Strategic Leadership in a Changing World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Strategic Leadership in a Changing World - Essay Example This problem largely known as â€Å"hole in the middle† problem in the study and the theories provided by Garry Hamel and Michael Porter tries to explain this phenomena existing in the markets (Baker 2005). The approaches and perspective of the two strategic management strategy theorists enhanced the management diversifications in organizations. This mainly required the adoption of new techniques and new ways of thinking taking into consideration the changing marketing and the level of the competition in the various markets (Schindehutte 2008). Garry Hamel approach in regard to the paradox of markets is the adoption of the marketing management strategy that was more interactive and active. From this approach he asserts that in the management of competition in the markets as well as the maximum utilization of resources the aspect of strategic architecture and strategic intent must be introduced. This provided the importance of managers and organizational leaders in regard to co mpetence (song Cho 2000). The two concepts also gave and hint on how it can perform better in terms of competitive advantage in contrast with other companies the market. Michael porter in regard to the paradox of the market was the introduction of the various concepts notably the five forces analysis and the generic strategies (Kelly 1998). The detailed interaction process underlying this was that there was need for the organizational management and leaders to enhance the following. First is to enhance minimization of costs, focus on the market strategies where a company or organization operates and finally enhance product differentiation strategies (McGivern 1997). Michael Porter Approach on Market Paradox Michael porter approach on the market paradox in regard to the markets and resources is based entirely on the organizations or the firm’s competitive nature. He asserts that the dynamism and the change in the markets is increasingly becoming a major area of concern to the economic theorist, practitioners and policy makers (Baker 2005). Therefore Michael porter gives and explanation regarding this on a re source based perspective and the market process economics (McGivern 1997). The two porter’s perspective gives explanation on the similarities and the relations which is important in the evaluation of the dynamics and the changes on the market behavior (Kelly 1998). Porters approach is considered popular in regard to this because of its clarity, feasibility and the complementarities of the resource based perspective and the market process economics. This approach is generally convenient in the explanation of the markets changes in its competitiveness as well as its strategies (Porter 2000). The question in this context is how firms and companies compete in the various markets and what the strategies that leaders and managers adopt. Porter asserts that there is need for the firms and management teams to understand the individual competitiveness as it this facilitates the formulation of policies concerning competition (Hamel 2012). These policies and the underlying strategies are essential in providing necessary support in developing markets and effective utilizing of resources (Schindehutte 2008). Therefore is addressing the issue of market paradox Porter focuses mainly on the identification of the most successful strategies that a firm in a market can adopt.

Workforce Preparedness Is An Integral Venture in Public Health Assignment

Workforce Preparedness Is An Integral Venture in Public Health - Assignment Example Notably, the workforce is an instrumental and invaluable infrastructure within the healthcare sector. This, therefore, implies that preparation of the workforce towards discharging their duties is an important way of ensuring the infrastructural strength of the firm is accounted for. This strengthening program can be accomplished through strategic training. Through such training, the workforce acquires essential skills that enable them to discharge their assigned tasks with uttermost commitment and comfort. In addition, such training help in unveiling the innovative nature of employees, an aspect that is important in ensuring sustainability in service delivery (Scutchfield & Keck, 2003). In some instances, it has proved essential for any given public health institution to form linkages and alliances with like-minded institutions. Such partnerships promote professional interactions between employees. Through such ideological exchanges, the subject workforce is empowered to tackle arising situations with enhanced sobriety. Further, the institutions should establish or subscribe to a learning resource center. Such centers enable the workers to access current information and trends in the healthcare sector. Through such understanding of trends, the firm is able to plan effectively. In summary, workforce preparedness is an integral venture in public health. As such, the employees must be subjected to environments suitable for educational advancements. For instance, the firm can offer incentives to facilitate employees access to competency enhancing lessons. With enhanced employee competency, evidence-based practice will be observed in the firm. Such a practice is vital in promoting positive client experience hence continued partnership. It is equally important for the firm to create opportunities for the employees. Such opportunities can be important in boosting their morale leading to higher work turnover. Above all, the various strategies used by the firm in a bid to foster employee preparation must be workable and achievable.

