Friday, November 15, 2019

Introduction To The Malaysian Film Industry Media Essay

Introduction To The Malaysian Film Industry Media Essay The Malaysian film industry has always been trying to reach their way to the top in matching the standards of creating a successful movie. Nowadays, we see most people now are much prefers watching foreign movies rather than watching local movies. It is certain that our local films are still way far behind. The author wills doing research about finding ways to develop local movies. During the researches also will to identify the weaknesses of producing a movie and know how to improve it. Objectives The main objective of this research is to bring out the answer to the question about how to develop of our local movies. So we will know whether the local movies will be more preferable than foreign movies in the future. Introduction The research conduct research via the general public in the form of a questionnaire, interview, observation and this data will help evaluate whether can locate what is missing in local filmmaking. Four methods were used in collecting data throughout the research. First the author had gathered information through distributing questionnaire to public in Limkokwing University, GSC cinema at Alamanda and also Jaya Jusco near Equine. The reason why the author selected those areas is because the people around there are mostly students, families and working adults which of them are mainly part of the film spectator. Target audience This topic of research is mainly target to young generations to working adults, from the ages from 18 to 50 years old .This research is essentially to understand how the development improves the form of common ways of producing. Also to understand what the target audiences really like, what they know about, and want they would want for local movies to look like. Primary Research Interview feedback summary Questionnaire Feedback Summary The data has been collected in from questionnaire from different locations within several age and groups for the survey. The author ,distributed questionnaire to 50 respondents. The areas covered were Limkokwing University Library and SMK Cyberjaya, MPH City Square Johor Bharu. The reason why author selected these area because the people around there are mostly people using either digital or print media for educational or information. Another reason is these place are point people find book and they are come from different background,these area always crowded with all kind of people and with all different age group moving around. Most of all they have time to answer my few questions regarding author concern about which media is more prefer either print or digital on media publications. 1. General Information 4. How many times do you buy newspapers for a week? The chart shows, the percentage of how many times people buy newspaper for a week, the purpose of this question was to know if people still bought print media or only prefer digital media to find news.48 %only sometimes bought the newspapers, only during weekend.36 % bought newspaper everyday, this group in government workers.16 % not at all bought the newspapers, this group come from student and professionals. The authors opinion student and professional are the group always online. Theyre prefer read online news. When is the last time you bought a book or a magazine? The author want to know frequently people bought print media such as a book or a magazine.46% did buy last week. Last month bought print media make 38%.16% did not remember when last time bought print media stuff. They still bought book or a magazine even technology especially internet will got lot information. In general, what do your prefer subscribe a Digital PDF or buy printed books and magazines? The author needs to know which media the people prefer now days either subscribe Digital PDF, buy printed books and magazines or both. Most of them 44% choose both.30% prefer buy printed books and magazines and 26% prefer digital PDF such as CD, e-book. Depend on what content they will bought especially for educational people prefer digital compare magazine their still like print media. Do you prefer media (internet, mobile, etc) or print media (newspaper, magazine, etc) for your reading material? The author discovered which audience prefer for reading material either print media or digital media. The busy life today make 64 % people prefers Digital media, only 36 %t still prefer print media for reading material. The author add, technology also change people read common reading material. If Digital media, why? From the survey, why people choose digital media for reading material the author found majority 31 % agreed digital media are an effective, interactive features and updated.22 % choose because an effective,28% because an interactive features attract their choose digital media and 19% because the updated information. Most people choose all features digital media provide because of the feature will help them when using digital media. If Print media, why? From the survey, why people choose print media for reading material the author found majority 56% agreed print media because of credibility, loyal readerships and long life span. 22% chosen because of long life span, 11 percent because loyal readerships and long life span. What are your expectations for the future about print media? In recent years there has been a growing trend people using digital media. The author tried to find from this question how their expectation about print media in future. The 66% expect print media not available in future. Only 34% still want print media available. Do a digital media play a part in your