Is violence in American cinema a reflection of life? Or does life imitate the violence people see in cinema? One of the pressing questions in today's society is whether fictional portrayals of violence have social or psychological consequences. Studies have concluded with both "yes" and "no" verdicts. Is America a culture of violence? Why does violence, horror and melodrama appeal to people? This book explores these issues with primary focus on entertainment, especially film, through lenses of the media, the consumer, and the cultural backdrop. The film A Clockwork Orange allegedly...

Case presentations review key elements of clinical evaluation and rational management of spine disorders. A brief clinical vignette and a clinical photo are provided for each case, and the reader is encouraged to consider a differential diagnosis and formulate a plan for diagnosis and treatment. The next page reveals the correct diagnosis, discusses the disorder and the specific patient outcome, and concludes with 3-4 clinical pearls distilled from the case.

Civilization seems to move ever more toward the power of words over weapons. But many people, especially Americans, still believe wrongs in life can be righted with a fist or a gun or a bomb. Cultural mythology lags reality and continues to send the message of regeneration through violence. But the transition to a healthier mythology is already underway and can be seen in the strength of an alternative trend in depictions of violence in storytelling.

This book examines this trend by comparing examples drawn from film and television with the traditional popular dramatic...

Focuses on humanity's first technology - language - by placing the views of two of the greatest philosophers of the 20th century in direct confrontation on the topic of language/sign communication. It addresses the dominant role of language by the unexpected means of exposing the limits of words and signs for conveying meaning.