Musicals essays

Musicals essays Originally a distraction from the horrors of war during the 1940s and 1950s, the American Musical grew in popularity throughout the 20th century. The musical combines acting, dancing, and singing to form cohesive pictures that are still treasured today. The musical requires a collaborative effort between all elements of the film, whether musical or not. The lyrics, music, and dance have to collate with the plot, effects, and characterization to make a movie worth watching. Stars of the American Musical must be able to act, sing, and often dance, in order to get a part in a movie. Musicals must always appeal to a range of people, from a 5-year-old to an 85-year-old, to guarantee viewers. The musical always has catchy upbeat songs or slow ballads that the listener can sing along to, which provides more mass appeal. Some of the more common themes in musical theater include nostalgia, the Cinderella story, realism, and adaptations of literature. The nostalgia theme is seen in Oklahoma!, Carousel, and Showboat. The Cinderella story is represented by The King and I, The Sound of Music, and My Fair Lady. Realism can be seen in Annie Get Your Gun, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, and Newsies, which were all based on actual events from the past. Some musicals that are based on literature include The Phantom of the Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, Jekyll The American Musical has gone through many changes since becoming a popular film genre. Early musicals were American versions of the English Operetta, such as The Student Prince. After this, genuine American Musicals were made, such as Annie Get Your Gun and Porgy and Bess. Then came realistic musicals such as South Pacific and Camelot, which were musicals with themes that most people could relate to because they were more believable, or actually true stories. Soon, even newer approaches to the American Musical were developed ...

10 Tips for Website Organization and Flow †updated from 2009!

10 Tips for Website Organization and Flow – updated from 2009! I am almost ready to launch a new website for The Essay Expert, and I have learned a LOT along the way. I decided to write my blog on the topic, and, as a reference, went back to an article I wrote almost seven years ago about website organization and flow. I knew very little then, but did share a few important tips. While some things have changed, some things have stayed the same. Here is my updated list, and a preview of The Essay Expert’s new website! 1. Don’t have more than eight (8) top menu items in addition to the Home tab. With new menu formats, I’ve increased this number from six (6) in my original recommendation to eight (8). The menu items on my new site will be About, Testimonials, Services, DIY/eBooks, Media, Blog, FAQs, and Contact. They fit nicely and simply across the top menu. 2. You don’t have to make the top menu items clickable. This is a change in my opinion from years ago. I think people used to expect the menu items to be clickable. Now all you need is clickable dropdown items. 3. Make your logo (generally the top left corner of every page) a link to your home page. This is still a best practice. Do it! And don’t assume people know to click the logo to get to the home page. Put a Home tab on the top navigation too – you can use an icon of a house to save space. 4. Use creative solutions to help people navigate longer pages. While anchor links are an established option for helping users navigate, there are a lot more solutions available now. For instance, use tabs on a page to allow users to choose the category of information that interests them. I will be using this option on my Testimonials page, where users can click on tabs labeled Executive, Mid-Level, Entry-Level and Admissions to see testimonials relevant to that category of service. Another option is a pop-up window that provides information without lengthening the page. I will be using this option for items like â€Å"Where our clients have been admitted.† If you do choose anchor links, these links can look like buttons. Design them to be congruent with your site design! 5. Review your site regularly for broken links and fix or delete them. And for any broken links within your own site, create a unique 404 page. This advice will never change. Constantly check for broken links! For 404, I have created a page with a Mark Twain quotation! Here are some famously creative 404 pages for your reading pleasure. 6. Give your website viewers information about how the service or product works so they are educated before they buy, and before they call you. Here’s how I’m doing it on my new site: I’m also improving the descriptions of each of my services so site visitors understand what they will be getting when they make a purchase. 7. Don’t send people away from a page if you want them to purchase something on that page. On my new website, I offer a complete â€Å"Resume and LinkedIn Success Package† (see above) that I expect to be the most common product people purchase. I also so have â€Å"a la carte† options available. But I will not mention those items until the bottom of the page. Any buttons at the top of my executive services page will keep people on the page, either with a pop-up or a link to a service on the page itself. They will have to read through my most popular items before they find other options. 8. Whenever possible, offer a main product with optional add-ons. On my â€Å"old† (current) site, I have learned, there are way too many options to choose from and people get confused as to which service is best for them. In my effort to accommodate everyone, I went a bit overboard. The new site will offer one main package with add-ons. I’m excited to have created a streamlined experience for new customers! 9. Scatter testimonials throughout your website. People want to know what other people are saying about you. Personally, even if I don’t read the testimonials on a site, I want to know they are there. Make sure if you offer different products that the ones most relevant to each product are on that product page. Also offer the opportunity for people to write reviews directly on your site! On my new site, I will have testimonials on each page as well as a full page of testimonials for anyone who wants to read more. 10. Highlight certifications, awards, and media appearances. What qualifies you to do what you do? Put it up front and center to gain credibility and trust! There are many more recommendations and best practices for websites that I haven’t covered here. I’d love to hear your comments and suggestions. And stay tuned for the launch of The Essay Expert’s new website†¦ coming soon! Category:Web Site TipsBy Brenda BernsteinMay 23, 2016