everyday life? The purpose author asked this question to find influenced digital media in their everyday life.82% agree digital media play a part in your everyday life. Communications is important today. Internet and mobile phone almost help in their life, especially deliver information. Only 18% not agree. This part also show a trend of the older group and young group gap. Nowadays is digital media more effective compare print media. Do you agree? In above chart 62 % of audience agree digital media more effective compare 16% not agree. Others 22% not sure either digital or print media. In author opinions why people agree this statement nowadays because the features of digital media much help people compare print media. In future, which media will help you better in keeping your daily notes, appointments or reminder? In daily lives media one medium will help to keeping your daily notes, appointment or reminder. The author looking from the survey, in future 54% people believe digital media will help their more better compare 14% still think print media it better. But 12% want both to help them later in future. This show that there is definitely a trend for digital becoming in future. Which media do you prefer for sharing information today? You may tick more than one? The pie cart indicated percentages which media prefer for sharing information, from the survey 23 percentages using text messaging. Then the author found people using mobile phone and chatting using internet to share information each same percentage is 22.15 percentages using forum to sharing information using discussion in forum. Whereas 11 percentages using email and small percentage 7 using others. More than half from the survey using internet to sharing information. The trends show people now move to digital media. Self Observation The author had decided to do observation on what occurs at the cinema. The cinema was at GSC Tropicana City. Upon arrival, the author went straight to the top floor right where the cinema is  ­and saw a huge crowd of people lining up their queue to buy tickets and another line was at the snacks counter. A lot of movies that were screening sold very fast could see numbers being reduced until 0. The night was quite packed with people mostly on weekends and it was Saturday that time. The author wouldnt have to worry because of already booked it earlier from the internet which was much easier than to wait in the line. The GSC has their own website and people can make reservations through online. The cinema looked very stylish now than since it was first opened. The tickets normally priced around RM6-15 according to types of seats and class of cinema. There are 8 cinema halls here and people can proceed inside the moment the light indicator within each number starts to blink. Public Observation When the author asked certain people about any local movies they dont quite respond fully for what it seems that its not really matter to them. They feel of the Malay movies is just trying playing it safe. It is irregular for certain people to go to the cinema just to watch any of the local movies nowadays. As lot people are really willing to see something new and not most of the Malay movies came up with a fulfilling storyline. Sometimes it also doesnt have the originality anymore for what theyre trying to sell. The acting and the story would be what everyone is always expecting to see. Friends usually tend to spread the news as they watch a trailer. One of the main sources for trailers is YouTube, a useful site to find and watch videos. Eventually everyone nowadays will know what they would like to watch from many source found in the internet. For finding a place to watch a movie can also be located from the newspapers as it is a daily reading source for information. Show times can be found there and are listed by any nearest local cinemas. People dont regularly go alone. They think what would be more enjoyable watching movies at the cinema is when they brought along some friends to watch together. It could be a comedy movie, thriller and even action packed movie. But almost all Malaysian people havent feel satisfied yet because of not having a lot Malaysian movies produced year by year. I just keep feeling like trying to compete on those foreign movies me and every other people regularly watch. The last time I watch Malay movie at cinema was on the 2008, a movie called Sumolah. I found good acts by the local actors such as Afdlin Shauki, Review on the positive and negative side of the movie. It was a good movie with a lot of effort and budgets that were put. I get to see Malaysian actors speak Japanese if I were not mista ken. They also get the chance to acknowledge the art of Sumo fighting and had a bit of comedy too. Maybe some of the filmmakers would not likely take a bigger risk that is why the production of a movie for each year becomes slower. Anyways, I am certain that we are still in progress of building up and Im sure one day we can all be proud to see greater screening from our own Malaysian itself in time. Literature Review PRINT VS DIGITAL: THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON MEDIA PUBLICATION In this stage, the author will cover secondary research from books and internet. Lately the technologies are moving faster and increase in various fields. It will change our lifestyle, as well the hot topics always debate which better print or digital media. In a survey conducted by Ofcom(2006) In every country surveyed, broadband usage appears linked to a decline in conventional television viewing. On average around one-third of consumers with broadband access said they watch less television since going