History--Alamo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History--Alamo - Essay Example People with a strong knowledge of the historical events at the Alamo were also able to point inaccuracies in parts of the film (McCrisken & Pepper, 2005 p. 22). The earlier Western films starring John Wayne such as Rio Bravo, Fort Apache, and also Rio Grande were in many ways typical examples of the milieu of the Western, and how that genre portrayed the white settlement of the Western states during the 19th century. These motion pictures were not however generally based upon actual historical events (McCrisken & Pepper, 2005 p. 23). John Wayne often played the role of the brave gunfighter attempting to make things better, or the lawman fighting (often alone) the less savoury gunfighters that brought anarchy to the West. John Wayne in the majority of his Western roles plays heroic characters from his youth in Fort Apache through to his later middle age in films such as True Grit (Carter, 2008 p. 83). Occasionally the milieu of the Western would throw up a film that intended to be a highly accurate portrayal of real life historical events, such as The Alamo, starring and also directed by John Wayne. Though John Wayne was not overtly attempting to be very patriotic the film arguably generates the ideological meaning that the successful breakaway of Texas from Mexico was a significant event in the history of the United States itself. As well as a beneficial development for the people of Texas because they escaped the misrule of the Mexicans and went on to gain greater freedom as part of the United States (Carter, 2008 p. 166). Naturally enough John Wayne cast himself as the main figure in the story, Davy Crockett, the man that American folklore most readily identifies with the brave resistance against the Mexican army despite being heavily outnumbered, and easily overcome in the end. The Alamo was made during the golden era of the milieu of the Western, its

Management (impact of recent economic crisis) Essay

Management (impact of recent economic crisis) - Essay Example Such as accountability show the facts of transparency and control shows the overall hands on the situation. With a literature review these are discussed below: A representation is a collateral statement, either by writing not inserted in the policy, or by parole, of such facts or circumstances relative to the proposed adventure, as are necessary to be communicated to the underwriters, to enable them to from a form a just estimate of the risk. A representation, like a warranty but there is a material difference between a representation and a warranty. A warranty, being a condition upon which the contract is to take effect, is always a part of the written policy, and must appear on the face of it. Whereas a representation is only a matter of collateral information or intelligence on the subject of the voyage insured, and makes no part of the policy. A warranty being in the nature of a condition precedent, must be strictly and literally complied with; but it is sufficient if the representation be true in substance, whether a warranty be material to the risk or not, the insured stakes his claim of indemnity upon the precise truth of it, if it be affirmative, or upon the exact performance of it, if executory; but it is sufficient if a representation be made without fraud, and be not false in any material point, or if it be substantially, though not literally, fulfilled. The major reason, the financial institution com

Isomerism in Molybdenum Carbonyl Phosphine Complexes

Isomerism in Molybdenum Carbonyl Phosphine Complexes Part A Preparation and Identification of the Isomers of [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] Introduction Molybdenum carbonyl phosphine complexes with the general formula, [Mo(CO)4L2] where (L=PR3; R=Me, Ph etc) have an octahedral geometry. This means the complexes are able to display either cis or trans stereochemistry. Interconversion between the two isomeric forms is enabled through thermal Mo-P bond cleavage. Only the thermodynamically stable isomer of [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] is formed by direct reaction of Mo(CO)6 and PPh3. So in order to isolate both isomeric forms of the complex, [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] is used as an intermediate. The aim of this experiment was: The preparation of [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] by reaction of Mo(CO)6 with piperidine dissolved in toluene The preparation of cis-[Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] by substitution of piperidine with PPh3 The thermal isomerisation of [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] to produce the trans isomeric form Characterization of the products by IR spectroscopy allowed the isomeric forms of each of the complexes to be identified, and the most stable form of the product to be deduced. Reaction Scheme Method Preparation of [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] A summary of the preparative details for the formation of [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] is detailed in table 1.1 Volume Weight Molar Mass Molar Amount Equivalence Density cm-3 g g mol-1 mol g mL-1 Mo(CO)6 1.00 264.00 3.788E-03 1.00 Toluene 15.00 12.98 92.14 1.408E-01 37.18 0.865 Piperidine 10.00 8.62 85.15 1.012E-01 26.73 0.862 Table 1.1 The preparative details of [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] Mo(CO)6 (1.00 g, 3.79 mmol) was dissolved in a mixture of toluene (15 mL) and piperidine (10 mL, 9.62 g, 101.00 mmol), under an inert atmosphere with stirring at 110 à ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ °C for 2 hours under reflux. The resultant yellow mixture was filtered under vacuum for 15 minutes, washed with ice-cold 60/80 petroleum ether (210 mL), to yield a yellow crystalline solid of [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2]. Yield (1.19 g, 83%); ÃŽ ½max/ cm-1 3250.88 (N-H), 2931.85, 2853.10 (C-H), 2011.73, 1877.24, 1756.58, 1706.11 (C=O), 1476.99, 1462.33 (C-C) In order to calculate the yield of [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] formed, the following method was employed, with details summarised in table 1.2. Mass Obtained Molar Mass Moles Theoretical Yield Percentage Yield g g mol-1 mol g [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] 1.19 378.30 3.146E-03 1.433 83.05 Table 1.2 The yields for the formation of [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] The theoretical mass of [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] was calculated from its molar mass and the number of moles of the limiting reagent, Mo(CO)6 , using the following equation eq.1.1 On formation of [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] the yield of the complex was actually obtained to be 1.19 g. So in order to work out the percentage yield of [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] formed, eq 1.2 was used Preparation of [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] (Isomer A) by Substitution of Piperidine with PPh3 A summary of the details of preparing [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] (isomer A) is given in table 1.3 Volume Weight Molar Mass Molar Amount Equivalence Density/ g mL-1 cm-3 g g mol-1 mol g mL-1 [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] 0.50 378.30 1.322E-03 1.00 PPh3 0.75 262.29 2.859E-03 2.16 CH2Cl2 10.00 13.25 84.93 1.560E-01 118.04 1.325 [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] (0.50 g, 1.32 mmol), triphenylphosphine (0.75 g, 2.86 mmol) and CH2Cl2 (10 mL) were refluxed at 40 à ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ °C, under an inert atmosphere for 15 minutes. The reaction mixture was allowed to cool to room temperature. Then methanol (15 mL) was added to the mixture and cooled in the freezer for 30 minutes. The precipitate was filtered under vacuum for 15 minutes which yielded a pale-yellow solid of [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2](isomer A). Yield (0.43 g, 44%); ÃŽ ½max/ cm-1 2925.53 (C-H), 2011.26, 1876.74, 1756.04, 1706.81 (C=O), 1462.87 (C=C). The yields of the product, [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] (isomer A) are summarized in table 1.4. Mass Obtained Molar Mass Moles Theoretical Yield Percentage Yield g g mol-1 mol g [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] (Isomer A) 0.43 732.58 5.870E-04 0.968 44.41 As before using eq.1.1 and eq.1.2 the percentage yield was calculated from the theoretical yield. However in this case the limiting reagent was found to be [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] Preparation of [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] (Isomer B) by Thermal Isomerisation of Isomer A Table 1.5 shows a summary of the preparative details of [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] (isomer B) Volume Weight Molar Mass Molar Amount Equivalence Density cm-3 g g mol-1 mol g mL-1 [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] (Isomer A) 0.40 732.58 5.460E-04 1.00 Toluene 4.00 3.46 92.14 3.755E-02 68.77 0.865 Since isomer A was produced in a relatively low yield, the thermal isomerisation reaction was scaled so that only 0.4 g of isomer A was used. [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] (isomer A) (0.40 g, 0.55 mmol) was added to toluene (4 mL) and stirred under reflux at 110 à ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ °C for 30 minutes under an inert atmosphere. The solution was cooled to room temperature and 60/80 petroleum ether (9 mL) was added to aid precipitation. The resultant mixure was filtered under vacuum for 15 minutes, rinsed with 60/80 petroleum ether (2 x 5 mL), which yielded a brown solid of [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] (isomer B). Yield (0.26 g, 65%); ÃŽ ½max/ cm-1 3056.60 (C-H), 1873.38 (C=O), 1476.92, 1431.71 (C=C). The yields of the product, [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] (isomer B) are summarized in table 1.6 Mass Obtained Molar Mass Moles Theoretical Yield Percentage Yield g g mol-1 mol g [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] (Isomer B) 0.26 