Interconversion of Petroleum Distillation Curves

Interconversion of Petroleum Distillation Curves The procedures recommended by API [1a] for the interconversion of ASTM D 86 and TBP (True Boiling Point) distillation curves are transposed into Mathcad computation platform. Two Mathcad versions are presented for each of direct, ASTM to TBP, and the backward, TBP to ASTM, curves conversions according to the API procedure. The first version, simpler, but with fewer possibilities of use, was presented in the first part [1a]. This second part comprises the relations of the API procedure written as functions in the Mathcad worksheet. The procedure functions can be placed in a separate area of the worksheet, area which may be then collapsed, locked and hidden. Alternatively, the functions can be stored in a specific Mathcad file, which can be afterwards inserted and employed in the main worksheet with Reference command. Other possibilities of Mathcad environment for interconnection of worksheets (files), such as utilization of Mathconnex or creation of Mathcad E-books, are briefly mentio ned, too. Utilization of Mathcad procedures is illustrated through several examples. The Mathcad worksheets comprising the API procedures are thus providing a convenient computer tool for fast prediction of one of ASTM and TBP distillation curve starting from the other one. Key words : ASTM D 86, TBP, distillation, interconversion, Mathcad, petroleum Introduction The goal of the present work is to offer a general, easy-to-use Mathcad versions of the API (American Petroleum Institute) procedures for the ASTM D 86 and TBP distillation curves interconversion. A simpler Mathcad version of the API procedures was given in the first part [1a]. However the simpler Mathcad version has limited possibilities of use, or even no utility in some applications, such as those of iterative tasks commonly solved with programming modules. Furthermore, numerical data assignements needed to be placed in the worksheet before the methods expressions (case of worksheet setting of Automatic calculation as default, that is turned on ; anyhow, if turned off, most of the present discussion becomes meaningless). In this second part we are going to provide Mathcad written procedures which are more concise and have extended range of application. The relations needed for distillation curves interconversion originating from reference [2] and adapted by the author for temperatures in degrees centigrade have been given explicitly in the first part [1a]. Since the API procedure for ASTM TBP distillation curves interconversion was described in Part 1 [1a], the reader is urged to refer to that part or to the original API reference [2] for a better comprehension and details on both the API method procedure and Mathcad version herein presented. Numerical checks against examples taken from literature [2] [3] [7] and made in order to verify our Mathcad versions of the API procedure, are also shown. Mathcad implementation of API procedures for ASTM TBP distillation curves interconversion. Using functions The main part of the Mathcad worksheet with the API method for estimation of TBP curve from ASTM distillation curve is reproduced in Fig. 1. Assignments of parameters values being identical with those already given in Fig. 1a of the first part [1a], the beginning area of the Mathcad worksheet containing these assignments is no more shown in the present Fig. 1. In the same area omitted from Fig. 1, there are also definitions of range variables  «ip » and  «id », which again are identical with those in Part 1, that is  «ip := 0,1..6 » and  «id:=0,1..5 », needed for indexing current points of the distillation curve (corresponding to 0, 10, 30, 50, 70, 90 and 100 % vol.) and differences (between temperatures), respectively. Thus, the distillation curve is assumed to be represented in the same format as in Part 1, i.e. 7 rows  ´ 2 columns matrix, where the first column elements are volume percentages (0, 10, 30, 50, 70, 90 and 100) of distillate and the second column elements are the corresponding six temperatures (oC) on the (ASTM or TBP) distillation curve. The task of the function  « dt_DC  » (where dt and DC in notation stand for difference of temperatures and distillation curve) as defined by relation (1) in Fig. 1 is to pick up all pairs of consecutive temperatures on the given ASTM curve, to compute the difference between the two temperatures, and to give the result as a 6 elements array, which elements are the temperature differences. One of the two arguments of the function  «dt_DC » in Fig. 1 needs to be the range variable id. Otherwise, a definition like (a) would issue an error message (Illegal context and expression (a) written in Mathcad turning into red) because, as expected, a range variable is not allowed as parameter within the function definition, or, being more specific, within the expression assigned to a function. Another definition but more lengthy, which can be used to obtain the same numerical result as  «dt_DC » function in relation (1) of Fig. 1, i.e. the six temperature differences, is the next one : (b) Fig. 1. Portion of the Mathcad worksheet with functions definitions to be used for API procedure for TBP curve prediction from the ASTM D86 distillation curve (continued with applications in Figures 2 and 3) Even if the numerical values produced with both definitions, (1) in Fig.1 or above (b), are same, it is worth of mention that the two outputs have different meanings in Mathcad. Thus, while the latter definition (b) produces a six-element vector, the first definition, which is used in relation (1) of Fig. 1, produces an array (which may be also called table) with also 6 values, but which has not the quality of a vector in Mathcad. Consequently, neither several operations typical for vectors, such as transposition (operator à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾T as superscript) or à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾vectorize (operator denoted by an arrow above an expression containing a vector) can be applied to the output of the twoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœargument function  «dt_DC ». This behavior may be probably better understood if a function definition like that in relation (1) of Fig.1 for  «dt_DC » is regarded as six one-variable functions simultaneously defined. Difference between the outputs of t he two functions,  «dt_DC » and  «dt_DCb » is similar to that between a