Friday, November 15, 2019

Use of Bathroom Scenes in the Film Pulp Fiction Essays -- Pulp Fiction

Bathrooms are filthy. They are grimy, soiled porcelain wastelands swarming with harmful bacteria and human waste. And they’re one of Quentin Tarantino’s favorite tools to use on the big screen. If one were to study the history of American media, he or she may notice that bathrooms are scarcely pictured. In fact, it wasn’t until the 1960 release of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho that a toilet was shown in cinema. The featured toilet caused quite a stir among critics, and became a symbol of American ethics. Quentin recognized the subject of morality that resided in the use of bathrooms and used it to his advantage. In his 1994 release, Pulp Fiction, Quentin frequently uses the bathroom to make the viewer question his or her ethical views. The first instance of the bathroom being used to elicit a questioning of ethics within the audience occurs during the sub story of Mia and Vincent Vegas. In this scene, two questions of ethics are brought forth. After a long, fun night Vincent returns with Mia to Marsellus Wallace’s estate. He promptly announces that he has to use the restroom, and leaves Mia alone. Once alone in the bathroom, we see Vincent talking to himself in the mirror, trying to persuade himself to leave Mia alone for the night. Vince is quite obviously attracted to Mia, and Mia seems willing to spend more time with him. He has to decide whether to stay longer and risk taking advantage of Marsellus’ wife or to leave immediately, wishing her a good night and ending his relationship with her. This creates tension and allows the audience to consider their own moral standpoint in regards to the situation. The second questioning of ethics that occurs in this scene begins to take place moments after Vince leaves the bathroom. We h... ... side with. Again the audience must consider their own moral stance in regards to the situation in order to reach this conclusion. As proved in this clever arrangement of bathroom scenes, Quentin Tarantino is a creative albeit unorthodox director. Though he draws inspiration from a vast expanse of resources, this Quentin’s productions are undoubtedly unique. Through his clever use of the bathroom as a means through which to bring forth a questioning of ethics, Tarantino has again proved his creativity as a director. This movie made me think. This movie made me reevaluate my moral values and empowered me to challenge my own ethical views. This movie literally taught me more about myself than I had previously realized. We can only hope Tarantino continues to produce such impactful films so we can continue to explore our values the way Pulp Fiction has allowed us to.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Islam Is the Way of Life Essay

Thank yuo Mrs. Chairman. Well, good morning everyone. I would like to utter my very first salam to the honourable judges, respected teachers and fellow friends. My name is Noor Husna Bt. Ahmad Toha and I’m from the red team. The reason why am I standing here today is to give a speech entitled â€Å"Islam is the Way of Life†. First and foremost, I believed that each one of us had already heard the phrase â€Å"Islam is the Way of Life† quite often but what does it really means? So today, let’s make ourselves clear with it. Teachers and students, Islam guides from the cradle to the grave. It guides us in all aspects of life rather than just prayer and worship. The way of life of Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H is the way of life of Islam. His 24 hours of life is the perfect model for the people to follow until the Dooms Day. His way of speech, dresiing, his dealing with the wives, children and people in general, his sitiing, walking, sleeping, eating and even his way in the lavatory are model to us. His dealing as the ruler of the Islamic nation, as the judge, as the commander in chief of army, as the head of the family are examples to follow. Prophet Muhammad had once said, â€Å"I have left two things with you which if you hold onto, you shall not misguided; The Book of God and my example. Humans are made to obey The Creator. Following the Sunnah are one of the many ways to show our devotion to Allah, and the most important is surely to be gracious and respectful to Allah’s Messenger as stated in the Holy Quran in the first sentence of Surat Al-Hujurat which means, â€Å"O you who believe, do not put yourselves forward before Allah and His Messenger, but fear Allah: for Allahis He Who hears and knows all things. We can see a lot of scams in the business nowadays which is very contrary to what has been taught to us by the Prophet. It is a compulsary to us to be fair and honest in trading. Deceiving is completely forbidden. Cheating in business does not benefits anything but it is more likely to gives bad effect to our own life.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Downsizing: Costs and Assigned Government Executive

