Characteristics of the Classic Monster Movie

Fundamentally, certain genres lend to certain types of story arcs.   While the romantic comedy often follows a more character driven plot, where the characters find the meaning of true love, the monster movie follows a definable plot driven format.   And basically, in the plot driven movie, the overall story illustrates the efficiency of a town’s characters and how well they are able to stand up to the monster, before, either they are killed or the monster is finally neutralized or vanquished in a final, climax of a scene. To be honest, the end result of the town and its people doesn’t really matter, and any ending is entirely plausible.   But, the intrigue that makes a good monster movie is to be competently presented with the monster, the origin of the monster, and for the audience to discover what that monster wants out of the society they are terrorizing.   While the monster makes the lives of the characters in the story miserable, the audience is torn between wanting the characters to win, or actually feeling sympathy for the monster because of the conditions presented surrounding that monster’s origin. Moreover, monster movie plots have been known to fit into the plot categories and monster types to such a degree that a generator was actually created by David Neilsen.   Among the other completely hilarious and surprisingly useful generators to be had, the Monster Movie Pitch allows a user to create their own monster movie pitch by filling in the required fields.   Once filled in, the monster movie pitch is instantly created and a visitor can do what they want with the results. Because this generator actually serves to illuminate the points within this paper, a short detour will be taken.   With that said, the generator dictates that a male lead, female lead, and male sidekick are required, as well as a title.   Then the setting must be chosen: either a dark and forbidding forest, a sleepy little town, a mental institution, at sea, or ancient ruins.   Then the monster type must be selected: either the undead, extra-terrestrial, scientific abomination, creature of folklore/myth/legend, or nature gone bad.   And finally, the monster motive must be defined: revenge, to feed, to protect its young, its slumber has been disturbed, or it seeks to destroy humanity. Now, let’s see what fun can be had.   The selections have been made for the practice monster movie entitled, The Big Bad.   The rundown: heroic Zack and best buddy Trent, live in a sleepy little town and will come across an extra-terrestrial, leading lady Emily, and who seeks to destroy humanity.   Simple and sounds like a blockbuster.   Plugged into the generator, here’s the actual movie pitch: Critically acclaimed Egyptian filmmaker Aslad Assop brings his nightmare back to the screen with The Big Bad. This long awaited sequel to his international hit, Gong of Deviled Oxen, reunites aggressive shepherd Huche Ramman (Zack) with his holy guide Hammotep (Trent) in their biggest adventure yet. This time, Huche discovers messages in the entrails of his sheep and the trail leads to an extra-terrestrial temptress (Emily) who wishes to use sin to destroy all of humanity. Now the temptress is invading Huche’s Sleepy Little Town of Grozer, Egypt and only Huche’s faith can save the world! Sounds better than some of the monster movies out there.   Now, the purpose of the generator was not merely for amusement, though it was a bit of fun; however, it also serves to prove and illustrate the core, salient characteristics of the monster movie which are the type of monster, the psychological appeal of the monster, and the plot, or, motive of the monster. Because Neilsen states the monster types right out, it’s easy to realize, once they are presented in such a manner, that every monster movie (probably ever made) fits well into the categories, without even needing wriggle room.   To be precise, Neilsen states that there are five basic types of monster. The first type is the undead monster.   Now, the undead monster movie began in the 1930’s with Dracula and continued well into the freaky zombie thrillers of today like 28 Days Later and Resident Evil.   The undead category is not only chilling, but is perhaps the most used of all the monster types.   Even pop culture revolves around vampires, zombies, and the undead with shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Supernatural.   This type of monster has the greatest impact on an audience because of the psychological aspect and appeal behind that monster. Moreover, the second monster type is the extra-terrestrial and is evident in movies like Alien, War of the Worlds and Predator.   ET actually fits this category as well, though that alien is more cute and cuddly than frightening.   Now, this monster type usually has the same motive, that to destroy all of mankind, and is the least escapable of all the monster types because they take more to vanquish than simple guns and grenades.   Characters in these movies die rapidly and often, and do little but to illustrate the irk of the monster. The third monster type is known as the scientific abomination.   This is an interesting monster category because it actually encompasses many different sorts of monsters, from Frankenstein, to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, to the Invisible Man.   In all cases, this type of monster is created, even purposefully manufactured, and the outcome is accidental and tragic.   The creator of the monster is often murdered, or lost to his darker evil side, and the characters again, serve only to be killed off as the mad scientist almost realizes his folly. The fourth type of monster is the creature from folklore/myth/legend.   This category encompasses monsters from The Mummy, to monsters in The Relic, Cerberus, and After Dark.   