online. Conversely, internet access appears to have a positive effect on radio listening, offsetting a decline in hours spent listening to conventional broadcast radio. On secondary research, the areas author will cover in this chapter are The future of book No one has asked the customers whether they prefer print materials or electronic media or other sources. Print publications should be changed into a form of digital media. The Future of Book Whether individuals express preference or aversion toward e-books, there are multiple reasons related to lifestyle preferences, as well as personal views on technologies, learning methods, and pleasure reading (Nielsen 2008) Based on the quote above, there are lot reasons why people toward reading e-books compare book. The problem with the e-book and traditional book debate is that e-books have evolved but common perceptions of them have not. E-book produce with bonus and you will get information that usually doesnt come with a book. For example such links will also make books No one has asked the customers whether they prefer print materials or electronic Media or other sources much easier to discover, by helping searchengines. As discussed by online magazine The from as link structures develop around books, search algorithms can count incoming links as votes, giving more weight to incoming links from much-cited places and less to obscure ones. The (offline) citation culture of academic literature already works this way. (The future of book: Mixed Media 2007 p.27). Other advantages reading e-book are involves learning through visual aspects. Embedded videos in e-books will might benefit to people with good visual memory. Figure 1: Book of Future Source: (diamondheadz.files.wordpress.com 2007) Now lifestyle more to digital life. We can see anywhere people online, everyone had digital stuff like mobile phone, PDA, ipod, computer. Technology allows to do many things, anywhere and anytime As mentioned by Rita(2008) in book.com forum, People who read e-books are typically electronics junkies. My point is they ALREADY have the device and its doing double or even triple duty already. Heres an interesting tidbit. E-books can be read on whatever the reader has on hand. For example computer, a PDA, a Blackberry or Palm Pilot even a phone. Rita (2008) added that In Japan, where people commute for long periods each day, sales of mobile-phone novels books that you download and read in instalments on the screen of your cell phone have jumped from nothing five years ago to over  ¥10 billion ($82m) a year today. In a interview by Joanna (2009) with Michael Pastore, he said E-BOOK give us the latest available information. Ebooks of the future, like software, will be featured with an option for automatic updates. So, for example, you can buy the 1.0 edition of my e-book about e-kamus, and if you turn on your update now button, you get a newer e-kamus edition with more new words or information, and a list of changes and additions. After all of the information collected please stop worrying about is it e-book will replace traditional book or not. We should be grateful with e-book can add new experience for learning or reading material. In fast increasing technology will help people make it everything fast. Authors opinion in future e-book will be efficient suitable to all generation, they feel comfortable use e-book. No One Has Asked The Customers Whether They Prefer Print Materials or Electronic Media Many marketers are pushing their customers toward electronic statements, e-newsletters, bills, and transactional statements as a green move, but in reality, it has more to do with economics. But while pushing e-communications as greener, has anyone bothered to ask what customers how they feel about it? (Tolliver-Nigro 2009) Based on the quote, the author try to find out either people fine with digital media or still stick with digital media. Perspective ( inspiredeconomist.com 2007) from business site on the survey it found that, while 71% of respondents always open email containing a monthly bill, this jumped to 92% of consumers who received statements by mail. Likewise, while 60% always open an email containing a bank statement, this jumps to 83% when the bank statement comes in the mail. Other researches the author sure people prefer digital because the number of people who read newspapers and magazines is growing. Of course, with few exceptions that growth is all digital. Take one example Pontin (2009) said Between 14 million and 22 million read nytimes.com every month; the print circulation of the weekday Times is just one million. In all, on any day, 32 million Americans read their news online. Those numbers suggest contented customers. Mainstream media in electronic publishing are good business. Figure 2: Chart of age group Source: (http://www.deathofprint.co.uk 2008) The young generation more prefer digital media compare print media, see the figure 2 from the BBC report the chart show there seems to be a generation gap in the use of or viewing of online and mobile video. It found that viewing of online video was popular among the 16-24 age group but the viewing of online video decreased as the age groups got older. In author opinions general trend the percentage of those age groups watching online video falls as the age gets older, it does rise again in him 65+ age group, a possible theory on this could be the fact that in general people of this age group have more time on their hands than some of the other age groups. The author opinions the trend of digital media becoming part of everyday life, people lives are now ingrained with technology from birth meaning that a lot of people