Analysis Of The Book How We Survived Communism And Even...

Slavenka Drakulic, a highly respected journalist and commentator on culture in Croatia, published the book How We Survived Communism and Even Laughed in 1991, which was a collection of essays that comprised of the stories of many women’s lives throughout Eastern Europe that lived in a communist society. Drakulic wanted to capture women’s stories and share them with others, because these were women who suffered from carried the biggest burden of life, living at the bottom tier of their society. As Drakulic states in the book’s introduction, Trivial is Political: â€Å"It was the relationships between political authority and the trivia of daily living, this view from below interested me most. And who should I find down there, most removed from the seats of political power, but women. Even if they fully participated in revolutionary events, they were less active and less visible in the aftermath of those events† (xv). I feel Slavenka Drakulic also wanted to e xpress to others through these women’s stories just how impenetrable and distressing attempting to adapt to living in a non-communism society is when you have known nothing but communism. This struggle could be applicable to any society changing from one political ideology to another, and Slavenka Drakulic’s ability to communicate these women’s stories can inflict a large sense of empathy for these women who fought so hard every day against the political ideas ingrained in their minds, so that they may have a chance atShow MoreRelatedEssay on Cold War Book Review670 Words   |  3 Pages Political and economic perspectives should not dominate the analysis of communist rule. Analysis of the social aspects and results of communist rule are necessary to achieve a full understanding of the effects of such government. Slavenka Drakulic produced How We Survived Communism and Even Laughed, an appealing work with this fresh social approach. This nonfiction work combines the authoramp;#8217;s own recollections with the stories of other women of the Eastern Bloc. Drakulic, a renowned journalistRead MoreA View from the Bridge: Story of a Brooklyn Longshoreman6101 Words   |  25 Pagesprovides a convenient outline or a bounding set of markers guiding the search through the historical context of A View from the Bridge, as well as the personal and cultural influences at work on him. But before examining the details of Miller’s life, we should zoom out to a larger view of this period and the currents leading into the 1950’s to root our understanding in a broader context. The economic depression of the 1930’s had a profound effect on Miller as he has intimated in his autobiographyRead MoreExploring Corporate Strategy - Case164366 Words   |  658 PagesSTUDIES ECS8C_C01.qxd 22/10/2007 11:54 Page 598 ECS8C_C01.qxd 22/10/2007 11:54 Page 599 Guide to using the case studies The main text of this book includes 87 short illustrations and 15 case examples which have been chosen to enlarge speciï ¬ c issues in the text and/or provide practical examples of how business and public sector organisations are managing strategic issues. The case studies which follow allow the reader to extend this linking of theory and practice further

Essay on Afghanistan- A Country in Distress - 894 Words

Afghanistan- A Country in Distress Afghanistan, a country located in South Asia just east of Iran whose population is 28,513,677, is one of the countries that I chose to address. Their government is under Transitional Authority which is in a state of unrest as national elections would formally dissolve this system and adapt or establish the Government of Afghanistan under a new constitution. The country like others in the Middle East suffers from enormous poverty and a few other problems to include the lack of skilled and educated workers, which also has such a grave effect on most other countries. The lack of is more than likely what lies beneath the country’s poverty. If people aren’t educated or don’t have the knowledge to perform†¦show more content†¦The agricultural workforce is made up of 80% of the country’s people while the other 20 percent works in services and industry. Even though unemployment doesn’t exist, the country is still poor but hopes to see some signific ant progress and changes to offset the housing shortages, the lack of clean water, infrastructure reconstruction, jobs, education, and economic reform. One third of the GDP comes from opium trade which fell to a low with the past drought but the replacement is well under way. The GDP rate is 29% but appears to be such a high amount because of past figures resulting from the drought and the impact of international assistance. The country exports opium, fruits and nuts, hand-woven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems and equals to about $98 million not counting the illicit trade of opium. The country’s import totals to around $1.1 billion which clearly shows that they spend more than they actually out. The imports are essentials and couldn’t be eliminated or substituted as they are capital goods, food, textiles, and petroleum products. The country