Business of Entertaiment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business of Entertaiment - Essay Example Equity has experience and a long history of espousing the performers' causes. Its contribution to the film industry is noteworthy, especially considering the tremendous availability of manpower in the industry where jobs and openings are sought after by ambitious, glamour-hungry young adults. However, in recent times, Equity seems to be flourishing in the United States while floundering in the United Kingdom. Although Equity in Britain continues to paint a rosy picture about its activities, it is silent on the issue of the future of the British film industry. It has not provided any statistics about its role in the rise or turnaround of the film industry in any part of the world. The British film industry is going through a critical phase with the number of films produced dropping over the past several years from the turn of the century. Uncertainty in tax legislations for relief is largely being blamed for the downturn. Competition from Hollywood is another factor held responsible for the debacle. In such uncertain situation, it is too much to expect Equity to come to the aid of its members holding jobs and contracts in the British film industry. Even if Equity makes an attempt it will be only a token measure aimed at assuaging the members. For the industry to make a come back, the collective will of the whole enterprise must focus on win-win situation for everyone. The stars are satisfied with compensation, the employees with their wages, and the promoter with his unit's performance. 4. The Demand Curve for Actors The demand for actors is constantly changing. It depends on the number of hits scored during a year. The British film industry has been lagging for external and internal reasons. The main external reason has been uncertainty about tax relief, and the internal one has been failure of the film industry to produce box office hits and competition from Hollywood. It is also the inability of British film industry to capitalize on technological innovations through personalities and programs that has actors of all hues in a tight corner. The media's exclusive coverage of Britney Spear's frailties and foibles and similar negative presentation of performing artists seems to have evoked some kind of revulsion for the film fraternity in the public eye. The cine celebrities cannot be devoid of human frailties and foibles.The media's role is to blame to some extent for the dismal state of affairs of the British film industry. Even if a Britney Spears has to be featured in the paper every other day, there is the responsibility to ensure a fair deal both for the unfortunate

The Badja Essay Example for Free

The Badja Essay Introduction: The Badjao – which literally means fisherfolk or simply fishermen – is a group of indigenous people that are usually referred to as â€Å"Sea Gypsies,† making use of small wooden boats known locally as â€Å"vinta.† In their houseboats, also known as â€Å"Lepa† and â€Å"Pelang,† they usually carry all their belongings and valuables as they travel from one place to another. According to Dr. Pendatun I. Talib, Secretary General and Founder of the National Sama-Badjao Movement, Inc., and currently director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Regional Fisheries Training Center in the Zamboanga Peninsula, the children of the Badjao people feel more at home whenever they are aboard their vintas because of their ties with the sea – having been at the sea. Objectives: To know the Badjao’s way of living To know how they live in their current places To know their basic daily routine, traditions, beliefs, and practices Hypothesis: If I would continue my research about the badjao’s, then I would know their way of living. Significance of Study: If I would continue my research and studies about this, it would: Change not only my way but also other people’s way of treating the badjao people. Change my first impression on ethnic groups like the badjaos. Let me know the way how they live and how they kept alive their culture. Let me know the traditions, routines, practices, and beliefs of the badjao people. Conceptual Framework: Definition of Terms: Badjao in its origin simply means Man of the Seas â€Å"Vinta†, small wooden boats known locally. â€Å"Lepa† and â€Å"Pelang,† other term for houseboats. The patadjung/tadjong has many uses. Among the Badjao it is large enough to fit any person and is worn by both men and women as a skirt or gown tucked at the chest level.It can serve as putung (headcover), waistband, sash, blanket, hammock, shoulder bag, cradle, pouch, hood, or pillow. A simpay (band) forms the front opening and extends to the back from a small collar. The gallang (bracelet) is the most popular ornament. Lampblack is used to outline a rectangle on her forehead and this is emphasized by yellow ginger juice. The leleng is sung for any occasion, by anyone of any age. It is also sung for special occasions like weddings, haircuts, or circumcisions. Binoa