jimi hendrix Essays (231 words) - Counterculture Of The 1960s

Jimi Hendrix Jimi Hendrix perhaps no other rock-and-roll trailblazer was as original or as influential in such a short span of time as Jimi Hendrix. Widely acknowledged as one of the most daring and inventive virtuosos in rock history, Hendrix pioneered the electric guitar (he played a right-handed Fender Stratocaster-- his "Electric Lady"--upside-down and left-handed) as an electronic sound source capable of feedback, distortion, and a host of other effects that could be crafted into an articulate and fluid emotional vocabulary. And though he was on the scene as a solo artist for less than five years, Hendrix is credited for having a profound effect on everyone from George Clinton and Miles Davis to guitarists Stevie Ray Vaughan and Vernon Reid. Born Johnny Allen Hendrix on November 27, 1942, Hendrix's father, James "Al" Hendrix, later changed his son's name to James Marshall. Young Jimi taught himself to play the guitar during his schoolboy days in Seattle, drawing influence from blues legends like B.B. King and Robert Johnson. He slung his guitar over his back and left home to enlist in the 101st Division of the Air Force (the "Screaming Eagles"), where he served as a parachute jumper until an injury led to his discharge. Hendrix then began working as a session guitarist under the name Jimmy James, playing behind such marquee acts as Sam Cooke, Ike and Tina Turner, and the Isley Brothers. After gigging extensively with Little Richard in 1964, Hendrix became entangle...

The eNotes Blog Not Just About Two Kids in Love Top RJQA

Not Just About Two Kids in Love Top RJQA April is a fabulous month for all sorts of reasons: the sun is brighter, the temperature is higher, the flowers are blooming And this month has a lot to do with Shakespeare. If you havent already noticed, we at the Notes are big fans of the Bard, and April gives us even more excuses to talk about him than usual. Not only was our main man  born on April 26th (1564), but he died on April 23rd (1616)- thats two days this month that we get to think all about Shakespeare! And if that isnt reason enough (and it usually is), this particular year is a special one as it marks Shakespeares 400th death-aversary. While the prospect of celebrating someones death may strike you as grim, we choose not to think of it that way and rather consider the fact that even four  hundred years after his death, the modern world still looks to Shakespeares work  both for  entertainment and as a classic guide to writing, and thats pretty astounding. Lets start things off with  a little history These days, when we think of actors (and actresses, though they didnt exist in England back then), we think of the rich and famous celebrities that grace the covers of tabloids with their gorgeous faces and lavish lifestyles. But back in Shakespeares day, that wasnt quite the case. In fact, before the Elizabethan Era, actors were looked down upon as rogues and vagabonds- poor people who carried the plague. As it turned out, however, Queen Elizabeth I was a big fan of the theater, and it was  her reign that began the shift of the poor player to the movie star we know and love to sometimes hate. While the Queen enjoyed  the theater and watching  performances, there was still risk in  inviting potential rogues/plague-riddled lowlifes into her castles, and as a result, the system of troupes was born. These troupes were essentially owned by members of the aristocracy who would pay for travel licenses and wages. A reasonably common question students have relates to what a troupe is, and, further, which one Shakespeare was a part of. Well, it turns out he was actually a member of multiple troupes and lived under the influence of multiple members of the aristocracy, despite having amassed a modest fortune of his own. Though Shakespeare went through a lost period from 1585 to 1592 (in other words, no one has any idea what the man was up to), he eventually emerged on the London stage thanks to his being documented as a member of a troupe managed by Lord Strange. Yep, Lord Strange. Okay, now that we have that one out of the way, we can move on to one of Shakespeares most loved works,  Romeo and Juliet. Okay, so is it really fate, or are these kids a little too incorrigible? The more romantically inclined people of this world would look at that question and shake their fists- of course  Romeo and Juliet is a story about star-crossed lovers!  Of course its fate that made them fall in love and die for one another. But while that truly may be what Shakespeare intended, these days its possible to read a lot more into it. (For starters, back in the day it might not have been strange for a thirteen-year-old and a sixteen-year-old to marry, but in the 21st century? No, in this age, we look at that as bad judgment on someones part.) If we are to look at this play and think about it with the semi-creepy perspective that these kids were really just kids,  we have to look into the possibility that there was some failure in the realm of adult supervision. And who was the adult in this situation? Well, there were a few of note: Juliets nurse, Romeos parents, Juliets parents, and  Friar Laurence. It is arguable that the path of Romeo and Juliets love was carved less by fate and more by the meddling of this supposedly responsible adult. Why did the Friar do what he did? Friar Laurence wasnt a bad guy; the man was dealt a difficult hand, and it seems that he made the most of what he had. Sure, he made a marriage between two (essentially) kids, but he talks to himself about how a marriage between Romeo and Juliet could serve to end the feud between their families (For this alliance may so happy prove / To turn your households rancor to pure love, Act II, Scene III). And then, yes, he does help Juliet fake her own death. There are a lot of risks that could be associated with pretending to be dead and being sealed into a tomb, but when someone comes to you and says that they would kill themselves without your help- what are you to do? (If you would rather kill yourself than marry Paris, then you must have the willpower to do something similar to death, Act IV, Scene I). Could Friar Laurence have handled this situation a little bit better? Probably, yes. But without a whole lot of time to make considerations, the Friar did what he could to keep the two happy, even if it all ended in tragedy. Friar Laurence played his part, sure, but he did seem to believe the two were in love This is another tricky one: the nature of love vs. infatuation vs. lust. So much of this play is written with the interpretable aim of depicting what it feels like to be in love and how it is different for everyone. Maybe that sounds a little corny, but think about it: on the one hand, we have Romeo, who opens the play by professing love for Rosaline but only moments later is head-over-heels in love with a girl hes just  met- sounds a little fishy. Then on the other hand, theres Juliet, whose love for Romeo appears more philosophical; she  appears to fall in love with Romeo  primarily for who he is as a person. So maybe,  Romeo and Juliet isnt based on the flowery image of inspirational love, but is instead meant to show the audience  the true nature of love and what it means to experience it. Whatever the reason, the two still died  in the end Hopefully theres no one reading this right now unfamiliar with the ending to  Romeo and Juliet, because if so- major belated spoiler alert. Its difficult to say for sure, because as simplistic as it sounds to say times have changed, it is true that interpretations of this play may be completely different today than they were at the time of its writing because, really,  times have changed. Back in the 16th century (and even later), it was relatively common for people to get married as young as twelve or thirteen, particularly members of the upper class. The fact that Romeo and Juliet married as young teens might not have been a matter of huge importance  to the story in Shakespeares time, but today it really makes a difference. If these characters were in their twenties or thirties, we wouldnt be questioning the learnedness of their decisions, but as it is, we have to ask: who was watching these kids? Even the adult figures in the story either stood aside and let the craziness unfold, or else  assisted in making it happen. So in the end, whos really responsible for the death of Romeo and Juliet?  Certainly, the two played a role in their own downfall, but if were to look at these characters like the kids they were, we have to wonder if there was something that could have been done to stop the madness before it started. Thats a little heavy Not all of the play is  as dark as the death of two young and infatuated teens. In fact, Shakespeare had a habit of throwing  a little humor even into the darkest of stories. Shakespeare tends to look to the characters, rather than purely to literary devices, to create his comic relief. In  Romeo and Juliet we can give particular attention to the Nurse and Mercutio as sources of amusement, primarily for the audience, but for the characters as well. Juliets nurse is a little bit raunchy and tends to make off-the-cuff comments that in the Elizabethan Era must have  been quite scandalous, but in these days mostly are good for an lol or two. Mercutio is so witty that it gets him into trouble, but at least hes a fan favorite with his puns and snarky humor. Why is Shakespeare still such a big deal, anyway? Shakespeare is tough; his manner of speech is difficult to follow and some elements of his plays are no longer prevalent in modern life. So why do we still spend so much time learning about him as a person and analyzing his work in class? Well, sometimes the most obvious  answer is the best one: Shakespeare remains relevant four hundred years after his death because he really is  that good. Not only was his work eloquent, entertaining, and beautiful, but his plays and poems managed to capture elements of human nature and the human condition more aptly and wonderfully than any other author before or since. In addition to the inherently identifiable nature of Shakespeares work, his very words (i.e. of his own invention) have made their way into our day-to-day vocabulary. Given that a lot of the words on that list are incredibly common, its interesting to consider a world without Shakespeare- how did people describe their bedrooms without the word bedroom? Although, maybe in those days people didnt really talk about their bedrooms for fear of  sounding  scandalous. There have been many amazing authors and artists throughout history, but without a doubt, William Shakespeare was one of the best. He set a standard that all writers to follow would aspire to, and hopefully enjoy.

