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Crime Problems Essay - 1077 Words

Crime is a serious issue that affects everyone in society. It affects the victims, perpetrators and their families. Crime has increased drastically within the last decade. More prisons are being built around the world because there is not enough room to hold inmates. The government has made an attempt to reduce crime by funding programs such as prevention and intervention for youth at risk , as well as rehabilitation for prisoners that will be released. Some argue that criminal behavior is due to environment, others believe that it is genetic, and yet others think that it has to do with personality. If there were certain personality traits that could be identified with potential criminal behavior, steps could be taken to try to reduce or†¦show more content†¦For youth age 13 and 14, the number was 671,900; and youth age 15 and older accounted for 1,929,800 arrests (Federal Probation, 1996). As mentioned earlier, being able to identify personality traits that tend to lead to delinquency is clearly one option to the reduction of crime. However, the problem is that many youth display similar negative behavior during adolescence. This includes negative attitude, different interests, and a need for privacy. The key is to be involved in the life of today’s youth. Communicating with them, spending time with them and knowing what they are involved in is part of the process. According to Peace Research Abstracts Journal, (1999) Helping youth find meaning in their lives often involves building connectedness-restoring relationships with others, with their sense of spirituality and with earth. Parents must also be aware of the warning signs and follow up on them . Warning signs in youth include showing lack of interest in family/school activities, truancy problems and poor school performance, signs of aggression, and negative peer relationships. 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Psyschology Study On Drinking Essay Paper Example For Students

Psyschology Study On Drinking Essay Paper AbstractIn response to the need for research that incorporates multiple aspects of theory into a testable framework, this study attempted to replicate and extend the results of Cooper, Russell, Skinner, Frone, and Mudar (1992). A modified stressor vulnerability model of stress-related drinking was tested in a homogeneous sample of 65 male and female undergraduate student drinkers. Total weekly consumption ofalcohol was used as the criterion measure, whereas family history of alcoholism (Adapted SMAST: Sher Descutner, 1986), alcohol outcome expectancies/valences (CEOA: Fromme, Stroot, Kaplan, 1993), perceived stress (PSS: Cohen, Kamarck, Mermelstein, 1983), and coping dispositions (COPE: Carver, Scheier, Weintraub, 1989) were used as the predictor variables. The proposed modified model postulates that expectancies play a proximal mediating role in stress-related drinking, whereas gender, family history of alcoholism, and coping all play a distal moderating role. Hierarchical multi ple regression procedures were then performed to evaluate the model. The results failed to support the hypothesized model. Specifically, expectancies emerged as a distal rather than proximal predictor of stress-related drinking, and family history of alcoholism did not moderate stress-related drinking. In contrast, gender and coping styles emerged as the most powerful predictors in the model. Despite the shortcomings of the proposed model, the present results offer an alternative interpretation as to what constitutes the stressor vulnerability model of stress-related drinking.IntroductionStress as a Causal Factor in Drinking One of the common stereotypes about the effects of alcohol involves the drug’s capacity to act as astress antagonist. Conger (1956) has proposed a theory, known as the tension reduction hypothesis (TRH) of drinking, to support this notion. Essentially the theory holds that alcohol’s sedative action on the central nervous system serves to reduce ten sion, and because tension reduction is reinforcing, people drinkto escape it (Marlatt Rohsenow, 1980). Strong evidence to support the validity of the theory comesfrom epidemiological findings which indicate that the prevalence of anxiety disorders in alcoholics rangesfrom 16 to 37%, compared to a rate of only 4-5% in the general population (Welte, 1985). Notwithstanding, there seems to be a subset of people for whom the predictions of the TRH do nothold. For instance, in a study conducted by Conway, Vickers, Ward, and Rahe (1981) it was found that theconsumption of alcohol among Navy officers during periods of high job demands was actually lower than theconsumption during low-demand periods. In addition, other studies (i.e., Mayfield, 1968; Mendlson, Ladou, Soloman, 1964) have shown that some drinkers actually consider alcohol as a tension generator ratherthan a tension reducer. Overall, when taking into account these conflicting findings, it seems prudent to find some middleground. The solution to this problem than is a modified version of the TRH, specifying the conditions underwhich stress will lead to an increase in drinking. Moderating and Mediating Factors in Stress Induced DrinkingIn addition to stress, several other variables have been shown to be crucial in determining an individual’sdrinking behavior. These variables include gender of drinker (gender), coping behavior of drinker (coping),and alcohol outcome expectancies of drinker (expectancies). In the following discussion, the importance ofeach of these variables to drinking will be considered first, followed by an evaluation of these as potentialmoderators or mediators of stress in drinking. 1Differential Gender Drinking BehaviorIt has been repeatedly demonstrated that significant differences exist between the drinking patterns ofmen and women (Hilton, 1988). In a comprehensive survey of US drinking habits conducted by the USNational Center for Health Statistics in 1988, significant gender differences were found in three areas aspointed out by Dawson and Archer (1992). The first significant difference pertained to the number of maleand fem ale current drinkers. Roughly 64% of all men were current drinkers in comparison to 41% of allwomen. The second and third significant differences concerned the quantity of alcohol consumed. Menwere more likely to (a) consume alcohol on a daily basis and (b) be classified as heavy drinkers. Men’s dailyaverage of ethanol intake (17.5 grams per day) was almost twice as high as women’s (8.9 grams per day). Even when an adjustment for body weight was made (females require less ethanol than males to achieve asimilar increase in blood alcohol level), men’s consumption was still 53% greater than women’s. Withregards to drinking classification, males were classified substantially more often than females as heavydrinkers (i.e. the number of males who drank five or more drinks a day was 88% greater than thecorresponding number of females). Furthermore, as the classification measures became stricter so did thedisparity between male and female heavy drinkers increase (i.e., the ratio of male to female heavy drinkersincreased by a factor of 3 as the definition of heavy drinker was changed from five drinks or more a day tonine drinks or more a day). Gender as a Moderating Factor of StressTo understand why men and women drink differently requires an understanding of the prevailingsocialization practices (Dohrenwend Dohrenwend, 1976; Horwitz White, 1987). According to thissociological view, â€Å"women have been socialized to internalize distress, whereas men have been socialized toexternalize distress† (Cooper, Russell, Skinner, Frone, Mudar, 1992; P. 140). Therefore, women tend tocope with stress by utilizing personal (internal) devices such as emotion, rather than impersonal (external)devices such as alcohol, which are used more often by men. In addition, men and women also holddifferential expectations about the effects of drinking. Several studies (i.e. Abrams Wilson, 1979; Sutker,Allain, Brantly, Randall, 1982; Wilson Abrams, 1977) have shown that â€Å"although pharmacologicaleffects appear to be similarly stress reducing for both sexes, the belief that alcohol has been consumed mayactually increase distress a mong women† (Cooper et al. , 1992; P. 140). Therefore, it seems plausible thatfemales actually expect to experience some form of distress from drinking as opposed to males’ expectationto experience tension reduction from drinking (Rohsenow, 1983). Differential Coping Styles in DrinkingConsiderable evidence has been accumulated in support of the notion that certain methods of coping aremore likely to be associated with problem drinking than others (Moos, Finney, Chan, 1981). This hasled to the development of social learning theory which postulates that abusive drinkers differ from relativelyhealthy drinkers in (a) their capacity to effectively cope with stressors and (b) in their beliefs about drinking(Abrams Niaura, 1987). In general, two types of coping responses have been shown to predominate in most situations (Folkman Lazarus, 1980). The first type, problem-focused coping (also known as approach coping), is directed ateither solving the presenting problem or altering the source of the stress (Carver, Scheier, Weintraub1989). The second type, emotion-focused coping (also known as avoidance coping ), attempts to reduce theunpleasant emotional feelings which accompany the stressor (Carver et al. , 1989). Even though peopleusually use both methods in response to a given stressor, the former type will tend to predominate whenpeople feel that the situation is changeable, whereas the latter type will tend to predominate when peopleappraise the situation as unchangeable (Folkman Lazarus, 1980). People who predominantly resort to avoidance coping have been shown to display pathological drinkingbehavior much more than those who utilize approach coping (Cooper, Russell, George, 1988; Cooper etal. , 1992). Those who typically resort to avoidance coping (a group which consists of up to 25% of alldrinkers), report that they do so in order to regulate negative emotions (Cahalan, Cisin, Crossley, 1969;Mullford Miller, 1963; Polich Orvis, 1979). The strongest evidence to support this contentioncomes from studies which have investigated post-treatment relapse in alcoholics. In three such studies(Marlatt, Gordon, 1979; Moos et al. , 1981; Moos, Finney, Gamble, 1982), it was found thatindividuals were more likely to relapse in situations which elicited unpleasant emotional states. Coping as a Moderating Factor of StressThe key to understanding the differential impact of avoidance and approach coping on drinking lies inthe availability of an effective coping response to a given stressor (Cooper et al. , 1992). By definition,people who utilize approach coping mechanisms to deal with their stress, engage in concrete problemsolving which serves to actively reduce the amount of stress. By contrast, people who rely on avoidancecoping may manage to reduce their distress, but they tend to do so by distracting themselves from the stress. Yanomamo: People of the Rainforest EssayWeekly Alcohol Consumption. Subjects were given a chart which contained the days of the week. Foreach day they were instructed to indicate the number of standard alcoholic drinks and the amount of time itwould take to consume these drinks in a typical week. A standard alcohol drink was defined as either aregular size can/bottle of beer, 1.5 ounce shot of liquor, or a 5 ounce glass of wine. Subjects who drank lessthan once a month were instructed to skip this section. The total number of drinks in one week was summedand used as the dependent variable. Adapted Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (Adapted SMAST). The adapted SMAST (Sher Descutner, 1986) is a 13 item self-report questionnaire designed to measure family history of alcoholism. Specifically, the questionnaire assesses the extent of an individual’s mother’s and father’s alcohol abuse. Assessment is based on a two point scale consisting of 0=no and 1=yes. For the purpose of the presentstudy only 10 items were used, and the mother/father answer categories were extended to biological mother/father and step or adoptive mother/father. Comprehensive Effects of Alcohol (CEOA). The CEOA (Fromme, Stroot, Kaplan, 1993) is a 38 itemself-report questionnaire designed to assess alcohol outcome expectancies and their subjective valence. It iscomposed of seven expectancy scales, four positive (sociability, tension-reduction, liquid-courage, andsexuality) and three negative (cognitive-behavioral impairment, risk and aggression, and self perception). Expectancy assessment is based on a four point scale from 1=disagree to 4=agree. The valence of theseexpectancies is assessed on a five point scale from 1=bad to 5=good. Both items and instructions werecarefully worded to ensure that the elicited expectancies were neither dose-specific, nor situation specific. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). The PSS (Cohen, Kamarck, Mermelstein, 1983) is a 14 item self-reportquestionnaire designed to assess the degree to which situations in one’s life are appraised as stressful. Anequal number of 7 positive and 7 negative statements make up the questionnaire. Assessment is based on afive point scale from 0=never to 4=very often. Scores are obtained by reversing the scores on the sevenpositive items (i.e., 0=4, 1=3, 2=2, etc.), and then summing across all 14 items. COPE. The COPE (Carver et al., 1989) is a 53 item self-report questionnaire designed to assessindividual coping dispositions. The questionnaire is comprised of 14 scales which are categorized into threecoping styles: Problem-Focused Coping (Active coping, Planning, Suppression of competing activities,Seeking social support for instrumental reasons, and Restraint coping), Emotion-Focused Coping(Acceptance, Seeking social support for emotional reasons, Positive reinterpretation, Turning to religion,and Focus on and venting of emotion), and Less than Useful Coping (Denial, Behavioral Disengagement,and Mental Disengagement). For the purpose of the present study the Alcohol-drug disengagement scalewas excluded from these categories, and was treated as a separate category called Drinking to Cope. Assessment is based on a four point scale from1=I usually don’t do this at all to 4=I usually do this a lot. Both items and instructions were worded such that dispositional , rather than situational, styles of copingwere assessed. ProcedureAll participants were recruited from undergraduate psychology courses at York University. Thequestionnaire was administered in a classroom setting. Participants completed the questionnaire in agroup format of mixed sex ranging in size from 10 to 30 individuals. Informed consent was obtainedfrom all participants, and a phone number was provided in case any concerns arose. The completequestionnaire required approximately 40 minutes to administer. Respondents were compensated for theirtime by being entered in a lottery with a 1 in 50 chance of winning $ 50.00.ResultsCorrelational AnalysesTable 1 presents zero-order correlations, computed for all relevant study variables. Conceptuallyvariables may be grouped into one of five categories: weekly drinking (variable 1), perceived stress(variable 2), family history of alcoholism (variable 3), coping variables (Variables 4-7), and expectancyvariables (variables 8-21). Examining the pattern of correlations between these variables sugge sts severalconclusions. First, family history of alcoholism was neither significantly correlated with perceived stress nor withweekly drinking, suggesting that family history of alcoholism is not important in stress-induced drinking. Second, several coping variables were significantly correlated with either weekly drinking and/orperceived stress. Specifically, drinking to cope was significantly positively correlated with both weeklydrinking (r = .420) and perceived stress (r = .310), less useful coping was significantly positively correlated(r = .674) with stress, and problem focused coping was significantly negatively correlated (r = -.327) withweekly drinking. These findings suggest that coping variables play an important role in stress-relateddrinking. Finally, only one expectancy variable, the valence expectancy for cognitive and behavioral impairment,was significantly correlated (r = .340) with weekly drinking, but not with perceived stress. However, severalexpectancy variables were significantly positively correlated (.357 r .517) with drinking to cope. Thesefindings suggest that expectancies are more likely be a distal, rather than a proximal predictor of stress-related drinking. Estimating the ModelHierarchical multiple regression analyses were employed to test the model depicted in Figure 1. Table 2contains summary statistics for the stepwise regression used to identify the predictor variables of weeklydrinking. As can be seen from Table 2, gender emerged as the most important predictor variable accountingfor over 28% of the variance. The coping variables of drinking to cope and problem-focused drinking werealso significant, and accounted for an additional 12% and 8% of the variance, respectively. Further multipleregression analyses were used to determine which variables predicted drinking to cope, and problem-focusedcoping, respectively. Table 3 shows that the expectancy for risk accounted for over 26% of the variance inpredicting drinking to cope, with the expectancy for tension and perceived stress accounting for anadditional 16%. Table 4 shows that emotion-focused coping accounted for over 34% of the variance inpredicting problem-focused drinking, with the expectancy valence for self perception accounting for anadditional 8%. Figure 2 summarizes the direct effects estimated in the foregoing series of multipleregression analyses. Table 1.Zero-Order Correlations Among Relevant Study Variables______________________________________________________________________________________Measure 1234567891. Weekly Drinking—-.143-.072-.327* -.232 -.206 .420**.016.2402. Perceived Stress— .001.198.138.674** .310* -.069 -.0743. Family History of Alcoholism —-.186-.111 -.002-.211-.003 -.1284. Problem-Focused Coping—.491** .170-.044-.132 -.1125. Emotion-Focused Coping —.166.062.111.1076. Less Useful Coping—.223-.073-.0177. Drinking to Cope—.234 .412**Alcohol Expectancy Outcomes8. Sociability—.2629. Tension Reduction –10. Liquid Courage11. Sexuality12. Cognitive Behavioral Impairment13. Risk Aggression14. Self PerceptionAlcohol Expectancy Valence15. Sociability16. Tension Reduction17. Liquid Courage18. Sexuality19. Cognitive Behavioral Impairment20. Risk Aggression21. Self Perception* p .01; ** p .001Table 1. (Continued) Zero-Order Correlations Among Relevant S tudy Variables______________________________________________________________________________________ Measure10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 181. Weekly Drinking.116-.008-.141.173-.037 -.083.185-.062.1942. Perceived Stress-.041-.069.133.213.039.044.196 .058 -.0383. Family History of Alcoholism -.052.018-.082-.121.069.040.089 .028.0074. Problem-Focused Coping.035.012.175.141.218 -.097-.075.052 -.0355. Emotion-Focused Coping.044.295*.218.154.151 -.230 -.084-.053 -.0556. Less Useful Coping-.178-.006.238.066.059.016.096-.025.0727. Drinking to Cope.371* .225-.017 .517** -.009 .066.357*.115.178Alcohol Expectancy Outcomes8. Sociability .697** .488** -.120 .433** -.160 .569** .469** .174.2899. Tension Reduction .233.263 .041.180.006 .202.282.132.22210. Liquid Courage —.509**.032 .622** .046 .433** .436** .381* .24511. Sexuality—.260 .522** .276 .118.161-.025.14912. Cognitive Behavioral Impairment —.221.354* -.227 -.241-.171 -.06113. Risk Aggression— .236 .158.304*.106 - .00114. Self Perception—-.335* -.175-.089 -.247Alcohol Expectancy Valence15. Sociability— .510** .499**.490**16. Tension Reduction —.412**.409**17. Liquid Courage — .541**18. Sexuality—19. Cognitive Behavioral Impairment20. Risk Aggression21. Self Perception* p .01; ** p .001Table 1. (Continued) Zero-Order Correlations Among Relevant Study Variables______________________________________________________________________________________Measure 1920211. Weekly Drinking .340* .026.1972. Perceived Stress-.164.065 -.1393. Family History of Alcoholism -.229.045.0094. Problem-Focused Coping -.289 -.053 -.357*5. Emotion-focused Coping -.122 -.123 -.1356. Less Useful Coping-.262 -.054 -.3227. Drinking to Cope .119.166-.054Alcohol Expectancy Outcomes8. Sociability .141.170.1359. Tension Reduction.196.166.01510. Liquid Courage.123.278.13811. Sexuality -.271 -.152 -.16012. Cognitive Behavioral Impairment -.396**-.217-.09713. Risk Aggression-.038 -.019-.138 14. Self Perception-.363*-.274-.220Alcohol Expectancy Valence15. Sociability .249 .482** .11316. Tension Reduction.150 .227-.13117. Liquid Courage.375*.717** .21918. Sexuality.162 .515** .18119. Cognitive Behavioral Impairment—.544**.539**20. Risk Aggression—.517**21. Self Perception –* p .01; ** p

