Saturday, November 30, 2019

The Cinematic Signifier

Introduction Christian Metz was a very important film theorist who made a significant contribution to the art of cinema by his theories on cinema studies. He defines the cinematic signifier through a thorough analysis of the imaginary signifier. This is a broad topic that he set out to analyze in order to explain the elements that affect and greatly influence the art of cinema. He used a psychoanalytical approach to cinema studies.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Cinematic Signifier specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He explains it as an imaginary factor, which is meant to replace or account for the fact that there is an absence of elements. These elements are time and space which are made transparent by the imagination. In this topic, the main emphasize will be on desire as a necessity, spectator identification which focuses on semantics and identification with both the camera and the characters. The cinematic signifier is an imaginary element that is absent, but despite its lack, its realization is still evident. Desire as a commodity Metz analyses the cinematic signifier from the viewpoint of the Freudian aspect on desires. These desires he believes when incorporated together make a combined set of aspects that are different from other art forms. This element must be well understood before the cinematic signifier can be dwelt on. Desire for the ego He views the cinema signifier as perceptual. This is because it stimulates more senses than any other art form. The sense of sight is satisfied by the fact that it is a visual medium. Everything we see from the shots, actors, actions and scenes is visual. This is the biggest sense that cinema aims at satisfying as this can go a long way in ensuring ones cinematic experience has been realized. The sense of hearing is because of the fact that it relies on the aspect of sound. Sound has gone through various stages of evolution in relation to ci nema. This is from the silent era to the other periods that saw the necessity of other aspects of sound. Sound plays a crucial role in influencing perception. The incorporation of sound is in the dialogue, sound effects and choice of music. This is an advantage that cinema has over other art forms. It can simulate the senses as opposed to the different art forms that stimulate one sense e.g. Music relies on the sense of hearing whereas reading relies on sight.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More An important difference between cinema and other art forms such as theatre or the opera is the time and place factor. Despite the fact that these art forms are also perceptual that is stimulating the same senses i.e. Visual and auditory such as cinema they take place within real space and time. The actions and dialogue are all performed in front of the audience at the same time the performanc e is taking place. In cinema, this is different as the actual content is recorded at a different time and location and then shown to the audience through a screen. The audience does not get to see what is unfolding at first hand. Cinema in a way can also stimulate the other three senses of smell, taste and touch. Taste can be brought out in the way the food is made to look. The use of things like colour, presentation and even the actions and words of a spectator can bring out this sense. Smell can be brought out through the words, actions and facial expressions of the characters. The sense of touch can be communicated to the spectator through how the surface looks i.e., if it is smooth or rough or through the words, actions and emotions of the spectators. Cinema can be used to bring out all these senses despite the fact that it is not happening in real space and time. He also argues that the perceived is not the reality but acts as a kind of mirror to it and this aspect is unique to it in comparison to the different field of arts. He uses the example of a child held up to a mirror in which the child comprehends his or herself as being held by the mother who he describes as â€Å"its object per excellence.†This leads to the child to perceive his or her identity, which makes the child to form an ego. The difference, however, between cinema and this deduction is that cinema is not an actual perception of the person. The viewers’ personal experience is not the centre of attention. The viewer instead relates to something different that is governed by aspects that in a way are close to reality. It is a mirror to a different reality. The second desire achieved through cinema is the desire to desire. This refers to the passion to perceive. Most art forms utilize this factor of distance. E.g. In music it is received at a distance in relation to where it was recorded and where it is heard, even in theatre the performance is at a distance from the audience. This element of distance is explored by these art forms, but what stands out is the element of lack.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Cinematic Signifier specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Since what is portrayed in the films is taken from real objects, which existed in a different time and space the spectator is still in a way removed from them. Despite the lack of the actual immediate experience, the spectator still gets to perceive what is contained in the final product hence still receiving the full experience. This desire is associated with voyeurism. The third desire is the desire for an object, which is satisfied by fetishism. This is in the fact that the audience knows what they are viewing is not real but they still want to watch it. That is why it is important to make the spectacle as real as possible through factors like the unfolding of events. They audience is aware that the characters, plot and s tory is fictional. They are aware that what they are seeing is not real but they knowingly filter out this factor so as perceive what is before them as real. (McCabe, 1974) He views the spectator as an artificial construct. This is because cinema can be used to bring out or make certain effects in the viewer such as causing some emotions in the spectator. The courses of renunciation as well as refutation are the procedures that are considered vital in the apprehension of the need. The film spectator exists in a state that is dreamlike. The spectator at one point believes that the story, plot and characters are real. This is still considered despite the fact that the spectator is fully aware that it is just a movie. This he attributes to disavowal. This he compares with fetishism and the castration anxiety of a child. Freud described disavowal as â€Å"a way of the subject refusing to acknowledge reality due to a traumatic event or other factors associated with it† (McCabe, 19 74, p.44). This explanation is on child development. When a child perceives that the mother does not have a penis, he gets a fear of being castrated. The child believes that at one time, the mother also had a penis but due to reasons that he cannot comprehend has lost it. This gives the boys a fear of castration. The boy will then develop a way of forgetting what he has seen to deal with the trauma, and this can lead to the development of a fetish to try to cover up the trauma.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This realization of a lack of in the child will make the child to develop two opinions. This factor is what Metz puts as the spectators ability to have two different experiences. In one the spectator knows that what he or she is seeing is fiction, while in the other case the spectator believes that what he or she sees on screen is real. Metz believes that for a good cinematic experience to be realized there must be back and forth shifting of consciousness and belief. Cinema as a technique of the imaginary Cinema has characteristics that are capitalistic and in line with the social industrialized epoch. The capitalistic aspect being that film relies on pictures and sounds this he describes as photography and the use of a phonograph. These he sums as the factors that are combined to lure ones ego and eventually end up satisfying ones desires. Cinema depends on key areas for its realization. These are the cinema industry, which is the recording of films to make profits, and the audienc es desire to watch movies. The second characteristic dwells on the necessity and aim of film, which is to satisfy the viewers’ desires. The cinema industry serves to finance a film as well as to research and modify various areas to satisfy the needs, taste and to bring something different to the spectators. This leads to the production of good films through the coordination and understanding between these sides hence making sure that the moviegoers continue to go to the cinema halls. The cinema writers, film historians, theorists and critics also contribute and influence a lot on cinema. Spectator identification with the camera The spectator identifies with the device that projects the image on the screen, which is the projector, the camera and lastly the screen. Metz stated, â€Å"The projector in context just duplicates the act of perception† (Metz, 1982, p.54). Vision has projective characteristics and characteristics that one acquires subconsciously, the spectator projects what he or she sees and then the data is translated back in a way that the spectator feels. Cinema just serves to duplicate this experience; the screen just records what is seen. Metz sums this up with the statement that the spectator is the projector receiving the information, the spectator is also the screen, and with the combination of these, the spectator is the camera, which is pointed and still recording. (Metz, 1982) Metz argues that the spectator identifies with the camera to a big extent. The spectator is in a way not in the screen but the fact that he or she is watching it and perceives it the cinematic signifier is realized. Spectators when watching a film become so focused in the film that they may not even be aware of themselves. This makes one identify with the camera completely. The cameras movements become the spectators’ movements. When the camera pans to the left, the spectator moves to the left and when it pans to the right so does the spectator. T he tracking shots also become the spectators’ movements and turns. Using different camera angles and movements, the spectator can be made to either be present or absent in the film. Spectator identification with the character Though the spectator knows what is unfolding before him or her is fictional, a feeling or form of connection is still made between the spectator and the character. The spectator connects with the character emotionally even when the character is not at the same place and time. The characters feelings become the spectators. The emotions shared become mutual between them. When the character is happy the viewer is also happy, when the character is sad the viewer also becomes sad and so on. This can only be realized through self-identification of the viewer first due to perception then after the spectator gets to identify with what is on the screen before identifying with the character (Lacan, 1989). Psychoanalysis, structure and the linguistic theory Metz ad opted a lot from the field of semiotics. He focused on how cinema can be used to signify or make the spectator to come up with meaning. The process of signifying depends on certain aspects which are mostly material signifiers these include images, words, titles, music in line with connotative and denotative meanings. He referred to the signifying practice as the way stories were told in movies. He evaluated cinematic equivalents that could be used to stand in for language and this made him to define codes that he believed worked in cinema. In order to understand text one has to break down these codes of signification or the meaning would be lost (Rushton, 2009). The different camera angles and shots also have various meanings, as a shot can serve to communicate meaning to the viewer, whether they know it or not. E.g. a close up can be used to highlight an important element that is being focused on in the film (Lapsey, 1989). Metz states that the analysis of cinema from a linguistic or semiotic angle is possible as it can be used to communicate. However, He maintained that in the language of cinema there is no intercommunication. There is uni-articulation and it is a replication of reality as opposed to the unmotivated arbitrary relationship between the signifier and the signified. The language of cinema comprises of both words and other smaller units. The smaller units are meant to bring meaning to the overall message or signification. Lapsey stated, â€Å"The narrative syntax is divided into eight parts ranging from the smallest segment to the largest part, which is the sequence† (Lapsey, 1989, p.37). Dreams and Fantasy This is focused upon in line with desire because although a spectator should always perceive the difference between a film, and dream, daydream and fantasy this aspect is important as through this desire the cinematic signifier is realized. Conclusion The imaginary signifier is what Christian Metz used in the understanding of the cinema tic signifier. He stresses on points such as identification, perception, lack and other factors in the understanding of the cinematic signifier. He describes and analyses the need for the element of desire as an important aspect in cinema. He focuses on the three types of desires. The first one is the desire for the ego, which is perceptual and is analyzed from the viewpoint of the characteristic of cinema of satisfying the sense of sight and hearing at the same time. The second desire he dwells on is the desire to desire. This is when the spectator overlooks the fact that there is the element of lack in the film and instead just enjoys it. The third is the desire for an object. The spectator experiences this through the fact that despite he or she knows that what is being viewed is not true in a way he or she still gets to enjoy it and perceive in some instances as if it is true. The role of the film industry as a whole makes a big contribution to cinema. The spectator gets to iden tify with both the camera as a medium and the characters on screen largely. Cinema relies on the use of signs; different things are put in a scene to mean different things. The use of semiotics has been used and is evident through the careful analysis of the titles, words etc. The absence of time and space is an important aspect in the study of the cinematic signifier. The cinematic signifier is a key element in the study of cinema. References Lacan, J 1989, Ecrits: a selection, Routledge, London. Lapsey, R 1989, Psychoanalysis in film theory: an introduction, Manchester University Press, Manchester. McCabe, C 1974, From realism and cinema, Longman , New York. Metz, C 1982, The imaginery signifier, Macmillan, London. Rushton, R 2009, Film, theory and philosophy, Acumen, Durham. This essay on The Cinematic Signifier was written and submitted by user Laylah Reilly to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Free Essays on The Green Fields