The Market Economy in Jacksonian America. Did it benefit or hurt Research Paper

The Market Economy in Jacksonian America. Did it benefit or hurt america - Research Paper Example His support for the economic development played the role in a positive growth. After the constitution was passed the economy became more controllable and this produced a positive effect. During this period, America depended on Rail roads for transport which led to the gradual growth of the economy. Alexander Hamilton who was the secretary of the treasury at the time strongly advocated for a strong central government which would control the industrial economy. Hamilton and his followers suggested that the government would have a control point of the economy and this would introduce a new American economy. They pointed out that a national bank would be appropriate to control the currency flow and provide loans for the growth of small industries. However during this time debates were already on the table as to how the American economy should be. Clearly different school of thoughts existed between the noble Americans. President Thomas Jefferson and his supporters idealized a government which was based on agriculture as the main core. Jefferson strongly opposed the policies and ideas put forward by Hamilton, he was also against the idea of having a central government. Under the government of President James Madison in the year 1811, the first bank’s charter expired. There was a civil was in 1812 and the bank was not re-chartered until 1816 when the second Bank was formed. Andrew Jackson became president in 1828 and during his administration he introduced the Jackson an economy. He and his supporters led to the defeat and abolishment of the Second Bank of United States. He strongly advocated for the common white man not to be taxed heavily for the growth of an economy. During his time, the Southern economy was much developed and this led to proposals of expanding the Northern part being cancelled. This is because the southern believed that the Northern part would become more powerful. The country reeled back to the dependency on

Obama's Healthcare plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Obama's Healthcare plan - Essay Example s a puppet that is triggered to confuse low income earners so that they would vote convincingly with perceptions of better fruits thereafter (Rousseau 615). In myriad situations, the people at the helm often take advantage of voters to introduce perceived laws, which are impractical in the real sense, just to affirm their comeback to power. After which they propose changes that would transfer the responsibility to the common man since they shall have achieved their goals of ascending to power (Rousseau 622). According to the convincing information obtained from part of the book ‘Discourse of inequality part 1’, it is adept to agree with Rousseau that inequalities are inevitable within the society; for instance, not everyone would be able to put on shoe number 10. Clothing styles and shapes differ depending on personal posture depicted by each person intending to put clothes (Rousseau 617). Likewise to the economic, social and political concerns; different individuals are perceived to be opposed to other people’s thoughts, which create imbalanced perception. A practical example is Rousseau’s example that dwelt on the relationship between a husband and wife in a home set up (Rousseau 631). Men tend to have no businesses with their wives once their perceived passion is ascertained; women have the obligation to nurture the baby for nine months ‘pregnancy period’. After the delivery, a baby grows to a stage of self dependency regardless of the goodies obtained from parents affirming that different people depict peculiar traits, which in itself is a sign of inequality (Rousseau 632). Politicians of the same perception often converge to put pressure so that their bills would be passed into laws. The political patronage and affiliation is one such example that portrays the inequality among different personalities within same areas of work group and social demeanor. Hence I explicitly support Rousseau’s that inequalities are not only inevitable but also

Awareness or anorexia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Awareness or anorexia - Research Paper Example This essay will examine will examine the reasons why it is essential to be aware of anorexia. It is important for one to be aware of anorexia since it is affecting a lot of people without their knowledge. As Anna notes, â€Å"Anorexia can cause the social life of a person to be greatly affected. People suffering from anorexia tend to suffer from low self-esteem and general body dissatisfaction, and this is mostly seen in girls and women.† This condition can in turn make them develop body image disturbances and this eventually, leads to anorexia. This can lead to extreme psychological and medical consequences. People suffering from this disorder have more chances of committing suicide, it cause cardiac arrest to an individual, and it can cause death due to starvation. A majority of anorexia is caused by genetics. Media is another cause of anorexia this comes about when one shares some environmental factors. Newspapers, magazines, and televisions contributes to a great extent to raising these complications since it portrays emaciated people as being a fashion and, super models and this makes majority of the public to emulate them (Anold 1). According to National Eating Disorders Association, â€Å"Eating disorders exists in three major forms, this include; bulimia, anorexia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.† Generally, those individuals suffering from bulimia and anorexia nervosa tend to suffer from low self-esteem, and they have a desire to have a perfect body weight and shape. A person suffers from anorexia nervosa when the weight of the body falls by 15 percent from the normal weight that is expected when compared to their height. Individuals with anorexia nervosa may seem to exercise excessively and can even resolve to force themselves to vomit the food that they have taken. As Anold says, â€Å"Anorexia nervosa may be characterized by the stopping