Unforgiving Weather (Great Gatsby Essay) Essay Example

Unforgiving Weather (Great Gatsby Essay) Essay Caleb Figueroa Mr. Bakker Advanced English 11 20 February 2013 Unforgiving Weather In F. Scott Fitzgeralds, The Great Gatsby, life moves fast and theres no time for people to care about each others problems. Now, this is not simply because people have become selfish. Instead, its the fact that pretentiousness has consumed the moral compass of East and West Eggers alike. Fitzgerald shows this ugly truth by using various symbols like cars and colors to represent different things. One motif or symbol that is evident throughout this novel is weatherwhich helps to set the mood f the current situation, foreshadow characters emotions in the coming pages, and emphasize the presence of the theme: The moral corruption of the upper-class, materialistic American. The repetition of different weather patterns is definitely noticeable, and it ends up affecting how the reader views certain situations. And not only does the weather affect the dialogue (they mention how its raining, hot, etc. , but it also affects the overall mood of where the characters are and what theyre doing. The first instance hat one notices this was when Nick, Daisy, and Gatsby were all getting together for tea at Nicks house: The day agreed upon was pouring rain An hour later the front door opened nervously and Gatsby in a white flannel suit, silver shirt and gold colored tie hurried in. (88-89) The fact that it was raining when these characters first interacted gives key insight into the mood of this small get-together and how each of them is feeling. We will write a custom essay sample on Unforgiving Weather (Great Gatsby Essay) specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Unforgiving Weather (Great Gatsby Essay) specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Unforgiving Weather (Great Gatsby Essay) specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Typically people relate rain to sadness but in this case its used to describe how Gatsby is feeling nervous and ambivalent about seeing Daisy again; hus creating an awkward mood for the beginning of the evening. Weather captures the mood of the current situation, and it can sometimes even offer a small glimpse into the future. These glimpses into the future arent specifically about any event though; instead, theyre usually more like foreshadowing characters emotions in the next pages of the chapter. For example, when Tom, Daisy, Jordan, Nick, and Gatsby are all together on a hot summer day, the situation slowly becomes more and more suspenseful as their time spent together drags on. The next day was roiling, almost the last, certainly the warmest, of the summer. (120) This all happened on the hottest day of the summer for a reason: to show the climax of the story and to show what happens to these uncivilized creatures when theyre put under a heat lamp. Tom is forced to introduce himself to Gatsby and the heat only adds to his steadily creeping opposition of this man. Mr Gatsby! He put out his broad, flat hand with well-concealed dislike. (122) Tom and Gatsbys situation eventually escalates until Tom asks some incredibly personal questions. Toms increasing disgust with Gatsby ends with him asking, What kind of a row are you trying to cause in my house anyhow? (136) By this time, the weather has exhausted everyone to the point where they no longer want to see one anotherespecia lly Tom people tend to forget their manners and go mad. These manners also often include being honest to those around you; which is strange because five of the characters have been living a lie. The situation between Daisy, Myrtle, George, Tom, and Gatsby truly reveals how corrupt Americans were ecoming during the time of The Great Gatsby. It was now becoming a common thing for a rich man to have a mistress, and for a rich girl to simply choose who she wanted to be with. The weather causes this sort of moral corruption to become magnified and obvious: The relentless beating heat was beginning to confuse me and I had a bad moment there before I realized that so far his suspicions hadnt alighted on Tom. He had discovered that Myrtle had some sort of life apart from him in another world and the shock had made him physically sick. I stared at him and then at Tom, who had made a parallel discovery less than an hour beforeand it occurred to me that there was no difference between men, in intelligence or race, so profound as the difference between the sick and the well. (130-131) Georges painful realization that Myrtle was living two different lives parallels how Tom learned about Daisy and Gatsbys small affair. However, in both situations, the common theme is that theyre both corrupt in doing this. Not only did they lie to their partner but they also ontinued with their life as though these problems didnt exist in the first place. This, to me, is a clear sign that the upper-class, materialistic American of this particular time was slowly becoming more and more rotten. One motif or symbol that is clearly evident throughout this novel is weatherwhich ultimately sets the mood of the current situation, foreshadows characters emotions in the coming pages, and emphasizes the presence of the theme: The moral corruption of the upper-class, materialistic American. Time and time again, weather is described and used in certain situations which only helps to show the true face of the East and West Eggers. They live their lives as though theyre perfect when in reality theyre crooked and rotten people. Not everything is what it seems, and under pressure, we see what lies beneath the surface of the characters in The Great Gatsby. And now that weve seen different scenarios where the characters are put under a sort of magnifying glass, one may ask oneself, is Jay Gatsbyor any of the characters for that matterall that great?