is similarly chanted as the leleng. Igal or pangalay, performed by the female, is the basic traditional dance movement. Pag-Omboh – A ritual that traces its origin to the Pre-Islamic times, it is observed by the people who believe that performing it is necessary to ensure a sense of well being and to preserve the harmony between the material and spirit worlds. This practice is usually done when illness/death strikes the family. This misfortune is seen as a sign of the patient having offended or displeased a spirit; Pag-Jinn – It is an opportunity for the faith healers and shamans to commune with the spirit to help sustain and enhance their healing powers. It captures the depth of animism that is an integral part of the belief system of the people; Pag-Diwata – it is characterized by intense and frenetic ritual dancing to the tune of the Agong and Kulintang; Pag Tulak Balah – It is a water ritual of symbolic cleansing; Pagtimbang and Paggunting – The child is placed on a weighing scale traditionally made of a wooden pole with Patadjong, wherein ritual goods equal to his or her weight are placed. While the Paggunting is traditionally held to coincide with the Maulidin-Nabi, the day when the Holy Prophet Muhammad was born; Pag Tammat – One way to achieve this is through the Pangadji series of tutorials with the local guru or imam, who inculcates the importance of the Holy Qu’ran into the life of the learner; Pagkawin – A wedding begins with the Magpahanda, the formal presentation of a marriage proposal with a request for parental consent. The Mahal (dowry) is brought to the bride’s house. The marriage is solemnized with witnesses with duwa’a (prayer), hutbah nika (counseling), and ends with â€Å"pagbatal,† or when the groom touches the forehead of the bride with his thumb; System of Pag Kubol – The body is bathed amid prayers, it is then shrouded with a new white cloth followed by the Sambahayang Mayat (prayer) to be led by an Imam. Pagkubol must take place within 24 hours of death; Putikaan – Consulting the Putikaan for the auspicious time to set out for any activity or voyages ensures success; and, Hinang-Hinang (Barang) – An Spiritual Act that causes harm to other people using some needle materials, scissors, and egg, or maybe using some other objects.

The Great Gatsby: Analysis of Deception

The Great Gatsby: Analysis of Deception There are few American novels that are honest and captivating about human nature as Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby. At the center of the novel, we discover the deep, dark secret of mankind: deception. The people of East and West Egg use one another for their own benefits and have no concern of the affect their actions may have on the people around them. As Nick Carraway narrates, we get a look into the lives of the wealthy which is merely lavish society surrounded by a wall of lies and deception. Looking inside this wall, everything seems perfectly in place; however, their money cannot buy them happiness and this is the reason for each characters use of deception. There is deception everywhere in this novel and not even the married are saved from it. Daisy is beautiful, and travels, making her a known figure in many different circles; she also has a large bank account. Tom Buchanan, her husband, is very fortunate to be with her and should not do anything to risk this marriage; nevertheless, he is cheating on her with some one of a lesser social status. Myrtle Wilson, Toms mistress, lives with her husband in the middle of East and West Egg: â€Å"The only building in sight was a small block of yellow brick sitting on the edge of the waste land; the third was a garage—Repairs. GEORGE B. WILSON† ( 29 ). It is terrible that Mr. Wilson does not even realize that his wife is carrying on an affair with another man. â€Å"She smiled slowly and, walking through her husband as if he were a ghost, shook hands with Tom, looking him flush in the eye† (29). Daisy has a high reputation and in order to keep that reputation, she makes sure to do nothing that would embarrass her: â€Å"They moved with a fast crowd, all of them young and rich and wild, but she came out absolutely perfect† (82). Tom has used Daisy for her social standing and her wealth; Tom would be cast out of the elite world if he left Daisy, making that option not even considerable. Deception is part of human nature, and, unfortunately, no on can escape from it. Even though Tom is using Daisy, Daisy also uses Tom, but for different reasons. Nick unveils the fact that Daisy does not need Tom anything except his ability to provide her with the emotional stability that she needs. It becomes clear throughout the course of the story that Daisy and Gatsby loved each other very deeply; however, when Gatsby went away to war, Daisy found and married Tom. Daisy had hidden her love for Gatsby from Tom and everyone who surrounded her; thus, when Gatsby returned to tell her that he loved her, she did not know how to react to the situation because she had been hiding her love for so long. Daisy then