Deep Analysis Of Star Wars Movies - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 13 Words: 3876 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/08/02 Category Cinematographic Art Essay Level High school Topics: Star Wars Essay Did you like this example? PART I: Musical Style and Development in the Star Wars Universe John Williams, and the Musical Qualities of Star Wars Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Deep Analysis Of Star Wars Movies" essay for you Create order John Williams has been attributed for the revival of the classical Hollywood system of film composition, based on his late-Romantic compositions for large orchestra in the Star Wars film franchise. Traditionally, composers used early science fiction films to experiment with unfamiliar sounds and modern forms in order to match the genres futuristic style. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) utilizes an for electronic organ, amplified bass, cello, and violin, celesta, two theremin, and an assortment of brass. The soundtrack of 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) is notorious for its inclusion of Romantic composers, such as Richard Strauss, and Johann Strauss II, however it also includes works by contemporary composers Aram Khachaturian and Gyorgy Ligeti. While there are many factors that contribute to a movies success, and the music of the aforementioned films if of course finely done, Star Wars is empirically the most popular science fiction film franchise of all time.   A films music must reflect the mood of the visual scene it accompanies. While creating his original drafts for the 1977 Star Wars movie, George Lucas included temporary tracks of Gustav Holst, Antonin Dvorak, and William Walton, wanting an exciting background for his film about interplanetary wars and space cowboys.   At the encouragement of Steven Spielberg, who collaborated with Williams for Jaws in 1975, Lucas hired Williams, requesting that he use the familiar Romantic styles of these composers. Because of this deliberate connection, many similarities exist between famous melodies and Williams own melodies for the Star Wars universe. An obvious example comes with the films opening fanfare, which bears similarities to Siegfrieds theme from Richard Wagners Der Ring cycle. The hero Siegfried, who slays the dragon Fafner, plays the heroic theme on his horn to lure the dragon out of his cave to confront him. The same perfect fifth which opens up Siegfrieds theme opens the first full measure of the main Star Wars theme, and both themes include descending 4-3-2 patterns in the key of Bb in the following measure. Following this resolution, the Star Wars theme leaps to the Bb, before falling to the F, as Siegfrieds theme does. Spielberg recommended John Williams to Lucas for his ability to improvise and compose to suit any style, and it is clear that Williams has figured out the musical formula which defines heroic. In 1978, one year after the release of Star Wars, Williams wrote the score for Superman. The resemblance between the two themes is almost uncanny. The triplet figures jumping a fourth, then a fifth provide an aural image of a heroic leap up a perfect octave. The descending passages of both themes always resolves on a higher note, which provides a heroic gesture. When creating a theme, Williams alters aspects of orchestration and style, expanding and contracting counterpoint, and swelling dynamics to fit the desired mood. The shorter the theme, the easier it is for the audience to recognize. Heroic sections are typically forte, and feature grand intervallic leaps by the brass with strong, pointed accents, and typically end in unison to emphasize camaraderie. Languid, compassionate sections feature swelling strings, playing long, Romantic, and legato passages in unison. Williams victorious and exciting sections typically feature the entire orchestra, which adds extra density to the musical score, enriching the harmonies and expanding the range.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the case of the Star Wars theme, having a large range of a perfect 11th (considering most melodies in Star Wars span about an octave or less) provides an expansive sound befitting a space odyssey.Further, triplets are often used in heroic music. The triplet anacrusis opens the theme, and the second, third, and fourth measures all employ triplets on beat 1, reinforcing the films adventurous quality. The triplets in measures two and three have a strong tonal inclination to resolve down to the low Bb, but instead resolve up the octave. This tonal defiance deceives the ear, leaping up to further the heroic quality of the melody. As the Star Wars franchise ages and entertainment conglomerate Disney inevitably grows hungry for the wary consumers hard-earned money, Star Wars films will be forced to go on without the pen and baton of John Williams. As of now, the only Star Wars films to not directly employ Williams are Rogue One, and Solo, though both themes are directly influenced by Williams iconic fanfare. Star Wars television series Clone Wars, and Rebels are currently under the musical direction of Kevin Kiner. Solo: A Star Wars Story, featuring music composed by English film composer John Powell, is set to release in late May 2018, and appears to use the original Star Wars fanfare in full though up a third in the key of D major. Michael Giacchino however, chose to compose the music for the 2016 release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story in a style which quotes the original themes, but gives them new and unique endings. Though these films and television shows have different composers, the same compositional a nd orchestral techniques are applied to maintain the classic Star Wars sound. The main theme from Rogue One leaps up the classic heroic fifth, however ascends C-D-Eb, rather than falling stepwise Eb-D-C, before leaping up a minor sixth to the tonic. This interpretation of the main theme is perfectly fitting to the content of the film; the heroic opening followed by the final despairing leap to the tonic is a beautiful analogy for the plucky band of Rebels who manage to successfully steal the Death Star plans from the Imperial base on Scarif. The Issue With the Star Wars Soundtrack While the music of each Star Wars film is powerful and poignant, John Williams scores each new installment individually. Due to the unorthodox nature of the franchises releases (456,123,789) the musical structure of the saga has weaknesses as a whole. To mention a few inconsistencies, Williams came up with Darth Vaders theme, the Imperial March, when composing for Empire Strikes Back evolving it out of the Imperial Theme he created for Star Wars. However, he uses the slow development Imperial March in the prequel trilogy to show the power of the dark side growing in the young Anakin Skywalker. So when viewing the trilogy in order of narrative, after seeing the development of Darth Vader from Anakin Skywalker, Star Wars/A New Hope suddenly lacks the iconic theme. Further, John Williams created the Emperors Theme to accompany the evil Sith Lord in Return of the Jedi, however later uses the theme in the prequel trilogy to underscore the scheming of Chancellor Palpatine into the maniacal and powerful Darth Sidious. While most savvy moviegoers knew this change was bound to happen in the third prequel movie, this ultimately ruins Revenge of the Siths cinematic twist where the Chancellor of the Galactic Senate seizes control of the Republic, and lays waste to the Jedi Order.   As another example, the love ballad written for Anakin and Padme in Attack of the Clones, Across the Stars, was conceived for the second film in the prequel trilogy, after the two had already met and established a friendship in the previous film. While an argument can be made that the two truly did not fall into a love worthy of its own theme until the second film, Williams has proven with his theme for Anakin that he is more than capable of writing a compelling development for a theme, which could have been prepared for in The Phantom Menace. Finally, and possibly most egregiously, Williams introduces the Sibling Theme as a theme for Luke and Leia far too late in the franchise, to the point where he may as well have ultimately excluded it. While George Lucas would like the world to think he has had a master-plot for the Star Wars saga all along, there are some major incongruences. Most notably Lukes awkward realization in Return of the Jedi that Leia is in fact his twin sister, despite her kissing him for luck as they flee Imperial forces on the Death Star in Star Wars, and Leias petty tongue-punching of Lukes gaping maw in order to make Han jealous in Empire Strikes Back. The introduction of this theme in the last film of the saga is akin to slapping a giant Band-Aid on the franchise to cover the festering, incest-scented wound beneath. If these inconsistencies arise from viewing the saga in the narrative order, it may be that the real-world release order, despite the musical development issues, may be the best order to view Star Wars. It may be possible however, that a better way to view the saga from a musical point of view exists through the incorporation and a blending of trilogies. PART II: Reoccurrence of Thematic Material in the Star Wars Universe The Original Trilogy (1977-1983)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   John Williams use of the leitmotif stems from his appreciation of Wagner, especially Der Ring. Like Wagner, Williams uses hundreds of recognizable themes across the Star Wars saga, but how often do these themes come up in each installment, and is there any correlation between the plot and the thematic material? While some themes are only present in one film, most themes are used throughout the trilogy. The two main themes from this trilogy are used in every episode of the saga, Binary Sunset (The Force Theme), and STAR WARS (Main Theme). Common themes that occur in each trilogy, but not each film include the Imperial March (Darth Vaders Theme), the Rebel Fanfare, Yodas theme, and Leias theme. Star Wars (1977) Empire Strikes Back (1980) Return of the Jedi (1983) Star Wars does a fantastic job of establishing the prominent themes of the saga in the first film, and creates a vast soundscape which blends the Imperial Motif, Rebel Fanfare, and the Force Theme to indicate the tide of the battle for the climactic Death Star trench run. The confrontation between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi on the first Death Star is accented by the Force Theme, however a unique soundtrack was made to accompany the TIE Fighter Attack on the Millennium Falcon as it escapes from the Death Star. In The Empire Strikes Back, the main battles on the ice planet Hoth, and the harrowing Asteroid Field escape are fought alongside some of the sagas most iconic musical tracks. The best musical choice Williams makes for the film is the use of silence in the climactic showdown between Darth Vader and the young Luke Skywalker on the cloud city of Bespin. The silence focuses the listener on the slightest sounds, and emphasizes the fear and isolation of Luke, while the menacing, ragged breaths of Darth Vader emphasize the gravity of the battle, along with the iconic sound of their clashing lightsabers. It is not until Vader gains the upper hand (!) that the Imperial March roars in the background. Return of the Jedi concludes the original trilogy with several new works, including the exciting assault on Jabba the Hutts sail barge, as well as a powerful medley which underscores the alternating climactic battles of the film. Return of the Jedi is the first Star Wars film to incorporate a choir with the orchestra. The Battle of Endor, featuring the lovable but deadly Ewoks, uses a combination of militaristic brass and high woodwinds to evoke a sense of whimsey and danger. On the newly constructed Death Star above Endor, Luke Skywalker prepares to face Darth Vader again. As with their confrontation