Discover Your Passion With This Gap Year Program

Taking a gap year before college is a growing trend. It could be attributed to the increasingly competitive nature of college admissions, or maybe because it’s popular and Malia Obama is doing it. While there aren’t exact numbers on the number of students who take a gap year, there has been a 294% increase since 2010 in USA Gap Year Fair attendance. Again, this heightened interest spurs the question - why are students so interested in taking a gap year? The American Gap Association did an alumni survey in 2015 and asked what the most significant influence was in their decision to take a year off. Ranked 1st was their desire to gain life experiences and grow personally, followed by travel and experience other cultures, and finally, to take a break from their academic track. With the tech industry boom and increase in student entrepreneurs, high school and college students are also more encouraged to take the time off and take a risk. One way to do that is through Draper University’s pilot 9-month entrepreneurship program. This entrepreneurship program, also called the Master’s Program, is designed to allow you to incubate yourself and ideas. The 9-month program may not sound like the gap year you’re looking for, but it doesn’t follow the traditional academic calendar, nor are you confined to lectures and forced to memorize facts for exams. The program gives you a platform to develop essential skills to build, market and finance your startup. You’ll receive 1:1 mentoring sessions from Silicon Valley’s leading entrepreneurs and VCs, and given the opportunity to pitch in a business plan competition where Tim Draper will invest $1 million total. If traveling is your primary reason for taking a year off, this may not be the program for you. However, if you’re looking for a challenge to grow personally and professionally, you shouldn’t hesitate to apply. Tim Draper, the founder of Draper University, said, â€Å"We built Draper University to address the need for real world Entrepreneurship education, taught by entrepreneurs themselves. At Draper University, students are taught to learn by doing. They are rewarded for making mistakes. They are encouraged to go out and create revolutions. It takes one person taking the first step. That could be you.† Don’t simply associate startups with the Facebook campus and unlimited holidays. Building a startup takes a lot of hard work, countless mistakes and failures, and dedication. You’ll be able to test your own limits, challenge yourself intellectually, and more importantly, figure out what you’re passionate about. Take it from someone who has been through the program. Brian Friedman, now the founder CEO of Loopd, said, â€Å"As I arrived at Draper University I was welcomed with open arms to a new community. The positive energy just radiated, and I knew this would become my new family. When starting a company, you need to believe in yourself, your mission, and your purpose. Passion, creativity, and consistent drive are a few of the key factors that fuel your success. Draper University is an epicenter for serendipity unlike any other entrepreneurship program I have experienced.† While the program isn’t limited to students who are planning on taking a gap year this fall, it is an amazing opportunity to take advantage of. Live, learn and grow!

Biography of Zhu Di, Chinas Yongle Emperor

Biography of Zhu Di, China's Yongle Emperor Zhu Di (May 2, 1360–August 12, 1424), also known as the Yongle Emperor, was the third ruler of Chinas Ming Dynasty. He embarked on a series of ambitious projects, including the lengthening and widening of the Grand Canal, which carried grain and other goods from southern China to Beijing. Zhu Di also built the Forbidden City and led a number of attacks against the Mongols, who threatened the Mings northwestern flank. Fast Facts: Zhu Di Known For: Zhu Di was the third emperor of Chinas Ming dynasty.Also Known As: Yongle EmperorBorn: May 2, 1360 in Nanjing, ChinaParents: Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress MaDied: August 12, 1424 in Yumuchuan, ChinaSpouse: Empress XuChildren: Nine Early Life Zhu Di was born on May 2, 1360, to the future founder of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, and an unknown mother. Although official records claim the boys mother was the future Empress Ma, rumors persist that his true biological mother was a Korean or Mongolian consort of Zhu Yuanzhang. From an early age, according to Ming sources, Zhu Di proved more capable and courageous than his older brother Zhu Biao. However, according to Confucian principles, the eldest son was expected to succeed to the throne. Any deviation from this rule could spark a civil war. As a teenager, Zhu Di became Prince of Yan, with his capital at Beijing. With his military prowess and aggressive nature, Zhu Di was well-suited to holding northern China against raids by the Mongols. At 16, he married the 14-year-old daughter of General Xu Da, who commanded the northern defense forces. In 1392, Crown Prince Zhu Biao died suddenly of an illness. His father had to choose a new successor: either the Crown Princes teenaged son, Zhu Yunwen, or the 32-year-old Zhu Di. Keeping with tradition, the dying Zhu Biao chose Zhu Yunwen, who was next in line for succession. Path to the Throne The first Ming emperor died in 1398. His grandson, Crown Prince Zhu Yunwen, became the Jianwen Emperor. The new emperor carried out his grandfathers orders that none of the other princes should bring their legions to observe his burial, for fear of civil war. Bit by bit, the Jianwen Emperor stripped his uncles of their lands, power, and armies. Zhu Bo, the prince of Xiang, was forced to commit suicide. Zhu Di, however, feigned mental illness as he plotted a revolt against his nephew. In July 1399, he killed two of the Jianwen Emperors