International Business Strategy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

International Business Strategy - Case Study Example To survive, it is vital that a firm can do something better than its competitors (Wonglimpiyarat 2004:1). Globalisation has not only altered the nature and the intensity of competition but has had to dictate and shape organisations in terms of what consumers wants, how and when they want it and what they are prepared to pay for it (Hagan 1996:1). Kanter (1995:71) on his work of "Mastering Change" argues that success in the present day business is not for those companies that re-engineer the way they do things, or for those fixing the past. According to Kanter (1995) such an action will not constitute an adequate response. This is so because success is based on an organisation's ability to create, rather than predict the future by developing those products that will literally transform the way the world thinks and view it self and the needs (Kanter 1995:71). Within the context of today's global competition, businesses and firms no-longer compete as individual companies but try to corporate with other businesses in their activities (Wu & Chien 2007:2). These researchers went further to argue that, this strategy has become quite common in many businesses including the electronic chain. The conventional vertical integrated company based business model is gradually being replaced by collaborative relationship between many fragmented, but complementary and specialized value stars and constellation (Wu & Chien:1). An alternative approach towards organisational success, one which is becoming increasing prominent and has attracted the sustained attention of both domestic and international business scholars are core competences, capabilities and resources (e.g. Madhok 1998, Prahalad & Hamel 1990, Hamel & Prahalad1994 ). In today's global business environment it is no longer sufficient simply to meet customers demand as time quality and cost have become increasingly important in the phase of increasing competition (Petts 1997:551). According to Higgins (1998:2), "customers don't always know what they need or even that there is a problem to be solved." Success awaits those companies that recognize the fact that, to be successful and satisfy customers, it is often necessary to lead customers into recognizing these needs (Higgins 1998:2-3). In the light of this, the aim of this paper is to examine how Philips lost its leadership position in the light of globalization and why the company's had difficulties in changing the strategy. 1.1.2 The Rise of Philip as the Leading Consumer's Electronics in the World Philips is an electronic company that began in Holland specializing in the production of light bulbs. The company was founded by Gerard Philips and the father

Prepare a persuasive speech on the importance of alcoholism Essay

Prepare a persuasive speech on the importance of alcoholism prevention. your audience is a group of 20 high school students and their parents - Essay Example Chemical properties of alcohol are such that it affects your Central Nervous System (CNS) which includes the â€Å"brain.† Alcohol in your blood decreases the brain activity and depresses the expression of certain anxieties. As a result, you feel better about yourself and less worried. Therefore, you feel more socially skilled. Even the physicians prescribe CNS depressants such as alcohol to treat anxiety, muscle tension, pain, insomnia and panic attacks. There are many other drugs that have similar effects to alcohol, example: narcotics, barbiturates, benzodiazepines and chloral hydrate. We need to understand why people crave for alcohol. It is not merely a person’s fault. Alcohol has the â€Å"addicting effect† on human beings due to its chemical properties. And also, individuals under the influence are usually violent. You may feel tough after you have had a beer. But the sad truth is â€Å"alcohol is controlling you†, not the other way around. Intoxicated individuals may neglect and abuse children, harm women and disabled or put their lives at risk. In many cases people have confessed that they were under the influence when behaving violently. Alcohol related violence is a severe social problem in the world. Over 100,000 students of age 18 to 24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or rape. Another 400,000 students had unprotected sex while too intoxicated to know if they consented to having sex. If you are not concerned about the society at large you should be concerned about your own well being. Alcohol impairs your judgment, creates beer bellies and leads to hangovers. One day you might wake up from hangover to find out that you are a teenage mother, single parent, need an abortion, having AIDS or sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Alcohol consumption weakens the immune system. In other words alcoholics are more likely to die from AIDS, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) compared to the

