Bostons 3rd of July

Boston’s 3rd of July So my schedule at work is pretty sweet. I work slightly long days all week and then get off early on Friday. That changed a bit this week because of our favorite pyrotechnic holiday, Independence Day. Hasbro, being the awesome company they are, decided to pay all of the interns and temps for the holiday, meaning that as I sit here typing this entry Im earning money not just for blogging but also for building toys (only one of which Im actually doing). But, thats not the best part, since we have today off they moved our half day to Thursday. This means I got back to campus much earlier than normal letting me have a little evening-time fun. A year ago I read Matt McGanns entry about some super-special secret Boston Pops concert the night before the 4th and I figured the 3rd of July was as good a time as any to have my first Boston Pops experience. I, unfortunately, did not take my camera, so youll have to rely solely on my beautiful prose and various other forms of media. I left the dorm at 5:30 PM for a concert I was told started at 7:00 PM. I strapped on my skates, threw my shoes in my backpack, and skated down to the Longfellow bridge, crossed it, and headed to the Hatch Shell. This is when I began my experience with July 3rd/4th security. I was skating happily down the sidewalk towards the Hatch Shell when I noticed the sidewalk was cordoned off and guarded by police, redirecting anybody without a pass to a dirt trail. I dont skate on dirt, it trashes bearings, so I de-skated, threw them into my backpack, and continued my trek on foot. Security 1 Snively 0. I made it to the Hatch Shell and instantly thought Oh right Matt, sure nobody knows about it! because, even though it was an hour before anything was supposed to start, there were people EVERYWHERE! Thousands of people. The entire grassy area was also blocked off by a metal fence. Well, a metal fence, the national guard, police officers, and private security guards. I walked around the circumference of the gate before coming upon what very well could have been the longest line ever. I got in it. It slowly inched towards the grassy area as people had their bags checked for dangerous things (silverware be ing the most common offender). I was tipped off that there was a much shorter line to my left so I wandered over and sure enough, a line with 2 people in it (as opposed to several hundred, as was the case in my current line). I wandered up and walked right up to the baggage check lady. We chatted in a friendly manner, I explained that I was a harmless guy and didnt have anything dangerous or illegal and she said reassuring things like Im sure youre fine and I cant imagine you having anything like that but that was all until she opened the back of my backpack. Thats when she saw my skates. Oooooh, you cant bring these in. What? Skates, skates arent allowed, you cant bring these in. But Im not wearing them. Look, its all grass in there, how could I skate on grass with three thousand people around, theyre in my backpack! Nope, Im sorry, you cant get in. Wonderful. Security 2, Snively 0. I started looking for a place to stash my skates but there wasnt anywhere around that seemed safe, not to mention that right as I left my hidden secret line, the rest of the people discovered it and a hundred people came over and made it not so short. I was officially sealed out of the grassy area. I made the best of my situation and found a wall on a walkway that, when sat upon, provided an excellent view of the stage. That lasted, oh, 10 minutes, before a cop came and told everybody to leave because it couldnt support the weight of a lot of people. Moved again, excellent. Security 3, Snively 0. I proceeded to just walk up to the perimeter gate and stand there. It was 6:15 PM. It was then that I heard somebody mention that the show started at 8:30 PM, something I was ill equipped to hear. I looked at my watch. I was going to have to stand by this fence for another two hours and fifteen minutes, a really long time. I made the best of it though, chatting with some nice older guy who was a Boston Pops 4th of July veteran and some exchange student from Europe, both of whom were very nice. At around 7 oclock the loudspeakers came on. Attention. A weather front is approaching the esplanade and will hit us at approximately 7:15 PM. We expect heavy rain, wind, and severe thunderstorms. If you would like to leave and return we will be taking shelter in the tunnel near the esplanade. Nice. Clearly a plot by security trying to get me away from the Boston Pops, but YOU WILL NOT WIN COPPERS! NEVER! The only way I could think of exploiting this situation was to go buy a beverage from one of the vendors since there were no more lines (people are easily frightened, I felt like a salmon swimming upstream as I fought against the throngs of escaping Americans). Unfortunately for me I only had plastic for $$$ and nobody took debit. I set out in search of an ATM as the sky got darker and darker, the wind got stronger and stronger, and the people got more and more frantic. As I wandered I heard somebody yell Snively! I turned and sure enough, Matt McGann. Somehow, out of thousands of people, wed run into each other. Well, Matt McGann with family and friends, more prepared for the storm than I. Armed with umbrellas and having obviously seen 300 they were crouched and had created a shield against the rain and wind. I ducked behind and chatted with Matt about such interesting s ubjects as Ring Committee and our buddy Ben. Also, I would like to point out that Matt McGann uses a bright pink umbrella. He claims that it belongs to his wife but Im pretty sure its his, judging by how fervently he denied ownership. We were quickly concerned with other matters as the rain finally hit, and by hit I mean WOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHH HOOOOOOWWWWWLLLLLLLLLL SSSSPPPPPPLLLLLOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! We ducked, umbrellas strained, and we weathered the storm. I still hadnt found an ATM, but since Matt is awesome he loaned me a twenty so I went off and bought some fried dough and a lemonade. I returned to my spot at the fence and settled in to wait for the show. Its 8:00 PM at this point. The lighting tests began, there were sound checks, and people were milling about the stage. I noticed a green drum set on stage and found it strange that the Pops would need a set. Then this announcement: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being patient. Youve weathered the storm and, while youre waiting, we have some folks that would like to thank you for coming by playing a song for you. Please welcome to the stage, Rascal Flatts! *cue audience hysteria* Im not a huge western fan and about the only experience I have with the Rascal Flatts is an ex-girlfriend obsessing over Life is a Highway, but it was definitely a good time. They only played one song for us but everybody loved it. Then, fifteen minutes later, the Pops took the stage and launched into the national anthem. This is when I realized that the Pops were famous for a reason. They. Are. Good. I like to think that I have an ear for a bands sound since I was so involved in band in high school (Charles A. Sprague High School, what now, we won a Grammy my senior year!) The Pops are good. Very very good. After the national anthem the director, Keith Lockhart, came up and introduced their first set, A Tribute to Leonard Bernstein. Excellent, Bernstein is awesome! I was expecting some popular Bernstein songs arranged into some mashup featuring just the main themes, but was pleasantly surprised by what they played. They played two entire songs, the first of which was Overture to Candide. I have a small obsession with this song, I played it in High School and everybody LOVED it. Hearing the Boston Pops play it was amazing, to say the least. I found a YouTube video of them playing it 2 years ago, the sound isnt great but Ive also included a link to an mp3 thats much better (although not performed by the Pops). Click for full mp3 After Candide they played Mambo from Westside Story, another excellent choice and a crowd pleaser. Lockhart announced that since Boston was obsessed with sports, the Boston Pops have decided to piece together a compilation devoted entirely to baseball. The set began with a song called National Game by our favorite cheesy music writer John Philip Sousa. Next was a really nice compilation from Field of Dreams and The Natural. The Natural has great music, just listen: The Natural Then we listened to Take me out to the ball game about three different times, all different arrangements, and some with vocals. By the end of that we were all like Please, please, no more take me out to the ball game, weve had enough! Luckily, following the baseball song overload, was a reading of Casey at the Bat, set to music. I was stunned at how many people around me had never heard this poem! If you havent, you need to get smart and culture yourself really quickly because Ill laugh at you if you dont. Read Casey at the Bat I really enjoyed this part of the performance, it was an unexpected treat. Next was a transition away from baseball, every Bostonians favorite song by every Bostonians favorite band, Shipping up to Boston by the Dropkick Murphys, performed by the Boston Pops. Different, but very enjoyable, another crowd pleaser. Next, the classic 4th of July number, the 1812 Overture, complete with cannon fire synced to the music. Another surprise was that a lot of people dont realize just how long this song is and that the recognizable part is just in the last couple of minutes. Check it out for yourself: 1812 Overture WMA The cannon fire, although kind of cheesy, was AWESOME! Seriously, any music with cannons as instruments is a winner in my book. There was a short intermission as the Rascal Flatts took the stage again and we were introduced to Craig Ferguson, a late night comedian who is apparently quite popular. At MIT we dont really watch TV (dont worry, its not as bad as it sounds, trust me) so I hadnt heard of this guy but everybody else seemed really excited. I noticed though, as he was speaking, that he kept saying that it was July 4th and that there would be fireworks soon. Ooooooh, practice! Thats when we heard this very official voice saying Welcome back to the 35th annual Boston Pops fireworks spectacular, sponsored by Liberty Mutual. And now, Craig Ferguson! The official dry run had begun, complete with commercial breaks and live talent. Rascal Flatts struck their first chord and the audience went NUTS! This time I actually knew what was happening, they were playing Life is a Highway and the audience was eating it up. Click for MP3 Next was another Rascal Flatts song, Every Day, which Id never heard but was enjoyable nonetheless. Then came the obligatory patriotic song medley, featuring: My Country tis of Thee America the Beautiful Yankee Doodle This Land is Your Land Grand Old Flag God Bless America All came with lyrics courtesy of the Jumbotron. The finale was Stars and Stripes Forever and a huge explosion of confetti from air cannons all throughout the audience. It was all very patriotic and lighthearted, a great conclusion to the evening. People, dressed all in red, white, and blue, slowly filtered away. The real excitement is tonight in just three short hours. I wont be braving the crowd tonight, Im going to watch the fireworks with some friends over here on campus. We should be able to hear the music too, we could hear the sound checks this morning thanks to the dozens of huge speakers scattered on both sides of the river, projecting music into both Boston and Cambridge. It should be a good night, Ill try to get some footage of fireworks to post!

