Friday, November 29, 2019

Social Aspects of Information Technology

Executive Summary This is part one of a report that was prepared with reference to week eight of the activity that involved creating a social network. The activity was centered on the marketing of a clothing fashion brand through a group page created on Facebook. This report details the step-by-step procedure of creating the social network on Facebook, the experience of the group during the social networking process and the eventual outcome of the activity.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Social Aspects of Information Technology specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Creating a Social Network We followed a systematic schedule in the creation of a social network for part one of the report. The activities of the group began in week 2 with the brainstorming of ideas for the search and choice of a brand that we wanted to promote through the use of a social media platform. The group had only one member at this point. In we ek three, the activities of the group intensified as the group membership increased to three people. We narrowed down the ideas we generated during our brainstorming phase of the activity by choosing our preferred brand and a social networking platform. We specifically settled on Kalimah Brand as our preferred brand and Facebook as our preferred social networking website. The Procedure and Outcome of the Social Networking Activity Kalimah Brand is a prolific clothing line that is based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The brand specializes in the manufacture and distribution of top notch fashion clothing that caters for the needs of customers across the market demographics. Our choice of Kalimah Brand was primarily informed by the company’s online presence. The brand operates at the Kalimah e-store through which it distributes its vibrant fashion and clothing varieties. We reckoned that this would make it easier for us to integrate and synergize the online visibility of the Kalimah e -store with our interactions and our target customers on our Facebook page. The choice of Facebook being our preferred social media platform, was influenced by the popularity and end-user friendly characteristics of Facebook in comparison to other social media platforms such as Twitter and Myspace. We sufficiently established that Facebook would guarantee easy integration between our target individual clothing items of the Kalimah Brand, the Kalimah e-store, and our group page. Moreover, we recognized that the use of Facebook among the population is more widespread in Saudi Arabia compared to the other social media networks. As such, this provided the group with a great potential to reach out as many customers as possible while creating a huge fan base for our group’s discussion board and forum.Advertising Looking for report on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In week four, our activities had boiled down to the actua l social media marketing on Facebook. We modified our group page and added a fan page to the main group page so as the solicit feedback from our followers. We created different demographic categories that mainly included â€Å"Women† and â€Å"Men† for our targeted marketing of products. We then proceeded to upload 15 pictures for the â€Å"Women† category. Our membership increased to five people with the addition of a new group member â€Å"Mehdi† having been the hallmark activity of the week. The quality of our discussion forum similarly improved tremendously. Our fan page particularly contributed towards creating a feedback-oriented discussion forum for our group page. Week five saw our membership increase to eight with the upload of 20 pictures for the â€Å"Men† category of our brand’s products having taken the center stage. Our activities went a notch higher in week six when we promoted ladies’ t-shirts for summer. Our Facebook group page became more active following the growth of our membership to 13 people. We were particularly impressed by the response of customers on our Facebook page as many people began to inquire about the store manufacturer, the location of the store, and delivery methods for products. By week seven, our membership had doubled to 26 people and the number of inquiries about our brand’s products continued to increase. Conclusion The success of our group was largely motivated by the high quality standards of clothes from the Kalimah Brand. It was easy to sell these products because their photographs were evidently appealing encouraging prospective customers to seek for more information. The ease of feedback communication was the biggest advantage of social media networking that we experienced during this group activity. This report on Social Aspects of Information Technology was written and submitted by user Angela W. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Monday, November 25, 2019

The Different Cultures Interaction on the Labor Day Carnival

The Different Cultures Interaction on the Labor Day Carnival The Labor Day carnival, which is a yearly multicultural extravaganza, is hosted at Crown Heights in Brooklyn New York. The parade takes place along the Eastern Parkway and attracts millions of participants and spectators.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Different Cultures Interaction on the Labor Day Carnival specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Despite this event taking place in the USA and being organized by Americans, it draws a crowd consisting of people from different cultures mostly from Caribbean islands, Belize in Central America and Guyana in South America. The parade involves a colorful display of costumes accompanied by Calypso and Soca music indigenous from Trinidad and Tobago. This flamboyant affair is organized and financed by the West Indian American Day Carnival Association (Moss, 2007). This gathering of people from different cultures is a clear indication of the growth of the American socie ty and illustrates how they have learnt to live together despite their different backgrounds. The interaction of different cultures is a proof of diversity at its best, and the success stories written about the carnival show intercultural maturity in the USA. These celebrations are done during the national Labor Day celebrations and are a show of solidarity of the American people with the rest of the world (Flower, 2010). The interaction between the different people has resulted in them understanding other people’s culture, and thus making them less judgmental of others. When such events take place, they leave very little room for any group of people to feel like they are outsiders in a foreign land. Thus, the event fosters togetherness in any society since life in a cosmopolitan city like New York consists of interactions between people from different places and all of them have their own way of life (Ruben Randy 2012).Advertising Looking for research paper on cultu ral studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The importance of people who are not natives from America being able to organize a multicultural event that allows other people of a different culture to showcase their cultural heritage is a reflection of how welcoming the American society is for other people regardless of their ancestral origin. America boasts of diversity that is unrivaled elsewhere in the world since its community is made up of people from all over the world (Flower, 2010). These annual celebrations have become a part of the new culture created by these interactions and as a result the celebration has found its way into the national calendar of events. The various people with different cultures that came together to interact have since led to the creation of a new culture that includes all the residents of New York. This has even attracted tourists to the event. Even though the event has had incidences of viol ence and some elements of insecurity the organizers have found a way of curbing them (Flower, 2010). The carnival is a tourist attraction and has led to the popularization of the event which has further inspired musicians such as Bob Marley and Jay Z to perform. The parade has shown how people can co-exist peacefully if only they can learn from each other’s culture and understand and at the same time appreciate the role that each of them plays in the society (Moss, 2007). Despite the carnival being suspended for five years due to the violence experienced then, the organizers were able to deal with the incidences and the celebrations were again permitted. The ability of this event to grow from the late 1940s to date shows how cultural resilience prospers and how the different cultures get over their differences and resume planning an incidents-free celebration (Ruben Randy 2012). In conclusion, the Labor Day carnival as a festival in New York is a very prominent indication of diversity in the American society. The various cultures brought together by this celebration clearly show the multicultural nature of this society and their efforts to integrate others in their society.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Different Cultures Interaction on the Labor Day Carnival specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Flower, Linda. Learning to rival: A literate practice for intercultural inquiry. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2010. Print. Moss, Frank. The American metropolis from Knickerbocker days to the present time. London, UK: McGraw Hill, 2007. Print. Ruben, Liz Leonard, Randy. â€Å"Two Men Fatally Stabbed and Two are Shot as Violence Follows Parade†. The New York Times. 4 September, 2012. Web.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