Industry downsizing has been a major part of the corporate world, even government agencies are downsizing. GovernmentExecutive. com â€Å"covers the business of the federal government and its huge departments and agencies – dozens of which dwarf the largest institutions in the private sector† on its website. Read the assigned Government Executive article and answer the following questions: Which industries have substantially reduced fixed cost commitments? Do you believe this reduction in costs has substantially impaired the ability of these industries to meet the needs of their customers? It appears that both privite and public sectors are reducing fixed cost. According to Ciccotello and Green, the technology, auto, and government industries have substantially reduced fixed costs. The specific examples referenced in the article, Industry’s Downsizing Lessons, were IBM, Honda, and the DoD; in some cases the downsizing has been beneficial and in others it has been detrimental. DoD has taken the lead in the current round of federal downsizing, instituting several initiatives to reduce permanent staff positions, rely more on temporary help and outsource production. Honda made large cuts in its permanent engineering staff in response to the more volatile sales environment for automobiles since the mid-1980s. These cuts left Honda unable to keep pace with its competitors in the design of new automobiles. The results have been the loss of market share and profit for Honda, which now faces the difficult task of trying to catch up. The consequence of cutting fixed costs too far could be even more dangerous for a government enterprise like DoD. The computer industry is rapidly changing technology is causing companies to reassess large, fixed-cost commitments. As a result, evidence of decreasing operating leverage in this industry abounds. Many large computer firms have made dramatic cuts in permanent staff. Standard and Poor's reports that IBM had more than 370,000 full-time employees in 1990 and fewer than 270,000 in 1994. At the same time, computer firms have greatly increased outsourcing of products and leasing of equipment. Both of these trends reduce the requirement for large in-house expenditures on personnel, plant and equipment. Outsourcing and leasing make the enterprise more nimble, more able to quickly adapt to a rapidly changing sales environment.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Book Summary for Siddhartha

Book Summary for Siddhartha Siddhartha is a novel by German author Hermann Hesse. It was first published in 1921. Publication in the United States occurred in 1951 by New Directions Publishing of New York. Setting The novel Siddhartha is set in the Indian Subcontinent (Islands off the southeastern tip of the  Indian  peninsula), is often considered a part of the  subcontinent. during the time of the Buddhas enlightenment and teaching. The period about which Hesse writes is between the fourth and fifth century BCE. Characters Siddhartha - the protagonist of the novel, Siddhartha is the son of a Brahmin (religious leader). During the course of the story, Siddhartha journeys far from home in search of spiritual enlightenment. Govinda - Siddharthas best friend, Govinda is also searching for spiritual enlightenment. Govinda is a foil to Siddhartha as he is, unlike his friend, willing to accept spiritual teachings without question. Kamala - a courtesan, Kamala acts as the ambassador to the material world, introducing Siddhartha to the ways of the flesh. Vasudeva - the ferryman who sets Siddhartha on the true path to enlightenment. Plot for Siddhartha Siddhartha centers on the spiritual quest of its title character. Dissatisfied with the ritualistic religious upbringing of his youth, Siddhartha leaves his home with his companion Govinda to join a group of ascetics who have renounced the pleasures of the world in favor of religious meditation. Siddhartha remains unsatisfied and turns to a life opposite to that of the Samanas. He embraces the pleasures of the material world and abandons himself to these experiences. Eventually, he becomes disillusioned with the decadence of this life and again wanders in search of spiritual wholeness. His quest for enlightenment is finally achieved when he meets a simple ferryman and comes to understand the true nature of the world and himself. Questions Consider the following while reading the novel. 1. Questions about the character: What significant differences are there between Siddhartha and Govinda?Why does Siddhartha continue to question and explore different philosophies and ideas about religion?Why does Siddhartha reject the teachings of the Buddha?In what way is Siddharthas son like his father?Explain the dual role of the ferryman. 2. Questions about the theme: What role does the natural world play in the thematic development of the novel?What is Hesse saying about the quest for enlightenment?How does the internal conflict of Siddhartha add to the archetypal theme of Man vs. Himself?In what way does love confound Siddhartha? Possible First Sentences Like many great novels, Siddhartha is the story of an individual in search of answers about himself and his world.The idea of spiritual enlightenment is very complex.Siddhartha is a revelation of Eastern religion and philosophy.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Financial Aid Calculator for Private Schools