officers, the first blow in his uprising. That fall, the Jianwen Emperor sent a force of 500,000 against Beijing armies. Zhu Di and his army were out on patrol elsewhere, so the women of the city fended off the imperial army by throwing crockery at them until their soldiers returned and routed Jianwens forces. By 1402, Zhu Di had made his way south to Nanjing, defeating the emperors army at every turn. On July 13, 1402, as he entered the city, the imperial palace went up in flames. Three bodies- identified as those of the Jianwen Emperor, the empress, and their oldest son- were found among the charred wreckage. Nonetheless, rumors persisted that Zhu Yunwen had survived. At the age of 42, Zhu Di took the throne under the name Yongle, meaning perpetual happiness. He immediately set about executing anyone who opposed him, along with their friends, neighbors, and relatives- a tactic invented by Qin Shi Huangdi. He also ordered the construction of a large ocean-going fleet. Some believe that the ships were intended to search for Zhu Yunwen, whom some believed had escaped to Annam, northern Vietnam, or some other foreign land. Treasure Fleet Between 1403 and 1407, the Yongle Emperors workmen built well over 1,600 oceangoing junks of various sizes. The largest were called treasure ships, and the Armada was known as the Treasure Fleet. In 1405, the first of seven voyages of the Treasure Fleet left for Calicut, India, under the direction of the Yongle Emperors old friend, the eunuch Admiral Zheng He. The Yongle Emperor would oversee six voyages through 1422, and his grandson would launch a seventh in 1433. The Treasure Fleet sailed as far as the east coast of Africa, projecting Chinese power throughout the Indian Ocean and gathering tribute from far and wide. The Yongle Emperor hoped these exploits would rehabilitate his reputation after the bloody and anti-Confucian chaos by which he gained the throne. Foreign and Domestic Policies Even as Zheng He set out on his first voyage in 1405, Ming China dodged a huge bullet from the west. The great conqueror Timur had been detaining or executing Ming envoys for years and decided it was time to conquer China in the winter of 1404-1405. Fortunately for the Yongle Emperor and the Chinese, Timur became ill and died in what is now Kazakhstan. The Chinese seem to have been oblivious to the threat. In 1406, the northern Vietnamese killed a Chinese ambassador and a visiting Vietnamese prince. The Yongle Emperor sent an army half a million strong to avenge the insult, conquering the country in 1407. However, Vietnam revolted in 1418 under the leadership of Le Loi, who founded the Le Dynasty, and by 1424 China had lost control of nearly all Vietnamese territory. The Yongle Emperor considered it a priority to erase all traces of Mongolian cultural influence from China, following his fathers defeat of the ethnically-Mongol Yuan Dynasty. He did reach out to the Buddhists of Tibet, however, offering them titles and riches. Transport was a perpetual issue early on in the Yongle era. Grain and other goods from southern China had to be shipped along the coast or else portaged from boat to boat up the narrow Grand Canal. The Yongle Emperor had the Grand Canal deepened, widened, and extended up to Beijing- a massive financial undertaking. After the controversial palace fire in Nanjing that killed the Jianwen Emperor, and a later assassination attempt there against the Yongle Emperor, the third Ming ruler decided to permanently move his capital north to Beijing. He built a massive palace compound there, called the Forbidden City, which was completed in 1420. Decline In 1421, the Yongle Emporers favorite senior wife died in the spring. Two concubines and a eunuch were caught having sex, setting off a horrific purge of palace staff that ended with the Yongle Emperor executing hundreds or even thousands of his eunuchs, concubines, and other servants. Days later, a horse that had once belonged to Timur threw the emperor, whose hand was crushed in the accident. Worst of all, on May 9, 1421, three bolts of lightning struck the main buildings of the palace, setting the newly completed Forbidden City on fire. Contritely, the Yongle Emperor remitted grain taxes for the year and promised to halt all expensive foreign adventures, including the Treasure Fleet voyages. His experiment with moderation did not last long, however. In late 1421, after the Tatar ruler Arughtai declined to pay tribute to China, the Yongle Emperor flew into a rage, requisitioning over a million bushels of grain, 340,000 pack animals, and 235,000 porters from three southern provinces to supply his army during its attack on Arughtai. The emperors ministers opposed this rash attack and six of them ended up imprisoned or dead by their own hands as a result. Over the next three summers, the Yongle Emperor launched annual attacks against Arughtai and his allies, but never managed to find the Tatar forces. Death On August 12, 1424, the 64-year-old Yongle Emperor died on the march back to Beijing after another fruitless search for the Tatars. His followers fashioned a coffin and carried him to the capital in secret. The Yongle Emperor was buried in a mounded tomb in the Tianshou Mountains, about 20 miles from Beijing. Legacy Despite his own experience and misgivings, the Yongle Emperor appointed his quiet, bookish eldest son Zhu Gaozhi as his successor. As the Hongxi Emperor, Zhu Gaozhi would lift tax burdens on peasants, outlaw foreign adventures, and promote Confucian scholars to positions of power. The Hongxi Emperor survived his father for less than a year; his own eldest son, who became the Xuande Emperor in 1425, would combine his fathers love of learning with his grandfathers martial spirit. Sources Mote, Frederick W.  Imperial China 900-1800. Harvard University Press, 2003.Roberts, J. A. G.  The Complete History of China. Sutton, 2003.