The Green Fields is the story of Levi Yitskhok. He leaves his studies in the big city to go into the country and find â€Å"True Jews.† The first person he meets on his journey is Avrom-Yankov. Levi asks Avrom-Yankov is he is Jewish and if there are other Jews around. Avrom-Yankov takes Levi back to the house where the family is excited to meet him. They decide that Levi should stay with them and he will teach the children, both the children of Rohkl and Dovid-Noich and of Gitl and Elkone. The families argue over who he will stay with. Elkone wants him to stay at their house so that Stera can have Levi instead of Hersh-Ber. Dovid-Noich’s son whom they don’t approve of. Levi complains that he misses his books and often talks of leaving. Everyone is trying to make him stay. Tsine is very upset at the prospect of him leaving. She is in love with him and very jealous of the love that her brother and Stera have. Tsine confesses her love of Levi to her mother and she finally understands why Tsine was so upset. Tsine changes her ways to impress Levi; she starts to wear shoes and nicer clothes, she even cooks him a meal and learns how to write from Avrom-Yankov. Levi admires the work that all of them do on their farm. He feels that he too should be working in addition to studying the Torah. Levi finds it amazing how they can survive off of their land. When Tsine is showing off her writing skills to Levi she leans in and kisses him and then runs off. Very soon after Levi asks Dovid-Noich for her hand in marriage. Both Dovid Noich and Rohkl happily agree. After a short argument where Hersh-Ber yells at Elkone it is also decided that Stera and Hersh-Ber will be married. There is much rejoicing and everyone lives happily ever after. The end of this story is not a typical one in Yiddish drama. There usually aren’t happy endings. Also not typical of Yiddish theater or Jewish culture is the fact that there are two c... Free Essays on The Green Fields Free Essays on The Green Fields The Green Fields is the story of Levi Yitskhok. He leaves his studies in the big city to go into the country and find â€Å"True Jews.† The first person he meets on his journey is Avrom-Yankov. Levi asks Avrom-Yankov is he is Jewish and if there are other Jews around. Avrom-Yankov takes Levi back to the house where the family is excited to meet him. They decide that Levi should stay with them and he will teach the children, both the children of Rohkl and Dovid-Noich and of Gitl and Elkone. The families argue over who he will stay with. Elkone wants him to stay at their house so that Stera can have Levi instead of Hersh-Ber. Dovid-Noich’s son whom they don’t approve of. Levi complains that he misses his books and often talks of leaving. Everyone is trying to make him stay. Tsine is very upset at the prospect of him leaving. She is in love with him and very jealous of the love that her brother and Stera have. Tsine confesses her love of Levi to her mother and she finally understands why Tsine was so upset. Tsine changes her ways to impress Levi; she starts to wear shoes and nicer clothes, she even cooks him a meal and learns how to write from Avrom-Yankov. Levi admires the work that all of them do on their farm. He feels that he too should be working in addition to studying the Torah. Levi finds it amazing how they can survive off of their land. When Tsine is showing off her writing skills to Levi she leans in and kisses him and then runs off. Very soon after Levi asks Dovid-Noich for her hand in marriage. Both Dovid Noich and Rohkl happily agree. After a short argument where Hersh-Ber yells at Elkone it is also decided that Stera and Hersh-Ber will be married. There is much rejoicing and everyone lives happily ever after. The end of this story is not a typical one in Yiddish drama. There usually aren’t happy endings. Also not typical of Yiddish theater or Jewish culture is the fact that there are two c...

