Free Essays on A Misled Paradise

A Misled Paradise J.G. Ballard’s novel, Rushing to Paradise, provides its readers with humorous, insightful, and often disturbing views of some of today’s environmentalists. Although his characters are fictional, their thoughts and experiences are often those of today’s actual environmentalists. Ballard’s novel asks its readers to question peoples’ motives because as it portrays, people are not always out to do the â€Å"right thing†. Pages 48 and 49 clearly exemplify Ballard’s understated theme. On page 48 beginning with paragraph 7 through paragraph 3 on page 49, Neil, Dr. Barbara, and Irving Boyd are discussing the future mission to Saint Esprit. Although Dr. Barbara and Irving claim to be worried about the albatross, it is clear that the only worry on their minds is the recognition that the mission’s show, â€Å"The Sanctuary Island Project†, will receive. Irving intently tries to pursuade Neil to join the project because he sees Neil as an image his viewers will like. For example, Ballard writes, â€Å"Boyd’s eyes were fixed on Neil with all the humility of a film producer discovering a face of a Christ-like pathos† (Ballard 48). Boyd is most definitely funding the project for the money and fame he will receive in return rather than the threat upon the albatross. The true intentions of both Dr. Barbara and Irving Boyd are quite misleading. They claim that the only reason they are doing the show is to help the albatross; but the underlying reasons for the show are that Dr. Barbara is out to regain a good name and Boyd has joined the project for the potential earnings the show will receive. Such intentions are often too common in today’s culture. People are often quite willing to do almost anything for fame or fortune. For example, we have seen a rise in reality based TV shows in today’s media, and these shows tend to exploit the people they are filming. For example, the film series â€Å"Girls Gone Wil... Free Essays on A Misled Paradise Free Essays on A Misled Paradise A Misled Paradise J.G. Ballard’s novel, Rushing to Paradise, provides its readers with humorous, insightful, and often disturbing views of some of today’s environmentalists. Although his characters are fictional, their thoughts and experiences are often those of today’s actual environmentalists. Ballard’s novel asks its readers to question peoples’ motives because as it portrays, people are not always out to do the â€Å"right thing†. Pages 48 and 49 clearly exemplify Ballard’s understated theme. On page 48 beginning with paragraph 7 through paragraph 3 on page 49, Neil, Dr. Barbara, and Irving Boyd are discussing the future mission to Saint Esprit. Although Dr. Barbara and Irving claim to be worried about the albatross, it is clear that the only worry on their minds is the recognition that the mission’s show, â€Å"The Sanctuary Island Project†, will receive. Irving intently tries to pursuade Neil to join the project because he sees Neil as an image his viewers will like. For example, Ballard writes, â€Å"Boyd’s eyes were fixed on Neil with all the humility of a film producer discovering a face of a Christ-like pathos† (Ballard 48). Boyd is most definitely funding the project for the money and fame he will receive in return rather than the threat upon the albatross. The true intentions of both Dr. Barbara and Irving Boyd are quite misleading. They claim that the only reason they are doing the show is to help the albatross; but the underlying reasons for the show are that Dr. Barbara is out to regain a good name and Boyd has joined the project for the potential earnings the show will receive. Such intentions are often too common in today’s culture. People are often quite willing to do almost anything for fame or fortune. For example, we have seen a rise in reality based TV shows in today’s media, and these shows tend to exploit the people they are filming. For example, the film series â€Å"Girls Gone Wil...