Metacognition Student Achievement Essay Example for Free

Metacognition Student Achievement Essay Metacognition has generally been described as thinking about one’s own thoughts. The realization that a human being cannot exist in isolation of his inner self, that he is constantly probing that dam of his very essence to evaluate situations and resolve the never-ending puzzles that daily confront him. Kornell (2009), has described metacognition as self-reflection and conscious awareness. An even more elaborate definition is that given by Serendip (2009). He defines it as â€Å"a reflective practice that helps one discern general patterns in one’s own views and abilities†. Whichever definition one feels comfortable with, it cannot be said to be superior to the other, because metacognition deals with the intangible and cannot be weighed on a scale. It has, however, been the subject of widespread research all over the world. Psychologists are now asking themselves, what causes that tip of the tongue experience, when you are sure you know someone’s name but cannot recall it? Or what is at play when one conveys a feeling of uncertainty? Why is it that humans are able to have certain cognitive abilities that animals apparently do not have? For example, if asked what year America gained independence, one may readily recall with certainty, or one may say with complete uncertainty that he does not know. The answer may also lie in between, showing a certain degree of uncertainty by replying, for example, I think it was 1776. Whatever answer one gives, it demonstrates an ability to question one’s memory and experience. According to studies that have been done, this ability can be improved. Thus, the science of metacognition is now rampant, with studies being carried out on the cognitive abilities of monkeys, children, students, and ways in which they can be improved. Metacognition 2 One study which was carried out to test the cognitive abilities of rhesus monkeys, was that conducted by Kornell, Son Terrace (2007). In this trial, the monkeys were initially trained to select a given picture from a sample of six pictures by touching the image on a touch-screen monitor. After this training period, they were shown six sample pictures which were then simultaneously removed and replaced with nine, one of the previous six being among them. As soon as they selected the sample they thought was among the previous six, they were required to bet on their choice by depressing an icon on the screen for certainty, with a reward of redeemable food tokens, or loss of tokens, if wrong. A further icon for a low risk bet was also there. After carrying out this experiment for a suitable period of time, they concluded that the monkeys would invariably only bet when they were sure that they knew the correct answer. The researchers were therefore of the opinion that the monkeys were guided by a cognitive ability. They also tested two monkeys on metacognitive control. This is the ability to use metacognitive ability to influence behavior. An example would be requesting for a hint when one is unsure of an answer, a common trait with humans. In this trial, two monkeys were presented with a few sample pictures to place in a certain order. They were also availed of onscreen visual hints if they needed. The penalty for using the hints was a less appetizing banana flavored pellet, instead of the more attractive MM candy. As the test progressed, it became apparent that the monkeys were using the hints less and less, and would only resort to them when they were sure that they did not know the right answer. This ability to have control over one’s metacognitive ability had been tested on humans for many years, and it was only now that it was becoming clear that it was also present in animals. However, how prevalent this is among them, cannot be clear and it cannot be generalized from this study that only involved rhesus monkeys. Metacognition 3 Smith Washbum (2005) have taken animal research a notch higher and carried out trials that probe the memory, referred to as monitoring the memory. In the test, animals which were given various tasks to do based on what they had done before, declined to engage in the more difficult tasks, a result that was the same as similar tests carried out on humans. The animals were selective and seemed to have the same analogous capacity as human. There was no doubt that they were using their metacognitive abilities to seek in their memories, and when they remembered that the task was arduous, they declined to take the test. Kornell Terrace (2007) also carried out some trials seeking to find out if monkeys benefited from learning. They did this with two rhesus monkeys which were given two problem sets to solve. In one difficult set, they were given hints to assist them after a suitable training period. In the other set, they were given no hints. The number of hints they used to solve the problem set steadily declined over time, the performance, however, did not change, it stayed the same. The monkeys were solving the problem with skills they had acquired from the hints and were using them less and less because they had â€Å"learned†. This is fascinating and opens up very interesting questions about the training of animals. There are other areas of animal metacognitive behavior which have been studied. Hampton, R (2009), carried out studies on rhesus monkeys to determine if they made decisions when they had information, or sought information when ignorant and immediately made a decision. The results were quite revealing. They carried out two sets of tests. In one test, the monkeys witnessed food being inserted into some opaque test tubes. These tests were referred to as the seen trials. In the other test, the food was inserted