true vector and a range variable such as  «ip » or  «id » which is used for indexing. When desired, a workaround able to lead to a vector output is thus provided by the above definition of  «dt_DCb » in (b). Moreover, this definition can be rewritten in a more concise form within a Mathcad worksheet using programming modules (see Part 3 [1b]). In step 2 (Fig. 1), temperature for 50%vol. on TBP curve is estimated with the function denoted  «t_50%TBP », from temperature for 50% vol. of ASTM, as in API procedure described in Part 1 [1a]. According correlations of the same procedure (that is relations (3) given in Part 1), differences between temperatures on TBP curve are then calculated in step 3 based on Fig. 2. Part of the worksheet containing an example using the Mathcad version of API procedure for ASTM-to-TBP distillation curves conversion (Mathcad version of the procedure given in Fig. 1 ; ASTM data and experimental TBP from [2]) temperature differences of ASTM curve. This is done employing again a function with two arguments, of which the first is the range variable  «id » (function named  «dt_TBP »). Finally, TBP temperatures are determined in the 4th and last step with function  «t_DC » by subtracting or adding to priorly determined  «t50%TBP » the appropriate temperature gaps found in step 3 (Fig. 1). An example using the Mathcad version of the API procedure described above is given in the portion of the Mathcad worksheet shown in Fig. 2. As previously explained, since the output of the function  «dt_DC » in step 1 or of the function  «dt_TBP » in step 3 (Fig. 2) is an array (table) and not a vector, presence of the index  «id » at vector-variables  «ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬ tASTM1 » or  «ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â‚¬ tTBP1 », respectively, is imperative for a correct assignment of values computed by functions ( «dt_DC » or  «dt_TBP ») to the elements of mentioned vectors. Otherwise, the aforementioned error message (Illegal context) would be issued and corresponding expressions turned into red. Fig. 3. Part of the worksheet with another example using the Mathcad version of API procedure for ASTM-to-TBP distillation curves conversion (Mathcad version of the API procedure given in Fig. 1 ; ASTM data and corresponding TBP estimated by Edmisterà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ËœOkamoto procedure taken from [3]) Even if it can be readily noticed from both Fig. 1 and example in Fig. 2, we emphasize that in the present Mathcad version of API procedure (Fig. 1) it is possible to write the expressions of the procedure as a standalone suite, independent on the 7  ´ 2 matrix with distillation curve data, due to use of functions. On the contrary, for the simpler Mathcad version given in Part 1 [1a], it was necessary to provide the distillation curve matrix in the Mathcad worksheet before the relations of the API procedure. Thus, presentation of simpler Mathcad procedure in [1a] was actually possible only using a numerical example. However, it can be mentioned that even in the case of simpler version in Part 1 a workaround for the infringement of normal order, that is with data in the begining of the worksheet, may be provided by the use of a global definition (available in Mathcad). ASTM distillation data for example in Fig. 2 was taken from API Technical Data Book [2]. The TBP curve determined in Fig. 2 is identical with that computed in [2] from the same ASTM distillation data and with same API procedure. For comparaison, experimental TBP (vector  «TBPexp ») retrieved from the mentioned reference [2] is also given in Fig. 2. Fig. 4. Area of worksheet with the Mathcad version of the reversed API procedure, for conversion of the TBP curve into ASTM distillation curve The use of the same Mathcad version of the API procedure is illustrated with another example in the part of the worksheet reproduced in Fig. 3. ASTM data (7  ´ 2 matrix  «ASTM2 ») in Fig. 3 and corresponding TBP values (matrix  «TBP2_EO ») estimated with Edmister and Okamoto method [4] are quoted from reference [3]. The suite of definitions shown in Fig. 1 as well as the two examples (Fig. 2 and 3) have been actually written in the same Mathcad worksheet. The Mathcad version of the reversed API procedure, for TBP curve conversion to ASTM distillation curve, is illustrated in Fig. 4. In step 1 the temperature differences between two consecutive temperatures amongst those of selected points on TBP curve can be computed with the same function  «dt_DC » given in Fig. 1. Since the Mathcad versions of both direct and reversed API procedures have been written in same worksheet, there was no more need for another function definition for step 1 in Fig. 4. Coefficients in the expression of the function  «t_50%ASTM » in relation (6) (Fig. 4), needed for the prediction of the 50% temperature on ASTM curve based on 50% temperature on TBP curve, are taken from Part 1 [1a] and they are coming from the same API procedure [2]. As shown in Fig. 4, the temperature for 50% on ASTM curve can also be determined with the function  «tr_50%ASTM », which is the inverse of function  «t_50%PRF » defined previously in the worksheet (with relation (2) in Fig. 1). The inverse function,  «tr_50%ASTM », is defined using the Mathcad built-in function  «root ». First argument of  «root » is the expression of whose root is wanted, the second argument indicates the variable with respect to which the equation defined by the expression has to be solved, and the 3rd and 4th arguments specify the interval where the desired root is lying. Fig. 5. Portion of Mathcad worksheet with example of TBP curve conversion into ASTM D86 distillation curve (API procedure [2]) Presence of last two arguments is optional: when these are included, Ridder or Brent algorithm is used internally by  «root » to determine the solution; otherwise Mueller-secant algorithm is employed. The accuracy of the computed root is determined by parameter TOL (tolerance) whose value can be set (for the entire worksheet) from Mathcad menu. For details on the Mathcad root function or on the mentioned algorithms, references [5-6, 9] may be consulted. Notations used in relation (6r) of Fig. 4 show that equation t_50%TBP(à Ã¢â‚¬ ¡)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœt=0 is (numerically) solved with respect to variable à Ã¢â‚¬ ¡ (that is unknown à Ã¢â‚¬ ¡) and the desired root (ASTM temperature for 50% vol.) is within interval (0, 1000) ( oC ) for all possible values of parameter  «t » (temperature for 50% vol. on TBP curve). Differences between temperatures on ASTM curve are computed in step 3 based on temperature differences on TBP curve determined in step 1. Being previously defined in the worksheet (Fig. 1), coefficients  «AAPIC » and  «BAPI » in relations (7) are known. Finally, in step 4 temperatures on the ASTM curve are calculated using the same function  «t_DC » already defined in a proceeding zone (Fig. 1) of the worksheet. We recall that for features of Mathcad employed herein or other capabilities reader can find valuable and detailed information with good examples in Mathcad help [5a] and particularly in the Resource Center [5b] accompanying Mathcad platform. The use of the Mathcad version for the reversed API procedure, that is for TBP curve to ASTM curve conversion, is illustrated with the example in the part of Mathcad worksheet reproduced by Fig. 5. Other possibilities of utilization of Mathcad written procedures Two of these possibilities are illustrated below, one using an inserted area and the other the Reference command provided by the Mathcad environment. An area can be readily inserted in a worksheet, using the commands from Insert menu. In our case (Fig. 6), after inserting a new area (a blank area initially) in the worksheet, we have merely copied ( Copy/Paste ) the area given in Fig. 1 and pasted it in the inserted blank area. The area thus inserted contains also the assignments of values to parameters Aid and Bid needed in the procedure (parameters which values are given in Tab. 1 of [1a] and are named  «AAPIC »  «BAPI » in Figures 1a,b and 2 in the same reference [1a] and which are no more shown in Fig.1 of the present part). Obviously, in such a case one has to provide a sufficient size of the inserted area. Its enlargement can be made by selecting one (usually the lower) of the crosshairs corresponding to the boundaries of inserted area and dragging it, or by clicking inside area and typing Enter one or several times, as needed to accommodate the whole pasted part. The inserted area may be then easi ly collapsed (Fig. 6), as indicated by instructions in the dialog box which appears with a mouse right-button click. After collapsing, the inserted region can be locked and protected by a password and then provided with a time stamp. Always after collapsing, presence of the inserted region may be even made invisible (hidden) [5b]. All content of Fig. 6 was actually written in a new Mathcad file (worksheet), different from those illustrated in previous figures. Fig. 6. Mathcad worksheet with inserted area collapsed and an example of ASTM curve conversion into TBP curve Fig. 7. Mathcad worksheet with Reference to the Mathcad file (named here ASTMà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ËœTBP interconvAPI simple functions.mcd) containing the API procedure for the two distillation curves interconversion The Reference command (Fig. 7) allows all variables or functions definitions from another worksheet (referenced worksheet or referenced Mathcad file) to be made available in the current (parent) worksheet. Thus the current worksheet will behave as if one should have inserted into it the actual regions from the referenced worksheet. The Reference containing line is merely introduced by a first mouse click in the main (parent) worksheet in the place where the referenced file is desired, then making the insert from the Reference command accessible in menu (Insert Reference), followed by pointing to referenced file location (as asked by dialog box). An icon (right headed arrow inside a square) will mark the place from which the referenced worksheet will take effect within the parent worksheet. (R) after the file name (ASTM-TBP interconvAPI simple functions.mcd in occurrence, Fig. 7) means that the relative path was chosen in the present case in order to locate the referenced file. Even if the referenced Mathcad file itself cannot be seen in the current (parent) worksheet, it may be opened with a double click on its Reference icon and then accessed and even modified. Like for any other computational environment or programming language, it is strongly advisable to use systematic and mnemonic notations for various variables, functions,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, both in main and inserted worksheet (collapsed or not, or with Reference), in order to avoid errors. As already mentioned in [1a], errors in computed results may appear in case of notations overlap, even without any error message highlighted by Mathcad (without any expression turned into red). In the case of long worksheets, more complicated structures of linked (concatenated) worksheets can be thus envisaged. For example a worksheet with an inserted area can be referenced from another worksheet. Again, in order to reduce the possibility of errors and for an acceptable readability, it is however advisable to limit to only a few the worksheets thus interconnected. If this is not possible, there are alternatives offered by Mathcad platform, such as use of Mathconnex environment or creation of a Mathcad electronic book. Both alternatives are easy to use and well documented in Mathcad help, for example the latter in the Authors reference item within Help menu. Moreover, recent versions of Mathcad, i.e. starting with 2001i, offer the possibility to save worksheets under XML or HTML format. Conclusion In the Mathcad version of API procedure for ASTM-TBP distillation curves interconversion presented in this part, use of functions allows to write the expressions of the procedure as a standalone suite, independent on the 7  ´ 2 matrix comprising distillation data. Utilization of some Mathcad features, such as functions with two arguments one of which being a range variable, vector-valued functions, definition of an inverse of a function using built-in root function, or area insertion in a Mathcad worksheet, are illustrated through examples. Interconnection of Mathcad worksheets (files) through the ,Reference command is also exemplified. Such features of Mathcad platform can provide added readability and broader generality to worksheets. Other capabilities of Mathcad, like utilization of Mathconnex or creation of Mathcad E-books are briefly envisaged. The Mathcad worksheets comprising the API procedures are thus providing a convenient tool for fast prediction of an ASTM or TBP distillation curve starting from the other one.

