Critical Thinking And True Friendship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical Thinking And True Friendship - Essay Example Loyalty and guarding each other’s secrets is of high importance and when this loyalty is broken, a lifetime friendship can be broken. Last holiday, I visited my best friend at their house where I was to stay for a whole week. Prior to the visit, I had noted that my friend was behaving weirdly. He was missing classes and had started hanging out with the wrong group of people. He had begun failing his classes and had a bulk of work that needed to be done but was not even taking time to do. When I asked him, what is going on he gave me evasive answers. I did not disclose my observations to anyone and I remained silent. A mutual friend had told me that he had seen him abusing drugs and this was just too much for me to believe. Confused and not knowing what to do, I knew that he needed me now more than ever and I had to help him. The visit came at the right moment and I knew I was going to use this opportunity to find out was really going on. In one of the drawers in his closet, I found a pack of cigarettes and alcohol. I did not approach him immediately and all day I took time to critically think about what approach I was going to use to get him to open up to me. He likes movies and this was going to be my approach. I went to the movie store and bought a movie of a teenager who was abusing drugs and who later reformed after going for counseling and healing. This was in relation to his problem of lowliness caused by the divorce of his parents and his upbringing in a foster home. After watching the movie, he became emotional and that is when I approached him and he finally opened up to me. His parents were getting divorced and he was feeling very depressed and did not know how to best deal with it.

Unemployment in the Recent Recession Essay Example for Free

Unemployment in the Recent Recession Essay The United States of America is currently suffering from an economic recession as the country’s economy is taking a steep decline. In line with this recession, the unemployment rate has also risen to the highest level it reached within twenty-six years. In addition, Americans have been cutting their expenses and are living below their means. Furthermore, their expenses are expected to go higher without knowing when it would stop. The recession indeed caused a major set back on the United States wealth, cutting the net worth of every household in the States. The unemployment rate hit 8. 1% as the United States lost more than four million jobs since the recession began; a quarter of million jobs lost coming from the areas of construction and manufacturing. In addition, people with part-time jobs who are looking for full time jobs bubbled to 14. 8% of the total number of employed workers. In this light, economists have predicted that if the decline of the U. S economy continues, the unemployment rate in the country will reach 10%. And if the economy continues to worsen, the lowest employment rate in the history of the United States will be reached (Evans). After the surge in unemployment, many Americans have cut down their expenses. Even though some still have decent and stable jobs, they still feel the need of to save their money. They curtail their spending by going to discount stores. In line with cutting down their expenses, most Americans opt to settle on their old stuff which are still usable, rather than buying new ones. Moreover, parents encourage their children to spend little and save their money. In addition, people who used to dream of studying in private colleges are now looking for state colleges (Dougherty). Consumer purchase is indeed an important indicator of an economy’s progress since it is occupies a great part in the country’s Gross Domestic Product or GDP. As such, a decline in the consumer purchase largely affects the GDP in general. Consequently, a lower GDP would also mean that the country also has lower revenue (Dougherty). Aside from lower revenues, the thrifty lifestyle that most Americans are now keeping is also said to have negative effects on employment. The cut on spending by Americans who have, as economists say, buying power, depletes the consumer demand. As a result, companies will decrease their production before the prices go down because of oversupply. In line with this, more employees had to be laid off from their work. Thus, every healthy consumer who does not buy what he or she should buy is making his or her contributions on the increasing unemployment rate and on the