How does Technology Affect the Law, How does the Law Affect Technology Essay - 1

How does Technology Affect the Law, How does the Law Affect Technology - Essay Example The need for regulating activities and the hold of something that bears to the extent between what is legal and what is not yields the amalgamation of all these features of our day-to-day lives. It affects us to extents further than we are consciously aware of. The popularity of search engines for example opens up a number of disputes that directly involves different areas of the law. It is almost inconceivable these days to imagine a life without search engines. The fame and continued success of Google alone is a testament to this. It enables us to access almost anything within a split second. Google has also even become a verb which indicates searching in your name and peeking what the engine has rendered. This alone gives a wider perspective on what this one feature of the internet has permitted its users to benefit from. This consequently leads to a mature realization upon scrutiny. An objective overview shows that there had been many discussions regarding laws pertaining to contract, consumer protection, trademark, property, reference, patent, copyright and many others. The most logical resolution to the regulation of search engines necessitates a better comprehension of a structure. There is a failure in addressing the different claims in terms of legality in reference to what the courts and the congress has provided for these claims. The regulation of these engines initiated debates that differ between the call for a need of a stricter agency regulation or free market. Some more conventional scholars argue that it is better to provide restrictions to limit the level of availability of data while the other argument maintains that it is upon the market to identify contraventions without legal meddling (Moffat, pp. 476-378). There are times when the law has to catch up because of significant surges of technology. It is a common occurrence that the needed change may be at a significantly slower rate than what is required. It

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

WEB SITE RESEARCH PROJECT (US History) Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

WEB SITE PROJECT (US History) - Research Paper Example An influential American artist during that time was Jackson Pollock. It was in the middle of the 1940s when Pollock introduced his drip method which immediately attracted the attention of the American public since it was unconventional. The drip method defied the conventional use of the easel for painting, instead, stick and stiff brushes were used by Pollock. The drip method of painting can be considered as the origin of action painting which is popularly held annually is public museums. Moreover, Pollock painted on the floor, not in the traditional upright position. Again, he was making a statement, trying to defy the traditional method practiced during his time. It can also be inferred from the presentation that Pollack achieved cult status since he was credited for changing the face of art through American methods. The website chosen is an article about Jackson Pollock. This article was chosen over other websites since it portrays and analyzes not only the works of the man but the man himself too.The article titled â€Å" Last Dance† is an art review of the works done by Pollock throughout his career. It was titled â€Å"Last Dance† since the critic sees Pollock as a graceful dancer when executing his paintings. As Haber claims â€Å"He laid it on with care, in dabs of black and skeins of intense color. He let it run off as he circled a canvas, as if it flowed from the motion of his body† ( paragraph 1 ). This article highlights Pollock’s genius in combining murals and drama as expressed by the use of Cubism, similar to that of Mexican muralists. After criticizing Pollock’s self-portrait, the critic then narrates the interesting and exciting journeys of Pollock into his life as an artist. The critic considers Pollock a rebel in expressing Abstract Art through his ( Pollock’s) extensive use of drippings that seem to be random but would converge later and produce a work of Art. In fact Haber’s critic

Monday, November 18, 2019

Religion and Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Religion and Science - Essay Example This is due to the fact that some scientists turn out to be religious and some religious leaders also are scientists. This paper provides critical comments regarding three different questions that comprise of controversy between science and theology. The first exercise concerns Copernicus theory, postulated by a great scientist called Copernicus. Copernicus was a University trained Catholic priest dedicated to astronomy (Russell 59). Ancient scientists, theologians and philosophers strived to explain how the world operates and how it came into existence. Copernicus was not an exceptional. He endeavored to explain planets and the sun are interrelated. According to the astronomical method developed by Copernicus, the sun is positioned at the center of the universe with the Earth and other planets revolving around it in circular paths modified by epicycles and at uniform speeds. The model postulated by Copernicus deviated from an earlier model, the Ptolemaic system that had prevailed in western countries for centuries that placed the earth at the center of the universe (Russell 92). Although the Copernicus theory could predict accurately the relative distance of the planets from the sun it could not produce more accurate predictions of planetary positions. It appeared not to agree with common sense and also contradict the bible. Basing, on theological, physical and astronomical perspectives some thinkers like Tycho Brahe, objected the idea by Copernicus of the earth moving. Probably that might have been the reason why theologians rejected Copernicus theory, even though Copernicus had dedicated his book to the Pope (Russell 79). Seen as a smart move, Copernicus book’s publisher, Oisander, added a preface that seemed to shield Copernicus from any wrong doing .The publisher stated in the preface that the theory of the earth’s motion was put forward as theory and not as a conclusion suggesting it was the absolute truth. The approach

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Literature Review on Volatility

