Thursday, September 3, 2020

The Short Stories Of Haruki Murakami English Literature Essay

Inside The Elephant Vanishes, a treasury of short accounts by Haruki Murakami, and The Outsider, a novel by Albert Camus, development is analyzed and the peruser is welcome to consider human advancement to be following set guidelines and modus operandis. Through the supporters, the peruser comprehends that progress watches these practices without request and in making so are automated. One of the manners in which this idea is strengthened through notices to supplement. Food is appeared to fall in individuals formally and who you parcel your supplement with uncovers infiltrations about the human progress wherein you live. Through the activity of the writings and first individual accounts the supporter is built up as various to the human progress. In the short story, Sleep, the supporter noted, ‘I went to the existence room, turned on the floor light adjacent to the sofa, and stayed there soaking up a full glass of liquor ‘ ( page 84 ) . Despite the fact that she appreciates intoxicant, she needs to assimilate by taking. She is limited in her opportunity to loll intoxicant since her hubby does non O.K. of it. Her hubby ‘s business as a tooth specialist blocks her from eating cocoas until an incidental token of old cocoa chips wedged between the pages of the book ‘I found a couple folding pieces of cocoa stuck between the pages ‘ ( page 90 ) . She was so motivated to free herself from the obligations of her hubby ‘s dental crew standards. She unashamedly entertained herself on this pleasance hastily, ‘I felt a huge motivation to hold the existent thing ‘ ( page 90 ) . In Sleep, timing for tiffin is actually at 11 40, â€Å" aë†â ¦ I took a gander at my ticker. Eleven Forty. Eleven Forty! † ( Page 91, Elephant Vanishes, Sleep ) . The run of the mill sort of supplement was, â€Å" aë†â ¦minced scallionsaë†â ¦buckwheat noodlesaë†â ¦dried seaweedaë†â ¦tofu † ( page 91 ) . The notice to the specific clasp and the kind of tiffin show usual methodology. â€Å" aˆÂ ¦Cup of coffeeaë†â ¦two bits of staff of life, spread them with margarine and mustard, and had a cheddar sandwich † ( Page 89 ) , something which the supporter needs to escape from. It is only when she breaks with the regular guidelines that she feels like she is populating. The hubby sitting on the lounge chair perusing the paper shows the social usual way of doing things of individuals in their ordinary life, ‘While I cleared the plain exhibit, my hubby sat on the love seat perusing the paper ‘ ( page 92 ) . ‘I made my hubby his standard java ‘ ( page 89 ) . The supporter is perceptive of social viewpoints of which her hubby industriously hold fast to populating through the equivalent ordinary each twenty-four hours. ‘Anna Karenina lay there next to him, yet he did n't hope to take note. He had no contribution in whether I read books ‘ ( Page 92 ) . The hubby did non pay taking care of his wedded lady ‘s contributions or in the way that it was his ain book, which she was perusing. It is the ordinary and unexceptional that he is busy with the supporter lives through each twenty-four hours making whatever gives her pleasance. This rareness of opportunity essentially drives her to looking for supplement for pleasance while the hubby, so instilled in usual way of doing things, seems automated. Albeit supplement emblematically speaks to usual way of doing things in The Outsider, it other than sets up Meursault as an outsider of the human advancement. Both of Mersault ‘s companions, Masson and Raymond ‘s corrupt conduct has the progress sort them as outsiders. Because of their abnormal practices, when these individuals meet to luxuriate supplement together, it shows that they include comparable highlights of characters which are esteemed flighty from social standpoints. The hero drinks wine to join to supplement with Raymond and Masson ( page 53 ) . In this unique circumstance, guzzling intoxicant is a worthy example and progress, both for work powers and grown-up females where it was seen by Mersault that Marie, his sweetheart â€Å" aë†â ¦she ‘d had a spot unnecessarily a lot to soak up † ( page 53 ) . In any case, the way that when Marie, remarked, â€Å" Do you cognize what cut it is? It is half past 11 † ( page 53 The Foreigner ) , a reality recognized by Masson when he reacted, â€Å" aë†â ¦the clasp to hold tiffin is the point at which you are ravenous † ( page 53 The Foreigner ) , shows that for Masson, supplement is a man ‘s pick non directed by viewpoints of a fixed plan. At his place, Mersault seems to lean toward â€Å" aë†â ¦ smoke, and eating chocolatesaë†â ¦ † during eating times ( page 26 ) The Outsider, while he watched the individuals underneath his level from his display. In the content, Meursualt mentioned agonizing