The Red Badge of Courage - A Literary Critique essays

The Red Badge of Courage - A Literary Critique essays The Red Badge of Courage begins with the Youth (Henry) preparing to leave to war. He has fabulous ideas concocted in his mind about victory and heroism. The Youth soon finds that victory and heroism are a small part in the splendor of war. The Youth's mind soon becomes burdened with thoughts of death and running away from a battle. Sure enough, in the midst of battle, the Youth flees the battlefield. The Youth must learn to deal with the shame he feels on deserting his comrades. When he returns to his camp he lies and says that he was separated during combat and was shot. The Youth is given another chance to fight and prove he is not a coward. As the book progresses, the Youth learns to deal with his shame by feeling honored for being a hero.In the end, the Youth becomes a man. He learns that the most important lessons in life can be seen by opening his eyes. I personally was attracted to the Youth. All his thoughts and wild imagination impressed me. He would describe death as a being that could swallow him whole, and ramble on about wonderful sunsets. The Youth was also a very troubled soul. He worried a lot over things he might do and not the things he would do. For instance, on page 34, he questions others in hope that their answers would comfort him. He feels disassociated from others, "The Youth, considering himself separated from the others..." (p29). Page 35 quotes, "He was a mental outcast." He lacked self -confidence and "continually tried to measure himself by his comrades." (p22). Despite his sorrow, the Youth was creative and compared ideas and objects to other ideas and objects. "The battle was like the grinding of an immense and terrible machine." I believe that the Youth brought the book to life through his life. At times I would find myself thinking, "I've thought that too!" For example on page 127, the Youth announces that his life should be lived to his expectations and not everyone else's. I strongly agree wit...

Roman Emperor Septimius Severus

Roman Emperor Septimius Severus Severus came to power by disposing of rivals with a better claim to power than his own. His immediate predecessor was Didius Julianus. Septimius Severus died peacefully, leaving, as joint successors, his sons Caracalla and  Geta. Dates April 11, A.D. 145-February 4, 211 Reign 193-211 Places of Birth and Death Leptis Magna; Eboracum Name Lucius Septimius Severus Augustus (Severus) Occupation Ruler (Roman Emperor Septimius Severus was born in Africa, at the Phoenician city of Leptis Magna (in Libya), to a presumed equestrian (wealthy) family with consuls in it, on April 11, 145, and died in Britain, on February 4, 211, after reigning for 18 years as Emperor of Rome. Family Parents:  P. Septimius Geta, (equestrian) and Fulvia Pia Wife:  Julia Domna Sons:  Bassianus (Caracalla) (b. 188); Geta (b. 189) Following the murder of Pertinax, Rome supported Didius Julianus as emperor, but as Severus entered Rome having been declared emperor by his troops in Pannonia on April 9, 193 [DIR], the supporters of Julianus defected, he was executed, and soon the soldiers in Italy and the senators supported Severus, instead; meanwhile, troops in the East proclaimed Syrias governor, Pescennius Niger, emperor, and the British legions, their governor, Clodius Albinus. Severus had to deal with his rival claimants. He defeated Pescennius Niger at the A.D. 194 Battle of Issus not to be confused with the battle in 333 B.C., in which Alexander the Great defeated the Persian Great King Darius. Severus then marched into Mesopotamia, where he set up a new legion and declared war on Roman emperor Clodius Albinus. Even with the legions of Britain, Gaul, Germany, and Spain, behind him, Albinus still lost to Severus in 197 near Lyon [see Lyon Museum], and committed suicide. The reputation of Septimius Severus changes with the times. Some consider him responsible for the Fall of Rome. According to [virtual-pc.com/orontes/severi/MoranSev193.html, 6/29/99] Jonathan C. Moran, Gibbon blamed Severus for the changes that led to turmoil and ultimate decay in Rome. The De Imperatoribus Romanis entry on Severus explains the charge: by giving greater pay and benefits to soldiers and annexing the troublesome lands of northern Mesopotamia into the Roman empire, Septimius Severus brought increasing financial and military burdens to Romes government. His reign was also considered bloody and according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, he may have been involved in the murder of his predecessor, Pertinax. The Catholic Encyclopedia also says he persecuted the Christians and forbade conversion to Judaism and to Christianity. On the other side, Septimius Severus restored stability to the Roman Empire. He improved performance and increased morale by making (expensive) changes in the military and praetorian guard. He restored Hadrians Wall and was involved in other construction projects. He also played the part of the traditional emperor: He reformed the grain supply for the city of Rome.... He put on games... for the people to keep them diverted and on his side. He freed his friends from debt and gave donatives to the soldiers and people. He also heard lawsuits.... Severus also began appointing his own men to the senate, one the emperors traditional prerogatives.- [www.virtual-pc.com/orontes/severi/MoranSev193.html#1, 6/29/99] Severus and Traditional Auctoritas Print SourceSeptimius Severus: The African Emperor, by Anthony Richard Birley Also, see Historia Augusta - The Life of Septimius Severus Septimius Severus and the Severan Emperors Septimius Severus and his successors were known as Severan Emperors Septimius SeverusCaracallaGetaEmperors Pertinax and Didius JulianusRoman Emperors Timeline 2nd CenturyRoman Emperors Timeline 3rd Century Ancient Sources on Septimius Severus HerodianHistoria AugustaDio Cassius

Compare and Contrast Pieces of Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Compare and Contrast Pieces of Art - Essay Example This paper seeks to highlight the similarities and the differences between the â€Å"Dying Gallic Trumpeter† and the â€Å"Column of Trajan† in terms of balance of style, function, iconography, technique, and cultural meaning. Both â€Å"Dying Gallic Trumpeter† and the â€Å"Column of Trajan† are made of marble pieces. Trumpeter is nude, and the fluid motion of the marble inflicts an impression of strained-movement (Ridgway 151). On the other hand, the â€Å"Column of Trajan† is made of 29 pieces of marble weighing up to 77ton. However, there are several differences between these two sculptures. In terms of balance, the â€Å"Dying Gallic Trumpeter† lies on his oval shield, with trumpet at his feet the. This gives it asymmetrical balance as compared to the â€Å"Column of Trajan† that stands all round erected from a base giving it symmetrical balance. Trumpeter takes the shape of a human being, while Trojan takes the shape of a tall building. In terms of texture, Trumpeter is smoother than Trajan that has a rough surface from boom to head (Ridgway 278). Trumpeter has long, bushy mustache, hair, and neck ornament, while Trajan has a band of curved reliefs all round the co lumn. Trumpeter signifies a â€Å"barbarian†. Culturally, in ancient Rome, a â€Å"Barbarian† was more than a monstrous enemy, but a wounded soldier, unlike their own soldiers. Trojan, on the other hand, tells the story of Dacian wars between 101-102 and 105-106 A.D (Ridgway

Terri Schiavo Case Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Terri Schiavo Case - Research Paper Example The issue of euthanasia/assisted suicide has been particularly controversial of late, particularly due to the sensational trials of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, an unrepentant medical practitioner who openly engaged in euthanasia among terminally ill patients and a recent case in the United Kingdom in which Mr. Alan Reyes of East London publicly helped his partner end his life and was subsequently arrested for the subsequent death of his partner of twenty eight years. Dr. Kevorkian, was incarcerated for eight years for helping people to die, and is reported to have participated in at least 130 assisted suicides. Significantly as well, the high profile legal cases surrounding Terri Schiavo brought questions surrounding euthanasia to the forefront of the public’s consciousness. This essay will explore the complex issues surrounding the right to die in America today and demonstrate that the right to die is an inherent right for individuals1. Seeking to understand the complexities surrounding euthanasia as the debate continues, this essay will address both sides of the coin and explore euthanasia from a holistic perspective. Seeking to explore the ethical and legal aspects of euthanasia, this essay will provide a concise yet comprehensive introduction to the major issues surrounding euthanasia in America today. We will discuss and debate the arguments for as well as the arguments against euthanasia and conclude with a synopsis of the research undertaken. Significantly, this essay will emphatically argue that the right to die is an inherent right which can be invoked in grave situation. Importantly, court testimony during Schiavo 1 made it clear that Terri Schiavo did not want to continue to live if her chances of recovery were miniscule.2 Accordingly, her husband helped her fulfill her wish to end her life while she was incapacitated. This