on Bespin, the battle commences in silence, however Luke senses the light side of the Force returning in Vader, and refuses to fight. It is not until Vader threatens Leia that Luke draws his lightsaber and the choir and orchestra swell with haunting, ominous chords. The most frequent theme which plays in the Original Trilogy is the Star Wars theme, closely followed by The Force theme and, despite only appearing in two of the films, the Imperial March. The Prequel Trilogy (1999 2005)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Phantom Menace was released on May 19, 1999, nearly 16 years after Return of the Jedi. While most fans were excited to learn more about Lucas Star Wars universe, The Phantom Menace received poor initial reactions for a variety of reasons, including the over-abundance of computer generated images, clunky dialogue, and confusing political sub-plots. Despite the low critical-reception of the film, critics and moviegoers alike praised John Williams score. For the Prequel Trilogy, Williams employed the talents of both the London Symphony Orchestra, as well as the talents of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, providing a rich, sanctimonious element to the film. The first two films of this trilogy have the lowest average of thematic reoccurrence in the saga, as well as the lowest number of original scores, however Revenge of the Sith more than doubles the amount of thematic use for the Prequel Trilogy, mostly with its use of The Force Theme. The surge in themes is most likely due to the uncertain future of the Star Wars universe at the time. With the end of a new trilogy in sight and little acclaim for the 1999 and 2001 films, it is likely that Lucas and Williams chose to increase the frequency of classic melodies to increase the emotional potency of the final chapter of this trilogy. The Phantom Menace (1999) Attack of the Clones (2002) Revenge of the Sith (2005) An interesting aspect of the Prequel Trilogy is the repetition of the final battle theme of The Phantom Menace Duel of the Fates. While themes commonly make their way into the climactic battles in the saga, this is the first instance where the opposite occurs. Duel of the Fates, arguably the most redeeming aspect of Episode I, is heard again briefly as Anakin speeds to the Tusken Raider camp to rescue his tortured mother in Attack of the Clones. It returns again as the theme for the final confrontation between Darth Sidious and Yoda on Coruscant in Revenge of the Sith. The most frequent theme in the Prequel Trilogy is by far The Force Theme, mostly due to the heavy influx of iterations in Revenge of the Sith, however like the Original Trilogy, the STAR WARS theme and Imperial March are among the most repeated themes, as well as prequel original, Across the Stars. The Sequel Trilogy (2015-2019) In 2012, Disney purchased Lucasfilm, as well as the rights to produce Star Wars movies for the foreseeable future. Understandably, many Star Wars fans were weary of this deal, having been slighted by the Prequel Trilogy just ten years earlier. Now under the direction of J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson, the Sequel Trilogy has reestablished many of the characteristics that endeared audiences to the saga in the first place. For example, the Sequel Trilogy is once again placing a greater emphasis on the use of musical themes, especially the Main Theme and The Force Theme. This establishes a context similar to what George Lucas developed for the original Star Wars, allowing the themes and characters to develop simultaneously. John Williams is currently eighty-six years old, and while he still conducts the London Symphony Orchestra and Los Angeles Master Chorale for recordings, he will not be participating in any future Star Wars projects. The Force Awakens (2015) The Last Jedi (2017) A fascinating aspect of the Sequel Trilogy is how closely it mimics the musical tendencies of the Original Trilogy. In both trilogies, the galaxy is under the oppressive rule of a tyrannical military force, which a small but brave group of renegades must rise up to overthrow. The musical themes which represent both sides of the war are reasonably balanced in both of these trilogies, representing the close conflict between the light side and dark side. This becomes a major theme in The Last Jedi, as the new proponents of the light and dark side, Rey and Kylo, develop their connections with the force around their respective moral compasses. The evenness of conflict is mirrored in the evenness of the musical score. Adversely, the Jedi Order fell from power due to their moral arrogance, and pure denial of the growing presence of the dark side. In the Prequel Trilogy, the Force Theme is far-and-away the most common motif, far out-balancing the combined thematic reoccurrence of the dark si de. By reviving the classic Original Trilogy score, John Williams has retroactively improved the very storyline of the Prequel Trilogy, showing that while the force is the energy of all life, neither the light side nor the dark can endure without balance. PART III: A Brief History and Analysis of Diegetic Music in the Star Wars Universe Diegetic Music As on Earth, musicians of the civilized galaxy typically find employment performing chamber music in pubs, clubs, as well as working in large-scale musical works. The Galaxies Opera House on the Republic capital of Coruscant is a notoriously grand theatre where politicians and interplanetary dignitaries could discuss diplomatic and consular matters while watching high entertainment. In Revenge of the Sith, philanthropist and Supreme Chancellor, Sheev Palpatine is a well known patron of the theatre, and a common sight at the ethereal operatic performances of the Mon Calamari, such as the famous Squid Lake. Given the lack of access most citizens have to higher intergalactic art such as the Opera House, jizz is the most popular genre of music in the galaxy. Jizz is an upbeat, swinging genre which typically features winds, a rhythm section, and some degree of improvisation. It truly penetrates the soul, impregnating the listener with a desire to dance. For the low to middle-class, the most popular form of musical entertainment comes from chamber music provided by local bands at the nearest tavern or cantina. The most popular of musical groups are typically able to support themselves through frequent gigging and savvy management, however many ensembles prefer to work under the contract of a patron. Jabba Desilijic Tiure (more commonly known as Jabba the Hutt) was a well known patron of music on his home world of Tatooine, employing bands to perform at local cantinas, as well as private performances in his palace and aboard his grand sail barge. The music was consistently of a high quality, as musicians that displeased Jabba were fed to various desert monsters (most typically the Sarlacc), providing musicians with a hearty incentive to improve their craft. Following his assassination at the hands of Leia Organa, the life and legends of Jabba the Gangster became the subject of a number of musical compositions. The hit song, Jabba Flow by the Infrablue Zedbeddy Coggins Band (popular ensemble that could be seen at Maz Kanatas castle on Takodana in The Force Awakens) derives its lyrics from the last words of a scoundrel who was caught lying to Jabba. Evar Orbus and His Galactic Jizz-Wailers were founded roughly twenty years before the battle of Yavin in Star Wars/A New Hope. This ensemble features Evar Orbus and Sy Snootles vocal talents combined with Max Rebo on the circular Nalargon (or Red Ball Keyboard), and Droopy McCool performing on the Chidinkalu, a reeded aerophone used in the rhythm section of the ensemble. The Galactic Jizz-Wailers proved they had great potential as a musical ensemble, however the ambition of Orbus would prove to be their downfall. Orbus accepted a gig for the ensemble to perform at the Mos Eisely cantina where Figrin Dan and the Modal Nodes were already residing as artists-in-residence. Figrin Dan took great offense to this intrusion, and attempted to shoot the entire ensemble dead before they could begin their first set. Evar Orbus was the only member of the Galactic Jizz-Wailers to perish, however the surviving members quickly surrendered the stage to the Bith ensemble. Following this setback, Snoot les, McCool and Rebo reorganized into the Max Rebo Band, which can be seen entertaining Jabba in his palace on Tatooine in Return of the Jedi. Figrin Dan and the Modal Nodes are the popular Bith musical ensemble based out of the Chalmuns Spaceport Cantina on the outer-rim desert world of Tatooine. While the members of the band varied from year to year, the main members performed mostly on reeded aerophone instruments (ironic, as Bith only have one lung), with a small rhythm section. The wind instruments of the ensemble included the dorenian beshniquel (colloquially known as the Fizzz), bandfill, fanfar, double jocimer, and kloo horn, played by Doikk Nats, Nalan Cheel, Tedn Dahai, Ickabel Gont, and Figrin Dan respectively. The rhythm section consisted of Sunil Eide on the drums, and Tech Mor on the ommni box. (These instruments sound strangely similar to the soprano saxophone, clarinet, trumpet, steel drum, piano, and various percussions) The Bith are one of the galaxies oldest civilizations, and hold a reputation as one of the most intelligent. A craniopod species, the Bith have evolved to possess highly developed senses. T heir eyes are able to see microscopic details at great focus, they can sense many smells through the skin-flaps of their cheeks, and they are and are naturally engrained with a comprehensive understanding of tonal sound, akin to their understanding of color or smell. Further, the Bith do not sleep, but fall into a meditative trance that allows them to rest twice as fast as other species. Fiery Figrin Dan is a notoriously disagreeable bandleader, demanding perfection out of each show and punishing those who miss even a single note. Suffice to say, the musical productions of this species are amidst the highest of art in the galaxy, and the Modal Nodes have gone on to celebrate an interesting career all around the intergalactic performance circuit. Musical Analysis of Mad About Me, by Figrin Dan and the Modal Nodes Mad About Me (Cantina Song) is a popular tune which can be traced as far back as 3643 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin), however it was popularized by the Modal Nodes in 0 BBY. A personal favorite of the group, Mad About Me was written by an unknown artist during a cold war between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire, shortly after the signing of the Treaty of Coruscant. The tune itself is rather nondescript, however the Modal Nodes rendition is notably lively, giving it a special bounce. Mad About Me soon became a popular tune around Tatooine, and the Modal Nodes contract with Jabba the Hutt provided them with plenty of performance opportunities. Of course, Jabba the Hutt is notoriously short with his constituents, and thus the Modal Nodes found themselves fleeing Tatooine shortly after the battle of Yavin, fearing they would become a meal for Jabbas infamous pet rancor. They were fortunate enough to both escape Tatooine, and produce a recording of Mad About Me, which would enjoy success in cantinas across Tatooine, and on the Interplanetary Imperial Broadcast. From an Earth music analysis standpoint, specifically the music of Western civilization, Mad About Me presents an interesting form and a harmonic structure along with an instantly recognizable melody. The piece contains nine distinct sections and is concluded by a recapitulation of the initial melody. The catchy nature of Mad About Me may stem from the overabundant use of the perfect authentic cadence in F major. Though the piece only runs approximately two minutes forty seconds, seven perfect authentic cadences are crammed into the piece, giving a human listener a satisfying release of dopamine roughly

