Friday, August 21, 2020

Rideshare Company May Provide Payday Loan Alternative to Drivers - OppLoans

Rideshare Company May Provide Payday Loan Alternative to Drivers - OppLoans Rideshare Company May Provide Payday Loan Alternative to Drivers Rideshare Company May Provide Payday Loan Alternative to DriversInside Subprime: September 20, 2019By Lindsay FrankelA major rideshare firm recently announced to some drivers via an in-app message that it would develop a “new financial product” that would assist its drivers in getting out of a financial bind.  Recipients of the message were asked to answer four survey questions, including:“Have you taken out a small loan (of a dollar amount below 1,000 USD) in the past 3 years?”“If [our rideshare firm] provided loans, what amount are you most likely to request?”This won’t be the firms first foray into the financial services industry. The company currently issues a co-branded Visa credit card for customers and assists its drivers in leasing vehicles with third-party partnerships. And in 2016, the rideshare business introduced a cash advance program with zero interest.  But the firm made no mention of the interest rates associated with the new product, causing concern amo ng some politicians and drivers that it might resemble a payday loan with predatory fees. For already cash-strapped drivers, that could be extremely damaging.  Then again, drivers with bad credit or who can’t access low-interest loans through a bank or credit union would most likely get a worse deal from a payday lender. That’s especially true in states that do little to regulate the industry. Payday loans in Texas, for example, carry an average APR of 454 percent, according to the most recent data from Pew Charitable Trusts.  It’s becoming more common for employers to offer payday loan alternatives, reports The Wall Street Journal. That includes major companies and even some cities. These cash advances and loans have interest rates ranging from six to 36 percent, a far cry from the triple-digit interest rates associated with payday loans.  California Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, who introduced the California bill that would reclassify certain types of contract workers as em ployees, told Recode: “I think anytime an employer, especially one that already skirts labor law, offers their employees loans, we are wading into very dangerous and oppressive territory.”Since the firm declined to comment on the new product, there’s no telling if it will actually come to fruition or what fees drivers would incur from using it. But consumer advocates are shining a spotlight on the rideshare company with regards to fair treatment for drivers.  Learn more about payday loans, scams, and cash advances by checking out our city and state financial guides, including  Chicago, Illinois, Florida, and Texas.Visit OppLoans on YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