objective facts of individuals that were dressed in any case inside the nearby network that went passed the road, ‘He was have oning a straw chapeau and a necktie and moving a mobile stickaë†â ¦ I comprehend why neighborhood individuals said he was recognized ‘ ( page 25-26 ) . This uncovers the discernable conduct of Meursault nearby the ordinary conduct of the progress. Additionally, Meursault was other than perceived by the people that went passed the road, ‘The nearby misss, with their hair down, were strolling weaponries in armsaë†â ¦ I knew a few of the misss and they waved to me. ‘ ( page 27 ) . Later in the eventide Mersault â€Å" went down to buy some staff of life and some pasta, did my cookery and I gobbled standing up † ( page 28, The Outsider ) , a place of which is non directed by conventionalist design. Mersault ‘s conduct and infiltrations reveal how people inside the network stand apart by their negligible visual angle that are simple conspicuous that recognizes them to be ‘different ‘ or ‘distinguishable ‘ . In add-on, Meursault fixes his eating plan by an exceptional clasp. This farther affirms he is a spontaneous and confused individual not at all like the ‘robot grown-up female ‘ ( page 45-46 ) The Outsider. The robot grown-up female â€Å" aë†â ¦while she was sitting tight for her hors d'oeuvre she opened her bagaë†â ¦took the specific sum in addition to a tipaë†â ¦meticulous undertaking involved her all through the repast † ( page 46 ) The Outsider. The robot grown-up female repudiates Meursault ‘s character, in that he would rather follow his characteristic regarding the greater part of his judgments about when, how, where and what to eat. The robot grown-up females on the different manus, demonstrated the highlights of request and way when she requested her repast, ‘She brought Celeste over and requested her entire repast at once, talking precisely however rapidly. ‘ ( page 46 ) of which a while later she ‘dived into her sack again and took out a somewhat blue pencil and a magazine which gave the remote projects for the hebdomad. Individually, she actually deliberately ticked about each programmeaë†â ¦ ‘ ( page 46 ) . From this rigamarole, the robot grown-up female ‘s activities appear to follow a lot of usual way of doing things. In the story, The Second Bakery Attack, the supporters were newly hitched and did non pre-empt conveying supplement in their home, ‘Our cooler contains non an individual point that could be actually sorted as supplement ‘ ( page 37 ) . â€Å" aë†â ¦a container of Gallic dressing, six tins of brew, two wilted onions, a stick of spread, and a crate cooler deodorizer † ( page 37 ) . This is an image of how void their lives are. In spite of the fact that they work, hit the hay at set occasions, complying with the modus operandis of work, they are allegorically, unsated. The couple ‘s conventionalist conduct appears to put them to their ‘hunger ‘ . So as to happen a solution for intrude on their craving, the pair contradicted show by looting Mc Donald ‘s, ‘Attack another bakeshop. Directly off. Presently. It ‘s the solitary way. ‘ ( page 43 ) . During the burglary, the chief of the shop indicated run of the mill highlights o f ordinariness by the requests of adaptation from the upper approval expressing, ‘I ca n't make that. I ‘ll be considered capable in the event that I close up without authorization ‘ ( Page 46 ) . From this, it shows that the bigger main part of the human advancement, for example, the chief and laborers are like the machine grown-up female in that their lives are directed by request and usual way of doing things and just an extremely little extent of individuals work in a non-traditionalist way. At long last, in The Wind-up Bird and Tuesday ‘s Women, the supporter prepares spaghetti for breakfast. He decides to populate outside the usual way of doing things of the human progress and this is reflected by his pick of cookery and eating spaghetti in the forenoon, ‘ † Spaghetti? â€Å" aë†â ¦ ‘ It ‘s only ten-thirty in the forenoon. What are you making cooking spaghetti at ten-thirty in the forenoon? † ( page 5, The Wind-Up Bird and Tuesday ‘s Women ) asked the grown-up female who called place for 10 proceedingss of his clasp. In both The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami and The Foreigner by Albert Camus, supplement are engaged as an image that speaks to usual way of doing things or a man ‘s want to hold opportunity. The capacity of the characters is reflected in the sort of supplement they decided to eat, where and when the repartee of supplement takes topographic point. At the point when any of these commitment of supplement differs, one can recognize that these characters might be out of sight, or independent in their relationship to the bigger human progress. ( Word Count: 1428 )