Alternate Ways of Measuring Performance Essay -- Essays Papers

Balanced Scorecard Alternate Ways of Measuring Performance Abstract Many organizations are usefully viewed as a web of relationships between and among various stakeholder groups. An organization may be defined as a "nexus of contracts," where said "contracts" are relationships that are marked by contributions from the various stakeholders in return for inducements provided by the organization. Over the long haul, the success of an organization is a function of the extent to which the needs and requirements of its various stakeholders can be integrated and balanced, without sacrificing any one to the other. There is, in this arrangement, mutual influence and accountability. It is the main thesis of this paper that many organizations would be well served by making use of the Balanced Scorecard as an alternate way of evaluating a company’s performance. Introduction Since its introduction in the Harvard Business Review in 1992, many corporate executives and information technology (IT) professionals have found the concept of Balanced Scorecard it to be a key strategic measuring stick of corporate success. Robert Kaplan and David Norton created balanced Scorecard, often referred to as BSC, in the early 1990’s. Today many large consulting firms like Pricewaterhouse Coopers and Earnst and Young have adopted the balanced scorecard concept. A balanced scorecard is a framework for translating strategic goals and visions into measurable results for the entire enterprise. The balanced scorecard starts with corporate strategies and objectives, and then uses financial and non-financial measures from across the company to create positive and negative indicators of corporate success for all levels of the organization (Kaplan and Norton, 1992). These indicators provide an in depth snap shot of corporate performance that managers and executives can use to clearly manage the company for success on a daily basis. Since the scorecard is based on key performance indicators (KPIs) that are directly linked to corporate goals, it provides a true measure of corporate success. These KPIs consist not just of financial indicators, but also of performance measures in customer satisfaction, internal process, and innovation and improvement (Kaplan Norton, 1992). The breadth and diversity provided by all four perspectives give managers an ideal cross-func... ...to a system of performance measurements that effectively communicate a powerful, forward-looking, strategic focus to the entire organization. This balanced concept allows an organization to evaluate its performance in different aspects other than financially acceptable balance sheets or income statements. Bibliography 1.) Atkinson A. A., Waterhouse, J.H., and Wells, R.B. (1997). â€Å"A Stakeholder Approach to Strategic Performance Measurement.† Sloan Management Review (Spring, 1997, pp25- 37): Cambridge. 2.) Kaplan, Robert S. and Norton, David P., (1992). â€Å"The Balanced Scorecard: Measures that Drive Performance.† Harvard Business Review (January-February 1992): 71-79. 3.) Kaplan, Robert S. and Norton, David P., (1996a). â€Å"Linking the Balanced Scorecard to Strategy.† California Management Review (Vol. 39 No.1, Fall, 1996): 53-77. 4.) Kaplan, Robert S. and Norton, David P., (1996b). â€Å"Using the Balanced Scorecard as a Strategic Management System.† Harvard Business Review (January-February 1996): 75- 85. 5.) 5.) Nickols, Fred (1999). â€Å"Reconciling and Integrating Stakeholder Needs and Requirements.† COG News (Spring 1999)