Meaning of Life and Jeremy Fink Essay Example for Free

Meaning of Life and Jeremy Fink Essay A) MEANING OF LIFE – BY JEREMY FINK. B) CHARACTERS: JEREMY FINK, LIZZY MULDOON, MRS. FINK, MR. MULDOON, MR. OSWALD, SAMANTHA AND RICK, JAMES AND MR. FINK. CONFLICT: THE CONFLICT IS ABOUT JEREMY TRYING TO FIND FOUR KEY’S THAT WOULD OPEN THE BOX WHICH HIS DAD LEFT IT FOR HIM FOR HIS THIRTEEN BIRTHDAY PRESENT WHEN HE DIED AND JEREMY IS TO FIND THE KEY THAT WOULD FIT ALL FOUR SPOTS IN THE BOX BEFORE HIS THIRTEEN BIRTHDAY. SETTING: HAPPENS IN MODERN DAYS IN NEW YORK CITY. BASIC SITUATION: JEREMY AND LIZZY TRY TO FIND THE KEY BEFORE JEREMY’S THIRTEEN BIRTHDAY. C) PLOT: JEREMY SEE’S THE POSTMAN WITH A BOX ADDRESSED TO HIS MOM. JEREMY TAKES THE BOX AND OPENS IT TO SEE A BOX. WHEN HIS MOM COMES AND SEES HIM WITH THE BOX HIS MOM TELLS HIM HOW THE BOX WAS HIS PRESENT HIS DAD LEFT HIM FOR HIS THIRTEEN BIRTHDAY AND HAD TO FIND ALL FOUR OF THE KEYS THAT WOULD OPEN IT BEFORE HIS BIRTHDAY COMES. LIZZY AND JEREMY GET IN TROUBLE AND THEY HAVE TO DO COMMUNITY SERVICE. THEN THEY MEET MR. OSWALD WHO TRIES TO HELP THEM. THEIR COMMUNITY SERVICE WAS TO DELIVER STAFF TWO NEW PEOPLE WHICH THEN THEY GET TO MEET NEW PEOPLE. D) CLIMAX: IS WHEN LIZZY AND JEREMY OPENED THE BOX AND DISCOVERED HIS. FATHER’S MEANING OF LIFE. E) FALLING ACTION: IS WHEN JEREMY OPENS THE BOX AND FINDS IT FULL OF STONES. JEREMY THEN REMEMBERS HIS FATHER HAD COLLECTED EACH STONE AT EACH IMPORTANT EVENT OF HIS LIFE. F) RESOLUTION: IS WHEN JEREMY FIND OUT THAT MR. OSWALD, JEREMY’S MOM, THE MAILMAN, AND LARRY FROM LARRY’S LOCKS WERE ALL IN JEREMY’S DAD’S PLAN TO GIVE JEREMY THE BOX AT THE RIGHT TIME AND SO THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK FOR ALL FOUR OF THE KEYS, ALTHOUGH MR. OSWALD HAD THEM ALL ALONG. BY HAVING THIS PLAN HIS DAD KNEW THAT JEREMY WOULD MEET NEW PEOPLE AND GET TO EXPERIENCE. DIFFERENT THINGS HE WOULD NEVER DO. G) POINT OF VIEW: FIRST PERSON BECAUSE THERE IS TOO MUCH FEELINGS AND EMOTION IN THE BOOK. H) PERSON VS PERSON- JEREMY AND LIZZY AS THEY TRY TO FIND THE KEYS TO THE BOX. PERSON VS SOCIETY- JEREMY AND THE SOCIETY MEETING NEW PEOPLE TO TRY TO FIND THE KEY TO THE FOUR HOLES. I) THEME: A LESSON THIS STORY TEACHES ABOUT LIFE IS TO NEVER GIVE UP, AND ALWAYS BE MOTIVATED TO DO SOMETHING YOU KNOW YOU REALLY WANT TO DO. J) SIMILE- AS HARD AS IT CAN BE WITH HOPE ON THE WAY. SIMILE- LIFE IS AS EVENTFUL AS A JOURNEY. METAPHOR- NO PAIN, NO GAIN.

Camera Cell Phone Technology Save Lives :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Camera Cell Phones Save Lives My first year of college was approaching rapidly, and I was still trying to get my supplies gathered together. Most of my items I had already stockpiled, such as bedding, a computer and a fridge. One item missing on my list was a cell phone. My parents had insisted that I purchased one when I got my driver's license, but I never seemed to find the time to get one. Being a teenage girl in this day of age, my parents thought I should always have a way to get help in emergency situations. I did not disagree with them or the majority of parents who had the same idea, but I had my own opinions about owning a cell phone. I was never the type of person to be responsible for my belongings, but I figured that since I was heading to college, a cell phone would be a good start towards my path to becoming a responsible adult. Owning a cell phone would force me to pay my own phone bill, which I dreaded, and keep track of my call minutes and phone. I figured it could not be too hard due to the fact that all my friends purchased their cell phones when they entered freshmen year of high school. I never imagined buying a cell phone would be such a hard task. When I entered the brightly colored PHONZ PLUS store, my eyes filled with the sight of an enormous variety of cell phones. I wanted to walk out of the store right then, but the stern look on my mother's face directed me toward the sales representatives. After going through all the cell phones and the call plans, I finally decided on the verizon camera phone. At first, I was a little unsure about buying such a high-tech phone, but it ended up being the cheapest option with the most benefits. I could take pictures, send pictures via email, have access to the internet, text message, and speed dial. This particular phone was recommended for a kid of my age because there was a special button that could automatically connect me to the police in case of an emergency. Whether it be text messaging, sending a picture, or calling the police; they were always at reach at the touch of a button. This made my mom be hooked right away. I was amazed that a two-inch by two-inch phone could complete so many tasks.

Youth empowerment through quality education

This paper considers quality education, its importance to youth empowerment and in what ways it empowers. The paper recommended proper implementation of the curriculum, continued Teacher Education, adequate budgetary allocation and priority for education and parental encouragement to mention a few. Nigeria celebrated another Independence Day recently marking her 53rd anniversary; however the pace of development and that at which policy decisions of government and by extension its policy makers are implemented, is not commensurate with how long she has been an independent state.It is believed that one sure way of measuring the responsiveness or otherwise of any government in the world today, is in its quick implementation of key policy agreement or decisions that will boost the advancement of any sector such policy is formulated As a resul t, it is not surprising to observe that nations that want to be reckoned with in terms of youth empowerment, religious tolerance, technological adv ancement, national transformation etc strive to position education as a focal point in its march towards development.It is in the face of this, that the steady decline in the overall standard of education cross all tiers in the nation therefore that education experts have continued to clamour for initiatives that would promote massive development of the sector that is daily experiencing backwardness. In fact, many graduates cannot express themselves properly. Some in practical disciplines can't practice what they have supposedly learnt in school.While some in offices lack adequate knowledge and sit idling away redundantly due to lack of empowerment. To empower means â€Å"to promote self-actualization or influence of† something or someone (Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, 2000) or to â€Å"make (someone) tronger and more confident, especially in control of their life and rights† (Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, 6th edition). Empowerment can therefore be said to be the process of increasing the educational, social, economic, political etc strength of an individual.Opeyemi (The Punch, 2013) quoting Olatokunbo Somolu, chairman, Board of Trustees for Vision 20:2020 in his address at the 16th Vision 20:2020 Career Workshop in Lagos earlier this year noted that â€Å"one of the steps needed to move the nation forward is through youth empowerment†. He explained that youth empowerment as a tool for evelopment is an attitudinal, structural and cultural process whereby young people gain the skill, ability and authority to make decisions and implement change in their own lives and the lives of other people (youths and adults inclusive) and the society in general.He further said, miouth empowerment is often addressed as a gateway to intergenerational equity, civic engagement and democracy building. The need to guide and nurture our youth who are the future of our great country Nigeria cannot be over-emphasized and further pointed out that e mpowering of youths is an investment that pays off anytime, anywhere. Adding that, by investing in youths, government corporations, communities, NGOs and individuals can help prepare the youths for the challenges ahead†. Many things can be said to be responsible for non empowerment, under empowerment or inadequate empower.For instance, Oyeleye ( in SUN 2013:45) quoted an Oba saying † youths nowadays see elders especially those in power as the problem of the nation having failed to provide for them, thus mortgaging the future of the nation†. He further said that â€Å"for this nation to see a brighter future, government must devote resources to developing youths and empowering them etore they learn and operate a new style ot internal terrorism†. This paper however, is not meant to ascribe blame but to promote youth empowerment through quality education. With that said, who then are the youths of a society? What is quality education?How can quality education b ring about youth empowerment? What are the imperatives for achieving such education? YOUTH AND YOUTH EMPOWERMENT Youth is â€Å"a time of life when one is young especially the period between childhood or adolescence and maturity' (Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, 2000). It is â€Å"the period between childhood and adult age† (Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, 6th dition). It is at this age or period of live that an individual is formed. The lessons, morals, values etc picked up or learnt at this stage of life that shapes who the individual becomes in the future.It is therefore paramount at this age, to promote self- actualization and increase the educational, social, economic, political etc strength of an individual. Youth empowerment occurs in homes, at schools, through youth organizations, government policy-making and community organizing campaigns. Major structural activities where youth empowerment happens throughout society include community ecision-making, org anizational planning, and education reform. It is often addressed as a gateway to intergenerational equity, civic engagement and democracy building.Many local, state, national, and international government agencies and nonprofit organizations provide programs centered on youth empowerment. Activities involved therein may focus on youth-led media, youth rights, youth councils, youth activism, youth involvement in community decision- making etc Even in politics, major political parties in the world have statements supporting youth empowerment. It is also a central tenet of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which almost every country in the world (if not all) has signed into law.Presently, there are a variety of youth empowerment initiatives underway around the world. The 53 member countries of the Commonwealth of Nations have all signed up to the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Youth Empowerment (2007-2015). The Plan of Action underpins the work of the Commonwe alth Youth Programme (CYP). On the Commonwealth definition, â€Å"Young people are empowered when they acknowledge that they have or can create choices in life, are aware of the implications of those choices, make an intormed decision treely, ake action based on that decision and accept responsibility for the consequences of those actions.Empowering young people means creating and supporting the enabling conditions under which young people can act on their own behalf, and on their own terms, rather than at the direction of others. † QUALITY EDUCATION In any form or way it is presented, education is vital for human and national development. Through it, people acquire basic skills and attitudes by which they make meaningful living and coexistence (Okwuolise, 2005). Education brings about refinements, sobriety, dynamism, faith, technological advancement, empowerment, elf regard, aggregation etc (Okwuolise 1999).Osifo-Whiskey (in Okwuolise, 2005) said that â€Å"learning and kno wledge determines what people or society is, backward or advanced, civilized or primitive, enlightened or in darkness. Learning and knowledge are the equivalent of thinking in the matter of who is man or who is an animal†. Education however does not only achieve these, it â€Å"accretes equally national development and transformation, depending on the aspirations of the nation and the objectives intended to be achieved by it† (Okwuolise, 2005).From the foregoing, if considered in a formal sense, education is a process of nstruction for the purpose of preparing the learners to become useful to themselves and the society. It is therefore no wander, Onah et al (2012:41) defined education as â€Å"the process of transmitting what is worthwhile (desirable skills, knowledge, attitude, aptitude etc) to those who are committed to it, whether they are children, youths or adults in the hope of promoting their usefulness to themselves and the society'.Quality on the other hand me ans â€Å"of high worth, value or standard† (American Heritage Dictionary, 1996), or â€Å"degree or standard of excellence† (Collins English Dictionary, 2000). Quality education therefore means education that is of high or valuable standard, adequate and with valid teaching or instructional outings in terms of method and content. It must also, reflect the three domains of education (the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains).It therefore goes without saying that, there are certain societal expectations or traits an empowered person (child, youth or adult) is expected to manifest. Along the line of philosophy and the line of educational domains as seen above, the empowered man should; l. Be a man of knowledge, i. e. e must be well grounded in what he is supposed to do, or what he is exposed to. II. Be of good nature with good relation and must be a sociable person and not a recluse Ill field of empowerment.Be able to practically pertorm and deliver . By and by, if we are to examine the role and importance of quality education in youth empowerment, much could be said. This paper however limits itself to the following areas where quality education accretes to youth empowerment; Knowledge and Insight Knowledge is the â€Å"acquaintance with or understanding of a science, art or echnique†, â€Å"range of one's information or understanding† while insight is the â€Å"ability to understand people and situations in a very clear way' (Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, 2000).One of the attributes of quality education is the ability to instill in learners (in this case, youths) the total understanding and a range of information in a very clear way of who they are, what they want, can be and their role in nation building and transformation. It gives them the ability to apply theory and principles learnt, discriminatory analysis and sharpen their mental reflexes by which they are able to contribute in problem olving whenever the si tuation arises.Approval This is â€Å"the belief that something or someone is good or acceptable: a good opinion of someone or something† (Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, 2000). It refers to â€Å"when someone likes something or someone and thinks that they are good† (Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English). Quality education instills in one traits, attitudes and capabilities that makes him/her acceptable and considered good enough anywhere, anytime. Such people are always involved in issues that enhance national development and transformation. Even the ible said â€Å"study to show thyself approved†¦. a workman that needeth not to be ashamed†¦. † (2 Tim: 2v1 5). Responsibility and Discipline Responsibility is â€Å"the state of being the person who caused something to happen† while discipline is an â€Å"orderly conduct or pattern of behavior† (Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, 2000). A person empowered through quality ed ucation is a doer; always taking charge and making things happen instead of Just sitting back and letting others do the work. Such a person always conducts himself/herself in orderly manners and with refined behavior. nation.This group ot people is those who can contribute to the progress ot any Self Reliance and Confidence Self-reliance is â€Å"the reliance on one's own effort and abilities† while Confidence is â€Å"a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something† (Merriam- Webster Collegiate Dictionary, 2000). When one's education is of high standards, the person understands he/she is in control of their live and will always trust in his [her abilities, believing that success can be achieved at whatever task being given since the necessary information required to succeed has been duly imparted.It is obvious then that, quality education makes a man confident and confidence in turn gives him the impetus to rely on his effort. Resourceful Th is means being â€Å"able to act effectively or imaginatively, especially in difficult situations† (Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, 2000). An empowered person who has knowledge and insight, is confident and self-reliant, disciplined and responsible will be able to think outside the box. He is not easily put down by difficulties and challenges. Imperatives of Quality Education It is now obvious that quality education empowers.Be that as it may, there are ertain necessities which are sine-qua-non for engendering quality education. They include: l. Educators must do their Job of educating thoroughly well. II. Provision of adequate infrastructure which includes good learning environments and classrooms. Ill. Employment of well trained, competent and professional teachers and educators. IV. Provision of adequate learning materials including well equipped libraries and laboratories. V. Organizing field trips, excursions and industrial (practical) trainings. VI.Provision of t eaching aids including public address systems and visual aids. VI'. Parental encouragement and support. VIII. Incentives for outstanding performances and performers. ‘X. Introduction and proper implementation of quality curriculum. X. Prioritization of the education sector in terms of budgetary allocation and funding. X'. Continuous teacher education. XII. Teacher motivation. Summary and Conclusion Through the ages, education has been known to be the antidote to poverty and ignorance, and key for unlocking natural resources ( ObaJi, in Onuoha, 2006).She stated that no nation striving for accelerated development does so without first developing its educational system. According to her; the visibility and publicity which ducation has enjoyed in recent times derives from the importance attached to education in national development. Quality education ensures the development of knowledgeable, insightful, self-reliant, skilled, disciplined, and a healthy population with the capacity to drive and sustain the socio-economic development of the nation.It goes without saying therefore, that in order to enable the youth to contribute constructively to the society; it is imperative to improve the quality of the educational system to ensure that the products of our educational institutions become critical thinkers, problem solvers nd accomplished leaders. There is therefore, a strong connection between education and national growth and development. Education not only provides scientific and technical skills, it also provides the motivation, Justification and social support for pursuing them.