Religion Is A Major Key For Conflict - 1711 Words

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Barc Sample Paper Free Essays

ELECTRONICS CAREER www. ecatn. blogspot. We will write a custom essay sample on Barc Sample Paper or any similar topic only for you Order Now com BARC SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER FOR ELECTRONICS If you like my site please support us by sharing website (www. ecatn. blogspot. com) to your friends 1. Differential amplifiers are used in a. instrumentation amplifiers b. voltage followers c. voltage regulators d. buffers 2. The output voltage Vo of the above circuit is a. -6V b. -5V c. -1. 2V d. -0. 2V 3. The ideal OP-AMP has the following characteristics. a) Ri=? ,A=? ,R0=0 b) Ri=0 ,A=? ,R0=0 c) Ri=? ,A=? ,R0=? d) Ri=0 ,A=? ,R0=? ELECTRONICS CAREER www. ecatn. blogspot. com 4. . How many op-amps are required to implement this equation A. B. 3 C. 4 D. 1 5. A very brief, high voltage spike on an ac power line is called as A. A bleeder B. An arc C. A transient D. An avalanche E. A clipped peak 6. You can find the zener diode in A. The mixer in a superheterodyne receiver B. 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H is in the direction of wave travel. 11. The lower cut-off frequency of a rectangular waveguide with inside dimensions (3 ? 4. 5 cm) operating at 10 GHz is (A) 10 GHz. (B)9 GHz. (C) 10/9GHz. (D) 10/3GHz. 12. The intrinsic impedance of free space is (A) 75 ohm. (B)73 ohm. (C)120 ? ohm. (D)377ohm. 13. Which one of the following conditions will not gurantee a distortionless transmission line (A)R = 0 = G (B)RC = LG (C) very low frequency range (R ? L, G ? C) (D) very high frequency range (R ? L, G ? C) 14. MOSFET can be used as a ELECTRONICS CAREER www. ecatn. blogspot. com a) current controlled capacitor (b) voltage controlled capacitor (c) current controlled inductor (d) voltage controlled inductors 15. In a common emitter, unbypassed resister provides (a)voltage shunt feedback (b)current series feedback (c)negative voltage feedback (d)positive current feedback 16. Introducing a resistor in the emitter of a common amplifier stabilizes the dc operating point against variations in a) Only the temperature b) only the ? of the transistor c) Both Temperature ? d) None of the above 17. For the circuit shown in Fig. 4, the voltage across the last resistor is V. All resistors are of ? 1 . The Vs is given by (A) 13V. (C) 4V. (B) 8V. (D)1V. 18. The network has a network function Z(s)=s(s+2)/(s+3)(s+4) (A)not a positive real function. (B)RL network. (C) RC network. (D)LC network. 19. For a series R-C circuit excited by a d-c voltageof 10V, and with time- constant s, , ? the voltage across C at time ? = t is given by A. 10(1-e-1) v ELECTRONICS CAREER www. ecatn. blogspot. com B. 10(2-e-2) v C. 10-e-1 volts D. 1-e-1 20. A 2 port network using Z parameter representation is said to be reciprocal if A. Z11 =Z22 B. Z12 =Z21 C. Z12 = – Z21 D. Z11 – 2Z22 =0 21. Consider a transmission line of characteristic impedance 50 ohms and he line is terminated at one end by +j50 ohms, the VSWR produced in the transmission line will be (A) +1 (C)infinity (B)zero (D)-1 22. In a certain medium E = 10 Cos(108t – 3y) ax V/m. What type of medium is it? (A) Free space (B)Lossy dielectric (C)Lossless dielectric (D)Perfect conductor 23. If D ? ? =? ?. E and ?. J = ? ?. E in a given material, the material is said to be (A) Linear (C) Isotropic (B)Homogeneous (D) Linear Homogeneous 24. For a 300 ? antenna operating with 5A of current, the radiated power is (A) 7500 W (B) 750 W ELECTRONICS CAREER www. ecatn. blogspot. com (C)75 W (D)7500 mW 25. An OPAMP has a slew rate of 5 V/ µ S . The largest sine wave O/P voltage possible at a frequency of 1MHZ is (a) 10 volts (c) 5/3 vo lts (b) 15 volts (d)5/2 volts 26. The early effect in a bipolar junction transistor is caused by (a) fast turn-on (b)fast turn-off (c) large collector-base reverse bias (d) large emitter-base forward bias 27. MOSFET can be used as a (a) current controlled capacitor (c) current controlled inductor (b) voltage controlled capacitor (d) voltage controlled inductors 28. An AM signal is detected using an envelop detector. The carrier frequency and modulating signal frequencyare 1 MHz and 2 kHz respectively. An appropriate valuefor the time constant of the envelope detector is. (A) 500  µsec (C) 0. 2  µsec (B) 20  µsec (D) 1  µsec 29. An AM modulator has output x(t)=A cos400? t+Bcos 380? t +Bcos 420? t and The carrier power is 100 W and the efficiency is 40%. The value of A and B are (A) 14. 14, 8. 16 (C) 22. 36, 13. 46 (B) 50, 10 (D) None of the above ELECTRONICS CAREER www. ecatn. blogspot. com 30. A super heterodyne receiver is designed to receive transmitted signals between 5 and 10 MHz. High-side tuning is to be used. The tuning range of the local oscillator for IF frequency 500 kHz would be (A) 4. 5 MHz – 9. MHz (C) 4. 5 MHz – 10. 5 MHz (B) 5. 5 MHz – 10. 5 MHz (D) none of these 31. An analog signal is sampled at 36 kHz and quantized into 256 levels. The time duration of a bit of the binary coded signal is: (A) 5. 78 µs (C) 6. 43 ms (B) 3. 47 µs (D) 7. 86 ms 32. The minimum sampling frequency (in samples/sec) required to reconstruct the following si gnal form its samples without distortion would be x(t)= 5(sin2? 1000t/? t)3 +7(sin 2? t 1000t/? t)2 (A)2Ãâ€"103 (C) 6Ãâ€"103 (B)4Ãâ€"103 (D) 8Ãâ€"103 33. Three identical amplifier, each having a spot effective input noise temperature of 125 K and available power G are cascaded. The overall spot effective input noise temperature of the cascade is 155 K. The G is (A) 3 (C) 7 (B) 5 (D) 9 34. In the Op-Amp circuit shown, assume that the diode current follows the equation I=Isexp(V/Vt) Vi=2V , Vo =V01 and for Vi=4V , Vo =V02 The relationship between V01 andV02 is ELECTRONICS CAREER www. ecatn. blogspot. com (A) (B) (C) (D) V02=v2 V01 V02=e2 V01 V02= V01ln2 V01- V02=Vt ln2 35. The counter shown in fig. below is a (A) MOD–8 up counter (B) MOD–8 down counter (C) MOD–6 up counter (D) MOD–6 down counter 36. The MUX shown in fig. multiplexer. The output Z is (A) A xor C (C) B xor C (B) A and C (D) B and C How to cite Barc Sample Paper, Papers