Key conventions comprising works of writer and director christopher nolan

Key conventions comprising works of writer and director christopher nolan Chapter 1 Introduction I think audiences get too comfortable and familiar in todays movies. They believe everything theyre hearing and seeing. I like to shake that up. (The Auteurs, 2010) Christopher Nolan made his feature debut with Following in 1998 but it was the cult classic Memento, released in the autumn of 2000, which lead to his breakthrough in Hollywood. Despite only a handful of subsequent box office successes later, Nolan had soon established himself as both a blockbuster writer and director of the highest calibre. With Nolan rapidly constructing a key signature of his work that chronology would take a back seat to character with an identifiable undertone of film noir, is Christopher Nolan an auteur of the 21st century or merely a product from the likes of David Lynch and David Fincher? Consequently, this assignment will aim to answer this very question and will make a judgement on whether Christopher Nolan is in fact an auteur. In order to make a final judgement the dissertation will pursue the following procedure: Chapter three will aim to define what characteristics constitute an auteur, and will thus provide an informative analysis of the cinematic theory so that a context for the discussion can be established. This dissertation will benefit largely from the combination of both Alexandre Austrucs relatively elementary definition of auteurism as well as Andrew Sarris and John Caughies more modern, in-depth interpretation of the film theory. Employing approximately 50 years worth of academic analysis in regards to auteurism, a precise and thorough definition of an auteur will be produced, essential when drawing an accurate conclusion. Similarly, Chapter four will provide a brief summary of both the history of film noir and the neo-noir motion picture, informing the reader through an analysis and development of the genres codes and conventions. Joan Copjecs publication explores the origins of this classic period of Hollywood cinema and offers a perspective upon the films themselves, viewed in light of contemporary social and political concerns, and from new theoretical insights. She also analyses the re-emergence of noir cinema in recent years and how neo-noir remains a popular choice for the big film studios. Another publication which has been hugely beneficial during my research is that of Dr Frank Krutnik. Krutniks book combines both theoretical and historical research through the examination of individual films through a generic framework. In a lonely street is an extremely valuable text as it is especially successful in combining both historical research and textual analysis. It is important to note that Chapt er three and four of this dissertation are effectively the foundations before producing a smooth transition into the rise and success of writer and director Christopher Nolan. The vast bulk of the evidence gathered will be contained between Chapters five, six and seven. Chapter five will observe a number of Nolans cinematic trademarks, beginning with non-linear narratives. The International Society for the Study of Narrative states that narrative is the telling of a story or communication of a chain of events, fictive or real. Aspects of narrative include how the story is told, the context in which it is presented, and the construction of the story (Narrative, 2010). Therefore, in order to achieve an in-depth deconstruction of the non-linear narratives of Nolans first two motion pictures, Following and Memento, the aid of a narratological theory will be required whilst an analysis of all aspects of narrative must also be attributed. One narrative theory which has been specifically chosen is that of Tzvetan Todorov. Lacey (2000) argues that one name has become synonymous with that of Narratology over the years, Todorov, who simplified the concept of narrative while allowing a more complex interpretation of film texts with his theory of Equilibrium an d Disequilibrium. First proposed by Russian Formalists, there should be two individual narratological traditions: thematic and modal. According to research by Professor Meir Steinberg (Narrative, 2010) the former is largely limited to a semiotic formalization of the sequences of action told, while the latter examines the manner of their telling, stressing the importance of voice, point of view, transformation of the chronological order, rhythm and frequency. Numerous academics however, have insisted that thematic and modal Narratology should not be investigated separately as they both undoubtedly benefit one another especially when investigating the function and interest of narrative sequence and plot. Therefore, one must ensure that both a modal and thematic stance has been incorporated into the investigation of each text. The study will then progress on to observe the role of the morally dubious protagonist, a feature which dominates the majority of Nolans texts. For this purpose, Memento, The Prestige and Batman Begins have all been chosen for evaluation. This chapter will also undertake a vigorous breakdown of recognisable mise en scene traits and themes which will be identified throughout the volume of Christopher Nolans films. It will be this section of the study that will ensure a balanced debate as we look at the impact of other members within the production process such as Wally Pfister, a cinematographer, who Nolan has hired for all but one of his feature films. We also consider the influence of Chris brother, Jonathan, who has helped co-write several texts. The introduction to the conclusion, if you will, will help summarise and determine the significant influence the noir conventions that have been stated throughout this discussion have had on the development and originality of certain Nolan films. The dissertation will then conclude that despite the fact that Christopher Nolan, like many of his predecessors, has inherited a vast wealth of cinematic codes and conventions, his body of work, all be it relatively small, provides a unique stamp thus establishing Nolan as an auteur alongside the likes of Scorsese and Spielberg. Methodology. (3 pages) The following Firstly the information collected for this dissertation will be purely qualitative rather than quantitative as it focuses upon film theory through the form of textual analysis. The Secondary research will specifically involve the consultation of academic textbooks on the dissertation topic. This will be essential in developing prior knowledge on the subject and will allow discussion in order to reach the overall aim. The opinions of film academics and authors will be utilised in order to validate or oppose various issues raised within the dissertation. By using published or peer reviewed sources it increases the reliability of the information referenced and in turn the dissertation. The dissertation will also consist of narrative analysis of moving image. Stokes states that narrative analysis involves very close reading and is best conducted on a limited number of texts (2003, p. 69) which is why the dissertation particularly examines and deconstructs the works of a sole director and writer. However, there may also be a negative effect of investigating the work of one artist as Stoke (2003) claims there can become a danger of bias by steering away from a critical approach if you admire the work of the particular auteur. She states that one must go through a process of developing a critical distance and a way of watching which is detached and dispassionate. Therefore in order to ensure that the investigations results are as reliable as can be, one must aspire to analyse with complete objectivity. Whether or not this is entirely possible is another matter. Stokes (2003) also offers seven steps in order to conduct narrative analysis effectively. These guidelines will be extremely useful when deconstructing the narratives of Following, Memento and Batman Begins. Chapter 3 The Auteur Theory. More than a theory. In 1954 film critic and film director FranÃÆ'ois Truffaut coined the term auteurism, a concept which would later provoke much controversy and debate within the world of cinema. The politique des auteurs, later referred to as the auteur theory, originated in 1950s France as an abstract aesthetic rooted in the works of prestigious film journal cahiers du cinema. The fundamental works of this cinematic movement were Alexandre Austrucs Un camera stylo and Francois Truffauts Une certain tendance du cinema FranÃÆ'ais. Both of these concepts promoted the idea that as the author of a motion picture, the truly great directors must have a distinct visual style and identifiable themes which ingrain all of their work. (REFERENCE) Alexandre Astruc in his celebrated essay The Birth of the new avant-garde: the camera-stylo, announced that: The cinema is quite simply becoming a means of expression, just as all the other arts have been before it . . . After having been successively a fairground attraction, an amusement analogous to boulevard theatre, or the means of preserving the images of an era, it is gradually becoming a language. By language, I mean a form in which and by which an artist can express his thoughts, however abstract they may be, or translate his obsessions exactly as he does in the contemporary essay or novel (cited by Corrigan and River, 1999, p.159). Caughie (1988) states that as a term, Austrucs camera-stylo (camera pen) failed to take root, however the insistence on film as an individual self-expression, had a considerable polemical importance, forming the basis of Franca Truffauts cinema dauteurs. Traditionally, the reference to the auteur in French film criticism was associated with either the author who wrote the script, or, in the more general sense of the term, the artist who created the text. Before too long the latter sense came to replace the former and the title auteur was attributed to the artist whose personality had been written in the film. Inspired by the critics of cahiers du cinema, US film academic Andrew Sarris demanded a more detailed definition of the term la politique des auteurs and would later transform the notion of an auteur into an acclaimed cinematic theory. The auteur theory was never, in itself, a theory of the cinema, though its originators did not claim that it was. The writers of Cashiers du Cinema always spoke of la politique des auteurs. The translation of this into the auteur theory appears to be the responsibility