My Darling Clementine - The Effects Of Noir Essays - Batman Films

My Darling Clementine - The Effects of Noir My Darling Clementine to me didn't stick out as a particularly dark movie. I will agree that there were a lot of dark scenes in it but not enough to distract me toward the idea of this being a particularly dark film as a whole. However the dark noir lighting style that was used to bring the night scenes to life certainly added something to it. Usually when I think of film noir, I tend to think of movies like Batman. There the lighting reflects the moral and physical issues behind the motives of the characters. And to keep that feeling going threw out the movie, even the day scenes are dark and gloomy to a degree. To me, that's dark. That is where a lighting style has been implemented to enhance a chosen mood for the story. That's noir. The image of a bright sunny day with blue skies, white clouds, green grass, and birds singing would have no place in a seriously dramatic fantasy like Batman. It just would not fit. I think My Darling Clementine is different. In this film the noir lighting style was effectively integrated into the story but for a much simpler purpose. Here in Clementine I think it's used merely as a pictorial element. A tool, to enhance a scene here and there with little relevance to the story line. This film did have very elaborate dark scenes but still not enough to put it under the label of noir as a whole. The difference is that here I belive that one of those "bright sunny day" sequences that I mentioned before would not look so out of place in a film like this. I agree that the western is one of our most traditional genres with John Ford it's most conservative directors. But the only western that I have ever scene that has ever pulled off the whole noir thing effectively is a movie that goes by the name of "Unforgiven" with Clint Eastwood. I love a dark movie. But then again at the same time I'm not exactly the biggest western fan in the world so my opinion could be thought of as somewhat bias.

8 Great Writing Tips for Kids

8 Great Writing Tips for Kids 8 Great Writing Tips for Kids 8 Great Writing Tips for Kids By Ali Hale I’m 33 now (which feels very old!) but I’ve loved writing since I was a kid myself. The very first story I remember writing was about a mouse, when I was five or six. I spent a lot of time writing stories throughout my childhood, and I had a go at my first novel when I was thirteen. Writing has always been one of my favourite things to do and for the last ten years, it’s been what I’ve done for a living. When I was at school, a lot of the writing I did was as part of my school work. At school, your teachers are probably keen for you to know lots of things about writing – like where to put commas, and what nouns and verbs are, and so on. There are lots of great tips out there about how to get things like that right, and I’ll link to some of those for you in this post. I wanted to focus on some tips, though, about enjoying writing and having fun with it and about becoming a better writer overall (not just a better speller)! Here are my best tips on how to keep growing and improving as a writer, however young you are: #1: Have a go at some writing exercises – you can find lots of these online, or you could have a go at them in workbooks or school books. Lots of adults find writing exercises helpful, too, so that they can get better at writing. You can find some great ones to try here. #2: Read a lot. Almost every writer I know is also a keen reader. Try to read a wide range of different things – like classic story books as well as modern ones, non-fiction (factual) books, magazine or newspaper articles, and so on. You’ll come across lots of different ways to write, and you might learn some new words. #3: Keep a little book of new words you learn. Don’t be embarrassed if you don’t understand a word the first time you read it. Sometimes you can guess from the rest of the sentence what it means, but if not, you can just look it up in a dictionary. You might want to ask an adult how to say the new word, too – you could write down how it sounds. For instance, â€Å"matron† is pronounced â€Å"may-tron† (with a long â€Å"a† sound) not â€Å"mah-tron† (with a short â€Å"a† sound), which is how I thought it was said when I first read it in an Enid Blyton story. #4: Try writing stories for children younger than you, or stories that involve children younger than you. This is a great thing to do when you’re still quite young yourself, because you can remember what it’s like to be six or seven. (Adult writers find it hard to remember, and often they create young children characters who are too babyish for their age.) If you have a little brother or sister, or a younger cousin, you could read your stories out to them. #5: Remember that even adults don’t get things right first time. Sometimes I get a spelling wrong, or I write a sentence that’s confusing for my reader. And I’m a professional writer! It’s fine to make mistakes, so don’t worry about getting everything perfect in your first draft. Just make sure you leave a bit of time to go back and edit afterwards (just like adult writers do) so that you can fix any mistakes. #6: Have a go at different types of writing. When I was young, I like to make pretend magazines or newspapers. That’s something that children have enjoyed doing for a very long time – in one of my favourite classic children’s books, The Story of the Treasure Seekers by E. Nesbit, the children in the story make their own newspaper filled with things they’ve written. Maybe you could have a go at making a newspaper to share with your family and friends – or maybe you’d like to write poetry or a play script, or something else entirely. #7: Keep a journal about your day to day life. There are lots of ways to do this – you could write a sentence or two each day, for instance, or you could write a longer piece once a week. You could write about what you’re learning at school, who your friends are, the games you’ve been playing even what you had for lunch! Details that might seem boring now could be really interesting when you read your journal when you’re 20 or 30 or even 80! #8: Ask for help if you get stuck. If there’s something you don’t understand in what you’re reading, or if you can’t work out if something you’ve written is quite right, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Most adults will be very glad to give you a hand. You could try a teacher, or a librarian (either at your school library or your local library). If you get to meet any adult writers, perhaps through school or at an event, think up some good questions for them too! I hope you have lots of fun with your writing. It can feel like theres a lot to get right, but (outside of school time) the most important thing is that you enjoy writing. I hope the ideas above help you to get even more out of writing. If you’ve got any tips of your own, why not share them with us in the comments? 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 Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to use "on" and when to use "in"Broadcast vs Broadcasted as Past Form5 Keys to Better Sentence Flow