732.58 3.549E-04 0.400 65.00 As before using eq.1.1 and eq.1.2 the percentage yield was calculated from the theoretical yield. Results and Discussion This experiment involved the isolation of the two geometrical isomers of [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2]. Only one of these isomers can be isolated from the direct reaction of PPh3 with [Mo(CO)6]. This reaction requires a long reaction time and high temperatures but yields the more thermodynamically stable geometrical isomer. So in order to isolate the isomer B, an alternative synthetic route was employed. A precursor in the form of [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] was used to yield isomer B, since PPh3 is now able to readily substitute piperidine. This method relies on the nature of the ligands. Piperidine is a weak field ligand, and so forms a relatively weak dative bond with the molybdenum ion. However, PPh3 is a strong field ligand and so binds strongly with the central metal ion. This means PPh3 easily displaces the piperidine ligands to give rise to the isomer B form of the complex [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2]. The first part of the reaction involved the preparation of the intermediate [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] which is a yellow solid which is in agreement with literature. The complex was formed in good yield at 83%. The infrared spectrum of [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] shows four peaks corresponding to C=O vibrations at 2011.73, 1877.24, 1756.58 and 1706.11 cm-1 (lit). This suggests the isomer of the complex formed is the cis geometrical isomer. This can be explained by employing a group theory technique, which uses an unshifted C=O bonds procedure, as illustrated in figure. E C2 ÏÆ'(xz) ÏÆ'(yz) à Ã¢â‚¬Å"CO 4 0 2 2 Cis-[Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] has C2V symmetry and the irreducible representation of unshifted bonds is deduced to be 2A1 + B1 + B2. Since all of these operations are IR active, four peaks are expected in the carbonyl region of the spectrum. In the IR spectrum there is also a peak at 3250.88 which corresponds to an N-H bond. This is indicative of unreacted piperidine. The presence of residual piperidine did not negatively affect the experiment to any significant extent. The synthesis of [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] (isomer A) yielded a pale yellow solid as reported by. The complex produced a 44% yield which affected the proceedings of the reaction as enough product was not formed. This meant the subsequent reaction had to be scaled down. The IR spectrum of [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] (isomer A) displayed four peaks in the carbonyl region at 2011.26, 1876.74, 1756.04 and 1706.81 cm-1 which were similar to those reported in the literature. The compound was also determined to have C2V symmetry which would therefore be expected to give rise to 4 peaks in the spectrum. Therefore isomer A is cis-[Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2]. As a result, it can be deduced that isomer B of [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] is the trans geometrical isomer. The trans isomer has a D4h point group and so is expected to produce a single peak in the IR spectrum. As predicted, the spectrum of isomer B has a peak in the carbonyl region at only 1873.38 cm-1. The trans-[Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] isomer was a brown solid and produced at a reasonable yield of 65%. The trans isomeric form of [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] is the thermodynamically more stable form of the two isomers. The trans isomer required more vigorous reaction condition such as the solvent heated to 110 à ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ °C and a longer reaction time as opposed to the milder conditions used for the formation of the cis isomer. The trans isomer places the two bulky PPh3 ligands as far as possible from one another, at 180 à ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ ° apart, which gives the complex the lowest possible energy. Cis-[Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] is the kinetic product of the reaction since it forms at a faster rate. This is because the activation energy barrier is much smaller, as reflected by the mild conditions imposed (40 à ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ °C toluene, 15 minute reflux). Conclusion The synthesis of all three complexes was successful. A good yield was obtained for the formation of [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] at 83%. However, isomer A of [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] was produced at a relatively low yield of 44%, in comparison to 65% produced for isomer B. The low yield of isomer A affected the proceedings of the subsequent steps of the reaction, and so required a scaling down of reagents used from this point onwards. The infrared spectrum of [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] produced four C=O stretching bands at 2011.73, 