The quiet american Essay Example For Students

The quiet american Essay The film The Quiet American takes place during the 1950s in Vietnam. The movie illustrates the atmosphere of Vietnam previous to the Vietnam War and during the French occupation of the country. The main plot of the movie revolves around three characters: Fowler played by Michael Caine, Pyle played by Brendan Fraiser, and Phoung played by Do Thi Hai Yen. For the duration of the movie the three main characters are involved in a semi love triangle. This triangle and the emotions that the male characters feel towards Phoung begin to characterize the way they feel about the country of Vietnam itself. Vietnam becomes feminized, taboo, and sexualized just as Phoung does in Pyle and Fowlers eyes. The manner in which Fowler and Pyle struggle over Phoung represents the approach that Britain and America employed in their fight to save Vietnam from communism. Pyles intentions toward Phoung, although similar in some cases to Fowlers, differ greatly at the same time. Both men view Phoung as a sort of object that needs to be saved or requires some sort of assistance in order to endure life. When Pyle falls in love with Phoung upon their first meeting, he decides that he must do whatever he can or whatever he deems necessary in order to save Phoung from a lowly existence. This is the exact same way that Pyle views Vietnam and its present condition. He wants to rescue Vietnam from what he believes to be unadulterated evil: communism. Pyle does this in any way necessary, whether it requires his support of a third party dictator or standing by and watching the massacre of countless innocent Vietnamese citizens. Pyle doesnt love Vietnam so much as he hates communism, in the same way he doesnt love Phoung so much as he does not want Fowler to have her. Fowler on the other hand walks a thin line between noninvolvement and participation within the situations at hand. Fowler believes that Vietnam should be left to make its own decisions, but at the same time he is afraid of the conseq uences of such choices. This policy of noninvolvement and noncommittal is the same way that he approaches all the situations within his life. Fowler does not want to become concerned with the circumstances occurring in Vietnam and he also does not wholeheartedly become involved in the situation between Pyle and Phoung until he is forced to do so. He essentially permits Phoung to decide whom she wants to be with until he is compelled to leave his state of neutrality when it does not seem as if he will become the winner of her heart. Yet again Fowlers feelings towards Phoung embody his feelings towards Vietnam. Fowler wanted to give Phoung a chance to make her own decisions until he becomes petrified that she will choose the stability of Pyle rather than himself. In a similar way, Fowler believed that Vietnam should be able to choose what would occur in its own future but he was afraid at the same time that they would make the wrong decision and elect a communist leader. Although Phou ngs embodiment of Vietnam is the major personification of the film, there is yet another. During the film, Phoung refers to French men and their instability as boyfriends to Vietnamese women. The women of Vietnam become disillusioned with the French suitors much as Vietnam becomes disillusioned with France and wants their occupancy of the country to come to an end. Once the Vietnamese women become disenchanted with the French men they turn to suitors from Britain and America much like Phoung turned to Pyle and Fowler. This is representative of Vietnam pitting Britain and America against one another in order to gain whatever it was that was needed at the timed, whether it was an end to French occupancy or financial and military support. You must choose a side in order to remain human, this is what Fowlers associate reminds him of towards the end of the film. This is what this movie was really about. In the end everyone had to choose which side they were going to be on. Even Fowler ha d to make a choice. By opting to fight for Phoung, Fowler also decided to fight for Vietnams right to choose. By choosing to save Phoung, Pyle chooses to save the country that he loved so dearly. When its all said and done, it does not really make a difference which side you choose as long as you choose a side. .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955 , .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955 .postImageUrl , .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955 , .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955:hover , .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955:visited , .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955:active { border:0!important; } .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955:active , .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955 .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua1ce8cb0f5f58ddd0940b8da48d2d955:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Pornography on the internet Essay We will write a custom essay on The quiet american specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now