of Andrew Sarris (Caughie, 1988, p.24). In his Notes on the Auteur Theory in 1962, Sarris proposed three key traits in order to identify an auteur; the first being the technical competence of a director as a criterion of value. The second; the distinguishable personality of the director. Over a group of films, a director must exhibit certain recurring characteristics of style, which serve as his signature. The third premise refers to a more mystic interior meaning: Interior meaning is extrapolated from the tension between a directors personality and his material. This conception of interior meaning comes close to what Astruc defines as mise-en- scene, but not quite. It is not quite the vision of the world a director projects nor quite his attitude to life. It is ambiguous, in any literary sense, because part of it is imbedded in the stuff of cinema and cannot be rendered in non-cinematic terms. (Cited by Pearson, 1997) It is fairly evident when scrutinising the words of Andrew Sarris, that there are in fact numerous weaknesses in regards to his academic approach towards the auteur theory. The first two traits are fairly self explanatory, as he claims that a director mustnt simply be a master of his craft but that he must also present a style which is clearly distinguishable as his own. The weakness in Sarris approach however, lies in his third and final point, as he produces a vague description of what he defines as interior meaning. This definition is simply too unclear making it near impossible for other film academics to evaluate and measure an auteurs interior meaning. This point is indisputable as Sarris himself claims that his third principle is in fact ambiguous (Cited by Pearson, 1997) to say the least. Once Andrew Sarris had developed the notion of the auteur theory, he began to break the boundaries set when analysing auteurism in cinema. He took note of films within Hollywood and the commercial system where a large number of directors whose work, displayed a consistency of under-lying themes and a style which Caughie believes was unusual as it was difficult for a director to express personality and uniqueness within the industries constraints: In fact, the struggle between the desire for self-expression and the constraints of the industry could produce a tension in the films of the commercial cinema which was lacking in the art cinema, encouraging the auteurist critics to valorise Hollywood cinema above all else, finding there a treasure-trove of buried personalities, and, in the process, scandalizing established criticism. Uniqueness of personality, brash individuality, persistence of obsession and originality were given an evaluative power above that of stylistic smoothness or social seriousness (Caughie, 1988, p.10). Despite the director as author approach becoming increasingly popular in the 1960s, its weaknesses soon became apparent as it wasnt long until the notion of auteurism had been extended to include both producers and actors. The auteur theory had now developed to the extent where it would only accept rigorous analysis of films as oppose to unclear references to themes and style; With its emphasis on the importance of systematically analysing a body of texts, auteur-structuralism conceives of the author as a set of structures identifiable within a directors films. (Crofts, 1998, p. 315) Film critics would therefore now attempt to deconstruct the common themes and style of a given director rather than simply producing a vague interpretation. Caughie (1988) states that a weakness of the auteur theory lays in the fact that it requires a means in which to measure value. Sarris suggests films become valuable in so far as they reveal directorial personality. He therefore does precisely what s hould not be done: he uses individuality as a test for cultural value (Caughie, 1988, p.27). After utilising a number of interpretations in regards to the auteur theory, a single definition must be produced in order to validate the conclusion drawn at the end of this investigation. The definition which has been selected is that of John Caughies as it is both simplistic yet precise. Caughie, is his text Theories of Authorship, stipulates that an auteur is purely a valued member of the production team whose personality can be traced in a thematic and/or stylistic consistency over all (or almost all) of his/her films (Caughie, 1988). It is therefore fair to suggest that a personality, arguably a synonym for auteur, simply refers to a number of unique codes and conventions which have been persistently drawn upon for a large percentage of his or her (in this instance, a directors) work. Chapter 4 A History of Film Noir and its progression into the Neo Noir motion picture. More than a genre Paris, summer 1946. This moment marks an incredibly important event in cinema history, not for production but for exhibition. For this was the summer when, after the hiatus of the Second World War, French critics were again given the opportunity to view films from Hollywood. The films they saw prompted the naming and theorisation of a new phenomenon: film noir (Copjec, 1993). Silver (2004) simply defines classic film noir as one of the most influential movements in cinema history. This definition seems rather basic, however, despite five decades of attempted classification and debate its categorisation still remains problematic as it is marked by what Krutnik (1991) coined as a division between opposing camps of theorists and historians. Perhaps it is easier to suggest what characteristics constitute film noir rather than attempting to identify it wholly as genre or a period of history. Silver and Ursini (1998) in their book Film Noir Reader claim that the boundaries of this classic period stretch from John Hustons The Maltese Falcon (1941) to Orson Welles Touch of Evil (1958) and emerged from crime fiction in the United States during the Depression. The iconic visual style of film noir set in the 40s usually tends to be low key lighting with use of dark, dramatic shadowy patterns. This style is particularly noticeable in Carol Reeds The Third Man. In an analysis of the visual approach of Kiss Me Deadly, critic Alain Silver (1995, p.222) describes how cinematographic choices emphasize the storys themes and mood. In one scene, the characters, seen through a confusion of angular shapes, thus appear caught in a tangible vortex or enclosed in a trap. Copjec claims that this new form of cinema that emerged in 1940s America reflected the anxieties of a country entering a new era, an era perhaps dark and ominous. Film noir had therefore become the antithesis of Hollywoods glamour productions of the 30s. Literally meaning black film, film noir was first introduced by the French critic Nino Frank in 1946 as he noticed how dark and often black the settings and themes of these Hollywood films were (Wolfgang, 2003). Unlike other forms of cinema, film noir has no elements that it can truly indentify as its own. Rather, film noir makes use of elements from other forms, most notably from the crime and detective genres, but often overlapping into thrillers, horror, and even science fiction (Copjec, 1993). The primary moods of classic film noir are melancholy, alienation, bleakness, disillusionment, disenchantment, pessimism, ambiguity, moral corruption, evil, guilt and paranoia (Wolfgang, 2003). Whereas much work has been published on classic film noirs, produced between 1940 and 1958, little criticism has been written about the newer films, produced between 1966 and 2010, defined as the neo-noir motion picture. For some there has been a tendency amongst film critics to exclusively use the term noir for the classic films of the 30s, 40s and 50s. Although in recent years, there has been an increasing flexibility in regards to the classification of noir, especially as far as a chronological broadening is concerned. Some film academics believe that the genre has expanded from pre-World War Two cinema to the modern day phenomenon of the Neo-noir motion picture. This therefore suggests that the label film noir now has over sixty years of film history behind it. The term Neo-Noir was first coined by Todd Erickson in the 1990s in his widely credited essay Kill Me Again: Movement becomes a Genre where he claimed that neo noir only became a genre in the 80s, when it emerged from its embryonic state in the sixties and seventies (Silver and Ursini, 1998). He also discusses the emergence of noir motifs in films subsequent to the canonical period and suggests studying them as a new genre. Contemporary film noir is a new genre of film. As such, it must carry the distinction of another name; a name that is cognizant of its rich noir heritage, yet one that distinguishes its influences and motivations from those of the bygone era (Silver and Ursini, 1998, p.321) Erickson expanded on his definition stating that Neo Noir encompasses films released after the classic period which fulfil central aspects of the genre but take other different generic approaches (Lee Horsley, Crime and Culture). These central aspects of iconography, to which Erickson refers, a re: The visual style, in terms of cinematography with the use of symbolic lighting on certain characters to portray a particular characteristic. Academic David Watt (2002) highlights these codes and conventions within a framework of David Finchers Fight Club. Watt argues that Fincher has accomplished a particular style of lighting through the relationship between the central characters. In various scenes, Jack is in the foreground of the shot lit in high key with Tyler in the background hidden by shadows, thus representing that Tyler is hiding something from Jack (Watt, 2002). Another piece of iconography within the narrative structure is the common use of flashbacks in film noir where the protagonist will narrate their own story. Watt states that Fight Club fulfils this narrative device and plays on it through creating a flashback from another flashback, setting the film further back and expanding on the convention (Watt, 2002). The third and final key element of film noir is the i nclusion of certain Character types who the audience recognise as a recurrent motif of the genre. For example, perhaps the most identifiable character type in film noir is that of the anti hero, a convention that will be discussed in greater detail later in this study. Watt proclaims in his dissection of Finchers Neo Noir Blockbuster that the anti hero: Poses as the central character but does not follow the rules of society in the diegesis and