1877.24, 1756.58 and 1706.11 cm-1; which matched those reported in literature. This suggested that the complex had a cis geometry and therefore the point group of the complex is C2V. For isomer A of [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2], the point group was also inferred to be C2V. using the method of unshifted C=O bonds, it was determined that four peaks are expected in the spectrum corresponding to C=O vibrations. The infrared spectrum obtained did indeed have four bands at 2011.26, 1876.74, 1756.04 and 1706.81 cm-1. This shows good correlation with the predictions from group theory. For isomer B of [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2], the spectrum displayed a single peak at 1873.38 cm-1 which corresponds to C=O. The geometry of the complex is therefore confirmed to be trans, and the point group deduced to be D4h for the complex. The colours of the complexes showed good agreement with that reported in literature. The intermediate complex [Mo(CO)4(piperidine)2] was yellow in colour. The cis isomer of [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] was pale yellow, whilst the trans isomer was brown. To summarize the products were produced in reasonable yield, and the IR spectra along with group theory allowed the distinction of the isomeric forms of the complexes. Questions A complex ion is formed when a d-block transition metal ion forms a coordinate bond by accepting a pair of electrons from a ligand. A ligand is an ion or molecule that surrounds the metal ion and is able to donate a pair of electrons to it. This means the ligand is a Lewis base, whilst the central metal ion functions as a Lewis acid. There are two types of bonding between a d-block transition metal and a ligand, namely ÏÆ'-bonding and Ï€-bonding. ÏÆ'-bonding is present in all interactions between a metal and ligand because the lone pair of the ligand lies on the internuclear axis. However, some ligands are able to participate in Ï€-bonding interactions. A ligand is said to be a Ï€-donor ligand if the interaction involves donation of electron density from a filled orbital towards an empty metal orbital. It is also possible for a ligand to be a Ï€-acceptor ligand. In this case, electron density is donated from a filled orbital on the metal to an empty orbital on the ligand. The bonding between a d-block transition metal and specific ligands is discussed below: C≠¡O Carbon monoxide is a strong field ligand with its position high in the spectrochemical series, which means that it gives rise to low spin complexes, due to the fact that it has a large value of Δoct. There are two components that describe the metal carbonyl bonding. ÏÆ'-bonding – when a lone pair of electrons from C≠¡O is donated to an empty d-orbital on the metal, this is known as ÏÆ'-bonding. Ï€-acceptor ligand – when electrons from the filled metal d-orbital are donated to an empty Ï€* acceptor orbital on CO, this is known as Ï€-back donation. CO is both a ÏÆ'-donor and Ï€-acceptor ligand. Since these components complement one another, this results in synergic bonding. In other words, the greater the ÏÆ'-donation the greater the Ï€-back donation. However the extent of backbonding does depend on the oxidation state of the metal and the electronic properties of the other ligands present. Structurally, as a result of synergic reinforcing components, the metal carbonyl bond strength is increased, but this means the C≠¡O is weakened, relative to free C≠¡O gas. This is due to an increase in the electron density of the antibonding Ï€* orbital. PPh3 Triphenylphosphine has a lone pair of electrons on P that it is able to donate to the transition metal centre, and so acts as a ÏÆ'-donor ligand as illustrated in figure†¦. The phosphine has a vacant orbital, so in theory it can also act as a Ï€-acceptor ligand. However, the 3d orbitals that are vacant on phosphorus may be of too high energy for Ï€-backdonation to occur. Instead the ÏÆ'* orbital contributes as the main acceptor component. The ability of a phosphine ligand to act as an acceptor is controlled by the identity of the R substituent. Since in PPh3, the substituent is phenyl which is not a very electron-withdrawing group, the Ï€ acceptor properties are weak. This is because the phenyl rings are not electron-withdrawing enough to lower the energy of the 3d orbitals on phosphorus. However, if the R substituent was replaced by an electron-withdrawing group, the Ï€ acceptor properties of the phosphine group would be greater. To summarise, PPh3 is a good donor but a poor acceptor. Piperidine The molecular formula of piperidine is C5H10NH and the structural formula is displayed in figure†¦. Piperidine can act as a ligand because the nitrogen atom has a lone pair of electrons. However unlike CO and PPh3 it is classed as an intermediate field ligand. Piperidine is able to donate its lone pair of electrons on nitrogen to the transition metal centre, and so is said to act as a ÏÆ'-donor. However since the nitrogen atom only has one lone pair of electrons, it is unable to participate in Ï€-backdonation. [Mo(CO)4L2] where L