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Cinema and Italian Neo-RealismThe Italian Neo-realism movement came to fruition after the fall of Mussolini's Fascist government, near the end of World War II. The years of war and dictatorial leadership had caused the Italian film industry, much like the Italian economy, to decline. During this time 25% of the Italian population was out of work, amenities scarce and a large amount of Italian infrastructure were in dire need of reconstruction. The Neorealist movement was a symbol of cultural change and socio-economic progress in Italy. These films sought to show the "real Italy" and were the antithesis of the glossy Hollywood-influenced films that were approved by Mussolini's government. It was a creative response to the violence and economic hardship caused by fascism. With filmmakers in Rome denied both funding and facilities, they were forced to make use whatever resources they could. As a consequence of these conditions and in retaliation to American cinema, the era of Italian Neo-realism cinema was born. Ita |
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Slaughterhouse Five as a Response to WarAs readers of Kurt Vonnegut's literary masterpiece, "Slaughterhouse Five," we're told that the all the events of the story are true, more or less, and that Vonnegut experienced the Dresden bombings firsthand. The jumbled narrative structure is Vonnegut's way of telling his story of Dresden. The setting of Slaughterhouse-Five is wide-ranged, each place having a significant effect on Vonnegut's story through the life of Billy Pilgrim. The three most important places are Germany during world war two; Ilium, New York, before and after the war; and an alien planet called Tralfamadore. Ilium, New York is the fictional town in New York where Billy Pilgrim is born in 1922 and where he lives most of his life. In Chapter 1, Vonnegut tells us that after the war he and his wife li |
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The Tulmultuous History of Women's RightsThe plight of equal rights for women has had an extensive, long-suffering and tumultuous history. Even though women have argued intensely to attain their privileges, they continue to labor for workplace equality, reproductive rights, and to overcome religious and cultural barriers. The conflict for women's rights persisted for many decades, even centuries. In the nineteenth century, women's entitlements saw a great change, for many countries allowed women suffrage. Achieving suffrage then became a gateway into having influence in other societal aspects: property ownership, inheritance claims, and access to higher education (Thomsen 3). The Declaration of Sentiments listed such grievances and became the foundation of the modern women's rights movement in Western countries (Quezzaire and Finley 1). Today, however, in Western countries, some people believe |
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Michel Foucault on Sexuality and Cultural NormsMichel Foucault's "The Will to Knowledge: The History of Sexuality, Volume 1," is part one of a trilogy of works, which examines the evolution of discourse about sex and sexuality from the seventeenth century onwards. It explores the way in which theological, pedagogical, social, economic and political forces have shaped our understanding and attitudes towards sex and sexuality. Foucault proposes that, rather than discourse being reduced over three centuries, discourse and awareness of one's own sexuality increased as a result of changes in society. This paper will firstly critically examine and evaluate Foucault's propositions and resulting conclusions, and then evaluate the validity of the argument. It will secondly examine Foucault's works though Marinucci's concept of paradigm and the essentialism/constructionism debate on sex/gender/sexuality. It will examine whether Foucault's works suggests a change in the paradigm society uses to think about sex/gender and sexuality |
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Aboriginal Rights - The Legal Context"The native American has been generally despised by his white conquerors for his poverty and simplicity. They forget, perhaps, that his religion forbade the accumulation of wealth and the enjoyment of luxury... Furthermore, it was the rule of his life to share the fruits of his skill and success with his less fortunate brothers. Thus he kept his spirit free from the clog of pride, cupidity, or envy, and carried out, as he believed, the divine decree "a matter profoundly important to him. "- Charles Eastman (Ohiyesa) Aboriginal rights in Canada have not been upheld after the colonization era had occurred and Canada was born. The Aboriginal population has been treated immorally within the Canadian legal and political structure. As the native population in Canada is not treated with equality and justice, we see the aboriginal community in Canada with poor education, in poverty and substance abuse. The signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by Canada in 1948, made Canad |