began to see Gatsby never telling Tom what she was doing. Jordan told Nick that on the night before Tom and Daisys marriage, â€Å"she [Daisy] was as drunk as a monkey. She had a letter. She began to cry—she cried and cried† (81). Daisy cried because she knew that she was not marrying Gatsby—her true love. Finally, five years later, Daisy breaks down and admits that she loves Gatsby but that she loved Tom as well. â€Å"Even alone I cant say that I never loved Tom† (140). Daisy used Tom as her support so that she would never feel lonely or neglected as she did when Gatsby left for the war. Mr. Jay Gatsby has also used others for his own personal gain. Over the time that Gatsby and Nick become friends, Gatsby tells of his love for Daisy. As Daisys cousin, Nick has the power to get both of them together. Gatsby sees this possibility and has Jordan call to set up a tea in hopes of just â€Å"running into† Daisy. Thus Jordan calls up and tells Nick that â€Å"‘He [Gatsby] wants to know if youll invite Daisy to your house some afternoon and then let him come over. He wants her to see his house and your house is right next door† (83-4). Gatsby is using Nick in order to see Daisy, and also Jordan to ensure that this meeting will occur. Also, Gatsby takes advantage of Nicks social status to progress his own dreams; â€Å"‘I dont want to do anything out of the way! he [Gatsby] kept saying. ‘I want to see her right next door.† This was Gatsbys plan—he wanted Daisy to see the difference between himself and Nick—Nick is poor whe reas Gatsby is wealthy and his large house looks even bigger next to Nicks smaller one. Gatsby uses Nick for Daisy, but Nick never realizes it. From Nick Carraways perspective, he tells of how the people of West and East egg exploit each others trust in hopes of receiving what they want. The people around Nick all wanted to attain some sort of feeling of happiness and were not concerned with who they might hurt in the process. The affluent recognized something that they wanted, so they used each other to get that satisfactory feeling, no concern with how temporary that happiness may be. Nicks narration reveals the degree the wealthy would go in order to receive what they desired. Nicks truthfulness and honest character throws a shadow upon the deception of the wealthy.

Proposal for Gasoline Tax Increase Essay -- Environment Environmental

Proposal for Gasoline Tax Increase On a daily basis, millions of cars are driven by millions of Americans to millions of different places. For most of those millions of people, their cars are their lives and that's all that matter. A second thought is rarely given to the fact that conventional gasoline vehicles are depositing millions of harmful chemical gases into the atmosphere. Many people in America are not aware of what automobile emissions are doing to our environment. If every American knew all the facts about gasoline vehicles, perhaps then they would be motivated and willing to contribute whatever is needed to save the environment from the destruction that gasoline vehicles are causing. Zero-emission vehicles are a new development and are one of the most aggressive approaches toward preventing global warming. However, there is still a lot of work to be done in order to eliminate conventional gasoline vehicles and begin widespread use of zero-emission vehicles. If there were a national fund for the further dev elopment of these vehicles, the effort to eliminate gasoline vehicles would advance much faster. That is why a proposal for the federal government to raise the gasoline tax by $1 per gallon in order to fund further research and development of zero-emission vehicles sounds entirely plausible. If nothing more, it would be giant step in the effort to conserve our natural environment. In order to first convince a wide majority of people that something needs to be done to stop the destruction of our environment, people first need to know exactly what is harmful about gasoline vehicles. In the United States, approximately 6.6 tons of greenhouse gases are emitted per person every year. Most of the greenhouse gas emi... ...g saved with their extra dollars, let's hope that they would generously pay a little more to save the things that are truly a necessity. Works Cited 1. Background of Zero-Emission Vehicles. 2001. California Air Resources Board. Viewed October 2, 2001 2. California Zero-Emission Vehicle Regulations. 2000. American Lung Association of California. Viewed October 9, 2001 3. Global Warming: Climate. 2001. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Viewed October 2, 2001 4. Global Warming: Individual Emissions. 2001. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Viewed October 4, 2001. 5. Health Risks Associated with Air Pollution. 2001. American Lung Association of California. Viewed October 9, 2001 6. Young, Matt. Pollutants Caused by Internal Combustion Engines. 2001. Viewed October 4, 2001. http://www.bath.ac.uk/~en0mjy/pollutants.htm

Coral Reefs, Our Disappearing Beauty