‘The Passenger’ in Terms of David Bordwell’s

Essay Question: Discuss The Passenger in terms of David Bordwell’s analysis of the elements that characterise art cinema. Cherish Perez de Tagle (12339949) [email  protected] com European Cinema Since 1945 Module Code: 2FLM7H9 Ian Green January 10, 2011 Bordwell (1979) criticizes the idea that art cinema exists as an offshoot of classic narrative cinema. He argues that it is a way of storytelling in its own right. According to him, art cinema has a set of formal conventions relating to modes of production/consumption as well as having a discrete film practice and particular viewing conventions.Art cinema is likewise situated within the historical existence of film practice. In this essay I will discuss how Antonioni’s The Passenger (1975) can be classed as an art film according to the elements that characterise art cinema as put forth by Bordwell. Historically speaking, the Passenger was made in 1975, post World War II, one of the conditions Bordwell states as being a contributor to the emergence of art cinema. Changes to the court’s statutes regarding film, the wane of the dominance of Hollywood cinema, together with an increase in international commerce, made the production of films for an international audience desirable.Correspondingly, branching out into foreign markets opened up a niche for co-productions. The Passenger was likewise an Italian-French-Spanish co-production with American star Jack Nicholson, shot on location in Spain, Germany, North Africa, and the UK. Bordwell argues that whilst themes may differ across the broad range of films classified as art cinema, the functions of these themes within the individual films are in fact consistent and make use of certain narrative and stylistic principles. Of these he cites three principal traits that can be identified with art cinema – realism, authorship, and ambiguity.It can be argued that in terms of these traits The Passenger is a good example of art cinema. Realism Tak en in opposition to the classical narrative structure of dominant Hollywood cinema, a number of differing characteristics can be drawn in contrast to art cinema. In classical narratives, a narrative structure based on cause and effect logic motivates the cinematic representation. This is generally present alongside narrative parallelism or psychologically defined, goal-oriented characters. To this end narrative time and space are constructed to serve the telling of the story in a linear fashion.In terms of cinematic style, the use of specific types of cutting such as continuity, cross-cutting, and montage serve these ends, and characteristics of the mise-en-scene, cinematography, and sound further the plausibility and unity of the story-world. These techniques are employed for the primary goal of advancing the story. Other devices are utilized to create this unity of form such as the use of genre in order to not only create and likewise fulfil audience expectations but also to creat e discrete markets for production and distribution.Whereas classical narrative cinema is founded on the above, Bordwell argues that the structure of art cinema is far looser, and not driven by the cause-effect linkage of events insomuch as the motivations of art cinema differ form those of classical narrative. Of the three predominant characteristics of art cinema identified, Bordwell states that the use of realism and authorship create unity and serve as the motivations in the art film rather than cause and effect or the pursuit of a goal.Realism, meaning the use of real locations and real problems, also refers to what is considered â€Å"realistic†. By this, what is meant is psychologically complex characters and psychological causation as opposed to external situations and events that serve as the motivations for action or moving the story forward. Whereas in the classical narrative film the characters are defined by clearly defined goals/desires/objectives and clearly def ined traits, art cinema characters can be inconsistent, and prone to question themselves about their goals.Their choices are vague or non-existent. Realism in The Passenger After an initial decision to assume the identity of an acquaintance he finds dead in an adjacent room, protagonist David Locke throughout the rest of the film finds himself caught within situations as opposed to activating those situations. Superficially resembling a film from the thriller genre, Locke moves from city to city, according to a set of appointments defined by the diary of the deceased Robertson.Upon changing identities by swapping passport pictures, Locke is taken from one situation to the next by events not of his own design but by those determined by the identity he has assumed. He finds plane tickets directing him to his next destination, and he goes to an airport security locker not knowing what he will find inside. Following the appointments, the man who was David Robertson unfolds, his work in Africa and elsewhere, his drives and purpose as a gunrunner to the African rebels.There ensue further mysteries as Locke follows the trail of the diary including the unresolved mystery of the names within it. Who is Daisy? Inasmuch as these motivations are revealed to Locke they do not enable him to internally take them on for himself. Whilst externally assuming the person of Robertson the gunrunner, he is internally and psychologically trapped to forever be himself, David Locke. He questions himself throughout the film in regards to whether he will continue to live out Robertson’s mission as when he falters about whether or not to go to the appointment in Tangier.Although he follows Robertson’s real and situation-driven commitments, his own reasons for taking on the new identity are psychologically driven. This psychological causation is what defines Nicholson’s character and the realism of his inner psychological torment. The desire to be someone other than hi mself, to run away from himself and his reality, are what drive him. Even so, these are not stated or admitted to himself. The film has little dialogue, and likewise even less of what could be considered as exposition. It is through the treatment of the film that Locke’s psychological drives are indicated.Long shots, choice of framings in the extreme wide, focus on what may be regarded as empty space, and a drifting camera, serve to show not what would be thought of as important or regarded as the focal point in classical narrative. Rather the protagonist is placed in the context of the landscape, places, and situations around him. The camera seems at many times distant, disengaged from the action, wandering across a car-rental sign, or onto a small detail such as ants walking up a wall, or sometimes panning to nothing.Thusly it is the opposite of causality in the classical narrative sense. In the way the camera moves are not motivated by an action, they emphasise isolation, leaving and being left. Rather than being told what to think via exposition, the audience is given opportunity to think about how the outer despondence of the central character are linked to his inner psychological workings, as those of a man in regards to his feeling of alienation; his failures in life are placed in context by the images of the barren, desolate, suburban landscape juxtaposed against him.Likewise the realistic construction of Locke’s world is also achieved through the film’s use of sound. Throughout the entire film there are only four pieces of music. The