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The Cold, Hard Facts of CryonicsCryonics is the study and practice of keeping a newly dead body at an extremely low temperature with the purpose of preserving and hopefully restoring it to life at some future date; perhaps decades or even centuries later (Alcor Life Extension Foundation, 1993, p. 60). The potential success of cryonic suspension relies heavily on continued advances in medical technology, especially nanotechnology, to not only treat the original cause of death, but also to repair the cell damage caused by freezing the body. For this and other reasons, cryonics has provoked a lot of controversy. Many people believe strongly in it, while others think it will never be successful. In the end, people who choose cryonics, as a way of extending life, have nothing to lose and potentially immortality to gain. While the practice of cryonics has only been around for about 50 years, the idea of preserving a human body after death, and later reviving it, has been around for hundreds of years. In a letter dated Apr |
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Huckleberry Finn Influences and worldsIn "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," Huck is influenced by the various settings - or "worlds - around him. Out of the three "worlds" that Huck lives in, he prefers to stay on Jackson Island with his friend Jim as opposed to anywhere else. Huck believes that the island is the best setting to reside in because he was safe from his abusive father and was able to live by his own rules and ideals; without the restrictions or morals of Ms. Watson. Initially, Huck does not particularly enjoy being the only man on the Island, but once Jim arrives, Huck tells Jim "there's nowhere else I would want to be." Implying that the island is definitely Huck's most preferred setting; especially because he's with his friend. One might argue that Huck enjoyed staying by Mrs. Watson and Widow Douglas, but the broad picture shows that Huck does not feel fr |
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Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel HawthorneIn Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story, "Young Goodman Brown," the reader is introduced to a young man who has made a conscious decision to go into the forest to meet with Satan. Most critical analysis of this short story finds that there are a lot of references to the period of time around the Salem Witch Trials and the way New Englanders lived after this period. During a period of serious religious Puritanism Hawthorne conveys Young Goodman Brown as a Salem dwelling, religious man, after meeting with the Devil, Young Goodman Brown undergoes a dynamic character change and through the use of symbolism Hawthorne shows the downfall of Young Goodman Brown as he begins see the evil in some of the people he admired most, leading to the demise of his happiness. Hawthorne shows through the description of events, with the forest at night as a creepy setting, and also thoughts that Young Goodman Brown is experiencing, that evil is surrounding him. Hawthorne plays with the Puritan views |
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Avatar - Plot and Ethical IssuesFar into the future, humans have traveled across the universe to the distant planet of Pandora. Having exhausted Earth's resources, they have begun mining Pandora for unobtainium, a mineral of extreme value on earth. However this is not without resistance from the natives - a race of blue-skinned, yellow-eyed, 10-foot tall beings known as the Na'vi. It is here that crippled former marine Jake Sully gets a new lease on life, fulfilling his deceased brother's role as the driver of an avatar, a hybrid of human-Na'vi DNA to be remotely controlled by their human counterparts. By using these high tech body doubles researchers are able to get close to the Na'vi and learn from them. During an excursion into the wilderness in his avatar body, Jake gets separated from the group and ends up being rescued by Neytiri, daughter of the clan's leader. Jake is initiated into the clan as one of its own and taught its ways by Neytiri. When word of this starts spreading, Sully is commanded by the head o |
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Branched-chain Ketoaciduria (Maple Syrup Urine Disease), and Its Effect on the Breakdown of Amino Acids in the Human BodyIntroduction Branched-chain ketoaciduria, more commonly known as Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD), is a metabolic disorder which causes toxic buildups of unbroken branched-chain amino acids or keto acids. Passed on autosomal recessively, mutations in specific genes hinder or stop the enzyme complex responsible for normal breakdown of three amino acids found in protein-rich foods from working. The buildup of these toxic keto acids leads to brain damage and eventually death in the affected infant if left untreated (Ogier de Baulny and Saudubray 2002). Although relatively rare in the general population (1/185,000 live births), prevalence in certain ethnic populations are much higher due the founder effect (as high as 1/10). This review will cover the causes, diagnosis/symptoms, genetic prevalence, and ethical issues regarding MSUD. Causes MSUD stems from a disruption of the branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex. This complex, consisting of four subunits E1ÃŽ±, E1ÃŽÂ |