contrasts heavily to the typical high concept hero. Fight Club immediately introduces the audience to the anti hero through a typical film noir convention of the introductory close up. Fincher has taken this convention to its extreme though and begins the film from literally inside the protagonists brain and then spirals out, disorientating the audience as they are forced to identify with this nameless character. Jack acts as the anti hero but his traits of the character type are expanded and again, took to their ultimate extreme. He does not trust anyone and is a loner, so much so that his name is never clearly identified and he is only recognised as Jack through the narrative voice over of I am Jacks wasted life (2002). The similarities between both the protagonist in Fight Club and Christopher Nolans Memento will be hugely evident when we analyse Nolans use of the anti-hero in his own Neo Noir epic. If we return briefly to the genre itself, many of the Neo-Noir films, especially of those created in the 70s and 80s, including for example Chinatown released in 1974, are what Lacey (2001) considers as pastiches that knowingly, and fondly, recreate the style of earlier noir cinema albeit in colour and with a modern sensibility. These films express a retro and nostalgic avoidance of contemporary experience with the intention of escaping from contemporary issues (cited by Wolfgang, 2003) Horsley (2002) corroborates this statement by arguing that in recent years one question is frequently raised in critical debate, pondering whether the fashionable trappings of neo-noir are themselves symptomatic of commercial postmodern nostalgia. He moves onto suggest that the sense that noir created in the 70s and 80s was a retro and nostalgic avoidance of contemporary experience has been encouraged by the often-cited essay, Postmodernism and Consumer Society, in which Frederic Jameson assigns to fi lm noir a central role in the vocabulary of commercialized postmodernism. However, Lacey (2001) claims that there are also numerous Neo Noir motion pictures which push the genre forward and avoid pastiche. One director whose films arguably fit this mould is Christopher Nolan, a writer and director whose work has instigated this very investigation. Leaving aside for the moment the matter of nostalgic pastiche it could be argued that Neo noir is not so much a genre of film but rather an identifiable visual style which has been adopted by a large number of contemporary film makers. As an aesthetic and ideological set of principles, the traditional conventions of noir are very visible in the works of modern auteurs: David Lynch, Michael Mann and David Fincher. However, there is still an obvious difference between both Film Noir and Neo noir as they each have their own underlying social and political context which undoubtedly affects a films perspective. As stated earlier, Film noir is very much a response to post war disillusionment and can be categorised into certain distinct phases, Neo noir on the other hand is far more difficult to isolate as the genre itself continues to evolve. Despite the 60s and 70s providing some telling illustrations of Neo noir, it was not until the early 80s that the genre gained widespread acceptance and credibility. This could arguably be down to the success of Ridley Scotts Blade Runner which would later be followed by other influential directors David Lynch (Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive) and David Fincher (Seven, Fight Club). As Lee Horsley suggests: The contemporary refashioning of noir themes is a manifestation of the flexibility and responsiveness to social change that have characterised noir from its inception and of the continued vitality of the form. The transformations of the genre in neo-noir have helped to clarify some of the constant, recognisable elements of the noir vision, most importantly the moral ambivalence of the protagonist and his (or in neo-noir often her) ill-fated relationship with a wider society that itself is guilty of corruption and criminality. (Horsley, 2002) One director whose body of work notably contains recognisable elements of the noir vision is that of Christopher Nolan. Thanks to his unique, stylised, time-bending reformation of film noir conventions, Christopher Nolan has established himself as a creator of psychologically demanding films that defy categorization. When Nolan spoke to journalist Chris Roberts in October 2000 he was asked Have you always loved film noir?: Very much. Im a big fan, but interested in making those materials live for this time, this place. To create something new, whilst not abandoning the things I love about the genre. Which include the intrigue you can get out of that triangular relationship between three main characters. Who does what to whom is the driving force of both the narrative and the psychology. You judge them on their actions, rather than a lot of back-story and conversation. I just think it would be a marvellous thing for film-makers to have some of the narrative freedom that novelists have had for hundreds well, thousands of years. In other media, its always been accepted that you dont have to tell stories chronologically. In films, you have the flashback concept, but Stanley Kubrick and Nicolas Roeg were pioneering and pushing other boundaries in the Seventies, and it seems criminal to me not to keep using the freedoms they hard-earned. You should always be a little ahead of your time. I dont mean in a me dicinal, here-take-this-its- good-for-you way, but keeping people on their toes is a fun thing to do. Citizen Kane pushed things forward ambitiously, but in a real, instinctive, not gimmicky sense. And some of the aggressive, avant-garde devices Godard patented are accepted mainstream tricks now (Roberts, 2000). This insightful interview helps display some of Nolans key influences and motivations and yet the man himself remains in many respects an enigma. Before discussing the key conventions which comprise his work, lets begin with the man himself. Chapter 5 The Rise of Christopher Nolan More than a director Christopher Jonathan James Nolan was born in London on the 30th July 1970 as a child of a British Father and American Mother. Nolans introduction to film production began as early as seven when he began making war movies with his older brother using his fathers super 8mm camera and an assortment of male action figures. His passion for films increased with age whilst he is said to have been influenced to produce short science fiction films in the same vein of George Lucas space saga, Star Wars. After spending his childhood years residing in Chicago, Nolan returned to England to attend boarding school at Haileybury College, he then progressed to University College London where he studied literature. While an undergraduate, Nolan shot the surreal shorts Tarantella and Doodlebug with young actor and friend Jeremy Theobold starring in the lead for both films. Theobold would also take up the role in Nolans first feature film, Following, a no-budget black-and-white movie produced in London over a one year period. This ultra-low budget indie received wide acclaim receiving numerous awards such as the prestigious Rotterdam International Film Festivals Tiger Award and the Slamdance Black White Award. Despite Nolans success within Europe, it wasnt until he wrote and directed Memento (2000), a cult classic revenge story with its unique narrative structure, which held him up on the global stage. Hailed by critics, Nolans reputation almost changed overnight leading to him becoming a highly sought after talent. Returning in 2002 with Insomnia, a remake of Erik Skjoldbjaergs 1997 film of the same name, he proved he could direct some of the worlds top actors such as Al Pacino and Robin Williams. It was in 2005 however, with a reimagined take on a long-defunct film franchise, Batman, that propelled Nolan to the upper tier of Hollywood directors. His dark, brooding take on the avenging crusader was much more aligned with its original intention than any other subsequent incarnation. (Screenrush, 2010) With more recent box office successes, The Prestige (2006) and The Dark Knight (2008), Nolan has undoubtedly secured his reputation as a one of the top directors and writers working in Hollyw ood today. Now we know the man behind the lens, lets start dissecting the key conventions which comprise his work. We begin with Nolans use of the non-linear narrative. Chapter 6 Narrative More than a story. When Christopher Nolan released Memento in the autumn of 2000, few suspected the impact it would have on cinema goers worldwide and its significance not only on neo-noir as a genre, but also its effect on how audiences and critics perceive narrative within film. As a fragmented, non-linear narrative structure, Memento is a text which has received broad investigation in recent years. Its true meaning however, if in fact there is one, remains very much an enigma even a decade after its initial release. Nevertheless, the use of a non-linear narrative is nothing new, as stated earlier, as it has often been used in the past by noir directors to slowly reveal relationships among characters and circle the story back to a key precipitating event. What makes Memento special however is that its non-linear narrative structure puts the audience into the shoes of the protagonist. Through this device the viewers become detectives themselves. For the most part the audience struggle as much as Leonard does, creating a coherent narrative out of all the evidence they witness. Nolan gives the film noir genres tendency to confound the viewers expectations a conceptual twist by linking the flow of the narrative to the condition of the protagonist. (Wolfgang, 200 3) Memento would not be the first film Nolan would experiment with narrative structure as his first feature film, Following, applied this tool by using visual clues to aid the viewer in re-ordering the story chronology. This device would be something Nolan would return to in Memento, using the scratches on Leonards face as a marker-point for the time-line, rather than indicating the passing of day or night (Mottram, 2002, p.78). Christopher Nolan gives an insight into his trail of thought during the production process: When I had written the script, which seemed to work on the page, the feeling was if youre going to use this unconventional structure, such as the three time-lines in the Following, then my impulse at script stage was to teach the reader the structure, to do it very quickly with small scenes,