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Adapting Plays Into Movies

Adjusting Plays Into Movies â€Å"In theater, you can change things marginally; it’s a natural thing. While in film, you just get that opportunity on the day, and you have no power over it at all,† These canny words were once expressed by on-screen character (Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace) and Oscar champ Judi Dench, and they obviously represent probably the greatest contrast among theater and film. Be that as it may, a little trace of inclination is by all accounts delineated in this perspective. The statement (and numerous others) imply that one type of acting is more troublesome than the other.It appears the inverse is valid; that when taking one of these works of art (I. e. theater) and changing it into the other, one would go over a wide exhibit of contrasts, just as likenesses. While exploring a subject, for example, this, one must go past perusing. One must not just jump into a content or a periodical or scholastic diary, one must inundate themselves into the movies that have come to fruition because of the change of transforming a play into an artistic experience.When approaching investigating this subject, I viewed the film Chicago (Dir. Loot Marshall, 2002) just as investigated the first Broadway content (By Jon Kander, Fredd Ebb, and Bob Fosse 1975). The first Broadway creation opened June 3, 1975, at the 46th Street Theater and ran for 936 exhibitions. Chicago's 1996 Broadway restoration holds the record for the longest-running melodic recovery and the longest-running American melodic in Broadway history, and is the fourth longest-running show in Broadway history.After all the achievement, What better approach to proceed with the enchantment of this exciting show than make a film out of it? The story recounts two ladies (Roxie Hart and Velma Kelley) who live in Chicago and are answerable for killing their spouses and must battle to escape jail, so as to seek after their fantasies of Broadway fame. In the wake of choosing to dive som ewhat more profound, I decided to go somewhat farther back ever. The account of Romeo and Juliet (William Shakespeare 1591-1595) has been adjusted into film more than multiple times in a single structure or another.The unique storyline is around two star-crossed sweethearts that end up unfortunately ending it all because of their undying affection for one another and their families’ undying scorn for the contradicting kinfolk. The one adjustment that appeared to stand out to me was chief Baz Luhrmann’s interpretation that he discharged in 1996 featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. The film is a compressed modernization of Shakespeare's play. While it holds the first Shakespearean discourse, the Montagues and the Capulets are spoken to as warring business domains and blades are supplanted by guns.With a touch of help from Wikipedia, and the old Romeo and Juliet content I had lying around from a past secondary school creation (where I depicted the vivacious, yet idiotic Nurse) I was en route to dissecting the distinctions and similitudes of adjusting plays into films. When discovering key contrasts in motion pictures made from plays, it is significant that one understand that distinctions are important. This comes about when managing time limitations. The normal Broadway melodic is around two hours, though the normal film is about an hour and a half.It is basic that film executives be careful about what parts of the storyline they cut, as to not disillusion the crowd or expel a significant segment of the play that the story depends on. I discovered this when viewing the Movie Chicago, in the wake of investigating the content. In the first play, Velma Kelley and Mama Morton participate in a short and silly melodic number entitled â€Å"Class,† not long after Velma finds that Roxie is somewhat capable at keeping the paparazzi on her tail. Tragically, because of time limitations, Rob Marshall settled on the choice to cut the number, as it filled no genuine need in the plot of the show.As previously mentioned, Baz Luhrmann made some significant and potentially story-adjusting changes in the introduction of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Blades were supplanted with firearms, so as to bring the story a piece forward-thinking, anyway he kept up the first Shakespearean language found in the first content. Notwithstanding this change, Luhrmann concluded that an increasingly emotional approach to end the disaster is have Juliet stir, leaving the sweethearts to see each other one final time before Romeo passes on and Juliet submits her notorious suicide.The contrasts that one experiences when managing these adjustments goes a long ways past the choices of the chief. The little solid subtleties that make up how the story is told are incomprehensibly unique when managing in front of an audience shows versus motion pictures. For instance, things as basic as make up and outward appearance are totally different between the two. At the point when an entertainer is in front of an audience performing for a live crowd, there are no nearby ups. The entertainer must rely upon his/her outward appearance and gestures.On stage, an on-screen character must get settled with over overstating their motions and articulations (frequently featured with overwhelming stage make up) so as to guarantee that the feelings of the scene are enough passed on to the crowd individuals in all pieces of the house. In film, the cameras can do a nearby on an actor’s face so as to show these feelings. This implies the on-screen character doesn't have to wear overwhelming stage make up (as a rule) nor must they â€Å"over act. † This likewise is by all accounts the situation with regards to projection of an actor’s voice.On stage, one must make certain to extend so as to build up lucidity to crowd individuals, while in film, it isn't vital because of amplifiers and sound innovation. There are a few similitud es while changing over a play to a film also. Clearly arrangement is fundamentally the same as, in the way that entertainers must focus on (as I would see it) the most feared piece of theater of different types: retention. In both film and stage appears, entertainers must retain things, for example, lines, blocking, and choreography.Also, on-screen characters must set up clear portrayal to make a convincing individual in front of an audience or in motion pictures. This implies one must endeavor to build up their characters’ back ground story and propensities, so as to get one with their job. Additionally, in the two types of workmanship, there are the equivalent â€Å"roles† behind the stage also. There is consistently requirement for an executive, stage originator, and assistants, and so on. Taking everything into account, it appears that one artistic expression is no preferred or more terrible over the other, as the two of them have impediments to conquer when endeav oring to outline a plot for crowd individuals, regardless of whether live or recorded.There is an assortment of likenesses and contrasts between the two, yet it appears to be one isn't simpler than the other, considering the two appear to be exceptional after close examination. Chicago in front of an audience might be longer than Chicago on a DVD, anyway both required work and arrangement to make a magnum opus. Shakespeare had his own concept of the deplorability of Romeo and Juliet, where Baz Luhrmann decided to adopt an alternate strategy, while as yet keeping up the first storyline. These wo artistic expressions are both unique and comparative, however one doesn't surpass the other; it is when seeing other works of art that we may discover this imbalance. The exquisite George Clooney once expressed, â€Å"There is a peculiar hierarchy among entertainers. Theater on-screen characters look down in movie form entertainers, who look down on TV on-screen characters. Express gratitude toward God for unscripted TV dramas, or we wouldn't have anyone to look down on. † However, one must leave that conversation for one more day and acknowledge film and theater are both similarly engaging, just not similarly done!

