Open letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Open letter - Essay Example Unlike me, my friend is an introvert and prefers staying by himself. Additionally, he lacks experience with women and ends up breaking up with most of the women he gets from me. For the three years that we have been very close, we have shared several amenities. The fact that we have similar interests heightened my relationship with him. We were together most of the time. However, early last year I met a girl and fell in love. I am therefore currently in a very steady relationship where we are planning marriage. My girlfriend is also our classmate and a friend of my roommate, as a matter of fact. As would be expected, I am closer to my girlfriend than my roommate, and this is straining my relationship with him. He feels rejected and, to some extent, betrayed. I cannot understand what he might have expected from our friendship. A week ago, while my girlfriend was visiting, he acted absurdly; he waited for me to leave the room for a call and made a plan with my girlfriend. Later my girl friend shared with me his wish for the two of them to meet secretly. I encouraged her to meet him but convinced her to share with me the outcome of their discussion. They met in secret as they had planned and converted in length over a cup of coffee in the cafeteria. My girlfriend later reported to me that he kept advising her to terminate the relationship because he knew me more than the lady did and according to him, â€Å"I was not the best choice for my girlfriend†. He told her that I am a flirt and would break her heart. According to him, it was therefore pointless for her to sacrifice her time being in a relationship with me while the outcome was evident. After the meeting, my girlfriend started acting differently. We could not share anything, and that worried me. However, after I learned about their discussion with my roommate, I concluded that it was as a result of the issues that they had discussed. Meanwhile, I maintained friendly relationships with him. My roommate was quick to offer his advice telling me that the lady was not the best woman I could date. He tried to discourage me from continuing and committing to the relationship. He even offered to take me out for lunch and a film that was debuting in town that day. He did not make sexual advances towards me, but he was so friendly that he suggested to share my bed after we drank several bottles of whiskey in a bid to get my mind off my girlfriend. I did not avoid my girlfriend because she soon approached me and was willing to share with me the outcome of her meeting with my roommate. She recounted the advice she got from my roommate and I also opened up and shared with her the advice I received from my roommate, and, I must say, I was shocked. He had gone to great lengths to separate me from the girl I loved, for reasons best known to him. Besides his attempts, he tried becoming very close to me—closer than he had ever tried in our three-year-old friendship. After reconciling with m y girlfriend, we became closer; we would spend more time together which angered my roommate. He currently does not come into the room when I am in. At such times, he would prefer spending the night elsewhere. Other than that, he seems to be distracted by alcohol. Whenever I try to reach out either by calling or texting him, he refuses to reply my texts or receive my calls. My roommate’s current careless attitude towards his social and academic life distresses

Christianity Essay Example for Free

Christianity Essay Trade and merchants play a major role in Christianity and Islam from their origins to the 1500’s, and even though both had similar attributes yet differed as well. Christians and Islam both had a negative outlook, both had their religious viewpoints, as well as both changed their views towards trade. Despite this, Christianity began to open up to trade, even tolerating it, while Muslims became stricter on merchants and trade. Furthermore, Both Islam and Christianity had a negative attitudes for instance, in the Bible, Jesus preaches to his disciples how a rich man will never reach heaven. This is due to their behavior, for merchants are greedy and lying people whose only content is to get rich, which goes against Christianity’s belief. Moreover, Thomas Aquinas explains how unfair and unjust merchants are for they price their goods higher than what the product actually cost. By the tone of the document as well as how he explains trade and its problems show his dislike. Likewise Ibn Khaldun describes merchants as weak, and disgusting men and how they negatively affect the government. His tone is harsher however, which indicates his anger towards the merchants. Merchants constants rip-off of the people by selling their goods at a high price as well s giving their all their goods to those who pay more. The Islamic Court in Ankara had to deal with a case in which merchants would give all their cotton to a single person, if they pay extra high price in addition to the merchant’s high prices. Document seven contains quotes from that of the people who have complained about the merchants. Both Christianity and Islam share the same pessimistic attitude towards merchants and trade because of their behavior and how they sell their goods. Anyways, I would have like to see a document from a merchant, it would have help me better indicate if merchants were really sneaky and unfair as spoken in the documents given. Some looked to the Christianity’s and Islam’s beliefs, to determine their view on merchants and trade for both religions impacted all their followers. In the Bible, Jesus says that no rich man will ever reach heaven. The small passage comes from the bible, which heavily every Christians view. Which is also why he emphasized how the quote from the bible and how i t fit into the situation. The Muslim Qur’an also circled around honesty and truthfulness which the Muslims and Muslim merchants had to follow if they wanted to reach paradise. Thomas Aquinas who was also heavily influence by Christianity, and its bible, for he states a line out of the bible. He indicates the bible  because he knows that adding the bible would persuade many of the Christians which was his intended target audience. Reginald, a monk of Durham also says explains the life of Godric and how he became a successful merchant, only to become tired of it and soon devoted himself to God giving away all his possessions to the poor. Reginald’s attended audience was Christian followers, he also helps justify document 1 in Godric went from rich to poor in order to devote himself to god. I would have liked a document from a person not Christian or Islam because it would have allow me to understand how much both religions influence the views of its subjects. Despite the similarities Christianit y religious views seem to rather negative and stricter than the Muslims were lighter and positive. Merchants and trade in the eyes of Christianity and Islam began to change significantly overtime. Ibn Khaldun says how beneficial the merchants are to the capital, for they buy goods in one area, only to sell at a higher price in an area in demand. Which the Qur’an also depicts, however it encourages trade as long as it is fair and truthful. Yet Ibn Khaldun gives us evidence of laws which were established in order to control merchant’s behavior. In addition, document 7 shows how the Islamic court had power over merchants and could affect their behavior as well as. Unlike Islam which began to become stricter, Christianity began look towards it positively, such as, letter C of document 6 describes an order being canceled for English wool, and the consumer seemingly brings god name into it, which suggest the consumer does not think of trade conflicting with Christianity. Which letter A also identify for both letters show how the merchant’s goal is to make a profit, and they see no problem with. In conclusion, Christianity and Islam attitudes towards trade and me rchants were similar in certain aspects as, of the beginning both viewed it negatively, and on a religious level. However, both began to change their views on trade and merchants. For Christianity began approving trade, while Islam began harsher treatment towards trade and merchants.

Frankenstein Essay -- essays research papers

The story Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus made different feelings to me. I read it first time about five years ago, and when I read it now, I understood the concept differently. The story has a from of letters from Mr. R. Walton, the traveler, to his sister Margaret. Walton wanted to reach the North Pole and wanted to discover new parts of the World. In the land of ice his ship found a man, Victor Frankenstein. He told his story, why he was there and what happened to him, to Mr. Walton in order to warn him from doing something ‘bad’. Mr. Victor Frankenstein was a scientist who wanted to discover something new. His desire for it was so strong that he put all his efforts and life to it. He studied chemistry, anthropology and other nature science. He made researches with death body and he wanted to alive it. One day he was successful and he created a man. It was ugly Creature with a man body shape, but very big and strong. Frankenstein was shocked by his work and he run away from his laboratory. When he went back, the Creature was not there. From that time the Frankenstein’s life changed dramatically. After that accident his best friend Henry Clerval arrived to visit him and took him back to the home. His young brother William was killed and his sister Justine Moritz was suited to be guilty from that crime. Frankenstein knew that she was not murderer; he know who was it, but he did not have enough power and courage to said it. He was afraid that people would find out what he created. He felt he should protect his family from the Creature. Frankenstein was depressed and ill. He wanted to find the Creature and revenge William’s and Justin’s death. He wanted to correct his mistake and kill the Creature. Once Frankenstein went to the trip and in the mountains a he met the Creature after long time. The Creature told him about his life. About how he was happy when he knew only feelings such hunger, thirst, cold and warm. Then he was confronted with people’s fear. He helped to safe child from the river and his reward was shot by child’s father. The Creature started to think about pleasure from saving the life, about pleasure from love and about pain of loneliness. Then Creature observed one family for a long time and learned to speak and started to think about it existence. Creature did not... ...in and the Creature when the creature said, “ I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all mankind? You, my creator, would tear me to pieces, and triumph; remember that, and tell me why I should pity man more than he pities me? Shall I respect man when he contemns me?'; The Creatures desire to be affiliated with a men was very strong, but was refused mostly because of body-shape. We can see the same principle in the society. One example could be racism. Other idea is how strong individual’s desire can be. Frankenstein did not thing about others, about consequences, while he was fulfilling his own desire. Should the person put at risk a group of people in order to fulfil the desire? Is personal pleasure more than group’s pain? While reading this book these questions came to my mind. Even though the story is about irresponsible behavior of individual, I still think that and individual should do what wants. But he/she should be responsible for the act and not to harm others. The story also strengthens my opinion that we do not have right to judge person before we analyze him/her. Prejudges could cause big evil in the society.

