Abstract This is a review of "Star Trek and Sacred Ground". The "Star Trek" series and films are marked by an evolutionary process whereby by religion as irrational and mere superstition is displaced by religion with meaning and possible value. Above all, the portrayal of religion reflects Roddenberry's "guiding values: a love of humanity and an optimism concerning the human prospect".
Abstract A paper on the movie "The Lone Star" based on the thesis that through his montage of the past and present and his editing techniques, Sayles managed to focus on various different themes without over burdening the audience with excessive emotion. The paper shows how the main focus remained the corruption of the law in view of complete power.
Abstract This paper presents a detailed examination of the main ideas of Sigmund Freud and how those ideas can be applied to the life of the "Star Wars" character, Darth Vader. The writer looks at some of the actions taken by the character and holds them against the theories of Sigmund Freud to explain Vader's personality and actions.
From the Paper "The id, the ego and the superego were perhaps the most famous theories of Freud. Darth Vader demonstrates all three concepts in the movie series throughout his life. The id is demonstrated when he displays the instincts to love his son. He displays a sliver of good and right when he doesn't want to kill his own son. A seeming evil being with no feelings whatsoever suddenly develops the instinct to protect that son. It is human instinct and one he was born with which comes from Id."
Tags: Galactic, Empire, Palpatine, Princess, Leia, Death, Star
Abstract In order to shed some light onthe processes involved in the stars' life cycle, this paper discusses and analyzes how, throughout its 'life,' a star will remain dependent on other stars for its eventual re-birth--that is, the creation of another kind of a star. In line with the main topic of this paper, the discussion and analysis argue that the life cycle of a star is an interdependent and recurring process, mainly because stars depend on other stars to re-generate or create another star.
From the Paper "The second phase, the star's death, occurs when the star has finally used up its hydrogen atoms, and can no longer generate energy from its stellar body. As this happens, the star is "pulled" by the gravity and will burn its helium to become carbon, becoming a red giant. The dying star will be pulled towards the gravity because it will no longer have the counterforce that it once had (force from the energy radiated from it) in order to balance the two forces (gravity and energy pressure). Once helium gases were burned out or exhausted from the stellar body, carbon will be produced and scattered. The dead star will eventually have a carbon core, cool down, and become a white dwarf."
Abstract This paper explores the creation of the Hollywood star system, set up to encourage people to go to the cinema. This system, beginning in the 1920s, transformed the film actor into a kind of popular studio 'brand', which kept audiences coming back. The paper notes that the Hollywood star system contrasted with European cinema culture, which tended to be far more director- (rather than star-) driven and less oriented toward developing a brand. Finally, the paper discusses how the star system has contributed to Hollywood's enduring success, as is evident in today's star-centered movie culture.
Outline:
Introduction
Origins of the Star System
1920's: Rise of Star Power
Conclusion: The Breakdown of the Star System
From the Paper "The Impact of the Star System on Film The star system is so intimately intertwined with Hollywood of the pre-World War II era that celluloid and stars cannot be separated. Indeed, the Star System is what created an American dominance in a medium that was, after all, developed by the French and Germans, and in which the Americans were relative latecomers to the genre.
"The Star System is about more than the actors who played in Hollywood films. The stars were those special beings who created a link with their audiences. In many cases, and particularly during the silent movie era, the stars' draw was universal: Charlie Chaplin (a British native but naturalized American) was a universal "brand," known as Charlie around the world (and "Charlot" in the French-speaking world), equally powerful in Berlin or Miami.
"There is only one Hollywood in the world. Movies are made in London, Paris, Milan and Moscow, but the life of these cities is relatively uninfluenced by their production. Hollywood is a unique American phenomenon with a symbolism not limited to this country. It means many things to many people. For the majority it is the home of favored, godlike creatures (Powdermaker)."
Abstract This paper explains that stars have a life cycle that is simply too long for human life to perceive directly and even too long for all of human history to record. The author points out that astronomers have been able to categorize stars to show the different levels of development reached by different groups of stars. The paper relates that, over billions of years, the star slowly contracts, compensating for the heat and light energy it has lost. The author underscores that, as this contraction continues, the temperature, density and pressure at the core of the star increases. The paper tells that, as the temperature at the core rises and the star contracts, the tension between gravity pulling in and gas pressure pushing out determines the life of the star. The author describes this process through the star's life cycle from protostar to black holes.
From the Paper "At this stage, the star is called a planetary nebula. The core of this star becomes a whiter dwarf, an extremely dense star now the size of a planet. Once the white dwarf uses all its energy, it stops shining and becomes a "black dwarf," or a dead star. Astronomers see this as the final stage for our own Sun. however, for stars with higher masses than the Sun (up to about 40 times greater), the outer layers of the star may be thrown off with much more force in a supernova, an explosion leading to the collapse of the star down to a very compact size, producing what is known as a "neutron star."