Literature Review on Volatility Literature Review What is Volatility? Volatility is defined as the spread of all likely outcomes of an uncertain variable (Poon, 2005). Statistically, it is often measured as the sample standard deviation (as seen below), but can also be measured by variance. Where rt = return on day t, and ÃŽÂ ¼ = average return over the T-day period. The common misconception is to equate volatility to risk. However, whilst volatility is related to risk, it is not the same. Risk represents an undesirable outcome, whilst volatility is a measure for uncertainty that could arise from a positive outcome. Furthermore, volatility as a measure for the spread of a distribution contains no information on the shape, this represents another reason for volatility being an imperfect measure for risk. The sole exception to this being a normal distribution or lognormal distribution where mean and standard deviation are appropriate statistics for the whole distribution (Poon, 2005). In dealing with volatility as a subject matter in financial markets, the focus is on the spread of asset returns. High volatility is generally undesirable as it indicates security values are unreliable and capital markets arent functioning efficiently (Poon, 2005; Figlewski, 1997). Financial market volatility has been the subject of much research and the number of studies continues to rise since Poon and Granger (2003)s original survey first identified 93 papers in the field. A whole host of drivers for volatility have been explored (including political events, macroeconomic factors and investors behavior) in an attempt to better capture volatility and decrease risk (Poon, 2005). This study will add to that list, hoping to contribute something novel to the field by scrutinizing the appropriateness of different volatility models for different country indexes. The Importance of Volatility Forecasting Investment strategies, Portfolio Optimization and Asset Valuation Volatility when taken as uncertainty transforms into an important component in a wide range of financial applications including Investment strategies for trading or hedging, Portfolio optimization and Asset price valuation. The Markowitz mean-variance portfolio theory (Markowitz, 1952), Capital Asset Pricing Model (Sharpe, 1964) and Sharpe ratio (Sharpe 1966) signify three cornerstones for optimal decision-making and measurement of performance, advocating a focus on the risk-return interrelationship with volatility taken as a risk proxy. With Investors and portfolio managers having limits as to the risk they can bear, accurate forecasts of the volatility of asset prices for long-term horizons is necessary to reliably assess investment risk. Such forecasts allow investors to be better informed and hold stocks for longer rather than constantly reallocating their portfolio in reaction to movements in prices; an often expensive exercise in general (Poon and Granger, 2003). In terms of st ock price valuation French, et al. (1987) analyse NYSE common stocks for the period of 1928-1984 and find expected market risk premium to be positively related to the predictable volatility of stock returns, which is further strengthened by the indirect relationship between stock market returns and the unexpected change in the volatility of stock returns. Derivatives pricing Volatility is a key element in Modern option pricing theory that enables estimation of the fair value of options and other derivative instruments. According to Poon and Granger (2003) the trading volume of derivative securities had quadrupled in the recent years leading up to their research and since then this growth has accelerated with the global derivatives market now estimated to be around $544 Trillion excluding credit default swaps and commodity contracts (BIS, 2017). As one of five input variables (including Stock Price, Strike price, time to maturity and risk-free interest rate), expected volatility over the options life in the Black-Scholes model theorized by Black and Scholes (1973) is crucially also the only variable that is not directly observable and must be forecast (Figlewski, 1997). Implied volatility and realized volatility can be computed by referencing observed market prices for options and historical data. Whilst the former is attractive for requiring little input data and delivering excellent results when analysed in some empirical studies compared to time series models utilizing just historical information, it is deficient by not having a firm statistical basis and different strike prices yielding different implied volatilities creating confusion over which implied volatility to use (Tse, 1991; Poon, 2005). Lengthening maturities of derivative instruments also weakens the assumption that volatility realized in the recent past can be used as a fairly reliable proxy for volatility in the near future. (Figlewski, 1997). With recent developments, derivatives written on volatility can now also be purchased whereby volatility represents the underlying asset, thus further necessitating volatility forecasting practices (Poon and Granger, 2003). Financial Risk Management Volatility forecasting plays a significant role in Financial Risk Management of the finance and banking industries. The practice aids in estimation of value-at-risk (VaR), a measure introduced by the Basel Committee in 1996 through an amendment to the Basel Accords (an international standard for minimum capital requirement among international banks to safeguard against various risks). Whilst many risks are examined within, volatility forecasting is most relevant for Market risk and VaR. However, calculating VaR is necessary only if banks choose to adopt its own internal proprietary model for calculating market risk related capital requirement. By choosing to do so, there is greater flexibility for banks in specifying model parameters but with an attached condition of regular backtesting of the internal model. Apart from banks, other financial institutions may also use VaR voluntarily for internal risk management purposes. (Poon and Granger 2003; Poon 2005) Christoffersen and Diebold (2000) do however contend the limits of relevance of Volatility Forecasting for Financial Risk Management, arguing that for reliable forecastablity much depends on whether the horizon of interest is of a short term or long-term nature (taken to be more than 10 or 20 days) with the practice deemed more relevant for the former than the latter due to the limitations in forecastability. Policymaking Financial market volatility can have wide-reaching consequences on economies. As an example, large recessions create ambiguity and hinder public confidence. To counter such negative impacts and disruptions, policy makers utilize market estimates of volatility as a means for identifying the vulnerability of financial markets, equipping them with more reliable and complete information with which to respond with appropriate policies. (Poon and Granger, 2003) The Federal Reserve of the United States is one such entity that incorporates volatility of various financial instruments into its monetary policy decision-making (Nasar, 1991). Bernanke and Gertler (2000) explore the degree to which implications of asset price volatility impact monetary policy decision-making. A side-by-side comparison of U.S. and Japanese monetary policy is the basis of the study. The researchers find that inflation-targeting is desirable, however, monetary policy decisions based on changes in asset prices should only be made to the extent that such changes help to forecast inflationary or deflationary pressures. Meanwhile, Bomfim (2003) investigates the relationship between monetary policy and stock market volatility from the other perspective. Interest rate policy decisions that carry an element of surprise appear to increase short run, stock market volatility significantly with positive surprises also having a greater effect than negative surprises. Empirical stylized facts of asset returns and volatility Any attempt to model volatility appropriately must be done with an understanding of the common, recurring set of properties identified from numerous empirical studies carried out across financial instruments, markets and time periods. Contrary to the event-based theory in which it is hypothesized different assets respond differently to different economic and political events, empirical studies show that different assets do in fact share some generalizable, qualitative statistical properties. Volatility models should thus seek to capture these features of asset returns and volatility so as to enhance the forecasting process; herein lays the challenge. (Cont, 2001; Bollerslev et al 1994) Presented are some of these stylized facts, along with their corresponding empirical studies that have contributed to the evolving literature aimed at improving volatility-forecasting practices and which this study will also look to capture. Return Distributions Stock Market returns are not normally distributed and it is therefore an unsuitable distribution for modeling returns according to Mandelbrot (1963) and Fama (1965). Returns are approximately symmetrical but can display negative skewness and significantly have leptokurtic features (excess kurtosis with heavier tails and taller, narrower peaks than found in a normal distribution) that see large moves occur with greater frequency than under normal distributions (Sinclair, 2013). Cont (2001) asserts that these large moves in the form of gains and losses are asymmetric by nature with the scale of downward movements in stock index values dwarfing upward movements. He further argues that the introduction of GARCH-type models to counter the effects of volatility clustering can reduce the heaviness of tails in the residual time series to some small extent. However, as GARCH models can at times struggle to fully incorporate heavy-tail features of returns, this has necessitated the use of alte rnative distributions such as the students t-distribution employed in Bollerslev (1987). Alberg et al (2008) employ a skewed version of this distribution to various models with the EGARCH model delivering the best performance in forecasting the volatility of Tel Aviv stock indices. Cont (2001) does however also highlight an important consideration with the notion of aggregational gaussianity that as one increases time scale (t) for calculation of returns, the distribution of returns seems more normally distributed in appearance. Leverage effect/Asymmetric volatility In most markets, volatility and returns are negatively correlated (Cont, 2001). First elucidated by Black (1976) and particularly prevalent for stock indices, Volatility will tend to increase when stock price declines. The justification for this is because a decline in equity stock price will increase a companys debt-to-equity ratio and consequently its risk and volatility (Figlewski and Wang, 2000; Engle and Patton, 2001). Importantly, this relationship is asymmetric, with negative returns having a more marked effect on volatility than positive returns as documented by Christie (1982) and Schwert, (1989). However they also argue that the leverage effect is not enough on its own to explain all of the change in volatility with Christie (1982) incorporating interest rate as another element that has a partial effect. Hence, whilst, ARCH (Engle, 1982) and GARCH (Bollerslev, 1986) models do well to account for volatility clustering and leptokurtosis, their symmetric distribution fails to account for the leverage effect. In response to this, various asymmetric modifications of GARCH have been developed, the most significant of these being Exponential GARCH (EGARCH; Nelson, 1991) and GJR (Glosten et al, 1993). Other models like GARCH-in-Mean have also endeavored to capture the leverage effect along with the risk premium effect, another concept that has been theorized to contribute to volatility asymmetry by studies such as Schwert (1989) (Engle and Patton, 2001). Volatility Distribution The distribution of volatility is taken to be approximately log-normal. Various studies such as Andersen et al (2001) have postulated this. More significantly than the actual distribution is the high positive skewness indicating volatility spends longer in lower states than higher states. (Sinclair, 2013) Volatility-Volume correlation All measures of volatility and trading volume are highly positively correlated (Cont, 2001). Lee and Rui (2002) show this relationship to be foundationally robust, however what is more complex is determining the causality between the two. Strong arguments can be made either way. As an example, Brooks (1998) utilizes linear and non-linear Granger causality tests and finds the relationship to be stronger from volatility to volume than the converse. He concludes by highlighting that for forecasting accuracy, predicting volume using volatility is more productive than forecasting stock index volume and using such forecasts in trading. According to Gallant et al (1992) this relationship is also closely linked with the leverage effect and incorporating lagged volume weakens the effect considerably. Non-Constant Volatility Volatility is not constant. The changing nature of volatility occurs in a particular manner; Merton (1980) was critical of researchers who failed to incorporate this feature in their models. Firstly volatility is mean reverting. Indeed LeBaron (1992) found a strong negative relationship between volatility and autocorrelation for stock indices in the United States. Secondly, Volatility clusters. This is a phenomenon first noted by Mandelbrot (1963) that allows a good estimation of future volatility based on current volatility. Other studies such as Chou (1988) have also empirically shown the existence of clustering. Mandelbrot (1963) wrote, large changes tend to be followed by large changes of either sign, and small changes tend to be followed by small changes. In other words, a turbulent day of trading usually comes after another turbulent trading day, whilst a calm period will usually be followed by another calm period. Importantly, the phenomenon is not exclusive to the underlying product and can be seen in stock indices, commodities and currencies. It also tends to be more pronounced in developed than emerging markets. (Taylor, 2008; Sinclair, 2013) Engle and Patton (2001) argue that volatility clustering indicates volatility goes through phases whereby periods of high volatility eventually give way to more normal volatility with the contrary also holding. Engles (1982) landmark paper incorporated these features of volatility persistence using his ARCH model, whereby time varying, non-constant volatility that persists in high or low states is taken account of.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Values and Technology in Ibsens An Enemy of the People and Becketts Waiting for Godot :: comparison compare contrast essays