Erykah Badu - Baduizm free essay sample

If you want to buy an Erykah Badu tape, she can be found in the RB section. She has a very unique style.Erykah Badu was born in Dallas, Texas in 1973. As a teenager, she attended prestigious School of Arts in Dallas, where she spent most of her time rhyming, acting, writing, and reciting poetry. She was known as MC Apple. Her poems reflect what is going on in the world today. They have an old soul, meaning they are about situations that happened in the 1950s and 60s. In college, Badu listened to soul music by artists like Stevie Wonder and Niecey Williams. Performing was in her blood. Badu began building her reputation in Dallas in the mid 90s. She performed the opening acts for Tribe Called Quest, Roots and DAngelo when they visited her town. She is an individual who creates her own flow. Her songs specifically address the life and culture of young African-Americans. We will write a custom essay sample on Erykah Badu Baduizm or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Badu is an artist with the purest sense of words. Her style is powerful. She is capable of stirring the deepest emotions in others. Here is an example of her work: This world is so dramatic/I cant believe that were still living/Oh, in this crazy crazy world, that Im still living! This verse talks about situations that happen in the world today. With all this madness happening, she is surprised the creator doesnt come back and end the world.Badus voice is unique. When she is performing, the audience is hynotized. While on stage, she lights candles and incense and uses a conversational approach. Erykah Badu entered the charts at number two, achieving the highest chart position for a debut album by a female singer.Through the songs Erykah Badu writes, she tries to express what she feels. Badu affects me because she is so different from other RB singers. Her most recent local appearance was at the Madison Square Garden with rapper Busta Rhyme. Recently Erykah Badu won five awards from S oul Train Music Awards

Frankenstein By Mary Shelly Essays - Fiction, Literature

Frankenstein By Mary Shelly In the story "Frankenstein," written by the author Mary Shelley, Victor Frankenstein decided that wanted to create a being out of people that were already dead. He believed that he could bring people back from the grave. Playing with nature in such a way would make him play the role of God. With Victor Frankenstein feeling that he had no true friends, the only relief he had of expressing his feeling was through letters to Elizabeth. Elizabeth was not Victors' true sister but he loved her very dearly, making sure to always write her when ever he had the chance. Yet, when Victor left something strange came over him. Already being interested in subjects such as natural philosophy and chemistry, he fall upon the question of how to bring someone back to life. He became very involved in this project and worked on it for days on end. The project had to do with defying the laws of nature. Victor believe wholeheartedly that he could bring the dead back to life. He felt that the dead were not ready to die and they were just resting. Victor became so self absorbed into his project that he seem to forget all that was important to him. He even disengaged himself from all the people he loved in his life. People like his father, Elizabeth, and other loved ones. Victor began to write less and less. Yet, it was not until Elizabeth got a discouraged letter from Victor, did his love ones start to wary about him. Though, the letter was full of words, it gave no relief to Elizabeth, because the words meant nothing to her. However, they meant a lot to Victor, because he felt the project in which he was working on was so important to him, in his own delirious world. He felt that with bring people back to life he would not only better man kind, but also establish a name for himself. With this type of attitude, he did not even take into consideration that he might make the world a worse place. This part in the story shows the irony. The irony being that Victor Frankenstein feels he is doing something good for the world, but we later find out just how bad this creation could be. Though Elizabeth wanted to pull Victor away from his project, he was unwilling to leave until it is complete. After Victor found how to bring his creation to life, he also found out just how evil his invention could be. His creation was strong and evil. With the escape of the monster, Victor Frankenstein had to come to realization of what his creation might do and the consequences that Frankenstein, himself would have to deal with. With the murder of his brother weighing the guilt on his shoulders, Frankenstein know he had to do something. So he went looking for the monster. Upon their meeting each other, the monster confessed that when he found out that William as Victor's brother he killed him. He then proceeded to tell him that he killed his brother due to the fact that he was trying to get back at his creator for bringing him to life and allowing him to be an out cast in society. This killing prove to Victor that the monster did not know right from wrong or how to cope with his anger. This aggression made Frankenstein's creation violent. While talking with the monster, the monster demanded from Frankenstein to create a partner that he could be able to live with away for society. At first, agreeing to the demand, but later realized that if his first creation came out to be a killer so could the second one. With this in mind Frankenstein revoked his agreement and decided against creating another monster. Though, knowing that this decision could be dangerous to him and his loved ones. Yet, he had to think of what was truly best for man kind. Bringing the dead to life or saving the lives of the living. Another peace of irony in this story is, just like Victor Frankenstein who had no friends and was different from the rest of society so was the monster. Also, when Frankenstein decided to play God and bring the dead to life, his creation took on the same role when he decided to take away some ones life. All in all, both Frankenstein and his creation had some of the same behaviors and both were going to

