Essay Joseph Stalin - 3070 Words

Joseph Stalin Joseph Stalin was one of the biggest mass murderers of the twentieth century. From the purges in the Red Army to forced relocations, Stalin had the blood of millions on his hands. This essay is not going to debate the fact that this was indeed a brutal and power hungry individual, because he was indeed just that. I will on the other hand show you that through his way of governing the Soviet Union, he actually saved mother Russia from the German invasion in World War Two through his cunning and ruthlessness. Joseph Stalin was a very industrious person and used every means possible to better prepare his country for the coming war that he believed was inevitable. Wether it was diplomatic plotting, economic maneuvering, or†¦show more content†¦E. Zinoviev and L. B. Kamenev. From this point on Stalin simply concentrated more and more power into his own hands. In 1925 Stalin made a turn to the right, got rid of his two companions and established a coalition with moderate leaders Burkharin, Rykov, and Tomsky, which lasted until 1928, when collectivization of agriculture and the forced industrialization came about. Stalin now followed a simple pattern, he simply systematically replaced all those who were not his absolute followers. By 1930 his rule was absolute. Stalin was now free to go ahead and pursue his plans to industrialize and arm the Soviet Union. The only other obstacle in his path was the army leadership. Stalin viewed the army as a threat to his power and took steps to remove that threat. He organized all of his followers to delve into the lives of the military leadership and find out if they were traitors. Many of Stalins followers used this as a way of getting back at old rivals and enemies. All kinds of false evidence was manufactured. Stalin took all of this at face value and a great number of the army leadership was either killed or exiled. There were also several show trials put on to demonstrate to the Soviet people that all of the killing was being done for a reason and that there really were conspirators and spies among them. Several accused openly confessed to active membe rship of a plot to murder the Soviet leadership. With the Army purges done, StalinShow MoreRelatedJoseph Stalin Genocide1421 Words   |  6 PagesJoseph Stalin’s Genocide: 50 Million Deaths From 1919 to 1953 when Stalin died about 50 million lives were taken in the Gulags of Russia (â€Å"Videofact†). In total there were 53 Gulags and 423 labor camps (â€Å"Gulag†).   Stalin was considered one of the most feared dictators because of his secret police and the Gulags. During a series of interviews in 1996, a Soviet veteran who lived in Minsk claimed to have seen a U.S. POW in May or June 1953. The POW was a Korean War F-86D pilot whose plane had beenRead MoreThe Death Of Joseph Stalin1829 Words   |  8 Pagesâ€Å"Death is the solution to all problems. No man - no problem.† This is a direct quote from one of the most notorious men in history, Joseph Stalin. Stalin was the leader of the Soviet Union from the mid 1920’s until his death. The period in which he ruled over the Soviet Union was known as the Reign of Terror because he was a malicious leader who was ready to do anything to maintain the level of power he achieved. He will forever be remembered as a cold blooded and heartless leader, who took the livesRead MoreEssay on Joseph Stalin2352 Words   |  10 Pages â€Å"The man who turned the Soviet Union from a backward country into a world superpower at unimaginable human cost (Joseph Stalin).† â€Å"Stalin was born into a dysfunctional family in a poor village in Georgia (Joseph Stalin).