Film Noir to Neo Noir

Murphy 1 Rachel Murphy Professor Charlotte E. Howell Film 2700 12 November 2012 Word Count: 1411 Film Noir to Neo-Noir: A Shift in Cultural Tides Film noir of the 1940s captivated audiences through its distinct form of storytelling. Strongly influenced by German Expressionism, these films have a definitive look and style that still resonates with modern audiences today. Like other classical Hollywood genres, film noir sought to bring to light tensions felt within society, namely those that affected men following World War II.Neo-noir films pay a great deal less attention to social commentary. Like film noir of the past, neo-noir elevates style over narrative; however, the genre has seen significant changes in regards to narrative, the disappearance of the femme fatale, and the prevalence of onscreen violence due to shifting cultural tides. In observing examples of film noir and its contemporary version, neo-noir, it is clear several elements in regards to the style and overall  "feel† of these films have virtually remained the same throughout the years.In Nicolas Winding Refn’s neo-noir, Drive, a sense of otherworldliness is portrayed through several night scenes, intense shadows, and an overall dark rather downtrodden mood to the film. The scenes in the film take place at night and invariably in an urban setting. All of these elements are Murphy 2 extremely typical of classic film noir as well as German Expressionism. Drive’s narrative unfolds with surprisingly little dialogue. Instead Refn focused scenes on the mood, further strengthening the style of the film. Similarly, Curtis Hanson’s L. A.Confidential keeps with traditional film noir in elevating the style of the movie above its narrative. This is done through the heavy emphasis of the urban cityscape. As the title suggests, Los Angeles, is a major component within the film. The peppy, orange-filled paradise portrayal of L. A. in the film’s opening scene sharply cont rasts the corrupt, crime-ridden town shown throughout the rest of the film. In addition, voice-overs and flashbacks, typical elements of film noir, are extensively used. The genre has seen great changes in regards to its social commentary, however.Noir films of the 1940s strongly reflected the social climate of the time. In several respects, film noir can be seen as the male equivalent to melodrama. Just as women dealt with the crisis of femininity in post-war years, men also struggled with their masculinity as well as adjusting to their new roles in an ever-changing society. After World War II, many Americans, especially men who had experienced the atrocities of war firsthand, took on a more cynical outlook on the world. Film noir of the 1940s sought to bring these feelings of isolation and changing attitudes to light.Like many men returning from the war, the heroes were disenchanted and often very isolated. In many respects, their fate is predetermined. In Tay Garnett’s The Postman Always Rings Twice, the audience gains a sense that John Garfield’s character, Frank’s, fate is already sealed as soon as he first plots, and eventually carries out the murder of Cora’s husband. This action clearly serves as a marker in the downward spiral of Frank’s life. Similarly, in Billy Wilder’s Murphy 3 Double Indemnity, Fred MacMurray’s character, Walter, irrevocably alters the course of his life when he gives in to Phyllis’s pleas to murder her husband.In both of these instances, the motivation behind this clearly immoral acts is lust. Both protagonists seem somewhat helpless against these forces. Both films also end with little doubt as to the fate of the protagonists. In The Postman Always Rings Twice, the film ends with Frank awaiting his punishment on death row. Similarly, Wilder’s Double Indemnity ends with Walter, critically injured from a gunshot wound inflicted by Phyllis, confessing his role in her hu sband’s murder. This clearly reflects upon the attitudes of males during the 1940s as helpless against the imposing forces of an oppressive society.Neo-noir films differ from their film noir counterparts because they are no longer reflective on social and cultural tensions. This is simply because the tension is not as widespread or heavily felt in today’s society. In the ending of Refn’s Drive, the nameless driver, though stabbed in the abdomen, clearly lives. It left up to the viewer to decide what kind of life he will lead in the future. In Hanson’s L. A. Confidential, the future of the city is somewhat unclear, but both protagonists in the film are met with at least somewhat happy endings.The male protagonists in neo-noir films are also much more strong-willed. Their actions, though at times extreme, are seen as justified to the viewer and made by the protagonist alone. Unlike earlier noir films, the protagonists are at least somewhat in control of the ir future. This turn within the genre clearly reflects changing attitudes within society, as the helplessness and isolation men felt after the war is no longer felt on such a large scale. Murphy 4 The influence of culture on the content of noir films is especially evident in the disappearance of femme fatale in neo-noir films.The 1940s marked a major shift in gender roles with the start of World War II. As men left for war, women took up jobs in the workforce and in factories in order to help with the war effort. This brought about a new sense of independence for women. When men returned home from the war, however, this shift was not necessarily seen in a positive light. The emergence of the femme fatale in film noir clearly reflects that in the eyes of men, women’s changing roles in society often presented a threat to perceived masculinity as well as established gender roles of the day.The femme fatale of noir films is invariably portrayed in a negative light. She is in most cases seen as the major driving force behind the protagonist’s tragic end. Furthermore, the protagonist is usually helpless against the advances of these women. Femme fatales, such as Cora in The Postman Always Rings Twice and Phyllis in Double Indemnity, are almost always met with an end even more bleak than that of the protagonist. In these two films, the femme fatales are both killed with little thought. Neo-noir films, however, approach female characters in a much more favorable light.The relationships between protagonists and these women are based on love, rather than mere lust. Thus, the actions of the protagonists appear often more justified. This can be accredited to the changing cultural tides since the 1940s. Women’s independence is generally no longer seen as a threat to male masculinity and thus is virtually extinct thematically in neo noir films. This is especially evident in Drive as well. The nameless driver’s love interest, Irene, is characteriz ed by her innocence rather than her sexuality. Murphy 5 Even in L. A.Confidential, Lynn, a prostitute, has a relationship with one of the protagonists, however, the relationship is based on love rather than lust. Film noir arguably would not translate well to modern audiences if not for its integration of onscreen violence. Like German Expressionism, 1940s film noir drew a definitive reaction of discomfort and psychological unease from its audiences. In Double Indemnity, the scene in which Phyllis’s husband is murdered is brief and little is shown. The audience is shown only Phyllis’s cold, detached expression while her husband is murdered next to her in the passenger seat.In the 1940s, filmmakers didn’t necessarily need to show Phyllis’s husband being murdered in order to elicit a strong psychological reaction from audiences. With the abrogation of the Hay’s Code, however, audiences have become somewhat desensitized to the mere implication of viol ence. L. A. Confidential and Drive both use violence as a means of eliciting this same reaction. Perhaps the most memorable scene in Drive occurs in an elevator where the driver, in order to protect himself and Irene, not only kills a man, but proceeds to unleash all of his anger by stomping the man’s head into a gruesome, bloody pulp.In L. A. Confidential, numerous murder scenes and uncomfortable police interrogations illustrate how violence is now used in neo noir to elicit the strong emotional and psychological discomfort that typified 1940s noir. Certainly the strongest influence on the evolution of film noir has been societal and cultural changes throughout time. These changes have served, however, to maintain film noir’s relevance with contemporary audiences while still keeping with specific attention to the overall â€Å"feel† of the film and high level of stylization.

death penalty2 essays

death penalty2 essays The death penalty or as it is formally called capital punishment should be totally abolished for many reasons. First and foremost no one should have the right to take anyone elses life, neither individually nor as a society representative, has the right to take another mans life, even apart from the seriousness of his guilt. (Thinkquest,). Killing is a sin under God. Thou shall not kill is one of the ten commandments. Although not everyone in this country is Christian our constitution was founded on the principle that we are one country under God. Throughout history there have been a number of arguments in favor of capital punishment. These arguments include the deterrent argument, the retribution argument and the protection of the public argument. The deterrent argument claims that the death penalty serves as a deterrent to criminals because it instills fear sufficiently to stop criminals. However, statistically this has been found not to be true. None of the many studies about the matter has been able to show the death penalty is more deterrent than other punishments. (EZ,). Most people who commit the most serious crimes do so under unnatural circumstances. Fear is not even present. Most serious crimes such as murdersare committed when the criminal is blinded with passion, when emotions prevail over reason. (Collegain,). Even those who plan crimes such as murders do so thinking that they are not going to be discovered. Criminologist assert that the best way to discourage murderers isnt by increasing the severity of punishment but by increasing the possibility of discovering the crime and condemning the culprit.(Thinkquest,). Retribution as a reason for capital punishment assumes that the public wants revenge. Although victims of crimes and their relatives deserve to know that the criminal is being punished for th...