The Purpose Of This Essay Is To Provide An Argument For

The purpose of this essay is to provide an argument for the legalization of cannabis for both medicinal and recreational use, and to bring to light some of the negative consequences that the war on drugs has caused by demonizing cannabis for over 100 years, and to show how communities are both positively affected by making cannabis legal, and negatively affected by the continued perpetuation of ignorance that has gone on for far too long. That being the illegality of the possession and consumption cannabis. The end of legalized marijuana begins in 1914 with the Harrison narcotics tax. â€Å"The Harrison Narcotics Tax Act is enacted. Congress votes to levy a tax on opiates like opium and coca leaves, and lays the groundwork for future drug†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Ronald Reagan defeats Jimmy Carter, who had favored reducing the penalties for marijuana possession, to become president. Mr. Reagan, along with his vice president, George H.W. Bush, ushers in an era of anti-drug campaigns and legislation by instituting a ‘War on Drugs’† (MOORE, 2013) something that is still practiced, and is still throwing people’s lives away because of nonviolent drug offences instead of helping people or putting a system in place that would help people, or better yet make cannabis legal and let it help people. We go back to the days of fighting a counterculture that has stayed with us even now at least there have been strides to push against idiocy and make a plant that helps not kills legal. Welcome back to the modern day 2 states have legalized cannabis both Washington and Colorado Approve Recreational Use â€Å"In a game-changing move, Washington and Colorado legalize small amounts of marijuana for personal recreational use. As marijuana-rights advocates celebrate, the states go about devising a system for legal sales and informing the public about the law.† (MOORE, 2013). This move by these 2 states have really helped getting cannabis in the public eye and show just how beneficial this plant really can be to this country if we just give it a chance. Because at the end of the day it really lies with you the citizen to make it legal, and to push against ignorance and get informed to not just say no in the face of marijuana. It’s up to youShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Essay : My Portfolio1140 Words   |  5 Pagesargumentative purpose, execution, sentence structure, grammar, formatting, and clarity. However, my overall portfolio shows my quality in writing has increased and improved in those areas throughout the semester and overall became a better writer. Throughout this semester, I struggled with argumentative purpose. This really showed in essay one and two, but improved in essay three and four. In essay one, I struggled with communicating the argument to the reader which was the main purpose of the essay. HoweverRead MoreHistorical Process1214 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ Jimmy castro Unit: The Historical Process This Unit Activity will help you meet these educational goals: Inquiry Skills—You will apply disciplinary concepts and tools; analyze societal issues, trends, and events; develop credible explanations of historical events and developments based on reasoned interpretation of evidence; gather, evaluate, and use evidence; and communicate your conclusions. 21st Century Skills—You will employ online tools for research and analysis, use critical-thinking andRead MoreAre Colleges Worth The Price Of Admission?928 Words   |  4 PagesThe ideal purpose of a college education was not to become the greatest financial outlay for a parent or guardian. It’s basic mission was to challenge the minds of younger individuals but instead many are burdened with staggering loans from something that was meant essentially to benefit. 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This essay critique analyses and evaluates the above points. One of the essay problems includes the poorly developed thesis statement at theRead More`` Invading Our Privacy `` : How Technology Can Make People Expose Their Privacy Online1300 Words   |  6 Pageswatching them. David Plotz, a writer and deputy editor of Slate, wrote an essay entitled â€Å"Privacy is Overrated† to talk about how personal privacy is a myth. In the other side, David Schinke, chief editor of Utne Reader, wrote an essay entitled â€Å"Invading Our Privacy† to persuade how technology can make people expose their privacy online. Both essays created two different perspectives on personal privacy. However, one author essay organized his paper for the audience to understand where he provided specific

Letter to Birmingham Jail - 3615 Words

The Letter from Birmingham Jail or Letter from Birmingham City Jail, is an open letter written on April 16, 1963, by Martin Luther King, Jr. King wrote the letter from the city jail in Birmingham, Alabama, where he was confined after being arrested for his part in the Birmingham campaign, a planned non-violent protest conducted by the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights and Kings Southern Christian Leadership Conference against racial segregation by Birminghams city government and downtown retailers. Kings letter is a response to a statement made by eight white Alabama clergymen on April 12, 1963, titled A Call For Unity. The clergymen agreed that social injustices existed but argued that the battle against racial segregation†¦show more content†¦Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct-action campaign that was well timed in view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word wait! It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This Wait has almost always meant Never. We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that justice too long delayed is justice denied. We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God given rights. The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jetlike speed toward gaining political independence, but we still creep at horse and buggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter. Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, Wait. But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters; when you see the vast majority of your twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society; when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six year old daughter why she cant go to the public amusement park that has just been advertisedShow MoreRelatedA Letter From The Birmingham Jail1110 Word s   |  5 Pagesargue that the structure of â€Å"A Letter from the Birmingham Jail† resembles that of a sermon which is aimed at an audience much larger than that of just eight clergymen. Through his brilliant use of persuasive methods and emotional appeal, Martin Luther King turns a simple response to a letter into a national cause for white support to combat segregation. 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Peer Gynt Free Essays

Peer Gynt Response Paper The story of â€Å"Peer Gynt† helps explore the state of mind of the self throughout the adventures of Peer Gynt, it also projects the human soul beyond the limits of time. In Peer’s words â€Å"I don’t know what I’m looking for† (Ibsen ) show that he is a young man experimenting with life by taking on various roles and disguises. In this respect, the story of Peer Gynt can be read as a psychological drama. We will write a custom essay sample on Peer Gynt or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, the presence of figures such as the trolls, the Boyg and sphinx illustrates that the play is also mythological. â€Å"Peer Gynt† is as well characterized by religious concerns and it is also metaphysical to some extent. This is pointed out through the way Peer lives through his dreams and attains salvation through Solveig. The first part of the play is Peer in his own society, an outcast, who needs to escape from a society that is restricting him. Weaving of tales is very important in this play since it is through his dreams that Peer will become emperor of the world. Only Peer knows how to create an imaginative world. To get out of his present state of poverty, Peer Gynt resorts to tale-telling to uplift himself and his mother from the cruelty of society. People become what they are because of society and the way it functions. The international travels of Peer shows a man who yearns for freedom from home, and pursues his dreams of power, sexual fulfilment, never growing old. These are the dreams of most people. Peer Gynt’s physical journey is also his mental journey through which he enters a process of discovering the human self. Peer’s quest is not so specific and in his pursuit he ultimately comes face-to-face with the search for identity. Peer steals away Ingrid during her wedding ceremony, only to abuse her and discard her. After this pitiful act he is forced to flee the village. This leads Peer to descend into the world of the trolls, where he finds the Green Woman, the Troll King’s Daughter. Descent in the world of the trolls, for Peer Gynt is the descent into an irrational world where only desires matter. The fact that Peer Gynt tries to to love the troll maidens so as to enter the troll kingdom shows that he is losing his bearings. There is a kind of beast or not civilized feeling which is represented through the trolls. Their world is the exact opposite of the world of morality. In act 2, we find Peer is simultaneously in the human world and the supernatural world (Solveig and the trolls). Ibsen’s dramatic psychology also centers upon the figure of the troll who are extremely self-centred. In most humans there is a troll, and that Ibsen’s play masterly shows this. This quote from the Boyg ,† He was too strong; women have saved him! † (Ibsen ) represents the better part of Peer’s nature takes up to him when Solveig comes to him. Peer Gynt as a self can only trust his own goodness when that goodness is reflected in someone else. The fact that he goes to help his mom through death shows the positive aspect of his nature. As his mother dies, Peer, across language, takes her through an imaginative world by weaving a tale of beauty. The complex bond between mother and son is there through imagination. The bonds with his past are severed with the death of his mother. Solveig and Ase are symbolical of human ties which make Peer Gynt and they save his soul many a time. However, Peer enters the lowest pits of mental, physical and spiritual degeneration when he takes up the sea journey. Peer fills the air with exaggerated stories and complete untruths. The fourth act which opens in Morocco is dramatically highly entertaining and it introduces themes which have to do with international problems. It makes visible the gradual want of Peer Gynt to become the emperor of the world. He comes out as a cynical businessman. From the peak of success, he encounters opposition, greed and treachery. He falls to the depth of the materialistic business man (slave trade) which makes him lose his soul. Peer Gynt simultaneously enters the world of pyramids and the netherworld he has created by entering the asylum. It represents the irrational uniqueness he wanted to attain. The beauty and sanity of the world he left behind now become more apparent. As Peer journeys through a landscape of his own disordered and