Battle of the Bogside Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Battle of the Bogside - Assignment Example Battle of the Bogside In August 1969, the district of Derry known as the Bogside remained highlighted around the world for 3 days due to the clash between the local residents and the Royal Ulster Constabulary. The conflict aroused when local residents protested against the RUC’s attempt to fissure barricades that they had erected in protection of the area. The RUC had had several clashes with local residents time after time in past 11 months since the Bogside residents had been opposing Northern Ireland Government and its representatives and were aligned behind the Civil rights Movement. The Battle of Bogside was the climax of Ulster’s civil rights movement and set off the dilemmas of Northern Ireland. The annual Apprentice Boys march on August 12, to remember the victory of Protestants in the 1689’s Siege of Derry had to be organized. The march of a huge number of Apprentice Boys along with their followers by way of Derry city center and past the verge of Bogsid e was being viewed quite provoking by city Nationalists. McCann, the Derry activist wrote in his book that the parade was considered as a deliberate insult to the Catholics of Derry (McCann 1993). In order to avoid clash among the locals, the RUC and the demonstrators, plans had been prepared. Moreover, a defense plan was also prepared in case the regular plans failed. Officials made several attempts to prevent potential confrontation. In this regard, the Derry Citizens Defense Association (DCDA); an association that was established in July 1969 to design a defense plan for the Bogside and that included senior republicans, had meetings with senior figures of Apprentice Boys Association to convince them to cancel or at least reroute the march. They refused the request. As the Apprentice Boys started off their march on August 12, the air was filled with tension and threat could be felt throughout the city. When the Apprentice Boys and their followers paraded past Waterloo Place on the verge of Bogside, the RUC men and Nationalist youths faced each other. It was the time when the Troubles broke out. In the beginning, the Bogsiders and the loyalists exchanged taunts followed by stoning. Wardens and Nationalist leaders tried to control the crowd but failed and confrontation escalated (McCann 1993). The mob turned out in the Bogside, stoned the cops and shelled petrol bombs. This was the time when the riots started to intensify. Local youths settled on the roof of Roosevelt Street’s High Flats for bombardment on the RUC with missiles. The RUC had no prior preparations for such battle. They were not equipped with defensive tools. In order to take the control of situation the RUC began using CS gas. This was the first time that such an undiscerning weapon was used in the jurisdiction of United Kingdom. Police from all over the Northern Ireland had been drawn up. On 13 August, Taoiseach Jack Lynch addressed about the Derry event and said that he was worried abou t the injury and sufferings of innocent people and hence he would send the Irish Army at the border which would set up field hospitals for those wounded in the battle (Ranelagh, 1994). The reaction to this pronouncement was mixed. Later that evening, the Unionist rioters attempted to burn down the City Hotel. By 14 August, the riots had turned even more horrific. The B- Specials, an ancillary, typically Protestant police, were assembled in the predominant Unionist area. In the evening the B-Specials mobilized to Waterloo Place, on the city wall and on the verge of Fountain. The RUC troops had started to withdraw as they had completely exhausted after 3 days’

Interview Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Interview Questions - Essay Example The interview questions will be divided into five groups targeting different data set and they will include: 4. Do you think that religious scholars and liberal oriented society members can get together for a common cause? What do you think would be the common ground that could bring these two different oriented societies together? How will this collaboration be helpful in the development of the society and what would be the possible outcome? Will this outcome be beneficial? 12. Do you think your organization is among the organizations that could serve as a mediation point between society and government? If so, in what manner and on what issues can it mediate and the instances that it has already mediated. 10. Do you think that the leap in technology and media are helping the Saudi women in sharing her interests and thoughts to other women in society? What other ways do you think exist that may allow Saudi women to be more actively effective in

Study Skills Preparing for and Taking Tests Research Paper

Study Skills Preparing for and Taking Tests - Research Paper Example This paper will describe strategies for preparing for and sitting tests. In this paper, it will be assumed that the exam and test mean the same thing and the two words will be used interchangeably. Hall (2010) advises that test preparation begins on the very first day a student enters the school. This is because all that may be tested during the exams include even the lessons that were taught on the very first day. In Hall’s view, test preparation starts by paying a lot of attention in class and taking an active part in a class by taking lecture notes. No student should ignore note taking because lecture notes are good for future reference considering that the human brain cannot grasp everything at ago. Students should also engage the lecturer by asking questions in areas that have not been well explained or those which the student feels that he/she needs additional clarification on. This is important because such areas are likely to be tested. This implies that failing to ask questions may mark the beginning of failure in tests. It is common that lecturers leave assignments immediately after a lecture. Students who intend to pass tests highly must always take advantage of these assignments by completing all of them in time. They should also take the assignments to the lecturers for marking, and seek assistance on questions that were wrongly answered. Completing assignments and taking them for marking may be the key to passing exams because some tests are directly taken from the assignments given in class by the lecturers. It is also important for students to engage in reviewing what they have learned regularly so as to avoid forgetting concepts previously learned. To effectively do this, a student must utilize his/her time well. It is, therefore, imperative for the learner to make a personal timetable which acts as a guide on how the time is to be spent on reviewing the notes.