† Permanently scarred from a childhood bout with smallpox and having a mildly deformed arm, Stalin always felt unfairly treated by life, and thus developed a strong, romanticized desire for greatness and respect, combined with a shrewd streak of calculating cold-heartedness towardsRead MoreJoseph Stalin Research Paper1472 Words   |  6 Pagesgreat or corrupt; they are rarely both. Most of Russia’s history is filled with corrupt leaders. Joseph was one of those leaders. Stalin killed millions of people during his rule. But Stalin also led the Soviet Union almost to the top in world power. Stalin had many influences that led him to his Soviet Leadership in which gave him many admirers but even more non-supporters. At the age of 10, Joseph â€Å"Stalin† Djugashvili attended Gori’s religious elementary school. His mother, Yekaterina, wanted himRead MoreEssay on The life of Joseph Stalin554 Words   |  3 PagesThe life of Joseph Stalin Joseph Stalin. One of the Russias most supreme leaders. But one of its most horrid as well. He brought them up while also letting them down. Some could say where would we be without him. But others wish they never were led by him. He went from nothing to the most powerful man in the now most powerful country. In the early years. He was first born Josef Vissarionovich Djugashvili to a poor shoemaker of a father on December 21 1879. It was a small village calledRead MoreExecution By Hunger, By Joseph Stalin1081 Words   |  5 PagesExecution by Hunger 1. Collectivization was peasants being forced to give up their goods to the government. Collectivization started at the end of 1929 by Joseph Stalin. He began collectivization as part of the 5 year plan because he feared the invasion from the Allied countries in the west. He increased industrialization so he could earn more money just in case there was a war. This impacted the peasants of Ukraine because majority of the farmers had their own land it was their only way of incomeRead MoreJoseph Stalin And Vladimir Putin2340 Words   |  10 PagesJoseph Stalin and Vladimir Putin are two of the most famous and influential figures of Russian history. Joseph Stalin’s iron fist ruled Russia from the mid-1920’s until his death in 1953. Under Stalin’s totalitarian government, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics played a pivotal role in several major conflicts, including World War II and the Cold War. Stalin’s main goal seemed to be expanding Russia and spreadi ng the influence of communism. Contrastingly, Vladimir Putin has held power from 1999Read MoreEssay about Joseph Stalin2651 Words   |  11 PagesJoseph Stalin was the leader of the Soviet Union from 1922-1953, when he died. He was responsible for one of the most notable and devastating genocides, the Great Purge. His vicious reign took the lives of around 20-60 million people by his rigid and cruel treatment. Through his exploitation of the lower class and his manipulative abuse of power, Stalin created one of the worst examples of leadership in history. It takes an interesting character to be able to execute the cruelties displayed in hisRead MoreCharacteristics Of Joseph Stalin The Prince818 Words   |  4 PagesK History Honors/Block E 4 October 2017 Perfect Prince On December 21, 1879 (Editors, Biography.com) Iosef Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili was born. He was later known as Joseph Stalin and he was one of the most powerful men in the world during the 19th century. According to Niccolo Machiavellis views in the book, The Prince, Stalin was the perfect prince, or in this case the perfect dictator . The Prince examines the traits that are needed to be a perfect leader. Traits such as being feared, butRead MoreJoseph Stalin Essay example1133 Words   |  5 PagesJoseph Stalin, whose real name is Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili, was born on December 21, 1879 in the small town of Gori, Georgia. His family was poor and he was the only child of four to survive. His father was a shoemaker. He was a heavy drinker and died from wounds in a brawl when Stalin was 11 years old. His mother was a pious and hardworking woman. She wanted her son to have a good life so she entered him into priesthood. He attended elementary school run by the Orthodox Chur ch and went

