auteur. This paper examines his interpretations of religion and religious activities through his films. But this only includes three of his works: Manila by Night (1980), Himala (1982), and Hinugot sa Langit (1985). These three films’ devotional approaches are analyzed by both their mise-en-scene and fabula. On that note, religion as tackled in this paper only pertains to the Philippine religion of Christianity/Catholicism, since Bernal’s films appear to be only on the Catholic’s view. How did Bernal attack Catholicism? Why did he represent the country’s most widespread religion in that manner? What are the implications of his works on the era during such films were distributed? How do these films affect the contemporary time? And what do these films impose on the society and on the religion majority of it believes in? Hence, this paper has these films examined through the eyes of a spectator, and relates that analogy to Bernal’s own philosophies as an auteur. Religion in Mise-En-Scene and Iconographies Through the apparatus theory, Bernal’s religious interpretations in his works can be examined. Ponsford’s Film Theory and Language from media. edusites. co. uk says apparatus theory suggests that film is created to illustrate different ideas and that everything has meaning even starting from the camerawork up to the editing. Manila by Night is a drama film made by Bernal in 1980. It is a multiple-charactered film where the characters’ existences in the city were unveiled as they live by the ruthlessness of drugs, poverty, adultery, and lust. In Manila by Night, Bernal constantly used iconographies and effigies of divine entities in several sex scenes through elaborate camerawork and editing. An example is a scene where a couple (Adelina, played by Moreno and Pebrero, played by Ojeda) who routinely cheated on each other made love while religious icons peered over them (Santos 21). There is another sex scene where instead of figures, Bernal focused a shot on a chaplet necklace worn by the indolent college guy (Alex, played by Martinez) for a few seconds just before he had premarital sex with his girlfriend (Vanessa, played by Alajar). Bernal not only used these icons in sex scenes. In one scene where the neurotic mother of Alex, Virgie (Solis), trashed their home when she found out he was doing drugs, multiple shots of religious statues were shown simultaneously with the scene of flying plates and broken furniture in the screen. Hinugot sa Langit also has a remarkable mise-en-scene in terms of religious interpretations. It is a film about infidelity, unwanted pregnancy, and abortion. In the scene where Carmen (Soriano) was rushed to the hospital after attempting to commit suicide, the disparity between the two conflicting characters of Aling Juling (Solis) and Stella (Austria) was clearly depicted. Aling Juling, being the sanctimonious that she was, gave the feeble Carmen her Holy Bible, hoping that it helps Carmen as it did to her. Seconds after Aling Juling left the room, Stella put a bag of apples on top of the bible as she jokingly referred to it as â€Å"holy mansanas (apples)† which may be interpreted as the apple Eve took from the treacherous snake in the Garden of Eden. The style Bernal had in Manila by Night was still used in Hinugot sa Langit. There was the scene of Mang David’s (Ventura) child’s wake where an image of Christ hung over Carmen and Mang David’s backs as they talked about the latter’s debts from Aling Juling. There’s still that style but other sightings of the religious icons and statues were not shown in that ambiguous manner anymore; instead they were shown conspicuously to prove a point like every time Aling Juling conducted prayer meetings and worship time. The irony in showing religious images and sinful acts simultaneously is an apparent symbolism of the societal hypocrisy towards faith and Christianity. Morality Issues on Manila by Night, Himala, and Hinugot sa Langit These three films are all packed with morality issues and what are morality issues if there is no religion? Morality, I believe, is bound by the norms and rules of whatever religion an individual believes in. Therefore, people do what for them is â€Å"right† because the religion they keep their faith in tells them to do so. Himala is a story of a girl named Elsa (Aunor) who claims to have seen the Blessed Virgin Mary on the top of the very hill where she was found by her non-biological mother years ago when she was still a baby. Since then Elsa started to â€Å"heal† people through the use of the power that was allegedly bestowed upon her by the Virgin Mary. She was situated in a small town called Cupang where the soil was always dry because of a â€Å"curse† from long time ago. Since then people came flocking to Elsa’s house to seek treatment from her miracles. She had her own followers and a bunch of detractors. In the end, when she faced piles of troubles—from not being able to â€Å"heal† anymore to being raped along with her best friend who later on committed suicide—she came clean and announced