Online Video Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Online Video Marketing - Essay Example has also been mentioned in the ad, thirdly there are clear instructions about personalising the delivery and in what all ways, fourthly, the name of the product (which is chocolate wedding favors) is repeatedly used in the advertisement. However, one of the major shortcomings of this video is that nothing exciting or luring is happening in the ad. There is a same boring background used all throughout the ad with a fixed image usage. Moreover, having a male voice is not a very good idea, especially when it sounded more robotic. Generally female voice is best suited in advertisements. There was recurrent use of messages throughout the video which were the written format of whatever was spoken; this made the video look very annoying and it made me feel as if I was sitting in a class and a lecture was taking place. 2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZFng1ngyeE- The idea of this video is very innovative. Keeping in mind that the most number of orders are placed by men for their female counterparts, the ad has been specifically designed to lure them. It has a title track which runs throughout and has been intelligently chosen to represent the customer’s feelings. Also there is an excellent use of still images with videos which makes it all very interesting. However, one of the major setbacks is that the advertisement looks like a video of a love song with hints about publicity of chocolates. There is little to no use of information on the product and hardly once or twice does such information occur on the screen. Basically the product and services are not advertised properly. 3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSaZADwgiCk- The video featured in this link presents an interesting aspect to the idea of video advertisement. Unlike other video ads, this one focuses on different people from different genres who have varied tastes when it comes to chocolates. Via these people the video tries to lure people into buying chocolates by presenting the reasons and the people

Labor Union Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Labor Union Relations - Essay Example One should believe that labor unions would not come into existence if the two-tier wage systems are kept at a safe distance from the shores of the organization. This is a classic case of understanding the employees’ perspectives where the main emphasis is on setting things right and thus making all the employees feel well with the operational policies and standard wage structures. However this hardly happens and the end result leads up to a good amount of problems for the two tiers, and in essence the employees and labors themselves who feel the pinch in the best of times. More than anything else, it is the resilience of the organization which is not easily digested by the labor unions which are against the dictum of having two-tier wage systems in place. This is something that does not go down well with the people at large within the aegis of an organization that has seriously adopted the incorporation of two tiers within its wage systems. The element of fairness or the lack thereof creeps into the equation for all the right reasons. The labor unions usually fight for the sake of having a wage system which is based on fairness and does not have any problems for all and sundry.

Malaysian Film Industry Construct Malaysian Identity Cultural Studies Essay

Malaysian Film Industry Construct Malaysian Identity Cultural Studies Essay Malaysia is a Multiple ethic country, but the interesting situation is , the race that dominant the country are all imigrant, the malay was come from the Javanese. The Chinese is come from China and Indian people come from India. but nowadays they all citizen of the country, with these alieness history, how should Malaysian define their national identity? We have just celebrated the 25th anniversary of our independence. During this quarter ccentury we have reached a level of achievement which we can be proud of. We have succeeded in laying a strong foundation for the evolvement o f One citizenry, One language and One culture. It is on this foundation that we build a greater Malaysia.'(Malaysia : Crisis of Identity p8) What Malaysia needs are moderates of ends and not moderates of means who are eventually wMalaysia, an Indian Malaysia, a Malay Malaysia but a Malaysian Malaysia where the different races, languages, religions and cultures can flourish in Malaysia.'(p3) The first quote was adderssed by the BN Gorvenment after they win the election in 1982, at that days the gorvernment suggested the idea of Assimilation: A + B + C = A, where A, B, and C represent different social groups and A represents the dominant group. The subordination of minority cultures into a dominant culture.This approach may be likned to what some have called forced assimilation ((Alison Gibson. 1984. p 105) (National culture and democracy , Kua kia soon, p133) . The second quote was the respond from the people, espeacially the Chinese which represent the idea of Pluralism: A + B + C = A + B + C, where A, B, and C represent different social groups that over time maintain their unique identities. Cultural pluralism is fre-quently seen as a peaceful coexistence between groups. All cultures are to be allowed to exist separately and equally, harmonious or not. The harmonious version has been termedunity in diversity. (Alison Gibson. 1984. p 105) (National culture and democracy , Kua kia soon, p133). You can image when this two idea bump together, how much chaos it will make. The Malaysian have stay in this juncture for over 50 years, it is necessary to identify briefly the advocacy of various positions on National identity. First, i will discuss about what is National Identity, And then i will explore how the Malaysias film industry construt the image of Malaysians National Identity, And how the image change through the decade. What is National Identity. National identity is a complex idea, National identity erase difference by imposing a set of attributes on all menbers of the nation and unwilling ness to accept all these attributes threatens identity and therefore threatens expulsion from that community.