Aristotles Views on Women

Aristotles Views on Women Introduction Before the Greek physicians and philosophers of the Classical Age took up the question of the nature of women, the Greeks had serious attitudes toward women as revealed in their literature (Whaley 2003, p. 1). Generally, women were to be kept down, or some disaster would occur.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Aristotle’s Views on Women specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Ancient Greek society was fundamentally patriarchal in nature and women were always under the control of men. Women were never expected to be in charge of their own lives and were viewed essentially as evil creatures. According to Whaley (2003, p. 1), this perception can be traced back to the writings of the eighth century poet Hesiod. In one of his poems, Hesiod described human misfortunes as beginning from a woman’s curiosity. Ordinarily, the ancient Greeks tended to view women as being passive and weak. There were, however, differences in view points and the extent to which they believed such allegations. The question of whether or not women are capable of taking on certain responsibilities in society is related to the nature of the female. As such, Aristotle is of primary importance, for it is his views on the nature of women that have dominated Western civilization. With his ideologies, Aristotle thought he had provided a scientific basis for the traditional Greek belief in female inferiority (Harding Hintikka 2003). He was the first to dominate the western mind with a single theory of the concept of woman and provided a new or original definition of what it meant to be male or female. His views on women superseded those of earlier thinkers and persisted well into the early modern era.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Before Aristotle, there were philosophers who wrote on the subject of wom en and the female contribution to the reproductive process and his debate with his predecessors focused on the role of male and female in the reproductive process. Some scholars, however, held that both sexes were responsible for reproduction, a view that was the basis of their belief in some form of equality between the sexes. Aristotle’s View on Women Aristotle was the most influential non Christian source for ideas in many fields up to the seventeenth century. This had very unfortunate effects for women in general (Wiesner 2000, p. 18). Although he was Plato’s most brilliant student, he disagreed with many of his master’s theories. To Aristotle, women were imperfect men, the result of something wrong with the conception that created them. According to Aristotle, their parents were too young or too old, or too diverse in age, or one of them was not healthy. Nature always aimed at perfection, and Aristotle termed monstrous, anything less than perfect. A woman w as thus a deformity, but one which occurred in the ordinary course of nature. Aristotle’s remarks on women are generally regarded as the all-time low of his philosophy and science (Mayhew 2010, p. 1). The problem is not simply that he is wrong, nor is it simply that there are gaps in his reasoning. The problem, many believe, is that his views about women are the product of an ideological bias and not of honest science.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Aristotle’s Views on Women specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Besides his remarks on women representing gender prejudice, they are also dangerous and the source of many of the standard western arguments for the inferiority of womankind and political subordination of women to men at home and in society. In the same spirit, it is evidently the case that Aristotle’s account of women in particular and of the female gender in general both provide some kind of rationalization or accommodation of widespread Greek social attitudes (Marshall 2004, p. 25). According to Wiesner (2000, p. 10), Aristotle’s conception of women is, in general and in many details, false. Frequently, however, too little care is taken over rigorous scholarship on the part of some of his fiercest critics. Often, there is little concern for what precisely his views are on a particular issue. Nor is there much of concern with presenting support for the claim that his arguments about women are more than rationalization. There is a great deal of confusion over what Aristotle says in his biological writings about women and whether what he says about them is ideological (Green Mews 2011). This may in part be a result of the fact that, until fairly recently, scholars of ancient philosophy have tended to neglect Aristotle’s biological works including the history of animals, parts of animals, and generation of animals. Beginning in the twelfth century, theol ogians and religious writers, generally called scholastics, attempted to bring together the teachings of Aristotle and those of early Christian writers, into one grand philosophical system.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thomas Aquinas, the most brilliant and thorough of the scholastics, synthesized classical and Christian ideas about women, stating that women’s inferiority was not simply the result of Eve’s actions, but was inherent in her original creation (Green Mews 2011). Based on Aristotle’s ideologies, Aquinas argued that even in procreation, the role of women was quite minimal, since the mother simply provided the material substance in the child while the father supplied the active force (Wiesner 2000, p. 18). Women needed male assistance in everything because of their physical and intellectual weakness, though they did have souls and so were responsible for their own salvation (Nussbaum 2001, p. 49). In Aristotle’s view, women are who they are because of their inability to produce semen (Warren 2008, p. 204). He considers men to be separate from women since they are better and more divine in that they are the principle of movement for generated things, while wom en serve as their matter. While still within the mother, a woman takes longer to develop than a man does. However, because women are weaker than men, everything reaches its perfection sooner in women than in men once birth has taken place (Warren 2008, p. 204). We should, therefore, look upon a woman’s state as though it were a deformity. Ethically, Aristotle considers man to be the master with many responsibilities such as being the head of the house. Whatever can be suitably performed by the woman is, however, handed to her by the husband. Politically, a husband rules over his wife as a constitutional requirement. Aristotle also says that the friendship of husband and wife â€Å"may even be a friendship of virtue, if they are good, for there is a virtue appropriate to each, and they can rejoice in this† (Harding Hintikka 2003). In Aristotle’s view, the virtues of women differ in kind and not in freedom from those of men. He thus quotes the popular view that à ¢â‚¬Å"silence brings glory to women† (Krikos Ingold 2004) Culture and Perceptions on Women It is not true that every thinker is guilty of rationalization. In fact, everyone is capable of objectivity. This does not, however, imply that a scientist works in a cultural vacuum, under no influence from his intellectual, historical, and social context (Green Mews 2011). There are numerous ways in which a cultural context limits or tends to limit a scientist. The nature of the debate and the key issues inherited by a scientist will tend to affect how he approaches an issue as will the state of the evidence and the period of scientific development in which a scientist works. Furthermore, the nature of society and social roles such as the status of women can create obstacles for the scientist. In Aristotle’s case, take for example the discussion of women’s role in generation. Because of how the issue was treated by scientists and non scientists, Aristotle discussed gene ration partly in terms of whether the woman contributed seed to generation (Nussbaum 2001, p. 53). Moreover, without a microscope, it was simply the case that there were certain conclusions about the nature of generation that he could not reach. Given the ancient conception of the woman as inferior to the male, there may well have been pressures on Aristotle o view the issue in a certain way, pressures not exerted on a geneticist working in the twenty first century. Cultural context sets limits to what a scientist can do and creates certain obstacles that may be difficult or even impossible to overcome. An important observation, however, is that a scientist is not trapped in this context (Krikos Ingold 2004). The context of his scientific theories is not determined or set in advance by the cultural context. One’s cultural context does not make objectivity impossible, at least not for those who are not ideologically biased. As a matter of fact, a scientist is quite capable of radically reassessing the views of his predecessors and of his culture (Warren 2008, p. 206). A lack of objectivity is not an inevitable consequence of working in a certain cultural context. It is the result of evasion, dishonesty, or other human failures. As noted by Mayhew (2010, p. 5), being influenced by one’s cultural context is not automatically evidence of ideological rationalization. For example, while almost all educated people today accept the view that women can philosophize, most people living around the Mediterranean in the fourth century B.C. were of a contrary opinion. This is, however, associated with the fact that they had few examples of women philosophizing (Green Mews 2011). Certainly, if this enormous lack of evidence for some belief is included in the meaning of social causation, then it provides no evidence of rationalization. As such, an ancient Greek denying the possibility of female philosophers would not necessarily involve any such false consciou sness. A further investigation can lead to the conclusion that a particular thinker who holds an obnoxious belief is excused of the charge of bias because of the cultural context within which he was working (Allen 2006, p. 115). Of course, if a thinker is cleared of such a charge, it does not mean that his ideas were formed or even deformed without any inclusion from the cultural context within which he was working. Although some people might hold that any negative view of women is acceptable, it may be necessary to consider whether a given negative claim in fact supports the interests of men at the expense of the interests of women (Foley 2009, p. 19). For example, one might posit that Aristotle’s claim that women contribute less to generation than men would affect how women are viewed and treated. In the present era, if a philosopher or scientist down played the role of women in generation, we would immediately reject the assumption as baseless and assume some kind of bias with a great deal of justification. It may, however, be wrong to immediately assume bias on the part of an ancient Greek thinker who made such claims considering that an ancient Greek biologist lacked a microscope and a long history of biological research to build on (Landau 2010, p. 22). It may very well be the case that, in ancient Mediterranean cultures around the time of Aristotle, women neither philosophized nor ruled. Conclusion Aristotle’s portrait of women is of tremendous importance in Western thought. It became a guide for attitudes to women in general, and because of his influence as a person, it became entrenched in Western culture. It should be noted, however, that there are other important and interesting accounts of Aristotle’s ideologies that make his views on women to appear very complex. For example, his understanding of women in the political world leads to a vision of hierarchy, but not submission on all levels. Although Aristotle does think that wo men are by nature inferior to men, he also thinks that there are many cases where nature does not fulfill itself, and in these, women may be superior to men (Wiesner 2000, p. 55). Thus, although men are superior to women by nature, not all men are better than all women. Moreover, Aristotle notes that men are rendered superior to women also by convention, but as in his discussion of slaves, he thinks that convention can be problematic. In the modern society, however, arguments presented by Aristotle to advance his ideologies can not be easily accepted. Numerous examples exist to show that women can actually perform better than men in a number of ways. Whether in politics, education, or at work, negative attitudes about women are quickly fading away. Reference List Allen, P 2006, The Concept of Woman: The Early Humanist Reformation, 1250-1500, Part 2, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, Cambridge, UK. Foley, HP 2009, Female Acts in Greek Tragedy, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. Gre en, K Mews CJ 2011, Virtue Ethics for Women 12501500, Springer Publishing, New York. Harding, SG Hintikka, MB 2003, Discovering Reality: Feminist Perspectives on Epistemology, Metaphysics, Methodology, and Philosophy of Science, Springer Publishing, New York. Krikos, LA Ingold, C 2004, Womens Studies: A Recommended Bibliography, Libraries Unlimited, Westport, CT. Landau, I 2010, Is Philosophy Androcentric?, Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park, PA. Marshall, T 2004, Aristotles Theory of Conduct, Kessinger Publishing, Whitefish, MT. Mayhew, R 2010, The Female in Aristotles Biology: Reason or Rationalization, University of Chicago Press, Chicago. Nussbaum, MC 2001, The Fragility of Goodness: Luck and Ethics in Greek Tragedy and Philosophy, Part 2, Cambridge University Press, New York, NY. Warren, KJ 2008, An Unconventional History of Western Philosophy: Conversations Between Men and Women Philosophers, Rowman Littlefield Publishers, Lanham, MA. Whaley, LA 2003, Wom ens History as Scientists: A Guide to the Debates, ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara, California. Wiesner, ME 2000, Women and Gender in Early Modern Europa, Cambridge University Press, New York, NY.

Incentive program to reduce waste Research Proposal

Incentive program to reduce waste - Research Proposal Example inventive and dynamic incentive system in the forklift operational management needs to be designed to dramatically cut down accidents and risks to the barest minimum. This is a proposal for incentive program to reduce waste by forklift operators during shipping of goods. First the proposal would identify the kind of forklift operations that need incentive programs during movements. Next, it would recommend the kinds of incentive programs that could be conveniently implemented From a review of the company’s accident statistics, it is observed that the rate of losses due to forklift accidents are very high, sometimes average around 4-5 accidents per month. These accidents may occur due to mishandling of forklifts, improper or inadequate training to forklift operators or even due to negligent or careless supervision. The management needs to take firm and concrete steps not only in order to reduce and even eliminate the risks of heavy losses of materials due to forklift operations but also risk of personal injury to forklift operators or other stores personnel There is always the risk due to mishandling of goods while handling. This could be due to judgement errors of the forklift operator or if his view is blocked due to cartons in front of him, or if the pellets on which the materials are mounted are defective or broken. Lack of proper training, judgemental error or mechanical or electrical fault, or malfunctioning of the forklift could also lead to wastages, accidents and losses, determinate or indeterminate. In the event the forklift overturns while in operation, this could cause serious damages or even loss of life or limbs. Besides, there needs to be some self induced or regulatory measures by which such damages or losses could be sustained. The incentive programme is not a substitute for safety but to inculcate a sense of collective responsibility for denial of accidents or property damages. The damages may not be of the company’s items alone but could

Mass transportation in los angeles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mass transportation in los angeles - Essay Example The express buses do not stop often and normally drive on the freeways where it is possible to cover the shortest distance, which means that it skips various stops and areas. The rapid buses normally travel and pick passengers on local streets, although they do not make as many stops as the local buses and, therefore, can be considered as better when it comes to beating the traffic. However, one is advised to review the schedules prior to travelling since these buses change routes and, during the late hours, their frequency is reduced. Fares for a weekly pass are $20, for a day pass one has to pay $5 and $1.50 for a single ride (Shanks, 2001). Metro buses in Los Angeles also use the orange and silver rapid transit lines to operate metro liners, which are present on the metro rail map due to the fact that, along majority of their routes, they operate transit-ways (Shanks, 2001). The Department of Transportation In Los Angeles also operates white buses on top of the Metro on local lines so as to supplement their bus service Downtown and in other areas with high population densities. In addition, cities that neighbour LA also operate bus systems that extend their routes into LA and charge different fares. These buses overlap with the Metro bus networks. Some of these bus systems also run rapid line routes, which are parallel to local routes but have fewer stops. Some of these include the Big Blue Bus that is operated by Santa Monica City and serves Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Brentwood and other West LA districts, LAX, and downtown LA. The Culver City Bus serves Culver City, LAX, Century City, Mar Vista, Rancho Park, Marina Del Rey, Palms, West LA Transit Centre, UCLA, Venice, Westwood, and Westchester (Bottles, 2011). The Burbank Transit operates around North Hollywood and Burbank, while Torrance Transit operates around Torrance to Long and Redondo Beach, downtown LA, and LAX. The Foothills Transit also operates