that there is no miracle, that it is the people who create their own miracles. She was shot dead at that same moment. The morality issues in this film is particularly apparent during the time when documentarist Orly (Manikan) battles with himself whether to have Elsa and Chayong’s (Centeno) rape video shown to the public. In the end he seeks help from the priest, which only made it clear that his decisions still depended largely on the â€Å"Catholic opinion† even though he was a self-proclaimed atheist right from the start. Manila by Night touches more morality issues than Himala. Since it is a film using a multiple-character format, the struggles each persona faces vary. There was a cheating guy (Pebrero), a liar prostitute (Adelina), a hypocritical ex-prostitute (Virgie), a happy-go-lucky gay (Manay Sharon), a dope-pusher lesbian (Kano), a blind whore (Bea), a college dropout (Alex), and his girlfriend (Vanessa). Their characters differ from each other but what’s uncanny about it was that their lives intertwine one way or another. Set in the city during a time when people’s freedom was being suppressed, these characters faced the question of what to do in times like that. Whether they hold on to their principles and strive to live for the good or just continue their dishonest lives to be able to endure everything and coexist. In a country where Catholicism is dominant, what Bernal showed in Manila by Night questions the values the religion upholds for its followers. The ending of the film where after all the mayhem that happened in the city during the past night seemed to be forgotten and the characters are portrayed as monotonous citizens living their routinely-charged lives is a strong point for proving how people trapped in the confusion of what’s good or evil can act as two-faced individuals who eventually become victims of the system. Hinugot sa Langit, on the other hand, tackles a more brazen topic that’s related to religion: abortion. When Carmen found out she was having Jerry’s (Tantay) child, she was faced with only two options: one is to keep it and the other is to abort. The problem the film earlier gave was that Jerry was already married with someone else and he made it clear right from the start that he didn’t want anything to do with the child Carmen was carrying. This, on top of the incessant urging of her straightforward cousin Stella, pushed Carmen to the edge of option number two. But her landlady, Aling Juling, insisted otherwise—saying abortion is a sin to God. As Carmen’s pregnancy became relatively closer to three months (which is the point when a mere embryo becomes human according to the abortionist) she began thinking about the issue of whether abortion is already an act of killing or not. But eventually, she chose to have abortion. Near the end of the film where she pounded on Mang David for stabbing Aling Juling to death, Bernal used a brilliant camera shift from Mang David’s staring face to Carmen’s while she was yelling, â€Å"Wala kang karapatang pumatay ng tao! You have no right to murder anyone! ),† as if giving the former a reason to say that she did not have any right to kill her child either. As Oggs Cruz put it in his blog, â€Å"Hinugot sa Langit may be branded as preachy and anti-abortion but in reality, the film has side stories that suggest a more pressing issue: societal hypocrisy. † This is not only apparent in the abortion issue but also in Aling Juling’s actions. It’s just that, as Cruz again puts it, â€Å"abortion is the most telling of issues. The Philippines being a prominently Catholic nation declares abortion as criminally and morally wrong yet funnily, the practice is unwrittenly accepted among women who are time-pressed with a decision. † Elsa and Aling Juling While Manila by Night’s interpretations of religion banks largely on its mise-en-scene, what Bernal created in Himala and Hinugot sa Langit were characters who seemed to embody the â€Å"divine† and through them, Bernal showed how false devotions and idolatry can be misleading. Elsa’s alleged involvement with the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary made her just as acred as the holy mother of Christ in the people’s eyes. She became, in an obvious way, the people’s source of blind faith that led them to their own pits of darkness as shown in the last part of the film where healthy and sick people alike experienced a stampede that caused them physical pain. This false faith is also ostensible in Aling Juling’s character in Hinugot sa Langit. Even from the start of the film, her character already proved to be a hypocrite. She dressed conservatively, regularly attended prayer and worship meetings, firmly discouraged Carmen to do an abortion, and constantly spoke about the Divine. But she also wanted to have the informal settlers removed from her land at any cost just to be able to build a chapel, claiming it is for the greater good. Aling Juling proved to be the perfect devotee, but failed to act as a true child of God for the other people; and there lies the