choice to use a minimal use of music, instead emphasising the background, diagetic sounds draw attention to the feeling of being in Locke’s world, â€Å"You practically hear Nicholson’s sweat, hear his breath, feel his pulse†. [1] Moreover the quality of self-consciousness and the de-dramatisation of the action result in acting and characterization that are spare, subtle, restrain ed, forcing us to pay attention to every small movement or look.The character is naturalistically portrayed through the understated use of body language and gestures. Although little action is occurring, the reading is directed toward tiny mimics, the look in Nicholson’s eyes, a flapping of his arms. Nicholson as a character and as an actor can also be said to be on his own in the film. He is psychologically alone, and physically there is no competition with other cast members. Even the female protagonist goes as â€Å"The Girl† in the credits.And while the audience is on the one hand observing him from afar by way of the wide shots that don’t â€Å"get in there†, at the same time it is intertwined in Locke’s fate through a foreknowledge that he is doomed. Authorship According to Bordwell, authorial expressivity is the second salient characteristic of art cinema. Through the use of various conventions of style including technical touches, motifs, r eferencing to other films, and conscious choices in storytelling, the author is foregrounded as the narrative intelligence, as the shaping hand of the film. This is achieved by ay of certain authorial codes, including the conscious production of enigmas, not in terms of story, but of plot. For instance, rather than questioning who the murderer is, the audience is made to question who is telling the story, or why it is being told from a certain point of view as opposed to another. Other evidence of authorship include reference to other films as a means of situating the film within a certain ouvre, as well as playing with the idea of genre in order to set itself against genre as it is regarded and understood in classical narrative film.For while The Passenger from the outset could be regarded as a thriller with the motifs of changing identity, the mystery surrounding the Robertson character, and the idea of being chased, the way in which these elements are treated do not hold true to the genre’s stereotypes in terms of moving the story forward or playing to audience expectations. Although these elements are utilized they do not pan out according to the expectations and outcomes they hold in the classical narrative genre film.In the car chase sequence, the pursuit of Locke by the â€Å"bad guys†, would in a classical narrative genre film would be utilised for the building of tension and would end with a predictably expected getaway. In The Passenger, the car chase begins then ends abruptly and without the excitement of the good guys smartly and swiftly getting away. Likewise, the mystery of unravelling the Robertson character, of finding out who he actually was, is secondary to understanding the psychology of Locke that prompts his identity change.And despite the fact that the penultimate scene fits in with the idea of a â€Å"big ending† characteristic of a thriller, it is done in an art house way. Authorship in The Passenger In The Passenge r the camera functions as a character/protagonist in its own right. The audience sees what the camera chooses it see. And in this way, the audience sees what the author chooses it to see, at what time, and from what vantage point. These choices highlight the author’s presence in the shaping of the narrative.Antonioni is notably known for his use of technical style and motifs in the film, for which alone the film has become famous. While some touches are more subtle and could go by almost unnoticed or are even noted only within the subconscious, others have become a spectacle discussed throughout film circles since the film’s release. Smaller motifs include the use of duplications such as when Locke sees The Girl in both London and Barcelona sitting in the same position. Others are the use of the image of a ceiling fan in different locations.Homage or reference is also made to other films and directorial styles such as in the scene in the cafe where the focus does not s tay on the characters but moves across to the cars outside reminiscent of scenes from Godard films like in the conversation between Paul and Camille in their apartment in Le Mepris. Self-reflexivity is also widely used as when Locke reads his own obituary or watches his obituary film on TV. Other instances include images of a film within a film, in news reports on TV, and interviews framed within a TV in the news room.A highly notable way in which the author’s hand is evidenced in the film is through the disjunctures in time and space and how these are created. Antonioni utilizes elaborate set-ups both aurally and visually in order to achieve jumps in time without cutting in the camera. For example aural devices such as the sound of a knock are used when Locke is listening to a tape recording of a conversation he had with Robertson. The knock on the tape recording transitions the scene into the past when Robertson knocks and enters the room.The use of the aural transition is further used when during the tape recording conversation the conversation with Robertson on the balcony flows seamlessly from present to past and back again. If this were not impressive enough, the flashback aural syncing is combined with a visual technical flourish when the camera pans from Locke in present time swapping photos between passports, to the window which frames Locke in the past with Robertson, their conversation from the tape recording flowing into the flashback.The action within the onscreen image is able to remain fluid throughout these changes in time. In another instance Locke is about to meet the rebel supporters and the church he enters shifts from a site of a funeral to a wedding, separated by a shot of his feet walking over petals on the floor. The sophistication in which Antonioni blends the aural, visual, time and space in this scene are then repeated if not trumped by the much talked about penultimate scene of the film, regarded by some as the most famous sc ene in film history.Although discussed countless times, this essay would not seem to do justice to the analysis of The Passenger without detailing it yet again in brief. In this seven-minute shot the camera captures Locke lying on his bed as The Girl leaves the room. Without any cutting in the shot, the camera tracks forwards, out the bars of the window, and into the courtyard and back round to frame the room from outside the bars wherein the next time Locke’s body is seen through the window from afar he is dead. In this scene, once again the hand of the author is seen on multiple levels.On the most obvious level is the visual technique, on another is the use of sound and image to create ambiguities. These ambiguities will be discussed further in the next section. Ambiguity For Bordwell ambiguity in the art film is the way by which the contradiction between the disjuncture created by the interplay of realism and authorship can be resolved. Through the conscious and deliberate use of ambiguity, the gaps created by the contradictory use of realism and very self-conscious authorial commentary are resituated so that the violation of the norm is made to be questioned as part of the meaning of the film.The conscious use of ambiguity forces the