Christos Fabricated Fun-world :: Essays Papers

Christo's Fabricated Fun-world. Imagine the coast of Little Bay in Sydney, The Pont Neuf in Paris and the foyer of the Art Gallery of NSW, wrapped mercilessly in hundreds and thousands of metres of fabric. They are all the works of the controversial Christo, known to be the world's greatest big-scale artists in history. One of his most recent works, Surrounded Islands, was a contentious issue around the world. The astonishing 603,850 square metres of brightly coloured pink fabric surrounded eleven of the islands of Biscayne Bay. In the two weeks that the amazing installation was exposed, it attracted numerous visitors enjoying the wonderfully luminous fabric that complemented the tropical waters and wildlife. Though constructing this massive work of art was not easy. Hundreds of volunteers were needed to help tend to the floating fabric and 79 patterns were painstakingly stitched together to complete the silhouettes of eleven islands. The bright pink fabric gave a stark contrast to the deeps dark sea and looked as if they were large floating inflatable pool toys. Aerial views of the islands were breath taking as the fabric highlighted the curvy contours of the islands which would not have been nearly as obvious without the magic touch of Christo. The work of the pink fabric gave the islands an almost angelic aura around them. The beautiful pink is wonderfully feminine which can also represent the reason the way the shapes of the islands were portrayed: curvy and feminine. Surrounded Islands is Christo's first attempt in doing a floating fabric art work. Many of his other art works were wrapped around objects, buildings or structures that had significance. He guides the audience into considering the area in a whole new light. That is, compelling the viewers to notice the area more not just when it is wrapped, but even more importantly when it is unwrapped. With Surrounded Islands, Christo truly and utterly pushes the boundaries of traditional and contemporary art forms. His art works have no hidden meaning. He is not depicting the dark and crusty

Assessing English Language Learners

Assessing English Language Learners Grand Canyon University ESL 533N April 10, 2013 Abstract The OTELA test is the assessment given in Ohio to determine if a student can be removed from the ELL program and be a part of the mainstream classroom. The test is similar to the ELDA test given in many other states. It is a shorter test in duration of number of questions on each part. The OTELA is compared more in detail to the ELDA, STAAR and the AZELLA. Each of these assessments are very similar although they have some differences.A few states have reported to have changed the test they have used in the past. By states changing their assessment, it shows these states are looking for a better way to determine if students should stay in the ELL program at their school. The OTELA test is the current test used in the Ohio schools. This test is used throughout Ohio in grades K-12 to assess English language proficient. This test is similar to the ELDA test but shorter number of questions are giv en. The test covers the four standards of Speaking, Reading, Writing, and Listening.When giving the test, the two sections of Reading, Writing, and Listening may be given with a group however the Speaking assessment must be given individually. The Speaking and Listening assessment comes with a CD for students to listen to and respond. The answer document provides the assessor with a rubric to easily score the students response in the Listening section. The test has some benefits and some drawbacks. On the plus side, the test is quick to administer. It is straight forward as well. The test is used to determine if the student needs to be reclassified as no longer ELL.When students are determined to be ELL, they must stay in the ELL program until their 2nd grade year. After that, if the student scores a composite score of five or higher or scores a four and completes a trail period of mainstream instruction and receives a four or five, they can be reclassified as not ELL (Ohio Departme nt of Education). Some drawbacks are this test is only used to determine if a student is continuing as an ELL student. The test results are not shared in the mainstream classroom or with the special education teachers.The test results, if shared, could be used to help drive the differentiated instruction in the classroom to best meet their needs. Students that still show they qualify as an ELL student but speak fluent English get overlooked in the mainstream classroom. The assessment should be presented to teachers in a way of bringing awareness to the needs of the ELL student regardless of their level of need. When the school is administering the test with the knowledge that it is only used to determine their eligibility as an ELL student, it cannot be used as a workable method for monitoring student progress.The test is administered then forgotten about until the results come. Then forgotten once again. It does not matter what assessment is given, but how the results are being uti lized. Closing the achievement gap is always the goal in every educational setting. In order to do this, the assessments being used in the classroom is extremely important. All states are required to administer an assessment designed to measure students' progress in â€Å"†¦ attaining proficiency, including a child's level of comprehension, speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in English†.The English Language Development Assessment (ELDA) was developed to meet these requirements. This test focuses on four tests to tests students’ ability to speak, write, listen, and read in English (South Carolina State Department of Education, 2012). This is different from the OTELA where it does not calculate a comprehension score. This test is given throughout seven states. Some states have been using this test over serveral years and others just recently adopted this test. The STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) assessment is a new assessment t hat the state of Texas adopted this year.TAKS ( Texas Assessment of Knowledge Skills) is the assessment used in prior year. The difference with the STAAR assessment is that it will test content students studied that year, as opposed to testing content studied over multiple years. Doing so will strengthen the alignment between what is taught and what is tested for a given course of study. While STAAR mathematics, reading, writing, and social studies assessments in grades 3–8 will continue to address only those TEKS taught in the given subject and grade, the content of other STAAR assessments will change (STAAR Resources, 2012).The AZELLA (Arizona English Language Learners Assessment) like the OTELA, meets both state and federal requirements for assessing the language proficiency of students identified as second language learners and determines placement for appropriate instruction. The AZELLA score is used for entry and exit criteria for ELL program services, for measuring ann ual progress, and for monitoring the language proficiency of students for two years after they have exited the ELL/SEI program.References â€Å"Ohio Department of Education ODE. † ODE. N. p. , n. d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. http://www. ode. state. oh. us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail. aspx? page=3 â€Å"STAAR Resources. † Retrieved on 11 Apr 2013, from http://www. tea. state. tx. us/student. assessment/staar/ â€Å"South Carolina State Department of Education. † English Language Development Assessment. Retrieved on April 10, 2013, from http://ed. sc. gov/agency/programs-services/42/

Free Essays on Kinesics

One of the 8 types of non-verbal communication, I feel most aware of is Kinesics. Peoples response to things can be vary unique at times. We respond differently according to how we feel about something. We can say something, but mean something else with non-verbal communication. You can respond to something or someone in many ways according to how you feel towards the situation. Kinesics also carry a message behind it, in which sometimes can not be understood clearly. When watching someone being lectured to and seeing the different non-verbal responses they have, is like reading the persons mind. One can tell if someone is paying attention to something or if their avoiding the situation. As much as alert one is, their posture, eye contact, and facial expressions will be more serious. If one slouches, looks elsewhere, and unhappy, I would conclude that they not interested. Responsiveness is very important when it comes to relationships. Relationships between children and parents can be very complicated, especially when your trying to unscramble their non-verbal responses. Children have a way of listening to something, but it is mostly going through one ear and coming out of the other. The way children respond to something they don’t want to hear includes tapping their fingers, looking around and messing with something else. Whenever I observe a couple arguing, I pick up on expressions and the feeling on is non-verbally responding to. When one is doing more of the talking and the other is mostly ignoring everything they say. Folding the arms, tapping the feet or fingers, and taking deep breaths indicate how he/she feels toward the conversation. After all some people know how one feels about something, but will completely ignore their response to it. Responses can also be misunderstood when you are not familiar with a particular response. At the same time, the meaning to response can be sensed only by the one who knows you bette... Free Essays on Kinesics Free Essays on Kinesics One of the 8 types of non-verbal communication, I feel most aware of is Kinesics. Peoples response to things can be vary unique at times. We respond differently according to how we feel about something. We can say something, but mean something else with non-verbal communication. You can respond to something or someone in many ways according to how you feel towards the situation. Kinesics also carry a message behind it, in which sometimes can not be understood clearly. When watching someone being lectured to and seeing the different non-verbal responses they have, is like reading the persons mind. One can tell if someone is paying attention to something or if their avoiding the situation. As much as alert one is, their posture, eye contact, and facial expressions will be more serious. If one slouches, looks elsewhere, and unhappy, I would conclude that they not interested. Responsiveness is very important when it comes to relationships. Relationships between children and parents can be very complicated, especially when your trying to unscramble their non-verbal responses. Children have a way of listening to something, but it is mostly going through one ear and coming out of the other. The way children respond to something they don’t want to hear includes tapping their fingers, looking around and messing with something else. Whenever I observe a couple arguing, I pick up on expressions and the feeling on is non-verbally responding to. When one is doing more of the talking and the other is mostly ignoring everything they say. Folding the arms, tapping the feet or fingers, and taking deep breaths indicate how he/she feels toward the conversation. After all some people know how one feels about something, but will completely ignore their response to it. Responses can also be misunderstood when you are not familiar with a particular response. At the same time, the meaning to response can be sensed only by the one who knows you bette...