Tags: protostar, black holes, white dwarf, infrared satellites, supernova
Abstract The writer of this essay explains that the Hollywood star system was developed prior to the 1920s, but perfected by the 1930s as a way to develop a studio 'brand,' and keep people coming to the cinema week after week. The writer notes that by finding, training, developing and promoting talent, Hollywood's studio moguls were able to control product and insure on-going success. In this article, the writer explores how the star system was created and how it contributed to Hollywood's enduring success. The writer discusses that this contrasts with European cinema, which tended to be far more personal, director-driven and less oriented to developing a 'brand,' other than for the specific director.
Outline:
Introduction
The Impact of the Star System on Film
Origins of the Star System
1920s: Rise of Star Power
1930s: Decade of Studio Power, Heyday of the Star System
Conclusion: The Breakdown of the Star System
From the Paper "The studios were able to weed out the independents through the above-named actions. They were helped by the environment and technology as well. Specifically, the coming of the 'talkies' in 1927 made it more expensive for studios to produce competitive films. This helped to weed out the less-competitive independent studios. Secondly, the Crash of 1929 and the subsequent Depression had a negative effect on weekly film attendance, making it more difficult for less widely-distributed or financially weaker films to survive. As a result, the studios were able to consolidate their movie-making and -distribution strategies, and to increase their bargaining power with their stars.
"There were monumental battles between the stars and their studio heads--but only where the stars felt that they could withhold their services and do real damage to their bosses."
Abstract This paper discusses the existence of the Star of Bethlehem and examines what the Star of Bethlehem was. The paper also identifies and discusses the first reference to the Star of Bethlehem in the New Testament of the Bible. Specifically discussed by the paper is the debate of whether the Star of Bethlehem was a myth or if there is conclusive evidence for its existence.
Table of Contents:
Did the Star of Bethlehem Exist?
What are Possible Explanations for the Star of Bethlehem?
Did Saint Matthew Create This Myth for the Birth of Jesus?
Is there Conclusive Evidence Identifying the Star of Bethlehem?
From the Paper "In conclusion, there is no evidence that signifies conclusively that the Star of Bethlehem actually existed because these are all merely theories from which astronomers and historians alike justified that the Star of Bethlehem existed when Jesus Christ was born. All historians and astronomers have at this point are fascinating speculations and theories like those by Molnar as well as the many other authors and scientists who have attempted to uncover the mystery surrounding the Star of Bethlehem. Perhaps the mystery about the Star of Bethlehem will never be completely solved, but it is the mystery itself that drives us to find a solution."
Abstract This paper explains that by viewing the gas that surrounds stars as a dynamic atmosphere, undergoing cycles of materials similar to those that go on in the Earth's own protective gases, astronomers are understanding more and more about the processes involved in the formation of stars. The paper deals with the questions of how the supernova of massive stars affect the formation of stars in the future, why star formation seems to occur in relative bursts, and how long the Milky Way will continue to produce stars.
From the Paper "Beyond applying the atmospheric model to intergalactic gas, astronomers have also been studying more carefully exactly what components make up the gas and at what temperature these components exist. About 90% of the constituents of intergalactic atmosphere are various forms of hydrogen, with close to 10% being helium, and everything else, from lithium to uranium -- the whole spectrum of the periodic chart -- making up less than 0.1%. The majority of the hydrogen is present as neutral hydrogen, termed H I by astronomers. This form of hydrogen gas is identified by the spectral frequency of the light that it emits, namely 1,420 megahertz. Although scattered throughout the galaxy, the majority of H I is located around the galactic midplane, and forms a gaseous disk about 300 parsecs thick (Reynolds, 2002, p. 40)."
Abstract The process of star formation is a complex one that takes millions of years to complete. While there are many types and sizes of stars, all come from the same basic properties. From clouds of gas and dust to protostars to the Main Sequence, star birth is a process dependent upon many factors. This paper examines how stars are formed and the reasons behind the various colors of stars.
From the Paper "Stars use nuclear fusion to convert, generally, hydrogen to helium, a process called nucleosynthesis. Nucleosynthesis is the production of new elements via nuclear reactions. The mass of the star at the time of the nuclear fusion determines what types of nucleosynthesis are needed. For smaller stars, hydrogen is converted to helium. For mid sized stars, like the sun, helium is turned to oxygen and carbon, as the hydrogen supply burns out. For massive stars, as hydrogen becomes depleted, helium is turned to carbon and oxygen, which are then turned to neon, sodium, magnesium, sulfur and silicon. Later, those elements are transformed to elements like calcium, iron, nickel, chromium, copper, and other elements. It is this process of nuclear fusion and nucleosynthesis that allow stars, even massive, old stars, to continue to exist. It is this stage that is called the Main Sequence for a star (Enchanted Learning, 100)."
