Saturday, December 28, 2019
Teddy Roosevelt Simplifies Spelling
In 1906, U.S. President Teddy Roosevelt tried to get the government to simplify the spelling of 300 common English words. However, this didnt go over well with Congress or the public. Simplified Spelling Was Andrew Carnegies Idea In 1906, Andrew Carnegie was convinced that English could be a universal language used around the worldà if only English was easier to read and to write. In an attempt to tackle this problem, Carnegie decided to fund a group of intellectuals to discuss this issue. The result was the Simplified Spelling Board. The Simplified Spelling Board The Simplified Spelling Board was founded on March 11, 1906, in New York. Included among the Boards original 26 members were such notables as author Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), library organizer Melvil Dewey, U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Brewer, publisher Henry Holt, and former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Lyman Gage. Brander Matthews, professor of dramatic literature at Columbia University, was made ââ¬â¹the chairman of the Board. Complicated English Words The Board examined the history of the English language and found that written English had changed over the centuries, sometimes for the better but also sometimes for the worse. The Board wanted to make written English phonetic again, as it was long ago, before silent letters such as e (as in axe), h (as in ghost), w (as in answer), and b (as in debt) crept in. However, silent letters were not the only aspect of spelling that bothered these gentlemen. There were other commonly used words that were just more complex than they needed to be. For instance, the word bureau could much more easily be spelled if it was written as buro. The word enough would be spelled more phonetically as enuf, just as though could be simplified to tho. And, of course, why have a ph combination in phantasy when it could much more easily be spelled fantasy. Lastly, the Board recognized that there were a number of words for which there already were several options for spelling, usually one simple and the other complicated. Many of these examples are currently known as differences between American and British English, including honor instead of honour, center instead of centre, and plow instead of plough. Additional words also had multiple choices for spelling such as rime rather than rhyme and blest rather than blessed. The Plan So as not to overwhelm the country with an entirely new way of spelling at once, the Board recognized that some of these changes should be made over time. To focus their push for adaptation of new spelling rules, the Board created a list of 300 words whose spelling could be changed immediately. The idea of simplified spelling caught on quickly, with even some schools beginning to implement the 300-word list within months of it being created. As the excitement grew around simplified spelling, one particularà person ââ¬â¹became a huge fan of the concept ââ¬â President Teddy Roosevelt. President Teddy Roosevelt Loves the Idea Unbeknownst to the Simplified Spelling Board, President Theodore Roosevelt sent a letter to the United States Government Printing Office on August 27, 1906. In this letter, Roosevelt ordered the Government Printing Office to use the new spellings of the 300 words detailed in the Simplified Spelling Boards circular in all documents emanating from the executive department. President Roosevelts public acceptance of simplified spelling caused a wave of reaction. Although there was public support in a few quarters, most of it was negative. Many newspapers began to ridicule the movement and lambasted the president in political cartoons. Congress was especially offended at the change, most likely because they had not been consulted. On December 13, 1906, the House of Representatives passed a resolution stating that it would use the spelling found in most dictionaries and not the new, simplified spelling in all official documents. With public sentiment against him, Roosevelt decided to rescind his order to the Government Printing Office. The efforts of the Simplified Spelling Board continued for several more years, but the popularity of the idea had waned after Roosevelts failed attempt at government support. However, when browsing the list of 300 words, one cannot help but notice how many of the new spellings are in current use today.