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Analysis of Mozart's Symphony No.25 in G Minor K.183Mozart's "Symphony No.25 in G Minor K.183," was composed when he was 17. It was one of his two symphonies in G minor. The symphony was considered relatively unique among Mozart's music collection for its Sturm und Drang style. The whole first movement conveys feeling of intensity, stress, and even fright, however, we can hear from it that Mozart did not simply want to create a typical Sturm und Drang work that was just similar to those of other composers like Haydn. Apart from stress, and fright, there is also sound of peace, calm, and even hope. "Symphony No.25" is a great masterpiece of Mozart, and its consistent presence finally led to the greatest of his G minor utterances, "Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K 550." The music's intensity and agitation start from the first note. The sudden violins concerto builds up the first theme, which sounds like putting people in a dangerous and unexpected journey with rainstorm coming. |
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Cannabis and Playpower - Could Marijuana be a Miracle Drug?The sixties and seventies were decades of great change in youth culture. It was a radical and turbulent era, and young people were rebelling against parents, teachers, civic leaders and other adults in a new attempt to claim a freedom that they believed had not only been missing, but taken from their lives. However, those decades were also very controversial, among other reasons, for the consumption of illegal drugs was on the rise. Earlier generations had been known for their consumption of alcohol, but this seemed different due to the fact that alcohol was (except from some periods of prohibition in some countries) a legalized drug substance, and cannabis, L.S.D, cocaine and so on, were not. "Playpower," by Richard Neville, is one of the texts to be discussed in the seminars of the course, and the aim of this essay will be to discuss and analyse Neville's arguments about the legalisation and consumption of marijuana, in the section of the book which is dedicated to discuss those top |
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Active and Passive EuthanasiaThe topic of active and passive euthanasia has become a heavily discuss proposition. Many argue against active euthanasia and find that it is never permissible to take the action of killing someone who is very sick in order to prevent any more suffering. Instead, they seem to support the action of letting one die by withholding any treatment that will contribute to try to save their lives, passive euthanasia. The action of killing someone (active) is taken in such a situation when a patient is in a condition where there is nothing their doctor can do to save them from dying. Instead of their family watching them suffer, and the patient continuing to experience anymore unbearable pain, it is requested that the doctor ends their life for them, usually carried out by lethal injection, "quick and painless." " On the other hand, letting someone die (passive) is carried out if a person is hospitalized from a chronic illness and are placed on life support. Knowing that they have no chance o |
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Dark City - Overview of the Director's CutThe movie "Dark City," does a wonderful job combining various genres together to make something visually and intellectually enticing. It incorporates formal aspects film noir, dystopian sci-fi, and elements of expressionism to reinforce the ideas presented in the film. Throughout the film, I strongly felt that the primary goal of those behind the making of "Dark City" was to question what it is that makes us human, what is true love, and what is time and reality. Even though these questions can be arguably unsolvable, It is still meaningful to inquire about them. The director, Alex Proyas, and the cinematographer, Dariusz Wolski, do an excellent job presenting these thoughts to the viewers. In "Dark City," the neo-noir part of the film is visible from the outset. The sets are comparable to the nineteen fifties, clothing is similar to a detective film, and the location is in a city. The first scene in the movie introduces the main character, John Murdock, waking up in a bathtub naked |
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The Republic of Armenia - Past and PresentOnce an empire stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean Sea including parts of Georgia and Syria, Armenia was at its largest during the early 1st century BC under the rule of King Tigranes. Before the end of the 1st century BC, the Armenian Empire was conquered by the Roman Empire and what is today Armenia, was used as a battleground and buffer zone between the Roman Empire and the Parthians, who ruled Persia. In the 1st century AD, a Roman- Parthian treaty was signed giving the Parthians rule over Armenia, but when a new dynasty came to power in the 3rd century AD and tried to seize Armenia, the Romans gained control of Armenia and crowned Tiridates III as king. In the early 4th century AD, Tiridates converted to Christianity even before Constantine of the Byzantine Empire, establishing the first officially Christian state religion. The Byzantine Empire and Persian Empire divided up Armenia until the early 7th century AD when the Byzantine Empire took complete control for |