These monsters all have the same motive, and all, actually, seem to have become a plague to the characters because of that motive: being disturbed from their slumber, which serves to kill off most of the characters in the most violent and brutal method possible. Finally, the fifth monster type is nature gone bad.   This fits the Armageddon sort of flick, where birds, bats, plague, or impending asteroids kill off a good portion of the characters.   Movies like Stephen King’s The Birds, Armageddon, 10.5, and The Day After Tomorrow fit this category well.   The problem with this last monster type is that it differs the most dramatically from the genre because a great deal more time is spent on character growth than on the priorities of the monster, being nature, but in the end, nature usually wins out, despite how great the characterization is. Furthermore, Stuart Fischoff’s study commented on many things monster but one conclusion was striking, that â€Å"film monsters have proven to be such unforgettable characters that in many instances they have become part of our culture.†Ã‚   In fact, they are unforgettable to the degree that â€Å"most Americans would recognize a picture of Frankenstein, Dracula, King Kong, Godzilla or the Mummy before recognizing a Supreme Court Justice† (Fischoff). This conclusion is not only remarkable, it is entirely true.   John Rutledge is one of the most recently discussed Supreme Court Justices, but his name means nothing unless that person has been thoroughly engrossed in the newspaper for the past two years.   On the other hand, a person doesn’t even have to watch Godzilla to know that Godzilla is a dinosaur-like creature that wreaks havoc on Tokyo or that Dracula is a vampire with unconventional vampire powers. Additionally, the second core characteristic of monster movies is the psychological aspect and appeal of the monster.   This aspect can roughly be defined as not only the type of monster, but the character of that monster and what affect that monster has on an audience.   Fischoff’s study was also to survey a group of people and conclusively determine who the â€Å"King of Monsters† was. Turns out Dracula wins, though not because he is the most violent, nor is he the best killer among the monsters to choose from.   Freddy Krueger and Hannibal Lector obviously had the mass-slaying thing down, but they could never have the staying power that Dracula has because their nature is for violence and they lack the extreme psychological aspect that makes Dracula not only frightening, but also seductive. Monster movies are great to watch when the monster is a monster.   But, when man becomes a monster, as in the case of Hannibal Lector in Silence of the Lambs, for reasons pertaining to his youth and not some botched experiment, the movie experience becomes nearly transcendently frightful with the very real aspect that Hannibal could be a real person in a very real neighborhood.   Same with Freddy Krueger, though he at least has that whole dream-killing thing happening which makes him, in reality, a bit less plausible, though his deeds are no less terrifying. Fischoff offers some insight into this phenomena, stating that â€Å"it is believed to be the thrill of fright, the awe of the horrific, the experience of the dark and forbidden side of human behavior that lures people into the dark mouth of the theater to be spooked† (Fischoff).   Even though the man-monster takes off on a different path from the genre, hitting horror and the psychological aspect harder than ever before, people still flock to these movies in droves due to the need for fright, to experience the thrill without living the thrill (how scary would it be if Hannibal lived down the street?).   And, the best monster movies are able to produce at least that much. Moreover, according to Fischoff’s survey, the top ten monsters of all time, in order, are: Dracula, Freddy Krueger, Godzilla, Frankenstein, Chucky, Michael Myers (Halloween), King Kong, Hannibal Lector, Jason Voorhees (Friday 13th), and Alien.   It is interesting to notice when looking at this list that the monster to man-monster ratio is an exact split between the ten.   Five genuine monsters and five men-turned-monsters.   When it comes to monster movies, the best monster is obviously a cross between the most horrific and the most frightening. Furthermore, the third characteristic of monster movies is the use of plot as a device to form the movie around the monster.   Like Neilsen’s generator was helpful to suggest, there are five different plots that make up the monster movie genre, almost, in its entirety.   And, these plots all revolve around or are centered on, the motive of the monster. Basically, the monster can be out for revenge, need to feed, need to protect its young, their slumber has been disturbed, or they want to destroy humanity.   All movies created in the early black and white era actually follow this format, the most famous of them setting up the very archetype known as monster movies today. To begin with, Frankenstein (1931) demonstrates the classic revenge plot.   Dr. Henry Frankenstein wanted to make a man out of stolen body parts and actually managed to do so.   In fact, Dr. Frankenstein’s monster would have been a medical marvel if not for the criminal brain secured for his construction.   Because of that tiny little fatal flaw, the monster rises with a vendetta for Dr. Frankenstein.   And because Dr. Frankenstein screwed up, he becomes the obsession of his own creation. In Dracula (1931), Count Dracula, something of a real estate tycoon and upwardly rich aristocrat, preys on the people he comes across in Transylvania.   Dracula is different than the average monster because of his strikingly literal human nature.   He also has the enhanced ability to seduce his victims beyond their control, which makes him exceptionally difficult to properly vanquish.   The story also ends heroically as Van Helsing is proven right and is able to destroy Dracula.   Dracula’s main motive, besides amusement, is simply, to feed. King Kong (1933) differs from many monster movies because the character relationships are vitally important for the movie to progress.   