Plus ça Change - French Expression

Plus à §a Change - French Expression Expression: Plus à §a change, plus cest la mà ªme chose Pronunciation: [plu sa sha(n)zh plu say la mem shoz] Meaning: the more things change, the more they stay the same. Literal translation: more it changes, more its the same thing. Register: normal How to Use Plus à §a Change The pessimistic French expression plus à §a change, plus cest la mà ªme chose is very often cut down to just the first clause: plus à §a change... / the more things change... The shortened French expression is often used in English too, particularly British English.In either language, plus à §a change indicates a certain disillusionment or resignation regarding whatever is being talked about. A company makes all kinds of policy changes, for example, but the personnel issues are unaffected. A couple go to marriage counseling, but continue fighting about everything. A new sheriff comes to town, but there is no noticeable impact on crime. New people, new promises, but the same old problems - plus à §a change.... Variations: Plus à §a change, plus cest pareil: The more it changes, the more its the same.Plus à §a change (et) moins à §a change: The more it changes (and) the less it changes

Hero Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Hero - Essay Example Major Stryker approaches the two individuals and offers them to join his elite group of mutants, team X. After his first mission, James is not happy of the murders committed by his team-mates and he quits his commando job and falls in love with a local teacher, Kayla Silverfox. He works as a lumberjack and changes his name to Logan. After six years, Logan is approached to rejoin team X, but he declines the offer. In attempting to convince Logan, Stryker sends Victor. To seek Logan’s attention, Victor kills Kayla, and now Logan is seeking revenge. The protagonist in this film is James Logan. In the movie X-men origins: Wolverine, the vengeful and ferocious James Logan presents himself as a tragic hero. First, he was born of noble birth; he was the second son of a rich landowner. Furthermore, he lost his family in a tragic manner. Also, Logan made a poor choice by agreeing to work with Major Stryker. He was desperate to get better than Victor so that he can avenge Kayla’s death. The modification Logan had was definitely a flaw that led to his downfall. The end of this work brought about sympathy for Logan’s condition. The literary work X-men origins: Wolverine screenplay was written by David Benioff and Skip Woods. The plot revolves around the beginning of Wolverine and his driving force of vengeance which leads him to do terrible things like altering his mutation to become stronger and indestructible via a government squad weapon agency (X-Men Origins: Wolverine Trailer). The hero is Logan also known initially as James and later on as Wolverine. The three things that Wolverine does are all driven by emotion due to the life stress that he has gone through. In the movie, Logan does three things all driven by his emotions. They include: killing Thomas Logan; joining a government commando group and after a mission quits it, seeking Victor for revenge of Kayla’s death and allows Stryker

What Extent Is It Either Accurate Or Helpful To Situate Fundamentalism Essay

What Extent Is It Either Accurate Or Helpful To Situate Fundamentalism In Relationship To The Project Of Modernity - Essay Example Pat Robertson has had a considerable influence on the fundamentalism through his 700 Club program plus his legal organization, his university and the politically motivated Christian Coalition, which he is the founder (Ruthven 30). This article discusses various aspects of fundamentalism so as to reveal its modern nature. The idea that fundamentalism is anti-modern can be witnessed in works by R. Scott Appleby and Martin Marty, Bruce Lawrence and Bruce Steve. Lawrence’s Defenders of God, Steve’s Fundamentalism and Appleby’s and Marty’s The Fundamentalism Project are key works in the literary comprehension of fundamentalism. A majority of scholars have similar sentiments concerning the relationship of modernity and fundamentalism. Fundamentalism is reliant on utilitarian elements of modernity, whereas Lawrence (15), Steve (54) and Appleby and Marty (43) all perceive fundamentalisms as reactions to the consequences of enlightenment, which manifests itself as modernist reasoning or modernism. Fundamentalists oppose every individual or institution, which advocates for enlightenment principles and support the banners of modernism or secularism. Considering fundamentalism as anti-modern is extremely inaccurate, but it is accurate to situate fundamentalism in relationship to the project of modernity? ... Considering fundamentalism as anti-modern is extremely inaccurate, but it is accurate to situate fundamentalism in relationship to the project of modernity? Considering fundamentalism as anti-modern obfuscates its nature and insinuates that it is illegitimate globally when it is, in reality, not for the modern world. Therefore, in the continuous qualifications of the association of fundamentalism to modernity, very little is gained. To discuss fundamentalism as a reaction to the modernist culture or modernity is to clarify an unclear term through referring to an always vague term (Steve 30). Steve’s Fundamentalism gives the reader a basis for this investigation. In his study, he brings up numerous questions about the classification of fundamentalism being anti-modern and the extent to which fundamentalism could be stipulated to modernism. From a far, it is entirely reasonable to state that fundamentalisms of all kinds react differently against the popular modernist culture. Ho wever, going through the numerous religious movements, a person cannot be completely confused by that statement. Steve (51) also admits that the phrases modern resists straightforward definitions. In his writing, the definition of modern is a code word for the entire forces of fundamentalists considered to be the threat that motivates their responses. Modernist traditions comprise of basically three dimensions incompatible to fundamentalists: a liking towards secular rationality; an acceptance of spiritual tolerance with supplementary tendencies towards individualism and relativism (Hoffmeister 15). Surely, there are elements of the modern and secular world, which pressure fundamentalists, threats that every religion should resolve. However, does

Internet Defamation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Internet Defamation - Essay Example Another different between internet defamation and print or broadcast media is that of the identity of the publisher. With ease of access to the internet, everyone can use it for personal favors without revealing the identity. For example, a person can post some wrong comment about someone on social networking websites by creating a fake account. In such cases, identification of the sender of the email is very difficult because of fake accounts. Criminal-minded people make use of this internet facility to destroy the repute of other people. On the other hand, in case of print or broadcast media, identifying the source of a publication is not a difficult task because publishing authorities inquire about the source before publishing something. Therefore, it is not easy for a person to spread wrong and insulting news about some other person using print or broadcast media.If we talk about defamation in sense of publication, we can say that comments over the internet that are sent directly to a person do not fall in the category of publication because such comments are not for public. Internet defamation falls in the category of publication if some comment is posted somewhere so that everyone can read it. â€Å"Sending an email containing defamatory statements from person A to person B will in some legal systems not be regarded as "publication" for the purposes of libel law† .As social networking tools are becoming more and more popular with every passing day, the number of cases of internet defamation is also increasing.... On the other hand, in case of print or broadcast media, identifying the source of a publication is not a difficult task because publishing authorities inquire about the source before publishing something. Therefore, it is not easy for a person to spread wrong and insulting news about some other person using print or broadcast media. If we talk about defamation in sense of publication, we can say that comments over the internet that are sent directly to a person do not fall in the category of publication because such comments are not for public. Internet defamation falls in the category of publication if some comment is posted somewhere so that everyone can read it. â€Å"Sending an email containing defamatory statements from person A to person B will in some legal systems not be regarded as "publication" for the purposes of libel law†2. 3. Laws Regarding Defamation As social networking tools are becoming more and more popular with every passing day, the number of cases of inte rnet defamation is also increasing. To handle the increase in internet defamation, many countries have taken considerable steps through implementing libel laws and designing statues of limitations. A plaintiff is required to file the complaint within a specific time, as it is a statue of limitations. â€Å"Regardless of the merit of the defamation claim, a plaintiff must file the lawsuit within a time period specified by law†3. If we search for the implemented law for internet defamation in the United States of America, we come to know that the most relevant law against online defamation is the Defamation Section 230 of The Communications Decency Act Of 1996. Along with governments and judiciary, a number of insurance companies also offer media