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Effectiveness of Agile Implementation Methods

Question: Talk about the Effectiveness of Agile Implementation Methods. Answer: Presentation: The Business Intelligence or BI is a sweeping term alluding to the procedures, techniques, information, applications specialized designs and advancements. The advanced environment is the gathering of big business, things or people autonomously sharing computerized stage (Hnel and Felden 2014). The shared advantages earned from the client driven advanced biological system like the regular premium, development and business gain has been required to be surveyed. The accompanying report talks about the explanations behind improvement of business insight venture. The results are additionally broke down on the developing enchanted clients of computerized biological system concentrating on client centricity. Explanations behind the improvement of Business Intelligence venture: In the present universe of enormous rivalry, the client has been the entrance to gainfulness with the general achievement of an association. Accordingly, the estimation and breaking down of the client communications has been basic. Thus the business insight center points have been picking up fame quickly among the associations that has been client driven. The improvement of business-knowledge centers has been seeming well and good in this universe of information driven client care (Bukhari and Kazi 2016). In any case, it has been a confounding and testing approach. The enormous information has been at present in the whole frenzy. The current investigation scene has been tremendous, particularly in the business of client encounters. The contact place has been the most measurement driven area of any venture as a forefront towards the client. The thought that has helped in detailing the accomplishment to make a center point for business insight has been simply the association. Further, the innovation arrangements, usage plan and merchants are likewise thought of (Camilleri 2016). In the association finding the need of business knowledge precisely catching each client has been required. It has been further critical to put resources into the arrangements accumulating data from different sources. While arranging a business insight venture, the picking the way guaranteeing achievement has been significant under the usage. Finally, the merchants like experts, specialists and researchers helps in sending choices and bring outer points of view. The client driven BI methodologies have been business driven where specific business extensions to use BI have been looked for in advance. In the client driven advanced environment, the associations embrace the methodology for distinguishing ways that BI could be used in the business procedure. This aides in increment incomes and diminishes costs. The prioritization of the open doors for BI for execution is finished. This aides in sorting out individuals around BI advancement ventures. It builds up the endeavor information distribution center around gradually around the information mixes. This further puts resources into empowering influences like information administration and acing information the board on the scale expected to back-up the guide. This has been revealing the uses of BI with speculations developing quickly (Baur et al. 2014). Another explanation has been focusing on BI applications in filling the needs of known business. This has been done in partnership with the inf ormation conveyed without all around indicated uses of BI for the information as a main priority. The principal contention of the methodology has been creating business esteem from the crude information. The information has been depending totally on the sending of the uses of BI in the center procedures. This has made distinction in the operational and monetary outcomes. Another rationale has been sending the applications has not been depending after having full scale adaptations of each essential structure squares (Gupta, Khanna and Kim 2014). Results on the usage of business insight venture: The BI has been executed using the demonstrated procedures to accomplish ability greatness and business information. The BI has been a data based contention empowering the association in making occasions. From each communication with the clients, the business has had the option to gather realities for creating income. For example, client may cooperate with