Sharing Music over the Internet :: Digital Media Sharing

In a report prepared by Arbor Networks, a network-management firm employed by over 70 percent of the top ISPs globally, peer-to-peer sharing has reached more than 60 percent of the net traffic in the year 2012. Peer-to-peer sharing and piracy websites allow internet users to download music, videos and programs without having to pay for them. Technically, this is described by the law as stealing which makes peer-to-peer sharing and piracy websites illegal. Moreover, the government, through the enforcement of certain laws, imposes discipline to its citizens with regard to downloading and sharing music over the internet. Copyright Infringement The Department of Justice of the U.S. government presented a report Task Force on Intellectual Property which clearly imparts the laws protecting intellectual properties of individuals. As stated in the report, an intellectual property is an intangible property which is expressed through ideas and inventions. Copyright is intended to protect these intellectual properties including music—its lyrics and composition. Through the Copyright Act, the creator is given exclusive rights which encompass credit until after 70 years from death and the option of distribution. In peer-to-peer sharing and free downloads where music is used commercially in the internet, copyright is violated. In fact, as the shown in the statistics above, copyright infringement is practiced by millions in just one day. Probably, these people do not know and fully understand the laws and the penalties such as fines and imprisonment if they commit copyright infringement. Piracy The music industry, as represented by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), has gone procedures in fighting both copyright infringement and piracy. Accordingly, as shown in the report of Arbor Networks, the overwhelming 40 percent of net traffic that shares music through peer-to-peer connection has rapidly decreased to just 18 percent in the year 2009. RIAA has sued internet fans who commit infringement. Furthermore, the association has also presented piracy surcharges on ISPs which offer an upgrade to peer-to-peer connections for fast downloads at a fee, and websites which provide free searches and downloads for music. Government’s Response To stop piracy and copyright infringement, the Congress commenced the â€Å"Piracy Deterrence and Education Act of 2003†. As stated in this bill, the Congress appeals to the Department of Justice, along with the FBI, to involve their departments in discovering peer-to-peer file sharers and taking legal actions against them.