is currently in a great state of deficit as their debt totals to â€Å"$8 billion in bilateral debt, mostly to Russia and $500 million in debt to MultilateralShow MoreRelatedWomen And Children By Rosenberg Presents Us Imperialism And The Roles849 Words   |  4 Pagesparticularly in Afghanistan. I will be discussing how this imperialism affects gender in other countries and the differnces between â€Å"rescuing women and children† and cross-culture solidarity. Rosenberg starts her essay by explained the response from the First Lady nine weeks after the attack on the world trade center. The problem shifts from the distress faced at home to overseas distress instead. The response seemed at the surface to be a cry to help the women and children oppressed in Afghanistan. RosenbergRead MoreThe Displacement Of Persons1330 Words   |  6 Pages(â€Å"UNHCR† 2014). Among this estimation 2.59 million, or a little over 13% of the refugees in the world are from Afghanistan (â€Å"UNHCR† 2014). Afghanistan is entering into its fourth decade of war, beginning with the 1979 Afghan-Soviet war to recent violence involving Al-Qaida and U.S. military forces. During this time period, the U.S. has resettled thousands of refugees around the country, providing them with housing, temporary cash assistance and support. One of the major issues in resettlingRead MoreEssay on The current war in Afghanistan and why it must end1260 Words   |  6 Pageslast 213 years. Yet, of these engagements, no war has lasted longer than the current war in Afghanistan. The length of this commitment has not matched the results. Conventional American forces must be withdrawn from Afghanistan because they are only exacerbating the problem, and the fight with the Taliban isnt going anywhere. 1,848 servicemen and women have sacrificed their lives for this country in Afghanistan; more than 2,300 have been injured. Over 90,000 US military personnel are still on the groundRead MoreEssay The Effects of War and Peace on Foreign Aid986 Words   |  4 Pagesbecome difficult to justify its effectiveness. But if we look at the overall picture in the eye of citizens of a developing country, an honest assessment might conclude that progress has been made. Though, profound social disparities and extreme poverty are still lurking in some parts of this fragile planet. Foreign aid is the transfer of capital, goods, or services from one country to another. And aid can be given in numerous forms - from humanitarian emergency assistance, to food aid, military assistanceRead MorePsychiatric Disorders in The Kite Runner1408 Words   |  6 PagesThe conditions in Afghanistan created upon the Russian invasion caused much pain and suffering to the citizens of the country. In Khaled Hosseini’s â€Å"The Kite Runner,† the consequences of this invasion created a harsh environment for the children and adults of Afghanistan. This environment created the development of mental disorders in Amir, Assef, and Sohrab throughout the novel. By examining the mental disorders such as Narcissistic disorder in Assef, the antisocial disorder in Amir and the adjustmentRead MoreEssay Women’s Rights Violations in Afghanistan1420 Words   |  6 Pagesheld captive. This is very common for the women in Afghanistan to experience. The Taliban uses the Islamic Koran book as their way of doing things. The Islamic Koran is a sacred book seen as almost like a bible. The Taliban interprets what they get out of this book into their way of life. However their interpretation of it is more of a punishing form for the women. The official name of Afghanistan is the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Afghanistan is known for its great quantity of natural resourcesRead MoreThe Deployment Of A Family Member1748 Words   |  7 PagesMany military families in the United States are experiencing multiple deployments as our country continues to send more troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, and the effects on their families are becoming more severe. The deployment of a family member can definitely be a difficult time for loved ones. Currently, families are experiencing the affects of the deployment cycle and it is putting many people under a lot of emotional stress. More than 1.2 billion families have an active-duty parent or spouseRead MoreAnalysis Of Khaled Hosseini s A Thousand Splendid Suns 1657 Words   |  7 Pagesknow that there is more to the Middle East than terrorism. Khaled Hosseini demonstrates his understanding of Afghanistan through Mariam’s and Laila’s lives in A Thousand Splendid Suns. Hosseini begins their tale during the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan in the 1970’s and ties it off during the post-Taliban reconstruction of the early 2000’s. Hosseini himself was born in Kabul, Afghanistan and is a U.S. envoy to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Marjane Satrapi demonstrates her understandingRead MoreInternational Terrorism And Domestic Terrorism Essay1467 Words   |  6 PagesTerrorism is all over the current headlines, but some of the very worst attacks happened 15 years ago in the United States; this occurrence brought around many changes of policies inside the U.S. but also policies in the U.S. regarding other foreign countries. It brings fear and terror to many of its victims and is an extremely dangerous national threat. There are mainly two kinds of terrorism that people can be affected by: International terrorism and domestic terrorism. Both of these can be described