10 College Essay Topics on the Importance of Education

10 College Essay Topics on the Importance of Education Education has been termed a basic human right due to its impact on society and its ability to provide anyone regardless of race, location or social status, the knowledge to becoming successful in today’s modern world. Its importance spans across various aspects of our lives including its ability to inspire development and break the chains of poverty experienced in the most vulnerable environments where humans reside. Societies understanding of the importance of education have led to the creation of numerous governmental and non-governmental programs designed to provide everyone with the basic educational requirements needed to function positively in any community.   Also, in educational circles its importance is understood and this is why financial aid is usually made available for gifted students from less-privileged backgrounds to help their intellectual growth. Now, for college students who have been saddled with the enviable opportunity to discuss the importance of education through essays, this is for you. Here, you will find some accurate and timely facts on education which will be accompanied by two other articles providing you with topics on today’s subject matter, a sample essay and some direction on how you should proceed when writing your own.   Here are useful Facts on the Importance of Education: Education helps reduce hunger. The expansion of the means to receive an education by impoverished nations- in Africa and Asia- has had a positive effect in reducing poverty ratings and malnutrition in these continents. A study by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) between 1970 and 1995, covering 63 countries showed that education accounted for 55% of the decline in malnutrition achieved within that period. Female education also played its part and accounted for 45% of the decline in malnutrition between the same periods. Education plays an important role in improving maternal health and child survival rate. Statistics show that children born to an educated mother are twice more likely to survive to age five than kids born to an uneducated mother. This can be attributed to the fact that educated mothers are 50% more likely to seek all the necessary immunizations for their kids than their uneducated counterparts. This goes to show the important role female education plays in maternal and child care. Education paves the way for economic growth. Education has been outlined as one of the most important factors that determine the economic status of a population as these stats shows. Statistics show that no country without a minimum of 40% of its adult population having the ability to read or write has achieved continuous economic growth. An individual’s earning potential increases by approximately 10% for each year of schooling received and this in turn increases the GDP of nations that offer quality education opportunities to its citizens. Lastly, the education of girls leads to high return rates when compared to other forms of investment thereby making education for the girl-child a prerequisite for development. Education encourages peace. Education plays an important role in developing the building blocks that ensure peace reigns within local communities which in turn ensures the peaceful conduct of a nation’s entire society. It is a fact that every year a male-child spends in school decreases his propensity for violence by 20%. Education empowers women and the girls. One very important role education plays in today’s society is providing women with the resources to be independent as well as make good choices as regards their health and finances. Educating women has drastically reduced the impact of HIV/Aids and child mortality rates while also alleviating poverty in many communities. A household with an educated wife also increases its earning potential by approximately 50% and this makes for better living of the family unit and society as a whole. Education affects the Environment. Educating the world on the need to be more aware of its environment has been identified by UNICEF as one of the important subject matters of the 21st The UNICEF includes the need for protecting the ecosystem from pollution in its Sustainable Development Goals and Environmental Education (EE) has begun to bear fruits. Research showed that students with attention-deficit disorder (ADD) have benefited from exposure to nature and this drastically increases their motor-skills and ability to learn. While education at the adult level makes individuals more sensitive to nature thereby increasing recycling and creating sustainable cities. Education affects globalization. Education has led to better communication among individuals from every nation and culture in the world. Thereby leading to more collaboration and understanding of fellow culture. Research shows that student who are taught about the global issues facing the world and about other cultures are twice more likely to take social action than their colleagues who have no knowledge about the world. Global education has made it possible for professionals to be found in every nook and cranny of the world. Statistics show that the number of multinational corporations worldwide rose from 7,000 in the 1990’s to 65,000 in 2013 and this promotes development across every facet of the world. Education and educated individuals make good citizens. Education is viewed as a prerequisite to good citizenship for it provides individuals with the ability to make good decisions and understand the need for civility in all their dealings. Statistics show that educated citizens are 8% more likely to file complaints on misconduct or report incidents than uneducated individuals. This ensures that government institutions operate at a high level of accountability. Education affects equality. Education creates an environment that fosters equality between minority populations and the west which makes it important for global economic growth. Statistics show that providing quality education for students from all backgrounds- low income and high income- reduces the achievement gap among students from diverse backgrounds. In some European countries such as- Germany, Ireland and Switzerland- the literacy rate is approximately 92% due to the provision of affordable quality education. Education affects extremism. Education has also been hailed as a solution to religious extremism and according to Former US Ambassador- Bill Richardson- supporting public education in the Muslim world will drastically reduce terrorism by making the populace less easy to exploit by extremist leaders. The 9/11 commission report also stresses the importance of education in promoting life over death and why the Arab world should be educated. It states that the increase in economic growth and intellectual knowledge across the Muslim population will drastically reduce extremism. Note that these are 10 accurate facts on the importance of education you can use when writing a college essay on this subject matter. As stated earlier, this is simply part one of three pieces that include our guide on how to write about the importance of education for college students and the 20 topics covering the importance of education. References: Lawrence, S. (2009). Investing in all the People: Educating Women in Developing Countries campaignforeducation.org/docs/reports/IMF%20paper2_low%20res.pdf Littledyke, M. Eames, C. (2009). Education for Sustainability in the Primary Curriculum 43-47. Barbara, H Gene, S. (2004). What Works in Girl Education cfr.org/publication/6947/what_works_in_girls_education.html The Equity and Excellence Commission. (2013). A Strategy for Education, Equity and Excellence for Each and Every Child http://www2.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/eec/equity-excellence-commission-report.pdf Brian, F. Peter, N. (2012). Educational Equality for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Children and Young People in the UK. equalrightstrust.org/ertdocumentbank/ERR8_Brian_Foster_and_Peter_Norton.pdf Newman, F. Scurry, J. (2004). The Future of Higher Education 35-40.

Introduction to Landscape Painting

Introduction to Landscape Painting Landscapes are works of art that feature scenes of nature. This includes mountains, lakes, gardens, rivers, and any scenic view. Landscapes can be oil paintings, watercolors, gauche, pastels, or prints of any kind. Painting the Scenery Derived from the Dutch word landschap, landscape paintings capture the natural world around us. We tend to think of this genre as majestic mountain scenes, gently rolling hills, and still water garden ponds. Yet, landscapes can depict any scenery and feature subjects within them such as buildings, animals, and people. While there is a traditional viewpoint of landscapes, over the years artists have turned to other settings. Cityscapes, for instance, are views of urban areas, seascapes capture the ocean, and  waterscapes feature freshwater such as the work of Monet on the Seine. Landscape as a Format In art, the word landscape has another definition. Landscape format refers to a picture plane that has a width which is greater than its height. Essentially, it is a piece of art in a horizontal rather than a vertical orientation. Landscape in this sense is indeed derived from landscape paintings. The horizontal format is much more conducive to capturing the wide vistas that artists hope to portray in their work. A vertical format, though used for some landscapes, tends to restrict the vantage point of the subject and may not have the same impact. Landscape Painting in History As popular as they may be today, landscapes are relatively new to the art world. Capturing the beauty of the natural world was not a priority in early art when the focus was on spiritual or historical subjects.   It was not until the 17th century that landscape painting began to emerge. Many art historians recognize that it was during this time that scenery became the subject itself and not just an element in the background. This included the work of French painters Claude Lorraine and Nicholas Poussin as well as Dutch artists like Jacob van Ruysdael. Landscape painting ranked fourth in the hierarchy of genres set up by the French Academy. History painting, portraiture, and genre painting were considered more important. The still life genre was considered less important. This new genre of painting took off, and by the 19th century, it had gained widespread popularity. It often romanticized the scenic views and came to dominate the subjects of paintings as artists attempted to capture what was around them for all to see. Landscapes also gave the first (and only) glimpse many people had of foreign lands. When the Impressionists emerged in the mid-1800s, landscapes began to be less realistic and literal. Though collectors will always enjoy realistic landscapes, artists like Monet, Renoir,  and Cezanne demonstrated a new view of the natural world. From there, landscape painting has thrived, and it is now one of the most popular genres among collectors. Artists have taken the landscape to a variety of places with new interpretations and many sticking with tradition. One thing is for sure; the landscape genre now dominates the landscape of the art world.

Psychology essay - human motivation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Psychology - human motivation - Essay Example That is why; fear, positively, lead people to undertake challenges, to create order from chaos, to regulate their drives, or to become involved in interesting activities. For instance, if a man feels anxious to drive in a freeway, he could be compelled to conquer his fear by practicing freeway driving. Meanwhile on a negative note, the fear that the same man felt could motivate the non-self-determined behavior of yelling obscenities at someone who drove up beside him unexpectedly. In contrast to external motivation factors such as the use of food as a reward, fear, as with other intrinsic motivation factors, there are no rewards separate from the internal, spontaneous states that accompany or immediately follow the behavior. Here the â€Å"reward† is intangible because it takes the form of a certain set of feelings. Finally, the role of fear in motivation is best illustrated in the way behavior reinforces the responses that terminates fear. This analogy, which was set forth by Roderick Wong, is said to explain the incidence of compulsions in human behavior. According to Wong, â€Å"such behavior is assumed to be motivated by fear, and maintained by fear reduction.† (p. 192) 2. The theory that learning has something to do with human motivation falls in the realm of behaviorist approach, which argues that motivation is a result of factors generated by the environment more than arising within an individual. Here, a person’s current actions are determined by the successes or failures of past actions. To cite an example: My motivation to attend musicals is determined by the fact that my first and succeeding outings to the theater were pleasurable and it did reduce my stress, therefore the increasing frequency of my attendance to musicals was reinforced. Socialization hence is very important in learning as these provides a good amount of experiences – both good and

Paper work Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Paper work - Assignment Example for men going to work, economists agree that it also affects their overall productivity and concentration that magnifies itself in the total economic output. Grooming is becoming popular with men in the modern society and thus affecting other people’s perception about them. Studies confirm that more men care about their looks than their jobs. This conflicting scenario is wrought with myriad challenges worth highlighting. For instance, from a macroeconomic context, it affects performance because men neglect their duties at the expense of personal grooming. Research indicates that 44 per cent of men prefer to reduce weight. It, therefore, suggests that men are consumed by the celebrity culture that immerses them into a delusional and fantasy world that consequently affects their productivity and performance. In a macroeconomic context, behavior change is pertinent in influencing how markets develop and prosper (Rosin 123). However, markets are made of employees meant to achieve its goals and objectives. Notably, men form the largest number of this workforce. Their obsession with looks suggests that markets lose in terms of sustainin g the economy leading to infiltration and eventual domination by rivals. Another repercussion arising from men’s obsession with looks instead of their job is decision-making. Macroeconomics relies on decision-making to influence the economy from a national, global, and regional context. This means men should remain focused on their roles and responsibilities to avoid destroying the economy. Personal grooming is also time-consuming and this interferes with productivity through reduced output within the organization. Consequently, it affects savings and national income because people rarely meet their individual targets as stipulated by organization (Dwivedi 149). Likewise, fixation with looks results to lose of morale and that is dangerous in harnessing investment and deflecting inflation. Similarly, such fixation explains the decline

Classical Physical Science Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Classical Physical Science - Research Paper Example Ionic compounds are soluble in water because water being a polar molecule attracts these charged ions forcing them to leave the lattice. When dissolved or molten state these ions are free to move and can conduct electricity. (Whitten et al 2007). Covalent bonds are formed between non metals. Unlike ionic bonding, covalent bonds between atoms are formed by sharing of electrons. Again, the purpose is to complete outer electron shell. Depending on the number of paired electrons shared by atoms there can be up to three (triple) covalent bonds. But these bonds are not as strong as ionic bonds and most of molecular substances are either gases or liquids at room temperature with low melting or boiling point. If in solid state all molecular substances form a lattice. As atoms in these structures have no charge they cannot conduct electricity even in melted state. The bonds formed by electron sharing may not be very strong but if arranged in a proper order the overall structure can be extremely hard. Diamond and silica are examples of such giant covalent structures. (Whitten et al