especially the younger generation are very technologically savvy meaning that they are keeping up with the technological change. Print Publication Should Be Changed Into A Form of Digital Media Digital publication of e-books and electronic articles, and the development of digital libraries and catalogues are include in E-Publishing. Electronic (Jose 1999 p.5) publishing has become common in scientific publishing where it has been argued that peer-reviewed paper scientific journals are in the process of being replaced by electronic publishing. The author also knew that although distribution via the Internet (also known as online publishing or web publishing when in the form of a website) as well as technical and reference publications relied on by mobile users and others without reliable and high speed access to a network. The advantages of electronic publishing are speed and integration. Jose (1999 , p.12) highlighted that the speed of distribution just the beginning. He added electronic publishing also gives publisher and readers more flexible management of the publications they are create. Nowdays the readers who are spending increasing daily hours online with or without having access to the digital version of your publication. Other (Jose 1999, p.6) benefits of print to digital publications are state by embedding video and interstitial ads, tracking the number of readers unique and repeat, growing your online ad inventory by serving IAB standard ads within and outside the digital publication pages, capturing user view and interaction data such as page views, clicks unique and repeat ,the ability to instantly share the E-magazine with friends or colleagues. The phenomenally low cost of publishing a digital magazine may be the knockout punch in the triumph of digital version over print version. Print publications have character digital publications may be the future (Hicks 2009). Hicks(2009) he also supported that Yes, but the print magazines have a certain endearing quality about them. For example a print magazine is finite, you can read it cover to cover. Hicks (2009) also added The vibrant colors are, in most cases, better than screen resolution of a laptop or a PC monitor. In fact there is an entire set of reader behaviours such as tearing out articles, dog-ears to mark pages, flipping the pages to scan the pictures and headlines etc. that continue to define the strong if dwindling relationship between the print publications and its readers. Flipping pages, for example, can be much quicker than going to as many web pages on a site, not to overlook the fact that you must be online. It is an example how you can do try print media changed into a form of digital media. This is probably simple step. Hickss (2009)mention once you have an account all it takes is to follow 3 easy steps: Upload the PDF; Configure your digital publication example provide a short description and select features you would like to enable; Click CONVERT. It takes just minutes and you will have a URL for your digital publication which you can forward to your friends, colleagues or just embed in your emails or website The authors opinion it digital publication no only easy step, also a lot advantages when print publication change to that. According (Hicks 2009) this is begin with the readers who are spending increasing daily hours online with or without having access to the digital version of your publication. CONCLUSION For many years the technology will changes common print publication to digital media. Technology will continue to develop digital publication. Yes, today young generation prefer use digital media compare print. As we have seen from the evidence in this research, there is certainly a trend towards the use of digital media, especially in everyday life. This however seems to be coming as a generalization from the younger age groups. The evidence of this is in the questionnaire and public observation the author done. The author achieve the objective to find out whether digital media will replace print media for future. Depend on situation, this may be different in the future digital media in general is still relatively expensive meaning people such as the poor will not be able to access digital media as well as traditional media where televisions can be bought relatively cheaply and where newspapers are cheap to read compared with the cost of buying a computer and having to pay for the cost of an internet connection every month. Based on the author did literature review,a lot advantages and disadvantages digital media in future. Hicks(2009) he also supported that Yes, but the print magazines have a certain endearing quality about them. For example a print magazine is finite, you can read it cover to cover. Hicks (2009) also added The vibrant colors are, in most cases, better than screen resolution of a laptop or a PC monitor. In fact there is an entire set of reader behaviours such as tearing out articles, dog-ears to mark pages, flipping the pages to scan the pictures and headlines etc. that continue to define the strong if dwindling relationship between the print publications and its readers. Overall research the author came to conclusion based on the information gathered from doing interviews,distributed questionnaire as well doing self and public observation. Conclusion from the author is technology make publication toward digital over print and more young people prefer it. The author agree in future digital media will replace print media. As we have seen from the evidence in this research the digital media spreading fast because of today digital gadget are devices are been introduced to help the audience to save time and got