Friday, November 22, 2019

Antonym analogies

Antonym analogies Essay Antonyms have long been favourites of the readers of Word Ways, either as themselves (ODDEVEN) or in disguise. In the latter case, they may be hidden in other word pairs such as in FATETHINE, SHINSHOUT and BANDEDBORED where they occur at the beginnings, ends and in the middles of the word pairs respectively, the other letters remaining the same. In the August 1994 Kickshaws (page 169), Dave Morice listed 24 such word pairs in an item entitled Letter-Addition Opposites. Now I offer further examples and also extend the concept to include pairs of words in which the antonyms are split, appearing in 2 places in each of the two words, the other letters always remaining the same. My list includes both antonyms and near-antonyms. Most of them can be found in Chambers Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms ed. Martin H. Manser, 1993. Excluding certain proper names, most of the word pairs can be found in the Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition. w2 = Websters Second Edition. Those examples which appear in WW94169 are asterisked*. EXCHANGING BEGINNINGS alls (also)nones alterationfixation askerteller (one who counts money) bagdeGoodge (a name) banelicensee barterletter bested (placed)worsted (a fine, smooth yarn) bindsfrees (frieze) boomed (what the foghorn did)slumped (in chair) bottomed (having;a bottom)toped (toppled or fell over) boyling (boiling)girling (a young salmon) breadwort (the knot grass)waterwort (plants of genus Elatine) breaker (a small keg or flaskon a boat)mender burdenerrider calmerdinner calmingwilding (a crab-apple tree or Michael) clearingfainting Cleary (a name)dully closelystartly (apt to start, jump) cometgot* coveredstriped dayly (dally)nightly divedsoard (sward) dressed striped Easterwester (windw2) ebber (manifest, unconcealed)flower emptyingfulling (the process of cleansing and thickening cloth by beating and washing) EXCHANGING ENDS Ada (a name)adzed (cut with an adze) farmfleg (a fright, scare) neart (be)nescience reblessrecurse (to recur) scentersedge scoldsheat (a pig under one year old) scoldswarm scool (school)swarm Adie (a name)alive undies (under garments)unlives (deprives of life) redress (reparation of a wrong)restrip (w2) bedrop (to drop upon, cover or wet with drops)behold pearlyplate* uneasyunhard (soft) miseasy (miserably)mistrying (trying wrongly) upend (to set something on its end)upstart (someone who has suddenly risen in importance) centercleave sevenslumpy seversnever (narrow) infall (material that falls or has fallen)inrise (to rise in opposition) forefeet (the front feet of a quadruped)forehands (shots in tennis) afind (to find out)alose (a fish) afoot (astir)ahead refreshretired unfriendlyunreserved (not put to one side) forgive (to pardon)fortake (to take away) shaveslack shere (share)sthere (steer = a young ox) chers (cheers)chis (fastidious) phot (a unit in physics = one lux maintained for one second)picy (a manoeuvre in piquet) sillswell* spinnerspouter cladclass landlady (runs a Bed and Breakfast)landman (a countryman, peasant) Roland (a name)rosea (plant species name) flaxfrigid underlay (for carpet)understood cleaveclinger sleave (sleeve)stake slendersower underlieunderstand overlieovertruth (a statement in excess of the truth) clingercrush sloath (sloth)swilling alose (a fish)awin (to win) slowstall blowerbraise slowersupper sloweststop Romanyroone (roan) remissreobserve ostomy (type of operation)ostoyour (soldier) smyth (smite v.; also a surname)struth (strewth) gnew (past tense of gnaw)gold snippyswarm doffdon* (themselves antonyms) Doverdunder (the dregs of cane juice used in the West Indies in the fermentation of rum) groovergrounder apeace (appease)Awar (a member of the people of the North Caucasus) repure (to purify again)revile (to use abusive language) squeer (squire)swell unrest (disturbance)unwork (to undo or detach from something) troughtwell (till) ALL POSSIBLE EXCHANGES The same pair of antonyms may occur in different places in different pairs of words, specifically at the beginning, the end or in the middle of words. Alternatively, the antonyms may be split and appear in two, corresponding, separate places in each word. Below, each different pair of antonyms appears in at least 3 of the 4 columns. READ: Irony in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart Things EssayADDITIONAL SPLITS Here are some more examples of split  antonym  exchanges: (a) Beginning and End chame (a fissure)whent (quaint) drey (a squirrels nest)weet (to know) easilytensile haleshale heardtrail loessMoore (a name) lousemauke (maggot) pumill (pommel)pumish (pumice) rinsesnag shafe (sheaf)wheak (a squeak or whine) weak in the sense of unguarded trender (a wool winder)trough theoremuores (journeys) treuce (truce)wear (b) Beginning and Middle flinder (to break into fiinders or pieces)sleeker fletcher (an arrow-maker)slender (c) Middle and End rantedroter (one who repeats by rote) minn (type of old Irish ornament)mount (d) Beginning, Middle and End Here is a 3-way split pair of antonyms (these and those): threstle (trestle)throstle (a thrush) ALTERNATIVE SPLITS The 2 words FARER (traveller) and NEARER offer a choice of 2 positions for the antonyms FAR and NEAR: FARERNEARER and FARERNEARER. There are, however, 2 words which go one stage further, offering a choice of 3 positions for the antonyms MAS (several mothers) and PAS (several fathers): MASSESPASSES MASSESPASSES MASSESPASSES Both the above examples owe their existence to the presence in the words of repeated letters, R and S respectively.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Domestic Violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Domestic Violence - Essay Example Having realized that most programs address domestic violence post-mortem, early intervention programs need to be focused on. For instance, educational programs that impart information about this issue and campaigns for information dissemination are but a few examples of what can be done even before the early signs of domestic violence are observed. Once signs are seen, next line interventions may include visiting those homes that have a high probability of suffering from domestic violence, and again information campaigns (Wolfe & Jaffe, 1999). Carter et al (1999) further share that the suffering of children exposed to domestic violence has compelled a diverse set of parties who would like to contribute to its resolution These agencies include the "National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the American Bar Association, the American Medical Association, and the American Psychological Association" (p. 4). These associations have been instrumental at putting forth suggestions , forming committees, organizing research, and other information dissemination vehicles. Tertiary programs on domestic violence are those which are more popular and are firmly established to date (Wolfe & Jaffe, 1999).   There has been some evidence on the positive outcomes of domestic violence programs, but these remain inconclusive and hard to implement. For domestic violence prevention to be effectual, there needs to be core shifts in mindset at the person and community levels (Levine, 1981).