There are two main relationships developed throughout, that of Ann and Jack and that of Ann and King Kong.   King Kong’s motive, once he falls for his new companion Ann, is to protect her from the evils in his jungle environment, and later, the evils he sees New York City.  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the final lines in the movies, â€Å"it wasn’t the airplanes, it was beauty that killed the beast† strikes a cord in any heart and makes King Kong perhaps the most lovable of all movie monsters because of his human desire to protect Ann. In The Mummy (1932) a priest is resurrected accidentally by an unwitting team of archeologists and sets about seeking his lost love.   Bad things happen along the way, one of the archeologists is taken as a replacement for the mummy’s lost bride, but the mummy is vanquished in the end when the archeologists destroy the scroll that brought him back to life.   The mummy, Im-ho-tep, basically sends his wrath out on the world and spends the movie causing mass destruction because his slumber was disturbed.   Simple as that. Finally, in Godzilla (1954), Godzilla is a monster god (more like un-extinct dinosaur) that preys on the countryside of Tokyo and fits the classic monster out to destroy humanity plot.   The natives sacrifice virgins in an attempt to appease the monster, but Godzilla seems to enjoy wreaking as much destruction as possible.   The monster attacks every few scenes, with the people in a panic as to how to destroy him before they are all killed.   And, even though they manage to kill Godzilla in the end, the result is not joyful as the people still fear another Godzilla is just moments from rising from the sea. Overall, all movies follow a specific formula which can be calculated and defined based upon the genre they fall in to.   The monster movie is a cross between the horror film and the psychological thriller and has certain core, salient characteristics that define the monster movie as a genre.   Neilsen helps to illuminate the various forms of monster and monster motives with his monster movie pitch generator, and it can be said that, categorically, monster type, psychological aspect of the monster, and motive of the monster as demonstrated in the plot combine to form the core characteristics of the monster movie. Works Consulted. Fischoff, Stuart, et al.   â€Å"The Psychological Appeal of Your Favorite Movie Monsters.† International Scientific Communications, 2003. —-.   â€Å"The Psychological Appeal of Movie Monsters.†Ã‚   Journal of Media Psychology, 2005. LaBarbera, Michael.   â€Å"The Biology of B-Movie Monsters.†Ã‚   University of Chicago, 2003. http://fathom.lib.uchicago.edu/2/21701757/ Neilsen, David.   â€Å"Monster Pitch Generator.†Ã‚   Brunching Shuttlecocks, 2001. Waters, Cullen.   â€Å"The Plot Archetypes of Giant Monster Movies.†Ã‚   WordPress.com, 2005.   http://welltuncares.wordpress.com/2005/04/18/the-plot-archetypes-of-giant-monster-movies/ Zoombaba.   â€Å"Creature Feature: Monster Movie Roleplaying.†Ã‚   Accessed March 22, 2007. http://homepage.mac.com/zoombaba/RPG/CF.html Characteristics of the Classic Monster Movie Fundamentally, certain genres lend to certain types of story arcs.   While the romantic comedy often follows a more character driven plot, where the characters find the meaning of true love, the monster movie follows a definable plot driven format.   And basically, in the plot driven movie, the overall story illustrates the efficiency of a town’s characters and how well they are able to stand up to the monster, before, either they are killed or the monster is finally neutralized or vanquished in a final, climax of a scene. To be honest, the end result of the town and its people doesn’t really matter, and any ending is entirely plausible.   But, the intrigue that makes a good monster movie is to be competently presented with the monster, the origin of the monster, and for the audience to discover what that monster wants out of the society they are terrorizing.   While the monster makes the lives of the characters in the story miserable, the audience is torn between wanting the characters to win, or actually feeling sympathy for the monster because of the conditions presented surrounding that monster’s origin. Moreover, monster movie plots have been known to fit into the plot categories and monster types to such a degree that a generator was actually created by David Neilsen.   Among the other completely hilarious and surprisingly useful generators to be had, the Monster Movie Pitch allows a user to create their own monster movie pitch by filling in the required fields.   Once filled in, the monster movie pitch is instantly created and a visitor can do what they want with the results. Because this generator actually serves to illuminate the points within this paper, a short detour will be taken.   With that said, the generator dictates that a male lead, female lead, and male sidekick are required, as well as a title.   Then the setting must be chosen: either a dark and forbidding forest, a sleepy little town, a mental institution, at sea, or ancient ruins.   Then the monster type must be selected: either the undead, extra-terrestrial, scientific abomination, creature of folklore/myth/legend, or nature gone bad.   And finally, the monster motive must be defined: revenge, to feed, to protect its young, its slumber has been disturbed, or it seeks to destroy humanity. Now, let’s see what fun can be had.   The selections have been made for the practice monster movie entitled, The Big Bad.   The rundown: heroic Zack and best buddy Trent, live in a sleepy little town and will come across an extra-terrestrial, leading lady Emily, and who seeks to destroy humanity.   Simple and sounds like a blockbuster.   