Ocean Acidification Definition

Ocean Acidification Definition The oceans have reduced the effects of global warming for thousands of years by absorbing carbon dioxide. Now the basic chemistry of the oceans is changing because of our activities, with devastating consequences for marine life. What Causes Ocean Acidification? Its no secret that global warming is a major issue. A main cause of global warming is our release of carbon dioxide, primarily through the burning of fossil fuels and the burning of vegetation. Over time, the oceans have helped this problem by absorbing excess carbon dioxide. According to NOAA, the oceans have absorbed nearly half of the fossil fuel emissions weve generated over the past 200 years. As the carbon dioxide is absorbed, it reacts with the ocean water to form carbonic acid. This process is called ocean acidification. Over time, this acid causes the pH of the oceans to decrease, making ocean water more acidic. This can have drastic consequences on corals and other marine life, with cascading impacts on the fishing and tourism industries. More About pH and Ocean Acidification The term pH is a measure of acidity. If youve ever had an aquarium, you know that pH is important, and pH needs to be adjusted to optimal levels for your fish to thrive. The ocean has an optimal pH, too. As the ocean becomes more acidic, it becomes more difficult for corals and organisms to build skeletons and shells using calcium carbonate. In addition, the process of acidosis, or buildup of carbonic acid in body fluids, may affect fish and other marine life by compromising their ability to reproduce, breathe and fight diseases. How Bad is the Ocean Acidification Problem? On a pH scale, 7 is neutral, with 0 the most acidic and 14 the most basic. The historical pH of sea water is about 8.16, leaning on the basic side of the scale.The pH of our oceans has fallen to 8.05 since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. While this may not seem like a big deal, this is a change greater in magnitude than any time in the 650,000 years before the Industrial Revolution. The pH scale is also logarithmic, so that slight change in pH results in a 30 percent increase in acidity. Another problem is that once the oceans get their fill of carbon dioxide, scientists think the oceans could become a carbon dioxide source, rather than a sink. This means the ocean will contribute to the global warming problem by adding more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Effects of Ocean Acidification on Marine Life The effects of ocean acidification can be dramatic and far-reaching, and will affect animals such as fish, shellfish, corals, and plankton. Animals such as clams, oysters, scallops, urchins and corals that rely on calcium carbonate to build shells will have a difficult time building them, and protecting themselves as the shells will be weaker. In addition to having weaker shells, mussels will also have a reduced ability to grip  as the increased acid weakens their byssal threads. Fish will also need to adapt to the changing pH and work harder to remove acid out of its blood, which can impact other behaviors, such as reproduction, growth and food digestion. On the other hand, some animals such as lobsters and crabs may adapt well as their shells become stronger in more acidic water. Many of the possible effects of ocean acidification are unknown or still being studied. What Can We Do About Ocean Acidification? Lowering our emissions will help the ocean acidification problem, even if that just slows the impacts long enough to give species time to adapt. Read the Top 10 Things You Can Do to Reduce Global Warming for ideas on how you can help. Scientists have acted swiftly on this issue. The response has included the Monaco Declaration,  in which 155 scientists from 26 countries declared in January 2009 that: Ocean acidification is accelerating and severe damages are imminent;Ocean acidification will have broad socioeconomic impacts, affecting marine food webs, causing substantial changes in commercial fish stocks and threatening food security for millions of people;Ocean acidification is rapid, but recovery is slow;Ocean acidification can be controlled only by limiting future atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. The scientists called for intense efforts to research the problem, evaluate its impacts and cut emissions drastically to help curb the problem. Sources: Fabry, V.J., Seibel, B.A., Feely, R.A. and J.C. Orr. 2008. . Impacts of ocean acidification on marine fauna and ecosystem processes. ICES Journalof Marine Science, 65: 414–432.Feely, R.A., Sabine, C.L, and V.J. Fabry. 2006. Carbon Dioxide and Our Ocean Legacy. (Online) NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory Science Brief. Accessed March 7, 2009.McAuliffe, K. 2008. Ocean Acidification: A Global Case of Osteoporosis. (Online) Discover. Accessed March 7, 2009.Monaco Declaration. 2008. Monaco Declaration on Oceans. Accessed July 21, 2015.Smithsonian Ocean Portal. Ocean Acidification.  Accessed July 21, 2015.

Video Analysis Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Video Analysis Paper - Essay Example The color and pomp in the video is eye catching, while the dancers in the video look beautiful as they dance to music made by a percussion band. The dance moves are consistent to the tempo of the music even though the skimpily dressed women are challenged by their high heels. The progression of the string instruments are played according to the beat tempo and excitement of the dancers. This genre of music is symbolic of youthfulness, sexuality and beauty as expressed in the costumes and props in the video. The camera works of the film direction is also consistent to the prevailing mood (Bakan 277). The carnival mood is considered chaotic and difficult to control but the film directors have been able execute the filming appropriately. The feeling and significant characteristic The feeling derived from watching this video is one that invokes happiness to the viewer. Samba music is the dominant genre in this video with a rich culture and a number of characteristics. The amount of excite ment in the genre is described as a musical explosion with several percussion instruments. The rhythms that come out of the music are created to match the instrumentation of the music. It is evident that the participants in the video seem to be competing against one another as they parade all the way through the streets of the city. The video reveals that the music genre is rhythmical and involves a lot of choreography that requires much attention to capture the best picture while filming. The amount of choreography involved in a Samba dance is one that requires utmost care especially when there are so many people involved in the film. The style of the genre indicates that the participants are used to the practices of the genre that has also resulted to an elaborate lifestyle (Mirror News 1). The film seems as though it was shot in a studio or ball room given the fact that there are minimal mistakes in the video. The amount of organization in the dances is elaborate even though the dances are performed in the streets. The relationship between videos and genre The relationship between this video and the genre as described in the textbook is that it is sensitive to the prevailing culture of the surrounding society. The carnival is a cultural event while Samba is provides the means for the participants to express themselves based on their cultures. This video provides a substantial illustration on the expectation of the participants during the event. This event is taken seriously because of the cultural significance associated to it. Samba music provides those who are involved with the opportunity to express their true feelings during such performances. The relationship between the Bhangra video and the genre is that it bridges the gap between its musical application and interactive inclusion of the audience. The music genre is also dominated with a combination of percussionist drums that indicates who and modern instrumentation. The video also illustrates that t here are a number of new modes of talking part in the performance (Mirror News 1). The modes involve understanding of the essential dance moves as illustrated in the video. The filming technique of the video is illustrative of the amount of professionalism employed to illustrate the best performance. There is also a substantial amount of good film direction that is essential for most film