South Africa’s Comparative Advantage: EU and SADC

South Africa’s Comparative Advantage: EU and SADC SOUTH AFRICAS POSITION IN WORLD TRADE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SOUTH AFRICAS COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE WITHIN THE EU AND SADC INTRODUCTION The South African economy has undergone a gradual process of trade reform in the last three decades, the ultimate aim being to improve resource allocation by shifting policy towards a more competitive, export-oriented focus, and more specifically to diversify exports into non-gold items (PETERSSON, 2005). Over the last two decades the world has seen the creation of many preferential trade areas both within and across continents. Today South Africa has signed trade agreements with many countries including China, India, USA (through AGOA) and notably free trade agreements (FTAs) with the South African Development Community (SADC) and the Trade, Development and Co-operation Agreement (TDCA) with the EU. The main goal of this study is to analyze and draw a comparison between South Africas comparative advantage within the European Union and within the SADC FTAs and investigate the effects of these trade agreements on trade flows among the participating/ economically allied countries. This study will also analyze the credibility and relationship between South Africas policy of free trade and its own economic performance. Background to the Study South Africa signed the Trade, Development and Co-operation Agreement (TDCA) with the European Union (EU) in 1999 and with the SADC in (2000) which were intended to remove most of the trade barriers over the next decade. The European Union has been South Africas biggest trading partner both before and after Apartheid. From 1999, the European Union was a destination of more than 40% of South Africas exports while at the same time accounting for over 70% of South Africas Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The TDCA was mainly intended to create a free-trade area between South Africa and the EU, in order to ensure that South Africa enjoyed free access to the EU market and vice versa. The Agreement provided for liberalization of 95% of the imports by the EU from South Africa within the period of ten years, and 86% of imports by South Africa from the European Union in twelve years. However vulnerable sectors both within the EU and South Africa are allowed to be protected from competition. For example, the EU is allowed to continue protecting its agricultural products against similar imports from South Africa and the agreement permits South Africa to shelter some industrial products. Thus some motor vehicle p roducts, petroleum and petroleum products, beef, sugar, chocolate, Ice cream, dairy, chemical products, certain textile and clothing products etc, are protected against similar imports from the European Union products. In 1994 Economic sanctions against South Africa had rendered the economy inefficient due to years of isolation from the global economy. The post-apartheid democratic government inherited many social and economic problems among which included: high unemployment especially amongst the black population most of whom lacked education, differing levels of poverty and income disparities and lack of competitiveness in the industrial sector. All these issues required urgent attention and an almost complete restructuring of the economy, the way it was run and the adoption of policies that would help the nation emerge from decades of apartheid and international isolation. Being a complex economy that exhibited features of developing and developed nations, South Africa met strong opposition notably from some EU member countries. Later South Africa was denied trade concessions ratified in the Lomà ©Ã‚  [i]  Convention that were intended for under developed countries. , However South Africa itself did not see relying on aid as an important strategy for its long term drive towards development (Perry, 2000). As a result South Africas government embarked on improving its competitiveness in the world economy through promoting trade by negotiating trade treaties with several countries as a tool towards sustainable growth, eradication of poverty and income inequality. South Africa and the European Union finally signed a Free Tra de Area agreement in 1999 after a long period of negotiations that were characterized by all sides trying to negotiate the best deal possible for themselves. In the end, both managed to secure barriers in areas where they feared fiercest competition. For example France and Portugal already had concerns about South Africas wine and agricultural exports that were in direct competition in the EU market even before the TDCA was in effect and were reluctant to open their markets any further. Likewise, South Africa wanted to protect some of its infant industry especially in manufacturing. Perry (2000) notes that south Africa will had to fight for each favorable term of trade in which it has a strong comparative advantage as some countries within the European Union would have preferred to shield their individual sectors from any threatening outside competitive forces. They are only likely to engage in free trade with nations from which they expect more benefits rather than helping developi ng countries integrate into the world economy. Although there is no evidence yet to support Perrys argument, such should not be swept aside without consideration. Some of the main objectives of the TDCA include supporting South Africa in its economic and social transition, as well as promoting the countrys economic integration in the world economy (ROBLES, 2008). This being the case, the EUs decision to impose barriers on South Africas wine and Agricultural exports can be seen as a sign of double standards. The South African government could have expected to receive more concessions in such sectors. . Asante 1997 noted that the European Union is even more likely to benefit than South Africa because of adjustment costs originating from a general reduction of tariffs and from protectionism in Agriculture by the EU. He further stresses that South Africa tariffs are about five to six times higher than those of the EU. By removing tariffs on imports, South Africa looses five to six times worth of revenue than the EU. Losing so much tax revenue and still be able to run the economy and compete effectively, will require South Africa to have a significant comparative advantage over the EU in the production of various commodities so that the losses in revenue are covered by gains from exports. This paper is therefore directed at identifying sectors in which South Africa experiences a higher comparative advantage over any other member of the European Union. We would therefore expect these sectors to have free access to the European markets without import duties being levied on them. Literally, attaining such trade terms would mean that South Africa has strong bargaining power in the EU because it can manipulate policies that favor its competitive exports in the free trade zone. It is argued that when countries form a Free Trade Area by removing protectionist barriers (e.g. tariffs on imports, import quotas, and subsidies on local industries), they strengthen greater trading relations among themselves. This sometimes results in increased production of goods and services as firms no longer target domestic demand but also reach the foreign market. Access to the EU and SADC markets in this case will always be determined by how diversified S. Africas and its trading partners economies are, because it makes no point for countries to engage in trade of products that they can effectively produce for themselves. Diversification ensures that a country is more likely to produce what other countries do not. If member countries trade in similar products, then there should be a higher degree of intra-industry trade for the exchange of goods and services to be successful. This calls for more