Video Game To Movie Cross Media Film Studies Essay

Video Game To Movie Cross Media Film Studies Essay Following the Teaser Show the benefits, its about selling your service. If the service allows them to win money this should be clear, if its of a narrative experience then the teaser, should have that inherent embedded into it. Reeling Them In- You need to constantly appeal to your audience and give a sense that your service is worth spending more time in. This is where meticulous planning of phased releases of story fragments across the media channels comes into its own. To some extent this is no different from a series editor/writer who has to arc each episodes narrative to keep them coming back for more. 2.2.4 Breaking the Fourth Wall Usually seen as an ad or end credit sequence where the voice over tells you why it is worth your while to carry on somewhere else with them. Breaks the fourth wall but is a clear directive. 2.2.5 Parallel Dimension There is something on another platform running synchronous to the one you are watching. Such as watching football on TV, while listening to Radio 5, because I prefer a more in-depth commentary. Now of course there are many other parallel channels. Web, mobile and TV all running along with each other. I am more and more involved with parallels between real and virtual worlds. The techniques to draw audiences into these experiences are often inherent in the service such that if you are on one you can actually see the other one taking place. 2.2.6 On Their Own The expectation from the audience that there will be other media elsewhere drives their journey through the story. The technique here is the hardest to identify but it follows the same technique of designing a physical hunt. You hide things, dont give easy clues and then set the ground rules. They expect something on all platforms and this is where the term cross-media will eventually become redundant. All properties will have something on all platforms, the same way DVDs now all have extras. If they have enjoyed cross-media experiences from you before they will come back. It is about trust, being consistent and giving them a media world to play in. 2.3 Franchise A franchise is a property which involves characters, settings and trademarks of original media. This can be a film, a piece of literature a TV program or a video game. Generally, a whole series is made in a particular medium, and multiple sequels are often planned well in advance. The most famous franchise to use Cross-Media Narrative is the Star Wars Saga, since its creation in 1977 it still expands its universe to the present day (2010). It consists of 6 feature films, and has since been extended, to more films, radio films, books, comic books, Animated TV series and also Video Games. Star Wars is an epic science fiction franchise conceived by George Lucas. It is best known for its 6 feature films, this consisted of two trilogies, the original trilogy and then the prequel trilogy. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, by 20th Century Fox, and it became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, the film spawned two immediate sequels, released at three-year intervals. Sixteen years after the release of the first trilogys final film, the first in a new prequel trilogy of films was released, again released at three-year intervals, with the final film released on May 19, 2005. Other Media, in which the Star Wars film series has spawned, includes books, a TV series, video games, and comic books. All of this supplements to the film trilogies and comprises the Star Wars Expanded Universe, which is an umbrella term for officially licensed Star Wars material outside of the six feature films and keeps the franchise going in the interim between the film trilogies. In 2008, a 7th film was released to theaters, Star Wars: The Clone Wars and it was the first ever worldwide theatrical Star Wars film outside of the main trilogies. It was the franchises first animated film, and was created as an introduction to the TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, a CGI animated series. Since the creation Star Wars in 1977, the franchise keeps on expanding and each type of media created still stays within the Star Wars timeline of events taking place anywhere from 25,000 years before Episode 1: The Phantom Menace to 140 years after Episode 6: Return of the Jedi. George Lucas retains artistic control over the Star Wars universe. For example, the death of central characters and similar changes in the status quo must first pass his screening before authors are given the go-ahead. In addition, Lucasfilm Licensing devotes efforts to ensure continuity between the works of various authors across companies. George Lucas has played a large role in the production of various television projects, usually serving as storywriter or executive producer, as mentioned in Pablo Hidalgos article From EU to Episode II: Aayla Secura. Star Wars has had a number of radio adaptations, such as A New Hope which was first broadcast on National public radio in 1981(StarWars.com 2010) Since the creation Star Wars in 1977, so many different types of media have been created, even now there is currently the idea of a Blu-ray release and 3D release of the trilogies, all of this keeps the Star Wars franchise alive. As you can see the Star Wars franchise is so huge and successful it is a prime example of how cross-media narrative is used and been effective. Other successful franchises are Indiana Jones, Batman, Superman, X-Men and others. Now is this purely for the viewers benefit or is it for financial profit for the studio. This is what I hope to find out. 3 Types of Cross-Media Currently the main types of cross-media are TV shows that have been made into films and also TV shows that have created webisodes. Also I will show films that have spawned video games and video game that have spawned films. I will cover all these topics in this section, giving examples of franchises that have expanded there universe, a quick example being how Batman has gone on to make films, video games, cartoons, TV series, comics etc. 3.1 TV Shows made into Films Now and then certain TV Shows, are that successful that Films are made from the series, a good example of this is Sex and the City, and also the series Police Squad which went on to make the Naked Gun Trilogy. Sex and the City Sex and the City is an American Television series. The original run of the show was broadcast on HBO from 1998 until 2004, for a total of ninety-four episodes. The show was set in New York City, and it focused on four American women, three of them in their mid-thirties and one in her forties. The series had multiple continuing story lines throughout episodes and seasons and it tackled socially relevant issues such as sexually transmitted diseases, safe sex, and promiscuity. It specifically examined the lives of big-city professional women in the late 1990s/early 2000s and how changing roles and expectations for women affected the characters. A feature film based on Sex and the City has been produced. The film originally was slated for production near the end of the broadcast series run in 2004, but the movie deal fell through at that time. The film was later released in 2008 and Michael Patrick King wrote and directed. The four lead actresses returned to reprise their roles, and Chris Noth signed to reprise his role as Mr. Big. The plot of the film revolves around the lives of the four main characters, four years after the time frame of the finale of the series. The films world premiere was in Londons Leicester Square in early May 2008. The film was released on May 28, 2008 in the UK and was released May 30, 2008 in the US with an unprecedented $55.7 million three-day gross. The debut made Sex and the City the top-opening R-rated romantic comedy of all time. Police Squad Police Squad! Was a comedy TV series which was first broadcast in 1982. The show was a spoof of police dramas, packed with visual gags and non sequiturs. Despite critical acclaim, the show was cancelled after just six episodes. However these 6 episodes were enough to gain a strong cult following through repeat broadcasts, and this led to the 1988 film version The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! And two further sequels. Many gags from the show were recycled for the films (Roger Ebert 1988). The film The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! Performing well at the box office, grossing around $78,756,177 (Box Office Mojo (n, d)).It became a hit comedy, it became so popular that two sequels were created The Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear in 1991 and Naked Gun 33à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬Å": The Final Insult in 1994. The Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear was considered the most successful of the three, grossing around $86,930,411(Box Office Mojo (n, d)), while Naked Gun 33à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬Å": The Final Insult grossed $51,132,598 (Box Office Mojo (n, d)). Roger Ebert rated the first movie 3 1/2 out of four stars, and gave 3 stars to the two following films. The second film won a Golden Screen award for Best Picture. The creators stated this in a featurette for The Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear. 3.2 Films made into Video Games Most films when being created also make video games to accommodate the film. The story is usually similar to the film, we see this in James Camerons Avatar, but this is not always the case as film such as the Indiana Jones franchise, the video games tend to have their own story, just set in the same fictional universe. Avatar James Camerons Avatar is an epic science fiction film. The film is set in the year 2154, when humans are mining a precious mineral called unobtanium on Pandora, a lush moon of gas giant in the Alpha Centauri star system. The expansion of the mining colony threatens the continued existence of a local tribe of Navi, a sentient humanoid species indigenous to Pandora. The films title refers to the genetically engineered Navi-human hybrid bodies used by a team of researchers to interact with the natives of Pandora. Ubisoft Montreal was chosen by James Cameron to create an Avatar game for the film in 2007. The filmmakers and game developers collaborated heavily, and James Cameron decided to include some of Ubisofts vehicle and creature designs into the film. James Camerons Avatar: The Game was released on December 1, 2009, for most home video game consoles. James Camerons Avatar: The Game is 2009 is a 3rd person action video game. Speaking in an interview with MCV, It was announced by Ubisoft that it will be using the same technology as the film to be displayed in stereoscopic 3D (PSU 2009) Indiana Jones Indiana Jones is a fictional character in the Indiana Jones franchise. The characters full name is Dr. Henry Walton Indiana Jones, Jr and first appeared in Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981, is the first of four films, and pits Indiana Jones against the Nazis, who search for the Ark of the Covenant, in an attempt to make their army invincible. The film was to be followed by Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in 1984, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008. Other than the films the Indiana Jones franchise has a TV series, novels, comics, video games, and other media. The character has appeared in many licensed video games the latest being Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings, which was released on June 9, 2009 Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings is the third in the series of original 3D Indiana Jones games, preceded by Indiana Jones and the Emperors Tomb, and Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine. 3.3 Video Games made into Films When certain video games become increasingly popular there has always been speculation about making that game into a film. This is has happened with many games, such as Tomb Raider, Resident Evil, Hitman, Prince of Persia, and many others. The films may not always be true to the game but are usually a commercial success. One of the latest films that are under speculation to be made into a film is the PlayStation 3 game Uncharted. Tomb Raider Tomb Raider is a video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. Tomb Raider follows the exploits of Lara Croft, an English female archaeologist in search of ancient treasures kind of like Indiana Jones. It was originally released in 1996 for the Sega Saturn followed shortly thereafter for MS-DOS and PlayStation versions. Since the release of the original in 1996, the series developed into a lucrative franchise of related media, and Lara went on to become a major icon of the video game industry. The game was commercially and critically successful, and is considered widely influential according to Gamespots article 15 most influential games of all time Gamespot (n. d.). It spawned a number of sequels and a franchise of related media. Six games in the series were developed by Core Design, and the latest three by Crystal Dynamics. To date two movies, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, have been produced starring American actress Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider is a 2001 adventure film which was an adaptation from the Tomb Raider video game series, as it didnt follow the same story as in the game but instead had an entirely new story. A sequel, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life was released in 2003. Hitman Hitman is a stealth game developed by Danish company IO Interactive, now a division of Square Enix. The game series has since expanded into a novel, Hitman: Enemy Within and in 2007 a film was released loosely based on the storyline of the games. IESB has confirmed that 20th Century Fox has hired writer Kyle Ward to pen the script for the sequel to Hitman (IESB 2009) . Adrian Askarieh, Daniel Alter and Chuck Gordon will return as producers. Introducing British actor David Hess and Timothy Olyphant will return as 47 in June of 2010. 