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Can a machine have a conscience Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Can a machine have a conscience - Research Paper Example pic indicate that conscience is a complicate matter to be understood even in humans and hence cannot be replicated in machines no matter how intelligent they are or will be made to be. With the new technological innovations of this century that continue to shock even the inventors, there is possibility of them developing a machine that will have a conscience in the future. One of the best brain scientists in the world Christof Koch who works for the Allen Institute for Brain Science located in Seattle is very positive of having a breakthrough in the scientific and technological industry which will lead to development of a conscious machine. He believes that it is only a matter of organizing the machine to work like a mammalian brain and the results will be epic (Regalado 2014). The institute he is working in has dedicated millions of dollars in neuroscience research of the mammalian brain studying its neurons and synapses and trying to find out about consciousness through the Human Genome Project. He vouches for the integrated information theory which will be able to explain about consciousness in detail which would in turn lead to development of a machine with the same components, neurons and synapses to enable it have a conscience. According to the authors Tononi and Koch (2008), the concept of consciousness is as imperfect to understand and explain in detail as the law of physics and other sciences but it is there and can be explored further. If there is a theory to explain about consciousness no matter how complicated or vague it currently is, it means that there is hope that further research, development and expansion of the theory will lead to reproduction of machineries with inbuilt conscious and hence will act, think, feel and make decisions similarly to a human being. Detailed clinical study using sophisticated instruments have provided a basic understanding of the process of consciousness (Tononi and Koch 2008). These results are the basics of the

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Final Exam Study Guide Essay Example for Free

Final Exam Study Guide Essay Explain and discuss the following topics in light of the course readings and class lecture/discussion. Answers will be graded primarily on the depth and thoroughness of response – please develop your answers so that they reflect an understanding of the readings and class lecture/discussions. You will be given five questions, out of which four will need to be answered. 1. Using Christifideles Laici chapter 2, describe the important features of the mystery of Church communion. 2. What do we learn from CCC 234, 221 and 260 about the mystery of Church communion? 3. What does Christifideles Laici chapter 3 contribute to a proper understanding of the dignity of every human person and the relation of this truth to all human rights? 4. Chapter four of Christifideles Laici addresses the unique evangelistic contributions that various groups of the lay faithful make within the vineyard. Describe two of these groups and Blessed John Paul II’s insights into their unique work in the world. 5. Compare and contrast two of the definitions of â€Å"catechesis† which were examined in class. Be sure to state the exact wording of these definitions and provide an analysis of their emphases. 6. Msgr. Kelly describes four frameworks through which we understand modern catechetics. Be prepared to explain any of these frameworks. 7. The Guide for Catechists reflects specifically on four characteristics of the spirituality that is particular to catechists. Be prepared to discuss thoroughly any of these four characteristics. Why are these characteristics vital to the catechist’s spiritual life?