exists as piperidine or PPh3 may exist as two different geometrical isomers: cis or trans. By considering only the C≠¡O bond of the compound in the infrared spectrum and by exploitation of group theory, the molecular arrangement of the compounds prepared could be determined. Cis For cis-[Mo(CO)4L2] the point group was identified to be C2V (since it has a C2 axis, ÏÆ'(xz) and ÏÆ'(yz) components). In the case of cis-[Mo(CO)4L2] the character table for C2V is CHARACTER TABLE C2V here Since only the C≠¡O bonds are being considered, the reducible representation of the number of unshifted C≠¡O bonds under each operation of the point group is detailed in table†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. E C2 ÏÆ'(xz) ÏÆ'(yz) à Ã¢â‚¬Å"CO 4 0 2 2 The reduction formula provides a means of converting a reducible representation into a sum of irreducible representations Where ai= number of times an IRREP contributes to the reducible representation; h= total number of symmetry operations, nR= number of operations in a class; χ(R) = character in reducible representation; χIR= character in IRREP Therefore when the formula is applied to each line of the character table we get: So overall à Ã¢â‚¬Å"CO = 2A1+B1+B2 The complex was then described in terms of vibrational modes, à Ã¢â‚¬Å"CO E C2 ÏÆ'(xz) ÏÆ'(yz) à Ã¢â‚¬Å"CO 2 0 1 1 Using table (C2v character table) it can be seen that A1, B1 and B2 are all infrared active. Therefore cis-[Mo(CO)4L2] would be expected to give rise to four peaks in the vibrational spectrum. The same process was carried out for the trans isomer in order to determine the number of IR active bands in the vibrational spectrum. Trans For trans-[Mo(CO)4L2] the point group was identified to be D4h In the case of trans-[Mo(CO)4L2] the character table for D4h is CHARACTER TABLE D4h here Since only the C≠¡O bonds are being considered, the reducible representation of the number of unshifted C≠¡O bonds under each operation of the point group is detailed in table†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. E 2C4 C2 2C2’ 2C2† i 2S4 ÏÆ'h 2ÏÆ'i 2ÏÆ'd à Ã¢â‚¬Å"3N 4 0 0 2 0 0 0 4 2 0 As before the reduction formula was used to convert the reducible representation into a sum of irreducible representations Therefore when the formula is applied to each line of the character table we get: E 2C4 C2 2C2’ 2C2† i 2S4 ÏÆ'h 2ÏÆ'i 2ÏÆ'd ai A1g 4 0 0 4 0 0 0 4 4 0 1 A2g 4 0 0 -4 0 0 0 -4

Health Care Reform Essay -- Medical Medicine Essays

Health Care Reform INTRODUCTION Several years ago, health care reform was a hot political topic with President Bill Clinton's proposals to revolutionize medical health insurance. Even though his proposals didn't become law, sweeping changes are occurring within the health care system, particularly in regards to managed care health insurance and the reengineering of the hospital. The goals of these changes are to cut medical costs, make the delivery of health care more efficient, and to promote preventive medicine, health, and primary care. While these changes are positive in many ways, they are also creating concerns among both the health care consumer and provider. These changes must be managed to insure that high quality care remains at the forefront of medical care. MANAGED CARE HEALTH INSURANCE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT Managed care plans are the fastest growing form of health insurance (Whigham-Desir, 1996). Sarah Glazer (1996) describes the concept of managed care: "The underlying principle of managed care is to keep the entire community healthy by providing preventive care, such as immunizations and mammograms, at little or no cost. In exchange for lower premiums, copayments and deductibles, the consumer agrees to see a limited group of physicians selected by the plan. The plan keeps costs down by limiting the consumer's access to expensive specialists and procedures." Since three-fourths of Americans receive health insurance through their employer, managed care plans are becoming increasingly popular as both employer and employee seek to decrease medical care costs (Whigham-Desir, 1996). Managed care has been around since the 1930s when HMOs were formed to promote preventive medicine among doctors (Sprag... ...s its moral power." Health care is one of the most important aspects of society, and with the change taking place, it is paramount that it is a managed change which will benefit everyone. Works Cited: Bennett Clark, Jane (1996, July). What you should ask your HMO. Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine. pp. 92-93. Glazer, Sarah (1996, April 12). Managed Care. CQ Researcher, 6, 313-336. Koop, C. Everett (1996, Fall). Manage with care. Time. pp. 69. Larson, Erik (1996, January 22). The soul of an HMO. Time. pp. 44-52. Shortell, Stephen M.; Gillies; Robin R.; & Devers, Kelly J. (1995, Summer). Reinventing the American hospital. The Milbank Quarterly. pp. 131-160. Spragins, Ellyn (1996, June 24). Does your HMO stack up? Newsweek. pp. 56-60. Whigham-Desir, Marjorie (1996, February). What to know about choosing an HMO. Black Enterprise. pp. 160-165.