Adapting to Workplace Changes in Professionalism Essay - 1

Adapting to Workplace Changes in Professionalism - Essay Example 432). This is because the meaning of culture is said to represent different ethnic, tribal and racial groups leaving the part that addresses how the unique norms, values and beliefs influence the usage of the law or the attributes of the lawyers and the unique traits they share in law practice (Bracey, 2006). In 1975, Lawrence Friedman devised ‘legal culture’ as a concept that emphasized the notion that law is more implicit when described as a product of social forces, a system and a conduct of the same social forces. Friedman moves from the common notion that focuses on law as a set of rules and norms which can either be written or unwritten about the rights and duties of people as well as prescribing the right or wrong behavior, to advocate for a model or a ‘system’ which has a set of processes inputs and structures that send outputs to the environment. The legal culture is based on three components which are; the legal and social forces, the ‘law’ itself such as the rules and the structure, and the effects the law has on the outside world. As such, the legal culture essentially covers the social study of law (Rosen, 2006). The unique attributes shared by the legal practitioners across the globe can be traced to the traditional study of law. Initially, the social scientific study of law was mostly marginalized in universities in America in departments such as social science and law schools. However, the notion of legal culture was introduced by working with a tradition that had little connection to the American universities but some lawyers and jurists from parts of Europe such as Germany. For instance, a German jurist described the practice of law as a manifestation of the ‘spirit of the people’ and described it as an evolving culture. Though describing it from a pragmatic and rather romantic perspective, an American jurist known as Oliver Wendell Holmes also described law as a culture by referring to it as an anthropologic document

The Loyalty Effect of the Tesco Club-Card Toward its Members Essay

The Loyalty Effect of the Tesco Club-Card Toward its Members - Essay Example The marketer factor is also much considered in customer retention while with customer loyalty, the intrapersonal part of customer behaviour is the point of consideration. Moreover, many other reasons were found to prod customers to buy outside of loyalty, for example during sudden change of prices, or when there is a risk involved, or because there is no other choice(www.bestofbiz.co.uk, cited in Morgan et al., 2000). In cases where there is competition among marketers, alternatives made available to customers may make them ex-customers if they fall short of loyalty (Morgan et al., 2000). There are two approaches to defining and measuring customer loyalty as gleaned from literature. Rundle-Thiele and Bennett (2001) describe the stochastic approach as considering the concept in behavioral terms, with the deterministic approach considering it in attitudinal terms. "Stochastic" is defined as having a pattern that can be analysed statistically but not predicted precisely (Reader's Digest Great Dictionary of the English Language, 2001), while "deterministic" has something to do with the doctrine that all events and actions are determined by external forces acting on the will (Ibid). Between these two approaches, there appears little disagreement contrary to the aspect of measuring it (Rundle-Thiele and Bennett (2001). Some 30 years ago Jacoby and Kyner were said to have started the debate which is still going on up to the present time. The drawbacks of the stochastic approach are presented by O'Malley (1998) and Odin (2001). The rather narrow technical definitions of the stochastic approach "does not capture the full richness and depth of the loyalty construct," according to O'Malley (1998) For instance, it does not indicate if repeat orders come about out of habit, or due to situations obtaining, or to psychological reasons on the part of the customer. Instead of a 100 per cent loyalty to a single brand, according to O'Malley (1998) which may characterize only a few, customers tend to select from two or three brands within any product category, which have become their regular fare. On the other hand, according to Odin (2001), a customer who buys the same brand over time is loyal, but that loyalty is too complex to be understood on account of many variables that tend to recur at various times. As such, the concept of loyalty comes at a point where it divides two ways at their end points: loyalty vs. disloyalty necessitating the categorising of the customers into one of these in an arbitrary way. The determinist approach looks at loyalty more as an

Adapting to Workplace Changes in Professionalism Essay - 1

Adapting to Workplace Changes in Professionalism - Essay Example 432). This is because the meaning of culture is said to represent different ethnic, tribal and racial groups leaving the part that addresses how the unique norms, values and beliefs influence the usage of the law or the attributes of the lawyers and the unique traits they share in law practice (Bracey, 2006). In 1975, Lawrence Friedman devised ‘legal culture’ as a concept that emphasized the notion that law is more implicit when described as a product of social forces, a system and a conduct of the same social forces. Friedman moves from the common notion that focuses on law as a set of rules and norms which can either be written or unwritten about the rights and duties of people as well as prescribing the right or wrong behavior, to advocate for a model or a ‘system’ which has a set of processes inputs and structures that send outputs to the environment. The legal culture is based on three components which are; the legal and social forces, the ‘law’ itself such as the rules and the structure, and the effects the law has on the outside world. As such, the legal culture essentially covers the social study of law (Rosen, 2006). The unique attributes shared by the legal practitioners across the globe can be traced to the traditional study of law. Initially, the social scientific study of law was mostly marginalized in universities in America in departments such as social science and law schools. However, the notion of legal culture was introduced by working with a tradition that had little connection to the American universities but some lawyers and jurists from parts of Europe such as Germany. For instance, a German jurist described the practice of law as a manifestation of the ‘spirit of the people’ and described it as an evolving culture. Though describing it from a pragmatic and rather romantic perspective, an American jurist known as Oliver Wendell Holmes also described law as a culture by referring to it as an anthropologic document

Research Methods for Managers Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Research Methods for Managers - Dissertation Example Data Analysis 18 Organizational variables and gender 19 Organizational variables and the profile variables: age, civil status, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, position and work experience 19 3.7. Resources Needed 20 4.0. Timetable and References 4.1. Timetable 21 4.2. References 22 4.3. Bibliography 25 5.0. Appendices 5.1. The Research Instrument 26 5.2. Coding Guide for the Survey Responses 30 5.3. Interpretation Guide for the Organizational Diagnosis 31 An organisational diagnosis of General Guardian Insurance Limited using the Weisbord six-box model : Inputs for internal strategy formulation 1.0. Introduction In a general context, organisational diagnosis may be defined as a tool by which specific knowledge pertaining to reality in an organisation may be established in order to guide managers and other decision makers in understanding the organisation as well as its essential elements, and in formulating necessary interventions (Grave, Gimenez, Mendez & Crubellate, 2001). An orga nizational diagnosis may be likened to a general medical check-up where individuals submit themselves to, not because there are perceptible or felt symptoms, but as a precautionary measure for health promotion. However, more often than not, people undergo a medical examination just a little too late when symptoms of illnesses are already apparent. In this regard, the old cliche that â€Å"an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure† also proves true not only for humans but also for organizations. Organizational diagnostics, like medical doctors, are applicable both for routinary check-up or as inputs for the formulation of interventions when issues arise which tend to compromise the overall efficacy of an organization. 1.1. Background Guardian General Insurance Limited (GGIL) was established some nine years ago as a purely property and casualty insurer. GGIL is not, however, a newbie in the insurance market. In fact, GGIL can boast of its 50-year experience under th e wings of Guardian Holdings Limited (GHL). As the new millennium dawned, GHL acquired a couple of big insurance companies in Trinidad – the NEM Insurance Limited, which specialized in property and casualty insurance in Trinidad and Tobago; and the Caribbean Home Insurance, which also maintained health insurance portfolio in addition to their property and casualty business in Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. To date, GGIL is the largest property and casualty insurer which is purely Caribbean owned (GGIL, 2010). In the most recent statement published by GGIL top executives, management straightforwardly reported a loss of 821 million dollars, the organization’s biggest loss in history (Jack & Mack, 2010). The two executives, however, assured their clients that the GGIL board of directors â€Å"have the ability to analyze, and the skill to execute, on good acquisitions† (Jack & Mack, 2010, p. 6). Additionally, Jack and Mack (2010) affirmed that experiencing losses in any business is not acceptable and that the size of the loss is definitely painful. The loss was also admitted to be self-inflicted as a consequence of poor judgement on one acquisition. In spite of these developments, GGIL was declared to remain ‘solid as a rock’. Meanwhile, Tam-Marks (2006) maintained that the insurance industry in Trinidad and Tobago is now being regulated through risk-based examinations, as opposed to the previous practice of compliance-based and transaction-testing examinations. The present regulatory framework in Trinidad and T