into test tubes without their knowledge. Metacognition 4 The monkeys were then required to identify the tubes which had food in them. In trial after trial, they would first look down the tubes to ascertain if the food was there and if it was, they selected the tube. What was evident from these tests is that the monkeys sought information first, by peering down the tubes, when ignorant, and only immediately selected the correct tubes without investigating, when they knew the food was there. That means they knew when they knew and only sought information when they knew that they did not know. This is a characteristic which is prevalent among human children, orangutans and rhesus monkeys. It is, however, not clear with capuchin monkeys when they were exposed to a similar trial about a decade before. There is room for more research on animals. According to Smith Washbum, a lot needs to be investigated regarding the gifts different animals have. For example, monkeys and dolphins seem to exhibit more cognitive abilities than pigeons, whose reactions appear to be more stimulus based. Further research in this area can yield very important information which may stimulate a whole spectrum of research into cognitive abilities of different animal specie. Additionally, there is a lot of room into studies on the ability or lack of ability of animals to make quantitative judgements, for example, their mood. Metacognitive abilities is also a subject of importance in developing learning capabilities for children. Loh, A (2009), has made suggestions on methods to use to improve metacognition learning for children as young as two year olds. Since parents spend the most amount time with children of this age, they are best placed to practice the techniques recommended by Loh. He says that children should be encouraged to think about their thinking process in order to develop their intellect and intelligence. Children should be engaged, soon after an activity, to gauge their Metacognition 5 thinking process and the techniques they used for a task. Immediately after this activity, they should be asked certain questions, for example : 1. They should be asked about the process they used to achieve the result. This way, they will recall the steps and learn the process. 2. What strategies did they use? This will engage them actively in the thinking process by beginning to adopt strategic thinking of alternative techniques they can use to achieve better results. 3. What do they think about the end result? Is it good or bad? This will help them to evaluate their work. 4. Offer them puzzling tasks that have more than one solution. This exposes them to cognitive conflicts 5. Engage them in debates and discussions with other children 6. Allow them to practice reciprocal teaching where they form groups and one child teaches members of his group. 7. Once they engage on a task, allow them to continue undisturbed. Help them with clues if they get stuck. Further, they can be assisted with questions that will incline them to probe their mind even more, for example, what they learned from the task and what they found difficult. Additionally, they can be probed to find out if they have a next goal and what will help them to achieve it. Metacognition 6 There has been more research in the field of metacognitive abilities of children. Young children’s understanding of mental life, or â€Å"theory of mind†, is an area that is currently being explored by various scientists. According to science daily (2008), a new study had made a link between theory of mind as assessed in kindergarten children and their metacognitive abilities in elementary school. Early theory of mind competencies positively influenced metacognitive abilities acquired later. 174 children between the ages of three and four were used as study subjects to investigate this relationship. Wolfgang Schneider, P. H. D. , of the University of Wurzburg, who carried out the trial, said that knowledge from this research can be used to develop training programs for young children. For all the progress that has been done on metacognition in animals and children, none can rival that of learners. The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (2009), says that students with metacognitive needs have difficulties in setting priorities and planning their tasks. Additionally: 1. They are poor at strategizing in order to accomplish a task methodically 2. They procrastinate and are unable to start their work. 3. They are inattentive and make careless mistakes. 4. They are not able to identify their faults or know how to seek help. With these type of students they recommend the following teaching strategies : 1. Teachers should tutor them on how to plan and show them the scoring rubric for the assignment. 2. They should be taught on estimation of time needed to complete a task. 3. They should be assisted with think-aloud strategies. Metacognition 7 4. They should be cajoled to get engaged actively in their work by asking them how they are doing the work and how they will remember to solve the problem. 5. Teachers should be specific in their assignments to students by providing scoring rubrics for each question and how they have been calculated. However, Pierce (2004), dealt even deeper in metacognition for students. He was of the opinion that study strategies were generalized and teachers did not teach them in class. They assumed that students had already learned them. When they taught a strategy, students used the same strategy taught for all subjects. According to him, students needed to acquire three types of knowledge in order to improve their metacognitive abilities. These are : 1. Declarative knowledge which is having at their grasp factual information, for example, speed is distance divided by time taken. 