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Taking a Stand on Affirmative ActionIn one way or another, we're all affected by the Affirmative Action policy. In fact, it may be the reason why many of us attend Fullerton Community College rather than pursuing an education at a more prestigious university. Perhaps we didn't meet an ethnic quota. This means we didn't meet the racial profile that the school is striving for to achieve diversity. For example a school may offer acceptance to 30% of African American students, 25% of Hispanic students and only 10% to Oriental students, even if that means lowering the standards. President Barack Obama is a product of Affirmative action. He attended Punahou School, amongst the best schools our nation has to offer. Although annual tuition for this school cost more than the price of my semi-new vehicle, President Obama was accepted on a full ride. The School takes pride in their diverse "cultural and economic background " as the schools webpage states. We can then conclude that his acceptance was not only based on merit alone |
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My Father's Personal Ghost StoryI first heard this story when I was in college. I had come home for winter break, and I remember it was just me and my dad in the house. I was watching some kind of ghost hunters program on TV, just for laughs. I don't really believe in that stuff. When you watch those supernatural programs on TV, it's obviously fake. It's too hard for me to let go of my preconceptions, watch, and try to accept the craziness going on. My dad was the same way; so I thought. He didn't seem interested in the paranormal or anything. He was the kind of guy who would scoff at anything "supernatural". The program I was watching flipped to a commercial, and I casually got up and found my dad in the kitchen. Sort of out of the blue, I asked him, "Hey, Dad... do you believe in ghosts?" "Yup." His reply was so casual it shocked me. "Really?" I asked, a bit taken aback. "Like, it just doesn't really seem like you." He shrugged his shoulders and mulled over what I had just said. "Yeah," he replied eventually, "But |
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Son of the Revolution - Liang HengThe Chinese Cultural Revolution, a period marked by struggle, destruction, and communism, serves as a major blemish on the People's Republic of China. No greater was this disaster felt than on those who experienced it first hand- China's populous. Serving as the population's voice, Liang Heng's "Son of the Revolution" gives readers an inside look at the impact the Revolution had on China. One of the most interesting impacts, as well the major contributor fueling the Revolution, was the mindless and brainwashed state the Chinese were placed under. Contrary to other societies, China's youth was fully involved in politics and the promotion of socialist thought. Schools were urged to teach students to fall in love Mao Zedong and his ideas, all while removing any curriculum that could be deemed "Capitalist"." Traditional subjects were replaced with activities in which students pretended to kill writers that spoke out against the government (41). This brainwashing influenced youth to take what they were taught at school and take part in revolt. The |
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The Slippery Slope of Minority Success RatesIntroduction In this paper, I will refer to several different ethnic groups. Hispanic or Latino may be used interchangeably with each other, as may Black or African American be used interchangeably. I may use the term "minorities" when referring to both or either group. In so many families, even in 2013, there are students graduating from high school this year and heading to college as the first member in their family to continue their education and strive for a degree. Unfortunately, many of these students will not reach that goal, especially if they are Hispanic or African American. This is simply reflecting statistics that even though more minorities are enrolling in college, the rates of success for these students are still shockingly lower than those of their Asian or white counterparts. It then becomes a domino effect. Because fewer blacks and Hispanics are graduating and getting degrees, more minorities are getting stuck in lower paying jobs, and end up living in p |
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Co-Occurring Disorders - Mental Health and Substance AbuseIt all started on January 25, 2013 when I, out of curiosity, attended a seminar on Co-Occurring Disorders at Westfield State University; Peter Wood was the trainer and the sponsors were Western Mass. Substance Abuse Providers' Association, Inc. and Westfield State University Addiction Counselor Education Program Alumni Association. This seminar was what helped me make up my mind to become an Addiction Counselor. I was given the opportunity to pick a topic to research that I felt was important. Given my own personal experience and background I chose the topic Co-Occurring Disorders. (COD) The understanding of COD is not always clear cut. This leads to the misunderstanding of what is best for treating a person with COD. Although researchers have come a long way; most of my research I chose was from the years 2001-2011 and in that time many discoveries were made, it is now nearing the end of 2013 and there is still much debate in the treatment and understanding of COD. I have hopes of |