Acquainted with the Night by Robert Frost Essay Example for Free

Acquainted with the Night by Robert Frost Essay Walking alone at night, for some, can seem like a peaceful thing to do, to help clear a person’s mind and let the day’s troubles disappear into the dark. For others, though, the night is when a person feels the most alone and must face their own demons. Robert Frost makes the night become that dark, grim and depressing time in which people reflect on themselves in his poem â€Å"Acquainted with the Night†. The first time reading the poem, one just simply thinks a person is taking a walk at night in the city, keeping to themself when meeting the watchman and listening to the sounds on the streets around, all the while keeping time by the moon in the sky as to when to head back home. But, when taking a closer look, the reader can begin to see the pain, grief and the foreboding feeling the speaker has about life itself, the feeling of being alone and wanting it to stay that way. It also shows that the speaker isn’t the only person with pain and grief on this night. The theme of Robert Frost’s poem â€Å"Acquainted with the Night† is depression and grief in the speakers’ personal life. Frost tells us this by using symbolism and tone in the lines of the poem. â€Å"I have walked out in rain – and back in rain. † The second line in the poem tells the reader that whatever troubles the speaker is having or has had is so much for this person, that when they walk in the night, it doesn’t matter what the weather is, they will walk and walk all night through the rain, trying to out walk their troubles. The rain can also symbolize life itself, always pouring one thing after another on a person, one stress after another, one heartache after another, and sometimes no matter how strong a person is, they can never get away from that rain. The following line, â€Å"I have outwalked the furthest city light. † tells the reader, in the literal sense, that the speaker also does not care about the distance as to which they will walk to try to leave their troubles behind. Or it can symbolize that no matter how far a person goes in life, there is always trouble waiting. I have looked down the saddest city lane. † shows the reader that the speaker, though physically alone, isn’t all that alone in the grimness of life. The lane the speaker is looking down gives the reader the picture that it is run down, abandoned almost and even probably poverty stricken. The reader sees that the speaker isn’t the only one with trouble and depression, it surrounds the speaker but the he sees himself as alone in that he is wrapped up in his own feelings and thoughts. Even when the speaker passes the watchman on the treet, he doesn’t want to explain why he is out at night and averts his eyes so that maybe he will get by without being stopped. The speaker wants to keep the solitude he has in his mind intact so he wants to avoid even speaking to the watchman. The lines 7 through 10 go more in depth of the speakers’ feelings of solitude and isolation while he is out in the night: â€Å"I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet When far away an interrupted cry Came over houses from another street, but not to call me back or say good-bye;† The 7th line shows that the speaker really is all alone out there when walking; there are no other sounds of people walking or going about on the street he is walking down. The speaker walking alone reflects how he feels in his everyday life, alone, no one to walk with him and take on the troubles of life. But, he isn’t too far away from others because he can hear a cry from another lost soul dealing with their own turmoil. The lines 8 to 9 make the entire poem come across as almost horrific, because the reader then wonders what kind of cry is it that the speaker is hearing? Is the sound of some crime? Or just another person in and dealing with their own hell? Then the final lines of the poem bring home the morbid tone of the entire piece. Line 11, â€Å"And further still at an unearthly height† symbolizes how the speaker feels about how out of reach and out of touch he is with his surroundings and possibly with life itself. The lines 12 and 13, â€Å"One luminary clock against the sky / Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right. † makes the reader feel the dark tone of the poem even more. The reader, at this point, is brought closer to understanding the speaker’s feeling of loneliness and solitude because that is how most people feel, no matter when it is, it is never the right time or the wrong time for almost anything. It feels as if one can almost never make the right call as to when to do something in their life that is important. The line 13 makes the reader wonder if the speaker is considering suicide, that the speaker is wondering if the time is ever right for committing suicide, or is it ever right for living life. The repeated line â€Å"I have been one acquainted with he night† as the first and last lines of the poem is the final piece that really sets the tone of darkness for the poem as a whole. Night is usually acquainted with darkness, scary things, loneliness, solitude, unhappiness and even depression. So the simple line brings to light the deepness of the inability of the speaker not being able to find things in common with those around him, not being able to open up and discuss himself and his feelings and thoughts. He has known trouble and pain, and doesn’t know how to leave it behind, so he carries it with him so that even during the day, he feels as if he is always in the darkness of night. Overall, Frost’s poem â€Å"Acquainted with the Night† is a poem that can be taken just literally, or symbolically. It depends on the kind of outlook on life each person that reads the poem has. Some might not see the symbolism of the feelings of darkness, isolation and grief, while others see it right away. But either way, the reader can still feel the dark tone of the poem whether it is the first time reading it, or the hundredth, just from the beginning and ending lines, â€Å"I have been one acquainted with the night†.

Are Visual Effects Improving or Damaging Film?