(p62) The idea of erase all the difference doesnt mean to erase other culture, but erase any other identity that create by any individual group in the country because these are a power that will cause expulsion . National identity is one idea that can accept by all the individual group, and gather them in to one voice. National identity is only one of the many social identities available for citizens of multicultural countries such as Malaysia.National identity has a central role in promoting peaceful ethnic relations. (Malini ratnasigam, p3) In the book Ethnic relation and Nation Building Malini Ratnasingam claim that the national identity is the best form of identity should adapt by the Malaysian, beacause the other social identity content too much category that will tear the Malaysian into many individual pieces, but national identity will work well for the Malaysian, Because nation are crossed by those differences , a force of unite, a sense of belonging and nationess. So now we understand what is national identity. But now the question is who should decide what is our identity? At the begining of this dissertation, there are the arguement about chosing which idea shall we adapt, Assimilation or Pluralism? The nation is imagined because the members of even the smallest nation will never know most of their fellow-members, meet them, or even hear of them, yet in the minds of each lives the image of their communion. (Benedict Anderson, p60) From the quote Benedict Anderson belieave that the nation is about all the member, even the smallest nation. National identity is a image that can imagined by every single nation. But In the book Cultural Contestatation author Zawahi Ibrahim disagree with andersons concept and suggested that the identity formation takes place within what he would call a two social reality which are authority-defined social reality, one which is authoritatively defined by people who are part of the dominant power structure. The second is everyday-defined social reality, one which is experienced by people in the course of thier everday life. These two social realities exist side by side at any given time. (Zawahi Ibrahim, 1998 ,pg18) The identity is a negotiation between these two social reality. How Malaysia film Indutry construt Malaysians National identity The Malaysian film indutry was founded on Chinese money,Indian imagination and Malay labour(Hamzah hussin,1994 ,p105) Although outside the screen, there are wonderful mullti cross ethnic relation on the movie production, but almost all the film are Malay movies. The only thing that really can consider as multi racial is the Old malay movie industry have strong influnce from indian bollywood style beacuse of the director, but very less of them had really mention about the multi ethnicity or religious relation. I chose to call this book 120 malay movie, because more than half of the movies were made before Malaysia was even created.(Plus they were made in Singapore) So what they have common were the languague and ethnic milieu they showcased. (120Malay movie , p26) The autor of 120 Malay Movie clearly state that the early film industry in Malaysia cant even consider Malaysias movie, It is only presented the early life of Malay in Malaysia, it maybe a very well materials for the Malaysias Malay identity, but obviously not suite the idea of National identity. But now it raise a question ,if the national indentity include everything, dont the Malay culture also part of the national identity? Yes, but now we talking about how the film industry help construt the national identity, at the old time, the Malay film are totally dominanted the film industry, which give an idea of the impression of the nation have owned by Malay, In the film Tajul Ashikin (see figure 1) there was a scene where two men try to peddle thier wares, but thier voices are drowned out by a newly arrived Chinese team that is offering dental services. This shows the Malay fear of being displaced in their own land by new arrivals who seem to be much better at buiness. (p25,120Malay Movie) Figure 1 Tajul Ashikin by M Amin But at that time, the stark economic disparity between Malay peasants and Chinese merchants didnt seem to have undue political repercussions because the populationwas sparse and times were good (120 Malay p269). So the movie show the worry of the Malay sovereignty instead of promoting peaceful ethnic relations. With this idea, it help to destroy the national identity instead of construt it. But still there is some exception.There is still some other racial tension pop up in these movie. On the film Mahsuri which release in 1959 (see fiugre 2), there was a part about a merciless indian teasing by the Malays about his skin colour. (p165) The plot is meant to be funny, in fact, it was directed by an Indian. Ethnic conflict often appear in Malaysian daily life, we can not avoid it, but we can face it with great attitude. This plot showed an attitude to face the difference between every ethnic, just laugh at it. Figure 2 Mahsuri by BM Rao The next film that have the multi ethnicity it is Ali Baba Pucang Lapok directed by Malaysian silver-screen legend P. Ramlee at 1960, P.Ramlee are one of the minority inside that can create the sense of Malaysianness in the movie in the decade. The movie itself are deliberate mish-mash of culture, inside the movie you can see different kind of culture image. But the most surprise scene will be when the Chinese trader being asked how long he have lived in the area, he answer that he have lived here for 80years, he not only counted his own 50 years age, but add up his father.(see figure 3) Figure 3 The Chinese trader said that his father lived there 30 years before he borned. This blurs the line between immigrant and native and it is precisely this blurring that must continue untill all Malaysian feel they have the same stake in the nation. (p26, 120 Malay Movie) It is hardly seen a movie have such multi culture in Malay old film. The national identity is to create a sense of nation, it only can be done when the have the idea that the land doesnt owned by anyone, but they were all born equal in this place. This movie successfully deliver the message. and helped construct the sense of nation, althought it is only one short scene, but it is still a big step for the Malaysias industry at the decade. Another film also directed by P.Ramlee Sesudah Sebuh (see figure 4), The most multi cultural cast we have ever seen. said the Author of 120 Malay Movie Amir Muhammad. The Main cast include the 3 main race of Malaysian, Melayu, Cina and indian. And a conversation in the movie, create am ideal racial integration, In a bookshop by a customer to the owner :Even though youre Malay and im Chinese, we are both Malaysians. And Malaysians have a duty to help each other. The Idea cant be more clear, its simple and directly pointing the ideal without any decoration. Figure 4- Sesudah Sebuh directed by P.Ramlee Although there are some more film that really promotiong the ideal natiaonal identity for Malaysian, but these number are still only a drop in the bucket. There are still mile a part to fill the whole bucket. But atleast we can see the root of the idea of national identity growing inside. When it come to 1970s, the idea of multic ethic face a challenge. The 513 incident had drag the ethic relation into crisis situation. The racial riots led to a declaration of a state of national emergency. The riot ignited the capital Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding area of Selangor, Malay mobs, wearing white headbands signifying an alliance with death, and brandishing swords and daggers, surged into Chinese areas in the capital, burning, looting and killing. In retaliation, Chinese, sometimes aided by Indians, armed themselves with pistols and shotguns and struck at Malay kampongs (villages). Huge pillars of smoke rose skyward as houses, shops and autos burned.