biggest fallacy built in her persona. There was also one scene where Carmen and Aling Juling went into a brief screaming match about how should the former handle her problems. In the one line of Carmen saying, â€Å"Ano pa bang gusto Niya (pertaining to God), ano pa bang gusto mo?! What else does He want, what else do you want?! ),† the character of Aling Juling seemed to be a symbolism of the â€Å"god† Carmen had come to believe in. Instead of the all-powerful, all-knowing One, because of her problems, Carmen landed on believing Aling Juling’s preaching as that of God’s. Elsa and Aling Juling both died at the end, and both by being brutally attacked. What I see in this phenomenon is the attempt to â€Å"kill off† the wrong and misrepresentative beliefs brought about by these two characters, and probably the only way Bernal suggests to do that is through a vicious, one-time manner. Bernal as Auteur This paper is not about Bernal but about the works of Bernal. But since he is an auteur, understanding his background is essential in understanding the concepts behind his works. The auteur theory proposes that the director is the author of the film and that the director is the primary creative source, therefore the films produced express the director’s distinctive vision of the world (Pramaggiore and Wallis 398). Therefore, his politics mirror his representation of religion, thus making his films a reflection of his own beliefs. According to Bayani Santos’ Bernal as Auteur, Ishmael appreciated the values of Gregorio Aglipay and Catholicism. He also admired the disciplines of Iglesia Ni Cristo but criticized it for its exploitation of religion in politics. It was also said that he â€Å"respected Catholicism as faith, but always qualified it with a historical reminder of its political and economic crimes against the nation† (Santos 19). It was also said in the same article that Bernal’s view of shallow Catholicism among Filipinos as facts of Philippine life was not just mocking jibes against superficial religiosity but rather â€Å"accurate descriptions, as synecdochical of Philippine reality† and having the satirical impact arrive after a realization by the audience that, indeed, the descriptions are ‘us’ (21). Bayani continued on to saying that Bernal’s politics are â€Å"deeply buried in many of his works† (31). His politics involve not only his aforementioned views on Philippine religion but also his involvement in communism. This notion is perceivable in the three films being analyzed by this paper. In Manila by Night, Bernal took jibes on Martial Law more than anything. In Hinugot sa Langit, he â€Å"showed the desperate situation of the poor in a script that scrupulously avoided overt political commentary† (31). In Himala he managed to speculate a Marxist view of religion as an opiate when Elsa’s death became a dismaying reversion to mass hysteria and fanaticism (31). Bernal’s Films then and now These three films were produced during the second golden age of the Philippine cinema, during the years that mark off the end of the Marcos Martial Law regime. Bernal’s films were acclaimed during those times because both the films and timing were apt to belong to the cinema that recognizes the struggle as the most gigantic cultural, scientific, and artistic manifestation our time, the third cinema (Solanas and Gettino 47). This is what makes Bernal’s films timeless. The impact these films made during those times were huge. Bernal revealed how the Marcos regime exploited the Filipinos. This is overtly seen in Manila by Night, where his depiction of the supposed city to signify the â€Å"New Society† is the exact opposite of it. The term â€Å"New Society† claimed that the dictatorship had eradicated corruption and transformed Philippine society (Lumbera 359). This same â€Å"New Society† was also exploited, although for good reasons, by Bernal in his film Himala. According to Lumbera, Himala criticized the manipulative religiosity of this society which â€Å"drew the people’s attention away from the realities of poverty, violence, and moral decay† (359). This, however, is still manifested in the present time. There is this one scene in Himala that is applicable to both the past and present times. When people started coming to Cupang for Elsa and Elsa’s â€Å"apostles used the water Elsa blessed for profit, it was a hypocritical move on the side of Elsa and her followers to lure people into giving them money when all they were meant to do in the first place was to offer treatment for everyone who asked for it. The past screams about the pretentious â€Å"New Society† and the present stages the scene in real life whenever such religious items or services that are supposed to help them are still sold for amounts to the people. (e. . : a priest’s service fees, blessed rosaries, mass guides) Another thing that might have helped in the success of Himala is the fact that superstar Nora Aunor played the lead role. In the Noranian Imaginary, it is said that Himala is as much about the popular hysteria mediated by the idol