Abstract The paper relates that stars are born, live their stellar lives and then die. The paper then discusses how "protostars" can evolve into high-mass stars, intermediate mass stars and low-mass stars and when they finally stop burning, they die and form white, black, brown or red dwarfs. The paper concludes that while we know much about stars, we still do not know enough.
From the Paper "Stars twinkle and shine pretty in the night sky but they are actually complicated heavenly bodies. They are like us in that they are born, live their stellar lives, and then die. The early phases of a star's life begins when an "early phase of gravitational collapse," (Dasch) forms a "stellar embryo" (Dasch). Gas falls into the embryo, heating it up and when the embryo becomes warm enough, it begins resisting gravity. At this point, the embryo is called a "protostar" (Dasch). Grace Wolf-Chase maintains that this gas is "vast agglomerations of gas and dust" (Chase). Some of matter around the protostar begins to accumulate in a disk shape, rotating around it. Forces of gravity cause the disk to pick up speed and move toward the center. However, the gas and dust must slow down in order to fall onto the protostar."
Abstract This paper discusses sales and marketing management, from the point of view of "Stars in the Making", an article written by Elana Harris in 2001. The paper summarizes Harris' article and describes its relevance to sales management. The paper then provides a critique of the article and provides some suggestions for improving it.
Table of Contents:
A Summary of "Stars in the Making"
Relevance of "Stars in the Making"
A Critique of "Stars in the Making"
Suggested Changes to Harris' Article
From the Paper "In Harris' article, she makes the point that there are ways to mentor, motivate, and lead new salespeople to their full potential as salespeople; this point is cleverly proven by success stories from such luminary companies as Bausch & Lomb and others. Perhaps the most important message that Harris puts forth in "Stars in the Making" is that training, motivation and development of the skills needed for overcoming challenges are keys to the growth of salespeople over the long term. Because of this, Harris continues, sales managers must be coaches or mentors to their team members as well."
Abstract This paper examines the significance of the stars and fortune in Shakespeare's "King Lear" and answers the questions: "Do the stars or fortune actually have anything to do with the occurrences of the play?" and "What is the relationship between the characters and the stars?"
From the Paper "Throughout Shakespeare's "King Lear" the mention of fortune and the stars is a recurrent theme reflective of the Elizabethan view of the world. The influence of the stars on human events gets its roots in the Elizabethan concept known as the chain of being. This concept presumes that everything in the universe is ordered in hierarchical fashion from greatest to least, with God at the top and microorganisms at the bottom."
Tags: King Lear, Shakespeare, fortune, stars, chain of being, conscience
Abstract This paper discusses how the original "Star Trek" series contains a surprising amount of social commentary. It examines how the multiracial, multi-ethnic makeup of Starfleet itself is testimony to Gene Roddenberry's optimistic conception of the future of race (or at least interplanetary) relations. It examines how the United Federation of Planets is like a cosmic United Nations, comprised of races more different in appearance than any found on Earth. It looks at how, for the most part, the missions of the U.S.S. Enterprise generally promote freedom and justice throughout the known universe and despite the stereotyping and sexism contained within Star Trek episodes, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise is surprisingly egalitarian.
From the Paper "The show follows a standard formula for Star Trek episodes. Starfleet is authorized to fetch zenite from the planet Ardana. Zenite is the only known antidote for a deadly plant disease plaguing Federation member planet Marak II. The plague on Marak II threatens to wipe out the entire population, which of course warrants intervention. Ardana is obligated to comply with Starfleet's orders because as a member planet they must offer assistance to another federation member. Therefore, Starfleet acts like ?big government,? and frequently interferes with the sovereignty of Federation planets. Kirk and Spock believe "there must be some mistake" that the High Advisor asked them to beam down to Stratos, the main Ardana city, rather than directly to the zenite mines. Of course, Kirk feels his "emergency" is more important than this simple request from the Ardana High Advisor. This is the kind of government that frightens libertarians and any critics of ?big government.?"
Abstract This paper presents a detailed examination of the Star Wars culture and its evidence that the cinema has a direct impact on America history through the phenomena that it causes. The writer explores the Star Wars movie from the 1970s and argues that it is possible for a film to create an entire culture of existence as was proven by this movie and its subsequent releases.
From the Paper "Since the beginning of the silver screen millions of movie goers have flocked to theaters to be entertained by their favorite actors and directors. Some movies flop, while others make a profit and every once in awhile a movie is released that creates an independent culture of followers crossing all economic, social and racial boundaries. This was the case of the first Star Wars movie which was released in 1976 and created a multiple decade following of fans. Whether the movie made the culture or the culture made the movie is arguable however, the impact the movie had on American society cannot be ignored. It is a classic study in human nature, wants and desires that began with the first rolling of credits."