their desire for a help or item that has been absent in the business site. A component has been available to log each correspondence of clients in all client driven BI frameworks (Kisielnicki and Misiak 2016). This has been available as the client information serving adequately at the prerequisites of the client for additional activities in business. From the fifty thousand foot see, the business works all the more adequately as their capacities are sufficient to control the prerequisites of creation for activities. The clients require business supporting, consolation and consideration. So as to make the majority of the capacities of business and drive self-continuing tasks, the organizations has been selecting a methodology that is ability based. The ability centered arranging fulfills the needs of the clients effectively as a BI arrangement. It has empowered the business to rely on its individual capacity to convey administrations and items sold by them (Williams 2014). The business has had the option to use and reutilize the cutout strategies with this ability centered methodology. It has result in effective foundation of the abilities in new auxiliaries, harmonious, specialty units and the vertical mix draws near. For example any business advancement counseling organization may choose for sub-branch into little markets the Center for Technology and Business or Center for Business Excellence based on its capacity of help from program the executives. The methodology further keeps on proliferating the client driven BI for new execution of business capacities. This naturally centers around the clients. The enlarging of the business by the methodology has made the capacities of the business versatile. The system uses deals models and the attempts to close the deal demonstrated as of now at the client information level. It likewise produces rehash deals with the current clients and ongoing deals with the potential clients (Laursen and Thorlund 2016). The business has had the option to use the procedure to force strategies for deals at whatever point and any place the extensions emerge, remembering the clients. It works like the standards of code reuse. End: The business knowledge has been utilized to prop up the introduction, assortment, scattering and information examination of the business data. The client driven is the way to deal with perform business giving positive experience to clients. There have been different plans to be mulled over while leaving upon the excursion of business knowledge. The imperative perspective to recall is with respect to the less focus on investigation arrangement and increasingly over the business points. The client driven system of BI has would in general addition increasingly ideal parity while the speculation gets the money for stream and returns. Regardless, the client driven methodology of BI has been fundamental to deliberately control the client connections. References: Baur, A.W., Genova, A.C., Bhler, J. also, Bick, M., 2014, November. Client is King? A Framework to Shift from Cost-to Value-Based Pricing in Software as a Service: The Case of Business Intelligence Software. InConference on e-Business, e-Services and e-Society(pp. 1-13). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Bukhari, A.N. also, Kazi, R., 2016. CRM triggers adequacy through Customer Selection Orientation, Business Cycle Orientation, Cross-Functional Integration and Dual Value Creation: Myth or Reality.Journal of Marketing Management,4(1), pp.163-171. Camilleri, M.A., 2016. Utilizing large information for client driven promoting. Gupta, V., Khanna, S. furthermore, Kim, I., 2014. Individual Financial Aggregation and Social Media Mining: A New Framework for Actionable Financial Business Intelligence (AFBI).International Journal of Business Intelligence Research (IJBIR),5(4), pp.14-25. Hnel, T. furthermore, Felden, C., 2014. The Role Of Operational Business Intelligence In Customer Centric Service Provision. Kisielnicki, J.A. furthermore, Misiak, A.M., 2016. Viability of Agile Implementation Methods in Business Intelligence Projects from an End-client Perspective.Informing Science: the International Journal of an Emerging Transdiscipline,19. Laursen, G.H. furthermore, Thorlund, J., 2016.Business investigation for administrators: Taking business knowledge past detailing. John Wiley Sons. Williams, D.S., 2014.Connected CRM: executing an information driven, client driven business system. John Wiley Sons.