research and the adoption of efficient technologies that make it possible for cou ntries to successfully differentiate those products that are more or less identical. Product differentiation means that countries can produce an identical product but with noticeable differences in terms of branding, durability and value added. One of the major reasons behind forming Free Trade Area with SADC and the EU is to enable South Africa to successfully integrate into the world economy (ROBLES, 2008). For South Africas major trading partners in the EU for example, forming a free trade area involves removing barriers to trade and making few adjustments in order to allow free movement of goods and services because they already possess the prerequisites for surviving trade competition under an open economy. However, for a developing economy like South Africa, successful integration into the EU and World market involves a very wide range of policies. For example increasing production and diversification, adopting new production technologies in order to increase value added to intermediate inputs, facilitating local agricultural production to successfully compete with subsidized European Agriculture, fighting crime and boosting local demand in order to increase investor confidence, and developing the local transport syst em. Implementation of all these policies is a gradual process that requires not only money and time but also a population that is equally skilled and well off enough to participate in production and again absorb the increased proceeds from higher production and trade. According to Mthembu (2008), countries in Sub-Saharan Africa depend on taxes on trade to generate between a quarter and a third of their national revenue. By Forming Free Trade Areas South Africa hopes to increase its share of world exports by importing low cost technology and transforming it into goods and services that can be exported at a higher value and price and through producing at a higher volume and enjoying higher economies of scale, thereby gaining more foreign exchange and employment that will accelerate the growth of the economy. However this comes at a cost of lost tax revenues. Although it is true that when a country trades more, it can increase its share of world exports and demand and gain more power on the final world prices and supply, this is not always the case. Opening up to trade does not automatically guarantee economic success (Krugman, 1996, Rodrik. 2005, Rodrik, 2008). Thirlwall (2000) points out that trade between developing and developed countries has oft en resulted into trade diversion rather than creation. Rodrik (2005), amongst others, has suggested that countries should only open up to free trade when they have a very strong local industry that can compete on the world market. It is only when nations have a strong economic base that they can start benefiting from international trade. Conversely, many other studies have concluded that international trade has been a vital force behind the economic breakthrough of different countries (Hachicha 2003, Dhawan and Biswal 1999, Ahmed et al. 2007, Tang 2010) by not only increasing local production but also by provoking growth between regions. In South Africas case, we need to examine the relationship between its external trade and growth by analyzing the causal relationship between international trade and economic performance. If it is found that it is growth that causes exports, then the South African policy should be redirected altogether from focusing on international trade to other strategies for increasing domestic economic growth Conclusion At this stage, the most important issue for South Africa is not whether to trade or not but rather it is about how to trade and with which products. The over all gains from trade could be huge if the trade pattern with the EU and SADC provides products in which South Africa has a strong competitive advantage and free access to the respective markets. With a favorable trade environment, South Africa would with no doubt achieve sustainable growth and integration into the world economy. This study therefore will examine whether the two free trade agreements cited have had either positive or negative impact on the trading patterns for South Africa by studying the growth characteristics of trade flows between South Africa and each individual free trade area shortly before and after their inception. If we find that South Africas exports have been decreasing while imports continue to grow, then South Africa should push for more favorable trade conditions. These conditions would be slightly different if the imports are mainly composed of capital goods. Statement of the problem Trade with the European Union provides South Africa with diverse trading opportunities by allowing it free access to a very wide market composed of 25 different economies. On the other hand, given the fact that South Africa is a developing economy, gains from trade are limited by lack of competitive advantage in manufacturing, transport costs and the European Unions protection of Agriculture and intellectual property rights. From another perspective however, South Africa is in a better position to trade with SADC than it is with the European Union. This is because South Africas economy is more advanced than most SADC countries in terms of technology, capital, financial institutions and skilled labor, which ought to give South Africa more competitive advantage. So, following the classical theory of trade, should South Africa work on increasing its trade with SADC rather than with the EU because it is more likely to always import more than it exports to the European Union but export more than it imports from the SADC? 1.4. Objectives of the study To understand and determine South Africas comparative advantage in the European Union and SADC. To determine whether FTAs have indeed created trade for South Africa or led to trade diversion. To analyze the validity of South Africas liberalization of trade as the Major drive towards sustainable economic growth by analyzing the causal relationship between exports and GDP. 1.5. Research hypotheses South Africas comparative advantage in the EU is limited to Mining and Agriculture. South Africa enjoys more comparative advantage in the SADC than in the EU Exports cause economic growth for South Africa. There has been more trade creation between South Africas trade with the EU than with SADC. Research methodology This chapter presents the master plan of the study entailing procedures that will be followed so as to obtain the goals of the research. Study population, Sample size and source of data The study will be conducted on a population of two Free Trade Areas (FTAs) namely Southern Africa Development and Cooperation (SADC) and the European Union. In order to determine the comparative advantage of South Africa in the above mentioned FTAs, we shall consider a sample size of fifteen countries from the EU countries that trade with South Africa more than the others. The data from the other remaining countries will be used in calculations of aggregates where necessary. The EU has 27 member countries and representing and analyzing trade data for each member would be very tiresome and time consuming. All of SADC countries on the other hand will be included in the study. Data collection methods and Analysis The study will involve both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. Documents will be reviewed in order to gather views by different researchers on a given topic and then analyze their views from our perspective. We shall also gather trade data specifically from web-based databases (for example United Nations and SADCs international trade databases) of all countries involved in this study. The obtained data will then be arranged in related patterns and logical order that would allow for regression analysis and hypothesis testing. According to Linda (2008) Data processing involves summarizing, aggregation, validation, tabulation