information easier. Also helper audience updated information. For example e-book have many benefits over simple printed material as common book. REFERENCES Books Jose, S 1998, Electronic Publishing Guide, Macmillan Computer Publishing USA. Internet Hickss, J 2009, Why every print publication should also be a digital publication. Retrieved October 7 2009 from http://education.ezineseeker.com/why-every-print-publication-should-also-be-a-digital-publication-3a455d42ce.html Nielsen, E 2008, The Future of Books: Mixed Media and Multiple Intelligences. Retrieved October 5 2009 from http://education.ezineseeker.com/the-future-of-books-mixed-media-and-multiple-intelligences-13b392b625.htmlhttp://education.ezineseeker.com/the-future-of-books-mixed-media-and-multiple-intelligences-13b392b625.html Tolliver-Nigro, H 2009. Print vs. Electronic Media: Has Anyone Asked Customers What THEY Prefer?Retrieved October 5 2009 http://inspiredeconomist.com/2009/09/20/print-vs-electronic-media-has-anyone-asked-customers-what-they-prefer/ Images Book Of Future [Image]2007. Retrieved October 5 2009 from http://diamondheadz.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/the-future-of-books.jpg Death of print [Image]2008 .Retrieved October 5 2009 from http://www.deathofprint.co.uk/digitalife.html Bibliography Daniel T.(2009 ) News has a bright future [Internet].Available from http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10196386-93.html.[Accessed 10 September 2009] Ed C,Paul DS,Michael G,David R .(2000) Print versus Electronic Media: The threat to newspapers and Newsprint[Internet]. Available from http://www.sric-bi.com/DF/oldMFsummaries/PrintToC.shtm.[Accessed 10 September 2009] J D. (2005) Digital versus print media [Internet].Available from http://www.iproceed.com/blog [Accessed 1 September 2009] Jeff V.(2007) The Digital Media Revolution: Chaos, or a Nesw Order? [Internet]. Available from http://www.visioncritical.com/2009/10/the-digital-media-revolution-chaos-or-a-new-order .[Accessed 10 September 2009]. Lithospheres Print Production Process [Internet]. Available from http://www.lithosphere.co.uk/content/process.htm [Accessed 3 October 2009] Scoot L.(2008) .No News is Bad News: The Future of Print Media[Internet]. Available from http://www.psfk.com/2008/12/no-news-is-bad-news-the-future-of-print-media.html [Accessed 25 September 2009] Scott K.( 2008).Future Of Digital Media: Perfecting Existing Technologies For People On The Web[Internet].Available from http://publishing2.com/2008/01/15/future-of-digital-media-perfecting-existing-technologies-for-people-on-the-web [Accessed 25 September]. Video: Bright future for print media? [Internet]. Available from http://vodpod.com/watch/1835455-video-bright-future-for-print-media [Accessed 15 September 2009] Video:Future Of Paper and Print Media in Digital Online World [Internet]. Available from http://www.howcast.com/videos/21071-Future-Of-Paper-and-Print-Media-in-Digital-Online-World.[Accessed 15 September 2009]

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Essay example --

Most of Australians are affected by housing loans. 70% of homeowners buy a house in Australian through the housing mortgage loan. Due to the optimistic attitude of the general public about the economic situation, a lot of people buy houses for renting out to obtain stable income. In 2010, the Australian Government authorized the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) to regulate exit fees that banks were seeking to impose. The exit fee is the payment that banks require customers to pay for permission to transfer their home loan to another bank, which considers the housing loan being one of the most important factors in exit fees or "terminate†. In an article of The Times, it was reported that an exit fee of $5,178 was charged if a loan of $300,000 was borrowed for 25 years and terminated within 3 years (Martin, 2010). Such an expensive exit fee makes high switching cost for the house loan takers, through which the bank may gain market forces. This article will discuss the switching costs in Australian home loan market and analyze how these switching costs may increase market forces of suppliers in these markets. In addition, this article tries to find out that after exit fees is changed according to the new regulations, what the changes of supplier cost will be and whether their profits will increase or decrease. Switching costs in Australian home loan market â€Å"Switching costs "was first presented by Michael †¢ Porter in 1980, referring to the one-off cost generated in the course of consumers transferring from one provider to another product or service provider. This cost includes not only economy expenses, but also time, energy and emotion, being an important factor of constituting barriers to enterpri... ...lly, the equilibrium is at point A (Q1, P1). With more rivalry and competition between suppliers, S1L shifts to the rights of S2L. The equilibrium point moves from point A to point B (Q2,P2) . As a result, loans price (interest rates) fall from Q1 to Q2 according to Graph 1. Profit is equal to total revenue of minus cost. While total revenue is equal to the price multiplied by the quantityï ¼Ë†price is decreaseï ¼â€°. It can be concluded that the Australian government to develop policies to protect the interests of local people through the intervention of good housing loan market. The Australian government's move to provide a variety of options for Australians, they can freely choose, while reducing the financial risks, the government provides loans to low-income persons through banks at below market rates, and they encourage healthy competition wwithin the home loan market.