2. Procedural knowledge which is knowing how to do something. Using the previous example of speed, they should know the formula for speed and the steps required in its calculation. 3. Conditional knowledge – This is knowing when to use a certain procedure and why one strategy is better than another. In applying the three types of knowledge for study strategies for example, students need declarative knowledge to know that a high school history textbook is different from an article analyzing the same textbook. They need procedural knowledge to take notes from such a textbook and conditional knowledge to know when such notes should be taken. According to Pierce, study techniques improve learning but are hardly ever taught. Additionally, many students do not internalize success as caused by ability and effort. Metacognition 8 Lippman, Danielsson Linder (2005), differed slightly with some researchers of metacognition. They claimed that most studies taught metacognitive skills and then measured the effects of training. Instead, they should quantify the use of metacognition. In a study that they carried out at an American university, their aim was to find out how much metacognition is used in a laboratory and how the setup encourages the use of metacognition. Three groups of students were used and their proceedings videotaped and their verbal comments recorded. In one group, students were given a set of instructions to follow. The same was done for the second group and in addition, they were expected to explain their reason. The third group was given a question to answer and expected to explain, in a presentation, the method they had used to get results. In analyzing the results, Lippman et al (2005) saw no difference in the amount of metacognition in the different groups. However, the most important finding was that there was a difference in how metacognition made students change their behavior in tackling the lab assignments. For example, in the third group, the verbal exchanges revealed that the use of metacognition made the students more creative. This was a different approach as was the one used by Mevarech Kramarski (2003). In this study, 100 eighth graders, studying algebra in four classrooms, were divided into two groups. One group was exposed to cooperative learning and also given metacognitive training. The other group was given cooperative learning but without metacognitive training. At issue was mathematical modeling and problem solving skills. After tasks to perform were given, the results showed that the group which had been given metacognitive training did outperformed the other that only had a cooperative setting. There was significant difference with the two groups with regard to planning, processing and reflection. They concluded that the cooperative Metacognition 9 setting is not enough to enhance modeling skills. Metacognitive skills are important in how to approach a problem, how to control and monitor the solution and how to reflect on the final answer. As a result of such studies, Mevarech Kramarski (2003) designed the learning tool called IMPROVE, whose letters stand for : Introducing the new material Metacognitive questioning Practicing Reviewing Obtaining mastery on higher and lower cognitive processes Verification Enrichment and remedial The important thing in IMPROVE is the approach in problem solving. Students are able to approach a scenario with a systematic method which first and foremost addresses the question of what is the issue at hand. They then investigate to find out how different the problem is from others and what the best strategies are to solve it. As can be seen from all the studies mentioned, metacognition is an area of development that has a lot of room for growth. Animals which have been shown to have metacognitive abilities can be researched further in order to discover if this is something widespread within the animal kingdom, and if not, then what actually determines metacognition of a species. With children too, the theory of the mind is interesting and further studies should be carried out to determine if there are other areas of their lives that can benefit from improved research on Metacognition 10 metacognition. For example, are high levels of metacognition genetic? Does diet affect levels of metacognition? What role does disease play in metacognition? It would also be interesting to see new research in the study techniques of students. More than anyone else, their place in society is critical because they take over reins in business, government and the civil society within only a few years after leaving college. Their overall performance in school is therefore a top priority. Of serious concern should be when study techniques should begin to be taught and how they would be standardized. Additionally, quantifying the use of metacognition as advocated for by Lippman (2005), needs to generate more study. If his research is anything to go by, then the approach to metacognition training must also address, not just the amount of metacognition ability gained, but also how it is channeled to productive use. This is an area that can prove very challenging and rewarding because teaching metacognition techniques is one thing, but being able to teach the type of techniques that can produce quantifiable measures cannot be easy. However, it is possible that the same metacognition graduates will discover new methods and strategies to impart more abilities in metacognition. Metacognition 11 References Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (2009). Metacognitive Skills. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www. etfo. ca/Multimedia/Webcasts/SpecialEducation/Pages/Metacognitive%20Skills. aspx Hampton, R (2009). Multiple demonstrations of metacognition in nonhumans: Converging evidence or multiple mechanisms? Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://psyc. queensu. ca/ccbr/Vol4/Hampton.pdf. Kornell, Nate (2009, February). Metacognition in Humans and Animals. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www3. interscience. wiley. com/cgi-bin/fulltext/122212734/HTMLSTART Lippmann, K. , Danielsson, A. Linder, C. (2005, August). Metacognition in the student Laboratory : Is increased metacognition necessarily better? Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www. anst. uu. se/rekun676/meta. pdf Loh, A (2009, July). Using Metacognition Learning to Make Children Smarter. Retrieved on July 29, 209 from http://www. brainy-child. com/articles/metacognition-learning.shtml Mevarech Z. Kramarski, B. ( 2003). Mathematical Modeling and Meta-cognitive Instruction. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www. icme-organisers. dk/tsg18/S32MevarechKramarski. pdf Metacognition 12 Mevarech, Z. Kramarski, B. (2003). Metacognitive Questioning and the use of Worked Examples. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www. memory-key. com/StudySkills/IMPROVE. htm Peirce, W (2004, November). METACOGNITION: Study Strategies, Monitoring, and Motivation. Retrieved on July 29, 2009, from http://academic. pgcc. edu/~wpeirce/MCCCTR/metacognition.htm ScienceDaily (2008, August). Young Childrens Theory Of Mind Linked To Subsequent Metacognitive Development In Adolescence. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www. sciencedaily. com/releases/2008/08/080814154429. htm Serendip (2009). Metacognition. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://serendip. brynmawr. edu/exchange/wfrankli/ii09/metacognition Smith, D Washbum, D. (2005, February). Uncertainty Monitoring and Metacognition by Animals. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www3. interscience. wiley. com/cgi-bin/fulltext/118706297/HTMLSTART

Best Actor Academy Awards Film Studies Essay

Best Actor Academy Awards Film Studies Essay He is one of the best actors in the world. Known for his careful choice of his parts, he has acted in only 20 movies. However, he was nominated for 5 Academy Awards and he won 3 Best Actor Academy Awards which casted a shadow on the Hollywood greats DeNiro, Nicholson, Pacino etc. Daniel Michael Blake Day-Lewis was born on April 29, 1957 in London. His father, Cecile Day-Lewis, although half-Irish, lived in England for most of his life. Four years before his death, he was named the United Kingdom s Poet Laureate (Nicolas Blake). His mother, Jill Balcon was a Jewish actress. His maternal grandfather was a very important person in the history of British cinematography. He had artistic genes from every branch of the family. His older sister Tamasin Day-Lewis is a documentarian. They moved to Greenwich when he was 2. His father was 53 when Daniel was born and he never showed interest in his children. He died when Daniel was 15 which caused great emotional insecurity with the teenage Daniel. Living in Greenwich, which was known as a tough part of London, he was surrounded by poor and troubled kids. He was considered a Posh Jew-Irish, so he was often bullied. When he was an adolescent he became an expert in the local accent and behaviour, so he claimed that these were the very beginnings of his acting career. Later, he spoke of his teenage self as very much a disorderly character in his younger years, often in trouble for shoplifting and other petty crimes  [1]   In 1968 he was sent to a boarding school because his parents thought he was too wild. Even though memories from that school werent particularly nice, he discovered his greatest passions: fishing, woodworking and acting. His acting debut was in a play where he played a black kid and his first film was Sunday, Bloody Sunday, when he was 14. Although he was uncredited and the part was really insignificant (he was a vandal), he described this as heaven because he was given  £2 to destroy fancy cars. When he was 18 he decided he had to choose a profession. Although he was a member of National Youth Theatre he decided to become a carpenter. He applied for a five-year apprenticeship but, fortunately, he was rejected due to his lack of experience. After that he joined the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School which he attended for three years. Daniel threw himself fully into the craft of drama. In 1982, 11 years after his film debut, he acted in Academy Award winning Gandhi (1982), but the part was small. After that he joined the Royal Shakespearean Company playing Romeo in Romeo and Juliet and Flute in A Midsummer Night Dream. This was followed by a role of a punk homosexual in My beautiful Laundrette, theater version of Dracula and A Room with a View (1986) featuring Helena Bonham Carter. One of his first important roles was the one of a Czech surgeon Tomas in the Philip Kaufmans adaptation of Kunderas Unbearable Lightness of Being (1987) with Juliette Binoche and Lena Olin. The interesting fact about this movie is that during the eight months he spent in Prague, he learnt Czech and for the first time he refused to break character off set throughout the entire shooting. This was considered extremely eccentric at that point, but it was only the beginning for Daniel. I dont rehearse at all in film if I can help it. In talking a character through, you define it. And if you define it, you kill it dead. The eccentricity reached its climax for the first time in 1989 with the part of Christy Brown in Jim Sheridans My Left Foot. My Left Foot is actually a book, an autobiography of Christy Brown who had suffered from cerebral paralysis for his entire life and the only part of his body he could move was his left foot. He began