Neorealist Aesthetics on Rome Open City and 8 1/2 Essay

Introduction To critically evaluate the influences of neorealist aesthetics on Rome, Open City (1945) and 8 ½ (1963) I believe there are several measure I have to take. First of all, I believe it is essential to get a clear understanding of Italian neorealism and the common aesthetics of neorealist films. Once I have that established it will enable me to critically evaluate the influences of neorealist aesthetics on Rome, Open City and afterwards, 8 ½, drawing them both together in the conclusion. The end of World War II, and Mussolini’s fascist regime in 1945 enabled a national film movement to flourish in Italy. This movement was branded ‘Italian neorealism’, and with its unique aesthetic style and themes it produced, arguably, some of the most influential films ever made. Neorealism was seen to be a perfect way for Italian filmmakers to portray the misery and suffering they, and the entire nation experienced throughout this period of repression. Martha Nochimson describ es Italian neorealism as: A strong form of filmic poetry that aims for truth in its stories about the poor and the working class, without using the glamorizing techniques that Hollywood prefers, (that) can only be fully understood within the context of Italian social and political history. Italian neorealism has distinctive stylistic qualities that give it an almost documentary, ‘newsreel’ feel to the films. Neorealists believed this greatly added to the authenticity of each film and depicted life at that time in a more realistic way. Common characteristics of neorealist films are that they are shot on location, use non-professional or relatively unknown, inexperienced actors, have plain and simple mise-en-scene, avoid complex editing, have a straight forward, feely moving documentary style of photography and have a loosely plotted narrative. Martha Nochimson summerises this perfectly in stating that: Neorealists insisted on taking their cameras into real locations, using natural light and sound, and stripping their characters of synthetic enhancements. They frequently experimented with using non-professional and young unknown actors in order to avoid the carefully calculated mannerisms of the star. As well as having  a distinctive style, neorealist films also tended to have thematic similarities too. They generally placed emphasis on the contemporary situation, focused on the struggles of the lower class, marginalised population within society and often avoided the conventional Hollywood, ‘happy-ever-after’ endings. Rome, Open City is considered by many to be one of the most influential films ever made, and as a result it firmly put Italian neorealism on the map in world cinema. Due to the production starting virtually immediately after the occupying Germans departed, Peter Brunette described, ‘that the making of the film was carried out in the worst possible conditions’. Because Rome was still recovering from the devastating impact the war had on the city Rossellini had no other choice but to use real locations as the film studios within the area had either been bombed, or were being used as shelter for refugees affected by the destruction of the city. Marcus Millicent points out other obstacles Rossellini faced during the production, he states, ‘the lack of studio space, the absence of sophisticated equipment, and the scarcity of film stock forced Rossellini to adopt the simplicity of means that was responsible for the authentic and uncontrived look of his finished product.’ These conditions, resulting in the need for improvisation, were also true for most films produced during the height of neorealism up until its rapid decline in the early 1950s. However some critics argue that the conditions Rossellini faced have been exaggerated, especially in regards to the poor film stock he was believed to use. Christopher Wagstaff points out, ‘The ‘look’ of Rome Open City has been attributed to poor film stock, yet the film was beautifully photographed by Ubaldo Arata on entirely appropriate film stock, one kind for interiors and another for exteriors.’ One of Rome, Open City’s main neorealist characteristics is the thematic issue’s the film covers. Typical the neorealist films, Rome, Open City depicts the struggle of the poor, working class people within society at that time, in this case, as they try and resist the German occupation. Despite the obvious neorealist theme, critics have argued that Rossellini has deviated from neorealism within the narrative as he relies heavily on the use of melodrama within the plot and uses techniques to over dramatize the ‘epic’ moments he has created within the film, for example the use of none diagenic sound during the scene of Pina’s death is not a technique that is typically used in neorealist as  it defers too much from reality itself. Stephen Hanson even goes as far a stating, ‘its plot is highly melodramatic in the worst sense of the word.† Peter Brunette supports this view, he argues that Rossellini, â€Å"pawns off his   fictions as if they were realities in the best tradition of Hollywood. Not only do critics argue that Rossellini over dramatizes the plot, they also believe that he adopts a more linear narrative compared to the typical neorealist film. Peter Brunette argues that Rome, Open City is, ‘one of Rossellini’s most conventional films, at least in terms of its narrative and dramatic structures.’ He believes this conventional narrative style bears no benefit to the film and even goes on to state, ‘Here, unlike in his previous films, all elements of the mise-en-scene, lighting, dialogue, and everything else, however â€Å"realistic†, are rigorously enlisted in the service of a linear narrative.’ Rossellini’s use of mainly non-professional actors is a clear neorealist aesthetic within the film, however Peter Brunette argues that Rossellini did not abide by this neorealist trend entirely, as he points out, ‘(Anna) Magnani (who plays the role of Pina) was hardly a newcomer to the screen-she had already some sixteen films to her credit since her first role in 1935,’ and continues to add that she was, ‘well know to Italian audiences.’ A final neorealist stylistic quality Rossellini used in Rome, Open City, that seemingly can’t be disputed is the non-elaborative mise-en-scene. Each character’s costume was typical of what would have been wearing at the time the film was set, as we can see in ‘figure 1.’ of Pina, just before her death, with several other women. In contrast to Rome, Open City, 8  ½ varies greatly in regards to neorealism, however, Federico Fellini had strong connections to the neorealist movement and these influences can be seen in certain aspects of 8 ½. One of his first roles in cinema was to work alongside Rossellini for Rome Open City and Paisa (1946) as a scriptwriter, which progressively led to him making his own films. Although Fellini’s first films were considered neorealist, (For example, ‘Variety Lights’ (1950) and The White Sheik (1952)) he soon moved away from neorealism and with 8 ½ he produced a film that devotes much more effort to dreams, fantasy and imagination than it does to reality. However, if you look solely at the scenes that are set in Guido’s reality you can soon identify the influence neorealism has had on Fellini’s work. The free  moving camera style that gave neorealist films a ‘documentary’ feel to it is also evident in 8 ½. During the scen e where Guido enters the hotel and is consistently bombarded and hassled by everyone, unable to get a moment’s piece is a perfect example of how Fellini adopts this style. Throughout this scene the shots are also considerably long, (which is another stylistic quality many neorealist films possess) as the camera tracks Guido making his way through the hotel lobby. It can also be argued that 8 ½ has a greater neorealist quality to it than Rome, Open City in regards to the narrative and plot. Many neorealist films are not hung up on plot, and are more interested in providing a realistic ‘slice of life’ of the characters world (for example, ‘Bicycle Thieves (1948)). As well as the lack of a non-linear story, Fellini is influenced greatly by neorealist aesthetics as he uses real location throughout 8 ½. Although particular scenes in 8 ½ have aesthetic similarities and influences derived from neorealism, the film as a whole is has little relevance to neorealism in most aspects. For example there are very little thematic similarities as a typical neorealist film concentrates in portraying the poverty, suffering and oppression of the working class, 8 ½ is a semi-biographical film Fellini has based on himself. Jack Hirschman describes 8 ½ as, â€Å"Fellini’s most directly autobiographical statement.† Another key variation from neorealist aesthetics is the fact that Fellini expresses imagination, fantasy and dreams at the expense of realism. To conclude I believe that the two films discussed in this essay are not the only respective two of their kind, in regard to neorealist films deviating from the traditional aesthetic qualities expected of it, (for example De Sica’s neorealist film, Miricale in Milan (1951) explored fantasy, at the expense of its realist qualities,) and Fellini’s 8  ½ is of course, not the only film to be influenced by neorealism. Some critics even question neorealist aesthetic qualities further and argue because of the very nature of film production it is impossible to create an entirely realist film, Christopher Wagstaff questions a film’s realism by arguing: Within the narrative of a film, meanings can be signified indexically: if a little boy bursts into tears in a given narrative context, the meaning might be that he is frightened, disappointed or angry- the emotion caused the behaviour; but in ‘reality’ the actor (whether ‘professional’ or not) cried because the director told him to. Peter Brunette even goes as far as stating, â€Å"the only  valid subject for realist cinema is the impossibility of realist cinema.