AIDS Tax essays

AIDS Tax essays In the medical world, AIDS is fairly new, only beginning to be diagnosed in the 1980s and just barely has it begun to be understood by doctors. It is estimated that this fatal virus affects 37 million people worldwide. Countries that are still developing are the ones hit the hardest. In South Africa alone over 5 million people are living with AIDS or are HIV positive. This large number really plays a role in how businesses in South Africa are affected. A recent study was done to understand how AIDS impacts businesses. Six companies in Botswana and South Africa were surveyed. These were large, successful companies; 4 of which were subsidiaries of transnational corporations. The companies were in a range of industries from media to mining. Employing between 500 to 35,000 people each. A voluntary survey was given out to discover how many were affected by AIDS and how it impacted the companies financially. The study found that there was a large range of percentage of people infected with AIDS and that the number heavily depended on the type of job the person held. Overall 7.9% to 29% of the employees were infected with AIDS. Companies in mining and metal processing seemed to be affected the most, with more than 23 percent of their employees suffering from AIDS/HIV. On the other hand, only 14 percent of people holding supervisory or managerial jobs were infected. The study sought out what HIV-infected employees were costing them. Some of the costs included were medical care, benefits payment, training a replacement worker, insurance premiums and missed days of work due to illness from HIV/AIDS. The annual AIDS tax as it was dubbed in the study raged from 0.4% of the annual wage bill at a company to 5.9%. For one company that meant a cost of $11.9 million per year. There are also many indirect costs of losing an employee to AIDS. These costs were not included in the estimates for the AIDS ...

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Case Study Example Both companies are facing the prospects of the impending technological obsolescence of the personal computers, should they not be able to update their product design and construction to the present trend in consumer. Clients’ tastes are moving towards maximum integration, involving all-in-one solutions for personal, business, and other consumer applications. The industry is thus experiencing a consolidation that is forcing IT hardware, OS and applications developers to combine into converged firms; those unable to do so will have to quickly develop internal capabilities to meet the integrated technology – which is highly unlikely – or certainly lose out market share to the competition (International Business Times, 2011). New trends include (1) growing popularity of tablet computers and other mobile web surfing gadgets that are expected to eventually and totally replace personal computers; (2) cloud computing, which involve wharehousing data in third party servers; and (3) verticalisation, which involves an integration of product stages such that hardware, operating systems and applications developers tend to assimilate each others’ businesses. Presently, neither Dell nor HP are in the position to significantly meet these trends in the immediate future. Looking back, the same strategies that gained early success for Dell and HP are no longer relevant. Dell relied on supply chain cost-cutting efficiencies, while HP on product diversification (calculators to computers to printers). These early strategies were not proprietary and were quickly copied by competitors. Admittedly, a major strategic error was for DELL and HP to cut down on their R&D just as Apple surged on with its iPod , iPhone and iPad products. Consequently, HP and Dell sales are cut down (The Economic Times, 2011). The two company’s leadership in the PC technology has also become the reason for its present inadequacy. PCs are still seen

Will single issue movement for soil conservation and clean water Essay

Will single issue movement for soil conservation and clean water inevitably fail - Essay Example Over exploitation has led to climate change and global warming. Human activities, such as urbanization and industrialization have resulted in pollution of water and air that causes global warming due to acidic rainfall. Global warming has been a menacing problem to the world over the years. Many countries have formed commissions to try and come up with measures that will control these changes. Soil pollution is a result of over-cultivation of the land and use of harsh fertilizers. Failure to plant cover crops leads to erosion of the top soil that is fertile and good for crop production. Industrialization has led to water pollution. Agents of water pollution are; sewage water that is channeled into the rivers, industrial waste, and oil spillage into water bodies. It is important to keep the water bodies clean because the water is said to be life. Contaminated water leads to various diseases that affect both human beings and plants. Nature can be unforgiving if not cared for .The Nobel Prize winner Wangari Mathai said if we do not take care of the nature, nature will destroy us. Single issue movement of soil conservation and clean water will inevitably fail. This is because, single issue movement deals with one policy; the solution may not be in a position to solve the problem because it is one sided. This paper is going to analyze how single issue movement of soil conservation and clean water will fail. A lingering concern is that the quality of soil is destroyed by over exploitation by human beings and use of harsh fertilizers. Thus, single issue movement concentrates on how to control use of harsh fertilizers and forgets to address over-exploitation which makes it to fail. Soil conservation refers to strategies put forth to control soil being eroded or being altered by land use. Exploitation of the soil is as a result of the rapid