Friday, December 20, 2019
Movie Analysis Film Revenue - 1487 Words
The past decade has seen superhero movies rise to box office dominance. This is a new trend. Batman and Superman movies found success early, but the surprise blockbusters Spider-man and X-men at the turn of the millennium revealed that the market for comic based entertainment was not yet saturated (Fritz, 2014). Looking back a decade and a half later, consumer demand has clearly spoken: six of the last ten highest grossing movies were based on comic books: Guardians of the Galaxy, Iron Man 3, The Avengers, Transformers: The Revenge of the Fallen, The Dark Knight, and Spider-Man 3 (Lev-Ram, 2015). Today, studios have demonstrated confidence that this trend will continue. For example, movies set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are scheduled out until at least 2019, with Inhumans set for release in June of that year (Marvel, 2015). Film revenue is only part of the profit equation. A successful blockbuster superhero generates interest in its characters, returning massive profits from merchandising and licensing (Schedeen, 2015). Video games, television spin-offs, collectible toys, apparel, books, and home dà ©cor are just a few examples that come to mind. These products, in turn, act as advertisement for the films themselves and future films in the franchise by increasing visibility (Schedeen, 2015). While this works well for franchises in which Marvel owns all rights to the characters, Marvel transferred the film rights to several of their comics via ââ¬Å"a series ofShow MoreRelatedFilm and Movie Industry1612 Words à |à 7 Pages2013 The Movie Industry in 2008 (Case A amp; B) MBA Student: Waseem Hasan Ismail Submit to: TAGSB Administration 27 February 2013 Table of Contents Introduction 3 The Movie Industry in 2008 (Case A) 4 PESTEL Analysis ââ¬â External Environmental 4 Porterââ¬â¢s five Analysis 4 Profitability Model for movie theaters 4 Key strategic issues facing movie theaters 4 Strategic actions that exhibitions might consider 4 The Movie Industry in 2008 (Case B) 4 Outlook for the movie industry improvedRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Arundel Partners 779 Words à |à 4 PagesArundel Partners wants to buy the rights to produce the sequels in advance rather than negotiating on a film-by-film basis because otherwise, the studios will have an informational advantage. Later on in the production process, studios will have a greater idea of the quality of the film, making them less likely to sell the rights to more profitable sequels. Advanced rights to the entire portfolio of films mitigates this informational asymmetry and creates an options-pricing model for Arundel. There isRead MoreDigital Convergence Impact On The Film Industry1410 Words à |à 6 Pagesall around the world. There has been an extreme advance in media technology, especially that used in film industry. This includes the creation of analog-to-digital converters, technology convergence, and the changes in the media industry and audiences. In this article, I will analysis how digit al convergence impact on the film industry structure, forms of consumption with the innovation of revenue models and cultural production. Industry Structure In the digital era of convergent media, the mostRead MoreEssay about Imax Case1148 Words à |à 5 PagesExecutive Summary This analysis lays out the basic concepts, key issues, Internal, and external analysis. It also includes my strategic recommendations on the possible direction that could be taken based on the case study. Basic Concepts The IMAX strategy is two pronged. The 1st prong is to expand beyond institutional environments by opening IMAX theatres within multiplexes or convert existing multiplex screens. 2nd the launch of more Hollywood films in IMAX format. Key Issues 1.) Could IMAXRead MoreMain Line Pictures Vs. Kim Basinger Essay853 Words à |à 4 PagesIt seems like an awfully difficult task to calculate lost profits to Main Line Pictures in this case. Kim Basinger, a well-known and very reputable actress, walked away from a movie deal causing Main Line Pictures to lose money. The amount of Main Lineââ¬â¢s loss can never be determined with pinpoint accuracy, and Main Line would not have made the profit that they indicate they would have. However, is the plaintiff correct and are the claims the plaintiff is bringing forward reasonable? First, MainRead MoreEssay Arundel Partners Guidelines922 Words à |à 4 Pagescase, a movie industry analyst is asked to evaluate a proposed venture in which a group of partners would purchase the sequel rights to movies produced by the major studios. Your objective is to 1) discuss and evaluate the basic concept; 2) determine the value of the sequel rights on a per-movie basis; 3) evaluate the possible upside and potential drawbacks to the proposed plan. As you will see, the ideas here incorporate elements of capital budgeting coupled with a ââ¬Å"real optionsâ⬠analysis. Read MoreThe Domestic Box Office Gross Receipts Counted1080 Words à |à 5 PagesThe domestic box office gross receipts counted of $9.66 billion