Plugged into the generator, here’s the actual movie pitch: Critically acclaimed Egyptian filmmaker Aslad Assop brings his nightmare back to the screen with The Big Bad. This long awaited sequel to his international hit, Gong of Deviled Oxen, reunites aggressive shepherd Huche Ramman (Zack) with his holy guide Hammotep (Trent) in their biggest adventure yet. This time, Huche discovers messages in the entrails of his sheep and the trail leads to an extra-terrestrial temptress (Emily) who wishes to use sin to destroy all of humanity. Now the temptress is invading Huche’s Sleepy Little Town of Grozer, Egypt and only Huche’s faith can save the world! Sounds better than some of the monster movies out there.   Now, the purpose of the generator was not merely for amusement, though it was a bit of fun; however, it also serves to prove and illustrate the core, salient characteristics of the monster movie which are the type of monster, the psychological appeal of the monster, and the plot, or, motive of the monster. Because Neilsen states the monster types right out, it’s easy to realize, once they are presented in such a manner, that every monster movie (probably ever made) fits well into the categories, without even needing wriggle room.   To be precise, Neilsen states that there are five basic types of monster. The first type is the undead monster.   Now, the undead monster movie began in the 1930’s with Dracula and continued well into the freaky zombie thrillers of today like 28 Days Later and Resident Evil.   The undead category is not only chilling, but is perhaps the most used of all the monster types.   Even pop culture revolves around vampires, zombies, and the undead with shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Supernatural.   This type of monster has the greatest impact on an audience because of the psychological aspect and appeal behind that monster. Moreover, the second monster type is the extra-terrestrial and is evident in movies like Alien, War of the Worlds and Predator.   ET actually fits this category as well, though that alien is more cute and cuddly than frightening.   Now, this monster type usually has the same motive, that to destroy all of mankind, and is the least escapable of all the monster types because they take more to vanquish than simple guns and grenades.   Characters in these movies die rapidly and often, and do little but to illustrate the irk of the monster. The third monster type is known as the scientific abomination.   This is an interesting monster category because it actually encompasses many different sorts of monsters, from Frankenstein, to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, to the Invisible Man.   In all cases, this type of monster is created, even purposefully manufactured, and the outcome is accidental and tragic.   The creator of the monster is often murdered, or lost to his darker evil side, and the characters again, serve only to be killed off as the mad scientist almost realizes his folly. The fourth type of monster is the creature from folklore/myth/legend.   This category encompasses monsters from The Mummy, to monsters in The Relic, Cerberus, and After Dark.   These monsters all have the same motive, and all, actually, seem to have become a plague to the characters because of that motive: being disturbed from their slumber, which serves to kill off most of the characters in the most violent and brutal method possible. Finally, the fifth monster type is nature gone bad.   This fits the Armageddon sort of flick, where birds, bats, plague, or impending asteroids kill off a good portion of the characters.   Movies like Stephen King’s The Birds, Armageddon, 10.5, and The Day After Tomorrow fit this category well.   The problem with this last monster type is that it differs the most dramatically from the genre because a great deal more time is spent on character growth than on the priorities of the monster, being nature, but in the end, nature usually wins out, despite how great the characterization is. Furthermore, Stuart Fischoff’s study commented on many things monster but one conclusion was striking, that â€Å"film monsters have proven to be such unforgettable characters that in many instances they have become part of our culture.†Ã‚   In fact, they are unforgettable to the degree that â€Å"most Americans would recognize a picture of Frankenstein, Dracula, King Kong, Godzilla or the Mummy before recognizing a Supreme Court Justice† (Fischoff). This conclusion is not only remarkable, it is entirely true.   John Rutledge is one of the most recently discussed Supreme Court Justices, but his name means nothing unless that person has been thoroughly engrossed in the newspaper for the past two years.   On the other hand, a person doesn’t even have to watch Godzilla to know that Godzilla is a dinosaur-like creature that wreaks havoc on Tokyo or that Dracula is a vampire with unconventional vampire powers. Additionally, the second core characteristic of monster movies is the psychological aspect and appeal of the monster.   This aspect can roughly be defined as not only the type of monster, but the character of that monster and what affect that monster has on an audience.   Fischoff’s study was also to survey a group of people and conclusively determine who the â€Å"King of Monsters† was. Turns out Dracula wins, though not because he is the most violent, nor is he the best killer among the monsters to choose from.   Freddy Krueger and Hannibal Lector obviously had the mass-slaying thing down, but they could never have the staying power that Dracula has because their nature is for violence and they lack the extreme psychological aspect that makes Dracula not only frightening, but also seductive. Monster movies are great to watch when the monster is a monster.   But, when man becomes a monster, as in the case of Hannibal Lector in Silence of the Lambs, for reasons pertaining to his youth and not some botched experiment, the movie experience becomes nearly transcendently frightful with the very real aspect that Hannibal could be a real person in a very real neighborhood.   