Are Visual Effects Improving or Damaging Film? Introduction From the very inception of film visual effects have been employed by numerous photographers and film makers to enhance, to realise and create new meaning. The very early days of film took great advantage of ‘visual magic to create illusions and trickery which have impressed countless audiences. Over a century ago when photography was emerging as an art form some unscrupulous commercial photographers would capture portrait shots using an ordinary exposure but then as soon as the subject was removed from the studio a collaborator would be positioned within the same setting, a quick exposure would be taken so as to leave a faint image trace on the film. The unsuspecting customer would then be handed a positive copy of their image with what appeared to be a ghostly figure in shot. A more subtle variation involved the customer being placed with numerous props around him or her, the props would be removed for the second exposure of the ghost character, so as they wouldnt appear too d eliberately double exposed. The ghost character would usually be wearing black clothing as film does not ‘see black due to the chemical process in the emulsion of film which identifies light only, therefore only the ghost would appear in the second image. And herein began the industry of special effects. This ghost trick was the starting point for what is now known as the matte process where unrequired objects are removed from the exposure by masking them so they do not register on the film. One of the first uses of this process in a moving image sequence was witnessed in Alexander Kordas Things To Come (1936) in which the upper levels of a futuristic underground city have been double exposed above footage of live actors, matte masks prevented one image showing on the other image. This film provides one of the earliest examples of special effects being adopted to positively improve the aesthetics of a film. Of course since films early experiments with visual effects the industry has today developed into a very sophisticated, digitally driven and technically ultra-advanced visual medium. Computers have taken special effects to an entirely new level and as computers continue to update and improve their spec so too will the film industry develop around these advances; quite simply computers and digital technology have enabled films to be produced which otherwise would not have been. However despite the often profound visual success of special effects in certain cases some people argue that film is now placing an over reliance on special effects, they argue that visual effects in some films are counter productive as they come across as ineffective and some times unnecessary. Some also question the performance of the actors if all they are doing in a film is running in front of a green screen shouting at an imagined ‘alien clutching an imagined prop. Others raise concerns regarding the films quality and the processes of putting a film together where much of it is CGI constituted. So is it really the case that films being produced now would be better received by audiences if they did not make so much use of visual effects? Or is it that some studios and directors simply cant adjust effectively to modern day film making? And who is to blame for this? Man or machine? As visual effects artist Piers Bizony points out: One of the greatest misconceptions about modern movies is that visual effects are generated by computers. Nothing could be further from the truth. Human inventiveness is the most important ingredient and it always will be. Computers offer amazing new possibilities, but the underlying challenges of movie illusions are the same today as they were nearly a century ago when the industry was young . Chapter 1: The Profound Benefits of Using Visual Effects in Film Digital effects have significantly impacted on mainstream films, indeed digital technology is now synonymous with exceptional visual effects. Michael Baileys sci-fi film Armageddon (1999) provides a good example of a director engaging with digital visual effects which achieves an impressive and hugely successful end product. The disaster film depicts the efforts to prevent Earth being destroyed by a huge meteorite on a collision course with it. Teams of ‘heroes are sent into orbit in an attempt to blow the meteorite up and save the world. The film is saturated with digital effects some of which are the result of a very complex process. These computer generated sequences include the entire orbit scenes, the meteorite shots and the films climax. The evolutionary process by which the visual effects product is accomplished can be an awe inspiring process in itself; take for example the asteroid in Armageddon which began life as a small sketch on a napkin, the image was then refined and digitized, then colour was added to it in Photoshop. After this a physical model of the asteroid was constructed out of foam. Numerous shots were then taken and fed back into a computer so that other effects could be added such as gasses and rocks. A second and larger model was then built and using an intricate technological process wired the model so that a computer could read every single three-dimensional detail of it. The final product we see in the film is an image which is the result of multiple digital imagery layers with many of the films scenes comprising of between fifty and a hundred layers. It is an astounding feat of modern visual trickery. If the film had been made several years before hand it would have had to employ the more conventional optical printing cinematographic process. However this would have left green lines visible on the subjects and depreciated the overall aesthetic qualities of the film, today computers can remove these lines thereby rendering the composite process invisible to the viewer. Contemporary modern visual effects engender a film culture based on a production process that in actual fact is less ‘physical. As academics and authors Peter Lehman and William Luhr observe: As a movie like Armageddon makes clear, much of what we now see in Hollywood films never existed in front of the camera and this has had a profound effect upon how we think about movies. The quality of the visual effects necessarily impacts on the believability of the film for the viewer and most Hollywood films strive to hide any signs of the film making methods used with the aim of providing the spectator with a ‘real experience. Some label this style of Hollywood film making a ‘the invisible style and digital visual effects in many instances now makes this film making approach even more attainable, and more easier to produce as costs are cut. Films like Cecil B. De Milles The Ten Commandments (1956) used to be a rare event in Hollywood because of the costs involved in creating the special visual effects, but now thanks to modern visual effects financial barriers have been removed and we now see Hollywood increasing their output of more visually daring films. Michael Baileys follow-up to Armageddon was the hugely successful blockbuster Pearl Harbour (2002) which again repeated the success of his previous film as regards the use of visual effects and wen t on to generate worldwide box office sales of just under  £300,000,000. When Ridley Scotts historical action drama Gladiator (2000) was released there was wide media coverage focusing on many of the visual effects the film had employed . In the film many of the scenes occur in the Roman coliseum and we are treated to plenty of shots of an entire coliseum where hoards of spectators occupy it observing the macabre event taking place below. However the spectacle was in actual fact constructed from multiple digital layers and is another example of visual effects making an invaluable contribution to the film industry. It is only through digital technology that we can enjoy with such visual fluidity the epic structure of the coliseum, the gladiators engaging in their fierce battle and the jeering spectators all in one shot. James Cameron is a Canadian director with numerous titles to his name and is well known for his use of cutting edge visual effects technology. His first blockbuster foray into the visual effects arena was with his groundbreaking sci-fi The Terminator (1984) in which we witness a director pushing the boundaries of special effects capabilities. The film epitomises a trend of the time in which Hollywood was experimenting with new means of visual effects through the production of films which fused the genres of science fiction and horror including Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982), Robocop (1987) and Predator (1987), a breed of films which author Mark Jancovich describes as films which: Contain strong female leads; an interest in the family; concerns about scientific-technical rationality and the military; killing machines which lack conscious motivation; and forms of body/horror . Within Camerons Terminator film we can glean an overpowering sense of directorial creativity which, for all of the films impressive and successful visual effects, is still somehow constrained not by the mind of the director but by the technology available to him. The film was low budget costing around  £4m to make but due to its huge popularity generated  £30m in box office sales in America alone. The Terminator bred a franchise and to date four films have been made although only the first two were under Camerons direction. In Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) Cameron teams up with George Lucass Industrial Light and Magic visual effects house and three other special effects houses. Cameron builds on his rendered water tentacle he created for The Abyss (1989); he was encouraged by some of the concepts used for The Abyss and in Terminator 2 created a Terminator constructed of liquid metal – the T–1000. On screen we witness T-1000, a polymorphic assassin, shape-shifti ng into anyone it touches. To achieve many of the films visual effects Cameron fused two elements of computer generated graphics with a film composite to create blue prints which were heavily used with astounding success. Between Cameron and the four visual effects houses the film boasts three hundred optical and mechanical shots incorporating state of the art computer produced imagery as well as more conventional optical trickeries and process photography. Each of the four effects companies provided the film with their own unique contributions. For example visual effects company ‘Video Image produced the twelve TerrorVision shots from the Arnold Schwarzenegger T-800 characters infra-red point of view. This was achieved by scanning into a computer live footage and manipulating the colour scheme then overlaying it with flashing graphics. ‘Fantasy Film II effects company had the task of producing the opening ‘future war sequence by improving it with intricate optical enhancements, they also created optical lighting and lasers for the shots of the arrival of the Terminator. It was ‘4Ward Production which created the nuclear blast scenes in which Los Angeles is devastated by a nucl ear bomb. The sequence was partly electronically created by using a big layered painting of the city which included a blast dome and by using the Apple Mac programme Electric Image very effectively simulated the destruction of buildings to capture the blasts destructive effects. However it was Industrial Light and Magic and Stan Winston Studios working in collaboration who were presented with the challenge of making the T-1000 which would turn out to be a combination of mechanical prosthetics, moving puppets and complex processes of computer generated digital imagery. Camerons Titanic (1997) was until very recently the worlds most successful box office film. The film made great use of visual effects as well as employing some more traditional special effects processes. Cameron constructed an entire Titanic replica which was able to be flooded and broken apart for the sinking sequences. Most of the visual effects were supplied by Camerons own company Digital Domain which made use of both CG and miniature models to recreate the journey and eventual fate of the ship. Digital Domain also generated hundreds of digital passengers, digital water and numerous digital matte paintings and also created particle effects which simulated smoke. Other visual effects work on the film was carried out by VIFX who composited icy breaths onto some of the characters to ensure maximum authenticity for outside scenes. A number of other collaborators include POP Film who created some very clever digital face replacements and complex matte paintings. And CIS Hollywood made blue sky substitutes and bluescreen composites. The whole collaboration ensured the final product did what it was supposed to do. The films visual effects are an overwhelming credit to a Hollywood narrative film which, in true Hollywood style, hopes to ensure its audiences beliefs are suspended so the journey is as real as it can get, there can be no doubt that the visual effects in this film was a key ingredient in helping the audience achieve that belief suspension. On the 29th August 2009 the Daily Mail ran an article with the title ‘How James Camerons 3D Film Could Change Cinema Forever. The story previewed James Camerons latest sci-fi adventure film Avatar (2009) and the articles author claimed: A movie revolution will take place at the end of the year potentially offering as big a leap in our viewing experience as the change from black-and-white television to colour. The remark was perhaps a little over zealous but nonetheless captured the sentiment of the huge visual success celebrated by the release of Avatar. The film had been a concept in Camerons mind since the mid 1990s but due to the deficit in technological capabilities the film remained unmade. In actual fact Cameron didnt completely wait for the technology to catch up he made technology catch up by creating specialist cameras and equipment required to make the 3D film a reality. The imagery in Avatar constitutes 60% CGI and most of the CG character animation sequences are filmed using live actors with groundbreaking new motion-capture processes. The other 40% of the film comprises of live action imagery and relies on more conventional special effects. In bringing Camerons CG characters to life he has essentially created a whole new method for filming motion capture; he makes his actors wear special body suits with a standard definition camera attached to a head ring which will repeatedl y take photographs of their faces. Then the data is sent to another camera which creates a real-time image of the ‘live actor in costume. Of the processes used to create his visual effects in Avatar Cameron stated: Its this amazing ability to quickly conjure scenes and images and great fantasy scapes that is very visual†¦When you are doing performance capture, creatively its very daunting. Its very hard to imagine what it will look like. But if you can see it, if you can have a virtual image of what is it going to be like, then you are there . Avatar adopts further new motion capture processes with its Facial Performance Replacement (FPR) technique which allowed Cameron to reshape the facial movements of the actors. So where dialogue is altered after principal photography on a scene it is still capable of being perfectly integrated into the final scene thereby avoiding actors having to re-shoot another take with their body suits and head rigs on again. Its as though Cameron is constantly merging the boundaries of CGI and live action imagery but appears to have created the desired result although at cost. Whilst the film was in production James Cameron said in an interview on Canadian television that:Were in CG hell. Were trying to create a world from scratch. Its like trench warfare. Were working with computer-generated characters that are photo-realistic. Thats tough. We set the bar high. Were just now getting confidence that its going to work .Its the type of remark that embodies the drive behind an artists creative inte lligence and reveals his determination as well as frustration of a project which ultimately will be successful, James Cameron must be sitting comfortably with the knowledge that he broke his own previous record. Avatar is now the biggest box office success in cinema history. Chapter 2: When Do Visual Effects Damage Film? It is incontrovertible that visual effects have augmented many film experiences and that todays modern technological advances have created a film industry capable of exceeding audiences expectations. However despite the immense success of these visual effects there is a growing feeling among many people and film makers alike that digital effects are eroding the quality of some films. CGI used to be a hugely expensive process so much so that George Lucass Star Wars (1977) only contained a ninety second CGI sequence which took three months to complete. However almost twenty years later and the cost of CGI has significantly reduced which enables Pixar Animated Studios to profitably produce an entirely computer generated film – Toy Story (1995). Just another six years later and Sony manages to remove the difference between cartoon and ‘real life with its production of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001). Today CGI is an integral ingredient for many filmmakers who employ its use for most of Hollywoods big action sequences. Despite the affordability of CGI it still remains an expensive process and is very time consuming and this is precisely why it is often contracted out of Hollywood to specialist visual effects companies. As we have seen above Avatar had at least four different visual effects companies work on it, and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) had eleven outside companies produce the visual effects. Herein lies one of the key areas of concern regarding the use of visual effects in contemporary film making. So that this type of digital outsourcing can be facilitated the film is essentially divided into two separate productions: firstly the studio or location based live action scenes and secondly the CGI element which is made on computers. During the live action filming the actor will quite often be working on whats called a ‘limbo set in which there will be few physicalities to the scene, instead the actor will be required to simulate particular actions and even mouth certain words of dialogue, all the omissions will then be filled in at a later stage on computer when engaging the CGI stage of the production. It will paint bold background imagery, place elaborate costumes on characters, implant certain objects into the actors hands and create sounds and dialogue befitting of the scenario. When the live footage has to be completed and even the editing of the live film the divide between the live and the CGI work becomes more distinct and problematic as quite often directors havent seen any of the CGI imagery at that stage. One classic example of this situation was during the filming of Jonathan Mostows Terminator 3. The film began shooting in July 2002 and Warner Brothers required the film to be submitted within twelve months for its release. However the sub-contracted CGI element of the production would take eight months for the subcontractors to complete, and so due to the time restriction this meant that Mostow had no choice other than to provide storyboards to the CGI teams so they could begin work and so were not working from the live footage which Mostow had yet to film. The split nature of this method of film making is epitomised, almost bizarrely, in the film itself in the face of Arnold Schwarzenegger. The right side of his face has ordinary make-up on it, the left side is green this is because the digital animation supervisor San Rafael directed the CGI which would become Schwarzeneggers right side of his face, whereas Mostow directed the left side of his face in Los Angeles. Once the CGI had been completed there was simply no time to facilitate a re-do. Mostow stated at the time: For a filmmaker that is the worst thing you can imagine. In the regular rhythm of making movies you shoot, you edit, you hone the editing, and then you add the finishing touches. Computer graphics turns the normal procedures of filmmaking upside down . This method of filmmaking was also witnessed in the production processes of Avatar which outsourced the digital effects work to a number of different companies. One of those companies was London based Framestore and some of the work they had to carry out vividly illustrates the production issues of films which employ heavy use of CGI, Jonathan Fawkner of Framestore said: So what we got from the production was literally an actor in a green background, and we were required to put everything else, including set material props and people . Hollywood studios often believe that digital effects are worth their price, even if it is just to enjoy the profit margin from the spin off sales of merchandise of toys and computer games. However if CGI can not sustain audience interest because it lacks other fundamental film elements such as narrative then no groundbreaking computer generated graphics will compensate for an audience dissatisfied with the story of a film. This was illuminated when Sony had to learn a bitter lesson after it released the sci-fi digital effects imbued Stealth (2005) which performed abysmally at the box office. DreamWorks also had a bloody nose in the same year with the release of The Island (2005) which again generated disappointing box office sales. As journalist and author Edward Epstein states: If this new economy of illusion allows the CGI side of a production to overwhelm the directors ability to tell a coherent story in his live-action side, digital effects may prove to be the ruination of movies . Another aspect of film erosion some argue is occurring when film requires the use of stunts to increase the action to higher levels of intensity. When American actor, writer, producer and director Douglas Fairbanks in the 1924 film version of the fantasy Thief of Baghdad impressively jumps from one huge pot to another with all the anticipation captured beautifully in the film he does so himself, with two unseen trampolines used to support the actor as he performs the stunt. The action sequence is thoroughly effective because it is real. Martial arts actor and director Jackie Chan brings to us films which are highly charged with plenty of karate sequences, this is for many part of the appeal of his films. The fighting scenes always use trained martial arts experts to bring the audience closer to the fighting action so they dont just see and hear it they feel it. However CGI threatens this authenticity by injecting scenes of action which are physically impossible for the human being. T he reality is that sadly with the continuing development of CGI there will be less impressive live stunts in film to enjoy. Another argument which criticises digital visual effects concerns the relationship with the aesthetics and the deeper meaning of what the aesthetics are depicting. If we look at a much older film such as the The Thief of Baghdad (1940) we observe a film which makes very effective use of visual effects for its time. It is obvious watching the film that the visual effects are easily identified as visual augmentations but in those aesthetics they actually capture a large degree of reality. Clearly the audience knows that horses and carpets are not capable of flying by themselves yet in the film that is precisely what we see and a visual treat it is despite its lack of visual sophistication. If those scenes were filmed today they would be produced through CGI processes which would load the scenes with fast paced shots of the horses imagined responses if it could fly which would be generated with intricate detail and seamless visual flow, we would see overview shots of the landscapes bene ath and we might even see an eagle or two because the whole sequence would be so busy that the audience just doesnt have time to appreciate the whole point of the scene that someone is flying through the air on a horse or carpet! And this is the problem when visual effects take over the scene it reduces the significance of what it portrays. Digital visual effects also seem to engender a type of laziness amongst some film makers. However in the film X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008) attention was focused away from digital support in favour of more traditional effects, the audience is aware that theyre not always seeing real bodies or real severed body parts but the effects were impressive and no CGI was used, the film makers instead employed model making efforts to realise the visual characteristics of the film. US scriptwriter and film critic Roger Ebert says: I have nothing against digital technology. It tricks the eye just as matte paintings and miniatures did. What Im concerned about is that filmmakers take it for granted. When youre not dealing with something physical, like a matte, youre tempted to go for broke, and then your ‘real life movie feels like a cartoon. The best effects are those that are entirely story-driven and character-driven. In many peoples view CGI is simply becoming overused. Steve Becks horror Ghost Ship (2002) received strong censure from critics and spectators for its digitally constructed scenes and lack of attention to narrative. The unreal look which comes with CGI can often destroy credibility for the audience. Special effects co-ordinator Randy Cabral believes that CGI has a damaging effect on some films, he says: I go to the movies often and Im taken out of the moment completely when you see something and its so unreal, so unbelievable and it just screams CGI that it completely ruins the film for me. Conclusion Looking at the top ten most successful films of all time, commercially speaking, every single one of them has employed CGI to a significant extent . From Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone (2001) to The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003) through to Toy Story 3 (2010) and of course Avatar (2009) between them these films have thrilled worldwide audiences and rewarded them with a visual feast. There can be no denying the merits of digital effects and the overwhelming contribution it has made to cinema. The success in sales figures both at the box office and in DVD and Blu-ray profits matches the success of what CGI has achieved on screen. The advantages to the film industry are plenty as is evident from above, but what some directors and film makers some times overlook are the negative aspects of this technology. CGI can not replace a good story or substitute an intelligent script with meaningful dialogue and whilst it can indeed create stunning three dimensional characte rs it can not produce the depth of character which audiences can relate to if the character has no characteristics or depth of expression. It seems that some directors and the Hollywood system have not learnt these lessons fully yet. The recent sci-fi film Skyline (2010) relied heavily on digital effects, some which were quite clearly weak in parts, and lacked depth of narrative. The film attempted to ride on the back of recent successes in the genre like War of the Worlds (2005), Cloverfield (2007) and District 9 (2009) but failed to match their achievements. Skyline unfortunately is a modern example which demonstrates that Hollywood continues to ignore fundamental film constituents in favour of computer generated sequences to realise a film, perhaps after the box office failure of Skyline Hollywood may begin to effectively address this issue. Even directors like Tim Burton who have strong views on digital effects and resisted using them extensively for his remake of Charlie and th e Chocolate Factory (2005) still dont appreciate the damage CGI can do, as the film still featured many scenes that were not enhanced by the visual effects but were in fact weakened by them. Having considered many of the advantages and disadvantages of the use of visual effects within the film industry there are clearly two opposing perspectives. Some advocate the continuing and indeed increasing use of CGI as a key method for the production of major film projects and to realise the creativity of the human mind whilst others prefer a more moderate approach to the use of digital effects. James Cameron when being interviewed by Charlie Rose said: I threw everything I had at making it a great piece of entertainment and that was the 3-D, the CGI and creating the world and every trick I knew to get people to come to a theatre, and then every trick I knew as a filmmaker to engage them in terms of the story and the actors and so on . It is probably fair to suggest the most efficacious means of producing films should incorporate a balance, and ensure the right calculation between using digital technologies to realise the film and the other essential ingredients which makes the film successful. If the film industry chooses to ignore the genuine complaints of digital effects use then it may well find itself producing more films which do not connect with audiences, and thus runs the risk of damage not only their profits but their credibility also.