Nora Aunor as it is about the mass hysteria endemic to Catholicism as held by many (Tadiar). People saw Elsa in Nora and Nora in Elsa—th e same poor, unfortunate protagonist who strive against all odds to defend herself and achieve goals. In these times, Nora may not be that same girl many Filipinos used to idolized, but the imprint she left on Elsa’s character is so known to almost every Filipino as â€Å"that† girl who everyone admired. Elsa’s death at the end of the film may be read as liberation from such faith, since she made confessions about the inexistence of miracles prior to his death. But the people’s continuous idolatry in her after she passed away seems to be a symbol of the people of today—those who still continue hang on to false hope and devotion even after such devotion proves to be wrong. As Patrick Flores puts it in Himala: Fall of Grace, â€Å"Himala is against the miracle and it is against the cinema. † Hinugot sa Langit, lastly, also speaks of a timeless issue in Catholicism: abortion. The values the film imbibes a great impact on the beliefs of the majority of the Filipino citizen. The question of whether abortion is or is not an act of murder is still being debated upon until today. Bernal’s films speak of ageless and timely issues concerning the Filipino people and that’s what makes his films succeed not only in the era during which it was manufactured, but also in the present time.

Australia Essay -- essays research papers

The name of Australia comes from the Latin word Australis, which means southern. Since it lies entirely in the southern hemisphere, Australia is most commonly referred to as â€Å"down under†. Australia, being a country, is also a continent. In land area it’s the sixth largest for a country and the smallest continent.Australia is a very dry, thinly populated country. Very few coastal areas receive enough rainfall to support a large population. The largest group of Australian people live in two large cities, Sydney and Melbourne. The vast interior is mainly desert or grassland and there are very few settlements. As a whole, the country has a density of six people per square mile.The down under is famous for vast wide-open spaces, bright sunshine, bikini-clad beauties, enormous numbers of sheep and cattle, and unusual wildlife. Kangaroos, Koalas, platypuses, and wombats are a few of the erotic animals that live here.Australia was originally settled by Great Britain as a prison colony in the late 1700’s, so now most Australian people are of British ancestry. The immigrants brought all the customs too, such as driving on the left side of the road and their favorite warm drink, tea. They also speak English as the official language with their own Australian terms.CLIMATEThe northern third of the Australian continent lies in the tropics and is warm or hot year round. The rest of the country lies south of the tropics and has warm summers and mild cool winters. The rainfall is seasonal in Australia.In the wet season, heavy downpours and violent storms cause floods. But the droughts that plague the nation are far more serious than any flood. Just about every section of Australia has a drought in the dry season. These droughts cause severe water shortages and cause the need for dramatic conservation laws as well as droughts there is also brush fires.Rivers in Australia are one of its most vital resources. They supply the cities and towns with the much-needed water. They also supply the farms with irrigation water. Though the rivers are dry most of the year, dams and reservoirs keep water during the dry season.Australia can basically be split into 3 parts-the eastern highlands, central lowlands, and the western plateau.The highlands consist mainly of high plateaus and broken-in places by hills, low mountain ridges, and gorges. Grasses or forest cover most of the plate... ... all of their traditions but were excluded from society until 1967 when the Australian Constitution was changed so Aborigines got to vote and to have service benefits.GREAT BARRIER REEFAlong the northwest coast of Australia lies the Great Barrier Reef, the largest group of reefs in the world. This chain consists of about 2,500 reefs. In all, the reefs are also many small islands that extend for about 1,200 miles. It lies around 10 to 100 miles from the Australian coasts.Coral reefs are limestone formations that lie under the sea or just above the surface. The Great Barrier Reef is made up of a coral of dead hardened animals call polyps, which are attached to the reef. The diameter of the polyps is about 1 to 12 inches. The polyps are extremely colorful, just as all the sea animals that live there.The Great Barrier Reef supports about 400 species of polyps, about 1,500 species of fish and several kinds of birds. Giant clams, sea turtles, and crabs also live in the reef. The warm waters around the reef and the sheer beauty attract swimmers, skin divers and tourists from all over the world.Australia is truly a magnificently beautiful place with many different climates and cultures.