Same with Freddy Krueger, though he at least has that whole dream-killing thing happening which makes him, in reality, a bit less plausible, though his deeds are no less terrifying. Fischoff offers some insight into this phenomena, stating that â€Å"it is believed to be the thrill of fright, the awe of the horrific, the experience of the dark and forbidden side of human behavior that lures people into the dark mouth of the theater to be spooked† (Fischoff).   Even though the man-monster takes off on a different path from the genre, hitting horror and the psychological aspect harder than ever before, people still flock to these movies in droves due to the need for fright, to experience the thrill without living the thrill (how scary would it be if Hannibal lived down the street?).   And, the best monster movies are able to produce at least that much. Moreover, according to Fischoff’s survey, the top ten monsters of all time, in order, are: Dracula, Freddy Krueger, Godzilla, Frankenstein, Chucky, Michael Myers (Halloween), King Kong, Hannibal Lector, Jason Voorhees (Friday 13th), and Alien.   It is interesting to notice when looking at this list that the monster to man-monster ratio is an exact split between the ten.   Five genuine monsters and five men-turned-monsters.   When it comes to monster movies, the best monster is obviously a cross between the most horrific and the most frightening. Furthermore, the third characteristic of monster movies is the use of plot as a device to form the movie around the monster.   Like Neilsen’s generator was helpful to suggest, there are five different plots that make up the monster movie genre, almost, in its entirety.   And, these plots all revolve around or are centered on, the motive of the monster. Basically, the monster can be out for revenge, need to feed, need to protect its young, their slumber has been disturbed, or they want to destroy humanity.   All movies created in the early black and white era actually follow this format, the most famous of them setting up the very archetype known as monster movies today. To begin with, Frankenstein (1931) demonstrates the classic revenge plot.   Dr. Henry Frankenstein wanted to make a man out of stolen body parts and actually managed to do so.   In fact, Dr. Frankenstein’s monster would have been a medical marvel if not for the criminal brain secured for his construction.   Because of that tiny little fatal flaw, the monster rises with a vendetta for Dr. Frankenstein.   And because Dr. Frankenstein screwed up, he becomes the obsession of his own creation. In Dracula (1931), Count Dracula, something of a real estate tycoon and upwardly rich aristocrat, preys on the people he comes across in Transylvania.   Dracula is different than the average monster because of his strikingly literal human nature.   He also has the enhanced ability to seduce his victims beyond their control, which makes him exceptionally difficult to properly vanquish.   The story also ends heroically as Van Helsing is proven right and is able to destroy Dracula.   Dracula’s main motive, besides amusement, is simply, to feed. King Kong (1933) differs from many monster movies because the character relationships are vitally important for the movie to progress.   There are two main relationships developed throughout, that of Ann and Jack and that of Ann and King Kong.   King Kong’s motive, once he falls for his new companion Ann, is to protect her from the evils in his jungle environment, and later, the evils he sees New York City.  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the final lines in the movies, â€Å"it wasn’t the airplanes, it was beauty that killed the beast† strikes a cord in any heart and makes King Kong perhaps the most lovable of all movie monsters because of his human desire to protect Ann. In The Mummy (1932) a priest is resurrected accidentally by an unwitting team of archeologists and sets about seeking his lost love.   Bad things happen along the way, one of the archeologists is taken as a replacement for the mummy’s lost bride, but the mummy is vanquished in the end when the archeologists destroy the scroll that brought him back to life.   The mummy, Im-ho-tep, basically sends his wrath out on the world and spends the movie causing mass destruction because his slumber was disturbed.   Simple as that. Finally, in Godzilla (1954), Godzilla is a monster god (more like un-extinct dinosaur) that preys on the countryside of Tokyo and fits the classic monster out to destroy humanity plot.   The natives sacrifice virgins in an attempt to appease the monster, but Godzilla seems to enjoy wreaking as much destruction as possible.   The monster attacks every few scenes, with the people in a panic as to how to destroy him before they are all killed.   And, even though they manage to kill Godzilla in the end, the result is not joyful as the people still fear another Godzilla is just moments from rising from the sea. Overall, all movies follow a specific formula which can be calculated and defined based upon the genre they fall in to.   The monster movie is a cross between the horror film and the psychological thriller and has certain core, salient characteristics that define the monster movie as a genre.   Neilsen helps to illuminate the various forms of monster and monster motives with his monster movie pitch generator, and it can be said that, categorically, monster type, psychological aspect of the monster, and motive of the monster as demonstrated in the plot combine to form the core characteristics of the monster movie. Works Consulted. Fischoff, Stuart, et al.   â€Å"The Psychological Appeal of Your Favorite Movie Monsters.† International Scientific Communications, 2003. —-.   â€Å"The Psychological Appeal of Movie Monsters.†Ã‚   Journal of Media Psychology, 2005. LaBarbera, Michael.   â€Å"The Biology of B-Movie Monsters.†Ã‚   University of Chicago, 2003. http://fathom.lib.uchicago.edu/2/21701757/ Neilsen, David.   â€Å"Monster Pitch Generator.†Ã‚   Brunching Shuttlecocks, 2001. Waters, Cullen.   â€Å"The Plot Archetypes of Giant Monster Movies.†Ã‚   WordPress.com, 2005.   http://welltuncares.wordpress.com/2005/04/18/the-plot-archetypes-of-giant-monster-movies/ Zoombaba.   â€Å"Creature Feature: Monster Movie Roleplaying.†Ã‚   Accessed March 22, 2007. http://homepage.mac.com/zoombaba/RPG/CF.html