Values and Technology in Ibsen's An Enemy of the People and Beckett's Waiting for Godot Literature has been an outlet for authors to express the importance of human values to the literate public. However, even before a good majority of the general public was literate, there were people who learned various stories either from the bible, historical stories, etc. This gave the public a chance to see a story and take the different lessons out of the play. The public could decide whether or not to utilize the lessons in their daily lives. In two different plays ("An Enemy of the People" and "Waiting for Godot"), both authors develop very different societies that display different human values, different situations that one could face in his or her own life, and how technology has helped or hindered the new developing society of today. In Arthur Miller's adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's play "An Enemy of the People," the Stockman Family is faced with many different difficult decisions to make. Dr. Stockman tests the water at a local therapeutic spa; however, when he gets the results back, no one cares to hear the truth. Dr. Stockman represents the importance of honesty in a job. Dr. Stockman has a wealth of knowledge about the chemistry and the bacteria that is causing illness to all of the people that visit this healing place. In contrast to Dr. Stockman, Peter Stockman, his brother, shows the possible corruption that can occur in positions of power. Peter Stockman ultimately shows disloyalty to his brother and is responsible for Dr. Stockman and his family's outcast and downfall. Peter Stockman is obsessed with how he is viewed in the townspeople's eyes, his re-election. This decision to betray his brother led to his nephews fighting at school, rocks being thrown into his family member's home, and possibly the death, even though it is not specifically stated in the play, of his own family members. Where is the line drawn for personal gain and happiness when it interferes with other people happiness and well being? Ibsen shows what can happen to someone (Dr. Stockman) if he is not aware of the opposing forces that are out in the world in many different forms (Peter Stockman). Ibsen shows the importance of compromise, honesty, teamwork, knowledge, and intelligence.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Poetic Techniques Employed by Robert Herrick Essay