( http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,900859,00.html) Tunku Abdul Rahmans multiracial style of government was successful until serious and widespread anti-Chinese riots broke out in May 1969. These riots followed a fall in support for the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) in the federal election and were indicative of Malay resentment of the economic success of the Chinese business community. (http://www.city.com.my/malaysia-history.htm) After the incident, the gorvernment came up a serial of policy that surpress the other ethnic, in order to restructure Malaysian society. The UMNO-dominated states aggressive attempt to conflate the nations linguistic identity with Malays status as the sole nationaal and official language threatened the constitutionally sanctioned freeedom to use thier mother tongue.'(Milthiethnic, pg220) The pro-Malay policy. The most significant result of the events of May 1969 was an attempt, announced in the five-year plan (1971-75), to restructure Malaysian society. The aim was to raise the percentage of ethnic-Malay-owned businesses from 4% to 30% by 1990, and to extend the use of pro-Malay (bumiputra) affirmative-action quota systems for university entrance and company employment. Economic expansion, it was hoped, would greatly ease this redistributive process and at the same time offer the opportunity to eliminate poverty among all Malaysians. (http://www.city.com.my/malaysia-history.htm) The National Cultural Policy(NCP) was formulated at a congress held at the University of Malaya in August 1971, and the announced Policy consisted of three main principles. The national culture of Malaysia must be based on the cultures of the people indigenous to the region; Elements from other cultures,which are suitable and reasonable may be incorporated into the natioonal culture; and Islam will be an important element in the national culture. (Mohad Talib Osman, pg95 ) All of these policy indirectly influence the relation between ethnic, all the unequal act make the ethnic hatred grown day by day. Causing the idea of national identity start changging. The change of the society have brought into the film industry , the multi ethnic that rarely seen from the film before 1970s completely obliterate after these policy untill recent years. Before then we have Malay culture dominant film industry. The segregate can also see from the statistics that correlate cinema atendance by ethnic groupwith the national or language origin of the film being viewed. (see figure 5) LanguageEthinic Malay Chinese Indian/Other Malay 23% 0% 1% Chinese 7% 81% 0% Indian 34% 1% 83% English 35% 18% 16% Figure 5 Language distribution of cinema attendance by ethinic group (1979) The quetion of the cultural identity of Malaysian film is a constant issue, even for the least culturally minded film producer, since it is related to the need to attract a broad-spectrum audience.It is still the case that more than 90% of audience for Malaysian films is Malay (Malaysia Cinema Asian film, pg154) From the statistic we can see that Bahasa Melayu cinema is a weak cultural force, despite the Malays being the most powerful political force in the counry. At that time, The chinese usually watch the Hongkong or Taiwanese films ; or the second choice will be the English Language film, but not Bahasa Malayu film. The same situation happen with the Indian autience. cinema is probably the most raciallly segregated activity in the country today'(Mansor bin Puteh, 1990, pg154) On top we discuss about crisis of ethnic realation that cause restrict the multi ethnic movie culture. In 1981, the idea of Malay sovereignty that set by the gorvernment start to invade the movie industry. National Film Development Corporation (FINAS) was established in 1981 to encourage the development of the local industry. ensure that a sizeable portion of the total volume of buimess done in the production, distribution and exhibition sectors would be handled by Malays'(Baharudin Latif, 1981, pg150) Control and restrict from the gorvernment have caused the other ethnic have lower chance to make their own movie, and also restricted the creativity of theme or topic. All of these restriction had bring the Malaysia film industry far away from their Golden age in 1950s -1960s. Film are censored or banned if it oppose government polucy or encourage anti-gorvernment feeling; glorify communism and socialism; glorify any particular race while denigrating others; gloriy crime and immorality; deal with sadism, cruelty and excessive violence; insult public dignity ; and show behavior not acceptable to Malaysian society (Mohd Hamdan Bin Haji Adnan, 1991) These policy had make the Malaysian confuse and question about thier naional identity, the policy have succesfully incite the desire of Malay that persuit for Malay sovereignty, the other ethnic like chinese and indian felt betray by the country, when there is no nation pride in them, the National identity become dominant by the Malay, and become the image that shown by the Movie industry, but it is not the image that the nation share along, from (figure 5) we can see the local Malay film have not accepted by the other ethnic. so it is not a National identity of that decade, the film on that decade have lose the concept of being a National cinema. The cinema is then a mean of speaking the nation in all its constructed uniqueness. The connection between speaking the nation and selling the nation become all the more invitable when the rhetoric of both nationlism and marketing emphasize qualities of uniqueness, distinctiveness and patriotism. The term representing the nation there fore accuires and ecmonomic as well as an analytical and cultural objective it is not just how a cinema represents the nation, but also how successfully it does so. (Malaysia Cinema , pg 107) New Malaysian Film The decade of Malaysian film might look like a decade that have controled by Malay, and their the relation with other ethnic race doesnt seem well. Althought the realation between the different ethnic group are peaceful in decade before 1960s, but the policy in 1970s created an long fight between ethnic group. Race has always been an issue in my country, even before independence but never has it been as serious and divisive as it is today.Almost every issue is seen