in movie ticket sales in 2014, a 4.5% retreat from 2012 and 2013. This totals about 1.18 billion movie tickets sold. The top grossing films of the year were Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, The LEGO Movie, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Maleficent, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Godzilla, and 22 Jump Street. Regal Entertainment recent released thatRead MoreDigital Piracy Essay1225 Words à |à 5 Pagesof video cassettes, it required certain equipment and piracy behaviour was limited (Waterman et al., 2007). The rise of the computer and World Wide Web, however, simplified the unauthorised duplication and storage of copyrighted content and caused movie piracy to soar substantially (Fetscherin, 2005). Digital piracy can generally occur offline (through the copying of discs and files) and online (through the downloading and sharing of files). A recent study revealed that approximately 24% of globalRead MoreImax Corporation : An Overview1066 Words à |à 5 Pagesfirst IMAX film premiered in 1970 in Japan at the Fuji Pavilion. IMAX has grown significantly since its foundation and in 2008, was located in 295 theaters in 40 different counties. About 50 perfect of IMAXââ¬â¢s theaters are located in educational institutions such as museums, zoos and aquariums. In 2007 movie theater attendance was 1,400 million with the average ticket price at about $6.88. The film industry is highly competitive however, there are only a limited number of large format film companiesRead MoreThe Movie Exhibition Industry 20111172 Words à |à 5 PagesBusiness Strategy 491BMAL November 10, 2013 The Movie Exhibition Industry: 2011 What can exhibitors do to improve their performance? To reverse the downward trends in attendance? To improve their profitability at a time when the studios, relying on the box office more than ever, are increasingly looking internationally? Letââ¬â¢s start with a SWOT analysis of the local exhibitor: SWOT Analysis Strengths * Offer a product that is still relatively affordable for families and patrons * Product
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Business Economics The Developmental Economics
Question: Describe about the Business Economics for The Developmental Economics. Answer: 1. GDP the most traditional metric used in the developmental economics. It is often used as a benchmark in primary objective for decisions undertaken for global based institutions and effective policy initiatives undertaken. In addition, it also helps in measuring the economic activity of that constitutes to the promotion of welfare, human development and well-being in a sustainable manner. GDP per capita as an indicator is widely used because the more the people consume, the more satisfying a human being becomes leading to a better off position. As a comparison, rich (developed) nations consumer more while poor (underdeveloped) nations less. The GDP per capita income can be given as real GDP divided by the total number of population in the country (Kubiszewski et al. 2013). As per United Nations (2012), it is used an indicator to measure the economic level output relative to the countrys population. However, its purpose is to reflect the total well-being of the nation. Moreover, it suits to be relevant in the production of the goods and services to maintain sustainable development through aspects of development. Conversely, it helps in determining priorities, availability of resources to meet the economic performance. As a result, UN also uses GDP per capita income to decide the level of aid allowance for nations and in its definition of the size of evaluations of member states. On the other hand, this indicator also links to other indicators that are more disaggregated indicators. The example of such indicators are net migration, land use change, population growth, forest area and arable land per capita. Nevertheless, GDP is considered an adequate growth measure for economics for industry because it keeps track of all the spender and consumer spending. This matter greatly to the national boundaries as factory output is presumably the centre establishment of economy strength 9 Christensen and Raynor 2013). The developed economies are often associated with technology that is advanced whether it is energy efficiency or significant input in the intellectual property. However, in all the GDP per capita includes only the marketed services and goods as well as ineffective capital cash flows from leisure and household production with other un-marketed goods and services. Hence, after considering all these factors, it can be said that economic activity not only comprises until production of goods and services but also extends to net societal accumulation of productive resources, economic insecurity as well as income distribution through poverty and inequality based on different value judgements (Pigou 2013). Although, GDP is known to record the level of consumption but does not motivate to provide any literature that proves that GDP is a good indicator of well-being. 