Monday, May 25, 2020

Movie Analysis Batman - 1933 Words

Batman has pretty much always had a sidekick, but none have worked out as well as Robin has. So what is so different about Robin that has made their relationship last so long, and how did their relationship become so strong throughout the years? When Gardner Fox writes these stories he constantly reminds us how Robin compliments Batman in more ways than just being his sidekick. When Batman makes Robin part of his team, he not only saves Robin but Robin saves Batman in a way as well, he gives him a sense of compassion and a feeling of having a family again. Pulling him away from the darkness that he constantly battles with. Robin is that light showing a brighter, friendlier side to the war on crime. A voice of reason that always puts Batman on his feet, softening the harsh view Batman has of the world. Before Robin Batman was darker and more violent, and that was good for adults but the creators also wanted to include the young adult audience. Creating Robin with the child like person ality seemed fit for the goal they wanted to reach, and it worked well. Robin, the faithful sidekick to the Dark Knight is not just a sidekick but a best friend, co-worker, son, and in some sense an advisor to Batman. Not only is he an anchor for him, he has kept Batman from falling down a dark hole many times before and will do so in the future as well, the best way he can. Robin will always be there for him even when he least expects it. Popping up during cases Batman purposely went alone on,Show MoreRelatedMovie Analysis : Superman, Batman, And Iron Man1495 Words   |  6 PagesMovies now a days such as the Avengers, Suicide Squad, and Captain America, value teamwork. In the films Superman, Batman, and Iron Man, they reveal how back in the early 2000’s America valued independence compared to these recent movies like the Avengers, Suicide Squad, and Captain America and how they value teamwork. In comparison to today’s superhero films, the Avengers are a collaboration between the marvel superheros who team up and try to stop the apocalyps e from the aliens. Superhero filmsRead MoreThe Dark Knight Is Not A Superhero Movie1224 Words   |  5 PagesBut is it actually a super hero movie? After 9-11 Hollywood has adopted terrorism like scenes into many of its movies. Almost every scene, In the Dark Knight, involves terrorism. However many label the movie a superhero movie. The Dark Knight is not a superhero movie, in-fact it’s a very realistic portrayal of terrorism in our society. Batman is the main protagonist in the Dark Knight and is widely considered a superhero. However Nolan does not portray the batman known from the DC universe. NolanRead MoreThe Dark Knight By Christopher Nolan1428 Words   |  6 PagesThe movie the Dark Knight directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Heath Ledger and Christian Bale, exhibits a wide variety of different psychological principles and theories. The Dark Knight is about the popular superhero, originating from the year of our Lord nineteen thirty nine, Batman and his struggle to preserve the order in the city of Gotham, where he was born and raised. He is challenged by the strongest adversary he has ever met, a disturbed name that goes by the name the Joker, when heRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Arundel Partners 779 Words   |  4 Pagesoptions-pricing model for Arundel. There is value in Arundel’s right to forgo production of the sequel if they discover that the original is a flop. If Arundel chooses to forgo prod ucing a sequel, in this model they are now only taking a $2M loss. To the movie studios, Arundel’s proposal creates great value. By offering the cash for all movies in advance, Arundel is providing upfront financing to the cash-hungry studios, allowing them the resources to pursue other projects, especially big budget blockbustersRead MoreA Theological Reflection On The Dark Knight Rises1249 Words   |  5 PagesWrite a theological reflection on a recent movie of your choice In one or two paragraphs, give a brief summary of the plot and its primary theme or main point (approx. 10% of the total essay) For this assignment I have chosen to review The Dark Knight Rises. Eight years after the Joker s reign of anarchy, the Dark Knight is forced to return from his imposed exile to save Gotham City from the brutal guerrilla terrorist Bane with the help of the enigmatic Catwoman. At the beginning of The Dark KnightRead MoreEssay Analysis of the Super Hero Series Batman1532 Words   |  7 Pagesthe Super Hero Series Batman. This crime fighter originally appeared in Detective Comics issue #27 in 1939. It later became a comic book series, a TV series and a movie series. The character Batman is second only to Superman as a Super Hero. Amazingly Batman has no super powers, but he does have a lot of neat crime fighting gadgets. In this paper, we will explore the creation of Batman, his supporting cast of characters both good and bad and the gadgets he used. Batman was created after DetectiveRead MoreCultural Mirror And Hidden Intent1207 Words   |  5 Pagesproduced, but they project Karl Marx’s theory on â€Å"texts†. â€Å"To understand or explain a text or practice it must always be situated in its historical moment of production, analyzed in terms of the historical conditions that produced it†, Marx said. An analysis of comic books throughout the past, till the present day, proves the validity of his statement. Comic books have always acted as a tool of influence on the masses. Not only has race and representation always been one of the major topics to discussRead MoreHarry Potter and the Philosophers Stone744 Words   |  3 Pagesnovel it was based upon have become mainstay. Amazingly, ardent fans of a particular novel can become polarized when the material is changed in any fashion or perceived in a different sense than the reader imagined. Thus, Book to Film Adaptation Analysis’ are commonplace in today’s society and ripe with the energetic opinions of the consumer. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was a novel written by J.K. Rowling and published by Bloomsbury in 1997.[2] It is the first book in a series and provedRead MoreMarvel Case1083 Words   |  5 PagesCase Study – Marvel Entertainment Industry Analysis Comic Book Industry: The comic book industry contains comic or comicbooks that contain narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes often accompanied by dialog boxes. The first comic book appeared in the United States in 1933 usually appearing in the earlier newspapers comic prints. The reason for the name â€Å"comic book† came from the use of humor comic strips in newspapers. However most modern comicRead MoreEssay on A Rhetorical Analysis of the Killing Joke1893 Words   |  8 PagesOne Bad Day: A Rhetorical Analysis of The Killing Joke The Joker was once seen as a comical criminal who committed ridiculously silly crimes, such as spreading laughing gas throughout Gotham City. However, after the reinvention of Batman, The Joker was transformed into a grave and terrorizing character. Continuing the course of the new personality given to The Joker, writer Alan Moore and artist Brian Bolland created a graphic novel called The Killing Joke, â€Å"a much more complex, darker, and ultimately