A Brief Biography of Louis Armstrong - 1376 Words

Advanced Placement United States History Born and raised in New Orleans, the melting pot of cultures, Louis Armstrong was by far one of the most influential and successful individuals during the 1900s. His fame and popularity grew astoundingly because of his trumpet playing and charisma. His skills not only attracted the attention of the general population, they also attracted the attention of the State Department. The State Department selected him along with a few other distinguished musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, and Benny Goodman to be ambassadors of the United States. These musicians were chosen to travel to foreign countries in Africa, Europe and Asia to perform with the intent of promoting democracy. However this was a very controversial issue because the United States was still a Jim Crow Law nation at the time. Therefore the reason the State Department chose to use African-Americans as their ambassadors to pr omote democracy was morally reprehensible. Louis Armstrong was born on August 4th, 1901 in the city of New Orleans. However, there were complications with his birth certificate and he originally believed his birthday was the 4th of July, as â€Å"it was the custom for poor blacks to adopt an honorary date as their birthday – often Christmas, or New Year’s Day, or the Fourth of July.† The difficulties did not end there, he had a very difficult childhood because his father abandoned him rightShow MoreRelatedTaking a Look at the Jazz Age1600 Words   |  6 PagesFitzgerald’s writings were influenced by his past military service. â€Å"Fitzgerald joined the army in 1917 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the infantry. Convinced that he would die in the war, he rapidly wrote a novel, â€Å"The Romantic Egotist† (A Brief Life of Fitzgerald) Fitzgerald’s experiences in war, were shown through his literature. Another piece of literature affected by the times of the Jazz Age, w as Ernest Hemingways The Sun Also Rises. The novel is about a young soldier, who returnedRead MoreA Brief History of Piano Greats and Jazz Essay1426 Words   |  6 PagesA Brief History of Piano Greats and Jazz The piano has been a pivotal instrument throughout the development of jazz music. Starting with ragtime, which developed out of classical music, all the way to modern jazz the piano has been a foundational instrument upon which many styles have been built. This is a result of the versatility of the instrument, as it has the ability to play accompaniment, rhythm, and solo improvisation simultaneously. Throughout the course of jazz history many musicians haveRead MoreA Feminist Study of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women5846 Words   |  24 Pages Chapter 2 Jo March: A Woman Ahead Of Her Times Jo March, one of the four sisters featured in Louis May Alcott’s novel Little Women, is often recognized as an extraordinary literary heroine. In the nineteenth century, when a women’s identity was that of a caretaker or housewife, when she could not vote or own property, when she had to marry to beRead MoreMultiple Intelligences Seminar and Workshop14464 Words   |  58 PagesEducation at Houghton College, is one of this workshops experts. She is the author of recent works STUDENT ASSESSMENT THAT WORKS: A PRACTICAL APPROACH and ROUNDTABLE LEARNING: BUILDING UNDERSTANDING THROUGH ENHANCED M.I. STRATEGIES. d. Thomas Armstrong is an author and speaker whose books include MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES IN THE CLASSROOM, AWAKENING YOUR CHILDS NATURAL GENIUS, and AWAKENING GENIUS IN THE CLASSROOM. Jane Carlson-Pickering developed the M.I.Smart! Program for the Chariho RegionalRead MoreHaving Our Say Essay9582 Words   |  39 Pages ©2000-2011 BookRags, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gales For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources. (c)1998-2002;Read MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 PagesTitle. HM786.M33 2007 302.3’5—dc22 2006022347 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 10 09 08 07 06 Typeset in 10/12.5 pt sabon by 72 Printed by Ashford Colour Press Ltd., Gosport The publisher’s policy is to use paper manufactured from sustainable forests. . Brief Contents Preface List of figures List of tables Acknowledgements xiii xvii xix xx 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Introducing organization theory: what is it, and why does it matter? Modernist organization theory: back to the future? Neo-modernistRead MoreContemporary Issues in Management Accounting211377 Words   |  846 Pagessubjective measure of the Wrst task into an implicit contract, he or she could reduce the distortionary eVect of the explicit contract and improve the eYciency of the agent’s actions. 38 BAIMAN 2.4 Conclusion In this chapter I have given a brief explanation of the contract theory model and a few examples of how it has been applied to managerial accounting issues. The examples indicate that contract theory analysis is well suited to analysing managerial accounting issues. The Wt comes fromRead MoreMonsanto: Better Living Through Genetic Engineering96204 Words   |  385 Pagesessential part of a strategic management course and is also perhaps the most entertaining part of such a course. The ‘full story’ that follows this summary gives you considerable detail about how to go about a case analysis, but for now here is a brief account. Before we start, a word about attitude – make it a real exercise. You have a set of historical facts; use a rigorous system to work out what strategies should be followed. All the cases are about real companies, and one of the entertaining