Financial Aid Calculator for Private Schools While many parents experience sticker shock when they see the price of tuition at private schools, it is important to remember that affording a private school education is not like purchasing a house, vehicle or another high-end purchase. Why? Simple: private schools offer financial aid to qualified families. Thats right, about 20% of private school students nationwide receive some form of financial aid to defray the cost of tuition, which averages about $20,000 at day schools (and closer to $40,000 or more in many urban areas on the East and West Coasts) and over $50,000 at many boarding schools. According to NAIS, or the National Association of Independent Schools, nearly 20% of students at private schools nationwide are awarded some financial aid, and the average grant of need-based aid was $9,232 for day schools and $17,295 for boarding schools (in 2005). At schools with large endowments, such as top boarding schools, about 35% of students receive need-based aid. At many boarding schools, families earning under about $75,000 year may actually pay little or nothing in tuition, so be sure to ask about these programs if they apply to your family. Overall, private schools give out more than $2 billion in financial aid to families.   How Schools Determine Financial Aid To determine how much financial aid each family should be granted, most private schools ask families to fill out applications and possibly submit tax forms. Applicants may also have to fill out the School and Student Service’s (SSS) Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) to determine what parents can pay towards their children’s private school tuitions. About 2,100 K-12 schools use the Parents’ Financial Statement, but before parents fill it out, they should be sure the schools they are applying to accept this application. Parents can fill out the PFS online, and the site offers a workbook to guide applicants. Filling out the form online costs $37, while it costs $49 to fill it out on paper. A fee waiver is available. The PFS asks parents to provide information about the family’s income, the family’s assets (homes, vehicles, bank and mutual fund accounts, etc.), the debts the family owes, how much the family pays for educational expenses for all their children, and other expenses the family may have (such as dental and medical expenses, camps, lessons and tutors, and vacations). You may be asked to upload certain documents related to your finances onto the website, and these documents are stored securely. Based on the information you submit on the PFS, the SSS determines how much discretionary income you have and makes a recommendation about your â€Å"Estimated Family Contribution† to the schools to which you are applying. However, schools make their own decisions about the amount each family can pay for tuition, and they may adjust this estimate. For example, some schools may decide that they can not afford this amount and may ask the family to pay more, while other schools may adjust the cost of living for your city or town based on local factors. In addition, schools vary in how much aid they offer based on their endowment and the school’s commitment to providing financial aid to broaden their student body. In general, older, more established schools tend to have larger endowments and can offer to provide more generous financial aid packages. Where to Find a Financial Aid Calculator The truth is, there really isnt a fool-proof financial aid calculator for private school applicants. But, private schools do try to work closely with families to meet their needs. If you want a general idea of your estimated FA award, you might consider a financial aid calculator used by students applying for financial aid at college. You can also ask the admission office for statistics on average financial aid awards offered by the school, percent of family-need met and the percent of students who receive aid. Also, look at the schools endowment and ask what the full financial aid budget is, these factors can help you get an idea of how aid is allocated to families. Because each school makes its own decision about financial aid and how much your family should pay toward tuition, you may wind up with very different offers from different schools. In fact, the amount of aid you are offered can be one of the factors you consider when choosing the right private school.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Practitioners' concerns for children's safety influence the Dissertation