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Applying a business risk audit to intercontinental hotel - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1780 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Business Essay Type Argumentative essay Did you like this example? Risk is inevitable in any business or entrepreneurship. When a business is launched, then some positive outcome is expected; yet there are always chances for negative results. The purpose of this assignment is consider the ways of forecasting and identifying risk and managing it, i.e. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Applying a business risk audit to intercontinental hotel" essay for you Create order reducing or eliminating possible risks or finding ways for an entity to revive from the damage brought about by risks as soon as possible. All the above mentioned is subject of audit also considered in this assignment. InterContinental Hotel Group is chosen as the object for auditing internal and external business risks. Audit is generally defined as: an examination and verification of a companys financial and accounting records and supporting documents by a professional, such as a Certified Public Accountant; an IRS (Internal Revenue Service) examination of an individual or corporations tax return, to verify its accuracy (Investorwords.com). Risk is commonly interpreted as the deviation of the anticipated results of future events which can affect the value of the latter. The term audit risk implies the possibility of the audit procedure resulting into an inappropriate conclusion or opinion on the financial statements. These can be neglecting discrepancies with an officia l standard, especially the ones containing a material misstatement, or recognition of an error when actually there is any (). One should differentiate between audit risk and business risk. Business risk relates to the loss which organization might sustain if it does not achieve its goals and objectives. It is essentially the potential cost incurred if the business does not achieve its strategic plans (Swanson, n.d). In many entities the assessment and management of business risk has developed into formalized enterprise risk management, or ERM. Audit risk relates to whether the procedures of internal and/or external audit achieved their objectives successfully. Traditionally, audit risk has been interpreted as strictly the risk of incorrect audit conclusions (). Nowadays, however, the concept tends to be extended to deal with more aspects, e.g. mistakes or inefficiency of internal audit. Swanson puts an equal sign between business risk and enterprise risk and refers to COSOs definition of the latter term. According to it, ERM is a process, effected by an entitys board of directors, management and other personnel, applied in strategy setting and across the enterprise, designed to identify potential events that may affect the entity, and manage risks to be within its risk appetite, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the achievement of entity objectives (Enterprise risk management 2004, p. 6). ERM is conducted entity-wide and implies identification, investigation, quantification, response and monitoring of outcome of potential event. As a rule ERM is executed by internal auditors who report to managers or in many organizations directly to the board of directors. The procedure is designed to provide management of business risk and assure that decisions concerning reducing the risk are taken on daily basis. ERM is based on a principle that every entity exists to provide value for its stakeholders (FAQs, 2006; Internal control, 2006). COSO describe s the following stages in the ERM process: internal environment, objective setting, event identification, risk assessment, risk response, control activities, information and communication, and monitoring (ERM, businessdictionary.com, n.d). From the above-mentioned we can conclude that internal auditing and business risk are closely interconnected. At that the former should facilitate the latter. Generally audit resources should be applied at the areas of greatest business risk. Audit risk is an integral element of business risk as mistakes and failures in the very process of audit would inevitably lead to failure in managing business and therefore enhancing value. 2. Brief overview InterContinental Hotel Group is an example of great interest as for risk management among international hotel companies. IHG is the largest hotel company in the worlds offering more than 650ÂÂ  000 rooms, having more than 130ÂÂ  000ÂÂ  000 stays annually and running over 4500 hotels across over 100 countries across the globe. The major factor to establish peculiarities of risk which this company faces is that does not own by operates hotels. Is performs three basic types of business activities: a) franchising; b) managing; c) owning and leasing of hotels. Over 3ÂÂ  800 hotel are operated by the company under franchise agreements, 628 hotels are managed and only 16 hotels (which is less than 1 % of hotels the company deals with) are owned by the company. (Operating and financial review, 2006). So the major source of income for this company is franchising which means that the companys activities refer to intellectual property and branding rather than capi tal investment. Generally franchising is designed to avoid liability and expenses for material property. Therefore, risks connected with material capital do not affect directly the company while the risks relating to branding and intellectual property i.e. business schemes and development are of paramount importance. Franchising implies that franchiser (whose functions are performed by IHG) guarantee success of conducting business to franchisee (its client), i.e. sells a successful business model and takes part in organization of correct implementation of the aforementioned business strategy. Thereby one the main risks to threaten the company is failing to produce or implement a business model or a strategy or making a mistake in management. If a company, which works for itself, neglects some kind of risk, incurs financial losses or even goes bankrupt, it can restore it function by means of state loan or simply amending of dramatically changing its ways and policies of conducting business. Yet if a franchisee of IHG incurs losses due to inefficiency of a business schedule suggested by IHG, it shall dramatically affect the reputation of the latter. Thus other franchisees shall stop trusting the company and this can lead to breaking of a number of franchising contracts This is why IGH pays particular attention to risk management, carefully elaborates risk persist schemes and controls their implementation within its structural divisions. 3. Risks Facing the Company There are a number of challenges faced by companies which conducting risk audit. Firstly, it is not easy for them to obtain substantial resources necessary for desirable segregation of duties. Secondly, managers domination can result into considering the unattained objectives to be attained. Finally, there is a problem of recruiting personnel with ample financial and administrative competencies. It is hard to switch from running the business to taking critical management. Limited technical resources impede maintaining general and application controls over computer data-bases and information systems (Internal control, 2006, p. 4 -5). Yet there are many examples of actual companies to have transformed these challenges into the principles they support. Rittenberg outlines four crucial components of risk relating to conducting an audit. They are business risk, financial reporting risk, engagement risk and audit risk. Business risk is a risk which influences operations and potential outcomes of entitys activities (****, p.122). Financial reporting risk refers to the recording of transactions and the presentation of financial data in financial statement of an organization. Engagement risk is encountered by auditors being associated with a particular client, whose outcome can be of damage to auditor company reputation, inability of the client to pay to the auditor, impediment of audit process by a dishonest manager. All four types of risk are interdependent. Business risk and financial risk emerge with the audit client and its environment, virtually shaping the two other types of risk. The result of risk management processes often determine further existence of a company or audit firm. The book suggests issuing an audit opinion on companys financial statements or on the effectiveness of its internal accounting controls as ways to minimization the auditors risk (****, p. 121 122). External risks InterContinental Hotel Group is exposed to many risks both internal and external. First and foremost is competition. Companies offering the same type of services can reduce the amount of clients. Also the availability of instructions and the development of IT technologies can affect the number of clients as they may well find the information needed for conducting successful business for much more attractive conditions. Changes in legislation also play an important role for the maintenance of the Groups business. The situation becomes more complicated as IHG is an international company so the Board and staff should follow and consider the changes in legislation of many countries at once as well as the international legislation and policy (e.g. signing of international MOUs, treaties, etc). To reduce this risk the company follows the upcoming event on the international agenda, makes correspondent investigations when contracts are concluded with representatives of new countries, follows changes in legislation of partner countries, hires or uses consultation of international policy leaders, amends their brand business strategies as to satisfy legislation of a given country, promotes its own business technologies so as to influence the way of business management or even impose its own ways. Sometimes it is hard to resist this risk as politician and third parties who promote their own interest interfere in this sphere. Also there is always a threat of international conflicts, civil unrest and similar phenomena. Also great many factors influence international and national legislation such as economy, politic situation (inside the country as well as in the world), natural disasters, demography and ecology. The company therefore conducts investigations in each of the mentioned spheres and employs respective specialists. It contributes to ecological projects (global and national) and pays attention to insurance. The almost worldwide business has the advantage that if there is a downfall in one region, a rise is likely to be in another, yet there might be general downfall of world economy. Internal risks Some franchisees may have interest with would contradict the general policy if the group e.g. companies would not like or participate in projects connected with brand improvement. Also there can emerge internal clash of interest: some companies within the Group might desire the same things and be engaged into aggressive rivalry. To avoid these risks (which are internal) the company undertakes preliminary actions: enquiry into the strategies and interests of potential franchisee, including respective restrictions into franchising contract (that it is compulsory for this particular franchisee to participate in branch improving measures), the Group tends to provide strategies in such way that they reduce rivalry among franchisee companies (suggests alternative business schemes which imply different target submarket or category of services etc). Identification, retaining and adding new franchisees is no guarantee for the company as well. Recruiting and retaining skillful personne l as well as perfecting their skills is one of major concerns of the company and is also associated with risk. Significant risk refers to maintaining reputation of companys brand as well as protection of intellectual property. Generally the company employs a developed system of strategies which provides successful business for the company as a unity and each particular division. 4. Risk Audit 5. Risk Assessment 6. Risk Strategies Summary and Conclusion