Poetry Throughout the Ages :: essays research papers

This anthology is a published collection of poetry throughout the five major periods including- the Pre Elizabethan period, Elizabethan Period, Metaphysical Period, Romantic Period and the Victorian Period. The Pre Elizabethan Period was first in Old English and then in Middle English. Old English was used after the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th and 6th centuries. The invaders from Germany who settled in England were called the Angles, the Saxon, and the Jutes. The names of these tribes come from the term Anglo Saxon. The most famous poetry from this period is Beowulf. Beowulf was written around 1000AD and be called a saga. At the time poems were performed and sung to audiences than were written or read out. This poem is about strange people and creatures with special powers. It tells a story of a hero and his adventures, noblemen and kings. The Elizabethan Period began when Queen Elizabeth I became Queen of England. She had the throne for 45-years, which ended with her death in 1603. The Queen's tastes in fashion were high classed. Her love of music, drama, and poetry gave motivation and financial support to the England's greatest writers. When his father died when he was 18, and being the youngest son this left him penniless. He turned to the law and at 23 he was already in the House of Commons. Bacon saw himself as the inventor of a method which would encourage a light in nature. The Metaphysical period began after James I took the throne. This period found many new developments in science including- optics, astronomy, sailing and navigation. Notable scientists like Newton and Galileo finding most of these scientific discoveries. Poets from this time used their knowledge of science to explain things they experience. One of the major poets is John Donne. He was born in London to a wealthy family. He was against the Catholic Church but allied with James I and his son Charles I with the Anglicans. He entered the priesthood life later and from then his poetry became more religious in nature. The Metaphysical period refers to things that are abstract like God, hatred, love, death. Poets from this time tried to explain the unexplainable by using scientific metaphors known as conceits. Donne is interesting because his poetry was first to do with love and then became about God as he got older. Romantic poetry used simple language which described their everyday aspects of life and nature.

Mattel Essay -- essays research papers

1) What was Jill Barad’s primary goal for Mattel in 1996? What strategy did she choose in order to pursue these goals? Answer: The primary goal of Jill Barad for Mattel was to increase earning per shares by 15% per annum compounded before the effects of any acquisitions. The following are the 4 elements of her strategies: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Continue with the highly profitable practice of extending the company’s existing brands (e.g. she had plans to further develop a line of collectible Barbie dolls); 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Develop new product categories, particular in boy’s toys and board games where Mattel had traditional been weak. It could be accomplished through internal product development or by acquiring an emerging company and then growing its business through further investments. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Expanding overseas market sales to more than 50% of Mattel’s total; 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cost reductions by outsourcing production to low-cost foreign factories in places such as China. 2) Why did Barad’s strategies fail to generate the profit growth she had planned? Could better planning have helped Barad anticipate market trends? Answer: The following are the number of problems that had stymied Barad’s strategies: l  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Parents were buying fewer toys and shifting their spending to computer software and video games for their children; l  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Parents were shifting the spending ...

Famous Quotes for Teachers Essay

I often wonder about teachers who educated famous people such as Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, and the like. Were these teachers specially qualified to inspire their students to achieve fame and success? Or were these teachers Just plain lucky to have exceptionally talented students? Do some teachers have the rare quality of turning dust into gold? The answer may not be easy to find. Andy Rooney Most of us end up with no more than five or six people who remember us. Teachers have thousands of people who remember them for the rest of their lives. Haim G. Ginott Teachers are expected to reach unattainable goals with inadequate tools. The miracle is that at times they accomplish this impossible task. Anonymous Leading a child to learning’s treasures, gives a teacher untold pleasures Teachers don’t impact for a year, but for a lifetime. Chinese proverb Teachers open the door. You enter by yourself. Bill Muse I think a secure profession for young people is history teacher, because in the future, there will be so much more of it to teach. Howard Lester I have been maturing as a teacher. New experiences bring new sensitivities and flexibility†¦ Hippocrates I swear†¦ to hold my teacher in this art equal to my own parents; to make him partner in my livelihood; when he is in need of money to share mine with him; to consider his family as my own brothers and to teach them this art, if they want to learn it, without fee or indenture. Edward Blishen Life is amazing: and the teacher had better prepare himself to be a medium for that amazement.