Much of the poetry of the 17th century was heavily romantic, focusing on damsels and decadent parties where the Roman wine God Bacchaus ruled supreme. Amongst the movements’ teachings was the idea of â€Å"Carpe Diem† – the Latin phrase for â€Å"seize the day†. Herrick, fascinated by this ancient philosophy, centred many of his poems on the theme, cautioning people to use their time wisely. Robert Herrick was one of the â€Å"Tribe of Ben†, a group of poets who followed and were inspired by the works of the dramatist Ben Jonson. The Cavalier Poets were seen as followers of Ben Jonson because, in the words of Professor Jennifer Mooney, â€Å"they drank with, rhymed with and modeled themselves after Jonson.† The name â€Å"Cavalier† was given to the group as they were a movement who believed in living life to the full. Anniina Jokinen states: â€Å"They treat life cavalierly, indeed, and sometimes they treat poetic convention cavalierly too† They glorified the ordinary rather than great historical or fantastical epics. However it is not only this group of poets that Herrick is connected with, but with the Carpe Diem poets such as Andrew Marvell who was the author of the famous â€Å"To His Coy Mistress† and Christopher Marlowe. This dissertation will look at the texts: â€Å"All Things Decay and Die†, â€Å"To Live Merrily and To Trust to Good Verses†, â€Å"To Daffodils†, â€Å"To Bed of Tulips†, â€Å"Corinna’s Gone a Maying† and the famous â€Å"To the Virgins to Make Much of Time†. Each of these poems are very similar, however there are many differences that render them unique. This dissertation aims to analyse Herricks’ carpe diem poetry by studying the techniques employed by Robert Herrick in his exploration of the concept. One reason why Robert Herrick’s poetry is so successful is because it is simple. Part of this simplicity is helped by symbolism that is used to mirror the ideas of mortality and carpe diem. These symbols are universally understood and give the poems not only richness but also an element of clarity that is gracefully treated. This simplicity is brilliantly evident in â€Å"To the Virgins, To Make Much of Time†: â€Å"Gather Ye rosebuds while ye may Old Time is still a flying But this same flower that smiles today Tomorrow will be Dying.† This first stanza displays Herrick’s effective simplicity. Sarah Gilead states that the first line is the â€Å"distillation of the carpe diem message† as it states a mere fact of life: we are here for a limited time only and we must use our time wisely. It is the universality that has made Herrick’s poetry last throughout the ages. He uses parallels that are everlasting. The rosebuds in this stanza symbolize the fruits of life – things we set out to gain in our lives. The â€Å"rosebuds† could be anything – they could be ordinary material objects such as a house, or something more sentimental like love. Herrick advises us though, to get them while we are young, for youth quickly dies. Therefore the rosebuds not only symbolize the objects and aspirations of life, but life its self for we too â€Å"tomorrow will be dying†. A similar use of flowers as a symbol of the briefness of life is evident in â€Å"To Blossoms†: â€Å"Fair pledges of a fruitful tree, Why do ye fall so fast?† Blossom is, of course, the blooming of flowers. However, despite their obvious beauty, they quickly wither and die. In this poem Herrick looks upon the dying blossoms of a tree. Through this Herrick sees that these blossoms show how it is the nature of all things to pass away. This is evident as Herrick describes how in its leaves one can read â€Å"how soon things can end†, and by saying: â€Å"Like you awhile, they glide Into the grave.† Thus, Herrick is comparing the lives of blossom, to the lives of humans to find that they are both the same: they are both mortal and must die. By choosing something like Blossom that passes away so quickly, Herrick exaggerates the shortness of the human life span but in doing so reveals that we too life for only a brief time. This idea is also shown in â€Å"All Things Decay and Die†, which concerns itself not with flowers, but rather with the mighty trees of the forest. Again Herrick shows how no one is invincible by showing that even the mightiest of trees has to â€Å"decay and die†. Nothing withstands time but time itself. Herrick portrays this theme by using the idea of trees. Trees, unlike blossoms, live for hundreds of years. Yet they are not immortal and must therefore die. Herrick displays this by writing: â€Å"The sovereign of all plants, the oak Droops, dies and falls without the cleavers stroke.† What is interesting is the use of the word â€Å"sovereign† as it’s connotations to royalty and King. This concept of power and nobility is repeated earlier in the poem when the oak is described as â€Å"the proud dictator of a state like wood†, which once more implies strength, power and authority. So why does Herrick use such words to describe a tree? The answer is because he wanted to show that the mighty fall as well – that they are not immune to the rules of the cosmos. Therefore it is evident that through the use of vegetation Herrick has created a simple, yet effective parallel of human life that explains just how short our lives are and illustrates why exactly we should â€Å"seize the day†. Herrick’s poetry, though, has other ideas which illuminate the theme of carpe diem. The flowers in â€Å"To the Virgins† and â€Å"To a Bed of Tulips† not only symbolize life, but are used to represent virgin women. These two poems urge the virgins â€Å"Be not coy, but use your time And while ye may go marry: For having lost but once your prime You may forever tarry.† Robert Herrick strikes a note here as it is human nature to put things off and to say â€Å"There’s always tomorrow†, but if we â€Å"forever tarry† then we shall never do what we planned – time will catch up on us. In other words: seize the day! â€Å"To a Bed of Tulips† has an almost identical last stanza as again Herrick repeats his message to those unmarried maidens by saying – â€Å"Come virgins, then and see Your frailties, and bemoan ye For, lost like these, twill be As time has never known ye† Once more Robert Herrick is drawing a parallel between his two subjects as he compares these virgins with the Tulips. In this final stanza he describes the virgins as frail and insignificant in the world. This mirrors the rest of the poem as the tulips â€Å"quickly wither† and that they, like the virgins, will die â€Å"even as the meanest flower.† However, these stanzas’ show another side of Herrick which, four hundred years after these poems were written, is not quite as popular. To the modern reader, who may regard these stanzas as sexist, might find these final verses as an anti climax. After three beautifully lyrical verses of flowers and rising suns, a final stanza describing marriage as a woman’s greatest ambition is not going to appeal to the career woman of the 21st century. So why, then, are these poems still popular in our modern times? The answer is quite simply that the earlier  verses with their simple imagery and the parallels of the sun and flowers make up for a somewhat dated ideology. Flowers though are not the only use of symbolism in Herrick’s writings. The sun and its daily path of sunrise and sunset has also featured in some of his poems. For example in â€Å"To the Virgins† the second stanza begins: â€Å"As yet the early-rising sun Has not attain’d his noon.† This shows how the suns rising and setting are used to symbolize the cycle of life. Perhaps not an uncommon thing in literature or religion, but effective as it not only parallels life and death but it also holds links to the idea of heaven and eternal life – an ironic feature in poems about mortality. The connection with heaven is evident in â€Å"To the Virgins† when in verse two Herrick states: â€Å"The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun The higher he’s a getting The sooner will his race be run And nearer he is to setting.