and analysis of data in order to extract useful information. The obtained data will be processed and analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS 18 data processing software packages. Objectives, Indicators, Data source, Data collection techniques and methods of data analysis (summary) Objective Indicator Data Sources Collection technique Method of analysis To understand and determine South Africas comparative advantage in the European Union and SADC. The share of South Africas exports in the trade area as opposed to the share of exports of other partners within the reference area. W.T.O database and other documents (according to their availability) documentary review of (monthly, quarterly, semi and annual bulletins) Balassa index of comparative advantage To determine whether FTAs have indeed created trade for South Africa or led to trade diversion Changes in Trade flows and trade volumes between South Africa and the reference area since 1994 to 2009 W.T.O database and other documents (according to their availability) documentary review of (monthly, quarterly, semi and annual bulletins) The Gravity model To analyze the validity of South Africas trade policy by analyzing the causal relationship between exports and GDP Relationship between changes in exports and changes in GDP W.T.O database and other documents (according to their availability) documentary review of (monthly, quarterly, semi and annual bulletins) Granger causality test Balassa index of revealed comparative advantage (RCA) In order to determine the comparative advantage of South Africa in the EU and SADC we shall use the comparative export performance index commonly known as balassa index. The Revealed comparative advantage (RCA) index is used to determine whether a countrys trade flows have been increasing or decreasing within a specified period of time. The index can also be used to identify products that a country is producing more effectively than the other trading partners. More still, the index identifies industries in which a country is performing poorly. This can be helpful especially when a country wants to make policies that would promote the competitiveness of those industries. Therefore, the RCA index provides very important information about a countrys general trade with the rest of the world. The index of revealed comparative advantage is stated as shown below: xij: exports of product j from country i Xi: total exports from country i xaj total exports of product j from the reference area (e.g. the world) Xa: total exports from reference area The values of the index range zero to Infinity. If the index takes on a value that is less than one implies that the country has a revealed comparative disadvantage in the product. Similarly if the index takes on a value that exceeds one, the country is said to have a revealed comparative advantage in that product. It is possible for more than one country to have comparative in the same product. In this case, a country with a higher value of the index has the strongest advantage because it can produce the product in question more effectively than the other countries. Causality test The variable of investment will be added to the equation of the growth model because of its significance in enhancing economic growth. The function of the model will be expressed as GDP = f(X,Inv) where GDP represents economic growth, X and Inv represent export and investment respectively. GDP=bo + b1X + b2Inv + E According to Studenmunds (1987) the granger causality test should not be applied to non stationary data because sometimes it may produce misleading results. Therefore before testing for causal relationship between exports and Growth, we shall test for stationarity of the underlying data series by testing for the unit root by applying the ADF test. The ADF test determines whether or not the variables follow a stationary trend. If the time series is non stationary, then we shall carry out a cointegration test to determine whether there is a long term relationship between the variables. The gravity model In order to determine whether FTAs have created or diverted trade, two models are usually applied; the Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) and the Gravity model of bilateral trade. The CGE is suitable for the analysis of trade among countries before the removal of trade barriers. The Gravity model on the other hand is used to analyze trade after the removal of trade barriers among countries (Cenart 2003) The gravity model originated from Newtons law of Universal Gravitation 1687 which states that the ability of one object to attract other particles is positively related to its mass and the mass of the other objects and negatively related with the distance between them. More than 270 years later, in 1962 Jan Tinbergen suggested the application of the same model to the analysis of trade flows among countries by stating that bilateral trade is positively related to GDP and negatively related to distance. The model takes the form below: Fij = ÃŽÂ ²0 MiMj/Dij Where i,j = trading partners F = Trade flows M = Economic Mass (measured in GDP and population) of a country ÃŽÂ ²0 = Constant Rewriting the above formula in a linear equation we introduce logs and the error term in order to allow for the estimation using OLS. Fij = ÃŽÂ ²0 + ÃŽÂ ²1(Mi + Mj) + ÃŽÂ ²2(Pi + Pj) ÃŽÂ ²3Dij + E LogFij = ÃŽÂ ²0 + ÃŽÂ ²1(LogMiMj) + ÃŽÂ ²2(LogPiPj) ÃŽÂ ²3LogDij + E Where D represents the distance between South African Port to the trading partners port of entry; P represents population of a given country. By introducing dummies for FTAs, the model can capture whether the trade area enhances or restricts bilateral tradeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. We shall analyze the change in the importance of the coefficients after every two years since 1997 up to 2009. The subscript j will be used to represent South Africas data while subscript i will represent data for other trading partners. Trade creation and trade diversion (specification of the gravity model) Different studies have used the gravity model to explain creation and diversion of trade by Free Trade Areas (citation) Scope of the study The study will be focused on South Africas trade with the European Union and SADC countries before and after their formation; that is between the periods 1995 to 2009 Significance of the study The establishment of those sectors in which South Africa has a strong advantage will help stakeholders to motivate further liberalization where they have been denied especially in the European Union and also design policies to improve efficiency in the production of those commodities in which South Africa is currently doing poorly but still has the potential to improve. Further more, the establishment of the relationship between free trade and South Africas economic performance will help to add an insight into South Africas trade policy. The findings of the study can be based upon to design policies that can do better to achieve a good economic performance. The study is also expected to provide useful inputs to researchers and others who have a keen interest in South Africas trade with the rest of the world. Organization of the study The research work will consist of five chapters and they will be arranged as follows: Chapter one will consist of the introduction, background to the study, statement of the problem, objectives of the study, the research hypotheses, the significance of the study, scope of the study and finally the organization of the study. The second chapter will comprise of literature review of various studies by other researchers on this subject. The third Chapter will explore methodological aspects of how data was obtained and analyzed. The fourth chapter will present research findings, provide data analysis and interpretation. The fifth chapter will give summary of the findings, a conclusion and recommendations as well as suggestions for further research in relation to the topic.