Food, Inc. And The Food Industry Essay Example For Students

Food, Inc. And The Food Industry Essay When it comes to foods, not many consumer really know where their food come from or what the food processes are like. The generally public were told or assumed that the meat come from a farm or how the corn and wheat grow in a big open fields. This is true back in the day but slowly our society required more foods rapidly and because of that animals and crops have to be modify in some way to help meet the demand of foods in the market. In the film Food, Inc. it argues that what we have been eating is not a simple process of raising the animals, kill and cut them, then pack it up in a container and sell them to the public but rather a lots of smaller issues are involved in the process. Food, Inc. major claim for their film is that the food industry we have today is inhumane, and it lead to involving other issues such as science, political and social. The film supported their claim both visually and verbally by going out to places in the industries to asked questions and filmed everything on camera to show the truth behind it. The verbal claim they provided are talking to the peoples whose are professional in the agriculture field, but also to farmers and all the people who have been affected by the big food change companies. Alongside with their verbal claim, Food, Inc. also showed many visual claim by filming all the interviews with the peoples but also inside a farms or factories to show how they raise and slaughtered the animals. The film focuses on three smaller sub claims that being affected by the industries, the first one is scientifically. Their claim is that as consumer consume more foods, the scientist need to find a way to meet the demand by working on modifying foods. The most common food modification is to combine a. .re of chemicals but soon being sued by Monsanto Company. Or show scenes of illegal immigrants being captured using force to get into their house. The film’s objectives are to inform the general public the truth behind our foods. That we should know where our foods come from and not to supported the big companies by buying foods from the local farm market. Asking us to make the right choice before buying foods in the market, and be healthy. Food, Inc. effectively open my eyes on how our foods came to be and seeing the way they edit and including right style of arguments tools into the film help their arguments, but also make the audience feels many strong emotions while watching their film. Many of smaller issues were being raised in the film, and it is very important because it show how our food industries being regulated and how heavily the industries rely on it.

The Catholic Church Through The Eyes Of Geoffrey Chaucer Essays

The Catholic Church Through The Eyes of Geoffrey Chaucer Geoffrey Chaucer uses some of the characters in the Canterbury Tales The Prologue in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales to point out his view of what was right and wrong within the Church during his time. He uses the Prioress, Monk, Friar, Summoner, and Pardoner to illustrate what he saw wrong within the Church. Chaucer uses the Clerk, Parson and the Plowman to illustrate the attributes the Church should possess. The Prioress is a nun who is probably equal to the rank of Mother Superior. She does not show the humility or dedication to God. Her compassion is shown towards animals. She makes sure her animals eat the best meats. She is more focused on natural love than agape love by the brooch she wears which says Love conquers all. She does not spend her time fasting because the author lets us know that she is fat. In correlation to the Church, the Prioress shows the Church's lack of dedication and humility towards God. The Church is more concerned with matters which do not deal with the deliverance of the human soul. Like the Prioress, the Monk does not walk in his calling. He is the monastery's outrider. This position allows him to roam the countryside at his will. Instead of being separate from the world, he is of the world. He loves to hunt and enjoys riding his horse. He does not value the teachings of his monastery because he feels they are somewhat strict. The Monk does not like to study. Why should he study, and drive himself mad, Over a book in a cloister always to pour, Or work with his hands, and labor, As St. Augustine bids? How shall the world be served? Let Augustine have his work to himself reserved (12-13). Chaucer sees the Church through the Monk as being more involved in its own affairs. The Church has gotten away from the basic Bible teachings and has instituted its own. Huburt, the Friar, like the Prioress and Monk, is not operating within his vocation. He does not spend time with the poor ministering to their phsyical needs as well as their spiritual needs. The Friar believes that because of his status he couild not spend time with these needy people. It was not fitting, considering his position, To be acquainted with sick lepers. It is not creditable, it holds no profit To deal with any such paupers (16). He spends time begging for donations from the rich farmers and other worthy women of the town. For a price he will hear confessions and give penance. He believes that ... instead of weeping and prayers, Men should give silver to the poor friars (15). This pilgram shows the Church being more concerned with the financial support for itself than the spiritual needs of the congregation. The Church has devised a way in which to collect money from it's members by promising them forgiveness with dollar signs attached to it. The Summoner is responsible for issuing summons for the Church to people who have violated Church doctrine. His position is interesting because he is handing out summons for people to appear before the Church when he himself is living in direct violation of Church doctrine. The Church seems to see what is wrong with everyone else but cannot focus on it's own violations of the doctrine taught in the Bible. The Pardoner is the most corrupt pilgram. He provides paper indulges for a price. These indulges are part of the scam the Pardoner is running. He also offers junk for sale which he says were relics of the saints. The Church has developed another mechanism for making money. It uses the selling of crosses, statues, and other trinkets which are supposed to remind us of what Christ has done for us. If these items were really to remind us of what Christ did for us they would be free, since Christ gave his life freely. The Clerk is the first pilgram Chaucer birngs into the script which has some godly attributes. He spends time in prayer and fasting because the narrator lets us know that he ...wasn't exactly fat, ...(19) and ...busily prayed for souls (20). He