† What Herrick is saying here is that time is wearing on and that life is drawing to a close for the sun is almost setting on a day and on a life. However it is the first line in this stanza – â€Å"The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun† – that is the most effective. It has connotations with God, the land of eternal youth and happiness – the immortality that does not exist in our physical world. The word â€Å"glorious† makes the sun seem dazzling, brilliant, and because â€Å"glory† is also a biblical term, it echoes this link with God and heaven. â€Å"Lamp† though is a curious term to be used to describe something of such importance and beauty. Yet it works, for the sun is the  light of Heaven, which all people hope to be our final destination and homeland. Roger B Rollin says in his study of Herricks’ poetry that the rules of the atmosphere mirror the rules of all life – whether it be animal or plant, and that we are f ated to die before we come to our prime. This argument is extremely accurate as the sun’s daily routine of rising and setting is a mirror of human life that begins in child hood and ends in a withering old age. As Herrick has used symbolism and imagery expertly in his work he has created many beautiful poems which, despite outdated views on the role of women in society, remain favourite verses in this modern world of equal opportunity. Another reason though, why Herrick’s poems are still popular today is his cultural experimentation: namely the influence of Greek and classical mythology in his writings. Greek mythology, which appears frequently in Herrick’s writings, has greatly influenced his poetry. H. R. Swardson says: â€Å"all the girls are Antheas and Julias and Corinnas and even the ‘sea-scourged merchant’ is going to Ithaca.† In fact such is this influence that some critiques suggest that it shows a devotion to the pagan spirit. However as Robert H Denning states: â€Å"It is a humanistic fusion which is neither exclusively Christian nor classical-pagan, but rather an imaginative blend.† This â€Å"imaginative blend† creates what Denning describes as â€Å"ceremonial universality† – meaning that the poem can appeal ceremonially to all faiths and generations. This is most clearly seen in â€Å"Corinna’s Going A Maying† where classical myths are used in harmony with more Christian ideas and rituals to describe the idyllic English countryside in spring. For example, in the first stanza Herrick describes the birds as singing â€Å"hymns† and it being a â€Å"sin† to still be inside at Dawn. However, whilst these two references are plainly Christian the description of the â€Å"Titan† on the eastern hill is distinctly classical. The celebration of May is also heaped in lore as its many myths show that it is a pagan festival about fertility when sexual relations, which were generally not accepted in Herrick’s day,  were tolerated. May Day is used in â€Å"Corinna’s Gone A Maying† as a celebration of youth. This is effective as May Day is the gathering of spring and spring is youth. This is evident in the poem as Herrick writes: â€Å"There’s not a budding boy or girl this day But is got up and gone to bring in May; A deal of youth, ere this, is come† This describes the festive spirit of the occasion: a mood that is portrayed so often in Herrick’s writings. By depicting the boys and girl’s as â€Å"budding† he reflects the setting of the warm spring day and the flowers opening in the sun of May. Herrick also shows that it is a celebration of youth by saying it is the boys and girls getting up and describing the youth as coming to bring in May. However the moral holiday is evident later in the poem when Herrick says: â€Å"Many a kiss, both odd and even; Many a glance, too, has been sent From out the eye, love’s firmament† This part of the poem exhibits the social looseness of May Day as Herrick illustrates the flirtatious nature of the day by describing how the kisses are both â€Å"odd and even† which gives the impression that many advances have been made that day. Also, by writing how love has been sealed by looks from â€Å"out the eye† Herrick shows the festivity and the sexual nature of the day. Swardson suggests though, that Herrick is only able to create this relaxed atmosphere in a strict society because â€Å"†¦the classical framework or setting allows a temporary suspension of Christian standards. It may provide, in the modern phrase, a ‘moral holiday'† . In other words, because Herrick uses both strict Christian doctrines and the more liberal atmosphere of pagan May Day and classical ideas he is able to write a poem using looser  morals than would normally be allowable. This ‘moral holiday’ that Swardson describes is essential in Carpe Diem poetry for Christian guidelines generally promoted patience, simplicity and in some factions it discouraged the art of merry making. Herrick though, uses the looser principles of Paganism along in harmony with Christianity to create a legitimate, but festive setting. The festive setting is fundamental in Herricks’ poetry as he uses it to mirror the idea of living life to the full and seizing the day. This technique is evident in â€Å"To Live Merrily and to Trust to Good Verses† as once more classical mythology plays its part. This poem is about the ‘ceremony of mirth’ and uses mythology to create as in â€Å"Corrinna’s Gone a Maying†, a loose and festive setting in which to portray the theme of seizing the day. â€Å"To Live Merrily and to Trust to Good Verses† follows typical Herrick structure in its simplicity and lyrical style. Each verse toasts a classical writer like Homer. However the poem starts by describing the flowering earth. â€Å"Now is the time for mirth, Nor cheek or tongue be dumb; For with the flow’ry earth The golden pomp is come.† Swardson says in his article â€Å"Herrick and the Ceremony of Mirth† that the festivity of the moment is associated with the flowering of the earth (spring). This is evidently very similar to Corinna’s Gone A Maying which also uses the gaiety of May Day as a platform for the theme of seizing the day. The theme of this poem is slightly different than others though as Herrick recognizes that there is an element of immortality in writing – after all Homer and Ovid were all writers many centuries before and yet they were alive in Herrick’s day , and are still alive in ours through their art. Swardson describes this by saying: â€Å"Death is conquered not by renouncing the ‘frail world’ whose beauty dies, in favour of an everlasting other world, but by realizing most successfully the beauty and mirth in the natural world. Thus you do not abjure verses but ‘trust to good verses’.† Swardson explains how by recognizing the magnificence of this temporary world, rather than be loyal to that of the next you can become immortal. This is evident in his poetry as it consistently conveys the beauty of the world. Therefore Herrick sees his poetry as immortalizing himself. The poem â€Å"His Poetry His Pillar† displays this theory as it describes how Herrick fears ensuing death and hopes that his poetry shall remain when he is gone. This is an uncommon idea in Carpe Diem poetry. The majority of writers in this movement wrote poems that seemed â€Å"as fleeting as life and youth themselves† in the hope of convincing their lover to cast caution to the wind. The Sonneteers though, wrote poetry for a reason similar to Herrick – in the hope that they and their loves could become immortal. Part of â€Å"To Live Merrily and to Trust to Good Verses† festivity though, is due to its structure. The majority of Herrick’s poetry uses a simple ABAB rhyme scheme, and â€Å"To Live Merrily† is no exception. Although the poem is longer than the majority of Herrick’s poetry (which is usually no more than four verses long) is simple rhyme scheme and flowing verse help to mirror the party atmosphere in which the poem is set. The majority of Herrick’s poetry is lyrical – short and songlike. Most of his poems are no more than four verses and use only six to seven syllables per line. This factor, and the simple rhyme scheme create a quick and fast flowing lyrical verse. This is apparent in the poem â€Å"To a Bed of Tulips†. â€Å"Bright Tulips, we do know You had you’re coming hither And fading time does know That ye must quickly wither.