economic recession (Evans). However, consumers who still have jobs should not be blamed if they have opted to cut down their spending. They too, are being plagued by the current economic recession; and as such, they are also dealing with their own problems. Most of them are concerned with the shrinking value of their retirement funds and other investments. In addition, most of them are also afraid to lose their jobs. As such, they tend to save more for their future (Dougherty). Furthermore, the rise in unemployment and curtailing of expenses by Americans tend to lower the wealth of the United States. Accordingly, the wealth of every American household has lessened; as such, most Americans are expected to lose money everyday rather than earn. In addition, mortgages and credit-card debts have already reached the total of 13 trillion dollars. In line with this, the equity of house owners already fell to 43%; which means that the value of houses has declined to 43% of the original price because of mortgages and loans (Kalita). With these situations at hand, the government should be held responsible in creating a probable solution to recover from the recession. Indeed, government officials have been working overtime to restore the country’s economy progress. As such, the government has released billions of dollars to fund American companies that were greatly affected by the recession. This act from the government has helped to save 3. 5 million of jobs for the American employees. Also, a part of this fund will be used to finance government programs that will help Americans to get back to their normal life again. This stimulus fund, as Summers said in his address to the Brookings Institution, will be used for the purpose of recovery and expansion. Unfortunately, the government does not know when the recession will be over. Furthermore, Summers said that they spend large amounts of money everyday on the financial system to get the economy back to its feet again (Barkley and Pulizzi). However, even as the American economy positively reacts and flourishes again, Americans will not immediately feel its effects on the employment sector. This is due to the fact that the employment sector is an avenue of the economy that is slow to react in response to economic growth. It means that even if the economic situation of the United States improved, the employment rate is likely to move up little by little every month. Thus, the government would have to create more jobs to ensure that there is a large scale increase in jobs. They have to work on livelihood programs to help unemployed people to cope with the ongoing recession (Evans). The government is perceived to do all it can to attend to the needs of the American people and to surpass the current financial crisis. As such, they have released funds in order to support companies that are in need of help and also generated plans to further help the people. In addition, they have constantly encouraged the American people to help in building the blocks to stop the ongoing crisis. The government pronounced that healthy consumers should not be afraid in spending more to increase consumer demand and help the economy to move in the right direction. If the consumer purchases increase, the government revenue will also increase, thus pulling the economy up (Barkley and Pulizzi). As unemployment rate continuously increases, the U. S government may take longer to provide probable solution to the economy. However, the President of the United States and the government has shown that they are optimistic that the economy will recover. They believe that the programs that they are executing and planning will help the economy to become stronger and move towards recovery. And consequently, the problems of unemployment will be eradicated, thus helping Americans to live a better life. Works Cited Barkley, Tom, and Henry Pulizzi. 14 March 2009. â€Å"Summers: Timing of Turnaround Is Unclear. † Wall Street Journal. 20 March, 2009 http://online. wsj. com/article/SB123695590029320001.html. Dougherty, Conor. 7 March, 2009. â€Å"Those Who Are Still Working Spend Less, Deepening Gloom. † Wall Street Journal. 20 March, 2009 http://online. wsj. com/article/SB123638518267558311. html? mod=relevancy. Evans, Kelly. 8 March, 2009. †Jobless Rate Tops 8%, Highest in 26 Years†. Wall Street Journal. 20 March, 2009 http://online. wsj. com/article/SB123634566437552601. html. Kalita, S. Mitra. 13 March, 2009. â€Å"Americans See 18% of Wealth Vanish. † Wall Street Journal. 20 March, 2009 http://online. wsj. com/article/SB123687371369308675. html.