Coral reefs are one of nature's riches ecosystems with a diverse existence of life which is ultimately quite complex. They are a colorful ecosystem that plays an important role in the marine world and the human world as well. They are home to countless plants and animals, a source of food, medicines and one of the unique wonders of our world. While they might bring the image of life near a tropical paradise, there is much more to the coral reef than its beauty. These beauties are home to a diverse population that benefits humans, each type in its own way. But will we be able to save these natural wonders? Corals belong to the same group of animals as jellyfish and sea anemones. While they seem to move in the current of the ocean, they actually do not move and stay in one place. Coral use their tentacles to feed and exist in colonies. They grow every slowly but they can live anywhere from a few decades to even centuries. They have a hard calcium carbonate skeleton which provides them with protection. The calcium carbonate is continually deposited which added to its size, however, their growth varies depending on the conditions within the environment. The growth of the coral reef is long and slow and it takes several years for it grow only a few inches. This growth can be even slower when you consider the destructive activities of animals, storms and humans. As the coral grows they form colonies which become the basic foundation of the reef. Coral reefs need particular conditions in order to survive. They generally grow near the shoreline which is a form of protection for the shore. Coral reefs only grow to depths approximately 45 meters because they need sunlight in order to survive. The amount of oxygen available is also important because coral have symbiotic relationship with some types of algae. The algae live in the coral and perform photosynthesis which makes food for the algae and the coral alike. The coral gives the algae protection and sunlight. For this reason coral reefs are built in shallow, clear water where lights can reach them. The amount of sedimentation mud be low because sediments can block the sunlight they need. There are three main kinds of coral reefs. Each of these is thought to be a stage in the development of the coral reef. (Birkeland, 1997). These include the fringing reefs, barrier reefs and atolls. Some scientists include a fourth type, the patch reef, as well. The most common type of ref is the fringing reef. Found very near to land they can often form a shallow area in the lagoon. When reefs are formed it is the fringing reef that is formed first. Another type of reef is the barrier reef. It can resemble the fringing reef but they do not form so close to shore and are usually much larger than the fringing reef. The fringing reef grows out and the distance from land becomes greater causing the fringing reef to become a barrier reef. The atoll is shaped like a horseshoe or can be a circle. It surround the lagoon although there is no land associated with the atoll. This is because when the land subsides, only the reef remains and it has the shape of the land it surrounded. Finally, there is the patch reef which usually are found within the lagoon and ore the outcrops of coral. An abundance of both plant and animal life are an integral part of coral reefs. Scientists continue to discover new species and learn a great deal from coral reefs. First, the coral itself is living with the skeleton of calcium carbonate surrounding them for protection. The first animal that comes to mind when discussing coral reefs is the fish. Fish of every color swim in the reef, finding food, using it for protection, making it their home. Fish camouflage themselves within the reef to steer clear of larger fish and sharks. Sharks often scour the coral looking for a stray fish. Sea snakes also make the coral reef their home. There are also invertebrates like starfish who travel through the many species of seagrass and algae within the reef. There are many species of sea turtles that make coral reefs their home as well. These are only a few of the massive variety of creatures that live in the coral reefs. There are urchins, sponges, crabs, eels and literally thousands of others. It is the richest place of biodiversity. In fact, â€Å"Guam hosts over 3. 500 species of plants and animals, including 200 different types of corals. † (Teach Ocean Science, ret. June 14, 2013). In addition to theses kinds of plants and animals, there are also microorganisms that call the coral reef home. Coral reefs don't only benefit animals and plants, but they also benefit humans. They are one of the oldest ecosystems on our planet and one of the most beautiful. One way they benefit humans is due to their beauty. Areas with coral reefs bring tourism. This tourism supports local communities, creating jobs for local inhabitants. Visitors come to dive, snorkel, fish and enjoy the coral. These jobs help support the infrastructure of the community and build a strong economy. The economic value of many of the reefs individually are in excess of hundreds of