from the perspectivve of race to the point where it is impossible to obtain a consensus of public opinion on any issue'(Kee Thuan Che,1993,p57) But where there is pressure, where there is resistance. The serious situation also created a trend, Never has it been as desire as today, people pursuit for the unity of the Nation. In the book Found in Malaysia have interviewed 54 influential Public figure who have different race, religion, culture, gender, sexual,genarational and political. But when it come to the question: Describe what kind of Malaysia you whould like for yourself and future generation? They all gave a same answer in many different way, but in the end, the main idea is the same. All of us regardless of racial/ethnic, regious, class and linguistic backgrounds, share one thing in common : we are all Malaysian citizens and we call this country our home and care for its future. We dream of future Malaysia that is equal to all, but takes into acount ourparticular wants, needs and aspirations and at the same time, is able to cater to the needs of others according to an inclusive logic of equal representation and equal right.(Azizi Khan, 2004, pg475) The idea become a trend, and start to appear in the recent ten years. Beacuse the inrternet have start to cover all the new genaration daily life. Internet is one of the most powerful sources in human history, the information can share in rapid speed, milllion of personal narratives or popular forms of expression which help construt the everyday-defined social reality was shared everyday. Causing the Balance between the authority-defined social reality and everyday-defined social reality started to change. So we will start from Malaysia Independence Film Industry, which have well used the internet as a state for them to spread thier idea and story . The first example for indipendence film is the Project 15 Malaysia . 15Malaysia is a short film project. It consists of 15 short films made by 15 Malaysian filmmakers. These films not only deal with socio-political issues in Malaysia, they also feature some of the best-known faces in the country, including actors, musicians and top political leaders. You may think of them as funky little films made by 15 Malaysian voices for the people of Malaysia. ( http://15malaysia.com/) From the project name we can know that this film is dedicate to show 15 kind of story that happened in Malaysia. I going to take a few of them into discusstion. First i will start with the personal narrative story. House is a story about an indian family forced by the capitalist to give up their house for development, and also show the feeling of the indian kid(Rama) toward the house is more then a house, but a family.(see figure 6) The story attempt to explore the story inside the slums usually the indian race who have many family suffer with these problem in order to let the audience understand the country more. Figure 6 Rama express his feeling about the house. We will strat from Yasmin Ahmadm (see figure 6), Malaysias famous film director, writter and scriptwriter, in Malaysia, most of the ethnic used to avoid each other but inevitably bump together, no one can avoid, because this is just what live in Malaysia are look like, And most of her film are challenging the moment when different ethnic bump together, she narrate the spark of the moment and turn in into a moving picture. When most of the popular cultures movie deliberately avoid the ethnic conflict, her films break the boundary between ethnic and religion. She focus on emotion and the relationship between people, narate and present the story in a human perspective, not in Malay, Chinese or Indian, but back to the origin human emotion. It makes the audience to rethink about politic, religion and social issues in indirectly ways. The more we understand each other, the less we affraid. She is an ambassador of unity. An individual with amazing foresight who; work has bridged all the races in the country. Great loss to the nation and the creative world.'( Chandran Ravi. http://entertainment.malaysia.msn.com/photos/photos.aspx?cp-documentid=5080081page=13) Figure 6 Yasmin Ahmad Yasmin Ahmad first movie Sepet(see figure 7) is a story about a Chinese boy fall in love with a Malay girl. This might look normal in foreign country, but the relation between Chinese and Malay is not simple. Figure 7 Sepet The relation between Chinese and Malay always been complicate, that hatred between both of this race happen before incident 513, when in World war 2, the Japan invade and ruled this country for over 3 years. on that period, the Japanese surpress the Chinese but treated the Malay friendly and even form a Malay army to defence againts the communist, but who is communist? At that time many Chinese were the communist, the root of hate were start from here, and Malays fear of get replace by the Chinese in the econimic, then is the 513 incident, the unequal policy, Chinese fear of forced to join muslim if married a muslim and etc. All of these caused the relation between this two race are always controvertial. In the movie Sepet that is a scene the Protagonists(Jason) friend try to persuade Jason the relation between him and Heroine(Orked) is forbiden. Which clearly potrait the mind set of Chinese about the relationship of the interacial couple. (See figure 8 ). Figure 8 Keong (left) advices Jason not to get involved in relationship with Malay girls. Yasmin Ahmad used the traditional perception of Malaysians and confronted it in her movie. It cant be denied that she used a very creative way to show the relationship between history culture and innocent love. Malay films seldom touch on taboo topics like alcohol, dog, prostitution, suicide, etc. Many of the Malay films only showed the good side. Much of the time, they are hindered by those issues. But Yasmin Ahmad used reverse psychology to bring out the negative issues, because there are many grey areas to investigate in Malaysian culture. The following are some of the taboos in Malay tradition that is shown in the movie Muallaf (2007). A Muslim woman who despaired on her marriage ended up taking her own life by suicide. Young Malays play and get drunk in a snooker room. An Islam teacher touched a dog on his way to mosque. A sincere Malay Muslim girl works in a pub at night. These issues are a challenge to the traditional Malay society. However, the tasks that she undertakes must be lawful from the point of view of Islam. She must not work as a dancer, a model, a barmaid, a waitress, a film actress, a musician, or a prostitute to sell her femininity in order to make money, even with the consent of her husband. (A. Rahman I. Doi, 1990:147). Yasmin Ahmads movies use the sensitive issues faced by Malays as a discussion. Talking about sensitive issues is very challenging, especially on ethnicity. But it depends