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Zipcar - Essay Example It can be apparently said that in the US car rental market, as per 2011 statistical records, revenue touched a record high with the process of generation of over $1000, per unit for the entire US market, thereby bringing into focus the various levels of efficiencies that has been achieved by the players in the particular market (Arn.com 2012). However, it can be said that the entire market for this business is highly vulnerable to various factors of macro and micro economic nature (IbisWorld.com 2012). Item 2. The young car rental company Zipcar has increasingly focused its forward approach on various strategies with regards to capitalizing on the various prospects that are associated with the growth of the company as well as its sustenance in the car rental market in the presence of big competitors and tremendous competition and market pressure in the long term. For the purpose of attaining significant growth and business edge, Zipcar focused on effective segmentation and targeting. By the focusing on the opportunity of targeting college crowd for its rental services, it developed a unique market to serve and thereby developing an edge over the others. It can be said that while this certainly provided an edge at the beginning, but it may not be sustainable in the long term as competitors may increasingly target the same market. Also, from the damage point of view, the cost of maintaining the resources while catering to the target market is also significantly high. The financial analysis a lso supports the fact of high operating expenses for the company. The evaluation of the financial performance over the 3 year period shows that thought the company had an increase in revenue yet the cost related to fleet operations also went up. It also revealed that the operating expenses also increased over the period. So, it can be said that servicing the college student are coming out as a little expensive over the years. Talking in terms of the company’s long term prospects, it can be said that the company is yet to get established in a secured manner. The reason behind that is because though the company has achieved a significant growth in revenue yet its operational expenses are also increasing. Despite the high growth rate, it is not very effective for a new company to have high operating costs as the chances of maintaining profits will gets reduced with the company’s attainment of capacity as well as market saturation by other car rental companies. Apart from this, it also has to be taken in to account that the company’s main competitive edge of servicing the college students can be targeted by well established rival companies, thereby reducing the company’s standalone advantages. The company should focus on increasing the efficiency in terms of economies of scale by reducing cost of operations for the purpose of securing itself over the long term. Item 3. It can be said t

We Still Need Affirmative Action Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Top

We Still Need Affirmative Action You are a New York City taxicab driver, a very dangerous profession in our society. A young African American male hails you late at night. You observe the male's clothing and decide that this may be trouble. Despite your obligation to pick him up, you drive on. Was your decision to racially discriminate a significant one? Dinesh D' Souza, a former editor of The university newspaper, does not seem to think so. In his recent visit to the campus and in a debate over affirmative action, D'Souza asserted that racism, although it may still exist, is no longer holding back the African American community and is not a justification for affirmative action. As D'Souza writes in his book, The End of Racism, "Racism undoubtedly exists, but it no longer has the power to thwart blacks or any other grouping achieving their economic, political, and social aspirations. It cannot be denied that African Americans suffer the slights in terms of taxi drivers who pass them by, pedestrians who treat them as a security risk, banks that are reluctant to invest in black neighborhoods, and other forms of continued discrimination." Mr. D'Souza, although he may not realize it, has pinpointed the importance that race still plays in our society. Race matters. It matters to the taxicab driver who sees a young black male as a mugger; to the cop who assumes that a black male in a nice car is the likely perpetrator of a crime; to the shopkeeper who follows the minority around the store. These are not minor inconveniences. These are barriers to opportunity. Mr. D'Souza argues that the taxicab driver who drives away is playing the odds in his favor. Why? Because the taxicab driver has incomplete information. The cabbie i... ...ight choose not to question a number of things. D'Souza does not realize the fundamental truth of his own conclusions; that his life experiences were essential to his perspective. We, the students of univeristy, are here to learn. The pedagogical framework that is the college learning environment is principally built on the intellectual and social interactions of the student body. We learn from each other. We learn when what we believe based on our experience conflicts with the perspective of another. We learn when those who have been treated differently question our assumptions. In this learning, in the classroom and outside, race matters. Experience is fundamentally altered by race. In an academic community that looks to learn, diversity of race is essential. Dinesh D'Souza is wrong: race still matters. There is still justification for affirmative action.