Thursday, November 14, 2019

My Political Party Affliation Essay -- essays research papers

In With the Donkeys. Americans have been consumed by politics since the beginning. It is even easier now, especially in a presidential election year. It seems you can’t watch television without seeing an advertisement for the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. While our political system does allow more then two parties, these two parties are the only two widely voted for year in year out. This leaves most Americans with the tough choice of deciding which party to vote for. The choice seems to be getting harder every year. Both parties try to represent more voters, this is why each lean more towards the middle between each party every year. Now the voter must decide which issues are the most important to them, and then chose a side. I myself have had a tough time choosing a party. But, by weighing out the issues, at this time in my life I am leaning towards the Democratic Party. I agree with a number of their key issues. First, I strongly agree with their view on minimum wage, their stance on school choice, their choice of crime prevention, their plan for welfare reform, and lastly their pledge to protect the environment. The number of families living off of minimum wage is increasing every year. These families would be living in poverty if not for minimum wage. Many Republicans are opposed to minimum wage because of fears that it would slow down the economy and increase the unemployment rate. They thought this would happen because businesses would have to cut jobs i...

Monday, November 11, 2019

Main Divisions Within the Democrat Party Essay

There have always been different divisions within the Democrat Party and it has historically been factionalised into two main groups (as seen in the New Deal Coalition). There is the southern conservative wing, made up of Democrats from southern states who hold conservative views on issues including social and economic issues. These Democrats are seldom reliable voters in Congress, often voting with the Republicans on fiscal issues e.g. in 2009 some Blue Dog Democrats voted against Obama’s fiscal stimulus package. The second key factions within the Democrat Party is the north eastern liberal wing made up of Democrats from the West Coast and north eastern states. This division is the division that alienated the traditional Democrat voters from the south during the break up on the ‘solid south’ after the north eastern liberals supports the Civil Rights Movement. President Obama, when first elected in 2008, was the first northeaster liberal to become President since President Kennedy in 1960. In the 1980’s a new division within the Democrat Party emerged with the development of the ‘New Democrats’, mainly associated with President Clinton, Al Gore and the Democratic Leadership Council who developed due to their acknowledgment of the need to triangulate to improve the Democrat’s chances of winning the presidency. New Democrats are centrists sometimes known as the ‘Third Way’ and hold more moderate social positions and have neo-liberal fiscal values, shown by Clinton’s repeal of the Glass Steagall Act 1999. Overall there are two historic divisions within the Democrat Party; the north eastern liberals and the southern conservative Democrats, though recent decades have seen the emergence of a third division; the New Democrats.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Arthur Black

Arthur Black is a very opinionated man. In his essays about Canada, he has many short pieces about the differences between Canadians and Americans. He states how there is never anything bad said about Canada, and that Canada could even be considered a â€Å"wallflower†. In his essay Canadian Passion Not Flagging, Black talks about how the Americans wave their flag and Canadians do not. Americans have their flag everywhere; hanging inside malls, and even at the gas stations. In his essay Canada: Too Polite to Live, it says how the American Declaration of Independence demands life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.Canadians have settled for peace, order, and good government. Another difference between Americans and Canadians according to Arthur Black is that the Americans know much more about their countries history than Canadians know about theirs. Toronto is definitely not one of Arthur Black’s favourite places to be. He explains in the essay Toronto: Not Quite Rea dy for Prime Time, Black says how â€Å"it doesn’t have the easy beauty of Vancouver, or the joire de vivre of Montreal. It lacks the architectural grace of Ottawa and the mountainscape backdrop of Calgary†.Black says it feels fast, brittle, cold, and arrogant, and that it is all about money. He says how Torontonians do not look like they are having a good time, and at sporting events the fans are much quieter than other cities in Canada. Arthur Black also says how Toronto people do not really care about the meaning of things; they just want it to be productive. Black says how they think ‘The Rock’ (massive slab of Muskoka granite) is a waste of space in the downtown park. It is pointless and they would rather have something there that would make money.Toronto would not be the place Arthur would choose to live in for the rest of his life. Arthur Black would define Canada as a lot of things. He says how Canadians don’t know their own national anthem, and in the article O Cana-a-do (re, mi) Arthur talks about how if a Canadian is accused of being an American, they will fight until it is proven otherwise. Also, to be Canadian, it is almost a must to have an interest in hockey. Hockey is the one sport Canada can safely say they are the best at. People from Canada know a different level of cold than places like the USA.In the article A Samaritan with Jumper Cables, Black says how â€Å"this aint a country; this is winter. † Also in that article, he tells some stories about how polite and kind people from Canada are and how if the car spun off the road or ran out of gas, Canadians would be there to help right away. Arthur Black’s main classification of Canada is polite, and that is most likely the rest of the world’s opinion also. Your Canada Winter in Canada is much different than winter in other countries. For one, it is much longer.Winter lasts about six to eight months, and it can be unbearably cold. The day s are significantly shorter than summer, which makes it that much harder to wake up for the day at school or at work. Having to shovel the driveway isn’t Canadians favorite pastime at seven in the morning when they are going to be late for work. Also what needs to be taken into account is making sure the car is plugged in during the night. When that is forgotten in the cold days of winter, it is pretty hard to get anywhere because no car would start if it was sitting outside.The season of winter in Canada isn’t all bad though, it is very pretty at times. Waking up and looking out the window to a fresh blanket of snow is one of the greatest sights for a Canadian. Also, sitting by the fire place with it white outside, drinking a warm cup of cocoa is the best on a snowy day. Winter for Canadians also means hockey. Whether it is hockey in a rink or shinny on a frozen pond, Canadians love their hockey. For many Canadians, being active in winter is an important part of enjoy ing life.There are many other outdoor winter activities, including skiing, ice fishing, walking, skating and tobogganing, amongst others. Winter also means Christmas. Christmas is the longest break for students in school, so it is a much anticipated holiday. It seems like everyone is in a much better mood when Christmas is coming, it might be because they get to see family and they get time to put up their feet and relax. Sometimes people from other countries will ask â€Å"how do you tell people apart when they bundle themselves with a winter jacket†, but the truth is, that’s exactly how to tell people apart.People around the city get to know what jacket others have, and that becomes their identity. It sure saves a lot of time picking out an outfit to wear for the day when a winter jacket ends up covering it up anyways. The cold winter days are also a great time to catch up on the missed TV shows. In the summer, there is always something to do because the days are bri ght so long. In winter, it gets dark at around six, which leaves plenty of time to catch up on favorite TV seasons. Canadians are winter experts and know how to make it the best it can possibly be.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