crazy imagination. Peer’s, progress through the world becomes a spiritual regression. Spiritual exhaustion becomes a manifest as paralyzed moral will, non-commitment to a set of values, as self-alienation, depersonalization. Duplication and regression are the conditions the spirit is doomed to if it accepts the troll condition of â€Å"to thyself be enough† instead of the human â€Å"to thyself be true. † (Ibsen ) The shock to see mental isolation of individuals, of death propels Peer Gynt to move upwards. They put him back on the route to return. Being true to yourself is to seek for autonomy. We must note the fact that when he is robbed of all his property, Peer prays to God for help and his yacht mysteriously blows up with all on board. This evokes a feeling of mysticism. Through the quote â€Å"My world is ugly and happiness over,† (Ibsen ) Peer looks back upon his wasted life and peels an onion, he lets each layer represent a different role he has played but finds no core. Peer finally discovers that his ‘true self’ dissolved due to his self-seeking and ruinous lifestyle. By deserting family ties, Peer Gynt entered the worst stages of moral and physical decline. It is well known that it is relationships which make the identity, the self. Peer Gynt existed more genuinely in Solveig’s imagination and it is because of her faith, hope and love that he does not go to hell. Redemption comes through the love of Solveig which has endured and remained pure and untainted. Around Peer Gynt, who is a mythical figure in Norway, is a world and its people and also native myths, politics and religion. The play is a huge journey which has psychology but it also explores other edges of life. Bibliography Ibsen , Henrik. Peer Gynt. Mineola : Dover publications, 2003. eBook. How to cite Peer Gynt, Essay examples

Macroeconomics Falling Rates of Unemployment

Question: Discuss about theMacroeconomics for Falling Rates of Unemployment. Answer: Surging Housing Pricesin Australia The property bubble in Australia is an ongoing debate that deals with the fact that whether the property market in Australia is significantly overpriced. The reasons behind surging housing prices in Australia are as follows: High rates of unemployment and falling rates of unemployment is considered as one of the major factor that leads to surging housing prices in Australia. The rate of unemployment has surged to 6.4 percent with a loss of 12,200 estimated jobs. The loss of jobs in turn led to pressure on wages. The steep increase in the rate of unemployment caused an evenly sharp decline in the Australian dollar. On the other hand, an unexpectedly large number of new part time jobs have pulled down the rate of unemployment to 5.7 percent. As a result, the total number of individuals with jobs increased by 26,200 (Knoll, Schularick and Steger 2014). Immigration had also led to surging housing prices as the injection of migrants that surge the short run demand has contributed to the rise in the price of houses. Housing prices are therefore likely to lead to increase in the near future in the presence of migration shocks. The abundant increase in supply of houses has given homebuyers several choices that slowed down the possibility of a rapid property boom. However, immigration into Australia could be threatened if higher house prices continued in the future (Gurran and Phibbs 2013). The latest surge in Australian housing prices is due to local buying that comprises first homebuyers. However, increasingly young individuals in Australia are unconstructively gearing investment properties. As a result, it has become modern fashion for youth to be investors rather than first home purchasers. On the other hand, most of the overseas buyers are not searching for micro apartments rather they prefer houses. With the high level of speculative demand, the housing prices will continue to surge in Australia. Apartment buyers mostly rent the property out. The high increase construction boom in Australia is starting to affect the values of the apartments (Gustafsson, Stockhammar and sterholm 2016). Inflation also leads to surging housing prices in Australia. The increase in consumer prices is likely to increase the healthcare costs that will increase the rate of inflation. The strong increase in the healthcare cost will surge the housing prices in Australia. The rate of interest slashed that made the mortgages incredibly cheaper. The house prices have jumped to 6.5 percent that is nine times the rate of inflation in Australia (Downes, Hanslow and Tulip 2014). The unreserved supply of money causes house prices to surge. The newly created debt pushed up prices that is related to unexpected lose lending. This in turn led to national fascination where financial assets were considered the place to live rather than houses. Macroeconomic Solutions There are various macroeconomic problems that require to be eliminated and as a result, such macroeconomic problems require solution to the problem that they pose. Macroeconomic solution will help to provide stability in the level of price that will help to analyze the fluctuation in the business. With the help of this, the government will come across the policies that will provide measure to control inflation and deflation. It will also help to identify the causes that leads to the problem related to acquiring the affordable housing (Urhammer and Rpke 2013). It is important to make housing affordable for the not-so-wealthy individuals that are a major concern for most of the people. There are various reasons that require to be concerned with affordable housing. Macroeconomic solutions the government can undertake to ensure affordable housing for the younger