Sandi Vs The Voice Of Temptation :: essays research papers

You may not recognise me at first. But trust me, you know me well. I'm the voice that makes you crave those "Light and Tangy" potato chips, and the mocha cream puff - the one with inch-thick cream and smooth lemon vanilla custard, sandwiched between light choux pastry with mocha flavoured icing on top, drizzled with chocolate. Do you know who I am now?I'm the reason you smoke 20 cigarettes every day - you try to give up, but we both know you always cave in and smoke all the more. We both know you'll never give up. You like it too much. In fact, you need one right now, don't you? Go on: have one. You know it's no risk, even sensible Logic tells you that people get killed just crossing the road. "We've all gotta die sometime" - right? And, don't worry about that cream puff - you can walk the dogs later to work the calories off. Ok, so we both know Procrastination will come along and you'll put it off until tomorrow - but don't worry about that now. You need a cigarette and one more is not going to kill you (not right now anyway). Why not enjoy the moment? Got ya! See: it works every time!Remember the other day when you "chose" not to go to school because, after all, you weren't going to miss anything important, were you? That was me. Ha! There you were, snuggled in your fluffy doona, sleepy, and warm. As you woke, you sensed the dark clouds outside dimming the room, and you heard the rain splattering on the roof and lashing at the windows, and it was such a good idea to stay there wasn't it? Yes, you certainly thought so at the time. You missed the start of a new topic at school, but hey, you'll catch up. Of course the first thing you'll have to do is finish catching up on the theory you missed from before ... but you can do it ... later. Things always work out - just go with the flow - hey, I wouldn't want you to worry now, would I? Trust me!Trust you? Now that you've revealed your true colours I realise what a fool I've been. I've listened to you all along, going against what I truly knew was good for me, all the time unaware of your power over me.

Imperfect Competition Essay

In a perfectly competitive market—a market in which there is many buyers and sellers, none of whom represents a large part of the market—firms are price takers. That is, they are sellers of products who believe they can sell as much as they like at the current price but cannot influence the price they receive for their product. For example, a wheat farmer can sell as much wheat as she likes without worrying that if she tries to sell more wheat, she will depress the market price. The reason she need not worry about the effect of her sales on prices is that any individual wheat grower represents only a tiny fraction of the world market. When only a few firms produce a good, however, the situation is different. To take perhaps the most dramatic example, the aircraft manufacturing giant Boeing shares the market for large jet aircraft with only one major rival, the European firm Airbus. As a result, Boeing knows that if it produces more aircraft, it will have a significant effect on the total supply of planes in the world and will therefore significantly drive down the price of airplanes. Or to put it another way, Boeing knows that if it wants to sell more airplanes, it can do so only by significantly reducing its price. In imperfect competition, then, firms are aware that they can influence the prices of their products and that they can sell more only by reducing their price. This situation occurs in one of two ways: when there are only a few major producers of a particular good, or when each firm produces a good that is differentiated from that of rival firms. Monopoly profits rarely go uncontested. A firm making high profits normally attracts competitors. Thus situations of pure monopoly are rare in practice. Instead, the usual market structure in industries characterized by internal economies of scale is one of oligopoly, in which several firms are each large enough to affect prices, but none has an uncontested monopoly. The general analysis of oligopoly is a complex and controversial subject because in oligopolies, the pricing policies of firms are interdependent. Each firm in an oligopoly will, in setting its price, consider not only the responses of consumers but also the expected responses of competitors. In monopolistic competition models, two key assumptions are made to get around the problem of interdependence. First, each firm is assumed to be able to differentiate its product from that of its rivals. That is, because a firm’s customers want to buy that particular firm’s product, they will not rush to buy other firms’ products because of a slight price difference. Product differentiation thus ensures that each firm has a monopoly in its particular product within an industry and is therefore somewhat insulated from competition. Second, each firm is assumed to take the prices charged by its rivals as given—that is, it ignores the impact of its own price on the prices of other firms. As a result, the monopolistic competition model assumes that even though each firm is in reality facing competition from other firms, each firm behaves as if it were a monopolist—hence the model’s name. Reference: http://classof1.com/homework-help/international-economics-homework-help