millions of dollars, some over $1 billion each year. More importantly, there are many plants and animals that help us in the creation of new medicines and perfecting ones we already have. Medicines that have been developed or are being developed from the coral reefs include treatments for heart disease, cancer, arthritis, viruses just to name a few. More obvious than the previously mentioned benefits, coral reefs provide an abundance of fish and other sea life that helps populate the oceans for fishing. This also benefits humans. Fisheries are important for recreation as well as a trade to provide food. Also, as the name implies, coral reefs are a natural buffer between the ocean and the land. This helps prevent property damage, soil erosion, and protects people from storms. Nearby communities depend on the coral reefs for their well-being. Even though humans depend on the coral reef in so many ways, we are unfortunately slowly losing them. These natural beauties are disappearing at a faster and faster rate. The biggest threat is humans themselves. Healthy coral reefs need clean water but people are polluting these waters causing significant harm to the reefs. Fertilizers, soil, pesticides and even sewage is put into the water. These things make the water unhealthy for corals, smother the reef and make it more likely the will get diseases. Pollution is a major threat. Humans also often have destructive fishing practices. They use explosives to fish or bang on the reef with large sticks as well as bottom-trawling. In addition to these destructive practices, humans have been overfishing which upsets the natural balance of the ecosystem of the reef. The food chain is then so out of balance that the effects are not only the direct fish population but the entire ocean and beyond. Humans are not the only threats to coral reefs. Natural disasters can also harm the reefs. Hurricanes and other storms can cause damage as well. Global warming is also a threat. Corals will only survive in a certain water temperature and global warming has caused damage by elevating the levels of coral bleaching. When the reef is already unhealthy it is difficult for it to improve such a disaster. One way our own government has started to help protect the coral reef is by developing the U. S. Coral Reef Task Force. â€Å"On June 11, 1998, President Clinton issued Executive Order 13089 on Coral Reef Protection. † (EPA, Ret. June 10, 2013). This task force was charge with the duties of mapping and monitoring the US coral reefs, conducting research to identify major causes and consequences of the decline of the reefs and with developing ways to restore the damaged reefs and prevent further damage. Governments have set up Preservation Zones to focus on the cost of human impact to the coral reefs and how to maintain the reefs. Each of us can help protect the coral reef. Be sure to clean up after yourself when you go to the beach. It sounds simple, and it is but many people don't follow this advice. If you go to the area, be sure not to touch the coral. Take care of it. Leave shells and other creatures where they are. The food chain is a delicate balance and we should not do anything, no matter how small it might seem, to upset that balance. If you fish, catch only what you will eat. Throw small fish back to reproduce and the largest because they lay the most eggs. And if you don't fish, eat only the species of fish that are on the sustainable seafood list. Even if you are not in the area, you can reduce the amount of freshwater you use, develop habits that reduce the amount of greenhouse gases we produce like using too much electricity or driving a lot. Recycle more, including reusing items. Basically reducing our carbon footprint helps our coral reefs. Coral reefs are a vital resource in our environment. They are home to an extremely diverse population that is necessary to all life on earth. Humans have come to depend on this ecosystem for numerous things yet we still see the coral reefs disappearing quickly. But this sensitive ecosystem is depending on us was well. We each can do our part by minimizing our own carbon footprint but so much damage has already been done that this alone is not enough. Humans must get involved and be proactive to save this valuable resource before it's too late.Sources:Ruppert, EE and Barnes, RD, 1994, Invertebrate Zoology, 6th Edition, Saunders College Publishing, Philadelphia â€Å"What lives on a coral reef?†, Teach Ocean Science, http://www.teachoceanscience.net/teaching_resources/education_modules/coral_reefs_and_climate_change/what_lives_on_a_coral_reef/, retrieved June 14, 2013. Water: Habitat Protection, EPA, http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/habitat/taskforce.cfm, Retrieved June 10, 2013. Birkeland, C. (1997). Introduction. In Life and Death of Coral Reefs. Birkeland, C. (ed.). Chapman and Hall, New York. Achituv, Y. ; Dubinsky, Z. (1990). Evolution and Zoogeography of Coral Reefs. In Ecosystems of the World: 25 Coral Reefs. Dubinsky, Z. (ed.). Elsevier, New York.