Transactional and Transformational leadership styles Essay

Value-based and Transformational administration styles - Essay Example es of these two rising authority draws near, the conversation endeavors to investigate and separate positions of authority and significances in change the board examining the instance of IBM’s turnaround procedure to development. So as to evaluate the various capacities and abilities of pioneers in the cutting edge period, the paper additionally investigates an inside and out comprehension of these authority approaches as far as dynamic and change the executives forms. The paper additionally exhibits the other significant elements of both value-based and transformational administration as for the chose case to assess parts of the firm’s while building relationship with the significant gathering of partners. At last, the paper likewise proposes a powerful arrangement of proposals from a basic perspective to the significance of value-based and transformational authority styles in authoritative turnaround. In general, the report will introduce a factious postulation focusi ng on the announcement with respect to whether transformational and value-based administrations are the main initiative styles that can be utilized in a hierarchical turnaround process. Value-based administration approach can be characterized as a specific style, which is basically founded on setting the foreordained business focuses for the devotees. This methodology utilizes the two disciplines (as a negative inspiration prospect) just as remunerations (as a positive inspiration procedure) so as to upgrade the presentation level of the people or gatherings (Gardiner, 2006). For the situation case of IBM, the value-based qualities, as emulsified in the authority rehearses, are altogether featured during the time of the hierarchical turnaround. All through the residency of one of the key chiefs of IBM from the year 1985 to 1993, the choice of separating the hierarchical structure into various operational units not just got the organization to encounter sensational changes yet in addition drove the firm to bring about huge misfortunes. So as to manage the

Friday, August 21, 2020

William Gibson’s Neuromancer is the Penultimate Cyberpunk Novel :: Neuromancer

William Gibson’s Neuromancer is the Penultimate Cyberpunk Novel It could be the not so distant future or the inaccessible future. It could be in the greatest organizations or in your cave. It could be conventional sci-fi or it could be cyberpunk. Innovation is unavoidable. There is nothing in our lives that innovation doesn't contact; it doesn’t matter on the off chance that you use it legitimately, odds are that something (if not all that matters) throughout your life depends on innovation to work or even exist. Customary sci-fi, if there even is something like this, utilizes extrapolation as an establishment for its accounts. Extrapolation, anticipating or following a way of continuation for a thought or occasion, is additionally utilized in cyberpunk. Cyberpunk is known for its utilization of extrapolation in the texture of day by day life. (Authentic 348) It takes basic sci-fi topics, for example, body and brain control, and occasions of every day life and portrays them with strongly bewildering point of interest. Neuromancer by Willia m Gibson is an ideal case of cyberpunk composing since it utilizes this thick, quick fire portrayal and language in blend with the subjects of body/mind control. The body control in Neuromancer is so evident it’s acknowledged as typical for the characters. At the point when Case initially meets Molly, her eyes draw his consideration. He first thinks she’s wearing glasses, yet then understands that the focal points develop from†¦her cheekbones and are precisely inset into her eye attachments. (Gibson 24) Does he locate this odd? Does he question it by any means? Not a chance. He remembers it, makes a note of it, and proceeds onward to her next implantâ€the steel hooks under her nails. Same reaction. Why would that be? He is utilized to the way that bodies are intended to be controlled. Gibson even gives the peruser a push toward that path by naming the lead Caseâ€as in: he is only a case in which to store things. Inside only hours Case has had his own body controlled, his pancreas is supplanted, his blood is changed, and he has new liver tissue which is biochemically unable of permitting him to get high off coke or spe ed (36). All that and the main thing he’s stressed over is when he’ll have the option to return to work! The portrayals of these changes fringe an unknown dialect on occasion. They are definite and in fact explicit, a sign of cyberpunk. A head-turning case of this is the sweep of Molly: Silicon, layer of pyrolitic carbons.