Criminology-Police Brutality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Criminology-Police Brutality - Essay Example ely to produce great bodily injury† and with assault â€Å"under color of authority.† This triggered massive riots in the streets of Los Angeles, now referred to as the LA Riots, and is known to be one of the worst and most destructive civil disturbances in the history of melting-pot State. More than fifty people lost their lives in the three-day frenzy of violence. The main cause of furor was the belief that the police violence was racially-motivated and the ferocity of the attack would not have happened if Rodney King were white. As unfortunate as the outcome was, the incident could be said to be a good learning tool in that it invites us to revisit the issue of police brutality and the question of whether or not such brutality by law enforcement officers made while in the line of duty actually result in effective law enforcement. And if it were so – i.e., if apprehension of criminals was actually more certain if the police engage in strong-arm tactics – is this enough reason to bend or relax human rights standards in the Constitution and in various human rights instruments? Legal systems in the civilized world – whether in civil or common law jurisdictions -- have, at least in theory, given primacy to the rights of the accused, understanding that ambiguity should be resolved in his or her favor. This, however, does not mean that one must let down his or her vigilance and stop guarding against possible infringement of constitutional guarantees by overzealous judges, particularly at a time when human rights advocacy for the accused has been made unpopular by the rising rate of crime. It used to be that the primacy of the State is the core principle of the international legal regime as it is traditionally known. This, however, has been challenged by the alarming rise of state-sponsored human rights violations that has prodded the community of nations to recognize that its more pressing duty is to protect the individual from systemic and institutional