generation are as follows: First time homebuyer scheme: The government can provide equity loan to the younger generation who requires to purchase a new build home. As the generation is younger, the government requires to keep the price less than 600,000. With the help of this scheme, the younger generation will be able to borrow 20 percent of the acquisition price interest-free for the first five years. After the five years, the borrower will be charged a fee of 1.75 percent of the value of the loan. The younger generation will also be able to make the use of shared ownership with the help of which the individual will acquire a share of a home from the property owner who is generally the council. This scheme had ensured affordable housing for the younger generation. The younger generation who are desiring to purchase a home will be able to have a loan of 40 percent of the cost from the government as long as they can put up a 5 percent deposit double the preceding limit. The first-time buyer usually indicates d iverging out rent as well as saving for a deposit with ever-increasing house prices all at the same time. With the help of the equity loan scheme, the buyers should find a deposit of at least 5 percent of the property value. The loan will be repaid by the younger generation during the first 25 years at any time that they desire (Forrest and Murie 2014). 2. Entrepreneurship: Governments require to bring into line diverse and mutual service models with new opportunities for growth. Innovation is primary to high-performing governments as well as businesses that offer the potential to accomplish better social outcomes for citizen that will lead to continued economic recovery. It is important to create space for entrepreneurs to turn ideas into market prospects. If the government encourages youth entrepreneurship, it will boost competitiveness as well as employment. Young entrepreneurs have the potential to construct a new economic dynamic that will generate growth and jobs. With the increase in youth entrepreneurship, the younger generation will be able to earn that will facilitate them to purchase affordable houses (Dorling 2014). Social housing for the poor: The government is also likely to provide affordable housing with cabinet approval. The various schemes and policies that will be provided by the government will help to provide housing for the poor. Social housing is also referred to as public housing in which the property is owned by a government authority that may be either central or local. It is a sort of rental housing that requires to be provided by the government to the younger generation (Kadi and Musterd 2015). The rental housing is mainly owned and administered by the state or by non-profit organization or by a combination by two. Social housing also acts as a potential remedy for the inequality of housing. The common objective of social housing is to provide affordable housing to the younger generation who are unable to purchase a new house. Departments of state governments mainly provide social housing in Australia with funding provided by both the state government and the federal government. As per the report, there are more than 300,000 public housing abodes in Australia that mostly consists of housing of low-density on master-planned states. The social housing is mainly used to provide relief to the younger generation who are homeless. The government had launched Housing for all by 2022 scheme that is surfacing the way for reasonably priced house to the younger generation at low rate of interest (Gilbert 2014). Taking action to foreign investor: A mortgage is viewed as a stream of future cash flows that is brought, sold as well as stripped in the secondary mortgage market. The foreign investor requires mortgage market that is extremely large as well as liquid. This will in turn help the younger generation to have an affordable housing, as they will be able to use it to fund close loan. If the mortgage is not used simultaneously in the secondary market, the borrowers will lock the interest rate. With the increase in the number of younger generation that mostly includes university and college students, the requirement for affordable housing has also increased. The young students mainly search for the housing that is affordable as well as inexpensive (Moosa 2016). References Dorling, D., 2014.All that is solid: How the great housing disaster defines our times, and what we can do about it. Penguin UK. Downes, P., Hanslow, K. and Tulip, P., 2014.The effect of the mining boom on the Australian economy. Reserve Bank of Australia. Forrest, R. and Murie, A., 2014.Selling the welfare state: The privatisation of public housing. Routledge. Gilbert, A., 2014. Housing the urban poor.The companion to development studies, pp.257-262. Gurran, N. and Phibbs, P., 2013. Housing supply and urban planning reform: the recent Australian experience, 20032012.International Journal of Housing Policy,13(4), pp.381-407. Gustafsson, P., Stockhammar, P. and sterholm, P., 2016. Macroeconomic effects of a decline in housing prices in Sweden.Journal of Policy Modeling,38(2), pp.242-255. Kadi, J. and Musterd, S., 2015. Housing for the poor in a neo?liberalising just city: Still affordable, but increasingly inaccessible.Tijdschrift voor economische en sociale geografie,106(3), pp.246-262. Knoll, K., Schularick, M. and Steger, T.M., 2014. No price like home: Global house prices, 1870-2012. Moosa, I., 2016.Foreign direct investment: theory, evidence and practice. Springer. Urhammer, E. and Rpke, I., 2013. Macroeconomic narratives in a world of crises: An analysis of stories about solving the system crisis.Ecological Economics,96, pp.62-70.