Monday, November 11, 2019

CHANGING ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE SOCIETY Essay

â€Å"A woman is the full Circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform†. Diane Mariechild. Historically women in India were revered and the birth of a girl was widely believed to mark the arrival of Lakshmi – the Goddess of wealth and riches. Women have been considered ‘janani’, i.e., the progenitor and ‘ardhanigini’ i.e., half of the body. Women are also considered to be an embodiment of Goddess Durga. Women have shouldered equal responsibilities with men. So if history has incarnated women to be the goddess of wealth and riches or Goddess Durga herself, so why there had been gender discrimination in the society since ages? Why sex-selective abortions are there? Widespread discrimination against women is, however, reflected in recurrent incidents of rape, acid throwing, dowry killings, wife beating, honour killings, forced prostitution, etc. Some of these issues were highlighted by ‘Satyamev Jayate’ (Truth alon e prevails) – an acclaimed television show hosted by Bollywood icon Aamir Khan. A global poll conducted by Thomson Reuters rated India as the â€Å"fourth most dangerous country† globally for women, and the worst country for women among the G20 countries. Gender discrimination is not only inequitable but also hampers the development of the nation. Evidently no country can sustain its development if it underutilizes its women, who constitute almost half the population. Thus, to fight against the said issues women have changed their role in the society, from being housewives, timid and influential to being a employee, independent and assertive, self-reliant and confident. For centuries, woman and their rights have been oppressed by the dominance of man. There has been continued struggle for the recognition of woman’s cultural roles and achievements, and for their social and political rights. It was very much a patriarchal society for woman, which hindered or prevented woman from realizing their productive and creative possibilities. They have been op pressed to a point where they were treated as a completely different species. They were in a country that seemed to be a dark tunnel with no hope, dreams, or sense of fulfillment. These ideas where seen in the play Merchant of Venice written by William Shakespeare in c. 1598 when Portia and Nerissa have to dress up as men so that they can enter the court room to help Antonio because woman are not allowed to enter courtrooms along with many other public places men had deemed unbefitting for woman. Their only identity was being a mother or housewife and nothing beyond that. They were  timid and influential. But now women have been given their natural birthrights, and they are now able to do everything males can do. Their role has changed in the society. They are now the bread-winners of the family. They perform a variety of jobs, from being astronauts like Kalpana Chawla to famous sportsperson like Sania Mirza, from being politicians like Sonia Gandhi and Meera Kumari to writers and winners of Booker Prize like Arundhati Roy. This change in role has also increased the versatility of women by managing household and work with equanimity. Being the bread-winners of the family i.e. being employed has made women independent, self-reliant and confident. Financial income of the family has also increase leading to better standards of living. Women are now participating in international events. The attitude of people towards women is changing to. Women are now foraying into all fields. They have become scientists, successful teachers, politicians, literary figures, astronauts, philosophers etc. No frontier is now forbidden for womankind. But according to me, this change of role has a disadvantage too. Due to both working father and mother, the children suffer. Children are losing the moral values that earlier were present in every person. The quality time which a mother used to spend with her children is missing. This is really harmful as children are losing the necessary moral and ethics. This is my opinion and neither I am not protesting the act of women working outside.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Cats And Dogs Essays - Cat, Animal Communication, Dog, Dog Anatomy

Cats And Dogs Essays - Cat, Animal Communication, Dog, Dog Anatomy Cats And Dogs Erwin Malicsi English 51 Dogs and Cats I am going to compare and contrast the similarities and differences between dogs and cats. The similarities are innumerable, yet this holds true with the differences as well. First, we shall discuss the similarities that these two creatures share. One of the most obvious similarities between these two animals is that they both have hair. They are also domesticated animals kept as pets. They require love and affection from their owner, and can show love and affection If you show it towards them. Another thing is that when you pet them, not only does it relieve stress, it gets dog or cat hair everywhere. They both give birth to multiple offspring at one time, which must be very hard on the