ORDINARY MEN by Christopher Browning

HIST 2306 E Book Abstract: ORDINARY MEN by Christopher Browning Ordinary Men by Christopher Browning accounts for the actions of the German Order Police ( more specifically the actions of Reserve Police Battalion 101in Poland) and the role they played in the Second World War during the Jewish Holocaust. Police Battalion 101 was composed of veterans from World War One and men too old to be drafted into the regular forces: army, navy, air force. Browning himself is uncertain of the accuracy of information that he provides because he based his study on personal testimony recorded in postwar legal investigations. This also offers a biographical profile of a German unit that consisted of approximately 500 men who in the sixteen months starting in July of 1942 participated in the slaughter of more than 80,000 jews. Between August of 1942 and May of 1943 the accounts of the number of jews deported from their homes was estimated at a minimum of 45,200 men women and children as well as an estimated minimum of 38,000 jews shot and killed betwee! Browning's book is very well written and researched to an exhaustive point. His intent seems to be a focus on the activities of German Police Battalion 101, however this is not the case. Early into the book he seems to go too much into detail about the activities of other police units and it isn't clear if they are attached to Battalion 101 or if they are simply separate police units used as examples to describe the actions that Battalion 101 would be engaging in that they failed to mention during the war crime inquiries . This leads the reader to get lost in the whole of events taking place. On the other hand, the book is well written and very detailed and researched. The reading flows well and Browning keeps his readers interested. The book has an almost novel like feel to it. According to Dennis Noble's review of Browning's book in the Library Jo

Expanding Protection of the Great Bear

Expanding Protection of the Great Bear The Great Bear rainforest falls under the forest classification of coastal temperate rain forests, which is one type of the most endangered types of forests across the globe; before the threat of logging and other human activities threatening their existence, they covered 1/5 of 1% of the earth’s land surface.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Expanding Protection of the Great Bear specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Approximately, 60% of the original coverage of these forests, have been destroyed through development and logging among other human activities. The Great Bear rainforest is one ecological center, which provides an unforgettable adventure site, where there are mountains, waterfalls, coastal and water slide scenery. This paper is a discussion of the recent proposals to expand the protection of the forest and its scenery, which may not be witnessed anywhere else in the world (Raincoast Conservation S ociety). Following the threat of the Great Bear forest, which is one of the few remaining but threatened forest type, scientists around the world have raised concerns over the delays facing the implementation of protection agreements, which are supposed to increase the protection of the threatened forest area. Further, scientists have been in the fore front, insisting that the BC should fasten the protection processes for the forest. An example of this was the request sent by global rainforest scientists attending the Earth Summit at Rio, pushing for a faster process to implement the protection of the forest (Gracey 1; Reichel 1). The stakeholders to be affected by the proposed expansion of the protected area of the forest, include the loggers, who earn their income from the logging activities at the forest.Advertising Looking for case study on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The B.C government is another stakeholder, as its leadership to guide the players to take place in the protection and the making of the agreement, rely on its directing. The players under the B.C government stakeholders group, include the employees at the ministry of forests, land and natural resources, central and local authorities, for example, the provincial authorities who are greatly involved in the proposal. There are the forest and research scientists group from different nations, who are pushing the completion of the protection agreement and process, as they are interested in fighting for increased protection of the threatened classification of forests. Oil companies like the Northern Gateway pipeline company is also interested in the progress of the protection, as its enacting will affect its oil drilling and transportation operations. Other stakeholders include tourists, who will benefit from viewing the threatened scenery after protection (Raincoast Conservation Society; Reichel 1; Gracey 1). The benefits from the protection of the forest will include the protection of the wildlife and marine species that live at the temperate rain forest surroundings, which may not be found at other places, except at the few threatened areas. From the protection of the forest, the authorities will realize the protection of the biodiversity at the area, including the rainforest forest plants, the marine and the land species residing at the region, including bears and the threatened vegetation and rare scenery.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Expanding Protection of the Great Bear specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More From the implementation, the process will enable the first nation people living at the region, to improve the wellbeing of the community economically, environmentally, and for the general welfare of the people. Another benefit is the creation of more tourist income avenues, from which the local people an d the government can utilize for long-term growth. The costs to be borne from implementing the protection of the forest include the cost of implementing the agreements and setting up the protection plan for the forest, and the income of the loggers, hunters and other people relying on the resources at the forest; these groups will lose their source of income and employment. Another cost to be borne from the implementation is the economic potential of the players within the oil industry, as they will not be able to access the oil reserves at the area, which can form a great source of income and employment locally and nationally (Raincoast Conservation Society; Reichel 1; Gracey 1). Gracey, Kyle. â€Å"Scientists around the world concerned over lengthy delays to fully implement the protection agreements in the Great Bear Rainforest.† Canada Newswire, 14 June 2012. Web. Raincoast Conservation Society. Great Bear Rainforest. British Columbia, 17 July 2012. Web. Reichel, Justina. â€Å"Scientists Urge BC to Speed up Protection of Iconic Rainforest: Half of Great Bear Rainforest remains open to logging.† The Epoch Times, 21 June 2012. Web.Advertising Looking for case study on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More