† Bibliography 8  ½ / Otto e mezzo, dir. by Federico Fellini (Colombia Pictures, 1963) Aumont, Jacques, Aesthetics of Film (Austin: University of Texan Press, 1992) Bicycle Thieves/ Ladri di biciclette, dir. by Vittorio De Sica (Ente Nazionale Industrie Cinematografiche, 1948) Bondanella, Peter, The Films of Federico Fellini (UK: Cambridge University Press, 2002) Brunette, Peter, Roberto Rossellini (Berkeley: Univerity of California Press, 1996) Forgacs, David, Sarah Lutton and Geoffrey Nowell-Smith, Roberto Rossellini: Magician of the Real (UK: British Film Institute, 2000) Gottlied, Sidney, Roberto Rossellini’s Rome open city (UK: Cambridge University Press, 2004) Hirschman, Jack, ‘Film Reviews’, Film Quarterly, Vol. 17, No. 1, (1963) Hanson, Stephen. L, Roma, città   aperta (2012) < http://www.filmreference.com/Films-Ra-Ro/Roma-Citt-Aperta.html> [accessed 20th March 2012] Millicent, Marcus, Italian Film in the Light of Neorealism (New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1986) Miracle in Milan/ Miracolo a Milano, dir. by Vittorio de Sica (Criterion Collection, 1951) Nochimson, Martha. P, World on Film: an introduction (UK: John Wiley and Sons, 2010) Rome, Open City/Roma, città   aperta, dir. by Roberto Rossellini (Minerva Film Spa, 1945) Sparshott, F. E, ‘Basic Film Aestheics’, Journal of Aesthetic Education, Vol. 5, No. 2, (1971) The White Sheik/ Lo Sceicco Bianco, dir. by Frderico Fellini (OFI, 1952) Variety Lights/ Luci del Varietà  , dir. by Federico Fellini (Capitolium, 1950) Wagstaff, Christopher, Italian Neorealist Cinema: An Aesthetic Approach (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2007)

Case Study: a Perky Way to Productivity Essay

1.The importance of employee benefits as a strategic component of fulfilling the goals of HRM is to produce quality workers and to keep turnovers at a minimal. Although many benefits are not legally required, it is important for companies to keep up with competition and know how to get and keep their employees. Working as a Human Resource Manager I must know what motivates and attracts quality workers, with most the paycheck is just not enough, they also require benefits or perks to stay or come with a company. Using benefits as a strategic component helps enhance the effectiveness, morale, productivity and achievement of goals. Employees tend to be more motivated to work when they feel they are attended to. When they can feel that they have benefited from the organization, they become loyal to an employer and will stay from moving to other organizations. Savings due to retention overthrown the benefit costs thus make the organization a workplace with more income. Through employee benefits, goals to fulfill goals of HRM are achieved in efficient and effective ways. I wouldn’t want to run the company as a tyrant any ways and one must make their employees happy as rewards for all their hard work to help you achieve the company goals. The company wouldn’t lose out of this if set up properly. If profit or production is not high enough then perks/rewards/benefits couldn’t be offered. The employee would have to have stipulations but both side benefits as long as work is being produced. 2.Genentech and Zappos are using employee benefits as a motivating tool by offering benefits that keep them from being distracted and to not worry. Obviously Genentech has done a great job of this by celebrating their 11th year on Fortune’s â€Å"Best Places to Work† list. This company understands it takes more than just money to motivate their workers. The desire of being accepted and appreciated is equally if not more important, and Genentech has found ways to show its’ employees this and more. Genentech keeps their workers from being distracted or keeps their employees secured so they can concentrate on producing for Genentech such as, unlimited sick leave, onsite nurses, & so many more things. An undistracted employee is most likely a safe employee and stay focused in work activities. While at Zappos they give their employees on-site child care, on-site lunches, & sending employees home with prepared dinners as rewards for longevity that their employees put in. Zappos motivates their workers to put in the hours and in return their meals are prepared for them so no worries on taking the time to figure out what to eat and getting it prepared, it’s no done all for them. Some employees won’t have to worry about rushing to pick up their kids at the sitters or if they see their kids enough, they can actually bring their kids to work and they are there with them†¦in a sense. This takes such a weight off some employees they can concentrate completely on work and producing. 3.I believe the incentive benefits such as those offered at Genentech and Zappos can be used in other organizations. They can implement the exact same benefits or change it up so it actually benefits their employee’s wants. In their organization. Most companies already know that the happier their employees are the more they produce and work for the company. Of course with every good thing there will be the share of those that try to take advantage of the benefits but in the most part in works and produces positive outcomes. However not every organization will use the same benefits package, they would have to see what‘s in their budget and what would make their employees happy. Also, I found in a few companies that benefits are not offered and they have a few loyal employees. I tried to figure this one out and it just seems the relationship is family like with owner, as a comfort level has been built. I guess in a way this would be a benefit because things can be excused from being so close. But once again it goes into a happy employee produces well and works well.