2. GDP per capita, a macroeconomic tool can be used for production but there are many factors due to which increase in GDP per capita is not considered an indicator of wellbeing. There are many economists as well as political leaders have resented it in the long run. Robert F. Kennedy was of the idea that GDP per capita has made the country lose its personal excellence as well as community in the event of accumulating material things. In addition, he believed that though GDP per capita has managed to achieve production and consumption of goods and services but beyond that, the disutility arisen from production and consumption has led to net drain on health and happiness, which are not measured by GDP per capita in long run. However, Robert F Kennedy opined that GDP measures everything except that which makes life worthwhile (Oishi and Diener 2014) On the other hand, given GDP per capita measures, it has been used to measure the aggregate economy in GDP and correctly, plays a role of monetary and fiscal policy but it fails to measure the economic welfare and economic wellbeing. Although, national accounting founding fathers like Samuelson, Kuznets, Hicks and Tinbergen were well aware of the issue but were explicit about it (Coyle 2015). According to Stiglitz Commission, there is need to adapt a new system that not only measures the economic activity to reflect structural change but also measure the growing share of increasingly complex products through output and economic performance. However, in some countries as well as sectors, increasing output depicts increase in quality of goods and services in quantity but to measure quality, it is important that real income as well as real consumption needs to be measured, as they constitute to be peoples material well-being (Munda 2015). Nonetheless, undervaluing quality improvements is overrating inflation and in turn undervaluation of real income. As per Marone (2011), it is often stated that GDP per capita only accounts for right goods and not for side products, that explains the negative effects of negative externality or benefits of good education. GDP is considered a flow concept, as a result, Brandolini, Magri and Smeeding (2010), is of the view that living conditions in household are dropped with asset-based poverty measurements. Consequently, the households are forced to draw on their financial as well as real asset holdings in the future, thereby maintaining their standards below poverty line. Henderson (2013) further explained the GDP per capita as a bad measure of wellbeing by giving an example using that the governments contribution to GDP is not measured by costs bit by adding value. The example elucidates that if $40 billion is spent on postal service then it adds to the GDP. Further if $20 billion is shifted to privatisation (public to private), it still adds up due to national income accounting. As a result, the effect on GDP is $20 billion but the increase in wellbeing is nil. Surowiecki (2013) has enlightened the same concept explaining digitalization is distinctive but the value it creates on the consumers is not recorded in the increase of GDP. This aspect widens the gap between what is measured and what is not measured in the economy. References Brandolini, A., Magri, S. and Smeeding, T.M., 2010. Assetà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã based measurement of poverty.Journal of Policy Analysis and Management,29(2), pp.267-284. Christensen, C. and Raynor, M., 2013.The innovator's solution: Creating and sustaining successful growth. Harvard Business Review Press. Coyle, D., 2015.GDP: A brief but affectionate history. Princeton University Press. Henderson, D. 2013.GDP: A Bad Measure of Well-Being | EconLog | Library of Economics and Liberty. Econlog.econlib.org. Available at: https://econlog.econlib.org/archives/2013/11/gdp_a_bad_measu.html [Accessed 18 Sep. 2016]. Kubiszewski, I., Costanza, R., Franco, C., Lawn, P., Talberth, J., Jackson, T. and Aylmer, C., 2013. Beyond GDP: Measuring and achieving global genuine progress.Ecological Economics,93, pp.57-68. Marone, H. 2011.Measuring Economic Progress and Well-Being How to move beyond GDP?. oxfamamerica.org. Available at: https://www.oxfamamerica.org/static/media/files/measuring-economic-progress-and-well-being.pdf [Accessed 18 Sep. 2016]. Munda, G., 2015. Beyond GDP: an overview of measurement issues in redefining wealth.Journal of Economic Surveys,29(3), pp.403-422. Oishi, S. and Diener, E., 2014. Can and Should Happiness Be a Policy Goal?.Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences,1(1), pp.195-203. Pigou, A.C., 2013.The economics of welfare. Palgrave Macmillan. Surowiecki, J. 2013.Gross Domestic Freebie - The New Yorker. The New Yorker. Available at: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/11/25/gross-domestic-freebie [Accessed 18 Sep. 2016]. United Nations. 2012.Gross Domestic Product Per Capita. Available at: https://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/natlinfo/indicators/methodology_sheets/econ_development/gdp_percapita.pdf [Accessed 18 Sep. 2016].
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)