Visiting The Gold Coast †The Surfer’s Paradise

Visiting The Gold Coast – The Surfer’s Paradise Gold Coast – The Surfer’s Paradise Hello A coastal city in the southeast Queensland state of Australia, Gold Coast is home to around 3 million people. Surfing is one of the main interests here. Both locals and tourists take a serious interest in surfing here. 35 kilometres of its golden sand beaches puts it as one of the most popular beach holiday destinations in Australia. Over two million tourists visit Gold Coast annually. Best Season to visit Gold Coast Gold Coast is open all around the year. You can expect clear-sky winters, crisp autumn mornings and golden and vibrant summers. When you have close to 300 days of sunshine a year, formal seasons become less apparent. Temperatures are much cooler in rural areas and the hinterland all through the year. The peak seasons are mainly summer (December to February) and autumn (March to May). Highlights (Special Things to Do in Gold Coast) Adrenaline-pumping rides, exotic animals and endless number of waterslides will help cool you off here. Gold Coast holidays have a full range of interactive entertainment to offer, be it big dazzling theme parks or small yet hilariously quirky museums. Let your hair loose at one the many theme parks dotting Gold Coast. Gold Coast is home to some of the largest and best theme parks in the world. You can Cuddle a koala, feed a flock of rainbow lorikeets or even swim with the dolphins – do much more at the wild parks and aquariums nearby. Revisit history, at some of the city’s oldest and most renowned attractions. Watch Whales. Experience the bio-diverse city and the largest subtropical rainforest in Australia, at the natural parks and attractions around the city. Sample the city’s stunning walking tracks that come with incredible lookouts. Learn how beer is brewed and taste one of the region’s finest wines at a local vineyard. Rejuvenate and unwind at one of Gold Coast’s award-winning spas or wellness retreats. Indulge in sports and recreational activities, from surfing to sky diving. Hotspots of Gold Coast You can check out these popular places to visit in Gold Coast. Surfers Paradise: Surfers Paradise is the signature high-rise settlement emerging out of the commercial centre of the Gold Coast. Surfers Paradise Beach: Three-kilometre long strip of golden sands between Surfers Paradise and the Pacific Ocean is a picture perfect location that mesmerizes millions every year. SkyPoint Climb: This is the highest external building walk in Australia. Feel a sense of achievement when you stand on a 270 meter high with the sun shimmering around you with a 360 degree view of golden sands, lush green tropical mountains and the Gold Coast skyline. Ripleys Believe It Or Not!: Get overwhelmed by hundreds of incredible exhibits, rare stories, mystery and magic, incredible deceptions, interactive games and astounding movies. Movie Stunt Experience: Be an action hero, choosing whether to break through windows, commando-style or fly around by being suspended on wires or jump from buildings or even be lit on fire. Slingshot Gold Coast: Holding 2 people at a time, with a video camera attached to capture the riders’ reactions, the Slingshot catapults you 80 meters up in the air. Jetboat Extreme: Spin and slide across the sea in a custom-built, twin-jet-powered, turbo-charged jet boat. Coolangatta Coolangatta Beach: Known for its slow pace and laid back lifestyle, it is the southernmost beach in Queensland. Snapper Rocks: Snapper Rocks is a small rocky ridge that is famous for the Superbank, the start of the large sand bank. Kirra Beach: The small rocky headland Kirra Point, is known as one of the worlds leading surf breaks. This surf break is known for producing high quality waves. Gold Coast Skydive: You get to jump off a plane at 12,000 feet above the ground; free-fall for roughly 40 seconds before opening the parachute to take in the mesmerising beauty of Gold Coast, and finally landing on to the warm sand of Kirra Beach. Southport The Rockpools: A water theme park for all age groups, the Rockpools that comes with a coastal theme has a creek bed and an array of pools that mimic coastal tides. Burleigh Heads Burleigh Heads Beach: Simply Burleigh to locals, it sits like a pause, between Surfers Paradise and Coolangatta to the north and south respectively. It’s a charming punctuation mark along the Gold Coast and absolutely a place to stop and take notice. Springbrook Natural Bridge: Natural Bridge at Springbrook National Park is the most uncommon geological feature created by water flowing through the roof of a basalt cave for millions of years. It is home to an enchanting colony of glow-worms, which can be seen after sunset. Mermaid Beach Putt Putt Golf: Play golf in one of the three unbelievably themed 18 Hole Courses with themes like the Jungle Trail, Waterways Cove or the Fun Run. Navigate through bizarre animals, conquer motorised obstacles and cruise along a water filled putting adventure. Currumbin Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary: More than 1,400 native Australian animals on display here in a natural bush land and rainforest landscape. The Sanctuary offers a world of discovery through enthralling wildlife shows, night safari and an interactive science activity zone. Shopping in Gold Coast Offering a shopping experience like no other, the Gold Coast has a range of options from department stores and discount traders to boutiques and specialty shops, markets and also duty free stores. For cheap souvenirs and t-shirts go to Cavill Mall and its surrounding areas. Dozens of stores in and around Surfers Paradise cater solely to the tourist crowd and you could end up picking up sheepskins, Australian opals, wool products and even aboriginal artefacts. Out of the numerous shopping centres in Surfers Paradise the popular ones are the Chevron Renaissance and the Centro Shopping Plaza. These places are good for a tourist shopping; however for day to day value items it is better to shop elsewhere. For a selection of high-end or mid-range boutiques and shops, head to the Orchard Avenue, Elkhorn Avenue and Cavill Avenue in Surfers Paradise. Care should be taken while purchasing in Surfers Paradise as counterfeits are very common. It’s an irony that the real Louis Vuitton boutique is right next to the fake goods shops on Elkhorn Avenue. Robina Town Centre has a modern shopping mall with eateries and shops that take care of everyone’s needs. A large selection of shops across all budgets can be found at Harbor Town Center in Biggeria Waters. The small farmers market across the road is a must visit for its good restaurants and delis. How to reach Gold Coast Air By Plane The Gold Coast Airport, better known as the Coolangatta Airport, is located in Coolangatta to the south of the city. It is a pretty unique airport as it lies across the Queensland and New South Wales borders; you would always land in one state and arrive in the other. Though it is a fairly small terminal, it receives around 3.5 million travellers annually. The airport is well connected with major cities in Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. Another thing to keep in mind is that it is NOT a 24 hour airport, so do not plan on staying overnight before an early morning flight. The Gold Coast Tourist Shuttle runs transit services from the Gold Coast Airport to hotels and theme parks all over Gold Coast. Customer service kiosks are in the located in the international and domestic terminals. An alternative, especially if using a rented car, is to fly into Brisbane Airport. You have better connectivity from there. Land By Train CityTrain is an electric train service between Brisbane and Nerang, Robina, Coomera and Helensvale. It’s roughly a 70 minutes journey from Brisbane Central to Robina and Nerang. As the train runs along the coast you can check which station on route is closest to your destination. Countrylink in New South Wales has trains running from Sydney with bus services at the Casino to Surfers Paradise. How to get around Gold Coast Car Gold Coast is easily accessible by car, and large parking lots at most locations make parking a less harrowing experience. Most car rental services are available here. Bus Surfside Buslines, are the main form of public transport here in Gold Coast and they have designated stops on most areas. Buses are available 24 hours a day; the frequency is higher during the day. Airport Transfers (shuttles) operate point to point’ between Coolangatta Airport and most places along the coast and are a popular substitute to taxis. Taxi – Taxis are available but expect to wait longer for it on busy nights. Bike The Gold Coast Ocean way is a 36km pathway meant for pedestrians and cyclists connecting the Gold Coast Seaway to Point Danger, covering most of the coastline on route. Top areas in Gold Coast Surfers Paradise Surfers Paradise, located on long stretches of golden beaches is where surfers do more than just riding the waves. High rise apartments line the shore, nightclubs, pubs are abundant here. The late night shopping will keep you busy all through. Most Gold Coast hotels, high end and budget, are located around here. Broadbeach â€Å"Broadie† as called by the locals, it is a quieter version of Surfers Paradise. It is known for its gorgeous beaches dotted by lazy parks and bustling weekend markets. It is the second busiest tourist suburb and is home to casinos, shopping centres and many eateries. Mount Tamborine Located in the peaceful and scenic hinterland and at just an hour from Gold Coast, it is a tropical rainforest, populated with unique, vibrant and colourful, exotic birds. Many interesting types of flora and fauna can also be found here. It is also known for its serene calm atmosphere. Main Beach High-rises and resorts dot this upmarket suburb. Located at the northern end of the Gold Coast, Main Beach is called so as it was the main surf beach at Southport. Its open shore break makes it very popular with Surfers. Burleigh Heads Home to tall aromatic pine trees, this parkland has plenty of places where you can picnic or have a barbecue. You would also find arts and crafts markets here, where you can haggle your way to a good deal. You can find good mid-range accommodation here. Coolangatta – This is one of the twin cities located on the border between New South Wales and Queensland. The surf here is outstanding, particularly off the northern corner of Coolangatta Beach. Snapper Rocks and Duranbah are world-class surf breaks that are located here. You also have a few mid-range accommodation options here. Mermaid Beach This is simply a serene laid-back spot. There’s an extensive mixture of dining options here ranging from modern Australian to a lot of Pan Asian culinary options. While there are plenty of cheap accommodation options here, from apartments to caravan parks, do not forget to check out the flashy and flamboyant ‘millionaire’s row. Miami – A small beach town located south of Surfers Paradise, Miami has a beautiful stretch of golden sands that is perfect for families. Thank You!