Role of Music in The Lord of the Rings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Role of Music in The Lord of the Rings - Essay Example Some of them were â€Å"The One Ring†, â€Å"The Elves†, â€Å"The Gondor†, â€Å"The Fellowship of the Ring†, and so on. Each theme represents a particular situation, group, or personality and, accordingly, reflects and comments on them. The lyrics of the themes are composed in a thorough manner to satisfy the viewers (Lehman, 2011, p.284). The three main themes were Shire, Fellowship, and Rohan. These were the most prominent and easily recognizable in all the three movies. Each of them is played countless times with different orchestrations according to the moods of the films. The Shire, which is the most popular theme of the movies, represents the Shire and is rendered whenever the hobbits want to go home. It has a folksy feel and slightly out of tune. It is â€Å"warm-hearted, comforting and inviting†. The Fellowship theme has been repeated 38 times across the three movies. In the first movie, it is used as signature theme. It is â€Å"heroic, jagged, and assertive† (Rawlins, 2006). The Rohan theme is used as signature theme for the second movie. It expresses the â€Å"simplicity, military prowess, and sense of honor† of Rohan culture (Rawlins, 2006). The lyrics for all the music pieces and especially those used by the choir were translated into Elvish languages that were invented by Tolkien (Beregond, 2009, p.68). The lyrics were written to reflect the exact theme, and special training was given to the singers to pronounce them (Waldron, 2006). Leitmotif Shore used the technique of leitmotif to compose the music of this trilogy. Leitmotifs are themes that â€Å"represent different aspects of the narratives† (Mathijs, 2006, p.307), and they were widely used in the classical Hollywood movies. In using... The films are The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), and The Return of the King (2003). Howard Shore is a composer and conductor of music for all the three movies. He won the Academic Awards in 2001 and 2003 for Best Original Score. Music has been incorporated on large scale that spans nearly 12 hours. The music of all the three movies was recorded by London Philharmonic, and won Grammy Awards. Howard Shore is trained in classical music, and he continues to learn to maintain the flow of his creativity. He believes that there is no end of knowledge in music, and, as he learns more, he gets more resources to utilize. He composes music for only those films whose subject strikes an emotional chord inside him. For composing the music of The Lord of the Rings, he has used his lifetime experience and childlike imagination. His improvisation came from the unconscious; he shaped and developed this improvisation according to the theme and characters of the movies. Howard had the responsibility of creating music in one year for a work that took 12 years for Tolkien to put in his book. He had to create music that lasted 21 hours, which included â€Å"nine hours in the theatre and 12 hours on the DVD†. Shore felt that he became aware of many things in himself while composing the music. Music plays an important role in all the three films as it helps to narrate the story and express the characters and situations with the use of the leitmotif technique. The music has become extremely popular and the soundtrack is available for purchase. The music played in the movies is the finest achievement by Howard Shore. The symphonic presentation of the music makes it more popular in concert halls.

The impact that the 2012 Olympic Games could have on Bedford City Assignment

The impact that the 2012 Olympic Games could have on Bedford City Council and what the Council will need to do in preparation for the Games - Assignment Example Hosting the Olympic Games is considered as a great opportunity for cities worldwide. Usually, the specific event results to significant benefits for the city involved – referring to the city that hosts the Games. However, Olympic Games have been also related to certain drawbacks – for instance the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games which were characterized by the damages caused by riots or the Atlanta Olympic Games during which the explosion of a bomb caused the death of 2 people and the injuring of hundreds, as analysed below. For London, the 2012 Olympic Games are considered as a major challenge. The city has to face the significant social turbulences as reflected in the damages caused by riots across Britain the last 5 days. Moreover, the City has to resolve the following problem: will the benefits of the Games be above their drawbacks/ disadvantages? Moreover, will these benefits disadvantages be equally distributed among the regions surrounding London – where ce rtain of these Games’ events will take place? Current paper focuses on the impact of 2012 Olympic Games on Bedford City Council; the benefits and the disadvantages of the Games for the specific area are estimated – using relevant literature and findings from primary research (statistics and figures related to past Olympic Games). Also, another issue is explored: which would be the preparation that Bedford City Council would have to do for hosting the Olympic Games? ... Moreover, the City has to resolve the following problem: will the benefits of the Games be above their drawbacks/ disadvantages? Moreover, will these benefits disadvantages be equally distributed among the regions surrounding London – where certain of these Games’ events will take place? Current paper focuses on the impact of 2012 Olympic Games on Bedford City Council; the benefits and the disadvantages of the Games for the specific area are estimated – using relevant literature and findings from primary research (statistics and figures related to past Olympic Games). Also, another issue is explored: which would be the preparation that Bedford City Council would have to do for hosting the Olympic Games? Emphasis is given on the following three sectors, as they are influenced by the Olympic Games: business environment, human resources and marketing. The practices used in cities that hosted the Olympic Games in the past are used as the basis for developing a framew ork of activities/ plans which would be appropriate for Bedford City Council so that the above city to be appropriately prepared for the particular event. The literature published in the particular field has been combined with the statistics released in regard to past Olympic Games but also in regard to London as a host city for the 2012 Olympic Games. It is revealed that Bedford City Council is partially prepared for participating in the Olympic Games 2012 – as a city hosting one or more activities of the specific event. 2. Background Olympic Games have been traditionally considered as a major cultural event, leading to the improvement of relationships among nations. Because of this fact, the Games