on how the director presented it. How much can the audience accept it, based on the issues? Yasmin Ahmand film has a power of introspection, Yasmin Ahmad film dig into the confilct between ethnic group instead of try to avoild these sensitive issue like other, Yasmin Ahmad bring the conflict right into audience eye without beautify it, only with the simplest emotion of human being, a way that lead us to undestand empathy. Only when Malaysian strong enough to really face themselves, then we can form our Identity Honestly. The next case will be opposite of Yasmin Ahmad film.Yasmin Ahmad film represent the reality side of ethnic conflict, now we are going to see the Malaysian utopia. Nasi Lemak 2.0(see figure 9) is directed by a controversial public figure Namewee, who have temper the national anthem and content with rasict, critic to gorvenment and religion in 2007. The song Negarakuku drag the attention of public, Public reaction towards the song is split, Immediate reactions in the form of YouTube comments range from being critical, in fair agreement, support, attacks and threats towards Wee. He became One of the most haterd public figure by the Malay ethnic at that time. Figure 8 Nasi Lemak 2.0 Nasi Lemak2.0 is the first Malaysian film that did not target one of the three population groups as its audience. And succesfully hit 7million ringgit gross. The movie is have many plot that content the relation between the different ethnic for example: the bright non-Muslim students unable to enroll into universities, authorities bias in favour of Malays, Chinese educated citizens speak poor English, immigrants issues, Hang Tuahs unsolved identity mystery, English educated Chinese lack of confidence in speaking Chinese language, Kuala Lumpur a busy and unsettling city, some non-Chinese could speak better Chinese, mix of Indian and chinese song, and culture of Baba and Nyonya. Different with Yasmin Ahmad film, althought in Nasi Lemak2.0 there is still some ethnic conflict, but most of the time, it show a utopia of how Malaysia ethnic group interact with each other, and create a whole new kind of culture. The song Curry Neh (see figure 9 ) in the movie, mixed the chinese and indian culture, There is more example like, the Malay chef teaching chinese matial art Taichi at the park (see figure 10) or the chinese tradition song sing with english lyric(figure 11). Attempt to question why cant a specific ethnic learn the culture of other ethnic. Figure 9 Curry Neh Figure 10 Malay teaching Taichi Figure 11 Tradition Chinese song sing with English Lyric The film was success because the intereact of different ethnic causing resonance among the Malaysian, the way of acting and some humour about the Malaysias gorvernment or stereotyping of ethnic is what Malaysia face in daily life. The second film of Namewee is Hantu gangster (see figure 12). The film continue the style of Nasi Lemak 2.0. Hantu gangster attempt to send the message of Nation unity before 1970s, and question about why todays ethnic relation become worst. The film style is same with Nasi Lemak2.0 The idea is the same but only the story had change, there are many ethnic intereact like Chinese only understand Malay when it speak in chinese accent, a Taoist priest that know different religion style of exorcism, a parody of the 513 incident, and a Indian Party song with Malay, Mandarin, Hokkien, Tamil lyric, etc. These ethnic mixture is what Malaysian Interested, although reality might not be the same, but from the sucess of these film we can see the future that Malaysian persuit, the future that Malaysian image. Figure 12 Hantu Gangster 2012 Conclusion Malaysia is a young country, there is many thing we have to experience to understand what are we today, what will be out future. Today Malaysia is in a turning point, where the politic have a new Atmosphere which will directly influence the authority-definedsocial reality. And the development of internet, liberty of speech help people to understand their capability, have the way to stand up and express thier emotion and their story, i believe in the future, when the authority-defined and the everyday-defined have found a way to line up, Malaysian will no longer quetion their identiry. References: http://www.english.emory.edu/Bahri/Anderson.html (benicdic anderson)

The Communist Manifesto and The Jungle :: essays research papers

In The Jungle, Upton Sinclair uses a true to life story to demonstrate the working man’s life during industrialization. Marx depicts in the Communist Manifesto an explanation of why the proletariat is worked so hard for the benefit of the bourgeois, and how they will inevitably rise up from it and move to a life of communism. When The Jungle and the Communist Manifesto were written, the proletariat, or working class, was a commodity of commerce. Like their brothers, they subjected to competition and all of the quick and sudden changes of the market. Before the industrialization movement began, there was more of a blend between the classes, and now there is a distinct separation between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. Because of the industrialization of the countries, the replacement of manual labor with the use of machinery and the division of labor, the work of the proletarian has become homogeneous. It does not contain the individuality or charm of the laborer as handmade goods do. The worker instead becomes part of the machine and is reduced to performing menial, repetitive tasks. Thus, the workman's pay rate reflects his work, and is reduced to minimum amount needed to barely sustain them. Therefore, as the skill needed to perform the job reduced, so does the amount of the wages. Also, as industrialization increases, so does drudge and toil. The worker become, in the eyes of the bourgeois in control, a part of the machine and as expendable and as easily replaced as any part of the machine. This is in the forms of prolon ged work hours, amount of work done in a certain time, or by the increase of the speed of the machinery, which wears down and drains the workers. Modern industry has replaced the privately owned workshop with the corporate factory. Laborers file into factories like soldiers. Throughout the day they are under the strict supervision of a hierarchy of seemingly militant command. Not only are their actions controlled by the government, they are controlled by the machines they are operating or working with, the bourgeois supervisors, and the bourgeois manufacturer. The more open the bourgeois are in professing gain as their ultimate goal, the more it condemns the proletariat. In other words, the more industry becomes industrialized or developed, or the less physical or mental skills a laborer needs to complete their task, the easier it is for women and to move up into equal or higher positions than that of men.