An ideal tax system Essays

An ideal tax system Essays An ideal tax system Essay An ideal tax system Essay Discuss the rules of an ideal revenue enhancement system and measure whether the current revenue enhancement system achieves those aims. Tax has historically been viewed as the monetary value that citizens have to pay for the protection of the province. The same rule mostly applies today, yet such is the complexness of some revenue enhancement systems that there is a good trade of argument around what really makes an ideal revenue enhancement system. An analysis of the desirable features of a revenue enhancement system and of the revenue enhancement bases in usage within a system is required to give a image of the ideal system. The UK’s current revenue enhancement system may hold its strengths, but there is surely grounds that it is presently far from being the ideal revenue enhancement system. Economists have debated the rules of the ideal revenue enhancement system for centuries. Whilst there can be some political differences as to degrees of revenue enhancement, who revenue enhancements should be levied upon and what they should be spent on, there has been wide understanding on the basic rules of a revenue enhancement system. Adam Smith for illustration offered the undermentioned four desirable features: That citizens ought to lend to the fiscal support of the authorities in proportion to their several abilities and gross Taxs should be certain non arbitrary Taxs should be levied at a clip and in a mode that is convenient for the existent taxpayer Taxs should be contrived to take out and maintain out every bit small as possible from the pockets of those within the province. States can neglect to make this through enforcing inordinate revenue enhancement punishments, blockading taxpayers’ ability to work and subjecting them to patronize and unneeded visits by revenue enhancement aggregators. In a more modern scene, Smith’s rules can be summarised as equity, certainty, convenience and efficiency. ( p2 Ch 2, Lymer, Oats A ; Hancock, Taxation Policy and Practice, Accounting Education Ltd, Birmingham, 2003 ) . Equity of revenue enhancements is possibly the most of import of the rules. Taxpayers will resent a revenue enhancement that is seen as unjust and there may good be a widespread effort to avoid payment – the canvass revenue enhancement in the UK serves as an illustration of this. Within the rule of equity nevertheless there are two steps, horizontal equity and perpendicular equity. Horizontal equity is one in which taxpayers with equal nonexempt capacity pay the same revenue enhancement, whilst perpendicular equity is employed in a system in which those with lower incomes and greater need pay proportionally less revenue enhancement. This would be the preferable option in the ideal revenue enhancement system although there are evidently hard determinations to be made as to who pays a higher degree of revenue enhancement and at what point. The efficiency of a revenue enhancement system can be measured in two ways – economic efficiency and administrative efficiency. The former entails that a system does non falsify the economic decision-making made by persons. Within the UK system there are surely some illustrations of weaknesss in this regard – for case there are different types of revenue enhancement alleviation for those who plan for retirement via an sanctioned pension strategy as opposed to those who might put in something like belongings to fund their retirement. Corrective revenue enhancements can besides hold an inauspicious consequence upon a revenue enhancement system’s economic efficiency as they can falsify the economic image – an illustration here would be when people stock up on coffin nails prior to a budget in which a high revenue enhancement addition on tobacco users is feared. Efficiency besides applies to the disposal of a revenue enhancement system. A system needs to be administered comparatively cheaply as the greater the cost, the less incoming finance there will be for authorities. Traveling conformity cost elsewhere, such as in the move towards self assessment as with some revenue enhancements in the UK is an option here, but there is a hazard that the cost of conformity is merely shifted to the taxpayer without any existent benefits for the overall economic system. In a complex revenue enhancement system, disposal becomes even more expensive with concerns in peculiar holding to pay for revenue enhancement experts to carry on their revenue enhancement personal businesss. The certainty of revenue enhancements can be linked to the taxpayers acceptance that the system is at least mostly just and so the systems overall moral legitimacy.. As Lymer et al write: â€Å"For a revenue enhancement system to be politically accountable the Government must pass for all alterations in revenue enhancement and must on a regular basis offer itself to the electorate to derive a authorization for its policies gt ; † ( p5 ch 2 Lymer et Al 2003 ) .In the ideal system, taxpayers must hold a good consciousness and apprehension of the revenue enhancements that they are required to pay. It is besides of import that the statute law for revenue enhancement is clearly defined. Ill written Torahs can be unfastened to misunderstanding and it is preferred that there is small room for fluctuation is how revenue enhancement jurisprudence is interpreted. Some revenue enhancements in the UK, such as corporation revenue enhancement or VAT frequently do non run into these standar ds. In defense mechanism of the UK system nevertheless there is a good trade of counsel in the Inland Revenue Code of Practice which gives elaborate information on issues such as a taxpayers rights and duties and the reading of revenue enhancement jurisprudence. Nonetheless there is still confusion amongst UK taxpayers as to how and when they pay their revenue enhancements and this is a failing in the system. As Lymer et Al once more conclude: â€Å"Hence revenue enhancements where the incidence is clear are to be preferred over revenue enhancements where there is disagreement and uncertainness over the ultimate remunerator of the tax.† ( Lymer et al p4 chapter 2 ) . The Tax Reform Commission argues that the complexness of the UK system has increased over the last decennary. There is grounds to back up this position – for illustration the debut of new income revenue enhancement rates and the fact that new corporate revenue enhancement rates where introduced and so removed. Such complexness is far from ideal and does little for the economic system as a whole. As KPMG study â€Å"the general tendency for the UK’s revenue enhancement system in recent old ages has been towards more complexness and less certainty, which is bit by bit doing the UK a less competitory location for industry gt ; † ( p7 Tax Matters, Tax Reform Commission 2006 ) . A brief overview of the rule revenue enhancements collected in the UK is required in measuring how far the system comes in run intoing the demands of an ideal revenue enhancement system. There are three types of revenue enhancement base within the UK system ; income which includes income revenue enhancement and corporation revenue enhancement ; wealth capital which includes capital additions, heritage revenue enhancement and stomp responsibility and ; outgo which includes value added revenue enhancement and excise responsibilities. The income revenue enhancement base and in peculiar income revenue enhancement is the revenue enhancement that provides the most gross. Entire revenue enhancement grosss for 2005/06 were an estimated ?483 billion and income revenue enhancement provided 28.1 % of this income ( p3 Adam A ; Browne, A Survey of the UK Tax System, Institute for Fiscal Studies Briefing Note, BN09, March 2006 ) . Income revenue enhancement meets the standards of convenience for many as it is deducted at beginning, yet for the freelance ego appraisal is required which can affect demoing income from a assortment of beginnings. The debut of a sawed-off self-assessment revenue enhancement return from April 2005 has benefited around 1.5 taxpayers who self buttocks ( p8 Tax Matters ) – the more simplified a system the better. However, the cost of self appraisal to the person is still a job. Personal allowances within the income revenue enhancement system besides help in footings of equity – for illustration those over 65 have a personal allowance of ?7090 before revenue enhancement compared to a?4895 allowance for those under 65. National Insurance, like income revenue enhancement