† This technique results in a poem that is short and to the point (another similarity between Herrick and his fellow Cavaliers). This simple, song-like rhythm and rhyme scheme are very effective as they help to create that joyful party atmosphere that is so well portrayed in â€Å"To Live Merrily† and to Trust to Good Verses†. However another interpretation sometimes offered is that this flowing rhythm mirrors the reality of mortality. Critic Gordon Braden describes Herrick’s lyrical style as almost childlike for he says in his book â€Å"The Classics and English Renaissance Poetry† that Herrick’s poetry is like: â€Å"That of childlike discovery and amazement, a short but bright faculty of attention continually distracted by something new.† This is evident as in â€Å"To the Virgins† each parallel – the sun, flowers, the description of youth – are all dealt with quickly before Herrick begins his new channel of thought. The idea of Herricks’ poetry as being child-like in aspects is also evident in his subject matter as although his theme is serious, his glorification of the sun and of the festive party atmosphere creates something more playful and fun. Yet not all Herrick’s lyrical poems comply with the same structure. â€Å"To Blossoms† and â€Å"To Daffodils† are both slightly more erratic and complex in rhythm and rhyme. â€Å"To Blossoms† consists of one stanza of eighteen lines, its rhyme scheme is In â€Å"To Daffodils† we have two stanzas of eleven lines with only the occasional rhyme such as â€Å"soon† and â€Å"noon† and â€Å"spring† and â€Å"thing.† The number of syllables in these two poems is also not consistent. In â€Å"To Blossoms† lines range from having four to eight syllables and in â€Å"To Daffodils† there is from two to seven. These poems, you assume on first glance, would have a more rambling rhythm rather than flowing style of the majority of Herrick’s other poems, and yet when read the poems retain Herrick’s musical sound. This is maintained simply by the combination of both styles. For example at the start of â€Å"To Daffodils† we have his more regular sound: â€Å"Fair Daffodils, we weep to see You haste away so soon As yet the early rising sun Has not attained his noon.† This first part of the poem uses the iambic foot. What this means is that the stresses fall on every second syllable and therefore when reading the poem the stresses always fall on the last word at each line creating a sing song effect that suits Herrick’s lyrical style. However in the second part of the poem: instead of using his regular structure he uses a cross between long and short lines using enjambment. For example lines five to seven use a pattern of one six syllable line sandwiched between two, two syllable lines. This part of the poem is particularly effective as by putting â€Å"Stay, stay† twice on the one line the speaker sounds more urgently pleading as thought the daffodils would wither away before his eyes unless he begged them not to. This structure of the two part stanza is repeated in the second verse as once more it begins with Herrick’s usual lyrical form, before changing in the latter half to a more irregular one. This second half of the stanza uses enjambment to put an emphasis on certain words. â€Å"We die As your hours do, and dry Away† The way the words â€Å"We die† are placed on their own line reminds the reader that we share the same fate as the daffodils. The effect is mirrored with the word â€Å"away† and by putting this emphasis on these words it creates a more drumming rhythm. The manner in which the word â€Å"Away† is put onto a line  of its own suggests the hollow finality of death. â€Å"To Blossoms† uses a similar technique as â€Å"To Daffodils† as once more there is a contrast between long and short lines ranging from eight syllables to four. The rhyme scheme is also slightly more complex with an ABBCCB structure. These factors help to produce a slightly more interesting rhythm as it speeds up and slows down. For example in Stanza 1: Fair pledges of a fruitful tree Why do ye fall so fast? Your date is not so past† The longer line followed by the two shorter lines creates a fast first two lines, but when typical Herrick structure dictates that line two should be followed by a another line of eight syllables and it does not then it creates a slower rhythm which makes line three stand out. This is evident to a greater extent of the last lines of each stanza, which are also the shortest at only four syllables. The lines â€Å"And go at last† and â€Å"Into the grave† are the most noticeable of these. The words â€Å"Into the grave† end the poem on a chilling note. The fact that the poem is fairly fast paced up until that point means that the words are given a particular stress and reveal a particularly sudden and abrupt end – the very nature of life. Herrick reflects the relative simplicity of his narrative with an exceedingly uncomplicated structure, both with rhyme and rhythm. Even his more complicated verses still hold the musical quality that his simpler poems contain. This is one of Herricks’ merits as an over adorned structure would clash with the content and would ruin his poetry. On the other hand, when he ventures slightly outwith his simplistic sphere he creates very effective structures that help to emphasis the theme as can be seen in â€Å"To Daffodils† and â€Å"To Blossoms†. In conclusion it is evident that Herrick uses structure, symbolism and an  interesting blend of religious ceremonies in his exploration of the theme Carpe Diem. Through the simplicity in the rhythm and rhyme of his poems, Herrick has invoked the fleeting quality of life and the beauty of the world we live in. These two ideas are portrayed in the content of these poems through the use of symbolism and imagery. Yet the reason why Herrick, despite having somewhat dated opinions on the role of women, is still a poet of our time is because of his simplicity and â€Å"ceremonial universality†. To describe his poetry one would have to say â€Å"simple but beautiful†, for throughout his writings Herrick pays homage to the flowering of the earth and uses it to show how brief and temporary our presence is a parallel that all can understand. Herrick’s blend of different cultures and religions in his writing has also helped to immortalize him as it gave his poetry an acceptable but care free moral tone that remains relevant and enjoyable today. Bibliography A. Leigh Deneef This Poetick Leturgie Duke University Press 1974 ISBN 082230323X H.R Swardson Poetry and the Fountain of Light Allen and Unwin ISBN: 0048210161 1962 Robert H. Denning Robert Herrick’s Classical Ceremony John Hopkin’s University Press 1967 Roger B. Rollin Robert Herrick Twayne Publishers 1992 ISBN 0805770127 Sarah Gilead Ungathering Ye Rosebuds: Herrick’s misreading of Carpe Diem Critisism: A Quarterly for Literature and the Arts 1985 Other Resources Used Websites: http://www.luminarium.org http://people.whitman.edu/~dipasqtm/herrick.htm http://athena.english.vt.edu/~jmooney/renmats/cavaliers.htm http://www.bartleby.com/217/0107.html http://encarta.msn.com/text_761566707___2/Versification.html