The Video Game Industry Free Essays

Abstract This research paper will cover the different aspects of project management in video game development. Focus will also be on discussing and overviewing the project lifecycles as it pertains to game development. There is also interest in seeing within the realm of video game development how the application of knowledge, various skills, tools, and the techniques are used. We will write a custom essay sample on The Video Game Industry or any similar topic only for you Order Now The will also be focus on examining pre-production, production and post production in the gaming industry. Topics will explore issues pertaining to, but not limited to, stakeholder expectations, timeliness of implementation, and optimization of resources. Additionally, information will be given covering the concepts of meeting the needs of business’s vision and mission regarding development and exploring how the identification of and addressing any issues that may arise in game project development.? Introduction The video game industry has been steadily growing for over almost four decades. From Nintendo to Sony, there have been a myriad of games that have been made for the platform over the course of the video game industry. The initial commercial history of video games and the birth of this industry inevitably begins with the US military’s computer hardware and networks. At the time, infrastructure was beginning to shift towards facilitating both game development and market consumption. Over the course of almost four decades, many games have been made, but the question is, exactly how are these spectacular pieces of art being made. When people buy video games, their focus is not on the people who actually make the product, or even on the process it takes to create the game that they own. Consumers only see the end product that is distributed and hit store shelves. For most, their energies and focus are on purchasing the product and investing in actual game play. However, the process and man power it takes to create a game is an intricate undertaking. It is stated that the intricacy of modern video games requires workers with varied skill sets such as computer engineers and programmers, visual artists, audio engineers, animators, game designers, writers, and quality assurance testers (Weststar, 2015). For starters the biggest component to game development are video game developers (VGDs) (Weststar, 2015). Additionally, these projects can consist of a producer and studios have a range of upper managers and administrative personnel. Weststar stated that with project-based model the outputs of each new game are unique. In turn the environment is complex and uncertain. Coordination among project members is rooted in diffuse and informal power relationships in relation to their roles as it pertains to those that direct the work and those who perform it (Weststar, 2015). Thusly, with the consumer, the process of making video games is a non-factor, largely an unknown, and rarely registers in the thoughts in most people’s minds. Many again just see the end product, of which is what is their main motivating factor of going to a retail store and purchasing it. However, there is a select pocket of individuals who are more cognizant of the game development process and they are more greatly invested. For this segment, they faithfully follow their favorite game, or for some developer, and wi ll be aware the specifics from the announcement of the game and will stay engaged until the game goes gold. This is, going gold, that the game is finished and ready to be put on a disc and distributed. The creation of each video game is a project with a well-defined production cycle of pre-production, production, and post-production phases of which reach require different and various resources (Weststar, 2015). HistoryBefore one can actually delve it the game development process, it is important to have some background understanding on the development of the gaming industry. Nolan Bushnell is credited as the pioneer of the worldwide commercial video game industry. Bushnell was the founder of Atari and is responsible for generations of home and arcade gaming hardware and software including the truly influential game, Pong (Grantham ; Readman, 2006). Arcades games were very popular and peaked in the early 1980s. As time progressed and newer technologies burst onto the market most titles were converted to play on the evolving home technology – home computers and consoles (Grantham ; Readman, 2006). It was also during this time of change and development, many independent develop ers and publishers started to emerge. One of the most noted and widely known, Activision for example, was founded by former Atari developers seeking greater ownership and control over their