American Beauty Does the Film Portray Realistic Heroes Essay Example

American Beauty Does the Film Portray Realistic Heroes? Essay The premise of this topic suggesting that characters are both heroic and realistic is too narrow and generic to apply for most films and indeed all films of high literary merit whose aim is to impart philosophical ideas on an audience ready to be challenged. In Sam Mendes’ American Beauty the characters portrayed are eclectic and differentiated from the mould of being both heroic and realistic. These characters to focus on are Lester Burnham, the narrator and protagonist, Carolyn his wife and arguable antagonist and Ricky Fitts the fringe character who may be considered the true hero of this commentary on American society. Where the premise does ring true somewhat is in the characterisation of the main character Lester Burnham who is very realistic and reflective of the modern middle-aged American man while also developing into a hero once he finds his identity after experiencing a mid life crisis. This isn’t always so though and in the beginning of the film Lester Burnham is a self-confessed loser who is lauded by his own family. As someone who transforms into his later role as a hero from one who initially isn’t this portrayal can be seen as more realistic. At first though Lester isn’t a hero which is made glaringly obvious when he laments: â€Å"I feel like I’ve been in a coma for about twenty years?. The production techniques of costume show Lester as someone who needlessly dresses formally in a grey ‘everyman’ type suit in order to make him seem like he fits in with the â€Å"advertising whores? he works with in his industry. His hair is combed and his cl othes are ironed and tucked in. This way Lester garners no sympathy with the audience as he is seen as someone who is bland, boring and doesn’t take control of his life. Camera techniques used are used to show Lester as if he is in a prison while he masturbates in the shower or while he is at work and his face is reflected of vertical â€Å"bars? of words. We will write a custom essay sample on American Beauty Does the Film Portray Realistic Heroes? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on American Beauty Does the Film Portray Realistic Heroes? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on American Beauty Does the Film Portray Realistic Heroes? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In an archetypal way Lester changes to become the vivacious personality who spent all time: â€Å"partying and getting laid? to become more of a hero. Lester has audience sympathy **** for him because reclaiming his life and making decisions for himself so that he no longer is unhappy and spends the rest of his life in a coma. In this way Lester is viewed a hero in a domestic setting and the same production techniques reflect Lester differently now. He is wearing more brighter colours such as a yellow top while jogging and now his hair is messy and there are fewer ironed, tucked-in clothes on him which mask his identity. (This maybe why he strips naked while working out). Also low angle shots are employed while he is jogging conveying how he now has a new lease on life and is more assured of himself. Here we see a realistic hero served up to an audience for a purpose. Through the positive characterisation of Lester Mendes wanted to advertise him as a role model of someone who lives life for himself and doesn’t let convoluted American society views such as materialism and superficial beauty cloud his mindset. From here the crux of the premise can be addressed: certain characters are portrayed positively and others aren’t which is because the director has intentions on how the audience should react to certain characters. Through a positive portrayal of Lester Mendes wanted to promote anti-authoritarianism and conforming to hypocritical middle class America. A reversal of this characterisation is seen with Carolyn Burnham who is arguably the films main antagonist. Carolyn is far from heroic as she is first presented to the audience cutting an American Beauty rose from its stem in order to horde its superficial beauty. Film techniques of costume convey Carolyn as a self-absorbed aspiring real estate agent who dresses in formless business suits to conform and suit in her opinion the aspects which her job entails. When she is first selling a house the costume choice is of an unattractive beige working suit under which lies a striking red coiffe. This shows Carolyn filters her personality to shape her image into that which she thinks is desirable. She tells Lester: â€Å"my business is to sell an image and part of my job is to live that image.? The obsessive and hysterical accumulation of material wealth is also something that stirs negative perceptions toward this character. At one point in the film she bursts out toward Lester: â€Å"thi s is a $4000 sofa upholstered in Italian silk? when he implies it is not really important life. Carolyn’s portrayal can be seen as anti-heroic but very realistic which supplements Mendes vision of the two sides of the coin of how Americans should choose to live their life in modern society. She is deliberately contrasted to the equally realistically portrayed Lester to put forward to the audience two ways of thinking: one which is favourable and should be embraced and another which shouldn’t. Both of these characters are realistic reduce distance between characters and audience to make the directors intentions more potent and relevant. Lastly an example of a film character who is heroic but isn’t realistic is the Norman Bates-esque Ricky fits. This is a character who embodies the films main ideas but is portrayed