Gladiator Essay Example

Gladiator Essay Example Gladiator Essay Gladiator Essay In the opening sequence of the Gladiator, the director, Ridley Scott uses a number of techniques to build excitement and capture the attention of the audience. In this essay I will analyse and review these techniques. The film was released in May of 2000 and had a budget of $100 million (US). This genre of movie is known as Sword and Sandal epics, which were a very popular style preceding World War II, but became less so when people decided that there were too many terrible things taking place in their own world and they did not want to see it in the movies. Other films such as Ben Hur and Spartacus created high standards for any successors, standards which Gladiator has fulfilled and added to.The director begins the movie with a variation on the well known Universal and Dreamworks logos. The normally blue logos have been placed under a yellow filter, giving the immediate impression that the movie must be quite influential in order to exact this change, creating anticipation for the outcome of the film. Also the use of this feature helps to add to the feeling that the story is set in a time which has passed us and will never come back, and creating a feeling of nostalgia. The director then presents the audience with information about the events preceding the beginning of the story, which is framed in a plain script and a smoky-yellow background. The director has created this scene in such a way, so as to not reveal any of the actual plot or storyline and is arguably just to entice the audience even more.The melodious voice of the Australian born Lisa Gerrard is a sweet relaxant and is used by the director to ease the audience into the next scene; an image of a hand brushing over wheat. There is the sound of a warm breeze blowing and children laughing and playing in the background, which adds to the aura of warmth given to the audience by the use of yellow filter on the camera.The director then creates the next scene in stark contrast with its predecessor and to create an understanding of the character, who appears as a silent, battle clad figure of General Maximus Decimus Meridius, framed by the dark Germanic mountainside (rather than the yellow wheat fields of the dream sequence). The director has now made use of a blue filter and this continues through the rest of the sequence and is completely contrasting to the warm yellow of the scene before. The wind is howling and suddenly the director shows us an image of a small robin looking at the man and fluttering away. The wing-beats are heavily accented to exaggerate the feeling of silence before a storm or the fact that Maximus is so in touch with the world around him that he hears every little sound, which, as we later find out, is a very important feature of his character and influences his decisions in all things.Upon first sighting of the character Maximus, the director aims to inspire a feel of awe and honour and has portrayed him thus in order to create an unmistakeable contrast betw een the character of Maximus and Commodus, heir to the throne. Maximus is a general in the army of Rome and although he has yet to set eyes upon the city, he places full allegiance in the hands of his emperor, the dying figure of Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). Later on we discover that he was dreaming about his home and family, whom he had not seen since the start of his campaign. This fact adds to his aura of loyalty and shows us that unlike most figures of power, he is not entertained by thoughts of personal wealth and power, but rather than that by a code of honour and loyalty and above all else, a love for his family, which the director has used to capture the audiences emotion and create a love for Maximus. Seeing the robin makes him smile because it reminds him of home and possibly he sees it ironically; the robin leaving is the innocence leaving before the war, this also shows that he takes pleasure in the small things in life and is not just a general intent on winning, h e is also a normal person with a sense of humanity. The audience will like this aspect of his character and it will bring them closer to the character.In the next scene the director shows us how Maximus troops react to him. The director uses a low angle shot for this part of the sequence and this is a useful technique because it helps to emphasise that he is a figure to be revered and respected and that this is the way others see him. The camera moves along with Maximus and it is from this point of view that the audience is shown the way his troops think of him; as a friend rather than just a figure of authority. The use of this type of shot makes the audience feel that they are witnessing the event as a participant rather than someone with a detached outlook on the scene. The director has emphasised this by the fact that Maximus is walking among his men and greets certain individuals among them whom he has personal experience with, showing that he has shared in their trials.Music p lays a vast role in this sequence and there are three major types of music apparent; the use of a Spanish guitar, the lone voice of Lisa Gerrard and the energetic and fast paced music with a full accompaniment. The Spanish guitar is used when we first see Maximus and continues into the battle scene. It is very fast paced and energetic and helps to build up a feeling of expectance. It introduces a very Mediterranean feel to the movie and quickens the pace of the scene at the