The Laser Essay -- essays research papers

The Laser Before we can learn about the laser we need to know a little bit about light (since that is what a laser is made of). Light from our sun, or from an electric bulb, is called white light. It is really a mixture of all the different colours of light. The colours range from violet, indigo, and blue, to green, yellow, orange, and red. These make up the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Light is made up of particles, called PHOTONS, which travel in waves. The difference in the colour depends on the wavelength of the light. Violet light has the shortest wavelength while red has the longest. There are other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum which includes infra-red, radar, television radio and micro- waves (past red on the spectrum), and on the other end of the spectrum are the other invisible radiations, ultra- violet, X rays, micro waves and gamma rays. The wavelength of the light is important to the subject of the laser. A laser is made up of COHERENT light, a special kind of light in which the wavelengths of the light are all the same length, and the crests of these waves are all lined up, or in PHASE. The word Laser is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. What does that mean? Basically a laser is a device which produces and then amplifies light waves and concentrates them into an intense penetrating beam. The principles of the laser (and it's cousin the maser) were established long before these devices were succes...

Conflict is rarely resolved

conflict is rarely resolved. ‘ War. It is ruthless, unforgiving and most of all, futile. Has war really ever truly resolved the issues at cause? Has there ever been a rightful winner in war? There has not and there most likely never will be. My name is Genevieve Stack; I'm Megan Stacks grandmother. I have had my fair share of confronting experiences; being at the fragile age of eighty-one, I know the truth behind war as in my earlier years, it is what surrounded the world. I have lived through some of the most devastating wars, the results never positive.I am here today to talk to you about my worry and concern for not only my granddaughter, but for all those who feel the strong urge and pull to be involved in such tragic and life-threatening events. Thousands of people are being killed daily. I remember the automatic pain in my stomach when I found out that Megan was going to be foreign correspondent in one of the most war torn countries in the world, Afghanistan. Though I tri ed to warn her consistently of the dangers, she insisted and off she went on her wild adventure, which would make any relatives stomach churn.As the anxiety wore off, I began to realize how so much heartache and fear is brought to countries, yet not a single matter is resolved by the end. War consistently fuels more and more conflict each and everyday, innocent civilians having their life taken away from them for no reason at all. When we look back at previous hardships through war that not only America but also many around the world experienced when I was Just a young girl, we begin to see a pattern; no worthy resolution evident. If we take a look at World War two for example; what good was done?Still today, we re faced with constant memories of fear and images the horrid extremities war had to offer to those involved. The problem is, we are all involved, and there are no bystanders. War, Just like a circle, goes round and round, always ending up at the same destination. The confli ct right at the stem of war is never ultimately demolished; the severity of it only increases. With this notion, watching my granddaughter make her way to Afghanistan was one of the most difficult, heart- wrenching memories I hold still today.Whilst I knew she was capable enough to look after herself, I saw her as one of my own which only deepened the emotions once she had left the devastated America following the attack on the trade center in New York. America was left truly broken and so was my heart when I watched her walk into the terrible circumstances undergoing in Afghanistan, ones, which she was not fully aware of, her naivety quite prominent and the time. She was not carrying the same mentality, as I would have hoped, her strong sense of ambition and love for work and an adventure taking the wheel, steering her into what I considered to be a â€Å"death sis†.Nobody in our family had ever done such a thing or gone on such a venture. Whilst Megan thoroughly agreed with my views on war terrors, she had not lived them as I had, this working to her disadvantage when it came to Judging her upcoming experiences and the graphic images she would face. I was at the tender age of six when World War 2 erupted, every human being around the world being filled with emotions of fear and an immense amount of distress.I remember listening to the news on the radio at night, clinging to my parents, as the choice vibrating through the speaker would say things such as â€Å"bombings in London†, leaving civilians frightened for their lives, as they could be next. No young girl at aged six should have to hear such a thing. I guess my point is that I have lived through a war; many in fact and wish to educate not only my granddaughter but further enlighten others, my main point of view expressing that conflict is rarely resolved. Megan, having been away from home for a few months now, regularly writes to her mother and l.With broad descriptions of the visuals rig ht in front of her eyes, it is official to not worry as much as I do as she speaks of running off adrenaline, the fear of having your life violently taken away from you in an instant present in her thoughts and her daily life; something a twenty five year old should not be enduring. Too many people have the tendency to intervene in times of conflict, thinking it will bring about change or bring about a resolution at a quicker pace, but this is nowhere near the true reality of war.I acknowledge that there is what society considers being the â€Å"winners† and â€Å"losers† of war, all of which is commonly decided once one party demolishes the majority of its enemy's men, causing their opponent to surrender. This, however, is not like a sport where the other team accepts their loss and moves on. This only allows the â€Å"loser† to hold a severe grudge against their opponent and their need for revenge to increase. Let's look at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as an example; a battle that arose simply because of Zionist movement which started with a group of secular European Jews to establish a homeland for the Jews in Palestine.This conflict has been existent for ever ninety years and a resolution is something, which the world does not foresee. This is the reason why I fear for my granddaughter's life. The severity of the conflict between the Jewish and Palestinians has been significantly increasing, which additionally means the actions from one party towards the other becomes more severe. Megan being in amongst the unsafe environment only worsens my anxiety, as the circumstances are life-threatening, wars whose end is not near. The worst part is that she does not seem worried at all or concerned for how careful she will have to e.I felt as if she was not prepared to delve into a world where the images are far more graphic than any movie she may of seen or anything on a prime time news program. War is unforgiving. War is futile. There is no happy ending in war nor is there a resolution. The conflict between two parties will always be prominent and existent, even once a war has ended and the â€Å"winner† has been declared, the fueling and never ending hatred for one another is still present. As Mean's grandmother, I hope she gains the knowledge required to remain safe as she pursues this venture.