Thursday, August 13, 2020

Page to Podium Oscar Reads, Part 1

Page to Podium Oscar Reads, Part 1 Though books are totally our bag here at Book Riot, we have a soft spot in our hearts for any medium of good storytelling. This includes TV and movies and theater and essays, etc., etc. (By “we” of course, I just mean me, but I’m pretty sure that most of my Riot colleagues would agree to a large extent, if our Beyond the Books feature every month is any indication.) Around this time of year in particular, I nerd out hardcore. Why? Because it’s Oscar season, of course! My book reading takes a serious nose dive in favor of spending long Saturdays in movie theaters, gorging myself on every. Single. Nominated. Movie. Every one of them. I’ve seen all 53 films nominated for a golden man statue this year, even the really random movies nominated for Best Visual Effects (Oh hai there, Prometheus, you nightmare conjurer, you!) and Best Sound Mixing (RAWR, James Bond. RAWR.). Quite a few films this year have a solid connection to our book friends, though not as many as in some past years. A solid ten movies have literary origins, and of the nine nominated for Best Picture, over half of them five to be exact descended from book form. And with the exception of Beasts of the Southern Wild  and The Sessions, all of the nominees for Best Adapted Screenplay are based on books. Below we break down the book-based nominees for Best Picture and our not-at-all-technical guesses as to their chances of winning. Keep an eye out for Part Two later this week where I look at all the rest of the nominees who have literary roots. Argo 7 Nominations (Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor Alan Arkin, Best Adapted Screenplay Chris Terrio, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Original Score) Though Argo is getting a lot of attention for the nomination it didn’t garner (for Ben Afflecks job as director), it does have a lot of potential to pick up a few awards. The book basis for Argo is a portion of the memoir A Master of Disguise by Antonio J. Mendez and the article “The Great Escape” by Joshuah Bearman; there is now a book version of the movie available, though it was published just in advance of the movie’s release. It’s already picked up four wins for Best Film at major awards shows, and at least four adapted screenplay wins, including at the Writer’s Guild of America Awards. Arkin has also picked up a couple of wins, and a handful more nominations for his performance, but in the major categories, Argo’s best shot at taking home a little gold man is in the Best Picture and Adapted Screenplay categories. Les Misérables 8 Nominations (Best Picture, Best Actor Hugh Jackman, Best Supporting Actress Anne Hathaway, Best Original Song, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Sound Mixing, Best Production Design) Book turned musical turned movie, Les Misérables is a powerhouse of a film, with epic vocals by both acting nominees, but especially by Hathaway, who probably earned her nomination purely based on the heartrending rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream.” Anyone else disappointed that this won’t be the song performed during the Oscar ceremony? But we will get to see a performance of “Suddenly,” the films contribution to Best Original Song, though it’s anyone’s guess who will be performing it since it was sung multiple times during the film. My hope is for Hugh Jackman as Valjean; that man does know how to work a stage. Best shot for Oscar? Hathaway, without question. Life of Pi 11 Nominations (Best Picture, Best Director Ang Lee, Best Adapted Screenplay David Magee, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects, Best Original Score, Best Original Song) Based on the critically-acclaimed 2001 novel of the same name by Yann Martel, director Ang Lee has said that this story as written by Martel was “unfilmable,” and its journey to the screen would support that assertion. But a few choices by Lee that are being recognized with Oscar nods made Life of Pi the most successful of the Best Picture nominees at the box office. In part, his decision to shoot in 3D by far the best way to see it contributed to the recognition in Visual Effects, Cinematography, Production Design, and Film Editing, though each of these nominees is well-deserving without the 3D enhancement. The film is a spectacular visual feast, and it is in these categories it has the best chance of winning. As an “unfilmable” book, David Magee’s adaptation hasn’t garnered as many wins as one might expect, though a win for Ang Lee as Best Director would not be unsurprising considering the massive scope and execution in bringing Pi to life. Lincoln 12 Nominations (Best Picture, Best Director Steven Spielberg, Best Actor Daniel Day-Lewis, Best Supporting Actor Tommy Lee Jones, Best Supporting Actress Sally Field, Best Adapted Screenplay Tony Kushner, Best Original Score, Best Sound Mixing, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Film Editing) Topping the list of films with the most nominations, Steven Spielberg reportedly spent 12 years researching this historical drama based on the final four months of Lincoln’s presidency, focusing on his fight to pass the 13th Amendment to abolish slavery. The film is based in part on Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, published in 2005. Let’s be honest: Daniel Day-Lewis has the Best Actor race on lockdown, so let’s focus on categories where the race is a little less clear. In a tough field, the Best Picture and Best Director nomination for Spielberg could make it an interesting run. It is certainly considered a favorite in both categories, as in each of the supporting acting categories, and the Academy does prefer their historical dramas, particularly those directed by Spielberg (see also Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Munich and War Horse). There’s major potential to sweep in the major categories here. Silver Linings Playbook 8 Nominations (Best Picture, Best Actor Bradley Cooper, Best Actress Jennifer Lawrence, Best Supporting Actor Robert De Niro, Best Supporting Actress Jacki Weaver, Best Director David O. Russell, Best Adapted Screenplay David O. Russell, Best Film Editing) Silver Linings Playbook is the only one of the Best Picture nominees to capture what’s known as the “Big Five” nominations in Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay (either Original or Adapted). To top that off, it also garnered nominations in the two supporting acting categories as well. With that kind of resume, it would be expected that the film based on the 2008 novel by Matthew Quick would be a favorite in most of those categories. That is surprisingly not the case, though Jennifer Lawrence has won the most awards for the film leading up to the Oscars. In such a jam-packed year, Russell’s film isn’t running away from the field, though it could have the potential to upset favorites like Lincoln and Argo. I also like David O. Russell’s chances to win for Adapted Screenplay; it could be the Academy’s way of recognizing him without snubbing Spielberg in the Directing category. Other bookish Best Picture notes: Beasts of the Southern Wild is based on a one-act play,  Juicy and Delicious by Lucy Alibar, that is now available in print. Zero Dark Thirty, though not technically adapted from any one printed source, one account of the raid and assassination of Osama Bin Laden, No Easy Day, was published in 2012. 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Sunday, June 21, 2020