same time because it is almost a signal for the battle to start. From its slow trickle to the full on force of the orchestra, it provides an immense build up of energy and expectation, which is all spent as it returns to the slowed, blurred scene of the victory and the calming of hearts, taking the audiences expectation with it, giving a sense of melancholy back.During the battle scene, there is a full orchestra playing, giving a feeling of clashing and violence, as well as one of well-ordered chaos. The piece, c omposed by musician Hans Zimmer, was inspired by the Viennese Waltz and Gustav Holsts, Mars: Bringer of War and both play a huge part in the sequence. The militaristic percussions, strings, and brass accents are some of the more typical elements of music found in Zimmers composition, and they combat desperately with what elements are left of the actual waltz, adding to the whole effect of battle and clashing.A chief aspect in the more supernatural side of the movie was the lone voice of Lisa Gerrard, with her soothing voice adding a Middle-Eastern feel to the movie. Her touch compliments the elements of the Elysium fields during the dream sequence and that of Maximus family that Ridley Scott has incorporated into the film. The skill photography, time lapse, and slow motion effects, allow the audience to be transported into the fields of Elysium and experience at full of such a powerful voice at work.Another key aspect to the sequence is the constant use of contrasts; they are used t o show emphasis on certain events and to help us understand what is taking place in the scene. The first major contrast shown to us is that of the dream sequence in the wheat fields and the first image of the battlefield. The dream sequence is very calm and peaceful and has been shot under a yellow filter. There is the sound of a lone womans voice and of children playing. The wind has also been made audible but it is in the form of a warm breeze and the director conveys an overall sense of warmth in this scene. In direct contrast with this is the battlefield scene; set in the dark Germanic mountainside, with a howling wind in the background. The scene is now under a blue filter and is cold and hard in comparison to the original scene. Even the characters are in contrast in this part as in the former scene there is a caressing hand, running over the wheat crops, clad in normal clothing whereas in the latter, an armour clad warrior. Another example of contrast is between the organisat ion of the Roman army and the mass gathering that is the German Horde. The Roman army seems to be very command driven and restrained, in waiting for the actual battle whereas the Germans are a disorganised rabble, who can barely restrain themselves and will do whatever they want, once released they will just charge with no thought for the consequences. This is meant to reflect the difference between Rome and its enemies, portraying Rome as The Light and its enemies as inferior. The constant use of contrast helps our understanding of how Rome was portrayed and show innocence compared to barbarity and order compared to disorder.During the battle Ridley Scott has created a distinct lack of dialogue between the characters, and when there is speech, it is used to advance the scene. There is one monologue as Maximus communicates with them regiment before the battle and he tries to inspire his cavalry ending with, What we do now echoes in eternity. From then on, the whole scene becomes gra phic and in a way this is more descriptive than it would have actually been with the use of dialogue.The director uses heavily exaggerated sounds during the battle scene as this helps to add to the all-encompassing effect of war. The galloping of the horses hooves upon the battlefield is one of these examples and makes the enemy turn and notice it because it is so loud, and this shows the audience the sheer scale of the Roman army. Another sound that was heavily exaggerated was the constant firing of flaming arrows whistling through the air, seemingly ceaseless giving a feeling of lost hope for the German army and in a way for Romes humanity. Also, the exploding fireball is a sudden burst of energy into what seems a dull landscape, charging the battle with more tension and excitement and reviving the energy of the scene.Another feature of the opening sequence is that it prepares us for future events in the film through symbolism. The dog that accompanies Maximus into the battle is s ymbolic of his loyalty to his family and emperor as dogs are widely known for their loyalty and this is noticeable in the fact that he dedicates his whole life to avenge the death of his family and emperor at any personal cost. The dialogue used by Maximus in this scene is also repeated later in the movie when he is a gladiator, and uses his skills to defeat his enemies. There is also the reoccurring event of him rubbing dirt on his hands before each battle, this is symbolic of his farming roots.In conclusion I think that the director did very well building up excitement as the scenes were filed with tension and expectation and this in coupling with the astounding musical abilities of Hans Zimmer brought Gladiator to what it is now. The film was so successful because it reflects a blood and glorious past, which we humans created and grew from, and how the grip of love reaches past all barriers to people. Overall I think that the director was very successful in the creation of this s cene and the whole opening sequence entices us to want more.