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Enron Company The Shell Game - 855 Words

Enron was a business conglomerate during the 1990s, formed by the merger of smaller oil and energy companies. Houston executives Kenneth Lay (Chairman), Jeffrey Skilling (chief executive officer (CEO) and Andrew Fastow (chief financial officer (CFO) parlayed their new mega-company into a favorite Wall Street company, bragging of record profits with negligible losses. During the 1990s, the three senior executives changed Enron from a traditional gas and electricity company into a $150 billion energy corporation. For instance, from 1998 to 2000 only, Enron’s returns rose from approximately $31 billion to over $100 billion, making the company to be the seventh biggest conglomerate of the Fortune 500. Unidentified to nearly everybody, this picture was the result of one of the largest swindles in financial history (Ferrell, Fraedrich Ferrell, 2013). One of the key issues presented in the case was the shell game. Not every person knows this, but prices of stock are based on how flourishing a company appears, not the amount of money it has in the bank. Enron’s top executives, helped by appropriate deregulation of the power-utility industry, spin this dodge into a gold mine. They apparently posted profits founded on how much a particular business enterprise could generate, not how much it was essentially worth, and covered losses through offshore â€Å"shell† companies. The company’s accounting firm, Arthur Andersen LLP, was mature and well esteemed; not even a single person supposedShow MoreRelated Propaganda and Its Effect on America Essay1698 Words   |  7 Pagesimplying that God was on America’s side. [ Haraoka ]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another example of propaganda was an article about the success of Enron, a company that shortly after was proven to destroy important documents and crash in the stock market. [â€Å"Propaganda† Pg. 1, sec. 19]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Enron Named Most Innovative for Sixth Year â€Å"HOUSTON -- Enron Corp. was named today the ‘Most Innovative Company in America’ for the sixth consecutive year by Fortune magazine. ‘Our world-class employees and their commitment to innovativeRead MoreEnron Is An Energy Trading, Electric Utilities And Natural Gas1454 Words   |  6 Pages Enron is an energy trading, electric utilities and natural gas formed in 1931. It was merged to Houston’s Natural Gas Company in 1985 by Kenneth Lay. It was the most innovative company for 6 years until it came crashing down in a terrible scandal known as the Enron Scandal which led to the suspension of Arthur Anderson. Enron’s stock price decreased rapidly and abruptly collapsed and filed for bankruptcy. Unfortunately, in 1987 Enron merged with Valhalla. The problem began because tradersRead MoreEnron : Ethics And Law1828 Words   |  8 PagesEnron – Ethics and Law Essay Mike Towle MBA 6070X Professor Louis Benedict October 17, 2014 TOWLE 2 The Enron Jeffrey Skilling and Ken Lay knew was one they kept to themselves and a few chosen colleagues. The rest of the world saw a global oil company on the cutting edge of its business and paving a path that other American firms could follow. In its trail, investors were getting rich, employees found reward and satisfaction, and the community it called home thought itRead MoreEnron: An Ethics Case Study1834 Words   |  8 Pagesï » ¿Running head: Enron and Ethics Enron: An Ethics Case StudyEnron: An Introduction The previous decades have seen the birth and meteoric rise of several corporate giants such as Microsoft and Apple, both of which have all but become household names in this day and age. Neither achieved their level of success overnight, especially not since they have long been known to be in direct competition with each other. On the contrary, both of them have had their share of scandals and controversiesRead MoreThe Report On Climate Change Dictates5048 Words   |  21 Pagesbetween maintaining current business models that prioritizes immediate profit and short-termism in capitalizing on fossil fuel market while it remains feasible from an economic standpoint and from a return on energy investment perspective. (RoEI). Companies that promote short-termism in reaping maximum profit from the sustained growth in oil production may be caught off guard and suffer from potential climate change mitigation scenarios that could have drastic implications on the industry, such as theRead MoreTeaching Notes Robert Grant - Strategy 4th Edition51665 Words   |  207 PagesChallenge 62 7 Organizational Restructuring within the Royal Dutch/Shell Group 70 8 Harley-Davidson, Inc., January 2001 77 9 Online Broking Strategies: Merrill Lynch, Charles Schwab and E*Trade 83 10 11 12 Emi and the CT Scanner [A] [B] 88 Rivalry in Video Games 98 Birds Eye and the UK Frozen Food Industry 109 1 CONTENTS 13 14 15 16 Euro Disney: From Dream to Nightmare, 1987–94 116 Richard Branson and the Virgin Group of Companies in 2002 125 General Electric: Life After Jack 131 AES Corporation:Read MoreA Research Study On Global Warming5887 Words   |  24 Pages â€Æ' Abstract Oil majors are caught in a dilemma between being reactive or proactive in facing the rising urgency of climate change mitigation. Action on global warming mandates leaves oil companies no choice but to divest their assets in the carbon-intensive oil industry and shift their interest to low-carbon energy portfolios, their corporate strategies will have to either gamble on maximizing short-term profits in oil production while facing increasing climate change risks, or adapt their strategiesRead MoreTriple Bottom Line10664 Words   |  43 Pagessupporters contention that the overall fulfilment of obligations to communities, employees, customers, and suppliers (to name but four stakeholders) should be measured, calculated, audited and reported—^just as the financial performance of public companies has been for more than a century. This is an exciting promise. One of the more enduring cliches of modern management is that if you can t measure it, you can t manage it. If we believe that ethical business practices and social responsibilityRead MoreScams and Fraud in Stock Market5370 Words   |  22 Pages What is stock market? A stock market or equity market is a public market (a loose network of economic transactions, not a physical facility or discrete entity) for the trading privately of company stock and derivatives at an agreed price; these are securities listed on a stock exchange as well as those only traded . The size of the world stock market was estimated at about $36.6 trillion US at the beginning of OctoberRead MoreHe Corporate Social Responsibility : Tesco Study Case3615 Words   |  15 Pages We will treat the interest for a company to deal with responsible actions and activities, and the main breaks found by certain authors. The subject is treated in relation with marketing strategies and tries to persuade the readers that CSR is a good solution to gain competitive advantage. Executive summary: Several organizations such as governments, activists or the media, want to make the general public aware about the social consequences of the companies activities, by publishing different

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Children of a Lesser God Essay Example For Students