`` Savages `` By Oliver Stone - 976 Words

In the modern world, gender doesn’t play such a big role anymore. Women work like men, men do things that are traditionally attributed to women. And yet, some things stay the same. I would like to review Oliver Stone s film Savages†, as an example of gender message. The main characters are two men and a woman - they live as a family. The author, in my opinion, is trying to revise the stereotype that a polyamorous relationship is exclusively a men s prerogative. Another message in the film is about the role of the second main character, which typically is a men s job - head of a drug cartel. And yet another message, is domestic violence - the perverted thought of being stronger, thus being allowed to use force. As I have mentioned before, in today s society gender roles are not as distinctive as they used to be and that can be seen in various visual texts one way or another, though in the end, as the director says, we are still all savages. The first idea of a gender message we are getting from the movie was the concept of polyamorous relationships. Usually men have harems, history is full with such examples. In the past, you don’t find many messages of a woman having several husbands or lovers, and if you do, that woman is usually condemned by society. However, men weren’t shun, it’s all right for a male to have more than one wife or lover. In Oliver Stone’s movie, we see a different picture; a young woman lives with two men and says she loves them both equally. ItShow MoreRelatedDiscuss the Relationship Between Court and Forest in as You Like It1698 Words   |  7 Pageswhere they discover their true natures and feelings. They are free from the burdens of title and responsibility, and are free to form relationships with one another as they please. In Act I, scene I, Orlando bemoans the injustice of life with Oliver and proclaims he ’know[s] no wise remedy how to avoid it’ (I.i.20–21). This is an early indication of his dissatisfaction with his current situation. However, later on in the scene, the ‘remedy’ is made clear by Charles when he makes note on the whereaboutsRead MoreEssay on Violence in Cinema1572 Words   |  7 Pagesthe act of violence intelligible (deplorable, open to interpretation). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The cast of Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill Volume 1 is predominantly female, the main character (â€Å"The Bride†) is a fearless heroine who battles other savage villainesses. However, this film’s revenge plot is based on acts of sexual and physical violence (The Bride’s is intended to be murdered, raped, and believes her unborn child was killed) which do not objectify The Bride. Rather then being objectifiedRead MoreHistorical Events Portrayed During War Films1380 Words   |  6 Pagesentertainment. The director’s give their point of view mixed with drama and understanding of the account of history. Even though feature films aren’t all facts, they should still be credited because they portray the emotions of a historical time period. Oliver stone was an American film director who also served in the Vietnam War for fifteen months. He wanted to share his own experience and point of views about the Vietnam War that he gained first hand. The movie Platoon resembled all his experience that heRead MoreEffective Images of People and Places Created by Dickens1384 Words   |  6 Pageswhat happened next so therefore was enouraged to buy the next instalment. Dickens then married Catherine Hogarth. In 1837 Oliver Twist was published in parts in Bentleys Miscellany magazine. It is Dickens first story to focus on the abuse and exploitation of children, a theme that would carry through many of his books. When the episodes of Oliver Twist surrounding the death of Nancy were published there were crowds on the docksides in New York, eagerly wanting to buyRead More Natural Born Killers Essay1827 Words   |  8 PagesOliver Stone’s 1994 classic, Natural Born Killers, excited and traumatized its audiences while also causing controversy. The tale of white trash lovers caught up in a realm of chaos that includes a continuous murderous rampage from state to state, draws in audiences with its graphic violence and riveting pulse inducing music. Yet, the message of this film seems to be much deeper than just exposing audiences to yet another chaotic action movie filled with guns, blood and mayhem. Stone’s Natural BornRead Moreâ€Å"You Can’t Hide from Your Shadow† - Should Natural Born Killers Be Banned?1604 Words   |  7 Pagesother work will have seen far more gratuitous imagery before) including multiple shootings, stabbings and immolations, however this is not what attracted most of the film’s criticism. This may be in part due to the respected reputation of director Oliver St one and also partially due to the stylistic way in which the film was produced; using a mixture of colour and black white footage as well as imitating and parodying other genres of TV and film, which gives the entire movie an almost comic book feelRead MoreFilm Critique On The Deer Hunter Essay1434 Words   |  6 Pagesbattle. The director simply did not spend much of the movie in Vietnam. However, I thought the film did an excellent job of conveying how most veterans were not the same, mentally, physically, or both, when they returned home. Steven, played by John Savage, lost his legs in battle and preferred to reside in a veterans hospital until Michael dragged him home. Nick didnt want to go back home because of his experiences in the prison camp left him emotionally and mentally scarred. Michael returned homeRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Three Cups Of Tea By Greg Mortenson1459 Words   |  6 Pageseducation, Mortenson only focused on the infrastructure of the buildings , not the actual necessities that were needed to teach. Katha Pollit, the journalist in the article, The Bitter Tea of Greg Mortenson, commented, â€Å"†¦schools are not just made of stones; they need teachers, books, a curriculum, and the support of the community,† (Pollit 1) She explained to the world that Greg provided the tools to build an education, but did not supply an instruction manual. Instead, he could have focused more onRead MoreDickens Creation of Sympathy for His Characters in Great Expectations2048 Words   |  9 PagesDickens clearly has sympathy with criminals and doesnt automatically condemn them, because he understands their background. Two of his novels discuss these themes: Oliver Twist and Great Expectations. Both have as the central character a poor orphan who becomes involved with crime. In Oliver Twist, Oliver becomes involved with a gang of robbers led by Fagin and Bill Sikes who drag him into their criminal activities, although he is later rescued by finding his real identity Read MoreInfectious Diseases And Its Effects On The Health Of Chickens1820 Words   |  8 Pagesbirds through contact with bodily fluids and faeces of infected birds and indirectly, through objects and people that have come into contact with the infected bird or bird’s faeces (DEFRA, 2014a) and also through inhalation of airborne particles (Oliver, 2004); (Jacob, 2015). Velogenic strains of NDV may cause higher mortality and morbidity rates in chickens (CFSPH, 2016) yet lentogenic and mesogenic strains may have lower mortality rates and are at lesser risk of an outbreak (OIE, 2017). NDV