Biodegradable Plastics Essay Example for Free

Biodegradable Plastics Essay The properties of plastics are determined by the polymers that constitute the unit. Based on this, plastics can be modified into biodegradable products by varying the constituents synthetically. Their chemical structures vary due to the substituting polyesters in the polymer chain. Let’s study about the chemical differences and structure of green plastics; PHA and PLA. Amylose and Amylopectin are the major polymer components of starch. In the link structure, all identical chain points are connected to –CH2OH group. The oxygen in the ring structure chain facilitates degradation when reacted with water. Any hybrid variety can be produced with two components: renewable natural polymer (starch) and petroleum based synthetic polymer (PCL). †¢ Polylactide (PLA) is a bioplastic basically made from starch, the basic building material. Here lactic acid (CH3CHOHCOOH) is produced through fermentation where microorganisms convert sugar feedstock into lactic acid. The lactic acid thus isolated is depolymerized to lactide and by Ring-opening polymerization with catalysts it is converted into Polylactide polymer of high molecular weight. Based on the particle size, the rate of biodegradability and transparency varies. They find use in soluble fibers, compose bags and renewable products. †¢ Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) polymers are produced naturally by microorganisms directly from sugar feedstock. The polymer is isolated, purified and processed. These components can be controlled by varying the ratio of sugar feedstock. Synthesized PHA is copolyester composed of 3-hydroxy fatty acids hydroxybuterate, hydroxyvalerate and hydroxyhexanoate. In all PHAs the hydroxyl substituted carbon atom is steriochemical -R configuration. Since they are composed of short chain and long chain length –R groups, they are used for a variety of commercial applications. References Journal of Applied Microbiology, 2007, Pp 1437-1449 Stevens, E. S. , Green Plastics: An introduction to the New Science of Biodegradable Plastics, Princeton University Press, 2003 Biodegradable Plastics. (2016, Oct 08).

The Origin and Significance of European Sovereign Debt Crisis Essay

The Origin and Significance of European Sovereign Debt Crisis - Essay Example Indeed, despite Germany being at the centre of the origin of the European debt crisis, there were other players who had the authority to save the euro member countries from plunging into this crisis. Introduction Manolopoulos (2011) refers to the European sovereign debt crisis as a financial crisis which has caused some Eurozone countries to have difficulties in refinancing respective government debts unless a third party intervenes. The decade preceding 2009 saw the Eurozone achieve much success economically with the European Central Bank, ECB achieving its policy objectives. The inflation was maintained at low with an almost equilibrium GDP. The use of a single currency reduced the cost of transactions with the greatest effect being on territories of countries where financial interactions were intense. Nonetheless, Grahl (2011) noted that with a single currency, member countries lose control of their currencies. As such, the exchange rate becomes fixed and in times of competitiveness problems, the country would not devalue or allow depreciation of its currency. During the crisis of the sovereign debt crisis, Britain was cushioned against this because of not being a member of the Eurozone. Secondly, these countries lose the control of domestic interest rates which influence investment and consumption effectively affecting the economy. It would only be beneficial if the member economies move at par. But with discrepancies, with others in recession while others face inflation, this becomes costly. The average good performance of the Eurozone hid some of these misgivings and individual performances of these countries. For instance, countries negatively affected by the Eurozone debt crisis had inflation rates of above 2% despite the average inflation of the Germany, the largest economy in the Eurozone being always being lower than 2% (Grahl 2011). While Germany had gradual growth, the other countries had domestic booms and entered into debt crisis with Greece being the first casualty followed by Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Italy in that order, with their account deficits being traced back to 1999. These countries borrowed for their domestic financing from abroad such as the housing developments in Spain and Ireland and government spending in Italy financed by German household savings. These financing was given when these countries were unable to service these debts in the long run. Instead of financing human capital and productive projects that would lead to higher future returns, the investments were on public and private consumption and on wasteful construction projects. According to Conquest (2011), financial crises resulting from housing booms would normally lead to sovereign debt crisis. Grahl (2011) further argues that sovereign debt crisis would be further propelled by fears of government’s insolvency as it would fail to pay capital and interest on its bonds. Eventually, capital markets get closed and the governments forced to default. The local currency would then depreciate followed by