mother. Now that I am finished with my explanation of the similarities between dogs and cats, I will now discuss with you the differences between these two majestic animals. One of the main differences is that of their species. The cats belong to the family of felines. Dogs, on the other hand, are canines. Another difference is that dogs are pack animals, which means you should spend lots of time with your dog so that it doesnt get lonely. Cats are loners, meaning they can spend alot of time alone without getting lonely. Another big difference is the sounds that they make. A dog goes woof, bark, growl, or howl. A cat, on the other hand, goes meow and purr. The canine group also has a peticular social status, and how they determine their ranks.Cats dont have any.The determining factor in dogs is the tail. When a cat holds its tail up, it means it is happy, but in dogs, how high they hold their tail is how they determine ranks. If one dog meets another dog, and one holds it's tail up, it is the one of the higher social class. Another difference is that cats are nocturnal, meaning they go out at night. Dogs, however, are day animals. Another very obvious difference between dogs and cats is that dogs are usually bigger than cats. Cats are usually scared of dogs, and the dogs usually chase the cats. Dogs are also somewhat smarter than cats in the area of verbal command. For example, you can call your dog by name and usually it will come to you, unlike a cat. Also, you can train dogs to do tricks when commanded. Some of the most commonly seen tricks in dogs are role over, fetch, shake hands, sit down, lay down, and play dead. I have never seen a cat do any of these things, and I doubt that I ever will get an opportunity to see a cat perform even one of these tricks. Another difference in claws is that a cats claws are retractable, while dogs arent. For example, when my dog Busta was a little puppy, its claws were sharp, but since they are not retractable, they were ground down so they arent sharp any more. A cat, on the other hand, is born with sharp claws, but they are kept inside until they are needed, there by making it so they dont get dull by just walking, like dogs claws do. And finally, they both have tongues, a cats tongue has little barbs, or hooks, that are used to get every last bit of meat off of a bone. So a cat can just lick a bone, and the meat will come off. A dog doesnt have barbs on its tongue, a dog uses its tongue to sweat. Have youever wondered why on a hot summer day a dog usually has its tongue hanging out? Well the reason is that it is just sweating. Those are the differences and similarities in dogs and cats.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Causeway - Ancient Man-Made Ritual and Functional Roads

Causeway - Ancient Man-Made Ritual and Functional Roads A causeway is a human-constructed functional and/or ceremonial roadway or a set of roadway fragments. In ancient history they are made of earthen or rock structures that typically- but not always- bridged a waterway. Causeways may have been constructed to cross defensive structures, such as moats; irrigation structures, such as canals; or natural wetlands, such as marshes or fens. They often have a ceremonial element to them and their ritual significance can include symbolic passages between the mundane and the sacred, between life and death. Key Takeaways: Causeways Causeways are early types of human-made roads which have practical and ritual functions.The oldest causeways are about 5,500 years old, built to cross ditches and provide access to peat bogs.The Maya people created causeways up to 65 miles in length, crossing miles of forests in a nearly straight line. Causeways are remarkably different in function. Some (like those of the classic Maya) were almost certainly used for parades for diplomatic visits between communities; others such as the 14th-century Swahili coast were used as shipping lanes and ownership markers; or, in the European Neolithic, as trackways assisting navigation through uncertain landscapes. Some causeways are elaborate structures, elevated several feet about the ground such as at Angkor civilization; others are built of planks that bridge peat bogs, those of the Irish bronze age. But all of them are human-constructed roadways  and have some foundation in the history of transportation networks. Earliest Causeways The earliest known causeways are Neolithic bridges, constructed in Europe and dated between 3700 and 3000 BCE. Many Neolithic enclosed settlements had defensive elements, and some had concentric ditches or moats, generally with one or two at most bridges with which to cross. In some special cases, more causeways were built across the ditches then seems necessary, usually at the four cardinal points, allowing people to cross into the interiors from several directions at once. Since such configurations would not be easily defended, enclosed settlements with multiple causeway entrances are considered likely to have had a ceremonial or at least a shared communal aspect. Sarup, a Funnel Beaker site in Denmark occupied between 3400–3200 