Augustine and Skepticism Essay

Though considered one of the founders of theology, specifically in terms of Christianity, it is also widely accepted that St. Augustine played a large role in philosophy as well. In being familiar with total skepticism, the idea that nothing can be known, Augustine advised that this thought could be disproven in at least three distinct ways. According to Augustine, these â€Å"three refutations† of skepticism are the principle of non-contradiction, the act of doubting and refutation relating to perception. The first refutation illustrated by Augustine is that of non-contradiction. This principle explains that when examining and presenting an idea, only the suggestion or the contradiction may be true, but in no instance, can both be true. For example, if one were to state that â€Å"I am here,† the idea presented is that the statement is true. As a result, it would be impossible to follow that idea up with the statement â€Å"It is not true that I am here.† According to Augustine, the idea may be true or the contradiction of that idea may be true, but never both. This refutation is an attempt to prove that although total skepticism dictates that nothing can be known, its nearly impossible to argue with both the proposition and the contradiction-surely, one of them must be known as truth. This seems to be a fairly valid principle, as it leaves little room for argument in the idea that something is either true, or it is false, but rarely ever is there an alternative that cou ld be true. The second refutation is the act of doubting, an idea arguing that through doubting, we ultimately defeat the purpose of total skepticism. For example, if one was to argue that through total skepticism, it is impossible to know anything or that they â€Å"doubt† something to be true, in essence they are conceding to the idea that at the very least they are certain of their own existence-otherwise, how would their be any validity in their doubts? A â€Å"non-existent† person, would not be able to illustrate doubt or explain that nothing can be known, therefore, Augustine attempted to state that one’s existence negates the act of doubting anything can be known, because at least the idea of their existence is known. While this concept is an interesting one, the validity of it seems to be questionable because it does  not take into consideration that ultimately the concept of existence is not being disputed, but rather the idea of what can truly be known is in question. The act of doubting, does not seem to disprove total skepticism as much, but rather seems to be a blanket contradiction against it. The final refutation of Augustine revolves around perception, especially sense perception, and the idea that perception in its most basic form is a type of knowledge. While we may not be able to conclude the essence of an object or concept, we can describe our own perception of it, in which case, we make no error in judgment. If we saw a pond that seemed shallow and assert that it only seems shallow, we make no mistake. Only when we conclude that the pond is shallow, with no certainty or proof to support that idea, are we mistaken. This opposes the idea of total skepticism, in that we can know at least what our perceptions allow us to determine. In my opinion, this is a valid argument because ultimately it does not profess what we know or do not know fully, but rather states that our knowledge of anything is based on our own perception of it. Although the ideas of academic and total skeptic ism sought to disprove a need or even the logic behind philosophy, scholars such as St. Augustine attempted to prove that despite the fact that we do not have total knowledge in everything, we are not totally void of knowledge. The three refutations of Augustine serve to help us remember that just as there is an opposite to nearly everything, the concept of skepticism can always be rebutted when it comes to knowledge and our understanding of the world.