painting and eventually became extremely famous. The first part of preparation for the role included frequent visits to a clinic in Dublin where he was in touch with people with various disabilities and he even formed friendship with a few, some of whom couldnt even speak. His version of the so called method acting began developing in this particular movie. Again, he refused to break character which was more difficult in this situation. Off-set he constantly used the wheelchair, insisted on being spoon-fed and he had to be carried around constantly because he wanted to experience all aspects of Christy Browns life, especially shame and anger which he depicted perfectly in the film. He broke two ribs on the set due to hunched-over position in the wheelchair. He won numerous rewards for this part including his first Best Actor Academy Award. In 1989 he returned to theater for the part of Hamlet, however he collapsed on stage in the middle of the scene where Hamlet sees the ghost of his father. The rumor has it that he saw the ghost of his own father which he later confirmed. He hasnt worked in the theater ever since. In 1992, The Last of the Mohicans followed. The film was neither a success nor a particularly good film, however, his preparations were as always interesting. He underwent a very difficult diet and he lived in the forest isolated from the rest. He was hunting and fishing for survival, he learnt to build canoes, skin animals and carried the rifle all the time. Four years after My Left Foot, he started a new cooperation with Jim Sheridan on his new film In the Name of the Father. He played Gerry Conlon, a member of the Guildford Four who were accused and convicted as bombers and the members of the IRA who spent 15 years in prison for the crime they didnt commit. He kept his accent off set and spent a lot of time in a cell. On his request, he was constantly thrown cold water at and insulted. He was nominated for an Oscar but lost to Tom Hanks, ironically for the part he was offered. He moved to County Wicklow in 1993 and assumed Irish citizenship. In 1993 he began working with Martin Scorsese on The Age of Innocence with Winona Ryder and Michelle Pfeiffer. He wore clothing from the 19th century for two months and walked around New York City wearing a top hat, a cane and a cape in extremely cold weather. In 1996 he started working with Arthur Miller on The Crucible. He met his wife-to -be, Millers daughter, Rebecca, whom he married a year later. He currently lives on a 50-acre farm in Ireland, with his wife and children Ronan Cal, 14, and Cashel Blake, 10. From a previous relationship with a French actress Isabelle Adjani he has a son, Gabriel Kane, 17. She claims that he broke up with here by fax when she told him she was pregnant. That is pretty much the only gossip you can find on Daniel Day-Lewis. He returned to Jim Sheridan in The Boxer (1996) with the part of a former boxer and IRA member. He prepared intensely, he was training twice a day for more than six months with the former boxing world champion Barry McGuigan who said that Daniel could turn pro. He had his nose broken during the filming. He wanted to retire, so he moved to Florence and decided to return to his old love woodworking. However, he became interested in another craft, cobblery. He became an apprentice and for the next 4 years no one knows where he actually was. When asked, he stated that it was a period of my life that I had a right to, without any intervention of that kind.  [2]   Martin Scorseses Gangs of New York (2002) was his great comeback. He was persuaded by DiCaprio to take the part. Actually, he has lured to New York on false pretenses and eventually accepted the part of Bill the Butcher, who, ironically, hates the Irish. He began his usual preparation for the character which included apprenticeship at the butchers. He was constantly listening to Eminem to get angry. While he was filming, he never broke character, he kept Bills New York accent. At one point he got very sick because he refused to wear a coat, that would be breaking the rules they didnt wear warmer coats in the 19th century. After being diagnosed with pneumonia and still refusing to wear a coat he had to seek treatment. He was nominated for an Oscar again. After the Gangs, he acted on his wifes film The Ballad of Jack and Rose (2005), which received mixed reviews, but the interesting fact is that he lived in a hut on a beach, separated from his family to experience the emotions of his character. In 2007, his role of the psychotic and misanthropic Daniel Plainview in There will be Blood brought him 23 awards including his second Best Actor Academy Award. His portrayal was listed in top 10 of the best performances ever. In 2009 he decided to accept the role of Guido Contini in a somewhat different film from his usual ones, the Rob Marshalls musical Nine, featuring Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidmanà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.He was nominated for a Golden Globe and many other awards despite the fact the movie wasnt a huge success . In 2010 it was announced that Daniel Day-Lewis would definitely play Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielbergs Lincoln. The idea of this project existed for 10 years, however Daniel refused the part because it was completely preposterous for him to even think of him as Lincoln. Nevertheless, he was persuaded by Spielberg and yet again began his intense preparations for the part. He asked Spielberg for a year that was necessary for the preparation that included reading over 100 books on Lincoln, cooperation with make-up artists that achieved an excellent physical resemblance. He worked on the voice of Lincoln for a long time and when he finally came up with the final version, he sent the tape to Spielberg in a box with a scull on it so Spielberg would be the only person to hear it before the beginning of the shooting. The film was nominated for 7 Golden Globes and 12 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor. It was also a huge commercial success, grossing 220 million dol lars worldwide. Although the film didnt win any of the major Academy Awards, Daniel won both Golden Globe and Academy Award. He thus became the only actor in history to win three Best Actor Academy Awards. He was asked who he would like to play next and he replied: I cant think of anyone right now because I need to lie down for a couple of years. No, I cant think of any. I really cant, no. Its hard to imagine doing anything after this.  [3]   After this part he said he definitely needed rest so, knowing him, who knows when he would return to the set? I begin with a sense of mystery. In other words, I am intrigued by a life that seems very far removed from my own. And I have a sense of curiosity to discover that life and maybe change places with it for a while. If I werent allowed this outlet, there wouldnt be a place for me in society. I suppose I have a highly developed capacity for self-delusion, so its no problem for me to believe Im somebody else. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Day-Lewis http://www.biography.com/people/daniel-day-lewis-9268727 http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/going-out/film/10-fascinating-facts-daniel-day-lewis-1731301 http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000358/bio

Faulkners Condemnation of the South in Absalom, Absalom Essay

Faulkner's Condemnation of the South in Absalom, Absalom       William Faulkner came from an old, proud, and distinguished Mississippi family, which included a governor, a colonel in the Confederate army, and notable business pioneers.   Through his experiences from growing up in the old South, Faulkner has been able to express the values of the South through his characters. William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom offers a strong condemnation of the mores and morals of the South.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Faulkner's strong condemnation of the values of the South emanates from the actual story of the Sutpen family whose history must be seen as connected to the history of the South (Bloom 74).   Quentin tells this story in response to a Northerner's question:   "What is the South like?"  Ã‚   As the novel progresses, Quentin is explaining the story of the Sutpen myth and revealing it to the reader.   Faulkner says that the duty of an author, as an artist, is to depict the human heart in conflict with itself.   This attitude is revealed in the conflicts that Henry Sutpen undergoes in Absalom, Absalom.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thomas Sutpen is the son of a poor mountain farmer who founded the Sutpen estate.   Thomas Sutpen stands for all the great and noble qualities of the South, and at the same time represents the failure of the South by rejecting the past and committing the same types of acts that his ancestors did (Connelly 34).   He rejects his own father to adopt a plantation owner as his surrogate father, who acts as a model of what a man is supposed to be.   When the plantation owner tells Sutpen to use the back door instead of the front door, Faulkner is using ... ...).    Works Cited    Aswell, Duncan. "The Puzzling Design of Absalom, Absalom!" Muhlenfeld 93-108    Bloom, Harold, ed.  Ã‚   Absalom, Absalom! Modern Critical Interpretations.   New York: Chelsea.  Ã‚  Ã‚   1987.    Connelly, Don.   "The History and Truth in Absalom, Absalom!" Northwestern University, 1991.    Faulkner, William.   Absalom, Absalom!   New York: Vintage, 1972    Levins, Lynn.   "The Four Narrative Perspectives in Absalom, Absalom!"   Austin: U of Texas,   1971.    Muhlenfeld, Elizabeth, ed. William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom!: A Critical Casebook. New York: Garland, 1984.    Rollyson, Carl. "The Re-creation of the Past in Absalom, Absalom!"   Mississippi Quarterly 29 (1976): 361-74    Searle Leroy. "Opening the Door: Truth in Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom!" Unpublished essay. N.d.

The Yellow Wall-Paper -- Literary Analysis, Gilman

In the â€Å"The Yellow Wall-paper,† the author, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, writes about a struggling mentally ill woman, named Jane, trying to work through her individuality and her own depression. This story is centered around her bedroom, her mental state, and the yellow wall-paper on the walls in her room. The reader can easily feel the pain, anguish, despair, and struggles of a woman going through a depressive state. Gilman writes about the individual succession of the woman’s mental state through the disarray of the patterned yellow wall-paper. The theme of feminism is exposed by the main characters use of language, her feelings of inferiority, mental struggles, and anger. The language of the narrator in this story is repressive to women, from the beginning and all the way to the end of the story. In the beginning of the story, the language of the narrator appears in a few ways. The ill woman is forbidden by her husband to write in her journal until she is well, to compensate for the loss of work. She feels constricted by her husband to speak freely and writes in a hidden journal. Gilman writes â€Å"I would not say it to a living soul, of course, but this is dead paper and a great relief to my mind† (808). Sad and true, but she doesn’t feel that she can tell her husband how she really feels and â€Å"the only safe language is dead language† (Theichler 61). The language of male judgment and control