unrealistically with a key idea in mind. Throughout the film Ricky is shown as radical and progressive, he is filming a dead bird and looks past the superficial beauty of the high school blonde cheerleader Angela Hayes instead to her friend the â€Å"plain? Jane who he sees far more inner beauty in. The main theme of American Beauty is where beauty can really be found in this world and how it is not necessarily where people think. Ricky Fitts is a character who is intelligent and perceptive enough to understand this but he cannot be seen as realistic given his age (18) and the fact he manages to do this while also being a drug dealer who has been diagnosed with a mental condition. The unattainable ideal of the way living can be seen in Ricky Fitts and he is shown as unrealistic because the director s purpose is that he knows the audience will never be able to think like him. However Mendes does manage to juxtapose Ricky with the realistic portrayal of Lester to show that audiences can break out of its coma of materialism and obsession with image to find true beauty in the world. To conclude, Mendes has effectively presented his audience with a range of different characters with different attributes who all in unique ways contribute to the richness of the ideas he wanted to portray. Not all characters can be uniform in their one-dimensional attributes otherwise directors will not be able to have the tools available to get their message across when films are made these days.

Writing SOL Prompt 4 Essay Essays - Attitude, Positive Psychology

Writing SOL Prompt 4 Essay Essays - Attitude, Positive Psychology PROMPT: It has been said that a positive attitude is the key to success in life. Do you agree or disagree with this statement about the importance of attitude? Take a position on this issue. Support your response with reasons and specific examples. I agree with the statement that a positive attitude is the key to success in life. Not only does a positive attitude lead to greater success, it also makes it easier to gain inner peace, better health, improved relationships, happiness, and satisfaction. Our world isnt perfect and its not an easy task for anyone to survive and live a content life. People struggle each day in order to achieve their goals and to be successful; every person has their own set of problems and challenges that they must face and overcome. The only way to defeat obstacles in life is to keep persevering and staying determined. The power and force that drives people is their attitude or how they perceive things. If people always keep a positive outlook in life by believing in your own abilities and spreading positivity to others, they will eventually be able to reach their destination and achieve their desired goals to become successful. During times of failure or difficulties, its crucial to always think positive and believe in your own abilities. People who are successful always think positive about achieving their targets, even during problematic times, and dont let negative thoughts pass through their minds. In order to become successful, one must not give up easily and keep fighting to the end regardless of the current or upcoming obstacles that they encounter. Failure and making mistakes is inevitable. For example, when a student fails a quiz, they cant spend the rest of their year beating themselves up it. That student must learn from what they did wrong and find better ways to improve in their studies. They cant feel discouraged and give just because of one mistake. They have to believe themselves and keeping reminding themselves that if they work harder and find better study methods, it wont happen again. People need to believe in themselves and always remind themselves that anything is possible, as long as you work for it. Nothing is impossible and if you truly try to accomplish something, it will be completed. People need to keep in mind that positive thinking is contagious. Others around you sense your mental mood and are affected accordingly. Just like when people tell you to avoid people with negative thinking, its the same thing. Being negative causes others to feel discouraged and can make you feel tired psychologically. However, if you continue to think optimistically, it will cause others to like you and want to help you because they enjoy the vibrations that a positive mind emits. When someone arrives to work every day with a smile on their face and ready to work, is sets a positive and motivated environment. When that person focuses on getting their work done is always cheerful at their workplace, their positive attitude acts as a domino effect. Their optimism affects others by making them feel happy and want to do the same. When you are cheerful and a positive thinker who always looks on the positive side of life, it encourages you and your objectives can be achieved more easily. In order to make positive thinking yield results, one must develop a positive attitude towards life, expect a successful outcome of whatever you do, and take any necessary actions to ensure success. Some people say that being too positive or optimistic about the future calms you down and can drain you of the energy you need to pursuit your goals. They believe that too much positive thinking can fool our minds into thinking that weve already attained our goal, which slackens our effort to pursue it. They oppose that just because positive attitude is pleasurable, doesnt mean that its always good for us. For example, if someone is trying to get their admission into a college, they have to work hard to get in. But if that student is always saying how theyll definitely get accepted, it might make their mind set on the belief that they