developments (Grantham ; Readman, 2006). Over time people have come to recognize software games as new and very popular mode of entertainment and an important application of technology. This outlook has become increasingly accepted and by people of all ages. In today’s culture, technology is easily accessible and has become more convenient. In turn more and more people like to play games and are also becoming motivated to design their own games. Also, software games are gaining importance because they are not only used for entertainment, but also for serious purposes that can be applicable to different domains such as education, business, and health care (Aleem, Fernando- Capretz, Ahmed, 2016). Game Development ProcessPre-productionAs with any industry as it relates to project development, within the gaming industry, pre-production is the beginning phase of the life of a game, the project. It is during this phase that developers/project managers determine how long will it take to game to make, the personnel needed, and the budget needed to make the proposed project. During pre-production it is paramount that very specific goals are fleshed out of which will be essential to a successful project. Walfiz, Zackariasson and Wilson pointed out that certain elements are fundamental to projects: commitment to timing, staying within a budget, and producing an output (Zackariasson, Walfisz, Wilson, 2006). Also, it is important to note that, these fundamentals are developed before the project starts, and thus commit both parties to specific activities/objectives. Drew Liming and Dennis Vilorio states that in the pre-production phase, the lead designers outline a game concept with the help of lead artists and programmers (Liming Vilorio, 2011). Additionally, it is at this time that the lead designers might select special feature(s), such as an innovative gameplay element, or powerful graphics, that will make the game unique (Liming Vilorio, 2011). It was also pointed out that when the game finally receives the funding needed, programmers begin building its technological framework (Liming Vilorio, 2011). Pre-production considerations tends to produce a hierarchy of plans that guide the project and the pre-production phase is instrumental in producing the basis on which to build the game (Zackariasson, Walfisz, Wilson, 2006). The over-ridding goal of pre-production is essentially to create a game plan that will be the road map in which the player(s) will finish the game. The game plan must include information of the game concept, the unique feature(s), the constraints that affect this concept, and analyzing risk assessment.Risk management is a necessary aspect of game project development. Alem, Carpatz and Ahmed states that the importance of risk management is essential for the efficiency of game development. Thusly this is often the focus for project management (Aleem, Fernando- Capretz, Ahmed, 2016). Alem, Carpatz and Ahmed also state, that it is with the upmost importance to identify risk factors early in the game development process (Aleem, Fernando- Capretz, Ahmed, 2016). During game development, the project manager is the game’s producer and must bring together management, the technical components, and the appealing aspects to create a successful video game. They also identified two risk factors that must be addressed during this development process: failure of development strategy and absence of the fun factor (Aleem, Fernando- Capretz, ; Ahmed, 2016). Additionally, it is important to realize that in game development, other important risk factors can have an impact such as the development strategy, the fun factor or extent of originality, scheduling, and budgeting. With these, there will always be some level of â€Å"the unknown† when addressing risk factors. Taking time early on to identify risks is paramount as there will always be unforeseen issues in a project. Working to minimize as many issues initially will decrease unadvantageous developments later in the project development/production cycle. Thus, efficient work done during pre-production will work to minimize or even eliminate unforeseen issues. Production Now that the risks, personnel, and assets are identified, for the project, it can now to enter the production phase. Thusly, the completion of the prototype signals the start of the production phase of development (Liming ; Vilorio, 2011). During the production phase the project team can now move forth with focusing on the cusp of the project work. Energies can now finally be channeled towards actual development of the game. It is importance to note that certain aspects of the work can be initiated during pre-production. Thus, there can be at times, some objectives running concurrent and simultaneously with those that are just commencing. Even though the project team is in full stride during this phase, and most of the ideas are being carried out, some new plans can happen that may have an impact and thus alter work. For starters, assets can be added or even removed at this point. Accordingly, with these alterations, it is important that changes are accurately noted and are effectively