is predominant in the beginning of the story too. Her husband and brother both are physicians, diagnose her with a nervous condition, and both believe she will be fine with medicine and rest. The men in her life believe she should no t work, and they emphasize that she â€Å"take phosphates or phosphites--whichever it is--and tonics, and journeys,... ...the wall-paper torn from the wall, and he finds the woman creeping about the room, and faints. The narrator declares, â€Å"I’ve got out at last,† said I, â€Å"in spite of you and Jane! And I’ve pulled off most of the paper, so you can’t put me back† (Gilman 819). The narrator finally wins the battle of escaping her imprisonment of John the controlling husband. Jane is finally free of her depression and of her husband’s dominance. It temporarily cost her, her sanity to the point where images were being projected from the yellow wall-paper. The paper was a part of Jane’s neurosis, but also crept into the entire household. In order to cope with the madness Jane found her inner self is an image of a creeping woman trying to escape the patterned wall-paper. In order to escape her suppression, Jane immersed herself further into her insanity to become sane once again. The Yellow Wall-Paper -- Literary Analysis, Gilman In the â€Å"The Yellow Wall-paper,† the author, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, writes about a struggling mentally ill woman, named Jane, trying to work through her individuality and her own depression. This story is centered around her bedroom, her mental state, and the yellow wall-paper on the walls in her room. The reader can easily feel the pain, anguish, despair, and struggles of a woman going through a depressive state. Gilman writes about the individual succession of the woman’s mental state through the disarray of the patterned yellow wall-paper. The theme of feminism is exposed by the main characters use of language, her feelings of inferiority, mental struggles, and anger. The language of the narrator in this story is repressive to women, from the beginning and all the way to the end of the story. In the beginning of the story, the language of the narrator appears in a few ways. The ill woman is forbidden by her husband to write in her journal until she is well, to compensate for the loss of work. She feels constricted by her husband to speak freely and writes in a hidden journal. Gilman writes â€Å"I would not say it to a living soul, of course, but this is dead paper and a great relief to my mind† (808). Sad and true, but she doesn’t feel that she can tell her husband how she really feels and â€Å"the only safe language is dead language† (Theichler 61). The language of male judgment and control is predominant in the beginning of the story too. Her husband and brother both are physicians, diagnose her with a nervous condition, and both believe she will be fine with medicine and rest. The men in her life believe she should no t work, and they emphasize that she â€Å"take phosphates or phosphites--whichever it is--and tonics, and journeys,... ...the wall-paper torn from the wall, and he finds the woman creeping about the room, and faints. The narrator declares, â€Å"I’ve got out at last,† said I, â€Å"in spite of you and Jane! And I’ve pulled off most of the paper, so you can’t put me back† (Gilman 819). The narrator finally wins the battle of escaping her imprisonment of John the controlling husband. Jane is finally free of her depression and of her husband’s dominance. It temporarily cost her, her sanity to the point where images were being projected from the yellow wall-paper. The paper was a part of Jane’s neurosis, but also crept into the entire household. In order to cope with the madness Jane found her inner self is an image of a creeping woman trying to escape the patterned wall-paper. In order to escape her suppression, Jane immersed herself further into her insanity to become sane once again.

Accrual And Cash Accounting Essay

These are two methods of keeping track of income and expenses in a business, (accrual and cash accounting). Accrual and cash accounting difference is in when a sale and purchase are credited and debited to the account. The cash method is when cash is received, and the expense is when it is paid. An example is when I am contracted to paint a room, which will be completed within a couple of hours, the client pays me. After completing the job my client pays me with cash or check. Therefore, it is considered cash accounting and recorded as so. Cash accounting tracks the cash flow but does not track revenue. With accrual accounting, all transactions are recorded if cash is received or not. Most companies use accrual accounting on a weekly basis to monitor cash flow to ensure they have enough cash on hand for the business to operate. Accrual accounting transactions are, the day they of service. For an example, with my business there are some jobs that I and will be completed, but not paid until later. When it’s a company, their contracts are paid on a monthly basis. For a company these are considered the companies account payable, that arpaid monthly. As for me these are accrual accounts, but arerecorded. â€Å"The cash and accrual methods can produce the same,† www.inc.com/articles/2000/04/19194 Cash and accrual accounts can have no difference if all transactions are paid in cash when completed no matter what methods are . Accrual accounting shows the income and debts in partial of a business and cash accounting only shows the cash flow. Each method used together will give a more accurate picture of the company business. References: www.inc.com/articles/2000/04/19194.html, Cash vs. Accrual Accounting/Bookkeeping Articles www.dummies.com, Deciding between Cash-Basis and Accrual Accounting-For Dummies