Howard Hughes Essay

Howard Hughes, one of the most mysterious men in America. He achieved the American dream by not only becoming wealthy but he also built an empire. A businessman, plane designer, movie producer, industrialist, was great in everything he focused in. Had and enormous wealth and intellect, and he also had achievement. He fortune with hard work in any job and with his great influential ideas. Howard Robard Hughes Jr. was born in Houston, Texas on December 24, 1905. He was the son of Allene Gano Hughes and Howard Robard Hughes Sr., who invented the tri-cone roller bit which allowed rotary drilling for oil in previously inaccessible places. He also founded the Hughes Tool Company to commercialize this invention. Howard’s parents died when he was still a child; he inherited a considerable part of his father’s million dollar fortune. Howard’s goals as a child were to become the best golfer, the best pilot, and the best movie producer. Despite the fact that he attended great schools, he never got a diploma. His father arranged for him to attend math and engineering classes at the California Institute of Technology. Then he enrolled in the now-called Rice University. Hughes is best known as an aviation genius, because of all of his the designs, ideas, and invention of airplanes. He is famous for the H-4 Hercules, also known as the â€Å"Spruce Goose†, and is also known because of his eccentric behavior. He set many world records while flying that seemed unreachable in his time. On September 13, 1935, he set a new speed record aboard his H-1 Racer by setting a speed of 566 km per hour, the previous record was 505 km per hour. This H-1 was donated to the Smithsonian Institute in 1975; now it is on display at the National Air and Space Museum. On January 19, 1937, he set a trans-continental speed record by flying from Los Angeles to New York City in 7 hours, 28 minutes and 25 seconds. On 1938 he set a record by flying around the world in 3 days and 19 hours; the preceding record was more than four hours. Hughes also received many awards; some are: the Harmon Aviatrix Trophy (1936 and in 1938) which is given for the most outstanding international achievements, the Collier Trophy (1939) which is the most prestigious award in the aviation field, and the Octave Chanute Award (1940) which is given for engineering innovations. Howard Hughes purchased Transcontinental and Western Air (T&WA) in 1939. This company grew along with his chairman Jack Frye. TWA broke Pan Am’s legal designation as the US sole international carrier, so TWA began transatlantic flights using the new Lockheed â€Å"Connie†, which was used as both a civilian airliner and U.S. military air transport plane. In 1950, the airline changed its name to Trans World Airlines (TWA), because it offered flying routes from Europe to all Asia until Hong Kong. Later with the Transpacific Route Case of 1969, TWA was able to fly in the Pacific Ocean too. TWA and Pan Am were the only U.S. airlines serving Europe. One of Hughes’s most famous designs was the H-4 Hercules, also known as the Spruce Goose. This was a jumbo boat that flew; it was specially designed for carrying soldiers in a war. The idea was to use it in World War II, but unfortunately the Hercules was finished just after the end of the war. This plane was another satisfactory idea of Hughes, because it successfully flew once with Hughes in control. This is why Howard had to testify against the Senate War Investigating Committee, but they failed to file a final report because the government didn’t permit planes made out of aircraft aluminum. So Hughes had to make the plane out of hard close-grained wood so he could accomplish his contract with the U.S. Government. This plane was on display next to RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, California for many years, but now it is in McMinnville, Oregon where it is part of the Evergreen Aviation Museum. On July 7, 1946, Hughes was flying a prototype plane of the US Army, made by him, when an oil leak changed the way a propeller had to work. The plane started to drop down and crashed in a Beverly Hills neighborhood. When the plane finally stopped, after destroying three houses, the fuel tanks exploded, setting fire to the plane and a close house. In the accident, Hughes got a crushed collar bone, six crushed ribs and some third-degree burns, but besides this it affected him the rest of his life. With this he turned into a more unusual person because he developed an addiction to opiates because of use of morphine as a painkiller during his rehabilitation. He turned into an isolated person, developing a disease known as hypochondria, which makes a person preoccupied with physical health and body. This person believes, fears or is convinced that he has a serious disease, despite medical reassurance. Hughes became so isolated the he was inside a room for a little over 8 months, only opening the room for food carefully inspected for any germ. The main reason he left the room in 1947 was because he was called to testify. Senator Ralph Owen Brewster opposed the commercial interest of Howard Hughes. He said that Howard had received $40 million from the Defense Department without actually delivering the aircraft he had contracted to provide (which was the H-4 Hercules). Even though Hughes had everything against him, he combated Brewster with the same anger, accusing him of being corrupt. Hughes spread rumors about the senator’s close association with Pan Am (Hughes’s rival company), alleging that he received free flights and other things in return for help beating TWA. The senator also passed a bill to remove government approval for TWA flights across the Atlantic. Hughes openly said that Brewster had promised an end to the Senate investigation if he would agree to merge TWA with Pan Am. In reply, the senator, annoyed by the accusations, stood aside from leading the investigation to become a witness before the committee. He denied Hughes’s accusations and made several opposing accusations, but failed to harm Hughes. The senator’s reputation suffered greatly from this incident with Hughes. Howard Hughes died on April 5, 1976, at the age of 70 when he was going on an airplane from his penthouse in Mexico to a hospital in Houston. The autopsy showed that he died because of a kidney failure, plus in his bloodstream it appeared that he had 1.9 micrograms of codeine. This dose of codeine is more than fatal, and together with a good amount of valium it makes it fatal. Hughes was unrecognizable due to his long years of recluse. His hair, beard, finger and toe nails were disgustingly long. Doctors said that malnutrition to his 6’4† body helped him on his death, because he only weighed 90 lbs. Since he was too unrecognizable, the FBI had no other choice than to use the fingerprint identification to identify the body. Howard is buried in the cemetery of Glenwood in Houston. Hughes is worth writing research paper, because he is a genius on mostly everything related to plane designs. It is good to know that thanks to this man we are able to move fast and around the world. Jets are a great innovation on planes; Howard was the one of inventors of the jet propulsion airplanes, but wasn’t able to make the most out of them, because of his illness. I believe he is an inspiration for most of the youths out there wanting to study engineering, I think this is true, because Howard is my inspiration because of the great example he represents. Besides being a plane genius he was also a movie director producer which is also another reason why this man is a good research topic. Bibliography: Johnson, Bobby H. â€Å"Howard Hughes† The World Net Encyclopedia. Ed. Robert O Zeleny. Chicago World Enc. Inc, 1990. PBS Chasing the Sun- Howard Hughes [Online] Available http://www.pbs.org/Kcet/chasing the sun/innovators/hhughes.html, September 9, 2003. Golden Ages [Online] Available http://nationalaviation.org/museum-enshrinee/asp?eraid=3&enshrineeid=302, September 12, 2003. Donald L. Bartlett and James B. Steele, Empire: The Life, Legend, and Madness of Howard Hughes (New York: Norton, 1979). Charles Barton, Howard Hughes and His Flying Boat (Fallbrook, California: Aero, 1982). Michael Drosin, Citizen Hughes (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1985). Howard Hughes, My Life and Opinions, ed. Robert P. Eaton (Chicago: Best Books Press, 1972). Robert Maheu, Next to Hughes: Behind the Power and Tragic Downfall of Howard Hughes, by His Closest Advisor (New York: HarperCollins, 1992). Harold Rhoden, High Stakes: The Gamble for the Howard Hughes Will (New York: Crown, 1980). R obert W. Rummel, Howard Hughes and TWA (Washington: Smithsonian Press, 1991). Tony Thomas, Howard Hughes in Hollywood (Secaucus, New Jersey: Citadel Press, 1985)