Analyse how Public Relations communications theory can help an Essay

Analyse how Public Relations communications theory can help an understanding of the role of new media - Essay Example Toward the end of the century, as business corporations became the dominant institutions of our times, the scope of PR widened and assumed new roles in the commercial realm of product marketing. At the birth of the new millennium, the ascendency of digital technology into the mainstream has once again enhanced and redefined the nature and role of public relations industry. Irrespective of the evolution and change of mediums of communication over the last century, the essence of PR industry has remained more or less the same. In other words, the theoretical framework within which the PR industry operates is applicable across media technologies, both new and traditional. This essay will pertain itself to the analysis of how Public Relations communications theory can help understanding the role of new media. Firstly, new media is a term that is used to refer to a range of communication options that fall along a spectrum. The research team of Diana Owen and Richard Davis have done extensive analytical work on new media. They describe the wide range of new media technologies thus: â€Å"At one end are communications platforms based on old technologies that have taken on new political roles, such as radio and television talk programs, tabloids, and television news magazines. In the middle of the spectrum are mixed or hybrid media that combine elements of traditional media with newer technologies. These include 24-hour cable news programs and the Internet sites of newspapers and magazines. On the far end of the spectrum are new media that have developed as a result of new technology that has been put to novel political uses. Internet applications, such as social networking Web sites like Facebook and MySpace, blogs, video-sharing sites including YouTube, and podcasts fall into this category.† (Owen & Davis, 2008) What we learn from the history of PR theory over the last century is the identification of

Absorption Costing Vs Marginal Costing | Case Study

Absorption Costing Vs Marginal Costing | Case Study As Marabs Manufacturing Limited deals in different products, some standard while others customised, it should accordingly adopt different but suitable techniques for costing these products. Absorption costing and marginal costing are two different techniques of cost accounting which can be used by Marabs Manufacturing. These techniques may be suited under different circumstances. How is Absorption Costing Different from Marginal Costing? Absorption costing is a traditional method of inventory costing that traces all manufacturing costs (the variable and the fixed costs of production) to the product. These costs do not become expenses until the inventory is sold. Absorption costing considers normal manufacturing costs as product costs and includes them for inventory valuation. As sales occur, the cost of inventory is transferred to cost of goods sold. Absorption costing emphasises the functional characteristics of cost. Using this system, the profit reported for a manufacturing business for a period is influenced by the level of production as well as by the level of sales. The rationale for absorption costing is that it causes a product to be measured and reported at its complete cost. Absorption costing is based on the premise that even though it is difficult to trace costs like fixed manufacturing overhead to a particular unit of output it does not mean that they are not a cost of that output. As a result, such cost s are allocated to products. In contrast, marginal costing is a costing technique of presenting cost data wherein variable costs and fixed costs are shown separately for managerial decision-making. Marginal costing system emphasises the behavioural characteristics of cost. The focus of this system of costing is on separating costs into variable elements and fixed elements. Under marginal costing, variable costs are charged to cost units and the fixed costs are treated as period costs and, as such, are simply deducted from contribution in the period incurred to arrive at net profit. Inventory/stock for profit measurement under marginal costing is valued at marginal cost. It is in sharp contrast to the total unit cost under absorption costing method. There are various other points of difference. The key differences between marginal and absorption costing are: Accounting for Fixed Manufacturing Costs Marginal and absorption costing differ in terms of treatment of fixed manufacturing costs. Under marginal costing, fixed manufacturing costs are excluded from inventory costs and are a cost of the period in which they are incurred. On the other hand, under absorption costing, these costs are included in the cost of inventory and become a part of cost of goods sold in the period when sales occur. Presentation of Sales and Cost Data Facilitating Decision-Making Absorption costing does not differentiate between variable and fixed cost in the calculation of profits. But marginal cost statement very clearly indicates this difference in arriving at the net operational results of a firm. The differences in presentation are clearly shown in the costing pro-forma below. ABSORPTION COSTING PRO-FORMA Â £ Â £ Â £ Sales xxx Production cost of Sales Opening Stock xxx Production Costs: Direct Materials Direct Labour Production Cost absorbed xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx Less: Closing stock (xxx) (xxx) Production Overhead absorbed xxx Production Overhead incurred xxx Over absorbed / Under absorbed xxx or (xxx) xxx Administration overheads incurred xxx Selling and distribution costs xxx (xxx) Profit xxx MARGINAL COSTING PRO-FORMA Â £ Â £ Â £ Sales xxx Variable cost of Sales Opening Stock xxx Variable Production Costs: Direct Materials Direct Labour Variable Production Cost xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx Less: Closing stock (xxx) Variable Production Cost of Sales xxx Variable Selling and Distribution xxx Total Variable Cost of Sales (xxx) Contribution xxx Fixed Costs: Fixed Production Cost Fixed administration cost Fixed selling and distribution xxx xxx xxx Total Fixed Costs (xxx) Profit xxx Absorption of Fixed Overheads In absorption costing, fixed overheads can never be completely absorbed. However, this is not so under marginal costing. Under marginal costing, the actual fixed overhead incurred is wholly charged against contribution. Stock Valuation In marginal costing, work in progress and finished stocks are valued at marginal or variable cost, but in absorption costing, they are valued at total production cost. Difference in Profits The net profits under absorption costing method and marginal costing methods differ if there is a difference between opening and closing stock values. When closing stock is more than opening stock, the profit under absorption costing will be higher as comparatively a greater portion of fixed cost is included in closing stock and carried over to next period. When opening and closing stocks are same, there will be no difference in profit, provided the fixed cost element in opening and closing stocks are of the same amount. Thus, absorption costing and marginal costing differ in their approach and treatment of costs. However, each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. Arguments in Favour of Using Absorption Costing Absorption costing is simple to administer and easy to understand, and may be appropriate when direct costs are of significance. Besides, absorption costing is required for outside reporting where other methods of costing such as marginal costing are not accepted. It is also widely used for cost control purpose. Thus, there are various arguments in favour of absorption costing are: Absorption costing does not need to separate costs into fixed and variable costs. This is especially useful in situations where separation of costs into fixed and variable is difficult and gives misleading results. Under marginal costing, stocks and work in progress are understated. The exclusion of fixed costs from inventories affect profit and true and fair view of financial affairs of an organisation may not be clearly transparent. Absorption cost data is more realistic than marginal cost data in case of highly fluctuating levels of production, e.g., in case of seasonal factories. Besides, volume variance in standard costing also discloses the effect of fluctuating output on fixed overhead. Application of fixed overhead depends on estimates and not on the actuals and as such there may be under or over absorption of the same. Absorption costing takes care of this while marginal costing may not be able to do so. Absorption costing controls cost by means of budgetary control. This is an acceptable process to many. In order to know the net profit, one needs to take into account fixed overheads also. A system like marginal costing which ignores fixed costs is less effective since a major portion of fixed cost is not taken into account. Thus, absorption costing proves to be better. Arguments in Favour of Using Marginal Costing Despite its various advantages, absorption costing may not always prove to be the best approach to costing or pricing a product. It may not help management take important decisions about a product. Marginal costing may prove to be a better system of costing. For the decision-making purpose of management, better information about expected profit is obtained from the use of variable costs and contribution approach in the accounting system. The arguments that favour marginal costing are: It is simple to understand and avoids having varying charges per unit as it does not charge fixed overhead to cost of production. It prevents the illogical carry forward in stock valuation of some proportion of current year’s fixed overhead. It facilitates cost control as it avoids arbitrary allocation of fixed overhead. Marginal costing uses cost control methods such as flexible budgets. It facilitates cost-volume-profit (CVP) or breakeven analysis and profitability analysis and thus helps in short-term profit planning. It also helps an organization compare profitability and performance between two or more products and divisions and help the management in decision making. Under marginal costing system, large balances are not carried under overhead control accounts and thus there is no difficulty of ascertaining an accurate overhead recovery rate. As marginal costing is much closer to cash flow managers usually find it easier to understand marginal costing reports. Using Both Absorption Costing and Marginal Costing Like any other organization, a manager at Marabs Manufacturing Limited will need to take decisions when he encounters problems and alternative courses of action are available. In deciding which option to choose he will need all the relevant information. In most cases cost information proves to be relevant to any decision making. However, no single costing approach can provide appropriate information for taking decisions in all circumstances. In certain cases absorption costing will provide more complete information while in other cases marginal costing information will be more relevant. The theoretical basis for absorption costing is that decisions should be based on the matching principle for all manufacturing costs. Marabs Manufacturing incurs fixed manufacturing cost with the expectation that the resources represented by these costs will be used in the production of inventory. Hence, these costs should be matched against the revenue generated from the sale of that inventory. In contrast, the theoretical reasoning for marginal costing is that fixed manufacturing overhead will be incurred in the short-run irrespective of the volume of production or level of inventory. A significant portion of the fixed manufacturing overhead costs is unavoidable in the short run even when the facilities are idle. Marabs Manufacturing Limited is in a multi-product business. Some products are standard products while others are based on specific orders or are customized according to specifications provided by customers. Wherever the company is costing for standard products it may use absorption costing. It is also given in the scenario that the standard products tend to be seasonal and highly fluctuating. Absorption cost data is more realistic than marginal cost data in case of highly fluctuating levels of production. Absorption costing will also be useful while making certain decisions, for example the price to be charged for external services. However, all decisions related to specific orders and or products adapted to meet the requirements of individual customers should be based on marginal costs. Thus, Marabs Manufacturing Limited should not restrict itself to just absorption costing or just marginal costing and use cost data based on both approaches. The chosen approach should depend on the nature of decision required. As a guideline, if the required decision relates to cost control, cost data based on absorption costing will be more appropriate. However, cost data based on marginal costing will be more appropriate for short-term managerial decision-making and control. Decision analysis should ideally include costs that vary with a decision. Though marginal costing identifies both fixed and variable costs its decisions are based on only the variable component of costs of an activity. Fixed costs are not relevant in case of many decisions that involve relatively small variations from existing practice and/or are for relatively limited periods of time. This is because fixed costs are difficult to alter in the short term. Variable cost corresponds closely with the expenditure n ecessary to produce and sell products and services and can therefore be used more readily in incremental analysis than absorption costing data. Marginal costing is also appropriate for decision making when an activity centre has short-term spare capacity. Marginal costing will also help the company in taking a decision on the minimum price that could be charged for a product. This can be particularly useful for pricing additional sales at special reduced rates when sales have already been made at the normal selling price. As fixed costs have already been paid of all that is required to cover the variable costs of any additional sales Finally, marginal costing can help Marabs Manufacturing take decisions related to: Budget planning and determining the volume of sales required to make a profit Pricing and sales volume decisions. Sales mix decisions, to determine in what proportions each product should be sold. Decisions that will affect the cost structure and production capacity of the company. Whether or not to close down a factory, department, product line or other activity, either because it is making losses or because it is too expensive to run. To sum it up, both absorption as well as marginal costing techniques are appropriate for the company and one cannot be treated as better than the other. The choice of a technique should be dependent on the costing objective. References: Charles T. Horngren, George Foster, Srikant M. Datar, Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis, Prentice Hall John K. Harris, Cost Accounting Student Guide, 12th Edition, Prentice Hall Michael W. Maher, William N. Lanen, Madhav V. Rajan, Fundamentals of Cost Accounting, McGraw-Hill/Irwin Ronald W. Hilton, Frank H. Selto, Michael W. Maher, Frank Selto, Cost Management: Strategies for Business Decisions, McGraw-Hill College Absorption Costing / Full Costing accessed from: http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_absorption_costing.html