communicated to the project team, the developer, studio upper management, and the publisher. Making such changes are crucial and essential and must be relayed in a timely manner. It is imperative that during development, the project document continues to remain as a point of reference for the entire project team. As pointed out by Liming and Vilorio, during the production phase, teams of designers, artists, and programmers use the project document as a guide to ensure efficient game creation (Liming ; Vilorio, 2011). When the plan is communicated to the project team, it is the role of the project manager to remain vigilant on keeping the plan up to date. Ensuring that there is sound communication and a streamlined vision/design, will allow the project teams to collaborate to make the most of each other’s expertise (Liming Vilorio, 2011). There is feedback during production that helps the project team revise the document as needed. For instance, feedback might encompass how to improve a game’s mechanics, or more so, remove an unfeasible feature (Liming ; Vilorio, 2011). Throughout production, developers continually build improved versions of the game. This allows for the creation of more content that is better looking, more streamlined within a design, and thus is more refined (Liming ; Vilorio, 2011). Liming and Viliorio also went on further to state that the conclusion of the production phase is that the fully playable game includes art, music, and sound effects. This milestone is referred to as â€Å"content complete.† (Liming ; Vilorio, 2011).Post production Production ends when the developer and publisher agree that no more features are needed; thus, no features are added during post-production. Instead, the main goal of this phase is to finalize software quality. The post-production phase starts at least three months before the end-of-project deadline. During post-production the focus is on playing the game to test for errors, called bugs, and on tweaking it to eliminate unwanted elements (Liming ; Vilorio, 2011). Post-production is key for the game develop process as quality assurance and process validation are critical components. The quality assurance staff tests the game by playing it and attempting to do things the development staff never considered (Liming ; Vilorio, 2011). It is during this time that such things as bugs and compatibility issues are fixed. Additionally, work will be done to ensure that all coding is optimized. Process validation plays an important role in assessing game quality. Also, during this phase, the development process as a whole is analyzed. Collection and evaluation of process data from the pre-production phase through to the post-production phase can provide evidence that the overall development process produces a good-quality game. Congruously, analysis can depict either product errors, in-complement coding, or that the final product does not measure up to expectations. It is known, as the game testers find bugs, they document the errors and assign them to a programmer, designer, or artist to be addressed and fixed (Liming ; Vilorio, 2011). Efficiently identifying and correcting issues is essential for the game roll-out deadline. Additionally, the developer may sometime want the game put into consumer hands before official release. Such instances could be in the form of advance releases, or advance copies for select consumer testing and gameplay which is a marketing strategy in gaming. Developers also use beta testing. Beta testing in games is used to gage overall game functionality using external testers or a select segment of identified consumers (Aleem, Fernando- Capretz, ; Ahmed, 2016). Beta testing is a kind of first public release for testing purposes by users. Game publishers often find it effective because bugs are identified by users that were missed during the in-house testing process (Aleem, Fernando- Capretz, ; Ahmed, 2016). Dealing with bugs and tweaks can make postproduction time-consuming. Thus, the process may take as long as production, especially for more complex games that have bigger budgets (Liming ; Vilorio, 2011). Conclusion The video game industry has grown tremendously over the last four decades. From Nintendo to Sony, a plethora of games have been made over the course of the video game industry. Games, the end-products, are the results of the efforts of many. The process of video game development is an intricate undertaking. The production cycle encompasses a myriad of derivatives which adhere to pre-production, production, and post-prediction phases. During the entire production cycle of a game key players such as computer engineers and programmers, visual artists, audio engineers, animators, game designers, writers, and quality assurance testers are involved. The pre-production phase helps lay out the groundwork and plan that will be followed as the game develops. During pre-production specific goals are fleshed out and key fundamental elements to the project are identified. It also during this phase that focus is on working to minimize as many issues initially. This works to decrease unneeded or potentially negatively impacting