16th century Renaissance

Century Renaissance Art The 16th Century renaissance started in the sass's and ended in the sass's. The art of the 16th Century Renaissance was both spiritual and worldly. The 16th Century Renaissance is when two very important art movements took place, High Renaissance and Mannerism. Everyone was starting to take an interest in the classical learning and values of ancient Greece and Rome. (The History Channel Website) They were many artist geniuses who emerged out of this art era.There were also many, grand art pieces that emerged out of this art era. At the beginning of the 16th century the High Renaissance had started. This was also the time when Rome replaced Florence as an art epicenter. The High Renaissance is also when artist become aware of lines and depth in their artwork. This led to the discovery and the use of the one point perspective. The High Renaissance artists became famous for putting windows of what is behind the horizon in the background of their artworks. The Hig h Renaissance represented artists who wanted to do art their own way.The high Renaissance started in 1480 and continued on to about 1527. The high Renaissance as in Milan, Florence, Rome, and in northern and central Italy. (Shelley Essay) This was the time to be an artist because everyone who was wealthy wanted art. Their many artist of this time frame, but the most famous artists are Michelangelo Bonaparte, Raphael Sansei and Leonardo ad Vinci. (Art Cyclopedia) After the High Renaissance ended the Mannerism movement came about. It came about in the sass's and ended around the sass's. Mannerism was known for its formulaic, theatrical and overly stylized work.Mannerism art pieces are usually pieces of human forms in unrealistic settings. Mannerism is also known for its much limitation. This is also the time that women start being used as muses for artists. (Art Cyclopedia) It developed in Florence and Rome and then spread to northern and central Europe. Paintings contained artificial color and unrealistic spatial proportions. Figures were often elongated and exaggerated, the poses were creative and complex poses. Works of the movement are often unsettling and strange because of the Reformation, the plague, and the sack of Rome. The History Channel Website) There were a lot of important artist who emerged from this period, but the most famous artist would be Leonardo Ad Vinci. Leonardo De Vinci was born in 1452, in Florence and died in 1519 in France. He was an artist and inventor. He is known as the â€Å"Renaissance Man† because he was an inventor, scientist, sculptor, and a great artist. Ad Vinci had many famous works. One of his most famous works is the â€Å"Last Supper† (1495-98). The last supper is a painting of the last meal Jesus shared with his apostles. It also shows Jesus isolated, four groups of threes and Judas in the shadows clutching money. The History Channel Website) Another famous piece by Ad Vinci as the â€Å"Mona Lisa†( 1 503-05), which is a painting of a woman. This painting would be an example of Mannerism art. Ad Vinci was also famous for the â€Å"The Virgin of the Rocks† (1485). Some other great artists were Michelangelo Bonaparte (1475-1564), and Raphael Sansei(1483-1 520). Michelangelo was famous for painting the Sistine Chapel ((1508-12) and sculpting the â€Å"David in his native Florence† (1501-04). Raphael Sansei was famous for the â€Å"The School of Athens† (1508-11). The â€Å"School of Athens† shows philosophers such as Pluto coming together.Another great artist of 16th Century was Titan â€Å"Meeting of Bacchus and Ordained† (1 522), he was famous for using rich luminous colors. (The History Channel Website) One of the most important art pieces of the 16th Century Renaissance was the â€Å"Sistine Chapel† (1508-04) architecture. The Sistine Chapel took a period of four years to paint. It was painted by Michelangelo Bonaparte. The Sistine Cha pel is a painting of a few scenes of Genesis, from the bible. One of the scenes was the Creation of Adam. (The History Channel Website) Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel for the Pope Sixths ‘V.Also, along with ceilings of the Sistine Chapel, the side walls are festooned with frescoes of Moses and Christ and portraits of popes. (The New World Encyclopedia) Another important art piece or architecture of the 16th Century Renaissance was the SST. Peter Cathedral in Rome. The old SST. Peter Cathedral was constructed in honor of the apostle SST. Peter, the first bishop and first Pope. The original was constructed by Constantine. The SST. Peter Cathedral in Rome was to be renovated, ordered by Pope Julius II. During its renovation it was directed more towards a Latin style but, then

Buddism Essay - 969 Words