The Sustainability Of Human Resource Essay - 1936 Words

Introduction In our world today, with the global workforce increasing, a new way for more effective approach the people is needed. With the rapid changing of the international market that lead to a more resourceful place and the advantage of technology, diversity and inclusion became an important element of sustainability human resource. The sustainability of human resource in hospitality industry is now depend on how diverse and inclusive of the company. Accept and manage diversity and inclusion is essential to the modern day hospitality industry because hospitality industry is alway working with culture diversity. If diversity and inclusion are not properly dealt with, this would have a direct impact on loss of business. Diversity and inclusion are the future and power in business and are unleashed when respected and valued transformations. Diversity and inclusion focus on the makeup of the population; represent and reflect about ethnicity, gender, age, nationality, sexual orienta tion, disability, education or religion of the population. Workplace diversity requires each employee, manager, and other personnel to commit to respecting each other in order to promote diversity in a beneficial and effective way. Managers should be open to people with a completely different way of life and culture that he/she is used to. Employers should look for employees that have different views on a common perspective, so that when a problem arises managers can refer to different pointsShow MoreRelatedHuman Resource Management And Corporate Social Responsibility Essay1167 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction The Human Resource Management and Corporate Social Responsibility are two news that are accepted and believed as highly important to company strategies. To be in competitive businesses needs to increase productivity by finding new systems. Furthermore, HRM is a crucial tool for any business, and as well as CSR, which is becoming an important too. The growth of CSR is the result of changes in the developed world’s greater concerns for environmental deforestation, discriminatory workingRead MoreThe Issue Of Sustainability Is Much Than Much More Than Just That The Earth s Population1259 Words   |  6 PagesThe average human being, multiplied by the Earth’s population, would need to have about four Earths just to supply enough resources (Footprint Calculator). Thinking of people around the world, the people of the United States seem to take a lot of their life for granted. Many people when they hear of the polar ice caps melting wave it off and either don’t believe in it or believe it is not their problem. Well it is their problem and if we don’t jump on the issue soon we will not be giving our futureRead MoreFossil Fuels And Its Impacts On Society1506 Words   |  7 PagesEarth has provided us with various fossil fuels and natural resources that we need to live an adequate life. However, as fossil fuels dwindle and the human population continues to grow, the livelihood of humanity is threatened. Furthermore, the use of fossil fuels has several negative impacts on society. For example, fossil fuels pose a serious danger to the environmental through climate changes and global warming. Additionally, as fossil fuels become more scarce the prices will significantly increaseRead MoreImportance Of Sustainability And Human Development823 Words   |  4 PagesIn today’s world, the most important outcomes of an economy are sustainability and human development. Deciding what potential outcomes of an economy can be subjective and depends largely on the economy and its people. Evaluating the performance of different economies requires the selection of different standards. However, sustainability and human development are the most universally beneficial for a well functioning society. The reason that they are the most important is because securing a betterRead MoreThe Global Warmin g Of The First Gas Powered Automobile1479 Words   |  6 PagesSustainable Development Times are changing faster now than ever before. Innovation has become constant and seems to even be imperative to the way we live presently. We have become so focused on making our lives, as humans, easier, more efficient and more enjoyable that we have looked beyond the harm it causes to the rest of our world and to our future selves. Transportation innovation is a great example of this