The 6 Forgotten Italian Subject Pronouns

The 6 Forgotten Italian Subject Pronouns Often, one of the first Italian language lessons beginners study is Italian subject pronouns (pronomi personali soggetto). Too often, however, theres a whole subset of Italian subject pronouns that is given scant attention, including egli, ella, esso, essa, essi, and esse. Legacy Italian Subject Pronouns Call them legacy subject pronouns or classic subject pronouns, these subject pronouns are still (infrequently) used in Italian. They typically appear only as regionalisms, in formal speech, or in literature. There are three pairs of Italian subject pronouns for the third person singular: egli/ella, lui/lei, esso/essa. The third person plural includes the pair essi/esse and the form loro, which is the same for both masculine and feminine. Egli, Lui, Esso Egli and lui are used with reference to people. Lui, especially in spoken language, can also refer to animals and things. Esso is used for animals and things. Ho parlato con il direttore e egli [but commonly lui] mi ha assicurato il suo interessamento. I spoke with the director and he assured me of his interest. Cercai di trattenere il cavallo ma esso [also lui] proseguà ¬ la corsa. I tried to hold back the horse but he continued on the course. Un importante compito vi à ¨ stato affidato; esso dovr essere eseguito nel miglior modo possibile. An important task was entrusted to you; it must be performed in the best way possible. Ella, Lei, Essa The form ella has already fallen into disuse, especially in spoken language, and is considered literary and formal. Analogous to lui, the form lei also refers to animals and things, especially in spoken language. The form essa (unlike its masculine counterpart) also refers to a person, but it is less commonly used and has a literary or regional character. Avverti tua sorella, forse essa [but commonly lei] non lo sa ancora. Warn your sister, maybe she still doesnt know. Ho cercato di prendere la gattina, ma essa [also lei] à ¨ scappata. I tried to hold the kitten, but she ran away. Essi, Esse The plural forms essi and esse serve to indicate people, animals, and things. Loro is used with reference to people and, especially in spoken Italian, also to refer to animals. Li ho guardati in viso, essi [or loro] abbassarono gli occhi. I looked at them in the face, but they lowered their eyes. Allingresso della villa cerano due cani; essi [or loro] stavano per mordermi. At the entrance to the villa, there were two dogs; they were waiting to bite me. Il Parlamento ha emanato nuove leggi; esse prevedono la modifica dellordinamento giudiziario. Parliament issued new laws; they anticipate the modification of the legal rule. Wherefore Art Thou, Italian Subject Pronouns? The forgotten Italian subject pronouns egli, ella, esso, essa, essi, and esse, similar to the remote past tense (passato remoto), can sometimes seem obsolete, especially since they are often ignored in modern textbooks. A former grammatical rule held that egli was a subject pronoun and lui an object pronoun. But although lui, lei, and loro tend to predominate in colloquial conversation, egli, as well as the other subject pronouns in question, can still be found in literary texts. Similar to the remote past tense, the subject pronouns egli, ella, esso, essa, essi, and esse are still a feature of southern Italian dialects. En Italiano SINGOLARE1a persona: io2a persona: tu3a persona maschile: egli, lui, esso3a persona femminile: ella, lei, essa PLURALE1a persona: noi2a persona: voi3a persona maschile: loro, essi3a persona femminile: loro, esse

The Definition of a College Super Senior

The Definition of a College Super Senior The term super senior refers to a student who attends a four-year institution (either high school or college) for more than four years. Such students are sometimes called fifth-year seniors, as well.   The name stems from the fact that high school and college students typically take four years to get their diplomas. Each year of school has its own name: Your first year is your freshman year, your second year is your sophomore year, your third year is your junior year and your fourth year is your senior year. But theres another category of student that doesnt fit those labels: People who arent done with college after their senior year.   Enter the term super senior. Perhaps because its becoming increasingly common for students to take 5 (or more) years to finish college, the term super senior is becoming increasingly common as well. Who Qualifies as a Super Senior? The connotations of super senior vary a bit and depend on an individual students situation. Calling someone who is double majoring in chemistry and biology and then planning on going to medical school a super senior merely acknowledges they are in their fifth year. In contrast, calling someone a super senior because theyve failed multiple classes  and perhaps enjoy the party scene rather than work to finish in four years is, indeed, a bit of a put down. There can be legitimate reasons why people take more than four years to finish college. Classes, particularly at bigger schools, can be difficult to get into, making it a challenge to complete your degree requirements by the end of senior year. That becomes even more  difficult if youve changed your major a few times, effectively cutting down the amount of time you have to get everything done. And from time to time, people encounter personal challenges or medical situations that delay their ability to graduate. Sometimes being a super senior is part of the plan. There are a variety of schools and programs that offer things like dual degrees, a fifth-year masters degree, or a fellowship that requires extra enrollment beyond four years. Or maybe youll come across a great semester-long internship program that requires you to take a reduced number of credits: Taking the job may mean you graduate later than planned, but youll do so with experiences and a resume that will make you more competitive in the job market. Super seniors are simply another part of a college community. Is It Bad to Be a Super Senior? Taking more than four years to graduate college isnt inherently bad - employers generally care whether or not you got the degree, not how long it took you to earn it. That being said, one of the greatest consequences of taking longer to complete college is the financial burden. Scholarships are sometimes limited to the first four years of study, and there are limits on federal student loans to undergraduates. No matter how you figure out how to pay for it, an extra year or more of tuition payments wont come cheap. On the other hand, doing a fifth-year masters program could actually help you save money. In the end, the most important thing is that you reach whatever goals brought you to college in the first place.

MS Flight Simulator Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

MS Flight Simulator - Research Paper Example Bruce Artwick started its development in 1977 and put it on the market for a range of computers with his company subLOGIC. Artwicks company certified Microsoft  a version of Flight Simulator known as  Microsoft Flight Simulator 1.00 in 1982 (Grupping, 2007). The Microsoft Flight Simulator gives its users the realistic experience of flying a plane. The aviation industry is making great use of the system for design and development and by training pilots and other flight deck crews in both military and civil aircraft (Anonymous, 2005). The newest versions, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004  and  Microsoft Flight Simulator X, gratify pilots, would-be pilots and individuals who had dreamt of being pilots in similar fashion. While playing these, the new users can be frustrated due to its reality-based complex and difficult nature. But it can be rewarding for those who are skilled flight simmer. The latest versions also include enhanced weather simulation, alongside the ability to download real-world weather data and diverse air traffic environment with interactive  Air Traffic Control, player-flyable aircraft, interactive lessons and challenges, and finally aircraft checklists. Furthermore, there is availability of, both free and commercial upgrades and add-ons for flexibility and scope (Lackey,

Importance of nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Importance of nursing - Essay Example This time should also be time that you are certain that there will be no interruptions, enabling you to focus and concentrate on the material. The use of a calendar can help you record all important due dates at a glance without consulting your class material; using a calendar such as one on your cell phone can remind you at any time of deadlines when you get off schedule as many do with life’s uncontrollable circumstance’s that come up. My area of weakness is the effective use of technology, though I am able to navigate easily it would be beneficial to me to learn more of the capabilities of programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other tools which are required in many classes. The use of online tutorials is a great way to become more adept at using these programs to improve the quality of my work. AACN essentials include the ability to translate knowledge and theory into practice with accuracy, efficiency and quickly (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2006). Leadership and organizational skills as well as the ability to communicate effectively with patients while caring for patients using evidence-based practice are necessary; evidenced based practice requires an understanding of scholarship and research. Graduates must use information systems and technology within the healthcare setting and remain up to date on the latest clinical guidelines and standards of practice. Graduates should also be advocates for patient rights, while promoting health through risk reduction. Personal academic goals include obtaining specialty focused competencies and advocating for changes in health care policy. To reach these goals I must be knowledgeable on current research studies and current health care policy. This will enable me to apply my knowledge in areas where there is a lack of qualified evidenced based care and to advocate for