Beating Burnout Podcast Episode 125

   Burnout. It’s something that virtually all educators, traditional or homeschool, have felt from  time to time. As a home educator, I know I certainly have felt it. For me it typically rears its ugly head right about this time of the year. After all, we are now a few weeks out from the bliss of an extended winter break, and the long months of winter are stretching before us to what feels like forever. And I know I’m not alone. I have several public school teacher friends who have been commenting on Facebook about how tired they are and how much they need a break. Have you felt it, too? Burnout seems to especially affect teachers. According to an article in Psychology Today, burnout is an international affliction, affecting educators all across the globe. That’s why I’m so grateful for this recent podcast, â€Å"Episode 125: Beating Burnout,† where Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker describe the root cause of burnout and discuss useful tools and tricks to keep it at bay. As I listened to them talk about ways to minimize burnout, I felt empowered and equipped. I think you will, too. So check it out. Grab a little â€Å"me time† with Andrew and Julie and a cup of relaxing tea. Take a few notes if you can. I suspect you will also feel as I do. This winter I will no longer succumb to burnout. Instead, I will beat it. I hope you will join me. Burnout, be gone!    Jennifer Mauser  has always loved reading and writing and received a B.A. in English from the University of Kansas in 1991. Once she and her husband had children, they decided to homeschool, and she put all her training to use in the home. In addition to homeschooling her children, Jennifer teaches IEW classes out of her home, coaches budding writers via  email,  and tutors students who struggle with dyslexia.