Friday, November 8, 2019

Essay about schendlers list

Essay about schendlers list Essay about schendlers list Scheduler’s list Released in 1993, scheduler’s is a film that tells the story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saves the lives of over a thousand Polish Jews during the Holocaust in World War II. This film portrays many themes, all of which are evoked due to the factual historical event of the Jewish Holocaust which occurred in Germany during WWII. The exploration of the themes of hope, use and misuse of power, the nature of evil and courage makes this film prominent over others. Spielberg’s purpose in making this film was to raise awareness of the horror experienced by the victims during this era and to inspire today’s and future generations to understand the impact of such prejudice. Question The film ‘Schindler’s List’, directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the novel Schindler’s Ark, by Thomas Kennelly, gives us an insight into the corruption and destructive capabilities of humans. This film portrays many themes, all of which are evoked due to the factual historical event of the Jewish Holocaust which occurred in Germany during WWII. The exploration of the themes of hope, use and misuse of power, the nature of evil and courage makes this film prominent over others. Spielberg’s purpose in making this film was to raise awareness of the horror experienced by the victims during this era and to inspire todays and future generations to understand the impact of, and end, such prejudice. As such, we are presented a human story, the subject matter of which

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

S11-08 l GROUP 2 General Chemistry 2 Essays - Chemistry, Free Essays

S11-08 l GROUP 2 General Chemistry 2 Essays - Chemistry, Free Essays S11-08 l GROUP 2 General Chemistry 2 LAJOM, John Froilan Title Proposal LIRIO, Ady DEADLINE: February 20-24, 2017 LANDICHO, Martin Paolo ESPIN ILI, Xavier IGNACIO, Gian Micah JAURIGUE, John Miro LIMOS, Hanz Proposed Title: Calcium Chloride, you Give my Water a Rush Explanation: We based our title on the experiment that we decided to somewhat conduct and research. Calcium Chloride, as the solute needed for the solution to be made, gives water a rush; the water rush up, meaning a boiling point elevation occur while the water rushes down indicating a freezing point depression. It sounds like we compare water having either a good expression, which is elevation, or bad expression, which is depression, whenever sugar combines with it. Research/Objective: In this proposed experiment, we decided to have an investigation of the freezing point depression and boiling point elevation when the solute Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) is dissolved in water (H2O). We decided to have this experiment for us to know if the solute, which in our case should be solid, would really need the process to acquire more or less of the temperature in order to reach either the solvent's boiling point or freezing point. We would also want to know if calcium chloride that will be dissolved in water would also make the reaction or the phase of boiling or freezing in a much slower or faster phase. Also, we wanted to know how is this solute going to be able to tweak the molal boiling or freezing constant of the liquid used by means of the computed amount in grams or such of the solute to be added and the solvent where it would be added. S11-08 l GROUP 2 General Chemistry 2 LAJOM, John Froilan Title Proposal LIRIO, Ady DEADLINE: February 20-24, 2017 LANDICHO, Martin Paolo ESPINILI, Xavier IGNACIO, Gian Micah JAURIGUE, John Miro LIMOS, Hanz Proposed Title: Soda, Soda, you Give my Water a Rush Explanation: We based our title on the experiment that we decided to somewhat conduct and research. caustic soda, as the solute needed for the solution to be made, gives water a rush; the water rush up, meaning a boiling point elevation occur while the water rushes down indicating a freezing point depression. It sounds like we compare water having either a good expression, which is elevation, or bad expression, which is depression, whenever sugar combines with it. Research/Objective: In this proposed experiment, we decided to have an investigation of the freezing point depression and boiling point elevation when the solute caustic soda or sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is dissolved in water (H2O). We decided to have this experiment for us to know if the solute, which in our case should be solid, would really need the process to acquire more or less of the temperature in order to reach either the solvent's boiling point or freezing point. We would also want to know if caustic soda or sodium hydroxide that will be dissolved in water would also make the reaction or the phase of boiling or freezing in a much slower or faster phase. Also, we wanted to know how is this solute going to be able to tweak the molal boiling or freezing constant of the liquid used by means of the computed amount in grams or such of the solute to be added and the solvent where it would be added. S11-08 l GROUP 2 General Chemistry 2 LAJOM, John Froilan Title Proposal LIRIO, Ady DEADLINE: February 20-24, 2017 LANDICHO, Martin Paolo ESPINILI, Xavier IGNACIO, Gian Micah JAURIGUE, John Miro LIMOS, Hanz Proposed Title: Soda, Soda, you Give my Water a Rush Explanation: We based our title on the experiment that we decided to somewhat conduct and research. baking soda, as the solute needed for the solution to be made, gives water a rush; the water rush up, meaning a boiling point elevation occur while the water rushes down indicating a freezing point depression. It sounds like we compare water having either a good expression, which is elevation, or bad expression, which is depression, whenever sugar combines with it. Research/Objective: In this proposed experiment, we decided to have an investigation of the freezing point depression and boiling point elevation when the solute baking soda or sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) is dissolved in water (H2O). We decided to have this experiment for us to know if the solute, which in our case should be solid, would really need

Monday, November 4, 2019

Media Consolidation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Media Consolidation - Essay Example This paper will discuss the 360 deal and what it means to both the artist, the recording companies, and the public at large. There are some shades of the past here. There was a time when the recording artist wrote a contract with the record company, only to receive the amount of the contract, no matter how big the artist got or how popular the song. Many of these artists died poor. Are artists headed into the same kind of contract(Hoffman, 2010). The entertainment industry will never be what it has been again, it is changed forever. In the past, the artist gave up the rights to the recordings that were made to the record industry. The artist usually got advanced royalties and the record companies paid the cost of production. This worked good for the record companies until the decline of records, now there must be some kind of transition in the business (Hoffman, 2010). There are actually two types of 360 deals out there right now. In the first case, the record company will continue to control the profit from the sale of the artist's recordings and related products but will gain a percentage funding from the artists other revenue streams. In this case, the labels non-record income from these other income streams is small and amounts to an override percentage. The labels argue in this case that what they do is driving all the other income streams as well and this percentage will allow them to drive more development for the artists (Weaver, S. 2007). The second type however, is a much bigger deal. In this, the record company participates in non-record income. They partner with the artist in profit and decision making. This might get the record companies net incomes as high as 50%. The newer artists, similar to those so many years ago would have no strength against a contract like this one. The label has all the power in this case. These artists need to be sure to have a good lawyer to negotiate these deals (Weaver, 2007). Needless to say, this is very controversial. Is this just a way for the record companies to increase revenues during a time when record sales are at their lowest The artists see it as one more attempt to see the artist as income instead of managing their business well. There is also the feeling the music becomes less important as each of the labels brands the artist in order to bring about more interest. The labels argue that this kind of a deal allows them to make more money and therefore they can take on more unknown and new artists. This says this gives them the chance to work with the artist longer and staying for the long haul. Making a decision as an artist to sign or not to sign a 360 deal has become complicated. The whole point of a 360 deal is for the record company to get a cut of the revenue streams that an artist creates. There is question here as to whether the record labels have the expertise to manage all of these kinds of revenue streams. If not, then the artist will pay the record company and someone else to manage their business. There are also decisions about percentages and how much money that actually leads to. Attorneys need to be involved to be sure that the deal that is being signed is the deal they think it is. (McDonald, 2010). There are, of course, pros and cons to every deal. Many say that the 360 deal allows a record company to spend some time and money scouting

Saturday, November 2, 2019

System development life Cyc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

System development life Cyc - Essay Example Most popular system development method is system development life cycle (SDLC) which supports the business priorities of the organization, solves the identified problem, and fits within the existing organizational structure. System development life cycle is important in developing IT projects, describing the different stages involved in the project designed from the initial stage to its completion. There are various models in the system development life cycle that include; Waterfall model, Iteration model, V-shaped model, Spiral model, and Extreme model that play a great role in software processes. (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2011) The various models have similarities and differences in their functioning. It is noted that the model are all vital in developing systems for different sizes of projects and the various requirements to be achieved in the different projects. Waterfall model and spiral model are the most commonly used models for developing of the systems. Each model has advantages and disadvantages for the development of the systems, thus each model tries to eliminate the disadvantages of the previous model. The Waterfall model is the oldest, thus the models are progressive from the Waterfall model to the extreme model as they get to improve their systems from one model to the