Critical Issues Concerning Deforestation and Its Environmental Effects

Over half of the worlds† forests have already been destroyed if the rate of deforestation is not reduced, the forests will suffer even more damage. Imagine this; every minute twenty-six hectares (estimated) of the forest are destroyed, this is equal to thirty-seven football fields. The forest is not only the home to some of the most important species on earth, but it also helps control the climate and makes the planet able for us to live in. The expanding human population has cleared many of the trees, once covering much of the earth, a long time ago. Agriculture took a toll early of the landscape, and now the once great forests are reduced to tiny pockets scattered throughout the earth. Recently is when the tropical forests have become under severe attack of deforestation. Only seven hundred of the original one and a half billion hectares of the rain forest remain. At the turn of the twentieth century there was twice as much rain forest as there is today. Causes of deforestation include; commercial logging, clearance for agriculture, roads and railways, forest fires, mining and drilling, fuelwood, and clearing land for living are just some of the main reasons, of which we have not found the worst culprit. The two most common found reasons for deforestation are shifting cultivation and commercial logging. The problem starts when the soil becomes less fertile from animals grazing and walking repeatedly over the small land space. This not the threat to the forest however, the threat is when the land is not allowed enough time to recover and causes soil degradation. Felling of trees for charcoal, and clearing trees for mining and the extraction of oil are other factors leading to deforestation, but are not considered as damaging as shifting cultivation and commercial logging. Nonetheless they are still a threat to the existence of the rain forest. When trees are cleared the topsoil erodes in just one decade, of which it took thousands of years to accumulate. The land is now unusable and can lead to disastrous flooding since there is no soil to soak up the rain. The most disastrous effect of deforestation is the effect it has on the earth†s climate. The greenhouse effect and global warming is caused by the build-up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere mainly. The amount of carbon dioxide would be greatly affected by the destruction of the rain forest; this would lead to a build up in the atmosphere and in result would increase climate change. Most of the burnt or rotting trees release even more carbon dioxide. Scientists believe that only a small fraction of the plants and animals that live in the rain forests have been identified, and of these are believed to hold the cures for some of the most deadly diseases, such as cancer and aids. An obvious solution would be for us to quit cutting down trees altogether, but there is no way we could do that. Forest management plans are being used all over the world, putting sustainability as the emphasis. These plans allow logging to take place by putting into the earth what we take out. These plans are carried out so that logging can be done with the least enduring effects taking place to the earth. Some parts of the rain forests, which are labeled as too sensitive for even well managed logging, are restricted as protected areas. These protected areas along with the help of enforced legislation, can be an effective defense against the many problems that affect the rain forests. The most important step in stopping the process of deforestation is to inform and educate the people whose actions either directly or indirectly create a problem for the rain forests. Developed countries and their consumers have to realize the devastating impacts on the forests from which the products cause that they buy. By doing this will be the only way we can stop the deforestation process and maybe eventually reverse it and the rain forests will flourish.

Chinua Achebe s No Longer At Ease - 1383 Words

Nick Polanosky SS110 9:15 MWF Book Review on Chinua Achebe’s No Longer at Ease Throughout life there is chaos and calm, ups and downs, good fortune and seemingly insurmountable challenges. For the majority of life, it is chaotic but controlled; you deal with issues as they come, and occasionally good things happen and give your mind a break. Obi’s fortune is good for most of his life; he gets the first scholarship from Umuofia and studies literature in England before coming home and pursuing a job in the civil service. Eventually things settle down and he ends up stuck in the middle. Although he has a good job that pays very well, he has debts to pay and an unhealthy mother. His fiancà ©e is an Oso, an outcast and he cannot get the approval†¦show more content†¦Obi worked in a European Post job on the Civil Service’s Scholarship Board, under the supervision of Mr. Green. Early on, he commits himself to honesty and integrity, rejecting a monetary bribe from the brother of a scholarship applicant and also rejecting the applicant herself fr om bribing him with her body. He maintains this mentality for as long as he can, but once things start going wrong, he has second thoughts. He ends up with serious financial problems and has to borrow money in order to pay his debts; â€Å"Digging a new pit to fill up and old one† (p.124). Because of his financial difficulties and the sudden problems which arise with the death of his mother and the loss of Clara, he begins questioning his ideals and has a change of heart. During his grief he certainly has an identity crisis, and gives in to the temptations. He begins to take bribes from people in order to pay his debts, in contrast with his die-hard honesty from earlier on. He eventually realizes that he was doing the wrong thing and vows to stop taking bribes, but one more would be okay. It happened to contain marked bills and proved his guilt, so just one more was too little too late to prevent the inevitable tragic end to Obi’s story. No Longer at Ease is almost a t extbook Shakespearean tragedy. Obi (â€Å"Tragic Hero†) is in an elevated position as a university-educated man with a government job. His fatal flaw (taking bribes) is hinted at early in the book, before flashing