audience, when presented with a gap, to ask itself the question whether that gap was the result of a realistic motivation, psychologically driven, or an authorially significant statement or comment about the place of that event or situation in philosophical terms; whether that gap is something to be considered in the context of the world in which the characters, and moreover, people in life are faced with.Antonioni, talking about The Passenger says that â€Å"I [also] consider it a political film as it is topical and fits with the dramatic rapport of the individual in today’s society†¦We are all dissatisfied†¦The international situation, politically and otherwise, is so unstable that the lack of stabil ity is reflected within each individual. † (Dignam, 1975).Consequently, in The Passenger one is made to question the impact of the Third World struggle, the banality and norms of modern Western life, the alienation of the individual in society, and death amongst other things. Ambiguity in The Passenger Ambiguity is used throughout the film and even into the film’s end where the lack of clear-cut resolution creates an open-ended narrative, in which â€Å"the play of thematic interpretation† continues after the film’s end thereby baring the complexities of life. The art film reasserts that ambiguity is the dominant principle of intelligibility, that we are to watch less for the tale than the telling† (Bordwell, 1979:61) Ambiguity, lack of resolution, things leading to nowhere, are made explicit from the start when a man riding a camel approaches Locke in the desert and leaves, ignoring Locke’s attempt at greeting; furthermore the camera chooses to follow the man riding the camel as opposed to staying on Locke, illustrating immediately upon the film’s commencement the film’s major themes of alienation, being an outsider in the world, what it is to be invisible/meaningless (Walsh).Likewise the identity of Nicholson’s character within the film is ambiguous. As a British reporter raised in America played by the quintessentially American Nicholson, inherent contradictions and questions foreground the film from the onset. His occupation as a reporter/foreign correspondent and what that is generally thought to evoke includes stereotypes of a thoughtful, politically attuned, ideals-driven individual.If these stereotypes may have been held by the viewer at the outset, they are immediately challenged and stripped away in the first scenes where Locke’s helplessness, despondence, ideological weakness, and lack of inner purpose are revealed. When his jeep breaks down he futilely beats against the wheels with a shovel and in a position of weakness, failure, and submission he kneels beside the jeep stuck in the sand and throws up his arms saying â€Å"I don’t care†.This is matched by further series of events that show his repeated failure: he fails to get information from the child he questions about the location of the rebel hideouts, only later to the trek up the rock face with a guide who is supposed to be taking him to the hideout but subsequently abandons him. Later in an interview with a rebel leader, the leader remarks without malice that the questions posed by the interviewer can be much more telling about the person asking the questions than the responses from the person they are asked of.These instances early on reveal and challenge any such stereotypes and give the viewer an insight into Locke’s psychology from the outset. Meanwhile, on more obvious levels ambiguity is created in the resemblance between Locke and Robertson as in the fact that both of their first names are David. Throughout the film ambiguity, interchangeability and recurrence are used and explored (Gilliatt, 1975:6). The Passenger is rife with metaphors and double entendres.In the scene with the cable car, Locke flaps his arms in a gesture that implies freedom, yet framed in the tiny car, dangling above the sea, Locke does not take on the look of the carefree. Instead the scene carries a weight of tension as he hovers, arms flapping as though not in control; quite the opposite to a show of joy or exhilaration. Later, when The Girl asks Locke what he is escaping from, he tells her to turn around while they are driving in the open-top car through the tree-lined boulevard. Memorable too is the story of the blind man Locke tells The Girl, one of the only keys the protagonist openly and verbally shares of himself.Where metaphors colour the film, the contradictions which abound likewise serve to form a unified whole. The story, or perhaps better put, what is to be taken aw ay by the audience from the lack of story, is made more striking and powerful through the interplay of such contradictory devices. For one thing Locke is a foreign correspondent yet he has an embarrassingly poor grasp of foreign languages, French and Spanish. He is a ridicule, a farce in his attempts to communicate or garner information. In the scene where Locke returns home, he approaches his own house but he approaches suspiciously as a burglar would.The familiar is far-removed; the foreign is comforting; the distant places he travels to with The Girl are the only time it seems he can truly relax. Although she is a stranger she offers more support and comfort than the people in his family such as his wife and the adopted child that the film only so fleetingly refers to. His wife, his home, the familiar and close—these are the very things which undermine him and which he is trying to run away from; the foreign is where he is more at home and where he can simply stop and look at the view. Alternately, we are not made to empathize with the character.The use of predominantly subjective shots results in creating little sympathy for Locke, nor do the depiction of his character as unprincipled, weak, and lacking in self-determination. Yet on the other hand we are made to see the universality of his situation, as an everyman character, he is made to represent the dissatisfaction inherent within modern society. Through him and his psychological plight the audience is made to question social norms through the vehicle of a subjective character study. Inevitably the viewer cannot but ask himself questions.Antonioni uses all these aspects of camera, sound, non-linear structure, and ambiguity, so that the viewer cannot escape the philosophic questions of man’s place in the world, the search for meaning or non-search for it, as when witnessing the discontent, dissatisfaction, and desperation of the Locke character who on the surface fails to ask himself the s tringent questions of life. Yet over the course of the film, the internal psychological workings of what he is not saying become inescapable even as we watch a man who seems to suppress asking himself those questions.In the silences, as we are made to watch the details that he himself sees, we are brought to think about what is going on in the inner-workings of his mind, revealed only by his eyes, looks, gestures, and subtle movements. There are numerous narrative ambiguities or enigmas, random events that lead to nothing, as when Locke is waiting for someone on a bench when an old man approaches, stops to chat and makes a diversion from the story at hand to tell his life story. The image then changes as the man’s story is told against a newsreel of executions on a beach.These then take the audience back to the newsroom where it is left to make the connection for itself of the relation between these events to one another. And what about The