is a direct revenue enhancement on net incomes collected at beginning with the difference that it is linked to certain societal security benefits. In pattern nevertheless there is small relation between payments made and benefits received for many single subscribers. Overall there are a figure of failures in the UK’s personal revenue enhancement in footings of equity. Taking into account income revenue enhancement, NI parts and loss of revenue enhancement credits, a individual working 30 hours a hebdomad on the minimal pay pays a fringy revenue enhancement rate of up to 70 % , with farther punishments through the loss of agencies tested benefits ( p57 Tax Matters 2006 ) . The fringy revenue enhancement rate is much lower for those with a higher income, beliing premises that there is perpendicular equity within the current revenue enhancement system. There are surely reforms that could better and do fairer the current personal revenue enhancement system. Reduced personal revenue enhancement, increased personal allowances and a decrease of the basic rate to 20 % would assist with this. The abolishment of tax-exempt employee benefits and allowances would besides simplify the system and, whilst it would imply a great trade of idea and work, a meeting of income revenue enhancement and National Insurance at some point in the hereafter should be considered. Within the wealth revenue enhancement base, capital additions revenue enhancement is a revenue enhancement levied on additions made from the disposal of assets by persons. The timing of this revenue enhancement allows planning by the taxpayer who can forestall the accruing of extra liabilities – in this regard the revenue enhancement meets the demands of certainty. Capital additions revenue enhancement had besides been seen as one of the fairer revenue enhancements from when indexation allowance was introduced in 1965 ( ch 8 p2 Lymer et Al ) , yet this can be questioned in more recent old ages since the abolishment of the indexation allowance and the debut of taper alleviation. There are a figure of alleviations on capital additions revenue enhancement that continue to assist it in footings of equity – these include alleviation on a principle private abode, rollover alleviation, gift alleviation and incorporation alleviation. Obviously, the sum of alleviation available on the revenue enhancement helps in footings of equity towards the taxpayer but does raise inquiries as to whether it is an effectual revenue enhancement in footings of hiking authorities caissons. Lymer et al suggest the capital additions revenue enhancement â€Å"is frequently capable to rumor about its abolishment because so small gross is raised straight from the revenue enhancement but remains in topographic point because it is seen to be necessary for a ‘fair’ revenue enhancement system† ( p2 ch2, Lymer et Al ) . Inheritance revenue enhancement is the other most noteworthy capital revenue enhancement, introduced in 1986 as a replacing for capital transportation revenue enhancement. With an estimated output of ?3.3 billion ( p17 Adam and Browne 2006 ) heritage revenue enhancement raises significant gross, yet a fairer system suggested by the Tax Reform Commission would be a shorter term capital additions revenue enhancement on decease excepting the household place – for many taxpayers the inclusion of belongings in this revenue enhancement is seen as unjust. ( p53 Tax Matters 2006 ) . Business revenue enhancements within the current system could besides be simplified. In the UK, revenue enhancements on companies are a comparatively modern construct, with the separate revenue enhancement of companies as opposed to integrating of personal and corporate net incomes merely being introduced in 1947. ( p164 May A ; King, The British Tax System, Oxford University Press, New York 1990 ) . Corporation revenue enhancement today is presently charged on the planetary net incomes of all UK-resident companies, public corporations and unincorporated associations. Other betterments to the current system of concern revenue enhancement are besides possible. Whilst the current revenue enhancement rate of 19 % for little companies is beautifully little in comparing to international criterions ( Tax Matters 2006 ) , in other countries such as alleviation on capital outgo, regulations on inward investing and revenue enhancement of abroad net incomes, UK revenue enhancements make the s tate less attractive to abroad investing. UK Business revenue enhancement jurisprudence is besides going progressively complicated, something that goes against the basic rules of the ideal revenue enhancement system. As Britain trades more and more with an integrated European Union, a revenue enhancement system that can work aboard that of the UK’s European neighbor is besides of import. In concern, possibly more than in other country of revenue enhancement, simpleness should be overriding – complexness increases the cost for concern and provides merely a negative consequence on the economic system as a whole. The administrative load of revenue enhancement ordinance on UJ concerns presently runs at ?5.1 billion, comparing to 0.5 % of GDP. ( p21 Tax Matters 2006 ) . Simplicity is at the bosom of an ideal system and there are illustrations of states that have simplified their systems and reaped the benefits. Australia and New Zealand for illustration have cut revenue enhancements and simplified their systems over the last decennary whilst at the same time accomplishing budget excesss and basking economic growing. Again the Tax Reform Commission suggests that an efficient revenue enhancement system should promote instead than deter economic growing and endeavor ; it should be just with the less good off paying a smaller proportion of their income ; it should be easy to roll up and easy to understand and ; it should be a stable system with as few alterations as possible. A farther statement in regard of UK revenue enhancements is that revenue enhancement should be agreed more at a local degree when possible. 96 % of revenue enhancements in the UK are levied centrally ( Stoker Gary,Councils need more revenue enhancement freedoms, p22 The Guardian July 3 2001 ) . Greater flexibleness for local councils and methods to prosecute local people into revenue enhancement and disbursement determinations can assist guarantee that local demands are better met. Clearly, cardinal Government can non ever understand local fortunes – as Stoker concludes: â€Å"Local councils in audience with their communities need to hold the capacity to react to local conditions without being 2nd guessed by the Centre of every issue.† ( Stoker G, The Guardian July3, 2001 ) . Overall, the ideal revenue enhancement system should be based around simpleness and easiness of aggregation. Taxpayers who understand a revenue enhancement system are more inclined to collaborate and pay in the right mode at the right clip. A complex system merely costs more to administrate and implement, something that is to the economic hurt of both the taxpayer and the authorities. A system in line with rising prices and compatible with EU revenue enhancement Torahs provides the best support for the economic system and should besides be the manner frontward for the UK revenue enhancement system. Low fringy revenue enhancement rates and a low revenue enhancement load will assist the economic system and a wide revenue enhancement base with less alleviations and allowances will give a better apprehension of the system amongst taxpayers. Tax should be vertically just so that there is less of a load on the less good off and taxpayers should understand how and when they are required to pay their revenue enhancement. The authorities is finally accountable to the electorate over its revenue enhancement policy, but ongoing audience with taxpayers on how the system should work would be ideal. There is no charming expression to making the ideal revenue enhancement system and many of the rules have been espouse by economic experts for centuries. The thought of a revenue enhancement system that is just, certain, convenient and efficient is as relevant today as of all time. Adam S A ; Browne J, A Survey of the UK Tax System, Institute for Fiscal Studies Briefing Note, BN09, March 2006 Lymer A, Oats L A ; Hancock D, Taxation Policy and Practice, Accounting Education Ltd, Birmingham, 2003. May J A ; King M, The British Tax System, Oxford University Press, New York 1990 Tax Reform Commission, Tax Matters – Reforming the Tax System, institute for Fiscal Studies Publication 2006