Diy Market in China

| Sector-Specific Considerations for EU Businesses considering entering the DIY Market in China. | | | | As Deng Xiaoping once said â€Å"Cross the river by feeling the stones†. This saying is very relevant for the DIY market in China because you are threading down a road into the very unknown.In 2004 the Chinese DIY and home improvement market reached an all-time high of RMB 195 Billion and has been depleting ever since. DIY stores are constantly losing popularity within the market . The market demand currently is for â€Å"soft decoration†, with the rural family’s moving to the fast growing cities to attain employment, there is a demand for moveable decoration in case they have to re-locate again.The younger generation are also leading the market for multifunctional, low cost furniture, such as DIY kitchens and bathrooms; this is due to the culture of the Chinese families with the kitchen and bathroom being the most personal area in their homes. (Allience, 2007 ) A major competitor and threat to the DIY businesses already established in China are the growing number of smaller contractors, as their knowledge of DIY is improving with the market trends.A high percentage of new homes being bought are being left unfinished and require a major investment in home improvement, this is where they just decide to hire a smaller contractor to do the time consuming work instead of doing it themselves thus the companies are losing out on the profit, but with China’s property prices rising it is entirely possible that the Chinese consumer will simply be pushed in the direction of DIY as a cheaper option. But what will happen when Chinas sees a fall in construction and property? Will the DIY companies suffer? This can be construed as a major economic threat to new European companies entering into China. Allience, 2007) Who are the major competitors? There is not one but many already established competitors within the Chinese DIY market. B&Q is the major contender with it being the largest Western DIY retailer in the country. B&Q opened its first store in China in 1999 and has continued to establish strong brand awareness. As The Guardian reported, the local culture did not fit with the DIY practices that B&Q already had and therefore B&Q had to adapt their once very successful European format to a Chinese one, hence making it a CIY (create it yourself) strategy. Tran, 2007) Another competitor for an EU DIY business to go up against is a well-established Chinese DIY company called Orient Homes. Orient Homes was founded in 1999 in Beijing. It receives its stock from local manufacturers consequently lowering the cost of the goods for consumer, thus making it a very large threat not just economically but because it is so well established within its home market.It has come to my attention in according to the China National Interior Decoration Association there is an estimate of more than 40,000 registered companies engaged in home improvement in China alone. (Unknown, 2009) The market is so densely populated that an EU company trying to enter the market is going to have some major struggle. Joint Venture or Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise (WFOE)? Many companies entering china have to ask themselves this very difficult question, it’s a difficult decision to make as there are many advantages and disadvantages to both.Entering into a WFOE I believe is a lot harder than a Joint Venture, because with no Chinese partner they are left to approach their chosen market alone. It’s also difficult for the company to â€Å"create a market for their chosen products, especially when there’re already local competitors. Sometimes even with a local sales and marketing team it can take years to have a name on the Chinese Market† (Bergonovo, 2011) . The culture of the market can be very diverse and for a WFOE it can be difficult to understand alone.There are advantages as well as disadvantages, †Å"unlike in JVs where there're different views because the different partners and the negotiations and compromises are the only key to keep the business alive. Especially for small-medium business it is much better to have a WFOE, in order to avoid getting stuck in cultural differences with a local partner. So if you're a small business maybe with sole ownership in your mother company that has a clear strategy for the Chinese market and can afford long term investment WFOE is the right choice. † (Bergonovo, 2011) Joint Ventures an be very successful in some instances, because you will have the advantage of having a culturally and linguistically adapt partner, but â€Å"it’s crucial for foreign investors to understand the purposes of the joint venture and weather their Chinese Partner is capable of fulfilling them. The popular Chinese idiom â€Å"same bed, different dreams† has become the failed joint ventures mantra† (Ireland, 2012) Trust is the major issu e in this venture. My considerations for a DIY company would be a Joint Venture because the company will have a stronger understanding of the market and I believe this is crucial for a successful move to the Chinese market.Are there barriers for new entrants? â€Å"The key difference between domestic marketing and marketing on an international scale is the multi-dimensionality and complexity of the many foreign country markets a company may operate in. An international manager needs a knowledge and awareness of these complexities and their implications they have for† (Doole & Lowe, 2001, p. 9)the company and the market they are entering. I will use the SLEPT (Social, Legal, Economical, Political and Technological) method to determine the various trends and environment for a European DIY company attempting to enter the Chinese DIY market.Social, Cultural problems and differences can really take a toll on a new immature company entering a country where religion and material cul ture play a major role. The language would have the most significant role and impact to play on the way the products and services many be seen to the new consumers. Coca Cola had huge problems when they first entered the Chinese Market, their brand name translated to â€Å"kooke koula† which in turn translated to â€Å"A thirsty mouthful of candle wax†. Now with their new translation it means â€Å"joyful tastes and happiness†, mistakes must be made by one major company for another to learn from their mistakes. Over the next 20 years more people will migrate to China's cities for higher-paying jobs. These working consumers, once the country's poorest, will steadily climb the income ladder, creating a new and massive middle class. † (Farrell, Ulrich A. , & Stephenson, 2006) This society has struggled to come to terms with the phrase â€Å"do it yourself† because they are not educated in the home renovation area. It also seems to be giving off the per ception that you are peasant like if you do it yourself. It’s all about social status right now n China, if you are seen doing manual labour that you can subsequently hire someone to do then you are seen as a scrooge. â€Å"In recent years China has become the world’s number one country in terms of attracting foreign investments. As the second-fastest growing economy of the world it attracted USD 74. 6 billion of foreign direct investment in 2007. With a current position as the world’s fourth-largest economy (in nominal GDP), and an average annual growth of more than 8% for the last 30 years, only very few other countries in the world can match the business opportunities present in China today. (Unknown, General Considerations before Entering the Chinese Market) In order for an EU DIY company to succeed in the market they need to be aware of what direction the specific market they want to enter is developing economically in order to make a well-rounded assessme nt on whether it would be financially viable to enter and compete with firms already established in the market such as B&Q and Home Depot. (Doole & Lowe, 2001) The company may also face some long term challenges with the rapid development it could put a strain on resources such as the infrastructure and the migration rates within the country.There are also some very appealing political reforms that have taken place in China that any international company would be pleased about. The reform and opening up policy has been a major boost to the Chinese economy and political system. These reforms policies were put in place between 1979 and 1984 and it was aimed at improving Chinese relations with neighbouring countries. Despite the success of this open door policy many companies have been faced with difficult obstacles in relation to ownership rights and intellectual property.It was released this year that the CCP would decrease taxes for foreign companies entering China by 50% as they be lieved it would attracted more foreign investment in China. (Davies, 2012) â€Å"â€Å"The bigger picture is that because of the economic situation globally over the past couple of years, China sees the need to create a friendlier environment for foreign investors,† said Khoon Ming Ho of KPMG China. † (Davies, 2012) This is a major opportunity for EU based companies to enter the market at reduced tax rates. â€Å"Legal systems vary both in content and interpretation.A company is not just bound by the laws of its home country but also by those of its host country† (Doole & Lowe, 2001) In the west business is based on careful negotiation in contracts and agreements, they may be enforced by a court of law, however in China business is based on personal relationships, they call Guanxi in China. Two companies have to have guanxi before they can cooperate together, the specifics of a contract me be discussed after they have agreed in principle and this could cause has sle for a European DIY company who base their laws on the west.Technology is currently playing a major role in Chinese society and â€Å"is a major driving force both in international marketing and the move towards the global marketplace† (Doole & Lowe, 2001) China has the largest mobile phone and internet users with 420 million people using such services daily (Ireland, 2012), leaving the market place wide open for a new EU company to market their products via smartphones and internet. However there are some censorship issues in China at the moment, it is implemented by the Communist Party of China and goes for the whole mainland.Censorship is put into place to uphold and preserve the law of the Communist Party of China; it helps to stop unapproved  reformist,  separatist, â€Å"counter-revolutionary†, or religious ideas. It also stops the citizens of China educating themselves on the past, present and future let-downs of the Party. Marketing Mix Product With many new foreign products entering the Chinese market the consumers are becoming overwhelmed by the abundance and are relying on the image that the company has made in its producing country. â€Å"Each region in China has differences in economic growth, living standards and education.For foreign products, there are sharp differences between rural and urban attitudes. Typical Chinese consumers do not want to be amongst the first to try a new product. They are reluctant to be pioneers, especially for an expensive, unrecognised (in terms of brand), foreign product. † (Doole & Lowe, 2001) My considerations for an EU DIY company would be not to take your company’s products for granted, just because they have been very successful in the West does not mean they will be equally successful in the East.They must think of China as they would think of Europe, with its many different regions and its many different cultures it must adapt to what are culturally acceptable. They are entir ely interested in products that are going to suit their needs, as I spoke of before, when new apartments are bought they are just a shell and need a lot of investment and renovation, if a company could access the Chinese people’s needs in this regard they might have a large opportunity. Price â€Å"The  pricing  of  a  product  or  service  is  not  an  easy  decision  for  any  company.There  are  many issues  that  must  be  taken  into  consideration,  especially  when  a  multinational  company  is entering  a  new  international  market  such  as  China. † (Waller, 2012) The price must cover the manufacturing and distribution costs and in turn must not be too low as the company could sustain long term losses. There are many approaches that a company can take to decide on what marketing strategy to consider. For example; â€Å"Skimming: This is where the product is introduced in the market at a high price, and then lowered over time. (Waller, 2012) Apple Inc. is a company that is partial to this method as they believe that people are willing to pay extra to have the newest technology on the market. â€Å"Prestige: A company will use prestige, or premium pricing as a strategy where companies with luxury products or exclusive brand image/reputation will price the product at the high end of the price range. Customers knowing that they are buying high quality will expect to pay the higher price. † (Waller, 2012) Companies that use this such method are Louis Vuitton and Rolex.My sector specific considerations for an EU DIY company’s pricing strategy is to introduce new products at a lower price to suit the Chinese market, leaving them with a competitive advantage over the companies that are already established. Place â€Å"Rapidly improving infrastructure, high-tech facilities and an increasingly well trained workforce mean there is greater choice than ever befor e for investors seeking to expand, set up new regional headquarters or relocate key functions to new locations within China. (KPMG, 2012) The future of the company’s success can rely on the choice of location that you choose. â€Å"There is a growing number of young professionals with significant disposable income on the major coastal cities who aspire to higher standards of living and increased wages and thus are more likely to spend credit for mid to high range consumer products† (Ireland, 2012) With profit and manufacturing opportunities in major coastal cities this could lead to the start of a very successful DIY company.Promotion Marketing plays a significant part in any company’s success of their brands especially in the Chinese market. They must establish their target market for example what Tier/Class, Age, and Income the company will market to and then once they have found their target market they must evaluate their market potential. A successful marke ting campaign will recognise the various needs and wants of their target market; in China for example it varies from region to age to culture values.As I previously mentioned China's internet usage is the highest in the world, by advertising online you could reach and provide a huge segment of your target market with the brand information they need. Finally, based on my above predictions and opinions I have produced this SWOT analysis for a DIY company entering into the Chinese market. Strengths: * well established EU presence * Large Population and consumer base * wide variety of DIY products * High quality services * Cheaper than competitorsWeakness * Must incorporate Chinese culture * Less advertising and brand awareness than competitors * Little brand loyalty in China * Lack of innovation in product development for China * Lack of market information Opportunities * Property growth * Unfurnished houses * Income levels rapidly increasing * Wide internet usage * New middle class im pressionable/available * Cheaper manufacturing costs. Threats * Already some well established companies * Local cultures and values are unknown