Girl? Does he really see her twice, sitting in the same position? If so what does this represent? Even as the penultimate scene serves a visual and technical spectacle tying up all the various threads of the story, ambiguity remains and is further generated in this scene. Is the sound of the car engine kicking actually the sound of a gunshot? Is The Girl implicated in Locke’s murder? Was she actually Robertson’s wife? 2] Locke is in the backseat, he is the passenger—the passenger in the former life he exchanged (his wife was cheating on him, he was not finding success in his job); a passenger in terms of life in a larger sense – without purpose or motivations of his own and simply taking on those of the new identity he’s adopted; passenger even as he’s taken on a new identity, his last chance so to speak, as he contemplates over whether to go to the next appointment in the diary in Tangier to fulfil a commitment that is not his own for a purpose that he cannot embody despite taking on the persona.His very name â€Å"Locke† speaks to the plight of the character’s situation itself—he is locked in, running away, trapped. Multi-layered, open-ended, and open to multiple interpretations, the ambiguity that surround the meaning of the film’s title itself have sparked debate. Whether the title refers to the originally designed script wherein Locke is the passenger in the car[3], or whether it refers to The Girl in that she is the real hero of the film (Gilliat, 1975:7) attests to the success with which the film has and will continually challenge and provoke.With each layer exposed, another unfolds. By all intents and purposes, art cinema as described by Bordwell is exemplified to the highest degree in Antonioni’s timeless masterpiece. Bibliography Bordwell, David. ‘The Art Cinema as a Mode of Film Practice’, Film Criticism, vol. IV, no. 1 (Fall 1979). Bordwell, David. Narration in the Fiction Film (Chapter 10) Met huen, 1985). Nowell-Smith, Geoffrey. ‘Art Cinema’, in Geoffrey Nowell-Smith (ed. The Oxford History of World Cinema (Oxford, 1996). Lev, Peter. ‘The Art Film’, from his The Euro-American Cinema (University of Texas Press, 1993). Rosenbaum, Jonathon. Profesione: Reporter (The Passenger). Gilliatt, Penelope. ‘About Reprieve† from Dossier of Reviews: The Passenger in The New Yorker (14/04/1975). Robinson, David. The Passenger review in The Times (06/06/1975). Dignam, Virginia. The Passenger review in Morning Star (06/06/1975).Andrews, Nigel. The Passenger review in Financial Times (06/06/1975). Walsh, Martin. Program Notes. (from reading packet given in the lectures) http://www. imdb. com/title/tt0073580/usercomments http://www. bookrags. com/wiki/The_Passenger_(film) ———————– [1] http://www. imdb. com/title/tt0073580/usercomments [2] http://www. bookrags. com/wiki/The_Passenger_(film) [3] htt p://www. bookrags. com/wiki/The_Passenger_(film)

Policy Essay Topics Guide

Policy Essay Topics Guide Things You Won't Like About Policy Essay Topics and Things You Will The point here is to understand what you're going to write before writing it. The issue is getting more and more acute because of indecisiveness on the section of policy-makers. The ideal way to address environmental problems brought on by consumer-generated waste is for towns and cities to impose strict limits on the quantity of trash they'll accept from every household. The chosen problem might be a well-known controversial issue, or it might be a new concern that's unfamiliar to the audience. The Hidden Gem of Policy Essay Topics Generally, policy analysis is understood as a technique that may be employed to thoroughly read and then evaluate a specific policy. Occasionally it's extended to incorporate all competitive activities where offense and defense plays a huge role, regardless of the degree of physical action. Reviewing social policies on a normal basis is significant as i t seeks to regulate a present law, which might enable new tactics and policies to stabilize. An economic component is likewise an influential stance that may change existing social policy. It's very beneficial to take writing apart as a way to see just the way that it accomplishes its objectives. Using drugs in sport needs to be legalized. It is vital to make certain changes to be able to accelerate the financial development of the country. The brief summary of immigration public policy problem indicates that illegal immigration influences practically every region of public concern. Things You Won't Like About Policy Essay Topics and Things You Will Your paragraphs do not connect one another's meaning together with the full thought of your essay may be incomprehensible. If you're authentic, nobody can write the identical essay as you! There's no ideal solution on how best to compose an effective essay. If your child doesn't excel at fiction writing and you know for sure that they'll have a selection of factual or fiction topics, you could concentrate on developing their capacity to compose a persuasive factual essay instead of battling uphill with creative writing. In this kind of situation, it's more convenient to locate ready-made essays and use them as an example. If you're stuck on the best way to compose an example essay, you can adhere to a few basic actions to dig yourself out of the rut and compose an example essay that you are able to be pleased with. It is definitely better to look into the subject of your essay yourself. When you are finished, proofread your essay and refine it, if necessary. The essay provides you with a chance to reveal how effectively you are able to read and comprehend a passage and compose an essay analyzing the passage. 1 important thing that you ought to do when writing your essay is to ensure it is personal. If you would like to succeed, the very first thing you are to do is to pick the suitable topic for your essay. If this is the case, you might have an excellent beginning to your expository essay. Bridget's essay is extremely strong, but there continue to be a couple little things that could be made better. Stephen's essay is rather effective. All About Policy Essay Topics Fill in the purchase form and you'll get your special interview essay in no moment! Ultimately, the detail of true speech makes the scene pop. You could possibly be given the topic straight away by your professor, or you could be free to decide on the topic yourself. It's important to select debatable argumentative essay topics since you need opposing points you can counter to your own points. Although it is a fact that a policy speech is a form of persuasive speech, and several of the rules for persuasive speeches will indeed apply, a policy speech is a rather particular sort of persuasive presentation, and the speaker has to be conscious of some vital guidelines before choosing their topic. You don't need to acquire super technical with legal argumentative essays, but be certain to do your homework on what the recent laws about your preferred topic actually say. Now comes the procedure for planning the content, which can be accomplished by writing down a quick outline of the human body section. The structure may also differ, but this is a distinct question to discuss. Essay writing is often practiced is schools. The college essay is among the most significant elements of your college application. Explain your commitments, and you are going to be the sort of student colleges find immensely attractive. So the overall grade for the paper might differ based on that.