Marginal Benefits And Marginal Costs Essay

The first rule can be summarized with the undermentioned phrase â€Å"There’s ne'er a free lunch† every clip that you need something you have to give something in return. One illustration is an employee that needs a peculiar twenty-four hours off. He could merely lose work and non acquire paid or inquire for a alteration of agenda and non miss work. This allows flexibleness or via media between parties. Previous to doing any determinations on the trade off you should ever see the cost. At times the cost of some actions may non be evident at a glimpse. The cost of any given undertaking may reflect on the result of your determination. Never assume that everybody is rational. Rational people seldom decide in black and white but for the most portion their determinations are in the grey country. As you go deeper into economic sciences. you will meet houses that decide how many workers to engage and how much of their merchandise to fabricate and sell to maximise net incomes. Incentives. who doesn’t like a positive inducements? Keep in head that if there is positive inducement there can besides be negative 1s. Rational people will ever maintain in head the cost and benefits of a undertaking and they will react to the inducements provided for the completions of given undertaking. An illustration of fringy benefits and the fringy costs of consider an air hose make up one's minding how much to bear down riders who fly standby. Suppose that winging a 200 – rider plane across the United States costs the air hose $ 100. 000. In this instance. the mean cost of each place is $ 100. 000/200. which is $ 500. One might be tempted to reason that the air hose should ne'er sell a ticket for less than $ 500. In fact. nevertheless. the air hose can raise its net incomes by believing at the border. Imagine that a plane is about to take off with 10 empty seats. and a standby rider waiting at the gate will pay $ 300 for a place. The air hose in this illustration will inquire itself should I sell the staying seats at the cost of $ 300 per rider is cost effectual. The reply is yes it will be profitable to sell the staying place at this monetary value. While the rider pays more than the fringy cost of the place. An inducement that could take to another determination would be a rival air hose supplying the same trip for less or the same monetary value. Persons are prone to incentives if you provide them with pecuniary. intervention or any other benefits that will honor them for their attempts. The cardinal lessons about the economic system as a whole are that productiveness is the ultimate beginning of life criterions. that money growing is the ultimate beginning of rising prices. and that society faces a short-term tradeoff between rising prices and unemployment. In a market economic system. the determinations of a authorities are replaced by the determinations of companies and persons. Companies decide how many people to engage and what merchandise to fabricate. Persons decide which industries to work for and what points to purchase with their wages. A centrally planned economic system is when a authorities decides what points to bring forth and how much. Determine the allotment of scarce resources and who will bring forth and devour these goods and services. When the market economic system and the centrally planned economic system are combined and influenced by the control of the private and authorities sector. In decision economic sciences play an intrical portion of our day-to-day lives. It allows a state to turn or a company to drop. Decicion devising is an of import facet of the economic system and all decicions sing this topic has to be treated as a delicate subject. MentionsGregory. N. ( 2009 ) . Principles of Economics ( 5th ed. ) . Mason. Oh: South-Western Cengage Learning. Hubbard. R. & A ; O’Brien. A. ( 2010 ) . Economicss ( 3rd ed. ) . Boston. MA: Pearson Hall.