Children of a Lesser God Essay The movie Children of a Lesser God can be best described as a love story that deals with barriers in basic communication. It is a story based on a play about a talented teacher for the deaf named James, who forms an interest in a deaf employee named Sarah, who works for the same school. His job is to help deaf children learn how to speak, so he feels he can help Sarah to do the same. Initially, James runs into problems with her because she doesn t have an interest in learning how to speak and she admits to him that she doesn t know how to read lips. James takes this as a challenge and begins to lure Sarah to him by coincidentally bumping into her from time to time. Once he draws Sarah in by taking her to dinner and communicating with her quite often, they realize that they ve fallen in love. The conflict in the movie is that James unwittingly tries time and time again to get Sarah to speak and learn to read lips and she basically wants him to step into her world of silence. Near the end of the movie we see as James explodes and finally tells her that he s tired of trying to reach out to her all of the time and doesn t understand what s holding her back. Her response is equally explosive as she explains her sentiments about the issue. After some time they experience separated, James and Sarah reunite in the end to resume the love that they share for each other. In the communication context, there are a few characteristics of communication that are dealt with in this movie. The obvious barrier of communication between the deaf and the hearing, relationship conflict, and the use of nonverbal communication, are all aspects in communication that are touched upon in this movie. First, the main subject of the movie obviously is how James a hearing instructor tries to communicate not only with his hearing-impaired students, but the woman that he eventually falls in love with, Sarah. This may not seem like a difficult task considering that James knows sign language, but getting through to Sarah proves to be difficult because she is stubborn and refuses to learn to read lips or to try and learn to speak. A second communication aspect that is evident in the movie is the conflict experienced by Sarah and James who are both in a relationship. Many relationships experience conflicts of many sorts and just because Sarah and James may have a special circumstance in theirs, doesn t make them any less exempt. The conflict they deal with is the fact that they can seem to find a common ground when communicating. James wants Sarah to learn to read lips and to speak like the others, and Sarah feels that James doesn t want to meet her halfway and come into her silent world. Eventually they do compromise and settle their differences. Finally, the third aspect of communication I noticed in the movie was the use of nonverbal communication. Sign language is obviously a way to communicate non-verbally, but I noticed the body movements and facial expressions that the characters used to communicate non-verbally. There was a scene in which Sarah is dancing and can t really hear the music, but continues to fluidly move as if listening to it. The song ends and Sarah continues to move, and to me this shows how she interprets what the song is about through her body movements. Another scene that stood out to me is when both James and Sarah are arguing near the end of the movie. The facial expressions used by Sarah are amazing. Although she can t communicate verbally, the audience knows exactly how she s feeling through her use of facial expressions. They reveal her emotions to a tee. In conclusion, the movie Children of a Lesser God definitely shows many communications aspects discussed in our communication class. The more obvious aspects in my opinion, were the barriers in communication, the relationship conflict, and the uses of non-verbal communication.