speculation. The invention of the first gas-powered automobile took off and soonRead MoreSustainability And Attention Whole Foods Shoppers By Robert Paarlberg966 Words   |  4 PagesThe environment is among some of the top issues to be looked upon by the human population in the world today. Sustainability is a word often times used when speaking of this subject. This is a concept represented in the articles â€Å"Sustainability† by Christian R. Weisser and â€Å"Attention Whole Foods Shoppers† by Robert Paarlberg. Each author addresses the issue in different ways; one giving exam ples of this issue and the other clearly defining it. Each author is writing to spread awareness of this issueRead MoreSustainability Multiple Choice Questions1540 Words   |  7 PagesMultiple Choice Questions Name: ____________________________________________________________ 1) The term sustainability refers to ________. A) maintaining resource use at current or higher levels B) keeping the natural environment and human society in a happy, healthy and functional state C) holding or increasing the current quality of human life D) always focusing on fulfilling short‑term needs E) opposing change from current policies Read MoreHuman Resource Management ( Hrm ) And Corporate Social Responsibility1456 Words   |  6 Pagesthat was rather ‘rational and technical’ as compared to management in practice which was more ‘complex’ (Cunliffe, 2014). This has led to a re-evaluation of the methods used to conduct management and its specialisms such as Human Resource Management. Over the years, Human Resource Management (HRM) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) have been seen as separate variables in both practice-oriented as well as academic discourses. (Schoemaker, Nijhof and Jonker, 2006) Hence, there is serious skepticismRead MoreSustainable Development1618 Words   |  7 PagesQ. Sustainable Development? Ans:. Sustainable development refers to a mode of human development in which resource use aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come. The term sustainable development was used by the Brundtland Commission which coined what has become the most often-quoted definition of sustainable development: development that meets the needs of the present withoutRead MoreEnvironmental Planning And Restoration Section1179 Words   |  5 Pagesbiophilic cities, environmental restoration, and landscape ecological urbanism. Sustainability is the equitable and appropriate use of present resources to ensure a resilient future of interconnected systems. This conception of sustainability will be connected to the dimension of environmental planning and restoration by highlighting its importance to the concept, as well as its relation to the key sustainability themes of environmental pr otection, economic development, and social equity. Environmental

One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest Directed by Milos Foreman

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Milos Forman Fantasy Films 1975 The Combine and American Society: All films, regardless of their intended purposes, tend to capture a piece of history and culture within them. Film’s ability to capture images and produce a visual is truly unique, as other methods of storytelling, such as writing a book, fail to truly encapsulate the human experience. Using an aesthetic lens, film directors essentially preserve time, and bring us back to our roots. Through masterful manipulation of the aesthetic properties of film, Milos Forman succeeds in illuminating the historical and cultural significance of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, making it worthy of placement in the National Film Archive. Milos Forman’s many years of experience in Czechoslovakia heavily influenced the production of the film. He was born in Czechoslovakia in 1932, and was orphaned at a very young age when his parents were murdered in a German concentration camp. He studied screenwriting and drama at the Prague Academy, and was heavily involved with the Czech New Wave of film, producing documentaries for the state-sponsored film industry in Czechoslovakia. In addition to being a Czech-American director, he is also a screenwriter and a professor. One of his first films, The Fireman’s Ball, centers around the comic difficulties attached to holding the annual fire brigade dance in a small Czech town. However, this film was ultimately banned by the Czech government for