Practitioners' concerns for children's safety influence the effectiveness of an outdoor learning environment in an early year - Dissertation Example In the intervention it was found that children actually preferred playing in the challenging environment due to varied reasons. Some find it interesting as they get their individual space, they feel more responsible and matured and above all there is no one to guide or control them. They all love the freedom which otherwise is difficult to attain. When children were asked 'Why you do like playing were no one sees you?' they replied due to: Secrecy Challenging and scary environment Risky Play It was also found that children are aware about the probable dangers they may encounter and are conscious enough to overcome them as well. When they were asked 'Do you sometimes jump off the swing?', children clearly replied they know that might get hurt and need to be careful because it is dangerous. Use of appliances like hammer etc it also perilous hence they must avoid it. Children take immense pleasure in performing risky tasks though they know that it might lead to injury like bumping into each other, playing fast slides, bikes, tools, swings etc. The deduction that can be made from the above interaction was that children must be allowed to perform activities which they desire but must be thoroughly guided and made known to all possible pros and cons of risky plays so that they are conscious while performing those tasks and activities (Sandseter, E. B, 2007). The essential elements needed are: Practitioner’s hold a different viewpoint regarding risk and outdoor plays. They believe that too much protection and fortification from risk actually deters development and growth in children. Out of the 31 respondents intervened, 61.3 % supported that it is essential for children to play outdoors. The findings clearly state that risk taking must be encouraged through outdoor activities as it would facilitate children in accessing difficulty levels in the later stages of their lives. They should be exposed to difficult situations so that they learn to deal with them. â⠂¬ËœOutdoor play ‘and ‘deep play’ activities help a child to develop personality traits, however risk must be initiated in controlled environment where level of risks are negotiated in regard to individual potential and capacity of a child (Wheway, R, date unknown). The benefits of outdoor play as per the practitioner’s are: Active explorers Increased concentration Physical Development Skill Development Good Health Fun and Frolic Getting accustomed to changing weather conditions Factors that can prevent children from outdoors Unfavorable Climatic Changes Health Concern Legal Requirements Safety Issues Accountability Television, computers, mobile phones etc Lack of Facilities Lack of Qualified Practitioner’s Practitioners encourage risk taking to an extent by which the environment helps a child in: A detailed observational technique was applied whereby both practitioners and children were observed. The research sternly supports children desire to invo lve in high risk activities in an outdoor environment. It was found that children thoroughly enjoyed climbing slides, balancing, bumping into each other, riding bikes etc but under proper supervision and guidance of practitioner’s. . Children actually enjoy and feel proud to discover their inner potential and abilities and learn while fun Chances were risks were high, were warned by practitioner’s and attempt to avoid them was also made. Risks events like

Friday, November 1, 2019

Observation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Observation - Essay Example Whole foods are widely recommended for any person any time but in most cases those who consume them want to manage their weights. This is an observation essay about Whole Foods and the people who partake of whole foods (Steve, 2002). Nutritionists and health professionals recommend that foods are best taken in their natural form or when they have been minimally altered to derive maximum benefits from the nutrients. The human body works best with natural foods and consumption of processed foods means that the body has to go the extra mile so as to digest the food. Consumption of such foods means that the body derives maximum nutritional value from the foods which translate to better health. Another reason as why people opt for whole foods is due to health reasons such as vegetarians or heart conditions that could be eliminated by taking the right foods in their natural state. To such people, eating of this group of foods is necessary for their health to keep diseases at bay. Most people who consume whole foods also do so that they could lose weight while at the same time managing it. Different people come in and out Whole Foods depending on their reasons for opting for eating these kinds of foods. In most cases, the main group of people who opt for such foods is those who would like to lose and manage their weight (Steve, 2002). You will notice mostly women who look big and walk as if their weight is a big luggage to them. Others are mostly women who would like to lose their birth weight and consequently being in such a diet ensures that it reduces their chances of craving for junk food which ultimately adds more weight. Similarly, they need to stay healthy for their babies who feed exclusively from their breast milk. The elderly people also opt for this group of foods since their immune system is deteriorating, and they should be at a position to maximize on the nutritional content of everything that they consume. The majority of these people walk into this