developments later in the project development/production cycle. During the production phase the project team’s main focus is on the actual creation of the game. It is during the production phase that new plans can happen which can have impact and alter work. A project document is used to ensure efficient game development and thus the project manager must ensure that the plan is up to date. Additionally, the project manager will work to ensure that there is sound communication for the entire team. When the game has entered post-production, the focus is on playing the game to test for errors and other unwanted elements. There is a lot of focus on quality assurance. Within the gaming industry, testing can be done both in-house and the use of a select segment of consumer beta testers. Though most consumers only see the end product that is distributed and hit store shelves, there is a lot that has happened to ensure that the they will have a quality game playing experiences. Additionally, there is a select pocket of consumers who are more engaged development process and have a greater apperception for the game development process. Overall there is a great deal that transpires in the development of a game. From stakeholder expectations to timeliness of implementation, a lot of resources have been invested to create that end-product game. Understanding the life of a game through the lens of game development production cycle helps to foster a heightened appreciation for the final pro duct. How to cite The Video Game Industry, Papers

Reality show free essay sample

‘Keeping up with the Kardashians’ is an American reality show based on the lives of the Kardashian / Jenner family. The show mainly focuses on the daily lives of Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian. The Kardashian / Jenner family has turned out to be so famous that they’ve almost turned into a brand name, from shows, to modeling, to clothing line and also make up. Reality show is a genre of TV show that aims to be both real and entertaining. The show involves filing of the actions and behaviors of people in a certain situation that may be either a natural one or it may also be contrived. The way the people behave is usually the main focus of the reality show. Reality TV show is a genre that presents unscripted events that are usually real life events involving either people from the public or even celebrities in that case. Some of the conventions used in ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians’ are: -Real people, not professional actors. We will write a custom essay sample on Reality show or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In the show, the Kardashian / Jenner family are not actors but either models, athletes or socialites. -The situation that usually takes place in the episodes are supposed to be real. It is usually based on what we may hear on the news. -It is both real and entertaining. -The show always has a voiceover where the different characters explain and talk about the situation. -In my opinion, there is usually a high level of editing that takes place in order to make the show not just real but also entertaining. One of the main reasons why reality TV shows are famous is because it is supposed to be based on real life events showing the unscripted and real dramas that take place. And when it is a reality show like ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians’ where the audiences are able to see the unscripted lifestyle and events of the Kardashian / Jenner family, it is all the more entertaining. The reality show allows us to enter the life of the Kardashian / Jenner family and like all TV shows, one of the biggest ways of keeping audiences hooked to the show is the part where they show what happens next in the show. They always make it a point to make the ‘Next’ scene very interesting mixing bits of the scenes, or sometimes even playing with the minds of the viewer by mixing scenes making it look like something when in reality it is totally different. I’ve been watching the American reality show ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians’ for a long time now, but the question is how real is it? The reality show follows all the uniform conventions that reality TV shows usually have, and the show runs once a week for 40 minutes, but what makes me feel like the unscripted show has a bit too much editing is the fact that every episode there is something eventful that happens, be it a fight, a misunderstanding, tears, anger, hatred, jealousy, or any such feelings, and what is more surprising is that by the end of the episode usually everything is solved. Although the events that take place in the show may be real, the way every episode is made to end in a nice note is probably a way fulfilling the audiences’ need of a happy ending. Although I may be critical regarding the show, I think it is entertaining and have been watching it since the very first season, and having watched it for such a long time, I have watched different people on the show grow, almost making me feel like a part of it, hence definitely making me a dedicated viewer of the show.