Friday, April 10, 2020

Troy Versus Homers Illiad Example For Students

Troy Versus Homers Illiad When comparing the movie Troy, directed by Wolfgang Petterson, and The Iliad, written by Greek poet Homer we can clearly see that although Petterson has made an excellent film he has clearly left out certain aspects of the Iliad which really define the story. Both versions portray the Trojan War between Greece and Troy, Achilles killing Hector and King Priam visiting Achilles to ask for the body of his son Hector back. However both versions do not portray accurate versions of the fight between Menelaus and Paris, nor do they correctly explain why Helen has come to reside in Troy nor does the movie portray the proper burial rights of the Greeks. This is due to the absence of the Gods and Goddesses in the movie. We will write a custom essay on Troy Versus Homers Illiad specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Now in order to compare the two we must first explore what the movie and story are both about and the story each one follows. The Iliad starts 9 years after the beginning of the Trojan War with the Achaean (Greek) army raiding the town of Chryse and taking two women, Chrysies and Briseis. Agamemnon claims Chrysies and Achilles claims Briseis. Neither however counted the fact that Chrysies’ father, Chryses was a Priest of Apollo. After Chryses offers a huge reward for the return of his daughter and Agamemnon refuses he then prays to Apollo who in return sends a Plague upon the Achaean camp. Agamemnon consults the prophet and learns he must return his prize but in return he demands Briseis. Once hearing this, Achilles refuses to fight any longer in the war and holes himself up inside his tent. Achilles filled with his own rage and stupidity, asks his mother Thetis is ask Zeus to join the side of the Trojans, the Army the Achaeans are fighting against. Zeus complies and starts to bring his rage down upon the Achaean camp. Finally Achilles feels bad about the actions that he has taken but still refuses to fight. He proposes a plan with Nestor that his friend Patroclus will go into battle wearing his armour in order to raise the spirits of the Achaean army. This plan backfires and Patroclus ends up dead due to Apollo knocking him to the ground and Hector slaying him. Achilles now filled with rage about the death of his dear friend Patroclus, decides it is his time to fight and rides out to battle. He slays every Trojan insight and even fights the river god Xanthus until he comes upon Hector. Achilles chases Hector around until Athena tricks Hector into turning around to fight Achilles, knowing that it will mean Hectors death. Once Achilles lands the final blow he straps Hectors body to the back of his chariot and drags the body around Patroclus’ funeral bier for 9 days. His body however does not become tarnished as the Gods have put a protective spell on it. The gods all finally agree that Hector deserves a proper burial and they send Hermes to escort King Priam, Hectors father, to Achilles tent in order to ask for his son’s body back. Achilles gives up the body and Hector receives his hero’s burial. The movie Troy follows a slightly different story. The movie opens with Agamemnon advancing his army towards Thessaly. King Triopas (King of Thessaly) bargains with Agamemnon, arguing that they should each present their best fighters and the fight can decide who wins rather than having a war. Achilles easily wins the fight and Agamemnon gains control over Thessaly. Meanwhile we see the Princes of Troy, Hector and Paris, in the Banquet hall belonging to King Menelaus of Sparta. Paris sneaks off to meet Helen, Menelaus’ wife and convinces her to return to Troy with him. Once Menelaus finds out he vows to get revenge on Troy and asks for the help of his brother Agamemnon. Achilles and his young cousin Patroclus are enlisted to help get revenge on Troy. Achilles goes to seek advice from his mother who warns him that if he goes to battle against Troy he will find eternal glory but he will be doomed to die, but if he stays and does not fight he will find love, raise a family and die as an old man, happy with life. Achilles with his love to fight joins the war against Troy, not believing in what his mother has foretold of his fate. Once they land on the shores of Troy, the immediately sack a nearby town which includes a temple of Apollo and Achilles takes one of the Priestesses, Briseis, as his prize, unbeknown to him that she is the cousin of Hector and Paris. Agamemnon begins to claim that Briseis was his spoil of war which angers Achilles to the point in which he vows that one day Agamemnon will fall under his sword. We then see a clip of Helen attempting to leave Troy as she believes if she returns to Menelaus it will prevent more lives from being lost. Hector sees her and persuades her to stay, telling her she is a princess of Troy now. The next day, Agamemnon as his army march to Troy and demand the return of Helen or a war would break out. Hector offers up his brother Paris to fight Menelaus in order to decide who would get to keep Helen. Just before Menelaus can deliver the death blow, Paris crawls to his brother’s feet and hides behind him in cowardice. Hector then delivers the death blow to Menelaus which sparks of the beginning of the fighting. As the fighting progresses on the battle field we see clips of Achilles and Briseis and we see that they have begun to fall in love. Achilles makes plans to return home with Briseis and his beloved cousin Patroclus. As dawn approaches on the battle field we see Achilles riding into battle which shocks everyone but raises their spirits, unbek nown to everyone it is actually Patroclus wearing Achilles armour. Hector slits Achilles throat then removes his helmet to find that it is not Achilles like everyone believed it to be but Patroclus. Hector who is now regretting what he has done, drives his sword through Patroclus’ chest to finish him off. Achilles filled with rage at the loss of his cousin rides into battle against the Trojans and slays Hector right outside the walls of Troy. That night Achilles is visited by King Priam asking for the return of his son’s body, as Achilles had taken it after slaying him. Priam explains to Achilles that Hector didn’t know that it was Patroclus underneath the armour and asks Achilles how many brothers and cousins he has killed in his time. He weeps over Hectors body before giving it back to Priam and he allows Briseis to return to Troy with him. After not being attacked for 12 days the Trojans travel to the Greek camp to find a giant wooden horse, something they believe to be a gift of surrender. This is where the myth of the Trojan horse is intertwined with the story. The Trojans take the horse into the city walls, unbeknown that it contains a whored of Greek soldiers. Once night fall has appeared the Greeks begin to attack, breaking free from the horse. Achilles runs to be with Briseis but as he is with her Paris shoots him in the back of his heel, killing him. The Greeks win the battle and in the closing scene of the film we see Achilles body on a funeral pyre within the ruins of Troy. .