Tobacco Stuff :: essays research papers fc

The Tobacco Issue: The Tobacco Issue: Where the Responsibility Lies Political-Legal Issues: The legal and political issues surrounding the tobacco industry include whether or not tobacco companies should be held liable for tobacco-related deaths of smokers and those related to second-hand smoke, as well as whether or not elected officials should be accepting money from the tobacco industry in order to win elections. When deciding where the responsibility lies in the case of tobacco, the facts can be turned to favor either side on the issue. However, the tobacco industry has followed the government’s guidelines, since guidelines have been established, while the government seems to want to place blame for peoples’ habits on the manufacturers of products that people choose to use. Tobacco Litigation: The first issue to examine is the issue surrounding the use of the judicial system in finding responsibility for the epidemic surrounding the tobacco industry. The tobacco industry is the defendant in the majority of cases brought before the judiciary and, historically, the majority of the cases have been decided in favor of the industry. In a landmark case in 1988, the tobacco industry won a huge victory against Rose Cipollone. Ms. Cipollone died a horribly painful death from cancer. The defendant in the case was Philip Morris. Philip Morris’ council argued that it was the woman’s choice to smoke. This woman had even testified that she had gone to church every Sunday to pray that she would not get lung cancer. She knew the risks involved with smoking and chose to continue smoking. Philip Morris won the case. (Byrne, 189-190). For years the tobacco industry won case after case involving cancer victims that had smoked. Even today, much of the litigati on by smokers has been decided in favor of the industry. In July of 1999 the Louisiana District Court, 19th District decided the case of Robert Gilboy et al. V. The American Tobacco Co., et al. in favor of the defense. The jury was not convinced that 45 years of smoking had caused Mr. Gilboy’s lung cancer. In the case of the Estate of Burl Butler, et al. V. Philip Morris, Inc., et al., the Jones County, Mississippi Circuit Court, 2nd District jury found the tobacco industry defendants not liable for the alleged second-hand smoke related wrongful death of Mr. Butler. This case was decided in June of 1999. An important win for the defense was gained in Kansas City, Missouri in May of 1999.

Comparing and Contrasting The Conflict Scenes in “Great Expectations” and “Of Mice and Men” Essay