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Gender Communications in Home Burial by Robert FrostWhen communicating, women typically value emotion, whereas men tend to rely on reason. The fact that men and women approach each other in different ways during conversation is crucial to the outcomes that result. A conversation would not end happily if a man speaks bluntly without considering the feelings of a woman, or when a woman keeps complaining rather than getting straight to the point. These circumstances are well presented in "Home Burial," by Robert Frost. "Can't a man speak of his own child he's lost," which is said twice by the unnamed farmer in "Home Burial", is simply his point throughout the conversation with Amy. He thinks that death is inevitable and Amy should move on, instead of "taking her mother-loss of a first child so inconsolably." The peace treaty he offers is "to bind himself to keep hands off anything special Amy is a-mind to name," which seems sincere, but not effective. He is always straightforward and uses numerous imperative clauses, such as &quo |
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Justifying Murder in Crime and PunishmentIn "Crime and Punishment," protagonist, Raskolnikov, seems to embody a person with split personalities. Throughout the book, he teeters between two extremes: a cold-hearted killer and a compassionate, kind-hearted man. The plot centers around his inner psychological turmoil brought on by his alienation of society and his decision to commit murder. Conversely, The Officer, In the Penal Colony, holds on dearly to the traditions of the former Commandant, while the rest of the colony seems to discard the old traditions and mock them. The Officer is devoted to the justice system of the old colony and struggles to defend its practice under the new Commandant. Raskolnikov suffers immensely with his inner struggle to justify the murders he committed, contrastly, the Officer never strays from his belief in the justice of the executions, even to the bitter end of the story. From the beginning of "Crime and Punishment," it is evident that Raskolnikov isolation from society has begun to affect h |
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Dante Alighieri - Punishments for SinDante's journey began when he found himself lost in the dark woods on a disturbing trip through Hell. There, in darkness and fear, Dante found himself in the presence of sinners who had transgressed divine laws; committing immoral acts. These sinners, in their desolation and despair, were destined to suffer eternal punishment that were designed to replicate the horrors of their sins. Dante claimed not to be the appropriate person for the journey. However after Virgil expressed disapproval of his lack of bravery and explained the reasons why he was the chosen one, Dante took heart in Virgil's clear statement and agreed to follow him. "For our own good, and I shall be your guide and lead you out though an eternal place where you will hear desperate cries, and see tormented shades, some old as hell itself, and know what second death is from their screams"" (Dante 1.113,117). The sufferers in Hell are not bad human beings, but they are not worthy of God either. As Dante and Virgil descended down far from the top into Hell, they encountered the shades |
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Why Immigrant Reformation is not NecessaryThousands of immigrants are flooding the United States every year. Immigrants may have lived far away once before, but now they can easily take jobs away from Americans. Immigrants have been entering the United States both legally and illegally, causing the United States to become overpopulated. When they don't have the necessary paperwork, immigrants are considered illegal, and therefore, violate the law by entering the United States. Immigrants continue to enter United States because they believe that America will give them more opportunities than their previous countries. In discussion of immigration, one of the common issue has always been whether the United States should reform the immigration laws for attaining citizenship. From one perspective, angry critics of the immigration law reform argue that if it is more difficult for immigrants entering the United States, then the job demand wouldn't be as high. Furthermore, research also shows that immigrants will have limita |
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Takeover Bid DefensesTakeover defences include all actions by managers to resist having their firms acquired. Takeovers themselves are a form of natural selection where only better performing managers prospers. However, not all takeovers are due to managerial underperformance, Scherer (1998) highlights the importance of stock market valuations which may trigger takeover bids, as a surprise to managers. There can be significant consequences for managerial teams and shareholders, therefore, takeover bid defences have been established to combat these. In analysing takeover bid defences, it is important to consider the distinction between managers and shareholder interest. Shareholders are primarily concerned with assessing the profitability of their investment. They look for sustainable and consistent growth of their funds and place trust in managerial teams to achieve this. Managers although in place for the benefit of shareholders, can also adopt defences that appear self-serving. Ruback (1987) postulates |
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