Life and Crimes of Harry Lavender Essay

Female protagonists are challenged to break the stereotype that women are weak, and to instead illustrate that women are just as capable as men in most if not all things. Marele Day’s, â€Å"The Life and Crimes of Harry Lavender† is a text in which the protagonist, Claudia Valentine subverts and challenges the male centred conventions of the crime fiction genre. She does this by being strong, who not only does the work of men, but also manages to thrive in a harsh setting where women are not ordinarily found. Understanding her character, and the way that shapes her work, and where she lives is key to fully appreciating how Days’ text subverts the crime fiction genre. One of the significant ideas, explored by Marele Day is the issue of Gender. In the opening of the novel, Marele Day uses description to invite the readers to a whirlpool of â€Å"ash trays†, empty bottles of â€Å"Jack Daniel†, a nameless blond in the bed, a hangover and a messy flat s urrounded with scattered clothes. The use of imagery always the reader to understand this novel, is based upon a male protagonist. The supposedly male protagonist wakes up the nameless blond before going to a funeral. He refers the nameless blond as â€Å"him†. The readers are in a state of conundrum to whether the protagonist is gay or Day has subverted the main character as a female. It is then on page three, Day reveals the narrator’s name – Claudia Valentine – and on page five that the audience learns her profession. â€Å"People rarely come to private investigator with good news†, Claudia uses her familiar sardonic style to depict that the readers have been tricked the whole time on the issue of gender expectation. Through the opening novel, the readers understand how Day uses gender inversion and parody to combat the crime fiction conventions. The readers are able to understand that Claudia is a stereotypical hardboiled detective who fits the conventions of a typical Private Investigator. This is demonstrated when she visits the apartment of the deceased Mark Bannister in Bondi. Claudia belongs to a tough world of fighting crime as she is tough and cynical and possess a great deal of physical strength. This portrayed in the quote, â€Å"My legs are my best weapon. I don’t carry a gun like some of my cowboy colleagues†. Parody and symbolism are used in the term â€Å"legs† because in the traditional crime fiction genre, the female legs are symbolic of attraction and love. Claudia also teases and adds sarcastic humour when she makes fun of the  macho men. In addition, Claudia is a post – feminine version of the traditional Private investigator, who uses her intellectual power rather than her physique, â€Å"There’s more than one way of skinning a cat†. Here, she uses idiom and typical terse, and witty, colloquial language style to demonstrate women unlike men possess skills other than brute strength and weapons. The readers understand that Claudia avoids direct clashes and harsh violent methods when locating and fighting her enemies. She only expresses her tough, heroic and hardboiled character by using karate as a means of self-defence. Through these extracts, Claudia challenges and subverts these gender stereotypes and Claudia most certainly foliaged into a feminist hero whilst turning the traditional detective genre on its head. Furthermore, the setting of Sydney is profoundly explored when she steps into the corrupt environment of the video arcade. This is a typical crime fiction scene as merchandise are exchanged with a pay off. Day uses double entendre in the phrase â€Å"waiting for the developers to give them a new lease of life, or maybe just a new lease†. This emphasises the city as treacherous, where corruption is an underlying motif in the novel. The ‘stench’ of Sydney forces Claudia to equip many qualities and standards that showcases her hard-boiled detective nature. This is illustrated when Claudia ‘saunters’ over to the Maori (doorman), which implies that she is a confident, nonchalant, typical PI. Her communication with the Maori is terse and witty: the use of play on words â€Å"smack† and â€Å"score†, reveals Claudia’s usage of pun and humour. The readers grasp the notion that these qualities are associated with typical PI which adds further entertainment, humour to the story and appeal to Claudia’s character as she tries to understand the city of Sydney.Marele Day displays finer points of Sydney as a corrupted and powerful dwelling. After she is kicked out by the Maori, she goes to the hamburger shop. While eating, she