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9 , .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9 .postImageUrl , .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9 , .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9:hover , .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9:visited , .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9:active { border:0!important; } .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9:active , .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9 .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u30419fa3e06383736fc9cc0c965013e9:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC): Its Role and History EssayAs we can see from reading over both telling of the story, they appear greatly different. The Iliad only covers a small amount of the battle of Troy compared the movie which attempts to portray the whole war in a matter of days instead of the 11 + years the war raged on. The Iliad also has a proper representation of burial in comparison to the movie; Homer dedicated a whole book of the Iliad to the ideals of Greek Burial. In the movie we see incorrect burials of both Patroclus and Achilles. In the movie we see them being burnt straight away on the funeral pyre instead of the detailed burial rights they received in the Iliad such as the coins over their eyes to pay the ferryman Chiron and the proper funeral procession before dawn. This feature upset me as Peterson objective in this movie was to portray the Greeks in an accurate was using the Iliad as his starting point yet he has failed to do so. Another aspect of the movie I feel does not reflect the Iliad was the lack of inclusion involving the Gods. In the Iliad the Greek Gods played a large part of the story and in comparison with the movie they don’t really play a role at all, they are non-existent. Homer really emphasized the Gods, including them in all aspects of his books. Homer has also emphasized that they were the cause of the Trojan War, bringing us back to a story which occurred just before the Iliad at the beginning of the Trojan War in which Paris was chosen to be the judge of a beauty contest involving Athena, Artemis and Aphrodite. He chose Aphrodite and as a reward he gained her favour and was allowed any woman in the word he so desired. Paris being young and now thinking of the consequences he chose Helen of Sparta (who then became known as Helen of Troy). This enraged Menelaus, Helens husband and he declared was on Troy. We can compare this to the movie Troy which shows us that the cause of the war also Helen going to Troy but not because she was compelled by Aphrodite but because she had fallen in love with Paris, she went to Troy on her own free will knowing the consequences that would occur. In the Iliad Aphrodite saves Paris’ life during the fight between him and Menelaus. Just before he goes to deliver the death blow, Aphrodite blows in a storm and whisks Paris back to his chambers to be with Helen. Menelaus becomes enraged and then he declares war. We can compare this to the movie in which just before Menelaus delivers the death, Paris crawls to his brother’s feet in cowardice and then Hector slays Menelaus. Both these scenes though meant to be the same are rather different as one results in the death of Menelaus and the other does not. Other gods are also portrayed in the Iliad such as Hermes, who guides King Priam to Achilles tent safely so that he can ask for the return of his son Hectors body while in the movie; King Priam makes the journey by himself. Apollo is another God who is largely featured in the Iliad but not in the movie. Apollo is one of the central figures in the Iliad as he is the one who sends the plague upon the Achaean camp and he allows Hector to kill Patroclus which leads Achilles to become involved in the war again. Apollo was the one who really kick started off the fighting between the two rival armies even though he is not the God of war. Hephaestus, a god often forgotten was once again forgotten in the movie. He did play a part in the Iliad however. He forged Achilles new armour for him as a favour to Thetis before Achilles went to battle. These forgotten aspects in the movie really enraged me as Petersons ideals in the movie Troy were to try and accurately show Greek lifestyle and war yet he failed by leaving out a huge aspect which was involved in this, the Gods and Goddesses of Olympus. I personally feel that the movie should have included the Gods as many others like myself most likely feel the same. The gods were an essential part of Greek lifestyle. The bases of their entire civilization were based upon the will of the Gods and Peterson has seemed to just forget this. One more difference between the Iliad and Troy which managed to frustrate me immensely was the incorrect representation of Briseis in the movie and the complete lack of Chrysies. In the Iliad the kidnapping of Chrysies is what started the plague in the Achaean camp, another aspect that seemed to be forgotten, which then led to Achilles anger as Chrysies was returned and Briseis became wanted by Agamemnon and his eventual refusal to fight. In the movie Chrysies has just seemed to vanish from existence and Briseis is now a cousin of Hector and Paris. Not to mention that in the film Achilles wasn’t planning to fight as he wished to be with Briseis as he had fallen in love with her. The film portrays Homers character of Briseis completely wrong and has forgotten a main catalyst character. As someone who had knowledge of the Iliad before seeing the film it utterly enraged me. As one can obviously see Wolfgang Peterson has made an incorrect representation of Greek lifestyle and war and I personally hope that if he makes another movie which originally was a book I will never have to see it. I also hope that he comes to his senses and makes another proper representation of what he wanted to achieve.