3.4 Films made into TV shows When a film has become really popular, it is often made into a TV show, to keep the story and the films universe alive. Star Wars has done this, with creating the animated TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Also Terminator has done this, by creating Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Star Wars Star Wars is an epic space opera franchise, best known for its 6 feature films; this consisted of two trilogies, the original trilogy and then the prequel trilogy. In 2008, Star Wars: The Clone Wars was released, and it was the first ever worldwide theatrical Star Wars film outside of the main trilogies. It was the franchises first animated film, and was intended as an introduction to the series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, a 3D CGI animated series based on a previous 2D animated series of a similar name made in 2003. Star Wars: The Clone Wars is a 3D CGI animated television series. It is set in the fictional Star Wars Galaxy, during the same time period as the previous 2003 series. The show itself takes place from 22 BBY (Before the battle of Yavin) to 20 BBY. Each episode has a running time of 22 minutes, to fill a half-hour time slot. Season 2 premiered on October 2, 2009 and now Star Wars: The Clone Wars has been granted a third season, beginning in October 2010. Terminator The Terminator series is a science fiction franchise encompassing a series of films and ancillary media concerning battles between Skynets artificial intelligent machine network, and John Connors Resistance forces and the rest of the human race. The Terminator is the original film which was released in 1984. The film has been followed by three sequels. The franchise has evolved to one of the most successful franchises of all time (IGN 2006), which includes video games and a TV series. From the success of the franchise, a spin-off was created titled Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles with Lena Headey as Sarah Connor and Thomas Dekker as John Connor. The series, created by Josh Friedman, centers on Sarah and John after Terminator 2 as they try to live under the radar after the explosion at Cyberdyne. Summer Glau plays a female Terminator protecting the Connors. The series premiered on Sunday, January 13, 2008. Production for the series was provided by Terminator 2 and Terminator 3 producers and it consisted of 2 seasons. Season one with nine, 40 minute episodes, and Season two with twenty two, 40 minute episodes. The Terminator Franchise has had a measurable impact on popular culture, most notably James Camerons original films, The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The film franchise placed it at 17 on the top 25 greatest film franchises of all time by IGN and is also in the top 25 grossing franchises of all time. 3.5 TV Shows that have created Webisodes Many TV shows have made webisodes lately, these shows include, Heroes, Chuck, and The Office: An America Workplace. Heroes Heroes, is a science fiction TV drama series by Tim Kring that tells the stories of ordinary people who discover extraordinary abilities, and how these abilities take effect in the characters lives. The series emulates the aesthetic style and storytelling of Comic Books, using short, multi-episode story arcs that build upon a larger, more encompassing arc. Since its beginning there have now been 4 seasons and a number of webseries. The first Heroes webseries was released on July 14, 2008 between seasons 2 and 3, called Going Postal. It was a trilogy of online-only videos introducing Echo DeMille, a seemingly ordinary mailman with an extraordinary ability. On November 10, 2008 during Season 3, the second Heroes webseries, Destiny, was released. This webseries is a quadrilogy. A Month after the third Heroes webseries, The Recruit, was released on December 15, 2008. The Recruit introduces Rachel Mills, a marine who survives the explosion at Pinehearst. This follows the finale of volume three. Also in that month the fourth Heroes webseries, Hard Knox, was released. Hard Knox flashes back to 18 months ago, to a time when Matt Parkman knew the villain, Knox, before his abilities began to manifest. Following Hard Knox, Nowhere Man was released in April 2009, and it picked up where the third season leaves off, focusing on the life of Eric Doyle. Then on September 28, 2009, Slow Burn began airing alongside Season 4. It showed behind-the-scenes goings-on of the Sullivan Bros. Carnival as it follows the character of Lydia, revealing she has a pyrokinetic daughter named Amanda who she discovers is in trouble and tries to help. Chuck Chuck is an action-comedy television series created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The show centers around the main character Chuck Bartowski an average computer-whiz-next-door, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working in the CIA; the message embeds the only remaining copy of the worlds greatest spy secrets into Chucks brain. It currently has 3 seasons, and 3 webseries. It has Chuck Versus the Webisodes, which consists of 5 Buy More training videos. Meet the Nerd Herders, which also contains 5 webisodes, each video contains staff from the Buy More, giving their thoughts on specific topics. The third webseries is Morgans Vlog, which is a video blog, it has 4 parts, but the first 3 parts, are Morgan and Chuck on making a movie end a lot quicker, and the fourth episodes is Morgans view on movie villains. The Office: An American Workplace The Office: An American Workplace is an adaptation of the BBC series, The Office a Mockumentary created by Ricky Gervais and Stephan Merchant, the series depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania, branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. To simulate the look of an actual documentary, it is filmed in a single-camera setup, without a studio audience or any canned laughter. There has currently been 6 webseries, the first being The Accountants which aired between the second and third seasons. The webisodes follow the accountants Angela, Oscar, and Kevin as they try to find out who stole $3,000 from the books. Between the fourth and fifth seasons, the summer webisode series Kevins Loan was released in four weekly episodes, the first premiering on July 10, 2008. Then during the airing of the fifth season, the winter webisode series The Outburst was released in weekly episodes, the first premiering on November 20, 2008. At the conclusion of the fifth season, the summer webisode series Blackmail was released similarly to the previous two, in weekly episodes. During the sixth season, the webisode series Subtle Sexuality aired in its entirety on October 29, 2009. The series focuses on Kelly and Erin forming their own girl group, called Subtle Sexuality. The first two webisodes document the behind-the-scenes aspects and troubles of shooting the music video for their first single Male Prima Donna, while the third and final webisode is the music video itself, which features Ryan as a guest rapper and Andy singing the bridge. Also during the sixth season, the webisode series The Mentor aired in its entirety on March 4, 2010. Erin wants to be an accountant so Angela decides to train her. But, Erins relationship with Kelly turns bad when she spends too much time with Angela. Kelly and Ryan then interfere in Angela and Erins relationship. 4 Financial Successes After seeing how many games are made into films and films are made into games, I wanted to see if financially it is a success. Is it worth expanding the franchise if the financial profit is not there? 4.1 Game to Film Tomb Raider Lara Croft: Tomb Raider Budget $115,000,000 Gross Revenue $274,703,340 (Box Office Guru 2001) Tomb Raider debuted at number one with $48.2 million, giving Paramount its second-best debut and the fourth-highest debut of 2001. It beat the opening record for a film featuring a female protagonist, and it is currently the most successful video game adaptation to date, grossing $300,000,000 worldwide. Cradle of Life Budget $120,000,000 Gross Revenue $156,505,388 Despite its better review, Cradle of Life suffered a disappointing opening weekend, as it debuted in fourth place with a take of $21.7 million (Box Office Mojo 2003) a 55% drop from the originals opening gross of $47.7 million (Box Office Mojo 2001). The film finished with a domestic gross of only $65 million; therefore it had to rely on the foreign box office to make a profit. Its total earnings amounted to $156.5 million, which represented a loss of $118 million when compared to the success of the original; the loss nearly equals the cost of Cradle of Lifes budget alone. Figures for the Tomb Raider movies come from the weekend box office websites, box office mojo and box office guru. Hitman Hitman Budget $23,000,000 Gross Revenue $99,965,792 Hitman opened in 2,458 theaters in the United States and Canada, grossing $13,180,769 in its opening weekend, ranking fourth at the box office. As of July 2, 2008, the film has grossed $39,687,694 (Box Office Mojo (n, d) in the United States and Canada and $60,245,563 in other territories for a worldwide total of $99,933,257. The films DVD sales equal $27,858,148 in the US alone, putting the total profits for Hitman at around $128 million. The figures established from the box office data, on the website the-numbers.com 4.2 Film to Game Avatar James Camerons Avatar videogame has not been as successful as the film; Ubisoft has sold over 1.3 million copies of the game worldwide across all platforms (GamerLive.TV 2010). According to Michael Pachter, video game analyst for webush securities, Ubisoft shipped 2.5 million copies of the game at launch. He also believes that with Blu-ray and DVD releases of the movie there could be another push for the game at retail. But for the most part, the game has sold what its going to sell. He said the poor reviews that Ubisofts game received hurt hardcore gamer sales. 5 Receptions The reception of films and video games has always been vital, as reviews can determine whether a film or game can be successful. I looked at reviews and I also did some user tests, to see if they get involved or not with cross-media so they can try to feel every part of that universe. 5.1 Reviews I shall look at reviews of the two Tomb Raider Films, Hitman film and Avatar: The Game. Tomb Raider (Films) Lara Croft: Tomb Raider The film received generally negative reviews, with rotten tomatoes giving it an approval rating of 19%, with 27 out of 140 critics giving it a positive review all with an average rating of 3.9/10 (Rotten Tomatoes (n, d)). The general consensus is Angelina Jolie is perfect for the role of Lara Croft, but even she cant save the movie from a senseless plot and action sequences with no emotional impact. An unlikely positive review came from Roger Ebert who awarded the film three out of four stars and said, Lara Croft Tomb Raider elevates goofiness to an art form. Here is a movie so monumentally silly, yet so wondrous to look at, that only a churl could find fault. It was controversial for its many objectionable plots like an evil thing in a Hindu temple and breaking statues of a World heritage site. Cradle of Life Cradle of Life received slightly higher reviews than the original, with a 23% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 151 reviews (Rotten Tomatoes (n, d)) and a 43/100 rating on Metacritic (Metacritic (n, d)). It was described by Salon as a highly enjoyable summer thrill ride (Salon 2003). Roger Ebert gave the film 3 out of four stars, stating that the film was better than the first one, more assured, more entertaining..it uses imagination and exciting locations to give the movie the same kind of pulp adventure feeling we get from the Indiana Jones movies (Roger Ebert 2003). Cradle of Life was as heavily panned as its predecessor. Wesley Morris of the Boston Globe wrote, Its a bullet-riddled National Geographic special that produces a series of dumb, dismal shootouts that are so woefully choreographed theres reason to believe Debbie Allen may be behind them (boston.com (n, d)). Hitman (Film) The Hitman film has been almost universally panned by critics. The most common complaints are a lacking, often confusing plot, dry acting and extreme violence. On the film review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, Hitman has received a rating of 14% based on 98 reviews (Rotten Tomatoes (n, d)). However, film critic Roger Ebert gave it three stars out of four, saying Hitman stands right on the threshold between video games and art. On the wrong side of the threshold, but still, give it credit. On the Metacritic website, the film has received a Metascore of 35 out of 100 based on 22 reviews (Metacritic (n, d)). In 2009, Time listed the film on their list of top ten worst video games movies (Time (n, d)). Avatar (Video Game) Avatar: The Game has received mixed reception. It has been criticized for the games linear gameplay and said its controls are unintuitive and camera sloppy. The Wii version received mediocre scores mostly, having poor camera angling, frame rate and storytelling, but visuals and controls were spoken well of. The PC version garnered a Metascore of 65 on Metacritic (Metacritic (n, d)). On IGN, the game received a score of 5.9 for Wii, and 6.8 for the other consoles (IGN (n, d)). It got a 5.5 on Gamespot for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, while it got a 4.0 for the PSP edition (Gamespot (n, d)). In contrast, according to Meant to be Seen (MTBS), the PC version fared much better with a rating of 8.2 out of 10. Its rationale is PC stereoscopic 3D displays are readily available. The reviewer of MTBS said In a year or two when S-3D gaming is much more common, I really think Avatar: The Game will be a regularly cited example that demonstrates how things should be done and what the artistic potential is behind good 3D gaming (MTBS 2009). Also, Gamesradar.com gave the Wii version a score of 7 out of 10, saying, Youll love that the forest world is lush and nicely realized, fun stealth-focused combat, and an overall a surprisingly decent movie tie-in. However, the site also said that, Youll hate heaps of ugly clipping; control frustrations hamper its stealthy nature, and its repetitive goals (Gamesradar 2009) Indiana Jones (Video Game) Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings has received average reviews from the critics, Metacritic gave it an average of 55% (Metacritic (n, d)) The most universal criticism of the Wii version is the poorly implemented and only partially responsive motion controls. IGN gave it a 5.0/10 praising its interface, graphic effects, amount of extras, interactive levels, and varied gameplay, but criticizing its stupidly implemented motion controls(IGN 2009). The Origin (A.V. Club) gave it an F, a 0 on the Metacritic scale, calling the motion controls inexcusable and stating the games best aspect was the inclusion of the point-and-click adventure Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, further adding it surpasses Staff of Kings in everything, but the Gamecube-like graphics. Gamespot gave it a 3.5/10, criticizing its terribly laid-out checkpoints, out-of-date visuals and atrocious, annoying motion controls (AV Club 2009). 5.2 User Test Next is my User test, I will first outline the test, then analyse the questionnaire. 5.2.1 Outline of test The test consists of a list of questions which will be about which films, games, TV shows, and webisodes, people have seen and if they have seen or played them, because they have seen or played the original game, film, TV show and webisodes, example if you have seen the Avatar film have you played the game. I will try to get 20 people to fill out the questionnaire, and I will then analyse the results. Appendix: 5.2.2 Analysis of Questionnaire After completing my testing, this was the list of my results from the questionnaire that were filled out. I list them in a table with a 1 representing you had seen or played the media, and a 0 representing that you havent. I made the table more visual by highlighting the majority people who had watched or played both types of media from the same franchise. I highlighted the people who had watched the most (more or equal to 7), in terms of 2 of the same franchise, and I also highlighted the franchises which had been seen or played the most (more or equal to 7) this gave me a cross section of which is cross-media works best and which age group it appeals to more. After completing the testing and analyses you can see that majority of the results point at TV shows who expand their franchise, and that it is mainly 22-24 year olds who who follow the franchise. The trend in the age range seems to be if they like a show, they will follow it in different media. I will compare this to reviews to see if it is coincidence or if the reviews are generally responsible for this kind of response. 5.3 Compare Reviews and User Test Comparing the reviews from section 5.1 I looked at with table of results I created I have come to the conclusion, that if the review is bad then more often than not the audience wont go to watch or play that medium. The only exception I came across was Tomb Raider, in which both film reviews were poor, an average of 3.1/10, it still did increasingly well at the box office. There is even talk o