Buddism Buddhism is probably the most tolerant religion of the world, as the teaching can coexist with any other religion. Other religions however, aim to be restricted and cannot accommodate Buddhism at the same time. The Buddhist teaching on God - in the sense of an ultimate Reality - is neither skeptic (as is sometimes claimed), nor vague, but clear and logical. That we can neither define, describe, nor usefully discuss the nature of that which is beyond the perception of our infinite consciousness. It may be indicated by negatives and described indirectly by analogy and symbols, but otherwise it must ever remain in its truest sense unknown and unexpressed, as being to us in our present state unknowable. In the same way, Buddhism†¦show more content†¦At the age of twenty-nine, he decided to leave his palace and enter the homeless life of a monk to seek the truth and find a way to salvation for all conscious and alive beings. In his search for salvation among the teachers, he surpassed them and found that their doctrines were insufficient, not leading to awakening, to extinction and to enlightenment and insight. He departed those teachers and turned to practice self-mastery for six years with great willingness and effort. Buddha met five holy men who offered their services to him, and finally, the Buddha realized that the ascetic exercises were not the right way to attain salvation. He had practiced self-mastery to the limit of his endurance and felt very weakened without achieving anything. So, he partook of food, regained strength and began to practice meditation which finally led to His enlightenment under the Holy Bodi tree near the town of Uruvela, the present Buddha-Gaya when he was only thirty-five years old. The Four Noble truths 1. The Noble Truth of Suffering: Rebirth, old age, disease, death, sorrow, lamention, pain, grief and despair, association with objects we dislike, separation from objects we love, not to obtain what one desires cause suffering. 2. The Noble Truth of The Arising of Suffering: The Threefold Craving leads every being from birth to birth and is accompanied by joy andShow MoreRelatedA Comparative Analysis of Hinduism, and Buddism1481 Words   |  6 PagesAttempt a comparative analysis of Hinduism, and Buddhism with reference to their origins, beliefs, and practices Hinduism is an ancient religion whose origin and founder are not known. Hinduism is a combination of all types of different religious beliefs and philosophies that developed thousands of years ago, in India. All Hindus do not practice or follow the same doctrines. 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Does the Mentos and Soda Trick Work With Regular Coke

Have you ever wondered whether or not the Mentos trick works with regular Coke? Does it work with other drinks? Heres the answer! The Mentos Trick All you do is drop a tube of Mentos candies into a bottle of soda. The carbon dioxide in the soda comes out of solution very suddenly, shooting up into the sky and drenching anyone within range with soda. Usually, the trick is done using diet soda, especially Diet Coke or another cola, however, the main reason for this is because diet drinks are less sticky/easier to clean up than other sodas. Any Carbonated Beverage Works The trick works with any carbonated beverage. It works with regular cola, orange soda, root beer, etc. Its actually very cool when performed with tonic water under a black light because you get a glowing blue fountain. However, you can use seltzer water (very easy cleanup) or any soda. While you may get a slightly higher fountain from a diet drink compared with a sugary one, the real determining factor is the size and shape of the bottle. A 2-liter or 1-liter bottle works much better than a smaller bottle. Plastic bottles seem to produce a better effect than glass ones, but really, either will ​work. Flat soda will not work. Carnauba Wax and Geysers It doesnt matter what flavor of Mentos candy you use, but Mentos candies do seem to work better than similarly-shaped candies (e.g., MMs, Lifesavers). The other candies do produce a geyser, but it wont be as tall. Mentos stack neatly onto each other, leaving very little extra space, so they displace liquid better than other candies. The carnauba wax that coats the candies seems to be key in producing the effect because old candies or ones that have been opened for a while wont produce a tall geyser. Getting the Best Eruption While you can use any carbonated beverage for the Mentos and soda project, there are a few tips to keep in mind to help get the best eruption: Let the soda warm up to room temperature. Like most chemical reactions, the process occurs more quickly at a warmer temperature. Youll get more fizz and a better eruption using warm liquid.Dont open the bottle of soda until youre ready to go. The goal is to keep as much dissolved carbon dioxide in the bottle as possible.Make sure you drop in all the Mentos candies at once. You can buy a device to help you do this, but an easy solution is to roll a piece of paper or thin cardboard into a tube. Place a finger or index card over the end of the tube to hold the candy in place and drop an entire roll inside. When youre ready, open the bottle and let the candies fall.Some people swear diet cola is the best soda for the project. If its available, use it.