Profile and Common Characteristics of a Pedophile

Pedophilia  is a psychiatric disorder in which an adult or older adolescent is sexually attracted to young children. Pedophiles can be anyone—old or young, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, non-professional or professional, and of any race. However, pedophiles often demonstrate similar characteristics. These are merely indicators and it should not be assumed that individuals with these characteristics are pedophiles. But knowledge of these characteristics coupled with questionable behavior can be used as an alert that someone may be a pedophile. Profile and Behavior Often male and over 30 years of age.Single or with few friends in his age group.Some  have mental illness, such as a mood or personality disorder.If married, the relationship is more companion based with no sexual relations in the early stages.Vague about time gaps in employment which may indicate a loss in employment for questionable reasons or possible past incarceration.Often talk to or treat children like adults. Interests and Hobbies Often fascinated with children and child activities, appearing to prefer those activities to adult oriented activities.Often refer to children in pure or angelic terms using descriptive words like innocent, heavenly, divine, pure, and other words that describe children but seem inappropriate and exaggerated.Hobbies are childlike, such as collecting popular expensive toys, keeping reptiles or exotic pets, or building plane and car models. Specific Age Targets Specific age of child they target; some prefer younger children, some older.Often his environment or a special room will be decorated in child-like decor and will appeal to the age and sex of the child he is trying to entice.Often prefer children close to puberty who are sexually inexperienced, but curious about sex. Relationships In most cases, the pedophile  turns out to be someone known to the child through school or another activity, such as a neighbor, teacher, coach, member of the clergy, music instructor, or babysitter. Family members like mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, cousins, stepparents, and so on may also be sexual predators. Employment The pedophile will often be employed in a position that involves daily contact with children. If not employed, he will put himself in a position to do volunteer work with children, often in a supervisory capacity such as sports coaching, contact-sport instruction, unsupervised tutoring or a position where he has the opportunity to spend unsupervised time with a child. The pedophile often seeks out shy, handicapped, and withdrawn children, or those who come from troubled homes or underprivileged homes. He then showers them with attention, gifts, taunting them with trips to desirable places like amusement parks, zoos, concerts, the beach, and other such places. Pedophiles work to master their manipulative skills and often unleash them on troubled children by first becoming their friend, building the childs self-esteem. They may refer to the child as special or mature, appealing to their need to be heard and understood, to then entice them with adult activities with sexual content like x-rated movies or pictures. Grooming like this often goes along with consumption of alcohol or drugs to hamper the ability to resist or recall events that occurred. Minor children cannot consent, and sex without consent is rape. Stockholm Syndrome It is not unusual for the child to develop feelings for the predator and desire their approval and continued acceptance. They will compromise their innate ability to decipher good and bad behavior, ultimately justifying the criminals bad behavior out of sympathy and concern for the adults welfare. This is often compared to Stockholm Syndrome—when victims become attached emotionally to their captors. Friendship With Parents Many times pedophiles will develop a close relationship with a single parent in order to get close to their children. Once inside the home, they have many opportunities to manipulate the children—using guilt, fear, and love to confuse the child. If the childs parent works, it offers the pedophile the private time needed to abuse the child. Fighting Back Pedophiles work hard at stalking their targets and will patiently work to develop relationships with them. It is not uncommon for them to be developing a long list of potential victims at any one time. Many of them believe that what they are doing is not wrong and that having sex with a child is actually healthy for the child. Almost all pedophiles have a collection of pornography, which they protect at all costs. Many of them also collect souvenirs from their victims. They rarely discard either their porn or collections for any reason. One factor that works against the pedophile is that eventually the children will grow up and recall the events that occurred. Often pedophiles are not brought to justice until such time occurs and victims are angered by being victimized and want to protect other children from the same consequences. Laws such as Megans Law—a federal law passed in 1996 that authorizes local law enforcement agencies to notify the public about convicted sex offenders living, working or visiting their communities, have helped expose the pedophile and allows parents to better protect their children.