A major point in each of these films are the â€Å"fight† or conflict scenes and although they appear in different points in the story they still have an equally large effect on the main story line. In of Mice and Men this conflict between Curley and Lennie is really not cause by any major factors apart from the fact that Curley is a bully. He only chooses to pick on Lennie because he thinks he can win either way when picking on a big man, because if he wins he has won the fight, and if he looses he can say he won to a larger opponent. This is why Curley picks Lennie when in fact all the others were the ones who were being critical of him. All Lennie had to do was smile to make Curley hit him! You could say he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, which is exactly what Pip was in Great Expectations this was what caused Magwitch to pick on Pip. Magwitch was not retaliating to anything Pip had done in the same way that Curley was not retaliating to anything that Lennie had d one, although he does make the false accusation that Lennie was laughing at him. We do not know any past history about Great Expectations apart from the fact that Pips mother and father are dead although this really does not have anything to do with this conflict. We find out later that Magwitch is an escaped convict and so he was merely trying to get food. In of Mice and Men, however, we do know some past history behind the conflict. Curleys’ wife is a flirt but Curley doesn’t seem to realise this so when people say something about his wife he feels confronted and in this case he releases his aggression physically and he releases it on Lennie because he thinks that is the fight he is least likely to loose. The two combatants in the conflict scene from of Mice and Men are Lennie and Curley. Curley comes across as a small muscular ex-boxer who is quick on his feat and very intentionally aggressive. Lennie on the other hand is portrayed as a large soft figure who is naive, innocent and very dependant (on his travelling partner George) and is therefore never intentionally aggressive towards anyone. The men are almost total opposites of each other; this is similar to the end of Great Expectations where Magwitch, the ex-convict meets up with the perfect gentleman he has produced, who happens to be his former combatant Pip from the beginning of the book. In Great Expectations Magwitch is presented as particularly dangerous person at first however later in the book we realise he is in fact a complicated person who was never really trying to hurt anyone. He was obviously born into this social class where he was bound to end up having to steal for food anyway and in fact later in the story he says his earliest memory was stealing cabbages from a farmers patch! So when it comes to Magwitch being a criminal, he really didn’t have any choice in the matter. Pip, who the story is about is portrayed as a person with as the story is named â€Å"Great Expectations†, he doesn’t seem to be happy with growing up to be just an average worker. So it really must be an amazingl y kind and dedicated man, who despite being a convict, manages to produce this perfectly crafted young gentleman. Which in the end causes Magwitch to be executed when he comes over to see what all his money and effort has produced. A main feature in of Mice and Men is the words and phrases used to describe and create atmosphere in relation to the conflict scene between Curley and Lennie. This includes many references and comparisons between the two men and animals. It starts near the beginning of the conflict when Curley tries to intimidate Lennie by walking over and staring at Lennie. In The book Steinbeck describes it by writing, â€Å"Curley stepped over to Lennie like a terrier.† This is a good simile as it really does emphasise Curleys’ small but snappy character. Then later on when Curley has started hitting Lennie Steinbeck describes Lennie as Bleating. Later on in the fight, however, when Lennie fights back and grabs Curley’s hand, this action is described in the book as Curleys’ fist being lost in Lennie’s’ paw. Also as a consequence of this act ion Curley ends up, â€Å"Flopping like a fish!† This may not be intentional by Steinbeck but bears are a natural predator of fish, which would agree with the comparisons. Yet we already know that Curleys, natural targets have been bigger men, so it is a contrast of this when Curley himself becomes the prey. In the conflict scene in this book there are a lot of verbs to suggest Curleys boxing career, for example on page 66 when Curley first starts to hit Lennie it says, â€Å"Curley was balanced and poised. He slashed at Lennie with his left, and then smashed down his nose with a right!† All these words show that Curley really was just beating Lennie up at this point. Lennie was not retaliating at all; he was just taking the huge blows from Curley. Its seems as if he does not realise that he can fight back, â€Å"Lennie gave a cry of terror. â€Å"George† He cried â€Å"Make him let me alone George† as he backed up against the wall† Lennie, even when in the most dangerous and threatening situations where you would have though natural instinct would set in, still calls for George’s guidance or help. It is Lennie’s lack of ability to do things for himself, which eventually leads to his downfall. The language also plays a big part in the story, In Great Expectations the words and phrases also play a big part in displaying the action happening during the conflict although generally they are used to show the actions and feelings of the characters rather than the physical conflict because the conflict in this story is less dramatic. For example phrases such as, â€Å"I pleaded in terror!† â€Å"I was dreadfully frightened.† and â€Å"He muttered then considering.† all show emotional or mental states which do help you imagine the situation however the actual physical action is not portrayed as if it was extremely violent which is because although it is a conflict, the two combatants are not really engaging in any kind of physical fight. The most dramatic thing that happens in this meeting is when Magwitch grabs Pip and shakes him upside down by his ankles, which probably hurt Pip somewhat. All that is said about this in the story however, is, â€Å"He turned me upside down and emptied my pockets.† this does not make it sound particularly dramatic. This is because it is not done as an intentionally hurtful thing to try and cause harm to Pip it is just Magwitch trying to get food from Pip. Even when Pip is defending himself, it is never physically. There are only two times when he really tries to stop Magwitch from hurting him and the first of these is at the top of page 2when he says, â€Å"Don’t cut my throat sir,† and then on page 3 when he says, â€Å"If you would kindly please to let me keep upright, sir, perhaps I shouldn’t be sick, and perhaps I could attend more.† In both of these instances Pip regards his attacker with the utmost of respect and tries to reason with him despite the fact that this man he has never met has threatened to kill him. In this way the language shows the reader how Pip feels and how they are behaving, whereas in of Mice and Men we get mainly a physical side to the fight because that conflict is a lot more actual fighting than in the conflict between Pip and Magwitch. In Great Expectations there are no other characters watching when the actual conflict occurs and so the meeting is a lot less about show than it is in of Mice and Men where Curley is really just trying to show the other men that he is still a good fighter and is in charge physically as well as being the bosses son. This fails though, when Lennie successfully retaliates. There are a lot more people who have a role in the conflict in of Mice and Men than there are in Great Expectations. In Great Expectations Pips has done nothing to provoke the attack and he does not have any real family who could have done so and Magwitch is a convict. The only person we could say, that had a role in this conflict would be the person who Magwitch escaped with because he was the one who helped him escaped and who Magwitch said the food was for. Although this escaped partner turns out to be the person who lets him down by giving him in to the police. In of Mice and Men George is another main character that plays a big role in this conflict. Because Lennie is so dependant on George, he has to stay around him all the time or he may do something which will end up with them leaving their jobs or having to leave town. He gives Lennie all the right advice about Curley, yet Curley still finds an excuse to hit him. So George is entirely just in telling Lennie to hit back in this situation. Even though he doesn’t do it at first, in the end Lennie fights back and with incredible force. Seeing as Lennie takes every instruction from George, you could say it was George who was fighting back against Curley because if it weren’t for him then Lennie would have just sat back and taken the beating until he was knocked out or until someone stepped in. Another character who had a role in this conflict was Curley’s wife. Curley does not know how to control her flirting and so he just tries to make everyone to scared to even talk to his wife. This works with the workers and they won’t go near her but this makes her try harder to get their attention. This is what puts Curley in a bad mood before the conflict because they all gang up on him about his wife. Ironically the only person who doesn’t say anything is Lennie and he is the one who Curley picks to beat up. This conflict in of Mice and Men makes us think that Curley has got his comeuppance and that Lennie is some kind of hero because we naturally feel sorry for the underdog who triumphs over a cocky adversary. We feel a justice has been done and this makes us want to know what Curley is going to do to get back at him. All through the story I think we know that Lennie is going to eventually kill someone so we are always looking for who we think it will be. This conflict makes us proud of Lennie for beating Curley although we still fee l sorry for him despite the fact that he has just physically assaulted and seriously injured another human being. I t is strange how Steinbeck gets us to feel this range of emotions through a relatively simple fight. We want to know what will happen next and it brings action to the book which makes us think that the end will be even more dramatic. In great expectations we are given an opening to the story. We know almost nothing about the plot yet we want to read on to find out what relevance this conflict has to the main story line, almost like the chase at the beginning of a James Bond movie. We are enjoying the action and we are introduced to the main character but we still want to find out what the main plot is going to be afterwards. This is not the main action in the story but it is still important. This is the same in of Mice and Men where we know this conflict between Curley and Lennie is not the main action but it is still important and makes us want to know what is going to happen to the characters at the end of the story. The conflict in of Mice and Men is more about catharsis than reso lution; Steinbeck is not trying to solve a problem by showing you this fight, which is a climax of the story so far. He is also not showing you a happy ending to the fight; he is posing a problem, which to some extent is never solved throughout the book. By showing the reader Lennie’s’ attempt at doing something bad we actually see what a good person he is by the way he reacts afterwards and even during the conflict. He cries and shouts; as if he has no control over what he is doing to Curley. This is the main theme of the book and once you can see this, you can start to empathise and eventually feel sorry for Lennie, which I think is Steinbecks overall aim in the story. By bringing out Lennie’s’ â€Å"bad† side, the author is showing a side of the character that happiness cannot. However when it comes to Lennie, this shows us that he does not have a really bad part to his personality. It is almost through being innocent, that Lennie appears not to be to blame, as he is not clever enough to have unjust just anger towards someone. Although at the same time it is because of his innocents and naivety that he doesn’t realise all he has to do is let go, and the madness will stop. However no matter how you look at this Innocent/Harmful side of Lennie, it is still is what causes all the deaths in this book. Yet not one of these deaths or injuries is caused by Lennie intentionally trying to hurt another human being apart from when he hurts Curleys hand in this conflict. It is the only time we really see Lennie intentionally doing some harm, and this is only after being beaten up by an ex-professional boxer and then told to do it by George! So in this way the conflict is not really solving anything. This is exactly the same as in Great Expectations where we see Magwitch stealing food from Pip. Dickens is showing us the bad side of this character right from the start and at first glance we assume he is an evil criminal and a bad person. However if we look closer we see that the â€Å"bad† side of this person is actually not trying to be bad and scary, its just how it looks. For example the first thing Magwitch says is, â€Å"Hold Your Noise!† Cried A Terrible Voice. The word terrible makes us assume that this person is bad but really he is just trying to make Pip be quiet so he does not cause any attention to himself. He is only robbing Pip for food; he is stealing for survival. So he is not actually trying to do a bad thing. Like how Lennie never does bad things intentionally in of Mice and Men. The conflict scenes in both these books are not about intentional harm or causing pain to another person (with exception of what Curley is doing to Lennie); they are about people doing these things because they have to, not out of choice. The stories make you empathise with the main combatants despite the fact they are doing something wrong.

5 Fixes for Pop-Culture Pile-Ups

5 Fixes for Pop-Culture Pile-Ups 5 Fixes for Pop-Culture Pile-Ups 5 Fixes for Pop-Culture Pile-Ups By Mark Nichol Alluding to science and technology, real and imagined, in lay publications or in references to popular culture is fraught with peril. You don’t know humiliation until you’ve been flamed by a science or tech geek or a sci-fi fanboy who castigates you for a misunderstanding about the way the universe works, or for perpetuating a misquote from a beloved movie, TV program, or other artifact of entertainment. Always verify the validity of such analogies or allusions as these: 1. â€Å"You don’t have to be the Man of Steel to open a Kryptonite bike lock.† This failed attempt at pop-culture metaphor in discussion of a brand of bike lock called Kryptonite is illogical, because Superman (known also by the epithet the Man of Steel) was â€Å"allergic† to kryptonite, so a bike lock made of the (fictional) element would disable him; this fact renders the sentence nonsensical. To rescue it, a wholesale revision and expansion of the analogy is required: â€Å"The Kryptonite bike lock wouldn’t faze Superman, and it doesn’t deter thieves, either.† 2. â€Å"I’m reminded of Captain Kirk’s familiar request to the ship’s engineer: ‘Beam me up, Scotty.’† There’s a bit of a problem with this reference to one of the most recognizable catchphrases in the pop-culture lexicon: It was never actually uttered by the television character associated with it. Always double-check even what appears to be the most airtight reference, and then, if it turns out to be inaccurate, slip that fact in: â€Å"I’m reminded of Captain Kirk’s apocryphal request to the ship’s engineer: ‘Beam me up, Scotty.’† (See also â€Å"I am your father, Luke† and â€Å"Elementary, my dear Watson.†) 3. â€Å"The huge tunnel-boring machine looks like an alien enemy of the starship Enterprise.† This awkwardly worded allusion to the Star Trek oeuvre is easily smoothed out to refer to the program rather than the spacecraft it featured: â€Å"The huge tunnel-boring machine looks like an alien vessel out of Star Trek.† 4. â€Å"The trend has taken off like the starship Enterprise making the jump to hyperspeed.† Hyperspeed is a technological convention in the Star Wars franchise; starships in the Star Trek canon, by contrast, achieve warp speed. Make sure you keep your fictional technologies in the correct universe: â€Å"The trend has taken off like the starship Enterprise boldly going at warp 9.† 5. â€Å"This agreement isn’t just a big step; it’s a quantum leap.† A quantum leap is commonly misunderstood to refer to a massive change. However, the literal meaning is of instantaneous change of any magnitude. Revise to reflect that fact: â€Å"This agreement isn’t just a big step; it’s a momentous one that will have a world-changing impact.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Spelling Test 1Whenever vs. When EverParticular vs. Specific