BC, had a ditch that encircled an area of about 21 acres (8.5 hectares), with several causeways which allow people to cross the ditches. Bronze Age Causeways Bronze Age causeways in Ireland (called tochar, dochair, or togher) are trackways which were built to allow access across and into peat bogs where peat might be cut for fuel. They varied in size and construction material- some were built as a line of planks laid end to end, flanked on each side by two round timbers; others were made of flat stones and gravel laid on a foundation of brushwood. The earliest of these date to about 3400 BCE. Early Dynastic and Old Kingdom pyramids in Egypt often were constructed with causeways connecting the various temples. These causeways were explicitly symbolic- there was no obstacle to be crossed- representing a route that people could use to travel from the Black Land (the land of the living and a place of order) to the Red Land (a place of chaos and the realm of the dead). Beginning in the Old Kingdoms 5th Dynasty, pyramids were built with an orientation following the daily course of the sun across the sky. The oldest causeway at Saqqara was paved with black basalt; by the time of Khufus rule, causeways were roofed and the internal walls were decorated in fine relief, frescos that depicted pyramid construction, agricultural scenes, craftsmen at work and themes of battles between Egyptians and their foreign enemies, and the pharaoh in the presence of gods. Classic Period Maya (600–900 CE) The sacbe (white lane) that leads to the Palacio, Labna, Puuc, Yucatan, Mexico. Mayan civilisation, 7th-10th century. De Agostini / Archivio J. Lange / Getty Causeways were a particularly important form of connection in lowland areas in North America such as those settled by the Maya civilization. There, causeways (known as sacbeob, singular sacbe, connected Maya cities for distances up to about 63 miles (100 kilometers) such as the Late Classic Yaxuna-Coba sacbe. Maya causeways were sometimes built from the bedrock up and can rise as high as 10 feet (3 meters; their widths range from 8 to 40 ft (2.5 to 12 m ), and they connect major Maya city-states. Others are barely above ground level; some cross wetlands and have bridges constructed to cross streams, but others are clearly only ceremonial. Medieval Period: Angkor and the Swahili Coast Short round pillars support the causeway leading to the Baphuon, in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Jeremy Villasis, Philippines / Moment / Getty Images At several sites of the Angkor civilization (9th–13th centuries CE), elevated causeways were constructed as later additions to the immense temples by king Jayavarman VIII (1243–1395). These causeways, perched above the ground atop a series of short columns, provided walkways connecting the major buildings of the temple complexes. They represent only one part of the enormous Khmer road system, a network of canals, pathways and roads which kept the Angkor capital cities in communication. During the height of the Swahili coast trading communities on the east coast of Africa (13th–15th centuries CE), numerous causeways were constructed out of blocks of reef and fossil corals along 75 mi (120 km) of coastline. These causeways were pathways, elevated just above sea level, that extended out perpendicularly from the coast into lagoons at Kilwa Kisiwani Harbor, ending in circular platforms at the seaward side. The fishermen today call them Arab Roads, which is a reference to the oral history which credits the founding of Kilwa to the Arabs, but like Kilwa itself the causeways are known to have been African constructions, built as navigational aids for ships plying the trade route in the 14th-15th centuries and complementing the Swahili urban architecture. These causeways are built of cemented and uncemented reef coral, up to 650 ft (200 m) long, 23–40 ft (7–12 m) wide and built up above the seafloor up to 2.6 ft. (8 m) high. Selected Sources Abdallatif, T., et al. Discovery of the Causeway and the Mortuary Temple of the Pyramid of Amenemhat Ii Using near-Surface Magnetic Investigation, Dahshour, Giza, Egypt. Geophysical Prospecting 58.2 (2010): 307-20. Print.Abramiuk, Marc A. The Discovery of an Ancient Maya Causeway System in the Southern Maya Mountains of Belize. Antiquity 91.357 (2017): e9. Print.Chase, Arlen F., and Diane Z. Chase. The Ancient Maya City: Anthropogenic Landscapes, Settlement Archaeology, and Caracol, Belize. Belize: Institute of Archaeology, NICH, 2016. Print.Chinchilla Mazariegos, Oswaldo Technologies of Urbanism in Mesoamerica: The Pre-Columbian Bridges of Cotzumalhuapa, Guatemala. Antiquity 92.362 (2018): 456-71. Print.Pollard, Edward. Safeguarding Swahili Trade in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries: A Unique Navigational Complex in South-East Tanzania. World Archaeology 43.3 (2011): 458-77. Print.Uchida, E., et al. A Reconsideration of the Construction Period of the Cruciform Terraces and the Elevated Causeways in the Angkor Monuments, Based on the Magnetic Susceptibility of the Sandstone Blocks. Archaeometry 55.6 (2013): 1034-47. Print.