Monday, March 9, 2020

Medical uses of algae essays

Medical uses of algae essays Algae have been used for centuries, especially in Asian countries, as a remedy to cure or prevent various physical ailments. Scientific research has established a connection between these nutrient-rich sea plants and the bodys immune system response. It all started when intensive studies of marine life began in the 1970s to locate potential sources of pharmacologically active agents (Baba et al. 1988). Researchers found that algae contain a remarkable amount of components valuable for human health. According to Baba (1988), algae are beneficial in the following ways: 1. It is a complete protein with essential amino acids (unlike most plant foods) that are involved in major metabolic processes such as energy and enzyme production. 2. It contains high amounts of simple and complex carbohydrates which provide the body with a source of additional fuel. In particular, the sulfated complex carbohydrates are thought to enhance the immune systems regulatory response. 3. It contains an extensive fatty acid profile, including Omega 3 and Omega 6. These essential fatty acids also play a key role in the production of energy. 4. It has an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements in naturally-occurring synergistic design. With all these benefits, it is no wonder why extensive research is being conducted on algae as a medical treatment. Three specific treatments that have been tested will be discussed. One medical use of marine algae is for the treatment of Herpes Simplex Viruses. The drug Acyclovir (ACV) is commonly used for treatment of herpes, but it, like many medications, results in undesirable symptoms (Field & Biron 1994). ACV has induced the emergence of drug-resistant viruses and can lower immune activity, causing even more illnesses (Field & Biron 1994). These findings made it necessary to find new sources of anti-herpetic treatments, one being marine algae. Marine algae, which are a source of potential c...