Monday, November 4, 2019

Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Article - Essay Example For instance, research outcomes show that the current increase of cancer patients results of the high consumption of food processing chemical. Most of the chemicals usually come from the agricultural farms. Eco-friendly agricultural practices include practicing organic farming that does not require the use of chemicals like in industrial farming. It also includes processing and preserving foods without toxic chemicals. Most of industrial foods contain highly poisonous preservatives and they contribute to the humans’ poor health. In addition, other products that qualify to be eco-friendly are those that are biodegradable. These are products, which can be broken down by bacteria during the decomposition process. Going green does not involve the production of the non-biodegradable goods because they cause soil degradation (Holzer & Media 1). One of the eco-friendly practices includes the minimum usage of resources while maximizing the outputs. This helps in the prevention of the natural resource wastage. An example of these practices includes turning off the lights when not using them. This helps in energy conservation. The other eco-friendly practices include the high usage of the public vehicles instead of the private ones. This also helps in energy conservation and reduction of air pollution. The increase in the number of vehicle has resulted into the current high level of air pollution. This is because the high amount of exhaust fumes produced by the vehicle cause air pollution especially in the metropolitan areas. The usage of public vehicles helps in the reduction of the number of vehicles that in turn reduces the amount of air pollutants. Other eco-friendly practices include the recycling or reusing of resources. This helps in preventing the overexploitation of the available natural resources. It also helps in th e reduction of wastes especially the non-biodegradable wastes. Recycling of

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Blue Back Square Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Blue Back Square - Essay Example Therefore, in defining a myth, three aspects have to be considered: the signifier, the signified, and the sign (Barthes, 114). The significant according to Barthes has to be the original crisis within a subject about which people have to try and create meaning. The literature about the item may be termed as the signifier, while the relationship between the crisis and the language used may be termed as the signification. All above aspects have to be reduced to mere language, whether in form of symbolism, or the language used to describe such an object. In this article, the architectural work in Blue Back Square, the significance of the square and the myths that may be used to describe and construct meaning regarding the city will be illustrated in explaining the meaning of myth. Lynch (6) explains that the environmental or observable images in a particular place are as a result of the observer and the environment. In this case as Lynch elaborates, the environment offers distinctions a nd inherent relations, with the observer using their adaptations and reasoning to construct, organize and give meaning to what they see. The image observed in this case, limits and gives more emphasis on what is perceived, while the image is then tested with multiple inputs of perception, making the reality observed from such a building to have multiple realities between different observers; this makes any phenomena to qualify in being a myth. For example, in Blue Back Square, in West Hartford town, the community stands out in its peculiar and unique characteristics that make people to try in constructing meanings regarding the symbolism, or what is being communicated by such a culture, in what amounts to be a myth. The locality takes pride in many architectural works, which are perceived to communicate certain aspects in history or cultural orientation. For example, in Blue Back Square, though the square is in the middle of another city, the place looks like a city in its own, comp lete with a unique identity described by a rich heritage of buildings, some of which are a few hundred years old, and a rich mixture of different cultures from Europe, blacks, Moroccans, and others. The rich cultural heritage provides a rich mixture of cultures represented by buildings, people, and other styles that make people to construct the meaning regarding signification communicated by such different stylistic works, which gives the inner city a unique and beautiful image from the rest. The attempt to construct such signification constitutes to a myth in this case, as more and more explanations have to be made on the same. In other words, a myth needs the signified, which is the heritage and cultural context communicated by such architectural work, the signifier which is the language used to construct such meaning, and the signification, which is the relationship between the signifier and signification, or work that has to be done (Berthes, 114). Moreover, speech or message in this case is not constructed only through written language, but also through the photography, and the perceived images of such buildings. The purpose of a myth is to cause an impression which is treasured among the people with whom such impression is credited to, despite the reality of truth. For example,