mentions two opposite poles of Sydney; Macquarie St and George St. She personifies George St as â€Å"brash†, â€Å"bright lights† and â€Å"winking†. With the use of personification, Day was able to create a lively vivid character. The readers visualise the modern city with its lavish lifestyle, beaches and harbour. In contrast, she reflects upon the corrupt and colonial history of Macquarie’s Rum Corps which in 1980s was represented as a corrupt ‘old boy’s network’. This is where Sydney was  depicted as â€Å"crime capital† of the South Pacific. Claudia is dismayed that Sydney is changing â€Å"My city from the city she grew up with into a corrupted empire whose morals are obsolete and filthy. Finally, the use of first person voice in this arcade crime scene, creates suspense and action. This is portrayed when Claudia paces to the container terminal where she describes it as â€Å"strong, menacing and all seeing†. Claudia uses descriptive language and she puts a clear image into the readers mind about the double edged urban setting as dark and sleazy. To add to the misty and daunting surrounding, fighting and action takes place. Claudia, after observing what happened in the container terminal was eager to breakout:, â€Å"For the moment I had a more pressing task: to get back to the car without being†¦.Oh Christ!† (p.72). First person narrative emphasises the readers concern for Claudia’s safety and her vulnerability. Day employed many action verbs in one sentence; â€Å"poised†, â€Å"kick†, â€Å"rolled†, â€Å"swung† and â€Å"swept†. Day, crammed all these action verbs into one long sentence to inform the readers about the rapid, dangerous events unfolding in the crime scene as well as to create an atmosphere mingled with tense and anticipation. Claudia’s quick thinking and wise action enabled her to survive in the sleazy, dangerous underworld. In conclusion, Marele Day portrayed a hard-boiled detective character by exploring two key ideas: Gender and the setting of Sydney. Through these ideas, Claudia Valentine subverted the crime fiction genre by breaking the stereotype that females are weak beings. Likewise, Claudia Valentine was able to thrive in a corrupt and harsh setting of Sydney, illustrating the notion that female women are just as capable as men in most if not all aspects.

Comparing How Sherwood Anderson, William Faulkner, And Or...

Javian Keys Instructor s Name Course Title 3 August 2017 Compare And Contrast How Sherwood Anderson, William Faulkner, And/or Willa Cather Portray Aspects Of Small-Town Life. Name Class Institution Date of submission Comparing and contrasting how Sherwood Anderson and William Faulkner, portray aspects of small-town life Introduction Sherwood Anderson as written much on people’s misery in most of his stories and utilized them ironically when ending the story. His life experiences influenced the methodology he utilized to write them. The stories related to difficult times that he went through while growing up. He was born in small Ohio village named Camden, and he underwent through the impoverished circumstances (Anderson, 65). The title†¦show more content†¦All of the characters have undergone through difficult times during their lives, and hence, they attribute the failures to living in small town. As seen in the novel, the characters attribute to the small town, and its way of life hints the idea that everything is possible and there are opportunities with peoples life bettering (Volpe, 93). Every character stresses that their failures are attributed to the city life and hence, leaving the city would make their lives and dreams successful and would not be a disappointment as they are now in Win esburg, Ohio; the small town. The story background is same to that of Clyde town which is Anderson’s hometown of since most stories are taken from Anderson s childhood memories although he notes that he liked growing in Clyde because the town prepared him feeling lonely. Natives in town were not traveling, but living lives each day with the same schedule. Hence, he grew around the wisdom of desperation. The story created certain characters to the specific individual than the scrupulous person (Chase, 78). He shows characters who have failed in life, lost their loved ones, hopelessly lost and oversexed youth. The main aspect of the story is how the author is talented to disclose the undisclosed secrets of the small town of showing the authenticity reality of nonentity being what it looks to be. The reader can have a view that town people live happily when they listen to setting and the real beauty