America (West Side Story) Essay

Introduction This document is the lyrics of the song America extracts from the movie West Side Story. This movie is a musical directed by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise in 1961. It sets in NY in the 50’s. It deals with a confrontation between two rival gangs : the Jets (american) and the Sharks (Portorican). It also deals with a love story between Tony and Maria. Their love story is based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet as the two lovers belong to different groups. The song America was write by Stephen Sondheim and composed by Leonard Bernstein. During the scene, the portorican girls support the life in America whereas the portorican boys criticise it. To study this song, I’m going to present in a first part the life in Puerto Rico and then in a second part the life in the US. And to finish, in a third part, the boy’s intention. I – The life in Puerto Rico (l. 1 to l. 7) => The climate : There are a lot of hurricanes which destroy the houses and the plantations. It is also very hot, so hot that it must be difficult to work. => The working conditions : In Puerto Rico, they are waiting for jobs. A lot of people are unemployed or even if they have a job, they are low-paid and they have to borrow (emprunter) money from the banks. They are exploited and indebted. => The birth rate : The birth rate is very high. The portoricans are Catholic and they don’t know anything about the birth control or the means of contraception. There are more and more mouths to feed and more and more unemployment. Consequently, they have to emigrate, mainly to the US, in order to have a better life. It was easy for them to get the American citizenship because Puerto Rico depended on the USA. It is a negative image of Puerto Rico. Maria criticises it and yet she says â€Å"my heart’s devotion† (l. 1) but she is ironical. She prefers the life in the US and doesn’t care if P. Rico disappears because she says â€Å"let it sink back in the ocean†. II – The life in the US (l. 8 to l. 31) ? Girl’s opinion : The girls say that it’s a better life because there is more freedom (â€Å"free to be anything you choose†), you can become whoever you want. The life is more comfortable, you can have your own washing machine, and there is more space because you can have big and good apartments. There is no more unemployment because of the â€Å"industry boom† (l. 15) so there is more job opportunities, more chances to become someone socially. For the girls, the US are a land of freedom and pride. ? Boy’s opinion : For them, everywhere in America, they suffer from racial discrimination. At work because they can just access to low-paid jobs. In housing because their requests to have a house are refused. In the street and shops because of their skin colour and their accent. They have low-paid jobs and they can’t afford big apartments so they have to live in promiscuity (â€Å"twelve in a room in america†). Moreover they can’t afford clothes so the washing machine is useless (â€Å"what will you have, though, to keep clean†). The life in America isn’t as good as the girls say because it’s violent and dangerous (â€Å"organized crime in America†) and dirty (â€Å"everywhere grime in America†). The girls believe in the American dream whereas the boys are disillusioned and pessimistic. III – The boy’s intention (l. 32 to the end) The boys intends to (ont l’intention de) go back to San Juan in Puerto Rico because settling down in America didn’t bring any real changes. Moreover, they can’t stand the racial discrimination anymore. They expects to be cheerfully welcome in San Juan. Maria pretends not to care about it, she pretends not to be upset (contrariee). She has the last words with â€Å"Everyone there will have moved here† l35. She means that all the portoricans are sensible (senses) enough to understand that their future is in the US. Conclusion To conclude the life in the US and the life in Puerto Rico are confronted because of the situation. The girls support the America but the boys underline the fact that even if they found liberty and pride in the US, they are still confronted to poverty and they suffer from racism and violence. Maria conclude with the fact that all the portoricans in Puerto Rico would be in the US. However, I can understand that the boys don’t feel good in America and want go back to Puerto Rico because even if they will be poor, it’s their land. They should feel better with portoricans than with american. It’s up to them to make a choice but I think that their survival instinct will lead them to America because they will have more chance to succeed than in Puerto Rico.